World Occult Usage Guide

Chapter 297 Repeated Time

The prophets of the Four Living Gods are rare "gods of truth"!
Lin An had no knowledge of this medium. The only high-rated mystic he had encountered was Brother Lu. He only knew that the God of Truth was related to time, neutrality, and communication with the gods.

Moreover, Lin An had never fought against the "God of Truth" and was unaware of their energy characteristics, so he failed to realize that he had entered a chaotic timeline immediately.

It seems that from now on, we should not only be wary of "prophets," but also of these time manipulators.

“3 hours and 45 minutes,” the prophet finally spoke. “You are more perceptive than ‘Chief’ Zisekdi.”

"What on earth did you do?"

“After copying them for a period of time, I twisted them into a spiral circle to wrap you up—a mysterious spell that I prepared for seven days.”

As its voice fell, the surroundings began to spiral and twist. On the woman's anxious face, the wrinkles faded and sank inward, as she rapidly retreated, as if she were boarding a high-speed train heading backward.

The spiral swallowed the entire basement, turning people and objects into endlessly shrunken dots, lines, and planes, becoming the scales of a giant python.

It was as tall as a skyscraper, and at this moment it lowered its truck-sized head, looking down at him with eyes as tall as Lin An.

It is unique in the world.

A suffocating and terrifying sense of oppression washed over me.

Lin An remained calm and composed, examining the prophet's "true form".

This python is composed of two models that mimic a double rainbow: a bright, vibrant arc followed by a dark gray arc, somewhat resembling a mosquito coil or a kaleidoscope, or a complete circle.

The python stood upright with its tail coiled up, its lower body submerged in the pool, creating ripples.

Lin An was also on the water, but he did not sink like it. He could clearly feel that there was an invisible membrane separating him from the other party, which was an insurmountable chasm of time.

The prophet's mystical arts trapped him on a branch of the Tree of Time.

After a moment of eye contact, Lin An spoke: "Zai told me that you are dead."

“That’s right, because the ritual that made me [Mumumma Mbatilanda] was death, preferably a heroic death in war.”

The python spoke, its voice filled with an eerie quality, as if it came from the bottom of a distant valley, or radio waves emitted into space from a planet light-years away.

As it introduced itself, a panel appeared.

[Name]: Mmunma Mbatilanda, Nichiima Mponggu
[Rating]: Source C

Radiation level: 28.2%
[Pollution Level]: 58.6%
[Medium]: God of Truth
mboma means python in the local language, while ntchiama means rainbow.

Legend has it that N'Zanbi created a world consisting only of the Kuba River and bushes, until a whirlpool at the river's mouth spewed forth, from which four giants were born from a rainbow: Kutiquiti the Swinger, Mboze the Fertile, and their children Makanga and Mbatilanda.

The Swinger created animals without tails, while Mboser created animals with tails.

Makanga and Mbatilanda each manage binary concepts, such as sun and moon, beauty and ugliness, and life and death.

He is essentially the third person under the creator god.

The source-level "God of Truth" has a radiation level close to 30%.

In terms of mysticism and energy alone, the Prophet is probably the most powerful mystic Lin An has ever encountered.

Beyond the rainbow, Mbatilanda, the finger of Hades...

Based on his previous knowledge and recent experience, Lin An roughly understood the situation.

In Bantu philosophy, the realm of the living and the world of the dead are a closely linked spiral, and reincarnation reveals the origin and destiny of humankind.

This theological symbol points to the doctrine of realization through verbs, grace, and sanctification, suggesting the doctrine of immortality and universal realization of life. It has been used by various Southern cultures as a supreme representative or in connection with the spiritual origins of humankind.

Purification is the key to unlocking the sacred mystery of the spiral. To comprehend the divine integrity of the Creator, one needs to undergo a great initiation, described as a continuity between life and death.

In order to receive enlightenment, a person must die symbolically.

This kind of death is called "mbutulukulu," which means that he, along with his illuminated ancestors, enters a pure spiritual state like a spiritual Vajra.

He will gain a higher awareness of existence and embark on a spiral ascent until he is ready to be with Nzambhi.

Myths originate from reality. Lin An estimated that this "preparation" refers to the radiation value reaching 100%, that is, the complete "Comerth" energy body state.

On their journey in search of the Creator God, the mystic can choose to leave the state of enlightenment and be completely resurrected until they receive enlightenment a second time, or they can stay in the spirit world and walk among the earth as a ghost.

But he couldn't influence the actions of the living; he could only tell them some words.

This state is called "mupepe in the air".

In other words, unless the prophet actively leaves "in the air," Lin An cannot hit him with the entry.

Just like Zay back then, the prophet is "dead," but he can "come back to life" at any time.

"The higher the radiation level, the weaker the concept of life and death becomes," Lin An remarked casually.

He had the system try it out, and as expected, it indicated that there were no targets nearby.

Lin An couldn't kill the other party, but the python also seemed unable to kill him.

The medium-like nature of the "God of Truth" dictates that he cannot easily take anyone's life, especially a source-level mystery like Lin An, otherwise the level of contamination might directly break through the limits.

“Forest ranger, your appearance was not in my plan, but we can make a deal,” the prophet said calmly, without any haughty arrogance.

Even when they have the upper hand, the God of Truth acts in a mild manner. Rather than fierce attacks and endless battles, they prefer to compromise and appease each other.

"Can I refuse?" Lin An asked.

"Do not."

The python shook its enormous head and began to speak.

"Eight years ago, due to the betrayal of the 'Chief,' the [Four Living Gods] fell apart, and I, the only survivor, fled in panic with the remnants. The orbit of 'Comers' has not yet approached, and I am powerless against cannons and bullets."

“If I had a companion who is the ‘God of Truth,’ I would go back three years and destroy you,” Lin An said.

“We cannot influence the history that has already happened,” the python said. “From ancient times to the present, I have always been the recorder among the four living gods. If the ‘sorcerer’ and ‘witch’ had not died, and the ‘chief’ had not betrayed us, I would not have participated in the war.”

Lin An thought to himself: He doesn't know that no matter what point in time, my actions are an irreversible "reality".

"Disguised as a member of the Fifty-Sentients Sect, I hid everywhere, preparing for the arrival of 'Comers,' until the head of the Chamber of Commerce divined my true identity... I had no choice but to enter a war to die, activate the finger pointing to the underworld, accept 'enlightenment,' and awaken the mystery."

"Death is your starting point."

"I remained 'in the air,' following the carpenter into the rainforest while arranging for the remaining troops to distract the merchant guild." The python revealed a hint of pity. "Unfortunately, he couldn't withstand Nzambique's wisdom."

“Because the ‘Fifty-Decades Sect’ was exposed, you had him create the [Ancestral Spirit Totem] so that you could merge with the ‘Lantern Goddess’ after your return.” Lin An nodded and said, “Only on a planet can the measurement value be improved.”

"That was indeed my plan, but unfortunately..."

“I intercepted it.” Lin An shrugged. “You instigated Zai to kill me.”

“Sigh, I was too impatient that time because I couldn’t handle any failure. Fortunately, you’re not an evil shooting star; on the contrary, you were willing to help. Actually, I’m very grateful to you, Ranger.” Lin An waved his hand.

What's the point of an apology?

Do you dare put him back into the normal timeline?

What are the details of your transaction?

“Forest ranger, I know what you want—the measurement value. Right?” The python twisted its spiraling body, its colorful patterns dazzling Lin An. “I can give it to you.”

"is it?"

"The space you are in is called 'yenga,' which means roundabout. Fragments of the past seven days will repeat endlessly here, but you are free to move around and pass the time by accessing the wisdom of the prophets and Enzambhi through the fingers I inherited."

"I will lead the World Tree as the Ranger until the entire Bantu sings your letter name."

The python revealed its true purpose.

"I bear the mission of reviving the Bantu people, please understand."

"So I'm just stuck here watching the hippopotamus bar its teeth, organizing the knowledge from the prophet's fingers, and idling to collect [measurement values]? And you steal my World Tree system, make great strides, and make Bantu great again?" Lin An concluded.

"Ah."

Hmm my foot!

Who wants to play Eternal Seven Days Online with you!
Lin An had no intention of agreeing. He wanted to explore "Comers" himself and witness all sorts of mysteries, rather than just coasting along and outsourcing the entire process.

Moreover, he disliked the feeling of having his fate controlled by others.

Lin An clenched his fist, then relaxed it.

This is a war between top-tier mystics; we must not reveal too much unnecessary emotion.

“Nzambi waamba luku tongo beto bantu.” The python lowered its head. “Nzambi has prepared cassava bread, and we humans are the condiments.”

"Is the universe a rich man?"

"When cassava dough is placed in boiling water, the paste-like substance spirals down and up as it is continuously stirred. Similarly, humans come down from the sky and, through the cycle of life, return to the eternal plane of the celestial bodies."

“Hmm…” Lin An fell into deep thought.

“See? You’re quite interested in the Bantu mysticism,” the python said, its body contorting. “Just consider it a vacation.”

The inward-facing circle radiates outwards.

The employees, the basement, and the goods fell away from its scales one by one, restoring the python to its physical form. The python passed Lin An and flowed into the "present" time.

"Stanislas Wabracombe..."

“God has no name, but I really like that carpenter’s name because ‘Zai’ fits my responsibility,” the python said earnestly after hearing his mutterings.

“Zai…Zaiir!” Lin An was taken aback. “You’ve kept Bantu’s old name.”

“‘Er’ means human, ‘Zaire’ means the people I protect. I will spare no effort to save the Bantu people from their dead end. This is the greatest blessing my ancestors have given me.”

The muffled sound disappeared into the void. Lin An stared intently as the last segment of the snake's tail vanished, then loosened his clenched fingers.

"Young man, have you seen enough? We're about to take our lunch break," an older woman nearby reminded him.

Stepping out of the pharmacy, the sun was blazing in Mbanbuka.

The woodland near the entrance seemed to have eaten its fill of grass and was resting in the shade of palm trees. A baby elephant was teasing a passing lizard, its big ears twitching, looking utterly adorable.

Suppressing his emotions, Lin An wandered aimlessly through the streets, briefly emptying his mind.

"You have received a message from Ranger_10. Do you want to check this user's status?"

The system notification made Lin An stop in his tracks.

"Yes."

Mezzo's concise and straightforward message immediately caught my eye:

“I believe you are real, but I know the person next to me is a complete imposter.”

Since I'm stuck in an endless loop, it seems the feedback from the World Tree system is the "reality."

"What's the situation now?" Lin An asked.

"Starting this morning..."

Mezo was unusually emotional and told Lin An the whole story: last night, the prophet Zai used a mysterious technique to make Lin An disappear from the current timeline.

Since he often left without saying goodbye, no one was particularly surprised.

Misuru then searches for Lin An on the streets of Udim at different times, while the shapeshifter takes the opportunity to disguise himself and pretend to meet him unexpectedly.

The prophet silently observed Lin An for a month and a half and understood his ways of doing things very well.

With his guidance, no one noticed anything amiss.

In the afternoon, the shapeshifter held a meeting and told everyone that his level of corruption had increased, causing a bug in the system. He said he would try to solve the problem in the meantime and ask everyone to reduce their use of the World Tree.

Distortion caused by contamination levels.

This was also Lin An's first guess when he discovered the discrepancy between the information and the facts; the shapeshifter's excuse was reasonable.

“Neither my sister nor Misuru believes me.” Mezo seemed very sad. “They’ve seen so many stars with you, yet they didn’t realize you’d been replaced by someone else… Why are they so much more ‘confused’ than I am, even though they’re just like me?”

Lin An pondered for a moment and replied, "Mezo, thank you for believing me, but don't reveal that you know the truth again."

"Aren't you going to explain it clearly?"

“The enemy is the source-level ‘God of Truth’. Once he finds out that we are still in contact, you will probably be trapped in the cycle.”

"Then what can I do?"

“Report the news to me every day,” Lin An instructed. “Other than that, don’t do anything rash, especially in front of the shapeshifting wizard. You have to pretend you know nothing.”

“But I hate lying, and I hate hiding my secrets even more.” Mezo’s emotions were always so straightforward; she never knew how to hide them. “Lin, when are you coming back?”

Lin An dared not make any promises, yet did not want to disappoint Mei Zuo. In the midst of this emotional turmoil, the message appeared as green data.

"New Year. I promise to spend the first day of 2039 with you all."

"That means only two months left!" Mezzo exclaimed excitedly. "I'll count the stars every day!"

(End of this chapter)