Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Lumian put his physics knowledge to work and pondered for a moment.

"Why not just call it the law of conservation?"

"That's another law, but don't worry about the details for now." The woman nodded in agreement. "Essentially, it's the same as the law of indestructibility, but with additional prerequisites and specific elaborations."

Is that so… Lumian considered for a moment before speaking.

"So, according to the law of indestructibility, if I want to obtain Beyonder characteristics, I can target other Beyonders, in addition to hunting the corresponding monsters?"

Since Beyonder characteristics were indestructible, a Beyonder's death would result in the appearance of the corresponding Beyonder characteristics.

The woman's face showed a certain amount of emotion.

"You're very perceptive."

"Therefore, this law isn't suitable for most Beyonders to know. It would result in Beyonders killing each other, and they won't be able to trust each other."

Lumian didn't mind this. "Even without this law, humans still kill each other. In the real world, there's plenty of suspicion, bullying, and murder."

The woman replied with interest, "But at least there's still a certain warmth and light of the human spirit."

Lumian pondered for a while before speaking.

"Looking at it from another perspective, this law should become a consensus among Beyonders. That way, the weak can be prepared in advance and not become easy prey for those who know."

The lady nodded slightly.

"That does make some sense. Actually, if battles between Beyonders happen frequently enough, people involved would likely be able to figure it out."

She then introduced, "The second law is called the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence."

"Convergence…" Lumian struggled to understand.

He couldn't quite derive it from their earlier conversation.

The woman's expression turned serious.

"As the creator of this world, even if the Oldest One splits into Beyonder characteristics of different pathways, it doesn't mean that He has completely withdrawn from the stage. His mind is scattered among the different Beyonder characteristics and will never be obliterated unless this world completely perishes.

"These minds are similar to a brand, but they have the instinct to reassemble and revive the Oldest One.

"In other words, after you become a Beyonder, you're more likely to encounter other Beyonders than before. You're more likely to encounter Beyonders of the same pathway or neighboring pathways than Beyonders of other pathways. This is the convergence of fate. The higher the Sequence, the more obvious this situation becomes."

Lumian had many questions, but he decided to start with the most important one.

"So, combined with the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility, can I conclude that convergence leads to massacres?"

The lady once again revealed an approving expression.

"You're very perceptive on such matters."

"It's not a problem when your Sequence is low, but at the demigod stage, especially after becoming an Angel, you must find a way to weaken or avoid the effects of convergence."

"Demigod, Angel?" Lumian was surprised and intrigued upon hearing these terms, even though he knew that every Sequence could eventually become a true god.

The lady casually explained, "Demigod is a term for Beyonders from Sequence 4 to Sequence 1, meaning half-god, half-human.

"Among them, Sequence 4 and Sequence 3 are known as Saints, while Sequence 2 and Sequence 1 are called Angels. There are other names beyond that, but it's best if you not know them for now."

Saints… Angels… Lumian thought of the saints and angels from different regions.

They were real?

The remains of a Saint are the corpses of Saints. There are Beyonder characteristics left behind?

Lumian asked, feeling a little afraid, "So every Beyonder characteristic has the mental imprint of the Oldest One, and the higher the Sequence, the more is left behind?

"Wouldn't the person who consumes the potion be affected in other ways?"

The lady confirmed with a smile, "Yes, why do you think this path is filled with danger and madness?

"Losing control is one of the main reasons why consuming a potion can be so dangerous.

"To be specific, it's losing control of supernatural powers and one's own mind and transforming into a terrifying monster."

"Is there another reason?" Lumian pressed.

The lady tersely grunted.

"Firstly, the intensity of the mental imprint mainly depends on the level of the owners of the corresponding Beyonder characteristics. Their obsession and madness before death also contribute to it. Secondly, consuming the potion in the wrong order or method can cause a huge conflict in the body. Thirdly, some existences can use the consumption of potions to exert influence. For example, every time the Mystery Pryer pathway consumes a potion, they passively receive knowledge instillation from the Hidden Sage."

Similar to the voice I heard after drinking the Hunter potion? Lumian deliberated for a moment before recounting his encounter truthfully.

"Which entity's influence is that?"

The next second, he saw the expression of the lady opposite him become a little odd.

She said solemnly, "Some existences can corrupt and take control of you just by knowing of their existence.

"Unfortunately, the owner of that voice is one such existence. It's not suitable for you to know Their honorific name at the moment."

Lumian's mind raced with thoughts. That horrifying? A Sequence 0 true god? But most people in Intis and I know about the Eternal Blazing Sun and the God of Steam and Machinery. There's nothing wrong with them… Could there be a difference between a true god and an evil god? But she mentioned the Hidden Sage, who is also a Sequence 0. Is it possible she doesn't know who it is and is using vague terms to mask her ignorance?

He gave up on the topic, considering his own strength, and asked about another intriguing term.

"What is a neighboring pathway?"

The woman's expression returned to normal as she explained, "Under normal circumstances, if you choose a pathway and consume the corresponding potion, you can only go down that path one step at a time. Otherwise, you will definitely lose control, or at the very least, half-lose control. However, there are always exceptions. Every pathway has one or more neighboring pathways. You can jump over at a specific Sequence, such as Sequence 4, which divides between humans and demigods."

"Hunter's neighboring pathway is Assassin."

Assassin… Sounds cooler than Hunter… Lumian asked with concern, "Which pathways neighbor Mystery Pryer?

"Will one no longer be affected by the Hidden Sage after jumping to a neighboring pathway?"

"The Savant pathway. The current Sequence 0 is the God of Steam and Machinery," the woman replied calmly. "After jumping over, one will still be affected by the Hidden Sage, but the degree will decrease significantly. However, the corresponding Beyonder characteristics still exist unless one finds a way to expel them."

"How?" Lumian asked, surprised.

"The easiest way is to have children. In mysticism, there's a high chance of transferring the corresponding Beyonder characteristics to a child through heredity," the woman explained. "Alternatively, you can use the special abilities of certain pathways, but there's a certain risk, and you have to pay a considerable price."

Lumian nodded before raising another question.

"Can I switch only at a particular Sequence?"

The chances of reaching Sequence 4 and becoming a demigod were slim.

The lady glanced at him.

"In theory, it's possible to switch at a lower Sequence, but the risk of losing control is much higher. Unless there's no other way, it's best not to attempt it."

The woman paused before saying, "I've finished explaining the two laws. Now, I'll explain the method.

"This is one of the most important pieces of knowledge in the mystical world."

Most important? Lumian instinctively straightened his back, feeling abnormally focused.

The lady continued to speak, "It's called the 'acting method.'

"It's a way to help you digest the potion. By digesting the potion, the risk of losing control will be greatly reduced when consuming the next Sequence potion."

It's no wonder I can't drink the Sequence 9 potion today and drink the Sequence 8 potion tomorrow… I have to use the "acting method" to digest the previous potion… Lumian came to a realization.

He did not interrupt her and listened attentively to her explanation.

"Remember, it's digestion, not control.

"What's the acting method? It involves acting according to the name of a Sequence like an actor. By reconciling the differences between one's body and the remnant mental imprints of the Beyonder characteristics, one can obtain the corresponding recognition. This allows them to bypass the barrier that originally existed and fuse the Beyonder characteristics with themselves."

"So, I have to act like a Hunter and hunt in the mountains every day?" Lumian asked attentively." Lumian appeared as attentive as a student.

The lady shook her head.

"That's just the most superficial form of acting. We not only have to understand the surface meaning of a Sequence's name, but we also have to investigate its deeper meaning. For example, the city is also a jungle. Everyone is both prey and hunter."

I'm familiar with this… Lumian was already familiar with this concept, which he had learned during his days as a vagrant.

"How can you be sure that you have digested the potion and can advance to the next Sequence?" Lumian asked curiously.

The lady smiled.

"You will sense it when the potion is truly digested."

Alright… Lumian didn't continue the topic and asked in puzzlement, "Who named the different Sequences?"

Why could he digest the potion just by acting them out?

The lady's expression turned serious.

"The earliest Sequence divisions came from the remnants of the Oldest One's splintering. It was a stone slab filled with mystical knowledge.

"As it involves the secret of becoming a deity, it's called the Blasphemy Slate.

"In ancient times, during the end of the Second Epoch and the entire Third Epoch, a powerful deity close to the Oldest One appeared. He was called the Ancient Sun God. After He perished, a second Blasphemy Slate was born from His remains. All the current Sequence names and potion formulas came from it."

That's not the Second and Third Epoch history I learned… Lumian muttered inwardly.

The lady continued to speak, "When Emperor Roselle was alive, he used the second Blasphemy Slate as a reference to create a Cards of Blasphemy set based on tarot cards. There are a total of 22 cards, and each card represents a pathway of the divine."

Lumian was astonished. "Emperor Roselle is also a Beyonder?"

As an ordinary Intisian, it was difficult for him not to feel a certain amount of admiration for Emperor Roselle.

The woman laughed. "Otherwise?"

Lumian asked, "Was he powerful?"

"Almost a deity," the lady said concisely.

That amazing? Lumian was stunned but felt that it was only right.

He thought for a moment and said, "Then, wouldn't the diary left behind by Emperor Roselle be very valuable?"

The lady nodded.

"Yes, but there are very, very few people who can decipher those strange writings."

Lumian fell into deep thought. Aurore seems to have some of Emperor Roselle's diary transcripts in her collection. She seems to be able to decipher them… Could it be that a portion of her strength comes from there?