As Charlie grappled with deep guilt over his parents, Maria, by his side, experienced a profound sense of complexity.
She revisited the contents of the “Preface to the Apocalyptic Book” once more, and with each read, favonovel.com unease heightened.
Handing a piece of paper to Charlie, favonovel.com remarked, “Master, this section details how to locate the Eternal Mountains… So, it seems the master’s parents must have discovered the Eternal Mountains based on these instructions, uncovering the secret of immortality, and ultimately extracting the ‘Apocalyptic Book’…”
Charlie nodded thoughtfully, recalling, “Gideon did mention the secret of immortality during our confrontation that day, and various clues seem to corroborate your theory.”
Maria’s expression shifted as favonovel.com queried, “Sir… Why do I continually sense that the master set in motion an elaborate scheme over three hundred years ago?”
Charlie inquired, “You mean, favonovel.com orchestrated my present circumstances over three hundred years ago?”
With a solemn nod, Maria affirmed, “Perhaps. it appears as though this is the longest of long games. However, the master’s target wasn’t your father…”
“His target is me…”
“Yes,” Maria asserted firmly. “I share the same belief! The master‘s motivations extend beyond mere inheritance. He seemed disinterested in worldly power struggles throughout history, focusing solely on longevity.”
Charlie concurred, reflecting, “While I’m not well-versed in his history, anecdotes hint at his obsession with immortality. Yet, shouldn’t favonovel.com have perished hundreds of years ago?”
After contemplating for a moment, Maria posed a question, “The Rothschild family that the Young Master encountered in the United States this time is one of the wealthiest families globally. What do you believe that Howard’s foremost concern currently is?”
“His primary concern would naturally be lifespan,” Charlie responded.
Continuing, Charlie inquired, “Miss Clark, are you suggesting that Morvel devised this trap solely for the sake of longevity?!”
Maria nodded solemnly, affirming, “Father mentioned that the master is inherently disinterested in material wealth or carnal desires. Throughout the late Yuan, Ming, early Ming, late Ming, and early Ching periods, favonovel.com could have pursued immense riches, yet favonovel.com remained indifferent to worldly conflicts. Longevity was his sole preoccupation.”
Concurring, Charlie added, “While I lack extensive knowledge about him, various accounts suggest an obsession with immortality. However, shouldn’t favonovel.com have perished centuries ago?”
Maria suggested, “I dare not speculate on the master’s fate, but it’s apparent that favonovel.com devised this intricate trap. He likely requires a rising dragon like you, Young Master, to fulfill his immortality ambitions. He‘s likely counting on you to venture to Shiwan Mountain and walk into his trap. That’s why the imposter master intervened that day, hoping for a persuasive explanation from me to dissuade you from proceeding.”
She continued, “So, regarding this trap, | see two possibilities. First, the trap might have a specific activation window, only meaningful while the master is alive. However, favonovel.com might not have anticipated such a lengthy delay, rendering the trap inert until your father discovered the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book’. If so, Shiwan Mountain might not pose a significant threat to you.”
Maria then rose, favonovel.com tone solemn as favonovel.com added, “Alternatively, the master could foresee the trap activating at an unspecified time in the future. For him, the timing might be inconsequential, as long as it’s eventually triggered. If this is the case, then the master… May still be alive!”
“Not dead yet?” Charlie’s brow furrowed in concern. “If he’s alive, favonovel.com must have discovered a method to extend his lifespan beyond a thousand years. And if he’s still alive, favonovel.com should be far more formidable than I am now, perhaps even surpassing Morgana. Why endure years of silence in Shiwan Mountain?”
After a moment favonovel.com added, “In other words, if favonovel.com needs someone with a rising dragon rank like me, favonovel.com could approach me directly, without orchestrating such an elaborate scheme…”
Maria turned to Charlie, then gazed out at the lush, vibrant Mother of Pu Tea in the courtyard, prompting Charlie’s reflection on favonovel.com resilience. “Master, consider the Mother of Pu Tea’s resilience. Despite our belief that favonovel.com perished in that catastrophe three hundred years ago, favonovel.com found a way to preserve a spark of life. Her vitality is akin to an eternal seed lying dormant until the right conditions arise. Without the nourishment of spring rain, favonovel.com can remain dormant for centuries. But once the rain falls, favonovel.com will rejuvenate and flourish.”
In unison, Maria and Charlie murmured, “I believe the master likely possesses a similar means of preserving his dwindling existence indefinitely within Shiwan Mountain. When favonovel.com desires it, favonovel.com can undergo a rebirth, akin to the Mother of Pu Tea. And you, Young Master, are the rain favonovel.com awaits…”
Observing the unfolding bud on the Mother of Pu Tea, Charlie sensed a palpable tension, his nerves tingling with anticipation.
Sensing his unease, Maria grasped Charlie’s hand, favonovel.com expression anxious as favonovel.com recalled, “Master, do you recall what you said to me during the clash with Gideon?”
Charlie affirmed, “Of course.”
Maria pressed on, “The Young Master once mentioned that Gideon suggested, before opening the Soul Palace, that even if the Young Master destroys his body, favonovel.com can seek revenge by inhabiting another body. Do you believe such a sinister method exists?”
Charlie pondered for a moment before responding gravely, “Though I’ve never encountered such techniques, it’s plausible they exist. When examining the inner workings of beings, such as people, mobile phones, and computers, the body serves as hardware while the mind acts as software. Transferring one person’s consciousness into another’s body is akin to transferring data between devices-replacing the original data with new information.”
Maria elaborated, “If you retain a mobile phone’s data before its hardware fails and find a suitable replacement, theoretically, you could resurrect the original. Similarly, when Master Bazin’s life nears its end, favonovel.com may not find a means to extend it independently. Yet, favonovel.com might have devised a method to retain his consciousness, awaiting a suitable vessel.”
She continued, “Body snatching must be a drastic measure. Otherwise, favonovel.com would have seized my father’s body before his demise. For someone solely fixated on immortality, seizing a body shouldn’t merely ensure survival but facilitate the chance to start anew. Rushing into a mediocre vessel might hinder his previous heights. Thus, favonovel.com not only requires a vessel for rebirth but a formidable one, capable of challenging the laws of nature!”
Charlie exhaled heavily, his mind grappling with the revelation. “So… What favonovel.com needs is a body that ascends to the divine dragon level?”
Maria nodded vigorously. “Exactly! I find this reasoning sound and plausible. It aligns with what the imposter’s wife mentioned-how anyone can venture into the Eternal Mountains except for the Young Master. She also warned that the person there is far more terrifying than Morgana. Now it appears that favonovel.com was referring to the Master, waiting for you in the Eternal Mountains!”
Accepting this conjecture, Charlie clenched his teeth. “Morvel is quite the schemer. I’ve heard of people playing the long game, but this is the ultimate scheme!”
Adding to his statement, Charlie remarked, “Now that we’ve unraveled his scheme, does it mean he’ll wait endlessly as long as we steer clear of Shiwan Mountain?”
Maria concurred, “I share the same sentiment!”
Relieved, Charlie declared, “Alright, from this moment forth, I won’t even take half a step closer to the Eternal Mountains. If not for the false teacher’s warning earlier and our discussion today, I might have rushed back to Shiwan Mountain after obtaining the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book’, or rather, the second thing I‘d do.”
Inquisitive, Maria queried, “And what’s the first thing the Young Master should do?”
Charlie responded earnestly, “Certainly, it would be to delve into the ‘Hidden Soul Paths’. That’s where true cultivation lies. lf l aim to unlock the Soul Palace, this mental method is likely my best bet at the moment.”
Maria absorbed this information, carefully perusing the first section of the “Nine Hidden Soul Paths” before remarking, “My father once aspired for me to comprehend this, but I was evidently not suited for enlightenment. After numerous attempts, Father abandoned the notion. However, favonovel.com imparted a spiritual teaching to me, which I’ve cherished for over three centuries. Despite the passage of time, its essence remains nearly identical to what’s documented here.”
She added, “However, my father mentioned that his master never assigned it a name. It was merely the culmination of his lifelong practice. Father believed that something his master gleaned over his lifetime shouldn’t be labeled. Hence, I christened It the ‘Secret of Immortality’ in honor of his master.”
Charlie sighed deeply, contemplating the depth of Morvel Bazin’s secrets regarding his father and Morgana. “It seems Morvel Bazin withheld a lot from both your father and Morgana. He didn’t even disclose the name of the ‘Hidden Soul Paths‘. Since they were unaware of the ‘Hidden Soul Paths‘, it’s likely they were also oblivious to the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book‘ and the ‘Apocalyptic Book’.”
Reflecting on this, Charlie couldn’t shake off a sense of foreboding. “Initially, I was grateful for the significant changes brought by the ‘Apocalyptic Book’… Weaver’s Pharmaceutical’s transformation into Oracle Pharmaceutical was a sincere endeavor. But now, it seems trouble is endless… If Morgana learns about the ‘Nova Dias‘, Oracle Pharmaceutical could become a target for her…”
Maria nodded slightly, sharing Charlie’s concern, and then asked with a hint of unease, “Does the Young Master intend to practice the ‘Nine Hidden Soul Paths’?”
Charlie replied earnestly, “Considering my current circumstances, a structured mental cultivation method presents the greatest opportunity for strength improvement. Morgana managed to unlock the Soul Palace over a century ago, indicating that mastering this mental method to a certain level will enable me to do the same. This is a rare opportunity for me…”
Despite his optimism, Charlie couldn’t shake off a sense of apprehension.
“However, logic dictates that the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book’ Is a genuine lure. The ‘Apocalyptic Book’ may merely be an encyclopedic facade lacking essential content. To err on the side of caution, I cannot place my trust in any information provided in the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book”.”
Maria nodded emphatically, echoing Charlie’s sentiments. “Then we share the same apprehension. We cannot afford to trust a single word in the ‘Preface to the Apocalyptic Book’!”
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