Though the concept of temperature didn't exist at all within the Hall of Honesty, Caine felt a sudden chill, then a wave of heat, and though he wanted to defend himself, he found himself at a loss for words. He silently met Adam's clear gaze—so clear it reflected his own form—for a few seconds, then, with some difficulty, began: "I accept... "But I will strive to reduce the damage brought by the war, as long as I am still alive." He paused, then asked in a steady tone: "Is that the price you've assigned to this gift? 'Didn't you notice this travelogue the moment a certain ascetic here uttered your true name, and did you not begin to make preparations in secret?' Adam, dressed simply in a white robe, said nothing. He took slow, steady steps toward the mural on the left, stopped before one of them, slightly inclined his head, and quietly gazed upon it. In that mural, books bound in vellum soared into the clouds, reached the stars, and were caught by a massive claw. After a moment, Adam spoke softly, "You may go." At once, Klein felt himself repelled by the collective consciousness of the Hall of Honesty, the City of Miracles, and the ocean of shared awareness within the book world, lifting gently and drifting outward. During this time, he saw Adam return to the front of the rows of black seats, holding the silver crucifix pendant, closing his eyes, and praying with devotion toward the vast, indistinct figure before him. Beyond the collective consciousness, a shimmering gate appeared silently, standing in midair, opening outward. The book world began to push Klein away, gently "pushing" him through the great double doors. Suddenly, he found himself back in the real world, standing before the gray-white mist, poised at the threshold of entering the historical rift. Unlike before, he was no longer locked in the vortex formed by countless transparent worms, and the slender, nearly intangible tendrils that had been wrapping around The Travels of Grollese gently trembled, then vanished mid-air. Without pausing to feel any sorrow, Kline, in the span of a thought, made his choice almost instinctively. He leapt into the gray-white mist from a different direction, taking shelter within a fragment of broken light—this was what was known as a historical fissure. The very next second, he began to regret it, as Chalatu’s slippery, terrifying tendrils extended through the gray-white mist. The countless transparent worms no longer spun in a vortex; instead, they broke apart into a tidal surge, rushing swiftly toward him. Chalatu could fight within the historical fissure! This was precisely how a higher-tier being of the same path dominated a lower-tier one. The beings most adept at countering the semi-gods of the Seers’ path were always those of a higher sequence within the same path. Klein didn't hesitate, just as he had during his promotion—he sprinted through the patches of light, fleeing deeper into the historical mist. The secret tomb collapsed, Beckland suffered aerial bombardment and the great smog disaster, one after another, receded behind him, yet Klein's sense of impending danger not only remained unshaken but grew stronger. He even "saw" the dense shadows drawing nearer, beginning to envelop him. It was the tide formed by the translucent worm and its slick tendrils! Klein desperately fled, constantly reciting in the language of the giants the sacred name of "The Goddess of Night" in his mind, hoping for salvation—this was the only thing he still had the strength to do, and it was the only possible entity that could yet save him. Of course, if he knew the name of Amun, he would have actively sought to engage this "profane one." Only by stirring up chaos could he hope to survive. Rousseau's coronation, the refinement of the steam engine, the breach of oath, the White Rose War, and the Twenty-Year War flashed by one after another, and Klein found himself increasingly enveloped by shadow, his consciousness growing sluggish, as though being manipulated by "spiritual threads." At that moment, lines of Fugue Dogs burst forth from the luminous spots within the gray-white mist. Covered in short, dark fur, their eye sockets burned with deep red flames, and their mouths extended all the way back to their brains. These monstrous "Source Castle Guardians," sweeping past Klein, surged toward his back. Klein's consciousness instantly cleared. Hmph! He cursed himself, his eyes glistening with moisture, his vision slightly blurred, and he resumed his "flight," moving from the "Fifth Age" to the "Fourth Age," then from the "Fourth Age" to the "Third Age." The immense shadow that followed him, like a tidal wave, paused briefly before resuming its steady advance toward Cline, flooding through the historical fissures and engulfing him. Cline was never sparing in his spiritual energy; he strained desperately, using the bright spots he had lit to "run" through the historical haze, from the "Third Age" to the "Second Age," until he reached a solitary fragment of light, surrounded by withered forests and ordinary tombs. This was the history of King Ormil, the giant, who had buried his parents here. Yet the embodied tide of Chalatu, as it were, seemed unfamiliar with these past events, lingering at one particular era and failing to catch up. At this point, Cline's spiritual energy was nearly depleted, and within the historical haze, he could only draw strength from the fissure in which he now stood—clearly, this fissure held no memory of his past. When his spiritual reserves finally ran out, he would have to leave the historical haze and return to the real world, where he would once again face Chalatu directly. Hmph. Caine exhaled, drew out another thousand-paper crane, and snapped his fingers—cracking the sound—as he lit it. Yet, after waiting several seconds, he still didn’t see the "Serpent of Fate," Will Aongsting, appear. In the historical fissure, ordinary thousand-paper cranes couldn’t establish a connection with Will… Where is Amun? The thought flashed through him, and Caine once again recited in the language of the Giants: "O goddess of night more noble than the stars, more enduring than eternity—Queen of the crimson, Mother of the hidden, Sovereign of calamities and fears, Lady of repose and stillness…" After holding on for a few more seconds, Caine suddenly had a sudden inspiration and immediately broke through the historical haze, returning to the present world. As his form began to take shape, the "spirit thread" rose into the air, caught by a smooth, translucent appendage. At the same time, a figure emerged directly across from him—Arianna, the head of the ascetic order, barefoot and dressed in a linen robe. Given Kline's capabilities, the angelic historical projection he summoned must have already vanished—thus, the one who arrived is undoubtedly the original. The abbot of the Abbey of Night glanced at Kline and, in an instant, dissolved him from under Chalatu's touch. Kline entered Arianna's hidden realm—a place shrouded in night, featuring numerous ancient buildings, with a massive, sacred red moon suspended high in the sky. Drawing on their past collaborations, Kline immediately used "teleportation" to materialize within the red moon, thereby exiting the hidden realm from another point. Upon returning to reality, Kline had already moved some distance from Chalatu, so he promptly employed "travel" to depart directly, while briefly halting Chalatu, Arianna transformed into a hidden state and withdrew from the battle. Boom! A terrifying thunder roared, and the translucent tentacles attempting to reach toward where Kline had vanished suddenly retracted, vanishing along with the body. Kline, now transported to the sea, didn't pause to draw strength from his past self—he immediately summoned a paper figure from the historical rift and waved his wrist. —Most of his personal belongings had been damaged when they turned into bookmarks, and the secret figures, Chounas and Enyuni, were lost somewhere as well; perhaps they had already evaporated under the light of the angel of light. Crack! The paper figure ignited in blazing red flames, rising into a shimmering, ethereal angel with layered wings, enveloping Kline and erasing his traces. Then, Kline initiated the "transport" once more and departed. ……… At the secret mausoleum in East Chester, William Augustus I and the "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette, either through shifts in order or through the fulfillment of their own prophecies, simultaneously perceived the impending demise of George III. The latter did not linger—he suddenly separated into a multitude of luminous soap bubbles, dispersing outward and breaking one after another. William Augustus I neither pursued nor attempted to halt this unfolding, though he was not entirely unmoved. …… After entering the room, Caine, despite his mental exhaustion and bodily injuries, began chanting the sacred name of the sea god Cavitua, preparing to reverse his steps toward the gray mist, using his "true vision" and genuine "angelic embrace" to assess the surroundings and eliminate potential hazards. Fortunately, Zarathustra must have a pact with King George III, binding him to the tomb and preventing him from leaving at will; otherwise, during that chaotic battle, I would have likely become his very statue. The appearance of both Zarathustra and the divine calamity Seara had surpassed my expectations. Caine exhaled a deep breath, took a step counterclockwise, and opened his mouth, reciting in Mandarin: "Fú shēng..." Suddenly, Caine's body trembled, his words cut short, and he froze in place. In his line of sight, a figure had appeared on the chair beside the full-length mirror in the room—medium height, a young man, dressed in a dark jacket and wool trousers, of mixed Ruun and Baylan descent. This was one of the rare spirits Klein had previously lost—the spirit named "Winner," Enyuni. Facing Klein's eyes, which could no longer move, Enyuni smiled and said, "Don't discard the spirits at random; they will be tracked." As he spoke, he slowly rose and, reaching into his clothing pocket, pulled out a single crystal lens, which he then gently placed over his right eye. (Part V complete) P.S.: The summary of Part V will be posted at dawn tomorrow. Also, kindly secure a guaranteed monthly pass—don’t forget to make use of the monthly pass on the last day of November, either! (This chapter complete) 1158. Summary of Part V, Leave Request, and Request for Guaranteed Monthly Pass Summary of Part V, Leave Request, and Request for Guaranteed Monthly Pass Hm. What if, at the very beginning of the next volume, I open with a tarot reading, depicting everyone conducting the meeting normally under the watchful gaze of the "Knight" figure—only, Mr. Germaine Spalro, representing "The World," seems to be wearing a single-lens spectacled, and the "Knight" appears more at ease than usual, his body slightly inclined, his right elbow resting on the armrest, occasionally gently pressing on his right eye socket?... Will the knife that’s about to be thrown drown out this subtle scene? Haha, just kidding. No matter how dramatic the turning points, they must still adhere to fundamental principles—no, to fundamental logic. Given the groundwork and narrative threads established earlier, I can’t simply write what I please Throughout the fifth volume, I've already summarized the main issue: for a long time, Xiao Ke was rather uncertain and lacked sufficient intrinsic motivation. As a result, the narrative momentum gradually weakened. After the initial phase—when readers could follow Xiao Ke as he gradually came to understand and appreciate the new world—there were other elements needed to sustain interest. By the middle and later parts of the book, readers naturally expected to see ongoing development and progression, and specifically, developments that generated genuine anticipation. However, when I first structured this section, I aimed to ensure that this shift wasn't too abrupt. Following the significant impact at the end of Volume Four, Xiao Ke would need time to absorb and internalize these changes. Therefore, I wanted to build up this transformation gradually through extensive groundwork. As you can see, the narrative momentum in the next volume is now completely secure. Meanwhile, while writing about Xiao Ke, I also have to manage other characters—depicting their growth, their steadfast convictions, and the inner conflicts they face. This further slows down the pacing. It's like an octopus, initially maneuvering just a few tentacles, gradually extending its control to manage seven, eight, or even more story and character threads—growing increasingly strained, yet still needing to maintain a lean, agile narrative structure without appearing bulky or unsteady. Regrettably, this has required temporarily suppressing certain character arcs to prevent structural imbalance. Beyond the issues outlined above, there are now two additional points: first, it took nearly two hundred chapters to complete the character's progression, which seems slow in terms of narrative structure, though the actual progress has been quite swift. Despite the extensive groundwork, the pace still feels overly tight. I believe a more gradual progression—spanning one to two additional years for Xiao Ke—would be a smoother, more natural approach. This point deserves attention—it's a structural issue in the overall narrative flow, with insufficient time-lapse gaps to allow transitions. The pacing feels too fast at times, yet too slow at others. I'm not sure if I've summarized this before; I can't recall clearly. So, let me reiterate. For many authors, the primary role of character progression is to deliver satisfying "payoff" moments, and that's true for me as well. However, I also have a deeper understanding of progression—one that serves as my tool and benchmark for controlling the narrative rhythm. Why? Because of the concept of "change." As a story unfolds over an extended period, audiences naturally crave fresh elements, new dynamics, and variety—something that feels different and not stagnant. At such moments, progression naturally provides this sense of change, gently and organically. It's not merely a shift in the external environment; it also encompasses transformation within the protagonist—internal evolution that radiates outward, creating a balanced, holistic transformation. Therefore, novels that don't directly incorporate upgrade elements are certainly writable, but they must feature a series of distinct "changes"—in a sense, this represents an internalized, softened form of progression. For instance, in certain romance novels, the development of the protagonists' relationship can itself be seen as an upgrade, evolving from initial stages to deeper connections, with elements of regression, division, and reconciliation added. The second point I'd like to emphasize is that in Book Five, many plotlines are gradually moving away from mid-to-low-tier extraordinary characters and from the broader social context. This shift is an inevitable consequence of Xiao Ke's growing strength, stature, and increasing involvement in more significant affairs—something I intend to address and resolve. Once the setting and environment are lost, the narrative risks losing authenticity and grounding, becoming merely a series of dramatic conflicts. This explains why, in my earlier novels, the story's pace has accelerated over time—except for the martial cultivation genre, which remains steady due to its repetitive nature and the relatively limited narrative impact of character progression. One of the original intentions behind developing the sequence system and the role-playing method was to enable high-positioned individuals who have become detached from society to re-engage with the world through role-playing, thereby restoring their lives and bringing authenticity back to the world. While this aspect is reflected to some extent due to the overarching tone of the series, it remains underdeveloped. I hope to strengthen it further in future installments. Returning to the fifth installment, the theme of "The Red Priest" symbolizes war—though it is not extensively detailed in direct narrative scenes, it runs throughout the entire story as the clear narrative thread. Through the characters' experiences within this setting, the sense of being overwhelmed and their struggles are vividly portrayed. Triselle embodies this, as does Klein, and all the characters who persist under the relentless tide of historical change. I've repeatedly emphasized the theme of drowning so that, in the final十几 chapters, I won't need to mention it again—through the story itself, the atmosphere and sense of immersion will naturally emerge. I'm confident readers will intuitively feel it, especially when they witness Trish's words, her descent into the mausoleum, Amun donning single-vision glasses before young K, and the final moment when the struggling figures sink beneath the water—the sensation comes alive. The characters thus take shape. Because of the need for such an atmosphere, the encounters with enemies and dramatic turning points in this book are relatively few. In my view, a series of attacks by the enemy—being struck, then attacked again, then attacked once more—may not be as somber and oppressive as the gradual, sustained effort of struggling to break through, yet feeling increasingly lost and directionless. And precisely because of the issues summarized above, since the fifth season, viewership has been steadily declining, with occasional rebounds, but the overall trend has remained unchanged—nearly a full ten thousand viewers lost. Therefore, I believe it was essential to conduct a self-assessment, as it effectively addressed both intrinsic momentum and narrative tension, though it required a bit more rigidity. The results were immediate and impactful: since then, viewership has stabilized and begun to rise steadily, now reaching the peak levels seen earlier, with average viewership now at 89,000. The sixth season is titled "The Pursuers of Light," derived from the "Sun" path at Sequence 2, historically known as "The Sun Seekers." The literal meaning is straightforward, yet it symbolizes numerous individuals and significant events. This one is particularly significant to me—it's a crucial element within the overall narrative structure, marking the initial completion of the world-building, the opening of the story's scope, and the decisive factor in whether the dramatic impact can truly take hold. Previously, a friend asked me whether "The Mysterious" has now passed its peak storytelling phase and is entering the concluding phase. I told him no—the peak I envision lies in the sixth volume. I feel a bit nervous, unsure if I can deliver it well. As for the next three volumes, each will certainly fall short of 200 chapters. The exact number, however, I can't predict with certainty—perhaps around 100, or maybe 140 to 150, or even less than 100. This uncertainty stems from the fact that until the sixth volume is completed, I cannot foresee how many chapters the seventh and eighth volumes will ultimately contain. I'm a rather mediocre octopus—no outline, no detailed plot structure, just key plot points, climactic scenes, broad developments, and the main structural arcs. Therefore, before writing each chapter, I often spend nearly an hour deeply contemplating it, sometimes even longer. I'm not saying I completely lack outlines or detailed plans—those are all in my mind, constantly being updated daily. Once a friend asked to see my outline, and found it rather bewildering: aside from detailed world, character, power, and historical timeline information, the actual outline usually serves more as a formality and is rarely followed. Well, here we are again at the highly anticipated phase: after the fifth installment concludes, I'll take a three-and-a-half-day break. This time, I'm determined to create a more thorough outline for the sixth book, or else relying solely on mental visualization will become increasingly difficult as the story progresses, requiring more and more considerations. As for the update schedule, starting from midweek Saturday, with the final chapter posted early, meaning I'll take half a day off on Saturday. Then, updates resume on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and from noon on Wednesday. Also, also—since it's the beginning of the month, don't forget to sign up for the monthly pass! Your enthusiasm has been the driving force behind the sixth installment—thank you! I'll deliver the first special update for the November monthly pass at key moments in the storyline!