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Oval was near Renjia Town. After asking the local residents for directions, Ryan reached the entrance of Oval in just five minutes.
Standing outside, Ryan knocked on the door and called out, "May I ask if Chief Stuart is here?"
"Coming!" a chorus of voices echoed from the courtyard. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing a man dressed in rough, patched clothing. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, his expression one of curiosity.
"Who are you? What business do you have with my master?"
Ryan's expensive suit clearly surprised Plunket. In his experience, people dressed as elegantly as Ryan rarely came to such a humble place.
"Plunket, who is it?" A deep baritone voice resonated from within the courtyard.
"Master, he looks like a young gentleman. Maybe he's lost."
Just then, a middle-aged man of modest height and slender build emerged from the courtyard. Clad in a gray tunic and worn cloth shoes, his appearance was unremarkable at first glance. But upon closer inspection, a calm and composed demeanor radiated from him.
Although he looked slightly different from his movie portrayal, the resemblance was close enough for Ryan to recognize him as Ian Bell.
With practiced respect, Ryan bowed to Ian Bell as he had seen done on television, and said, "I greet you, Master. I was trained in Western magic from a young age, and now that I've achieved some skill, I've returned to my homeland. I've heard tales from my elders about the talented scholars of Britain, and I've come to learn. Word has it that your mastery of Taoism is unmatched in this region, so I humbly seek your guidance."
Ian Bell returned the gesture with a half-bow, his voice modest, "The townspeople speak kindly, but I am not worthy of such praise. Please, come in. Plunket, prepare some tea for our guest."
Ryan's youthful appearance, combined with his evident cultivation aligned with righteous practices, left a positive impression on Ian Bell. Despite his fair skin and refined manner, Ryan did not seem arrogant or deceitful. Ian Bell, known for his upright nature and disdain for evil, was not rigid in his thinking and did not judge Ryan for practicing Western magic. In fact, he was curious to learn more.
As Ryan entered the courtyard, he noticed a handsome young man with a fair complexion and a scholarly appearance emerging from the back, shirtless and drenched in sweat. It was clear he had been practicing exercises in the backyard.
"Mulder, we have a guest. Put on your shirt," Ian Bell called out. Turning to Ryan, he introduced, "This is my eldest disciple, Mulder. The one who opened the door earlier is my second disciple, Mcgrath."
Inside the room, Ryan took his seat as the guest while Mcgrath served tea to everyone. Ryan stood up promptly to express his gratitude, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Ian Bell, who nodded approvingly. He was pleased to see such humility and respect from a younger generation.
The conversation soon shifted to cultivation techniques. Ryan and Ian Bell exchanged insights, both equally fascinated by the other's knowledge. Ryan shared his understanding of the Viking wizards' magic, particularly the methods of maintaining the balance of life and death, which resonated with Ian Bell.
Engrossed in their discussion, time flew by, and before they realized it, darkness had fallen. As evening settled in, Ryan informed Ian Bell that he intended to stay for a while. Ian Bell graciously offered him a place to stay, saying, "If you don't mind the humble environment here, you're welcome to stay as long as you like."
To show his appreciation, Ryan handed some silver to Mcgrath, asking him to buy extra food from the town. Knowing that he would be staying for a while, Ryan wanted to contribute. Ian Bell initially declined, but after some persuasion, Mcgrath accepted the silver.
For the next two days, Ryan stayed at Oval, continuing his discussions with Ian Bell. Through these conversations, Ryan learned that this world was experiencing the era of the end of the law, where the gateway to the Dao was sealed.
In this era, practitioners needed to perform good deeds to accumulate merit, which they could then use to purify and refine the surrounding energies. Directly absorbing energy was dangerous, as the world was increasingly dominated by dark forces, leading to a high risk of corruption and madness.
This explained the turbulent times, with warlords clashing and demons running rampant. The decline of spiritual energy signaled the end of the extraordinary, which would eventually be washed away by the tide of humanity.
Ryan also realized that the deterioration of spiritual power had forced practitioners to rely heavily on rituals and external tools for spellcasting. In contrast, Ryan's Western magic allowed him to cast spells with mere incantations.
These exchanges were enlightening for both Ryan and Ian Bell, and their bond grew stronger. One evening, after dinner, Ryan finally shared one of his main reasons for visiting.
"Master Cummins, during my travels in Europe, I came across something evil. Could you help me examine it?"
"Oh? What is it?" Ian Bell asked, his curiosity piqued.
Ryan produced an iron box from his pocket, which contained Voldemort's diary. Ian Bell was surprised to see Ryan retrieve the box from such a small pocket.
"That must be a space instrument," Ian Bell noted. "In this era of the end of the law, such treasures are exceedingly rare. It's best not to reveal it in public."
"Thank you for the warning, Master Cummins. But I trust your integrity." Ryan then opened the iron box, revealing the diary. Ian Bell's eyes were immediately drawn to the sinister-looking book.
Before Ian Bell could touch it, Ryan quickly handed him a pair of dragon leather gloves. "Master Cummins, this object is extremely evil. It's best not to touch it directly."
Ian Bell donned the gloves and carefully examined the diary. His face grew serious as he said, "I sense a dark and twisted soul within this object. Do you intend to destroy it?"
"Not exactly," Ryan explained. "My master can destroy it, but the creator made several of these objects. One of them was sent to my master's school to break an ancient seal, which would unleash a monster. Even if this diary is destroyed, the threat remains. I'm hoping you can find information on the seal and the monster within it."
Ian Bell pondered for a moment before responding, "I have a method, but it will require some preparation." He wrote a long list of supplies and handed it to Ryan. "To open the altar and perform the ritual, you'll need to gather these items from town. If you start early, we can begin the ceremony by tomorrow afternoon."
"Thank you, Master Cummins." Ryan accepted the list with both hands, placing it securely in his pocket. After organizing their tools, they continued discussing cultivation techniques .
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