Chapter 625: The Lords of Time Dispatch
The grand and sacred sonata seemed to reach its crescendo. The thumb-sized Ace walked slowly across the rainbow bridge of light, then suddenly paused. Looking into the distance, he murmured several lines in Magical Language.
The Mirror of the Lost abruptly escaped John’s hand, shattering like foam into countless specks of flowing light that soared into the sky. It was as if a certain string had been pulled; dark clouds blanketed the sky, and in an instant, thunder roared and lightning flashed. The ancient elemental powers of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water pulsed rhythmically, gradually forming an elemental vortex above the Cathedral of the Lords of Time.
Bishop Radiant Sun, the Prophet Gardner, who was stationed in Hall City, furrowed his brow. He had just urgently mobilized his forces to sweep out the cultists, only to find that the entire cathedral seemed to have become the target of this bizarre ritual, leaving him in a dilemma.
Under the surging power, a high-concentration elemental vortex gradually rose in the sky like a doomsday judgment, resembling a giant eye staring down at the cathedral below.
“Defend with all your might! We must not let the cultists’ conspiracy succeed. Pray to His Majesty Radiant Sun; beg for God’s mercy.”
Prophet Gardner made his decision, leading all the clergy in prayer. A milky-white light gradually enveloped the entire cathedral, countering the terrifying vortex in the sky.
In the VIP ward of John Hospital, the corners of Ace’s mouth curled up. He continued walking as the sonata grew more impassioned, sounding like ten thousand horses galloping past, or the crashing waves of a great sea.
“My heart is the clear mirror; why need it illuminate the lost path?”
Ace’s voice rang in John’s ears like the tolling of a great bell. John prayed even more piously. Simultaneously, more and more phantoms of praying cultists appeared, and Ace’s pace quickened.
On the other side, the vortex in the sky became increasingly terrifying, truly resembling a one-eyed cloud of darkness judging all living beings. The milky-white light converged into a single point, condensing into a massive orb of light above Prophet Gardner’s head.
As Gardner pushed upward with all his strength, he shouted, “Radiant Sun protect!”
Like the rising sun, the milky-white orb of light slammed into the vortex in the pitch-black sky. It exploded with a roar, sending a violent shockwave through the heavens, and the rain began to pour.
The rain came and went quickly. In the blink of an eye, the downpour dissipated. Ace had already reached the Stone of Procreation, transforming into a stream of light and sinking into Matilda’s womb.
Matilda’s expression was happy and serene. She let out a soft groan of slight pain.
Clyster had collapsed to the ground, the blood from his seven orifices gradually stopping. John scooped Clyster up and turned to Matilda. “The Lord’s will is done. From this day forward, I am Saint John, you are Saint Matilda, and he is Saint Clyster. Until the Lord reaches adulthood, the affairs of the Gem Order shall be decided by the three of us. The ritual is over; the people in the hospital will soon wake up. After I leave, please ring the bedside bell; the medical staff will arrive shortly.”
Matilda nodded slightly, beads of sweat seeping from her forehead. She was in some pain, but her expression remained incredibly happy and holy.
John moved quickly, reaching the second basement in no time. He placed Clyster into the Mana Storage Pool and activated the magic array. Strands of mana surged, and the Dream of the Wilderness cast down a dream-like mist, slowly repairing Clyster’s body.
“To bear the descent of a god for so long without being a Prophet was far too forced. Fortunately, our Lord is merciful; only his physical functions are near collapse, while his soul remains unharmed. Stay here for now and recover slowly.”
John flicked his hand, and a phantom appeared—the sky where the clouds had vanished and the rain had ceased. A smile played on his lips.
“The Lord is truly wise beyond measure. He used the Mirror of the Lost to trigger the world’s final hostility and rejection, transforming it into a vortex. This misled those fools in the Church of the Lords of Time into thinking it was aimed at them! They actually used the power of the Lords of Time to neutralize and annihilate the world’s rejection for us. It’s simply laughable!”
John laughed maniacally. In the silent basement, only his wild laughter echoed. After a long while, he spoke with a trace of loneliness, “Clyster, wake up quickly.”
Six years passed in the blink of an eye at the mansion of Count Curie.
Six years had passed since the birth of Ace, the son of the Count and the Duke’s daughter, Matilda. The Count was exceptionally fond of his son, and the Duke likewise doted on his grandson. Beyond the ties of blood, the main reason was that the child was incredibly brilliant and adorable.
He wasn’t freakishly different, but he was certainly smarter than ordinary children, and he became increasingly sensible as he grew older.
Ace had been in this world for six years. From his initial panic to his current calm, he knew he was a transmigrator—and not an ordinary one. He retained most of the memories of that planet from his past life. Though some were blurry, the neon lights and skyscrapers remained in his heart. Before transmigrating, he was a researcher.
This world was miraculous, possessing supernatural powers. The most important aspect was the bestowal of a True Name; only with one could one step into the supernatural realm.
However, it was strange: his mother had consistently refused to hold a True Name bestowal ceremony for him, insisting he must wait until adulthood. Furthermore, he was not to go to the Church of the Lords of Time, but must travel to the Mansus alone to obtain the Mansus’s bestowal.
His father and grandfather had argued with Matilda many times over this, but eventually, both men yielded. Finally, the grandfather proposed that he could go to the Mansus to obtain his True Name at eighteen, provided he was accompanied, and if he failed, he must immediately go to the Church to seek the bestowal of the Great Radiant Sun.
Ace had no objection to this. He was even more inclined toward his mother’s proposal. According to the “forbidden books” he had flipped through over the past six years, the Lords of Time were the most powerful deities in the world, numbering twenty-six in total, with six being Outer Lords of Time.
For an ordinary mortal to obtain a True Name from a Lord of Time through a ritual was indeed a matter of infinite glory and a bright future.
The Mansus was also a miraculous location—the birthplace of the Lords of Time and the origin of the world. Anyone could travel to the Mansus; as long as they dreamed, there was a certain probability of entering.
However, to obtain a True Name bestowal in the Mansus, one had to be an adult. A child could not cross the Pure White Door, and could not even pass through the Dark Woods, only able to wander the periphery.
As one of the most noble people in Hall City, the so-called forbidden books were merely ordinary books to Ace. All occult knowledge was open to him. Aside from being forbidden from joining secret cults, no one would stop him from doing anything else.
In fact, many high-ranking nobles did not believe in the Lords of Time, let alone ordinary Named or Pseudonymous Ones. They had their own ambitions and walked the path of Natural Faith. If a commoner did this, they would be hunted by the Suppression Bureau and the Inquisition, but for nobles, this was an implicit rule.
Especially for great nobles of Count rank or higher—excluding those like the Duke of Hall who piously believed in the Lords of Time—there were many practitioners of Natural Faith.
The reason the Duke of Hall agreed to let his grandson try Natural Faith was because of the near-miraculous phenomenon at his birth: the room filled with golden light, and Ace was born stepping on golden clouds with the faint image of a crown above his head.
Moreover, Matilda had dreamed of the Mansus the day before giving birth, waking up from the sight of the sun entering her womb in the wilderness.
All this reminded the Duke of Hall of a long-circulated legend: great Pseudonymous or even Named Ones, with the consent of the Lords of Time, would undergo reincarnation to take a step further and wash away their shackles.
Perhaps his grandson was such a divine person reincarnated. Additionally, since Matilda’s eldest brother had died four years ago leaving only a daughter, the Duke valued this grandson even more.
After a heated argument with his son-in-law and vassal, Count Curie, the Count finally agreed that if they had another child, Ace could take his mother’s surname and become the heir to the Duchy of Hall.
If their family could birth a Pseudonymous or even a Named One, the Hall family might obtain their own Promised Land and establish a brand-new Duchy of Hall or even a Kingdom of Hall.
This was why Count Curie was reluctant to yield, but ultimately, he couldn’t win against the Duke and had to agree.
Ace didn’t understand these matters. He simply absorbed knowledge like a sponge, studying hard and constantly trying to explore the supernatural field.
Today was Ace’s first exploration. From the book On Things Trapped in Silver Mirrors, he found a ritual—a way to enter the Mansus through a mirror in a dream.
“A Mansus Glimpse ritual alone isn’t safe. I also need a blessing ritual to ensure my safety when entering.”
After pondering for a while, Ace chose to seek help directly from his mother, Matilda. Actually, he sometimes didn’t dare to look into Matilda’s eyes; beyond motherly love, there seemed to be a kind of longing, adoration, and sense of the sacred.
It was too intense and strange, making Ace’s hair stand on end. He preferred discussing current affairs with his father, Count Curie—though the Count was of high status, he understood nothing of the supernatural and was a pure commoner. Many such people existed; they lacked the necessary talent and could not enter the illusory dreams of the Mansus. Even bishops found it difficult to use the power of the Lords of Time to bestow True Names upon them.
Entering Matilda’s room, Ace saw her sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed. her breathing was long and deep, with a faint halo—even a jewel-like luster—surrounding her, though it vanished upon closer inspection.
Ace found a cushion and sat quietly, waiting for Matilda’s dream to end.
About half an hour later, Matilda opened her eyes. Seeing Ace sitting there, she spoke with a touch of respect, “Ace, you should have just woken me. How long have you been waiting?”
Ace replied respectfully, “Not long, I just arrived. Mother, I have something I’d like to ask.”
Ace communicated quite openly with Matilda, taking out the book On Things Trapped in Silver Mirrors and explaining his thoughts.
A glint of admiration flashed in Matilda’s eyes. She made a gesture that was unintelligible to Ace, then said, “Regarding a blessing, I know a friend with excellent blessing methods. Let him protect you, and then you can try the Mansus Glimpse ritual yourself. Good luck, my son.”
She reached out her hand as if to stroke the top of Ace’s head, hesitated, and finally settled for a light pat on his back.
Ace was a bit surprised but ultimately said nothing, bowing as he left.
Matilda was highly efficient. The next day, she brought a slender, elegant-looking man over. The man gave Ace a seventy-degree bow and said respectfully and seriously, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Excellency Ace. My name is John. I am a doctor and also the Pope of the Gem Order.”
Inexplicably, Ace felt this person was very familiar and approachable.
Subconsciously, Ace stepped forward, stood on his tiptoes, and gently stroked the top of John’s lowered head.
John and Matilda subconsciously murmured a phrase in Gem Speech: “Our Lord, the Lord of Gems.”
Snapping back to his senses, Ace stared at his hand in surprise, feeling slightly embarrassed. Fortunately, the two said nothing. He withdrew his hand, only then remembering that this John was actually the Pope of a secret cult.
For a moment, many associations arose in Ace’s heart, but he didn’t say a word.
Pope John seemed to see Ace’s hesitation and said in a low voice, “You will understand when you reach the Mansus. All of this was pre-determined by you.”
Pre-determined by me?
Ace didn’t understand at all, but the arrow was on the string and had to be fired. He had to accept. Following the description of the Mansus Glimpse ritual, he lightly polished the mithril mirror Matilda had prepared, recalling the words from the book.
“The maiden in the mirror prefers orchids, while the one behind the mirror favors azaleas. Neither flower should be placed before polished bronze once cut.”
A bunch of orchids was placed before the mirror, and a bunch of peonies (used as a substitute for the placement) was placed behind it. Ace held a shiny bronze bowl, turning in circles while whispering and singing a nursery rhyme.
John quietly lit an incense stick, which emitted an exotic fragrance. Gradually, the mirror’s surface became blurry. A young girl emerged from the blurred mirror, cold as winter frost. Behind the mirror, a woman covered in foul blood prostrated on the ground, slowly crawling up.
At that moment, a gem suddenly appeared above Matilda’s head, shining like the rising sun. With just one shine, it melted the frost maiden, and the blood-stained woman turned completely into thick liquid, becoming a mark under the intense light.
Ace looked at the misty silver mirror and touched it lightly. He actually fell into a slow sleep.
His consciousness left his body—or rather, his soul stepped out—curiously treading into the silver mirror’s mist.
John bowed slightly to Matilda and whispered, “I will have to trouble you to look after the Lord’s physical body and mine, Saint Matilda.”
Matilda’s beautiful face carried a sense of the sacred as she spoke solemnly, “Leave it to me, Saint John.”
John nodded and sat cross-legged. His soul stepped out of his physical body and also entered the mist-shrouded mirror.
Ace entered the mirror and felt a piercing cold. Suddenly, a wave of warmth surrounded him; it was John following him, with a ball of fire floating above his head.
“What is this? It’s so warm,” Ace couldn’t help but say.
John smiled and whispered, “My Lord, this is the Scorching Gem You bestowed upon me. Let me use it to warm You and illuminate Your path.”
“You call me Lord?” Ace asked in confusion.
“Yes. You are my Lord, the Lord of the Gem Order, the Great Lord of Gems. Lord, let us walk in the illusory dream and pass through the woodland.”
Hearing John’s words, Ace did not move. Instead, he stepped back warily, attempting to find a way to escape.
This man seemed like a madman, or perhaps his “Lord” had taken an interest in his body. But why did he feel that what the man said was the truth?
Ace was deeply puzzled and asked loudly, “How do you prove that I am this so-called Lord?”
John slowly bowed his body and kissed the tips of Ace’s toes, saying piously, “My Lord, You came from outside the world. To remove the world’s rejection and hostility, You were born into the Holy Mother’s embrace and partitioned Your memories. Your memories remain within the Gem Secret Realm. Please trust me; I will help You retrieve them.”
Ace still didn’t quite believe him, but the fire on John’s body grew hotter and hotter. Ace subconsciously commanded, “Stay away from me.”
Just then, the dream suddenly shook violently, as if heaven and earth were splitting apart. The surrounding environment was naturally disintegrating.
In the real Mansus, the twenty Lords of Time gathered. His Majesty Eternal Night of the Midnight hour spoke: “It has been confirmed. The advance party sent by His Majesty Radiant Sun has been completely wiped out. The Named Ones we sent to confirm three years ago have also vanished, likely erased by the Wizard World.”
“It’s too strange. Why are there no traces? I mean, the True Names of these Named and Pseudonymous Ones haven’t vanished, nor have they dimmed.”
A Lord of Time voiced a doubt. A “vanishing” True Name meant the True Name engraved in the Mansus had disappeared—in other words, the Fruit of Immortality was shattered and ceased to exist. A “dimming” meant the body and soul were annihilated, and they had to wait for a long time to step out of the river of time again.
“There is only one possibility: the wizards of the Wizard World have captured them. We need to consider how much the opponent knows about us!”
“This is a massive threat. The Wizard World’s growth speed is too fast. It’s only been a dozen years since they ascended to this layer, yet they have already wiped out the advance force. Those were over thirty Named Ones. I believe the Lords of Time must go personally to completely destroy this world.”
The Radiant Sun’s closed eyes suddenly snapped open. He said loudly, “One Lord of Time is not insurance enough. There’s no guarantee the opponent hasn’t produced a powerhouse comparable to a Lord of Time. Since we are to strike with excessive force, we might as well strike with absolute overwhelming force!”
…
After a period of discussion, His Majesty Eternal Night declared loudly: “Then it is settled. Led by the Radiant Sun, six Lords of Time shall dispatch together and head to the Wizard World!”
John sprinted through the dream with Ace tucked under his arm. This phenomenon was fundamentally unexplainable. Ten suns and ten moons seemed to appear in the sky. This spectacle left Ace no time for questioning. In a flash, he was brought into the Church of the Turning Wheel by John.
After entering the church, the world continued to collapse. A scepter suddenly appeared in John’s hand. He shouted something in Magical Language, and a vortex teleportation gate appeared. He and Ace scrambled through the gate just as the dream shattered completely.
“What was that just now? Is the Mansus that dangerous?” Ace panted, lying in the middle of an unknown altar.
Only when he asked did he realize that John was now shrouded in a layer of multicolored, dream-like light, making his features impossible to see.
John steadied his spirit and whispered, “My Lord, I fear that the true bodies of the twenty Lords of Time have descended upon the Mansus. Our Mansus Illusory Dreams are actually mappings of the real Mansus. Their descent severely affects the mappings. That is likely what caused Your illusory dream to collapse.”
As he spoke, John stood up and said loudly, “My Lord, welcome back to the Illusory Dream of the Wilderness. This is Gem City—the kingdom in the dreams of all Your believers!”
(Chapter finished)
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