Lord of Mysteries: Taiyi

Monday, July 1349, 2:57 p.m., No. 2 Narcissus Street, Tingen.

Klein closed the history books and the original owner's notes, capped the pen, and swiftly drew the curtains shut.

He then locked the bedroom door, making the room unusually dark.

He tapped his brow twice, activating his spiritual vision to check for any unseen spirits in the room.

After receiving a negative answer, he ended his spiritual vision, took out the pocket watch that Melissa had repaired, and checked the time.

Counting the ticking sounds, at one minute to three, he took four steps backward, silently reciting the corresponding incantation in Chinese.

Unlike before, he didn't prepare any staple food this time.

As his "body" became lighter and floated upwards, the gray mist and deep red stars reappeared in his eyes.

Three of them seemed to have a subtle connection to him, making him feel strangely familiar.

Klein looked at his blurry reflection and guessed:

"The celestial beings that Old Neil was talking about?"

After a few seconds of calm, the magnificent temple, the bronze table directly beneath the dome, and twenty-two high-backed chairs with different constellation symbols appeared simultaneously.

Klein quietly sat at the head of the table, letting the gray mist obscure his face and body. Then he reached out and pointed at the three familiar crimson stars, establishing a strange connection.

……

In a windowless basement, Alger Wilson sat at a long table, his face rugged and deep-set, on which were laid out various utensils and parchment scrolls.

On the table in front of him, a half-burnt candle illuminated the blood of a dark ghost shark beside him. From inside the sealed bottle, it sometimes emitted the sound of howling wind and sometimes the surging of the sea.

He had messy, seaweed-like hair, a deep blue-black color, and wore a long robe embroidered with lightning bolt patterns.

He clasped his hands together and glanced at the clock on the wall, noticing the hour hand pointed to three o'clock.

He pinched his temple to activate his spiritual vision. Just then, a tidal wave of crimson engulfed him.

…………

Backlund, Queens, inside the Hall family's luxury villa.

Audrey Hall dismissed the dance teacher, locked herself in her bedroom, and tried to enter the state of "the audience" by sitting upright in front of the dressing table.

As she excitedly gazed at the high-end wall clock, she noticed Susie, who had been squatting in the corner, silently watching her.

Her expression immediately fell apart. Before she could chase Susie away, a burst of deep red light engulfed her.

…………

In the bedroom on the top floor of a three-story detached house at 36 Ewald Street, at the intersection of Queens and the West End.

Kurt Bard, having finished his recitation assignment at the Harvest Church and taken a nap, lay half-reclined on his bed, staring listlessly at the ceiling.

He had healthy black hair, a lean but sharp profile, and deep black eyes that revealed a hint of fatigue and expectation. His slender body was well-proportioned, and he was dressed in a casual plaid shirt and a brown vest.

Several pieces of paper were burning on a wooden table in the distance, and some neat handwriting could be vaguely seen in the unburned parts.

Absolutely wrote:

"...The Hidden Sage"

…………

Above the gray fog, inside a magnificent temple that resembled the abode of a giant king.

The three appeared one after another. The tall, blonde "Justice" Audrey had adjusted her mindset during the process. She looked at Mr. Fool at the head of the table with a normal expression. Mr. Fool, who was shrouded in thick gray fog, leaned back, one hand resting on the edge of the table, the other hand loosely clenched, gently stroking his chin.

Audrey instinctively observed Mr. Fool and discovered that he couldn't see through the gray fog.

Suddenly realizing she seemed to be staring directly at a hidden being, she quickly looked away and spoke lightly:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Fool!"

Then she turned to the other two members opposite her and spoke in the same tone:

"Good afternoon, my lover~"

Good afternoon, Mr. Hanged Man~

So now that she's sure I'm a good person, she's not afraid at all? Although she avoided eye contact earlier, like a well-protected noblewoman, Miss Justice is probably just an observer now. It seems I need to be more careful with my actions from now on, so as not to give her away.

He smiled and responded in a calm tone:

Good afternoon, Miss Justice.

As he spoke, he lowered his head slightly, then raised his head and lightly tapped his forehead twice.

Then Klein saw the aura emanating from the three people in front of him!

While the Fool was analyzing the members' aura colors, the members each had their own thoughts.

Audrey noticed that Mr. Fool seemed rather cheerful, guessing it was the joy of a successful test.

Kurt, on the other hand, was lamenting that Fool Klein was still quite green and could even respond to Miss Justice, unable to completely control his emotions.

After Klein examined the group, he found that Mr. Lover's aura was the most unusual; he couldn't see inside his astral body!

Or rather, it wasn't that he couldn't see it, but rather that his gaze was absorbed, somewhat like a black hole attracting light, his vision vanishing suddenly like a stone sinking into the sea.

Mr. Lover's spirit is quite special. Is it because his path is special or is there something else special about him? At the last gathering, he gave out four "potion" recipes in one go, and he may even have more.

The church only gave me four choices: "The Sleepless One," "The Corpse Collector," "The Diviner," and "The Spy." Although the church possesses the complete pathway to becoming the "Sleepless One," and may know of other pathways but not distribute them to believers, it is enough to prove that Mr. "Lover" may come from an ancient and secretive organization.

This has both advantages and disadvantages for him. If his "lover" really has an extraordinary background as he suspects, he can definitely bring a lot of valuable knowledge and resources, but he may also expose his facade.

After some thought, Klein decided to be cautious in his words and actions. He would resolutely not speak about things he didn't know or was unsure about, or he would try to cover it up. If he was really discovered, he would just not involve them next time. He could replace them with a different group of people. The initiative was entirely in his own hands.

While Klein was pondering, "The Lover" Kurt and "The Hanged Man" Alger also finished their greetings.

Audrey breathed a sigh of relief and said to everyone with some joy:

"I've successfully become a spectator. Mr. Lover, did you receive those two documents? And Mr. Hanged Man, did you receive Ghost Shark's blood?"

Kurt touched his left ring finger and found that the ring wasn't on. He breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a strange emptiness, as if he had lost something important.

He nodded and responded calmly:

"Received it, very quickly, and the quality is very good."

At this point, Kurt recalled the product review he left in his previous life in order to get 3 yuan from the store: "I received the item, it's genuine, the customer service attitude is very good, and the logistics speed is also very fast."

He added with a slight smile:

"Miss Justice has delivered two documents. Mr. Hanged Man, you can pay me £200 to settle the debt, or an extraordinary item of equal value."

Alger nodded and responded:

"I will pay you 200 gold pounds. I have also received the Ghost Shark Blood sent by Justice, and I am very satisfied with the quality of the material. What do you need in return?"

"Justice," Audrey said excitedly.

"I want to know when I can drink the Sequence Eight potion, and some secret knowledge of the extraordinary world!"

"Of course I know this may not be commensurate with what I've given. Mr. Hanged Man, what extra do I need to give?"

Upon hearing this, the Hanged Man cautiously glanced at the Fool and the mysterious Lover sitting beside him, remaining silent for a few seconds before speaking:

"800 pounds, because..."

Audrey's eyes lit up upon hearing this—such a bargain! She immediately replied:

"make a deal!"

Audrey then noticed the Fool, who remained seated, and looked at the 'Lovers' who seemed to want to remind her, and the 'Hanged Man' who seemed hesitant to speak.

An eerie silence fell over the entire meeting…