Chapter 113: First Tarot Meeting

When it was about three in the afternoon, Lei Kedun leaned back in the study's armchair, waiting for his first Tarot Meeting.

At exactly three in the afternoon, an illusory, deep crimson light surged like a tide, gradually flooding his vision.

When his sight returned, Lei Kedun found himself standing above a gray mist, inside a palace that resembled a giant's dwelling.

Looking around, seated to his right front was a lady shrouded in gray mist, her features indistinct; at this stage, the only lady at the Tarot Meeting was Miss Justice.

To his right stood a tall youth; Lei Kedun was sure that Xiao Taiyang was younger than him, yet the youth seemed about two meters tall.

Further to the right was the most mature person present, the storm‑priest‑clad Hanged Man.

As Lei Kedun scanned the members of the Tarot Meeting, Miss Justice and the Xiao Taiyang beside her also noticed the extra participant.

"This is Mr. White Tower."

The Fool, seated at the head of the bronze long table, introduced him.

Lei Kedun rose naturally and bowed to each person present.

Miss Justice then rose cheerfully, returning the salute, and also introduced the other members of the Tarot Meeting:

"Hello, my code name is 'Justice'; the one beside you is 'Sun', and the one next to him is 'the Hanged Man'."

Lei Kedun nodded in thanks to Miss Justice.

Seeing that everyone had already met, the Hanged Man spoke impatiently:

"Fool, I have collected nineteen pages of the Luo Sai'er diary this time."

"My current memory limit is only six pages; please allow me to give them to you in several batches."

"No problem," Ke Lai'en, cloaked in gray mist, replied.

Lei Kedun sat quietly in his seat, clearing his mind, waiting for the Fool's remarks after reading Luo Sai'er's diary.

Only when the Fool at the head of the bronze long table lightly tapped the table's edge did Lei Kedun come back to himself.

Ke Lai'en, his figure shrouded in gray mist, scanned everyone present; in a spiritual sight state, he noticed that the newly added White Tower seemed to have been daydreaming until he struck the bronze long table, bringing him back.

"This fellow's attitude toward the great existence doesn't seem very respectful! Is it because of his own nature, or because I, the Fool, have not yet ascended to the so‑called spiritual realm's great ruler position?"

Retracting his thoughts, Ke Lai'en suddenly had a new idea, and let his voice sound low and calm as he laughed:

"Luo Sai'er's diary mentions some common knowledge, which reminds me that I don't think I've told you that before."

Justice, the Hanged Man, and Xiao Taiyang, seated below, all reacted accordingly. Lei Kedun pondered for a long while, could not recall what the Fool would say at this gathering, and shifted his posture to a listening stance.

"First piece of common knowledge: the law of non‑destruction of extraordinary traits."

"Second piece of common knowledge: the law of conservation of extraordinary traits within adjacent sequences."

Ke Lai'en, his silhouette veiled by gray mist, observed everyone's reaction; apart from the newly added White Tower, the others' responses showed they were sufficiently surprised and satisfied with the two pieces of information.

"It seems he knows a lot; we should find a chance to extract information from him. It would be handy to have a small account at this point," Ke Lai'en thought, his inner monologue unknown to anyone.

"Why adjacent sequences?" the Hanged Man A'erjie couldn't help but ask.

Ke Lai'en smiled lightly: "What will you have to give to obtain the answer?"

"Fool, what reward do you wish to receive?"

Miss Justice, seated to Lei Kedun's right front, was also interested in the answer.

Only Lei Kedun and Xiao Taiyang remained silent; one already knew the answer, the other felt he had nothing to trade.

"Information about the Secret Cultivation Society."

Ke Lai'en, under the gray mist, voiced the information he desired.

The scene fell silent for a moment, then the Hanged Man broke the silence first.

"I will gather and investigate information about the Secret Cultivation Society for you."

"Can you pay the reward in advance?"

The Hanged Man asked very cautiously.

Lei Kedun, quietly observing the scene, intended to tell the Fool about Cha Latu's information, and continued the Hanged Man's words:

"Ha! I'll pay this reward for you."

Ke Lai'en, his figure cloaked in gray mist, brightened; his main target for the deal was White Tower, whose information the Hanged Man had already disclosed, while Justice and Xiao Taiyang were likely unaware of those details.

The others also watched Lei Kedun curiously, awaiting his next words.

"The Secret Cultivation Society was founded in the Fourth Era as a hidden organization, mastering the path of diviners; they are the least active among all secret groups, thus the least understood. Each time they appear, they are pursuing the relics of the An Ti Ge Nu Si family."

"Their leader Cha Latu took a Mysterious Secret Servant trait from An Ti Ge Nu Si's side, now becoming a Sequence One Mysterious Secret Servant, but has gone mad because it is incomplete."

"Its historical fissure image was cut by the Night Goddess and sealed in Mist Town; however, this does not affect its essence—once someone opens the exit of Mist Town, it will return to its true form and recover."

Lei Kedun gave a detailed introduction of Cha Latu's information, which would also be one of the Fool's future enemies.

The scene grew very quiet; no one spoke.

Seeing the silence, Lei Kedun was a bit puzzled:

"Hm? Why is everyone silent? Is there something you don't understand?"

"Indeed, there are many things we don't understand."

Miss Justice whispered a sentence, then added:

"But that's fine; this was originally meant as an answer for the Fool, though I'm very curious."

"No, the Fool also has many questions; at this moment, I really need a small account!"

Ke Lai'en, beneath the gray mist, wailed inwardly; he wanted to ask clearly, but his status prevented him from speaking.

"You may ask; today it's free for you, but later it may cost you!"

Lei Kedun chuckled lightly.

At this moment, Lei Kedun smiled inwardly, because it was intentional. He knew Ke Lai'en would have many doubts from this explanation, but with the curious Miss Justice present, someone would continue to inquire.

Hmm. Hanging the Fool's appetite will make one body and mind pleasant.

"May I delay you some time, Fool?"

Miss Justice immediately made a request to Mr. Fool, who was seated at the far end of the bronze long table.

"Sure." The Fool, shrouded in gray mist, gave a gentle nod.

"Hoo~ this gathering cannot be without Miss Justice."

Ke Lai En silently gave Miss Justice a thumbs‑up in his heart.

After receiving the Fool's reply, Miss Justice turned her head toward Lei Kedun and said:

"Mr. White Tower, I will pay a certain reward for this; it follows the principle of equivalent exchange."

Lei Kedun nodded without taking a stance.

Xiao Taiyang and the Hanged Man each proposed a trade in turn, and they had many questions about the secret cult information Lei Kedun had just presented.

Miss Justice waited until everyone reached consensus before speaking:

"Mr. White Tower, I am curious about the Mysterious Secret Servant, Historical Gap Images, and Misty Town; I wonder which questions you can answer?"

Lei Kedun nodded, not surprised by Miss Justice's questions:

"The Mysterious Secret Servant is Sequence One of the Diviner Path; it is an angel serving the Mysterious Secret, having initially grasped authority over its domain."

"Historical Gap Images are the ability of Sequence Three of this path; they can summon images from the gaps of history, which may be people or objects, others or oneself."

"Misty Town is a hidden world created by the Night Goddess."

"As for more details, I am not very familiar either."

After Lei Kedun finished speaking, the scene fell into another silence.

After a while, Miss Justice came to herself, looked at the silent crowd, and was the first to break the silence:

"Thank you, Mr. White Tower. The information you revealed is already sufficient—well, high‑end, actually sufficiently high‑end. It truly matches my former imagination of a mysterious world; I never expected to actually hear someone recount these things one day."

"This even touches the realm of deities," the Hanged Man said with admiration.

Only Xiao Taiyang was puzzled; none of these were things he knew, though he understood deities and the hidden worlds they created, and he wondered whether that might be a divine realm.

Ke Lai En, his figure shrouded in gray mist, also pondered the information in his mind:

"Sequence One of my path is called the Mysterious Secret Servant, an angel serving the Mysterious Secret? Does Mysterious Secret refer to the true deity of this path? Yet the term 'servant' never seems to fit the rank of Sequence One."

"Ahem! Shouldn't we wait for Mr. Fool to give an answer? What I said is far beyond us; let it be just a story…"

Lei Kedun cleared his throat twice, indicating the topic should return to the proper track.

"Indeed, but the story is captivating enough. What kind of reward do you, Mr. White Tower, require? I find the value of the information you provided far exceeds the reward I had anticipated."

Miss Justice still remembered the previously mentioned principle of equivalent exchange.

Xiao Taiyang and the Hanged Man also nodded in agreement; the Hanged Man only nodded after seeing Miss Justice and Xiao Taiyang express themselves.

"A copy of any extraordinary trait from any path and any sequence, at any time you wish, will do."

Lei Kedun thought briefly and gave his answer.

"Any path?" the Hanged Man asked, puzzled.

"Yes, I wish to collect some extraordinary traits, and perhaps use them for experiments as well."

Lei Kedun nodded, explaining his purpose for collecting extraordinary traits, and added:

"If you have any extraordinary traits or primary ingredients for demonic potions to sell, you may sell them to me; I can trade money, relevant knowledge, or items."

(End of chapter)