They all call me Great Master

The text before Arthur indicated that the "Orange Cat" was complete.

But...

The "Death Qi" had not disappeared!

It was still there.

It was still lingering.

To confirm, Arthur checked the text before him again—

[The ritual "Orange Cat" is complete!]

[Orange Cat: Originating from the complete Cat Hole's Orange Sect, also a faction of Aeolia, it stems from the original "Demon Cat," unlike "Cat's Black" with its concealment and spirit communication, "Cat's Marten" with its agility and power, "Cat's Flower" with its talent. The initiates of the "Orange Cat" ceremony are more stable, possessing adaptability, recovery, and endurance that other rituals of indulgence and vows do not offer.]

[Effects: 1, Ordination; 2, Feast; 3, Self-healing; 4, Adaptive State; 5, Golden Thread]

[Ordination: Facing food, one cannot be picky and must finish it, with at least six hours of deep sleep daily.]

[Feast: The consumed food will be fully digested and transformed into body muscle and fat, causing a slow growth in physique.]

[Self-healing: Faces injuries and negative states with better recovery.]

[Adaptive State: Faster adaptation to unfamiliar, extreme environments; reduces needs when facing special requirement props.]

[Golden Thread: Those who complete the Ordination ritual can harmonize a Spirituality of up to (and including) three, and as Ordination accumulates over the years, the harmony value will steadily increase.]

(Note 1: If "Ordination" is not completed, "Spirituality" will become temporarily disordered; if "Ordination" is not achieved over a long period, "Golden Thread" status will be damaged.)

(Note 2: When facing food filled with toxins or malice, the "Ordained" can ignore it.)

(Note 3: Under the enhancement of "Feast," initiates will break through the original body size limitations as their physique increases.)

(Note 4: "Orange Cat" can not only perfectly integrate other Cat Hole's and Cat Faction's rituals but also stack well with the Spirituality brought by arcane artifacts.)

(Note 5: When the initiates learn rituals of other sects and secret teachings, "Orange Cat" also exhibits strong adaptability, especially as the duration of "Ordination" increases, so does the adaptability.)

(Note 6: While harmonizing and adapting stacked arcane artifacts' Spirituality, it cannot exceed the inherent limits of the artifacts, but "Adaptive State" can make some modifications.)

(Note 7: "Feast," "Self-healing," and "Adaptive State" will also grow slowly as the "Ordination" time increases.)

...

Nothing!

There was absolutely no note regarding that wave of "Aroma of Death."

What was present was only the "Orange Cat's" 'great power'!

Not only was it comprehensive, but it could also adapt to other rituals!

Moreover, it could even grow!

Upon reading the introduction of the "Orange Cat," Arthur suddenly understood why the original entity from the Cat Hole was known as "Demon Cat."

Because—

The older, the more demonic!

Given enough time, it could truly grow into a terrifying entity.

Only, this time...

It was likely to be very extended!

'Does it have a long life?

[Hercules' Gold Potion]!'

Almost subconsciously, Arthur thought of the first of the "four great magic potions" concocted by the alchemist and potion master, rumored to transform one into an Immortal Breed with a long lifespan, a perfect match for [Orange Cat].

'Must get my hands on it!'

Arthur thought resolutely.

However, that was for later!

Now?

He looked toward the lingering "Aroma of Death."

[Spirituality] did not warn him of danger.

[Death Intuition] did not flash either.

It seemed just to be simply lingering.

But...

Why was it lingering around him?

'A curse then?

So this is...

"Death Poetry Society's doing?"

Arthur thought almost subconsciously.

He had foiled the Death Poetry Society's plans numerous times, so it was only natural for them to retaliate, and indeed, they should have shown up on this trip—an opportunity too good to miss. If they didn't, Arthur would have been even more worried.

But, wasn't this "Aroma of Death" a bit too pure?

Arthur had seen members of the Death Poetry Society in action before.

Even, to some extent, experienced it firsthand.
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The "Aroma of Death" that the Death Poetry Society member possessed compared to the one at hand was like comparing sewage in a ditch to purified water.

The difference was too great!

"Could it be the legendary president of the Death Poetry Society personally taking action?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes, then shook his head internally.

If it were really the president, who had fought the Old Lion of Inner Bay twice without either side winning, then his "Death Intuition" would have been flashing like a beacon by now.

But now, his "Death Intuition" showed no change at all!

Just as Arthur was puzzled, the "Aroma of Death" suddenly stopped wandering.

Under Arthur's "Spirituality," the "Aroma of Death" halted.

It was like a lost child who had seen its family.

Then—

With cheers and leaps, filled with chills and silence, surrounded by calamity and misfortune, it rushed towards him.

Arthur subconsciously wanted to dodge, but the "Aroma of Death" was too fast, too fast for him to really react.

The next moment!

His "Death Intuition" started to flash.

It was not flashing a warning, but a promotion.

"Death Intuition: Having experienced death once, and now encountering the purest 'Death,' your sensitivity to death has long surpassed the so-called 'Death's Favor.' When death directed at you approaches, you will always notice, not only in the present time but also in the brief future to come."

…

And it didn't end there!

The flashing of his "Death Intuition" stopped.

But the text still appeared—

"Breath of Death: The purest 'Death' has given you one of the original 'Talents.' From today onward, your descendants will also have a lesser 'Death Talent' until the tenth generation, after which this talent will gradually disappear. However, as the 'source of the Talent,' when your descendants gaze upon you, even those of the tenth generation might activate the Weak 'Death Talent'! Moreover, possessing this 'Talent', you will bring calamity to any creature not favored by destiny that you come into contact with, causing them, her, him, and it to face misfortune and endure disaster, and such deaths will always bring you more 'Death Qi.'"

"Effects: 1, Death Qi; 2, Deterrence; 3, Extreme Longevity"

"Death Qi: The essence of death from surrounding beings will be absorbed by you, this Death Qi can accumulate, and when you use this Death Qi for attacks or defense, it will be consumed. When the Death Qi is exhausted, 'Breath of Death' will enter a rampaging indiscriminate calamity state, within a hundred-meter radius of you, living beings, unless favored by fate, will hardly escape disaster."

"Deterrence: Facing undead, specters, and other deathly entities, you possess natural deterrence."

"Extreme Longevity: Your lifespan has been extended to the limit of your species."

(Note 1: The absorption of Death Qi is unavoidable, exempt from immunity, and cannot be peeped. When attacked by Death Qi controlled by others, you can choose to absorb or refuse. When refused, the other party's Death Qi attack will dissipate as Death Qi that cannot be absorbed.)

(Note 2: Deterrence may be enhanced by using Death Qi.)

(Note 3: Extreme Longevity cannot exempt accidents, for that is the joke of fate.)

(Note 4: Current Death Qi 44.4)

…

Lonely Star of Calamity!

As Arthur saw the effects and notes of the "Breath of Death," this thought emerged at the bottom of his heart.

"How did this talent come about?

Could there really be such a thing as the Grim Reaper?

And, does he really favor me that much?"

Already back by the campfire, sitting on a log, Arthur was utterly puzzled, lost in thought as if he were an old man engrossed in his smartphone.

And it was at this moment that a deathly silence of pure white appeared—

"Lord Kledos, Morielk of the Death Poetry Society's Thirty Choir has the honor of meeting you!

Death has brought you and me together.

Therefore, I hope you do not let down death and choose...

to surrender."