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Aaron held the badge, only the size of an eyeball, its surface a combination of the symbolic patterns of "Fate" and "Concealment".
Looking at Flora Jacob's increasingly ethereal soul, Aaron pondered for a moment before continuing to ask:
"How do I contact other Jacob family members?"
Flora Jacob had lost the ability to resist, responding blankly and muddle-headedly:
"To evade the 'Blasphemer's' search and prevent being wiped out, the various separated factions of the family stopped contacting each other."
"It wasn't until later that a group of Beyonders from the Marauder Pathway, calling themselves Hermits of Fate, formed a regular gathering for self-preservation and resistance."
"My ancestor from this lineage was one of the founders, which allowed us to re-establish contact with some other branches that joined later."
"But we all upheld our ancestral teachings, never gathering privately outside of the Hermits of Fate meetings, nor inquiring about each other's affairs."
Aaron frowned upon hearing this. Without the Jacob family bloodline, it would likely be difficult to enter that treasure vault with just this badge.
However, Aaron was not in a hurry. Amon was still lying in that treasure vault, and it was a trap Amon used to lure Pallez Zoroast.
He even deceived himself for this, placing an item inside that could allow Sequence 2 Pallez Zoroast to instantly recover to his peak Sequence 1 state, just to make the trap more realistic.
Aaron was different from Klein; there was no Sequence conflict between him and Amon, and he didn't want to provoke such a big trouble so quickly. At the very least, he needed to wait until Aaron had the strength to face Amon independently.
Exhaling softly, Aaron suppressed the greed in his heart, and looking at Miss Arianna, who stood quietly under the red moon, dressed in a simple linen robe, he spoke with a solemn tone:
"There are indeed very precious items in the Jacob family's treasure, but it is more of a trap, a trap targeting another Marauder Pathway Angel…"
"There is an avatar of 'Blasphemer' Amon inside. This treasure involves too much and might affect the Goddess's plans, so I want to wait a few years until I have enough strength before exploring it."
Miss Arianna's eyes shifted slightly, and she re-examined Aaron from head to toe. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke calmly:
"Alright, but during this period, I will secretly seal and guide that area, isolating any other possible explorations."
"That place is where the Goddess's believers gather; one cannot be careless."
Seeing Aaron nod, Arianna's palm clenched slightly, and with a crisp crack, the Flora Jacob soul in her hand shattered.
The shattered stardust gathered under an invisible force, and in just a few seconds, it formed a bizarre crystalline object resembling an infant's hand.
Tiny fingers spread out, and numerous Worm of Time, each with seven or eight segments, swam and meandered rapidly within, their skin color constantly changing due to the Convergence of light and shadow according to the environment.
After being pulverized by an Angel, this Sequence 4 Parasite Beyonder characteristic became pure, without the lingering madness and despair of Flora Jacob's final moments.
At the same time, four other clusters of Beyonder characteristics, emitting strong spiritual fluctuations, emerged.
Two of them were close to dark gold in color, and two were deep blue like the sea, precisely the four demigod Beyonder characteristics harvested from the Red Angel's underground ruins.
Aaron had already divined that two of these Beyonder characteristics were Sequence 4 Earl of the Fallen, and the other two were Sequence 4 Cataclysmic Interrer.
Surprisingly, there were no Red Priest Pathway Beyonder characteristics among them, not even among the Beyonder characteristics below demigod that Aaron had harvested.
This could only indicate that the Hunter Pathway Beyonder characteristics among them must have been absorbed by that Red Angel evil spirit, but such a harvest already satisfied Aaron greatly.
Just thinking about having to give up at least half made Aaron's heart ache, but this was a necessary sacrifice. He was just relieved that Will Auceptin hadn't made a move, otherwise, he would have even fewer spoils of war.
Undergoing the same process, the four demigod Beyonder characteristics were completely pulverized and then re-formed by Miss Arianna, becoming pure and flawless.
Before Aaron could speak, three Beyonder characteristics, shining with intense spiritual light, flew towards him: one each of the Parasite, Earl of the Fallen, and Cataclysmic Interrer Beyonder characteristics.
Meeting Aaron's slightly surprised and delighted gaze, Miss Arianna spoke calmly:
"When you reach the Southern Continent, cooperate with the head of the East Balam Diocese, 'Eye of the Goddess' Ilia, to jointly curb and combat the Numinous Episcopate's development."
"Is this a mission? Counting the time, Azik Eggers should have already arrived in Tingen. It seems this is to begin the planning for the 'Artificial Death'."
Aaron was slightly startled, then accepted, his thoughts immediately racing. He bowed to this Servant of Concealment, the Dean of the Night Cathedral, to express his gratitude.
As the red moonlight faded, Arianna's figure also vanished as if erased by an eraser.
The previously dilapidated "Concealed World" had become ethereal and transparent, revealing the intact underground passage. Hazel was lying quietly on the ground, her expression serene, as if she had fallen into a sweet dream.
Aaron's mouth twitched. He first temporarily placed the several demigod Beyonder characteristics in a specially made box, and using the Judge's ability, he cast the "Prohibition" decree.
This was to prevent the Beyonder characteristics from fusing with items to form Sealed Artifacts before Aaron returned home and sacrificed them to the dark golden mist.
With a slight spiritual movement, the Night imprint on Aaron's wrist glowed faintly, and Aaron and the several demigod Beyonder characteristics he carried entered a hidden state.
He didn't want to run into some Earl of the Fallen or the Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms' Backlund Diocese, "Spellsinger of God" Ace Snake, who might be out for a stroll at night, right after exiting the underground passage.
And according to the Beyonder characteristic Convergence principle, if not concealed and shielded, such a situation was not impossible.
Aaron put on the Death Mask, picked up Hazel who was lying on the ground, and as his spirituality spread, a colorful oil painting immediately appeared.
Using Spirit World travel, Aaron returned Hazel to her room, then returned to his own bedroom.
Without delay, Aaron immediately went to the partitioned room, skillfully set up the ritual, and sacrificed the divining pendant, several demigod Beyonder characteristics, and the Hermit of Fate badge to the dark golden mist.
His consciousness sank, and Aaron sat on the magnificent throne. With a slight spiritual movement, clusters of dark golden mist enveloped the group of brightly glowing Beyonder characteristics, placing them together in the pile of miscellaneous items.
"Hmm, the Earl of the Fallen Beyonder characteristic. I can exchange it with Ancestor Varna when I return to Osel. This way, the family can have another demigod, and I can gain the greatest benefit."
"As for this Parasite Beyonder characteristic, I can trade it with Pallez Zoroast. Anyway, using this thing carries the risk of being discovered by Amon, so it's better to sell it for a good price."
"I wonder if Pallez Zoroast is currently parasitic within Leonard Mitchell."
"As for this Cataclysmic Interrer Beyonder characteristic, Bansy, the Church of the Lord of Storms…"
After a moment of contemplation, Aaron silently calculated in his mind, then placed these sealed Beyonder characteristics together in the pile of miscellaneous items.
He then picked up the divining pendant, quietly suspended it over the Hermit of Fate badge, and performed a divination using the "Pendulum Divination" method.
After receiving an oracle indicating no danger, Aaron breathed a sigh of relief, left the dark golden mist, and returned to the partitioned room in the real world with the items.
Sitting on the sofa in the bedroom, Aaron held the Hermit of Fate badge. As spirituality was infused, a layer of misty radiance bloomed on the badge's surface.
They quickly condensed into an inconspicuous beam of light, shooting upwards into the air.
Before long, a similar beam returned, dispersing into a palm-sized ethereal parchment, on which a line of words was written in ancient Feysac:
"May 5, 1347, 9 PM, Tussock River Estuary."
Aaron released his hand, stopping the infusion of spirituality, and the parchment shattered and disappeared.
"Less than half a year left…" Aaron rubbed his chin, looking at the red moon outside the window, lost in thought.
-----------------
December 31, 1346, afternoon, Earl Hall's luxurious villa in Empress Borough.
The cold air was kept out by the windows and walls; inside, it was warm as spring, and the fireplace was elegant.
Audrey Hall was dressed in the latest gown conceived by fashion designer Madame Genia based on her recent physical and temperamental state, exuding grace and nobility with a hint of girlish playfulness.
Aaron stood beside Audrey, leaning against the white gilded railing on the second floor, watching the servants come and go downstairs, bustling about.
From the second half of the year to the New Year, the nobles of the Loen Kingdom would, according to tradition, come to Backlund to participate in various banquets, balls, and salons, which were very important activities for them.
Many matters would also be finalized within these few months, just like the resolution to abolish the "Corn Laws" earlier.
As years passed, this tradition gradually acquired a fixed name: "The Backlund Social Season."
And according to the customs of the Loen Kingdom, nobles with fiefdoms would gradually leave Backlund a week after the New Year and return to their territories to enjoy a pleasant country or castle life.
They would only return to the capital in June to resume their daily social activities. Of course, influential nobles and great bankers like Earl Hall would certainly have to travel back and forth frequently to handle affairs.
Earl Hall anticipated that after the New Year, the proposal to establish the "Kingdom Air Pollution Investigation Committee" would formally pass in the House of Commons.
And according to past practice, discussions and wrangling in the House of Lords would be very lengthy and not something that could be resolved in a short time.
Therefore, to avoid wasting time and also to celebrate the victories of the past year, Earl Hall decided to take his family back to East Tucker County early to enjoy life.
However, "moving" was not an easy task. Many things had to be organized in advance, with some servants sent ahead to the manor or castle. Only when everything was ready would the masters embark on their journey.
Audrey smiled as she watched the busy servants downstairs, and spoke softly:
"Compared to the magnificent and expensive family castle, I still prefer the beautiful manor, and the scenery of the countryside."
"I already miss that kind of life. The various social events in Backlund inevitably make one feel constrained, and its air is indescribably bad."
Looking at the interested Audrey, Aaron glanced around and then said with a smile:
"Then why don't we go for a walk in the suburbs and chat?"
Audrey's emerald eyes brightened slightly, and she nodded gently.
And from the corner, a large golden retriever instantly rushed out. It was Susie, who had grown much larger, excitedly holding a small bag and wagging her tail, circling Aaron and Audrey.
-----------------
December 31, Loen, Enmat Harbor, a basement in the port area.
Cold air filled the dark and damp basement. Tris, with a round face, wore a single garment, enduring the cold, and stood firmly before an altar.
Unlike before, the naivety and fear on his face had faded, replaced by ruthlessness and cunning.
A female figure, completely shrouded in a black robe, chuckled and spoke:
"Congratulations on passing our assessment. You are now qualified to officially join us."
"As long as you drink this potion and successfully become a Beyonder, you will instantly gain various powerful abilities and become an official member of our Theosophy Order."
"But if you don't endure, you will lose control and become a Monster."
At this point, the woman paused, her voice becoming somewhat strange.
"Hmm, I forgot to tell you, its potion name is 'Assassin'. Good luck."
Looking at the viscous potion pushed in front of him, recalling his experiences during this time, and his tragic childhood under the gangsters.
A hint of madness flashed in Tris's eyes. He grabbed the potion from the table and drank it in one gulp.
In the corner of the basement, the figure of "Black Saintess" slowly emerged, a sapphire ring floating in her hand, as she quietly watched this scene with a smile.
-----------------
Backlund, on the outskirts of Empress Borough, within a spacious but audience-less racecourse.
"…In East Chester County, there's a village that worships Dragons, and an ancient ballad circulates there:"
Aaron roughly recounted the ballad from memory:
"Monsters are in your dreams;
"Dragons are in your dreams;
"That imagined, floating great palace is also in your dreams;
"There, you will have everything, until you awaken."
Under the shade of a tree, Audrey Hall, leading a reddish-brown pony, listened intently to Aaron's narration.
She wore white trousers and knee-high black boots, with a simply decorated ladies' shirt and a belted black jacket-style riding suit on her upper body.
Coupled with a matching protective helmet, she appeared exceptionally dashing, with a beauty different from her usual self, while the golden retriever Susie obediently squatted at her feet, seemingly carrying a small leather bag.
After Aaron finished recounting the strange legend of East Chester County, Audrey slowly exhaled, her curiosity instantly satisfied, as she imagined the appearance of Dragons in her mind.
Looking at the dreamy-eyed Audrey, Aaron said with a mix of emotion and teasing:
"A beautiful lady riding a horse is a sight to behold, no matter what she does."
Audrey was pulled back to her thoughts by the sudden compliment. Then, as if remembering something, she frowned slightly and spoke with some distress:
"When I arrive in East Chester County and you arrive in the Southern Continent, how will we communicate?"
"Telegrams are too short, and letters would take too long to arrive…"
Looking at Audrey, who had suddenly become a little dejected, Aaron smiled mysteriously, hinting:
"Haha, don't worry about that. Later, I'll teach you a mystical ritual that will make our communication convenient."
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