Chapter 129: Is it A Ru Cun that you owe an apology to?

The next few days.

Luo De, who had set aside all his affairs, focused all his attention on the waste drafts Ju Leshi had given him.

As he had expected.

These waste drafts were truly only waste in name.

Many of the potion formulas and experimental verification steps recorded here are already extremely close to the correct formula.

Even though Luo De was a novice who had only recently begun studying alchemy.

Relying on this stack of so-called waste drafts, he also successfully synthesized quite a few entirely new potions.

According to Nadixa's appraisal.

The effects of these potions are basically functional; some are useful, some are not much use, at least for now.

Among them, the most special potion is a peculiar one that does not harm the human body at all, yet can completely dissolve and volatilize any fabric.

This is not a new potion, but a potion from Ju Leshi's discarded cases.

When he first synthesized this potion.

Ju Leshi directly marked it as a discarded case.

"Besides pranks, it has no use."

This was Ju Leshi's comment on the discarded case.

Including Nadixa, when she saw this potion, she couldn't immediately think of what use it might have.

Only Luo De, after synthesizing this potion and repeatedly confirming its effect, was overjoyed.

"Burn-healing divine medicine!"

Playing with the potion bottle in his hand, Luo De chuckled.

"Burn-healing divine medicine?"

Nadixa asked doubtfully.

Fanlushan, who shared the same question, stood beside Luo De, intently watching him synthesize potions on the alchemy bench.

Unlike Dina Zeda and Saitalei.

She came to A Ru Cun just to relax.

Therefore, she goes wherever makes her feel good.

Watching Luo De concentrate on his experiments is the thing that makes her feel best in this village.

Luo De suits Fanlushan's taste.

Whether it is his extraordinary learning or his willingness to use knowledge for the sake of contribution.

These align perfectly with Fanlushan's ideals.

Especially the sentence Luo De said to Saitalei when he arrived: 'Knowledge should not be divided into useful and useless.'

And also the saying: 'Everything I learn has its use.'

These fit Fanlushan extremely well.

Many people gather with their kind, but few are truly like-minded.

Fanlushan greatly admires Luo De, whose views on knowledge are completely consistent with hers.

But this does not prevent her from questioning Luo De's so-called 'burn-healing divine medicine': 'You said this has no therapeutic effect, so how can a medicine with no therapeutic effect be called a divine medicine?'

If it weren't Luo De who said this.

Fanlushan would surely criticize it harshly.

"Oh dear."

"You guys, when you look at things, why do you only look at the surface?"

Facing the doubts raised simultaneously by Nadixa and Fanlushan, Luo De asked: 'Have you ever seen someone with burns?'

"We have, what's up?"

After staying long at the Academy, who hasn't seen a wounded soldier?

But what does that have to do with Luo De's so-called 'burn-healing divine medicine'?

While Fanlushan was still puzzled, Nadixa suddenly realized.

"Clothes!"

"Yes, it's clothes."

"Clothes?"

Fanlushan scratched her head, still not understanding.

Talking across disciplines is exhausting.

Luo De shook his head again and said: 'Treating burn patients, especially severe ones, the biggest hassle is not treating the wound but the clothing stuck to it; moreover, to prevent infection, one must waste a lot of time cleaning off clothing remnants from the wound, which delays time that could be used for treatment.'

He said.

Luo De lifted the bottle of pale red potion, gently shook it, watched the liquid inside sway like water, and smiled: 'Now that we have this, when we encounter a burn patient again, pouring this potion on them will quickly remove the clothing remnants stuck to them, thereby speeding up treatment.'

"How about it, do you now think this is useless?"

"Does it deserve the name of a burn-healing divine medicine?"

Clearly, the potion from the discarded case has become a divine medicine.

This feels somewhat fantastical.

But Fanlushan cannot help but admit one thing.

That Luo De indeed found the most suitable use for something deemed 'useless'.

"Some things are not truly good-for-nothing; they merely lack a suitable opportunity."

After putting away this potion, Luo De laughed and dove into the next experiment.

"Is it just lacking a suitable opportunity?"

"Fanlushan also smiled, continuing to watch Luo De operate the alchemy table there attentively."

"One watches, the other gets hands-on."

"The two maintained this state until Dixiya and the others, who had taken Saitalei on a tour of the village, returned."

"Just then, Luo De had just synthesized a new potion."

"Counting that bottle of burn-healing divine medicine, he has already produced over a dozen new potions these past few days, four of which are usable, enough for the tasks assigned by Juleshi."

"Pop—pop—"

"Luo De clapped his hands, gathered these potions, then picked up a small bag and handed it to Kantisi, who had returned together with Dixiya and the others."

"\"New fertilizer, help me deliver it to A De Ba Yi so he can test its effect. \""

"\"Kantisi asked nothing, took the bag, turned and left. \""

"\"Watching her retreating back, Saitalei asked: \"Fertilizer? \"\""

"\"Hmm. \""

"\"Just relying on the fertility maintained by grass slimes is still not enough. \""

"\"Moreover, grass slimes always grow up; although adult grass slimes don't damage the land, they have a violent temper and are prone to causing injuries. \""

"\"So we must always research a solution that can replace grass slimes. \""

"Luo De chuckled: \"My new project. \""

"\". \""

"Saitare fell silent for a moment, then asked again: \"Do you have any results? \""

"\"Hmm, I do. \""

"Luo De did not deny it, and even brought Saitare to see the soil adhesive he had synthesized yesterday."

"\"Soil adhesive? \""

"\"Upon hearing that name, Saitare froze. \""

"\"She understood each character individually, but put together they felt completely unfamiliar. \""

"\"Come see the effect. \""

"Luo De waved at her."

"Dixiya and Fanlushan were also with them."

"Soon."

"Luo De then let them see the effect of this 'soil adhesive'."

"Only seeing that after mixing this soil adhesive with the loose sand and pouring water on it, just a dozen or so minutes later it became as sticky as mud, retaining the sand's color and showing no trace of sand."

"\"This...? \""

"Saitare personally grabbed a handful of soil, and immediately her expression changed."

"\"Being able to turn loose sand into water-retentive soil is nothing short of miraculous. \""

"\"If we promote this, wouldn't the desert no longer need to rely on the Fertility Blessing? \""

"Saitare stared, murmuring."

"\"Fertility Blessing. \""

"\"This is an iron chain that the Academy binds upon the heads of desert folk. \""

"\"Desert folk who want to eat their fill cannot do without it. \""

"\"And the Fertility Blessing is possessed only by the Academy. \""

"\"If Luo De's use of grass slimes instead of the Fertility Blessing is already enough for A Ru Cun to break part of its dependence on the Academy. \""

"\"Then, now that Luo De has produced this soil adhesive, once it is promoted, the entire desert region will benefit, and henceforth will not be restricted by the Academy on food issues. \""

"\"After all, grass slimes are not endless; the vast desert land cannot be sufficiently fertile relying solely on them. \""

"\"Luo De's soil adhesive, however, is different. \""

"\"As he just said. \""

"\"As long as you mix this with sand and then pour water on it, you can turn desert into soil; although the resulting soil does not reach the level of fertile land, combined with his newly developed fertilizer, it can raise those deficient soils to a fertility comparable to slime fields. \""

"\"It may not match the Fertility Blessing's land, but in the desert region it is more than sufficient. \""

"\"I now understand why you have become the Red King Divine Envoy. \""

"Saitare sighed, and completely conceded to Luo De in her heart."

"Next,"

"She then said to Luo De: \"I am returning to the Academy. \""

"\"After speaking, she also gave a glance to Dixiya and Fanlushan, who were chatting nearby. \""

"Luo De understood."

"\"He stepped forward and said to Dixiya and Fanlushan: \"Dixiya, I left something on the alchemy table; could you and the senior help me retrieve it? \"\""

"\"Likewise. \""

"\"He also gave Dixiya a glance. \""

"\"After Dixiya, understanding his meaning, took Fanlushan away, \""

"\"Saitare then said: \"I now know what I can do, junior; thank you, thank you for giving me an opportunity to make up for the guilt I feel. \"\""

"\"Oh? \""

"\"Luo De shook off the mud on his hands and said unhurriedly: \"Senior, do you really know what you want to do? \"\""

"\"Huh? \""

"\"What do you mean by that? \""

I never thought Luo De would not only fail to agree with me but would instead question me. Sai Ta Lei frowned and said, "Of course I know. This time, when I return to the Academy, I will go persuade those old friends, then prepare the supplies A Ru Cun needs. Once everything is ready, I will resign my post at the Academy and join them to help build A Ru Cun."

Senior sister, you're really decisive.

Everyone seeks the Great Sage's assistant position but can't get it; you just say you don't want it and then you don't.

Luo De offered a word of praise, then abruptly shifted his tone, shook his head and said, "But senior sister, you're wrong—you've taken the wrong path again."

Wrong again?

Sai Ta Lei stared, stunned.

I was willing to sacrifice my bright future to help develop A Ru Cun—how am I wrong again?

Then she heard Luo De pose two questions in succession: "Is A Ru Cun the whole desert? Senior sister, is it A Ru Cun that you've failed these years?"

Luo De's words were sharp, not giving Sai Ta Lei even a shred of face.

And that counterquestion—"Is it A Ru Cun that you've failed these years?"—made Sai Ta Lei's pupils contract sharply.

Continuing on this topic, Luo De pressed step by step: "Over these years, you have helped the Great Sage devise multiple policies targeting the desert, making the desert dwellers' living conditions ever more dire. Over these years, you have not only ignored the goodwill your hometown has shown you, but even turned your guilt toward your homeland into anger vented on innocent people. Sai Ta Lei, do you think such sin can be atoned for merely by helping A Ru Cun?"

What exactly are you trying to say?

Sai Ta Lei's expression kept shifting, her voice gradually turning cold.

If she still doesn't realize by now that Luo De's words serve another purpose, then she has truly wasted her role as the Great Sage's assistant.

Yet Luo De, who had just been pressing her with words, suddenly laughed and said, "What I want to say is simple: senior sister, why not think of a way to help all the desert people, instead of just using A Ru Cun to atone?"

Help all the desert people?

Hearing this, Sai Ta Lei knitted her brows and bluntly said, "Sorry, with my abilities I cannot do that."

No, you can.

Luo De shook his finger, smiling: "Solving a problem doesn't always require seeking an answer in the direction of solving it; we can also resolve it from the source."

For example, overthrow the Great Sage and redraft the Academy's rules.

As soon as his words fell, Sai Ta Lei's pupils widened in shock; she stared fixedly at Luo De, whose tone was utterly relaxed, as if he were mentioning something utterly ordinary.

(End of chapter)