Translator: SumTLMan
Out of his association with Ananda, Angel was quite curious about the content related to Ritual Studies.
According to Ananda, these ritual studies were taught to her by Sridhar. Thus, Angel, upon leaving this morning, sought out Sridhar for insights.
Surprisingly, Sridhar candidly admitted that he didn’t have a deep understanding of ritual studies.
The reason Ananda knew about ritual studies was due to a book that Sridhar had given her. This book, titled —Casual Discussions on the Processing of Abundant Grains—, was also colloquially referred to as the —Book of Grains—.
Since Sridhar had appointed Ananda as a cook in his antique shop, he gave her this book on grain processing, thinking she might find it of casual interest.
What Sridhar hadn’t anticipated was that this book, which he had acquired unintentionally, contained segments on ritual studies.
The content of the —Book of Grains— was not advanced knowledge. Even the ritual parts were geared towards grain processing, collectively termed as “Prayers for Food Ritual.”
Through the “Prayers for Food Ritual,” one can swiftly process food, enhancing its taste. Furthermore, with extended rituals, the food can gradually be transformed into magical cuisine. This borders on the realm of gourmet studies, and yet, the Prayers for Food Ritual could achieve it.
Because of these food rituals, the dishes Ananda crafted possessed an extraordinary flavor. This caught Sridhar’s attention, leading him to realize that the —Book of Grains— indeed contained ritual studies content.
Sridhar tried the Prayers for Food Ritual himself. For someone like him, who was already a formal wizard, it wasn’t challenging. But for an ordinary apprentice, it demands innate talent. Ananda’s successful mastery of the Prayers for Food Ritual as a novice apprentice was not a matter of luck; she genuinely possessed a gift.
Sridhar, in his bid to understand the specifics of Ananda’s situation, introduced her to the teachings of the Circle Stone Ritual, encouraging her to learn. Within less than two weeks, Ananda had become proficient, even going so far as to use her own blood to prepare offerings for the ritual.
From that point onward, Sridhar was convinced of Ananda’s innate talent in the arts of ritual studies.
This revelation brought mixed feelings of surprise and delight to Sridhar, coupled with a hint of regret. The joy stemmed from the realization that ritual studies were an extensive discipline, encompassing self-improvement and empowering others alike. Ananda’s mastery over it could significantly benefit Sridhar. However, the regret arose from the fact that the art of rituals was scarcely practiced in the Southern Region.
For the past few months, Sridhar had been seeking knowledge related to rituals. He even sent emissaries to various major auctions in search, but all he managed to find was the Circle Stone Ritual.
Thus, for Ananda to truly excel and innovate within the realm of ritual studies, the odds seemed stacked against her in the Southern Region. One silver lining was that ritual studies, unlike rune literature, were not suppressed by the Extreme Sect.
This was Sridhar’s detailed response to Angel. His willingness to divulge such intricate details was anchored in the hope that Angel, with his vast connections, might assist in uncovering more about ritual studies.
After listening to Angel’s account, Gloria nodded with enlightenment, “I see. No wonder the ordinary dishes at last night’s banquet possessed subtle extraordinary traits. Initially, I believed that Sridhar had specially chosen ingredients nearing the extraordinary, but now it seems it was likely the effect of the Prayers for Food Ritual.”
“You’re familiar with the Prayers for Food Ritual?” Angel inquired curiously.
“Of course,” Gloria affirmed, “Knowledge related to food is essential for a gourmet wizard. Naturally, the Prayers for Food Ritual is included.”
“Sridhar was right, the Prayers for Food Ritual isn’t something one can easily master. Talent plays a crucial role, and on top of that, the ritual consumes a significant amount of time. The transcendent quality of the transformed ingredients isn’t particularly high either. There are more convenient gourmet tricks that can replace it, so in the Candy House, only Felicia and I are adept at it.”
Gloria then continued, “This Ananda you mentioned, being able to learn the Prayers for Food Ritual in such a short time, is indeed exceptionally gifted.” Pausing for a moment, she shook her head with a hint of regret, “Unfortunately, she was born in the Southern Region, where ritual studies are nearly obsolete. Seeking the heritage of rituals in the Southern Region is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
After expressing her lament, Gloria noticed Angel gazing at her with intent eyes.
Angel inquired, “Since you’re familiar with the Prayers for Food Ritual, could you perhaps provide a detailed explanation of it?”
“You wish to delve into ritual studies?” Gloria asked with a puzzled expression.
Shaking his head, Angel responded, “I understand the proverb ‘biting off more than one can chew.’ I still have a long journey ahead in the world of alchemy. How could I possibly divert a significant portion of my time to learn ritual studies? I’m merely curious and wish to grasp the basic principles.”
Gloria pondered for a moment. She figured that such knowledge wasn’t particularly classified. The High Cloud Library in the Savage Grottoes surely contained records on it. Sharing this knowledge might also earn her some favor. With that in mind, Gloria didn’t hold back and began explaining to Angel.
As Angel listened intently, he handed the control of the Gondola over to Azaz. Since it was Azaz’s first time piloting the Gondola, the speed was rather slow, which added a leisurely pace to their aerial journey.
In just a short span of about ten minutes, Angel was frequently nodding in acknowledgment. He had come across books related to ritual studies before, but his theoretical understanding was rather superficial. Gloria, during her explanation, even demonstrated the Prayers for Food Ritual, allowing Angel to quickly align his prior knowledge into a coherent framework. It was evident that he greatly benefited from the session.
During their back-and-forth communication, Azaz expertly piloted the Gondola, soaring to the Paramjit Plateau.
Not long after reaching the Paramjit Plateau, Azaz suddenly pointed ahead and exclaimed, “There seems to be a light over there!”
Azaz’s declaration grabbed everyone’s attention.
Following the direction of his pointing finger, they saw a mist-covered area, and amidst that mist, a radiant golden gate revealed itself. The gate radiated an aura of opulence, reminiscent of legendary tales where, after overcoming numerous obstacles, heroes would find the entrance to a hidden, mystical treasure.
With that thought, when Azaz laid eyes on the gate, his voice carried an unmistakable tone of elation.
However, Sanders simply glanced at it and remained silent; both Angel and Gloria showed no signs of surprise.
Seeing Azaz’s puzzled expression, Gloria calmly explained, “It’s merely a ruin left on the Paramjit Plateau from the past. Due to certain unpredictable factors, it has now become visible.”
“A ruin?” Azaz’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Could this be a fortunate opportunity?
But even before the hopeful anticipation in Azaz’s heart could fully blossom, it was grounded by reality. ——From the magnificent golden gate, it suddenly opened, and a sloppily dressed apprentice in wizard’s robes, yawning, lazily walked out. Glancing around and spotting the shadow of the Gondola, he seemed startled and hastily shut the door again. Subsequently, the luminous gate began to gradually fade from view.
Gloria continued, “I forgot to mention, most of these revealed ruins, it’s safe to say, are private spaces similar to laboratories created by predecessors from the Savage Grottoes. Among them, 99% have been explored, and some have even been appropriated as personal secret bases by certain individuals. Like just now; perhaps that apprentice resides within that ruin.”
“So that’s how it is,” Azaz remarked, a hint of disappointment evident as he lowered his head.
As Azaz continued to steer the Gondola past the mist, he couldn’t help but steal one last hopeful glance, but the golden gate had already dispersed from view. Eventually, he could only sigh regretfully as he continued towards the depths of the Paramjit Plateau.