Chapter 10

Maybe it was just part of the job description that Prophets, more or less, had to act like riddlers to seem authentic.

Many of the questions Xia Xifeng was dying to ask were met with Mr. Suer making a “can’t say” gesture.

However, Suer himself wasn’t a riddler. Whatever he could answer, he answered in as much detail as possible.

For instance, the thing Xia Xifeng was most curious about: what exactly a “Prophet” was.

A “Prophet” wasn’t some thing. It was indeed a special type of God’s Favored.

Many people across the Dream Continent could “prophesy.” Some ordinary folks also received “divine revelations.”

“But those ‘prophecies’ are all within the flow of Fate. The prophet and the one who receives the prophecy might both be part of the very ‘future’ Fate intends to create.”

Xia Xifeng: 【So it’s like the prophecy in Harry Potter? Voldemort and Harry seeing the prophecy and their actions actually caused the future described in it.】

Qin Lang: 【Mm.】

“A Prophet is different. A Prophet is one who has detached from Fate. The futures they foretell are futures without them and their Guardian Knights. So when a Prophet receives a vision, as long as they are willing to act, the future will definitely change.”

Xia Xifeng: 【That’s basically a reborn person. The future a reborn person knows is the future where they didn’t get reborn.】

Qin Lang: 【Mm.】

Suer meticulously clarified things for the new Little Prophet.

Xia Xifeng chattered away in the party chat.

Qin Lang was merely a ruthless and perfunctory answering machine.

“True Prophets are very rare in this world. The more events one can foresee, the more of their potential it consumes.”

Suer gave a few examples of what it meant to consume potential.

Simply put, the stronger a Prophet’s power of prophecy, the weaker their ability to perceive other forces of this world.

Xia Xifeng: 【Using a player analogy, a Prophet is an extra hidden class that needs its own class skill points. The more skill points you put into the Prophet class, the weaker your other combat classes become. If you max out the Prophet class, you can’t put any points into other combat classes. Damn, am I really a Prophet?!】

Under Xia Xifeng’s protest, Qin Lang swapped to a different response: 【It’s possible.】

Xia Xifeng felt deeply gratified. Seeing as they were the only two in this world leaning on each other for warmth, Qin Lang actually took advice and genuinely stopped being perfunctory with him.

“Fate’s power is incredibly strong and will gradually ensnare a Prophet. Once a Prophet is captured by Fate, their ‘power of prophecy’ will slowly fade. At that point, the Prophet’s talents will recover.”

Xia Xifeng: 【Oh, so the Prophet’s skill tree gradually goes gray, refunding the skill points so you can put them into other skills and change to a different combat class.】

Qin Lang: 【Probably.】

Suer sighed and said, “Currently, I am the strongest Prophet. However, I already sense that I am being watched by Fate. Whenever Prophets change hands, a world-shattering event is bound to occur. The one to prophesy the next era will be you. But don’t feel pressured. The prophetic abilities of myself and the other Prophets won’t disappear; we can still shoulder the Prophet’s responsibilities. You just need to grow by following your own heart. A Prophet must follow their heart to influence Fate.”

Xia Xifeng: 【So, no mandatory quests?】

Qin Lang: 【Nice.】

Suer asked, “Prophets might lack self-defense before their prophetic power wanes, but they receive blessings in other areas, usually related to planting, craftsmanship, and such. If you need to hide your ability, you could nominally become my student. I will cover for you.”

Nominally? Why just nominally? I’ll bow my head and pledge myself right now!

Xia Xifeng completely understood the pure goodwill the entity that brought him here held toward him.

Upon transmigrating, he immediately met a naive, sweet Halfling. A few days later, he was under the direct protection of a world-class powerhouse. This wasn’t an adventure; this was being made the group pet!

Based on his knowledge of the game’s plot and Suer’s future “fate,” cross-referenced with what Suer was saying now, Xia Xifeng was certain that Suer, on matters he could speak of, was holding almost nothing back.

He was showing Xia Xifeng goodwill with all his might, trying to dispel his fear and unease.

Suer hadn’t even asked about Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang’s origins.

It seemed the origins of a “Prophet” and “Guardian Knight” weren’t important. The moment they became “Prophet” and “Guardian Knight,” they were “comrades” to Suer and all the senior Prophets.

The way Suer looked at Xia Xifeng was as affectionate as a dragon gazing at its own dragon egg.

Given Suer’s age, he certainly could look affectionately upon these two little lads, Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang, barely over twenty.

Since Suer was so frank, Xia Xifeng also revealed part of his hand.

He admitted he truly had no combat ability but possessed a strong “farming and crafting” talent.

Qin Lang also had immense combat talent, capable of learning any class’s skills and currently considering choosing Assassin and Bard.

Suer told Qin Lang to ask Amuruo for guidance on class changes. Although Amuruo wasn’t an Assassin or Bard himself, in the realm of knowledge, he held mastery over all combat classes.

“Though he has a bit of a mischievous streak, he is extremely serious when teaching disciples,” Suer said. “Lang, you should be the kind of disciple he likes. Don’t learn from Leo.”

Xia Xifeng immediately smelled gossip. “How did Leo offend the City Lord?”

Suer chuckled, shaking his head. “He didn’t offend Amuruo. It’s just that their personalities are too similar, so they clash badly. Amuruo is very strict and very severe when teaching disciples.”

Suer emphasized Amuruo’s teaching style once more.

Xia Xifeng: 【You okay with that?】

Qin Lang: 【What Mr. Suer probably means is that City Lord Amuruo doesn’t like disciples who talk back. I’m fine.】

Xia Xifeng sighed in relief.

That’s right, Qin Lang never talked back. He just didn’t talk.

Having established a foundation of trust, Suer no longer needed to walk them everywhere.

He unfurled a magic scroll and directly teleported the two into the private parlor he and Amuruo reserved only for close friends and family.

The moment Xia Xifeng saw Leo, he mocked, “Aiyo, what happened to your face? It’s so swollen your eyes can barely open.”

Leo pointed at his own mouth.

Perila raised his staff and waved it.

Ah, Leo had been silenced by Perila to prevent him from continuing to court disaster.

Although Silence was a Mage spell, it was a universal ritual spell. Any magic-based class could learn it, though its potency was a bit weaker than when cast by a Mage.

Leo could probably break through Perila’s Silence, but since Perila had already cast it, Leo gave him a little face and pretended he couldn’t dispel it.

Amuruo had already switched back to his elegant City Lord mode.

He rested his hands on his crossed knees and chuckled lightly. “Introductions all done? Then I should formally welcome you as well. Friends of Damon and Perila, welcome to Green Sand City.”

Amuruo completely ignored Leo frantically pointing at his own pitiful face, gesturing that Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang were his friends too.

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang bowed to Amuruo once more.

Neither of them mentioned the Prophet business, simply acting as if they were visiting a friend’s elder.

Damon and Perila—whether truly unaware or deliberately pretending—very cooperatively introduced their new friends to Amuruo and Suer.

Amuruo asked, “What brings you to Green Sand City? Any requests? For the sake of Damon and Perila, I will do my best to fulfill them.”

Amuruo shot Suer a look that said, “Aren’t I great?”—causing Suer’s expression, which had already shown satisfaction, to darken once more.

Xia Xifeng was impressed by this City Lord of Green Sand City.

Suer’s nickname, “Gloomy Dragon”—you were the one who drove him to it, weren’t you?!

Ahhhhh, why was there no game forum? He really wanted to gossip about this with other lore fanatics!

Xia Xifeng answered honestly: “I want to buy a small shopfront, then save up money for a big manor. The goal is to settle in the inner city within a year.”

Damon and Perila: “…”

Although Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang’s goal had indeed been that before, now that the City Lord and Mr. Suer had expressed interest in their Divine Favor abilities… these two’s requests were way too modest!

Leo gestured wildly.

Just ask for a big manor! A big mansion! You fools!

Amuruo was speechless for a moment.

He looked at Suer in confusion, communicating through a method only the two of them shared. Did you actually explain things clearly?

Why does your junior Little Prophet still not see himself as our junior?!

Suer couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge Amuruo.

Even knowing their own special status, unwilling to ask for extra things, never greedy—this was the character of a Prophet!

“Do you need a lot of land?” Suer asked kindly. “If you’re confident in your abilities, how about trying to become Pioneer Knights?”

Xia Xifeng’s eyes lit up. “A Pioneer Warrant?!”

A homestead token?! You’re just giving it away?!

In the game, there were naturally “guilds,” but they were called “Homesteads.” They could be founded by an individual or shared among multiple people.

In the game, a “Homestead” manifested as a separate space, but in the world’s lore, it was established when various City Lords issued Pioneer Warrants, appointing players as Pioneer Knights.

The unclaimed land that a player holding a Pioneer Warrant developed would become their own territory. Once the “Homestead” level was maxed, the player who accepted the Pioneer Knight role would become a “Lord.” Legally, they’d hold equal status to a City Lord and could establish “diplomatic relations.”

The City Lord who appointed the player would automatically become the player’s first “Ally.”

Though the lore was set up that way, much like most MMORPGs, in Fantasy Realms you bought the Pioneer Warrant directly from the Shop using real money. It was just that when using the warrant, the system asked which main city you wanted to pledge allegiance to.

Depending on the city chosen, the Homestead’s initial terrain and available resources varied.

The most beginner-friendly Homestead, with the flattest and most open terrain, was naturally the one affiliated with the “starter village” of Green Sand City.

Suer’s fingers tapped at empty air, and a token shaped like a leaf, forged from interwoven jade and gold, appeared in his hand. “This plot of land can expand infinitely towards the forest and the desert, bordering Sunflower Valley. I figured you might want to be close to Leo and Perila.”

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang dropped to one knee. Xia Xifeng reverently accepted the Pioneer Warrant.

If he hadn’t been grinding in the game and had just bought it with cash, this one token was worth 98 bucks! He could’ve stuffed himself silly at McDonny’s with that!

Suer hastily pulled Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang up from the ground. “I am your elder. No need for excessive formalities. Being a Pioneer Knight is no easy task. You’ll have to shoulder part of Green Sand City’s defensive burden.”

Amuruo added, “You should know, I founded this city to hold back the expansion of the desert and forest monsters. The Elf King didn’t grant me a land deed so I could come here and enjoy life.”

Monster sieges, yeah, fully aware.

Xia Xifeng and Qin Lang immediately affirmed they were absolutely up for it.

Just a couple of days ago they were worrying about how to survive in this otherworld. Today they’re Pioneer Knights, able to own their own big house, big manor, even qualified to build a new castle?

Xia Xifeng felt like he was dreaming, his head floating in a daze.