Chapter 148: Live Broadcast

Luo De fled.

This matter made Azha'er very annoyed.

After receiving the order.

Academy personnel went to the place Luo De frequently visited recently, hoping to capture him while he was still in Xu Mi Cheng.

However, no matter how they searched, they never found Luo De's trace.

The Void's calculation was wrong again.

This is Azha'er's most annoying matter.

At the same time, he became more certain of one thing.

Luo De definitely colluded with the Little Auspicious Grass King.

Otherwise.

How could a mere mortal possibly evade the Void's calculations?

However, his worries were not limited to this.

The followers of the Little Auspicious Grass King in Xu Mi Cheng acted like they had gone mad, spreading the Little Auspicious Grass King's divine traces everywhere, and anyone who escaped capture would start a new round of divine-trace promotion.

Such crazy behavior was undoubtedly an open provocation toward the Academy.

But even though Azha'er had already increased troops three times to pursue them,

Now almost a day has passed.

Yet they still returned empty-handed.

Azha'er couldn't understand.

What means did Luo De rely on to make those extremist Red King followers help those ultra-pure Dendro Archon believers?

Normally, when these two types meet, they are either fighting or on their way to fight.

How could they so recklessly help these Dendro Archon believers evade capture?

Worse news.

Namely, the conflict between the Academy's guards and mercenaries did not give them the upper hand.

On the contrary.

The reason they failed after three successive reinforcements in pursuit is simply that they couldn't win in battle.

Azha'er grew a bit impatient.

He summoned Wudai and ordered: "Notify Ai'ershen to draft a bill; aside from the Thirty-person Squad, the Rainforest Area will no longer permit any Gilded Travel Group to enter. All mercenaries currently lingering in Xu Mi Cheng and even the entire Rainforest Area will be expelled, and both informants and enforcers will receive rewards."

This is a very overbearing decree.

Moreover, a decree differs from an order.

An order is time-limited; even if issued by the Great Sage, it becomes invalid once the task is completed.

But a decree is permanent.

Once this decree banning mercenaries from entering the city is enforced,

Many Gilded Travel Groups currently serving as merchant escorts or coming to accept commission missions will suffer collateral damage.

But for Azha'er,

this is nothing.

He originally looked down on those mercenaries who worship the Red King; if not for considering the feelings of the rainforest-area merchants, he would have issued this order long ago.

Moreover, the mercenaries who helped Luo De this time entered the city by serving as bodyguards for wealthy merchants.

This only strengthens Azha'er's conviction that issuing this decree is unproblematic.

After Wudai left,

Azha'er tapped the table, pondering a more serious issue at hand.

As the main planner of this incident, where did Luo De go?

Even if we possess all his information.

the Void still cannot precisely predict his movements.

Once or twice would be forgivable.

After all, the Void's prediction accuracy cannot be guaranteed to be one hundred percent; it is easily influenced by the surrounding environment.

But Luo De has already caused the Void's predictions to fail more than ten times in a row.

Such a situation, hard to explain by coincidence, has also led many involved in the pursuit of Luo De to doubt the Void.

This worries Azha'er greatly.

Therefore, if Luo De is not captured now, the Academy's prestige and the Void's indisputability among scholars will face an unprecedented crisis.

However, no matter how anxious he becomes,

Luo De still remains like evaporated into thin air, completely vanished from Xu Mi Cheng; even as the troublemaking mercenaries and Little Auspicious Grass King believers are apprehended one after another, he still does not appear, as if those people have nothing to do with him.

"What exactly does he want to do?"

"What does the Little Auspicious Grass King want to do?"

These two questions persisted for an entire day.

As the chief culprit, Luo De still has not shown up; whether inside or outside the city, his figure has never been found.

Azha'er could not sit still.

He prepared to go to the Puregood Palace again, trying to see if he could extract information from the Little Auspicious Grass King there.

It was precisely at this moment.

Wudai came to report.

Luo De has been captured.

And the person who seized him was precisely the Scribe Official Ai'erhaisen.

Not long after.

Azhaer finally saw for the first time Luo De, who appeared to possess the knowledge of the Red King and the Dendro Archon.

"Great Sage, this is the draft bill you need."

The Ai'erhaisen who entered together with Luo De presented a bluish-green canister of knowledge, then added: "This Mr. Luo De attacked me on my way to deliver the bill, but I gained a slight advantage."

"Oh?"

The Azhaer who received the canister of knowledge did not rush to use it, but instead narrowed his eyes at Luo De: "Have you been hiding in the Academy these two days?"

Ai'erhaisen's office is in the Academy.

If Luo De could attack him while he was delivering the bill, that shows Luo De has been hiding in the Academy all along.

No wonder.

No wonder his whereabouts have never been found.

After all that fuss, he actually pulled a dark-under-the-lamp trick—hiding right under his own nose.

Regarding Azhaer's question.

Luo De didn't answer anything, merely gave a cold snort, fearlessly locking eyes with Azhaer.

"Heh—"

"Are you preparing to find an opportunity to attack me?"

Azhaer played with the canister of knowledge inscribed with the bill, wearing a playful smile.

He had just inspected it.

This canister of knowledge is fine; it is indeed the new bill drafted by Ai'erhaisen.

Ai'erhaisen's conduct also matched the Void's speculation, with nothing unusual.

However, Ai'erhaisen still could not gain his trust.

After all, this Scribe Official had once traveled with Luo De for a while and also had contact in A Ru Cun.

Although Azhaer had not shifted his suspicion onto him, this likewise did not mean that anything could be said in his presence.

Thus, after a brief consideration, he decided to expel Ai'erhaisen and have a one-on-one talk with Luo De.

This is a very bold move.

Luo De's martial prowess had been explicitly mentioned both in the Academy and in Ai'erhaisen's report.

In short.

One sentence.

If Luo De now wanted to attack him, he would have a hundred percent chance of succeeding.

As for such a potential danger.

Azhaer, however, showed no trace of fear.

Instead, he very casually found a place to lean back, then calmly said to Luo De: "Young man, if I'm not mistaken, your plan should involve a fight to the death, capturing me alive, forcing me to open the cage of the Little Auspicious Grass King to release her, right?"

"Correct."

Luo De raised his hand and clenched his fist.

Then he discovered.

In the Great Sage's office, his communion with the Vision seemed to be cut off, rendering him completely unable to unleash elemental energy.

"How is it?"

"Does the power of the gods make people feel hopeless?"

Seeing Luo De's attempt to draw elemental energy, Azhaer chuckled: "The divine traces of the Great Merciful Tree King (Your Excellency) continue to benefit us endlessly to this day."

Then.

When he saw Luo De preparing to use brute force to capture him alive, Azhaer calmly said: "If I were you, I wouldn't choose such a foolish method."

The two faced off for a while.

In the end, Luo De lowered his fist and ceased his intention to attack Azhaer, bringing things to a close.

His action also satisfied Azhaer considerably.

"Looks like you still have some brains; you're not completely stupid."

From Azhaer's office to the Pure Benevolent Palace, the number of guards along this route was frighteningly many.

Under the condition of being unable to use elemental energy.

Relying solely on holding Azhaer hostage, Luo De would not be able to smoothly pass through this passage to reach the Pure Benevolent Palace.

Moreover, mere words are not credible.

Given that all the Sumeru people believe the Little Auspicious Grass King is merely studying knowledge in quiet contemplation at the Pure Benevolent Palace, Luo De's taking the Great Sage hostage constitutes the greatest provocation to the Academy.

Then, as long as Azhaer refuses to hand over the key, Luo De basically has no chance to forcibly break into the Pure Benevolent Palace to rescue Nadixa.

Azhaer continued to play with the canister of knowledge bearing the bill, chuckling: "Having hidden for so many days, you should already know that relying solely on your current methods, it is impossible to overthrow me."

"Then."

"Let me think."

"Why are you suddenly rushing out like this today?"

Upon hearing that.

Luo De raised his head and locked eyes with Azhaer once again.

Before he could speak.

Azhaer suddenly realized: "I know now; today's guards informed me that among the captured mercenaries, there is a mercenary group called the Blazing Light Beast Hunters."

Azhaer, who thought victory was already in his grasp, wore a very pleased expression.

Blazing Light Beast Hunt.

Claims to have picked up Luo De in the desert, being Luo De's lifesaver.

Dixiya of the Blazing Light Beast Hunt has an even deeper relationship with Luo De, confirmed as a romantic relationship.

This is news proven by multiple sources.

And the decree in Azha'er's hand is the permanent expulsion order for mercenaries.

This decree is a catastrophe for those legitimate mercenary groups.

And the Blazing Light Beast Hunt led by Dixiya is indeed a very legitimate mercenary group.

Therefore, once this decree is truly implemented.

It also means that the Blazing Light Beast Hunt will never be able to stand in the rainforest region, from then on completely losing its livelihood.

Heh—

Emotions, this is the biggest obstacle on the path to seeking wisdom.

Since you are a loyal follower of the Little Auspicious Grass King, how could you commit such a mistake?

Forget it, forget it.

At least you are a disciple of Nafisi and Juleshi; given my relationship with them, I can also be considered your senior.

As a senior, I ought to help you correct your path forward.

Azha'er was in a good mood and said many things.

Afterward, he, in front of Luo De, input the canned case knowledge he had repeatedly checked and confirmed problem-free into the void.

However, after doing these.

But Azha'er discovered that Luo De was not as angry as imagined, still able to keep a calm expression while looking at himself.

Huh?

Quite ruthless, not bad, promising.

How about it?

Want to abandon the Little Auspicious Grass King to help me accomplish a great undertaking?

Azha'er showed an appreciative expression toward Luo De and urged him with words.

As for whether he truly appreciates Luo De or is coveting Luo De's Red King knowledge, that remains unknown.

And Luo De also had his first formal conversation with Azha'er since entering.

Ask you a question: how do you view the Little Auspicious Grass King?

This question made Azha'er feel a bit strange.

But Luo De had already got the measure of things at this point, and he spoke without restraint: 'How to view? Young person, do you know what a god should be like?'

'Knowing, gods love people, are willing to give for people, that is enough.'

Luo De casually gave an answer.

Enough?

You actually think that is enough?

Really, absurd beyond belief, just like that Little Auspicious Grass King!

Azha'er obviously had a different opinion; after a round of sarcasm, he expressed his view: 'God! What is a god! A god should be an existence far above humanity! But what can your believed Little Auspicious Grass King actually do?'

To comfort the people?

To govern wind and sand?

To fabricate fairy tales like nonsense?

Heh, you have also done these things in the desert; could it be that you are also a god?

Young person, you have not experienced our past events; how can you rashly speak about gods?

We are all people who have received the blessings of the Great Merciful Tree King (Your Excellency); even if I have not seen it myself, generations of scholars have also seen what true wisdom is!

And the Little Auspicious Grass King?

She occupies a divine position, yet only brings confusion to scholars.

Could this be called true wisdom?

If so, it would be better to let her stay forever in the Pure Virtue Palace, so that the academic environment of Sumeru could be even more stable!

Azha'er inherited the generations of Great Sages' contempt and disdain for Nadixa, with his words inside and out constantly belittling Nadixa.

He didn't even compare Nadixa with the Great Merciful Tree King.

He directly made a crisp judgment.

【Useless and yet will bring confusion and chaos of a god】

So, you not only imprisoned the god of Sumeru, but also prepare to replace it with a completely new god belonging to you?

Luo De did not refute him, but merely raised another question.

Replace a god?

That is a good saying.

Azha'er slightly raised his eyebrows, burst out laughing: 'Although we currently don't have this plan, but if there is an opportunity, if there is a chance for a god to be personally born from our hands, we naturally would not miss it.'

Speaking.

Azha'er opened his arms, face showing a mad look: 'Creating a god with human wisdom is a tremendously great thing; haha, if humanity cannot reach omniscience and omnipotence, then we will create a god ourselves to manifest it—this is the pinnacle of wisdom humanity can achieve!'

Even before starting to create a god, he had already fantasized about it.

Luo De muttered to himself, then asked another question: 'Creating a new god would very likely cause the death of the Little Auspicious Grass King; can you bear this cost?'

What's not possible!

As Azar's answer fell.

Luo De nodded in satisfaction, then pointed to his own ear—there was his Void Terminal, which he had deliberately put on before entering.

"Azhaer, Great Sage, I forgot to tell you something."

"That canned knowledge you just used has been tampered with by me; as long as you upload it into the Void, our conversation will be livestreamed in full to everyone wearing a Void Terminal."

Luo De raised his finger and hehe-laughed: "Yes, real☆time☆live☆broadcast☆oh~"

(End of chapter)