The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 391 Jealous Aristotle and the Ubiquitous Colin

As evening fell, the setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the Great Sage's Tower. Almost at the same moment the bells rang, Luo Yan arrived at Professor Hector's office as promised.

As soon as he entered the room, Hector immediately stood up from behind his desk and hurried over with an irrepressible smile on his face.

"Haha, Your Highness! You've finally arrived! Please, have a seat!"

"Professor Hector, you're too kind."

Luo Yan smiled and nodded, sitting down on the familiar guest sofa as if he were returning to his own office.

The corgi waiting nearby perked up as soon as he arrived and quickly poured him a steaming cup of tea.

The tea soup was clear and bright in color, and emitted a refreshing and unique aroma.

This is Professor Hector's most treasured "Tranquil Snow Bud," made from the petals of ice lotus from the far north glacier. It is said to make a mage's mental energy clearer and more lucid during meditation. He himself usually wouldn't drink it, but now his teaching assistant offered it to him voluntarily.

In the past, seeing his teaching assistant wasting such a valuable resource, the stingy Professor Hector would have frowned even if he hadn't said anything.

However, he was in a very good mood now, so these trivial flaws were not worth his attention.

Besides, it was his own instruction to treat this prince well.

Just three days ago, Corinta's paper published in the Sage's Gazette shocked the entire Great Sage's Tower.

As the "recommender" who strongly supported Colin in obtaining the research rights to the 440th virtual realm, Hector finally got his revenge.

Not only did scholars from the same school express their admiration and flattery towards him, but even His Highness the Great Sage rarely expressed his approval of his work.

Luo Yan calmly sipped his tea, chatting with Hector while also observing the old professor's facial expressions with great interest.

Just as Corgi had told him beforehand, although the old man was trying his best to restrain his expression, the raised corners of his mouth and the corners of his eyebrows still revealed the joy in his heart.

"Your Highness, your paper has truly broadened my horizons! Especially your inference on the phenomenon of 'spiritual resonance', it's simply a stroke of genius!"

"Professor, you flatter me," Luo Yan smiled and took a sip of tea, responding calmly. "I have only summarized some observed phenomena. Moreover, the many researchers at Corinta deserve much credit for this achievement. On the contrary, I have only done a small part of the work."

"Haha, you're always so modest!"

Hector laughed heartily.

After exchanging pleasantries, he leaned forward slightly and finally got to the point: "Your Highness, the Council of Sages has reached a new resolution, and... it's unprecedentedly good news!"

He paused for a moment, deliberately keeping the prince in suspense, waiting for him to ask a question.

Luo Yan was initially uninterested in cooperating with him, but seeing the anxiety and eagerness on his face, he couldn't help but smile and grant his request.

"What is it?"

Seeing the curious look on Prince Colin's face, Hector smiled smugly and continued speaking with bright eyes.

"There are three formal resolutions. First, the council fully affirms your research findings in Virtual Realm 178 and officially withdraws the previous risk warning! This means that your research methods can be used as a reference and learning tool by all scholars!"

"Secondly, in order to support your pioneering research, the Council has decided to provide your 'Magic Science Laboratory' with greater resource support, including but not limited to priority in funding and personnel allocation!"

Seeing Professor Hector's excited expression, Luo Yan calmly took a sip of tea and listened quietly, his expression remaining largely unchanged.

He doesn't care much about praise and resources.

The former is merely a hollow title. Now, regardless of whether the council recognizes it or not, the name Colin and the School of Science have become deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people of the Great Sage's Tower.

As for the latter, it's nothing more than worldly money, which is exactly what he has in abundance.

Luo Yan believed that Professor Hector must also be aware of this.

If it's just such a small matter, there's absolutely no need to tell me in person; Mr. Corgi could have just relayed the message.

Luo Yan gently blew away the rising steam from his teacup, waiting for his chef to bring the "main course" to the coffee table.

And just as he had expected, Professor Hector suddenly lowered his voice, his solemn tone now tinged with an unprecedented excitement.

"Finally, there is the third resolution, which is also the most important one!"

"The Council has decided to establish a special committee to re-evaluate the virtual resources that were frozen due to the depletion of the passageways!"

"Oh?" Luo Yan put down his teacup, a look of interest on his face.

He had heard Hector mention once before that the Academy adopted the attitude of squeezing out as much of the virtual resources as possible when they were about to be exhausted.

However, there are also some virtual realms among them, which are so weak that they cannot even take out a quill pen.

The Xuebang leadership decided to temporarily freeze this virtual environment, which has neither development nor research value.

In the words of the great sage Dolrich, they must leave something of hope for future generations.

Although Hector has not yet explained the contents of the special committee's review work, Luo Yan can guess from common sense that it is about "restructuring bankrupt resources"!

Just as he had thought, Hector tried to control the excitement in his voice and announced in a solemn tone.

"This special committee will be responsible for selecting virtual realms with the potential for restoration and appointing a new research team to conduct restorative research based on your research ideas!"

"And you will serve as the executive chief of this special committee, directly involved in this two-way selection process for resources and talent!"

The office was silent for two seconds.

Even though he was somewhat prepared, Luo Yan was still quite surprised by the grand scale of the Great Sage's Tower.

Joining the special committee established by the Council of Sages means that he will have the power to evaluate and even allocate the most core strategic resources of the Academy!
His influence will no longer be limited to the small Tower of Corin, but will extend to the shadow of the entire Tower of the Great Sage!

Although Xuebang is indeed a vassal state of the empire, they are ultimately two different systems... Do these guys really trust me that much?

Or perhaps these mages were certain they wouldn't stay here indefinitely, so rather than choosing someone from the opposing school, they decided to appoint an outsider as the chief executive.

But no matter what—

A pleasant smile appeared on Luo Yan's face.

“That is indeed good news, thank you, Professor Hector.”

Professor Hector's face lit up with even greater joy upon hearing this.

"Hehe, Your Highness is too kind. You deserve all of this. Speaking of which... this special committee will inevitably require a lot of work from you in the future. Those frozen virtual realm files are piling up like mountains, and picking out the valuable ones from them... is no easy task."

As he said this, he rubbed his hands together a little shyly and chuckled, looking like a child who wanted candy but was too embarrassed to ask.

"Of course, in case... I mean in case, Your Highness discovers any resources that are particularly suitable for my mage tower during the review... I would appreciate it if you could... cough, take the trouble to help."

This old-fashioned professor was clearly not good at asking for favors; his words were roundabout, and he himself felt somewhat embarrassed afterward.

Seeing Professor Hector wanting to ask but too embarrassed to speak up, Luo Yan smiled. This little thing was no problem for him.

"Of course, your academic ability is evident to all scholars. Even without our relationship, I would certainly give you priority consideration... Please don't worry, Professor."

In a place like Xuebang, there's no shortage of talented researchers; you could pick up a brick and throw it down and knock down a whole bunch of them.

Since the decision is in your own hands, what difference does it make who you give this opportunity to?

As a demon king, his first choice is naturally those who hold the remote control in his hands.

Hector blushed, scratched the back of his head, and laughed heartily as if to ease the awkwardness.

"Haha, that's true... I'm not bragging, but I'm considered one of the top researchers of the Void Realm in the Tower of Great Sages, otherwise they wouldn't have asked me to recruit students."

He was the only one laughing in the office.

"..."

Watching Professor Hector talking to himself, Luo Yan silently picked up the teacup on the table, using the act of drinking tea to cover up his embarrassment while letting out a sigh in his heart.

Given this guy's emotional intelligence, the fact that he managed to become a professor shows he must have some real skills...

……

Just as the Demon King's corruption was silently spreading towards the top of the tower, another possessor of divinity was not idle either.

Professor Arist, a legendary figure in the School of Source Law who was known for his reclusive lifestyle, has surprisingly changed his usual demeanor and begun to appear frequently in the public eye.

In the upper library of the Great Sage's Tower, a highly experienced mentor is racking his brains over a complex rune matrix.

Just as he was sighing over the model, Professor Alistair, who was passing by, suddenly stopped, glanced at it casually, and said something nonchalantly.

"Why not reverse the direction of energy transmission? This is not a very complicated problem; you're overcomplicating it."

That seemingly casual remark struck like a thunderbolt, leaving the tutor stunned on the spot. At first, his eyes were filled with doubt, but soon that doubt transformed into ecstatic joy.

"Thank you—Professor Alistair?!" Just as he looked up, he suddenly realized who had spoken up to enlighten him.

And in that instant, he was completely dumbfounded.

Looking at this ignorant fool, a hint of disdain flashed in Alistair's eyes, but he still responded gently and humbly.

“You’re welcome. It’s my… honor to answer your question.” He uttered the last word with some effort, as if it were an obscure incantation.

The instructor gaped, as if he had been struck by a spell, and remained stunned for a long time, his face showing an expression of utter disbelief.

Arist didn't waste any time on the "confused wood rat," smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, then walked away amidst the unconscious stares of countless scholars.

On another occasion, in the corridor leading to the library, a prospective student accidentally knocked over the files he was holding and scattered them all over the floor due to nervousness.

Just as he was frantically preparing to tidy up, he discovered that Professor Arist had already knelt down and personally picked up one of the scrolls for him.

The apprentice was flattered and mustered his courage to ask a naive, almost laughable question about the nature of Source Force.

Everyone thought he would be ridiculed or scolded, but instead of getting angry, Alistair patiently stopped and answered his question with the simplest analogy.

In no time, rumors about Professor Alistair's generosity, wisdom, and willingness to mentor younger generations spread like a spring breeze throughout the entire Tower of Great Sages.

Although many teaching assistants and mentors wondered why this big shot had suddenly changed his personality, objectively speaking, these actions have indeed changed his reputation.

Especially for his apprentices who were not familiar with him.

However, behind this praise lies an unknown anxiety.

In the stillness of the night, in Alistair's private study.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, his gaze falling on the ring that symbolized the power of the "Thorne Society".

A wisp of twisted gray mist slowly emerged from the ring, coiling around his arm and winding into his shadow.

That was his divinity—

The fragments Avano gave him.

“Little Vah, our efficiency is too low,” Alistair’s voice was full of impatience. “This little bit of faith power is just a drop in the ocean and is not enough to help me reach the bottleneck.”

He gave this self-proclaimed deity from the Crown of Pride, Avano, a catchy code name so that he wouldn't be unsure of what to call him in ordinary times and accidentally let it slip at a crucial moment.

The cloud of gray mist churned merrily, soothing him in a gentle voice: "Be patient, my master. In this respect, you have much to learn from your adversary."

“Colin…” Alistair’s eyes instantly turned cold.

“That’s right,” Little Wa’s voice was laced with laughter. “He’s slowly eroding the faith in Saint Sith in his own way, and in the name of Saint Sith. Haven’t you noticed? Half the people in the Tower are talking about him now, even considering him Saint Sith’s chosen one… Haha, what foolish mortals, short-sighted and ignorant like insects.”

Alistair's voice was icy and chilling.

“I know what he’s doing, you don’t need to urge me on.”

“I didn’t,” the gray mist appeared utterly innocent. “I was just reminding you to be careful… Besides, at this point, it’s not appropriate for you to attack him, is it? He’s more terrifying when he’s dead than when he’s alive, and you might not even be his match.”

“A mere platinum level,” Alistair scoffed. “Don’t underestimate platinum level, and besides… aren’t you a diamond too? Actually, you’re only slightly higher than him.”

The distorted gray mist vanished before its master could get angry.

……

A few days have passed since then.

Aristotle patiently continued to play the role of a "people-friendly scholar," doing what Prince Colin had done before.

He traveled between various seminars, generously sharing his knowledge, and occasionally stopped to personally guide the young apprentices who were full of admiration.

certainly--

Not all the gazes directed at him were of admiration; many were simply scholars taken aback by his inexplicable attentiveness.

When an old fox suddenly starts to act friendly, no one will think it has changed its ways and become a vegetarian; they will only suspect that they are being watched.

In contrast, Prince Colin has rarely appeared in the public eye recently.

It was as if the two of them had switched identities.

The council seems to have reached some resolution recently, and the prince is busy dealing with it, devoting almost all his energy to it.

His classes were sometimes taught by his assistants, and sometimes even by his apprentices.

Surprisingly, no one found it inappropriate. His science class was no different from usual, and the discussions were even more lively than usual.

After all, it takes some courage to ask a question to a prince, but it doesn't take much courage to ask a prince's student a question.

However, Alistair saw this as an opportunity!
On this day, Aristotle suddenly and unusually announced that he would personally give a public lecture to the students of the Source Law School.

As soon as the news broke, the entire lecture hall was packed, with even the aisles filled with students who had come to hear about it... just like when Prince Colin gave his lectures.

Looking at the packed classroom, Alistair smiled knowingly.

Although he acknowledged that the prince from the Holy City was quite skilled in the study of the Void Realm, in terms of academic standing alone, he was still far inferior to him.

If he wanted to, he could close the gap between the two sides in no time!

"Now that almost everyone has arrived, let's begin," Alistair cleared his throat and announced the start of the lesson.

The course content covers the fundamental part of the morphology of source forces regarding their composition.

Although the lesson plans were prepared with the help of his mentor, he could easily grasp this superficial knowledge even without looking at the lesson plans.

Regardless of how the enigmatic fog views his identity as a scholar, the title of "academic upstart" he received twenty years ago did not fall from the sky.

At least within the Genju Law School, the only one who could theoretically surpass him was probably his mentor, the great sage Doryuk.

The classroom atmosphere was lively; after all, it was a lecture hall taught by a renowned teacher, and everyone listened with rapt attention, taking several pages of notes.

Alistair was also very satisfied.

Especially during the lessons, he suddenly realized that teaching the apprentices wasn't as boring as he had imagined.

Recalling basic knowledge not only helps him relax his mind, but also helps him recall obvious yet easily overlooked details of knowledge.

I might consider offering a few more classes.

Bathed in the gaze of adoration, Alistair thought to himself as he announced the start of the Q&A session, asking the teaching assistant standing to the side to call on his name.

One by one, hands were raised.

Soon, an apprentice sitting in the front row was chosen by his teaching assistant, stood up excitedly, and spoke in a high-pitched voice.

"Professor, regarding the principle of 'observation over hypothesis' that you just mentioned, it reminds me of... His Highness Colin said that before we think about why, we must first examine whether it is true or not. Is this the same principle?"

He had clearly thought about it seriously and was trying to integrate the new knowledge he had learned.

As for why he didn't ask the core questions related to the source energy, but instead asked a trivial matter, it was because that was the only thing he understood.

This is actually quite normal; the more notes you take, the less you actually know.

Generally speaking, professors won't stoop to the level of their apprentices, since everyone knows these newbies are clueless and it's perfectly normal for them not to understand.

However, the words "His Highness Colin said" were like an invisible poisonous thorn, piercing precisely into Alistair's heart.

On the podium, the gentle smile on his face froze instantly, and his wise eyes turned icy and ruthless.

An incredibly powerful and suffocating mental pressure flashed by like an invisible storm, causing even the professor sitting in the back row to hold his breath.

There was silence in the classroom.

The air, which had been buzzing with academic excitement just a moment ago, was now deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The apprentice who asked the question turned pale and slowly sat down under the horrified gaze of his companion, his body trembling uncontrollably.

He probably won't get better today; he'll likely only start to recover slowly tomorrow.

Realizing he had overreacted, Alistair quickly regained his composure.

The gentle face gradually regained its composure, but the mildness and patience that belonged to the "people-friendly scholar" had vanished.

“I don’t deny that what he said might have some merit, but you don’t have to parrot it to everyone you meet, and I think that prince probably wouldn’t want you to be so stupid.”

"In particular, we are not talking about the same thing at all."

He answered the question simply and calmly, then announced that the Q&A session would continue.

But even after he finished speaking, no one raised their hand for a long time; everyone was trembling with fear.

A flicker of annoyance flashed in Alistair's eyes, though he carefully concealed it deep within.

"Since you have no questions, get out of class is over."

As he left the classroom, he couldn't help but reflect.

Was I too lenient with these guys?

As a result, they gradually forgot about humility.

At that moment, Alistair suddenly remembered Colin, and his gentle expression almost twisted into a grimace again.

A seed called jealousy had quietly sprouted in his heart. Although he was aware of it, perhaps this was the price of becoming a god.

At least this time, Xiao Wa did not try to calm him down; obviously, a little temper is harmless to the gods.

In any case, those who respect him will still respect him, and those who dislike him won't stop disliking him just because of what he did.

……

A few days later, an invitation from the top of the tower was delivered to Alistair's desk, bearing the seal of the great sage Dolrich.

Upon seeing the familiar emblem, Alistair's expression froze, a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes, and his face turned pale, his hands and feet went cold.

His flustered look was like that of a child caught cheating on an exam.

He glanced instinctively at the mirror beside him, and as if by prior arrangement, distorted gray mist slowly seeped out from his index finger.

It spoke soothingly in a voice meant to comfort a child.

"Calm down, brother. Nobody can see me except you. Even a demigod can't see me... Your suspicious behavior will only give you away."

Alister lowered his hoarse voice and cursed.

"You underestimate that old man. He's seen everything! He knows everything! Not a single detail escapes his eyes!"

Xiao Wa suddenly smiled.

Alistair was slightly annoyed by its indifferent attitude, but there was nothing he could do about it, so he could only say in a low voice.

"why are you laughing?"

Xiao Wa sighed and said.

“I’m laughing… You and your apprentices are actually quite alike; you’re not even two sides of the same coin, but rather printed on the same side. May I mention that name? If it’s him, even if Saint Sith stood right in front of him, he could still smile and exchange a few words. When the topic turns to the Holy Light, Saint Sith might even mistake him for one of their own—”

"Enough, shut up!" Alistair yelled.

For a moment, he couldn't tell whether he was angry because he was being used as an analogy to describe the apprentice, or because he felt mocked by his own divine status for being inferior to that man.

But now is not the time to hesitate.

He grabbed the letter, hurriedly left the study, and headed towards the elevator...

The private garden of the great sage Doryuk is located at the very top of the Tower of Source Law.

Beneath the enormous glass dome, exotic flowers and rare herbs thrive year-round under the nourishment of magic, adorning this small world like a corner of a divine kingdom.

Beyond the dome lies an endless expanse of azure sky.

The stars are within reach here.

This is the pinnacle of the Great Sage's Tower, the pinnacle of the entire academic community, and the zenith of prestige and power in the magical world!
In his youth, Alistair had countless times imagined himself standing here, overlooking this icy world as its master.

However, by middle age, this passion has long been worn down by reality.

His mentor, this living legend of the academic community, shows no signs of fading and will likely outlive him.

Facing this unfathomable mentor, Alistair suppressed all outward emotions and tried hard to control his inner unease.

Hopefully, he's too busy to notice my recent unusual behavior...

However, while he was feeling uneasy, the great sage Dolrich remained calm.

Unlike his imposing demeanor at the Great Sages' Council, he was leisurely pruning the leaves of a luminous orchid.

Upon seeing Alistair's arrival, the white-bearded old man nodded gently, gesturing for his beloved disciple to sit down on the stone bench nearby.

"You seem to have been quite active lately," Doryuk's voice was steady and slow, a warm smile on his face, but his deep eyes were unfathomable. "I heard you've recently started personally instructing your apprentices again?"

"I'm just sharing some shallow insights, hoping to contribute my modest efforts to the future of Xuebang," Alistair replied humbly.

"Haha, that's great."

Dolph's voice carried a hint of nostalgia, as if he were reminiscing about the past. It wasn't that he didn't age, but rather that he aged more slowly than the average person.

"Time flies... It's been so many years, do you still remember those basic theories?"

Alistair said respectfully.

"Of course I remember, you taught me that."

Dolphin smiled gently.

He didn't continue on that topic, but instead chatted casually about the latest developments in cultivation and research on the Void Realm, as if this meeting were just an ordinary teacher-student heart-to-heart talk.

Just as Arist was beginning to lower his guard, the Great Sage seemingly casually put down his gardening shears and suddenly spoke.

"By the way, Arist, regarding that newly formed 'Special Committee'... the council has already made a decision."

He paused, then continued in a very soft voice.

“I intend to appoint Prince Colin as chief executive officer, with full authority over the selection and restoration of those weakened void realms.”

(End of this chapter)