Chapter 114: Clues

Chapter 114: Clues

Inside the majestic palace supported by stone pillars, Klein sat in the high-backed chair, lightly tapping the edge of the mottled long table with his fingers. The first option he excluded was searching for Sequence 4 of the Sun pathway, Unshadowed.

First, this was because he had almost no contact with the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and would find it difficult to locate someone willing to help. Second, he suspected that even an Unshadowed might not be able to purify the mental corruption inside the All-Black Eye. After all, The Hermit Cattleya’s suggestion targeted the lingering influence left behind by ordinary people who had lost control, while this one came from the True Creator!

“Seeking the help of angelic or true-god-level powers is also not very realistic. Theoretically, I could divine the Eternal Blazing Sun above the gray fog inside this mysterious space and use His spontaneous counterattack to shatter the All-Black Eye and evaporate the mental corruption. The problem is that, with previous ‘experience,’ He might seize the chance to invade this place and occupy the gray fog. That would be a total loss for me…

“Also, a power far beyond my current level would take effect instantly, with no delay, and would be aimed at me. I would have neither the time nor the ability to guide it toward the All-Black Eye. There is no room for operation.

“Besides, divination is not something I can perform just because I want to. There must be a medium. Previously, I used the mutated Sun Sacred Emblem containing the divine blood of the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the ‘ear’ polluted by the True Creator.

“At present, the ones I have mediums for are Mr. Door and the Hidden Sage. I could try through Miss Magician’s full-moon ravings and Admiral of Stars being pursued by knowledge, but the same problem exists: the ‘counterattack’ may not point toward the All-Black Eye, and I have no way to transfer it.

“Mr. Azik has not recovered yet, and the Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, has not been born. Thinking it over, I cannot find an angel to help me. Sigh. I still know too few high-level big shots… Right, there is also one existence connected to the angelic rank: the evil spirit inside Backlund’s underground ruin, suspected to be King of Angels Medici! But that fellow is scheming, with who knows how many plots and malicious intentions hidden away. Unless I truly have no other choice, I cannot even consider it.

“Yes, taking that kind of risk is not worth it at all. If it comes to that, I might as well give up on the All-Black Eye and gather the Marionettist’s main ingredients again: the dust of an ancient wraith and the core crystal of a six-winged gargoyle. Perhaps the former can be found in the underworld!

“Looking at it this way, gathering them again is one approach, and finding a mystical item similar to the Vessel Thief is another. With the gray fog’s shielding, I can play countless tricks with that stealing ability. I can absolutely separate the True Creator’s mental corruption from the All-Black Eye without fearing its return.

“The simplest operation would be: once the theft is completed, I throw the corrupted mystical item far away, then bring the purified All-Black Eye back to the real world, physically separating the two.

“Mm… Where should I find a similar mystical item? Mr. Hanged Man said nothing after reading the method, which shows he does not know either. But next time, I can still ask at the Tarot Gathering. Madam Hermit, Miss Justice, Miss Magician, Little Sun, and that fellow Emlyn White all have corresponding channels and resources…

“This week, I will first try searching on my own, starting with Vice Admiral Iceberg. Her third mate, Fancy Bow Tie Jodson, possesses the Beyonder power of theft. Perhaps he knows where a similar mystical item exists.”

Klein gradually organized his thoughts and formed a preliminary plan.

He first performed a divination, then swiftly returned to the real world, escaping his decadent state of slumping in an armchair while drinking juice and reading newspapers. He quickly began setting up a ritual.

There were still three candles, but the symbol drawn this time had changed to the sacred emblem of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom: the Eye of Omniscience positioned above an open book. The ritual silver dagger was also replaced by a brass knife. In mysticism, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom corresponded to the blue star, and the metals of the blue star’s domain were mercury and brass.

Klein had long since considered the possibility of needing to contact Vice Admiral Iceberg, Edwina Edwards, and had prepared a set of materials for the Spirit Descent Ritual. After some operations, he burned the corresponding herbal powder and dripped essences and hydrosols extracted from lavender and mint.

Amid the fresh, elegant, mysterious fragrance, Klein retreated one step and recited the incantation in ancient Hermes:

“I pray for the power of knowledge;

“I pray for the power of reason;

“I pray for the blessing of the God of Wisdom;

“I pray that You allow me to communicate with the spirit of the mentor who pursues knowledge, the researcher of spirit-world creatures, Vice Admiral Iceberg above the sea, Edwina Edwards of Lenburg.”

…

Klein’s voice echoed layer upon layer. The altar immediately became cold. Whether the brass ritual dagger or the small metal bottles, everything floated up.

It succeeded. The Golden Dream is still within five hundred nautical miles… Klein first felt a wave of delight. Then he saw the flames of the three candles stretch slightly upward, turning pale with a faint sinister green.

He knew that the essence of the Spirit Descent Ritual was to open his own body and allow the target’s astral body to attach to it, completing effective communication. This method lacked necessary protection and could easily let the person targeted by the Spirit Descent Ritual harm him. Therefore, he had performed a divination in advance to determine the level of danger. And through their meeting and conversation, he believed that Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina was not someone with malicious intentions and could temporarily be trusted.

At that moment, the wind within the wall of spirituality produced a whimpering effect. Klein felt an icy, chilling power descend from the void and attempt to enter his body.

Then, in astonishment, he discovered that he was not like he had expected, helplessly waiting for the other party to possess him. He had sufficient power to resist and room to operate.

What is going on? The thought had only just appeared when he vaguely saw a layer of gray fog around him, so thin it was almost formless.

This was a special trait he had only gained after advancing to Faceless: the power of the gray fog had seeped slightly into reality!

As thoughts flashed, Klein did not hesitate. He abruptly swung his arm and pointed toward the coat rack where his overcoat hung, throwing that icy, chilling power over.

On the coat rack, his black woolen overcoat floated up strangely. Both sleeves lifted slightly, though clumsily.

It looked as though an invisible person had put on his overcoat.

The black woolen overcoat floated forward two meters, then stopped.

Its two sleeves lifted and crossed into an X shape.

What does that mean? Klein froze for a moment, then vaguely understood what Vice Admiral Iceberg meant:

Without a mouth, I cannot speak! Without palms, I cannot write!

This is a bit awkward… Klein thought for a moment, then spoke directly. “I need a mystical item that can steal another person’s Beyonder abilities. I wonder whether you possess one, Madam.

“If not, could you ask your third mate, Mr. Fancy Bow Tie Jodson?

“The corresponding answer can be written into a letter and sent over by summoning my messenger.”

The sleeves of the black woolen overcoat spread apart, then made a downward pressing motion.

Immediately afterward, it lost its soul and fell to the floor with a slap, no longer so upright.

Does that mean “alright”? Klein sighed soundlessly, hurriedly ended the ritual, hung the black woolen overcoat back on the coat rack, and cleaned it once over with a brush and handkerchief.

Then he wrote a letter, using a similar question to consult Mr. Azik.

After blowing the copper whistle, summoning the messenger, and having the letter taken away, Klein energetically tried the third method.

He took out the paper crane from his wallet, carefully unfolded it, and wrote on it in pencil:

“May I ask where I can obtain a mystical item that steals another person’s Beyonder abilities?”

Putting away the pencil, Klein followed the original creases and restored the paper crane. He was quite pleased by the visible improvement in his handiwork.

…

That evening, after browsing through the believers’ prayers, Klein returned to the real world and went to the washroom to take a very comfortable hot bath.

It let him fall asleep very quickly after getting into bed, until he abruptly realized in his dream that a power had invaded.

It was once again that barren, desolate plain. It was once again that dark, towering spire. Very practiced now, Klein passed through doors and walls all the way to the depths of the tower.

Tarot cards were still scattered there, arranged around the raised ground at the center, as though revealing something. Yet as a Seer, Klein could only interpret them in chaotic and contradictory ways.

The text on the raised area had already changed. Silver-white words formed three sentences.

The first sentence read:

“I am only an unborn child.”

Klein’s expression froze. He seemed to hear an infant crying, Please, do not make things difficult for me. Communicating this way is exhausting…

The second sentence was just as concise:

“The clue is on you.”

The third sentence was:

“Do not ask what clue it is, because I do not know either.”

In other words, the Snake of Fate, Will Auceptin, foresaw that the clue is on me, but he cannot foresee what exactly it is… This really has the feel of a fraud fortune-teller—no, I cannot say that. That would also be insulting myself… Klein memorized the hint, withdrew from the dream, and fell asleep again until dawn.

After breakfast, he began recalling the objects he possessed and the things he had experienced, searching for the so-called clue.

Just then, his spirituality was suddenly stirred. He quickly activated spirit vision.

The skeletal messenger was still enormous, but unlike before, its head no longer pierced through the ceiling.

That was because it had emerged from the floor, with most of its body still on the level below.

In that state, it looked at Klein at eye level and placed the reply in his palm.

Watching the messenger swiftly collapse, falling like a waterfall, Klein froze for two seconds before muttering in both annoyance and amusement, “You know manners now!

“You are getting more considerate!

“Ever since you learned you will not be transferred to me, you have changed so much…”

Klein quickly withdrew his gaze, unfolded the letter, and read Mr. Azik’s reply:

“…The pathway that steals others’ Beyonder abilities is the Thief pathway. In the Fourth Epoch, it belonged to the Amon family, the Zoroast family, and the Jacob family… After the War of the Four Emperors, they have rarely appeared. It is said that some of their members formed an alliance and call themselves the Hermits of Fate.

“I cannot remember more. You can begin from the descendants of these three families.”

Amon… So “Blasphemer” refers to this pathway? The Jacob family is one of the five great angel families of the Tudor dynasty, listed alongside Abraham, Amon, Antigonus, and Tamara. The Zoroast family belonged to the Solomon Empire… Hermits of Fate. Fate. Hermit… The clue is on me… Klein abruptly sat upright, thinking of an object.

It was the mysterious badge from Lanvus. The symbolic patterns on it were precisely “fate” and “concealment”!