At once, Jiang Yan reached out and beckoned. The pitch-black energy sphere floated up from thin air as though someone had picked it up, landing gently in his palm.
Heh! The Rooster Talisman's ability was really handy!
After playing with the sphere for a moment, Jiang Yan activated the power of the talismans in his mind.
In his consciousness, the Horse Talisman suddenly lit up.
A faint glow appeared in Jiang Yan's hand.
"Sss—!"
The moment the pitch-black sphere touched the glow in his palm, it let out a sound like it was being evaporated.
Thin white mist rose from the top of the sphere.
Effective!
Feeling the burning heat spreading across his hand, Jiang Yan frowned and used vector manipulation to redirect the temperature away.
Before long, as the white mist continued to rise, obvious changes appeared in the black energy sphere.
The originally jet-black sphere slowly turned gray… then gradually transparent.
Finally, when the sphere became fully clear, Jiang Yan let out a breath.
Done!
The Horse Talisman really could purify this thing!
Jiang Yan looked at the transparent orb in his hand with delight. Then he squeezed lightly, and the sphere shattered with a crisp sound.
Having been purified of its black energy, the fragmented orb dissolved quickly into the air.
Looks like purifying the pollution won't be a problem at all.
Jiang Yan laughed.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata wasn't going to die this time.
Originally, he'd been worried—after all, in his previous life's story, Rukkhadevata died because Irminsul was contaminated.
But now, with the Horse Talisman and Senzu Beans, she'd have a hard time dying even if she wanted to.
Wait!
Then doesn't that mean my soft, sweet little Nahida can't come out?!
That won't do. He had to think of a way to bring Nahida out anyway!
Ah, my little Nahida~ soft and sweet Nahida~
Jiang Yan stood there going crazy for a moment, then dispelled the Great Buddha form and flew toward Sumeru City.
Since he could now purify pollution from Forbidden Knowledge, there was no need for Rukkhadevata to keep researching it.
Arriving at the entrance of Pardis Dhyai, he hesitated before finally knocking.
After all, this was both Rukkhadevata's research site and her resting place; barging in seemed inappropriate.
"Who…?"
A pleasant voice came from inside, though Jiang Yan clearly heard the exhaustion in her tone.
"Me."
He answered.
The door opened.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata stood upon the central platform, and the pitch-black sphere rested in the middle.
"How's the research going?" Jiang Yan asked as he walked closer.
"Still no progress. Pollution caused by Forbidden Knowledge… clearing it is extremely troublesome."
Rukkhadevata sighed weakly. Then she looked at Jiang Yan in confusion.
"Why are you here?"
"I came to solve your problem."
Jiang Yan gave a mysterious grin, picking up the sphere on the platform.
"Solve the problem?"
Rukkhadevata froze—then her eyes flew wide open.
"You mean… you can remove the pollution of Forbidden Knowledge?"
Jiang Yan didn't answer. He simply held the black sphere.
A faint glow lit up in his palm.
"Ssssss…"
A sound like something being burned filled the room.
When the white mist dispersed, the originally black sphere had turned completely transparent.
Rukkhadevata opened her mouth but couldn't utter a single word.
She was too shocked to speak.
The pollution of Forbidden Knowledge that had stumped her for so long…
Just like that…
Was gone?
She took the transparent sphere from Jiang Yan's hand. Though she was still in disbelief, she could clearly feel it—there was no trace of that heart-wrenching forbidden aura anymore.
Jiang Yan had indeed purified it completely.
"How did you do that?!"
Rukkhadevata asked, astonished.
"Haha, secret!"
Jiang Yan replied with a shameless grin.
Rukkhadevata sighed helplessly. She was long used to his shamelessness.
Since he didn't want to talk, she didn't force him. Everyone had their secrets.
As long as the issue was resolved.
Staring at the transparent sphere, Rukkhadevata dazed out a little. A problem that had troubled her for so long had suddenly disappeared so strangely—she felt almost unaccustomed to it.
But now, a far more serious issue remained.
Irminsul.
Because Forbidden Knowledge had seeped into it, Irminsul was also contaminated.
As the tree's guardian, this had tormented Rukkhadevata endlessly.
No matter how she tried to cleanse the forbidden taint from Irminsul, it would always sprout again like bamboo shoots after rain.
If Jiang Yan could purify pollution…
Could he purify Irminsul too?
Rukkhadevata hesitated—should she bring Jiang Yan to Irminsul's depths?
But besides him, no one else could solve this.
Ultimately, she made her decision.
"Jiang Yan… could you do me a favor?"
She asked.
"What is it?"
Jiang Yan looked back at her with curiosity.
After she explained Irminsul's situation, Jiang Yan rubbed his chin, thinking seriously.
It wasn't that he didn't want to help—
He was debating whether he should extract Nahida.
After all, who wouldn't love a soft, sweet little Nahida?
In the original story, Nahida was the reincarnation of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, born from Irminsul's purest branch.
Rukkhadevata's plan back then was to use Nahida to erase herself.
But now that Jiang Yan could purify everything directly, Nahida technically didn't need to appear.
But Jiang Yan felt that she was very necessary!
"I can help—but I have one condition."
He smiled at Rukkhadevata.
But that smile made her feel an ominous premonition.
This brat… was he planning something again?
"I want… the purest branch of Irminsul!"
Jiang Yan said with a bright, cheeky grin.
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