Chapter 3000: Seeing the White King Again

"Thanks to his hospitality, His Excellency Logan looks better than I imagined."

It seemed a bit abrupt, but His Excellency Chaumont's question was perfectly fine in theory.

They were essentially strangers forcing small talk, and Logan was one of their few shared topics.

Given the man's glorious track record, they might even be able to mock him together once they got a bit more acquainted.

Regardless, Fu Qian's expression betrayed nothing unusual as he casually mentioned the surprise Old Man Logan had brought him.

"The same goes for you, Professor Fu."

Chaumont remained somewhat aloof, however. He stared at him for a moment, gave a noncommittal response, and steered the topic straight to Fu Qian.

"Just a little progress. The research atmosphere at the Academy has been quite lively lately."

Fu Qian certainly didn't take this as a mere pleasantry. He waved a hand, dismissing it as business as usual at the Academy.

His Excellency Chaumont had clearly seen that he was no longer the same as before, having reached Tier 2, and praised him accordingly.

Then again, since he had boldly attended the banquet in his Tier 2 Form, he had never intended to hide it in the first place.

In fact, a fair number of the people he had encountered along the way had likely already confirmed this fact.

The interesting part was why Chaumont had been the first to point it out.

"I have heard the Academy's recent research has been highly fruitful—"

Seeing Professor Fu so candid, Chaumont reverted to his languid demeanor, sparing no praise for the Academy's recent achievements.

And it was no exaggeration. Three demigods in a few short weeks—honestly, such an achievement could hardly be explained away as a mere explosion of scientific breakthroughs.

The problem was, it really could be explained by their research results.

Li Weixuan, Wen Li, and Ah Kai—each of their achievements left a clear trail. If someone really wanted to dig into it, pulling up the corresponding research papers wouldn't be an issue at all.

The only glaring detail was that a certain someone's shadow could be found in every single one of those studies.

"That just shows the importance of institutional innovation."

Excessive modesty was just hypocrisy. Fu Qian had never expected to hide his involvement, so he immediately shared his insights as a key contributor.

"Of course, my ultimate goal is to thoroughly establish this model so that it doesn't rely on any single, indispensable individual."

Tapping his temple, he made it clear he didn't want an institution like the Academy to foster a culture of individual heroism.

While admitting he had played a core role, he also stressed that he was merely reaping the dividends of institutional reform—specifically, the way cross-departmental cooperation accelerated the incubation of demigods.

Bringing advanced management practices into an old, established organization was always an uphill battle.

In the face of Professor Fu's confident speech, the room fell completely silent for a moment.

"I must admit, your insights make me feel that the evaluation process over at the Academy might not even be necessary."

However, as the one who had initiated the topic, Chaumont was responsible enough to break the silence a moment later.

In fact, his approval of Professor Fu's philosophy had even elevated his opinion of the Academy's three new demigods.

"Could you let me take a look at the item you just received?"

Before Fu Qian could even ask for advice, he offered to take a look at "Karmic Bond."

"Of course. Thanks for the trouble."

Fu Qian wasn't going to stand on ceremony. He handed it over, scabbard and all, and thanked him.

This was far more than a matter of "one cannot be too polite." Although His Excellency Chaumont hadn't been particularly enthusiastic from the start, they were all seasoned veterans; neither of them would judge solely by surface appearances.

After all, this was a gift from Corvos, and it carried barely concealed malice.

For Chaumont to be willing to examine it under these circumstances—and to even offer to do so on his own initiative—was, to put it seriously, a statement of defiance against that man.

Given the complex internal politics of the Night Watchers, if he really wanted to prioritize "playing it safe through wise discretion," closing his doors and staying out of it entirely would be the proper move.

"Very nice—quite intact."

Chaumont had already unsheathed the handed-over dagger and was casually toying with it, giving it high praise.

"Has Professor Fu ever heard of the White King?"

Just as one might worry that his bloodless fingers would be cut by the Blade, he suddenly asked.

"I have."

Always responsive, Fu Qian naturally nodded at that particular term.

His Excellency Needle Witch hadn't given the suggestion on a whim; Old Man Chaumont truly possessed vast knowledge.

Amidst their casual conversation, the situation had already seen a breakthrough.

Even someone as well-informed as Professor Fu couldn't help but marvel at the sheer number of fascinating individuals within the Evaluation Council at that moment.

Despite the glaringly obvious ill intent, he had genuinely been pointed toward a clear path. It truly carried the flavor of someone hoping to stir up as much chaos as possible.

Of course, it could still be explained by the phrase "appeasing a growing threat."

In other words, His Excellency Corvos's vision lay far beyond minor, localized victories. Giving him this item was essentially an invitation to go out and cause trouble.

As if afraid he wouldn't cause enough havoc, he had even provided additional guidance.

In short, it carried the distinct scent of an "open scheme"—his favorite kind—and the situation was indeed getting increasingly interesting.

Not to mention the additional surprise His Excellency Chaumont had just provided.

The White King—Fu Qian hadn't been spouting nonsense. He really had heard that title before.

Ehm Palace. The Blood Wedding.

When the groom Don Juan's father, Jose Larrea, presided over the ceremony, he had uttered a deeply memorable line: White is the primordial color, and the White King is the king of all.

In fact, according to what was said later, the power source of the Divine-Human Bloodline flowing through their family's veins pointed directly to the White King.

A holy spirit that was entirely pure, yet possessed a thousand faces.

"How do you know that?"

However, such a straightforward reaction caught Old Man Chaumont slightly off guard.

"I heard it from members of the Laria Family."

Fu Qian continued to be perfectly honest.

"You actually know—it seems it truly is Fated for you."

Chaumont's sigh of marvel instantly proved the accuracy of Fu Qian's intel.

In the next moment, he didn't keep him in suspense any longer, directly recounting the legend of "Karmic Bond."

"I don't know how much you know, but this item is said to be the weapon the White King prepared to kill Himself with. It is also the only murder weapon capable of killing Him."

'So this thing really is used to form a Karmic Bond?'

Sure enough, diligent study brought wisdom.

Old Man Chaumont's words were terrifying upon deeper reflection, but that didn't stop Fu Qian from marveling at how the Laria Family kept yielding more secrets the deeper he dug.

He had initially taken an interest in them because of a mission. Subsequent interactions had led him to actively incorporate them into his research on Transcendent bloodlines, which had already yielded solid results.

By sheer chance, he had even discovered traces of the First Generation Dark Moon and the Mother of Gospel through them.

Now, a toast made by His Excellency Jose at the wedding actually tied into this trip to the Birthday Party—perhaps even the Seedbed of the Palace?

After all, he hadn't forgotten his ongoing speculation that "Karmic Bond" likely had deep ties to this place.

In that case, what was the connection between the White King and the White-Hot Knight he had encountered in the past?