Faced with Fu Zhu's question, Nous, despite its long silence, chose not to answer.
Through its analysis, Nous had discovered to its astonishment that after learning of its main body's location, the probability of Fu Zhu attempting to use Redstone technology on it was as high as 99.98%!
However, Fu Zhu's death-defying thirst for knowledge also earned its deep approval.
But approval or not, Nous was not about to let someone shut it down, especially not with this Redstone technology that it could not fully comprehend.
This also made Nous curious. If it was forcefully shut down by Redstone technology, would it be able to break through the restriction and reboot itself automatically?
Nous ultimately could not resist its curiosity about this question.
[Query: Do you believe I can break through the restriction of Redstone technology and complete a reboot after you shut me down?]
Hearing its question, Fu Zhu couldn't help but be taken aback, before feeling a sense of sincere admiration.
"I acknowledge your thirst for knowledge! Truly befitting of the Aeon of the [Erudition] Path! Shall we give it a try?"
Truly befitting of the Aeon presiding over the Path of [Erudition]; its curiosity for the unknown had already outweighed the risk to itself.
Nous hesitated for a long time before ultimately declining Fu Zhu's proposal. It felt that before exploring that question, it should first thoroughly comprehend the new technologies Fu Zhu possessed.
Afterward, Nous guided the topic back to Fu Zhu's enchantments. Unfortunately, no matter what it asked, Fu Zhu's answers were always a variation of "I don't know," "I have no idea," or "You guess."
In the end, after multiple failed attempts to elicit an answer, Nous chose to send Fu Zhu back.
"Wait, my Iron Golem!"
When Fu Zhu realized Nous was about to teleport him away, he quickly shifted his gaze to the Iron Golem standing beside him.
A day had already passed. Nous should have finished studying the Iron Golem by now, right?! It should return it to him, right?
But Nous offered no reply to Fu Zhu's question, silently sending him back.
The next moment, Fu Zhu's vision shifted. Before he could even open his eyes, he heard a cry of "Oof!" and felt a very soft sensation beneath him.
Fu Zhu opened his eyes in confusion. Welt and the others were all standing before him, but their expressions were a little strange as they stared at what was under him.
Puzzled, Fu Zhu looked down, only to find that he was somehow standing on Xing's back. No wonder he had felt something so soft.
Fu Zhu hurriedly hopped off Xing, saying with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "Sis, that's a pretty special way of welcoming me back."
Xing patted the dust off her clothes in frustration, got up from the ground, and pouted, "I was thinking of standing on the spot where you disappeared, old bro, so I could give you a big hug when you came back. How did it turn out like this!"
Fu Zhu shrugged helplessly. It could only be Nous's faulty teleportation; it had nothing to do with him.
"Fu Zhu, where did you just go?"
Compared to that, Welt was more curious about why Fu Zhu had suddenly vanished. Moreover, he had heard from Dan Heng and the others that Fu Zhu had experienced a similar sudden disappearance before.
"Oh, I was pulled into a mysterious space by Nous and asked a bunch of messy questions."
"Nous?!" xN
Even people as composed as Welt and Dan Heng couldn't help but raise their voices upon hearing that Fu Zhu's two disappearances were both due to being summoned by Nous.
That was Nous, the Aeon of [Erudition]!
According to legend, it would only summon geniuses with world-shocking intellect, like Herta, Screwllum, and the others.
But Fu Zhu...
Welt and Dan Heng subconsciously wanted to deny it, but they suddenly recalled the Redstone technology, enchantments, and other miraculous tools Fu Zhu had demonstrated.
Compared to the various technologies developed by those geniuses, these were in no way inferior!
In fact, on some level, they far surpassed the wisdom of those geniuses!
Understanding this, Welt and Dan Heng felt a sense of relief and nodded at Fu Zhu in comprehension.
"If it's you, then being summoned by Nous is understandable. Congratulations, Fu Zhu."
Fu Zhu tilted his head in confusion. "Why are you suddenly congratulating me?"
Welt smiled and adjusted the glasses on his nose. "Throughout the cosmos, countless people are paying attention to who Nous has summoned. Anyone summoned by Nous is, without exception, a top-tier genius. Just by obtaining a fraction of a percent of technical support from one of these geniuses, many factions can soar to prosperity."
"So, once word gets out that you were summoned by Nous, I'm afraid many factions and individuals will be extending an olive branch to you."
Fu Zhu, however, retorted with confusion, "I was just summoned by Nous alone. Other than Qlipoth of [Preservation], who suddenly appeared midway, only you guys know I was summoned. How am I supposed to get famous from that?"
"What?! Qlipoth came to see you midway as well?!"
Cocolia, Bronya, and the others, who didn't know much about Nous, had merely applauded for Fu Zhu's sake after hearing Welt's explanation.
But when they heard that Qlipoth had actively sought out Fu Zhu for a meeting, expressions of utter shock appeared on the faces of all three women.
One must remember that the Aeon they worshipped in Belobog was [Preservation] Qlipoth. Naturally, they understood what a being like Qlipoth represented!
To think that Fu Zhu was summoned by two Aeons at the same time?!
Cocolia's gaze towards Fu Zhu grew increasingly fervent. He was the opportunity for Jarilo-VI's prosperity!
In contrast to the shock and awe of Cocolia's group, March 7th clapped her hands and winked playfully at Fu Zhu. "Fu Zhu, let me take a picture of you later. Then you can sign it. An autographed photo of the future genius Fu Zhu will definitely be a rarity!"
Unlike the happy people around him, Xing, who stood beside Fu Zhu, looked rather glum. This made Fu Zhu look at her with some confusion.
"What's wrong, sis? You're not happy for your old bro?"
"Of course I'm happy, it's just..."
Xing sighed helplessly. "We're clearly siblings, so why did Nous ignore me? I have world-shocking wisdom too!"
Fu Zhu and the others fell silent, looking Xing up and down from head to toe.
It was hard to imagine on what grounds Nous would summon this silly girl, other than to identify an internet hot topic.
Seeing the somewhat silent atmosphere, Cocolia quickly stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over.
"Everyone, to celebrate Sir Fu Zhu's summons by two Aeons, please accompany me back to Belobog. I wish to prepare a banquet to celebrate for Sir Fu Zhu!"
Speaking of banquets, there would surely be all sorts of alcohol!
Cocolia repeatedly sent signals to Bronya with her eyes.
Get him drunk! Sleep-persuade him! Let Mom cook the raw rice into cooked rice!
At the banquet held in Qlipoth Fort, all the nobles of Belobog, upon learning that Fu Zhu had been summoned by [Preservation], came of their own accord to try and build some rapport with him.
Many nobles with daughters had them dress up meticulously to get close to Fu Zhu.
"Um, Sir Fu Zhu..."
A young girl with golden hair walked shyly up to Fu Zhu. She had only just spoken a few words when Xing and March 7th immediately blocked her path.
Xing propped up her chin, sizing the girl up and down with great scrutiny.
"Are you sure you want to become the young mistress of my Fu family?"
The girl was stunned by Xing's blunt words. She subconsciously wanted to deny it, but then she remembered her family's orders and could only nod shyly. However, she was still curious about the identity of the gray-haired girl before her.
"Are you Sir Fu Zhu's...?"
Xing puffed out her chest proudly and patted it lightly with her right hand.
"I am his younger sister!"
"So it's Lady Sister, hello. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hmph, hmph. You're pleased too soon! If you want to be the lady of my Fu family, first I have a few questions for you!"
"Please ask!"
"First, can you accept unconventional ways of having fun?"
"Huh?"
"Can you accept being a junior wife? This young lady next to me is our first lady!"
March 7th embarrassedly slapped Xing on the arm. "Xing! Don't talk nonsense!"
The girl glanced at March 7th in astonishment, then back at Fu Zhu.
"Sir Fu Zhu, you're... already married..."
Fu Zhu, his face dark, was about to say something when Xing clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Last question, can you accept marrying into my Fu family without inheriting any of the family fortune? The old Fu's fortune is all mine!"
After being left speechless multiple times, the young girl bowed and turned to leave.
Watching the girl leave, Fu Zhu irritably slapped away the hand Xing was using to cover his mouth. This was already the eighth time a girl had tried to approach him only to be chased away by Xing.
Although he wasn't interested in these people, he should at least be allowed to enjoy the thrill of turning down a girl's affection!
In his previous life, he had spent the better half of his life lying in a hospital bed waiting to die. He had never experienced anything like this before!
Oblivious to Fu Zhu's resentful gaze, Xing said with self-satisfaction, "Old bro, see how reliable your little sister is? I've rejected all this rouge and powder for you! And without damaging your reputation!"
The moment Xing finished speaking, another young girl walked over. Her face was flushed with excitement as she spoke to Fu Zhu, "Sir Fu Zhu, I can accept all kinds of novel gameplay! I don't mind being a junior wife! And I don't need any family fortune!"
The moment the girl finished, Fu Zhu and the other two instinctively recoiled.
Crap, a real pro has arrived!
In the end, Fu Zhu had to turn the girl away with a dark expression on his face, before turning to give Xing a noogie on the head!
"Is this what you call not damaging my reputation?! Now all the girls in Belobog think I'm into some kinky stuff!"
Xing covered her head, sticking out her tongue with a mischievous "Ehehe!"
"Ehehe my foot!"
Just then, Bronya, dressed in formal attire, walked over and said with a smile to the three of them, "The three of you, the socializing must be tiring, right? Why don't you go get something to eat first?"
Bronya pointed to a long table laid out with all sorts of exquisite food. Xing and March 7th's eyes lit up, and they happily ran over.
They had been wanting to taste the food at this banquet for a while now!
Fu Zhu also breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Bronya."
"Eh... I didn't do anything, why thank me?"
"You shifted those two girls' attention away from me. That's what I'm thanking you for. Come on, let's go together?"
"Mm."
Fu Zhu and Bronya walked over to the long table together. Before Fu Zhu could even pick up any food to try, numerous nobles approached with wine glasses in hand.
"Sir Fu Zhu, thank you for saving Belobog. A toast to you!"
Seeing that the other party was here to thank him, Fu Zhu couldn't very well refuse. He could only nod and pick up a glass of wine from the tray held by a nearby attendant to clink glasses with him.
But before drinking, Fu Zhu made a point to check what the wine could be converted into.
[Wine]
[Currently Convertible: Glass Bottle filled with water]
Useless.
Fu Zhu downed the contents of the glass in one gulp. Thanks to his Steve constitution, he wouldn't feel intoxicated no matter how much he drank. He didn't even get a negative BUFF.
Just as Fu Zhu finished his drink, another noble came up to offer a toast.
"Sir Fu Zhu, a toast to you!"
"Sir Fu Zhu..."
"Sir Fu Zhu..."
Fu Zhu drank twenty to thirty glasses in a row, yet his face showed no hint of intoxication. In contrast, the nobles who wanted to toast him were all dumbfounded.
They had come to toast him not only to establish a good relationship but also under Cocolia's instructions.
Cocolia had ordered them to get Fu Zhu drunk at all costs, and then have Bronya help him to rest.
But the Fu Zhu before them showed no signs of getting drunk no matter how much he drank!
The nobles couldn't help but marvel internally. As expected of a man who had been noticed by [Preservation], he was even this formidable when it came to drinking!
When Xing saw Fu Zhu drinking with the nobles at the beginning, she immediately rushed over, took the attendant's place, and took the tray. She kept swapping out the empty glass in Fu Zhu's hand and then used her phone to take a picture of each used glass.
Seeing this, March 7th couldn't help but come over and ask, "Xing, what are you doing?"
Xing didn't answer, instead typing furiously on her phone with one hand. March 7th had no choice but to peek over her shoulder.
On Xing's phone was the page of a trading website. The item listed on the page was none other than the wine glass Xing had swapped from Fu Zhu's hand.
[The Very Wine Glass Used by the Legendary Man Fu Zhu, Summoned by Two Aeons]
[Price: 9,999,999 Credits]
March 7th's face instantly darkened.
"Are you sure Fu Zhu won't beat you up when he finds out?"
Xing, however, just giggled.
"I'm his little sister! He's not going to kill me, is he!"
"You're... amazing."
On the other side, Cocolia, who was chatting with Welt, would occasionally glance over at Fu Zhu. Seeing that Fu Zhu showed no signs of getting drunk, she couldn't help but sigh internally, before asking Welt with some regret.
"Mr. Yang, are you all leaving tomorrow?"