Grove nodded silently and walked ahead:
"His Majesty the King and the two from the Demoness Sect have been waiting for you for a long time. Follow me."
Hewin Lambeth's eyebrow twitched. He composed himself and followed Prince Grove into the depths of the underground ruins.
Passing by men and women who were being instructed to form different rituals, they entered a magnificent, irregular ruin hidden in darkness.
A black mausoleum stood there, displaying an air of utmost grandeur.
The shape of this mausoleum was not the common pyramid, but more like a towering peak, not symmetrical, but absolutely majestic.
Various texts and symbols were carved on the mausoleum. On the front was a heavy stone door, nearly thirty meters high, seemingly prepared for giants.
Hewin Lambeth was not unfamiliar with those texts and symbols. As a former royal advisor, a brief glance was enough to recognize that they were from the laws enacted and promulgated by Loen in recent years, as well as some new social trends being promoted.
He withdrew his gaze and walked through the opened heavy stone door. Even though he had been promoted to a demigod and become a "Manipulator," Hewin Lambeth still felt his consciousness blur for a moment, as if breaking through some barrier, and his perception of the outside world was distorted.
When he opened his eyes again, Hewin Lambeth felt as if he had arrived in another space.
The interior of the mausoleum was empty, with nothing but the deep black walls etched with distorted patterns and complex texts, and the central high platform.
On the high platform, a huge black throne was placed. It seemed to be made of iron, its surface carved with intricate and twisted strange patterns, and the top of the backrest extended upwards into the shape of a crown.
At this moment, on this heavy and massive seat, King George III of Loen sat, wearing the Balam Empire crown, seemingly looking down on everything with arrogance.
Prince Grove stood in place with his head bowed, silent.
Hewin Lambeth was just about to tentatively step forward and approach the high platform when he suddenly found his body completely unable to move, as if firmly bound in place by invisible shackles.
Feeling the oppressive pressure, Hewin Lambeth, who was confused, suppressed the emotions in his heart, assumed a respectful posture, and bowed towards the high platform:
"Hewin Lambeth, member of the Psychology Alchemists' Council of Elders, greets Your Majesty."
Not far from Hewin Lambeth, a figure walked out from the shadows, followed by the trembling "Despair Nightingale" Panatiya.
A clear and pleasant voice echoed around them, as if possessing some captivating magic. Prince Grove frowned slightly but said nothing.
"Haha, Your Majesty, please calm your anger. There's no need to vent it on this elegant gentleman. I'm quite satisfied with him, you know. Don't you agree, Mr. Hewin Lambeth?"
The lady who spoke was covered in jewels. The surface of the jewels faintly flashed with wailing souls, and they made a strange "clinking" sound when she moved, as if playing a symphony with souls.
Her deep black long dress was like a long river in the void, its hem winding and varied, with jewels of different colors adorning the hem and body, symbolizing her.
Her hair stood up strand by strand, thick as small snakes. Their outer layer was slippery and eerie, with black and white eyes embedded at the tips or snake-like heads growing out, their mouths slightly open, flicking their tongues.
Hewin Lambeth turned his head to look at where the voice came from and saw this scene, his mouth twitching slightly. He had already recognized the person as a high-ranking member of the Demoness Sect, the "Black Saintess" Mariska, who had been a Sequence 3 "Undying Demoness" many years ago.
Even the Psychology Alchemists knew very little about this "Black Saintess." Hewin Lambeth had only vaguely learned some things from the President, who walked the world under the identity of Bawli Delau.
He knew that the "Rosicrucian Order" that appeared in the early Fifth Epoch had close ties with her, and she might even have been one of its founders.
And this "Black Saintess" also joined the Demoness Sect at some point in the Fourth Epoch. Even within the Demoness Sect, few people called her by her surname, as if it were an unspeakable taboo.
With the major Churches and the countries of the Northern Continent consciously destroying or hiding information and concealing the true history of the Fourth, Third, and even Second Epochs, Hewin Lambeth was unable to make accurate judgments about these matters.
As he thought this, Hewin Lambeth's peripheral vision caught sight of the sapphire ring on the "Black Saintess's" left hand, which was glowing faintly as if resisting some power.
Perhaps based on the outward manifestation of the resisting power, or perhaps because of his demigod status, Hewin Lambeth seemed to see an indescribable scene from that faint glow:
The star-filled night sky was torn apart by one python-like black tentacle after another, like the end of the world.
Each of these tentacles had an eye at the tip, either closed or open. Anything they saw instantly turned into gray-white stone.
And things directly touched by the tentacles would twist, sprout limbs and heads, and turn into women, large or small, women with very good looks.
Hewin Lambeth's body tensed, and a name flashed in his mind:
"'Primordial Demoness,' Cheek!"
"Thump thump thump..." Hewin Lambeth instantly closed his eyes, and the sound of his rapid heartbeat followed.
An indescribable sense of fear rose in his heart. Hewin Lambeth's body instantly draconized in response, using an incomplete mythical creature form.
But even so, the islands of his mind on the subconscious sea of Hewin Lambeth were uncontrollably invaded by gray-white. The virtual personalities on the islands of his mind turned into graceful and alluring women, accompanied by indescribable shrieks echoing.
Realizing his situation, he no longer tried to resist on his own, as it was completely meaningless.
On the island of his mind, a gray-white, rather illusory, and abnormally cold mask instantly appeared in Hewin Lambeth's hand.
It was "Arrogance," one of the seven personality masks held by the Psychology Alchemists. Without hesitation, Hewin Lambeth quickly covered his face with it, and at the same time, he uttered two words in ancient Hermes:
"Adam!"
All the abnormalities, all the invasions, stopped at this moment.
The turbulent collective subconscious sea instantly became calm without a single ripple. A new island of mind, identical but unstained, appeared out of thin air beside the mostly gray-white island of mind.
Hewin Lambeth's main personality figure, wearing the "Arrogance" mask, twisted and disappeared from his original spot, appearing on the new island of mind next to it.
Perhaps because he had lost too many virtual personalities, or perhaps because he was affected by something, Hewin Lambeth, who had caught his breath, suddenly found that the "Arrogance" mask could not be removed, as if it had been deeply bound to his mind body.
Silently, the figure of an elder wearing an unusually simple white robe and with a light gold beard covering the lower half of his face appeared.
His eyes were clear and pure like a child's, his expression warm and reserved, and a silver cross pendant hung on his chest.
Even standing beside Hewin Lambeth, he did not notice him.
Adam's emotionless eyes glanced at Hewin Lambeth. The "Arrogance" mask instantly peeled off his face, but several invisible threads seemed to still connect the two.
The brand new island of mind and Hewin Lambeth on it instantly disappeared from their original location. Inside the mausoleum outside, another Hewin Lambeth appeared. His face was somewhat pale but had returned to normal.
The original Hewin Lambeth's body twisted and turned into a beautiful woman covered in strange tentacles, but silently shattered into starlight and integrated into the sapphire ring on the "Black Saintess's" left hand, which was glowing faintly.
Adam's figure then appeared. The pressure that had restrained their movements had disappeared. Hewin Lambeth, with a somewhat pale face, silently walked behind Adam without speaking.
The "Black Saintess" gently shook her head and put away her smile. With her movements, the jewels and metal made faint sounds, and the entire underground mausoleum fell into a terrifying and unspeakable oppressive atmosphere.
After a moment, the "Black Saintess" looked at Adam with apprehension, raised the sapphire ring on her left hand, turned her head to look at George III, who was sitting on the black throne on the high platform, wearing the imperial crown, and chuckled, covering her mouth:
"Well now, even this one has arrived. Hmm, to show the sincerity of our cooperation, I am willing to take a step back."
Saying this, she paused and added:
"But the will of the 'Primordial' cannot be disobeyed. I must obtain that Sequence 1 'Conqueror' Beyonder characteristic this time."
"To ensure our cooperation can continue, I am willing to promise that I will not sacrifice this Beyonder characteristic to the 'Primordial' before our cooperation is completely finished."
"But the Sequence 1 'Conqueror' Beyonder characteristic that was previously promised to us must be kept by us. This is the will of the 'Primordial', and it is the key to whether we can continue our cooperation."
Before George III on the high platform could respond, Adam's warm voice sounded, echoing in everyone's islands of mind:
"George, you can sign a contract, and I will be the supervisor."
George III, wearing the Balam crown, was silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "Alright."
As the words fell, golden light condensed into an ancient-looking scroll. This was the contract scroll George III created based on his own status and sequence.
Even Adam would have to pay a certain price to violate this contract.
The scroll flashed with light, and the emblem of a "Sword of Judgment" pointing vertically downward with a ruby crown on its hilt appeared on the scroll. Immediately after, a strand of the "Black Saintess's" black hair broke off by itself and integrated into the scroll, turning into a mark.
Seeing Adam finally sign the contract, the ancient scroll flew back into George III's hand and disappeared. At the same time, a strange crown full of rust and bloodstains appeared out of thin air. It was the Sequence 1 "Conqueror" Beyonder characteristic.
A illusory figure seemed to walk out of Adam's body and merge into the strange crown, and a gentle voice simultaneously sounded:
"When your cooperation ends, this restriction will naturally disappear. At that time, you can sacrifice it to Cheek."
Before the "Black Saintess" could respond, Adam's gentle voice sounded again. Unlike before, this time it only echoed in the depths of the "Black Saintess's" island of mind.
"Stop using this ring. You don't want to become a sacrifice for Cheek's arrival, do you, Mariska Tamara..."
Hearing this familiar yet unfamiliar name, the "Black Saintess" seemed to recall some unpleasant memories, and the surrounding subconscious ocean rippled.
However, she did not make any response. She silently took the strange crown full of rust and bloodstains, and her figure gradually became illusory, taking the trembling "Despair Nightingale" Panatiya, who had been standing with her head bowed, and left the place.
-----------------
Backlund, Sodrac Palace Side Hall.
After receiving the commendation and changing into a brand new colonel's uniform, Aaron slowly walked into the side hall. He finally felt the scrutinizing gaze disappear. Although he breathed a sigh of relief, he dared not relax his vigilance.
Having already come into contact with the Twilight Hermit Order, Aaron, even with the Goddess of the Night's protection, always guarded against the sudden appearance of that fanatic. Unlike the malicious Amon, Adam, who was left with only divinity, would only act more unscrupulously.
Moreover, in the current era where True Gods are confined to the Spirit World, filling the Primordial Barrier and finding it difficult to descend to the real world, the two brothers Adam and Amon represent the upper limit of status, level, and strength, and are synonymous with terror, power, fear, and being unstoppable.
After all, Angels of Kings are themselves the beings closest to the Godhead! What's more, these two brothers are Angels of Kings who have accommodated Uniqueness.
An Angel of King of the Spectator pathway, you never know when He might be sitting next to you, listening to you talk, watching you smile, and making you die naturally, reasonably, and inexplicably...
Thinking of this, Aaron couldn't help but look around. He was really afraid that in some corner stood a simple priest with innocent eyes and a beard, watching him with a smile.
-----------------
Backlund, 39 Beckland Street, Senator Macht's house.
Madam Liyana thanked Ms. Wahana, the governess who came to teach Hazel etiquette.
Wahana, with her black hair neatly styled, said a few humble words and then asked:
"Madam Liyana, why haven't I seen Senator Macht? I also met a few gentlemen who are very interested in the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee, and they would like Senator Macht to help introduce them."
Saying this, she placed a bulging small bag on the table. Madam Liyana accepted it without changing her expression and said with a smile:
"My husband went with Earl Hall to attend the King's commendation ceremony for Lord Aaron. You can wait here a little longer, he should be back soon."
Hazel, standing at the corner with her dark green wavy hair loosely draped, watched the two people who were talking and laughing for a while with her bright dark brown eyes. She changed into clothes that were easy to move in, picked up a tightly wrapped cloth bag, and tucked it into her embrace.
She climbed down from her bedroom balcony, carefully avoided the bodyguards in the house, sneaked out of the garden, and arrived at the middle of Beckland Street.
Seeing no one around, Hazel quickly moved the manhole cover, climbed down, and then closed the manhole cover from the inside. This set of actions was extremely skilled, clearly not the first time she had done this.
#141Chapter 141: Conversation and Meeting (Two in One)
Stepping onto the slightly damp ground, Hazel looked at the rusty iron pipes and the slowly flowing river of sewage, letting out a soft breath. Clenching the package in her hand, she glanced around and murmured,
"The scenes in my dreams were all real. Could there really be extraordinary power in this world..."
For the past week, Hazel had the same dream every day. In her dream, she left home and repeatedly opened the manhole cover to the underground passage. At the end of the passage, she saw a mysterious woman clad in a black robe.
Each time, Hazel received different, never-before-heard extraordinary knowledge from the mysterious woman and was also asked to collect some strange materials she had never heard of before.
As a believer of the Goddess of the Night, encountering such a situation, Hazel should have immediately gone to the Church of the Night for refuge and help. However, under the influence and interference of the dream, Hazel did not do so.
Instead, she actively collected the materials and decided to explore the sewers today.
Withdrawing her gaze, Hazel quickly advanced with a clear purpose, following the route from her dream.
After walking about ten meters, she turned into a more secluded and eerie passage, where moss and filth covered the walls and ground.
Hazel stopped, her voice unconsciously lowering, and called out:
"Senior, are you there? I've brought what you wanted."
Her voice echoed in the secluded and eerie passage, making it sound even more peculiar. Hazel couldn't help but shiver, pulling her clothes tighter, and placed the package she was holding onto the ground.
Just as she felt a bit lost, a familiar, slightly hoarse female voice sounded:
"Well done. You possess all the potential to become an extraordinary being."
"I will fulfill my promise. From today onwards, you are my student, and I will guide you into the world of extraordinary beings."
As the words fell, the package on the ground instantly disappeared, replaced by a necklace.
The necklace was strung with seven translucent emerald green stones, spaced at equal distances from each other, surrounded by a circle of tiny diamonds. Even in the secluded and eerie passage, it still emitted a faint glow.
Hazel's slightly anxious mood instantly turned excited and joyful. She quickly picked up the necklace that was strangely floating in the air.
At the same time, mysterious symbols and patterns appeared in her mind, making her instantly understand the magical ability of this necklace.
Kindling Necklace: Can temporarily steal others' extraordinary abilities for one's own use, with a chance to steal one ability from a target within 50 meters.
The more one knows about the target, the easier it is to steal the desired ability. The less one knows, the closer it is to random, depending on luck.
With the dream teachings of the past few days, Hazel was no longer the ignorant girl she was before and had gained some understanding of the extraordinary world.
She instantly realized that the necklace in her hand was a very powerful extraordinary item.
Hazel happily tucked it into her bosom, planning to order a necklace that looked exactly the same tomorrow to conceal it, so she could legitimately wear it every day from now on.
Although she didn't see any figure, Hazel still bowed first and said excitedly:
"Thank you, Teacher. I will definitely complete your tasks diligently in the future and help you recover from your injuries as soon as possible."
The deep, hoarse female voice sounded again: "Very well, you should go back now. Be careful not to be discovered by anyone."
Hazel tightly clutched the necklace in her bosom, nodded heavily, and returned the way she came.
As Hazel's figure disappeared at the end of the passage, a large, grayish-white rat scurried out from the corner, seemingly chewing on something. The package behind it was unfolded, and the contents had long since vanished.
The grayish-white rat's scarlet eyes looked towards the end of the passage, and a low, hoarse female voice filled with resentment came from its mouth:
"I didn't expect to fall to such a state. Where is the hope of the Jacob family?"
The grayish-white rat withdrew its gaze, and the hoarse voice echoed:
"I must train her quickly. When the time is right, I can completely parasitize her and get rid of this rat body..."
Flora Jacob had been severely injured the last time she explored the family treasure. Even though she successfully escaped with the help of an ancestral treasure, she still ended up parasitizing a rat.
To evade potential pursuit from the major churches, she had been hiding in the underground passage.
After finally accumulating some strength, she wanted to use her rank to employ the power of a Dream Stealer.
With the guidance of dreams and methods like interfering with thoughts and stealing ideas, she aimed to find a suitable target.
Ideally, she would have guided an extraordinary being from the 'Marauder' pathway, but she couldn't sense even one extraordinary being from the 'Marauder' pathway in Backlund Street.
In desperation, she finally found this curious noble girl. Her background from a councilor's family was also a decent choice.
The necklace she gave contained her power, which could subtly change Hazel's thoughts, making her trust her teacher more and more and become increasingly obedient...
-----------------
Backlund, Side Hall of the Sodrac Palace.
After some random thoughts, Aaron collected his thoughts and walked towards Earl and Countess Hall, as well as Audrey, who was hiding behind them.
Earl Hall looked at Aaron walking towards him with a smile, his satisfaction evident. Unlike Audrey's worry, Earl Hall strongly supported young people going out to explore and gain experience.
It was with this mindset that he had supported his second son, Alfred, in going to the Southern Continent for training.
Thinking of this, Earl Hall's heart stirred, and he smiled and said:
"Aaron, when are you planning to leave for the Southern Continent?"
"My second son, Alfred, is currently in the Northern State of Cookva City on the west coast of the Balam Empire in the Southern Continent."
"He wrote to me last time saying that he led a special operations team of over thirty people to raid an Intis army of a thousand, completely defeating them, and is about to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel."
"Because of this, he is about to be transferred back to the east coast. He even complained in his letter that once he returned to the comfortable east coast, there wouldn't be so many opportunities to earn merits."
"Going to the Southern Continent, Alfred..."
Audrey, who had been hiding behind her mother, troubled and unsure how to face Aaron, couldn't help but secretly prick up her ears.
Looking at the meaningful Earl Hall, Aaron understood and nodded in praise:
"He is truly an excellent young man..."
He then realized that this statement was somewhat inappropriate, coughed, and changed the subject:
"If Mr. Alfred doesn't mind, I would like to invite him to my jurisdiction. I can personally write a report to apply."
"As for when I'm going to the Southern Continent?"
Aaron paused, and the corner of his eye met Audrey's, who was peeking out from behind her mother.
Seeing Audrey shrink back in surprise, Aaron's lips curved slightly as he continued:
"The appointment letter from the King requires me to report to MI9 in Pritz Harbor by the end of February next year. I still have over two months."
"I plan to leave Backlund after the Goddess's Winter Solstice next week, return to East Chester County for a period of rest, and finally take a ship to the Southern Continent."
Actually, the original appointment letter required him to report by the end of January next year, because MI9 had prepared a military airship for Aaron and some other officers who were going to the Southern Continent for rotation, which would greatly reduce travel time.
As a strategic resource, even the East Chester family, which had significant influence within the Loen military, did not own airships. Using them also required advance application.
Although he was very curious about the structure of the airship, Aaron resisted his curiosity and declined the invitation.
The reason was simple: unlike his usual operations in mainland Loen or coastal areas, this time he was going to be far from mainland Loen, crossing the Savage Sea to the Southern Continent.
Even for the sake of protecting the strategic airship, at least one military demigod would accompany the airship.
If he really went on board, Aaron would not be naive enough to think that the military demigod sent was partial to the East Chester family. It was more likely to be a demigod from the King's faction.
Aaron had too many secrets, many of which could not be known by others, especially the King's faction. Even with the hidden protection, there were many things Aaron could no longer do.
Therefore, Aaron decisively chose to travel by ship on his own. Perhaps as compensation for stationing Aaron in the Southern Continent, MI9 readily agreed to Aaron's request and even granted an extra month of leave.
At the same time, all of Aaron's positions in Backlund MI9 were revoked, and the implied meaning was obvious, but Aaron didn't care about this.
It is worth mentioning that the former captain, Glen Wells, was also promoted to Lieutenant Colonel this time and will go to the Southern Continent with Aaron.
It was also because of this that Joseph Wells, who was previously transferred to garrison Pritz Harbor, personally sent a telegram, thanking Aaron for his promotion of his grandson and also "looking forward" to cooperating with Aaron again in the future.
"Goddess's Winter Solstice..." Audrey lowered her head, secretly noting down the time.
Earl Hall nodded with satisfaction, his smile gradually widening.
"Then I will thank Aaron on behalf of Alfred. I will send an urgent telegram and write a personal letter to him when I return today. I believe he will also be very happy."
After expressing his gratitude, Earl Hall glanced at the nobles and councilors around him who looked expectant and anxious, sighed, and said softly:
"Presumably, you also know their purpose. As soon as they heard you were leaving Backlund, they couldn't sit still."
"You can make some preparations these days to ease their minds."
"Moreover, as a believer of the Goddess, the Winter Solstice is indeed a festival not to be missed, and it is also a good social venue."
Aaron nodded noncommittally. The establishment of the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee was also beneficial to George III's new social order, which was in line with the requirements of his godhood ritual. Therefore, Aaron was not worried that this bill would not be passed.
Since some things were destined to happen, Aaron didn't mind proposing them himself to accumulate more prestige and connections.
-----------------
December 20th, Savage Sea, Bayam, the capital of the Rorsted Archipelago, Dock Area.
Ferrin and Danitz, who had already put on makeup and disguised themselves, stood in the dock area. During this time, they had completed the task assigned by the Captain. The entire Bayam and even the Rorsted Archipelago knew the news of the 'Golden Dream's' failed treasure hunt.
After learning about the complex background of the Resistance from Aaron, Ferrin never actively contacted the Resistance again, and even deliberately avoided that area, leaving Danitz completely confused.
During his time on Trier Island near Bayam, Ferrin also exchanged some notoriously evil pirates for bounties. Coupled with the salary the Captain had given him before, Ferrin had paid off the money he owed Danitz and even had quite a bit left over.
As for Danitz, he was currently touching his chest with a silly grin. He wasn't a pervert; he was touching the 'Shadow Cloak', a magical item he had recently purchased at an extraordinary gathering in Bayam.
It looked like a black cloak and allowed the user to hide in the shadows and move discreetly and quickly. It corresponded to the Sequence 7 'Hermit' of the 'Mystic' pathway. The most crucial thing was that its side effects were very minor, merely causing photophobia after prolonged use.
Because of this, this magical item was sold at an exorbitant price of 1500 pounds, which was a sky-high price, at least for Danitz.
Danitz used up all his gold pounds for this. The money Ferrin had just returned to him was paid out before it even had a chance to get warm, and he even ended up owing Ferrin 200 gold pounds.
However, it was all worth it. With this magical item, Danitz felt his life-saving ability was maximized.
Looking at Danitz's silly grin, Ferrin was also a little envious. If the price hadn't been too expensive for him to afford, he would have wanted such a magical item as well.
As he was thinking this, Ferrin's spirituality was touched, and he suddenly felt a gaze fall upon him.
Ferrin's heart instantly tightened. He pretended to look back casually and saw an old man with hair as white as snow, a face without obvious wrinkles, and a black eye patch covering his entire vision, looking at him.
It was a strange feeling. Although he wore an eye patch, Ferrin intuitively felt that the other person was looking at him, or more accurately, at his left wrist.
That was where the great Lord of Order had left his mark. Ferrin instantly realized this and became nervous, his body tensing up.
Riod seemed to sense Ferrin's tension, a warm smile appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly towards Ferrin before turning to leave.
As a Councilor of the 'Council of Fate' and a Sequence 4 'Misfortune Mage', after entrusting the 'Dice of Probability' to Roy King, he escaped from the Southern Continent to Bayam with the help of several other powerful Sealed Artifacts from the School of Life, evading the pursuit of the King of Immortality Kalaman and other members of the Rose School.
Guided by fate, he saw Ferrin in the dock area. Through the eye patch and the faint connection, he felt the fluctuation of fate and instantly understood:
It was the mysterious organization behind that young man that had lured away and severely injured the Sequence 3 'Silent Disciple' Meursault.
Sensing the other party's wariness, he did not take the initiative to approach. Fate always had its own arrangements.
Looking at the strangely dressed old man leaving, the surrounding pedestrians seemed not to notice him, yet they automatically made way for him. Ferrin frowned slightly. Although he didn't understand what was happening, he no longer had the mood to stay in Bayam.
He pulled Danitz and was about to board the ship. Danitz was still immersed in his own fantasies and complained in dissatisfaction after being interrupted by Ferrin:
"What's going on? Can't you see I'm thinking about something?"
"Don't blame me for not warning you, now that I have this magical item, you can't beat me."
Ferrin glanced at the smug Danitz, walked forward alone, and said calmly:
"Including the ship ticket, you now owe me a total of 215 pounds."
Danitz's expression instantly froze. He followed Ferrin's pace and cleared his throat:
"What's between us? Just over 200 pounds. This week, no, next week, I'll definitely pay you back..."
Chapter 142 Winter Ceremony Day (Kasara)
Pritz Harbor, located in the southeastern part of the Backlund metropolitan area.
A line of six carriages, decorated in a simple and understated style, drove through Pelican Street in the White Rose District of Pritz Harbor, heading towards the port area.
Inside the second-to-last carriage, Louise Siles sat across from her grandfather, Count Mistral, feeling slightly awkward, unsure of what to say.
Count Mistral was the apparent head of this maritime operation, while Marquis Nibeth, serving as the hidden trump card, was quietly sleeping within a coffin in the last carriage.
Count Mistral had thus learned the true purpose of this operation and was even more surprised by the role his descendant played in it.
In this silent atmosphere, the carriage slowly drove onto a ship named "Moon Shadow" docked in the harbor area.
On one hand for travel, and on the other, every vampire is a born beast tamer; taming the horses pulling the carriages was naturally easy for them, so no one objected to the carriages directly entering the ship.
Louise followed Count Mistral into a cabin, and through the porthole, she saw the vast blue sea for the first time, which helped ease her tension.
Just as she was fantasizing about adventures across the five seas, Louise was pulled back to reality by a gentle voice.
"Marquis Nibeth has already told me what happened."
"Regardless, I believe in you, and you must also be mindful of your own safety."
Count Mistral sat upright behind the table, his crimson eyes fixed on Louise, his expression serious.
Seeing Louise nod obediently, he seemed to remember something and cleared his throat:
"Roughly when do you expect to be able to become a Vampire Viscount? Or rather, when can you obtain a Viscount's Beyonder characteristic?"
Louise let out a small sound of surprise, then scratched her head sheepishly and replied:
"Grandfather, if you are willing to lend me 3,000 pounds, I can guarantee obtaining a Viscount's Beyonder characteristic within a week."
Given that she hadn't been a Vampire Baron for long and the potion hadn't been fully digested, she also worried that advancing too quickly might cause some unfavorable opinions within the vampire community.
After completing the last mission, Louise did not choose the Vampire Viscount Beyonder characteristic; instead, she exchanged it for three opportunities for Mr. Keeper to provide assistance.
After all, within the Chaos Council, no one was competing with Louise for that Vampire Viscount Beyonder characteristic; she could slowly save up money to exchange for it. However, the opportunity to have an expert of at least Demigod level intervene three times was rare.
Upon learning of Louise's request, Aaron thought for a moment and agreed to her choice. Although he couldn't defeat a Demigod in reality, above the dark golden mist, with the help of various Sealed Artifacts, he was definitely capable of Demigod-level combat power.
He then gave Louise a charm through the Door of Sacrifice and Bestowal, telling her it was a charm used to locate the Spirit World when requesting help, facilitating the transmission of power from a distance.
That charm was actually just a pretense, used as an excuse to conceal that Aaron himself was acting above the dark golden mist and couldn't appear in person.
Count Mistral was silent for a moment upon hearing this, almost blurting out, "Then how soon can you get a Vampire Count Beyonder characteristic?"
But he ultimately restrained himself. Recalling his long years, Count Mistral sighed softly and looked at Louise, saying:
"I think you must have also noticed that this time, it's not just you, but many other young Vampire Barons have also come aboard with us."
"It will be announced later, but I can tell you in advance now: the Vampire Viscount Beyonder characteristic obtained from the last harvest will be the reward for the most outstanding Vampire Baron in this operation."
"As a Vampire Count, and also as your grandfather, whether out of public duty or personal affection, I hope you can actively participate and display your strength in front of all the vampires."
"Only by defeating all opponents and achieving victory can you earn everyone's respect and support. This is something that true leaders who can guide the vampires towards glory should experience."
Saying this, Count Mistral looked at the silent Louise and chuckled softly:
"As for the Vampire Viscount Beyonder characteristic you mentioned, if you can achieve final victory this time, I am willing to give you 3,000 pounds, and you can buy it."
"Whether you want to exchange it for contribution to help with your Vampire Count advancement ritual, or exchange it for some powerful mystical items, that Vampire Viscount Beyonder characteristic can help you achieve these things."
"And these are things that money alone cannot buy..."
Louise listened in silence, her fists unconsciously clenched, and fighting spirit burned in her crimson eyes.
-----------------
The square in front of St. Samuel's Church, North Borough, Backlund.
Dusk was about to vanish, and deep night was slowly sweeping across the land.
Flocks of white doves flapped their wings and flew up, then circled and descended.
Aaron, dressed in a splendid evening suit, chatted with Bishop Elektra. The square was bustling with people, all noble believers who had come to attend the "Winter Solstice Service."
The longest night of the year is the birthday of the "Goddess of the Night," commonly known as the Winter Solstice Service. Aaron speculated that this day might be the day the Goddess of the Night achieved Sequence 0.
And on this day, all believers of the Night go to nearby churches to witness the sunset and the arrival of night, then participate in Mass, partake in Holy Communion, listen to the choir sing, and engage in various activities.
Therefore, every year on the Holy Sacrifice Day of the "Goddess of the Night," which is the "Winter Solstice Service," the amount in the offertory boxes swells significantly.
Commoners with spare money would choose two to three soli, the middle class around 5 pounds, and members of high society would donate directly to the diocesan bishop or church charities, ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds.
A portion of these donations is used for the church's daily expenses, including repairs and salaries for the Night Watcher teams, etc., while the larger portion is used for the charity organizations and church schools affiliated with the Church of the Night.
Aaron had just finished discussing the subsequent arrangements for the charity organization after he left Backlund with Bishop Elektra when he saw Senator Maht approaching with his daughter Hazel.
Aaron smiled and greeted them, as if knowing what he was about to say, and took the initiative to speak:
"You don't need to worry about the Kingdom's Air Pollution Investigation Committee. I have personally spoken with the key figures of the Conservative Party, and it should initially pass the House of Commons this week and will soon enter the House of Lords for discussion."
"You can inform others that even if I am not in Backlund, this matter will proceed smoothly."
Shifting his gaze from the visibly excited Senator Maht, Aaron's extraordinary spiritual perception, derived from 'Sheriff' but strengthened several times, sensed a very faint spiritual fluctuation, seemingly observing him.
Aaron glanced towards Hazel beside him. The proud young girl instantly lowered her head, and the faint sense of being spied upon disappeared.
"Hmm? Has she become a Beyonder? She's certainly bold."
"It's a bit like the 'Excellent Observation' ability of Sequence 9 'Marauder.' It seems that Demigod from the Jacob family who was severely injured last time has also started to act."
#143Chapter 143 Arianna (Two in One)
Casually withdrawing his gaze, Aaron bid farewell to Councillor Maht and walked towards the square, where a Moon Mass would be held, the final event of the Winter Solstice Festival.
The Archbishop of the Church of the Night's Backlund Diocese, Saint Anthony Stevenson, wearing a black robe with red patterns, walked onto the high platform.
He looked around, raised his right hand, and tapped his chest four times clockwise:
"Praise the Goddess!"
After the believers below responded, the Saint, in a low voice that everyone could hear, began the final Moon Mass:
In the square where white doves circled, the choir began chanting psalms. Their ethereal and sacred voices seemed to resonate deep within everyone's hearts, bringing peace and tranquility.
Amidst the mingled waves of the mass and chanting, Aaron also raised his right hand and tapped his chest four times clockwise, feeling a hard texture.
Before attending the Winter Solstice Festival, Aaron had placed Arianna's Night Emblem on his chest. As he touched it, Aaron spoke softly in ancient Hermes:
"Arianna."
The emblem in his chest pocket was crystal clear throughout. An atmosphere of quiet peace, accompanied by invisible fluctuations, surged out and then disappeared.
Archbishop Anthony on the high platform's eyes shifted slightly. He exchanged a glance with Aaron's devout gaze and then withdrew his sight.
After all the Winter Solstice Festival activities concluded, Aaron agreed with Count Hall to visit him again before leaving Backlund next week.
Accompanied by the clip-clop of hooves, Aaron sat inside the luxurious carriage. Just as he was about to instruct the coachman to head to the Pound family ancestral home on Williams Street, he suddenly felt a wave of fluctuation envelop the carriage, and a figure suddenly leaped into his sight!
The figure wore a simple linen robe with visible mends, a belt twisted from bark around their waist, and long black hair falling freely. Their feet were bare, covered in dust and scars.
This was a lady. Her features were extremely ordinary, and her dark eyes were no different from a normal person's. However, simply seeing Her made Aaron's heart feel incredibly calm and peaceful. Even the sudden surge of shock and vigilance could not shake this feeling.
After a few seconds of silence, Aaron bowed solemnly.
"Good evening, Your Highness Arianna."
In the major Churches, if a Demigod of the Angel Sequence walks the earth, the suffix "Your Highness" should be added when addressing them directly, as a sign of respect.
Similarly, for representatives of the deity's will such as Popes, Pontiffs, and Patriarchs, "Your Holiness" should be added. Furthermore, the head of a Church can also be referred to as "Apostolic See" or "Holy See." Of course, in many cases, "Holy See" can also refer to the location of the Holy See.
Arianna tapped Her chest four times clockwise, responding devoutly,
"May the Goddess bless you."
She then added:
"I am an ascetic. You can simply call me 'Lady'."
"Yes, Lady Arianna." Aaron responded readily.
Arianna looked at him peacefully for two seconds, withdrew Her gaze from the "Secretive Ring" on Aaron's right hand, and asked directly,
"The Goddess's oracle only mentioned providing you with help. What kind of help do you wish to receive?"
Aaron replied concisely:
"I know of the underground ruins where Tudor became the Blood Emperor. Within those ruins is an evil spirit formed after the fall of three Angels. I hope to obtain some items from those ruins."
"Furthermore, I do not want anyone else to know about tonight's operation."
Aaron did not seek help from Will Auceptin for this operation, not because he was unwilling to share some of the spoils, but because he was worried about attracting greater trouble as a result.
Unlike before, when he only helped conceal abnormalities in fate, letting Will Auceptin take direct action would very likely attract the Angel of Fate, Urius.
As Aaron's thoughts raced, Arianna said at a moderate pace,
"Alright, I will go with you and ensure that everything that happens will not be spied upon."
A smile appeared on Aaron's face, and he bowed sincerely,
"Thank you for your help."
After speaking, he tapped his chest four times clockwise, drawing the Crimson Moon: "Praise the Goddess!"
Arianna responded devoutly: "Praise the Goddess."
Her figure then disappeared, as if erased by an eraser.
Did She leave by transforming into a hidden state?
Aaron pursed his lips, making a guess. Although he could use the hidden state with the Night Emblem, this obviously more advanced operation was definitely not something Aaron could perform.
However, the "Night" Pathway is not skilled in teleportation either. At the same level, traveling from the Holy Cathedral in Winter County to Backlund would certainly not be as fast as using a "Teleportation Gate."
Hmm... and another point, Lady Arianna's attitude when discussing matters with me was very comfortable. There was no condescending feeling like that of Angels or Arch-Hierophants; She almost treated me as an equal.
While Aaron's thoughts wandered, he felt the strange fluctuation that had originally enveloped the carriage disappear, and contact with the outside world was restored.
Gathering his scattered thoughts, Aaron tapped the carriage and said to the butler driving in front:
"To 8 Williams Street."
Williams Street is located at the border of the West District and the Queen's District, a prime and desirable residential area in the heart of Backlund, inhabited by a large number of nobles and wealthy individuals.
Illuminated by the dim yellow gas streetlights, the street was slightly brighter. Although the air quality was still not as good as the Queen's District and the West District, it was acceptable; at least it wasn't as pungent as the districts in the east.
Aaron had everyone leave the basement and stood alone in front of a gray-white stone door in the corner.
After breaking the seal originally placed on the stone door, Aaron unhurriedly lifted his lantern, activated his Spirit Vision, and gently pushed the stone door open.
As Aaron stepped through the stone door, the entire basement seemed to be shrouded in a dark mist, with no sound escaping.
Amidst a slightly heavy scraping sound, Aaron saw a passage paved with dark stone slabs by the light of his lantern.
There were several wooden doors on both sides and at the end of the passage. They showed signs of decay but were still barely usable. However, the doors' exaggerated style did not quite match the deep and heavy feel of the stone slabs.
No spiritual light flickered... Aaron's eyes swept over slightly. He continued forward without stopping until he reached the black double stone door at the end.
Extending his gloved right hand, Aaron slowly applied force, pushing the door open.
A grating sound began to echo, making one's teeth ache. The stone door gradually opened a crack, and points of spiritual light suddenly appeared in Aaron's eyes, reflecting the countless entangled and intertwined aura colors.
A long snake with a triangular head and red patterns suddenly dropped from above.
It straightened its upper body, flicked its tongue, and looked at Aaron with cold, brownish-yellow eyes.
Plop, plop, plop, snakes dropped from the door one after another, piling up at the entrance.
Stepping over them, Aaron saw a large hall inside. In the center of the hall, countless snakes of various colors writhed and clustered together, forming an exaggerated snake pit about ten meters long and wide. The slimy, nauseating feeling assaulted him.
Aaron's face twitched slightly. He raised his right hand slightly, and the ancient silver-gray ring flashed faintly. A huge, pure ball of light, entwined with countless holy flames, appeared out of thin air.
This was one of the various extraordinary abilities originating from the "Staff of the Sun" that Aaron had recorded above the dark golden mist, using the "Secretive Ring."
The ball of light shot straight into the hall, igniting their flesh and rapidly melting the snake pit. Two miniature suns also appeared in Aaron's eyes.
After the light dissipated and some of the burnt smell dispersed, Aaron covered his mouth and nose, lifted his lantern, and passed through the stone door into the spacious hall.
The style here was consistent with the passage outside, filled with the architectural style of the Fourth Epoch, characterized by defying common sense, chaotic asymmetry, and a fondness for black.
Metal rods hung down from the high dome ceiling, with their ends carved into candle holders shaped like different creatures.
Aaron's gaze lingered on two ancient iron-black chairs on a platform. The backs of the chairs had emblem-like patterns: on the left was a black crown, and on the right was a hand holding a scepter.
After silently observing for a moment, Aaron withdrew his gaze and looked at the seven tall, heavy black stone doors on the wall at the back of the hall.
They were arranged in sequence: two on the left, one in the middle, and four on the right, perfectly conforming to the Fourth Epoch's pursuit of asymmetry.
Aaron knew very well what was behind those seven doorways. Having no interest in the statues of the Six Gods, he walked directly towards the black stone door in the very center.
Walking closer, he looked at the stone door filled with boulders and soil in front of him. Before Aaron could act, the obstruction in front of him disappeared out of thin air, as if erased by an eraser.
Aaron's Spirit Vision, previously blocked by the stone door, immediately made a discovery:
Inside, at least four strong, dazzling spiritual lights flickered. Two were close to a dark golden color, and two were deep blue like the sea.
The firelight penetrating the room also illuminated black stone slabs. On top of the slabs were piles of white bones covered with decayed clothing. Dark golden and deep blue lights emanated from within some of them.
On the dark wall at the end of the room stood a bloody double door!
Fresh blood seemed to still remain on this door. Reflecting the firelight, it was constantly dripping downwards.
With a creaking sound, the bloody double door suddenly swung open, revealing three black high-backed chairs. They were not purely dark black; dark red colors permeated the patterns, as if iron and blood were intertwined.
Sitting on the high-backed chair directly facing the door was a man of normal size. Three faces appeared on his head, all displaying strange smiles.
Arianna's figure, wearing a simple linen robe, slowly appeared before Aaron. It was as if some kind of barrier had emerged, blocking the invisible pollution.
Aaron was unaffected, and a gentle, warm smile also appeared on his face.
He took out a crystal-like monocle from his clothing pocket, wiped its surface with his sleeve, and then slowly clipped it into his right eye socket.
Aaron then looked at the Red Angel Evil Spirit on the high-backed chair, whose expression instantly changed. The corners of his mouth slowly curled up:
"Found you."
For a moment, the cold night became exceptionally scorching, as if invisible magma was surging.
However, all of this was quickly smoothed over by an invisible force.
The Red Angel Evil Spirit sized Aaron up and down with a few glances and said word by word in a cold tone:
"You have quite the talent for being a 'Provoker'."
After satisfying his dark humor, Aaron quickly took off the monocle and hid behind Arianna.
Arianna glanced at Aaron, who had an innocent expression, and then looked at the Red Angel Evil Spirit, whose three faces had all turned as gloomy as water. She spoke calmly:
"Soren, Einhorn, Medici..."
The three faces on the Red Angel Evil Spirit's head withdrew their gazes that were glaring at Aaron. The middle face spoke:
"I didn't expect that you, who were merely a Demigod back then, would have survived that great battle and now achieved the rank of Angel."
"Tsk tsk tsk, how lucky."
"Unlike me, I was unlucky enough to be ambushed by that fellow Tudor and have been stuck here with these two idiots for thousands of years."
The two faces on either side spoke angrily at the same time:
"Shut your mouth, Medici."
Ignoring this bizarre and comical scene, Aaron's spirituality surged into the Night Emblem. At the same time, the "Crimson Eye" worn on his chest lit up with a red light, like a miniature crimson moon.
Aaron's surroundings seemed to be enveloped in dense crimson moonlight, and his spirituality continuously grew and became abundant.
Aaron took out a token in his left hand that emitted a faint light. It was iron-black with red rust attached, the very token his ancestor Varna had bestowed upon him.
The "Secretive Ring" flashed several times consecutively. Along with the frantic consumption of spirituality, Aaron attempted it again and again.
In a certain empty underground hall in Ilusil, the capital of the East Tarc Group, walls were covered with swords, spears, and halberds stained with red copper rust, exuding a strong aura of iron and blood.
A figure wearing classical full body armor, with red hair and brown eyes, sat on a bronze chair deep within the hall. Those brown eyes, which seemed to flicker with fire and lightning, suddenly opened and looked in a certain direction.
Suddenly, Aaron felt his arm sink, and a phantom figure appeared – the Historical Void Projection of Sequence 2 "Weather Warlock" Varna Will.
Summoning a Historical Void Projection could avoid the Red Angel Evil Spirit affecting the ancestor's state to the greatest extent. As long as the summoning was terminated, there would be no problem.
Furthermore, two Angels were enough to make the Red Angel Evil Spirit, which had the rank but not the strength, compromise.
Aaron felt his spirituality was like floodwaters released from a gate. Even with the supplement from the "Crimson Eye," he could only sustain Varna's Historical Void Projection for 5 minutes even without fighting. If they fought, it would be even shorter.
The Red Angel Evil Spirit, who had been arguing, had its three faces simultaneously turn to stare fixedly at Aaron, sensing the aura of the night emanating from Aaron and the figure in front of Aaron that also exuded an Angelic aura.
Feeling the consumption of his spirituality, Aaron dared not delay and quickly spoke:
"Three of you, how about a trade?"
"I only want the 'Red Priest' Blasphemy card in your hands. In exchange, I can promise to free you from this prison three years from now."
After being used as material for godhood by Tudor, they could still transform into evil spirits, maintain their selfhood for thousands of years, and remain undiscovered. This was not without Adam's involvement.
At the current stage, Aaron did not want to conflict with that entity. Not endangering the evil spirit's life and only taking one Blasphemy card was itself a form of compromise and concession.
As he spoke, Arianna withdrew Her gaze from the Historical Void Projection, took a step forward, and the entire underground hall seemed to be gradually enveloped in a layer of dark mist.
"You..." Feeling the changes in the surrounding environment, the face on the left was about to speak but was interrupted by Medici in the middle:
"Heh heh, you want this?"
"No problem. I can even give you a treasure for free."
"I wonder if you've heard of Bensy Town?"
"If that 'Weather Warlock' behind you still wants to advance further, He can try his luck there."
Saying this, the evil spirit chuckled, spread open its palm, and a normal-sized Tarot card appeared.
On the Tarot card was a male priest sitting in a chariot, wearing a deep red robe. The priest's appearance was none other than Roselle Gustav!
The starlight in the upper left corner condensed into a line of text:
"Sequence 0: Red Priest."
#144Chapter 144 "Red Angel" Evil Spirit (Two in One)
Looking at the Red Angel Evil Spirit with a face full of smiles, Aaron showed an interested expression on the surface and muttered inwardly, while his actual thoughts were cold.
"Pensi Town?"
There was indeed a secret corresponding to the Red Priest pathway there, but it was not a treasure. Especially for high-level existences of the Hunter and Witch pathways, it was a terrifying pollution.
"What a treacherous and cunning Hunter. Even in this state, he's still scheming."
"But there seems to be a descendant of Medici there, a Sequence 2 'Weather Sorcerer', likely already half-mad."
"An Angel, and from the Hunter pathway at that. If I can harvest His Beyonder characteristic, leveraging the subsequent world war to quickly digest and act out the potion, the family might gain another Angel."
"Hmm, but that place belongs to the domain of the Church of Storms, which makes things a bit difficult."
As his thoughts raced, Aaron's expression returned to calm. He didn't speak again. The Red Angel Evil Spirit clicked His tongue, tossing out the "Red Priest" card in His hand.
Worried that this schizophrenic madman might have left something behind, Aaron didn't take it. The blasphemy card instantly appeared in Arianna's hand and vanished silently.
"Red Angel" Medici immediately let out a sound: "Tsk tsk, how timid."
Aaron ignored His mockery, collecting the four clusters of Beyonder characteristics that emitted strong, dazzling spiritual radiance. He then quickly gathered the other scattered Beyonder characteristics in the hall and placed them in the specially prepared containers.
Looking at the Red Angel Evil Spirit's gloomy face, Arianna and Aaron, who was carrying a bulging package, vanished from the spot as if erased by an eraser.
The stone door that had disappeared and been filled with boulders and earth reappeared, its surface flashing with patterns that once again sealed the hall.
Seeing the two unwelcome guests disappear and everything return to peace, the two faces on either side of the Red Angel Evil Spirit spoke simultaneously:
"Medici, were you a woman in the past? You've thrown the dignity of an Angel into the toilet!"
Medici wasn't angered, instead chuckling in a low voice:
"You two must have been sealed into idiocy. Don't you understand that minor impatience can ruin major plans?"
"Didn't you hear him say we can break the seal in at most three years? And I have a premonition that after a while, the history of the Fourth Epoch will repeat itself."
Seeing the other two faces remain silent without responding, the corner of Medici's mouth curved slightly, and He smiled and added:
"If you're really tired of being sealed, it's not impossible to solve."
"As long as you let me chant the Lord's honorific name, helpers will arrive immediately, and they might even help us solve the problem of maintaining our existence."
Sauron, the face on the left, scoffed, saying dismissively:
"Bah, I'd rather die than believe in the 'True Creator'!"
Einhorn, the face on the right, mocked simultaneously:
"Medici, did you sacrifice your brain to the 'True Creator'?"
"We were already sealed. We finally managed to break some of it, and then that Arianna just now added another layer of seal. How are you going to break the seal and get help?"
Medici let out a sound, slowly stood up from the high-backed chair, and walked slowly towards the center of the three high-backed chairs, saying as He walked:
"See, you had to get to this point. If you had listened to me earlier, nothing would have happened!"
Sauron, the face on the left, scoffed, saying dismissively:
"What use would listening to you be? Weren't you just like us back then, made into a potion by Alistair Tudor?"
Medici wasn't angered, His steps didn't stop, and He chuckled in a low voice:
"Heh, the reason I failed and was captured back then was because I was dealing with you idiot."
"And it's not like I wasn't prepared, but my focus was mainly on the 'Primordial Demoness'. Who knew that Alistair Tudor guy would suddenly go crazy and actually try to switch pathways to become a Red Priest."
As He spoke, a deeply hidden trace of anger flashed in Medici's eyes. He had already arrived at an altar in the very center. At the center of the altar was a constantly beating heart formed of blood, emitting waves of iron and blood energy.
Einhorn, the face on the right, immediately opened his mouth and said:
"Medici, what are you trying to do?"
Medici chuckled, His hand already extended, wanting to touch that heart.
"By using this heart, and paying some price, we are fully capable of breaking the seal and transmitting a message."
Einhorn, the face on the right, then spoke angrily:
"You lunatic, this is the foundation of our existence."
"Sauron, let's unite against Him."
"Alright." The left mouth of the "Red Angel" Evil Spirit responded without hesitation.
Seeing this, Medici laughed loudly:
"You two really fell for it! My plan has succeeded. So indecisive, so hesitant, I can confirm that you two were women before!"
Accompanied by the sound of laughter, the mouths on the left and right sides of the "Red Angel" Evil Spirit roared simultaneously:
"Shut up!"
-----------------
Night enveloped the world, and a massive, sacred red moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the monastery below, where numerous ancient buildings stood.
Aaron opened his eyes and found himself standing at the top of this monastery. As soon as he had collected all the Beyonder characteristics, he had canceled the maintenance of the Historical Void Image and stopped using the "Crimson Eye".
As he surveyed the gray world around him and the high-hanging red moon, Arianna, dressed in a simple linen robe, slowly appeared beside Aaron. Her dark eyes looked at Aaron, and she spoke calmly:
"This is my Secret World."
Nodding in understanding, Aaron thought for a moment and then simply explained:
"In the Fourth Epoch, Medici, along with the two ancestors of the Sauron and Einhorn families, died during the 'Blood Emperor' Alistair Tudor's ritual of becoming a god."
"After death, their remaining spirits and hateful intentions combined to form that evil spirit."
He didn't explain why he knew these things, nor did he explain why it was just a seal and not a direct erasure of the evil spirit.
Arianna nodded calmly, and the "Red Priest" card, which had been completely purified by Him, appeared in front of Aaron.
Aaron's eyes lit up. He quickly put away the blasphemy card, cleared his throat, and continued:
"Respected Lady Arianna, I have one more matter that requires your assistance..."
-----------------
Backlund, inside the sewage pipe in the middle section of Buckland Street.
Hazel followed the rusty iron pipes and the slowly flowing sewage river to the end of a more secluded and gloomy passage. The walls and ground were covered with moss and dirty things.
As soon as Hazel stopped, wanting to share her experiences from the "Winter Solstice" with her teacher today, she found two figures appearing out of thin air not far away.
One of the figures was none other than Viscount Aaron, whom she had just seen that evening. A trace of panic flashed in Hazel's eyes.
Instinctively, she poured all the spirituality she controlled into the "Kindling Necklace" around her neck, which was strung with seven translucent emerald stones. One of the stones lit up, its emerald light casting a somewhat eerie and sinister glow on Hazel's beautiful face.
The emerald light was fleeting, like an illusion, as if nothing had happened.
Before Hazel's confusion could arise, she saw another lady, dressed in a simple linen robe, slowly turn around.
For some reason, just seeing Him, Hazel's heart became extremely peaceful and calm. She couldn't help but close her eyes, and all the chaotic thoughts that had arisen returned to tranquility.
Unconsciously, the entire underground passage was shrouded in a layer of dark mist. A clear, bright red moon abruptly appeared within the sewage pipe, and a voice filled with malice and wariness followed:
"Who?"
Along with this voice, a spear of extreme purity and dazzling white, seemingly composed of pure sunlight, appeared out of thin air.
It was the semi-divine ability "Spear of No Darkness" that Aaron had recorded using the "Mysterious Ring".
The area from which the voice came was instantly enveloped in a miniature sun that expanded to an extreme white, bright enough to illuminate a city. The figure of a huge, bloody rat appeared.
Accompanied by painful howls, holes and cracks appeared all over the rat's body. Faintly, one could see illusory "Worms of Time" with seven or eight segments beneath the skin and flesh.
The rat's scarlet eyes stared fixedly at Aaron, but seemed not to see Arianna and Hazel beside Aaron, as if the two were in different worlds.
Just as he was about to press the attack, Aaron's heart skipped a beat. The extra perception on the extraordinary level derived from Sequence 8 "Sheriff" and the extraordinary ability "Exile" derived from Sequence 6 "Judge" vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.
Although he was somewhat unaccustomed to this feeling, a smile appeared on Aaron's face.
For a severely injured semi-god of the Marauder pathway, temporarily stealing two Beyonder abilities was the limit under the premise of not losing control.
And the 'Misfortune' provided by Lady Arianna ensured that even if this Jacob family semi-god successfully stole Beyonder abilities, they would be the ones that would least affect the battle.
The battle in the Secret World would not damage reality and was isolated from it, so Aaron had no scruples. He opened his mouth and spat out a name:
"Amon."
Upon hearing this name, Flora Jacob, who had been somewhat hysterical, instantly stiffened, and she was "unluckily" stunned for a moment, as if plunged into some terrifying memory.
Aaron seized this gap. His right hand, which had been grabbing at the air since the start of the battle, suddenly sank. The "Mysterious Ring" flashed with a faint light:
A Historical Void Image of Joseph Wall, dressed in black with pale gold eyes, appeared out of thin air beside Aaron.
"Stealing is prohibited here."
A majestic voice rang out, and invisible fluctuations spread outwards from the feet of the Historical Void Image.
At the same time, the Historical Void Image's left hand lifted and clenched, which was the "Imprisonment" derived from Sequence 4 "Lawful Mage". Its essence was the sublimation and strengthening of "Imprisonment" from Sequence 6 "Judge", capable of restraining the target, making it difficult for even a spirit body to move.
Flora Jacob had just emerged from shock and fear. She was already severely injured and had to parasitize a rat, and after facing the attack of the "Spear of No Darkness", she was already close to collapse.
She was just about to steal Aaron's thought that he was about to put into practice, causing him to become briefly stunned, so she could find an opportunity to escape.
Flora Jacob suddenly despaired to find that she could no longer use her abilities, and her weakened state also made her unable to move.
Because her weakened spirit body was being attacked by "Mental Spike" personally cast by the Historical Void Image, the chaotic thoughts made Flora Jacob only able to watch helplessly as another "Spear of No Darkness" magnified in her pupils.
The "Mysterious Ring" could record up to three semi-divine abilities, so this was the last semi-divine ability Aaron recorded.
And because the single-target attack power of "Spear of No Darkness" was the strongest at the moment, Aaron recorded it twice.
"No..."
Accompanied by a heart-shaking shriek, a slightly illusory gray shadow escaped from the flames, but like a headless fly, it couldn't escape.
Aaron silently let out a breath and dispersed the maintained Historical Void Image.
Even though his face was somewhat pale due to the excessive consumption of spirituality, it still couldn't hide the excitement.
Even though he had borrowed a sealed artifact and received some help from Lady Arianna, and even though Flora Jacob had already been severely wounded and was in a period of extreme weakness, this was still Aaron's first time truly hunting a semi-god.
Rubbing his somewhat dizzy head, Aaron looked at the clear, bright red moon and said:
"Alright."
In the huge red moon, a black dot instantly stood out and descended from the sky. It was Arianna, the Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight, the "Servant of Concealment", wearing a simple long robe and a bark belt.
In this Secret World, this ascetic used no extraordinary abilities and simply floated in mid-air, casting her gaze towards the scrambling soul of the "Parasite".
She gently raised her right hand, and the slightly blurred soul of Flora Jacob, the Jacob family semi-god, with a bewildered expression and lingering malice, appeared in her hand.
"You may ask." Looking at Flora Jacob's soul, Arianna turned to Aaron and spoke calmly.
Aaron looked around and did not see Miss Hazel's figure. As if seeing his thoughts, Arianna calmly explained:
"She will forget what happened recently. Next, she will join the Nighthawks team in Backlund."
Aaron nodded, feeling a little emotional. This could be considered the best choice.
After all, as an extremely high-risk pathway like the Marauder pathway, staying with the Nighthawks team in Backlund could at least ensure a certain degree of safety.
Miss Hazel would most likely not have to feel the fear of being surrounded by "Amons" anymore.
Gathering his scattered thoughts, Aaron looked at the calm-faced Arianna, cleared his throat, and asked the soul of Flora Jacob, which was already starting to become somewhat confused:
"Where is the location of the Jacob family treasure you explored before? What are the steps to open the treasure?"
"Treasure, the treasure is in the sewage pipe at 116 Williams Street, at the end of the third passage on the left."
Accompanied by a hoarse, hollow voice, clear signs of struggle appeared on Flora Jacob's soul, but then it returned to calm.
"Opening the treasure requires the bloodline of the Jacob family and a token..."
Perhaps the repeated severe injuries Flora Jacob had suffered had caused irreversible damage to her spirit body.
Aaron only managed to get the address of a place where Flora Jacob had been before coming to Backlund. It stored the remaining Beyonder materials and sealed artifacts of her lineage.
As for what the token to open the Jacob treasure was, no matter how he asked, he couldn't get an accurate answer.
Aaron's heart stirred, remembering the scene he had seen during the dream divination earlier. He searched through the ashes.
Finally, he found a badge the size of an eyeball, its surface a combination of the symbolic symbols of "Fate" and "Concealment".
Aaron combined the information from questioning the soul and the divination from the "Divination Pendant" to finally confirm that the token was the badge of the "Fate Hermit" gathering.
Chapter 145: Divide the spoils (two in one)
Aaron held the badge, which was only the size of an eyeball and combined the symbols of "Fate" and "Concealment" on its surface.
Looking at the already somewhat ethereal soul of Flora-Jacob, Aaron thought for a moment and continued to ask:
"How do I contact other members of the Jacob family?"
Flora-Jacob had lost the ability to resist and responded mechanically in a dazed state:
"To avoid being hunted by that 'Blasphemer' and to prevent being wiped out, the various separated factions of the family stopped contacting each other back then."
"It wasn't until later that a group of Beyonders calling themselves the Hermits of Fate, who were also Marauders, formed a regular gathering for self-preservation and resistance."
"The ancestor of my line was one of the founders, and only then did they establish contact with some other branches that joined later."
"But we all adhere to the ancestral teachings: we don't gather privately outside of the Hermits of Fate's gatherings, nor do we inquire about each other's news."
Aaron frowned upon hearing this. Without the Jacob family bloodline, it would likely be difficult to enter that treasure relying solely on this badge.
However, Aaron wasn't in a hurry. An Amon was still lying in that treasure, and it was a trap Amon had set to lure Pallez-Soloya.
He even deceived himself for this, placing an item inside that could allow the Sequence 2 Pallez-Soloya to directly recover to his peak state at Sequence 1, just to make the trap more realistic.
Aaron was different from Klein; there was no Sequence conflict between him and Amon, and he didn't want to stir up such a big trouble so quickly, at least not until Aaron had the strength to face Amon independently.
He gently exhaled, suppressing the greed in his heart. Looking at Madam Arianna, who stood quietly under the red moonlight, wearing a simple linen robe, he said with a heavy tone:
"There are indeed very precious items in the Jacob family's treasure, but it is more of a trap, a trap targeting another Marauder pathway angel."
"There is an avatar of the 'Blasphemer' Amon inside. This treasure is involved in too much, and it might affect the Goddess's plan, so I want to wait a few years until I have enough strength before exploring it."
Madam Arianna's eyes shifted slightly, and she looked Aaron up and down again. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke calmly:
"Alright, but during this time, I will secretly seal and guide that area to isolate other potential explorations."
"That is a place where the Goddess's followers gather; we cannot be careless."
Seeing Aaron nod, Arianna's palm clenched slightly. With a crisp cracking sound, the soul of Flora-Jacob in her palm shattered in response.
The shattered stardust gathered under an invisible force, forming a strange crystalline object resembling a baby's palm within just a few seconds.
Tiny fingers spread open, and numerous "Worms of Time" with seven or eight segments swam rapidly within, their skin color constantly changing due to the different environments as light and shadow converged.
After being crushed by the angel, this Sequence 4 "Parasite" Beyonder Characteristic became pure, without the madness and despair of Flora-Jacob before her death.
At the same time, four more clusters of Beyonder Characteristics emitting strong spiritual fluctuations appeared.
Two of them were close to dark gold in color, and the other two were deep blue like the sea. These were the four demigod Beyonder Characteristics harvested from the Red Angel's underground ruins.
Aaron had already divined that two of these Beyonder Characteristics were Sequence 4 "Fallen Count," and the other two were Sequence 4 "Calamity Priest."
There was no Beyonder Characteristic of the Red Priest pathway among them, not even among the Beyonder Characteristics below demigod that Aaron had harvested.
This could only mean that the Hunter pathway Beyonder Characteristics within were likely absorbed by the Red Angel's evil spirit, but this harvest was already very satisfying to Aaron.
Just thinking about having to give up at least half made Aaron's heart ache, but this was a necessary sacrifice. He was only grateful now that he hadn't let Will Auceptin take action, otherwise, there would have been even fewer spoils.
Following the same process, the four demigod Beyonder Characteristics were completely crushed and reformed by Madam Arianna, becoming pure and flawless.
Before Aaron could speak, three Beyonder Characteristics radiating strong spiritual light flew over, one each of the "Parasite," "Fallen Count," and "Calamity Priest" Beyonder Characteristics.
Meeting Aaron's slightly surprised and delighted gaze, Madam Arianna spoke calmly:
"After you reach the Southern Continent, work with the person in charge of the East Balam diocese, 'Eye of the Goddess' Ilia, to jointly curb and combat the development of the Spirit Lodge."
"Is this a mission? Considering the time, Azik Eggers should have arrived in Tingen. It seems like they are preparing to start planning for the 'Artificial Death God.'"
Aaron was slightly startled, then agreed. His thoughts immediately flew, and he bowed to this "Servant of Concealment," the head of the Monastery of the Night, expressing his gratitude.
As the red moonlight disappeared, Arianna's figure also vanished as if erased by an eraser.
The previously dilapidated "Secret World" had become ethereal and transparent, revealing the intact underground passage. Hazel lay quietly on the ground, her expression serene, as if in a beautiful dream.
Aaron's mouth twitched. He first temporarily placed the demigod Beyonder Characteristics in special boxes and, using the Judge's ability, cast the "Prohibition" decree.
This was to prevent the Beyonder Characteristics from fusing with items to form a Sealed Artifact before Aaron returned home and sacrificed them to the dark gold mist.
His spirituality stirred slightly, and the Mark of the Night on Aaron's wrist glowed faintly. Aaron and the demigod Beyonder Characteristics he carried entered a state of concealment.
He didn't want to run into a "Fallen Count" who was out for a walk at night with nothing better to do, or the Archbishop of the Church of Storms' Backlund diocese, "Singer of God" Ace Snake, as soon as he exited the underground passage.
And according to the Beyonder Characteristic convergence principle, this situation was not impossible if they weren't concealed and shielded.
Aaron put on the Death Mask, picked up Hazel who was lying on the ground, and spread his spirituality. A colorful oil painting immediately appeared.
Using Spirit World Traveling, Aaron placed Hazel back in her room, then returned to his own bedroom.
Without stopping, Aaron immediately went to the partition, skillfully arranged the ritual, and sacrificed the divination pendulum, several demigod Beyonder Characteristics, and the Hermit of Fate badge together to the dark gold mist.
His consciousness sank, and Aaron sat on the magnificent throne. His spirituality stirred slightly, and clusters of dark gold mist wrapped around the Beyonder Characteristics that emitted brilliant light, placing them together in the pile of miscellaneous items.
"Hmm, the 'Fallen Count' Beyonder Characteristic. I can exchange it with my ancestor Varna when I return to Iruseel. This way, the family can have one more demigod, and I can gain the greatest benefits."
"As for this 'Parasite' Beyonder Characteristic, I can trade it with Pallez-Soloya. Anyway, using this thing carries the risk of being discovered by Amon, so I might as well sell it for a good price."
"I wonder if Pallez-Soloya is parasitizing Leonard Mitchell now."
"As for this 'Calamity Priest' Beyonder Characteristic, Bansy, the Church of Storms...."
Aaron pondered for a moment, then calculated in his mind and placed these sealed Beyonder Characteristics together in the pile of miscellaneous items.
Then he picked up the divination pendulum and hung it quietly over the Hermit of Fate badge, performing a divination using the "Pendulum Method."
After receiving the revelation that there was no danger, Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, left the dark gold mist, and returned to the partition in the real world with the items.
Sitting on the sofa in the bedroom, Aaron held the Hermit of Fate badge. As he infused it with spirituality, a layer of hazy light bloomed on the surface of the badge.
They quickly condensed into an inconspicuous beam of light, shooting towards the air.
Not long after, a similar beam of light returned, scattering into a palm-sized ethereal parchment with a line of words written in ancient Feysac:
"May 5, 1347, 9 PM, the mouth of the Tasok River."
Aaron released his hand and stopped the infusion of spirituality. The parchment shattered and disappeared.