Mystery: The Ultimate Tarot

Chapter 8 Internal Strife in the "Dark Lodge" of the Western Continent

At this moment, Chen Qingzhi, standing in front of the altar, was both excited and apprehensive.

He was excited because he never expected that after several failures, he would actually be able to summon the legendary "Demon Lord" using an ancient witchcraft.

The anxiety stemmed from the uncertainty of whether the "Demon Lord" was as evil as the legends suggested, capable of devouring the souls of those who summoned him.

But there's no time to worry about that now. The Blood Sect disciples have a small amount of their "life essence" in the Dark Lodge, and the Dark Lodge Master can always know their location, so they have no way to escape and can only face the attack from the Qi Sect.

Perhaps the Demon Lord from another realm can help withstand the attack from the Qi Sect. As long as this Demon Lord is there, the Master of the Dark Lodge will likely reconsider how to deal with the Blood Sect disciples, and the Blood Sect disciples within the Dark Lodge might be able to escape this calamity.

So after the Demon Lord asked the question, Chen Qingzhi quickly explained: "In this world, the 'Blood Sect' refers to cultivating by absorbing 'inner cores,' while the 'Qi Sect' refers to obtaining the 'True Lord's Jade Body' and infusing it with magical power to form a 'Sea of ​​Qi' within the body, similar to an 'inner core'..."

Raphael was completely bewildered: I've been transported to a cultivation world again?

The chief priest, Chen Qingzhi, continued, "The advantage of the Blood Sect is that anyone who obtains an inner core of the corresponding level can quickly acquire the corresponding level of ability."

"However, the downside is that it drastically changes the cultivator's temperament, making them bloodthirsty and murderous; in severe cases, they can turn into mindless monsters..."

Raphael was taken aback: This sounds a bit like the consequences of not taking the potion correctly.

"The advantage of the Qi Sect is that it is gradual and there are very few unexpected situations caused by improper cultivation," Chen Qingzhi said. "However, the disadvantage of the Qi Sect is that it depends on opportunity. Not everyone can become a disciple of the Qi Sect, and each advancement in realm requires the infusion of magical power from the True Lord's Jade Body."

"As one's cultivation level increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to infuse the 'True Monarch Jade Body' with magical power. One needs to cultivate diligently and also requires sufficient opportunities."

"Many disciples of the 'Qi Sect' are even stuck in the early stage of the 'Mortal Realm' their entire lives..."

As he spoke, he seemed to recall something: "Cultivators in this realm are generally divided into three realms, from lowest to highest: the 'Mortal Realm,' the 'Divine Transformation Realm,' and the 'Void Refinement Realm.' Each realm is further divided into early, middle, and late stages."

Raphael was stunned again: This is clearly Sequence 9 to Sequence 1! So the so-called "early stage of the mundane realm" is just Sequence 9! Is he stuck at Sequence 9 for the rest of his life?

Chen Qingzhi continued, "Although each major sect will cultivate a group of 'Blood Sect' disciples, their status is much lower than that of 'Qi Sect' disciples."

"There are only two major demonic sects and 'Dark Lodge,' and the disciples of the 'Blood Sect' and 'Qi Sect' are on equal footing."

"The Demonic Sect is because they are inherently bloodthirsty and murderous. The cultivation method of the 'Blood Sect' is even the method they advocate. The 'Dark Lodge' is because a great cultivator in the mid-stage of the 'Refining Void Realm' emerged several hundred years ago."

"That was our ancestor. Only then did the 'Master of the Dark Lodge' acknowledge the status of the 'Blood Sect' disciples. It took a hundred or two hundred years for the 'Blood Sect' and the 'Qi Sect' to have the same status."

Raphael opened his mouth: Amazing! Amazing! He swallowed extraordinary characteristics and was able to advance to Sequence 2! And he's lived for hundreds of years.

In his memory, it seemed that only during the First and Second Ages had those extraordinary creatures done such things.

Chen Qingzhi said, "Since ancient times, many great cultivators of the 'Refining Void Realm' have appeared in the 'Blood Sect' of various sects, but very few have had a complete mind like our ancestor."

At this point, Chen Qingzhi sighed and continued, "But more than a decade ago, there were rumors that the patriarch's lifespan was coming to an end and his condition was not good. It was said that once the patriarch lost most of his mind, the 'Master of the Dark Lodge' would clean house."

"Upon learning the news, the disciples of the Qi Sect immediately contacted each other, planning to kill all the important figures of the Blood Sect disciples in the Dark Lodge and regain control of the Blood Sect. We have also heard that this matter has been tacitly approved by the Master of the Dark Lodge."

Raphael roughly understood what was going on. After the Blood Sect and the Qi Sect became equal, the Blood Sect must have squeezed out many of the Qi Sect's resources. Now that the Blood Sect's angels were in poor condition, the Qi Sect naturally wanted to take back those resources.

After thinking for a moment, Raphael said, "A cultivator in the mid-stage of the 'Refining Void Realm' should have a lifespan of two to three thousand years. How come their lifespan is almost over after only a few hundred years?"

That's a Sequence 2 angel!

According to the knowledge Raphael gained after his transmigration, the lifespan of an extraordinary being at this level is at least two thousand years!

Most of the angels in the church today are extraordinary beings who began to emerge in the Fourth Age.

Chen Qingzhi, standing before the altar, only learned after becoming a late-stage "Transformation God Realm" cultivator, which is equivalent to advancing to Sequence 4, that the lifespan of a mid-stage "Refining Void Realm" cultivator suddenly increased, but he didn't know exactly how much lifespan he had.

Hearing the "Demon Lord" casually mention the lifespan of cultivators at that level, he felt even more awe for this "Demon Lord": "We don't know the specifics either."

Raphael was about to ask: Didn't you even pray or ask what happened?

But then he thought that the mysticism of this world might be different from that of the world where Rune lived. Although he had already stated in advance that "this 'Demon Lord' is not omniscient and omnipotent," asking too many questions would also affect the image of the "Demon Lord."

So Raphael decided to figure out these details when he had the chance.

Raphael then said, "I have a method that can restore your patriarch's condition to normal..."

He guessed that the so-called mid-stage "Refining Void Realm" cultivator, although able to maintain sufficient rationality at the beginning, was showing signs of erupting due to the distortion and chaos caused by consuming extraordinary characteristics, after hundreds of years of accumulation. It wasn't that his "lifespan was about to end."

As long as there are no obvious signs of things getting out of control, then quickly "playing the part" can still barely maintain the status quo.

If you continue to "play" the role seriously for a long time afterward, your condition might improve as a result.

As long as this angel supports the "Blood Sect" of "Dark Lodge", the annihilation of Chen Qingzhi will be resolved.

The division of extraordinary power in this realm is roughly based on realm, and there are certainly no names for magic potions, and therefore no corresponding "playing methods".

Upon hearing the "Demon Lord's" words, Chen Qingzhi immediately understood what he meant, and he was overjoyed: "Chen Qingzhi thanks the Demon Lord."

"Don't thank me yet," Raphael said. "I have conditions too."

Chen Qingzhi's heart skipped a beat: "Demon Lord, please speak. I, Chen, will do my best."

He had made up his mind that, as long as they didn't devour his soul, he would provide as many other people's souls as the Demon Lord could offer.

Raphael said, "I am very curious about the situation in your world. Tell me in detail about the history and stories of your world."

Chen Qingzhi was stunned for a moment: It's that simple?

Then he realized that the Demon Lord's purpose was definitely not that simple; he was most likely trying to understand the situation in this world and see if there was an opportunity to launch a large-scale invasion...

But Chen Qingzhi naturally didn't care about such things: "I will definitely tell you everything I know without reservation."

Raphael nodded confidently, then casually lied, "Well, the method I'm talking about is actually very simple."

"However, only cultivators who have experienced the 'Refining Void Realm' can understand the benefits of this method."

Chen Qingzhi's head slammed into the ground: This "Demon Lord" possessed at least the terrifying cultivation of the mid-stage of the "Refining Void Realm"!