Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 831: After the modification: Ritual Site at the Summit of the Mountains

Chapter 831: After the modification -831 Ritual Site at the Summit of the Mountains

In the end, Shard still accepted the [Desecration Cross], though he felt that Miss Swift had been looking at him with strange eyes since lunch.

After lunch, Shard left the auction house and took a carriage alone to the House of the Blind on Ruff Lane. Even though the weather was turning colder recently, Sister Delphine was still dressed in her dark gray, silk nun’s robe as usual.

According to the agreement made last Wednesday, today Sister Delphine would take Shard to the headquarters of the [Spiritual Practice Order] and inform him about more information regarding the Order and the Primal Fire.

After confirming that Shard had a free afternoon, the two got on a carriage at the back door of the House of the Blind and then drove out of the city.

Even Granny Cassandra wasn’t particularly clear about the location of the Order’s base, only knowing it was somewhere in the old city area to the mountainous region south of Midshire Fort. Eventually, Sister Delphine led Shard to the Serpent Heart Hospital at the foot of Sicarl Mountain.

The “Serpent Heart Hospital” was an ancient chain hospital from the Old Continent era, renowned among commoners, especially for pediatrics and gynecology. It was even featured in the Roder Card as [Charity Institution·Serpent Heart Hospital] because of its semi-charitable profit model. Currently, this Roder Card is in the hands of the owner of [Sin Mansion].

Every Circle Sorcerer Organization has its own profit methods; even transcendents cannot create gold pounds out of thin air. The [Spiritual Practice Order] relies on running similar hospitals and collaborating with universities to generate revenue and receive policy grants.

Though it may not seem as profitable as running auction houses, it is more than enough to support an order of Circle Sorcerers primarily engaged in ascetic practices.

The Serpent Heart Hospital in Midshire Fort is located on the edge of the slum in the old city area to the south. The three-story building occupies most of the street. The building itself, like the gradually decaying old city district, retains some traces of its past glory but appears unremarkable compared to other buildings in Milestone.

Although it covers a large area, the hospital lacks significant recognition due to its location in the old city and its focus on a few types of illnesses. Shard hadn’t even known about this hospital in Midshire Fort before.

“Sister, if your base is here, how could Granny Cassandra not know?”

Shard asked curiously as he stepped down from the carriage with an umbrella. The old city looked even more dilapidated in the rain, like a dirty painting doused with water. The air was filled with the damp smell of earth, and the streets were almost deserted.

The nun, wearing a silver eyepatch, shook her head slightly. Led by an on-duty nun who hurriedly came out from the hospital, she guided Shard up the steps and through the open wooden doors into the hospital.

The gas lamps were dim, but they barely lit the hospital corridors on this rainy day. The wet floor bore signs of recent mopping. Inside, locals in black or gray coarse cloth were apparent, and the cry of a baby could be heard as they climbed the stairs, a sign of new life.

Thus, although the hospital appeared a bit eerie on rainy days, it did not have a terrifying atmosphere.

The hospital’s layout was interesting; to reach the east wing on the first floor, one had to go to the second floor first and then descend the stairs to the east wing on the first floor.

As Shard walked, he observed the internal conditions of the hospital, realizing that he hadn’t fallen ill since coming to this world.

On the way, a small crimson bird flew from somewhere and perched on Sister Delphine’s shoulder. Beneath her eyepatch, her delicate face revealed a rare smile as she greeted the bird, before it flew out of the window towards Sicarl Mountain.

Shard hesitated, noticing the gold under the crimson bird’s wings, and softly asked:

“Could it be…”

“Yes, it has undergone a rebirth and plans to stay by my side for the next hundred years. This is also a rebirth for it—it needs my flame to quickly restore its strength.”

Eventually, their destination was the basement of Serpent Heart Hospital, but there was no passage leading further down. At the end of the basement was a small room hidden by an illusion. The room was about the size of Shard’s current master bedroom, sparsely furnished, with the floor and walls covered in various rune patterns.

These weren’t the runes commonly used by contemporary Circle Sorcerers; they seemed to originate from an older extraordinary system from a distant era.

In the center of the room stood a three-tiered platform, on which an iron frame held a huge painting. Even if stood upright, Shard’s bed wouldn’t be as large as the painting.

Framed by a massive square metal frame thick enough to surpass Shard’s waist, the width of the frame was about the size of Shard’s palm. The metal surface was uneven, marked by the tracks left by worms that had burrowed into the metal.

The painting depicted an ancient ritual site made of gray stone atop a mountain peak. The background of mountains and clouds was dark, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

“I feel the power of space,”

Shard said, pausing before adding,

“But this isn’t a relic.”

“Yes, follow me.”

The nun ascended the platform, touched the painting’s surface, and disappeared.

“Spatial movement? No, spatial movement in the material world is extremely dangerous. This isn’t spatial movement; it’s an anomalous area in space already connected with another location.”

Recalling what he had learned at Saint Byrons, Shard realized the answer in such fixed spatial channels, akin to top-tier alchemical items, couldn’t be replicated in the modern Sixth Era. It wasn’t that alchemy skills were lost, but the material world’s space differed greatly from previous eras.

He followed, carefully touching the painting, feeling as if passing through a transparent water membrane, only to find himself standing at the entrance of the gray stone ritual site depicted in the painting. The sky was a bit gloomy but not raining. Looking out, beyond was a steep, rugged, rocky mountain path with only one man-made trail leading up, where Shard stood at the end.

Contrary to the dilapidation in the painting, the ritual site here wasn’t excessively decayed. Covering an area about three or four times that of Saint Delan Square, it was clearly not constructed in the Sixth Era.

This place seemed to be at a mountain peak somewhere. Looking further, Shard could see the stretching ranges:

“This is… the depths of the Rommel Mountains?”

Shard could only estimate so, as the Rommel Mountains were located in the central-eastern part of the Old Continent, with Sicarl Mountain being only a part of its northern outskirts. The mountainous terrain here was extremely complicated, and even in the Steam Age, civilization hadn’t covered every nook and cranny.

Or rather, even in the Steam Age, most of the mountainous areas remained untouched by civilization. If the Spiritual Practice Order’s base was here, even the Witch Council might not find it despite deliberate searches.

“Yes, this is deep within the Rommel Mountains, within the domain of the Duchy of Seth. If one were to hike here from Midshire Fort, even knowing the path, it would take at least three days and nights without rest. The Order’s illusion conceals the nearby paths, and nuns and monks of the Order generally don’t walk in and out. The easiest way to get here now is through that painting; otherwise, complex rituals are needed to activate the passages within the ritual site that lead to some Old Continent cities. Therefore, it’s reasonable to consider the Order’s base as being in Midshire Fort.”

Sister Delphine said, leading Shard into the ancient ritual site.

The [Spiritual Practice Order] inherited from the Fourth Era’s Circle Sorcerer Organization, but its predecessor was part of the Ancient Death God Order, making the history of the site possibly more ancient than the Fourth Era.

Though Shard saw just one building, there were towers, cemetery areas, and abandoned ruins surrounding the ritual site. The ruins used to be the church of an Ancient God—the Ancient Reaper—but the church was completely destroyed in a massive earthquake during the Fourth Era.

The ritual site’s main body was constructed with gray stone, divided into three levels: upper, middle, and lower. The lower level was inside the mountain, so they entered from the middle level at the entrance.

Although the Order operated in the civilized world, a quarter of its members were stationed here year-round for ascetic practices and studies. Though it seemed desolate, there were actually many people here.

Despite the ancient appearance of the exterior, the interior of the ritual site had a surprising Steam Age look. The floor was neatly paved, and the walls were painted. There were even steam engines and gas storage tanks below ground for the nuns and monks living here.

If Shard had found himself within the ritual site from the start, he wouldn’t have guessed its ancient history.

“We must keep up with the times,”

said Sister Delphine, guiding Shard through the corridor or passageway,

“Those who cannot adapt will be left behind. Only with such wisdom can one traverse from past eras to the present.”

Shard had already started to imagine if Saint Byrons, which was also very wise, was the same blend of “modernization” and “mysticism”.

The outlander was very curious about this place. Strictly speaking, this was the first Circle Sorcerer gathering site he officially visited—Saint Byrons didn’t count, as he was only active in the library and only saw the bookshelves.

Sister Delphine introduced the place to Shard as they walked, and, after turning the corridor, a young nun approached them.

The Spiritual Practice Order didn’t have a very precise hierarchical system, but generally, those with normal eyes were the most ordinary members, those who covered their eyes with burlap were formal members, and those who wore silver eye masks were core members. The two nuns approaching looked about the same age as Lecia, with normal eyes.

They greeted Sister Delphine quietly, then brought up some matters that required her attention.

Shard had seen most of the High Ring Sorcerers of the Order, especially the three High Ring Nuns who helped him open the path to the interstice on that Wednesday night. No one questioned Shard’s presence here; none of Sister Delphine’s decisions were ever questioned.

The ritual site was divided into several areas, including accommodations and a library, but most areas were related to the Order’s regular prayers, stargazing, moon worship, and Circle Sorcerer research activities. Sister Delphine led Shard on a tour and even performed divination using a crystal ball for him, but she could only see a mass of white fog.

The walls of the corridors in the ritual site were adorned with many ancient murals, which were well-maintained and still clear. Through these murals, Shard roughly understood the origin and development of the Spiritual Practice Order. He even saw murals depicting the battle of Sicarl Mountain, which was also an important event in the Order’s history.

Connecting the upper, middle, and lower levels of the ritual site was not a staircase but a giant stone elevator powered by steam. Stepping on the elevator, it operated automatically, with the hinges making a clattering noise, making Shard quite concerned about its safety.

Their destination was the library on the lower level of the ritual site, where the murals depicted the Order’s origin. Shard saw symbols representing the “Fire of the Primordial”, indicating that the flame had been passed down through the Order for a long time.

“It is said that in the early Fifth Era, the flame in my hand could cover the entire ritual site.”

The nun said, then invited Shard to follow her to the deeper parts of the ritual site.

There was only one corridor leading there, which was the true ritual site:

“Yes, this ritual site was originally used to worship the primal fire. But that was during the Ancient Era, a time when people not only believed in deities but also revered all things.”

There was no door at the end of the corridor, and there was no light inside. The nun stood there, holding up the flame in her hand. As the fire flowed into the dark space at the end, the firelight slowly illuminated the space.

It was a circular true ritual site, connected to the bottom by a corridor. The center, except for an old fire basin, was empty. There were layers of steps spreading upwards around it, indicating that this was a space within the mountain’s belly. The style was very similar to the Witch Council, except that there was no round table in the center.

Shard shared his thoughts with Sister Delphine, who nodded slightly:

“Yes, I was invited to officially join the Witch Council last weekend. That place indeed resembles this one, suggesting that such architectural styles were popular in the Ancient Era.”

The firelight leapt into the central fire basin, and the fierce flames danced in the basin, fueled by golden-hued bones. A longsword, encased in gray stone, was also stuck in the fire basin. That was the Angel-Level Relic “Ashes,” a weapon commonly used by Sister Delphine:

“Every generation of nun who inherits the flame speculates about whether the weakening of the primal fire represents the decline of civilization and the world. While the strength of the flame is not a key factor affecting the strength of civilization and the world, we believe that finding more kindling flames and firewood can delay the arrival of the apocalypse.”

The nun walked toward the dancing flames, clasping her hands together in front of her and bowing slightly, as if observing the fire. The firelight reflected on her delicate silver eye mask, tinging her fair face with red.

Shard also followed closely:

“Apart from the weakening of the primal fire, does the Spiritual Practice Order hold other evidence of the world nearing its end point?”

“No, but something always needs to be done.”

The nun said softly, bending down to lift the kerosene lamp from the Sin Mansion that could contain any kindling flame:

“Relying solely on our own efforts to search for kindling flames and firewood is not ideal, but it’s difficult to find Circle Sorcerers who can bear the power of the primal fire. Only by being bathed in the fire’s power can one know which kindling flames are suitable and which items can effectively serve as firewood. Mr. Hamilton, the flame of the primal fire is still in my hand, and I hope you can help me collect more flames.”

The kerosene lamp was handed to Shard.

“Bring them to me. Searching for firewood…”

She paused and added:

“Using the flame in my hand to burn them is more efficient. Those ancient and powerful souls are the best fuel.”

“I can help with all these tasks.”

Shard nodded:

“But regarding the ultimate death of the world, I hope to get more information.”

Even Sister Delphine couldn’t determine if and when this would actually happen, so Shard was half skeptical:

“We are the strongest allies, especially in the matter of The Chosen One. Therefore, I hope you can find a way to talk to my friend Luviya Annette using a projection ritual or something similar. In fact, she knows the most about The Chosen One, and I am merely the executor.”

“No problem. Please bring this flame back and throw it into a fireplace or fire basin. We can meet through the fire.”

The nun pointed to the hand-held kerosene lamp, and the flame at her fingertip lit the wick.

“Tonight, at ten.”

Shard scheduled the time and then asked while looking at the flame in front of them:

“Also, you have invited me here multiple times. It shouldn’t be just to show me the Order’s history and the state of the primal fire, right?”

“Granny Cassandra mentioned that you know many ancient writings.”

Shard nodded, guessing that this was probably mentioned by Miss Galina and the old witch:

“Yes, do you want me to help decipher the writings? No problem.”

“The primal fire was once divided into many parts, and the Order has always been committed to reuniting these flames. We found a stone tablet that records the situation of the primal fire’s division, but the writing on it is extremely ancient.”

As the nun spoke, she led Shard to the bottom of the staircase below the ascending steps. A dark passage led from there to the bottom of the staircase, which was the space used by the Order to store valuable items.

Through the doorway, a giant stone stele stood in the darkness, about twice Shard’s height. He raised the kerosene lamp and noticed that the upper left corner of the stele was missing, as if it had been smashed off by an external force. Its surface bore many scratches from sharp weapons, but the letters were still relatively clear.

Examining it carefully, he suspiciously asked Sister Delphine who was waiting behind him:

“Are you sure this really records the division of the primal fire?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“If I’m not mistaken, what is recorded here clearly seems to be an ancient fairy tale.”