Chapter 66: The Great Sage’s Crime Against the Gods Death Penalty!
When Azar stepped forward, all eyes immediately turned to him.
At this moment, the Dendro Archon herself had exposed the Akademiya's crimes, and Azar was at the center of it all.
Everyone was eager to see how he would respond.
However, as Azar spoke, his words sowed seeds of doubt among the crowd in the Grand Bazaar.
---
"Could this Lesser Lord Kusanali be an imposter?"
"How can that be? She looks so extraordinary. But… could she be a counterfeit?"
"Thinking about it, none of us have ever met the Dendro Archon. Only the sages have access to her…"
"If the Great Sage says she's a fake, maybe she really is!"
"I don't know who to believe anymore!"
---
The crowd became divided.
On one side stood Azar, the highly respected Great Sage of the Akademiya. On the other was the radiant, holy figure claiming to be the Dendro Archon.
Scholars, merchants, adventurers, and city dwellers alike found themselves engulfed in confusion.
Even among the crowd, the blonde-haired traveler and her floating companion shared in the uncertainty.
---
"Traveler, I think she's the real Lesser Lord Kusanali!"
Paimon's eyes sparkled as she pointed toward Nahida on the stage. Her tone left no room for doubt, as if her gut feeling alone was proof enough.
Lumine sighed and massaged her forehead, tempted to critique Paimon's hasty conclusion. But despite her companion's lack of reasoning, she agreed.
The small figure on stage exuded an extraordinary aura, even without the Heart of God. Her pointed ears, wise eyes, and ethereal demeanor were undeniable.
By comparison, Azar appeared mundane and unremarkable, far less compelling.
---
"Traveler, if things go south, we have to protect her!"
Lumine nodded resolutely. "Agreed."
---
On stage, the Thirty-Person Regiment and the disciplinary officers stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed.
Azar stepped onto the theater platform, flanked by several sages from the Akademiya.
"Rukh Shah, what are you waiting for?"
"Arrest these heretics from Khaenri'ah immediately and imprison them in the Akademiya!"
---
Rukh Shah hesitated but looked to the sages for confirmation. Seeing Kawaja, the Sage of the School of Theoretical Knowledge, nod in agreement, he raised his scimitar.
Just as Lumine prepared to leap into action, Sheikh Zubayr's voice rang out.
---
"Rukh Shah, don't you understand? The sages of the Akademiya have betrayed the Dendro Archon!"
"Now that the Dendro Archon stands before you, how dare you turn your back on your own God!"
---
Rukh Shah hesitated again, lowering his weapon slightly.
Azar, growing impatient, coldly interjected:
"What proof do you have that this is the true Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
This question echoed the doubts of everyone present.
If she truly was the Dendro Archon, surely she could prove it.
Azar smirked, confident in his belief that without the Heart of God, a deity would have no power.
This was a fact passed down by his predecessors. When they first discovered the Lesser Lord Kusanali, she had seemed no more capable than a child.
---
Nahida, standing among the protective crowd, stepped forward and spoke calmly:
"If you wish to witness the power of a god, then so be it."
"As your Archon, I shall fulfill your desires."
---
With that, she brought her small hands together in a gesture of prayer.
An infinite green light began to radiate from her petite form, dazzling and ethereal, like a star illuminating the night.
---
The stage transformed into a dreamlike vision.
A majestic palace materialized, and the entire platform glowed with vibrant energy.
Flowers bloomed at Nahida's feet, and fresh green grass spread outward in all directions.
The radiant scene expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire Grand Bazaar in a mesmerizing spectacle.
---
But it didn't stop there.
The lush grass and vibrant flowers stretched across Sumeru City, blanketing its streets in a sea of green.
The towering trees of the city grew even taller, their branches spreading like majestic canopies.
---
High above, hundreds of birds emerged from the forest, their wings carrying them toward Sumeru City.
Drawn by an unseen call, they circled the massive Sumeru Tree before descending toward the Grand Bazaar, chirping joyfully.
---
"It's Aranara!"
"This isn't just a fairy tale! It's real!"
"So many of them! Wait for me!"
Children ran across the soft grass, their laughter filling the air as they marveled at the magical sight.
The scent of flowers and the whispers of nature enveloped the city, leaving everyone in awe.
*The adults couldn't see the Aranara the children were so excited about, but they glanced around in confusion nonetheless.*
The entire Grand Bazaar was alive with energy birds singing, flowers blooming, and a fragrant aroma filling the air. It was as if they were in a lush oasis.
At that moment, a soft whisper echoed in everyone's ears:
*"This is the Palace of Wisdom."*
The voice seemed to descend from the heavens, gentle and comforting, filling their hearts with warmth.
When everyone turned to look at Nahida, they saw her cradling the Aranara with a radiant smile.
Tiny sparrows fluttered around her, and vibrant grass grew beneath her feet.
She was the embodiment of purity and divinity.
---
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, you've returned!"
The Aranara leapt joyfully into Nahida's arms.
Nahida laughed softly. "No, I'm not Rukkhadevata I'm her successor."
---
At this revelation, the people of the Grand Bazaar were struck with awe.
"This is a miracle!"
"What incredible power!"
"Is this the strength of the Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
"Lord Dendro Archon!"
"Great Goddess, we humbly offer you our prayers!"
"I've witnessed a miracle with my own eyes!"
In that moment, all doubt disappeared.
No one could perform such wonders except a true god.
The people of Sumeru were overcome with emotion, bowing deeply in reverence to Nahida on the stage.
Even Nilou, standing beside Nahida, was left speechless, her eyes brimming with admiration.
The vendors and theater helpers joined in, kneeling in awe before their god.
---
"No! This is impossible!"
Azar's gaze darted around the vibrant scene, disbelief etched on his face.
"How? How does the Lesser Lord Kusanali possess such immense power without the Heart of God?"
Suddenly, understanding dawned upon him.
The power of a god didn't come from the Heart of God.
The Heart of God was merely a fragment of a deity's strength!
---
"Sheikh Zubayr, why are you standing there?" Azar shouted, his voice frantic.
"Who are you supposed to protect? Surely you know!"
Hearing Zubayr's stern reprimand, the members of the Thirty-Person Regiment and the disciplinary officers snapped out of their daze.
They turned immediately, weapons pointed at Azar and the scholars behind him.
Although they were under Azar's employ, as citizens of Sumeru, they could not turn against their own god.
---
"Rukh Shah, don't you see? The Dendro Archon is young and inexperienced! She's been deceived by Khaenrins!"
"They've bewitched her!"
"I'm the Great Sage! You must obey my orders!"
---
In the theater's backstage, Ye Xi gave the dazed sage Nafis a gentle push.
"Still stunned after witnessing the Dendro Archon's power? It's your turn to act now."
Nafis snapped out of his shock, his heart still racing.
He had never imagined Nahida would wield such overwhelming power.
For years, he had believed that the Lesser Lord Kusanali was powerless, her wisdom far inferior to that of Rukkhadevata.
But now he understood he had been gravely mistaken.
---
The growth of a god was astonishingly rapid.
Even after five centuries of confinement in Jingshan Palace, Nahida's efforts had far surpassed those of the sages.
Ye Xi watched the scene with satisfaction.
By allowing Nahida to display her power, the people of Sumeru would recognize her as a true deity, no less remarkable than the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
---
Meanwhile, Azar continued his desperate attempts to sway the Thirty-Person Regiment and the disciplinary officers.
But Nafis stepped onto the stage, cutting him off.
"Enough, Azar! Your time is up!"
---
"Nafis!? You!?"
Azar's expression darkened instantly.
He had never expected Ye Xi not only to rescue Nahida but also to free Nafis.
Years ago, when Azar proposed the *[God-Making Project]*, Nafis had fiercely opposed it. Enraged, Azar had ordered his confinement in the depths of the Akademiya.
Only a handful of people knew of Nafis's imprisonment. How had Ye Xi discovered it?
The other sages and scholars paled, their composure crumbling.
If there had been any chance to spin their narrative, Nafis's presence destroyed it entirely.
---
In the audience, students and faculty from the School of Biogenesis gasped.
"It's Sage Nafis!"
"Where has he been all this time? We haven't seen him in ages!"
"Sage Nafis! What happened to you?"
---
Turning to face the crowd, Nafis addressed the people of Sumeru in a commanding voice:
"Citizens of Sumeru, I am Nafis, Sage of the School of Biogenesis!
"I accuse Azar, the Instructor, and Khawaja of the School of Knowledge of high treason.
"They betrayed the Akademiya, imprisoned the Dendro Archon, and attempted to create a false god to replace her.
"Because I opposed them, they confined me beneath the Palace of Wisdom.
"This betrayal demands the harshest punishment!"
---
Panic overtook Azar.
He barked orders to the gilded brigade at his side:
"Escort me out immediately!"
Then, without a second thought, he bolted toward the exit of the Grand Bazaar.
He never imagined he would be defeated so thoroughly.
Originally, he believed that Ye Xi and Cyno only knew about the rescue of the Lesser Lord Kusanali and the Dream Mass Production Plan.
But the appearance of Nafis was completely beyond his expectations.
Just as the Thirty-Member Regiment and the Gilded Brigade were clashing, a flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the sky.
The monocle of the Great Sage Azar flew off his face, shattering against the wall.
Before Azar stood a man wearing a dog-head mask and wielding a long spear.
"You've truly shown me a humorous sight, Azar," the man said.
The familiar voice startled Azar.
"Cyno! You… aren't you supposed to be in the desert?"
Azar instinctively stepped back in fear.
He knew Cyno is capabilities were terrifying, and there was no way he could escape from him.
The arrival of Cyno also shocked the officials present.
"The Great Disciplinary Officer!"
"Where has Lord Cyno been all this time?"
"This is wonderful Lord Cyno has returned!"
With Cyno is appearance, the people of Sumeru immediately turned against the Great Sage.
Not only had a sage from the Holy Order come forward as a witness, but now the disciplinary officer himself had appeared.
This was proof enough that Azar and his accomplices had betrayed the Holy Order and become its enemies.
"As a Great Sage, Azar confined the gods and placed other sages and scholars under house arrest! Such crimes are unforgivable!"
"That's right! I don't even need to know the details of the god-making plan to see that Azar deserves judgment!"
"We placed so much trust in the Holy Order and the six sages, only to find out you'd do something so heinous! Lord God, please deliver justice!"
"Block the Holy Order and thoroughly investigate everyone involved in the god-making plan. They must pay for betraying our gods!"
"In Sumeru, our only gods are Lord Tree King and Lesser Lord Kusanali! We have no need for a new god!"
"Judgment! Judgment! Judgment!"
The crowd erupted in fury, fully understanding Azar's guilt. They clamored for justice, demanding severe punishment.
Cyno pointed his spear at Azar and said in a deep, commanding voice, "Azar, you have committed a grave crime against the gods!"
"You once claimed that the power of the disciplinary officer comes from the Holy Order, and I had no authority to judge you.
"But today, what about the authority of the gods?"
"Lesser Lord Kusanali has decreed that those who betray the gods of Sumeru will face the death penalty!"
With that, Cyno raised his spear and thrust it directly toward Azar's head.
At this sight, the faint-hearted among the crowd closed their eyes in terror.
Azar let out a bloodcurdling scream, "Ahhh!"
Ding!
A sudden, sharp sound echoed through the Grand Bazaar.
Cyno is spear stopped just before reaching Azar.
Cyno looked up and saw a man wearing a bird-beak mask standing before him.
The sight shocked Cyno he hadn't even noticed the man approach.
This could only mean one thing: the man was an exceptionally powerful individual.
"A Fatui Harbinger!" Cyno exclaimed.
The crowd gasped in panic at the revelation.
"The Fatui!? Why are they here?"
"Damn it! Was Azar colluding with the Fatui all along?"
"Unforgivable! Collaborating with foreign forces and betraying Sumeru's gods! Azar, you traitor!"
Seeing Dottore's arrival, the yellow-haired traveler and the floating emergency food immediately became alert.
"Traveler! It's the Fatui!"
"It's those villains again they're always causing trouble in Sumeru!"
"We need to stop them!"
Lumine nodded, fixing her gaze on Dottore as he stood near Cyno.
However, despite becoming the center of attention, Dottore showed no sign of panic.
Instead, he released Cyno is spear, clapped his hands, and said with a sinister smile, "What a thrilling trial session."
"Relax, I'm only here to retrieve some tools."
"Although Lord Sage has committed a great crime, you cannot kill him. He still has some use to me."
These words immediately put Cyno on high alert.
He realized that if Dottore intended to take Azar and his accomplices, he might not have the strength to stop him.
On the other side, Azar, seeing Dottore, felt as though salvation had arrived.
"That's right! I know the process of the Dream Mass Production Plan! The Fatui need to protect us!"
Dottore sneered contemptuously. "Azar, you're far too incompetent to complete our deal."
"I'll be extracting some useful information from your mind instead."
This declaration meant that Dottore would use a device to extract their memories, a process that would leave them completely insane.
It was effectively a death sentence.
Hearing this, Azar sank into utter despair.
Whether he fell into Cyno is hands or Dottore's, death was inevitable.
Dottore then raised his gaze to Nahida, who stood on the stage. "God of Wisdom, our meeting came sooner than expected."
"So, if I take them with me, you won't object, will you?"
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