In Sumeru, pretend to be a scholar

The members of the gilded guild also began taking turns keeping watch.

Wang Yan also formally met the three scholars, Ian, Perry, and Hawke. They were all scholars from Siddham Academy, also known as the Sudatta School, and were currently at the novice [Tasata] level. Their trip to Huacheng was to investigate the changes in the earth's veins due to seasonal changes. The three of them were writing a paper together to obtain a graduation thesis topic.

If a student wants to be promoted from an apprentice to a full-fledged student, that is, to graduate, he/she needs to pass the review of two papers on different topics.

All three of them are still stuck on their first research paper.

The three apologized for ignoring Wang Yan earlier, saying they thought he was just a forest ranger and they didn't have much to talk about. They never expected him to be a scholar in the field of writing and language.

Wang Yan, of course, didn't care. After getting to know the three of them, he also asked about the situation of the Order Academy.

The three told Wang Yan that with his language skills, he would definitely be able to get into the Zhilun School, and that Wang Yan might have to call them his seniors in the future.

Although they do not belong to the same faction, there is still a distinction between senior and junior scholars within the Academy.

Of course, Wang Yan didn't know whether the three were speaking from the heart or exaggerating their praise.

The four chatted for a while until Ian yawned, then they dispersed to prepare for rest.

The caravan camp naturally didn't have any tents; it was just a makeshift shelter built around the central campfire.

Wang Yan sat on his quilt and took out the Demon-Sealing Scroll that Liam had just given him.

The scroll contains many hieroglyphs, but they are not connected and are quite messy.

Some scholars believe that this may be the lost script of the Hilichurls.

But Wang Yan knew that this was not the writing of the Hilichurls, or rather, the Hilichurls did not have a writing system.

The foundation of the development of writing lies in the gradual enrichment of the language system and the ability to think abstractly about things.

The current level of civilization of the Hilichurls is clearly insufficient to achieve this.

Even when Wang Yan used the "Language of Knowledge" to understand the language of the Hilichurls, the pronunciation was still fragmented and extremely limited.

So, what are the pictographic patterns drawn on the Demon Sealing Scroll?

The answer given by [Understanding Languages] is: Abyss Language, or rather, a language polluted by the Abyss.

Wang Yan knew this language; in the game, when travelers encountered some abyssal beings, they would speak the Abyssal language.

Now, looking at the abyssal language on the scroll, Wang Yan can confirm that it is a language with extraordinary power.

The above records the method of forcibly mobilizing the elemental power of grass using the language of the abyss.

However, whether it's a spell or something else, the content on it is all messed up and has some missing parts.

Wang Yan estimated that the Grass Hill Shaman had only managed to master the spell "Summon Vines" through trial and error.

"However, others can't understand it and can only guess and fumble around, but for me, this is an open-book exam."

A hint of smugness crept into Wang Yan's heart.

With the blessing of [Language Mastery], the pictographs on the Demon Sealing Scroll, both in meaning and pronunciation, have been imprinted in Wang Yan's mind.

"Perhaps, this will allow me to experience the allure of extraordinary power ahead of time."

"However... the abyss is dangerous. If anything seems amiss, I must stop immediately."

Wang Yan took a deep breath and focused his mind on it.

He first carefully read each pictographic symbol, gaining a deep understanding of its internal structure and possible meanings.

Unconsciously, fingertips rose and, in the cold air before them, awkwardly traced the first complex pattern in the order of the strokes on the scroll.

At the same time, he lowered his voice and tried to imitate the muffled and obscene tone of the Grass Hill Shaman when he cast spells, uttering a few extremely difficult syllables intermittently.

"K'yth… R'lyeh… N'gha…"

There was no response.

The air remained heavy, and only his own shadow swayed slightly in the firelight.

The strokes appear slightly off, and the stress and transitions of the syllables seem stiff.

But Wang Yan was not discouraged. He brought the scroll closer to the firelight and repeatedly compared the details of the patterns and the subtle correspondence between the lines.

He discovered that these hieroglyphs, though seemingly independent, were not actually isolated; the strokes seemed to conceal pathways for energy flow, like twisted blood vessels or veins in the earth.

Is energy flowing?

Wang Yan adjusted his finger movements to make the trajectory drawn in the air more closely resemble that flowing feeling. He tried again with his mouth, lengthening the last syllables and adding a smooth, trembling sound.

"K'yth... zha... R'lyeh... fhtagn..."

It remained quiet.

But when Wang Yan was drawing, he felt that the air around his fingertips seemed to have a slight, almost imperceptible, stagnation, as if it had touched some kind of invisible, viscous medium.

Although the spell failed, Wang Yan could sense that he was on the right path.

"It's not fluid enough... What is it? It's... Hmm! That's right, it's three-dimensional, not three-dimensional enough."

Wang Yan became even more focused, viewing the patterns on the scroll as three-dimensional rune chains.

He closed his eyes, and relying on his memory and the vague senses brought about by his "language comprehension," he drew a more coherent and dynamic spiral trajectory in the air with his fingers.

The incantation he uttered was strung together into a short, filthy, and jarring prayer, yet with a strange rhythm:

"N'gha... R'lyeh... K'yth zhaor... fhtagn... ya!"

The moment the last syllable fell, Wang Yan felt a faint, cold suction coming from the "end point" traced by his fingertips, followed by an extremely subtle "pop" sound, as if a bubble had burst.

He opened his eyes.

Less than a foot in front of him, a thin, green vine, about half an inch long, silently emerged from the soil.

It swayed slightly, its top curled into a tender beard, and it exuded an extremely faint aura of grass elemental power.

Without a doubt, it was a success.

Although this vine is so weak that it might not even be able to support a fallen leaf, it is indeed a grass elemental creation summoned by the king through drawing runes and chanting abyssal incantations.

However…

Wang Yan looked at the vines in front of him with some curiosity.

Wang Yan had also seen the Hilichurl Shaman's [Vine Summoning] skill, which carried a strong ominous aura.

But the vine he summoned, though weak, was... extremely pure.

Wang Yan had not studied elemental science and did not know how to classify elements, but he could sense that the vines he summoned were clean.

"And... I just used the power of the Abyss, but it doesn't seem to have any negative effects?"

As he pondered, an unbelievable thought flashed through Wang Yan's mind.

"Could it be... that I, like the Traveler, possess the ability to 'purify' the power of the Abyss?"

Alice once commented on the Traveler's purification of the Abyss's power: The Abyss's power will not disappear without reason.

Therefore, travelers' purification of the abyss's power must come at a price.

Either she made some sacrifice, or... the power of the abyss was not purified, but merely absorbed by her.

After thinking it over, he finally shook his head: "In any case, the fact that I can use supernatural powers proves that my development of [Language Proficiency] is correct."

He decided not to delve deeper into the study of the "Abyss Language" for now, but to keep it as a trump card.

For now, let's focus on studying the book "Characters, Strokes, Stripes: The Essence of Language".

Chapter 21 Entering Sumeru City (Please add to your favorites and vote with monthly tickets)

Time flies, and ten days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Since the last attack by the Hilichurls, the caravan's journey has been smooth, and they haven't even encountered a single rainy day.

The caravan arrived safely outside Sumeru City.

Standing on the last high slope leading to Sumeru City, Wang Yan involuntarily stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat.

The scene before him exceeded all his imagination based on the game's visuals or text descriptions.

It's hard to feel the sheer size of the Sacred Tree in the game.

However, in reality, a giant tree capable of supporting a palace is simply awe-inspiring in its sheer size.

The tree trunk, as thick as a mountain range, has clearly visible veins. Its incredibly lush branches and leaves stretch out in all directions, forming a vibrant green canopy that covers the sky. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled beams of light that appear almost tangible.

And Sumeru City, relying on this incredible sacred tree, surrounds, clings to, and grows upon it.

The wood and stone structures, arcades, platforms, and the texture of the sacred tree blend perfectly, layer upon layer, spiraling upwards from low to high.

Countless boardwalks, spiral staircases, and suspended corridors act like an intricate neural network, connecting these architectural elements into an organic whole.

The city below ground is bustling with activity, with markets, workshops, and residences densely packed together; the higher one goes, the more solemn and exquisite the buildings appear, housing the halls, libraries, and residences of the various schools of thought within the Chancellery, all the way to the Palace of Benevolence, faintly visible deep within the tree canopy, bathed in a soft glow.

The air is filled with the fresh scent of plants, mixed with the faint aroma of ink and spices wafting from afar.

A gentle breeze blows, and the whole city seems to breathe and pulsate with the soft rustling of the sacred tree leaves.

“Every time you see it, you find it incredible, right?” Liam’s rough voice rang out from the side, a proud smile on his face. “This is the heart of our Sumeru, the city-state where the god of wisdom resides—the City of Sumeru.”

Wang Yan nodded silently.

His previous understanding of the Confederation was mostly limited to schools of thought, scholars, and knowledge.

He even criticized Sumeru's infrastructure.

But everything paled in comparison to this city-state built around the sacred tree.

"Haha, alright, we should part ways here. Even with the Miaolun School's preservation device, if the fruit isn't delivered to the Grand Bazaar soon, it will really be too late."

Liam patted Wang Yan on the shoulder: "Kid, if you ever need any help in the future, you can come to the Grand Bazaar to find me. The fruit vendors there are all our people."

After saying that, Liam walked toward the thirty guards at the city gate to complete the procedures for bringing the beast into the city.

Ian and the other two came to Wang Yan's side: "We need to go back to report on the topic. Wang Yan, where are you going? See if it's on your way."

Wang Yan was overjoyed and said, "I want to find the senior Erossan of the Intellectual Theory School."

"Senior Falushan!" Ian and the other two were surprised.

Wang Yan had never mentioned having a letter of recommendation before.

After all, one can never be too careful.

Right now, they're just saying they're looking for someone, not that they've given any letters of recommendation.

“Then we’ll have to go to the Order House. It’s on our way. Wang Yan, why don’t you come with us to the Order House?” Ian and the other two invited.

Wang Yan naturally wouldn't refuse: "Okay, then I'll trouble you."

"Haha, no trouble at all, no trouble at all," the three said with a laugh.

In their view, Wang Yan's joining the Order Academy was a sure thing; he was one of their own, so what was a little trouble?

Because of the Little Auspicious Grass King's open attitude, individuals, apart from caravans, do not need to pay any entrance fees or report their identities when entering Sumeru City.

Led by Ian and the other two, Wang Yan entered this city of wisdom.

Upon entering Sumeru City, the first thing you see is a wide street lined with numerous vendors.

At the same time, there was also a group of thirty mercenaries patrolling the area.

Ian said, "Because people from other places often come to Sumeru City to study, it's a mixed bag, with quite a few petty thieves. Wang Yan, you should be careful."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan was startled and instinctively tightened his clothes.

The ranger's uniform had inner pockets, and he put the money in his pocket.

The hard texture brought Wang Yan a little reassurance.

This is the money he earned through hard work writing documents; it can't be stolen.

“Hey… Ian, Perry, Hawke, you’re back! How’s the project going? Is it going well?” A young female scholar appeared not far away, waving and greeting the three of them.

When Ian and the other two saw each other, they smiled and waved: "Long time no see, Faliha."

"Long time no see." Fariha approached, only then realizing there were four people, not three. "Hmm, this is... the ranger?"

“Haha, no, Wang Yan is a scholar from Liyue. He lost his luggage and received help from Senior Tinari in Huacheng Guo,” Ian explained. Then he introduced Wang Yan, “This is Faliha, a secretary who is in charge of the viziers in the surrounding commercial district.”