"But remember..."
Her voice gradually became distant:
"In this harsh world, opportunities often come only once. If missed, they may never come again."
With these words, the dream realm completely dissolved.
Ron suddenly opened his eyes, finding himself still lying on the isolation room’s bed.
"Curse reversal, Master relationship, Uphemia’s truth, Aiden’s scheme..."
He sat up and began to sort through the massive amount of information he had just received:
"Each is an important factor that could alter the trajectory of destiny."
As a rational researcher, he started analyzing the authenticity and reliability of these pieces of information.
Though the King of Illusions is powerful, she also has her own stance and purpose.
The information she provided may be true, but it could also carry some directional bias.
"Need to verify through other channels..."
Ron was formulating his subsequent action plan in his mind:
"About Selena and Aiden’s history, it can be verified through ancient documents.
About Uphemia’s identity, it can be analyzed by observing her behavior patterns.
Regarding the curse reversal technology, we can start by studying the theoretical basics."
He rose from the bed, walking to the center of the room.
Though the isolation room was closed off, he was not restricted from meditation and thought.
"Right..."
He recalled the divination that had already guided him twice importantly:
"Perhaps I should use divination to explore the future direction of these choices."
With this thought, Ron began to retrieve an obsidian divination mirror from his storage bag.
This time, he intended to use another advanced divination technique—deep reflection.
This is a relatively dangerous form of divination.
By mapping the consciousness to the depths, one can obtain blurred revelations about the future.
He lit three candles of different colors, each representing a different future possibility.
Red represents active engagement, blue represents passive observation, black represents complete withdrawal.
As the candles burned, a peculiar scent began to permeate the air.
In this state, the diviner is more easily able to receive deep revelations.
"Use chaos as a mirror, use time as a guide, reveal the truth of destiny..."
With the chanting of the spell, the obsidian mirror surface began to undergo strange transformations.
The darkness on the surface was no longer static, beginning to ripple like liquid.
These ripples had no fixed shape, constantly changing, like living ink flowing on glass.
The first image, blurred almost beyond recognition.
Ron saw a twisted shadow, tightly entwined by countless fine lines.
These fine lines came from all directions, each connecting to different origins.
The shadow was struggling, attempting to break free from these constraints, but each struggle only tightened the bonds further.
"Is this... my current situation?"
He tried to interpret this abstract image.
The shadow represented himself, and those fine lines were various complex relationships and obligations.
Lady Allen’s tutelage, Cassandra’s pull, Uther’s protection, Nari’s kinship...
Each seemingly independent relationship actually formed part of a massive network.
The mirror’s image began to differentiate, displaying three different development paths.
In the image linked to the red candle, the shadow ceased struggling and began to actively utilize those fine lines.
It became stronger, even starting to weave its own network.
But the cost was bearing more risk, getting entangled in more complex conflicts.
In the image linked to the blue candle, the shadow tried to remain still, neither struggling nor taking initiative.
But this passivity did not bring safety, instead letting it gradually be assimilated by those fine lines, ultimately losing its shape.
The most disquieting was the image linked to the black candle.
The shadow exerted all its strength to break free from all the lines, gaining surface-level freedom.
But without support, it started drifting aimlessly in the void, eventually dissolving into the darkness.
"Indeed..."
Ron calmly analyzed these abstract images:
"I am now fully at the center of this complex network; it’s impossible to remain unaffected."
The mirror continued to display more details.
On the active engagement path, he saw himself side by side with a white-haired woman.
Behind them was a burning battlefield, ahead was a giant figure surrounded by blood-red light.
This was evidently the prophetic image of cooperating with Uphemia to resist Aiden.
But the outcome of the battle was unclear, sometimes victory, sometimes defeat, more often a complex state between the two.
On the passive observation path, he saw himself standing alone atop a high tower, watching the distant flames of war.
On the surface, it seemed safe, but the foundation of the tower was slowly fracturing.
Eventually, the entire tower would collapse, burying the observer along with it.
And on the complete withdrawal path, the image was the darkest.
He saw himself wandering alone in a desolate space, without any allies or enemies nearby.
Though avoiding conflict, he also lost all opportunities to gain greater power.
Ultimately, when real danger came, the isolated him could only become the first victim to be devoured.
"The choice is already very clear."
Ron put away the divination mirror, sighing slightly in his heart:
"Active engagement poses the greatest risk, but it is also the only path that can truly yield benefits."
He recalled the words of the King of Illusions:
In this complex world, not choosing itself is the most passive form of choice.
Passivity and avoidance, compared to actively taking responsibility, can sometimes lead to even more terrifying results.
"The curse reversal technology truly deserves in-depth study."
Ron began to develop a concrete action plan in his mind:
"It can not only help Uphemia but also provide additional protection for myself."
He imagined various scenarios of applying this technology.
Any existence attempting to cast controlling spells on him would find themselves becoming the victim instead.
This "imitating the enemy’s tactics" ability is the ultimate insurance for survival in a complex environment.
"Moreover, establishing a deep cooperative relationship with Uphemia through this matter also aligns with long-term interests."
He recalled various information about this Blood Moon Clan genius.
If he could liberate her from Aiden’s control, the value of gaining such a powerful ally would be immeasurable.
Night deepened, with only the faint glow from the Magic Crystal Lamp remaining in the isolation room.
Ron tidied up his divination tools, leaning back in his chair and sinking into thought.
Tomorrow the isolation period would end, and he could formally report the results of this exploration to Uther.
Then apply to return to the Central Lands to start implementing his new plan.