The light emanating from the wick was unusually viscous, as though it had incorporated substantial streams of water, surging upward and coalescing into a distorted, hazy figure of pale gold. This figure instantly filled the deep red star representing the "Recluse," causing Caine to momentarily lose his connection to the "Star General" Gardeleia. Sitting at the highest seat of the bronze long table, Caine's eyes widened suddenly, and an instinctive thought flashed through his mind: Indeed, no wonder it's the sealed entity designated "0—05!" While the numbering of "0"-level sealed entities typically follows the chronological order in which they were first recognized or acquired by the Divine Church, this naming system was formally established only after the Seven Churches had fully come to rule the world—during the late Fourth Age and early Fifth Age. At that time, the majority of the "0"-level sealed entities had already appeared and been known or secured by the Churches. This results in a situation where, during the initial sorting, the more powerful, more terrifying, and more astonishing "Level 0" seal objects are placed ahead, and then within each tier, they are numbered according to the order of their appearance. Although there's no strict rule that older objects are inherently stronger, any item that has survived from the First Age—beyond the reach of the ancient gods—necessarily holds secrets that even the gods themselves cannot fully comprehend. Consequently, the more forward a "Level 0" seal object's number, the more formidable it tends to be, at least in a certain sense. Of course, under this system, the "Level 0" seal objects with later numbers may not necessarily be inferior to the first ten; they might simply have been discovered later or reached the Church later, leaving no room for earlier numbering and thus being arranged sequentially as per the standard order. As Klein pondered this thought, the golden figure's gaze pierced through the deep red star symbolizing the "Recluse" and settled upon the ancient palace rising above the gray mist. Immediately, "His" voice resonated with remarkable grandeur: "Long time no see." Long time no see? Had he known the former lord of "Yuanbu," the "Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tian Zun"? No—rather, *Him*, the self-proclaimed eternal "Lamp Deity"... how could *He* directly converse with him through the prayers of the "Recluse" lady? Clain's thoughts flashed like lightning, his spirit instantly tensed. Drawing upon years of experience and the abilities of the "Jester," he then relaxed his body, leaning back comfortably against the chair. "Esteemed one... frail... He truly knew the former lord of the 'Origin Citadel'... Wasn't that someone active during the First Age? As I ponder these thoughts, Cline smiled and said, 'What you see may not be the truth.' 'Haha.' The distorted, hazy golden figure chuckled. 'You're still fond of deception, but the state of the 'Origin Citadel' cannot be faked. Under normal circumstances, I simply cannot penetrate its outer defenses to speak with you like this.' 'How do you know this isn't something I've deliberately portrayed?' Cline replied casually, appearing relaxed. 'Your deception holds no meaning for me.' The distorted, hazy golden 'Lamp Deity' immediately responded. …There's something about it—like a victim of fraud saying I've lost everything, even my kidneys… What exactly did the former owner of "Yuanbo," supposedly the "Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tian Zun," do to the "Lamp Deity"?…Ah, the individual components that make up this "Wishing Lamp" belong to the "Miracle Master" class. Klein used his dry commentary to ease the pressure in his mind, then smiled: "Whether it has meaning isn't something you define." The "Lamp Deity," whose golden, hazy form slightly wavered, added: "Given the current state of 'Yuanbo,' it seems you have a need for one of the 'Miracle Master' exceptional traits." It didn't dwell on the earlier topic but instead directly addressed what it had observed. …He actually noticed this! His status is truly impressive. Can he even extract the "Miracle Master" exceptional trait from within the "Wishing Lamp" himself? Klein's eyes narrowed slightly, nearly losing his composure. He then steadied his movements and expression, smiling in reply: "You believe that is so." The blurred, distorted golden figure once again echoed the majestic, lofty voice above the gray mist: "We can make a deal. You lift my seal and restore me to freedom, and I will leave you with the extraordinary qualities of the 'Miracle Master'—retaining only what belongs to myself. As for the witness, you will offer your own 'Primordial Substance.' Though both of us have means to counteract the backlash and mitigate the damage from breach, there will be costs involved—some consequences to consider. I guarantee I will not remain here any longer." Seal... Primordial Substance... "The true nature of the 'Wishing Lamp' is so formidable—does it contain within it a being of at least Divine rank?" A thought struck Caine, who quickly assessed the feasibility of the situation. Soon, he made his decision: he would not be swayed. There are two reasons. First, he is not truly the original owner of the Source Keep—he can only achieve a limited number of things and can only endure a certain level of unforeseen events. Second, his education in esoteric studies during his time as a Watcher and his subsequent experiences have repeatedly taught him: never make a deal with the unknown, never hold out any hope. Once this decision was settled, Caine grew more composed and focused on gathering as much information as possible. —The Lamp Deity is said to originate from the First Age, the most dark, chaotic, and mysterious one—He must know a great deal! After a moment's thought, Caine gave a slight smile. "Do you really think these terms will convince me?" He intended to gauge the highest level of concessions the Lamp Deity could offer, thereby uncovering some of His secrets. Upon hearing this, the golden figure, whose light had been steadily flickering, suddenly brightened—truly brightened. His gaze seemed to fall directly upon Caine, his resonant voice echoing like thunder, shaking the ancient palace: "You are not He!" You are not He... At this moment, Caine felt momentarily stunned, even frightened—much like during a grand magic performance, suddenly being pointed to the exact technique being used. He had no idea what was amiss with his earlier question, nor did he understand the specific issue that prevented him from quickly assessing the pros and cons and responding with the most appropriate reaction to the current situation. ...How had He suddenly recognized that I was not the former owner of the Source Citadel—the one rumored to be the Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tian Zun? Wasn't my question perfectly reasonable? If a transaction were to take place, shouldn't there be room for negotiation? Then why did the Lamp Deity's former owner behave differently? It made no sense—how could a skilled deceiver simply present their own assets, offering them outright, without first engaging in negotiation or applying pressure? Oh no, I've overthought this—almost ten seconds have passed already… failing to respond is equivalent to directly admitting the "Lamp God's" charge. In terms of being exposed, Caine hasn't had much experience, and he simply couldn't immediately think of what to say. As he raised his alertness, preparing to draw out the "Staff of Stars" and summon the power of the "Source Fortress" to counter any potential incantations from the "Lamp God," the golden, blurred figure suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha, hahahaha, hahahaha." This laughter stirred the very soul, nearly causing Caine within the "Source Fortress" to lose control—only managing to steady himself subtly. There was no intention of attack, merely the natural diffusion of influence. What on earth was the "Lamp God" laughing at? What could possibly be so amusing? Caine furrowed his brow, considering one possibility after another, yet found none that truly made sense. After a few seconds, the laughter of the "God of Light" subsided, and with a cheerful tone, he said: "Even for beings at our level, fate remains wonderfully奇妙. Regardless of who you are, my proposed deal stands—just as long as you lift the seal and release me. I will return to the stars with my own share, and everything else—including that extraordinary 'Miracle Master' trait—will remain yours. Additionally, I will grant you three wishes. How does that sound? Shouldn't this be quite generous?" The hazy, distorted golden figure suddenly expanded and then dissolved, leaving only the echo of voice: "You will eventually agree!" Only when the gray mist above had fully settled did Caine slowly exhale, murmuring silently: "The 'Lamp Deity' is a powerful being from the stars, sealed within the divine lamp during the First Age or even earlier? Perhaps it was the former steward of the 'Source Citadel'—the figure believed to be the 'Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Celestial Sovereign'—who sealed the Deity. This can be inferred from the 'Wish Lamp's' composition materials possessing the extraordinary qualities of a 'Miracle Master.' Therefore, did the 'Lamp Deity' sense that I was not the former steward when I questioned Him? But I did consider that—logically, the question makes perfect sense, unless there was some unspoken understanding or secret between the original owner of the "Lamp Deity" and the "Source Castle" back then... "The Lamp Deity's power itself probably can't break through the seal too much, but it can leverage the exceptional properties that compose the seal... The 'wish-granting' aspect likely stems from the 'Miracle Master' component, and then the Lamp Deity amplifies it through its own nature." As thoughts flowed through him, Caine glanced up at the deep red star representing the "Reclusive," only to find that Lady Gardeleia, the "Star General," was completely unaware of the unusual activity just now in the "Wish-Granting Lamp." Inhale... Caine condensed his intended message into a stream of light and sent it toward that deep red star.