What is known as "interruptible" ritual magic refers to the ability of extraordinary beings to pause or interrupt a ritual at will, attend to other matters first, and resume the ritual later—still achieving the desired outcome. This technique has evolved over centuries of development in ritual magic, as many high-level rituals involve numerous steps that may take anywhere from one to two hours, or even half a day to complete. During such lengthy processes, interruptions and unforeseen events are almost inevitable. Through the accumulated blood, sweat, and lessons learned from generations of predecessors, and through repeated failures, interruptible rituals have become the norm at higher levels and have also indirectly influenced lower-level practices. However, being "interruptible" does not mean that one can interrupt at any time or in any way they choose. It must be done in accordance with the principles of esoteric theory and with the mastery of specific techniques; otherwise, the ritual will inevitably fail, and in some cases, even suffer severe counter-effects. According to Klein's understanding, when you successfully capture a deity's attention and, while He is waiting for you to articulate your request, suddenly say, "Wait a moment—I need to go to the bathroom," then congratulations—you will never need to go to the bathroom again. Huff. Klein exhaled, steadying himself. Though he had performed several "turning-of-fortune" rituals and even designed specific procedures for "Justice" and "The Hangman," the true, properly conducted ritual magic had never been practiced before today. Glancing at the silver-handled cane leaning against the bed's edge, Klein picked up the third candle and placed it precisely at the center of the desk, thus symbolizing himself. Next, he placed the silver bowl containing Selena’s ritual items—replacing the large cauldron with the saint’s emblem—before the third candle. To the left were pure essences and essential oils infused with moonflower and deep-sleep flowers, and to the right, a dish of salt, a small silver spoon, a sheet of vellum, and a feather quill dipped in water. Fortunately, Selena’s supplies were quite complete; otherwise, it would have been impossible to arrange everything as intended. Old Niel’s swift rituals were simply beyond the reach of a seer. It seemed, then, that Selena was a more seasoned practitioner of the mysteries…though not truly seasoned—she hadn’t managed such a mishap at her age. Only sixteen, and already immersed in this practice for over a year. Who had first guided her into this path? As克莱恩’s thoughts flowed freely, he picked up Selena’s cup from the bedside table, poured fresh water into it, and placed it beside the coarse salt. He then drew out his watch, clicked it open, glanced at the time, and without further delay, began to visualize a cascade of luminous spheres in his mind, swiftly entering into meditation. In the room fragrant with blossoms, an invisible breeze suddenly spiraled. With his watch now folded, Crane's eyes suddenly deepened, shifting from brown to black, as if he could see the souls of every observer. He extended his palm to the candle at the upper right corner, silently murmuring: "Ah, Goddess of Night, you are the sovereign of crimson!" As he spoke, Crane extended his spiritual awareness, rubbing the wick repeatedly—eventually, the candle flared to life, its golden-yellow glow now tinged with a gentle, pale blue. "Ah, Goddess of Night, you are also the Queen of Trials and Fears!" Following the same method, Crane successfully lit the second candle at the upper left corner. "I am your faithful guardian—the shield defending against perils in the night, the spear piercing evil in stillness!" Flare! The third candle, symbolizing Crane, began to burn. With a steady flame, unshaken, he picked up the silver knife, mimicking Old Neil’s movements, and completed the sanctification with a spell, coarse salt, and fresh water. 【Remember the fastest novel website in the entire network????????????.??????】 Then, he released his accumulated spirit from the tip of the silver dagger, merging it seamlessly with nature. Holding the small silver knife, Caine walked around the bedroom (using his knees instead of his feet at the bed's location), sealing the space with an invisible barrier. The streetlights outside instantly dimmed, yet the deep crimson glow remained quietly steady. Caine returned to his desk, picked up a quill, and, using his spirit in coordination with the ink, inscribed the incantations and symbols that would ward off misfortune. After completing all this, he set down his items and gently dripped one drop of each of several pure essences—water, floral extracts, and essential oils—onto the three candles. Hush! A delicate mist spread throughout the room, instantly infusing it with a sense of mystery. Then, several herbs were burned in succession. Amid the mingled scents, Caine stepped back and recited the incantation corresponding to the "Interruptive" ritual magic: "O Night Goddess, more exalted than the stars, more enduring than eternity;" "I invoke your favor;" "Grant favor to a faithful servant of yours." "I invoke the power of crimson;" "I invoke the power of calamity and fear;" "Grant that your faithful servant, Selena Wood, be freed from evil taint and from the encumbrance of calamity." "I invoke you, wait a moment, wait for that unfortunate girl." ... "Moonflower, herb of the Red Moon, transmit your power to my incantation!" "Deep-sleep flower, herb of the Red Moon, transmit your power to my incantation!" ... After reciting the incantation, Caine closed his eyes and repeated it mentally seven times. The altar showed no abnormalities. He grasped the silver dagger again and took slow, steady steps backward, until he reached the doorway of Serenela's bedroom. He tapped his chest four times in succession, drawing a crimson moon, then turned around and raised the silver dagger. Spirit once more surged from the tip, carving out the shape of a door in the invisible wall. Klein knew that, even if he opened the door now, it would not disturb the stillness and sanctity of the altar. He produced a silver pocket watch engraved with vine patterns, checked the time, and rehearsed the steps that would follow. ... In the second-floor living area. Elizabeth, her body slightly trembling, occasionally glanced up at the wall clock, silently calculating the passage of time under the glow of the two gas lamps. It was almost time... she murmured without sound, then turned her head to gaze at the lively young woman with deep red hair. The girl had deep dimples, a bright smile, and could easily engage in conversation with each of her friends. Yet the more so, Elizabeth felt increasingly afraid. The cold, terrifying "Serena" reflected in the mirror seemed to dwell constantly in her mind, hard to forget. She could wait no longer! Action was needed! Elizabeth suddenly rose to her feet, speaking in a stammering smile to the astonished group. "Serena, I—I have a surprise for you. A surprise! You and I should go out for a moment." "Really? Didn't you give me a birthday gift already?" Serena took the mirror, turned it over, and rose with genuine surprise. "The surprise is—well, there will be no warning at all, no signs at all." Elizabeth felt utterly lacking in performance talent. She said no more, and stepped forward toward the doorway of the living room, Serena following with a puzzled smile. Melissa watched her two friends leave, her brow unconsciously furrowing: Elizabeth seems rather strange today... Even more so after she's seen Mr. Kline. She suddenly ran out earlier, claiming she had to rush to the restroom—yet why does her expression seem so tense?... At the doorway of Selena's bedroom. Elizabeth took a deep breath and addressed the girl before her: "Shall we go into your room?" "Elizabeth, I sense you're nervous, even afraid—why?" Selena looked puzzled at her friend, noticing her body trembling uncontrollably. "Excitement, yes, excitement!" Elizabeth glanced at the mirror in Selena's hands, half-turned, and tapped the door once, then twice. "Why are you tapping the door?" Selena grew even more confused. With a soft creak, the door opened, and Mr. Kline—dressed in a black tailcoat and wearing a half-high silk hat—appeared before the two girls. "Surprise? Is that it?" Selena's mouth hung open, her mind swirling with confusion. At that moment, Caine suddenly reached out, grasping her wrist and pulling her into the room, leaving Elizabeth standing frozen in place. Meanwhile, Caine's silver dagger flashed, releasing a surge of spiritual energy that swiftly sealed the doorway created by the cut. The intangible barrier of spirit once again closed around the room, muffling Selena's cries within. Thud! Caine slammed the door shut, barely glancing at Selena before hurrying back to the desk. The young woman with long wine-red hair stopped screaming, lifted her head, and surveyed the room. Her gaze quickly turned cold, her skin growing pale, and her ten fingers rapidly sprouting sharp, whitish nails. At that moment, Caine had already returned to his meditative state, gently dripping a drop of moonflower essential oil onto each of the three candles while softly chanting: "O Highest Lord of Crimson, O Great Queen of Calamity and Fear!" "I invoke your grace;" "Grace upon the lost lamb, Selena Wood!" Between two nearly uninterrupted sounds, strands of intangible, black-green gas flowed into a small silver bowl and vanished into the seemingly deep black illusion. Cain rolled slightly to the side, then rose, drawing his revolver from beneath his arm, yet when he looked closely, he saw only the lovely young woman with long wine-red hair, Selena, lying on the ground, and the silver mirror shattered into countless fragments on the blanket. The fragments no longer reflected Selena—they simply showed the ceiling and Cain’s silhouette. At this moment, with his spiritual sight still open, Cain observed that the eerie black-green aura within Selena had completely disappeared, and everything returned to normal, though now appearing notably fragile. Huffing out a breath of relief, he felt a sudden, sharp pain radiating from his brow, then spreading throughout his head—so intense that he longed to roll around on the floor. Cain’s fists clenched tightly, his forearm veins bulging, turning completely black, as if pulsing like living worms. At the same time, he heard silent cries, heard whispers tearing at his own spirit. It took him fully fifteen seconds to recover, his forehead and back soaked in cold sweat. "The ritual magic drained my spirit, nearly causing my exceptional powers to falter," he roughly assessed the situation. This realization also made him notice that he had absorbed a significant amount of residual spirit from the potions, since if he judged by the initial strength expected after consuming the potions, he should have collapsed immediately—becoming a monster outright. "The 'Role-Playing' technique still proves effective," he murmured, lightly tapping his brow and wiping the sweat from his brow. Turning toward the altar, he tapped his chest four times and declared aloud, "Hail the Beautiful Goddess!" Then, he extinguished the candles one by one, quickly clearing the altar. After placing the items back on his desk at random, he used the silver dagger to dissolve the sealed wall of spiritual energy. Hoo! The wind receded, silence settled, and Caine took a deep, long breath, deeply relieved by what had just happened: "If I hadn't rehearsed the procedure and successfully completed the ritual, things would have been quite complicated... And even now, I still don't know who my opponent is, who my enemy is... Fortunately, fortunately, the room is carpeted, so my rolls didn't damage my clothes..." He shook his head and reached out to open the wooden door to Serenela's bedroom. "How did it go?" Elizabeth stepped back two paces, asking with growing anxiety. Caine watched her frightened expression, removed his half-high silk hat, and smiled gently. "I've corrected the error in her mirror divination—the matter is now resolved."