Foreign Land Reclamation By a Vegetable-growing Skeleton
Chapter 1545 - 1106: So This Is the Occult?

Chapter 1545: Chapter 1106: So This Is the Occult?

The witch was utterly perplexed. This was the first time the Divine Master had ever scolded her, and with such a disdainful tone, calling her "damned." Why was this happening? Wasn’t the Divine Master supposed to protect her? Why disdain her?

Could it be... could it be that she really had offended someone even the Divine Master didn’t wish to provoke? A group of humans? A Silver Dragon?

In her shock, a powerful intention was projected onto her, then leapt away from her body to condense into a phantom form out of thin air.

This method of projection consumes an immense amount of energy. With a focal point, the energy consumption is one unit; without one, the consumption is ten units or more—tenfold and beyond.

The White Crystal the witch was currently inhabiting could serve as a focal point, the most energy-efficient method being to project onto the crystal. However, the Divine Master chose to spend ten times the energy instead of projecting onto the White Crystal. This left her even more bewildered.

"Lord Xiluo greets the Plane Consciousness. I bid you well," the phantom materialized, and this so-called Lord Xiluo politely bent at the waist and placed a hand to his chest in a gesture of salutation.

From his title and this formal gesture, one could infer much. Negris asked in astonishment, "Lord Xiluo? A name? Are you human?"

Most gods, be it from Origins or Magic, have names symbolizing clear archetypes—Light, Devour, Darkness, Growth, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, etc.

But some names directly bear human associations. For example, Adams’ Repressing Ring—things directly bearing a name often have a high likelihood of being invented by the person with that name.

Xiluo sounded distinctly like a name, and moreover, a human name. The gesture of bending at the waist and placing a hand to the chest also implies a species with "waists," "hands," and "chests." If the Iron Scale Cleaner were to invent a gesture, it would likely involve licking you.

"Indeed, I once was," Xiluo replied.

Upon hearing this, the witch’s eyes widened to the point of bulging; her face showed utter disbelief, and something deep within her was shattering.

"And now?" Anthony gestured at him with his hands, indicating he wanted to know what kind of existence he was now.

"I am now but a minor god, tending to a Prairie Tribe in seclusion, growing some crops, doing small crafts, and supporting a few followers," Xiluo said humbly.

The witch’s worldview fragmented completely. The Divine Master she revered as omnipotent now seemed akin to a humble farmer paying taxes to a tax collector? A minor god? Growing some crops? Doing crafts?

Why? Why was this happening? What on earth was this Plane Consciousness?

Anthony happened to voice that same question: "You know the Plane Consciousness?"

"Though I don’t know it personally, the ability to seal consciousness within White Crystal—only Plane Consciousness could likely achieve this," Xiluo said.

The witch was stunned. Was it really so difficult to seal her here?

"Tell us about your situation then—particularly, what’s the deal with this body?" Anthony pointed at the Minor Source Physique and asked.

Xiluo hesitated before replying, "I am pleased to answer the Lord’s question; however, after answering, could you perhaps release the unruly little witch?"

"Her? No problem. If your answers prove valuable, I might even reward you," Anthony said.

Xiluo scoffed indifferently, but was inwardly relieved as long as these terrifying figures had no lingering interest. Kvada... Even selling grain, this guy had managed to provoke such horrifying beings. He couldn’t believe it.

After Xiluo’s explanation, everyone finally understood his level of existence—essentially the same as the witch described, but from a different angle.

Xiluo had originally been a scholar specializing in mysticism. Mysticism, a field dabbling in divine entities and the occult, led Xiluo to discover a method for godhood after long studies.

From that moment onward, he consciously cultivated followers, spreading doctrines centered around himself, and dedicated major resources to improving the lives of the populace. In the end, he truly ignited a Divine Fire.

However, as a minor god, he was nothing significant within the Divine Light Alliance; even a single Mourning Undead Soldier could beat him senseless. Thus, Xiluo lived very low-key, only spreading faith within his limited territory and never expanding outward.

This brought another problem—the scale of his followers could not expand. Undeterred, Xiluo found another path: self-sustenance. He studied farming and breeding techniques, transforming his primarily nomadic followers into semi-nomadic, semi-agricultural settlements.

Since then, the population of the Prairie exploded, growing by several dozen times, and Xiluo’s Divine Power similarly multiplied.

Yet what truly set Xiluo apart wasn’t his agricultural achievements but his packaging ability in mysticism. He had perfectly styled himself as an omnipotent Divine Master. Even to his witch followers, he was regarded as all-powerful—a feat not easily accomplished.

The closer one is to a god, the less reverence one feels for them. Figures like Guliani, Dyson, Anthony—they knew too much, aware that gods were hardly insurmountable. But Xiluo had managed to instill unwavering faith, a rarity.

Still, this wasn’t Xiluo’s greatest achievement. His most groundbreaking accomplishment was...

"What? You made these Minor Source Physiques?" Everyone was stunned. Even Negris exclaimed in shock, "Impossible. At your level, how could you—this, this..."

Negris wanted to say that Xiluo’s level didn’t measure up—he couldn’t possibly create Minor Sources.

Xiluo responded, "The greatest strength of mysticism lies in not needing to understand why something works—only needing to know how to make it work."

"So that’s mysticism? That’s so deceptive. I thought it was some groundbreaking discipline. You’re saying you know how to create something without understanding why it works?" Negris couldn’t resist mocking.

For example, Ange might know every parameter about a seed—its taxonomy, sowing temperature and humidity, germination timeline, fertilizer composition, sunlight duration, etc.—yet this wouldn’t prevent an illiterate farmer from planting it.

According to Xiluo’s description, that farmer would also be engaging in mysticism.

Seeing his bluff exposed, Xiluo awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Mysticism is a bit more profound. We study inexplicable phenomena within the void, deduce patterns, and use them to explore yet greater void mysteries..."

Anthony wasn’t interested in his verbose platitudes. He cut him off directly: "Then how is this physique made?"

"I can’t share that," Xiluo flatly refused.

"Aren’t you afraid we’ll come to your settlement and wipe out your followers?" Anthony said ’menacingly.’

"I am, which is why I came to see you. But I can’t reveal this. If you insist on coming, I’ll simply leave—you won’t find me." Xiluo replied frankly, slightly dressing up his intent to flee.

Afraid his followers and territory might be destroyed, he came to show himself. Yet if pressed to give up the method for crafting Minor Sources, he’d abandon them entirely.

It seemed that this was his bottom line. Realizing this, Anthony softened his tone and said warmly, "Everything has a price. How about we trade? Divine Artifact—would you like it? Second Divinity—interested? Divine Soul Reincarnation Technique—or maybe Origin Force Perception Glasses..."

Xiluo was utterly stunned.