Chapter 189: The Little Auspicious Grass King's First Divine Utterance

Three days later.

New Oasis welcomed its first wave of pioneers.

It was Fadena's tribe.

This tribe, extremely weak in both military and financial strength, followed Fadena and tremblingly stepped onto the land of New Oasis.

Indeed.

Luo De had once promised them, while among their tribe, at the very least to let them eat their fill.

But considering his reputation, which could be called a complete mess.

Even though Fadena knew that, given Luo De's strength, there was no need to deceive herself, when she truly arrived at New Oasis, she likewise felt waves of anxiety.

As far as she knew.

The tribes that Luo De personally went to persuade were not just theirs; there were three other, somewhat larger tribes.

But those three tribes merely promised on the surface to join New Oasis's reclamation; after Luo De left, they immediately packed up and fled overnight.

Fadena had also thought, why not just run away like them?

But after careful consideration.

She still abandoned that idea, choosing to come to this vast New Oasis to test the waters, see if she could win a future for her tribe.

The desert is cruel.

The strong live, the weak die.

This is an iron law.

No one can defy it.

Fadena's tribe is called Amna; it was formerly one of the vassal tribes of the Tanite tribe, and in the Qianhe Sands region it was also one of the weakest tribes.

Just how weak is the Amna tribe?

They are so weak that the Tanite tribe needs only send ten warriors, without even needing to bring Erel weapons, to easily crush them.

Back when the Tanite tribe still existed.

Their demand was regular tribute of Mora; if the Mora was insufficient, they had to offer children from the tribe as compensation.

Fadena knew.

Those children forcibly seized to repay debts would all be trained into hawks who recognize no kin, who, even when facing their own birth parents, would not hesitate to swing the slaughtering blade.

Such a life.

The Amna tribe had lived like that for many years.

Until the Tanite tribe was exterminated by the people of A Ru Cun, and the gloom that had hung over these tribes, formerly vassals of the Tanite, finally lifted.

But the good days had not lasted even a few days.

The Red King Divine Envoy, deemed a demon of the desert, personally came to pay a visit.

Although he used no violent means, but instead offered a very tempting promise, Fadena still worried that her tribe might have just escaped the tiger's den only to fall into the wolf's lair.

Those tribes that had first agreed to join and then immediately fled were also motivated by such worry.

But after Fadena consulted with the elders, they finally reached a consensus.

Let's gamble!

If we win the gamble, the children of Amna will no longer have to worry about going hungry or being enslaved.

If we lose the gamble.

Anyway, given the Amna tribe's strength, they were destined to be enslaved sooner or later; being enslaved by a larger tribe or by A Ru Cun is still enslavement, essentially no big difference.

With this mindset of 'broken pot, broken fate'.

Fadena led the whole tribe, bringing along their few possessions; according to her agreement with Luo De, they set out at dawn and walked until afternoon, arriving before the great tree at the oasis's center.

"Tsk, only you came."

Luo De greeted her with an unsurprised expression.

He had guessed that those tribes and the gilded expeditionary group would not so easily heed his promises.

Moreover, he had prepared for the possibility that no one would come at all.

Now that Fadena's tribe is willing to come, it's actually a pleasant surprise.

"Divine Envoy."

"The Amna tribe numbers three hundred seventy-four, all present here."

Fadena's attitude was very humble; upon meeting, she bent her knees, preparing to perform the great kowtow with the same reverence as when she had once paid homage to the Tanite matriarch.

This is the highest rite for a subordinate tribe to pay homage to a superior tribe.

It is also the only rite.

The desert cannot tolerate anyone who is neither humble nor arrogant, who has backbone.

When facing a superior, if it is not the full prostration kowtow, their fate is to be exterminated and uprooted, their heads taken to pile into skull towers to warn other disobedient small tribes, while their corpses are taken to be made into fertilizer for feeding fish and farming.

However.

Fadena, who had placed herself in the subordinate position, had not yet finished bowing when she found she could not bend her body no matter what, as if an invisible force were holding her up.

"Rise."

"Here, you need not kneel."

Luo De slightly raised his hand; a gentle breeze swept over, lifting Fadena's half-kneeling form, and along with it came the words: "From now on in the desert, you will no longer need to kneel before anyone."

However, Fadena did not feel grateful to tears or overjoyed just because she was forbidden to kneel.

Instead, she said fearfully, "Divine Envoy, our Amna tribe will follow your steps closely, daring not to have the slightest divided heart; please do not abandon us, please."

She had knelt for too long.

Fadena had long forgotten what it felt like to stand up.

In her understanding.

Superiors do not allow vassal tribes to kneel, which means they do not accept the loyalty of vassal tribes.

The outcome of such attitude is predictable.

Ah—

Luo De did not blame Fadena for her attitude of kneeling no matter what; instead, he looked toward Nadixa, who had been watching from the side.

From Nadixa's face, he saw pity, sorrow, sympathy, and a host of complex emotions.

Once upon a time.

The desert people were as proud as the rainforest people.

Now, for survival, they have become like this.

Thus Luo De changed direction and spoke again: 'Fadena, I ask you a question.'

'My lord, please speak; I will tell you everything I know.'

'Who do you think you are the people of?'

.?

Fadena was left dazed by Luo De's question.

Yeah.

'Who am I the people of?'

Fadena subconsciously wanted to say she was the people of the Flower God Nabu·Marikat.

But the words had not yet left her mouth.

She then suppressed that impulse to say so.

The Flower God Nabu·Marikat has already passed away.

The Red King Ahmar who ruled the desert has also passed away.

If we look at it this way.

I am.

I am the Dendro Archon's people.

Fadena said cautiously.

She had no confidence in her heart.

Luo De is the Red King's Envoy and also the Dendro Archon's Spokesperson; theoretically, this answer should be fine.

'And what about your tribe?' Luo De asked further.

'Naturally, it is as well.'

'What about the other desert people in the desert?'

. Everyone is the Dendro Archon's people.

'That's a very good answer.'

Luo De nodded satisfactorily, then looked toward Nadixa once more.

Then.

Then Nadixa, surrounded by green light, slowly floated up, one hand touching the Oasis Source, the other hand on her chest, solemnly announcing.

'In the name of the Dendro Archon.'

'I declare.'

'All Sumeru people are equal; no need to kneel before others.'

This statement was not only for the people of the Amna tribe.

It spread like a wave, sweeping in all directions.

In a moment.

Everyone living in Sumeru, whether native Sumeruans, foreigners, rainforest people, or desert people, could clearly hear Nadixa's voice.

The people of the Amna tribe were even more silent, staring wide-eyed as Nadixa displayed divine feats.

They never imagined that the inconspicuous little girl beside Luo De was actually the Dendro Archon of Sumeru.

Even more unexpected.

That the Dendro Archon would personally issue a divine decree, granting them an identity to coexist equally with others.

And not only them.

Once this divine decree was spoken.

The desert people will no longer be divided by high and low status; their children will no longer have to constantly grovel before superiors.

Out of instinct.

The Amna tribe's people again wanted to kneel before Nadixa.

Still the same, they still did not manage to kneel.

The only difference.

This time they quickly realized, and under Fadena's lead, they proactively asked Luo De and Nadixa what they needed to do.

As the first batch to settle in the new oasis.

Luo De's arrangement for them was simple.

Within the demarcated area, the Amna tribe's people can first station, according to requirements rest and cultivate land, waiting for the main force of A Ru Cun to arrive before making new arrangements.

After Fadena led the people away happily.

After Nadixa had been silent for a long time, she sighed: 'What you said is correct; their demands are indeed simple.'

Just a fair identity, one that will not let their descendants suffer bullying.

It's just that simple.

"Yeah."

Luo De rubbed his nose, then laughed: "Hehe, in that case, your faith in the desert might not be any higher than in the rainforest."

"."

Nadixa was speechless.

Giving the desert folk an identity of equal coexistence with the rainforest people would indeed win over the vast majority of suffering desert folk.

Likewise.

This decision would also provoke resistance from many rainforest people.

This is a historical poison, not something that can be resolved in a short time.

"Do you have any good ideas?"

Nadixa sat on the raised tree roots of the oasis source, tending to the sprouts' leaves while asking Luo De.

Before going to treat A Pei Pu.

The conflict between rainforest and desert has always been a major problem on the table.

Nadixa has been troubled by this for a long time.

I don't know why.

Even though she, as the God of Wisdom, cannot solve such a problem, upon seeing Luo De, Nadixa always feels that he will surely have a way to solve these problems, as if unconsciously she has already developed a deep reliance on this human.

Luo De did not disappoint Nadixa.

Regarding the opposing issue she raised, Luo De also shared some of his personal thoughts.

"First, education, of utmost importance, through education to eliminate the deep-seated animosity between rainforest people and desert folk—this is crucial."

"Second, the law: on the premise of prohibiting baseless insults and fights, we must never go to extremes; we must not let rainforest people continually hostile toward desert folk for no reason, nor let desert folk use their legal advantage to ride over rainforest people; for those who intentionally violate rules, who know the law and break it, impose heavy penalties, up to the death penalty."

"Third, employment: the official employment resources of Xu Mi can be equally distributed; desert folk are not only killers and robbers, among them there are also talents in hunting, farming, and craftsmanship, especially after receiving education, they must be given fair job opportunities, so that knowledge learned is not left unused."

"Fourth, social welfare: must be fair and just; whatever the rainforest people have, the desert folk should have as well; everyone is the same, adjustments can be made according to the environment, but water must be balanced, not favoring either side."

"Fifth, recreational activities, uh, let me give an example: the rainforest has the Flower God's Birthday Festival celebrating your birthday, the desert has the Red King's Birthday Festival; Dixiya and such desert folk can participate in the Flower God's Birthday Festival, so inviting rainforest people to join the Red King's Birthday Festival is also reasonable, letting different cultures communicate, mutual understanding, deep exchange, naturally eliminating many disagreements."

He said a lot in one breath.

Luo De paused, thought a bit, then added: "That's all I can think of for now, but remember, don't rush, absolutely don't rush; wanting to eliminate the barrier between rainforest and desert, to eliminate their differences and hostility, this cannot be accomplished in the short term; it may take the next generation, or even the generation after, for them to truly become one family."

"Oh, right, the sand-defense wall can be partially dismantled gradually."

"First, don't dismantle it all; dismantle a part, and increase the flow between desert and rainforest."

"It would also be possible to introduce some encouraging policies to attract people from the rainforest area to the desert for settlement assistance, but do not try to change the beliefs and culture of the desert people; you respect me, I respect you, that is the key to peaceful coexistence."

Nadixa took Luo De's words to heart.

The Great Merciful Tree King, also listening on the other side, transmitted a voice: "Very, very good plan."

Over the past few days, she has been waking up more frequently, and her speech has become clearer.

It looks like it won't be long before she truly revives.

All Sumeru's people are equal.

The effect of this Dendro Archon's edict is very obvious.

In a world with gods.

The gods' edicts are truly golden words, divine words that take root and sprout.

In the ears of those who hear the edict.

Nadixa's words even more represent a promise given by the Dendro Archon.

Because she declared it in the name of the Dendro Archon.

This means that even if the Dendro Archon's position changes again in Sumeru, the new Dendro Archon will also abide by this edict, granting these desert people equal status.

Unless Sumeru changes gods and is no longer governed by the Dendro Archon.

And after the edict was issued.

In a very short time.

Among the three tribes unwilling to accept recruitment, one gritted its teeth and came back with a 'let's try' attitude.

After meeting.

Faced with that hesitant tribal matriarch, Luo De did not make things difficult for her wavering, but instead arranged the same land-reclamation work for her tribe.

At the same time, Luo De also told her.

"While the other tribes and the people of A Ru Cun have not yet arrived, you have the best chance to expand your land—go, exert all your strength, and carve out a worry-free livelihood for your descendants."

These words have even greater impact than Nadixa's edict.

As soon as Luo De finished speaking, they rushed at top speed to the designated reclamation land, almost day and night pouring all their energy into the land.

One, then two.

Soon.

Then there was a third, fourth.

When Kantisi brought people to the new oasis.

On this land, there were already no fewer than ten tribes, with several thousand people immersed in the fervent reclamation work.

(The household chores are basically done, my body is also mostly recovered; starting tomorrow I will challenge myself to write ten thousand words every day for the rest of this month, and by the way I will repay the debt I owed last month—uh, except this Saturday and next Saturday, because one is my mother's birthday and the other is my sister's birthday, so the time available for typing is very tight.)

(End of chapter)