"Do you understand the specific operation principles of the ascension ritual?"

In Belli's office, Bologue sat quietly like a student, listening attentively to Belli's painstaking guidance.

"I know the basics."

Bologue thought for a moment and replied.

The ascension ritual is extremely complex. Even though Bologue had read the "Golden Thesis," it only explained it briefly, like a popular science book.

"Well, well..."

Belli knew Bologue would answer like this—it's the typical response from every Condenser undergoing the ascension ritual.

Belli picked up a pre-prepared document and handed it to Bologue, "This is according to the ascension ritual you designed. You can take a simple look."

Bologue opened the document, and the dense words filled his view, instantly overwhelming his cognition with a massive amount of information.

"The essence of the ascension ritual is to strengthen the soul of the Condenser, enlarging its 'capacity' so it can accommodate a more complex Alchemy Matrix, serving as the foundation stone to allow the seed to take root and sprout into tender branches."

The soul is the land that bears power, and power itself is a growing seed. Bologue understood this point; these Alchemists liked to symbolize the Alchemy Matrix with a big tree.

As Bologue listened to Belli's words, he looked at the document in his hand, which marked extremely valuable Alchemy Materials. Without the Order Bureau footing the bill, merely collecting these Alchemy Materials would take Bologue a long time.

"But the risk of the ascension ritual also lies here. Any modification to the soul is accompanied by great danger, not to mention that the soul itself is constant in everyone."

Belli's voice became stern, filled with a warning tone.

"Just like human growth, excessive growth can cause wrinkled growth lines on the skin; the soul is the same way—if overly enlarged, the strengthened soul is filled with cracks.

Just like after the implantation ritual, the soul needs a stabilization period. After the ascension ritual, the Promoter requires a long time for the soul to heal itself and grow, allowing the fractures to close, so the soul returns to a perfect state."

Bologue gently nodded, feeling quite calm. As an Undead, even though the success probability is extremely small, with enough attempts, Bologue would eventually succeed.

"As a Debtor, your soul is already in tatters. To let the soul grow to a level sufficient for the Alchemy Matrix to continue growing, your soul needs to enlarge several times more than ordinary people. Thus, the risk also increases with the multiplier."

If the soul is converted into data, the base value of the soul is ten under normal states. To ascend to Prayer Believers, the soul only needs to increase from ten to fifteen. But Bologue's soul is incomplete. Suppose his soul's value is five; then he needs to increase by ten values to catch up with a normal ascension ritual.

Belli looked seriously at Bologue, who showed no sign of anxiety, instead recalling other matters.

"Is this also why the stronger the Condensers, the more valuable their souls are?"

"What?"

Belli was taken aback by Bologue's question, then realized Bologue hadn't been listening to her words, immersed in his thoughts all along.

"When first born into this world, everyone's soul is constant. In the eyes of the Devil, disregarding their perverse tastes, our value should be uniform. But as we tread the Path of Transcendence and continuously strengthen our own soul, we should also... appreciate in the Devil's eyes?"

Bologue tentatively said.

"What are you trying to express?" Belli asked.

"Nothing, just suddenly thought of it. You continue..."

Bologue crossed his legs, propped his chin on his thigh, showing a contemplative look.

For some reason, Bologue always had a strange feeling... He recalled memories of his "previous life," that dreamy and ethereal past, the normalized world dominated by absolute reason and technology.

Influenced by those null memories, Bologue sometimes felt unreal about the world before him, as if this wasn't reality—the true reality was veiled by some nebulous curtain.

Just like Teda's research... Perhaps Ether originally didn't exist in this world, but under some unknown opportunity, Ether was born and, over time, began filling the world.

Bologue's thoughts were interrupted by Belli, who knocked hard on his head, urging him to focus.

"Focus, don't think you're safe just because you're an Undead." Belli warned Bologue, "When you faced the threefold trials, didn't you encounter that feeling?"

"Do you mean the 'loss'?"

Recalling that chaotic feeling, Bologue shivered instinctively, wary of that unknown, mystical power.

"Be careful. Do you think soul enhancement is easy? You are a Condenser, born from the Secret Source. You might experience 'loss' again, even face the Secret Source directly."

When mentioning these, excitement flashed in Belli's eyes, as Secret Source is the ultimate ideal for these zealous Alchemists.

"Face... Secret Source directly?"

"Currently, there is no direct evidence to prove this, but according to reports from the ascension ritual, many claimed they seemed to approach the Secret Source, even glimpsing a corner of it."

Belli paused and continued, "It's not impossible. As the Condenser ascends, it's sublimating the mundane self. With each lofty step, we continually approach the Secret Source."

"The Secret Source is like a storm sweeping within a world beyond our understanding. If we can withstand that roaring storm, we will eventually glimpse the core of the storm, that place of tranquility."

Bologue suddenly asked, "In that calm place within the storm's eye, what do you think is there?"

"Hmm... Answers."

Belli thought for a moment and gave this answer.

"What answers?"

"Answers to all mysteries."

The two looked at each other, no more conversation continued, but they both sensed what the other was thinking.

Answers to all mysteries.

"Senior! There's a problem!"

The oppressive atmosphere was suddenly shattered when Aimou burst through the door, like opening a valve, letting the cold water that engulfed both of them pour out.

Belli sighed in relief. She hated the oppressive feeling just now and found Bologue to be quite self-centered, gripping the conversation and dragging everyone into his whirlpool.

"What problem?"

Belli rubbed her head. While she was talking with Bologue, she had sent Aimou to handle the agenda. In a few days, the Alchemy Materials required for Bologue's ascension ritual would be ready; next was to pick a good day.

"Hmm..."

Aimou glanced at the notice in her hand, marked with an unfamiliar department; it was her first time seeing it.

"The Scholars' Hall sent a notice saying they wanted to participate in Bologue's ascension ritual."

Belli was stunned for a moment, then her expression began to unravel.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Bologue watched as Belli became irritable, biting her nails and stomping her feet in place, muttering rebellious words.

"After painstakingly outlasting one old guy, now another group of immortals comes?"

"This time they're participating in the ascension ritual, what's next? Hosting the normal operation of the Sublimation Furnace Core?"

"These immortals definitely have ill intentions; they're clearly here to seize power, right!"

Bologue's expression towards Belli changed a bit. Normally, as the Minister of the Sublimation Furnace Core, shouldn't Belli lead all Alchemists in researching the Secret Source? How did her style become a power struggle drama?

"Or perhaps... it's the meaning from the Decision Room?"

Belli suddenly looked up, as if realizing.

"Is the Decision Room punishing me for embezzling public funds in this manner?"

Bologue felt he heard something he shouldn't have, and then Belli looked at him.

"Damn Lebius!"

"Hold on! If you have a grudge, go to my team leader, okay!"

"Damn Special Operations Group!"

Belli was both tearful and furious; the Special Operations Group not only took her little junior, but now they wanted to grab her already scarce power.

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