135 COI

Lumian had advanced too quickly and hadn't yet mastered many mystical languages. He had only learned part of Jotun so far, but he had a contractual connection with the Abscessed Hand, allowing him to directly understand the meaning through the thoughts transmitted by the other party.

At that moment, he was completely stunned by the Abscessed Hand's reaction and words.

He had originally imagined that after thousands of years, the reunion of brother and sister would be sad yet heartwarming, like when Hand Bro had just become a 0-01 soldier and called out the name "Omebella" with such depth.

Instead, there was not a trace of warmth, only bone-deep hatred.

As the Abscessed Hand's voice echoed, the area around Him lit up, as if crimson moonlight was falling from an unknown place onto this wilderness—evil, cold, and bloody.

Then, within the crimson moonlight, one after another illusory and complex Doors of Summoning split open, connecting to different places, with some indescribable horror growing behind them.

On the wilderness ground, countless plants sprouted, creeping toward the withered trunk that had evolved from Omebella's remains.

The Gift of the Land, stimulated by this, also reacted, with the soil below splitting apart, leaving nothing growing.

This power, rich with death and return, met the lush scene of new life.

Standing between Omebella's remains and the Abscessed Hand, Lumian was instantly affected, uncontrollably regressing into a mirror that cracked with a snap.

This influence continued to expand rapidly, not giving Lumian, who was trying to redraw his silhouette, a moment's peace.

At this moment, streams of invisible flames shot up from various parts of the wilderness, the sky above taking on the color of burning, as a terrifying will that could conquer everything suddenly descended.

The flesh in the middle of the Abscessed Hand's brow writhed, pulling at the skin.

The distortion of His face quickly returned to normal, and around Him, whether it was the crimson moonlight, the numerous Doors of Summoning, or the various newly grown plants, all instantly vanished.

The Sealed Artifact Gift of the Land also returned to silence, the desolation no longer spreading.

As the invisible flames extinguished, this blood-stained wilderness before the mountain of corpses was once again shrouded in darkness.

Lumian looked toward the peak of the corpse mountain and couldn't help muttering, "Boss, aren't you being a bit too hasty?"

He had wanted to observe for a while longer before using 0-01's power and authority to suppress the Abscessed Hand and the Gift of the Land, but unexpectedly, 0-01 had reacted to the stress.

This left him quite helpless.

However, there was nothing he could do about it—after all, 0-01 was the boss, and he was just the proxy.

And 0-01 was actually in a state of deep sleep, reacting purely on instinct, not something Lumian could "persuade" even if he wanted to.

Confirming Hand Bro's reaction and hearing those words is enough. Some of my previously unclear thoughts and speculations have either been overturned or connected…

Heh heh, Hand Bro, should I call you Zedus from now on?

Lumian muttered for a while, then put away the Gift of the Land which had been suppressed and become quiet, with no random effects likely to appear for some time, and teleported back to the square in front of the Church of Knowledge.

Here, wailing and groaning were everywhere, with many having already lost their lives.

Lumian swept his gaze around, quickly left Morora, and appeared back in the area behind the mirror, appearing beside Franca.

At this time, Jenna had just completed her advancement, her hair slightly darker and thicker, her eyes an even more beautiful blue.

"Where's Madam Magician?" Lumian took his gaze off Jenna and asked Franca.

Franca made a tongue-clicking sound and chuckled.

"After confirming there were no problems with Jenna's advancement, she went back to work on her manuscript.

"She said if you have any findings or speculations, either summon her messenger or report directly to Mr. Fool."

"This time I'll need a signed book." Lumian laughed, then said to Franca and Jenna, "Let's go to the New City of Silver first."

…

After returning the Gift of the Land to the room at the bottom of the spire, Lumian went to the Church of Fool headquarters and entered the confessional that Mr. Sun had specially prepared for him and the others.

He immediately created a ball of blazing white flame, letting the light fill every inch of space inside the confessional, then began telling Franca, Jenna, and Mr. Sun, who had come specially to listen, about his "brother-sister" speculation, the names Omebella and Zedus, the Abscessed Hand's recent reaction and His spoken words.

"You mean Omebella and Zedus are both children of the Great Mother,'the former being the elder sister who inherited the power of the Earth pathway, and the latter being the brother on the neighboring Moon pathway, and they were possibly twins?" Franca tried to sort out the logic.

At this point, Jenna's face showed a grave expression. "Zedus was killed by Omebella, for unknown reasons?"

"Perhaps with the help of Omebella's husband, the ancient god—Giant King Aurmir. They were worried about Zedus's resurrection, so they deliberately dismembered Him into multiple pieces and sealed them in different places. This is also why the Sanguine never heard of such an Angel of the Moon pathway.

"Yes, this event probably happened quite early, before that Sanguine ancestor partially regained consciousness in the Second Epoch and became an ancient god. I've been saying, it doesn't make sense that there was only a Sanguine ancestor in the Second Epoch. Since one of the Sequences in the Beyonder characteristics is called Vampire, there should have been Vampires as creatures in the early Second Epoch, or even the First Epoch, regardless of whether they had rationality or were completely equivalent to monsters—this doesn't affect the essential definition," Lumian spoke slowly, thinking as he talked.

Mr. Sun offered an explanation on behalf of the Sanguine, "The Sanguine don't consider such monsters as their kin."

"So it's Sanguine ancestor, not Vampire ancestor?" Lumian thought that if Mr. Moon were present, there might be some unpleasant incidents.

After one divine assembly and one small gathering, he had gained a preliminary understanding of Mr. Moon's personality and concerns.

Mr. Sun answered very fairly, "That's what they call it."

But you people of the New City of Silver think vampires and the Sanguine are essentially the same? Lumian, Franca, and Jenna, all three Demonesses, could hear what Mr. Sun left unsaid.

What a considerate person… Lumian sighed inwardly before continuing, "Before His death, Zedus cursed His sister Omebella, cursing Her to die by the hand of Her direct descendant, and this curse came true."

At this point, Lumian suddenly paused, and after two seconds, said in a low voice, "Zedus, as an Angel of the Moon pathway, was killed by Omebella of the Earth pathway, who might have also stolen His identity, while Omebella ultimately died at the hands of the Sanguine ancestor, an ancient god of the Moon pathway who might no longer have had true god status at the time, and then had Her identity stolen.

"This is an inevitability…"

Lumian felt profound emotion.

When he had stolen the power of Inevitability, he had no clear understanding, but the more he learned, the more he felt that inevitability was an issue that even Angels, true gods, and great beings couldn't avoid.

After discussing for a while longer, Lumian stood up and said, "I need to report to Mr. Fool; he might provide new revelations."

He began praying right there in the confessional.

Suddenly, thin grayish-white fog appeared before his eyes, and his ears seemed to hear terrifying chaotic sounds.

In just the blink of an eye, Lumian saw himself sitting at the bronze long table, in the position representing the Chariot, while at the head of the long table, in that huge stone chair, Mr. Fool's figure, wearing a top hat and coat, was faintly visible, hidden in the mist.

"Good morning, Mr. Fool." Lumian immediately stood up and bowed.

He had intended to report to Mr. Fool through prayer but was directly pulled up to the gray fog instead.

The Fool nodded slightly, his voice carrying more gentleness than the coldness of the last gathering.

"You have found the answer?"

Lumian sat down. "I have become a Demoness of Unaging, borrowed the Gift of the Land, and went to see the Abscessed Hand in the depths of Morora…"

After repeating Mr. Fool's previous revelation, he shared all the information he had collected and all his speculations, finally asking, "Mr. Fool, did Madame Pualis deliberately hide the infant Zedus in Cordu to use the ritual that the Inevitability believers would ultimately perform?

"Was the infant Zedus's mysterious disappearance due to that ritual?"

The Fool, shrouded in thin gray fog, nodded. "Yes."

Lumian suddenly smiled, laughing for several seconds.

Then, he sighed and asked seriously, "Mr. Fool, the infant Zedus's soul fragments are within my body, right?"

Since the one worshiped by the Aurora Order could use that ritual and Mr. Fool's seal to let Amon return within the barrier undetected and steal Termiboros's power and identity, the Great Mother could do something similar!

The infant Zedus must have also been in the destruction brought by the ritual at that time, like other villagers of Cordu, shattered into pieces, with only fragments of soul remaining, which were then sealed inside my body!

That's how he mysteriously disappeared.

The Fool placed his right hand on the edge of the long table and rapped it gently. "Yes."

Lumian gave a self-deprecating smile. "No wonder I encountered matters related to the Great Mother as soon as I reached Trier, met the priest who had nurtured Omebella as soon as I went to sea, and the first contract creature I selected was the Abscessed Hand…"

He sighed softly for a few moments, then looked back at the table before The Fool.

"Mr. Fool, can you help me remove the seal and separate the infant Zedus's soul fragment?"

The Fool said in an even voice, "Like Aurore's soul fragments, he has already merged with you."

Lumian was stunned for a moment, shocked yet feeling this was natural.

The special quality possessed by Aurore's soul fragment was obviously also possessed by the infant Zedus's soul fragment.

The two of them were different from other villagers—if one had merged, the other would certainly not be an exception.

"Will he affect Aurore's resurrection?" Lumian asked the question he cared about most.

The Fool shook his head slightly. "He has a different gender from Aurore; he will only replace you in the future.

"He merged with you when you obtained Omebella's bloodline."

"Zedus's soul fragment, Omebella's bloodline, heh heh, I alone am equivalent to divine twins." Lumian exhaled and sincerely asked, "Mr. Fool, is there a way to resolve this issue?"

The Fool looked at Lumian for several seconds, his voice suddenly becoming somewhat drifting, as if narrating fate, "This is a hidden danger, a risk, and also a variable, an opportunity."

-x-X-x-

It's both a hidden danger and a risk, as well as a variable and an opportunity? I understand what the hidden danger and risk are, but how is the variable and opportunity manifested? Lumian did not ask further; his spiritual intuition told him this was a revelation, a scene that Mr. Fool had seen in the river of fate, something that could not be explained in detail.

After a moment's thought, he decided, "What should I do next?"

This was about what to do after clarifying the situation with the infant Omebella in Madame Pualis's arms and understanding what Zedus represented.

The Fool looked at Lumian, his voice still somewhat drifting. "Calamity needs to stay away from the mother."

Stay away from the mother? Does this mean avoiding meetings with Madame Pualis and the infant Omebella? I can't even touch the Great Mother unless the barrier fails, and if the barrier does fail, touching the Great Mother would be meaningless… Lumian pondered the true meaning of Mr. Fool's latest revelation.

Suddenly, he thought of more possibilities.

The mother might not only refer to the Great Mother, but also Earth Mother of the Feynapotter Kingdom!

Does this mean I have to stay away from Earth Mother and Her proxies, and even avoid touching any sacred objects that could point to Her? After all, as the Sanguine ancestor and the former ancient god of the Moon pathway, using the identity of Omebella, with the true god status of the Earth pathway, She has existed for thousands of years. Even now, after removing the "theft" and abandoning the corresponding identity, there would inevitably be a very strong mystical connection with Omebella… Lumian nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, Mr. Fool."

Regarding matters related to Omebella, he already had a very deep understanding, long knowing that the Sanguine ancestor Lilith, with the help of the Ancient Sun God, had killed Omebella, "stolen" Her identity, and then assumed Omebella's name to become Earth Mother, playing a crucial role in the war a few years ago.

When Mr. Fool indicated he could leave, Lumian made his final request, "Can you help me remove the seal on my chest?"

Since the soul fragments of Aurore and the infant Zedus had already initially merged with himself, they would not perish whether the seal was protected or not. This would allow the villagers of Cordu to find peace!

They had no hope of resurrection and would only exist in the form of Lumian's puppet soldiers, which he was unwilling to do.

"Okay." The Fool agreed to Lumian's request.

Before Lumian could speak, this great existence leaned back in his chair, speaking in a calm voice, "The seal will be automatically removed in three minutes."

"Praise you, Mr. Fool!" Lumian stood up, pressing his hand to his chest in a salute.

Returning to the real world, Lumian, accompanied by Franca and Jenna, bid farewell to Mr. Sun and returned to the luxurious villa in Trier.

After briefly mentioning Mr. Fool's new revelation and his own understanding, he chose to teleport away alone.

His destination: Cordu Village, in the Dariège region of Riston Province.

Soon, Lumian's figure took shape in that familiar yet strange "hometown".

Glancing at the blood-red pillar that wasn't particularly high yet had a mountainous feel, and then looking at his family house some distance away, Lumian walked into the buildings surrounding the pillar.

He surveyed the house ruins, some completely collapsed, others burned, trying to discern their original appearance.

Walking step by step through the broken walls and ruins, a pure and brilliant starlight emerged from Lumian's chest.

As the starlight dispersed, fragments of radiance flew out from his body, falling around him and materializing into blurry figures.

These were Naferia, Nazélie, and other elderly women, various Pierres and Guillaumes. Some gathered together, basking in the noon sun, chatting about village matters; others carried farming tools, returning home; some playing with children, chasing and frolicking, or herding a group of white geese…

The ruins suddenly became lively.

Lumian looked around, but no one paid him any attention.

Those figures were slowly fading.

Lumian smiled, nimbly climbing onto the top of a nearby building's ruins, lying down, letting his black hair pile beside him.

It was noon, bright and sunny, almost dazzling. White clouds drifted slowly across the blue sky.

The scent of spring grass and building stones, accompanied by sounds of conversation, chasing, and laughter, quickly penetrated Lumian's mind, making him feel warm in the sunlight, drowsy.

He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift.

The surroundings gradually became quiet, returning to silence.

…

In the previously rented apartment in Trier.

Lugano, with his handsome features and robust build, was reading the latest medical journal while skewering a piece of sausage to eat.

For nearly a month, he had been living quite leisurely, with his salary paid in advance and nothing much to do.

As a genuine Doctor, he could easily earn money even without running a clinic.

The only issue was that he could still only access the mystical circle he already knew, unable to obtain higher-sequence potion formulas or corresponding items.

He had recently discovered that the activities of that mystical circle had completely stopped, with the official forces in Trier unprecedented in their strength.

Ah, I both want the boss to come back quickly, yet fear his return… Lugano couldn't help but sigh.

At that moment, he saw the bedroom door open, and his long-awaited employer walked out, as if he had never left.

"Good evening, boss!" Lugano jumped up, reflexively greeting him.

Lumian, who had been secretly observing him for some time, nodded slightly.

"I have something for you to do."

Lugano, dazzled by his employer's appearance, instinctively asked, "What is it?"

The boss seems even more beautiful, his charm greatly increased. What happened… he muttered inwardly.

Lumian took out a list. "Visit each person on this list, tell them you are a Blessed and priest of the Malady God, and then maintain contact with them, responsible for preaching and conducting mass.

"Uh…" Lugano was stunned.

Is this a cult?

Lumian chuckled in response.

"Don't worry, the authorities have given the go ahead.

"If any of the Malady God followers have any illnesses, just treat them. The consultation fee depends on the family's situation—charge normal rates for the wealthy, and nothing for those without means."

The people on this list were all Malady God followers in Trier. Their previous Blessed had recently informed Lumian through prayer that the Beyonders from the two major Churches were watching closely, and they didn't dare to make contact.

Lumian had responded in time, granting them death.

Then, through the Church of The Fool, he communicated that a Saint from the Church of The Fool had taken over these followers to the Eternal Blazing Sun Church and the God of Steam and Machinery Church, and would be responsible for reforming them, so they no longer needed to keep watch.

This matter of openly poaching followers, after private communication and promises, had finally been tacitly approved.

Since Lumian couldn't personally preach, and couldn't do everything himself, he thought of Lugano.

He was a genuine Doctor who could treat illnesses while preaching, truly embodying the authority of the Malady God!

Lugano suddenly understood. "The Sick Church is going legitimate?

"Are you now a follower of the Malady God?"

Lumian glanced at Lugano and said with a smile, "I am the Malady God."

"…" Lugano was stunned again.

"And also the patron saint of the Church of The Fool," Lumian continued.

This was something he couldn't hide from Lugano.

My boss has become a patron saint? Become the Malady God? What am I now? Lugano was bewildered and fearful for two seconds. "What should I tell these followers?"

Do I have scriptures to read, a mass to conduct?

Lumian took out a stack of documents.

"The Malady God has now split into the God of Plague and the God of Disease—one is me, the other is Franca. When preaching to these followers, do not mention our real names or the Church of The Fool for now. Follow what's written on these papers.

"These doctrines are still quite simple, and those followers won't understand anything complex. We'll slowly modify and add to them once they truly believe in me and Franca."

"Yes, boss, no…" Lugano suddenly knelt on one knee, head lowered, "Yes, great Lumian Lee."

This is also an anchor—an anchor with potential risks… Lumian nodded satisfactorily.

"Several on the list were originally bestowed of the Malady God. I've already punished them, and they're now dead. Go to the addresses on the list to collect their bodies and take away their ill-gotten gains.

"In the name of me and Franca, return these funds to the followers, especially those living in difficult circumstances. The remainder can be used as expenses for your preaching.

"Afterwards, don't mention donations to the followers, but if they actively donate and the money won't affect their family's life, don't refuse.

"After completing this task, I'll help you find the potion formula and corresponding Beyonder ingredients for the next sequence."

Still kneeling on one knee, Lugano's heart leaped, and he blurted out, "Praise you, great Lumian Lee!"

Lumian gestured for him to rise while saying, "Franca and I are now Sequence 3 Saints. Our honorific names are in these documents. God of Plague is me, God of Disease is her. If you have anything, contact us by reciting the honorific name."

"I shall obey your will," Lugano quickly responded.

As the boss was about to leave, he instinctively asked, "How is Ludwig? You must be very busy and have no time to take care of him. If he gets too hungry, he might eat people."

Is this the Mother pathway? Lumian thought to himself, then said with a smile, "Don't worry about him. He can now cook for himself using the ingredients we prepared."

Moreover, Ludwig was about to have a big feast.

-x-X-x-

In an apartment with insufficient lighting, the classic clock's hands ticked away.

Lumian, Franca, Jenna, and Anthony were gathered around a corpse, watching Ludwig tie a white napkin around his neck.

"He's quite well-mannered…" Lumian quipped.

The corpse in the room belonged to the remaining Sequence 4 demigod from the Sick Church in the Trier region, named Sathipo Eir. Previously controlled by Mr. Fool, he had recently completed the task of making his followers pray to the God of Plague and God of Disease. Then, Lumian received a revelation from Mr. Fool, instructing them to come to this apartment at the current time to handle the subsequent matters.

As soon as Lumian and the others knocked on the door, they saw Sathipo Eir collapse and die in front of everyone.

Fortunately, Lumian had already pulled this apartment and all its contents into the mirror world, and had Anthony quickly place the Winter is Coming pistol on the corpse.

Thinking about Sathipo Eir, who had been busily helping himself and Franca connect with followers and spread new doctrines and was essentially Mr. Fool's avatar, Lumian felt something was off.

Isn't it strange that the god he believed in would go to such lengths, meticulously and diligently running around to recruit followers, preach doctrines, and spread his honorific name?

Would a great existence be so hands-on?

Recalling the stories about Amon that Madam Magician had told him and the abilities of high-ranking Beyonders from the Marauder and Seer pathways, Lumian thought this seemed somewhat normal: A thousand avatars, all of which are oneself!

"Can I eat now?" Ludwig raised his head, looking eagerly at Lumian.

"Should we first channel the spirit?" Lumian turned his head and asked Franca.

Although Mr. Fool had certainly grasped all of Sathipo's information through Parasitism, Lumian felt that they should still channel the spirit. They couldn't always trouble Mr. Fool with everything.

Franca looked at Sathipo's floating spirit and pondered, "The decay is slower than expected. Mr. Fool must have done some processing. Let's not rush to channel his spirit. Do we know what to ask?"

Jenna chimed in, "We might as well search the apartment first and see what clues we can find. Then we can channel his spirit, which will help us know exactly what to ask."

"Okay," Lumian said, seeing many green and yellow light points had settled on Anthony's Winter is Coming revolver. He smiled at Ludwig, "Go ahead."

He had previously asked Ludwig if returning to Sequence 4, or Sea Monster, would cause him to transform into a grotesquely sized sea monster, which would make it impossible for him to stay in Trier unless he constantly hid in the mirror world.

Ludwig had looked at his hands and body for a few seconds and unexpectedly became sad, crying, "Not yet."

He was clearly disappointed.

He told Lumian that his appearance shouldn't change much, but he would need to be taken to the ocean daily to have a proper feast—something easy for Lumian, who had teleportation abilities.

With the godfather's approval, Ludwig cheered and lunged at the corpse.

Franca and Jenna instinctively turned their backs.

Amid sounds of tearing, chewing, cracking, and crunching, the two Demonesses began examining every corner of the apartment.

Mechanical music boxes, classic clocks, fabric sofas, red desks, brass gas meters, and exquisite small statues passed before Franca and Jenna's eyes.

Suddenly, Franca walked to the desk and opened a drawer.

Inside were various denominations of gold coins, including several 20 Louis d'or coins.

Franca's hand moved through the coins, picking up a coin with a dark gold, less lustrous color.

It was a gold coin, but not of any current legal tender.

Franca brought the dark gold coin close to her eyes, noticing a male head profile on the front, with long hair, wearing a crown, with rigid lips and sharp facial lines.

On either side of the male head were layered doors and a raven with one eye large and one small, surrounded by changing lines, a vertical sword, and an extended hand.

Hmm… Franca had a vague guess.

She turned the coin over, finding a number "7" on the back.

Around the "7" were images of gathered soldiers, sharp weapons, and flowing blood.

"Is this a Tudor coin?" Franca spoke aloud.

Her spiritual intuition told her so.

The Tudor dynasty of the Fourth Epoch had issued its own currency, but perhaps due to the Blood Emperor's mental state or influence from the original pathway, its value and conversion were perplexing—unlike the normal 1, 5, 10, 20, but with seemingly random values like 2, 7, and 13.

These coins had long since disappeared over a thousand or two thousand years, either remelted into new coins or gold items, or buried in ancient tombs. Currently, one could only see them in museums or some collectors' vaults.

"How could there be a Tudor coin?" Jenna looked over.

"I'm also puzzled. You can't even use this thing. Were they planning to sell it as an antique?" Franca pondered for a few seconds. "We'll ask during the spirit channeling."

While the two Demonesses carefully searched the apartment, Lumian suddenly said to Anthony, "You can pick up the revolver now."

He intuitively believed that Winter is Coming had reached its limit in bearing the bestowed power, and continuing might damage it.

Of course, no matter how damaged, it would still be a weapon with Beyonder power, though the negative effects might change and become unbearable.

Anthony, who had already quietly cast Placate on himself, squatted down and picked up the artistic Winter is Coming revolver from the bloody, mutilated corpse.

"The Certain Death and Sure Hit charges have been enhanced to nine times…

"Even if this revolver shatters, it can be reassembled…

"No other changes…"

Lumian used Magic Mirror Divination to inform Anthony about the current state of Winter is Coming.

Anthony, who had received a Traveler's Bag as a bonus from the dream mission, breathed a sigh of relief and placed the revolver inside.

At that moment, they heard a loud, prolonged "burp".

It came from Ludwig.

Ludwig had only eaten half the corpse and seemed already full.

He sat there, with what felt like a mass of air in his stomach, occasionally distending his belly and causing crackling sounds in his chest.

Beneath his facial skin, countless insects writhed, creating multiple bumps.

At this moment, Lumian and the others distinctly felt that a terrifying beast was about to tear through Ludwig's skin.

Ludwig's body alternately stretched tall, causing skin cracks, and then swelled, nearly bursting his clothing.

After ten to twenty seconds, his state finally stabilized, still looking like the same seven or eight-year-old boy.

The Church of Knowledge's seal is indeed of high quality… Lumian thought to himself.

Ludwig suddenly looked at him, his eyes filled with blood vessels and desire. "I want to go to the sea, I want to eat!"

Lumian nodded, grabbed Ludwig's shoulder, and disappeared from the room.

Somewhere in the Fog Sea.

Lumian's figure took shape in mid-air, throwing Ludwig toward the blue sea surface.

Ludwig didn't mind at all, already opening his mouth while still in the air.

That mouth kept opening wider, until eventually, his entire head and body seemed to become part of the mouth, with sharp teeth reflecting the brilliant sunlight.

With a splash, Ludwig fell into the sea.

Then, the seawater descended, and an inexplicable whirlpool appeared.

The whirlpool gradually expanded, and fish nearby involuntarily rushed over, swimming toward its bottom.

These marine creatures numbered in the thousands, streaming endlessly.

Splash! The massive whirlpool's appearance triggered changes in this sea area, with water currents becoming turbulent and massive waves rising in the distance.

A large steam ship was passing near the sea's edge but appeared tiny beneath the towering waves.

The passengers were frightened and scattered, with the captain ordering the crew to change course immediately.

Splash! A huge wave approached.

But before it could truly arrive, it suddenly froze in mid-air.

It quickly disintegrated, each fragment like a snowflake or ice crystal, beautiful under the sunlight.

In Sathipo's apartment, Franca performed the Magic Mirror Spirit Channeling Spell.

Facing Sathipo's mirror image, she directly showed the Tudor coin. "Where did this come from?"

Since Sathipo had been Parasitized by Mr. Fool and his faith Grafted, she didn't need to worry about any corruption from divining this Sick Church demigod.

Sathipo's pale face responded mechanically, "A gift from God."

A gift from God… Wait, where did your god get a Tudor coin? This is within the barrier… Franca pressed, "Through what method was it given?"

Sathipo responded at a steady pace, "First, the great Malady God gave a revelation, telling us to wait before a mirror. Then, the coin fell out from inside the mirror."

Look at this, does this look like a gift from the Malady God? If you said it was from the Primordial Demoness, I might believe it… From what we know, the Malady God doesn't have authority over the mirror world… Franca asked again, "Besides you, who else has one?"

"Mocoxidos," Sathipo answered.

We hadn't found it back then… Well, Mocoxidos had used his rotting power to decompose himself into pathogens; everything on his body should have rotted away and disintegrated… Franca asked several more questions but couldn't get useful answers.

Sathipo didn't know what the Malady God wanted to do, only that he was instructed to wait patiently in Trier.

At this moment, Lumian returned with a soaking wet Ludwig.

"Ate about ten to twenty tons of fish and shrimp. Can't afford to feed him, can't afford to feed him," Lumian said, clicking his tongue.

Having just become a Sea Monster, his appetite had already instantly changed by orders of magnitude!

Franca echoed the sentiment, then told Lumian the spirit channeling results, adding, "Since it wasn't directly given by the Malady God, we can divine where this Tudor coin came from."

Lumian nodded, taking the coin.

Being cautious about matters involving great existences, he specially sought Mr. Fool's observation and help before performing Magic Mirror Divination to inquire his own spiritual intuition, "Who was the previous owner of this coin…

"Who was the previous owner of this coin…"

Soon, the mirror's surface rippled with water, becoming profound.

In the next second, Lumian saw a pair of eyes, eyes so dark they were without light.

Wh— Lumian blurted out, calling a name in a deep voice, "Zaratulstra!"

-x-X-x-

After Lumian called out that name, the image reflected on the mirror's surface shattered, like a stone thrown into a lake.

"Zaratulstra? No, in the real world, we should call Him Zaratul." Franca also recognized who those eyes belonged to.

Jenna added, "The Celestial Worthy's subordinates are cooperating with the Malady God's bestowed?

"What's the purpose of this Tudor coin?"

Lumian first shook his head, then said, "Mocoxidos only received the Sequence 3 boon after the Vortex event. I suspect that whoever possessed that palm—the cooperation between the Celestial Worthy's subordinates and the Malady God's blessed ones—is an aftershock of the Vortex event, or rather, a result of one of its branches.

"Such a massive event, involving so many great existences, definitely can't be ended just because the one the Aurora Order believes in says so.

"This might be why He changed His stance, hoping for Mr. Fool to awaken soon."

Franca and the others nodded—Ludwig had been taken care of by Jenna while Lumian was performing Magic Mirror Divination, changing out of his wet clothes, and was now once again a clean and fresh little boy.

"The Tudor coin's purpose involves the schemes of great existences, so we probably can't divine its purpose," Lumian pondered aloud. "But we can try to divine who owned the coin before its previous owner, which might yield some insights."

He immediately put his words into action, again seeking Mr. Fool's observation to eliminate certain dangers and interference.

"Who was the owner before the previous owner of this coin…

"Who was the owner before the previous owner of this coin…

"…"

Lumian held the dark gold coin, chanting the question several times.

The mirror placed before him suddenly became bright, as if there was a light source bursting from within.

No, that was formless, colorless flames burning—the entire mirror had caught fire.

Thin gray fog descended, preventing the flames from spreading, but the mirror and desk quickly turned to ashes.

Seeing this, Franca's first two thoughts were: There really is great danger. Good thing we were careful enough, and good thing Mr. Fool is so powerful!

That was scary—fortunately, I had already collected all the coins from the drawer…

After the formless, colorless flames extinguished, Lumian, as the 0-01 proxy, laughed with a slightly deep voice.

"I know where this Tudor coin came from:

"Fourth Epoch Trier!"

Everyone present, except Ludwig, had been to Fourth Epoch Trier, and this revelation sparked certain associations in their minds.

"The goal of cooperation between the Malady God's bestowed and the Celestial Worthy's subordinates points to Fourth Epoch Trier?" Franca said thoughtfully. "Will this Tudor coin serve as a medium for some purpose then?"

Lumian nodded and placed the Tudor coin into the Traveler's Bag. "What we need to do next is search for clues about Zaratul's whereabouts and uncover more of the Celestial Worthy's subordinates and members of the Order of All Extinction."

Then, he said to Anthony, "We don't know how long we'll have to wait for Madam Justice, so we can first get the Manipulator's potion formula and try collecting and preparing the ingredients ourselves. If we run into difficulties, we can ask for their help then."

Manipulator was the name of the Sequence 4 potion in the Spectator pathway, and it was Anthony's next Sequence.

"I have no objections," Anthony agreed, feeling they couldn't pin all their hopes on Madam Justice finding that ancient dragon.

Lumian then turned to Jenna. "Julien will be back in two days. Have you figured out what to do?"

Jenna was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I'll use money and Instigation to help create a good position for him in Port LeSeur, Suhit, or Nouvell—one of these big cities—with a three-year term.

"And then…"

Jenna paused before continuing, "If Julien won't listen to my persuasion and insists on staying, I'll get Anthony to help me 'convince' him with some degree of hypnosis."

"Wh—" Franca blurted out in surprise.

Wasn't this the approach Jenna had been quite opposed to and unwilling to use?

She didn't want to use Beyonder powers to influence Julien or interfere with his personal choices!

Jenna gave a self-mocking smile.

"If this were a choice that would affect Julien's entire life, I definitely wouldn't do this, but for just three years, I can accept it."

The smile gradually disappeared from her face as she muttered to herself, "Life is about constantly moving forward while giving up certain principles…

"At this point, some obsessions with purity can be discarded. Demonesses are meant to bear pain and torment. Whether I become harsh or cold-hearted doesn't matter—what matters is whether Julien can escape his dangerous situation."

At this point, Jenna mocked herself again, "Let's push the guilt and blame onto divinity, just consider it the price I pay for obtaining godhood."

"No, a certain someone will bear all of this sin," Lumian responded in a joking tone.

Then he nodded. "This is the best solution. It's like moving house—if you have plenty of time, many days ahead, then naturally you can carefully pack and organize, abandon nothing, break nothing. But if you only have a few minutes before the room explodes and you can't prevent it, you can only take what's most important and essential, leaving everything else to be destroyed no matter how reluctant you are."

As they listened, Franca, Jenna, and Anthony suddenly realized that Lumian was actually talking about the conflict between humanity and godhood, about what Beyonders should do as they advance sequence by sequence.

Lumian was speaking from experience, thinking of his previous conversation with Mr. Fool.

For the sake of more important things, this was the only choice.

Was it worth it?

It's worth it.

"Indeed." Franca sighed, then turned to Jenna and said, "Actually, have you considered teaching your brother mystical knowledge and collecting corresponding potions for him, letting him become a Beyonder? This way, he could understand why he must leave Trier."

Jenna slowly shook her head.

"No, I know him well. He's a very stubborn person. Once he understands the real reason, if I don't leave, he won't either, and I…"

At this point, Jenna's gaze swept across Lumian and Franca.

Then, after some thought, she said, "The hypnosis will still be necessary, but that doesn't conflict with teaching Julien mystical knowledge and guiding him to become a Beyonder.

"Yes, even just a low sequence would improve his ability to protect himself, but we absolutely cannot tell him about the approaching apocalypse or that major changes will happen in Trier within a year or two. That would make him anxious, and when he's anxious, he tends to go to extremes and take wrong paths."

"Then we need to choose a good pathway for him, at least not obviously problematic ones like Devil, Prisoner, Earth, Moon, or Assassin." Franca helped think it through.

In the end, she still felt that, being Demonesses, flipping a coin and relying on spirituality to choose might yield better accuracy.

…

In the afternoon.

Since Jenna was taking the slightly taller Ludwig shopping for new clothes with Franca accompanying them, and Anthony had gone out to meet his informant and contact members of the Psychology Alchemists, Lumian was left alone in the large villa.

He collapsed onto the sofa, wondering whether he should contract a spirit world creature specialized in house cleaning.

After resting for a while, Lumian contemplated the tasks ahead and his responsibilities as the Major Arcana—The Chariot.

First is to consolidate and deepen the faith of the Sick Church's believers in me and Franca.

Second, I need to consider the Sequence 2 issue. I have the Demoness of Catastrophe potion formula, but as a Demoness of Unaging, I still don't know how difficult Demonesses of Catastrophe are to kill. Plus, they have the protection of the Primordial Demoness, and Mr. Fool is only in a preliminary awakened state… The best choice would be the Sequence 2 Weather Warlock from the Hunter pathway. During the previous divine assembly, Mr. Fool showed the Red Priest card—I could exchange the potion formula from him.

Besides the Sauron family and Einhorn family, where else might there be Weather Warlock's Beyonder characteristics? Some Grade 0 Sealed Artifact in a Church?

If there weren't any other choices, I'd rather not go to the Blue Avenger's treasury and face that Alista Tudor inside the mirror…

Heh heh, maybe I have no choice…

Among the Tarot Club's missions, I'm not responsible for the Great Mother matters right now, but with my current condition, it's very difficult to truly avoid it… For now, I just need to find Zaratul's whereabouts and members of the Order of All Extinction… The first task isn't easy—even Mr. Fool, as a supreme being of the Seer pathway, hasn't located Zaratul… At this point, Lumian suddenly sensed something and turned his gaze toward the edge of the living room.

His messenger, who looked like a charred corpse, Penitent Baynfel, appeared holding a letter.

Lumian stared for a few seconds at Bayenfeld, whose eye sockets burned with dark flames, before finally speaking, "Give me the letter."

He then took the letter and opened it, finding the contents were simple.

"I would like to visit you this evening, if possible?

"The Hermit."

What does Ma'am Hermit want? My previous speculation about the Hidden Sage state? Lumian nodded thoughtfully and said to Baynfel, "Please help me reply to the sender, tell her it's fine."

Baynfel nodded and disappeared at the edge of the living room.

In the evening, just as night fell, Lumian, Franca, Jenna, and the others who had been waiting heard the doorbell ring.

Ding dong, ding dong.

"Ma'am Hermit is so polite…" After getting used to Madam Magician's style of suddenly appearing and disappearing and rarely using doors, Lumian felt somewhat unaccustomed to this situation.

He personally went to open the door and found it was indeed Ma'am Hermit, wearing thick glasses and a purple-patterned robe.

After exchanging greetings, he led his peer, a king of the seas, into the living room and invited her to sit in an armchair.

Lumian sat down next to Franca and Jenna, and after just a few moments of small talk, heard Ma'am Hermit say directly, "I have something I'd like your help with."

"What is it?" Lumian asked thoughtfully.

The Hermit looked up toward the ceiling without immediately answering.

The next second, thin gray fog spread throughout the living room.

Wh— Lumian realized things weren't as simple as he had imagined.

After everyone sat up straight, The Hermit said in a low voice, "Mr. Fool is preparing to hunt down the Hidden Sage."

-x-X-x-

Upon hearing Ma'am Hermit's words, Lumian's eyes suddenly lit up.

The corners of his mouth gradually turned upward, his smile becoming quite bright. "What can I do to help?"

…

Trier, cathedral district.

At the entrance of the Church of Steam and Machinery's patriarchal cathedral, with its towering iron-black chimneys, Lumian, wearing a lady's soft hat and face covered by a black veil, looked up for two seconds before walking through the open doors into the interior.

The first thing that caught his eye were thick grayish-white pipes crisscrossing everywhere—some attached to walls, some supported by pillars, some winding across the dome.

They were components of a giant steam engine, or rather, this cathedral was made up of a giant steam engine and several other large mechanical devices.

Currently, no heat radiated from these pipes, but come winter, when the giant steam engine would run continuously, the entire patriarchal cathedral would be enveloped in warmth, allowing worshippers to experience the pleasantness of early summer.

Lumian then saw many believers walking out, seemingly having just finished listening to a sermon, still immersed in the solemn atmosphere.

Lumian passed by them, walking toward the altar area.

Many believers, both men and women, suddenly found their gazes following this tall, beautiful figure, unconsciously turning their bodies sideways and looking back.

Lumian walked forward naturally, neither fast nor slow.

Arriving at the first row of seats before the altar, he gazed at the Triangular Sacred Emblem representing the God of Steam and Machinery, his eyes slowly moving between the symbols of steam, gears, and levers within the solid triangle.

At this moment, he wasn't thinking about how sacred or mechanically beautiful it was, but rather pondering a question, If the God of Steam and Machinery truly evolved into the God of Electric Power and Information Technology, what would this Sacred Emblem look like?

Lumian controlled his blasphemous thoughts and, under the watching eyes of the preaching bishop, sat in the first row near the center aisle, raised his hands, lowered his head, and began to pray.

When his spiritual intuition told him that the bishop had looked away, he reached into his Traveler's Bag.

He took out a mobile phone.

The one he had used in the dream city.

Of course, this wasn't real, but rather woven from his memories by Madam Dreamweaver—it had no functions and couldn't last long.

The woven phone's screen was lit, displaying a WeChat dialogue box between Lumian and Stiano.

The content of the conversation showed Stiano sending Lumian a mini-program called "Information Shredder."

Lumian held this false, dream-like phone and began praying again, "Great God of Steam and Machinery, You are the embodiment of essence, the protector of artisans, the glory of technology, please grant me once again the ability to shred information, effective for one week…"

After praying earnestly, Lumian drew the Triangular Sacred Emblem across his chest with his right hand.

At the same time, he felt a subtle change.

He lowered his head and looked again at the dream phone in his left hand, finding it seemed more tangible now.

Lumian instinctively swiped the screen with his finger, watching the dialogue box retreat to WeChat's main interface.

Then, he switched back to the home screen and found all the previously downloaded apps were there.

Was a real phone created based on the corresponding information? Is this the glory of technology, a Sequence 0 true god? Although Lumian was already a Sequence 3 Demoness of Unaging, he was still quite amazed.

He studied it for a while, confirming that the phone really worked, just without network connectivity.

Of course, the Information Shredder didn't need an internet connection.

…

In an apartment on Avenue du Boulevard.

Professor, Associate Professor, Periodic Table, Isotope, and two other Warlocks currently in Trier sat on the sofa, backed chair, and armchair, looking at each other with unease and anxiety.

After receiving Hidden Blade's request for an urgent meeting, they contacted each other and, after much consideration, finally decided to meet with her.

Of course, they chose the time and place.

"What urgent matter could Hidden Blade have?" Isotope whispered with concern.

If it weren't for Hidden Blade's consistently good reputation and character, they would definitely have refused such a hasty meeting request without specific details.

"Whatever her purpose, I believe she has good intentions," Professor, wearing a black butterfly mask, said looking around. "Besides, don't we also have something to discuss with her?"

Everyone nodded.

At this moment, they heard a knock at the door, using Morse code.

"Come in," all the members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society present straightened their backs.

Not only did Hidden Blade enter, wearing her "assassin outfit" but with hood down, revealing her striking features, but also Hela, dressed as Black Widow.

"Madame Hela, you're here too?" Periodic Table and others stood up simultaneously.

Listen to that, just listen to that, you've never addressed me as "Madame"! Though Franca complained internally, she wasn't actually upset—too many "Madames" would give her goosebumps.

Hela nodded slightly and replied, "I'm here to vouch for Hidden Blade and handle the aftermath."

Professor and the others immediately turned their gaze toward Franca.

This time, they were all captivated by the Demoness of Unaging's features, momentarily unable to look away.

Franca walked to the fireplace where no charcoal was burning, and smiled at Professor and the others. "Please sit down.

"Actually, I'm here today to ask for your help. Look, I've even shown my face to help you trust me more."

Professor, who had sat back down, asked puzzledly, "Hidden Blade, you're already a demigod, what could we possibly help you with?"

Franca glanced at Hela, waited for her to nod, waited for the night outside to seem deeper, then said with a smile to Professor, Associate Professor, Isotope, and others,

"Would you like to completely solve the problem of the Hidden Sage force-feeding you knowledge?"

"Completely solve it?" Professor was quite a calm woman, but even she couldn't help blurting out.

This was something they had never thought possible—no, they had fantasized about it when they were weak and ignorant.

"How to completely solve it? Can we really help?" Periodic Table, who had already clearly told Franca she was a member of the Moses Ascetic Order, asked repeatedly.

Although she didn't hold much hope, even if it was just a straw floating on water, she wanted to grasp it.

The other Warlocks present shared the same mindset.

Franca didn't answer immediately, watching as they raised one question after another.

Finally, Professor, with pale lips and a somewhat pale complexion, smiled bitterly and said,

"Hidden Blade, actually, we were preparing to consult you about this matter.

"Previously, Muggle told us that the small ritual plaza at the entrance of the third level of the catacombs had divine power remnants that could block most external influences. That really helped us tremendously, even saved many of our lives. Otherwise, with the Hidden Sage's increasingly frequent and crazy knowledge infusions, some might barely hang on, but others would probably be gone already.

"What we wanted to ask you is, after leaving Trier, are there other places that can block the Hidden Sage's infusions, or are there ways to reduce the negative effects?"

Indeed, while others are reluctant to leave Trier mainly for emotional reasons, Professor and others have a practical need, a life-or-death need… I was planning to have Lumian ask Ma'am Hermit if she, as a senior on the Warlock pathway, had any good methods to "plug ears," then trade for that method and tell all the Warlocks in the Research Society… But now… Franca suddenly felt somewhat emotional.

Then, she smiled and said to Professor and the others, "The solution is to kill the Hidden Sage."

"You're… not joking, are you?" Associate Professor asked with difficulty.

Isotope followed up, "Hidden Blade, although you've become a demigod, the gap between you and the Hidden Sage might be even bigger than the gap between us and you. It's a fundamental difference."

"Even the entire Research Society together couldn't handle the Hidden Sage." Professor likewise had no confidence.

Franca smiled. "I'm not the main force.

"This matter has some big shots taking the lead, I'm just providing support."

"Big shots…" Professor pondered before asking, "How big?"

Franca pointed to the sky. "That big, even bigger than the Hidden Sage."

Isotope, Periodic Table, and others looked at Hidden Blade, suddenly remembering that Sequence 4 demigods could already be called Saints, and were definitely high-ranking even within orthodox churches.

Their gazes moved back and forth between Franca and Madame Hela several times, gradually understanding that they might be involved in an event worthy of recording in mysticism history.

A divine war!

"Is this what you sought us out for? We're not even demigods…" Professor said hesitantly.

"You won't need to fight the Hidden Sage. Like me, you'll be doing support work," Hidden Blade Franca thought for a moment before saying, "This matter does carry some risk, though not from combat—other demigods and I will handle intercepting all enemies and monsters. Your danger comes from something else, but it won't be much more dangerous than receiving another knowledge infusion from the Hidden Sage. I can't tell you the specifics now."

The six Warlocks present again communicated with their eyes, both somewhat tempted by this excellent opportunity to escape the Hidden Sage's threat, and very nervous and worried.

After a few seconds, Associate Professor asked, "Are you confident?"

"We wouldn't be planning this hunting operation if we weren't confident. Don't worry, even if we fail, the Hidden Sage won't discover your betrayal. Trust me, by failure I mean not successfully killing the Hidden Sage and letting Him escape, not that the Hidden Sage could win." Franca displayed complete confidence.

"Why ask for our help, why us?" Professor asked, as if making a final confirmation.

"Warlocks, transmigrators, gray fog aura," Franca answered simply. "Don't ask me what gray fog aura is right now."

Periodic Table's face, covered in chemical symbols, frowned. "Muggle also meets these conditions, why don't you ask her?"

Franca immediately smiled. "In this operation, she has a more important task."

-x-X-x-

After Professor communicated with their eyes with her husband, Periodic Table and others for a while, she finally nodded and said, "Hidden Blade, we're willing to join."

Making this decision and speaking these words made her suddenly relax, no longer so tense.

At this current crossroads, whether for good or ill, whichever path they chose, they had to move forward. They couldn't stop or retreat anymore.

If they didn't seize this opportunity to completely eliminate the Hidden Sage, they would either be forced to stay in Trier to face the possible coming apocalypse, or lose control and go mad in another big city, becoming monsters and even endangering their families.

Franca breathed a sigh of relief, stating, "Would you like to sign a notarized document to ensure I fulfill all my promises?

"Don't worry, this notarized document was created by another Saint and is watched over by a true god—it has strong binding power over me as well."

Professor shook her head and said with a smile, "No need. We trust you and Madame Hela."

She paused, then hesitantly asked, "How long will this operation last? We have children at home who need care. Though we have servants, we're not entirely at ease."

Franca had already prepared for this.

"For those of you who are married couples with children, only one person needs to go. Those who are single parents or have other relatives needing special care can opt out of this operation. However, those who stay behind need to bring their children or other dependents to live together in one place, under Madame Hela's watch and protection."

This was to prevent secrets from leaking—the relevant personnel had to be placed under secrecy or sworn to secrecy.

Phew… Professor noticeably relaxed and turned to Associate Professor, saying, "I'll go."

"I'll go!" Associate Professor rejected her proposal without hesitation.

The two argued until Professor made the final decision.

"My Sequence is higher than yours and my condition is better. It'll be safer if I go!"

"Fine…" Associate Professor regretted for the first time spending too much time on unrelated research.

After some discussion, those participating in this operation would be Professor, Periodic Table, and another male Warlock called "Prototype."

"Let's go." Franca tossed out a mirror.

Under the influence of phantasms, the mirror grew larger and larger, fixing itself as a crystalline entrance.

Franca led the three Warlocks of different sequences across the solid mirror surface into the dark void of the mirror realm.

They plummeted through an illusory dark tunnel, with light and shadows rapidly shifting around them, as if other mirrors were projecting their reflected images into it.

Thus, after an unknown period—perhaps very short, perhaps very long—Professor and the others finally saw the exit.

Led by Hidden Blade Franca, they whooshed out of the mirror, stepping onto a wooden floor that creaked under their feet.

Periodic Table instinctively looked around and found they were aboard an ancient three-masted sailing ship. The gray-white mainsails billowed in the fierce wind, and only one or two sailors were on deck, making it feel quite eerie and quiet.

Outside the ship, dark blue waves rose and fell, with thin fog permeating the entire sea area.

When Professor, Periodic Table, and Prototype all looked at her, Franca raised her right hand, pointing in one direction, and said with a smile, "Our destination—west!"

Splash! A low wave crashed over.

…

An ice-blue wave crashed against Future's bow, producing numerous white sprays.

The Hermit, wearing a purple-patterned robe and thick glasses, stood at the bow, glanced at the changing weather above and the brewing snowstorm, then raised her right hand, signaling the ship to slow down and circle this small area of sea.

The sailors performed their duties, some adjusting the sail direction, others lowering one of the sails, until Future's condition finally satisfied the captain, Queen of Stars Cattleya's requirements.

Cattleya removed the thick glasses from her nose bridge, revealing a pair of deep purple, almost black eyes.

She immediately began speaking numbers with a mysterious aura, "1, 5, 4, 3, 7, 8…"

These numbers materialized one after another, becoming entangled in mid-air, numbering several hundred.

They were the entry password to the Moses Ascetic Order headquarters!

The Moses Ascetic Order headquarters was created by one of the Ten Pillars, the respected Chairman Torriope, using Mystical Re-enactment, and named "Avalon."

Avalon existed neither in reality nor in the spirit realm, but was completely hidden somewhere in the North Sea. Only those invited or qualified could enter, and they must also grasp a corresponding string of numbers numbering 365 digits.

For the Moses Ascetic Order, everything was numbers. Each number had spirituality, symbolism, and special meaning. When combined, these numbers naturally possessed mystical power.

As The Hermit Cattleya spoke the correct spiritual numbers, which materialized and became entangled in mid-air, the numbers suddenly vanished, as if sinking into somewhere.

Within seconds, it was as if an invisible curtain was drawn aside in front of Future, and a small boat sailed out unhurriedly, unmanned.

Starlight quickly lit up, extending from Future's bow to fall upon that small boat. The Hermit Cattleya stepped across the brilliant bridge formed by starlight and boarded the small boat in just a few steps.

As one of the Ten Pillars of the Moses Ascetic Order, she naturally had the qualifications to enter Avalon, and currently barely qualified as part of the core team.

The small boat carrying Cattleya turned around and headed back in the direction it came from.

The Queen of Stars's silhouette gradually faded until it disappeared from the view of Future's crew.

After passing through layers of transparent curtains, The Hermit Cattleya saw an island.

The island was shrouded in mist, lined with trees bearing golden apples, with music faintly drifting from the distance—peaceful, tranquil, and abundant.

The small boat stopped at the dock, and the Hermit walked toward the depths of the apple grove, where there stood a warlock's spire as if stepped out of a story.

Along the way, she encountered over a dozen humans dressed as warlocks.

These people stopped in succession, greeting the Ten Pillars with nods.

They were all members of the Moses Ascetic Order, raised in Avalon since childhood, receiving corresponding teachings, most trusted. Currently, they were all in their period of silence to increase focus, enhance spirituality, and deeply master various morals and precepts.

Only Warlocks who grew up this way could eventually compete for the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Moses Ascetic Order. "Outsiders" like the Queen of Stars, who joined later, could at most become one of the "Pillars," and would need to undergo years of testing and observation before having any hope of entering the core team.

The Hermit likewise responded to these silent Warlocks with nods, and soon passed through the trees laden with golden apples to reach the tall black spire.

Inside the spire, the wall protrusions, floor tiles, statues on both sides, and the elevator pulled by invisible servants were all composed of numbers. They looked normal at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one would find that even a small bump was formed by multiple intertwined numbers.

Hundreds of millions, billions of numbers were densely distributed throughout the spire, settling into different objects. Walking among them, The Hermit felt surrounded by countless numbers.

In her eyes, there were no walls, no bricks, no statues, no elevators—only numbers!

At this time, some Warlocks who had finished their period of silence were moving about in the spire. They either conversed quietly, went about their business, or huddled in corners, letting the strange eyes within the cracks on their faces observe their surroundings.

These latter ones were members approaching loss of control. After the Hidden Sage's knowledge infusions became increasingly crazy and frequent, even the Moses Ascetic Order, which had mastered safe "listening" methods, inevitably had Warlocks moving toward loss of control, far more than in previous years.

What was once safe was no longer safe.

If not for this problem, with the Moses Ascetic Order's accumulation plus the initial spiritual decline as the apocalypse approached, they certainly had more than ten demigods. But unfortunately, they still only had ten Pillars.

The Hermit's gaze withdrew from these Warlocks' faces as she entered the elevator. Pulled by invisible servants, she went all the way up to the spire's top floor.

Here, the Chairman and one of the two Vice Chairmen were always on duty. Among them, Chairman Torriope and Vice Chairman Retia Austin were Pillars that the Hermit couldn't quite get a read on.

Before arriving today, The Hermit Cattleya had already confirmed that Chairman Torriope—an Angel on the Mystery Pryer pathway—was on duty in Avalon.

As soon as the elevator steadied, Cattleya walked forward.

This was a hall larger than the spire's top floor itself. On the black walls, floor, and ceiling were eyes, each different, strangely shaped, and all cold eyes.

They all seemed to be watching the Queen of Stars.

At the end of the room, against the windowless wall, stood three dark gold statues—one wearing a mask, one resembling a lion, and one like an eagle.

Chairman Torriope seemed not to be present.

Just then, the masked dark gold statue's mouth moved, issuing a grand but hollow voice, "I have foreseen your betrayal!"

Hearing these words, Queen of Stars Cattleya wasn't surprised, only somewhat sighing.

Indeed, it was impossible to truly hide from a high-sequence Clairvoyant.

Once there was action, They would prophesy certain scenes or fragments. One could only try to delay when such perceptions appeared, or make the corresponding prophecies difficult to interpret!

A card suddenly appeared in Cattleya's hand. On its face was depicted a lonely old man with a cane, carrying a glass lamp.

The Hermit card!

-x-X-x-

As soon as The Hermit card appeared in Cattleya's hand, it seemed to emit a glossy light.

At the same time, outside the warlock's tower, in the mist shrouding Avalon's sky, a star began to shine in broad daylight, growing brighter and brighter until it was dazzling to the eye.

In an instant, a figure emerged from that star.

It was Madam Magician, wearing a deep black warlock's robe embroidered with twinkling silver stars.

Using the mystical connection provided by The Hermit, she forcibly located and tore open a gate to Avalon.

After The Hermit Cattleya gained free access to Avalon, The Magician could actually have broken in using a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact from the Abraham family. After all, this place was merely created by Torriope using Mystical Re-enactment, not granted by the Hidden Sage—how could it stop a high-sequence Door pathway Beyonder who could enter with or without doors?

But the Moses Ascetic Order was an ancient organization with at least two Angels and multiple Grade 0 and Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts. At that time, even with the combined strength of the Tarot Club, the Church of The Fool, the New City of Silver, and New Moon City, they could at best fight them to a draw. Moreover, the enemy had the Hidden Sage's protection while The Fool was not yet awake, so the Major Arcana card holders didn't act rashly but waited patiently.

Today, the opportunity had come.

Mr. Fool and the other deities were responsible for dealing with the Hidden Sage—the most difficult part was how to find and lock onto the target without letting Him escape. Meanwhile, the Tarot Club and friendly forces were tasked with attacking the Moses Ascetic Order headquarters to eliminate all the Beyonders who had been deeply influenced or even corrupted by the Hidden Sage.

Of course, the Tarot Club and the Church of The Fool hadn't deployed all their High-Sequence Beyonders—they needed to guard against enemy forces and evil god cults taking advantage of Mr. Fool's personal hunt to launch surprise attacks on places like the New City of Silver. For Angels like Suah of the Rose School of Thought, winning wasn't important; what mattered was whether they could cause damage, which would shake The Fool's anchors.

Miss Messenger and Mr. Pallez must remain in the Rorsted Archipelago…

Will and Mr. Azik won't participate in this kind of thing…

Only I can take action, but fortunately, allies will provide help…

In a flash, numerous thoughts crossed The Magician's mind, finally converging into one: But I still have manuscripts to submit…

Her sigh didn't affect her actions as she stepped to The Hermit's side in one motion.

The fact that only she had appeared so far didn't mean she was the only Angel arriving—she was just faster, the first to reach here.

In Madam Magician's eyes, starlight suddenly gathered, seeming to condense into a book.

Immediately after, a giant sword composed of orange-red twilight light materialized out of thin air, piercing through the void to strike the masked dark gold statue.

The Twilight Sword then shattered, transforming into countless orange-red shards of light that tore apart everything around them, cutting all objects to pieces, causing them to decay until they collapsed.

The three dark gold statues were the first to be affected. In the storm of twilight light, they quickly broke into tiny fragments, each piece dim and rusty, as if washed by the passage of endless time or having reached its twilight years.

In the hall, the walls, floor, and ceiling covered in strange cold eyes dissolved in the orange-red storm, sliding down inch by inch before shattering.

This void also collapsed.

But Madam Magician had already switched positions, flashing multiple images of herself, surrounding herself and Ma'am Hermit with layer after layer of protection.

There were cages bearing a sense of holiness and glory, and darkness curved into spheres. By the time they shattered, the orange-red Hurricane of Light had completely subsided.

As the hall atop the warlock's tower collapsed in ruins, another scene entered The Hermit Cattleya's eyes.

This was a long, deep tunnel leading to an unknown destination. The tunnel was wide, seemingly composed of connected rooms. In the current room, more than a dozen High-Sequence Warlocks were busy with their own tasks.

This space seemed to be a reflection of the warlock's tower, another side of Avalon, a secret area The Hermit had no way to enter.

It had been forcibly opened by The Magician using the Hurricane of Light created by the Twilight Sword and the positioning ability of the Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.

Madam Magician didn't delay, dropping a mirror before disappearing from the spot with Ma'am Hermit, flashing toward the depths of this dark tunnel.

Before the thrown mirror could hit the ground, Lumian and Jenna, wearing black warlock robes but with their hoods down, emerged from it.

10:37

The warlocks in this room had just awakened from their previous concentration, all turning their gazes toward them.

Some were consuming dead infants, some were using infants to make potions, some were extracting infant fat to apply to objects—various such activities, all utilizing newborns to complete witchcraft, potions, or mystical items.

Wh— Lumian raised an eyebrow.

Although in folktales, warlocks were often associated with killing infants and children, and some strange, inhumanly cruel witchcraft preparations, Lumian knew this wasn't actually mainstream for the Warlock pathway.

Were there warlocks who did such things, were there similar witchcraft practices? Of course there were, but definitely not many.

Who would have thought that within the Moses Ascetic Order, which emphasized morals and precepts, emphasizing the maxim "do as you wish, but do no harm," there would be so many warlocks doing such things in Avalon's dark side.

Of course, what surprised Lumian wasn't the Moses Ascetic Order's fall from grace—that had been confirmed long ago. Otherwise, the Moses Ascetic Order wouldn't have transformed from a respected society with good relations with various Churches into an evil, shadowy secret organization.

What astonished him was how deeply ingrained the practice of utilizing infant corpses had become in the Moses Ascetic Order—this couldn't have developed in just a year or two.

And infants inevitably made him think of birth—of mothers.

Was the Hidden Sage's mutation really related to the Great Mother? Had this practice started when She brought evil and corruption to the Moses Ascetic Order? Utilizing birth and death? Lumian tilted his head, looking at Jenna, whose expression changed from shock to anger, and quickly said, "This place is yours."

He then flashed toward the depths of the wide, dark tunnel.

His mission wasn't here.

The reason Jenna participated in this operation was because Lumian believed the role of a Demoness of Despair could also be fulfilled through combat, through killing, through destruction.

A Demoness who brought despair!

Jenna wouldn't participate in the battles deep within Avalon, mainly focusing on clearing out the corrupt low and mid-sequence warlocks, bringing them despair. In this process, if she encountered a Saint, or even two or three Saints, with a Demoness of Despair's survival abilities, she might not win, but death was unlikely.

The warlocks in the current room had already realized enemies had invaded, some preparing to cast spells, some taking advantage of their materials, some trying to bring out their mystical items—none retreated.

What excellent materials!

Their eyes burned with madness and greed as they looked at Jenna.

The angry Jenna suddenly smiled, as if light had entered this somewhat dark world.

All those warlocks of different sequences were stunned for a moment, unable to carry out their intended actions in time.

Almost simultaneously, they felt the cold.

A layer of frost formed on the surface of their bodies, their hair, and the tables themselves where infant corpses and various materials were laid out.

They began to shiver, their joints stiffening, their movements becoming obviously labored and difficult.

Then, one crystalline ice spear after another shot out from in front of Jenna, accurately piercing each wrlock's body, pinning them to the walls or floor, their blood seeping out and freezing.

The warlocks tried to resist, but not only were their bodies frozen, they were also bound and affected by invisible spider silk, making it difficult to take effective action.

Jenna didn't kill them immediately, letting the mystical plague spread simultaneously with her Charm freely erode these fallen ones, making them clearly feel their lungs tightening, their heads burning, and their life slipping away.

They began to despair.

The Magician pursued in a wandering manner, leaving even The Hermit behind.

Finally, ignoring other enemies along the way, she reached a desolate, boundless plain.

Torriope, wearing a black hood and warlock's robe, seemed to be in the depths of the wilderness.

He gazed into the distance at Madam Magician and raised His right palm.

An illusory figure was quickly sketched in the endless wilderness.

This was a spell derived from Mystical Re-enactment.

As an Angel who advanced in the middle to late Fourth Epoch, although Torriope wasn't a founding member who established the Moses Ascetic Order, he had lived for over a thousand years, witnessed many mystical events, mastered much mystical knowledge, and through this created several powerful spells.

With the core ability of Mystical Re-enactment, Beyonders of the Mystery Pryer pathway could indeed potentially live longer and grow stronger.

However, because too many people knew about major events like the War of the Four Emperors and the Pale Disaster, Torriope couldn't draw power from them to create spells that would be considered terrifying even at the Angel level, and could only choose second-rate ones.

As soon as that illusory figure in the wilderness solidified, bloody chunks of flesh began falling continuously from its body.

Each piece of bloody flesh turned into a cold, emotionless eye, and they quickly looked toward Madam Magician, emanating an aura of chaos, madness, and evil.

This was a spell Torriope created from the strange death of one of the Moses Ascetic Order's founders: "Loss of Control Gaze"!

-x-X-x-

Loss of Control Gaze was a spell that could cause even Angels to show obvious signs of losing control, with better effects the more unstable the target's mental state.

However, just as Torriope cast this spell, The Magician vanished from the entrance to the wilderness.

She didn't appear anywhere else in this area, seemingly having left entirely.

Torriope's gaze focused as He watched the horrifying figure created by Loss of Control Gaze gradually dissipate.

He didn't take this chance to escape.

It wasn't that He didn't want to, but it was too late. Only when Queen of Stars Cattleya entered the warlock's tower did He receive the revelation and make the corresponding prophecy, spending some time to interpret it.

He had no time left to escape.

He could only come to the depths of this wilderness and wait patiently.

Wait for an opportunity.

This approach wasn't just interpreted from His own prophecy, but also came from His understanding of this wilderness on the dark side of the warlock's tower, and His knowledge of the Moses Ascetic Order's past events.

In just a second or two, the Loss of Control Gaze spell completely ended.

At the same time, Torriope once again saw that young lady wearing the black robe embroidered with silver stars.

She had returned.

…

On the Blue Avenger, struggling to navigate through the fog and sea.

Professor, Periodic Table, and Prototype were all at sea for the first time, and they all walked to the ship's rail to gaze into the distance where the light was quite dim and the waves seemed to roar.

"Westward… is this the depths of the Fog Sea?" Professor made her judgment based on Franca's earlier words and the surrounding environment.

"Yes." The person who answered wasn't Franca, but a middle-aged man who walked out from the cabin.

This man was of medium build with rough skin and messy deep blue hair, wearing a linen shirt, brownish jacket, and darker pantaloons. His bearing was rather dignified, giving the impression of someone long accustomed to authority.

"This is the captain," Franca said, not introducing him as The Hanged Man of the Tarot Club, only telling Periodic Table and the others that he was the owner of this three-masted sailing ship.

After a courtesy bow, Professor asked with some curiosity, "I've heard the western Fog Sea is extremely dangerous, often with fierce winds and huge waves. Even official exploration fleets can't continue deep into it, and can only advance one section of waterway at a time by establishing forward bases."

"Actually, the weather here isn't as changeable and intense as the Berserk Sea," Captain The Hanged Man said in a slightly low, magnetic voice. "What's dangerous here is the fog."

Most Beyonders of the Warlock pathway had strong curiosity. Prototype repeated the captain's words, "Fog?

"What's dangerous about fog… Does it make fleets lose their way, unable to find supplies or retreat?"

The Hanged Man smiled slightly. "Do you know why this ocean is called the Fog Sea? Why fog often rises in the archipelago waters too, completely different from the weather in the Sonia Sea?"

Recalling various meteorologists' explanations from newspapers and magazines, Periodic Table touched the chemical symbols on her face and suddenly realized. "It spreads from here?"

The Hanged Man nodded gently. "The fog in this area sometimes contracts, sometimes expands. When it expands, the fog spreads eastward, affecting the weather.

"The closer you get to here, the more foggy weather there is, and the slower the fog disperses. By the time you reach the archipelago waters, the fog here needs to expand very dramatically to affect that area."

"So it's actually due to mystical reasons…" Professor murmured to herself.

The Hanged Man continued, "Similarly, the deeper you go into this area, the further west you sail, the thicker the fog becomes and the harder it is to disperse. Eventually you can't see anything but gray-white, dense fog, making it impossible to determine your coordinates and the correct waterway based on any external conditions.

"Who knows how many explorers and adventurers have vanished forever here? Perhaps their ships will only return from history much later in the form of unmanned ghost ships."

Franca beside them listened with great interest.

So this is the true origin of the Fog Sea's name?

Did this fog come from the Celestial Worthy's seal on the Western Continent?

"What about us?" Professor asked with some concern.

We're also heading deep into these waters!

Unlike Prototype who only had to worry about feeding himself, she and Periodic Table had strong attachments, naturally making them more anxious and worried.

The Hanged Man looked around and said, "Don't worry, I've entered and left these waters many times and have some understanding of the waterways here. We won't lose our way before reaching our destination."

Of course, you're a top seafarer… Franca muttered internally.

The Hanged Man added, "This experience was bought with lives. I've lost my way here before, encountered dangers, and nearly disappeared with the entire ship several times.

"Fortunately, with divine protection, I prayed in time and received accurate positioning, which helped me successfully find my way back."

Seeing how the captain introduced his experiences exploring these waters without arrogance, boasting, fear, or trepidation, Professor and the others gradually settled their hearts.

This was indeed a safe waterway explored through countless hardships plus divine guidance, worthy of trust.

At this moment, they all felt the captain was very steady and reliable.

Periodic Table looked at the sailors who were clearly not enough to operate such a three-masted sailing ship, and asked with an investigative spirit, "Is this a ghost ship?"

"Yes." The Hanged Man didn't deny it.

Just then, the entire ship was thrown up by a wave, flying through the air.

With a splash, a giant sea fish twenty to thirty meters long emerged from beneath the surface.

Its body was covered in silver-white metal scales that flickered with dawn's light, and from the blowhole on its head spurted a water stream that seemed composed of early morning twilight.

This water stream was like a giant sword wielded by a deity, slashing fiercely toward the Blue Avenger.

This scene was visually stunning, leaving Professor, Periodic Table, and Prototype, who were used to fighting in cities and small environments, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Silently, a gray-white color spread from the ship's rail, colliding with that deity-like dawn sword.

The dawn's light on the giant sword immediately dimmed, taking on a gray-white color.

It failed to create a Hurricane of Light, quickly turning into a stone sword that broke into sections falling toward the sea surface.

At the same time, The Hanged Man flew into the air, his deep blue hair spreading wildly like tentacles.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The Hanged Man clenched his fists, throwing out bolts of lightning.

These silver-white lightning bolts pierced through sky and sea, striking the sea fish covered in silver-white scales.

Boom! Only now did the thunder echo out.

Just as Professor and others watched dumbfounded as the captain brought down divine punishment like a deity to discipline the sea monster, the area where the Blue Avenger was about to fall began bubbling.

Countless rotting creatures emerged along with the rising and bursting bubbles, cramming densely together.

A horrifying, strange summoning from the realm of death's destination came from beneath the sea surface, pulling the Blue Avenger off course directly toward it.

The gray-white color fell before the ship, turning all the rotting, undead creatures instantly into stone sculptures, even the azure seawater became like a cement ground, uneven with highs and lows.

The gray-white continued to penetrate beneath the sea surface, and everything fell silent.

The Blue Avenger landed steadily on the water beside it, and The Professor and others saw large patches of gray-white stone being shattered by the incoming water flow, some sinking, some floating.

"A Sequence 5 sea monster, a Gatekeeper?" Franca muttered questioningly as she prepared to collect her spoils. "Isn't this display of ability a bit exaggerated?"

The first creature to attack the Blue Avenger should have been a whale that had consumed a Sequence 5 Guardian Beyonder characteristic of the Warrior pathway.

"Different species and environments can lead to different manifestations of abilities," The Hanged Man landed back on deck, ordering the sailors to quickly harvest the whale sea monster's Beyonder characteristic and valuable parts. "Besides, you forgot that Sequence 5 at sea qualifies one to compete for the title of admiral."

Listening to their exchange, Professor and others finally realized.

The captain was the other demigod Hidden Blade had mentioned.

The power of a demigod was mind-shaking!

As Franca used Demoness spider silk to drag up the Keeper sea monster hidden beneath the surface—it was a flat, human-sized, spiky deep black mutated sea urchin—she casually asked,

"The deeper we sail into these waters, the more monsters like this we'll encounter?"

"No." The Hanged Man shook his head. "The most dangerous things are the environment itself and our companions. Of course, as long as we stay on the pre-determined waterway, there won't be much risk. These sea monsters have only appeared in recent years, possibly related to that war back then."

Seeing Professor and others clearly confused, The Hanged Man briefly explained, "After the God of Combat's defeat, many Beyonder characteristics fell from the astral world onto the earth and into the oceans. His divine kingdom also experienced some collapse, with many items falling into reality."

I see… The Backstabbing Armor, no, the Pride Armor came from that? That whale sea monster just now should also be… Gatekeeper is Sequence 5 of the Death pathway, adjacent to the Warrior pathway, so it's normal for the God of Combat's divine kingdom to have some related items… As Franca came to this realization, she waited for the pale and black-mixed Beyonder characteristic to gradually precipitate out.

She and Lumian would need to gain more believers in the future, which required priests to spread their teachings, so they needed to prepare some Beyonder characteristics for their subordinates.

After collecting the spoils, the Blue Avenger continued forward.

As they sailed deeper, the gray-white fog around them grew increasingly dense, making it impossible to see clearly beyond several dozen meters.

During this process, Professor and others occasionally discovered things floating through the fog—there were faintly visible peaks, indistinct islands, and giant figures that seemed to hold up the sky…

The Hanged Man didn't explain, only telling them, "They seem close but are actually far away, unreachable."

After another half day, when the gray-white fog reached a certain density, The Hanged Man suddenly said to Franca,

"We're almost at our destination. Notify Ma'am Hermit that she can enter the Moses Ascetic Order's headquarters now."

…

In the dark side tunnel of the warlock's tower.

Ma'am Hermit continued to advance deeper. Her responsibility was to hold back the Moses Ascetic Order's upper echelons as much as possible until allied forces arrived.

Suddenly, she stopped in an area filled with many broken stone pillars.

She saw a familiar figure.

It was the Moses Ascetic Order's Vice Chairman, another Pillar who she couldn't get a read on—Retia Austin.