The Secret Cult Chronicles of the Decaying Lake Manor

That evening, George returned to his room but instead of reading before bed as usual, he went to the card table first.

His main task was to clarify the existing information and find a way to cleanse Elliott of his corruption.

There's only one "Rationality" card left to use, but there are so many places where it's needed.

The previous Alchemy and Potions books haven't been analyzed yet, but now the Viscount's new book list has arrived.

Moreover, the effective period of the [Clear Light Potion] is almost over—it certainly won't last until the next [Rationality] card recovery.

In the card table space, George waved and grabbed Elliott's familiar cards.

At this moment, an ominous shadow looms over this card. After using [Song of Glass Island], the card's [Note 2] has changed.

[Note 2: This person's recent exposure to contamination has been temporarily contained, but the contamination still needs to be removed as soon as possible (Hint: Alchemy artifacts or potions based on the Candle Code can solve this problem)]

George first took the [Purifying Potion] card he had high hopes for, placed the two cards together, and linked them together with his mind.

The prompt appeared as he expected, but the information it provided was not very helpful.

The purification potion can cleanse the pollution present in this person. However, its potency is too strong, and direct use may cause permanent damage to the spirit. Using it with a suitable solvent or diluent can mitigate the damage.

George frowned deeply.

Last night he read the alchemy book that Thomas had given him, which mentioned several diluents.

I can certainly use the analytical function of the [Rationality] card to directly understand the techniques in alchemy books.

However, the recipe for the Purifying Elixir also requires the [Rationality] card, and the card even states that it has been "modified and has complex ingredients".

If, after the analysis is completed, it cannot be reconstituted for various reasons, then Elliott will be in danger.

George temporarily set aside the [Purifying Potion], picked up other cards and linked them with [Acquaintance Elliott], trying to find another way.

The existing [Awakening Elixir] and [Blood of King Arthur] have no effect on this, so they seem to be unsuitable.

Although the Golden Sun Amulet does produce a reaction, it only temporarily suppresses the pollution after wearing it. To completely eliminate the pollution, another method must be found.

The hint given by the highly anticipated "Song of Glass Island" made him chuckle – if this skill were to be used to cleanse the pollution, it would require a Herald to activate it.

He couldn't very well pull his own adoptive father up to save the person, could he?

In the subsequent tests, the [Root Meaning of the Lapis Lazuli Mandala] gave an unexpected response.

[The esoteric Buddhist society has not been established, and the sect cards have not been unlocked. This person is not a follower and cannot receive instruction.]

After a moment of silence, George noted down the clue and continued searching for other methods.

Fortunately, the next card he picked up brought a satisfactory response.

Morgan le Fay's Holy Grail Fountain

[Sexual characteristics: candle, wine, recipe]

[A bright and vibrant drink...]

[Note: This product can purify the contamination suffered by "acquaintance Elliott". Approximately 500 ml is needed, which is 17.6 fl oz, 0.880 pints, 0.11 gallons...]

Seeing the humorous unit conversion at the end of the prompt, George immediately disconnected the link between the two cards.

How come he never noticed before that his cheat ability also included a talent for telling corny jokes?

Considering that the [Rationality] card should be restored sooner rather than later, and that he had a bunch of books waiting in line, George only spent a few minutes weighing his options before acquiring a book card.

[The Art of Alchemy: An Overview of Basic Techniques and Principles]

[Sexual aspects: Candle, Star, Book]

[A limited-edition, unpublished book, likely from a well-organized group. Its content is comprehensive yet easy to understand, making it an essential tool for beginners tackling this complex skill.]

The Golden Finger's description of the book was very accurate. In George's opinion, the book was indeed profound yet easy to understand, and even a novice like him with only a superficial understanding could read it with ease.

If he weren't in a rush to start practicing potion making, he would rather read it once and then analyze it.

But in this urgent situation, he used his last remaining [Rationality] card to complete the analysis, gaining access to the new card and the knowledge contained within it.

Alchemy is a discipline that mortals see as a means, while wise men see it as an end. Alluring gold is merely a pebble found along the path to sainthood; even from the most materialistic perspective, alchemy should be viewed as the art of life chemistry.

"When the students' ears were ready to listen, Hermes generously poured out words of wisdom, just as He had done three centuries earlier." But we'd better begin by learning some common, basic methods; after all, practice is the best teacher of the material world.

After the text flashed by, new cards materialized.

A Grand View of Alchemy

[Sexual Aspect: Candle 4, Star 2, Secret Transmission]

Alchemy was once considered the supreme art that granted people wealth, wisdom, morality, and ultimately, communication with the Creator. This knowledge encompasses only a very superficial aspect, yet the changes it caused are equally irreversible.

After using his mind to contact the cards and read the extensive technical information within them, George left the card table with satisfaction.

He decided to take another look at the new book he had just received before going to bed, by the light of the fireplace and candles.

[A Shocking Secret! It's Actually Like This]

[Sexual aspects: Candle, Star, Book]

The most striking feature of this book's black cover is undoubtedly the author's name, embossed in gold: "D.W. Weatherhead, Keithley," overshadowing the potentially sensational title. The book's content largely relates to the printer's observations within spiritualist circles, with certain passages accompanied by insightful annotations from a reader, whose value surpasses the majority of the book's mystical and superstitious content.

Although it's called a book, based on George's cursory glances, it actually seems more like a compilation of magazines.

Numerous reports on famous psychics, correspondence with many prominent figures, and written discussions on the development of a new "local spiritualism" movement.

He chose this book for two reasons.

First, part of the book is about how to form a psychic circle, which is a valuable reference for George, who had little organizational experience in his previous life, to try to form a cult and unlock more functions of the card table.

Secondly, this may also be the reason why the Viscount included this book on his reading list. The reports of mediums communicating with spirits recorded in the book may very well contain genuine information—that is to say, some of the mediums did indeed enter the spirit world and were subtly recorded in the reports, which may have been annotated by the Viscount himself.

The previous "Night Wanderings" mentors touched on the journey to the spirit world. However, while the poetic descriptions were mysterious and magnificent, they were vague and difficult to understand from the perspective of beginners.

Previously, when using the card table analysis, no secret transmission was produced; only two "Paths" cards without knowledge were given. George still only knows what the spirit world is like but not why it is like that.

With this compilation of spiritual mediums at hand, he can fill in the gaps in his knowledge.