255. Golden Body Method
When the room was empty, I shook my head.
Revealing my body tempering training was actually part of my plan.
After all, I needed to rely on the Martial Abbey for power of faith while also venturing out to slay vampires for lifespan and sangrith blood. Being a Seeker of Redeemer who could defeat Vampire Kings across various regions required some explanation.
I gripped the Key of Inspector and opened the panel again.
As vampire lifespan flowed into the Trinitarian Ascension Method, abundant faith power converged once more.
Is this faith power enough to break through to Upper Realm of Seeker of Redeemer.
I examined the deduction prompts on the panel. After countless attempts, the Redeemed Spirit had finally found a suitable path for itself. The white lights flowing within it became increasingly harmonious, suggesting there shouldn't be any major problems going forward.
[Year 2,400, with sufficient faith power, both wings solidify, appearing identical to real wings. The Redeemed Spirit's body becomes as substantial as a real human form, its expression growing increasingly detached—born from the mundane world yet separate from it. This marks the Upper Realm of Seeker of Redeemer.]
[Seeker of Redeemer - Trinitarian Ascension: Master.]
Not yet at Grandmaster level, which indicated the Upper Realm wasn't the pinnacle of this technique.
With two wings representing the Upper Realm, I wondered how the Redeemed Spirit would evolve in its next transformation.
According to both Admiral Barragan and Senior Brother Thompson, once one reaches the Upper Realm, they can abandon this technique and begin considering the condensation of a Golden Body.
Perhaps due to lifespan limitations?
In the sea of essence, the Redeemed Spirit's aura clearly overpowered the Infant of Love.
Like an angel seated regally.
Two wings protruding behind it like magnificent halos.
"Come out," I communicated with Lady Taurymne through thought.
Yet there wasn't the slightest movement in the room.
"Hm?" I frowned and delved into internal vision.
I saw the Redeemed Spirit struggling to stand up, but like a newborn baby, its legs trembled and it fell back onto its bottom.
The angelic grace completely gone.
I shuddered to think what mockery people would make if they saw a Redeemed Spirit so clumsy...
That thing is wearing my face.
"My lord, please allow Taurymne a little more time."
Lady Taurymne, almost on the verge of tears, struggled to rise in the sea of essence.
Just a bit more effort, and I won't be replaced!
"..."
After watching the Redeemed Spirit stumble more than a dozen times, I became convinced it couldn't stand upright.
I sighed with a slight pang of reluctance.
It seemed I couldn't withhold these ten thousand years of absorbed lifespan after all.
No matter—I had earned plenty this time, no need to be so stingy.
My thought moved.
I transformed ten thousand years of lifespan into a Soul Crucible, sent Lady Taurymne back into it, and watched the panel for a response.
The Redeemed Spirit instantly ceased all movement.
As time passed, a more powerful aura gradually emanated from within.
[Vampire King (Upper Realm): Lady Taurymne]
The panel's text had changed.
The next moment, the Redeemed Spirit emerged from my body. Its two magnificent wings enveloped the room as a handsome young man stepped forth from the clouds, clothes floating ethereally, exuding an otherworldly aura.
It perfectly matched my self-image. I nodded with satisfaction.
Lady Taurymne exited the Redeemed Spirit and returned to her vampire soul form. With her voluptuous figure, she knelt solemnly at my feet, her voice resonating like silver bells: "Thank you for your grace, my lord. Taurymne will not disappoint you."
"Just work diligently," I said, standing up while contemplating how to use Taurymne to earn back those ten thousand years.
I drew both the Redeemed Spirit and Taurymne back into my body.
I looked up at the extremely thin white lights in the sky.
The entire H.A.R.M.'s faith power was at its limit supporting just one Upper Realm Seeker of Redeemer.
I should ask my senior brother if there are any other vacancies. That black robe he wears looks quite nice.
Better wait a few days though.
I walked outside, suddenly changing my mind.
Even though Thompson already viewed me as a genius, this advancement speed was, admittedly, far too extraordinary.
I should visit the Abbey Repository first to select a Golden Body method to study. After all, the purpose of faith power is to construct a Golden Body. It would be more practical to master the technique before determining where to acquire more of it.
Besides, although the Path of Redemption offered a shortcut with rapid advancement, my core training still focused on the Path of Nature. Since I was already visiting the repository, it made sense to acquire some Ward of Nature techniques as well.
With this thought, I turned and headed toward the back of the Abbey.
...
Abbey Repository, Capital City.
I used the Key of Inspector to summon the gold and marble staircase, then descended quickly.
At the entrance sat the same gaunt old man as before.
This time when he saw me, his expression showed a hint of recognition, and he greeted me unprompted: "Here again? Just go in."
The Seekers of Redeemer wandering in the Abbey Repository all paused and turned to look at me with curiosity.
"..."
I nodded in acknowledgment.
Evidently, Seekers of Redeemer lived rather dull lives and had a penchant for gossip, as news of the events in Courtyard A had already spread throughout the repository with remarkable speed.
"Do you want Seeker of Redeemer methods or body tempering techniques?" A spirit approached with a smile, offering a lighthearted jest.
A Seeker of Redeemer practicing body tempering was a rare occurrence—the first of its kind in the entire New Terra.
"If you would be so kind, I'd like to see the Golden Body methods," I replied politely.
Before I could finish speaking, all the other Seekers of Redeemer turned their heads in my direction.
Old Fox Thompson had said the Abbey Repository was completely open to the young man, but in less than an hour, he was already eager to see the Golden Body methods. This impatient personality—curious about everything—indeed matched the profile of a young prodigy.
No one offered any advice—they simply smiled and pointed me in the right direction.
A living example stood right there.
This new prodigy would learn more from a single glance than from a thousand words of warning.
Following their directions, I made my way to an attic of the Abbey Repository.
At the entrance was a Redeemed Spirit overlapping with a skeleton, maintaining a thoughtful "sitting posture."
"Senior Brother, could you please move aside." I could pass directly through a Redeemed Spirit but couldn't pass through a skeleton, and the man happened to be blocking the middle of the path.
"Ah... oh..." The Redeemed Spirit looked up in a daze, then turned to pick up the skeleton, placed it aside, and merged his body with it again.
After a moment's pause, he asked, "Are you here to see the Golden Body methods?"
Having just stepped into the attic, I turned and replied, "Yes."
"Let me... accompany you."
The Redeemed Spirit floated up dazedly, revealing a self-satisfied smile. "I've read all twenty-plus Golden Body methods here and memorized them all. There's no practitioner in the entire New Terra more skilled in Golden Body methods than I am."
When discussing Golden Body methods, his speech suddenly became much more fluent.
"My surname is... I forgot... just call me Senior Brother."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." I raised my eyebrows slightly. Clearly, he was one of those practitioners whose limited aptitude had prevented him from breaking through to the Fifth Realm, while his physical body withering into a skeleton.
Fortunately, my own vampire lifespan was abundant.
Otherwise, I would likely suffer the same fate.