Sorcerer’s Handbook

The notorious trio followed the red-robed priest deeper into the palace. As they passed through a crossroad, Igor suddenly turned to look at a worn-out badge on the wall that was almost rubbed down to a cutting board. Ashe glanced at it and instantly understood what Igor meant.

Though the words on the badge were nearly invisible, and Ashe couldn’t recognize the first two words-likely the local dialect of Senlo-the last three were in the universally known true language of spirits, faintly discernible: “Game Room.”

Unless the Tribulation Fire Temple is a gambling sect, there’s no reason for a game room inside the palace. Furthermore, Ashe had noticed many issues since their bath time-the bathhouse was undoubtedly luxurious, with the Blade Fish Dragon’s inlets and the spirit-filled Miracle Wonderland murals fitting the sect’s style perfectly.

However, the towels provided by the temple were ordinary cotton cloths. Forget about a Gospel; these towels wouldn’t even be fit for feet at the Shattered Lake Prison, let alone for more intimate use. Similarly, the change of clothes provided by the temple was also very plain. Initially, Ashe thought that the red-robed priest’s rudimentary attire demonstrated the Tribulation Fire spirit of endurance, but it now seemed their light industry was lacking.

Luckily, Igor had clothes in his Spatial Card. Although they were all his, the three of them were similar in size, so they could make do.

Besides, there were many other oddities, such as the broken ceilings, walls, and floors filled with greyish-white mudstone. Though it didn’t affect usability, it was far from aesthetic. They weren’t devoid of Earth sorcerers, but sorcerers could only make such repairs. Either Earth sorcerers were in short supply here, hence the shoddy work-which is implausible, as surely important locations within the sect wouldn’t skimp on sorcerer labor-or they lacked the formula for the bricks and mortar used here and were doing their best.

The aesthetically pleasing and high-end brick and mortar formulas are a unique societal legacy. After all, these aren’t even considered miracles and are merely luxury items under the notion of ‘can’t we live just fine without them?’ Thus, if Earth sorcerers aren’t trained, they can indeed only produce the most basic and practical grey mud.

This isn’t a temple built by the Tribulation Fire Temple; it’s a conquered prize, and there’s a significant gap between their technical skills and those of the original builders.

However, when the red-robed priest opened the innermost room and motioned for everyone to remove their shoes, put on robes, and enter, Ashe and the others immediately realized the original purpose of this ‘palace’ as they were hit by a wave of scorching hot air.

Hot steam that felt like it would scald their throats filled the entire hall. They walked on dry wooden floorboards that crisscrossed beneath their feet. In the warm orange lighting, they saw a square platform made of wooden boards at the center of the hall, with an elliptical volcanic stone atop it. A white tiger, seemingly made of white jade flames, lay atop the volcanic stone. The indistinct flames didn’t reveal its gender, but the five tails behind it, resembling virtual wings, identified it unmistakably.

The Five-tailed Flaming White Tiger!

Ashe and Igor were choked by the hot steam, their scalps tingling. They could immediately discern the room’s primary function-a steam room in a grand bathhouse!

No wonder there was a game room along the way!

No wonder when Ashe mentioned wanting a bath, the temple promptly arranged for a magnificent bathhouse nearby!

This place was actually a spa center!

As for why the spa center was decorated in such opulent, golden, and luxurious style-it’s understandable. When people are relaxing, they either seek dim and quiet surroundings or bright and noisy ones, or a mix of both. The relaxation area would be quiet, the entertainment area bustling… Using the decor style to help guests get into the right mood makes perfect sense.

But why would a deity’s sect use a spa center as their temple base?

And why would a deity use a steam room’s platform as their divine throne?

Ashe and the others had already realized that Senlo, this Kingdom that needed to summon the First Gospel for salvation, would likely surprise them in many unexpected ways.

Despite the penetrating hot steam, the red-robed priests, clad in their heavy robes, could still speak normally. They bowed respectfully with their hands clasped before the Flaming White Tiger: “We kindle the Inferno of Tribulations with fervent chants, gifting the sun the radiance of wisdom, never to be extinguished; we merge with the blazing red of the Inferno of Tribulations, returning the soul’s confusion to the earth, never to be shaken again. We will reunite in the ashes, but ultimately reignite in the darkness.”

“Homage to the Ten Thousand Tribulation Fire Demi-God.”

“Homage to the Ten Thousand Tribulation Fire Demi-God,” Ashe and his companions sincerely paid their respects.

On their way here, the red-robed priest had already used the simplest language to explain what the Divine Spirit Demi-God meant-it’s a second fate for sorcerers after death.

Yes, aside from falling into hell and merging with the Virtual Realm, sorcerers in the Land of Senlo have a second fate after death: transforming into a Divine Spirit Demi-God, becoming a false deity infinitely close to the power level of a Five Wings deity.

Compared to true deities, false deities cannot maintain a human form and often appear as beasts. Their power is also much weaker; not only can they self-destruct, but they can even be slain by sorcerers. However, Ashe wasn’t sure if true deities could be destroyed by sorcerers either.

Sorcerers are intelligent people who seek truth and discard falsities. Naturally, they wouldn’t call these false deities by the term “deities,” but calling them false deities directly also seemed disrespectful. So, they fabricated a term “Demi-God,” meaning an entity that wields powerful laws.

However, there’s a point where deities and Demi-Gods are alike: they are both spirit entities without self-awareness, driven purely by an instinct to expand. The spiderweb of Omniscient Heaven merely assists; it’s the inherent expansionary nature of the Gospel deity that spreads the Gospel system to every corner of the Kingdom.

The same goes for Demi-Gods, whose instinct is the ideal that the sorcerer held in life. In other words, only Saints with incredibly steadfast beliefs and ideals can potentially become Demi-Gods after death!

Thus, the Flaming White Tiger lying in this steam room is a previous sorcerer from the Tribulation Fire Temple. Even in death, their ideals and faith remained unbroken, transforming them into a Demi-God that continues to safeguard the Tribulation Fire Temple!

Sorcerer Saints, capable of conquering death with their ideals, earn the admiration of Ashe and his companions, regardless of their stance. Every sorcerer knows they stand on the shoulders of those who came before, drawing knowledge from countless past sorcerer projections to achieve their current success. They are grateful to any sorcerer who diligently sought knowledge, just as future generations will similarly appreciate them.

“The Tribulation Fire Temple originated from the greatest Fire Cat Divine Era. Every Demi-God’s ambition is to restore the Fire Cat Divine Era’s glory, to harness the sun’s fruits, and to wield the power of the Virtual Realm,” the red-robed priest declared with utmost confidence. “The Tribulation Fire Chapel will ultimately transcend the calamity of ignorance, ignite the flame of knowledge, and reclaim the light of Senlo.”

“Fire Cat Divine Era?” Harvey surprisingly managed to speak normally, seemingly unaffected by the scorching steam.

The red-robed priest looked wistfully. “It was the greatest era of the gods. The Knowing Guard Fire Demi-God and other True Goodness Demi-Gods purified the land and governed Senlo, while all beings strove to fulfill the mission of the Knowing Guard Fire Demi-God-to enable ordinary people to use the power of spirits. Because the Knowing Guard Fire Demi-God appeared as a fire cat, the era was also known as the Fire Cat Divine Era.”

Enable ordinary people to use the power of spirits!?

Igor, despite his discomfort, hurriedly asked, “Did they succeed?”

“Of course. When even newborn babies could be graced by spirits, the Knowing Guard Fire Demi-God successfully transformed and, together with countless followers, ascended to the divine realm. Besides the Knowing Guard Fire Demi-God, there were also the Circle Cicada Demi-God, who craved immortality, and the Chasing Light Demi-God, who sought to conquer death and resurrect the dead. These three Demi-Gods accomplished their missions one by one, ascending along with their followers and leaving countless valuable legacies to Senlo.”

“That was a magnificent era,” the red-robed priest’s voice was filled with a quiet reverence that the hottest steam couldn’t quench. “But that was a millennium ago.”

Ashe and his companions exchanged glances, gaining more intelligence but also generating new doubts.

Assuming the red-robed priest wasn’t exaggerating, Senlo indeed once experienced a golden era, with a level of technology far surpassing even the Gospel-ordinary people could only indirectly benefit from spirits in the Gospel system. Moreover, they managed to tackle “immortality” and “resurrection”-two epic-level challenges. Even if the conditions were incredibly taxing, the Gospel couldn’t achieve either, and the two great Saint clans of the Blood Moon only managed to achieve longevity, which is far from true immortality.

However, now the Land of Senlo is ravaged by the Four Pillars Cult… It’s as tragic as a pure, adorable maiden falling from grace due to misfortune.

But how did the followers and Demi-Gods ascend, and why did the Fire Cat Divine Era come to an end? Since Demi-Gods are a second death outcome for sorcerers, why were there only three Demi-Gods during the Fire Cat Divine Era?

Clearly, this wasn’t the time for a deep discussion. The red-robed priest looked at the Flaming White Tiger and said, “The Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God is the strongest Demi-God of our Tribulation Fire Temple. If you can fully unleash the power of the First Gospel, the Four Pillars Cult would be nothing.”

“The strongest?” Igor keenly picked up on the key point, coughing slightly. “Does your temple have other Demi-Gods?”

“Our Tribulation Fire Temple is one of the largest sects in Senlo, with five major temples and five Demi-Gods: the Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God, Killing Tribulation Fire Demi-God, Past Tribulation Fire Demi-God, Dust Tribulation Fire Demi-God, and Dark Tribulation Fire Demi-God,” the red-robed priest declared with pride. “We are but one step away from the divine throne of Senlo.”

“But you’re currently being attacked by the Four Pillars Cult,” Igor pointed out bluntly. “Have the other temples been destroyed?”

“Yes,” the priest almost spat the words out through gritted teeth. “There was a traitor among us in the other temples. She defected to the Four Pillars Cult with her Demi-God, becoming one of their formidable warriors. She’s likely the one leading their attack!”

“Defected with a Demi-God?” Igor was taken aback. “Aren’t the Demi-Gods part of your temple?”

“They belong to the temple. Normally, even if someone could harness a Demi-God’s power, they couldn’t sway its will. But that traitor was the finest Tribulation Fire Seed in recent years and gained the complete approval of her Demi-God, allowing it to reside within her!” The red-robed priest’s voice trembled. “Not only that, but she reportedly used schemes from the Four Pillars Cult to invade other temples and seize their Tribulation Fire Demi-Gods!”

Ashe blinked, feeling the plot seemed strangely familiar.

“Wait,” Harvey interjected, “so this traitor now controls the power of four Demi-Gods?”

“Don’t worry,” the red-robed priest said confidently. “Even if she’s managed to deceive the Demi-Gods, no one can wield more than one Demi-God’s power at once, even if she has all four. She can’t carry the might of the Four Pillars.”

“But she can at least use the power of one Demi-God…”

“No matter. The Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God is the oldest and most powerful fire Demi-God, its strength far surpasses the others!” The red-robed priest was extremely confident. “This is precisely why the Four Pillars Cult attacked here last-they fear the divine might of the Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God!”

“Moreover, even the traitor can’t fully unleash the Demi-God’s power. Ordinary seeds can only tap into 30% of its strength; she might manage 50% at best!”

“No one in the Land of Senlo has ever perfectly hosted a deity. First Gospel, you are invincible!”

Igor asked, “Since it’s a near-divine Demi-God, can ordinary sorcerers wield its power?”

“No, the Divine Hosting Ritual consumes the Demi-God’s essence and isn’t dependent on the sorcerer’s strength. Hence, the more the Demi-God is used, the weaker it becomes until it eventually vanishes. Many sects have perished for this reason,” explained the red-robed priest. “But the Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God is at its peak right now. First Gospel, you can use it freely. Burning the Four Pillars Cult to ashes won’t be a problem!”

That left them with no room to refuse.

Perhaps it was too hot; Ashe and the others felt drenched in sweat. They looked at the searing Flaming White Tiger, feeling a shiver down their spines.

“How do we perform the Divine Hosting Ritual?” Harvey suddenly asked. When the red-robed priest looked over, he continued, “Can we also try hosting a deity?”

The red-robed priest hesitated but, noticing that Ashe remained silent, said, “No problem. The Divine Hosting Ritual is simple. As long as you can touch the Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God, it counts as successful.”

Harvey glanced at the others, then resolutely walked towards the Flaming White Tiger. After taking two or three steps, he felt as if he were being roasted alive, with steam escaping from every pore. Another red-robed priest immediately embraced him and carried him out.

With a splash outside, Harvey let out a blood-curdling scream. However, Ashe and Igor showed no reaction-before entering this room, they had passed by an ice water pool, and Harvey now resembled someone who had been engulfed in steam. The scream didn’t come from pain but from the contrasting sensations of extreme heat and cold.

“His mindset is too different from that of the Inferno of Tribulations Demi-God,” the red-robed priest said calmly. “Even our Tribulation Fire disciples must constantly observe prohibitions in their daily lives, follow the doctrines, and avoid igniting the scorching tribulation fire within. They also have to enter the Silent Spiral to become a seed to get close to the Demi-God and pray for the Divine Hosting Ritual. Ordinary people, unless their mindset completely aligns with the Demi-God’s, can’t even touch it.”

Aligned mindset?

Ashe had a thought. He signaled the Con Artist not to hypnotize him and then confidently walked towards the Flaming White Tiger.

Igor watched as Ashe easily passed the spot where Harvey had been scalded into unconsciousness, holding his breath in tension-both Harvey and he could afford to fail, but Ashe could not. If Ashe failed, it would expose that he wasn’t the First Gospel. Or even if he truly was the First Gospel, it wouldn’t matter. What the Tribulation Fire Temple needed was not the First Gospel, but a savior capable of completing the Divine Hosting Ritual!

Yet the Divine Hosting Ritual required an aligned mindset. How could any of them share the same beliefs as a devout Saint? They didn’t even know what the Flaming White Tiger’s faith was!

Unless they had a universal plug, who could host a deity?

The red-robed priests were also extremely tense, breathing heavily in the scorching steam as if their respiratory tracts were made of steel pipes.

Under everyone’s gaze, Ashe stepped past Harvey’s scalding line, and then-

Nothing happened.

Step by step, as if effortlessly, he walked up to the Flaming White Tiger, reached out, and touched the white flames on the head of this fiery big cat.

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