As a former noble of Intis, Chek Wald, and the vampire girl Louise Hills knew more—the Spirit Church controlled the "Death" pathway, also known as the "Corpse Collector" pathway, and possessed many high-sequence powerhouses, making them hostile to the major orthodox churches.
Aaron pondered slightly, then smiled and looked down at Sid Watson on the stone chair.
"Judging by your attire and your Dutan accent, you likely hail from the West Balam region of the southern continent and are a local noble of some standing. Am I correct?"
Sid stiffened, a trace of panic rising in his heart. "Yes, Blessed Sir."
The other three on the stone chairs glanced at each other, their features obscured by the dark golden mist, and couldn't help but inwardly remark on how observant this Blessed was.
"In that case, the Spirit Church's reason for recruiting you is likely to co-opt and assimilate local nobles to aid their activities in West Balam."
"Even if you join, you'll only be a peripheral member, so you needn't worry about their bloody rituals. Even if you suffer contamination, as long as you come to the divine kingdom of our Lord, all corruption will be cleansed."
"The extraordinary pathway controlled by the Spirit Church is the Death pathway. The name of the Sequence 9 potion is 'Corpse Collector.' The Church of the Night also holds part of the Death pathway."
"With my help, you can secretly advance and conceal your true sequence. As long as you don't encounter high-ranking members of the Spirit Church before reaching demigod, you'll be fine."
At the same time, Aaron mused to himself, In a few years, the Spirit Church will split apart, so you'll have even less to worry about.
After Sid expressed his gratitude with a heavy heart, Aaron turned to the remaining three with a smile. "Do any of you require assistance?"
Feren Edas steeled himself and spoke:
"Respected Blessed Sir, I come from an island in the Berserk Sea. As a mixed-blood, I face constant exclusion. I wish to become a Beyonder and hope the Blessed Sir can grant me this opportunity."
Aaron looked at him. "You may not be aware, but most of the elven race in the Second Epoch mastered the Sailor pathway, as they were favored by the sea."
"Given your mixed-blood heritage and your location in the Berserk Sea, the most suitable pathway for you is the Sailor pathway. The name of Sequence 9 is 'Sailor.'"
"At low sequences, to become a Beyonder, you must first obtain the potion formula. Then, based on the formula, gather the main and supplementary ingredients. After brewing the potion and consuming it without losing control, you can become a Beyonder."
Losing control? Apart from Louise Hills and Chek Wald, who had some understanding, Feren Edas and Sid Watson wore expressions of confusion—though the term alone suggested it wasn't a good outcome.
Aaron glanced at the four below and noticed their puzzled looks.
"Every potion carries subtle spiritual influences. By consuming potions, we gain abilities originally belonging to supernatural creatures—an unnatural evolution that inevitably exposes us to residual spiritual effects."
"Successfully resisting these influences prevents abnormalities. But if affected, the consequences range from mental instability to loss of control and death."
"Even Beyonders of the seven orthodox churches must wait three years after consuming a potion and pass corresponding assessments before advancing. This is to eliminate those subtle spiritual influences and prevent the accumulation of madness and loss of control."
Chek Wald couldn't help but interject, "Three years? Is there no other method?" The other members, including the vampire Louise Hills, also looked at him expectantly.
Aaron curled his lips slightly, ready to showcase the advantages of a secret organization.
"Of course there is. We call it the 'Acting Method.'"
"Remember this: the key to potions is not control—it's digestion."
"Not excavation—it's acting."
"And the name of a potion isn't just its core symbol—it's also a concrete image, the 'key' to digestion!"
Louise shuddered and froze in place, as if struck by a sudden, thunderous revelation.
Long-lived species had their pros and cons. Vampires faced extreme difficulty in advancing, relying mostly on gifts from their elders—which meant the death of another vampire.
Thus, for a normal vampire, advancement could take as little as four or five years or as long as a century. The higher the sequence, the longer the wait for an opportunity to advance.
Perhaps this was why the vampires' internal records made no mention of the Acting Method. Every vampire unconsciously acted, worshipping the moon, and the time advantage offered by the Acting Method held little meaning for those waiting in line for advancement.
Louise consoled herself, torn between joy at gaining esoteric knowledge and sorrow over her future advancement challenges.
Feren glanced at Louise, who clearly understood the implications, then at Chek, who wore a thoughtful and excited expression, before locking eyes with Sid, who still looked utterly lost.
Scratching his blue hair, Feren spoke in a hoarse voice tinged with embarrassment.
"My apologies, respected Blessed Sir. Could you explain in more detail?"
Aaron gave Feren a surprised look. He had expected Chek, who was eager to learn about rapid advancement, to ask this question—not Feren.
'Hmm… He's willing to take the risk of asking in this unfamiliar situation. That takes courage. The Sailor pathway truly suits him. He's worth nurturing.'
Pleased, Aaron nodded and replied:
"Of course."
"First, by 'acting' according to the potion's name, you can adjust the state of your body, mind, and spirit, gradually aligning them with the stubborn residual spirituality at the potion's core. This creates resonance, allowing for gradual assimilation and absorption."
"Second, the stubborn residual spirituality in the potion's core is like a well-defended fortress. To infiltrate, breach, and dismantle it, you must find its vulnerabilities—its 'key.' The potion's name provides the necessary clues. Through acting, you harmonize body, mind, and spirit, disguising yourself as an 'insider' to deceive the 'guards,' stroll right in, and neutralize that stubborn spirituality."
Feren, now enlightened, hurriedly expressed his gratitude.
Aaron looked at him and added, "Returning to your initial question: mastering the Acting Method and truly understanding its meaning will greatly reduce the risk of losing control and accelerate advancement."
"Even if you haven't yet become a Beyonder, you can still begin 'acting' in advance based on the name of the Sequence 9 potion you wish to consume."
"This will significantly lower your risk of losing control. Once you successfully advance, you'll find that a portion of the current stage's potion has already been digested."
"Thank you, Blessed Sir." Overjoyed, Feren quickly thanked him while inwardly marveling, 'What a kind and erudite gentleman. No wonder he became the Blessed of the great Lord of Order.'