Schiso 007, donning the air of a chairman, continued to feed the newly recruited planar agents and apostles with inspiring pep talks. Sky, on the other hand, was still somewhat in the dark about the specifics of their mission. Nonetheless, he clapped in support of the leadership's speech, thinking it best to play it by ear and, for starters, complete the system's current planar task.
By now, the castle already housed two guests, and according to the Goddess, a third was set to arrive tomorrow. The direction for the castle's operations, as decreed by the Goddess, seemed to ensure Sky was on a winning streak.
Yet, Sky wasn’t feeling relieved. He understood all too well that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Everything in this plane seemed too good to be true - the strongest backer here had somehow taken a liking to him, providing resources, work, and even a structure to operate within.
But could he really just accept these blessings as a matter of course? Obviously, every reward demands its price. The unasked love of others is either a scheme or an investment for future gains.
Regardless of the motive, Sky had already reaped the benefits and accepted the investment. If he wanted to thrive in this plane, it was time to start working.
As Sky half-heartedly clapped for the Goddess's speech, he pondered over engaging sincerely in his tasks, curious about the future the Goddess and her divine system, "Eyes of the Deep Cosmos," would unfold for him.
The Goddess concluded her address, “So, my dear colleagues, you are fortunate. With the organization’s backing and under my watch, unleash your potential and carve your bright futures. The path lies ahead.” With that, she pointed forward, conjuring a portal of magical energy that swirled into the shape of a door. The center of this door, pulsating with purple magical energy, resembled a voracious vortex.
“Here's a free portal back home for you,” the Goddess said, ushering them away with a wave.
As Sky and his companions stepped through the magic portal and vanished, the Goddess murmured to herself, “That kid is lucky, having so many backing him up. And the system seems to have a special fondness for him too.”
Continuing her soliloquy, Schiso 007 opened the system communication interface in her mind. Indeed, she was a player – one who had completed the divine path, acquired godhood, and merged with the laws of her plane.
She crafted an exceedingly long message in her consciousness and sent it to a specific player ID. After a long wait without a response, she resent it to another friend's ID, quickly receiving a reply. The other party initiated a cross-planar telepathic communication.
After Schiso 007 accepted the call, a hearty laugh echoed from the other end, “You see? This kid is a unique genius, no, a darling of the system and the void.”
“You’re always on your alt. Can you even complete your main’s tasks? And cut the nonsense, you helped him cheat,” Schiso 007 scoffed. “I don’t get why you all pamper him so.”
“Heh, don’t you as well?” the voice teased.
“That’s for the sake of Number 1 and your high stakes. I’m busy, so let's cut to the chase. Two things: First, you're familiar with the cultivation system. Find martial arts and agility techniques compatible with the skillset that kid drew. Also, the ‘Cosmic Insight’ series seems significant. ‘Primordial Blood’ is just one of its ranks, and we’re missing the rest, from second to ninth. We need a solution if he's to avoid switching techniques midway.”
The voice replied, “‘Cosmic Insight’? Ah, an ancient divine creation from your plane, by a god - Nuwa, I believe, who perished in a great war 6000 years ago. This technique inherently includes its own martial arts and agility skills, so we need not search for others.”
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“A divine path technique, no wonder it’s powerful. This means we don’t have to worry about his progression, but rather…” Schiso 007 paused.
After a moment of contemplation, the voice added, “It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Your plane will soon buzz with activity again. Letting him rise through the ranks here is a fine choice.”
“Yes, but that spells trouble for me,” Schiso 007 sighed.
“So, what’s the second matter?” the voice inquired.
“The key issue,” Schiso perked up, “that kid’s visit cost me nearly 20,000 divine points. You’re footing the bill, so settle it quickly.”
“What? He’s that extravagant?” the voice exclaimed in surprise.
Sky, Lilianna, and Lumiya had just stepped through the spatial portal, finding themselves back in the castle's tower room. They exchanged glances, each feeling a bit dazed from the journey.
Freed from the constraints of the divine realm, Lumiya could now freely change her form. She had transformed back into her human guise, even tucking away her usually bristled tail, which currently resembled a charred club due to recent events and needed time to heal.
Lumiya was the first to snap out of her daze. Plopping down on the sofa, she sighed, “Wow, we're officially working for a goddess now. My master and senior brother would be so proud. In our Foxhound lineage, including the Werewolf branch, the highest honor was to serve as a mount for a god - essentially a divine chauffeur. Looks like I've skipped straight to the top.”
Lilianna cautioned, “Hold off on telling your master and senior brother. Our work for a goddess might be confidential. We should check for any secrecy clauses first.”
Sky slumped onto the sofa, saying, “I glanced through the contract I signed. Ignoring the hundreds of pages of annexes, the main part only mentions working diligently to spread the Goddess's glory. So, I don't think our identities need to be secret. But considering we’re just starting and aren’t familiar with the business yet, it’s wise to keep a low profile.”
“We should focus on what we can do now. First, prepare for the new guest arriving tomorrow, likely the next apostle. Second, I plan to thoroughly explore the castle in the next few days. Didn’t the Goddess mention surprises hidden within?”
Lumiya interjected, “This castle is indeed mysterious. It seems normal during the day, but at night, terrifying ghosts roam its halls.”
Lilianna, puzzled, asked, “Aren’t you a cultivator? Aren’t Eastern cultivation techniques designed to counter ghosts?”
“Ordinary ghosts, yes. But my instincts tell me I can’t defeat the ghost in this castle. I haven’t learned any techniques specifically for combating spirits. Just thinking about its aura gives me chills,” Lumiya shuddered.
Lilianna grew serious, “You can’t defeat it? What’s your current cultivation level? You seem to be in the late stages of the Fourth Rank, the Innate Phase, right?”
Lumiya proudly confirmed, “Late Fourth Rank, approaching the peak. But how do you know so much about cultivation?”
Lilianna replied, “Never underestimate the knowledge of a Bloodline member who's lived over 6000 years. If even you find it formidable, we should be cautious if we explore the castle at night. Best to stick together.”
Sky nodded, “That's wise. Let’s investigate the main building tonight, say around 2:30 AM, and see if we encounter the ghost. By the way, Lilianna, how would you rate your combat strength?”
After a moment of thought, Lilianna said, “My situation is unique, and the Bloodline ranking system differs from cultivation. In terms of combat, I’m roughly at the early stages of a Level 5 Bloodline Count, comparable to the Fifth Rank in cultivation, the Detachment Phase.”
Lumiya, surprised, said, “I didn’t expect you to be higher ranked than me. But how did I manage to shoot you down with an ice spear?”
Lilianna shot her a look, “I had just... recently awakened and hadn’t fully regained my strength.”
Sky chimed in, “Seems I'm the weakest here, just a First Rank cultivator. But it's still better than being ordinary.”
Lumiya confidently assured, “Don’t worry, landlord, I’ll protect you. If we can’t win, I’ll just carry you and run, like I did last time.”
Lilianna then suggested, “Why don't you and Sky have a friendly spar? Control your strength to match a First Rank cultivator’s physical combat ability.”
Lumiya asked, “Why me? Why not you?”
“Bloodline members aren’t known for physical combat, and I’m not a cultivator. Werewolves are naturally strong, and you’ve been training in Eastern cultivation. It’ll be a good test to see the true strength of Sky’s ‘Cosmic Insight’ technique,” Lilianna said cheerfully.
“Okay, but after lunch. I’m starving,” Lumiya turned to Sky, “Landlord, I haven’t had lunch yet. When are we eating?”
Reminded by Lumiya, Sky suddenly felt famished too, “I'm starving as well. But the fridge is empty. What should we eat?”