lol: After being blessed by the Happy Demon, I became the harem king

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Whether human or beast, both possess an emotion called happiness. Whether they actively pursue it or not, happiness is inherently there, arising, feeling, and knowing in people's instincts.

Farn, however, took a more relaxed view of this: "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Compared to the immense uncontrollability of Ossilash, I would rather have complete control over a portion of its power than face the risk of being devoured by Ossilash every time I use it."

“A wise choice,” Kalmar sighed, “but not everyone can make the right decision.”

In response, Karma said, "Your explanation is excellent, but as Karma, I cannot draw conclusions easily, so I will continue to observe."

"Whatever," Farn shrugged, unconcerned. After all, Karma was just fulfilling her duty.

After saying that, Fain added, "Speaking of which, shouldn't negative emotional spirits like the Spirit of War still exist in Ionia?"

“Yes, they are, but they are all sealed away.” Karma was not surprised to hear Fain’s question, but said with a headache, “Noxus has launched a war against Ionia. In any case, these negative spirits will reappear in the world.”

"Where are we now?" Farn said. "I'll take care of it."

Growing up in Ionia, others might not know, but doesn't Faen know? Changing Ionia is easier done by working on the spiritual realm than by advancing in the material realm.

After a moment of silence, Karma tentatively asked, "Whether we resolve this or not is another matter. The key question is... do you know Syndra?"

248. Different Kalmar

Upon hearing this familiar name, Fain raised an eyebrow and asked, "Syndra... isn't she the darkness of Ionia?"

Syndra should be familiar to any League of Legends player. As one of the champions with the best splash art in the past, Syndra's splash art exuded a mature and elegant aura, although after the update, it became more angular and resembled a typical middle-aged woman from Europe or America.

Syndra herself is also incredibly powerful within certain world-building settings—she is a young girl from the province of Navori hundreds of years ago. Because of her slow and naive nature, the young Syndra was often ridiculed by her brother and bullied by other village children. Through this constant isolation, the power within Syndra's subconscious erupted, and a torrent of negative emotions formed heavy, dark orbs. The moment these orbs descended, they caused the local earth spirit, the 'Spirit Willow,' to wither and twist, transforming it into a hideous form.

So they were banished—there's not much to say about that, because in Ionia, people have a very close relationship with the spirits of the land. Losing the spirits of the land means that for a long time people will be unable to communicate with the spirits of the land, and will be unable to effectively cultivate the land and live their lives.

Later, Syndra was discovered by a reclusive priest. The priest told Syndra that he often guided helpless children to master their innate wild magic, so Syndra began training with the priest. The training area was located in the abandoned temple of Pelor, where only the dark rocks and the sea could be seen. Syndra studied diligently, yearning to tame the power within her body and control her emotions.

What increasingly discouraged Syndra was that years of training hadn't taught her to control her power; instead, it had weakened her magic. Her priestess stopped imparting skills and knowledge, instead locking her up each morning for solitary meditation. Finally, bewildered, Syndra decided to ask her teacher why. Her teacher wearily grinned and frankly told her that her accumulated gloomy energy had far exceeded his capacity as her mentor; he was intentionally weakening her power to ensure her safety.

However, due to her childhood experiences, Syndra felt betrayed, and her emotions began to spiral out of control. Her priestess tried to calm her down, but unfortunately, it was to no avail.

As Syndra's dark power fully awakened, the spirits of Ionia personally dragged her into and sealed her in the Dream Pool beneath the earth, where she would spend an eternal dream.

Syndra's resurgence occurred during the First Ionian War, when the Noxians' pursuit of magical power led to Syndra unexpectedly breaking free from her seal. However, the problem is that, according to Fahn's knowledge, Syndra wields dark power, not the so-called spirit of war.

Thinking this, Fan also looked at Karma in front of him, as if seeking an answer from Karma.

Hearing Fain's words and feeling his gaze, Karma nodded in understanding. Clearly, while Syndra was an unknown legend, a part of an ancient tale, to most people in this era, Fain had obviously seen fragments from the past—perhaps even fragments related to the future?

Thinking this, Karma added, "Syndra's power, or rather the reason she was able to wield that power, is indeed because she resonated with the darkness of Ionia and became its user. But the darkness that Syndra represents is not just a simple collection of negative emotions like anger. Rather, it is the essence of most—even all—negative emotions in Ionia."

Karma explained, "During Syndra's sealing, the essence of these negative emotions was also sealed away. This is the key to Ionian Mudstone's ability to survive the Rune Wars—even if malice from the other side of the sea came to Ionia, without the essence of these negative emotions, the resulting evil spirits would only be insignificant Vastaya, not truly troublesome malevolent spirits."

"And within this, the spirit of war does indeed have a positive aspect..."

Karma pursed her lips and said with a hint of helplessness, "But the impact of the Rune Wars is just too great. Even if the Spirit of War has a positive aspect, Ionia dares not gamble on it. The veil here is more fragile and thinner than in other areas of Runeterra, and the boundary between the two realms is more blurred. The scope of the Rune Wars is unprecedented. Even if the Spirit of War loses control even slightly, it will plunge the entire Ionia into an irrecoverable crisis."

Upon hearing this, Fain nodded thoughtfully and said, "I understand... So, what do you want me to do?"

“Just go ahead and do it.”

Looking at Fain, Karma said, "In the part of the future I see, Syndra has broken free of her seal and soars through the air with a city shrouded in forbidden power, threatening the future of all Ionia. Since what you desire is to fill Ionia with hope and to imbue its people with the positive emotions represented by the Spirit of War, then go ahead and do it—at least it won't be worse than the future I see."

Farn nodded to indicate that he understood, but then looked at Karma and said, "It seems that you, Darha, are not the Venerable One that people used to know."

“Oh, why do you say that?” Darha smiled and looked at Fan.

Farn shrugged and said, "At least, judging from Ionia's past history, most of the Karma Venerables preferred stability and unchanging practices, such as reinforcing the seals."

“Because you spoke very well.” Hearing Fan’s words, Darha nodded slightly and said calmly:

“Trees need to penetrate rocks, take root downwards to absorb nutrients, and grow upwards to obtain sunlight… Ionia has remained unchanged for too long. Many ancient souls have told me of the dangers and endless changes to come. And compared to the advice of those ancient sages, the current war in Noxus is a more unique man-made disaster. Although this is destined not to be accepted by most of the elders of the Temple of the Enduring, I believe that the time for change has come.”

“That couldn’t be better!” Upon hearing this, Faen chuckled and said, “It’s worth mentioning that I also saw a scene in the fragments of the future where you used magic to bombard the Noxian fleet.”

"Are you sure that's me?" Upon hearing this, Karma was also surprised and couldn't help but chuckle, "That's quite surprising~"

249. Kalmar and Piltover

Upon hearing that Fain had seen himself bombarding the Noxian warship in the prophecy, Karma smiled. However, she didn't take it to heart, because as someone who possessed the Eye of the Century, Karma knew very well that prophecies were not absolute.

“Sometimes, the future changes the instant a prophecy is seen—this is a truth proven countless times by the Venerables throughout history, and it is the power wielded by the World Spirit of Runeterra.” He paused, then turned his gaze to Fain.

“I am not questioning your abilities, but I hope you can reduce your prophecies as much as possible. Because prophecy itself is a curse. Among the venerable ones of the past, there was more than one who suffered the backlash of the Eye of the Century and was ultimately destroyed because of excessive prophecy.”

"I'll be careful." Fane nodded, then said in a relaxed tone, "Is there anything else you'd like to remind me of?"

“Nothing else… Do you have something to do?” Karma asked in return.

“No.” Fain shook his head and said, “Next, I’ll rest and recuperate, contact my master and junior sister to clear things up, and then I’ll head to Pelor to deal with Syndra and some issues related to the Noxians.”

“I see… Let’s chat then.” After confirming that Fane didn’t have anything urgent to deal with, Darha asked with a hint of curiosity, “What did you do in Zaun and Piltover? What’s the outside world like? Hmm… and what is this Hextech you mentioned?”

It was only after discussing topics such as the Spirit of War, the Noxian Wars, the Dark Origin, and Syndra—topics that affected the entire Runeterra—that Darha truly revealed his personal curiosity—even as the Venerable Karma, Darha had never actually traveled outside of Ionia.

In response, Farn stroked his chin and said, "I didn't bring anything about Hextech. But speaking of which, if you'd like to experience it, why don't we just go over there?"

As he spoke, Farn opened a portal to the spiritual realm.

Portals may seem simple, but they are actually quite difficult to open reliably. This is because the act of creating a hole between two realms is directly related to the strength of the veil in that area.

While the veil of Ionia is quite weak, it cannot withstand Karma's immense power, and there is also the presence of ancient spiritual beings similar to the Spirit of Ionia. Therefore, before confirming Karma's stance, Fane dares not open the gate rashly.

Upon hearing Fan's invitation, Darha's eyes flickered slightly, and after a moment, he said hesitantly, "This... is indeed somewhat beyond my expectations."

"So...?" Farn awaited Darha's reply.

“It should be fine for a short period of time.” After a moment of silence, Darha took a deep breath and said, “But it can’t be for too long.”

“I know there are still many things to deal with.” Upon hearing this, Fain nodded and said calmly, “Noxus has launched an invasion of Ionia, and as Karma, the burden on your shoulders is too heavy.”

Upon hearing this, Karma remained silent, only her eyes dimmed slightly.

Following closely behind, Fain added, "Before I set off, I specifically ordered people to research, collect, and organize a great deal of history related to Noxus, as well as all the military personnel and supplies mobilizations over the past year. I think this will be very helpful to the people of Ionia."

Upon hearing this, Karma couldn't help but raise her eyelids slightly, then nodded, saying with a mix of emotion and helplessness, "That really is... it's hard to know how to refuse."

As she said this, Karma's face also became filled with a strange expression.

Although Karma appears mature and elegant, her tanned skin naturally exudes health and vitality. Her posture is upright, her hips are shapely, and the high-slit robe accentuates her already long and slender legs, making them appear even longer and straighter. Furthermore, the memories passed down through generations of Karma Venerables imbue her eyes and demeanor with a sense of dignity, elegance, and wisdom. In short, from any angle, Karma embodies the image of a thoroughly sophisticated, tanned, and mature woman.

Karma was indeed like that, but unfortunately, Dalhar was not. However, in most situations, Dalhar had to hide his true thoughts and use Karma's identity to bring peace of mind to others.

Based on this, a complex expression appeared in Darha's eyes.

People find inner peace through conversations with her, but few know that beneath the body of Venerable Kalma lies the soul of a little girl named Darha.

From the age of twelve, he was brought back to the Temple of Eternity and studied diligently under the tutelage of many masters, delving into the vast sea of ​​memories of the Venerable Ones. Admittedly, the 'enlightenment' passed down through the Venerable Ones allowed Kalmar to master this wisdom and power in just over a decade. However, Dalha himself was not satisfied with this knowledge from the past.

Or rather, people always yearn to witness the world with their own eyes, to feel and touch it with their own bodies, rather than to learn from books or the memories of others… Such understanding only fuels curiosity.

With that thought in mind, Darha took a deep breath and then looked at Fane calmly, saying, "In that case, let's set off now—the sooner we go, the sooner we'll return."

“Of course.” Fane nodded in agreement, then extended his hand. Seeing this, Darha, after a brief silence, placed his hand in Fane’s palm. Fane didn’t say anything more, but directly led Darha through the portal to the Realm of Pleasure. As the space shifted, another portal opened, and when Fane and Darha emerged again, what greeted Darha’s eyes was a bustling city completely different from Ionia, filled with brick walls and brass gear decorations.

This bustling scene clashed with Ionia's pristine ecology, yet it immediately caught Darha's attention. Her intelligent and elegant face, like a little girl visiting an amusement park for the first time, looked around with great curiosity.

Farn didn't say much, but simply contacted Caitlin through their mental connection, instructing her to deliver the prepared materials to his room.

250. Work-life balance

As night approached, Fain and Karma returned to Ionia.

Stepping out of the portal, Faen stretched. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Although Riven helped deal with some of his pent-up desires every night, to be honest, one Riven was hardly enough to satisfy Faen. And for Riven, even with alternating use in front and behind, it was still a drop in the ocean compared to Faen's immense cravings.

Now that Fane is back in Twin Cities, he spent the morning strolling around with Karma, but Karma didn't really go to Twin Cities with the intention of having fun.

Instead of simply experiencing the local customs and culture outside of Ionia, her sense of responsibility led her to devote herself entirely to researching the situation and trends in Noxus over the past year. During this time, Fain also chose to have a small gathering with her girls next door.

As it turns out, the best way to deal with Fane's almost insatiable desires is still the purest form of swarm tactics. Although the pressure was mounting, and LeBlanc, their main damage dealer, was temporarily away in Bilgewater, leaving Zeli and the others without a main tank in their raid lineup, after so many rounds of buffs and constant rotations, they were still locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle with Fane.

After this release, Fain felt much more relaxed. Turning his gaze to Karma beside him, Fain asked with a leisurely expression, "How was today's harvest? The information I had Caitlyn compile should be very helpful to Ionia."

"It's more than just helpful; this information is like a godsend." Hearing this, Karma snapped out of her thoughts and said with a sigh, "Although there's no detailed personnel list, just the transported food allows Ionia to indirectly determine how many soldiers Noxus has deployed, enabling Ionia to be better prepared for the upcoming attack. And the records about military supplies and Noxian military culture give Ionia many angles to consider in order to defeat Noxus."

After saying this, Karma paused, then took a deep breath and said, "This is of great significance to Ionia. And as Karma of this era, I should express my gratitude to you."

"It's not necessary."

Upon hearing this, Fain quickly waved his hand and said, "I grew up in Ionia, and I love this land just as much. In particular, I'm quite lucky that Venerable Karma of this era shares my interests."

Looking at Darha, Fan said with a relaxed expression, "Kalmar of this era is not a conservative old man, but a person with his own independent thinking ability and unique insights into the world."

Upon hearing this, Darha chuckled, then shook his head with a touch of melancholy and said, "It's only because our goals are aligned now that we're on the same page. If our goals were different, I suppose I would have become the fool you're talking about?"

“No.” Farn shook his head: “The stupidity of fools lies in not knowing how disgusting the things they have done are and being proud of them, complacent and unrepentant.”

“Your assessment of some of the elders is quite ruthless.” Darha shook his head, then after a moment of silence, said, “Extend your hand.”

"Hmm? Hmm." Upon hearing this, although he didn't know why Darha said that, he didn't sense any malice from Darha, so Fan honestly extended his palm.

In response, Darha closed his eyes, and then his magical energy surged rapidly. Although he was an individual, in that instant, Fan could clearly sense that Darha had transformed from a single person into an aggregate of countless ancient venerable souls. Accompanied by a sublime gaze, the two jade dragons beside Darha spun rapidly, then shot out two streams of light that flowed into the back of Fan's hand, transforming into two faint marks.

Has my identity been officially confirmed?

Looking at the new marks on the back of his hand, a strange expression appeared on Fan's face. After all, he already had Osiris's Seven Hands curse mark on his arm—but as Fan gradually eroded Osiris's essence, he was now able to cover these marks with his will, making them undetectable to others.

And now… looking at the jade dragons on the back of his hand, Fain could only sigh. After marking Zeli, Caitlin, and LeBlanc's greenhouses with his own mark, he never expected to be stamped with his own mark again.

Thinking this, Farn wasn't angry. After sensing it for a moment, he looked at Darha and asked, "What's the use of this?"

"It will earn you the trust of the spirits of Ionia." Upon hearing this, Darha added, "While ordinary spirits may not be able to sense it, for some ancient spirits, the aura emanating from the joyful demon Osiris is quite evident on you. And every time such an ancient being appears, it brings immense calamity and disaster, so it is not surprising that they would directly turn against you with weapons."

“With this mark, they will know that you have gained the approval and control of the Soul of Ionia. Although some spirits will still be wary, at least they won't act rashly. Similarly, with the mark of the Soul of Ionia, you will be able to better resonate with the spirits of this land. Also,” Darha said, “this is also the key to entering the Dream Pool.”

After hearing Darha's explanation, Fan nodded and said, "I understand—if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

“…Hmm.” Upon hearing that Fan was about to leave, a hint of confusion flashed in Darha’s eyes, but he nodded after regaining his senses.

Then, Fane left. Looking at the room, now empty once more, a hint of melancholy flickered in Darha's eyes. But just as Darha opened his eyes again, his demeanor returning to its usual wisdom, gentleness, and intellect, Karma found Fane back in her field of vision.

This surprised Darha slightly, who then asked in confusion, "Is there... something else?"

“It’s nothing,” Farn shook his head and said, “I just wanted to let you know that if you need anything, just let me know and we can go to other places at any time—a balance between work and rest is essential to fulfilling our responsibilities.”

251. Changes in the Precepts

After bidding farewell to Karma, Fain returned to the main hall of the Temple of Eternity.

Since the morning, Shen, Jie, and Riven had been waiting in the main hall. Now that they saw Fain emerge, the two quickly cheered up.

Clearly, both Shen and Jie had many questions for Faen, but their attitudes towards him had changed significantly. This wasn't without reason—previously, while they knew Faen was exceptionally talented and one of Master Sinya's most valued disciples, they still considered him a peer, not much older than themselves.

Especially since Faen is a dancer—compared to the Way of Balance, which trains in combat skills from childhood to slay evil spirits, the Way of the Dancer just sounds like someone who isn't good at fighting.

But now, having seen that Fane can debate with the elders of the Temple of Eternity without being at a disadvantage, and according to Venerable Karma, that Fane also harbors an incredibly ancient and ferocious soul, they can no longer regard Fane as their peer.

Or rather, they lacked the confidence to place themselves on par with Fan – if they had before, now, with Fan spending an entire day alone with Venerable Karma from morning till evening, it has been proven that the Fan before them is far more complex than they perceive him to be.

Thinking this, Jie silently nudged Shen's arm beside him. Noticing Jie's movement, Shen also turned his gaze to his good brother. Jie simply stared quietly at Faen. Following Jie's gaze, Shen quickly realized why Jie had specifically reminded him—on the back of Faen's hand, a jade ring of emerald dragons was engraved. Although it was only a faint imprint, Shen and Jie understood very well what it represented to the Ionians.

Thinking it over, Shen and Jie bowed slightly and clasped their hands in greeting, saying, "Mr. Faen."

Seeing their reactions, Fain raised an eyebrow and then said, "Why are you suddenly calling me 'sir'?"

In response, Shen simply stared at the double dragon mark on the back of Fahn's hand for a moment in front of Fahn, and then said, "The double dragon mark represents Venerable Karma's recognition of a person's character and cultivation, and also represents the will of the Soul of Ionia. Although we don't know the reason, it represents the Venerable's will, and we should express this respect."

"I see." Upon hearing this, Fane glanced at the back of his hand, then thought for a moment and concealed the Twin Dragon Seal in the same way he had covered the Seven Hands of Osiris.

As the mark on the back of Fain's hand gradually faded and dissipated, Shen and Jie's brows furrowed in bewilderment. Fain, however, calmly replied, "It is indeed real. Don't worry, even if I were capable of forging it, I wouldn't forge it in the Hall of Eternity... cough, in front of Venerable Karma."

As he said this, Fane clenched his fist, and then the mark reappeared and disappeared along with Fane's will.

"However, compared to the attention, importance, and courtesy that this mark brings, I would prefer that those old-fashioned people expose their true colors more directly."

Upon hearing this, Shen and Jie exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say. They could only silently straighten up and say, "This is the mark of the Venerable One. We have no right to interfere in how it is dealt with."

As he spoke, Shen tentatively inquired, "I wonder if Your Excellency has any other plans for the Order of the Balance? If not, we may need to return to the Sanctuary now to prepare for the Noxian War."

Upon hearing Shen's question, Fain stroked his chin and then looked at Jie beside him, asking, "What do you all think?"

Upon hearing Faen's question, Shen initially didn't react, but then, as if realizing something, he subconsciously looked at Jie beside him.

What met Shen's eyes was Jie, who stood rooted to the spot, his face filled with a complex expression. Especially after feeling the gaze from his friend Shen, Jie couldn't help but purse his lips, and after a moment of silence, he quietly said, "I'm just quite concerned about Mr. Fane's discourse on the Spirit of War..."

Although it was just a calm sentence, upon hearing Jie's words, a look of disbelief clearly appeared on Shen's face.