Chapter 153: Grand Aspirations

Does a performance need the audience's applause? Is this the magician's role‑playing rule?

Klein said, his tone almost certain.

Leikton nodded slightly, affirming Klein's question, then added:

Close enough, but only a part. The Apprentice Path has a sequence called Trick Master; as an adjacent path, it has sufficient reference value.

After a while of continued exchange with Klein, Leikton stepped out of the spirit realm and returned to the house opposite the street.

In his study, he summoned his book messenger, selected part of what had happened at Dongbailang Shipyard, wrote it into a letter to Jia Deliya, to exchange for the wind‑kin's demonic potion formula.

After sending the finished letter via the messenger to Future, Leikton took out a fresh sheet of paper, this time to write a letter to Xia.

Good afternoon, madam.

The crow I keep is almost done digesting the gravedigger's demonic potion; I wonder when you will obtain the medium's demonic potion formula, and what kind of reward you require?

I recently met a member of the Former Life School; he was once a councilor of the Council of Fate, and I learned much about the Primordial Moon from him.

Finally, one more question: do you know how a Harvest Priest should act?

Leikton did not write a proper ending; instead he drew a small illustration of Tu Ba Ge at the back.

After waiting a while, the book messenger finally arrived tardily; Leikton handed the finished letter to it, and the messenger vanished from sight again.

Finishing the letter, Leikton returned to his bedroom, intending to take an early nap; that night he would take Anu to the cemetery to play the gravedigger, and today should be Anu's last time playing the gravedigger.

When Leikton woke from the bed, the sky outside had already darkened, with a faint crimson glow threading through the heavens.

"Another 'Blood Moon' night; as the apocalypse approaches, these guys have become active," he said.

Leikton let out a sigh, controlling his thoughts so that overthinking wouldn't attract the attention of those beings in the starry sky.

He glanced at a pale yellow sheet lying quietly on the desk beside him, then after getting out of bed, he picked it up for a look.

It was Frank's reply to him, informing that the captain would deliver the wind‑kin's demonic potion formula within the week.

Throwing the letter back into the spirit realm, Leikton went downstairs with Anu and headed to the East District.

Because he had already buried too many corpses in the cemetery overseen by the Steam Church, this time Leikton chose a cemetery under the jurisdiction of the Storm Church.

After shuttling through the spirit realm a few times, he brought over a dozen freshly deceased bodies.

He reached out to pat Anu perched on his shoulder; at Leikton's signal, Anu flew into the air, scattering herbal powder and ritual materials.

After Anu skillfully set up the ritual, Leikton snapped his fingers, and flames leapt from the candles.

The Blood Moon's radiance was especially intense, causing the surrounding spirits to become active and restless.

Under the Blood Moon's influence, Anu's ritual received a boost and quickly completed the soul‑settling for the surrounding corpses.

Then he scattered iron‑black powder, summoning invisible giant hands that dug one grave after another in the ground. He placed the already settled corpses into the pits and covered them with a layer of earth.

Leikton, as before, gathered a few stones, gave them a light polish, and fashioned simple tombstones to set before the pits, then wrote epitaphs for them.

After everything was done, Anu, holding a few wildflowers of unknown origin in its beak, placed them before the tombstones.

Leikton scanned Anu; at that moment, something seemed to be changing about it.

"Boss, I think I've finished digesting the gravedigger's demonic potion," it said.

Anu stood dazed on the ground, and after a while finally flapped its wings and rose into the air.

"Well done." Leikton nodded approvingly, then led Anu through the spirit realm back to Jo Wood District.

Just after stepping out of the spirit realm, Leikton saw a straight‑standing silhouette not far ahead.

Leikton was startled; he hadn't noticed anyone here while in the spirit realm!

"We meet again."

The figure turned, greeting warmly.

The other wore a loose black fur coat, a well‑dressed middle‑aged gentleman, with a lit cigarette in his right hand.

Leikton recognized him: the ferryman of the Baylang Empire's royal blood, Prak Aiges; Leikton politely bowed and then greeted:

"Long time no see, Mr. Aiges! I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon."

"I've slightly dispersed the aggregation effect of my extraordinary traits; I think it should attract this interesting crow."

Prak Aiges, still in a gentle tone, directly explained why they would meet here.

Leikton was a bit stunned by the directness, then said:

"Mr. Aiges, what business do you have with me? Or are you looking for..."

Saying that, Leikton also pointed at the unmoving Anu perched on his shoulder.

Prak Aiges smiled and said:

"Both of you, your necrotic aura hasn't dissipated yet; you just went to the cemetery to play?"

"Then I guess you haven't had dinner yet; let's go, I'll treat you to a Southern Continent specialty dinner."

Saying that, Prak turned and led the way ahead. Leikton hesitated briefly, then fell in step, arriving at a nearby restaurant called Hajati.

Inside, a waiter, upon seeing Prak, immediately guided them forward; they reached a window seat on the second floor, with a clear view of the street outside.

Leikton and Prak sat opposite each other; Prak instructed the waiter to bring the ordered dishes.

Leikton raised an eyebrow, "Was this prepared long ago?"

Prak smiled faintly, took a sip of the tea the waiter poured, then said:

"I plan to leave Beckland soon and return to Dongbailang. I have a strong premonition that Beckland will not remain peaceful for a while; it's currently unsuitable for the tobacco trade."

"And I've been away from Dongbailang for over a year; I should go back, otherwise anyone there might jump out."

Leikton looked at him with surprise; he recalled that the Death God Path and foresight have nothing to do with such power struggles.

"The Death God Path can wield various spells through natural spirits and wandering souls, including prophetic spells," he explained.

Seeming to know what Leikton was thinking, Prak gently explained.

Leikton nodded slightly; that made sense.

But the other is Sequence Three; aside from matters involving true gods and angels, he needn't care about anything, so why...

"Mr. Aiges, what business do you have in finding me?"

Rekton directly voiced his confusion.

Plack handed a freshly roasted lamb chop to Rekton, then tore a small piece of meat and fed it to the raven Anu.

After doing all that, Plack finally spoke again:

"I would like to invite you to join an organization; I wonder if you're interested in going to the Southern Continent with me?"

Rekton was taken aback for a moment; he had considered many possibilities, but he truly hadn't expected the other party to be trying to poach him. He almost immediately shook his head and declined the suggestion:

"Sorry, I can't leave Beckland for now, and I doubt the Knowledge Church would consent to me joining the Spirit Sect."

"As expected," Plack nodded slightly, not lingering on the issue, as if the earlier proposal had been a mere whim.

"However, the organization I'm inviting you to is not the Spirit Sect, or rather, it won't be in the future."

"The Spirit Sect is splitting?"

Rekton said with a puzzled expression.

Plack shook his head slightly: "I don't feel much affinity for any of the Spirit Sect's factions; I intend to gather a group of like‑minded people to form a loose organization focused on economic development."

"Compared to resurrecting the Death God and rebuilding the Bairang Empire—grand schemes—I would rather see the Southern Continent actually developed, not carved up like a cake by the great kingdoms and churches."

"A grand ideal," Rekton sighed sincerely. If he weren't at Sequence Five, he might have tried to recruit the other into his own side to complete the Knowledge Wilderness mission, needing people with such ideas.

"Is it grand? Perhaps it's too far-fetched," Plack said in a mildly self‑deprecating tone.

"It's just a small idea; although I will act on it, it may not bear fruit."

Rekton gave his head a slight shake, smiled, and said:

"At least I strongly agree with this ideal; I think besides me, many others will share it, even if they're not members of the Spirit Sect, or even not from the Southern Continent."

"Moreover, perhaps some churches and organizations could become your partners, offering assistance."

"For example, the Knowledge Church?" Plack's tone remained gentle, but a sincere smile appeared on his face.

(End of chapter)