Chapter 126: Undercover Cultivation Strategy

Luo De swiftly dealt with the Shenglun faction's affairs.

Nafisi's review of the two papers he submitted went very smoothly; this itself is Luo De's strongest suit—slime cultivation and elemental creature soil experiments—and, with A Ru Cun having achieved actual results, Luo De obtained his apprentice Tuosha degree without wasting much time.

This is also the Academy's record for the fastest acquisition of an apprentice Tuosha degree ever.

Considering his perfect scores on both entrance exams and his status as Nafisi's disciple, this matter only caused a minor ripple in the Academy before calming down.

As for the earlier most widespread rumor that he used canned knowledge to achieve such high scores,

Now nobody mentions it anymore.

And the behind-the-scenes assistance for this matter.

One is that Luo De's two teachers are indeed extraordinary; even if they didn't actively dispel rumors, as long as they remain Academy sages, anyone who harbors any ulterior motive regarding this matter, seeing that public opinion isn't fermenting, dare not continue to add their anger to it.

The second is the Great Sage's assistant, Saitalei.

Nobody knows why someone of her status would be willing to speak up for Luo De, a newcomer who just enrolled and is suspected of cheating.

Those who know Saitalei well find it even more astonishing.

Saitalei is someone who places great importance on her own reputation.

Therefore, even though she and Luo De are both desert people, the suspicion of cheating on Luo De is enough to make her keep her distance.

Yet she did exactly that, even sternly warning the few students who spread the rumors most fiercely.

This made people even more surprised.

However, surprise is just surprise.

Out of consideration for her position as the Great Sage's assistant, everyone is still willing to give her face.

Such a two-pronged approach.

Thus, after the news spread that Luo De successfully obtained his apprentice Tuosha degree and began applying to prepare for the formal Tuosha degree, the voices of envy, resentment, or dislike toward him likewise did not stir up a wave as large as during the entrance examination.

Thus.

As the beneficiary of this matter.

After Luo De learned that Saitalei had spoken up for him, he proactively extended an invitation to her.

"Would you like me to invite you to A Ru Cun?"

Regarding Luo De's proactive proposal, Saitalei's first reaction was instinctively to refuse.

She hasn't returned to the desert for far too long.

Her habitual deliberate avoidance has long since become ingrained in her bone‑deep instinct.

However, upon further thought,

she then understood why Luo De had made that invitation.

Red King's Grace.

Since that day when Luo De told her about it, Saitalei has constantly kept it in mind.

She can't say whether it's longing or fear.

Fortunately, Saitalei no longer dreams.

Otherwise,

she would probably dream about this.

"If I, like him, go to give back to the desert, will the Red King also bestow his grace upon me?"

Saitalei has asked herself this question more than once.

But each time she reaches an answer, it's much the same.

"Her mistakes are too many; if the Red King doesn't blame her, that's already good enough—how could there still be grace?"

With such a mindset,

Saitalei has been having a rough time lately.

Her inner torment and conflict have further caused her to make two mistakes at work, and she was severely scolded by the Great Sage.

"Earlier, many things in A Ru Cun were still under construction, so there wasn't much to see, which is why I didn't think of inviting you, senior sister, to have a look."

"Wasn't I just out a few days ago?"

"When I came back, I happened to check the village; many facilities are already completed, so now is a good time for you to go."

Luo De smiled mysteriously and said, "If you go and see, you'll know why I have the Red King's Grace, and it can also serve as a reference for you, senior sister."

Upon hearing those last words,

Saitalei's heart suddenly began to pound.

Red King's Grace, divine knowledge.

This is truly too tempting.

Especially for her, a desert person who has nearly reached the top of the Academy.

You should know that the Red King civilization is universally recognized as advanced and cutting-edge.

Even to this day.

The Red King ruins still existing in desert relics remain a key focus of the Academy's excavation and research, from which countless new knowledge and benefits have been gained.

For example, the scholar Elu Shan who returned to the Academy a few days ago from a century ago.

Back then, based on unearthed documents such as stone inscriptions, she interpreted the composition and solutions of various mechanisms in ancient ruins; after a hundred years, to this day it remains the foundation of modern mechanism studies.

It is precisely thanks to her interpretation of the Red King ruins that the Academy's achievement in mechanism studies can be said to have undergone a qualitative leap over this century.

Moreover, not to mention far away,

the Luo De before our eyes is also a living example.

A desert person with no prior academic foundation, relying solely on the Red King's Grace, can repeatedly break the Academy's records.

Looking at Luo De with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, Saitalei's complexion kept shifting.

At first Luo De said they had obtained the Red King's grace.

Sai Ta Lei still had doubts about this.

Whenever Sai Ta Lei felt guilt toward the desert, they would claim Luo De was deceiving them as an excuse to skip that uneasy guilt.

But when witnessing Luo De return from the desert and immediately break the Academy's record again, then launch an attack toward obtaining the Swift Tuoshe Duo degree, Sai Ta Lei, no matter how unwilling to believe, had to admit one thing.

That is, the Red King's grace is very likely true.

Otherwise, no matter how talented Luo De is, it would be absolutely impossible to achieve their current accomplishments through self-study alone.

Then, the question arises.

Can someone like me, who is tantamount to a sinner to the desert, also receive the Red King's grace?

I fear.

It's probably difficult.

Just as Sai Ta Lei hesitated, feeling lost.

Luo De precisely spoke a few words that pierced Sai Ta Lei's heart: "The Red King will treat every desert dweller equally, whether sinner or hero, as long as they can contribute to the desert, the Red King will not be stingy with grace."

Having Nadixa read minds makes things easy; all of Sai Ta Lei's psychological changes are within Luo De's control.

Such precisely timed words are likewise very effective.

Sai Ta Lei, who had been in a state of hesitation.

Sai Ta Lei soon made a decision.

One could see Sai Ta Lei obviously holding a tentative attitude, nodding and agreeing to this: "Alright, when do we depart? How long will we stay? I need to ask leave from the Great Sage in advance."

"I also need to go to Xiban Duo Mo Academy to submit two papers to Teacher Ju Le Shi; at the earliest, it'll take about three days."

"As for how long to stay in A Ru Cun,"

"That's up to you."

"My new project's experimental site is set in A Ru Cun; after arriving, I won't return before the project is finished; if you want to leave then, you may do so at any time."

Sai Ta Lei knew that Luo De had obtained a new project, but when hearing that Luo De would again go to Xiban Duo Mo Academy to submit a paper,

Sai Ta Lei couldn't help but twitch their mouth: "Are you preparing to take the Plain Theory School's Tuoshe Duo exam?"

"Hmm."

Upon mentioning this, Luo De spread their hands, shrugged helplessly, and said: "There's no way; Teacher Ju Le Shi says I have already obtained the Tuoshe Duo degree in the Living Theory School, so in the Plain Theory School I must also achieve something similar, otherwise others will say Luo De's teaching ability is inferior to Teacher Na Fei Si's, in which case Luo De's old face would lose all prestige."

「。」

Sai Ta Lei was speechless for a moment, and also felt a sigh of emotion.

Teacher Ju Le Shi, Teacher Na Fei Si, what enviable titles!

Looking at Luo De, who is still there, blissfully unaware of their blessing, complaining that Teacher Ju Le Shi is giving them trouble, Sai Ta Lei truly felt envy.

There are two sages serving as teachers, and they both wholeheartedly nurture Luo De.

The papers are indeed pressing, but it's also a kind of happy worry, isn't it?

How many people each year want to take a sage as teacher but aren't qualified enough!

This also made Sai Ta Lei more determined to go see A Ru Cun.

"Alright, I'll go ask leave from the Great Sage now; I'll arrive on time in three days, just don't stand me up."

Having said that, Sai Ta Lei hurriedly left, and looking at the direction they went, it was indeed the Great Sage's office.

Gazing at Sai Ta Lei's back, it completely disappeared from view, and only then did Luo De smile faintly.

Want to rescue Nadixa.

The most important step is to gain control of the Void.

Don't think that Nadixa can now use the Void to transmit consciousness and learn knowledge.

That is because Nadixa is the "initial Void Terminal"; their consciousness can connect to the Void at any time, anywhere.

Even the Great Sage cannot do this.

Therefore they let Nadixa's consciousness roam in the Void.

But control of the Void has always remained in the hands of past Great Sages.

As long as one controls this,

it means that even if Nadixa regains divine power, they have no chance to open the prison that confines them.

"It was originally a room for deities to meditate."

Thinking of this, Luo De secretly sighed.

Locking Nadixa's prison is actually the chamber the Great Merciful Tree King once used to connect to the World Tree for meditation and seeking knowledge.

Originally there were switches both inside and outside.

To imprison Nadixa, the Academy removed the internal switch, leaving only the external one.

This modification ensures that Nadixa, relying on their own power, cannot forcibly break open this creation left by the Great Merciful Tree King.

Unless Nadixa's divine power surpasses the Great Merciful Tree King's millennia of accumulation, or one can control the sole Great Sage who holds the key.

The first is obviously impossible.

Imprisoned Nadixa has nearly lost all sources of faith; the worldly seven executive powers that should belong to them are barely obtained, and moreover Nadixa's age is still too young; five centuries of accumulation are utterly insufficient to shatter the creation personally crafted by the Great Merciful Tree King.

Now the only hope lies in the second method.

But it is regrettable.

All past Great Sages know that Nadixa's consciousness can be transmitted via the Void Terminal, so they have taken many precautions against Nadixa.

The places they usually stay.

Either they can block Nadixa's spying, or they simply refrain from wearing the Void Terminal, denying Nadixa the chance to peek or possess.

Such precautions force Nadixa, if they wish to save themselves, to have no better option than to slowly wait for an opportunity.

Moreover, the Academy's internal defenses are extraordinarily strict, a protective force with three layers inside and three layers outside; except for the Great Sage, the Pure Good Palace is even more strictly off‑limits to anyone.

This also makes a strong attack unrealistic.

So Luo De and Nadixa reached a unified plan on this matter.

Find an undercover.

An undercover who can contact Azhaer, also has a chance to find a loophole in the Academy's defenses, allowing Luo De to obtain that key from Azhaer and free Nadixa.

"Hope it succeeds."

On the way to Xibanduomo Academy, Luo De seemed to be talking to himself.

This saying is very common at the Academy.

Basically, every student has said it while walking along the road.

Unlike them, after Luo De finished speaking, he immediately received a reply — an affirmative reply from Nadixa: 'It will definitely succeed.'

(End of chapter)