Gospel of Blood

Chapter 200: Divination

Duke Yorok hurriedly left the spire and, guided by a beautiful elven attendant, entered the most tranquil meditation room on Luna Island.

As soon as he entered, his previously calm demeanor turned grim.

He quickly approached the magic platform in the meditation room, took out a shimmering crystal ball from his pocket, and gently placed it on the crystal stand on the platform.

"Crystal Spirit, appear before me."

Duke Yorok recited an incantation and gently rubbed the surface of the crystal ball.

A myriad of colors flickered within the crystal ball, and a phantom-like purple shadow slowly emerged above it.

As soon as the purple shadow appeared, a cheerful and frivolous voice immediately echoed from the crystal ball.

"Yo! Good morning, Lord Yorok! It's 10 PM Luna Island time, and it's been 2569 days, 12 hours, and 31 minutes since you last summoned Adast for divination. The last time you summoned me was when there was a change in the ruling family of the Northern Lowlands. Since then, you haven't called on Adast again. The days without your summons have been a lonely and tedious wait. Poor Adast could only pass the time by singing in the void. You might not believe it, but Adast seems to have a bit of talent for singing. During this period, Adast composed three songs and seven poems, and now I'll…"

"Shut up, Adast!"

The crystal ball fell silent instantly.

"Prepare for the highest level of star divination!"

Duke Yorok commanded coldly.

The crystal ball did not respond.

Duke Yorok frowned.

"Adast?"

The crystal ball flickered slightly, and the frivolous voice spoke again, tentatively.

"Lord Yorok, didn't you tell me to shut up?"

Duke Yorok: …

The veins on the back of his hand bulged as he clenched the crystal ball. He took several deep breaths, barely restraining himself from smashing the talkative crystal spirit. If the spirit of the sacred object wasn’t fixed from the moment of its creation, he would have long shattered this family heirloom and reforged it with a less talkative spirit.

"I just don’t want to hear your pointless babbling. Prepare the highest level of star divination and tell me if you can do it now."

He asked, holding on to the last bit of his patience.

Hearing Duke Yorok’s words, the crystal ball's voice quickly became cheerful again.

"Okay, Lord Yorok, it's wonderful to be at your service again! Tonight's constellations are clear, perfect for divination. Adast is always ready to serve you! But you don't look well. Are you unwell, or have you encountered some trouble? If you're unwell, Adast knows of an excellent calming herb on Luna Island that's very beneficial for blood descendants like you…"

"Shut up!"

Duke Yorok pressed down on the crystal ball, grinding his teeth, his aura nearly erupted.

The crystal ball went silent once more.

Duke Yorok took a deep breath, calming his aura, and said coldly.

"Just answer my question. If you say one more word of nonsense, I’ll throw you into the latrine of the beastmen!"

The crystal ball trembled slightly, seemingly shivering, and the frivolous voice now sounded much more subdued.

"Okay… okay, what would you like to divine?"

"I want to divine the success rate of the Returning Star Plan again."

After some thought, Duke Yorok said in a deep voice.

"The success rate of the Returning Star Plan? Lord Yorok, didn’t you already divine this 4021 days, 13 hours, and 45 minutes ago? And then again 2569 days, 12 hours, and 34 minutes ago…"

"If you’ve forgotten the previous results, Adast would be happy to recount the star signs. The results from 4021 days, 13 hours, and 45 minutes ago indicated that while there were risks, the plan would proceed smoothly if the correct path was chosen. The stars pointed to the Northern Crescent as the land of hope. As long as you gained the support of the Northern Crescent, the Returning Star Plan would be secure…"

"The results from 2569 days, 12 hours, and 34 minutes ago indicated that the Returning Star Plan was already on track. As long as it followed the predetermined star trajectory, there was almost no chance of failure. This divination was not disrupted by the Holy Court’s blessings, and Adast can ensure the accuracy of the results."

"Do you really want to perform a third divination? Adast believes that divining a certain outcome is pointless. Star divination, being the highest form of divination under the Gods, is highly reliable and accurate. Repeating the divination is just a waste of resources."

The phantom shadow on the crystal ball started babbling again, but this time, Duke Yorok didn’t show any impatience.

His expression was extremely serious, his eyes flickering with uncertainty.

Noticing Duke Yorok’s expression, the phantom shadow cautiously asked.

"Lord Yorok, has something happened?"

Duke Yorok glanced at the crystal ball and said in a deep voice.

"That’s why I’m summoning you for a third divination. A powerful unknown bloodborne appeared in the Northern Lowlands, disrupting our plans."

"An unknown powerful bloodborne? With all due respect, star divination is the highest form of divination under the Gods. Unless someone knows the results and alters the destined star path, no one can change it…"

The phantom shadow said.

However, as it spoke, it quickly noticed Duke Yorok’s growing impatience and hastily corrected itself.

"Of course, if Lord Yorok really wants to perform another divination, Adast is very willing to serve…"

"Then begin."

Duke Yorok rubbed his temples.

"Alright, please arrange the star sacrifices according to the ritual. Since this is the third divination for the same purpose, the sacrifices will be four times the initial amount."

Duke Yorok nodded. With a flash of light, he procured a Starfall Stone, a Tear of the Moon Goddess, Ritual Gold, Star Illusion Incense, and other rare magical materials.

Carefully, he arranged them around the crystal ball in a hexagram pattern and then began chanting an intonated incantation.

Specks of starlight blossomed on the crystal stand, a mystical star formation appearing under the crystal ball.

Duke Yorok exhaled slowly and commanded.

"Adast, begin."

"As you command."

The phantom shadow replied respectfully.

Then, a brilliant light shone from the crystal ball, the phantom shadow transforming into countless photons that flowed into it. Points of starlight continuously swirled within the crystal ball, casting a myriad of colors and projecting a magnificent and mysterious star river onto the meditation room’s dome.

Duke Yorok, solemn and focused, stared intently at the luminous crystal ball, his hands unconsciously clenching, clearly anxious.

After a long while, the radiant light gradually dimmed, and the splendid starry river on the dome swiftly contracted, returning to the crystal ball. After flickering for a moment, the phantom shadow reappeared above it.

"What are the results?"

Duke Yorok asked hastily.

"Strange! Very strange! The divination results have changed! And they've changed so drastically..."

The crystal ball flickered as the phantom shadow's astonished voice emerged.

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Duke Yorok's eyelid twitched, his heart skipping a beat.

"What exactly did you see?"

"Terrible, absolutely terrible! The starlight is dim, the main star is reversed, and even the secondary stars that should have returned to their orbits have changed paths... this almost signals the collapse of the Returning Star Plan!"

"Not only that, but the main star is dim and on the verge of disintegration. This means that not only is the Returning Star Plan in jeopardy, but the person executing the plan is also at great risk..."

The phantom shadow said solemnly.

Then, it couldn't help but ask.

"Lord Yorok, what have you done? Did something go wrong, angering the other bloodbornes or provoking a prince to act?"

"Forgive Adast for speaking plainly, but Adast hasn't seen such a dire divination result in over a thousand years. The last time was when one of your kin tried to divine his fate after accidentally sleeping in Lord Abaddon's coffin... and he was later turned into a specimen hanging in the castle by Lord Abaddon..."

"The current divination results are similar. Your Returning Star Plan is almost certain to fail, and not only that, but the future of the Nez clan is also obscured by dark clouds, making an already dangerous path even more perilous..."

"Lord Yorok, did you desecrate a God's statue or something? This isn’t just a powerful bloodborne interfering with the plan... Honestly, seeing these results makes Adast want to run away, but unfortunately, Adast has no legs..."

Duke Yorok: …

"It's really that serious?"

He widened his eyes, filled with disbelief.

"Adast, could you have made a mistake in your divination?"

"Lord Yorok, Adast also wishes this result were wrong, but as an elder of the Nez clan, you should know better than anyone whether a star divination result can be wrong..."

Duke Yorok fell silent.

"I want to divine the future situation and direction of the Northern Lowlands."

After some thought, Duke Yorok said.

"The future situation and direction of the Northern Lowlands? Lord Yorok, forgive Adast for speaking plainly, but if the Returning Star Plan fails, divining the Northern Lowlands will be meaningless. Adast can already tell you with the crystal ball that the Nez clan won't be successfully controlling it. Even so, do you still want to proceed?"

"Do as I say and prepare for the divination."

Duke Yorok said coldly.

The unexpected result of the first divination made him realize that divining the Northern Lowlands might also yield poor results. However, he needed more than just the outcome, he needed to understand what he was up against by divining the Northern Lowlands.

Although he couldn’t gauge the strength of the mysterious bloodborne expert, a follower of Mithra alone shouldn’t have the power to endanger the entire Nez clan. He needed more information through divination.

"Alright... please place the necessary star offerings according to the ritual."

Hearing Duke Yorok's command, the phantom shadow obediently responded.

Duke Yorok nodded, taking out various rare magical materials again, and reluctantly arranged them, chanting a rhythmic incantation.

Soon, a myriad of starlight descended once more, and the Star Crystal began its second divination.

Moments later, the starlight faded, and the phantom shadow flickered slightly.

The frivolous voice reappeared, but this time it sounded more puzzled.

"Strange... very strange... Adast's divination yielded no result..."

"No result?"

Duke Yorok’s gaze tightened.

He frowned.

"Are you sure? Did something go wrong?"

"Impossible! Adast, crafted by Lord Casey himself, is the finest divination object in Myria. No one is better at star divination than Adast! Adast is certain the divination was effective, but there was no result..."

"Strange... very strange indeed!"

The phantom shadow shook its head.

Hearing this, Duke Yorok’s expression changed subtly.

"The divination was effective? Are you certain it was effective?"

He asked.

"Absolutely, Adast is completely sure."

The phantom shadow confirmed.

Duke Yorok fell silent again, his expression shifting, eyes filled with suspicion.

An effective divination without a result could only mean one thing: the target of the divination was being concealed or protected, preventing any feedback.

However, preventing feedback from a divination is much more challenging than performing the divination itself, especially when the diviner is using a sacred object and is a Legendary.

While Duke Yorok wouldn't arrogantly claim his divination skills were the best in Myria, he was confident that few could obstruct him from using the Star Crystal.

Unless... a more powerful force had directly interfered!

Thinking of this, Duke Yorok's expression grew more and more uncertain.

Could it be that the gaze of Mithra, the God of Contracts, had truly fallen upon Castell?

Was it Mithra's power preventing his divination?

Was the mysterious bloodborne expert truly a follower of Mithra, and did the Holy Court intend to act against the Nez clan?

If this were the case, it would be troublesome. The Nez clan didn't have enough strength to contend with the Holy Court at the moment...

Information...

He needed more information!

The Gods had not walked the mortal realm for many years, and those who carried out their will were the Gods' agents.

If the Holy Court truly had plans for the Nez clan, he needed to quickly investigate the true identity and specific strength of that bloodborne expert!

"Lord Yorok, are you alright? You don't look well."

The phantom shadow cautiously asked.

Duke Yorok took a deep breath and asked.

"Adast, do you still have enough starlight stored to continue divination?"

"Of course, Lord Yorok, you haven’t used me for seven years. There’s enough starlight left for two more star divinations."

The phantom shadow replied.

Duke Yorok nodded, his eyes flickering slightly.

"In that case, perform one more divination for me."

"This time... I want to divine the identity of the powerful bloodborne expert I encountered today!"