[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-101":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2298070,4496,"Chapter 101: Guest (Requesting Monthly Votes)","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-101",101,"\u003Cp>In an instant, Lu Mi’s spirit tightened to its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his body, returned to the bedside, and picked up “Fallen Mercury” with his left hand, wrapped in white bandages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he picked up his shotgun, stepped to the bedroom window amid a “ding-ding-ding” sound, and cautiously glanced toward the front door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no one there!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lu Mi felt as if his heart might stop beating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to activate “Spirit Sight” and take another look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in the Dream Ruins, whenever he entered meditation and held it for several seconds, he heard that mad, terrifying voice and showed signs of losing control, so he couldn’t use this ability smoothly—he spent a long while completing the operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even after activating “Spirit Sight,” he still saw no figure by the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the doorbell’s chime continued echoing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid a flood of thoughts, Lu Mi seriously considered whether to return to bed and force himself to sleep, escaping the dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But knowing the unknown danger had already arrived and could invade his semi-subterranean two-story house at any moment, he felt even returning to reality might not spare him from further attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two possibilities:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the person ringing the bell can enter, going to bed means surrendering my defense;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If they can’t enter, as long as I don’t get provoked into opening the door myself, I’m fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Either way, I have to go downstairs and take a look…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi made his decision quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reinserted “Fallen Mercury” into his waistband, secured his axe, picked up his shotgun, and stepped out of the room, descending the stairs with extreme caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he reached the first floor, a figure appeared in his vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the table, which could seat six, directly opposite the staircase, sat the mysterious woman Lu Mi had searched for everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a white short jacket with a large bow at the collar, and what seemed to be loose pearl-gray trousers—overall, both casual and exquisitely refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, she was sipping a pale golden drink, with a black low hat beside her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi instantly relaxed and walked toward the mysterious woman with brown hair and blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he put down his shotgun and axe, he pulled out the chair opposite the table and sat down, asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can enter here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman set down her cup and smiled faintly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how do you think those materials got to your room?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, the “ding-ding-ding” sound faded away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi glanced at the door and said, puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re already inside—why ring the bell?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s politeness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Politeness that could kill? Lu Mi only dared mutter it in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cut straight to the point:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve obtained the Exquisite Material corresponding to ‘The Arsonist’—I think it’s ‘The Arsonist.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman nodded lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know. That’s why I came to find you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will you help me separate the ‘Provocateur’ Exquisite Material and give me the corresponding potion recipe?” Lu Mi asked, suppressing his sudden surge of joy, “I was about to go to the Old Tavern to find you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the cost, he no longer cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the current situation in Kedou Village, leaving your home would be dangerous, so I came here directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can indeed provide the help you want, but this time, it won’t be free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi once again detected that indescribable emotion in the woman’s eyes—and the phrase “not free” actually reassured him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unknown was more terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do I need to pay?” he asked without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman spoke calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The separated ‘Arsonist’ and ‘Hunter’ Exquisite Materials belong to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it that simple? Lu Mi was quite surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even consider it a cost—he likely wouldn’t be able to use the ‘Arsonist’ Exquisite Material for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Along with the help I’ve already provided, if you have a future—if you still have one—you must do one thing for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi suddenly felt the unreadable emotion in the woman’s eyes grow even more pronounced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probed cautiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I don’t have a future?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman laughed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t failed investment common? Didn’t your sister lose some money buying stocks through divination?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you need me to do?” Lu Mi asked without any hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman sighed lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s talk about that when you survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, give me the Exquisite Material you obtained.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi immediately rose and walked toward the staircase to the second floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before entering the stairwell, he barely controlled himself, walking at a steady pace; once the woman’s gaze could no longer see him, he sprinted up the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Lu Mi returned to the first floor, carrying the cloth bag holding the ‘Arsonist’ Exquisite Material, and walked toward the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman lifted her cup again, sipping the pale golden liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this?” Lu Mi asked casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman gave a simple explanation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A digestive wine from Trill, called ‘Black Pocha’—it’s made by steeping ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for a long time in sweet wine. The taste is quite good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi had brought up the topic only to build rapport; he asked no further questions, opened the bag, and dug out the burning “heart” from the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intense heat burned his palm; he endured the moderate pain, leaned forward, and handed the Exquisite Material to the woman across the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman opened her left palm, letting the “heart” float in midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at Lu Mi and chuckled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When storing Exquisite Materials later, remember to change their environment regularly. If such things remain in contact with the same object too long, they may fuse with it and become enchanted items requiring sealing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I see… Lu Mi asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How often should I change it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Normally, every two to three days,” the woman replied casually. “But accidents happen. My advice is to change it every twenty-four hours. If you find a suitable sealing and storage method, you might not need to change it for months or even years. Also, once you’ve brewed the Exquisite Material into a potion, you must drink it quickly—otherwise, the liquid will easily fuse with the bottle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, a flash of light seemed to ripple over her body, and the burning “heart” transformed into countless crimson fireflies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “fireflies” fluttered, spiraled, and coalesced into three objects:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep red, elastic, textured mass; a smaller, less porous “burning heart” than before; and a dark-black, stone-like object with liquid-like surface flow, emitting a foul stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s right hand lightly brushed over the three objects, causing two of them to vanish into thin air, their whereabouts unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the dark-black stone, half the size of a fist, remained on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the ‘Provocateur’ Exquisite Material?” Lu Mi asked eagerly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she pulled out a notepad and a silver-cased steel pen and scribbled the potion recipe, the woman reminded him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You still lack basic occult knowledge—you killed that monster and took only the Exquisite Material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such supernatural beings are sentient; many parts of their bodies can be used to make talismans, potions, or serve as ingredients for spells and rituals. A simple example: its blood is one of the auxiliary materials for the ‘Arsonist’ potion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Although the ‘Arsonist’ potion requires salamander blood, this monster’s blood works too—essentially identical, even more effective.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Lu Mi heard, the more he regretted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Aurora’s novels, full of adventure, often featured killing monsters and taking body parts, he’d never connected such scenes to reality—he’d assumed the flame monster’s only valuable part was its Exquisite Material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, if he went back, the blood was completely dried up!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman paid no attention to his reaction, tore off the top sheet of the notepad, and let it float gently toward Lu Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi caught it and eagerly scanned the series of words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Provocateur’ Potion Recipe:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Main Material: One unit of ‘Provocateur’ Exquisite Material;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auxiliary Materials: 50 milliliters of distilled alcohol, 10 drops of honeysuckle essence, 5 grams of grapevine powder, 10 grams of water fern powder;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Usage: Drink directly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading it, Lu Mi asked, puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no sentient material here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like salamander blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Different potions have different requirements. Yours primarily draws on symbolic meaning in occultism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, water fern symbolizes ‘easily influenced by others’ words’—which matches the essence of the ‘Provocateur.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ‘Provocateur’ makes others influenced by one’s own words? Lu Mi tucked the note away, pondering where to obtain these auxiliary materials:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distilled alcohol is already in the house; Aurora likes to add it to certain dishes. Grapevines and water ferns are everywhere in the Dariji region, though you might have to venture out to find them. Only honeysuckle flowers need checking—see if Aurora has any in her spell components.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Mi raised his head again, the lady across from him, along with her black low hat and the “Hei Peka” appetizer, had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had not noticed when she left at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was even though his “Spirit Sight” had remained active.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled, carrying the “Provocateur” Extraordinary trait and its potion recipe, filled with joy and anticipation, and returned to the second floor, entering his bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly lay down on the bed, planning to ask Aurora in reality, hoping to gather all the auxiliary materials tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even bother to turn off his “Spirit Sight”—it would shut off automatically once he fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the pitch-black midnight, with no light seeping in, Lu Mi opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Aurora beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He eagerly wanted to tell his sister he had obtained the “Provocateur” potion recipe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost simultaneously, he saw Aurora’s lips slightly part, and a faint, transparent figure crawled out from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a lizard-like monstrous creature!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi’s gaze froze instantly; when the transparent lizard-like thing glanced around, he instinctively shut his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “lizard” looked around, then swiftly crawled away from Aurora’s mouth and left the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi opened his eyes again, staring blankly at his sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora’s face was shrouded in darkness, appearing indistinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips remained slightly open; she slept deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi stared without moving, as if turned to stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the thick night, his heart slowly slipped into the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Please vote for monthly tickets~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1737,"2026-06-20T06:22:34.374Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","984f40fbd692695573e8bbd4ba1efe1ff09774339c83f0b88bb32bdc9b039872","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-102","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-100",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]