The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) A. Kay (best management books of all time .TXT) 📖

came from Spirit poor worlds with no possibility to advance, so other methods were required to balance these gods’ power.”

Ruwen had learned in the Spirit Realm that attaining the power of the Divine levels required seven of the twelve Meridians to connect to your center. “If you damaged or destroyed enough Meridian pathways, a god would lose their divinity.”

Dusk sighed. “It makes us very unpopular with the divine crowd, and an automatic target for assassination.”

Once all those gods found out Ruwen was an Axiom, that all his Meridians connected to his center, they would try to kill him anyway.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Dusk said. “Against the odds today, you earned the right to test for Master. If you pass the Master’s trial,” Dusk said and then paused. She held out her hand, revealing a translucent pearl on her palm. It grew bright and Ruwen squinted his eyes. The light disappeared and Dusk continued. “If you find enough of your soul to power this pearl, then I’ll offer you the Grandmaster path of a Shadow Strider.”

Ruwen froze. He’d heard that term before. It took him a moment to remember where. It had been in his room at the library. Tremine had used it as part of an introduction.

Ruwen gently took the pearl from Dusk. It felt cold, and he clenched it tightly. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

Dusk continued. “I’ve already assigned you a Sisen to mentor you on your path as a Shadow Grandmaster. Please don’t embarrass us by failing your Master’s test.” Dusk looked behind Ruwen and smiled. “Here she is now.”

Ruwen turned, already knowing who he’d find.

“Hey, kid,” Ky said. “Nice hat.”

Chapter 35

Ruwen bowed to Kysandra. He’d last seen her in Deepwell’s library just before he and Sift had left to get Hamma the day after Ruwen’s Ascendancy. It felt like a lifetime ago. “I survived Big D’s camping trip.”

“She barely did,” Ky said. “You took your time in the Spirit Realm.”

“He has been to the Spirit Realm?” Dusk asked. “How did he escape?”

Ruwen stepped away from the temple so he could see both women.

Ky crossed her arms. “Tell us how long you’ve been Step training.”

Ruwen winced. “That’s complicated.”

Ky pointed at Ruwen. “When I left him, two months ago, he thought the first Step was a squat, and I honestly didn’t think he’d survive the first three levels of the Pyramid.”

Dusk frowned. “I watched his forms. They are almost flawless.”

“That’s what the Addas told me,” Ky said. “Which is why I’m curious about his progress these last two months.”

Ruwen sighed. “I learned it all in less than a day.”

Both women stared at Ruwen.

“It started—”

Ky held out her hand, interrupting Ruwen. “I’ve heard your explanations before. Skip to the end.”

Ruwen reorganized his thoughts. “My bonded Bookwyrm, Rami, sped my thoughts while I used a technique to buffer the pain. Rami stretched those hours into four and a half years, all spent in constant Step practice.”

Dusk looked at Ky. “Bookwyrms are capable of such things?”

Ky raised her eyebrows. “Rami is Miranda’s daughter.”

Dusk studied Ruwen and then looked back at Ky. “The Addas only told us they had another candidate. It seems they omitted a few details.”

“To be fair,” Ky said. “I’m not sure how much they know.” Ky pointed at Ruwen. “He is more complicated than you can imagine.”

“How complicated?” Dusk asked.

Ky tilted her head. “Let’s see. He is Uru’s Champion. Multiple gods are actively trying to kill him, including Izac. He is soulbound to Miranda’s daughter. He is working on the Ink Lord quests. Miranda is mentoring the dungeon he bonded, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her leave the Black Pyramid. I haven’t confirmed it, and I know it’s impossible, but I think he can Cultivate. Naktos banished him to the Spirit Realm and the rumors are Lalquinrial helped him return to the Material Realm with three other Champions of Uru.”

Four champions actually, Ruwen thought. It made him happy that Ky didn’t know about Izac’s Champion Jagen. She also didn’t know about killing Lalquinrial’s favorite Plague Siren or the Aspect that was stuck inside him. Ky suspected he could Cultivate but didn’t know he was an Axiom. Or that the Fourth Secret referred to him. But all that just strengthened her example, so he kept quiet.

Dusk looked at Ruwen. “You know Lalquinrial? Is that why you helped Echo?”

Ky looked from Dusk to Ruwen. “You know Echo?”

Ruwen held up his hands. “I don’t even know who Lalquinrial is. And Blapy has almost killed me multiple times.” He didn’t mention the time she had killed him with a lightning strike for accidentally Harvesting on the first level.

“Blapy?” Dusk asked.

“His nickname for Miranda,” Ky said quietly.

Dusk hissed. “You nicknamed the Companion, Blapy.”

Ruwen waved his hands this time. “That wasn’t my idea. Sift is a really dumb namer and he—”

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Ky said, interrupting Ruwen. “The Addas’ boy is his best friend.”

Dusk squinted at Ruwen. “We were aware of Miranda’s affection for Sift, but have only recently understood why. And as soon as that puzzle was solved, you appear. An even greater enigma. Miranda has never taken this much interest in someone.”

“Others will notice as well,” Ky said. She held up her palm and the tree symbol marking her as one of Ruwen’s hands glowed. “Uru has collected the debt that allowed me this path. I have no regrets. But, if he earns a place among us, it endangers the Clan. They could come for you.”

Dusk laughed. “We are always in danger, you know that Sijun.”

Ky bowed to Dusk. “Yes, Sisen.”

Dusk’s eyes gleamed. “The last person I met this ‘complicated’ was a terrible poet who destroyed the Universe. How interesting.”

Ky bowed again, and Ruwen followed her lead. When he rose, Dusk had disappeared.

Ky turned to Ruwen. “Kid, what in Uru’s name are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be defending your new city?”

“I had some time, so I thought I’d take care of a few things in Blapy. Then the Addas got me.”

“Can’t you