Above The Sky
Chapter 1156: 169: The Technique of Deception and the Two Testing Each Other (4000, 1/2)_2

Chapter 1156: Chapter 169: The Technique of Deception and the Two Testing Each Other (4000, 1/2)_2

“Even though the next moment, you shrank back, like a slippery catfish pretending not to notice anything… but I clearly sensed it, so I proactively withdrew the Origin Quality, ending this probe and declared your victory.”

Facing Ian, who still had a look of confusion, Carlos kicked the table irritably: “Don’t put on that innocent face, it’s quite good-looking and easy to fool, but it doesn’t work on me.”

He was adjusting his posture but remained lounging on the sofa: “Stop pretending. Michael should have told you, right? Pretending too much is no different than showing your strength. You’ve displayed high-level Essence Manipulation skills and fought against assassins dedicated to the Blood of the Ten Kings, even gaining the upper hand – how could you just shrink back? You definitely noticed it!”

“Once discovered, the disguise within the bottle is meaningless.”

“But I actually didn’t expect that you could really sense the oddity of the juice the moment you picked up the bottle.”

“It counts as cautiousness, I guess.”

Seeing no way to hide from Carlos, Ian also changed his expression and spoke lightly: “A bottle long manipulated by a master of deception, for me to believe the contents are exactly what I see… that’s too much of a stretch.”

“Moreover, can’t you tell I’m a Prophet?”

“Ian, this isn’t a matter of difficulty.”

Hearing this, Carlos shifted slightly on the sofa, sighed, and said: “Your sect, whether Supreme Spirit Sect or Star Soul Sect, that emerging sect from the South Ridge, the Prophet’s name in there echoes to the heavens.”

“Furthermore, hearing your words, I know that due to your South Ridge origins, you lack some not-so-secret high-level nobility knowledge.”

At this moment, the man with platinum blonde hair raised his eyebrows, looking serious: “That is, no one, no liar or gambler, dares to claim they are a Prophet to deceive.”

“Even a Spirit Energy User, even with powers close to Prophecy, wouldn’t dare to rashly use the title of Prophet.”

“Because…”

“The Four Great Orthodox Churches will immediately investigate the real situation of this ‘Prophet’ and share information among themselves!”

Having said that, Carlos showed his standard, amiable smile, gazing playfully at Ian, who seemed to have realized something: “So, do you understand now?”

“Huai Guang hasn’t questioned you. Aether Arms Order hasn’t either.”

“Hall of Ten Thousand Spirits showed no reaction, and the Retrospection Sect just sent a team to South Ridge — they didn’t arrest you, nor did they label the ‘Prophet’ sect as a ‘cult’… Do you understand what this means?”

Ian remained silent, while the Great Prince continued eloquently: “No reaction is the greatest reaction.”

“The Four Great Orthodox Churches are silent, theoretically, the first to know, Huai Guang Church, is your ally. Listen, Ian. After the Four Great Orthodox Churches have scrutinized someone, that person cannot be just an ordinary person, nor simply a Prophet. They must be one or the other, no other possibility.”

“So much intelligence.”

He gestured like a blade across his neck: “In Embrace Light, if I couldn’t see this, what kind of top commander of Mirror Sea Guard would I be? How could I manage an intelligence department? I might as well kill myself with my subordinate’s sword rather than bring shame upon the Setar Family.”

“Or maybe…”

Having long understood, Ian took a sip of peach juice and replied with interest: “It could also be a Relic of the Prophet, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, quite a few.”

The Great Prince didn’t negate this possibility: “But if a Relic of the Prophet can be operated by the right person, then they are the Prophet – do you think many can employ Prophetic relics? That too requires innate talent, and especially for perfect operators of specific prophetic relics, it takes years to find one. Except for not being a Prophet, they aren’t much more common than Prophets!”

“Oh?”

Ian leaned his head against the sofa, letting the back of his head sink into the soft membrane of the pterosaur’s wing, deep in thought.

——That little girl from Leyan Territory, one of the Baron’s children… A girl named Linda.

She could manipulate the Prophet’s Relic ‘Skull of Momentary Insignificance.’

And she is an Artificial Spirit User.

Clearly, that was precisely the artificially created Spirit User, compatible with Skull of Momentary Insignificance, deliberately manufactured by Spirit Wisdom Institute… They’ve already mastered this technology!

Since Prophets are difficult or impossible to create artificially, then try manufacturing Spirit Users who can utilize the Prophet relics!

As long as the mind is open, there’s ample room for exploration without fearing failure, since there are no consequences, are there? Still verifying experiments on artificial Spirit Users, right?

At this instant, Ian understood the mindset of the scholars at Spirit Wisdom Institute… Devious and vicious mindset.

——What other research does The Empire have?

With this thought, he took another sip of peach juice.

“It’s all a smokescreen.”

At this moment, Crown Prince Carlos pointed at the juice cup in Ian’s hand, smiled seriously: “No one will be fooled the second time, but no one can guarantee seeing through it the first time, it’s a technique to deceive the instinct of Sublimators.”

“As long as the inherently dangerous is perceived as normal, they can’t raise a clear prediction and at most feel a vague unease.”

“But, which Higher Ascender doesn’t live amidst some unspecified anxiety? Who can live peacefully in this world? Accomplish this, and you can deceive the strong.”

“Just like now— Ian.”

“Didn’t you notice, the peach juice actually has poison?”

Saying this, Crown Prince of The Empire, showing a slightly malicious delight, like a mischievous boy reveling in prank success, pointed at Ian’s peach juice cup and grinned: “That’s the venom of the Moonlight Snake, colorless and tasteless, its flavor resembling peach juice. Although for you, it might not be lethal, it’ll leave you limp all over, comfortably lying on the sofa like me!”

“Oh? Is~ that~ so?”

And Ian, holding the juice cup in his right hand, also revealed a mischievous smile—Water Fairy Bloodline holder raised his left hand: “Your Highness, don’t underestimate people!”

Appearing in Ian’s left hand was a small crystal… It was precisely the Moonlight Snake poison distilled by the young man from the peach juice and crystallized in his palm!

Under Carlos’ astounded gaze, Ian tossed the poison crystal back into his mouth, crunching with a smile: “I’m nearly an Alchemy Master, perhaps even the youngest Alchemy Master— as you said, it’s a good thing if unaware, once cautious, it’s clear, how could I miss the poison after finding the purple peach?”

“Besides, the poison of Moonlight Snake…”

Ian swallowed the sweet-tasting poison crystal, shrugged: “It’s quite good flavor, even mingled with peach juice.”

He showed no signs of poisoning… Just as Crown Prince Carlos mentioned earlier, with preparation, Ascenders can counter any attack.

Neither light nor poison… All are the same.

“Brilliant!”

Crown Prince Carlos exclaimed, even putting down his wine bottle, gesturing an admiration: “You exceed my expectations several times— how much surprise will you bring? You’re truly a treasure.”

“You must know, this seemingly simple chain of deception once fooled the strongest in the world!”

Saying this, his mood suddenly carried some sorrow: “That’s how the First Knight was back then… Such simple techniques, as long as applied when someone like him relaxes, can still be effective.”