The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Forbidden Skill: Shepherd’s Method

As Eivass closed the “Shepherd’s Secret Manual,” the warm, delicate touch of the human-skin-like cover vanished. The black book fell silent, as if everything before had been mere illusion.

At this moment, Eivass finally understood why he hadn’t seen this book in his original history. Because if anyone could open this secret tome correctly, they would most likely destroy it directly – the knowledge it contained was too dangerous.

It solved a core problem of the Transcendent Path: the inability to empower others. The Transcendent Path’s essence was about rising above, pursuit of transcendence, and striving for higher, making it an extremely selfish path. Power from the Transcendent Path alone could not benefit others. This led to the demon scholars, despite often gathering together, never truly uniting their strength.

The “Art of Pasturing,” however, merged the characteristics of the Path of Devotion. It empowered others through self-sacrifice. Feeding one’s own flesh and blood to demons, and then granting the demons’ power to mortals – this logic aligned with the principles of the Path of Devotion, as demons in this chain were merely symbolic. It was akin to earning money and then sharing it with the poor.

Similarly, sacrificing humans to nourish demons and increase their power for growth, without taking any cut or demanding any reward, also fit the Path of Devotion’s tenets. The “altruism” of the Path of Devotion was not limited to humans or one’s own kind; Phantom Demons were naturally included as “others.” When demons reciprocated with power for this nourishment, Eivass himself would take none, giving it all to others. This practice did not constitute a “transaction,” again adhering to the Path of Devotion’s principles.

This entire act was filled with the demonic traces of ambition, revealing an undisguised “desire upwards” from the very motivation – the relentless pursuit of greater power at any cost. Yet, it also possessed a divine mercy, consistently upholding the sole principle of “helping others gain strength to fulfill their wishes.”

Everything the Shepherd did was not a transaction, but a gratuitous offering. Yet, the Shepherd ultimately obtained everything he desired, achieving an almost perpetual motion cycle.

“—This book must not be left behind.” A very clear thought formed in Eivass’s mind.

If anyone else had read this book, they might have viewed the “Great Beasts” of the “Master of Great Beasts” as the Shepherd’s flock. Furthermore, if this book were purely a scripture of the Path of Devotion, it would never have become a “forbidden book” collected by the Inspection Bureau. Its confiscation by the inspectors was sufficient proof that the book was not entirely harmless.

Of course, since the Inspection Bureau had given the book to Eivass, his perusal of it was legal. As long as he didn’t disseminate the knowledge within, the Inspection Bureau wouldn’t trouble him, turning a blind eye. The problem wasn’t here.

The real question was… where had the Inspection Bureau acquired this book?

This was the original text. Anyone who could open it correctly could obtain its knowledge and receive the Shepherd’s inheritance. Did this mean someone had already become a “Shepherd”? If someone learned of the “Shepherd’s Secret Manual” and discovered that the Inspection Bureau of Glass Island had seized it, they might follow this trail and eventually find Eivass. This unknown enemy sent a chill through Eivass’s heart. He didn’t know who this person was – whether they were an inheritor of the “Shepherd’s” legacy or another party hunting the “Shepherd.” Nor did he know when they might appear, or even if this hypothetical enemy truly existed.

But just in case. Eivass needed to gain greater influence in Avalon, enabling him to direct the Inspection Bureau to trace the potential “Shepherd” in reverse.

Simultaneously, Eivass had indeed mastered the “Shepherd’s Method”…

After Eivass finished reading the book, a new skill had quietly been added behind both his Priest and Demon Scholar professions. Eivass’s complete status panel now read:

Priest LV6: [Basic Prayer – Lv2 (3%)], [Fire Worship – Lv1 (5%)], [Illumination – Lv1 (15%)], [Blessing – Lv1 (0%)], [Shepherd’s Method (Flesh and Blood) – Lv1 (0%)]

Demon Scholar LV5: [Demonology – Lv1 (16%)], [Basic Ritual – Lv1 (5%)], [Demon Contract – Lv2 (3%)], [Shepherd’s Method (Essence) – Lv1 (0%)]

Paths Unlocked: Devotion – Layer 1; Transcendence – Layer 1

Mana Pool: 2/5 (Light), 4/5 (Dark), 11/15 (Fire)

Free Experience: 50

Path Traits—

Transcendence – Shadow Affinity Lv1: You have formed a life-bound contract with a Shadow Demon, granting you the ability to freely use First Tier shadow abilities.

Devotion – Flame Vessel Lv1: You have consumed the blood of the Candlemaster, expanding your soul. Your Mana Pool (Fire) maximum capacity has increased by 14.

Authority – Silver Scale: Marked by this trace, the Silver Crown Dragon gazes upon you. A certain oath you have made is unbreakable. When you attack any violator of that oath, you gain a +1 Advantage (Divine).

As a chosen successor, a perfect inheritor of the “Shepherd,” Eivass had indeed received the complete inheritance of the “Shepherd’s Method.” And undeniably… this forbidden skill was exceptionally useful to Eivass.

When the “Shepherd’s Secret Manual” mentioned “using flesh and blood to nurture Phantom Demons,” Eivass realized a significant oversight he had made. In the game, the means by which Great Sin Scholars and Masters of Great Beasts leveled up their “Great Beasts” was by repeatedly taking them to battle against Phantom Demons of the same attribute. Simply queuing for a Dungeon with a BOSS of the specified Phantom Demon attribute allowed them to challenge and defeat it immediately, enabling the Great Beasts to grow by devouring the fallen.

However, this was less practical in real life. Without a “Dungeon Finder,” Phantom Demons did not respawn infinitely like in games. He would have to rely on feeding them rare materials of the corresponding attribute to level them up – a costly endeavor requiring significant time and effort.

But with the “Shepherd’s Method (Flesh and Blood)” skill, he could offer himself as sustenance to the Phantom Demons. Eivass’s oath was “not to use the life and corpses of his own kind as materials and sacrifices for my rituals,” and he himself obviously did not fall under this category. After all, “self-sacrifice” was a routine skill for Demon Scholars and would not prevent advancement to Great Sin Scholar. Although the “Shepherd” became emaciated and covered in scars due to this flesh-and-blood nourishment.

However, Eivass possessed the most orthodox Priest inheritance. The “Fire Worship” method, one of the four Sacred Skills meticulously prepared by the Church over centuries, allowed Eivass to rapidly recover lost life and heal his bodily wounds.

—There was no need to use others as sacrifices. He just needed to let his Great Beasts slowly consume his own flesh and blood.

However, he could not achieve the perpetual cycle of flesh and spirit that fed on all people. He could grant the power of Phantom Demons to others and feed his own flesh and blood to them, but he could not feed the humans he nurtured back to the Phantom Demons – this would involve sacrificing his own kind, polluting his soul.

Eivass finally understood why the black book had reacted when it was near Yulia. It had sensed the Phantom Demon within Yulia, long suppressed and malnourished. The original text itself possessed a faint sentience.

Incubating a Phantom Demon Egg was the simplest way to obtain a weak, nascent Phantom Demon. In the illusion of the black book, Eivass had witnessed firsthand how the “Shepherd” of the mid-development stage acquired a large number of nascent Phantom Demons through this method: Children, who served as Phantom Demon Eggs, were gathered from all over the world by his subordinate legions. After being fed a medicinal soup concocted with his blood for a prolonged period, the Phantom Demons within them would grow rapidly, causing the “eggs” to crack and hatch the demons.

“…In conclusion, let’s destroy the book first,” Eivass muttered to himself. Regardless of whether his foster father became the final BOSS, this book could not be seen by him. It would be even more troublesome if his elder brother or Yulia saw it. In any case, the knowledge had already entered Eivass’s mind, and he couldn’t forget it even if he wanted to. From the moment he obtained the book, whether he used it or not, those who knew would suspect he had. So, there was no need to be reserved. Not only would he use it, but he would use it fiercely!

Coincidentally, there was an opportunity right now to test the appeasing effect of the “Shepherd’s Method” on Phantom Demons…

With this thought, Eivass stood up from his wheelchair. The moment his feet touched the ground, his spiritual energy formed a stable circuit with the earth. The Shadow Demon slumbering in his shadow was immediately awakened. The shadow beneath him spread out like ink spilled on paper, extending in an instant.

“My Master…” A viscous, echoing voice resonated in Eivass’s mind, filled with a sense of danger. “What do you wish for me to do to you?”

“Destroy it,” Eivass said softly, tossing the “Shepherd’s Secret Manual” into the bubbling shadow. However, it did not dissolve. The Shadow Demon showed clear displeasure. “Heh, you can’t always treat me as a trash can, Master. Not everything can be thrown into me… I crave fresh flesh and blood, sacred souls, and…”

As the Shadow Demon expressed its dissatisfaction, Eivass drew his pure silver dagger from the table. It was a ritual knife used for drawing ritual arrays, sharp but lacking in toughness. Eivass coated the ritual knife with essential oils of cinnamon and rosemary, infusing each with a small amount of light and dark attribute mana respectively. He then held it over the candlelight, lightly passing it. A deep, dim light emerged from the ritual knife.

Eivass extended his right hand and took a deep breath. He then clenched it tightly until the blade cut through his flesh, embedding itself into the bone.

“Then take it, my blood, my bone, my flesh…” Enduring the intense pain, he chanted in his heart: “Feast in silence, my lamb… I am the Holy Communion, this is Mercy.”

Eivass’s Mana Pool suddenly loosened—his remaining tripartite mana randomly injected into his blood, leaking uncontrollably like a gushing bath. He visualized the blood flowing from his wounds not as red blood, but as golden honey and white milk. Lowering his eyes, he gazed at the Shadow Demon with compassion and pity. Eivass strove to have no fear, greed, pain, or hatred in his heart, only pure good and love. It was as if before him was not a cunning and deadly demon, but a starving child begging for food by the roadside. It was a pure, equal, and lofty gift.

—Voluntary sacrifice possesses sanctity. Just as Eivass could summon an Upper Demon when he was a sacrifice. Now, the blood he voluntarily offered through the correct ritual transformed into an exceedingly sweet and tempting grand offering, capable of making Phantom Demons addicted—

The Shadow Demon, which had been complaining vociferously, immediately fell silent. It leaped up as if mad, coiling around Eivass’s right hand like dozens of intertwined snakes, greedily licking every drop of blood, including his fingers and the back of his hand. This continued until Eivass’s Mana Pool was completely depleted, and no more mana could flow out. The “Shepherd’s Method” ritual then ceased.

Eivass withdrew the ritual knife, and the wound automatically scabbed over. Even though the searing hot blood had vanished, the Shadow Demon continued to lick Eivass’s right hand intently, much like a puppy still licking its owner’s palm after finishing the food from their hand.

“…It seems you like it,” Eivass said, his face pale but a slight smile playing on his lips. His voice was weak—partly from blood loss, partly from the intense pain. During the ritual, he could not frown from this pain or show disgust and fear, otherwise, the Shepherd’s ritual would fail. But he could now. The wounds that went down to the bone indeed caused extreme pain, but thankfully, he endured it, ensuring the ritual did not fail.

“…Yes, Master,” the Shadow Demon’s attitude immediately changed, becoming docile. “I… like it very much.” Its tone visibly became obsequious, no longer the murky, dangerous bestiality but like a hoarse, low female voice. Shadow Demons are formless, lacking physical bodies or gender. This was merely its clumsy way of expressing flattery and submission to Eivass, as it understood.

“Then go back for now,” Eivass said calmly. “Do you remember what I asked you to do?”

“Of course, my esteemed Master…” the Shadow Demon replied without hesitation. It transformed into a sleek black hound, leaping high and smashing into the secret manual Eivass had thrown onto the ground. But it was repelled—when the book was struck by the Shadow Demon, it suddenly burst into scorching flames, like a hammer hitting an anvil. The impact merely tore the cover but did not immediately corrode it. The Shadow Demon, however, seemed provoked and lost face, transforming into a more ferocious and gigantic wolf, and charged at the “Shepherd’s Secret Manual” again. This time, it could no longer resist—corrosive shadow continuously poured into the pages, and it visibly dried out, rotted, blackened, shrank, and twisted, eventually turning to dust and vanishing without a trace. The Shadow Demon submerged back into Eivass’s shadow and disappeared.

Eivass had no time to meticulously wipe the residual blood from the ritual knife, only managing to sheath the silver dagger. This would undoubtedly ruin the ritual knife, but he couldn’t afford to care about that now. After the ritual ended, he felt an increasingly intense fatigue and dizziness. His fingers trembled wildly from the pain and blood loss. The completely depleted mana caused his brain to throb. Everything before his eyes kept expanding and contracting, like about to black out from drinking too much, or like struggling to keep his eyes open in a calculus lecture, feeling drowsy…

—Next time, I must at least leave some mana for the Fire Worship method. Being completely depleted of mana makes one this weak… Very well, this is crucial experience. Gained in a safe place, which is far better than learning it in a moment of crisis…

The fragmented thoughts were the last to surface in Eivass’s mind. He staggered towards the bed. He didn’t even have time to take off his clothes or cover himself with a blanket before collapsing onto his bed, falling unconscious.

The cat is also about to pass out. The power was out all day until 6 PM, and I finished writing at 4:30 AM… I’ll proofread for typos when I wake up. If you see any, please leave a comment!

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