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"Does a performance need the audience's applause? Is this the Magician's acting principle?"
Klein asked, his tone almost certain.
Leyton nodded slightly, affirming Klein's question, then added,
"Roughly, but it's only a part of it. The Apprentice Pathway has a Sequence called Trickmaster. As an adjacent Pathway, it has significant reference value."
After exchanging a few more words with Klein, Leyton returned from the Spirit World to the house across the street.
In his study, he summoned his Book Messenger and wrote down a portion of what had happened at the East Docks in a letter to Cattleya, in exchange for the Wind-Blessed potion formula.
After sending the letter via the messenger to the Future, Leyton took out a new piece of paper. This time, it was a letter to Sia.
Good afternoon, Madam.
The Crow Anu I'm raising is almost done digesting the Gravedigger potion. I wonder when you'll be able to get the Spirit Medium potion formula, and what kind of compensation you'll need?
I recently met a former member of the Life School of Thought. He was once a councilor of the Council of Fate, and I learned a lot about the Primordial Moon from him.
Finally, one more question: Do you know how a Harvest Priest should act?
Leyton didn't write a formal ending but drew a small Bugs Bunny illustration at the bottom.
After waiting for some time, the Book Messenger finally arrived. Leyton handed it the letter, and the Book Messenger vanished from sight again.
After writing the letter, Leyton returned to his bedroom, preparing to get some sleep early. He planned to take Crow Anu to the graveyard that night to act as a Gravedigger. Today should be Crow Anu's last time acting as a Gravedigger.
When Leyton woke up from his bed, the sky outside the window had already grown dim, with a faint Red Light glowing in the sky.
"Another 'Blood Moon' night. As the apocalypse approaches, these fellows are becoming more active."
Leyton sighed, controlling his thoughts to prevent himself from thinking too much and being noticed by the existences in the Cosmos.
He glanced at a light yellow paper resting quietly on the table. After getting out of bed, Leyton picked it up and read it.
It was Frank's reply, informing him that the captain would give him the Wind-Blessed potion formula within the week.
Throwing the letter back into the Spirit World, Leyton went downstairs, took Crow Anu, and headed to the East Borough.
Having already buried too many corpses in the graveyard managed by the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, Leyton chose a graveyard under the jurisdiction of the Church of the Lord of Storms this time.
Through Spirit World travel, he brought over more than ten recently deceased bodies after several round trips.
He patted Crow Anu, who was standing on his shoulder. At Leyton's signal, Crow Anu flew into the air, scattering herbal powder and ritual materials.
After Crow Anu skillfully arranged the ritual, Leyton snapped his fingers, and flames burst from some candles.
The Blood Moon's radiance was exceptionally strong, making the surrounding spirituality active and restless.
Under the influence of the Blood Moon, the ritual arranged by Crow Anu was somewhat enhanced, and the surrounding corpses were quickly put to rest.
Then, he scattered iron-black powder, summoning an invisible giant hand to dig one grave pit after another. He placed the appeased corpses into the pits and covered them with a layer of soil.
Leyton, as before, found several stones, processed them slightly, and made them into simple gravestones, which he placed in front of the pits. He also wrote an epitaph for them.
After everything was done, Crow Anu, holding a few wild flowers it had found somewhere, placed them in front of the gravestones.
Leyton glanced at Crow Anu. At this moment, it seemed to have undergone some transformation.
"Boss, I think I've finished digesting the Gravedigger potion."
Crow Anu stood blankly on the ground. After a while, it flapped its wings and flew into the air.
"Well done." Leyton nodded slightly in praise, then took Crow Anu directly through the Spirit World back to Cherwood Borough.
As soon as he stepped out of the Spirit World, Leyton saw a figure standing upright not far in front of him.
Leyton was stunned. He hadn't noticed anyone here when he was in the Spirit World!
"We meet again."
The figure in front turned around and greeted him with a gentle tone.
The other party was wearing a loose black fur coat, a well-dressed middle-aged gentleman. He held a lit cigarette in his right hand.
Leyton recognized the other party: Mr. Pulak Eggers, the Ferryman with Balam Empire royal blood. Leyton politely bowed and greeted him:
"Long time no see, Mr. Eggers! I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
"I slightly magnified the Convergence effect of my Beyonder characteristic. I thought it might attract this interesting crow."
Mr. Pulak Eggers's tone remained gentle, and he directly stated the reason for their encounter here.
Leyton was slightly taken aback, not expecting the other party to be so direct, then said,
"Mr. Eggers, is there something you need from me? Or are you looking for it?"
As he spoke, Leyton pointed to Crow Anu, who was standing motionless on his shoulder.
Mr. Pulak Eggers smiled and said,
"Both. The Death aura on you hasn't dissipated yet. Did you just act in the graveyard?"
"Then I suppose you haven't had dinner yet. Let's go, I'll treat you to a special Southern Continent dinner."
With that, Pulak turned and led the way. Leyton hesitated slightly, then followed his footsteps to a restaurant called Hagarty's not far away.
Upon seeing Pulak, the waiter inside immediately led the way, and the two came to a window seat on the second floor, from which they could see the street outside.
Leyton and Pulak sat opposite each other. Pulak instructed the waiter to bring the ordered dishes.
Leyton watched from the side, raising an eyebrow slightly. Was this prepared in advance?
Pulak smiled slightly, took a sip of the tea poured by the waiter, and then said,
"I plan to leave Backlund soon and return to East Balam. I have a certain premonition that Backlund will no longer be peaceful for some time to come, and it's temporarily not suitable for the tobacco business here."
"Moreover, I've been away from East Balam for over a year, and it's time to go back. Otherwise, anyone there would dare to jump out."
Leyton looked at the other party with some surprise. He remembered that the Death Pathway had no relation to authorities like precognition.
"The Death Pathway can cast various spells through Natural Spirits and vengeful spirits, which naturally includes divination spells."
As if knowing what Leyton was thinking, Pulak explained gently.
Leyton nodded slightly. That made sense.
However, the other party was a Sequence 3. Except for matters involving True Gods and angels, he didn't need to care about anything, so why would he leave Backlund?
"Then, Mr. Eggers, is there something you need from me?"
Leyton directly asked his question.
Pulak handed a freshly roasted lamb chop to Leyton, then tore off a small piece of meat and fed it to Crow Anu.
After doing all this, Pulak spoke again:
"I'd like to invite you to join an organization. Are you interested in going to the Southern Continent with me?"
Leyton was stunned. He had thought of many possibilities, but he really hadn't expected the other party to be trying to poach him. He almost immediately shook his head and refused the proposal:
"Sorry, I can't leave Backlund for now. Moreover, I don't think the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom would agree to me joining the Numinous Episcopate."
"As expected." Pulak nodded slightly, not dwelling on the issue, as if the previous suggestion was just a sudden whim.
"However, the organization I'm inviting you to is not the Numinous Episcopate, or rather, it won't be in the future."
"The Numinous Episcopate is going to split?"
Leyton said with a puzzled expression.
Pulak shook his head slightly: "I don't have much sense of identity with the various factions of the Numinous Episcopate. I want to lead a group of people who share my ideas to form a loose organization, primarily focused on economic development."
"Compared to grand blueprints like resurrecting Death and rebuilding the Balam Empire, I prefer to genuinely develop the Southern Continent, rather than letting it be treated as a cake to be divided by the major kingdoms and churches."
"A very grand ideal." Leyton genuinely sighed. If he weren't only a Sequence 5, he would even want to recruit the other party to join him. Completing the Knowledge Moor mission greatly needed people with such ideas.
"Grand? Perhaps too distant." Pulak's tone was not very strong, speaking as if in self-mockery:
"This is just an idea. Although I will act on it, there may not be any rewards."
Leyton shook his head slightly and said with a smile,
"At least I strongly agree with this ideal. I think besides me, many others will agree, though not necessarily people from the Numinous Episcopate, or even from the Southern Continent."
"Moreover, perhaps some churches and organizations can become your partners and provide some help."
"For example, the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom?" Pulak's tone remained gentle, but his face showed a more genuine smile.
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