Chapter 791 Return to Avalon

Aleister wasn't one to procrastinate, and in that respect, she was much sharper than Aiwass.

Once she determined her purpose, she acted without hesitation.

She flew directly back to Leipzig with Leviathan, transformed back into Bayard, put on the black robe that only professors of the Ziggurat would use, and boarded the ship.

Although she brought hideous and terrifying monsters on board, it didn't seem strange for a necromancer to have monster servants around him.

Even facing a monster even more terrifying than this would be reasonable. The only question would probably be whether Avalon's customs would allow it into the country... but that was none of the captain's business anyway. So the captain happily accepted the money and didn't even warn him.

The journey from Star Antimony to Avalon was roughly half the distance from the Theocracy to Star Antimony. Leipzig even had a direct connection to the Glass Island. If one paid a bit more for a faster new alchemical-powered ship, Aleister could reach the Glass Island before dark in less than three hours.

These private speedboats were built by nobles who owned alchemist workshops. Not only were they incredibly fast, but they also boasted advanced onboard artillery. They could be used to transport urgent passengers at high prices, or to smuggle needed supplies to recoup their losses.

In time of war, it can also be transformed into a warship to transport private soldiers... or in the event of a war going against one's will, one can safely escape overseas without being controlled or kidnapped on someone else's ship.

Of course, the first-class cabin on this clipper ship wasn't as luxurious as the one Aleister had taken before, and the space was much smaller, but at least it was clean.

Aleister closed her eyes and lay on the bed, which was not so soft but at least dry. She gently reached out and stroked the sharp and hard scales on Leviathan's body, feeling the wash of the waves... She felt her heart gradually become peaceful, and those noisy and chaotic emotions were gradually soothed by the comfortable journey.

At this moment, an idea suddenly came to her: she wanted to chat with Aiwass.

They were one and the same, and had already agreed to keep in touch. However, things were pressing on Xingti's side, but it wasn't something so important that he had to contact Aiwass... This made Aleister feel very busy and there seemed no need to inform Aiwass.

But now that she was gradually leaving the territory of Xingti, she inexplicably felt a little idle - even if she did nothing, it would be nice to just chat with Aiwass.

So Aleister contacted Aiwass with great interest, intending to talk to Aiwass about his experiences of the past few days.

But the moment they reconnected, Aiwass offered warm concern and care, like the sunshine on a cold winter day, which made him lazy.

"…Are you all right over there, Aleister?"

Aiwass asked worriedly, "I've been disconnected from you for a long time."

"Now that you put it that way, it seems..."

Aleister finally realized what was happening. She didn't know when it started, but she instinctively resisted contacting Aiwass... just as if all sorts of distracting thoughts were brewing in her mind.

But she immediately responded unconvincedly, "But you can also contact me, right? Our communication isn't one-way."

"Because I don't know if you're busy over there. If you're fighting or performing a ceremony, I'll cause you trouble, won't I?"

"...You sound like a dog who doesn't dare to send a message, dear."

"Did I lick it?"

"nature."

Aleister replied without hesitation, "But that's not necessary—I'm all yours."

"We're each other, Alai."

Aiwass responded gently.

That warm and bright light gradually spread along the connection in their hearts and nourished Aleister's withered soul.

“…Huh?”

At this moment, Aiwass suddenly made an unexpected sound: "Did you sense it, Aleister? There is something deep in your soul...something that shouldn't exist."

"What?"

Aleister suddenly became alert.

Although she had helped complete the resurrection ritual... in reality, neither the Great Sin Scholar nor the Moon Child had a profound understanding of the soul. At least not as profound as Aiwass, who was now in soul form and had mastered advanced divine arts.

"It looks like a mortal sin brand. Let me see..."

Aiwass's voice grew serious.

He took the initiative to dive deeper. In Aleister's perception, the sun became increasingly hotter and brighter... just like the winter sun gradually turning into the summer sun, which made people sweat profusely.

Aiwass quickly completed the examination, his tone becoming serious. "It's indeed the Marks of the Deadly Sins—Pride, Envy, Lust, Wrath, Greed, and Sloth. With the exception of Gluttony, you've practically hit them all. Pride is a side effect of becoming a Scholar of the Deadly Sins, but I haven't seen any of the other Marks... What's been happening with you these past two days?"

What the hell? I got branded for no apparent reason?

Even Aleister himself was shocked when he heard what Aiwass said.

Although the Sin Mark is indeed an ability that transcends the Tao, and it also represents the attention and importance of the Fallen Angels... she doesn't want to be targeted by the Fallen Angels like this!

Aleister quickly reported everything she had encountered in the past few days to Aiwass in detail, including all the evil thoughts that flashed through her mind.

Aiwass, with his dedicated path, could undoubtedly be considered a doctor on both a spiritual and psychological level. Although Aleister was a completely new individual, she also had Aiwass's memories... She could still understand. At least when facing a doctor, she should not withhold details and let the doctor play guessing games.

It would be foolish if seeing a doctor turned into playing turtle soup with the doctor.

——Although there were also evil thoughts about Aiwass mixed in, which made Aleister very ashamed.

After all, the emotion of shame itself belongs on the path to transcendence. As the saying goes, "Knowing shame leads to courage." Intense shame can spur a person to change. Whether that change is good or bad, it can at least lead to greater change.

But fortunately, Aiwass did not react at all to Aleister's crazy and taboo desire.

He felt neither longing nor derision, neither alienation nor disgust.

Just like a truly knowledgeable doctor, he calmly reminded Aleister: "Something is not right in Xingti's territory. You have to be careful."

"...Yeah, I felt it. Ever since I left the ship and stepped onto land, I've been clearly feeling the agitation..."

Aleister fell into deep thought: "Is that some kind of curse or ritual array? Like a land formation array covering the entire country..."

"It's probably not directed at you. I'm inclined to believe that the power of the Path of Love has been activated... After all, the Star Antimony's large-scale worship of the Feast Master has undoubtedly formed a potential ritual array that could assimilate other Moon Children into the Feast Master's followers. Perhaps the mark of sin that has emerged on you is, instead, what you previously thought—a check on the impulses of the Path, like 'Condensed Amber.'"

Aiwass warned, "After all, the impulse of your Path of Love is at the sixth level. To be able to overpower this power... I'm a little skeptical if you say it wasn't the Fallen Angels who did it."

"What?"

Aleister was stunned for a moment.

How come I'm at the sixth energy level? Am I not a fourth energy level Moon Child?

Sensing Aleister's doubts, Aiwass opened up to Aleister and shared all his information and thoughts without reservation.

"The Tenth Source River..."

After a brief moment of digestion, Aleister thought about the secret Fenrir had mentioned, and she frowned unconsciously.

Even though she was lying in bed with her eyes closed, her face seemed to have become serious: "So it really exists?"

They did not know the real name of the source river or the road.

Aiwass called it nothingness because he himself almost fell into a state of emptiness and nothingness, so he temporarily gave it this name.

"Be careful, Aiwass."

Aleister made a somewhat worried sound: "I will try my best to overcome the Moon Child's instincts. You should also be careful not to become nothingness."

Compared to the increasingly intense situation on her side, Aiwass's side was actually becoming increasingly quiet. If Aleister was getting annoyed by the noise, Aiwass was almost falling asleep. However, he couldn't really fall asleep, as that would immediately cause his path to become unbalanced.

Aleister's transcendental power has been activated to a considerable extent in order to suppress the Moon Child's instincts.

She even felt that she had completely mastered the power of the fourth energy level and was moving unswervingly towards the fifth energy level.

If she continues to grow stronger at this rate, she will be able to hold her promotion ceremony by the middle of next month at the latest!

"——My progress is much faster than yours."

Aiwass's expression was serene, and his voice was gentle yet tinged with divinity: "I am now a true fifth energy level."

"...The Holy Crown?"

Aleister reacted immediately - this was obviously the "Level +1" effect of the "Holy Crown".

At level 49, the Supreme Crown could directly force someone to advance to level 50, the threshold for the sixth energy level... Similarly, at level 39, the Supreme Crown could also be used to advance to the fifth energy level. In other words, Aiwass was now eligible to participate in the promotion ceremony.

——How long has it been?

This is the experience slot for advancing from level 4 to level 5. How many people are stuck here their entire lives!

"Want to join us?"

Suddenly, Aleister became excited: "The New Moon Ceremony is only a week away. I think if we work hard, we might have a chance! Then we can both enter the dungeon together—"

"No. Don't rush. Remember to lay a solid foundation. Prioritize resolving your issues... The chaos on Star Antimony is still intensifying. In the worst-case scenario... the Tail Ring Ceremony on May 5th might be brought forward even further. At least be mentally prepared for this and be ready to escape at any moment."

Aiwass simply rejected Aleister calmly: "Even if this doesn't count, you have to solve Lily's problem first. Since the principal is willing to help... I plan to send Lily to find you and let her go meet up with the lamb first."

"…No. Your attitude is wrong."

Aleister suddenly became suspicious.

After adopting this attitude, she seemed to have some "woman's intuition": "That's not the whole reason. You don't want to be promoted so soon...why?"

If Aiwass only intended to slow down Aleister's advancement, that wouldn't prevent him from completing the advancement ceremony at the end of this month. That way, he could at least reach the fifth energy level first and then slowly accumulate experience.

The Supreme Crown was like an automatic experience generator. Even if Aiwass hadn't fought against the Tenth Path, he would have grown rapidly in strength. And now that experience was overflowing... This made Aleister feel very distressed.

But Aiwass seemed completely oblivious to the idea of ​​"separate promotions"—Aleister desperately wanted to advance together simply because she wanted to see Aiwass again. But Aleister knew Aiwass had no such desire for him at all... He now felt like he had entered a state where form is emptiness, emptiness is form, and he was on the verge of becoming a Buddha.

So what was he saying, following Aleister's words?

But Aiwass was clearly not one for lying. Aleister only pressed him briefly, and Aiwass replied directly, "Because of your agreement with Isabel."

"…A promise?"

Aleister was stunned for a moment.

She recalled for a long time before she thought of the sentence that might be related to "promise":

- If I have a child with Aiwass, I will name the first child, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl, Aleister.

(End of this chapter)