The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 414 The True Ruler

The following morning, a ray of dawn pierced the long night of the northern wilderness, gilding the snow-capped mountains with a golden glow of hope.

Along with the dawn light came a resounding dragon roar, which descended with a reassuring majesty onto the terrace of the Great Sage's Tower branch.

Porphyry Sayy, dressed in a black robe, had been waiting there for a long time. He watched the old man on the back of the pterosaur bow respectfully, letting the wind ruffle his wig to make him look desolate.

"Respected Great Sage... Welcome home."

The pterosaur lowered its proud head and folded its wings behind it.

At the same time, an elderly man dressed in a simple white robe with a kind face slowly stepped down from the dragon's back.

He is the supreme leader of the Academy, the great sage of the Source Law School, and the most learned scholar on the continent of Os—Doryuk.

"Ah."

Dolph nodded, his wise eyes, which seemed to see through everything, were filled with the weariness of the journey and worry about the situation on the front lines.

Looking at the sage Porphyry who had been taking care of the school for him for many days, he slowly spoke.

"Thank you for your hard work while I was away."

Porphyry lowered his head and spoke respectfully.

"This is our duty!"

Porphyry held the Dolphic Sage in the highest esteem.

Not only because this great sage was the founder of research on the virtual realm, but also because the academic community entered an era of unprecedented prosperity under his rule, surpassing the Holy City in many fields and leaving the stagnant empire behind!
Looking at the devoutly bowed sage of law, Doryuk smiled kindly and spoke in a comforting tone.

“Please raise your head, Professor Poffili. I have seen all your hardships and struggles, there is no need to be modest.”

"Yes!"

Porphyry raised his head with emotion, but paused slightly when his gaze fell on the Great Sage beside him, and asked a question out of curiosity.

"My sage, where is that young man who went to Huangtong Pass with you...?"

He remembered that the Great Sage had a magic apprentice who accompanied him when he set off, but that apprentice was not by his side at the moment.

"I asked him to go to the Kingdom of Ryan to take care of some things for me, so he didn't come back with me." Doluk ended the topic amicably, then continued, "Let's get down to business. How's the cleanup work after the labyrinth trial going?"

"I was just about to report to you."

Porphyry straightened up and began to report on the follow-up handling of the maze trial incident in his usual rigorous and concise language.

"...Arist Thorne's crony, the 'Thorne Society,' has been thoroughly purged, with a total of thirty-seven members permanently stripped of their scholar status and expelled! Other unsuspecting individuals involved have also been properly dealt with after an investigation by the Council of Sages' appointment hearing... This work is being overseen by Professor Uriel of the Holy Power School."

"In addition, compensation for the affected students has been paid, their tuition fees for this semester have been waived, and awards for those who showed bravery in the incident have been implemented."

"The official notification of the relevant situation has been delivered to the Holy See in the Holy City via magical communication."

Porphyry had originally intended to mention Prince Colin, but considering that Professor Arist was Dolrich's beloved student, he hesitated for a moment and ultimately refrained from doing so.

It is true that Prince Colin saved more than three thousand apprentices, but it is also true that he concealed his strength and killed Alistair without authorization.

Porphyry even suspected that Colin deliberately created a weakness to lure Arist out, otherwise, given Arist's caution, why would he go looking for trouble with an imperial prince?
Of course, this statement is somewhat politically incorrect, as it sounds like saying that three thousand lives are completely insignificant.

Especially since Alistair was the chosen one of the Chaos Gods.

The thought of this filled Porphyry with anguish.

He couldn't understand why that promising professor would take such a risk. Even without relying on the power of chaos, he could have reached the Amethyst level sooner or later.

Even--

Inheriting the mantle of the great sage.

He could only conclude that Alistair and Colin had a deeper personal grudge, which Colin had kept hidden from them.

After hearing the report, Dolphin's face showed a sorrowful expression.

He let out a long sigh, a sound that conveyed both heartache for the suffering his apprentices had endured and sorrow for his beloved student's downfall.

"...I never imagined that so many painful things would happen in just one month of my absence. If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have left in the first place."

"My lord, please don't blame yourself! Your wisdom doesn't just belong to the academic community. Huangtong Pass is the empire's shield, and it's also our shield. You are not at fault; the problem lies entirely with ourselves! We neglected the management of the grassroots and also neglected our own faith..."

Porphyry lowered his head again and said earnestly.

"Please forgive your immature children; we will certainly learn from this."

The strong in Xuebang are different from those in other places. Even the Purple Crystal level experts here can be so cheesy that it makes people's teeth itch when they need to be.

certainly--

This humility and modesty will transform back into the demeanor of an elder and the disdain of a superior when facing someone of a lower rank.

Dolrich was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the dormitory tower not far away, and suddenly said, "I want to see Prince Colin."

Porphyry paused for a moment, then looked up in disbelief.

He had assumed that once the Great Sage returned, even if he didn't immediately retaliate against the imperial prince who had "killed" his beloved disciple, he would certainly not harbor any goodwill towards him. He had even prepared a set of arguments to deal with the Great Sage's potential wrath.

But he didn't expect the Great Sage's reaction to be so calm, and he couldn't even detect a trace of dissatisfaction in his voice.

Did I taste it wrong?
In fact, the Great Sage did not want to drive the Prince away?
impossible……

Despite his confusion, Porphy agreed without hesitation, "I'll send someone to inform them immediately."

Dolphin smiled kindly.

"There's no need to rush. After all, he is a guest of the Empire. Just let him come to my garden when he has time."

After a pause, he continued.

"Anyway, we have plenty of time, don't we?"

Porphyry's eyes lit up, and he smiled knowingly.

"Yes, I understand what you mean!"

really--

He did not misjudge.

Porphyry nodded respectfully and turned to leave.

As Porphyry turned and left, all the expressions on the face of the great sage Dolrich vanished in an instant, leaving only all-knowing wisdom and a calm, indifferent demeanor.

The pterosaur crouching behind him shivered and let out a kitten-like whimper, as if it were subconsciously trying to please him.

Although it wasn't a true dragon, dragon blood flowed through its veins. This great sage certainly had some skill in taming the descendant of the dragon god into such a lowly state.

At that moment, a slight smile suddenly appeared on his indifferent lips.

"This result isn't so bad."

Although the "rotten flower" was more tenacious than he had imagined, even corroding his beloved "scissors," this only proved its strength.

Long ago, a magic apprentice chosen by the "mysterious fog" Novell was born in his mage tower, and he turned a blind eye and sent the fellow south.

After that, the young man disappeared without a trace, and the Kingdom of Ryan did not experience any serious chaos. He even thought for a time that... Novel had failed.

It seems not now.

That cunning fellow has always been there, hovering over the continent of Os like a ghost, never leaving just like himself.

And now, it has indeed returned in a more covert form, and even gave me a less-than-friendly greeting.

but……

This bad habit of "looking around" needs to be corrected. It should expand its territory in Saint Sis's domain instead of fighting for territory with itself.

A wisp of black shadow, as ethereal as a venomous snake, silently slipped out from Dolph's sleeve and slowly crept up his arm to his index finger.

The wispy black smoke was like an illusory ring; it seemed to open its mouth and speak in the softest voice.

"Welcome home."

"My master."

……

The news of the Great Sage's return spread throughout the entire tower in an instant, bringing a touch of warmth to this dull and cold spring.

Professor Hector was undoubtedly the most excited of them all.

Previously, he had been implicated in the Thorne Society incident, which severely impacted his work and life. He was hoping that the Great Sage would return to uphold justice for him.

Honest people always get happy too soon.

If justice exists, it will never be late.

Hector was waiting.

However, Colin, who had never waited for anyone, received the Great Sage's invitation first.

The invitation was personally delivered by a serious-looking professor.

The time and place of the meeting were written in elegant ancient script and stamped with the Great Sage's own magical seal, serving as proof of entry to the top of the tower.

This surprised Luo Yan.

Logically speaking, he had killed Arist and exposed the latter's identity as the Chosen of Chaos, leaving no room for tact.

Even if this wise man didn't see him as a thorn in his side, there was absolutely no way he would invite him to a meeting so calmly.

He had experienced something similar in hell.

This has nothing to do with right or wrong; it's purely human nature.

"This is definitely a trap!"

A pure white mist drifted out from behind Luo Yan, floating around him, and the concerned voice was full of anxiety.

"My Lord Demon King, isn't that old man named Dolrich your teacher, Alistair? It's good enough that he hasn't caused you any trouble, but he actually invited you to have tea at the top of the tower? There's definitely something fishy going on here! You mustn't fall for it!"

"It's not a trap."

Luo Yan gazed at the elegantly worded invitation, his index finger thoughtfully stroking his chin as he slowly analyzed it.

"Even if he were to attack me, he wouldn't do it from his mage tower. It wouldn't do him any good, and... it would offend a lot of people."

The Imperial Prince is a very useful card.

Especially after he took a trip to the Holy City, the entire Holy City is now full of potential allies of the "Colin Family".

The Knights Templar have a grand plan waiting for him to fulfill upon his return; personal grudges are insignificant in the face of higher-level interests.

Youyou was still worried and said in a doubtful tone.

"So what does he want to do?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's a test, maybe it's just a gesture... After all, the Great Sage's disciple has run into trouble, and it's not so easy for him to wash his hands of the matter. Otherwise, why would he appoint a professor from the Holy Power School as his successor?"

Although Professor Uriel is also an abstract figure, others simply don't know it.

To most magicians, that gentleman was a scholar as warm and humble as the sun, much like a priest of the Holy City. Luo Yan paused for a moment, a playful smile playing on his lips.

"There's no point in guessing here, we'll just have to go and see for ourselves."

Despite a lingering doubt, Luo Yan decided to maintain the composure befitting a prince and gladly accepted the invitation.

The meeting place is the Sky Garden at the top of the Great Sage's Tower.

It was a miraculous place isolated from the world, a sacred place that countless magicians could only dream of but never reach.

A semi-transparent magical dome shuts out the wind and snow of the North. Beneath the dome, spring reigns all year round, and rare magical plants grow quietly in the meticulously designed garden, emitting a soft glow and a refreshing fragrance.

Compared to the scenery on the snow-covered plains, this place is like another world.

As Luo Yan admired the garden, he couldn't help but compare it to Professor Edonia's garden.

In terms of rarity and value, the Vice-Principal of the Higher Demon Academy's collection is far inferior to that of this sage. Interestingly, however, Professor Edonia's garden is brimming with a vitality that is absent here.

In contrast, this garden is more like a still image in an oil painting.

In short, they each have their own merits.

When Luo Yan arrived, the great sage Dolluk was wearing a simple gray robe and working in a corner of the garden.

He was like an ordinary old gardener, intently pruning the branches and leaves of a plant with blooming star-blue flowers, so absorbed in his work that he seemed oblivious to the prince's arrival.

That's obviously impossible.

Just as Luo Yan was wondering whether he should cough to remind the old man who was pretending to be stupid, Dolphin seemed to have finally finished his gardening work.

He dusted off his hands and put the scissors aside.

"You've come, Colin."

He didn't turn around; his voice was gentle and kind, as if he were chatting casually with a close friend despite the age gap.

Even though it was their first time meeting.

Luo Yan nodded slightly and said in a gentle voice.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, esteemed sage."

Dolph slowly turned around, his aged eyes filled with the elegance and smile of an elder. He pointed to the stone bench beside the stone table in the garden pavilion and spoke gently.

"Please sit down. Don't be shy. Make yourself at home."

Luo Yan calmly took his seat.

Dolphin walked over and sat down opposite him, waving his hand to summon a teapot and teacups, and personally poured him a cup of fragrant tea.

Luo Yan had no knowledge of tea, but he could still intuitively sense that this stuff was even better than the "Jing Shenme Xueya" tea he had swiped from Professor Hector.

“Good tea!”

Dolphin smiled kindly at Colin's effusive praise.

"The secret to its fragrance lies in the shell of the Starfall Fruit, which is very helpful for meditation. However, it is rare and hard to find in the market. If Your Highness doesn't mind, you can take some back with you later."

Luo Yan smiled shyly.

I'm so sorry.

"Thank you! To be honest, I'm also very interested in gardening. I would be even more grateful if you could spare some seeds for me!"

Dolphin was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting the prince to be so impolite, but he still smiled nonchalantly and said.

“That’s easy to say… but Starfall Fruit is extremely picky about its growing environment, so you’ll have to spend a lot of time on it.”

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind!" Luo Yan nodded with a smile.

His territory has a branch of the Tree of Life called "Greywind," as well as night elves skilled in gardening; keeping this thing alive shouldn't be a problem.

The matter of tea was thus left behind, and Dolrich seemed unwilling to continue discussing his collection, quickly shifting the topic to Prince Colin himself.

"How are you settling in with Xuebang? I heard that your 'science' class is very popular with young children."

Faced with the great sage's warm greetings, Luo Yan smiled politely and responded with a smile.

"Thanks to you, I am doing well. The academic atmosphere at Xuebang is strong, and the students are very energetic. I am very fulfilled here."

“Haha, it’s good to be energetic.” Dolrich smiled and continued in a kind tone, “I’ve heard Sage Porphyry mention your students. They are all very talented children. It’s not easy for you to select them from the crowd.”

Luo Yan gently blew on the tea leaves floating in the cup, took a sip of the refreshing fragrance, then put down the teacup and said with a smile.

"I prefer the word 'discover' rather than 'screen'."

Dolph said, slightly surprised.

"Oh? What's the difference?"

Luo Yan said in a gentle tone.

"The difference is... I don't think those children who weren't selected should be screened out or eliminated. They may not be the main characters in my story, but they also have their own talents or strengths, which I just haven't discovered yet."

Dolphin paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

"This sounds a bit like philosophy."

Luo Yan's smile remained unchanged.

"Maybe so. This is just my teaching philosophy. I will give those gifted young men and women a platform, but the rest of the students will still see me in class often, and the door to science will still be open to them... Who knows, one day in the future they will surprise me."

"It seems you really enjoy being a mentor."

Dolph smiled noncommittally, took a sip of tea, and acted like a kind elder who genuinely cared about the younger generation's studies, subtly ending the topic.

"I just read your copy of Science. Both the papers in it and the journal itself contain very interesting ideas..."

Their conversation quickly drifted from teaching philosophies to academic topics.

To Luo Yan's surprise, he never mentioned Arist Thorne's name or the recent uproar that had swept through the entire academic community.

It's as if everything has been turned over a new leaf.

At an incredible speed.

In particular, Dolphin's attitude made Luo Yan feel a subtle sense of unease.

He cares about everything and is tolerant of different opinions, but there is no human emotion in him, especially no sadness or anger.

At this moment, Dolük seemed to have finished chatting about everyday things, and suddenly turned his gaze to the vast snowfield beyond the dome.

In an instant, his voice became distant and meaningful.

"I have always believed that arrogance and intrigue are not the enemy."

Looking at the stunned Prince Colin, Dolrich spoke softly, a barely perceptible glint flashing in his usually calm eyes.

"Before the true crown is laid down, they remain potential partners, even close allies... What do you think?"

The air was quiet in an instant.

A magic butterfly landed lightly on the branch that the sage had just pruned, while the chirping of insects in the shadows eyed the colorful wings covetously.

Looking at that kind yet unassuming face, Luo Yan's expression remained unchanged, but a slight chill ran down his spine.

arrogant……

conspiracy?

ally?

What's happening here?
"Demon, Demon King!? He, he means..." Youyou looked at Luo Yan tremblingly, then looked at the old man in the robe in front of her in horror.

The true ruler isn't Alistair?!

But...

A great sage?!

"Shut up... Call me Your Highness." Luo Yan muttered to himself, trying to maintain a calm expression.

In fact, he had a vague feeling a long time ago that Alistair was like his subordinate Arachdo, just a little spider lurking in the shadows.

That's an unseen force hiding higher up in the tower.

He just hadn't expected that this person was actually the Great Sage himself, and he certainly hadn't expected that this guy would actually confront him!

certainly--

It wasn't just himself who was caught off guard; the great sage had clearly misjudged many things as well.

Luo Yan analyzed the situation calmly.

The conspiracy naturally corresponds to the "mysterious fog".

For some reason, Dolrich, the chosen one of the Arrogant Crown Avanor, mistook himself for one of his own kind—the chosen one of the "Mysterious Mist" Novell!
The other party clearly did not expect that the divine essence within them did not actually come from Novel, but from a completely unrelated, wild faith.

Compared to other native deities in this world, the "God of Machines" is far too niche and has existed for far too short a time.

Realizing he was safe for the time being, Luo Yan relaxed a little, but he didn't stop thinking.

By meticulously piecing together the limited information, he learned that the gods in the void could not communicate directly with each other.

Just like the researchers at Corinta couldn't get in touch with Earth by bypassing the Greys in Virtual Realm 178.

At the same time, these "foreign forces" that share a common enemy with the native beliefs of the main world are also potential allies among themselves.

At least until the faith in the main world completely collapses!
Just as Luo Yan was rapidly analyzing the situation, those cloudy pupils also emitted an unprecedented penetrating power, seeping into the depths of his soul.

That was the pressure emanating from a demigod-level powerhouse!

Controlling his breathing, Luo Yan steadied his mind, which was swaying in the storm, and a calm yet fake smile appeared on his lips.

"You are very clever, my old friend."

He neither admitted nor denied, nor even answered Dolph's question, but responded to the latter's confrontation with a cryptic whisper.

Rather than revealing your hand or rashly impersonating someone the other party is familiar with, letting the other party guess is probably the best outcome.

After all, he was an arrogant apostle.

An arrogant puppet only ever trusts its own judgment.

Luo Yan did not expect that his impromptu performance would be an unexpected success.

Dolph's lips curled into a smile similar to his own, and the pressure on his shoulders suddenly eased.

That was an arrogant smile.

It is also a smile of victory.

"It's really you."

(End of this chapter)