Watching Xilin's figure, Bologue's eyes revealed a multitude of surprise, but when he thought of the connection between himself and Xilin, along with the myriad mysteries he carried, Bologue felt that all of this was indeed inevitable.

"For some reason, every time I see him, I always feel that he isn't dead... Just trapped in some kind of deep sleep."

Bologue tilted his head and whispered softly.

"Deep sleep, huh? Then I hope he never wakes up."

While talking with Bologue, Belli was busy as well, as numerous electrode patches extended from the ceremonial platform. Belli briefly wiped Bologue's body surface and attached them one by one.

"The Overlord of Glory sleeps deeply within the Order Bureau, and one day will awaken. It sounds like a bomb hidden inside, which, when ignited, will devour us all."

Belli shook her head, her words full of vigilance and disgust.

She too was a personal witness to the secret warfare; she was present when Xilin raided the Cultivation Room. If it weren't for the protection of Teda and Balder, the moment Belli stared at Xilin, she would have been breached by the Rectangular Soul Critical and subsequently completely dominated and killed by that tyrannical kingly power.

Belli both loved and hated Xilin; as a scholar, Xilin was an endless treasure waiting to be mined for Belli, but as Belli Yiyeta, she just wanted to push Xilin's corpse into the incinerator, scattering the grey ashes into the depths of the Great Rift.

"What are you going to do with it?"

Bologue examined Xilin inside the container. Under the golden glow, the liquid inside the container was reflected in an orange amber hue, with Xilin enveloped within, time eternally stagnated at the moment of death.

Xilin tightly closed his eyes, curled up with hands hugging his knees, like a larva in a cocoon. It's unclear if the Order Bureau's containment is exceptionally perfect, or if the Seeker of Glory's power is incredibly strong. His body still brims with potent life force, the muscle lines clearly visible, as if a masterpiece sculpted by a master.

"A reference. As the tier ascends, the Condenser's own Alchemy Matrix grows and maps onto our body surface. When we drive the Secret Energy, the 'Initial Activation Phenomenon' will reveal these lines."

Belli elaborated, her eyes glimmering as glowing lines extend across her arm, her hand gripped in mid-air, grabbing a scalpel forged from light trails.

Bologue recalled the Initial Activation Phenomenon, where every Condenser, when driving Ether and activating Secret Energy, displays the glow and tracks on their body surface, precisely constituting the Initial Activation Phenomenon, a sign indicating the Condenser engaging in combat.

The Ethereal Concealment, an Ethereal Skill, can effectively obscure or even completely conceal the Initial Activation Phenomenon, preventing enemies from detecting the activation of Secret Energy.

"I thought that if you didn't know which direction to ascend, you could observe Xilin's Alchemy Matrix, find some traces within it," Belli said, "but it seems you don't need them anymore."

"Regarding the choice of inclination after the ascension, I assume you are prepared too?"

Bologue nodded. Currently, his Secret Energy·Summoning Hand is inclined towards "Narrow and Sharp," acquiring the low consumption and rapid activation of Secret Energy at the cost of embodying many limitations.

After ascending, Bologue can guide his own Alchemy Matrix for a secondary growth, and then he will once again decide his inclination.

Remembering the previous battles, Bologue already has a plan in mind. Just like the extreme path he intends to pursue next, in terms of inclination, Bologue still intends to continue "Narrow and Sharp," to further enhance his Secret Energy.

This will make Bologue concentrate more on the power of summoning all things, rendering the effect of his Secret Energy singular, unable to be as deceptive and complex as other Condensers who possess derived sub-schools.

But Bologue does not care about these; he believes Secret Energy doesn't need to be overly eerie; it's just fine as long as it suits him. Moreover, there are too many interference factors in battle; unless the power is transcendent, there will always be variables.

For instance, during the disordered timeline against the Silver Knight, the Silver Knight, as the Third Seat among the Defenders, utilized the unrestricted power of Tier Four openly, theoretically making it impossible for Bologue and the others to stand a chance.

Yet under the erosion of the Immortal Heart, the Silver Knight's shell was damaged, causing the Ether strength to continually weaken as the shell collapsed.

The reinforcement bestowed by Aimou upon Bologue, combined with the collaborative hunt with Lebius... amid all these factors interfering, even the mighty Silver Knight ultimately fell.

"Narrow and sharp, like a throat-cutting dagger."

Bologue silently chanted in his mind, wondering how Xilin made his choices during his ascension, and which path he ultimately walked?

Was it the same polarized path as himself? Was it "Broad and Blunt" or "Narrow and Sharp"?

"Aimou, come help me!"

Belli was busying herself beside the ceremonial platform, and seeing the daydreaming Aimou, she waved to him.

"Okay."

Aimou ran over swiftly, following Belli, his gaze still fleetingly wandering towards Xilin, deeply curious about this mysterious presence.

"Who is he?"

Bologue replied, "Xilin Kagader."

"Oh... huh?"

Aimou's hand trembled, causing the needle to skew and stab into Bologue's muscle. This sudden prick wasn't very painful, but it made Bologue frown slightly.

"Sorry! Sorry!"

Aimou hurriedly pulled out the needle, massaging Bologue's arm.

"Overlord Xilin?"

Aimou swallowed nervously, his eyes filled with a touch of fear as he peeked at that celestial figure, unable to look directly.

The Overlord of Glory, Xilin Kagader.

Just like Bologue, Aimou's fate was intertwined with Xilin's. If Xilin hadn't attacked the Cultivation Room, destroying everything along the way, then none of these events would have happened, and Aimou would not have been born.

From a dark and ruthless perspective, it was Xilin who facilitated Aimou's birth.

At the cost of blood and fire.

Aimou was extremely tense; even though Belli repeatedly emphasized that Xilin was already dead, and what she saw was just a corpse, Aimou and Bologue shared a similar feeling; she also felt that Xilin was not dead.

"So that's why we need to clear the area, to keep it confidential?" Aimou understood why Balder had just cleared the people.

"Stop thinking about those things, the sooner we finish, the sooner we're off work."

Belli was like the chief surgeon in the operating room, with Aimou acting as her assisting nurse, and others gathered around at this moment, the trolley clattering as it was pushed over, bringing bottles and jars.

Bologue asked, "Is there any last advice?"

"Still the same words, be careful of 'losing yourself,' don't sink into it."

Belli's voice softened, leaning close to Bologue's ear, as if sharing an unknown secret.

"Within the Sublimation Furnace Core... to be precise, within the Scholars' Hall, those old undead have proposed such an interpretation."

Bologue wasn't sure why Belli was bringing this up at such a time, but he listened attentively nonetheless.

Belli was considered a person who matched her inner self—if she appeared leisurely, then she was in a leisurely playful state; if she looked serious at you, then one had better listen carefully to what she will say next.

"Bologue, where do you think our Golden Soul goes after humans die?"

Belli questioned Bologue.

"The soul truly exists, then after it fades away, it must have an unknown destination, right?"

"You think..."

Belli interrupted Bologue, "In the advancement ceremony, the most important thing is not those auxiliary alchemy materials, nor chaotic factors like soul capacity.

All these seem more like a key that opens the door to the Secret Source, allowing you to gain recognition from it, a certificate to discard mortality and undergo sublimation, a credential to reach higher realms."

Bologue had heard similar explanations, from Teda, who told him that everything about the advancement ceremony was meant to open a path to the Secret Source.

As the Condensers ascend, they draw closer to the Secret Source itself, even facing it directly.

King Solomon.

The enigmatic name flashed through Bologue's mind.

"A very few Condensers, during the advancement process, experience numerous illusions and even some kind of... completely unfamiliar experience, as if living through someone else's life, even sinking into it."

Lost.

Bologue knew what Belli was talking about; he was a clever person.

He turned his head and looked at the innocent Aimou; after humans die, their Golden Soul is condensed into the Philosopher's Stone, and through special means, Alchemists can glimpse the memories of the deceased within that exquisite gem.

Bologue connected these clues, piecing together an incredible outcome.

"Are you suggesting... the Secret Source might be a collection of our souls?"

"I don't know, it's only a hypothesis," Belli said, "You have a deep connection not only with the Devil but also with the Secret Source, Bologue."

"I have never seen anyone fall into a 'lost' state just after undergoing triple trials, and now as you proceed with the advancement ceremony, you are very likely to encounter 'lost' again.

Be cautious, Bologue, if you sink into it, even if you are an undead, ultimately you will just be an unending corpse."

Belli stood up, like a boxing coach, even patted Bologue's cheek, encouraging him.

"Enough talking nonsense, find a way through it!"

Belli snapped her fingers, the light around dimmed and faded into darkness one by one, followed by the brilliant golden rays arising.

Along with the initiation of the ceremony, the concentration of ether around gradually rose, golden dust precipitated from the air, quickly assembling together, turning into large golden raindrops, bathing everyone within.

Bologue took a deep breath, trying not to think about what Belli said, but instead focusing all his energy on the present.

"Let's begin!"

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