Chapter 175: Bone Staff

After Lei Kedun returned to Mingsike Jie, the sky outside had already turned completely dark.

Although, by the clock, night had not yet arrived, the dense smog of Beikelan De shrouded the evening sun in layers, making it look no different from night.

Glancing at the pitch‑black night sky beyond the window and the scattered lights leaking from nearby houses, Lei Kedun let out a sigh:

"It's darker than night; it's not yet time for the gas street lamps to be lit."

Thinking there was still enough time, Lei Kedun unusually cooked a dinner for himself; though not masterful, the food at least suited his palate.

After devouring too much roast meat and bread, Lei Kedun felt that Luosai Er's greatest failure was not saving the food of this era, and even wondered whether Luosai Er was a kitchen killer.

Finishing dinner, Lei Kedun examined in his bedroom the rib fragment that Mr. A had given him, which was infused with Black Knight traits.

The mass of flesh that dwelled within him gave no response; Lei Kedun even pressed the rib onto the tattoo on his left forearm, yet it still showed no reaction.

Lei Kedun had no choice but to go to bed early and ask the other party in his dreams.

After lying down, Lei Kedun quickly began meditating, guiding himself into deep sleep.

In the dream, Lei Kedun's hazy mind cleared again, and the setting remained the same twilight temple interior as before.

Lei Kedun smoothly turned his head toward the seat at the highest point of the palace, where the vague silhouette was no longer indistinct.

A man with shoulder‑length, slightly wavy black hair and eyes that seemed to cloak shadows stared at Lei Kedun.

He wore a black robe entwined with silver threads, etched with complex symbols and adorned with ornate ornaments; layer upon layer of ethereal black wings draped from his back, covering most of his body.

The shadow beneath him was dense as a living thing, seemingly writhing imperceptibly.

"Sasilier!" Lei Kedun whispered the name.

A faint smile appeared on the man's face, though it was unclear whether it was due to his improved condition or the use of the name Sasilier.

His voice was low and even:

"I quite like the identity of Sasilier, so I intend to keep using it."

"Of course, there are also remnants of some anchors attached to this identity, which help me stabilize my condition."

Lei Kedun gave a slight nod, not surprised that the dark angel Sasilier still retained a trace of faith.

Yadam had always propagated the belief in the Ancient Sun God, though only within the Twilight Hermit Society and the Divine Abandoned Land.

"Have you already absorbed the properties of that rib?"

Lei Kedun asked the question he cared about most; after all, it was a newly acquired Level‑1 sealed artifact, and it would be a waste to let it vanish without using it once.

Sasilier shook his head slightly and said, "No, I only took the divinity and will within it."

Lei Kedun's gaze shifted to the shadow beneath him; the True Creator's will must be maddening, and taking it outright would likely corrupt oneself.

Sasilier noticed Lei Kedun's stare, glanced casually at the shadow beneath him, and said with a light laugh:

"You're perceptive; this isn't a major issue. The time before the deity's descent is enough for me to assimilate and digest this portion of will."

"I need a better state... to face what comes next."

Since the other side said so themselves, Lei Kedun had no further worries and asked:

"Can you suppress the negative effects of that rib fragment?"

Sasilier extended his right hand, lifted it before him as if supporting some invisible thing, and asked:

"What kind of weapon do you prefer?"

"Weapon?" Lei Kedun was taken aback, not knowing why the other asked that, but answered honestly:

"I have no clear preference; after all, I'm more adept at casting spells."

Sasilier gave a slight nod, and from his outstretched right hand appeared a Bone Staff the length of an adult's forearm.

It was overall grayish, bearing strange dark‑red patterns; the front resembled a grasping white‑bone hand, while the tip was like a blade.

"That will do!"

Sasilier nodded with satisfaction, then withdrew his hand, causing the Bone Staff to vanish, and looked at Lei Kedun again:

"I've adjusted the rib's form and abilities; it now can shepherd souls, up to three at most, and if a soul reaches a demigod level, only one can be held."

"I've partially suppressed the negative effects; after using it in combat you'll need to find flesh for it to devour. As for corruption from fallen or impure forces, you can cleanse it yourself; it's simple."

"It also prays to me at a set time each day; you needn't worry about that, since its prayers are directed at me and will not affect you."

Lei Kedun nodded in surprise; despite their conversation occurring in a dream, the other could still affect the rib fragment placed in his bedroom.

The Bone Staff altered by Sasilier acquired a habit of liking to pray, reminding Lei Kedun of other sealed artifacts with the same drawback, most of which belong to the Omniscient Omnipotent Five Paths.

Lei Kedun glanced at the Sasilier standing ahead, gaining a clearer understanding.

Case closed: those sealed artifacts always sing praises to the corresponding deity, all of which are fabricated; the most common negative effect of the Sun Path is the Ancient Sun God's influence.

"What are you thinking?" Sasilier's even voice came.

Lei Kedun reined in his thoughts and casually asked:

"The Aurora Society is now a wholly anti‑human cult; are you prepared to reform it?"

Sasilier fell into an uncommon silence for a moment, then said after a while:

"That is inevitable; when I regain my angelic stature, I will lead the Aurora Society toward a new direction."

"I, as the True Creator, have been mad for too long; under the oppression of the Seven Gods and my own influence, the Aurora Society, dominated by the Mystic Prayerers, has become what it is now."

Lei Kedun nodded in agreement; it was ideal that the other could guide the Aurora Society out of its cultic scope.

However, the True Creator remained in a mad state; thinking of this, Lei Kedun slightly furrowed his brow and said:

"The True Creator is the true god of this Path; as long as He has not regained sanity, all Mystic Prayerers will still be affected by the influence from the top of the Sequence."

Sasilier smiled and said, "I will bear their suffering!"

The next morning, the outside was already bright.

The first thing Lei Kedun did after getting up was to check the rib fragment he had set on the table the night before.

The rib that had been on the tabletop had turned into a Bone Staff the length of an adult's forearm, and Lei Kedun curiously examined it in his hand.

It felt icy to the touch, yet the malevolent aura on the staff was far weaker than that of the rib yesterday, seemingly due to Sasilier's alteration.

Lei Ke Dun held the Bone Staff and pointed forward; the shadows in the room instantly came alive, flooding like water and tangling, twisting in the bedroom.

Lei Ke Dun's hand holding the Bone Staff twisted slightly twice, and the room's shadows swiftly returned to their original positions, as if nothing had ever happened.

Then he reached out and lightly brushed the blade‑like tip of the Bone Staff.

The power of the Fallen Realm quickly gathered, extending from the tip of the Bone Staff a blade of abnormal sharpness as long as an arm.

Lei Ke Dun swung this spirit‑flesh blade, and the small coffee table beside him instantly split in two.

The cut surface was unusually smooth, seeming to attest to the blade's keenness.

Without further testing the Bone Staff's ability, Lei Ke Dun already felt the staff's intent to devour flesh and blood transmitted to him; though not strong, if he kept using it the intent would grow stronger.

Moving far away from the Bone Staff, Lei Ke Dun's eyes quickly took on a blue‑white hue.

A holy, pure, radiant and warm light appeared in the room, instantly purifying the fallen, filthy power's contamination that clung to Lei Ke Dun.

Lei Ke Dun felt his whole body become light.

After understanding the Bone Staff's positive and negative effects, Lei Ke Dun went out and bought about ten jin of fresh beef, kept some for his own breakfast, and fed the rest entirely to the Bone Staff.

The white‑bone hand at the tip of the Bone Staff, originally in a grasping shape, opened; a mouth full of fangs split open in the palm.

Without anyone lifting it, the Bone Staff itself seemed to come alive, suddenly leapt from the table onto the fresh beef; the white‑bone hand kept grasping, while the split mouth in the palm ravenously chewed and swallowed.

"It only comes alive when it's mealtime?"

Seeing this, Lei Ke Dun let out a sigh.

When he previously used the Bone Staff he had checked it, and at that time the staff had not shown this living characteristic.

Now it seems the staff was dormant then; it only awakens when fed and when praying to Sasilier.

(End of chapter)