I am the righteous path.

Chapter 878: Seventy-One. The Journey of the Giant Tree


Chapter 878: Seventy-One. The Journey of the Giant Tree


Giant tree.


The locals are accustomed to calling it “Themis,” meaning World Tree.


The Lady of Midnight shelters the people, and Themis teaches them to wield weapons.


In the Old Era, every child’s dream was to become a sailor, artist, or lawyer; here, every child dreams of joining Kleinse University.


However, unlike the dreams of becoming sailors, artists, or lawyers that eventually fade away with reality, the aspiration for Kleinse University never disappears.


High above, Themis, and the mysterious Kleinse University is located there;


At Themis, it’s the highest place of the Dark Wilderness;


At Themis, you can attain everything;


Knowledge forms a wonderful poem;


Like the power of a beautiful maiden waving to you;


Right there at Kleinse.


This song, passed down in the Dark Wilderness, is enough to illustrate the importance of Kleinse University,


But it is not an Ivory Tower far removed from everything.


The death rate at Kleinse University is only slightly lower than that of the Ring City Knights. Even when it was first established, the death rate was far higher than the Knights.


“Vena Ice-Free Port provided some assistance, but getting too entangled with the weird will inevitably come at a cost. Until we began to familiarize ourselves with them, understand them, and record the knowledge obtained through sacrifice. Kleinse University is like Themis; only when it grows strong branches can birds land and perch.”


Lu Li and Professor Ernie Hamilton Wayne stood in the basket, listening to the professor introduce the giant tree.


He was also the vice president of Kleinse University.


Being close to Themis, its grandeur could be more fully felt.


The basket slowly ascended, taking Lu Li and the professor off the ground.


“I acquired a book, and then some phenomena occurred,” Lu Li spoke of the “Strange Community Atlas,” which was gifted to him by Professor Nuno.


“If you read it slowly, phenomena will not appear, but Sanity Value contamination is the cost of reading knowledge.”


The gale in the high sky of the Dark Wilderness gently swayed the basket, and as the basket approached the treetop, the gale gradually dispersed.


The basket rose to the treetop, gathering back on a platform where other baskets were placed. Lu Li and Professor Wayne walked out of the basket to observe the treetop.


The main trunk, broader than the streets, extended in all directions, with wooden houses nestled along the branches, stacked upon one another.


Professor Wayne pointed to the signpost at the center of the platform: “Where would you like to start looking?”


[Mysticism Department]


[Alchemy Department]


[Botany Department]


[History Department]


[Divination Department]


A lively nightingale perched on the top of the wooden sign, occasionally lowered its head to groom its feathers.


These fragile creatures had disappeared since the Old Era.


“That’s a mechanical creation. Their motto is skill, focus, mind, and a touch of soul,” Professor Wayne responded to Lu Li’s observation. “Are you interested in mechanics?”


“The reason for the disappearance of the Midnight Church followers.”


Professor Wayne gave a smile filled with the same depth as yesterday: “Mysticology, right…please, follow me.”


Leaving the platform, Professor Wayne led Lu Li onto the thickest branch of the giant tree.


Mysticology is the most popular department at Kleinse University. Here, the Weird Times offer the things people yearn for: the power to fight against the weird.


Only, it comes at a terrifying cost.


“Humans cannot fight against the weird—it’s a rule.”


Walking on the main branch, Professor Wayne slowly narrated: “During the Old Era, Exorcists used the weird to fight the weird, such as Homogeneous Items, Spirit-Calling Gun, Holy Water…but we ourselves remain fragile, we have not escaped the dilemma of using tools.”


“But what if we become the weird?”


Students in black cloaks passed by on the trunk street. Those without cloaks appeared as Polluters or Aliens, possessing features not belonging to humans.


When they passed Professor Wayne, they bowed their heads in sign, curious about the legendary Exorcist.


Professor Wayne nodded in response to the students and continued: “Not the kind that passively accepts pollution to become Aliens and other such. We actively accept, cutting away the parts that harm us, retaining only the benefits.”


“This is the significance of Mysticology.”


They passed a tree house, where a professor lectured at a podium, holding a book in his left hand that resembled octopus tentacle-like three-lobed tendrils.


“Also a cost.”


“Did it succeed?”


“We cannot describe it as success or failure. We would say, ‘on the path.’


Professor Wayne gazed out the window at the classroom: “Moreover, we have walked some distance. Studying the weird and utilizing the weird has allowed many to grasp weird power. This power often comes with a terrifying cost, but it grants us a natural immunity to the weird.”


“At least, we won’t be like children lost in the wilderness, where every little stir sends us wailing and mentally crumbling…”


As they left the treehouse and continued onwards, Professor Wayne said, “That follower of Meg used weird power derived from her faith, the Lady of Midnight. Compared to us, faith in Divinity seems like a shortcut to acquiring weird power, but you should know why we don’t do that.”


A tree house, built vine-like along the forked branches, gathered many waiting students, the doorway barely visible under layers of outlines with a wooden sign revealing a hint of something written.


“Two or three days ago, an unfortunate resident turned into a weird entity, discovered and controlled by combat students from the Mysticism Department, and awaited Knights Order support to bring back to the giant tree.


“Because of pollution?”


Professor Wayne gently shook his head: “Because of ‘blessing.'”


It sounded paradoxically ironic.


The Investigation Department later uncovered the truth: it was a family of three living in the civilian area.


The wife, Laura, manifested pollution traits recently. In order to cure his wife, the husband collaborated with a weird entity, writing what it desired, with the cost of restoring the wife.


The final outcome was the husband, Eugene, exhausted his energy writing the work and died, the weird entity fulfilled its promise and healed Laura. Yet the frail human body was unable to contain such a blessing, turning the blessing into a curse…


The only good news amounted to a one and a half: the child is still alive and Laura remains sane.


“We will study her and look for a cure. Some Alchemy Department students are also there,” said Professor Wayne.


Professor Wayne then led Lu Li to visit the other four departments.


Strictly speaking, the other four departments closely related to Mysticology could also be considered part of Mysticology; they are more like branch extensions.


Before leaving, Professor Wayne let Lu Li meet someone.


A heretic involved in capturing Lu Li.


“Why reject us…we just want to establish a town…”


Imprisoned in a cage, a hoarse silhouette hidden under a cloak whispered.


Professor Wayne waved his hand to let someone take him away: “You’re planning to go to Vena Ice-Free Port, correct? Please be cautious with these people, you may maintain a proper distance from us; they don’t particularly like us.”


“Different ideas?”


Lu Li had heard from Professor Nuno.


“Yes.” Professor Wayne smiled and gazed at the Midnight City below the tree crown. “Though we don’t like them either, ultimately…we must survive first in order to hope for future hope.”


“Perhaps we’re on a wrong path.”


“But we have no choice.”


“`