Even if favorability posed no issue and Luo Lin could borrow strength from powerful figures, his own low Sequence and limited spirituality would restrict the duration of such borrowed power. In a prolonged battle or an ambush by some cunning foe, catching him off-guard after his borrowed strength waned, disaster would still strike.
Thus, Luo Lin treated his "Shadow of Time" skill as a trump card. He would work to gain the favor of influential figures but never neglect honing his own abilities. For Luo Lin, self-reliance was the foundation.
Only by advancing his Sequence and strengthening his capabilities could he ensure self-preservation in any situation, avoiding scenarios where he couldn't borrow power, was too fragile, and ended up defeated.
Even if Sequence 9 ritual magic seemed insignificant compared to the abilities of figures like Mr. A or Azik, Luo Lin wouldn't abandon its study. He knew this was the power he truly possessed at present. Mastering it was his true priority.
If he grew arrogant, dismissing these "low-end" abilities just because he could borrow others' strength, Luo Lin had no doubt he'd become a hollow pretender—even if he advanced smoothly. After all, hadn't he seen how vast the gap could be between individuals of the same Sequence, sometimes greater than the difference between a man and a dog?
Solidly mastering his Sequence's abilities was far better than blindly advancing without skill.
Moreover… "Advancing to Sequence 8 isn't exactly easy," Luo Lin muttered to himself, a slight headache forming. "Leaving aside the digestion of the potion, just gathering the supplementary materials for the Actor role is a challenge."
Just as the Jester potion required items tied to high-Sequence members of the Secret Order, the Chaos Pathway's Sequence 8 Actor potion demanded a specific material—an item linked to a high-Sequence Hunter or Witch.
Truth be told, Luo Lin's first thought was the Red Priest Tarot Card. But using a Blasphemy Card for a Sequence 8 potion felt extravagant, and its connection to outer gods made him wary of consuming it. Besides, the card belonged to Sauron Einhorn Medici, the fiery spirit he wasn't ready to provoke without borrowing strength from Azik or Pales.
After careful consideration, Luo Lin decided to wait until he'd earned enough favor with Azik before approaching Medici. Perhaps he could trade for a suitable item—the Red Priest Blasphemy Card or something crafted from the essence of the "three-in-one hotpot" spirit.
As for using the fiery spirit itself as a material? Luo Lin had principles. He could stomach using something like a Time Worm, but consuming a sentient soul felt no different from cannibalism.
As for high-Sequence Witches… Luo Lin hadn't considered them.
The Jester potion had already shown that different supplementary materials could affect the outcome of advancement. What if using a Witch-related item caused him to change gender? Luo Lin wasn't willing to gamble on that disastrous possibility. He'd rather spend extra time securing Hunter-related materials.
Hearing Luo Lin's needs, Xio and Fors weren't too surprised. Ritual magic was a common tool for support-type Beyonders. Fors herself had a phase of learning and practicing ritual magic after advancing to Apprentice, relying solely on self-study with Mrs. Anlisa's notes.
Recalling that struggle—groping through without a mentor—Fors felt a pang of sympathy for Luo Lin's upcoming challenges. Curiosity piqued, she asked, "Don't you want to buy the formulas for the Sequences ahead in your pathway?"
Luo Lin gave a shy smile. "Thanks to my ancestor, I'm not short on potion formulas for now."
Fors's smile froze. She thought of her own fruitless search for the Trickmaster potion formula, and for a moment, she felt the urge to curse. Then came a wave of envy. "That's something to be jealous of," she muttered.
Xio's mood mirrored Fors's. Though she had an easier time finding formulas—sellers were always available—her poverty kept them out of reach.
The trio found a corner to sit, continuing their chat. A waiter soon approached, explaining the gathering's rules: participants could write their needs on a slip of paper for the waiter or, during a break, list items for sale on a blackboard in a private room.
Luo Lin unhesitatingly wrote down the spiritual materials he needed on the provided slip. Glancing at Fors and Xio, who had also finished writing, he asked curiously, "What are you two looking for?"
"You can probably guess mine," Xio replied casually. "I want the Sheriff potion formula, but I haven't saved enough money." Since Luo Lin already knew her Sequence, there was no need to hide it.
Fors sighed, then looked at Luo Lin with a glimmer of hope. "I've been trying to buy the Trickmaster potion formula, but I've had no luck so far." Knowing through Xio that Jack might come from an ancient Beyonder family, she held a faint hope he might have a lead.
To her surprise, Luo Lin's hooded face showed a hint of hesitation.
Fors, who had only asked on a whim, froze. "Mr. Jack, do you actually have a lead on the Trickmaster formula?" she asked instinctively.
"Strictly speaking, I have the formula," Luo Lin admitted, nodding hesitantly. "My ancestor's notes include the Trickmaster potion formula."
Fors's heart leaped with joy. "Really? Could you sell it to me?" Realizing how convenient this seemed, she added cautiously, "Under Mr. A's supervision, of course."
Her wariness was understandable—such a coincidence demanded caution to avoid a fake formula.
"Of course. How about 450 pounds?" Luo Lin replied, understanding her concern. His tone was gentle, his offer fair.
"A reasonable price," Fors said, relieved. The going rate for Sequence 8 formulas was around that, with no inflated markup.
Watching the exchange, Xio felt genuine happiness for her friend. Her hand drifted to her own purse, wondering when she'd save enough for the Sheriff formula.
The deal was swiftly completed at the gathering, both parties thoroughly satisfied.
(End of Chapter)