It wasn't long before Viscount Calos's butler returned, his face still showing a hint of confusion, though he quickly regained his professional demeanor. He was not alone, several other servants followed, laboriously carrying a large wooden barrel, the kind typically used for storing water or grain on farms. The barrel looked quite heavy, and when they set it down on the marble floor of the luxurious room, a resonant "thud" indicated its contents were substantial.
The butler dismissed the other servants, then turned to Rober and spoke respectfully:
"Mr. Rober, here is the sheep's blood prepared according to your request. It is fresh, drawn not long ago." He paused briefly, then continued, "As for the twenty-three men you required, I have gathered them in the courtyard. They are all strong, courageous, and familiar with the terrain of the western forest. They include the Viscount's soldiers and the best hunters in the region."
Rober nodded and expressed his gratitude:
"Thank you for your thorough preparation."
He approached the wooden barrel, the distinct, pungent metallic tang of fresh blood immediately assailed his nostrils. He frowned slightly but quickly schooled his features. Bending down, he peered inside. Indeed, it was a barrel full of dark red sheep's blood, still warm, with some fat globules floating on the surface.
At this point, Kalis Marry spoke up:
"Rober, do you require my assistance?" Her voice remained calm, but her amber eyes shone with unconcealed curiosity.
Rober shook his head, replying, "There's no need, Madam Marry. I can perform this ritual myself." He paused, then added, with a tactful tone, "You are already using the 'Yin-Yang Eye.' Perhaps you could follow the soul thread, to check on the Viscount's son's situation. Who knows, you might discover something unusual." He deliberately emphasized, "And I hope, madam, that you will be careful if you happen to detect any suspicious individuals lurking in the forest."
Kalis Marry smiled, a confident and mischievous grin. She shrugged, replying to Rober with a casual air:
"I shall consider your advice, Rober. Though I might be a bit hot-tempered, I promise I won't cause chaos... unless provoked!"
With that, Kalis Marry walked over to the large window. She looked outside, her eyes narrowing, focusing on the connecting thread of the soul, stretching towards the dense forest.
"Alright," she called back to Rober, "I'm heading out first!"
Then, she raised her hands and began muttering an incantation in the Lumalyn language.
"O, Liravan Elvoryn. Na veleth valira tala vey sylvar, Viralyn e'zan!"
Instantly, a powerful but invisible gust of wind manifested around Kalis Marry. It swirled, growing stronger, causing her emerald-green hair and the hem of her white silk dress to billow violently. The wind lifted Kalis's body into the air, as gently as a leaf. Then, like an arrow, she shot out of the window, flying towards the forest, following the trail of the soul's connecting thread.
However, the wind Kalis Marry generated for her flight was far too strong for the confines of the room. As soon as she flew out the window, the uncontrolled excess wind swept through the room like a miniature gale.
Papers on the desk scattered everywhere. The red velvet window curtains billowed furiously. Small decorative items on bookshelves and coffee tables were blown about, crashing noisily onto the floor.
Fortunately, Rober reacted quickly. He swiftly used his magic, creating an invisible energy shield that enveloped himself, Viscount Calos's unconscious son, and the barrel of fresh blood on the floor. Thanks to this, they were unaffected by the sudden whirlwind.
But Viscount Calos and the butler were not so lucky. The strong wind hit them too unexpectedly, leaving them no time to react. Both were blown off their feet, sprawling onto the floor, their clothes disheveled, their hair mussed.
When the wind subsided, restoring quiet to the room, Rober looked at the chaotic scene around him, then at Viscount Calos and the butler scrambling to their feet. He couldn't help a wry, slightly awkward smile.
He approached, offered a hand to help Viscount Calos up, and said, with a tone of slight embarrassment, "My apologies, My Lord Viscount, apologies, Mr. Butler. Perhaps Madam Marry enjoys being blown about by the wind, even though she only needed to fly."
Viscount Calos, though still somewhat dazed, managed to keep his composure. He waved a hand dismissively, saying, "It's alright... it's alright. As long as... as long as you two can save my son, nothing else matters."
Observing the Viscount's appearance made Rober want to burst out laughing, but considering the man was still a nobleman, a person of high social standing, Rober maintained a minimum level of respect and politeness.
Rober bowed his head respectfully, replying:
"Thank you for your generosity, my Lord Viscount."
He then turned to the butler and said, "Could you have someone tidy up this room? And please close the window. I am about to begin the ritual."
The butler nodded and quickly went out to call the servants to clean up. Rober waited until the room was restored to order and the window was securely closed before turning back to Viscount Calos. "My Lord Viscount, with your permission, I will begin the ritual now."
Viscount Calos nodded, signaling Rober to proceed.
Rober approached the wooden barrel filled with sheep's blood. He raised his index finger and lightly touched the surface of the blood within. He began to draw symbols directly in the blood, using his own magical energy.
These symbols, similar to those he had used for the "Yin-Yang Eye," were slightly different. They were drawn in a specific pattern, forming the image of a wide-open eye, with complex and mystical lines.
Rober had slightly altered the incantation, the language of "communication" with the gods of the Vital Pantheon, to suit the purpose of this ritual – not to bestow the "Yin-Yang Eye" upon himself, but to create an "intermediary" substance that could grant multiple people the ability to see souls simultaneously.
As Rober finished drawing the final symbols and infused them with a sufficient amount of magical energy, the wooden barrel before him suddenly began to vibrate violently.
From within the blood, small bubbles started to appear, then it began to boil furiously, as if being heated over a fire. The pungent, metallic smell of fresh blood gradually gave way to a strange fragrance, both sweet and sharp, difficult to describe.
The dark red blood in the barrel began to move, forming a small whirlpool in the center. The whirlpool spun faster and faster, creating a terrifying suction force. Rober could sense that the blood in the barrel was gradually being drained, disappearing into some other space, another dimension he couldn't see.
In just a few short minutes, the entire volume of fresh blood in the barrel was completely drained, not a single drop remaining. The wooden barrel, previously full of blood, was now empty and showed no further unusual signs.
Viscount Calos, who had been silently observing the whole time, couldn't help feeling curious and anxious. He approached the barrel, pretended to glance inside, and then asked Rober, his voice full of doubt:
"Rober... what just happened? Why... why has all the blood vanished? Did... did something go wrong with the ritual?"
Rober smiled, a calm and confident expression. He turned to Viscount Calos and replied, "It's alright, my Lord Viscount. The ritual is proceeding exactly as planned. It's almost finished."
Just as Rober finished speaking, the wooden barrel before him began to shake again, this time even more violently than before. It shook so strongly it seemed about to burst apart.
Then, from the bottom of the barrel, a thick, light-blue liquid, the color of the sky on an early morning, began to flow out, slowly but continuously. This liquid had a very special fragrance, both fragrant and pure, like the scent of morning dew, flowers, grass, and the earth itself.
The blue liquid continuously flowed from the bottom of the barrel and gradually filled the wooden container in just a few short seconds. When the barrel was full of that strange liquid, it stopped shaking and returned to its normal state.
Viscount Calos, witnessing the entire bizarre process, was utterly astonished and stunned. He had never seen or heard of such a phenomenon.
Rober, still maintaining a relaxed and calm demeanor, walked towards the door and spoke to the butler waiting outside:
"Sir, please have someone carry this barrel out to the courtyard. And prepare some small containers, vials, or glass jars, so the search team can carry and use this."
The butler, though still very surprised, managed to remain composed and replied:
"Yes, Mr. Rober. I... I understand. I will have it done immediately."