To keep this irritable old man calm at all times, Cavendish-Lancer in the cabin also secretly locked onto the Wave Church.
Feeling the naked gaze, "Sea King" Arne-Couteman, seated on a throne carved with symbols of storms and waves, had a gloomy expression tinged with solemnity.
On that suddenly appearing ghost ship, besides the "Demon Hunter," there was also a demigod, and one at the same level as him, Sequence 3. Such beings were second only to the Popes even in the Orthodox Churches, and could even be the source of some secret organizations.
Although Arne-Couteman disliked secret organizations that only dared to hide in dark corners, he was unwilling to provoke them before they showed clear hostility.
As Bayam was the largest center of faith for the Church of the Storms in the Raging Sea, even if the other party had two demigods, Arne-Couteman, holding a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact, was not afraid at all.
But a rash attack would undoubtedly cause heavy losses to Bayam and even the Roselle Islands, and might even shake the faith in the Storm. This was something he absolutely could not accept, and it was the main reason he had endured until now.
Arcing electricity flickered around him, and Arne-Couteman let out a cold snort. Amidst the rumbling thunder, the giant face formed by the dark clouds looked at Boyer-Bailer and spoke in a low voice:
"Who are you? Have you come to Bayam to challenge the authority of the Church of the Storms?"
Blinding white lightning flickered, as if it could strike down at any moment, shattering all blasphemers.
Ignoring the warning in the tone, Boyer-Bailer raised his right hand. All the members of the "Harbinger," including Agarito's corpse, which were hanging on the "Morning Star," simultaneously floated towards Bayam's port area. His slightly hoarse voice responded briefly:
"Bodies... bounty..."
The giant face formed by the dark clouds was silent for a long time. To make such a grand display just for a bounty of tens of thousands of pounds, although that was not a small sum either.
After the Punisher teams in the port area confirmed the identities of the bodies, box after box of gold pounds were transported over. A Spirit World door opened, and several pale arms reached out, swallowing all the gold pounds.
The "Morning Star" on the distant sea began to gradually retreat. Azure and silver-white light flickered, and it gradually disappeared from its original location. The dark clouds above Bayam also dissipated, as if nothing had happened.
A member of a Punisher team standing in the dock area suddenly opened his eyes, his face pale, and gasped for breath. He whispered to the captain beside him:
"The connection was cut off..."
The middle-aged captain beside him nodded solemnly, looking at the distant sea. Several black dots appeared on the horizon; the Loen Sonia Fleet, which had rushed over upon hearing the news, had arrived.
-----------------
Adjacent to the Hornacis Mountains and the Central Plateau of the Northern Continent is a hundred-mile stretch of black hills, where Yin energy rages.
Due to its location on the border between the Intis Republic and the Feynbot Kingdom, and its proximity to Loen's Ceiveras County in the southeast, coupled with a certain abnormal curse in the area, it gradually became a no man's land.
Deep within the black hills stands an ancient castle with a style completely different from the current era. Unlike the desolate and cold outside, this place is covered with various strange plants, full of vitality.
Inside the ancient castle is a large hall inscribed with numerous symbolic patterns and filled with sacrificial items. The main seat was empty. On either side of the main table sat a man and a woman.
Just by sitting there, surging life force filled the entire hall, followed by the oppressive aura derived from their level of life.
Earl Mistral sat below, waiting for the two Dukes to give orders. Around him were vampires from various Northern Continent countries, seven in total excluding himself.
In addition to Marquis Nibbs-Audra, there was another Marquis in charge of the Intis Republic, and the remaining five were Vampire Earls, representing the vampires of various regions.
Except for the Duke who was severely wounded during the War of the Four Emperors in the Fourth Epoch and has not yet recovered, all other high-ranking vampires had arrived.
Three Angels, two Sequence 3s, six Sequence 4s – this was the foundation accumulated by the vampires after nearly two thousand years of recuperation. The advantage of long-lived species was evident; they were equivalent to half an Orthodox Church.
Eyes weathered by time swept over the high-ranking vampires below. Duke Ormer, "Full Moon," sitting on the right side, chuckled with a deep voice:
"I presume you all know why you have been summoned here. Tonight is the Ancestor's birthday, and this year's sacrifice may yield some more specific revelations."
When this powerful being, who existed before the Great Catastrophe, was over three thousand years old, and had once followed the Ancestor Lilith, spoke, even the female Duke Qiaoerna opposite him nodded slightly in respect.
She was a descendant of the "Blood Moon Queen" Aurenia, and it was by relying on the Sequence 2 Beyonder Characteristic she had peeled off and left behind beforehand that she was promoted to Angel in the early Fifth Epoch, becoming one of the only three Vampire Dukes, titled "New Moon"!
A clear and pleasant voice then rang out, echoing in the ears of every vampire, especially the several Vampire Earls whose faces showed unconcealed excitement:
"This sacrifice will still be presided over by Duke Ormer, and I believe you can guess why I am here. The previous Blood Moon was a sign, so this sacrifice is extremely important."
"I have already crushed the Sealed Artifact obtained last time. The ownership of this Sequence 3 'Summoning Master' Beyonder Characteristic will also be determined after the sacrifice."
Marquis Nibbs-Audra glanced at Earl Mistral, who looked excited, and sighed inwardly.
Although they had brought back that Sealed Artifact, for the entire race, the consideration of overall interests was the most important.
Mistral was a relatively young Vampire Earl, while two of the remaining five Vampire Earls were already nearing the limit of their lifespans, and even slumber could not extend their lives.
If they couldn't advance, there was only death. The red moon that occupied the entire sky before made every vampire feel excited, but also deeply afraid. The high-ranking vampires all had a feeling that a storm was brewing.
Led by the two Dukes, "Full Moon" and "New Moon," a drop of blood oozed from the chest of every high-ranking vampire present, converging and merging into the altar at the very top of the hall.
The altar quickly turned red, revealing a pair of huge bat wings that covered half of the crimson moon. In vampire legends, this is one of the symbols of the ancient god Lilith.
Low ancient Hermes language echoed in this hall filled with life. Ripples surged from every vampire who offered blood, constantly merging into the pair of huge bat wings appearing on the altar.
As the chanting reached its climax, in the secret room beneath the ancient castle where the vampire Sealed Artifacts were stored, a ring, translucent throughout, with a half-fingernail-sized blood-colored gem set at the top, seemingly made of light red amber, broke through its seal and emitted a faint light.
This was the ring personally crafted by the vampire ancestor Lilith in ancient times.
Almost simultaneously, all the vampires looked up at the altar at the highest point of the hall, where a blurry, ethereal "door" inscribed with numerous mysterious symbols appeared.
The two closest Vampire Dukes' ears twitched, seemingly having received some information. The ethereal portal slowly opened, and bright, silvery moonlight spilled throughout the hall. An indescribable emotion rose in the heart of every vampire.
A black horn, wrapped in silver moonlight, leaped out of the ethereal portal and landed in Duke Ormer's hand. Without any warning, the ritual patterns dissolved, and the ethereal portal also disappeared.
Duke Qiaoerna, "New Moon," turned her head with a strange expression, looking at Earl Mistral, whose face still held lingering shock. In her hand, a gem that seemed to be condensed from rich blood appeared, just like a miniature red moon...
-----------------
Loen, Irushiel, Zuta Underground Hall.
Aaron took Cavendish-Lancer to meet Varner, activated the Life Holy Emblem on his wrist, handed the "Stone of Life" condensed using the "Babbler" to Varner, and explained his idea.
Varner stared silently at the Life Holy Emblem for a long time before withdrawing his gaze. He then looked at the "Ancient Scholar" who willingly followed Aaron, and spoke with a somewhat complex tone:
"Your idea is good, but none of us are familiar with soul division. It's hard to say what might happen if we forcibly separate it."
For some reason, the image of the Goddess of the Night forcibly tearing away half of Azik's soul suddenly flashed in Aaron's mind. After hesitating for a moment, he abandoned that dangerous idea.
Since the "Stone of Life" condensed by the Life Holy Emblem has the effect of repairing souls, he might as well try his luck at the Church of the Earth Mother. If that doesn't work, he can pray to that entity for help.
Putting away his surging thoughts, Aaron came back to his senses. He glanced at Varner and Cavendish-Lancer, who were looking at each other in silence, sensing that they seemed to have something to say. He shrugged and left alone.
-----------------
July in Ahowa County was already extremely hot. A passenger ship sailed along the Hory River. Mobet stood on the deck, fiddling with the tarot cards in his hand, occasionally looking at the clear and rapid river water below the ship.
Now, he was only one potion away from becoming a demigod. The two auxiliary materials were already gathered. Continuing to stay in Backlund would not allow him to obtain enough contribution to exchange for the "Parasite" Beyonder Characteristic.
Even with Amon's threat, a smile beamed on his face. His destination this time was Tingen City. According to the hidden entity, his old man was currently hiding there.
As long as he completed the task conveyed by Mr. Attendant, he could obtain that "Parasite" Beyonder Characteristic.
Thinking this, his gaze subconsciously looked towards the stairs of the passenger ship, and his brows slightly furrowed. A strange feeling arose in his heart, as if there was something very precious yet extremely dangerous there.
The source of the strange feeling was a middle-aged gentleman with a full forehead, black hair, brown eyes, and nearly round spectacles. Behind him followed a strange man completely wrapped in a black robe.
Two Beyonders? And one of them is from the Spectator pathway?
Mobet's face instantly stiffened, and he cursed his bad luck inwardly. He was already prone to attracting Amon, and now there was another Beyonder from the Spectator pathway.
Putting the strange feeling from earlier out of his mind, Mobet stared at the clear river, considering whether to switch to a steam train.
The middle-aged gentleman on the stairs paused, and the black-robed man behind him stopped as well, speaking in a hoarse voice:
"What's wrong? Lanlus."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Lanlus withdrew his gaze from the deck and slowly shook his head, taking the black-robed man into his room.
Since escaping the underground laboratory of those lunatics from the Aurora Order, Lanlus had gone into hiding for a long time, only becoming active again recently after finding nothing unusual.
Setting up a wall of spirituality, Lanlus sat down, covering his heart with his right hand, his face looking unwell.
This was the location where the experiment had left a "seed" in his body. The strange feeling of being spied upon just now also came from it. Lanlus always felt that there was something else added to his body, but fortunately, he already had a plan.
The black-robed man sitting opposite him revealed a pale face and took out a pile of photos and several documents he had forged using connections from inside his black robe, handing them all to Lanlus.
The first page of the documents was written in bright red text:
"Lanlus Steel Company"
214Chapter 208 Church of the Mother Earth
Lanlues looked at the documents on the table, a cold glint in his eyes behind the round lenses, while the corners of his mouth curled slightly upwards, as if mocking everyone.
Looking at the fabric merchant who called himself Sirius Aripis, he collected and organized the documents, casually asking:
"Well done. Have you taken care of things in Sivellas County?"
With a somewhat sickly pale complexion and a slight aversion to light, Sirius Aripis sat in the shadows, his voice hoarse as he replied:
"Of course, that cost me quite a few gold pounds. I hope you will keep your promise."
Leaning back on the sofa, Lanlues looked at the Tassock River outside the window, saying in a relaxed posture:
"These are necessary expenses. The more perfect the deception, the greater our gains."
"You also know how many gold pounds the ritual to pray for the 'True Creator' to descend a child costs. This method is the fastest."
Watching the mocking smile on Lanlues's face, a cold light flickered in Sirius Aripis's eyes, but he still lowered his head.
If it weren't for the fact that the other party had the same goal as him and that he truly felt the aura of the great Lord from him, anyone who dared to look at him with such an expression would have been torn to shreds long ago.
"Speaking of Tingen, I do know a powerful person there. If we offer something that satisfies him, perhaps our plan will go more smoothly."
Looking at this fool who had been brainwashed by the True Creator, Lanlues, who only wanted to get rid of the seed in his body as quickly as possible, restrained his expression and listened with interest as he continued.
"His name is Hood Eugen. When we last parted, he was a Sequence 8 'Mind Reader' from the Spectator pathway, a member of the secret organization 'Psychology Alchemists'. It's very likely he has already advanced to Sequence 7 now."
Taking a glance at the interested Lanlues, Sirius Aripis snorted inwardly and finally added:
"He is a person with a peculiar personality. He is currently at the Greenheil Asylum in Tingen. I can introduce you to facilitate cooperation."
Gently stroking his chest, feeling the increasingly strong abnormality there, Lanlues's face was somewhat gloomy, but he finally nodded slowly.
-----------------
The prayer hall of the Church of the Night was as dim as ever, with only a few rays of light seeping in through the holes in the walls, like stars in the night.
Aaron, with his appearance changed, sat alone in an inconspicuous corner, took off his tall top hat, and began to pray like a devout believer.
First, he expressed gratitude for the protection provided by the Goddess of the Night last time, briefly mentioned the 'Abyss', and simply narrated what 'Orange Light' Hilarion had seen when he entered it before.
At the end of the prayer, Aaron expressed his worry about attracting the attention of the 'Mother Goddess', which was the expected behavior of a normal person who did not know about the cooperation between the two deities.
He also expressed that he might go to the Church of the Mother Goddess next and hoped to receive guidance from the Goddess, as his identity was first and foremost a Favored One of the Night.
This was not only because Aaron needed to show his understanding of some secret knowledge to highlight his value for the sake of his disguise, but he also had to feign ignorance about secrets he absolutely should not know at this time.
Moreover, compared to most of the twenty-two pathways, High-Sequence Beyonders of the 'Planter' and 'Moon' pathways have a significant advantage.
That is, they do not need to worry about the Original One awakening within them, and they are not afraid of 'personality splitting' when approaching the pollution from the 'Chaos Sea' underground.
The main reason for this is that the Beyonder characteristics they possess do not directly originate from the Original One and there are no corresponding spiritual imprints.
Of course, this does not mean there are no problems. If one were to directly enter the underground and enter the 'Chaos Sea', anyone would encounter pollution, but the degree and manifestation would differ.
This is also why the Ancestor Lilith was more special than the other ancient gods during the dark era of the Second Epoch when ancient gods ran rampant.
Compared to Angolwed, who only had an imaginary soul left, or that unfortunate fellow Demon Lord Farbauti, Lilith is indeed the one among the surviving ancient gods of the Second Epoch who is currently in the best state.
After all, she does not need to expend a large portion of her energy to resist the awakening will of the Original One, and at that time, the invisible barrier protecting this world was still strong enough to effectively block the 'Fallen Mother Goddess' and other Outer Deities from the starry sky, making it difficult for them to exert too much influence on the situation inside.
Vampires, free from pollution interference, were also one of the ancient races of the Second Epoch that remained powerful even without a true god overseeing them.
But as time passed, this advantage gradually became a problem.
While the underground pollution became increasingly weak, the invisible barrier also became more fragile, developing some cracks.
In this situation, the 'Mother Goddess' Lilith's situation is becoming increasingly difficult, because she is directly facing the increasingly powerful and terrifying erosion of the 'Fallen Mother Goddess'.
In terms of systemic and spiritual erosion alone, the fragmented and fallen Original Creator is certainly no match for the living 'Fallen Mother Goddess'.
Aaron speculated that this might be one of the reasons why the 'Blood Moon Queen' Olnia, the strongest vampire at the time, formed a political marriage with the 'Night Emperor' Trunsoegst during the Fourth Epoch.
After all, the higher the Sequence, the stronger the erosion faced. As a Sequence 1 'Goddess of Beauty' of the 'Moon' pathway, Olnia faced unimaginable erosion, to the extent that she had to seek the protection of a true god.
Considering the influence of Outer Deities beyond Sequence on their respective pathways, Aaron believed that he absolutely could not be careless in relevant matters.
After finishing his prayer, he waited for nearly five minutes, confirming there was no response, before standing up and walking out of the church of the Night at a steady pace.
For him, this was mainly to fulfill his obligation to inform. As for what the 'Goddess of the Night' planned to do, or whether she would remind him of some things, he had no way to interfere.
-----------------
Northern Continent, Feynapott Kingdom, Feynapott City.
Unlike the multi-faith Kingdom of Loen, the Feynapott Kingdom has exclusively revered the Mother Goddess since the 'Battle of the Oathbreakers' in the Fifth Epoch.
Under a thousand years of faith, most of the people of Feynapott adhere to the same belief:
"Every life is a 'plant', drawing nourishment from the earth, slowly growing, flourishing, and decaying."
"When they wither, these lives will fall into the earth, returning to the embrace of the Mother, and the following year, they will grow again, flowers blooming and falling, year after year, and life is the same, generation after generation."
And this is recorded on the first page of the holy book of the Church of the Mother Goddess - the "Bible of Life".
Because of the separation of Lenburg, Massey, and Segar, the Feynapott Kingdom has deep-seated hatred towards Loen and Intis. Without external interference, the will of the monarchy and theocracy can likely be unified.
The royal family of the Feynapott Kingdom is the Castia family, who also control the 'Arbiter' pathway. Aaron, who has not yet become a demigod and cannot completely conceal his uniqueness, can only rely on the secrecy provided by the Mark of Night to prevent the 'Hand of Order' of the Castia family from detecting anything unusual. This was another reason why Aaron prayed to the Goddess of the Night in advance.
Following the guidance of the Mark of Life on his wrist, Aaron stepped out of the 'Traveler's Gate', and what met his eyes was a brilliant golden expanse, making Aaron feel as if he had come to the wrong place.
Aaron looked at the continuous golden churches, and if it weren't for seeing the Symbol of Life, surrounded by symbols like wheat ears, flowers, and springs, engraved on the outer walls, he would have almost thought he had arrived at the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun.
Towering trees grew everywhere among the sprawling palace complex, their emerald green leaves emitting an endless aura of life, as if opening up another inner city within Feynapott City.
Just as Aaron was observing the 'Church of Life', the headquarters of the Church of the Mother Goddess, pieces of red scales appeared in front of Aaron without warning, quickly reorganizing into a handsome man wearing the long robe of an Archbishop of the Church of the Mother Goddess.
Restraining his impulse to attack, after seeing the opponent's bright blood-red eyes and familiar entrance method, Aaron's face twitched slightly.
Although he had long known that the Church of the Mother Goddess had subdued some vampires to serve as missionaries, he really did not expect that this included a Vampire Count.
Leading Aaron into the cathedral, the Vampire Count saw the surprise in Aaron's heart, chuckled softly, and said gently:
"You can call me Archbishop Secula. I was saved by the Church during the great war at the end of the Fourth Epoch. At that time, I was just a Vampire Viscount."
"At first, I only joined the Church of the Mother Goddess and became a missionary because the vampires were severely weakened and I wanted to seek temporary refuge."
Speaking of this, he paused, a devout, even somewhat obsessive expression appearing on his handsome face:
"Later, I gradually came to appreciate the preciousness of life and the joy of harvest, understood the charm of the growth of all things, and obtained pure joy originating from life itself."
"After the Battle of the Oathbreakers, I swore an oath before the Mother's Symbol, becoming Her most loyal follower, and I thus achieved the 'King of Sorcery'."
Listening to that peaceful yet emotional voice, Aaron couldn't help but feel a little disgusted. He truly deserved to be a qualified missionary; to brainwash others, one must first brainwash oneself...
However, this wasn't a bad thing; it was a lucky coincidence that he found the headquarters. After all, they worshipped the same existence.
Passing through a hall carved with magnificent murals, various creatures unheard of outside swam in the forest filled with the aura of life, and the two finally arrived before a verdant doorway engraved with a huge Symbol of Life.
Archbishop Secula smiled and turned to look at Aaron, a drop of bright red blood seeping from his fingertip and flying towards the Symbol of Life:
"Favored One, this is the most central location of the entire cathedral, and also the Pontiff's See, where Mistress Roland holds divine meetings. It requires a drop of your blood to bring you in safely, after all..."
Before he finished speaking, the Mark of Life on Aaron's wrist emitted a verdant light, merging into the huge Symbol of Life. The illusory infant hidden within the swaddling clothes in the Symbol actually materialized and detached from the doorway.
Looking at the slowly opening doorway, and the somewhat strange-looking infant, Aaron couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. After all, a single drop of blood could do too many things in the extraordinary world, and he dared not hand over his blood so easily, especially when facing the Church of the Mother Goddess, which had mastered the art of Life Alchemy.
Archbishop Secula, whose words were interrupted, took a deep look at Aaron twice and pointed to the strange infant that had been following them, smiling as he said:
"The Pontiff wishes to see you alone. The rest of the way will be guided by it. I will wait for you outside the great hall."
Before Aaron could react, a pair of cold little hands rested on his shoulders. Subconsciously turning his head, he met a pair of verdant, pupil-less eyes.
In his last moments of consciousness, Aaron saw a world that seemed to be filled with flowers, with an indescribable phantom standing in the center of the sea of flowers.
Chapter 209 0-08 "The Pen of Al-Suhod"
Thin dark golden mist appeared before his eyes. His somewhat chaotic consciousness instantly awoke. Aaron vigilantly opened his eyes and looked around.
Flowers radiating endless vitality swayed around him. Petals drifted down. Aaron instinctively reached out to catch them, but the flowers passed right through his palm.
Aaron was stunned for a few seconds before finally realizing that his current self was not a physical entity, but perhaps just a manifestation of his mind through some means.
Thinking this, Aaron turned his head and saw a giant tree that occupied the entire sky of this strange space. The middle of the giant tree was hollowed out, and seated on a verdant green throne was a plump and gentle lady.
Wheat grew at Her feet, surrounded by springs. Her flowing dress was adorned with various herbs and flowers, and depicted images of different animals.
She held a cute, illusory infant wrapped in swaddling clothes in one hand, and a dark brown wooden staff in the other, exuding an indescribable holiness and dignity.
Just one glance, and Aaron's vision went black. Illusory whispers sounded in his ears, and his originally solid body suddenly became a bit more ethereal.
With the boost from the Source, even an Angel displaying their Mythical Creature form wouldn't affect Aaron like this. The last time he felt this way was when he directly faced the mental imprint left by the Night Emperor.
Having grown accustomed to the whispers and maintaining a clear mind, Aaron endured the pain in his eyes, lowered his head, and respectfully said:
"Praise be to You, Source of Life, Mother of All Things, Great Mother Goddess!"
On the throne inscribed with the Sacred Emblem of Life, the plump and gentle lady watched the fleeting dark golden mist on Aaron's body. The corner of Her mouth lifted slightly, and the dark brown wooden staff in Her hand rose slightly.
Aaron, whose eyes were still stinging, was instantly enveloped by a cool sensation. Not only did the whispers in his ears disappear, but the surging life force did not dissipate; instead, it remained within his body.
The sea of flowers around him had disappeared. Aaron, opening his eyes again, had arrived inside the giant Tree of Life.
Feeling the tremor emanating from the depths of his soul, Aaron's lowered face twitched slightly. This was the second time he had directly faced a complete True God since awakening from the Source.
Unsure of the Goddess's true intentions, Aaron cautiously remained silent. The difference in strength was too vast; the more he spoke, the more he would expose.
A grand and pleasant voice rang out. Anyone who heard this voice would praise the beauty of life in the depths of their hearts:
"The Evernight is right. You are indeed very special. As the Apocalypse approaches, a turning point has finally arrived."
"The tide of the era is about to hit. Before you have sufficient strength, accumulating power is the only choice."
Listening to this veiled hint, Aaron nodded noncommittally, expressing his gratitude to the Mother Goddess and waiting for Her to reveal Her true intentions.
He couldn't believe that a dignified True God would pull him into Her Divine Kingdom just to say these things.
"Do you know Lilith?"
Upon hearing this question, Aaron's expression stiffened slightly. Unsure of what expression to show, he controlled his emotions and respectfully replied:
"A God of the Second Epoch, who held the 'Moon' Pathway and was also the ancestor of the Blood Race. She perished together with Kvashituun, King of the Aberrations, and 'Destroyer Wolf' Flegrea."
A light chuckle sounded. The cute, illusory infant wrapped in swaddling clothes even turned over, its dark and bright eyes fixed on Aaron, who stood with his head lowered:
"You indeed know quite a few secrets. However, there was another reason for Her demise. Most of the Gods of the Second Epoch went mad due to the mixture of Beyonder characteristics."
"They were filled with an irresistible desire for things of a higher level. There are some very special places in this world where the aura of those things lingers."
"For example, the currently sealed Bansy and Calderon City hidden deep within the Spirit World. As the Apocalypse approaches, there will be more and more such places."
"That ancient God was subjected to some kind of erosion in the deepest part of the Evernight Plains, the northernmost region of Feysac today. This was also an important reason for Her eventual demise."
That frozen polar region? Feysac's Evernight Plains?
Something that could be called a higher-level existence by a True God should refer to the 'Source' corresponding to the 'Moon' and 'Mother' Pathways - the Contaminated Mother Nest.
As the Source corresponding to the Corrupted Mother, one of the Three Pillars, even though it was torn and came to Earth due to the initial awakening, and has completed its own abilities through the Source's self-completion to become a complete Source...
...as an existence at the pinnacle of Outer Deities, She could still exert some influence on the part of the Mother Nest on Earth through this connection. Lilith of the Second Epoch likely had to feign death to escape because of this.
The Kingdom of Disorder that Aaron currently controls is essentially similar to the situation with the Mother Nest, except that the Outer Deity 'Son of Chaos', as the source, was firmly suppressed by the other two Pillars in the First Epoch, and even a part of its consciousness was sealed on Earth.
Aaron's expression showed surprise. Suppressing the swirling thoughts in his mind, he realized it wasn't that strange upon reflection.
The most obvious example is the Ancient Death God. The demise of Greghary, the Phoenix Ancestor, caused Her Divine Kingdom, Calderon City, to merge with a tributary of the Evernight River that had permeated the seal.
Bansy Harbor is also a living example. The 'City of Calamity' sealed on the Western Continent instinctively or consciously used the Uniqueness within its symbolic range and High-Sequence characteristics to indirectly erode them, while also affecting the outside world.
As time passes, the seals on the Western Continent will gradually weaken, and the remaining Sources will also gradually permeate the outside world. However, only True Gods or Kings of Angels of the corresponding Pathways might be able to sense these peculiar places.
The sudden activation of the 'Hermit' Uniqueness in the Fourth Epoch might have been influenced by the Source 'Knowledge Wilderness'.
After giving Aaron enough time to digest this information, the gentle and pleasant voice sounded again:
"You are not yet qualified to come into contact with those things. When you become an Angel and truly grasp that power, then go to the Evernight Plains and bring something back for Me."
"In return for the transaction, you will receive the hidden support of the Mother Goddess Church."
Since he had already promised the Goddess of Evernight to go to Calderon City later to help Her obtain water from the tributary of the Evernight River, debts piling up didn't matter. Aaron readily agreed.
Finally, suddenly remembering something, Aaron chuckled dryly and tentatively asked:
"Does this hidden support also include You?"
The surrounding vitality slowly receded. Aaron's figure gradually disappeared in this Divine Kingdom of Life. The gentle voice sounded in his mind again:
"When necessary, pray in advance, and you will receive the help you desire."
Suddenly opening his eyes, Aaron instinctively touched his body. Hmm, it was solid!
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Aaron raised his wrist and watched strands of green light surge from his body, merging into the Mark of Life. That seemed to be the power he had brought back from the Mother Goddess's Divine Kingdom just now.
Before he could check what changes had occurred in the Mark of Life, a woman wearing a triple crown appeared before Aaron. She exuded a completely different sense of desolation and emptiness. A cold voice sounded:
"I have sensed the Lord's will. The Church will provide you with assistance without exposing our cooperation. This is my life creation. You can obtain my help directly through it."
Before Aaron could fully recover, a uniquely shaped infant puppet appeared on his shoulder.
Seemingly realizing that the appearance of her creation was somewhat eye-catching, the Archbishop of the Mother Goddess Church, High Mother Roland, controlled this demigod-level puppet to merge into the Mark of Life on Aaron's wrist.
Along with it, streams of complex knowledge surfaced in Aaron's mind. She added concisely:
"You can control it through the Sacred Emblem of Life. However, after it leaves my control, a creation originating from Life Transmutation will abnormally crave flesh and blood."
"Devouring too much flesh and blood is highly likely to result in unknown contamination. The ritual for using the Stone of Life and the rituals concerning the soul level that you desire are also contained within it."
"Praise Life, Praise the Mother Goddess!"
-----------------
On the outskirts of Tingen, a house with a verdant green lawn.
It had a garden that had begun to wither in late autumn, and the top of the house had a dark red chimney.
Behind the bedroom window of this house was a desk, on which lay an ordinary notebook, open.
A middle-aged man with dark golden hair, one blind eye with a deep blue, almost black pupil, a high nose bridge, tightly pursed lips, and chiseled features like a statue without any wrinkles, sat at the desk.
He solemnly picked up a classical quill pen with his slightly pale hand. Without dipping it in ink, it clearly wrote words:
"'Secret Saint' Botis of the Aurora Order, who happened to be wandering here, encountered Senior Deacon of the Nighthawks, Crestet Cesima, while the latter was pursuing Ins Zangwill."
"Crestet Cesima, who only possessed the combat strength of a newly advanced Sequence 4 while at Sequence 5 due to gaining the recognition of the Sacred Item Bone Sword, was undoubtedly no match for Botis."
"Having escaped with the Sacred Item, he had lost track of Ins Zangwill and could only temporarily return to Backlund. This was a logical decision."
"Ins Zangwill, who had shaken off pursuit, hid in Tingen City. With the help of the Great All-Knowing Alersuhod's Pen, the greedy and cunning man decided to steal Saint Selena's ashes from behind the Chanis Gate in Tingen City, thereby advancing from Sequence 5 'Gatekeeper' to Sequence 4 'Nightwatcher' of the Sleepless Pathway, becoming a demigod."
"The story of Tingen is about to begin. All of Ins Zangwill's schemes will go smoothly. He will surely make the Church of Evernight, which abandoned him, pay the price."
Carefully placing the classical quill pen on the desk, a ferocious look flickered across his classical, statue-like features. It was clear that there were also many handwritten notes on the previous pages of the notebook.
Most of these were notes from the past nearly two years, where he used the All-Knowing Alersuhod's Pen to evade the Church of Evernight's pursuit. Only in a few places involving Anthony Stevenson, a Sequence 3 'Bishop of Horror', were there obvious signs of erasure.
The rustling of turning pages and the scratching sound of writing startled Ins Zangwill from his contemplation. The classical quill pen seemed to be manipulated by an invisible hand and had already written several paragraphs in the notebook:
"Perhaps summoned by the bloodline of the Antigonus family, or for other reasons, the Antigonus family notebook mysteriously appeared in Tingen City. The notebook will quietly influence its successive owners."
"Lanlus, contaminated by the True Creator's divinity, has also arrived in Tingen City. Desperate to escape his madness, he has decided to attempt the evil ritual provided by Seiris Arapis to pray for the 'True Creator' to descend a child."
"For this, the cunning 'Marauder' has decided to visit Hood Eugen in the asylum and strike a deal with him, offering 'methods to control Beyonder powers and avoid losing control' and 'obtaining immortal divinity' as compensation."
"This is a win-win choice, so they will start acting soon."
"Ins Zangwill, who felt everything was under control, never expected that a descendant of the Zoroastrian family, carrying an ancient aura, had also arrived in Tingen."
"Being only one step away from becoming a demigod, he successfully attracted the attention of 'Blasphemer' Amon, who is very interested in the Zoroastrian and Jacob families. This is very logical!"
"That descendant of the Zoroastrian family, protected by an unknown power, escaped the Blasphemer's pursuit."
"But the unlucky Ins Zangwill was discovered by that Blasphemer. All his plans were about to end before they even officially began. Poor Ins Zangwill ultimately became Amon's..."
The quill pen, writing with great effort, was suddenly gripped tightly by a pale hand. Ins Zangwill's face instantly turned ugly. The All-Knowing Alersuhod's Pen, a terrifying Sealed Item numbered 0-08, had its main negative effect: it would constantly try to "write" its holder to death.
Fortunately, the higher the Sequence of the affected target, the greater the Spirit Body Threads consumed, and it could not affect powers higher than its own Sequence. When involving high Sequences, the written content would be affected or even erased.
Looking at the already blurred and gradually erased "Amon", Ins Zangwill gripped the quill pen tightly and completely crossed out the last sentence. His face, which was unusually pale from consuming a large amount of Spirit Body Threads, finally relaxed slightly. Without waiting to recover, he continued to write:
"Just as 'Secret Saint' Botis, who had severely injured Crestet Cesima, was preparing to leave, he coincidentally sensed the aura of a neighboring Pathway. Therefore, he decided to turn that descendant of the Zoroastrian family into his own Sealed Item."
He slammed the notebook shut, locked the quill pen in a box, and layered it with walls of Spirit Body Threads. Ins Zangwill, who seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, looked with gloomy eyes towards Tingen City, towards the location of Saint Selena's Cathedral, and muttered softly:
"No one can stop me..."
-----------------
Changing his mode of transportation midway, Mobet, who arrived by steam train, walked out of the Tingen City steam train station. As he walked out, he pondered in his heart how to complete the task assigned by Mr. Keeper.
"They say the old man is currently parasitizing a member of the Nighthawks team from the Church of Evernight. My identity makes it inconvenient to approach him. How about leaving some aura behind to make the old man come find me?"
This thought had just surfaced when Mobet himself rejected it. The old man, who had been hiding from the Blasphemer Amon for nearly a thousand years, wouldn't initiate contact even if he discovered certain marks and auras.
Calling a carriage by the roadside, Mobet decided to rent a house first and stay in Tingen City to make contact gradually. As he thought this, a sudden sense of crisis welled up in his heart.
216Chapter 210 Box of the Past
Mobert detected an anomaly based on the spiritual intuition granted by the Sequence 7 'Decryptologist' regarding his surroundings, but he did not act rashly.
Spirituality dispersed outwards; a Dream Stealer could, to a certain extent, utilize the subconscious ocean to steal thoughts or invade dreams, and similarly, could sense and detect sources of danger around them.
In the shadows of the street, a figure quickly materialized.
It was a man, clad in a mysterious black robe, with slightly curly, stiff brown hair and deep, profound eyes that seemed to hide countless secrets.
He was none other than 'Secret Saint' Botis, one of the five Great Saints of the Aurora Order.
From the perspective provided by the 'Dream Stealer', 'Secret Saint' Botis appeared to be holding an object completely shrouded in a dark, ominous light in his right hand.
Perhaps it was the direct feedback of this image from his spirituality, but Mobert felt a wave of dizziness wash over his brain, and he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.
'Secret Saint' Botis also noticed the anomaly of his prey, and a dangerous curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. A crystal ball materialized in his empty left hand.
This crystal ball was neither clear nor transparent; it seemed to be filled with the deep darkness of night.
As Botis stroked it with his left hand and his lips moved, tiny points of brilliant light appeared within the strange crystal ball.
They were like stardust, slowly rotating, forming a complex symbol.
The street area where he and Mobert were located immediately twisted and disappeared.
The flow of people who had been coming and going on the street, and the bicycles that occasionally passed with a clinking sound, also vanished.
This was the 'Space Concealment' of a 'Mysticologist'!
They could use this ability to split a place into two, hiding one part, which could only be entered through a specific 'door'.
"Tsk, I wasn't prepared last time and let that fellow Crested Cesima escape. I won't make such a low-level mistake this time."
A voice filled with mockery echoed in Mobert's ears, who had just recovered. At the same time, faint, illusory sounds of chewing, gnawing, and digesting, originating from unknown places, could be heard.
This was a negative effect from the previous encounter with Crested Cesima, who carried a Sealed Artifact.
Mobert couldn't help but shiver, feeling an undisguised malice and hunger.
"If this place wasn't so close to the Church of the Evernight's St. Selena's Cathedral, a mere Sequence 5 like you wouldn't be worth me using this item..."
Botis curled his lips into a slightly cruel smile, appearing before Mobert, his eyes showing the playful mockery of a cat toying with a mouse.
The original crystal ball had disappeared. He was now holding a three-layered jewelry box with both hands.
This jewelry box was quite large, making it difficult to hold with one hand. It was primarily silver-black, with intricate Hollow decorations on the surface, inlaid with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds, making it appear quite luxurious.
As he held this 'jewelry box', a hint of panic and fear was subtly revealed in the depths of Botis's mocking eyes, as if he were facing the 'Abyss' or listening to the ravings of an evil god.
His spirituality wildly alerted him. Mobert didn't hesitate at all. While a Sequence 6 'Fire Thief' could temporarily steal others' Beyonder abilities for his own use, there was a chance of failure when the target's Sequence was higher than 6, and the probability of failure increased the higher the Sequence.
Moreover, what truly made Mobert feel the threat of death was not the demigod who had suddenly appeared, but the ornate jewelry box in his hands.
The experienced Mobert quickly made a decision. He closed his eyes, raised both hands, and his spirituality surged wildly.
Botis, with a twisted smile on his face, suddenly stiffened. A momentary look of confusion appeared on his face, as if he had forgotten what he was about to do. Not far away, Mobert held his hands up high, as if supporting an extremely precious item, while muttering in a low voice:
"The Origin of Order and Shadow."
"Great Emperor of the Chaos Kingdom."
"Lord of Order, Holder of Rules."
A 'Dream Stealer' could steal others' memories and steal the thoughts they were about to put into practice, causing them to fall into a brief stupor. However, at this stage, they could not retain the stolen thoughts and had to act in place of the stolen target.
Mobert stole Botis's intention to use that terrifying Sealed Artifact next. Although his Sequence only affected the demigod Botis for a few seconds, it was enough for Mobert to chant a True Name.
Botis, who had recovered, instantly turned gloomy. The low chanting echoed in the space he had concealed. Although he had never heard of a hidden existence called the 'Lord of Order', having frequently prayed to the True Creator, he clearly understood the meaning of that True Name he had just heard.
Without the slightest hesitation, his stolen thoughts reconnected. The Box of the Old Days in his hand emitted a dark, ominous light, opening the uppermost layer of the 'jewelry box'.
Mobert found his body stiffened instantly. He could barely turn his head, but he was like a wind-up toy. The surrounding street instantly turned silver-black and grainy, as if cast from metal, but the dark gold mist appearing before his eyes made a mocking curve appear at the corner of his mouth.
'Secret Saint' Botis looked at the toy puppet with a face full of mockery inside the uppermost layer of the 'Box of the Old Days', feeling inexplicably annoyed. A sense of unease welled up in his heart.
He closed the lid of the 'jewelry box' with force, and Botis directly removed the 'Space Concealment', returning the disappeared area to the real world.
The pedestrians on the surrounding streets were immediately affected by the undisguised malice and hunger emanating from Botis, who had suddenly appeared, and they scattered in screams.
Ignoring those ants, Botis didn't linger at all. Without even looking around, his body quickly became transparent.
Holding the silver-black 'Box of the Old Days' inlaid with numerous 'gems', he 'traversed' through the Spirit World, where colors were rich, overlapped, and strange creatures were everywhere.
Feeling somewhat annoyed by that inexplicable True Name, Botis planned to head to the easternmost end of the Sonia Sea, attempting to enter the Ruins of the Battle of the Gods through the 'Abyss' that divided the sea.
Just then, Botis in the Spirit World slowed his steps and stopped in mid-air.
He narrowed his eyes, and his pupils instantly turned dark, dotted with countless points of brilliance.
It was as if a starry sky was reflected in his eyes.
The 'sand' formed by the stars began to rotate rapidly, and a figure instantly appeared in the Spirit World space before him, where colors were rich and overlapped.