Grandma Lupe

Chapter 3: Grandma Lupe

Yuan Chen didn't feel the slightest surprise that his regional reputation had dropped directly from Level 1 Obscurity to Level -1 Rejection. On the contrary, Yuan Chen knew very well that people like Audan who accepted outsiders were a minority in Yuentar.

The vast majority of people living here had severe xenophobia, unwilling to even touch or interact with others...

Due to its geographical location and natural mountain barriers, Yuentar had personally witnessed the fall of the Shurima Empire, the Rune Wars, and the destruction of Fuguang Island.

Therefore, in the eyes of the commoners of Yuentar, the world outside Yuentar and the continent had long been devastated by disease and war. In such circumstances, strangers brought nothing but disease and chaos. Simply put, they were outsiders coming to beg in Yuentar!

Only a small portion of the entire Yuentar country knew that the outside world had not been destroyed, but had developed new civilizations.

Thinking this, Yuan Chen followed Audan into the village and understood even more where the rejection in the eyes of these natives came from.

"Don't be angry with them, they are actually very good people," Audan mumbled softly from the side. "If it weren't for Grandma Lupe, I might have been like them... I can't help it, this is the decision of the elders of Yuentar."

Grandma Lupe?

Hearing this title, Yuan Chen raised an eyebrow—he had an impression of this name, having heard it somewhere before.

Perhaps because of his transmigration, Yuan Chen's memory of the League of Legends universe was exceptionally profound. However, this profundity did not bring Yuan Chen much foresight, as the League of Legends universe itself had undergone multiple reboots, and even the background stories of the heroes had been changed several times...

For example, Master Yi's weapon used to be a regular street lamp.

Furthermore, this game was a MOBA game, inherently less capable than MMORPGs like Warcraft, Guild Wars, and JX3 in deepening players' understanding of the game's background world through story updates.

Therefore, even after Yuan Chen transmigrated to this world, the background stories of some old characters in League of Legends were still constantly being deleted, revised, and rebooted...

Before transmigration, Yuan Chen was quite willing to accept these reboots. Because, as far as Yuan Chen knew, Riot was continuously developing an MMORPG with Runeterra as its game background.

Although whether it could replicate the glory of League of Legends was entirely unknown, and surpassing Warcraft's historical status in the gaming world was even more difficult, with League of Legends as a foundation, there would obviously be no shortage of players... For this reason, Yuan Chen was willing to wait for the foundational background story of Runeterra to be perfected before deeply experiencing its customs and traditions in the Runeterra MMORPG.

But now... Damn it, these constantly deleted and revised background stories made it impossible for Yuan Chen to use the foresight expected of a transmigrator to quickly become stronger through information asymmetry.

Not to mention anything else, just this Primeval Jungle of Yuentar, although its magical technology belonged to the top tier of Runeterra, it didn't even have a separate faction tag in League of Legends' card game... In an MMORPG, the appearance of just this one ancient dictatorial empire would be enough to support a major version update.

But now...

He had only heard of Grandma Lupe, but had no further impression. Yuan Chen could only be sure that she appeared in the background story of the Yuentar region. But beyond that... he could only explore it himself.

Thinking this, Yuan Chen remained silent, following behind Audan without a word, heading towards the tallest house located in the very center of the village.

As he walked, Yuan Chen could clearly feel the popularization of Elemental Magic in Yuentar... For a huge stone block one person tall and two people in circumference, it would require at least three to four people working together to move it.

But under the Primeval Axiom—a summary of the rules of Elemental Magic by the Yuentar people—even an ordinary person could easily carry three to four such stones and walk. They looked as if they were carrying a slightly larger feather.

Stone Masons were like this, and fishermen like Audan were similar.

Magic could not guarantee the quantity of the mortal population, but it could increase the efficiency of farming and hunting. Let alone an old fisherman like Audan who clearly spent a lot of time at sea, even a novice spearfisher could easily catch fish by creating favorable currents underwater through simple use of the Axiom of Water. Not to mention that experienced fishermen could directly create water helmets to dive to the seabed and obtain more things.

In the outside world, especially on the Valoran Continent, magic that was exclusive to officials and the ruling class has been simplified. Through the study and summarization of its nature and patterns, it has been compiled into "Primal Axioms" that even commoners can easily understand... Science is truly great, no matter the world.

Thinking this, Yuan Chen subconsciously opened his palm, sensing the flow of magic in the air.

Noticing Yuan Chen's action, Audan's face showed a hint of a smile:

"It's amazing, isn't it? If you can get Grandma Lupe's approval, you can study with us. However, for more profound knowledge, you might have to travel to the central tower in Yishuaoken, where the most intelligent Elemental Masters in all of Ixialia reside."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen nodded, his curiosity about Grandma Lupe growing... From Audan's words, Yuan Chen could clearly sense that Grandma Lupe might be more than just a powerful Elementalist... But if that were the case, why would she stay in this small village?

Yuan Chen scanned his surroundings. There wasn't even a small magic tower here. Even in seclusion, the customs of Ixialia would dictate frequent magical interaction with the outside world, wouldn't they? There would be no need to stay here for so long.

As he was thinking, Yuan Chen arrived in front of the Mansion at the center of the village.

Prying open the wooden door, Audan called out loudly:

"Grandma Lupe! I found a castaway on the coast and brought him to see you!"

As Audan's voice fell, after a short while, an aged but robust voice, tinged with dissatisfaction, came from inside the house.

"An outsider? Audan, you foolish child! If others see him, you'll be sweeping the village Main Road for a month!"

"It's okay, Grandma!"

Hearing Grandma Lupe's words, Audan chuckled nonchalantly, "He's a scholar from Ionia! I saw him dancing with Water Elements on the sea surface in a way I don't understand!"

"A scholar, dancing with Water Elements?"

Hearing Yuan Chen's identity and actions, the mysterious person named Grandma Lupe seemed a bit surprised. Then, the previously closed door was blown open with a bang by a swift gust of wind, revealing an old woman with white hair and beard, holding a scepter, and wearing a dark green silk robe.

The old woman sat in a rattan woven rocking chair, holding a slender cane. Although aged, she had an indescribable vitality. Her bright old eyes looked at Yuan Chen, filled with amusement.

Upon seeing the clothes the old woman was wearing, Yuan Chen narrowed his eyes, a hint of seriousness surfacing in his heart.

This fleeting change was noticed by the old woman named Grandma Lupe. Without hiding her thoughts, Grandma Lupe asked directly, "What is it? Stranger? Do you seem to know me?"

"No, this is my first time seeing you, but I recognize the clothes you're wearing."

Hearing Yuan Chen's words, Grandma Lupe was silent for a moment, then said meaningfully, "You... seem to know many things?"

As she spoke, Grandma Lupe stood up. Barefoot, she walked across the wooden floor of the Mansion and approached Yuan Chen. Although she was not as tall as Yuan Chen, the old woman's spirit was exceptionally good, possessing a tenacious resilience born from acknowledging life's hardships and persisting.

The clothing Grandma Lupe wore further proved the old woman's extraordinary background...

She wore a light green silk robe and held a cane. Ixialia had a tropical rainforest climate, but such a robe did not appear out of place or stifling on the elderly woman. On the contrary, pure magical fluctuations flowed through the silk robe. It was weightless and extremely fine and breathable, like a second skin.

And the material of this robe... Yuan Chen had seen it before. Yes, it was the same material as the emblem on Audan's shoulder.

But unlike the size of the emblem on Audan's shoulder, Grandma Lupe's entire robe was made of the same material.

This means that no matter what the situation is now, the old man in front of him was definitely an Elementalist from the ruling class of Yixial, and a member of the Elder Council of Yuentar. Otherwise, ordinary Elementalists would not be qualified to possess such attire.

"Tell me what you know."

"As you wish." Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen briefly gathered his thoughts before speaking:

"Legend has it that within the central giant tower of Yishuaoken, the capital of Yixial, there is a vast empty chamber. The location of this chamber is extremely special. The Great Elementalists of ancient times designed it to be at the nexus of magic and the geometric center of Yixial, and indeed, the entire Runeterra."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Audan, who was standing nearby, showed a look of surprise before turning his gaze to Grandma Lupe, as if asking—is what he's saying true?

In response, Grandma Lupe did not speak, but merely watched Yuan Chen quietly, as if wondering what else Yuan Chen knew. Seeing this, Yuan Chen continued:

"And above this empty chamber hangs an ancient sacred artifact of Yixial, the Magic Loom—Vydalian—which can weave magic into physical substance!"

"And to become a great Elder of Yuentar, one must undergo the trial of Vydalian. The content of the trial is..."

"Enough!"

Hearing Yuan Chen recount everything he knew, even about to reveal the content of Vydalian's trial, even Grandma Lupe's expression changed, a look of shock appearing on her face. She then said with utmost seriousness:

"How do you know all this? Could it be that after I left, the current Yixial is willing to share such secrets with outsiders?"

"No, it's just that I'm special."

Yuan Chen shrugged.

"How special? I don't believe those Elementalists would tell you this important secret just because you're special!"

"For example, I'm a half-baked Prophet?"

"..."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, not only Grandma Lupe but also Audan, standing beside her, gaped in surprise. After a moment of silence, Grandma Lupe took a few steps back, looked at Yuan Chen, and after scrutinizing him for a moment, said, "No... weren't you a scholar from Ionia? How did you become a Prophet now?"

"That doesn't conflict, does it?"

"..." Hearing this, Grandma Lupe fell silent, then nodded, and said, "Then tell me what Vydalian's trial is. Don't try to fool me; I know what Vydalian's trial represents! If you dare to try and deceive me, your next stop will be the Lair of an Elemental Drake."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen leaned his head forward and quietly told Grandma Lupe what he knew—

In fact, Yuan Chen didn't need to lower his voice, because he could clearly feel that as he leaned closer, the surrounding Breeze sealed off the area around them, ensuring that no sound could pass through, nor could it be heard by a third person, unless that person's mastery of Elemental Magic far surpassed Old Lady Lupe's.

In reality, Vydalian's trial was not as rigorous as people imagined, because Vydalian itself was a giant Magic Loom that wove the ceremonial robes worn by the royal family, Yixial's highest ruling class, and the Elders of Yuentar.

When apprentices honed their magical abilities in preparation for the trial, upon truly facing Vydalian, they would encounter a difficult-to-accept Truth, a fact hidden from all Yixialians:

Yixial was not the only civilization to survive the Rune Wars, nor was the Runeterra beyond Yixial's borders a desolate wasteland. The trial candidate's reaction to this fact was the ultimate test.

If they passed the trial, Vydalian would weave the trialist's magic, forming a robe entirely composed of mana but with physical substance, as a symbol of their status as an Elemental Master.

It was precisely because of this that the moment Yuan Chen saw Grandma Lupe's attire, he breathed a sigh of relief—wearing the Vydalian Robe, woven entirely from mana, meant that Grandma Lupe knew clearly that the Outside World was not only filled with disease and war, but also possessed equally prosperous civilizations!

Upon hearing Yuan Chen recount Vydalian's trial, Grandma Lupe's expression became incredibly complex.

"Setting aside your identity as a Prophet, as an outsider, integrating here is not that easy... So, are you ready to undergo the trial?"