"But for other 'Wraiths' and even Beyonders of higher sequences in this pathway, this fluctuation is like a lighthouse, conspicuous and dazzling."
Listening, Louise finally truly understood the fundamental reason why Count Mistral had said that "Wraiths" naturally possessed the ability of divination and anti-divination.
Then she spoke with a hint of embarrassment:
"Letting you be the bait, that's too dangerous. Is there no other way?"
Over this time, Louise had come to regard the members of the Chaos Council as her friends. Although she also longed to come out on top in the competition, her pride as a vampire made it difficult for her to allow the safety of her friends to be used as a bargaining chip.
Sharon calmly shook her head, her tone flat but firm:
"Perhaps there were other ways before, but the last disastrous defeat will make them more cautious, so this time we must take some risks."
Looking at the determined Sharon, Louise was silent for a moment, then nodded.
Aaron listened quietly, also slightly surprised that the ritual for advancing to "Wraith" would be like this. His eyes then darkened, and he suddenly spoke to Sharon:
"Can you give me a copy of that special ritual formation from your advancement ritual? In exchange, I can provide some assistance for your upcoming actions."
Aaron planned to give this ritual formation, which was related to "Wraiths" and the Spirit World, to Astolfo. Perhaps it would bring unexpected surprises.
Chapter 160 Divination and Backlash (Two in One)
Sharon was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting Mr. Attendant to be interested in this ritual.
However, she didn't hesitate and began to materialize it. The surrounding dark golden mist surged and converged, forming a slightly ethereal and complex ritual pattern that appeared before Aaron.
Looking at the ritual pattern, Aaron lowered his gaze, suppressing the surprise in his heart.
The intricate markings in the center of the ritual pattern were almost identical to the strange markings on Astolfo, only more concrete and obscure.
Aaron gave it a simple glance and didn't spend time memorizing it, as he could always use 'Dream Divination' to recall it later.
With a slight movement of his mind, a charm that looked like it was cast from gold instantly materialized in his hand. Aaron flicked his finger, sending it to Sharon, and spoke lightly:
"Before you act, you can use this to contact me. I will provide assistance depending on the situation."
Sharon's azure eyes looked at the charm before her. She grasped it, stood up, and bowed. Even though this was considered an exchange of equal value, she still spoke with gratitude:
"Thank you for your help."
Aaron nodded, looking at Sharon, who rarely showed extra emotion below him, and added:
"If you want to restore your Sealed Artifact to a Beyonder Characteristic, you can sacrifice it to my Lord."
Sharon nodded slightly and sat back down on the stone chair. Louise on the side slowly withdrew her gaze from the golden charm, feeling like it was exactly the same as the one Mr. Attendant had given her.
Shaking off the strange thought in her head, Louise pondered and said:
"I currently reside at 20 Narcissus Street, St. George Borough, Bayam. The accompanying Blood Kin also live nearby."
"The Church of Storms does not trust us and has Punisher teams patrolling the vicinity."
"I will inform Earl Mistral of the Blood Kin about your idea. We can find time to meet and discuss the specific plan in detail."
Sharon listened in silence and nodded.
Seeing a plan that could potentially involve a demigod level being basically framed in just a few words, Ferran Eddas was secretly amazed and also slightly melancholic.
Up to now, besides the mysterious and powerful Mr. Attendant, he had never seen a demigod. The strongest he had encountered was just a Sequence 5 Captain...
"Are you still on the 'Golden Dream' now?"
While his thoughts were scattered, Ferran was suddenly startled by Aaron's voice. He coughed dryly and quickly replied:
"Last week, the Captain brought us to the Oladark Islands near the Fog Sea. I have now left the 'Golden Dream' and am collecting intelligence near the archipelago."
Before Aaron could ask, Louise, who was well-versed in the 'General History of the Northern Continent in the Fifth Epoch', spoke up with interest first:
"Oladark Islands?"
"Isn't that the territory of the Intis Republic? I remember the rumors about Vice Admiral Iceberg said she was from Luen or Segar?"
"Could it be that the rumors were wrong? Is she actually from Intis?"
Looking at Louise, whose eyes were full of gossip and curiosity, Ferran's forehead twitched slightly, and he explained dryly:
"We are just here to seek treasure. The Captain learned from a certain source that Emperor Roselle, who lived a hundred years ago, found a ghost ship left by the Solomon Empire near the Oladark Islands on the edge of the Fog Sea, the ancient 'Black Throne'!"
"Even if that 'Black Throne' has been taken away, it is said that some ancient books might still remain there, and it might even hide a treasure map pointing to an unnamed small island."
"That is the final settlement of a great noble of the Solomon Empire who was defeated and left the Northern Continent. Everything he left behind is there!"
Everyone was listening intently, only Aaron was lost in thought. Others might not know.
Vice Admiral 'Iceberg' Edwina's ancestor, Edwards, was a subordinate of Roselle, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He moved his family to Luen after Roselle's death and lived to nearly a hundred years old.
So from this perspective, it is not strange that 'Vice Admiral Iceberg' obtained some clues about Roselle's adventures from her family.
As for that treasure map, Aaron was more inclined to believe that Roselle, who had grown stronger later, put it back, and the location it pointed to should be a relatively safe area.
After all, according to the original map, Roselle found the Abyss during his voyage, suffered pollution, and also found the original island where Roselle later built his final mausoleum.
However, this cannot rule out that it was done by Roselle during a period when his mind was not normal, so if the so-called treasure map is really found, it is still necessary to pay attention to it.
Looking at Ferran who was recounting his experiences during this period, Aaron coughed lightly, interrupting his narration:
"When you return to the 'Golden Dream' next time, you can find Edwina and tell her that someone wants to buy the iron-black key in her hand."
"I am willing to pay 6,000 pounds. Of course, if Vice Admiral Iceberg has any other additional requirements, you can also inform me."
"Hmm, you can also ask if she has a book called 'Groselle's Travels'. I am also willing to buy it."
Ferran carefully memorized Mr. Attendant's requests, and was secretly amazed that such a strange key was worth 6,000 pounds, and he was even willing to agree to some other additional requirements. This was almost comparable to the value of a Sequence 5 Beyonder Characteristic.
As for the book 'Groselle's Travels', Ferran seemed to have seen it in the Captain's library, but compared to other mysticism books, Ferran naturally didn't pay much attention to this kind of book that looked like a biographical novel.
However, since Mr. Attendant specifically expressed his willingness to purchase it, it must contain a considerable secret. Ferran secretly decided that after returning to the ship, he must see what was written inside.
The other members were also secretly curious about what kind of key could be worth 6,000 pounds. They secretly noted down the items mentioned in the transaction proposed by Aaron, as these might all be valuable information.
Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, Aaron secretly controlled the magnificent figure on the throne to end this Chaos Council.
Clusters of light dispersed in the hall filled with dark golden mist. Aaron waved his hand to dismiss the phantom and sat back on the throne.
He summoned the divination pendulum from the pile of sundries, performed Dream Divination, and re-materialized the ritual array Sharon had provided for advancing to "Wraith".
Then he took out the Death Mask. This was the item Astolfo had resided in before becoming a Messenger, and it could also be considered a medium for divination.
Aaron was worried that giving this ritual array directly to Astolfo would disrupt a possible balance and cause unknown changes, so he decided to use the authority of the Kingdom of Disorder to divine the possible outcome.
With a slight movement of his mind, Aaron integrated the Black Emperor card into his body. The boundless dark golden mist seemed to converge into waves and gusts of wind.
A majestic armor formed on Aaron's body surface, a pitch-black crown appeared on his head, and a long cape of the same color draped behind him. Divine patterns also emerged on the armor.
Feeling the surging power within him, Aaron nodded in satisfaction, suspending the divination pendulum between the Death Mask and the materialized ritual array.
His mind quickly calmed, and the pale gold in his eyes deepened accordingly, entering a state of semi-meditation.
He let the pale blue crystal hang naturally before him. After its swaying subsided, Aaron channeled his spirituality into it and chanted silently in his heart:
"Giving this array to Astolfo will cause terrifying changes."
.....
Over and over again, after a full seven times, Aaron opened his eyes and saw the yellow crystal pendulum rotating clockwise, and quite rapidly.
This indicated that it would indeed cause uncontrollable anomalies, and the degree of danger was not low!
Aaron pinched his brow, his expression extremely solemn, and leaned back against the chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.
After considering for a few seconds, feeling the surging power within him, he still decided to take this opportunity to further investigate what kind of anomaly his Messenger might cause.
And this time, Aaron decided to use "Dream Divination", which is more targeted and provides clearer revelations.
Aaron materialized a piece of paper and wrote down a new "divination statement" on it:
"What exactly are the changes that will be triggered?"
The divination pendulum hung down again. Aaron paused, reached out and summoned the "Sun-Gazing Staff" from the pile of sundries, instantly feeling much more at ease.
Then he half-closed his eyes and silently chanted the "divination statement" seven times, causing his spirituality to resonate with the Spirit World, which is higher than everything.
Soon, he saw a boundless, ethereal, dark golden mist.
The mist slowly parted, revealing ethereal, transparent beings with difficult-to-describe forms.
All colors became vivid and distinct but overlapped, while the gray mist permeated and enveloped everything, fading into nothingness.
And in the depths, high in the sky, seven clear rays of light of different colors slowly moved. They seemed to have life, containing endless knowledge.
Aaron recognized it at a glance; this was the Spirit World, completely overlapping with reality and omnipresent.
Not far away, space twisted and overlapped, colors were vibrant and dense, and a long, festering leg dripping with yellowish-green liquid stepped out of the red and blue interwoven color blocks.
Further up was a massive body wrapped in corpse oil bandages. This mysterious and insane angel was grasping a light cocoon with a human outline in its right hand.
The strange yet familiar markings on the surface of the light cocoon, combined with his spiritual intuition, instantly made Aaron understand that this was his Messenger, Astolfo.
Before Aaron could see clearly what was happening, an anomaly occurred.
Brown branches covered with viscous black liquid pierced through the Spirit World, obscuring the seven clear rays of light of different colors high in the Spirit World.
In this aura that almost solidified the surroundings, the terrifying figure, whose full appearance was difficult to see and who was dripping with yellowish-green pus, was pierced by countless brown branches. Along with the human-shaped light cocoon in its hand, it was dragged towards the violently torn gap in the Spirit World.
Through this gap, Aaron could vaguely see a mummy wrapped in yellowing bandages, its body pierced by countless brown branches, suspended in an unknown space.
Its belly was greatly distended, and at times a certain position would bulge and then deflate, as if it was gestating a new life. Its opening and closing mouth screamed incessantly.
Aaron knew clearly that this was just a scene from Dream Divination and he shouldn't be able to hear actual sounds, but there was still a pain resonating within his body and soul, making him bear the mummy's suffering little by little.
"The Bound God"!
Aaron's heart suddenly constricted, and this name flashed in his mind.
Without giving him time to react, everything before Aaron's eyes collapsed and shattered, and the dream instantly disintegrated.
In the magnificent palace, Aaron suddenly straightened his back, feeling his heart pounding erratically, pounding without reason.
Using his control over this space, Aaron easily saw his current state:
The gold and crimson in his eyes were intertwined, the divine patterns on his body surface were being eroded by ink-black, seemingly living liquid, and his belly was slightly bulging.
The entire magnificent palace seemed to be covered with a curtain of crimson and black intertwined.
Without any hesitation, and without Aaron needing to command, the dark golden mist lingering in the magnificent palace, and even the entire space, completely boiled.
Boundless mist surged in, confusing all conceptual directions and completely isolating this space from everything outside.
Aaron's consciousness, in a peculiar form, was suspended at the highest point of this space, watching the boundless dark golden mist wear away the curtain of crimson and black intertwined.
Whether it was the influence of the Source's spontaneous counterattack or an anomaly caused by the confrontation of the two forces, Aaron felt that his current state seemed to have elevated his control over this space to another level.
This strange and unique feeling lasted only for an instant. The next second, Aaron felt a moment of disorientation and then returned to his body.
The surging dark golden mist, like waves, gradually subsided. The previous anomaly had disappeared, and Aaron, with his body restored to normal, leaned against the chair with a pale face. Before he could think, his consciousness fell into darkness.
...
Bayam, in a simple room, Sharon, who had just finished the meeting, suddenly turned her head to look out the window.
The crimson moon high in the sky had somehow become rounder and larger, and its color had significantly deepened, like flowing blood.
"Blood Moon..." Sharon murmured silently, clenching her fists, enduring the pain brought by the curse.
The northernmost tip of the Rosed Islands, a small city northeast of Bayam, in an empty alley.
Although it was still February, the Rosed Islands are located near the equator of the Earth period and are surrounded by the sea, so they are warm all year round, roughly divided into dry and rainy seasons.
A thin, gray-haired but disheveled figure, wearing a padded jacket that was not suitable for the season, and a woolen overcoat, was throwing one coffee-colored candy after another into his mouth, chewing and talking to himself incessantly.
It was the avatar of "Orange Light" Hilarion - Hermoshein.
Suddenly, His figure, wrapped in thick clothing, abruptly stopped, and His chewing also stopped. He seemed to sense something and looked up at the blood moon in the sky.
A moment later, He lowered His head and sighed, seemingly muttering a few words, then changed direction and slowly walked towards Bayam in the southwest.
-----------------
Northern edge of the Fog Sea, Oladark Islands.
In a room near the port, Ferran opened his eyes with a tired look. The sudden blood moon last night made him feel uneasy, and he hadn't slept well all night.
He sighed, just about to ask the hotel servant to send food to the room, when he heard a loud shout from the window, seemingly coming from the nearby port:
"Hey, come one, come all, don't miss out! Anderson Hood, the strongest hunter of the Fog Sea, will lead you to excavate lost treasures."
"Hehe, there are not many tickets left for the ship heading to the God War ruins. Seize the opportunity now, hug this great guy's thigh, and getting rich overnight is no longer a dream...."
#162Chapter 161 Gains and Losses (Two in One)
"Ruins of the God War?"
Ferran paused, slightly surprised to hear that name here, as it was one of the famous, enduring treasures on the sea.
The Ruins of the God War were definitely every bounty hunter's dream, but this was the edge of the Fog Sea, west of the Northern Continent, separated from the legendary Ruins of the God War by the entire Raging Sea and Sonia Sea.
Curious that someone would recruit crew here to explore the Ruins of the God War, and at the same time astounded by the title of the strongest hunter in the Fog Sea, Ferran turned around and changed into clothes suitable for going out.
"If that guy Danitz were here, hearing this title, he would definitely curse in disdain, 'Bullshit'...." Ferran opened the door and muttered to himself.
Danitz had separated from him more than a week ago, saying he was going to the small town of Nosia in southern Intis, wanting to visit home.
"Counting the time, that guy should be back soon. If it weren't for waiting for him, I should have already returned to the Golden Dream, and Mr. Favored One's mission wouldn't have been delayed for so long."
Ferran shook his head and walked to the harbor against the morning sea breeze, finding that many people dressed as adventurers were already gathered somewhere, and the shouting was coming from there.
Having traveled extensively, Ferran could tell at a glance that the group of people were more like pirates in adventurer's clothing than actual adventurers, and there were several Beyonders among them.
As the archipelago closest to the mainland of the Republic of Intis, its status was equivalent to the Roselle Islands for Loen.
The Intis military and the two major Churches had strong individuals stationed here, and the Red Theater on the islands was very characteristic of Intis, so some pirates would usually disguise themselves as adventurers to come ashore and enjoy themselves.
Ferran, who had carefully studied makeup breaking techniques with the Captain, narrowed his eyes, lingered on the figures of several suspected wanted pirates for a while, secretly noting them down, planning to earn some extra money later.
Withdrawing his gaze, Ferran walked through the crowd and came to a very simple temporary shed, and heard that familiar shouting again:
"What we are going to explore this time is the ocean evolved from the ruins of the God War, where countless treasures are buried...."
Ferran walked through the crowd and saw a young man wearing a white shirt and a black vest, with medium build, short golden hair parted in a three-seven style, and focused and serious emerald green eyes.
Until his emerald green eyes met those of this gentleman, Ferran suddenly felt like he was being targeted by a fierce beast in the jungle.
An unprecedented sense of crisis surfaced in his heart, and Ferran quickly averted his gaze, feeling a little nervous and surprised:
"So strong. To give me this feeling of danger, is he a Sequence 6 who has mastered some magical item, or is he a Sequence 5 comparable to a Pirate General?"
"With this strength, the title of the strongest hunter in the Fog Sea is not an exaggeration."
Anderson also stopped shouting at this time, sizing up Ferran, his smile extremely bright, easily giving a good impression. He showed his white teeth and said to Ferran with a chuckle:
"Just like you, my friend. If you can join my team, I believe this journey will not be lonely."
Looking at Anderson, who had a very familiar demeanor, and his bright smile and white teeth, Ferran always had the illusion of looking at Danitz, and wanted to give him a punch.
"No, thank you for your invitation. I have other things I need to stay here for, so I can't go on an adventure for now."
After speaking, he didn't wait for a response, pretending to be calm, turned and left, while secretly praying in his heart that this strong man, who might be at the level of a Pirate General, wouldn't suddenly say something like:
"Young man, you are very good, come with me." If that happened, it would be troublesome.
Fortunately, the bad situation Ferran had imagined did not happen. Although he always felt eyes on him, Ferran still returned to the hotel safely.
Seeing that Anderson stopped talking, the blond man next to him signaled his subordinates to take over from Anderson and continue recruiting crew, saying with a chuckle:
"What's wrong? The famous strongest hunter in the Fog Sea isn't into men, is he?"
Anderson turned his head without getting angry, and looked at the blond man with a smile, saying:
"Ha, then you better be careful when you sleep from now on."
William Blake was not afraid at all, puffed out his strong chest, and even provocatively wiggled his butt.
Anderson pouted and said lightly:
"That guy just now, his strength is good, and more importantly, I felt a familiar feeling on him. Could this guy be from Lenburg?"
William Blake obviously knew Anderson well, and immediately laughed when he heard this:
"Does it remind you of the past when you were expelled from the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom school because you repeatedly failed exams?"
"I told you long ago that people without brains would eventually be kicked out, and it turned out just as I expected, you are indeed a poor student."
Anderson glanced at William Blake, who was laughing so hard he was bending over, and immediately curled up the corner of his mouth, saying with a bright smile:
"I forgot to tell you, I joined an organization in Intis before. They want to change society, change the world, make Beyonders no longer hidden, appear in everyone's eyes, and become the true rulers.
"They are called the Iron-blooded Cross Society, and they believe in the 'True Creator'."
William Blake's smile froze instantly, and cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.
Glancing at William Blake's expression, Anderson pretended not to notice anything and continued:
"However, their brains seem to have been eaten by ghouls. They are fanatical to the point of being foolish, which doesn't quite fit my aesthetic."
"Hehe, so I recently tricked some things out of there and quit. Now their foolish brains seem to have reacted, and they are chasing me."
"This is also the reason why I want to explore the Ruins of the God War. Separated by the Raging Sea and the Sonia Sea, far from Intis, that's where the sky is high for birds to fly and the sea is wide for fish to leap."
"Eh, why is your face a little pale, and there's a lot of sweat on your face? Did you get sunstroke? As a Sequence 6 'Notary' of the Sun pathway, you can't even stand this much sun, can you?"
William Blake raised his right hand, wiped away the sweat, cursed a few times in his heart, and forced a smile:
"I once heard people say that once you believe in an evil god, it's almost impossible to get rid of it."
As he spoke, his chin lifted, looking as if he was waiting to see how he would die.
"That's very true." Anderson replied without any hint of gloom in his smile:
"I didn't truly believe. At that time, I was reciting sentences that I had changed from the Knowledge and Wisdom God's honorific name."
"Anyway, they don't like to use their brains, no, they don't have them at all. As long as you pretend to be pious on the surface, you can fool them with any random excuse."
Looking at William Blake, whose face was stiff and could no longer smile, Anderson finally nodded with satisfaction, and patted his shoulder in a very pleasant mood:
"Young man, you are still too young. Compared to me, you are still a little bit short."
"I've been here for almost a day, and there are enough people. If I stay any longer, the people chasing me will probably arrive. Well, let's set off at noon...."
-----------------
In the magnificent and majestic palace, Aaron, who was slumped on the throne with dark golden mist surrounding him, slowly opened his eyes.
He rubbed his still throbbing head, put the somewhat dimmed Black Emperor card back into the pile of miscellaneous items, and Aaron, who had sobered up from the backlash, finally had time to look around.
The first things that caught his attention were two items, one was the Staff of the Rising Sun that was originally placed beside him to deal with danger.
When not being urged, the Staff of the Rising Sun was more like it was in deep sleep, but now it looked more like it was made of pure flame, and the surrounding dark golden mist was affected, being repelled outwards.
Without the status bonus provided by the Black Emperor card, just looking directly at the current "Staff of the Rising Sun", Aaron's eyes became extremely painful.
Looking at the "Staff of the Rising Sun" that was gradually becoming calm under the cover of the dark golden light, a trace of understanding emerged in Aaron's heart:
Due to the Source's spontaneous counterattack against possible contamination from Outer Gods, the collision of two extremely high-status powers loosened the original seal of the "Staff of the Rising Sun" which was close at hand.
Although the seal of the current "Staff of the Rising Sun" has not been completely broken, to some extent, it already possesses some abilities of a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.
If used well, it can play an unexpected role even in angel-level battles, but the corresponding negative effects are probably also terrifyingly severe.
Thinking of the negative effects, Aaron subconsciously looked to his right side, which was the original position of the divination pendant.
Just a glance, Aaron's face immediately couldn't hold up.
Not far to his right, through the gathering dark golden mist, a completely black infant-like object could be seen within.
Its figure was not solid, its eyes were composed of fragmented divination crystals, stained crimson, and its ink-black body was covered with crystal fragments, like stars in the night sky.
As the master of the Kingdom of Disorder, Aaron could clearly feel the fluctuations emanating from this strange "infant" echoing throughout the entire mysterious space, but it seemed to be unable to transmit outwards forever.
As early as the Source's spontaneous counterattack, all connections with the outside world were completely cut off, even the omnipresent Spirit World was isolated, and Aaron also took advantage of this opportunity to feel a deeper level of control over this Source.
And the pollution transmitted through the Spirit World in "Dream Divination" was also cut off from the source. Even if the status was high, the pollution that had lost its support was gradually cleaned up and gathered.
As the medium for divination, the divination pendant bore the brunt of the attack, was directly contaminated, shattered in the Source's counterattack, and finally formed a part of that strange "infant".
Looking at this item that had accompanied him for a long time with some regret, Aaron withdrew his gaze and sighed.
Since he no longer had the divination pendant, Aaron did not intend to experience the unknown negative effects, and wrapped these two items in layers of dark golden mist.
Only after no abnormal fluctuations were transmitted did Aaron place the two items together and throw them into the pile of miscellaneous items.
Without thinking about the divination scene obtained at a great cost, Aaron used the last bit of spirituality to open the Source's blockade, returned to the real world, adjusted his posture with difficulty, and began to meditate.
.....
In front of the elegantly decorated and luxurious door, the tall and burly Baye-Bailey was walking back and forth anxiously, bending over.
Evelina on the side was elegantly seated at the dining table, gracefully tasting the fair and tender meat stained with a little red in front of her. This was the most delicious part of a murloc, and it was Evelina's favorite food now.
After eating the last piece of meat, Evelina let out a satisfied purr, smacked her lips, and then lay sideways on the blanket beside her, wagging her tail and saying indifferently:
"Big guy, what are you walking back and forth for? Go catch me another murloc, meow. When Aaron comes out, I'll let him praise you properly."
Baye-Bailey stopped, his face a little anxious:
"It's been almost two days. Since the Blood Moon that night, His Lordship has not come out for almost two days."
"If, if something really happens to His Lordship, then I can only atone for my sins with death."
Evelina rolled over, glanced at this big fool, and meowed disdainfully:
"Don't worry, he was like this before, and he's still alive and kicking in the end."
Then she shook her head and said:
"Meow, how does that saying go? Good people don't live long, but scourges live for a thousand years. You'll die, but he won't..."
Just as Evelina was triumphantly slandering behind his back, she suddenly felt a hand pinch the back of her neck, her fate.
Feeling the familiar pushing and suffocating sensation, Evelina's white fur stood up one by one, her limbs flailing wildly, seemingly wanting to escape, but she was restrained by the other hand.
The bedroom door opened silently, and Aaron stood by the dining table with a blank expression. After casually subduing a rebellious son who was ruining his image, he looked at Baye-Bailey, whose expression had softened, and asked calmly:
"Where are we now?"
Baye-Bailey's already bent waist lowered even more, and he responded respectfully:
"Your Lordship, according to your request, we went directly from Damir Port to Tiana Port without stopping, and then directly to Bayam from there."
"Yesterday we just passed the sea area near Bansy Port between Damir Port and Tiana Port. Due to poor weather conditions, our voyage was delayed to some extent. We are expected to arrive at Tiana Port tomorrow."
Aaron nodded with satisfaction. This route was the fastest way to reach Bayam. Even if something happened at Bansy Port later, no one would point the finger of suspicion at him.
Releasing Evelina from his hand, watching her disappear in a flash, Aaron's mouth curled up slightly. After a day of rest, he had recovered his state.
Nodding to Baye-Bailey beside him, Aaron took the lead and went to the telegraph room in the middle of the ship's cabin, planning to see if "Admiral of Blood" had recently transmitted any valuable information via radio.
Before this, he had already written a letter in the room, and after sealing the "Traveler" Beyonder characteristic precipitated from the "Traveler's Brooch" with extremely terrifying negative effects, he also put it in.
He had Astolfo send the letter to Harland Rooney, who was already in the Southern Continent, asking him to craft a new divination pendant.
And he allowed him to use all resources to craft that "Traveler" Beyonder characteristic into a magical item. Aaron had only two requirements for it: small negative effects and the core ability of "Travel" must be retained.
#163Chapter 162: The Rose School's Response (Two in One)
Passing through the carved wooden porch, Aaron arrived at the telegraph room in the middle of the ship.
What came into view was a massive copper frame filled with telegraph machines and keys. Each machine had a complex mechanical structure, and some even emitted noticeable spiritual fluctuations.
Complex special copper wires were laid between the frames, transmitting telecommunication signals from one place to another.
As a ship traversing the Raging Sea and even the Sonia Sea, this was its greatest feature besides its luxurious decoration.
Even though the weather in the Raging Sea and Sonia Sea changes drastically and there are many factors affecting electromagnetic propagation, it could still receive telegrams from Loen and the Southern Continent.
Seeing Lord Aaron walk in, the mechanical noise and the tapping of the telegraph machines that filled the entire telegraph room lessened slightly.
The man in military uniform sitting in the corner quickly stood up, picked up the documents on the table, and walked towards Aaron, speaking with haste:
"Lord Aaron, these are the intelligence reports intercepted and deciphered over the past two days based on the frequency spectrum and codebook you provided. There are three of them, placed on top."
"The rest are intelligence reports from Loen and the Southern Continent."
Aaron nodded slightly and took the intelligence reports. The first page contained a line of Loen words:
"Hermosian appeared at 46 Oak Avenue, Bayam. Arrest at 3 PM."
Aaron's pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly looked at the time in the lower right corner, realizing this was a telegram from yesterday morning.
Frowning slightly, Aaron continued to flip through. The next two pages of intelligence were sent almost simultaneously this morning.
One was an order for all intelligence personnel in Bayam to continue searching for Hermosian, and the other was related to the 'Admiral of Blood'.
"The 'Admiral of Blood' has arrived in Bayam. It's a pity the telegram didn't provide a detailed address, otherwise..."
Aaron put away the three intelligence reports with some regret. At least from the current information, Mr. Hermosian had not been caught yet.
As for the 'Admiral of Blood', Aaron wasn't too concerned. He was just a notorious pirate general, merely a slightly more powerful Sequence 5.
The real reason Aaron came to check the telegrams as soon as he woke up was that he had defeated the contamination originating from the 'Bound God' in the Kingdom of Disorder, which pointed to the Outer God 'Mother Tree of Desire'.
Even with a layer of the original barrier and the dream world in between, Aaron couldn't be sure how much this extremely capricious and flamboyant Outer God had perceived.
The simplest and most direct method he could think of at the moment was to make a judgment based on the actions of the Rose School. The 'Admiral of Blood' was a good target.
Aaron continued to flip down. There were two more intelligence reports. One was from Connart City in Desi Bay, a telegram from his father, Guzman Weil.
The content of the telegram was simple, just bidding farewell to Aaron. The fleet would set off in mid-February because the Feysac colonial area in West Balam was near the coast.
Considering the potential skirmishes that could occur along the coast of West Balam, it would likely take until late March to reach the Loen Kingdom's colonial area in West Balam to support the war there.
The last one was from Lloyd City in the Parsi River Valley in the Southern Continent, sent by Glen Weil, who had arrived more than a month earlier. It contained only a few brief words: "Mission completed."
Looking at those brief words, a smile finally appeared on Aaron's face. He put away all the intelligence reports in his hand, nodded slightly to the military officer, and left.
Aaron stood on the deck, looking at the rippling sea under the red moon and the port of Bansy not far away, shrouded in dark clouds but still discernible in outline.
Watching Bansy Port recede into the distance, Aaron tapped the hull with his finger, pondering the pros and cons for a long time before finally deciding to investigate first.
He tossed a bronze-colored charm to Bayer Bailer, who was standing not far from his side. This charm could help Aaron locate the ship in the spirit world, making it convenient for him to return in time.
After making preparations, Aaron returned to the cabin. Even without the aid of divination, relying on his spiritual intuition, which was almost comparable to a Sequence 5, and the several times enhanced extra perception of a Sheriff on the extraordinary level.
Aaron finally found Evelina, who was hidden by psychological invisibility, in a corner. After a friendly exchange, it "happily" perched on Aaron's shoulder and disappeared into the colorful blocks.
-----------------
Bayam, in an ordinary residential building not far from the Governor's Mansion.
In the spacious basement, candles burned quietly, casting a dim yellow light around.
"Silver White Viper" Odel had taken off his hooded robe and looked at the middle-aged man opposite him with a slight tremble, his voice unsteady:
"Lord Senor, I don't know why Hermosian suddenly disappeared."
"The item provided by your, your second mate has been destroyed by the Sea King of the Church of Storms who arrived later..."
By the end, his voice was almost trembling.
Senor wore a worn-out tricorn hat, his eye sockets were deep-set, and his face was terrifyingly pale, resembling a wraith more than a human.
He raised his hand and stroked the two black mustaches on his lip. His light brown eyes coldly swept across Odel's face, making the well-known adventurer involuntarily lower his head.
After silently staring at the other party for a few seconds, the "Admiral of Blood," wearing white trousers and a red jacket, spoke in a low, hoarse voice:
"How many subordinates died?"
To him, who had a strong desire for blood and even slaughtered his companions, his subordinates were just useful tools. The reason he cared about their lives was only because the next mission required some cannon fodder with a certain level of strength.
"No, your first mate and second mate were only slightly injured. It's just that the item your second mate provided couldn't be retrieved after being released, so it was destroyed by the Sea King Arn Courtman who arrived later."
"Silver Coin Viper" Odel quickly agreed, hoping that the "Admiral of Blood" wouldn't think that the failure to capture the great scientist Hermosian was due to his incompetence.
He was well aware of how cruel this pirate general was to subordinates who made mistakes!
Senor glanced at Odel and sneered:
"But no matter what, you failed.
"If it weren't for you and your mistress, who gave me a lot of pleasure, I would make you pull out your own intestines!
"Go mobilize all your spies in Bayam and find that old man. This is the only thing you can do right now."
Upon hearing this, Odel silently breathed a sigh of relief. He looked fearfully at the "Admiral of Blood" and the bloody altar in the dark room behind him, and respectfully replied:
"Yes, Lord Senor!"
He had just thought he would become part of the sacrifice.
After Odel left the basement, the "Admiral of Blood" Senor turned to look at the altar covered with heads, internal organs, limbs, and blood, and said with a more respectful attitude than when Odel faced him:
"Lord Jax, was the ritual successful?"
"It was successful. We just need to wait for the god's response." A cold, emotionless voice came from behind the curtain hanging around the altar.
Then, the curtain seemed to come alive, rolling up on both sides, smoothly tying itself into a knot and falling onto the center of the altar.
A slightly transparent figure appeared beside the altar at some point. His skin was brownish, his facial wrinkles formed deep furrows, and his white hair was as sparse as autumn leaves, suggesting he had lived for many, many years.
It was Jax, a high-ranking member of the "Rose School," a Sequence 4 "Puppet" of the "Prisoner" pathway.
He humbly looked at the candlelight, his brown eyes motionless.
The "Admiral of Blood" Senor dared not speak again and stood beside Lord Jax, waiting for the altar to change.
Suddenly, the candlelight was dyed with various colors, each seemingly corresponding to the different desires of the observer.
The heads, internal organs, limbs, and blood on the altar moved without wind, stacking up layer by layer and melting like candles.
Before long, they formed a low tree of flesh and blood, with an uneven surface like a walnut shell, and intertwined black and red branches spreading out.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Inside the tree of flesh and blood, a heart seemed to be beating, strong and powerful.
Just as Senor was about to be unable to bear the noise, the tree of flesh and blood withered and rotted into mud, spreading out.
In the place where it had been, a flesh-colored, wet, sticky little ball remained.
Soon, the little ball grew limbs and a head, turning into a palm-sized humanoid creature.
It had no eyes, no nose, no ears on its face, only a hole-like mouth.
From that mouth, dark golden mist was exhaled and then retracted, repeatedly and without stopping.
Jax humbly and fanatically chanted "Mother Tree of Desire" multiple times before humbly reaching out and picking up the strange little person.
Silently, all the candlelight went out, but for the "Wraith" with night vision, this did not affect their ability to see things.
The "Admiral of Blood" Senor looked up at Jax and heard the adult say in a low voice:
"We have been preparing for this ritual for a long time, and the god's grace can help us sense the target's presence within a larger range."
"Then, we can use the glasses made by members of the School of Life to accurately find him!"
As he spoke, Jax took out a monocle from his inner pocket. It looked normal, but in the dark, it shone with a pure white light.
"Lord Jax, what should we do next?" Senor asked respectfully.
The deeply wrinkled Jax put the monocle back and thought for a few seconds:
"In the sudden blood moon a few days ago, I felt the will of the god."
"That mysterious person who, along with the 'Mysterious Queen,' severely injured Meihamus in the Sonia Sea, or the organization behind him, has attracted the god's attention."
"Our main task from now on is to pursue that mysterious powerhouse."
"Conveniently, the fuse of that incident, the traitor Sharon, is in Bayam. Capture her and try every means to get clues from her."
Senor maintained a bowing posture, not daring to straighten up. He hesitated and asked with some worry:
"What if that mysterious powerhouse wasn't attracted by the 'Mysterious Queen,' but by Sharon? Even Lord Meihamus was severely injured. With just us..."
A subtle emotion flashed across Jax's withered face. After a moment of silence, he placed the strange little person on his chest and spoke with piety and fanaticism:
"If she has a powerful helper, we will monitor her to prevent her from leaving the sensing range, and then patiently wait for Lord Sciah to arrive."
"If she has no protector and is in poor condition herself, then we will directly take action."
When he heard the word Sciah, the "Admiral of Blood" Senor's forehead twitched noticeably, as if the mere name of that adult could instill fear.
He took a slow breath and said:
"Yes, Lord Jax!"
After answering, Senor instinctively touched the necklace hanging on his chest.
This necklace seemed to be made of pure silver, with a pendant of the same color shaped like an ancient coin. Both sides were covered with mysterious patterns and symbols, and inscribed with an ancient Hermes language inscription:
"As lucky as you are now, you will be as unlucky later."
This item originated from a member of the School of Life. He was a Sequence 5 "Winner" of the "Monster" pathway, and one of the important members of the School of Life provided after Enzo's defection.
After dying at the hands of the Rose School demigod Jax in the Southern Continent, his extraordinary characteristic, his spirit, and an ordinary silver necklace he carried combined to form a magical item, which was finally bestowed upon Senor.
-----------------
Bansy Port, in an unoccupied room in the port area, Aaron and Evelina stepped out of the colorful and distorted world of paintings.
Looking at the dim streetlights outside the window and the slightly sparse fog, Aaron habitually touched his right wrist, where his divination pendant used to hang.
After touching empty space, Aaron sighed with some discomfort, finally understanding why Klein always divined before doing anything.
On the one hand, it might be out of caution, as Diviners never fight unprepared battles. On the other hand, it might truly be due to habit.
Suppressing the thoughts in his mind, he threw Evelina to the door, signaling it to watch the room, and then walked towards a side compartment, a sentence inexplicably flashing in his mind:
"Caution saves one from disaster, one must not be careless..."
Seeing the compartment door close, Evelina, who had been well-behaved just now, suddenly became fierce and bared its teeth at the compartment. It stood up and clawed at the compartment a few times before turning around with a wary look towards the door and window.
Aaron skillfully set up the ritual and ascended above the dark golden mist. With the true vision provided by the Beyonder Characteristic, he continuously raised his perspective, looking down at the entire port area and the coastal mountains outside Bansy Port through the thick dark clouds gathered high in the sky.
Under true vision, a patch of grayish-white mist appeared in the depths of Bansy Port. Within the mist, there was a faint street and rows of houses.
The coastal mountains outside the port were filled with red, white, or orange flames churning in the grayish-white mist.
In just an instant, Aaron cut off the transmission of true vision. After summoning the Black Emperor card, he carefully examined himself, making sure he hadn't been contaminated by any hidden pollution, before relaxing.
After all, that was a Beyonder Characteristic. Even if it was sealed, the leaked pollution had made an angel wish they were dead. Aaron had to be careful. Before the hunting plan was completed, he had to avoid triggering the real danger.
Chapter 163 Will Auceptin's Reminder (Two in One)
On the coastal mountain peak outside Bansy Port, Yuri's expression was devout as he emerged from a cave entrance on the cliff face. There were still some remnants of meat and faint bloodstains around his lips, as if he had just enjoyed a feast.
The natives of Bansy had a tradition of cannibalism, worshipping their self-created "God of Weather." They held four rituals annually, killing a chosen so-called 'favored one of the gods,' sharing their blood and flesh, and burying the head in the altar.
After Loen conquered the area, similar traditions were long replaced by the Storm Rite, but for those like Yuri who secretly believed in the "God of Weather," this kind of ritual was the best way to communicate with their god.
Yuri walked out of the dense fog and headed towards the Bansy Port district, completely disregarding the port's unique custom of not going out during foggy nights with drastic weather changes.
Relying on the True Vision provided by the Kingdom of Disorder, Aaron could sense that Yuri, who had just emerged from the cliff, was merely a Sequence 9 Beyonder.
The reason he could ignore the dangers in the thick fog was entirely due to a badge he wore on his chest. Aaron could clearly "see" waves of subtle fluctuations emanating from within the badge.
The monsters drifting in the surrounding fog consciously avoided Yuri, seemingly regarding him as one of their own. Ironically, the surface of the badge was composed of symbols like gale winds, waves, and lightning, which were the sacred emblem of the Church of the Storms.
Aaron's gaze lingered on the badge for a moment, then thoughtfully withdrew. He watched as Yuri entered a room in the port district, not far from the Bansy Port Telegraph Office and the Church of the Storms.
Yuri took off his black robe, looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror with a slight smile at the corner of his lips, and took off the "Storm Sacred Emblem" he wore on his chest, placing it by the bed. He then went to a corner of the room, opened a hidden compartment, took out a letter with a Storm mark from his In arms, and placed it inside.
After doing all this, Yuri felt inexplicably sleepy. After putting all the items back in their original places, he lay down on the soft bed.
Not far from the door, Aaron lifted his concealment. He glanced at the hidden compartment in the corner, and the Ring of Concealment on his hand flickered with a faint light. Yuri, who had just lain down on the bed, instantly broke into a happy smile, as if entering a woven dream.
This was the Beyonder ability of Sequence 7 "Nightmare" recorded by the Ring of Concealment, but it was far from enough; the recorded ability always had a gap compared to the original version.
Aaron closed his eyes and sensed for a moment. After realizing that the door to Yuri's Mind World had been opened with the help of the dream, he looked at Evelyn.
It meowed, and the Hypnotic Chain emitted light. A layer of "scales" seemed to appear beneath its snow-white fur, and a faint draconic might emerged.
Since Aaron had already opened the door to Yuri's "Mind World" with the Nightmare ability, Evelyn only needed to go through a few necessary steps to directly modify his consciousness and thus influence his subconscious.
Evelyn was currently only a Sequence 7 Psychotherapist. Although she could enter the Sea of Subconscious through rituals like self-hypnosis, that was the extent of it; she couldn't influence the Sea of Subconscious itself.
Only through the combination of the two Beyonder abilities, Nightmare and Psychological Hint, could they bypass the Sea of Subconscious and directly influence his subconscious.
As Evelyn's pale golden eyes slowly opened, Yuri on the bed opened his dull eyes and slowly stood up from the bed.
"Alright, although this guy is only Sequence 9, in a way, his mind is quite firm. He can be considered a devout believer. Hypnotizing him took a lot of energy."
Seeing Evelyn looking at him eagerly, Aaron glanced at it sideways and said indifferently:
"Fine, I'll let bygones be bygones. How about I have the sailors catch you a merman after we get back tonight?"
Evelyn wagged its tail, nodded quite reservedly, and then, as if remembering something, added:
"Although we opened the door to his Mind World through Nightmare and Psychological Hint, by modifying his consciousness, we can make him follow our arrangements without realizing it, performing various actions contrary to his true will."
"But this has its limits. If it directly endangers his life or the things he values most in his subconscious, he will show strong resistance, causing the hypnosis to fail."
"During the contact just now, I found that the thing this guy values most in his subconscious is the false god he believes in. So you need to be careful later, don't blame me if the hypnosis fails because I didn't warn you."
Aaron frowned slightly. Didn't this mean he couldn't directly ask for information about that "God of Weather"?
Then, with a thought, he used the Nightmare ability to implant the honorific name corresponding to himself behind the opened door of Yuri's subconscious.
Aaron, whose brows had relaxed, smiled and said to Evelyn:
"Plant a psychological hint in him: whenever he goes to the coastal mountain peak to participate in the ritual, he will unconsciously recite the words I just implanted in his subconscious, without him realizing it himself."
This way, during each ritual, Aaron could observe the true situation of the altar in the valley through the True Vision granted by the prayer light spots.
This allowed him to obtain the desired information without killing Yuri and alerting others. This method of probing for information through prayer light spots could almost bypass all checks and was extremely covert.
Evelyn, not understanding why, planted the psychological hint as Aaron requested. Aaron, meanwhile, walked to the corner of the room and opened the hidden compartment.
Inside, besides a good amount of gold pounds and spiritual materials, the rest were letters to and from other believers of the "God of Weather."
The signature on the letter placed at the very front was Bishop Miller. Aaron didn't care about the traitors of the Church of the Storms, but he didn't mind sending a report letter to that hot-tempered fellow in Bayam while he was at it.
Finding nothing else of value, Aaron put the letters back in their original place and closed the hidden compartment.
Seeing that Evelyn had completed the psychological hint, Aaron stepped forward, picked it up, and their figures vanished into the colorful, dense patches of color.
-----------------
Bayam, 20 Narcissus Street, St. George District.
Sharon, wearing a complex and exquisite black Gothic court dress and a small black soft hat, sat quietly on the sofa.
Across from the sofa, Louise was very curiously sizing up this member of the Chaos Council she was meeting in reality for the first time.
Although their interaction in reality was brief, Sharon's reserved and taciturn personality still left a deep impression on Louise. However, Louise also understood that this was due to the influence of the concept of Temperance and asceticism she upheld.
Just then, both of their spiritual intuitions stirred, and they looked towards the window almost simultaneously.
Through the window with its understated luxury decor, crimson moonlight poured in, and pieces of red scales emerged, forming a hazy, illusory figure. As the moonlight surged in, the figure gradually solidified.
Count Mystral, with his tall figure, silver hair, and blood-red eyes, used his Moonlight Form ability to evade the monitoring of the Punisher squad and arrived at Louise's residence.
Count Mystral, whose figure had just solidified, narrowed his blood-red eyes, looked at Sharon on the sofa, and then turned his head to glance at Louise, who was constantly winking at him.
Taking a step forward, his figure appeared like a phantom in the main seat of the living room. Count Mystral looked at Sharon and said with certainty:
"Rose School, Temperance faction..."
Sharon nodded slightly and rose to bow, tacitly acknowledging it.
Count Mystral lightly tapped the back of the chair with his finger and said indifferently:
"Louise has already told me your idea. I can still give you one last chance."
"Adding that Sealed Artifact, you can, to some extent, rival a Sequence 5. Everyone knows that Bayam still has a Sea King."
"In this situation, if the Rose School decides to act against you here, it will definitely not be as simple as just a Blood Admiral. At least a demigod will make a move to finish all the fighting before Ayn Couteman arrives."
"So if you give up this plan, I can pretend nothing happened."
Sharon didn't say much, just tightly gripped the "Wraith Dagger," looking at Count Mystral with determined eyes.
A smile appeared on Mystral's face. He nodded in satisfaction, raised his hand and pressed down, and a cup of viscous, blood-like liquid appeared before Sharon.
"This is a potion I specially formulated. It can help you accelerate your integration into the Spirit World to complete the ritual. It can also be considered a token of sincerity from the Blood Race, represented by me."
Looking at the bright red, blood-like liquid before her, Sharon hesitated for a moment, but still put it away, saying in a tone without any fluctuation:
"Thank you for your generosity. I will be advancing the night after tomorrow. The location is Oak Manor outside Bayam City, where it is sparsely populated and will not cause too many casualties."
Count Mystral was somewhat surprised that the timing was so tight, but after thinking for a moment, he still gave a positive reply.
Seeing that the deal was made, Sharon rose to bow and take her leave. The "Wraith Dagger" flickered with a faint light, and she vanished from the room using the Mirror Flash ability.
Seeing the member of the Temperance faction leave, Count Mystral turned to look at Louise beside him and said indifferently:
"Is she also one of the members of that gathering you attend?"
Although it was a question, the tone was certain. Louise sat upright in her chair with a subtle smile:
"Grandfather, that's not hard to guess, is it?"
Mystral smiled and shook his head, looking at the red moon outside the window, his eyes flickering, lost in thought.
-----------------
Furious Sea, waters near Tiana Island.
Based on the positioning mark left before his departure, Aaron used Spirit World Traversal to return to his cabin on the ship from Bansy Port.
Just after sending Evelyn away and preparing to sleep, Aaron suddenly heard layers of prayers. It was a female voice, indifferent and calm.
"Sharon?"
Aaron, wearing pajamas, sighed helplessly, sat up from the bed again, and went to the adjacent compartment.
Passing through the boundless dark gold mist, Aaron sat upon the throne and saw the contracting and expanding prayer light spots on the stone chair below. His spirituality probed in and heard the complete prayer.
"Great Lord of Order, please inform Mr. Favored One that I wish to extract the Sequence 5 'Wraith' Beyonder characteristic from the 'Wraith Dagger' to use as the main ingredient for the potion."
"I am willing to offer several mid-to-low sequence Beyonder characteristics as compensation. Additionally, I have reached a cooperation agreement with the Blood Race and will begin my advancement the night after tomorrow."
Aaron slightly raised a finger, and as spirituality surged in, the prayer light spot expanded into a dark gold double-leaf door, existing between illusion and reality.
A strange dagger, sometimes illusory and sometimes real, along with several other light clusters emitting different spiritual fluctuations, flew out from the golden double-leaf door.
Reaching into the pile of miscellaneous items, he summoned the Staff of the Scorching Sun, which was enveloped in dark gold mist. Even through the layers of obstruction, Aaron could still sense the scorching heat that seemed capable of burning souls.
Aaron forcefully pressed the strange dagger onto the Staff of the Scorching Sun. Before he could react, a pure, scorching light completely enveloped the "Wraith Dagger," turning it into a mass of crimson jelly.
A moment later, a piece of translucent liquid detached and transformed into bizarre, colorful crystals, which was precisely the Beyonder characteristic corresponding to Sequence 5 "Wraith."
Seeing the precipitation speed, which was many times faster than before, Aaron's brow twitched violently. Precipitating Beyonder characteristics was, to be precise, one of the negative effects of the Staff of the Scorching Sun.
From this, one could indirectly infer the terror of the Staff of the Scorching Sun's negative effects after its seal was broken.
He re-wrapped the somewhat active Staff of the Scorching Sun in layers of dark gold mist and threw the "Wraith" Beyonder characteristic into the Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal, which had not yet dissipated.
Without further delay, Aaron quickly returned to the real world and fell asleep soon after lying on the bed.
After an unknown amount of time, Aaron suddenly awoke in a dream. Unbeknownst to him, he was in a desolate plain, with black stones underfoot and not a single blade of grass.
In the center of the plain stood a black spire, around which was coiled a gigantic scale-less silver-white serpent. Its body was covered in dense patterns and symbols, forming interconnected wheels, and around each wheel were different markings.
At this moment, its head was erect, its crimson eyes staring coldly at Aaron. Unlike before, in front of the black spire stood a small boy.
Aaron was a little surprised, thinking that he hadn't used his paper crane recently. However, he didn't stop his actions and proactively bowed, saying:
"Respected Mr. Speaker, good evening. May I ask what brings you here?"
Will Auceptin withdrew his gaze from the scale-less silver-white serpent on the black spire, turned his head, sized Aaron up for a while, and then clicked his tongue:
"Your Sequence isn't high, but your talent for causing trouble is truly outstanding. The previous Blood Moon also appeared because of you, didn't it?"
"Let me give you a warning, lest you die inexplicably. Something has set its eyes on you. I have already felt the fluctuations of fate."
Without giving Aaron a chance to ask, He continued:
"The fluctuations of fate are in the next few days. The revelation has been interfered with by the unknown, and I cannot obtain accurate information."
Aaron's expression had already become unusually solemn. For Will Auceptin to send a dream to warn him, combined with what he had been doing recently, it was easy to draw a conclusion:
He had been targeted by that Outer Deity, and there was even a certain possibility that it could track him.
Looking at the frowning Aaron, Will Auceptin warned, seemingly pointing at something:
"That existence is extremely terrifying. My current state is not good, and I can't help you much."
Then, slyly pointing to the sky, he whispered:
"What you need to find is the kind of existence that can help you, like the one behind you."
#165Chapter 164 Prayer and Secrets (Two in One)
Aaron's slightly gloomy expression paused for a moment, and he didn't respond immediately.
Before the Original Barrier was broken and the Outer Gods could only penetrate a limited amount of power, the Evernight Goddess was definitely capable of handling it.
But what he was struggling with now was what price he would have to pay to gain the Goddess's help, and where that Outer God, or rather the Rose School, would make their move.
Recalling Sharon's prayer from before, Aaron's thoughts gradually cleared.
Sharon had managed to escape on the Sonia Sea previously also because of his intervention.
The true high-level figure of the Rose School, the Sequence 3 'Silent Disciple' Meursault, was severely injured, and the Rose School's Grade 1 Sealed Artifact 'Staff of Disaster' was also lost in that battle.
Having suffered such heavy losses, the Rose School must have conducted a thorough investigation.
The fact that Will Auceptin specifically came to warn him indicated that they had already grasped certain clues, and might even be using Admiral Blood and a possible Rose School demigod as bait to lure him out.
"Alright, I've given you the warning I needed to."
"Oh, that fellow Reinette Tinekerr is in Bayam right now. Hmm, once you've sorted out the Rose School matter, I'll have him go find you."
Aaron, deep in thought, was interrupted by Will Auceptin's words. He collected his thoughts, planning to make a decision after praying to the Goddess tomorrow.
Seeing that Will Auceptin intended to end the dream, Aaron lightly coughed.
Are you kidding? I finally caught you once, I can't just let you run off like this. Of course, I have to fully exploit the opportunity.
"Uh, Mr. Speaker, when we were in Backlund, you said you could make a move for me once..."
Before Aaron could finish speaking, Will Auceptin glared and interrupted him, correcting:
"What I said was, within my capabilities, even if you haven't completed my task yet, I can make a move for you in advance once."
"The fellow you've provoked this time is beyond my current capabilities. If I were at full strength, I might be able to help you, but right now, no."
Looking at the resistant Will Auceptin, Aaron's face showed a kind and amiable smile as he explained:
"I think you must have misunderstood. I wasn't referring to the Rose School, but dealing with another angel who is in a very poor state."
"Furthermore, it doesn't require you to personally engage in combat; you just need to provide some necessary assistance."
Will Auceptin and the scale-less silver-white long snake coiled around the black spire stared at Aaron simultaneously. Looking at the harmless smile on his face, after a long while, he muttered:
"Anyone who doesn't know would think you're the angel. Can't you just let me have some peace for once?"
The Red Angel evil spirit, Hermes, the entity behind the Rose School, and the angel in a poor state that Aaron mentioned – Will Auceptin suddenly had an urge to retract his previous promise.
Taking a deep breath, Will Auceptin reminded him with a serious expression:
"I have to warn you, dealing with powerhouses at the angel level is different from before. The fluctuations from my move are hard to conceal and might attract a stinky snake."
"Hmm, I'm not in good shape right now, so I can't defeat Him yet. Are you still sure you want me to help you?"
Aaron's smile remained unchanged. He nodded and said:
"I will find a way to erase the traces of your move, so that the Angel of Fate won't find your whereabouts."
Will Auceptin nodded somewhat reluctantly and quickened his pace:
"Alright, when you need me, light that paper crane, and I will naturally make a move."
"Also, don't come bothering me every time something happens."
As if worried that Aaron would make more excessive demands, and not giving him a chance to respond, the dream shattered with a boom.
-----------------
On the northern edge of the Fog Sea, on the central island of the Oladak Archipelago.
Danitz stood on the deck with his luggage, basking in the warm sunlight, looking at the Oladak Port not far away. He hummed a tune, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, in a very good mood.
He had just arrived at the Oladak Archipelago by ship, sailing directly along the Ryan River from Nossier Town in the Intis Republic.
Since his last trip with the Captain to the Southern Continent to trade with the local natives, Danitz had taken the opportunity to acquire many gold ornaments with a strong Balam style.
These exotic ornaments allowed Danitz to make a considerable profit in gold-loving Intis. Half of the money he earned was for himself, to live a life of pleasure and indulgence.
The other half was all converted into properties and land deeds. Danitz was well aware that even if he died at sea, his parents could live a prosperous life.
Carrying the heavy suitcase filled with gold pounds, Danitz, who had been in a pleasant mood, felt his face fall slightly at the thought of having to share at least half of the money in the suitcase with Ferran.
He muttered a low curse, and Danitz secretly vowed in his heart:
"Once I pay off all the debt I owe that guy this time, if he dares to nag me again in the future, I will... hmm, I will definitely ask the Captain to arbitrate for me..."
Just as Danitz was muttering to himself, his spirituality was suddenly touched. He subconsciously turned his head to look towards the Oladak Port.
Above the undulating deep blue sea, below the scattered white clouds, a point of dazzling white fire flew over from a distance, approaching at high speed.
The firelight grew larger and clearer, finally revealing its complete form: it was a giant flaming spear!
The flaming spear cut through the sky and landed at Oladak Port, but it didn't ignite anything. It merely shattered the hard port street, and then the flaming spear scattered directly, reforming into a human figure.
Danitz's mouth fell open, his pupils slightly constricted, as he saw that figure.
The figure wore a white shirt and a dark blue coat, with a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, light blue irises, and curly brown hair. His facial features were sharp, and his chin was slightly raised, giving him a look of disdain for everyone.
He appeared to be middle-aged. He slowly scanned his surroundings, walking past the travelers whose eyes were wide and mouths half-open. He walked up to a person wearing a police uniform, shook his hands, and a portrait was displayed.
The portrait showed a young man in a white shirt and a black vest, with a medium build, golden short hair parted in a 7:3 ratio, and emerald green eyes that conveyed a sense of mockery. It was Anderson Hood, the strongest hunter in the Fog Sea.
Even from such a distance, Danitz could still feel the pressure that made his soul tremble. Thanks to the teachings of Vice Admiral Iceberg, he quickly reacted.
The man who transformed from the flaming spear was a demigod, a figure comparable to a Pirate King.
Danitz abruptly withdrew his gaze, only daring to look there with the corner of his eye, observing the subsequent developments.
He saw that the mysterious powerhouse seemed to be asking about something. It was too far away, and Danitz didn't hear it. Then, dazzling white flames suddenly erupted from his body.
Next, he transformed into a giant flaming spear and was thrown towards the area where the Raging Sea was located.
The flaming spear went further and further, and soon only a point of firelight remained.
Throughout the entire process, this demigod, except for the very beginning, did not look at the surrounding travelers again, as if they didn't exist.
Near the hotel in the port area, Ferran listened to Danitz's slightly exaggerated narration, his brow furrowing slightly. After a moment, he nodded.
"I'll go report to the Captain. You pack your things, and we'll set off this afternoon."
With that, he walked to the cubicle, took out a faintly glowing charm, and began to arrange the ritual magic according to the ceremony the Captain had taught him from memory.
After everything was in place, Ferran closed his eyes, his spirituality dispersed, and the hazy and blurred scene around him became clear. Accompanied by the sound of lightly tapping the table, Ferran opened his eyes.
He found himself in a spacious and elegant study. Edwina Edwards, with her long brown hair smoothly draped down, sat quietly behind the desk, her pale blue eyes, like clear spring water, gazing at him quietly.
Ferran first bowed to the Captain, then relayed Danitz's words again, and also informed the Captain about his previous encounter with the man who claimed to be the strongest hunter in the Fog Sea, Anderson Hood.
"Vice Admiral Iceberg" Edwina listened quietly, not interrupting his words. At the end, she nodded gently:
"I understand. You should leave the Oladak Archipelago as soon as possible and head to the small island in the north. The Golden Dream will stay there for two days, and then we will head to the Fog Sea to explore for treasures..."
-----------------
Accompanied by the melodious whistle of the ship, Aaron stood on the deck watching the vessel sail away from Tiana Port, heading for Bayam, the capital of the Rosed Islands, the "City of Generosity."
He had already learned from the captain that at the current speed, they would reach Bayam by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, or by noon tomorrow at the earliest.
After a night's rest, his depleted spirituality had recovered. Recalling the dream from last night, Aaron rubbed his temples with a headache and turned to return to his room.
Regardless of the specifics, Aaron felt it was best to observe the Goddess's attitude before making a decision.
Without further hesitation, after setting up the Wall of Spirituality, Aaron immediately began the ritual.
He lit the candle, burned the corresponding essential oils and herb powders, stepped back two paces, poured his spirituality into the Red Moon mark on his wrist, and solemnly chanted in ancient Hermes:
"You are the Evernight Goddess, higher than the starry sky, more ancient than eternity."
"You are the Lord of Crimson, the Mother of Concealment."
"You are the Empress of Calamity and Fear, the Lord of Slumber and Silence."
"I pray for your help, I pray for your protection."
After chanting the honorific name, Aaron switched to normal Loenese and, using concise language and a respectful tone, recounted the general course of events, including Will Auceptin's warning and his own conjectures.
Aaron did not directly state a request, but simply stated the facts. This was equivalent to an equivalent exchange, rather than offering items and praying for a bestowal.
Other aspects of the ritual could be less precise, but Aaron, as a Blessed of the Night, felt that this fundamental attitude needed attention.
After waiting for a moment with no abnormal reaction, Aaron lightly exhaled. He took out the Sequence 4 'Calamity Priest' Beyonder characteristic he had obtained from shattering the 'Staff of Disaster' from his Pregnant and placed it on the altar. Then, he solemnly chanted the sacrificial incantation in ancient Hermes.
As Aaron finished speaking, two of the three candle flames suddenly expanded, intertwining to form an illusory and dim mysterious door.
The door slowly opened, bringing with it a strong, invisible wind.
Without waiting for Aaron to speak further, an invisible force lifted the 'Calamity Priest' Beyonder characteristic from the altar and it disappeared into the darkness.
A black strand of long hair emerged from behind the ethereal door, coiling around the Red Moon mark on Aaron's left hand.
Aaron felt a moment of trance, as if he saw a young woman wearing a classical hooded robe, with black eyes and hair, and a beautiful but vacant face.
In just an instant, all the anomalies disappeared, and the illusory and dim mysterious door also vanished.
After tidying up all the materials, Aaron finally breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless, as long as the Goddess accepted his sacrifice and responded, at least his safety was guaranteed.
He then felt heartache at the loss of a demigod-level Beyonder characteristic, and could only hope that the subsequent actions would compensate for his loss.
Thinking this, Aaron suddenly turned his head to look at the corner of the room. There, amidst the colorful, overlapping blocks, Astolfo's figure floated silently in mid-air, with a bulging envelope beside him.
Reaching out to take the envelope, Aaron unfolded it and found it was a letter from Harland Rooney in the Southern Continent, along with a newly forged "Divination Pendant."
As for the 'Traveler' Beyonder characteristic, due to the high sequence of the materials, it would take some time to forge.
His spirituality probed the newly forged "Divination Pendant." He didn't know what materials Harland Rooney had used during the forging, but the divination effect was far better than before.
Satisfied, Aaron re-coiled the pendant and looked at Astolfo, who had not yet left.
Seeing Aaron look over, an intention was conveyed from Astolfo's body, which was covered in mysterious patterns:
"The previous blood moon anomaly caused unknown changes in the Spirit World, and many of my memories were revived as a result."
"A long time ago, my true main body, the existence you call the 'Bound God,' was contaminated by a terrifying existence."
"The 'Bound God' had been resisting the erosion of that terrifying existence, but unfortunately, He failed."
"However, the long period of erosion also granted Him different abilities. Perhaps you've heard this saying: the heart is the body's prisoner, and the body is the world's prisoner. This refers to bound madness and suppressed desires."
"And when He was forced to give birth to the 'Divine Being of Calamity' Salinger, He also expelled a Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristic, escaping into the Spirit World with the last remaining conscious will and mental imprint."
"Some anomalies occurred during this process, which is the origin of that angel in the Spirit World."
"Even with the separation of the Original Barrier and the Spirit World, because the Beyonder characteristic He carried originated from the 'Bound God,' He was still slowly eroded."
"Decades ago, I peeled off the last wisp of conscious will and returned to the Spirit World, seeking a turning point."
"Based on the previous lesson, I did not separate any Beyonder characteristics, only consciousness, allowing a new Spirit World creature to be born autonomously in the Spirit World. This is my origin."
"Having lost conscious will, that body of mine in the Spirit World, driven by the instinct to converge, has been constantly pursuing my traces in the Spirit World."
#166Chapter 165: Bayam (Two in One)
Aaron recalled the colossal figure he had seen in the Spirit World, wrapped in corpse oil bandages and oozing yellow-green liquid, and looked at Astolfo before him, cautiously asking,
"If you were caught by 'Him', what would happen?"
Astolfo's now substantial body suddenly expanded and contracted, and a thought was transmitted:
"I would be completely assimilated. That terrifying existence would awaken within my body."
"'He' would use that body and 'His' own specifications to forcibly open a real passage in the Spirit World, and disaster would gradually spread from the Spirit World to reality."
After verifying his previous divination, Aaron's eyes brightened slightly. He pondered for a moment and asked,
"How strong is the body left in the Spirit World? Well, I mean, even without a conscious mind, can 'He' still exert the power of Sequence 2?"
Astolfo's black and white pupils widened slightly, as if recalling something. After a moment, 'He' replied,
"My memory is still quite fragmented. I only remember that when I was forced to separate that Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristic, some accidents happened in the Spirit World."
"'He' seems to have been mixed with other high-level Beyonder characteristics. Although this made 'Him' more insane, the presence of other high-level Beyonder characteristics did indeed slow down the erosion, and the strength 'He' can exert in the Spirit World will be much stronger than that of an ordinary Angel."
"This is also why 'He' has remained in the Spirit World for so long."
Mixed with other high-level Beyonder characteristics? Aaron instantly thought of the ancient gods from the Second Epoch who had gone mad. He then noticed a question in the thought transmitted by Astolfo:
"In the Spirit World? 'He' cannot appear in the real world?"
Astolfo's form swayed up and down, as if nodding:
"In the Spirit World, there is the barrier of the Spirit World itself, as well as the help provided by the Seven Lights of the Spirit World using their own Beyonder ranks and special characteristics. Even the terrifying 'God of Calamity' Sceh is not impossible to deal with."
"But if 'He' were to leave the Spirit World, 'He' would be like a firefly in the dark night, attracting all sorts of prying eyes, and various unpredictable abnormalities would occur."
Aaron nodded with a hint of disappointment, watching as the terrifying messenger, with mysterious patterns swirling around his body, slowly disappeared into the vibrant, rich colors.
He lowered his head to look at the crimson moon mark on his left hand. The strand of hair seemed to have caused no special changes after merging. Looking at the newly acquired divination pendant in his hand, Aaron wisely gave up on the somewhat suicidal idea he had in mind.
Sitting up from the sofa, Aaron rearranged the ritual setup and sacrificed the divination pendant onto the dark gold mist. His consciousness sank into the magnificent palace.
Looking at the divination pendant in his hand, Aaron beckoned for the Black Emperor card to merge into his body. The boundless dark gold mist seemed to converge into waves, forming a great wind.
A majestic armor formed on Aaron's body, a dark crown appeared on his head, and a long cape of the same color draped behind him. Lines containing divinity also emerged on the armor.
Feeling the power surging within him, Aaron nodded with satisfaction and retrieved the "Scepter of the Sun Chaser" from the pile of sundries, where it was wrapped in layers of dark gold mist.
A feeling akin to staring directly at the sun surfaced in his mind. Aaron endured the scorching sensation that seemed to burn his soul, poured his spirituality into the divination pendant, and began divining this terrifying Sealed Artifact Grade 0.
Amidst increasingly brilliant bursts of light, a sun seemed to rise within the magnificent palace. Aaron abruptly opened his eyes and put away the dim and lusterless divination pendant.
The divine lines on the armor guided the surrounding dark gold mist, forcibly suppressing the somewhat out-of-control "Scepter of the Sun Chaser." Only after the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact calmed down did he return it to the pile of sundries.
Wiping away a non-existent cold sweat, Aaron leaned back on the throne, a hint of excitement flashing across his face.
After being unsealed, the "Scepter of the Sun Chaser" not only saw a qualitative improvement in its original abilities, the Spear of No Darkness and the Domain of No Darkness, but it could now harm high-level beings at the Angel level, provided the user could withstand the cost.
Among them, the Domain of No Darkness transformed from an auxiliary aura without physical boundaries into one with physical boundaries, capable of pushing enemies away and blocking Beyonder abilities like the Spear of No Darkness.
Even more exciting for Aaron were the two new abilities. One was called "Domain of Chasing Light," though Aaron preferred to call it Divine Descent.
The Scepter of the Sun Chaser would surge with infinite light, seemingly transforming into the sun descending upon reality. This ability could be activated through the corresponding prayer light spots.
The Domain of Chasing Light would spread outwards. This ability, simulating the descent of the sun, had effects including melting Beyonder abilities below the Angel level and defending against attacks with dark and evil attributes from high-ranking beings.
The other was the "Arrow of Sun Chasing," which was currently the strongest single-target skill among all of Aaron's Beyonder abilities, somewhat similar to a super-enhanced version of the Pure White Ray ability he acquired at Sequence 4.
By accumulating light according to the consumed spirituality, it condensed an extremely bright beam of light into an arrow to attack the enemy, expanding into a miniature sun capable of illuminating a city, and possessing a certain extraordinary form of target-seeking ability.
However, both the "Domain of Chasing Light" and the "Arrow of Sun Chasing" placed a considerable burden on the user. With Aaron's current spirituality, even with the boost from the Black Emperor card on the dark gold mist and the auxiliary recovery of spirituality from the "Crimson Eye," Aaron could not sustain them for long.
And the corresponding negative effects were several times more terrifying. Besides needing to draw the holder's blood after each use, prolonged holding would cause the Beyonder characteristic to be forcibly ejected from the body, accompanied by an intense burning sensation.
Two new negative effects were also added. Firstly, when using the "Scepter of the Sun Chaser," all abilities of a bizarre or evil nature could not be used, including corresponding Sealed Artifacts.
Secondly, if the user could not stop using the "Scepter of the Sun Chaser" within a relatively short time, it would be like having a Sequence 2 potion poured onto them.
At that point, they would either be a lucky one and successfully advance to a "Light Chaser," or they would lose control and go mad, turning into a monster.
Without auxiliary materials and without performing the corresponding ritual, the probability of the former was so low as to be almost negligible, especially for Aaron, who was not on the Sun Pathway.
The safe usage time Aaron divined was three minutes. Of course, this was for Aaron, who currently appeared to be only at Sequence 6 but actually possessed a Demigod's rank under the enhancement of various items.
"The Scepter of the Sun Chaser after breaking its seal, whether it's its abilities or its terrifying negative effects, is truly worthy of its Grade 0 Sealed Artifact rank."
Aaron muttered to himself with some emotion. After learning the true capabilities of this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, he finally felt much more at ease.
Even knowing that the Goddess of the Night would surely do something after accepting his sacrifice, what others give can never compare to having confidence in oneself.
Amidst the faint murmurs, the figure on the throne silently disappeared, and the magnificent palace returned to silence.
...
February 11th, 1347. The sky was overcast, and before the storm arrived, the ship bearing the massive East Taker family crest successfully entered the harbor, arriving at Bayam, the capital of the Rosed Islands, also known as the "City of Generosity."
This place was also called the Spice Islands, home to various exotic spices, with plantations in this area serving as the pillar of the economy.
After leaving Tiana Port, the voyage had been quite smooth. With the help of the wind, the speed remained steady at 15 knots, thus reaching Bayam's port by noon.
Journalists from the Rosed Islands' best-selling 'Sonia Morning Post' and 'News Report' watched the ship enter the harbor with excitement.
Because wired telegraphs could transmit limited information, content that wasn't particularly urgent or important was always delayed by a few days before being sent out.
So, sometimes, the colonists of the Rosed Islands would only learn about the "latest" situation on the Northern Continent a month or two later.
But as members of the media industry, unlike other less informed maritime residents, they knew quite a bit about the esteemed Lord Aaron on the ship.
Louise, standing in the crowd, listened to the discussions around her and curiously observed the tall, handsome gentleman walking at the very front, dressed in luxurious clothes. She suddenly found him exceptionally familiar.
After thinking for a while, she remembered that he was the nobleman she had seen at the steam train station when she first arrived in Backlund.
"What a coincidence..."