Chapter 700: The Aftermath

Seeing the "Magician" lady's speculation, Lumian suddenly felt that the ancestor of the Eggers family, the fallen "Death God," was also incredibly legendary:

After becoming a true god, He seemed to go mad; He sparked the "Pale Disaster"; His fall created the Stormy Sea, severing the northern and southern continents for over a thousand years; He had some connection with the mysterious Mingdaoren; He buried the corpse of the Demon King's "Divine Offspring"; He left behind the vast Bular Empire with countless descendants; The golden masks He crafted for His descendants' passage to the Underworld are still fiercely contested today…

Lumian took the golden mask he had obtained from "Siso" out of "The Traveler's Satchel," caressing its cold surface, and sighed silently:

"This is truly a divine artifact…"

After his reflection, Lumian turned to the last two pages of the long letter:

"Returning to yourself, the Mingdaoren 's mark on you only seals the residual aura of the Blood Emperor from affecting the outside world—it does not eliminate its existence.

"That means you can no longer use Arista Tudo's residual aura to intimidate others, but it can still function in situations requiring verification of a certain 'identity.'

"This situation has both advantages and drawbacks: although you've lost a powerful means of intimidation, at least you no longer need to fear that using the Blood Emperor's residual aura will draw the attention of certain high-ranking beings. Moreover, the Mingdaoren 's mark may yet serve some special purpose in the future.

"Emperor Rosser once said, since you cannot resist, try to enjoy it."

Lumian turned his right hand over, gazing at his palm. Compared to the rotting form in his dream, only a small patch of pallor remained, beneath which faint red scars were barely visible.

"What special purpose could it serve? Scaring undead?" Lumian murmured to himself, puzzled, with no clear idea yet.

At the end of the letter, the "Magician" lady wrote:

"This year's Dream Festival has ended, but that special dream and its ancient tomb have not vanished—next year, the Dream Festival will return.

"At that time, the devil from the Nos family who confirmed the tomb's condition last year, along with his allies from the 'Rose Sect,' will likely try again, bringing more targeted and powerful items, adepts, or projections.

"We must not only stop them then, but begin preparing now.

"Also, to ensure the special dream continues to generate dream projections as guardians, we cannot relocate the entire town of Tizamo, so we must do something for its people.

"Of course, once you complete this final task, the aftermath of the Dream Festival will have nothing to do with you—unless you've already become an angel by then, but wouldn't that be too extravagant?

"The final task you must perform is to take the half-finished brass talisman I've enclosed, enter the special dream, and perform the following ritual before the black tomb.

"The complete ritual procedure is:

"…"

After carefully reading the ritual description, Lumian checked his spiritual state, then put away the half-finished brass talisman.

Then he took out the golden box containing the strange soil, spread out a sheet of paper, and began writing his reply:

"Respected 'Magician' lady:

"I will carry out the ritual as you instructed.

"Here is the strange soil…"

Lumian paused, then added one more line:

"Please remember to return the box it came in."

This box was made of gold!

Thinking of the reward he owed Lu Jianuo, and of Ludwig's ever-growing appetite, Lumian—whose wealth was still considerable—felt he needed to be more frugal.

He no longer needed to worry about potion formulas, adept materials, or magical items, but now he was supporting two full people!

Moreover, gold is important in mysticism; Fleurca had been hoarding gold for months, hoping to gild the "Armor Phantom" Chen Tu.

After finishing his reply, Lumian set up the ritual and summoned the "Doll" messenger.

The messenger still looked cautious, furtive, and unwilling to utter a single extra word.

Had he sensed something? Lumian had intended to ask, but suddenly remembered a possibility:

Could it be because the "Magician" lady mentioned that Miss Messenger had visited?

They're all messengers—perhaps they know each other, or are connected somehow—and she's an angel…

Lumian fell silent, watching the "Doll" messenger clutch the golden box and retreat into the candle flame.

He extinguished the candle, gathered the ritual items, returned to the parlor, and sat across from Ludwig, who still had half his meal uneaten.

Lumian looked at Ludwig, wearing his blue-with-yellow-stars sleep cap, and smiled:

"Lend me something."

Ludwig lifted his head, chewing, his eyes asking silently.

Lumian kept his warm smile:

"That gold coin just now."

Ludwig lowered his head, focusing intently on chewing a strip of beef jerky, as if he hadn't heard Lumian at all.

"Just for half an hour, no harm will come to it—I'll return it exactly as is," Lumian sighed. "I've fed and housed you for a long time now…"

Here, Lumian suddenly stopped, then continued after a few seconds:

"Isn't it worth lending me your lucky coin for half an hour?

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"Often," Ludwig mumbled.

He lifted his head again, stared at Lumian for a few seconds, then pulled the Ruin gold coin from his pocket:

"Maximum twenty minutes."

"Deal!" Lumian grinned and snatched the lucky coin swiftly.

To conserve spiritual energy, he did not "teleport"; instead, he moved swiftly through shadows to the house of Siso Tewanako.

Robert and Amandina had both left.

Lumian found a seat, leaned against the wall, and quickly fell asleep through meditation.

…………

Inside the special dream, in the primordial jungle.

Using shadows in the darkness, Lumian traveled to the dream's edge, entering the chaotic zone.

He thought for a moment, stepped out of the shadows, and put on the golden mask crafted by the "Death God."

Amidst the chilling invasion and crushing pressure, Lumian saw fragments of the dream: the black tomb, and the path leading to it.

He soon arrived at his destination—the corpses had vanished, leaving only the massive black tomb standing silently.

Lumian removed the mask, observed briefly, then used a raised tree root as an altar, placing upon it the candle, essential oil, powdered herbs, cauldron, and half-finished brass talisman, and performed each step as described in the "Magician" lady's letter.

Finally, Lumian placed the lucky gold coin between the two candles representing the "Fool."

He did not create a "Spiritual Wall"; instead, he lit the candles in order—from god to human, left to right—then stepped back two paces.

Lumian gazed at the burning candles and chanted softly in Ancient Hermes:

"Fool, not of this age, mysterious sovereign above the gray mist, king of yellow and black who governs fortune…"

Without sound or warning, a thin gray mist spread from the void, enveloping the area of the black tomb and the entire special dream.

A faint warmth stirred in Lumian's left chest, preventing his thoughts from dulling and his body from decaying.

He stepped forward quickly, ignited the corresponding essential oil and powdered herbs, and placed the half-finished brass talisman at the center of the altar.

Then, Lumian straightened, stepped backward, and spoke in Hermes:

"I beseech you;

"Grant this talisman power;

"Let this power govern this dream…"

After reciting all remaining incantations and completing the final steps of the ritual, Lumian saw the lucky gold coin glow faintly—the two candles representing the "Fool" dimmed into darkness and took on a brass hue.

Immediately, the dark and brass flames entwined and settled onto the half-finished brass talisman.

The talisman blazed with blinding light; Lumian instinctively shut his eyes.

When he opened them again, the brass talisman had vanished. Before the black tomb, soil, stone, and tree roots surged upward, forming a tombstone-like structure.

On the "tombstone," ancient Fasak words gradually rose in relief:

"All beings are equal before the law—even angels may be slain by ordinary mortals.

"Lost items are considered abandoned.

"During the Dream Festival, anything may be done, but no killing or rape.

"Killers shall die.

"Rapists shall die.

"…"

This… what path's power is this? It resembles the "Arbitrator" path… So next Dream Festival, killing will be forbidden? Even angels can be harmed by me? Lumian had never expected the "Magician" lady's preparation would be this.

He quickly gathered his items, preparing to leave the area.

As he glanced one last time at the "tombstone," Lumian suddenly had an idea.

Smiling, he took a card from "The Traveler's Satchel," bent down, and placed it on the ground beneath the tombstone.

It was a Tarot card depicting a man in green, wielding a staff against six staffs advancing from the hillside.

Minor Arcana: "Seven of Wands!"

Lumian did not know whether this Tarot card representing himself could remain in the dream, or stay before the tombstone—he simply wanted to try, for since joining the Tarot Society, he had never done such a thing.

…………

Back in the real world, Lumian reached into "The Traveler's Satchel" and checked.

The half-finished brass talisman had vanished, as expected; the Minor Arcana card "Seven of Wands" had vanished too.

"The rules of the special dream have indeed changed slightly…" Lumian nodded thoughtfully, returned to the Buriu Inn, and gave the lucky coin back to Ludwig.

Then Lumian walked onto the street, through the dark, past the busy figures of Giam, Ruya, Lu Jianuo, and others rescuing and healing, until he reached Saint Cien Church.

All candles inside the church were lit, but only Father Cali remained.

Dressed in a white robe edged with gold thread, he knelt before the altar and holy symbol, head bowed, face twisted in anguish as he confessed.

Lumian walked forward step by step, sat on the frontmost bench, and watched Cali silently, without disturbing him.

ps: Breaking news—the Guimiyouxi has received its official license number; no more need for codenames. We also hope future updates will deepen the "Roleplay Method" mechanics.

(End of chapter)