At the very head of the bronze long table, Zhou Mingrui had already given his response.
Enveloped in the gray fog at this moment, his spine stiffened slightly, and his gaze locked tightly onto Lin Chuan, waiting for the other’s next sentence so he could judge from it whether this person was an enemy or a friend, where he came from, what his purpose was, and how much he knew.
After Zhou Mingrui’s words “You’ve arrived” fell, the curve of Lin Chuan’s mouth deepened slightly.
He didn’t answer immediately, instead shifting his gaze away from Zhou Mingrui and sweeping it across Audrey and Alger once more.
This time, he looked more carefully, like an elder sizing up a junior they were meeting for the first time, carrying just the right amount of curiosity and friendliness without being overly offensive.
Then he spoke, his tone a bit lighter than before, even carrying a hint of an elusive smile:
“Mm, I’m here.”
“However…
actually, I shouldn’t have come.” He added another sentence, but this one was spoken in Chinese.
Having said that, Lin Chuan didn’t look at Zhou Mingrui’s expression, which was most likely completely messed up, but this wasn’t because he wasn’t curious about Little Zhou’s expression, but rather because he couldn’t see it.
Through the gray fog, no expression could be made out at all; only a silhouette could be seen.
“Tsk.”
He felt a secret regret in his heart; clearly, they were all roommates hanging cured meat on Sefirah Castle, so why was there still the saying of first-come, first-served?
Zhou Mingrui was the first to establish a connection with Sefirah Castle.
If Lin Chuan didn’t want to be kicked out by the reactive Sefirah Castle, he could only stay here in the state of an “ordinary person”.
Under such circumstances, if he couldn’t figure it out, he could just curse the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings in his heart; anyway, everything was the fault of the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings.
Of course, whether he was an “ordinary person” or a “person who reaches the heavens under universal illumination,” that was up to the benevolent to see benevolence and the wise to see wisdom.
Translated into human words: “You guess?”
Lin Chuan tilted his head slightly toward Audrey, thought for a moment, and greeted her politely in Loen:
“The two of you must be the newly arrived friends?
Meeting by chance is a blessing, is there anything you need my help with?”
The moment Zhou Mingrui heard that sentence in Chinese, his train of thought completely snapped.
“However…
actually, I shouldn’t have come.”
He could speak Chinese.
Zhou Mingrui’s mind felt like a pot of boiling water had exploded, with countless thoughts rushing upward vying with each other:
Was he a transmigrator?
Did he also transmigrate because of the luck-enhancement ritual?
When did he come?
How long had he stayed in this world?
What did his sentence just now mean?
Was “shouldn’t have come” literal, or was he matching lines?
Also, he couldn’t possibly actually know me, right?
Was that sentence “long time no see” spoken to me?
Then how did he recognize me?
Who could it be?
People who knew me…
Wait, transmigration?
Lin Chuan?!
No no no, calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down——
“Newly arrived friends?
Help?” Filled with vigilance mingled with excitement, Alger felt his heart pounding wildly.
He realized that everything he encountered today might be the greatest danger…
or opportunity in his life.
“Still, I cannot act rashly.” Alger forcefully suppressed his emotions.
He had heard that completely unfamiliar language Lin Chuan spoke after “Mm, I’m here.”
Having joined the Church of Storms and drifted on the sea for many years, he considered himself to have an understanding of the world’s major languages: Loen, Feysac, Intis, Lenburg, and even some scattered indigenous dialects on the sea.
But of that string of syllables in Lin Chuan’s mouth, Alger hadn’t heard a single word.
Long-standing experience told him that in front of things he didn’t understand, he should always try to maintain caution.
Of course, the most important thing was…
there was still another person being questioned.
Audrey pressed her lips together slightly.
She had also heard Lin Chuan’s unknown language, but she wasn’t overly curious; or rather, something even more crucial was occupying her mind.
She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Alger opposite her.
That person remained silent, eyes lowered, his line of sight falling upon the bronze tabletop, as if he were wholeheartedly studying the patterns on the table.
He was hesitating.
Audrey read this gentleman’s caution; he was waiting for someone else to speak first.
Seeing that neither of them spoke, Lin Chuan wasn’t anxious either.
He just smiled, without withdrawing his gaze, quietly watching this scene on the long table.
At the same time, he guessed whether the Fool was keeping silent all this time and acting aloof because he had something on his mind.
He had originally thought Audrey would immediately re-ask the question about “how to become a Beyonder.” It seemed that because she had already asked Zhou Mingrui earlier, she was worried that asking again would seem presumptuous?
How interesting.
Thus, Lin Chuan tapped his fingers against the edge of the long table, attracting the attention of the three:
“It seems both of you are very cautious, which is very good.
On this path, caution is a very good virtue; it often allows people to live a little longer.”
He paused, his gaze landing gently on Audrey: “Just now I heard someone ask ‘how can one become a Beyonder,’ was that you who asked, right?”
Audrey was slightly stunned, then nodded, a trace of joy and tension from being noticed flashing through her emerald eyes: “Y-Yes, My Lord.
I have always yearned for the mystical world…”
Simultaneously, Alger slightly adjusted his sitting posture, placing himself in a stance where he could clearly hear the conversation without appearing overly attentive.
Zhou Mingrui was the same; he tried his utmost to suppress his surging emotions, attentively waiting for Lin Chuan’s continuation, while also controlling his body movements to maintain a casual and calm posture.
Lin Chuan nodded lightly, not directly answering Audrey’s question, but instead turning his head sideways and slightly lifting his chin toward Zhou Mingrui’s direction, his tone carrying a natural casualness as if sharing common sense:
“As for this question…
actually, the answer is very simple.
If you want to become a Beyonder, there is the most orthodox, most complete, and also most convenient path—one could say it’s quite perfect.”
Having finished, he timely reined in his words, assuming an attitude of “I’m waiting for someone to press for details” with zestful interest.
Upon hearing Lin Chuan say “the method is very simple,” Audrey’s body unconsciously leaned forward slightly, her hands crossed and placed on her knees, her fingertips turning white from exerting force.
But she quickly realized her lack of composure and quietly reined in a bit of her strength.
She quickly glanced around the circle, confirming that no one noticed her little action, before raising her eyes to look at Lin Chuan, pursuing the question sincerely and directly:
“Then…
may I ask what method that is?”
Lin Chuan finally waited for this follow-up question.
The corners of his mouth hooked up slightly, carrying a composure that could be called mischievous, as he slowly answered:
“It’s very simple.
Find the Blasphemy Slate, then take a look at the contents on it, pick the Pathway you like the most from them, and you can very easily become a Beyonder.”
Having said that, he gently leaned back against the back of his chair, that pleasant emotion of “Wasn’t I right” being exceptionally palpable even though his expression couldn’t be clearly seen.