“What ‘Bond’ of some kind is being established? What even is this?”
At that moment, Lin Hong was bewildered, sending a query to the mysterious panel through his thoughts.
He discovered that, besides this newly added area, the balance of Fate Points on the panel had also increased.
It should have been 200 points, but it had now become 270.
The mysterious panel was very fast.
Almost the instant his thought surfaced, new text unfolded to provide an explanation:
[New Long-Term Mission: Purifying the Evil God’s Vessel]
[Target: Diana Wilde (Vessel for the Evil God “Court of Banquets”)]
[Final Objective: Assist the target individual in achieving a complete separation from the Evil God’s will residing within them, or annihilate that portion of the will.]
‘Diana… Is that the name of that black-robed girl shopkeeper?’ Lin Hong asked, receiving an affirmation from the mysterious panel.
It mentioned a great deal, emphasizing in particular that this was a long-term mission that could be refused because the danger was extremely high—after all, it involved an Evil God.
Lin Hong shrugged, not paying it much mind.
When he had first drifted into this world years ago, if it had not been for the fact that he had just endured consecutive great battles and was extremely weak, he could have taken down at least two of them with him.
He carefully browsed the various descriptions.
Line after line of text appeared on the mysterious panel, detailing the mechanics of this long-term mission.
For instance, when the progress of weakening the connection between the vessel and the Evil God reached specific milestones, the mysterious panel would provide assistance, including but not limited to: Relevant taboo secrets, special treasures targeting that Evil God faction, and even direct Fate Point rewards.
Overall, the rewards were quite substantial.
After finishing the long explanation, Lin Hong fell into thought.
A long-term mission where the target was an actual Evil God was marked with an ultra-high danger level.
The choice rested entirely with him.
He could choose to accept and open this mission route, or he could act as if he had never seen it, which would have no consequences.
Lin Hong’s gaze swept over the lines of text.
He did not make a choice immediately, instead pondering as he recalled something else.
More than ten years ago, when he had drifted to this world, he had encountered a combined attack from various gods.
He was overmatched and eventually defeated.
His spiritual origin had split into countless sparks of light, fleeing in all directions while being pursued by the gods using various means.
At that time, a portion of the spiritual sparks chose to fall toward the Elavia Continent beneath the stars.
He clearly remembered that as the two gods and demons chasing that portion of sparks grew closer to the continental territory below, their speed and even their divine strikes became increasingly weakened, as if constrained and interfered with by some kind of rule.
It was by utilizing that sliver of hope that he had made a decisive move, self-detonating all the light sparks to create a fake image of total annihilation, thus protecting a single point of his undying true spirit.
Ultimately, he had fallen onto this continent, residing within the body of the newborn infant, Evan, and beginning a period of silence and recovery that lasted more than ten years.
Now, as memory clashed with reality, a bold hypothesis began to sprout in Lin Hong’s mind.
The Evil Gods, formerly known as the Evil Race, should have been incomparably powerful.
Back in his home universe, they were so overbearing that they forcefully tore through the universal wall to descend upon the mortal world.
But now, it actually needed to use a human girl as a vessel instead of descending in its true form.
Could there be a possibility that some kind of rule existed in this world that restricted the gods, making them unable to directly intervene in the physical world?
They might be able to bestow divine power, respond to prayers, and project their will, but they could not directly exercise their grand might.
The Evil Race had obtained the status of gods in this world and merged with it, but they were also restricted by its rules because of it!
Lin Hong immediately presented this hypothesis to the mysterious panel and received an immediate affirmative answer.
[Yes. Rules exist on the Elavia Continent. Existences beyond the demigod rank cannot directly interfere with the physical matter and energy laws of the world.]
[Because of this, the gods generally select “God-Blessed” to serve as their agents and focal points of power in the human world.]
[The God-Blessed carry a portion of a god’s divinity, authority, and divine power. They exercise the god’s will and spread faith, serving as the primary bridge for the gods to influence the physical world.]
Lin Hong nodded.
Upon learning this, he felt a portion of the fog in his mind dissipate.
In this world, the gods were not omnipotent.
They also had shackles placed upon them and were restricted, unable to roam freely between heaven and earth!
[However, I apologize, Host. The origin of this restriction involves the Ancient Covenant. Your authorization is insufficient; I cannot inform you.]
Lin Hong shrugged, not caring at all.
Instead, he raised another point of doubt: the black-robed girl shopkeeper’s situation seemed unusual.
She was not being trained as an agent, but was instead viewed as a vessel for the Evil God to descend or revive within.
[Correct. This is also the core reason for issuing the long-term mission.]
[Evil Gods are the enemies of the world.]
The mysterious panel responded.
Lin Hong chuckled.
If he had to say why he found this thing somewhat agreeable, it was because even though he set aside many mysteries for now—partly due to insufficient strength and partly because both parties shared the same goal regarding the elimination of evil—this was his specialty.
He no longer hesitated and chose to accept the long-term mission.
[Mission Log updated. Host may view it at any time.]
Setting aside his principles as a border-guarding evil-slayer from his home universe who would never sit by while his compatriots were harmed by the Evil Race, the practical considerations were also very tempting.
After all, the mysterious panel would provide special techniques and even anti-Evil God treasures targeting specific factions, along with a massive amount of Fate Points.
Although Fate Points were not very useful to him personally at the moment since he had his own cultivation methods and techniques, he could accumulate them to improve the aptitude of this body—such as element affinity, which was extremely important in this world.
This could be considered compensation for occupying the young Evan’s body and a return for those ten-plus years of residency.
After finishing his communication with the panel, Lin Hong’s mind returned to reality, his expression a bit strange.
Just now, on a sudden whim, he had purchased a small potion from the mysterious panel’s shop that could change one’s appearance and stature, priced at 30 Fate Points.
As a result, as soon as his consciousness returned to reality, he immediately noticed a change in the sensation in his hand.
His left hand felt slightly heavier.
The small potion had appeared directly in his palm without any warning!
The bottle was slightly cool to the touch and felt real.
He could even smell a very faint herbal fragrance.
This led Lin Hong to another bold hypothesis: Could there be a real small space or even a demi-plane connected behind the mysterious panel?
Otherwise, how could it explain providing aptitude improvements while also offering tangible material exchanges?
This hypothesis made Lin Hong ponder secretly.
He had a daring idea—once his spiritual cultivation recovered to a higher level, perhaps he could try something big.
….
The Imperial Academy’s break had already begun.
Lin Hong spent another two days in the treatment room meditating, roughly replenishing his depleted spiritual origin, and finally received permission to leave on this day.
He returned to the Duke’s mansion.
The massive estate was a bit quiet.
Lovella was likely being buried under a mountain of territorial documents and family affairs, and the maids in the mansion each had their own work.
This suited him perfectly, allowing him to focus on his cultivation.
His consecutive battles over the past two days had been quite beneficial to his body.
The Creation Return to Origin Sutra, a foundational method originating from his home universe, adhered to the cultivation philosophy that the pre-natal gives birth to the post-natal, and the post-natal nurtures the pre-natal.
Within the human body, there exists pre-natal vital qi that is present from birth, scattered throughout various parts of the body.
Previously, Lin Hong had operated the scripture to awaken and guide this scattered qi, gathering it together and refining it into a strand of pre-natal qi.
Using both spirit and the cultivation method to guide the pre-natal qi, he allowed it to flow through his entire body, nourishing his limbs, bones, and internal organs to improve his physical constitution.
Now, the improvement of this body was significant enough for him to proceed to the next stage.
Lin Hong cultivated, operating the scripture according to a specific rhythm to temper himself and improve his essence, qi, and spirit.
As his physical body improved and was catalyzed by the method, it began to evolve, and a completely new energy appeared!
This was post-natal qi, also an energy product of the human body itself, surging and newly born.
It emerged in wisps, following the pre-natal qi as it circulated and nourished his body, eventually feeding back into and strengthening the pre-natal qi.
An internal minor heavenly circulation was preliminarily established within this physical body, rolling like a snowball and continuously strengthening itself.
Time passed quietly.
On this day, as the night grew deep, the Vien Duke’s Mansion was immersed in silence.
Lin Hong sat cross-legged.
No magic lamps were lit in the bedroom, and he was bathed in the dim starlight as he cultivated.
The cultivation was entering its prime state.
Lin Hong’s mind was clear and empty, immersed in the beautiful rhythm of his life level slowly leaping forward.
Knock, knock, knock.
‘Damn it,’ Lin Hong thought, speechless.
“Young Master, are you resting?”
Outside the door came the voice of one of the mansion’s maids.
“No. What is it?”
“Her Highness Celestia has arrived and is currently in the drawing room. Her Highness said… she heard you had returned to the mansion to recuperate and came to visit.”
The young maid’s voice came through the door, clear and respectful.
“……”
“I understand. I will prepare myself. You go and rest.”
“Yes.”
‘Wait, were the original Evan and Celestia that close? Haven’t they had no contact for six or seven years?’
‘And she’s visiting late at night… does she have a crush on him?’
Lin Hong frowned.
He really did not want to meet that girl.
It was not that he disliked her as a person, but rather that he hated that radiant aura on her.
As if he had spoken a prophecy, just as this thought surfaced, a wave of radiant energy appeared within his range of perception.
The Princess had already arrived.
Lin Hong sighed and was forced to stop his cultivation, his mind racing to think of how to handle this meeting.
[Emergency Mission Issued!]
[Target: Slay the cultist of the Evil God “Parasitic Shrine” who has infiltrated the Duke’s mansion.]
[Mission Danger Level: High. Reward for success: 800 Fate Points.]
‘Well, I don’t have to think about it anymore.’