Chapter 394 Our World is Too Crowded

The seminar ended and the scholars left one after another.

The first batch of twelve virtual realm resources released all found researchers who Luo Yan thought were most suitable for them.

The person who was chosen naturally could not hide his excitement and ecstasy. He repeatedly expressed his gratitude to His Highness Colin and swore that he would not let him down.

As for those scholars who were not selected, except for the arrogant Professor Camirel and the untalented mentor Rukoro, although most of them were regretful, there was not much resentment in their eyes, and they were more convinced.

After all, they witnessed the entire qualification review process with their own eyes, and every approved scholar won the award based on his or her own strength.

This is certainly a good thing for scholars with real talent and knowledge.

Many people have secretly made up their minds that they must make serious preparations after returning this time, and strive to impress this selfless prince with their true knowledge in the next selection.

In the corridor, the whispers of scholars could be heard one after another.

"That prince is truly unfathomable! He saw through the problems in Professor Camerel's report at a glance!"

"Yeah, I never thought that His Highness would actually give a chance to an 'old antique' like Mentor Rockwell!"

"It seems that the world of the Great Sage's Tower is really about to change..."

A trace of resentment flashed in Professor Cameron's eyes, but he finally swallowed his anger and hurriedly left the corridor.

Inside the seminar room.

Luo Yan leaned back in his chair comfortably, looking at the files in his hand with a satisfied expression on his face.

Velich, who was acting as the recorder, was carefully organizing the interview records, and his eyes were full of admiration when he looked at His Royal Highness the Prince.

Noticing his gaze, Luo Yan smiled and said casually.

"It seems like you have something to say to me."

"No, Your Highness, I'm just... a little surprised."

Velich stopped what he was doing, scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and after a pause continued.

"I never thought that the selection of virtual resources could be so fair. Thank you for showing me what academia should be like."

Luo Yan smiled faintly and spoke in a casual tone.

"This is nothing, or rather... this is how the world should be. Now that you've seen it here, I hope you can pass this tradition on. Sooner or later, I'll leave here, and then it'll be up to you."

Looking at the trusting eyes, a sense of mission suddenly surged in Velich's heart, but there was also a hint of sadness.

His Highness has been saying this a lot recently, which made him start to worry whether he is about to leave this snowy field.

He sincerely hoped that His Highness could stay here for a while longer.

The time he spent working with him was the most relaxing and free time he had ever had since he entered the school.

He saw another possibility in him. They actually had a chance to escape from the vortex that trapped them all.

Just make a small change.

This yearning that comes from the heart is like the living beings behind the virtual world, looking up at the ancient gods in the void through the whispers in the dark.

Velich took a deep breath and placed his palms on his chest.

"Please rest assured, Your Highness! I will definitely pass on your teachings to my students, and have them pass them on forever!"

Luo Yan smiled and nodded.

"With your words, I feel relieved."

…

The evening bell rang, and Luo Yan returned to the dormitory tower.

Sarah, who was waiting at the entrance, walked over to him and gently took his coat, which was slightly cold. Her pupils, which usually showed indifference, only showed concern when she saw her Lord Demon.

"Your Highness, did everything go well today?"

"Well, it went pretty smoothly," Luo Yan said with a slightly tired smile. "It's just a little tiring dealing with a bunch of old foxes, but it's not a big deal. In fact, I was quite surprised. I thought Mr. Alistair Thorne would be restless, but he turned out to be surprisingly patient."

Sarah was slightly stunned.

"Does that person...have any grudge against you?"

Luo Yan replied casually.

"No, he even helped me a few times... although that wasn't for me, but for his own plans."

Sarah said after thinking for a moment.

"Then why do you think he would do you... harm?"

"This is inevitable," Luo Yan smiled and said gently, "Sarah, this tower is more crowded than we imagined, even more crowded than the Magic City and the Holy City. Do you still remember Elder Dragun? He and I don't really have any grudges, but... if we reach that position and are unwilling to give up our resources, we will automatically become his enemy, and he will be the one we have to defeat."

For those in power, personal grudges are superficial emotions, and the conflicts arising from such emotions are actually easy to resolve.

For example, Shino Dragon, that not-so-bright idiot, now they have become friends who got to know each other through fighting.

Because since that power struggle, the Dragun family has lost its status as the first-tier family in Magic City, even without "Senator Luo Yan".

If they want to keep the resources they have, they can only cooperate with Councillor Luo Yan, the only person who is willing to pay attention to them and has unlimited potential.

Of course Luo Yan was happy to do so.

Just like he was happy to use Shadowdemon to defeat Thanos, they were all people whose remote controls he held in his hands.

He can press it whenever he feels unhappy.

Just then, a lazy voice came from the sofa.

"Oh? The great Chief Executive finally decided to come back? I thought you were planning to sleep on that pile of moldy parchment."

Tafu raised her head sleepily from a pile of soft cushions, her golden vertical pupils full of mockery, as if she was the owner of this house.

This guy's voice still sounds annoying.

However, after spending time with him, Luo Yan realized that this His Majesty the Dragon God was just bored, lonely and cold.

In addition, maybe because it has been away from home for too long and the excitement of coming to Xuebang has passed, it has recently begun to miss the tropical climate.

Luo Yan glanced at her and said with a smile.

"Why, did you miss me?"

Tuff yawned.

"What do I want you for? It's true that I'm hungry."

Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"If you had learned to read those 'moldy parchments' sooner, you might have been able to help instead of just sitting here complaining about being hungry."

Hearing this, Tuff rolled her eyes.

"Why would I want to study primitive graffiti? What good would it do me to understand such trivial knowledge?"

"Child's play," Luo Yan teased the conceited "Dragon God." "I remember someone's jaw dropping when they saw the Void Realm. Could it be that you just don't understand?"

"You, you're talking nonsense!"

Tafu's sore spot was instantly touched, and she sat up straight. Although she was still trying to be tough, her expression was obviously about to break.

"I don't understand? When I created Dragon Language Magic, you were still an atom in the vast ocean! I just... doubt those unsystematic and unfounded theories! Also, stop talking nonsense! Hurry up and have the kitchen prepare dinner! I want double the honey-glazed barbecue!"

"Okay, let's have barbecue tonight," Luo Yan walked over with a smile, completely ignoring her grin, and skillfully scratched her fleshy chin, "Double barbecue, and more honey, right?"

Tafu squinted her eyes in pleasure from being tickled, but she quickly came to her senses and bared her teeth in dissatisfaction. However, she didn't know how to retort and could only utter an unwilling grunt.

Sarah, who was standing by, looked at this harmonious scene with a faint smile on her face.

Luo Yan said casually after coaxing Tafu.

"Sarah, I'll leave the preparation of dinner to you... As usual, noodles will do."

While enjoying the caress of the "hairless monkey", Tafu suddenly became alert and, like a mouse smelling a cat, she quickly crawled under the sofa.

But of course this little trick didn't bother Sarah.

She just nodded slightly and spoke with ease.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Regardless of how Sarah got Taf out from under the sofa, Luo Yan turned and walked towards his study and sat down in the comfortable armchair in front of the fireplace.

He closed his eyes and entered into meditation. In a sea of consciousness as vast as the sea of stars, he opened the interface of his divine nature.

【

Godhead: Luo Yan

Legendary Factors: The Demon King of Thunder County, the Flame King south of the Wanren Mountains, the generous, wealthy and benevolent Prince Colin, the civilian councilor born in the Demon God Temple, the founder of science...

Influence share: 0.9% (↑0.8%)

Overdraft limit: 0%

Control efficiency: 100%]

Having not confirmed the influence gains for a while, Luo Yan was satisfied to find that the number had skyrocketed as expected.

Especially the title of "founder of science".

It seems that after his persistent nonsense, the school of thought called "science" has been deeply rooted in the minds of the young men and women in Xuebang.

"As expected of the Demon King! Congratulations, your power of faith has expanded again!" A milky white shadow appeared beside his consciousness, and a long voice full of joy said with genuine happiness.

Luo Yan said in a gentle tone.

"It's OK, it's within my expectations."

Thanks to the legend of "Prince Colin" that continues to ferment in the Janna Continent and the Holy City, coupled with his recent series of operations in Xuebang, his influence on the planet will soon reach the 1% milestone.

And by that time, the "Amethyst Seed" in his hand will officially condense into a "Grandmaster Seed"!

Luo Yan is very satisfied with the current situation.

This is a good start.

He once again pried open a solid corner of the faith territory on this planet that was divided between the Saints and the Demons...

…

Just as the devil from hell was quietly undermining the foundation of Saint Sith, the great sage of Xuebang finally accepted the invitation of the empire and set off for the Bronze Pass.

After several days of long-distance flight, the giant nightingale he was riding finally penetrated the strong winds and sandstorms raging in the middle section of the Wanren Mountains.

Through the sand and dust, the city wall winding through the mountains was seen. A giant beast several meters long let out a long roar to announce its existence, then folded its wings as black as night, circled a few times, and slowly landed on the extremely wide city wall.

This place is different from the severe cold that lasts all year round in Xuebang. Almost as soon as you land, a hot and dry wind blows towards you.

The wind carried the sand and sulfur of the dimensional desert, and it rushed into the mouth and nose of the accompanying magic apprentice, almost taking away all the air in his lungs.

He coughed violently several times.

At this moment, a broad palm was placed on his shoulder and patted gently.

Then a magical scene happened. A soft and cool breath instantly flowed through his whole body. The burning and suffocating feeling disappeared, and what remained was only unprecedented comfort.

The apprentice raised his head in surprise, then met the great sage's kind face, and blushed and lowered his head hurriedly.

"Thank you... Your Highness, the Great Sage."

Dosulfk smiled kindly and signaled him not to be polite.

"You're welcome. The climate here is different from Xuebang's. Please tell me if you feel any discomfort."

After saying this, the elderly man turned over and jumped off the nightingale's back, his calm eyes sweeping across the magnificent scene before him.

This is the legendary miracle created by the Dwarf Kingdom with all its national strength - the Brass Pass!

Its walls are not simply made of bricks and stones, but seem to grow directly from the spine of the mountain, blending seamlessly with the steep rock walls.

On the wall, a huge rune war flag fluttered in the wind.

Between the battlements, the Black Iron Eagle flag of the Oss Empire, the Golden Lion flag of the Lion Kingdom, and the Silver Leaf flag of the Elf allies... all declare that various forces are gathering here.

The air was filled with the solemnity of war and the rusty smell of iron.

On the city walls, human musketeers, heavily armored dwarf infantrymen, and lithe elven rangers were patrolling nervously.

And outside the city walls, on the horizon of the boundless desert, the shadow of the Chaos army looms. The dull and oppressive sound of ogre war drums comes on the wind, like the ominous pulse of the earth.

This giant beast that fell from the sky immediately aroused the vigilance of the defenders, especially since its arrival did not trigger the alarm of the early warning rune array!

There was a commotion on the city wall. The elven rangers drew their longbows, and the human musketeers pointed the black muzzles of their guns at the uninvited guest, ready for battle.

A knight captain wearing the emblem of the Kingdom of Ryan stepped forward quickly, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and shouted sternly: "Stop! Identify yourself!"

As he spoke, a drop of cold sweat rolled down his brow.

In his impression, only the Chosen Ones of Chaos could land safely on their city walls without triggering any early warning mechanisms.

Despite being pointed at by countless guns, Dosuluke remained calm.

The giant nightingale next to him did the same, snorting at these mortal weapons as if mocking toys in the hands of a child.

The apprentice sitting on Nightingale's back frantically searched for the documents in the package. Before he found it, a magic crystal waist badge automatically floated out of the package and landed in Dosulfk's hand.

Looking at the captain of the guard who was on high alert, Dosuluke handed over the badge and spoke in a gentle tone.

"I came here on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor. Due to the urgency of the matter, he did not give me a written notice, but I think... this is enough to prove my identity."

The captain took it hesitantly, and when he saw the emblem of the Tower of Source of Law engraved on the waist badge, his face suddenly changed.

He quickly knelt on one knee and said in panic.

"Forgive me for the inconvenience, I never thought it was His Majesty the Great Sage!"

After saying that, he turned around and sternly ordered the soldiers behind him to put away their weapons. The soldiers also looked horrified and hurriedly put away their muskets and sheathed their swords.

Unlike the well-informed captain, they had never been to Xuebang, nor had they come into contact with its magicians. But they always heard that the magicians there were the most stingy in the entire continent, and that the thirteen sages were the kings of those magicians!

I think that is also a very stingy person.

Although their first impression of the Great Sage was actually quite good, they felt that he didn't seem like a stingy guy...

Dosuluke wore a gentle smile, not at all offended by the crowd's offense. He gently waved his hand, like an ordinary, kind old man.

"That's fine. This is your duty. No need for pleasantries or formalities. Just take me directly to see your commander."

"Yes, Your Highness—"

Just as the knight captain was about to lead Dolulak, a loud and heroic voice, accompanied by heavy metallic footsteps, came from the side of the city wall.

"Don't bother him, I'm right here!"

The people standing on the city wall looked in the direction of the sound and saw a sturdy dwarf general striding towards them.

His iconic long red beard was carefully braided into several braids adorned with rune gold rings, and the heavy rune plate armor on his body reflected the unique cold light of metal in the desert sunlight.

He is the supreme commander of Brass Pass - Sarut Bronzehelm!

Although dwarves are generally xenophobic, they have a natural respect for knowledge and wisdom, even if this knowledge does not belong to them.

Sarut walked closer and gave a standard dwarf military salute to the most famous wise man in the human world.

His voice was bold and rough.

"Welcome, great sage. What noble wind brings you here?"

Looking at the dwarf general in front of him, Dosuluk smiled gently and spoke in a chatty tone.

"It was our Emperor. He said I was needed here, so I came... But I see the defense is solid and the troops are well-organized. The situation seems to be good."

Upon hearing this, Salut's hearty smile faded a little and he sighed heavily.

"To be honest, the situation here is not optimistic. The ogre vanguard has launched several sieges. Although we have repelled them all, the coalition forces have suffered heavy losses."

After a pause, he drove away the garrison captain who was listening intently, and spoke to the great sage in front of him in a lowered voice.

"And just yesterday, a terrifyingly powerful Chaos Chosen appeared on the front lines and injured several of our Rune Warriors. In the end, it was Mr. Gaunt who personally defeated him, but... he was also slightly injured."

The warm smile on Dosuluke's face froze instantly, and a trace of solemnity appeared between his brows.

"Mr. Gaunt is injured? Is this... serious?"

Sarut shook his head like a rattle, his beard sweeping back and forth across his breastplate.

"It's nothing serious, just a minor injury."

Dosulfuk's solemn expression did not diminish in the slightest, and even the apprentice lying on Nightingale's back could not help swallowing.

The Rock Sword Master, Günter Steingrabe!

A living legend, and a legend belonging to the Rhodes people. The silent figure like a mountain almost immediately emerged in his mind!

Since the founding of the Adventurers' Guild, Gaunt is the only mortal to have ascended to the realm of demigod through pure martial skill and willpower, rather than magic or divine grace.

He elevated the simple and tenacious national character of the Rhodes people to the extreme. His strength was like a mountain, and even space would tremble when he slashed with his sword!

It is said that three demon kings died under his sword.

How could such a warrior who had trained himself to the extreme be injured by a mere Chaos God's Chosen One?

This is incredible!

Dothulok said in a low voice, "Did Gaunt say what power hurt him? Magic? Swordsmanship? Or... something else?"

Sarut shook his head, a trace of confusion and solemnity on his rough face: "I don't know, that guy's power is very strange! Mr. Gaunt only said that it was a power he had never seen before."

Doluk sighed softly and turned his gaze to the endless desert outside the pass.

"I never thought that Chaos's corruption of our world would reach such a serious level..."

"Do you have any idea?" Sarut asked with a glimmer of hope. This was not only a problem that concerned him, but also their king.

Dosulfoke was silent for a long time, and finally shook his head slowly.

"Where and why chaos arises is a question that the academy has long studied, dating back to the late First Era, when the Dragon God and Saint Sith collaborated... Unfortunately, the exploration of the void has been slow, with only a small amount of progress recently. However, a solution to this problem is still a long way off."

A trace of loss flashed in Salut's eyes. Although he felt regretful, he also expressed understanding.

"Perhaps... this is not a problem that our generation can solve."

He laughed heartily, his voice regaining the firmness that a dwarf general should have. "In short, we must overcome the current difficulties first and drive these bastards who appeared out of nowhere back into the desert!"

At this moment, a silent figure came from not far away.

The man was wearing plain leather armor and carrying a huge sword on his back that was extremely disproportionate to his height. His expression was as cold as the frozen soil in the north.

He was none other than the Rock Sword Master mentioned earlier, Günter Steingrabe. Judging from his appearance alone, it was impossible to tell he was injured.

After all, almost no inch of his exposed skin was intact.

Those scars were like medals branded on his body, emitting an invisible aura of oppression.

Gaunt walked straight up to the two men, nodded to Dosulfuk, and said straight to the point: "Master Dosulfuk, I have something I want to discuss with you."

Dosuluk nodded happily, then looked at Sarut.

The dwarf general immediately understood and said cheerfully, "You guys chat first. I'll wait here. I'll take you to the tent to rest later!"

Nothing is more important than the affairs of a demigod-level powerhouse.

Although in this day and age, mortals also have the opportunity to defeat demigod-level strongmen by relying on numbers and equipment, it still cannot change the latter's strategic strength!

The two of them left the noisy camp side by side and came to a secluded section of the city wall.

The biting wind tugged at the hems of their robes, and beneath their feet was a bottomless abyss. Just one glance at it was enough to make people feel dizzy and frightened.

And above the boundless desert at the end of their sight, the dark outline of the Chaos Army was slowly crawling on the horizon, like an endless rolling blood-red ocean.

They seemed to have meandered all the way here from the end of the world, along with the seemingly endless supply behind them...

Dosulfuk was the first to break the silence.

"I never thought you would be hurt by Chaos's chosen one."

He stared at Gaunt's weathered profile and asked softly, "What level is that guy? Is he a demigod like you?"

Gaunt shook his head and did not answer the question.

He simply stared at the Chaos hordes in the distance, his voice low and hoarse: "Lately, our strength has been weakening. Do you have any clues?"

Dosulfuk immediately understood the deeper meaning behind his words - the Chaos Chosen One who hurt him must not be a demigod, and might not even be a Grandmaster.

Otherwise, he would never be so serious about it.

After a moment's silence, a complex look flashed across his cloudy old eyes, and Dosulfk slowly spoke.

"Perhaps... it has something to do with the fact that there are too many demigod-level powerhouses in our world."

Gaunt frowned.

"What's the meaning?"

"According to centuries of research by the Academy, there's a limit to the power a world can hold." Speaking from a scholar's perspective, Dosuluke explained in a tone devoid of emotion, "Ideally, ten demigods might be the optimal balance for a world, because above that, true gods emerge."

After a pause, he continued.

"However, convincing those with power to return to reincarnation is no easy task. The empire's nobles have shown a certain degree of restraint when faced with the temptation of power and longevity, but this restraint is far from enough. Too many possess overly noble souls. If even one in ten of them expresses a desire for power, the glory we hold will be taken away."

"Right now, in our human kingdom alone, there are ten demigods, and a large number of artifacts imbued with demigod power. The dwarves have their Rune Lords, the elves have their Forest Speakers, and there's also the Demon Lord of Hell and his minions, who are taking away our already precarious faith..."

He looked at Gunter, who was lost in thought, and continued in a very soft voice.

"Our world is too crowded. This has nothing to do with whether you and I practice diligently... I thought you'd already figured it out."

It was hard to tell whether the voice sounded regretful or helpless; it was more like an explanation of the facts.

Gunter was silent for a long time, then suddenly grinned, a smile that was firm and stubborn.

"That's not the answer I wanted to hear."

Dosulfuk sighed softly, and the sound seemed to blend into the wind.

"But that's the truth."

Gant nodded to show that he understood, said no more, turned around and left along the city wall.

He still believed that since he could break the shackles of fate with the sword in his hand as a commoner and step onto the ladder of demigod, he would be able to break through his own bottleneck again and become stronger in his limited life!

If demigods aren't enough—

Then become a being above demigod!

He firmly believed that the path to becoming a god lies in the sword in his hand!

I guess as long as I become a being above demigod, I won't be held back by those weaklings...

Dosulfoke did not try to persuade him to stay, but just stared at the back that was as firm as a rock.

And in those cloudy pupils, a trace of profound meaning that no one could understand was quietly flowing...

(End of this chapter)