Mystery: Good Witch

Chapter 1357 Fellow Daoist, Please Help Me

The figure that rose and coalesced in the shadows quickly transformed into Napoleon Disri, a man with ice-blue eyes and a calm yet insane expression.

Before this avatar belonging to the "Demon King" Fabti could make a move, Angel had already turned around to look at it, nodded, and said:

"it's time."

Napolidisri's appearance was within Angel's expectations, as it was part of her agreement with him. Moreover, just moments before, she had been silently calling out the name of that abyss demon in her heart, conveying her desire to meet him to the abyss and to this true god through the corrupt nature that all people, even gods, possess.

Because the "Abyss," which has long been corrupted by the Mother Tree of Desire, not only has a physical entrance in the original Australian region, but also a mystical entrance leading to the depths of everyone's heart, the depraved desires in everyone's heart can be perceived and utilized by the devil. It is one of the sources of power for the Apostles of Desire and even the extraordinary beings of the "Abyss" pathway at higher sequences. Therefore, by calling upon the name of Fabuti in one's heart, one can be perceived by Him no matter where one is.

This is one of the reasons why God prioritized the "Shadow World" when fighting against the Celestial Being. Part of the symbolism and authority of this source material overlaps with the authority held by the omniscient and omnipotent being, which can greatly enhance the power of the "fallen self".

Of course, if Angel doesn't want Fabti to know, she can naturally shield herself through the Mirror World. Her current status is not only that of a single-path True God, but also possesses a portion of the power of the Source. Although she cannot be used as two True Gods when supporting the barrier, in terms of pure status, Angel is second only to "The Fool" Klein and "The True Creator" Grisha. Fabti could never sense what she doesn't want to know.

But when Angel saw that it was not Fabti's true form that responded to his call, but rather Napolidisri, who symbolized a "doppelganger," he frowned and continued:
"I'm about to enter the Western Continent for a deep esoteric ceremony. You only sent one clone?"

The demon with icy blue eyes in front of them wasn't even the abomination sealed in the "Dream Festival," but perhaps just one of the avatars hidden within the Church of the Earth Mother.

“Such an avatar is enough. This is just a preliminary contact, not a true containment,” Napolidisley replied softly, completely unlike the legendary demon king. “This is enough to gain the trust of the Daoist of the Western Continent. That one who received the blessing of the ‘Shadow World’ must possess the suspicion of a demon and the cunning of a devil. If my power is too great, it will only make Him suspicious.”

“It’s the same for you,” He added, glancing at Angel.

Indeed, if it weren't Napolidisli but Fabti's true form that appeared, I would worry that He might have other purposes, such as corrupting my heart, interrupting the communication between the Western Continent and the world outside the seal, and then using this to negotiate with the Outer Gods... Hmm, what would the Demon King's true form look like? Similar to the legendary goat-headed demon, or just a black, invisible sludge, symbolizing the fickleness and darkness of the abyss?

Angel muttered to himself, agreeing with Fabti's explanation, and then said:
"This will be our last chance to go to the Western Continent before the seal is broken. I will try to defeat the will of the City of Calamity directly and contain this source essence. If I succeed, the barrier may be able to hold for a few more years, giving other gods, including you, the opportunity to fuse with the source essence. If I fail... perhaps the end of the world will come soon."

The deep intimacy requires the use of corpse oil candles made by the "Blood Emperor" Tudor. Before this, Angel had twice used candles to perform intimacy rituals to allow the spirit to pass through the seal and enter the Western Continent. The first time, he saw the real City of Calamity and the evil dragon sealed in it. The second time was to help other gods contact the corresponding Dao-mergers. The candle only had about one-third left and could only be lit once more.

Of course, Angel could use Klein's power to borrow the unburnt corpse oil candles from the historical fog and repeatedly perform the secret ritual. As long as it doesn't involve uniqueness, the fake candles lit in this way can last for a period of time. Therefore, Angel's "last chance" does not refer to a shortage of materials for the secret ritual, but rather that after she entered the Western Continent in her divine form, the outer gods surrounding the Earth's barrier will not give her a second chance.

Moreover, the corpse oil candles were likely created by Arista Tudor using the pollution of source matter, rather than simply using the corpse oil of high-ranking extraordinary beings like witches and hunters. Angel suspected that the fake candles borrowed from the mists of history might not be very effective, so he cherished this opportunity for a secret agreement.

Napoleon Disri was clearly unaware of Angel's many concerns, or rather, He didn't care at all. Instead, He chuckled and said:
"It's alright, once is enough. I never really hoped to truly incorporate the source matter into the past. I just didn't want to see that guy who had been roaring in my head for thousands of years so easily take back his power."

He was referring to the Mother Tree of Desire, the "Eternal Howler" that was corrupting him? It seemed that while demons might not possess morality or conscience, their vengefulness was no different from that of ordinary beings… Thinking this, Angel nodded and said:
"Then come in, we can start now."

As she spoke, she flicked her right hand, and the "corpse oil candle" that had been hidden in the divine kingdom appeared in her hand through the mirror world. The candle, which was significantly shorter than when it was found in the "Azure Avenger," was still preserved in a transparent glass jar. Even without looking at it with the naked eye, one could feel the strange power it contained.

Napolidisley stared at the short, thick candle for a moment, then smiled and asked:

"Don't you need to take any protective measures? For example, have the 'Fool' witness it, or have the 'notary' who replaced the previous one sign a contract for us?"

"No need. As I said, I believe our interests are aligned."

Angel replied calmly.

Regardless of whether "Fool" Klein is still feigning sleep, the "True Creator" is supposed to hold up the barrier for her. Perhaps he can send a figment of his imagination to Trier in the Fourth Age to witness their deal, but a clone with a lowered status might not be able to restrain the cunning demon. It would be better to be straightforward and pretend to be magnanimous.

Besides, even if you have some tricks up your sleeve, I'm just a mirror substitute right now, and I'm protected by the power of the source. Even if I die from the pollution, I can be resurrected through the mirror world... Besides, does Fabti, who is so troubled by "God," really dare to completely corrupt my heart? Isn't he afraid of being corrupted and devoured by that God, or even the original creator?

Angel muttered a few words with confidence, watched as Napolidisley slowly nodded, his body suddenly disintegrated, fell to the ground, and re-entered Angel's shadow.

This black, illusory liquid, deeper than a shadow and seemingly from the abyss, flowed along the shadow towards Angel's body, enveloping her feet and eroding upwards. Before reaching her thighs, it sank completely into her skin, merging with her.

At the same time, Angel felt a sudden surge of malice and desire within him, an impulse to act recklessly and disregard his own moral constraints to do many things he wanted to do but did not want to do.

However, this desire is still within a controllable range. It is not the kind of direct spiritual pollution. It seems to be the influence of some kind of force that has inadvertently overflowed. This overflowing depraved desire may cause mental problems in some gods whose humanity is weak and whose internal balance is broken, but it is not difficult for Angel, who is in a stable state after ascending to godhood, to resist.

The entire clone has lurked deep within my mind, rather than the mental imprint I mentioned before... Fabti wasn't telling the truth either, or perhaps He was worried that going too deep at the beginning would make me refuse? Angel chuckled to himself and turned to walk deeper into the "Blood Emperor's" palace.

After passing the massive but withered, eternally burning severed body of a god, the collapsed towers and walls, and the completely collapsed throne, Angel arrived at a place a little further away from the site of Tudor's fall, avoiding the source energy leakage point affected by the combined influence of the "River of Eternal Darkness" and the "City of Calamity," and prepared to conduct the secret ritual there.

With the corpse oil candles as a catalyst, Angel could have succeeded even if he held the secret ritual in his own divine kingdom. However, before the Blood Emperor Tudor fell, in order to drag other gods into the mess, he used the special nature of the "Red Priest" and the symbol of the "masculine side of the original creator" to penetrate the seal of the Western Continent and bring in various source forces. This caused great pollution to the area and made Trier in the Fourth Epoch the weakest point of the seal. Holding the ritual here would undoubtedly be the most effective.

The best effect refers to the fact that after Angel's spirit body travels to the Western Continent, it is possible to use the weak points of the seal, the special nature of the "Mirror World", and the prior connection established with the "City of Calamity" to allow her physical body to also pass through the seal and enter the Western Continent, truly accommodating that source essence!
Angel even suspected that one of the purposes of Tudor and Chik in inventing this secret ritual was to break through the seal and enter the Western Continent to control the power of the "City of Calamity" in the final step of their fusion with the "First Creator in the Mirror," thus becoming an Old One with the original status.

Theoretically, the seal left by the Celestial Venerable can only be broken by the Old Ones, who are also pillars. However, the "Primordial Creator" is the embodiment of all contradictions and possibilities. Under His status, everything impossible can become possible, and everything reasonable becomes unreasonable.

However, Adam discovered this risk before achieving his goal, prematurely triggering a war between the gods, forcing the Blood Emperor to use the contamination of the source matter as a means of mutual destruction, rather than as a stepping stone to the Old Ones. Now, this method has benefited Angel.

Using his spiritual power, Angel lit the corpse oil candle in the glass jar remotely. He placed it on the ground, which was blackened by blood or metal residue, and entered a meditative state, smelling the slightly sweet fragrance of the burning candle.

Behind her, Angel Grey, who looked almost identical but with a more androgynous and handsome appearance, stepped out of the mirror world and quietly looked at her, just like when they first performed the secret ritual in the City of Calamity.

……

In a hazy state, Angel sensed the "City of Calamity" separated from him by a spiritual seal. Just like the previous two times, he easily passed through the barrier and arrived near this source.

She opened her eyes and found herself inside the tower that sealed the "evil dragon," standing beside an ancient well made of stone slabs and iron chains carved with the faces of demons.

I'm closer to the evil dragon now. Is it because I've become a true god, and the extraordinary path of the City of Calamity only has two paths, without the starry sky part, so the aggregation effect is already very strong? If I become a dual-path true god, I probably won't even need the corpse oil candle to directly form a secret contract, and I'll most likely appear directly in front of the evil dragon... Angel pondered, peering down into the well, and found that the pool of blood-like water was as calm as a mirror, reflecting his own image.

Through this mirror, Angel could directly enter the area where the evil dragon was sealed, but she did not rush to jump down; instead, she waited quietly.

"I never expected that I would break through the seal and enter the Western Continent like this..."

In her mind, the malicious voice of Napoli Disri, or Fabuti, echoed.

"I'm afraid even that Celestial Venerable didn't expect that besides himself and 'God,' there were other deities who could enter the seal prematurely without becoming an Old One and being resurrected... The resurrection contingency plan left by the original Creator is something that even the Pillar-level Old Ones can hardly predict, and the 'Red Priest' is the most special path... He is the priest of the original Creator."

Angel responded to Fabti with the same heartfelt sentiment.

Fabuti in my mind burst into laughter:
"Insanity alone wouldn't have been enough to cause so many headaches for the gods in the Fourth Age. Of course, Tudor and Chik were a pair of madmen to begin with."

You said that in my mind, but Chick and Tudor could hear it... Angel was about to say a few words on behalf of the Red Priestess and the Witch, who had been merged with him and Gray and still retained the last bit of their will and spirit in the City of Calamity, when he sensed the shadow of the "Dragon-Locking Tower" above his head surging. An old man emerged from the shadow and appeared directly beside the ancient well.

The old man wore a long, wide black robe, his hair was mostly white with some black, his temples were gray, his face was thin but he was in good spirits, and he smiled as he looked at Angel.

Although he had never met the old man, Angel immediately guessed his identity: a Daoist from the "Shadow World" who called himself "Master of the Dark Abode".

No one knows His true name, nor which generation of Dao Master He is. He acts mysteriously, unrestrained by common sense, yet possesses the carefree spirit of a chivalrous knight-errant. Just as today, when the cultivators of the Western Continent imprisoned the evil dragon at the bottom of the well beneath the tower, He suddenly appeared, participated in the battle, and then suddenly disappeared without a trace.

As soon as the master of the Dark Lodge appeared, the malice and desires hidden within Angel vanished into nothingness. Napolidisli detached from her spirit in the form of viscous black liquid, part of it burrowing into the ancient well, while the other part merged into the Daoist of the "Shadow World," who offered no resistance but instead appeared to welcome it.

Having calmly accepted the clone and will of "Demon King" Fabuti, the master of the Dark Lodge smiled again, clasped his hands together, and bowed slightly to Angel, as if thanking her for doing a good deed.

This is true for the Dao-mergers of the "Shadow World," but it may not be beneficial to the world as a whole. After all, given Fabti's style of doing things, becoming an Old One may not necessarily be beneficial to Earth. It's just that everyone's interests are currently aligned... Angel returned the greeting in the other person's manner, but because of the issues of clothing and gender, he looked out of place, causing the old man in front of him to curl up his lips and reveal a smile that was hard to tell whether it was kind or mocking.

When the opportunity arises, I'll send you to Rune to receive the baptism of noble etiquette... Angel had just grumbled to himself when more "Daoists" arrived at the location of the Dragon Locking Tower.

The clouds in the sky became clear, and a palace, barely visible, appeared. Its gates opened wide, and a huge figure wearing an imperial crown and a jeweled cloak appeared.

In the deepest shadow of the Dragon-Locking Tower, an old man with a pale face and deep black eyes, wearing a dark robe with many strange patterns, appeared out of thin air.

Behind the stone tablet next to the pagoda, a slightly overweight monk with a yellow robe, a red kasaya, a bald head, a white beard, and a constant smile on his face emerged and entered the wooden pagoda.

Behind them, the "Celestial Master" whom Angel had met twice before, wearing a tall crown and carrying a whisk, followed slowly.

The Daoist who unites in the "Disordered Kingdom," the Heavenly Emperor of the Thirty-Three Heavens;

The Daoist who has achieved eternal darkness in the River of Eternal Darkness, and the leader of the Haoli lineage;

The one who embodies the Way of the "Key of Light" is a holy monk revered by all schools of Buddhism.
A Taoist master in the "wilderness of knowledge," a contemporary Taoist celestial master.

Apart from the "Heavenly Emperor" who did not descend from the illusory structure in the sky, the other three came together to the well of the locked dragon and stood with the Daoist of the "Shadow World," an old man who called himself the master of the Dark Abode.

Upon seeing these Source-type Dao-mergers, whom he had met many times before or had only heard of, Angel's heart was filled with excitement.

She spoke in the Chinese that Klein had already taught her, in a tone that was no longer awkward:

"Fellow Daoists, please help me today to slay the wicked dragon!"

(End of this chapter)