Lysander said, "A word of advice, seeing that you're a fellow practitioner. If you always carry spirits with you, you'll be impacted as well.""I'm not a practitioner," Aria said as she dragged Carlos out of the dark corridor.She intended to fulfill the twins' final wish, ensure Carlos faced legal consequences, and use edited footage from the variety show to reveal the truth.Lysander hesitated before jogging after her. "Are you serious? You're a natural! It's a waste not to harness your potential!"He continued, "This is the first time I've seen a spirit willingly choose a human as its master. Also, isn't that a wraithling on your shoulder? Why didn't it hurt you? Hello?"Aria didn't want to answer his question, so she prodded on his acupoints to shut him up.Lysander was amazed. He planned to tell Homer about meeting an acupuncture expert. …Landon was right outside. He knew what Aria had done but did nothing to stop her. He was managing the aftermath, preparing explanation
Just as Leon was about to say something, a group of reporters swarmed toward him, asking, "All the other guests told us that they witnessed some phenomena they had no scientific explanation for. What can you tell us about this?""The screen faded to black several times during the filming. What happened?"After that, the reporters flocked toward somewhere behind Leon, seeming to have set their sights on a more valuable target."Player No. 5, congratulations on winning Best Player this episode. You did amazing!""You tackled all those riddles so efficiently, and you were so accurate!""Do the twins really exist? The NPC actress seemed out of sorts.""All the other guests were spooked. I heard that arcane seekers from Mount Dracotigris have also come here. Is this true?"The cameras weren't just pointed toward Aria but also Landon, who gave the reporters a sweeping glance. "All of you—" he started."Compared to other rumors, shouldn't you focus on the truth?" Aria fiddled with her
Homer rose from his seat, deep in thought. Lysander said in shock, "Mr. Bond, that's… That's—""The Grand Pilgrimage," Homer interjected, a sudden smile lighting his face as he glanced downstairs. "The malevolent spirits have been transformed into holy ones capable of saving humanity in crucial moments. Excellent, excellent! This apprentice of mine is truly a prodigy in the arcane arts, as expected!"Lysander, still confused, responded, "Your apprentice? But she said she isn't a practitioner, Mr. Bond."Homer paid no heed to that. If he were determined to make someone his apprentice, nothing would stand in his way.…To maintain order, the HOU had already asked the reporters to leave.The celebrities, who had been revived by the chilly wind, began waking up one by one. As soon as Lulu opened her eyes, she grabbed her assistant's arm. "Issue a statement denying my abortion and make it public. Do whatever it takes, no matter the cost."The assistant hesitated. "The show was alread
Lily's mind whirled. This couldn't be the end. She decided to call Evelyn to confirm everything. Lily then dialed Evelyn's number but was met with the disheartening sound of a signal tone—Evelyn's phone was off.…Meanwhile, Evelyn was still reeling from the shock of the day's events. She glanced at Lulu, who was verging on hysteria and regretted ever participating in the show. She had tried to tell everyone that the ghosts were real and that Aria could genuinely communicate with them, but no one believed her.The crew insisted that everything was scripted; they had to maintain this narrative, or the show would be done for. Anthony and Chandler trembled whenever they saw Aria, and Evelyn was no exception. Beside her was Helen, who had a coat draped around her shoulders. She looked pale when the HOU came over to ask her some questions.Just when they thought everything was over, they were faced with the prospect of further interrogation.Aria spotted Chandler. Her lips parted i
All the HOU officers looked at Aria, who smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Bond, but I already have a mentor."Homer's dramatic demeanor faltered, replaced by a deep frown. His voice, tinged with a child's stubbornness, responded, "A mentor, you say? Your haphazard dismantling of the formation speaks otherwise. You barely grasp the Divine Laws! I question the existence of such a mentor!"Aria's fingers brushed the surface of her Charm Coin. "This isn't my passion. I merely recall snippets of what my mentor once shared."Homer deflated like a punctured balloon. "Do you really have a mentor?"His eyes snapped up with sudden intensity. "Where is he? I wish to challenge him to a debate!""I've been looking for him as well," Aria replied, her smile enigmatic. "When the time is right, you'll meet him."Homer still couldn't handle such a blow. "Give me a moment, my apprentice."This was his first encounter with the gnawing regret of lost potential."I'll return for you!" Homer vowed, h
Leon froze in the middle of his tirade as if struck by a bolt of lightning. His mouth opened and closed, yet no sound emerged, the words trapped in his throat. Landon's revelation echoed in his mind, "She's Rainbow, your sister."The screen displayed the scene where he had admonished Aria to be mindful of her words. Leon realized he had just rejected his own sister in front of a national audience.He gripped his hair in frustration, his usually composed visage cracking. His handsome features, often idolized, now appeared disheveled and human, a stark contrast to his public persona as a popular celebrity.Leon paced the room, his thoughts a chaotic storm. How could he have told Aria not to harbor feelings for him, dismissing her so thoughtlessly?Why hadn't Warren mentioned anything about Aria filming the show alongside him?Leon wanted to go to Aria but was uncertain how to face her after his careless behavior. He continued pacing around aimlessly, but his heart was bursting with
Lily scoffed at the notion that Aria could commune with spirits. Under Georgina's tutelage, Aria had merely scratched the surface of basic medical knowledge, leading Lily to think that Aria's supernatural ability was merely a farce. After all, if Aria had any real skill in the esoteric arts, she'd have demonstrated that back in Southbury. Lily was unconvinced by Aria's skills because she'd asked Marshall about them. Marshall was doing quite well in Janovin. Thanks to Lily, he'd gotten to oversee many construction projects.Marshall said on the phone, "You're saying Aria's skilled in some esoteric arts? Hardly. She failed every subject when she was at school. As if she'd be any good at that stuff!"Marshall's voice rose in disbelief. "Did you say that she's also here in Janovin? How dare she show up in front of you!"Marshall and Lily had transformed since their days in Southbury. Lily, especially, had ascended into the ranks of Janovin's elite society.In contrast, Marshall initi
Did Leon not fear the possibility of his biggest fans turning their backs on him?Leon didn't care about that. His fans could do as they pleased. Nothing mattered more than his sister.In the aftermath of his declaration, the atmosphere among his fans shifted. Someone released a series of images online, urging, "Look closely, Leon's fans. Don't let yourself be misled by those with dark intentions. Player No. 5 was the true star of the episode, wasn't she?""From start to finish, she held the narrative together. Without her, the truth would have stayed buried. She stands on her own merit, needing no borrowed fame.""You're right! As someone who isn't a fan of anyone, I gotta say that Yoyo seems suspicious. Why is she suddenly bringing Player No. 5 down through these ambiguous photos? Something doesn't seem right.""It's not just that. Her claims are so biased. We could all see that Player No. 5 carried everyone else in that show.""Player No. 5 spent a lot of time talking to that
Warren's eyes reddened as he gazed at Fergus, the grandson he had once hoped to raise personally. In that moment, he felt his life had been worthwhile. As one grew older, they came to understand a fundamental truth—if their descendants could grasp their thoughts, rather than dismissing the ways of the past as irrelevant, it was something to celebrate. Warren could now pass on everything to his grandchildren, finally feeling worthy within the Carver family.…Meanwhile, Leon furrowed his brows in the second-floor bedroom. "What are they talking about?""It's probably about Ludwiten. They have some business to settle. Why?" Aria had intentionally given Fergus and Warren some time to talk. As for her, she stayed with Leon in his room, playing games and snacking.When she heard his question, she smiled. "Are you interested as well, Leon?""I'm not cut out for business." Leon couldn't sit still and kept pacing back and forth. His silver hair, falling perfectly, made him look like a
That night, Warren stood before the memorial hall and spoke to his ancestors."Aria will be returning to Ludwiten tonight. Things will be different this time. There will be many obstacles ahead of her, but we must return eventually. Aria will finish what I couldn't. Please protect her."The Carver family was forced to shift their business from Ludwiten to Janovin at the time. And back then, they believed they could return at any moment. Yet, over 70 years had passed since then.Both Warren and Stephen were sentimental individuals, always hoping to return to Ludwiten. However, circumstances had shifted over the years. Moreover, the business landscape in Ludwiten had grown increasingly complex, with rising foreign investments. Their commitments in Janovin, especially after Owen married Fiona, kept them from returning.Warren had expected Owen to stay in Ludwiten, as he had promised the Grisham family. But Owen broke that promise.Warren's greatest wish had always been to return to
Although the crow was unsure of its owner's thoughts, it was indeed afraid of the dagger made out of Oracle bones.In fact, it wasn't made of ordinary animal bones. It was from the Oracle, one of the Four Perils. Most importantly, it carried spiritual energy from heaven and earth.Back then, the crow didn't expect the insignificant sect, which was consistently at the bottom of each tournament, to have the purest spiritual energy. Plus, all of their members were not to be underestimated. The crow would have never believed it if it hadn't come to live in the mountains with Landon. After all, Landon was bewitched to become the woman's boy toy. He stayed behind only because he liked the sect's spiritual energy. At that, the crow shifted its body and didn't continue to disturb Landon. Since Landon mentioned he needed the knife sheath, the crow would go and get it. Apart from the curved dagger in the wooden box, there was also a somewhat inconspicuous emerald and a turtle shell-lik
The box included a protective membrane. Carrying bones around would raise questions in modern days. Even Aria worried about inspections. Sometimes, Tobias acted just like those arcane seekers from Mount Dracotigris. When her fingertips touched it, heat surged through her bloodline. The blade felt like it belonged in her hands; even its tassel was exquisitely crafted. But she remembered something when she entered the manifestation and got the Soul-Summoning Plaque. She had been an arcane seeker in her past life, hadn't she? Could an arcane seeker use a blade? She had mostly seen them wielding swords, just like those TV shows with flying swordsmen. Perhaps she had to use a blade because she came from a smaller guild. As Aria traced the bone blade, her initial attraction grew into fascination. Tobias wouldn't leave her just any blade. Since she'd encountered it in the manifestation, it must be connected to her. "Do you like it?" Suddenly, Landon's voice came close. It was low,
Breaking the Eight Trigrams Manifestation required precision instead of force. The path led from the East Gate of Life through the Southwest Gate of Rest, finally striking through the North Gate of Opening. But this was not just about breaking a manifestation. The lock had eight marks—Life, Rest, Harm, Block, Vision, Death, Awakening, and Opening. These were the eight gates within the manifestation. As Aria studied the corresponding numbers, she was suddenly struck with inspiration. Following the sequence, she pressed them. The lock then opened with a click. She raised an eyebrow, recognizing the familiar combination. "0715, my birthday." Aria casually opened the box. "Typical of Mr. Revelare to choose that date." She knew she was born on Twilight Hallows, a day when parents would urge children home early. Owen had always believed Aria's birth signs were not the best, and he thought this was likely because of this day. People considered it the Day of Spirits. On this day, a
Earlier, Aria had really wanted to keep some family ties for Georgina. After all, Georgina had given Aria all the love meant for her granddaughter, Lily. When the Kents drove her out, Aria had seen Georgina staring at a pair of handmade baby booties. She had made them herself and wanted to give them to Lily. But Karen had scorned them and did not even allow her to see the child. Aria knew Georgina still yearned to see Lily. Blood ties were different. Aria could approach everything else with logic, but not Georgina. When everyone else abandoned her, Georgina stayed. She always said, "We can't let Aria go hungry. Of course, she needs school. Whatever Aria wants, we'll save up for it. The same goes for Sam." Everyone had their weak spots, and for those they loved, anyone would surely lower their defenses. After all, they still held on to hope. Though Georgina never said it, Aria understood she'd held hope for Lily. That was why Aria had not been harsh enough with Lily. But tha
Lily definitely had not learned her mistake—there must be more to it. Though Aria had investigated, nothing turned up. Now she understood why Lily kept coming here. Aside from using Georgina's connections, she was after what was in the box. "Grandma, the first layer wasn't locked. Do you know what was inside?" Of course Georgina knew. "When the old priest gave me the box, he said anyone could read the books about medicine and the arcane in the first layer, especially you. They were all rare copies." Everything suddenly connected in Aria's mind. No wonder Lily's skills seemed endless; this explained it. Aria turned to Georgina. She preferred to be direct, so she said, "Grandma, I think I know who took them. Recently, a few people visited your place, but there was one you knew well—Lily. She's been using these medical texts to treat people. "Her medical skills are fine, but I worry she's misusing the arcane books for personal gain." Georgina swayed slightly at these words. Li
"Christian was your whole world back then, so it wasn't strange you wanted to give him gifts." Though Georgina preferred not to mention him, this particular item must have been precious for Aria to consider giving it away. After explaining, her mood lightened. "I'm glad you realized what you wanted and didn't let the Kent family engagement bind you. I planned to give this to you on your first day of university since that's what the priest requested. But I feel now's the right time." Georgina had wanted to mention this during their last meeting. But Aria had looked so exhausted then, so she'd wanted to let Aria rest. By morning, Aria had already left. With Aria's upcoming trip to Ludwiten and not knowing when they would meet again, Georgina's main concern was returning these items. Aria was really curious about what they might be. Since Georgina said it was left by the old priest who used to visit her, Aria was sure it was from Tobias. She never knew he had left anything for her
"Seeing Aria like this brings me so much joy." Georgina set down her fan and took a pill, her breathing gradually steadying. Landon observed her condition without surprise. He certainly saw more than Aria did. But fate's secrets were not meant to be revealed; everyone had their own path. All he could do was ask, "Should we tell her about your condition?" "And have her worrying about me while handling everything else?" As she spoke, Georgina waved dismissively. "Managing the Carver Group means there are countless employees depending on her. "Last time I saw her, she was falling asleep sitting up. She already worries too much about me, and I know why. It's because of my granddaughter Lily." Georgina lowered her gaze, smiling. "You know the situation with the Kents. I couldn't survive in Southbury then with everyone pointing fingers and calling me a wicked mother-in-law. They said I had blood on my hands. "But Aria stood by me without judgment. Only then could I come to Janovi