It was only after Kladaxi left that Xia Xiu slowly began to review the transmitted memories. They were all ancient Arcane Master Formation styles, already out of step with the mainstream Arcane Master structures on Terra today. For this woman, an innovator within the Cult of Carnal Delight, to still use such outdated Formation structures showed how unprogressive she was.
A Formation is a geometric structure that builds Arcane Master Procedure through drawing, thereby obtaining controllable output.
The Arcane Master Formation system varies greatly in its manifestations across different civilizations and cultures, but under Terra's modern Arcane Master standardization research system, Arcane Master Formations have also been standardized. Their functional parts are simply divided into four sections: Arcane Master Source Structure, Guiding Structure, Efficacy Structure, and Backlash Correction Structure.
The Arcane Master Formation Kladaxi used for blood sacrifice was so old it was almost obsolete even within the Cult of Carnal Delight. This type still clung to the simple overview of a layered structure centered on the power supply part—usually concentric circles.
This is imprecise; in most cases, it can even be said to be wrong. What era is this? You're still drawing circles. Do you think you're Hohenheim?
This is exactly what I want.
A brilliant smile appeared on Xia Xiu's lips. Woman, Arcane Master is a very dangerous thing. One misstep, and you could be doomed forever.
“Clap, clap, clap—”
Xia Xiu clapped his hands, and the boys identical to him looked at him. He smiled at his 'kindred' and said,
“Begin setting up the Arcane Master Formation, according to the Master's command.”
“Yes.”
BIO-species don't need to sleep or eat; they consume eve particles, making them cheap labor.
After a night of busy work, the Formation ritual for the blood sacrifice was largely completed.
In the early morning, Kladaxi was carried down from the living room by a muscular male model. She wore a pink nightgown, her eyes hazy, and the dark circles under them were exceptionally pronounced.
Xia Xiu noticed the mark on the neck of the male model holding her.
This woman really knows how to have fun.
“CC, take me to bathe. D·222, bring my gown.”
“Yes.”
D·222 was a handsome uncle with beautiful white hair. He respectfully followed behind Kladaxi.
Half an hour later, Kladaxi, dressed formally, appeared before Xia Xiu. Her face was flushed like a peach blossom, while Xia Xiu stared speechlessly at the new mark on D·222's neck.
Kladaxi gazed at the Formation before her; at its center was the core Arcane Master Source Structure, constructed from various materials—a circle with countless intricate patterns drawn along its edge. From it, ten straight lines extended outwards, connecting to mercury-constructed circles.
“You ten, stand on the branches for me.”
“Yes.”
Xia Xiu and his counterparts obediently stood within the mercury circles. Kladaxi stood on the central circle, then began her sacrifice to the statue of Lavaatha.
“I have gazed upon the Faceless, His boundless servants who overturn.
Their master is blind—emasculated by our words and intentions.
He sings disordered songs that will not come again.
These fearsome spirits are unworthy of our love; offer no sacrifice until the Stars align······”
Lavaatha's Mark reappeared on Kladaxi's hand. She chanted like a madwoman, the mark in her hand growing increasingly crimson.
“Here I shall offer my sacrifice, a Bloodline from the Heavenly Kingdom Lineage of the Sanctuary—Abraham.”
This woman is truly courting death, daring to covet the Lineage of the Heavenly Kingdom, the Bloodline of Abraham. If this matter were to be exposed, the Tribunal of the Sanctuary would eradicate her in minutes.
Oh, this woman was indeed directly eliminated by a heretic hunter because the matter was exposed, and her Soul medium was even used as fuel to glow and generate heat in the Ether Ocean.
“Great Lavaatha, please grant me the power to distort the present world.
Let my Soul transcend, let me ascend into the Ether Ocean.
I will prostrate myself at the feet of Yarn and you, and kiss your soles.”
Just as I expected, this woman wants to become an Arcane Master.
To become an Arcane Master, one must undergo spiritual sublimation, casting one's Soul medium into the extraordinary Origin, the Ether Ocean, then forming one's own field, gaining the power to distort the present world.
The statue of Lavaatha began to change. She opened her eyes, gazing at the devout believer before her.
Kladaxi was overjoyed to see the statue come to life. Just as she was about to speak her wish and offer her sacrifice, an anomaly occurred.
“Ah————”
Lavaatha let out a piercing shriek. Blood flowed from her eyes, and she glared resentfully at the stunned woman before her. Kladaxi was startled by the sudden change; her face was pale, and her lips trembled uncontrollably. She wanted to leave but found she couldn't move at all.
What's going on?!
“If you seek treasures, omnipotence, prestige—to rule with conquest and tyranny—then depart, return to the shadows of your dark ambition, and understand that you cannot escape our light.
But if you desire to learn wisdom—to break the shackles of servitude, to perceive humanity's potential—then I shall embrace you as kin, and teach you the Way of Full Flesh.”
At this moment, the Formation under Kladaxi's feet changed. The various runes turned into mercury, and what should have been the mercury branch Formations became the main body.
A magnetic voice broke Kladaxi's daze. She stiffly turned her head, looking at the sacrifice numbered D·503 standing in the main Formation, feeling an unprecedented horror in her heart.
“You, why did you...”
The BIO-species before her had eyes full of spirituality, and he was currently holding his hands together, chanting scriptures she had never heard before.
Xia Xiu did not respond to her; he continued to chant the incantation.
The incantation he was reciting now was “Yarn's Black Sea Sermon.” This incantation ranked very high in the Cult of Carnal Delight's prayer sequence. Old-fashioned prayers like Kladaxi's could easily be cut off and replaced.
Now, Xia Xiu was the master of the Formation.
At this moment, Lavaatha's statue was covered in crimson. Fine, tender flesh buds began to emerge from her stony eyes, then multiplied and intertwined, forming a pair of terrifying eyes.
Lavaatha gazed at Xia Xiu, countless dark red worms writhing and intertwining in her eyes, with threads of flesh buds appearing and disappearing around her eye sockets.
“Prayer—”
A bizarre echo reverberated through the hall. Everyone except Xia Xiu fell into a semi-delirious state upon hearing this sound, their minds filled with demonic tones and countless inverted images.
Xia Xiu, meanwhile, smiled. This method of temporary insertion was developed during the fourth expansion pack by a group of heavily paying players who summarized it after sacrificing numerous substitute items.
The purpose of the development was also very simple: it could be used to interrupt various rituals of the Cult of Carnal Delight, although the cost was being marked by Yarn. However, players didn't care. They could pay newly created noobs to take the hit for them. After all, if it was a newly created account, they could just delete it and start over if it got marked.
Because the market price for hiring a noob was 500, this method was also known as 'Five Hundred Per Time.'
The specific process for 'Five Hundred Per Time' is as follows:
Prerequisite: A Flesh Cultist activates a sacrifice-type Formation, which needs to be driven by prayers and incantations.
Insertion Process:
① A set of non-visual hidden Formations.
② Incantation: “Yarn's Black Sea Sermon.”
③ Incantation: “Lavaatha's Fall and Rebirth.”
④ Several sacrifices (usually the Flesh Cultist who activated the Formation and their sacrifices).
Hidden Condition: A brilliant performance. (Dance, opera, underdog victory... as long as it can please Yarn and the Four Saints, even the most humble species can receive unparalleled rewards.)
Ritual Effect: Obtain Yarn's Mark. Its symbols include spirals, broken chains, blood drops, sickles, and Ouroboros (an ancient symbol, depicted as a Ouroboros, symbolizing the infinite cycle of life and death).
Completing the hidden condition grants 【Grace】 and 【Lineage】.