ã€ŠSurviving The Fourth Calamityã€‹


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Setting Up Ones Own Business

    ?1: Chapter 1: Setting Up One¡¯s Own Business 1: Chapter 1: Setting Up One¡¯s Own Business White Horse City was a beautiful place, with white walls and red tiles, green grass and blooming flowers.

    Hill slowly walked towards the castle.

    Today he would become an adult and then bid farewell to this city forever.

    Hill¡¯s identity was a bit awkward.

    His father, Earl Pelast, had married three wives, each giving birth to a son, and Hill was the middle one.

    According to the rules of the Saral Kingdom, non-firstborn sons had to take a portion of the family estate and leave at the age of sixteen.

    The mother of the eldest son, Manton, came from a noble lineage.

    As the daughter of Duke Kral, she had a substantial dowry.

    Unfortunately, she had a frail constitution and died shortly after Manton was born.

    With such a powerful maternal side, the Earl had to be careful when choosing his second wife.

    Unwilling to just choose from the lower nobility, he set his sights on Melanie, the daughter of the Court Archmage Obstan Fran, who was not part of the noble system.

    Melanie, a fair-skinned, beautiful mage, was deeply attracted to the Earl with her long, golden waterfall-like hair.

    And Earl Pelast, handsome, wealthy, romantic and passionate, quickly won over the innocent and beautiful mage, thanks in no small part to the court women¡¯s encouragement.

    She soon decided to marry him, but regretted it within two years.

    The entire Earl¡¯s Castle rejected this female mage; everyone believed she would harm the eldest son, Manton, including the husband who claimed to love her the most.

    After Hill¡¯s birth, he was even more guarded against her.

    However, no one anticipated that there was no room for petty intrigue in the world of mages.

    Melanie threw herself into alchemy, bought a manor outside the town, and moved there with her son, never to see her husband again.

    Before he was twelve, Hill saw this so-called father only during the annual New Year banquet.

    Unfortunately, when Hill was twelve, Melanie¡¯s alchemy experiment failed, resulting in a spell backlash that led to her death a few months later, forcing Hill to return to the Earl¡¯s Castle.

    Earl Pelast was indifferent to this son and quickly focused on selecting a third wife.

    He no longer dared to marry another proud female mage after twelve years of ridicule from the nobility.

    Eventually, Pelast chose the baron¡¯s daughter, known for her great intellect, beauty, and elegance, who gave birth to a third son, Edgar, two years ago.

    The castle¡¯s inhabitants finally returned to their familiar routine.

    The young, beautiful new wife postponed Manton¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony from sixteen to after twenty.

    Manton, being far from a formal knight, had no one to blame but himself.

    Most people pursue comfort and enjoyment when there¡¯s no pressure, only pushing themselves when under stress.

    So, Manton began rigorous daily training.

    Hill, however, was determined to leave, but if fourteen years later, a thirty-something Manton still hadn¡¯t become a knight, Edgar¡¯s eligibility for inheritance rights would be in question.

    Of course, should the Earl meet an untimely demise before then, Hill could return to claim the title.

    After all, among the next generation, Hill was the only one above knight level.

    To minimize trouble and maintain some peace, Hill rarely used spells in the castle, allowing everyone to believe he was still just an apprentice.

    Manton had tried to win Hill over, but his clumsy tactics were easily rebuffed by Hill, who assumed an aloof and cold demeanor, merely waiting for his inheritance.

    Observing him for a while, his stepmother concluded he truly wanted to leave, ceasing her surveillance.

    Hill spent his days in the castle¡¯s study, until last night when he suddenly received a message from his maternal grandfather, who had never contacted him directly before.

    He rushed to the manor that night.

    Sensing his mage-level spiritual power, the cold mage was satisfied and handed Hill a storage ring, departing without giving Hill a chance to speak.

    Hill called after his grandfather for a long time without response, frustratedly packing up the manor and collecting his mother¡¯s belongings.

    The storage ring was large, filled with many magic books.

    He understood that the mage profession involved a lot of self-study; after his mother introduced him to it, he needed to read and learn more.

    Fran¡¯s approach was not wrong.

    As a grandfather, Fran¡¯s love manifested in the ring, filled with precious materials, a large amount of gold coins, enough books to fill a library, and the most important high-level materials for constructing a Magic Tower, something Hill couldn¡¯t buy even with money.

    But!

    Hill lamented in his heart: ¡°Dear grandfather!

    I am a sorcerer!

    I don¡¯t even know about my own bloodline!¡±

    Yes, after years of meditation, nearing the path of a mage, Hill took an unexpected turn, awakening as a proud earth-wood-water sorcerer.

    Perhaps it was the time travel that caused the twist; in his previous life, he worked in civil engineering, and in this life, he added water to his abilities after awakening.

    In Hill¡¯s spell list, Mud into Stone and Fossil into Mud were prominently listed, followed by summoning earth elements, wood elements, and water elements.

    Sandwiched in between were Earth Shield, Earth Movement, Slow, Natural Growth, Summon Nature Companion, and Purification.

    Hill knew his bloodline was exceptional.

    Not everyone could possess so many spells immediately upon awakening as a sorcerer.

    Furthermore, ever since awakening, his body had grown stronger day by day, harboring immense strength despite its seemingly frail appearance.

    As a sorcerer, his power almost rivaled that of a formal knight.

    During his awakening, Hill vaguely saw a giant bear roaring to the heavens.

    He knew his main bloodline must be of the bear kind.

    The Bear Clan was primarily earth-based, requiring a complementary bloodline for coexistence.

    Thus, Hill continually pondered what could combine with an Earth Bear to produce an earth-wood-water descendant.

    He was intensely curious about his bloodline, unable to find clues despite reading all the books in the castle and manor.

    Finally, a potential source of knowledge, the Archmage, appeared but yielded no results.

    Instructing the manor¡¯s housekeeper, Lina, to pack his belongings and wait for him at the manor¡¯s gate, the frustrated Hill walked back to the castle in the morning light.

    Earl Pelast had not yet risen, and only Manton, accompanied by a few bastards, was vigorously training.

    Hill ignored them and went straight to his room to pack.

    A few days ago, the steward had conveyed the Earl¡¯s intentions to him¡ªgiving Hill two choices: a lord with a small fief within the earldom or a baron with no fief but holding a pioneering decree.

    He chose the baron without hesitation.

    What a joke!

    Staying in the earldom would mean endless troubles, whereas magic and alchemy were far more appealing.

    Hill had no desire to endure such pain.

    No one in the Earl¡¯s Castle knew Hill was a sorcerer.

    Low-level mages were not uncommon among the nobles, as becoming a mage required a lot of time and countless resources.

    With the Earl¡¯s cold relationship, Hill, unlikely to receive significant inheritance, was not valued.

    But if he were known as having inherited a bloodline, he¡¯d surely be made to marry into another great noble family to breed heirs.

    Hill only wanted to escape as far as possible and find a place to hide until he became an Archmage.

    After packing his room, Hill didn¡¯t have to wait long before the steward arrived, requesting his presence downstairs.

    The Earl, his wife, and all family members were waiting to have breakfast with him.

    Hill slowly descended the stairs, entering a crowded dining hall full of onlookers.

    Amidst whispered conversations, he finished a breakfast that made his stomach ache, then followed the group to the conference hall.

    The Earl stood at the front of the hall, facing Hill among the crowd, and said with a smile, ¡°Dear Hill, my beloved second son, on this important day of your coming of age, I, as Earl Pelast, bestow upon you the title of Baron Polanio,

    and as your father, I grant you twenty thousand gold coins and permit you to take all of your mother¡¯s estate.

    May you, as Baron Hill Pelast Polanio, bring further honor to the Pelast Family!¡±

    As soon as the words were spoken, Hill heard the whispers grow louder, as the onlookers couldn¡¯t hide their surprise.

    The Earl¡¯s annual income was about sixty to seventy thousand gold coins.

    The title of baron without a fief seemed high to commoners, but a real power-wielding earl could bestow one each year, typically used to win over grand knights or purchased by nobles.

    With no grand knight this year, bestowing the baron title to Hill was normal.

    But the Earl didn¡¯t even grant his own son a fief!

    The combined estate Hill received was worth less than two years of the Earl¡¯s income.

    The Earl thought Melanie¡¯s estate was enough to compensate Hill.

    Though he wasn¡¯t afraid of the Court Archmage, he didn¡¯t want to cause trouble.

    However, he deeply disliked this son, who stood as a testament to his wife¡¯s abandonment.

    As long as Hill remained, Melanie¡¯s story would never be forgotten.

    He definitely wouldn¡¯t keep this son in his fief.

    Hill, being a mage, was sure to choose the baron title over a minor lordship.

    The Earl had always assumed that Melanie, just a lowly alchemist, had foolishly caused her own death.

    Even if she left Hill with an estate, it would be worth no more than ten thousand gold coins, so he generously allowed Hill to keep it after her death.

    Hill never wanted the Earl to discover Melanie¡¯s true status as a mage with a storage ring before he came of age.

    With Manton, a strong maternal-backed eldest son, if the Earl wished to allocate wealth to his other children, he had to portion it from his annual income.

    Thus, he was reluctant to give Hill much.

    The coming-of-age ceremony which should have preceded the division ceremony today was wholly disregarded by the Earl.

    Typically, a child splitting from the family would receive substantial compensation at the coming-of-age ceremony.

    But Hill had no such ceremony.

    Today¡¯s actions merely made it clear to everyone that from now on, they need not favor Hill out of respect for the Earl.

    Hill didn¡¯t care about any of this.

    He looked indifferently at the hall¡¯s shifting atmosphere.

    From now on, this place belonged to the new Countess and Manton to continue their war!

    Hill only took the twenty thousand gold coins.

    Edgar and any future brothers would thus be eligible to receive hundreds of thousands.

    He saw Manton¡¯s eyes suddenly grow sharp, recognizing little brother Edgar as his true enemy from this moment on.

    The young and beautiful stepmother¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    Everyone understood that even though Edgar would get a lot, she wanted even more.

    The Earl¡¯s Castle would undoubtedly be bustling in the future, giving the contented crowd sufficient fodder for gossip.

    Hill didn¡¯t want to deal with these people and matters.

    Taking the baron documents from the steward, he solemnly thanked the Earl for the title and walked out of the castle, with everyone watching.

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 I Dont Want to Be a Magician

    ?2: Chapter 2: I Don¡¯t Want to Be a Magician 2: Chapter 2: I Don¡¯t Want to Be a Magician At the entrance to the castle, Hill¡¯s personal servant, Boen, was waiting with the carriage.

    Seeing Hill emerge, Boen said with a smile, ¡°Lord Baron!

    Everything is packed!

    Let¡¯s hurry on our way!¡±

    Boen¡¯s parents had both been servants who followed Hill¡¯s mother.

    Hill couldn¡¯t possibly leave them behind in the earldom where there was a great deal of dissatisfaction with Melanie.

    Moreover, he suspected that his maternal grandfather must have become a Magister by now, a fact that would suffice to make the Count, who was a Grand Knight, bow his head in deference.

    But Fran had given him a large sum of money without appearing before the Earl, making Hill acutely aware of Fran¡¯s disdain and hatred for the Earl.

    It was best for Hill to keep far away from the Earl¡¯s domain and not leave anyone behind.

    He climbed into the carriage and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The carriage then set off briskly.

    Boen¡¯s parents, Locke and Lina, with two children, were waiting outside the estate with a cart.

    Upon seeing Hill¡¯s carriage, they followed, heading toward the western border.

    The Perast Earldom was inland within the Saral Kingdom, not far from the Royal City, wealthy but without a significant military force.

    Thus, no one could detect Hill¡¯s identity as a warlock.

    It was the Capital that Hill worried about a bit.

    But before Melanie¡¯s death, she had told him that he must go to the Royal City and find his maternal grandfather once he was of age.

    Hill had initially thought about just taking a look.

    However, Fran had suddenly appeared the day before he came of age.

    Every year, Melanie¡¯s alchemy products were sent to the Royal City for Fran to sell on her behalf; he knew well that Hill had plenty of wealth at his disposal.

    This time, Fran came quietly alone, bringing a large amount of resources and enough magic books for Hill to train himself up to the level of Archmage.

    Something must be about to happen in the Royal City, and Fran thought that Hill, being only a mage, might run into trouble if he went there.

    Nevertheless, if Hill insisted on going, Fran had no objections.

    Hill had to make his own decision, whether to take the risk or to stay under Fran¡¯s protection.

    Thus, Fran left without a word, letting Hill consider what kind of future he wanted for himself.

    Hill understood that a warlock¡¯s bloodline was free to grow until it became legendary.

    At worst, he would not learn spells from other lines.

    The magic scrolls left by Melanie were enough for him.

    No matter what was about to happen in the Royal City, Fran, as a Magister, wouldn¡¯t have any problems.

    On the other hand, if Hill were there, he could likely be used to bring Fran down.

    Hill had no interest in being a hostage.

    It was better to hurry to the border and leave the country to pioneer!

    The Pioneering Decree he held was quite good.

    The Pioneering Decree was a document of agreement witnessed by the God of Justice among all the nations of the continent.

    All deities recognized it; it was only issued by the Justice Temple.

    As long as it was used in the wilderness area, it would automatically back up in the Hall of Justice, and no kingdom could take it back.

    This was a territory acknowledged by the gods, and it would automatically appear on the Alchemy Map.

    However, if the territory that a lord developed exceeded the range of the Alchemy Map, then it depended on whether the lord could protect these areas.

    Only after a long period of occupation would the Alchemy Map recognize it as your land.

    Generally speaking, most of these developed territories are destroyed by the Magical Beasts.

    Once the core is shattered, the part backed up by the Temple also automatically dissipates.

    If you¡¯re lucky, you return to your own country as a landless noble; if not, you¡¯re left to the wilderness.

    There are many who have succeeded; the Saral Kingdom was built this way.

    But there are even more who have perished.

    The wilderness area is boundless.

    In the ancient times, deities could fall entering its depths; all the more so now when deities cannot descend to the world.

    What Hill is most satisfied with in this world is the complexity of the God System; the racial gods are the mainstream.

    There is no unified God System, the wilderness separates all the races far apart, and only the strong can travel across lands.

    All races face enemies that emerge from the wilderness¡ªMagical Beasts and devils from the Abyssal Hell.

    Humans already have plenty of enemies, and the human kingdoms are all under the eyes of the deities, so all conflicts must remain aboveboard.

    The deities themselves can only attract followers and not coerce; non devout followers are common among the strong.

    Hill respects the deities; after all, in human history, it was the deities who protected humans from being swallowed by the wilderness.

    But as a transmigrator, he couldn¡¯t entrust himself to any one deity.

    As a warlock, it is quite normal not to believe in the gods, and no one finds it puzzling.

    Some mages may have faith in the God of Knowledge, but all temple missionaries avoid sorcerers.

    The chaotic inheritance of warlocks leads many to only manifest their bloodline after becoming legendary, with countless instances of believers betraying their gods once their true nature is revealed, causing even the deities to seethe with frustration.

    There once was a devil-blooded sorcerer worshipper of the God of Justice.

    Before becoming legendary, his devoutness had won the God of Justice¡¯s admiration.

    However, upon reaching legendary status and fully manifesting his bloodline, his life¡¯s pursuit became the exploitation of the loopholes in the God of Justice¡¯s contract.

    As a former devout follower, he knew the God of Justice well.

    The chaos he created during that period is something the Church of Justice still doesn¡¯t want to talk about to this day.

    And although this legendary sorcerer vanished among humans, there were rumors he had gone to the Abyss.

    Since then, whether sorcerers believe in the gods has been a matter of personal conviction; they could have faith, but the deities generally wouldn¡¯t provide any feedback.

    However, the nobles were very keen on having sorcerer bloodlines appear in their families.

    The title of nobility can only be inherited by those of Knight Level or higher.

    If the legitimate line loses the title, collateral relatives who become official professionals may also gain the right to inherit.

    As for mages, they need talent, tremendous willpower, and wisdom.

    Many who can¡¯t even become knights are likely to remain mage apprentices for life.

    Therefore, sorcerers who awaken as official mages from the outset are extremely attractive prospects to nobles.

    The result has been many young sorcerers being treated as mere studs before they even grow up, and the situation for female sorceresses is even more tragic.

    After nearly a hundred years of such tumult, the high-level warlocks had to step forward for the sake of their future.

    But the bloodlines of sorcerers are so varied and peculiar, not every legendary warlock capable of organizing an association could guarantee they wouldn¡¯t fight upon meeting.

    An individual legendary warlock could only protect those in their immediate vicinity.

    In the end, Dilante, the only legendary female sorceress of the time, built a Magic Tower in the wilderness to shelter all the female sorceresses who sought refuge there.

    This small domain received the protection of all legendary warlocks, and the nobles understood this was the limit.

    The tower survived in the wilderness and, over a thousand years, evolved into the present Kingdom of Female Warlocks, Dilante.

    Male sorcerers, on the other hand, were overlooked; they either lived on meekly within the Kingdom of Female Warlocks, being expelled after growing into Archmages, or they found a quiet corner to survive on their own.

    In reality, there are few sorcerers who reach Archmage status and still cannot survive independently.

    However, there are male sorcerers who do not care about becoming studs, marrying, and having children ¨C such men would never become legendary, so no one cares about them.

    Hill had no idea why he had been reborn in this world, but he spent the adjustment period utterly astounded by Melanie¡¯s tempestuous actions right after his birth.

    The angry female mage ended a quarrel with the Earl with a Flame Storm, taking Hill and the maid¡¯s family away from the castle immediately.

    The female mage¡¯s zest for life seemed to vanish along with her tumultuous love life; she buried herself in the Alchemy Laboratory, not stepping out for months on end.

    Thankfully, there was Lina to take care of Hill.

    His personal servant, Boen, was already three years old at the time.

    Lina had put all her heart into caring for Hill and had no second child.

    It wasn¡¯t until Hill returned to the castle that Lina, who had stayed at the estate, gave birth to another set of twins, Dean and Shani.

    After Hill turned three, Melanie started teaching him Mage knowledge and literacy.

    Those times were truly arduous.

    Melanie didn¡¯t care how much he learned; she just kept on teaching.

    Fortunately, with his background in civil engineering from his previous life and a memory that never forgot a sight, Hill knew his destiny was unpredictable.

    No matter how dry the material was, he persisted.

    Melanie only taught him for two years.

    Once she saw he had learned the magic runes and mathematics, she went back to her alchemy, and Hill had to study on his own.

    If it weren¡¯t for his memories from his past life, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry on.

    Whenever he felt utterly frustrated and powerless, Hill would drag Boen into studying with him.

    Boen was a butler designated to serve Hill, required to learn a lot of skills from his parents, and also dragged into learning Mage knowledge by his young master.

    It was really tough for him.

    But for a servant like Boen, even the slightest awakening of mana could mean that his descendants might become Mages, so he could only grit his teeth and persevere.

    Boen¡¯s perseverance spurred Hill on: Nobody wanted to remain at the bottom.

    His destiny was already quite favorable.

    Each day, after meditating to his limit, he would read and memorize books, and then he used teaching Boen as a method to organize thoughts.

    Hill¡¯s knowledge of spells was systematically sorted from simple to complex.

    When Melanie became injured and bedridden, and started teaching Hill, she found that her son seemed to have a lot of talent.

    Only then did she begin to invest her passion in him.

    That feeling of relief of having someone to carry on one¡¯s legacy was actually quite hurtful.

    Luckily, he had memories from birth and never expected much from these two.

    If he had been a normal child, he would have been destroyed by such parents long ago.

    Hill¡¯s parents from his previous life had given him a great deal of love.

    Since Melanie was very young, only 16 when she gave birth to him, Hill never saw her as a mother, didn¡¯t need to seek maternal love from her, and was thus much more tolerant towards her.

    After all, compared to that Earl father, Melanie was much better.

    Moreover, as an alchemist, Melanie was truly wealthy.

    The only way she could express her love for her son was by bestowing her wealth upon him, and Hill had four storage rings because of this.

    A year ago, Boen had awakened his mana and become a Mage Apprentice.

    Although he could only conjure a small spark, Hill had Boen use this year to slowly accumulate supplies.

    Although he anticipated probably having to rely on Fran in the Capital for a while, the habit of a civil engineer to prepare for any eventuality proved to be a great help.

    Now, they only needed to purchase some specialties along the way; everything else had been prepared.

    In the Saral Kingdom, it was a given to grant a Pioneering Decree to the landless Baron sons of cadet branches, and nobody would refuse.

    After all, you might not seek adventure, but your offspring might need it.

    However, there were differences in the Pioneering Decrees, and as a father, the Earl still gave Hill the best kind: Hill could have an Earldom-sized territory.

    There were some benefits to the four years spent at Perast Castle as well.

    Hill had read all the books in the entire castle.

    And in the Earl¡¯s private study, there were many ancestor¡¯s notes that only the legitimate line was permitted to read.

    While Hill was reading these ancestor¡¯s notes, he always thought the Earl would stop him, but even Manton never came.

    If knowledge is wealth, then it¡¯s probably long forgotten by these people.

    As the beneficiary, Hill could only silently make a fortune.

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 Finding a Foothold

    ?3: Chapter 3 Finding a Foothold 3: Chapter 3 Finding a Foothold The First Generation Count Perast was a Grand Knight with a lot of fighting spirit.

    While following King Saral, he hoped to establish his own small duchy and even had several places prepared for himself.

    Unfortunately, a beast tide erupted that year, and the expansion of Saral Kingdom came to an end.

    The defensive line was too far from where the Grand Knight had prepared, and since he never became a Sky Knight, he had no choice but to give up in the end.

    This Earl always hoped that a Sky Knight would emerge from his descendants, so he hid the locations in his journal to pass on to his legitimate heirs.

    Indeed, over a millennium, the borders of Saral slowly expanded, but sadly, there were few among his descendants who even became Grand Knights.

    If it weren¡¯t for Saral¡¯s rule that nobles must be at least at the Knight Level to inherit, Perast feared he might not have any knights left.

    Hill became a Magician on the second day and began analyzing which of these locations would be suitable to build a Mage Tower.

    The Grand Knight of Perast had many marvelous ideas, but his lack of strength led him to choose locations with strong concealment, perfect for Hill.

    Eventually, Hill chose a valley about 15 days away from the border of Saral Kingdom, including the surrounding mountains, which was just about the size of an earldom.

    The Grand Knight of Perast thought everything was good about this place, but it was just too small, which suited him just fine.

    After all, Hill had no desire to build a duchy; legendary status was his pursuit.

    Hill took out pen and paper and silently calculated his inventory, for he was about to have a home of his own.

    After an unknown period, Boen knocked on the window a few times, ¡°Baron, it¡¯s time to rest and have a meal.¡±

    This was a camping site, where Boen had already set up an Alchemy Tent.

    Hill got out of the carriage and stretched properly.

    Lina had already prepared dinner for him.

    Before entering the tent to eat, looking at Lina¡¯s bustle, Hill said to Boen, ¡°Buy a few maids along the way, let Lina train them well.

    A housekeeper shouldn¡¯t be doing chores!¡±

    Boen responded with a grin, ¡°Got it!

    It¡¯s just that mom doesn¡¯t want to buy servants here.

    If she sees good ones, she will consider it.¡±

    Hill gave him a look, ¡°Then you go help out!

    At night, let Lina take the kids to sleep in the outer room, and you sleep in the carriage!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Boen helplessly said, ¡°How could I possibly let mom sleep in the carriage!¡±

    After Hill went inside, Boen found Lina, ¡°Mom, the Baron has authorized you to buy servants!¡±

    Lina eyed him, ¡°You mentioned that it¡¯s not suitable here, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did!¡± Boen replied, ¡°He¡¯s worried about you being busy!

    Also, he said to have you sleep in the outer room with Dean and Shani.¡±

    ¡°Boys don¡¯t understand anything!¡± Lina insisted firmly, ¡°We¡¯re so close to the Royal City here, all the good ones have been sent over there!

    We can buy people when we¡¯re closer to the border, and it¡¯s also a good time to add a few good horses.

    Alright, I got it, I¡¯ll let Dean and Shani in after the Baron goes to sleep!¡±

    Locke walked over, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to let them sleep with me in the carriage.¡±

    ¡°Just take good care of the horses!¡± Lina said, ¡°The Baron also doesn¡¯t want the kids to suffer.

    No matter how comfortable the carriage is, it¡¯s not a bed.

    The kids are sensible and won¡¯t make noise, getting good rest is the most important!

    And we still have such a long way to go!¡±

    ¡°Mhm mhm!¡± Locke agreed and went to feed the horses.

    Hill smiled as he listened to the conversation outside, then summoned two Earth Elementals to stand watch and immersed himself in meditation.

    Hill left everything to Boen to handle and spent every day in meditation and silent reading.

    The journey went very smoothly, and Hill was truly glad he wasn¡¯t some web novel protagonist; he had no desire for a life of dramatic ups and downs.

    Smooth sailing and safety were all he wished for.

    After traveling for a month, finally, they arrived at the Western Border City, Fisher.

    Lina had bought about ten young servants in the previous cities and diligently trained them so they were now somewhat useful.

    Locke selected two larger boys for training; they could follow the caravan and drive the carriages, which was sufficient.

    Lina decided to buy a few good horses at the Border City.

    These past few days, Dean and Shani had stayed in Hill¡¯s carriage.

    When Hill was bored, he taught them how to read.

    Boen always looked ashen whenever he saw this.

    Hill felt so happy; it had been a long time since he¡¯d seen Boen with that expression.

    Nobody in Earl¡¯s Castle liked Hill, but after all, he was the master.

    The servants could only take out their resentment on Hill¡¯s personal servant, Boen.

    During the four years in the castle, although Boen tried to hide, he was inevitably caught at times.

    They did not dare to inflict serious injuries on him, but bumps and bruises were unavoidable.

    While these hardships strengthened Boen¡¯s will, making him mature quickly, and even awakening a trace of mana within him, Boen felt a sense of accomplishment, yet Hill was still saddened.

    Boen, who was once cheerful and lively, became increasingly silent and cautious.

    The pain of being unable to protect his childhood companion made Hill crave power profoundly.

    Perhaps this was one of the reasons for his sudden awakening as a magician.

    The farther they left White Horse City behind, the more Boen allowed his suppressed playfulness to surface, and that truly made Hill happy.

    They planned to rest for a week in Fisher.

    Hill found his mage robe and put it on.

    Mages were not to be trifled with lightly.

    Saral was established on the edge of the wilderness, and one could only start claiming lands beyond 20 kilometers from the national border.

    Even a Sky Knight would have to give up if they encountered several beast waves by chance.

    Saral, a newly established country of a millennium, still had vast potential for development within.

    Minor nobles from separated houses and newly knighted individuals could still build up their merits in the army that guarded the border and be rewarded with lands and titles.

    Most of those who ventured beyond the national borders to establish territories were second sons from great nobility, like Hill himself, who had the ability and did not wish to remain under the control of their older brothers back home.

    To the south of Saral lay the Royal Family¡¯s ancestral land of Haifasardo.

    The east featured a long coastline.

    The North was home to the most powerful barbaric wilderness, with several small duchies already established beyond the territory of Saral.

    The West was also a wilderness but filled with mountains and barren lands, unsuitable for establishing a country, yet perfect for mages like Hill who simply desired to build their own small territory and hide away.

    Few territories built near the western borders of Saral had managed to endure, and those that did were fortresses carved out of mountains.

    The defensive wall along Saral¡¯s border was primarily built to prevent beast waves, and few within the city engaged in illegal trade.

    Merchants would travel out of the city to deliver goods to the noble territories, while also buying up furs, horses, and special local products.

    Bandits liked to rob merchants on their way to noble territories.

    However, the merchants and bandits who managed to survive in such places certainly had the backing of the powerful, which in its own way, formed a kind of balance.

    As for mages leaving the city, few dared to offend them.

    A mage might venture beyond the borders with their servants to establish a mage tower, but more likely, they had offended someone and went into hiding for a few years, especially since lords were investing money and effort in inviting mages to settle in their territories.

    Good items were all stored inside rings; they couldn¡¯t easily be surrounded, and if they decided to flee, they could do so instantly.

    An assassination attempt might fail, and in seeking revenge, they would surely target the person behind the scenes.

    Once exposed, those who offered money to cause such trouble were finished.

    Nobody was willing to undertake a task that offered little benefit yet risked their lives.

    Hill settled into the city¡¯s best inn and stayed put.

    Locke took Boen to buy horses, Lina trained new servants in the inn, and only on the last day did she go out and buy enough food to fill an entire carriage.

    Hill then brought out two alchemy carriages, which caused those secretly watching them to give up their surveillance.

    ¡°Just another miserable mage going into hiding,¡± they thought, astonished that Hill¡¯s ring held two carriages!

    Sure, the carriages were valuable, but robbing a mage over a few of them was pure folly.

    The western border wall of Saral was a massive bulwark stretching 300 meters high and 100 meters wide, constructed from huge stones between two mountain ranges 500 kilometers apart, with protective magic circles inscribed on both its inner and outer sides.

    From a distance, the wall snaking over the mountains appeared majestic and imposing, but upon closer inspection at the base, where the huge dark stone blocks shimmered with magical auras, Hill could only feel a sense of awe and intimidation.

    Inside this tunnel specially designed for exiting the city, Hill showed his noble credentials and glanced back at the path he had come from, unsure when he would return.

    Within 20 kilometers of the city, the area was regularly cleared, but beyond that, the pitted and uneven road was difficult to navigate.

    Hill took out an alchemy map and handed it to Boen, taking one last look at the Great Wall.

    There were four border cities atop the Great Wall, and he deliberately showed his noble papers; although the Earl¡¯s side would know where he was going, he had to let Fran know he was leaving and from which location.

    Hill activated the magic array of the alchemy carriage, and Boen, driving the head carriage, set out first.

    Hill placed a wood spirit in each of the four carriages; the magic power they carried was enough to trigger the floating arrays.

    With two horses taking turns, the fleet moved at a remarkable pace.

    The wood spirits could calm the horses and replenish their energy, and the mana stones in the carriages were sufficient to maintain the defensive formations.

    Trusting in their safety, Hill waited comfortably inside the carriage to see if indeed there were any reckless attackers.

    Yet, even after leaving the safety zone, no attacks came.

    Hill sighed in relief but also with a tinge of regret.

    He knew he was averse to confrontation, but he truly did not wish to kill anyone.

    Boen was much tougher than him.

    Ever since he gained mana and freedom to roam, Hill knew that the scrolls and potions he provided were being used, a sure sign that Boen had encountered trouble on his trips.

    But Boen stayed silent because he did not want Hill to prevent him from leaving.

    Hill could only silently prepare protective items, giving two of his four rings to Boen and filling one with scrolls, potions, and alchemical bombs.

    Hill had read many novels before; those protagonists were children grown in the greenhouse of modern society, many of whom had never faced the harshness of the world and yet managed to become decisive killers.

    Such psychological strength was required to achieve that!

    After graduating from college, Hill had mingled on construction sites for over a decade, encountering countless clients he wished to beat to death.

    He lived on the edge of uncontrollable anger every day but never once raised his hand.

    Raised in a modern legal society, he did not want to kill.

    But now he was living in this terrifying world, where human life sometimes seemed so cheap.

    Even Melanie, who appeared so innocent to him, would casually throw a fireball to kill a petty thief entering her manor.

    The warm-hearted Lina¡¯s mom and the composed Locke didn¡¯t hesitate to whip erring servants mercilessly.

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 My Home

    ?4: Chapter 4 My Home 4: Chapter 4 My Home Hill had long known that even though Lina called him ¡°cutie¡± every day, she thought his excessive kindness would get him killed eventually.

    Hill¡¯s practice of teaching his personal servant magic made people think he was easily tempted.

    Lina, having benefited from it herself, neither could nor wanted to stop him, but Melanie believed that because of his actions, he could only survive under Fran¡¯s care, eating and waiting for death, and she didn¡¯t pay much attention to him.

    It wasn¡¯t until the last period that Melanie discovered Hill¡¯s strong soul power and well-cultivated mana, that she decided to spend a lot of time teaching him.

    Hill actually didn¡¯t care about all these things.

    Knowledge, precious as it was, needed to be cherished but not hoarded.

    He had no wish to make Boen skilled, but he did want his companion to have the most basic education.

    Boen benefited the most from the chaos and had been determined to follow Hill from that moment on.

    Hill didn¡¯t know when he would have to kill his first person, but he still hoped it would be later rather than sooner.

    The longer he stayed in this world, the more he missed his past life.

    He understood that once he started killing, he would lose all the beliefs cultivated in modern society.

    Having lived to over thirty years old in his previous life and died with his parents in an earthquake, he felt regret but no hatred.

    Hill didn¡¯t know why he had been reborn, but he hoped he could still be the treasured son in his parents¡¯ hands, not a ruthless killer.

    During the four years at Perast Castle, Hill had always been aloof, and with his mother¡¯s fierce reputation behind him, no one dared to provoke him.

    He had always hidden everything, and now he could finally leave.

    Hill¡¯s profession allowed him to survive well, but he still wanted to live comfortably.

    He had Boen take most of the storage rings and purchase a lot of supplies.

    Beyond the safety zone, the threat became the magical beasts of the wilderness.

    But the Wood Elementals summoned by Hill could emit a natural aura that made the wilderness¡¯s magical beasts ignore Hill¡¯s party.

    The Wood Elementals took the form of tiny sprites, small and cute, with delicate wings that allowed them to flutter around in the carriages.

    Hill placed a large pot of green ivy in the corners on top of each carriage, the dense leaves providing the Wood Spirits who didn¡¯t wish to be seen a place to hide.

    The four carriages skirted the forest and headed straight for the distant mountain range.

    After gnawing on dry food for eight days, Hill had reached his destination.

    This was a rare triangular canyon.

    The entrance was a long, narrow path with roaring river water gushing out between the kilometer-high stone walls.

    Hill didn¡¯t know how the Grand Knight of Perast had thought of entering alongside the riverbank before, as the thin path that only allowed for one carriage to pass was damp and muddy, marked only by a few animal paw prints.

    Hill summoned several Water Elementals, linked the carriages together with ropes, and had all the horses led slowly at the front.

    The Water Elementals swam quickly to the front in the river, relaying safe passage.

    Hill, holding his magic wand, walked in the front, with Boen holding a magic scroll and accompanied by Water Elementals at the rear.

    After walking about 3000 meters, the stone wall on the left suddenly opened at an angle to the left, and after the 30-degree inclined line stretched for dozens of kilometers, it was firmly blocked by a transverse mountain range.

    The valley was densely forested along the mountain range, but there were large grasslands by the river where herds of herbivores grazed leisurely.

    It was truly territory suited for Hill.

    Hill smiled and looked back, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived!

    Come on, let¡¯s find a good spot in the middle of the valley!¡±

    The carriages sped towards the center of the valley, eventually stopping beside a small hill.

    A towering hundred-meter-high rocky hill lay at the edge of the large grassland, with river water flowing past from the cliff side, the riverside also comprised of rocks.

    Hill summoned Earth Elementals, instructing them to dig down to a hundred meters beneath the rocky hilltop and then sculpt the hill into a circular tower.

    The Earth Elementals liked to absorb the excavated rocks onto their bodies to increase their strength, and soon became a dozen giants each over 10 meters tall.

    After constructing a 20-meter-thick stone cap for the top of the tower, the high tower of a 30-meter radius was evenly divided into nine floors by their giant forms.

    The center of the tower was a vertical air shaft with a radius of 5 meters.

    Hill built a staircase nine stories high and 1.5 meters wide along the boundary, which he constructed from earth piled up.

    Under the ¡°Mud into Stone¡± spell, it turned into a sturdy staircase layer by layer.

    Hill continually reinforced the body of the tower with spells and slowly descended to the ground floor through the hollow atrium.

    The Earth Elementals followed joyfully, one of the reasons Hill believed his bloodline resonated with the Earth Bear.

    These Earth Elementals had signed a summoning contract with Hill¡¯s entire tribe the first time he summoned an Earth Elemental after becoming a Magician.

    Though the Wood Element and Water Elemental also seemed very fond of him, they did not share the enthusiastic sentiment of bringing along families and whole tribes to follow him.

    Hill made an agreement with them to let them stay by his side after the Magic Tower was established.

    However, everyone knew to provide a safe haven for so many Earth Elementals, Hill would have to be at least at the Archmage Level.

    Even though they aspired to enter the Prime Material Plane, they were quite choosy!

    Finding someone like Hill, whose bloodline resonated with the earth, was miraculous, and the Earth Elementals felt that even waiting for decades would be worth it.

    To their surprise, Hill turned out to be so promising!

    They dug jubilantly at the ground level, and Hill gave them a vast plateau 60 meters high beneath a 20-meter thick rock layer, enough space for them to use.

    One hundred meters underground, Hill left a chamber 5 meters high.

    Standing in the center of the underground hall, Hill opened the Pioneering Decree and proclaimed aloud, ¡°Great God of Justice, Your Excellency, Hill Perast Polanio requests your attention!

    I hereby vow with my soul: I willingly pioneer my territory in the wilderness and will strive for it for life!

    All Gods above, I shall have no regrets even in death!¡±

    Hill felt a majestic gaze sweep over him from the heavens.

    The Pioneering Decree floated up in his hands, and invisible waves rippled outward.

    He quickly opened the Alchemy Map, and a new location lit up 500 kilometers beyond the Saral Border: the Barony of Polanio.

    Hill¡¯s domain indeed encompassed the three mountain ranges surrounding the canyon, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

    Although the Alchemy Map could only mark places he had visited, it might be a Divine Artifact, for its markings were very accurate.

    If Hill had awakened the Tower Spirit of the Magic Tower first, perhaps the map would have already shown the Sorcerer Tower of Polanio.

    Once the map was recorded, unless one reported it to the Temple or the Pantheon intervened, it would no longer change.

    Hill hoped that no one would discover he was a Magician until he reached the Magister level, or at the very least, until he became an Archmage.

    Hill drew out a Pentagram Magic Circle next to the stele, and at the five sharp corners of the circle, he placed the Elemental Pools of the five elements: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth.

    Finally, in the center of the circle, he released the core of the Magic Tower¡ªa dazzling 16-faceted crystal.

    A drop of blood from his fingertip fell, and he connected to the core with his spiritual power, the floating crystal slowly merging with the ground magic circle.

    He closed his eyes and channeled all his mana into the circle, and a light hundreds of meters high burst forth tumultuously.

    The Tower Spirit awakened.

    It controlled the scattered Magic Power and transformed the entire tower and its subterranean part into obsidian.

    This was probably the toughest and most magic-conductive stone material in the world.

    A Magic Tower made of obsidian, 30 meters in radius and 200 meters tall, finally gave Hill the confidence to survive.

    Hill looked at the Tower Spirit that appeared before him, a grown man with black hair and black eyes, dignified yet with compassionate and gentle eyes, and felt a pang of emotion.

    After 16 years, although he hadn¡¯t forgotten his own face, his mother¡¯s eyes had unexpectedly shaped the Tower Spirit¡¯s when he was constructing it.

    He softly said to the Tower Spirit, ¡°You¡¯ll be called List.¡±

    ¡°As you command, my master,¡± List bowed deeply.

    Hill sealed off this layer, and from then on, only List could enter.

    Returning to the first floor of the Magic Tower, Hill handed all the Alchemy Golems to List.

    List, who had absorbed his Soul Power and gained all his knowledge, was already an outstanding construction worker, capable of commanding the Elementals bound by contract to him.

    Hill felt he could be an excellent, hands-off client.

    As night fell, Hill instructed List to set up the elevator and create living quarters, then he leisurely left the tower.

    Locke had already released the horses to graze nearby, while Boen directed a few young servants to move everything from the carriage into the Mage Tower.

    Hill brought Boen¡¯s family to List to record their soul information.

    As for the young servants, they could only stay below the second floor.

    They would go out to the farm once it was established.

    Hill stood by the water and began summoning Water Elementals.

    Some Water Elementals were willing to sign a contract with likable individuals to stay on the Prime Material Plane.

    After all, the Elemental Plane unchanged for millions of years, some Elementals sought to see the outside world.

    In this respect, Magicians had an advantage, there would always be Elementals that liked them, relying on their ¡°faces¡± to curry favor.

    One by one, the Water Elementals responded to the summons.

    However, not all chose to stay, and when Hill¡¯s mana was exhausted, seven or eight remained.

    The Water Elementals frolicked in the river and also patrolled along the water.

    The security of the water was ensured, and the Earth Elementals would guard the perimeter of the Magic Tower.

    Hill¡¯s home had been built.

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 The Arrival of Adrian

    ?5: Chapter 5: The Arrival of Adrian 5: Chapter 5: The Arrival of Adrian Hill decided to sweep the entire valley clean tomorrow, driving out any threatening magical beasts, and then block the valley entrance with a stone wall, sealing off the entire valley.

    List appeared at the door of the tower and said to him, ¡°Master, the lift is ready.

    The kitchen and the warehouse on the first floor are also ready.

    Please put the materials and the element stones in.

    Also, please place the Alchemy Room on the fifth floor.

    I need to use it to make some tools.¡±

    Hill walked in, and Boen was organizing the warehouse: ¡°Baron, I have already set up the kitchen.

    Mother has taken people to start cooking.¡±

    Hill hesitated and asked, ¡°Should I just throw them out?¡±

    Boen gave him an amused look: ¡°I will discuss with List how to arrange it.

    The Tower Spirit will clean up without making me waste any effort.¡±

    Hill touched his nose, threw out all the things, and then went to the fifth floor.

    List had made the lift into two elevators.

    Hill happily pressed the button for the fifth floor.

    Although he knew that List controlled everything, he was still very happy.

    Stepping out of the lift, List was already there with several alchemy golems.

    The entire floor was divided into two parts, one part was several alchemy laboratories, and the other part was an alchemy workshop.

    Hill handed over all the alchemical tools and materials left by his mother to List for handling.

    In fact, science and theology are the same in the end, being hassle-free is the pursuit of those in high positions.

    Assembly line factories with alchemy golems as workers were very common in the world of high mages.

    Mages and magicians were both lonely professions.

    Besides low-level mages who wanted to save money by hiring cheap mage apprentices, real archmages would only take a few high-aptitude apprentices.

    In the mage world, the simplest things are always those that can be solved with money.

    After all, people with brains and abilities will never be destitute.

    But before becoming an archmage, making money through apprentices was also normal.

    Although being a mage is a lucrative profession, becoming stronger also requires burning money.

    Hill always thought that his fate was still very good.

    Having few family ties was not considered a pain for a transmigrator.

    In this slave-based fantasy medieval world, being able to live so happily was enough to make him content.

    Hill turned to the top floor to admire the view.

    This floor was designed according to his intentions, with three ten-meter-long floor-to-ceiling windows evenly spaced out.

    List had already installed transparent crystal windows, double sliding windows with large bay windows.

    Hill stood in front of the window and gazed at the outside scenery, gradually calming his mind.

    From now on, this was his home.

    Autumn passed and spring came.

    Hill¡¯s Magic Tower was complete.

    Hill¡¯s domain also took shape.

    The earth elementals repaired the outer sides of the three mountains into smooth cliffs, and three city gates were crafted at the valley entrance.

    There were over twenty water elementals in the river, moving back and forth daily along the flow.

    Although most wood elementals tended to stay in the Elf Forest, a few that used to frequently respond to Hill¡¯s summons stayed behind.

    They transformed the few ancient giant trees in the valley into treants.

    A large botanical garden was built around the Magic Tower, housing the treants and wood elementals.

    With the help of treants and alchemy golems, Locke organized a couple of farms outside the botanical garden with the help of a few male servants.

    Hundreds of acres of wheat seedlings sprouted green shoots.

    Boen led people to catch some wild chickens and ducks and tamed a herd of cattle and sheep.

    Six male servants lived in the two farms, selected specifically by Lina.

    They were honest, hardworking, obedient, and unintelligent.

    Having one mage master was enough to daunt them.

    Hill provided their lodgings, which were tall stone houses, and allowed them to marry maidservants.

    For them, it was like living a dream, working hard every day, fearing being sold off by their master.

    Of the six maidservants, two particularly inept ones were sent to the farm to cook and clean.

    The remaining two worked as cooks, and the other two cleaned and washed clothes.

    Hill handed over most matters to List.

    Boen, having average aptitude and needing hard work to become a mage, spent his days copying magic books.

    Boen¡¯s younger siblings were different from him; they lacked the aptitude to become mages.

    Hill had knight training methods, which he passed on to Lina.

    Their futures were in their own hands.

    If they couldn¡¯t become professionals, they would have to follow in their parents¡¯ footsteps as butler and head maid.

    During this period, Hill immersed himself in spell practice and seldom left the Magic Tower.

    With spring arriving and a new year starting, Hill figured that the Fran Family should have already discovered his whereabouts.

    He planned to fly directly to Border City to see if anyone had come and to check what had been happening with Saral lately.

    500 kilometers could be covered in four hours using a flying spell.

    Hill found flying truly wonderful and fast.

    Unfortunately, since it was too exhausting, it could only be used by himself.

    The world¡¯s space was stable, making portals and teleportation arrays impossible.

    Alchemy arrays could at most deliver messages, and only point-to-point.

    Communication still had to rely on people.

    Hill didn¡¯t know how vast this world was; he didn¡¯t even know if it was round or flat.

    The starry sky was beautiful, but the brightest stars were reflections of the divine realms.

    The presence of the various elements in the air made it impossible for telegraphs or televisions to exist.

    Everything had to be solved through magic and divine power.

    Ordinary people might never know the outside world in their lifetime; their fate was entirely in the hands of the lord and deities.

    So Hill wanted to live in seclusion.

    No normal modern person could live peacefully in a medieval society.

    In a fantasy society, ordinary people without power were genuinely lambs.

    Without crossing his moral bottom line or joining the temple, he had to keep contact with people to a minimum.

    Indeed, Fran sent someone to wait for him.

    As soon as Hill landed, Adrian, Fran¡¯s disciple, called out to him.

    Hill was happy to see him: ¡°Uncle Adrian, long time no see!¡±

    Adrian was Fran¡¯s fifth disciple and used to help Melanie and Fran deliver items.

    When Melanie passed away, Fran brought Adrian to handle the aftermath.

    Fran¡¯s other disciples had already graduated.

    Keeping Adrian by his side meant that Fran wouldn¡¯t accept any more disciples; Adrian was to be his successor.

    Adrian was very grateful to his teacher and treated both Melanie and Hill very well.

    He was a person of sharp means and a steady personality, and he had a good relationship with Hill.

    Adrian also came from a noble family as a second son.

    Every visit to Hill included lessons and the latest knowledge books from the capital city.

    Seeing Melanie consumed by alchemy, he had advised her to care for her child.

    Unfortunately, it was in vain.

    If Melanie were an obedient person, Fran wouldn¡¯t have lost his heir, leaving the position to Adrian.

    Melanie didn¡¯t like Adrian very much.

    After being seduced by the Earl and giving up following in her father¡¯s footsteps, Fran accepted Adrian as his last disciple.

    She knew her loss was because of her own gullibility.

    Fran dismissing the other disciples and taking in Adrian actually represented her foolishness.

    But she still couldn¡¯t stand Adrian.

    Even so, Adrian responsibly taught Hill, never bringing him anything distracting, making him a good person overall.

    ¡°Long time no see, Little Hill!¡± Adrian said with a smile: ¡°Take me to see your Magic Tower!¡±

    Hill was stunned for a moment, realizing this was something that could only be discussed in the Magic Tower: ¡°Of course, Uncle Adrian.

    It¡¯s not very far.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry then!

    It¡¯s getting late!¡± Adrian grabbed Hill and took off.

    Hill was extremely surprised and could only restrain his curiosity to guide him.

    Adrian was now an archmage, much faster than Hill.

    In two hours, they reached Hill¡¯s domain.

    Flying at high altitude, he looked at the triangular valley and was very satisfied.

    If magic arrays were carved on the sheer cliffs, it might even be more reliable than the Border Wall.

    Landing in the woodland garden next to the Magic Tower, seeing wood elementals dancing around several wandering treants, Adrian was even more pleased: ¡°Teacher¡¯s Magic Tower doesn¡¯t even have wood elemental spirits!

    Now you won¡¯t have to worry about your domain being targeted by beast waves!¡±

    Hill had a headache looking at Adrian and quickly pulled him into the tower to the top floor.

    Boen had already prepared dinner there.

    Adrian looked at Hill and said: ¡°It seems like I¡¯m not the only one with a lot to say!¡±

    Hill spoke slowly: ¡°Let¡¯s have a good meal first!

    There¡¯s a lot to discuss, but it¡¯s not urgent.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Little Hill, you can take your time organizing your thoughts.¡±

    After dinner, the two went to Hill¡¯s small study.

    Boen poured tea for both of them.

    Adrian, sensing a long conversation ahead, sat comfortably on the sofa with a smile.

    ¡°Uncle Adrian, I¡¯m a magician!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Adrian nearly jumped.

    ¡°Yes, a bear-type bloodline in the Earth-Wood-Water system, inclined towards summoning and support!¡±

    Adrian was nearly speechless.

    After a moment of silence, he said: ¡°There has always been a rumor that Earth Bears are fond of druids.

    The Fran Family always was of human blood, with no magicians before.

    But your grandmother¡¯s family seems to have elven blood.¡±

    Fran came from a minor noble family, yet his capabilities were outstanding.

    He became an archmage at a young age.

    To avoid trouble, he traveled a lot and ended up with Melanie after a romantic encounter with a certain lady.

    The lady left the child with him and disappeared.

    Fran had no choice but to return to Saral and become a court mage.

    Many believed he would become a magister, perhaps even legendary.

    A court archmage must train some noble mages for the royal family, and Fran took in several arranged disciples.

    Although these disciples occasionally had conflicts, Fran didn¡¯t mind.

    After all, archmages could live for 300 years, magisters could live up to 800 years.

    These disciples were just temporary, so he could wait for a satisfactory disciple.

    But Melanie grew up, with good aptitude and beauty, becoming the focus of the disciples¡¯ conflicts.

    The conflict involved many court nobles, ultimately benefiting Count Pelast, who intervened.

    Fran realized his negligence turned Melanie into a fool who only sought love, so he expelled all those disciples.

    After taking in Adrian, he stopped accepting any disciples.

    Hill quickly shut down his imaginative thoughts: ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s leave it at that!

    Things for the future will be dealt with in the future!¡±

    Adrian didn¡¯t want to speak anymore either.

    Boen quickly left the room.

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 First Hearing of the Royal Family Struggle

    ?6: Chapter 6: First Hearing of the Royal Family Struggle 6: Chapter 6: First Hearing of the Royal Family Struggle After a moment of silence, Hill gathered his spirits and said, ¡°Uncle Adrian must have brought me a lot of news, right?¡±

    Adrian shook his head and replied, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t go to the capital.

    I disagreed even with the teacher¡¯s suggestion that you should find your own way.

    The teacher is already a Magister, and I¡¯m an Archmage.

    How could we fail to protect a child?

    Thankfully, the teacher didn¡¯t listen to me.¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is the capital in chaos now?¡±

    ¡°The King is dying!¡± Adrian exclaimed.

    ¡°The Crown Prince is still just an ordinary Knight, and the Second Prince is already a Sky Knight!

    Although he¡¯s a fool!

    Even the Little Prince and the two Princesses have become Grand Knights.¡±

    Hill, puzzled, asked, ¡°Does the Crown Prince have many supporters?¡± Saral had only gone through three Kings, all of whom were Sky Knights capable of living 4 to 500 years.

    The Crown Prince was almost 80 years old, how could anyone support him?

    The Old King had only managed to survive his long-lived predecessor because he was a Sky Knight.

    ¡°No one expected the King to age so soon.

    Everyone thought the Crown Prince would die before the King.

    Everyone was waiting for his death; no one wanted to fight to the death with a prince.

    But given the current situation, the Crown Prince will definitely hold on for another 10 years, after all, he¡¯s the eldest son.

    Don¡¯t forget that he has a son who reached the rank of Grand Knight at the age of 20, and now it¡¯s said he¡¯s on the verge of becoming a Sky Knight,¡± Adrian said with a sneer.

    ¡°Not to mention he¡¯s married the eldest daughter of the Duke of Morlan!

    The capital is in total disarray.

    Most Magisters in the Mage Tower have shut their doors.¡±

    ¡°Most of them?

    What about the Archmages?¡±

    ¡°There will always be those who believe that pursuing worldly power is easier than mastering magic,¡± Adrian said indifferently.

    ¡°A few of the teacher¡¯s disciples who had left have also returned.¡±

    Hill understood.

    ¡°Could it be that some believe my maternal grandfather could be dragged down by these former expelled disciples?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s that some people think the teacher wants revenge on them!¡±

    ¡°Is the Earl going to have a bad time?¡±

    Adrian suddenly laughed, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t care.¡±

    Hill spoke calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care.

    But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to see him run into misfortune.¡±

    ¡°Then you will get to see it.

    After all, everyone is pulling people to their side.

    Perast¡¯s meddling in the court isn¡¯t light, else all those people wouldn¡¯t have helped him back then.

    Owing favors means there¡¯s no escaping now, wait for his downfall!¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°The teacher has asked me to stay here with you for a while.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s father was a Marquis, and his mother also had a trace of Royal Family blood.

    Nobody knew whether, in the end, all the Great Nobility would have to choose sides.

    After sending him out, Fran probably planned to lock himself away until it was all over.

    Hill nodded in agreement, ¡°It¡¯s just as well, there are still many things in my tower that I haven¡¯t arranged properly, and the magic arrays on the external walls of my lands need to be inscribed.¡±

    Adrian rolled his eyes at him, ¡°Am I here to do the grunt work?!¡±

    Hill replied with a bitter smile, ¡°As an Archmage, you don¡¯t need to spend your days in meditation.

    I need to work a little harder.¡±

    At the Archmage stage of the Mage Profession, the soul and body can communicate with the elements at all times, and when the body is completely immersed in the elements, naturally entering the Magical Guidance Stage, there¡¯s no longer a need for long durations of meditation to draw on the elements.

    When the Elemental Body is formed, and it¡¯s time to use Soul Energy to provoke Elemental Resonance, that¡¯s when one reaches the Legendary level.

    Therefore, Archmages who need the help of the Magic Tower to draw in elements are the individuals most often found at the Mage Tower.

    Adrian said regretfully, ¡°I can¡¯t help you with that.

    I¡¯ll make you a copy of my Magic Book.

    Don¡¯t just rely on the spells awakened by Magicians; you must study and read more.

    Becoming a Magician, you can¡¯t be blinded by your lineage, you need to understand why Legendary warlocks are rare¡ªit¡¯s because most Magicians rely solely on the spells they awaken!¡±

    Hill understood perfectly well that Magicians indeed were very powerful at low levels.

    There was no need to painstakingly learn spells; the Magic Ring inscribed the spells at awakening, and all of them could be cast instantly.

    If one only wanted to live a good life, being a Magician was indeed a profitable Profession.

    However, the path to higher heights is difficult once the temptation of bloodline is excluded.

    The ease that came with being a Magician in early stages must be completely paid back upon reaching Legendary status.

    If one could not resist the temptation of the bloodline, humanity would slowly be lost, ultimately degenerating into a creature of bloodline.

    Therefore, Hill had to read and watch extensive materials, laying a profound foundation at every stage, and not allow himself to be lost in the strength of his own bloodline.

    Adrian brought Hill a message box used to communicate with Fran.

    This was an expensive item to use and even more expensive to purchase.

    It could only be installed by a mage and was limited to use within the Magic Tower.

    Once activated, it could no longer be moved, and each use consumed a large amount of mana; surprisingly, only the Tower Spirit could read its contents.

    Though costly to use, it was best not to be without it when necessary.

    Fran, not yet a Magister, had no entitlement to a tower of his own since they were Royal Family properties, with the seven 12-story Magic Towers only allowed to be headed by Magisters.

    With only four Magisters in the entire Royal Capital, Fran quickly chose a tower to move into after he became a Magister.

    By the time he learned of Hill¡¯s whereabouts, it was already winter.

    The winters in Saral were quite cold, and travel was inconvenient, so there was no need to leave home for non-urgent matters.

    Fran hadn¡¯t planned on asking Adrian to come over; he wanted to train him for a few more years before sending him out.

    After all, he had several attendants to send messages.

    Unexpectedly, the Old King¡¯s health declined further in the spring, and Fran sensed trouble brewing.

    So he simply had Adrian come over, bringing the message box to install.

    Fran and Adrian agreed that if there were no urgent matters, they would communicate every six months.

    Fran would explain in detail the situation in the Capital, forbidding them from entering the country to gather information on their own.

    Unless it was a matter of life and death, they were not to send him messages.

    Once everything was over, Fran would notify them.

    Adrian installed the box on Hill¡¯s desk, then Hill called List to establish the connection.

    Adrian watched Hill¡¯s Tower Spirit without comment, knowing long ago that Hill would not use the image of Melanie.

    He had once told Fran that as long as Hill didn¡¯t end up using the appearance of that maid and mother for his Tower Spirit, he would be content.

    Fortunately, Hill still had the self-awareness of the Mage Nobility, which was good.

    Even as mages dote on their followers and companions, they typically have them become Knights.

    Hill¡¯s decision to let Boen study spells was quite rebellious.

    Although Adrian didn¡¯t approve, Hill was using his own share to aid Boen, and Lina was very dedicated, so he didn¡¯t strongly resist.

    With Melanie¡¯s precedent, Hill¡¯s occasionally out-of-line behavior did not incur Fran¡¯s displeasure.

    But Adrian truly worried about Hill¡¯s disregard for class distinctions.

    If he were too affectionate toward Lina¡¯s family, overly transcending the limits for servants, it would surely displease Fran.

    Thankfully, Hill was still rational.

    Hill paid no attention to Adrian¡¯s gaze; as soon as List made the connection, the other box began transmitting a large amount of information.

    Hill watched List, surrounded by elemental light, with great curiosity about the principles behind the device.

    He definitely had to study Magic Alchemy more, it was truly fascinating!

    Using Magical Resonance, List released the information sent by Fran.

    Fran¡¯s half-figure appeared in the air, prompting Adrian and Hill to quickly sit aside and listen attentively.

    In his usual indifferent tone, Fran told them to mind their own business and read more, not even to touch the boundary of the nation without his word.

    The Crown Prince¡¯s movements were suspicious, and the Second Prince was desperately searching for life-extending methods and remedies, with all Magic Towers having been visited.

    Regrettably, the Old King favored a seductive mistress these past two years, falling ill several times without repentance.

    The Little Prince unexpectedly had a horse-riding accident last week and has been bedridden ever since.

    Fearing trouble, both Princesses have now returned to their husband¡¯s territories.

    A Grand Knight suffering injury from a fall was an insult to all knights.

    Whoever targeted the defenseless younger brother certainly made a statement, ruffling the feathers of every uninvolved party.

    The gloomy Crown Prince Edward and the brash and unbridled Second Prince Charles had even targeted the seldom socially involved, martial-focused Little Prince William, sending shivers down the spine of anyone wishing to stay clear of this affair.

    Hill and his companion exchanged glances, ¡°Uncle Adrian, the Little Prince is just in his twenties, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°28 years old, the youngest child of the King.

    He is 12 years younger than the Crown Prince¡¯s eldest son.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d better just obediently follow orders!¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    Absolutely!

    I¡¯ll carve Magic Rings for you whenever I have time!¡±

    No one knew who would emerge victorious in the end, but the Saral nobles probably had to choose sides now.

    However, not even the foolish would dare threaten a Magister like Fran, likely the Magister with the fewest vulnerabilities.

    The remaining two were abroad, facing enemies at home.

    Those who stirred up trouble behind the scenes in the past perhaps now regretted their actions.

    Hill was quite pleased; with things turning out this way, those responsible would likely expose themselves.

    Fran¡¯s temperament and methods would surely obliterate them.

    Hill wouldn¡¯t consider that without this person, he might not have had the chance for reincarnation; he deserved no mercy for using other people¡¯s lives as pawns in his schemes and intrigues.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 The Chosen One Next Door

    ?7: Chapter 7 The Chosen One Next Door 7: Chapter 7 The Chosen One Next Door Adrian spent the next day with a few Earth Elementals assisting him in cutting the lines for the magic array, and he began the meticulous work of engraving the magic array.

    To speak the truth, he was almost choked with envy when he saw the Earth Elemental family scurrying all over the ground.

    The way elemental creatures reproduce is by splitting a small elemental light orb from themselves.

    After consuming a vast amount of soil from three mountain ranges, most of the Earth Elementals had split once, and the number of their family had almost doubled.

    Since they split from their parent elementals, they naturally carried the contract with Hill.

    Hill had no intention of restricting them.

    The little orbs had just grown their limbs and there wasn¡¯t any danger in their territory, so they ran around almost everywhere.

    Hill spent a lot of time in meditation every day, learning new spells.

    He planned to first fully master the basic Earth spells.

    ¡°Mud into Stone¡± and ¡°Fossil into Mud¡± were already etched into his soul; with just a thought, he could change the nature of the soil.

    Demolishing a house was even easier for him; the Earth Movement Technique came to him as naturally as breathing.

    The problem for magicians was never the power of the spells but the stability of them.

    He certainly didn¡¯t want to lose control over the range of his spells.

    Precision and accuracy were ingrained in his soul as principles.

    He felt that by learning all Earth spells and using them accurately, he could definitely make his innate spells even more powerful.

    Every night, Hill went to meet Adrian and took the chance to exhaust all his magic power.

    He seized every opportunity to engrave the magic array.

    The body of an Archmage was always in a cycle of exchanging elemental forces with the environment and would never run low on magic power.

    That was what Hill envied the most.

    Although a magician¡¯s magic power was stronger than that of a mage of the same level, not to mention his specialized knowledge, the magic consumption was also high.

    Hill was practically holding his breath while casting spells, and yet the consumption was still too great.

    Precise control of magic power was probably going to be his lifelong training.

    Adrian stayed with Hill in the top storey room.

    Originally, Hill had prepared two suites on the top floor considering Fran might come as well.

    With the aid of the Earth Elementals and after working diligently for more than half a year, they finally finished engraving all the magic arrays.

    With the Magic Tower at its core, starting from the three mountain ranges, a pentagram magic circle with five magic circuits was carved 30 meters underground across the domain.

    The outer wall magic arrays were directly connected to the Magic Tower, and the control center of this combined magic array was securely guarded in the Earth Elemental hall.

    Hill was thankful that the core of his Magic Tower was of Mage Level, possessing a very strong ability to absorb elemental power.

    Otherwise, his Elemental Crystals would likely have not survived.

    Even so, List took away a large part in order to prevent any unforeseen incidents.

    Hill¡¯s Magic Tower was built very traditionally.

    The top floor was Hill¡¯s own space, with a master bedroom, guest hall, small library, and two guest rooms.

    The library led to a small storage room.

    The 8th floor was an indoor botanical garden for growing various magic plants.

    The Wood Elementals occasionally came up to play, but they still preferred to live outside in close contact with nature, and the Treants would never leave the ground.

    The 7th floor was the library.

    List had already copied and placed all common books in there.

    Hill aimed to build a comprehensive Great Library, so the whole floor, apart from a few reading rooms, was filled with towering bookshelves.

    However, the collection of books would need to be slowly accumulated.

    The 6th floor was reserved for future use; List had sealed it off entirely, waiting for perhaps one day when an Archmage would open it.

    The 5th floor was the Alchemy Workshop.

    For now, List mainly used it to create some elementary alchemical products.

    The 4th and 3rd floors were designated for future mages and magic apprentices¡¯ living quarters.

    Sadly, besides Boen occupying one room on the 3rd floor, the others were also all sealed off.

    Lina¡¯s family, along with a few maids, were living on the 2nd floor; the remainder of the space was the kitchen and a large dining room.

    The majority of the ground floor had been made into a storeroom by List, and right at the front of the storeroom was List¡¯s exchange center.

    However, currently only Boen was taking his copied magic books to exchange things with List.

    Seeing both of them content with the arrangement, Hill couldn¡¯t be bothered to intervene.

    Elemental Spirits tend to emerge where magical elements converge, and once a spirit is born, this creature will attract the corresponding magical element from the air.

    In Hill¡¯s Magic Tower, there was almost a siphoning effect for Earth magic elements.

    When Adrian was setting up the core of the Defensive Magic Array on the Earth Elemental floor, he estimated that it would take less than ten years for a vein of Earth Elemental Crystal to start forming at the tower¡¯s base.

    After coming up, Adrian warned Hill that from now on, no one else should go down there.

    Hill could only roll his eyes silently, grumbling inwardly; he wasn¡¯t foolish, after all.

    Adrian, being an Archmage-Level Alchemist known for his generosity, had an essence that hardly anyone could miss.

    An elemental ore that takes hundreds of years to form could not sway Adrian¡¯s heart.

    Aside from Fran and Adrian, Hill hadn¡¯t told even Boen.

    Hill was not going to use such matters to test someone¡¯s character just because he trusted Boen.

    With so many spells in this world that could defy human rationality, ordinary people and mage apprentices had no capacity to resist.

    Sometimes, keeping a secret is the way to protect an ordinary person.

    Boen himself understood this; during the time the Magic Array was being constructed, he was only seen at meal times.

    After the Defensive Magic Array was set up, Hill continued his daily routine of meditation, summoning Wood Elementals and Water Elementals.

    Meanwhile, Adrian strolled around the domain every day, bringing back a pure white Elf Cat one day.

    This Spirit of Nature had innate advantages and radiated natural vitality.

    Although it recognized neither of them as its master, it still settled among the Treants and Wood Elemental Spirits.

    In a single night, the small forest outside the Magic Tower grew significantly taller.

    Adrian and Hill visited and fed the little cat daily, and gradually, it allowed them to pet it.

    This seemingly unremarkable life of daily cat-stroking practice continued until Fran contacted them again, telling them an explosive piece of news: Third Prince William had a falling out with his two older brothers and, after a big fight with the lustful Old King, was appointed Duke Noran and driven out to establish his own territory.

    Fran also informed them, ¡°The King¡¯s health can probably hold on for about three more years.

    With Prince William completely out of the picture, the situation in the Royal Capital has changed drastically.

    As soon as Count Pelast arrived at the Royal Capital, he went straight to Prince Edward¡¯s palace.

    I¡¯ll keep an eye on Duke Kral¡¯s movements.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Prince William will go north, right?¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Of course, the vast lands in the Western Border suitable for founding a duchy are too far away.

    Besides, the Spencer family is also in the Northern Border.¡±

    The Northern Great Wall stretched 3,000 kilometers, and along the extensive border line, six Marquis Sky Knights guarded six Border Cities, whereas the Western Border only had four Earl Grand Knights.

    Prince William¡¯s grandfather, Marquis Spencer, happened to hold one such Border City named Francis City.

    Even though the Northern Great Wall was home to fierce Magical Beasts and was constantly fraught with battles, the area was so vast and resource-rich with abundant mines.

    The Northern Border¡¯s lands managed to hold firm because they were actually backed by the Great Nobility from within the country.

    Also, because of the backstage manipulations by the Great Nobility, these territories, even when adjacent, did not engage in conflict.

    However, now they had reason to worry.

    There was no doubt that Prince William would venture out from Francis City.

    Being a prince appointed as a duke, the manpower and resources he would bring along were sure to be unimaginably vast.

    Count Baur outside of Francis, would probably have no choice but to consider himself unlucky.

    As long as he didn¡¯t come west, Hill was happy to just watch the spectacle.

    Actually, Adrian really wanted to go back and enjoy the commotion, but Fran¡¯s strict orders meant he could only dutifully help Hill develop his territory.

    Three months of tedium later, when Adrian had the chance to cuddle the elf cat, Fran suddenly contacted them again.

    Both men rushed to the study room in great surprise, and List had already begun to glow, ¡°There¡¯s a problem with Prince William.

    He claims to be a follower of the God of Time and Space, and he has summoned hundreds from the Undead Tribe from another time and space!

    These members of the Undead Tribe are very strong, although they are only at Mage Level, the elementary stage, their professions are quite diverse, including Mage Knights, Swordsmen, Magicians, and even priests of the God of Time and Space.¡±

    Hill was stunned.

    He felt as if his brain had stopped functioning.

    Was this world about to collapse?

    Hill wondered if he was in the midst of a nightmare.

    Fran continued, ¡°Prince William is now a Sky Knight!

    A Sky Knight under the age of 30, leading hundreds of Professionals!

    The Royal Capital is stunned, and the King doesn¡¯t dare indulge in sensuality anymore.

    The struggle between Edward and Charles has also paused.

    When William left, he took everyone with him, and now the only domestic connection left is the Spencer family.

    All those who had kicked him when he was down at the Capital are now sending people to investigate.

    Adrian, go have a look yourself!

    Don¡¯t stir up trouble, don¡¯t interact with those people.

    If anything happens, send information to Hill, don¡¯t return to the Royal Capital.¡±

    ¡°Hill!

    Hill!¡± Adrian gave Hill a tug, ¡°What are you daydreaming about!¡±

    Hill shivered, ¡°Uncle Adrian, are you really going there?¡±

    ¡°I have to see such a big event!

    It¡¯s not every day that messengers of the deities appear, let alone miracles!

    How could the Undead Tribe possibly show up?¡±

    Hill, knowing he couldn¡¯t stop him, could only say, ¡°Uncle Adrian, don¡¯t meddle in matters related to the deities lightly.

    Just observe, and please don¡¯t get too curious and interact with the Undead Tribe.

    Especially stay away from Prince William!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!

    Who knows if these Undead come from the God Realm or the Abyss?

    I won¡¯t get close until we know for sure,¡± Adrian promised solemnly.

    Hill could only watch apprehensively as Adrian ran off with undisguised excitement.

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 White Cat Alice

    ?8: Chapter 8 White Cat Alice 8: Chapter 8 White Cat Alice The usually fearless Hill was still troubled for several days, unable to continue his meditation.

    Every day he would wander the small forest outside the tower, staring blankly into the distance.

    However, one day while feeding the cat, the white cat gently jumped into his arms, meowed a few times, and tenderly licked Hill¡¯s cheek as he looked up.

    Hill looked down into the cat¡¯s deep blue eyes and smiled gently, ¡°Life is always full of surprises and twists and turns, but it¡¯s the little unexpected joys that keep me spirited and moving forward.¡±

    From that day on, the white cat began to play inside the Magic Tower, though it still went back to rest in the forest.

    But during the day, it was willing to stay by Hill¡¯s side.

    Then one day, Hill crouched in front of the white cat and asked, ¡°May I know the name of the beautiful miss?¡±

    The white cat bit into the little fish Hill offered and said, ¡°Alice!¡±

    It really was a name befitting a cat!

    Hill silently exclaimed, petting Alice¡¯s little head, ¡°Hello, Miss Alice!¡±

    Alice gave him an elegant glance, pushed his hand away with her paw, bit the dry fish, and gently jumped onto the windowsill, where she lay down comfortably.

    After that, Hill returned to his regular routine, the difference being that now he had Alice by his side.

    When Adrian came back three months later, Hill had completely stabilized.

    He even asked Adrian curiously about his impressions.

    ¡°What a crazy race!¡± Adrian was on the verge of losing his mind, ¡°I thought Undead meant that their lives never end!

    But they actually resurrect!

    The soul and the body are separate!

    Their bodies seem to be made by a God, and as long as the soul doesn¡¯t die, it can continue to be used!

    The Divine Power of the God of Time and Space is actually wasted on making bodies for them!¡±

    Hill pulled him up saying, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath, let¡¯s go to the study and tell Grandfather at the same time!¡±

    Fran was quickly connected, probably having been waiting all along.

    Adrian took a sip of wine, loosened his collar, and slumped on the sofa, saying listlessly, ¡°Sometimes I think He is a devil who steals Divine Power, otherwise why would He create such a race!

    No shame, they scramble madly for any benefit, and they fight over the smallest advantages.

    Prince William¡¯s men are maintaining order every day!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Then they must be easy to use, right?¡±

    ¡°Extremely easy to use!

    Not a shred of Professional dignity!

    Give them some money and you can boss them around.

    William had them build houses for commoners, and they were willing to do so!¡± Adrian reflected, ¡°I don¡¯t know where this deity finds the souls.

    Although they are ruthless in their actions, they are all Neutral Faction.

    I saw several Paladins of the Lord of Justice throw Detect Alignment on them!

    And they turned out to be Chaotic Neutral and Lawful Neutral!¡±

    Hill gently replied, ¡°That¡¯s because they haven¡¯t really interacted much with the common people, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true!

    It seems William has his doubts too, as it¡¯s his men who deal with the Undead!

    Speaking of which, they are actually quite easy to talk to; they are happy building their own houses!¡± Adrian said with confusion, ¡°William even placed them in a valley far from both the commoners and the Nobles.

    They have to walk a long distance every day to build houses for the commoners, but they don¡¯t seem to mind at all!¡±

    Hill thought to himself, ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d be happy too!

    What kind of divine game is this where you get to have a house to build right from the start?

    In that keyboard game I played before, it took me 10 years to get a house, and it would crash unexpectedly, yet I still played with joy!¡±

    Adrian continued, ¡°I was originally planning to watch them for a longer period, or maybe interact with them!¡±

    Hill gave him a sideways look, ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡±

    ¡°I see them getting along with those Peekers who talk to them,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°You just need to give them something in return to talk, and I can afford that!¡±

    ¡°If you talk to them, Prince William will know!

    Don¡¯t attract his attention!

    Grandfather is still in the Capital!¡± Hill strongly objected.

    ¡°Yes!

    Yes!¡± Adrian said, admittedly at fault, ¡°I haven¡¯t gone ahead with it yet!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±

    ¡°I overheard their conversation, they were talking about some tests coming to an end.

    More people are about to arrive soon!

    I calculated their numbers, there are already over a thousand, and more are coming!¡±

    Fran suddenly interjected, ¡°Are they all Professionals?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Teacher!¡± Adrian quickly sat up to speak.

    He and Hill forgot that Magisters could speak even during the activation of the communication device; luckily Fran could only listen, or Adrian would have been scolded if seen.

    ¡°There is another terrifying thing, they have an Alchemy Device that allows for communication between each other.

    And it¡¯s not just one-on-one, but multi-person communication.

    Sometimes, when something happens, almost instantly everyone is alerted.

    They can also directly inform Prince William; that¡¯s how some of Edward and Charles¡¯s people got exposed.¡±

    ¡°No wonder there¡¯s no news at all from the Royal Capital,¡± Fran almost laughed, ¡°No matter, we can watch for a little while longer.

    If those Undead are really that many, I¡¯ll find an excuse to go to your side.¡±

    Hill immediately said, ¡°Better come quickly.¡±

    Fran replied, ¡°Edward and Charles should be the most anxious now!

    They looked down on William at the beginning, using him to establish their authority.

    They didn¡¯t expect that the one they forced away would become a Divine Envoy.

    Indeed, the Deities do not permit fighting among humans, nor wars between nations.

    But since William has a claim to the Saral succession and is associated with a newly born deity, there won¡¯t be any intervention from the Temple.¡±

    Adrian responded, ¡°That¡¯s good then, whoever took action back then, now they can all be finished together!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unclear whether William is a Follower of the deities or the future high priest.

    But if Saral becomes a Divine Kingdom, a lot of people are going to be in trouble,¡± Fran said, almost unable to suppress his laughter.

    Hill thought to himself: I wonder if this William is the so-called God of Time and Space.

    Hill had also read some web novels about summoning The Fourth Calamity, where generally the protagonist becomes a king or a god.

    If William is a transmigrator, then he¡¯s probably destined to become a deity.

    No, maybe he¡¯s a pawn of the deity, and the system that helps him summon people might also become divine.

    Anyway, Saral¡¯s future is not going to be easy.

    He suddenly looked up and asked Fran, ¡°The King is said to have three more years, right?

    So if Prince William comes back leading the Undead to the Royal Capital within these three years, doesn¡¯t that mean he can directly inherit the throne?¡±

    Adrian asked in surprise, ¡°Do you think the Undead can form a large army?

    That would take tens of thousands of people, right?¡±

    Fran said, ¡°The test subjects they used to verify the summoning stability already numbered over a thousand, so the main force must be tens of thousands!¡±

    Hill thought: Tens of thousands?

    If it were an online game, something this interesting would probably draw hundreds of thousands, not just tens of thousands.

    After all, such intelligent NPCs would be enough of an attraction!

    He looked up and said, ¡°Grandfather had better start packing.

    If something happens, we should just leave.

    I remember that Grandfather¡¯s contract with the Saral Royal Family can be terminated at any time.¡±

    Fran responded, ¡°Yes.

    One must serve the Saral Royal Family upon reaching the Archmage stage, and only after becoming a Magister can one occupy a Magic Tower.

    If one no longer wishes to be a Tower Master, they can leave at any time.¡±

    Adrian spoke gloomily, ¡°Originally, this tower was supposed to be ours; all that effort gone to waste.¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°What matters most is staying alive, or would you prefer to become a devout Mage of the deities?¡±

    ¡°Forget it!¡± Adrian said, ¡°The Saral Holy Kingdom, huh?

    It¡¯s been tens of thousands of years since a Holy Kingdom appeared.

    Who would have thought Saral would have this honor!¡±

    In conclusion, Fran said, ¡°Enough with the nonsense!

    I¡¯ll find a way to pass on the information to Edward and Charles.

    And I¡¯ll pack up anything important; if it comes to war, I¡¯m leaving immediately!

    I have no interest in participating in the internal strife of Royalty!¡±

    Hill knew well that if it were an external invasion, Fran would certainly stay and defend until the last moment.

    But the way the Saral Royal Family had treated his daughter made it crystal clear that Fran would not involve himself in their internal conflict.

    Moreover, with the involvement of the deities, it is likely that for the next few years, or at least until the God of Time and Space ascends the Divine Throne, all eyes of the deities will be on Saral.

    The common people of Saral, who are nearly all believers, will surely be safe during this time.

    As for the Nobles, Fran could not care less about their fate.

    Before Fran cut off the communication, Hill hurriedly added a last request, ¡°Grandfather, you should come over as soon as possible!

    I need your help too!¡±

    Hill felt that these players probably came from a high-tech era, otherwise, they would need incredibly powerful server hosts to convincingly simulate such intelligent NPCs.

    From the moment he first encountered this aberrant society, he found the behavior of the Nobles disgusting, their attitude of treating human life cheaply would be considered a mental disorder in Hill¡¯s world.

    Adrian, who merely looked down on commoners and servants without actually harming them, was practically an exceedingly good person by contrast.

    The gap in living standards between Nobles, Professionals, and commoner slaves was like a coexistence of modern society with a bygone era of slavery.

    Hill¡¯s Magic Tower¡¯s kitchen used alchemy products powered by Elemental Crystals, not even requiring an open flame, yet some farm slaves couldn¡¯t even afford firewood.

    The terrifying class contradictions were firmly suppressed by sheer power.

    Lacking the strength to rebel and being alone, Hill could only hide and turn a blind eye.

    But with the appearance of hundreds of thousands of players, who aren¡¯t afraid of death and are bold as brass, ready to help whenever they see injustice, ready to teach innocent and ignorant peasants¡¯ children, this continent that had maintained a slave society for hundreds of thousands of years was about to boil over into a tumultuous mess.

    If Hill were among these players, he would also have no hesitation in rebelling against the Nobility that oppresses the commoners.

    What is there to fear from divine retribution in just a game?

    And besides, why would the Human deities punish players who help peasants, the very foundation of their worship?

    In the end, the only thing the deities could do was to compete for faith.

    These are hundreds of thousands of Professionals!

    Hill believed that the God of Time and Space couldn¡¯t control the players¡¯ determination to convert, as long as the benefits were right.

    The players could take actions beyond their own understanding.

    If the ever-serious and indifferent Fran were to clash with the players, he would certainly be enraged to death!

    Their way of thinking was something Fran could never comprehend.

    In the past, Hill had thoughts of developing his territory, but now he could give up on that.

    Better to invite Fran over to build another Magic Tower!

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Poor William

    ?9: Chapter 9 Poor William 9: Chapter 9 Poor William The last of Hill¡¯s Domain¡¯s Transverse Mountain Range continued unbroken and majestic.

    The peaks were visible, but not their bases.

    While he was patrolling, he sensed the presence of a powerful magical beast.

    Hill could not provoke it, but where there was such a formidable beast, there certainly must be heavenly materials and even possibly a magic crystal mine.

    It was perfect for Fran to seize and build a magic tower.

    With Fran¡¯s capabilities, a Legendary Magic Tower could definitely be constructed, although it would not be as powerful as those built on the super-large elemental ores in the capital.

    Compared to the future danger of fighting with players, such a cost seemed very small to Hill.

    Adrian looked at Hill and said, ¡°Why do I feel that you are very afraid of these undead?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°What I fear are the deities.

    If they really bring tens of thousands of professionals, a God War could be possible!¡±

    Adrian was shocked, ¡°Do you think that the people who will follow will all be professionals?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hill said calmly.

    ¡°It is precisely because my grandfather thought of this that he felt the need to leave!¡±

    Adrian couldn¡¯t stand still anymore.

    He paced around a few times and said, ¡°I need to go home once.

    No matter what, I have to inform my father.¡± Hill remembered that Adrian¡¯s father was a Marquis of the Grand Knight rank.

    Though his location was quite far from the Royal Capital, he couldn¡¯t escape the royal family¡¯s struggles, especially since Adrian¡¯s mother was also from a cadet branch of the Royal Family.

    Although Adrian had no inheritance rights, his father had paid a great price to send him to Fran¡¯s side, and although he then ceased to meddle, he was quite a good father by societal standards, so Adrian¡¯s concerns were understandable.

    Hill said, ¡°Explain it clearly to him.

    Those God¡¯s Chosens around Prince William, because they cannot die, are extremely insane!

    And it¡¯s said that there will be tens of thousands of professionals coming, so just let them stay in their domains and do nothing extra.

    Also, in the next few years, all eyes of the deities will be on Saral.

    If you don¡¯t want the paladins knocking on your door, be kinder to the civilians.¡±

    Adrian was almost driven mad, ¡°There¡¯s this too!

    How would they know the limit!

    The best they do for civilians is not to impose extra taxes!

    And that¡¯s only because the royal taxes are ample enough!

    Their only bottom line is not to kill people!¡±

    Hill understood that Adrian¡¯s family was relatively good by the standards of this era.

    Though they might kill a civilian slave who offended them, they lacked the desire to oppress everyone in their domain to death.

    Many nobles imposed heavy taxes in addition to the royal taxes.

    In fact, the royal taxes were collected by the nobles, who kept a part of every payment for themselves before handing the rest to their fiefdoms.

    If not for those nobles indulgent in luxury, this money would have been enough.

    But there always were those who believed civilian slaves were worthless, and that dying for them was an honor!

    The taxes were so high that even the paladins had to intervene.

    But paladins were few, and most guarded the temples; in places ignored by the deities, darkness prevailed more.

    Count Pelast didn¡¯t impose additional taxes either, since his domain was near the capital, and every major temple could monitor his actions.

    But this family had a penchant for whipping civilians who had offended them.

    Once William returned to the Royal Capital with the players, Hill expected to hear about Pelast¡¯s downfall.

    Hill told Adrian, ¡°Tell them to try not to beat people.

    If they must punish, just lock them up, and absolutely don¡¯t starve them to death.

    I remember your father is a believer, it would be best to ask a bishop to look into this.

    Definitely do not stray from the faction.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°They also revere the God of Knowledge!

    His Grace¡¯s believers, as long as they keep order, it¡¯s fine.

    I¡¯ll ask him to invite a bishop to stay in the domain.

    With a temple on the domain, other deities¡¯ paladins won¡¯t interfere much.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Still, don¡¯t draw attention!

    Prince William¡¯s followers might walk all over Saral!

    In the struggle for faith, if they see any incident, they will intervene!¡±

    Adrian sighed, ¡°Taking this opportunity to change some practices might be good.

    Oppressing civilians is not a glorious thing.

    They are among the better of the Great Nobility, but it¡¯s better to be cautious in case of bad luck.¡±

    Hill nodded in agreement, ¡°Pelast is bound to suffer, being so close to the capital.

    William¡¯s people will definitely head to White Horse City.¡±

    Adrian said with a smile, ¡°The only consolation?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°Come on, just be happy knowing they¡¯ll face their downfall.

    You should eat and get some rest.

    Leave for your father¡¯s place early tomorrow.

    Once you¡¯ve explained everything, come back quickly.

    Grandfather might arrive at any time.¡±

    Adrian waved his hand and went back to his room.

    Hill knew Adrian wasn¡¯t very worried.

    That was because he didn¡¯t know.

    During this period, what he saw as the madness of the so-called Undead was just the preferential treatment of the newbies¡¯ village.

    The players were still busy leveling up; if they had time, they only discussed the world view, the background of the game, and the use of skills.

    Players who were just beginning to level up were only mad because they weren¡¯t afraid of dying, but once William let them out of his territory, Adrian would need to update his views.

    With Fran and Adrian¡¯s temperament, they wouldn¡¯t recover for 2 or 3 years.

    That¡¯s truly a shocking madness for the deities, who knows which True God was so bold.

    Hill sighed.

    He thought his life would just be surviving at home and leveling up.

    But he touched his chest: whether it was his original world or not, there were always some connections that moved his heart.

    Modern society, oh!

    Those repeating curse words in the games made him nostalgic.

    He didn¡¯t want Fran and the others to interact with the players, because those people would definitely break them, but he himself wanted to see, really wanted to.

    Hill gave himself an excuse, he needed to confirm whether William was an avatar of a deity or a transmigrator with a golden finger, especially since Saral was so close!

    After Adrian left, Hill asked List to help conceal his tracks.

    He secretly told Alice his direction and also left the domain.

    He waited near Border City for a few days before he managed to merge with a merchant caravan on a leather transport cart.

    These caravans constantly entering and leaving the country easily allowed him to sneak into Saral undetected.

    Indeed, the gate guard only focused on counting the number of carts and did not inspect them.

    Upon entering Saral, he wore a robe with a cowl to hide his features and flew along the way, noticing many mages heading in the same direction.

    Mages have always been highly curious about deities, secretly researching their origins and analyzing the sources of Divine Power.

    It¡¯s likely that each of the top Legendary Mages had done so.

    There¡¯s a saying among mages: Curiosity is both the source of a mage¡¯s advancement and the origin of their downfall.

    Suddenly, with the appearance of a new god, the mages could no longer sit still.

    It was just beginning, and the senior mages still remained composed, but once tens of thousands of people gathered, it was expected that Magisters and even Legendary figures would show up.

    After much thought, Hill decided it was best to go and see for himself early on¡ªhe had to see William with his own eyes.

    It took Hill 10 days to finally reach William¡¯s territory.

    He had flown all the way to arrive this quickly.

    Hill estimated that, from his departure to his domain, it would take the scourge at least half a year to significantly appear; if William was vying for the throne, three years would pose no problem.

    With that in mind, Hill felt relieved.

    Within three years, even if Fran did not show up, he could have his domain safely sealed off.

    He planned to turn the area by the entrance of the valley leaning towards the left mountain range into a Mage Town to earn some money from players.

    No more people were to enter the valley, and Hill would let the Treants cover all the land except for two estates with forest.

    As the Tower Master, showing up in town now and then would probably satisfy most of the players¡¯ curiosity.

    He would let the players treat him as the village chief of the new map as long as they didn¡¯t regard him as the main boss.

    As for Fran, as long as he was seen as the super backer behind the small lord, those players would try by all means to find tasks from Lord Hill.

    As long as Hill stood firm, life would continue smoothly.

    Observing the players in William¡¯s domain hustling about building houses and hunting, with strange names strung above their heads, Hill silently declared, ¡°From now on, I am a minor lord holding hidden tasks, tormenting players as my line in the sand, using chain quests as my approach!¡±

    Hill quietly landed on a huge tree a kilometer away from Lord William¡¯s mansion.

    As a contractor to a Wood Spirit, his presence easily blended with the trees.

    This tree was probably tens of thousands of years old and had developed spirituality.

    Just as Hill found a branch with a good view and settled down, some branches and leaves reached out and hid him thoroughly.

    Hill¡¯s Elven bloodline allowed him to easily see the lord¡¯s mansion, a kilometer away.

    It turns out, William was truly deserving of being the protagonist of a Western fantasy novel or perhaps a game¡ªtall, handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes, like a David who had stepped into reality.

    The strength of a Sky Knight gave him confidence.

    Without the need to fear assassination, William would stand for an hour at the entrance of the mansion every morning, dressed in princely attire, issuing 10 extraordinary tasks to players.

    Watching these players vie brightly for William¡¯s attention each day, Hill¡¯s sides ached from laughter.

    He could now confirm that William was a transmigrator.

    Although this Sky Knight always maintained a detached demeanor in front of the players, the expressions he made when he turned away were enough for Hill to create several sets of emoticons.

    A little girl named Perfect Bald was always boldly at the forefront every day; she would coquettishly ask William for tasks, her adorable and gentle tone always causing William¡¯s eye to twitch.

    Whenever William gave her tasks, he was actually watching a girl named Xiao Liuliu behind Perfect Bald to cleanse his eyes.

    This bald loli, just moments after parting a little distance from William, would switch to a boisterous deep male voice shouting, ¡°Wifey, hurry up, it¡¯s time to gather, brothers!¡±

    Hill felt that William really wanted to punch him.

    Their group of a dozen people seemed like a gang¡ªcalling friends, linking arms, and laughing heartily.

    There was a girl called Old Auntie always saying she also wanted to get tasks from William, insisting Prince William call her ¡°Dear Old Auntie.¡± Ah, she would die without regrets!

    Unfortunately, her luck was poor; William never gave her any tasks.

    Hill watched as William listened to these conversations, the veins pulsing at the back of his ears, and genuinely sympathized with him.

    There was also a group of players all starting with Doomsday, comprising swordsmen and knights robust in stature.

    They often held hands in a circle, squeezing the scattered players outside.

    A knight named End of the World Romance always took the lead, pestering Prince William to talk for half an hour¡ªeven if the Prince gave them a task, they would loiter for a full hour, until William pushed everyone away and turned back to his mansion.

    Watching this, Hill saw William several times barely restraining himself from acting; while End of the World Romance talked, William¡¯s hands continuously stroked the sword at his waist.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Players Still Have to Fight

    ?10: Chapter 10 Players Still Have to Fight 10: Chapter 10 Players Still Have to Fight After watching for several days, Hill thought this was also why William always assigned tasks to Baldy and his group; the two sides really didn¡¯t get along.

    Baldy¡¯s group aimed to be the first, and although they barged in, they took the assignment and left.

    The Doomsday side, however, ideally wanted all 10 tasks for themselves.

    Hill looked down and saw that today the Doomsday group finally blocked Baldy¡¯s group, and the result was a beating.

    Yes, they were physically beaten up.

    It appeared they still could not cast spells at each other in hatred, so the only methods available were kicks and punches.

    But sarcastic jibes are no match for bullish men; the Doomsday group got pummeled on the ground, and that Baldy loli even straddled Qingyuan¡¯s head and slapped him repeatedly.

    Hill was breathless.

    Hill turned to see a Female Priest called A Deer secretly squeezing through the crowd, using the Priest Hammer to hit a head on the ground.

    Qingyuan shouted, ¡°Wait for the public trial!

    Our large troops will come then!

    Perfect Bald!

    By then, you won¡¯t be able to leave the newbie village!¡±

    Next to Baldy, someone called Luo Sanquan copied Qingyuan¡¯s tone and said, ¡°Wait for the public trial!

    We will have our people then!

    The Doomsday¡¯s!

    By then, you won¡¯t be able to leave the newbie village.¡±

    People were laughing and pointing around; some even muttered about the presence of such idiots these days.

    The Doomsday group could take a lot of insults; they didn¡¯t even leave.

    But while they were fighting, a group of individual players had already surrounded the gates of the Lord¡¯s Mansion.

    Baldy shouted, ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s too late!¡± and holding Liu Liu, the two of them with their short legs plunged into the crowd; the individual players clearly let these two in, while others stood guarding the Doomsday people, planning to block them until the end.

    Hill saw William standing inside the tightly shut gates laughing, a schadenfreude that radiated from within which Hill quite agreed with.

    But observing William during this period, Hill figured out that the system capable of summoning players was the real deal; William¡¯s behavior was clearly restricted.

    Yet, the system itself must also have many restrictions since this continent gave it a chance, Hill thought that the God of Time and Space might truly be a newly born deity, although it was unclear whether he was from this world or not¡ªsuch a method to summon players wasn¡¯t something just anyone could think of.

    The behind-the-scenes Main God model is something people from Hill¡¯s world are too familiar with.

    While William was in the Lord¡¯s Mansion, Hill didn¡¯t look carefully.

    A Sky Knight wouldn¡¯t be unaware of being observed for a long time.

    But Hill also felt that the people around William were quite proud to have gained God¡¯s favor; they were reserved when issuing ordinary tasks to players, unfazed by the players all being Professionals, suggesting William had given them ample confidence.

    Also, facing the players, William¡¯s subordinates didn¡¯t react much.

    Hill could guess some of the players¡¯ dialogues were blocked, but such censorship is not difficult to break for those who know the truth and are resolute.

    The players often held a small tablet imbued with faint divine power; every time they turned it on, they muttered thanks to the great God of Time and Space.

    This kind of casual faith was sufficient for a newly born deity.

    With these players around, there would definitely be many people mentioning the God of Time and Space, whether in fear or fondness, people acknowledged His existence.

    Hill believed when this Emperor raised the Divine Throne into the starry sky, his divine power would definitely not be low.

    There was no need to continue watching William¡¯s side.

    Hill decided to check out the player¡¯s camp.

    Although he had prepared himself mentally, landing next to that small camp in the mountains, Hill was still taken aback: What on earth is all this!

    The camp contained houses crooked and askew, which could perhaps be called shacks?

    Some houses trembled slightly even in the gentle breeze, and Hill thought, wasn¡¯t William supposed to have them help the commoners build houses?

    Could they really with such skills?

    There were indeed Mages, as Hill also saw several four-walled, windowless earth houses made from Earth Magic, with doors seemingly smashed out afterward and in strange shapes.

    But possibly due to insufficient control over their mana, the four walls could still be uneven, and even one house had such large gaps between the walls that the owner covered the other three gaps with wooden planks and used the largest gap as a door.

    Hill looked down at these houses, knowing to cover the chaotic wooden roofs with large leaves, showing some sense.

    Or maybe it was just because they got drenched during a rainstorm, and the houses got waterlogged, so they found a quick fix?

    It seemed there were few Mages among the players, likely because they hadn¡¯t yet grasped the learning method for Mages.

    Or perhaps these players all rushed to learn the more damaging Fire Element Spells?

    The Five Fireballs Sect was always sacred and unfailing in his world, probably similar here.

    But Hill believed that once they learned the mental modeling needed for Mages, many would choose the Mage profession.

    The foundation of technology is mathematics, and in a technological society, there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of people who could flexibly use calculus.

    Hill found learning Earth Magic incredibly easy, as he was accustomed to visualizing the structure of a building in his mind, even when using computer-aided design¡ªhe would mentally construct it to see how his own designs differed from the computer¡¯s.

    By the age of 40, Hill was already a senior associate, earnestly striving to become a full senior when disaster struck, throwing everything into chaos.

    Some players were still in the camp, seemingly gathering resources.

    Hill heard them cursing the planners for their lack of humanity, as they had to figure out how to process the herbs themselves.

    Hill saw a demonstration video on their tablets, and the players had to stir the herbs in rhythm with the video.

    If their attention faltered, the herbs would burst and spoil.

    It seemed the deity wasn¡¯t interested in offering life skills, so players had to rely on self-learning.

    The only help the system seemed to provide was Appraisal Magic.

    But for the natives, this educational knowledge was precious enough.

    This deity did seem generous.

    ¡°This is so much fun!¡± Hill thought silently.

    ¡°I want to play too!¡± Building the houses he imagined in his mind without any reservations had been Hill¡¯s greatest fantasy during his teenage years, but reality had taught him that back then, he couldn¡¯t even afford Lego.

    Although he later achieved success, he still remembered walking into the Lego store and finding the model he wanted was too high-end, and his New Year¡¯s money couldn¡¯t even cover a fraction of the cost, which was disheartening.

    Hill had once thought about building a fantasy town in his own territory, a small city made entirely with magic, independent of any physical structure.

    Unfortunately, now it was all just a dream.

    Hill couldn¡¯t have lived William¡¯s kind of life for even a single day.

    Lost in his thoughts, Hill was startled by a loud boom.

    He looked down to see a relatively large house suddenly collapse.

    He took a closer look: it was the work of Baldy.

    It seemed his group had finished their task and were heading home.

    As they passed by the house, Baldy jumped up and kicked it a few times.

    Hill guessed it was a Last-Era Clan house.

    Unfortunately, this clan was unpredictable; such a large pure wooden house with no foundation or beams, built like a cottage, yet three times larger than other houses.

    When Hill had first arrived, he had noticed this shoddy construction swaying in the wind.

    Situated at the mouth of a valley, it was located in perhaps the windiest spot.

    As Baldy and his group passed by, probably recalled some grievance and kicked it a few times, not expecting it to exceed its limits and collapse.

    Hill heard Baldy¡¯s friends burst into laughter, ¡°Impressive!

    The incredibly strong lolita!

    Demolition expert, little Baldy!¡±

    The people from the Last-Era who were left behind crawled out of the house and started sending messages from their tablets.

    Baldy, clutching his ponytail, lamented, ¡°Oh dear!

    This is definitely going to create a deep grudge!¡±

    A character named Magic Sword told him, ¡°The Last-Era Clan is famously narrow-minded.

    Today, you made their leader sit on his ass and slap his own face, and you still think you haven¡¯t thoroughly offended them?

    I¡¯m waiting to log off, call some people, and jump into the official release together!¡±

    Liu Liu said, ¡°Oh come on!

    Stop playing innocent!

    This game¡¯s definitely going to be popular, just call everyone over, and it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Perfect Bald said dejectedly, ¡°Am I afraid of fighting?

    I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll go on the forum and ridicule me for ruining a house with one kick!

    I¡¯ll die of embarrassment!¡±

    Suddenly, A Deer started laughing, ¡°Master rode on some guy¡¯s neck fighting this morning, and tonight he¡¯s kicking down houses!

    What kind of enmity is this!¡± She turned to Liu Liu and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the master¡¯s wife pay some attention to his mental health?

    Playing the lolita character too much, caring excessively for other men is the end of him!¡±

    Luo Sanquan added, ¡°The feud between Perfect Bald and End of the World Romance began with a house kicked down by a single foot!¡±

    Liu Liu rolled her eyes, ¡°Whatever.

    You flirting with men doesn¡¯t bother me!¡± The others burst into laughter.

    Baldy could only keep silent and accept the teasing; he had already seen quite a few individual players recording.

    From now on, he would be the man with a hot topic on the forums!

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long before a group from the Last-Era rushed back.

    As soon as End of the World Romance arrived, he cursed, ¡°Perfect Bald!

    Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    Baldy replied in a cutesy tone, ¡°Sorry~ I didn¡¯t mean to~ Just touched it lightly and down went the house~~¡±

    The silent scene spoke volumes of everyone¡¯s discomfort.

    Not just the people from the Last-Era but even his own friends were sweating bullets.

    End of the World Romance couldn¡¯t respond for a long time.

    Baldy wasn¡¯t using his altered voice as used for William¡¯s missions; it was his rough manly voice but cutesy.

    Seeing no one responding, Perfect Bald continued, ¡°Oh dear!

    You don¡¯t want me to compensate, huh~ You¡¯re such a nice person~ We¡¯ll be going then~¡±

    With that, he ran off dragging Liu Liu along, and the rest quickly followed.

    Panting heavily, End of the World Romance groaned a few times and then started cursing loudly, only to be silenced by the system soon after, venting his frustration by logging off.

    The remaining people glanced at each other, not wanting to speak, and began cleaning up the house.

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Grandfather Comes

    ?11: Chapter 11 Grandfather Comes 11: Chapter 11 Grandfather Comes Hill was dazzled: It had been many years since he¡¯d seen such an entertaining drama!

    The player¡¯s world truly aimed to infuriate the enemy, and those who watched on the side enjoyed it the most.

    Hill had already seen some people chuckling and talking about how the forum was on fire; it seemed they were able to access the forum on their tablets.

    He really wanted a tablet!

    Hill scratched his head, wanting one badly.

    Unfortunately, Hill was too timid, and even if he got hold of the device, he wouldn¡¯t dare to use it.

    After all, once used, he would be completely exposed under the watchful eyes of the God of Time and Space.

    Hill murmured quietly, ¡°Think about William, poor William!¡± and finally controlled himself.

    Hill changed his squatting position; he spotted a player browsing through a collection of alchemy recipes.

    Although it was just basic-level potions, the recipes provided by the deities were certainly much more comprehensive than what Hill had.

    The player was flipping through them quickly, and Hill almost exhausted all his willpower to memorize them.

    Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder and asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    The extensive use of spiritual power left Hill somewhat dazed, so much so that he didn¡¯t react immediately to use a spell to escape.

    A cold sweat broke out on Hill as he turned to see a reproachful Fran: ¡°Grand...

    Grandfather, how did you get here?¡±

    ¡°If someone wanted to kill you, could I only collect your corpse?¡± Fran spoke coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how many people are watching you around here?

    Just because you have some talent, you dare to be reckless?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Grandfather, I¡¯m sorry!

    I won¡¯t dare to do it again!¡± Hill pleaded repeatedly.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Fran questioned, ¡°I asked you to stay put in the Mage Tower and not to get involved in these matters!

    How dare a junior mage get involved in a God War?¡±

    Hill was surprised, ¡°A God War?

    It just started?¡±

    ¡°In the Divine Realm?¡± Fran said, ¡°Come back with me quickly!¡±

    Hill sadly said, ¡°That tablet is very useful!

    I¡¯ve only watched a little and it has supplemented a lot of recipes.¡±

    Fran replied to him, ¡°There will be other opportunities.

    News of the God War will soon return, and some of those from the Undead Tribe will always flee.

    When the time comes, capturing a few will be fine.¡±

    Hill could only respond affirmatively, but he knew that players feared nothing to do, how could they fear warfare, nor did the deities.

    In their games, no matter how powerful the gods and demons were, they were always just bosses they could handle.

    Using lives to pile up, they were all too familiar with it.

    The ambition of the God of Time and Space had already been revealed.

    His divine power, once almost entirely handed over to the system, could make the players summoned flood the entire Human Continent.

    The Human Continent had dozens of kingdoms, with a combined population of only about 200 to 300 million.

    Hill did not doubt the population numbers of a technological society.

    Hill looked up at Fran and said, ¡°I want to find an excuse to tell the Undead Tribe my address.

    Welcome them to visit me in the Western Border when they come.¡±

    Fran raised an eyebrow, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve seen quite a bit of information these days.

    After we get back, we need to have a good talk!¡±

    Hill knew Fran had agreed.

    He quickly turned around and searched.

    The Junior Mage who was looking at basic alchemy had walked to a corner and tried brewing a potion by the stove.

    Hill gently sat on a branch above his head: ¡°Wrong, that¡¯s the seed of Multiflavor Herb, you need to put Water Thistle.¡±

    The chattering Junior Mage shrieked, fumbling to throw away the Multiflavor Herb seed and placing a handful of Water Thistle seeds.

    Then he abruptly looked up at Hill: ¡°Who?¡±

    Hill looked down at him with a slight smile: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Hill.

    Hill Polanio.¡±

    Chattering nervously said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Chattering.

    Please, is there something I can help you with?¡±

    Hearing this mission-specific language, Hill laughed, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious about the legendary Undead Tribe, so I came to see.

    Among so many, only you are seriously identifying herbs.

    Do the Undead Tribe not use potions?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that our herbs are different from those here, so we can¡¯t recognize them,¡± Chattering said.

    ¡°Those who arrived first prefer to fight; there will be more researchers later.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Hill replied, ¡°Actually I wanted to stay for a few more days.

    But the elder came to fetch me back, I admire your effort.¡±

    Hill laughed as Chattering nearly jumped: ¡°You are currently just outside Saral¡¯s Northern Border, and I live just outside the Western Border in the Barony of Polanio.

    If one day, you come to the Western Border, feel welcome to visit my home.¡±

    Hill handed Chattering a set of junior-level Mana Potions: ¡°I see you want to make these, these are some I made before, take them.¡±

    Watching the thankful Chattering, Hill said, ¡°Although we are both at Junior Professional Rank, it seems you are still not quite adept at using magical powers, read the basic texts more.

    Math is the foundation of magic.¡±

    Hill slowly rose, just about to make a grand exit, when Fran grabbed his collar and they entered high-speed flight mode.

    Archmage truly is high-level!

    Hill felt like they flew back to the Mage Tower in about two hours, albeit a bit like being in a tornado.

    Seeing Adrian already back, Hill knew why Fran knew he had run off.

    He preemptively complained, ¡°Why did you come back so early, Uncle Adrian?¡±

    Adrian was almost amused: ¡°Do you know what it felt like to rush back and see you weren¡¯t there?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°I¡¯m just going to take a look.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°You told me not to contact them!

    Then what are you doing yourself?¡±

    Hill diverted his attention, ¡°They said that in one month, at least 50,000 people will come.¡±

    Fran, who had been listening all along, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°A month?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they said it themselves,¡± Hill answered.

    ¡°The Undead Tribe has been discussing it.

    They feel that the little valley won¡¯t hold them, William should give the newcomers new territory.

    I was curious, so I listened carefully, and they said that in a month, there would be at least 50,000 people coming.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°So, it¡¯s at least 50,000 people?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that person must have been hiding for a long time, possessing great Divine Power!¡± Hill said.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know how He accumulated such faith.¡±

    Fran answered, ¡°Not from this world.

    But His foundation is here, so He must return here to ascend.¡±

    Hill felt that if He were in another world, He might be titled the God of Gaming.

    He asked Fran, puzzled, ¡°If it¡¯s another world, then why would He be involved in a God War?

    Which one descended so early?¡±

    Fran scoffed, ¡°Other than His own realm of time and space, His hand also extended to entertainment and education, and even includes justice and fairness!¡±

    Hill was startled, ¡°Justice?¡±

    Fran said, ¡°Are you daft?

    Are justice and fairness the same thing?¡±

    He continued, ¡°Even His Majesty dares only to claim justice.¡±

    In Hill¡¯s eyes, justice and fairness were always paired together, but not here; this continent has never pursued fairness.

    The God of Justice seemed more like the God of Contract.

    True Gods always declare justice, but who did entertainment and education offend?

    Fran, looking at the puzzled Hill, said, ¡°Love and Arts, Knowledge.¡±

    Adrian was astonished, ¡°Knowledge?¡±

    Fran said, ¡°His Majesty seems to want to first define education.¡±

    Suddenly, Hill understood; in this world, Professionals always taught individually.

    There was no such thing as basic education, and ordinary commoners found it hard even to learn to write.

    People like Boen, who served as personal servants to nobles, had to strive over several generations, and Lina¡¯s father was formerly a follower of Fran.

    What education meant, even the gods of this world didn¡¯t understand: for them, knowledge was costly and needed to be cherished.

    Hill didn¡¯t want to say anything; even if the God of Knowledge understood the meaning of education, He might not advocate for it.

    He was shocked to hear Fran say, ¡°The main ones descending this time are those of the Rose and the Scepter.¡± Hill knew this referred to the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy.

    It seemed that this deity clearly understood that fairness was the biggest threat to the foundation of nobility.

    So the Goddess of Love and Arts, who was always supportive of the God of Nobility, would definitely descend, since these two were taking action, the Gods of Justice and Knowledge would only watch.

    Hill thought silently, ¡°Nobility and Monarchy?

    No player would genuinely believe in these notions.

    Those who do, wouldn¡¯t bother playing the game.¡±

    Fran said to him, ¡°Do you really think He has a chance?

    Why did you suddenly engage with the Undead Tribe?¡±

    Adrian was astonished, ¡°Hill, haven¡¯t you always wanted us not to engage with the Undead Tribe?¡±

    Fran continued, ¡°And that was after I mentioned the God War, and yet you still emphasized that when people come to the Western Border, they should look for you.

    It seems you think William could win?¡±

    Hill said, ¡°They have many people.

    50,000 people is just their first step in their own words.¡±

    Fran expressed surprise, ¡°Do you think His Majesty¡¯s Divine Power is enough to summon even more of the Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Their bodies, although made of Divine Power, are very weak.¡± Hill didn¡¯t want to say that a tablet was actually the basis of Divine Power, and those bodies were indeed dependent on the tablet¡¯s creation.

    Divine Power was just a tiny fraction, forming the chips inside the tablet, which was also hidden away.

    The players¡¯ bodies, were created by linking Magic Power with the chips.

    Hill had noticed that the Mages who were spying were all focused on the bodies of the Undead, exploring the ratio of Magic Power to Divine Power in their composition.

    In reality, there was no Divine Power in those bodies at all.

    When players used the tablet, they always took it out from their backpack.

    Hill had carefully observed, the small bag that existed in the form of a waist pack was actually the tablet¡¯s motherboard, with the Divine Power consistently hidden inside.

    The tablets in the players¡¯ hands were essentially computer screens.

    Such a genius creation.

    He is the God of Time and Space, and every one of His clan carried a space bag, making it appear unexceptionable.

    This standardized waist pack could be made by any Archmage.

    And the players used it every day, perfectly causing all those who spied to overlook it.

    Even if he guessed, Hill didn¡¯t want to tell anyone.

    He looked up and said, ¡°I can feel His power.

    And the Undead are very sure that their Main God can summon even more people!¡±

    Adrian breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good as well, as long as it doesn¡¯t affect our main professions, His Majesty from my house won¡¯t make a move rashly.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°Let¡¯s not mention that, the God War doesn¡¯t concern Mages.¡± He turned to Hill, ¡°Where was the place you mentioned last time?

    I¡¯ll go and see if it¡¯s suitable for building a tower.¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 The Reason for Mothers Misfortune

    ?12: Chapter 12 The Reason for Mother¡¯s Misfortune 12: Chapter 12 The Reason for Mother¡¯s Misfortune Hill was surprised, ¡°Grandfather has resigned from his court position?¡±

    ¡°I gave Prince Edward and his son a beating,¡± Fran said with a smile.

    ¡°Then I angrily quit the Magic Tower.¡±

    Hill glanced at Adrian, who explained, ¡°That¡¯s why I came back so quickly.

    Teacher found the person who conspired with Perast back then, Helen, the sister of Sarna, Edward¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Why?

    Melanie has nothing to do with these people!¡±

    ¡°Edward had no ability to become a Professional.

    Back then, he only managed to marry the youngest daughter of Marquis Fein,¡± Adrian said, ¡°His family¡¯s eldest daughter was famously beautiful, known as the Pearl of Saral, with many suitors.

    Later, she married the eldest son of Duke Kral.¡±

    Hill suddenly looked up at him, ¡°Kral?

    The one who died young?¡±

    Adrian said with a sneer, ¡°Exactly, the one who died young trying to breakthrough to become a Sky Knight and succumbed to the backlash of failure.

    The Kral family believes it¡¯s because he married the Pearl, constantly being challenged to duels, which led to his untimely death.

    They were very harsh on Helen.

    For her, it was painful to almost become the future Duchess only to have it slip away.

    Luckily, her sister married Prince Edward, who could protect her in the Capital, even if he was incapable.¡±

    ¡°But for Helen, who was once proud to climb up to the Grand Duke, living dependent on her younger sister, whom she never respected, is too painful,¡± he spread his hands out.

    ¡°For such a woman, who in the Capital could be stronger than Edward?

    Charles certainly wouldn¡¯t want her.¡±

    Hill said softly, ¡°The King!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Adrian said with disdain.

    ¡°For our King, who only loves beauty, how could he resist the Pearl that came to him willingly?

    She was quite skillful, and also a Knight, favored for decades.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t paid attention to court affairs,¡± Fran suddenly said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this Helen was the King¡¯s mistress.

    I only knew she was the sister of Edward¡¯s wife, and I ignored her the few times she tried to speak to me.¡±

    ¡°As she grew older, the King started looking for new pleasures,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°By that time, Helen and Edward had an understanding: she would act as a matchmaker for the King.

    After all, if Edward ascended, her sister would be the Queen, her nephew the future King, and her future could be secured.

    Plus, for Helen, who had been entrenched in the court for decades, the pain of losing power completely was something she didn¡¯t want to experience again.¡±

    Hill thought for a moment, ¡°But just offending her is not so serious.

    Was it the Old King?¡±

    Adrian said angrily, ¡°Nobody knows when that guy saw Melanie.

    At that time, Melanie was already a Mage but she had just come of age!

    After Helen found out he was eyeing Melanie, she went to test Teacher.

    She saw that Teacher didn¡¯t want to get involved; they didn¡¯t want a Female Mage staying by the King¡¯s side.¡±

    Fran suddenly said, ¡°A Mage who immerses herself in magic should have no offspring, and if she does, she should stay away from these people.

    No amount of benefits can withstand the malice of men¡¯s hearts.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re too vicious!

    There are plenty who don¡¯t want to get involved!¡± Adrian said angrily, ¡°And Melanie, no matter how naive, couldn¡¯t possibly fancy a 200-year-old geezer!¡±

    Hill rubbed his forehead, ¡°So it was just when Perast became a widow and went to the Royal Capital to seek a new partner that they hit it off?¡±

    ¡°Duke Kral was hoping that Perast would wait until Manton was a bit older before considering remarriage,¡± Adrian said solemnly.

    ¡°Helen not only kicked a thorn from her eye out of the court but also took the opportunity to disgust the Kral family.¡±

    ¡°So the Kral family, unable to offend Helen, took out their resentment on my mother?¡±

    Fran said, ¡°At most they taunted her verbally.

    If she was strong-willed, how could a Mage not withstand such tactics?

    A heart solely filled with love is worthless, even with the best Talents!¡±

    ¡°It was Perast¡¯s fault!¡± Adrian said, ¡°He succumbed to lust, seduced Melanie with malice, and used her as a pawn to form an alliance with Edward.

    Who knew in less than two years, the younger son of Duke Kral would become a Sky Knight.

    Then he deliberately hurt Melanie, telling the Kral family it was all her seduction!¡±

    Fran continued, ¡°Both her mother and I are determined individuals.

    How could we have birthed a daughter who is devastated without love!¡±

    Adrian turned to Fran, ¡°Teacher, shut up!¡± He was completely unaware of what he had done, and continued passionately, ¡°Melanie may not have known the truth, but she executed the best revenge!

    She completely broke off with Perast, isolated herself, and ignored the affairs of the world.

    Perast, that scoundrel¡¯s claim that it was Melanie who seduced him was believed by no one!

    He became a laughingstock for over a decade until Melanie blew herself up in an experiment, taking that scoundrel down with her!¡±

    Fran delivered a hefty slap to the back of Adrian¡¯s head.

    Adrian immediately stood up, obediently saying, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it!¡±

    Hill hurriedly said, ¡°No wonder the Earl could only marry the daughter of a Young Baron in the end.¡±

    ¡°Of course!

    He could only sacrifice his wife, whom he pursued back, to curry favor with the Kral family,¡± Adrian glanced at Fran.

    ¡°Which Nobles would give away a dowry for nothing.

    In the end, he could only marry a girl from a minor family within his own fief.¡±

    Fran ignored him, ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t suspect Edward, because he had some enmity with the Kral Clan.

    The Sky Knight of the Kral family sided with Charles.

    Charles is such a person, even when seeking allegiance, he acts arrogantly; no one in the Mage Tower likes dealing with him.¡±

    He sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I had offended Edward.

    As for Helen, I hadn¡¯t considered her role.¡±

    Hill comforted him, ¡°Grandfather, it has nothing to do with you.

    These people calculate against whomever they please regardless of whether they¡¯ve been offended.

    As long as there are benefits, they don¡¯t care who gets hurt.¡±

    Fran had actually gotten over the stages of grief and anger long ago, but remembering still brought a tinge of sadness and regret.

    He was naturally serious and somber, and Melanie had disliked being close to him since she was a child.

    It¡¯s unknown when she became engrossed in romance novels and couldn¡¯t extricate herself from those ungrateful disciples.

    Little did anyone know that Melanie¡¯s talents were so great that, even without focusing entirely on magic, she had become a Mage before reaching adulthood.

    Once those ungrateful disciples knew that I had in mind to train Melanie as my successor, they lured her into the court for some leisure.

    Then, with Helen¡¯s help from inside and out, they led Melanie astray.

    Fran closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice, ¡°When they seduced Melanie onto the wrong path, it was because of Melanie¡¯s superficial nature that she was deceived, and I couldn¡¯t just kill them outright.

    This time, I used that as a reason to beat Edward¡¯s entire family along with Helen, and threw them into the lake¡ªI even gave up the Mage Tower.

    Charles won¡¯t miss the chance to attack Edward,¡±

    He turned his head to look at the sky outside the study, ¡°The King¡¯s recently favored mistresses were all sent by Helen.

    Edward was already in disarray because William had become a Sky Knight blessed by God.

    Now with Charles attacking, Edward can only have peace of mind if the King dies now.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°As long as Edward makes a move, neither Charles nor William will let him off.

    He will definitely deal lethal blows.¡±

    Hill suddenly said, ¡°In one month, 50,000 from the Undead Tribe will be here.

    Do you think Edward will take action upon receiving this news?¡±

    ¡°Definitely!¡± Adrian said with conviction, ¡°They have been unscrupulous for decades for that throne, making so many enemies!

    If they fail, the whole family will die.

    The victor will never allow his son to ascend to Sky Knight!¡±

    Before dawn broke, Hill felt someone watching him, and with a smile, he said, ¡°Miss Alice, good morning.

    It¡¯s been a long time, I¡¯ve missed you.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Hill,¡± a calm female voice replied, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too.

    A frightening person has come to your lands.¡±

    Hill sat up abruptly with a ¡°pfft,¡± ¡°That¡¯s my grandfather, Mage Fran.¡±

    ¡°He looks at me as if he wants to skin me.¡±

    Hill almost laughed out loud, ¡°It¡¯s hard for a Mage to attract a Spirit of Nature.

    They are curious about everything.

    Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just looking.¡±

    Mages who acted against Nature Spirits were almost universally shunned by nature.

    Blood-soaked lessons from the past warned their successors.

    Unless they were Necromancers who had completely abandoned nature, hardly any Mage would dare to harm a Spirit of Nature now.

    ¡°Adrian is a good man, but if it were his territory, I wouldn¡¯t stay.

    There¡¯s a strange smell about them that nature doesn¡¯t like.

    You, on the other hand, Hill, smell particularly nice,¡± Alice said as she licked her left front paw and began washing her face with elegance.

    ¡°Of course, my dear Alice, you are always welcome here.¡±

    ¡°Miss Alice, do you know the High-level Magical Beast in the mountains behind here?¡± Hill also got up to freshen up.

    ¡°That black panther?

    He¡¯s very fierce.¡±

    ¡°Miss Alice, you know him?¡± Hill said in surprise, ¡°If he¡¯s a friend of yours, it would be best for him to come with us today.¡±

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Alice asked, ¡°He¡¯s so far from you and doesn¡¯t come down from the mountain.

    Do you need to drive him away?¡±

    ¡°Mage Fran is planning to build a Mage Tower nearby,¡± Hill said earnestly, ¡°Their towers are to be built on the Spirit Land.

    I can choose at will since I have an Earth Elemental tribe.

    And because my Mage Level is low, when I need High-level Crystals, the Elementals I summon can produce enough.

    But it¡¯s different for them; only that place nearby can accommodate the construction of a Magic Tower.¡±

    ¡°But he was here first.¡±

    ¡°Dear Alice, in this world there¡¯s no such thing as first come, first served.¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t move, will he die?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I want you to come with us, can you persuade him?¡± Hill crouched in front of the dismayed Alice, ¡°I hope he can sign a residency Contract with Mage Fran.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Contract created by friendly Magicians.

    High-level Magical Beasts don¡¯t need much Spirit Land.

    If they promise not to harm humans and help defend the territory when attacked, the Mages will agree to their residency.¡±

    ¡°What if he still refuses?¡±

    ¡°I can only guarantee that Mage Fran will let him leave,¡± Hill stroked Alice¡¯s ears as she lay down, ¡°Alice, if he leaves and then attempts an attack, I can¡¯t promise that Mage Fran will let him go multiple times.¡±

    Alice looked up at him, ¡°Although Merkel is fierce, I don¡¯t want him to die.¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 Saying Goodbye to the Only Friend

    ?13: Chapter 13: Saying Goodbye to the Only Friend 13: Chapter 13: Saying Goodbye to the Only Friend Hill urged Alice, ¡°Then you should persuade him.

    He lives too close to the human world.

    It¡¯s only a matter of time before he gets driven away.

    And Alice, if you still have friends around here, tell them to move away soon.¡±

    ¡°Is this related to your recent trip?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat, the human kingdom Saral nearby is going to have trouble, there might be a fight,¡± stated Hill as he stood up to change his robe, ¡°A new deity has emerged.

    A God War might break out.

    There will be more humans around here soon.¡±

    Alice meowed loudly a few times in curse.

    Hill looked at him, realizing even Spirits of Nature could curse.

    Indeed, humans rarely communicated with these beings.

    The innocence and cuteness depicted in legends are all human fantasies.

    However, it amused Hill that even when cursing, Spirits of Nature reverted to their own language.

    After cursing for a while, Alice turned to Hill and said, ¡°Can I invite some friends to temporarily stay on your land?¡±

    ¡°As long as they don¡¯t harm anyone, they can come any time.

    But they must promise nature: not to harm anyone in my land.¡±

    ¡°Hill, won¡¯t you invite more humans to live here?¡±

    ¡°I am going to build a small village at the entrance of the valley to host any newcomers.

    My only relatives are Mage Fran and Adrian.

    As for the others in the valley, except for Boen, no one has the capability to harm your friends.¡±

    ¡°Okay.

    Boen is good too,¡± Alice said simply.

    ¡°I will tell them.

    For creatures with long lifespans, God Wars are truly disgusting.¡±

    She jumped onto the window, turned to Hill, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to Merkel.

    He will make his choice.

    If he doesn¡¯t sign the contract, then abandon the mine.

    Can he move here too?¡±

    ¡°Only if he swears.¡±

    ¡°Hill is the best, meow~¡±

    Hill shouted, ¡°Go to List for some food and let Merkel know, the only good thing about humans is that they have a lot of food!¡±

    Alice meowed and ran off.

    When Hill walked into the sitting room, Fran and Adrian were already seated, waiting for him to join them for breakfast.

    Boen was standing at the door, apparently prepared to serve.

    Hill glanced at Boen, then turned to Fran, ¡°What about my grandfather¡¯s attendants?

    How long will it take for them to arrive?¡±

    Fran spoke slowly, ¡°Most are gone.

    I entered the capital alone.

    The servants were assigned by the Royal Palace, they returned there after I left.

    When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter, and many in my merchant group left too; there¡¯s no place for them to trade in the wilderness.

    There are still about a dozen people, I asked them to leave gradually.¡±

    Hill had no choice but to steel himself and ask, ¡°And the apprentices?¡±

    Fran lifted his eyelid, ¡°What do you want to ask?

    You know my apprentices are contracted with the Magic Tower, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I am a Magician,¡± Hill stated calmly.

    ¡°Although Boen has a good foundation learning from me, I don¡¯t know how to teach him to enter the Mage stage.¡±

    ¡°Do you want him to come with me?¡±

    Hill glanced sideways, motioning Boen to keep quiet, ¡°Grandfather, you need people to follow and serve you.

    Uncle Adrian is already an Archmage.

    There are many tasks that are inappropriate for him to handle.

    And grandfather, you need attendants, at the very least someone to cook, right?¡±

    Adrian interjected, ¡°Do you want their whole family to come with us?¡±

    ¡°I hope Aunt Lina can be freed from her servile status, but they are still very restrained,¡± Hill explained.

    ¡°But if they follow you as family members of an apprentice, they¡¯ll just be ordinary civilians.¡±

    Hill was clearly regretful, ¡°In your area, living outside the tower means they are Free Citizens.

    Here, I can¡¯t let go and have them live out in a farmstead struggling, even if it¡¯s better for them, I can¡¯t do it.

    Since grandfather¡¯s attendants from the Royal Palace didn¡¯t come, no one will treat them as slaves anymore.

    I actually can¡¯t bear it, but I can¡¯t teach Boen, and Boen¡¯s siblings are growing up too¡ªI don¡¯t want them to live a life of lesser status like Boen.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°The two of them don¡¯t have Mage Aptitude.¡±

    Hill turned his head and said, ¡°They both learned to read from a young age, and they know a little about Mage Knight knowledge.

    If they lived with the people from Grandfather¡¯s trading company, at the very least they could become merchants.¡±

    He finally added emphatically, ¡°I don¡¯t want Boen to stay here, clearly an apprentice yet living like a servant.

    His younger siblings should marry ordinary people, not choose someone from among the servants in the end.¡±

    He looked at Fran pleadingly: ¡°Grandfather, please help me.

    Moreover, Boen is trained as a butler, he can do many things for you.

    Lina and Locke could also help you train the servants.¡±

    Fran thought for a moment: ¡°That could work.

    I still need some apprentices to do work.

    You¡¯ve trained this Boen well, his foundation is solid.

    But becoming an Archmage depends on opportunity, he might as well manage the apprentices.¡±

    Hill was extremely happy: ¡°Thank you, Grandfather!¡±

    Boen couldn¡¯t control his emotions and turned to leave the room, Hill quickly stood up.

    Fran picked up his knife and fork and said, ¡°Dining time is half an hour, we¡¯ll set off immediately afterward.¡±

    Hill picked up a sandwich from his plate and chased after Boen out the door.

    As expected, Boen was waiting outside.

    Emotionally, he asked Hill, why did he have to go to Fran¡¯s place?

    Hill pulled him back to his own bedroom, tightly closing the door: ¡°What I just said wasn¡¯t complete, but the reasons are similar.

    The main reason is for your and Dean and Shani¡¯s sake.

    Also, Lina and Locke are old now, they really shouldn¡¯t continue to work hard as servants!¡±

    Boen asked, ¡°Are there any other reasons?

    These aren¡¯t important!

    And mom and dad don¡¯t think it¡¯s hard.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s another most important reason, I can¡¯t ruin your future.

    There are many things I hadn¡¯t anticipated before.

    Becoming a Magician, many things are too different.

    All my past plans were based on a Mage¡¯s standpoint.

    You don¡¯t feel it now because the Earth-Wood-Water Element is good for ordinary people, at least it ensures good health.

    But these are an obstacle to your path as a Mage.

    I absolutely can¡¯t use Fire Element Spells, and the growth and summoning of Earth-Wood-Water Elemental Spirits won¡¯t stop.

    But this will exclude the Fire Element from the territory.

    But your family all has Fire Element Aptitude.

    If you¡¯re at Fran¡¯s place, you might still become an Archmage, but with me, you couldn¡¯t even become a Mage.

    Also, for Dean and Shani, they don¡¯t have Mage Aptitude, and Knight awakening can only rely on their physical fitness.

    In a place devoid of Fire Element, there¡¯s no possibility of awakening.¡±

    Boen murmured, ¡°But I¡¯m your butler!

    Let them go, let mom and dad accompany them!

    I¡¯ll stay.¡±

    Hill said bluntly, ¡°Do you think my grandfather is what?

    A philanthropist?

    If you weren¡¯t useful, he wouldn¡¯t consider taking Dean and the others.

    And Boen, you should know, I will only prioritize you.¡±

    He quickly finished his sandwich and continued, ¡°Grandfather and Uncle Adrian realized early on that my land wasn¡¯t suitable for Mages, that¡¯s why they were eager to build the Mage Tower.

    I only understood it myself last night.

    If I don¡¯t cram you in now, once Uncle Adrian gets everything sorted out, you¡¯d be useless.

    An Alchemist Master like Grandfather mostly uses Alchemy Golems for daily tasks.

    You¡¯ve seen, List mostly needs maids for laundry and cooking.

    Grandfather¡¯s Tower Spirit will only be more powerful.

    Boen, I hope you have a bright future, if I let you remain my servant forever, why would I teach you so much?¡±

    He stopped Boen from objecting: ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t allow you to waste your own future.

    Initially, my idea for you was exactly the position Grandfather has now given you.

    But now I can no longer take apprentices here.

    Staying here, you would only be out of place.

    Boen, you¡¯re already 20 years old, think more about yourself!¡±

    Boen hung his head and remained silent.

    Hill sadly looked at him: Boen had followed him since childhood, Hill was his faith.

    But he couldn¡¯t stay any longer.

    Hill knew that sending Boen and his family away would leave him alone.

    Although it¡¯s close by, Fran¡¯s Magic Tower wouldn¡¯t be as relaxed as here, Boen would no longer have casual days.

    Hill couldn¡¯t always go see him.

    In front of Fran, the more indifferent the behavior, the better.

    And he also didn¡¯t want to go there often and affect Uncle Adrian.

    He gave Fran ordinary reasons that would pass scrutiny, but absolutely couldn¡¯t say that it was because his identity as a Magician would impede Boen.

    Because his nanny¡¯s family was diligent and had no more use after adulthood, it¡¯s quite normal among noble children to let them go free and find them a better path.

    But if it were due to serving him that would impede a servant¡¯s future and release them, affecting the master¡¯s servants absolutely wouldn¡¯t end well.

    Fran and Uncle Adrian are both such traditional nobles.

    Hill had noticed early on that Uncle Adrian always scrutinized Lina, eventually deciding Hill was just soft-hearted and didn¡¯t bother further.

    But his feelings for Lina weren¡¯t that deep, Lina¡¯s greatest love was for Melanie; her love was directed at Melanie¡¯s children, those complex emotions, if Hill were just an ordinary child might not perceive them, it¡¯s just a pity Hill was already over forty years old in his previous life, having experienced the most genuine parental love, he could tell.

    Only Boen, who had been determined to follow Hill since childhood, always considered Hill in every moment.

    He would even hide his own parents for Hill.

    He was Hill¡¯s most important childhood playmate, Boen¡¯s given Hill the only unconditional love he¡¯s received in this world for the past decade or more.

    Uncle Adrian always thought he taught Boen magic because of Lina.

    But Hill, as someone grown up in modern society, where likes and dislikes are clear, had long been accustomed to an equal give and take.

    If it were just Lina¡¯s family, he definitely would arrange things well for them in Saral, not burdened by taking them along.

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Grandfather Becomes a Neighbor

    ?14: Chapter 14 Grandfather Becomes a Neighbor 14: Chapter 14 Grandfather Becomes a Neighbor Hill watched the silent Boen and slowly said, ¡°If you become a Mage, you can come to see me on your own.

    I won¡¯t arrange any followers by my side anymore.

    Besides you, I don¡¯t need any other servants.¡±

    Boen raised his head, his eyes reddening, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to Mom.

    Mom won¡¯t agree either!¡±

    Hill sighed.

    Boen really had been following him too long and didn¡¯t know his parents well.

    Ever since he found out that Dean and Shani lacked the aptitude to become Mages and could only be ordinary people if they failed to become Knights, Lina and Locke¡¯s hearts had started to lean elsewhere.

    During this period, Locke seldom went to manage the farm anymore; he was always cultivating his younger son.

    Hill had advised Dean to read more in the library, but Locke didn¡¯t quite agree.

    He thought that since his son couldn¡¯t become a Mage, he should work hard to train his body and strive to become a Knight.

    Hill had List inform them that it was difficult to become a Knight in his domain.

    Not long after, List discovered that Lina and Locke were grooming successors.

    When they first arrived, they wanted to manage everything, but later they left everything to those servants.

    The two farms were actually handed over to two pairs of married servants.

    Lina had always said to carefully select the maids, but Locke ended up directly arranging for two male servants to marry the two maids and take over the farms.

    List had already decided that once Lina mentioned leaving, he would leave two good-cooking maids in the tower as cooks.

    An Alchemist¡¯s Mage Tower didn¡¯t need that many people to begin with.

    Hill knew Lina didn¡¯t dislike Boen, but as a parent, one always favors the weaker child.

    With the better path Hill had offered, without needing to give up on Boen, Lina and Locke would surely seize it.

    Lina would definitely persuade Boen, so Hill said no more.

    Fran was still waiting for him, and he didn¡¯t think delaying would be alright.

    He told Boen to wait for him to return and talk again, then turned and left.

    As expected, Fran was already waiting at the living room door, and Adrian seemed to be about to come find him.

    Adrian saw him and reproachfully said, ¡°Why bother explaining so much to him?

    He¡¯ll understand eventually.¡±

    Hill smiled and said, ¡°Boen has been with me since he was a child and never left.

    I haven¡¯t told him about this decision; he just can¡¯t bear to part with me.¡±

    Adrian nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been good to him, and he has a conscience.¡±

    Fran turned his head impatiently and said, ¡°Lead the way, spare us the nonsense.¡±

    Hill, leading Fran and Adrian, had just landed on that hill abundant with elemental power when Alice, accompanied by the black leopard Merkel, was already waiting there.

    She tried to maintain her composure as she addressed Fran, ¡°Respectable Mage Fran, Merkel does not wish to be your enemy and has decided to move to Hill¡¯s Domain to live.

    Would you allow him to take his belongings and leave?¡±

    Adrian was almost shocked, ¡°Hill, has your kindness spread to Magical Beasts now too?¡±

    Hill glanced at him, ¡°Alice was brought to me by you!

    I can¡¯t just kill her friend, can I?¡±

    Fran asked sternly, ¡°Just like that, he¡¯s moving over?¡±

    Alice quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with Hill.

    Any Magical Beast wanting to move to Hill¡¯s Domain must swear never to betray the domain and never to harm humans!¡±

    Fran couldn¡¯t help but glance at Hill, ¡°Has your Elven Bloodline reverted?¡±

    Hill dared not make a sound.

    Fran said irritably to Alice, ¡°Hurry up and take him away.¡±

    Alice hurriedly meowed a few times at the black panther that was trembling and hiding behind her, only then Hill noticed that Fran had been suppressing the black panther with his magic power all along.

    Merkel, under severe pressure, pulled out a very large bundle, trembling as he placed it at Hill¡¯s feet.

    Hill quickly extended his hand to him, and Merkel nuzzled his palm while howling.

    After making his vows, he hurriedly pushed the package towards Hill with his claws.

    Hill, toughening up under the peculiar gazes of Fran and Adrian, took the package away.

    Then those two left Hill behind and ran off as if their feet were greased.

    Fran said, ¡°No need to survey anymore; it¡¯s a mixed mine.

    Just go and find the Elemental Node.¡±

    Adrian chuckled suddenly.

    Hill touched the ring on his hand and quickly summoned several Earth Elementals.

    The Earth Elementals began exploring downwards, and without hesitation, Fran flattened Merkel¡¯s hillside cave, his powerful magic compressing the land for miles around into flat terrain.

    Adrian patted Hill¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Your soft heart is terrifying!

    Lucky you¡¯re a Magician.

    Otherwise, our teacher would die of anger.¡±

    Hill responded, ¡°What else besides Magical Beasts could live in my domain in the future?¡±

    Adrian laughed, ¡°That¡¯s true.

    Even Fire Element beasts wouldn¡¯t go.¡±

    Hill said irritably, ¡°I used to think about building a perfect Mage Town.

    I drew so many design diagrams, all for nothing.¡±

    Adrian, without hesitation, reached out his hand, ¡°Give it here.

    You won¡¯t need them anyway!¡±

    Hill handed him a few design diagrams of a Western town.

    Adrian praised audibly, ¡°This would entirely need to be built with magic!

    There¡¯s both plumbing and drainage.

    This complete living system must have taken a lot of effort indeed.¡±

    Hill remained silent.

    He based Adrian¡¯s design on Germany¡¯s Rothenburg with Y-shaped streets starting from a tall bell tower, linked by arches and houses with dark red roofs.

    The colors were vibrant, quaint, and elegant.

    This was his favorite town during his travels in Europe years ago.

    Unfortunately, for Adrian, who lived in a fantasy medieval era, the water towers fashioned after onion domes and the broad underground sewers were of greater interest.

    Fran came over and said to them, ¡°This place is really suitable for building a Mage Tower.

    Once the Elemental Node is found, Adrian can stay here and command the Puppets.¡±

    Adrian waved the blueprint in his hand, ¡°Teacher, why not build the small town as well?

    The caravan will be arriving in about half a month anyway.¡±

    Fran took the blueprint and glanced at it, ¡°Not bad.

    They¡¯ve agreed to leave their homes and follow us; we should prepare a good residence for them.

    He pointed at the Y-vertical section, this outer part is for the caravan.

    The blank space is a small square, right?

    Left side is for the apprentices, the right side is for later use.¡±

    Adrian silently calculated: ¡°About 300 meters of forestland between the Mage Tower and the town should be sufficient, right?

    With all ordinary folk on the caravan¡¯s side, it won¡¯t cause any disturbance.¡±

    He looked up again at Fran, ¡°If Hill¡¯s area is not open, should we build a road?¡±

    Fran took out a map and looked carefully, ¡°Don¡¯t connect it to his back mountain.

    This mountain chain leans toward his front left, so a road built downhill can directly lead to his valley.¡±

    Adrian said with a smile, ¡°Although we flew over from his back mountain, we¡¯re actually closer to Saral.¡±

    Fran gave a cold huff, ¡°That¡¯s not too bad.¡±

    Hill suddenly interjected, ¡°The right side could be left for the Undead Tribe.¡±

    Fran could hardly conceal his surprise, ¡°Do you really think William won¡¯t lose?

    Even in the God War?¡±

    ¡°The Undead Tribe is very dismissive toward gods.

    With enough benefits, they dare to brandish swords at gods.¡±

    ¡°They are the race of the Main God!¡± Adrian was astounded.

    ¡°That one seems not to need devout followers; he prefers mutual benefits.

    The Undead usually just verbally invoke but respect the notion of ¡®you get what you pay for¡¯ more.¡±

    ¡°How did you see that?

    I¡¯ve observed for a long time and haven¡¯t noticed.

    They constantly shout about the Main God¡¯s blessing in everything they do!¡± Adrian asked curiously.

    ¡°You should look at their attitude towards William,¡± Hill said indifferently, ¡°They treat William more like they¡¯re dealing with a tavern owner giving out quests to adventurers.

    He¡¯s definitely set to be a future church head.¡±

    ¡°Adrian, get ready.

    Make sure the houses on the right have proper defenses,¡± Fran concluded, ¡°No rush, though.

    Even if there are a lot of Undead People, and William is sure to win, they wouldn¡¯t arrive here before a year from now.¡±

    He looked again at Hill, ¡°Are you sure the address you left will allow them to find it?¡±

    Hill responded, ¡°Each of them has an Alchemy Map, the Temple version.¡±

    Adrian coughed, ¡°His Majesty truly is incredible.

    Perhaps the All Gods cannot even find Him?

    Relying purely on terrestrial followers, the Undead with all Professionals would indeed find it hard to lose.

    Do they have High-level Professionals?¡±

    Hill answered, ¡°Not that I¡¯ve seen so far.¡±

    Adrian shrugged, ¡°Then I¡¯ll get ready.

    When their High-level Professionals also start to appear in large numbers, we¡¯ll consider opening up.¡±

    Fran asked Hill, ¡°Are you planning to let them into your territory?¡±

    ¡°No, I plan on building a small village in front of the valley, providing basic trade.

    There¡¯s nothing special produced there, so I doubt many people will visit.¡±

    Adrian asked, puzzled, ¡°Then why are you insisting on opening a place?¡±

    ¡°The curiosity of the Undead Tribe could kill hundreds of cats.

    If they pass through completely enclosed territory, they would only want to peek at what secrets it holds.¡±

    ¡°What about our place?¡±

    ¡°Just allow Mage Profession entry,¡± Hill muttered internally,

    ¡°I really want to know how many Mages they have,¡± Fran suddenly said.

    Hill did not dare to respond and turned his head down, ¡°The Earth Elemental has found the Node.

    Would grandfather like to go down and see?¡±

    Fran raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°Are you leading the way?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather can just go down directly, the Earth Elemental has opened a path,¡± Hill said, ¡°Once found, I¡¯ll just dismiss these few.

    I¡¯m better off not knowing the exact location.¡±

    Adrian said to him, ¡°You are being overly cautious.

    If necessary, we can bind a few Earth Elementals.¡±

    Hill laughed, ¡°I¡¯m just a small Magician.

    I can¡¯t handle grandfather¡¯s enemies.¡±

    Fran accepted this and took Adrian down.

    Hill sighed and sat down on the ground.

    He didn¡¯t want Fran to interact with players and yet always feared Fran might choose the wrong side.

    His conflicted behaviors probably raised doubts in Fran and Adrian already.

    At that moment, he felt being a Magician was a blessing.

    His awakened Earth-Wood-Water System were all Forces of Nature, deeply cherished by nature itself.

    His Elven Bloodline was also becoming stronger under nature¡¯s call.

    Fran likely thought Hill was inspired by nature.

    That¡¯s good; a bit of mental preparation, and they won¡¯t be too shocked.

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Black Panther Merkel Moves In

    ?15: Chapter 15: Black Panther Merkel Moves In 15: Chapter 15: Black Panther Merkel Moves In Hill looked up at the surroundings, indeed the power of the Magister was extremely formidable.

    The originally uneven mountain top, in just a short while, had been leveled into a plain within a hundred-mile radius.

    Fran had asked Hill to summon Earth Elementals because Elemental Ore has a high resistance to magic and generally can only be detected through physical means.

    Other than Earth Elemental Spirits, a race born to interact with ores, anyone else wishing to find the Elemental Nodes within the ore would need to spend a lot of time.

    Hill thought back to his certification as a mineral civil engineer and felt that perhaps it was a reason why he was more favored by the Earth Elementals.

    Although he was also an Alchemist, he preferred creating devices.

    As for alchemy potions and the like, he would directly use the recipes to manufacture them.

    He never experimented with new formulas like Melanie, but he did enjoy making all kinds of fully automated alchemy production lines.

    Hill sensed that his Earth Elementals had encountered Fran and the others.

    Truth be told, the Elemental Spirits least liked interacting with mages.

    Mages would use Elemental Spirits by half-damaging them and bending them into submission.

    Their spirits were not summoned but bound.

    If these Earth Elementals were not summoned by Hill, they would have automatically disbanded back to the Elemental Realm upon seeing Fran.

    Hill directly let these uneasy Earth Elementals disband and return to the Elemental Realm.

    If it weren¡¯t to help Fran with mining exploration, Hill wouldn¡¯t need to summon Earth Elementals from the Elemental Realm anymore.

    He knew Fran and Adrian wouldn¡¯t care about him knowing the locations of Elemental Nodes, but as generations passed, the two territories would inevitably split, and it was better not to leave any loopholes.

    Adrian quickly came up and took Hill flying into the sky.

    The ground began to shake rapidly and trembled as it grew.

    Eventually, a 16-story Magic Tower rose from the ground.

    The high Magic Tower kept changing materials, finally settling as obsidian.

    Hill, puzzled, looked on as the core of the Magic Tower would further enhance the material of the tower body.

    Obsidian was already known as the hardest stone.

    He had always thought Fran would use a metallic tower body.

    Until a rainbow-colored light beam shot straight into the clouds, Hill watched as the tower body transformed into a material he had never seen before.

    He directly asked Adrian, ¡°What kind of material is this?

    I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±

    Adrian replied, ¡°Ore Crystal.

    This material generally only exists in the Elemental Realm.

    If it weren¡¯t for this hybrid ore-type Elemental Node, the teacher wouldn¡¯t be able to convert it.

    This material is mostly used by Legendary Mages.¡±

    Hill laughed and said, ¡°It looks like I found a good place for Grandfather.¡±

    Adrian responded, ¡°Teacher originally came just to take a look and planned to find a few more spots along the mountains.

    I didn¡¯t expect that the leopard we encountered had hybrid ore, which is much more valuable than single-elemental ore.

    The mine in the Saral Capital is a pure Gold Magic Ore.

    Pure Gold Element Crystal, with the accompanying ore being Mithril.

    Their Magic Tower is entirely made of Mithril.

    You know how precious this kind of ore is, so you can imagine how large that mine must be.

    It is said that the node of that Elemental directly connects to the largest settlement of Gold Elemental Spirits.

    If it weren¡¯t for several legendary figures, Saral wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this mine.

    But to a powerful Alchemist like the teacher, this balanced hybrid ore is the most important.

    This is the kind of Elemental Node that Alchemists dream of, and it turns out that it¡¯s near your domain.

    Looks like our luck is finally turning.?

    Hill cheerfully replied, ¡°Nature loves me, it won¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Adrian sneered, ¡°Of course, the Earth Bear is known as the Son of Earth, and elves are the daughters of nature.

    You possess the strengths of both, naturally the earth and nature will love you.¡±

    Hill squinted at him, ¡°Do you have the guts to say that in front of Grandfather¡¯s face?¡±

    Adrian couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°When the teacher found out about your lineage, he remained silent for a long time, never commenting on it.

    When he saw those Wood Elemental Spirits in your domain, he also didn¡¯t say a word.

    Even your Alice, the teacher didn¡¯t take her for analysis, he just walked by without looking.¡±

    Hill coldly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not discussing this with you, Uncle Adrian.

    If you want to die, it¡¯s none of my business.¡±

    Hill felt a vibration from the alchemy map in his pocket and quickly took it out to see: next to his Baron Polanio¡¯s domain, a newly marked land labeled Fran Magic Tower appeared.

    The two quickly descended to the ground, and Fran soon appeared at the Magic Tower¡¯s entrance.

    He told Adrian, ¡°The puppet has been released.

    Take Hill back and bring over the Boen family as well.¡±

    Fran warned Hill, ¡°Once you¡¯re back, focus on your training.

    Adrian will spend the next half month building a road to your domain¡¯s entrance, so stay in for now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandfather!¡± Hill respectfully replied.

    Fran turned around and called out, ¡°Diamant!¡±

    A figure sparkling with white light appeared at the door: white hair, white eyes, ordinary features, with a cold and stern demeanor, dressed in a white magic robe.

    Hill silently criticized: ¡°Is this the Tower Spirit modeled after a diamond?

    It should at least look better.¡±

    Fran said to Diamant, ¡°Hill can enter the Magic Tower.

    Remember his aura.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    Hill looked at the rigid Tower Spirit and secretly sympathized with Adrian.

    Once a Tower Spirit¡¯s personality is set, it can¡¯t be changed, and Adrian would have a headache in the future.

    Adrian glanced at Hill, picked him up, and flew away.

    It was a while before he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re smirking.¡±

    Hill grinned, ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be me dealing with Diamant in the future.¡±

    Adrian dismissed, ¡°You being a magician who has to do things himself, don¡¯t worry about me.

    Once things are settled, I¡¯ll take on a few disciples.

    It¡¯s time I train my successors.¡±

    Hill laughed, ¡°Uncle Adrian is very confident!

    Then help me take care of Boen.

    Just make sure he becomes a mage soon.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you care more about Boen!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you take good care of your previous playmates, Uncle Adrian?¡±

    ¡°So, why a mage?

    Wouldn¡¯t it be better to be a knight and a small noble?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Adrian, your playmates are just that, playmates.

    Boen is my only childhood friend.¡±

    ¡°True!

    That family has been troublesome.¡± Adrian admitted, ¡°The teacher is great at everything, just doesn¡¯t care about mundane matters.

    His former disciples are always trying to push others away.

    How could great nobility let their children suffer that?

    When Melanie¡¯s incident happened, my family acted quickly to get me into his tutelage.

    Teacher suddenly decided to only take me as a disciple, and I was almost consumed by jealousy.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather didn¡¯t want to deal with those matters anymore.

    He was satisfied with a good disciple, why bother with more.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± said Adrian proudly, ¡°When I became an Archmage, my family was ecstatic.¡±

    He ended with a scoff, ¡°Not a bad return for all the money paid to the Temple of Knowledge!¡±

    Hill truly respected the long-term vision of Adrian¡¯s family.

    Ever since they established themselves in Saral, generations had constantly purchased magic books from the Temple of Knowledge.

    Every child received magical enlightenment.

    When Adrian showed outstanding magical talent, they didn¡¯t hesitate to spend a fortune to get him under Fran¡¯s guidance.

    A Magister can live at least 800 years!

    The higher the rank, the larger the gap between knights and mages.

    A Legendary Knight can live for 8 or 900 years, but if not prodigiously talented, it¡¯s hard for knights to achieve longevity.

    No matter how well-maintained, knights still have to train their bodies, and some injuries can affect them for life.

    With an 800-year-old backer, Adrian¡¯s family didn¡¯t have to worry as much.

    Adrian landed with Hill in front of the Magic Tower.

    Alice soon appeared with Merkel.

    ¡°Hill, Merkel still prefers to live on the mountain.¡±

    Hill thought for a moment, ¡°There¡¯s a section on the left side of the mountain wall near the entrance that doesn¡¯t need a magic array.

    He can live there and guard the gate!¡±

    He took out the huge bundle and said helplessly, ¡°You dug up so much, I¡¯m embarrassed to face Grandfather!¡±

    Merkel howled, and Alice helplessly explained, ¡°Merkel believes if he hadn¡¯t guarded the mine, the mountain would have long been discovered.

    This is his reward for guarding it.¡±

    Adrian laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, neither the teacher nor I mind.

    Leave it for him as a nest.¡±

    Merkel nodded contentedly, took out ten high-level ores, placed them in front of Hill, then happily walked away with the bundle.

    Alice quickly followed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll watch him, won¡¯t let him touch the array!¡±

    Hill waved in agreement.

    His joy disappeared when he saw Boen standing at the door, his eyes red.

    Seeing Boen¡¯s tearful eyes, Hill knew the family was finally leaving.

    As a mother, Lina could always persuade her son.

    His hesitant heart finally settled completely.

    He had deliberately given Adrian the blueprint to slowly separate Boen from his family.

    Once Boen underwent rigorous training as a mage in Fran¡¯s tower, his feelings for his family would mature, and he wouldn¡¯t be hurt by their neglect.

    He smiled at Boen and said, ¡°Why cry!

    When you become a proper mage, come visit often.

    It won¡¯t even take an hour to fly down from the mountain.¡±

    Boen choked up and agreed.

    Hill looked behind Boen at Locke and Lina and said, ¡°Uncle Adrian will take you over, go pack your things!

    Grandfather¡¯s people will take half a month to arrive, it will be a tough time for you!¡±

    They quickly agreed, and Lina expressed her reluctance to leave Hill before heading upstairs to pack.

    Hill turned to Boen and said, ¡°Keep a small ring for yourself.

    No need to tell your parents about it, so they don¡¯t complain.

    Give the rest to List.¡±

    Boen shook his head, ¡°You keep them.

    I don¡¯t need them.¡±

    Adrian scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish.

    Hill wants you to have something without your parents knowing.

    You¡¯ll be living in the Apprentice Street, far from them, you don¡¯t need to tell them everything.¡±

    Hill quickly interrupted, ¡°Uncle Adrian!¡±

    Boen shook his head at Hill, ¡°I understand!

    Mom and Dad favor the younger ones, that¡¯s normal.

    They¡¯re not bad to me.

    You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    Seeing Hill¡¯s worried face, Boen finally smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve always said I¡¯m smart and a potential mage.

    I just hadn¡¯t noticed some things.

    Today they got anxious about me agreeing to leave, and they let slip a lot.

    I understand it¡¯s the best way.

    I¡¯ll keep a ring without telling them.

    Don¡¯t worry.

    I have my own path to walk now!¡±

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 The God War Begins

    ?16: Chapter 16 The God War Begins 16: Chapter 16 The God War Begins Hill understood why Boen was so pained; he had always thought his parents¡¯ loyalty was unshakeable, yet it completely dissipated when faced with interests.

    To avoid putting Hill in a difficult position, he had no choice but to leave.

    In fact, Hill wasn¡¯t upset by this at all.

    Boen always thought Hill was too naive.

    But Hill, who had been circulating through construction sites for over a decade, had seen too many entanglements of interest and feuds of gratitude and resentment.

    Hill simply didn¡¯t care.

    Modern people don¡¯t believe there is such a thing as eternal, unchanging sincerity and emotion.

    The absence of betrayal simply meant that the bargaining chip was placed wrongly.

    He treasured the many years of companionship with Boen, so he wouldn¡¯t test it.

    It would be foolish to make his friend struggle between his parents and himself.

    He nodded and said, ¡°Go and hand over your duties to List; I won¡¯t revoke your access to the territory.¡±

    Boen bowed deeply, turned, and entered the tower.

    Hill turned around to see Adrian looking at him with an inexplicable expression and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Adrian curiously asked him, ¡°I thought you had deep feelings for Lina?¡±

    Hill scoffed, ¡°Uncle Adrian, my own birth mother would abandon me for some inexplicable reason, and my father would rather that I didn¡¯t exist.

    How could you think I¡¯d wholeheartedly trust anyone?¡±

    Adrian said without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s all too common in noble circles.

    Most children like you grow up investing their emotions in their nannies.

    Not many can be as good to Boen as you have been.¡±

    ¡°Boen is Boen,¡± Hill said, ¡°but I¡¯m only slightly better towards Lina¡¯s mom and her family.

    After all, they did indeed make many sacrifices for me.¡±

    Adrian commented, ¡°So, sincerity for sincerity, and feigned interest for pretense?¡±

    ¡°After I taught Boen magic, they decided to postpone having children,¡± Hill said as he led Adrian toward the grass, ¡°but since they said it was to take care of me and truly did so wholeheartedly, I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Teacher and I are always worried that you care too much about them; being soft-hearted isn¡¯t a problem, we can always protect you.

    We¡¯re just afraid you¡¯d consider them family!¡±

    Hill laughed and replied, ¡°I realized that eventually, but I couldn¡¯t say anything.

    It¡¯s Boen who¡¯s truly simple-minded, but he¡¯s capable and obedient, which makes him suitable to work for you.¡±

    Adrian nodded in agreement, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him, give him more to do, to train his magic power and prevent him from overthinking!¡±

    Hill chuckled, ¡°Just remember to bring more young apprentices in the trade caravan, that¡¯s what really matters.¡±

    Adrian regretfully said, ¡°That¡¯s all we can do.

    Let Boen teach them the basics for a few years.

    Hopefully, there will be a few that are useful.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s other task for this visit was to replace the communication box in Hill¡¯s study.

    Fran could direct it straight to the Archmage in the Capital with whom he was good friends, but Hill couldn¡¯t.

    When Fran left the Capital, he destroyed the box there.

    Now that they were so close, the consumption of Elemental Crystals would be much less.

    Hill would be able to communicate with Fran at any time.

    Hill had List bring out an Alchemy Carriage, which had better magic channeling effects, making it easier for Adrian who was floating.

    Otherwise, he was worried that Adrian would just use ropes to drag Boen¡¯s family through the air.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Lina¡¯s family showed up with a huge amount of luggage.

    Hill instructed them to load their luggage themselves, then he went upstairs.

    As he passed the third floor, he stopped to say a few more words to Boen.

    Boen had already packed his belongings and was sitting in a chair, lost in thought.

    Hill tapped lightly on the door, and Boen immediately sprang up, ¡°Young master!¡± It was the address he had used for more than a decade.

    In an instant, the call transported both of them back to times past.

    Hill suppressed the sourness rising in his heart, ¡°I won¡¯t say much more.

    Take good care of yourself.

    Grandfather won¡¯t say much to you, and Uncle Adrian will take care of you.

    But you need to understand, it¡¯s different from being with me.

    I¡¯ve already spoken with Grandfather, Lina and the others will live on the merchant caravan¡¯s side.¡±

    Many words reached his lips only to be swallowed back¡ªproximity doesn¡¯t breed closeness.

    At most, Lina and Locke would just seek resources from Boen for their children¡¯s cultivation; he only hoped Boen could maintain his bottom line.

    Boen nodded silently.

    Hill looked at him, ¡°Lina and the others have gone down.

    You should also get ready quickly.

    Adrian will have to leave soon.¡±

    Boen picked up the suitcase beside him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.

    I¡¯ll try to stay in the Magic Tower.

    Visiting them once a month is good enough.¡±

    Feeling reassured, Hill went upstairs.

    He stood by the reception room¡¯s bay window, looking down.

    Lina and Locke were loading luggage into the carriage, while the two children stood aside.

    After Boen went down, he didn¡¯t rush to help as he used to; instead, he first asked a few questions, then used magic to levitate the large trunks onto the carriage roof.

    Hill felt at ease, knowing it was good to keep just a bit of distance.

    Adrian came out and looked at Hill, ¡°Everything is loaded.

    I¡¯ll take them back now, and we¡¯ll get in touch after everything is settled.

    Oh, you mentioned building a small village outside the valley, do you want me to build it for you or will you build it yourself?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, I¡¯ll just call a few Earth Elementals to build it.

    Just a few houses along the mountain and a circular wall will do.¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to send some merchants?¡±

    ¡°Send me a few young people who can read, write, and count, preferably those who are married.¡±

    ¡°A few people will be enough, huh!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of setting up a general store, an inn, and a pharmacy.

    I¡¯ll also have the servants who have families in the territory move out and live on their own.¡±

    ¡°You really believe the Undead Tribe will come!¡±

    Hill laughed, ¡°If you listened to me, you would build a library on the road reserved for the Undead Tribe, stock it with plenty of low-level magic books, and make a good profit.¡±

    Adrian said without hesitation, ¡°Since we are going to take on apprentices anyway, we¡¯ll have them copy books.

    And then set up two general stores selling low-level alchemy products.¡±

    He glanced at the family downstairs who had finished packing up, then turned to Hill and said, ¡°I¡¯m heading out now.

    You focus on your training, and try to reach Archmage status sooner, so we can worry less about you.

    I¡¯ll contact you if there¡¯s any news.¡±

    Hill nodded and escorted him downstairs.

    After watching Adrian swiftly fly away with the carriage, Hill handed all the miscellaneous tasks to List and immersed himself in his training.

    It was only when Adrian contacted Hill a month later that he realized how fast time had flown by.

    Adrian told him that the God of Nobility had indeed begun the summoning for the God War, but while his faithful nobles were still gathering their forces, the God of Time and Space directly summoned 100,000 people.

    He remarked ruefully, ¡°All professionals.

    It¡¯s likely that Saral doesn¡¯t even have that many.

    When the teacher contacted the Capital, they were practically in a frenzy.

    It¡¯s said that among the first arrivals, there are already Grand Knights and Archmages, and Bishop Level Priests have appeared too.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Are there any Sky Knights?¡±

    ¡°No one has seen any thus far.

    But those people can¡¯t possibly have advanced to Archmage within a month, right?

    No one knows how many high-levels they¡¯re hiding.¡±

    Hill listened to Adrian¡¯s concerned words and pondered how His Majesty had managed to do this.

    Adrian said, ¡°The teacher couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and went to look again.

    He felt the Elemental Power in the air over William¡¯s Territory had thinned.¡±

    In a meaningful tone, he said to Hill, ¡°At this rate, the world is going to change!¡±

    Hill silently considered: If William¡¯s side develops well and attracts more and more people to this game, hundreds of thousands or even millions of players could be possible.

    What would this world, where the air is almost solid with elements, become?

    The world consciousness surely must be aware but still allows it, which is strange!

    Does it hope to reduce the elemental content?

    The powerful elements are what enable the deities to extend their influence into the Lower Realm, even as they remain suspended beyond the world.

    Their power is so great that the world has long forbidden deities from tearing through the realm¡¯s membrane to enter in their true forms.

    Is the plan now to restrict even their influence?

    Hill looked up at Adrian and said, ¡°Then Elemental Ore will become even more precious.¡±

    Adrian replied, ¡°No one knows about the mine here.

    The teacher hasn¡¯t told anyone, and those in the Capital think it was built here just to protect you.

    We mustn¡¯t say anything in the future.

    Be careful with your leopard!¡±

    ¡°There are only three servants in my territory now, one cook, and two manor guards.

    All menial tasks are handled by the Alchemy Golem.

    Merkel basically just goes to the Wood Spirit Forest to wait for me to get some meat boards, hardly ever leaving the house.¡±

    ¡°Is your village complete?¡± Adrian asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t see it when I was building the road past there recently.¡±

    ¡°The Tower Spirit directly communicated with the Earth Elementals, and the houses just grew out of the ground.

    The most it took was some extra time to sort out the drainage.

    I¡¯ve turned those few servants into vassals, giving them land and houses.

    Once their fields produce enough taxes to cover my food, I¡¯ll set these two from the territory free as well.¡±

    ¡°How much land have you enclosed?¡±

    ¡°I calculated it, there are a thousand acres along the mountain range.

    Giving away half of it will be enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send people over tomorrow.

    I¡¯ve already prepared everything, three pairs of newly married young couples who can read and write.

    Staying with me they could only be assistants, so I¡¯m sending them to you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll also allocate land to them, and they can hire others to farm it.¡±

    Adrian laughed, ¡°You¡¯re not at a loss at all.¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°I¡¯m only taking a 10% tax on commerce.¡±

    ¡°Do they have anywhere else to get supplies besides from you?¡±

    ¡°From your place!

    My alchemy products are not that comprehensive.¡±

    Adrian had nothing more to say.

    Fran finally couldn¡¯t hold back and interjected, ¡°Why all this idle talk!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Grandfather, with things as they are, is the God War still likely to happen?¡±

    Fran replied, ¡°Deities who need a sense of crisis and faith will only get more involved!¡±

    He instructed Hill, ¡°Don¡¯t you get dragged into it.

    Those two foolish princes from Saral are planning to join the Rose Faction.

    They¡¯ve already announced their intention to close the borders.¡±

    He sneered, ¡°William¡¯s side is bursting at the seams with no place to go!

    With such a good excuse, let them wage war!¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°I have already purchased enough supplies to last for 10 years, and I¡¯ve taken on more than 30 apprentices.

    I¡¯ve also sealed off the road from Saral to us, so don¡¯t go out unless necessary.

    If you need anything, come here and take it.¡±

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 Williams Two Foolish Brothers

    ?17: Chapter 17 William¡¯s Two Foolish Brothers 17: Chapter 17 William¡¯s Two Foolish Brothers Fran said in a grave voice, ¡°You are a Magician, and you¡¯ve always attracted envy.

    Now the Wise Ones all realize that Elemental Crystals are even more precious.

    Your ability to retain elements will cause trouble if discovered.

    Advance quickly, and once this war is over, you must become an Archmage.¡±

    Adrian sighed, ¡°I fear that even becoming Legendary won¡¯t be enough to protect the Elemental Ore!

    Fortunately, both towers here have been built.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°If Hill doesn¡¯t become an Archmage, his tower won¡¯t be of much use!¡±

    Hill quickly said, ¡°Grandfather, rest assured, I¡¯m advancing quickly.

    I just wanted to solidify my foundation, so I held back a bit.¡±

    Adrian said frustratedly, ¡°So why do Mages hate Magicians?

    Is this what you call advancing?

    It¡¯s as easy as drinking water!¡±

    Hill said as a matter of fact, ¡°That¡¯s why Magicians must hold themselves back!

    Otherwise, if the foundation is not solid, even reaching Legendary would turn one into a Magical Beast.¡±

    Adrian angrily ended the call, not giving Hill or Fran a chance to say goodbye.

    Hill felt he was going to be scolded again.

    Hill decided he would advance when Prince William triumphs.

    The Elemental Spirits would be a level above him; by then, he could summon them in large numbers each morning, and with a valley full of Mage-level Elemental Spirits, there should be no problem: anyone sneaking into the valley would surely die!

    After arranging the people Adrian had sent, Hill went back into solitary cultivation.

    Unexpectedly, just half a month later, Adrian resumed communication: the Old King had suddenly died.

    With a tone full of schadenfreude, he said, ¡°Edward has ascended the throne!

    That fool Charles thought that just because he was a Sky Knight, the Rose Church would definitely support him!

    He didn¡¯t expect Edward to be so daring, his Grand Knight son Ramsden formally received baptism and joined the Church, becoming a God-blessed Sky Knight.

    The Church was really generous with the direct-upgrade baptism!¡±

    ¡°Edward was always more cunning than him, and Charles¡¯s foolish temperament had offended many.

    With both sides having Sky Knights, Edward was bound to win!¡±

    ¡°In the end, Charles might merely receive the empty title of Duke, and that¡¯s only if the Church still needs him; otherwise, he¡¯d be dead by now, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Any news from Prince William¡¯s side?¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°We¡¯ve got news much faster; Prince William doesn¡¯t have a High-level Mage by his side.

    Probably he won¡¯t know anything until the Border City is sealed.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Why do you always forget that he is God-blessed?¡±

    Adrian uttered, ¡°Oh, William¡¯s maternal grandfather is still in that Border City, right?

    I¡¯ll go find out what¡¯s happening with the Spencer Family.¡±

    Hearing Fran interject, Hill listened as he said, ¡°By the time you think of that, William will be marching back to the Royal Capital.¡±

    Not daring to say more, Adrian respectfully asked, ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re back!

    Did you go out?¡±

    Fran didn¡¯t pay him any heed but directly said to Hill, ¡°I flew to the Border City first thing in the morning after hearing the news; Spencer has already let William¡¯s men in.

    Now they are guarding the internal direction of the country.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Any movement from the other Sky Knights in the Northern Border?¡±

    Fran replied, ¡°This is an internal war among the Royalty, so unless they join the Rose Faction, they will not enter the fray.

    After all, no matter who wins, they will still need Sky Knights to guard the borders.¡±

    ¡°So how many in the Rose Faction right now?¡±

    ¡°Among the six Marquises, only one has openly declared his devotion to the Rose and Scepter.

    But the Earls under them might also participate; this is a war of faith, and the Great Lords wouldn¡¯t dare limit their Lords.

    No one would dare offend the Deities.¡±

    Hill sighed and said, ¡°So the only thing William can do is unify the Northern Border as quickly as possible.¡±

    Fran nonchalantly said, ¡°If Edward is smart enough, he should placate Charles first and then take down William in one swoop.

    But if he goes after Charles first, the outcome later might not be so favorable.¡±

    Adrian interjected, ¡°Edward¡¯s family, though cunning and crafty in their schemes, is narrow-minded and will certainly not spare Charles.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°That¡¯s for the best.

    Charles has always been an invisible Crown Prince; despite his impulsive nature, he¡¯s just someone the High-level Professionals and Great Nobility couldn¡¯t be bothered with.

    Over the years, many have sided with him.

    If it weren¡¯t for the Church stabbing him in the back, Edward might not have won.¡±

    Hill said with a smile, ¡°Luckily, grandfather left quickly.

    With the Church making its move, many will surely be involved.

    How is Helen doing now?¡±

    Adrian responded, ¡°The King has suddenly died.

    A Sky Knight has died just like that; someone has to be held responsible, and no one in the Royal Palace can escape.

    ¡°Those mistresses living in the Royal Palace are now confined in a small palace adjacent to it.

    Helen is no exception.¡±

    ¡°Edward is the King now, and he hasn¡¯t let her go?¡±

    Fran softly said, ¡°Someone reminded Charles that Helen, who had been the Old King¡¯s mistress for over 20 years, is Edward¡¯s wife¡¯s sister.¡±

    Hill understood the implication: Someone played that hand very cleverly.

    Fran said, ¡°During this period, I¡¯ll go to the Northern Border every few days to check on things.

    You two should focus on your cultivation.

    ¡°If William unifies the Northern Border and Edward still hasn¡¯t moved his troops, Hill, you go ahead and advance!¡±

    Hill quickly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandfather.¡±

    Adrian interjected, ¡°Hill, there are a few Mages coming to join from your teacher¡¯s side.

    Your Boen is lucky, he¡¯s preparing to advance just at this time.

    I¡¯ve already let him pick a room inside the Mage Tower; after he advances, he¡¯ll officially take over the apprentices.

    He can¡¯t keep living outside the tower with the apprentices anymore.¡±

    Hill knew it in his heart and said with great gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Adrian, for your help!¡±

    Fran cut off their conversation and directly warned Hill, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this person anymore, just mind your own business.

    Even if he doesn¡¯t get promoted, I will let him manage the library.

    If he proves himself, he can stay inside the tower and I will not mistreat him.¡±

    Hill stood up and said, ¡°Thank you, Grandfather, he¡¯s already a Mage, I definitely won¡¯t interfere anymore.¡±

    Fran abruptly ended the communication.

    Hill understood that from now on, he really could no longer inquire about Boen¡¯s affairs.

    The Elemental Spirits summoned by Hill were becoming more numerous, filling the entire valley with elements of three systems.

    Apprentice Boen, who couldn¡¯t understand things before, always came to understand them after becoming a Mage.

    Adrian would surely keep Boen very busy, leaving him no time to venture out to Hill.

    Fran would not allow this person, who knew too many of Hill¡¯s secrets, to leave the Mage Tower casually.

    Now, Boen only knew the secret that Hill was a Magician, which needed to be kept confidential.

    However, even if this secret were disclosed, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it for anyone to bother confronting Hill at the risk of offending Fran.

    Hill wasn¡¯t actually worried, after all, the scattered Elemental Spirits, even if they stayed forever in Hill¡¯s Domain, would not cause the elements to converge and form ore veins.

    And in the short term, the turmoil in Saral was enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention, as long as no one knew he could permanently summon an Earth Elemental tribe, he was quite safe.

    Moreover, while Fran and the others believed that the God War would end in Saral, Hill did not agree.

    This God of Time and Space could so easily summon 100,000 people, the World Will must have given him a backdoor.

    If the World Will truly wanted to drive the power of the deities out of the continent, then this entire continent, not just the humans, but perhaps the elves and Magical Beasts too, would be drawn into the fire of war.

    Hill did not understand what had happened that made the World Will prefer to reduce its own quantity of elements in order to drive out the power of the deities.

    However, he believed he would always be able to see the outcome, and by then, he would know the reason.

    Hill walked outside the Magic Tower.

    Alice was indeed still playing with the Wood Elf.

    Hill waved his hand to call her over.

    Alice asked him, ¡°What happened?

    It isn¡¯t mealtime yet, and it¡¯s rare for you to come looking for me.¡±

    Hill said directly, ¡°The God War is about to erupt, don¡¯t go out recently.

    Tell Merkel, don¡¯t leave the domain at all costs.

    Don¡¯t give my grandfather a chance to silence you.¡±

    Alice asked, ¡°Is it about keeping the Elemental Ore secret?

    I know Merkel¡¯s ore is special, but it¡¯s not large, does a Magister really need to keep it secret?¡±

    ¡°My dear Alice, great changes are coming to the world.

    You need to listen more to the voices of nature, not just focus on playing.¡±

    Alice said dejectedly, ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m just a cat, why do I have to worry about so many things?¡±

    Hill smiled and patted her head, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to attract trouble, for the coming years you must honestly stay within the domain, but you should hasten your training.

    Perhaps a hundred years from now, advancing will not be as easy as it is now.¡±

    Alice looked puzzled at Hill, but Hill could no longer say more.

    Nature would also tell these elves that time was pressing.

    It¡¯s just that Alice, really just a cat.

    Besides matters of life and death, playing was most important.

    She might even choose to ignore the urging voices of nature.

    In the end, Hill told Alice, ¡°Tell Merkel to stash his ore well, and absolutely do not take it out of the domain.¡±

    Alice nodded silently.

    Seeing that the little cat was already feeling a sense of urgency, Hill said no more.

    He, who originally wanted to suppress the Archmage for a few more years, also had to hasten his elevation.

    Advancing so quickly, he would have to stay longer at this level.

    Before becoming a Magister, Hill must refine all the basics thoroughly, for he certainly did not want to have the chance to become Legendary, only to turn into a bear.

    The continuous inquiries by Fran turned out just as they had thought.

    Edward indeed made the first move against Charles.

    Even though the Noble Church and the Royal Church desperately mediated, Edward still wanted to drive out everyone in the Royal Capital who listened to Charles.

    An enraged Charles took matters into his own hands from Helen.

    He personally guarded the small palace where Helen¡¯s mistresses were held, vowing to extract evidence of Edward¡¯s patricide from their mouths.

    During this time, William personally led men to arrest all members of the Noble Church in the Northern Border.

    Except for the Marquis Sky Knight who escaped with his family, all others were made prisoners underneath the steps.

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 Archmage Hill

    ?18: Chapter 18 Archmage Hill 18: Chapter 18 Archmage Hill People were extremely surprised to discover that the first batch of undead that arrived were actually all Archmages and Grand Knights.

    Although these undead were somewhat unruly and disorganized in their actions, the 100,000 professionals under the leadership of Grand Knights turned into a super tornado, sweeping through the entire Northern Border.

    Edward, still far off in the capital, hadn¡¯t even reacted before the battle in the Northern Border had already been decided.

    William directly raised his royal banner, proclaiming that Edward had committed patricide and betrayed the country, with the nobles and the Royal Church as the masterminds, and the foolish Charles as an accomplice.

    Many minor nobles who initially intended to back Edward all kept quiet.

    The undead were just too many.

    Fran told Hill that the few Legendary Archmages and Legendary Knights of Saral currently remained neutral.

    After all, the death of the old king was indeed suspicious, and the Legendaries didn¡¯t want to publicly support someone suspected of patricide.

    Moreover, between the two deities, at least for now, the God of Time and Space demanded very little from His followers.

    After all, His clan¡¯s behavior was comprehensively displayed during this period.

    Among the undead, a considerable number exhibited signs of chaotic neutrality and chaotic good, yet they still hadn¡¯t lost God¡¯s favor.

    But He had a deep hatred for evil.

    Many claimed to have seen undead of lawful evil being divinely punished, directly struck by lightning, and when they reappeared much later, they had turned neutral.

    Hill thought silently: ¡°The red name penalty seems pretty severe.¡±

    After occupying the entire Northern Border, William¡¯s army halted for rest without showing signs of taking further action.

    Spectators suspected he was waiting for high-level support.

    After all, besides Charles and Ramsden in the capital, there were still several Sky Knights and Magisters standing with the Noble Church.

    Moreover, the Noble Temple in the Saral Capital had not only a Legendary Cardinal but also a Legendary Paladin guarding it.

    Hill understood very well that there weren¡¯t any high-level players available right now, so they had to seize this time to level up and grind tasks.

    For William, time was of the essence.

    The longer Edward delayed, the more advantageous it was for him.

    However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Edward¡¯s army took a month to organize and still hadn¡¯t set off.

    He claimed he intended to personally lead the expedition to support Ramsden but simply didn¡¯t set off.

    Adrian¡¯s conspiracy theory suggested that Edward wanted to wait for high-level forces from the Temple of Time and Space to arrive, so they would be at odds with the legendary figures of the Noble Temple, allowing him to secure his throne.

    Fran also thought this idea made sense.

    Hill believed that if the battle hadn¡¯t even started yet and Edward was already planning to deal with allies, it was way too early.

    The high-ups in the Noble Church were almost losing their minds with rage.

    Under their relentless urging, Edward finally put forth his requirement: he hoped they could bring forth Helen to hold off Charles, ideally confining Charles.

    A Sky Knight from their own faction, which the Noble Church was initially reluctant to abandon, but Edward¡¯s actions drove them to despair.

    Adrian excitedly told Hill that the high-ups in the Noble Church likely intended to kill Helen off directly, but Edward resolutely refused to give her up, even threatening the church to protect Helen.

    Only then did people understand that these two had somehow gotten involved together.

    Since his eldest son Ramsden demonstrated knightly talents, Edward had ceased seeking mistresses.

    Outsiders assumed it was to appease his son, but no one thought that it was because of his sister-in-law.

    Edward¡¯s wife nearly lost her mind.

    She ordered Ramsden not to take action over this matter.

    The Noble Church, if it wanted to control Charles, had to take action themselves.

    Hill almost laughed to the point of falling over when he heard the news.

    Edward, who loved beauty over the throne, paired with the devastating beauty Helen, truly seemed a match made in heaven.

    Sadly, such pleasure could only be enjoyed by oneself.

    Adrian just thought Hill was gloating over Edward¡¯s split and enmity with his only dependable son at such a critical time.

    He also felt that his own efforts to concoct a series of conspiracies seemed quite foolish for such a reason.

    But regardless of the reasons, Edward and Charles had offended all the nobility in Saral.

    Charles, a Sky Knight who had incarcerated Helen for so long, hadn¡¯t managed to get any truth from her.

    Neither he nor his men, who had given him no help, were played around by a woman.

    As a result, no one could continue to support Charles.

    As for Edward, no nobles really cared if he gained the throne through schemes, as power struggles among nobility were inherently bloody and merciless; people would only laugh at Charles¡¯s incompetence.

    However, no matter how sinister and despicable the struggle, it had to be concealed, leaving only dignified and noble appearances for the public to see.

    Arrogant and impulsive as Charles was, at least he maintained the basic decency of a noble, even periodically allowing these women a public appearance, signaling he wouldn¡¯t harm women.

    Edward, however, tore away the last fig leaf in front of the church.

    He had trampled Saral¡¯s entire dignity into the mud.

    The church wouldn¡¯t help keep the Saral King¡¯s secrets.

    Saral was set to provide the whole world with a great joke.

    The Saral King could be sinister and cunning, vile and shameless, but he couldn¡¯t be universally acknowledged as foolish.

    If, henceforth, people remembered Saral only for this joke, how could the nobles continue to live in it?

    Fran believed that if not for the Noble Church standing in the way, the entire Saral would have eagerly welcomed William¡¯s arrival.

    The longer the delay, the fewer nobles willing to participate in this war, and the Noble Church saw this clearly.

    So, they finally abandoned Charles.

    The Noble Church eventually dispatched three Archbishops to confine Charles.

    Edward settled Helen down and finally set off with his dawdling army.

    By then, another half month had passed.

    Hill figured that the later 100,000 players, after completing the missions that swept through the entire Northern Border, most likely had also advanced to the Grand Knight level.

    Among the first batch of players, those exceptionally dedicated to grinding tasks probably had already advanced to the Sky Knight level.

    Advancing one tier in two months was already a very high difficulty for a game.

    The Noble Church, unless they dispatched a Legendary Paladin and Cardinal, had no hope of winning this war.

    And the final victor, William, would become a legend on this continent, with the name of the God of Time and Space spreading further.

    His divine power would undoubtedly experience a significant increase.

    The Noble Church was bound to dispatch their legends, but given the time, Hill believed that William should have turned into a legend by now.

    After all, he had heard that William was still spending an hour each day meeting with the undead; without substantial benefits, he wouldn¡¯t have persisted.

    And such a war, involving over 100,000 participants, would bring unimaginable notoriety to this game in that world.

    Hill was confident that he would spend time playing it if he were in that world.

    Hill eagerly anticipated the number of players that would appear when William held his coronation in the capital.

    Right now, the only thing Hill could do was to retreat and advance to Archmage.

    As for Fran and Adrian, they continued to focus on the battlefield.

    The players would undoubtedly bring them unparalleled experiences.

    Fran, in over 60 years of life, hadn¡¯t encountered anything this thrilling.

    The nobles¡¯ schemes, facing the carefree players, were bound to create many wonderful stories.

    Hill slowly opened his eyes, feeling the earth, wood, and water elements rushing into his body.

    After a month, he had finally become an Archmage.

    He sensed his body¡¯s attraction to the elements.

    Now, it was as if he was in deep meditation every moment.

    When Adrian first became an Archmage, he absolutely did not possess such a strong attraction.

    For a mage, this was an invaluable talent, but for a sorcerer, if he couldn¡¯t fully understand and remember every piece of his flesh, hastily turning into an elemental body would only lead to future failure.

    Even if he could quickly reach Magister level, he would either remain a Magister forever or rapidly ascend to Legendary, then completely lose himself, turning into his bloodline creature.

    From now on, Hill had to suppress himself constantly, painstakingly measuring every inch of his flesh, to prevent himself from becoming an uncontrollable Earth Bear.

    At the moment Hill became an Archmage, he felt the uncontainable excitement of the elemental spirits bound to him.

    The Earth Elemental Clan Leader instantly advanced by one level.

    If not for the players¡¯ appearance, Hill, proficient in summoning, could have almost swept through the entire western border.

    Unfortunately, because of the devils¡¯ presence, high-level mages and priests were adept at banishment spells.

    Archmages¡¯ soul strength wasn¡¯t sufficient to cast mass banishment; they had to banish each summoned unit individually.

    The summoning flow that Hill practiced was difficult for them to handle.

    However, Magisters could directly link to the Elemental World.

    They could send back any amount summoned at once.

    But at least staying in his Magic Tower, Hill didn¡¯t need to fear even Legendaries.

    Whereas before, he had to rely on Fran¡¯s protection, Hill could finally stand tall and claim that he could protect himself.

    Hill summoned List to inquire about any new information during his retreat.

    As expected, Edward had just made an ostentatious declaration of war when he was suddenly overwhelmed by dozens of Sky Knights and Archmages, while William¡¯s face didn¡¯t even appear.

    The Archbishops sent by the Noble Church were seated in a lavishly constructed tent at the rear.

    The Temple of Time and Space had sent dozens of bishop-level priests, leading a massive priestly congregation.

    This thousand-strong priest legion, standing behind the army and using healing spells, caused Edward¡¯s forces to collapse at the outset.

    They inflicted minimal casualties.

    After a few charges from the undead, Edward¡¯s 100,000-strong army was completely routed.

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 The Great God of Time and Space

    ?19: Chapter 19 The Great God of Time and Space 19: Chapter 19 The Great God of Time and Space Ramsden surrendered outright, and even the Noble Church¡¯s own Archbishop was captured.

    Edward tried to escape but was hung from a tree by an Undead Mage.

    All the priests of Saral¡¯s temples combined probably didn¡¯t number 10,000.

    The Temple of Time and Space, however, easily dispatched about 10,000 Bishop Level priests.

    The number of priests signified the level of deities, and faced with such powerful divine beings, no one in Saral dared to make a sound.

    The Noble Temple directly sent out a Legendary Knight.

    However, he was immediately blocked by William, who had become legendary at some unknown time.

    In this continent, the capitals of nations each have a Main Temple guarded by two legendary figures.

    And other legends reside in the Mount of Gods.

    The Mount of Gods is where the deities once raised their divine thrones, the very foundation of deities on earth.

    The God of Nobility had been a divine being for tens of thousands of years.

    From His Mount of Gods to Saral, even a legend would need a month to travel.

    Unless the God of Nobility or the Goddess of Art and Love used all their Divine Power to teleport directly, even if they rushed to Saral, they would only arrive in time for William¡¯s coronation celebration.

    These two deities weren¡¯t without enemies, and they dared not do such a thing.

    William was bound to be king.

    After becoming a legend, the entire Saral would prostrate at his feet, cheering and jubilant.

    A legendary king who could live for 800 years.

    There would be no one left to oppose his rule.

    Unless the God of Time and Space summoned William to His Divine Kingdom, the 30-year-old William would rule over Saral for a very long time.

    Hill sensed the message from Fran¡ªWilliam was the key.

    He had to remind Fran that the movements of the Undead Tribe were of utmost importance.

    Fran seemed to think that the God of Time and Space would ascend to His divine throne in Saral, but Hill disagreed.

    Once He officially became a god, He would have to leave this continent.

    Divine Power would not convert as easily as it does now.

    He wouldn¡¯t have put in so much effort to break the boundaries of time and space to summon players only to stop there.

    And Hill himself was also preparing to meet the players who were everywhere and capable of exploiting every loophole.

    William¡¯s army, after a brief rest, set out for the Saral Capital.

    Before officially departing, Duke William publicly declared that from now on, Saral would not welcome the Noble Temple or the Temple of Art.

    He wished that the two temples would maintain their last shred of dignity and leave Saral before his army arrived in the capital.

    The Noble Temple withdrew cleanly, but the Temple of the Goddess of Love was problematic.

    This temple had only female priests, and on a daily basis, was protected by knights who had sworn their allegiance to them.

    But these knights of Saral couldn¡¯t possibly abandon their homes and country for the so-called love.

    The reason love is worth singing about in any world is because it¡¯s precious and rare.

    Even though most of the female priests of this temple came from the noble families of Saral, they could not stop their fate of being abandoned.

    Being abandoned by both their lovers and families also led to the collapse of this temple.

    The last kindness William showed was to send a few of his Grand Knight cousins with a contingent of the Knights¡¯ Guild to escort them to Haifasardo.

    People from the Noble Temple should also be guarding the border between the two countries, ready to take them over.

    It¡¯s unknown whether the Goddess of Art and Love would be angry seeing her followers, who were unhesitatingly abandoned by the Noble Temple.

    This Goddess had been born and relied on the God of Nobility for existence for tens of thousands of years, unable to survive independently.

    One could tell her status just by looking at the actions of the Noble Temple.

    The saying ¡°Without a pillar, the house falls¡± exists in every world.

    As for this, Hill was only more determined to pursue the path to legend, for only through one¡¯s own strength can one have freedom in this world.

    William slowly marched toward the capital, erecting temples of the God of Time and Space along the way.

    He also publicly proclaimed His divine name and divine office:

    Great deity Cronos born of the illusory space-time!

    He who controls the flow of time and space, freely traversing the universe!

    Pitiful people¡¯s mournful prayers reach His ears!

    His merciful gaze finally turned to the mortal world, blessing the pitiful people with peace and joy!

    He promises to bring fairness and justice to His followers!

    Praise His name, and He is willing to bring the opportunity of education to those who spread His word!

    William declared that each Space-Time Cathedral would establish a literacy class: every person could learn 200 characters at the literacy class, requiring only that you praise the name of the God of Time and Space before learning, with the rest being completely free of charge.

    The Space-Time Cathedral is also willing to assert justice for disciples who suffer injustice.

    Moreover, the poor would no longer have to worry about being deceived by nobles and merchants, as each Space-Time Cathedral has a likeness of the Divine Scales, where both parties could weigh their goods before transacting.

    This Scales would be placed outside the cathedral doors, available to all, believer or not.

    This is a transaction witnessed by the deity, and violators will be sanctioned by the temple.

    The God of Time and Space did not stretch His hand to the signing of contracts, leaving a way out for the God of Justice.

    The Justice Temple had no response, and Fran thought this deity was planning to wait until the end.

    The God of Justice started with passion, but ended up as a deity providing justice for contracts.

    That it took tens of thousands of years without ascending to greater divine power shows just how deep the waters are.

    But He also firmly upheld the justice of the contract, which even the deities could not violate.

    After Fran openly declared his divinity in front of the God of Time and Space, he sighed to Hill, ¡°What His Majesty of Justice has been unable to achieve in tens of thousands of years, I hope this one can succeed!¡±

    Fran was certain that as long as the God of Time and Space could uphold fairness and justice, the God of Justice would not hesitate to flock to His banner.

    For tens of thousands of years, the Divine Power of the God of Justice had never changed.

    As for the God of Knowledge, once it was confirmed that education would only bring about more knowledge, there was no more fuss.

    The universal literacy rate would only lead to a greater thirst for knowledge, which in turn would make the Divine Power of the God of Knowledge even stronger.

    Adrian told Hill, ¡°The nobility are still being foolish!

    Those in my family don¡¯t understand and actually asked me if charging for literacy isn¡¯t a major source of income for the Temple of Knowledge, why hasn¡¯t the temple opposed it?

    Does literacy affect knowledge?

    It¡¯s clearly the nobles!

    If they think about bullying and imposing arbitrary taxes again, just wait for the God of Time and Space and the God of Justice to deal with them!¡±

    The wise ones had long foreseen the outcome of this affair.

    Was it because the former God of Justice and the God of Knowledge couldn¡¯t do it because they didn¡¯t want to?

    It was because They lacked the manpower!

    But the God of Time and Space had at least a hundred thousand players.

    William dispersed teams of players throughout the newly built churches.

    These players, who had taken on the task of teaching, would stay in the church to start literacy classes.

    Hearing this from Adrian, Hill was astounded, ¡°Those of the Undead Tribe really have no pride as professionals!

    Actually fighting over the job of teaching the poor to read!¡±

    Hill thought to himself: That must be a super lucrative task.

    Maybe it¡¯s enough to level up after completion!

    I want to compete for it too!

    Fran told Hill, ¡°William has issued an order: Knight and Swordsmen¡¯s Guilds have been established in the capital.

    He will appoint people to guard the two Mage Towers without Magisters and withdraw all others, leaving them to the Undead Tribe.¡±

    Hill thought: Systemic job transfer locations!

    Hill got nervous.

    If Saral is being set up this thoroughly, is it going to become a newbie village?

    This feeling of preparing for a major battle, is William planning to wage war against Haifasardo?

    So when Fran asked Hill if he wanted to attend William¡¯s coronation ceremony, Hill decided without hesitation that he would go!

    William had built a series of churches but never mentioned where he planned to construct the Main Temple.

    William also showed no intention of holding large-scale sacrificial ceremonies.

    Logically, if Saral was to be the rising place of the Divine Throne for the God of Time and Space, William should now be sending away priests from other temples.

    But he only expelled the opposing temples.

    What exactly is the God of Time and Space behind William plotting?

    Where will He go in the future?

    Where and when will the Divine Throne rise?

    These questions were driving the onlookers mad.

    But even more tormented were the temples.

    Saral, from now on, was going to be a place of little interest to the deities.

    The Temple of Time and Space would take up the vast majority of newborns in the future.

    However, all the deities remained silent, issuing no divine edicts.

    Thus, the faithful could not simply flee without a fight.

    The major temples of Saral were consolidating their forces back to the capital, all amusingly under the pretext of preparing to participate in the king¡¯s coronation ceremony.

    Hill really wanted to witness this spectacle.

    In the bustling capital, with anxious temples and trembling nobles facing the lawless players, it was sure to offer him plenty of fun.

    And moreover, among the countless pieces of information Fran had provided during this time, there was never any mention of Count Pelast.

    But since he belonged to Edward¡¯s faction, he was definitely not going to fare well.

    If he had simply been unfortunate due to association, Adrian would have come to gloat over his misfortune already, but since he hadn¡¯t said anything, Hill felt something unmentionable must have happened.

    But it couldn¡¯t have been too terribly tragic, or Fran would certainly have told him.

    Perhaps he was locked up, which is why Fran and Adrian did not mention it to him.

    But what difference did it make if he knew?

    Was Hill going to rescue him?

    Hill felt that he had always been indifferent to the Perelast Family, and he was not sure why Fran and Adrian always thought he would go soft.

    But Hill could not possibly go out of his way to tell Fran that he didn¡¯t care about anything to do with Count Pelast.

    His interest in Pelast might even be less than that of Fran and Adrian.

    So be it then, he would find out when he reached the capital anyway.

    Whatever the case might be, it was all brought on by Count Pelast himself.

    Hill went directly to the valley to deal with village affairs.

    Although he didn¡¯t know when these players would arrive, he decided to get various goods ready beforehand.

    Most importantly, he had to make sure the Magic Arrow Towers were well-calibrated.

    Who knows if these players will try kite-flying with the village defenses.

    The village guards sent out by Hill were just there to switch the village gate.

    Every night at eight o¡¯clock, the gate would lock, the Magic Arrow Towers would activate automatically, indiscriminately attacking any living thing that approached the village at night.

    Hill hoped the players would know to obey the rules.

    His towers could take down even Sky Knights.

    Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal; they¡¯ll learn after dying a few times.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 First Arrival in the Capital

    ?20: Chapter 20: First Arrival in the Capital 20: Chapter 20: First Arrival in the Capital Hill still had to negotiate purchasing prices with several shop owners.

    Although he didn¡¯t know how the players¡¯ experience was set, he had to be prepared for a large influx of goods.

    Herbs, food, meat and hides, mineral jewels, all required a set purchasing price, with some room left for flexibility.

    After Hill asked them to calculate a purchasing list, he went to compare it with Fran¡¯s caravan.

    Given the close proximity of the two places, the prices had to match.

    Finally, he checked the inn, the village¡¯s largest building with over 100 small rooms.

    The three-story, concave structure was managed by five maids sent by Hill.

    Every household in this village had a fixed job and allocated land, making them relatively wealthy free citizens.

    Hill needed to instruct the innkeeper that should the Undead Tribe arrive, they must not panic, regardless of the situation.

    If there wasn¡¯t enough meat, they should issue hunting tasks to the Undead, who would surely be willing to hunt.

    Hill would return right after the coronation ceremony, so if there were any issues they couldn¡¯t handle, they could wait for his return.

    Although the Undead were Professionals, they wouldn¡¯t easily lay hands on ordinary people.

    Hill sensed that the managers were quite calm.

    After all, Fran was a Magister and Hill himself had become an Archmage.

    To the natives of this world, such backing should be enough to ensure their safety.

    Hill also thought that at most, they might suffer some mental distress.

    The deities ought to shield the players from too many unconventional behaviors.

    It would be best to leave the player issue until after his return, to face their spicy challenges then.

    No matter how conflicted Hill was, he was whisked away by Fran straight to the Saral Capital.

    This was Hill¡¯s first visit to the Saral Capital.

    The city, named Obastian, was incredibly magnificent and majestic, protected by three concentric, robust walls from the outside to the inside.

    The outermost wall was made of bluish-black boulders piled high.

    The vast Outer City of the Capital didn¡¯t resemble a typical fantasy novel setting, where the outskirts were ringed by slums leading to a middle-class core near the inner layers.

    How could slums be permitted near the city walls?

    In the Outer City of Obastian, each of the four corners harbored a huge garrison.

    The families of officers and soldiers from the camps lived around them, and behind them, the safety forces and their families formed a barrier between the army and the common people.

    In this city, it was very rare to find someone so poor that they couldn¡¯t survive.

    In this semi-slavery society, all impoverished and desperate people were turned into slaves.

    And in this world, not everyone could own slaves; those without a title could only hire labor.

    Next were the lower-middle classes¡ªvarious artisans, merchants, employees serving officers and traders.

    Various underworld powers also dwelled among these people.

    The truly oppressed poor of the city lived in areas controlled by these dark forces, such as gambling dens and brothels.

    After that came the middle classes.

    They had a certain level of education, enough money to employ workers, and could operate various shops and workshops.

    Junior Professionals of the Capital usually lived here as well, so this area was dotted with pubs and inns.

    These people also composed the vast commercial circles of the outer layer.

    The ring closest to the Inner City Wall was generally inhabited by split-off members of families without titles and relatives of the Royal Guard.

    Even Professionals could only join the Royal Guard if they had a clear background, were verifiable, and had ancestors who had lived in the Capital for generations.

    In essence, the majority of those who could join the Royal Guard were untitled offspring from the nobility.

    But this at least placated most of the Professionals living in the Capital, as they would not easily break the law in hopes that their descendants might join the Royal Guard.

    The Inner City Wall was entirely made of obsidian, with Magic Arrays glowing upon it.

    Very few cities used obsidian for their walls¡ªthis expensive material usually reserved for borders¡ªand only the wealthy Saral, owner of the continent¡¯s largest Gold Element Mine, would use it.

    The outermost layer of the Inner City comprised large Temple complexes.

    None of these Temples, which claimed to serve the people, dared to locate themselves in the Outer City.

    Not even chapels dared establish themselves among the common folk, except those of the Lord of Justice and the Goddess of the Spring.

    How could the truly impoverished and oppressed, living under the Temple¡¯s thumb, gain the means to pass through the Inner City guards?

    Beyond that was the step-by-step nobility district.

    Dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, barons, and knights, ranked from low to high, were situated in a circular arc around the Royal Palace.

    A wide central avenue ran straight through the Inner City to the Royal Palace.

    Along this road for the first kilometer, various colored shops were mostly owned by the Great Nobility, while those within the last kilometer nearest to the Royal Palace were all property of the Royal Family.

    The entire Royal Palace was built upon the Gold Elemental Ore.

    In this stone city, its white architecture stood out starkly.

    Engraved with Mithril Magic Arrays, the palace¡¯s white rock walls shone dazzlingly, separated from the nobility district by a moat.

    The King¡¯s residence sat at the center of the Pentagram Magic Array.

    Each tip of the Pentagram was occupied by a Magic Tower under the control of Magisters.

    And at the two converging points of elements beside the King¡¯s place were two Legendary Magic Towers.

    Together, the Royal Palace and its Magic Towers were built to suppress the Elemental Tide Vortex that formed over the Elemental Ore bed.

    Legend had it that during the mining period, an immense Elemental Tide formed into an enormous vortex, which took several Legendary Mages to suppress.

    To excavate the mine, these Mages entered the Elemental Realm and negotiated with the Gold Element, eventually using Mithril to construct the palace complex, probably the world¡¯s most expensive Royal Palace.

    Hill had read various books about the founding of Saral since childhood and was full of curiosity about this Royal Palace.

    Now, at last, he could see it with his own eyes.

    Pleading with Fran to let him look around the city, Fran, indifferent, floated them above the Inner City gate.

    Flight was prohibited over the Inner City of Obastian.

    After giving Hill half an hour, an impatient Fran descended at the Inner City gate.

    Hill was actually quite satisfied.

    The Outer City was best left unmentioned¡ªas opulent as it was, it couldn¡¯t attract the notice of a modern person used to Western-style high-rise cityscapes.

    The Inner City District was different; a variety of exquisite and unique temples caught Hill¡¯s attention.

    These magnificent and atmospheric buildings were colorful and eye-catching, with an imposing presence that was both towering and spectacular.

    Past the Temple District was the gorgeous Nobles¡¯ residences area.

    The design of the elegant manors was clever, bustling like a dream, picturesque, refined, and profound as if one had stepped into a fairy tale world.

    Well, Hill thought, this truly is a Fantasy World.

    No wonder Adrian didn¡¯t find the town he designed to be all that beautiful; it was only the water supply system that warranted praise.

    Fran grew impatient and asked Adrian to keep an eye on the distracted Hill as they entered the city gate.

    The noise drew Hill¡¯s attention.

    Even Fran stopped in his tracks: the Undead Tribe had already arrived!

    The Inner City guards seemed to not yet realize that the lightly dressed women were high-level professionals of the Undead Tribe.

    They spoke in a frivolous tone, telling the women not to enter the Nobles¡¯ area looking for business.

    Adrian asked in confusion, ¡°Can¡¯t they see the names above the heads of the Undead Tribe?¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t the guards professionals?¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Only professionals can see that, right?

    No place would have knights guarding the city gates!¡± Fran said, ¡°Their names change with elements, how could non-professionals see them!¡±

    He asked Hill, ¡°What¡¯s with those clothes?¡±

    Hill looked at the exquisite short cocktail dresses and was at a loss for words: you¡¯d be better off wearing armor and Mage Robes!

    He collected himself and said, ¡°Their entire tribe consists of professionals; they probably prefer to dress lightly.

    Don¡¯t Elves also typically wear short skirts and shorts?¡±

    Fran said with knitted brows, ¡°It¡¯s normal to wear less in the forest, but Elves wear a lot when they go out!¡±

    Hill could only respond, ¡°The Undead Tribe never cares about others¡¯ thoughts and gazes.¡±

    Fran could only agree and told Adrian to handle it.

    Many onlookers had gathered, seemingly curious about how the Undead Tribe would deal with these guards, with no one stepping forward to intervene.

    Fran had no interest in waiting around.

    Unfortunately, the Undead Tribe girls finally understood the vulgar implications in the guards¡¯ words.

    Several guards were scorched of their outer garments by sudden fireballs.

    Screaming, they dropped their weapons and covered themselves with their hands as several Earth Walls trapped them in a haphazard fashion.

    Hill heard a female voice: ¡°What a white butt.¡±

    The onlookers fell silent; no one dared to speak out.

    Even the wildest female adventurers weren¡¯t this bold.

    Adrian stopped and stepped back to their side: ¡°Hill, was it like this when you visited?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been there?¡±

    ¡°Back then, they all wore linen clothes.

    They were busy hunting, building houses, farming, and although they argued often, I never saw this...¡±

    ¡°When I visited, they were also very busy.

    William¡¯s subordinates were polite to them, and no one provoked them.

    But they were vicious when fighting and cursing among themselves.

    The girls would swear too.¡±

    ¡°Adventurers swear too, regardless of gender.

    But they would never do this.

    There aren¡¯t many men who would dare to.¡±

    ¡°Are there mages among the adventurers?

    Their status gives them confidence.¡±

    Adrian thought for a moment: ¡°That¡¯s true.

    But are all girls from the Undead Tribe this fierce?¡±

    Hill said nothing, sneering inwardly: Who cares about appearances in front of NPCs.

    Suddenly Fran spoke up: ¡°There¡¯s a Priest!

    Is that even allowed?

    That one really doesn¡¯t care about their followers!¡±

    Hill could only continue grumbling internally: Healing is just a profession.

    The few female members of the Undead Tribe sat on top of the Earth Walls, completely indifferent to the onlookers, pointing and whispering to each other, assessing the guards¡¯ physiques and appearances inside.

    At that moment, a group of knights ran out from inside.

    The leader shouted, ¡°Ladies!

    Please, show some mercy!¡±

    Adrian almost laughed: ¡°William¡¯s guards.¡±

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Preparing to be a Boss

    ?21: Chapter 21 Preparing to be a Boss 21: Chapter 21 Preparing to be a Boss The girls of the Undead Tribe, sluggishly jumped down from the earth wall, chattering away, ¡°They are too rude!¡±

    ¡°What do they take us for?¡±

    ¡°We were merciful just by not killing them!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Vander!

    Those guards are beyond the pale.

    Doesn¡¯t anyone manage them?

    Dismiss them!¡±

    Vander could only offer a bitter smile, ¡°Ladies!

    They are just ordinary people, unaware of your identities!¡±

    ¡°Ha!

    Can¡¯t ordinary people dress a bit cooler?¡±

    ¡°Is it a crime to dress nicely here?¡±

    Vander closed his eyes, ¡°They will be punished.

    Now, please don¡¯t block the entrance!

    Others are waiting to get in!¡±

    The grumbling girls of the Undead Tribe finally entered the gates.

    Vander broke the earth wall and tossed these fools into the guard room, ¡°Get them some clothes!

    Haven¡¯t I told you to lay low recently?

    Stay away from strange people when you see them!

    Don¡¯t you understand?

    Where is your captain?¡±

    Watching the angrily cursing Vander, Fran asked Hill, ¡°What do we do when they come to us?¡±

    Hill quietly responded, ¡°Why would there be ordinary people in our domain?

    All outsiders are Professionals, no one would be so foolish.

    As for security, I leave it all to the Alchemy Golems, and grandfather does the same, right?

    Let the Tower Spirit take responsibility for discerning right from wrong, strictly handling it according to the law.

    After all, we are the Clan of the Deities; fairness and justice are what matter.¡±

    Fran couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    It was rare to see Fran reveal such a sense of helplessness.

    Fran said to Adrian, ¡°You¡¯ll handle the matters of the domain with Diamant from now on.¡±

    Adrian nodded in resignation, ¡°Yes, teacher.¡±

    Fran continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go, into the city.

    We¡¯ll return immediately after the ceremony!¡±

    William¡¯s coronation was imminent, surely a busy time.

    As Hill walked, he thought about how his subordinates had to deal with the Undead Tribe¡¯s issues themselves, not wanting to trouble the future King at such a moment.

    It seemed they still didn¡¯t know how to interact with players, only instructing their subordinates, who had never encountered the Undead Tribe, to steer clear of anyone who acted unusually.

    It would be chaos born out of different perspectives and value systems enough to keep them busy.

    They would never understand why Archmages would venture to the outer city¡ªa place where commoners and all sorts of people milled about, seldom frequented by High-level Professionals, let alone women.

    Nor could they grasp that, to save money, many players would surely stay in the cheapest and lowest-grade hostels in the outer city.

    If William¡¯s subordinates didn¡¯t go to their master for advice soon, waves of players would be sweeping through the underworld of the outer city.

    These players would surely raise the banner of the God of Time and Space, purging all evil in the name of cleansing, leveling up while fighting monsters, and gathering some gold on the side.

    Hill hardly believed that only these ladies from the Inner City dressed this way.

    Without any provocation from the players, people would be heading their way for trouble.

    Hill was rather curious about one thing: where did these small dresses come from?

    Had their game started selling appearance items?

    Hill wanted to see the men¡¯s clothes, somewhat interested in buying.

    Adrian suddenly laughed, and Hill looked up to see: the players were visiting various Temples.

    The Paladins guarding the gates all turned pale.

    After all, not many could tolerate their sacred Temples being reduced to topics of comparisons.

    Perhaps by William¡¯s strict orders, no one from the Undead Tribe entered any major Temples.

    Even the unguarded Noble Temples were left unbreached.

    But the players¡¯ gesturing and guessing which Temple belonged to which deity was enough to drive the Paladins mad.

    Hill overheard a passing player dismissively say, ¡°What kind of Noble Temple is this?

    It¡¯s not even as tall as the Justice Temple!¡±

    The chattering never ceased.

    ¡°The Spring Water Temple is the prettiest and suits me best.

    Quick, take more pictures.

    What¡¯s wrong with the Love Temple?

    It¡¯s not even pink!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, even light purple would do!

    Who uses dark purple to represent love?¡±

    Hill quietly thought: All Temples are uniform in height.

    It¡¯s just that the Justice Temple is lighter in color, making it appear taller.

    The deep purple is a very expensive natural color derived from shells found in the ocean.

    This was a key point for noble women joining the Love Temple.

    How many vain noble girls have been tempted by the shimmering deep purple Priest robes?

    Hill heard a startling exclamation, ¡°That one must be really old!

    Why else would they like a ¡®granny¡¯ color!¡±

    Fran couldn¡¯t help but cough, quickly pulling out a Puppet Horse carriage, plucking up Adrian and Hill, and hurriedly making their getaway.

    Hill heard someone behind them ask, ¡°Oh my!

    An Alchemical Golem Horse!

    How gorgeous!

    Where can I buy one?¡±

    The carriage picked up speed.

    Adrian pointed outside, ¡°Here comes William¡¯s Guard Commander!¡±

    Hill stuck his head out to look.

    The Guard Commander with a pallid face had left his subordinates far behind and was heading rapidly towards the chaotic Temple District.

    Fran said, ¡°Adrian, block off the square leading to the Magic Tower after we return.¡±

    ¡°Yes, teacher!

    I will just leave a small door on Apprentice Street, guarded by a Puppet.¡±

    ¡°Two Sky Knight Puppets!¡±

    ¡°All right, teacher!¡±

    ¡°What about your place, Hill?¡±

    ¡°I am merely a poor and meek Archmage, always in seclusion at home.

    Next door is the powerful Mage Fran¡¯s Tower, so please turn left if you need anything.¡±

    Fran snorted coldly and fell silent.

    Adrian chimed in, ¡°Your tower, even the less wealthy magisters can¡¯t afford to build one.¡±

    Hill said to him, ¡°My backers are right nearby.

    Why would they bother coming to me?

    It¡¯s obvious I¡¯m being cared for by others!¡±

    Adrian patted his head, smiling bitterly.

    Fran, looking at the throngs of the Undead Tribe outside the carriage, said, ¡°The noble district has never been this busy since it was established.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°There are over 100,000 people!

    Does William just let them roam around the city like this?¡±

    Hill suddenly asked, ¡°Are all of grandfather¡¯s shops closed?¡±

    Fran spoke first, ¡°Who could keep professionals locked up!

    Besides, they are God¡¯s Chosen.¡± Looking at Hill, he said, ¡°What about it?

    Except for one or two storefronts, all the others have been sold.¡±

    ¡°Let grandfather open one up and sell all the little trinkets he doesn¡¯t need anymore.¡±

    ¡°The merchants didn¡¯t come along,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Hill said, ¡°and also collect some materials on the way.¡±

    ¡°What good things could the undead have in their possession?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve got a bag that can hold quite a bit, and they like to pick up anything they don¡¯t recognize.

    Even three melons and two dates are money.¡±

    ¡°You, an archmage, opening a shop?¡±

    ¡°Even a magister has to pick through trash to sell!¡±

    Fran snorted coldly, and Hill quickly shut up.

    ¡°Adrian, take him there.¡±

    ¡°Which place does grandfather plan to stay at?¡±

    ¡°I have a house in the mage district.

    Why?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay in the capital for about half a month.

    I¡¯ll just stay at the shop!¡±

    Adrian said to him, ¡°You¡¯re an archmage!

    Even if others knew you¡¯re a magician, it wouldn¡¯t matter.

    Haven¡¯t you seen how many magicians there are among the undead?¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to depend on grandfather from the Perelast family.¡±

    Adrian fell silent.

    At last, Fran said, ¡°The worst that could happen to them is being banished along with Edward.

    They¡¯re surely arranged to stay outside the Northern Border, which doesn¡¯t involve us.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°We¡¯d end up being neighbors with Charles as well.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°So, at a time like this, they¡¯ll definitely try desperately to find help.

    I really don¡¯t want to deal with them.¡±

    Adrian asked, ¡°So what do you plan to do?

    You can¡¯t just ignore the situation completely.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait until their fate is decided.

    If they really do get kicked out of the country, I will return the money the earl gave me.¡±

    He turned his head toward the window and softly repeated, ¡°In the name of my father, I bestow upon you 20,000 gold and leave all of my mother¡¯s dowry to you.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Give him 50,000.

    Just think of it as if you also bought the pioneering decree for the baron¡¯s domain.¡±

    Hill nodded silently.

    Fran said, ¡°Let¡¯s drop Hill off at the shop first, it¡¯s on Maple Leaf Street.¡± Turning to Hill, he said, ¡°It¡¯s the biggest commercial street in the baron¡¯s area, suitable for you to go to.¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Thank you, grandfather.¡±

    The carriage quickly arrived at Maple Leaf Street and finally stopped outside a three-story building.

    The white building was a typical commercial house, with the first two floors facing the street entirely made of crystal floor-to-ceiling windows.

    They were covered by curtains, hiding the rooms from view.

    The third floor featured two tightly shut windows.

    Adrian took out the keys and handed them to Hill, tossing him two rings as well, ¡°Inside are mage-level alchemical goods, all used by me for practice.

    My teacher thought there was no need to store them in the magic tower¡¯s warehouse.

    You can sell them; consider it pocket money from me.¡±

    Hill said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a child.¡±

    Fran, handing him a ring with a smile, said, ¡°Alright, you can account for these.

    Whatever you sell, you get one layer of profit.¡±

    Adrian chuckled with his right hand covering his mouth.

    Hill didn¡¯t want to talk anymore: Wait until the undead come in, and you¡¯ll see that even trash can be sold!

    The result of too few mages is even fewer alchemists.

    Unless one has extraordinary talents or is very wealthy, it is hard for people to continue under the circumstances where basic alchemical goods are difficult to sell.

    But high-grade alchemical items are in high demand and short supply.

    Unfortunately, outsiders don¡¯t understand transactions between mages at all, which is why the earl had no idea he once had such a wealthy wife.

    Fran walked away with Adrian while Hill watched the carriage depart before turning his gaze to Maple Leaf Street.

    It being autumn, the red leaves were fluttering down beautifully on Maple Leaf Street.

    Hill nodded in satisfaction, confident that players would come for check-ins.

    He nodded to the neighboring shop owners who came out to look and entered the shop.

    Indeed, Fran¡¯s shop was lavish.

    Hill looked at the alchemical shelves; these high-level goods only needed to place items in the box under the shelf, and the goods that were laid on the platform, shielded by magic crystals, would automatically replenish when one was taken.

    Hill put elemental ore in each shelf and used his own magic power to activate the array on the shelves.

    After arranging the goods by medicines and sundries, the description of the items could be seen on the platform¡¯s magic crystals just by infusing them with magic power.

    Hill checked the shop¡¯s defensive magic array and cleaning array¡¯s crystals, filling them up before easily heading upstairs.

    His main intention was to find bargains from the players.

    Opening just one floor was enough; the second floor could be used as a warehouse.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 1

    ?22: Chapter 22 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 1 22: Chapter 22 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 1 The third floor was a typical two-bedroom, one-living-room, one-kitchen, one-bathroom apartment, which was enough for Hill.

    It had probably been shared by several Mage Apprentices before, hence it was a bit cluttered.

    Hill tidied up the room and set out the furniture from his Alchemy Hut.

    These days, Hill spent more time reading books and less time meditating.

    Fran strongly supported his engaging in sundry activities, as mingling with people and affairs was precisely what a Magician should do at this stage: it was crucial to strengthen the human aspect and not get dragged away by beastly impulses.

    Hill clapped his hands, deciding to open for business the next day.

    After all, as soon as anyone discovered the shop, hordes of players would swarm in.

    The next morning, as Hill got up and pushed open the windows, there were already crowds of female players on Maple Leaf Street.

    Looking down, he saw that they were all dressed in various outfits, striking different poses among the drifting maple leaves.

    Hill shook his head; sure enough, it was all about fashion: backless evening dresses and chest-high mini gowns had made their appearance.

    All to showcase their elegant high heels, they were all wearing short skirts.

    No wonder several neighbors dared not open their doors.

    Hill inspected carefully, yet there was a hint of helplessness and absurdity on some male players¡¯ faces as they stood by.

    The variety of shirts, long pants, and leather shoes pleased Hill.

    He was tired of the nobility¡¯s multi-layered collars on shirts.

    Wearing those alone wasn¡¯t allowed, but simply wearing a Mage Robe always made him feel underdressed.

    Hill went downstairs to open the shop.

    He pushed the door open, lit up the sign, and then just waited for the customers to come.

    Hill set up a small round table by a floor-to-ceiling window on the first floor, loaded it with food, and began to enjoy a meal in the armchair.

    Soon, some passing players noticed the only open shop on this street.

    Hill realized it was someone he knew: the famous A Deer, known for hitting people over the head with a Priest Hammer.

    There were a couple of familiar faces with her, but most seemed to be newcomers; it looked like their guild really had entered en masse.

    She was wearing a white fishtail gown, and the jewelry visible on her hands sparkled faintly, probably her professional accessory.

    Such Alchemy Jewelry wasn¡¯t cheap; apparently, wealthy players were now able to keep up with the mainstream gear of this world.

    The girls began to explore the place: sneaking glances at Hill in the process.

    Hill wore a deep blue Mage Robe, purposely looking mature, serious, and stern.

    However, it was no use.

    A Deer was clearly heard saying, ¡°Look at that pretty uke.¡±

    Hill looked up at her, then someone tugged at her clothes, ¡°Is he looking at you?

    Did he hear you?¡±

    A Deer nonchalantly replied, ¡°He probably feels I¡¯m talking about him, but I¡¯m not saying anything bad, just praising his beauty!

    Other NPCs won¡¯t understand, it gets blocked.¡±

    Hill thought blankly, Block me, please!

    I don¡¯t want to hear this.

    Sure enough, those girls started trying to match Hill with someone, making him hastily get up and ask, ¡°Is there anything you need?

    You can use the Mana Points on the tray to access the crystal, which will provide product descriptions.¡±

    He turned to see the Alchemy Jewelry, ¡°These are very suitable for those in the Magical System.¡±

    The large gemstone-made ornate jewelry caught their attention, and they swarmed to look at them.

    Hill tried to ignore the chattering noise of their discussions, noticing A Deer inspecting Alchemy Medicines: a smart girl, the guild needed medicines the most.

    She immediately picked up a tablet and started looking for someone.

    Soon Baldy came rushing in with Xiao Liuliu.

    It seemed the guild leader¡¯s wife handled the finances.

    His voice boomed, ¡°Hey, apprentice, lucky you saw this.

    Otherwise, by the time I woke up, everything would have been gone.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu quickly advanced to the medicine cabinet, ¡°We¡¯ve got to open up guild territory, got to get the accounts right.¡±

    ¡°No worries, we¡¯re only level 50, still a long way to advance to level 100!¡±

    Xiao Liuliu ignored him, ¡°Lulu, it¡¯s good you woke up early.¡±

    Baldy asked, ¡°What are that bunch looking at?¡±

    ¡°Jewelry, very pretty!

    Master, I went to see too, you and Mistress take your time shopping,¡± she replied.

    Baldy nudged Xiao Liuliu, ¡°You go check it out too!

    Buy more if it¡¯s nice.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu rolled her eyes, ¡°Didn¡¯t you spend all our money on horses?¡±

    Baldy chuckled, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a limited edition snatch?

    Lucky I grabbed fast.

    I¡¯m getting Gold from Little Bug.

    You go have a look too!¡±

    Xiao Liuliu said, ¡°Looks plentiful, but I¡¯ll get the medicines first.

    Our guild¡¯s stock is too low.¡±

    Baldy nodded vigorously, then turned and saw Hill sipping morning tea, and leaned in to whisper, ¡°Good morning, Archmage sir.

    First time seeing you.

    Wasn¡¯t this place open yesterday?¡±

    Hill tilted his head and glanced at him, ¡°I¡¯m here to attend the new King¡¯s coronation and will leave after running the shop for a few days.¡±

    Baldy paused briefly, then suddenly jumped up and ran towards Xiao Liuliu, ¡°Wife, wife, quickly call everyone online, this is a limited offer.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll call them, you watch your language.

    Want to get banned for seven days again?¡±

    Baldy opened his mouth, swallowed the words on his lips with difficulty, ¡°Ah, can¡¯t even use expressions.¡±

    Hill struggled to keep a straight face.

    Baldy added, ¡°Hurry them up.

    See if we can buy it all.

    Tell them not to spread the word, if those from Doomsday hear about it, I¡¯ll cry if Listening Wind shows up.¡±

    Fran looked at the girl with the ponytail dressed in a black cocktail dress, quite puzzled.

    She pondered, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to play a mischievous character in a keyboard game, but what kind of obsession compels one to do the same in a holographic game?

    Do they assume that since they can¡¯t see themselves, it¡¯s only others who get disgusted?¡±

    Xiao Liuliu suddenly smiled, leaning closer.

    ¡°Archmage sir, can I get a discount if I buy more items?¡±

    Fran shook his head.

    ¡°These are all already at the lowest price, young lady, with no discounts available.

    Once they¡¯re sold out, that¡¯s it.¡±

    She asked gently again, ¡°Sir, your alchemy items are very good.

    Will you sell more in the future?¡±

    ¡°We have our own Magic Tower and don¡¯t come to the Capital unless necessary.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s such a pity!

    I really hope to be able to buy such good things continuously.¡±

    Fran smiled silently, and Xiao Liuliu had no choice but to leave.

    Seeing that someone was ready to make a purchase, Fran tossed a few Alchemy Golems towards the store¡¯s control core.

    The golems quickly lifted several trays and walked to the girls¡¯ side, waiting for them to confirm their selections.

    Baldy trotted over again.

    ¡°Sir, may I ask what controls these golems?¡±

    Fran gave him a glance.

    ¡°These are controlled by the most basic Magic Tower core.

    Long ago, those at the Mage Level could construct magic towers, and they developed this type of core.

    It can only manage three stories worth of alchemy items and magic arrays.

    It can handle some minor computational statistics.¡±

    ¡°However, these tasks can now be handled by Mage Apprentices, and using these is much cheaper.

    Gradually, they were phased out.

    Now it¡¯s mainly alchemists who don¡¯t want to hire staff who use them for their shops.¡±

    ¡°Are these things very expensive?

    Sir.¡±

    ¡°The core isn¡¯t expensive, 20,000 Gold Coins will get you one.

    But it requires an Elemental Crystal each day to operate, which costs 1,000 Gold Coins each.¡±

    Baldy muttered, ¡°*$#% it, sell me then!¡±

    Xiao Liuliu suddenly said angrily, ¡°How did you get warned again!

    If you get banned one more time, I¡¯m not helping you command!¡±

    Baldy hurried back sheepishly to appease his wife.

    Fran watched the pair bickering and felt nostalgic: This is what true love looks like.

    In this world filled with deceit and conspiracy, Fran didn¡¯t believe he would fall in love with anyone.

    The overly sensitive nerves of a mage made it difficult for most to marry.

    Not to mention magicians like Fran, who were guided by Natural Consciousness.

    In the past, although Fran could sense when someone in front of him was lying, he wasn¡¯t as sensitive as now.

    Each time someone tried to deceive him, the voice of nature would swirl around him, reminding, ¡°He¡¯s lying to you!

    He intends to harm you!

    He is malicious!¡±

    Nature loved him, Fran knew, but he really didn¡¯t want to distinguish things so clearly.

    He missed the bliss of ignorance.

    Suddenly, dozens of people rushed into the entrance, and Fran was delighted to see that most were men: indeed, all dressed in fine outfits.

    Fran walked to the spacious workbench in the center of the shop, sat down, and proclaimed loudly, ¡°Identification and miscellaneous intake!¡±

    Baldy charged over abruptly.

    ¡°Sir, do you also do identifications?

    It¡¯s our first time seeing this!¡±

    Fran tilted his head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been following Prince William to war; surely, you haven¡¯t seen an alchemist.¡±

    The Magic Sword standing behind Baldy asked, ¡°Only alchemists can perform identifications?¡±

    ¡°Others may know the names of the items and vaguely what they are used for, but they could also be mistaken.

    Alchemists are meant to analyze everything in the world, generally knowing what specific materials can do.¡±

    ¡°So, basic identification means this?

    Telling me what the name means?¡± Luo Sanquan, standing third in line, muttered.

    Fran noticed their group also jostling for a position.

    These few were all Sky Knights, quickest to act.

    Baldy casually dumped a pile of items on the table.

    ¡°Sir, can you give a price estimate?¡±

    Fran looked up at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you material prices for each item, 1 Gold each.

    For more detailed and specific uses, 10 Gold each.¡±

    Baldy swallowed.

    ¡°The 10 Gold ones.¡±

    Fran watched as people behind him stretched their heads to look at the items on the table, collecting any duplicates.

    Dream Awakening, standing at the last, simply went to guard the door.

    They coordinated very smoothly, and it seemed like the competition among players was fierce.

    Fran thought this over as he inspected each item.

    First, he took out the Magical Beast Crystal Core.

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange these by Crystal Core Level for you, from low to high.

    These are all used in making medicines, generally accepted by any Potion Shop.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu quickly ran over to take photos, beckoning to those still paying.

    Fran paused a few minutes for them, then continued, ¡°Crystal cores can also aid in meditation, you need to test your Physical Attributes in a Temple or Magic Tower.

    Although during meditation the easiest attributes to absorb are your own, multi-element people may slow in leveling up due to a lack of elements at high stages.¡±

    Busy, Xiao Liuliu asked, ¡°Is it the same for Priests?¡±

    Fran looked at her.

    ¡°Priests don¡¯t need crystal cores.

    Meditate more on Divine Grace in churches.¡±

    ¡°So, churches have this use too!¡± A Deer muttered, ¡°And I wondered why Prince William didn¡¯t just build schools instead.¡±

    Fran looked at this Archbishop level priest and didn¡¯t even want to respond, choosing to pretend he hadn¡¯t heard.

    Baldy looked back and shouted, ¡°Where¡¯s Chattering?

    Didn¡¯t he come?

    Can¡¯t he wake up earlier!¡±

    The old man behind answered, ¡°He didn¡¯t come, I recorded it.

    I¡¯ll pass it to him when he arrives.¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 2

    ?23: Chapter 23 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 2 23: Chapter 23 The First Day of Dealing with Players Part 2 Hill was startled upon hearing the familiar name, it was their people!

    He glanced at Baldy, feeling somewhat guilty.

    Fran wouldn¡¯t show up, and Adrian had seen it already, so there should be no problem.

    Still, he hurriedly picked up the materials on the table and continued to explain, quickly indicating the buying prices for Crystal Cores.

    The crowd behind him began to stir, with someone cursing the dishonest merchant from yesterday, evidently having been bought out at a low price.

    Hill bent his head down to sort through the items, explaining their uses one by one, setting prices, and placed a Puppet at the side.

    If anyone wanted to sell materials, the Puppet would calculate the buying price.

    Hill felt the Puppet had returned to the second-floor warehouse several times.

    It seemed like these people were pretty much clearing their inventory here.

    After Xiao Liuliu had cleared her stock, Hill noticed that the last ones remaining were A Deer and Dream Awakening.

    It appeared that some gentlemen had allowed the girls to go first.

    A Deer laid out a lot of ores, which surprised Hill: Was this girl mining by herself?

    No wonder she stayed back.

    She managed to hold onto so many ores until now.

    Seeing the earnest-looking girl, Hill could only sigh, sorting through the ores one by one, and indeed, a crowd gathered around to take photos.

    He simply raised his hand and marked the names and prices of the ores above them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you Undead Tribe have basic identification skills?

    You know the name of the ores, you can compare them to the store¡¯s prices.¡±

    ¡°The weapon shop doesn¡¯t tell us the prices, nor does it sell finished ore products to us.¡±

    ¡°Please go to the general store,¡± Hill sighed, ¡°You players treat the general store like a supermarket, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°The weapon shop only buys metal ores, and the general store buys everything.

    It¡¯s the same with Magical Beast Crystal Cores, the weapon shop only buys what they need.

    Generally, the prices for ores and Crystal Cores are fixed, more or less the same at each shop.

    The reason why my buying price here is high is because I¡¯m cutting out the general store¡¯s profit margin.¡±

    ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t sell it, I got cheated.

    Damn it, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I needed money, I wouldn¡¯t have sold it so carelessly!

    That damnable swindler!¡±

    Hill thought with a headache: William has completely let the Undead loose, haven¡¯t he?

    They don¡¯t know anything.

    Magician suddenly said, ¡°That despicable Quartermaster!

    He made so much money off of us.¡±

    Hill looked up at him, ¡°Did you exchange your weapons and equipment with the Army?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    The price difference is huge!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s normal.

    The military camps spend a lot of money hiring blacksmiths and Alchemists.

    Their fees definitely have to be included in the product cost.

    There are more than 100,000 of you, after all!¡±

    ¡°Hiring my ass, it¡¯s all programmed!¡± The Magician had barely finished speaking when he was struck by a lightning bolt.

    Hill looked on in disbelief as the lightning seemingly came out of nowhere: That seemed to be summoned by their tablets, right?

    Baldy adeptly explained, ¡°He has a foul mouth and was punished by the gods for speaking incorrectly, Mr.

    Archmage need not worry.¡±

    Hill held his forehead and said, ¡°Please, call me Polanio.

    Hill Polanio.

    His Majesty of Time and Space sure is strict!¡±

    Baldy chuckled, pushing the charred Magician to one side, ¡°My apologies, Mr.

    Polanio.¡±

    Hill looked at the ore in his hand with some resignation, ¡°Where did you mine this from?¡±

    A Deer looked carefully, ¡°I don¡¯t remember, let me check the log.

    Is this valuable?

    Goldshine Stone?¡±

    Hill was speechless: You already know it¡¯s Goldshine Stone, don¡¯t you?

    What¡¯s the name in the Capital?

    She struggled to navigate her tablet, ¡°Uh-uh-uh, in Pelast Territory, a small cave near the direction of the Capital.

    I went AFK and mined a bit, and these two pieces came out.¡±

    Hill leaned back in his chair, almost laughing out loud, ¡°You take these two stones to go find William¡¯s Guard Commander.

    I remember he¡¯s supposed to take care of your affairs.

    Tell him where you mined the Goldshine Stone!¡±

    This time, no one could save the Pelast Family, off to pioneer the Northern Border they go!

    Baldy hesitated to ask, ¡°Is this very valuable?

    Can¡¯t we mine it ourselves?¡±

    Hill was nearly breathless: I already know about it, and you still want to mine it yourself!

    Are you after money or your life?

    ¡°It¡¯s too close to the Capital, you won¡¯t be able to keep it.

    Better to tell William and get some military exploits.

    You want to be granted your own territory, right?

    With high military exploits, your territory will be better.¡±

    Hill didn¡¯t want to continue speaking with this man with a pained expression: You still don¡¯t understand what Goldshine Stone is?

    When I speak, it should be in the language here, right?

    Could it be that they are hearing it translated directly?

    But he felt these people were looking at the top of his head!

    Being so slow to catch on, Hill couldn¡¯t bother to say more.

    He turned to the last person, Dream Awakening, and asked, ¡°The clothes on you look nice, is that the Undead¡¯s casual wear?

    Do you have any spares to sell to me?¡± He really liked the black silk shirt Dream Awakening was wearing, loose and casual, the fabric soft and smooth.

    The others were wearing very bright clothes, and Hill couldn¡¯t bring himself to compliment them.

    ¡°Of course, but it¡¯s not cheap,¡± Dream Awakening quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s a set, and one piece is 2000 Gold Coins.¡±

    Hill, seeing how straightforwardly he spoke, knew he had done a direct conversion from gold prices.

    It seemed their gold prices were quite stable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10,000 Gold, can you sell me four sets?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No problem!¡± Dream Awakening was visibly excited, ¡°I¡¯ll buy them for you right now!¡±

    Hill watched him swiftly tapping the tablet, it seemed they could make direct cash transactions in the game.

    Dream Awakening immediately changed into a white set of the same series and asked, ¡°Will this set do?¡±

    Hill said in surprise, ¡°You can change directly?¡±

    ¡°No, this is just for trying on; it disappears after 10 minutes.

    You still have to wear the actual thing you buy.¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°This set is good.¡±

    A Deer squeezed through, ¡°The Magic Sword set is good too; it¡¯s just that he¡¯s silly, insisting on wearing bright red.

    Try on that black set and see.¡±

    Upon selecting it, Dream Awakening changed into a black, slightly shimmering, small stand-up collar trench coat, with black trousers that smoothly clung to the body, and black boots with small, sparkling accessories on the heels.

    Hill nodded and took another look at the Magic Sword that had recovered from its pitch-black state.

    The bright red was still something he didn¡¯t want to lay eyes on.

    Hill sighed, looking down: Is the point to make it so that I can¡¯t see myself, as long as it blinds everyone else?

    He looked at Dream Awakening, ¡°The clothes you all have look rather nice¡ªjust different colors, yet the difference is quite big.

    Bring me one of each in all the black and white colors!¡±

    Seeing Dream Awakening¡¯s hesitation, he said, ¡°Not enough money?

    You buy a few pieces for me first, and I¡¯ll pay you.

    After that, you can continue purchasing.¡±

    Dream Awakening quickly said, ¡°Is it possible for us to split the purchase?

    It¡¯s easy for each person to buy four pieces.¡±

    Hill nodded in agreement, ¡°Seems like this gang is pretty united.¡±

    At last, he emphasized with some trepidation, ¡°Only the black and white colors!¡±

    In the end, Hill received over fifty sets of clothing.

    He pondered to himself that the game company over there seemed rather large, and just selling Point Cards wasn¡¯t enough to sustain the game warehouse; they had to sell clothes too.

    He suddenly felt like laughing: To keep up appearances, He must be buying the most expensive servers, which could only be used for setting up a game forum, right?

    After each person had received a sizeable amount of money, they surged to go shopping again¡ªwith a strong desire to clear out Hill Shop.

    Hill sat back in the armchair beside the window, quietly watching the scenery outside.

    These people spent the entire morning at Hill¡¯s, and probably after spending all their money, they began to trickle out one after another.

    Liu Liu came over at the end to bid farewell, ¡°Mr.

    Polanio, thank you very much for your patient explanations.

    We¡¯ve made our purchases.

    Will there be new items tomorrow?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing; you should read more books.

    The items sold out are gone, but there will be new ones.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to read more books!¡± Liu Liu almost sighed uncontrollably, ¡°Then we will come again tomorrow.

    Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    Baldy interjected, ¡°Thanks for the reminder, we¡¯ll go find that Guard Commander in the afternoon.¡±

    Hill smiled as he watched them leave, surprised to notice Liu Liu slap Baldy on the head, then switch the sign on the door from ¡®Closed¡¯ to ¡®Open.¡¯

    Hill chuckled wryly: No wonder Dream Awakening had closed the door and then stood guard outside all this time.

    He thought it was to prevent hostile gangs from entering.

    It turned out they had flipped the sign to ¡®Closed.¡¯

    No wonder no outsiders came in.

    These players are quick-thinkers indeed!

    Hill hadn¡¯t noticed at all.

    Did they change it while Liu Liu was talking to him?

    So each of them entered and then just closed the door behind them.

    Hill watched silently as groups of players entered with excitement: it was the afternoon, and there were more players now.

    Hill didn¡¯t want to restock anymore; he sat by the window to bask in the sun and take a break.

    He savored the players¡¯ maneuvers; truly surprising.

    Hill felt he needed to clear his head and be more alert next time.

    Hill, with eyes closed in meditation, knew that many players were taking photos of him, guessing his face and various stories would soon appear on the forums.

    Since he couldn¡¯t see it anyway, Hill thought cheekily, as long as no one mentions it in front of me, I¡¯ll remain an innocent little Magician.

    With the players constantly coming in, Hill was spared a lot of trouble; no locals wanted to enter, so he didn¡¯t have to go to the trouble of dealing with them.

    When evening fell, Hill took the opportunity during a lull to get up and close the shop.

    More than half of the medicines were sold out.

    Hill randomly selected some to replenish the medicine cabinet.

    If they didn¡¯t sell, that was fine; who knows what the players will want to buy?

    All the Alchemy Jewelry was gone.

    No matter the time or place, the purchasing power of women is unstoppable.

    The Alchemy Tents also sold out, and after searching thoroughly in his ring, he only took out the basic models.

    Since those were gone, he decided to put out the luxury ones for sale as well.

    He also brought out a few Alchemy Huts; although expensive, the wealthy could still afford them, right?

    Hill thought of the things that Baldy and his group had bought and nodded silently: Such vanity items, surely there would be buyers.

    He had to bring out the Alchemy Carriage as well; he remembered Baldy and his group said they bought limited-time horses.

    Definitely the expensive kind with Magical Beast lineage, beautiful and powerful.

    He had thought that these few carriages that remained unsold were just his practice pieces from the past.

    When he first started making carriages, he always wanted them to look luxurious and dazzling with full features, but the end result was something he didn¡¯t dare to look at himself.

    This type of Alchemy Carriage, which in Hill¡¯s opinion you¡¯d only use if struck by a bout of ¡®chu?nibyo?¡¯, would probably be quite popular with players, glittering and extravagant, adorned with gold and silver, even the open-topped ones.

    Hill walked past the odds-and-ends cabinet and found that a few camping stoves he made had been sold as well: okay then, there are always players who want to go camping in the wild.

    Hill brought out some more small items, all things he had made idly while reminiscing about life in the past.

    These high-priced items that used Elemental Ore wouldn¡¯t be bought by low-rank players and are of little use to high-rank ones.

    Take the Alchemy Refrigerator, for example, which can be carried inside a ring, with 1 Crystal Stone providing cooling for one month.

    In Hill¡¯s opinion, that¡¯s quite economical, but Adrian ridiculed him mercilessly: 1000 Gold Coins is enough for a small noble family¡¯s consumption for a year, who would buy such a thing?

    Isn¡¯t it okay to eat fresh?

    If you want something icy, hiring a Water Mage Apprentice to make a bit wouldn¡¯t cost more than 1 or 2 Gold Coins.

    Hill could only stash the refrigerator in storage, as he had made quite a few of them with the hopes of making money back then.

    This time, he decided to take them out.

    It seemed that players only bought what they wanted, regardless of expense; so, these should sell as well, right?

    After restocking was complete, he went upstairs to sleep, feeling more tired than he had in a long time.

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 The Second Day of Dealing with Players

    ?24: Chapter 24 The Second Day of Dealing with Players 24: Chapter 24 The Second Day of Dealing with Players The next morning when Hill got out of bed, he carefully reflected on last night¡¯s sleep.

    He hadn¡¯t felt this bone-weary in many years; a deep sleep that left him radiating a comfortable vibe upon awakening, surrounded by Spirits of Nature rejoicing for him.

    Hill quite liked this feeling of being human.

    He pushed open the window to take a look and his mood plummeted instantly.

    There was a queue.

    A long line stretching all the way to the end of the street.

    Hill had no choice but to wonder: if they knew the goods here were of such quality, why didn¡¯t they keep it a secret?

    He felt the puzzle he faced when playing games in the past¡ªwhy are there so many who cause harm but to no one¡¯s benefit?

    For a moment of showing off, posting on forums and drawing crowds to compete, it happened in every world.

    To players who didn¡¯t know any better, perhaps they really were good people?

    Hill listlessly descended the stairs and quickly summoned the store core, resetting the settings: after 30 people entered, the door would immediately close, and after one batch left, another could enter; everyone was allowed only 30 minutes inside.

    Hill also opened up the spare door next to it.

    Today, Hill didn¡¯t dare to sit by the window and have breakfast; he gnawed on a couple of sandwiches and picked up a pot of tea to sit at the crafting bench: today he would only be buying, no appraisals.

    He set up a sign for buying ores, herbs, and all kinds of materials, and on this Alchemy Plate, he listed all the materials he knew and the prices he was buying them for.

    Thankfully, he had bound the store core, and Hill decided when he left, he¡¯d take this one with him and give a new one to Fran.

    Taking a deep breath, Hill ordered, ¡°Open the door.¡±

    The store¡¯s door automatically opened, and the players in front pushed their way inside.

    Hill saw that they were practically shoved in, all swearing at each other.

    But it was still the familiar faces: Perfect Bald and his bunch.

    Baldy cursed aloud, ¡°Which short-lived moron posted on the damn forum!¡±

    Xiao Liuliu scolded him, ¡°Shut it, do you enjoy being warned every day!¡±

    A Deer added, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the master, let him get banned a few more times; he¡¯ll learn.¡±

    Magic Sword followed, ¡°Queuing in the middle of the night, insane.

    Let¡¯s hurry and buy, I still want to sleep!¡±

    Hill noticed Old Auntie and Chattering, two people he hadn¡¯t seen yesterday.

    They seemed like they had been called out of bed in the wee hours, all dull and listless.

    Baldy saw Hill, who was sitting there smiling, and rushed over quickly.

    Chattering was lined up behind him.

    They knew Hill¡¯s identity.

    Baldy put on a cute smile and gently said, ¡°Mr.

    Polanio, I only found out after I went back that you knew Chattering before, even guided him.

    We are truly fated, aren¡¯t we!¡±

    Hill took a deep breath and coldly replied, ¡°I remember him.

    Perfect Bald, please speak your mind like you did yesterday.

    I don¡¯t discriminate against others¡¯ hobbies.¡±

    Suddenly, everyone inside the shop burst into laughter.

    It seemed like they were all from their group.

    Baldy himself began to chuckle foolishly.

    Hill helplessly reminded them, ¡°Each person can only stay in the store for 30 minutes, please make the most of your time.¡±

    Baldy hurriedly started shouting ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± and pulled out a bunch of items.

    Hill helplessly pointed to the sign next to the table, ¡°You look at this, just ask me about what you want to know.

    Save money, save trouble.¡±

    Baldy crouched down to pat the sign, clearly he just wanted to know the purchasing prices.

    Hill noticed Xiao Liuliu slapping the sign and sending messages on the side; it seemed like they still had people queuing outside.

    Chattering approached and said, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, long time no see.¡±

    Hill looked at this player who had already become a Magister, not very eager to talk: even though he knew how different he was from the players, he couldn¡¯t suppress his feeling of jealousy at that moment.

    He sighed silently: Alright, remember they are just tools.

    He smiled and said, ¡°The Undead Tribe is really enviable, advancing so quickly.

    But I remember you liked herbs, are you interested in learning Alchemy?¡±

    Chattering hastily replied, ¡°Yes!

    We only have the most basic potion formulas, and they often fail to mix.

    I¡¯m eager to learn proper Alchemy here.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°You¡¯re already a Magister, ordinary Alchemists wouldn¡¯t dare to take you as an apprentice.

    If you really want to learn, find your way to my territory!

    I¡¯ll introduce you to an elder who will teach you, he¡¯s a powerful Alchemist.¡±

    Baldy interrupted, ¡°Mr.

    Polanio, we turned in the ores yesterday, and even William came out!

    He said after verification, he¡¯d give us a reward of Military Exploits, enough for us to get a big territory.

    Where is your Magic Tower located?

    Can we build our territory near yours?¡±

    Hill looked at the fake loli whose eyes sparkled with shrewdness, barely holding back a laugh, ¡°My territory is outside the Western Border, it¡¯s rather peaceful there, not suited for you.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that the Northern Border is better?¡±

    Chattering pulled on his hair secretly, whispering, ¡°Newbie village isn¡¯t right for us.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Haifasardo¡¯s followers are still stationed at the border!

    There are still battles to fight.

    Aren¡¯t you planning to join in?¡±

    Baldy, pulling at his ponytail, asked puzzled, ¡°Rose?¡±

    Hill was speechless; how do you normally refer to the God of Nobility and Monarchy?

    Do you just say it outright?

    Xiao Liuliu, who had finished buying, came over and slapped Baldy¡¯s back, ¡°The God of Nobility, of course!

    NPCs don¡¯t openly mention the Name of God; they use ¡®Rose¡¯ and ¡®Sword¡¯ as substitutes!¡±

    ¡°Those fools from the Noble Temple!¡±

    Hill watched the players in amazement: What¡¯s the God of Time and Space up to?

    No wonder the followers of the Noble Temple have been guarding the border, ready to incite conflict.

    This type of blabbermouth there¡¯s 100,000 of!

    The ears of the God of Nobility must be getting blasted, right?

    Nobles and the God of Monarchy have always been rather narrow-minded.

    In the past, someone had provoked Their ire by cursing the rose and the sword, resulting in a divine oracle that led to the transgressor being killed by a legendary figure dispatched by the Noble Temple.

    This time, it¡¯s likely to be a fight to the death.

    Are they planning to use the God of Nobility as a sacrificial lamb to warn others?

    Hill felt that if a fight did break out, it might not just involve Haifasardo¡¯s people¡ª the Noble Temple would probably start capturing people right from the Mount of Gods.

    Suddenly, Hill asked Baldy, ¡°How many more people are you planning to bring for William¡¯s coronation this time?¡±

    Without hesitation, Baldy said, ¡°There are already over a million reservations, but we estimate we¡¯ll only let 500,000 in at a time.¡±

    Hill could only fall silent¡ª no wonder William didn¡¯t want to deal with anything: it would definitely be a million coming in together.

    He told Baldy, ¡°The Western Border is only suitable for small families.

    If there¡¯s a war, you should go to Haifasardo in the south.¡±

    Baldy took out a tablet and carefully examined the border before asking Hill, ¡°Which city is the closest to get out from your place?¡±

    Hill smiled, ¡°That you¡¯ll have to figure out yourself.

    I can¡¯t say more.¡±

    Baldy nodded regretfully, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re in no rush anyway.

    I hope to see your Mage Tower soon.¡±

    Chattering pulled him aside, ¡± Mr.

    Hill, what¡¯s the use of this herb?

    I only know it¡¯s called the Saintess¡¯s Tears.¡±

    Hill abruptly looked up, ¡°How did you get your hands on this?¡±

    ¡°Is it very precious?

    I found it when passing by a forest cottage.

    After identifying it, apart from the name, there was just a bunch of question marks.¡±

    Hill sighed.

    Was this the advantage of having more people?

    ¡°This is a precious plant that only grows near devout practitioners of the Holy Series.

    The cottage you passed by was probably a spot where a pious devotee was living and practicing.

    It¡¯s worth a fortune and can be auctioned.

    It could save a life, bring back the dead.

    It¡¯s not of much use to your Undead Tribe though.¡±

    Chattering was ecstatic.

    Hill looked at him angrily, ¡°That would be 10 gold coins, please pay up.¡±

    Chattering hurriedly took out the money, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, please show some mercy, give an estimate!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°This only sells for Elemental Crystals.

    The prices fluctuate greatly.

    If the Old King hadn¡¯t died, it could have sold for tens of millions.

    Now if there is no urgent need for it, it might go for 5 million.¡±

    Baldy almost screamed, ¡°What?

    That¡¯s 500,000 according to the exchange rate?¡±

    Chattering gripped the herb tightly, almost unable to breathe.

    People from their group were almost surging forward, forming a circle to inspect the herb closely.

    Hill saw Xiao Liuliu flipping through the tablet and thought it was good to meet someone sensible.

    As expected, Xiao Liuliu shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t get excited!

    You can¡¯t get 500,000.

    Do you think the officials are stupid?¡±

    Almost everyone started looking at their tablets.

    Several exclamations of ¡°Damn¡±.

    Hill heard Chattering breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°Even a tenth of that would be fine.¡±

    ¡°I thought there was a bug,¡± Baldy said grumpily, ¡°The taxes are so high.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu spoke irritably to a group of onlookers, ¡°I¡¯ll take careful pictures and send them to the group!

    Now go pay up, it¡¯s been almost half an hour!¡±

    A crowd scattered, screaming, to pay up.

    Chattering suddenly asked Hill, ¡°Would you take 5 million?¡±

    Hill was somewhat puzzled, ¡°It might fetch more if auctioned.¡±

    Chattering gave a bitter smile, ¡°Our taxes are high, and if it¡¯s auctioned surely someone will spread rumors that I pocketed 5 million and make my life miserable.¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Hill said, ¡°If you don¡¯t regret it, I can call an elder over.

    Or you could just keep it and sell it later!

    If William wins against Haifasardo, there will be wealthier people over there compared to Salaraldo.¡±

    Chattering insisted, ¡°Could it exceed 1,000?¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°That it couldn¡¯t, the ceiling price is 10 million.

    All the great Temples have such medicines.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone give it to the Old King?¡±

    ¡°No Temple would give Sacred Medicine to a king indulgent in sensuality, profligacy, who is shameless and lacks faith.¡±

    Hill heard someone say, ¡°I¡¯d die content!¡±

    Must be Romantic Drunk Red Dust, right?

    Hill thought: Does the name reveal character?

    Chattering was adamant about selling, so Hill had him sit on the sofa by the window and wait, casually ushering Baldy and his group out the door.

    Hill summoned his Nature Companion: a white falcon, particularly adept at flight.

    Before leaving this time, Hill had finally decided to use Summon Nature Companion, truly afraid that he would summon a bear instead.

    When he saw the response from Cohen, he was overwhelmed with gratitude; the huge surge of excitement made Cohen agree without hesitation to sign the companion agreement.

    Hill asked Cohen to send a message to Adrian.

    Adrian¡¯s father had spent a great deal of money to send him to Fran¡¯s side, incurring a huge family obligation.

    According to the norm, he must take care of the family for a thousand years.

    Hill didn¡¯t want Adrian to be dragged down by his family when it came time for him to become legendary.

    If there were enemies, that would be the perfect time to target Adrian.

    No noble house would refuse such an item, and in the future, Adrian would only need to pull his weight when his family faced troubles.

    If Adrian were to become legendary, that wouldn¡¯t happen for hundreds of years; by then his brother¡¯s sons might no longer be around, who would consider the welfare of future generations?

    Anyway, they wouldn¡¯t die.

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online Part 1

    ?25: Chapter 25 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online Part 1 25: Chapter 25 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online Part 1 The next batch of players had already entered.

    Hill saw a few members of the Baldy Gang head straight for the miscellaneous cabinet as soon as they walked in.

    Sure enough, several people followed them there.

    Chattering sat by the window, chuckling and typing out commands non-stop.

    After more than 20 minutes, those people rushed to the puppet handling the reception.

    By the time they had queued up and sold their items, time was up.

    When Hill raised his hand to send them out, he heard several curses.

    ¡°Haha, they really got muted,¡± Chattering laughed crazily.

    Hill sighed with his hand on his forehead.

    For such matters, being crafty indeed was a player¡¯s forte.

    Adrian quickly arrived and pushed the door open, asking, ¡°Where did these come from?

    Are there still some outside?¡±

    Hill stood up and asked Chattering to follow Adrian to the third floor.

    Chattering soon came down happily.

    Hill saw a few people pointing at him and gave him a heads-up.

    Chattering turned his head, made a disdainful gesture, and said, ¡°No worries, they¡¯re just a rival family.

    Mr.

    Adrian gave me a library pass and even allowed me to study Alchemy at the Mage Tower.

    Just mentioning this would infuriate them!¡±

    He laughed and said to Hill, ¡°I know where Mr.

    Hill lives now; I¡¯ll visit you later.¡±

    Hill nodded in agreement, and Chattering walked away proud and satisfied.

    Adrian stayed on the third floor and didn¡¯t come down, and Hill waited unconcernedly until the shop closed before going upstairs.

    Adrian was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.

    A bottle of Crystal Mystery wine sat on the coffee table, and he was holding a crystal cup, swirling the drink and humming a tune.

    When Hill entered and saw him, he couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much.

    What if Grandfather sees you?¡±

    ¡°Today he wouldn¡¯t scold me, he¡¯d even tell me to have another,¡± Adrian leaned on the sofa and smiled, ¡°My life is back in my hands now.¡±

    Hill sat beside him and brought out some snacks, ¡°Have something to eat!¡±

    Adrian put down the crystal cup, spoke earnestly, ¡°I really need to thank you!

    Hill, you truly saved me a great deal.¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°You were also lucky.

    I was thinking of letting it go to auction, considering Saral probably couldn¡¯t afford it, except for Grandfather and you.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Hehe, no need to explain.

    You surely tried to make him think selling to you was the best option.¡±

    Hill fell silent.

    Sure, a little over fifty thousand coupled with a lot of hassle wasn¡¯t good, but if it was 500,000, even a bit more would be okay.

    Luckily, he had assessed their prices when buying clothes.

    He had also heard a few players who had sold expensive ores to NPCs grumbling that the tax was ninety percent.

    As long as he maintained a fair trade, it was fine, and he almost bought it directly then.

    But knowing the players, if he directly offered 500,000, they would just look for someone who offered more.

    Hill knew that was the ceiling for this price; the item was only useful for Knights.

    Except for the Royal Family, who could pay more?

    But what if the player tried to hold out for more and some troublesome enemies got involved, it was hard to tell what might happen.

    If he lost the deal after getting it close, Hill would be furious.

    Adrian reached out and ruffled Hill¡¯s hair, ¡°Little Hill has grown up.

    I¡¯ll never say you¡¯re too gentle and easy to cheat again.¡± Hill irritably brushed his hand away and handed him a sandwich, ¡°Eat this quickly!

    You¡¯re going to get beaten if you go back like this.¡±

    Adrian chuckled while munching on the sandwich, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and refine the Saintess¡¯s Smile.

    I¡¯ll split it into two potions for my father and brother, eh, finally relieved.

    That big rock in my heart is gone!¡±

    Saintess¡¯s Tears turned into a Life Potion and became known as Saintess¡¯s Smile; Hill wondered idly who named it.

    ¡°You seem very cautious facing these Undead, nearly to the point of abnormal fairness,¡± Adrian said, ¡°Do you also think William will keep using these Undead?

    My teacher took me to meet quite a few people these past few days, and it seems Saral might start a conflict with Haifasardo soon.¡±

    Hill looked up, ¡°That¡¯s quite normal!

    Haven¡¯t you seen the Undead¡¯s attitude towards the Temple?

    That¡¯s when there¡¯s no grudge!

    Can you imagine how many directly curse using the Rose¡¯s Name of God?¡±

    ¡°What?

    They directly curse?

    Without divine punishment?¡±

    ¡°An Undead from the first batch asked me who ¡®Rose¡¯ referred to.

    When he knew, he just mentioned the Name of God very dismissively and directly cursed.

    Nothing happened.¡±

    Adrian slumped back on the sofa, ¡°My god!

    With Rose¡¯s temperament!

    This is going to be a fight to the death!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I asked around, and they still have over a million people wanting to come.

    William will probably allow at least 500,000 in.

    This Emperor doesn¡¯t seem to want to stop.¡±

    Adrian jumped up, ¡°My god!

    No time for mourning the seasons!

    Little Hill, I have to go now.

    I need to talk to my teacher first.¡±

    He was about to head downstairs when he turned to Hill again, ¡°If you can¡¯t sell the item, don¡¯t.

    Go out and meet people with us more.

    You can¡¯t hide forever.

    Aren¡¯t you aware of my teacher¡¯s connections?

    You are a magician; are you worried about affecting me?¡±

    Hill smiled, ¡°You and Grandfather bought all the potions from me.

    I¡¯m even planning to restock with some that I made myself.¡±

    Adrian looked at Hill incredulously and rushed downstairs to check.

    Hill rose leisurely and went downstairs to ask the shop core to display the inventory and income statement for Adrian to see.

    Adrian looked over it thoroughly and flicked his hand, ¡°The Undead Tribe really has a lot of money!

    Just when I am out of money, I might sell something too.¡±

    ¡°It should be William who has a lot of money!

    The second floor is the warehouse, Uncle Adrian can go register and place goods there himself, I have opened your access rights.¡±

    Just when the medicine cabinet was about to be empty, Hill didn¡¯t have enough potions in his hand.

    Adrian said disdainfully, ¡°It seems he looted a lot from those expelled from the Rose Family.

    William himself isn¡¯t that wealthy.¡±

    Adrian promptly replenished both the medicine cabinet and the warehouse, then cheerfully bid farewell to Hill, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the teacher¡¯s stock is kept in the Magic Tower, I will go back and ask if he has any left.¡±

    Hill smiled as he watched Adrian leave, then went upstairs to check on the bottle of wine, ¡®Crystal Mystery¡¯ was only left at the bottom of the bottle.

    This wine, made especially for mages, was expensive and intoxicating.

    Adrian¡¯s reactions today were very direct, it seemed he drank too much.

    Hill hoped he could control his emotions, otherwise, Fran wouldn¡¯t tolerate him for long.

    Hill continued to replenish the jewelry.

    Melanie was someone who loved making jewelry, and the warehouse was full of practice pieces.

    She was also a very proud person, disliking to sell jewelry of the same design as hers.

    When Hill first sorted out the Alchemy Jewelry warehouse, he was almost blinded.

    Adrian could easily take out 5 million Crystal Stones, while Melanie, who started learning alchemy before Adrian, only had a little over a million because she collected mountains of gemstones and precious metals.

    Most of these pieces of jewelry had been engraved with Alchemy Circles that increased magic power and spell intensity, making them very suitable for selling to players.

    Hill always felt these items would be stored forever; they couldn¡¯t just be sold as ordinary jewelry after all.

    There were too few low-rank Female Mages who could afford such jewelry.

    It was beneficial for the players to come as well.

    Hill felt that he didn¡¯t need to worry about running out of money.

    Hill glanced at the miscellany cabinet and noticed that two Alchemy Carriages had been sold.

    Even those expensive items priced at 200,000 Gold Coins could sell so fast, and the convertible one sold first.

    Well, the players didn¡¯t need practicality, being flashy was correct.

    Hill decided to go up and sleep, as Adrian had saved him a lot of trouble.

    He expected Adrian would come again tomorrow; having no money was too frightening for an Alchemist, and Fran wouldn¡¯t provide him with any money.

    When Hill got out of bed, he couldn¡¯t help but take a glance outside the window: the queue was still very long.

    It was already the third day; by now, the merchants should have noticed.

    No one knew what the Undead Tribe had done, but the neighbors on Maple Leaf Street knew Hill had become wealthy yet still refused to open their shops.

    Hill released a few more Puppets, as today there would certainly be many people coming to sell items.

    He took a deep breath and sat upright at the workbench.

    Today, Hill specifically wore a black, fitted Mage Robe bought from the players: it was the third day, and the bolder players should come to probe.

    By wearing this robe and acting more indifferent, they would confirm that the missions were taken by the Baldy Gang.

    After all, the chattering had moved upstairs!

    It must be a hidden task gone!

    The players¡¯ forum might have discussed it through hundreds of threads already, which wasn¡¯t Hill making them take the blame.

    They took the benefits, and more benefits were to come, so taking some blame wasn¡¯t a big deal!

    Hill consoled himself, then opened the door with peace of mind.

    Indeed, the first one to rush in wasn¡¯t Baldy.

    It¡¯s unknown when these people came to line up.

    Facing a player who came up stuttering, Hill pointed coldly at the Alchemy Plate and said, ¡°If it¡¯s not listed there, then come find me.¡±

    The blocked player, looking at Hill¡¯s robe, said to his companion, ¡°That jerk Perfect Bald!

    Even sending clothes to NPCs, such an idea!¡±

    Hill glanced up at him, and his companion quickly covered his mouth and moved away, ¡°Do you want to get struck by lightning?¡±

    Hill recalled for a moment, and he didn¡¯t seem to recognize this one, not from the Doomsday group!

    Baldy¡¯s enemies were indeed numerous.

    A few players huddled together for a while, and the others went to buy items.

    Only one player named Lu Huayu stood in front of Hill, speaking in an extremely gentle tone, ¡°Respected Mage sir, do you need any materials?

    We can help you collect them.¡±

    Hill felt a shiver run through him.

    He quickly shook his head: ¡°No need.¡±

    The persistent player continued, ¡°That¡¯s a pity!

    We have many people in our family, so if you need anything, please be sure to contact us.¡±

    Hill could only nod silently.

    He stood for a while longer, and seeing that Hill still remained silent, the player moved aside to sell his goods.

    Hill was always not very good at dealing with these sophisticated scoundrels.

    It was clear that these people were together, and this one was their leader.

    Hill felt he could understand why someone as straightforward and rough as Baldy became enemies with this Lu Huayu.

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online

    ?26: Chapter 26 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online 26: Chapter 26 Hill Watches the Drama Unfold Online Two people who were completely opposite had issues even communicating.

    In reality, they might just curse behind each other¡¯s back, but in the game, why hold back?

    They¡¯d definitely start fighting.

    With 100,000 players, after two battles, you don¡¯t even need to think about how many sworn enemies were made.

    Just to snatch military exploits, they¡¯d fight until their heads broke.

    Yesterday, those Baldy Gang members, green with envy and constantly chattering away, let slip quite a bit: chattering away and A Deer found such a hidden place with heavenly and earthly treasures because they got lost in the forest after losing a fight and running away.

    Hill thought about what Nie Xingchen said, ¡°Thanks to Road Eunuch!

    If they hadn¡¯t outnumbered us and ambushed us, would you have entered that forest?¡±

    He thought he knew who Road Eunuch was.

    Half an hour was almost up, and Lu Huayu politely said goodbye to Hill before leaving.

    Hill thought about those Doomsday players who nearly died of rage while gesturing at each other yesterday.

    None of them could rank ahead of this person, which says a lot about their cunning.

    Yep, right, he¡¯s just an NPC who doesn¡¯t understand anything, no need to consider these grudges and hatreds.

    The ones who came in next were indeed the Doomsday group.

    They didn¡¯t seem upset about not being the first batch.

    Hill guessed that the Baldy Gang would be next, and they were probably already cursing outside the door.

    This group didn¡¯t have Lu Huayu¡¯s cunning.

    They treated Hill as nothing more than a tool for selling stuff.

    After a couple of glances, they went to sell and buy things.

    Hill noticed that someone bought a carriage, which might have been bought by the Baldy Gang yesterday.

    They huddled together at the medicine cabinet, bought a bunch, and then left.

    They didn¡¯t even notice Hill¡¯s clothes; such a brute force approach from this group.

    Hill touched his clothes, hoping for more perceptive people.

    As expected, the Baldy Gang came in third.

    Besides him and Xiao Liuliu, Hill didn¡¯t recognize anyone else.

    It seemed like they brought new fellow members to do business seriously.

    Baldy, cursing and looking furious, made a beeline for the medicine cabinet and surprisingly bypassed Hill¡¯s workbench without trying to cozy up, leaving Hill puzzled.

    The cunning of the Doomsday people was clear; two people who came in before Baldy were obviously tracking what Baldy was buying.

    If Xiao Liuliu stepped away, someone would follow.

    Baldy angrily started buying Healing Medicine and Mana Potions.

    The couple quickly made their purchases without a hint of concern and left.

    Those two Doomsday players smugly milled around in front of the still-shopping Baldy Family members.

    A swordsman called A Good Girl obviously wanted to start a fight but was stopped by a Priest named Jiu Yusheng.

    They muttered to each other for a moment, and in the end, about ten people hogged the Puppet for receiving goods until the 30-minute mark.

    Hill found it confusing.

    Those two people who came in didn¡¯t buy anything or even seem to want to sell.

    Did they get up early just to annoy Baldy?

    They must have queued at dawn to get in so early!

    But Hill had heard the Baldy couple muttering about being out of money yesterday.

    They came in with new people, perhaps also to casually connect with Hill?

    The thoughts of these players are truly strange; they¡¯re so happy doing things harmful to others but not beneficial to themselves.

    Could it be he¡¯s out of touch?

    Hill kept muttering to himself internally.

    Only the people who came in later made Hill satisfied: several were pondering what hidden quests Perfect Bald might have received.

    These people tried very hard to strike up a conversation with Hill for a quest, and when that didn¡¯t work, they attempted to probe into Baldy¡¯s favorability with Hill.

    The name of Romantic Drunk Red Dust was also repeatedly mentioned.

    Hill¡¯s clothes seemed to have been conceded by these shrewd folks as a gift from Baldy.

    Hill maintained a cold detachment, not engaging with these people, presenting a complete contrast to his approachable demeanor from a couple of days ago.

    He seemed like a tool from a previous task with no quest chains.

    The players¡¯ rumors always spread quickly.

    In the coming period, they will surely be seeking Baldy¡¯s vulnerabilities to figure out how to snatch quests.

    Hill admired these players, who, in order to talk to him, really obtained some materials not listed on his Alchemy Badge.

    Hill happily bought them at a high price and promptly registered them on his Badge.

    When Hill named the prices, he saw many people taking pictures.

    These items were all high-priced yet extremely rare materials intended for exploratory loss.

    Hill didn¡¯t even know Saral had them!

    Once posted on the forums, over a million people would look for them.

    How blissful!

    Opportunistic players will certainly bring Hill great surprises.

    Even if Baldy¡¯s truth slowly leaks, Hill will be back at the Magic Tower.

    Once William¡¯s war mobilization order gets issued, all player attention will shift to the battle of Haifasardo.

    Hill could then go into hiding again.

    This upcoming conflict won¡¯t end as swiftly as the previous two.

    The Noble Temple will surely come in force, and most nations will likely become involved.

    As long as Hill maintains his mystique in the interim, by the time stability is regained, Baldy¡¯s Family should have secured their territory in Fran¡¯s land and garnered the earliest and greatest benefits.

    Then, they wouldn¡¯t mind the players¡¯ anger and covetousness.

    With this precedent, players will surely become familiar with how to enter Fran¡¯s Magic Town, the library¡¯s catalog, and the study routine of Alchemy should already be posted for study.

    To protect their interests, Baldy¡¯s Family will surely work hard.

    Hill is looking forward to the battle to protect Fran¡¯s Territory.

    He must skillfully use the deceit and intrigue among the players, Hill clenched his fist and swore.

    Dusk approached, and fewer players were coming in, as today¡¯s goods were almost sold out.

    Hill intended to keep the daily purchase limit until the end, no restocking in between.

    But by then, there was no line anymore.

    Hill noticed many wealthy players arriving, heading straight for the least sold luxury goods.

    In just a short time, two carriages had been sold.

    Jewelry was being cleared out in substantial amounts.

    A girl quietly entered on her own, skillfully sweeping up all the jewelry in one go, leaving Hill unable to help but notice.

    She didn¡¯t take a carriage but casually picked up an Alchemy Hut.

    The radiance of a wealthy woman shines in any world!

    Hill recalled the games he used to play, wondering if all those begging for a rich woman¡¯s care in the virtual world were inspired by this sort of spectacle.

    She came in silence and left in silence, taking only a few photos with Hill and leaving behind millions of Gold Coins.

    Hill carefully saved her image into the store¡¯s core system, reminding himself to show her the premium goods from the bottom of the stockpile next time she came!

    The door opened again, and a familiar face entered: Romantic Drunk Red Dust from the Baldy Gang.

    In his left hand was a Mage named Qian Yuyu, and in his right, a Priest named Qu Qingyan, bringing ladies to shop for goods.

    The three of them giggled their way straight to the jewelry storage, and Hill took a careful look.

    Hm, Romantic was indeed a tool, as the two girls seemed to have brought him along as a guide and were now discussing things among themselves, having left him out.

    After several failed attempts to join the conversation and being coldly ignored, Romantic Drunk Red Dust dejectedly went to sit in the gap between the groceries shelf and the back wall to play with his tablet.

    It seemed he wisely realized that he would have to wait for the two ladies to finish picking their items, by which time Hill would probably be closing up shop.

    A few more people came in, but Hill didn¡¯t pay them any attention; after all, failed flirting wasn¡¯t anything unusual.

    Hill looked up at the clock hanging above the door.

    It was about time to close up.

    However, Lu Huayu for some reason came in again.

    He glanced left and right, noticed the two girls from the Baldy Gang, and after a careful look, confirmed they were indeed busily shopping and quietly moved to the groceries counter.

    There stood a girl who had been looking over the wares for a long time.

    Curiosity got the better of Hill, and he couldn¡¯t help but listen intently.

    ¡°Little Bamboo.¡± Lu Huayu¡¯s voice was still extremely gentle, ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard these days.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, helping you out is no trouble at all,¡± the girl answered gently and tenderly, ¡°but this can¡¯t go on like this.

    Some people might be feeling too fond of me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about?

    Little Bamboo is naturally likable.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been so good to me, yet I secretly pass all their information to you, causing them to fail several times,¡± the girl said with a sad tone.

    ¡°Even though I know we belong to opposing factions and all means are fair in competition, it still upsets me.¡±

    ¡°Little Bamboo is just too kind; this is all my fault,¡± Lu Huayu confessed with deep emotion.

    ¡°All the bad deeds are mine; you¡¯re just helping me.

    There¡¯s no need to feel guilty.¡±

    ¡°Yu, you must win.

    I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the leaderboard these past few days, and your seventh place is really not safe.

    You need to be in the top ten to keep your territory!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will strive to hold on.

    Once I secure the territory, I promise to arrange the most splendid wedding for us!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.

    Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s not much activity going on lately.

    It seems like the tasks here can no longer be accepted, and everyone¡¯s gone offline in disappointment.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we don¡¯t know what task Perfect Bald took on; his military exploits surged so much in no time!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve inquired carefully, and they don¡¯t know anything here either.

    Anyway, he¡¯s competing for the top three, so let¡¯s not worry about it for now, shall we?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always good to be informed.

    If we lose this time, we can beat him next time.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pay more attention.

    I¡¯ll inform you immediately if I find any clues.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the most reliable when it comes to getting things done,¡± Lu Huayu said, then quickly changed the topic, ¡°After you, go check out the jewelry.

    Those two are from the Baldy Family; I¡¯ve seen them before.

    Get to know them well.¡±

    ¡°You only care about girls.

    How come you never remember a few guys?¡±

    ¡°Observing more people helps me realize that you are the most beautiful!¡±

    ¡°Heh, you¡¯re good at sweet-talking just to fool me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I have to go now.

    You take a look at the jewelry, and if you like anything, send me a picture.

    I really can¡¯t accompany you shopping today.¡±

    ¡°Do I need you to buy it for me?

    I¡¯m not broke.¡±

    ¡°My intentions are priceless!

    I want you to wear the jewelry I give you during these hard times.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true; touching it does make me feel a lot more determined.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all for me, only a few days left.

    Little Bamboo, I look forward to your triumphant return.¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, just wait for me.¡±

    Hill took a careful look at the girl named Two Lines of Bamboo, who seemed shy and timid, and shuddered.

    After the two parted ways, Hill saw Romantic Drunk Red Dust crawling out from behind the groceries counter with his tablet.

    He glanced back at Two Lines of Bamboo, who had already gone to make connections with her own gang¡¯s sisters, and slipped out the door without hesitation.

    Soon after, the two girls picked up their tablets: ¡°Hey, why are we gathering now?

    Sorry, girl, let¡¯s talk another time.¡±

    ¡°Such a rush!¡± Qu Qingyan pulled the still-talking Qian Yuyu, and they dashed out the door.

    Two Lines of Bamboo, who wanted to make friends via tablet, had no choice but to give up and start lingering over the jewelry again, taking a long time before she left.

    Hill quickly closed the door.

    Since there were no more customers, and he was bursting with gossip with no one to share it with, the frustration was almost unbearable.

    He felt that if anyone else came looking for a chat, he might just explode.

    Hill was actually somewhat envious of Romantic Drunk Red Dust; he must be the center of attention right now¡ªthe most dazzling member of the Baldy Family, as he had just given them a juicy story to talk about for days.

    Whereas Hill had to control his emotions, after all, both Adrian and Fran could come by, and they certainly wouldn¡¯t understand why Hill was so excited.

    Hill was going through a bout of online self-isolation.

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Finally Started Fighting

    ?27: Chapter 27 Finally Started Fighting 27: Chapter 27 Finally Started Fighting Hill finished dinner and sat on the sofa until late, but Fran and Adrian didn¡¯t show up.

    What has happened?

    Hill was somewhat worried.

    Moonlight caressed the branches, as maple leaves danced in the night.

    Unable to sleep, Hill quietly watched the flurry of red leaves and carefully communicated with the Spirits of Nature nearby.

    Something happened, but had it nothing to do with him?

    If Fran was in trouble, it would definitely affect him, so it must be a situation that prevented them from coming and involved outsiders, right?

    Hill sat on the windowsill, waiting quietly.

    As a Professional with a very high spiritual power, he actually needed very little sleep.

    But Hill always remembered his mother¡¯s instructions to sleep well and eat well.

    What once seemed to be a nagging command, Hill now firmly followed.

    Only when one loses something do they know to cherish it¡ªa phrase that Hill used to find boring and nothing but empty talk, until he truly lost something.

    He never felt regret before because what he lost wasn¡¯t something dear to his heart.

    Bathed in the gentle moonlight, Hill was immersed in his memories.

    A sudden loud bang nearly startled Hill out of his wits.

    He flew quickly to the rooftop and looked around.

    The blasted no-fly zone meant he was oblivious to whatever was happening.

    Hill saw groups of players swiftly running towards the Inner City gates: the city gates, usually closed at night, had been blasted open by thousands of Mage players.

    It seemed that the trouble was in the Outer City.

    Hill thought for a moment, guessing it must be gang trouble that had exploded.

    It seemed like the players had endured it for a few days and then made a big move.

    Hill guessed that the players probably mistook the gangs¡¯ harassment for a plot-driven quest, so they put up with it for the past few days.

    But their retreat made the gangs think they were easy to bully, right?

    So they attacked the players?

    Now it¡¯s turned into a regional task.

    Considering it, Hill figured conflicts must have already started.

    Those living there were likely low-Level Scattered Ones or adventurers in pursuit of excitement.

    They must have begun fighting at nightfall.

    But at the very least, when Hill closed his door, the situation hadn¡¯t escalated since Romantic Drunk Red Dust still had the mood to record and watch the drama unfold.

    The gangs never imagined that attacking a few low-Level Professionals could stir up such a commotion.

    Mages all have a lineage, and nobody dares touch them.

    It¡¯s always been low-Level Swordsmen and Knights that the gangs targeted¡ªmen to act as thugs and women, even more so, as many are purchased by Nobles.

    Especially so many enchanting Female Swordsmen among the players.

    Hill had long noticed their swordsman attire: low-cut leather tops, micro-mini leather shorts, black silk thighs, high-heeled leather boots, topped with a black cape fluttering in the wind, all cool and enchanting.

    The players probably can¡¯t understand why the NPCs in their eyes would get violently aggressive over such common attire.

    To them, it¡¯s just another spontaneous local map task.

    They even dare to block their way to complete quests¡ªwhat¡¯s just a city gate to them!

    All of a sudden, Hill snickered to himself, the Outer City was going to be cleared out today.

    Anyone bold enough to act against the players would be marked with a red name, and those who¡¯ve been causing shadows troubles these last few days are likely to be swept clean by the players.

    As for the idiots who dare to lay hands on God¡¯s Favored Professionals, no one would be brazen enough to make a fuss about it to William, and anyone who speaks of the city gates being demolished would be deemed a fool.

    Those who attempt to hinder the Undead Tribe from saving their kindred in peril, William, if he so wishes, could easily label them as gang accomplices.

    Nobles who dare speak out at such a time undoubtedly have intricate ties to the gangs, and they might even be the masterminds behind the scenes.

    In this world, nobody pays attention to things unrelated to their interests, let alone offend a God-favored Race of tens of thousands of Professionals.

    Hill believed that no matter how cold and ruthless William became in this world, he would definitely make short work of those foolish Nobles who could only survive by enticing gambling, trafficking people, and exploiting women.

    Not a single person who has survived in modern society could look upon that miserable way of life for the first time without feeling disgust and sympathy.

    Even if one chooses to look away, stay silent, and remain still, that uncomfortable feeling of revulsion lingers forever in the heart.

    Hill heard several female players ranting in the past few days, accusing the designers of being inhumane for concocting such dark plots, saying they must be sick in the head, discriminatory towards women, and inherently twisted.

    Incidents where Sky Knight players, while taking their younger brothers and sisters out shopping, nearly came to blows with lecherous Nobles trying to buy Female Guards, have happened several times.

    William¡¯s attendants were running all over the streets, telling these Nobles to stay away from God¡¯s Favored Race, but there¡¯s always some imbecile who can¡¯t understand plain speech.

    Fortunately, the players just saw it as an isolated incident and let the culprits off with a severe beating.

    The reason this street where Hill lived was so quiet was partly that he, someone on good terms with the Undead Tribe, was an Archmage in place.

    Secondly, the Barons were somewhat more cautious.

    The Nobles could never understand how the Undead Tribe managed to present a united front, with over ten thousand members!

    They probably also thought that they had successfully won over many players these past days since they could hire the race with money.

    Too bad the players don¡¯t consider settled silver as a sign of winning them over¡ªthey just think it¡¯s a very lucrative quest.

    No one finds it odd that William doesn¡¯t interfere with the Great Nobility¡¯s attempts to win over the Undead Tribe¡ªcould it all be attributed to divine will?

    But the meaning of a red name, especially in a war against outsiders, is distinct.

    Even if the tactics players use against each other are cunning, vicious, and unyielding in combat, you, an NPC, want to stir the pot?

    Then you¡¯d better defeat the boss before divvying up the spoils.

    If the split isn¡¯t good, just fight again¡ªwho¡¯s afraid of whom?

    Even if Hill seemed gentle and adorable, blossoming with the allure of spring and possessing handsome and elegant looks, daring to go against the players would at best earn him a few extra selfies on his corpse.

    This was a battle with an unquestionable outcome.

    Hill figured Fran and the others were probably just there to watch.

    As long as they didn¡¯t advance into the Inner City, he figured they should let them be.

    Unexpectedly, it was the players from the Inner City who struck first.

    Hill opened a bottle of wine, raised a toast to the moon from a distance, downed it in one gulp, and then went to sleep.

    When Hill got up in the morning, he saw that there weren¡¯t many people in the queue, but each one of them had a stern expression and a sharp gaze as they eyed their competitors.

    Hill understood that the guilds were here to restock.

    It seemed that last night¡¯s battle had depleted their inventory.

    And he guessed the fight was still ongoing, otherwise some night owls would¡¯ve come to buy items before logging off to sleep.

    Hill quickly checked the medicine cabinet and exchanged some of the less popular medicines with healing medicines and mana potions.

    Hill also put up for sale his own low-level medicine for mages and knights.

    While not cheap and seldom bought, he estimated that players would need it now.

    Hill waved to open the door and sat down to wait for the outcome.

    The guild¡¯s professional buyers were indeed formidable, and in the blink of an eye, they had filled up the medicine cabinet.

    Seeing the rapidly diminishing potions, Hill didn¡¯t care that he had just said he wouldn¡¯t restock yesterday, and had the puppets quickly replenish from the warehouse.

    Hill felt that after this battle was over, the players would likely be at the end of their tether.

    He hoped that the rewards from wiping out the gangsters would be enough to cover their expenses.

    After that group left, surprisingly, no one else came in.

    Hill even wanted to see just how intense the battle was.

    Knowing that every game has its casual players and this place definitely had its share, it was strange that none came to buy anything.

    In the afternoon, it was Adrian who came.

    Seeing Hill sitting by the window eating lunch, he said directly, ¡°Get me a portion too.¡±

    Hill smiled as he brought out a steak set meal.

    ¡°Did your stock run out?¡±

    Adrian gave him a blank look.

    ¡°Not many people would bother to have a ring just to store food like you do.¡±

    He ate quickly, as though he hadn¡¯t had a meal in several days.

    After Hill finished eating, he put away his dishes and poured himself a glass of juice, leisurely sipping it.

    The autumn sun shone warmly on him, and his mood was just right.

    Once Adrian finished eating and made the dishes disappear, he said, ¡°What about mine?¡±

    Hill handed him a glass with a chuckle.

    ¡°What¡¯s troubled you?¡±

    ¡°Crowds are truly terrifying!¡± Adrian sighed.

    ¡°Pal Street has been completely leveled, and they even dug out three underground levels.

    The two streets next to it are about to be dug up as well.¡±

    Hill said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t grandmother always want to know how many mages the Undead Tribe had?

    Now she knows, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    Adrian scoffed.

    ¡°Let your teacher hear how you take pleasure in others¡¯ misfortune!

    See if he still says you¡¯re well-behaved!¡±

    Hill laughed heartily.

    ¡°When did the battle start, and how come it¡¯s not over yet?¡±

    ¡°The Undead Tribe really holds a grudge!

    They have a way to mark enemies, and now they¡¯re determined not to let anyone go!

    William has deployed the Royal Guard.

    The gates to the Inner City are letting people out but not in, and I only made it in because I was with William¡¯s guards.¡±

    He suddenly laughed.

    ¡°Some of the Undead Tribe who didn¡¯t go out last night are also searching all over the city!

    They even searched near the Temple!

    Many who snuck in last night were dragged out and killed.¡±

    ¡°Dragged out from the mansions?¡±

    ¡°Right.

    Mostly from the Earl¡¯s Mansion, with a few from the Marquis.¡±

    ¡°No one tried to stop it?¡±

    ¡°A Sky Knight from the Nofa Family stepped in and was directly killed by a barrage of fireballs.

    Hundreds of Archmages!

    And all specializing in the Fire Element, too scary.

    After that, no one dared to intervene!¡±

    The Worship Fire Sect will always be in full swing, Hill commented inwardly.

    He said to Adrian, ¡°You go refill the medicine cabinet first, I estimate everything will be sold out by this morning.¡±

    Adrian got up in surprise to look.

    ¡°Are they fighting while chewing on potions?

    No wonder it¡¯s been going on for so long without rest.¡±

    He quickly refilled the medicine cabinet.

    ¡°Now I don¡¯t have much stock left either.

    Teacher probably has some, but those mage level medicines are so expensive, can the Undead Tribe afford them?¡±

    Hill pointed to the junk cabinet.

    ¡°Grandfather¡¯s Alchemy Hut sold eight.

    I was thinking of getting a few more from him!

    No matter how expensive, there will be buyers for the medicine!¡±

    Hill guessed that medicines that increased constitution or magic power limit could add attribute points for players, while the natives weren¡¯t likely to spend on such expensive potions which only increased a small part of their strength.

    But players would definitely be willing to spend money for an extra point or two in their attributes.

    Adrian added, ¡°Teacher¡¯s potions can only be bought with Crystal Stones.¡±

    ¡°In their eyes, Crystal Stones are just gold coins with higher value.¡±

    Adrian said reflectively, ¡°Alright then!

    It seems the Undead Tribe¡¯s planar elemental power is higher, after all!

    Who knows what kind of energy source they¡¯re using.¡±

    Hill had no wish to discuss such a delicate topic and changed the subject.

    ¡°Hurry up and restock the warehouse, there will definitely be more people coming in the afternoon.

    Then tell me about how the fight started yesterday.

    I¡¯ve been waiting for you to enlighten me!¡±

    Adrian slapped Hill on the head irritably and went upstairs to restock.

    Hill leaned back on the sofa with a smile, waiting for what was surely a wonderful story.

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 The Result of Players Being Aggressive Online

    ?28: Chapter 28 The Result of Players Being Aggressive Online 28: Chapter 28 The Result of Players Being Aggressive Online Adrian came down quickly and sprawled comfortably on the sofa, smiling at Hill as he said, ¡°There¡¯s always some idiot who makes you think he must have lost his intelligence at birth.¡±

    ¡°What did the Nofa family do?¡±

    ¡°You can quickly think of their family, right?

    After all, they¡¯re notorious for their debauchery.¡±

    ¡°What have they done?

    All I know is that someone from their family flirted with a woman from the Undead Tribe and got beaten half to death for it.¡±

    ¡°Did you hear it from the Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Stupid fat nobles, leering and audaciously grabbing people and dragging them into carriages, threatening to sell them to brothels if they don¡¯t obey¡ª you can tell it¡¯s them just by hearing this.¡±

    ¡°Were they beaten badly by the Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was a group of girls from that family out shopping together.

    Among them there were both Sky Knights and Magisters!

    They told me not a single hair was left on him, and whenever they mention him, they refer to him as that Baldy.¡±

    ¡°That must be the heir of the Nofa family.¡±

    ¡°So, they want revenge?

    What are they planning to do to anger the Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr.

    Hill, you should be asking me this!¡± Suddenly, someone interrupted.

    Hill and Adrian turned to look: a deer stood gracefully to the side.

    Baldy was with two others, clearing out a medicine cabinet.

    Hill laughed, ¡°You are finished with your business then?¡±

    The deer nodded, ¡°We just happened to gather yesterday because Romance wanted to see us.

    Then sisters from the Outer City of other worlds asked for help, so our entire family went to help.¡±

    ¡°Your way of communicating can directly connect with the entire Undead Tribe?¡± Adrian asked, genuinely surprised.

    Hill pulled out a sofa, ¡°Beautiful miss, please take a seat!

    Although we knew there was a fight, we aren¡¯t clear on the details.

    Thank you so much for sharing.¡±

    The deer sat down contentedly, and Hill poured her a glass of juice.

    Cradling the cup, she said slowly, ¡°Someone put a bounty of 100,000 gold for each girl from the Undead Tribe.

    If it¡¯s one of those involved in burning Baldy that day, the price is 200,000 for each.¡±

    Hill thought silently, no wonder they went straight for burning the Nofa family¡¯s Sky Knights.

    It seems the news has already spread far and wide.

    Those idiots from Nofa still dare to intercept people, just waiting to be dealt with.

    ¡°Some of our girls who had recently arrived and stayed in cheap inns in the Outer City dislike fighting.

    They don¡¯t have much money!

    That area has lots of money-making quests.

    We knew it wasn¡¯t very safe, but we are protected by Divine Power while we sleep, and usually, everyone¡¯s out on missions.

    We didn¡¯t expect the gang to drug our food during a meal.

    Probably around a dozen sisters were captured.

    That Baldy even tried to get handsy and was struck by Divine Thunder.

    After the sisters woke up, they planned to leave, but the gang didn¡¯t want to let them go, and that¡¯s when the fight broke out.¡±

    ¡°Initially it was just the Outer City fighting, after all, the deities would tell us who our enemies were so we weren¡¯t afraid of hitting the wrong target.

    We had no idea how many gangs were involved, but the number of enemies kept growing.

    There were few high-rankers in the Outer City, so they asked for help from other worlds.¡±

    ¡°Our family was the first to respond; the city gates weren¡¯t even closed yet!¡±

    ¡°With more Mages present, all right!

    We smashed a few buildings on Pal Street, we found lots of kidnapped people underground, including many children!¡±

    ¡°Those kids were so pitiable.

    We took on their quest for freedom.

    Among them were noble young ladies, all snatched by the gang!¡±

    ¡°More and more people came out to stop our rescue.

    They all ran out from the underground on Pal Street, so we definitely fought!

    ¡±

    ¡°Many people from the Inner City came out to help!

    Those who tried to block us must have been Baldy¡¯s accomplices.

    The city gates were still closed at that time, so we blew them up.¡±

    ¡°Now Pal Street and the urban evildoers nearby have been wiped out, and us warriors of the night retired.

    I may have bought a lot of potions yesterday, but they are almost used up.¡±

    ¡°So we thought we¡¯d buy some potions before going back to sleep.¡±

    The deer, beaming with joy, drank the juice heartily, ¡°Ah!

    This is really delicious.

    My magic power is all restored!

    Mr.

    Hill, what fruit juice is this?

    Can we buy it?¡±

    Hill looked at her innocent smiling face, feeling a touch of helplessness, ¡°This juice is squeezed from the fruit of Creeping Bluevine.

    The tree is also known as Emerald Tree, very precious and only the Wood Elemental Spirits can nourish it.

    It¡¯s a specialty of the Elf Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°How much does it cost?

    We could pool our money to buy some.¡±

    ¡°This is exclusively for Mages.

    Didn¡¯t William open up two Magic Towers for you to access?

    My elders bought it from there.¡±

    ¡°But the things there require military exploits to purchase!

    We want territory, what a pity.¡±

    Hill, smiling, brought out a jug of juice, ¡°Thank you for clearing up the matter, my lady.

    Please accept this small token of my gratitude.¡±

    The deer accepted it gladly, ¡°Thank you so much!

    Mr.

    Hill, you¡¯re always so courteous.¡±

    Baldy, having finished shopping, came over as well, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, how long will your store be open?¡±

    Adrian interjected, ¡°We¡¯ll return to our territory once William¡¯s coronation ceremony is over.¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    That¡¯s just three days away.¡±

    Hill responded with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll still sell these items in our territory.

    You know the address, right?

    You¡¯re always welcome to visit!¡±

    Baldy, clueless, said, ¡°We plan to place our territory in the southernmost part near the western Border City.

    Close to Mr.

    Adrian¡¯s, so that we can also participate in the war.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s eyebrows twitched, ¡°You¡¯re already preparing for war?¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    William said if we¡¯re willing to be stationed in the south, we can directly pick a Border City.

    The entire city and the land within 300 kilometers will belong to us.

    A permanent station plus the opportunity to earn military exploits from war¡ªwe definitely chose that.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Have all southern border lands been vacated?¡±

    ¡°The two central ones, William will have his own people guard.

    The other four, we¡¯ll distribute.

    However, one of the central ones is quite small.

    Our top three on the merit board definitely won¡¯t choose it.

    I guess the one ranked fourth will!¡±

    ¡°Right, we have already decided on our family name and emblem,¡± Baldy said proudly, ¡°It¡¯ll be called Black Rose.

    The emblem will simply be a black rose in the center, surrounded by crossed swords, hammers, and magic wands.¡±

    ¡°Magic wand?¡± Adrian asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Ah, this is the weapon used by our mages and magicians.

    We still don¡¯t understand why mages here don¡¯t use magic wands?¡± Baldy took out a long wooden stick inlaid with gemstones from his bag.

    ¡°To amplify the strength of spells?¡± Adrian said, showing the seal ring in his hand, ¡°Isn¡¯t that only useful for mana gems?

    Just wearing it on your hand should be enough, so why use such a cumbersome thing?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t priests also use hammers?¡±

    ¡°Priests derive their power from the gods, and many have only the ability to heal,¡± Adrian said, confused, ¡°Do they use hammers for physical attacks?¡±

    ¡°We also use magic wands to smash when we run out of mana!¡±

    Adrian clearly choked: Seriously?

    What about your magic scrolls?

    What about your alchemy potions?

    If not using those, would physically weak mages really resort to brute force?¡±

    Hill was nearly dying of laughter.

    He said to Adrian, ¡°They¡¯ve just arrived in this world and don¡¯t have a stockpile of scrolls or alchemy potions.

    Otherwise, why would our items sell so fast?¡±

    He turned to Baldy and said, ¡°Priests have their bodies tempered by divine power, so they can swing a hammer.

    Many mages, on the other hand, are not physically strong, so we usually use magic scrolls and explosive alchemy potions.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any for sale!¡± Baldy said, looking confused, ¡°Even Mr.

    Hill here doesn¡¯t sell them!¡±

    ¡°These items are definitely better to have in large quantities.

    Plus, who knows if those sold would be used against us.

    Mages make them for themselves!¡± Adrian stressed, ¡°You haven¡¯t been here long, but as a mage, you must make more preparations for yourself.

    Mana potions have a tolerance effect, drink too much and they¡¯ll become useless!¡±

    Hill truly died laughing then.

    Baldy tugged at his ponytail, ¡°We don¡¯t have such a thing as tolerance in our bodies.¡±

    Adrian collapsed in frustration, ¡°Damn God-favored race!¡±

    Hill asked Baldy, ¡°Your family is called Black Rose?

    William agreed to it?¡±

    ¡°The application passed!

    There¡¯s no issue at all.¡±

    Hill exchanged a glance with Adrian, looking at the confident Baldy: His Majesty of Time and Space really doesn¡¯t seem to care about saving face for the God of Nobility.

    It¡¯s been years since anyone outside the Noble Temple¡¯s followers dared to use the Rose Emblem.

    Hill noticed that no one was entering and that there was someone guarding the door; he turned to Baldy, ¡°Did you flip my sign again?¡±

    Baldy chuckled without speaking, as Dream Awakening quietly stepped back a few paces by the door.

    Hill said helplessly, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m not really in the mood for business anyway, just remember to flip it back when you leave.¡±

    The door suddenly opened, and Fran walked in.

    Hill and Adrian quickly stood up.

    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re back.

    Would you like something to eat?¡±

    Fran looked puzzled at the Undead Tribe in the shop, ¡°I thought you had closed up.¡±

    Hill could only say, ¡°Just trying to get some information from these people, I don¡¯t want anyone else coming in for now.¡±

    Fran nodded, ¡°Give me something to eat then, my head is aching, and I need a drink.¡±

    He sank into the sofa with a sigh, ¡°What a busy day.¡±

    Hill laid out a table full of dishes and poured some wine for Fran, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s sell some of the Mage Potions from your Alchemy Hut!¡±

    Fran asked in surprise, ¡°The Undead Tribe is actually willing to spend money?¡±

    ¡°Your Alchemy Hut is about to be sold out,¡± Hill said, ¡°Adrian¡¯s stock has been cleared out.¡±

    Fran looked over at Baldy and the others, full of anticipation, and placed a batch of advanced potions in the central medicine cabinet.

    Baldy and the others almost pressed their faces against the crystal cover, ¡°My God!

    Potions that add attribute points!

    Call the others!

    Let¡¯s buy first!¡±

    Fran ate and watched, ¡°They sure have a lot of crystal stones!

    No wonder the fight lasted till now.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Are they still fighting?¡±

    Fran downed a glass of wine, ¡°Six streets near Pal Street have been cleared.

    William¡¯s men have already taken over.¡±

    Adrian quickly poured more wine for him, ¡°When I left, it was only four streets!¡±

    ¡°The Nofa Family is no more.

    William sure reacts fast,¡± Fran said, ¡°Turns out there were children from the Earl¡¯s Family among those saved by the Undead, and even if not direct descendants, the Nofa Family reached too far.

    Anyway, their Sky Knight is dead, so William just seized their title, no one even spoke up for them.¡±

    ¡°The two additional streets were Nofa¡¯s influence, weren¡¯t they?¡± Hill sighed, ¡°Does their family really depend on that kind of business for income?¡±

    ¡°Only such a foolish family would get their hands dirty like that,¡± Fran said disdainfully, ¡°William doesn¡¯t need to worry anymore, the underworld of the Capital is thoroughly crippled.¡±

    Hill commented, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good at least.¡±

    ¡°Pal Street is completely gone now, and William¡¯s people have announced they¡¯re going to build a big cathedral there.¡±

    ¡°Still not constructing a temple?¡± Adrian said, ¡°So he really plans to wait until he¡¯s done with Rose to establish the Divine Throne.¡±

    Fran nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Wealthy Players

    ?29: Chapter 29: Wealthy Players 29: Chapter 29: Wealthy Players Baldy suddenly pounced over, ¡°Respected Mage Fran!

    Can we have more of this strength potion?¡±

    Fran asked in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t this potion meant to be consumed only once per person?¡±

    ¡°We can take it three times!¡± Baldy said excitedly.

    ¡°And there are hundreds of us!¡±

    ¡°A bottle costs 20,000 crystal stones!¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!

    We have enough money!

    We¡¯ll take as much as you have!¡± Baldy almost jumped up and down.

    After Fran had finished eating, he picked up a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, ¡°How could I possibly make so many strength potions?

    There are 20 bottles left here, I¡¯ll put them up for you to buy.¡±

    Hill thought Baldy was planning to resell them at a higher price, a limited commodity that was first come, first served.

    It was just Baldy¡¯s luck to encounter this.

    Hill decided not to interfere.

    Watching the excited Baldy, Fran also put out more of the magic power augmentation potion and the stamina enhancement potion.

    Hill said to Baldy, ¡°You guys go ahead and buy.

    Remember to flip the sign over when you leave.¡±

    Baldy didn¡¯t even stop to speak, nodding frantically as he turned to divide the spoils with his companions.

    Dream Awakening began letting people in one by one.

    Luo Sanquan was at the rear, entering while shouting, ¡°Close the door!

    Close the door quick!¡±

    Dream Awakening quickly shut the door.

    Hill felt that their minds were really nimble!

    The sign for opening and closing the door also had a secondary function¡ªit could only be opened from the inside when set to close.

    They would rather be doorkeepers themselves than give anyone else a chance.

    A Deer walked over and asked, ¡°Who is following you?¡±

    ¡°Who else could it be, Zhu Meili¡¯s eyes are really sharp!¡±

    ¡°That means they¡¯ve probably been monitoring us for days.

    Even today¡¯s busyness didn¡¯t stop them.¡±

    Baldy shouted from the side, ¡°Zhu Meili isn¡¯t our responsibility, everyone, hurry up and buy!

    Once we¡¯ve all finished buying, we¡¯ll send a message to Snow Cloud Peak.

    Let those two go match their wits!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up!

    I need to log off and sleep!

    I¡¯m tired to death!¡±

    Those who had just come in hurried to purchase, muttering about how expensive it was, about going bankrupt.

    Yet no one gave up on buying.

    Slowly, A Deer moved closer, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, are these potions only available today?¡±

    ¡°My grandfather is only here for a day!¡±

    ¡°What if we want to buy more in the future?¡±

    ¡°Normally, the Inner City auction house has them every month.

    Or you can buy them at my grandfather¡¯s Potion Shop in his territory.¡±

    ¡°Mage Fran¡¯s territory?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this time we probably won¡¯t leave the territory for a long time.

    After all, you still have battles to fight, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Baldy quickly came over and said, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, apart from us, does the Undead Tribe know the location of Mage Fran¡¯s territory?¡±

    Hill said calmly, ¡°We haven¡¯t told anyone else.

    But it¡¯s marked on the Alchemy Map.

    Generally, high-level mages in the Royal City Magic Tower can find it.

    I don¡¯t know if the Undead will get any hints.¡±

    Uncle Adrian will tell you the address after you¡¯ve bought what you wanted.

    We don¡¯t want too many people coming to the territory.

    ¡°Mages like peace and quiet,¡± he added.

    Seeing that Fran and Adrian did not speak, Baldy said cheerfully, ¡°Don¡¯t worry!

    No one in the Magic Tower pays any attention to us!¡±

    Hill looked at Baldy, who was happy about not being given attention from players, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to learn magic knowledge from the people in the Magic Tower?¡±

    ¡°Prince William will send someone to teach us specifically in the Magic Tower.

    The Knights and Swordsman¡¯s Guild are the same,¡± said Baldy.

    Hill silently thought, Right, they definitely have professional mentors.

    They just need to pay, no need to please anyone.

    Fran and Adrian kept silent, and Hill clearly understood the confusion in their minds.

    The traditional master-apprentice transmission model of mages seemed to be under challenge.

    After everyone had made their purchases, looking at the half-empty medicine shelves, Baldy, with his companions, took his leave from Hill, evidently pleased with themselves.

    Outside, a long queue had already formed again.

    Hill heard Baldy say as he walked, ¡°How many spies does Snow Cloud Peak have?

    Half of the enemy gang must be here by now!¡±

    Liu Liu replied, ¡°You should first consider whether we still have a penny in our pockets.¡±

    A Deer added, ¡°Why are you so anxious for Snow Cloud Peak, Master?

    He himself doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    Hill, looking at the throng of people, said, ¡°Grandfather, you better go upstairs and rest, we¡¯ll talk in detail tonight.¡±

    Fran looked around, ¡°The Undead Tribe seems to need these potions badly!¡±

    He turned to Adrian and said, ¡°Keep an eye on what sells well and we¡¯ll start a Potion Shop in the territory when we return.¡±

    Adrian nodded, and the two of them went upstairs.

    Hill carefully watched the group that entered.

    The newcomers were clearly from two rival factions.

    Unable to take action inside the store, they resorted to using their bodies to compete.

    In the end, the two leaders were the first to clear the shelves.

    The strength potions didn¡¯t leave many for Baldy¡¯s group; the two quick ones had their pick first.

    When Snow Cloud Peak went over, he sent a puppet to quickly make the payment, bottle by bottle.

    The other, a bit slower in reaction, called his puppet when he reached the shelves and probably ended up with two fewer bottles than Snow Cloud Peak.

    Hill watched as the one called Hooligan Rabbit glared angrily at Snow Cloud Peak several times, feeling a bit strange: Why call him Zhu Meili?

    He seems to be a man.

    Hopefully, he could get some melons from Baldy in the future.

    These two were probably leaders of major gangs.

    Money was indeed plenty as Hill watched Fran¡¯s freshly stocked potions nearly cleared out.

    The members of the two factions didn¡¯t quarrel in front of Hill, they were just competitively shopping.

    It seemed like nobody wanted to concede, and a lot of stock was cleared.

    Hill could sense that these individuals did not want to provoke his displeasure.

    It appeared that the players had somewhat realized the strong autonomy of the NPCs here.

    With many people in line, Hill opened up another half-hour limited time offer.

    These people were quickly cleared out.

    The ones who came later could hardly buy anything special.

    They could only purchase some ordinary potions to restock.

    Hill heard some people cursing: ¡°Snow Old Dog and Zhu Meili don¡¯t have a single good item.¡± Hill couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself.

    Was Baldy using these two as scapegoats to take the curses for him?

    The crowd outside gradually dispersed.

    Yet, Hill insisted on waiting until the evening shadows fell.

    The gossip of yesterday was so compelling that even without anyone to share it with, he hoped to hear more.

    Unfortunately, the players¡¯ enthusiasm had almost run out today.

    No one else came in, and Hill had to close up shop as well.

    As Hill was going upstairs, he noticed Adrian with a paper and pen in the second-floor storeroom.

    ¡°Are you calculating which items sold the best?¡± Hill asked teasingly.

    ¡°I certainly wish I could figure out the Undead¡¯s preferences,¡± Adrian said without looking up.

    ¡°But their tastes are so eclectic!

    It¡¯s impossible to discern any pattern.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry, they prefer limited offers.

    Just limit the high-level potions, and see which ones they pursue more eagerly.¡±

    ¡±

    ¡°A preference for limited offers is a hobby?¡± Adrian raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Just like the ladies of nobility, they like things that are unique.

    If there¡¯s an article of clothing or a piece of jewelry that is one-of-a-kind in the world, they would go to great lengths to acquire it.

    Strength might be important, but showing off is even more so.¡±

    Adrian pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°The world of the Undead must be very peaceful.¡±

    ¡°Peaceful, prosperous, and fair¡ªat least superficially fair,¡± Hill responded without hesitation.

    Adrian put away his paper and pen and joined Hill going upstairs.

    Fran was sitting on the sofa, meditating with closed eyes.

    ¡°Grandfather, all your potions have been sold out.¡±

    Fran glanced sideways and said, ¡°It seems the Undead are indeed quite wealthy.¡±

    ¡°Those who make money among them are numerous.

    Over a hundred thousand professionals!¡± said Hill.

    ¡°Those who shop here are mostly the highest-ranking and wealthiest among the Undead.

    They have ample ability to gather money from the lower-order Undead.

    I also noticed that some people use the money from their own world to exchange for the crystals and gold coins here.¡±

    Fran nodded.

    ¡°Indeed, this isn¡¯t their world, and no matter how good the items are here, they might not be as useful as mundane items from their own world.

    The Undead are quite sober-minded!¡±

    Adrian exclaimed in alarm, ¡°I can¡¯t see their sober-mindedness.

    I only see their madness!¡±

    ¡°In our world, what does it matter if they¡¯re a bit mad?

    It doesn¡¯t affect them,¡± Hill said with a smile.

    ¡°Anyway, for now, we can only endure,¡± Fran said helplessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s unknown whether, after the elevation of the Divine Throne, that individual will send the Undead away.¡±

    Hill shook his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no hope for that in the coming years, but what does that have to do with us?

    No matter how many of the Undead there are, they have to abide strictly by their deities¡¯ factions: neutral and benevolent.

    As long as we don¡¯t provoke them, let the legendary figures and gods above worry about it!

    After all, those affected the most will only be the upper echelons those competing for power.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°I should start saving up more advanced resources.

    With so many Magisters, if they were to advance to legendary, Saral wouldn¡¯t have enough resources!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be advancing to legendary anytime soon.

    From what they¡¯ve said, their divine bodies can currently only reach the highest level of Magister.¡±

    Over the last two days, Hill heard that the maximum level was level 100.

    The highest level they had now was only level 50.

    Generally, in online games, the higher the level, the slower it gets.

    For sure, the God of Time and Space wouldn¡¯t let them advance quickly to level 50.

    Hill also didn¡¯t believe that the God of Time and Space would allow them to ascend to legendary.

    Fran nodded and said, ¡°I think so too.

    After all, they¡¯re extraworldly spirits; the World Will wouldn¡¯t allow them to connect to the laws of everything.¡±

    Though it was easy for William to ascend to legendary, it involved connecting with the laws of everything in this world.

    No matter how powerful the God of Time and Space was, he couldn¡¯t allow so many beings from another world to link with the world laws here.

    Hill didn¡¯t know how this deity planned to resolve the problem of too few high-tier members in his own faction.

    Few of Saral¡¯s legendary commanders would certainly only defend the capital and would not assist William in a war of faith.

    Just like Haifasardo would definitely not go to war with Saral for the Noble Church.

    Though Noble Church now stations troops at the borders of Haifasardo and Saral, they can only wait for the Divine Mountain Sect to send aid.

    No one would care how many nobles the Noble Temple could rally to battle, but if it were a war in the name of a nation, that would be another matter entirely.

    The All Gods would never allow it.

    The king of Haifasardo certainly does not worship the gods of nobility and monarchy.

    Of course, this king wouldn¡¯t mind lending his national borders for the Noble Temple to wage war against Saral.

    If the Noble Temple wins, they would only be able to pull out Edward and Charles to assume the throne, not to conquer Saral.

    But this would still allow Haifasardo to gain some benefits from the situation.

    p>

    Hill said to them, ¡°It¡¯s a good time to settle the accounts.

    Grandfather¡¯s and Uncle Adrian¡¯s stuff has basically sold out.¡±

    Fran sighed softly once more: ¡°Really quite wealthy.¡±

    Adrian nearly couldn¡¯t control himself from taking several glances at Fran.

    Hill really wanted to laugh; High-level Alchemist Fran probably hadn¡¯t felt this way in many years.

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Prelude to Williams Coronation

    ?30: Chapter 30 Prelude to William¡¯s Coronation 30: Chapter 30 Prelude to William¡¯s Coronation It was an autumn day, just at dawn, when a light misty rain began to fall.

    Fine wisps of rain gently tapped on the maple leaves, playing a pleasant morning tune.

    Washed by the rain, the red leaves grew vividly bright.

    Hill sat on the windowsill, listening to the pitter-patter of the music, admiring the beautiful scenery.

    Today was the day William would be crowned King.

    Unlike the previous kings who had their coronation ceremonies in the Temple of Royal Power among the nobles, William, whose deity had not yet ascended to the divine throne, decided to take his oath of ascension in the square in front of the Royal Palace.

    Hill had gotten up early to wait for Fran.

    Today, he was going to join the faction of mages in the square as Fran¡¯s junior.

    Noble mages could choose to stay with the nobles during the ceremony.

    But aside from a few junior mages who found it difficult to level up, nobody would choose to leave the mage faction.

    Today was Hill¡¯s first time participating in such a celebration, and after choosing the mage faction, others would no longer introduce him as Baron Polanio.

    This was his first time entering the circle of mages as the Great Mage Hill Polanio.

    Hill was still somewhat nervous.

    It was best to keep the identity of a magician hidden until becoming a magister.

    Moreover, mages generally presumed the presence of hidden magicians among them.

    Even though there might be envy and jealousy, they were all magic professionals, and their numbers were already few.

    So even if Hill¡¯s secret were revealed, nobody would say anything.

    From a distance, Hill saw Fran¡¯s carriage roll into Maple Leaf Street and went downstairs to lock the door.

    The night before, he had reset the shop to its initial setup, and replaced the shop¡¯s core with a new one.

    After the coronation ceremony, Fran was to take them back.

    Hill watched as Uncle Adrian opened the carriage door and with a light smile, he got in.

    ¡°Good morning, Grandfather, Uncle Adrian.¡±

    Fran nodded.

    Adrian replied with a laugh, ¡°Good morning, young Hill.

    Are you looking forward to it?

    Today¡¯s going to be a grand occasion!¡±

    ¡°The coronation ceremony?¡±

    ¡°The square in front of the Royal Palace can hold thirty thousand people at once, which in itself is already a rare sight.

    But William has invited all of the Undead Tribe.

    A terrifying power indeed.¡±

    ¡°Time and space!¡± Fran exclaimed suddenly.

    ¡°What powerful forces.

    I wonder how much longer we can even utter these two words directly.¡±

    Adrian wondered, ¡°Is it a permanent expansion of space, this large?

    Has the time ended when only a space crystal could be used to expand space?

    Even a deity couldn¡¯t find a space crystal this large, right?¡±

    Fran said calmly, ¡°Did neither of you take a good look at the crystals the King offered to the Undead Tribe?

    Sloppy!

    Completely unacceptable!¡±

    Hill hurriedly poured out a portion of the crystals from his ring and, to his amazement, realized that aside from a few scattered ones, the vast majority were attributeless crystals!

    This was terrifying ¨C elements fill every corner and crevice of this world.

    Attributeless crystals are almost non-existent.

    The sporadic ones that do appear are usually found near a particularly powerful Element Lord of the Elemental World, created by chance after an elevated lord has absorbed everything else.

    The entire world is filled with elements, and every breath people take contains elements.

    The reason why magical beasts are so fearsome in this world is because every breath they take strengthens their bodies.

    If It wasn¡¯t for the innate scarcity of magical beasts, humans, elves, and dwarves would all struggle to survive.

    However, the emergence of these attributeless crystals is a warning to everyone.

    Adrian was almost horrified: ¡°A world without elements?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice how quickly Saral submitted?¡±

    Hill fell silent: he had assumed it was because William had become a legendary figure and the Undead People were numerous.

    Fran said irritably, ¡°A legendary figure is the foundation of a nation.

    William has only just become a legend, but Saral has five old legends!

    And that¡¯s just the ones known publicly.

    With the Saral Royal Family being so powerful, how could they not have their own legends?

    ¡°They agreed immediately to William¡¯s ascent without uttering a single protest.

    I knew there had to be a problem.

    ¡°The moment I saw the crystals the Undead Tribe gave you, I understood!

    Either this King has divine power so immense he can condense crystals directly, or He can plunder crystal mines from other worlds!

    ¡°A massive Metal System elemental ore alone could sustain so many legends!

    What¡¯s the point of arguing?

    ¡°No matter the reason.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s too powerful to provoke, and there¡¯s an unlimited supply of crystals lying around!

    That¡¯s why they¡¯re all keeping silent out of self-interest.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry anymore, teacher.

    We¡¯ve just been preoccupied with making money these last couple of days.

    We¡¯ll pay more attention in the future.¡±

    Hill quickly nodded obediently.

    Fran continued, ¡°If this King truly can disperse the elemental power in the air, the world will change.¡±

    Hill remained speechlessly contemplative.

    Why are the nations of this world almost always fixed?

    Immense distances are the reason for this stability.

    Even the deities cannot teleport people through congealed space.

    The land of each nation is as far as the royal family can control.

    Fran, such a wealthy alchemist, could only use a Space Box in the Magic Tower, and an Alchemy House that could transform into a small home was so expensive that even Hill could not bear to use it.

    Not to mention like in other novels where the Magic Tower could fold space into a small plane, such an idea was unimaginable even in dreams.

    It was because a space teeming with elements would inevitably stir up an Elemental Storm with any significant oscillation or severance.

    The use of spatial magic in this world was virtually nonexistent, only alchemists with natural Space Crystals could create Alchemy Rings.

    When the Undead Tribe first appeared, every one of them had a small spatial pouch.

    Countless magicians had studied them to no avail, ultimately attributing it to Divine Power.

    But now, William could directly expand a plaza to accommodate more than 100,000 people in a vast space.

    If it were to exist forever, what would happen to the solidified Elemental World?

    Hill now understood that terrible premonition after the appearance of the Undead: how could an online game not have a Teleportation Array!

    After William¡¯s army could easily reach any corner of this world, what then?

    The God of Time and Space did not wish to compromise with the God of Nobility and God of Monarchy.

    Hill understood now.

    William was indeed the Chosen One!

    He aimed to unify the world and ascend the throne as Emperor!

    That¡¯s why William allowed players to run amok, that¡¯s why he valued education even more.

    That¡¯s why he needed fair and just laws!

    A unified human Empire needed officials who could get things done, not nobles who ruled over their fiefs.

    Hill thought back to the nobles of his own world who, aside from their lineage, had nothing left.

    In the future, they would have to compete with professionals for influence.

    Upon reaching the plaza, Hill held back the words at the tip of his tongue.

    Fran simply felt that William¡¯s throne was firmly secured.

    Someone from Saral¡¯s legend would participate in the battle this time.

    And with the God of Time and Space so powerful, even if William could not withstand it, as the only Deity remaining on the earth, they would not fear the God of Nobility¡¯s distant attacks.

    Hill could not say anything.

    The more he saw, the more silent he became.

    Hill¡¯s current feeling was like he thought he had played an independent episode, only to realize it was just a prelude.

    Perhaps the world consciousness also acknowledged the choice of the God of Time and Space, offering no resistance to the summoning of players through time and space.

    The semi-slave society of thousands of years was finally heading towards its demise.

    When Hill got out of the carriage, the light rain suddenly stopped.

    Sunlight poured down fiercely onto the plaza in front.

    Hill looked up towards the cloudless sky above Obastian, not feeling Divine Power.

    So, was it the Legendary Mage who had taken action?

    Fran, with immense pride, never involved himself in politics.

    A Legendary Mage like him had also descended from the altar.

    After watching for a while, Fran¡¯s face showed emotions changing.

    In the end, he said nothing, straightened his clothes, and, together with Adrian and Hill, walked toward a Male Mage who was enthusiastically coming to meet them.

    ¡°Mage Fran, please come with me.

    Do you only have two accompanying persons?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Fran answered succinctly.

    Following the lead Mage, the trio of Fran entered the plaza.

    With one step onto the plaza¡¯s surface, Hill was shocked by the sudden transformation of space.

    What appeared to be a flat surface from the outside became a vast and expansive space.

    The enormous circular plaza, aside from the outermost ring of shops, had a stadium built in the center of it.

    Following their guide into the stadium, they walked step by step toward the seats on the second floor.

    Fran and Adrian tried to compose themselves as they sat down, looking around at the massive venue with its 200,000 seats.

    Hill almost numbly followed to their seats, his heart filled with emotion: this was an enlarged Bird¡¯s Nest.

    He had visited and toured it several times, envying and wishing he could have been a part of its construction.

    Hill¡¯s eyes nearly reddened instantly.

    A wave of infinite melancholy overwhelmed him.

    Never before had he felt such intense nostalgia for his motherland, for his homeland.

    The emotions he had rationalized away surged forth, and Hill had to bite down hard, determined not to lose his composure.

    Suddenly, a resonant and ethereal bell toll sounded, and Hill looked up.

    A comforting force that calmed the spirit swept through.

    The entire stadium quieted down.

    Hill, who had not noticed before, saw that even the noisy and lively Undead in the highest seats had fallen silent.

    Hill watched as Fran relaxed and glanced at the upper tier, belatedly realizing that he was used to the chaos before an opening ceremony and thought nothing of it.

    An old-fashioned Noble Mage like Fran was probably driven mad by the noise.

    No wonder no one noticed the fluctuations in Hill¡¯s emotions.

    As the sonorous music of a march sounded, the Royal Guard made their entrance.

    The procession of knights in gold and white looked majestic, with golden fittings on their white horses.

    The music¡¯s rise and fall accompanied the entrance of the Saral People¡¯s Army, prompting cheers and jubilation.

    Yet Hill felt detached: this was ¡°Steadfast Heroism,¡± the anthem of the Tri-service Honor Guard.

    After the knights queued up, the music shifted to the inspection march.

    Hill silently noted: William is about to appear.

    Indeed, William, dressed in the King¡¯s regalia, appeared mounted on a white unicorn.

    Hill felt an awkwardness rising from within and suddenly felt he couldn¡¯t look directly at this fellow countryman.

    What a memory you have!

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 I am the King Now

    ?31: Chapter 31: I am the King Now.

    I Don¡¯t Like Slaves.

    31: Chapter 31: I am the King Now.

    I Don¡¯t Like Slaves.

    Bring back all my overwhelming emotions.

    Hill was indeed very annoyed.

    Whenever he felt sentimental, something always occurred to make him feel like continuing to be sad would make him look like a fool.

    In the stadium, William, dashing and majestic, solemnly patrolled the Royal Guard.

    As he inspected the knights amidst the forest of raised lances, those gazed upon by him were all excited, their eyes full of anticipation which made William even more pleased and satisfied.

    Hill, however, always felt there were six big words above William¡¯s head: ¡°Proclaimed Male Lead.¡±

    William walked to the center of the stadium, dismounted, and stood erect.

    The Royal Guard formed three circles around the field.

    The solemn bell tolled, and a round platform rose high in the center of the stadium, with William quietly standing facing north.

    ¡°Please stand up.¡± A clear voice echoed above the stadium, and Hill felt that the seat beneath him disappeared after he stood up for 10 seconds.

    Many Undead from the upper floors fell to the ground on their butts.

    William understood very well.

    ¡°Play the national anthem of Saral, raise the flag of Saral!¡±

    Hill stood tall with his chest out, looking straight ahead, feeling immensely thrilled.

    He already had a hunch about what music Saral would play since there had never been a national anthem, tightly gripping his hands.

    Hill silently recited in his heart: ¡°Salute.¡±

    Tears welled up in his eyes as the familiar march played.

    The black Saral flag with golden stars and a red flag slowly rose.

    Wiping away his tears quietly as the red flag fluttered, Hill felt a longing for home he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long while.

    He thanked William for reminding him of the beautiful past.

    From this day forward, he would implement the laws issued by William in his own territory.

    No matter who he was before, compared to the surviving Hill, William truly deserved everyone¡¯s respect.

    A scale appeared behind William.

    A golden figure stood in the middle of the scale, with arms crossed, holding a golden rhombus crystal in one hand and a thick book in the other.

    William turned and knelt on one knee:

    Great Cronos above,

    I, William Haifa Spencer Saral, hereby swear:

    I will cherish justice and be loyal to my country, Saral.

    I will uphold righteousness, protect the loyal citizens of Saral.

    I will wield the sharp sword to eliminate all enemies of Saral.

    As soon as he finished speaking, the golden figure burst into brilliant light.

    The golden light surrounded William, flickering for a long time before exploding and rushing toward the onlookers.

    Hill felt a large cluster of golden light crashing into him, the abundant energy promoted him by a rank.

    He was now an intermediate Archmage.

    Hill closed his eyes to closely examine the internal changes of his body and found this power very pure, with almost no side effects.

    It even reverted his body more toward human, nearly cleansing the beastly traces within his bloodline.

    Hill opened his eyes in surprise, seeing Fran and Adrian looking at him in astonishment.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°We each only received one or two light points, only William¡¯s loyal followers got more.

    Among them, you have quite a lot.¡±

    Exchanging glances, Adrian spoke up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss this later,¡± Fran abruptly said.

    William started speaking again:

    ¡°Eighteen years ago, when I was first summoned by my Lord, I vowed to establish a fair and just country for my Lord, where every citizen could receive basic education and enjoy a normal life free from oppression.

    However, fate took a turn, and I eventually became the King of Saral.

    But my oath remains unchanged.

    People of Saral, please strive alongside your king!

    For a better Saral!¡±

    Hill was suddenly startled: This year, he just turned 18.

    Were William and he summoned at the same time?

    Or did Hill hitch a ride when the God of Time and Space summoned William, the chosen one?

    Weakened divine soul, unprotected, would have dissipated soon if not cast into Melanie¡¯s womb, who almost had a miscarriage.

    The Pelast family members were always tall and strong, but Hill had been frail since childhood, making the Earl think he wasn¡¯t his own and disliked him.

    Even after growing up and awakening Earth Bear¡¯s bloodline, Hill still had a slender figure.

    Fran once sighed that Hill¡¯s body was innately flawed, but fortunately, his soul power was strong; otherwise, if not a Magician or Mage, he would not live long as an ordinary person.

    Hill had long known that during his reincarnation, his weak self merged with the almost dissipated soul of a baby.

    Thus, his closeness to Fran was genuine.

    He was just a native with past life memories.

    How he came to this world had always been a mystery.

    Today, it was finally solved.

    He remembered those golden light points over the earthquake ruins when he died.

    He now knew those were crystallized souls, maintaining for a period before naturally dissipating.

    At that time, a gigantic light point swept past like a meteor, taking Hill and some souls flying towards outer space.

    When God of Time and Space fetched William¡¯s soul, most of the souls brought along dissipated during the interdimensional journey, and even if some entered this world, they would soon vanish without divine protection.

    Hill¡¯s two lifetimes of luck probably accumulated here when he encountered a dying fetus and fused with it without hesitation.

    So Hill was not just the civil engineer of his past life but also the real Hill Polanio.

    The world¡¯s consciousness acknowledged his identity, Hill knew from the day he became a Magician: Even if his soul remained after death, he couldn¡¯t be reborn back to Earth.

    In the future, he would respect the Saral Royal Family and fully implement William¡¯s laws in his territory.

    This was what Hill was very willing to do.

    He awaited the execution of Saral state laws issued by William; without a church, he would still open basic literacy classes on his territory.

    This was also something a morally grounded modern person should accomplish.

    Though he lacked revolutionary prowess, he felt he should follow and contribute wherever feasible as others blazed new trails.

    William¡¯s high platform steadily descended, and his appointed Chancellor stepped onto the stage.

    William walked to the second-floor northern podium, smiling as he sat down.

    ¡°Please sit down.¡± The voice rose again, feeling as if it was right beside the ear.

    Adrian said to Fran: ¡°Is this the Divine Power Center?

    It doesn¡¯t feel like the Tower Spirit¡¯s strength.¡±

    Fran shook his head without speaking, indicating with his eyes for the two not to talk.

    The Chancellor took the stage first, leading the ministers below to swear allegiance to the King.

    The oath was brief.

    Hill understood, as those above couldn¡¯t help but start discussing.

    Then the Chancellor announced three matters: Edward and Charles, along with their followers, would have their lands reclaimed and be ceremoniously expelled in three days.

    Hill heard Count Pelast¡¯s name, and Adrian chuckled a few times.

    Hill closed his eyes without speaking: Time to send money over.

    His causal ties with this family were finally settled.

    The second matter was the conscription of officials and soldiers.

    Hill said to Adrian: ¡°Uncle Adrian, those obedient and sensible at home, have them participate.

    Forget the idiots.¡±

    Adrian looked at him in puzzlement.

    The Chancellor announced the third matter, which made him stand up in shock: From now on, Saral banned slavery.

    The noble families must sign employment contracts with their servants, the duplicates stored in the Church of Justice.

    Otherwise, they must release the people.

    After three months, non-compliance would result in expulsion from Saral or having their titles revoked.

    Only the Mages could sit steadily, almost all the Nobles went mad.

    William watched the angry crowd with interest for over ten minutes, then the Legendary Knight¡¯s power swept through, forcing everyone down.

    He stood up and lastly declared: ¡°Obey or perish!¡±

    Hill felt his ardent passion was once again brought to light.

    Looking at the indignant Nobles, the curious Mages, and even the chattering players above, no one understood his suffering.

    Would he say ¡°To be or not to be¡± next time?

    Maintaining emotional stability might become Hill¡¯s biggest issue these years.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Leaving the Chaotic Capital

    ?32: Chapter 32: Leaving the Chaotic Capital 32: Chapter 32: Leaving the Chaotic Capital When William got up and left, the coronation ceremony came to an end.

    The players were left whispering amongst themselves, while the nobles, iron-faced and silent, remained behind.

    Fran immediately took Adrian and Hill away.

    After all, mages had good memories, and everyone on the viewing platform would remember Hill¡¯s face.

    They would formally meet later, and the mages quickly departed.

    At this point, no one planned to stay behind to build connections.

    The three swiftly left the inner city.

    Fran took the two of them into the air and flew rapidly back to his territory.

    Fran brought the two to Hill¡¯s Magic Tower.

    ¡°There are some matters we need to discuss thoroughly.¡± List stood at the door and, seeing the few stern-faced individuals, softly said, ¡°Welcome back.

    Sir, should I prepare lunch?¡±

    Hill nodded.

    ¡°Put it in the small guest room.¡±

    The three quickly finished their meal and returned to the study.

    Adrian, sitting down, immediately asked, ¡°Teacher, what does William rely on?

    Does he plan to completely overturn the nobles¡¯ traditions?

    Even if it¡¯s the will of the deities, the nobles aren¡¯t without their own reliance.

    Once this news spreads, even those nobles who originally did not intend to participate in the God War might take action!¡±

    Fran gazed out of the window and said softly, ¡°I always thought that deity was hiding in the Outer Plane or some hidden secret realm.

    After all, only William could directly contact Them.

    But regardless of whether They were here before, They should be in Saral now.

    No matter how powerful a Legend, they couldn¡¯t defeat a terrestrial deity.

    During today¡¯s event, several Legends appeared, sitting behind William, unmoving.¡±

    He turned to Hill.

    ¡°When you were dealing with the Undead Tribe, you said they had a million people who wanted to come, right?¡±

    Hill nodded.

    ¡°Then, this million people are likely all coming in.

    The entire nation of Saral may not even have two million people.

    So many believers of the deities entering, all of them professionals, how immense would the faith power provided be?

    The Legends wouldn¡¯t oppose such a powerful deity.

    Whether the nobles¡¯ slaves are liberated or not, how much could that affect the Legends?

    The nobles who understand this will wisely comply, and those who don¡¯t, no one would care if they die.¡±

    Adrian cursed angrily, ¡°Is it just me who¡¯s unlucky?¡±

    Hill said, ¡°Quickly complete the Saintess¡¯s Smile and immediately negotiate with your family.

    Taking advantage of their current sense of threat to their lives and their desire to live longer, trade it.

    Afterward, tell them they¡¯d better heed William¡¯s words.

    If they still don¡¯t listen, it¡¯s best to take one or two clever children back to your maternal grandfather¡¯s territory.

    As long as you ensure the continuity of your family, it shouldn¡¯t affect you much.¡±

    Adrian nodded, saying, ¡°At this time, there¡¯s nothing else to do but protect myself first.

    I¡¯m just a small Archmage, how many Magisters does the Undead Tribe have?

    I can¡¯t even handle a hundred.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°The appearance of the Undead Tribe is also a good thing.

    In past God Wars, people like us would be dragged in no matter where we hid.

    With William¡¯s decree, the Grand Knights and Sky Knights from noble backgrounds absolutely wouldn¡¯t fight for him.

    Only the Undead Tribe would participate.

    As long as William has enough Commanders, it will suffice.

    The Undead Tribe has such immense numbers, with Magisters and Sky Knights emerging in large quantities.

    The local high-level professionals of Saral are no longer needed in the battlefield confrontation.

    No matter how many opponents, how many troops could the nobles dispatch?

    Could they have a million professionals?

    And how many Legends could the Noble Temple send?

    Legendary Knights and Legendary Mages are two different concepts.

    How many Legendary Mages believe in the Rose?

    A terrestrial deity with millions of believers.

    As long as They act, They are invincible.¡±

    Hill asked in confusion, ¡°Those two deities really won¡¯t take action?

    Would there be other hidden deities who might act?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something we need to consider.

    If that deity really intends to act personally, They should have taken precautions.

    In this war, we will probably only be spectators.

    Adrian, if the Undead Tribe comes to our territory, remember to take good care of them.¡±

    He looked at Hill.

    ¡°You too.

    Keep a certain distance and try not to cause trouble.¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°I have always followed the natural revelation.

    The Undead Tribe is best not to be offended.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°In any case, we¡¯re far away and there shouldn¡¯t be any issues.¡±

    Hill blinked: If the players were about to be stationed at the border as Baldy and the others had said, they must have a way to leave quickly or return to the Royal Palace in the capital fast.

    Exploring Saral would certainly be on some players¡¯ agendas.

    No player would stay in just one city.

    Moreover, with a million people coming in, they would undoubtedly be spread out.

    He previously didn¡¯t know how William would solve the long journey, but it was now clear that he had been preparing teleportation arrays all along.

    Then there must also be teleportation arrays placed in the western Border City.

    There would be no shortage of wandering players here.

    Hill gave a slight reminder: ¡°Since the Undead Tribe are followers of the God of Space and Time, they might have methods for quick actions.¡±

    Fran glanced at him.

    ¡°Is that the impression you got from your communication with the Undead Tribe these days?¡±

    ¡°When they spoke, they showed no concern for the distance from the capital to the territories they wanted to go to.

    Not all of them are mages.

    Saying they would come here seemed very easy for them.¡±

    Fran reflected a moment and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Adrian, prepare everything for the caravan when you return tomorrow.

    The library should be ready to open, and even the junior apprentices should suffice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, teacher.¡±

    He then asked Hill, ¡°What do you plan to do here?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, take a look from the window.

    Besides those two farms, all that¡¯s left here are forests.¡± Fran and Adrian looked out of the window.

    The floor-to-ceiling window of the circular study provided a panoramic view of the three directions of Hill¡¯s Domain.

    Hill¡¯s territory was completely occupied by tall trees.

    Even the two plantations were surrounded by rings of orchards.

    Adrian said speechlessly, ¡°Are you a magician or a druid?

    Has your elven bloodline fully awakened?

    Earth Bears don¡¯t have such grand hobbies.¡±

    Fran glared angrily at Adrian.

    He never liked to hear the term ¡°Earth Bear.¡±

    Hill sighed.

    ¡°Actually, there isn¡¯t much difference.

    If I want to preserve the Wood Elemental Spirit¡¯s presence, I can¡¯t damage the forest.

    In my territory, there are already hundreds of treants, and they plant trees when they have nothing to do.

    As for the Earth Elementals, they prefer traversing the mountains and underground.

    Look at how lush my forest has grown, almost every stream has a Water Elemental now.

    I no longer summon spirits.

    But perhaps the living environment is too good, many elements have already split.

    They are exhibiting cluster behavior.

    Once the Water Elementals and Wood Elementals form tribes, the remaining few ordinary people in my territory will have to be sent away too.

    I¡¯m currently working on developing puppets that can cook.

    List¡¯s core already holds thousands of recipes.¡±

    Fran shook his head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you with this, everything will depend on yourself.

    If you need materials, ask Adrian to find them for you.

    Don¡¯t worry about my expenses, I can definitely support you now.

    Hill, after all, you are my only blood relative, spending some money on you is nothing.

    You should also have seen how wealthy the Undead Tribe is.

    In the future, I¡¯ll take more time to make Physical Potions.

    You should also produce more Alchemy Potions.

    Use your large Alchemy Workshop more, don¡¯t let your Potion Shop remain empty.

    Take advantage of the time while the Undead Tribe is still here to accumulate more resources for yourself.¡±

    Adrian nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Hill is too cautious.¡±

    Hill only smiled and remained silent.

    After all, he was a person with decades of past memories and could no longer complacently rely on others.

    Adrian looked at him, shook his head, and asked Fran, ¡°Will the shops around that square be up for sale?¡±

    Fran shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.

    Once those square shops open, the stores on Noble Street will be finished.

    William is really cutting off their base.

    However, when Saral was founded, two-thirds of the commercial street in front of the Royal Palace belonged to the Royal Family.

    Look at it now, except for the one-fifth nearest to the palace, great nobility have taken over the rest.

    There have been only four kings.

    William intends to overturn the table and rebuild the Royal Family¡¯s commercial street.

    What can the great nobility do about it?

    This is a Legendary King.

    Those old methods of forming alliances, who would dare use them on him?¡±

    Fran suddenly spoke earnestly to Hill.

    ¡°I know you dislike slavery and sympathize with commoners.

    You approve of the Undead Tribe¡¯s doctrines.

    In your heart, you have actually already pledged allegiance to William.

    Including the deity¡¯s teachings, you also agree with them in your heart.

    Today, you absorbed so much Holy Dew; most of the mages on the high platform noticed.

    Many people understood your thoughts.

    But, you must never admit it!

    You can have overflowing compassion, but never be the first to betray your class!¡± Hill calmly nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandfather.

    I know how weak my power is.

    I would never want to bring trouble to you!¡±

    Fran patted Hill¡¯s head.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good child, but this world doesn¡¯t allow the weak to do as they please.

    For tens of thousands of years, many deities have wanted to change the plight of commoner slaves.

    This time might be the most likely to succeed, but we can¡¯t intervene.

    William¡¯s soul belongs to the deity, and the souls of the Undead Tribe aren¡¯t under this world¡¯s control.

    We have no way to deal with it.¡±

    Hill could only nod in silent agreement.

    Adrian said, ¡°Relax, teacher.

    Hill is an obedient child.

    He won¡¯t casually meddle in such significant matters.

    I¡¯ll also visit him regularly.¡±

    Fran shook his head.

    ¡°Give me the Saintess¡¯s Tears.

    I¡¯ll make the potion.

    You go and take care of your territory¡¯s affairs.

    Once the potion is ready, quickly trade it.

    Before the situation worsens, arrange all the escape routes.¡±

    Adrian nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, teacher.

    My father and the others, after all, believe in His Majesty.

    They will still receive some protection.

    The worst that could happen is total expulsion from the country, but the family won¡¯t be annihilated.¡±

    Fran advised, ¡°Still, take speed.

    Leave no trouble behind.

    Who knows what might happen in the future?¡±

    Hill, watching the somewhat chaotic scene of the two, dared not speak up.

    Fran stood up.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving now, Hill.

    This period, I won¡¯t have time to check on you, so be diligent in your training.¡±

    Hill could only repeatedly agree.

    Too many things had happened, and the future¡¯s direction was unclear.

    Even Fran felt somewhat anxious.

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 The Call of 15 Million People

    ?33: Chapter 33: The Call of 1.5 Million People 33: Chapter 33: The Call of 1.5 Million People Deep autumn had passed, and early winter had arrived; another month had quickly gone by.

    Hill sat by the bay window, holding a teacup, quietly admiring the first snowfall of winter.

    During this period, Hill¡¯s days were leisurely and comfortable.

    The players were still dispersed throughout Saral, diligently building churches.

    Driven by the rewards of military exploits from William, they had exhausted all efforts to vie for the first piece of territory in the game, driving those clan families to madness.

    A few days ago, Adrian had already sent him a message: all matters concerning himself and his family had been resolved.

    Adrian was now free.

    Fran no longer needed to worry that his heir might be compromised in his later years, dragged down by family troubles.

    From now on, their branch would have no concerns about the future.

    Fran¡¯s care and protection of Adrian was a sincere heart returned over 20 years.

    The future heirs of Adrian were now out of the scope of concern for Fran and Hill.

    The snowflakes fell softly like fine salt, scattering quietly in the air.

    The valley crisscrossed with waterways retained its warmth.

    The snowflakes, halfway to the ground, slowly turned into raindrops.

    Mist wreathed the valley, dreamlike and ethereal.

    Hill, watching Alice who climbed on top of a tall tree trying to catch the snow with her paws, felt a warmth and joy in his heart.

    However, at that moment, the Spirit of Nature suddenly alerted him.

    Hill immediately flew out of the Magic Tower, gazing towards Saral from afar.

    Chaotic elemental power churned over the entire skies of Saral.

    Black clouds covered the sun, and several tornado columns, shaped like inverted cones, burst forth from the clouds, extending over the cities of Saral, overwhelming and rolling in.

    But such terrifying power was firmly bound.

    The power of the deities was so immense, yet they managed it so quietly that ordinary humans were oblivious while Professionals were thrown into panic.

    This moment, the whole world¡¯s gaze would turn towards Saral.

    Elves and Dwarves could probably no longer remain indifferent.

    Even List, who typically paid no mind to external affairs, now appeared at the top of the Mage Tower.

    For List, who depended on elemental power for existence, such elemental fluctuations were too dreadful.

    The storm lasted for half an hour before abruptly ceasing.

    The elements that had filled the land of Saral were wiped clean.

    Hill felt the elements within his own territory being wildly drawn towards the virtually emptied interior of Saral, and he quickly had List activate the isolating Magic Array.

    Dazzling golden light formed a hemispherical transparent Magic Barrier, firmly sealing Hill¡¯s territory.

    Hill looked down to see the creatures and Magical Beasts living in his territory almost all gathered around his Magic Tower.

    They looked anxiously at Hill above them.

    These creatures, dependent on the elements for survival, sensed the massive changes the world was about to face.

    They hoped Hill could give them a reassuring explanation, but Hill could only shatter their illusions.

    There had not been a newly born deity for 10,000 years; everyone had to confront reality calmly.

    Although nature was alert, it did not feel sadness.

    The World Consciousness welcomed such transformations.

    Alice jumped atop the tower, looking at Hill in panic, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±

    ¡°The summoning of the Undead Tribe requires elements.

    The summoning of at least a million Undead has led to this result.

    The strength of this deity is unpredictable.¡±

    Alice, disheartened, buried her head in her forepaws, her white fur disheveled, almost crying out loud, ¡°Hill, you had anticipated this, hadn¡¯t you?

    That¡¯s why you always urged me to train.¡±

    ¡°There is still time.

    Alice, tell your friends.

    Hurry.

    My territory can still protect you for now.

    But I am not sure what will happen in the future.¡±

    Alice asked, ¡°Won¡¯t they come here to summon?¡±

    ¡°No, why would they?

    They are likely to head south.

    In Haifasardo, a war awaits them!

    If there is another such large-scale summoning, they will only go to Haifasardo.

    But Alice, if their numbers keep increasing, there is no need for them to come here.

    ¡°Elements are fluid, Alice.¡±

    Alice sobbed softly and quickly climbed down the tower.

    She went to a group of small animals, mewing for a long time.

    The small animals, very upset, scattered.

    They had once thought they just needed to live in Hill¡¯s valley for a while, but now it seemed, only here could their lives be preserved.

    The degradation of elements in the air would make the crystal cores in their bodies coveted.

    How brutal humans could be was engraved in their ancestral memories.

    Hill descended to the ground, summoning the elements, warning them never to leave the territory.

    Especially the Water Elementals, who must not swim out of the valley in their joy.

    The river was the only exit from the valley now, and the fence Hill set up in the river could not stop an elemental that could transform into water.

    Although the elementals promised him, they all looked worriedly towards the Elemental Realm.

    They lived on this land, having left the Elemental Realm, but they still worried about their place of origin.

    The Elemental Realm maintained its superior status because humans could not defeat them.

    They feared that the power of the Elemental Realm might also be dissolved, would the powerful deities spare the richly resourced Elemental Realm?

    Hill shook his head and told them it might affect the Elemental World only after tens of thousands of years.

    Humans always die, but elements might survive tens of thousands of years.

    And this deity, being a Kind God, would not actively attack and occupy other worlds.

    The naive elementals were soon reassured, knowing the Elemental Realm wouldn¡¯t participate in the struggles of the material world.

    They began to wander happily around Hill¡¯s territory again.

    Hill returned to his study and contacted Fran, ¡°Grandfather!

    What¡¯s the situation in Saral now?¡±

    ¡°Directly entered, 1.5 million,¡± Fran said stiffly.

    ¡°William has gone mad!

    Let¡¯s not talk about this now, many things are happening in the capital, I¡¯ll tell you later.

    The Mages of Saral are all going mad!¡±

    Hill cut off contact, anxiously waiting for Fran to reach out again.

    Fran didn¡¯t dare curse the deity, but Hill clearly understood whom he actually wanted to curse in his angry tone.

    Outside the golden shimmering magic barrier, the early winter snow had already been erased by the elemental storm.

    Life indeed had its highs and lows.

    Hill could no longer recall the pleasant mood he had that morning.

    Even though he had anticipated it, the reality still made him uneasy.

    Hill silently awaited the storm of reality.

    At midnight, the external elements finally calmed down, and Hill received another communication from Fran.

    It was the first time Hill had heard Fran¡¯s hoarse voice.

    ¡°William is too harsh!

    The elemental concentration outside our territory has decreased by a third.

    In the best places within Saral, only half is retained.

    The Mage Association is unlikely to hold out this time.

    William would rather see the entire Mage Association withdraw.

    They now only have the choice to either leave or bow down to the Saral Royal Family.

    Back then, they forced the Royal Family to yield a magic tower, so it¡¯s normal for them to face such retaliation.

    The Mage Association has been arrogant for so many years, taking away many talented mages from Saral!

    The nobles would rather deal with the Temple of Knowledge than learn magic from them.

    It¡¯s the ordinary mages who are going to suffer again.

    After all, Saral doesn¡¯t really have any ordinary mages.

    Whatever fate the nobles and the Mage Association meet with is normal.

    Today, after those 1.5 million members of the Undead Tribe appeared, William declared that all elemental ore mines of city-level and above in Saral will be state-owned.

    As for the mines currently owned by the nobility, William will purchase them at the market price, limited to those that have already been registered and taxed by the Royal Family.

    By next spring, those who haven¡¯t handed over their ore, will be treated as committing treason.

    The army will take direct control.

    Those that weren¡¯t registered, if discovered, will be directly confiscated.¡±

    ¡°All the ores?¡±

    ¡°Our small mine doesn¡¯t count.

    We are not touching those outside the borders of Saral Country yet.

    But William has declared that he plans to expand the territory, pushing the borders north and west together.

    Such large mines are all held by the Great Nobility.

    No one understands what William really wants to do now.

    People in the Capital think that William believes that this chaos within the Saral Royal Family was caused by these Great Nobles colluding with each other.

    He also hates Edward and Charles, saying that extending the borders is to push these two further away.

    The deep wilderness of the north, that should be punishment enough for them!¡±

    Suddenly, Hill couldn¡¯t control himself and asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone think that William just wants to build a fair and just nation?

    The kind of ore that can influence a nation should not stay in private hands.¡±

    Fran said sternly, ¡°Regardless of how many speculations or ideas you have, keep them to yourself!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandfather, I will only talk to you about this.¡±

    ¡°What if I had someone else here?

    Now I am actually very glad that you sent Boen¡¯s family to stay with me.

    Remember, keep your mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Grandfather.

    Where¡¯s Adrian?

    Isn¡¯t he by your side?¡±

    ¡°Adrian has gone to arrange accommodations.

    I will have many guests here.

    Luckily, you mentioned before that the Undead Tribe would come, so we built a hotel.

    Don¡¯t turn off your isolation magic array.

    The mages, heartless and detached, do not want to deal with worldly matters.

    Unless they owe a great favor to some noble, swore an oath before the gods, or are unlucky like Adrian, they will not participate in wars to defend the properties of nobles.

    I have already had many hint to me that they want to visit.

    They want to go to the distant Western Mountains to find sites to build mage towers.

    If they can¡¯t find sufficiently safe places, they will give up.

    They will either submit to William or migrate elsewhere.

    My place will definitely be chaotic for a while, and only my place in the west can serve as a foothold now.

    During this time, just stay quietly in your territory.

    Absolutely do not turn off the isolation magic array.

    Do you have enough elemental crystals?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandfather, I have enough for a continuous supply for 100 years.¡±

    ¡°William has already ordered all the noble knights guarding the Haifasardo border to be recalled.

    Four families of the Undead Tribe have been granted fiefs.

    If the commoners do not wish to live in the territories of the Undead, they can leave by next spring.¡±

    Fran couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Something big will definitely happen next spring.¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 The First Appearance of the Teleportation Array

    ?34: Chapter 34 The First Appearance of the Teleportation Array 34: Chapter 34 The First Appearance of the Teleportation Array The entire winter, under Fran and Adrian¡¯s strict supervision, Hill could only spend a lonely season within his domain.

    He felt he had never longed for spring this much before.

    The only major event in Hill¡¯s Domain was the gathering of Water Element and Wood Element into clans.

    Initially sizing each other up, the elements quickly chose a clan leader.

    They felt quite aggrieved; after all, elements had virtually no concept of time.

    If not for external pressure, they would have given each other a long period to adapt, train hard, and finally select the most powerful Elemental Chief.

    After all, a powerful Elemental Spirit could exist for millions of years.

    Even if their core strength was insufficient, the weakened and fading elements could still survive for tens of thousands of years.

    Hill, no matter how powerful, couldn¡¯t outlive them.

    When Hill passed away, if his successor was not recognized by the elements, they would return to the Elemental World.

    Their clans were their lifetime reliance and their clan leaders, their eternal leaders.

    Hill completely ignored their chattering.

    He was rather displeased himself!

    To him, this was not good news at all.

    The Fire Elements within the domain were almost gone within a few days.

    The Gold Elements had also entirely moved near the mountains.

    Ordinary people could not possibly live in such an extreme elemental environment.

    Hill had no choice but to give up on his last cook.

    On the day he sent a few people out to settle elsewhere, Hill stood in his study, gazing out of the valley.

    List comforted him: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sir.

    Your puppets can already prepare hundreds of kinds of dishes.¡±

    Hill silently thought: ¡°Have I been completely expelled from the human race?¡±

    His dream domain once was Hogwarts.

    Though a bit foolish, he really loved that fairy tale.

    Coming to this world, he had a powerful Mage grandfather and learned the world¡¯s most advanced Alchemy, giving him much confidence.

    He envisioned building a Hogwarts castle, recruiting many young apprentices, and becoming the headmaster himself.

    He had even designed the small town around the castle.

    Things rarely go as planned.

    Even though he had lived over thirty years in his previous life, remaining naive was normal; modifying his life plans quietly and humbly wasn¡¯t pitiable.

    If he couldn¡¯t build a school, then so be it; fulfilling dreams from a middle phase wasn¡¯t a necessity.

    If people around him had to leave, he sent them away on good terms.

    It¡¯s a common human sentiment to part ways amicably.

    Even though William and the players¡¯ appearance pleased Hill, after all, Count Perast had fallen.

    Out of sight, out of dislike¡ªseeing unpleasant people suffer was always satisfying.

    Hill himself had also made quite a bit of money from the players!

    Hill repeatedly comforted himself, but after sending off the last human from his domain, Hill still felt aggrieved.

    No matter how beautiful the scenery outside or how capable List was, they couldn¡¯t console him: from now on, he was alone here.

    Hill had never known he could be so sentimental; he had always considered himself a straightforward guy, rolling around construction sites.

    But he couldn¡¯t help it.

    The desolate feeling of being left alone in the vast earth made him sigh deeply from within.

    Hill silently told himself: ¡°You are an emotional magician.

    This is innate.

    It is normal to occasionally liberate your nature as a magician.¡±

    Hill sat on the bay window, pressing his head against the glass, falling into depression.

    List suddenly drifted by his side, asking in a floating tone: ¡°Sir, are you lonely?

    Do you need to raise a nest of bears?¡±

    Hundreds of alpacas ran through Hill¡¯s mind.

    ¡°List, do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°But my common sense tells me you need companions of the same kind.

    You wouldn¡¯t harm humans; bears would do, right?¡± List was extremely puzzled: ¡°This environment is very suitable for Earth Bears here.

    They might even evolve into Earth Bears.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, List.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    Hill thought he had better remain calm, neither too happy nor overly sentimental.

    Unlike his past minor frustrations, the blow from his Tower Spirit was truly laughable and ridiculous.

    Hill clutched his head and groaned.

    Was this self-inflicted suffering?

    He had designed the Tower Spirit¡¯s knowledge and personality himself; was he too reminiscent of his mother back then?

    This fancifully piercing tone, speaking the harshest words with the kindest voice¡ªoh, he really didn¡¯t want to recall it.

    It made him remember how his mother treated her single son in his thirties.

    Never mind, he might as well boost his spirits and start training again.

    Spring, come quickly!

    The thunder of spring rumbled in the distant horizon as Hill¡¯s domain finally stepped into spring.

    Nothing was as beautiful as spring¡ª

    Swaying grass grew taller, more beautiful, and lush;

    The robin eggs, like small low skies, sang

    Through the resonating woods, cleansing the ears,

    Listening to its song felt like a lightning strike;

    Pear blossoms and leaves glimmered and shone,

    Brushing against the drooping blue sky; that blue was passionate,

    So splendid; even the lambs couldn¡¯t help but frolic.

    Hill lightly hummed the poem, accompanying Alice, who had trained the entire winter and finally came out to greet spring, as they walked in the valley.

    Alice was extremely happy, reciting each line after Hill.

    She was finally at the same level as Hill.

    For the Spirit of Nature, it was easy to elevate oneself, but sadly, Alice was a playful and lazy cat.

    However, it was precisely because Alice was like this that she easily trusted humans.

    Her friends had stayed nearby for half a year, always hiding behind trees, watching Hill.

    Hill didn¡¯t mind as long as they made the natural vows.

    He understood why these little animals feared him.

    His two farms kept livestock for meat.

    Every few days, puppets would go to slaughter.

    Hill didn¡¯t intend to give up his love for eating meat.

    He only required that if any livestock awakened magic power, they were to be expelled from the farms: he could not eat animals that had gained sentience.

    So far, besides one big-horned cow, only two pigs had awakened.

    Hill preferred not to see them.

    While he could tolerate the cow, those two pigs would sneak near the Magic Tower every now and then, and Hill sometimes really wanted to throw them out of the domain.

    ¡°Hill, what¡¯s different in the Archmage stage for a magician?¡± Alice suddenly asked.

    ¡°No significant changes.

    In the first two stages of a magician, the number of spells one awakens doesn¡¯t change.

    Only the spell intensity doubles.¡±

    ¡°Do magicians never chant spells?

    Sometimes I see you chant.¡±

    ¡°I grew up with proper magister education, learning some spell usage.

    If you only rely on awakened spells, the outcome would be horrible, Alice.¡±

    ¡°Alright, diligent Hill.¡±

    ¡°Alright, lazy Alice.

    I have to go back.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, I¡¯m going to see Merkel, I¡¯m on the same level as him.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye.

    Be careful not to get hit.¡±

    Alice rolled her eyes gracefully and scampered up a tree.

    Hill returned to his study, waiting for Fran¡¯s contact.

    Today was the Goddess of Agriculture¡¯s birthday, and celebrations were held across Saral.

    And William was also announcing his big news today.

    When Fran appeared, he was nearly in a panic.

    ¡°The Space-Time Cathedral has teleportation arrays!

    All of them!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Saral citizens can use them for a fee!¡± Fran tried to stay calm.

    ¡°But at least they would need to be Mage Apprentices or Knight Squires.

    Otherwise, their bodies would be damaged by spatial turbulence.¡±

    ¡°Since it has come to this, Grandpa, don¡¯t worry.

    After all, we have long suspected they would have a method for rapid action, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°What do I have to be anxious about?¡± Fran¡¯s tone stabilized.

    ¡°The nobles are the ones who should be going crazy.

    William announced a national census.

    He had previously mentioned liberating all slaves!

    There had been no further news, so people thought he had given up on it.

    Who would have thought he was waiting for the teleportation arrays to open?

    The newly arrived million-strong Undead Tribe had been in various cities for over a month.

    Who knows how much evidence William had gathered.

    Anyway, William believed that since he had announced the liberation of slaves so long ago, Saral should be full of civilians by now.

    He required all citizens over sixteen to register their households and receive household registers.

    Children under sixteen also had to be registered in their parents¡¯ registers.

    The Space-Time Cathedral allowed all children under sixteen to go there to study, as long as they were Saral citizens.

    A month later, William would send people to inspect the nation, and nobles with large numbers of unregistered civilians in their domains would be charged with treason.¡±

    Fran spoke incessantly, sighing at William¡¯s ruthless approach: ¡°Half of the people here suddenly left to work for William.

    Now only those truly seeking to build their own Mage Towers still stay here.

    They were using my place as a transitional rest stop anyway, so things have calmed down again.¡±

    Hill asked: ¡°Uncle Adrian?¡±

    ¡°Organizing the commercial street.

    The Undead Tribe will likely arrive soon.¡±

    Hill found it amusing: When it came to the Undead Tribe, Fran was even more attentive than him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh; for an alchemist, the attributeless crystals held by the Undead Tribe are highly useful, you know?

    You should make good use of them too!¡±

    ¡°I have placed most of them in the elements¡¯ residences.

    They have formed families and need a fixed residence.¡±

    ¡°Then you should also stock up on goods in the shops in the outer village.

    They will likely visit there too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s voice came through: ¡°No need to wait, someone has already arrived.¡±

    ¡°The Undead Tribe?

    So soon?¡±

    ¡°That one called Chattering, after all, is a magister and flies fast.

    He brought a group.

    They headed straight to the potion shop and cleared out all the high-level potions.¡±

    ¡°Are they here to sweep up goods?¡±

    ¡°They said there¡¯s a group of Knight Swordsmen running behind.

    They came to buy potions and send them back before returning, urging me to restock swiftly.

    Chattering stayed though; he wants to systematically learn Alchemy.

    I had Boen take him to study from the beginning.¡±

    Fran made a quick decision: ¡°Alright, no more talking.

    I¡¯ll check the inventory and prepare more potions.

    Hill, you make your preparations too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandpa.

    Goodbye, Uncle Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, little Hill.

    Work hard and make money!¡±

    Hill sat upright and exhaled heavily: the beta test was over; the official launch had begun.

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 My Village

    ?35: Chapter 35: My Village 35: Chapter 35: My Village Hill placed the set of shop cores that had been used in Obastian into the general store in his territory.

    This set, which had withstood the bombardment from capital players, should be able to handle the buying and selling tasks.

    Sure enough, just as he had expected, within a week, many players came to his territory.

    The large hotel Hill had prepared quickly filled up.

    The culinary skills of the three cooks trained by List satisfied these players.

    Many people insisted on staying at Hill¡¯s hotel and would run dozens of miles during the day to read books in Fran¡¯s Territory.

    Hill believed it was more likely because his hotel was cheaper.

    Fran¡¯s place offered high-end rooms suitable for mage accommodation, which were very expensive.

    Although Hill¡¯s village was small, he had inscribed it with magic arrays.

    All the shops and hotels would detect if anyone was fighting inside and automatically eject them.

    If someone tried to break in, the magic arrow towers would activate automatically.

    The buildings were also well protected, so even if players fought in the village, it wouldn¡¯t affect anything.

    Hill¡¯s villagers had been taught not to interfere in fights among the Undead Tribe and to hide instead.

    Following William¡¯s example, Hill received players at the Lord¡¯s Mansion in the village center every day at 9:00 a.m.

    He would stay for an hour and then leave.

    After a week of perseverance, more and more players came to the territory, gathering materials from the nearby mountains.

    The general store in Hill¡¯s village collected many materials.

    These players had already gotten used to staying at Hill¡¯s place and going to Fran¡¯s place to buy weapons and equipment.

    Hill¡¯s hotel was cheaper, and Hill would buy anything, while Fran only accepted herbs and minerals.

    Sitting in the Lord¡¯s Mansion early in the morning and waiting for players, Hill suddenly felt a surge of power sweeping over the village¡¯s magic array.

    This was the divine power of the God of Time and Space.

    Though powerful, it was filled with a holy and warm force.

    When the divine power brushed lightly over Hill, it seemed to sense the Holy Dew he had once received and, without hesitation, completely baptized Hill¡¯s body again.

    The deity might have been accustomed to organizing the elemental bodies of millions of players.

    Hill deeply felt the deity¡¯s familiarity with elementalizing bodies.

    In an instant, he became a high-level archmage, with no aftereffects, fully elementalizing his human body.

    Hill thought he might become a magister within two years.

    What he now lacked was the accumulation of magic power.

    The Archmage stage, which was the strongest and most problematic for magicians, was smoothly passed by Hill through sheer luck.

    Carefully inspecting his body inch by inch, he found that the beastly genes were tightly restrained beneath his human genes.

    Divine power was truly fearsome and awe-inspiring.

    Without a prolonged bodily transformation, Hill¡¯s soul had never been invaded by beastiality.

    As a completely human soul entering the magister stage, the world rules he connected with would be human attributes; the Earth Bear¡¯s rules would not heed Hill.

    Hill did not care about losing powerful rules.

    So what if the Earth Bear could cause earth movements with a stomp or transform into a mountain range with a thought?

    Hill did not need any of that!

    As long as he did not turn into a bear!

    Hill decided to build a church for the God of Time and Space!

    Hill, elated, was pacing around the Lord¡¯s Mansion.

    Only when a player entered did he struggle to stay calm, softly asking under the player¡¯s curious gaze, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±

    ¡°The great God of Time and Space just delivered a divine message.

    This territory is allowed to let us settle, but it requires the lord¡¯s consent.

    I want to know what the conditions for settling are?¡±

    Hill lowered his head in silence, realizing there truly were no free lunches.

    ¡°I just found out too.

    The conditions will be posted on the notice board as soon as they are determined.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Lord, sorry to bother you.¡±

    Hill looked up at this polite member of the Undead Tribe: ¡°The goodwill of the territory¡¯s residents will definitely count toward it.¡±

    ¡°Of course.

    We will strive to coexist well with the original residents.¡±

    Hill nodded and watched him leave.

    Then he rushed into the underground center of the Lord¡¯s Mansion to check the changes in the magic array.

    Upon entering, Hill saw a transparent crystal ball floating brazenly in the center of the pentagram array: his controller was gone.

    Hill rubbed his face helplessly: Deities!

    He placed his hand on the crystal ball, and the territory control panel appeared before him.

    Looking at the typical lord-like game panel with population, buildings, shops, fields, and the mountain valley in the back designated as the lord¡¯s mansion garden, Hill felt a mix of emotions.

    The mountain valley was not accessible.

    Then there were the residents¡¯ goodwill and loyalty scores.

    Following that were the goodwill and contributions of the Undead Tribe.

    Hill needed to list the conditions for accepting the Undead Tribe.

    Hill silently looked at the territory¡¯s defensive buildings: the magic arrow towers had been strengthened to the extreme.

    They could directly kill a magister.

    The defensive magic array was also reinforced.

    Hill had to rely on the magic tower to reach such a level.

    At the end, it even noted that if any Undead Tribe members fought within the territory, the magic arrow towers would directly fire.

    Hill was speechless.

    Inside the crystal ball was another question: Hill¡¯s goodwill towards the God of Time and Space was extremely high; would he build a Space-Time Cathedral?

    Hill could appoint the church¡¯s priests himself; the God of Time and Space could directly convert them into his priests if they sincerely pledged allegiance to the deity from then on.

    Hill was deeply shocked by this straightforward ploy.

    Hill suspected that William was behind this.

    Had he been driven mad by the players?

    As a future leader, William indeed needed to promote the deity, build many churches, and prepare for the deity¡¯s grand elevation to the divine throne.

    To think he operated so transparently, and the God of Time and Space allowed it?

    Where was the deity¡¯s noble and proud face?

    Swallowed whole by William?

    Was he treating the faith like a company?

    Thinking it over, Hill decided to consult Fran¡¯s opinion.

    When he told Fran, the other side was silent.

    After a long while, Adrian said, ¡°We also received a crystal ball, placed in the magic town outside.

    Its primary purpose is to prevent the Undead Tribe from fighting in the town.

    The deity didn¡¯t ask if we wanted to set up a church, just if we would only allow mage sorcerers to enter or reside.

    Master thinks the caravan street should be open to everyone, but the library should only allow mage sorcerers to enter.

    Undead mage could also settle, and the library area is designated as Mage Street, welcoming all mages who want to learn.

    The Space-Time Cathedrals come with their own teleportation arrays, and we don¡¯t plan on opening ours.¡±

    Fran spoke up: ¡°What about your valley?¡±

    ¡°The divine power paused momentarily, connected the defensive magic arrays on the mountains and the village, and strengthened them altogether.

    The ones inside the valley were left alone.

    I went down to check upon returning.

    The divine power didn¡¯t enter, but I can directly link the magic tower¡¯s power to the village¡¯s magic array.

    This deity understood magic arrays well, setting up the mountain arrays as a transfer point.

    Very courteous, no intention of entering the vicinity of my magic tower.¡±

    ¡°The magic tower was also bypassed here.¡± Fran said despondently: ¡°In passing, all external magic arrays were reinforced, including offensive ones.

    I can kill a legendary within the tower now.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Hill said cautiously.

    ¡°What exactly does the deity want?¡± Fran was furious: ¡°Does he think we¡¯re too weak?

    That we¡¯ll be harmed by his Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Hill said earnestly, ¡°At least I¡¯m very afraid.

    If tens of thousands of sky knights and magisters from the Undead Tribe started fighting here, my territory would be utterly destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Hill.¡± Fran didn¡¯t want to talk to this little brat anymore.

    Adrian, stifling laughter, asked: ¡°Are you thinking about building a cathedral?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Uncle Adrian.

    I recall you mentioned last time that you had a younger family member, a girl not very talented, but it wouldn¡¯t end well for her if she stayed with the family?

    She asked you to take her away, right?¡±

    ¡°You mean Olivia?

    Yes.

    She didn¡¯t want to be a childbearing tool for the family and pleaded with me to take her along.

    The girl has a resolute character and works hard too.

    Unfortunately, her aptitude is even lower than Boen¡¯s.

    She won¡¯t become a mage even in 20 years.

    The only thing I could do was allow her to stay on Apprentice Street indefinitely.

    Are you thinking of making her a priest?

    Indeed, she does have some mage aptitude, and divine baptism might help her advance.¡±

    ¡°Ask her, Uncle Adrian.

    After all, she is your family member.

    Let her decide.

    If she declines, then ask the other apprentices.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Hill.

    I¡¯ll contact you later.¡±

    Hill waited silently.

    Actually, the first people who came to mind were Shani and Dean.

    But he held back.

    He no longer had any ties with that family.

    Cherishing his friendship with Boen, he avoided unnecessary actions.

    If Shani and Dean became the territory¡¯s priests, Lina would certainly want Locke to become the village chief.

    This wasn¡¯t because Lina was greedy, but because of this world¡¯s noble traditions.

    No matter how good Hill was to Shani and Dean, the ones with feelings were Lina, and it was Lina he should promote.

    Appointing Shani would make people think Hill wanted her for some task, but appointing Lina would make them believe he was elevating his caretaker.

    Hill absolutely couldn¡¯t use his Eastern mindset in making decisions.

    Finding Adrian¡¯s family was perfectly reasonable because they were all of noble birth: giving the position to a noble was only right.

    Even if Lina¡¯s family heard, there wouldn¡¯t be any resentment.

    The disparity in status was immense, and Hill had already arranged a good life for them.

    Leaning against the bay window, Hill waited silently.

    At moments like this, the soul of a person from another land within him would always feel conflicted.

    It was much better now; his desire to elevate everyone around him had significantly diminished.

    Adrian quickly got back to him: ¡°Hill, she wants to go.

    I¡¯ll take her there tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Uncle Adrian, I¡¯ll be waiting at the Lord¡¯s Mansion at 9:00.¡±

    ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    Hill saw Alice sitting across from him, waiting: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°What was that power?

    Even nature was trembling.¡±

    ¡°The great God of Time and Space.

    The only god presently on earth.¡±

    ¡°Godwars?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Who is the enemy?

    Are they just as strong?¡±

    ¡°A deity unrelated to us.

    The main god of human nobles.¡±

    ¡°I think this one is stronger.

    Merkel was petrified.¡±

    Hill laughed: Right, Merkel lived by the mountains.

    When that power was modifying the magic array, Merkel must have been scared stiff.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.

    It¡¯s out of goodwill.

    My territory is safer now.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Hill is human after all.¡± Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, ¡°Hill, you¡¯ve been going out to the villages every day lately; is there anything fun?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave until you reach magister status, Alice.¡±

    ¡°Why can Hill go!

    Meow~~ Hill, why did you suddenly become stronger?¡±

    ¡°Because I study hard and practice diligently.

    Alice is too lazy!¡±

    Hill thought his face was becoming thicker.

    Alice cried out pitifully and ran off sobbing.

    Her greatest trait was her fear of death and belief that Hill wouldn¡¯t harm her.

    If Hill was so worried about her leaving the valley, there must be great danger out there.

    Safety before fun.

    Hill smiled slightly.

    The newly advanced Alice had been a little too carefree these past few days, playing all over the valley.

    She¡¯d better obediently go back to training!

    A couple of days ago, she quarreled with Merkel and didn¡¯t even react when he called her a stupid cat who¡¯s hundreds of years old.

    Hill thought Alice needed a reality check.

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Space-Time Cathedral

    ?36: Chapter 36 Space-Time Cathedral 36: Chapter 36 Space-Time Cathedral Hill stood quietly in front of the Lord¡¯s Mansion, observing the notice board that he hadn¡¯t paid attention to yesterday.

    This board, originally intended for posting notices, had now become a three-meter-tall, two-meter-wide crystal screen.

    Hill studied it carefully:

    On the right side of the screen were rows of scrolling tasks issued by the Space-Time Cathedral, a feature present in all cities, allowing members of the Undead Tribe to accept missions across regions.

    The upper half of the left side displayed announcements from the lord, while the lower half listed local tasks.

    Currently, both were blank.

    Hill thought for a moment and then pulled out that crystal ball from the central underground.

    Sure enough, as soon as he took it over, two small tablets floated out above the large crystal screen and landed in Hill¡¯s hands.

    The projection from the crystal ball indicated that this was the task notice board, and it could be written on directly with a fingertip.

    Hill could hand these two tablets over to a government official or a village chief.

    Tasks they posted would appear on the crystal ball, which served as the terminal.

    If there were objections, they could be deleted directly with it.

    The last line was bolded as a warning: Please do not allow ordinary people to use the registration crystal book of the notice board¡ªdo so at your own risk.

    Hill could only silently observe.

    Too many things from the past had arrived at once, and it was somewhat overwhelming for him.

    Hill had read many stories of how deities each traveled the earth before their deification, performing various miracles to benefit the people, warmly treating every person who offered loyalty, gentle and loving, presiding over justice, and spreading their love throughout the mortal world.

    Could it be that His Majesty had a background as a programmer?

    Apart from William, there seemed to be no intention to interact directly with people, leaving everything to be managed by intelligences.

    The intelligent processing of problems by His Majesty of Time and Space was indeed orderly, but the humans who worshiped Him still didn¡¯t know what He looked like.

    The deities roamed the earth so that during the deification ceremony, the statues shaped by the concentrated faith would resemble their true selves.

    People always sculpt their deities in their minds to be more perfect, aligning closer to the image they promote.

    This statue would be enshrined in the deities¡¯ Main Temple, accessible only to the most devout of believers.

    And the statues in other temples and cathedrals, no matter how they were crafted before, would later be transformed by Divine Power into a uniform shape.

    Upon reflection, Hill realized that when he thought of the God of Time and Space, his first impression was now that of a tablet.

    Only a programmer would wish to incarnate as a computer, right?

    But the Scales in the temples do have a human form, don¡¯t they?

    Hill wasn¡¯t sure how this deity planned to handle the Deification Ceremony.

    After thinking it over for a long time, he guessed it was to delay the ascension to the Divine Throne, slow down the transmission of faith from the world¡¯s consciousness after being expelled from the Main World.

    But with such an unusual approach, Hill hoped that the God of Time and Space could manage it well.

    If the statues in temples and cathedrals all ended up turning into tablet computers, Hill felt he certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to control his emotions.

    If one day he couldn¡¯t help but take delight in the disaster in front of a statue, the consequences, if discovered, would be dire.

    Adrian arrived flying with Olivia.

    Hill scrutinized the future Priest: She was a typical Saral Noblewoman, with blonde hair and blue eyes, delicate features, and a tall figure.

    She wore a finely made shirt, a long silk skirt of light green, and a white gold-trimmed robe.

    Aside from a pair of pearl earrings, she wore no other jewelry, interpreting nobility¡¯s simplicity in a way that suited a deity¡¯s potential requirements for female clergy.

    Hill, looking into her steadfast and resolute green eyes, nodded with satisfaction:

    ¡°Welcome to my domain, Miss Olivia.

    I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m profoundly grateful for this opportunity.

    Under the will of my deity, I shall submit to your wishes,¡± Olivia curtsied softly.

    Hill nodded, and guided her to the empty space on the left side of the Lord¡¯s Mansion, which he had already filled with construction materials.

    He summoned the locals, instructing them to stand on the outer perimeter.

    Knowing that Hill was preparing to build a Space-Time Cathedral, the locals kneeled down, trembling: they might have their own gods to worship, but in the presence of any deity, they didn¡¯t dare show the slightest disrespect.

    At times like this, Hill was extremely grateful to be a Mage.

    Even the headstrong Melanie, when teaching Hill, told him to respect but not fear the deities.

    In a mage¡¯s world, the most important thing was personal choice.

    Mages could worship deities, but it must come from a genuine personal decision.

    Whether it was for gain or a true alignment with the deity¡¯s philosophy, as long as the choice was authentic, there would be no consequences.

    Otherwise, one could never become a Legendary Mage.

    This was a philosophy passed down among mages, one that even deities couldn¡¯t oppose¡ªa result of the struggles of Legendary Mages over tens of thousands of years.

    There are no selfless deities.

    The absence of a War God on this continent is evidence enough of the bloody struggles between the gods.

    Before activating the option to build the Space-Time Cathedral within the floating crystal ball, Hill, moved by an impulse, took out some gold, silver, gemstones, and Pearl Coral, and then instructed Olivia, holding these, to stand before the construction site and he solemnly pressed ¡°Yes.¡±

    The crystal ball floated up, radiating a divine golden light.

    The cathedral emerged inch by inch within the glow, and Olivia crossed her hands over her chest, kneeling within the golden light.

    Hill and Adrian both bowed in a Mage¡¯s salute, quietly watching the deities scatter their brilliance.

    As the light faded, the two looked up at the cathedral standing tall before them.

    Hill searched his mind, finding the structure eerily familiar.

    After some thought, he was certain it was a replica of the new cathedral in Envalide, Paris.

    The building featured a square Greek cross plan, with four circular chapels at the corners.

    The spired crosses had been modified into Scales, with a stark appearance and a height of around 120 meters.

    The forceful drum elevated the robust dome high above, the gilded relief displaying the Divinity of the God of Time and Space.

    The square cathedral seemed a pedestal for the dome.

    The main portico was double-decked, aptly reflecting the scale of the building.

    The walls around were evenly divided by double pilasters, each bay and its windows designed uniformly, rendering the building exceptionally dignified and elegant, yet devoid of any mystical religious aura of devotion.

    Facing the cathedral, Hill and Adrian exchanged a look, acknowledging that only a cathedral could best reflect a Deity¡¯s pursuit.

    No matter how beautiful the lip service, gazing upon those sanctified yet aloof, imposing cathedrals would always repel Mages in their pursuit of self.

    The Temple of Knowledge was solemn and elegant, the Justice Temple grave and stern, with the least suppression of Divine Power.

    Hence, the Mages held these two in higher regard.

    As for the Goddess of Agriculture, She did not build temples or cathedrals, Her altars spread across every village, negating the need for proselytism.

    The God of Time and Space would likely become the most favored among Mages in the future, a deity worthy of trust for not seeking the devotion of followers and abandoning even the sense of mystery.

    Olivia came over, her robe now a silver-blue embedded with silver-black edges, draped by a white cloak bordered with silver fur.

    Hill recalled that the players also had similar robes; probably standard issue, or maybe a sect uniform?

    Olivia performed a Priest¡¯s salute, ¡°My lord, Lord Adrian, the divine edict of our Main God reads: The cathedral¡¯s four chambers, the left-side Teleportation Array will open tomorrow, the right reserved for classes.¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°The cathedral has just been built, and there¡¯s much to be done.

    I won¡¯t keep you, go on with your duties!¡±

    Olivia nodded, turned, and walked into the cathedral, showing no intention of spreading the faith among the kneeling commoners or acknowledging the Undead Tribe watching from a distance.

    Adrian tugged at Hill, ¡°Did you see those Undead onlookers?

    There are even Priests among them!

    Don¡¯t they care about their own Main God¡¯s cathedral being established?¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°If you can¡¯t understand the Undead matters, don¡¯t bother with them.

    If their own deities don¡¯t care, why should you?¡±

    Adrian, at a loss for words, said, ¡°The world is changing too fast, I feel like I need to seclude myself for a while.¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather won¡¯t let you roam freely; keeping you around so the Undead young ladies visit a few more times might have its benefits!¡±

    ¡°Little Hill, your sarcasm is getting sharper.¡±

    Hill sneered, knowing full well Adrian and Fran¡¯s claim that Hill squatted in the Lord¡¯s Mansion daily just to swindle the Undead young ladies.

    Lately, Fran had not left the Magic Tower, annoyed by the Undead girls swarming him, calling him ¡®uncle¡¯.

    Only Adrian, in order to determine the biggest demand for potions among the Undead Tribe, stood daily in the Potion Shop, surrounded by a group of Undead Female Mages calling him ¡®brother¡¯, beaming with joy, lighthearted and witty, and he had the nerve to criticize Hill!

    Hill paid no mind to the ever-watchful Adrian.

    Since leaving the court, the staid and dependable Adrian had become increasingly carefree.

    Hill understood this was because Adrian had completed his elemental transformation and returned to the keen sensitivity of his youth.

    Without the need to suppress emotions, a proper release would greatly benefit Adrian¡¯s advance to Magister, meaning Fran wouldn¡¯t intervene either.

    If not for the issue with Melanie dealing a heavy blow to Fran, he would have ascended to Magister a decade ago.

    Yet if Fran had presided over the Royal Family¡¯s Great Magic Tower, intimately merging his spirit with the Tower Spirit for many years, he would not be able to disengage himself so effortlessly given the current situation.

    Hill was merely an accident, yet William represented eternity.

    The previous Magisters under Fran were now in a dilemma.

    If the God War reached the Capital, they would have to fight to protect the Royal Family, which meant they¡¯d stand opposed to the God of Nobility.

    In contrast, Fran managed an easy disengagement, subject to much envy.

    Hill was curious about what kind of game narrative the God of Time and Space was crafting.

    William, seemingly solely focused on confronting the Great Nobility, diverted his entire Army to scrutinize mineral resources.

    Even with a throng of Undead mercenaries behind him, his main force showed no intention of advancing to the borders.

    Hill remembered playing games with foolish war narratives and worried about the current situation.

    And entrusting the players with border defense ¨C was there no fear of collapse?

    While players were indeed fierce, having teammates like pigs was also a common occurrence.

    Hill had a profoundly vivid memory of that ¡®Two Lines of Bamboo¡¯.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Peaceful Country Life

    ?37: Chapter 37 Peaceful Country Life 37: Chapter 37 Peaceful Country Life Hill¡¯s domain village had finally gotten on the right track.

    He had given a task-listing tablet to the grocery store owner.

    After all, the tasks that could be issued in his territory were basically all about collecting various materials.

    Hill understood that gather quests did bring some experience to the players.

    Compared to just selling items for money, players preferred tasks.

    These past few days, he had been secretly listening to the players¡¯ chats.

    Those high-level players were essentially cursing the planners for being inhumane, as leveling up past level 50 could take more than a week.

    They were also discussing when the game would launch its first instance.

    Hill was genuinely curious as to how the deity intended to create a game instance in a real world.

    After all, from what he could tell from the players¡¯ indirect hints, the game did plan to have instances; it just wasn¡¯t clear when they would be available.

    Based on Hill¡¯s many years of experience reading online novels, it was very likely that a segment of history would be captured as an image for players to challenge as an instance.

    After all, the God of Time and Space existed, and time came before space!

    Hill felt that once this deity officially ascended to the Divine Throne, the river of time would have its master.

    During this God War, Hill definitely would not leave his house.

    He absolutely didn¡¯t want to give himself a chance to be captured as an instance NPC.

    Hill felt a bit sorry for the people in the God of Nobility¡¯s faction; if they fought bravely, they were sure to become the bosses in the instances, repeatedly tormented by players.

    If they were also good-looking, they¡¯d be jokingly mentioned and teased constantly, even in death they might not rest in peace.

    Since the teleportation array was activated, low-level players who came over started practicing kite-fighting tactics using the Magic Arrow Tower.

    The creatures that had been inhabiting the nearby mountains for a long time were out of luck.

    Hill¡¯s Magic Arrow Tower was continuously firing every day.

    The village guards could only stand ready to close the main gate at any moment.

    Hill initially wanted to stop them since it was consuming his Elemental Crystals.

    But later, Hill suddenly discovered that perhaps due to the deity¡¯s digitization, the Magic Arrow Tower grew stronger as it eliminated more monsters.

    Valuing safety over expenses, Hill did not hesitate to stock up a large amount of Elemental Crystals on the core of the underground Magic Array.

    When he shared this discovery with Fran and Adrian, those two immediately refused to use this method.

    Fran¡¯s Magic Tower, after all, had mages visiting often, and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face.

    They thought Hill was really thick-skinned.

    Didn¡¯t he feel embarrassed that his domain village was constantly attacked by wild beasts?

    Hill touched his handsome face, could that even be embarrassing?

    He didn¡¯t think so at all!

    It wasn¡¯t like he was the one luring the monsters.

    It was all the players¡¯ doing; he just couldn¡¯t bear to stop them.

    Hill was somewhat worried that after his advancement to Magister, Fran would have higher expectations of him; he should probably keep a low profile for the next couple of years.

    Hill decided to use the Lord¡¯s Mansion as a study for the time being, hoping to finish reading all the books before his promotion.

    The sparse elemental power in the village could help control the speed of his advancement.

    He dared not stay too long in his own Magic Tower right now and hoped to advance to Magister after Adrian.

    Moreover, the Space-Time Cathedral had just been completed.

    Many players curious about the scenery outside the western borders came to visit.

    The teleportation array was busy with people coming in and out every day.

    Hill also found that many gangs and family groups had personnel stationed in the village inn.

    Their aim was to rush to Fran¡¯s territory¡¯s Potion Shop every morning to grab goods.

    Hill¡¯s Healing Medicine and Magic Power Potions were also sold out every day.

    List¡¯s main task now was to direct the Alchemy Workshop to produce these two potions.

    However, higher-level potions that could enhance physical attributes were still only available in Fran¡¯s territory.

    The Royal Capital¡¯s Magic Tower also had potions available, but these required exchange with their Merit Points, and they seemed to prefer using Merit Points on equipment.

    Hill¡¯s inn was fully booked every day, even the Space-Time Cathedral¡¯s hall was filled with low-level players.

    Many tourists came in the morning and left in the evening.

    They also loved the food prepared by Hill¡¯s trained chef, often taking it away in packages.

    The mass of animal meat purchased by Hill¡¯s grocery store was all turned into food and sold back to the players.

    Hill initially thought he would incur losses in this aspect but unexpectedly made a small profit.

    It seemed the players obtained their Elemental Crystals quite easily, could they also be bought with real money?

    The more players came, the more curious doubts Hill had.

    He paid close attention every day to listen to the players¡¯ chats.

    But what the players were most interested in now were the castle defense battles of the first batch of players¡¯ territories and the grudges and vendettas that arose between these territories over the competition for resources.

    Baldy¡¯s Black Rose also appeared a few times in the players¡¯ conversations, but they seemed to have formed an alliance with the neighboring territory and were ignored as underlings.

    Snow Cloud Peak occupied the largest territory next to Black Rose, successfully becoming the most hated entity.

    Being first on the Merit List certainly brought glory, but it also made oneself a target for everyone.

    As a Magister, Snow Cloud Peak unhesitatingly named his clan Magic Cult.

    It was completely different from the others, like Qingyuan and Alluring Rain of the City.

    Thus, in the month-long castle defense battle after the player territories were established, they were battered most fiercely every day.

    Black Rose was also beaten up once a day, then they would stand in their own territory cheering for the Magic Cult.

    The natives didn¡¯t understand this fierce battle between players at all, and Adrian firmly believed it was a drill to ward off the Noble Coalition.

    Hill sarcastically thought, the Undead Tribe in your mouth, training crazily, would rather lose the city to the Noble Coalition than hand it over to rival players.

    Hill saw that in the large dining hall of the inn, every morning players would slam the table and shout, ¡°Today, another group of 5 is fighting the Magic Cult.¡±

    Thankfully, they had to declare war before fighting, otherwise the Magic Cult wouldn¡¯t even have time to call for reinforcements.

    Hill¡¯s Domain was vast and had many enemies, but he also had many allies from the Alliance Gang.

    Every day, a huge number of players would swarm in, and most of the Elemental Crystals in the players¡¯ hands were reclaimed by the Teleportation Array.

    To Hill, it seemed that the technologically advanced society from which the players came was very stable and prosperous, with work hours only lasting 3 to 4 hours a day.

    Bored, many people preferred playing online games where hostilities had been accumulating over the years.

    They had already become very accustomed to the faction struggles, and for the Scattered Ones, their days started with a grand melon-eating spectacle each morning.

    Hill really wanted to check out their forums.

    Hill was sitting in his office and saw Olivia passing by outside the window.

    Aside from her thrice daily prayers, she stood outside watching the Undead Tribe.

    This sharp and perceptive woman seemed to want to get closer to the deity by understanding the deity¡¯s Clan.

    But Hill only saw her steps growing heavier as she returned.

    Completely clueless, huh?

    Little girl, you¡¯re looking in the wrong direction.

    It would be better to do more activities if you wish to gain the deity¡¯s favor.

    All members in Hill¡¯s Domain were literate, men had received some basic Knight¡¯s training, and women knew basic etiquette.

    Although several families had already had children, they were still in their infancy, and she could not start basic education classes.

    The only troublemakers in Hill¡¯s Domain were the Undead tribe, who did not require Olivia to mediate justice; all problems were directed at Hill.

    Olivia was somewhat at a loss, unsure how to earn the favor of the deities.

    Next door in Fran¡¯s Territory was the largest public library to date, but it was intended for Mages, and she used to visit it daily.

    Unfortunately, as a noble lady, Olivia didn¡¯t think that commoners or Knight Swordsmen had any need to read books, so it never occurred to her.

    Hill had no desire to guide her, for this was Olivia¡¯s own path to tread.

    The clever girl would eventually find her own way, and what Hill thought might not suit her.

    This girl still maintained the noble tradition of changing into three sets of clothes daily: morning dress, afternoon formal wear, and evening casual clothes.

    She tried to dress as simply and modestly as possible, each outfit covered by a Priest¡¯s cloak, but even so, she stood out in this village.

    Hill had already seen female players who came daily to take photos of her.

    On her first day out, to show solemnity, she had worn a blue silk gown with lace cutouts and many small pearls sprinkled across the bodice beneath her cloak; her golden hair loosely tied back with two gently curling strands hanging down.

    She wore a set of pearl jewelry.

    Her beautiful sparkling green eyes and her noble and elegant attire instantly captivated a crowd of players.

    Hill watched with amusement as she awkwardly got surrounded by players all day, becoming a tool for photos, even witnessing many players trying to utter outrageous propositions only to be struck down by lightning.

    Poor Olivia indeed made a deep impression on the Undead tribe members, but unfortunately, the outcome was not as she had imagined.

    Olivia quickly realized that she had made the wrong choices without understanding the Undead Tribe and tried to dress more simply every day to observe the Undead.

    Unfortunately, what a lady of Great Nobility considered simple was completely beyond the players¡¯ understanding.

    Even her so-called simple morning attire, consisting of a silk gown and a long robe, was considered very formal by the players.

    Thus, Olivia could only rigidly persist every day amidst crowds of players who came to take photos and observe her.

    Hill found it very amusing, wondering about the kind of people assigned as main Priests in the cathedrals William had built, and how strong their mental fortitude must be to deal with the players.

    Whenever Hill appeared before the players, he wore the fashion they sold.

    Hill was indeed a handsome young lad.

    But then, which among the players was not good-looking?

    In a game where one could tweak faces, every style of handsome guy existed.

    If Hill also wore noble formal attire he might attract attention, but the clothing he wore had been seen too often by them.

    Stopping to take a photo was the greatest interest they showed in Hill.

    Alice or Merkel might have caused a sensation had they appeared.

    Unfortunately, Hill was very satisfied with his current life and had no need for attention.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 The Players Incomprehensible to the Natives

    ?38: Chapter 38: The Players Incomprehensible to the Natives 38: Chapter 38: The Players Incomprehensible to the Natives Every night when he returned to the Magic Tower, Hill would get in touch with Fran.

    Besides finding out about the situation in the Capital and the South, Fran also hoped to hear that Hill hadn¡¯t been driven mad by the players.

    He genuinely felt that there was something off about the Undead Tribe¡¯s nerves.

    After getting to know the players a bit over time, Hill gradually pieced together their skill panels.

    Even for Mages, it was only possible to cultivate skills from two elements at the same time, and the players seemed to prefer Fire Element combined with another.

    Although they could only use up to 20 skills, the rich variety of combinations made their battles spectacular and fun.

    The players only had two ways to fight each other, one was to kill indiscriminately, which seemed to lead to being marked red.

    If this happened in Hill¡¯s territory, they would be immediately shot down by arrow towers.

    The other was to declare faction war, which allowed the system to set a specific area for them to battle it out.

    Now, the most bustling and eye-catching event was the city siege of the Undead Tribe.

    Not only did many Mages from Saral float in the air to watch, but also many people from Haifasardo¡¯s side came over.

    They even brought out Airships.

    Although they didn¡¯t dare to enter the defensive zone of the Border City of Saral, they reported on it daily.

    In fact, Local Mages had now realized that the Undead used their skills in a rigid way, with long casting times, and many of the Undead were very willing to loudly announce the names of the skills they were about to use.

    In a real fight, one Local Mage could take on ten members of the Undead Tribe.

    But they were numerous.

    With over a million Professionals, although only a little more than half participated in this city siege, the number was still staggering.

    The Undead Tribe was also very fond of Fire Element Spells, and they would set entire cities ablaze without hesitation.

    The people of Saral found the Fire Walls cast by tens of thousands to be terrifying, not to mention the people from Haifasardo.

    Not to mention their Magisters who also took to the field directly, with thousands joining hands to cast Molten Meteor, tens of thousands of huge lava balls just slammed down on the heads of their own kind, scaring many people to madness.

    Haifasardo certainly didn¡¯t have as many Magisters to defend, and they couldn¡¯t sustain a Magic Barrier strong enough to withstand the onslaught with just Elemental Crystals.

    It required Magisters to directly input Magic Power.

    If before the war, there were ordinary villagers near the player territories who were reluctant to leave, now within a thousand miles in that area, not even animals were left.

    Perhaps because he knew the people from Black Rose and was close by, Fran sneaked over to watch several times.

    Although it wasn¡¯t as savage as next door, it was shocking enough for him.

    The Swordsman of Black Rose formed a Dare to Die Squad that would periodically charge at the opposite camp to instantly kill Priests with their ultimate moves.

    Fran returned with a wry smile, saying that one probably wouldn¡¯t see that many Priests die at the same time in their lifetime.

    This type of irreversible combat strategy could only be developed by a race unafraid of death; once a significant number of Priests were killed, the Mages on the walls would rain down Flame Spells, wiping out a large number of Knights and Swordsmen in one go.

    Then the Knight Corps would charge out again to kill the remaining wounded Mages.

    During the siege, with tens of thousands using Earthquake Technique and Molten Meteor at the same time, the defenders on the walls couldn¡¯t always maintain their footing, and each time the protective barrier broke, it was extremely dangerous for the defenders.

    But the Priest Corps of Black Rose stood at the very back, with thousands of Archbishops leading the Ten Thousand Troop, who could basically hold the line.

    As long as they couldn¡¯t wipe out the defenders on the walls in one go, the Magic Barrier would quickly be reactivated.

    It sounded easy, but when everyone could resurrect, it turned into a war of attrition.

    The Undead could fight from morning to the deep night with fiery enthusiasm; but the observing Locals were deeply affected.

    Fran watched a few times and then stopped going; battles where Magisters became expendables deeply disturbed him.

    But back in his own territory, he could see a portion of the Undead that loitered every day, playing with cats and dogs, completely indifferent to the life-and-death struggle of their kin elsewhere.

    Fran truly felt that Hill¡¯s previous decision for them to keep a distance from the Undead Tribe was extremely correct.

    They could interact with this race, but it was better to not develop deeper bonds; too much contact would cause Fran to feel like he was going bald.

    So now what worried him the most was his soft-hearted sibling, Hill.

    So he made contact daily to make sure Hill wasn¡¯t getting too chummy with the Undead.

    Hill was frustrated but couldn¡¯t complain; how could he possibly become close friends with people who treated him as an NPC?

    Even a paper-thin character has his pride, alright!

    But he understood Fran¡¯s concerns.

    After all, he was his only family, and the chaotic situation of the players was indeed something that could easily worry an elder, so he dutifully communicated with Fran every day.

    Hill didn¡¯t care about the players¡¯ defense battle; to the Locals it looked intense, but a strife unrelated to life or death was just so-so to him.

    Making the opponent suffer seemed more important than killing them in the sort of war that Fran and the rest could never understand.

    Anyway, no matter how fierce the fight was it wouldn¡¯t prevent them from facing the enemy together.

    When the formal campaign started, even if they held each other back, they would first strike at the Noble Coalition.

    It¡¯s just that sometimes, in the tug of war, one city might be lost due to too much force being used.

    But they had the numbers; retaking it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    It was William in the Capital, however, who really made a big move.

    Angered Great Nobility joined forces and truly assembled at a large mine to stop William¡¯s Army from entering.

    William ordered the attack without hesitation, not leaving any room for negotiation.

    This was despite the fact that among the united Nobles was the family of his maternal grandfather.

    And after taking the mine, he moved straight on to the Noble¡¯s castles, with the only concession being the banishment of the surrendered Nobles from the country.

    The Spencer Family remained silent during this time; William had not withdrawn the Nobles¡¯ subordinates from the Northern Border City.

    He even dispersed several of his maternal uncles, who belonged to different branches of the family, to other Border Cities.

    Lord Hill felt that the North border would become very chaotic in the future.

    He hoped that the Nobles going out would be smart enough to stay as far away from Saral as possible.

    However, these Nobles had not even gone to Haifasardo in the South, which showed they still had some spine.

    When he mentioned this to Adrian, Adrian laughed loudly at his stupidity, ¡°Fool!

    With William defeated, they can naturally return, even though there aren¡¯t many benefits, at least they don¡¯t have to be taken advantage of by Haifasardo¡¯s people in their time of weakness and sign unbearable contracts.

    If William had won, going to Haifa would have meant being expelled together, and then who knows where they would be chased off to!¡±

    Adrian¡¯s family, although dealt with, was a bit far from the Capital.

    The rebellious Nobles upfront had given them a profound lesson; they obediently accepted their punishment.

    Even though they lost a large amount of money and all their slaves were taken away, from then on they could only live honestly on their lands, relying on the fields and merchant caravans for sustenance, but at least they still retained their titles and lands, not to mention their lives were also preserved.

    No matter how many backups they had prepared, to be able to protect their family without regrets was worth celebrating.

    Adrian sent back a large sum of money very happily and paid off the last bit of debt he owed to his family.

    Adrian has been in such high spirits recently, Hill forgave him for calling him a fool, ¡°Dear brother Adrian, are there any new potions for sale recently?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t learn from those Undead!¡± Adrian snapped.

    Initially, he thought he was very successful in engaging in small talk and was quite pleased with the feeling of being surrounded by coquettish girls.

    But soon he realized that to those Undead female players, he was not as valuable as a newly made potion by a teacher.

    Most likely, these bewitching and cute girls would call him ¡®brother¡¯ to his face, but in their hearts, they would be calling him a fool.

    He no longer stayed in the Potion Shop now, but spent every day diligently training in the Magic Tower.

    Hill really wanted to say that the Undead girls wouldn¡¯t curse him in their hearts at all.

    After all, they only thought this NPC was handsome and dashing, charming and easy to talk to.

    But he chose to remain silent on this matter.

    The attitude of players towards NPCs is actually quite strange.

    Now the smarter folks in Saral keep their distance from the Undead, sensing the Undead¡¯s aloof attitude, as if they could leave at any moment.

    Most people follow William¡¯s attitude towards the Undead, treating them as a mercenary force worthy of respect.

    One should be friendly in their approach, speak peacefully.

    If there is a need, offer more money; do not think of defaulting on debts.

    And certainly, do not attempt to take the Undead under one¡¯s wing.

    Even William, who had called them over, never had such a grand idea.

    Others should not challenge themselves.

    If you can¡¯t give up, you might as well see the tragic end of Great Nobility who have tried to buy off High-level Undead during this period.

    They issued countless missions worth more than their asking prices to the Undead staying in their lands, gritting their teeth while forking over so many resources!

    The Undead accepted it all, yet not one stood by these Nobles when William¡¯s Knight Corps arrived.

    The greatest conscience displayed was helping neither side, simply standing by and watching from the outskirts.

    But the vast majority simply turned around to join William¡¯s Faction before even wiping their mouths after feasting.

    When angrily accused, they asked the Nobles in shock, ¡°You paid, we took on the mission, didn¡¯t we?

    Does anyone really think we would betray our Main God for a little bit of money from you?¡±

    No one knows if these Nobles died of fury, but from then on, probably no one would think the Undead are greedy or easy to sway with money.

    Everyone understood that no matter the reasons for the Nobles¡¯ attempts to seduce the Undead, as long as the God¡¯s favor remained, the Undead would only serve William.

    In fact, it¡¯s rare for God-favored Races to be tempted by outsiders, but the usual behavior of the Undead always seemed to present an opportunity.

    They loved money, indulged in passion, enjoyed watching the excitement, and had a temper so volatile, exposing so many weaknesses that many people were tempted to take a stab.

    But the outcomes were always tragic.

    After all the hustle and bustle, the people of Saral ended up concluding that even if the Undead seemed the least like a God-favored Race, the result was the same.

    They were mocked mercilessly by those watching from the sidelines.

    After hearing all this news, Hill just wanted to bury his head in his books.

    Actually, he was certain that the Undead¡¯s underwear could not be taken off, given that those foolish players always had some odd hobbies, like wanting to streak.

    In front of Lord Hill¡¯s Mansion, there were always players who lost bets, stripping down their gear and running in circles.

    Thankfully, they were not foolish enough to run outside of the village.

    When Olivia saw this scene for the first time, her face turned ashen, her body shivered, and amidst the thunderous laughter of the Undead, she barely managed to keep her composure as she walked quickly back to the church.

    Since then, she made sure to keep away from the small square whenever she went out.

    Luckily, the players did not want to lower her favorability, otherwise, they would undoubtedly try to make her feel uncomfortable in front of her.

    Even Hill, who did not bat an eye when seeing naked Undead females, did not attract much teasing.

    Some players deliberately asked in front of Hill, to which he simply responded with an expressionless face, saying he knew that the Undead¡¯s gender might not be the same as their original.

    Then the crowd dispersed without interest.

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 The impending war

    ?39: Chapter 39 The impending war 39: Chapter 39 The impending war The Undead Tribe¡¯s month-long war had left the entirety of Saral eerily silent.

    William didn¡¯t even need players to follow his army around the nation.

    After purging those Great Nobility who believed that William could only govern with their assistance, nobody dared to oppose him any further.

    Even as William, during this period, completed the nation-wide abolition of slavery, a census, and even allotted land to the former slaves.

    Hill couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°William is a fierce man.

    Bold and decisive, he commands respect.¡±

    In the recovered territories, William appointed a multitude of lower-ranking officials.

    Although these followers who had joined him in battles from the south to the north had all been ennobled, they were only granted estates, while a pension replaced their domains.

    William had people estimate the average annual income from being a Lord to a Duke and issued pensions accordingly.

    Maybe some of William¡¯s followers were dissatisfied, but all they could do was accept.

    William showed no interest in soliciting anyone else¡¯s opinion.

    If these nobles also held governmental positions, they would receive a sizeable salary.

    Moreover, officials could receive a pension equivalent to the highest salary level upon serving 30 years, even after retirement.

    But all officials had to sign a contract at the Justice Temple or church before taking office: in the presence of the deities, they swore an oath not to violate Saral¡¯s laws, to remain incorrupt and clean, not to abuse their power for personal gain, not to oppress the common people, to remain diligent, and to govern practically.

    William pragmatically didn¡¯t require them to love the people as their own children but essentially plugged the gaps for greed and corruption.

    It was a shrewd use of the reality of the existence of deities.

    Similarly, the Army¡¯s treatment also substantially improved.

    William directly abolished the previous squad leader system and adopted a military rank system: from soldier to general.

    Each level¡¯s salary and allowances were publicly listed, with the standard being slightly higher than that of a government official of the same ranking.

    Hill silently compared this to the memories in his mind, and realized that William had a deep understanding of the military rank system of the Liberation Army.

    Saral silently accepted such significant reforms.

    Many people actually understood that this was not merely William¡¯s will¡ªthe demands of the deities were no longer a matter of Saral people¡¯s approval or disapproval.

    They obeyed not the will of William, the King, but the authority of the deities behind him.

    But if the God of Time and Space hadn¡¯t withstood the attack from the Nobles and the God of Monarchy and His Divine Subordinates, failing to achieve Divine Descent, everything William was doing now would only become an eternal stain of guilt.

    The month-long war of the Undead Tribe only scared those nobles who thought to take advantage of Saral; the faithful followers of the Nobles and the God of Monarchy, however, still gradually converged on Haifasardo.

    The legends they were waiting for were just a few days away.

    And William, in the gaze of all of Saral, stood on the wall of Kexlote, the largest city on the southern border¡¯s Great Wall.

    By his side stood three legends, Legendary Mage Orlando Carl, Legendary Mage Zastor Miller, and Legendary Knight Alphonsus Zeman.

    The other two Legendary Mages had not come but instead were left to defend the Royal Capital.

    Adrian had always wanted to know what kind of benefits the deity behind William had offered to persuade these three legends; otherwise, apart from the Zeman Knight from the royal branch, the other two would also likely have chosen to defend the Royal Capital.

    Fran, however, keenly noticed that these two Legendary Mages were not young.

    They had stood at the pinnacle of Saral for so long that many had forgotten even Legendary Mages could age and die.

    In a world without Necromancy Creatures, death is an everlasting presence, unless one becomes a deity.

    But a Mage, who studies, utilizes and disregards laws, yearns for the freedom of the soul, lives wantonly, and will never be chosen as a spokesperson for the World Rules.

    The only path to longevity for a Mage is to touch the hearts of the deities and be sealed as a Divine Subordinate.

    Such so-called Divine Subordinates are either powerful deputies for the deities, who would share a small portion of their Divine Authority with them, or attendants, like the angels of our legends, who though also immortal, are completely controlled by others.

    That¡¯s why some Mages worship the God of Knowledge, as knowledge is one thing Mages never abandon from birth until death.

    If a Mage were to write a book that even catches the attention of the God of Knowledge, that deity would not hesitate to offer a position of Divine Subordinate.

    Even among Legendary Mages, not all possess the talents and learning to touch the hearts of the deities.

    But now a new deity has emerged, and positions for Divine Subordinates are vacant.

    There is only one Legendary Knight by His side, and He has declared a God War.

    After tens of thousands of years, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to aid another in their time of need has appeared.

    The younger Legendary Mages may scorn it, but these two, with only three to four hundred years of life left, seem eager to compete for it.

    Fran found this hard to believe, no wonder some of their students were involved in royal family struggles¡ªtheir teachers, too, had lost the pride of Mages with the passing of life.

    Hill wanted to say that the longer one lived, the more afraid one became of death.

    But he dared not voice it out loud.

    Fran was quite youthful among Magisters, but after all, an elder, and one young did not have the standing to speak so freely.

    As soon as the city battle with the Undead ended, William dispatched commanding officers.

    Their actual task was to monitor the Undead and ensure they follow William¡¯s orders.

    Especially during an all-hands defense, they were not allowed to attack or engage in combat outside the city on their own initiative.

    Saral had fought defensive battles against beast tides for many years, this was the first time such an order was heard.

    Previously, supervisors placed by the King in the Border City were there to ensure the defending army did not engage in combat outside the city, but now, it seemed there was a fear of the army engaging in battle outside.

    Hill felt that William all but branded ¡°no stealing kills¡± on the players¡¯ foreheads.

    The Noble Temple dispatched a total of eight legends, the Love Temple also sent one.

    When the legends with their large retinue arrived at the Haifa Border, the news swiftly reached Fran¡¯s ears.

    Fran and Hill said that if this were the past, Saral would have had to surrender.

    A legendary mage exerting all their power could probably kill a few hundred Magisters.

    And a legendary knight or swordsman might be able to kill a few dozens?

    How many Magisters could a country have in the past!

    Maybe ten or so Magisters, less than a hundred Sky Knights.

    The swordsman profession is the one to die the quickest, and great swordsmen are rare, let alone high-level Sword Masters.

    Many countries might not even produce a Sword Master in a hundred years.

    But at the legendary level, this profession truly can kill legendary mages, coming and going like the wind, instantly slaying others.

    They are even more terrifying than magicians.

    But no matter how terrifying or dangerous a legend is, in the face of overwhelmingly large numbers, no one believes they can win.

    The Noble Coalition¡¯s only chance of victory is to kill William.

    But within this month, players in Hill¡¯s Domain had basically all reached level 50, the Magister rank, not to mention those who had been fighting for a month.

    Hill¡¯s potion shops had been bought out these past few days, as players excitedly made preparations for the grand battle task of defending the king.

    When the legends of the Noble Temple arrived, all the players from Hill¡¯s Domain left.

    Hill, watching them call out to friends and leave in groups, actually felt a bit envious:

    The Noble Temple sent four Cardinals.

    These are beings capable of invoking Divine Descent.

    Although only one arrived from the Love Temple, this person heralded as the Saintess is specially reserved for the Goddess of Love¡¯s descent.

    This war will definitely end with the arrival of the deities.

    Hill had an itching curiosity to watch the excitement.

    The Haifasardo-Saral border is now the focal point of the entire world, with the eyes of the heavenly deities likely all fixed on this place.

    Whether there¡¯s a need for faith or not, it¡¯s rare for deities to witness either a god gloriously ascending the Divine Throne while accompanied by the weakening, or even demise, of two Main Gods, or an arrogant, powerful new deity shattered and cast down into the Abyss.

    Hill had a strange premonition that this world has devils and demons, but has never had an Evil God.

    Nobles as creatures are a joke if the Main God can maintain neutrality.

    The Goddess of Love¡¯s actions are also neutral leaning towards evil.

    These two temples don¡¯t even have the Holy Knights to eradicate evil, dealing with people and affairs with high pressure.

    If these two deities fail, the devils of the Abyss will surely welcome Their arrival with loud cheers.

    Hill couldn¡¯t contain his excitement any longer, continuously inquiring whether Fran intended to watch the battle.

    Hill was unable to go watch himself; after all, as an Archmage among those in a legendary war, he didn¡¯t even have the qualification to hover and watch from the air.

    But Fran had an incredibly powerful Alchemy Ship.

    The former Fran never thought he would one day leave the Capital, build his own Magic Tower, so he spent great resources to build an airship with a defensive power rivaling that of a Magic Tower.

    Fran¡¯s myriad Alchemy Huts were originally just practice builds for creating this airship.

    This thing required a large amount of Elemental Crystals for one use, and the crystals must be of the same type and purified.

    In the past, Hill wouldn¡¯t dare to covet such an object.

    After all, it was Fran¡¯s escape route, and being able to spend money to save one¡¯s life in an emergency was already fortunate.

    Although he had accumulated them for decades, the Elemental Crystals Fran possessed wouldn¡¯t endure many uses.

    But now it¡¯s different.

    The attribute-less Elemental Crystals brought out by the players were all refined.

    These were the best materials for the Airship.

    The Airship was highly responsive and fast, it could even stay hidden above the clouds.

    Even if the deity truly captured historical images to create an instance, at most, they would see a spaceship from above.

    Facing Hill¡¯s persistent pleas, Fran didn¡¯t dangle his interest too long.

    He readily agreed, promising to take him over after the battle started.

    Now, everyone was waiting for the Noble Temple to issue the declaration of war.

    According to the rules of this world, the initiating party must openly state their righteousness.

    And the attacked party also has to release a statement condemning the attacker¡¯s injustice.

    Perhaps because wars between humans are so rare in this world, the rules are quite elaborate.

    Hill felt that even those who were eager to fight would automatically give up after reading the lengthy rules for declaring war.

    But this also eliminates the kind of kingdom wars for the sake of a woman or a contemptuous remark, as seen in his world.

    If you want to fight, check the rules first, and once you¡¯ve read them, your mind should cool down.

    William has an excellent memory and loves the military.

    Hill believes that an ordinary person would not likely remember the specific scores of the military parade songs of the three forces.

    So, how will he respond to the Noble Temple¡¯s declaration of war?

    Hill was looking forward to it.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 The Day Before the War and Williams Declaration of War

    ?40: Chapter 40: The Day Before the War and William¡¯s Declaration of War 40: Chapter 40: The Day Before the War and William¡¯s Declaration of War Fran arrived in an airship.

    Standing outside the Magic Tower waiting for it, Hill was mesmerized by the beautiful ship.

    Under the rising sun, through the clouds, a silver sailboat with three sails glistened in the light.

    ¡°A silver flying ship, soaring through the sky, I long to see that sky.

    The sea breeze caressing the cheek, this hill.

    No one is here anymore, no one at all.¡±

    Humming this song in his heart, Hill¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the airship slowly descend in the sunlight.

    The tears at the corner of his eyes were merely from gazing at the sun for too long.

    The airship stopped mid-air, and Adrian appeared at the ship¡¯s side, waving vigorously for him to come aboard.

    Hill wiped his eyes and happily flew up.

    It was only upon standing on the deck that he realized the ship was not small.

    Below the silver sails, there was a large cabin surrounded by silvery-white crystal windows.

    Following Adrian inside, Hill saw Fran sitting on a white sofa, his hand resting on a crystal ball.

    At Adrian¡¯s gesture, Hill chose an armchair, sat down, and the armchair gently floated up.

    Adrian said, ¡°See where you want to sit?

    There are direction keys to your left on the armchair.

    Just say when you decide.

    This ship¡¯s magic core can only be voice-controlled.¡±

    Hill touched the buttons to his front, left, and right, glanced at Fran, who was communicating with the core with his eyes closed, and settled at the foremost part of the cabin.

    My own territory is truly beautiful!

    Adrian suddenly raised his eyebrows, ¡°Hill, you¡¯re really a good master.

    A cat is looking for you.¡±

    A white kitten was brought in by Adrian using magic.

    Adrian laughed and said, ¡°What made you think you could sneak aboard unnoticed, Alice?¡±

    ¡°Meow~~~~¡± Alice begged, trying her best to look cute and obedient.

    Hill touched his nose and whispered, ¡°Uncle Adrian, let her go!

    Don¡¯t disturb Grandfather.¡±

    Adrian laughed, ¡°Little Hill, you spoil this cat so much that it¡¯s become so bold!

    The Spirit of Nature dares to run into a magister¡¯s domain, truly fearless!¡±

    He tossed Alice into Hill¡¯s arms, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can swagger around just because this is an elder¡¯s ship.

    If the teacher really wanted to experiment on you, as long as he doesn¡¯t kill you, would you dare refuse?¡±

    Being an alchemist was not liked by nature, as long as Alice wasn¡¯t killed, nature wouldn¡¯t indiscriminately despise humans.

    What¡¯s so bad about being disliked a bit!

    This cat, raised so naive by Hill, made Adrian unwilling to see Hill worry, so he had to play the villain himself.

    Hill understood Adrian¡¯s kindness, ¡°Quickly thank Uncle Adrian, Alice.

    You really are too bold!¡±

    ¡°Meow~~ thank you, Mr.

    Adrian,¡± Alice said softly, ¡°I wanted to go outside to see, but Hill said it wasn¡¯t safe outside.

    I thought that since Mr.

    Fran is going, Hill might let me follow.¡±

    Adrian sat down at the door, looking from a distance at Hill holding the white cat, their identically moist green eyes looking hopefully at him, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    The great nobility of Saral mostly had blond hair and blue eyes.

    But unlike others, Hill¡¯s eyes were large and round, full of deep emotion and slightly blue.

    Adrian had never known how to describe it, but now he finally understood, they were really like those of a cat.

    Adrian knew once Hill became a magician, his lineage would increasingly lean towards the elves.

    But Hill¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look like those of an elf either.

    He suddenly said with a laugh, ¡°Are cats and bears relatives?¡±

    Hill tilted his head in thought¡ªpandas?

    Then he angrily realized Adrian was talking about his eyes being like those of a bear¡ªvery much like a cat!

    A magic hand slapped Adrian on the head.

    Fran looked up, ¡°You think I can¡¯t hear you?¡±

    Adrian hardly held back his laughter and said, ¡°Teacher, Hill¡¯s eyes widen just like Alice¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re ready to leave.

    I¡¯ve already set the course, first to Kloster.

    Let¡¯s see what William plans to do,¡± Fran said, ignoring him.

    ¡°If they can¡¯t start a fight there, then let¡¯s check out Black Rose.

    I want to know how they¡¯re defending against the Legendary¡¯s attack.

    The level of their magic towers in the city isn¡¯t high.¡±

    Fran glanced at Hill holding the cat, ¡°You want to bring it, then keep it inside the cabin.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandfather,¡± Hill raised the silent kitten, ¡°Alice will behave too, right?¡±

    ¡°Meow!

    Yes!¡± Alice clung tightly to Hill¡¯s hand, too afraid to even lift her head.

    Fran too lazy to bother with them, the airship quickly set off.

    They arrived just in time.

    William was frowning as he listened to a group of archbishops loudly reading a declaration of war below the city walls.

    The grand and solemn divine oracle of the nobility and the God of Monarchy:

    Saral, under the False God, commits grave disrespect!

    William is unworthy of being King of Saral.

    The people of Saral should abandon him and turn back to honor Edward as King, under the Noble Temple.

    If the people of Saral submit, then exile the acolyte of the False God, William, and all declare their faith to the nobility and God of Monarchy!

    If the people of Saral still remain deluded, the Noble Temple¡¯s coalition will take up arms to completely eradicate the followers of the False God.

    Those who follow the acolytes will also be executed!

    Everyone saw William on the city walls, looking disdainful as he listened to the declaration.

    The archbishops reading the declaration turned extremely angry, their faces turning green: William even dared to listen without proper respect!

    Standing up, William sneered, ¡°Everyone wants me dead, yet they expect me to grovel?

    Dream on!¡±

    He straightened up, looked back at the Saral national flag and the royal flag fluttering with the wind behind him, ¡°I stand under the red flag, in the gaze of my Lord.

    Saral has never desired to invade another country.

    My Lord has always treated other deities equally.

    The nobility and God of Monarchy unreasonably bully Saral, threatening us with war, using the threat of a war against the gods to intimidate my Lord.

    Saral¡¯s patience is limited.

    My Lord does not bully anyone, nor does he permit anyone to bully us.

    ¡°You don¡¯t provoke me, I do not provoke you, but if you provoke me, I will retaliate.

    The words we speak always count.¡±

    William looked indifferently at the enemy below the city wall, ¡°If you want to fight, then fight!¡±

    Even Fran was shocked by William.

    He stood up and bowed deeply to William on the ground, ¡°This is a king worthy of respect.¡±

    Hill was silent, this patchwork declaration of war sounded really powerful!

    Even though he could find its origins, Hill still felt excited listening to it.

    William might have used someone else¡¯s words, but that kind of emotion coming from deep within truly moves people.

    William had poured all his nostalgia and love for his homeland into Saral.

    Hill truly admired him from the bottom of his heart.

    Kloster burst into fervent shouts, ¡°Long live the King!

    Long live Saral!¡±

    The Noble Coalition was immersed in an unsettling silence.

    A figure in red robes took flight, ¡°No need for more words!

    Acolytes of the False God!

    The battle starts tomorrow morning!¡±

    ¡°Cardinal Dolbis Dionysio.

    The future Pope of the Rose.¡± Fran suddenly said.

    Hill understood Fran¡¯s meaning.

    With his appearance here, the God of Nobility must be descending at last.

    Suddenly, several figures were launched from within the Noble Coalition, flying to either side.

    Hill knew they were headed to attack the player cities.

    One per city?

    They are really underestimating the players¡¯ combat power.

    Fran commanded the airship to fly a bit higher.

    He frowned and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see the situation in the morning.

    That one likely won¡¯t join the battle; just a figurehead.

    Five of them can¡¯t suppress William¡¯s side.

    Are they trying to tie down William and the others?

    Is the main force directed at the Undead cities?¡±

    Hill thought for a moment, ¡°No matter how vicious they say the Undead Tribe is, those who haven¡¯t seen them won¡¯t believe it, right?¡±

    Adrian laughed, ¡°They won¡¯t believe there are Magisters fighting desperately!

    They still think killing a few will scare the rest off.¡±

    Fran shook his head, ¡°Too arrogant, with their eyes wide shut.

    Tomorrow, they¡¯ll learn what frustration is.

    I wonder if they will survive.¡±

    The William below did not stop the few who flew away.

    He only began changing guards, placing the Undead Tribe on the city walls.

    Hill was dumbfounded to see, at the rear half of the city wall divided by the tall city towers, two rows of houses had been erected.

    Batches of Undead Sky Knights entered them.

    Was William providing them a place to log in and out?

    That couldn¡¯t be, could it?

    Hill thought timidly.

    To resurrect right here?

    At least disguise it with a church!

    Hill felt William was capable of it, and so was that deity.

    This was really convenient.

    Hill saw Carl and Miller bow slightly to William before turning and walking towards the Magic Tower atop the city gate.

    This kind of Magic Tower, built within the city walls, controls the Defensive Magic Array and the Magic Arrow Towers on the walls.

    It also enhances the intensity of spells cast by Mages.

    Now controlled in turns by two Legendary Mages, one wonders who would dare to charge up there tomorrow.

    Adrian smirked, ¡°Let¡¯s see how many Divine Artifacts they bring tomorrow!¡±

    Hill gasped inwardly.

    He had forgotten about Divine Artifacts.

    After all, using a Divine Artifact once requires a long cooldown, and just possessing them can deter others.

    Temples hardly ever dare to use them nowadays.

    So this future Pope wasn¡¯t just preparing for a Divine Descent!

    The Divine Artifacts must definitely be carried and used by him.

    Hill suddenly laughed, ¡°So they¡¯ve brought so many people just to pray when using the Divine Artifacts?¡±

    Fran shook his head, sighing, ¡°Other than praying, what else can they do?

    Can they outlast the Undead Tribe?

    The ones now standing on the city walls are all Sky Knights!¡±

    In the army from the Noble Temple, there aren¡¯t even that many knights.

    ¡°Go rest, that¡¯s it for today,¡± Fran said, ¡°We¡¯ll take a look in the morning, and if there¡¯s nothing significant, we¡¯ll head straight to Black Rose.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Grandfather.¡± Hill, still holding the well-behaved Alice, descended the final stairs of the ship¡¯s cabin.

    The lower level of the ship was divided into six cabins.

    Hill walked to the last one and opened the door.

    As he grasped the doorknob, a voice sounded, ¡°Please state your name.¡±

    ¡°Hill Polanio.¡±

    ¡°Alice.¡±

    Hill looked at the silly cat in his hands, ¡°Alice, you may not leave the room on your own.¡±

    ¡°Meow!

    No!¡±

    ¡°Room of Hill Polanio confirmed.

    Alice is not within the allowed range.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather certainly won¡¯t give you access, Alice,¡± Hill said nonchalantly, ¡°This isn¡¯t my domain to do as you please.

    Behave yourself these next few days and don¡¯t leave my side.

    Grandfather really will throw you out if he gets angry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be good,¡± Alice lay discouraged in Hill¡¯s arms.

    Hill patted her little head and looked around the one-bedroom, one-living room suite with an attached restroom.

    Given by Adrian, albeit a small space, it was arranged quite cozily.

    The fresh, natural white sofa and the soft-looking white carpet gave a comforting feeling.

    Leaving Alice to play on her own in the living room, Hill smiled as he walked into the bedroom.

    Time to get a good night¡¯s sleep and brace for tomorrow¡¯s grand performance.

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 The Battle of the City of the Black Rose

    ?41: Chapter 41 The Battle of the City of the Black Rose 41: Chapter 41 The Battle of the City of the Black Rose The tranquil morning in Kexlote was shattered by a deafening explosion as the Legendary Knight of the Noble Temple launched war with a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering sword strike.

    Hill and Alice threw away their breakfast and rushed to the living room window to look down.

    This Fire Attribute Legendary Knight split the sky with a slash of fiery light.

    Sadly, he was facing the Undead Tribe, who had burned and been burnt for over a month.

    As this Legendary Knight flew into the air, cloaked in red light, preparing his ultimate move, the back-row Magisters didn¡¯t hesitate to cast fireproof barriers for the defending Knights raising their shields.

    Any Undead Mage players who had been in a city battle had all learned this magic barrier against fire.

    After dozens of Undead Sky Knights perished, the Legendary Knight¡¯s mightiest sword strike was easily caught, without even triggering the city wall¡¯s defensive magic.

    Amidst the cheers of the Undead Tribe, the Legendary Knight furiously swung down several more swords.

    Unfortunately, under the protection of the fire barrier, the tens of thousands of shield-bearing Sky Knights took the blows, losing only a few hundred more lives.

    Dionysio didn¡¯t allow the Legend to continue making a spectacle of himself in the air and quickly switched in a Metal System Legendary Knight.

    This one indeed caused much more damage, killing thousands of Undead at once.

    Sadly, people swiftly emerged from the cottage behind, filling in the gaps left by the fallen.

    ¡°Meow~ How many people are in that house?¡±

    ¡°A hundred thousand or so!¡±

    ¡°Meow?¡±

    ¡°That deity has control over space and can easily create a space inside the house to accommodate tens of thousands.¡±

    ¡°So powerful!

    Meow!

    Hill, is this the one you¡¯re afraid of?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d fear a god!

    This one¡¯s just a bit scarier.

    Look down, the thousands of Magisters standing behind the Knights!

    These are all at my grandfather¡¯s level!¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be!

    You¡¯re lying!

    Meow!

    They can¡¯t possibly be that strong!¡±

    ¡°Because they¡¯ve just become Magisters!

    They¡¯ve barely learned a few spells.

    Give them some time to settle down and they¡¯ll have the chance to study.

    So don¡¯t run off, okay!

    They¡¯re outsiders and don¡¯t fear natural aversion.

    Even if they killed you and the world despises them, suffering bad luck every day, they can still return to their own world!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re at best slightly stronger than Hill!¡± Alice said stubbornly, ¡°I¡¯m almost as good as Hill!

    Meow!

    I can run away!

    Meow!¡±

    Hill looked at the obstinate cat: ¡°There are hundreds of thousands of Magisters there!¡±

    ¡°Wuu~~ I¡¯ll be good, I¡¯ll stay in the territory when I get back.¡±

    He picked up Alice and walked back to the couch: ¡°Finish eating quickly, then we¡¯re going up.

    It¡¯s clearer from above.¡±

    ¡°Meow~ The ship is moving.¡±

    Hill tilted his head to look outside: ¡°This is heading to the Undead Tribe¡¯s territory.

    They can¡¯t start a fight here.

    William hasn¡¯t even shown his face, just wait for the Divine Descent at the end!¡±

    The Airship moved swiftly, and as Hill carried Alice to the upper hall, they had already arrived above Black Rose City.

    Hill looked down and saw much more excitement here.

    It seemed like the idle and hostile players had all gone to William¡¯s side.

    Black Rose City, which was not originally the most populated, was left with only fifty to sixty thousand players.

    But fortunately, the Legendary Knight leading the team here was also of the Fire Attribute.

    The Black Rose Family had set up wooden platforms as high as the city walls scattered behind them, with tens of thousands of Priests standing atop them.

    Hill looked down and saw a Loli Priest nimbly hopping between the platforms, directing the Priest players.

    He turned to Fran: ¡°Grandfather, can you hear the sounds below?¡±

    Fran tinkered with the Crystal Ball: ¡°Let¡¯s see, without the Legendary Mage, we can go a bit lower.¡±

    The Airship gently glided beneath the clouds to a spot where those below could easily see it and slowly came to a halt.

    The voice from the amplifying Array gradually became clearer.

    The ship finally stopped right above the block of priests.

    Hill noted that the players below quickly became aware of the Airship.

    He heard the clamor punctuated with someone shouting, ¡°Baldy boss!

    There¡¯s a broken ship overhead the priests.

    Should we shoot it down?¡±

    Hill quickly climbed to his feet, walked onto the deck, and waved down from the ship¡¯s side.

    ¡°No worries!

    That¡¯s Hill!

    Here to watch the battle!¡± Baldy¡¯s hoarse voice rang out.

    ¡°Did you get that shot?

    The beautiful youth holding a white cat!¡± a loud female voice called out.

    Hill gasped, having forgotten he was still holding Alice!

    He hurried back inside.

    Below, a wave of girls sighed in disappointment.

    Adrian asked him with a smile, ¡°What are you afraid of?

    This ship moves fast, they can¡¯t hit us.¡±

    Fran interjected: ¡°You¡¯re still not as cautious as Hill.

    Those thousands of Magisters out there have done nothing but cast fire barriers!

    No idea what they¡¯re planning.

    Just hope that fool below doesn¡¯t get killed.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid that the ship can¡¯t dodge; I just don¡¯t want to be the one testing out their moves and taking the bullets for them.¡±

    The same voice that had cheered about the white cat just now called out again: ¡°To the left!

    Dispel!

    Dispel!

    Can¡¯t you hear?

    I¡¯m telling you to dispel!¡±

    Hill looked down and saw the fierce Loli calling herself the Old Age Striking King.

    She leapt nimbly, keeping an eye on the health of the Sky Knights up front.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on in the middle!

    Don¡¯t just randomly heal!

    Save your mana!¡±

    ¡°Left side, heal up!

    Right side, dispel!

    Is my voice not loud enough?

    Can you understand human speech or not!¡±

    Hill looked at the baldy commanding the Sky Knights to raise their shields upfront¡ªhe didn¡¯t dare say a word.

    He just mechanically repeated, ¡°Raise shields!

    Heal up!¡±

    The elderly, brutal voice then rose, ¡°Those who resurrected, move faster!

    Are your legs shorter than mine?¡±

    Adrian suddenly lamented, ¡°Ah, the women of the Undead Tribe!¡±

    Hill wanted to laugh: Was Adrian reminiscing about the days he was teased by female gamers?

    Fran didn¡¯t want to deal with them and kept staring at the players in the city.

    Adrian asked in confusion, ¡°Teacher, what are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Their Mages are slowly moving.

    That idiot just knows how to stand still in mid-air and hack away.

    Knights really don¡¯t have brains!

    Can¡¯t they look down for once?

    They¡¯re dispersing according to attributes!¡±

    Hill quickly lowered his head to study closely.

    Actually, it¡¯s no wonder that this Legendary Knight hadn¡¯t noticed anything.

    The players weren¡¯t honestly wearing robes.

    They were dressed in all manner of fashion, slowly walking around the city like ordinary residents out for a stroll.

    That Legendary Knight would probably get angry after just one glance, as no one seemed to take his attacks seriously at all.

    If it was a Legendary Mage, then seeing people congregating towards six points, no matter who was below, he would become alert.

    For Mages, the Pentagram Magic Circle and Hexagram Magic Circle are always the most sensitive matters.

    Pentagrams are generally used for protection, while hexagrams are for attacks.

    Hill took in a sharp breath, ¡°A Hexagram Magic Circle based on tens of thousands of Magisters should easily wipe out a Legendary Knight, right?¡±

    Fran nodded towards the window, ¡°They¡¯ve built a Magic Tower in the center of the city.

    The one that looks like the Bell Tower on the outside.¡±

    Hill looked at the gleaming Crystal Bell Tower.

    It was not apparent at all.

    But if Fran said so, he must have noticed something.

    He looked closely, little by little.

    The players had many clever tricks up their sleeves.

    The magic lamps radiating light within the crystal walls made the outer curtain wall reflect a dazzling light.

    Anyone looking would instinctively move their eyes away, focusing only on the clock at the very top.

    The perfect refraction effect.

    Physics sure is wonderful!

    On the other hand, the huge clock, its hands moving, made Hill glimpse a flash of magic runes.

    If one didn¡¯t understand Alchemy Magic, they might mistakenly think these were runes inherently part of the Alchemy Clock.

    Only a high-level Alchemist like Fran would notice something amiss in such a subtle detail.

    Fran said quietly, ¡°If these are Undead Tribe techniques, they sure learned them quickly!

    If it wasn¡¯t that they¡¯re still not familiar with setting up the Array, and people constantly calculating the array connections atop the Bell Tower, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it.¡±

    Adrian said with much emotion, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t think of disguising a Magic Tower as a bell tower!

    The very existence of a Magic Tower is meant to be a deterrent!

    The idea of hiding it has never occurred to anyone in tens of thousands of years.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°They¡¯ve fought each other so many times, they know each other too well.

    That¡¯s why they like to use some sneaky tactics.¡±

    ¡°It seems it was prepared for their enemies from the Undead Tribe; who would have thought it wouldn¡¯t be used?¡± Fran mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s come in handy against this foolish Knight.¡±

    Adrian suddenly said, ¡°Does every city of theirs have something hidden like this?

    If they understand each other so well, they¡¯d all have to be on guard!¡±

    ¡°As long as there¡¯s money, their thinking is quite flexible,¡± Hill said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like they will use it today, does it?¡± Hill noticed that the crowd gathered had slowly begun to disperse again.

    ¡°That fool still has some fight in him!

    After all, he is Legendary; not so easy to kill.¡± Fran sneered, ¡°Wait until he¡¯s tired, a bit slower on the uptake, then the Undead Tribe should be trained enough.¡±

    Hill noticed that a group of Mage gamers had donned robes, replacing the group of Magisters who had been relentlessly erecting fireproof barriers on the city walls.

    ¡°This really is quite the spectacle!

    They even know to wear robes to fool people,¡± he said.

    ¡°Anyone paying attention could spot it.

    They¡¯ve been at war for over a month now, how could there still be ordinary people in this city?¡± Fran pointed at the Fire Element Legendary Knight, ¡°Knights of the Fire Element are generally simple-minded; they only know how to brawl.

    Those of the Metal System would fare a bit better.

    Earth ones are usually on the defensive and would not come out to attack others.¡±

    ¡°The Sky Knights at the front of the Undead Tribe are also from the Fire and Earth elements,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°Their commander does seem to understand well.¡±

    Fran wondered, ¡°Which one is their Magician commanding?

    They even know how to use a Hexagram Magic Circle.¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Chattering is an academic; prefers Potion Brewing.¡±

    ¡°The Priest¡¯s commands are quite fierce!¡± Adrian suddenly said.

    They had been listening to the Old Age Striking King¡¯s rants this whole time.

    After watching for so long, they also started to grasp the tactics: apparently because resurrection took time, Knights whose health dropped to a quarter were ordered to fall back and let someone else take their place.

    But some always wanted to wait until the last moment, and without exception, they all got called out and scolded.

    ¡°Fall back, fall back, An Idler!

    Do you want to die?

    Or do you expect me to chase after you to heal?

    Dream on!

    Get to the back quick!¡±

    ¡°Keep it up, A Baba!

    Your dear mama wants to see how you plan to die!¡±

    With his chin propped on his hand, Hill spent the day smiling amidst the Striking King¡¯s cursing.

 Chapter 42 - 42 Victory Beyond Words in 42

    ?42: Victory Beyond Words in Chapter 42 42: Victory Beyond Words in Chapter 42 This Fire Element Legendary Knight from the Noble Coalition, though reckless, also had remarkable endurance.

    He had been slashing continuously for a day and a night.

    Inside the soundproof array, Hill had slept well, while Alice had volunteered to keep watch at night, saying she would wake Hill if anything happened.

    When Hill got up in the morning, Alice said with great admiration, ¡°Legendaries are incredible!

    It¡¯s like slaughtering pigs.

    Too bad the Undead can resurrect.¡±

    Hill patted her little head.

    This cat could only see the most superficial aspects.

    He decided to go and hear Fran¡¯s opinion.

    Fran did indeed have more of a liking for the Undead Tribe, ¡°The control power of the Legendary is the result of over a hundred years of practice.

    These Undead withstood a day and a night without a single mistake, which is really remarkable.¡±

    Adrian also praised, ¡°They¡¯re very well-trained and orderly.

    They changed their teams several times in between, probably went back to their own world to rest.

    Yet they never gave the Legendary Knight any opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Their command system is also well maintained,¡± Fran said.

    ¡°Except for that bald guy who never went down, the priest commands changed during the night to Xiao Liuliu and A Deer, and now it¡¯s that Old Age Striking King.

    The Mage command has been hiding in the Magic Tower, I don¡¯t know if it has changed, but the fire barrier never broke once, never left any gaps.¡±

    ¡°Now it¡¯s all about who shows a flaw first,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°The rehearsal started down there again.

    No one came out at night, but in the morning they were positioning.

    They can gather every two to three hours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied it carefully, and there are two types of people,¡± Fran said.

    ¡°Those who can last a long time are all in the front defending.

    Those setting up arrays probably don¡¯t like fighting or don¡¯t have the time.

    It¡¯s no wonder the Legendary Knight couldn¡¯t tell, these people indeed seem to be playing.¡±

    He then looked at the clock in the Magic Tower, ¡°So there are two Mages commanding up there?

    They coordinate quite well.¡±

    Hill understood from what he said¡ªBlack Rose had their most dedicated players up there, but inside the city, individual players might outnumber their own people.

    They definitely needed a strategy to mobilize them.

    For individual players to take command, you would certainly need a command group, at least eight people or more.

    He did wonder though, it wasn¡¯t possible that there were only Mage Profession individuals here.

    Knights and Swordsmen must also be present; where were they and what were they doing?

    Individuals must be organized, but they also wouldn¡¯t fight to the death alongside the Black Rose Family.

    Based strictly on what Fran said about their discipline, those defending the city walls must all be from Black Rose and their allies.

    There were also many Sword Masters from Black Rose, yet none showed up.

    Wars in the game couldn¡¯t possibly exclude an entire profession.

    There was another profession, the least in number, the Magicians.

    Hill had never seen them before, a player egg profession.

    In Hill¡¯s Domain, high-level players who had once cursed Godly Eur endlessly mentioned it¡ªa profession that appeared randomly only during the initial character creation.

    It was said that among 1.5 million players, fewer than 5000 received this profession.

    They were a kind of alternative Summoner, although they could only summon pets of the God of Time and Space, a type of Crystal Dragon.

    But normally they used spells like spatial slicing.

    What use the Crystal Dragons really had, no one had mentioned.

    Hill suddenly stood up, searching inch by inch.

    Adrian asked in confusion, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°The Swordsmen aren¡¯t outside.

    They must all be here too.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re all inside the houses, preparing for the walls to be breached?¡±

    ¡°If that were the case, there would definitely be people standing outside watching.

    The Undead can¡¯t stay put.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look too.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Adrian, have you seen any Magicians?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Even Fran stood up curiously; these Undead had so many tricks: ¡°We haven¡¯t seen any Magicians even when they were fighting among themselves.¡±

    Hill thought silently: Are all 5000 on William¡¯s side?

    There must be a very compelling reason.

    Players aren¡¯t that easy to command.

    Hill and his group searched the skies carefully.

    The Legendary continued his relentless efforts, his expression resolute and determined.

    Until suddenly, unusual music erupted from within the city of the Undead.

    Hill looked down at the players twisting along to the music, probably the pomp and grandeur of this Otherworld?

    This world probably had never before experienced such music filled with feminine allure.

    Fran and Adrian were both startled.

    An Undead Female Priest called Cunlu?, wearing a milk-white belly top and long skirt, twisting and turning, displayed a striking waist-to-hip ratio, exuding an extremely soft femininity combined with a backless design, incredibly seductive.

    She stood on the city tower, holding an amplifying magical device, cooing melodiously.

    Her breathy moans made Hill blush.

    Hill initially thought they were playing inspiring battle music, but this lady told him he was too naive.

    Then Hill saw a massive silver light directly strike the stunned Legendary Knight.

    With a thunderous crash, the Knight was heavily slammed into the ground.

    Amidst loud cheers, the Magisters on the city wall rushed forward, Magic Wands raised, simultaneously releasing Earth Split Art.

    As the Legendary Knight sank into the ground, the Magisters all jumped off the wall, Magic Wands pointing to the ground.

    Someone flew from the Magic Tower shouting, ¡°Countdown, 3, 2, 1, release!¡±

    Tens of thousands of Meteorite Falls were released.

    For ten miles around, the ground rumbled loudly.

    Meteorite Fall was a spell often used by High-level Earth Mages, summoning hundreds of giant rocks from the sky to explosively smash into the ground.

    Hill closed his eyes; the Legendary was surely doomed.

    When he opened his eyes, a 100-meter-tall mountain of rocks appeared before him.

    Fran stood at the window, watching that Mage command, ¡°Rain Falling on Mortal Dust?¡±

    Rain Falling on Mortal Dust stood in the air, his magic wand pointing at the panicked Noble Coalition, ¡°Encircle them!

    Spare those who surrender!¡±

    The knights on the city walls had already assembled outside the gates, summoning and mounting their warhorses.

    Their shields had been fully withdrawn, and they held lances in their hands, ready for the Knight Corps to charge.

    As the panicked Noble Coalition barely thought about fleeing, they realized that tens of thousands of swordsmen had appeared on both sides, with a large number of knights enveloping them from the left and right.

    Seeing the backbone still wanting to resist, Rain Falling on Mortal Dust, standing in the air, gestured to the leading perfect Baldy in the Knight Corps.

    With a shout of ¡°Follow me!¡± Baldy led tens of thousands of knights and charged toward the opposition without hesitation.

    As thousands of horses galloped and lances stood firm, the knights of the Noble Coalition in front of the formation fell like wheat under the scythe, all of them went down.

    The knights in the rear also dispersed and attacked inward.

    These soldiers, barely knights, hardly had the strength even to lift their weapons.

    Adrian watched the squadron of swordsmen who wore light armor and wielded single swords, charging directly into the flanks of the Noble Coalition, clicking his tongue, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen so many Sword Masters.

    The lethal power is really tremendous.¡±

    ¡°Those who surrender, lie down!

    Drop your weapons!¡± Perfect Bald shouted loudly from the center of the battlefield.

    ¡°Those who surrender, lie down!¡± This was echoed by tens of thousands of the Undead.

    The Noble Coalition completely collapsed, throwing away their weapons, and disorderly fell to the ground.

    Baldy and the knights surrounded the surrendering enemies in a circle.

    The swordsmen went in and collected the weapons off the ground.

    Hill breathed a sigh of relief and gently settled back into his chair.

    Alice jumped into his arms and softly asked, ¡°So many people died?¡±

    Hill buried his face in her long fur, ¡°Yes, so many people have died.

    Even legends have died!¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°War is cruel by nature.

    If the Undead had lost, it would have been the Saral people who died.¡±

    Fran said, ¡°Hill!

    Don¡¯t be so weak.

    Look at the Undead below, they¡¯re not much older than you!¡±

    Hill could only brood to himself: They must have Mosaic.

    I want that too!

    Rain Falling on Mortal Dust watched as the swordsmen who had cleared the battlefield began to withdraw, raised his magic wand, and took the lead in casting the spell ¡°Earth Spike.¡± Along with the other Magisters flying in the air, they used densely packed Earth Spikes to create a massive bird cage, locking up the surrendered Noble Coalition.

    Adrian said, ¡°They really enjoy using these kinds of collective spells.¡±

    ¡°Where could we find so many mages to cast together?

    Of course, we pursue the power of individual spells,¡± Fran shook his head, ¡°Who knows what this world will turn into.¡±

    Suddenly Adrian said, ¡°Baldy is waving at us, seems like he wants something.¡±

    Fran silently commanded the ship to descend above Baldy¡¯s head.

    Adrian walked onto the deck and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Do you need help with something?¡±

    Baldy laughed loudly and said, ¡°Mr.

    Adrian!

    We won!

    I want to quickly go see the King!

    Wondering if you are going too?

    Could we hitch a ride?¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°I will ask the teacher what he plans to do.¡±

    Fran directly said, ¡°We can take 20 people.

    Hill and I will go down.

    We¡¯ll leave the hall to them.¡±

    After Fran finished speaking, he went downstairs.

    Seeing that Hill intended to stay a bit longer, he said, ¡°Come straight to my room later!¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandfather.

    I¡¯ll greet everyone and then head over.¡±

    The cheery players boarded the ship, and upon seeing Hill standing at the door to welcome them, A Deer immediately asked, ¡°How much does it cost to build a ship like this, Mr.

    Hill?¡±

    ¡°Well, at least 10 million Crystal Stones.¡±

    ¡°That expensive?¡± Magic Sword shouted.

    ¡°If you build it yourselves, it could be a lot cheaper,¡± Hill said sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s very expensive when an Alchemist like my grandfather lends a hand.¡±

    ¡°Forget it then!

    We¡¯ll talk about it when there are more professional players,¡± Perfect Bald slowly said, ¡°Surely the official price in the game.¡±

    Hill pretended not to understand: ¡°You have many people; there must be someone with alchemy talents.¡±

    Hill looked at Cunlu?, who was standing with the Old Age Striking King.

    The lady was still wearing that long dress, but she had put on a Priest¡¯s Cloak over it.

    She was arm-in-arm with a knight beside her, bragging to Old Age, ¡°Look at me!

    I¡¯m so amazing!

    It¡¯s all thanks to me!¡±

    ¡°Pei oh!

    What¡¯s there to be proud of meeting an old virgin!¡± The Old Age Striking King gave her a big roll of his eyes, ¡°Hard Wind can also put up with you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, my husband!¡±

    Hill silently observed the warrior called Hard Wind, who was gently looking at his wife boasting with her head held high.

    ¡°My grandfather is still waiting for me,¡± Hill told the players, ¡°Please help yourselves to the food on the table.

    I¡¯ll be downstairs.¡±

    Alice had run to the bottom of the stairs even before the players came in.

    Hill walked down, picked her up, and heard Adrian conjuring up more chairs, telling the players, ¡°Make yourselves at home, we are downstairs.

    If you need anything, please ring this bell.

    I will come up.¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Perplexed Fran

    ?43: Chapter 43 Perplexed Fran 43: Chapter 43 Perplexed Fran Hill returned Alice to his room and instructed her to stay put.

    He stood at the door, waiting for Adrian to come down, and walked with him into Fran¡¯s room.

    Fran sat upright in the dark small living room, his expression stern.

    He looked up at the two men, ¡°Sit down, do you have any news from the other cities?¡±

    Hill suggested, ¡°They should know; I saw a few of them using their communicators.¡±

    Fran nodded, ¡°Adrian, go up later and take a look.¡±

    He said to Hill, ¡°They are indeed very interesting.

    They don¡¯t care about achieving victory in this way.¡±

    ¡°That lady was there too,¡± said Adrian, ¡°very proud.

    Constantly singing her own praises.¡±

    ¡°Securing the greatest victory at the smallest cost is their creed,¡± Hill said slowly, ¡°Schemes and tricks don¡¯t matter; they didn¡¯t think they¡¯d need them, it¡¯s more about amusing themselves.¡±

    ¡°Everyone uses schemes and tricks,¡± Fran said, ¡°That¡¯s just their unorthodox methods, fortunate accidents.

    How many legends are there who are so naive?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t really think they could scare anyone.

    It was just for their own amusement,¡± Hill said, ¡°After fighting for a day and a night, they probably wanted to raise their spirits.¡±

    ¡°This is to raise their spirits?¡± Adrian asked, ¡°Then their entertainment must be rich indeed.

    Unlike us, even legends can get distracted.¡±

    ¡°A perfectly good legend, laughed at for tens of thousands of years just because of their death,¡± Fran could hardly bear it, ¡°If I died like that, I¡¯d have to fall into the Abyss.¡±

    ¡°Only legends who meditate in the Temple year-round can end up like that,¡± Hill steered the conversation away.

    Better not to apply it to themselves.

    ¡°I was stunned, too,¡± Fran said indifferently, ¡°Adrian froze for a good few minutes.

    Enough time to die dozens of times.¡±

    ¡°No one will be scared by it in the future!¡± Hill said, ¡°Such a thing can only trap people the first time.¡±

    Fran was still not easy to appease, ¡°A legend dying in such a disgraceful way!¡±

    ¡°There will only be more of these incidents in the future!¡± Hill said decisively, ¡°If grandfather is not used to it, stay away.

    It¡¯s fine if Uncle Adrian steps in.

    In their eyes, grandfather is just an Alchemist Master with no interest in communicating with others.¡±

    Fran slumped back into the chair, ¡°I once thought that once you become a Mage, you wouldn¡¯t have to compromise anymore.

    But things don¡¯t always go as one wishes.¡±

    Very few Alchemists reach the level of legendary, as alchemy requires too much study.

    Hill found his energy was limited, so he focused mainly on alchemy of instruments.

    Adrian, on the other hand, preferred Potion Brewing.

    But both of them were far from being an Alchemist Master, only Fran, who mastered all the skills, was close to reaching that level.

    Yet Adrian was about to become a Magister very soon, one can imagine how much his progression speed was hampered by Fran.

    A Mage-Level Alchemist Master commands respect even from legends.

    In Fran¡¯s years as a mage, he might only have one regret: Melanie.

    Unfortunately, reality is always cruel.

    Fran sighed deeply, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to secluded meditation after this is over, better get to legendary status sooner.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°The future isn¡¯t something we can interfere with anymore.

    A legend died like that, what is an Archmage, then?¡±

    Hill looked at the somewhat dejected Adrian and said, ¡°The affairs of the Deities weren¡¯t ours to meddle with in the first place.¡±

    Adrian turned his head to look at Hill.

    ¡°Is this their own power?

    This is the power of the Deities!¡± Hill said, ¡°If the Deities no longer need them, they will all disappear together.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just enduring it,¡± Hill said softly, ¡°My mother¡¯s affair also made us endure for 18 years.

    Now, just to keep silent and stay on our own land is already quite good.

    Maybe it¡¯s just another 18 years.¡±

    ¡°I thought you would serve William,¡± Fran suddenly said, ¡°You identify with him so much.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, I am a child of a lord,¡± Hill said with a faint smile, ¡°All children of noble lands with inheritance rights, on their 8th birthday, will take the oath of allegiance to the Royal Family, the loyalty oath to Saral.

    To my own country¡¯s king, as long as his will does not harm my interests, I am quite willing to obey.¡±

    Adrian asked with a puzzled look, ¡°Doesn¡¯t teacher know?

    Prince William took his oath when you were already in the Royal Palace!¡±

    ¡°The Fran Family has fallen so much by my generation that it¡¯s just a lordship,¡± Fran looked outside the window, ¡°I have been immersed in learning magic since I was young, with no interest in politics.

    If it weren¡¯t for Melanie, I probably would have traveled until I became a Magister.

    I thought only Princes took the oath.¡±

    ¡°Only those who have taken the loyalty oath have the right to inherit noble lands,¡± Adrian said, ¡°That¡¯s why noble lands can only be passed down through the legitimate line.

    If there is no heir of this kind, only the title can be inherited, and the land will be taken back.¡±

    He looked at Hill with a puzzled expression, ¡°Why would Hill take the oath?

    I thought Melanie would stop you.

    You weren¡¯t supposed to be interested in Earldom lands.¡±

    ¡°Mother thinks I¡¯ll never become a High-level Mage.¡± Hill turned his head to look out the window, ¡°When the Earl sent someone for me, they said that if I didn¡¯t take the loyalty oath, they wouldn¡¯t even grant me the title of Lord.

    She thinks I need some security.¡±

    Adrian said, ¡°Melanie¡¯s judgment has always been poor.¡±

    Fran furrowed his brow, ¡°Does it affect you much?¡±

    ¡°Not really.

    I have no interest in treason or rebellion,¡± Hill said, ¡°Even without taking the oath, I wouldn¡¯t easily betray my motherland, the country that nurtured me.

    As a pioneering noble, very few laws constrain me.

    I simply agree with William¡¯s policies and am willing to implement them fully in my territory.

    After all, with so few people, I can do as I please.¡±

    ¡°Even if he taxes you in the future?¡± Adrian suddenly asked.

    ¡°Ah, you see it too, huh!¡± Hill said nonchalantly, ¡°He could only tax trade, right?

    It¡¯s impossible for him to tax the land.

    The land belongs to the lord by divine oath, and even William wouldn¡¯t dare.

    Moreover, the Western Border might be the last direction to be developed.

    By the time our area becomes part of the Saral territory, my grandfather should have become legendary.

    There are few people there, and it¡¯s not profitable.¡±

    Adrian nodded hesitantly, ¡°Let it be, it has nothing to do with us.¡±

    Fran asked, ¡°So is treason the reason those people were killed, and no one cared about the stripping of their ranks and titles?

    And Edward¡¯s and Charles¡¯s supporters almost took William¡¯s life, but they were just expelled from the country.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine for them to resist the King¡¯s commands, at worst they get expelled from the country.

    But if they use the army to fight and lose, that¡¯s treason.

    The only outcome is death.

    As for Edward and Charles, struggles within the Royal Family have always been like this.

    The losers are out and have to fend for themselves,¡± Adrian said without hesitation.

    ¡°The losers are all traitors?¡± Fran exhaled, ¡°I really have wasted so many years at the court.¡±

    Hill thought to himself: A scientific giant, his Skills not in political struggle, even less in court warfare.

    Adrian said, ¡°We¡¯re almost there, I¡¯m going to take a look.

    Hill, coming with me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Hill shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s better to keep a polite distance with them like this.¡±

    Adrian nodded in agreement and turned to leave the room.

    ¡°Was I wrong to focus all my heart on the pursuit of Alchemy and Magic?¡± Fran spoke up, ¡°I thought as long as I was powerful enough, no one would dare to bully me.

    I immersed myself in cultivation, yet my daughter ended up led astray.

    After all the effort put into seeking revenge, by the time I became a Magister, others had avenged me.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather wasn¡¯t wrong; indeed, they didn¡¯t have the guts to take action against you.

    But even the strongest cannot ensure that their close ones won¡¯t be tempted,¡± Hill said indifferently, ¡°My mother made the most mistakes.

    She came to regret it later; the love was gone, and years without meditation also lost her the hope of becoming an Archmage.

    Only Alchemy remained as her last hope in life.

    Her knowledge of Magic and her life philosophy were all taught by you.

    When she talked to me, I could understand.

    You always hoped she would be independent and strong.

    Unfortunately, she was seduced by the intoxicating luxury and extravagant lifestyle of the court, finding it easier to be a noble lady than to practice what you taught with diligence.

    She thinks I¡¯m too soft-hearted, too much like her, and that I wouldn¡¯t succeed either.

    That¡¯s why she dislikes seeing me.¡±

    ¡°Melanie¡¯s judgment.¡± Fran sighed, ¡°Kindness is not weakness.

    She is capable of killing with her own hands, but what use is that?¡±

    The two were silent for a long time.

    This lady was their connection, their only relative.

    But even the love wasn¡¯t that deep; thinking of her only brought a sigh.

    The airship slowly came to a halt.

    Hill looked out the window, and the players jumped down one by one, waving at the ship below to say goodbye.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t they use the Teleportation Array?¡± Hill suddenly remembered.

    ¡°William ordered it to be shut down on that day,¡± Fran said irritably, ¡°What if one of the cities is breached?

    Do they just teleport straight to William?

    He doesn¡¯t want to die!¡±

    ¡°So they just fly over directly?¡±

    ¡°What about the others, don¡¯t they defend?

    What if someone else goes?¡± Fran was extremely surprised.

    ¡°Sky Knights and Sword Masters will ride over on horseback.

    Mages will definitely fly.¡± Hill weighed in, if it was himself, he would rush over to see such a big event without caring much, ¡°There will always be people too lazy to move, and they will stay.

    But most would come over.

    They probably will activate full defensive Magic Arrays, they have money.¡±

    ¡°They prefer to spend money just to watch a scene unfold?¡± Fran also started to understand the players¡¯ mindset.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, upstairs.

    Dionysio must have received the news by now,¡± Fran suddenly smiled, ¡°I wonder how he feels.¡±

    Hill thought to himself, probably relieved.

    After all, the Saint Heir, the future Pope, is supposed to be untainted and above the mundane.

    If he were to be bewildered, how could he continue to maintain a pure and distinguished demeanor?

    Adrian stood by the window, turning back to the two and said, ¡°Teacher, Hill.

    Two cities of Legend have received the news and are flying back.

    The city on the southeast corner is still under assault.¡±

    ¡°News of the Undead Tribe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that communication device is really useful, almost instantaneous knowledge,¡± Adrian reported.

    Fran thought for a moment, then quickly steered the airship to ascend, ¡°Dionysio will definitely come up with countermeasures.

    Otherwise, he would have no face to employ Divine Descent.¡±

    Adrian announced, ¡°No sleep tonight.

    Let¡¯s wait for the night attack!¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 William Silently Becomes the Pope

    ?44: Chapter 44: William Silently Becomes the Pope 44: Chapter 44: William Silently Becomes the Pope The news that the Legendary Knight had been killed by a group of the Undead Tribe spread throughout the battlefield as dusk fell.

    The originally orderly atmosphere of the Noble Coalition became visibly chaotic.

    In this world, Legends had died before, but either at the hands of divine punishment or by the ambush or mass assault of other Legends.

    Even so, many managed to escape with their lives, hiding in the wilderness.

    Generally speaking, the result of a Legend¡¯s defeat was typically a retreat from one side.

    Only Legends or the wrath of the gods could kill a Legend.

    This long-standing adage of the continent could now be discarded.

    Hill saw that some in the coalition were already retreating.

    They were likely those who wanted to follow the Noble Temple to Saral to reap benefits.

    The followers of the Noble Temple wouldn¡¯t leave no matter how chaotic it got at this time.

    Only those locust-like profiteers would run at the first sign of trouble.

    They didn¡¯t care about offending the God of Time and Space, nor would they care about the Noble Temple¡¯s anger now.

    The world¡¯s constraints on deities were still strong.

    If enough people left, the Noble Temple couldn¡¯t punish so many under the name of offending the deities.

    As for other disadvantages, as long as they lived, there would always be a way to get through.

    Hill observed for a long time, and the Noble Temple didn¡¯t seem to intend on dealing with those leaving.

    After they left, a tall Earth Wall was erected at the back of the camp.

    It seemed one could leave, but they weren¡¯t welcome to return.

    Fran said, ¡°It looks like they still have some confidence.¡±

    Adrian excitedly said, ¡°The future Pope making a move is indeed a rare sight.¡±

    ¡°Tonight, Dionysio must attack.

    If he waits until tomorrow morning, the morale will be greatly reduced.¡± Fran chuckled, ¡°Both sides understand this, so it can¡¯t really be called a night raid.

    Let¡¯s see how William defends.¡±

    Hill looked at the Noble Coalition¡¯s campsite.

    A solemn atmosphere was slowly forming, and the panic had disappeared.

    This really couldn¡¯t be called a night raid anymore.

    The Knights on the walls of Clotho City had also been evacuated.

    The Magic Tower slowly began to light up.

    William looked at the wall for the last time and then turned back into the Magic Tower.

    At this point, it was a contest of the psychological endurance of the leaders of both sides.

    Adrian suddenly said, ¡°There should be more Magisters in William¡¯s City, right?¡±

    Hill nodded: ¡°At least 200,000 to 300,000, maybe more.¡±

    Fran asked, ¡°That person at the southeast corner hasn¡¯t returned?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s probably an opportunity to seize there.

    I remember that corner is where several families have united.¡± Hill answered, ¡°Probably due to poor communication, a bit chaotic.

    Multiple factions uniting, if one were to defend for a time before switching with another faction, it would be surprising if nothing went wrong.¡±

    Legends are no fools, if those two large factions had no vulnerabilities, these two Legends wouldn¡¯t have just run away at once.

    If one were to be struck down like that, it would be an unbearable death.

    That person not returning at least means they won¡¯t likely die.

    ¡°Hopefully, there won¡¯t be any problems over there,¡± Fran said hesitantly, ¡°The infighting in the Noble Temple is fiercer than in court.

    Dionysio becoming the recognized successor to the Pope, and no one dares to say anything.

    William should have noticed!¡±

    ¡°They have communicators They can notify immediately if something goes wrong,¡± Hill responded promptly, ¡°If they can¡¯t kill William, breaking through those cities would be useless.

    At most, today¡¯s killing of a Legend would even the score.

    There are still over 200,000 of the Undead Tribe within the country!

    Enough for reinforcement.¡±

    Adrian smiled bitterly, ¡°Indeed.

    William has also made preparations.

    The Undead Tribe would have to travel a thousand kilometers from their stationed place before encountering a city of the Saral People.¡±

    ¡°Their army¡¯s speed of movement is enough for the Undead Tribe to regroup and push them out again.¡±

    ¡°At most, the Undead Tribe will engage in another siege,¡± Hill said, ¡°They¡¯ve become accustomed to it.¡±

    Fran nodded, ¡°Indeed, William is very wise; this month¡¯s training has been useful.¡±

    ¡°Better if there¡¯s no trouble,¡± Adrian said, ¡°I hope all goes well.¡±

    Hill suddenly thought of the Two Lines of Bamboo.

    He remembered people from his territory saying, that the city¡¯s defense battle was ultimately held by a collaboration of ranks four through eight.

    What was the ranking of that Lu family again?

    Hill sank into thought.

    Adrian called Hill for dinner, ¡°Come and eat.

    Today is a good day; have a drink with the teacher.¡±

    Hill looked at Adrian incredulously, what is a good day?

    Is it a good day when a Legend dies, and Fran plunges into confusion?

    Fran also looked up at Adrian.

    Did this disciple really think that the Undead Tribe killing a Legend was a good thing?

    Neither said anything.

    Although Adrian was always reliable and clear-headed on big matters, he could have these off moments, and he would realize them after some time.

    The grand dinner was interrupted halfway when prayer chants came from below.

    Hill dropped his fork and rushed to the window; Alice, who was eating at his feet, quickly hopped onto his head.

    ¡°As the symbol of destruction, the chaostic thunder,

    The fear of judgement, the electric of the end,

    Transform into the light of sanction,

    Form the sword of anger.

    My Lord Arturas Deshanel,

    You are the protector of the Nobles,

    You are the maintainer of order,

    Please, listen to my vow,

    Return all enemies to the ultimate void.¡±

    The repeating chants grew louder, resonating with Divine Power and piercing through the skies.

    Fran quickly moved the Airship to the left rear of Clotho.

    Even in the Cloud Realm, one could feel the dauntless power.

    Hill watched from afar the Noble Temple¡¯s campsite.

    A three-tiered altar had been erected there.

    Followers surrounded the altar, kneeling all around.

    Twelve Archbishops crossed their hands over their chests, kneeling on the first tier.

    Three Cardinals in the same posture knelt on the second tier.

    Dionysio, with eyes closed, holding a sword wrapped in lightning, knelt devoutly on the top tier.

    The entire campsite was filled with the silver glow of holy light.

    Looking at the magnificent longsword with a rose-engraved cross handle, Adrian gasped in shock, ¡°Has the Noble Temple lost its mind?

    This is the sacred sword of the Rose!¡±

    Arturas was the first human king in this world and eventually became the God of Monarchy and the nobles.

    The sword he wielded when he ascended to the divine throne, he left to the Noble Temple to daunt all directions.

    For tens of thousands of years, the Noble Temple has never used it.

    The most they had done against previous enemies was to invoke the scepter and crown Arturas had used before his deification.

    This was the first appearance of the longsword.

    It was actually being used against William.

    Everyone fell silent.

    No matter how much they pursued freedom, as Saral People, they still didn¡¯t want to see such a scene.

    The king of Saral was right below, confronting this powerful Divine Artifact.

    Endless thunder was summoned, finally converging into a terrifying and wild bolt of lightning, striking directly at Kexlote.

    Kexlote¡¯s Defensive Magic Array lit up but slowly dimmed under the might of the lightning.

    Hill held Alice tightly in his arms, clenching his teeth as he watched.

    ¡°Defying all the laws of nature, destroying all the principles of nature,

    Defying the balance of all dimensions, destroying the order of all dimensions,

    My lord Cronos!

    In defiance, seek new laws and balance,

    In destruction, seek new principles and order,

    Wandering between illusion and reality,

    Transcending eternal time, surpassing infinite space¡ªdimensional fluctuation.¡±

    A colossal chanting voice came from the four corner fortresses of Clotho City.

    This immensely thick bolt of lightning was directly swallowed by a sudden rift in space-time.

    Hill sat down on the ground with a thump; he was a little stiff, and his legs were somewhat weak.

    So the priests of the God of Time and Space aren¡¯t just good at healing!

    So the God of Time and Space also has ultimate Divine Arts!

    Though his subordinates are mainly players, William is still the Pope, after all!

    Adrian pulled Hill to his feet, ¡°William is really something!

    When did he become the Pope of the Temple of Time and Space?

    He never held any ceremony!¡±

    Fran shook his head speechlessly, ¡°In the future, don¡¯t just call him William.

    When the God of Time and Space ascends to the Divine Throne, he will be the closest to the deities, and he should be addressed as Your Majesty.¡±

    The Rose Sword floated in the air, forming a Divine Power Barrier with its sword light.

    Dionysio had prepared for his attacks to be hindered, but he never anticipated it would be in this manner.

    Never before has a Pope ascended to his position so quietly.

    For the sake of the dignity of the Main God, it should be proclaimed to the world!

    There was no sound from the Noble Coalition¡¯s camp for half a day; Dionysio was probably calming himself down.

    A Pope like William, a Main God like Time and Space, even the widely knowledgeable future Pope must be at a loss for words, right?

    After some thought, Hill could understand.

    The archbishops of the God of Time and Space probably wouldn¡¯t kneel reverently to implore the deity.

    They would certainly not kneel on one knee at William¡¯s Pope coronation ceremony as a sign of respect.

    Rather than being ridiculed by other deities, better to ascend to the position quietly.

    And give the enemy a great surprise.

    After calming himself for a while, Dionysio shouted loudly, ¡°William Saral!

    Acolyte of the False God!

    How many more of my swords can you take?¡±

    ¡°You try it!¡±

    Hill felt like Dionysio was about to crack: these words coming from a king, and even a Divine Cult Master!

    Dionysio seemed to take a few deep breaths before speaking, ¡°You¡¯re a Pope now!

    Speak in a manner befitting your status!¡±

    ¡°Then, thank you for the advice?¡±

    Hill felt Dionysio was on the verge of exploding.

    Luckily, his goal of stalling for time seemed to have been achieved.

    The Noble Coalition suddenly erupted into cheers.

    Hill was nervous, wanting to know what had happened.

    Of course, Dionysio quickly indulged his wish.

    He floated in the air with a smile, ¡°Acolyte of the False God!

    Calvo Xien has breached your city walls!

    Wait for your Capital to fall!¡±

    William appeared on the city wall, ¡°If you dare, come inside!

    Don¡¯t just stay outside the city and do nothing!¡±

    Dionysio said with a polite smile, ¡°Please wait for our good news!¡±

    Then he landed back on the ground.

    The three on the Airship looked at each other: Have we really jinxed it?

    Adrian said, ¡°Indeed, I saw those two Legends return, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    Hill replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t see anyone flying out.

    Maybe they tunneled underground?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they sneaked out with the evacuating people?¡± pondered Fran, ¡°But a Legend¡¯s energy can¡¯t be hidden!

    Could it be that the Divine Artifact of the Love Temple was also put to use?¡±

    ¡°Illusory happiness?

    That veil capable of creating illusions not even deities can detect?¡± Adrian was extremely astonished.

    The Goddess of Love only left two Divine Artifacts with them, and that veil was meant to protect the Love and the Literature Church¡¯s Main Temple; they dared to take it out for use?

    ¡°It must be the demand of the Noble Church!¡± Could they even refuse it?

    Hill really wanted to know the specifics of the city¡¯s fall.

    It was said that together, a few families had 150,000 people, more than three times that of Black Rose City.

    And that¡¯s not counting the Scattered Ones.

    Such a force could actually be successfully attacked.

    There must be a really interesting reason.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Beauty Brings Trouble Two Lines of Bamboo

    ?45: Chapter 45: Beauty Brings Trouble, Two Lines of Bamboo 45: Chapter 45: Beauty Brings Trouble, Two Lines of Bamboo The sky was just beginning to brighten when Hill hurriedly sought out Fran.

    He wanted to go to the surface to ask the people from Black Rose for details.

    Fran looked at him speechlessly, ¡°You really do have a knack for gossip, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Gossip is everywhere, and everyone talks,¡± Hill said confidently.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Grandfather want to know how they managed to lose their city?

    Their city isn¡¯t big, but its population was three times that of Black Rose!¡±

    Adrian smiled as he poured a glass of juice for him, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let me see if anyone there wants to go to that Alliance City.

    If there are any, I¡¯ll invite them up¡ªafter all, we¡¯re going to have a look at the situation ourselves.¡±

    Hill¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded happily.

    Fran would not easily allow him to leave the ship.

    It would be best to get the players to come up.

    He quickly began to arrange the hall.

    He laid out a U-shaped sofa that could seat more than twenty people, with several crystal coffee tables in front of the sofa, laden with juice and snacks.

    Finally, he set up a half-round four-seater booth sofa at the front and shook his head before taking a seat.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Adrian returned.

    He said to Fran, ¡°Teacher, they want to come.

    We¡¯ll descend a little lower.

    They¡¯ll be coming out of the city soon.¡±

    Fran summoned the crystal ball again and positioned it at the front.

    After the airship descended, the people from Black Rose all entered.

    Hill stood up and nodded to them as a greeting.

    Perfect Baldy spoke up, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, nice to see you again.¡± He looked at Fran sitting in front and said, ¡°Thank you, Master Fran, for letting us accompany you.¡±

    Fran nodded, ¡°Please feel at home.

    We¡¯re also keen to take a look.¡±

    The people from Black Rose sat down, clearly delighted.

    Hill silently counted heads, ¡°Xiao Liuliu, A Deer, Old Age Striking King, Cunlu?, Qu Qingyan, this is the Priest Faction¡ªseems there was a male priest in my memory; didn¡¯t come, huh?

    Perfect Bald, Magic Sword, Dream Awakening, Fang Tianhua, Hard Wind, An Idler, A Baba, Luo Sanquan, these are knights, the few who lead the charge in battle, Ziling, Universal Sky Net, Haotian Hammer, Good Girl, Old Man, Nie Xingchen, Romantic Drunk Red Dust, this is Swordsman Captain, and finally Rain Falling on Mortal Dust, Qian Yuyu, two mages.¡±

    Only two mages came, did the rest fly over by themselves?

    Hill thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Are the others staying behind?¡±

    ¡°Sui Chen took some knights and priests to stay behind, while the rest went to Kexlote with the swordsmen.

    The mages are leading the way and flying!

    They went directly to Alliance City,¡± Xiao Liuliu answered gently.

    Fran turned to look at Xiao Liuliu as the airship prepared to ascend.

    Standing at the door, Adrian quickly walked in, ¡°Teacher, someone from William¡¯s side wants to hitch a ride.¡±

    The players all turned their heads, looking eagerly at the knights waiting outside, ¡°It¡¯s the Spencer, the current Guard Commander of William!¡±

    ¡°Going to Alliance City to supervise the battle?

    Lu Tai, the Road Eunuch, has really lost face this time!¡±

    ¡°I wonder if the Supervisor who was there before got tricked to death.

    If an NPC really died, his military exploits would be in the negatives, right?¡±

    Hill stood up; this Sky Knight from the Spencer Family was a cousin of William¡¯s, becoming the captain of the newly formed Guard Squad after most of William¡¯s original guards had been stationed elsewhere.

    After Fran nodded in agreement, several knights walked in.

    Glancing at the players who were eying them hawkishly, Spencer courteously greeted Fran, ¡°Good day, Master Fran.

    Thank you very much for your assistance.¡±

    Fran nodded and motioned, ¡°Good day, Spencer Knight and gentlemen.

    Please follow Adrian downstairs to rest.¡±

    Spencer looked at the players again and nodded in agreement, ¡°Thank you for the trouble.¡±

    Adrian led the men downstairs.

    The players burst into heated discussion.

    ¡°Why is Hill standing?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Archmage Level lower than Sky Knight?¡±

    ¡°Magister and Sky Knight are on the same level!

    And Mr.

    Fran hasn¡¯t even moved!¡±

    ¡°That shows you, a mage is always the boss!¡±

    Even Hill, who didn¡¯t want to pay attention to them, glanced at Rain Falling on Mortal Dust who was speaking.

    ¡°Bullshit!

    That¡¯s because Mr.

    Fran is an Alchemist Master!

    Boss my foot!¡± Baldy scolded him.

    ¡°Wait for the arena to open!

    I¡¯ll kill you a thousand times over!¡± Magic Sword also cursed.

    Hill, sensitive to the word ¡®arena,¡¯ realized this game wouldn¡¯t be ending anytime soon.

    Such measures as the arena, aimed at extending the game¡¯s life, were already being prepared.

    But those topics could wait, those were matters for later consideration.

    What interested him was, indeed, something to do with Huayu?

    In Fran¡¯s agonized gaze, Hill stood up smiling, ¡°Please feel free to help yourselves to the food on the table, ladies and gentlemen of the Undead Tribe.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu stood up and replied, ¡°Thank you, Mr.

    Hill.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, please take a seat and talk,¡± Hill sat down as well, ¡°We have a long journey ahead, so let¡¯s dispense with the formalities.

    Moreover, I¡¯m really interested in how Alliance City was lost.

    After all, you even managed to wipe out a Legendary, how could Alliance City with greater numbers lose so suddenly?¡±

    The Old Age Striking King suddenly burst into laughter, ¡°Oh my!

    Is this the danger of a femme fatale?

    Talk about the peril of a White Lotus!¡±

    ¡°Two Lines of Bamboo is a green tea, right?¡± A Deer sincerely asked.

    ¡°Little White Lotus!

    The best at playing weak.

    The ¡®how would I ever live without you¡¯ type!¡± Cunlu? retorted, ¡°Green tea is what I am like.¡±

    ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re just flirty!¡± the Old Age Striking King sneered.

    ¡°Hey, still better than being a shrew like you,¡± Cunlu? said with a laugh.

    The men were silent as sparrows.

    Hill thought about it but didn¡¯t say anything.

    After all, they would eventually get to the main point.

    Fran, who was eavesdropping, didn¡¯t look too pleased.

    Xiao Liuliu brought the conversation back on track: ¡°They are an alliance of five families.

    Inside there¡¯s a family called Qingcheng, led by Clan Leader Lu Huayu.

    He has a girlfriend called Two Lines of Bamboo, who¡¯s apparently preparing to get married to someone in another family known as Grudge.

    Grudge was initially ranked 11th in military exploits; they had no choice but to merge with Wenjian World, which was fourth in rank.

    That¡¯s how Two Lines of Bamboo got into Wenjian.

    She is a girl who speaks gently and acts considerately, very popular in Wenjian.

    She became part of family management within a month.¡±

    The Old Age Striking King interrupted: ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯s just because Wenjian¡¯s dimwit leader took a fancy to her.

    The future gang leader¡¯s wife, oh, what a poor guy.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu glanced at her helplessly: ¡°Wenjian has a good relationship with us; can we please save some face for them?¡±

    Cunlu? chirped in cheerfully: ¡°It¡¯s just that our Young Master is good in all aspects except he¡¯s blind!¡±

    The men around them all started laughing.

    This melon had provided them with enough gossip since last night.

    Xiao Liuliu waited for them to finish laughing before continuing: ¡°To help Lu Huayu gain control over the Alliance, they reached out to the Last-Era Clan nearby.

    But Last-Era couldn¡¯t just interfere and offend so many families for nothing.

    So Qingcheng planned to create some chaos, and then have Lu Huayu invite Last-Era to settle the disturbance.

    With strong outside support and them being called in due to their own mishandling, it would mean only Huayu, who fostered good relations with Last-Era, would be able to call the shots in Alliance City afterward.¡±

    She sipped her juice with a smile.

    Baldy continued: ¡°They had five families taking turns on defense, and knights and mages would be notified online about where and when they should be positioned.

    That foolish Young Master, thinking Two Lines of Bamboo had long online hours and was meticulous, gave the responsibility of Wenjian¡¯s rotation schedule to that woman.¡±

    Cunlu? interjected: ¡°Simply blinded by love.

    Ignored all the experienced members and handed it over to a woman who¡¯d joined the gang for just a month.¡±

    ¡°She was in Grudge for quite a while though!¡± Romantic Drunk Red Dust suddenly interjected.

    Hill glanced at him silently, thinking how they had managed to keep such a juicy piece hidden until now.

    Seeing Hill looking at Romantic Drunk Red Dust, Baldy asked with a grin: ¡°When Romantic saw it, did Mr.

    Hill see it too?¡±

    Hill nodded: ¡°I heard their conversation.

    Was that girl a spy before?¡±

    Baldy laughed heartily: ¡°We didn¡¯t get along with Grudge, wanted to see them mess up, so we kept it secret.

    The regular members of the family didn¡¯t know.

    By the time we learned Grudge had merged into Wenjian, it wasn¡¯t really appropriate to mention it.

    We thought that woman might at most pass on some secrets or something.

    We never expected her to pull off such a big stunt.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu followed up: ¡°During the switch with the family ahead of them, she simply deleted the position schedule and went offline.

    By the time the Young Master found out, he was already in a panic.

    By the time he found their own schedule, three Legends had already broken in.

    During their rotation, they would place Elemental Crystals during their own defense stage.

    The mages got confused, the commands were slow, and the Defensive Magic Array wasn¡¯t controlled properly, shattered by two Legends at once.

    The other families weren¡¯t online, and of course, they couldn¡¯t defend by themselves.

    I heard Supervisor William, seeing the situation turn grim, destroyed the Magic Tower and left.

    No one knows if he¡¯s had an accident yet.

    If he¡¯s gone, these five families of Alliance City will all drop to zero in military exploits.¡±

    Hill shook his head: ¡°Then Lu Huayu won¡¯t end well either, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± A Deer laughed herself to death, ¡°He even screwed himself over.

    That¡¯s what they call ¡®no plan survives contact with the enemy,¡¯ haha!¡±

    With five families taking turns like this and still engaging in internal power struggles, no wonder the Noble Coalition would start with them.

    The Legendary watcher probably discovered this after observing for a day and notified Dionysio right away.

    What was supposed to be a great accomplishment only served to cover up the mess made by the Legend who carelessly died at the hands of the Black Rose Family.

    ¡°Did you guys tell them about Lu Huayu¡¯s situation?¡± Adrian, who had returned and sat down nearby, asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Baldy said with righteous indignation, ¡°We can¡¯t just let our friends die not knowing how, right?¡±

    Hill felt that anyone who could be a clan leader had quite thick skin.

    He was just there to gloat, right?

    Sure enough, his clan members all hissed at him: ¡°Give it up!

    The Young Master hates your guts!¡±

    ¡°He directly asked the Young Master in our public channel if he knew that Two Lines of Bamboo was Lu Huayu¡¯s fiance?e,¡± said Qian Yuyu, who had been quiet, to a curious Hill.

    Even Fran looked at Perfect Bald with surprise; that was some shamelessness indeed.

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 The Situation in Alliance City

    ?46: Chapter 46 The Situation in Alliance City 46: Chapter 46 The Situation in Alliance City Hill marveled at Baldy¡¯s thick-skinned audacity.

    It seemed true that those who could become leaders of major factions among the players all had dirty hearts.

    Adrian stood up and asked Fran, ¡°The ship is about to arrive, should we invite the Spencer Knight and his group up here?¡±

    Fran looked at the Undead Tribe and hesitated.

    Xiao Liuliu quickly responded: ¡°We can chat amongst ourselves.¡±

    After thinking it over, Fran still said to Adrian, ¡°Please invite them up.

    They probably want to see the situation below.¡±

    Baldy asked, ¡°Are we almost there?

    Can we go on deck?¡±

    Fran nodded: ¡°Go ahead, but be careful of ambushes.¡±

    Baldy waved his hand dismissively: ¡°No worries.

    Now that we¡¯re here, we¡¯re not afraid of death anymore.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu smacked his head: ¡°If you resurrect now, you definitely won¡¯t be inside Alliance City!¡±

    Dream Awakening raised her tablet: ¡°There¡¯s a temporary altar built by a priest of Wenjian a hundred miles behind us.

    You can be resurrected there.¡±

    ¡°What about Qingcheng?¡±

    ¡°Lu Huayu just logged on to apologize, saying that his fiance?e got carried away for a moment.

    She¡¯s now crying and talking about deleting her account as an apology.

    He went to console her.

    Later on, he will accompany his fiance?e to apologize to everyone,¡± Qian Yuyu said while holding her tablet.

    ¡°He also hopes that everyone won¡¯t blame the people in his guild, as they knew nothing about it.

    His beloved fiance? didn¡¯t even tell him, it was her own decision.

    But he will take responsibility.

    He hopes his family members can forgive him for leading them to this outcome.

    If they can¡¯t, he understands and wishes the best for those who leave.

    He will soon return to atone with the family members who still follow him.¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    This familiar passive-aggressive eunuch tone of writing, shirking responsibility so slickly,¡± Perfect Bald remarked pensively.

    ¡°I always felt out of place compared to these people.

    I really am a good person!¡±

    Hill wasn¡¯t surprised at all that the members of Black Rose were all cursing him for shamelessness, including Baldy¡¯s beloved wife.

    Xiao Liuliu almost uncontrollably hid to one side.

    ¡°Young Master found that Supervisor!¡± Rain Falling on Mortal Dust, also looking at the tablet, called out.

    ¡°Where?¡± The Spencer Knight quickly approached.

    ¡°Wounded, and taken to a temporary camp by the Clan Leader of the Youth Journey of the Wenjian World,¡± Rain Falling on Mortal Dust replied promptly.

    The Spencer Knight turned to Fran: ¡°May I ask if Master Fran could take us to the camp?¡±

    ¡°Of course, no problem.¡± Fran said: ¡°Would you like to take a look at Alliance City?¡±

    The Spencer Knight nodded: ¡°Thank you, Master Fran.

    I would like to see the current state of the city.¡±

    Perfect Bald hesitated but then asked: ¡°Spencer Knight, what will become of the families who defended the city?¡±

    ¡°Their military exploits for defending the city are gone, but the past ones are still there,¡± replied Spencer with an expressionless face.

    ¡°But according to the rules of Saral, nobles from a city that has been breached have no right to reclaim their lands.¡±

    The players of Black Rose whispered amongst themselves.

    ¡°Does this count as losing a country for a woman?¡±

    ¡°A lose-lose beauty trap?¡±

    ¡°Wenjian really got hit hard!

    Though, Qingcheng got what she deserved.¡±

    ¡°What about the other three factions?

    They¡¯re the real losers, you know?

    At least Wenjian still has a name, they¡¯re etched in history now!¡±

    Hill looked at the Old Age Striking King, who claimed that Wenjian would go down in history, with profound reverence for this lady.

    ¡°I need to ask the Young Master if he¡¯s considering changing the name.¡± Baldy took out his tablet, ready to deliver the final blow.

    Listening to the Undead Tribe going out to the deck to enjoy the view, Adrian pulled Hill aside: ¡°I didn¡¯t hear wrong earlier, did I?

    They said they had a good relationship with Wenjian?¡±

    Spencer and Fran both looked at Hill.

    Hill nodded: ¡°A friendly faction, just a hair¡¯s breadth from being an alliance.¡±

    Seeing their expressions, both seemed to be contemplating becoming hostile factions.

    Hill carefully chose his words: ¡°If it were hostility, they would be mocking each other in their public channels.

    Even strangers would ridicule them.

    Private jokes like these usually mean good relations.¡±

    ¡°Even between two City Lords?¡± Spencer asked hesitantly, ¡°Only Vander was left from the King¡¯s former guards.

    He is to contact the Undead Tribe in Keslow.

    Even though he told me not to mind whatever the Undead say.

    But if we¡¯re to plan a counter-offensive, we must have contact, right?¡±

    ¡°Their relationship is quite equal.

    All are children of the gods after all!¡± Hill said.

    ¡°A City Lord merely has more glory.

    So, they speak very casually.

    It¡¯s completely different from our relations among nobles.¡±

    Hill hesitated, thinking if this explanation was sufficient?

    Spencer Knight seemed troubled: ¡°Then how should I treat a defeated family?¡±

    ¡°Just do your official duties,¡± Hill could only respond thus.

    Spencer sighed: ¡°No wonder the King put me in charge.

    Those who berate the defeated as trash probably bring trouble upon themselves, right?¡±

    The Spencer Family was known for their impartiality in official affairs.

    Averse to handling interpersonal relations, they neither liked to scold nor to fight.

    No matter how wrong the Undead Tribe were, they were still William¡¯s people.

    Even without Hill¡¯s explanation, Spencer Knight would have dealt with them politely.

    ¡°Good heavens, it¡¯s become this bad?¡±

    ¡°The city is ruined!¡±

    ¡°The people of Noble Temple are still living in tents!¡±

    Hearing the loud discussions of the Undead Tribe outside, Fran and the Spencer Knight walked out together, and Hill followed behind the Spencer Knight¡¯s entourage, last to leave the room.

    Through the gaps in the rolling white clouds beneath the Airship, one could see the broken and scattered remains of Alliance City.

    Before him lay nothing but ruins¡ªthe houses had mostly collapsed, forming a desolate landscape of massive rubble.

    The Great Wall facing south, along with the Magic Tower above, had become piles of broken walls and remnants.

    In the central square of the city, white tents were scattered about.

    The Noble Coalition, which had attacked the city, had already set up camp here.

    The city walls facing the interior of Saral Country, though tall, lacked any engravings of Defensive Magic Arrays.

    The original city wasn¡¯t large, and the walls facing Saral Country had long been battered in the battles for the city waged by players.

    After forming the Five Gangs Alliance, they expanded quite a bit on the inside.

    They had only done the preliminary construction, intending to properly build up after defeating the Noble Coalition.

    Well now, Hill thought as he looked at the three Legends guarding the city walls.

    He didn¡¯t know how long these few could hold out.

    Dionysio probably wouldn¡¯t be pinning his hopes on them, either.

    He searched around and spotted a deep purple tent in the city center.

    It seemed that the Saintess would also be staying here.

    Spencer paced back and forth on the ship, stopping occasionally to observe.

    Hill heard people from the Black Rose discussing in a corner.

    ¡°What¡¯s Spencer doing?¡±

    ¡°Looking for a chance and place to counterattack, of course!¡±

    ¡°Hold on, is this counterattack being led by NPCs?¡± Magic Sword suddenly shouted out.

    ¡°Shut up!

    They can feel it when we talk about them!

    Remember to speak calmly, no matter what you¡¯re saying about NPCs, understand?¡± the Old Age Striking King scolded him.

    ¡°So even if the Young Master fights back, it¡¯s futile?

    Why is he still so motivated now?¡± Fang Tianhua was a bit puzzled.

    ¡°His skin isn¡¯t as thick as the Road Eunuch!¡± Rain Falling on Mortal Dust said.

    ¡°He was originally the boss of Alliance City.

    It¡¯s his responsibility that the city was lost.

    The Road Eunuch directly pushed the blame onto a woman, but the Young Master can¡¯t do that.

    As long as he still wants to play this game, he just has to accept his bad luck!

    Let¡¯s see if he dares to flirt with girls anymore!¡±

    ¡°There are still so many people in Wenjian who haven¡¯t left the guild!

    For their sake, he needs to earn some more Military Exploits,¡± Perfect Bald added.

    ¡°In the future, this city will likely belong to the Spencer Family again.¡±

    ¡°William is really good at seizing opportunities,¡± Nie Xingchen remarked.

    ¡°William has probably been waiting for you guys to slip up,¡± Hill thought to himself.

    ¡°The Spencer Family¡¯s Sky Knights serve as his own guards.

    William can¡¯t afford such luxury.

    These are Sky Knights forged from battling Magical Beasts.

    They¡¯re formidable.¡±

    Hill looked around and wondered if William had intentionally placed this Five Gangs Alliance at this southeastern corner.

    This was once a small city that players had fought over for more than a month, leaving it in ruins, but once things settled down, they rebuilt it into a large city with a seaport dock.

    Now, although the city above was shattered, the underground water system remained intact.

    The Spencer Family couldn¡¯t build such a perfect water sewage system even if they wanted to.

    Unless they issued a quest to players, which would cost a lot of money.

    Hill felt that William wasn¡¯t planning on deliberately trapping the players, but if the players overplayed their hand, he¡¯d gladly reap the benefits.

    Eventually, Spencer stood upright and nodded with satisfaction.

    He turned and called out to Fran, who was waiting by the side, ¡°Thank you very much for your help, Master Fran!¡±

    Fran nodded, ¡°No need to be polite.

    It¡¯s my honor to do something for Saral.

    Shall we go to the temporary camp now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Spencer said.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that Lad is still alive, now I¡¯m not completely in the dark about what to do.¡±

    Fran moved the ship swiftly, ¡°We¡¯ve found something below.

    Might have to fly up to investigate.¡±

    Through the protective shield of the airship, Hill saw red hair flying up from below.

    ¡°The red-haired Legendary Knight,¡± Hill murmured to himself.

    Adrian, having heard him, informed him, ¡°That¡¯s from Navarro.

    They¡¯re far to our south, where the nobles all have red hair.¡±

    Saral has golden hair, Haifasardo has golden and brown hair.

    Is this a gradual fading of color as you go north?

    When Hill was lost in thought, he always felt like he was in a crudely set-up game.

    But no game, no matter how realistic, has a cycle of rebirth from birth to death.

    He hoped to one day see the reality of this world.

    After reaching the temporary camp, the spaceship began to descend slowly, and players from the Black Rose hurried over to say goodbye, jumping off before the ship even stopped.

    Leaning against the rail of the ship, Hill heard Perfect Bald laughing loudly: ¡°Young Master!

    Where are you at?

    We¡¯ve come to help you!¡±

    Below, no one paid him any mind for a while.

    ¡°Young Master, hey!

    Come out to greet your guests!

    I brought lots of beauties with me!¡± Perfect Bald continued to tease.

    ¡°Perfect Bald you fake Loli!

    Have you become a pervert from playing a girl character for too long?¡± Finally, a voice full of expletives came from below, ¡°Just hand over Liu Liu and you can leave!¡±

    ¡°Baldy, shut up!¡± Xiao Liuliu couldn¡¯t take it anymore, ¡°Young Master, William¡¯s people have arrived.

    They¡¯re on the ship.

    Hurry up and come out!

    Don¡¯t mind Baldy.¡±

    Hill watched the young man running out hurriedly and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: Playing a young character while trying to pick up girls?

    No wonder it¡¯s called ¡®Youth Journey of the Wenjian World.¡¯ Following the Young Master, all those who ran out were Lolis and young boys.

    Probably because of their young age as well, their faces were filled with the airs of adolescent delusions.

    When they looked up, they were brimming with confidence.

    Spencer came over, looking at these people and inhaling deeply, ¡°Vander told me that their appearances don¡¯t represent their actual age or gender.

    But these are really kids, right?¡±

    He turned to glance at Hill, a bit despairingly, ¡°They¡¯re not as big as Polanio, are they?¡±

    The ship was silent, nobody wanted to answer his question.

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Easy War and Terrifying Thunder

    ?47: Chapter 47 Easy War and Terrifying Thunder 47: Chapter 47 Easy War and Terrifying Thunder The juvenile members of the Black Rose family, though each one was petite and adorable, their mannerisms, tone of voice, and behavior all made it apparent that the souls within were adults.

    As for the youths of Wenjian World, their very name declared that their souls were primarily composed of young students.

    They were full of youthful energy, seeking a life where they could drink in honor of an encounter, tethering their horses beside high towers and weeping willows.

    Victory brought joy, and defeat was no big deal.

    The people on the airship watched the children of Wenjian joking carelessly with the members of the Black Rose, laughing and dancing with joy.

    Spencer Knight muttered to himself, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.

    Didn¡¯t we already know that those who could lose a city so senselessly were unreliable?

    If anyone has complaints, let them go back to the King.¡±

    ¡°I came here to clean up the mess.

    I¡¯m here to fight.

    Everything else is none of my business,¡± he finally concluded, bolstering his own spirits.

    Fran quietly brought the airship to a halt five meters above the ground.

    A section of the ship¡¯s side folded outwards, transforming into a long metal staircase that reached down to the ground.

    Fran, accompanied by Adrian and Hill, stood at the top of the staircase, blessing Spencer, ¡°May your blade be invincible wherever it points!¡±

    Spencer Sky Knight took a deep breath and descended the ladder with his entourage.

    The young master of Wenjian had already communicated with Baldy and was getting his troops in order to welcome Spencer Knight.

    Hill could see that he was genuinely happy.

    If he had been a noble of this world, such a foolish loss of a city would have devastated his entire family.

    But it was different for players; what the young master was probably thinking about the most was how essential it was to help the NPCs retake the city, which was a better outcome than leaving it to Lu Huayu or Doomsday.

    Spencer Knight could only look on in bafflement as the enthusiastic young master and his companions surrounded him in welcome.

    Despite his confusion, since the failed city lord showed such a warm welcome, Spencer Knight put aside his worries and formally took charge of the temporary camp.

    Fran returned to the hall with the two men.

    He glanced at Hill, who quickly tidied up the space with agility.

    Adrian watched and smiled, summoning the furniture back into the hall.

    Fran leaned back on the sofa, letting out a long sigh.

    Adrian, sitting next to him, said, ¡°I thought this place would be in utter despair, but it seems that from top to bottom, nobody really cares.

    With two days of reorganization, Spencer should be able to fight back, right?¡±

    Hill sat silently, reflecting that for players, their only loss was in reputation and money.

    They might be frustrated for a while, but they wouldn¡¯t be heartbroken.

    Especially since Wenjian¡¯s loss was such a hot topic.

    What big news it was for the players!

    The forums were probably not talking about Wenjian¡¯s defeat but about how the young master gave up his city for a girl, and how Lu Huayu brought a sister to his doorstep only to trap himself.

    Whether it¡¯s ¡°noblesse oblige,¡± ¡°harming others ends up harming oneself,¡± or ¡°evil begets evil,¡± these scenarios that usually occur only in TV dramas were happening in real life.

    Hill thought that this story might even spread to this world¡¯s equivalent of Weibo.

    Baldy rightly pointed out the crucial issue; if the name wasn¡¯t changed, this newfound fame would follow the young master for life.

    Fran shook his head, ¡°Although their way of thinking is somewhat incomprehensible, once we consider that they are people from another world, it becomes clear.

    No matter how they fail here, it cannot harm their roots.¡±

    He looked at both of them, ¡°Having escorted Spencer here and scouted Alliance City with him, let¡¯s stay away from that direction for the next few days.

    With the three legends joining forces, our airship might not hold up.¡±

    Adrian nodded, ¡°Okay, teacher.

    We¡¯ll just let the ship drift above these clouds then!¡±

    Fran turned to Hill, saying, ¡°No matter how curious you are, do not go down.

    It¡¯s bound to be chaotic now, and I¡¯m not even comfortable letting Adrian leave the airship.¡±

    Adrian added with a smile, ¡°Stay put with the cat.

    Don¡¯t linger too much on deck either.¡±

    Hill nodded reluctantly, acknowledging that Alice had been confined to his room all this time and it was time to let her out for a breather.

    Three days later, in the early hours before dawn, Spencer began his counteroffensive.

    Hill lay by the window, watching the endless advance of armies facing each other.

    Although the knights¡¯ horses looked more elegant and spirited, every player, regardless of profession, had a mount.

    Adrian stared blankly, puzzled, ¡°Why would mages ride horses?¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t answer him: Mounts were something that couldn¡¯t be exclusive to a single profession, otherwise, this game wouldn¡¯t function.

    And players didn¡¯t have the arrogance of mages who fly through the air, looking down on other professions confined to the ground.

    Sky Knights could fly, but only float in the air for a short duration.

    Other professions could only achieve flight after reaching the legendary rank.

    Only mages, no matter their affinity for any element, could fly using the Levitation Skill once they became advanced in their profession.

    Thus, mages would always fly to their destinations.

    The Flight Art was an essential part of a mage¡¯s pride and prestige within their profession.

    But players didn¡¯t share that sentiment.

    Even those who came to support had mages who arrived swiftly by flying, and that was only because they were unfamiliar with the routes.

    But knights, swordsmen, and priests had just arrived yesterday, all on horseback.

    Their mages never had the air of looking down on other professions.

    At most, they would boastfully call themselves ¡°Mage Master¡±!

    But when it came to collective actions, they would still summon their horses and move with the group.

    Hill simply warned Adrian, ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on the ins and outs of their affairs.

    What may seem incomprehensible to you could just be the result of their momentary whims.¡±

    Adrian could only nod in silence, ¡°They aren¡¯t very clever.

    They can only master one or two types of magic.

    Even in alchemy, learning drug alchemy means not being able to learn equipment alchemy.

    The God of Time and Space has indeed imposed many limitations on them.¡±

    Hill nodded.

    The airship slowly followed in the sky.

    It took the army three hours to cover a distance of 100 kilometers.

    Fran also stood over, ¡°Three hours, and hardly anyone dropped out of formation, staying tightly together.

    The Undead Tribe¡¯s discipline is very high!¡±

    But Hill keenly noticed that the distances between these people were almost identical throughout the march.

    There must be some form of follow function.

    Otherwise, half of them could have been lost after three hours.

    Arriving under Alliance City, Spencer ordered a meal break and a rest.

    The battle would start promptly at one o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    Hill saw a few alchemy huts being set up in the Black Rose camp.

    Some people rushed into them and then didn¡¯t come back out.

    They must be going offline for some reason.

    It seems these huts are very useful to them.

    Hill could make them too, he felt that in the future, airships might be commonly used.

    He planned to practice making an alchemy hut when he got back, to fabricate one himself.

    It didn¡¯t need to be this big; as long as it had good protection and speed, that would suffice.

    Selling alchemy huts to players, exchanging more non-attribute elemental crystals, he could travel the world himself.

    Fran pointed at the window, ¡°Look at the city wall!¡±

    From afar, Hill saw four Legendary figures standing on the city wall, seemingly ready to make their move.

    Hill tensed up.

    Was this a surprise attack?

    Adrian said doubtfully, ¡°Spencer isn¡¯t that foolish, is he?

    What¡¯s this rest for?¡±

    Fran just raised the ship higher and said solemnly, ¡°Just watch!¡±

    The Saintess from the Love Temple hovered in the air, raising a protective shield.

    Three Legendary Knights swiftly flew up into the air, launching an assault on the camp.

    They seemed certain of Spencer¡¯s location, heading straight for him without hesitation.

    Hill watched nervously.

    Spencer showed no intention of retreating.

    Standing on tiptoe, Hill saw the Knight Corps of the young Wenjian.

    Their shields were proportionate to their stature, half the size of regular great shields, but still large enough to cover their entire bodies.

    In fact, they had quite a number of people, but likely because of their small and exquisite appearance, they seemed insufficient in defensive strength.

    The Legendary figures didn¡¯t take them into account and simply bypassed them.

    Following the Young Master¡¯s sharp command of ¡°Shields up!¡±, thousands of small shields were raised.

    All of them were Fire Element Knights!

    The shields were enwreathed with fiery light, forming a large thorn fire shield.

    The three Legendary figures, working together, killed over a thousand people, but the Thorn series of shield skills all came with damage reflection.

    The three Legendary figures¡¯ protective shields were severely weakened by the damage reflection from tens of thousands of fire-element hits.

    Suddenly, a barrage of meteor fire rain fell from the sky.

    A veil dropped over the Legendary figures, shielding them from this fatal blow.

    Adrian was extremely surprised, ¡°Does the Love Temple no longer want the divine artifact?¡±

    Hill looked at the woman on the city wall who emotionlessly pulled the veil and the Legendary figures back, ¡°She¡¯s unwilling too.¡±

    Spencer waved his hand, and the seemingly idle players crazily charged toward the city wall.

    Hill watched as the city wall was directly shattered by tens of thousands of earthquake techniques, ¡°The Noble Temple is out of options, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve already evacuated,¡± Fran said.

    ¡°Although the tents in the city are still there, there aren¡¯t many people left.

    The Legendaries were kept back for the final blow.¡±

    Sure enough, the Legendary figures didn¡¯t hesitate to fly away.

    Spencer also did not hesitate, it seemed he knew all along.

    He led the players straight into Alliance City.

    The people who had remained in the city were all killed by the players.

    Hill frowned, ¡°Why were there still people who hadn¡¯t left?¡±

    Adrian sneered, ¡°The clever ones, seeing the Noble Temple¡¯s army withdrawing, had left early with them.

    Those left are simply too greedy, thinking the Legendary figures wouldn¡¯t fail so quickly, and wanting to snatch more advantages.

    Spencer did not stop the Undead Tribe, indicating that these were either thieves, or fools that nobody wanted.¡±

    Hill silently nodded.

    This was Spencer rewarding the players who charged into battle.

    Hill couldn¡¯t say much; for the players, this was just a red-name monster.

    Suddenly, thunder boomed, piercing the sky.

    Hill rushed out of the hall, looking towards the thunderous west.

    That was Kexlote.

    Fran and Adrian also came out, looking towards the place where lightning intertwined with thunder.

    ¡°The Legendaries are going back.

    Is Dionysio launching his final strike?¡± Adrian hesitated, ¡°Should we go later?

    This doesn¡¯t look like a divine artifact!

    Has there been a divine descent?

    It¡¯s a bit dangerous.¡±

    Fran had a worried frown, ¡°Let¡¯s fly closer and then decide.

    Hopefully, nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 The Past of the God of Time and Space

    ?48: Chapter 48: The Past of the God of Time and Space 48: Chapter 48: The Past of the God of Time and Space The airship had reached within 200 kilometers of Clotho City, but could go no further.

    Thunder ravaged the skies, with flashes of lightning streaking one after another, and the sound of thunder rumbling incessantly, roaring across the heavens.

    A dense web of lightning formed, encircling the entirety of Clotho City at its center.

    Thunder rolled in the sky; even though it was twilight, it glowed as if it were daytime.

    The ground also trembled violently, and the sound of thunder roared from beneath the earth.

    Clotho City, shivering under the protection of a silvery white barrier.

    The three Cardinals of the Noble Temple floated in midair, their eyes tightly shut, faces expressionless.

    Behind them emerged three faintly translucent figures, Divine Envoys of the God of Nobility.

    Such a degree of Divine Descent was beyond the reach of mere mortals.

    Fran dared not approach any closer, and the three could only watch with heavy hearts as Clotho City was bathed in the light of thunder.

    Fortunately, the Priests of the God of Time and Space, although not very devout, were plentiful in number.

    The dark and oppressive sky, flashing and thundering for over an hour.

    Regrettably, no matter how earth-shattering or ground-breaking the event, the protective barrier of Clotho City, though it trembled continuously as if it would break at any moment, stubbornly held on.

    The three felt slightly relieved.

    Fran said, ¡°Look for Dionysio, where is he?

    It¡¯s impossible that he would only send these three Cardinals into battle.¡±

    Hill searched for a long time, but found nothing.

    He said hesitantly, ¡°Those Legendary ones came back, didn¡¯t they, including the one from the Love Temple?¡±

    Fran shook his head, ¡°Those have already fulfilled their missions.

    Dionysio won¡¯t risk them anymore.

    Now, everything is beyond the concern of mortals.¡±

    Hill had never felt so weak and helpless, even with his powerful grandfather standing beside him.

    Even the airship, once thought to be very powerful, could now only hide within the clouds.

    This is a world where Deities exist.

    Even if it always felt far away, when one truly confronts the Deities one day, one can only feel how weak mortals are.

    Fran sighed genuinely, ¡°Legendary Mages travel everywhere, seeking the truth of the world, and exploring the origins of life.

    Is it also because of such shocks?¡±

    No wonder many Legendary Mages, upon reaching their twilight years, would give up their souls to become vassals to the Deities.

    The incarnations of Natural Laws.

    Sometimes, they truly are terrifying.¡±

    Adrian suddenly shouted, ¡°Look, right above Clotho City!

    That¡¯s Dionysio!¡±

    This man, known as the closest to a god within the Noble Temple, had now become an incarnation of a god.

    He held the Sword of the Rose in his hand, and the golden translucent figure behind him also held an identical sword.

    Diokiano and the golden figure behind him raised the swords in unison and struck down towards Clotho City.

    ¡°My God!¡± Hill cried out loud, his hands pressing tightly against the crystal window.

    He had once thought that only the God of Time and Space ascending the Divine Throne would intervene, yet the God of Monarchy and the God of Nobility had made a move ahead of time!

    A figure stood atop the protective barrier of Clotho City, holding a golden Scales in his left hand and a tablet in his right.

    In an instant, the tablet in his right hand turned into a Giant Shield, catching the attack of the God of Nobility completely.

    William!

    There was no figure of the God of Time and Space behind him, Hill was extremely surprised!

    Could William be the God of Time and Space?

    A Legendary Knight, no matter how favored by the Deities, could not possibly stop such a powerful god as the God of Nobility!

    Dionysio¡¯s ethereal voice sounded, seemingly not loud, but it entered Hill¡¯s ears with ease.

    ¡°Indeed, William Saral, you are the God of Time and Space!

    The sinner who broke the order, by eradicating you, the world can return to its normal order!¡±

    A huge prayer arose from Clotho City.

    The God of Monarchy and the God of Nobility said disdainfully, ¡°Will this amount of Faith Power help your feeble Divine Power?¡±

    William remained silent, saying nothing, just holding the Giant Shield in defense.

    In all directions of Saral, boundless specks of light drifted out, crazily flying towards William.

    ¡°Hmm?

    What is this?¡± The God of Monarchy and the God of Nobility watched with interest.

    ¡°My ritual of ascension!¡± A faint voice echoed through the air.

    William stood straight, yet the voice did not come from him.

    Prayers were unceasing, the God of Nobility seemed lost in thought, and had actually stopped.

    ¡°Indeed, you too are curious, aren¡¯t you!

    Want to know who I am?

    What the deal with William is, right?¡± said the voice, laughing.

    The God of Monarchy and the God of Nobility didn¡¯t speak, tacitly agreeing.

    A figure suddenly floated up from below and stood beside the God of Monarchy and the God of Nobility.

    It was the Saintess from the Love Temple, her back draped with floaty silks, hazily covering a figure.

    It seemed the Goddess of Love and Arts had also arrived.

    ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t regret it, okay!¡± The God of Time and Space chuckled.

    Fran brought the ship down to the ground.

    The three stepped onto the deck and watched in silence.

    When each Deity ascends the Divine Throne, the World Consciousness allows the whole world to witness the key moments of Their ascension.

    At such times, one must maintain a semblance of respect.

    Besides the Deities, no one dares to remain airborne, not even the birds, which would land on the ground.

    William let go of his hands; the Scales and the tablet, returned to its prototype, floated up into the air.

    These were the Divine Artifacts of the God of Time and Space!

    How could William use them so effortlessly?

    People, confused, could only wait for the revelation of the World Consciousness.

    The God of Time and Space indeed was from a long time ago.

    Back then, the power of Monarchy and Nobles must have been at its peak, with commoners barely surviving.

    Hovering in the air was a ragged, haggard woman giving birth.

    An image wrapped in a red flag entered her womb.

    Hill¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    The child was born, grew up slowly, and suffered endless humiliation.

    This was because he would not bow his head and his pride was steadfast.

    His parents had new children, found him disobedient, always causing trouble, and kicked him out.

    The 12-year-old boy was eventually thrown out into the wilds, battered and bruised.

    At the brink of death, he awoke as a Magician.

    Hill watched the boy surrounded by blazing fire, her heart filled with sorrow.

    What could she have done in the same situation?

    The boy changed as a person; he became much more decisive.

    Relying on his strong constitution, he tasted a hundred herbs.

    He found many kinds of food and medicinal herbs and selflessly shared them with the impoverished around him.

    He led the destitute in hunting in the mountains and fishing in the waters.

    It was a pity that just as life was getting better, someone informed the Nobles in the city.

    The Nobles came to capture this rare Magician.

    Those who once followed him did not hesitate to flee.

    In the end, he escaped into the wilderness.

    In the harsh wilderness, he persevered, becoming stronger and stronger.

    Eventually, he fled to another Noble¡¯s territory.

    This Noble was a compassionate person who felt the needy required help and Nobles needed restraint.

    He couldn¡¯t help but intervene, looking at the Nobles¡¯ chaotic laws and regulations.

    Finally, the Noble swore to implement this set of laws throughout the world and embarked on a journey to persuade Kings of different countries.

    Fran gasped, ¡°God of Justice!¡±

    He toiled hard to help the God of Justice, writing one law after another.

    But then the God of Nobility and God of Monarchy appeared.

    At that time, Deities could easily contact their followers on earth.

    He opposed most of the laws proposed by the God of Justice, and the constraints on Nobles were erased in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Hehe, I know who you are now,¡± the God of Nobility and God of Monarchy said with an indifferent laugh.

    ¡°Such a tenacious life!¡±

    Unfortunately, at this time, all life was bound by the Natural Consciousness and could not move, or else the God of Nobility would probably have taken action directly.

    He looked up beyond the sky, ¡°Flores!

    You¡¯re probably going to lose face.¡±

    The God of Justice, in order to ascend to godhood, eventually gave up those laws.

    Only then did the God of Nobility and God of Monarchy not obstruct his ascension to the Divine Throne.

    But the God of Time and Space back then could not understand.

    He hated the God of Justice for forgetting his original promises.

    The Devil¡¯s Blood within him began to burn.

    He became a legendary warlock¡ªa descendant of the Devil.

    He, who had lost his human reasoning, had only hatred for the God of Justice and the God of Nobility and Monarchy in his heart.

    But what he hated even more was the God of Justice.

    All the laws of justice were the ones he had painstakingly clarified, and he intended to destroy them one by one.

    The God of Justice, knowing that he had wronged him and after enduring for a long time, finally injured him as he was about to destroy the foundations of the contract of justice.

    As he fled into the wilderness, he was thrown into the gates of Hell by the watching God of Nobility and God of Monarchy.

    It was at this moment that he finally regained a hint of sanity.

    Seeing the devils in Hell reaching out their hands in welcome, he muttered silent words and used all his strength to fly outwards.

    A tear splashed, and Hill silently followed his chant: uphold morality and faith, remember discipline and conduct.

    Hell is not so easily left behind, he persevered for a long time, and when he was almost in despair, Natural Consciousness reached out to help him.

    A giant branch pulled him out of the entrance to Hell.

    The blurry Natural Consciousness heard his wailing and offered a helping hand.

    He sat under the giant tree, feeling the Devil¡¯s laughter in his soul.

    He bowed in thanks to the Natural Consciousness that helped him, touched the great tree, and without hesitation, soared toward the sky.

    In the spatial rifts outside the world, he severed half his soul.

    Having used the chaotic Space Blade to annihilate the Devil half of his soul, he fell unconscious into that tumultuous space.

    After an unknown duration, he awoke to find his body vanished, leaving only his silver-white soul.

    He had been assimilated by space.

    But the missing half of his soul rendered him immobile, drifting through the Universe with the spatial rifts.

    Eventually, he entered The River of Time and Space.

    Perhaps it was his resilient will that moved this eternally flowing, unwavering Law of Time and Space, causing it to resonate with The River of Time and Space.

    But his missing soul prevented him from fully merging with The River of Time and Space, leaving him no choice but to completely divide his soul and cast it into extratemporal space.

    He sought out his parallel self in other worlds.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 The God of Time and Space Ascending to the Divine Throne

    ?49: Chapter 49: The God of Time and Space Ascending to the Divine Throne 49: Chapter 49: The God of Time and Space Ascending to the Divine Throne The God of Time and Space was a person who strictly adhered to moral and legal principles.

    Before countless versions of himself in numerous worlds, he recounted his origin and needs.

    In the sky, the image split into countless screens.

    Some nodded and gave a thread of their soul to him, while others shook their heads in refusal, unwilling to assist this strange outsider.

    The soul was one¡¯s own, and the God of Time and Space bore no resentment towards those who were unwilling to help.

    It was, after all, a choice made by ¡°oneself.¡± He simply persisted in his quest, journeying through one world after another.

    As he neared the completion of his task, he arrived at a world where houses had collapsed and roads were split open.

    ¡°Himself¡± was buried beneath high piles of rubble.

    The world consciousness of these worlds had reluctantly allowed the soul of the God of Time and Space to enter; there was no way he could help this ¡°self¡± who was in his twenties.

    The other fragmented screens disappeared, leaving only the God of Time and Space and the conversation between him and the twenty-year-old soul.

    Even though their skin colors differed and their hair hues were not the same, one could still feel that these two were the same person through their eyes and eyebrows.

    This soul not only completely compensated for the missing soul of the divine spirit; it was also telling something to the God of Time and Space.

    In the end, as the soul turned into a golden crystallization, it was whisked away by a shooting star.

    This meteor passed through the rifts of time and space, returning to the River of Time and Space of its home world.

    It then continued towards the continent and finally landed in the Saral Royal Palace.

    In the image, there was only the Queen in utter despair and the Little Prince who was nearly at his last breath.

    In the split second when the Prince¡¯s soul rose from his body, a golden crystallization was inserted.

    The one who opened his eyes next was the current William.

    What followed was the painful dialogue between William and Queen Spencer.

    In the end, the Queen acknowledged this son in exchange for the star that the God of Time and Space had transformed into, gathering the poor Little Prince¡¯s soul.

    Indeed, William had no interest in the Saral kingship; he was consistently engrossed with the star beside him, crafting various arrays of divine power.

    Next was the truth behind the Little Prince¡¯s fall from his horse.

    Two years ago, William, who went out for a breather, was attacked by several Magisters.

    Facing an indifferent Old King and two foolish brothers, as well as a horde of Great Nobility who covered up the truth.

    Unable to contain his fury, William cursed out loud and was eventually banished from Saral.

    He etched a vast array into the land of his own territory.

    The star then divided itself into two parts, with the core turning into the gemstone of the Seal Ring on William¡¯s finger.

    The majority of it transformed into golden light, merging with the underground array.

    Soon after, tablets floated up from the array, and around the edges of these tablets, hundreds and thousands of figures emerged.

    Unlike the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy, the God of Time and Space was actually considered a Nature God.

    The reason He needed so much soul power was that His soul had already been assimilated by the space-time law; He had become the embodiment of time and space itself.

    He had long been the master of the River of Time and Space, only lacking the final sublimation.

    What He needed was simply enough people to recite His name, to inscribe His divinity and divine name in the starry sky.

    The God of Time and Space had in fact already ascended to the Divine Throne, without the need to walk step by step into the stars, shedding his mortal body to become divine.

    Endless silver-white light showered down from heaven towards the God of Time and Space, as He began to condense His divine form.

    Hill watched in confusion as the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy did not make their move.

    He turned his body slightly; he could move now.

    Fran stopped him, ¡°The world consciousness is still here, and divine power cannot be used now.

    Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Hill nodded in silence.

    He now understood why the legends of the deities felt so real; the world consciousness, like silent film commentary, allowed him to know what had happened just by watching the scene unfold.

    But what was William?

    Was he a divine avatar or a future divine subordinate?

    Bringing back versions of himself from other worlds to serve as Pope was quite the clever move by the God of Time and Space.

    No wonder William seemed both monitored and yet daring in his actions.

    Hill sighed lightly; it was all for the best.

    After all, he owed his second chance at life to William.

    However, this person could no longer be considered just a human.

    Fran spoke quietly, ¡°The world consciousness recognizes the God of Time and Space more.

    It seems his contribution back then was significant.

    The world remembers him.¡±

    Adrian suddenly said, ¡°Would anyone dare to offend William in this world in the future?

    His use of a Divine Artifact is almost indistinguishable from being used directly by a god!¡±

    Fran cautioned the two, ¡°Stop talking about this.

    Is there anything secret in this vicinity now?¡±

    Hill thought to himself: This means even if you think the God of Time and Space is sure to win, don¡¯t blabber about it.

    In case the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy notice, they might strike you down before withdrawing; dying such a death would be in vain.

    Indeed, the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy were quite embarrassed now.

    Their divine descent had a time limit, and yet, they hadn¡¯t immediately tried to squash William upon arrival in order to demonstrate their own power.

    Just watching the God of Time and Space¡¯s little film had almost exhausted all their divine descent time.

    But the world consciousness still wouldn¡¯t allow them to act.

    They had wasted a lot of divine power for nothing.

    And the Goddess of Love and Arts, to show solidarity, had also squandered her divine descent.

    All they could do now was wait for the God of Time and Space to solidify His divine body and head deep into the starry sky to inscribe His divine name before attempting to intercept Him with their true forms.

    This was a life and death battle; the Goddess of Love and Arts would not waste her power leaving the Divine Kingdom for such a cause.

    Sure enough, while the God of Time and Space was still radiating silver light, the figures of the Gods of Nobility and Monarchy and the Goddess of Love and Arts had disappeared.

    The moment Dionysio regained consciousness, he didn¡¯t hesitate to speed away.

    Once he left, the Legendary members of the Noble Coalition scattered in every direction, fleeing for their lives.

    Hill could only sympathize with those poor souls who dared not leave.

    What William would do with them, nobody knew.

    The silver glow gradually faded, and the silver-haired, silver-eyed God of Time and Space stood in the air.

    Looking down, He tossed the Scales and the Tablet to William, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you to return in the Divine Kingdom!¡±

    William smiled and nodded, ¡°Waiting for the news of your victory.¡±

    The God of Time and Space sighed, ¡°20,000 years!

    It¡¯s really been too long!¡±

    A silver light shot straight beyond the clouds.

    Hill really wanted to see the battle of a True God!

    Fran said irritably, ¡°Just wait!

    That¡¯s in the deepest part of the starry sky, a place only a deity can reach.¡±

    Hill didn¡¯t give up and looked back at William.

    The magic defense of Clotho had been lifted, but William still sat at the top of the Magic Tower, watching the sky.

    He always felt that William had a way.

    Hill pulled Fran along, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Clotho!¡±

    After some thought, Fran agreed.

    The cost of restarting the airship was too great, so for such a short distance, the three of them stowed the ship and flew there directly.

    A No-Fly Formation had been set up in the city of Clotho, so the trio landed outside the city gates.

    The moment he arrived in Clotho, Hill noticed players all over the ground, sending messages with their tablets.

    They could only make gestures to each other, and Hill watched their muted state with pleasure.

    William must have played many games before and had a profound understanding of players.

    Otherwise, those players would surely have discussed loudly, or even flown into the air for a better view.

    This story of a grassroots struggle to become a god, how worthy it was of recording and discussion from every angle!

    The love and hate between the three deities could spawn countless posts, an amount Hill dared not imagine.

    The God of Time and Space had better not look at the forums.

    Suddenly, William stood up and threw the Divine Artifact Tablet he held into the sky.

    The tablet swiftly grew in midair, turning into a screen as big as a movie theater.

    The God of Time and Space appeared onscreen, traveling through the starry sky, heading straight toward a place that resembled a black hole.

    Fran was overjoyed, ¡°My goodness!

    The appearance of the starry sky!

    I thought one only saw this at the legendary level.¡±

    Adrian, however, suddenly interjected, ¡°Has William¡¯s hair turned silver?¡±

    Hill looked at Adrian, who was off-topic.

    Had he seen too many glitches?

    The two paid him no attention.

    In the picture, the red-haired, blue-eyed nobles and the God of Monarchy had appeared.

    The God of Time and Space stood with a smile, endlessly slicing open space and redirecting the thunder and sword light furiously striking toward Him to other places.

    Countless spatial rifts rose in the starry sky, ceaselessly advancing toward the nobles and the God of Monarchy.

    This was a confrontation between laws, seemingly ordinary, yet each strike could destroy a star.

    For half a month, William sat there, watching the deity¡¯s final battle.

    The Undead Tribe, numbering in hundreds of thousands, was now packed in Clotho.

    Even though William had opened several spaces, there were still no hotels available for Hill and the others.

    Fran helplessly found a corner to release an Alchemy Hut, and the three of them settled down.

    At Alice¡¯s pleading, Hill could only hug her while staying in the hut, watching the sky from the window every day.

    Hill initially thought the muted players would gradually leave the No-Fly Clotho, but unexpectedly, more kept arriving.

    To witness the excitement, they didn¡¯t even care about the pain of mute.

    They preferred to talk face to face with tablets rather than leave.

    Every day, heaps of players sat on the streets or squatted on rooftops to watch the movie.

    After going out a few times, Fran and Adrian also resignedly stayed in the hut.

    After half a month, the God of Time and Space¡¯s attacks suddenly changed; He added the variable of time to his spatial rifts, making them flicker erratically.

    Their abrupt variation caused the nobles and the God of Monarchy to be swallowed by a rift, losing an arm.

    The nobles and the God of Monarchy¡¯s expressions changed drastically, and they turned to flee.

    The God of Time and Space suddenly laughed, as the nobles and the God of Monarchy flew directly into a spatial passage.

    No one knew when the God of Time and Space had set the trap, but the passage itself must have been harmless; otherwise, the strong premonitions of a deity would have warned them.

    The God of Time and Space opened a screen and watched with delight as the nobles and the God of Monarchy charged into the Abyss.

    Tit for tat!

    Smiling, He waved his hand to disperse the screen and walked into the black hole in the depths of the starry sky.

    William stood up and retracted the tablet.

    Looking down at the players crowding the streets, he smiled helplessly, ¡°From now on, Clotho will become the new Royal Capital of Saral, and the Temple of Time and Space will also be built here.¡±

    He gestured to lift the players¡¯ mute, ¡°Clotho still forbids flying.

    Friends of the Undead Tribe, I hope you will actively participate in the construction of the Temple and the Royal Capital.

    The war is just at a pause, and you may now go to the Quartermaster to claim your military exploits for this phase.

    But don¡¯t slack off!

    If Haifasar Sardo and the other nations that participated in attacking Saral do not provide me with a satisfactory explanation, I will march south, seeking to reclaim my honor with blood and fire!¡±

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Williams Request

    ?50: Chapter 50 William¡¯s Request 50: Chapter 50 William¡¯s Request Fran decided to return to his fiefdom tomorrow after some thought.

    Even if the God of Monarchy and Nobles were left in the Abyss, they wouldn¡¯t fall so easily.

    It¡¯s estimated that they could still return to the Divine Kingdom at a great cost.

    However, the Noble Temple is going to face a tough time during this period.

    As for Haifasardo, seeing William¡¯s performance, it¡¯s likely to be annexed.

    The popes of other temples would not dare to claim that their will is the will of the gods, but William certainly would.

    The Noble Temple is the main force in preventing wars between nations, and the Justice Temple would also help to suppress them.

    But probably no one dares to come forward to stop William from these two temples.

    There are no fools among the Legendary, and now Haifa probably doesn¡¯t have any Legendary left, does it?

    With the Undead army, William could occupy several countries without any problems.

    However, since the God of Time and Space still adheres to the deities of the Kind Alignment, he can¡¯t move against countries that haven¡¯t made a move against Saral.

    All these matters don¡¯t affect Fran and Hill.

    Since Saral is safe now, the Mage might as well return to the Magic Tower.

    However, Sky Knight Spencer found Fran the next day, ¡°Master Fran, could I ask for your help in creating a large airship?¡±

    Fran asked with full of curiosity, ¡°The cost of creating an airship is enough to build a Great Mage Tower.

    A large one is even more expensive.¡±

    Sky Knight Spencer said with a smile, ¡°Payment will be made in full with Space Crystals.

    As for the materials, I¡¯ll leave it up to Master Fran to figure it out.¡±

    In this world, due to the solidification of the base elements, other elements are very rare.

    The elements from beyond this plane are all squeezed out beyond the membrane of the plane.

    Only when a deity that conforms to certain rules ascends to the divine throne will a large amount of similar elements be attracted into the world.

    Just like the Thunder Element Spells of the Mages, which began to be studied when the God of Monarchy and Nobility ascended, it is unknown how many Legendary advancements were due to the creation of the Thunder Element Spell system.

    All the Gods of Order belong to the Thunder Element Divinity.

    It seems there¡¯s some truth to it.

    The reason why both the God of Justice and the Goddess of Love and Arts are subject to the God of Monarchy and Nobility is that they too are deities of the Thunder Element Rules.

    But Hill never understood why love and the arts would fall under the Thunder Element.

    Is it because the love of Nobles needs to be judged?

    When the God of Time and Space solidified its divine body, a large amount of space-time elements were drawn down from the River of Time and Space outside the plane.

    As a result, Temporal Elements and Space Elements have been added to this world.

    The large gathering of elements naturally formed Elemental Ores.

    The Elemental Ores formed from the elements attracted by the Deities must be much larger than the mine owned by Old King Obastian.

    Therefore, the place of ascension of a deity is always where the Main Temple is located.

    Although Hill hadn¡¯t expected William to plan on moving the capital as well, the establishment of the Main Temple of Time and Space was anticipated.

    Temporal Elements don¡¯t seem to form Crystal Stones, as for the uses when concentrated, that¡¯s not something outsiders would know.

    But Space Crystals are very expensive commodities!

    Previously, they were sporadic crystals brought back by Legendary Mages who visited the Elemental Realms.

    Now, Saral has an entire mine!

    William is trying to tempt Fran with a large number of Space Crystals!

    As the space-time elements in this world increases in large quantities, Mages can research Spatial Magic and Temporal Spells.

    If Fran could systematize Spatial Magic, he would become Legendary.

    And as an Alchemist Master, Fran would be able to make so many spatial equipment with all those Space Crystals!

    Although he would have to make them himself, indeed he could make a profit by selling them.

    Hill has always wanted those devices that could expand the space of the Magic Tower.

    He remembered from the novels he¡¯d read before, how the powerful Magic Towers were expanded by spatial devices to accommodate thousands of inhabitants.

    But in this world, only Legendary Mages have managed to merge their Mage Towers with a half-plane, and no such Magic Towers have been created otherwise.

    He is still far from capable, with the same sized Space Crystal, Fran could create a storage space three times larger than his.

    He can only count on Fran for his super Magic Tower.

    Fran hesitated only a few minutes before resolutely agreeing.

    Hill and Adrian looked at him eagerly.

    Fran straightforwardly said, ¡°A deposit of 20 million, equivalent value will do.¡±

    Spencer Knight chuckled and kept tossing Space Crystals out of the storage ring.

    The sight of these large, raw, and uncut ores deeply shocked Fran.

    ¡°Who mined these?¡±

    ¡°The King was so happy last night, he went down and mined them himself!¡±

    Elemental Ore had just formed, and even if Sky Knights descended, they would be shredded by the chaotic spatial rifts inside.

    Although the body of a Legendary Knight was also gradually becoming elemental, a knight¡¯s bloodline could not be transformed.

    This was also the reason why the lifespan of Legendary Knights was not as long as that of Mages.

    As for William, his body had probably been completely assimilated by the space-time element.

    Although he fought as a knight, in reality, he was more like a priest.

    The power he used came from the God of Time and Space, not the hereditary bloodline power of the Saral Royal Family anymore.

    William could completely use Holy Power, but it seemed that he had no interest in becoming a Paladin and only wanted to use the attack power of the space-time element.

    So William did not care about the potential harm from the chaotic and volatile space-time elements.

    Only he could mine the Space Crystal under such conditions.

    Fran was also aware of this, which was why he couldn¡¯t help but ask who had gone to do the mining.

    After all, it was hard to imagine that a King, a Pope, a future Deity, would actually go mining in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.

    Spencer Knight, however, did not mind at all, ¡°Your Majesty the King, I really liked your ship the moment I saw it.

    But at that time, I couldn¡¯t afford to ask you to build one.

    Besides, there wasn¡¯t enough money.¡± He looked at the perplexed Fran and said, ¡°The money of the Saral Royal Family was divided equally among the royal family members by His Majesty the King.

    There¡¯s only the money earned from the Undead Tribe in His Majesty¡¯s treasury.¡±

    Seeing the smile on Spencer Knight¡¯s face, Hill was certain that the Spencer Family had known about William¡¯s identity for a long time and had sworn loyalty to him early on.

    Although the Spencer Family had three Sky Knights back in the day, as a newly risen nobility, their power was insufficient.

    Even being favored by the lecherous King could not prevent them from helplessly marrying their only pearl to the Old King as the third Queen.

    After Queen Spencer married into the Royal Family, the Old King¡¯s interest in her lasted only for a while before he returned to the embrace of other women.

    He felt that bestowing an official status upon Queen Spencer was reparation enough for the Spencer Family.

    Queen Spencer had no expectations of the King either and just wanted to live peacefully with her children.

    However, as her family grew stronger and five more Sky Knights emerged, her son, a man trained as a knight from a young age, died simply from an untreated cold.

    Although William was still alive, he was not her real son, so Queen Spencer died of melancholy ten years ago.

    She must have communicated with the Spencer Family before her death, and they made their decision.

    Between supporting William, who had the backing of a future Deity, and Edward and Charles, who had caused the death of their family¡¯s jewel, the knights had no alternative.

    Smiling, Spencer Knight said, ¡°His Majesty the King also doesn¡¯t always have time to mine.

    For the next three years, no one else can enter the mines.

    So if we¡¯re quick, perhaps all the Space Crystals can be handed over to Master Fran.¡±

    Fran stared at him intently, ¡°Do you want this one I¡¯m using now?

    It¡¯s only been used during this period.¡±

    Spencer Knight paused, ¡°You don¡¯t need it anymore?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m about to return to the Mage Tower.

    Making a large airship will take a long time.

    For me, this current one is already of little use.

    If the price is right, I¡¯ll definitely sell.¡±

    Spencer Knight nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and ask His Majesty the King.

    I¡¯ll inform you of His Majesty¡¯s choice before dinner today.¡± After watching the Sky Knight leave, Adrian eagerly asked, ¡°Teacher, why would you think of selling the Silver Ship?¡±

    Fran pointed to the Space Crystals on the ground, ¡°With these, I can make an airship with a large built-in space, what use do I have for the other one?¡±

    He ordered Adrian and Hill, ¡°Take the small pieces and share them between you two.

    Once you get back, study hard in inscribing spatial arrays.

    Be sure to practice a lot.¡±

    Fran couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, ¡°With so many Space Crystals, I can continue my Alchemy journey.

    A few years from now, when Sara can mass-produce Space Crystals, I hope you two can independently complete large-scale spatial expansion.

    There should be more alchemists by then.

    As long as you can independently make a storage ring, you can survive on the path of alchemy!¡±

    Hill and Adrian nodded yes.

    Hill, who always enjoyed crafting, was unfazed, but Adrian, who preferred potion alchemy, looked quite miserable.

    Seeing Adrian this way, Fran angrily said, ¡°Look at the Undead Tribe!

    Magister, what is that?

    Not to mention, you¡¯re not one yet!

    In the future, even with strong magical power, it¡¯ll be useless!

    You can only find another way out.

    Or you can hide for the rest of your life!

    With so many of the Undead Tribe, where can you hide!¡±

    Adrian quickly responded, ¡°Teacher, I understand, don¡¯t be angry.

    I just felt a little stifled, I will work hard to learn!¡±

    Fran shook his head and lamented, ¡°Who dares to oppose the Undead Tribe anymore?¡±

    Hill thought silently: In the future, we¡¯ll see.

    They¡¯ll end up fighting among themselves.

    Defending the city is where their true nature shows.

    Spencer arrived at dusk to purchase the Silver Ship.

    Without hesitation, Fran deactivated his ship¡¯s core, ¡°If His Majesty the King wishes to use this ship, it is best to set up his own core.

    He can allow others to use the ship, but he must be the master of the core.

    My core is quite ordinary, His Majesty the King should use one of those high-level Mage Tower type.

    It can set up more users.¡±

    Spencer nodded and left a ring with Fran before departing.

    After inventorying the crystals in the ring, Fran shared some with Adrian and Hill, ¡°We¡¯re going back overnight.

    Hill, go straight home.

    Adrian, you will have to help me with making the airship.¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Of course, Grandfather, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    He hugged Alice and followed the two towards the west, returning to his own territory.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Return to the Fiefdom - Sorting Affairs

    ?51: Chapter 51: Return to the Fiefdom ¨C Sorting Affairs 51: Chapter 51: Return to the Fiefdom ¨C Sorting Affairs The current state of Saral is probably the safest place in the human world.

    About 1 million of the Undead Tribe took part in the battle to defend the city, and the rest, the so-called map cleaning enthusiasts.

    They have used the Teleportation Array to travel almost every corner of Saral.

    As long as the mission was issued by someone of the Kind Neutral Faction, they¡¯ve practically completed them all.

    These so-called missions were actually cries for help from commoners being oppressed by gangs, harmed by corrupt Professionals, bullied by depraved nobles, and voice trials sent out by High-level Professionals who happened to pass by.

    However, the God of Time and Space¡¯s tablet impartially counted all these as missions.

    As a result, these gamers who loved to find every side quest in the game nearly cleaned up the whole of Saral.

    And not a single power in Saral could escape from the hands of these several hundred thousand Sky Knights and Magisters.

    Other than Legendary figures, no one can stir up trouble in Saral anymore.

    Besides, now that the Teleportation Array was open, Hill just simply went back to his own territory.

    Fran and Adrian still planned to fly back on their own; they did not want to use the Teleportation Array.

    Hill, on the other hand, didn¡¯t feel any discomfort.

    He didn¡¯t want to fly on his own either.

    After entering the Teleportation Array, a tablet with a small box on the bottom floated up in front of him listing all the possible teleportation destinations.

    Once Hill selected the Barony of Polanio, the tablet displayed the words ¡°Fee: two Standard Crystals.¡± He chuckled and tossed two crystals in, then the tablet enveloped him and Alice in his arms with a glow.

    It was indeed a bit uncomfortable, feeling like a hammer swing ride at an amusement park with considerable pressure, a bit of weightlessness, and overbearing weight.

    It certainly wouldn¡¯t sit well with those who were not physically fit.

    He looked down to check on Alice, and the little cat didn¡¯t seem to feel anything, still very spirited.

    Back in his territory, Hill greeted Olivia briefly before directly flying back to the valley.

    In midair, he was quite puzzled to see that a few players had already returned and were wandering around the village.

    Aren¡¯t all players running towards Kexlote now?

    William just issued a quest to build the Capital.

    Never mind, better not think about it.

    Hill hasn¡¯t been away from his territory for such a long time, and he wanted to go home.

    Hill has already spotted List waving at him from outside the Magic Tower.

    Without even landing, Alice wriggled out of Hill¡¯s arms and jumped down, meowing as she ran straight towards Merkel, who was waiting on the side.

    The black leopard sat there elegantly, watching Alice run towards him and licked his right paw.

    The small animals that had been around quietly hid behind trees, silently ready to spectate.

    Only Alice continued to meow cluelessly.

    Hill covered his eyes, pretending not to see Alice getting thrashed, and turned to walk into the tower entrance with List.

    ¡°Does Merkel not know that Alice left with us?¡±

    ¡°She must have decided on a whim; no one knew.

    When Merkel noticed her scent was gone from the territory, he was so anxious that he came looking for me.

    I told him Alice hopped on a ship with you, and he went mad with rage.

    He howled on the trees for a long time.¡±

    Hill laughed and said, ¡°She deserved the beating for being so mindless!

    Even if she went out with me, she could only look outside from on the ship.

    Who would dare let her out?¡±

    He asked List if there was any news at the territory.

    ¡°A few of the Undead came back last night.

    The villagers are asking them about the news of the Deities¡¯ Enshrinement.

    I heard it was quite lively?¡±

    Since the Space-Time God linked the Magic Arrays of the surrounding villages with the Magic Tower¡¯s Defense System, List¡¯s control area expanded to include the village as well.

    Thus Hill never worried about what might happen to the village during his absence.

    Before leaving, he also plainly told the villagers that the entire village was being monitored by the Magic Tower in his valley.

    Hill never cared to test human nature; he prefers to draw clear boundaries, believing that depriving people of the opportunity to betray is the fairest approach for everyone.

    ¡°Are the Undead who returned the ones who want to settle down?

    Have they met the requirements?¡±

    Hill¡¯s only three requirements for players wanting to settle were: intimate relations with residents, contributing to the village to a Level Three extent, and unshakable alignment with the Orderly Neutral or Orderly Good Factions.

    With these three met, they then must swear at the Space-Time Cathedral not to harm the lord¡¯s interests or the residents and strictly abide by the laws of Saral to settle.

    ¡°Xiao Chenhuan, Old Cat, Yue Xiaoluo, Yun Che, and Yeyu Qingyu.

    All five of them have come back.

    They have already requested to settle down.¡±

    Hill had already given List the tablet for handling matters.

    Rather than appointing a village head and overseeing their performance, he found it more interesting for the Magic Tower Spirit in the village run by Mages to handle daily affairs.

    ¡°Have they gone to the Lord¡¯s Mansion?

    What was their reaction when they saw you?¡±

    ¡°Very excited.

    They kept talking about the Core or something.

    It seems their world also has Tower Spirits like me, but they are usually beyond the reach of ordinary people.¡±

    Truly a world with very advanced technology!

    ¡°You handle it!

    As long as they meet the rules, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°They want to buy houses.¡±

    ¡°Houses or land?

    There¡¯s still so much space in the village.

    Would it be better to separate the villagers and the Undead?¡±

    ¡°To the left of the Lord¡¯s Mansion is the Cathedral, and to the right are the inn and shops.

    The villagers live behind the shops.

    Let¡¯s arrange for the Undead to live on the Cathedral side.

    Some of them want to build their places, and others asked if there are any house designs to choose from.

    They think the two-story houses where the villagers live are too small.¡±

    Hill understood and didn¡¯t know what kind of houses the Undead Tribe could build, so he decided not to trouble his villagers with it.

    ¡°Make it clear to the Undead Tribe that there are magic arrays in the territory.

    They can only build on the land allocated to them.

    The sewage system is fixed and cannot be altered at will.¡±

    ¡°Yes.

    What about the style of the houses?¡±

    ¡°You handle it.

    Haven¡¯t I shared the memories of those houses with you?

    Tell them, if they want to live far away, that¡¯s fine, but if they want to live nearby, they need to come to an agreement on a harmonious style.

    As long as they follow the rules, I won¡¯t mind how they build, but they must report back.

    If their plans are too impractical, I hope they understand why they are prohibited.¡±

    He muttered again, ¡°I hope there won¡¯t be five people with five different streets.¡±

    List spoke earnestly, ¡°That won¡¯t happen, at most four.

    Yun Che and Yeyu Qingyu are a little couple planning to live together.¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t help but glance at him with a hint of annoyance.

    As they talked, they reached the top floor.

    Hill stretched his back and yawned, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest, I¡¯ve been really tense lately.¡± He glanced at List, who seemed to want to say something, ¡°Before I sleep, I¡¯ll transfer what I saw on my trip into the crystal ball for you to watch slowly.¡±

    List nodded with a smile, ¡°Okay, sir.

    Thank you, sir.¡±

    After storing his memories, washing up, changing clothes, and everything else, Hill, now in bed, found himself somewhat unable to sleep.

    Fran and Adrian should have already started making the airship.

    Of course, he also wanted to follow Fran and learn how to make airships.

    But he was no longer eligible.

    Aside from Adrian, no one else was qualified to learn the core alchemical techniques in Fran¡¯s hands.

    That would be the Magic Tower¡¯s closely-guarded secret passed down through generations.

    Beyond that, everything Fran and Adrian could teach him, they had already done.

    In this world, the inheritance of a Mage is very strict and rigorous.

    If you¡¯re not the inheritor of a Magic Tower or an academic bloodline, you¡¯ll never have the chance to learn the core knowledge, not even your own children.

    Generally speaking, if a Mage¡¯s own children have sufficient magical talent, they would establish them as the inheritors.

    However, Mages prioritize magical aptitude, and if their children can¡¯t reach their height, they have no choice but to give up and take on students instead.

    Many Mages can only leave enough wealth and resources for their children but would not pass on their Magic Tower or academic heritage.

    What Melanie gave up so easily is what countless people would vie for with their lives.

    Fran is quite fond of Hill, but never mentions his foolish daughter.

    It can be seen from his revenge against the Royal Family: convenient actions are okay, but he is unwilling to pay a huge price.

    And as for Hill, a consequence of her rebellion, no matter how fond Fran is of him, he would never choose him over Adrian as his heir.

    Hill had long understood this, and he didn¡¯t care.

    To Hill, he indeed couldn¡¯t rightfully consider himself as Fran¡¯s heir and compete with Adrian; he knew he lacked that qualification.

    He hated Count Pelast, but he didn¡¯t like Melanie either.

    His respect for Fran and Adrian was due to their character, and because they treated Hill well.

    But this kindness stemmed from the fact that he was Fran¡¯s blood relative, with Melanie between them, whom all three preferred not to mention.

    It was like sugar mixed with a few small pebbles: sweet, but somewhat discomforting.

    He couldn¡¯t sleep, not because he was sad about the things he couldn¡¯t have.

    It¡¯s just that everyone related to him always had something or someone more important than him.

    Thinking about it made him feel a bit lonely.

    When one is idle, one tends to overthink.

    Hill slapped his own forehead, telling himself to sleep!

    He would wake up to another beautiful day.

    In the morning, a refreshed Hill decided to visit his domain.

    Players who decided to settle in such a remote place like his must have their stories.

    No sooner had he arrived at the Lord¡¯s Mansion than he was spotted by the players.

    Soon enough, someone came in.

    Hill noticed that the Old Cat who had initially asked if they could settle was also there.

    It had been over a month, and their initial intentions remained unchanged.

    Once he sat down, List appeared beside him.

    The players were more interested in List.

    Although they kept observing him, these polite ones discussed it through typing on their tablets, not speaking it outright.

    Hill felt more favorably towards them and spoke directly, ¡°You can settle if you meet the conditions, just talk to List to handle it.

    But I hope you¡¯ll be mindful of the living environment and atmosphere.¡±

    List materialized the village map in the air, ¡°To the left of the cathedral, you can choose.

    Each street¡¯s houses must have a unified atmosphere.¡±

    Old Cat spoke up, ¡°We three are friends and want to live on the same street.

    Can we build our own?¡±

    ¡°You must submit the architectural blueprints to List for review first,¡± Hill replied.

    ¡°Of course, no problem.

    How much land can we choose from?¡±

    ¡°200 square meters per person.¡±

    Yun Che asked, ¡°Yeyu and I are living together, can we have a larger place?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re living together, the areas can be combined.¡±

    Yeyu Qingyu jumped up, slapping Yun Che¡¯s back hard, ¡°That¡¯s great, we can have a beautiful big house!¡±

    Hill watched the pair, a loli and a grown man, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Settled Players

    ?52: Chapter 52 Settled Players 52: Chapter 52 Settled Players Old Cat looked enviously at the lovey-dovey couple, with that distinctive jealous gaze of a singleton.

    Hill felt like he could almost recite the phrase that seemed to hang in the air, ¡°What¡¯s there to be proud of, showing off your love like that only gets you killed faster!¡±

    Xiao Chenhuan tapped his arm, pulling him aside, and asked Hill, ¡°We have a few friends who want to come over, are the settlement conditions still the same as before?¡±

    ¡°For now, there¡¯s no need for changes.

    But my village can only accommodate up to 500 people for settlement.¡±

    Hill asked them somewhat curiously, ¡°Why would you choose such a small village to settle in?

    There aren¡¯t that many adventurer tasks around here.¡±

    Yun Che answered, ¡°We also have a lot to deal with in our own world.

    We can¡¯t be like them, doing quests every single day.

    This world is beautiful, and your territory doesn¡¯t impose any task completion requirements on the Undead Tribe.

    Yeyu and I just want to find a place where we can be together quietly and comfortably.

    It¡¯s a good place to manage our little home.¡±

    Old Cat glanced at the couple still displaying their affection, ¡°Us few prefer a more leisurely life, do some quests when we feel like it, tend to our own homes, work on life skills when we¡¯re not interested.¡±

    Life skills?

    They¡¯re available?

    Hill thought they could only learn Alchemy!

    ¡°I like making pretty clothes and then travelling everywhere.

    Having a cute home to rest in is important to me,¡± Yue Xiaoluo said, standing on tiptoe and speaking earnestly to Hill.

    Xiao Chenhuan nodded in agreement, ¡°Everything we need for daily life is here, and it¡¯s easy to get anything special from the neighboring territory.

    It¡¯s also very convenient to look for Magic Books!¡±

    Hill looked over at the Junior Mage, ¡°Master Fran has opened up his territory for settlement too.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s only for Mages and Magicians,¡± Xiao Chenhuan shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my friends.¡±

    Yun Che and Yeyu Qingyu were indeed Mages, but even Yeyu didn¡¯t want to go, ¡°The requirements for Mages there are very high.

    If you¡¯re not fully devoted to Alchemy or Magic research, you can¡¯t settle in.¡±

    ¡°As long as we are together, it¡¯s a beautiful time,¡± Yun Che added slowly, ¡°Seeing each other is enough; we don¡¯t want to deal with too much hassle.¡±

    Hill felt Yun Che glance at Old Cat, was this showing off in front of a singleton?

    He wasn¡¯t worried about having his house burned down by an envious fire later, was he?

    ¡°You can choose your settlement location over at List¡¯s place.

    House blueprints are also available from him,¡± Hill said, to interrupt the somewhat undercurrent-laden atmosphere.

    Then, looking at Yue Xiaoluo who mentioned traveling, ¡°If you want to travel, why choose the Knight profession?

    Sky Knights can¡¯t fly too far anyway.¡±

    ¡°The horses run fast, and it¡¯s even better with a carriage.

    You can see the scenery clearer on the road,¡± Yue Xiaoluo stated matter-of-factly, ¡°Traveling by flying alone is too miserable.¡±

    ¡°While Saral Country is safe, the wilderness is dangerous.

    Sky Knights are not necessarily safe.¡±

    ¡°If I die, I¡¯ll just come back and rest for a while before setting out again!¡±

    So immortal, so formidable!

    There was nothing Hill could say to that.

    List, seeing that Hill didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, approached them and asked them to follow him to the right side to the Puppet area, where they could select the plot and house.

    ¡°The land only costs 100 Crystal Stones?¡±

    ¡°And the houses are only 20 Crystal Stones each?¡±

    Hill felt like his pricing was steep, but it still seemed too lenient to hear.

    List replied, ¡°Our place is outside the national border, so settlement prices are not high.

    It would cost more on Master Fran¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡°William¡¯s area requires Military Exploits.

    The requirement for goodwill is tremendously high.

    And in a larger city, it becomes very difficult to reach the level of respect,¡± Old Cat said resentfully, ¡°Only in the cities of the Undead Tribe are the requirements low, but who wants to live there!¡±

    Xiao Chenhuan added, ¡°We don¡¯t want to fight.

    And with so many Undead around, it¡¯s easy to get into trouble.¡±

    ¡°Those families are bound to fight,¡± Yue Xiaoluo said, ¡°The Wenjian family moved their whole clan to the Magic Cult¡¯s territory!¡±

    ¡°Qingcheng went to Doomsday,¡± Old Cat laughed, ¡°Doomsday has some nerves.¡±

    ¡°Hey, they¡¯re busy sorting out friend from foe,¡± Yun Che took up the thread, ¡°Those who don¡¯t want to get involved either go to build his Capital or they all run away!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you build a city?¡± Hill interjected, ¡°His Majesty the King is always generous.¡±

    ¡°The task is too stressful!¡± Yeyu waved her hand, ¡°We have too much to do every day.

    We prefer to stay at home.¡±

    Yun Che stroked the little tuft of hair on her head, agreeing with a smile, ¡°They want to reach the max Level soon.

    Kexlote is packed with people already!

    It¡¯s too noisy, and there¡¯s hardly any private space.¡±

    Yeyu Qingyu glanced up at him, their eyes met, and together, they shared a slight smile.

    Hill nodded, truly not wishing to deal with this lovey-dovey rascal any longer.

    Old Cat asked List, ¡°Can we choose this row along the wall?

    How many floors can we build?

    I want to enjoy the view outside.¡±

    Yun Che quickly turned back to look at the map.

    List responded, ¡°You can choose any plot in this area to the left.

    But you have to decide the main tone for each street; you can¡¯t be excessively individualistic.

    At the very least, the houses on one street should have a consistent style.

    Houses cannot be over six stories high.

    Basements also cannot exceed 20 meters in depth.¡±

    ¡°Are we supposed to build it ourselves?¡± asked Old Cat, turning to the others.

    ¡°No way, you?

    You can¡¯t even draw a straight line!¡± Xiao Chenhuan immediately vetoed, ¡°You two better not think of pushing it all onto me in the end!

    I only have the capacity for a two-story building!¡±

    Yue Xiaoluo was already engrossed in the housing blueprints projected by the summoned Alchemy Golem, ¡°Let¡¯s not pick the same ones!

    We can coordinate as long as the colors and styles don¡¯t clash.

    Let¡¯s pick what we like first, then discuss it!

    Besides, we have a whole street to build here!

    It¡¯s definitely better than doing it all haphazardly!¡±

    The three each occupied a Golem and began poring over the blueprints.

    Yun Che and Yeyu Qingyu exchanged a glance, found a Golem, and sat down together, heads touching, to start selecting.

    Hill took out a book and began to read slowly.

    He was curious about what styles they would choose in the end.

    Yue Xiaoluo looked up and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t there any wooden houses?¡±

    List replied, ¡°Cutting down trees is not allowed within the territory.¡±

    ¡°Well, now we have to emphasize environmental protection in the game too!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a requirement of our territory,¡± List stated in a matter-of-fact tone, ¡°The local lord has an Elven Bloodline.

    He¡¯s very protective of nature.¡±

    Old Cat sneakily glanced at Hill reading a book and muttered under his breath, ¡°No wonder he seems like such a bottom.¡±

    Hill turned a deaf ear.

    He had long been mentally prepared for such comments.

    ¡°Is there anyone in the territory who can build houses?¡± Xiao Chenhuan asked, ¡°The villagers all seem to be ordinary people.¡±

    ¡°The Earth Elementals summoned by the lord are of Mage Level, they can shape houses directly.

    The rest can be done by Alchemy Golems.¡±

    ¡°Is the lord from the Summoning System?¡±

    ¡°He just likes using summoning magic.

    It¡¯s more convenient.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go with this one!¡± Yue Xiaoluo said loudly, ¡°This white house with red tiles is pretty, and it¡¯s 5 stories tall.¡±

    A few people gathered to look, including Yun Che and Yeyu Qingyu.

    List walked over to Hill and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s that set of blueprints modeled on Baden-Baden Village.¡±

    Hill remembered: broad avenues lined with trees on both sides, Baroque-style white houses with red tiles and gardens, the fences of the gardens covered with white lilies of the valley.

    Hill touched his forehead, remembering that at the end of this street, he had drawn a small stream.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the stream in the village?¡± Old Cat asked right on cue.

    List walked over: ¡°There¡¯s always been a waterway, drawn from the mountains, but it¡¯s usually underground.

    If needed, you just have to dig up the ground.¡±

    ¡°So can we dig it up ourselves?

    I want to dig a swimming pool!¡± Yue Xiaoluo exclaimed excitedly.

    ¡°Areas you¡¯re allowed to dig will be marked on the map we give you.

    Houses have plumbing, so you can¡¯t just dig anywhere.

    Places with water will also be indicated.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t we dig into a Magic Array?¡±

    ¡°The basement is 20 meters deep, and the deepest you¡¯re allowed to dig outside the house is 30 meters,¡± List said seriously, ¡°If you exceed that depth, it will trigger an alarm to me.

    If you insist on not correcting it, your settlement qualification will be revoked.

    Please take a good look at the construction requirements of the house, okay?

    The requirements for waterways and basements are all there!¡±

    The group exchanged looks, none of them spoke, and they went back to discussing the house plans.

    Hill felt like the Core hidden inside the Magic Tower was about to burst into flames.

    He finally let out a resigned sigh, ¡°When you¡¯ve decided, just call me, my name is List, please don¡¯t forget it.¡±

    Hill¡¯s Lord¡¯s Mansion spanned 500 square meters and was a 2-story building.

    The ground floor was a spacious hall.

    To the left was the staircase leading upstairs, and to the right were several supporting columns.

    Chairs were placed behind the columns, far from Hill¡¯s desk in the middle.

    Hill now felt somewhat grateful for his clearheaded decision in the past.

    The players had yet to take an interest in coming over to talk to him.

    Though Hill could hear their conversation from a distance and interact with them, the players couldn¡¯t do that.

    They hadn¡¯t mastered the trick of talking from a distance as if they were right by your ear.

    But they didn¡¯t need to learn, as Hill¡¯s voice could only reach as far as a kilometer, and they had tablets as communication tools that allowed them to talk to each other no matter where they were.

    Seeing that List had disappeared, they switched topics, ¡°So the Magic Array is 30 meters down?¡±

    ¡°If we can dig 30 meters, it must be at least 50 meters deep!¡±

    ¡°Should we try digging?¡±

    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want to be kicked out along with you.

    The Tower Spirit doesn¡¯t lie!¡±

    After a brief discussion, they decided not to take the risk and calmly continued discussing the blueprints.

    After whispering to each other for a moment, Yeyu Qingyu and Yun Che said to the three others, ¡°If we choose this blueprint, we¡¯ll live on this street too.

    Whichever side you guys pick, we¡¯ll take the opposite end.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like choosing between the mountain and the water,¡± Yue Xiaoluo commented.

    Old Cat also said, ¡°I¡¯d pick this one too.

    The other streets run parallel to the village gate, but this one stretches from the mountains to the outer wall, allowing us to see the fields outside the wall.¡±

    ¡°This street is indeed the widest!¡± Yun Che quipped.

    The group looked at Xiao Chenhuan, who was silent.

    After considering for a while and looking over the plans again, he finally nodded, ¡°Alright then!¡±

    The group then discussed which side to choose.

    Following a heated debate, Old Cat¡¯s group chose the side by the stream, while Yun Che and Yeyu Qingyu chose the mountain side.

    They did, however, unanimously decide on the side by the wall.

    The other side of the shaded avenue was left for those who had no other choice in the future.

    Then they began to fret over the specific layout and structure of their houses.

    Hill felt there was no need to continue listening; he didn¡¯t believe these players could quickly decide on how their houses should be built.

    List would handle whatever came next.

    Hill had already decided that the 10 Crystal Stones it took to build a house belonged to whoever stepped forward, and the Earth Elementals would handle the distribution.

    Before Keslowe was fully built, there probably wouldn¡¯t be anything else in the village needing Hill¡¯s decision.

    He decided to return to his studies of Space Crystal.

    At the very least, he needed to be able to make some large-capacity storage spaces!

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Hill is a Magister Now

    ?53: Chapter 53 Hill is a Magister Now 53: Chapter 53 Hill is a Magister Now Hill plunged into his most heavily protected Alchemy Laboratory.

    This was a small room of only 5 square meters, constructed from the essence of the world¡¯s hardest metal, extracted from mithril.

    The protective array was set up by Fran during his spare time, and there was a seat in the middle of the room, firmly secured.

    The attributeless crystals that the players had initially brought out were tightly compressed to form the protective casing for this seat.

    Hill sat on the chair and activated all the arrays.

    First, he expelled all other elements from the laboratory, then took out a large number of smaller space crystals and gradually crushed them until they disintegrated into space elements invisible to the naked eye.

    When a sufficient amount of space elements filled the small room, Hill closed his eyes and silently meditated.

    The space elements swirled and danced in the laboratory; Hill quietly observed with his spiritual power, noting when they would connect and when they would repel each other.

    During a week of relentless meditation, he gradually outlined the preferences and aversions of the space elements in his mind.

    Slowly, Hill used his spiritual power to combine the space elements into various runes.

    It might sound easy, but this observational skill was honed over the past decade, during which Hill had scrapped countless other elemental crystals.

    Elements have personalities.

    The Fire Element is lively, the Earth Element is steady, the Wood Element is elegant, the Metal Element is sharp, and the Water Element is gentle.

    With the rare Thunder Element, Hill only deduced a grim character.

    Space Element, however, is elusive.

    This is why creating storage spaces is so challenging¡ªit¡¯s about how to combine these elusive space elements into runes and then sketch them into diagrams.

    Because space crystals are so precious, nobody can afford to crush them in such large quantities, not even the legendary ones could find enough.

    The only option is to stabilize the small spaces they form naturally, which is why the size of space crystals is crucial.

    However, as an alchemist of Hill¡¯s caliber, he had already spent a lot of time researching the construction combinations of the elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth.

    Faced with this new element, he was not without approaches.

    Inside this tightly sealed laboratory, Hill used his spiritual power to guide the space elements into different rune patterns.

    Then, he assembled these runes into a magic array.

    Although assembling them was tiresome, Hill was a person with abundant patience.

    With optimal protection on him, he endured various explosions and spatial cracks from the arrays he assembled until the space elements in the room were completely depleted.

    Hill felt that his abilities were still insufficient to research spatial magic; the runes he combined were too complex, and the spells had no offensive power and took too long to cast.

    However, a few small runes could be used to craft spatial magic arrays.

    He stretched lazily, deciding to rest first.

    As Hill stepped out of the laboratory, he was greeted by List.

    ¡°Did sir¡¯s experiment succeed?¡±

    ¡°There was a slight improvement, but it¡¯s far from enough,¡± Hill pondered, ¡°It¡¯s not very useful, just enough to expand your warehouse a bit larger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also good, congratulations, sir.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that.

    My magical foundation is not deep enough, and I had no expectations of discovering much.

    Making some arrays and storage devices is fine enough.

    Has anything happened during this time?¡±

    ¡°Nothing major.

    Alice was chased by Merkel for a few days and decided to hide and cultivate.

    The five from the Undead Tribe chose their house blueprints yesterday and started construction today.

    The Water Elemental Family and the Wood Elemental Family came to me this morning, hoping to find some work too.¡±

    ¡°It seems the territory is really too idle.

    Send the Water Element to create a pretty stream, running along the left wall, stretching forward to a right turn at the door, then turning towards the church, and set up a fountain pond in the small square outside the church¡ªpick a blueprint that matches the church well.

    For that shaded walkway, once their houses are completed, have the Wood Element transplant more large trees there at night, ideally with one or two watchful Treants.

    Give 20 crystals to each of the elemental spirits who go out.

    They just want those attributeless elemental crystals!

    But tell them to try not to attract attention.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!

    Mr.

    Old Cat and two others have some friends who also want to settle here; they are currently on bounty tasks.

    But there are no tasks to be done within the territory.

    The magical beasts that haven¡¯t died have already fled, and ordinary wildlife contributes too little.

    They can only go to clear magical beasts far from our territory every day.

    We haven¡¯t planned on expanding our territory, and I was going to ask them to go next door.

    But Master Fran¡¯s Magic Tower also has many Undead, and they clear out even faster than we do here.

    Hill, troubled, rubbed his forehead: ¡°Tell the general store that I need various types of ore, and I will buy anything.

    The Undead Tribe possesses Basic Appraisal Technique, inform them.

    As long as it¡¯s not useless rock, I want it all.

    Did they send the herbs to grandfather¡¯s territory already?

    If they come here, also take them!

    If there are any treasures, notify Adrian, and let him buy them back at the original price.¡±

    ¡°Alright, master.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with anything right now!

    I just want to go upstairs, wash up, and sleep,

    Unless it¡¯s something important, don¡¯t bother me.

    When I wake up, I¡¯ll go and expand the storage for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    Master!

    I will handle daily affairs on my own.

    May you have pleasant dreams.¡±

    After taking a comfortable hot bath, Hill collapsed into bed.

    He quickly fell into dreamland.

    Hill had a beautiful dream.

    It was a towering, leafy tree that reached into the heavens.

    Hill lay beneath its widespread green canopy.

    It was a sunny, breezy day, and Hill lay on the soft grass, gently rolling around.

    A sweet voice softly called to him, ¡°My child, dear child, you must grow up well, grow up fast!¡± It was the voice of the earth, my mother, I will grow up well.

    Hill licked his thick front paws and touched his own cheek.

    Something seemed off.

    Hill suddenly became alert: When did I get paws?

    My mom isn¡¯t in this world either!

    From a beautiful dream to a nightmare, Hill woke up with a start.

    Then he discovered that overnight, he had become a Magister.

    Possibly due to excessive exhaustion, his body naturally entered a state of meditation and absorbed the strong Tri-Element from the territory.

    Unbeknownst to him, Hill had advanced in rank.

    Hill couldn¡¯t afford to rejoice; he closed his eyes and began to examine his body inch by inch with his spiritual power.

    The God of Time and Space was reliable indeed!

    Divine power was truly strong.

    He still had a human¡¯s body!

    Human genes!

    Bear genes hadn¡¯t shown themselves!

    Hill breathed a sigh of relief, merely awakening the deepest memories in his bloodline.

    This was normal; the higher the level of a Magician, the more able they were to see the inherited memories of bloodline creatures.

    As long as he remembered his human identity, there would be no problem.

    If one day he saw memories of Elves, that would be normal too.

    Maybe he really was a Druid!

    Hill mocked himself.

    What a scare!

    Hill ¡°plopped¡± back onto the bed and blankly stared for over 10 minutes before getting up again to check the spells he had newly awakened.

    The previous spells had been enhanced and now consumed much less.

    But the newly emerged spells, although powerful, were ones he knew he could scarcely afford to use.

    Gravity Magnetic Field: Hey, this control skill is actually great in dealing with Sky Knights.

    Shape-shifting: By standing on the ground, he could swap places with an Earth Elemental he summoned.

    Summon Lord of the Earth Element: This kind of Legendary Earth Element, easy to summon but hard to control, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t use unless it was a matter of life and death.

    The previous Earth Elemental summoning only went up to Magister level.

    But Hill would rather use that until the Clan Leader of the Earth Elemental Family he contracted with reached a Legendary status; Hill could wait for decades.

    Then there were Earthquake Technique and Meteor Shower, basic major Earth Element spells.

    Tide Dance Moon Welcoming: A Water Element healing spell, also able to cure poison.

    Hill looked it over; the Water series still only had this one.

    It seemed his water lineage was indeed weak.

    Forest Array: A Wood Element defensive spell.

    By summoning trees, it formed a defensive formation, protecting him within its confines.

    Forest Song and Dense Forest Stars were enhancements of the Forest Array.

    One primary in healing, the other in attacking.

    Forest Song could also cure poison.

    Hill counted over and over; apart from Earth Element, there were hardly any attack spells.

    Being a Magician really is a profession where character determines destiny!

    Hill had never actually fought, so it made sense for him to awaken such a spell list.

    Hill wasn¡¯t worried though.

    Although he had advanced rapidly, his foundation was solid.

    Divine power, the kind that manipulates rules, had very slight side effects.

    The body of a Mage only matched the speed of a Magician absorbing elements once at the Magister stage.

    But for a typical Magician reaching the Magister stage, weaknesses slowly start to surface.

    Besides Forbidden Spells, all spells imprinted in the soul could be instantly cast, but simply put, the mana bar was ruined!

    A few major spells and he was out of magic power.

    A Mage¡¯s spells, however, were honed by themselves; once at the Magister level, every spell was the most concise.

    With the same mana bar, a Mage could cast 10 spells, but a Magician doing 6 was impressive.

    But Hill, strictly demanding himself to train as a Mage, had studied each spell in the Soul Imprint carefully.

    Instant spells were better for saving one¡¯s life, and it wasn¡¯t like Hill couldn¡¯t use other spells.

    In the Magic Book that Fran had given Hill, there were even several Legendary spells!

    Hill thought for a moment, imagining Adrian probably being dragged by Fran to build ships, better not to disturb him now.

    He decided to get out of bed and go expand the storage.

    The research on Space Element had also come to a pause.

    Hill¡¯s ability was still inadequate.

    For now, he would better study his Magister-level spells well!

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Adrian is Also a Magister Now

    ?54: Chapter 54 Adrian is Also a Magister Now 54: Chapter 54 Adrian is Also a Magister Now Hill was so engrossed in his cultivation that he almost completely forgot about the outside world.

    Until Adrian contacted him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve become a Magister!¡± Adrian was ecstatic, ¡°My teacher gave me half a month off.¡±

    Hill didn¡¯t make a sound.

    Adrian didn¡¯t notice Hill¡¯s silence and continued enthusiastically, ¡°The teacher has researched several spatial spells, and the rules have acknowledged them!

    The Space Laws have given the teacher lots of benefits, his legendary path is now hopeful!¡±

    Hill was suddenly overjoyed, ¡°Really?

    Where¡¯s grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Still in the lab.

    The teacher plans to use the new spatial spells to build William¡¯s ship.

    That way, there¡¯s no need to keep a storage in the lower levels.

    But the core of the airship will need to incorporate some of the Space Laws, otherwise, it is impossible to command puppets to use the storage space.

    As for the kind of space that could make it possible for people to live inside, there isn¡¯t the slightest clue yet.

    It¡¯s best left to William to handle it himself, since they have Divine Power anyway!¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I just figured out how to expand the warehouse, come take a look when you¡¯re free.

    Maybe our approaches are different.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop by after resting for two days, and we¡¯ll talk.

    The Undead Tribe sure knows how to make trouble!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fighting again?¡±

    ¡°Kexlote is a Divine Realm, inside nobody can use force.

    Those who dare to make a move have been smitten by the gods.

    But it¡¯s those who do not worship those Deities, they didn¡¯t dare show disrespect there, and yet, being a God-favored Race, they brazenly came to blows.

    Those who dared to use power were all teleported out of the Divine Realm, and those who still dared to fight were directly killed by spatial cutting spells.

    As a result, they resorted to fistfights.

    It would have been fine if only the men were brawling!

    But the women joined in too!

    I really don¡¯t know how that god feels about watching his female Priests rolling on the ground, pulling hair, and scratching faces?

    I don¡¯t know if I will burst out laughing when I see Olivia in the future!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t torment poor Olivia, she still hasn¡¯t learned how to deal with the Undead.

    She¡¯s still hoping to recruit some to pray in the chapel.¡±

    ¡°Poor child!

    Haven¡¯t you told her that all she needs to do is to ignore them and manage the chapel well?¡±

    ¡°She wants to gain more of the Deities¡¯ favor, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that.

    I have told her, but she insists on dealing with the Undead.

    I¡¯ve given her one of my domain¡¯s task tablets, with this, the Undead will be somewhat cautious.

    Together with the chapel¡¯s own tasks, she can barely get by.

    She wants to forge her own path, let her go!

    After all, she represents a new deity, maybe she will succeed?¡±

    ¡°Let her be!

    She has endured her way out of a noble family, knowing how to find her own path.

    As long as she doesn¡¯t cause you any trouble, it¡¯s all good!¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t.

    The behavior patterns of the Undead might be strange, but you can still see some social rules and bottom lines.

    Their society must have strict laws, which they will unconsciously follow even in our world.

    Olivia¡¯s probes are very slight, some of the Undead can¡¯t even notice.

    They have a pretty high tolerance for beautiful women.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good too.

    That god originally liked just and fair laws, so it¡¯s very normal for him to choose a clan from such a world.

    The teacher used to respect the one overseeing contracts, but he hasn¡¯t mentioned anything recently.¡±

    ¡°People are all selfish, and gods likewise have their own desires.

    It¡¯s normal for him to make such a choice.

    And who knows what the Starry Sky is like now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go organize the recent news and share it with you in a couple of days.¡±

    ¡°Give my congratulations to grandfather.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    Hill sat happily for a while.

    The Legendary Path is something no one can take shortcuts in, a Legendary God¡¯s Favor is costly in terms of the divine power of Deities, and gods only make an effort for their own Popes.

    Fran had only been a Magister for a few years, and although he had a deep foundation, it was not easy to find the path to legend.

    Hill knew Fran would definitely choose the path of Alchemy, but that was a very narrow road, one which no one had traversed in tens of thousands of years.

    That was an entirely new interpretation of the rules, very difficult indeed.

    It was unexpected that a direction had been found so quickly; it was really great news.

    Hill clasped his hands together and thanked William.

    Hill then addressed List, who was waiting on the side, ¡°How is the village?

    Is there anything going on?¡±

    ¡°The shaded avenue has been completed.

    They are very satisfied with the houses.

    Old Cat¡¯s friends have decided to live there, too, and I¡¯ve already finished building the fences around those houses.

    The Wood Spirits have awakened 5 Treants, but some in the domain hope to be able to exchange with them after a while.

    They also want to see what the fuss is about.¡±

    He paused, ¡°The Treants think it¡¯s an incredible thing to be able to stand still and watch the human bustle.¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t help but press his forehead, ¡°Alright, let them draw lots and go out in turns without fighting over it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°For the other streets, divide the plots and plant all the trees and flowers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Before the Undead really increase in number, make the village more beautiful.

    Plant Windmill Jasmine all along the fences.¡±

    ¡°Which kind, sir?¡±

    ¡°Of course, those from the domain, they are particularly fragrant, aren¡¯t they?

    Ask the awakened one for a few of its branches.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Hill decided to go underground to see the Earth Elemental Chief.

    Unlike the other two types that had formed clans within the domain, the Earth Element Lord had been at Mage Level before contracting with Hill, or, in their terms, an Elemental Overlord.

    Ever since Hill had been promoted to Magister, he had been holed up in the Magic Tower¡¯s foundational Earth Elemental Domain.

    Hill wanted to see him.

    Elemental Spirits didn¡¯t have what you¡¯d call a legendary path; their path was in their own name.

    They held on to simple convictions, which made things less complicated than for humans.

    The one in Hill¡¯s Domain was solely keen on experiencing the human world.

    It roamed aimlessly around the domain every day and even enjoyed popping out of the ground suddenly to scare the small animals.

    When Hill sent out Earth Elementals to build houses, he paid no regard to the Clan Leader¡¯s dignity, snatching up quotas daily.

    But it had been several days since it last appeared, and Hill was a bit worried.

    It couldn¡¯t possibly be advancing.

    It could smoothly become a Legendary Lord in a few decades, but definitely not now.

    Hill wondered what had happened.

    Descending into the underground level via the elevator, Hill was struck by the astonishing concentration of Earth Series Elements.

    Ordinary people would probably turn into stone upon entering.

    Even for regular mages, entering such an intense Elemental Domain would be challenging to withstand the force of encroachment.

    Hill, however, found breathing much easier, and his Magic Power circulated faster.

    Sometimes playing dumb really doesn¡¯t work¡ªas the Earth Elemental family treats Hill as one of their own, whereas the Wood Element and Water Element only regard him as a distant relative.

    Hill would direct the construction of the Earth Elemental¡¯s Domain right inside his own Magic Tower, but the other two never brought that up.

    In fact, Elementals do have their own names, but they only announce them when they reach the lord stage.

    Hill looked at the massive Chief in front of him and mentally moved up the moment he¡¯d learn his name.

    ¡°Why has Hill come?¡± a rumbling voice asked.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been out for several days.

    Has something happened?¡±

    ¡°A new Elemental Domain has been born in the Elemental Realm,¡± he said seriously.

    ¡°Even a Clan Leader like me on this continent has been notified to attend a meeting.

    In the Elemental Realm, there is a place like your wilderness, where newborn elements can establish their clans.

    I used to be in that place.

    Unlike the human world, an elemental wilderness has nothing, it drove me insane with its loneliness.

    Now, a new Elemental Domain has emerged there.

    Two elements appeared at once, a mixed dwelling of time and space.

    Unlike us who favor the continent, they aren¡¯t connected to the human world, but directly to The River of Time and Space.

    Everyone is a bit worried.

    That deity has built his Divine Kingdom in the midst of the River of Time and Space.

    The relationship between deities and elements isn¡¯t good.

    It¡¯s uncertain if the God of Time and Space will invade the Elemental Realm.

    For the past few days, the Element Lords have been meeting to discuss whether to sever the path from the space-time element¡¯s ancestral land to the majority of element settlements.

    It¡¯s best to keep their ancestral lands far from the others¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Has there been any result?¡±

    ¡°Element Lords¡¯ meetings can go on for tens of thousands of years.

    They¡¯re still discussing whether to even invite the space-time element to the meeting!

    For a Junior Commander like me, it was sufficient to just listen in these past few days, showing respect to the Lords.

    The one benefit is that to keep us informed of Elemental Realm news, the Great Earth Elemental Lord opened a crack for me.

    Let¡¯s forget those matters for now!

    Don¡¯t you think our Earth concentration here has increased?

    Look at these mineral veins on the ground!

    I¡¯ve been connecting the veins to that array of yours when I have nothing to do.

    List has said the defensive power of the domain has strengthened!

    There¡¯s something else.

    Ever since you became a Magister, my power has been growing very fast.

    Every day I feel like I¡¯m going to exceed the limits my body can hold.

    It hurts a bit!

    I¡¯m feeling a little unwell, and these past two days I can¡¯t leave the tower.

    When you have time, come and leave some Attributeless Crystals.

    I¡¯m almost using them up!

    I was thinking, maybe I could raise your mountain a little higher?

    If I work too much Earth into the valley, the Water Elementals will scold me!¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Do as you see fit.

    I¡¯ll have List come and place the crystals.¡±

    Hill looked at the ground, which was mostly covered with Earth-transformed Attributeless Crystals, and still found their method of holding Attributeless Crystals to infuse and commune bizarre.

    Hill took out all the Crystal Stones he carried with him.

    The Earth Elemental Chief happily clutched a few and went off to cultivate.

    The rest he threw on the ground were quickly snatched up by one Earth Elemental after another rushing over.

    Communication between Elementals is really fast, and because they don¡¯t have selfish desires, they immediately inform their clan members of any issues.

    There are no secrets among Elementals, but it¡¯s strange that they only share things within their clan.

    They would merely tell others of different clans about the good stuff, suggesting they go look for it themselves.

    Members of other clans didn¡¯t have the desire to take from them, instead joyfully seeking elsewhere.

    Hill soon returned to his study and summoned Li Si: ¡°Keep an eye on the Earth Elemental Domain from now on.

    Place some Attributeless Crystals when they are out.¡±

    ¡°What about the other two Elemental Domains?¡± Li Si asked with a peculiar tone.

    ¡°You know there¡¯s no such thing as secrecy among Elementals, right?¡±

    ¡°As my contracted race, they get a quota of 100 crystals a day, just go and place them!

    The members of those other two races don¡¯t even total a hundred, there¡¯s always some left every day.

    As long as there are crystals to be seen, that¡¯s all that matters.

    They won¡¯t bother counting how many.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Hill heaved a slight sigh, ¡°I need to make money!¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Communication with Adrian

    ?55: Chapter 55: Communication with Adrian 55: Chapter 55: Communication with Adrian Adrian indeed came two days later.

    As soon as he flew into the Magic Tower, he asked, ¡°Is the Windmill Jasmine outside your village a magical plant?

    It gave me quite a scare when I flew past!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one in the territory that has gained intelligence and can communicate.

    I asked her for some branches.

    She¡¯s also happy to see more of the world and meet more humans.¡±

    ¡°Scared me to death!

    As long as you can control it.

    That thing can even knock out a Magister!¡±

    ¡°The Undead Tribe has come to settle.

    We need to prepare for their fights.

    What if they start a siege one day?

    I¡¯ve even prepared firefighting water, with a stream on the left side and an underground canal on the right.¡±

    Adrian was a bit stunned, ¡°Would they go that crazy?

    Didn¡¯t their Main God set up that deadly array?¡±

    ¡°When the Undead go crazy, they¡¯re not much more rational than those siege magical beasts,¡± Hill couldn¡¯t help but snark.

    Anyone who¡¯s played games for a long time has probably done some attacking of main cities or infiltrating sects!

    Hill still remembered when he first started playing games, there were two sect players who had an argument, and in the end, one group gathered and took down the other sect leader.

    Players usually stick to order, but when they go crazy, even the chaotic ones seem reasonable.

    Adrian mused for a moment, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and release all the High-level Puppets for patrol.

    Diamant has the ability to control Legendary Puppets.

    I remember the teacher has two or three and should let them guard the tower.

    But you, be cautious!!!

    Hm?

    Hill!

    When did you become a Magister?¡±

    ¡°Just in the past couple of days!

    Warlocks advance quickly, hadn¡¯t you noticed?¡±

    ¡°Soul?¡±

    ¡°No problem.

    The divine power is very reliable.

    A fully human soul, a fully human body.

    There¡¯s nothing to be done about the bloodline though.

    It¡¯s increasingly leaning towards the Nature System.¡±

    ¡°Is your inherited memory from the Earth Bear or an Elf?¡± Adrian asked bluntly.

    ¡°Bear...¡± Hill said, somewhat weakly.

    ¡°Earth is Earth.

    What¡¯s this talk of Nature?¡±

    ¡°My Wood and Water Elements haven¡¯t disappeared, okay!¡±

    ¡°Then this Druid is at least Legendary!¡± Adrian marveled, ¡°Reaching this stage without being consumed by the Earth Bear¡¯s bloodline.¡±

    Hill didn¡¯t want to bother with him; Adrian was simply jealous of his fast advancement.

    Adrian calmed his unsettled feelings and sat on the sofa, ¡°I¡¯ll go back and tell the teacher.

    With your advancement, we can worry less.

    Should I help you upgrade List¡¯s core?¡±

    Hill smiled, sitting on the smaller sofa nearby, ¡°Help me engrave the Space Law you mentioned.

    Take a look at the warehouse I built myself afterwards.

    Just that the air inside is quite thin, squeezed out by the Space Elements.

    Below Mage Level can¡¯t use it.¡±

    Adrian nodded, ¡°Your approach differs from ours.

    Since you have a new path, I can directly teach you those laws.

    Hill, these are knowledge we can exchange equally, don¡¯t feel awkward about it.

    Now our relationship is good, so I handle many things directly.

    But you should know, the teacher is already on the path to becoming Legendary.

    I¡¯ve benefited significantly from it too.

    I believe I have a chance at becoming Legendary myself.

    For a Warlock to reach Legend, the challenges are greater and more numerous.

    You might take much longer than me.

    By then, the Magic Tower should be managed by my students.

    At the Legendary level, emotions become much more indifferent.

    I don¡¯t even know if the teacher and I will be as considerate of you by then.

    My students won¡¯t have any feelings for you.

    So now, set the rules straight, don¡¯t just give away knowledge for free.

    You must adhere firmly to the principle of equal exchange among mages.

    After all, your awakened Earth Bear bloodline has extended your lifespan quite a bit, right?

    The longer the time, the more you should stick to principles from the very beginning.

    Hill listened to Adrian¡¯s lecture with a warm heart: only someone who truly cares about you would guide you like this.

    ¡°3000 years should be no problem.¡± He smiled, ¡°If I reach Legend, living for ten thousand years is normal.¡±

    Adrian rolled his eyes, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know how hard it is for Warlocks to become Legends, I would storm out in anger right now.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Adrian, are you planning to take on students now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to find a suitable student to teach early.

    Otherwise, if I shut myself in for long periods, there will be no one to interact with the Undead Tribe!

    Most of the people in the merchant convoy are still at the Squire Apprentice level and are afraid of the Undead Tribe.

    Hill, does this deity focus on education because he knows the arrival of the Undead Tribe will affect the lower levels?

    The teacher has already sent Boen to teach the children of the merchant convoy.

    At least Professional Rank can interact with the Undead Tribe!

    Since it looks like they won¡¯t leave anytime soon, wise lords will need to establish basic education.

    The teacher has even placed the Sky Knight inheritance in the new ordinary library next to the convoy!

    The young people from the convoy have been reading books every day lately.

    After all, without a solid foundation, they wouldn¡¯t understand even high-level books in their hands.

    Hill nodded slightly, ¡°I also provided a substantial amount of foundational books for Olivia¡¯s library.

    Her literacy class hasn¡¯t started yet.

    After all, the civilians here have some basic education.

    She¡¯s currently helping civilians with their training.

    List said two young men have already become knights.

    Unfortunately, former knights could still go develop outside, but now with Sky Knights everywhere, they can only stay here as guards.¡±

    ¡°Ambitious nobles have to work hard to increase the number of professionals in their territories, spending vast resources to cultivate high-level ones!¡±

    Adrian sneered, ¡°William moved the capital without consulting anyone.

    Accompanied by the Undead, he built it.

    Rich and well-manned, with such powerful backers, it¡¯s desolating.

    If the nobles don¡¯t change, who knows how they¡¯ll decline in the future.¡±

    He then laughed and said, ¡°When William was recruiting, you asked me to notify people in the family.

    After I told them, only a few children from the branch families joined.

    Now it¡¯s too late for regrets.

    William¡¯s army is almost complete.

    If they want to join now, they¡¯ll have to start as ordinary soldiers.

    What good is it to complain to me!¡±

    ¡°Realizing it now is a sign of their intelligence,¡± Hill said blandly.

    ¡°It seems William has a unique training method,¡± Adrian said.

    ¡°Though it hasn¡¯t been disclosed, a child from my family has become a Grand Knight in less than a year.¡±

    Hill nodded silently, remembering the Temporal Elements that had never appeared before and those Undead Warlocks.

    Adrian, invigorated, said, ¡°Enough about that!

    The actions of deities are beyond discussion.

    Embodiments of rules!

    The two Legendary Mages who follow William have already moved their students to Kexlote.

    The original Magic Towers have been handed over and now serve the Undead Tribe.

    Remember that Space Plaza from before?

    William has designated it as a Royal Family asset.

    The annual rental income heavily subsidizes the Royal Family members.

    But Kexlote didn¡¯t take a single Saral with them!

    William¡¯s attitude towards the Saral Royal Family is ambiguous.

    Many people are at a loss now.

    But the best part is that Edward and Charles are completely gone.

    They probably don¡¯t dare to approach the North Great Wall.

    The Spencer Family definitely won¡¯t let them off easily.¡±

    Hill remembered the long-gone Count Pelast family.

    Now, neither Fran nor Adrian mentioned them anymore.

    But Helen, when Edward was expelled from the Royal Capital, was poisoned by his wife.

    Leaving the Capital, Edward, a knight, could only rely on his Sky Knight son.

    Faced with the lover he once loved so passionately, almost losing his throne, he didn¡¯t say a word.

    Adrian only coldly commented on a few foolish and greedy women getting their just deserts.

    After that, neither brought them up again.

    If it wasn¡¯t mentioned today, Hill might have forgotten.

    ¡°If they hadn¡¯t provoked William, the Saral Royal Family would still be a true Royal Family,¡± Adrian sighed, ¡°Now, who does William see himself as?

    No one dares to ask.

    Among the Saral Nobles, only the Spencer Family is thriving now.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to do with us.

    That deity doesn¡¯t demand much faith.¡±

    ¡°True.

    But who else can the Saral folks worship?¡± Adrian said, ¡°Even the Main Temple in Obastian wants to leave now.¡±

    ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°Who would dare stay in Saral with that contract-holder around?¡±

    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s happening in the Starry Sky?

    That deity established their Divine Kingdom in the River of Time and Space, ordinary deities can¡¯t even enter.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?

    The location of that deity¡¯s Divine Kingdom has always been a mystery to the mages!¡±

    ¡°Temporal Elements have appeared in the Elemental Realm.¡±

    ¡°Your elements told you that?¡±

    ¡°The Earth Elemental Chief is quite powerful among the leaders.

    There was an announcement during a meeting in the Elemental Realm.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment, I need to contact Diamant.

    The teacher must be informed as soon as he leaves the lab.

    This is valuable information.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Adrian quickly ran to contact Diamant.

    Hill went to the bay window to sit and wait.

    ¡°Teacher hasn¡¯t come out yet.¡± Adrian walked over, ¡°Let¡¯s first go check your warehouse.

    Then upgrade List¡¯s core.¡±

    Hill called out List, who was visibly excited.

    Hill sighed, ¡°I thought you were not much worse than Diamant already.¡±

    ¡°Every Tower Spirit is delighted to have more and better rules in their core, sir,¡± List said joyfully, ¡°If one day you want to move the Magic Tower into a half-plane, I hope to continue serving you myself.¡±

    ¡°You certainly know how to talk, List.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment, sir.¡±

    They arrived at the warehouse, and Adrian quickly became engrossed in the runes.

    Hill observed Adrian, knowing he wouldn¡¯t snap out anytime soon, and decided to take a walk outside the Magic Tower, ¡°List, stay with Uncle Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    Adrian spent an entire day in the warehouse before coming to his senses.

    He found Hill quickly, ¡°Hill, your approach is very different from ours.

    I¡¯ll first engrave the laws into List¡¯s core, here¡¯s a crystal ball with detailed information for you.

    Study it at your pace and ask me any questions when I return in a few days.

    Your method will definitely benefit the teacher!¡±

    Hill was a bit confused but agreed immediately.

    Adrian ruffled his hair, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up.

    You¡¯ll be a powerful alchemist in the future.¡±

    Hill watched Adrian hurriedly leave, took the crystal ball, and said to List, who was standing by, ¡°Go follow Uncle Adrian!

    That¡¯s your core.¡±

    List vanished instantly.

    Hill decided to immediately check the contents of the crystal ball, eager to understand why Adrian was so excited about Fran¡¯s research direction.

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Preparing for the Journey

    ?56: Chapter 56 Preparing for the Journey 56: Chapter 56 Preparing for the Journey Hill listened carefully to Fran¡¯s detailed teaching inside the crystal ball.

    He vaguely understood why Adrian said it was a completely opposite direction.

    Although Hill studied civil engineering, he had a dual degree in geology.

    Back then, he thought if he couldn¡¯t get into graduate school for civil engineering, he would go to the geology department to study minerals.

    So, he had studied mineralogy.

    Years of habit made him instinctively want to research the electronic configuration of crystal ions.

    Upon discovering that space crystals were made up of single elements and couldn¡¯t be separated, he began studying crystal defects and valence changes.

    To Hill, who had conducted years of experiments, the variability and complexity of single elements were not too difficult.

    He felt confident he had summarized most of the laws of definite proportions.

    But in this world, such systematic research did not yet exist.

    Alchemists still approached crystals from the stones themselves.

    Fran initially expanded the capacity of different-sized crystals, then compared them to summarize some rules.

    After making enough of them, one could always discover how elements liked to combine or separate.

    Hill always thought that most of what he¡¯d learned lost its significance in the fantasy world.

    But it wasn¡¯t so; he retained not only the diligent study habits and stable mindset but also the systematic approach of modern science.

    Hill recalled carefully that when learning alchemy, Melanie taught him directly and then threw a large amount of debris at him for experiments.

    He was busy memorizing a vast amount of knowledge and directly compared, observed, and researched the fragments.

    He had carefully studied and analyzed all the minerals he could get his hands on to determine their compositions.

    At that time, he couldn¡¯t use spiritual power to break down crystals into elements, but later, after obtaining crystals, he utilized some experimental equipment to crush the crystals and analyze their composition and properties.

    Melanie had no objections to his behavior back then, so Hill considered it normal research.

    Wasn¡¯t it?

    Hill recalled hazily.

    Right, it was after he advanced to Magician rank that he could use spiritual power to crush crystals into elements, shifting from the macro to the micro level.

    He was very pleased that his spiritual power was like a scanning tunneling microscope combined with a synchrotron radiation instrument and a mineral dissociation analyzer!

    It could be done in a high-temperature, high-pressure laboratory!

    The books Fran gave back then did not introduce this aspect, but Hill didn¡¯t mind.

    Wasn¡¯t this fundamental?

    Turns out it wasn¡¯t!

    They had merely summarized so many laws from the structural differences of crystals of various sizes!

    Hill gulped and decided not to say anything.

    After Fran learned this way of thinking, Hill couldn¡¯t imagine how far he would go.

    Hill carefully recalled specific contents of Earth¡¯s geochemistry.

    Although some were forgotten, he remembered most of it.

    A strong spiritual power indeed allowed one to have a photographic memory.

    He selected some topics he could discuss and waited for Fran¡¯s arrival.

    List appeared by his side: ¡°Sir, I feel more powerful now!¡±

    Hill turned to look at him: ¡°How are the minerals in our warehouse classified?¡±

    ¡°By elemental category!¡± List said as a matter of course, ¡°The mixed ones are also separated, from two-element to multi-element.¡±

    ¡°Has Uncle Adrian left yet?¡±

    ¡°He flew off right after finishing, in a hurry.¡±

    Hill summoned List¡¯s control crystal and transferred some mineralogical and elemental geochemistry theories he thought could be applied in this world: ¡°Summarize it with your mind comparable to an AI.

    Transfer it to Grandfather when he arrives.

    If he gives you anything, just take it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to negotiate with Master Fran?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather won¡¯t let me suffer losses.

    But I really don¡¯t want to discuss this directly with him.¡±

    ¡°Should I add some experimental geology content?¡±

    ¡°That would be fine.

    Be mindful of your tone.¡±

    ¡°I will compare it with the alchemy literature.¡±

    Hill sighed and continued researching Fran¡¯s theories.

    The thought process of traditional alchemy was what Hill lacked the most.

    How did they summarise laws from a large amount of alchemical production?

    Hill had no clue.

    Fran could now expand the space of a book-sized crystal to be as large as Hill¡¯s Magic Tower.

    But only an alchemical golem could retrieve items from inside.

    Humans couldn¡¯t enter.

    Hill, however, could enter.

    But the air inside was thin.

    Mages below a certain level would suffocate.

    The space only expanded from 10*10 to 1000*100.

    And it could only expand to this size, unable to merge into one.

    Hill gritted his teeth and instructed List to move all the alchemy books to the laboratory.

    He decided to read through them all over again.

    Differing ways of thinking didn¡¯t mean others were behind.

    This was the accumulated experience of alchemist mages over tens of thousands of years.

    If he couldn¡¯t change himself, he would read others¡¯ thoughts repeatedly to understand their ideas.

    Hill could do it, seeking common ground while reserving differences.

    Researching day and night without sleep or rest.

    When the mountain of alchemical products manufactured traditionally grew, Hill finally saw a glimmer of hope.

    Earlier, he had been too proud.

    No wonder Fran and Adrian had no interest in the devices made with his previous life mindset.

    It was just because Hill had only been learning alchemy for a short period; they had no intention of reprimanding him for making some toys.

    Melanie, who liked alchemical jewelry, had also misled him.

    The pinnacle of alchemy in this world was only weapons and protective items.

    Like Fran¡¯s Magic Tower, the airship revolved around protecting oneself and defeating enemies.

    Hill had been too well-protected.

    No wonder Adrian specifically said Hill¡¯s life was long and there was no rush to become legendary.

    Hill understood the hardships of life, but he could only understand them.

    Growing up in a peaceful world, he couldn¡¯t feel the struggle and bitterness of low-level mages clawing their way to higher ranks in this world.

    He advanced to Magister too quickly.

    Hill sighed slightly: He should venture out.

    Hill stood in the warehouse with his hands on his hips while List stood beside him pointing things out: Fran had indeed been here.

    Knowing that Hill was hiding in the lab, he could only reluctantly take the crystal ball List gave him and leave behind a pile of supplies with a wave of his hand.

    Fran had given Hill a legendary golem in exchange for the knowledge Hill provided.

    This terrifying weapon, costing a million crystal stones per use, stood silently in front of Hill.

    Fran had considered Hill¡¯s ability to summon a large number of tri-elements and had chosen a metal golem.

    Unwilling to spend time on appearances, this golem looked very ordinary: Shining black-gold hair, a masked face, and simple swordsman¡¯s attire made from the same material as the hair, also black-gold.

    This was a legendary swordsman.

    The metal ability gave it higher attack power, capable of shattering a legendary mage¡¯s magic shield.

    Very useful for Hill, who had strong defensive power.

    After all, Hill was an earth magister who could defend, heal, control, and detoxify.

    Hill knew, Fran providing such a legendary golem meant he thought Hill¡¯s knowledge was worth that price, not to mention a large number of ordinary minerals and crystals.

    List said, ¡°Master Fran said you shouldn¡¯t accept any students until you¡¯re 200 years old.

    If anyone wants to learn alchemy from you, refer them to him.¡±

    Hill frowned, ¡°What did you tell Grandfather?¡±

    ¡°I said that when Melanie taught you, she only provided a pile of debris; you analyzed everything yourself.

    Even after you got complete stones, you still crushed them out of habit to study.¡±

    ¡°Why did you say that?¡±

    ¡°I spoke the truth!

    Didn¡¯t you discover she used her own scrap stones for making jewelry for you to use?¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t do that anymore.

    After all, she did teach me.

    Even if not seriously, I did receive her instruction.¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    The personality you gave me is your mother¡¯s!

    She¡¯d irrationally protect you like a tigress!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, List.

    You¡¯re male.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.

    Master Fran thinks you stumbled upon something useful but without theoretical basis.

    It¡¯s best not to draw attention.¡±

    ¡°I understand.

    I am not interested in taking students, either.

    Finding students among earth mages would be too troublesome.¡±

    ¡°You no longer care about the earth element status at all!¡±

    ¡°Heh, it must be upsetting for those with elven bloodline ties to me, right?

    If I become legendary and people research my life, they¡¯ll be particularly interested in who gave me the Earth Bear bloodline.

    Grandfather is of pure human bloodline.

    The saying that Earth Bears love druids was spread by the elves themselves, wasn¡¯t it?

    People wouldn¡¯t care about me until I become legendary.

    As long as I thickened my skin, I feared nothing.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sir.

    As long as you can convince yourself.¡±

    ¡°Fetch those materials for me!

    I¡¯m going to travel and need to make myself a good coach.¡± Hill handed List the list irritably.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Hill put the legendary golem into his ring and returned to the lab to wait for List.

    It took Hill a year to build himself a highly protected puppet coach, almost like a moving micro magic tower.

    The expanded space at the bottom of the coach was filled with elemental crystals.

    Hill wasn¡¯t worried about being robbed.

    Not knowing the technique would lead to an explosion powerful enough to kill a legendary mage.

    Currently, only a legendary mage or a player could rob him.

    Either of them getting blown up would be worth celebrating.

    Hill also mastered his magister spells with great proficiency.

    He had heard Kexlote was finally established.

    Reportedly, William merged the nearby border city under his control into the royal city.

    Hill recalled and noted that the two cities were 200 kilometers apart.

    This meant Kexlote now covered at least 10,000 square kilometers!

    No wonder it took a year to build, despite many players.

    Fran¡¯s airship was completed, just delivered to William a few days ago.

    Hill decided to start his journey from the new Royal Capital!

    Of course, before that, he would visit Black Rose City to sell some miscellaneous goods.

    To build this coach, Hill almost bankrupted himself.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Going to Black Rose City

    ?57: Chapter 57 Going to Black Rose City 57: Chapter 57 Going to Black Rose City Riding in his beloved little carriage, Mr.

    Hill made his way to the main city of Black Rose, a place forever free from traffic jams.

    Of course, he was sitting inside the carriage, drinking a beverage, reading a book, and enjoying a very comfortable journey.

    Mr.

    Hill had already learned how to create the Tower Spirit of an intermediate-level Magic Tower.

    This thing had previously been useless; even if one successfully practiced with it, it could only be stored in a warehouse.

    After all, those truly capable of building Magic Towers were at least at the Archmage Level.

    They would never use a core that couldn¡¯t withstand the power of a Magister.

    Even if occasionally there were a few like Mr.

    Hill, who came from affluent families and started building Magic Towers early, they generally had powerful backers, and the Magic Tower cores were high-level goods given by their elders.

    But now, Mr.

    Hill had found a good use for it.

    His carriage employed one of the most satisfactory intermediate cores.

    The Tower Spirit was set to the image of a black-haired boy.

    Mr.

    Hill did not know what he was thinking at the time, but the boy somewhat resembled a star from some TV show.

    Perhaps it was because he had no other ideas at the moment, so he randomly set it to look handsome?

    The daily operation of the Tower Spirit required a great deal of Elemental Crystals for energy.

    Compared to the core of a junior shop, the demand of an intermediate core had increased a hundredfold.

    Just like Fran¡¯s previous airship, the storeroom below was full of crystals that supplied energy to the core aboard the ship.

    Even Legendary Mages might not be willing to spend so much money.

    The fact that they could afford it was thanks to the generous donations from players.

    Now in Fran¡¯s Territory, the Potion Shop still saw a large number of players buying goods every day¡ªexclusive business is certainly lucrative!

    For Mr.

    Hill, the greatest benefit was that he could sell a large amount of intermediate potions produced in his alchemy factory every day.

    Though the total price of these potions might only equal one of Fran¡¯s potions, it was enough to meet the needs of the elements within his own territory.

    Mr.

    Adrian had once wondered why the Undead Tribe needed to buy so many blood blue potions; now Haifasardo kept begging William for mercy.

    Mr.

    Hill felt that Mr.

    Adrian still did not understand players.

    Were they concerned about Haifasardo¡¯s war?

    They were guarding against each other.

    If William did not start a war soon, they would have to start fighting among themselves.

    As long as they still had needs, there was no need for List to use the reserves to satisfy these elements.

    Thanks to the crystals Mr.

    Hill supplied every day, the three elemental families in the territory were almost frenzied, continuously going to List¡¯s place seeking tasks.

    In the elements¡¯ simple view, they could not take Mr.

    Hill¡¯s crystals for nothing.

    List had just sent Mr.

    Hill a blueprint of a garden town¡ªif Mr.

    Hill confirmed, he would start giving the elements daily tasks.

    Yes, with this mobile Tower Spirit, Mr.

    Hill could now receive messages from List every day.

    In the 200 square meters of space beneath the carriage, it was filled with crystals ready to be used.

    There were also a few large-capacity boxes nearby¡ªif the crystals ran out, the Tower Spirit could operate the puppets in space to get them from inside.

    Mr.

    Hill hoped that by the time he reached Black Rose City, the players who had been working for a month at William¡¯s place would have enough crystals to clear out all the goods in his storage ring.

    Mr.

    Hill¡¯s journey was very peaceful, and Saral at present was eerily safe.

    The highway robbers previously supported by various nobles had altogether vanished.

    Mr.

    Adrian had once remarked to Mr.

    Hill that one couldn¡¯t even find a thief in Saral.

    Were the Undead Tribe too zealously hating evil?

    Since when did Sky Knights start chopping down thieves!

    Those who survived had either turned over a new leaf or quickly fled Saral.

    Mr.

    Hill could only chuckle stupidly in response: A simple task like catching a thief, seen by players searching everywhere for quests, would cause them to go crazy with excitement.

    Suddenly, the Tower Spirit appeared beside Mr.

    Hill: ¡°Someone is coming from the city ahead.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Mr.

    Hill was puzzled.

    There were still over 100 kilometers to Black Rose City!

    Why such a big reaction?

    Mr.

    Hill raised the roof of the carriage, floated up, and looked ahead.

    The people running towards him were only 10 kilometers away now.

    This was a small Knight Corps setup.

    Mr.

    Hill saw the familiar Luo Sanquan and An Idler.

    In the back were A Baba and An Baba?

    Mr.

    Hill decided to ignore these two; he didn¡¯t want to call them by their names.

    There were others he seemed to have not met before.

    However, given this basic configuration of a 20-person Knight Corps, was a fight brewing again?

    Luo Sanquan¡¯s horse was also carrying that Swordsman called Old Dog; he stood on the horse¡¯s rear, wailing hello to Mr.

    Hill from afar.

    Coming closer, Luo Sanquan asked excitedly, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m planning to travel around the continent, starting here, then to Kexlote.

    From Kexlote, I¡¯ll head south.¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    Does Mr.

    Hill need bodyguards?¡± Old Dog interjected: ¡°The kind that can fight and work?¡±

    Mr.

    Hill sincerely felt he had not gone mad enough to take this trouble-making bunch out with him.

    ¡°Can the Undead Tribe leave Saral?¡± Mr.

    Hill was also puzzled: ¡°Can you leave the realm of that Deity?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± An Idler said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, he¡¯s brainless.

    If we stray too far from the temple, we¡¯ll dissipate.¡±

    Mr.

    Hill genuinely asked, ¡°Has someone tested this?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Luo Sanquan said nonchalantly: ¡°Of course, with other countries nearby, there are always those curious to see.

    But once they leave Saral for 500 kilometers, their bodies just disappear!

    Some time ago, someone wanted to go see the Noble Temple!

    Just as they thought about leaving the Temple of Time and Space, their body was directly struck to pieces!¡± Old Dog said heartlessly: ¡°He still wanted to see if the God of Nobility was still tormented in Hell, but he was struck by divine punishment.¡±

    ¡°What punishment?¡±

    ¡°All his reputation in Saral was reset to zero!¡± An Idler said mischievously: ¡°Except for repairs and the potion shop, other shops refuse to do business with him now!¡±

    ¡°And within half a month, both the potion shop and repair costs were doubled.

    Many people were thankful for him testing poisons!¡±

    ¡°Do you guys really want to check out the other factions?¡± Hill looked at the unconcerned players, ¡°The little probing never does vanish, does it?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so nervous about people coming over?¡± Hill decided to change the subject, as it was a bit dangerous.

    ¡°Ah!

    Zhu Meili is so annoying,¡± the old man said, ¡°Ever since End of the World Romance took in Lutai the eunuch, it has been all their people over there.

    They¡¯re supporting several alliances now, with more people than us yet only one city.

    We¡¯re allies with the Magic Cult.

    Not to mention having two cities, but we also made an alliance with Wenjian.

    Interest clashes, allies hold grudges, and we naturally didn¡¯t get along,¡± he said bluntly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the possibility of more fighting at William¡¯s, we would have started long ago.¡±

    Luo Sanquan was a bit irritated, ¡°They are now harassing us on a small scale.

    They send people over daily to assassinate those who are alone.

    Some with a thinner skin can¡¯t handle it anymore.

    Baldy has us take turns patrolling the area daily, keeping an eye out for strangers.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re actually okay, fewer people, fewer problems.

    Spies are easy to spot,¡± an idler joined the conversation, ¡°Over at the Magic Cult, they¡¯re really troubled.

    Snow Old Dog struggled for a few days and hardly identified any spies, heh, he¡¯s practically exhausted.¡±

    Hill shook his head, ignoring their complex loves and hates, ¡°Help me find a place, I want to open a shop.

    It¡¯s fine if outside the city gates if inside is inconvenient.¡±

    The old man suddenly felt his bag, ¡°Ah!

    Mr.

    Hill, are you selling jewelry again?¡±

    Hill, confused, nodded at him, ¡°Definitely there will be jewelry.¡±

    The others burst out laughing.

    One idler said outright, ¡°His girlfriend also came in!

    Always regretted not being able to buy those pieces of jewelry.

    Totally envious.

    Is the old man probably counting his money in the bag?¡±

    ¡°Guai Guai likes it!¡± the old man complained, ¡°What can I do?¡±

    Luo Sanquan had already pulled out a tablet and was communicating with someone, ¡°Baldy is asking if you need a shop provided?¡±

    ¡°No need, I have my own.¡±

    ¡°Then how about the small square next to the Bell Tower?

    We¡¯ve canceled our shop street.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention that shop street, we¡¯re still good friends,¡± an idler said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have lifestyle professionals,¡± the old man explained to Hill, ¡°Baldy wants us to take turns selling goods to make money.

    The idler is awesome, sold for three days, lost money for three days.

    Can¡¯t remember prices and even messed up the accounts!¡±

    ¡°Like you guys got it right!¡± the idler erupted angrily, ¡°Whose ledger is completely error-free?

    Who?

    Let¡¯s hear it!¡±

    Hill kept a straight face, but inside he was laughing hysterically.

    In modern society, many people make mistakes even with calculators, let alone doing mental math.

    Hill sat on top of a carriage, watching as they approached Black Rose City, ¡°So you guys renovated?¡±

    ¡°In Kexlote, a city was repaired for a month, and upon returning, Baldy decided to make the city look nicer,¡± the old man said.

    ¡°Mainly to attract lifestyle professionals,¡± an idler scoffed, ¡°The previous city was too ugly; pretty girls didn¡¯t want to come, no attraction for lifestyle professionals at all.¡±

    ¡°Baldy and Liu Liu are here,¡± Luo Sanquan said.

    Hill had already seen the twin ponytail loli, riding a horse and bringing Xiao Liuliu over.

    From afar, he laughed loudly, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, long time no see!

    Really missed you!

    Welcome to Black Rose.¡±

    Hill felt slightly creeped out as he watched the overly enthusiastic Baldy, ¡°Anything you need me to do, just say it.¡±

    Sitting behind, Xiao Liuliu tugged at Baldy¡¯s ponytail a few times, ¡°Shut it, you¡¯re too fake.¡±

    She laughed and said to Hill, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing much, it¡¯s just that Baldy wanted to buy the shop core and the sales and receiving puppets that he saw last time.

    I wonder if Mr.

    Hill has any in stock.

    Rainfall went to Master Fran¡¯s territory to look, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have any.

    Mr.

    Adrian said they no longer make such low-level puppets.

    We were actually planning to visit your territory in a few days, but it¡¯s such a coincidence you came first.

    So Baldy was a bit overly excited, please forgive him.¡±

    Hill looked at this capable girl and then back at the perfect Baldy pulling at his own hair, waiting.

    He deeply realized what it meant to have a clever wife and a foolish husband.

    He nodded, ¡°I have a few sets.

    Usually, it¡¯s one core with ten puppets.

    2000 per set.¡±

    ¡°Are items for mages calculated using crystal stones?¡± Perfect Bald asked, ¡°Can gold coins only buy regular goods?¡±

    ¡°Senior mages have no need for gold coins,¡± Hill explained, ¡°Other professions still need them.

    After all, day-to-day necessities are still provided by ordinary people.¡±

    ¡°You mean food, drink, lodging, and transportation?¡± Xiao Liuliu quickly replied, ¡°Do senior mages all live in Magic Towers?

    Is it because of the puppets?¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Once a Magister, a mage¡¯s body has become elemental, and their need for daily necessities decreasing.

    We continue to eat and sleep out of habit, not necessity.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu pondered, ¡°It¡¯s quite similar to us!¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Your bodies were made by deities using elements, so you progress quickly.¡±

    Several people gathered around Hill, and soon they entered the city and reached the small square.

    Hill¡¯s shop was about to open.

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Opening a Store and Listening to Gossip

    ?58: Chapter 58: Opening a Store and Listening to Gossip 58: Chapter 58: Opening a Store and Listening to Gossip Hill unfolded the carriage into a two-story small house.

    The 500 square foot shop on each floor was sufficient for the members of Black Rose to enter.

    An array of goods had already been arranged, waiting for customers to choose from.

    Many people from Black Rose were already waiting here, and they rushed in as soon as the doors opened.

    Hill arranged four pairs of card seat sofas by the window on the first floor and filled the tables with juice and snacks.

    He then threw out a few bean bags next to them.

    The slanted sunlight shone into the small square, warm and gentle.

    Hill called out Tower Spirit Srei, so there was nothing else to worry about.

    Hill had just sat down when Baldy leaned in, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, can this shop be sold?

    How much?¡±

    Hill hesitated and asked, ¡°Do you really need something so expensive?

    It was prepared for my travels, it¡¯s not practical for you, right?¡±

    Perfect Baldy said with a smile, ¡°It can be placed outside an instance!

    It will definitely sell fast!¡±

    ¡°Instance?¡±

    The old man explained, ¡°It¡¯s the Main God¡¯s temporal shadow.

    He took a section of shadow and plays it repeatedly for us to enter and train.¡±

    Hill silently thought: I understand, but He really went ahead and did it.

    Perfect Baldy laughed heartily, ¡°There are two segments, and both are ours!¡±

    A Deer stood by, looked at the jewelry cabinet surrounded by people, and laughed, ¡°One segment is the battle to protect Black Rose City.

    It mainly deals with legendary fights and is relatively easy, allowing squads of five to enter.

    The other is the defense of Kexlote and the retaking of Alliance City.

    That requires a team of 25 people.

    If the defense of Kexlote is successful, you can ride an airship led by a beautiful young man holding a white cat!¡±

    Hill cursed inwardly.

    Seeing Hill¡¯s awkward expression, Cunlu? came over smilingly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry!

    Mr.

    Hill, your image is very pretty.¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can protest.¡±

    A Deer said with a giggle, ¡°Not only can we ride the ship, but we can also listen to Mr.

    Hill introduce the battle situation in Alliance City.

    That cat is so pretty!

    I always look carefully.¡±

    Hill was speechless: He had only appeared holding the cat once at Black Rose, and it was only for a few minutes before he went back.

    This deity is truly amazing to notice Hill and Alice in such a short time.

    Was William using him and the cat to attract female players?

    Perfect Baldy laughed heartily, ¡°The official paid us a lot of money for the rights!

    If we win the 5-person instance, I¡¯ll lead the charge!

    It¡¯s so exciting!¡±

    Cunlu? interjected, ¡°Lu Tai and Two Lines of Bamboo both declined the official invitation.

    Though their names were hidden, one could still hear the details!

    And Mr.

    Hill, you and your cat are very popular; everyone likes to listen carefully, and not many cut off the scene.¡±

    Hill quietly sighed with relief: The overviews could be cut out.

    Players are still full of curiosity for now, but that will probably change after enough repetitions.

    William that bastard, making him a scene transition NPC was one thing, but a commentator too!

    Suddenly, Cunlu? burst into laughter, ¡°Lu Tai has finally got what he wished for!

    His name will live on in history!

    Even though the commentary doesn¡¯t mention his name, the forums are detailed!

    It¡¯s such a great drama, and everyone is still discussing it now!

    Betraying one¡¯s girlfriend with a cuckold, and losing one¡¯s character by surrendering a city.¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t bear to look; this sister was really something!

    The old man suddenly stood up and went over to greet a group of female players who had entered.

    ¡°His girlfriend has arrived,¡± said A Deer.

    The two girls also went over, joining them to shop.

    Hill shook his head and said to Baldy, ¡°This is really expensive!¡±

    Baldy didn¡¯t hesitate and said, ¡°Just give me a price first!¡±

    ¡°20 million Crystal Stones for a basic version.¡±

    Baldy gasped, ¡°Why is it so expensive!¡±

    ¡°It requires a large amount of Space Crystals.

    The Temple of Time and Space hasn¡¯t released any for a while.

    Only my grandfather, Master Fran, has them.

    He wants to keep them for deriving Spatial Magic, and they¡¯ve basically not been sold.

    In a while, the King¡¯s Space Ore mines will be open to the public.

    Then the price might drop, but it will still be in the millions.

    The required ores are all very valuable.¡±

    Baldy knocked on the table in frustration, ¡°I really want it!

    A shape-shifting carriage!¡±

    Xiao Liuliu, who was among a group of girls picking out jewelry, overheard and shouted, ¡°Ah, the romance of a man!

    I could sell houses and cars for that!¡±

    Baldy quickly turned and said, ¡°Wife, can you save me some face?

    I was just sighing!¡±

    He looked at Hill, who was holding back laughter, and the others who were laughing out loud, and changed the subject, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, how many store cores do you have?

    I¡¯d really like to buy some.¡±

    Hill thought for a moment and answered, ¡°I have six sets.

    Do you want them all?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Baldy replied, ¡°Six stores is not many at all!

    What¡¯s the price for the containers?¡±

    ¡°Can you even manage to open so many stores?

    The containers come with the core.

    Ten large containers, ten small ones, plus ten puppets, all together for 2000 Crystal Stones.¡±

    ¡°The God of Time and Space, our Main God, has ascended the Divine Throne.

    William has announced that this place will be opened for entry soon, and there will be many newcomers.¡±

    An Baba came over and slumped down in dejection.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you buying anything?¡± A Baba asked with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°These women are too ruthless; I didn¡¯t even go near the jewelry!

    Each one stepped on me and kicked me out,¡± An Baba complained bitterly.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking for it, why were you in such a hurry?¡± the old man walked over, ¡°Wait until tomorrow to buy!

    Thousands of girls there!¡±

    The Magic Sword laughed and asked him, ¡°Baby Guai is here.

    How¡¯s your wallet holding up?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what makes you a bachelor!¡± the old man looked at him sideways, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because I told her to buy whatever she wants, she¡¯d go on a shopping spree.

    She knows exactly how much money is in my wallet, way more than I do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait and see then,¡± the Magic Sword said, rolling his eyes.

    Hill said with a smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal!

    My jewelry only differs in function; many of them look quite similar.¡±

    Romantic Drunk Red Dust cast an odd glance at Hill, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, you¡¯re not married yet, right?

    You don¡¯t understand women at all.

    Your jewelry, the gemstones in each set are different.

    Last time, a lot of people bought many pieces of jewelry of the same design.

    Having one of each item in the series is what these women believe in.¡±

    Hill didn¡¯t want to engage with him, despite being a perennial bachelor, he didn¡¯t want to listen to the insights of someone who always got dumped while flirting.

    An Baba ignored them, muttering to himself, ¡°I want to buy a coach!

    Do you think they would leave one for me?¡±

    ¡°Why would you buy a coach?¡± the Magic Sword asked, perplexed.

    ¡°At the entrance of the newbie village, I can wait for a pretty girl in a fancy coach,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Have you gone mad or are you just stupid?

    You¡¯d be lucky to find someone like the Sanda King!¡± An Idler commented, ¡°Most of them are probably bald types, right?¡±

    Perfect Bald snorted, ¡°Liu Liu likes me this way!¡±

    The Old Age Striking King shouted from the side, ¡°Are you giving them faces or what?

    If you don¡¯t want to live, just say so!

    Remember to leave your inheritance to me!¡±

    The group hastily waved their hands and lowered their heads, asking each other: did anyone see her coming in?

    She¡¯s so short that we just didn¡¯t notice her!

    ¡°Shut up quickly!¡± Baldy finally put an end to the stupid conversation.

    ¡°Sister, keep going!

    They won¡¯t dare to speak anymore!¡± Perfect Bald called out loudly.

    ¡°Tsk,¡± the Old Age Striking King continued her shopping, and everyone else breathed a sigh of relief and sat down.

    Hill looked at the few who still dared to provoke and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    He thought about it and then asked, ¡°You mentioned that new players will join.

    About how many are we expecting?¡±

    Baldy said nonchalantly, ¡°Only those from our country will come.

    Other countries have been dying to get in but can¡¯t.

    According to the hype on the forums, the estimate is tens of millions.

    We always say that when William is about to attack Mafasal, that¡¯s when people will be let in.¡±

    Hill was inwardly shocked, tens of millions coming would indeed mean Sarel couldn¡¯t continue like before; it would empty Sarel!

    The players were so sure about attacking Mafasal, William must have hinted at it.

    He had to act quickly, to get ahead of William.

    During a lull in the conversation, Perfect Bald quickly asked, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, can you sell me all of the shop cores?¡±

    Hill nodded and traded directly with Baldy, ¡°They¡¯re of no use to me anymore, I¡¯ll sell them all to you!

    But I won¡¯t be doing this kind of business in the future.¡±

    Baldy smiled wryly, ¡°What will I do if my allies want some?

    I really do want them for myself.¡±

    Hill said, ¡°I¡¯ll mention it to Uncle Adrian.

    If they need them, they have regular Alchemists who can make them.

    Although these items are generally for practice, because they are valuable and can¡¯t be sold easily, nobody wants to make too many.

    If there¡¯s a high demand, there will always be people willing to make money off of it.¡±

    Baldy nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask my allies, if there¡¯s a lot, please speak to them for me.

    If it¡¯s just a few, I¡¯ll have to divide a couple out myself.¡±

    Rain Falling on Mortal Dust suddenly rushed in, heading straight for Hill, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, do you have any Advanced Magic Tower cores?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you already have some?¡± he asked.

    ¡°We only have one, and it was traded from William with military exploits.

    His offer was limited in time and quantity, and now it¡¯s gone, he won¡¯t trade any more no matter how many military exploits we offer.

    We want to rebuild all the city walls and construct a Magic Tower at each of the four corners of the city!¡±

    Hill asked sincerely, ¡°Why not build Magic Arrow Towers?¡±

    ¡°We have built those!

    There¡¯s one every 10 meters, almost went bankrupt if it weren¡¯t for the royalties.

    But we heard that if a Magic Tower controls the area around the arrow towers, their power increases!¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°It would be more powerful.

    But you don¡¯t need Advanced Magic Tower cores for that.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± she asked.

    ¡°If all you want is to control the Magic Arrows or boost their attack power, Intermediate Magic Towers are sufficient.

    Advanced Magic Tower cores are mainly for assisting Mages in spell research and Alchemy.

    If Intermediate Magic Towers aren¡¯t being used for that, their power output isn¡¯t much different from the Advanced ones.

    The main point is, Magic Tower cores will not obey commands from other cores of the same level, they¡¯re not practical for you.

    All you need is to give the central Advanced Magic Tower the authority to control the other Magic Towers, and it will be enough for your needs.¡±

    ¡°So the Magic Towers in Obastian are all independent?¡±

    ¡°How else would they be able to hire Magisters?

    No Magister would want to arrive later and have to follow other Mages of the same level; it¡¯s impossible!

    For a Mage, the only person one has to obey is their own teacher, respect is sufficient for other high-level Mages!¡±

    Rain Falling on Mortal Dust nodded in confusion, ¡°Alright!

    I still need to study the history of mages here.¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Communication with Players

    ?59: Chapter 59: Communication with Players 59: Chapter 59: Communication with Players Hill opened the shop with the morning sunlight, watching the boys harm each other while gossiping over morning tea with the players.

    But from dawn to dusk, the girls of Black Rose City came and went, and it wasn¡¯t until the old man was finally called to pay the bill.

    The Magic Sword followed without hesitation, ready to enjoy the show.

    Romantic Drunk Red Dust looked at him in disbelief and said to Perfect Bald, ¡°So, there¡¯s a reason he¡¯s single, huh?

    All these girls are watching, and he dares to enjoy this kind of excitement.

    Does he still think he can find a girlfriend in Black Rose?¡± He pondered again, ¡°Is this ¡®hey what¡¯s up have you eaten oh dear take care drink hot water dress warm it¡¯s cold outside good night sweet dreams sleep early¡¯ the type of straight man?

    With such emotional intelligence, he might as well spend a lifetime with his horse!¡±

    Is the Song of the Single Dogs universal in every world?

    Hill glanced sideways.

    Perfect Bald laughed and said, ¡°He¡¯s still young.

    A few more years of being knocked down and he¡¯ll learn.¡±

    Listening to this person who had been battered by life, Hill shuddered.

    He decided to change the subject quickly, as they were no longer in the same world, and he really didn¡¯t want to attend another lesson on emotional education.

    ¡°Has His Majesty the King announced when new people will be allowed in?¡±

    ¡°William says the Capital is built, so they are looking for an auspicious day,¡± replied Perfect Bald.

    ¡°Probably either declaring war or the God of Time and Space is up to something.¡±

    Hill silently looked at him, pondering in his mind: The God of Time and Space must have a way of blocking the Undead Tribe¡¯s conversations.

    Otherwise, they¡¯d either die of exhaustion or irritation.

    Like that noble and the God of Monarchy, always calculating and deep, even if they had become complacent over thousands of years with no rivals, they shouldn¡¯t be as direct as they were this time.

    The oppressive tactics against the God of Justice are the normal behavior for Him.

    But the moment He took action, He must have been driven mad by thousands of curses, right?

    If deities could descend, He would probably come down in person to fight and kill the players.

    The Magic Sword trudged back in: ¡°All this time for just picking a few, such a waste.

    Women are so troublesome!¡±

    Romantic Drunk Red Dust soulfully asked: ¡°Magic Sword, are you from Technical University?¡±

    Hill was furious¡ªit was the biggest insult to Technical University!

    With a bang, someone stood up and struck Romantic Drunk Red Dust: Perfect Bald stood on the couch.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry, forgot you were the contractor,¡± Romantic Drunk Red Dust quickly apologized.

    Hill looked at this fake lolita with twin ponytails in a black dress, standing with her hands on her hips, and was left speechless.

    I don¡¯t want to know that he works in construction!!!

    The construction-oriented Perfect Bald gave Hill a painful blow to his spirit.

    He turned to look at the girls by the shelves washing their eyes, not wanting to see Perfect Bald¡¯s face for a short while.

    ¡°What are you doing, Baldy?¡± Xiao Liuliu came over: ¡°Get down from there!

    That¡¯s so rude!

    Clean the couch!¡±

    Baldy hopped down dejectedly and took out a handkerchief to wipe the couch clean.

    Xiao Liuliu apologetically said to Hill, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!

    Baldy didn¡¯t mean it, he¡¯s just brainless.¡±

    Hill smiled and nodded at him, ¡°It¡¯s okay.

    Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    He now deeply understood why William only looked at Xiao Liuliu when assigning quests; it had nothing to do with the face.

    An Baba and A Baba had been quietly watching the show from the side, and now that it was over, they picked up Fang Tianhua, who had joined the commotion late, and rushed to the general goods shelf: The girls had finally dispersed.

    Srei appeared beside Hill: ¡°Mr., all the jewellery in the case sold out today, do we need to restock?¡±

    An Idler who was about to go buy supplies jumped up in anguish: ¡°No!

    Leave us this little time before closing the shop!¡±

    Hill smiled and nodded, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t restock.

    We¡¯ll still be here for 3 days!

    Srei, only replenish as much jewellery as we did today, don¡¯t bother if it sells out.

    Add more to the general goods area.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr.,¡±

    Hill turned to the Baldy who had been with him, ¡°The shop will stay open until 10 pm.

    You can tell your family members that I¡¯ll be heading to Kexlote in 3 days.¡±

    Baldy nodded and sent a message on his tablet.

    Xiao Liuliu asked, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, are you planning to travel from Kexlote?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll stay in Kexlote for a few days, buy some Saral specialties, and then set off for Haifasardo,¡± Hill replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s best to leave Haifa before you go to war.

    Otherwise, Cortez next to it will close the border.¡±

    ¡°Why would they close the border?¡± Perfect Bald asked, putting away his tablet, ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re at war with them.¡±

    ¡°Fleeing nobles will be charged a fee to enter.

    It¡¯s a good opportunity to make money.

    Cortez won¡¯t let it slip by,¡± Hill replied.

    ¡°They¡¯ll also prevent useless commoners from entering unless they have money.¡±

    ¡°They can do that?¡± Perfect Bald was surprised, ¡°Why don¡¯t those nobles flee to the wilderness?

    Even that fool Edward dares go.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he has a Sky Knight son,¡± said Hill.

    ¡°Many nobles find it hard to become knights.

    When life is enjoyable, why bother training hard?¡±

    Xiao Liuliu curiously asked, ¡°It seems not many Saral nobles go to Haifasardo.¡±

    ¡°Saral has only been founded for a thousand years.

    They still need to defend their borders!

    Every few years, there will be Magical Beast sieges.

    The nobles all face pressure and have hope and spirit to strive, just like the Spencer Family, who climbed from Earl to Marquis and produced many Sky Knights.

    The branched-off nobles also strive to become Professionals.

    With a title, entering the Army and climbing up is easier,¡± Hill said slowly.

    ¡°Haifa has one less border to defend than Saral, and it¡¯s the toughest.

    So the requirements for nobles are much lower.

 Chapter 60 - 60 59 Communication with Players_2

    ?60: Chapter 59 Communication with Players_2 60: Chapter 59 Communication with Players_2 Nobles of lower ranks and branch families rarely make it out of their situations unless they inherit a title.

    Many no longer wish to become Professionals.

    Unlike your God-favored Race, people here have to put in a lot of effort, talent, and money to become Professionals.

    Sometimes, even after giving everything, failure is still the result if the talent is insufficient.

    Even if they become Professionals, if the prospects are poor, many prefer to just enjoy their lives.

    The loyalty of the nobles to the Royal Family rests upon their domains.

    If the nobles desperately protect their territories and the Royal Family does not help, then the nobles¡¯ oaths of loyalty can automatically become invalid.

    Furthermore, in Haifasardo, there are a large number of nobles without fiefs who don¡¯t even need to make loyalty oaths.

    When they are ennobled, they just have to swear to maintain respect for the Royal Family.

    In such cases, they naturally can leave freely.¡±

    Hill suddenly smiled, ¡°Like Edward and Charles, they both have Sky Knights.

    If one day they rise up, it is not impossible for another King of Saral to appear.

    So when the nobles of Saral were expelled by His Majesty the King, they all followed them.

    Perhaps they can even vie for the title of Founding Duke!¡±

    Perfect Bald commented sharply, ¡°You think there isn¡¯t much hope?¡±

    Hill smiled, ¡°His Majesty belongs to the Orderly Camp.

    Aren¡¯t you also from a different faction liable to be struck by lightning?

    He would never allow Saral to attack a country that has not offended him.

    As for the battles between deities among the stars, they won¡¯t affect the mortals below.

    Unless King Cortez has gone mad, he wouldn¡¯t dare offend Saral.¡±

    Xiao Liuliu mused, ¡°So upon returning from Haifa, we still have to reach out beyond the Northern Border, right?

    No wonder the title of Duke Noran stays with William.¡±

    Perfect Bald suddenly perked up, ¡°I need to talk to Old Dog.

    Let those families without lands move beyond the Northern Border, getting a small domain wouldn¡¯t be bad!

    Are there many people on the Black and White Path now?¡±

    Romantic Drunk Red Dust nodded, ¡°They are at a disadvantage because they arrived late, the big group that came was the latter 1.2 million.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Can you also use the Justice Temple¡¯s Pioneering Decree?¡±

    ¡°No!

    It¡¯s the God of Time and Space!¡± Perfect Bald said, ¡°You can only become an affiliated territory of Saral, swearing not to violate Saral laws, not to betray the country, and respecting the Royal Family is enough.¡±

    Hill was shocked.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for chatting with the players on this topic, perhaps he would have had to wait until justice was jeopardized to know what had happened?

    Was the God of Time and Space planning to deal with the God of Justice?

    Yet He hadn¡¯t directly killed the God of Nobility.

    Although the actions of the God of Justice were selfish, at least He hadn¡¯t directly moved against the God of Time and Space.

    Furthermore, for over ten thousand years, the God of Justice had at least maintained His stance as orderly and neutral.

    If the God of Time and Space killed him, would His alignment shift to evil?

    Hill shook his head; it likely wouldn¡¯t go as far as murder, but was he trying to shake the foundations of justice to force Justice to make the first move?

    Forget it, don¡¯t think about it anymore, he told himself.

    Don¡¯t think too much about the affairs between deities, don¡¯t interfere too much.

    He asked, ¡°Is it only usable by you all?

    Can the nobles of Saral use it too?¡±

    Baldy shook his head, ¡°Not sure, seems like they can¡¯t.

    William also won¡¯t let us use the God of Justice¡¯s, he doesn¡¯t plan to grant nobility anymore.

    He wants to unify royal power, unify the laws, and the army will also return to state ownership.

    As for the former noble territories, he doesn¡¯t plan to manage them; he says they are intangible cultural heritage and will just leave them be as long as they don¡¯t cause trouble.

    But that will no longer be the case in the future.¡±

    Hill nodded silently, cursing internally: You are the real antique!

    ¡°What about the lands of Mage¡¯s Magic Towers in the future?¡± Hill continued, ¡°Is there a statement on that?¡±

    ¡°Magisters can buy land to build towers, but they cannot randomly build towns; it must be an approved application.

    ¡°It seems that if there are too many civilians, the state must appoint people to manage it.

    Just running a shop or a school requires passing an assessment,¡± Perfect Bald recalled with effort.

    ¡°If our town is not well-managed, we can also request William to send someone to manage it.

    But then we would only have the title, and could no longer have independent management rights when distributing profits.¡±

    Hill asked, ¡°Does His Majesty the King plan to issue these orders when he officially relocates the capital?¡±

    Baldy nodded, ¡°This was posted on our forum, saying that William is seeking public opinion for amendments.¡±

    Hilton realized, no wonder William had arranged everything for the Spencer Family in advance; practically every Sky Knight had their own domain now.

    It wasn¡¯t just about needing the Spencer Family to guard The Great Wall at the Northern Border!

    But what could the other nobles of Saral do?

    Those bold enough to resist had already been driven out, and those who were timid and survived thus far were even less likely to rebel.

    The children who moved away no longer had domains, but they were still not without noble titles.

    The knife didn¡¯t cut directly at them; they could endure and it would pass.

    As for the mages, few were interested in attracting civilians to settle in their domains anyways.

    If they were really interested in worldly affairs, there wouldn¡¯t have been a mage King yet.

    William was doing this to guard against nobles causing trouble under the guise of the family¡¯s Magisters.

    Hill sighed, both the God of Time and Space and William seemed to have everything under control; their steps were big, but steady¡ªthat was good.

    Hill indirectly questioned Perfect Bald and others, wanting to confirm when William planned to announce these decrees.

    He had to calculate a bit, since the time ratio had changed now.

    If it was soon, he would not stay in Haifasardo, but would go directly to Cortez.

    After all, that country and Saral shared the same lineage, and the laws were similar.

    The scenery could be enjoyed some other time.

    The king of Haifasardo was indeed foolish, wanting to reach out to Saral while caring about his reputation.

    He claimed to help Edward restore order, doing everything to offend William.

    Normally, under such circumstances, kings of other countries would have begged for mercy long ago, yet he ignored and feigned death.

    He relied on the fact that the Royal Family of Haifasardo shared blood with the Saral Royal Family.

    By lineage, William had to call him ¡®grandfather.¡¯

    If he was smart, he would turn around and call William ¡®grandfather¡¯ to ask for forgiveness!

    Whether William had feelings for the Saral Royal Family or not, that was one thing; would he still save face for a grandfather who lost face from three thousand miles away?

    This year, the mages of the two countries communicated very frequently, the high-level mages of Haifa no longer cared about how much money they spent.

    Hill had always been inquiring with Adrian, and finally confirmed that the mages of Haifasardo had gone through countless cycles from hope to despair.

    Even though there were countless nobles begging the king to apologize and make peace sooner, and each time the king sincerely agreed to take these suggestions, the outcome was always silent.

    Now, they were just planning to swear fealty to William in the most dignified way possible, so they kept contacting their counterparts in Saral to find out about the royal treatment for mages.

    Adrian once told Hill, no wonder the king liked Edward so much; Edward probably resembled their Royal Family the closest.

    The King of Saral left the kingdom and founded his own because he was too diligent and didn¡¯t fit in with the Royal Family.

    Although he was not very bright, like Charles.

    At least he was receptive to his followers¡¯ opinions.

    And although Charles was aggressive and arrogant, he had indeed not made a move against William at first; he only kicked him when he was down.

    So when Charles left, William turned a blind eye, letting him and Duke Kral take away a lot of wealth.

    Edward, aside from his wife, his son-in-law¡¯s family, and a few Earls, William nearly intercepted all their clandestine wealth.

    At that time, Fran had also interfered, and Edward¡¯s wife Sarna¡¯s family was forced to sell all their assets in Obastian cheaply.

    After all, to establish themselves outside, what they needed was Crystal Stone, and in Saral, the only ones with the most Crystal Stone were the legendary and singular Alchemist Master Fran.

    Legends care not for these wastrels.

    Hill didn¡¯t even need to inquire to know the outcome; Fran was no saint.

    It¡¯s also unclear how the inheritance of Haifasardo really works; the founding king there was also very capable, it¡¯s just that the descendants leave much to be desired.

    There are few like Charles.

    If not for the King of Saral leaving early to found the kingdom, Haifasardo might have become the first nation destroyed by Magical Beasts, a story passed down through the ages.

 Chapter 61 - 61 60 The Terrible Cunlçœ‰ and Hard Wind

    ?61: Chapter 60 The Terrible Cunlu? and Hard Wind 61: Chapter 60 The Terrible Cunlu? and Hard Wind Hill thought for a moment and smiled at the players, saying, ¡°Haifasardo is quite an unusual country, with as many nobles as Edward.

    There, you will have plenty of things to do.¡±

    Perfect Bald shouted, ¡°Are there that many idiots?¡±

    Xiao Liuliulu widened her eyes and asked, ¡°How has it managed to survive thousands of years without being destroyed if it¡¯s like that?¡±

    ¡°There are also the likes of Charles,¡± Hill explained.

    ¡°They have Saral to stop the magical beasts from the North, and with nobles like Charles guarding the Western Border, it¡¯s enough.

    The West is all mountains, and the magical beasts don¡¯t like to go to the plains.

    It¡¯s easy to defend.

    The deities don¡¯t allow wars to happen casually, and Cortez doesn¡¯t have the capability to expand.

    They can¡¯t control such a large territory.¡±

    The players all appeared thoughtful when Cunlu?, who had been standing by and listening, suddenly said, ¡°So they lack intelligence and can¡¯t mind their own business, huh?

    And is the Haifasardo Royal Family¡¯s genetics really that strong?¡± she mused.

    ¡°So, boys are likely to be as dumb as their dads?¡±

    ¡°Your child had better be like Hard Wind,¡± the Old Age Striking King said from a blue lazy chair, startling many people.

    ¡°You scared me to death!¡± Cunlu? screamed.

    ¡°You¡¯re dressed like a blue cabbage, why the heck are you nesting in a blue sofa too?

    I can¡¯t see anything but your head!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make such a fuss, who did you scare?¡± the Old Age Striking King said impatiently.

    ¡°Can¡¯t a pregnant woman be a bit more settled?

    If there¡¯s nothing to do, why don¡¯t you just go out for a walk?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m planning to go out to buy some fruit later; I¡¯ll take a walk then,¡± Cunlu? said.

    ¡°I finally got rid of that ball, so don¡¯t bother me.¡±

    ¡°Go and see which pregnant woman at seven months looks like you!¡± the Old Age Striking King cursed.

    ¡°Hard Wind doesn¡¯t even care about you!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t control her,¡± Hard Wind had been standing behind Cunlu? all along.

    ¡°I¡¯m just waiting to send her back to her family when she¡¯s about to give birth; a few days of scolding from her mother-in-law should do the trick.

    She doesn¡¯t feel any discomfort with the child in her belly, what can I do?

    I can¡¯t argue with a pregnant woman.¡±

    Hill listened, dumbfounded.

    The players of Black Rose seemed to have no intention of explaining to him why Cunlu? was called a pregnant woman, all pretending to be fools.

    But Hill understood!

    He used to simply admire the big sister for being a fierce woman, but now, he found the unshakable Hard Wind even more terrifying.

    Perfect Bald quickly changed the subject: ¡°Mr.

    Hill, will you also open a shop in Kexlote?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hill answered briefly.

    ¡°Mainly to collect more minerals and herbs special to Saral.¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    We really don¡¯t have much in stock recently,¡± Perfect Bald said regretfully.

    ¡°Most of it has been sold to Master Fran.¡±

    Hill nodded.

    ¡°I know.

    Uncle Adrian has also mentioned it.¡±

    ¡°Your prices are still the best,¡± Rain Falling on Mortal Dust said quietly.

    ¡°William¡¯s place mainly offers military exploits in exchange.

    The territories of the other nobles, it¡¯s like they¡¯re trying to rob us.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather isn¡¯t short of money, just materials,¡± Hill said.

    ¡°He usually offers the discounted rate that grocery stores provide to mages.

    After all, we have to deliver right to his door.

    If there weren¡¯t any teleportation arrays, you would also be wasting time and would have to sell locally.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you also use the teleportation arrays?¡± Perfect Bald asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone reselling through them?¡±

    ¡°Small traders can¡¯t afford the teleportation fees.

    Only with bulk purchases can they make a profit; few merchants dare do such business that offends the local snakes.

    Those who can afford to offend the nobles wouldn¡¯t do this kind of trade.¡±

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s the nobles again,¡± Bald muttered to himself.

    ¡°In a while, we¡¯ll see how William takes care of them.¡±

    Romantic Drunk Red Dust asked, ¡°Mr.

    Hill, do you think there will be a lot of quests in Haifasardo?

    Compared to the nobles we¡¯ve fought before, which one is more similar?¡±

    ¡°Obastian¡¯s slave-trading Sky Knight family?

    The one you burnt to death!¡±

    The people of Black Rose were all excited.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!

    Not only do we get William¡¯s military exploits, but also the friendliness of the Temple of Time and Space!

    And they pay a lot too!¡±

    The Old Age Striking King muttered, ¡°Sounds good, I can be the bait and get double rewards!¡±

    Hill felt he had heard something crucial.

    So, the female players who¡¯d been caught were on a bait quest?

    It was common knowledge, but who knew when it would happen?

    So that¡¯s why things erupted so quickly, with so many logging on that day?

    Hill felt William¡¯s image in his heart crumble once more, plummeting from a shepherd to a silly pup.

    Xiao Liuliu noted that night had fallen deep, and it was almost 10 p.m., time to close the shop, so she dragged Bald up to say goodbye to Hill.

    Hill nodded and watched them leave, heaving a deep sigh.

    After instructing Srei to close the shop, he went up to the second floor, where there was a staircase in the corner leading to a hidden third floor.

    Hill had set up a bathroom, a bedroom, and a study here.

    He picked up the communicator on the study desk and called List.

    ¡°How was your day, sir?¡± List responded warmly.

    ¡°Not so good, too many things going on, I have a headache and feel dizzy.

    Connect me to grandfather,¡± Hill instructed List to make a connection.

    ¡°Hill?¡± Adrian asked in surprise.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go out?

    What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Is grandfather there?¡±

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll check; he hasn¡¯t been very busy lately.¡±

    Fran quickly arrived: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Hill tried to explain the information he had gathered that day to both as simply as possible.

 Chapter 62 - 62 60 The Terrifying Cunlçœ‰ and Hard Wind_2

    ?62: Chapter 60 The Terrifying Cunlu? and Hard Wind_2 62: Chapter 60 The Terrifying Cunlu? and Hard Wind_2 ¡°That foolish king of Haifasardo has nothing good to say about him,¡± Fran said.

    ¡°William already had the right to succeed to the Haifa throne, and then he encountered such a foolish opponent.

    All the legends who could have run from Haifasardo did.

    Out of the remaining three Legendary Knights, all with Haifa Royal Family blood, William himself is a Legendary Knight of the same blood and also the Divine Cult Master, and could completely submit to William.

    As long as they don¡¯t disgrace the Legendary name, they don¡¯t care about that foolish king.¡±

    He snickered, ¡°The mages all know that Haifasardo is definitely going to get beaten up, but their nobles think that since William has been quiet during this time, he probably just wants money!

    Finally, a few smarter ones have been repeatedly frustrated by that fool¡¯s reneging and driven away.¡±

    ¡°As for justice,¡± Fran pondered, ¡°it is fine as long as we know about it, no need to talk too much, this is a matter of the deities, and it will surely be resolved In the Starry Sky in the end.

    Concerning the fiefs, William¡¯s orders mean nothing to mages.

    Those who seek power and wealth for their families, few of them can become Magisters.

    Even in the future, when taking apprentices, one must be careful, Adrian, you must remember this.

    You absolutely cannot take a student who is solely dedicated to striving for their family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, teacher.¡±

    ¡°When we go to war with Haifa, more of the Undead Tribe will be allowed in, right?¡± Fran actually found this point more frightening, ¡°The Element concentration in Haifa is still denser than that in Saral.

    The large wind at the border has never appeared before.¡±

    Hill thought silently, this world, the air is solidified, and there¡¯s pitifully little exchange of airflows.

    The wind, is always gentle, without any force.

    The sweeping tornadoes were probably first seen in this world when William last summoned them?

    And they were suppressed by Divine Power, so people haven¡¯t felt them yet.

    This time, it¡¯s unclear what William plans to do as the God of Time and Space has gone to the Starry Sky, unable to directly manipulate within the world anymore.

    Hill said cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s also quite good, with the element concentration in the air reduced, Cohen can fly farther and help me deliver goods.¡±

    In this world, there are no large bird-like Magical Beasts capable of flight.

    Birds that grow too large have the fate of peacocks, cannot fly high, and mainly glide.

    Usually, it is only those like Cohen, with a wingspan of 3 meters at most, who can fly for short periods.

    Their feathers can directly shred through the skin of a Grand Knight, but still can¡¯t fly far.

    Cohen has been well-raised by Hill, but even so could only fly for 2 hours before needing to rest.

    Most of the time, it follows Hill by riding in the carriage.

    Fran bluntly said, ¡°If the concentration of Elements in the air continues to decrease, naturally born Magicians will find it very difficult to appear in the future.

    Commoners, lacking resources and unable to absorb enough Elements, will find it hard to awaken.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a matter of life and death, the bloodline will still ignite to save itself,¡± Hill said light-heartedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s better if the profession of Magician isn¡¯t so easily awakened.¡±

    When something is rare, it becomes precious.

    As self-awakening Magicians become increasingly scarce, even nobles will start to weigh whether it¡¯s worth the trouble to keep stirring matters.

    After all, knightly bloodlines have always flowed in their veins; it¡¯s just that many people prefer comforts, and the cost is too high for those with insufficient talent.

    When it comes down to it, everything is about interest, and when the cost exceeds what was expected, even the most foolish noble should start making an effort themselves.

    And it¡¯s just Saral and Haifasardo after all, even if the Elements from other regions start to flow towards these two places, it would take a very long time.

    And the commoners of Saral, at least during William¡¯s reign, will live well.

    There are too many players, and no noble dares to stir up trouble during this period.

    When William also returns to the Divine Kingdom, by then, the commoners, having received so much education and with many paths open to rise, how could they still be suppressed by nobles?

    Once knowledge is spread, commoners will have better days.¡±

    ¡°Many Magical Beasts from the northern wilderness have left,¡± Adrian interjected, ¡°They are frightened by the situation of the Elements flowing towards Saral.

    Not to mention our region, except for your Magical Beasts, they¡¯ve probably all left.

    I patrolled the surrounding mountains recently, and even that nest of Terror Birds that couldn¡¯t fly had gone.¡±

    Hill laughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?

    The problem of Magical Beasts attacking cities will be no more.¡±

    Fran disagreed, ¡°Magical Beasts attacking cities is not a natural law.

    There are rumors that the human race betrayed Mother Earth, so the earth¡¯s Magical Beasts will take revenge on humans from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Elves and Dwarves?¡±

    ¡°The same, they are humanoid creatures.¡±

    ¡°I thought that rumor was a joke?¡± Hill was somewhat surprised.

    ¡°Legendary Mages have studied this matter for a long time, but it was not allowed to be shared with anyone below Archmage.

    I can tell you now because you¡¯ve become a Magister.

    Magical Beast attacks on cities are clearly Divine Acts.¡±

    ¡°Are there no deified deities?¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    The will of the deities who failed to ascend to godhood, even after They dissipated, lived on.¡±

    ¡°All the Temples are silent on this matter and are even trying to help?¡±

    ¡°The truly innocent deities have no Temples.¡±

    ¡°Is it just the Goddess of Agriculture?¡± Hill shrewdly asked, ¡°The Earth System?¡±

    ¡°What really happened, only the deities in the heavens know.

    Too much time has passed, and all traces have already been erased.

    The clues found by the Legendary Mages are sparse, but they do know that all three races were indeed involved.¡±

    Suddenly, Hill was seized by a sense of desolation, as if both nature and the earth were weeping.

    Unwittingly, tears streamed down Hill¡¯s face.

    The feeling of being betrayed, of utter desolation, was instantly transferred to him.

    Even after tens of thousands of years, the earth still harbored hatred.

    ¡°Mother Earth...¡± Hill murmured.

    ¡°Hill, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Hill!

    Hill!¡±

    Cohen, who had been staying in the bedroom, rushed out and called Hill several times.

    Hill snapped out of it and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a reaction from my bloodline.¡±

    ¡°Is it the feeling of the Son of the Earth?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the sorrow of the Earth deities.¡± Hill pondered for a moment but chose not to tell the truth.

    Deities could only leave this world, and not merely due to the will of the world¡¯s consciousness, right?

    The earth itself couldn¡¯t bear Their presence either.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it affect you; it wasn¡¯t easy to suppress your bloodline,¡± Fran cautioned.

    ¡°Practice more spells and don¡¯t rely on just those few inheritances to get by.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandfather, I¡¯m very mindful of that.¡±

    ¡°When you travel, try to show a preference for Summoning System magic.

    There¡¯s no shortage of such Mages among the nobility,¡± Adrian advised.

    ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t like fighting and killing.

    Besides, not many would dare to raise their hand against a Magister.¡±

    ¡°Rest assured!

    I don¡¯t plan on traveling incognito and will behave as a Magister should.¡±

    Although reluctant, Hill added, ¡°My proficiency in those 3 types of magic is such that people wouldn¡¯t easily guess I¡¯m a Magician.

    It¡¯s too hard to tell.¡±

    Hill felt sure that he heard Adrian laughing.

    ¡°You¡¯re already a Magister; being discovered as a Magician is no big deal,¡± Fran comforted him.

    ¡°We¡¯re just trying to avoid trouble.

    You wouldn¡¯t want women climbing into your bed wherever you go, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand, grandfather!¡±

    In conclusion, Fran said, ¡°If I don¡¯t want too many people settling in my territory, I¡¯d better leak some information to them.

    These Mages neither want to leave Saral nor be commanded by the Royal Family, and it¡¯s no longer pleasant with the Nobles either; they¡¯d have to accompany some fool to clear new lands.

    Then they¡¯d all end up coming to my place!

    Those who are on good terms with me all like Alchemy, and gathering them together is asking for trouble; I don¡¯t want to hear explosions all day.

    Inform them, everyone has a Pioneering Decree in hand.

    It¡¯s best to use it before William makes the official announcement.¡±

    The temperament of this deity is not yet clear.

    Apart from the Undead Tribe, no one dares to use His Territory Orders.

    It¡¯s a good time for Hill to go out now.

    By the time you return, it should all be over.

    I¡¯ve communicated with Adrian; we¡¯ll shut down the Magic Tower and delve into our magical research.

    We¡¯ll contact you if necessary!¡±

    ¡°Yes, grandfather.¡±

    Hill stored away his communication device, realizing that Adrian had decided not to interfere with family affairs anymore.

    In the past, although he claimed to stay out of it, his reaction was significant whenever issues arose, always jumping in saying he must inform the family.

    Today, without a word from him, Hill didn¡¯t know what had transpired to prompt such a change of heart, nor did he wish to probe; it was a welcome development regardless.

    Stretching languorously, Hill decided to get a good sleep.

 Chapter 63 - 63 61 Hills Booming Business

    ?63: Chapter 61: Hill¡¯s Booming Business 63: Chapter 61: Hill¡¯s Booming Business The first draft of wind that crept in during the early morning awakened the deeply sleeping Hill.

    Hill opened his eyes and noticed the window was half-open; Cohen had gone flying outside early in the morning.

    The light breeze turned fragrant over a hundred li, and the warm fog drove the clouds to envelop the earth and sky.

    Hill stood by the window, watching Cohen soar among the clouds high above, filled with joy.

    The king of the skies, the peregrine falcon, could only fly slowly at low altitudes in this world.

    Despite its immensely proud nature, it struggled to soar through the clouds.

    When Cohen had first started following Hill, it could only live atop the tallest trees, making forceful spurts towards the sky, yet it still couldn¡¯t persist long enough to reach the clouds.

    It was very happy then, for back on the plains, there were neither such tall trees nor such high mountains.

    It had never been above the clouds before.

    It was extremely proud of itself for answering Hill¡¯s call.

    Now, in Saral, above the high altitudes, the air currents were surging.

    Cohen could easily fly up into the heavens and glide back and forth among the clouds.

    It spent increasing amounts of time flying each day, and someday, at least in Saral, it would no longer need to travel by carriage with Hill.

    Above the clouds, the cold wind was biting.

    Below the clouds, the breeze was warm and gentle.

    Such breezes had rarely occurred above the plains before.

    Just like the windmills in White Horse City that were built on hilltops, utilizing the downward air currents to turn.

    As time passed, Saral would likely see an increasing variety of winds.

    The keen-eyed Cohen spotted Hill and swooped down with a tuck of its wings.

    Hill could feel Cohen¡¯s extremely delighted mood, even though each high-speed dive was a great shock to it, but it preferred to endure it.

    The peregrine falcon was supposed to be the king of the skies with the fastest diving speed.

    Initially, he wanted to leave Cohen in his estate, but being away from companions for a long time would be very agonizing for an animal companion like Cohen, so he decided to bring it out.

    Looking at it today, it was a very correct decision.

    After all, in the west, the air currents were still largely blocked by mountains, here in the south, the winds were stronger, allowing Cohen to soar in them, a rare opportunity.

    Although it was still early morning, the inside of Black Rose City was still bustling with voices.

    Hill knew that in this world, they did not need to sleep or rest.

    But Hill really wanted to know how they managed the differing perceptions of time flow.

    After spending three days in this world and then returning to his own, doesn¡¯t it feel as if it were only a day apart?

    Hill knew this was not something he could probe into yet.

    Time still belonged to the realm of the Deities.

    He also wondered whether he could grasp even a bit of it when he reached the Legendary status.

    Hill sometimes thought about how he had studied physics for decades, only to end up like Newton, transitioning from science to theology, and he felt quite melancholic about it.

    Hill looked at the players already waiting outside the door and decided to wash up and open the door.

    These girls were really proactive, not willing to be late even though they had the whole morning.

    But that was to be expected; to them, their enemies were not the male players, but each other.

    It was just about kicking the odd ones out in a buying frenzy.

    The morning sunlight was pleasant; Hill sat on the sofa, poured himself a glass of juice, and slowly basked in the sun while reading a book.

    Today, the female players were busy making purchases and no longer visited the NPC they saw as Hill.

    But Hill noticed some familiar faces from yesterday who had arrived early in the morning.

    Perhaps, as Romantic Drunk Red Dust had said, just having a different kind of gemstone was enough to make it seem new to them.

    Hill leisurely watched these hustling girls.

    In this world of Nobles, only the girls from the Undead Tribe would brazenly buy expensive jewelry.

    Self-sufficient women like Melanie were too rare, Female Mages struggled to reach the upper echelons because from a young age, they were educated to only seek things from men.

    Female Knights were even rarer; the brutal competition among male heirs wouldn¡¯t allow women they looked down upon to compete with them.

    Before the era of the God of Nobility, there were many more professional women than now.

    But no Noble would give up female inheritance rights; it was a fallback route they reserved for themselves, relying only on their daughters¡¯ children.

    Women¡¯s status was higher than that of medieval women in Hill¡¯s world because this was a fantasy world where women could also cultivate.

    As long as there were women who were self-reliant, striving for betterment, no one dared to cross the line.

    No one wanted to be offed by their own daughter one day.

    However, the Goddess of Art and Love, affiliated with the God of Nobility, led noble women astray.

    They became inclined to idleness, learning from a young age to compete in the backyards of men.

    For girls from Mage families, it was much better.

    Mage Aptitude mattered more to them than jewelry; they could like it and even learn to make it themselves.

    It¡¯s just that in this world, Mages were too few.

    Seeing smart, self-respecting, independent girls always brightened Hill¡¯s mood.

    Midday, Perfect Bald rushed into the store with a group of people amid the piles of disdainful glances from the girls.

    Hill looked up, seeing not many from Black Rose; probably allies of the Baldy Family had heard the news and came.

    It took so long for the news to reach the allies; Hill thought that people from Black Rose were still pretty tight-lipped.

 Chapter 64 - 64 61 Hills Booming Business_2

    ?64: Chapter 61: Hill¡¯s Booming Business_2 64: Chapter 61: Hill¡¯s Booming Business_2 Hill didn¡¯t hesitate to raise a barrier around himself.

    He cherished his life and wasn¡¯t up for dealing with so many players.

    Hill had great faith in Baldy¡¯s ability to handle these affairs.

    As expected, Baldy¡¯s booming voice rang out, ¡°Look, the NPC doesn¡¯t want to deal with outsiders!

    He¡¯s just here to sell goods.

    It was us who first encountered him in Obastian.

    You can only blame your bad luck.¡±

    Someone questioned, ¡°Then how did you deal with him?

    ¡°I can go in, but you can¡¯t!

    If you want the shop¡¯s core, spit out your numbers.

    I¡¯ll discuss it with him.

    Moreover, you¡¯ve also been to Master Fran¡¯s place; it¡¯s always first come, first served, isn¡¯t it?

    Wasn¡¯t it me who took you there!

    You guys fought over the items for yourselves and didn¡¯t share any with me.

    This item wasn¡¯t sold by the NPC before, he thought it wasn¡¯t worth it.

    If you want a lot, maybe Master Fran will start selling them too.

    This guy here doesn¡¯t appear all the time, once this transaction is over, who knows when you¡¯ll see him again.

    You better figure out how much you need fast!

    We can only wait for him to come, we can¡¯t find him.¡±

    ¡°What are you playing dumb for?

    Isn¡¯t this just Polanio next to Master Fran¡¯s territory?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s Baron Polanio!

    But when he appeared as a lord, did you manage to deal with him successfully?

    Apart from the initial period, wasn¡¯t it only that mage called List who came out to handle things?

    It was the same when we went.

    No matter the affair, he only showed up during the initial period, then it was always his, the Tower Spirit, who handled things.

    The scattered ones settled in his territory also said that, apart from the initial five, no one else saw him when they went.

    The guy is a mage, uninterested in worldly affairs.

    Having the Tower Spirit handle things was enough!

    This time he¡¯s going out on a journey, so he¡¯s just using us for practice first.¡±

    In his heart, Hill silently applauded Baldy.

    ¡°Alright, only you can babble on.

    Anyway, we can¡¯t do anything but listen to your nonsense!¡±

    Hill glanced over; this was Snow Cloud Peak.

    He really understood Baldy.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he staying for two more days?

    Just don¡¯t stop our allies from coming to buy.¡±

    ¡°Then you must remember, men can come after 2:00 PM, the earlier times are reserved for the girls, and the girls from your clans can also come earlier.

    Of course, if you especially want to squeeze in among the women, then I can do nothing about it.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Baldy, stop being a downer; no one wants to be named and shamed by women for this!¡± Snow Cloud Peak said impatiently, ¡°We got it; we¡¯ll notify the clan members.¡±

    ¡°You need to remember to keep it a secret.

    Although I¡¯ve set those guild members as city access denied, there¡¯s no way to stop them from coming to buy using scattered accounts.¡±

    ¡°Baldy, are you dumb?

    Can¡¯t you set a specific time for the scattered ones?

    During other times, only allow allies.¡±

    ¡°Are you the dumb one?¡± Snow Cloud Peak cursed, ¡°Do you want the scattered ones to side with them when we fight guild battles?

    Even if we don¡¯t get help from scattered ones, there¡¯s no need to make them a hindrance!

    Calculate it, do all our members combined outnumber scattered ones¡¯ healers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that dumb!

    That¡¯d offend all the female players among the scattered ones!

    They might not buy, but preventing them from buying would seal our fate!

    Having offended the women, do you think many men will stay rational?¡± Perfect Bald spoke up without hesitation, ¡°With so few people from Black Rose, the scattered ones could spit and flood our city!¡±

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll quickly notify the people in the guild to buy everything they can today!¡± The reprimanded one said sulkily.

    ¡°Perfect Bald, hurry up and communicate with the NPC.

    Try to get more items out today.

    Keeping this a secret until tonight would be a miracle,¡± Snow Cloud Peak instructed Baldy.

    ¡°You guys better check out those pricier ones, I feel like the rich ladies are about to show up.¡±

    ¡°Did your guild¡¯s ladies go bragging on the forums or what?

    Especially that one trying to collect all Twelve Zodiac!

    Even if she doesn¡¯t say where she bought them from, does it help?¡±

    Perfect Bald chuckled foolishly and nodded, ¡°They just left, said they were going to coordinate outfits, planning to take some photos!¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    Mr.

    Hill doesn¡¯t sell potions.¡± Perfect Bald changed the subject, ¡°These items are just the icing on the cake, nothing crucial that you can¡¯t live without, so what¡¯s the rush?

    Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t dare stop them!¡±

    ¡°You just keep showing off, Perfect Bald!¡±

    Perfect Bald, grinning, walked towards Hill with a boss-like stride.

    Although Hill almost wanted to trip him as he dashed towards the screen, he eventually restrained his emotions and let him in.

    ¡°Mr.

    Hill, can we put more goods out today?

    Our allies have come, and they want to buy a lot of things.

    I¡¯m guessing tonight, or maybe tomorrow, a lot of scattered ones will come running.¡±

    Hill nodded his head and called Srei over, instructing him to ensure all goods were promptly restocked today.

    Then turned to Baldy, ¡°Shall I restock the jewelry until 5:00 PM?¡±

    Baldy, suddenly enlightened, quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, thank you Mr.

    Hill for remembering.

    I almost got carried away and offended all the girls.¡±

    He quickly turned around, grabbing the males among those clan leaders outside, and strode out of the shop door, waving goodbye leaving behind only a group of female players.

    Throughout the day, Hill could only prop his chin, watching Srei¡¯s figure continuously flicker.

    It seems the players really made a lot of money from William.

    Everything Hill sold here was a luxury, and the alchemy jewelry was just a bit better than the standard equipment they got from completing tasks for William.

    If it weren¡¯t for money, not so many people would chase after prettiness.

    After all, for many people, ¡°cost-effective¡± is just a self-consoling term when they¡¯re broke.

    At 4:00, Srei suddenly reminded him that someone he once recorded in the shop¡¯s core had appeared.

    Before setting out, Hill had let Srei copy all contents of the shop¡¯s core, so this person Hill vividly remembered was the memorable rich lady from when they were in Obastian.

    This lady indeed was well-informed.

    She even showed up during the last hour of the ladies¡¯ rush-buying period.

    Hill instructed Srei to also lay out the most ostentatious part of his memory.

    When he was younger, he had once tried to build a good relationship with Melanie.

    Because of Melanie¡¯s love for jewelry, it reminded him of his own mother: Madam Wang, who adored big arrays of jewelry and loved the dazzling aura of royal jewels, once made Hill create computer models of all her favorite jewelry.

    So Hill drew many royal jewelry designs of his world for Melanie.

    But although Melanie accepted them, she told Lina that Hill liked women¡¯s things, predicting he¡¯d never amount to much later on.

    Hurt by this painful lesson, Hill decided never to get emotionally involved with Melanie again.

    Later when clearing out Melanie¡¯s jewelry storage, he found many jewelry designs he¡¯d given her executed.

    Those Melanie selected were ones using the most gemstones, incredibly lavish, so many that their functions were actually diminished due to performance conflicts, all style and no substance, making them useless alchemy jewelry for performance.

    For Melanie, who still held some mage pride, these were only to be kept for display, never to be used.

    Garners of the Black Rose Clan, in Hill¡¯s observation, only chose from those jewelry pieces that matched their magic attributes exactly to their satisfaction.

    But this shopping spree rich lady, Hill remembered clearly, she was the type to acquire one of everything without discerning attributes.

    This time out, Hill brought all the jewelry along, hoping to encounter one or two such ladies at Kexlote, but unexpectedly, one showed up today!

    Hill happily waited for Srei to bring him the good news.

 Chapter 65 - 65 62 Hills Near Mishap

    ?65: Chapter 62: Hill¡¯s Near Mishap 65: Chapter 62: Hill¡¯s Near Mishap Hill looked around the store with great satisfaction.

    After scanning the entire shop, the impressive lady indeed headed straight for the jewelry display, her eyes sparkling as she admired the dignified and elegant, gleaming gemstone jewelry.

    She was extremely satisfied with the feast of exquisite gems and craftsmanship, happily sweeping up those expensive jewels.

    Hill was truly delighted, as the players were all paying with attributeless crystals, and he could now support his elemental spirits for many years with these returns.

    Hill sat on the sofa, joyfully sipping his juice.

    Perhaps he should try his hand at making some jewelry too?

    After dreaming for a while, he finally remembered his painful history of being scolded by his mother for his peculiar color choices.

    Not everyone likes only black and white, and most people claiming they only love black and white are typically a representation of the physically incapable.

    Better not to ruin money.

    Earning some is already very good.

    Hill watched the lady leave the shop happily, thinking contentedly.

    Baldy sat down and said, ¡°Mr.

    Hill!

    We want 100 sets of the shop¡¯s core!

    If possible, we would like more in the future!¡±

    Hill was surprised, ¡°You manage to open so many stores?¡±

    Baldy finally confessed after some hesitation, ¡°One reason is that Black and White Path plans to go to the Northern Border to grab a few territories, and there needs to be a general store, right?

    Plus, our own guild always has a few learning alchemy.

    Even though it might not be valuable, we also want to sell some to compensate for the consumption.¡±

    Another reason, he chuckled, ¡°William is selling shop spaces in the Royal Capital!¡±

    Hill was suddenly startled, ¡°Kexlote¡¯s, already?¡±

    ¡°Yes, William said, Osbastian will be left to Saral¡¯s royal nobility!

    Kexlote belongs to us.

    We will be operating in the Royal Capital from now on.

    The arena is going to be opened there.

    The shops around the arena, William plans to sell to our Undead Tribe.

    We can only keep accumulating military exploits, waiting for the chance!

    Everything from William must be exchanged for military exploits.

    If it weren¡¯t for Mr.

    Hill coming here, we haven¡¯t bought anything good in over a month.¡±

    Hill hesitated.

    William wasn¡¯t planning on starting to sell those properties right away, was he?

    Although it is also about spending money, according to the usual rules of this world, the stores in the Royal Capital are first occupied by the royal family, then by the Great Nobility and archmages, and then by the lesser nobles and professionals.

    William wouldn¡¯t be planning to do away with the nobles¡¯ district, would he?

    But it¡¯s also possible!

    Not leaving any face for the nobles, William could do it!

    He might even decide to sell to the highest bidder, rather than having the highest rank choose first.

    Nobles who don¡¯t want to bow to him just continue to stay in Osbastian, right?

    Unable to keep up with him, just slowly fade away with time.

    The Temple District in Osbastian is definitely not going to move into Kexlote, and those nobles who refuse to give up their glory will not perish either.

    After all, the Goldstone Mine still exists.

    The Great Magic Tower, which still retains two legendary mages, who knows what will happen in the future?

    The lower-level mages in the Magic Tower all need to follow the King, and no one will stay there.

    There could hardly be a rebellion, especially since William has left a super huge Space-Time Cathedral in Osbastian!

    William is a man with fierce tactics, no one doubts that now!

    Hill calmed down again thinking about it.

    He just needed to inform Fran.

    Fran had arranged for people in Kexlote, and they could arrive immediately upon notification.

    Hill himself didn¡¯t need to buy shops in the Royal Capital.

    The matters in Osbastian also had nothing to do with him.

    If there was any major issue, Fran would tell him.

    Hill told Baldy, ¡°More than a hundred, it¡¯s worth Adrian getting involved.

    I¡¯ll notify him tonight, and he will deliver the goods directly.¡±

    Baldy hesitated and asked, ¡°Can I go pick them up once they are ready?

    How long will it take to make 100?

    Will Master Fran be making others to sell at the same time?¡±

    Hill realized these guys wanted a monopoly.

    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Master Fran has no desire to make that little money.

    Once Adrian takes the order, he¡¯ll arrange for the alchemists in his territory to make it.

    He won¡¯t make others until all of your goods are dealt with first.¡±

    Baldy laughed happily, ¡°That¡¯s great!

    They can¡¯t find another alchemist, either they spend military exploits or they go be a shop boy themselves!¡±

    He stood up, politely bid farewell to Hill, and joined up with the various clan leaders in the shop.

    Hill watched him gesticulate and laugh loudly, the others also very happy to go along with him.

    Indeed, no matter which world it is, the joys and sorrows of these guild leaders are the same; as long as rival gangs suffer even a bit, it¡¯s their happiness.

    Suddenly, Srei approached him, ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve received a message you must reply to.¡±

    Hill gave him a puzzled look and walked upstairs.

    The communicator in the study flashed, and Hill pressed down on it.

    William¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Hello, Baron Polanio.

    I¡¯m William.

    Today I received an application from a lady of the Undead Tribe, she is a jewelry designer from that world.

    She hopes to use your jewelry design plans.

    Are they your designs?

    They look very familiar to me.¡±

    Hill was speechless for a while, taken aback by the unexpected news, and attempted to remain calm as he replied, ¡°They are all made by my mother.

    I¡¯m not very proficient in this area.¡±

    The low voice from the other side of the communicator made him breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°Master Fran¡¯s daughter, Melanie?

    Really, is this the result of reading too many romance novels?¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 62 Hill Almost Overturned_2

    ?66: Chapter 62 Hill Almost Overturned_2 66: Chapter 62 Hill Almost Overturned_2 ¡°A fine mage marries an idiot noble.¡±

    Hill tried to remain calm and asked, ¡°His Majesty the King?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.

    As part of your mother¡¯s design, I will give you half the income.

    The rest is my commission!¡±

    Hill thought for a moment, ¡°Please allow me to dedicate it all to you, His Majesty the King!

    This income is given by the Undead out of respect for you; it has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just a little!

    Did your mother never tell you anything?¡±

    ¡°These jewelry pieces were treasures her mother never wore.

    My mother is not much of a talker.

    I have kept all the pieces she wore!

    Mages generally don¡¯t wear these styles of jewelry; they¡¯re useless.¡±

    ¡°So she never wore them?¡± William murmured, ¡°It would have been nice if she had, then I might have been able to communicate with her; nobles from other worlds aren¡¯t like those in the novels.¡±

    Hill was relieved that this was a conversation via a communicator; otherwise, his pounding heart would have certainly given him away.

    ¡°No need to say more, consider this money a gift for an old friend¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°Old friend?¡± Hill was puzzled.

    ¡°Ah!

    We¡¯ve spoken a few times before, too bad your mother was blinded by love, a classic result of reading too many romance novels.

    Naive girls should not read such novels.

    Believing them too simply, that¡¯s what happened to your mother.

    Educate your children well in the future.¡±

    William ended the communication, and Hill collapsed into his chair, feeling drained.

    What on earth was William¡¯s past!

    Why did he know so much about Western royal jewelry!

    And, rich lady, why don¡¯t you just use it instead of applying for copyright?

    All his careful thinking, his cautious planning, and in the end, he was defeated by a jewelry designer.

    Hill didn¡¯t think William actually trusted him; he would definitely be under observation for a while.

    What¡¯s frightening is that there¡¯s a god above!

    The terrible crash sent Hill lying painfully on the desk, unable to move for a long time.

    Indeed, greed strikes like lightning!

    Hill encouraged himself, he must pull himself together.

    If he gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t let go, he could make it through.

    Hill was thrown directly into Melanie¡¯s belly when she was close to a miscarriage, and he was born the second year after William reincarnated.

    No matter how much William knew, he couldn¡¯t possibly know everything about a fetus¡¯s months of consciousness, could he?

    He glanced at his communicator: William, you dog, using divine power like that, how can you still dare to talk on a compromised communicator!

    His tone was subdued as he ordered Srei to contact List.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°Contact my grandfather immediately!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Sensing the urgency, List quickly contacted Fran.

    ¡°Hill, what happened now?¡± Adrian¡¯s voice came through, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Diamant to notify your teacher, he¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    Fran arrived almost instantly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather, can divine power just connect directly to our communicators?¡±

    ¡°William?

    In Saral, he¡¯s pretty much omnipotent.¡±

    Fran said helplessly, ¡°Why would he suddenly invade your communicator?

    He represents the deities, it shouldn¡¯t be so impolite without cause.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Adrian, do you remember those terrifying pieces of jewelry from my mother¡¯s storage?

    The kind you said she must have been out of her mind to keep.¡±

    ¡°I remember, what about them?

    Just piles of useless gems!¡±

    ¡°The Undead took a liking to their look and got permission from William to use them in their world.¡±

    ¡°Are there such gems without elemental power in the Undead World?¡± Adrian keenly said, ¡°It appears that those attributeless crystals might also originate from that world.¡±

    Fran asked, ¡°Melanie¡¯s jewelry, they find it attractive?

    So, Melanie just wanted it for the pretty looks?¡±

    Hill felt Fran getting a bit confused and hurriedly continued, ¡°William said he¡¯s giving me half of the income from the jewelry designs as a gift for an old friend¡¯s child.

    Do they know each other?¡±

    ¡°They definitely know each other, but probably weren¡¯t close.

    Melanie liked to play around in the court,¡± Fran said sadly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know everyone she knew.

    As an unmarried prince, William was quite notable in the court.

    If Melanie spent much time with him, someone would have told me.¡±

    ¡°They were about the same age, definitely a reasonable attention.

    After all, Melanie was truly beautiful,¡± Adrian added.

    ¡°William said my mother was naive,¡± Hill couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°too many knight novels.¡±

    ¡°It shows that an intelligent man won¡¯t easily fall for a woman just because she is beautiful¡± Fran concluded, ¡°At most, he saw someone he used to know, took some interest, and that¡¯s it.

    No need to worry.

    Hill, just keep the money.

    It¡¯s not going to be much anyway.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Grandfather,¡± Hill finally calmed down.

    Fortunately, his purpose for leaving was to travel, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to be far from Saral.

    Fran said, ¡°Once you leave Haifasardo, William¡¯s reach probably won¡¯t extend that far.

    Even those above won¡¯t bother helping him monitor you.

    But still, be cautious since he might try to contact you through the Divine Kingdom.¡±

    In the end, he said, ¡°William said he¡¯s an old friend of your mother¡¯s, and it was just an excuse to connect with you through your communicator.

    Later, even if he contacts you again, he can claim it¡¯s just out of concern for an old friend¡¯s child.

    No need to worry too much; you haven¡¯t said anything secretive here.

    Whatever you know, the deities know too.

    Keep the communication open in the future; don¡¯t let it hinder you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Grandfather,¡± Hill briskly replied.

    It seemed he hadn¡¯t answered wrongly; to the mages, the appearance of the jewelry wasn¡¯t important¡ªit obviously wasn¡¯t valuable.

    Hill sighed in relief.

    Suddenly, he remembered and quickly said, ¡°The Undead said that William might sell the store in advance; they have already started saving up.

    I think William might not leave any space for the great nobility, Grandfather, you should watch out for his notices.¡±

    Fran was a bit surprised, ¡°William really doesn¡¯t regard the nobility highly!

    His thoughts have sync with the deities now, haven¡¯t they?

    Got it, I¡¯ll have Adrian contact the people from Kexlote every day.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Teacher.¡±

    Hill continued, ¡°Uncle Adrian, Perfect Bald has ordered 100 shop cores; do you have time to make them?¡±

    ¡°Of course!

    Is it for opening a store?

    Quite a quick response.

    But with so many people from the Undead, can¡¯t they sell on their own?¡±

    ¡°The ones who come to this world are Professionals; not many would be willing to sell the goods themselves,¡± Hill said.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.

    Although it seems undignified, they still have some professional pride!

    100, no problem.¡±

    ¡°Baldy said he would often go there to collect the goods, the sooner he gets them, the sooner he can open the store.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I know.

    It¡¯s a good time to arrange the Alchemists who followed over.¡±

    After cutting off the communication, Hill vigorously rubbed his hair.

    He really had let his guard down!

    He must be more careful in the future.

    Run the store for another day, then go to Keslow, stay for a couple of days, and then quickly leave.

    Feeling guilty makes it easy to make big mistakes; it¡¯s better to stay hidden.

    Srei looked at the disheartened Hill and asked cautiously, ¡°Sir, would you like to see today¡¯s income?¡±

    ¡°No, Srei,¡± Hill said, leaning on his forehead, ¡°Just sell casually tomorrow.

    During the collection, remember to save as much of the attributeless crystals as possible; use up the ones we brought first.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Srei looked at him, ¡°Sir, would you like to rest early?¡±

    Hill shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath, and then meditate.

    Too much happened today.

    I definitely won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡±

    Fortunately, his store was equipped as a Mid-level Magic Tower; even the deities couldn¡¯t see inside.

    The only linked communicator Hill had, he couldn¡¯t give up.

    Just hang in there!

    Either it would be a complete disaster, or he¡¯d deceive them all.

    After meditating all night, Hill awoke the next morning completely calm.

    Still leaning by the window in the morning, watching Cohen fight the vast sky.

    During the day, he still went to the shop to observe the Undead.

    At night, Baldy came with a group to say farewell and also asked Hill about his plans for the next day.

    Hill smiled and said, ¡°My carriage can¡¯t be stored in a storage ring, so I have to go on my own.

    But it¡¯s fast; just follow the outside of The Great Wall, it only takes an hour.¡±

    Baldy clicked his tongue enviously, ¡°Then we¡¯ll see each other in Keslow.

    These next few days, we will also take the Teleportation Array over.¡±

    Hill nodded with a smile.

    With no further discussions that night, Hill got up early the next morning and packed up the shop.

    The Puppet Horse was harnessed back into a carriage form.

    With the sound of horseshoes, Hill sat with his eyes closed, trying to relax, waiting for the unknown journey to Keslow.

 Chapter 67 - 67 63 Arriving at Kexlote

    ?67: Chapter 63 Arriving at Kexlote 67: Chapter 63 Arriving at Kexlote Kexlote was a city without walls.

    In the past, besides the Great Wall with its defense magic array, other walls of the border city were dismantled.

    Outside the Great Wall, William constructed the Royal Palace, Magic Tower, and Temple of Time and Space.

    Inside the Great Wall were vast residential areas and business districts.

    Hill flew in the sky, gazing at the massive city.

    He had thought that William would build a replica of the Imperial Capital, but he hadn¡¯t.

    Compared to the prevalent gold of Obastian, Kexlote leaned more towards the color of silver and white.

    Hill looked from afar at the palace, realizing that William didn¡¯t quite understand Western architecture.

    His choices were quite mainstream, Versailles and Notre Dame de Paris.

    He probably wouldn¡¯t take a liking to the Louvre.

    Thinking of the church in his own territory, Hill felt that William probably only concentrated on Paris.

    But that building to the left of the Royal Palace, it must be the place for the King¡¯s Guard, modeled after the Palace of Fontainebleau.

    It is the place in France with the most artifacts from the Old Summer Palace, and most Chinese visitors who enter it don¡¯t find the building beautiful; they just feel sorrow and regret.

    This building is more famous in the West than in China because many people who have seen it won¡¯t share upon returning.

    Even the most cultured people wouldn¡¯t exclaim that their favorite is Fontainebleau.

    That William has vivid memories of this royal palace was completely understandable to Hill.

    Stationing his own army in this royal palace, no one in this world would understand this feeling better than Hill.

    Knowing that William wasn¡¯t too concerned about buildings, Hill felt relieved.

    His village wasn¡¯t an exact copy of those towns, and those who didn¡¯t understand couldn¡¯t see it.

    Moreover, Hill had used a large number of magic plants from this world, and these plants of various shapes and forms concealed the styles of many buildings.

    Hill floated in the air, feeling greatly relieved as he continued to admire the scenery of Kexlote.

    He counted carefully and saw that there were still seven Great Magic Towers, but many medium-sized magic towers had sprung up around them.

    William was planning on having the Magic Towers run by Archmages form an array, Hill thought.

    This belligerent was forming a Hexagram Magic Circle, with the seven Great Magic Towers distributed at the six points and the center.

    The Main Temple of Time and Space to the right of the Royal Palace, even though it mimicked Notre Dame de Paris, Hill also noticed, had its highest spires numbering seven.

    It seemed that defense was comprised of Divine Formations.

    Hill couldn¡¯t help but admire, having the memory of a god sure is great, plus having the divinity of time, there¡¯s no problem that can¡¯t be solved by delving into one¡¯s own memories.

    It¡¯s just that Hill felt shortchanged, why did you still have to look at jewelry?

    Were you in Paris accompanying your girlfriend?

    Without the obstruction of city walls, the city felt even more familiar to Hill, although the tallest buildings were only five stories high, all in the style of Western small buildings.

    Beginning from the Great Wall, the large districts spread out in a fan shape, separated by vast groves of tall maple trees.

    In this world, the maple trees grew taller, reaching seventy or eighty meters, and their red, purple, and orange-red leaves interweaved, dazzlingly vibrant.

    The red was intoxicating, like flames eager to spread across the sky.

    This fervent red foliage lent Kexlote a touch of warmth to its silver and white.

    Hill could only think of a phrase, ¡°White clouds and red leaves lock in the autumn; in the morning, who has painted the frosty forest drunk?¡±

    But William was more likely inspired by ¡°Mountains redden far and wide, every layer of forest stained.¡±

    I really am the complete opposite of William!

    Hill thought to himself, critical inside.

    Has the story of farming come up against a tale of conquest?

    Hill mused sarcastically in his mind.

    In the city district, many functional buildings appeared, each cluster equipped with one or two medium-sized Magic Towers.

    William seemed likely to adopt a zonal city management plan.

    He gazed and admired for a long time before descending to sit in his carriage and head towards the entrance.

    This was a three-way crossroads, the shortest of which led directly to Kexlote, which had no city walls or guards.

    The roads are long and straight; do remnants of a passion for infrastructure construction still linger in one¡¯s blood, even in a different world?

    Hill also pondered for a moment.

    Although the Royal Palace seemed to be at the end of the city, once William swallowed up Haifasardo, the opposite side would be just right for Haifa¡¯s people.

    William¡¯s Royal Palace was still in the central city, and his Royal City remained at the heart of the territory.

    William truly was a very methodical man.

    Hill¡¯s carriage briskly entered Kexlote, and Srei, sitting outside, saw the patrolling guards and decisively stopped to ask for directions.

    The guards were very polite; after clearly understanding that he came to do business with his own shop, only needing a space, they inquired about the value of his goods and whether he minded the presence of numerous Undead Tribe members.

    Srei laughed, ¡°The more of the Undead Tribe, the better.

    My master often does business with them.

    They are notoriously generous.¡±

    The guard glanced at the motionless carriage and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s really wonderful that the mage doesn¡¯t mind the Undead Tribe¡¯s behavior!

    They are just too self-centered sometimes, and most are quite shrewd.

    But many people find them bothersome and prefer not to deal with them.

    If you don¡¯t mind, there¡¯s a lot of space near the Undead Tribe¡¯s arena.

    The land there is meant to be sold to the Undead Tribe for them to build shops, intended for their own construction.

    Until then, you can set up a stall for free.

    It¡¯s just that there are also Undead trading there, and many people don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    Srei was quite pleased, ¡°This spot is perfect.

    My master has received fine materials from the Undead Tribe.

    They travel widely and have all sorts of things on hand.

    Could you please tell me how to get there?¡±

    The guard happily provided directions to the arena, ¡°It¡¯s quite a tall structure; you¡¯ll see it when you get there.

    You can set up a stall anywhere around.

    You and the mage just find an open spot and that¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Hill opened the carriage window and thanked the enthusiastic guard.

    As the guard blushed and bashfully insisted it wasn¡¯t necessary, the carriage headed toward the arena.

    Hill didn¡¯t need Srei to tell him they were approaching the arena; he could tell from the deafening roar of the crowd.

    The carriage weaved through the throng of people, and Hill gently lifted the curtain to see the Undead Tribe turning the place into a bustling market.

    The oppression of the city was strong¡ªthis was the power left by the God of Time and Space.

    Players felt little, as their bodies were made from the Divine Power of the God of Time and Space.

    Yet Hill felt suppressed.

    His spiritual power couldn¡¯t be projected outward, and his mana was locked within his body.

    Is this the result of the Main Temple being built?

    Indeed, I am still a mage!

    Hill thought.

    If a believer came in, they would feel very comfortable.

    No matter how much one agrees with the philosophy of the God of Time and Space or with William¡¯s governance, Hill remained a mage who sought freedom.

    Agreeing but not worshiping was etched into his soul.

    It¡¯s uncertain whether this would change at life¡¯s end, but at least for now, Hill felt very content with the prospect of living ten thousand years.

    The thought of eternal, undying deities wasn¡¯t within his consideration.

 Chapter 68 - 68 64 Young Master in Kexlote

    ?68: Chapter 64 Young Master in Kexlote 68: Chapter 64 Young Master in Kexlote Fran finally found an empty space where he could set up his shop, squeezed into a corner after a turn, barely fitting his small building.

    Hill wasted no time transforming the carriage into a shop, as players were always on the move; if he was too slow, players who didn¡¯t mind the quiet might come over.

    Hill replaced the booth sofas by the shop window with a circular, high platform surrounded by workbenches.

    He sat on the sofa inside, reading a book, only to be called over by Srei when he encountered materials he couldn¡¯t identify.

    Sometimes, when facing a large number of players, the collected and industrious Tower Spirit, who remained neither sad nor happy, was more suited for the job.

    But as the boss, Hill couldn¡¯t completely neglect his duties, and he still had to show his face.

    Fortunately, Cohen was very stable, and Hill could enjoy himself on the upper floor.

    If it were Alice, she¡¯d probably sneak down no matter what.

    ¡°Sir, the Undead Tribe has taken notice of us; there are a lot of people outside.

    Shall we limit the entrance?¡±

    Confused, Hill glanced outside and saw that in just a short while, over a thousand people had gathered!

    What¡¯s going on?

    Are they really that idle?

    Surprised, Hill ordered Srei to only allow 50 people in within the next half hour.

    He also lit up all the crystal plates on the outside walls of the shop, displaying his purchase prices.

    Puppets designated for buying were placed on both sides of the entrance, set up at the counters.

    One gone, another placed.

    Srei left to open the store with determination written all over his face.

    Hill quickly picked up a book and hid behind it as he observed.

    Among those who rushed in, Hill seemed to remember someone.

    An enemy of Perfect Bald?

    He remembered that although the Scattered Ones came yesterday, Baldy had banned enemy gangs from entering the city.

    And the girls from Black Rose had boasted for a long time on their forum; Hill¡¯s shop had been a backdrop for their posts countless times.

    Scattered Ones also knew that Hill was planning to come to Kexlote today; it must have been posted on the world channel and the forums, so those people were already waiting, right?

    Hill envied their speed of communication; as soon as one saw something, everyone knew.

    Gang members always act quickly and with greater unity.

    Hill noticed that one group was buying Alchemy Jewelry and miscellaneous goods while another sold items quickly.

    Hooligan Rabbit, someone who had left an impression on Hill, glanced at him and saw he wasn¡¯t going to interfere, so he went to communicate with Srei.

    Hill had told Srei to note down anyone who came to reserve a Core for the shop, as Fran¡¯s people would come to collect the orders in the evening.

    But they were to be told that there were already 100 reservations ahead of them.

    They probably all knew that by now; after all, Hill remembered Baldy always saying that there were spies in every gang, on both sides.

    Hill wondered how a simple game could give off such a Mission Impossible vibe.

    The phrase Baldy said, ¡°What allies don¡¯t know, enemies definitely will,¡± left a deep impression on Hill.

    Fran always allowed anyone in his territory¡¯s shops; the quick reaped rewards while the slow missed out.

    But Hill still couldn¡¯t help but stealthily scrutinize everyone who came in.

    He wanted to see if Mr.

    Lu Huayu had arrived.

    Was Two Lines of Bamboo still around?

    During a chat the other day, Old Age Striking King was very sure that Two Lines of Bamboo had come¡ªhe had just deleted his old account and changed his name and appearance.

    She said that Two Lines of Bamboo had sacrificed too much for Lu Huayu; her reputation was gone, and she could only cling tightly to him.

    After all, Road Eunuch was very good at wooing young girls, and if not watched closely, she¡¯d end up with nothing, utterly empty.

    Recently on their forum, everyone has been guessing which of the new girls around Road Eunuch is Two Lines of Bamboo.

    Betting has already started, and the people of Black Rose have all placed their bets, so they say they¡¯ve been hating voice changers lately.

    Hill, although he showed no reaction when listening, couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity.

    He knew he definitely couldn¡¯t guess correctly, but he still wanted to take a look.

    However, with the situation being so lively, Lu Huayu himself must know about it, and with so many people around, he might not come over.

    Hill furrowed his brows; why were there so many people taking photos?

    The people from Black Rose seemed to have been instructed to take photos from a far distance.

    Here, they were almost clinging to Hill¡¯s isolation shield.

    Hill heard many voices regretting not seeing the cat.

    There were people disappointed that Hill had no reaction and didn¡¯t smile at them.

    Listening to those murmurs, saying that there were cuter ones in the instance, Hill felt he was about to burst a vein.

    He is a man of 186 cm tall after all, cute, seriously!

    ¡°Young Master is here!¡± There was some disturbance outside, someone shouted.

    Didn¡¯t the people from Wenjian visit Hill¡¯s shop just two days ago?

    Hill was puzzled, wondering why he had come over.

    Hill discreetly glanced at the door with his eyes.

    Alright, the Young Master was here to guard the door, eyeing the entrance intensely, making the people from Doomsday and Qingcheng walk around him.

    Fighting with spells is one thing, but many shy away from the brutality of a physical brawl on the ground.

    Plus, the Young Master being short and a knight, not only had tremendous strength but also specialized in targeting the lower body.

    Baldy mentioned in a chat that he had completely given up on saving face; anyway, Youth Journey of the Wenjian World wouldn¡¯t be disbanded, and even with a name change, everyone would know who he was.

    So the Young Master had simply decided to throw caution to the wind.

    Kexlote couldn¡¯t get physical, so many people just cursed, but only the Young Master was always looking for someone to fight.

    Using Old Age Striking King¡¯s words, he had mastered the Ground Lying Skill well.

    Did the Young Master think Lu Huayu was going to come shopping?

    Baldy said he just wanted to punch Lu Huayu flesh to flesh a few times; killing him wouldn¡¯t be satisfying enough.

    Hill felt that the queue outside had grown larger; they were probably there to watch the excitement, right?

    The lolis and shoutas from Wenjian stood in two lines outside the Hill shop.

    The Young Master was prepared for both scenarios, either to beat up Lu Huayu or to ensure he wouldn¡¯t come to shop.

    Time flew swiftly, and as night fell, although Hill didn¡¯t see Lu Huayu, nor received any special ores or herbs, he was still quite satisfied.

    The Young Master indeed stayed until Hill closed the shop and then left, shouting loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll be here early tomorrow morning!

    Anyway, the NPC is only here for three days!

    Let¡¯s see who can outlast whom!¡±

    Baldy had complained before that the Young Master had actually killed Lu Huayu a few times, and they had already fought small gang wars.

    But the Young Master thought Lu Huayu died too easily.

    It was more satisfying to beat him with fists.

    Their bodies would show bruises and swelling, but it would disappear in a day.

    In this city where lethal moves are forbidden, only those who abandon shame are invincible, so now the Young Master feared nothing.

    Hill hadn¡¯t received a summons from William by the time he went to bed that evening.

    After tossing and turning for a while, Hill finally figured it out.

    William¡¯s enemies were this world, the deities above.

    Hill was merely a possible fellow townsman, but in Saral, he couldn¡¯t exert any influence.

    Even though Hill was a quite powerful mage, since he wasn¡¯t interested in politics and deities, he wouldn¡¯t be of much use.

    As long as he wasn¡¯t legendary, he didn¡¯t need William¡¯s constant attention.

    In the future, as long as Hill didn¡¯t expose himself again, and given William¡¯s busy schedule, he might keep an eye on Hill¡¯s situation, but he would never prioritize it.

 Chapter 69 - 69 65 The fight is about to start

    ?69: Chapter 65: The fight is about to start 69: Chapter 65: The fight is about to start In the early dawn of Kexlote, the stars had not yet fully faded away.

    The entire city felt pure and clean, lying on the border with no magic barrier raised, yet there wasn¡¯t even a hint of wind.

    The sky was high and the clouds sparse, yet sadly there were no geese flying south overhead.

    The suppression of divine power was too strong here.

    Although the air was rich with elements, Hill still felt extremely uncomfortable.

    It was like being in a place with the highest humidity, where there was always an urge to open one¡¯s mouth to breathe.

    Even Cohen did not wish to fly in this divinely suffused area.

    Hill¡¯s shop could be considered a small Magic Tower.

    Yet one could still feel that omnipresent pressure.

    Probably only a medium-sized Magic Tower could withstand it.

    William probably built Magic Towers everywhere for this reason.

    The mages who followed him to Kexlote could only live comfortably within the Magic Towers.

    Only after generations of mages grew up, accustomed to the pressure given by divine power from infancy, could they live comfortably outside in the wider world.

    But such mages, with each meditation absorbing a massive amount of divine power, could no longer escape the control of the Temple of Time and Space.

    So William didn¡¯t need to worry about the children living in Kexlote, choosing to learn magic rather than entering the Temple.

    And the knights who would grow up in Kexlote would all essentially be Paladins.

    For many knights, if their bloodline wasn¡¯t strong enough, their attributes could all potentially shift to divine power.

    But the greatest advantage was that, unless they were particularly untalented, the new generation in Kexlote could all become Professionals.

    That¡¯s why the Main Temple, located in every deity¡¯s Holy City, is the most formidable place.

    Before the power of the God of Time and Space could cover the entire world, William would not go looking for trouble on the God of Nobility¡¯s turf.

    However, after a year, neither the God of Nobility nor the God of Monarchy managed to return from the Abyss.

    It¡¯s probably because their attributes have been contaminated by their devoted followers towards evil.

    The Church of Love and Literature had also retracted back to the Main Temple this year, and the priests of Haifasardo followed suit.

    This is the greatest downfall of the gods of faith, to rise by followers and falter by them too.

    The Noble Temple is still holding on, possessing profound heritage, but it¡¯s uncertain what would happen to them if their deity cannot return to the Divine Kingdom for many years.

    Although William was far away, the proudly enduring Noble Temple did not lack other enemies.

    The practice of the God of Time and Space, not needing devoted followers, might be glaring, but it was the safest for Him, being originally a Nature God.

    As long as He successfully ascended to His Divine Throne, followers were not that important to Him.

    There had been Nature Gods who ascended in the past, like the Goddess of the Spring, but She ascended among the stars relying heavily on the prayers provided by Her local followers.

    Thus, She had to return the favor to Her followers before She could completely ignore their prayers.

    Regrettably, it has been tens of thousands of years, and it seems She has accumulated more debt than ever before.

    Hill didn¡¯t quite understand how that worked in the past, but the recent lament of the earth and nature made him suspect that the Goddess of the Spring must have taken part as well.

    After all, the Goddess of Agriculture originated from faith, and with altars spread across the world, She no longer needed to pay any mind to her followers.

    She would bless the lands around Her altars only during the early spring festival; at other times, the altars showed no response.

    Nevertheless, the divine power of the Goddess of Agriculture was still very strong, ranking among the top within the human deities.

    The God of Time and Space ascended to His throne through the prayers of players, but it was more like a transaction.

    Therefore, He bestowed Himself with a profession of entertainment.

    He treated Himself as a game developer, and the players¡¯ widespread faith was like a currency.

    Hill had heard players discussing why the game was so cheap, pondering if it aimed at making back its cost through volume sales.

    They did not realize the God of Time and Space had charged them another currency; He had to meticulously calculate the price of these prayers.

    And as long as people kept switching to His game for the low price, it was very meaningful for the God of Time and Space.

    Furthermore, their bodies were created by the divine power of the God of Time and Space, and as long as they continued to play, their faith was the fee for services provided by the God of Time and Space.

    Hence, the God of Time and Space didn¡¯t need fervent followers, and there were no priests leading prayers in His church.

    As for the Space-Time Cathedrals spread out everywhere, they resembled more an organization for managing Teleportation Arrays and literacy classes, providing services to the Undead Tribe.

    Hill had inquired with Olivia, and the priest skills she acquired, aside from the standard healing, dispelling plagues, and protection, were all about escaping.

    Although Olivia was vague, Hill knew there were at least one chaotic teleportation and one meld into shadow.

    If she were in the church, she could also directly hide in the Divine Scales in front of the statue.

    This deity and William were indeed of the same soul, both being very pragmatic.

    Hill leaned against the window, looking at the sky that was just revealing the break of dawn.

    Theoretically, the grounds of Kexlote, especially beneath William¡¯s Royal Palace, should be entirely composed of Space Element ore.

    In Obastian, those sensitive to elements would notice that the Metal Attribute elements were comparatively abundant.

    Hence, most of the commoner knights in Obastian had the Metal Attribute.

    The Nobles typically lived on their own estates, resulting in a wide variety of attributes.

    The Royal Capital of Haifasardo was built upon a Fire Attribute element deposit, thus their Royal Family was primarily of the Fire Attribute.

    The inheritance of noble bloodlines was incredibly stubborn; even if they lived upon a Gold Element mine, the knights of the Saral Royal Family were still half Metal Attribute and half Fire Attribute, seldom manifesting any other attributes.

 Chapter 70 - 70 65 The fight is about to start_2

    ?70: Chapter 65: The fight is about to start_2 70: Chapter 65: The fight is about to start_2 However, in Kexlote, Hill could feel that the content of elements was average, very harmonic; the elements were suppressed by divine power and were very submissive, easily absorbed by the body.

    The space elements were firmly pressed within the ore deposits, not a trace of them showing.

    If you¡¯re not a Magic Master, it¡¯s best not to reside in this city for long.

    Long periods of meditation could very likely be penetrated by divine power.

    You might unwittingly become a follower of the God of Time and Space and still believe it was your own choice.

    Hill leaned against the window, looking at the bustling and lively Undead Tribe below.

    His mind, muddled for many days, had finally cleared up.

    He had been paying too much attention to William and the Undead Tribe recently.

    Overestimation is a common human flaw.

    In other¡¯s eyes, something might not be important, but once it happens to oneself, it seems of great importance.

    Actually, William¡¯s world and he were completely unrelated; Hill just needed to continue on his own path.

    He could maintain interest, but should not let it influence his life.

    For the players, indeed, their emergence was a blow for Hill.

    If he hadn¡¯t come to Kexlote, Hill¡¯s heart would definitely continue to envy these players.

    Naturally elemental bodies, magic that could be cast without much effort, reaching the ability of a Magic Master in a short time.

    Compared to these Undead Tribe members, who were inherently high-level locals, knowing they were actually ordinary people inside, Hill¡¯s heart would actually be shaken.

    But having come to Kexlote, Hill finally realized.

    Hadn¡¯t he known all along that the players were just tools of the deities?

    And Hill, every bit of strength in his body, belonged to himself.

    He carefully analyzed his heart, why should he be jealous?

    What was he actually jealous of?

    He probed deeper within himself and finally had an epiphany.

    Because the players were still living in their own world, yet they could experience the scenery of another world.

    Even though they themselves don¡¯t know it and just think of this place as a game.

    But for Hill, who could never return, the fact that the players could happily play in this world and then happily go home for dinner was insanely enviable.

    Rebirth is a good thing, but to be able to return to one¡¯s own world after rebirth, that is true happiness.

    He might even feel that these thoughts were too greedy, Hill had lied to himself.

    Previously, he hadn¡¯t realized, but Hill discovered that he truly cared too much about the players and William¡¯s affairs.

    Always saying to keep away, keep away, but in the end, Hill might be the local mage who had the most contact with the players.

    Simply because, due to his Magician status, he needed to interact more with people to maintain human thinking and behavior patterns.

    So Fran and Adrian didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with him.

    But he had to change that in the future.

    Wait!

    Hill hesitated a bit, but money still needed to be made.

    Hill took out a ring and counted the resources and Crystal Stones that Srei had handed to him last night.

    He couldn¡¯t dwell on sadness!

    He might as well go back to Hill¡¯s Domain before the shop opened in the morning.

    He¡¯d hand over the Crystal Stones and some ores and herbs to List to deal with, then bring back some potions made in the Alchemy Workshop.

    There were always people too lazy to run a Teleportation Array to Hill¡¯s Domain to buy medicine; he had sold a lot of common potions yesterday.

    Now that the shop was set up, Hill could definitely leave for a short while, a Teleportation Array is something he truly liked.

    Unfortunately, once leaving Kexlote, he didn¡¯t know when he could do it again.

    Initially, he wanted to build a Temple, not only to repay the God of Time and Space for the help but also to have this Teleportation Array.

    After all, it was just a village outside his own valley; whatever happened wouldn¡¯t affect Hill¡¯s actual domain.

    Taking advantage of Alice still being absorbed in her intense training, oblivious of Hill going out to travel, Hill hurried back to Kexlote.

    As soon as he reached near the arena, there were a lot of people around.

    The timing of the players always being strange; it didn¡¯t matter if it was day or night, there were always so many people.

    Fortunately, the costume robe he bought back then all had hoods, Hill wore a hood, blended into the crowd, and unnoticeably returned.

    Before entering the door, he saw Wenjian World¡¯s Young Master, already with a group of people, guarding the outskirts of the store.

    He really meant what he said!

    Hill sorted the alchemy display cabinet, then let Srei open the shop.

    Although a day had passed, the number of players had not decreased; the line outside was still long.

    Today, Hill was completely engrossed in his books, no longer lifting his head to watch the players.

    However, Hill wasn¡¯t being overly correct.

    If Lu Huayu came by, he would definitely go to watch the excitement.

    After all, spectating is human nature, and schadenfreude is instinct.

    Hill hadn¡¯t planned on becoming a saint, so there was no need to be nervous about a bit of bad nature.

    Unfortunately, it was another day without Mr.

    Lu.

    The young master stubbornly waited until the shop closed.

    It was the last day.

    Hill sat at his workbench, resting his head on his hands, watching the young master who was standing with his arms crossed at the door.

    Today, he brought even more people.

    Hill saw many familiar faces.

    Members of the Black Rose were also there, standing on the outer edge, pointing and discussing things with their Alliance Gang members.

    Inside Hill¡¯s shop, everyone was a Scattered One; they bought items while looking outside.

    It sounded like they were betting on the forums again.

    If Lu Huayu showed up, he¡¯d get beat up; if not, he¡¯d probably be called something worse than eunuch by his adversaries.

    It seemed they all believed he would come.

    After all, today none of the End of the World Alliance members showed up, but all the allies from the Youth Journey of the Wenjian World were there.

    Hill also didn¡¯t pretend to know nothing; the sofa he was sitting on had also been moved to the window.

    William¡¯s people were also aware of this; the number of guards obviously increased.

    Hill remembered that after the Main Temple was built, they were completely unable to use their skills, so there would be no loss of life.

    So why were the guards still there?

    Hill listened carefully to the chatting of the Scattered Ones in the shop, hoping to gather some information.

    Suddenly, it dawned on him: these guards were there to prevent ordinary townspeople who wandered in from being scared or hurt.

    A punch landing on a player was one thing, but it would definitely hurt a regular person.

    When players set up stalls, they often left daily items they obtained from quests on the stall, and when regular people saw them, they would come to grab these bargain items.

    Especially the townspeople of Kexlote, many were poor people from other cities who had come to the newly established capital looking for a livelihood.

    Being able to buy such good-value items, they didn¡¯t care about how chaotic the Undead Tribe was.

    Hill heard people in the shop saying, ¡°Better stop them, if all the NPCs are scared away, it¡¯ll be even harder to sell our junk.¡±

    Luckily, the area around the arena was circular; it sufficed to block off both sides of the road.

    Hill watched the guards go into the crowd, accurately identifying ordinary people mingling among them.

    The stall-owning players also packed up their little stalls, not daring to sell anymore.

    Their stalls were unprotected; what if something got damaged in a fight?

    Both sides were seeing red, but no one was brave enough to demand compensation.

    There was a heated discussion in the shop, and although buying items was most important, they couldn¡¯t resist the pull of gossip.

    Someone whispered in awe, ¡°All the dwarves from the Youth Journey of the Wenjian World are here!¡±

    Their allies were also dwarves standing up front!

    They¡¯re planning to go all out with a ground-lying fist!

    The End of the World doesn¡¯t have that many dwarves, huh?

    Qingcheng has even fewer!

    Lu Huayu loves to be ethereal, his group hardly has any lolis or shotas!

    Look how many women have come!

    I wonder how many women from the End of the World will show up?

    Is this aiming for a shrewish bastinado fight?

    Hill followed the direction they were pointing and saw Perfect Bald.

    Are you stupid?

    That¡¯s Perfect Bald, not a woman!

    And those at the back?

    Old Age Striking King!

    Just by the name, guess how many she can take on?

    Black Rose is really something, look behind her!

    Dozens of women!

    All their women have come too!

    Following Old Age upward, Hill almost choked; Cunlu? had also come!

    He turned his head and searched; Hard Wind was quietly standing under a tree, looking around for a safe place.

    It wasn¡¯t until he saw Hard Wind finally help Cunlu? settle onto a tree branch that Hill sighed with relief.

    He had been about to go out and bring this lady inside himself; he couldn¡¯t bear to watch a pregnant woman get hit in his worldview.

    The name Hard Wind must have been chosen for Cunlu?, right?

    The hardest winds of his life were all caused by Cunlu?.

 Chapter 71 - 71 66 Awkward Brawl

    ?71: Chapter 66: Awkward Brawl 71: Chapter 66: Awkward Brawl Hill, holding his teacup, quietly set the cup down on the table.

    Youth Journey of the Wenjian World

    The Chuunibyou Teenager Is Full of Joy

    The only phrase echoing in his mind was this.

    The young master, accompanied by a bunch of lolis and shotas, very seriously took off their various-looking capes and cloaks, revealing neatly organized black leather outfits.

    Even the lolis had many switching to black leather miniskirts.

    Hill thought leather pants would have been better for all!

    Why stick to skirts at this time?

    You¡¯re out here to brawl!

    Yunfeng, who had always been smiling and chatting next to the young master, suddenly changed color, looking terrible, he couldn¡¯t help but step back dramatically.

    Too late, everyone knew this was an alliance orchestrated by you.

    The Chuunibyou Teenager¡¯s role, tough to play, right?

    Hill¡¯s shop was filled with joviality, the laughter was endless.

    ¡°In such a scene, I can only think of one phrase, ¡®Pretentiousness follows me like the wind.''¡±

    ¡°The young master truly lives up to the head of the Chuunibyou Teen gang.¡±

    It seemed that the chuunibyou status of Youth Journey of the Wenjian World was universally recognized.

    No wonder the young master seemed indifferent, probably when you lose face often enough, you don¡¯t need it anymore.

    ¡°Besides their family members, who else could keep up with him in these antics?

    Look at Yunfeng, the awkwardness in capitals!¡±

    ¡°Look at the people from Black Rose, stepping back, right?

    Covering their faces and backing away!

    People from the Magic Cult all stood on rooftops, how smart!¡±

    ¡°They deserve respect for agreeing to back the young master up in this brawl!¡±

    ¡°What about the Black and White Path?

    Aren¡¯t they just as fond of brawling as Black Rose?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all on the outskirts!¡±

    ¡°It seems Black Rose has the thickest skin, which makes sense since they have that kind of leader.¡±

    ¡°They probably felt that getting involved in this Bastinado was the most disgraceful thing, they just don¡¯t understand the Chuunibyou Teen gang!¡±

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......

    The laughter was almost never-ending, Hill glanced outside, and surely, everyone was laughing.

    ¡°So, picking the wrong opponent is really tragic.¡±

    ¡°You mean Huayu?¡±

    ¡°Definitely!

    If it were any other leader, just not changing names or quitting the game would have been tough enough, it¡¯s better to let the matter pass quietly, preferably without it being brought up.

    But he chose the young master.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unavoidable, I guess?

    Who else but the young master ranks fourth!¡±

    ¡°Wenjian still has too few people, the small city can¡¯t even defend itself, they have to rely on the alliance.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, even if those kids could play endlessly, people who aren¡¯t thick-skinned wouldn¡¯t dare join their group!¡±

    ¡°Huayu prides himself on his capability, yet he couldn¡¯t even deal with a group of kids!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just someone who dawdles and hesitates!

    Other alliances would have stepped in, but he had to prepare for both possibilities.

    As a result, he¡¯s far behind in military exploits.

    Didn¡¯t even make the top five!¡±

    ¡°So he totally deserves whatever comes his way!

    Trying to trick a bunch of kids with a beauty scheme, and botched it, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°The beauty scheme did succeed, it¡¯s just that what followed was off!

    Ha ha ha ha!¡±

    ¡°Huayu, brilliant plansling the world, ended up losing his wife and troops!¡±

    Listeng to their words, Hill felt that compared to the embarrassed young master, the Scattered Ones were even more repulsed by the conniving Huayu.

    Indeed, who would want to deal with all kinds of schemes while playing a game?

    Especially since they weren¡¯t even successful.

    The victor takes it all.

    If Huayu had successfully taken over that city, at most people would have called him shameless and cunning.

    But since his true nature was exposed and he lost the city held by players to the NPCs,

    that war was the only one lost among the players in Alliance City,

    all thanks to him.

    He was even turned into an instance by the God of Time and Space, being whipped every day.

    Huayu still managed to play the game unflinchingly, truly proving his psychological resilience.

    If it weren¡¯t for that backstab from Perfect Bald, he would have gotten away with it.

    No wonder Baldy was muttering the other day that Huayu hated them deeply, constantly sending people to cause trouble in Black Rose City.

    It¡¯s his own fault who doesn¡¯t be careful?

    Discussing such private matters without checking if someone was hiding behind the cupboard.

    Hill still thought about it with a bit of schadenfreude.

    The crowd outside stirred, and the members of the Magic Cult who were standing on the rooftops began to jump down.

    Lu Huayu was about to make a grand entrance, truly the center of attention!

    Hill felt he couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and quickly got up and returned to the third floor.

    Hill consoled himself that this was to make room for the players who were about to crowd against his isolation barrier.

    Standing at the open window, Hill saw the guards of Kexlote filling the second floor of the shop across the street.

    The yet-to-be-opened shops had turned into the best spots for these folks to enjoy the hustle, without having to elbow through players.

    On the rooftop, the space left by the jumping Magic Cult members was quickly occupied by the crowd.

    The players kept squeezing in; Hill hurriedly called Srei to activate the shop¡¯s protective magic circle.

    On the other side of the street, the crowd was forcefully split apart.

    A thousand people with serious expressions walked in.

    There were more people following them, but they seemed to only want to wave flags and shout without getting involved in the fight.

    Just like the people from Magic Cult, Black and White Path, and Black Rose, they probably were just there to help keep outsiders away.

    They likely never thought they would someday have a moment of empathy with the people from Doomsday.

    The groups tacitly formed a human wall and cleared the wide street for the Alluring Rain of the City and the Youth Journey of the Wenjian World.

    As the Chuunibyou Teenager Young Master¡¯s face cracked a wicked smile, people from both sides rushed together.

    Wenjian¡¯s fighters had apparently been trained, all of them daringly gripping into three fist peaks, clenching their teeth, and charging at their opponents¡¯ bellies.

    Quick, ruthless, steady, accurate ¨C they were held by the head by taller opponents and pushed about an arm¡¯s length away.

    At this short distance, the Young Master and his companions shook their agile steps and punched rapidly but fruitlessly.

    Indeed, the people from Alluring Rain were also trained.

    A few boys hung onto that arm and geared up to kick.

    The team from Alluring Rain were busy ducking their heads in a chaotic scene.

    Soon, with screams, the children from Wenjian finally drew their trump cards and raised their foot to hook that arm while they started biting.

    An Elemental Body indeed can reduce the sense of pain but only to 30%.

    As long as there¡¯s a soul in control, this law cannot be changed.

    And for the players¡¯ bodies, the deities weren¡¯t that meticulous; Hill figured 40% was about right.

    It still looked quite painful.

    Cohen, who was peeking out with his paws on the window ledge, got so scared by the screams that he flapped his wings and jumped back onto the floor.

    Many from Alluring Rain unconsciously loosened their grip, then the children from Wenjian rolled onto the ground, taking that opportunity to knock down their opponents with hands and feet.

    The rhythm returned to the familiar Ground Lying Fist.

    Hill rested his head against the window side and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    This massive brawl lasted for an hour.

    The rival gangs behind the human walls, unable to bear witnessing the grounds or see the dumbfounded faces opposite, all turned their faces away.

    This was a war with no winners, leaving only a grand spectacle for the scattered ones.

    The people from Youth Journey of the Wenjian World and Alluring Rain of the City all lay on the ground with bruised faces; the tenacious Young Master crawled to Lu Huayu¡¯s side and, gathering his last bit of strength, fiercely kicked Lu Huayu¡¯s face a few times.

    Then he burst out laughing and collapsed on the ground.

    Hill saw Yunfeng come in and squat down to ask him, ¡°Completely out of energy?

    Can we end this now?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, yeah.¡±

    The End of the World Alliance also silently came into the arena, helped up the people from Alluring Rain, and left the scene without saying a word.

    Yunfeng reached out to help up the Young Master, while others also walked in, barely holding back their laughter.

    Everyone had left, leaving only feathers scattered all around.

    The result of Doomsday not entering the fray saved Black Rose, Black and White Path, and Magic Cult.

    Being a human wall was less embarrassing than stepping into the fray.

    They were lucky to escape this dreadful ordeal.

    That strange atmosphere persisted until all the fighting gangs had left, then disappearing completely amidst the roaring laughter of the scattered ones.

    This fun, which had lasted from a year ago till now, would probably be recounted for even longer.

    Hill thought this was really the most interesting farewell gift for himself as he was about to leave Saral.

 Chapter 72 - 72 67 Leaving Saral

    ?72: Chapter 67 Leaving Saral 72: Chapter 67 Leaving Saral The Alchemy Carriage moved in utter silence, and Hill sometimes truly wished to create the sound of hooves clattering.

    And so, he departed from Saral without a sound.

    He never thought that the passage to Haifasardo from Kexlote would be situated right between William¡¯s Royal Palace and the Temple of Time and Space.

    The broad avenue led straight into the distance, with the Magic Tower on the back wall of the palace and the Bell Tower of the Temple forming the final gate leaving Kexlote.

    Even when facing Haifasardo, Kexlote was a city without walls.

    Hill¡¯s carriage encountered no obstructions and just left like that.

    Sitting in the carriage, he thought of only one question: Could everyone leave?

    Had the players already reached Haifasardo?

    ¡°Srei.¡±

    Hill looked at Srei, who had appeared: ¡°Count the number of the Undead Tribe we see along the way.

    I wonder if the Border Gate to Haifasardo is still open?¡±

    Srei inquired, ¡°If it¡¯s closed, sir, shall we fly in?¡±

    ¡°The carriage flying would be too conspicuous,¡± Hill hesitated a bit, ¡°Haifasardo must be on edge by now, right?

    I don¡¯t want some legendary character to crush me to death.

    Forget it, let¡¯s try a few gates first.

    If that doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯ll take the sea from the east.

    It¡¯s only a few hundred li to land.¡±

    ¡°Very well, sir.¡±

    Luckily, when the carriage was made, he¡¯d prepared for this.

    Hill thought to himself.

    The carriage was fast, and when it reached the long wall on the border of Haifasardo, as expected, this gate closest to Saral was shut tight.

    ¡°Sir, the Magic Arrow Towers are all active; seems like the Undead Tribe also tried to fly in.¡±

    ¡°Are there still Undead outside?¡±

    ¡°Some have been passing by.

    There have been episodes of them, probably a hundred or so in total.¡±

    Hill was silent.

    If the God of Time and Space had not yet ascended to the Divine Throne, His divine power wouldn¡¯t reach far and their bodies would dissipate automatically once far from Saral.

    Now, with the God of Time and Space properly seated in the starry sky, His power could no longer be kept out of the human world.

    As long as the players weren¡¯t afraid of the journey, they could already leave Saral.

    Even with the risk of death sending them back to Saral, many adventurous players would dare to venture.

    Though Hill felt little hope, he still clung to a sliver of fortune.

    Regrettably, until night fell, and from west to east, he found no gate open.

    What rendered Hill speechless was that all the Magic Arrow Towers on Haifasardo¡¯s long wall were activated.

    It¡¯s possible that not even during a siege by Magical Beasts had Haifasardo ever activated so many towers.

    Just how many players had been here?

    Perhaps feeling Hill was not involved, none of the players had informed him about this.

    Maybe they thought, with Haifasardo¡¯s city closed off, it was just NPCs blocking the map, forbidding players from crossing the border?

    Then why are you all so desperate to traverse the map?

    Hill, feeling somewhat irritated, stayed by the sea for a night.

    When he woke up in the morning, Hill opened the window to feel the sea breeze.

    Here, at last, he could feel gusty winds rushing fiercely.

    Whistling madly, rolling streams of air from the east and south swept over towards the North.

    Cohen, eager from early morning, flew out to revel in the soaring amidst the wild winds.

    Knowing Cohen was a Magical Beast and such winds couldn¡¯t harm him, Hill let him be.

    Srei suddenly appeared: ¡°Sir, there are Undead knocking at the door outside; they want to purchase goods.¡±

    Hill couldn¡¯t resist stretching to look downstairs where several players were smiling up at him.

    Waving cheerfully at Hill, the players only made him want to ask, what are you doing here?

    These players probably learned about Hill¡¯s store from forums.

    Feeling helpless, Hill instructed Srei to open the store, deciding not to go downstairs himself.

    Members of Black Rose knew Hill planned to travel, and they probably even posted it on the forum.

    He didn¡¯t want players pestering him to join them on their travels.

    He wanted to travel, not to invite trouble.

    The players lingered in the store for a long time but eventually left.

    Standing on the second floor, Hill watched them walk away along the shoreline.

    Finally, they stopped by a pile of wood.

    Were they planning to sail by themselves?

    After Srei came up, seeing where Hill¡¯s gaze was, he couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh: ¡°These Undead are building a boat by the small hill a kilometer away!¡±

    Hill was speechless.

    With the sea¡¯s rich resources and convenient maritime transport, why hadn¡¯t the natives built ships to travel?

    This world had long had sailboats.

    Of course, because sea monsters were even more ferocious!

    No matter how dangerous the wilderness was, humans had ventured deeply under the call of deities.

    But in tens of thousands of years of human history, no deity who dared support humans in conquering the seas had ever emerged.

    Hill dared to take a ship because he was favored by nature and surrounded by Water Series Elements.

    Most sea monsters would not harbor hostility towards him.

    The players going down there would only make a solitary offering to the monsters.

    The Elemental Body created by divine power would be a huge target indeed.

    Pity that, once players died, their Elemental Bodies would be controlled by divine power to dissipate quickly.

    The monsters would munch on them to no avail.

    Hill converted his store into the Alchemy Carriage and hurried to a place out of the players¡¯ sight, then switched it into a blue and white sailboat.

    Cohen, who had been following him in the sky, also landed atop the raised sail.

    Hill stood by the ship¡¯s side, turning to look back in the direction of Saral.

    He didn¡¯t feel any sadness at leaving, nor was he filled with ambition about embarking on the road of life.

    To Hill, it felt as if he was a small boat pushed by destiny, moving step by step from a child who, when faced with problems, would only hide and wish to build houses and play in his domain, to this day ¡ª departing from the comfort of his home to travel the world and pursue the goals of life.

    Hill smiled faintly, feeling an even greater harmony with nature.

 Chapter 73 - 73 68 Pleasant Sea Voyage

    ?73: Chapter 68: Pleasant Sea Voyage 73: Chapter 68: Pleasant Sea Voyage Hill first summoned around a dozen Water Elementals and casually pulled two or three from his domain as well, instructing them to help communicate and completely cover the sailboat¡¯s emanation of Magic Power with water vapor.

    Hill sighed in admiration of the Skills that allowed the Elementals to return to the Elemental Realm and then come back to his side, truly finding them very useful.

    He instructed Srei to use the Water Crystals as much as possible for the sailing ship¡¯s propulsion and then took out the Alchemy Map.

    After carefully verifying it with Srei and ensuring there were no issues, the blue and white sailboat was ready to set off.

    A few hundred miles, if it were on land, they would arrive very quickly.

    But Hill dared not travel that fast in the sea for fear of attracting the enormous Magical Beasts of the Deep Sea.

    The Blue Whale was beautiful, but it was still quite terrifying up close.

    In this world, the size of these creatures had expanded dozens of times.

    The Ocean God System had not yet been established, and the sea monsters grew unrestrained in the sea.

    The concentration of Water Elementals on land was far inferior to that in the sea, so Humans were not attacked as long as they did not enter the ocean.

    To the sea monsters in the ocean, the Water Elementals were reliable allies and generally did not attack.

    That¡¯s why Hill dared to travel by boat, even just along the coast.

    Magical Beasts are not wild beasts; the longer they live, the higher their Intelligence.

    Many sea monsters had very large territories, and it was common for them to patrol up to the shore.

    Although they did not come onto land, they were curious and always had some bumbling ones coming to look at the Human world.

    Humans dared not build cities by the sea due to painful lessons in the past.

    Although William likely had his eyes set on the ocean when he had Spencer take over that Alliance City from the players, ever since the players had expanded the city to the waterfront and built docks, no noble would voluntarily take over the city.

    Having been in this Fantasy World for over a year now, the players still didn¡¯t quite understand the survival Laws of the Fantasy World.

    It would truly be a time of turmoil for the ocean once they became more familiar and a large number of Water Mages capable of summoning Water Elementals appeared.

    Hill set up a lounge chair, a sofa, and a coffee table at the bow, sitting there to admire the beautiful seascape.

    After leaving Saral¡¯s windy spot, the sea breeze became much softer.

    The dense Water Elementals might be suffocating for ordinary people, but Hill found it very comfortable.

    Even though the Water Element inheritance was minimal in his body, Hill¡¯s Magician physique still felt perfectly at ease like a fish in water.

    The waves gently lapped against the bow, and the sailboat glided lightly forward, as nimble as Cohen skimming the waters ahead.

    Hill enjoyed the cool sea breeze, looking up at the leisurely clouds above and down at the rippling wavelets.

    The vast blue sea was indescribably comforting, the sunlight glimmering on the water reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, giving Hill a sense of expansiveness and majesty.

    The Water Elementals were bustling noisily around the ship, occasionally hopping aboard for a stroll.

    The sounds of nature hummed gently beside him.

    Hill closed his eyes, leaned back slowly, and drifted into a gentle slumber.

    When Hill woke up, the boat had already quietly stopped in a hidden harbor.

    The Water Elementals were running and playing everywhere in the harbor, aware that they would soon be sent back, so they were seizing the time to frolic.

    Srei came over and asked, ¡°Sir, this location is quite good, and it¡¯s not far up to Haifasardo¡¯s largest city in the north.¡±

    Hill understood his meaning that they could leave a small outpost here if needed, as a few Water Elementals could hold it.

    He shook his head, ¡°No need.

    By the time we return, William will have already taken over Haifasardo.

    It¡¯s said that the Undead Tribe has millions by now!¡±

    ¡°The coast won¡¯t be peaceful for long either.

    Since you say this spot is good, it will definitely be discovered.¡±

    Srei nodded silently.

    Just as Hill was about to take flight, a dull voice stopped him, ¡°Mage, wait, don¡¯t go yet.¡±

    Hill looked out with a headache as the water in the bay churned and the huge waves crashed against the shore rocks, creating a deafening roar.

    A massive creature surfaced.

    He turned to Srei, ¡°This really is a good location, everyone knows it.¡±

    Srei quietly retreated¡ª he had to return to the core and be fully on guard.

    The ship gently floated into mid-air, and Hill quietly awaited the terrifying Magical Beast.

    The only presence that he was completely unaware of could only be Legendary.

    But since nature hadn¡¯t sounded any alarms in his ear, he also had no need to worry.

    He just needed to be careful with his words to avoid provoking a Magical Beast that originally bore no malice.

    This was a Black Turtle, overall grey-black with olive-colored markings and four times the size of Hill¡¯s sailing ship.

    Hill took a careful look at its underside, a grey-green color¡ª it was a very mature turtle.

    The Black Turtle was almost entirely herbivorous, occasionally nibbling a few jellyfish, fish, or their eggs to vary its diet.

    Hill completely relaxed, thankful it wasn¡¯t a Leatherback Turtle.

    The Black Turtle¡¯s temperament was very good as long as there was enough food and it had no interest in meddling in other affairs.

    ¡°Hello, I am Hill,¡± Hill said respectfully, ¡°We are passing by here to go to Haifasardo.

    May I know what you needed by calling me?¡±

    ¡°That Undead Tribe you just mentioned, are they from that New God?

    I heard they have a lot of people!¡± The Black Turtle spoke slowly, then suddenly realized, ¡°Ah!

    My name is Bex.

    I rarely use my name and almost forgot it.¡±

    Hill stayed calm and nodded, ¡°Yes, very many indeed!¡±

    ¡°Will they disturb me?

    The seaweed here is quite tasty; I¡¯ve been eating here for three years.¡±

    Hill found it a bit troubling: It¡¯s not just about being disturbed, is it?

    A Legendary Magical Beast could attract tens of thousands of players to stack for a boss.

 Chapter 74 - 74 69 Arrival at Haifasardo

    ?74: Chapter 69: Arrival at Haifasardo 74: Chapter 69: Arrival at Haifasardo Hill hesitated and said, ¡°It¡¯s been three years, why not try something new?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Bex exclaimed in surprise.

    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t defeat these clans?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Hill affirmed.

    ¡°They are numerous, and their levels are all similar to mine.

    Just last year, they killed a Legendary Knight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors in the sea,¡± Bex said with a deep voice.

    ¡°But no Magical Beast believes them.

    A Legendary can¡¯t escape if they can¡¯t win?

    We all thought it was the Pope who took action and caused the death of a Legendary.¡±

    ¡°No, the Undead Tribe independently killed them.

    His Majesty the King never left the city he was stationed in.¡±

    ¡°More than the Magical Beasts in the sea?¡±

    ¡°Maybe there are tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, of Magisters or higher-level Magical Beasts in the sea, but it¡¯s impossible for them to gather all at once, right?¡±

    ¡°That many!¡± Bex blurted out without thinking.

    ¡°The sea would be eaten barren.¡±

    Hill thought, This is not the kind of thing you should be telling me!

    I¡¯m still human, right?

    Sometimes, Hill felt that giant sea turtles, although worth complaining about, were quite realistic in fantasy novels.

    Only they would squat on the shore and bury their heads in eating, right?

    ¡°It does seem a bit frightening!¡±

    Bex still looked at Hill and asked earnestly, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t drive them away, will there still be trouble?¡±

    Hill thought for a moment before asking, ¡°If there was a jellyfish that looked very big and delicious, and you couldn¡¯t defeat it on your own, but your clan was nearby, would you call them to share it?¡±

    Bex, after humming and hawing, finally admitted, ¡°I would.

    At least I¡¯d get a mouthful.¡±

    He sadly sank below the water¡¯s surface, and quickly resurfaced.

    ¡°Thank you for your honest answer.

    Indeed, those surrounded by nature are the most trustworthy.¡± He threw out a tortoise shell, ¡°This is what I shed when I reached what you humans call the Magister stage.

    You humans should like it a lot.¡±

    Hill was extremely pleased to accept it, truly reaping the rewards of being good.

    The shell of the Magical Beast turtle, which naturally could grow large or small, was the best material for constructing an Alchemy Hut.

    It was a pity that even Legendaries might not obtain materials from marine life, and had to resort to using shells from Golden Snails.

    In this world, it was difficult for creatures from rivers to become high-level Magical Beasts, which Hill hadn¡¯t understood before.

    Now he knew a little.

    It was probably because their Main God had done something dishonorable.

    The Goddess of the Spring, though rarely manifesting miracles, had always been on good terms with the Noble Temple, and most cities that revered the God of Nobility would keep a spot for Her temple.

    Among the friendly God System under the God of Nobility, She was the only deity who strove to speak for the commoners.

    If Her devout followers were oppressed by the nobles, they simply had to seek help from the temple and assistance would easily be granted.

    The Noble Temple would swiftly step in to suppress the foolish nobles.

    Thus, in places where the Noble Temple was powerful, many commoners worshiped the Goddess of the Spring.

    There were rumors that the God of Nobility once received a great favor from the Goddess of the Spring.

    Durig this time, Hill contemplated that the deity must have betrayed the Earth Deity System and joined the Human God faction.

    Bex bade farewell to Hill, downcast, fearing that if he lingered any longer, he might not want to leave at all.

    He chose to have one last big feast and sank to the ocean floor.

    Hill cheerfully said goodbye as the ship quickly rose into the air, landing atop the cliff beside the bay.

    He sat at the bow, watching the Water Elementals he had summoned.

    Families that came down for fun took the Attributeless Crystals gifted by Hill and left joyfully.

    Several independents, probably after chatting with those Water Elementals from Hill¡¯s Domain, were very eager to stay in Hill¡¯s Domain.

    Hill, somewhat helpless, wondered to his Domain¡¯s inhabitants if they could really take these few back with them?

    They happily expressed that they could use the portal opened by the Earth element lord in Hill¡¯s Domain.

    Hill resignedly signed a contract with them, and the Water Elementals gleefully returned with the crystals on their own.

    He felt that, unless necessary, he should not let this group from his Domain out again.

    His Domain was saturated with elements, and there was no need for more; he couldn¡¯t afford them!

    He disembarked from the ship, transforming it back into a carriage.

    Hill had never imagined that the largest city on the northern border of Haifasar would be devoid of major roads.

    There was only a muddy trail trodden by horses.

    He even took out the Alchemy Map to carefully compare.

    It was actually real.

    He tossed the map back into his ring, instructed Srei to let the carriage float slightly above the ground as it glided forward.

    Although it was somewhat wasteful, he absolutely did not want to descend onto the road filled with horse excrement.

    The last time he passed through a place with so many horses must have been a year ago!

    Hill hesitated.

    From this road alone, one could tell just how terrible the situation in Haifasardo had become.

    Was this a sign that nobles on the border had started to flee?

    ¡°Danton has arrived,¡± said Srei.

    Hill instructed Cohen not to leave the carriage again and resolved to enter the city.

    ¡°Head straight to the Mage Association,¡± Hill thought, believing he could get some news there.

    Speaking of Saral¡¯s Mage Association, Hill had always thought they would resist William to the very end.

    After all, William had ordered that if their tower didn¡¯t have a Legendary Mage, they must provide services to the Undead Tribe.

    The Saral branch of the Mage Association was furious at first.

    How could Saral¡¯s several Legendary Mages allow the Association¡¯s Legendary individuals to come and snatch resources?

    The fact that they could hand over a tower was already the result of the Association¡¯s strong influence.

    In the end, as Saral¡¯s Legendaries submitted, their voices gradually faded, and their last defiance was to declare their withdrawal from Saral.

    William didn¡¯t care at all.

    Then they conceded, sent out lower-level mages to specifically lecture the Undead on various types of spells.

    There were teachers for all six Elements, and Hill even admired that they sent someone for the Thunder Element.

    They were essentially just a reclassing tool.

    The real master of all probably was the God of Time and Space, right?

    Such a polymath, not to mention their own Magician, they were proficient in Mage, Knight, and even Priest professions.

    Otherwise, how could one use skills with an Elemental Body?

    The players probably only knew the names of the spells.

    Deities in this world never dared to claim to be all-knowing and omnipotent¡ªno one dared to brag about anything related to Divinity.

    Otherwise, in a minute, pop!

    They¡¯d explode.

    Hill always felt that compared to William, the God of Time and Space seemed more like a tech mogul.

    And someone who also understood the law, could code, and had an intellect so brilliant it was frightening.

    How high-level must be those in scientific research who could be buried with honors under the red flag!

    Just a bit too naive, a bit too stubborn, but that wasn¡¯t a fault.

    Hill¡¯s reverie was interrupted by Srei¡ªCohen¡¯s division of the Mage Association had arrived.

    Hill stepped out of the carriage, looked up at the five-story building, and felt that everything here seemed normal.

    But in the nearby buildings, the occupants had left behind empty shells.

    The Mage Association, always proud, had no gatekeepers at all.

    If you were a Mage, you could pass through the barrier on the door; if you weren¡¯t but still dared to run inside, you would be half-killed by a randomly launched spell.

    Even Mage Apprentices couldn¡¯t possibly stand at the door directing ordinary people.

    Here, ¡®ordinary people¡¯ referred to all professions other than Mage Magicians.

    To Mages, Knights, and Swordsmen were ordinary people who could not use Elements.

    Thus, there was a reason why Saral¡¯s Mage Association foolishly offended William¡ªthey had always looked down on Legendary Knights.

    After all, Mages all have their legacies!

    Many who could be chairs of a Mage Association branch in a country were at least Magisters, surely backed by a Legendary Mage as a teacher.

    When Legendary Knights encountered these upstarts, they could only endure it for the sake of the mighty figures behind them.

    Unexpectedly, they dared to exercise this kind of discrimination against a Legendary Knight backed by Deities.

    The Chairman of Saral had already been recalled to the Mage Kingdom, and no one knew which Legendary had taught him, someone so brazen as to disregard Gods.

    Hill smoothed out his robe, straightened his attire, and walked towards the great door with its barrier open.

 Chapter 75 - 75 70 Chaos in Haifasardo

    ?75: Chapter 70 Chaos in Haifasardo 75: Chapter 70 Chaos in Haifasardo Hill was somewhat surprised, the hall of the Mages Association was packed with people.

    As he entered, all heads turned to stare at him, sending shivers down his spine.

    What had happened?

    Soon, two apprentices from the Mages Association realized this was a high-level mage from out of town and quickly approached Hill, ¡°Good day, sir.

    May I help you with something?¡±

    Hill nodded, ¡°Good day.

    I¡¯d like to see the latest briefing.¡±

    The Mages Association publishes a periodical akin to a newspaper, especially for mages who spend years in seclusion and become somewhat out of touch with the world once they step outside.

    This is particularly true for high-level mages, who might not even know if the King has changed after a few years of isolation.

    Mages don¡¯t like to appear uninformed, so the association issues these local briefings to all mages.

    Wandering mages, upon arriving in a new country, usually go straight to the association to check the latest briefings, to avoid any missteps.

    Nobles really know how to exploit people; no mage wants to be unwittingly swept up in some incomprehensible strife.

    A female apprentice turned to fetch the briefings while another male apprentice asked quietly, ¡°Would you like us to prepare a reception room for you?¡±

    ¡°That would be fine,¡± Hill nodded.

    ¡°And while you¡¯re at it, can you explain what¡¯s going on here?¡± He surveyed the crowded hall, ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing so many apprentices.¡±

    He followed the male apprentice up the stairs.

    The apprentice, walking ahead, respectfully made way, ¡°May I know your level, sir?¡±

    Hill was surprised.

    Was it now necessary to declare one¡¯s level when entering the association?

    ¡°Magister.¡±

    The apprentice trembled, and whereas he was about to head for the second floor, turned back instead to continue upstairs.

    Hill truly found it amusing.

    It was rare to see the Mages Association implement such a hierarchical approach.

    Could it be an unusual visit from a Legendary Mage division leader?

    Hill was led to a luxuriously decorated reception room on the fourth floor.

    The female apprentice also quickly followed with a pile of newspapers.

    Both apprentices stood by respectfully, awaiting Hill¡¯s instructions.

    Hill sat down, ¡°Please, take a seat.

    Why so strict in distinguishing mage levels here?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡± The male apprentice hesitated and then handed over a paper, ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated to explain.¡±

    Hill took the paper to read¡ªit was a notice from the Haifasardo division of the Mages Association.

    It was worded diplomatically, but the gist was that Haifa had seen an influx of too many mages last year.

    And before that, Haifa had never been prepared to host such a large number of mages.

    The insufficient available resources led to numerous conflicts.

    Big backers clashed with big backers, resulting in high-level mages¡¯ outrage.

    The ill-treatment of Magisters, as opposed to the students of the Legendary Archmages, shocked the entire Mage Kingdom.

    Indeed, mages usually have a weaker sense of hierarchy, but it doesn¡¯t mean that intermediate mages can supercede those at a high level, let alone that Magisters are the backbone of the Mage Kingdom.

    Most Legendary Mages don¡¯t get involved in affairs, serving as weapons of mass destruction sitting above ordinary matters, not lightly mobilized.

    True, a kingdom cannot exist without its Legends, who deserve respect, but Magisters are also the future Legends!

    Those few foolish archmages, who bullied their way around relying on their backers, were summoned back to deal with their own issues, and the poorly-organized division head of Haifasardo was also dismissed and called back for repentance.

    But now, with Saral and Haifasardo apparently about to become one nation, nobody was willing to take over as Haifasardo¡¯s division head of the Mages Association.

    Would they have to engage in a life-or-death struggle with that person from Saral in a couple of years?

    And yet, no one is inclined to concede.

    Ultimately, Haifa could only be run by an acting division head.

    This acting head was the most frustrated, for without becoming a Magister, he would never have a chance to become the leader of a national division.

    The root cause of all this was a few fools causing trouble with their powerful backers; otherwise, their about-to-retire head wouldn¡¯t have ended his career in disgrace.

    So he decreed that the whole Haifasardo would treat mages strictly according to their levels during visits, explicitly stating the reasons for doing so in detail.

    Although he glossed over it by not specifically naming the offending students of the Legends, anyone in the Mage Kingdom who saw this notice knew the score.

    The so-called Mage Kingdom is actually not as large as Haifasardo, mainly being the seat of the Mages Association.

    There is no King, only the Legendary Parliament.

    Besides the twelve permanent Legendary members, other Legends can join the Parliament at any time.

    There aren¡¯t many, mainly consisting of Legends who prefer a peaceful life and do not want to cause trouble within the kingdom.

    The greatest advantage of being located in the Mages Association¡¯s territory is not adding troubles to Legends.

    When taking students, they can pick and choose as they please.

    The remote divisions continuously send talented children back to the Parliament¡¯s location.

    In reality, most of these are noble children; in such a society, how could commoner children have the opportunity to show their excellence?

    Over time, some of the nobility¡¯s bad habits were naturally integrated into the Mages Association.

    But there are too few mages, and how many students of the Legends can there be?

    They seldom meet each other, and even when they do, they receive similar resources, leaving Magisters with little chance to face their extravagance and arrogance; they have no idea the situation has gotten this serious.

    Yes, Hill thought, thankful to William.

    With all the mayhem he stirred up, many Legends who didn¡¯t want to involve themselves sent intermediate students to Haifasardo to observe.

    Consequently, a standoff ensued.

    One division head of a nation was doomed, and those foolish kids were definitely in for a sorry fate.

 Chapter 76 - 76 70 Chaos in Haifasardo_2

    ?76: Chapter 70 Chaos in Haifasardo_2 76: Chapter 70 Chaos in Haifasardo_2 Magisters also had their social interactions.

    He laughed and asked, ¡°How many did you send out?¡±

    ¡°Dozens, sir,¡± the male apprentice said, ¡°within a year.¡±

    It seemed that only Archmages and above would receive this explanation.

    Hill picked up the newspaper beside him and casually asked, ¡°Why are there so many apprentices downstairs?¡±

    ¡°A few mages left Haifasardo and didn¡¯t take their former apprentices with them.

    They didn¡¯t know what to do, so they came to the Association looking for opportunities, sir.¡±

    The kind of mages who colluded with nobles?

    Their abilities were insufficient, at most they knew some junior Alchemy, and they wouldn¡¯t even be able to produce in an Alchemy Workshop.

    They recruited a large number of cheap Mage Apprentices, only taught them some junior spells, and one or two methods of refining Alchemy Potions or tools.

    There was no hope of becoming a mage, and they could be directly expelled when no longer needed.

    However, these apprentices, even after leaving, would still live much better than ordinary people and could work for merchants.

    So even though they were looked down upon by orthodox mages, many people were still desperately seeking a chance.

    The situation in Haifasardo was too chaotic now, whether for mages or merchants, no one was really thinking of hiring, and suddenly so many had appeared.

    After thinking for a while, Hill finally said, ¡°Saral needs junior teachers, it will get better after this period passes.¡±

    ¡°What kind of requirements?¡± the female apprentice suddenly got excited and took a while to remember to add ¡°sir.¡±

    Hill, not bothering to consider if her excitement was because she had relatives also waiting downstairs, directly said, ¡°The most basic teachers are for the literacy classes.

    Then for various professions.

    Even if their learning isn¡¯t thorough, they can still be teachers in ordinary mage professions.

    Don¡¯t they also know a bit of Alchemy?¡±

    ¡°Would Haifa do the same, sir?¡± the male apprentice suddenly asked.

    Hill nodded, ¡°They are all subjects of His Majesty the King, he would not discriminate.

    Kexlote has already left space designated for Haifasardo to build.¡±

    The two exchanged a look, their eyes glowing with excitement.

    Hill knew, these children working at the Mage Association were of decent aptitude, but not particularly outstanding.

    Their families were only middle class.

    The children of nobles, even those who were sure to be separated and not valued, would receive very good education.

    Moreover, they all knew their fate from a young age and would strive even harder.

    What they received upon division of the family, although less, was still more than the entire assets of these children at the Mage Association, who didn¡¯t need to start working from a young age to earn money.

    For the apprentice class, the chances to earn enough money to become a mage were extremely rare.

    Many families could only afford the most talented one, waiting for him to become a mage and then give back to the family.

    But this was too difficult, for anyone involved.

    Although William aimed to spread education, he had left these children an alternative.

    For William, instead of struggling to convince nobles to teach basic education, it was better to employ these Mage Apprentices.

    Saral had fewer mages, and the seven towers were not filled.

    The mages still had other prospects, and few sought patronage from nobles.

    Thus, there weren¡¯t so many cheap apprentices available.

    William probably hadn¡¯t thought of recruiting from this angle.

    But Hill believed that as soon as Haifasardo was in hand, he would know what to do.

    After all, in this world, there was no king more well-informed than William.

    On the forums of the Undead Tribe, if one was interested, anything could be observed.

    Hill handed out two sets of Primary Potions to the two people, ¡°You both go out; I want to look at the briefing alone.¡±

    The two happily picked up the potions from the table, bowed in gratitude, and walked out of the room sideways.

    Hill took a deep breath, ready to start reading the briefing.

    The first page shocked him:

    Queen Mariefeier Stevin announced a separation from the King, taking her children and leaving the Royal Capital to return to her mother¡¯s home in the western Border City, Steyn.

    According to information obtained by the Mage Association, the Queen felt that after Saral occupied Haifasardo, her children might face misfortune.

    She had decided that as soon as William declared war, she would take her family and children to establish a territory outside the western border.

    The Territory Order offered by the God of Justice was blessed by all Gods in the Starry Sky, and no one could defy it.

    However, the size of the territory you receive is marked as such on the Alchemy Map.

    ¡°The other lands you occupy will only appear on the map after you have held them for a hundred years.¡±

    ¡°So, if you want to expand your territory into a nation, you must try to occupy as much land as possible within those hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Of course, if you are powerful enough and not afraid of attacks, you can expand slowly, bit by bit.¡±

    ¡°Saral actually had a rather smooth start, one reason being that the first King was a Sky Knight, and he was also a Prince of Haifasardo.

    When he left, his own father was still sitting on the throne!¡±

    ¡°Others could only watch helplessly as he joyfully marked his territory.¡±

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t so easy for other nobles.¡±

    ¡°It was not only hard to expand their territories, but even keeping their own lands was difficult.¡±

    ¡°Although direct assaults were forbidden, bringing out a band of thieves to kill people first and then taking over the lands was a common tactic everywhere.¡±

    ¡°So, when Hill ventured out to establish a small territory, Fran was anxious and sent Adrian to oversee it.¡±

    ¡°In this world, the law of the jungle is particularly clear; the higher the limit of one¡¯s power, the more unchecked one becomes.¡±

    ¡°But now, Hill sighed, the choice was not wrong; with the ability of Haifasardo¡¯s Queen, she might just obtain a Duke-level Territory Order.¡±

    ¡°Although William had the support of deities, the Territory Order involves more than just the God of Justice; there is still some assurance.¡±

    ¡°Of course, this is also a gamble.¡±

    ¡°The fact that William is another soul of a deity should be known to the entire world by now.¡±

    ¡°If the God of Time and Space wishes to maintain his neutral and good faction, he would not allow William to use deceitful tactics or oppress them since they have renounced their rights to succession.¡±

    ¡°This is William¡¯s only weakness; he needs not only to act honorably but also to pay attention to his faction alignment.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still too early, the God of Time and Space and William are still inseparable.

    After a few hundred years, there will definitely be those who will tempt William, a method that could influence or even harm a deity.¡±

    ¡°But what makes this Queen make such a desperate decision?

    How foolish is Haifasardo¡¯s King after all?¡±

    ¡°Hill had previously thought it was wise for him not to join the faction of nobles like Edward.

    But perhaps the Noble Temple simply dared not take over this case?¡±

    ¡°Ah!

    Hill realized as he turned to the second page.¡±

    ¡°These briefs were likely organized from the most recent events onwards.¡±

    ¡°The second page vividly clarified why the Queen was so desperate.¡±

    ¡°Nobles from the North and merchants were fleeing to the South, intending to head directly to Cortez.¡±

    ¡°But the King had set up checkpoints in the Royal Capital, and anyone who wanted to pass had to pay a large sum of money.¡±

    ¡°The nobles could manage, but the merchants almost had to give up half of their wealth.¡±

    ¡°In this world, where is there an independent merchant anyway?¡±

    ¡°Where do merchants have money?

    What¡¯s valuable travels with them; the goods all belong to the nobles, not just those from the North.¡±

    ¡°The Royal Capital was almost turned upside down by the furious Great Nobility.¡±

    ¡°Is this King trying to make retirement money?

    Or is he just trying to trouble the nobles who betrayed him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s holed up in the Royal Palace, locking the doors, ignoring everyone.¡±

    ¡°The report said that he struck a deal with the army commanders, keeping only one-third of the intercepted valuables for himself.¡±

    ¡°The whole army was going crazy, the soldiers were making a lot of money.¡±

    ¡°Is he trying to cause trouble for William?¡±

    ¡°With such benefits enjoyed by the soldiers, how would William handle it?¡±

    ¡°So many people, even if the players don¡¯t know, William surely understands they all truly exist.¡±

    ¡°Hill believed William wouldn¡¯t kill so many people, but they were difficult to manage indeed; soldiers who had taken shortcuts and engaged in looting and pillaging could easily turn into thieves if not handled well.¡±

    ¡°Hill sighed softly.¡±

    ¡°He knew Haifasardo must be in chaos, not just because the Northern nobles and major merchants had fled, but even two junior apprentices had resigned themselves to becoming people of Saral.¡±

    ¡°But he hadn¡¯t expected such chaos!¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 71 The Kings Highlight Moment

    ?77: Chapter 71 The King¡¯s Highlight Moment 77: Chapter 71 The King¡¯s Highlight Moment Hill continued to flip through the newspaper.

    Indeed, this King seems to be a refreshingly straightforward good person, who posted a notice straight out:

    He explained that the reason for sending troops to follow the Noble Temple into Saral and falling into such a plight was instigated by the Great Nobility, who wished to divide Saral¡¯s land.

    Now that things have come to this pass, no one should try to push all the blame onto him, the King.

    Hill looked carefully and found that all the Dukes of Haifasardo were listed, as well as more than half of the Marquises.

    Even a substantial number of Earls and Barons were included.

    Hill took out the book of noble codes that he had not looked at for a long time, which included all the nobles of the human world.

    This was one of the Noble Temple¡¯s major revenue sources; every noble had to buy several copies each year.

    It came in handy when encountering an unfamiliar noble, at the very least for reference.

    This book was given to Hill when he split from the family, along with the noble documents.

    But when he returned to the Earl¡¯s Castle to receive a traditional noble education, he also memorized it several times over.

    Particularly for the Dukes of every country and the titled Marquises¡ªeven his brainless brother Manton could recite them by heart.

    The Hill Family being Earls had to remember the Marquises as well.

    That strange rule among the nobles dictated that one could offend peers, disdain those who were lower ranked, but must always maintain respect for those of higher rank, whether they were from one¡¯s own country or not.

    Titled nobles were also a notch above untitled nobles.

    That¡¯s why Manton only needed to recite by heart the Marquises with lands and above.

    But Hill was required to remember even the Barons.

    Hill knew back then that the outcome of his splitting from the family would definitely be poor.

    However, for a Mage, recollection was not a problem, and he did not wish to fall out with the Earl over such a matter.

    Enduring until the age of 16, the world was vast and the path of a Mage was broad and beautiful.

    Hill had no desire to look at the petty squabbles within the nobility.

    But Hill truly didn¡¯t expect that the King wouldn¡¯t even spare the Barons!

    He could scarcely believe his own memory and had to compare it to be sure.

    Hill started counting with his fingers down the list, stopping finally at the name of Duke Steven.

    Hmm, this was the penultimate straw that broke the Queen¡¯s back.

    Even the family of his own flesh and blood¡¯s maternal grandfather was not spared.

    No wonder the nobles of Haifasardo all wanted to flee.

    It had been made clear that they originally wanted to deal with William, and William could absolutely confiscate their fiefdoms directly.

    They were indeed guilty of insubordination!

    The nobles, who were best at exploiting those tedious traditional rules, would never trust William to let them off the hook.

    This King truly wanted to trouble William.

    As soon as William entered Haifasardo, there would be nothing left but soldiers turned into thieves and lands without governors.

    At the same time, he also cut off any path for these nobles to pledge allegiance to William.

    If he had to step down, why should they live well?

    Hill thought it was a fortunate mistake that saved William the trouble of cleaning up the nobility.

    After more than a year of foundational education and training, the most basic level of government could barely be organized.

    It was just right to assign the Saral Nobles following him to deal with the government affairs with some clerks.

    William¡¯s past year hasn¡¯t been as easy as others have seen.

    He refrained from attacking Haifasardo directly because he was preparing for the establishment of the government.

    Although his steps were small and proceeded slowly, for Hill, it was very apparent.

    He didn¡¯t plan to continue using the nobles¡¯ method of governing their fiefdoms; even if the government couldn¡¯t be as mature and robust as a modern society, it had to be at least a normal municipal structure.

    And the nobles who had followed him up to this point, although they were awarded titles for their merits, didn¡¯t receive any lands.

    Even with adequate salaries, many of them felt psychologically shortchanged.

    By assigning these people to positions like mayors, their aspirations were met.

    But these were not hereditary positions; William could reassign them at any time.

    The clerks who served with these nobles were trained by players appointed by William as instructors and weren¡¯t so easily bribed or swayed by the nobles.

    The towns and villages of Saral that William had reclaimed were already gradually adopting this form of government.

    Now, the old-school nobles who still held lands typically kept a low profile and certainly dared not oppress the common folk.

    In that one year alone, the nobles who had been reported by the players for oppressing commoners, under the banner of the Kind God that William held high, were all punished once the evidence was verified; the few most severe cases even had their lands revoked.

    If the former Kings had done this, they would have been attacked by the Great Nobility en masse.

    But what about now?

    Are there still Great Nobility like the Adrian Family?

    If they had the capability, why would there be a need to cultivate an Archmage for support?

    But among the nobles that remained in Saral, they are now the elite.

    Looking at the current state of Saral, being denounced by William and publicly announced to the world, no wonder the nobles of Haifasardo fled en masse.

    If we go by the rules of this world, this King indeed did his utmost to trouble William.

    Unfortunately, the information asymmetry is complete, and he unwittingly offered a great help!

    Hill continued to scroll down, feeling somewhat pleased.

    For the nobles of Haifasardo, it¡¯s all bad news.

    But what does it have to do with him?

    It¡¯s all entertainment, as far as he¡¯s concerned.

    The King¡¯s shenanigans were one after another.

    The Mage Association¡¯s absence also had a little to do with him.

    He invited the Bishop of the Temple and the Vice President of the Mage Association to the Royal Palace, telling them that once William arrived, he would surely expel the temples of other deities, and the Mage Association would be suppressed; he hoped they would resist strenuously.

 Chapter 78 - 78 71 The Kings Highlight Moment_2

    ?78: Chapter 71: The King¡¯s Highlight Moment_2 78: Chapter 71: The King¡¯s Highlight Moment_2 Apart from the Noble Temple who humored him with a few words, the other Temples all believed he was insane.

    These were the exact words of the vice chairman in the briefing.

    The Noble Temple is now about to withdraw completely, only humoring him a few words because they fear he might cause trouble.

    The Temple of Art and Love had left a year ago.

    As for the Justice Temple, it had been silent throughout the year.

    Fran had a reasonable relationship with the Justice Temple and once told Hill that over the past year, the Church of Justice had been busy soothing the shaken faith of its followers.

    When Hill heard this, he even celebrated a bit.

    After all, he had heard for many years the stories of magicians with Devil¡¯s Bloodline betraying the God of Justice!

    The outcome turned out to be the Justice Temple concocting stories to cover their own deities¡¯ shame.

    From the day he realized the truth, he began to despise the God of Justice.

    His selfishness was understandable, but there was no need to set such a grand image!

    The Justice Temple had the most paladins, who always took pride in their deities.

    Now that their faith was shaken, causing turmoil in the Divine Kingdom of Justice, they deserved it.

    The Goddess of the Spring had no particular reaction.

    Probably because she felt that although she had good relations with the Noble Temple, she hadn¡¯t offended the God of Time and Space, so William wouldn¡¯t do anything to them, right?

    The Temples of the God of Knowledge, God of Smithing, and such were even less bothered by this; after all, there aren¡¯t any deities that take pride in evil in this world.

    Factions at most stand neutral, and the worst, like the God of Nobility and the Goddess of Love, are just slightly inclined towards evil.

    That¡¯s all on their followers.

    As long as they haven¡¯t offended the God of Time and Space, as long as it¡¯s not in Kexlote, William, the Pope of this Neutral Good deity, will absolutely not lay a hand on them.

    The several Temples in Obastian are still openly welcoming followers!

    The King of Haifasardo, wanting to drag the Temples and the Mage Association into a cornered beast struggle, only managed to get a comment of ¡°gone crazy¡± from the vice chairman of the Mage Association.

    Even the Saral branch held on; could Haifasardo be worse off than them?

    It¡¯s no wonder the vice chairman directly cursed him in the briefing.

    The next page is also a big scoop.

    Cortez imposed heavy taxes on the Haifasardo nobles who had fled there.

    Mages and Grand Knights get a fifty percent reduction, Archmages are tax-exempt.

    It must be that Cortez didn¡¯t want that many nobles flooding in.

    Both Haifasardo and Saral are countries that only need to defend two sides.

    The first King of Saral didn¡¯t stray far from Haifa when he founded the nation and even expanded a lot towards Haifa¡¯s direction after establishing it.

    He was a rough and simplistic man, with little to no concerns, and once he acquired the Goldstone Mine, he generously built the national Great Wall right up to the Western Mountains on the plains.

    Saral really is an unusually long rectangular country.

    Haifa, dominated by Saral to the North, faced almost no pressure.

    After all, with Magical Beasts separated by high mountains to the West, they take more time to traverse.

    The Magical Beast tides aren¡¯t as large as those on the plains.

    Cortez is quite far from Haifa.

    The southern border of Haifa isn¡¯t long; it¡¯s a westward extending mouth of the Western Mountains, consisting of upright cliffs that are easy to defend but hard to attack.

    Hence, most of the Magical Beasts coming out of the grand plains between Haifa and Cortez attack Cortez.

    The people of Cortez get annoyed thinking about Haifasardo.

    It was after all their own nobles who failed in internal strife, went out, and established a country that ended up more comfortable than Cortez itself.

    Now, they finally fell into their hands!

    Bound by noble tradition, they can¡¯t strip these people of their noble titles, but they can prevent them from entering their country!

    Don¡¯t come in if you¡¯re broke.

    Want a fief?

    Cortez¡¯s own nobles already have too many to manage; don¡¯t think about a barony without a duke¡¯s wealth.

    Hill, looking at this report reeking of monetary interest, felt sympathy for the nobles of Haifasardo.

    However, Cortez¡¯s standard wasn¡¯t very high; Grand Knight was a level that could be reached through hard work.

    And since they are nobles, they are surely knights!

    Since they could awaken, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to reach Grand Knight.

    Laziness results in a lack of power.

    No power means no status or money; this has always been the stark rule among the nobles.

    Cortez¡¯s actions were completely within noble tradition¡¯s baseline, greedy, but not without justification.

    As for the Sky Knights, having been there was Cortez¡¯s honor.

    Which Sky Knight would not possess a High-level Territory Decree!

    Once the territory was established, a few more Grand Knights in the next generation could sustain it.

    Those who went to Cortez were the ones with truly poor descendants, and they were also warmly welcomed.

    After all, the new bloodlines of Sky Knights were the prime choices for matrimonial alliances.

    Hill flipped to the back, where was the chaos that followed Haifasardo¡¯s retreat from the Noble Temple.

    The nobles schemed against each other, shirking responsibility, hoping to find a few scapegoats other than the King to deliver to William.

    After much hassle, the King himself overturned the table and walked out with them.

    It was quite alright; as long as the commoners could endure this turmoil, better days lay ahead.

    The faster the nobles fled, the better.

    The commoners were so thoroughly exploited that little was left to gain, and a great deal of time was wasted.

    The fleeing nobles currently had no time to bother, and no major incidents were likely to arise soon.

    At most, it was like the Mage Apprentices in the hall, at a loss and living austerely.

    As it was still spring, diligence would prevent starvation.

    Survival was all that mattered.

    Hill decided to leave directly after putting away the briefing; he would visit Haifasardo upon its return.

    Hill picked up the bell from the reception room¡¯s table and gently shook it a few times.

    The two apprentices entered quickly, standing respectfully with heads bowed, awaiting instructions.

    ¡°Does the Mages Association have any books for sale?¡± Hill asked indifferently.

    ¡°Many, but not all are Magic Books.¡± the male apprentice answered, ¡°We don¡¯t have a Temple of Knowledge here; the nobles sold their books to the Association before they left.¡±

    Hill was genuinely surprised; not all meant there were still some.

    Could it be some mages sold their Magic Books before fleeing?

    ¡°Why are there Magic Books for sale?¡±

    ¡°You must be a High-level Mage with a master, right?¡± said the female apprentice.

    ¡°There are many Junior Mages who make their apprentices copy Magic Books to sell.¡±

    Copying Magic Books relied on magic power; a normal apprentice could manage to copy one a month if they did nothing else but that, at most three or four!

    ¡°How much money can that make?

    Copying Magic Scrolls would be better!¡± Hill asked incredulously.

    The male apprentice said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°That also requires them to know and be able to teach it, and copying Magic Scrolls can fail!¡±

    Hill felt they were looking at him as if he were the Emperor who asked why the starving didn¡¯t eat meat porridge.

    He calmly asked, ¡°Are they much cheaper than the books from the Temple of Knowledge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the male apprentice answered.

    ¡°Many mages only possess a few Magic Books.

    In Haifasardo, there are many people who have studied magic, and each city has a few popular spells.¡±

    It could be like this?

    Hill blinked; why were they still suffering so and not moving to Saral?

    The nobles there welcomed Junior Mages who knew a few spells and pharmaceutical techniques.

    ¡°Saral Mages are rare.¡±

    ¡°Saral¡¯s reputation in Haifasardo isn¡¯t very good,¡± the male apprentice said hesitantly.

    ¡°That founding Emperor from Haifa was famously disdainful of mages.

    Even now, there are rumors in Saral that the Royal Family ostracizes mages and that mages in Saral are in a poor position.¡±

    Hill had nothing to say.

    ¡°And now?

    Do they still think that way?

    Is that why all who could leave have left?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± the youngster said briskly.

    ¡°It¡¯s because there are too many from the Undead Tribe, and they are all high-level; ordinary mages don¡¯t stand a chance, better to head to Cortez.¡±

    Hill shook his head and smiled bitterly, ¡°Alright.

    That¡¯s a reason.

    Bring me all the books; I want everything I don¡¯t already have!¡±

    The two hesitated and glanced at each other, ¡°May we ask other apprentices for help?¡±

    It looked quite a lot.

    Knowing he was not a local, Hill thought it best not to visit their warehouse and nodded in agreement.

    He placed a row of Primary Mana Potions on the table, telling the two apprentices, ¡°One delivery, one potion.¡±

    Indeed, rather than involving more people, the two opted to make several trips themselves, only calling in four or five others.

    Hill busied himself selecting the books, satisfied; they were familiar faces, thus avoiding causing them trouble by getting too close to a High-level Mage.

 Chapter 79 - 79 72 The Bountiful Harvest of Hill

    ?79: Chapter 72 The Bountiful Harvest of Hill 79: Chapter 72 The Bountiful Harvest of Hill Hill was surprised to see these children bring in three to four thousand books, one by one.

    When dealing with high-level professions, they had adopted a very prudent method.

    While Hill was picking, he didn¡¯t see any duplicate books.

    Even if there happened to be duplicates, they were all books with notes in the margins¡ªhe found that they had wisely brought them all over.

    Hill first took out all the magic books.

    Books that could be called ¡°magic books¡± were special-made books that only contained spells officially recognized by the rules.

    Most of the books here were common repeats of the Mage level.

    Occasionally, there were a few non-traditional spells, which were also outdated.

    For example, the chain fireball technique originally involved casting five fireballs at once, which had been determined as the most stable and cost-effective combination.

    Yet some people thought it would be better to cast six, even if it required one and a half times more mana, and they arrogantly wrote it into magic books to spread the word.

    One of these books, featuring the six-fireball chain technique, happened to be in Hill¡¯s hands.

    He looked at it with interest for a while.

    The books Fran had given him were all conventional, and he rarely saw magic books with such unusual thinking.

    Seeing Hill¡¯s interest, the male apprentice approached and said, ¡°This is the signature spell of a mage from our Danton City.

    He only put it on the market when he left.¡±

    Hill looked up at him and said, ¡°You know this isn¡¯t a standard spell, right?¡±

    An apprentice from the Mage Association wouldn¡¯t be so foolish.

    ¡°Yes, but for those who can barely become mages, an extra fireball makes a big difference.

    Their mana is nowhere near enough to consecutively cast two beaded fireballs.

    And even the fireball technique takes a long time to cast.

    That mage had been practicing this six-fireball spell from the start and had refined it significantly.

    He could also add two more fireball techniques, which is quite remarkable among the common mages in Danton.¡±

    As the apprentice saw the odd look on Hill¡¯s face, he added slowly, ¡°Besides the Mages¡¯ Association in Danton, there are not many conventional mages.

    The lord prefers those who can make special potions for him at any time.

    With such mages in abundance, the conventional mages don¡¯t really want to come to Danton.

    Even the Mages¡¯ Association reluctantly sent an archmage here.

    After all, it¡¯s the biggest city in the North, so the branch must be maintained.¡±

    Hill took the hint and didn¡¯t inquire about the lord who had gone on the run and what potions he might be involved in; the kind of potions beloved by decadent Nobles were predictable.

    In any case, even though there wasn¡¯t a book containing Archmage-level spells and despite all being repeats, Hill wanted them all.

    After all, in his library, there weren¡¯t even two shelves filled with magic books.

    He counted and saw there were quite a few here¡ªover three hundred and sixty.

    When put on the read-only shelves, they would add some breadth of knowledge.

    Like this six-fireball technique, which had probably been in use for decades and seen improvements by the mage, increasing its power somewhat.

    The thinking behind it might be worth looking into, Hill thought somewhat sadly, considering that the current mana cost for him to use the chain fireballs with five projectiles was higher than this spell¡¯s.

    Although he tried not to use Fire Element Spells, Hill still needed to know them!

    In case he found himself in a situation where only fire spells were an option, it was better than being completely helpless.

    Right now, half of the magic scrolls in his ring were Fire Element Spells given to him by Fran and Adrian.

    There were also plenty of Alchemical Bombs.

    Hill looked at the multiple piles of more books from these Nobles with their strange collections.

    These ordinary books could be considered valuable; after all, even the worst kind was worth more than ten gold coins.

    But in a mage¡¯s world, any book that could be bought with gold coins would always be cheap.

    Hill quickly flipped through them and decided to buy the entire lot.

    The books of Haifasardo¡¯s Nobles have an even older legacy.

    Many of these books might even date back to their time of arrival from Cortez.

    What makes books in this world expensive is the fact that the so-called paper is made through alchemy, and it lasts for millennia.

    Many alchemy apprentices, as long as they learn papermaking, can survive quite well.

    The profession of Alchemy doesn¡¯t have high barriers to entry; a little bit of magic power is enough to start learning.

    If one doesn¡¯t desire to advance further, learning papermaking¡ªor even a bit about herbals¡ªmeans one can live quite comfortably among ordinary people.

    It¡¯s generally passed down from generation to generation, as even if money could buy education, it isn¡¯t something most illiterate commoners can aspire to.

    Any book acquired by the Mages¡¯ Association has some value.

    Hill looked at several books among them that could be up to 5000 years old and deeply felt that Nobles, as a species, always considered money the most important thing in the end.

    No matter how much they glorify the image of upholding Noble traditions, when push comes to shove, heritage still makes way for money.

    Hill nodded to the male apprentice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take them all.

    How much?¡±

    The kid handed over a price list efficiently: common Common Spell Books were ten crystal stones each.

    Those few non-traditional ones were fifty crystal stones.

    Those containing spells of Archmage level were one hundred and fifty crystal stones.

    As for the Noble¡¯s books, regular ones were ten gold coins each, a thousand-year-old was one hundred gold coins, two thousand years were five hundred gold coins, three thousand years were one thousand, four thousand years were two thousand, and five thousand-year-old books were five thousand gold coins each.

    Hill, preparing to pay, was deeply shocked to see the apprentice happily bringing out two boxes to collect money, wondering if this branch was entirely run by two apprentices without a mage in sight.

    The male apprentice, observing Hill¡¯s astonished look, calmly said, ¡°Our Danton branch Mage Guild Leader has gone...

 Chapter 80 - 80 72 Hills Bountiful Harvest_2

    ?80: Chapter 72: Hill¡¯s Bountiful Harvest_2 80: Chapter 72: Hill¡¯s Bountiful Harvest_2 We¡¯re off to the Capital.

    Before leaving, all our affairs were listed and handed over to our mentor, Mage Nigel Bisley.

    Our mentor has been too busy to attend the Mage Association lately, so currently, all matters of the branch are handled by us.¡±

    Hill was dumbfounded.

    Was the Mage Association not even visited?

    The branch head has been in the Capital for over half a year now.

    All the branch heads across the nation were summoned.

    His Majesty the King has always been envious of the Association¡¯s wealth.

    The vice-president thinks more people should go for added insurance.

    But with the branch head away and our teacher having acquired a massive amount of books, Danton is out of funds.

    We haven¡¯t had our salaries for three months now,¡± said the female apprentice solemnly, ¡°There were a few apprentices around before, but they¡¯ve all gone out to find work.

    We two can¡¯t leave; we¡¯re barely hanging on.¡±

    Right, they were legitimate apprentices, knew more spells, and it was easier for them to find jobs compared to those unconventional ones downstairs.

    The male apprentice glanced at his complaining peer, ¡°We¡¯re lucky, having met the Magister.

    This money will be enough for the Danton branch to survive.

    I¡¯ll inform the teacher to return tonight.

    With the money, those people should come back for their salaries.

    This is something the teacher needs to do.¡±

    Looking at the chest of Crystal Stones, the female apprentice began to weep, ¡°I¡¯m so scared!

    Even the Crystal Stones for maintaining the Defensive Magic Array are running out!

    Without the teacher, how can we two hold on!¡±

    Hill looked at the girl who burst into tears from joy and the male apprentice who tried to stay calm, feeling deep sympathy for them.

    Having a mentor with no sense of responsibility is truly miserable.

    Hill did not bother with the apprentices in the hall eagerly looking at him; he walked out the door without looking back.

    The two apprentices seemed to have come down and said something, which made the hall erupt.

    They probably told them that as long as they hold on until the Saral People arrive, they will have a way out.

    That male apprentice was truly capable, it¡¯s a pity he already had a teacher, otherwise, Hill would definitely have introduced him to Adrian.

    Adrian had complained for a long time about not being able to find a few apprentices capable of dealing with estate affairs, and he still has to handle many things himself at the moment.

    Hill knew that if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had become a Magician, Adrian had wanted to make him his first disciple.

    Now, to find a new chief disciple, he would have to spend a great deal of effort screening.

    Becoming the heir to a Magic Tower is not easy.

    But having a few more apprentices capable of managing Mage Town would be good for Adrian now.

    Hill did not ask the boy¡¯s name.

    In the world of mages, a High-level Mage asking the name of an apprentice implies a desire to take on a disciple.

    He¡¯s working at the Mage Association, so he must have a mentor.

    Hill couldn¡¯t give him an unattainable hope.

    Hill looked back regretfully for a moment, then climbed onto the carriage.

    He instructed Srei, ¡°Let¡¯s go.

    If we pass by a big city, stop for a while; we need to buy books at the Mage Association.¡± He touched his ring, ¡°With so much prodigal spending, it¡¯s a waste not to buy, and even if it¡¯s just to inquire about the Knowledge Church, stop by too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Srei asked, ¡°What about the Capital?

    Are we still going?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no, no, no,¡± Hill answered repeatedly, ¡°We¡¯ll go around it.¡±

    He really didn¡¯t want to see just how chaotic Haifasardo¡¯s Capital was.

    As for that King with a seemingly suicidal desire, Hill thought it best to keep him at a respectful distance.

    ¡°All right, sir.¡±

    Hill slumped into his chair and slowly sipped a cup of juice.

    Hill suddenly laughed, recalling how in novels, protagonists at the Mage Association were always highly popular, given free water and meals, even accompanied by High-level Mages.

    Would you dare to eat what they give you?

    Would you let them accompany you if they dare?

    That¡¯s courting death.

    Mages are indeed wealthy, but they also don¡¯t mind using means to acquire more resources.

    Unless you have a strong background, the moment they figure out you¡¯re just a lucky guy with a lot of adventures, thousands of poisons deadly even to Elemental Spirits are waiting for you~~

    An Elemental Body could indeed neutralize most poisons, but what about those that target the soul!

    You have a big secret, they have some very vicious potions.

    Before Hill left on his own, Fran¡¯s biggest instruction was not to eat anything in public, even if it came from his own ring.

    Once exposed to the air, it could easily lead to trouble.

    Hill, once he left the carriage, would be tightly enveloped by an invisible membrane formed of natural energy.

    In the Mage Association, there was no need, nor would they have high-level mages come out to greet visiting ones.

    If that were the case, no mage would dare to enter.

    Hill was only surprised because no mage came out to collect money when it was time to do so.

    Generally, the chairmen and branch chairmen of the Mage Association were there to show presence, and they hardly ever made an appearance.

    Given the current situation in Haifasardo, setting up a magic array for defense would suffice to avoid any trouble.

    That is why the vice-chairman dared to summon all the branch chairmen of the entire nation.

    It¡¯s estimated that Danton¡¯s branch chairman had taken away the mages who usually worked, with all the professionals in Danton leaving, staying there would be pointless.

    It just hadn¡¯t been expected that the mage who was left would be so unreliable in his work.

    Hill smiled and caressed his ring, hoping he could collect as many books as possible in Haifasardo.

    Sometimes, the inherited books of the nobility contained many surprises.

    He hoped he would have this kind of good luck in other countries as well.

    Hill¡¯s carriage continued southwards, passing through forest paths swarming with thieves.

    However, upon seeing this alchemical golem carriage without a coachman, they all secretly hid away.

    Hill figured that the high-ranking thieves must have run away.

    Their information was, in fact, more accurate; the reality that the Saral allies had been almost entirely wiped out was enough to daunt them.

    Who didn¡¯t have some nobles backing them up?

    Yet the cold hard fact that Saral had flipped over along with those backing nobles slapped all the watching thieves squarely in the face.

    Perhaps these thieves had run away even earlier than the nobles?

    The remaining riffraff who couldn¡¯t even be considered professionals cowered at the sight of a mage.

    However, Hill also felt that there were too many thieves and bandits in Haifasardo.

    Indeed, when a nation was in turmoil, all manner of monsters and devils came out, making the lives of the common people the most difficult.

    Hill didn¡¯t care about this and left it to the players to grind for experience.

    In this world rich with elemental power, as long as one worked hard on farming, one wouldn¡¯t starve.

    Many townfolk could meet the needs of their families by growing some fruits and vegetables in their own small yards.

    The wheat needed for basic food was also very cheap.

    If they didn¡¯t want to buy it, they could just get some seeds and grow it themselves in their yard.

    Monsters were actually very rare inside the country; more dreaded than monsters when going out to till the land and sow crops were the tax-collecting nobles, but they wouldn¡¯t keep their eyes on that little bit in the yards.

    Now that most of the nobles had run away, those coming out to rob were the types of lackeys who had followed the nobles in flaunting power and oppressing the civilians.

    The commoners took this opportunity to hurry and work their lands.

    Hill thought about it and decided that unless faced with a life-threatening crisis, he still didn¡¯t want to kill people.

    Preparing mentally to take lives didn¡¯t mean he was going to actively seek the opportunity.

    He released a natural barrier around the carriage so that if anyone dared to make a move, they would be struck by swirling vines and flung away, their fate left to the heavens.

    Hill had already passed through three large cities, collecting many books along the way.

    It was somewhat better than Danton; those who came out to collect money were all mages.

    Bypassing the capital of Haifasardo, Hill would soon pass the roadblock set up by the king.

    He could feel a lot of people gathering there.

    Hill transformed his carriage into a sailboat, flew up into the sky, and hid in the clouds to look down.

    Haifasardo was shaped like an oval with a little tail, and just past the capital was this tail, where the king had built a long roadblock, with most of the nation¡¯s soldiers dispatched to guard it.

    The great nobility with high-level protectors, had mostly broken through the blockade and left; those with money had paid to avoid trouble.

    Those remaining were the ones too stingy to spend money, hoping to gather more people to create pressure and force the guards to let them pass.

    Hill, from high above, could hear the ceaseless swearing from below.

    But nobody paid any mind.

    The soldiers who had already reaped their spoils weren¡¯t about to be chased away by such small pressure.

    Hill lay on the gunwale watching for a while, then uninterestedly decided to leave.

    By the time there were more people, enough to gather some mage knights to fight with the guards, William might already have entered the capital of Haifasardo.