From Secret Clan to the Divine Dynasty

"Catch them."

Following the command of the priest, numerous figures in black robes surged forward in the underground space.

But to their shock, they discovered faint spots of light appeared on Karno's body, thin threads that looked like ribbons, twinkling with a white light that was not dazzling yet very clear.

Then, those pale threads of light instantly flew in all directions, tightly binding many of the figures in black robes.

"Is that man an Extraordinary Exponent?"

The figures in black robes were horrified as they tried to tear off, to cut the threads on their bodies, only to realize they couldn't even touch them, as if they were on a completely different layer.

"What's going on?"

"What are these things?"

The Priest of the Stars Embrace Order, who moved faster and was not entangled by the pale threads, decisively ordered, shouting loudly to the people around, "Kill him!"

Karno calmly spoke, "I advise you not to do that, for fate can have great ups and downs."

However, the figures in black robes completely ignored his advice.

What followed was a flurry of attacks, some driven by extraordinary power, and still others produced revolvers and hand crossbows, intending to kill Karno outright without any hesitation.

Yet, in the next moment, something astonishing happened.

Instantly, several mysterious figures in black robes screamed in agony, dying on the spot, while Karno, who was bombarded with numerous attacks, emerged completely unharmed, standing serenely in place.

The black-robed priest murmured in astonishment, "How can this be possible?"

"What happened?"

Ebner was stunned, similarly staring at Karno, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.

He wasn't particularly surprised by the revelation of Karno being an Extraordinary Exponent, yet that miraculous display shook Ebner to his core.

Karno remained silent, for what he had just used were two of the three extraordinary powers of the "Unpredictable Sorcerer."

They were the "Weaving of Destiny" and the "Lock of Destiny."

The ability of "Weaving of Destiny" allowed him to link his own "fate" with that of the black-robed figures', causing them to suffer the same harm as himself within a minute.

And "Lock of Destiny" momentarily froze Karno's "body" at that previous point in time, so he would immediately revert to his original state after taking any damage.

Even though the "Weaving of Destiny" and "Lock of Destiny" consumed a significant amount of spiritual power, when used correctly, they could have very powerful effects.

The powers of the "Unpredictable Sorcerer" were formidable and unforeseen, consuming a lot of spiritual power, too. Had it not been for the "Path of Revelation" nearly maximising his spiritual power limit, Karno might have been completely drained.

Even so, Karno now had less than half his spiritual power remaining.

"Who exactly are you?"

The priest of the Stars Embrace Order asked angrily, but Karno simply smiled and extended his hand, casting the spell "Sword of Thunder," which he had drawn through the Power of Consecution of the "Proficient One."

Electricity crackled from his palm, and with a thunderous blast, he swept across the room in an instant—everyone but the swift mysterious priest perished under the flickering thunder.

"..."

The black-robed priest quickly turned around and attempted to escape through another cave leading from the underground space without uttering a word.

He hoped to escape successfully, but was suddenly shocked to find another Karno standing there, immobilizing him with surprise.

"What's going on?"

"Could all this be an illusion?"

The silver-haired Karno stood guard there, while the Karno from behind had already caught up, calmly using a weaker version of the Sword of Thunder to knock out the priest, opting not to kill him directly.

Because Karno still needed to interrogate this black-robed priest about many things regarding the Stars Embrace Order, so he couldn't kill him outright.

The final extraordinary power brought by the "Unpredictable Sorcerer" was the "Illusory Mirror Image," which allowed him to create a special mirror image that could simulate any person or object.

This special mirror image didn't possess a real entity, but it could speak, and what's more, it could be precisely maneuvered by Karno from kilometers away.

It was somewhat similar to the extraordinary power "Body Double" of the "Mysterious Scholar," but not quite the same.

After dealing with all the people of the Stars Embrace Order, Karno calmly approached Ebner.

At this moment, Ebner couldn't stop the cold sweat from flowing, his whole body trembling uncontrollably as he stared at Karno, his palms continuously sweating.

After pondering for a long time, he still lacked the courage to attack, yet he didn't want to beg for mercy either. His only option was to glare and ask:

"Who exactly are you?"

Karno smiled slightly, calmly extending his hand to pat Ebner's shoulder.

"I just wanted to make an attempt, Ebner. You have always been kind to others, never committing any misdeeds or acts of evil, but now you've suddenly awakened to 'evil,' desiring to kill a fellow traveler to save your village... All this has turned you from a good person in people's eyes into a villain, all because of your choices."

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"Such is the unpredictability of destiny, isn't it? You originally wanted to become the hero who saved your village, and thought the church could save you, but in the end, you were forced to become a sacrifice for a heretical cult."

As Ebner listened, his heart became inexplicably tangled; he took a deep breath, feeling that the man before him had a profound and inscrutable aura, as if all his secrets had been laid bare.

"What exactly do you want to do? I don't understand."

Karno continued calmly.

"I just want you to know what truly defines you, and what choices you will make at a critical moment. I will save your village, and you will face many more choices. I will observe them all."

Ebner's eyes widened, completely unsure of what to do.

It seemed that everything happening was but an experiment in the eyes of that man.

What benefit did he see in observing these events?

What exactly did he want to do?

——

The sky over Nasir City was clear and bright, the azure dome above unmarred by a single cloud, the gentle sunlight shining over the entire city.

The distant horizon was sharply visible, and everything was filled with life and vigor, a gentle breeze bringing fresh air and a faint scent of the sea.

The people living in this city always felt peaceful and comfortable.

The citizens of Nasir took great pride in being residents of this city.

In the city's new "6th City District Flourishing Blooms," many new and magnificent buildings had already been erected.

Two majestic stone columns, inlaid with the names of many who had sacrificed for Nasir City and the name of this university, proudly proclaimed the institution's presence.

In front of the gates stood a statue representing knowledge and wisdom, of a legendary polymath from the Lorne Empire, who was considered one of the founders of science and later canonized as a saint by the Reforging Church.

On either side of the entrance, lush trees and flowers were planted, offering a refreshing atmosphere.

Stepping through the gates, one would see a broad shaded avenue and cobblestone paths, flanked by rows of uniform, ancient trees.

After years of preparation, the higher education institution of Nasir City was finally fully established.

Its name, of course, was given by Byrne.

"Morning Light."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Morning Light University did not only consist of many dormitories; it also featured a museum, a botanical garden, a theater, a theological seminary, churches for the various True Gods Churches, a music academy, a science academy, and seven other faculties, five bookstores, as well as a large library.

The various buildings on campus represented heritage and the future, filled with knowledge and dreams, opening new doors for everyone who stepped onto its grounds.

Truth be told, Byrne wanted to make Morning Light University even larger, but alas, even with the astonishing financial resources of the Fischer family and the backing of the Dawn Church, maintaining and constructing a more extensive higher education institution was not feasible.

Morning Light University was open to the entire Cyart for enrollment, currently confirming two enrollment models: one was for the members of high society who could afford the high tuition fees, who could secure places through donations; and the other was through an examination process, where commoners achieving excellent results could also gain entry.

At present, Morning Light University had already recruited well over a hundred professors from throughout the nation, mostly scholars recruited through various connections Byrne had activated, even enlisting the help of the Tempest Church and the Romann family, each of whom was genuinely talented and had been personally tested by Byrne.

In fact, if it weren't for the benefit it provided to Byrne in mastering the Power of Consecution of the 4th Rank, the entire Fischer family would not agree to spend such a fortune to build a higher education institution that burned money every day.

Byrne, now over sixty, stood at the entrance, staring at the culmination of his life's wishes, suddenly feeling a sense of carefree completion deep in his heart.

"The power of the 4th Rank, I have completely mastered it…" he took a deep breath and murmured:

"What I need to do next is to complete the ascension ceremony."

"Great Lord of the Lost, please bless my ascension to the next rank, I still want to continue watching over them."