Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

The warm tea cleansed his palate, leaving behind a faint, sweet, and refreshing aftertaste.

Murphy set down his teacup and gently wiped his mouth with a napkin.

When he looked up, his gaze had returned to its usual calm and depth.

"That was very good."

Then, Murphy rose to his feet and gave Lianna, who was standing at the ready, a slight nod. "You can clear away the dishes now."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Lianna immediately stepped forward and began clearing the tableware with deft, swift movements.

...

Meanwhile, several hundred miles north of the Holy City, deep within a remote, dense forest.

Ambrosius wore an inconspicuous, dark gray traveler’s cloak, its hood pulled low to hide most of his face.

On his way to survey the "ancient heretical ruins" on the southern border, he had quietly slipped away from his party and was now speeding alone through the rugged mountain forests.

Beneath his cloak, his aged body moved with an agility that belied his years, his speed far surpassing that of a bird in flight.

「About an hour later.」

Ambrosius came to a cliff face concealed by thick vines. He warily scanned his surroundings, using Holy Magic to confirm he hadn’t been followed before reaching out to press a specific spot on the rock.

The rock face slid open without a sound, revealing a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through. He slipped inside, and the opening immediately sealed shut behind him.

Beyond the entrance was a narrow passageway that sloped downward, its walls lined with moss that cast a faint, eerie green glow.

Ambrosius continued without breaking stride, hurrying down the passageway for a short while until it suddenly opened into a natural, underground grotto.

A bonfire burned quietly in the center of the grotto, dispelling the cavern’s cold, damp air.

Nine figures were already gathered around the bonfire, some standing and others sitting.

Like Ambrosius, they were all dressed in voluminous black cloaks, their hoods drawn to hide their faces and figures in shadow.

But from their stances and the faint auras they emanated, Ambrosius could tell they were all influential figures from different factions and backgrounds. Among them were more than a few familiar "old friends."

"Ambrosius, you’re late." A rather shrill voice, tinged with clear displeasure, came from near the bonfire.

Ambrosius ignored the accusation, walked to an empty spot by the fire, and said in a heavy voice, "I had to avoid prying eyes on the way, which caused a delay. Now that everyone is here, Your Excellency, Balance Keeper, there’s no need for further concealment. Tell us, what is this method you have for dealing with that Demon?"

He deliberately stressed the word "Demon," his gaze settling on a particularly tall, straight-backed figure across the fire.

’That must be the Balance Keeper, the one who called this secret meeting.’

"Dealing with the Demon?" The Balance Keeper’s voice was low and steady, devoid of emotion. "Before we discuss methods, I would first like to hear your views. What do you believe is the most crucial element in confronting that being?"

After a brief silence, a hoarse voice spoke up. "Power. Only absolute power can suppress absolute power."

"What kind of power?" the Balance Keeper pressed. "The power to match him in a direct confrontation? Does that even exist on the Continent anymore?"

"A direct confrontation may be difficult," another voice chimed in, "but it can be supplemented with traps, environmental advantages, informational asymmetry... and even by using the people around him."

Ambrosius’s heart stirred at the sound of this voice. He was almost certain it was Adrian.

’It wasn’t because of the voice. Beings like them could even disguise their voices.’

’It was his aura, the one that belonged uniquely to Adrian.’

"Use the people around him?" the earlier, shrill voice sneered. "Are you talking about the Pope, or his wife and daughter up on the mountain? Don’t be naive. Getting close to them might be even more dangerous than approaching the Demon himself! That’s likely a trap he’s set!"

"It doesn’t have to be a direct confrontation," Adrian said, his voice steady. "Emotional attachments can be exploited. At a critical moment, a trace of hesitation or a moment of distraction could be the only opening we need."

Ambrosius then spoke up slowly. "I believe the key isn’t confrontation, but ’imbalance.’ That Demon, along with the new order he’s brought, is shattering the millennia-old balance of the Continent. Any imbalanced system will accumulate internal pressure and develop cracks. Our task, perhaps, is not to be the straw that breaks his back, but to find the most fragile crack and simply give it a gentle push."

"Well said." The Balance Keeper’s voice held a hint of approval. "Then tell me, do you believe the power gathered here is enough to confront him directly, or even to exploit these cracks? Especially now that he has firm control over the Church Court and the Holy City."

A silence fell around the bonfire.

’Confront Murphy?’

’The mere thought of the all-consuming sword light that had swept across the skies of the Holy City ten years ago was enough to make any rational person feel suffocated.’

After a long moment, Adrian’s voice broke the silence again, tinged with uncertainty. "Perhaps... we could try to ally with the Holy Hall Pharmacy?"

"The Holy Hall Pharmacy?" The Balance Keeper let out a soft laugh laced with faint sarcasm. "Cardinal Adrian, do you really think the Holy Hall Pharmacy would help you? More than half of their core research projects now depend on the heretical knowledge and materials that Demon has scoured from all corners of the world. To say nothing of the fact that one of their chief advisors is now a Witch. They are already beneficiaries and enthusiastic participants in this new era. Why on earth would they side with us?"

His identity exposed so directly, Adrian’s figure went rigid. The shadows beneath his hood seemed to deepen.