The senior spirit, manipulated by Caine, pierced through thick soil and stone, arriving beside Sharon and observing a broken armrest buried ahead—its surface adorned with asymmetrical patterns, similar yet distinct from the fragmented wood previously discovered. This armrest was not purely deep black; its patterns shimmered with undertones of dark red, as though iron and blood were interwoven. Recalling the imagery from the nightmare, Caine was certain this was not the high-backed chair where the young Medici man had sat. It was the second one! There were at least two high-backed chairs within the room sealed against the malevolent spirits. Neither Caine nor Sharon spoke, instead moving in different directions to search for further traces. Not long after, they found definitive evidence of a third high-backed chair—its foot section, predominantly deep red with pure black patterns, entirely different from the two earlier fragments of wood. "Perhaps it's a problem stemming from the asymmetry of the Quaternary period..." Klein knew Sharon's style well and volunteered to speak something he himself didn't fully believe. ——In the nightmare caused by the lingering presence of the spirits, the high-backed chairs that appeared were at least all of a uniform color! Sharon gave a slight nod. "The number 'three' feels more ceremonial." She meant that when the "Blood Emperor" Alistair Tord had sought to harm the innocent, it wasn't merely a single instance; there had once been a ritual performed within the chamber where the spirits were sealed. Klein was momentarily struck silent, and a vivid image suddenly flashed through his mind. In a spacious, dimly lit room, three high-backed chairs of different styles were arranged around a central point, each occupied by a humanoid figure with heads bowed and breath completely still—among them was the "Red Angel" Medici. Such a scene is becoming increasingly clear, and at once, Caine recalls two other matters: The primary ingredients for the potion of Sequence 0, "Black Emperor," are "Uniqueness" and two exceptional traits of Sequence 1 (excluding the one he himself possesses); "Blood Emperor" Alistair Tord appears to have forcibly transitioned from Sequence 1, "Slayer of Sequences," belonging to the "Black Emperor" path, to Sequence 0, "Red Priest," a path not closely related—now a half-mad true god! As his thoughts spin, Caine quickly formulates a hypothesis: A ceremony for the promotion to Sequence 0, involving the rank of true god, must have once taken place within this room! Of course, considering the elaborate rites required by "Black Emperor," this setting likely represents only the potion aspect—clearly, the path representing "War" demands a broader state of chaos and conflict across the entire continent. Yet Ali斯塔·图铎, the "Emperor of Blood," does not possess the corresponding Sequence 1 extraordinary traits himself, so his "Red Priest" potion requires three Sequence 1 Angels or Sealed Entities to contribute their extraordinary traits—thus, three high-back chairs are needed! By the way, the spirit suspected to be the "Red Angel" Medici mentioned that to free it from its seal, one must locate the direct descendants of Thorin, Einhorn, and the Medici family, draw ten milliliters of blood from each, and mix it with holy water. Thorin and Einhorn are angelic families who have mastered the exceptional path of the "Hunters"—the "Red Priests"—and have endured from the Fourth Age right through to the present day: one has now declined, retaining only influence over the Intis intelligence network and a military faction, while the other remains the royal house of Fsaq. In a flash of insight, Caine formed a new judgment about the events unfolding in this room and the true identity of the spirit: On the two high-backed chairs, seated are the ancestors of the Thorin and Einhorn families—the Sequence 1 angels! Together with the Medici, who likely holds the unique essence of this path—the "War Angel"—the essential components for the "Red Priest" potion are now complete. And that malevolent spirit was likely not merely the "Red Angel" Medici, but also blended with the residual spirits and animosities of the ancient ancestors of Soron and Einhorne! Gasp—three Sequence-1 angels had been sacrificed right here! The curses uttered by these angels as they died, along with the lingering effects of the rituals themselves, had transformed this room into an exceptionally terrifying place, even sealing it off. Fortunately, I had alerted the Church in advance, so they were able to intervene. Otherwise, relying solely on our own strength—even though both I and Miss Sharlen have now reached Sequence-4—perhaps we would have perished here, becoming the sustenance of that malevolent spirit. Klein felt a wave of relief alternating with deep apprehension. Meanwhile, he grew increasingly clear on why the "Red Priest" card had ended up in the hands of that spirit: once all the senior figures of the path had been buried within this underground sanctuary, the natural attraction between extraordinary traits would inevitably draw the holders toward this location, with no deviation. Moreover, the Emperor had said that whatever is separated will eventually reunite, and whatever is united will eventually part. When the "Blood Emperor" Alistair Tord was defeated, his true divine essence—the Sequence 0 trait—should surely divide into four parts. One part would belong to abstraction and concept, representing "uniqueness," while the remaining three parts would be the Sequence 1 extraordinary traits. Otherwise, once someone becomes a god, the corresponding extraordinary paths would no longer possess Sequence 1 traits. Perhaps one or two of these Sequence 1 extraordinary traits would also be drawn toward the sealed room? This, too, must be one of the reasons why the "Card of Desecration" was attracted there! Caine found himself increasingly convinced that he had previously underestimated that evil spirit. Indeed, the angels who ascended through the ranks of the "Conspirator" were no ordinary beings. Standing beneath the tree, Caine prompted Senyor to speak: "Perhaps it truly is a ritual. Matters connected to the 'Blood Emperor' Alistair Tord must surely be of the highest level." Sharon listened quietly, then added, "Thorin, Einhorn, Medici..." Sharon also began to suspect that the three high-backed chairs in this room had once belonged to different angels, based on the details the demon had requested. After a moment's thought, Caine volunteered to reveal through Senyoral: "Arista Tudor, the 'Emperor of Blood,' is the true god of the 'Hunter' path, and his card of渎 is the 'Red Priest.'" Sharon remained silent for a few seconds, as if grasping something, then said, "That card is gone." She was referring to the 'Red Priest' card the demon had previously displayed. "Perhaps that demon has already escaped, before the 'Watchers' and the 'Heart of Mechanism' arrived to destroy this place," Caine suggested. "And it took with it all the extraordinary qualities here, as well as that 'Red Priest' card." Sharon silently surveyed the room, then remarked, "It's cunning—it won't leave such clear traces behind." "Indeed, the extraordinary traits outside the sealed room are clearly no higher than Sequence 4—something utterly unappealing for a demon once crowned as King of the Angels. The same goes for the 'Red Cleric' card—it makes sense that it takes everything within the room, yet why leave not even a trace? It's as if it's saying to others, 'Ha! I've tricked you—I've successfully escaped. Come now, try to catch me!' Wait—perhaps that *is* exactly what it intends to convey! While thinking this, Caine found himself chuckling and prompted Senior to speak: "No, cunning doesn't necessarily mean leaving no clues. The Sequence 8 in the 'Hunter' path is called the 'Provoker.'" At that moment, the image of the 'Red Angel' that formed in his mind perfectly matched Anderson Hude's photograph. Sharon listened silently, her mouth slightly open, yet said nothing. Likewise, Caine found himself momentarily silent, truly impressed by the distinct style of the 'Hunter' path's extraordinary beings. In comparison, Eileen, with her red hair, hardly seems like a member of the Thrain family at all. Yet she has a real talent when it comes to provoking the "illness of the afflicted"—indeed, back then, even the Thrain family members were so furious that the Emperor nearly died of it. Klein silently exhaled, muttering a few thoughts under his breath. The quiet atmosphere was soon broken by Klein's puppet, Senyior, who glanced around and offered a light remark: "Perhaps that's precisely why they were brought here." "Who is supporting Alistair Tord?" asked Sharon, her form translucent and ethereal, though she didn't seem to expect an answer. "Perhaps the Six Deities..." "Klein" recalled the six statues of the deities in the hall outside. But he soon hesitated: "Still, the Seven Deities support the Trenzost Empire, and both Thrain and Einhoven are among its leading noble families. Of course, it's possible that they initially supported Tord, only to break off their alliance once the Deity fell ill." "If it weren't for the Six Deities, does that mean there are still other spirits supporting Alistair Tudo? Who could they be?" Caine thought silently. Sharon didn't linger any longer; her form drifted upward, floating down to the ground and returning beside the great tree. Caine settled Senior's wraith into the gold coins within the iron cigarette box, then casually asked, "I've always been curious—where do pure evil spirits and wraiths, lacking any extraordinary traits, derive their power from?" "The Spirit Realm," Sharon replied simply. Extraordinary traits are conserved, but the source of extraordinary power isn't necessarily so? Perhaps the Spirit Realm itself is a product of certain extraordinary traits... Caine nodded, glanced at the soil beneath his feet, and said, "I'll keep investigating the fate of these evil spirits. If I find anything, I'll let you know." He intended to turn back and ask the 'Magic Mirror,' Arodes. With that, he casually produced a pen and notepad, swiftly writing down his messenger’s contact method and then handed it over: “If you have any matters, you can write me a letter.” Sarlen took the paper and read it carefully. “I’m at the Brave One Bar. Mail can be sent to 126 Garth Street, Hillsdown District, addressed to Mrs. Maria.” “Good,” said Kline. He tucked the pen into his pocket and, in front of Sarlen, used his ritual silver dagger to create a spiritual barrier, sealing once again the iron cigarette box. Then, with the grace of a gentleman, he hailed a rented carriage on another street and took Sarlen all the way back to the Beckland Bridge district. Only after completing these tasks did he return to his upscale hotel in the Hillsdown District, changing his appearance and transferring to another carriage along the way. …… Bayam, in the Seaweed Bar. After drifting at sea for some time, Daniz once again arrived in the “City of Generosity” to assist the resistance with various arrangements. He pulled his cap down low, settled into a corner of the bar, ready to hear the latest rumors—so as not to risk becoming a bounty himself due to outdated or inaccurate information. At that moment, he heard an adventurer beside him say to his companion: "Do you think Germain Spalro might appoint someone else to collect the bounty for 'The General of Blood'?" Ah? Daniz instinctively looked up,茫然, gazing at the speaker. ps: Updates will be posted early in the morning.