Chapter Twenty-Two: The Commission

"Of course, I wouldn't do anything I wasn't certain of."

Lin Feng set down his teacup and nodded.

"Besides, I am quite satisfied with this reward and have no intention of giving it up."

Lin Feng smiled as he explained his reasoning.

"But I have only promised to make you my Sage. Even with the advance payment of some of my power, this compensation is nowhere near enough to justify facing an avatar of the Withering, which possesses power comparable to a god."

Nahida looked at the young man across from her, unable to fathom his motivations.

"Who knows? Perhaps that is exactly what I care about."

Lin Feng smiled and reached out to pat the little Lesser Lord Kusanali on the head—Nahida, having grown accustomed to this over the past three months, did not pull away.

Beyond his personal fondness for the little god, Lin Feng believed that the reward was well worth the cost of confronting the source of the Withering directly—the avatar of the Withering that slumbered within the Vanarana of the past.

First, there was the advance of Nahida’s power. This share of energy was substantial; without compromising the operation of the Akasha, Nahida had channeled as much of her power over dreams and flora as she could. For Lin Feng, this translated into a massive influx of experience points sufficient to jump to level 70, as well as an essential adaptability to dream-based abilities, which was critical for achieving his ultimate goal.

Second, there was the Fruit of Vijnana provided by the Aranara before the confrontation with the Withering avatar—a fruit crystallized from materialized memories. It possessed miraculous properties and would continue to provide Lin Feng with affinity for the Dendro element and adaptability to dream abilities.

Finally, there was the title of Nahida’s First Sage. While this title currently held no practical use, once Nahida was freed, it would serve as more than just a convenient status; it would be the leverage needed to summon the power of Nahida—and indeed all of Sumeru—to aid in battle when necessary.

—Besides, "First Sage" sounded pretty cool. Maybe he could even pat Nahida’s head whenever he wanted.

"I never thought I would meet someone I couldn't read at all."

With a helpless sigh, Nahida removed Lin Feng’s hand from her head, still struggling to comprehend his motives.

After all, as a manifestation of the concept of "death" within the world, born from forbidden knowledge, the strength of the Withering avatar approached that of a minor god. Nahida felt it was a poor bargain to risk one's life against a deity for merely a portion of power and a title that currently served no purpose.

***

"Then, according to our agreement, I shall bestow upon you a portion of my power. Although you seem capable of absorbing energy from the outside world, this amount is quite large. If you experience any adverse reactions, you must tell me immediately."

Nahida looked at Lin Feng. After confirming he was prepared, the young deity gently took his left hand and pressed it against her forehead.

Countless specks of light began to gather around Nahida, forming a surging emerald river of power. The green leaves adorning the right side of her white hair shimmered, marking the first time since becoming a god that Nahida had concentrated her own power in such a manner.

Lin Feng felt wonderful—absolutely wonderful. His body hungered for the power of a god like a parched riverbed. The moment Nahida’s energy, brimming with the essence of life and dreamlike sensations, entered his body, it was devoured by his ravenous cells. It wasn't just the system; his very own body was thirsting for this strength.

The aura of Lin Feng’s dormant body rose steadily; the overflowing power was so potent that the wooden floorboards and walls of the room began to sprout roots and shoots.

Lin Feng exerted all his effort to mobilize the system within him to digest and absorb this incredibly precious power from the deity.

After a long while, Nahida watched as Lin Feng showed no signs of discomfort and ceased the transfer of power. Observing his near-perfect utilization of her strength, even Nahida found this incredible trait difficult to comprehend.

Exhausted by the over-expenditure of power, she could not continue her analysis. After attempting to push away the supporting Lin Feng to no avail, she decisively dispelled the dream.

...

[Individual Information: @￥%&—Lin Feng]

Level: 45 → 71 (Insufficient conditions) (Blessed by a deity, you can control elemental power almost perfectly. You have nearly reached the pinnacle of the human species.)

Attribute: Dendro

Traits: [#%*&], Elemental Mastery - Dendro (Insufficient conditions, not yet fully unlocked), Blessing of the Dream 7 (Insufficient conditions), Elemental Resistance 7 (Insufficient conditions), Elemental Affinity 7 (Insufficient conditions), Robust Physique 5 (Upgradeable), Agility 5 (Upgradeable)

Upon waking, Lin Feng looked at his panel and felt the unprecedented power within him. He truly understood what it meant to be at the "pinnacle of humanity."

Even if he were to face the Ruin Drake that had nearly killed him again, the current Lin Feng was confident he could defeat it with his own strength.

Excluding the level 100 gods, those above level 90 were almost exclusively divine kin or pure elemental beings like the Adepti of Liyue. By absorbing a portion of a deity's power, he had broken through to level 71, reaching the ceiling of mortal life. Above level 70, with very few exceptions, all were connected to gods or the power of the Abyss.

***

Looking at the partially unlocked Elemental Mastery - Dendro and the dream blessing that had jumped to level 7, Lin Feng felt stronger than ever—at least strong enough to take on ten Tighnaris.

Lin Feng set aside his disrespectful thoughts about the big-eared fox, hopped out of bed, and prepared to spend his final day wandering through Gandharva Ville, a place that had left him with so many fond memories.

After finishing a hearty breakfast with Xiao Bai, Lin Feng began to stroll along the paths of Gandharva Ville. He gazed at the streetlamps made of bioluminescent plants and the slightly worn wooden walkways suspended between the houses, observing everything he had become so familiar with as if for the first time.

Before he knew it, he had reached the edge of the rainforest where he often patrolled. Feeling the Dendro energy drifting in the air, Lin Feng felt as though he had grown countless eyes; within a vast radius, nothing in the rainforest held any secrets from him.

Realizing this was the effect of Elemental Mastery - Dendro, Lin Feng decided to do one last thing for his colleagues—completely clear the surrounding rainforest of threats.

Lin Feng slowly closed his eyes and used his heart to feel the information fed back by the elements:

—Three thousand meters to the northeast, there was an adult Dendro Slime underground;

—Five thousand meters to the southeast, there were three Hilichurls hiding in a hollow tree;

—Five thousand meters to the west, there was a human who had fainted;

...

Lin Feng gathered this information while testing the limits of his ability. The final conclusion was that, depending on the concentration of Dendro energy in the surroundings, the incomplete Elemental Mastery - Dendro could acquire information within a radius of 3 to 15 kilometers; the further the distance, the blurrier the information became.

Having tested the range, Lin Feng followed his instincts. With a single thought, countless wooden thorns erupted from the trees and the ground, remotely eliminating the monsters he had detected.

As for the vines around the fainted traveler, they were stretched into the shape of signposts, automatically providing directional guidance to the nearest Forest Watcher.

In just a few minutes, Lin Feng had effortlessly handled work that would have required the cooperation of several Forest Watchers. Amazed by this incomplete elemental control, Lin Feng felt a deeper understanding and awe for the power of the gods.