It’s very likely to happen… Caine chuckled darkly, saying, “Yes, I haven’t yet obtained the elixir formula for the ‘Wind-Keen’ yet, and I don’t see a way to acquire it in the near term.” “But I do have an incomplete formula for a Sequence 4 elixir.” “Though incomplete, I’m sure you understand its worth—it can fetch at least 10,000 gold pounds. And most of the time, even with a premium, you won’t be able to find anything that commands such a price. This is a pivotal step in human transformation.” “So, are you interested? The spinal fluid of the Demon-Striped Leopard is valued between 500 and 700 pounds, and the crystalline essence of the Elf’s Spring ranges from 300 to 400 pounds. I believe you’ll need an additional 9,000 pounds in cash—or equivalent goods. Klein had suspected this for a long time: Sequence 4, "The Unshadowed," of the "Sun" path could be swapped with the corresponding sequences of the "Mariner" and "Reader" paths. This hunch was gradually confirmed through Mr. A's requests and Roscel's journal entries, and even extended to a suspicion that the "Secret Keeper" and "The Spectator" paths might also belong. Thus, he believed that the incomplete formula of "The Unshadowed" would present an irresistible appeal to the "Turner" of the "Mariner" path. It wasn't necessary to offer something of nine thousand pounds immediately—payment could be made in installments, under the witness of Mr. The Fool, and gradually settled over time. In his mind, he quietly added this thought. At present, he was short on the spinal fluid of the demonic-patterned black leopard, so he was not concerned about the other party defaulting on payment—there was no risk of them going bankrupt. Well, there's still a risk—what if the Sir of Taurus suddenly passed away? Then I'd be in serious trouble... Facing such a major transaction, Kline couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. A fragmented recipe for Sequence 4 potion? A fragmented recipe for the path toward half-divine, half-human? Something you simply can't buy with money! Sir Justice, Audrey, brightened up and asked, stepping in ahead of Sir of Taurus, with genuine curiosity: "Sir of World, may I ask one thing? Which path's Sequence 4 recipe is it? If it's too sensitive to share, just consider my question never made." It was truly remarkable that Sir of World possessed even a fragmented recipe for Sequence 4—something truly extraordinary. That's precisely why Sir of Fool brought him into the Tarot Circle! He wasn't just a simple extraordinary one... Well, the investigations of Hux and Firth have concluded, and the "Knight of the Fool" gentleman hasn't even mentioned whether he'd allow them to join—ah, I suppose He has other considerations, perhaps needs more time to observe. I shouldn't proactively ask; that would seem impolite. For a moment, Audrey found herself thinking deeply. The question posed by the "Justice" lady precisely matched Kline's needs. "I've actually been planning to say it," the "World" replied, his voice slightly strained. "It's the Sequence 4 'Unshaded' potion formula from the 'Sun' path." "The 'Sun' path?" Deryck suddenly turned to the "World" gentleman seated at the far end of the bronze table, his eyes blazing with sudden enthusiasm and yearning. Yet, he remained silent, knowing that he still had a long way to go before reaching the threshold of that half-divine, half-human gate, and that his limited resources had to be prioritized for strengthening himself first. They operate with the style of the City of Silver, always mindful that their residents may have no future at all. "The Unshadowed..." Audrey of "Justice" bowed gracefully, her voice bright with delight, "Thank you, Mr. World, for that response." She felt she had gained a significant new insight. "The Unshadowed..." Aljere of "The Pendulum" murmured it softly, his tone calm and composed, "I'm sorry, but I don't need it." Don't need it? Caine was momentarily stunned. This was entirely different from what he had anticipated—completely outside his preconceived script! His surprise caused Mr. World to appear momentarily speechless, and only after several seconds did he say, "You might start with a partial pledge, with Mr. Fool here as witness—I'm certain you'll eventually fulfill it." "No, I truly don't need it," Aljere shook his head. He didn’t need it… really didn’t need it… He was confident that in the future, the Storm Church would recognize and value him, granting him the corresponding potion directly? Or perhaps he actually possessed the Sequence 4 potion formula for the "Seamanship" path? The name was "Champion of the Catastrophe"? Kline quickly considered two possibilities. "We each share our known secrets from the top of the sequence with Mr. The Fool, who will then compare for repetition and verify their value. Mr. The Fool, shall we proceed?" Caine manipulated "World," asking himself the question. Immediately, he spoke with a lofty, overseeing tone: "Certainly." Alje slowly nodded, "I have no further questions. Let's begin." How curious he was about the secrets at the very top of the sequence... yet lately, I haven't had any extra funds to spend..." Audrey, representing "Justice," admired the parchment materialized by both "World" and "The Turner." For the first time, she, who had never worried about money before, truly felt the taste of poverty. Soon, Caine received the contents written by the two members. The one he read first was undoubtedly from "The Turner," and upon inspection, he found the content remarkably simple—just one sentence: "The path to divinity is hidden at the very top of the sequence." "Phew... Just manageable, otherwise we'd have to settle for something else... Kline carefully studied the羊皮 paper labeled 'World' for a few moments, then chuckled. "Not redundant." "For most extraordinary beings, the secrets offered by 'World' hold little value. Yet for some, they are absolutely essential—something that cannot be measured in money." Hearing this conclusion, 'The Turner' Aljer immediately felt uneasy. To him, securing both of those extraordinary materials was no small feat—he'd had to sell off numerous valuable possessions to make it happen. What a price to pay, just to hear a secret that might not even benefit him personally? Aljer thought for fifteen to twenty seconds before asking, "Master 'The Fool,' could you offer any further guidance? I'm still unable to make a decision." Unable to decide? Klein's lips moved slightly, realizing that the words he had just spoken to maintain his image had backfired, doing an unintended harm. He quickly thought it over and smiled gently. "What he described is a detailed addition to the secret you already know." Detailed addition? A detailed addition to the path to divinity? "The suspended man," Aljer, showed no hesitation at all, turned to "The World," and said firmly, "Deal." He then added, "I will secure the spinal fluid of the demonic-patterned leopard and the marrow crystals of the elven spring within this week." "Of course, provided they appear at the pirate's gala—though the likelihood is high, we must still believe that anything can happen. In that case, it might be postponed to next week, the week after, or even next month. Please rest assured, I will fulfill my promise." "No problem. With Mr. The Fool here to witness, I have no concerns." "The World" replied, his voice hoarse. Once the transaction was confirmed, Caine materialized a vellum scroll before the figure of "The Hangman." Aljer eagerly bent low, reading each word with eager anticipation: "There is Sequence 0 above Sequence 1!" "Sequence 0 is the sequence where the True Gods reside!" "This can also be achieved through the corresponding elixirs and rituals." Sequence 0? The sequence where the True Gods reside! Aljer was first stunned, then deeply moved, silently murmuring to himself: "Ah, now it all makes sense..." "I understand it now! I truly understand it!" He took a quiet breath, leaning back against the chair as though nothing had happened at all. That secret must be quite astonishing… even the "Hangings" gentleman has grown visibly unsettled. "Justice" Audrey, with a lingering gaze, turns toward the "Sun" across the room and says, "Mr. Sun, I remember you mentioning that the Silver City has a dragon-path sequence 9, sequence 8, and sequence 7 potion recipes." "Yes," replies "Sun" Deryck, nodding earnestly. "The name of the sequence 7 potion is 'Psychanalyst.'" "What would I need to offer in exchange?" Audrey asks with poised dignity. "The recipe for the sequence 7 potion of the "Sun" path," Deryck responds without hesitation. "Justice" Audrey gives a gentle nod and says, "I will do my best to gather it." "Well... I haven't mentioned to Horst that at Mr. A's gatherings, there's an exceptional one from the 'Sun' path—at least Sequence 7—skilled in purification and exorcism. Once the recent events settle down, I should try reaching out from here. Also, I should attend more of the gatherings held in the former medical school building and make efforts to connect with members of the Psychological Alchemy Circle. Taking two paths instead of one seems more reliable. A series of thoughts ran through Audrey's mind, yet suddenly she realized that even with the recipe线索, she still couldn't secure it. For the past several months, she's been in a financial crisis, barely managing to stay afloat. The recipe for a Sequence 7 is worth around 800 pounds—she can manage to gather that amount. Hmm... it's now October, and New Year is approaching. By then, she'll officially turn 21 and have much more financial independence. Or perhaps, she could exchange the knowledge taught by Mr. The Fool?" He didn't know what attitude He held toward this kind of behavior... Audrey's thoughts began to drift. She decided to wait until the recipe situation looked promising before asking the "Knight of Cups." The transaction concluded as planned. Klein had originally intended to trade his knowledge for a magical item with fewer risks, but upon noticing the discomfort of the "Hanged Man," he realized the latter would have to make a significant sacrifice for the two exceptional materials—likely leaving him with little else to offer, so he had to settle for it. As soon as the free exchange session began, the "Hanged Man" Alje promptly remarked: "The fleet of Zinglitz, the 'Wind-Wielder,' has been brought under control, and a new pirate general has emerged."