After returning to his guest room, Ron first checked the room’s privacy protection measures.
As an academic institution, the Sand Sea School took guest privacy protection quite seriously.
The four walls of the room were embedded with "Soundproof Stones," effectively preventing the leakage of sound and magic power fluctuations.
Once confirming it was safe, he began preparing for a deep divination.
The "Ancient Plant Pathology Atlas" gifted by Sheena lay quietly on the desk.
"To safely obtain the knowledge within, one must first thoroughly understand its essence."
Ron took out the complete set of Star Disc Divination tools from the Storage Bag.
Unlike the simplified pendant divination, a full Star Disc Divination required more preparation.
But the information obtained was also more detailed and accurate.
He first laid a divination rug woven from silver thread on the floor, with intricate constellation patterns embroidered on it.
Then, he placed the main Star Disc at the center of the rug.
Ron silently recited the meditation rhythms of the "Star Eater’s Ravings," causing his consciousness to begin withdrawing inward.
The deep silver light of the Hermit Star first lit up, granting him the ability to perceive the truth beneath appearances;
The gentle golden glow of the Scholar Star responded next, giving him the wisdom to interpret complex symbols;
The composite spectrum of the Observer Star joined in last, ensuring that he could capture the subtlest information fluctuations.
The threefold starlight converged and fused in his Spiritual Space, forming a stable and powerful cognitive amplification field.
"Let me see what secrets this book truly hides."
Ron gently placed his right hand on the center of the Star Disc, beginning to input the core question of the divination:
"What is hidden in this book, and how can I safely obtain the knowledge within?"
The Star Disc immediately responded.
The runes on its surface began to light up in a mysterious sequence, forming a complex energy circuit.
The light spread outward like ripples from the center.
When it reached the edge of the divination rug, it bent and gathered again, weaving a hazy image in the air.
The first layer of the image gradually became clear:
It was still that giant web, but the perspective was more clear and detailed this time.
Ron could see that the "flowers" on the web were not mere disguises but intricately crafted trap devices.
Each petal of the flowers was a sharp metal blade, with tiny nozzles hidden within the stamens that released paralyzing toxins.
The entire construction of the web was so precise, like a complex machine specifically designed to capture certain prey.
What made him frown was the faint trace of other victims deeper within the web.
Evidently, Ron was not the first victim lured by such "academic bait."
The second layer of the image began to overlap and appear:
The disguised flowers began to shed their ornate exterior, revealing their true structure inside.
Those were strange, black mushrooms.
The shapes of these mushrooms were bizarre and twisted, their surfaces covered with patterns resembling human faces.
When Ron observed closely, he could hear faint whispers emanating from the mushrooms.
They were the murmurs of the dead, the lamentations of forgotten souls.
"Death Mushrooms..."
He confirmed the symbolic meaning of these images in his heart.
In traditional interpretations of Divination, Death Mushrooms represent forbidden knowledge, particularly secret techniques related to death and souls.
"So, indeed, Sheena’s book contains knowledge of Necromancy."
The appearance of the third layer of the image brought the divination to its climax:
Just as the Death Mushrooms were emitting an enticing toxic fragrance, a silver bird suddenly appeared in the sky.
The bird’s form was extremely elegant, its wings as light as thin silk, its whole body filled with time energy.
The silver bird, without any hesitation, swooped down and swallowed the entire Death Mushroom whole.
Amazingly, the deadly toxins and negative energy not only failed to harm the silver bird but made its feathers even more lustrous and beautiful.
After devouring, the silver bird spread its wings and soared high, circling once in the sky above the web.
As if mocking the intricately designed traps, it then vanished into the horizon.
The divination image gradually dissipated, and the Star Disc returned to calm.
However, Ron’s heart was enlightened as if struck by lightning.
"The silver bird... a symbol of time..."
He instinctively reached for the silver pocket watch on his chest, suddenly realizing the message the divination intended to convey:
"Hunting Ability!"
This was a possibility he had always overlooked.
The pocket watch’s "hunting" ability, theoretically, could devour non-living objects as well as living beings.
If he could obtain the knowledge in the book this way, he could avoid the traps set by Sheena and ensure his own safety.
......
Recalling the scene when the "hunting" ability first awakened, Ron sighed softly.
Initially, he was preparing to analyze a raven with a weak Extraordinary Bloodline to determine its value as alchemy material.
At that time, he hadn’t fully understood the true nature of this newly acquired ability.
With a mindset of experimentation, he directed his spiritual power at the silver pocket watch, trying to activate the dormant "hunting" mechanism within it.
However, at the moment the ability was activated, he himself was startled.
An almost tangible aura of terror burst from the pocket watch.
It was a primal yearning mixed with "hunger" and "possession."
It was as if an invisible giant beast was gazing hungrily at all living things in the room, ready to tear them apart and devour them at any moment.
The raven on the experimental table, the direct target, bore the brunt of this intense pressure.
This transcendent creature, usually quite composed due to being trained from a young age, immediately fluffed up, its feathers scattering like an explosion.