Following Bai Hong's instructions, Mu En sat cross-legged in the center of the ritual altar set up in the wooden house, where the Fantasist's divine emblem was already engraved.
The principle behind solving the problem of the Dragon Core's malevolent energy invading Mu En's body was to create a spiritual environment through Bai Hong's ritual formation, one that could directly point to the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation. The reality within the formation's area would overlap with the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation.
Mu En, situated within the formation, would be directly influenced by the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation. Bai Hong could then mobilize the power of the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation, using the Fantasist's "Mind" authority to pacify the Dragon Core's malevolent energy within Mu En's body, completely absolving it.
Bai Hong sealed the wooden house with his mental force as a spiritual wall, then said to Zhang Lexuan, who was specially permitted to enter the wooden house: "Sister Lexuan, from now on, you will be the Bishop of our Unfettered Church's Shrek Academy Cathedral. Regarding our Unfettered Church's ritual formations, you must observe carefully and learn well."
Zhang Lexuan nodded, then looked at Bai Hong's setup with curiosity, a faint smile gracing her pretty face.
Bai Hong placed two candles sequentially on the ritual altar, and finally arranged a third candle representing himself. These candles all contained material components that he defined as symbols of the Fantasist's authority, capable of directing and implementing ritual spells.
"In ritual magic, 0 represents the unknown, symbolizing chaos, the state before the World's birth. 1 represents the beginning, symbolizing the first cause of the World's birth. 2 symbolizes the World's birth and the appearance of Divinities. 3 represents all things that emerged based on the World's birth."
"And here, we use two candles to symbolize Mr. Fantasist, and reserve the third for ourselves. These three candles, in another aspect, also symbolize everyone's physical body, spirituality, and Divinity."
Bai Hong said as he arranged: "My Lord Mr. Fantasist holds supreme authority over five great Domains: 'Imagination,' 'Mind,' 'Insight,' 'Dream,' and 'Loss of Control.' Therefore, it is necessary to arrange corresponding symbolic objects in designated directions, based on the existing divine emblem."
Of course, what specific symbolic objects were needed was all made up by Bai Hong himself; as long as they followed his rules, a ritual formation pointing to the Fantasist could be established.
He then successively took out specially made essential oils, a small silver knife with ornate patterns, a cup of clear water, and a dish of coarse salt.
"Ritual magic requires a clean, undisturbed spiritual environment, and this must be created by ourselves. The method is to first enter meditation to accumulate mental force, then use auxiliary items to guide our power out and construct it around us."
"If one has already converted to our church, and already possesses considerable mental force, or has even received a divine bestowal from our Lord, they can often directly use their mental force to set up such a spiritual environment. But Sister Lexuan, you are not a Spirit Master specializing in mental force, and have not yet received a divine bestowal from our Lord. This requires the auxiliary items I have brought out now. I will no longer explain; watch my operation."
Then, Bai Hong silently meditated for a short while, and then, following the order from left to right, from top to bottom, he rubbed spirit and matter together, lighting the three candles one by one.
Next, he picked up the silver knife, inserted it into the dish of coarse salt, and chanted: "I sanctify you, blade of pure silver!"
"I cleanse and purify you, that you may serve me in this ritual!"
"In the name of the God of Imagination, the Sovereign of Mind, the Father of Insight, you are sanctified!"
Afterward, Bai Hong withdrew the silver knife, then inserted it into the cup of clear water, lifted it, and pointed it at the space outside the ritual altar.
He walked around the circular table, and with each step, Zhang Lexuan could feel an invisible power gushing from the silver knife. They were full of spirituality, connecting with the air, forming an illusory, sealed wall.
Bai Hong then stood in front of the ritual altar, put down the silver knife, picked up the bottle of special essential oil, and flicked three drops onto each of the three candles.
With three sizzling sounds, a faint mist began to spread, and everything on the altar became dreamlike and illusory.
At this point, Bai Hong opened his spiritual vision and chanted in a low voice: "O Fantasist, who descends into the peerless! You are the supreme sovereign of the Mind World! You are the Father of Insight of all things!"
"Your humble devotee, Bai Hong, implores your favor!"
"I implore you to open the gates of your kingdom."
"I implore your gaze to fall upon this place."
"I implore the promise of 'Imagination,' I implore the favor of 'Insight,' I implore the beauty of 'Dream,' I implore the disregard of 'Loss of Control,' I implore the power of 'Mind.'"
"I implore you to pacify the malevolent energy within the person on the altar!"
This incantation echoed within the spiritually constructed sealed wall, stirring up swirling gales and bringing tremors of natural power.
In the continuous agitation, this gale plunged into the candle flame symbolizing the "Fantasist," expanding and tearing open an illusory door of normal size, inscribed with the Fantasist's divine emblem, which enveloped Mu En, who was sitting cross-legged on the altar.
The illusory door slowly opened. Behind it were brilliant clouds dyed in gilded ochre-red by the setting sun, countless indescribable, almost formless shadows, majestic steles containing vast knowledge, dense white mist above them, and an ancient palace overlooking the real World.
Since Bai Hong was too lazy to waste brain cells designing the appearance of the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation, he simply copied and pasted Mr. Fool's Sefirah Castle design and subtly adjusted it by incorporating elements of the Twilight Hermit Order.
The radiance emanating from the ancient palace of the Divine Kingdom of Emptiness and Ideation shone upon Mu En.
Mu En, who was meditating cross-legged on the altar, was illuminated by the light, and his expression gradually softened and relaxed from the tension of struggling with the Dragon Core's malevolent energy.
Wisps of black gas emerged from Mu En's body, and at the same time, they dissolved into nothingness like snow under the scorching sun.
The Dragon Core's malevolent energy, which had tormented Mu En's body for decades, thus completely vanished under the power of the Fantasist.
"The malevolent energy is almost completely dispelled, Elder Mu. You are now in an ideal, ethereal state and can directly absorb the Dragon Core," Bai Hong reminded him.
At the same time, he also turned to look at Zhang Lexuan: "Sister Lexuan, bring out all the heavenly treasures Shrek Academy prepared for Elder Mu. To ensure Elder Mu's complete recovery, in addition to absorbing the Dragon Core, he also needs good nourishment."
Mu En's body had been ravaged by the Dragon Core's malevolent energy for decades, and although he could finally truly absorb the Dragon Core to compensate for his deficiencies, a complete recovery would not happen overnight.
Thus, from mid-morning until evening, Mu En finally emerged from the wooden house.
Now, his originally streaked gray hair had deepened in color again, the wrinkles and age spots on his face had completely faded, and his previously emaciated body had become full once more. He was full of vigor, as if time had flowed backward to his prime, appearing as an old handsome man.
