In the bedroom.
Aaron drew the curtains and lit a candle.
He then took out a silver knife, a crucible, incense, pure water, and other tools, sealed the entire room with spirituality, and began drawing a ritual circle on the floor.
"Generally speaking... the advancement rituals of the various Paths often require an assistant, whether a mentor or an aide... or even a sacrifice!"
"The mystical system I created seems to have contained elements of cruelty and bloodshed from the very beginning..."
"According to my occult knowledge, among the members of the Craftsman Brotherhood who follow the Path of Yao exclusively, those at the second stage can probably use another first-stage Illuminator in place of the main consumable material..."
The advancement ritual for a Light Shepherd had a similar requirement. However, it did not advocate using Beyonders—not out of mercy, but because the quality of such "material" was insufficient.
It might meet the requirements of a Child of Light, but not those of someone becoming a Light Shepherd!
Aaron deftly set up the crucible, poured in pure water, and began heating it.
Then he added the purified spiritual materials of Yao one by one.
Glug!
Glug!
Strange bubbles rose inside the crucible. When they burst, they released a multitude of colors, like tiny rainbows.
Without changing his expression, Aaron opened a box and took the Sunbird Feather in his right hand. With his left, he snapped his fingers.
Whoosh!
Pure white light instantly enveloped the precious Sunbird Feather.
The feather melted rapidly in the light, and drops of pure white liquid dripped from its tip into the crucible.
Glug!
The potion inside the crucible turned pitch-black, but the colors of the bubbles that rose from it eerily blended together, becoming pure white, like tiny suns.
Aaron picked up a pair