[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-46":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},2298015,4496,"Chapter 46: Ritual Magic","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>Lu Mi looked at the spirit-world creature he couldn’t see, then thought for a moment and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How complex can it possibly be? How powerful can it possibly be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, I thought you’d ask how to summon it or perform the ritual magic—turns out you just want to know how to use it!” Aurora teased, “That’s probably the hallmark of the Hunter path: no need to fully understand the principles, just focus on how to apply it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lu Mi could answer, she considered briefly and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve tried it—the meaning of ‘not too complex’ is that it can only perform one action; ‘not too powerful’ means it must not exceed the power of a single spell from a Sequence 7 ‘Wizard’.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Talking with Aurora was always good—she had the habit of analyzing things quantitatively and qualitatively, unlike some people who preferred vague, half-hidden descriptions… Lu Mi listened with deep appreciation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While thinking, he rose to help his sister bring all the food to the dining table, then ate while asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I remember your spells usually require materials—how can ‘White Paper’ carry them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly, that’s the problem,” Aurora poked a fried trout into her mouth, waited until she chewed and swallowed, then said, “Besides, a Wizard’s spells aren’t completed in a single action—even the simplest require three steps: first, focus your spirituality; second, mentally sketch the symbolic glyph of the spell, which can also be replaced by vocal incantation; third, use materials to manifest the spell—materials serve either as conduits or as components of the spell itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That did sound complicated—not something a single-celled creature like ‘White Paper’ could manage… Lu Mi felt he couldn’t do it yet; he’d need long-term training to master spellcasting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora glanced at him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t even think about it—you can’t be like me. First, your Sequence limits you, your spirituality is insufficient; second, using materials to assist spellcasting is a unique ability of the Wizard path. Hmm, perhaps some other path at a certain Sequence might manage it, but I don’t know enough to make a definite judgment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, when a Hunter reaches Sequence 7—the ‘Arsonist’—they gain access to many fire-related spells, without needing materials, without sketching glyphs in the mind or chanting incantations. In actual combat, this is faster, more convenient, and possibly even more powerful. The Wizard, on the other hand, excels in versatility—the more knowledge they master, the stronger they become.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi said with great anticipation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wonder when I’ll become an Arsonist…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to explore the dream ruins again tonight—first, to aid the digestion of his potion through the act of ‘Hunting’; second, to seek clues for the main ingredient of Sequence 8, the ‘Provoker’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the monster corresponding to the Arsonist, he dared not think about it yet—he felt it would be like walking straight into the oven to become roast meat, since those things could surely attack from afar, rendering his ‘Special’ useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Arsonist’s spells only require one action, can ‘White Paper’ carry them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Theoretically yes, but I’m not sure if an Arsonist’s spells exceed that power threshold,” Aurora’s benchmark remained the Wizard’s spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lu Mi instantly brightened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it works, couldn’t I simulate the floating cannon you described?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?” Aurora was momentarily confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi explained in detail:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I could summon a group of ‘White Paper’ creatures, sign contracts with each of them, then have every single one carry a fireball. When they float in midair and attack the target together, isn’t that exactly like the floating cannon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unfortunately, you can’t possess multiple ‘White Paper’ creatures at once,” Aurora laughed. “Once you sign a contract with one, the next time you summon using the original description, only that same ‘White Paper’ will appear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I first summon one, don’t sign a contract yet, then summon another, and keep going until I have the number I want, then sign contracts with all of them at once?” Lu Mi’s thinking wasn’t shaped by formal education but by Aurora’s personalized, idiosyncratic teachings, honed over years of pranks and mischief—he always thought creatively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…,” Aurora admitted she’d never been so brazen. She pondered and said, “I haven’t tried it—I don’t know if it’ll work. Test it yourself when you reach Sequence 7. But I think if one ‘White Paper’ is already present, summoning another will cause conflict—it’s unlikely to succeed. The only hope is summoning multiple ‘White Paper’ creatures directly, but that’s probably only possible for those specializing in summoning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi resolved to try it then—after all, he wouldn’t lose anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora scooped up a bit of mashed potato:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now let’s talk about summoning spirit-world creatures—this is one application of ritual magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is ritual magic? It’s magic performed by selecting specific dates and times, preparing corresponding materials, and strictly following a set format and procedure. It’s typically used for supplication and summoning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it’s using ritual form to achieve some supernatural effect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought of the various rituals of the Eternal Sun Church and the Lenten festival procedures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly,” Aurora was pleased with her brother’s understanding. “Simply put, every ritual magic has a supplication target—this could be one of the Seven True Gods, other hidden entities, even false gods or demons, or even yourself. When praying to a True God, you must consult or choose the dates and times they govern—for example, Tuesday represents the Eternal Sun, and each day has its corresponding Solar Hours; performing a ritual to the Eternal Sun during these periods greatly increases your success rate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this is actually of little use—non-official Adepts have an extremely low chance of success when praying to the corresponding True God, and even if you receive a response, don’t rejoice—it might mean you’ve drawn that entity’s attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, we have ways to bypass these restrictions—for example, obtaining an item closely tied to the target deity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Praying to hidden entities, false gods, or demons doesn’t require careful date or time selection, but the dangers don’t need me to explain, do they? Ninety-nine percent of those who attempt this meet terrible ends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Therefore, for wild Adepts, the most commonly used ritual magic is supplication to oneself—to mobilize one’s own spirituality and accomplish more complex tasks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Making talismans and Adept weapons?” Lu Mi recalled a point mentioned by that lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, some secret potions also require ritual magic to complement them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You forgot one thing—summoning spirit-world creatures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She ate some more food before continuing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The second step of ritual magic is preparing the corresponding materials—whatever herb, essential oil, powder, or pure extract belongs to or pleases the target entity. Again, take the Eternal Sun as an example: for prayers to Him, use ‘Sun’ essential oil, rosemary powder, bergamot, and various sunflowers. But for self-supplication, it’s not so complicated—though it’s best to use materials from your own domain, someone like you could just place a glass of absinthe, or even skip it entirely without major issues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The third step is setting up the altar—it can vary depending on the environment, no need for sacred solemnity, just ensure no clutter is present.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The altar’s most essential element is candles…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Aurora picked up her knife and fork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She extended both items forward:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Imagine they’re candles. To pray to a specific deity, craft them from the corresponding symbolic materials.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again, using the Eternal Sun as an example—His titles include the Undying Light, the Embodiment of Order…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of caution, Aurora paused for several seconds before continuing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The God of Contracts, the Guardian of Commerce.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shouldn’t there also be the title ‘Father of All Living Beings’?” Lu Mi had heard many sermons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aurora shook her head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s just a common title used by the Eternal Sun Church for propaganda—in esotericism, the Eternal Sun isn’t sufficient to bear it. If such a title truly existed, it would likely mean something catastrophic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t specify what that catastrophe might be—perhaps she didn’t know either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She steered the conversation back on track:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you wish to exorcise undead, you must supplicate the symbol of the Undying Light—so you’d make candles from various sunflowers. Conversely, if the ritual involves contracts, use the title ‘God of Contracts’ and craft candles from bergamot and similar materials. More options are listed in my witchcraft notes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In a single ritual magic, we place at most two candles for the deity, because in esotericism, zero represents the unknown and chaos, symbolizing the origin of the world; no candle means no effect; one represents the beginning, the First Creator, and any precisely targeted entity; two symbolizes the world and the gods born from the First Creator’s body. Thus, ritual magic can only use two candles to represent deities—the specific pair of symbolic candles depends on the desired outcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three represents all things, so the third candle must be reserved for ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That means the two upper candles represent the deity, and the one before you represents yourself—three candles total.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you possess an item closely tied to a deity or hidden entity, you may remove the two upper candles and substitute the item—this is called the Binary Ritual Method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For self-supplication, only the candle representing yourself remains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi listened with intense focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to that lady’s words, as a wild Hunter, before he learned the true name of that Great Entity, his only usable tool was self-supplication ritual magic—he had no way to obtain an item closely tied to any deity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I’ll demonstrate the remaining steps using the summoning of a spirit-world creature as an example,” Aurora said, rising as her brother finished his meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two quickly cleared the dining table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1610,"2026-06-20T06:22:34.374Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4f148b1f5cc31619661bc89d9ab564f95d74422fda7d0645baf38767da98331f","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-47","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-45",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]