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Even if there were a small number of Demonic Wolves, they would be in desolate, secret places, and all of them would be skilled in anti-divination and deception techniques, making them not so easy to find.
Aaron clearly knew that the Forsaken Land of the Gods was a place where Demonic Wolves appeared, but that obviously had nothing to do with him; rather than trying his luck in the Hornacis Mountains, it was better to directly pray to the Evernight Goddess and exchange for materials.
The Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog and the White Frost Crystal could both be obtained from the Evernight Goddess, and with the Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog, he could then go to the Spirit World to "fish" for the Hound of Fulgrim.
However, as one of the main ingredients for a Sequence 3 potion, the Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog's value could no longer be measured purely by money. The Death statue sacrificed last time was the price for gaining approval to enter the "Specter Empire"; to get another Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog, he would need to find another way.
Collecting his thoughts, Aaron glanced at the slightly empty surroundings and sighed. Since he couldn't find the "Hound of Fulgrim" now, and whatever happened in Calderon City was not something he could intervene in, he let Astolfo take him through the Spirit World.
Southern Continent, Paz River Valley, Loyd City.
At the top of the mixed-style clock tower in the very center of the inner city, Aaron emerged from the richly colored blocks, looking down from the highest point at this largest city in the northern Balam colonial district of the Loen Kingdom.
When he arrived at the Spirit World area corresponding to Loyd City, Aaron noticed his spirituality spreading outwards. This feeling became stronger after returning to the real world; even without activating Spirit Vision, he vaguely saw the surrounding void, etherealness, emptiness, and an endless expanse of dark golden mist.
Dense spiritual light spots undulated in his perception, and a strange sense of control emerged in his heart, somewhat similar to the control over a jurisdiction during his Sequence 8 Sheriff period, but the scope of perception had evolved from a narrow jurisdiction to the broad Loyd City where "Law Enforcement" was being promoted.
In Aaron's perception, an area within four kilometers of Loyd City was currently barely under his control, allowing him to detect abnormal factors and grasp subtle traces.
After setting a Disciplinary target, attacks against enemies who violated the rules set by the Disciplinary Knight would be strengthened by an unknown force, and Beyonder abilities would also be suppressed to a certain extent, somewhat resembling a nascent form of the "Weaken Mysticism, Enhance Reality".
After sensing for a while with his eyes closed, the smile on Aaron's face gradually faded, and his brows furrowed slightly. Although the advancement of rules in Loyd City during this period had been effective, it was far from meeting the requirements for the advancement ritual.
According to Joseph Weil, the advancement ritual for an Imperative Mage leaned more towards the establishment of order, serving as the cornerstone for a true transition from an enforcer of rules to a formulator of rules.
It was not merely about establishing order, but also about gradually allowing the established order to form a certain social atmosphere, deeply embedding itself in the hearts of the people within the domain where the order was promulgated. The abstract cognition thus generated was the "anchor" that stabilized humanity and resisted madness during the Disciplinary Knight's advancement.
The specific degree required to meet the ritual's requirements varied for each Disciplinary Knight. Joseph Weil took 4 years, and the fastest in the family took 3 years.
He had already completed the most basic promulgation and implementation of the Imperative, and he had personally experienced the feedback gained, but the subsequent steps were the most difficult.
Aaron couldn't wait that long. His current idea was to continue stabilizing his base in Loyd City, pushing the Imperative to take root in people's hearts, while also expanding his base.
The essence of the ritual was to use the anchor formed by the abstract manifestation of order in the hearts of the people to stabilize humanity and resist madness. If the quality was insufficient, then he would rely on quantity to win.
If one Loyd City wasn't enough, then he would get another. While war wasn't a good way to resolve disputes, it was effective and swift. Rebuilding order on ruins might yield better feedback.
A prolonged bell chime sounded from above. Aaron coldly looked south of Loyd City, at the Star Plateau hidden in the evening glow, which belonged to the territory of the Highland Resistance supported by the Rose School of Thought.
His figure enveloped in faint light, Aaron teleported away from the bell tower and returned to his mansion in the inner city.
Glenn Weil had already formed his own Beyonder team and was cultivating rapport with his teammates according to the ritual requirements Aaron had provided earlier.
Months ago, when Aaron left Loyd City, he had used his identity as a Blessed of the Evernight Goddess to pay a price and secure an opportunity for Darren Sheroto to advance to Marionettist.
In the Sonia Sea, at the Church of Slumber on Dynos Island, amidst the singing of mermaids who had become followers of the Evernight Goddess, Darren Sheroto also fulfilled his long-held wish, successfully advancing to Marionettist.
He revealed part of his plan to these two loyal followers, assigning them the task of gathering intelligence and preparing for war. He also took out the numerous low and mid-Sequence Beyonder characteristics he had acquired during this period.
By properly utilizing the negative effects of the Sun Chaser Scepter, each high-Sequence Beyonder characteristic could provide Aaron with quite a few low and mid-Sequence Beyonder characteristics, which was his confidence in secretly cultivating a large number of Beyonders.
After assigning the tasks, Aaron returned to the top of the dark golden mist. He glanced at the Chaos Crown floating above the Chaos Eye. Without activating the incomplete Mythical Creature form, he couldn't even command this Grade 0 Sealed Artifact.
Sighing silently, Aaron took the Ghostly Portrait and entered Groselle's Travels in spirit form, quickly finding Bayer Baile.
This "Demon Hunter," still maintaining his burly physique, was guarding a gigantic black cocoon stained with a pale yellow oily white feather. A faint smell of decay and the sound of something slowly breathing drifted from it, giving an extreme sense of stillness.
Upon closer inspection, the reason the giant cocoon was black was because nearly illusory black thin tubes were emerging from its surface. Aaron frowned as he watched this scene; he clearly remembered it hadn't reached this point last time.
Thinking of the anomaly in Calderon City deep within the Spirit World and the abnormality in the Berserk Sea that Darren Sheroto had just reported, Aaron's brows furrowed even deeper.
With Bayer Baile's suppression and assistance, Aaron skillfully manipulated the Ghostly Portrait to float above the giant cocoon formed by the Undying. He had performed this cooperation many times.
Previously, frequent use of the Ghostly Portrait in the outside world might have been sensed by Amon. In the book world, there was no such concern; all low and mid-Sequence Beyonders sent into the book world would be instantly suppressed by a Demigod.
Under the Ghostly Portrait, they would end their evil lives and contribute their final value. Thanks to this, after several months of accumulation, the accumulated time was almost enough for the Elf Singer Siatas to leave the book world.
The hour hand of the Ghostly Portrait slowly rotated clockwise. To Aaron's surprise, it rotated three full circles, forming three more faint golden clock imprints in the corner.
Adding the original unused imprints, the total reached eight, which was enough to increase the lifespan of an ordinary Demigod by 960 years.
Of course, this was only theoretical data; everything had its limits. After reaching a certain threshold, the increased lifespan would gradually decrease.
"Hmm, if calculated this way, at least two more Demigods are needed to be safe…"
Aaron retrieved the Ghostly Portrait, watching Bayer Baile completely destroy the shriveled, distorted, and increasingly deathly cocoon on the ground.
Dispelling the pervasive black mist, Aaron scanned the bottom of the pit, where the Undying Beyonder characteristic was still entangled by black suction tubes. He sealed and packaged it.
Aaron then turned his head to look at Siatas, who was standing beside Groselle not far away, and said with a smile:
"Bayer Baile told me that you have already considered it and are willing to become a believer of my Lord. Following the previous promise, I can take you away this time."
Under Groselle's encouraging gaze, Siatas, who had read Mobet's letter and pondered for a long time, no longer hesitated. She stepped forward quickly, her head slightly bowed.
Aaron had already learned the Spirit World coordinates corresponding to the island where the elves existed in the Fog Sea from Ferran. Siatas's presence could save Aaron a lot of trouble.
After the grey-white imprints on the Ghostly Portrait completely disappeared again, Siatas's life was replenished. As if thinking of something, Aaron lightly coughed and threw out a set of clothes, adding:
"Remember to change your clothes. Hmm, you can leave here in ten minutes."
Ending the summoning, Aaron returned to the top of the dark golden mist, quickly sending Groselle's Travels and the obviously corrupted Undying Beyonder characteristic to the real world, as Aaron didn't want that elf lady to appear directly inside the Sefirah.
He immediately became a hands-off manager, entrusting this somewhat bewildered elf lady, who had just left the book world, to Darren Sheroto, letting Darren help her gradually adapt to Fifth Epoch life.
After a busy period, Aaron once again set up the altar, placing the Undying Beyonder characteristic in the center of the altar. He then stepped back two paces, surveying the surrounding environment.
"This Undying from the Numinous Episcopate lost control in that Death ruin, containing pollution originating from Death."
"For the Evernight Goddess, who has always sought the Death authority, its value is barely enough to match a main ingredient for Sequence 3."
"Hmm, I'll try sacrificing it first. If the Evernight Goddess is willing to accept, She will grant a corresponding bestowal…"
Having made up his mind, Aaron no longer hesitated and immediately began the ritual.
He lit the candles, burned the corresponding essential oils and herbal powders, stepped back two paces, and skillfully chanted the Evernight Goddess's honorific name, finally saying:
"I offer this Undying Beyonder characteristic to You, wishing to receive Your grace."
He didn't directly mention the Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog and the White Frost Crystal. This way, it was equivalent to an equivalent exchange, rather than offering items and begging for a bestowal.
As Aaron finished speaking, two of the three candle flames suddenly expanded, intertwining to form an illusory and dim mysterious grand door.
The grand door slowly opened, bringing with it a strong, invisible wind.
They swept up the Undying Beyonder characteristic, allowing it to pass through the gap of the illusory grand door, disappearing into a scene resembling the boundless Cosmos.
Immediately after, a flash of light, and two items pierced through the barrier, landing silently on the altar.
They were a strange heart entwined with wisps of white mist, and a frost crystal emitting cold air.
Aaron's heart filled with joy, and he quickly bowed his head to thank the Evernight Goddess for Her bestowal.
By the time he raised his head again, the dim and mysterious grand door had already closed and was rapidly fading, and the altar area had completely returned to normal.
Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, took two steps forward, collected the Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog and the White Frost Crystal, and then ended the ritual and tidied up the altar.
Then, he began to plan how to deal with the "Hound of Fulgrim," the so-called "Sefirah Castle guardian."
After a period of busy preparation and contingency planning, Aaron first summoned Astolfo. Their bodies quickly became transparent, and the messenger led him back into the depths of the Spirit World.
Glancing at the illusory, rich color blocks around them and the seven different colored pure lights covering the high places, Aaron took out a box, removed the "Wall of Spirituality" on its surface, allowing the scent of the Transformed Heart of the Demonic Wolf of Fog inside to emanate.
Continuing forward, along the way, various bizarre Spirit World creatures passed by them, like an oil painting depicting hell. However, upon sensing Astolfo's aura, they quickly moved away.
After an unknown amount of time, Aaron's danger premonition suddenly stirred, and a scene quickly formed in his mind:
In a place where red, black, white, blue, and other colors were richly overlaid, a slender figure suddenly emerged.
Its appearance was like a hound, covered in short black fur, with two burning, dark red flames in its eye sockets, and its mouth stretched all the way to the back of its head. Although it existed there in physical form, it gave a sense of illusion and unreality.
Hound of Fulgrim!
An instant later, the Hound of Fulgrim appeared. Astolfo, who had gained earlier revelation in the Spirit World, instantly controlled the Spirit World to solidify that space and reached out to grab it.
The two dark red flames in the eyes of this not-too-deformed but absolutely terrifying Monster swiveled, looking at Aaron and Astolfo, who was reaching out to grab it.
Immediately after, its figure became even more illusory, disappearing instantly, as if it were merely a projection from history.
That Spirit World area was stirred. Astolfo, who had grabbed nothing, withdrew his arm and didn't seem surprised, quietly watching Aaron, waiting for his next move.
Aaron, who had witnessed everything, sighed in his heart. Although it was expected, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
He removed the Wall of Spirituality placed on the Ring of Mysteries. With Aaron's activation, this Sealed Artifact, originating from the Spirit World Dominator, instantly caused changes in this Spirit World area.
Boundless gray mist immediately surged forth, and several figures vaguely appeared. They sometimes overlapped with the gray mist, sometimes separated, all of them "Hound of Fulgrim" with dark red flames burning in their eyes and covered in short black fur.
Aaron's heart filled with joy, but he found that these "Hound of Fulgrim" still remained within the gray mist. Although their dark red flaming pupils stared intently at him, not a single one left the gray mist.
Somewhat unable to fathom the attitude of these Sefirah Castle Keepers, Aaron looked at Astolfo beside him and proactively asked:
"As fellow Spirit World creatures, can you communicate with them? Or if I continue to attract them, do you have the confidence to seize a 'Hound of Fulgrim'?"
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