Chapter 416: I Am Here to Say Goodbye to Him

I Am Here to Say Goodbye to Him When he left the garden at the top of the tower, Luo Yan still had that calm and warm smile on his face, as if he had benefited a lot from the previous conversation.

However, when he walked down the spiral staircase leading to the lower floors alone, his back was already soaked with a layer of fine cold sweat.

He raised his hand calmly and wiped away a hint of chill that seeped from his forehead, but the stormy waves in his heart were hard to calm down for a long time.

If the Holy City was the soul of the Empire, the candle flame condensing the faith and glory of the old world, then the high tower under his feet was the brain of the Empire, the crystallization of the minds of all humans and even alien races on the Os Continent.

And now, the plague from the void had actually spread to its crown...

"Hearing You You, we may have underestimated the Empire."

Taking a deep breath, Luo Yan said in a heart-voice that only he and Hearing You You could hear.

"... I originally thought that the Empire under our feet was at most an old man with a moribund spirit, but now it seems that its problems are even more serious than we imagined. Before our corrosion spread here, the corrosion of Chaos had already permeated it with holes."

What Luo Yan found particularly tricky was that this Grand Sage had just returned from the Huang Tong Pass, the barrier in the east of the Empire. Judging from his relaxed smile, the unyielding Huang Tong Pass was probably really in danger this time! Arrogance and conspiracy are not enemies, and nature and the flame of destruction are not enemies either.

Standing from the perspective of the Demon King, he didn't need to worry about the safety of the Empire. However, he still understood the principle that there are no whole eggs under a collapsed nest.

Once the Empire's defense line is torn open by Chaos, the entire Os Continent will be engulfed in the flames of war, and even if his back garden, the Jiana Continent, can find a corner of peace, it cannot be safe forever.

The current situation of the planet Kao is a lesson from the past.

A planet corroded by Chaos will eventually become a piece of dead desolation, and all souls will be imprisoned in an eternal purgatory, unable to be reborn.

Seeming to feel his anxiety, Hearing You You's white mist appeared beside him, its voice filled with unprecedented worry.

"Lord Demon King, what should we do?"

Luo Yan was silent for a long time, deduced and analyzed countless possibilities in his mind, and finally spoke slowly.

"Do nothing."

"But..."

"Duoliuke is already a demigod, and he is also a Chosen of Chaos," Luo Yan's voice was calm and emotionless, "But he still chose to lie dormant in the shadows of the high tower, not daring to openly raise the banner of rebellion, which shows that there are still things on this continent that make him fear."

He paused, a sharp light flashing in his deep eyes.

"We need to figure out what he fears."

Just as Luo Yan was communicating with Hearing You You in his heart, a slight "ding" sound came from the elevator not far away.

He saw the figure of Professor Uriel Akelai walk out from behind the metal door driven by runes.

This scholar from the Sacred Energy School had a gentle and compassionate smile on his face, as if he were a devout theologian.

His right hand was holding an invitation letter; he seemed to have also received an invitation from the Grand Sage, and the joy that couldn't be hidden under his eyebrows exposed the anticipation in his heart.

Recalling the other face under Duoliuke's mask, Luo Yan felt a touch of sympathy in his eyes when he looked at this Professor Uriel.

Poor child.

In him, he saw the shadow of Alistair.

Just as Luo Yan was looking at Professor Uriel, the latter also noticed him.

Obviously, this professor didn't expect that Prince Kelin had also received the Grand Sage's invitation, and it was even before him; that elegant and easygoing expression was clearly stunned for a moment.

However, in less than two seconds, that fleeting astonishment was replaced by a smile as warm as sunlight. Looking at Prince Kelin walking toward him, Uriel quickened his pace and took the initiative to greet him.

"Prince Kelin? What a pleasure! I didn't expect to meet you here!"

"A pleasure, Professor Uriel, I have wanted to meet you for a long time." Luo Yan nodded with a smile, responding to his greeting.

Although in Luo Yan's view this was just a very ordinary greeting, it sounded particularly harsh in the ears of those with ulterior motives.

Wanted to meet for a long time?

What does this mean? Could it be—

Before Alistair was defeated, he had his eyes on him? Uriel felt a chill in his heart, but his face still maintained an unflappable smile, and he said in a kind tone.

"That is really... too coincidental. To tell you the truth, like you, I have wanted to visit the legendary Prince Kelin for a long time."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while.

Honestly, Luo Yan's interest in him was no longer as great as when he first came to the Academy Union, especially after seeing the other face of the Grand Sage.

However, I don't know if it was his illusion, but this Professor Uriel was unusually enthusiastic about him, pulling him to chat endlessly.

Luo Yan could feel the probing meaning in his words, but he really didn't want to waste time playing games of hypocrisy with a guy who didn't have much time left.

Just as he was thinking about ending this riddle and leaving, Professor Uriel's gaze swept across the direction he came from inadvertently, and he said pretending not to care.

"Speaking of which, Prince, are you... just coming out of the Grand Sage's garden?"

Luo Yan nodded.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Seeing the doubt in Prince Kelin's eyes, Uriel hurriedly waved his hands with a smile.

"No, no! Please don't misunderstand, Prince. I was just... a little surprised. It seems that the Sage Lord really favors you. Haha, I hope he didn't take his anger out on you because of Professor Alistair's fall. We all know you are innocent. Even because of your righteous act, we avoided even heavier losses..."

These words were greetings and flattery on the surface, but in fact, they were probing the content and atmosphere of the meeting between the Prince and the Grand Sage, so as to judge the Grand Sage's true attitude toward this Prince.

However, just when Uriel was probing in a roundabout way, he didn't expect this Prince to see through his little thoughts at a glance and respond in a way he didn't expect.

"Professor Uriel, you don't have to beat around the bush. I had a very pleasant chat with the Grand Sage, and... we didn't talk about Professor Alistair."

Looking at Professor Uriel, who blushed in an instant, the appropriate smile on Luo Yan's face did not change in the slightest.

Without waiting for the professor to argue, he answered the question in the former's heart with a gentle tone, and also answered the old man who was waiting on the spiral staircase and watching everything silently.

"I am here to say goodbye to him."

"Goodbye?! Wait, what do you mean...?"

Uriel was stunned, and it took a long time to recover from this shocking news, but he didn't know what expression to make.

Luo Yan nodded slightly and patted him on the shoulder as he passed by.

"I'm leaving, good luck."

On the spiral staircase, a pair of eyes watched the room downstairs silently, watching Kelin's back disappear in front of the elevator door.

It wasn't until Prince Kelin's figure walked away that Uriel came back to his senses as if from a dream and turned to walk toward the garden above the spiral staircase.

Wish me... good luck? What does it mean? Uriel felt a chill in his heart for no reason.

Just when he was racking his brains to figure out where this feeling came from, he suddenly discovered that the Grand Sage in a gray robe was standing in front of the garden gate watching himself.

Uriel collected his mind and hurriedly bowed to salute.

"Grand Sage..."

"You're here."

Duoliuke, dressed as a gardener, had a kind smile on his face and made a gesture of invitation to the reserved Uriel.

"Come in, sit wherever you like."

Uriel nodded reservedly, then quickly followed the Sage's footsteps into this garden located at the top of the high tower.

The scenery around him dazzled him.

He saw the moonlight grass that only grew in the hometown of elves in legends, and the windbell flowers that could sing pleasant songs with the wind... A refreshing fragrance permeated the air here, as if just sitting here quietly could nourish one's mental power.

This feeling was truly wonderful.

Especially for a mage.

The Uriel of the past dreamed of coming here to take a look and witness the legendary miracle.

However, for some reason, when this moment really came, there was no excitement in his heart as expected, but instead, because of the brief conversation with Prince Kelin just now, he felt a little empty.

"Good luck."

That understated sentence was like a thorn that couldn't be pulled out, stuck in his heart.

Following the Grand Sage into a pavilion carved from moonstone, Uriel sat down opposite the elder.

He hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn't suppress the huge confusion in his heart, and asked a question.

"Respected Grand Sage..."

"What's wrong?"

"Forgive my presumption, Prince Kelin... why is he leaving?"

Grand Sage Duoliuke took a sip of tea, and a hint of gentle smile appeared in those wise eyes that seemed to be able to see through everything.

"Oh? Did he tell you?"

Uriel nodded and said nervously.

"Yes."

"It seems he has already decided."

Duoliuke smiled kindly, as if he had just heard about this matter, and answered the confusion in Uriel's heart in a very low voice.

"There are many reasons for his departure, but I think... the most important reason is probably that he is not acclimatized."

"Not acclimatized?"

Uriel was even more confused.

"But Grand Sage, forgive my bluntness, Prince Kelin... seems to have adapted very well here. His research results are remarkable, and he is also very popular among magic apprentices and many scholars."

Duoliuke smiled gently and did not answer this question directly, but cast his gaze toward a purple-red vine climbing the stone wall outside the pavilion.

A young flower bud was attached to it, and sparks of brilliance were scattered around it, like fireflies that could go out at any time.

"Uriel, do you see that 'Sun Flame Flower'?"

Uriel was slightly startled, looked in the direction of the Grand Sage's gaze, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"This is actually a Sun Flame Flower? Incredible... I always thought it only grew in the south."

"To be precise, it only grows in the volcanic craters of scorching places."

Duoliuke smiled and continued patiently.

"I spent a huge amount of effort to simulate the most suitable environment for it, but here, it can only barely survive, but it can never bloom as wantonly as it does in its hometown."

He cast his gaze back to Uriel, who was lost in thought, and his eyes became meaningful.

"Our Prince Kelin is just like this Sun Flame Flower. He is excellent, but his roots are ultimately planted in the soil illuminated by the Holy Light. The cold wind and rules of the high tower are not suitable for him; forcing him to stay will only make him wither gradually. Leaving here is the best choice for him."

He had never ordered anyone to squeeze out Kelin and those around him, but almost everyone in the high tower had been unconsciously doing this for him recently.

The loyal and rigid Porphyry would use his set of strict rules to examine every "out-of-bounds" move of Prince Kelin. The editor-in-chief of the Sage News would instinctively reject those subversive "science" papers out of maintenance for "tradition."

Even those seemingly neutral professors and mentors would spontaneously alienate that "alien" from the Empire in order to maintain their own status and the interests of their schools.

It was true that the Sage Council had argued over Kelin's papers, but that was because he hadn't expressed his stance, and the mascots sitting in the twelve chairs couldn't decide what he wanted to do, so they could only test him by expressing their own opinions.

He had deliberately not expressed his stance.

Letting them argue over some unimportant things, guessing the thoughts of him who was high above, and then revealing the answer, watching them gather around him quickly like wild dogs fighting for food, either wagging their tails happily or tucking their tails in frustration... this itself was a technique for training dogs.

Of course, he didn't do this just for taming; he never denied that he actually enjoyed it when he did this.

To be able to train Amethyst-tier powerhouses to such a docile degree, there was probably only one Duoliuke on the entire Os Continent.

Even the respected Emperor had never done it, making the superior transcendents who were above ten thousand people behave like dogs in front of him.

The Grand Sage's metaphor made Uriel thoughtful.

He seemed to understand something, and also seemed to still be immersed in the fog, and finally nodded respectfully.

"Student... has been taught."

"Although I am not your mentor, it is my honor to be able to inspire you."

Duoliuke still had a kind smile on his face, and there was no arrogance of being high above in his humble and kind attitude.

In fact, apart from the reasons that ordinary people could interpret, there was another most direct reason, which was the tacit understanding he and Kelin reached in that meeting—

Before ending the "true" crown, the Chosen of the Crown of Arrogance and the Chosen of the Mist of Deception would not invade each other's territory.

However, there was no need to tell Uriel in front of him this reason.

He was not worthy of being a guest in this garden; he was just a plant in this garden waiting to be pruned.

Duoliuke gently put down the teacup, as if he had finished a trivial episode. Then those wise eyes refocused on Uriel, and his tone became serious.

"Alright, let's not talk about the Prince."

"Let's talk about business."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 417 =====