Chapter 133: Power from the Red King

He can see me.

When the high priest stared at Luo De, Nadixa exclaimed in surprise.

"?"

Can a mortal see a god lurking in the dark in the form of consciousness?

Luo De raised an eyebrow involuntarily.

This was the first time someone had instantly seen Nadixa from him at a glance.

Different from incomplete divine power.

Nadixa's ability is already approaching perfection.

When she uses the Dendro Archon's power to shuttle through the void terminus, theoretically, besides Archon-level powerhouses, no one can detect her.

This is also why the Great Sage repeatedly guards against her.

But this Red King priest descendant, who has inherited who knows how many generations, can instantly see that trace of consciousness hidden in Luo De.

"Red King's power?"

This wasn't a question for Nadixa, but for the high priest.

Besides that.

Luo De couldn't think of any other explanation.

"To be precise."

"It is the priest's power."

"We are merely mortals blessed by the king's grace; compared to the king's power, we are only the faint glow of fireflies."

The high priest naturally knew what Luo De was asking; after a brief explanation, he respectfully bowed to Luo De amidst Cyno's bewildered gaze, saying: "Honored King of Plants and Trees, I never expected you to personally grace this place; my failure to welcome you properly is regrettable, please forgive me."

"Wise priest, you are too courteous."

Luo De returned the salute.

While speaking, Nadixa in the dream world made the same gesture as him.

"King of Plants and Trees?"

Originally, Cyno was helping Luo De persuade the elders to prepare, but now he feels a bit confused.

The high priest's attitude toward Luo De is off.

It's too off.

The descendants of the Red King priest have always lived in seclusion and independence; aside from a few who forgot their original intentions and willingly mingled with the tribespeople, most recluses are not friendly toward strangers.

Moreover, the high priest's behavior is no longer friendly but purely reverent and respectful.

And there's the King of Plants and Trees.

What does this mean?

Cyno remembers this very clearly.

In his childhood education, the King of Plants and Trees, as spoken by the priest, referred to the Great Merciful Tree King who governs the rainforest region.

"Could Luo De be the reincarnation of the Great Merciful Tree King?"

"No, that's not right."

"Within the Academy, the certified reincarnation of the Great Merciful Tree King isn't the Little Auspicious Grass King, is it?"

Thinking this, Cyno couldn't help but furrow his brows, his gaze toward Luo De turning strange: "Could the Little Auspicious Grass King actually be a fabricated deity? Perhaps he is the true reincarnation of the Great Merciful Tree King?"

The more Cyno imagined, the more he felt this possibility might actually be true.

The Academy has been deliberately concealing the name of the Little Auspicious Grass King these years, and since this deity was brought back to Sumeru, it has never shown its face.

All these abnormalities.

This led Cyno to once think that the Little Auspicious Grass King might be a deity fabricated by the Academy to pacify the people's hearts.

After all, the passing of the Great Merciful Tree King has a huge impact on Sumeru; without a new god to succeed it, the whole region would fall into unimaginable chaos.

"Don't waste your thoughts there; I am not the reincarnation of the Great Merciful Tree King, I merely had an audience with the Little Auspicious Grass King and received her grace."

Luo De actually doesn't know what Cyno is thinking.

But Nadixa knows.

She only needs a glance to know what Cyno is thinking right now.

Without much hesitation.

She immediately made a decision.

Taking this opportunity, she revealed her existence and pulled Cyno into Luo De's camp.

"Aren't you the Red King's divine envoy? How did you get involved with the Little Auspicious Grass King?"

Cyno became even more confused.

The fact that Luo De is the Red King's divine envoy, though those who know keep it secret, still some rumors can reach the Grand Discipline Officer.

However, as a descendant of the Red King priest, nobody knows better than Cyno that the Red King is dead.

Therefore, he has always responded to such news with a sneer.

Moreover, Juleshi even took Luo De as his disciple.

With that connection, plus Luo De not using his Red King divine envoy status to form cliques or cause academic trouble, Cyno finds it even harder to dwell on this matter.

However, today Luo De suddenly said he had received the grace of the Little Auspicious Grass King.

This made Cyno have to ask: "Which of your statements is actually true?"

"Cyno."

No need for Luo De to prove himself; the high priest, who had been listening nearby, spoke up for him: "He bears the divine consciousness of the King of Plants and Trees; do not lose courtesy."

"The divine consciousness of the Little Auspicious Grass King?"

Although one might not believe Luo De's tall tales, the words spoken by our own highly respected high priest must be considered for their truthfulness, no matter how confused one may feel.

In Sai Nuo's half‑believing, half‑doubting gaze, Luo De sighed.

"This matter is a long story."

He was completely unprepared for this sudden revelation.

Originally, Luo De planned to wait until he had gathered more evidence of the Great Sage imprisoning the Dendro Archon before approaching Sai Nuo about this.

Who would have thought their own high priest could be so capable.

Even as a mortal, he could instantly perceive the Dendro Archon's divine sense.

But that works out fine.

Now we can speak openly.

"We have to start from the first time I went to Xu Mi Cheng."

"..."

"In short, the Little Auspicious Grass King is currently imprisoned by the Academy in the Pure Virtue Palace; only his consciousness can move freely, and everything I am doing now is to free him from that cage."

Luo De altered some details of how he came into contact with Nadixa, but otherwise told the truth, including that his current achievements are due to Nadixa's guidance, which he did not conceal excessively.

He also briefly explained the matter of the Crimson King's Envoy.

Sai Nuo's expression grew graver the more he listened.

Imprisoning a god.

This is the most serious of the Academy's six cardinal sins—the sin of blasphemy!

If proven, everyone involved must face judgment by the Discipline Officer, and the Great Sage is no exception.

Sai Nuo did not doubt the truth of Luo De's words.

Because during his speech, the high priest did not deny his statements.

This shows that what Luo De said is essentially all true.

"How dare they do such a thing?"

Sai Nuo furrowed his brows, his voice gradually turning cold: "When I return, I will begin investigating this evidence; blasphemers will surely face judgment."

Indeed.

With this high priest present, things proceed unusually smoothly.

Luo De grinned: "The Great Sage's attendant Setalay has already been turned into my informant; she will now help us gather evidence and, incidentally, find ways to exploit the Academy's internal defenses."

"You've turned her into your informant?"

Sai Nuo was somewhat surprised.

"Well, it's a bit troublesome, but the results are still good."

Luo De nodded: "With her help, obtaining whatever evidence we need would be much easier."

"It's become somewhat easier."

"But relying solely on her is still lacking."

Sai Nuo pondered briefly and thought of someone: "When it comes to gathering evidence, there is actually someone more suitable than Setalay."

"Who?"

Luo De blurted out a question.

"You don't know that person; his name is Ai Erhai Sen, a registrar of the Academy."

"The registrar's duty is to archive and back up important data."

"Under the current situation where all paper books and written documents are under control, this registrar is actually one of the positions in the Academy that knows the most; well, in some respects he is almost equivalent to the Chief Archivist."

After explaining Ai Erhai Sen's duties and advantages, Sai Nuo added: "If we can bring him over, with the convenience of his position, we can easily keep track of the Great Sage's movements."

Registrar, Ai Erhai Sen.

A very familiar name.

He is indeed a reliable, principled, and characterful person.

Luo De had indeed considered him before, but since they rarely crossed paths in daily life, he temporarily set aside the idea of seeking him out.

"Do you have a way?"

Since Sai Nuo had also arrived at the same thought, Luo De voiced his concern: "I have never met this registrar, nor do I know his temperament; contacting him rashly might backfire."

"Um—"

This problem also left Sai Nuo stumped.

Like Luo De, he is also unfamiliar with Ai Erhai Sen.

And among the people known to both him and Luo De.

After much thought.

Only Ka Wei counts as having a slight acquaintance with Ai Erhai Sen.

But back when Ka Wei had not yet graduated, he once had a major argument with Ai Erhai Sen over differing opinions; the two went their separate ways, and even the significant research project they had half‑completed at the time was never revisited.

If that's the case.

Trying to contact Ai Erhai Sen through Ka Wei is actually not a good method.

"Or else, I could just show him Nadixa's Dendro power?"

Luo De proposed this idea.

Ai Erhai Sen is different from Setalay.

Setalay is a person with obvious flaws; whether in character or conduct, Luo De can easily exploit her weaknesses and break through her psychological defenses.

But Ai Erhai Sen is a person with all‑round, three‑dimensional defenses.

Unless something special attracts his attention, there is simply no way to make him believe us without arousing his suspicion.

This method actually works.

Sai Nuo Si thought: 'Then how do you plan to lure him out? In Xu Mi Cheng it's definitely impossible—it's under the Academy's jurisdiction. If you unleash the Dendro Archon's power, once the Great Sage notices any abnormality, they will record your or Alhaitham's information into the Void. With the Void's computing ability, you won't be able to accomplish anything.'

Record the information of the key surveillance target into the Void.

This is the Academy's usual practice.

In the Academy's claims.

Once such an operation is carried out, under the Void's powerful computing ability, every move of the person subjected to it will be precisely predicted by the Void, with an accuracy rate of at least ninety-eight percent, and the Void's calculations are also continuously corrected based on informants' intelligence, amounting to an invisible cage that constantly looms over one's head no matter where one goes.

This is also the Academy's highest treatment for those deemed untrustworthy.

Don't even mention you, such as a sage's disciple or clerk.

Even me.

Once listed on the untrustworthy persons' list, one will receive this treatment as well.

Sai Nuo shook his head and said: 'While I have been granted authority, the Academy has also endowed me with an equal amount of suspicion.'

The implied meaning.

That is, even a high-ranking official like the Senior Discipline Officer must be cautious when investigating this matter, lest they alarm the Great Sage and bring upon themselves suspicion befitting their position.

And Luo De's answer to this is very simple.

'Let him go to the desert, to A Ru Cun—that place is a blind spot in the Academy's surveillance.'

'Huh?' Sai Nuo, who was deep in thought, looked up and asked: 'Do you have a plan?'

'No, it's she who has a plan.'

Luo De tapped his own head.

Sai Nuo immediately understood.

This was Nadixa's idea.

'Since it's a method approved by the Dendro Archon, it should be highly feasible.'

Although we don't know the details of this method, since it's an idea personally proposed by the God of Wisdom, it ought to be the most reasonable course of action both emotionally and logically.

Meanwhile,

Luo De also asked himself: 'You previously insisted that I bring Ka Wei to A Ru Cun no matter what—were you already preparing for this?'

'Hmm.'

Nadixa did not deny that she had already been laying the groundwork for these things.

Indeed.

Luo De curled his lip and said nothing more.

When Luo De first met the decadent Ka Wei at the Lanbad Tavern, and because of Ka Wei's enormous debt he felt like backing out, Nadixa not only earnestly persuaded him with grand reasoning, but also prepared design drawings to gain Ka Wei's trust and technology that could be used to trade with Dolly.

At that time Luo De wondered whether Nadixa had some other intention.

Now, looking back.

Indeed it is.

In other words, when she first met Ka Wei, she had already calculated that they would need to use Alhaitham in the future.

'Is this the ability of the God of Wisdom?'

Luo De muttered to himself, and then he and Sai Nuo formally reached an agreement on this matter.

Meanwhile, the High Priest who had been waiting nearby also spoke up at this time.

Just now, Luo De, who bore Nadixa's consciousness, discussed matters with Sai Nuo without avoiding him in the slightest.

To him,

This represents the Wood King's full trust in their lineage.

To express gratitude for this trust,

we heard the High Priest say: 'Envoy of the Wood King, we are old and unable to help in rescuing the newborn Wood King, but if you have any request, we will spare no effort to assist.'

'This is the promise once made between the King and the Wood King; we descendants can no longer obtain the King's glory, but we will uphold the King's promise to the end.'

'Envoy of the Wood King, please state your demands.'

Luo De did not hold back.

He directly expressed his desire for a handy weapon, and additionally asked whether the martial arts tradition passed down through the Red King Priest lineage could also be taught to him.

The High Priest gladly agreed to these matters.

Moreover, he not only gave Luo De the tribe's hereditary Blazing Sun series weapons—from staffs and spears to bows and daggers—but also a set of personal armor.

Furthermore, he gave Luo De several sky-blue crystals.

This is Yiemeng solvent, used in the game to provide transmutation materials.

But in reality,

this is a crystal imbued with the memories of the strong.

Using it to study martial arts can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

This thing is rare to obtain, and its production is extremely difficult.

Its scarce quantity also represents its precious value.

And the High Priest directly gave Luo De a complete set, encompassing all the cultivation methods of the Red King Priest lineage.

Aside from these,

At the time of parting.

the High Priest also presented a golden crystal.

'This is a share of Hermanubis's power, granted to us by the King. Since you are the Envoy of the Wood King, you should be able to bear this power—take it, and believe it will help you in the future.'

(End of chapter)