Chapter 65: The Lesser Lord Kusanali Comes! The Best Occasion To Judge The Great Sage!
Azar wouldn't give up so easily.
The *[God-Making Project]* was the culmination of countless sacrifices and immense effort.
To harvest the wisdom of gods, the Akademiya hadn't hesitated to use the brains of lunatics, absorbing their knowledge through the process of creating "canned knowledge."
For divine power, they commandeered the dreams of every citizen in Sumeru, leveraging them to increase computational power.
Now, with success so close, how could they allow themselves to fail?
Azar fully understood that Nilou hadn't exposed the *[God-Making Project]* in her dream simply to let them spring their trap.
But this was their last chance.
And most importantly, the *Heart of God* was still in his possession.
With the Heart of God, he held the upper hand.
---
"Hahaha!"
Azar laughed coldly.
"Without the Heart of God, the Lesser Lord Kusanali has no power. How can they prove she's the true Dendro Archon?
"As soon as everyone wakes up and reconnects to the Void Terminals, the tide of victory will turn in our favor!"
"Brilliant! Worthy of a sage!"
A glimmer of admiration flashed in the instructor's eyes, and he silently praised Azar's cunning.
Indeed, with the Heart of God, they could control the Void Terminal.
Through the Void, they could effortlessly spread their narrative.
As long as the Great Sage was present and backed by information from the Void, the people of Sumeru would never trust outsiders.
The citizens of Sumeru were too dependent on their Void Terminals.
Everything transmitted through the Void became their accepted reality.
For Ye Xi, who had just rescued the Lesser Lord Kusanali, gaining the trust of Sumeru's people would be nearly impossible.
Azar had already crafted the message to be uploaded to the Void. Stretching out his hand, he prepared to activate the Heart of God.
---
Suddenly, his wrist was firmly grasped by another hand.
"What do you mean by this?"
The hand belonged to none other than Dottore, the Fatui Harbinger standing beside him.
Azar frowned in pain as Dottore tightened his grip.
Dottore's attention was fixed on the progress indicator displayed on the screen:
*[45%]*
The God of Opportunity had absorbed 45% of its divine power.
But this number only made Dottore more dissatisfied.
Ye Xi was simply moving too fast.
---
"Snort."
Dottore let out a derisive sound and asked in a cold voice, "When will the *[Dreamland Mass Production Plan]* be operational again?"
"As you can see, the device's program has been sabotaged. It will take at least a day to repair."
"Very well."
Azar's response didn't cause Dottore to release his grip.
Underneath his mask, Dottore's eyes glinted with disdain.
"You've failed to fulfill our agreement," Dottore said icily.
"As such, the Heart of God will be placed under my custody for the time being.
"You don't have any objections, do you?"
---
"What did you say!?"
Azar's anger surged, and he retorted, "Don't forget that our goal is to create a God!
"It's to grant the new God power and wisdom to restore the World Tree!
"It's to guide the people of Sumeru!"
"No, no, no."
Dottore waved his hand dismissively, a sly smile forming on his lips.
"My goal has always been to create a God, nothing more."
To be precise, Dottore's goal was to observe the experiment.
Could humans create Gods?
Could a false God rival the Lesser Lord Kusanali?
That was his true interest.
Repairing the World Tree? Guiding the people of Sumeru?
Dottore had no concern for such matters.
In fact, the World Tree's instability was beneficial for the Fatui.
It would lead to chaos across Teyvat, with dead zones, desert earthquakes, and sandstorms merely being symptoms of a larger collapse.
This instability would affect every nation.
But to Dottore, it was irrelevant to the *[God-Making Project]*.
---
He knew that whether the Lesser Lord Kusanali triumphed over the false God or vice versa, the victor would ultimately restore the World Tree.
If anything, Dottore preferred the Lesser Lord Kusanali's victory.
The false God was unruly, while the Lesser Lord Kusanali would undoubtedly prioritize the World Tree's recovery.
Hearing Dottore's words, Azar suppressed his fury and asked through gritted teeth:
"As a citizen of Sumeru, don't you care about its future?"
"Citizen of Sumeru?"
Dottore laughed and then nodded, saying, "Alright, I'll allow you to use the Void to broadcast your message.
"But afterward, I'll be taking custody of the Heart of God."
Azar was taken aback. He hadn't expected Dottore, who was once a Sumeru native, to push them to this point.
Left with no alternative, Azar begrudgingly nodded.
"Fine. You can temporarily hold the Heart of God. But hand it over after this!"
---
This time, Dottore readily agreed.
Azar uploaded the prepared message to the Void Terminal. As soon as the citizens woke up, they would receive this information.
After finishing, Azar warned, "The Fatui should stay out of sight. If the people see you, the Akademiya won't be able to explain it."
He then left the Jingliuli Workshop with the instructor and other scholars.
As their figures disappeared into the distance, Dottore's expression turned playful.
He waved his hand, and a Fatui Debt Collector emerged from the shadows.
"Doctor, what are your orders?"
*"Take a team and follow me."*
"Yes!"
Dottore glanced at the Heart of the Dendro Archon in his hand, deep in thought.
For him, completing the plan was simple.
He could use his methods to modify the Heart of God, manipulating the Void to alter the subconscious of everyone in Sumeru, achieving total control.
Then, by exploiting the brains of the sages, he could extract canned knowledge and unlock the full processes of the *[Dream Mass Production Plan]*.
With this, channeling the power of Thor's Heart through computational energy would be a mere formality.
Yet, he refrained from executing this immediately.
Dottore's interest was piqued; he wanted to witness today's events in Sumeru City firsthand.
In the past, the blonde-haired girl had always foiled the Fatui's plans.
Now, someone new had taken her place.
He felt it was worth investigating.
---
As the sun began to rise, the first rays of dawn illuminated the tops of the massive trees in Sumeru City.
---
*Sumeru City*
With the crowing of roosters, countless citizens woke from their slumber.
Opening their eyes, they stared blankly at the ceilings above them.
Then, memories of their dreams began flooding back.
---
"Honey, listen! I had the strangest dream last night. You won't believe it!"
"You too? I also had a dream!"
"Teacher, I had a dream last night! A girl in my dream told me to participate in the Flower God's Birthday Festival!"
"Incredible! That actually happened to me too!"
"Wait… Teacher, could it be that you…"
"You dreamt it too!? I saw the dancer from Zubayr Theater in my dream. She said the Dendro Archon would return today for the Flower God's Birthday Ceremony!"
"What? You dreamt the same thing!?"
"Oh my God! Everyone's dreams are identical! Could this really be true!?"
"I remember the girl said something about exposing the evil deeds of the Akademiya!"
"Could it be that the Akademiya has been hiding something terrible from us!?"
"Let's go! To the Grand Bazaar!"
---
As the sun bathed the land of Sumeru, people took to the streets one by one.
They exchanged stories as they walked, all heading toward the Grand Bazaar with a sense of urgency.
Suddenly, their Void Terminals buzzed, delivering a message.
---
*[Announcement!]*
*[To all citizens of Sumeru:]*
*[Last night, Khaenrins attacked the Dendro Archon's Jingshan Palace, causing chaos in Sumeru City.]*
*[The Dendro Archon has been kidnapped, and some citizens have been brainwashed by the Khaenrins!]*
*[All Thirty-Person Squads and disciplinary officers are hereby ordered to proceed to the Grand Bazaar to arrest Nilou and her accomplices!]*
*[A wanted notice has been issued for anyone found colluding with Khaenrins.]*
*[Stay vigilant!]*
*[End of announcement.]*
---
Upon hearing the announcement, people froze in confusion.
"What's going on?"
"Wait… does this mean we've been deceived?"
"I don't understand. Who should we believe?"
"Khaenri'ah? Isn't that the group Ye Xi supposedly belongs to? He must be bad news!"
"If foreigners caused this, then I'll side with the sages!"
"Yeah! How dare they attack Jingshan Palace and kidnap the Dendro Archon!"
"Still, if the Dendro Archon is at the Grand Bazaar, shouldn't we at least check it out?"
"Look! The Thirty-Person Squads and the disciplinary officers are on the move!"
---
From a distance, a group of uniformed officers marched down Baoshang Street, heading toward the Grand Bazaar.
The sight of them prompted pedestrians to clear the way. Many followed, eager to witness the commotion.
---
*Elsewhere in Sumeru City*
A blonde-haired girl stood at the roadside, accompanied by a floating white creature. She gazed in the direction of the Grand Bazaar.
"Traveler, the Void announcement mentioned Khaenri'ah!" said Paimon.
"Your brother… he's fighting for Khaenri'ah, isn't he? Maybe this Ye Xi knows something about him!"
The blonde girl, Lumine, nodded. "Let's head to the Grand Bazaar. We can't let the Thirty-Person Squads harm Nilou."
"I agree!" said Paimon, folding her small arms and sighing. "It's so strange. For once, we're not the ones being hunted in Sumeru!"
"Yeah," Lumine replied. "And something feels off about all this. There's an eerie calm in the city."
Paimon frowned. "Exactly! I think this Master Ye Xi might actually be one of us."
As experienced fugitives, Lumine and Paimon had developed a peculiar camaraderie with anyone else who found themselves wanted.
"To the Grand Bazaar!" Lumine declared.
Paimon floated along, her determination renewed.
---
*At the Grand Bazaar*
The atmosphere was tense. The crowd braced themselves, knowing something monumental was about to unfold.
*Ask for Flowers*
Rukh Shah, the flag officer of the Thirty-Person Regiment, had already arrived at the theater, accompanied by disciplinary officers who surrounded the venue.
In the distance, a crowd of Sumeru citizens gathered, eager to witness the commotion.
"Sheikh Zubayr and Nilou! You are under arrest!"
"Come with us to the Akademiya!"
---
On the stage,
Rukh Shah led his soldiers forward, ready to apprehend Nilou and Sheikh Zubayr.
However, the vendors from the Grand Bazaar and the helpers from the theater surrounded Nilou protectively.
Though they were no match for the mercenaries of the Thirty-Person Regiment, they stood their ground without hesitation.
The tension between the two groups was palpable.
Nilou, however, remained calm. Deep down, she was astonished.
Everything unfolding before her was exactly as Ye Xi had predicted.
Not long ago, Ye Xi had outlined every event that would occur today, almost as if he had foreseen the future.
With this foresight in mind, Nilou focused on following Ye Xi's instructions precisely.
Bravely, she stepped forward and said, "Flag Officer Rukh Shah, at least wait until we reveal the Akademiya's *[God-Making Plan]* before passing judgment!"
---
Her statement caused an uproar.
"What? God-Making Plan!?"
"Hey! Did you hear that? The Akademiya is making Gods?"
"Ridiculous! That's impossible!"
"How can humans create Gods? We already have the Dendro Archon!"
"Nonsense! Bring out that Khaenrin and arrest them immediately!"
As the scene descended into chaos, Nilou raised her voice again.
"For centuries, our Dendro Archon has been imprisoned by the Great Sage in Jingshan Palace!"
"I bet none of you knew about this!"
"The Void claimed that Jingshan Palace was destroyed, but that's not true! It was Ye Xi who stormed the palace to rescue the Dendro Archon!"
"The news you received has all been manipulated by Azar!"
---
Her revelation sparked even more debate.
The Grand Bazaar erupted into a cacophony of voices.
"Imprison the Dendro Archon? Are you joking?"
"Could the Akademiya really do something like that?"
"Where's the proof!?"
Amid the doubts, Rukh Shah lost his patience and prepared to order arrests.
Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from backstage.
"The Dendro Archon is here!"
---
The Grand Bazaar fell silent.
Those who had been skeptical or mocking froze in place, turning their gazes toward the stage.
For five hundred years, few had seen the Lesser Lord Kusanali in person.
Generations had passed without humans witnessing a God firsthand.
The anticipation was palpable as everyone strained to catch a glimpse of their deity.
Even the Thirty-Person Regiment and disciplinary officers turned to look.
The backstage door of the theater slowly creaked open, and out walked a small, graceful figure.
She wore a green cloak and a white floral dress, resembling a radiant forest sprite.
Her youthful appearance and pointed ears immediately captivated everyone's attention.
---
"Lord Dendro Archon!"
"Is this really our God? She's so small!"
"She's so tiny… Can she truly guide Sumeru? She can't compare to the Great Tree King!"
Decades of indoctrination by the Akademiya had conditioned the people of Sumeru to view the Lesser Lord Kusanali as an inadequate substitute for the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Even now, upon seeing their God in person, some merely expressed surprise, while others doubted her capability.
Yet, despite the skepticism, respect for the divine remained ingrained in the people.
Rukh Shah quickly bowed and greeted her formally.
"Flag Officer Rukh Shah of the Thirty-Person Regiment greets you, Lady Kusanali!"
Nahida nodded and spoke softly, her voice carrying over the hushed crowd.
"People of Sumeru, as Nilou said, it is true.
"For years, the Great Sage Azar has transformed the meditation device left by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and used it to imprison me in Jingshan Palace.
"Because of this, I have been unable to meet with you."
---
The audience gasped in shock.
This was a proclamation from the Dendro Archon herself.
A God would not lie.
Even Rukh Shah and his regiment stood frozen on stage, unsure of what to do.
They had been acting on instructions received through the Void.
Now, they couldn't discern who was telling the truth.
---
At that moment, a commanding voice rang out from the entrance.
"Rukh Shah, arrest them all!"
"That's not the Dendro Archon! Don't be fooled!"
The crowd turned toward the source of the voice.
It was none other than the Great Sage Azar, accompanied by a group of Akademiya scholars.
The speaker was Azar himself.
---
In the corner of the theater, Cyno, who had been quietly observing, frowned and adjusted his dog-head mask.
As Ye Xi had predicted, Azar had come to confront them in person.
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