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n624 More Than One?

nLumian remained unfazed as the brown bear uttered words in precise Highlander. Instead of fear, delight filled him–a clear sign that he had stumbled upon the correct location!

nThis was the Planter pathway, the main pathway of the Church of Earth Mother, known as a Druid at Sequence 5. Capable of transforming into a formidable three-meter-tall bear.

nEncountering a human-speaking brown bear in the desolate forest of Hanth Island hinted at his proximity to the heavily guarded area, possibly the mysterious valley of sulfur flames from Demon legends.

nWithout the signature golden straw hat, Lumian studied the brown bear’s furry visage openly, making no effort to conceal his extraordinary nature.

n“Alright,” he sighed with regret, turning on his heels and retracing his steps.

nTwenty to thirty meters away, Lumian vanished from the brown bear’s view, concealed by towering trees that had stood for over a century.

nHe halted, leaning against a tree trunk, and casually retrieved an item from his Traveler’s Bag.

nIt was a pair of brown gold-rimmed glasses–the Mystery Prying Glasses!

nLumian had no intention of recklessly breaching the Church of Earth Mother’s protective circle and venturing into the sealed-off region.

nPerhaps it was no safer than confronting the hidden Demon on Hanth Island.

nWithout sufficient and effective information, Lumian wasn’t inclined to take such risks.

nWhat if it resembled Fourth Epoch Trier?

nLumian’s strategy involved skirting the edges of the problem zone, wielding the Mystery Prying Glasses to shift his perspective and uncover hidden truths.

nFrom Lumian’s familiarity with the Mystery Prying Glasses from previous, the item’s lower level hindered his ability to directly perceive various seals. In Trier, he had utilized them multiple times but couldn’t catch a direct glimpse of Fourth Epoch Trier. Instead, he witnessed concealed elements beneath the ground, lurking in darkness, or disguised through distorted, overlooking, or prying angles.

nThis inherent flaw safeguarded Lumian from directly encountering the Church of Earth Mother’s sealed artifact, thus averting potential catastrophe. Nonetheless, it allowed him to discern abnormal traces.

nAnd that was sufficient!

nMore traces equaled more information, bringing Lumian closer to the elusive truth!

nReady to teleport at a moment’s notice, Lumian positioned the brown gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose.

nAn unsettling dizziness gripped him, akin to being buried underground. Despite looking up at the soil, trees, and sky, he sensed an elevated vantage point, overseeing everything.

nWithering tree bark, decaying leaves, crawling insects, and animals circling a water source–all these details and buried bones spun in Lumian’s vision, inducing nausea from the depths of his soul.

nAmidst the nausea creeping from the depths of his soul, Lumian’s gaze fixated on a startling sight.

nSilent blue flames devoured the entire landscape.

nWhether above, below, or around the flames, the trees swiftly transformed into an inky black, dissolving into sewage. From the decaying remnants, new trees sprouted, rapidly expanding and flourishing.

nIn the midst of the blue inferno, Lumian vaguely discerned a crimson, colossal figure sprawled at the core. Submerged in pitch-black, viscous sewage, it sank gradually, only to be yanked upward by an invisible force.

nThis unseen power emanated from beyond the withering and burgeoning forest, from…

nAbruptly, a pair of eyes materialized within Lumian’s line of sight.

nThey were bloodshot, icy-blue eyes tinged with pain.

nWithout hesitation, Lumian removed the Mystery Prying Glasses and activated the black mark representing Spirit World Traversal.

nSwiftly fading, he disappeared into the forest and reappeared outside the Church of Earth Mother Cathedral in Port Hanth, behind the familiar stone pillar observed earlier that morning.

nAfter stashing the Mystery Prying Glasses back into his Traveler’s Bag, Lumian departed the secluded spot. Blending in with believers, he entered the cathedral exuding scents of wheat and milk, occupying a pew closest to the Sacred Emblem of Life. With crossed arms, he mimicked the old man in a black formal suit, feigning prayer.

nOnly then did he exhale a sigh of relief, assured that those icy-blue eyes wouldn’t target or lock onto him.

nThese Mystery Prying Glasses could pass through countless hands if not in my possession. Its negative effects are indeed unique and beneficial, but they’re also very dangerous… Lumian couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

nThen, he analyzed the scenes witnessed through the Mystery Prying Glasses.

nThere’s a region engulfed in sulfur flames, but the Church of Earth Mother’s trees seal it off, cycling between death and rebirth. It’s nearly impossible to spot from the outside. Even with the Mystery Prying Glasses, I can only vaguely discern its outline.

nIt’s akin to lurking outside a cage and surveying the interior through the gaps in the railing. Despite the Mystery Prying Glasses’ capabilities, they shouldn’t breach the seal.

nThat colossal, blood-colored figure resembles a small mountain, yet I can’t discern any details… Could it be the true form of the Demon of Hanth Island? How can others see it when it’s sealed inside, causing those who witness it to mysteriously vanish?

nCould there be more than one Demon on Hanth Island? The ice-blue eyes staring at me may belong to another Demon. Is it utilizing the invisible connection between itself and the blood-colored Demon to prevent its descent into the pitch-

nblack, viscous sewage?

nIf so, the Church of Earth Mother should eliminate the Demon active both outside and on the island. By doing so, the blood-colored Demon would lose its assistance.

nOr does the Church of Earth Mother not want the blood-

ncolored Demon to completely sink into the pitch-black sewage, letting the ice-blue-eyed Demon exist only to restrict its range and frequency?

nIf it’s not entirely sealed, would the invisible connection between the two parties disappear? Is it because the ice-blue-

neyed Demon will also be affected by the pitch-black sewage?

nLumian deepened his understanding and speculations regarding the Demon legends on Hanth Island. He sensed that his Conspirer potion had become active, showing signs of digestion, but it was still one step away.

nHe wasn’t in a rush to succeed. Instead, he pondered the mission that Naboredisley hadn’t entrusted to him and Franca.

nKilling a Demon descendant from an island in the Berserk Sea…

nThat’s correct, a descendant! The ice-blue-eyed Demon is a descendant of that blood-colored Demon. Is that why an invisible connection binds them?

nDoes Naboredisley desire the blood-colored Demon to fully submerge into the pitch-black sewage?

nIs this beneficial or detrimental for the blood-colored Demon?

nIf it’s beneficial, it makes sense why the Earth Mother Church impedes it. Why does the blood-colored Demon’s descendant persist in pulling and preventing its descent?

nSuppose the ice-blue-eyed Demon is under the control of the Church of Earth Mother, yet it can kill and cause disappearances. Conversely, why doesn’t it flee Hanth Island? This implies that it’s not in the ice-blue-eyed Demon’s favor if the blood-colored Demon were to completely sink into the pitch-black sewage. It’s even willing to forfeit its freedom to obstruct it.

nIf it’s not favorable, perhaps Naboredisley isn’t deceiving. It’s an adversary of the blood-colored Demon, hoping for its complete submersion and assimilation by the pitch-black sewage. This might have a certain impact on Hanth Island, the Berserk Sea, or even the entire world. That’s why the Church of Earth Mother seals and monitors it…

nCan’t they just kill it? Without the blood-colored Demon, the issue of it sinking completely into the pitch-black sewage would cease…

nCan’t be killed?

nWhat Naboredisley feared wasn’t that the blood-colored Demon might sense danger, but that the Church of Earth Mother might be alerted?

nLumian gradually understood the mentality and stance of the Church of Earth Mother, the local Demon, and Naboredisley, but he lacked sufficient evidence.

nWhat he was most certain of now was: the pitch-black, viscous sewage wasn’t simple!

nPerhaps it was something akin to the Samaritan Women’s Spring.

nFurthermore, it bore a striking resemblance to the pitch-black form of the Montsouris ghost.

nTrier’s catacombs is a labyrinth of complexity, filled with corruption and unique monsters that defy easy elimination. It’s the aftermath of Blood Emperor Alista Tudor’s significant accomplishment, an act that nearly brought the gods down with Him. Ultimately, He perished. What could be the reason for Hanth Island? Could it be a divine battle and the demise of a deity?

nThat’s not beyond the realm of possibility… While my knowledge of the Fourth Epoch’s history is limited, I do know that the Berserk Sea was not as tumultuous back then. There were still interactions between the Northern and Southern Continents. Could it be that another emperor from the War of the Four Emperors or two emperors met Their end here, permanently reshaping the terrain and weather to give rise to the Berserk Sea?

nIs this the manifestation of a deity’s power? The Blood Emperor sank a colossal city underground, forcing over a million people to live above it to contain the subsequent effects. And the deity who perished here has been influencing the Berserk Sea for more than a thousand years. This surpasses the waters near Port Santa… As Lumian sighed, he prepared to stand up and return to the Berries to strategize his next move for gathering more information.

nSensing the quietude around him, his movements softened, cautious not to disturb the prayers of the Earth Mother believers.

nSubconsciously scanning his surroundings, Lumian noticed that the believer beside him had also finished praying and retracted his arms.

nA gray-haired old man in a black formal suit with a bow tie caught Lumian’s eye. His face bore well-defined features, and his beard was meticulously shaved.

nIn the next moment, Lumian observed the elder turning his head—revealing bloodshot ice-blue eyes.

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