Mystery: I, the Hermit, am too eager to improve

Chapter 123 The Black Emperor's Secret

Bernadette was slightly surprised, and then hesitated for a moment.

She completed the ritual and was now at the level where she could choose to advance to Sequence 2, but she had a vague feeling that if she chose to advance at this point, she might fail...

This miraculous premonition and good fortune had helped her overcome difficulties on several occasions, and now it had befallen her.

The fact that the other party could pull her up so silently is enough to prove His power and mystery; even if He is not a hidden sage, He is not necessarily merciful.

The sense of being swallowed up and assimilated that this temple subtly evokes is the best example of this.

Bernadette dared not make any unusual movements, much less look up and peek.

She lowered her head, pondering the question she should ask—

After much deliberation, Bernadette gritted her teeth and said, "I want to know whether my father, Russell Gustave, is truly dead or not, and what happened to him in his later years?"

After asking the question, her gaze sharpened.

This was the question that lingered in her mind all evening.

This is a thorn in her heart, keeping her in a state of hatred and disgust for so many years, but deep down, she also longs for the truth.

That is.

There were other reasons behind Russell's choice back then.

perhaps.

It was this very question, and his relationship with the Hidden Sage and Roselle, that drew the attention of this being.

She couldn't be sure, but it was clear that she held some benefit that the other party wanted to gain; otherwise, a hidden entity wouldn't have needed to meet her.

Bernadette calmed down and became confident.

At least.

I shouldn't die here.

"What knowledge or price would I need to pay in exchange for the answer to this question?"

"This involves extremely deep secrets, and you will need to pay a considerable price."

Roy smiled faintly.

"for example?"

"A blasphemous card."

"..."

Bernadette lowered her head, understanding the other party's purpose.

The mysterious blasphemous card that Rosell gave her.

Each blasphemous card is incredibly precious, concealing immense secrets; the knowledge emanating from them can bring enormous benefits with just a glance.

The other party somehow found out that she possessed a blasphemous card...

Do not!

For these hidden beings, it's all too easy to find out they possess a card of blasphemy.

After all, his surname is Gustav.

Bernadette remained silent and hesitant.

She was able to build the current "Elements Dawn" by relying on the knowledge in the cards and the gifts left behind, so there is no way she could give up the "Hermit" card.

But she still had other cards to play.

So.

The final question simplifies to...

The answer is the card of blasphemy.

Which is more important?

Bernadette no longer hesitated and said, "I can use the 'Wheel of Fortune' as an exchange."

The Wheel of Fortune?

This means...

The Hermit's Card is non-negotiable?

Roy flicked his fingers and smiled, "Sure, I'm only interested in the blasphemous cards, it doesn't matter which one."

"If you achieve anything, may I know the secrets of the Blasphemy Card?"

Bernadette made the request.

Roy smiled and said, "It depends on your attitude."

My attitude?

No.

Perhaps it's the attitude of the elements of dawn.

Bernadette took a deep breath and said, "Our opposition to the Hermitage and His Mossian Order is beyond question."

"Can."

Roy smiled faintly.

Bernadette nodded and said, "To show my sincerity, I can first offer up the Wheel of Fortune card. How may I give it to you?"

Roy narrowed his eyes.

"Return to reality, set up the altar, and repeatedly chant 'Hermit' in your heart."

"Yes."

The next moment, Bernadette returned to her residence.

She sat in her seat, hesitating whether to continue the transaction.

Continue trading...

There may be danger, but there may also be opportunities, and this hermit may indeed possess the same status as the "Hidden Sage".

Then, the dawn of knowledge will offer people a new way out, potentially avoiding the pain and danger of "knowledge chasing people".

but.

Once it's a trap—

Bernadette closed her eyes, reviewing the situation, and finally concluded that this possibility was unlikely.

The other party seemed to have good intentions.

Through the ritual, she retrieved the sealed "Wheel of Fortune" amulet, and then set up a sacrificial ceremony without any prayers...

Only by silently reciting "hermit" in one's heart.

At this time.

Inside the mysterious hall, Roy orchestrated numerous rituals to strengthen his connection with Bernadette—

This ability was proven in Lovia; it can indeed strengthen the connection, and prayer and rituals are merely ways to enhance the connection between the two.

While the other person was repeatedly reciting "hermit".

This connection was further strengthened, and Roy leveraged the power of the Mystic Temple, taking the "Wheel of Fortune" card from the altar and bringing Bernadette into the Mystic Temple in the process.

Back in the mysterious hall, Roy held the "Wheel of Fortune," examining it from all angles, before chuckling softly.

Bernadette, filled with curiosity, stood quietly waiting for an answer.

Then he heard a low laugh: "When Roselle created it, it must have been corrupted by a higher power, but he mistakenly believed it to be his own ability."

"My father was already a knowledgeable emperor at that time; even if wise men were to hide away, they couldn't corrupt him, could they?"

Bernadette's first reaction was disbelief.

however.

The other party laughed and said, "Hidden sages don't have that qualification; I'm referring to beings above the stars."

Above the stars?

Bernadette's beautiful eyes widened slightly.

"This part of the knowledge is dangerous. Just knowing it will attract attention. You only need to know that all of your father's actions are related to his contamination."

Roy answered.

Bernadette still didn't quite believe it.

Her wise and powerful father was corrupted, leading him to commit a series of unwise acts, but...

After comparing it, she felt it made perfect sense.

If it weren't for pollution, it would be impossible to explain the strange actions her wise and virtuous father took in his later years.

At that moment, a detached voice came from above.

"As long as no new Black Emperor emerges, the previous Black Emperor will not truly die. Rosell wants to use this characteristic to eliminate pollution."

"pity."

"He doesn't know what his contamination means."

original……

The truth turned out to be like this!

Bernadette felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her heart.

All of this was so shocking to her that she remained silent for a long time, her mind a jumble of chaotic thoughts.

After a long, confused thought, she finally stammered, "Then, then..."

Doesn't that mean...?

Father is still alive?

Bernadette, overjoyed and hopeful, asked, "Then my father isn't dead?"

"Um."

Roy casually tossed the "Wheel of Fortune" onto a bookshelf, seemingly unconcerned, and then said softly, "That's enough for now. As a bonus, I'll give you two more."

Please give me your instructions.

Bernadette bowed her head respectfully.

Roy said calmly, "First, don't touch the Moon or Mother cards. Second, the royal family of Rune is preparing for the Black Emperor's ascension ceremony."

what?

Bernadette was puzzled, and then everything in front of her collapsed in an instant.

Then she found herself back at her lodgings, as if it had all been a dream, but the vanished "Wheel of Fortune" showed that it was all real.

The great being known as the "Hermit" met her.

"The Hermits are likely competitors to the Hidden Sages; they are both vying for that divine position. The Hidden Sages possess a special status, while the Hermits have a unique sanctuary..."

Bernadette whispered.

Then, she sighed softly, pondering the content of the conversation inside the hall.

The sheer volume of information overwhelmed her in the hall, so now that she was back in reality, she had to start sorting it out from the beginning.

"My father was corrupted during the period when he was the emperor of knowledge."

"Afterwards, he wanted to remove the pollution and forcibly transformed into the Black Emperor, which is why he pursued power and war in the later years of his life."

"In the end, even the Black Emperor could not remove the pollution—"

It's terrible!

Even Sequence 0 couldn't remove the pollution; no wonder this hermit was so secretive and dared not reveal his knowledge about pollution.

Just as the other party said.

In a very secluded place, she wouldn't be in any trouble even if she knew, but once she returned to reality with that knowledge, it might attract the attention of that being.

At that time...

Her fate will not be much better than her father's.

Bernadette unconsciously fiddled with an ornament, and then a resolute smile appeared on her face.

The father still has a glimmer of hope!

and.

He didn't lose himself for power; he just wanted to save himself and get rid of the pollution. It's conceivable that such a level of pollution cannot be eliminated by simple suicide.

The father may still be struggling with madness.

"I must become stronger!"

"Only by becoming stronger can we possibly save him, such as by disrupting the 'Royal Family of Rune's' advancement. Until then, we might be able to rely on the power of these great beings."

When a new Black Emperor appears, the old Black Emperor dies.

This is the rule mentioned by the hermit.

and.

She was well aware of the disasters and catastrophes that would ensue if she wanted to become the Black Emperor, and that was exactly what was happening in Backlund.

Beneath the seemingly prosperous surface of the water lies the perfect breeding ground for evil gods.

She must stop Rune's ascension to the throne, and to do so, she must become a Sequence 2 or even higher.

Bernadette's resolve was stronger than ever; she realized that she was in the best position for her promotion.

"Thank you, great hermit."

Whatever your purpose, at least this time, you did help me.

Bernadette moved on, leaving Backlund.

……

"The Wheel of Fortune".

Roy held the cards in his hand, his previous composure and disdain gone, and held them preciously in his hand.

Rabénard's ascent was indeed a bold adventure, his confidence stemming from his connection to the mysterious temple and his possession of the knowledge and answers Rabénard needed.

Asking for a card is also to make everything seem reasonable.

It's a pity it's not the "Hermit" card.

If I get it, I won't have to worry about the recipes I need before I become a god.

but.

no way.

Bernadette could not possibly play the Hermit card, and her status and level did not allow her to care too much about the Hermit card.

The Wheel of Fortune is also acceptable.

By using the Wheel of Fortune cards, one can unleash certain special abilities, just like Klein used the Black Emperor card to perform some unusual feats.

Although I don't know how to make paper figures and can't conjure paper angels, the most important thing in the Hermit's Path is information and numerology.

Information bombardment has the same effect.

Roy couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

"I crossed the river by feeling my way across, and now Klein is crossing the river by feeling my way across."

"Ha ha."

Then gradually, his laughter stopped abruptly and turned into a sigh.

The more powerful a nation is, the more terrifying the threats and madness it faces.

Like Russell.

He thought himself the chosen one, but in the end he had to choose suicide to cut off the pollution. Mr. Men was the same.

That angel king even roared to death his own bloodline descendants.

If it weren't for the various threats and the hidden secrets and strange situations, Roy would rather stay in a certain sequence.

They may not be powerful, but they live a worry-free life.

This emotion only lingered for a moment before Roy resolved it on his own, then held the Wheel of Fortune card in one hand and the planetarium in the other.

Further confirmation revealed that the planetarium did not possess any extraordinary abilities.

But since it was left by "Green", it must have special significance, perhaps it is a key to some place.

"The key?"

Roy pondered, recalling the place name he had heard when he advanced to Sequence 6.

Vegania.

The mysterious land of Fussac.

Could it be the key that guides the way to "Vargia"?

If that's the case, then somewhere there should be another "astrolabe"—

The foundation of astrological chart divination is the astrological chart, but according to the knowledge Roy absorbed from "The Interpretation of the Stars," there is a more advanced form of astrological chart divination.

It requires the use of a star chart, an astrolabe, and celestial bodies to achieve this.

According to the book, at that specific time, the diviner receives stronger guidance. So, the question arises—

Astrology.

Can we believe in things that come from the stars?

Roy shook his head, placed the planetarium in the mysterious hall, and didn't intend to actually search for its secrets.

This could be a trap.

after all.

According to current information, both Green and Russell were contaminated, and their final fates were similar, but somewhat different from what was originally remembered.

The original ending for Green was quite clear.

He died in the Misty Sea and never returned to land. Russell lamented and sighed in his diary, regretting Green's death and claiming that it would have been better if Green had been with them.

but.

He couldn't find this diary entry in his Roselle diary in this lifetime.

Green's fate had clearly changed, and it was likely connected to him, becoming increasingly apparent from the information Bernadette had given him.

Roy sorted out his thoughts, but couldn't find any more clues for the time being.

but.

He had already seen the potion recipe in the book.

"Sequence 5, Astrologer."

"Extraordinary Material: A piece of Star Crystal, the core of an ancient ghost."

"Auxiliary materials: 5 grams of hexagonal crystal powder, 10 grams of ancient ghost dust, 100 ml of any fairy spring water, and 8 petals of golden bell flower."

"Ascension Ritual: Take the potion while the Three-Eyed Raven caws during the occurrence of a corresponding celestial phenomenon."

Three-eyed Night Raven.

Roy searched his memory for any recollections of this creature and finally found a record of it in "Astrological Analysis".

"The Three-eyed Raven has a tuft of white feathers that grows right in the middle of its head, forming an eye-like shape with the surrounding black."

"It is full of curiosity about the starry sky and often calls out for an hour in a row when a certain star phenomenon appears."

This involves connecting oneself with the stars and night ravens to unleash astrological magic.

Roy pondered for a moment, then sighed and returned to reality.

Thinking about it more won't help.

He's only just reached Sequence 6, and he hasn't even figured out where to play Professor Roll, let alone Three-Eyed Raven.

Professor of Roll Reel.

This professor should be a synonym for "knowledgeable," not someone who actually needs to be a professor to teach others.

That's what scholars and esoteric instructors do.

Roy sat at his desk thinking for a long time, and finally decided that he should study and broaden his knowledge to learn more about scrolls.

No matter how the sequence of paths for those seeking secrets changes, mystical knowledge remains its core pursuit.

"Scroll painting".

"The Hunting Moss Abstinence is a case of 'the wool comes from the sheep,' and in the end, we still have to find a way to get the materials from them."

"And another thing."

Roy wrote them down in his notebook, paused for a moment after writing the third one, and then continued writing—

"Build your own network of relationships."

He's already doing that.

Tilly and Gary are both part of his network, but it's still uncertain whether they will become his followers or anchors in the future.

But at least it went from nothing to something.

It's just a bit barren.

As for Silver City, we'll try to win it if we can, but there's nothing we can do if we can't.

Having made his plan, Roy smiled slightly.

These things can be done together, and it won't take much time. Once things are stable, we can go to sea.

It was faster than expected.

The next day, there were ten scrolls on his desk, five of which were stacked together, while the remaining five were stacked in groups of three and two.

Five water wave scrolls.

Three scrolls for exorcising evil spirits.

Two flame scrolls.

Roy has mastered all three types of scrolls, with the water wave scroll being the most proficient. His skill level in the exorcism scroll and the flame scroll is not much different.

but.

In just one day, he was able to manufacture the flame scroll and the exorcism scroll, which was already a very good improvement.

In the afternoon, Roy ate out and returned with a newspaper in his hand. The headline read—

The Aurora Society has been carrying out terrifying and evil rituals in the East District, Bridge District, and Dock District of Backlund, killing countless people in the process. A nationwide manhunt is now being held for Mr. A and Mr. Z of the Aurora Society.

"hehe."

Roy put the newspaper aside, a cold smile appearing on his face.

……

Inside the colossal bronze hall, Klein sat in a chair, with a blurry figure standing to his right.

"Hello, Mr. Fool."

The other person's voice was deep, and they bowed respectfully.

Klein smiled slightly and chuckled softly, "Hello, Mr. World."

……

At 3 p.m., a deep red light simultaneously enveloped several five-person groups in different locations.

On the bronze palace, Roy opened his eyes.

Then he saw that there was another person on the other side, and a blurry figure was sitting in one of the places on their side.

Two new people joined all at once?