As a great architect, Kaveh can absolutely be called an artist, so he's even angrier now.
Unfortunately, he's still too refined; he can't say those words out loud, just feeling indignant inside.
Not just Kaveh wants to curse—Yun Jin's vision goes dark; isn't this pointing at their noses and cursing them?
Want to curse, but too refined to curse—holding it in painfully.
How is pursuing art frivolous and empty! How is it shameful! You bad Grand Sage!
Yun Jin won't curse, but luckily she has someone beside her who will—currently passionately outputting a stream of unprintable Liyue slang, so dirty Yun Jin's face turns red, but very cathartic.
Yae Miko is similarly furious—she didn't expect the Grand Sage to attack art and dance.
After all, one of the Guuji's major duties as shrine maiden is to dance for the god…
This is the Guuji's duty—meaning he's cursing Kitsune Saiguu along with her. How could Yae Miko not be angry?
Furina is even more furious—she can curse, but her cursing is like pouting; usually cursing Lucian is "stinky Lucian" or "bad Lucian"—she wouldn't dare curse the Grand Sage, afraid he'd enjoy it.
Denying art—in a way, the Grand Sage is directly denying Fontaine… not to mention Furina herself is an artist. It'd be strange if Furina wasn't angry.
So angry she stomps her feet, little leather shoes making "tap tap" sounds—good thing it's a private room, no disturbing others.
Just as everyone is furious, the Grand Sage continues his output.
["For scholars pursuing truth, reality, and knowledge, the gods created Sumeru City as paradise… yet people like you want to defile it."]
Now Mondstadt and Fontaine are fully enraged—what do you mean defile? Their gods love music and dance! You dare mock our gods!?
Adventurers from both nations regret now—why didn't they kick him a couple more times back then?
Damn it—there were too many people then, couldn't squeeze in!
Barbara is about to faint—the Grand Sage's words can be interpreted as art defiling the gods.
What's Barbara's status? Nun, idol—she's Barbatos's prayer pastor and Mondstadt's big idol!
This is practically jumping up and down cursing her. As an extremely devout Sister Barbara, she can't take such words.
But those in the arts are all a bit refined—like Yun Jin, they don't know how to curse—are about to cry from anger, feeling very wronged.
Seeing this, Rosaria speaks—the world seems to slow down; Rosaria's mouth opens and closes, a barrage of filthy words no nun should say firing like a machine gun.
Barbara is stunned—as a nun she should stop Rosaria, but it feels so good…
Lord Barbatos, please forgive my dereliction—!
Rosaria says: you make up for my slacking off work, I'll make up for your inability to curse.
This segment has everyone seeing red again—the public toilet getting bricks thrown daily; this is the ups and downs of public outrage.
Sumeru people are even more furious—and it doesn't divide desert and rainforest—because back then, didn't the Flower Goddess and Tree King dance? Wasn't the Scarlet King accompanying on music?
Three gods cursed all at once by the Grand Sage.
Desert and rainforest people have never been so united against an outsider—indeed, unity needs a common enemy.
[Nilou counters: "No—I believe the gods have never despised art, just as the Flower Goddess once danced for our god…"]
Readers nod frantically—well said! Citing classics—let's see how you refute!
[Azar: "With your knowledge, I don't think you're qualified to debate me. What you should do now is quickly find someone to dismantle these ridiculous decorations."]
You X, XXXX, XXXXX.
Can't win the argument so you stop talking? Directly abusing authority?
After reading the prophecy book this long, this is the first time everyone is this angry—liver hurting from rage.
Before it was keeping tissues ready—now why does it feel like blood pressure meds are needed?
Another big reason for such anger is that everyone truly can't do anything about the Grand Sage—in Sumeru he's the biggest academic overlord, a dictator under oligarchy.
Thinking such a disgusting person lives better than them—readers want to go to Sumeru right now and slap him.
Good thing the real Grand Sage has already been arrested—otherwise people really would die from anger.
[Azar: "After returning, have the scribe draft a decree prohibiting public art performances before the next 'Jnanadi Day'—then announce it to the public via the Akasha."]
This line shows that though Sumeru is ostensibly ruled by six sages in oligarchy, in reality the Grand Sage is a dictator—he changes laws on a whim.
But luckily, the scribe is Alhaitham—here comes the fun.
[After Azar leaves, he quietly says: "The Flower God's Birthday Festival… go ahead and properly celebrate the god's birth."]
Azar leaves; the Traveler and Dunyarzad hurry over to comfort Nilou.
Actually, from the start the Traveler wanted to elbow-strike the Grand Sage, but Dunyarzad stopped them.
This is still Sumeru—the Grand Sage's turf. Elbowing him here would make things impossible afterward.
Dunyarzad and the Traveler want to console Nilou, but Nilou herself isn't someone who gives up easily.
[Nilou says: "Let's perform somewhere else—find a place where the Akademiya people can't find us."]
If Sumeru won't allow dancing, worst case we go to another nation—Liyue and Fontaine are good.
But according to the prophecy book's world line, Liyue isn't the best choice—can't go to people who just lost their god and say "can you celebrate my god's birthday?"
In fact, considering going elsewhere now is impossible—time, audience, scenery are all issues.
Now it seems they can only give up; Dunyarzad is also consoling Nilou.
[Nilou, unwilling: "But Dunyarzad—you've been looking forward to this Dance of the Flower God so much. I know this Flower God's Birthday Festival is very important to you—I don't want you to have regrets…"]
Yes—no one wants that. Thinking this might be the last Flower God's Birthday Festival Dunyarzad experiences, readers hate the Grand Sage even more.
Nilou and Dunyarzad promise next time—next time… will there be a next time?
Back at the lodging, the Traveler is also worried; in uneasy dreams, a voice seems to ring—"beep"—
["The 'plan' enters its most critical phase—begin power extraction from '——'."]
Cyno, Alhaitham, and others frown—feels like the Akademiya has some new scheme.
Then, the story's time arrives at "the next day."