Chapter 491
Kunpeng of Illusory Form (Two-in-One)
The consultant was originally bewildered, not knowing what had happened.
But upon hearing the mocking laughter, Eivass saw “Sherlock” instantly calm down, rub his face, and put on a sleepy expression, making an excuse for his previous lapse: “I was a bit groggy… when I first woke up, I thought I was dreaming…”
“He reacts quite quickly.”
Eivass’s lips curved slightly as he praised internally.
“It’s just a pity,” Eivass said meaningfully, “this is not a dream, but reality.”
“Regrettably, this is indeed a dream. And you are merely a person within it, destined to vanish like foam when I awaken.”
The consultant taunted silently.
After calming down a bit, he realized what he needed to do now.
Outside, the sounds of battle raged, and even in the secluded White Queen District, shouts and screams could be heard—this was Glass Island, the capital of Avalon!
With such a major event occurring, Eivass’s butler, Oswald, hadn’t appeared to escort him away. In fact, only he and Eivass were present; everyone else had vanished… This could only mean one thing: they had all left Glass Island.
He had lost a period of memory, or perhaps the ritual itself had malfunctions… anything was possible.
The consultant had also heard of special cases where Ascension Rituals were interfered with, or dreams were shaken by intruders, leading to accidents for the Ascenders. This was also why Drunken Dream T was administered during ascension—if the dream time continued for too long, or if the ascender’s physical body in reality was significantly affected, it could cause the dream of the Ascension Ritual to become hazy.
But regardless of the reason, it didn’t matter.
The result was that he had lost a day or several days of memory.
Judging from the colossal figures outside, it was likely that what he had lost was more than just one day of memory—perhaps the third day, perhaps the fourth. Surviving the colossal figures… this was consistent with the difficulty of the Ascension Ritual set by the Lord of Scales and Feathers.
And the simultaneous departure of so many people at this juncture could only be to escort Princess Isabel to the Church!
The consultant’s eyes flickered as he rapidly analyzed:
Detective Sherlock, who could go to the Queen to deliver a message before the banquet began, demonstrated his extreme loyalty to the royal family.
Now that he had been rescued by Shafiya, but he hadn’t left with the princess… this could only mean he had something to do here.
The same applied to Eivass.
Although the consultant now possessed top-secret information, knowing that Eivass and Princess Isabel were actually in a state of outward harmony but inner vigilance, they clearly trusted each other significantly—otherwise, Princess Isabel would not have been able to go to Moriarty Manor at this time.
Rather than being enemies, they were more like friends who were also enemies.
“…Thinking about it this way, I’m a little envious of them.” The consultant pursed his lips.
Under these circumstances, Isabel leaving Eivass and Sherlock here could only be to complete a crucial task!
“To complete the National Defense Ritual: Shadow of Avalon!”
If that were the case, another question arose…
The consultant looked at Eivass, wanting to speak but hesitating.
He was cautiously considering how much “Sherlock” knew about this matter now. If he prematurely revealed something he shouldn’t know, or if there was something he had already said that he now didn’t know, it would inevitably arouse Bishop Moriarty’s suspicion…
And Eivass, seeing Sherlock fall silent, guessed what he was thinking.
So, he thoughtfully prompted the consultant to keep the conversation flowing naturally—
Eivass put on a serious expression and said earnestly, “From what we can see now, we can’t wait any longer. Even if it’s not the agreed-upon time yet, we have to prepare the ‘Shadow of Avalon’ ritual in advance.
“If we wait until the Star Antimony army completely controls Glass Island, it will become very difficult for us to act.”
“So that’s how it is.”
“I already know this crucial piece of information; the reason we aren’t acting now is that the time hasn’t come yet…”
The consultant’s eyes lit up, and he immediately grasped the current progress of the mission.
Now, only one question remained.
Was the transcender of the Transcendent Path, ‘Olive’, still alive? If he was dead, how would they find a controllable transcender in Avalon who had earned Bishop Moriarty’s trust?
Thinking this, “Sherlock” simply nodded, “I’ll listen to you, Lord Bishop. What do you plan to do now?”
At this moment, there seemed to be some commotion from downstairs… and cautious footsteps echoed from upstairs.
“Is there still someone here?”
Eivass and Sherlock simultaneously looked up towards the second floor.
There stood an old man with snow-white hair and a majestic face, resembling a lion. Upon seeing Eivass and Sherlock, he suddenly froze, his previously furrowed brow deepening.
That person was John Osborne.
One of Avalon’s two court ritualists, a colleague of Teacher Ibn.
He was also Avalon’s sole court ritualist before the foreigner Ibn was recruited by the Queen. Unlike Ibn, one could tell from his eyes, facial features, and fair skin that this old man was a native-born Avalon resident.
Without his existence… even Queen Sophia would not have dared to recruit a foreigner of unknown background as a court ritualist.
The name “Ibn” in the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi could be called “Son of Someone,” which was clearly an intermediate particle in a string of names. This name, apart from telling people that he was an Anxi person, actually had no identifying features. The title “Ibn” was essentially equivalent to calling him by the nickname “Anxi Person.”
According to Ibn himself, it was because when he first came into contact with the Serpent Hand, his self-introduction was too long, so they didn’t remember it and only remembered “Ibn, the middle name.” Later, this became Ibn’s new name in Avalon, and when he was recruited by Queen Sophia, it was with the title “Ibn of the Serpent Hand.”
Osborne, like Ibn, was a third-tier transcender—a mere Cursing Ritualist, who had not advanced to Archmage.
As a Cursing Ritualist, his appearance at this moment, coupled with his evident surprise and hesitation…
At this moment, the person playing “John Osborne” was likely Teacher Ibn, codenamed “Olive”!
“…Strange, why isn’t he using his own body?”
“Is it because Ibn is no longer in Avalon in this timeline?”
Eivass thought, intending to test the waters and hint at him not to reveal his identity.
“Mr. Osborne, you’re awake.”
Eivass nodded slightly at him and said politely, “I apologize, did I wake you? But we had to wake you. It seems the Star Antimony people have broken in, and we must hasten to the Silver and Tin Hall to complete the Shadow of Avalon ritual—Detective Hermes will assist us.”
Saying this, Eivass introduced Sherlock, “This is Avalon’s most reliable ritualist. We have a somewhat close relationship… I invited him back just last night. The ritual entrusted to us by Princess Isabel still needs him to complete.”
“Osborne” immediately understood the identities of Eivass and Sherlock, as well as the context of the situation.
So, the white-haired old man stroked his lion’s mane-like beard and nodded gravely, “I cannot claim to be the foremost. Compared to ‘Ibn,’ I am still far behind.”
Hearing this, Eivass almost laughed out loud.
He struggled to maintain a serious expression and facade.
Osborne walked down the stairs and extended his hand towards Sherlock from a distance.
“Pleasure to meet you, Great Detective Hermes.”
The old ritualist said meaningfully, “I hope we can cooperate happily going forward—at least, I hope to cooperate with you.”
He had guessed who Sherlock was and realized that the other party certainly didn’t know Eivass’s true identity.
Otherwise, if they were all transcenders, there would be no need for such vague speech. Transcenders could discuss matters outside the ritual privately among themselves without penalty, as long as it didn’t affect the “NPCs” and the plot’s logic.
“Likewise.”
Hearing this, the consultant understood what the old ritualist meant.
“He’s hinting to me that he is Olive!”
“Fortunately, Olive found his way here on his own!”
The consultant breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the ritualists from the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi were indeed reliable.
If Olive were a Star Antimony demon scholar or fiend, he might have already started acting alone…
So, the consultant also stepped forward, shaking hands with the old ritualist with a smile, and subtly said, “I have long been prepared to cooperate with you… I’m even a little eager.”
The implication was that his own path, the Path of Rejection, was not on par with the Transcendent Path.
“—Then, add me to your number.”
Just then, a slightly cold yet steady voice sounded.
Eivass looked in the direction of the voice and saw another person.
He immediately found it difficult to maintain his composure.
The newcomer was dressed in a black formal suit, his hair neatly styled, his expression solemn and reverent, and he held a heavy cane.
He walked down with refined manners, his steps light yet steady. He gave a slight bow to Eivass and said softly, “Thank you for taking care of my younger brother, Sherlock, Lord Bishop. And to you, Mr. Ritualist… we shall ensure your safety.”
His voice was extremely soft and gentle, exuding a gentlemanly demeanor.
“—But the problem is, this person is supposed to be named ‘Mycroft Hermes’.”
Hearing the胖子’s slow and deliberate yet polite and gentle words, Eivass felt goosebumps erupt all over his body.
“…Save me.”
When Mycroft spoke normally, why was it so disgusting…?
“I really want Mycroft to expose Miss Grape directly right now!”
Eivass regretted that he was a transcender and lacked the ability to expose other transcenders.
Feeling equally uncomfortable was ‘Olive’ beside him.
Ibn also knew Mycroft and knew his usual style—generally speaking, it was very close to Ms. Meg’s casual attitude, characterized by three main principles:
“None of my business,” “None of your business,” and “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”
Yet this “Mycroft” now appeared as polite, gentle, and well-behaved as a noble lady… even his usually messy greasy hair was neatly combed. As if suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder or mysophobia, he had cleaned himself up impeccably in a very limited time.
Eivass even suspected that Miss Grape had used a spell to wash Mycroft’s hair or something…
“Olive” guessed that Eivass was maintaining his disguise, so he couldn’t even hint to “Mycroft” that his performance was problematic—if Eivass saw through it, then not revealing it would make him suspicious. Therefore, both of them, who knew Mycroft, had to pretend that Miss Grape’s performance was flawless.
Thinking of this, Eivass felt a surge of relief.
Thank goodness, Sherlock wasn’t brought into this ritual with them.
But at this thought, he suddenly felt a pang of regret.
Because Eivass genuinely wanted to see Sherlock witness this scene.
Fortunately, “Sherlock” himself had no idea how abnormal his supposedly “older brother” was, who only existed in the narrative.
He merely frowned and scrutinized the other person, then quickly seemed to recognize his identity from a certain detail.
“Brother, come with me for a moment.”
“Sherlock” said coldly to “Mycroft” and pulled him away. Before leaving, he very courteously added to Eivass, “Lord Bishop, please wait for us for a moment.”
After the two of them left, Eivass and Ibn exchanged glances and sighed in unison.
“What are you planning?”
Ibn whispered to Eivass, “You mentioned the Shadow of Avalon ritual? Didn’t you say that ritual had problems?”
Eivass shook his head slightly, “Let’s talk outside. First, I’ll tell you what this ritual requires and how to proceed.”
So, Eivass recounted the information he had obtained from Isabel to old Ibn.
The consultant and Grape soon returned.
Eivass then resumed his normal voice, “Do you have the Queen’s Blood with you?”
“Yes, I brought it down. I have it with me now.”
“Then it’s up to you… I will pray and heal for everyone.”
Looking at the returning consultant and Grape, Eivass nodded slightly and said solemnly, “I will pray for everyone once, and then we will depart. I have a bad feeling, and it’s best not to delay too long.”
“Who are you planning to pray for?”
At this moment, the consultant suddenly asked.
“Naturally, the Candlemaster,” Eivass replied.
“Sherlock” stroked his chin, his expression serious, “It’s very dangerous outside now, and it might be difficult just to approach the Silver and Tin Hall. Under these circumstances, we might need the blessing of the Path of Adaptation more…
“If possible, please pray to the Lord of Scales and Feathers, Lord Bishop.”
For some reason, after interacting with Grape, the consultant began to suspect Eivass’s identity.
This Ascension Ritual itself was fully managed by the Lord of Scales and Feathers—which meant He was likely watching them now. If it were an ordinary priest, they wouldn’t dare to pray to Him at this time. It would be as audacious as a student suddenly asking the proctor for contact information during an exam and chatting carelessly.
While not dangerous, it was at least disrespectful—priests usually held themselves in awe of the Nine Pillar Gods. And the fact that the Lord of Scales and Feathers was watching them was something only transcenders would know.
Clearly, the consultant’s suspicion was not deep.
However, his test held no significance for Eivass. Because Eivass had already prayed to the Lord of Scales and Feathers.
“No problem.”
Eivass nodded, readily agreeing, “You’re right… at times like this, one should indeed pray to the Lord of Scales and Feathers.”
His reasoning was simple.
Regardless of whether this Ascension Ritual had indeed encountered any accidents… even if accidents occurred within the Ascension Ritual constructed by the Lord of Scales and Feathers himself, they were certainly within His expectations.
The Path of Adaptation controlled by the Lord of Scales and Feathers had two professional heritages capable of foreseeing the future: the Prophet and the Astrologer. The Lord of Scales and Feathers himself possessed the ability to peer into the future. And if He could see the future, it meant that their current predicament was a part of the Ascension Ritual.
Their mission might even be based on the “altered Ascension Ritual” itself!
Whether it was “Heart is Sanctuary” or rescuing Sherlock, it was closely related to their current actions.
It was precisely because Eivass timely rescued Sherlock and killed Minister Dross that they were able to gather here; Princess Isabel also completed her task, fabricating a false “history” and making everyone believe it, allowing her to come here and meet Eivass.
Therefore, she had the opportunity for the Shadow of Avalon ritual to be known to “Sherlock,” thus keeping the consultant here.
From this perspective, no matter what they thought or did, it was all within the Lord of Scales and Feathers’ expectations. He hadn’t designed “enemies who would pursue them everywhere,” but rather had foreseen every move of the transcenders from the beginning and had thus placed enemies on their inevitable path.
Then even Eivass’s prayer at this moment should be within His expectations—
Eivass asked Ibn for a pinch of emerald powder.
He held the gemstone powder in his left hand, and with his right hand, he lightly touched his forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and heart once each. Afterward, Eivass placed his right hand on the back of his left fist and chanted loudly, “I beseech the Lord of Scales and Feathers—”
Saying this, he flipped his hand over and opened it.
The powder hissed and turned into green smoke, enveloping everyone.
Eivass’s voice gradually lowered, “God of the Sacred Number Six, God adorned with Scales and Feathers, God of a Thousand Forms… Kunpeng of Illusory Form!
“Please grant us the ability to conceal our forms, allowing us to reach our destination undiscovered!”
The four of them instantly became concealed.
It wasn’t complete invisibility; if they moved in brightly lit areas, some distortion and blur could still be seen with the naked eye. But in dimly lit night conditions, this was sufficient.
Eivass’s voice was also distorted by the blessing obtained through prayer, becoming muffled and unclear, “Mass invisibility will last for three hours. Everyone, go pack what you need. We’ll gather at the entrance in five minutes.
“The outside may already be sealed off by the Star Antimony army. We need to pass through the blocked area, first go to the Silver and Tin Hall to retrieve an item, and then to St. Genevieve’s Chapel.”
To complete the Shadow of Avalon ritual, the elven dagger separated from the holy sword “Arondight,” which hung in the Queen’s chambers, was essential.
But Eivass hadn’t seen it when he went there before, so it must have been hidden somewhere else.
However, thinking of this, Eivass had a new doubt—
He remembered that another Arondight seemed to have been stolen by Viviane and hidden on Haina. Later, it inexplicably disappeared… perhaps taken by someone, or perhaps melted into Haina’s body. In any case, it was no longer in the altar of the Shadow of Avalon ritual, directly causing the ritual to err and summon the Shadow Heavenly Envoy.
…So, the question arises.
What would he summon by performing the Shadow of Avalon ritual at this point in time?
Where was the other Arondight now?
In this worldline, Eivass lacked the desire for transcendence, so would Haina exist?
…If Haina existed, wouldn’t it directly summon Haina’s soul?
And if in this worldline where Eivass lacked the desire for transcendence, Haina simply didn’t exist…
“Then it’s going to be a big problem.” Eivass muttered softly.
(End of this chapter)
