When the plot-skips players into the game world

Aiwass being attacked by an assassin on the street quickly spread around.

After all, there were too many witnesses to the event, and Aiwass transformed into the form of a Sin Beast right on the street. This was something that couldn't be hidden...

By the time Aiwass arrived at Cain Lucia's temporary residence, "No. 33 Cat Claw Street," Cain already knew about it.

"Your intelligence... is quite timely?"

Aiwass found this rather remarkable.

This blood Celestial Marshal human form, equivalent to being "reborn" by the Fog Sky Department... theoretically, should have no connections among the Iris Flower. After all, even Lucia, who constitutes the other half of her personality, is merely a "kidnapped Sacred Body."

"—Because of me."

A low and magnetic male voice slowly came from the guest room: "I am protecting her... and also helping her look into some information."

"Is it you?"

Aiwass was somewhat surprised.

That was someone Aiwass was quite familiar with but could not have guessed would appear here.

A man as gaunt as decayed wood, hunched over. Even without standing straight, he was about two meters tall, clearly having some elf blood.

However, his ears were not sharp. His long, black hair, covering half his back like damp seaweed, turned into strands of curls.

—It was Ye Zhi of the Golden Dawn.

"Long time no see, Mr. Ye Zhi."

Aiwass greeted him.

"Long time no see, Aiwass."

Ye Zhi's poet-like slow and deep voice came as he walked from the room silently.

Aiwass still remembered... the first time he engaged with Ye Zhi was when he initially went to Eagle Cape Village.

To be more precise, Aiwass had encountered Ye Zhi, then under the alias "Dark Cloud," during the initial ascension ceremony of Transcendence.

One could say Ye Zhi was among the few who witnessed Aiwass elevating from the First Power Level to the Fifth Power Level in just half a year, comparable perhaps only to Isabel and Sherlock and a few others.

Yet...

Aiwass couldn't help but scrutinize Ye Zhi.

His pupils had changed from wolf-like brown to a sort of grey-white. It was a peculiar eye color that gave the impression of a "blind person"—not purely grey pupils, but rather as if covered by a thin veil of mist before them.

Meanwhile, Ye Zhi's presence had also become rather faint. It wasn't like the Stealth and Disappearance of the Path of Adaptation but closer to a sense of having "no outline." The "gaps" between his body and the surrounding environment were almost nonexistent, to the extent that part of his colors seemed to have blended into the environment.

Like a drop of ink dissolving in water, watching it gradually spread. Its edges blended with the water, making it unclear where exactly it started turning colorless.

"...The power of the Fog Sky Department?"

Aiwass keenly captured the essence of this power.

When the Fog Sky Department had just ascended, she determined her occupation. This is a "career system" created by the Great Sage and the Hourglass, where each Celestial Marshal could pledge a portion of their power to the Hourglass, exchanging for some power extended into the Material Realm by the career system devised by the Great Sage.

This wasn't mandatory. But it had certain benefits for both the Celestial Marshal and the Pillar God.

Like the "faith" concept in other worldviews... Though the gods of this world don't need the Power of Faith, the evolution and iteration of Paths and their elaboration on the Power of the Source River are closely connected. They need to "prove their Dao" by completing various rituals and gaining achievements in the Material Realm to demonstrate their Path's correctness, thus acquiring more power from the Source River, providing the chance to challenge the Pillar God.

And when someone is willing to take up their occupation, it means their Path is acknowledged by more people—in this specific Path, the Path Walkers chose a direction more inclined towards them rather than other Celestial Marshals or Pillar Gods.

Like an "intra-party election," transferring to this career is the same as casting a sacred vote for the career holder.

This is why one must first acquire corresponding Extraordinary Skill and mysterious knowledge to obtain the respective career.

It might sound a bit like reversing cause and effect... But if one views the power of this career as a "small gift received after voting," it becomes easier to understand. Studying the mysterious knowledge advocated and recommended by Celestial Marshals and Pillar Gods is tantamount to announcing one's "agreement with this Path." This is also why there are only "five" mysterious knowledge items that can enhance the Path Level—it's the number of Balance.

The top five mastered skills in this Path represent a "research direction" more inclined within it. Through these research directions, one can summarize the Path Walker's proximity to the representative in the Dream Realm to receive "gratitude gifts" stored at the Hourglass and sent to each person through the grand ritual of a "career."

Of course, there are also characters like the Butterfly Celestial Marshal and the Banquet Celestial, who don't care about the feedback of Path Power, providing no gifts, caring little whether people choose to vote; and the Fallen Celestial Marshal, like a "lending a high-interest loan by receiving my gift," requiring eventual repayment with interest—Fallen Celestial Marshal clearly doesn't like taking losses, which is why Demon Scholar needs to ascend to "Demon Incarnation."

Once becoming a Demon Incarnation, it's equivalent to becoming the property of the Fallen Celestial Marshal. The meat ends up back in the pot.

The "Blood Lord" set by the Blood Celestial Marshal is likewise—their "golden finger" specifically prepared for their offspring, necessitating "Blood Qi" resources apparent only Sons of the Moon can maneuver through. He even completely blocked the Sons of the Moon's possibilities to hold most other careers.

Except for careers directly related to the Eternal Self, such as the Moonlight Scholar, allowed because Cain respected the Eternal Self too much... all others were banned.

Thus, according to the original concept of the Blood Celestial Marshal, every Son of the Moon should have chosen this career.

—Unexpectedly, few Sons of the Moon opted to become a Blood Lord, preferring to leave the career slot vacant.

This doesn't have any special reason, other than the fact they themselves are already strong enough and have enough power. Amongst these Transcendents fully drowned in the Path of Love, few are diligent... They simply don't want to start leveling up anew, involved in the troublesome and dangerous ascension rituals.

After all, even without a career, they can exhibit power equivalent to a Phantom Demon. Moreover, should they perish during the ascension ritual, even if a Son of the Moon does not die, it would be quite unpleasant. What matters most is they have the protection from their kin and the power of high society, making them not lacking in self-defense capabilities.

But the Fog Sky Department is different.

Though she has the Fog Demon, a unique race similar to the Sons of the Moon as an anchor for the Heavenly Department Authority... the racial identity of the Fog Demon is likely recognized as a "special kind of Son of the Moon," practically unrelated to her.

The Banquet Celestial not only has the followership of the Dragon race but his banquet spirit of "life is short, so savor life now," "all guests are welcome," "delicacies are a creation balancing love and beast," has innumerable adherents in the Material Realm.

Though the Butterfly Celestial Marshal lacks a race or easily identifiable ideologies, he completely disregards whether he can ascend to become a Pillar God, not bothered whether there are kindred spirits in the Material Realm—just drifting along, weak as his power might be, so what? Could someone expel him?

Who could expel me?

—Who dares expel me?!