Chapter 2: Light and Heat

"You know everything..." Tadhla murmured, pressing her lips together.

A falcon was not allowed to have feelings. They lived to hunt for the tribe, and emotions were always a burden for such deadly assassins.

"Shouldn't I know?" Rama smiled. "Don't worry, Elder Marcela is willing to give me his little falcon, which is my good fortune."

In a tribe held together by blood ties, without a sufficiently trusted wife, Rama would always be an outsider to the tribe.

Growing up in the sea of sand, he had also accepted this value system.

"I'm sorry," the huntress sighed, her face tinged with sadness. "I don't want to do this."

Since Rama first showed his worth, Tadhla had been by his side. This was the tribe's way of showing they valued him. After all, a scholar belonging to the tribe was a precious resource.

Rama could replicate much of the technology from the rainforest and even study the Scarlet King's legacy. In the harsh environment of the desert, developing such abilities meant the Tanit tribe had to protect him.

To protect and to monitor.

This period was not short, and even a falcon couldn't remain entirely without emotions.

"People stand in different positions," Rama waved his hand. "I understand your awkwardness and difficulty, but you need not worry because I will not oppose the tribe."

"In fact, Elder Marcela didn't want you to come to Caravan Ribat. It was Elder Babel who insisted," Tadhla revealed, perhaps out of guilt.

"I understand," Rama smiled. "Caravan Ribat is the dividing line of this world. Anyone who goes further will not want to return to the world outside this line."

Caravan Ribat had many uses, but for the Eremites, its sole value was as a trading post. The sand barrier separated two worlds, with [Corps of Thirty] desert folk who tried to enter the rainforest without permission. Once someone lived in the rainforest for a while, they rarely wanted to return to the desert.

The living conditions in the sea of sand were... very poor, extremely poor. The tribe's concern was precisely this.

They feared that once Rama saw the flourishing side of the world, he would grow to dislike the harsh desert environment and never return.

They knew Rama's capabilities and believed he was fully qualified to stand in the Akademiya.

Many thought they could endure harsh conditions only because they had never seen the light and did not know what was good. Once they saw true light and fire, they could no longer accept the darkness they had become accustomed to.

The elders understood this well. They could not provide light and fire, so they forbade anyone from glimpsing the light.

Rama understood.

If you don't look, it's as if it doesn't exist.

This was not ignorant self-deception but rather compassion and kindness born from helplessness.

It was like seeing a kitten. If you couldn't provide it with a new life from the start, then you shouldn't reach out your hand initially.

"For a long time, the desert wasn't without heroes and scholars," Rama said calmly. "They just didn't stay in the desert."

"They abandoned the desert," Tadhla shook her head.

She did not express hatred or contempt.

Tadhla had been to Caravan Ribat and seen the scenery beyond the sand barrier.

It wasn't surprising if anyone chose to abandon the desert for the rainforest.

"Some people abandon their impoverished hometowns, but I hope to help my hometown escape poverty," Rama said with a gentle smile. "I hope I can do it."

As he spoke, he gazed into the distance.

Tadhla remained silent.

The falcon hoped Rama could succeed, but this desert had been the same for five hundred years. Was this truly a problem that one person's effort and talent could solve?

She didn't know that Rama wasn't looking at Caravan Ribat but at a semi-transparent interface only he could see.

- Host: Rama

- Occupation: Scholar, Alchemist

- Elemental Power: LV4, 7642/10000 (You are already a strong mortal, but you know there are gods in this world)

- Knowledge: LV4, 9987/10000 (You are accustomed to intense study, enough to quickly master most skills)

- Mechanics: Fragmented, LV3, 7903/10000 (The desert doesn't provide suitable soil for your study, except for the Scarlet King's technology, but you can't access its reality)

 Note: By using elemental knowledge, you filled in some gaps in the Scarlet King's technology, but without crucial forbidden knowledge, you cannot recreate higher-level Scarlet King technology. (Choose another; general mechanics are quite good too)

- Biology: LV3, 7794/10000 (You face a true choice: if you do not abandon meaningless kindness, long-term training will be your only path)

- Alchemy: LV3, 337/10000 (You need more than repetitive training to break through; you should find a teacher or at least obtain sufficient academic materials)

This was not a deep blue point system but a special panel of "Heaven rewards diligent."

Repeated training could further his knowledge and skills.

This ability was also against the rules. If effort always paid off, the world's ruler wouldn't be gods. At least, Barbatos would clearly have been kicked out long ago.

Humans had limits. Correspondingly, even gods, subject to wear and tear, had their limits.

But Rama had no limits.

In the desert, obtaining ordinary books was already challenging, let alone learning alchemy. There was no use in studying alchemy here.

Ordinary alchemists' work relied on alchemy synthesis tables. In other words, they were accessories, while the synthesis tables did the real work.

True alchemy masters were rare, almost non-existent.

Alchemy was a true pyramid structure, with many at the bottom barely getting by while the few at the top constantly thought about defeating the gods.

Albedo's teacher, Rhinedottir, created the Cataclysm that swept the world. Every nation paid for her catastrophe, with Inazuma's great monsters, Liyue's Adepti, and Mondstadt's knights nearly wiped out.

Her poison dragon Durin resisted Dvalin, who had Barbatos' blessing. Though Durin ultimately failed, it left Dvalin troubled by toxic blood, unable to free himself.

Klee's mother, Alice, was also a strong background character, capable of leaving Teyvat for other worlds.

Rama lacked such an environment. He relied on what alchemical knowledge he had and repeated training, painstakingly reaching LV3.

He had the desire and ability to further his studies, but the desert environment provided no such opportunity.

Rama was not without ambition. He knew that his past self could accomplish nothing. When his ability couldn't support his ambition, he could only refine his skills.

Now, his ambition was bolstered by his advancing mechanics and elemental power.