ã€ŠSynthesis Wizardã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Synthetic Cube

    ## Chapter 1: The Synthetic Cube

    Starlight Calendar 1248, Autumn Moon (October).

    Black Stone City, on the border of the Starlit Duchy.

    The weather was gradually becoming cooler, with occasional yellow leaves swirling in the wind, a reminder that the hot summer was coming to an end.

    Walking along the cobblestone path in the courtyard, the old butler, Gaile, tightened his collar to keep the cold wind out, while his other hand held a wooden box steady.

    He passed through the courtyard and arrived at a secluded part of the garden.

    Looking at the deserted courtyard, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. He couldn¡¯t understand why Master Su Nan wanted to move here and asked the servants not to disturb him.

    He said he liked quiet, but it was too deserted for him.

    Since the Baron Arnest, their father, had died in battle, the two young masters had been indirectly exiled to Black Stone City. Su Nan, who had always been introverted, had become even more silent and reserved.

    He either hid in his room reading or tinkering with strange things.

    He even asked Master Kei to help him collect various herbs and small animals.

    His actions were baffling.

    Thankfully, Master Kei was still there.

    Unlike Su Nan, Kei had been diligently cultivating himself since arriving in Black Stone City. At only nineteen years old, he was already a High-Rank Knight, loved by his subordinates.

    Having such a ruler in place was undoubtedly a good thing for Black Stone City, which had been plagued by the Black Scale Lizardfolk for years.

    As he pondered, Gaile reached the door of the innermost room and gently knocked.

    ¡°Master Su Nan, I¡¯ve brought you the Silver Moon Flowers.¡±

    ¡°Just leave it at the door.¡±

    A weak voice came from inside.

    ¡°Yes, Master Su Nan.¡±

    Gaile expertly placed the wooden box on the right side of the door, bowed, and turned to leave the courtyard.

    A moment later, the door creaked open, and a young man of sixteen or seventeen, somewhat thin and pale, came out.

    He bent down and picked up the wooden box, turned around, and walked back into the room, closing the door behind him.

    The room was sparsely furnished, with long tables lining all four walls. On the tables, glass bottles and jars were neatly arranged, each containing various strange ingredients. ?

    In the center of the room was a large experimental table, almost taking up half the space. It was covered with glass bottles, tubes, beakers, and other tools of various sizes.

    Because the windows and doors were closed and there was no ventilation, the air was filled with a pungent, sweet smell, mixed with a disinfectant-like aroma.

    Su Nan casually placed the wooden box on the table, then picked up a book he hadn¡¯t finished reading and continued to focus on it.

    After about half an hour, he finally finished the last page and slammed the book shut.

    At the same time, a line of text appeared in the void in front of him.

    [Reading ¡®Fundamentals of Potionology¡¯, ¡®Potion Crafting¡¯ learning progress +0.5%.]

    [¡®Potion Crafting¡¯ learning progress has reached 100%, acquired ¡®Potion Crafting Lv1¡¯]

    Su Nan let out a long sigh. A hint of joy appeared on his pale face.

    After more than two months of reading related books, combined with numerous practical sessions of drug extraction and purification, he had finally filled the learning progress bar for Potion Crafting.

    He put down ¡®Fundamentals of Potionology¡¯ and looked at the box in the corner of the room.

    It contained more than twenty books.

    A plant with a stimulating effect.

    Many nobles were accustomed to making floral tea from Silver Moon Flowers. A cup in the morning could dispel sleepiness and boost spirits.

    This was actually because Silver Moon Flowers contained an ingredient that stimulated the spirit.

    After extracting and refining this ingredient, its stimulating effect could be further enhanced.

    Su Nan took the wooden box to the experimental table in the center of the room, took out the Silver Moon Flowers, and placed them in a beaker, then lit the alcohol lamp for heating.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity I couldn¡¯t find a Magic Stone. Otherwise, I could make a Magic Stone Lamp and use it to make potions, which would be even more effective.¡±

    The Starlight Continent in the 1.0 version of the game was still an elemental desert, with a pitifully low concentration of energy particles in the air.

    As a result, all kinds of resources had decreased significantly compared to before, including Magic Stones.

    At this point in time, the Starlight Continent didn¡¯t have enough resources to cultivate a formal Wizard.

    Fortunately, Su Nan had the Synthetic Cube.

    Even without sufficient resources, he could find a way to synthesize them himself.

    He added some water to the beaker and covered it with a glass lid.

    Under the burning flame, the liquid in the beaker quickly boiled, releasing a large number of bubbles.

    In just two or three minutes, the water inside turned completely into a beautiful silver-blue, and a lot of water vapor spewed out from the edge of the lid, filling the room with a refreshing aroma.

    Su Nan took a gentle whiff and felt his spirits instantly soar.

    After about ten minutes, the gurgling boil subsided, and the liquid in the beaker had evaporated by more than half.

    Su Nan picked up the beaker and took a look, nodding in satisfaction.

    About 100 milliliters of Silver Moon Flower Extract.

    [Successfully completed one drug purification and refinement, Potion Crafting Proficiency +1]

    Su Nan divided the extract into 10 equal portions, 10 milliliters each, then opened the Synthetic Cube and placed one portion of the extract in the grid.

    The information above the grid quickly appeared.

    [Silver Moon Flower Extract, Purity 37.12%, Increases Spirit Activity by 21.47% after Consumption, Duration 10 Hours 35 Minutes.]

    Su Nan placed the remaining 9 portions of the extract in the grid.

    The interface instantly changed, and a huge grid appeared on the right, containing a more vibrant and illusory silver-blue liquid.

    [Silver Moon Flower Essence, Purity 76.44%, Increases Spirit Activity by 160.24% after Consumption, Duration 10 Days 14 Hours 22 Minutes.]

    It was obvious that this was the finished product after synthesis.

    If it was just ordinary Silver Moon Flower Extract, the effects would not be cumulative.

    Ten portions of extract combined could only maintain the spirit-enhancing effect for less than five days, and the increase was only 21.47%.

    But after being synthesized by the Cube, both the effect and duration were greatly enhanced.

    This was the power of the Synthetic Cube!

    Su Nan took a gulp of the Silver Moon Flower Essence.

    As the medicinal effect spread, his entire being instantly became clear.

    Without wasting time, he sat cross-legged on the spot and began to meditate.

    New book, please collect and vote! Thank you, bigwigs!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 2: Vague and Ethereal Legend

    ## Chapter 2: Vague and Ethereal Legend

    Every introductory text is essentially a meditation method.

    The Star Ring Meditation Method is the meditation method that comes with the introductory text that activated Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power.

    The core is to construct a star ring in one¡¯s mind.

    Each star ring constructed will greatly increase spiritual power.

    According to the introductory text, once three star rings are successfully constructed and spiritual power reaches 12 points, one can be promoted to a Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    As Su Nan closed his eyes, his vision instantly fell into darkness, and his consciousness, like a stone falling into a lake, gradually sank to the silent bottom.

    A dazzling starlight slowly emerged from the darkness, gradually growing into a ring.

    However, most of the ring was illusory, with only about one-tenth of it being solid.

    During the meditation, light spots kept flashing around Su Nan, merging into his body and constantly filling the illusory part of the star ring.

    After an unknown amount of time, Su Nan suddenly opened his eyes and woke up.

    He took out his pocket watch and saw that nearly two hours had passed.

    On the panel, the Star Ring Meditation Method had gained 5 points in proficiency, and his spiritual power had increased by 0.01.

    ¡°For the same two hours of meditation, the gains are about two and a half times that of usual.¡±

    ¡°This is the benefit of improved spiritual activity.¡±

    Su Nan smiled.

    Just then, footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a knock.

    ¡°Young Master Su Nan, Lord Kei has returned and wants you to go to the training ground.¡±

    Su Nan regained his senses and said calmly, ¡°I know.¡±

    Black Stone City was built on the mountain.

    To guard against the invasion of Black Scale Lizardfolk, the city walls were built extremely high, with watchtowers densely distributed on the outer perimeter.

    From afar, it looked like a ferocious beast perched in the mountains.

    At the very center of the city stood a vast inner fortress.

    Unlike the crucial city walls, the inner fortress had not been repaired for many years and looked dilapidated.

    Only the training ground was flat and open, showing that it had been recently expanded, revealing the martial spirit of its owner.

    Su Nan walked into the training ground and saw his older brother, Kei, standing at the edge of the field, accompanied by seven or eight burly men in armor.

    These men were the only knight force in Black Stone City, the last vestige of their father, Baron Arnest, who remained loyal to the Shining Family.

    ¡°Formal knights all have physiques of 8 or above. A high-level knight like my brother can even reach 14 points or above.¡±

    ¡°Compared to these superhuman beings, my body is pathetically weak.¡±

    To this end, Kei trained desperately, trying every means to strengthen the power of Black Stone City.

    He even had a glimmer of hope for the so-called wizard methods.

    ¡ªAlthough deep down, he was not optimistic about it.

    Hearing their conversation, many knights around showed disdainful expressions.

    They didn¡¯t believe that there was anything on the Black Scale Lizardfolk that could make them stronger.

    In the past, people tried to eat lizard meat, but they didn¡¯t see their bodies become stronger after eating it. Moreover, the meat was disgusting.

    Seeing the expressions of everyone, Su Nan secretly sighed.

    People in this world had no idea how powerful wizards were.

    Knights and wizards, just like martial arts and cultivation, were simply incomparable.

    Even the most powerful Legendary Knights in the Star Sea Empire were no more than slightly larger ants in front of a formal wizard, and they could be easily crushed with a flick of the wrist.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan didn¡¯t bother to explain. After chatting with Kei for a while, he turned and left the training ground.

    Returning to his courtyard, Su Nan went straight to the basement.

    This was a laboratory he had cleared out specifically for biological modification research.

    The predecessor had left behind a lot of books, including introductory books and a few books on spell models, the rest were related to biological modification and potion making, such as ¡°Biology,¡± ¡°Mutation,¡± ¡°Bloodline Extraction,¡± ¡°Anatomy,¡± ¡°Neurology,¡± ¡°Basic Potionology,¡± and ¡°Magic Plant Cultivation.¡±

    It was thanks to these books and some practical experience that Su Nan successfully completed the learning progress of Potion Making and mastered this skill.

    In addition, the learning progress of another skill, ¡°Biological Modification,¡± had already exceeded 50%.

    It was estimated that it would be fully mastered in a month or two.

    ¡°However, to master other skills or spells, more wizard texts need to be collected.¡±

    This was one of the reasons why Su Nan had boasted to his brother.

    Only when others realized how powerful wizard methods were would they be more willing to help collect various resources.

    Otherwise, even if his brother was willing to continue spending a lot of manpower and material resources to help collect resources out of brotherly love, the knights under him would still complain and work halfheartedly.

    Over the past two months, Su Nan had been busy with this.

    He had worked hard to master potion making, preparing for his future actions.

    Looking at the dozen or so lizard corpses piled in the corner, he took a copy of ¡°Zero-Rank Potion Compendium¡± from the cabinet and turned to page 284.

    The page was covered with dense text and complex, intricate patterns.

    The first line at the top was in bold black font.

    Dragon Blood Potion!

 Chapter 3: Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion

    ## Chapter 3: Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion

    Among all the potions brewed by wizards, Dragon Blood Potion is considered quite special.

    It enhances the physical constitution of the user. Even for a full-fledged knight, it still holds its benefits.

    Its ¡°specialness¡± lies in the vast disparity between its lowest and highest qualities. Inferior Dragon Blood Potions don¡¯t even have a tier; they¡¯re simply considered Zero-Tier potions. Conversely, superior Dragon Blood Potions can reach a Tier 3 level, something even formal wizards would covet.

    The tier of a Dragon Blood Potion mainly depends on the quality of the Dragon Blood used as the primary ingredient. The higher the quality of the Dragon Blood, the stronger the effects of the resulting potion, naturally leading to a higher tier.

    However, let alone genuine Dragon Blood, even obtaining blood from a slightly stronger Sub-Dragon species was beyond Su Nan¡¯s current capabilities.

    But there were alternatives.

    The Black Scale Lizardmen¡¯s ancestors were descendants of the Dragon race tens of thousands of years ago, carrying Dragon blood in their veins.

    Although the Dragon bloodline had thinned considerably by today, it still contained traces of Dragon blood.

    Su Nan¡¯s goal was to extract Dragon blood from the Black Scale Lizardmen¡¯s blood, achieving the standards required for Dragon Blood Potion materials.

    Patting his cheeks, Su Nan regained his focus and prepared to begin.

    However, even the initial step of moving the heavy lizard corpses to the operating table left him gasping for breath.

    ¡°Once I create the Dragon Blood Potion, I must take it myself first and enhance my physical constitution before anything else!¡±

    Regaining his breath, Su Nan picked up the scalpel and began the dissection to extract blood.

    The Black Scale Lizardmen had only died recently, and their corpses were preserved using drugs. Their blood hadn¡¯t coagulated yet, making the blood extraction process quite smooth.

    After spending over an hour extracting all the lizard blood, Su Nan began the bloodline extraction process.

    [Completing a blood purification, ¡®Bio-Modification¡¯ learning progress +0.01%]

    [Completing a blood refinement, ¡®Bio-Modification¡¯ learning progress +0.01%]

    [Completing a bloodline extraction, ¡®Bio-Modification¡¯ learning progress +0.03%]

    After multiple rounds of purification and refinement, a whole barrel of blood was reduced to a little over three liters.

    Gazing at the thick, crimson blood resembling jelly in the glass beaker, Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    [Dragon Lizard Blood, Purity 35.68%, Contains Dragon Lizard Bloodline. Injecting it into the body has a very small probability of causing mutation into a Dragon Lizard form, a high probability of causing rejection, and a severe possibility of causing death. Stronger constitution leads to higher mutation probability and lower rejection rate.]

    ¡°With my current skills, this is the best I can do.¡±

    Su Nan sighed.

    Bloodline extraction and refinement were part of Bio-Modification. He hadn¡¯t even mastered the Bio-Modification skill, so his techniques were naturally limited.

    Thankfully, he had the Synthesis Cube, his cheat tool.

    ¡°A Dragon Blood Potion requires 80 milliliters of Dragon Blood.¡±

    Su Nan separated two 80-milliliter portions of Dragon Lizard Blood and placed them in the Cube. Soon, the synthesis interface displayed the corresponding information.

    However, this attempt also ended in failure.

    His subsequent third attempt at potion brewing also failed.

    Summarizing the experience of three failures, Su Nan finally achieved success on his fourth attempt.

    [Completing a Potion Brewing, Potion Brewing Proficiency +12]

    [Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion (Zero-Tier/Inferior), Consuming it can enhance physical constitution. The specific enhancement amplitude depends on the user¡¯s constitution. The weaker the constitution, the stronger the effect. Repeated consumption will weaken the effect.]

    ¡°Just a Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion?¡±

    ¡°Well, the Sub-Dragon Blood¡¯s purity is too low, so successfully brewing it is already good enough.¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Nan poured the potion down his throat.

    The moment the potion entered his stomach, a surge of heat exploded and spread throughout his body.

    Su Nan felt like his entire body was immersed in boiling magma, experiencing excruciating pain mixed with an undeniable thrill.

    It took about four to five minutes for the pain to gradually subside.

    Su Nan was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water, his clothes completely soaked.

    But at this moment, he felt full of energy, his body brimming with inexhaustible strength, completely free from the previous feeling of weakness.

    Taking off his shirt, Su Nan looked down at his body.

    His previously skinny body, where his ribs were clearly visible, was now much more muscular.

    He gently pressed his abdomen and could clearly feel the abdominal muscles beneath the thin layer of fat.

    He clenched his fist, and prominent muscle lines immediately appeared on his arm.

    Su Nan opened his panel and was pleasantly surprised to find that his constitution had increased from 0.7 to 2.6.

    An increase of 1.9!

    ¡°2.6 constitution, that¡¯s almost equivalent to a Probationary Knight who has been training for four or five years.¡±

    Su Nan was filled with awe.

    A single potion had transformed him from a frail ordinary person to a powerful Probationary Knight.

    This was the power of wizard potions!

    And this was only a Lower-Grade Zero-Tier potion.

    If he were to use an entry-level Dragon Blood Potion, it might even allow an ordinary person to directly become a knight!

    ¡°Entry-level potions are still too far away for me. Now that I have the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion, it¡¯s enough to fulfill the task.¡±

 Chapter 4

    The fifth attempt at potion making failed, and Su Nan used up his last vial of Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    He didn¡¯t mind. He didn¡¯t need to present any physical proof¡ªhe himself was the best evidence.

    After a good night¡¯s sleep, Su Nan found Kei in the council chamber the next day.

    Kei had just returned from a patrol and was still wearing his armor, looking weary. He and the other knight-commanders were gathered in the hall, discussing how to deal with the Black Scale Lizardfolk raids.

    ¡°The Black Scale Lizardfolk usually invade during the Frostfall month, stealing food to survive the winter. Time is running out.¡±

    ¡°Our scouts spotted their presence ten kilometers north of the city yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Those damn bandits, never changing their ways!¡±

    ¡°My Lord, give me a hundred-man squad, and I¡¯ll wipe them out!¡±

    Kei frowned.

    Black Stone City was just a small town, with only five hundred soldiers in total. More than half of them were just militia who had undergone basic training and had never seen actual combat. They were fine for defending the city, but if they were sent to fight the Black Scale Lizardfolk, they would likely crumble at the first encounter.

    Only two hundred and fifty soldiers could be considered truly combat-worthy. That number was simply not enough to defend Black Stone City and its surrounding villages.

    Thinking about it, Kei couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. Besides Owen, the Black Scale Lizardfolk were another threat he had to deal with. If he didn¡¯t handle it properly, Black Stone City would have a tough winter.

    While in the midst of his headache, Kei caught sight of Su Nan walking in. He gestured for his subordinates to keep quiet and looked towards Su Nan.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Su Nan replied, ¡°I¡¯ve succeeded.¡±

    Kei was stunned for a moment before understanding what Su Nan meant. He asked with a touch of skepticism, ¡°You found a way to improve the strength of the army?¡±

    The others also realized what was happening and looked towards Su Nan, their eyes filled with visible doubt.

    He had only been working on it for a day, and already he had found a feasible solution? This sounded too good to be true.

    Facing the doubtful gazes, Su Nan didn¡¯t bother with explanations. He walked directly to a long table, grabbed the edge with one hand, and lifted.

    With a creak, the heavy table lifted off the ground and hovered about twenty centimeters above it, without a single tremor.

    The council members stared at the scene with wide eyes, their eyeballs almost popping out.

    He paused for a moment before quickly stepping in front of Su Nan, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°I never thought the legendary techniques of the Wizard were real.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for doubting you before. It was my mistake!¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring that up between family.¡±

    Kei¡¯s smile became brighter, and he nodded vigorously, ¡°Well said. Together, we brothers will eventually reclaim Shining Light Territory and avenge Father.¡±

    Su Nan nodded solemnly, but his heart remained calm.

    Now that he had the goal of becoming a Wizard, he had no interest in ruling the world. He just wanted to cultivate quietly, achieve longevity, and live to witness the elemental resurgence and the Age of Wizards a thousand years from now.

    Although his heart thought this way, he still needed to put on a good show in front of his elder brother.

    After all, a Wizard¡¯s cultivation required vast resources, and having a lord brother would make it much easier and faster to gather them.

    Therefore, Su Nan¡¯s goal was clear: he would work on improving the territory¡¯s strength to turn it into a logistical platform for gathering resources, while also cultivating his own strength, aiming to become an official Wizard as soon as possible.

    On the other side, the commanders had also recovered from their shock and looked at each other in disbelief.

    None of them had imagined that the legendary techniques of the Wizards were real.

    To be able to turn an ordinary person into a Probationary Knight in just a day¡ªthis kind of power was truly awe-inspiring!

    For a moment, everyone looked at Su Nan with a mix of admiration and awe.

    Following that came a wave of intense excitement.

    With such a miraculous potion, the territory could finally grow stronger!

    So when Kei gave the order to hunt down the Black Scale Lizardfolk the next day, all the commanders responded with excited expressions.

    They had never wanted to face those damn bandits so much!

    The Black Scale Lizardfolk, which they had once despised, now looked like walking, valuable potions in their eyes.

    They were all potential resources for becoming stronger!

    (End)

 Chapter 5

    The next morning.

    Kei, leading his army, stormed out of the city, heading out on a grand hunt for the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    Su Nan, as always, stayed in his room, attending to his own affairs.

    In his study, with the windows and doors tightly shut, a bright yellow candle flickered and danced.

    Su Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed.

    After about two hours, he ended his meditation and opened his eyes.

    On his panel, the Star Ring Meditation Method proficiency had increased by 5 points.

    His Spiritual Power had also increased by 0.01.

    ¡°At this rate, it will take about half a year to construct the first Star Ring.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    According to the description in that introductory book, without external help, most Wizard Apprentices would take two to three years to construct their first Star Ring.

    Wizard Apprentices with exceptional aptitude could shorten this time to about a year.

    From this perspective, even excluding the enhancement effect of the Silver Moon Flower Essence, his ¡®aptitude¡¯ could be considered quite exceptional.

    After all, in most games, players with data panels were all unparalleled geniuses compared to natives.

    However, Su Nan was still not satisfied.

    It would take half a year to construct the first Star Ring, and it would take even longer for the second and third.

    Calculating it all, it would probably take three to four years to become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Wouldn¡¯t it take ten or twenty years to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice?

    What about becoming an official Wizard?

    A hundred years?

    It should be noted that the lifespan of a Wizard Apprentice was not much longer than that of an ordinary person.

    Without undergoing physical transformation, their lifespan would not exceed two hundred years at most.

    Only by becoming a Wizard and breaking through the shackles, with the life essence being elevated, could their lifespan be significantly extended.

    Su Nan¡¯s goal was to become a Wizard before his life ended, so that he could live until the Elemental Revival a thousand years later.

    ¡°I still need to further improve the efficiency of my meditation.¡±

    Su Nan got up and went to the bookshelf, taking out ¡°Complete Guide to Zero-Tier Potions¡±.

    This book recorded eighteen different zero-tier potion formulas.

    Apart from the Dragon Blood Potion, there were also Brute Force Potion, Healing Potion, Swiftness Potion, Light Sensitivity Potion, and so on.

    To cast a spell, one needed to first use Spiritual Power to construct the corresponding Spell Model, and then use the model to draw on energy particles, releasing them in a special way, which would become the so-called spell.

    Simply put, the Spell Model was like the CPU processor that transformed energy particles into various spells.

    It was just that this processor was extremely precise and complex, with countless spell circuits and nodes that could make one¡¯s scalp tingle.

    Even the simplest zero-ring Spell Model was far more complex than one could imagine.

    And each Spell Model involved several fields of knowledge.

    Take Master¡¯s Hand as an example, it involved energy circulation and force field energy conversion. To master Master¡¯s Hand, one would need to find books related to these two fields of knowledge, learn them, and master them.

    Therefore, the time a Wizard Apprentice took to learn a spell was often measured in years.

    But Su Nan, this ¡°¹Ò±Æ (ga? bi?, slang for overpowered/cheater)¡±, was an exception.

    With his player panel, he didn¡¯t need to understand the knowledge in the books or master any prerequisite knowledge. He could simply read the spell books and increase his learning progress.

    Even if he didn¡¯t understand a word!

    Similarly, he didn¡¯t need to painstakingly construct complex Spell Models in his mind.

    As long as his learning progress was maxed out, he could instantly master the spell, and the related knowledge would also be instantly understood.

    This was the advantage of being a player.

    Opening the Master¡¯s Hand Spell Model book, Su Nan read it intently.

    After about half an hour, a line of text slowly appeared before him.

    ¡¾Reading ¡°Master¡¯s Hand Spell Model¡±, ¡°Master¡¯s Hand¡± learning progress +0.08%¡¿

    In the days that followed, Su Nan spent his days meditating and reading spell books.

    Occasionally, he would take a break to process the Black Scale Lizardfolk corpses that Kei sent back, extracting their blood to make Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion.

    As his skill proficiency increased, his potion making skills became more proficient, and his success rate gradually improved.

    In the end, he was able to make a bottle of Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion from an average of three portions of Sub-Dragon¡¯s Blood.

    Over the course of half a month, he had already accumulated eleven bottles of Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion.

    When Kei returned to the inner castle council hall of Black Stone City, dusty and weary, he was greeted by Su Nan and the potions lined up neatly on the table.

    ¡°This is the potion you mentioned that can enhance physique?¡±

    Kei picked up a potion, looking at the crimson liquid swaying in the transparent glass bottle, his face filled with amazement.

    The knights around him all stretched their necks to look at the potion on the table, their eyes shining with eagerness.

    After all, according to Su Nan, these potions had effects even for official Knights.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to become stronger?

 Chapter 6: Knowledge is Power

    Chapter 6: Knowledge is Power

    ¡°All the potions I made this time are here, I¡¯ll leave it to you, brother, to distribute.¡± Su Nan said.

    ¡°Thanks for your hard work!¡±

    Kei slapped Su Nan¡¯s shoulder with an excited face. He then looked at the potions on the table, thought for a while, and asked, ¡°How effective are these potions on a Great Knight?¡±

    ¡°Very limited.¡± Su Nan answered without hesitation, ¡°It can only increase a Great Knight¡¯s constitution by about one to two percent.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Kei shook his head with some disappointment. This potion was too wasteful for him to take.

    He thought for a moment, then turned around and called out, ¡°Jorton.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The knight who was called by name took a step forward with a joyful expression.

    Kei picked up a bottle of potion and tossed it to Jorton.

    ¡°Drink it.¡±

    Jorton didn¡¯t hesitate, he pulled the cork open and poured the bright red liquid into his mouth.

    The next moment, his skin visibly turned red, his veins bulged, and his face contorted in pain.

    Fortunately, it only lasted for less than two minutes before Jorton¡¯s body returned to normal.

    He gasped for breath, sweat dripping down his forehead, but his expression was full of excitement.

    ¡°Such a magical effect!¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve become much stronger, and my reaction speed has also increased.¡±

    Jorton excitedly gestured with his hands and feet.

    Su Nan nodded silently.

    The Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion should enhance a Probationary Knight¡¯s constitution by around 0.7 to 0.9 points.

    Keep in mind, the constitution of a Probationary Knight is only between 8 and 10.

    A ten percent increase in constitution is already a huge boost.

    For a Great Knight, it would probably only increase their constitution by 0.2 to 0.3 points.

    But this was only a zero-order, low-grade, Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion. When the potion making skill improves and the quality of the materials increases, naturally, it will be possible to make Dragon Blood Potions with better effects. R?

    Seeing Jorton¡¯s transformation, the eyes of the surrounding knights all lit up, and they looked at the potions on the table with even more intense desire.

    Kei also had a joyful smile on his face. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°Go and call Nelson, Cardi, Nordan... all of them.¡±

    Several militia quickly lowered the baskets, preparing to receive the men.

    Ten minutes later, a loud alarm bell echoed across Black Stone City.

    Everyone heard the sound.

    In his study, Su Nan looked up, his expression moving slightly.

    ¡°The Black Scale Lizardfolk have finally arrived.¡±

    Since last month, Black Stone City had been preparing for the invasion of the Black Scale Lizardfolk, temporarily relocating the residents of the more distant villages within the city.

    The closer villages were guarded by soldiers.

    At the same time, Kei donned his armor and sat in the city of Black Stone, ready to lead the army at any moment to exterminate the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    In previous years, the atmosphere in Black Stone City would always be very heavy at this time.

    After all, the invasion of the Black Scale Lizardfolk would cause considerable losses to Black Stone City.

    Casualties, destroyed buildings, trampled fields... all these losses would take a whole spring to recover.

    In the war against the Black Scale Lizardfolk, Black Stone City would not benefit at all. Regardless of victory or defeat, it would always be a drain on their resources.

    But this year was different.

    The existence of the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion meant that the blood of the Black Scale Lizardfolk became nourishment for the Black Stone City army to grow stronger.

    With each Black Scale Lizardman killed, the Black Stone City army would have one more chance to become stronger.

    Black Stone City already had the capital to grow stronger through war!

    Under these circumstances, the Black Scale Lizardfolk invasion was no longer simply a disaster for Black Stone City, but an opportunity.

    As long as they could get a lot of Black Scale Lizardfolk corpses, Black Stone City could have a large number of Probationary Knights and even Knights next year.

    With profit as the driving force, the army could naturally burst forth with several times their morale and enthusiasm.

    Su Nan could already imagine the faces of those knight commanders, full of excitement as they charged towards the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    ¡°Just a zero-order potion can turn the tide for Black Stone City.¡±

    ¡°Knowledge is power, this saying is indeed true.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes twinkled, he lowered his head and continued to look at the book.

    On the slightly yellowed page, the first line was written in black small characters:

    ¡®Wisdom is the true source of a wizard¡¯s power!¡¯

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 7: The Fighting Strength of a Wizard Apprentice

    Chapter 7: The Fighting Strength of a Wizard Apprentice

    At the end of the Frostfall Month (November), the first snow fell.

    Black Stone City was covered in a blanket of white, a vast expanse of snow.

    On this day, Su Nan¡¯s progress in learning Master¡¯s Hand reached 100%.

    [¡®Master¡¯s Hand¡¯ learning progress has reached 100%, obtaining ¡®Master¡¯s Hand¡¯]

    A surge of information flooded his mind. Su Nan closed his eyes to digest it, then opened them and looked at the book on the table, his lips moving slightly as he uttered a string of strange syllables.

    The moment the sound rang out, the book trembled slightly, then slowly floated up, moving slowly up, down, left, and right as he followed it with his gaze.

    The effect of Master¡¯s Hand is to make distant objects float and move at will.

    To outsiders, it looks like an invisible ghostly hand is moving objects.

    That¡¯s how the name Master¡¯s Hand came about.

    Among the numerous zero-level spells, Master¡¯s Hand is one of the most practical.

    Whether it¡¯s surgical experiments or potion-making, using Master¡¯s Hand to assist can save a lot of effort.

    In combat, Master¡¯s Hand can also be used to remotely control weapons to attack enemies.

    As for the effective distance for controlling objects and the weight it can withstand, it depends on the caster¡¯s mastery of the spell and their spiritual power.

    This was also why Su Nan chose Master¡¯s Hand as his first spell.

    With Master¡¯s Hand, making potions and extracting lizardman blood will be much easier in the future.

    ¡°Which spell should I choose for the second one?¡±

    Su Nan thought for a moment, and three spell books automatically floated out of the bookshelf and landed on the table.

    Acid Splash, Sleep Curse, and Flashing Spell.

    The effects of all three spells are easy to understand, and their names reveal their purpose.

    After pondering for a while, Su Nan decided to learn Sleep Curse first.

    He had caught and experimented on a lot of small animals to increase the progress of learning Biological Modification.

    If he mastered Sleep Curse, it would undoubtedly make experimenting a lot easier.

    Anyway, the Black Scale Lizardmen had retreated, and his territory didn¡¯t need him to participate in combat, so there was no need to rush to learn offensive spells. R??

    In fact, the combat strength of Level 1 Wizard Apprentices is generally not strong.

    When they first become apprentices, they are just people with stronger spiritual power than ordinary people. They can manipulate energy particles in the outside world, store them in their bodies, and form the concept of magical power, like a newbie.

    Later, as their spiritual power increases through meditation, their bodies will gradually become stronger due to the subtle infiltration and improvement of energy particles.

    At this stage, a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice is not much stronger than a Probationary Knight.

    The knights and generals he knew all spoke of this matter, and when they mentioned Master Su Nan, they all spoke with immense respect.

    This left Old Gaeler puzzled.

    After living in Black Stone City for decades, he had a faint feeling that some kind of positive change was happening in this city.

    ¡°The lord and Master Su Nan are here!¡±

    A sudden cry rang out.

    The hall instantly fell silent, and everyone turned to look at the entrance.

    Kei and Su Nan walked into the hall side by side.

    Both were dressed in formal attire, their faces, which were about 70% similar, were equally handsome.

    Kei, the elder brother, was tall and strong, with full, rounded muscles all over his body, and hard lines, like a perfect sculpture from ancient Greece.

    Su Nan, the younger brother, while still thin, no longer looked weak, and his whole body exuded a lean and vigorous aura.

    His eyes, in particular, were as deep and bright as stars, making it difficult to meet his gaze.

    The arrival of the two brothers instantly attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Lord.¡±

    ¡°Master Su Nan.¡±

    The knights all bowed respectfully.

    The way they addressed Su Nan had also changed from ¡°Master¡± to ¡°Master Su Nan¡±, indicating their respect.

    Kei strode to the front of the crowd and raised the goblet in his hand.

    ¡°We¡¯ve all worked hard this past year. Tonight, let¡¯s all drink our fill of good wine and enjoy the delicious food!¡±

    The knights all cheered loudly, their boisterous sounds almost threatening to overturn the roof.

    Su Nan watched this scene quietly, picking up a glass of fruit wine from the table and taking a sip.

    After two months of energy particle immersion, his physicality had increased to 2.79, almost reaching the peak of a Probationary Knight.

    Moreover, because he could absorb energy particles, he didn¡¯t have to eat as much as other Probationary Knights, who needed large amounts of food to replenish the essence consumed during training.

    If he needed to, he could even go months without eating.

    Now, he ate more to satisfy his hunger.

    As soon as Su Nan finished his glass of wine, Kei walked over to him.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drinking with everyone else?¡±

    ¡°I prefer to be quiet on my own.¡±

    Kei knew his younger brother¡¯s temperament and didn¡¯t say anything more. He smiled and said, ¡°I have good news for you. I¡¯ve found what you wanted, and it should already be in your courtyard.¡±

 Chapter 8: Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion

    Chapter 8: Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion

    2024-08-09

    Chapter 8: Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion

    Su Nan had never been particularly interested in banquets, and now that he had found the thing he had been yearning for, he had even less desire to stay. After a few words with Kei, he left the banquet hall early and returned to his courtyard.

    As soon as he entered, Su Nan saw two boxes placed in the courtyard. He used Master¡¯s Hand to move the two boxes into his study and then opened them to examine them carefully.

    One of the boxes contained more than a dozen books. On the dark hard covers, intricate and irregular lines formed words that only wizards (apprentices) could understand.

    *Fatigue¡¯s Touch*, *Detecting Toxicity*, *Lockpicking*, *Enchanting Humans*, *Shield Technique*, *Analysis of Heterogeneous Lifeforms*, *Necrotic Rebirth*, *Negative Energy Principle*.

    Of the twelve books, five were spell model books, while the rest were various professional knowledge books. Among these five spells, *Enchanting Humans* and *Shield Technique* were both first-ring spells.

    ¡°First-ring spells?¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.

    *Enchanting Humans* and *Shield Technique* were both very practical first-ring spells. *Shield Technique*, in particular, was a life-saving spell that almost every wizard apprentice had to learn.

    Unfortunately, to learn a first-ring spell, one¡¯s Spiritual Power had to reach at least 10 points. He was still far from that.

    ¡°Although the wizards have abandoned this world, they left behind many books, magical items, and even legacies,¡± Su Nan mused. ¡°These things are useless to ordinary people, they can¡¯t even understand them. But for wizard apprentices, they are precious treasures.¡±

    Su Nan smiled. As long as they were willing to spend time and have enough financial resources, any wizard apprentice could actually collect enough knowledge in this world to advance to a formal wizard.

    Of course, resources were another matter.

    Although the two first-ring spells were temporarily out of reach, the three zero-ring spells were not a problem. Su Nan put away the spell books, planning to study them slowly later.

    He then flipped through the remaining professional knowledge books one by one, but unfortunately, none of them triggered the corresponding skills. It seemed that these knowledge were not categorized as skills.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep them and read them slowly when I have time. It¡¯s good to expand my knowledge,¡± Su Nan sighed in disappointment, putting the books away. He then opened the other box.

    The box was crammed with various small boxes, of different sizes. Su Nan opened them one by one.

    As expected, the boxes contained various preserved materials.

    ¡°Calm-Heart Herb, Dragon Eye Mint, Black Spotted Python Bone Powder... they are all materials for making the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion!¡±

    After tireless experimentation and research, Su Nan finally created the first bottle of Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion.

    [Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion (Zero-Order/Inferior Quality), Increases spiritual vitality after consumption, lasts for 15 days and 4 hours, stacking has no effect.]

    ¡°It¡¯s finally done!¡± Looking at the beautiful silver-blue liquid in the potion bottle, Su Nan let out a sigh of relief.

    With the help of the Synthesis Cube, he could precisely control the invigorating effect of the Silver Moon Flower Essence, allowing it to approach the effect of Mind-Enlightenment Tree Sap infinitely, reaching the level of becoming a substitute.

    The entire experiment process was basically about constantly adjusting the proportions of the materials, and it went exceptionally smoothly. That was why Su Nan was able to make the new version of the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion so quickly.

    Without hesitation, he immediately drank the potion, then sat down and began to meditate. A cool sensation like mint suddenly spread from his abdomen, quickly spreading throughout his body.

    In an instant, Su Nan felt as if he were floating at the bottom of a cool lake, with an indescribable sense of peace.

    After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly opened his eyes, his whole body radiating with vitality. This was the positive effect brought by the slight increase in Spiritual Power in a short period of time.

    Su Nan immediately opened his personal panel.

    [Su Nan¡¤Arnest, Human Male, 16 years old]

    [Spirit 2.82/Constitution 2.94]

    [Skills]

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv1 (750/1000)

    Potion Making Lv2 (289/3000)

    ¡°My Spiritual Power has increased by 0.03, and my proficiency in the Star Ring Meditation Method has increased by 25 points,¡± Su Nan exclaimed in delight.

    This efficiency was almost five times that of before!

    ¡°Sure enough, the effect of the potion is much better than just using plant essence!¡± Su Nan was overjoyed.

    At this rate, he would be able to construct the first Star Ring in 10 days!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 9: Blackstone Mine Area

    Chapter 9: Blackstone Mine Area

    2024-08-09

    Chapter 9: Blackstone Mine Area

    Ten days later.

    In the meditation chamber, Su Nan sat cross-legged on the ground.

    In the void invisible to the naked eye, countless energy particles, as if being pulled by an invisible force, rushed into his body.

    Deep within the sea of consciousness, the Star Ring was mostly solidified, with only a tiny bit remaining translucent.

    As the energy particles continued to fill it, this last bit of illusion also visibly disappeared.

    The moment the last bit of illusion solidified, the entire Star Ring suddenly burst into brilliance and trembled slightly.

    For a moment, Su Nan felt a clear chime in his mind, his spirit instantly becoming clear.

    ¡°It worked!¡±

    Su Nan opened his eyes, a genuine smile of joy spreading across his face.

    It had been nearly half a year since he started cultivating the Star Ring Meditation Method, and he had finally built his first Star Ring.

    Coming out of his joy, Su Nan immediately looked at the panel.

    ¡¾Spiritual Power 3.60/Constitution 3.25¡¿

    ¡°Spiritual Power increased by 0.78, and Constitution increased by 0.31!¡±

    Su Nan nodded with satisfaction.

    Even with the help of the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion, it would take him about a month to increase his Spiritual Power this much.

    The boost from building the Star Ring was indeed significant.

    In terms of Constitution, Su Nan now surpassed Probationary Knights.

    However, he was still far from the 8-point Constitution standard for official Knighthood.

    After all, he hadn¡¯t cultivated any Breathing Techniques.

    ¡°If I cultivate a Breathing Technique now, my progress shouldn¡¯t be slow.¡±

    Breathing Techniques and Constitution were mutually beneficial.

    The faster the progress in Breathing Techniques, the faster Constitution would increase.

    The same applied in reverse.

    With Su Nan¡¯s current Constitution, he might be able to cultivate a Breathing Technique to a small degree within a month.

    However, while this was true, he didn¡¯t intend to do so.

    Wizards had plenty of ways to enhance their Constitution; there was no need to waste time and energy cultivating Breathing Techniques.

    He would rather spend that time increasing the learning progress of his Magic Techniques/Skills.

    Su Nan¡¯s mind moved, and he opened the Magic Technique list.

    ¡¾Master¡¯s Hand¡¿

    ¡¾Sleep Curse¡¿

    Kei had always had the idea of ??building up his strength to retake Shining Light Territory, so he naturally couldn¡¯t be content with being a lazy bum.

    ¡°As for increasing revenue, I have an idea. I plan to reopen the Blackstone Mine Area!¡±

    Blackstone Mine Area?

    Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted slightly.

    He remembered that Blackstone City used to be famous for its production of Blackstone Iron.

    Blackstone Iron was a high-quality metal that only needed simple refining to have the hardness of refined iron. It was a good material for forging armor and weapons.

    The name Blackstone City came from this.

    It was because of Blackstone Iron that Blackstone City became one of the most prosperous cities in Gold Rock Province.

    However, later something happened, leading to the abandonment of the Blackstone Mine Area, and Blackstone City gradually declined.

    ¡°Speaking of which, why was the Blackstone Mine Area abandoned back then?¡± Su Nan asked in confusion.

    There was no special reason why the successive lords of Blackstone City would abandon a money-making tree that could continuously produce gold coins.

    ¡°According to the old soldiers in the city, it was because of a monster that appeared in the mine area.¡±

    ¡°Monster?¡±

    Kei was prepared for this, and he took out a piece of parchment and spread it on the table.

    It depicted a jet-black panther, but with clear stone patterns on its body and a metallic sheen, as if it were a creature entirely made of gold and stone.

    ¡°The previous lords called this monster the Iron Swallowing Beast. They feed on Blackstone Iron ore, and their bodies are as hard as Blackstone Iron, with the combat power comparable to that of a beginner knight, making them very difficult to deal with.¡±

    ¡°Are there many of these monsters?¡± Su Nan asked.

    Although knight-level monsters were terrifying, they shouldn¡¯t have caused the successive lords to back down.

    If all else failed, they could just spend a few hundred gold coins to hire a Great Knight to deal with them.

    Unless the number of monsters was extremely large, or there were other reasons.

    As expected, Kei continued, ¡°There aren¡¯t many monsters, probably only twenty or thirty. The key is that Iron Swallowing Beasts are very cunning. Once they sense danger, they will burrow into the rock wall and escape. They are very fast, and even Great Knights can¡¯t stop them.¡±

    ¡°Without clearing these monsters, the mine area can¡¯t be operated normally.¡±

    Monsters that burrow?

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow. This was indeed difficult to deal with.

    ¡ª¡ªOf course, this was only relative to ordinary people.

    ¡°If that¡¯s all, there might be a way to deal with them.¡±

    The words that came out of Su Nan¡¯s mouth startled Kei. It took him a while to react, and he excitedly stood up.

    ¡°You have a way to deal with the Iron Swallowing Beasts?¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment, ¡°We can try.¡±

    Although Su Nan didn¡¯t make a hundred percent guarantee, it was already enough to make Kei overjoyed.

    You see, the thing he was most worried about during this period was the lack of gold coins. If he could reopen the Blackstone Mine Area, all problems would be solved!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 10

    The Blackstone Mine Area, located southwest of Black Stone City, encompassed over ten minefields, covering a vast area. The shallow veins had been exhausted, hollowing out the surrounding cliffs, forming an inward-facing valley. Looking from the entrance, countless patches of red-gray and lead-black rocks filled the view.

    The valley was littered with mine carts and rails, evidence of the previous lord¡¯s substantial investment in the construction of this mine area. Sadly, decades had passed, leaving it a desolate and cold ruin, the carts and rails covered in rust and ash.

    Kei and Su Nan stood side by side at the entrance, surveying the environment. Behind them followed over ten knights and hundreds of soldiers. Out of concern for the Blackstone Mine Area, Kei had deployed nearly half of Black Stone City¡¯s forces.

    Of course, ordinary soldiers wouldn¡¯t be of much use in this operation. Their task was to guard the retreat and ensure logistics. The real fighting force consisted of Su Nan, Kei, and the dozen knights.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±

    Jorton cast a glance at the dark entrance of the mine, muttering in a concerned tone:

    ¡°The old soldiers say those Iron-Eating Beasts are very powerful. With only this small force, wouldn¡¯t it be a bit too risky to go in?¡±

    Hearing this, the other knights exchanged glances.

    To be honest, they were all surprised when they heard the lord say they were going to clear out the Iron-Eating Beasts in the Blackstone Mine Area. Everyone in Black Stone City knew about the Blackstone Mine Area, and they had heard some rumors.

    It was said that several previous lords had attempted to deal with the situation in the Blackstone Mine Area, but all had failed, even losing considerable manpower. Gradually, no one dared to touch the Blackstone Mine Area again.

    No one expected Kei to suddenly decide to restart the Blackstone Mine Area. If it weren¡¯t for Master Su Nan saying he had a way to deal with the Iron-Eating Beasts, they would have voiced their objections long ago. Even so, many of them were still feeling apprehensive.

    ¡°Jorton, if you keep shaking the army¡¯s morale, I¡¯ll punish you by forbidding you from drinking for a month.¡±

    Kei turned around and glared at him.

    Jorton flinched and shut his mouth sheepishly. He loved all kinds of fine wines and spirits, and wouldn¡¯t be able to live without them. Forbidding him from drinking for a month was tantamount to a death sentence.

    Seeing Jorton fall silent, Kei turned back to the mine shaft, his heart actually a little unsettled. After all, he had never seen an Iron-Eating Beast with his own eyes. What if these monsters were even more terrifying than the old soldiers described? That would be a disaster.

    However, after glancing at Su Nan beside him, Kei chose to trust his brother and didn¡¯t reveal his inner worry.

    Su Nan touched the scale armor on his body. It was the only piece of scale armor in Black Stone City, more valuable than a full set of fine iron armor. It had originally belonged to Kei, but Kei, fearing something might happen to his brother, insisted on putting it on him. He also gave him a long sword. Although Su Nan¡¯s swordsmanship was abysmal, it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    With Kei¡¯s order, everyone lit their torches and entered the mine shaft one by one, leaving only the soldiers to guard the entrance.

    The shallow veins of the Blackstone Mine Area had already been exhausted. Later, several deep shafts were dug deeper underground to mine the lower layers. The mine shafts crisscrossed under the rock formations. Every few hundred meters, they could see an oil lamp hanging on the rock wall. The oil inside had long since evaporated.

    Some knights carried leather bags and poured oil into the lamps, then lit them. Soon, the mine tunnels were illuminated by a series of flickering flames, outlining a winding path in stark contrast to the dark shadows, guiding everyone forward.

    As they went deeper, everyone gradually slowed their pace. These underground tunnels were uneven and the lighting was dim. If one wasn¡¯t careful, they could easily stumble and break their heads. Although everyone present was a knight, their bodies were strong, but no one wanted to fall flat on their faces.

    But after getting up, the Iron-Eating Beast just shook its head and continued to pounce.

    Seeing this, Bred¡¯s brow furrowed.

    On the other side, the knights were also caught in a fierce battle. The Iron-Eating Beasts¡¯ bodies were incredibly tough. Even swords imbued with martial energy could only leave a barely noticeable crack when they struck them.

    Only Kei, a Senior Knight, could inflict significant damage on the Iron-Eating Beasts. If it weren¡¯t for the narrow tunnel that restricted the Iron-Eating Beasts¡¯ movement and prevented them from using their swift and agile speed, things would have been even harder to deal with.

    The battle was not as easy as they had expected. They were deadlocked.

    At this moment, Su Nan made his move.

    He uttered strange syllables, pointed his finger, and instantly a basketball-sized ball of acid materialized at his fingertips. It flew out and accurately hit an Iron-Eating Beast, splashing it in the face.

    Sizzle! Sizzle!

    White smoke, pungent and acrid, instantly billowed from the Iron-Eating Beast¡¯s face. It rolled wildly on the ground, trying to rub off the corrosive liquid.

    Attack spells didn¡¯t come in weak varieties. Although acid splash was just a Zero-Ring spell, its corrosive properties were even more terrifying than aqua regia. A drop the size of a chicken egg was enough to completely dissolve a normal adult male, leaving no trace!

    Even though the Iron-Eating Beast¡¯s body was incredibly tough, if a vital spot was hit by such an attack, it would not be comfortable!

    Clang!

    A figure flashed forward, thrusting his sword into the wound on the Iron-Eating Beast¡¯s face. With a burst of force, the Iron-Eating Beast¡¯s head exploded. Its headless body swayed in place for a few moments before collapsing with a thud.

    Kei drew his long sword, turned back, and glanced at Su Nan with surprise.

    The other knights couldn¡¯t hide their shock either.

    They had personally experienced how tough the Iron-Eating Beasts¡¯ bodies were. They were harder than real black iron.

    Yet, this incredibly tough body was corroded away in a few breaths!

    What terrifying power was this?!

    If they were to receive such a blow, what would happen?!

    Just thinking about that scene, everyone present felt their scalps tingling!

    Was this the power of a wizard?!

 Chapter 11: Puppet Creature

    Chapter 11 Puppet Creature

    While everyone was still shocked by Su Nan¡¯s thunderous methods, the man himself wasn¡¯t satisfied yet.

    ¡°If my spiritual power was a bit higher, I could have killed that Iron-Eating Beast with that acidic splash,¡± he grumbled.

    With a flick of his wrist, Su Nan fired another acidic splash, which zipped through the air like an arrow and struck an Iron-Eating Beast.

    Sizzle sizzle!

    Although the beast dodged in time, it was still hit on its flank, instantly having half of its waist and abdomen corroded away. Its movements were inevitably hindered.

    Seizing this opportunity, Kei dashed forward, cleaving the Iron-Eating Beast in two with a single swing of his sword.

    The two brothers worked in perfect harmony, taking down four Iron-Eating Beasts in a short time.

    Seeing this, the morale of the group soared.

    The Iron-Eating Beasts seemed to sense the danger and began to retreat.

    Noticing this, Kei hurriedly shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape, stop them!¡±

    The knights charged forward to intercept the beasts.

    Su Nan narrowed his eyes, aiming a Sleep Curse at the last Iron-Eating Beast lagging behind.

    However, to his surprise, the beast remained completely unaffected.

    ¡°The spell didn¡¯t work?¡±

    Su Nan was stunned.

    At that moment, one of the Iron-Eating Beasts suddenly leaped, colliding with the rock wall like it was diving into water, disappearing without a trace. The whole process was so smooth that everyone was caught off guard.

    The other Iron-Eating Beasts followed suit, all vanishing into the rock walls.

    Seeing the last beast leaping towards the wall, Su Nan, still in a daze, finally reacted, his eyes flashing with a faint, green light.

    In an instant, the Iron-Eating Beast¡¯s graceful leap came to an abrupt halt, its entire body frozen in mid-air, as if caught by an invisible giant hand, unable to touch either the ground or the wall. r?

    No matter how it struggled, it couldn¡¯t break free from the invisible constraint.

    ¡°Take it down!¡± Su Nan ordered in a low voice.

    The group, still staring at the bizarre sight in front of them, finally came to their senses and all launched their attacks.

    Clack!

    The Iron-Eating Beast in mid-air instantly shattered into pieces.

    ¡°Su Nan, you just...¡±

    Kei looked at Su Nan, a mixture of surprise and curiosity evident in his expression.

    If the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion was still within his realm of understanding, then the incredible feats Su Nan had just displayed were far beyond his comprehension.

    Su Nan knew what he wanted to ask, and calmly explained, ¡°That was sorcery.¡±

    Sorcery!

    The group silently chewed on the word, feeling as if a whole new world was slowly unfolding before their eyes.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t bother with the others and quickly went to the Iron-Eating Beast that had been cut in two, kneeling down to examine it.

    The group continued their journey.

    Fear stems from the unknown.

    After learning the origins of the Iron-Eating Beasts, their fear of these monsters had significantly diminished.

    Especially after having just slain five of them, the team¡¯s morale had reached its peak.

    However, what puzzled them was that the Iron-Eating Beasts had disappeared as if they had vanished into thin air. They hadn¡¯t encountered a single one since.

    ¡°Where did those monsters go?¡± Joaton grumbled, smacking his lips.

    Kei also frowned.

    If the remaining Iron-Eating Beasts were hiding, they wouldn¡¯t have any way to deal with them.

    Trying to find a group of wall-burrowing Iron-Eating Beasts in a dark, labyrinthine underground tunnel was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

    Su Nan pondered.

    High-level puppets possessed independent consciousness and artificial intelligence that was comparable to humans, but the Iron-Eating Beasts were clearly not in this category.

    They were obviously low-level puppets, typically operating on specific programmed instructions.

    For example, when encountering an enemy they couldn¡¯t defeat, they would prioritize their own safety.

    This also explained why previous lords had been unable to wipe out the Iron-Eating Beasts.

    Facing a group of ¡®bullies¡¯, who were adept at playing hide-and-seek, even a Great Knight would be powerless.

    However, while past lords had been helpless, it didn¡¯t mean Su Nan was powerless.

    He closed his eyes and focused his mind, sensing the energy particles in the air.

    As expected, these Iron-Eating Beasts were likely guarding the unknown Wizard¡¯s inheritance deep within the mine.

    As long as they found the location of that inheritance, the Iron-Eating Beasts would inevitably appear to stop them, allowing for their complete annihilation.

    And wherever the Wizard¡¯s inheritance was, the concentration of energy particles would surely be far greater than in other areas.

    As long as they followed the direction of higher energy particle concentration, they would most likely find their target.

    After a while, Su Nan opened his eyes and pointed to the right tunnel entrance, saying, ¡°Go that way.¡±

    Kei paused for a moment before realizing what he meant and immediately took the lead, heading right.

    Everyone else came to their senses and followed suit.

    Along the way, the team moved forward in fits and starts.

    Whenever they encountered a fork in the road, Su Nan would stop to sense the area for a while before deciding which way to go.

    They walked for what seemed like an eternity until they suddenly came to a halt.

    This time, it wasn¡¯t because they had encountered any monsters or found a fork in the road, but because the road had ended.

    To be precise, a large, dark door had appeared in the middle of the tunnel, blocking the entire passage.

    The tightly shut door completely sealed off the tunnel.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 12

    A dark iron door, etched with peculiar patterns that intertwined and radiated an air of arcane mystery, stood before them.

    Kei and the others were baffled, but Su Nan recognized the patterns instantly.

    Enchantment runes!

    The rune structure was simple, appearing to be a basic magic trap.

    Touching the door would trigger an alarm and attack the trespasser.

    However, these runes were dull and faded, clearly deactivated, likely due to years of erosion. Even the most intricate enchantment runes couldn¡¯t withstand the passage of time.

    ¡°Is that the place where the Iron-Eating Beasts were created?¡±

    Kei looked at Su Nan, who nodded and added,

    ¡°Be careful, those Iron-Eating Beasts won¡¯t let us enter without a fight.¡±

    As if responding to his words, the moment Su Nan finished speaking, Iron-Eating Beasts surged out from the rock walls on either side of the iron door, charging toward them with a rush of wind.

    Prepared for this, the group roared and met the onslaught head-on.

    Only Bred stepped back, holding his heavy shield in front of Su Nan.

    Having witnessed Su Nan¡¯s abilities, everyone knew he was the key to dealing with the Iron-Eating Beasts and naturally prioritized his safety.

    Su Nan uttered a strange syllable, but instead of Acid Splash, he used Master¡¯s Hand.

    A beast that leaped towards Kei, just ten meters away, abruptly stopped in mid-air, defying gravity. Its limbs flailed wildly, unable to land.

    Kei¡¯s eyes lit up, and he seized the opportunity, dashing forward, landing consecutive blows on the same spot on the beast¡¯s neck, severing its head.

    The headless Iron-Eating Beast plummeted to the ground, lifeless.

    Compared to the single-use Acid Splash, Master¡¯s Hand, although less powerful, had a longer duration, making it perfect for working in tandem with Kei to kill the Iron-Eating Beasts.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that low-level puppets are not very intelligent, otherwise these guys would have rushed in and attacked the squishy spellcaster first. Bred alone probably wouldn¡¯t be able to hold them off.¡±

    Su Nan silently mused.

    Of course, if the Iron-Eating Beasts weren¡¯t puppets, he wouldn¡¯t be restricted to just Acid Splash and Master¡¯s Hand.

    A single Flash spell would blind these creatures, who were highly sensitive to light and lived in the dark underground depths, making them easy prey.

    Working in unison, the group systematically brought down each Iron-Eating Beast.

    As Su Nan had guessed, the Iron-Eating Beasts¡¯ primary function was to guard the iron door.

    Gazing upon the countless black iron ingots, arranged in neat squares, everyone present stared in a daze.

    ¡°We¡¯ve struck it rich!¡±

    Johton¡¯s eyes fixated on the black iron ingots, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

    No one mocked his outburst. Everyone was experiencing a similar emotional rollercoaster.

    Even Kei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, a mixture of shock, elation, and confusion distorting his features.

    Black iron, comparable in hardness to fine steel, was significantly lighter, making it more expensive than the same weight of fine steel.

    These black iron bars were worth a fortune. Not necessarily ten thousand gold coins, but definitely six to seven thousand.

    That was nearly equivalent to ten years of Black Stone City¡¯s tax revenue!

    How could anyone not be ecstatic at such a windfall?

    However, Su Nan had little attachment to gold. While surprised, he quickly regained his composure and moved towards the next room.

    The second room was slightly smaller, filled with various tools, including blacksmithing furnaces, molds, and bellows.

    But the most eye-catching feature was the massive stone table in the center of the room, exceeding three meters in length and nearly two meters wide.

    The table was covered in haphazard cutting marks.

    Su Nan glanced at the pile of black iron bars in the corner of the room and understood instantly.

    This must have been the workshop where the wizard apprentice had crafted the puppets.

    He had ruled out the possibility of this place belonging to a full-fledged wizard.

    Whether it was the Iron-Eating Beasts¡¯ strength or the skill in crafting the magical trap on the iron door, everything indicated that the owner of this place was at most a wizard apprentice, far from reaching the level of a wizard.

    If it were a real wizard, with their power, this group of people would have been unable to breach the outer defenses and enter this place.

    While his thoughts raced, Su Nan acted quickly, thoroughly searching the entire room.

    To his disappointment, aside from the tools and iron bars, he didn¡¯t find anything else of value.

    Su Nan shook his head, leaving the room and entering the third one.

    Compared to the first two rooms, the third one was smaller but more finely decorated and comfortable. Besides a small bed and a desk, there was also a bookshelf, indicating that this was a study.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes fell upon the bookshelf filled with books, and a gleam of excitement flickered in his gaze.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 13: What Wizards Seek Is Truth, Not Eternal Life

    Chapter 13. What Wizards Seek Is Truth, Not Eternal Life

    If one were to ask what the most valuable thing in a wizard¡¯s legacy is, knowledge would undoubtedly be one of the answers.

    Suppressing the joy in his heart, Su Nan quickly walked to the bookshelf, his eyes swiftly scanning the books.

    ¡°Construction Science,¡± ¡°Materials Science,¡± ¡°Structure of Life Energy,¡± ¡°Fundamentals of Enchanted Runes,¡± ¡°Principles of Puppet Mechanics,¡± ¡°Basic Puppet Construction,¡± ¡°Puppets and Golems.¡±

    Over 80% of the books were related to puppet manufacturing.

    It was clear that the owner of this place was deeply passionate about this craft, bordering on obsession.

    It was no wonder that he had created the Iron-Eating Beast puppet creature.

    However, where did this wizard apprentice go afterwards?

    Su Nan felt a faint suspicion in his heart. After thinking for a moment, he turned to the desk.

    The solid wood desk was covered with a thick layer of dust, and there was nothing on it. Su Nan opened the drawers below. The first few drawers were empty, only the last drawer contained two diaries, a ring, and two boxes.

    Su Nan took out the top diary and opened the cover.

    The slightly yellowed first page had only a single line of words:

    [Ang¡¤Maclain, recorded on Starlight Calendar 1124.]

    Starlight Calendar 1124, that was about 125 years ago.

    ¡°The appearance of the Iron-Eating Beast in the Blackstone Mine Area seems to have been just over a hundred years ago.¡±

    Su Nan pondered, continuing to turn the pages.

    The paper of the diary, he didn¡¯t know what material it was made of, but it had survived for so long and remained intact.

    [Starlight Calendar 1124, April 12]

    [Today, I finished the exploration of the Blackstone Iron Mine. As I expected, the reserves of this mine are quite rich. Now my puppet experiments have enough materials to use. This is good news. I¡¯ve decided to build a laboratory deep in the mine shaft as my future retreat.]

    [Starlight Calendar 1126, February 8]

    [The Blackrock Beast experiment has finally achieved a crucial breakthrough! Soon, I will be able to successfully refine my own puppet creature! ]

    ¡°So that puppet is called the Blackrock Beast.¡± Su Nan raised his eyebrows.

    [Starlight Calendar 1127, March 15]

    [Hahaha, success! I have finally successfully refined the first Blackrock Beast! This is my own puppet creature. I am indeed a genius! ]

    [But the combat strength of the Blackrock Beast is still not good. Compared to a formal knight, it is much inferior. There are still many areas that need improvement. I need to collect more combat data.]

    [It just so happens that there are a lot of knights outside. Let them be the opponents of the Blackrock Beast. What a bunch of lucky guys.]

    [Starlight Calendar 1128, June 10]

    [Starlight Calendar 1200, December 3]

    [I can feel my life force gradually fading away. It seems that I don¡¯t have long to live.]

    [If I undergo biological modification, perhaps I can live longer. But this is not my strong suit. And I don¡¯t want to make myself inhuman for the sake of survival. No, perhaps it is because that kind of modification will completely deprive me of the hope of becoming a wizard. If I can¡¯t become a wizard, what¡¯s the point of living longer?]

    [What wizards seek is truth, not eternal life.]

    [Starlight Calendar 1202, May 5]

    [Death is getting closer. I can almost smell the decay of my body.]

    [The good news is that I found a legend about the Starlight Tower in an ancient book. It is said that it was left behind by an ancient wizard. Perhaps there I can find a way to become a wizard. This is my only hope now.]

    [I¡¯ve decided. I will go find the Starlight Tower!]

    Starlight Tower!

    Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted.

    In his limited memories of the previous life¡¯s game, the Starlight Tower seemed to be one of the only three wizard legacies on the Starlight Continent in the 1.0 version!

    Not the kind of laboratory left behind by a wizard apprentice like this one, but a true legacy left by a wizard.

    It was the last bit of kindness left to this continent by the wizards who had conquered the multiverse thousands of years ago.

    Such a place would undoubtedly contain a wealth of valuable knowledge and materials, without even thinking about it.

    If he could find the Starlight Tower, becoming a wizard would definitely no longer be a problem!

    Su Nan¡¯s heart was filled with excitement, and he quickly turned to the next page. But what greeted his eyes was a blank page.

    ¡°Gone?¡±

    Su Nan continued to turn the pages, but they were all blank.

    It was obvious that after Ang¡¤Maclain went out to search for the Starlight Tower, he never returned.

    Did he finally find the Starlight Tower?

    Su Nan guessed that the answer was most likely no.

    Otherwise, in the past 50 years, this laboratory wouldn¡¯t have been left untouched.

    Thinking about it, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pity.

    With Ang¡¤Maclain¡¯s talent and ability, if he had been alive in the wizard era thousands of years ago, he would have surely become a powerful wizard.

    Unfortunately, he was born in the wrong era. He could only squander his entire life and die with a sense of bitterness.

    ¡°A wizard¡¯s wasteland.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Sighing, Su Nan shook his head, not thinking much of it.

    No matter what, he had the Synthesizing Magic Cube and the Player Panel, two powerful cheats, and wouldn¡¯t end up like Ang Maclaine.

    Putting down the diary, Su Nan picked up another one.

    To his surprise, this diary contained Ang Maclaine¡¯s Blackrock Beast experiment records.

    It detailed the process of creating the Blackrock Beast.

    ¡°With this experimental record, as long as I brush up on the Puppetry Refining skill from these books on the bookshelf, I can try refining the Blackrock Beast!¡±

    A delighted smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    The Blackrock Beast was a knight-level Puppet Creature, loyal, reliable, fearless, and undeniably a powerful force.

    With a batch of Blackrock Beasts in hand, his future material searches would be much safer.

    Putting away both diaries, Su Nan picked up the ring.

    The dull-gray ring looked like a cheap piece of jewelry from a street vendor, nothing special.

    But in Su Nan¡¯s perception, the ring was like a miniature black hole, constantly devouring the stray energy particles in the surrounding air.

    ¡°Magic Item!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Unexpectedly, Ang Maclaine had left behind a magic item.

    Su Nan turned back and saw that everyone else was waiting outside, so he discreetly opened the Synthesizing Magic Cube and placed the ring on it.

    A line of text quickly appeared before him.

    [Blood Vine Ring (Alchemy/Sub-Magic Item), after activation, it can summon Blood Vines to bind a designated target and continuously absorb the target¡¯s vitality in small amounts, usable times 3/3, can be restored by injecting spiritual power or automatically absorbing stray energy particles.]

    ¡°Not bad, a very practical effect.¡±

    Su Nan nodded secretly.

    Magic items have different levels of strength.

    The lowest level is Alchemy grade, also known as Sub-Magic Items.

    These magic items typically have only one single enchanted property.

    For example, dimensional bags, spatial rings.

    Or various enchanted weapons with sharpness, bleeding, black steel, etc.

    Don¡¯t underestimate these lowest-level magic items, their power is quite impressive.

    Taking the Blood Vine Ring as an example, Su Nan estimated that even a peak knight would likely be unable to break free from the Blood Vine¡¯s restraint. R?

    For him, a Wizard Apprentice, a Sub-Magic Item is undoubtedly very valuable.

    Of course, to use the Blood Vine Ring, he¡¯ll need to become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Only by having the ability to manipulate energy particles can he activate the magic item.

    ¡°Good stuff.¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment and decided to keep these gems.

    After all, with the batch of Blackstone Iron in the warehouse, plus the soon-to-be-reopened Blackstone Mine Area, Black Stone City shouldn¡¯t be short of money for a long time, there was no need to sell these gems for gold.

    More importantly, for a Wizard, gems are also a precious material.

    Valuable gems don¡¯t just have ornamental and decorative functions.

    In the hands of a Wizard, gems can be used for many purposes.

    For example, they can be used as casting mediums for specific magic spells.

    Su Nan remembered a magic school called ¡°Gem Magic,¡± its casting mediums were various gems.

    This school of magic was notoriously known as a money pit.

    Every casting requires a gem, ranging from dozens to hundreds of gold coins.

    Unless you¡¯re a Wizard with a wealthy background, you simply can¡¯t afford it.

    But conversely, this school¡¯s spells are also incredibly powerful.

    A first-ring Burning Hand, using a ruby as a casting medium, can increase its power to the point of a second-ring spell, close to a third-ring spell!

    Therefore, the successors of this magic school are all known as big tycoons and over-the-top challengers.

    Besides casting mediums, gems are also often used as materials for crafting magic items.

    The most common example is wands.

    Inlaying different types of gems on a wand can add specific magical powers.

    In addition, gems are also often used as energy cores for Puppet Creatures.

    Many Wizard Apprentices who can¡¯t afford Soul Crystals will choose gems as energy cores instead.

    In short, gems have many uses, unless necessary, Su Nan couldn¡¯t bear to sell them.

    After checking the drawers, Su Nan searched other corners of the room carefully. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find anything else of value.

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ve already gotten enough good stuff this time. I can¡¯t be greedy.¡±

    Su Nan took a long breath and put his things away, leaving the room.

    While he was in the study, Kei had sent someone to inform the soldiers outside to bring in carts to move the black iron ingots, and now the hall was bustling with activity.

    Seeing Su Nan come out, Kei didn¡¯t ask him what he found inside, but pointed to the lab and asked, ¡°Do you want the stuff inside? If you do, I¡¯ll have someone carry it to your courtyard.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Su Nan shook his head.

    Decades have passed, even the magic traps have failed, and the Puppetry Refining equipment inside has long been damaged, there¡¯s no point in repairing it.

    After all, Ang Maclaine left behind equipment blueprints in his experimental records, if he needs them later, he¡¯ll just have the territory¡¯s blacksmith craft a set.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 15: Undercurrents

    ## Chapter 15: Undercurrents

    Shining Light City, Golden Rock Province.

    As the central city of a Baron¡¯s territory, Shining Light City was actually more prosperous than the central cities of many Viscount¡¯s territories.

    Among the seven Baron territories in Golden Rock Province, the Arnest family¡¯s Shining Light territory undoubtedly ranked first.

    Whether it was the size of the territory or economic strength, it was not much inferior to a Viscount¡¯s territory.

    Unfortunately, this also attracted the covetous eyes of powerful figures, making the Baron¡¯s position easily contested.

    Inner Keep, Bedroom.

    After getting dressed with the help of a young, beautiful maid, Owen Arnest came to the dining room. He had just sat down and taken a sip of warm milk when he saw the clerk rushing in.

    ¡°My Lord.¡± The clerk bowed deeply.

    Owen nodded and said, ¡°You seem in a hurry. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°There are a few things I need to report to you.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    Owen was concise, his hands didn¡¯t stop their elegant eating motions.

    Since ¡®inheriting¡¯ the Baron¡¯s position, he had paid more attention to his aristocratic etiquette, trying to blend into the circle of noble lords.

    And under his efforts, more importantly, with the support of the Marquis of Golden Rock, quite a few noble lords had shown him goodwill.

    Given time, his status in the noble lord¡¯s circle would only become more stable.

    And when everything settled down, it would be time to completely solve his worries.

    ¡°Lord Zolf sent a message, explicitly stating that he will attend Shining Light City¡¯s Harvest Celebration this year,¡± the clerk said.

    Hearing this, Owen paused slightly, a knowing smile appearing on his chubby face.

    ¡°It seems Zolf has finally come to his senses. Good. What about Norwood and Devon?¡±

    ¡°They haven¡¯t agreed, but they haven¡¯t explicitly refused either. They¡¯re probably still watching.¡±

    A hint of disdain flashed in Owen¡¯s eyes: ¡°Watching... humph, do they think those two kids can return to Shining Light City? What a ridiculous idea.¡±

    The clerk flattered him with a smile: ¡°My Lord is right. The two Lords will sooner or later realize that you are the true master of Shining Light territory!¡±

    ¡®The true master of Shining Light territory.¡¯

    This title made Owen¡¯s expression soften, and his mood brightened.

    ¡°Speaking of which, what are my two nephews doing lately?¡±

    The clerk hesitated, then said, ¡°I heard they are planning to restart the Blackstone Mine Area.¡±

    Kei sold the Blackstone iron in the warehouse through a secret channel, earning nearly seven thousand gold coins.

    Apart from leaving a portion for purchasing military equipment and improving the territory¡¯s condition, the rest was invested in the reconstruction of the Blackstone Mine Area.

    Everything was progressing smoothly.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t concerned about these matters.

    After returning to Blackstone City, he remained focused on his studies and cultivation, paying little attention to outside affairs.

    After reading the books he brought back from the lab, Su Nan successfully triggered the learning progress of ¡¾Puppetry Refining¡¿.

    Compared to Bio-Modification and Potion Making, Puppetry Refining had a wider scope and higher threshold.

    This skill not only included enchantment knowledge but also encompassed parts of bio-modification and magical item creation.

    Therefore, the learning progress of Puppetry Refining was much slower.

    Even with the boost from the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion, after more than ten days, the learning progress had only advanced to just over 10%.

    Su Nan estimated that he would need to wait until the Month of Fire (July) before completely mastering the Puppetry Refining skill.

    On the other hand, meditation cultivation was going smoothly.

    Upon returning from the Blackstone Mine Area, Su Nan immediately fused three Spirit Nourishing Herbs using the Synthesis Cube on the same day.

    ¡¾Starweave Spirit Nourishing Herb, purity 15.33%, consuming it can significantly increase spiritual power. The specific effect depends on the user¡¯s spiritual power. The higher the spiritual power, the weaker the effect. Ineffective for those with spiritual power of 20 or above (inclusive).¡¿

    As expected, the Starweave Spirit Nourishing Herb synthesized using the Synthesis Cube was even more effective than the three Spirit Nourishing Herbs added together.

    After consuming the Starweave Spirit Nourishing Herb, Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power directly surged by 1.87.

    That was roughly equivalent to the results of two months of meditation.

    Thanks to this, his spiritual power shot up to 5.77.

    And the benefit of his spiritual power surge was that the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method increased faster.

    Meditation increases spiritual power, and spiritual power increases in turn improve meditation efficiency.

    The two were mutually reinforcing.

    Now, Su Nan could increase the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method by about 10 to 12 points per day of meditation.

    At this rate, it should take him no more than eight months to build the second Star Ring.

    ¡°But it could actually be faster.¡±

    ¡°Blackstone City¡¯s financial pressure is no longer significant, and we can set aside more gold coins to buy materials to make Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions. Then, I can synthesize potions with even better effects using the Cube.¡±

    ¡°This way, meditation efficiency can be further improved.¡±

 Chapter 16: Synthesizing a First-Rank Potion

    ## Chapter 16: Synthesizing a First-Rank Potion

    Glug-glug!

    The sound of liquid boiling gradually subsided, eventually disappearing completely.

    Su Nan picked up the beaker, poured the viscous liquid inside into a potion bottle, plugged it with a wooden cork, and placed it on the table behind him.

    Fifteen potions lined up on the solid wood table, shimmering under the pale yellow light.

    Looking at the potions in front of him, a smile crept onto Su Nan¡¯s face.

    These fifteen potions were the result of his work over the past few days.

    The cost of the materials consumed exceeded one hundred and fifty gold coins.

    But it was all worth it.

    Steeling himself, Su Nan placed the potions one by one into the Synthesis Cube.

    As he added more potions, the information displayed on the right-hand side of the synthesis interface kept changing.

    When the number reached three, the synthesized Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion changed from ¡°Zero-Rank/Inferior¡± to ¡°Zero-Rank/Medium.¡±

    When the number reached seven, it became ¡°Zero-Rank/Superior.¡±

    Su Nan continued without stopping, adding more Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions.

    It wasn¡¯t until he added the twelfth potion that the synthesis interface suddenly flickered, and the potion displayed finally changed.

    ¡¾Revitalization Potion (First-Rank/Inferior), consuming it greatly enhances mental alertness, extends meditation time, lasting for 30 days and 12 hours, no stacking effect, the consumer¡¯s spiritual power must be at least 5.]

    Compared to the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion, the Revitalization Potion had an extra word ¡°greatly¡± in the description of enhancing mental alertness.

    In addition, it added an ¡°extend meditation time,¡± essentially increasing the efficiency of meditation.

    However, what made Su Nan frown was that the duration only doubled?

    The later consumption restriction didn¡¯t surprise him.

    Most entry-level potions had consumption restrictions.

    Furthermore, the higher the rank, the more stringent the restriction.

    These restrictions were generally reflected in spiritual power.

    Those with insufficient spiritual power, who forcibly consumed the potion, would at best suffer mental derangement, soul damage, or at worst transform into something bizarre, or even explode and die.

    After pondering for a moment, Su Nan placed the remaining three Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions in the Cube.

    Perhaps the quantity was too small, but the synthesis quality didn¡¯t change this time.

    Seeing this, Su Nan took out the three potions again and then chose to synthesize.

    In an instant, a bottle of Revitalization Potion appeared in his palm.

    Without hesitation, Su Nan consumed it on the spot.

    He could only see the effects from the description, so he planned to experience the effects of the First-Rank potion firsthand.

    As the liquid entered his stomach, Su Nan felt his mind suddenly invigorated, the whole world seemed to become much clearer in an instant, as if transitioning from low resolution to high resolution.

    In the depths of his consciousness, the two Star Rings intertwined and connected, forming a chain-like shape, emitting a profound and mysterious aura.

    Su Nan felt refreshed and joyful as he opened his panel to look.

    ¡¾Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male, 16 years old¡¿

    ¡¾Spirit 10.85 / Physique 5.04¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv3 (28/10000)

    Potion Making Lv2 (629/3000)

    Bio-Transformation Lv1 (3/1000)

    ¡°Spiritual power increased by 1.21.¡±

    Su Nan nodded secretly.

    His original spiritual power was only 9.64. With the successful construction of the Star Ring, it instantly broke through the 10-point barrier.

    At this rate, when he constructed the third Star Ring, his spiritual power would definitely exceed 12 points, allowing him to advance to Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    ¡°Physique also broke through 5 points.¡±

    Su Nan clenched his fist.

    He hadn¡¯t deliberately strengthened his physique, but as he meditated for long periods and his spiritual power increased, his physique was subtly enhanced.

    It was estimated that when he advanced to Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, even if his physique couldn¡¯t compare to a Formal Knight, it wouldn¡¯t be much different.

    ¡°The proficiency of the 3rd-rank Star Ring Meditation Method has more than doubled, but 10000 points of proficiency can be fully acquired in half a year if you¡¯re fast.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s gaze swept over the skill bar, stopping at Bio-Transformation at the bottom.

    This was a skill he had mastered just yesterday.

    Since gaining Potion Making and Puppetry Refining, Su Nan had spent most of his time on these two skills, only occasionally taking time to brush up on the learning progress of Bio-Transformation.

    However, the learning progress of this skill had already been more than halfway there. After months of intermittent brushing, it finally reached 100% yesterday, appearing on the skill bar.

    ¡°As long as I continue on the Wizard¡¯s path, I will sooner or later come into contact with the field of Bio-Transformation. At that time, this skill will be useful.¡±

    On the other hand, his spell learning was also going smoothly.

    He had already mastered the Unlock Spell, Detect Poison, and Fatigue Touch that he acquired later.

    The former two were self-explanatory, as their names suggest the spell effects.

    Fatigue Touch was an attack spell.

    It could inject negative energy into the target by contact, causing them to fall into a fatigued state.

    Its practicality was, to put it mildly, mediocre.

    It was only because he didn¡¯t have any other spells to choose from that Su Nan learned this spell.

    ¡°I asked my older brother to collect Wizard scriptures and magical items. I wonder how things are going?¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 17

    Leaving the courtyard, Su Nan headed towards the main building of the inner castle.

    The patrol soldiers he met along the way all saluted him and greeted him.

    Out of consideration for keeping his secret, Su Nan had his elder brother seal the news of him becoming a Wizard Apprentice.

    As a result, the commoners and ordinary soldiers in Black Stone City didn¡¯t know much about Su Nan, only that the Lord¡¯s younger brother was somewhat secluded and rarely went out.

    Only the knights who knew the inside story would feel a deep sense of awe towards Su Nan.

    Entering the main building, Su Nan went straight to the third-floor study.

    Except when discussing matters with the generals in the council hall, Kei usually handled government affairs in the study or went to the training ground to practice.

    According to his usual habits, he should be in the study at this time.

    As soon as he stepped onto the third-floor corridor, Su Nan saw a beautiful maid coming out of the study.

    Seeing her disheveled clothes, flushed cheeks, and damp hair, it was obvious that she had just experienced a vigorous exercise.

    Noticing someone coming up, the maid turned her head and saw it was Su Nan. She was immediately startled and bowed awkwardly.

    ¡°Master Su Nan.¡±

    Su Nan looked at the maid with a strange expression.

    He vaguely remembered that this maid seemed to be a widow. He didn¡¯t expect his elder brother to have this kind of taste.

    ¡°Go down.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    The maid hastily retreated.

    Su Nan stood at the door for a while before pushing it open and going inside.

    Kei, who was behind the desk, had already put on his clothes and was holding a book, reading intently.

    Hearing the sound of the door opening, he looked up and said with a natural smile, ¡°It¡¯s Su Nan, is there something you need to see your elder brother about?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t expose him, pulled up a chair and sat down, asking, ¡°How is the Blackstone Mine Area going?¡±

    ¡°Very smooth!¡±

    When it came to the Blackstone Mine Area, a smile appeared on Kei¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been half a month, and we¡¯ve already earned over a hundred gold coins from selling Blackstone iron.¡±

    ¡°This is just the beginning, and the mine¡¯s output will increase further in the future. Once it stabilizes, the territory will be able to earn at least four or five thousand gold coins annually just from selling Blackstone iron!¡±

    A baron territory might only earn four or five thousand gold coins a year.

    Black Stone City, with just a single city, had an annual income comparable to a baron territory. The gold-making ability of the Blackstone Mine Area was evident.

    ¡°How has Shining Light City reacted?¡± Su Nan asked.

    The activity in the Blackstone Mine Area was too big to be hidden for long.

    Hearing Su Nan say that he had a solution, he felt a surge of hope in his heart.

    ¡°Blackrock Beast.¡± Su Nan stated succinctly.

    Kei immediately understood his meaning and his eyes lit up.

    He had already seen the fighting ability of the Blackrock Beast. It was comparable to a knight.

    The key was that this¿þÀÜÔìÎï (puppet creature) was fearless and tireless. It didn¡¯t need to eat. If they could be used as mounts, they would be the best mounts!

    ¡°Can you create a Blackrock Beast?¡± Kei asked, his eyes full of hope.

    ¡°It should be no problem,¡± Su Nan replied.

    Thanks to the enhancement effect of the Revitalization Potion, his¿þÀÜÁ¶ÖÆ (Puppetry Refining) learning progress had accelerated considerably in recent days, and now it was over 90%.

    At most, he would master this skill in four or five days.

    At that time, he could create a Blackrock Beast.

    ¡°Great!¡±

    Kei was overjoyed, and he subconsciously stood up, walking back and forth excitedly. He didn¡¯t know what to say.

    A cavalry regiment with Blackrock Beasts as mounts would be the strongest cavalry force in Jin Yan Province.

    If he could control such a cavalry regiment, he wouldn¡¯t need many men, just three hundred, and he would be confident in counterattacking Shining Light City!

    In addition to his excitement, Kei looked at Su Nan, and a sense of admiration welled up in his heart.

    After returning from the mine pit, he had obtained the enlightenment book from Su Nan and wanted to test if he had the potential to become a Wizard Apprentice.

    However, after reading only two pages, his head felt like it was about to explode. He had no choice but to give up.

    It proved that he didn¡¯t have the aptitude to become a Wizard Apprentice.

    Kei had been regretful for several days.

    But later, he also came to understand that it was okay if he couldn¡¯t become a Wizard Apprentice. As long as Su Nan was there, it was enough.

    With Su Nan¡¯s support, they, brothers, would surely revive the Arnest Family.

    For a while, Kei calmed down his excitement and patted Su Nan on the shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you. If you can make it happen, you¡¯ll be the great hero of our family!¡±

    Su Nan just smiled lightly at his words and changed the subject, mentioning the reason he had come.

    After listening, Kei slapped his forehead and laughed, ¡°I was just about to tell you about this.¡±

    He got up from his desk, motioning for Su Nan to follow him.

    ¡°A while ago, I asked the Fire Fox Trading House in the Thornflower Duchy to help find what you wanted. They arrived in Black Stone City this morning and should be resting at the tavern now. Let¡¯s go and see them.¡±

 Chapter 18: The Fire Fox Trading Company

    Chapter 18: The Fire Fox Trading Company

    Walking down the street, Su Nan was surprised to find that the city was much busier than before, with significantly more people.

    Many of them wore leather armor and carried weapons, giving off a tough impression.

    Noticing Su Nan¡¯s observing gaze, Kei explained with a smile, ¡°After the Blackstone Mine Area reopened, many merchant teams heard the news and rushed over. These people include many merchant team members and accompanying mercenaries.¡±

    Su Nan understood.

    A city¡¯s prosperity often starts with booming commerce.

    As long as the Blackstone Mine Area continued to be developed, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Black Stone City became one of the top cities in the Golden Rock Province.

    As they walked, Su Nan saw a makeshift shelter built from wooden planks.

    More than ten people were bustling about inside, some boiling porridge, some handing out the porridge.

    A group of ragged and emaciated people lined up in front of the shelter, their eyes fixed on the porridge stall, their throats constantly moving, their faces filled with eagerness.

    But under the watchful eyes of the soldiers nearby, who were subtly warning them, they could only wait patiently in line.

    ¡°Who are those people?¡± Su Nan asked Kei.

    ¡°They are refugees from the¾£»¨¹«¹ú (Jinghua Duchy) to the west. There¡¯s a war going on there, and many civilians are displaced. I sent people to receive them and plan to bring them into the city.¡±

    Su Nan pondered what he heard.

    The foundation of a city¡¯s prosperity, aside from income, is population.

    Black Stone City was located on the border, and its population was not large, even the army only had around 500 soldiers.

    This was a congenital disadvantage.

    If this issue wasn¡¯t addressed, Black Stone City would never grow, and the Cavalry Regiment would not be able to be formed.

    And absorbing refugees was undoubtedly a very good solution to this problem.

    Especially the refugees who survived the long journey, most of them were young men and women with good physiques.

    After joining the territory, they could become laborers after resting for a few days.

    Young and strong people could directly join the army, strengthening Black Stone City¡¯s military power.

    ¡°Before winter comes this year, I plan to take the initiative to attack the Black Scale Lizardman tribe in the Red Horn Wilderness.¡±

    Kei continued with a determined look in his eyes.

    ¡°Shifting the battlefield to the Red Horn Wilderness will also reduce the amount of war Black Stone City has to endure.¡±

    Su Nan nodded knowingly.

    Although Kei didn¡¯t say it, both of them knew the more important reason.

    With more Black Scale Lizardman blood, Black Stone City could cultivate more knights.

    Beastmen could not cultivate breathing techniques, but their physiques were far superior to ordinary humans.

    An adult beastman would have the strength of a Probationary Knight.

    Some beastmen with beast blood flowing in their bodies, after hard training, could even have the powerful strength of a knight.

    However, in contrast to their strong physique, the lifespan and reproductive capacity of beastmen were far worse than that of normal humans.

    To this day, very few beastmen could be seen on the continent.

    Even if there were, they mostly lived within the Cangjin Empire.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t expect to see a descendant of a beastman here.

    ¡°Few people can tell Ota¡¯s origin at a glance, you are indeed knowledgeable, sir.¡±

    A voice suddenly came from his ear.

    Su Nan turned around and saw a tall man of about forty years old walking towards him with a smile.

    He was wearing a scarlet fox fur coat that looked very expensive.

    ¡°Lord, long time no see.¡±

    When he got closer, the man first bowed to Kei before looking at Su Nan.

    ¡°May I know your name, sir?¡±

    ¡°Su Nan.¡±

    Su Nan nodded slightly in response, he had already guessed the man¡¯s identity.

    ¡°This is my brother.¡± Kei introduced, then introduced the man to Su Nan, ¡°This is Mu Zhuo ¡¤ Ismail, the owner of the Fire Fox Trading Company.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Su Nan, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    Mu Zhuo shook hands with Su Nan with a smile, but was secretly wondering.

    According to the information he had gathered, the second son of the Shining family was reclusive and preferred to spend his time tinkering with strange things in his room, rarely going out. Such a person should not have much experience, so he should not be able to tell Ota¡¯s beastman identity at a glance.

    Moreover, the information also said that Su Nan did not have any knight qualifications, had not even begun to learn breathing techniques, and his physique was weaker than that of ordinary people.

    But looking at Su Nan in front of him, he was tall and straight, his eyes bright, and his spirit was full of vitality. How could he look weak and vulnerable?

    What were those people in charge of gathering information doing?

    They couldn¡¯t even do a simple task right!

    Mu Zhuo frowned secretly, making up his mind to reprimand them properly when he got back.

    Big shots, please vote for the story! Thank you!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 19

    After exchanging pleasantries, Kei got down to business.

    ¡°Anything the Lord commands, I wouldn¡¯t dare not take it to heart. I¡¯ve collected quite a few things, I¡¯ll take you to have a look now,¡± Mu Zhuo said with a smile.

    He then called out loudly towards the center of the tavern: ¡°Ota, stop drinking! Come here quickly!¡±

    The beastkin named Ota had just defeated his opponent in a drinking contest and was basking in the cheers and flattery from those around him.

    Hearing Mu Zhuo¡¯s voice, he wiped his mouth and strode over.

    As he approached, Ota¡¯s gaze paused for a moment on Su Nan, his pupils seemingly contracting before he turned to Mu Zhuo, grinning and asking, ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Time for work.¡± Mu Zhuo pointed to the backyard, then smiled at Kei and Su Nan, ¡°Please follow me.¡±

    The Fire Fox Trading Company¡¯s carriage and goods were all placed in the backyard, guarded by more than a dozen fully armed men.

    Judging from their uniform clothing and weapons, they were not mercenaries, but private soldiers cultivated by the Fire Fox Trading Company.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    In this era, trading companies with the strength to cultivate private soldiers were all large-scale organizations.

    It seemed the Fire Fox Trading Company had a significant foundation.

    Following Mu Zhuo¡¯s instructions, Ota carried a heavy wooden box from one of the carriages and placed it on the ground with a bang.

    Opening it, there were more than a dozen thick books inside, along with five small boxes.

    ¡°These are all the things Lord wants,¡± Mu Zhuo said with a smile.

    But to his surprise, Kei only nodded and didn¡¯t make any move.

    Su Nan, on the other hand, walked over to the box and squatted down to examine the contents.

    There were fourteen books in total, four of which were duplicates of books Su Nan already owned.

    It was unavoidable.

    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t understand the words written in wizard books, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t be asked to make a selection during collection, and duplication was inevitable.

    The remaining eight books were also of the type that could not trigger skills.

    However, Su Nan was not disappointed.

    Although they couldn¡¯t trigger skills, more new knowledge was always better.

    After all, for wizards, knowledge meant power.

    Moreover, he had the identity of a player, and as long as the reading progress of a book reached 100%, he could completely master the knowledge contained within.

    This alone gave him a huge advantage over other wizard apprentices.

    But there was one book that piqued Su Nan¡¯s interest.

    Attaching a wind rune to oneself could make the body lighter and greatly enhance agility and flexibility.

    Simply put, Energy Rune was a technique that could temporarily turn ordinary objects into magic items or temporarily enhance oneself with beneficial states.

    Due to its low consumption of spiritual power, once mastered, Energy Rune could be combined with melee combat to unleash formidable combat power, making it highly practical in battle.

    ¡°In essence, it¡¯s an advanced technique of energy particle manipulation. It requires extremely high control over energy particle manipulation for the caster, which is why it requires at least a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice to use,¡± Su Nan thought.

    But Su Nan clearly remembered that in his previous life, some players had developed a special method that allowed even First-Rank and Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices to use Energy Rune.

    If he used that method, perhaps he could master Energy Rune ahead of time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it when I get back!¡±

    Su Nan had a plan in mind. He closed the wooden box and put it back in the crate, slowly getting up.

    Mu Zhuo now understood that it was Su Nan who truly wanted to collect these things. He smiled and said, ¡°These things must be to your liking, Lord Su Nan?¡±

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Su Nan nodded slightly, his expression seemingly impassive, but inwardly he was very satisfied.

    Not to mention the books and spell scrolls, just the Energy Rune alone gave him a sense of great gain.

    Kei, realizing his younger brother was quite happy with these things, raised his hand and summoned two soldiers to carry the things back to the inner castle. He and Su Nan then took their leave of Mu Zhuo and left.

    As he watched Kei and Su Nan walk away, Mu Zhuo looked thoughtful.

    Books and other items related to wizards were good collectibles.

    Many nobles had a hobby of collecting such things.

    But as far as he knew, the Kei brothers¡¯ situation was seemingly not very good. Logically, they shouldn¡¯t have the desire to collect items.

    After all, these things were not cheap. Dozens of gold coins were enough to buy several sets of armor.

    But if it wasn¡¯t for collecting, why would Su Nan collect these things?

    After pondering for a while without finding an answer, Mu Zhuo shook his head and stopped thinking about it. He turned and saw Ota staring straight at the direction Su Nan and the others left, and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ota hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°That nobleman called Su Nan gives me a very dangerous feeling!¡±

    Dangerous?

    Mu Zhuo¡¯s expression shifted.

    Due to his beastkin bloodline, Ota had a beast-like intuition, capable of vaguely sensing whether someone posed a threat to him.

    But Ota, as his head of guards, possessed the power of a mid-level knight!

    For him to feel extremely dangerous, it would have to be at least someone at the peak knight level.

    Su Nan, while not exactly skinny, didn¡¯t look like a peak knight at all!

    Mu Zhuo was even more puzzled.

 Chapter 20: A Transformation Ability With Little Practical Use

    ## Chapter 20: A Transformation Ability With Little Practical Use

    In the spacious study, bright candlelight flickered, casting long shadows on the walls.

    Su Nan sat behind his desk, intently reading from a book titled *Extraction and Modification of the Green Chameleon¡¯s Ability*.

    The chameleon is named so because of its ability to change its body color with the environment, adapting instantly. This physiological change is mainly accomplished by regulating the pigment cells in the skin through the autonomic nervous system, expanding or contracting them.

    The Green Chameleon¡¯s color-changing ability is several levels stronger than that of ordinary chameleons, bordering on invisibility. Even standing before a normal person, it would be difficult to discern with the naked eye.

    The author of this book extracted the Green Chameleon¡¯s color-changing ability, modified and enhanced it, and then transplanted it to the human body, enabling humans to acquire similar abilities.

    This idea is undoubtedly ingenious. However, in Su Nan¡¯s opinion, the final modified ability was not very practical.

    Firstly, the essence of this ability was essentially changing one¡¯s external appearance according to the environment. No matter how rapid the change, it still required time, and there would inevitably be a slight lag. People with poor perception might not notice, but Wizard Apprentices would definitely detect the anomaly.

    In essence, this ability could only be used against ordinary people or knights, useless against Wizard Apprentices, and there was a significant gap between it and true invisibility.

    True invisibility was a Second-Ring Spell, learnable and masterable by Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices. Therefore, only those who had no hope of advancing to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice would attempt this ability modification.

    Moreover, body modification wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly. The human body can be considered one of the most malleable¡ªafter all, many Wizards¡¯ body modification experiments were conducted on humans. Once undergoing body modification, encountering better body modifications or bloodline fusions later would make it exponentially more difficult to attempt again.

    Therefore, many Wizards (Apprentices) were wary of modifying their own bodies despite not minding the process.

    Given the choice, Su Nan would never modify this color-changing ability onto himself. However, this book still held significant reference value, providing a source for future similar experiments.

    Setting aside the book, Su Nan retrieved the scroll of energy runes made from sheepskin and unrolled it flat on the table. He then opened a drawer and took out a few gemstones, placing them on the table.

    The reason energy runes required Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices to cast was that they were entirely composed of energy particles, placing stringent demands on the caster¡¯s ability to control energy particles.

    First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, who could only sense energy particles, and Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices, who had only begun to develop control over energy particles, naturally couldn¡¯t use them.

    To produce a single, low-grade Soul Crystal, at least a thousand ordinary human souls were required. Or, dozens of knight souls. Neither was achievable by Su Nan at this time.

    He could only settle for using gemstones to create the energy core.

    With complete experimental records and the mastered puppetry refining skill, Su Nan successfully refined a Blackrock Beast on his first attempt.

    To his surprise, the Blackrock Beast could also be put into the Synthesis Cube.

    ¡¾Blackrock Beast (Puppet/Early Knight-Level), a puppet creature made of Blackstone Iron, possessing the ability to stealthily move through Blackstone Iron veins. It can replenish its energy and recover from injuries by consuming Blackstone Iron.¡¿

    ¡°It seems that non-living entities can also be upgraded through the Synthesis Cube.¡± Su Nan nodded silently.

    With this, he could use the Blackrock Beast to synthesize even more powerful puppets.

    As for the description ¡°possessing the ability to stealthily move through Blackstone Iron veins,¡± Su Nan had seen it in the experimental journal of Angor Maclaine. It had disappointed him then because he had assumed the Blackrock Beast possessed a similar ability to stealthily move through rocks.

    ¡°Right, if it had the ability to stealthily move through rocks, then it wouldn¡¯t be a low-level puppet.¡±

    Shaking his head, Su Nan looked at the leftover Blackstone Iron in the corner.

    ¡°Refining a Blackrock Beast requires roughly five tons of Blackstone Iron. For the gemstone, cheaper types can be used, bringing the total cost to roughly thirty-eight gold coins.¡±

    This amount of gold could buy two or three high-quality warhorses. But considering the combat strength, the Blackrock Beast was clearly more cost-effective.

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll let my brother worry about the money. I¡¯m only responsible for refining puppets.¡±

    High-level puppets could automatically absorb the free energy particles in the air to replenish their energy and recover from injuries, but the Blackrock Beast clearly lacked this ability and could only replenish its energy and recover through consuming Blackstone Iron.

    However, at the current energy particle density of the Starlight Continent, Su Nan estimated that even if he refined a high-level puppet, it might not be able to absorb enough energy particles from the air.

    (End)

 Chapter 21: Mu Zhuoâ€™s Goodwill

    ## Chapter 21: Mu Zhuo¡¯s Goodwill

    On the training ground.

    More than twenty knights formed a circle, their eyes gleaming as they looked at the Blackrock Beast in the middle. Their gazes were as if they were seeing a naked beauty.

    Any knight who wasn¡¯t hoping to own a fine warhorse was a rarity.

    Although the Blackrock Beast wasn¡¯t strictly a warhorse, it could still serve as a mount. The key was that this mount also possessed the combat strength of a junior knight, making it much stronger than a warhorse!

    How impressive it would be to ride it!

    It would be invincible on the battlefield!

    ¡°Sir, sir, can you give me one of these Blackrock Beasts first?¡±

    Jorton excitedly rushed to Kei and Su Nan, his voice loud enough for the entire training ground to hear.

    Hearing this, the other knights immediately showed their discontent.

    ¡°Why should you get it first, you drunkard?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a middle-level knight, I should get it first!¡±

    ¡°Pfft, my riding skills are the best, I should get it first!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about riding horses, this is a beast!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same!¡±

    ¡°Bullshit, I¡¯m also good at riding women, shouldn¡¯t the Blackrock Beast be given to me first?¡±

    Seeing that the situation was about to turn into an argument, Kei rubbed his temples in annoyance and waved his hand, ¡°All of you shut up. This Blackrock Beast goes to Brade first.¡±

    Brade, who had been standing quietly to the side, was surprised by this unexpected gift, and his face immediately lit up with joy.

    ¡°Thank you, sir, thank you, sir.¡±

    Jorton and the others looked at each other, muttered their disapproval but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Brade held considerable respect amongst the knights, and his strength was second to none. Giving him the first Blackrock Beast didn¡¯t raise any objections from the others.

    As for Kei, Su Nan had already mentioned that he would refine a stronger Blackrock Beast for him later.

    Su Nan tossed a necklace to Brade, saying, ¡°This is the key to controlling the Blackrock Beast. As long as you wear it, the Blackrock Beast will be under your command. However, it can only understand relatively simple instructions.¡±

    ¡°I understand, thank you, sir!¡±

    Brade excitedly put on the necklace, and under the envious gaze of the others, rode the Blackrock Beast around the training ground at full speed.

    Kei turned to Su Nan and asked, ¡°How long does it take to refine a Blackrock Beast?¡±

    ¡°Three or four hours should be enough.¡±

    And did he also understand what this identity represented?

    Confused in his heart, Su Nan did not refuse Mu Zhuo¡¯s goodwill, and he engaged in pleasant conversation with him during the banquet.

    ¡°I heard that old fox Mu Zhuo likes to invest in promising young people. He probably already knows you¡¯re a Wizard Apprentice, and most likely understands the power that identity represents, that¡¯s why he gave you such a generous gift.¡±

    After the banquet, Kei and Su Nan returned to their study. They sat down and started discussing Mu Zhuo¡¯s actions that night.

    ¡°However, the Fire Fox Merchant Guild has branches all over the Kingdom of Thornflower, and they also have cooperative relationships with many guilds in the Kingdom of Starlight. Building a good relationship with him will make it easier for you to collect Wizard books and materials.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Su Nan nodded, looking at Kei. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you seem a little preoccupied tonight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed.¡±

    Kei smiled wryly, then his expression turned serious.

    ¡°My spies in Shining Light City sent back information that in three months, Zolf, Norwood, and Devon will attend the Harvest Festival held in Shining Light City!¡±

    Zolf, Norwood, and Devon were all former subordinates who had fought alongside Baron Arnest. They were also the ones he had promoted to baron.

    However, when Baron Arnest unexpectedly died on the battlefield and Owen tore off his mask and seized the baron¡¯s title, these three chose to be cautious and avoid involvement out of fear of Duke Jin Yan¡¯s power.

    It was precisely because of their silence that Owen was hesitant and didn¡¯t immediately eliminate them and their brothers.

    However, Kei didn¡¯t appreciate or forgive them for this.

    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for father, those three would have never had the chance to become barons! Yet, they showed no gratitude, and now they¡¯ve actually gone over to that bandit¡¯s side. They really deserve to die!¡±

    Compared to Kei¡¯s anger, Su Nan remained calm and composed, saying calmly, ¡°Apart from Black Stone City, Owen has now completely taken control of all the forces in the entire Shining Light Territory. I think he¡¯ll target us soon.¡±

    Kei restrained his anger and furrowed his brows.

    What Su Nan said was what he was most worried about right now.

    After a moment of contemplation, he quickly made up his mind, slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair, stood up, and said in a resolute tone, ¡°We can¡¯t delay any longer, we¡¯ll attack the Black Scale Lizardfolk¡¯s lair in three days, and eliminate this threat closest to us first!¡±

    After two months of training, the cavalry regiment that Kei had assembled had begun to take shape.

    Although they only numbered sixty-odd people, they had twenty knights, and the rest were Probationary Knights.

    More importantly, the entire cavalry regiment was equipped with Blackrock Beasts as mounts.

    While the timing was a little rushed, Kei still had some confidence in eliminating the Black Scale Lizardfolk with this cavalry regiment.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, I¡¯ll go with you too.¡± Su Nan stood up and said.

    If he were to postpone the war until the month of Scroll (August), when he would be promoted to a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he would be able to minimize casualties when dealing with the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    Right now, even if they could win, losses were inevitable.

    But it wasn¡¯t necessarily so, after all, he still had the trump card of magic scrolls.

    With some luck, maybe they could achieve a good outcome.

 Chapter 22: Attacking the Tribe

    ## Chapter 22: Attacking the Tribe

    The Red Horn Wilderness is a desolate wasteland located over two hundred kilometers north of Black Stone City.

    Plants are sparse, and water sources are hard to find in the wilderness, only many jagged rocks resembling red horns can be found, hence the name Red Horn Wilderness.

    Due to the harsh environment, except for the Black Scale Lizardfolk tribe, no other intelligent species reside in the Red Horn Wilderness.

    It is also because of the difficulty in finding enough food in the Red Horn Wilderness that every winter, the Black Scale Lizardfolk invade Black Stone City¡¯s territory, plundering enough food to survive the winter and, along the way, reducing the excessive population of their tribe.

    Black Stone City, from top to bottom, has always hated this plundering tribe that brings disaster every year.

    Therefore, when Kei issued an order to raid the Black Scale Lizardfolk tribe, it immediately received enthusiastic responses from the knights.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been disgusted with those lizard bandits for a long time! Today, we must wipe them out!¡±

    Jorton, riding a Blackrock Beast, had a face full of excitement.

    The surrounding knights also had a look of eagerness.

    Due to the importance of this war, Kei, besides dispatching the newly formed cavalry regiment, also drafted five hundred soldiers.

    With the support of ample gold coins, Black Stone City¡¯s current army has expanded to a thousand people.

    This doesn¡¯t include the militia.

    Military strength, compared to last year, has increased by several times.

    The cavalry regiment led the way, with infantry in the rear, a long queue of more than five hundred people marched orderly in the wilderness.

    Kei and Su Nan were in the middle of the line, both riding Blackrock Beasts.

    However, compared to the Blackrock Beasts of the cavalry regiment, the Blackrock Beasts that the two rode looked more robust and towering, with a more profound body sheen.

    **[Blackrock Beast (Puppet/High-Rank Knight Level), a puppet creature made from Black Stone Iron, with a body harder than Black Stone Iron, possessing the ability to lurk in the Black Stone Iron veins, and can replenish energy and heal injuries by consuming Black Stone Iron.]**

    This is a refined Blackrock Beast that Su Nan synthesized using seven Blackrock Beasts.

    Each one has the fighting ability of a High-Rank Knight, and their bodies are even harder, even weapons made from Black Stone Iron can only leave a shallow mark on them.

    Kei was fond of this refined Blackrock Beast, it was evident that he was satisfied with his mount.

    As they went deeper into the Red Horn Wilderness, the surrounding environment became increasingly desolate.

    After another half-hour journey, the scout in charge of reconnaissance returned, shouting, ¡°Sir, the Black Scale Lizardfolk tribe is about two kilometers ahead.¡± ?

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Kei¡¯s spirit lifted, and he ordered in a deep voice.

    ¡°Everyone, accelerate, prepare for battle!¡±

    As the order was issued, the speed of the team immediately increased.

    The open space in front of the tribe instantly turned into a bloody battlefield!

    Since their formation, the cavalry regiment riding Blackrock Beasts had their first real taste of battle.

    The combat effectiveness they displayed did not disappoint.

    Even though the Black Scale Lizardfolk could withstand the weapons swung by the cavalry, they were quickly torn open in the chest and abdomen by the sharp claws of the Blackrock Beasts.

    They were no longer facing individual cavalrymen but a joint attack of cavalry and Blackrock Beasts.

    This was completely different from the cavalry armies they had faced in the past.

    The information gap, which appeared initially, unexpectedly resulted in heavy losses for the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    Su Nan stood in the rear, watching the battlefield, and nodded secretly.

    This world seemed to have never had the example of taming strange beasts as mounts.

    At least, there had never been any in the Starsea Duchy.

    Therefore, this unprecedented troop type of Blackrock Beast cavalry, when facing them for the first time, easily made wrong responses.

    And in the ever-changing battlefield, wrong responses often meant death.

    The number of Blackrock Beast cavalry is still quite small, but when this army expands into a truly full-fledged cavalry regiment, it is expected to bring great ¡°surprises¡± to Black Stone City¡¯s enemies.

    Su Nan withdrew his gaze, glanced at Bred who was guarding nearby, and sighed slightly.

    He still needs to be promoted to Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice as soon as possible, otherwise, he will always be a fragile mage, and he will need someone to protect him on the battlefield.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan gathered his thoughts, muttered strange syllables, and a basketball-sized ball of acid quickly condensed in front of him. As his finger extended, it shot towards a Knight-level Black Scale Lizardfolk like an arrow.

    Master¡¯s Hand is not long enough to be used on the current battlefield.

    Therefore, Su Nan chose to use Acid Splash.

    Sizzle!

    The Black Scale Lizardfolk didn¡¯t expect an attack to come from afar, and he was caught off guard, hit by the acid on his face.

    In just an instant, the acid corroded a large hole on the Black Scale Lizardfolk¡¯s face, all five senses were corroded, leaving only a pitch-black cavity, even the bones inside were corroded quite a bit.

    The Black Scale Lizardfolk twitched and fell to the ground, it was clear that he was dead.

    The terrifying power of the Acid Splash made the surrounding Black Scale Lizardfolk¡¯s scalp tingle.

    For a while, the Black Scale Lizardfolk all looked at Su Nan with deep fear in their eyes.

    They weren¡¯t afraid of human blades and fists, but this strange and terrifying attack was beyond their understanding.

    What kind of power is this?

 Chapter 23

    Su Nan¡¯s face was cold as he continuously released bursts of acid, each one splashing out. He aimed for the Black Scale Lizardfolk who were of knight rank.

    Within just over a dozen breaths, seven Black Scale Lizardfolk had perished under his spells. The Black Scale Lizardfolk had already been at a disadvantage, and with Su Nan¡¯s intervention, the situation became increasingly unfavorable for them. The scales of victory gradually tilted towards the Black Stone City side.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    Suddenly, a roar exploded! The Black Scale Lizardfolk chieftain, having noticed Su Nan¡¯s threat, decided to eliminate this human with the strange powers first. However, before he could act, Kei intercepted him.

    ¡°Lizard head, I¡¯m your opponent!¡±

    Kei sneered, swinging his sword in a powerful strike. The strength of a peak knight combined with the enhancement from the Brute Force Potion caused a piercing air-splitting roar as he slashed. The Black Scale Lizardfolk chieftain¡¯s pupils constricted in fear, and he dared not clash directly, hastily dodging backward, but in doing so, he also lost the opportunity to approach Su Nan.

    ¡°Gii-lu-waa-gii...¡±

    The Black Scale Lizardfolk chieftain uttered a strange, ear-piercing sound. Kei dismissed it as a frustrated curse and was about to continue his assault when he suddenly sensed something was wrong. He abruptly turned towards Su Nan.

    A colossal black shadow, appearing from the rear of the battlefield, was rapidly charging towards Su Nan.

    Bred noticed the shadow first. He abruptly turned, shouted in anger, and raised his Blackstone Iron Shield, colliding with the incoming shadow!

    Boom!

    Amidst the deafening sound, Bred flew out like a broken kite. The black shadow only took a few steps back, shook its head, and recovered.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Su Nan also saw the true form of the shadow. It was a lizard, about eight meters long, its entire body covered in cold, hard, black and red scales.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect these lizard heads to play this kind of feint attack.¡±

    Su Nan scoffed, his face showing no sign of panic. He had discovered this monster earlier than Kei and Bred and had already prepared his spell. He immediately cast a Sleep Curse.

    This giant lizard had clearly awakened its Dragon Lizard bloodline. It could easily knock back Bred, who had consumed a Brute Force Potion, in a physical confrontation. Its combat power was probably already at the peak knight level. Acid splashing would likely not cause much harm to it, and might even provoke its aggression. Therefore, Su Nan decisively opted for the Sleep Curse.

    The giant lizard about to charge suddenly shook its head as if it were drunk, swaying back and forth in place.

    Bred, having recovered, had just managed to climb to his feet. As he looked up, he saw this scene and instantly froze with wide eyes.

    What kind of monster is that? It can actually suppress that terrifying giant lizard!

    Not far away, Kei sighed in relief, secretly marveling in his heart. As expected of Su Nan, his tactics were endless.

    To choose him as a target for a sneak attack was truly the wrong decision.

    ¡°Hee-hee-hee.¡±

    The joyful laughter intertwined with the screams of pain, echoing through the battlefield. Despite trying its best to dodge and avoid direct contact with the Fire Child, the FlameÁéÆø emitted by the Fire Child also caused the giant lizard unbearable agony.

    Within a short while, the giant lizard¡¯s body could no longer be found with a single intact scale. It was covered with appalling burn marks.

    After extinguishing the flames on its body once more, the giant lizard finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. It rushed to a spot not far from Su Nan, lay down on the ground, and kept shaking its head up and down. Its amber vertical pupils revealed a human-like plea, as if it were begging for mercy.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite intelligent.¡±

    Su Nan chuckled in amazement. Rarely encountering such a rare species, he didn¡¯t want to kill it just like that. He stopped the Fire Child¡¯s pursuit and casually cast a Sleep Curse.

    Severely wounded, the giant lizard could no longer resist the effects of the Sleep Curse. Its eyelids fluttered a few times before falling into a deep slumber.

    Out of caution, Su Nan didn¡¯t stop there. He patted the Blackrock Beast beside him and told it to suppress the giant lizard. Then, he extended his hand and pressed it against the giant lizard¡¯s body, releasing a Fatigue Touch to drain the giant lizard¡¯s energy, ensuring that this behemoth was completely out of combat.

    Only after doing all this, did he confidently shift his focus away from the giant lizard, turning his head towards the battlefield.

    In that instant, all the surviving Black Scale Lizardfolk felt a chill run down their spines.

    Under their horrified gazes, the fearsome Fire Child rushed towards them with a joyful cheer.

    (End)

 Chapter 24: A Complete Victory

    ## Chapter 24: A Complete Victory

    The battle ended in a mere four or five minutes.

    The arrival of Firebrand proved to be the final straw that broke the Black Scale Lizardmen¡¯s backs. Wherever the little guy went, Black Scale Lizardmen turned into blazing torches, consumed by fire, screaming in agony as they rolled on the ground, ultimately turning into charred corpses.

    Even the Black Scale Lizardman chieftain, though strong, could only hold out for a while longer against Firebrand¡¯s attacks before finally suffering the same fate. One could say that Firebrand, as an elemental creature, was the perfect counter to the Black Scale Lizardmen, who lacked even martial energy and relied solely on their physical strength.

    After the battle, everyone began to clean up the battlefield. Every soldier passing by Su Nan would sneak a glance in his direction, their eyes filled with awe.

    While Firebrand was terrifying, the fact that Su Nan could summon such a creature filled them with even more respect. The soldiers who hadn¡¯t participated in the battle in the Blackstone Mine area were especially shocked. They never imagined that the skinny Su Nan, their young master, would be so powerful. His strange, mysterious power seemed to be even stronger than that of their lord!

    At that moment, they suddenly understood why those knight commanders always treated Su Nan with such deference. It was clearly out of respect for his strength!

    ¡°After today¡¯s battle, the news of me becoming a Wizard Apprentice will probably be impossible to suppress.¡±

    Noticing the soldiers¡¯ gazes, Su Nan silently considered this. He didn¡¯t mind too much, as such things couldn¡¯t be kept secret for long. As Black Stone City¡¯s knights grew in number, and as the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment became more active, more and more people would surely investigate the reasons behind it all. By then, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay low-profile even if he tried.

    There were still some Black Scale Lizardmen elders, children, and women left in the tribe, about sixty or seventy in total. Kei didn¡¯t slaughter them all, but instead ordered them to be bound and brought back to Black Stone City. He clearly planned to keep them as a constant source of blood for his purposes.

    The bodies of the deceased Black Scale Lizardmen couldn¡¯t be wasted either. Their blood was drained, stored in special preservation containers, and taken back.

    Also bound and brought back was the giant lizard variant. Compared to the ordinary Black Scale Lizardmen, the giant lizard was an even better source of blood. After all, its blood was genuine Dragon-Lizard Blood.

    On the way back, everyone was excited. Kei¡¯s face wore a smile he couldn¡¯t hide. This battle had completely eliminated the Black Scale Lizardmen, a festering tumor.

    And the price they paid was only a loss of less than fifty soldiers.

    Such a brilliant victory was largely thanks to Su Nan. He alone had eliminated seventy or eighty Black Scale Lizardmen, including nearly ten knight-level Black Scale Lizardmen elites. This battle could truly be described as a complete victory!

    More importantly, from now on, Black Stone City would have a steady supply of materials for crafting Lower-Grade Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion. Kei could already see the knights of Black Stone City growing in number.

    He had been crafting a large number of potions during this period, and his Potion Crafting skill proficiency had already broken through the 2000 mark, only 800 points away from reaching Level 3. The success rate of crafting Lower-Grade Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion had also exceeded 30%. For a Level 1 Wizard Apprentice, this was an astonishing success rate.

    Half a day later, there were over twenty vials of Lower-Grade Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion on the workbench. Three of them had reached Intermediate Quality.

    Su Nan placed each potion into the Magic Cube one by one. After placing three Intermediate and five Lower-Grade Dragon¡¯s Blood Potions, the potion on the synthesis interface finally underwent a qualitative change.

    ¡¾Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion (Tier 1 / Lower-Grade), Consuming this potion can strengthen one¡¯s physique. The specific strengthening amount depends on the user¡¯s physique. The weaker the physique, the stronger the effect. Repeated consumption will weaken the effect. The user¡¯s physique must be at least 5¡¿

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    A satisfied smile spread across Su Nan¡¯s face. If he had tried to craft Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion directly, with his current Potion Crafting skill at only Level 2, the success rate would probably be a paltry single digit. Even if he were lucky enough to craft one, the cost of the materials would be at least six or seven times higher than it is now. Compared to that, crafting lower-grade potions and then using the Magic Cube to synthesize them into higher-grade ones was definitely more cost-effective.

    Snapping out of his thoughts, Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate to synthesize the potion and immediately consumed it. His current physique was 5.61, just meeting the requirements for consumption.

    A familiar hot current surged through his body, instantly coursing through his limbs and body. Su Nan felt as if his entire body was submerged in scalding lava, experiencing intense pain mixed with a thrill he couldn¡¯t hide.

    After a while, the strange sensations slowly subsided. Su Nan took a deep breath, feeling like his muscles and bones had become denser, and his body was filled with a powerful surge of energy, as if it could explode at any moment.

    Looking at his stats, his physique attribute had become 11.46! An increase of nearly 6 points!

    ¡°It really is a Tier 1 potion!¡±

    Su Nan beamed. In terms of physique alone, he was now almost on par with a Mid-Level Knight. His physique had even surpassed his 11.35 spiritual power. One could only say that strengthening one¡¯s body was almost effortless for a wizard (apprentice), compared to increasing their spiritual power.

    ¡°The Star Ring Meditation Method only needs another 3000 points of proficiency to reach Level 4. At this rate, it¡¯ll only take another month or so.¡±

    Thinking about his upcoming promotion to Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.

    Snapping out of his joy, he used the remaining Lower-Grade Dragon¡¯s Blood Potions to synthesize another Dragon¡¯s Blood Potion. This one he didn¡¯t plan to take for himself. He was going to give it to Kei.

    ¡°One person can only consume four to five Dragon¡¯s Blood Potions. After that, it won¡¯t have any effect. But that number should be enough for Kei to become a Great Knight.¡±

 Chapter 25

    The day the sun walked across the land in the month of Blazing Fire.

    The scorching weather made people irritable and weak.

    But inside the inner castle, there was a joyous atmosphere.

    After continuously consuming four vials of Dragon Blood Potion, Kei successfully broke through and became a Great Knight!

    If Knights are the backbone and elite fighting force of a territory, then Great Knights are the mountain-like pillars.

    In any country, Great Knights are undoubtedly a high-end combat force.

    A Great Knight, who has mastered the externalization of martial energy, is like a tank-level war beast on the battlefield, invincible.

    With Kei¡¯s promotion to Great Knight, the shadow looming over Black Stone City from Shining Light City seemed to dissipate somewhat.

    The festive atmosphere outside could not affect Su Nan.

    After his Star Ring Meditation Method was only a little over two hundred proficiency points away from upgrading, he shut himself in the meditation room, instructing others not to disturb him, and focused on preparing for his promotion.

    Three days later.

    Su Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed.

    Deep in his sea of consciousness, tiny energy particles merged into the third Star Ring illusion, filling in the last bit of its illusory form.

    The moment the entire Star Ring solidified, an unprecedented tremor surged like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing his consciousness.

    In silent tranquility, Su Nan felt as if he was drifting in the boundless starry galaxy, with waves of invisible warmth flowing through his body, both inside and out. The indescribable ultimate joy brought by the ascension of his life essence filled every corner of his being.

    After an unknown period of time, Su Nan gradually regained his senses and opened his eyes.

    The world before him seemed to have been wiped clean of a layer of hazy dust, becoming much clearer.

    ¡°Is this the feeling of promotion?¡±

    A strong sense of joy surged through Su Nan¡¯s heart. He hurriedly opened his panel.

    [Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male, 17 Years Old]

    [Spirit 13.25/Constitution 12.02]

    [Skills]

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv4 (3/20000)

    Potion Making Lv2 (2641/3000)

    Creature Modification Lv1 (527/1000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv2 (816/3000)

    ¡°My Spiritual Power increased by 1.27, a little less than expected, but it¡¯s normal considering my original Spiritual Power was already close to 12.¡±

    ¡°Constitution hasn¡¯t changed much, only increased by less than 0.5.¡±

    Even without casting spells, a Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, relying on their own strong physique and the assistance of energy particles, could easily crush any level of Knight.

    If they added spells to the mix, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to face a Great Knight head-on.

    Not to mention that Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices could also use magic items and contract Magical Companions.

    Speaking of magic items, Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted, and he looked at the Blood Vine Ring he had been wearing on his index finger since he brought it back from the Blackstone Mine Area.

    Before, he could only sense the energy particles contained within the ring but could not manipulate them.

    But now, with a thought, he could activate the ring¡¯s magic properties at any time.

    The power of the Blood Vine Ring was enough to become one of his trump cards.

    ¡°There are also energy runes. Now, I can create energy rune gemstones.¡±

    ¡°Magical Companions are also on the agenda.¡±

    Magical Companions are a type of magical creature. They are originally ordinary animals, strange beasts, or unusual species with special bloodlines. After contracting with a Wizard, they awaken special abilities and transform into Magical Companions.

    Magical Companions are divided into auxiliary types and combat types.

    Auxiliary Magical Companions are mostly various types of spirits, such as fairies, sprites, etc.

    These types of Magical Companions usually have strong plant spirituality and can naturally communicate with magical plants. They are very suitable for acting as gardeners to cultivate magical plants.

    In addition, some Magical Companions are used by Wizard Apprentices as experimental assistants.

    The types of combat Magical Companions are much more diverse.

    From small animals like bats, cats, lizards, owls, snakes, toads, to ferocious strange beasts comparable to Knights, they can all be transformed into combat Magical Companions, assisting Wizard Apprentices in battle to kill enemies.

    Some powerful Magical Companions can even become Wizard Apprentices¡¯ trump cards, playing an indispensable role.

    ¡°The stronger the original creature, the stronger it will be after being transformed into a Magical Companion.¡±

    ¡°For the first time contracting a Magical Companion, the transformation target must be carefully selected.¡±

    Wait!

    Su Nan suddenly remembered.

    Speaking of suitable transformation targets, wasn¡¯t there one in the yard?

    That giant lizard-like strange beast!

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    A strange beast with Dragon Lizard bloodline, if transformed into a Magical Companion, it would definitely become another powerful fighting force in his hands!

    Worth a try!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 26: Body Modification Experiment

    ## Chapter 26: Body Modification Experiment

    The month of August, known as the ¡°Month of Scrolls¡± in the legends of the Starlight Continent, is dedicated to knowledge and wisdom.

    As August arrived, Su Nan began to get busy, focusing on his own growth.

    Firstly, he started learning new spells.

    He only had two First-Ring Spells at his disposal: ¡°Charm Human¡± and ¡°Shield Spell¡±.

    The former¡¯s effect was self-explanatory.

    The latter allowed him to conjure an invisible and transparent shield the size of a tower shield, capable of floating and rotating 360 degrees, automatically blocking attacks from all directions.

    As the Shield Spell utilized a force field effect, it could even negate intangible attacks like spiritual shock or soul damage.

    Considering his own safety, Su Nan naturally chose to learn ¡°Shield Spell¡± first.

    *¡¾Reading ¡°Shield Spell Model¡±, ¡®Shield Spell¡¯ learning progress +0.02%¡¿*

    First-Ring Spells were significantly more difficult than Zero-Ring Spells.

    Su Nan estimated that it would take him about forty days to master the Shield Spell with the aid of Revitalization Potions.

    The time needed to master ¡°Charm Human¡± would likely be similar.

    His second task was to craft Rune Stones.

    As this was his first attempt, he chose the relatively stable Earth energy particles.

    The selected gem was a Black Opal, which was compatible with force field protection properties.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Starry Blue Sapphire is too expensive, costing over a thousand gold coins for a single one. If I had it, the effect would be much better.¡±

    Su Nan thought regretfully.

    Using Starry Blue Sapphire as the carrier would significantly increase the power of the final product by at least double.

    However, that would be throwing money away, something he couldn¡¯t afford yet. He had to settle for Black Opal instead.

    Black Opal is a green opal with black spots and golden particles, displaying an odd beauty.

    As Su Nan infused the gem with the condensed, yellowish-brown energy rune, it instantly emitted a hazy light.

    The light only lasted for four or five seconds before fading quickly.

    The Black Opal seemed unchanged, but upon closer inspection, one could see a layer of mysterious and intricate patterns on its surface.

    *¡¾Successfully crafted Rune Stone, ¡®Magic Item Crafting¡¯ learning progress +0.5%¡¿*

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Su Nan was slightly taken aback.

    How did it trigger the ¡®Magic Item Crafting¡¯ skill?

    But then, he quickly realized.

    Energy runes were a branch of enchanting, and crafting something with energy runes combined with gems could be considered a Magic Item, making it unsurprising that it triggered the ¡®Magic Item Crafting¡¯ skill.

    ¡°I thought I had to find relevant books to trigger this skill, but I accidentally triggered it beforehand.¡±

    The next day.

    Su Nan came to the room where the Giant Lizard was being held.

    Confined in a narrow and cramped cage, forced to undergo blood and energy extraction every day, the Giant Lizard had suffered greatly in the past month.

    Now, upon seeing Su Nan enter, it merely raised its eyelids before lying motionless on the ground, seemingly resigned to its fate.

    Su Nan opened the metal cage and lifted the Giant Lizard out with his Master¡¯s Hand. He then brought it to the spacious laboratory and placed it on the experimental table.

    To accommodate the Giant Lizard¡¯s massive size, the experimental table was specially crafted, exceeding ten meters in length.

    Although he had decided to transform the Giant Lizard into a Magical Companion, Su Nan didn¡¯t rush into action.

    All creatures, upon transforming into Magical Companions, would awaken at least one Spell-like ability.

    The type of Spell-like ability they awaken depended primarily on their innate abilities.

    For example, feline creatures generally awaken Spell-like abilities related to illusions or shadow stealth after transforming into Magical Companions.

    Serpent creatures, on the other hand, would usually awaken Spell-like abilities related to poison.

    As for this exotic species possessing Dragon-Lizard blood, Su Nan guessed that it would most likely awaken Spell-like abilities related to physical enhancement.

    For a Wizard Apprentice, this Spell-like ability would undoubtedly be among the least desirable.

    They had plenty of ways to enhance their bodies, and there was no need to waste precious awakening opportunities.

    Therefore, Su Nan planned to modify the Giant Lizard¡¯s body before officially signing the contract to transform it into a Magical Companion, giving it an additional ability that might allow it to awaken something other than physical enhancement during the transformation process.

    As for the direction of body modification, the book he obtained earlier, *Extraction and Modification of the Green Chameleon¡¯s Abilities*, could be used for this purpose.

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re not a chameleon, you belong to the same order of lizards and should have decent compatibility with color-changing abilities.¡±

    Su Nan reached out, and a cage on the table behind him floated towards him, landing in his palm.

    Inside the cage was a Green Chameleon.

    While not a magical creature, this species was still quite rare.

    He had to rely on Mu Zhuo from the Fire Fox Trading Company to find enough for experimentation.

    Swoosh!

    Su Nan waved his hand again, and a sharp surgical knife appeared in his hand.

    At this point, the Giant Lizard finally sensed something amiss and began to struggle frantically, but its weakened body was unable to escape the Master¡¯s Hand¡¯s restraint.

    It then whimpered in distress, its vertical pupils displaying a human-like plea.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. You¡¯ll become stronger after the experiment is over.¡±

    Su Nan cast a Sleep Curse, and the Giant Lizard¡¯s eyelids flickered a few times before falling into a deep sleep, ceasing its struggle.

    The laboratory was then filled with the sound of the sharp blade cutting through flesh.

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 Chapter 27: Exterminate the Roots

    ## Chapter 27: Exterminate the Roots

    The middle of the Harvest Moon (September), the Harvest Festival was held as scheduled.

    This was the grandest celebration in the Starry Principality, second only to the New Year.

    Every year at this time, all noble territories would hold festivals, celebrating the year¡¯s harvest and praying for a bountiful harvest next year.

    Since the beginning of the month, trade caravans and foreign travelers had entered Shining Light City one after another.

    By the day of the Harvest Festival, Shining Light City was bustling with people, filled with a lively festive atmosphere.

    In the brightly decorated banquet hall of Shining Light Castle, invited guests chatted and laughed over drinks.

    In a corner of the hall, a group of young men and women gathered together, eating delicacies and excitedly gossiping.

    ¡°I heard that Earl Storm has been unconscious and hasn¡¯t woken up yet. His sons are fighting like mad for the title, almost spilling their brains.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s normal, after all, that¡¯s an Earl title. If I were them, I¡¯d fight for it too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s said that Countess Storm hired a Wizard to treat Earl Storm. Tsk tsk, it turns out that the legendary Wizards really exist.¡±

    ¡°Heh, just a bunch of charlatans, only know some tricks like juggling. They¡¯re no different from the magic performers in the circus. I heard about it too. That so-called Wizard couldn¡¯t cure Earl Storm¡¯s illness in the end. Later, he was stabbed to death by Earl Storm¡¯s second son.¡±

    The legend of Wizards had a significant market in high society.

    As the topic unfolded, many people showed interested expressions, holding their wine glasses and joining the conversation.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Blackstone City seems to have produced a Wizard too.¡±

    ¡°You mean the second son of the previous Baron of Shining Light, Su Nan? I heard that Blackstone City was able to develop to its current state because of him behind the scenes.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    When Kei and Su Nan were expelled from Shining Light City and exiled to Blackstone City, almost no one was optimistic about this pair of brothers.

    After all, Blackstone City was located on the border of the Golden Rock Province, its geographical location was unfavorable, and it had the Black Scale Lizardmen as a serious threat on its side. Its development potential was pitifully low.

    With such a bad hand, the two brothers were simply no match for the current Baron of Shining Light.

    Once Owen consolidated his control over the territory, he would be free to deal with them.

    In the eyes of everyone, the brothers were almost as good as dead.

    However, the subsequent development took an unexpected turn.

    Not only did Blackstone City restart the Blackstone Mine Area, bringing in a steady stream of gold, but it also wiped out the Black Scale Lizardmen.

    Now, Blackstone City, anyone could see its thriving and promising development potential.

    If Blackstone City were allowed to continue developing, in a few years, it might become one of the top cities in the Golden Rock Province.

    Many people were trying to figure out the reason behind the changes in Blackstone City.

    Unlike Zolf and the others who only relied on rumors, he had concrete information proving that Blackstone City had tamed a new type of mount, which seemed to have some combat capability.

    It was with this new mount as its core that Blackstone City had formed its cavalry regiment.

    According to the scout¡¯s report, Blackstone City suffered minimal losses in the war against the Black Scale Lizardmen.

    It was very likely because of this cavalry regiment.

    So, it was not a cavalry regiment to be underestimated.

    In time, it might really grow into an elite army.

    Thinking about this, Owen couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anxiety deep inside.

    He couldn¡¯t delay any longer!

    It was time to cut off the root and eliminate the last hidden danger!

    As long as the two brothers were dead, the Shining Light territory would completely become his, and he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about any unforeseen incidents!

    ¡°What are your thoughts on Blackstone City?¡± Owen asked calmly.

    The three lords present were all cunning and shrewd. As soon as they heard this, they understood Owen¡¯s intentions.

    Zolf was the first to speak, ¡°As long as my lord gives the order, I¡¯m willing to lead the troops to attack Blackstone City.¡±

    Devon and Norwood were a step behind, secretly cursing in their hearts, this big guy, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, was good at flattering. His face was thick as a city wall.

    While secretly cursing, the two were not slow in their actions, both voicing their willingness to fight.

    Seeing the three men¡¯s ¡°loyalty,¡± Owen smiled contentedly and waved his hand. ¡°Forget about attacking. It¡¯s too obvious, and although Blackstone City¡¯s military force is not strong, taking it down would cost a lot of manpower.¡±

    Zolf, Devon, and Norwood looked at each other.

    Devon hesitated, ¡°Then what does my lord mean...¡±

    Owen smiled mysteriously, ¡°As long as Kei and Su Nan are dead, Blackstone City will naturally return to my hands.¡±

    The three immediately understood and looked enlightened.

    Assassination!

    This was almost a common skill among nobles.

    It¡¯s just that this kind of thing was generally not assigned to one¡¯s own people, lest one be caught.

    But if they didn¡¯t use their own men, where would Lord Owen find someone to hire?

    It was said that Kei had already advanced to a Great Knight.

    Assassinating a Great Knight wouldn¡¯t be easy!

 Chapter 28: Magical Companion â€˜Stealth Dragonâ€™

    Chapter 28: Magical Companion ¡®Stealth Dragon¡¯

    Black Stone Castle, courtyard.

    Su Nan stood in front of the banyan tree, his eyes fixed on the trunk.

    To the naked eye, the area in front of the tree was empty. Even with careful observation, nothing could be seen.

    Only Su Nan could sense the presence of something there.

    ¡°Charge.¡± Su Nan suddenly spoke.

    The moment his words fell, a whistling sound suddenly echoed through the void.

    Although there was nothing in front of him, a clear rustling sound could be heard, as if some creature was crawling rapidly along the ground.

    And at that moment, a barely noticeable distortion finally appeared in the void that had been empty just moments ago.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Su Nan said.

    The next moment, a giant lizard figure appeared out of thin air on the ground about ten meters away.

    Amber-colored vertical pupils revealed a human-like ingratiating expression, and it let out a low whine, as if trying to curry favor with Su Nan.

    Su Nan laughed, and could only praise, ¡°Well done.¡±

    After more than half a month of experimentation, during which he had failed more than ten times, he finally managed to transfer the chameleon¡¯s color-changing ability to the giant lizard, and further strengthened its effect.

    The giant lizard, having gained the ability to change color, could now instantly change its form to match its surroundings, achieving a near-invisible effect.

    Only during high-speed sprints would a trace of its presence be revealed due to the lag in its form transformation.

    Of course, unless it was a Wizard Apprentice, or a Great Knight with exceptionally keen eyesight, ordinary people would not be able to detect this trace at all.

    But this ability wasn¡¯t without its downsides.

    While it was fine when standing still, once it started moving, its footsteps and the sound of its body rubbing against objects would betray its position.

    Su Nan had no good solution for this.

    After all, even the real ¡®Invisibility Spell¡¯ had the same flaw.

    ¡°There are flaws and there are flaws. Anyway, the color-changing ability is only a foundation for transforming a Magical Companion.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can awaken a more powerful ability on the basis of the color-changing ability.¡±

    The giant lizard didn¡¯t quite understand Su Nan¡¯s meaning, but it simply let out a low, cautious whine.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t mind, using his Master¡¯s Hand to scoop up the giant lizard and then walk into the laboratory.

    It was a laboratory that had been temporarily cleared out.

    A contract magic array composed of countless intricate patterns had already been drawn on the floor beforehand, shining with a faint black sheen under the candlelight, exuding an indescribable, peculiar charm. ?

    Placing the giant lizard in the center of the array, Su Nan then cast a Sleep Curse. The somewhat anxious giant lizard instantly fell asleep.

    Once the master dies, the Magical Companion¡¯s physical body and soul will also vanish into thin air.

    So in the Magical Companion¡¯s mind, its master is the closest and most loyal existence in this world.

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±

    Su Nan reached out and touched the giant lizard¡¯s head, which let out a low whine in response, its huge head gently rubbing against his hand, showing its affection.

    Against the backdrop of its massive size, it had a strange sense of incongruity.

    ¡°Go outside and try your abilities.¡±

    The man and the lizard quickly moved to the courtyard.

    The process of transforming a Magical Companion took quite a while, and it was already night outside.

    Under Su Nan¡¯s command, the giant lizard leaped forward with incredible agility, soaring four or five meters into the air. In the moonlight, its slender body, from head to toe, suddenly vanished.

    Then, a nearby banyan tree snapped with a crack, and its huge branches crashed to the ground.

    ¡°Strength and physical strength have significantly improved. In terms of physicality alone, it¡¯s probably no longer below a Great Knight, but I still need to test it further.¡±

    The giant lizard¡¯s physical strength and color-changing ability had been strengthened differently, but these two were powers it already possessed, clearly not new awakened abilities.

    Su Nan continued to watch with anticipation.

    After charging a short distance, the giant lizard reappeared, turning back to charge towards the tree stump.

    But this time, its body suddenly vanished halfway through, passing through the tree stump like a illusion.

    ¡°This is the ability to transform between reality and nothingness!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face showed surprise.

    From the giant lizard¡¯s performance just now, it seemed like it could instantly transform its body into a non-physical state, allowing it to pass through obstacles.

    Keep in mind that the transformed giant lizard already possessed powerful destructive power and agile speed, and combined with the color-changing ability and the ability to traverse obstacles with void passage, it was simply the perfect assassin!

    Its combat strength had instantly increased by several levels!

    ¡°What a perfect ability combination!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but marvel.

    The ability to transform between reality and nothingness instantly remedied the flaw of the color-changing ability¡¯s inability to cover up sounds, giving the giant lizard a truly perfect invisibility ability.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, the giant lizard let out a high-pitched call of excitement and pride.

    Su Nan smiled slightly, ¡°I can¡¯t keep calling you ¡®giant lizard¡¯ anymore. I need to give you a new name.¡±

    After pondering for a moment, he quickly had an idea.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Stealth Dragon.¡±

 Chapter 29

    The Black Stone City in the Autumn Curtain Moon (October) had already taken on a touch of bleakness.

    Though the first snow was still a while away, the air temperature had already dropped considerably, no longer retaining the heat of the Harvest Moon.

    Four men clad in armor walked along the road in the inner castle courtyard, their exhaled breaths forming wisps of white mist in the air.

    The three younger men trailing behind, their faces flushed with an excitement and anticipation that was hard to conceal, as if something good was about to happen.

    After walking for a while, one of them finally couldn¡¯t help but ask the leading Joron, ¡°Joron, are there any precautions we need to take when consuming that Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion?¡±

    Joron glanced back at the young man who had spoken, his face beaming. He waved his hand dismissively, saying, ¡°Look at how nervous you are. Nearly a hundred people have already consumed the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion before you. No one has had any problems. Just relax.¡±

    The young man scratched his head sheepishly, saying with a forced smile, ¡°I¡¯m not worried, I¡¯m just excited. After all, after drinking that potion, I can become a Knight!¡±

    The other two nodded in agreement, their faces filled with excitement.

    After all, it was a Knight!

    A Knight, renowned as a beast on the battlefield, a nobleman in the making!

    They had been training hard for many years, hoping to become Knights in their lifetime, to bring glory to their families. But they never imagined that their dream would be realized so soon.

    They still felt a sense of unreality even now.

    ¡°Haha, I understand your feelings. A year ago, I never imagined that there would be a potion in this world that could allow a Probationary Knight to directly break through to become a Knight. All this is thanks to Lord Sunan!¡±

    Speaking of Sunan, a respectful tone filled Joron¡¯s voice.

    The three young men also instinctively showed expressions of awe and admiration.

    Although the news about Lord Sunan in Black Stone City was strictly sealed, all the Knights and Probationary Knights who had consumed or were about to consume the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion knew that Lord Sunan had played a huge role in the development of Black Stone City.

    Even the establishment of the Blackrock Cavalry could be said to have been orchestrated by Lord Sunan.

    In the hearts of the Black Stone City Knights and Probationary Knights, Lord Sunan¡¯s status was no less than that of the Lord.

    ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to be too nervous. Once you meet the Lord, get the potion, drink it, and you will...¡±

    Before Joron could finish his reassuring words, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if something had brushed past him from behind in an instant, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

    He stopped in his tracks instinctively and looked around, but found nothing unusual.

    ¡°Did you see anything?¡± Joron turned and asked the three.

    The three shook their heads, bewildered.

    ¡°Damn it, maybe I drank too much wine last night and my head is still not clear?¡±

    In the entire Starry Constellation Duchy, only noble territories with a Viscount or higher, after hundreds of years of development and inheritance, could accumulate so many Knights!

    Black Stone City, with a single city, had the number of Knights comparable to that of a Viscount territory. If this news were to spread, many people would be shocked.

    ¡°Unfortunately, all the blood obtained from exterminating the Black Scale Lizardmen has been used up. Now we can only extract blood slowly from the captives. Sunan¡¯s potion production speed will also slow down considerably.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s also a good thing. The Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion was used a bit too much recently, causing a gap in the Probationary Knights in the army. This is a good time to cultivate more Probationary Knights.¡±

    Kei thought of the Dragon Blood Potion that Sunan had recently researched.

    The effect of that potion far surpassed the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion. Just four bottles had allowed him to cross the threshold that countless Knights had dreamed of, reaching the level of Great Knight. It was simply incredible!

    The only pity was that the production was extremely low.

    So far, only he and a few senior Knights like Brad had consumed it, thus advancing to Peak Knight.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Black Stone City is currently in dire need of time. If you give me a few years to develop, reclaiming Shining Light Territory will be easy.¡±

    As he was pondering, Kei suddenly saw the old butler, Galler, leading six or seven servants passing by. They were carrying several sheep that had been plucked of their wool.

    Galler quickly noticed Kei and stopped to salute.

    ¡°My Lord.¡±

    Kei hummed in response and pointed at the sheep, asking, ¡°Where are you taking these?¡±

    Galler said, ¡°To Lord Sunan¡¯s courtyard.¡±

    Kei quickly remembered that Sunan¡¯s courtyard seemed to be keeping a giant lizard captured from the Black Scale Lizardmen tribe, and it ate a lot of meat every day.

    But...

    He glanced at the three sheep, a little confused.

    Was the giant lizard¡¯s appetite growing?

    He had just heard Joron say that it only ate one sheep a day?

    Curious, but Kei didn¡¯t ask any further, just waved his hand for Galler and his companions to leave.

    Anything related to Wizards was shrouded in mystery and strangeness, and it was difficult for outsiders to understand.

    He wasn¡¯t interested in delving into it, as long as he continued to support Sunan.

    After all, Sunan¡¯s strength was Black Stone City¡¯s strength!

 Chapter 30: Bugged Blood Exchange

    Chapter 30: Bugged Blood Exchange

    The brightly lit study was peaceful and quiet.

    The occasional sound of turning pages could be heard.

    Su Nan sat behind his desk, diligently reading through a book.

    In the invisible void around him, prompts regarding his spell learning progress flashed every so often.

    [Shield Spell] Su Nan had successfully mastered it.

    Now, he was learning [Enthralling Humans], with the progress bar exceeding 90%. It would be mastered in a couple of days.

    But after that, he wouldn¡¯t have any more spells to learn.

    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve commissioned the Fire Fox Trading Company, it¡¯s not easy to find a suitable First-Ring spell. I wonder how things are going?¡±

    Su Nan closed the book and muttered to himself.

    Suddenly, his expression changed. He looked up towards the room¡¯s entrance, a smile appearing on his face.

    ¡°Where have you been running off to? Haven¡¯t you been up to any mischief, have you?¡±

    ¡°Hiss!¡±

    A raspy sound was his reply.

    As if an invisible curtain was lifted, a giant lizard suddenly materialized near the doorway, shaking its head at Su Nan.

    Perhaps due to being confined in a cage for too long, the Stealthy Dragon had completely gone off the rails after being released. It spent its days running around the inner castle.

    Fortunately, its perfect camouflage ability¡ªa combination of color-changing and real-to-imaginary transformation¡ªprevented any panic.

    Nobody had noticed its presence, not even the Great Knight Kei.

    Su Nan had to admit that his luck was truly amazing. His very first contracted Magical Companion had awakened with such a powerful ability.

    In terms of physical strength alone, the Stealthy Dragon was at the level of a beginner Great Knight.

    But with its ability to change color and switch between real and imaginary states, even an advanced Great Knight could be killed by its stealthy attack if they were not careful.

    Moreover, the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s physical strength had a lot of room for development.

    This was due to its Dragon Lizard bloodline.

    According to the Magic Cube¡¯s information, the Dragon Lizard bloodline concentration in the Stealthy Dragon was currently only 18.35%.

    If he could increase its Dragon Lizard bloodline concentration, he could naturally significantly strengthen the Stealthy Dragon.

    ¡°Increase bloodline concentration?¡±

    Under the cover of the night, their movements were smooth and efficient, without any hindrance.

    But for some reason, they felt an uneasy feeling, a chill creeping up their spines as if they were being watched by a dangerous presence.

    Yet, when they looked around, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in sight.

    The two dismissed their uneasiness as being overly cautious, shaking their heads and ignoring the strange feeling as they continued to infiltrate.

    They passed through the courtyard and reached the entrance of the long corridor.

    Looking at the closed door at the end of the corridor, they instinctively gripped their sword hilts, silently removing the long swords slung across their waists.

    But at the moment they drew their swords, the unease deep within them intensified, a wave of cold air surging up from their spine.

    In that instant, both men felt the fear of death, a feeling rooted in their long years of combat experience.

    Without hesitation, they leaped to their sides, one to the left and the other to the right.

    However, the man on the right had only moved a few meters when his body froze in mid-air. Several arc-shaped blood holes suddenly appeared in his chest, his head and feet twisted at an unnatural angle.

    The other assassin, landing firmly on the ground, looked up to witness this scene and his pupils constricted to the size of pinpricks.

    The bright moonlight shone through the spray of blood, casting a faint outline of a giant beast covered in scales, its four limbs sprawled out, reaching a length of over ten meters.

    Its mouth, filled with sharp, pointed teeth, was tightly clamped on its companion¡¯s body, blood flowing out of the twitching corpse.

    It was clear that his companion wouldn¡¯t survive this.

    ¡°By the Star God, what kind of monster is this?!¡±

    The man gasped.

    He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with ferocious creatures, but he had never seen a monster like this one. It was over ten meters long, capable of stealth, and they, two knights, couldn¡¯t detect its presence at all!

    Thump!

    The monster spat out the corpse and let out a hissing sound. Its massive body faded and disappeared into the moonlight.

    The man¡¯s scalp felt numb. Without thinking, he turned and ran, reaching the courtyard wall in a flash, leaping up to vault over it.

    But in the next second, he was hit as if by a speeding boulder. His bones cracked with a ¡®clack, clack¡¯ sound. He screamed as he was thrown through the air, landing on the ground several meters away.

    Despite being severely injured, the man was not discouraged. He roared, spitting out a mouthful of blood and flesh, struggling to get up and run. But then, he felt his body sink, as if something was stepping on his back.

    The next second, intense pain flooded his consciousness.

    Thanks for the tip from Leisurely An!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 31

    ¡°.¡°

    Looking at the two mangled corpses before him, then glancing at the innocent-looking Stealthy Dragon lying on the ground beside him, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

    Through his connection with his Magical Companion, he had a general idea of what had happened.

    The two assassins, as soon as they had climbed over the wall, were discovered by the Stealthy Dragon, who was sleeping in the courtyard.

    Initially, it had just been curious, observing them. It wasn¡¯t until they approached the corridor and drew their weapons that it deemed them as enemies and launched a ferocious attack. Unfortunately, it had used too much force, instantly killing both of them.

    ¡°.Next time, remember to leave one alive.¡±

    Su Nan patted the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s head and turned his attention back to the two corpses.

    Based on the density of their muscles and strength of their bones, both were official knights, and at least high-level knights.

    To send two high-level knight-level assassins, and with the motivation to do so, the mastermind behind this was clear.

    ¡°If they sent people to me, Brother should be the same.¡±

    Su Nan looked towards the main building, his perception spreading out. Indeed, he faintly heard a commotion.

    He narrowed his eyes, cast a spell on himself to create a shield, and then a layer of azure light appeared on his body. He moved with the speed of wind, rushing out of the courtyard towards the main building.

    Behind him, the Stealthy Dragon let out a hiss, leaped forward, and its body disappeared into the night.

    In the courtyard in front of the main building, the sound of metal clashing against metal was relentless.

    Led by Bradd, over ten knights and an equal number of Blackrock Beasts were besieging a tall, burly middle-aged man.

    Despite the fact that they were outnumbered, Bradd and the others were actually on the defensive.

    Under the moonlight, a faint, shimmering light could be seen around the middle-aged man¡¯s body.

    The knights¡¯ weapons, upon striking that layer of light, not only failed to break through, but they were also shaken back, causing the knights¡¯ hands to ache.

    In contrast, the middle-aged man could casually knock away a knight with a single strike.

    Of everyone present, only Bradd could barely use his shield to face the opponent¡¯s attack head-on.

    Relying on their numerical advantage, they could barely hold their own against their enemy.

    Not far away, Kei and an assassin wielding a black sword were locked in a fierce battle, and it was clear that Kei was at a disadvantage.

    If it weren¡¯t for the Blackrock Beasts¡¯ fearless attacks that were somewhat restricting the assassin¡¯s movements, the situation would have been even worse. ?

    Su Nan arrived at the courtyard to witness this scene.

    ¡°Two Great Knight-level assassins, what a grand spectacle.¡±

    Su Nan swept his gaze over the scene, instantly forming a rough judgment of the assassins¡¯ strength. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder secretly.

    Owen only had one Great Knight under his command. Where did he hire two Great Knight-level assassins from?

    What kind of monster is that?

    It can even become invisible?!

    Before he could comprehend, a chilling scream erupted from the billowing dust. Immediately afterward, a figure broke through the dust like a gust of wind, rushing out.

    It was the middle-aged knight.

    However, his current appearance was utterly wretched.

    One of his arms hung limply by his side, bent at an unnatural angle. His chest and abdomen had a series of arched blood holes, looking like the wounds left by a ferocious beast¡¯s bite.

    He was covered in blood, a sorry sight.

    ¡°Damn monster!¡±

    The middle-aged knight roared with a contorted face, then as if sensing something, he suddenly swung his sword back.

    But this attack missed.

    In the next second, a massive figure emerged from the other side, its forelimbs extended, revealing sharp, hooked claws that pierced the middle-aged knight¡¯s body.

    Then, it leaped high into the air, viciously pinning the middle-aged knight beneath it. Opening its bloody maw, revealing rows of sharp teeth, it ripped his body apart in three or two bites.

    The scene was so bloody, it sent chills down one¡¯s spine.

    Bradd and the others unconsciously swallowed their saliva, their eyes filled with awe as they gazed at the giant beast.

    Even though it was more than twice its original size, they still recognized it. The beast before them was the giant lizard that Su Nan had brought back from the Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    They just didn¡¯t know how it had become so huge, and how it could become invisible and move silently.

    This terrifying combat ability, which had effortlessly crushed a Great Knight, was simply more than ten times stronger than before!

    Kei and the Black Sword knight had stopped fighting at some point. Both of them stared at the Stealthy Dragon in shock.

    Kei, however, was filled with both shock and surprise.

    The Black Sword knight was simply overwhelmed with horror.

    The assassination mission, which they thought was a sure thing, had gone wrong from the start.

    The intelligence reports didn¡¯t mention that the target had numerous knights and knight-level monsters guarding him.

    Especially those strange black panthers, they couldn¡¯t detect their aura, so as soon as they infiltrated, before they could even make a move, they were discovered.

    If that were all, they could have just spent a little more effort to complete the mission, it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult.

    But what about this terrible beast?!

    The intelligence reports didn¡¯t mention that Black Stone City had such a powerful and terrifying creature!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 32: Fortunately, Heâ€™s on Our Side

    Chapter 32: Fortunately, He¡¯s on Our Side

    Su Nan watched the scene before him with an indifferent expression.

    Normally, a middle-aged knight, even if not an opponent for the Infiltrator, wouldn¡¯t be killed so quickly.

    The key was that he didn¡¯t understand the Infiltrator¡¯s abilities at all, and didn¡¯t even realize the Infiltrator¡¯s existence from the beginning, so he was killed in the first encounter.

    Information disparity could sometimes be fatal.

    Withdrawing his gaze, Su Nan turned to look at the Black Sword Knight.

    Meeting Su Nan¡¯s eyes, the Black Sword Knight instantly felt a chill run through his body.

    He could see that the terrifying beast was being controlled by Su Nan from behind.

    This was the power of a Wizard?

    As rumored, it was truly uncanny!

    With the death of his companion, the situation had become extremely unfavorable for the Black Sword Knight.

    In a flash, he made his decision, transforming into a blur, darting towards Su Nan like a ghost in the night.

    As long as he killed Su Nan, the beast would likely fall into chaos. Even for just a moment, he could escape.

    Seeing the assassin rushing towards Su Nan, but the giant lizard still tens of meters away and unable to provide timely support, Kei¡¯s face turned pale, and he instinctively wanted to rush forward to stop him.

    However, he then saw Su Nan¡¯s calm and composed expression, and his footsteps abruptly stopped, halting in place.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    In a blink of an eye, the Black Sword Knight had charged forward a hundred meters, his black sword slashing down violently. Where the blade passed, a crescent-shaped sword energy formed out of thin air, piercing the void with lightning speed, attacking Su Nan.

    Emitting Martial Energy!

    A long-range attack technique only mastered by Great Knights!

    Seeing the sword energy about to strike Su Nan, a hint of joy flashed in the Black Sword Knight¡¯s eyes.

    But the next moment, his expression froze.

    In the astonished gazes of everyone present, the sword energy seemed to collide with something invisible, and with a hiss, it dissipated and vanished.

    The impact force rippled through the air, vaguely outlining the shape of a tower shield.

    ¡°!!!¡±

    The Black Sword Knight widened his eyes in shock.

    What in the world was that?!

    Before he could recover, Su Nan had already raised his hand, holding a shimmering red gemstone between his extended index finger and thumb.

    Under the moonlight, the blue and green patterns on the gemstone surface flickered with a beautiful brilliance, exceptionally eye-catching.

    The next second, Su Nan threw the gemstone violently.

    Boom!

    But they were all second-rate.

    Let alone a Great Knight-level assassin, even an assassin guild that could find a knight was considered a top-tier organization in the assassin world.

    At least Kei and Su Nan, both born into noble families, had never heard of any assassin guild with Great Knight-level members.

    Su Nan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Owen certainly doesn¡¯t have the power to do that. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have had to endure it until after our father died before tearing up the agreement. I guess it¡¯s most likely the connections of Duke Goldenrock.¡±

    Kei¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and the more he thought about it, the more he agreed with Su Nan, his face growing even more solemn.

    He could still handle Owen, but if Duke Goldenrock interfered, then things would be troublesome.

    After all, the latter was the actual ruler of Goldenrock Province, with an army of tens of thousands.

    Blackstone City was just a slightly larger ant in his eyes.

    Seeing Kei¡¯s changing expression, Su Nan calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Duke Goldenrock didn¡¯t intervene directly before, which means he still cares about the rules between nobles. He wouldn¡¯t personally take action to seize the territory of his vassal. We just need to be wary of the killers he sends.¡±

    Kei thought about it and realized this was true, a sigh of relief escaping his chest.

    Coming to his senses, seeing Su Nan¡¯s calm demeanor, he couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly ashamed.

    Even though he was the lord, he was less calm than Su Nan when faced with problems. It seemed his temperament still needed to be honed.

    Little did he know, the reason Su Nan was so calm was that he didn¡¯t really care much about the territory.

    He had already survived the most difficult novice stage. Even if the territory was taken away, he would only lose a stable source of income.

    He could simply take Kei to the Rose Thorn Duchy and lay low, waiting to return and eliminate his enemies after becoming a Wizard.

    As for making money, he had countless ways.

    Of course, it would be even better if he could keep the territory.

    After all, having his own power base made it much easier to make money and gather resources.

    However, he wouldn¡¯t say these words to Kei.

    Not far away, Jordan was asking Brad about what had happened.

    After listening to Brad¡¯s account, Jordan couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes and look around.

    A ten-meter-long lizard that could easily crush a Great Knight, this was too unbelievable, it was like listening to a knight¡¯s novel.

    Seeing Jordan¡¯s gaze darting around, Brad said impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t look for it, it¡¯s been said that the giant lizard can hide. Even a Great Knight couldn¡¯t detect its presence, how could you see it?¡±

    Jordan scratched his head, saying sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯m just curious. By the way, Lord Su Nan is too powerful. The giant lizard was only at the peak Knight level before, and it¡¯s only been a few months since he captured it to train it. It can actually kill a Great Knight now, which is incredible!¡±

    The surrounding knights all nodded in agreement.

    Who wouldn¡¯t say so.

    Every time they witnessed Lord Su Nan¡¯s fighting techniques, they felt like their worldviews were being refreshed.

    Thank goodness such a powerful person was on their side. If he were their enemy, just thinking about it would give them chills.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 33

    To prevent chaos, Kei ordered the attack to be sealed off.

    After rooting out a few lurking spies, the inner castle quickly returned to its usual state, operating smoothly as usual.

    As for the Black Sword Knight, after being treated, he barely survived and was locked up in the dungeon to be interrogated.

    However, for two days in a row, they failed to extract any valuable information from him.

    ¡°That guy must have received anti-interrogation training. No matter what torture we use, he refuses to speak.¡±

    In the council hall, Brade reported the results of the interrogation over the past two days.

    ¡°I say, just crush his bones one by one, I don¡¯t believe he can endure it.¡± Jorton sneered.

    Brade shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s useless, he seems to have mastered some kind of technique that can isolate pain. He has no reaction when we torture him.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s such a technique?¡± Jorton stared in shock.

    The other knights looked at each other upon hearing this.

    How could they interrogate him like this?

    Kei frowned, turned to Su Nan who was sitting beside him, and asked: ¡°Su Nan, do you have any good ideas?¡±

    Su Nan nodded: ¡°Let me interrogate him.¡±

    Hearing that Su Nan seemed to have a way, everyone immediately cheered up.

    Led by Brade and Jorton, Su Nan arrived at the dungeon where the Black Sword Knight was imprisoned.

    Stepping into the cell, he saw the Black Sword Knight, his limbs tightly bound to iron pillars by chains, looking extremely miserable.

    His body still bore the burn marks left by the lightning rune gem, and after two days of torture, there was hardly a piece of intact flesh left on his entire body.

    Yet even so, he still didn¡¯t seem to have any pain in his expression.

    Seeing Su Nan come in, his face changed slightly, followed by a disdainful sneer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your efforts, you won¡¯t get any information from me. If you have the guts, kill me!¡±

    Su Nan said calmly: ¡°If you really want to die, there are plenty of ways to commit suicide. Why do you still cling to life?¡±

    This remark obviously hit the Black Sword Knight¡¯s sore spot, his eyes twitched violently, and he snorted coldly without speaking.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t care, his face calm as he walked up to the Black Sword Knight.

    ¡°Since torture doesn¡¯t work on you, then let you speak yourself.¡±

    Hearing this, the Black Sword Knight¡¯s expression became even more disdainful, he was about to scoff at the other party, but the moment he met Su Nan¡¯s gaze, his entire body trembled violently, as if the other party¡¯s eyes were like a deep, dark abyss, his soul was about to be sucked in.

    In just a few seconds, the Black Sword Knight¡¯s face became dull, his eyes unfocused, as if he was sleepwalking.

    ¡°Name.¡± Su Nan spoke slowly.

    ¡°Yuri ¡¤ Elric.¡± The Black Sword Knight answered with unfocused eyes.

    ¡°Age.¡±

    Among them, several were the spies that had been caught these past two days.

    Without Su Nan¡¯s instructions, Brade took it upon himself to memorize the names and hiding places of these people, then left the dungeon with Jorton, rushing to catch them.

    Su Nan then proceeded to ask about the organizational structure, outpost distribution, and member status of the Starfire Sect.

    According to the Black Sword Knight¡¯s description, the Starfire Sect was a sect that worshiped the Star God and was dedicated to spreading the great glory of the Star God throughout the continent.

    They secretly collaborated with many nobles, using the assassination of rivals for nobles in exchange for using these nobles¡¯ power to continuously expand the sect, and in just over ten years, they had spread their tentacles throughout the entire Star Glory Dukedom.

    As for which nobles they had collaborated with, the Black Sword Knight didn¡¯t know much, only some barons and viscounts.

    Nobles of higher status who collaborated were not accessible to members of his level.

    After all, there were priests, chief priests, grand chief priests, and the Pope who controlled the entire sect above the disciples.

    ¡°Great Knights are only middle-level cadres, it seems that the Starfire Sect has a deep foundation.¡±

    Su Nan thought silently.

    He had previously guessed that the Starfire Sect might be related to the Wizard Apprentices, but it seemed he was wrong.

    The Starfire Sect clearly followed a religious path, completely different from the wizards who pursued truth and followed the principle of ¡°great power belongs to oneself¡±.

    As for outposts, the Black Sword Knight didn¡¯t know much, only knowing three outposts located in the Goldenrock Province.

    As for those in other provinces, he had no idea at all.

    Secretly memorizing the personnel structure of these outposts mentioned by the Black Sword Knight, Su Nan then asked about the actions of the Starfire Sect in the Goldenrock Province over the years.

    The results were shocking, to say the least.

    It turned out that the deaths of seven or eight nobles in Goldenrock Province over the past ten years were actually orchestrated by the Starfire Sect.

    They fabricated various accidents and coincidences to kill these nobles, disguising them as accidental deaths or deaths from illness.

    If it was more difficult, they would simply assassinate them.

    Among them was Su Nan¡¯s cheap father.

    It seemed he died in battle, but in fact, before the war broke out, the Starfire Sect had sent people to disguise themselves as one of his bodyguards, then secretly attacked him on the battlefield, causing him to die at the hands of the enemy.

    Although the Black Sword Knight didn¡¯t know the real purpose behind these assassinations, Su Nan could guess with his toes that the mastermind behind it was definitely Marquis Goldenrock.

    Kill the vassal nobles, then support puppets to take their place, achieving the goal of controlling their territories indirectly.

    Marquis Goldenrock¡¯s ultimate goal was to completely control the entire Goldenrock Province.

    No, perhaps that wasn¡¯t the ultimate goal.

    Just to completely control the Goldenrock Province, there was no need to go to such lengths.

    Marquis Goldenrock must have had even deeper intentions!

 Chapter 34: Clues of the Wizard Apprentice

    Chapter 34: Clues of the Wizard Apprentice

    Learning about Marquis Golden Rock¡¯s scheme unexpectedly, Su Nan¡¯s mood became slightly heavier. Unless they abandoned their territory, they were bound to clash with Marquis Golden Rock in the future. Shaking his head, Su Nan temporarily put this matter aside and continued interrogating the Black Sword Knight.

    Upon hearing that the Starfire Sect branch in Golden Rock Province had recently mobilized all its forces to pursue a magical creature, Su Nan interrupted the Black Sword Knight, asking with interest, ¡°What kind of magical creature is it?¡±

    ¡°A cat.¡±

    Cat?

    Su Nan was slightly taken aback. He had thought it was some powerful and ferocious magical creature, forcing the Starfire Sect branch to dispatch a large number of people to capture it, but it turned out to be a cat. He carefully recalled, but there were no powerful cat-like magical creatures in his memory. However, the Starlight Continent was vast and full of wonders, so there might be a cat-like magical creature he didn¡¯t know about.

    After pondering for a while without results, Su Nan had to continue asking, ¡°Why did you capture that magical creature?¡±

    ¡°It was an order from the Priest, I don¡¯t know the details, but I only know it seems to be related to wizards.¡± The Black Sword Knight spoke in a dull voice. ¡°We dispatched quite a few people, but that magical creature was very cunning. It wasn¡¯t until I came to Black Stone City to carry out the assassination mission that I heard that no one in the Sect had captured it.¡±

    ¡°Magical creatures related to wizards... could it be a Magical Companion?¡± Su Nan pondered. But according to the Black Sword Knight, they had been pursuing the magical creature for a long time, and no one had stopped them. This meant that the magical creature was likely ownerless, and it didn¡¯t seem like a Magical Companion.

    Out of curiosity, Su Nan asked about the details of the incident several times, until he was sure he couldn¡¯t ask anything useful, then he lifted the spell. Regaining his senses from the stupor, the Black Sword Knight showed a shocked and bewildered expression. ¡°You, what did you do to me?¡±

    The charm spell didn¡¯t erase the subject¡¯s memory. The Black Sword Knight clearly remembered answering Su Nan¡¯s questions, which made him shudder and unable to understand how he could have become that way. Su Nan didn¡¯t even bother to explain. He didn¡¯t even glance at the Black Sword Knight, and turned to leave the prison, leaving the pale-faced Black Sword Knight in the cell, questioning his existence.

    Back in the council chamber, Kei, who had already learned about the incident from Brad, eagerly came forward. ¡°Did that guy say anything else?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hide anything and told him everything about the Starfire Sect. After listening, Kei¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, and he angrily punched the armrest of the chair. ¡°I knew Father¡¯s death must have something to do with them!¡±

    Since coming to this world, this was the first time Su Nan had discovered a clue related to wizards, and he couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. Even if he eventually found out that the magical creature wasn¡¯t related to wizards, it didn¡¯t matter. A rare cat-like magical creature in itself was worth a trip, and he might get some extra benefits.

    Besides, even though the Starfire Sect had attempted to assassinate him and his brother, he didn¡¯t have enough strength to confront them head-on for now, so he had to swallow his anger for the time being. But secretly, he was still very upset. Finding the magical creature before the Starfire Sect and intercepting them would be considered a way of collecting some interest in advance.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Kei didn¡¯t ask further. After all, Viscount Silver Moon was one of the nobles who didn¡¯t get along with Marquis Golden Rock. Even if Marquis Golden Rock and Owen wanted to do something in Silver Moon Territory, they couldn¡¯t reach that far, so there was no need to worry about Su Nan¡¯s safety.

    ¡°When are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°In a few days.¡±

    Considering that this trip might involve a confrontation with the Starfire Sect, Su Nan decided to make some preparations. For example, he wanted to create more Rune Gems for self-defense. He also wanted to continue strengthening the strength of the Stealthy Dragon. Once he was fully prepared, he would go to Stone Bell City.

    After all, according to the Black Sword Knight, the Starfire Sect was completely helpless against the magical creature, and it wouldn¡¯t be caught in the short term.

    To avoid another assassination attempt, Kei decided to move to the military camp, eating, sleeping, and handling government affairs all within the military camp. Unless a Legendary Knight intervened, there was basically no need to worry about anyone being able to assassinate Kei with the protection of thousands of soldiers and over three hundred Knight-level fighters (including the Blackrock Beast).

    Considering that he was about to leave Black Stone City, Su Nan also ¡®upgraded¡¯ Kei¡¯s Blackrock Beast to Great Knight-level for greater safety. Including the previous ones, this Great Knight-level Blackrock Beast consumed a total of forty-two Blackrock Beasts, costing nearly sixteen hundred gold coins. Even with Black Stone City¡¯s mines, the annual tax revenue was only enough to create three Great Knight-level Blackrock Beasts.

    Of course, both Kei and Brad, as well as others, agreed that it was worth it. Sixteen hundred gold coins in exchange for a Great Knight-level fighter, it couldn¡¯t be a better deal!

    Please vote for next month¡¯s monthly ticket, I, Insomnia, thank you!

    Also, the name of this book has been changed to ¡°Synthesis Wizard¡±.

 Chapter 35: A New Trade Route

    ## Chapter 35: A New Trade Route

    Deep in the night, the moon shone bright.

    In the Meditation Chamber, Su Nan sat cross-legged, staring at the panel in front of him.

    **[Su Nan Arnest, Human Male, 17 Years Old]**

    **[Spirit 15.23/Constitution 12.83]**

    **[Skills]**

    * Star Ring Meditation Method Lv4 (12759/20000)

    * Potion Making Lv3 (108/6000)

    * Creature Modification Lv2 (319/3000)

    * Puppetry Refining Lv2 (1701/3000)

    Nearly five months had passed since he had advanced to become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice. He still needed to increase the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method by about one-third before it could level up.

    ¡°The speed of constructing the Star Ring is still too slow.¡±

    ¡°I should try using the Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion to synthesize more efficient potions when I return this time.¡±

    Su Nan pondered silently.

    With his current constitution and spiritual power, he should be able to take higher-level potions without any problems.

    The key issue was still the cost.

    As Potion Making had leveled up to level 3, his success rate in making Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions had increased significantly. Consequently, the cost of the potions had also dropped considerably.

    Currently, the cost of a Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion was just over eight gold coins.

    However, synthesizing a low-grade first-order Revitalization Potion cost around one hundred gold coins.

    ¡°To see a significant improvement in my meditation efficiency, I need to use at least a high-grade first-order Revitalization Potion. The cost for that will probably not be less than two hundred gold coins.¡±

    ¡°Two hundred gold coins a month, that means two thousand four hundred gold coins a year. That¡¯s almost the same as Black Stone City¡¯s revenue for half a year.¡±

    ¡°If I were to synthesize a second-order potion, the cost would be at least a thousand gold coins.¡±

    Su Nan frowned.

    Black Stone City was currently in a period of rapid development. Whether it was expanding the army or further developing the Blackstone Mine Area, it required a significant amount of money.

    Even if Kei didn¡¯t mind, Su Nan couldn¡¯t possibly withdraw too much gold for his own use.

    After all, the growth and prosperity of Black Stone City were equally important.

    ¡°I still need to find ways to increase our revenue.¡±

    Su Nan looked at the Revitalization Potion in his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face.

    Perhaps he could try selling zero-level potions.

    For example, Brute Strength Potion, Healing Potion, and Swiftness Potion.

    During the battle against the Black Scale Lizardmen, the cavalry regiment had taken Brute Strength Potion and Healing Potion. The feedback was quite good after the battle. ?

    If he sold these potions, many knights would probably be interested.

    If they could open up another profitable channel, it would undoubtedly alleviate the current financial strain.

    However, Kei quickly hesitated.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the price too high?¡±

    The price for selling to the Fire Fox Trading Company was two gold coins. The Fire Fox Trading Company would definitely sell it for a higher price.

    A beginner knight, unless they had a village territory, wouldn¡¯t earn more than ten gold coins a year in income, big or small.

    Would they be willing to spend one-fifth or even more of their annual income just to buy a bottle of potion?

    ¡°The world is not peaceful these days. There are wars happening everywhere, especially in the¾£»¨¹«¹ú (Jinghua Duchy), where the Fire Fox Trading Company is located. There have been frequent wars in recent years. If they can buy a trump card that could save their lives in a critical moment for a few gold coins, many people would be willing to pay for it.¡±

    Su Nan picked up a bottle of potion and shook it slightly.

    ¡°To be honest, if we didn¡¯t have any channels in the Jinghua Duchy, we could have done this business ourselves. The profits would have been even more substantial.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s words moved Kei.

    After careful consideration, he realized that many lords in the Jinghua Duchy were desperately trying to expand their military equipment. If a potion that could enhance the strength of knights, even temporarily, appeared at this time, it would surely spark a scramble among them.

    If you don¡¯t buy it, what if your enemy buys it?

    This was a great opportunity!

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll contact Mu Zhuo right away.¡±

    Kei was naturally decisive in nature. Once he saw a profit, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He quickly made a decision and immediately sent someone to send a message to the Jinghua Duchy.

    After making the arrangements, he turned to Su Nan and asked, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Su Nan nodded.

    ¡°Be careful.¡± Kei patted Su Nan on the shoulder. ¡°The Starfire Sect tried to assassinate you before, they won¡¯t give up so easily.¡±

    Su Nan smiled and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going out to find trouble with them this time.¡±

    ¡°You be careful too.¡±

    Kei laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll just stay in the barracks. If any assassins dare to come, I guarantee they won¡¯t be able to return.¡±

    After exchanging a few words, Su Nan left the barracks.

    Just as he left Black Stone City, he suddenly felt a chill on his face.

    He looked up. He didn¡¯t know when, but snowflakes had started falling from the sky. They looked like cold raindrops falling on his face.

    It was snowing.

    Su Nan reached out and caught a snowflake. The icy crystal slowly melted into a drop of water in his palm.

    ¡°The first snow of the Frostfall Moon.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly. With a thought, energy particles formed a faint halo around his body, isolating him from the snowflakes. Then, he leaped up and landed on Stealthy Dragon¡¯s back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Stealthy Dragon let out a low growl, revealing its form. It stretched out its limbs and began to gallop across the wilderness.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 36: Haunted

    Chapter 36: Haunted

    The bright moonlight spilled across the narrow alleys of Stone Bell City, while inside the tavern, melodious music played, like a night symphony. Through the window, one could see the roaring fire in the hearth, casting a warm glow. The wooden sign hanging above the entrance read ¡®Golden Barley Tavern¡¯.

    Su Nan pushed open the door and walked in, the noise and bustle immediately washing over him. The air was thick with the scent of hormones and strong alcohol. Rough men were drinking and playing finger games, while flamboyantly dressed maids shuttled between tables with trays, their bare legs flashing in the light.

    Su Nan, familiar with the place, found a table in a corner and sat down, pulling out a few silver coins and stuffing them into the bosom of a passing maid.

    ¡°The usual.¡±

    The maid winked at him and brought him a mug of barley wine and some food.

    The barley wine had a low alcohol content and no aroma. It was rough in taste, cloudy, and had a sour aftertaste. Even so, it was a rare luxury for the common people, and most would be content with just a single drink.

    Su Nan rarely drank, but the few times he had, he had only tasted top-quality wines. The poor quality barley wine in the tavern was simply undrinkable for him.

    The food was equally simple, cooked with the simplest methods. There were no spices like pepper, MSG, soy sauce, honey, or cream, just salt after boiling or roasting. In this world, sugar was a luxury, and spices were even more expensive, only appearing on the tables of nobles.

    Su Nan ordered the barley wine and food simply to blend in, avoiding attracting attention in the tavern.

    Normally, the tavern was a good place for bragging and showing off. Here, one could hear all sorts of drunkards boasting about their past glories, so since arriving in Stone Bell City, Su Nan would come to the tavern every evening to sit for a while and gather information.

    The rest of the time he would secretly investigate the Starfire Sect¡¯s stronghold in Stone Bell City, information he had extracted from the Black Sword Knight.

    Unfortunately, he had had no luck for three days running.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t find anything tonight, I¡¯ll grab someone for interrogation.¡±

    Su Nan pondered silently.

    At that moment, a conversation from the table next door caught his ear.

    ¡°Have you heard? The Count of Kubero¡¯s manor in the north of the city is haunted.¡±

    ¡°Haunted? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, there¡¯s no such thing as ghosts!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. My brother-in-law serves under Count Kubero. After the manor became haunted, Count Kubero moved out. He sent in a few knights, but they never came back after a few days. The whole manor is now sealed off!¡±

    ¡°Really? Did the knights die too?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s really a ghost, it¡¯s normal for the knights to lose.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, is it a male or female ghost?¡±

    ¡°What, Lance, you¡¯re interested in a female ghost?¡±

    ¡°Heh heh, if she¡¯s pretty, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±

    A group of people roared with laughter, the topic quickly shifting to women and their lower halves.

    Su Nan, sitting nearby, showed a thoughtful expression.

    Not far away, several female maids were whispering as they watched Su Nan go upstairs.

    ¡°I bet he¡¯s a nobleman, he¡¯s got more charisma than the young Master Elwin I met before, and he¡¯s even more handsome.¡±

    ¡°How can young Master Elwin compare? Yesterday, I accidentally bumped into his arm, wow, those muscles were so strong, he doesn¡¯t look like a strong guy, but he¡¯s got such a great physique.¡±

    ¡°Are you getting hot for him?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re not attracted to him!¡±

    ¡°Hee hee, if you really want to, go knock on his door at night, use the excuse of asking for a massage, and maybe something will happen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Sandy, if you don¡¯t go, I will!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t go, wait, I¡¯ll go and try him out tonight!¡±

    A group of maids were laughing and joking, attracting fiery stares from many of the patrons.

    Late at night.

    Sandy, specially changed into a shorter maidservant¡¯s dress, lowered her neckline, and came to the door of Su Nan¡¯s room, knocking.

    Knock knock!

    There was no answer.

    ¡°Sir, do you require a massage?¡±

    Sandy knocked a few more times, but still no answer.

    ¡°Is he asleep?¡±

    Sandy was instantly discouraged.

    At that moment, the door next to her creaked open, and a man poked his head out. Seeing Sandy, a lecherous smile spread across his face.

    ¡°You guys have massage services at the tavern? Give me one too!¡±

    Sandy looked at the man¡¯s face, full of rough flesh, and said impassively, ¡°Sorry, the tavern doesn¡¯t have that kind of service.¡±

    ¡°But I just heard...¡±

    ¡°You heard wrong!¡±

    Before the man could respond, Sandy turned and left without looking back.

    At that moment, Su Nan¡¯s room was already empty.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 37: Poor Kubero

    Chapter 37: Poor Kubero

    Late night.

    The deep, dark night enveloped the entire alley.

    Standing in the shadows, Su Nan watched the brightly lit mansion in the distance.

    This seemingly ordinary residence, which looked somewhat unremarkable compared to the numerous opulent noble mansions in Shizhong City, was one of the Starfire Sect¡¯s strongholds in Jin Yan Province.

    After arriving in Shizhong City, Su Nan had been lurking in the area for three days, tailing numerous people entering and leaving. Unfortunately, he found none of them related to the pursuit of magical creatures.

    He didn¡¯t plan to waste too much time here, so he decided to grab someone for questioning tonight.

    He didn¡¯t have to wait long for a suitable target to appear.

    A man clad in a thick cloak emerged from the mansion. After discreetly scanning his surroundings, he hurried into the night.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t follow immediately. He patiently waited for a while before casually walking out of the alley towards the direction the man had left.

    Yinlong had already followed ahead, and with it, he didn¡¯t have to worry about losing his target.

    This distance wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicion in the target¡¯s mind.

    Following the man from afar, winding his way through the streets for about half an hour, Yinlong transmitted the information that the target had stopped.

    Su Nan immediately quickened his pace.

    Before long, he reached Yinlong¡¯s location.

    ¡°What¡¯s this guy doing here?¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow, gazing at the residential building in front of him.

    This was just a regular house located in a civilian residential area. Why would a Starfire Sect member be here in the middle of the night?

    Signaling Yinlong to stay put and keep watch, Su Nan quickly cast a layer of wind energy particles around himself, then his body effortlessly vaulted over the wall, landing silently on the ground in the courtyard. ?

    As soon as he landed, his powerful perception caught the sound coming from the room, and a strange expression spread across his face.

    ¡°. My heart, my dear, I miss you so much.¡±

    ¡°I miss you too, my love, Honey. That old fool Kubero has been so preoccupied with his estate lately, he hasn¡¯t had time for me. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to meet now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic. Now, let me taste the flavor of Lord Kubero¡¯s wife.¡±

    Then followed a series of suggestive and passionate noises.

    ¡°.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of pity for the unseen Lord Kubero.

    It was bad enough that he had to deal with a wicked spirit, but his wife was also cheating on him. Poor guy.

    It made sense, after all. This was a secret stronghold, so the Starfire Sect members wouldn¡¯t walk in and out through the main entrance frequently. Otherwise, someone would have noticed something amiss.

    It was normal for a stronghold to have an underground passage.

    He had been trapped in a blind spot and hadn¡¯t thought of this.

    ¡°I lack experience.¡±

    Su Nan chuckled wryly to himself, then continued asking, ¡°Where do those people who are capturing the magical creature usually go?¡±

    ¡°North of the city.¡± Honey said blankly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but the magical creature¡¯s range of activity has been limited to the north of the city, so Troy Cult Leader and the others have been searching there.¡±

    Su Nan understood.

    It seemed like his search scope would be shifted to the north of the city.

    Even though he now knew the Starfire Sect stronghold had an underground passage, he had no idea where it led. What if the exit was in some deserted, abandoned well or a random house? It would take a lot of time to find it.

    It would be easier to try his luck in the north.

    Once the Starfire Sect found the magical creature, the pursuit process would definitely create quite a stir. He and Yinlong could split up and search, increasing the chances of finding it.

    Yinlong¡¯s ability to shift between reality and illusion was perfect for searching through the complex terrain of a city.

    As he pondered, Su Nan already had a plan in mind.

    He continued to interrogate Honey for a while, until he was certain there was nothing more valuable he could learn. He was about to deal with Honey when he suddenly noticed something and turned abruptly toward the table.

    The doors and windows of the room were closed tight, and no light was coming in except for a sliver of moonlight that seeped through the cracks in the doors and windows, forming silver lines on the ground and the table.

    A small cat was standing on the table, walking right through the silver line in the middle of the table. The bright moonlight illuminated its slender body, its glossy, smooth, snow-white fur, and its jewel-like ice-blue eyes.

    A cat?

    Su Nan froze, then his eyes narrowed. He flipped his wrist, and an Earth Rune Gem appeared between his index and middle finger, ready to be activated.

    The doors and windows of the room were closed. How did this cat get in?

    Moreover, how could he have allowed a cat to get so close to him before noticing it?

    Something was wrong!

    Just as Su Nan was filled with uncertainty, the kitten calmly walked towards him.

    As it walked, its slender body formed graceful curves, its steps light and agile, with an air of dreamlike brilliance.

    Around its neck was a delicate, small, golden bell tied with a red ribbon.

    For a moment, Su Nan even had the illusion of seeing a wealthy young lady strolling lazily through her family garden.

    Reaching the edge of the table, the cat leaped down and landed lightly on the ground. It raised its head and looked at Su Nan and Honey with its jewel-like ice-blue eyes, curiosity shining in them.

    ¡°Meow, what are you guys doing?¡±

 Chapter 38

    By this point, Su Nan had realized that the strange cat in front of him was most likely the magical creature that the Starfire Sect had been pursuing. However, the cat¡¯s sudden words still took him by surprise.

    Among magical creatures, there were some whose intelligence was comparable to humans, even surpassing them. But this didn¡¯t mean that these magical creatures could communicate with humans normally.

    Take the Stealthy Dragon for example. As its life level increased, one day its intelligence would reach a level comparable to humans, or even higher. However, it still wouldn¡¯t speak the human language, only ¡°Lizard Tongue.¡± Maybe after awakening its dragon bloodline, it would naturally master Dragon Language.

    But unless someone patiently taught it to learn the human language, it was almost impossible for a Stealthy Dragon to speak human words.

    Therefore, seeing a cat speak human words, Su Nan was still quite surprised. Teaching a cat to master the human language wasn¡¯t an easy task.

    ¡°Meow, why aren¡¯t you paying attention to me?¡±

    Seeing Su Nan staring at her in silence, the little cat asked again in a serious tone. Its voice was childish, like that of a seven or eight-year-old girl, and it sounded as pleasant and clear as flowing mountain spring water.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan said calmly, ¡°Sorry, I was so captivated by how beautiful you are, I got a bit lost in thought.¡±

    ¡°Meow, really? Thank you for the compliment.¡±

    The little cat¡¯s eyes crinkled with happiness, its expression full of life.

    ¡°My name is Su Nan, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Amy.¡±

    ¡°How did Amy get into the room?¡±

    ¡°Just like this.¡±

    Amy gracefully leaped forward, disappearing into thin air. When she reappeared, she was on the other side of the room, several meters away.

    ¡°Spatial Teleportation!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    In that moment, he had actually sensed spatial fluctuations. This strange little cat actually possessed the rare ability of Spatial Teleportation!

    Su Nan finally understood why the Starfire Sect couldn¡¯t catch this little cat. While the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s ability to shift between reality and illusion could also allow it to traverse the void, the distance it could travel ultimately depended on its own speed.

    But Spatial Teleportation could instantly move within a certain range, regardless of distance or obstacles. The range could be hundreds of meters at the least and several kilometers at the most.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite unfortunate.¡±

    Su Nan reached out and stroked Amy¡¯s back, feeling the softness of her fur while thinking to himself. Based on Amy¡¯s words, the place she was from was most likely a Wizard¡¯s dwelling. That Wizard had disappeared for some unknown reason, and then the Starfire Sect had found the place and taken things from it.

    Thinking about it, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little regretful. Those things were wasted on the Starfire Sect people. They couldn¡¯t use them, but if they were all his, he would definitely be able to gain a lot.

    ¡°Then why did those bad guys keep chasing you?¡±

    It seemed like she hadn¡¯t been petted for a long time. Amy enjoyed it, closing her eyes slightly. She didn¡¯t even realize how Su Nan knew she was being chased by bad guys, and answered without thinking, ¡°I was angry that they stole Master¡¯s things, so I followed them into their place, wanting to get Master¡¯s things back. But I was too nervous and took the wrong thing. Then those bad guys kept chasing me, wanting to get the thing back.¡±

    ¡°What did you take?¡± Su Nan asked instinctively.

    Amy stretched out her furry paw and patted the floor. Instantly, a bead the size of an egg appeared out of thin air.

    Su Nan keenly sensed that the moment the bead appeared, the golden bell hanging around Amy¡¯s neck emitted extremely subtle energy particle fluctuations.

    Clearly, that wasn¡¯t an ordinary bell, but a spatial magic item.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh. As a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he still didn¡¯t have any spatial magic items. Compared to this cat, he was doing worse.

    And the more he thought about it, the more curious he became about Amy¡¯s master. Someone who could nurture a magical creature like Amy couldn¡¯t be weak. Maybe they were a powerful, official Wizard.

    It was just unknown how they had managed to advance to the level of a Wizard on the current Starlight Continent.

    While thinking, Su Nan looked at the bead. Upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn¡¯t a bead, but a translucent, yellowish amber, perfectly round and smooth. Inside, there was a drop of blood?

    ¡°Can I take a look?¡± Su Nan pointed at the amber and asked Amy.

    Amy nodded readily, ¡°No problem, but be careful meow, this thing is a bit strange.¡±

    Su Nan nodded and coated his palm with a layer of energy particles before carefully picking up the amber.

    After pausing for a moment, confirming that there were no abnormalities, Su Nan quickly put the amber into the Magic Cube, using his body as a shield, and then checked the information.

    At first glance, he was surprised.

    ¡°Divine Blood Amber, Divine Blood content 0.05 milliliters. Carrying it can increase the attraction to energy particles, but it has a certain degree of mental pollution. Long-term, close contact can lead to changes in thinking and cognition, causing a strong, fanatical belief in the source of the Divine Blood.¡±

    Thanks to reader 20210301106600834300 for the tip. By the way, the book has been renamed ¡°Synthetic Wizard.¡±

 Chapter 39: Divine Blood Amber

    Chapter 39: Divine Blood Amber

    Divine Blood!

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t believe the blood inside the amber was this.

    After all, the Starlight Continent thousands of years ago was a territory for wizards, it was impossible for any god to enter the Starlight Continent and seek their own demise.

    Logically, there should be no divine blood.

    Did some god from another world enter the Starlight Continent and spread their faith in the thousand years since the wizards left?

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but think of the Star God worshipped by the Starfire Sect.

    He originally thought that the Star God was just a fabrication made up by the higher-ups of the Starfire Sect to deceive the lower-ranking members, but it seems that this is not the case.

    But if the Star God really exists, why don¡¯t the members of the Starfire Sect have even a single divine technique, and their combat methods are all based on the native knight techniques?

    Or perhaps this divine blood is actually just a material collected by a wizard thousands of years ago, left behind until now?

    After frowning and thinking for a while, unable to figure it out, Su Nan shook his head and temporarily put this matter aside, turning his attention back to the Divine Blood Amber in his hand.

    After hesitating for a moment, he dispelled the energy particles in his palm and let his skin touch the Divine Blood Amber.

    In an instant, his mind became a little dazed, and he seemed to hear a vague murmur in his ear.

    In his vision, a majestic and magnificent hall seemed to appear, with a towering figure whose face was obscured, sitting high on a divine throne, and countless devotees kneeling below, their expressions fervent.

    Countless prayers and praises echoed in his mind, speaking of the greatness and omnipotence of the god.

    Su Nan frowned, using energy particles to isolate the Divine Blood Amber, and the voices in his ears and the visions in his mind disappeared.

    ¡°This is what¡¯s called mental pollution.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression was somewhat solemn.

    Even his spiritual power couldn¡¯t resist the mental pollution. If it were someone else, even a knight, they would be easily transformed into a fanatic if they were exposed to this kind of mental pollution for a long time.

    ¡°But mental pollution is terrifying, but it also has benefits.¡±

    Just now when he touched the Divine Blood Amber, Su Nan clearly felt that his body¡¯s attraction to the free-floating energy particles in the air had increased significantly.

    For a knight, this could allow their body to be constantly bathed in the immersion of energy particles, and their physique would be constantly enhanced subtly.

    It¡¯s likely that the Starfire Sect utilized the mental pollution and physique-enhancing properties of the Divine Blood Amber to cultivate a large number of fanatical knights with their faith in a short time, thereby rapidly expanding their power.

    For a wizard apprentice, the Divine Blood Amber also has benefits.

    The essence of meditation is actually to absorb energy particles and strengthen one¡¯s spiritual power.

    The Divine Blood Amber can enhance the absorption of energy particles, which naturally can also indirectly improve meditation efficiency.

    ¡°The question is how to eliminate the mental pollution?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t want to become a fanatic of that so-called Star God.

    ¡°The Synthetic Magic Cube can enhance the effects of the synthesized material and simultaneously weaken its side effects. If there are enough Divine Blood Ambers, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to weaken the side effects of mental pollution through synthesis?¡± ?

    On the other side, as soon as the sword energy struck, Amy had already used spatial teleportation to transfer to an unknown location.

    Sizzle!

    The roar of breaking through the air exploded!

    Two more sword energies struck, this time targeting Su Nan and the unconscious noblewoman on the bed.

    The latter was torn into a bloody mist by the sword energy without any resistance.

    Su Nan was prepared this time, his figure flashed and easily avoided the sword energy. He squinted his eyes and looked outside.

    ¡°Both attacks were so precise, can they sense the location of the people in the room?¡±

    His eyes flashed, Su Nan casually snapped Honey¡¯s neck, then flashed out of the room, passing through the courtyard and reaching the street outside.

    More than twenty people, cloaked and armored, had already surrounded the house.

    At the head were two tall and burly men whose bodies shone faintly in the moonlight.

    Great Knights!

    ¡°Meow, it¡¯s you bad guys again!¡±

    Amy appeared on the rooftop more than ten meters away, angrily staring at the Starfire Sect members.

    Su Nan immediately understood that these people should be the Starfire Sect members who had been chasing Amy.

    The two Great Knights at the head were probably the Troy Cultist and Ryan Cultist that Honey mentioned.

    Troy and Ryan ignored Amy¡¯s words and stared at Su Nan with wary eyes.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face was covered by a layer of yellow glow, making it impossible to see his features.

    However, the fact that he easily blocked two sword energy attacks made Troy and Ryan not underestimate him.

    ¡°The Divine Blood is on him!¡±

    At this time, Ryan took out a statue and took a look, his face suddenly changed, and his sharp eyes shot at Su Nan like swords.

    Troy¡¯s face also turned cold, he pointed his sword at Su Nan and shouted, ¡°Hand it over!¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t waste any words, he raised his hand and shot out a beam of lightning.

    Troy and Ryan quickly dodged, but the Starfire Sect members behind them didn¡¯t have such fast reactions or speed, and were instantly turned into charcoal by the lightning.

    ¡°Wizard!¡±

    Seeing their charred subordinates, Troy and Ryan both changed color. When they looked at Su Nan again, their eyes were filled with a sense of imminent danger.

    The two of them decisively gave orders at the same time.

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 40: The Multitalented Cat

    Chapter 40: The Multitalented Cat

    The battle erupted in an instant.

    However, it wasn¡¯t quite as the Starfire Sect members had anticipated. It was they who were attacked first.

    Almost the moment Troy¡¯s words left his mouth, two Starfire Sect members let out bloodcurdling screams, their bodies splitting apart into several pieces in midair, as if they had been ripped apart by a ferocious beast¡¯s claws.

    What the hell?

    An incredulous thought flashed through the minds of all the Starfire Sect members.

    Before they could comprehend what was happening, two more of their companions were flung into the air with a bang, their bodies contorting into bizarre and unnatural angles. Gruesome bone-breaking sounds emanated from within them, and after landing, they only twitched once before lying still.

    Troy finally realized what was happening, shouting in a mix of shock and anger, ¡°Something¡¯s hidden nearby, be on your guard!¡±

    However, these words did little besides instill fear in his subordinates. They had no idea where the hidden enemy was, nor how to defend against or attack it. They could only watch helplessly as their comrades were torn apart, their bones shattered, their bodies contorted, their agonizing cries echoing into the night.

    In a mere three or four breaths, more than ten Starfire Sect members had been killed. The rest were pale, trembling with fear.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Troy gritted his teeth, watching this scene unfold. He spun around and charged towards Su Nan.

    ¡°Take out that guy first!¡±

    Ryan had also finally realized that this bizarre situation was definitely Su Nan¡¯s doing.

    Let¡¯s kill this guy first!

    Facing the two men charging towards him with murderous intent, Su Nan remained calm and collected. Without hesitation, he hurled a rune gem.

    With a whoosh, the gem erupted with a blazing red light in midair, transforming into a raging wave of flames that engulfed Ryan.

    Ryan¡¯s martial energy shield lasted less than a breath before shattering, followed by the flames engulfing his entire body, instantly turning him into a towering pillar of fire.

    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±

    Amidst his heart-wrenching screams, the Great Knight was quickly incinerated into ash.

    Troy on the other side watched, his scalp tingling, his body chilled to the bone.

    While Ryan wasn¡¯t as strong as him, he was still a junior Great Knight. Yet he was instantly killed in a single encounter. The mysterious individual¡¯s methods were terrifying!

    Seeing Su Nan¡¯s gaze turn towards him, a sense of fear, as if his heartstrings had been tightened, suddenly surged within Troy. He turned on his heel and fled.

    He had figured it out. This person was simply not someone they could handle!

    Even if they threw their lives at him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him!

    To retrieve the divine blood potion, they had to return and seek the help of the Priest!

    However, upon turning around, Troy was horrified to find that his entire force had been wiped out, the ground littered with severed limbs and bodies, blood staining the scene in a gruesome sight.

    Su Nan was stunned. Just now, he indeed sensed through the magical companion contract the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s thoughts: ¡®This cat looks delicious.¡¯

    ¡°Can you sense the thoughts of other creatures?¡±

    Amy huddled behind Su Nan and said, ¡°Not meow, but I can sense other people¡¯s malice towards me.¡±

    He actually has this ability?

    Su Nan suddenly realized.

    He had previously thought Amy was too naive and innocent, approaching a stranger with no reservations, and answering every question.

    Now it seemed that because he sensed no malice from Su Nan, Amy had no guard at all.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of relief. Fortunately, when he saw the divine blood crystal and the space-type magical item that looked like a bell, he hadn¡¯t felt any greed. Otherwise, Amy would have probably run away by now.

    However, this little cat is too multitalented.

    Space warping, True Sight-like abilities, and now add to that a malice detection ability, the number of quasi-magical abilities he possesses is really quite a lot.

    Moreover, who knows if he has even more quasi-magical abilities?

    After pondering for a while, Su Nan walked over to Ryan¡¯s corpse and searched him, finding a statue on his person.

    Ryan had used this statue to deduce that the divine blood crystal was on Su Nan.

    Perhaps the reason why those people were able to accurately determine his location in the room was also due to this statue.

    The moment he held the statue, Su Nan heard the familiar murmuring sound again.

    Suppressing the mental pollution, he examined it carefully.

    But this didn¡¯t seem like a magical item. He couldn¡¯t figure out how to use it based on its enchanted runes. After studying it for a long time, he still couldn¡¯t figure anything out.

    With no choice, Su Nan crushed the statue, and inside, he found a divine blood crystal.

    ¡°Now I have two.¡±

    Su Nan happily placed both divine blood crystals into the cube, then looked at the synthesis interface.

    ¡¾Divine Blood Crystal, divine blood content: 0.1 milliliter. Carrying it on your person can increase your attraction to energy particles, but it has a certain level of mental pollution. Long-term close contact can cause changes in thought and cognition, leading to a fanatical devotion to the source of the divine blood.¡¿

    After synthesis, the words ¡®fanatical devotion¡¯ in the description of the divine blood crystal were missing the word ¡®intense.¡¯

    This confirmed Su Nan¡¯s earlier guess. Synthesis could indeed reduce the side effects.

    ¡°Next, I just need to find enough divine blood crystals, and I can synthesize an item that greatly increases my meditation efficiency!¡±

    A joyful smile spread across Su Nan¡¯s face.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 41: When This is Over

    Chapter 41: When This is Over

    With Amy in tow, Su Nan quietly returned to his room at the tavern.

    As soon as they entered, Amy immediately flew towards the bed, rolling around on the soft sheets.

    ¡°Meow, I haven¡¯t slept on such a soft bed in so many days. Tonight, finally, no one will come to catch me!¡±

    ¡°Although that¡¯s true, haven¡¯t you forgotten something important?¡±

    On the way back to the tavern, Su Nan had been constantly giving himself mental pep talks, emphasizing that he had no ill intentions towards Amy. Now, he could begin to subtly guide her without any burden.

    Amy, sprawled on the bed with her limbs stretched out, raised her head, pondered for a moment in confusion, and then jumped up as if she had remembered something.

    ¡°Meow, I almost forgot! I haven¡¯t gotten my master¡¯s things back!¡±

    The little cat hopped onto Su Nan¡¯s lap, looking at him with teary eyes.

    ¡°Su Nan, you¡¯ll help me, right?¡±

    Good, she remembered.

    Su Nan gave a gentle smile and scratched Amy¡¯s chin, saying, ¡°Of course, we are friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Meow, thank you, Su Nan, you¡¯re such a good person.¡±

    Amy showed a look of enjoyment and took a while to come back to her senses before quickly asking, ¡°So, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow night, we¡¯ll go to the Starfire Sect¡¯s stronghold. I¡¯ll have the Infiltrator lure everyone out, and then we¡¯ll sneak in, get your things back, and take the Divine Blood Crystal as well. We¡¯ll give them a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Meow, let¡¯s do that, give them a lesson!¡±

    Amy couldn¡¯t distinguish whether the plan was good or bad, but she trusted Su Nan.

    Since Su Nan said so, then it must be fine.

    Relaxing, Amy couldn¡¯t help but yawn and sleepily went back to bed, quickly falling into a deep sleep.

    Looking at the carefree little cat, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and chuckle. He sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed and began to meditate.

    The night passed without incident.

    The next day, Amy didn¡¯t wake up until almost noon.

    ¡°Meow, I slept so well.¡±

    With a leap, she jumped onto the table and scratched the bell hanging from her neck. On her chubby paw, a crystal clear, mint-leaf shaped ice crystal appeared out of thin air.

    Amy put the ice crystal leaf to her nose and sniffed it a few times, then put it in her mouth.

    Seeing her blissful expression, it was as if she was savoring some divine delicacy.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Su Nan curiously asked.

    ¡°Ice-Congealed Mint. It tastes great, do you want to try some?¡±

    Amy generously gave Su Nan a piece.

    He took it and looked at it for a few moments before putting it in the Magic Cube.

    ¡¾Ice-Congealed Mint, carrying it on your person can resist heat poison intrusion. Direct consumption has a refreshing effect.¡¿

    It was a magical plant, no wonder it looked so strange.

    Su Nan glanced at Amy. The little cat was holding the Ice-Congealed Mint and sniffing it and licking it, and soon, she was like a puddle of mud on the table, looking quite comfortable.

    Shaking his head with amusement, Su Nan went to sit by the window and took out a book to read.

    Recently, he had discovered another use for the Magic Cube ¨C it could be used as a temporary storage item.

    As long as it was a non-living object without independent consciousness, it could be put into the Magic Cube.

    Four cultists stood silently before the desk, not daring to breathe, let alone look at Priest Casper sitting opposite them.

    ¡°Two cultists, plus twenty more disciples, all killed overnight, and you still haven¡¯t found a single clue about the killer. ¡±

    Casper¡¯s gaze swept coldly over the four, his voice becoming even colder.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to doubt whether you have the ability to continue serving as cultists!¡±

    Sweat broke out on the foreheads of the four cultists.

    A senior cultist hurriedly said, ¡°Priest, we¡¯ve checked the scene and confirmed that most of the disciples died from the claws of some kind of ferocious beast, while Ryan¡¯s body had electrical burns. As for Troy, although we haven¡¯t found his body, based on the traces at the scene, he was most likely burned to ashes by high-temperature flames.¡±

    Casper¡¯s eyes narrowed, coldly saying, ¡°Are you trying to tell me that they were killed by a legendary knight who keeps magical beasts as pets?¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡±

    The cultist hurriedly shook his head.

    If there was a legendary knight who had a grudge against the sect and entered Stone Bell City, they would have received news beforehand.

    ¡°Aside from legendary knights, there are also wizards who have mastered elemental powers.¡±

    ¡°We all believe that the killer is most likely a wizard, who is likely connected to the magical creature we¡¯ve been pursuing!¡±

    Casper remained silent for a while before saying, ¡°No matter what, the two Divine Blood Crystals that were taken must be retrieved. We can¡¯t allow them to be lost!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what methods you use, you must find that wizard!¡±

    ¡°Or else, you know the consequences!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The four cultists¡¯ expressions tightened, and they responded in unison.

    Casper¡¯s expression softened slightly. He rubbed his temples and asked, ¡°How is the investigation going in Black Stone City?¡±

    A cultist hesitated and said, ¡°Sir, the four we sent all lost contact. The list of spies given to us by Baron Owen, all the people on it have been eliminated. Yuri and the others probably have already...¡±

    Casper¡¯s eyes twitched.

    Losing two Great Knights and two Senior Knights at once was a major blow to the Stone Bell City stronghold.

    Coupled with the losses from last night, it could be described as a major blow!

    ¡°Logically, Black Stone City only has Kei Arnest, a Great Knight. There¡¯s no way Yuri and the others could fail, is there?¡± one cultist said.

    Another one snorted coldly, ¡°Do we even need to think about it? Baron Owen must have given us false information. There must be other strong figures in Black Stone City. This assassination failed, he must be held accountable!¡±

    Casper looked at the senior cultist, who immediately understood and said, ¡°Baron Owen said he didn¡¯t know what happened either. That guy is crazy, he insists that our ability is insufficient and demands that we continue to send assassins to kill the two targets.¡±

    ¡°He thinks he¡¯s got it all figured out.¡±

    A scornful smile appeared on Casper¡¯s face. He waved his hand.

    ¡°Tell him, the previous payment will be considered compensation for the misinformation. If he wants us to continue assassinating the targets, he¡¯ll have to pay another three thousand gold coins.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Waving the four cultists away, Casper got up and went to the window, gazing out at the vast night sky.

    ¡°This mishap is not trivial. Fortunately, we still have that batch of goods. As long as we hand it over, it should be enough to make up for this loss. If we manage it well, it¡¯s not impossible to move up a level.¡±

    ¡°When this is over, I¡¯ll take the goods to Giantwood City myself.¡±

    A faint smile appeared at the corner of Casper¡¯s mouth.

    Boom!

    A thunderous roar suddenly came from a distance.

    Casper¡¯s smile froze. He looked towards the distance and saw rolling dust rising from the direction of the manor¡¯s gate.

 Chapter 42

    Boom!

    The deafening sound reverberated far into the silent night.

    Su Nan watched calmly as the dust billowed up hundreds of meters away, stroking his cat while patiently waiting.

    Soon, the direction of the manor was filled with deafening shouts and screams.

    Just by the sound, Su Nan could imagine the Starfire Sect members rushing to the gate, only to find it empty and then being caught off guard by invisible bloody attacks, their fear and bewilderment palpable.

    Unless a Great Knight-level Cultist or a higher-ranking officer intervened, ordinary Starfire Sect members were merely lambs to the slaughter against the Stealthy Dragon.

    They wouldn¡¯t know where the attack came from until death arrived.

    The slaughter lasted for about four or five minutes. Then, the invisible Stealthy Dragon rushed out of the manor and ran towards the distance.

    Behind it, three figures were in hot pursuit.

    One of them exuded an incredibly imposing aura, his straight-line sprinting speed even faster than the Stealthy Dragon.

    ¡°A High-Rank Great Knight... It¡¯s probably the Priest in charge of managing this outpost.¡±

    ¡°The other two are also Great Knights, they should be Cultists.¡±

    The Starfire Sect outpost in Stone Bell City was managed by one Priest and eight Cultists.

    Two of the Cultists died in Black Stone City.

    Two Cultists died in last night¡¯s battle.

    In other words, there could be at most two Cultists left in the manor.

    ¡°Meow, will Little Hidden be alright?¡± Amy asked worriedly.

    It was unclear when she gave the Stealthy Dragon that name.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Su Nan reassured her.

    The Stealthy Dragon¡¯s ability to shift between reality and illusion was particularly advantageous in the complex terrain of a town. If it was determined to escape, even a High-Rank Great Knight wouldn¡¯t be able to catch it. It could only be led around in circles, running further and further away. Ra?

    After waiting patiently for a while, Su Nan estimated that the three pursuers had run a significant distance away before he appeared and headed towards the manor.

    He wasn¡¯t good at sneaking around.

    After all, he didn¡¯t have suitable spells or magical items.

    But he didn¡¯t need to sneak around either.

    The remaining defensive forces in the manor were no threat to him at this point.

    His priority was to quickly deal with anyone in his way and then find his target.

    In the littered courtyard, a group of Starfire Sect members were busy tending to the wounded. They were stunned when they saw a man and a cat walk in confidently.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of a Magic Emblem Core. Is it a magic item?¡±

    Su Nan shook his head. Now was not the time to research it. His priority was to take these things away.

    Without hesitation, he stored everything in his Magic Cube.

    After some thought, he also removed the night pearls from the ceiling and stored them away before turning to Amy.

    ¡°Are all your master¡¯s things here?¡±

    Amy nodded vigorously, ¡°They¡¯re all here.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s go find the Divine Blood Crystal.¡±

    ¡°No problem, meow. The Divine Blood Crystal is over there.¡± Amy pointed to the right.

    Su Nan¡¯s steps towards the exit paused. He looked at Amy in surprise.

    ¡°You can sense the Divine Blood Crystal¡¯s location?¡±

    ¡°Meow, I¡¯ve already recorded the Divine Blood Crystal¡¯s energy fluctuations. I won¡¯t be wrong.¡±

    Amy tilted her head, looking puzzled as if it was obvious.

    Su Nan was speechless.

    He had originally thought that Amy could only sense the high or low concentration of energy particles, but he didn¡¯t realize that this little cat could actually sense more fundamental energy fluctuations!

    The difference between the two was like a gulf.

    The former could be achieved by Wizards (Apprentices) with sufficiently high spiritual power or by mastering spells such as Detection Magic, but the sensing distance might not be as far.

    The latter, however, could be considered a treasure-finding detector.

    As long as the energy fluctuations were recorded, you could find similar (or almost similar) high-energy items.

    It was incredibly useful when searching for treasures!

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes towards Amy suddenly changed. It was as if he was looking at a treasure.

    He had already had the idea of taking Amy back to Black Stone City. Now he was even more determined.

    If he had Amy, it would undoubtedly make things much easier for him in the future, whether it was searching for magical items or exploring Wizard legacies.

    Amy didn¡¯t know that someone was already eyeing her. She was very happy to have successfully retrieved her master¡¯s things. Now she was excitedly urging Su Nan to find the Divine Blood Crystal.

    Composing himself, Su Nan left the basement and bent down, going through the hole.

    Just as his body went through the hole, two shining long swords, one from each side, attacked, aiming directly at his neck and chest.

    **Don¡¯t shelve the book, folks! New books need chase read data, please chase read!**

 Chapter 43: High-Concentration Energy Zone

    ## Chapter 43: High-Concentration Energy Zone

    *Ssssh!*

    The sword imbued with Martial Energy tore through the air, creating a piercing sonic boom!

    In the blink of an eye, Su Nan found himself surrounded, trapped in a deadly situation.

    Yet, there wasn¡¯t a hint of panic on his face. His right hand moved like lightning, grabbing the sword that struck from the right.

    A dull thud echoed as the blade seemed to cut through tough leather. The Martial Energy glow clashed fiercely with the yellow aura, but it couldn¡¯t break through.

    On the other side, the long sword attacking from the left was blocked by an invisible shield, unable to advance.

    The two Great Knights¡¯ fierce attacks, prepared for so long, were easily neutralized.

    ¡°Are the remaining two cultists here? Perfect, let¡¯s settle this together.¡±

    Su Nan stood up, his gaze cold as he swept over the two figures.

    The two cultists, still in shock, were enraged by their opponent¡¯s nonchalant attitude. They roared and charged forward again.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate, hurling two rune stones. Blazing flames and dazzling lightning erupted, surging forward like dragons, instantly engulfing the two.

    After a deafening roar, two more corpses lay on the ground.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan is so awesome!¡± Amy shouted, ¡°666.¡±

    Although the little creature was innocent, it seemed accustomed to bloody death scenes, likely due to its previous owner¡¯s bloody hands.

    After eliminating the two cultists, the remaining Starfire Sect members seemed afraid and no longer dared to intervene.

    Su Nan, enhancing his speed with wind element particles, reached the main building deep within the manor in just over ten breaths.

    ¡°The thing is on the second floor!¡± Amy¡¯s chubby paws pointed to the middle room on the second floor.

    Su Nan leaped directly from the ground, smashing through the window and entering the room. Following Amy¡¯s instructions, he then broke through a wall and found a secret chamber. R??

    Inside, the only things present were a stone platform and three chests.

    The item on the stone platform was the Divine Blood Crystal he was searching for.

    Twenty-four in total!

    Su Nan took them all without hesitation.

    Adding them to his previous stash, he now had twenty-six Divine Blood Crystals.

    As Su Nan opened the other three chests, his eyes lit up.

    Golden coins!

    All three chests were overflowing with gold, likely exceeding two thousand coins!

    Excited, Su Nan poured the remaining Divine Blood Crystals into the Magic Cube. The synthesis interface information changed again, significantly.

    **[Divine Blood Crystal, divine blood content 1.3ml, upon contact with air, it can attract stray energy particles, forming a high-concentration energy zone, being in this zone will cause slight auditory and visual hallucinations, mental strength above 18 can become immune.]**

    ¡°Success!¡±

    Su Nan was ecstatic.

    The synthesized Divine Blood Crystal¡¯s mental pollution side effects had completely vanished, leaving only slight auditory and visual hallucinations.

    Su Nan guessed those were the prayer voices he had heard and the magnificent palace he had seen.

    But as long as there was no mental pollution, a little auditory and visual hallucination was perfectly acceptable.

    Besides, once his mental strength reached 18, these side effects would become immune.

    Compared to the initial Divine Blood Crystal, the final synthesized product was undoubtedly much better.

    Without hesitation, Su Nan chose to synthesize.

    The moment he took the synthesized Divine Blood Crystal from the Magic Cube, he distinctly felt the stray energy particles in the air rapidly gathering around it, forming a concentrated energy zone about two meters in radius, centered on the Divine Blood Crystal.

    Bathing in the concentrated energy particles, Su Nan felt his spirit clearer and more active than ever before.

    Even without consciously absorbing them, numerous energy particles were already entering his body and the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, strengthening his physique while filling the Star Ring.

    ¡°Meditating in this environment, the efficiency will at least double, maybe even triple!¡±

    A wave of intense joy surged through Su Nan¡¯s chest.

    The effect of the synthesized product was even better than he expected!

    With the Divine Blood Crystal, he could reduce his time to advance to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice by at least half!

    Just the Divine Blood Crystal alone made his trip to Stone Bell City worthwhile!

    ¡°Meow, what¡¯s going on? Why are all the energy particles gathering around you?¡±

    Amy quickly noticed the anomaly around Su Nan, jumping off the table in surprise, staring at the Divine Blood Crystal in the latter¡¯s hand.

    ¡°That Divine Blood Crystal is strange... It seems different somehow.¡±

    ¡°I made some small modifications to it.¡±

    Involving his personal secrets, Su Nan didn¡¯t explain much, simply giving a vague answer before putting away the Divine Blood Crystal, turning his attention to the things on the table.

    The items left by Amy¡¯s mysterious owner were mostly books or magical items.

    He had already skimmed the books, but the magical items he hadn¡¯t had time to carefully examine due to the urgency of the situation. Now, with some leisure, he took each item and carefully inspected it.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 44: A Millenniumâ€™s Sleep

    ## Chapter 44: A Millennium¡¯s Sleep

    There were eighteen magic items in total.

    Half of them were jewelry, the rest were cloaks, robes, weapons, and other relatively large items.

    To Su Nan¡¯s dismay, most of these magic items were completely damaged.

    They seemed to have existed for a long time, the magic runes on their surfaces were worn away by time, and the magic properties they contained had long since dissipated.

    Only two magic items had relatively lightly worn magic runes. With some repair, they could probably still be used.

    Judging from the number and complexity of the magic runes, these two magic items were at least magic-grade, that is, true wizard artifacts (Î×Æ÷).

    But even after being repaired, they would only be at the level of sub-magic items.

    ¡°What a pity.¡±

    Su Nan sighed, then felt a little confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a wizard artifact to naturally erode to this extent without thousands of years. Does Amy¡¯s master have a hobby of collecting old artifacts?¡±

    Su Nan turned to look at Amy, holding up the ring in his hand and asked, ¡°Amy, do you recognize this ring?¡±

    Amy glanced at it and nodded. ¡°I do. It¡¯s a wizard artifact that the master made not long ago. I saw it in the lab before I went to sleep. Strange, why is it so dirty?¡±

    Su Nan was taken aback. ¡°When you saw the ring before, it was new?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t mistaken it?¡±

    Amy thought for a moment and nodded forcefully. ¡°Absolutely not!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath.

    There was no doubt that the corrosion marks on the ring were formed naturally.

    If Amy was telling the truth, then this ring was made a thousand years ago!

    And Amy¡¯s master, the wizard who made this ring, was very likely one of the wizards who left Starlight Continent and went on an expedition to the multiverse a thousand years ago!

    Wait!

    Su Nan quickly realized.

    Amy¡¯s master left while Amy was sleeping, which meant Amy had been sleeping for a thousand years!

    This little guy was actually over a thousand years old?!

    Amy suddenly noticed that Su Nan was looking at her with a look of amazement.

    The look was as if she was looking at some extremely rare creature.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong meow?¡± The little guy tilted her head in confusion.

    Su Nan remained silent for a moment and asked, ¡°Amy, have you ever seen a wizard other than your master?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have.¡±

    ¡°Many of the master¡¯s friends are wizards, and there are many wizard apprentices as well. I see them every day, but they are all gone with the master now.¡±

    Although he had his own selfish motives, he was also doing it for Amy¡¯s good.

    The little guy was too naive and didn¡¯t understand much about the current Starlight Continent. It would be easy for her to suffer if she lived alone. After all, malicious perception wasn¡¯t omnipotent.

    It was better for her to follow him, at least she could eat and sleep well. In any case, he wouldn¡¯t mistreat her.

    After the excitement, Amy felt a little embarrassed and said, ¡°But Su Nan, wouldn¡¯t this be too much trouble for you?¡±

    ¡°How could it be?¡± Su Nan smiled slightly, then pointed at the things on the table. ¡°But if you really feel bad, why don¡¯t you lend me these things for now. When your master comes back, you can have them back.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Amy agreed without thinking.

    After all, these things were useless to her.

    ¡°By the way, let¡¯s go to your master¡¯s place tomorrow to have a look. Maybe we can find some clues about your master¡¯s departure.¡±

    It was rare to find the residence of a wizard from a thousand years ago, Su Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity.

    Maybe he could find something valuable.

    Amy didn¡¯t doubt him and readily agreed.

    There were still four or five hours before dawn, and Su Nan didn¡¯t want to waste time. He sat down cross-legged on the bed, held the Divine Blood Crystal, and began to meditate.

    Four hours later, he opened his eyes and immediately checked his panel.

    ¡°Meditation proficiency increased by 287 points, almost three and a half times the previous amount.¡±

    ¡°Spiritual power increased by 0.04.¡±

    ¡°Not bad!¡±

    Su Nan nodded with satisfaction.

    At this rate, he would be able to build the fourth Star Ring in less than a month.

    ¡°If I could make a second-order Revitalization Potion, the efficiency could be increased even more.¡±

    ¡°Just right, I got more than two thousand gold coins from the Starfire Sect. I¡¯ll try to synthesize a higher-order potion when I get back.¡±

    In fact, Su Nan had also considered opening his own magic plant garden, planting silver moon flowers on a large scale to make lower-grade Revitalization Potions, which would greatly reduce costs.

    However, planting and cultivating magic plants wasn¡¯t like ordinary plants. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of getting a piece of land and hiring a few people.

    In addition to a series of common environmental factors such as climate, soil, and humidity, planting magic plants also involved energy density.

    With the current energy density of Starlight Continent, small-scale planting of magic plants was barely possible. To plant them on a large scale, rune formations would have to be set up to gather energy particles, artificially increasing the energy density.

    It was precisely because of the difficulty of cultivation that the price of silver moon flowers remained high.

    This was because silver moon flowers weren¡¯t considered particularly precious magic plants. If it were a more precious magic plant, the caretakers would also have to possess some knowledge of magic plant cultivation.

    In short, establishing a magic plant garden wasn¡¯t something that could be done overnight.

    At least Black Stone City didn¡¯t have the manpower or resources for Su Nan to establish a magic plant garden.

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider this after I take back Shining Light Territory.¡±

    (The wizard apprentice level has been mixed up before. It has been corrected now. From now on, the wizard apprentice levels will be from the lowest to the highest: level one to level three. Thanks to the book readers who pointed it out.)

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 45: Bloody Mandrake

    Chapter 45: Bloody Mandrake

    Night passed, and dawn arrived.

    As the sky was just starting to brighten, Su Nan left the tavern with Amy.

    Amy¡¯s owner, the mysterious wizard, lived in the Spiky Stone Valley east of Stone Bell City.

    After traveling more than ten kilometers out of the city, there was a pine forest. Following the dense trees eastward, they crossed two mountain peaks and entered the Spiky Stone Valley.

    The deeper they went into the valley, the more desolate the environment became, and the terrain grew increasingly rugged.

    There was almost no vegetation on the surface, only jagged spiky stones everywhere. Withered grass and thorns grew from the cracks in the rock walls, making a creaking sound as the mountain breeze blew past.

    Su Nan wondered why the wizard would choose such a desolate place to live.

    But then he thought about the fact that this was a thousand years ago. Maybe the Spiky Stone Valley wasn¡¯t like this a thousand years ago.

    Amy lay quietly on Su Nan¡¯s shoulder, licking her paw listlessly.

    Finally, after the sun rose from behind the distant mountains, they reached a river beach.

    ¡°Meow, follow the river, and you¡¯ll get there,¡± Amy pointed ahead.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t move immediately but ordered the Hidden Dragon nearby to scout ahead.

    This place had long been known to the Starfire Sect. If they wanted to capture them, they would most likely send someone here to lie in wait. It was better to be safe than sorry.

    However, after a round of searching, no one was found hiding nearby.

    ¡°Looks like those guys haven¡¯t recovered from last night¡¯s fight yet.¡±

    Su Nan relaxed, confidently heading towards the river upstream.

    Following Amy¡¯s directions, he quickly found a cave in the middle of a rock wall.

    With the addition of wind element energy particles, Su Nan easily climbed the rock wall and entered the cave.

    The cave was pitch black, but the passage was very smooth and spacious, showing signs of artificial construction everywhere.

    Su Nan casually took out a night pearl as a light source and stepped inside.

    At the end of the passage was a spacious ring-shaped hall. The floor was paved with square granite tiles, engraved with dense, strange patterns, like some kind of large magic array. r

    However, many of the patterns had faded and blurred, and the magic array was no longer able to activate.

    Otherwise, it would ultimately lead to an evil spirit disaster.

    Thinking back to the ghost stories he heard at the tavern, Su Nan suddenly understood.

    The big house Amy was referring to was most likely Baron Cubero¡¯s manor.

    ¡°It seems that the Starfire Sect planned to put the Bloody Mandrake in that manor. But what was their purpose in doing so?¡±

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Su Nan quickly figured out the connection.

    Stone Bell City was the center of the Silver Moon Territory, and the Viscount of Silver Moon happened to be one of the nobles who was at odds with the Marquis of Golden Rock.

    If an evil spirit appeared in his own territory, the Viscount of Silver Moon would have to find a way to deal with it. Otherwise, if they left it alone, the evil spirit¡¯s harm would soon escalate, eventually threatening the entire Stone Bell City.

    However, relying solely on the power of knights to eliminate an evil spirit, it was unknown how many lives would have to be sacrificed.

    Even if they finally succeeded in removing the evil spirit, the Silver Moon Territory would surely be severely damaged.

    At that time, the Marquis of Golden Rock and the Starfire Sect could take advantage of the situation.

    This evil spirit incident was most likely another part of the Marquis of Golden Rock¡¯s plot to control the Golden Rock Province!

    ¡°This guy really can¡¯t stop bothering people.¡±

    Su Nan muttered to himself, then his mind became active again.

    Although the Bloody Mandrake was very harmful, it was also a very rare magic plant with many uses.

    For example, in Angus McLain¡¯s diary, he saw a formula for an evil illusion potion that could increase spiritual power. The main ingredient was the sap of the Bloody Mandrake.

    The Bloody Mandrake that Angus McLain had been looking for for decades was found in this situation. It was ironic, to say the least.

    ¡°Among the materials for making the evil illusion potion, the Bloody Mandrake is the rarest. The other materials can be completely obtained through magic cube synthesis. As long as I get this Bloody Mandrake, I can produce evil illusion potions continuously.¡±

    Su Nan was suddenly excited, but he quickly calmed down.

    ¡°Evil spirits are not easy to deal with. It¡¯s best to prepare some more trump cards before going.¡±

    Su Nan thought of the two half-damaged magic items he had just obtained last night.

    If he could repair those two magic items, it would undoubtedly be easier to deal with the evil spirit.

    Besides, he couldn¡¯t just help the Silver Moon Territory solve the problem for nothing. He should get the reward he deserved.

 Chapter 46: You Can Kneel and Bark Like a Dog Now

    Chapter 46: You Can Kneel and Bark Like a Dog Now

    Silvermoon Inner Keep, Council Chamber.

    Silvermoon Viscount sat alone in the hall, rubbing his temples. He sighed, his brow furrowed in worry.

    He hadn¡¯t slept well since the spirit incident.

    Those ignorant lower-class people just thought that the Kuberro Manor was haunted, and they used it as a topic for idle chatter. Only he knew how serious the situation really was.

    It was a spirit!

    A legendary evil undead creature!

    If not handled properly, the entire Stone Bell City might become a ghost realm!

    He had already lost a Great Knight and five Knights to deal with the spirit in the manor. It was painful to the point of bleeding.

    Yet, even with such a heavy sacrifice, the spirit was still alive and well. It even became more ferocious and terrifying after consuming the souls of six knights.

    If the spirit wasn¡¯t eliminated soon, things would only get worse!

    Thinking about this, Silvermoon Viscount couldn¡¯t help but gnash his teeth in hatred for Kuberro, who had been imprisoned.

    If it wasn¡¯t for this fool¡¯s inability to control his wife, allowing her to be deceived by the Starfire Sect and bring the evil crimson flower into the manor, and then later, because he was afraid of damaging his reputation, he concealed the news of the deaths. Things would never have reached an irreversible state.

    This self-destructive fool, even if he was killed ten times, it wouldn¡¯t quench the anger in his heart!

    Taking a few deep breaths, Silvermoon Viscount calmed his anger and asked the scribe beside him, ¡°Have all the recruits arrived?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the scribe bowed and said, ¡°They are all waiting in the reception hall.¡±

    Silvermoon Viscount nodded and stood up, walking outside.

    To eliminate the spirit, relying solely on the strength of his subordinates wouldn¡¯t be enough. He had to recruit mercenaries or wandering knights from outside.

    When dealing with powerful and terrifying spirits, every extra knight was a valuable asset.

    It would be a pity if he could find a Wizard.

    Not those who called themselves Wizards but were actually charlatans who could only fool people. He was looking for a real Wizard.

    They were the true professionals when it came to dealing with spirits.

    But Wizards were always secretive, and for a moment, Silvermoon Viscount didn¡¯t know where to find one.

    ¡°I heard that the second son of the former Shining Light Baron became a Wizard. I wonder if that¡¯s true or just a rumor?¡±

    As he pondered, Silvermoon Viscount had already arrived at the reception hall.

    Countless eyes filled with malice converged on the masked individual.

    In this day and age, who among the mercenaries and wandering knights was easy to mess with?

    Seeing someone more arrogant than themselves, many people were instantly dissatisfied.

    ¡°Kid, if you want to swallow the reward alone, first get past me.¡±

    A burly man with broad shoulders and a thick back stepped forward, patted the iron axe on his back, and looked at the masked individual with ill intent.

    ¡°Seeing how cocky you are, you must have some skills. Why don¡¯t we have a fight? Whoever loses kneels and barks like a dog, then quits. How about it?¡±

    Some recognized the burly man as a well-known wandering knight whose strength had already reached the level of a high-ranking Knight. They looked at the masked individual with a hint of schadenfreude.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion!¡±

    ¡°Haha, let¡¯s have a fight!¡±

    ¡°Whoever chickens out is a coward!¡±

    ¡°Kid, quickly agree. You wouldn¡¯t be scared, would you?¡±

    The knights were all clamoring.

    Silvermoon Viscount watched this scene with a cold eye, without intervening.

    To be honest, he was also curious about the masked individual¡¯s background.

    People who dared to say such things in such a situation were either fools or very confident in their abilities.

    His intuition told him that the masked individual was not the former.

    Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the masked individual, or rather, Su Nan, simply nodded calmly.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Su Nan raised his head, met the burly man¡¯s gaze, and a strange light appeared in the eyes behind his mask.

    ¡°Now, you can kneel and bark like a dog.¡±

    The burly man¡¯s sneer quickly disappeared, and his facial features instantly became stiff.

    Before everyone could react, the burly man slowly knelt on the ground and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Woof!¡±

    Thank you sunzhongjie1 for the reward! Thank you!

 Chapter 47: Super Ability Potion

    Chapter 47: Super Ability Potion

    Silence.

    The hall was completely silent.

    Everyone stared at the scene in front of them, their mouths agape, unable to speak.

    What happened?

    Before the fight even began, why did this guy surrender?

    In the hall, only Baron Silvermoon¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of something, a hint of joy flashed across his face.

    ¡°What did you do to him?¡±

    A man who seemed to be a friend of the brawny man rushed forward, pulling the brawny man up from the ground, his eyes filled with anger as he glared at Su Nan.

    Su Nan said calmly, ¡°Just a little trick. What, do you want to try it too?¡±

    Facing Su Nan¡¯s indifferent gaze, the man¡¯s expression froze, his words stuck in his throat.

    At this moment, the brawny man regained consciousness.

    Recalling his actions just now, his face turned beet red. He roared and pulled out the battleaxe on his back, charging towards Su Nan.

    Everyone was startled.

    Two knights guarding Baron Silvermoon¡¯s side were about to stop him, but the next second, they saw Su Nan wave his hand, a dazzling ray of lightning appeared out of thin air, piercing the void and striking the brawny man.

    Crackle!

    In the blink of an eye, the latter fell to the ground, charred black, his life or death unknown.

    The hall fell silent once more.

    Everyone stared blankly at the brawny man on the ground, unable to recover for a while.

    A high-ranking knight was defeated so easily?

    What kind of technique was that lightning?

    Clap, clap, clap!

    The sound of applause suddenly broke the silence, bringing everyone back to their senses.

    Turning their heads to see, it was Baron Silvermoon who had stood up and applauded, his face full of smiles as he looked at Su Nan.

    ¡°You have excellent skills, as you said, as long as you can eliminate that evil spirit, the bounty will all be yours!¡±

    As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the knights instantly turned ugly.

    However, no one objected.

    Not to mention that Baron Silvermoon had already made his decision, and they were not qualified to oppose, but the power Su Nan displayed alone had already made them reluctant to resist.

    Some of the more experienced knights had already vaguely realized Su Nan¡¯s identity.

    They knew they had no chance, so they turned around and left without a word.

    Soon, except for Su Nan, all the knights recruited had left the hall.

    After instructing the butler not to let anyone disturb him, Su Nan began making potions.

    The materials worth nearly a thousand gold coins were eventually refined into one hundred and two bottles of Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion.

    Su Nan then began to synthesize.

    As he expected, when he put in twenty-two bottles of Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion, the Revitalization Potion on the synthesis interface had become a First-Rank Superior.

    The effect and duration were both extended.

    However, the Mental Power requirement increased to 8 points.

    Su Nan did not stop, continuing to put potions into the Magic Cube.

    When the number reached fifty-eight bottles, the synthesis interface suddenly changed.

    ¡¾Super Ability Potion (Second-Rank/Inferior), after taking it, it can greatly improve mental activity and enhance the absorption efficiency of energy particles, prolonging the meditation time. Duration: 48 days and 4 hours. Stacking has no effect. The user¡¯s Mental Power must be at least 13.]

    ¡°Not bad!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s heart rejoiced.

    This potion¡¯s effect was far better than the Revitalization Potion!

    Especially the effect of enhancing the absorption efficiency of energy particles, combined with the Divine Blood Amber, would definitely have a 1+1>2 effect.

    Furthermore, the duration was also extended by nearly half.

    ¡°I wonder what the effects of the Medium and Superior are?¡±

    Su Nan continued to add potions.

    When the potion quantity reached eighty-five bottles, the Super Ability Potion became a Second-Rank Medium.

    The effect description did not change significantly, only the duration was increased to 54 days, and the Mental Power requirement became 15 or higher.

    When the potion quantity reached one hundred and five bottles ¨C Su Nan also added in the rest of his potions ¨C the Super Ability Potion finally became a Second-Rank Superior.

    ¡¾Super Ability Potion (Second-Rank/Superior), after taking it, it can greatly improve mental activity and greatly enhance the absorption efficiency of energy particles, prolonging the meditation time. Duration: 62 days and 10 hours. Stacking has no effect. The user¡¯s Mental Power must be at least 18.]

    ¡°18 Mental Power requirement...¡±

    Su Nan shook his head regretfully.

    His current Mental Power was not even 16, even if he synthesized a Second-Rank Superior Super Ability Potion, he couldn¡¯t take it.

    But soon, he cheered up.

    Being able to synthesize a Second-Rank Medium Super Ability Potion was already very good.

    It was sufficient for now.

    When his Mental Power broke through 18, it wouldn¡¯t be too late to synthesize a Second-Rank Superior Super Ability Potion.

    ¡°A bottle of Second-Rank Medium Super Ability Potion costs around eight hundred and fifty gold coins, and the effect only lasts for a little less than two months, about five or six thousand gold coins a year.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    At just Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, the expenses were so high, he couldn¡¯t imagine how much gold he would need to spend every year after advancing to Wizard.

 Chapter 48: Magic Coin and Protective Ring

    Chapter 48: Magic Coin and Protective Ring

    Spending is a big thing, but to improve his strength, Su Nan never hesitated to spend money.

    After consuming the Super Ability Potion, his meditation efficiency reached an astonishing level.

    After four hours of meditation, the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method directly surged by 514 points, and his Spiritual Power also increased by 0.06.

    The efficiency was more than six times higher than when he was in Black Stone City.

    ¡°The Super Ability Potion and Divine Blood Amber have excellent compatibility.¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    Besides meditation, the effect of the Super Ability Potion also significantly boosted his progress in learning magic.

    In just one day, the learning progress of [Magic Missile] exceeded 5%.

    This meant that he could master a new First-Ring Spell within twenty days at most.

    ¡°High-level resources are truly the guarantee for rapid strength improvement.¡±

    Su Nan breathed a sigh of relief, delighted, and decided to stay in the Baron of Silvermoon¡¯s mansion for a while, making thorough preparations before entering the manor to deal with the evil spirit.

    In the following days, Su Nan settled down in the mansion.

    Apart from meditating and learning magic, he repaired magical items, occasionally teased Amy, and petted the cat.

    As for the Infiltrator, he was released from Stone Bell City and sent to hunt for food in the nearby mountains.

    Under the dual boost of the Super Ability Potion and Divine Blood Amber, the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method soared like a rocket.

    On the thirteenth day in the mansion.

    The Star Ring Meditation Method successfully reached level 5.

    Su Nan also successfully built his fourth Star Ring.

    [Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male, 17 years old]

    [Spirit 17.34 / Constitution 13.77]

    [Skills]

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv5 (35/30000)

    Potion Making Lv3 (727/6000)

    Bio-Modification Lv2 (319/3000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv2 (1701/3000)

    ¡°Thirty thousand proficiency, I can max it out in less than two months.¡±

    The thought of building the fifth Star Ring soon filled Su Nan with joy.

    On the twentieth day in the mansion.

    Su Nan successfully mastered [Magic Missile].

    The other Magic Coin was a rare summoning-type magical item with an effect similar to Level 1 Summoning Technique.

    The good thing was that the creature summoned by the Magic Coin had a strength level between a Junior Great Knight and a Peak Great Knight.

    This was much stronger than Level 1 Summoning Technique.

    In Su Nan¡¯s opinion, the Magic Coin was actually very close to a Twilight-level magical item.

    During the process of repairing these two magical items, Su Nan¡¯s [Magical Item Manufacturing] learning progress also reached 100%, and he successfully mastered this skill.

    ¡°Just in time, I got a copy of [A Complete Guide to Low-Level Magical Items] earlier. I can try to manufacture magical items after I go back to Black Stone City.¡±

    A powerful wizard would certainly have a large number of magical items.

    After all, even the most talented wizard couldn¡¯t be without weaknesses.

    The weak points in the battle system had to be made up for with magical items.

    ¡°Preparations complete, the next step is to deal with the evil spirit.¡±

    With the Magic Coin and Protective Ring, Su Nan felt more confident about his upcoming actions.

    When the Baron of Silvermoon received a report from the steward that Lord Ang said he could act, he was truly relieved.

    Although the other party had told him beforehand that he needed to prepare for a while to ensure the complete solution of the evil spirit, seeing that twenty-plus days had passed and Ang still showed no signs of action, he couldn¡¯t help but become increasingly anxious.

    Every day that passed, the evil spirit in Cubero Manor grew stronger.

    If it dragged on too long, it might reach an irreversible point.

    Luckily, the wizard finally agreed to act!

    The Baron of Silvermoon immediately decided, ¡°Gather everyone, go to Cubero Manor!¡±

    (End of Chapter)

    **Glossary Explanation:**

    * **Starfire Sect**: A fictional organization in the novel, likely a group of magic practitioners.

    * **¿þÀÜÁ¶ÖÆ (Puppetry Refining)**: A skill in the novel, referring to the craft of making and controlling puppets.

    * **ÍÌÌúÊÞ (Iron Swallowing Beast)**: A fictional creature in the novel, possibly with the ability to eat metal.

    * **Blackrock Beast**: A fictional creature in the novel, likely a fierce predator.

    * **Earl**: A title of nobility, ranking below a Duke and above a Baron.

    * **Starsea Tower**: A fictional location in the novel, likely a significant place for magic users.

    * **Soul Core**: A core that stores and amplifies a being¡¯s soul energy, a key concept in magic systems of fantasy stories.

    * **Soul Crystal**: A crystallized form of soul energy, often used as a power source or magical component.

    * **Sub-Dragon**: A weaker, lesser form of dragon, with a smaller size and less potent magic.

    * **Divine Blood Crystal**: A rare and potent crystal, possibly containing the blood or essence of a divine being.

    * **Stealthy Dragon/Infiltrator**: A type of dragon or a being with the ability to move undetected.

 Chapter 49: The Haunted Manor

    ## Chapter 49: The Haunted Manor

    Kubero Manor.

    In just a month or two, this once bustling manor had fallen into complete disrepair.

    It was still bearable during the day, but at night, it was filled with ghostly apparitions.

    The soldiers tasked with guarding the manor would hear faint, eerie cries every night, as if female ghosts were wailing and moaning, making them unable to sleep.

    If it weren¡¯t for their superiors, the soldiers would have fled long ago.

    Baron Silvermoon had once sent people to investigate, but a Great Knight and five Knights went in, and only one Knight emerged alive, and even he was mentally unstable.

    Standing not far from the manor, Baron Silvermoon, recalling the lost Great Knight and Knights, felt a pang of regret.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation inside now?¡± Su Nan asked.

    The secretary standing beside him quickly replied, ¡°The manor is now overgrown with mandrakes, and most of the original plants have withered and died. There is also a faint mist that appears sometimes during the day.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    Mandrakes are beautiful and alluring, and they can also be used medicinally, but they are also poisonous plants and have hallucinogenic effects.

    The mandrakes that grew alongside the Blood Mandrake in the manor were certainly more toxic and hallucinogenic than ordinary mandrakes.

    Now, the entire manor was filled with the pollen and strange fragrance of these mandrakes, turning the entire environment into a highly toxic zone. Anyone below the rank of Knight entering would likely die from poisoning before they could go far.

    Even for Knights and Great Knights, in such an environment, it would be good if they could exert six or seven out of ten of their strength.

    ¡°Lord Ang, what do you plan to do?¡± Baron Silvermoon asked.

    Su Nan cast a shield spell on himself, casually saying, ¡°Just wait outside.¡±

    Baron Silvermoon was taken aback, ¡°Don¡¯t you need me to send people in with you?¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Su Nan waved his hand dismissively.

    Knights wouldn¡¯t be of much use in the haunt of an evil spirit, they would only hinder him.

    He didn¡¯t want to be in the middle of a battle with an evil spirit, only to find that his allies had been controlled by illusions and turned into enemies stabbing him in the back.

    Taking out a rune gem and holding it in his palm, Su Nan strode toward the manor.

    He had left Shadow Dragon and Amy outside.

    Evil spirits relied on perception to locate their prey. Shadow Dragon¡¯s ability to change color and shift between the tangible and intangible would be useless against an evil spirit, and its sharp claws wouldn¡¯t be able to harm it either. R¦¡?

    Amy would be even less helpful.

    As he stepped into the manor from the outside, crossing just one doorway, the light in his field of vision immediately dimmed.

    The next second, a surging wave of flames burst forth from him, spreading outward in all directions.

    Wherever the flames passed, the mandrakes and vines, like living things, fled frantically in all directions, but they were soon caught by the flames, twisting wildly and burning up, the fire spreading rapidly.

    In an instant, the entire manor seemed to boil like boiling oil splashed with water.

    The sobs all around suddenly increased in volume by several octaves.

    The mist around them rushed towards the burning mandrakes, as if trying to extinguish the flames, but the magical flames formed from high-density energy particles were different from ordinary flames, and this mist couldn¡¯t extinguish them.

    Su Nan changed his location several times and threw out several more flame rune gems.

    Before long, the entire manor had become a sea of fire.

    As the mandrakes were burnt to charcoal in large numbers, the strange fragrance and mist in the air visibly dissipated.

    ¡°Ahhh!!!¡±

    A piercing shriek suddenly rang out.

    A strange layer of energy seemed to appear in the void, and the rapid spread of the sea of fire suddenly stalled, then quickly weakened at an alarming rate, eventually disappearing.

    At the same time, a dark red mandrake suddenly appeared out of thin air on the empty ground a hundred meters in front of Su Nan, its flower bloomed brightly, but the very center of the flower was a twisted human face.

    And beside the mandrake, there was a girl in a white dress stained with dark red blood, her hair disheveled and her face pale and contorted.

    She stared at Su Nan with a vicious look, a cold and eerie smile on her face.

    ¡°Finally willing to show yourself?¡± Su Nan raised an eyebrow.

    Accompanied by a strange laugh, shadowy figures, like ghosts, appeared from all around, encircling Su Nan.

    They retained the outline of human figures, their former appearances faintly discernible, many of them were the servants and soldiers who had died in the manor.

    Among them were five particularly eerie armored warriors, the five Great Knights and Knights who had died under Baron Silvermoon¡¯s command.

    These dead souls had been transformed into vengeful spirits by the Blood Mandrake.

    They paused for a moment, then, with shrill screams, they lunged at Su Nan.

    Su Nan had no intention of dodging, these vengeful spirits couldn¡¯t break through the protective force field around him.

    He spread out his palm, and a pure gem appeared out of thin air in his palm.

    The next second, he pointed his finger, and a ghostly figure suddenly staggered, involuntarily pulled by an invisible force, screaming as it was pulled into the gem.

    After a strange magical brilliance, the gem was tinged with a strange gray.

 Chapter 50: Soul Crystal

    ## Chapter 50: Soul Crystal

    A soul is a vessel that contains soul energy. When solidified, it becomes a **Soul Crystal**.

    Many **Wizards** believe soul energy is the most inclusive energy in the multiverse.

    Even elemental energy, some creatures can¡¯t absorb.

    But soul energy is different; almost no creature exists that can¡¯t absorb and utilize soul energy.

    Soul energy is arguably the most versatile energy in the multiverse.

    A **Soul Crystal** is the product of a soul dissipating after death, a condensed form of soul energy.

    Sadly, **Soul Crystals** rarely form naturally; only a few special beings drop **pristine Soul Crystals**.

    In most cases, **Wizards** manufacture **Soul Crystals** artificially.

    To artificially manufacture a **Soul Crystal**, you need a vessel.

    **Wizards** mostly use various gems.

    What Su Nan is currently doing is artificially manufacturing a **Soul Crystal**.

    Accompanied by a series of anguished screams, one by one, **ghosts** are pulled into the gem, gradually turning its color to gray.

    In just a short moment, the **ghosts** around Su Nan vanished.

    ¡°Are there any more?¡±

    Su Nan looked at the **evil spirit** with anticipation.

    Just these **ghosts** weren¡¯t enough to completely transform the gem into a **Soul Crystal**.

    As if enraged by Su Nan¡¯s gaze, the **evil spirit** screamed and unleashed a wave of negative energy.

    Unfortunately, it was blocked by the **Shield Spell** right in front of Su Nan.

    Seeing this, the **evil spirit** flew towards Su Nan.

    ¡°Just these **ghosts**?¡±

    Su Nan frowned in dissatisfaction, then, without looking at the charging **evil spirit**, muttered a complex and difficult spell.

    He currently had three layers of protection.

    A **Shield Spell**, energy particles, and a **protective ring**.

    He also held a **ground rune gem** in his palm, ready to activate.

    He didn¡¯t need to worry about the **evil spirit** breaking through his defenses in a short time.

    As expected, when he was ready to cast a spell, the **evil spirit¡¯s** long, sharp-clawed hands couldn¡¯t even break through the shield.

    **Magic Missile!**

    Three fist-sized missiles shot out, penetrating the **evil spirit¡¯s** illusory form like bullets, causing it to let out a piercing scream, its body visibly dimming. ?

    But Su Nan wasn¡¯t willing to do unpaid work.

    To be honest, a thousand gold coins to eliminate an **evil spirit** was already cheap.

    If not for the **Blood-Red Mandala** and the **Soul Crystal**, he wouldn¡¯t have taken this job.

    Outside the manor, Viscount Silvermoon paced back and forth, occasionally looking up at the manor, his anxiety evident.

    Not long after Su Nan entered the manor, flames erupted inside, followed by a series of screams, making him shudder.

    He wanted to bring people in to investigate, but he didn¡¯t dare take the risk.

    He was so anxious that sweat started to bead on his forehead.

    Fortunately, Su Nan came out of the manor after a while.

    ¡°Lord Anger...¡±

    Viscount Silvermoon rushed over, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

    Su Nan said calmly, ¡°The **evil spirit** has been eliminated.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Viscount Silvermoon let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°There are still some negative energy particles left in the manor, don¡¯t move in for six months.¡± Su Nan reminded him again.

    Viscount Silvermoon nodded quickly in understanding.

    In fact, even without Su Nan¡¯s words, he wouldn¡¯t dare assign this manor again.

    After such a bizarre incident, the manor would probably be abandoned and sealed.

    However, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as Shizhong City was unaffected, he wouldn¡¯t feel too heartbroken about a mere manor.

    ¡°This time, we owe it all to Lord Anger. I¡¯ve already arranged a banquet, please grace us with your presence.¡±

    Viscount Silvermoon¡¯s tone was very enthusiastic.

    He finally met a powerful **Wizard**, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t let him leave just like that.

    If he could recruit him to his territory, even if he gave him a whole town, he would be delighted.

    But to Viscount Silvermoon¡¯s disappointment, Su Nan refused without hesitation.

    ¡°No need, I have something to do.¡±

    Without waiting for Viscount Silvermoon¡¯s response, Su Nan turned and left.

    At this time, a guard ran from a distance, passing him by.

    Although Su Nan wasn¡¯t far away, his keen hearing allowed him to clearly hear the guard¡¯s whispered report to Viscount Silvermoon.

    ¡°My lord, Baron Shining Light has declared war on Black Stone City!¡±

    Today¡¯s update is 10,000 words, ending this plot. Next, we return to Black Stone City. Please vote for next month¡¯s tickets, thank you everyone.

 Chapter 51: War

    Chapter 51: War

    Starlight Calendar 1250.

    The beginning of Winter Music Month.

    Not long after the new year, Shining Light City, accusing Black Stone City¡¯s Lord Kei Arnest of colluding with the Starfire Sect, demanded that he appear in Shining Light City alone to plead guilty and receive punishment. After Kei Arnest refused, they brazenly launched an attack on Black Stone City.

    Clack! Clack!

    The sound of metal armor plates rubbing against each other echoed.

    Kei led his men onto the city wall, taking the brass telescope from Bread and gazing into the distance.

    Under the night sky, the entire plain outside the city was dotted with bonfires.

    Silhouettes danced around the fires, and dense tents formed a continuous stretch, extending far into the plains.

    ¡°Owen has brought out his entire force this time, not just his own army, but also the armies of those three traitors, Devin, Zolf, and Norwood. On top of that, they¡¯ve recruited over a thousand mercenaries!¡±

    Bread, looking at the army in the distance, had a somewhat heavy expression.

    Owen¡¯s faction alone had nearly four thousand soldiers, and with the addition of mercenaries, their army size had exceeded five thousand, almost four times that of Black Stone City. This war wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    ¡°Mercenaries are nothing to worry about. These guys are undisciplined, just a bunch of rabble. They might be useful in a frontal battle on the flatlands, but they¡¯ll be a drag in a siege.¡±

    Kei put down the brass telescope, speaking calmly, but his brows were slightly furrowed, clearly not as composed as he claimed.

    Although he had known that after the assassination attempt failed, Owen would likely tear down all pretense and directly attack Black Stone City, Kei still felt a heavy pressure when it actually happened.

    Especially seeing the densely packed army outside the city walls made the burden on his shoulders even heavier.

    Black Stone City had been expanding its military equipment all this time, but even now, they only had a barely-maintained army of around thirteen hundred.

    Of those, three hundred were militia who had only received basic training and hadn¡¯t seen blood yet. It was questionable how much combat effectiveness they would have on the battlefield.

    Of the remaining one thousand, eight hundred were city guards with decent fighting skills.

    The remaining two hundred belonged to the Blackrock Cavalry.

    This was Kei¡¯s true trump card!

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we had so little time. If I had another year or two, I could have turned the Blackrock Cavalry into a true full knight army. Even if there were only two or three hundred, conquering the entire Shining Light Territory would be a breeze!¡±

    Kei sighed inwardly.

    Training a Blackrock Cavalry cost about fifty gold coins.

    Even with the Blackstone Mine, a cash cow, the Blackrock Cavalry¡¯s expansion had always been slow.

    In terms of knights alone, Black Stone City already had over one hundred and sixty.

    Many baron territories didn¡¯t even have that many knights!

    Not to mention that Black Stone City also had two hundred Blackrock Beasts with knight-level combat power!

    In total, Black Stone City had over three hundred knight-level combat power.

    To be honest, if Black Stone City hadn¡¯t been limited to one city, and its basic military strength was so weak, with nothing else to show for besides the Blackrock Cavalry, a mere Owen wouldn¡¯t be a match for them.

    And it all had to thank Lord Su Nan.

    ¡°I wonder where Lord Su Nan is now?¡±

    Jorton patted the long sword at his waist, grinning: ¡°If Lord Su Nan were here, we wouldn¡¯t even need to defend. We¡¯d just charge out and crush those bastards!¡±

    The surrounding knights all nodded in agreement.

    Even the usually steady Bread was no exception.

    If it were anyone else, even a peak Great Knight, they wouldn¡¯t believe that a single person could sway the outcome of a war involving five or six thousand troops.

    But Su Nan was different.

    They had witnessed the incredible and unpredictable power of wizards, and thus had immense confidence.

    If it were him, he might truly create a jaw-dropping miracle!

    Without lingering too long, Kei observed for a while from the city wall and then turned to leave.

    Preparations for war were incredibly tedious, and he had many things to arrange.

    The next day.

    Not long after dawn, a low, mournful horn echoed from outside the city.

    Kei, accompanied by his officers, ascended the city wall. As they looked out, they saw the enemy¡¯s densely packed army beginning to form formations and ranks.

    Soon, thousands of soldiers, pushing siege weaponry, began to advance slowly towards the city wall.

    ¡°They¡¯re so eager.¡±

    A cold glint flashed in Kei¡¯s eyes. He raised his hand and commanded in a deep voice, ¡°Prepare to meet the enemy!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lord!¡±

    The officers responded in unison, then turned and loudly instructed their soldiers to prepare for battle.

    The defending army sprang into action.

 Chapter 52

    ¡°Kill!!!¡±

    The deafening shouts of battle and cries of agony echoed across the city walls.

    Countless siege ladders were erected before the city walls, and a massive throng of mercenaries and soldiers swarmed upwards.

    From afar, the city walls appeared to be crawling with countless ants.

    In the Starlight Continent, where knights roamed freely, the defensive role of towering city walls was not very significant.

    Even a probationary knight could climb the walls, braving the arrows and falling rocks.

    As for knights, a mere tens of meters of height was just a few leaps for them.

    Therefore, city walls often became a crucial point of fierce contention between both sides.

    Within half an hour of the war¡¯s eruption, the city wall had already become a blood-soaked battlefield like a meat grinder. Blood seeped out along the crevices of the stone bricks, quickly staining the ground.

    Behind the battlefield.

    In the heart of the heavily guarded army, four knights clad in armor coldly watched the blood-splattered city walls.

    ¡°The resistance from Black Stone City is unexpectedly strong,¡± said Davin, his brow furrowed.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal,¡± said Zolf, his tall figure booming. ¡°Ultimately, expanding the army is all about money. Kei holds the treasure of the Blackstone Mine Area, so if his military strength hasn¡¯t improved at all, then he¡¯s truly useless.¡±

    Norwood chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our forces are several times larger than Black Stone City¡¯s. There¡¯s no way we could possibly lose.¡±

    He then turned towards the man beside him with a flattering smile.

    ¡°Moreover, we have Lord Martel, and with you leading the charge, defeating Black Stone City is simply a matter of time.¡±

    The man named Martel was about forty years old, his features sharp and his demeanor vigorous. He was one of the several new barons granted land after Owen took over Shining Light Territory, and he was also one of Owen¡¯s confidants.

    Martel was also a high-ranking Great Knight.

    This time, he had been ordered by Owen to lead the army on this expedition, and he was determined to make a name for himself in order to gain even more land.

    Hearing Norwood¡¯s words, a hint of pride flashed across Martel¡¯s face. He laughed, ¡°Lord Norwood is right, with a several-fold difference in troops, I can¡¯t think of any reason why we would lose.¡±

    Davin, being more seasoned and cautious, couldn¡¯t help but remind them, ¡°Don¡¯t forget there¡¯s a Wizard in Black Stone City.¡±

    ¡°Lord Davin is referring to Sunan, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Norwood scoffed.

    ¡°That kid grew up before our eyes, timid and cowardly, and his body was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even cultivate a breathing method. How could such a waste be a Wizard?¡± R?

    ¡°Besides, the rumors of a Wizard being here are uncertain at best.¡±

    Martel also seemed unconcerned.

    Even if there was a real Wizard, he, a high-ranking Great Knight, wouldn¡¯t be afraid.

    Only then could they achieve a synergistic effect of 1+1 being greater than 2.

    However, beast species that could be domesticated on a large scale and adapted to the battlefield were extremely rare.

    Davin, Zolf, and Norwood had just thought Black Stone City was trying to draw attention.

    But when they actually saw them, they were shocked to find that those black panthers moved with measured steps, worked together seamlessly, and were fearless, even more elite than the most seasoned soldiers!

    They were perfectly suited for the battlefield!

    If all the mounts of the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment were these creatures, then the combat power of this force would be truly terrifying!

    With the addition of two hundred Blackrock Panthers to the fray, the area that the attacking forces had initially captured was quickly reclaimed.

    The battle immediately fell into a stalemate once again.

    ¡°Damn it! Black Stone City actually has such a hidden ace up their sleeve!¡± Norwood showed his annoyance.

    Zolf frowned, ¡°This is trouble. With those beasts, capturing Black Stone City might not be so easy.¡±

    Davin also furrowed his brow.

    This unexpected variable meant that even if they could finally capture Black Stone City, they would likely be severely weakened.

    ¡°The siege casualties are too high. It¡¯s better to lay siege.¡±

    After pondering for a while, Davin turned to the other two.

    ¡°Winter has just passed, Black Stone City surely doesn¡¯t have much food stored. If we lay siege for a month or two, they will definitely be unable to hold out. At that point, they¡¯ll have to come out to fight us.¡±

    Zolf and Norwood¡¯s eyes lit up, and they nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Good idea.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s propose this to Lord Martel when he gets back!¡±

    The main force for a decisive battle outside the city was Baron Owen¡¯s elite cavalry regiment.

    This way, their army¡¯s casualties would be reduced.

    Just as the three were feeling smug about their brilliant idea, they suddenly heard a piercing scream.

    They turned their heads to follow the sound and were astonished to see that in the right wing of the army, where the elite cavalry regiment was located, something was amiss.

    Hundreds of warhorses were running wild, their neighing incessant.

    Many cavalrymen were thrown off their horses and immediately trampled to death by the surging hooves.

    Other cavalrymen, while trying to calm their steeds, were flung out as if struck by a charging elephant, falling over ten meters away, howling in agony.

    Some unfortunate souls even had their bodies twisted into grotesque shapes in mid-air and landed without a single groan, their lives extinguished.

 Chapter 53

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Davin was both surprised and furious, summoning his adjutant to question him.

    However, the adjutant was also bewildered.

    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know either, the soldiers suddenly flew off!¡±

    ¡°Useless!¡±

    Davin¡¯s face darkened, not bothering to continue berating his adjutant, he turned his horse and wanted to go see for himself.

    But the next moment, he stopped.

    Because the chaos in the distance was spreading towards them.

    Getting closer, Davin could finally see a clue.

    It was as if an invisible giant beast was charging towards them in the crowd, knocking away any soldiers who stood in its path, breaking their bones and tendons.

    Looking down from the sky, it was clear that the originally dense crowd was plowed apart, leaving a shockingly bloody trail in its wake, continuing to spread towards Davin and the other two!

    The three of them immediately changed color.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Davin almost roared out the order.

    However, facing an invisible enemy, the soldiers had no way to intercept it, they could only use their flesh and blood to stand in the way, but the next second they were knocked away, and some even directly split into several pieces, blood splattering everywhere.

    Such a bloody scene made the fear on the faces of the surrounding soldiers even more intense.

    After dozens of soldiers died inexplicably, the rest finally broke down, screaming in terror and fleeing in all directions.

    ¡°Those who flee will die!¡±

    Davin cut down a soldier who was fleeing like a headless fly, shouting fiercely.

    Unfortunately, this tactic had no effect on the soldiers who were blinded by fear.

    Only a few knights stubbornly stayed in front of the three lords.

    They were all knights who had villages assigned to them, once they deserted in battle, they would inevitably be liquidated afterwards, stripped of their village territories. ?

    ¡°Damn it! What kind of monster is that?¡±Norwood¡¯s expression was filled with undisguised fear.

    ¡°That is my magical companion.¡±

    A voice suddenly came from behind.

    Everyone suddenly turned around, only to realize that there was a person behind them, they didn¡¯t know when he appeared.

    After recognizing the person¡¯s face,Norwood¡¯s pupils constricted, he exclaimed in disbelief:

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    In his mind, Su Nan should still be in Black Stone City, how could he have crossed the battlefield and appeared in the center of their own army?

    How did he do it?

    Davin and Zolf were also surprised, but they exchanged glances and quickly made a decision, with a clang, they drew their weapons.

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    The surrounding knights rushed forward, full of murderous intent, charging towards Su Nan.

    Compared to the terrifying invisible monster, it was obviously easier to deal with an enemy they could see.

    However, they quickly discovered that this idea was wrong.

    A dazzling burst of lightning erupted in their field of vision, the blinding light made the knights subconsciously close their eyes.

    And this closure, they could no longer open them again.

    How did they all disappear in the blink of an eye?

    Matell was full of disbelief.

    On the other hand, Ke Yi, Bureide (Bred), and Qiaodun, when they saw the scene below, they immediately thought of the invisible beast that Su Nan had raised, and they all showed a look of joy.

    ¡°It¡¯s Sir Su Nan!¡±

    ¡°Sir Su Nan is back!¡±

    The name Su Nan seemed to have some kind of magic, as soon as the name came out, the morale of the defending knights soared, and their attack became much more fierce.

    ¡°Su Nan? That Wizard?¡±

    Matell¡¯s face changed, and he vaguely realized that he and his men had probably misjudged a very important piece of intelligence.

    Unfortunately, it was too late to realize this now.

    Matell was a decisive person after all, he knew he was in a difficult position and didn¡¯t hesitate at all, decisively retreated backwards, jumped off the city wall, and planned to escape.

    However, the moment he landed, he felt a tightening in his ankle, he looked down and was surprised to find that a patch of blood-red vines had appeared at his feet, spreading upwards along his ankle.

    Matell immediately swung his sword to cut, but the blood-red vines were unexpectedly tough, he used all his strength in one strike, and could only cut off one.

    Moreover, he could clearly feel that his stamina was being drained and absorbed by these strange vines.

    Not far away, Su Nan slightly raised his hand, the blood vine ring on his index finger flashed slightly.

    He smiled coldly, the brilliance flashed in front of his palm, and three magic missiles whizzed out.

    Matell, whose actions were restricted by the blood vines, couldn¡¯t dodge at all, he could only watch helplessly as the three magic missiles flew towards him, piercing his armor, causing his mana shield to fluctuate violently.

    The violent impact made Matell turn pale, before he could catch his breath, three more magic missiles flew towards him.

    Under the fear of death, Matell roared loudly, powerful mana burst out suddenly, tearing the blood vines on his body into pieces with a tearing sound, then turned and fled towards the distance without looking back.

    But after only running ten meters, he suddenly felt a chill run up his spine, instinctively raising his long sword to cut towards the oblique rear.

    Clang!

    The crisp sound of metal clashing suddenly exploded.

    The long sword seemed to hit something, and a spark appeared out of thin air.

    Vaguely, Matell seemed to see the silhouette of a giant beast with four limbs on the ground and sharp teeth and claws.

    Before he could figure it out, the giant beast suddenly twisted its body and its thick tail cracked through the air and whipped towards him!

    Boom!

    Matell flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, spewing a mouthful of blood in mid-air, and fell heavily to the ground with a thud.

    Whoosh!

    Three magic missiles followed closely behind, and Matell¡¯s head instantly exploded like a watermelon!

    Looking at the headless corpse lying on the ground from a distance, Su Nan slowly retracted his palm.

    High-level Great Knights were indeed a bit troublesome, without using Rune Gems, he still had to cooperate with the Stealthy Dragon to kill them.

    Matell¡¯s death was like the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, the soldiers attacking the city could no longer hold on and began to flee.

    Bureide (Bred) and Qiaodun and other generals immediately opened the city gate, leading the men to chase after the fleeing soldiers.

    Ke Yi strode towards Su Nan, gave him a warm hug with a hearty laugh.

    ¡°Welcome home!¡±

 Chapter 54: Magic Puppet

    ## Chapter 54: Magic Puppet

    The war ended in a way nobody expected, thanks to Su Nan¡¯s intervention.

    The enemy suffered over 1,300 casualties, with another 600 or 700 captured. Many others fled, their whereabouts unknown.

    Black Stone City¡¯s losses were relatively small, with less than 200 soldiers killed. However, over twenty Blackrock Beasts were destroyed, leaving Bred heartbroken.

    Despite the losses, most were overjoyed. After all, defeating the rebels with such minimal casualties was a remarkable feat.

    The entire Black Stone City was buzzing with joy after the victory. That evening, Kei hosted a celebratory feast in the inner castle¡¯s banquet hall. Knights gathered, drinking and sharing stories. Even some of the injured knights, their limbs wrapped in bandages, joined in the revelry.

    After a round of drinks with the commanders in the front hall, Kei found Su Nan resting in the council chamber. But instead of resting, Su Nan was petting a cat.

    ¡°When did you get a cat?¡±

    Kei looked at the white cat perched on Su Nan¡¯s lap, surprised.

    ¡°This is Amy, my friend.¡± Su Nan smiled slightly, then introduced Amy to Kei. ¡°This is my brother, Kei.¡±

    Seeing Su Nan introduce himself to a cat with a straight face, Kei found it amusing. But a moment later, his eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Meow, hello there.¡±

    The cat raised its paw and greeted Kei!

    A talking cat?

    Kei gaped slightly. Despite witnessing numerous things beyond his comprehension from Su Nan, this moment still felt like a shock to his worldview. This world was even more fantastical than he imagined.

    ¡°H... hello.¡±

    Kei awkwardly greeted Amy.

    He sat down opposite Su Nan, took a sip of wine to gather his thoughts, and spoke slowly.

    ¡°I think now is the perfect time to reclaim Shining Light Territory.¡±

    Su Nan seemed to have anticipated Kei¡¯s words, showing no surprise. He smiled and nodded.

    ¡°When do you plan to launch the attack?¡±

    ¡°In three days.¡± Kei said with a serious expression. ¡°We can¡¯t give Owen time to reorganize his forces. It will be much harder to take Shining Light City if he does!¡±

    ¡°The tables have turned. Even without the retreating soldiers, our forces wouldn¡¯t easily take Shining Light City.¡±

    One was the zero-ring spell, ¡¾Transmission Spell¡¿.

    Another was the second-ring spell, ¡¾Maruov¡¯s Strong Acid Arrow¡¿.

    Among the items left by Amy¡¯s owner, there was also a second-ring spell model book, ¡¾Shattering Sound Wave¡¿.

    Both of these spells were quite practical offensive spells among second-ring spells.

    The remaining two books were a pleasant surprise for Su Nan.

    They were both first-ring spell model books, namely ¡¾Silent Illusion¡¿ and ¡¾Level 1 Summon Monster Technique¡¿.

    The former was considered a must-learn spell for wizards.

    The effect was to instantly create an illusion of a single object or creature within a certain range, which could move freely, achieving the purpose of confusing the enemy.

    Mastering this spell would undoubtedly enhance combat flexibility.

    While the ¡¾Level 1 Summon Monster Technique¡¿ had a certain degree of uncertainty, it could still play a significant role at certain times if one was lucky enough.

    Moreover, the high uncertainty could be compensated for by frequency. As long as one prepared in advance, the chances of success would increase.

    In short, both spells were very useful.

    ¡°Including these two, I have nine first-ring spells that I haven¡¯t mastered yet.¡±

    ¡°It will take at least a year to master them all.¡±

    Su Nan sighed inwardly.

    That said, he wished he could have more spells.

    For a wizard, the more spells one mastered, the better equipped they were to handle various unexpected situations.

    Besides spells, Su Nan also found several books of interest among the knowledge-based books.

    One was titled, ¡¾Puppet and Magic Puppet¡¿.

    Magic puppets could be considered a branch of puppets, one that had been researched and developed most extensively by wizards since their inception.

    Initially, magic puppets were created as servants and assistants with simple intelligence.

    Later, some wizards experimented with incorporating rune secrets to imbue the puppets with specific skills and abilities, making them more ¡®intelligent¡¯ and ¡®powerful¡¯. This greatly enhanced their combat capabilities. They started to be widely used on battlefields, and even famous magic puppet legions emerged.

    As more and more wizards devoted themselves to research and development of magic puppets, their types gradually increased, and their power significantly enhanced.

 Chapter 55: A True Miracle

    ## Chapter 55: A True Miracle

    Magic puppets can be broadly categorized based on their material composition: Flesh Puppets, Clay Puppets, Stone Puppets, Metal Puppets, and Supreme Puppets, among others.

    Flesh Puppets are unique, their power determined by the quality of the flesh used in their construction, resulting in a wide range of capabilities.

    At the lower end, Flesh Puppets crafted from the flesh of ferocious beasts are only slightly stronger than novice knights.

    At the upper end, God-Body Puppets constructed from the flesh of deities are so powerful that even True Spirit Wizards would retreat in fear.

    Clay Puppets are mainly used as laborers, not known for their combat prowess, capable of only bullying Probationary Knights.

    Stone Puppets are somewhat better, but only reach the combat level of a Formal Knight.

    Metal Puppets, on the other hand, exhibit a far wider variety: Steel Puppets, Mithril Puppets, Shadow Steel Puppets, Diamond Puppets, and many more.

    Generally, the more precious the material, the more powerful the resulting puppet.

    Even the lowest-ranking Steel Puppet possesses the combat strength of a Legendary Knight.

    Shadow Steel Puppets and Diamond Puppets, in particular, are capable of engaging a Formal Wizard in battle.

    Of course, the cost of producing such puppets is astronomical.

    Su Nan doesn¡¯t know if the Star Light Continent even has the materials required to create Shadow Steel and Diamond Puppets anymore.

    As for Supreme Puppets, they represent the primordial form of magic energy constructs.

    Building upon this primal form, Wizards have developed legendary constructs like Arcane Guardians, Magic Energy Mechas, Tower Spirit Constructs, and Silver Sage, among others.

    These legendary constructs are typically used to combat deities.

    Besides these puppets, there are also specialized models such as the Dark Puppet, the Strangulation Puppet, the Bone Puppet, etc.

    However, due to their specific functions, they are generally only created by Wizards with specific needs.

    In summary, magic puppets vary greatly in combat strength depending on their type.

    Many Wizards craft puppets to serve as laborers or guards.

    Su Nan has also considered this.

    But to create a puppet, a Soul Core is essential.

    The Soul Core grants the puppet basic intelligence, allowing it to perform relatively uncomplicated repetitive tasks.

    Clay and Stone Puppets are less demanding, requiring only a gem as a Soul Core.

    However, higher-level Metal Puppets require Soul Crystals.

    According to their quality and quantity, Soul Crystals are classified into five levels: Micro, Small, Medium, Large, and Legendary.

    Typically, the higher the quality of the Soul Crystal used, the more intelligent the resulting puppet.

    The Soul Crystal Su Nan obtained from Kubero Manor was merely a Micro Soul Crystal, the lowest grade.

    It was sufficient for crafting Steel Puppets, but higher-level puppets were beyond his reach.

    Many nobles disapproved of Owen¡¯s shameless behavior and felt sympathy for the Kei brothers.

    But no one believed that Black Stone City could defeat Owen, the Baron.

    After all, the disparity in their strength was clear as day.

    However, the final outcome astonished everyone who followed the situation.

    Owen, the Baron, was defeated!

    And it was a crushing defeat!

    His five thousand troops were routed, and only about half returned.

    The elite cavalry regiment was wiped out.

    The leading Great Knight, Martel, and three Barons died in battle!

    Even calling it a heavy loss would be an understatement!

    After this battle, the balance of power between Owen, the Baron, and Black Stone City completely reversed.

    All of a sudden, the nobles of the Golden Rock Province had a new understanding of Black Stone City¡¯s strength.

    Su Nan¡¯s name also officially entered the sight of many nobles.

    According to the returning remnants of the army, the three Barons and Martel, the Great Knight, were all slain by Su Nan.

    The latter could unleash lightning, wind blades, and summon blood-red vines, exhibiting incredible skills.

    He also possessed a giant beast capable of invisibility.

    It was the sudden attack of this beast that caused the army to crumble, ultimately leading to their defeat.

    One could say that Shining Light City¡¯s defeat was largely due to Su Nan.

    He, single-handedly, changed the course of the war!

    Upon hearing this intelligence, the nobles were all dumbfounded.

    Even a Great Knight wouldn¡¯t be capable of such a feat.

    Unless a Legendary Knight intervened, there might be a chance.

    At the age of barely twenty, achieving what even a Legendary Knight might not be able to accomplish, was truly a miracle!

    It was from this event that the nobles of the Golden Rock Province learned that the legends about Wizards were actually true!

    For a while, except for the handful of nobles at the top of the pyramid who were already aware of the Wizard¡¯s secret, everyone else began gathering information about Wizards.

    And on the fourth day after the end of the war, an even more shocking piece of news spread, causing a stir in the Golden Rock Province.

    Black Stone City officially launched an attack, aiming straight for Shining Light City!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 56: I Came at the Right Time

    Chapter 56: I Came at the Right Time

    Crack!

    The sound of porcelain shattering echoed through the council chamber.

    Owen clutched the broken cup, ignoring the shards that pierced his skin. Blood flowed freely, and his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the middle-aged man seated opposite him. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, ¡°Did the Marquis really say that?¡±

    The middle-aged man was impeccably dressed, with a neatly trimmed mustache, exuding the air of a pampered nobleman.

    Hearing Owen¡¯s words, he raised his red tea and took a sip before speaking slowly, ¡°The Marquis is currently busy dealing with matters in Storm Territory and has no time to pay attention to your affairs.¡±

    ¡°Besides, the Marquis has already provided you with considerable assistance, even connecting you with assassins from the Starfire Sect. He has done more than enough. How have you repaid his kindness?¡±

    ¡°You are being forced into this predicament by two young upstarts. Do you know how many nobles are laughing at you right now?¡±

    The middle-aged man spoke in a measured tone, his words devoid of any compassion.

    Owen¡¯s temples throbbed with anger, but he dared not unleash his fury in front of this man. He could only clench his teeth and endure.

    To be honest, he couldn¡¯t comprehend how the situation had deteriorated to this point.

    In just under two years, how had those two brothers managed to expand Black Stone City to its current scale?

    And that Su Nan, who was an utter waste two years ago, unable to even grasp the basics of the Breathing Technique, how had he suddenly become a Wizard, even killing Martel?

    Incomprehensible!

    Owen truly couldn¡¯t grasp it!

    Perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have cared about face and simply eliminated those brothers from the start.

    But regretting it now was too late.

    Unless the Golden Rock Marquis was willing to send troops, with his remaining forces, the possibility of defending Shining Light City was slim.

    And even if they managed to hold on, his title as Baron of Shining Light would likely be a mere formality.

    Thinking this, Owen took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, ¡°Envoy Gilet, if the Marquis is displeased with me, he can punish me later, and I will have no complaints. But if Shining Light Territory falls into other hands, it will be much harder for the Marquis to control this land afterward. Would the Marquis willingly abandon Shining Light Territory?¡±

    Gilet glanced at Owen, a smirk playing on his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Even if Shining Light Territory falls into other hands, His Lordship will personally reclaim it later.¡±

    Owen was taken aback.

    What did that mean?

    Did the Golden Rock Marquis finally intend to break the unwritten rules among nobles and directly seize the territory of others?

    He needed money to purchase land if he was to become a manor owner.

    He had to hurry and pack his valuables before the Black Stone City troops launched their attack.

    To avoid displeasing Gilet, Owen handed him a small pouch of gold coins.

    ¡°Thank you, Envoy.¡±

    Gilet weighed the pouch in his hand, a wider smile spreading across his face.

    ¡°Baron, there¡¯s no need to rush. Please be at ease. With Lord Ho Chi here, even if the Black Stone City army surrounds Shining Light City, we can leave safely.¡±

    Owen looked at the cloaked man beside him in surprise.

    Since entering the council chamber, the cloaked man had remained silent, sitting quietly without a word.

    He had assumed the cloaked man was Gilet¡¯s bodyguard.

    But from Gilet¡¯s tone, this cloaked man named Ho Chi seemed to be of no lesser standing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Lord Ho Chi is...¡±

    Just as Owen was about to probe the cloaked man¡¯s identity, he heard a commotion outside, causing him to frown. He was about to call for guards to investigate when he saw Ho Chi suddenly stand up.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s a scream. It¡¯s an assassin!¡±

    Assassin?!

    Owen was doubtful. The Black Stone City army was ten kilometers away, and his mansion was heavily guarded. What kind of assassin could break in?

    However, Owen soon had no need to doubt.

    Shouts of battle quickly approached the council chamber, then suddenly fell silent.

    Following that, a figure slowly stepped into the chamber.

    Upon recognizing the face of the newcomer, Owen¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    Gilet¡¯s gaze narrowed. He instinctively straightened his back, his interest piqued as he looked at the young man standing at the entrance.

    Was this the rumored Wizard from Black Stone City?

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes swept across the three individuals in the chamber, lingering for a moment on Ho Chi. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he chuckled wryly, ¡°It seems I came at the right time. Are you three discussing how to escape?¡±

 Chapter 57: Young People Should Not Be Too Arrogant

    Chapter 57: Young People Should Not Be Too Arrogant

    Not bothering to answer Su Nan¡¯s playful words, Owen subconsciously took a step back, his face contorted in terror as he yelled, ¡°Help! Someone, help! There¡¯s an assassin!¡±

    The sharp voice, distorted by fear, made Giler frown. He looked at Owen, a touch of disdain flashing in his eyes.

    The enemy had already entered the house, even a fool would know that the guards must have been killed, yet he was still yelling like an idiot. What a disgrace.

    How come he hadn¡¯t noticed this guy¡¯s foolishness before?

    Owen realized his blunder as well, his face turning pale, his forehead slick with cold sweat.

    Giler ignored the fool, turning to Su Nan with a light chuckle and a playful tone:

    ¡°Su Nan Arnest, I¡¯ve heard of you, the legendary Wizard.¡±

    ¡°The Marquis praised you as a promising young man. How about considering serving the Marquis?¡±

    ¡°With enough merit, forget about a mere Baron title, even a Viscount title can be bestowed upon you by the Marquis!¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Su Nan glanced at Giler.

    ¡°Giler Konos, the Marquis of Goldrock¡¯s envoy.¡±

    Giler slightly raised his chin, arrogance evident in his tone.

    ¡°So you¡¯re just a dog of the Marquis of Goldrock.¡± Su Nan shook his head.

    Giler¡¯s smile faltered, his face quickly becoming grim. He said coldly, ¡°Young man, don¡¯t be so arrogant. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re invincible just because you¡¯ve become a Wizard. There are plenty of people in this world who are stronger than you.¡±

    Su Nan chuckled, ¡°So?¡±

    Seeing that Su Nan remained unmoved, treating him with utter disregard, Giler was finally completely angered. His face turned cold and sharp.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re just a fool who can¡¯t see the situation. I overestimated you. Someone like you is not worthy of serving the Marquis.¡±

    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t leave. Leave your life here.¡±

    ¡°Lord Hodge, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±

    The last sentence was addressed to the cloaked man beside him.

    Hodge nodded, tearing off his cloak to reveal a weathered face of around forty, beneath which was silver-bright scale armor and a steel longsword.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard many tales of Wizards, but this is the first time I¡¯ve met one. I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡±

    Hodge looked at Su Nan with burning eyes, a vibrant fighting spirit glimmering in them.

    Without waiting for Su Nan¡¯s response, he swung his sword towards the front.

    Amidst the ear-splitting sound of air being cleaved, a crimson flame sword qi formed out of thin air as the blade passed through, slashing towards Su Nan like a lightning bolt. ?

    ¡°Elemental Power!¡±

    Just then, Su Nan¡¯s expression changed slightly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

    At the same time, Hodge seemed to sense something, and he swung his sword towards his side.

    Clunk!

    A burst of sparks suddenly erupted in the empty void!

    A low, rumbling sound accompanied it.

    Hodge slashed out a wave of fire, the intense heat warping the air slightly, faintly outlining the silhouette of a beast with four limbs.

    It quickly transformed into an ethereal form, dodging the flames while retreating to Su Nan¡¯s side, emitting a low growl.

    Su Nan chuckled softly, ¡°Good job.¡±

    Hodge narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the area beside Su Nan.

    Although it was empty, he seemed to be able to clearly perceive the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s location.

    ¡°Exactly as the intelligence reported, a strange beast that can perfectly conceal itself.¡±

    ¡°But if you think this will win you the victory, then you¡¯re seriously underestimating a Legendary Knight.¡±

    At the level of a Legendary Knight, judging an enemy¡¯s location was no longer solely reliant on eyesight, it was more about perception.

    Unless they could conceal their aura, even if they completely eliminated their shape, sound, and smell, Legendary Knights would still be able to determine their location through perception.

    At the entrance of the hall, Giler watched this scene, a disdainful expression on his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless, Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°A Legendary Knight¡¯s power is beyond your imagination. Your little tricks are useless against Lord Hodge!¡±

    Facing Giler¡¯s mockery, Su Nan didn¡¯t even bother to respond.

    In terms of understanding Legendary Knights, everyone present, including Hodge himself, probably knew less than him.

    In his previous life, he had killed hundreds, if not dozens, of Legendary Knights.

    Among them were even Legendary Knights who had mastered Spatial Power.

    In comparison, Hodge was just average.

    Although he was a bit tricky, it wasn¡¯t like he had no way to deal with him.

    ¡°Time to spend money again.¡±

    Su Nan sighed, flipped his wrist, and several shimmering Rune Gems appeared in his palm.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 58

    ¡°Is that...a gem?¡±

    Giler frowned in confusion, staring at the gem in Su Nan¡¯s hand from afar.

    But soon, he dismissed his doubts.

    What did it matter how powerful a wizard was? Wasn¡¯t he still suppressed by Lord Ho Chi?

    Even with that beast by his side, Su Nan couldn¡¯t possibly be Ho Chi¡¯s opponent.

    From the moment Su Nan appeared, his fate had been sealed.

    Either submit or die!

    It could only be said that the young man was too proud, always thinking he was mighty, not realizing the world was far vaster than he imagined.

    ¡°You have good luck,¡±

    Giler turned to Owen, grinning gleefully:

    ¡°Once Su Nan is dead, the Black Stone City army¡¯s morale will plummet. You might use this chance to strike a heavy blow against your enemy.¡±

    ¡°The Envoy is right!¡±

    Owen¡¯s expression was equally filled with excitement.

    Eliminating Su Nan wouldn¡¯t solve the current predicament immediately, but at least it would give them a breather.

    There was a chance they could defeat Black Stone City and regain control of the Shining Light Territory!

    Thinking about it, Owen was ecstatic, his eyes glued to the battle in the courtyard, eager for Su Nan to be killed by Ho Chi the next second.

    The battle resumed after a brief pause.

    Just as Ho Chi himself said, the Stealth Dragon¡¯s invisibility ability was almost useless against him.

    Every time the Dragon attacked, the moment it transitioned from an intangible state to a physical form, Ho Chi instantly detected and captured its location, easily blocking the attack while leaving several scorched wounds on the Dragon¡¯s body.

    ¡°The Stealth Dragon is still barely capable of dealing with a Legendary Knight,¡±

    ¡°Unless it fully transforms its bloodline into Sub-Dragon blood, it should have the strength to fight a Legendary Knight.¡±

    Su Nan pondered silently.

    But with the Stealth Dragon distracting Ho Chi, his situation became much easier. He flicked his wrist and threw out a rune gem.

    Boom!

    The gem exploded in mid-air, transforming into countless winding thunder serpents that cascaded down, enveloping Ho Chi completely!

    The boundless power made Ho Chi¡¯s face twitch. He retreated quickly, simultaneously slashing a fiery sword energy towards the sky above.

    Crackle!

    A violent shockwave spread out from where Ho Chi stood, blowing gravel and stones into a frenzy.

    Even Giler and Owen, who were quite a distance away, were pushed back several steps by the oncoming wind, the gravel hitting their faces, causing some pain.

    However, the two of them had no time to care about anything else, just staring blankly at the center of the courtyard, their mouths wide open in disbelief.

    How could this have happened?

    Wasn¡¯t Ho Chi still holding the upper hand just now? Why was he beaten into such a pathetic state in the blink of an eye?

    What the hell was going on?

    Huff!

    The wind blew away the smoke and dust, revealing the situation in the center of the courtyard.

    Ho Chi, covered in frost and scorches, lay motionless on the ground, lifeless.

    Looking at the corpse on the ground, Su Nan felt a slight pang of regret.

    A Legendary Knight¡¯s soul, at least enough to create a small Soul Crystal, but he couldn¡¯t extract souls from corpses yet.

    What a waste!

    Taking back his gaze, Su Nan turned to Giler and Owen.

    Meeting Su Nan¡¯s gaze, the two of them shuddered involuntarily, taking a step back subconsciously, their faces pale.

    ¡°Su, Su Nan sir, we can still talk about it, Duke Jin Yan...¡±

    Giler stammered, his face filled with terror, completely losing his previous smugness and arrogance.

    Unfortunately, Su Nan had no intention of talking to him, lightning flashed at his fingertips, a bolt of electricity instantly piercing Giler¡¯s forehead.

    The Envoy, his eyes wide with terror and despair, collapsed to the ground.

    Owen was terrified, his heart pounding in his chest, he fell to his knees with a thud, pleading with terror in his eyes:

    ¡°Su Nan, please spare me, I don¡¯t want the title anymore, I¡¯ll give it back to you, just please spare my life, please...¡±

    Before he could finish, he was hit by Su Nan¡¯s Sleep Curse, falling into unconsciousness.

    ¡°Killing you like this is too easy, you belong in the execution grounds.¡±

    Su Nan turned towards the city gate, patting the Stealth Dragon that was approaching.

    ¡°Go, smash open the gate, welcome Big Brother and the others into the city.¡±

    The Stealth Dragon let out a roar, disappearing quickly.

    Not long after, there was a loud boom from the direction of the gate, followed by the roar of fighting.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 59: Awaiting a Storm

    ## Chapter 59: Awaiting a Storm

    The end of the Winter Lute Moon. The snow had yet to completely melt.

    The Revival Wind was still a while away, yet the entire Golden Rock Province was subtly restless.

    Two recent events had sent the noble circles of Golden Rock Province into a frenzy.

    The first involved Storm Territory.

    After a coma lasting half a year, the Storm Earl was finally declared deceased.

    His title, unexpectedly, was inherited by his youngest son.

    At the subsequent succession ceremony, the Golden Rock Marquis attended and bestowed blessings upon the new Storm Earl.

    The second event was the transfer of the Shining Baron title once again.

    To be honest, many nobles had anticipated this outcome.

    However, the details of the event were somewhat unexpected.

    Black Stone City conquered Shining Light City almost without bloodshed.

    According to the battle report, upon the arrival of the Black Stone City army at the outskirts of Shining Light City, the city gates shattered, and several commanders were torn apart, dying tragically in full view of all.

    Therefore, even before the war started, the Shining Light City garrison crumbled.

    The Black Stone City army then marched directly into the city and took control of the entire Shining Light City without much effort.

    This result left many speechless.

    More astute observers, upon reading the battle report, guessed the role Su Nan played in this victory.

    After the war, numerous nobles awaited the Golden Rock Marquis¡¯s reaction.

    After all, everyone knew that Owen was backed by the Golden Rock Marquis.

    Now that Owen had been executed by hanging, and the Shining Baron title had changed hands, if the Golden Rock Marquis did nothing, his prestige would undoubtedly plummet.

    But what surprised everyone was that a considerable time passed after the war, and the Golden Rock Marquis remained completely silent.

    He allowed the new Shining Baron, Kei Arnest, to easily conquer the entire Shining Territory and gradually solidify his position as Baron.

    Many nobles were baffled.

    Only a few nobles close to the Golden Rock Marquis, such as Earl Winterfrost, Viscount Blackthorn, and Viscount Feather Snake, understood what the Marquis feared.

    Golden Rock City, Inner Fort.

    Guided by the steward, two cloaked men walked through the courtyard and into the bright, spacious corridor.

    Expensive oil paintings hung on both sides of the corridor. Sunlight streamed in from the windows, making the gilded frames sparkle.

    In his memory, the only connection between Su Nan and the Starfire Sect was the incident where the sect sent people to assassinate him in Black Stone City.

    Before, he couldn¡¯t figure out why the Starfire Sect assassins failed, but after the Black Stone City battle report was released, the truth became clear.

    Even Ho Chi died at Su Nan¡¯s hands. Two mere junior Great Knights, failing to assassinate someone was normal.

    But that assassination was commissioned by Owen. Even if it failed, there was no reason for the Starfire Sect to hold a grudge against Su Nan.

    However, the following words from Yolis left the Golden Rock Marquis slightly surprised.

    ¡°To be honest, Marquis, our sect suffered heavy casualties at our stronghold in Stone Bell City two months ago. We lost six priests and over a hundred disciples. The culprit behind this devastation is a wizard.¡±

    ¡°He also happens to possess a beast with the ability to conceal itself.¡±

    A flash of understanding crossed the Golden Rock Marquis¡¯s eyes.

    A beast capable of concealment was extremely rare. The probability of two such beasts appearing in Golden Rock Province simultaneously was incredibly low.

    And since both manipulators were wizards, the probability became even lower.

    No wonder the Starfire Sect was so certain that the person was Su Nan.

    ¡°But how did Su Nan know about your stronghold in Stone Bell City?¡±

    The Golden Rock Marquis knew that the Starfire Sect members possessed techniques to resist torture. No one could extract any information from these fanatics.

    If it weren¡¯t for this, he wouldn¡¯t have been so comfortable cooperating with the Starfire Sect in assassinating nobles.

    ¡°. This remains unclear to us.¡±

    Yolis¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, then his expression turned cold.

    ¡°But Su Nan has killed so many of our disciples, we will never forgive him.¡±

    ¡°My reason for seeing you, Marquis, is to join forces with you against Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°If you decide to attack Shining Territory, we will lend you our strength!¡±

    The Golden Rock Marquis lightly tapped the table with his finger and smiled faintly. ¡°Your sect¡¯s willingness to help is greatly appreciated. However, it is not yet time to deal with Shining Territory.¡±

    ¡°Then when?¡± Yolis frowned slightly.

    He wasn¡¯t really eager to kill Su Nan, but the Divine Blood Crystal was still in the other¡¯s possession.

    This object was of paramount importance to the sect. They couldn¡¯t rest easy until they retrieved it.

    The Golden Rock Marquis rose and walked to the window, gazing southward with a deep look in his eyes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for a storm.¡±

    ¡°A storm that will sweep across the entire Duchy.¡±

 Chapter 60

    ¡°Hurry up, we must transport everything to the destination before nightfall.¡±

    A transport convoy slowly rolled through the cobblestone roads of Shining Light City, the grinding sound of wheels forming a continuous chorus.

    Residents along the way automatically stepped aside, for a troop of fully armed soldiers followed the convoy. The leading men wore full armor, making it clear they were knights.

    ¡°Shining Light City is indeed better. Blackstone City is ultimately too remote.¡±

    Looking at the scenery along the streets, Jordan grinned and sighed.

    Shining Light City¡¯s architectural style leaned towards Roman, giving it a majestic and dignified feeling.

    The roads were paved with smooth cobblestones. Flowers and trees were planted on both sides, the ground was clean and tidy, and there were complete sewer systems. Even the houses were more exquisite and well-ordered than those in Blackstone City.

    Compared to Shining Light City, Blackstone City immediately felt like a rural area.

    ¡°When we followed Lord Kei to Blackstone City, who could have imagined that we would return to Shining Light Territory so quickly?¡± A knight sighed.

    The rest of the group also looked wistful.

    ¡°Who says otherwise, I thought I would stay in Blackstone City forever.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I still doubt if I am dreaming.¡±

    ¡°All this is thanks to Lord Baron and Lord Sunan, but speaking of which, why did Lord Sunan move to the outskirts of the city, could it be...?¡±

    The knight¡¯s words were cut off by Jordan¡¯s kick.

    ¡°What are you rambling about, watch your mouth!¡±

    ¡°Lord Baron and his brother have a good relationship, besides, Lord Sunan obviously has no interest in the title, he will be a Wizard in the future!¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t Lord Sunan stay in the city? The outskirts are so desolate, how could living there be as comfortable as the inner castle?¡± A knight questioned.

    Jordan shrugged and said, ¡°I heard that Lord Sunan wants to build a base outside the city, he said he wants to build a magical plant garden and a puppet factory, which requires a large amount of land, so he chose the outskirts. The materials we are transporting this time are for building the base.¡±

    Seeing the confused faces, Jordan impatiently waved his hand.

    ¡°Anyway, we just need to do what Lord Sunan says.¡±

    Everyone agreed.

    Lord Sunan¡¯s plans, a powerful being like him, how could they casually speculate? They just need to follow through.

    The deposit he received could be used for the initial construction of the base.

    What he was exploring now was the location of the earth vein node.

    Every world¡¯s underground has its own original magic vein network.

    These networks are called earth vein nodes, or element branches, magic nodes, and so on.

    The name is just a code.

    Essentially, earth vein nodes are where the energy of nature intersects. As long as a large-scale magic array is set up at the earth vein node to provide a magic supply channel, it can provide stable magic transmission, which can greatly save energy.

    Otherwise, relying solely on magic stones to support facilities like magical plant gardens, magic item workshops, and puppet factories would not be enough even if the entire income of Shining Light Territory was invested.

    The only problem was that the Starlight Continent was now poor in elements, and the earth vein nodes could only provide a significantly reduced amount of elemental magic.

    Relying only on the earth vein nodes, it could probably only support the daily operation and maintenance of the base, if he wanted to use magic energy crystal forging furnaces and other equipment, he had to use magic stones as supplementary energy.

    In view of this, a batch of magic stones must be stockpiled before the completion of the base.

    After determining the location of the earth vein node, Sunan took a deep breath and turned to look at the busy crowd below.

    ¡°Building the base entirely by manpower is still a bit inefficient. It¡¯s better to make a batch of clay golems to act as manpower.¡±

    Clay golems have a strength close to a ton and are highly efficient labor.

    In many large projects, one clay golem can handle the work equivalent to hundreds of humans.

    The key point is that clay golems do not need to rest or eat, as long as there is enough energy supply and regular maintenance, they can be used indefinitely.

    Therefore, many Wizards like to use clay golems as laborers or servants.

    ¡°Clay golems require simple materials, consume little energy, and are easy to maintain, making them the best choice for labor.¡±

    ¡°With ten clay golems, the construction efficiency of the base can increase several times, and it can also save a lot of labor costs.¡±

    ¡°In addition, places like the magical plant garden and the magic item workshop also require special personnel to maintain, besides literacy, they also need to master some basic magical plant knowledge or enchanting knowledge, which need to be cultivated from scratch.¡±

    Cultivation, learning spells, building bases, making potions, forging golems, training personnel...

    Suddenly, Sunan realized that he had a lot to do.

    ¡°I have a lot to do next.¡±

 Chapter 61: Clay Golem

    Chapter 61: Clay Golem

    Jorton was very efficient, delivering the materials Su Nan needed the next day.

    Su Nan immediately had the workers move the materials to the temporary laboratory that had been built, and then set about preparing to create the first golem.

    The main material for a clay golem is clay ¨C a type of soil with very little sand, but high in clay content, making it difficult for water to pass through. It also has good plasticity.

    To create a clay golem requires approximately 0.5 tons of clay, plus a small amount of silver, crystal, and most importantly, a soul core.

    The lowest level clay golems can use gems as soul cores, but this results in golems with extremely low intelligence, capable of performing only simple tasks.

    For example, cleaning an area, carrying things, or hitting someone.

    In his previous life, Su Nan had created many clay golems. Now, revisiting his old craft, he quickly became familiar with the process.

    After half an hour, a clay body about 2.5 meters tall had appeared on the wide workbench.

    Its face was rectangular, without a neck. Its chest was wide and strong. Its thick arms extended from its shoulders down to its knees, its fingers were short and thick, but quite flexible. Its legs were only one-third the length of its body, with wide, flat feet.

    The clay golem¡¯s chest was still open, revealing the complex magical inscriptions inside.

    Su Nan placed the engraved gem inside, then closed the cavity and began to chant the spell.

    The final step in creating a golem is to activate it, to give it life.

    As the spell echoed, the surrounding energy particles suddenly became active, gathering from all directions at incredible speed, rushing into the clay golem¡¯s body.

    Elemental magic from the earth vein node flowed in as well.

    Under the influx of energy, the clay golem¡¯s body gradually changed. A vitality completely different from that of a flesh-and-blood life form was being born and growing within the clay body.

    The whole process lasted for over ten minutes.

    Then the magic gradually subsided, and the energy particles gradually returned to calm.

    Sussus!

    The clay golem on the workbench suddenly moved. Then its large, sturdy body sat up, its stiff face staring blankly at Su Nan.

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face lit up with joy, pointing to a box nearby.

    ¡°Move the box outside.¡±

    ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    The clay golem responded with a dull voice, then jumped down to the ground with a thud.

    Its movements were slightly clumsy, but it quickly adapted and moved the heavy box outside with ease.

    Su Nan nodded silently.

    Clay golems were very useful laborers. They were also very energy-efficient.

    Su Nan had also considered many solutions to this problem.

    For example, extracting blood from the Infiltrator Dragon.

    The Infiltrator Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration was far higher than that of ordinary Black Scale Lizardfolk.

    It alone could provide more blood materials each month than the entire group of Black Scale Lizardfolk captives.

    However, after much thought, Su Nan ultimately rejected this idea.

    If he continued to extract blood from the Infiltrator Dragon, it would inevitably greatly reduce its bloodline concentration enhancement speed.

    This was unacceptable to Su Nan.

    Helping the territory grow was important, but his own strength improvement was equally crucial.

    Ho Chi¡¯s appearance had served as a reminder.

    Although the current Starlight Continent was an Elemental Desert, there were many hidden powerful individuals.

    A mere one-ring legendary knight like Ho Chi had forced Su Nan to consume nearly thirty rune gems to eliminate him. If a more powerful enemy appeared, he might not even be able to escape.

    Therefore, for his own safety, his strength improvement could not be slowed down!

    After careful consideration, Su Nan finally came up with a feasible solution.

    That was to find a substitute for lower-grade dragon blood potion!

    Considering the future expansion of the Blackrock Cavalry Corps, this substitute must be able to be mass-produced and also be inexpensive.

    This ruled out potions.

    After much thought, Su Nan finally set his sights on magical plants.

    Although there were no magical plants in his memory that met his criteria, that was fine. If they didn¡¯t exist, he would cultivate them himself.

    With the Synthetic Magic Cube in his possession, he had a natural advantage over other wizard apprentices in cultivating new magical plants.

    ¡°I already have some ideas about the potion. Give me some time, and I¡¯ll figure out a way to solve it,¡± Su Nan said.

    Kei had great trust in his younger brother. Upon hearing this, his expression immediately relaxed.

    Then, Kei suddenly remembered something and asked Su Nan, ¡°You said before that you wanted to recruit apprentices from the territory. What¡¯s that about?¡±

    ¡°After this place is built, there will be many places that require specialized personnel to maintain. I plan to train them myself and see if I can find some potential wizard apprentices.¡±

    Hearing the last sentence, Kei immediately perked up.

    Blackstone City had been able to rapidly develop and ultimately retake Shining Light Territory because of Su Nan, a wizard apprentice.

    Facts had proven how important a wizard apprentice was to the development of a territory.

    If the territory could produce a few more wizard apprentices, that would be a tremendous blessing!

    Thinking of this, Kei immediately patted his chest and promised to handle everything for Su Nan, ensuring it would be done perfectly.

 Chapter 62: The Profitable Magic Stone

    Chapter 62: The Profitable Magic Stone

    With the combined boost of the Super Ability Potion and Divine Blood Crystal, Su Nan¡¯s meditation progress skyrocketed. He successfully constructed his fifth Star Ring by mid-month.

    His spiritual power also smoothly broke through the 18 mark.

    Two months had passed, and the duration of the Super Ability Potion was nearing its end.

    Therefore, Su Nan synthesized another second-rank, top-grade Super Ability Potion and consumed it. His meditation efficiency further improved compared to before.

    After a full day, the proficiency of the Star Ring Meditation Method increased by nearly 700 points.

    ¡°Leveling up the Star Ring Meditation Method to level 6 requires 50,000 proficiency points. At this rate, it¡¯ll take at least two more months.¡±

    ¡°But once I construct the sixth Star Ring, my spiritual power should break through 20.¡±

    Su Nan thought for a moment and brought up his panel.

    ¡¾Su Nan ? Arnest, Human Male, 17 years old¡¿

    ¡¾Spiritual 18.92/Physical 14.21¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv6 (21/50000)

    Potion Making Lv3 (1804/6000)

    Creature Modification Lv2 (526/3000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv2 (2371/3000)

    Magic Item Creation Lv1 (251/1000)

    Apart from the Star Ring Meditation Method, among the remaining four skills, Potion Making currently showed the fastest growth, with its level far ahead of the others.

    After all, Su Nan made potions every day, accumulating them over time before delivering them to the Fire Fox Trading Company for sale. This was his main source of income at present.

    Puppetry Refining came in second.

    Every month, he would refine dozens of Blackrock Beasts. Recently, he had even refined ten Clay Magic Puppets, significantly increasing his proficiency.

    Creature Modification followed closely behind.

    The blood exchange plan for the Stealthy Dragon was still ongoing, providing plenty of proficiency for the Creature Modification skill every time.

    To this day, the Dragon Lizard bloodline concentration in the Stealthy Dragon was nearly 40%.

    Su Nan estimated that it would take at most two years for the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline to evolve into a Sub-Dragon bloodline.

    It was worth mentioning that Su Nan had actually considered extracting Amy¡¯s spatial teleportation ability and replicating it onto the Stealthy Dragon.

    After all, spatial teleportation ability complemented the skills of Reality Conversion and Invisibility very well.

    ¡°Not bad, the purity is quite high.¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction, then proceeded to create another twenty or so Secondary Magic Stones. He only stopped when the drawn energy gathering formation completely lost its function, and began to synthesize the Magic Stone.

    It wasn¡¯t until the fifteenth Secondary Magic Stone was added that information about the Magic Stone finally appeared on the synthesis interface.

    ¡¾Magic Stone (Lower Grade), a crystal containing rich magic energy.¡¿

    The cost of creating a Secondary Magic Stone was only the crystal and the materials used to draw the formation.

    One formation could create about twenty-seven Secondary Magic Stones.

    Ultimately, the cost of a single Secondary Magic Stone was roughly twelve silver coins.

    The cost of a single Lower Grade Magic Stone was 180 silver coins, less than two gold coins.

    ¡°Apparently in the 2.0 version of ¡¾The Age of Wizards¡¿, a single Lower Grade Magic Stone can be exchanged for fifty to sixty gold coins in any country. Based on this, my cost is simply ridiculously profitable.¡±

    Su Nan weighed the Magic Stone in his hand.

    Magic Stones were a byproduct of the Elemental Tide, a rare mineral possessing magic power.

    They were rare spellcasting materials, props for setting up formations, and could also be used to extract energy and replenish depleted spiritual power. Their applications were incredibly wide-ranging.

    Therefore, wizards often used Magic Stones as hard currency.

    With this low-cost method of synthesizing Magic Stones, once the Age of Wizards arrived, he could instantly transform into a wealthy tycoon, massively purchasing various resources and magic items. The thought was exhilarating.

    ¡°That is, if I can survive to the next millennium.¡±

    After calming his emotions, Su Nan put away the Magic Stone and continued making Secondary Magic Stones.

    A single Lower Grade Magic Stone could power a Magic Energy Crystal Forging Furnace for about an hour.

    Considering that he would have at least two Magic Energy Crystal Forging Furnaces in the future, he planned to stockpile two to three hundred Magic Stones first.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that my current spiritual power is not enough to open an elemental channel. Otherwise, I could build an elemental pool and wouldn¡¯t need to consume so many Magic Stones.¡±

    An elemental pool was a higher-level energy supply device.

    It could draw elemental energy from the elemental plane, providing a steady and infinite supply of energy, far more efficient than setting up magic energy transmission pipelines at the earth vein node.

    A small elemental pool could meet the basic needs of a wizard¡¯s tower.

    However, opening an elemental channel was something that could only be done by official wizards. Su Nan could only look on with envy for now.

    ¡°Better to just grind out Magic Stones honestly.¡±

    Dismissing his thoughts, Su Nan buried himself in the task of creating Secondary Magic Stones.

    As Su Nan immersed himself in the grind, a unique recruitment activity that swept across the entire Shining Light Territory was in full swing.

 Chapter 63

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The heavy wooden door was pounded with fierce force.

    Inside the wooden hut, Xie Man, hiding under a tattered quilt and fast asleep, was jolted awake. He rubbed his eyes and mumbled in a sleepy voice, ¡°Coming.¡±

    It was still chilly in the middle of the Revival Month.

    After putting on his ragged clothes, Xie Man grabbed the leather coat he used as a second quilt and pulled it on. Then, he opened the wooden door.

    Outside, Old Roger leaned against the wagon, a leather whip in one hand and a tobacco pipe in the other, puffing away.

    ¡°Hurry up, it¡¯s getting late. You¡¯ll be punished for being late.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Xie Man closed the door behind him, hopped onto the wagon with nimble movements, but his expression was calm.

    Roger glanced at him, said nothing, and whipped the horse with a sharp crack. The old horse let out a gruff groan, pulling the wagon slowly forward.

    Xie Man leaned against the wagon railing, took a look at the dark sky, and closed his eyes to doze.

    Based on his past experience, it would take another half hour to reach the inner castle. By the time they got there, the sky would be about to dawn.

    Xie Man was an orphan.

    According to Old Roger, he found Xie Man on a snowy day. Since he had no children of his own, he took Xie Man in and raised him.

    All these years, Old Roger had been supporting them by collecting trash for the nobles and disposing of it outside the city. He had worked hard to raise Xie Man to the age of twelve.

    Xie Man was full of gratitude for Old Roger.

    Though he knew he and Old Roger weren¡¯t related by blood, in his heart, Old Roger was his father.

    Unbeknownst to them, the wagon had entered the inner city.

    Long-formed habits made Xie Man wake up automatically.

    From afar, he saw the towering and majestic castle, and his eyes couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of envy and longing.

    That was where the lord and the knights lived.

    Xie Man had dreamt countless times of becoming a noble, living in a luxurious castle, enjoying a life of lavishness and superiority.

    Or becoming a powerful knight, earning the Lord¡¯s favor, and becoming his guard, gaining the privilege of living in the castle.

    In the boy¡¯s shallow understanding, that castle was the most beautiful place in the world.

    But deep down, he knew very well that unless his work required it, a peasant like him would never be able to set foot in that castle in his lifetime.

    However, Old Roger immediately felt hesitant.

    Were there really such pie-in-the-sky opportunities in the world?

    Wouldn¡¯t they be tricked away and then forced to do something bad?

    Seeing Old Roger¡¯s expression, the guard knew what he was thinking and said with a laugh, ¡°Lord Su Nan is a legendary Wizard. The decree was issued by the lord. Do you think those two gentlemen have nothing better to do than to trick you, a poor man?¡±

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t see Little Xie Man being well-behaved, I wouldn¡¯t bother to remind you.¡±

    Old Roger quickly apologized with a smile.

    Thinking about what the guard said, it made sense. The lord¡¯s decree, how could it be fake?

    After thanking the guard, Old Roger pulled Xie Man onto the wagon.

    On the way back, Old Roger thought for a while and said to Xie Man, ¡°When we get back after transporting the trash, you go home, wash up, change clothes, and then go to the testing center.¡±

    Xie Man nodded vigorously, his eyes shining.

    If he could become the apprentice of the Lord Su Nan that the guard mentioned, he would get a gold coin every month. Saving for a year or two, he could take Old Roger to the inner city, open a small shop, and no longer have to get up early and work hard cleaning trash.

    Maybe he would even have the chance to live in that castle!

    Thinking about it, Xie Man was extremely excited, wishing he could fly to the testing center right now.

    After returning from outside the city, Xie Man ran home, washed up, changed into his best set of clothes, and then went straight to the place the guard mentioned.

    The testing center was located at the boundary between the outer city and the inner city.

    In front of the temporary wooden shed, hundreds of boys and girls around Xie Man¡¯s age were lined up in a long queue.

    Many were excitedly chatting, occasionally looking ahead in the line.

    Xie Man noticed that these people were all dressed decently, even the worst had a clean set of clothes, unlike him, wearing a white, patched-up set of clothes.

    Thinking about it, it made sense. In this era, those who could read usually came from good families.

    People like him, outliers, were rare.

    ¡°Go to the end of the line and wait, don¡¯t wander around.¡±

    A nearby soldier noticed Xie Man and told him to join the line.

    Xie Man followed orders, joining the end of the line, waiting quietly.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 64

    Several boys in front of Xieman seemed to know each other and were chatting enthusiastically.

    ¡°Lord Sunan is the younger brother of the lord. If you can become his apprentice, you will have a bright future!¡±

    ¡°My cousin is a guard in the castle. He said that the knights all respect Lord Sunan, even the lord often asks for Sunan¡¯s opinion.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know this, Lord Sunan is a Wizard!¡±

    ¡°A legendary Wizard? Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. My father attended a nobleman¡¯s banquet and personally heard the nobleman say this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Wizard?

    Xieman rolled his eyes.

    When he heard the kind soldier mention the Wizard before, he was a little confused.

    What exactly is a Wizard?

    From the tone of these people, it seemed to be something very powerful!

    Unable to suppress his curiosity, Xieman finally couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°Excuse me, what is a Wizard?¡±

    The few people chatting turned to look at Xieman. Seeing that he was wearing old clothes, they flashed a look of disdain in their eyes.

    The leading boy sneered, ¡°You don¡¯t even know this? A Wizard is a great figure even more powerful than a knight. They can control lightning and fire, and they know all sorts of amazing magic!¡±

    Can control lightning and fire?

    Xieman was stunned.

    Are there actually people in this world who can do this?

    That¡¯s too amazing!

    Lord Sunan is such a powerful person!

    Seeing Xieman standing there in a daze, the boy who spoke to him contemptuously curled his lips and ignored him, turning his head to continue chatting with his companions.

    As time passed, the line slowly moved forward.

    After waiting for about an hour, Xieman finally reached the front, where he could clearly see the situation inside the wooden shed.

    There was a long wooden table inside, with an old man with kind eyes sitting behind it.

    Every time a boy or girl stepped forward, the old man would open a book and let them look at it.

    Most people would only look for about ten seconds before showing a painful expression, covering their heads and groaning in pain.

    At this time, the old man would close the book, comfort them a few words and let the testers leave.

    Obviously, these people were all unqualified.

    What... what is this?

    Xieman¡¯s face turned pale, and his body trembled slightly.

    He had never seen such a strange scene in his entire life.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Just when he was panicking, the bizarre tentacles and mouth suddenly disappeared.

    Xieman snapped back to his senses and was surprised to find that the world had returned to normal.

    Everyone around him was staring at him with wide eyes, filled with envy and jealousy.

    Xieman looked down at the book on the table and found that he could actually understand those scribbled characters.

    ¡°Congratulations, you passed the test.¡±

    The old man said with a smile, a bit of enthusiasm appearing on his face that was not there before.

    ¡°Wait here for a while, after the test is over, I will take you to meet Lord Sunan.¡±

    ¡°No way, this guy got lucky, he actually passed the test!¡±

    ¡°This luck is too good!¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be! How could I be worse than a commoner?¡±

    The crowd was in an uproar, talking amongst themselves.

    Especially the few boys who were in front of Xieman, their eyes were filled with jealousy when they looked at him.

    Under the soldier¡¯s shouts, the crowd gradually quieted down.

    Xieman was still immersed in the bizarre situation he had just experienced. He simply nodded woodenly in response to the old man¡¯s words, subconsciously standing at the back.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    A sweet voice reached his ears.

    Xieman looked up and met a pair of clear eyes.

    It was the girl with a scholarly air he had seen earlier.

    She said softly, ¡°You saw those strange sights too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Did you all see it?¡±

    Knowing that he wasn¡¯t the only one who had this experience, Xieman inexplicably felt relieved.

    He came back to his senses and then realized with surprise that he had passed the test!

    Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯ll be able to receive a gold coin subsidy every month from now on?

    That¡¯s great!

 Chapter 65: Three Apprentices

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    Chapter 65: Three Apprentices

    A smile appeared on the girl¡¯s face as she looked at the overjoyed Xieman. ¡°My name is Artiel Yuri. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Xieman.¡± Xieman turned to the other boy.

    The boy raised his chin slightly and said calmly, ¡°Korey McKennin.¡±

    Perhaps because Xieman was dressed in a poor man¡¯s clothes, Korey looked down on him. After introducing his name out of courtesy, he ignored Xieman.

    On the other hand, Artiel smiled warmly at Xieman, showing no signs of superiority due to their difference in background.

    This is a gentle girl. Xieman thought to himself.

    The evaluation finally ended as the sky began to turn faintly yellow.

    The results surprised Xieman. In the end, only he, Artiel, and Korey passed.

    Everyone else was eliminated.

    This gave Xieman a feeling that he was actually quite good.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    The old man carefully wrapped the books in a thin cloth and tucked them into his arms. Then he turned and beckoned to the three of them.

    Led by the old man, the three entered the inner city and arrived at the front of the castle.

    The old man seemed to be of high status. The guards at the gate immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing him.

    Xieman then learned that the old man¡¯s name was Geiler, and he was a steward in the castle.

    The guard who had reminded Xieman earlier widened his eyes in surprise when he saw him. He obviously didn¡¯t expect Xieman to actually pass the evaluation.

    Xieman smiled gratefully at him and thought he would find an opportunity to properly thank the guard later.

    ¡°Master Sunan is a very kind person. He never beats or scolds servants. Don¡¯t be nervous when you see him later,¡± old Geiler comforted the three of them on the way.

    It didn¡¯t have much effect though. The three of them were a little tense.

    Xieman didn¡¯t need to be told. The person he was about to meet was a great figure in his eyes. It would be strange if he wasn¡¯t nervous.

    Even Artiel and Korey had been repeatedly instructed by their elders before coming here. They must be respectful to Master Sunan and absolutely could not displease him. r?

    After winding their way through courtyards and corridors, old Geiler finally led the three to a courtyard.

    The spacious courtyard was empty, except for a small cat basking lazily in the sun on the stone table in the middle.

    Artiel¡¯s eyes lit up slightly.

    What a cute cat!

    Xieman and Korey couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra glances as well.

    But what happened next stunned the three of them.

    Old Geiler walked forward and bowed respectfully to the cat, saying respectfully, ¡°Master Amy, these three are the newly recruited apprentices. I have brought them to see Master Sunan.¡±

    ¡°Meow, Sunan is meditating in the Mind Chamber, and it will be about half an hour before he finishes. You guys can wait here for a while.¡±

    The entire evaluation lasted seven days. During that time, thousands of boys and girls who met the age and literacy requirements participated, but only a handful of them managed to pass the aptitude evaluation.

    Sunan wasn¡¯t surprised by the results.

    Even during the heyday of wizards a thousand years ago, the number of people with wizard aptitude was extremely small compared to the vast population, less than one in a thousand.

    Let alone the fact that the concentration of energy particles had decreased significantly over the past thousand years. The number of people with wizard aptitude would only be even fewer.

    To be honest, finding three people with aptitude in the entire Shining Light territory was already beyond Sunan¡¯s expectations.

    He had originally thought that finding even one would be good enough.

    Of course, Sunan couldn¡¯t be sure how far these three would ultimately grow.

    Unless the three of them showed enough value, he wouldn¡¯t waste too many resources cultivating them.

    Thump!

    Sunan waved his hand, and three thick books appeared out of thin air, landing on the stone table.

    This scene left the three children speechless.

    ¡°This is the Star Ring Meditation Method. It is the key to becoming a Wizard Apprentice, and it is what you will be practicing for the next period of time.¡±

    ¡°From today onwards, you will live here. If you have any needs in terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation, you can speak to the servants. As long as it is reasonable, they will meet all your requirements.¡±

    ¡°The only thing you need to do is to focus on practicing the Star Ring Meditation Method. Once you have mastered it, I will take you on as my students.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    Xieman, Korey, and Artiel were both surprised and delighted. They responded in unison.

    Apprentice and student are two completely different concepts. They could tell the difference.

    If they could become Master Sunan¡¯s students, their futures would undoubtedly become even brighter.

    Sunan nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand for the three of them to leave.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to cultivate suitable assistants to help maintain the various facilities of the base.

    The first requirement was that these people must at least be Wizard Apprentices.

    Even a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice who hadn¡¯t even managed to build the first Star Ring would do.

    Otherwise, if they couldn¡¯t even sense energy particles, a lot of work simply wouldn¡¯t be able to be carried out.

    Wizards are not a group that loves to spread knowledge.

    Many wizards are willing to cultivate apprentices out of necessity, either to cultivate their own forces to facilitate resource collection, or to find themselves a group of competent assistants.

    While Sunan wanted both.

    He intended to start cultivating personnel step by step from now on.

    By the time the wizard era arrives a thousand years later, he might have already established his own wizard power.

    And to achieve this, the first step is the most crucial, as well as the most difficult.

    Sunan was already mentally prepared for this.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 66: Base Completion

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    Chapter 66: Base Completion

    Time flew by, and it was now the month of Thunder (April).

    The weather gradually became hot, and the heat in the air made people feel restless.

    However, Su Nan was quite invigorated.

    This was because the base¡¯s fundamental construction was finally finished!

    The moment he received the news, he immediately rushed back to the base, ready to proceed with the final step ¨C laying the magic energy transmission pipelines!

    If the ley line node is the heart of the base, then the magic energy transmission pipeline is the base¡¯s ¡®blood vessels¡¯.

    Only after laying down the complete magic energy transmission pipeline could the elemental magic from the ley line node be transported to all parts of the base without obstruction, allowing the base¡¯s various facilities to function properly.

    The materials used to make magic energy transmission pipelines were diverse. After careful consideration, Su Nan decided to use crystals.

    Crystals were the cheapest, had the best performance, and were the easiest magic energy transmission materials to manufacture artificially.

    Magic energy transmission pipelines made with a large number of artificial magic energy crystals were also known as ¡®Crystal Scars¡¯.

    However, even though crystals were not expensive, the base¡¯s vast area meant that a lot of magic energy transmission pipelines needed to be laid, so the final cost was still not low.

    To date, Su Nan had already invested over 10,000 gold coins in base construction.

    This was almost equivalent to Shining Light Territory¡¯s entire year¡¯s income.

    To make up for it, he had been frantically making potions and selling them to the Fire Fox Trading Company almost every day for the past two months. On top of that, the territory subsidized a portion, which finally allowed him to gather the funds.

    As a result, his ¡®Potion Making¡¯ skill was now just short of 1,000 proficiency points from reaching level 4.

    ¡°This is just the beginning. The subsequent construction of the magic plant garden will also cost a lot of money.¡±

    Su Nan sighed inwardly.

    It wasn¡¯t difficult for a Wizard to make money, but they spent it just as extravagantly, like water flowing through a river.

    Melting one crystal after another, turning them into extremely fine threads, then using the ¡®Master¡¯s Hand¡¯ to precisely control them, drawing lines on the ground, walls, and ceilings, accurate to the micron level.

    Su Nan worked tirelessly for two whole days before finally finishing the entire base¡¯s Crystal Scars.

    As for the huge crystal that served as the central energy core, he set it in the very center of the base, placing it in a separate room, named the Energy Core Chamber.

    ¡°Start energizing!¡±

    Standing in the center of the room, Su Nan extended his hand to touch the central energy core, chanting an incantation.

    A faint purple light emerged instantly from the surface of the giant crystal, immediately extending outward along the crystal veins.

    Considering the planting and growth cycle of fruit, this would be a long process.

    However, with the Magic Cube, Su Nan was confident about success.

    ¡°For daily maintenance tasks, just let the Clay Golems handle them.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make 10 more Clay Golems, making a total of 20. That should be enough to handle the daily maintenance of the entire base.¡±

    ¡°For guarding, we can use Stone Golems.¡±

    In Su Nan¡¯s plan, apart from the future apprentices he would train, the base would not have any other humans residing there.

    The daily maintenance and security of the entire base would be handled entirely by Golems.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there are no Tower Spirits to control them. Otherwise, the operation of the entire base could be automated.¡±

    Tower Spirits are the most advanced artificial intelligence.

    They are the managers of Wizard Towers, responsible for the integrated operation of the Wizard Tower, including functions such as integrated terminal computing, data recording, battle command, and experimental assistant.

    A single Tower Spirit would be more than enough to handle the automated operation of the entire base.

    Unfortunately, the lowest level Tower Spirit requires legendary Soul Crystals to be created. It¡¯s impossible to count on them at this stage.

    ¡°50 Stone Golems, coupled with magic alarms, would be enough to make the base¡¯s defense impregnable.¡±

    Over the past few months, Su Nan had successively mastered three more First-Ring spells.

    They were ¡®Weakening Ray¡¯, ¡®Burning Hand¡¯, and ¡®Magic Alarm¡¯.

    There was nothing much to say about the first two attack spells, but ¡®Magic Alarm¡¯ was a very practical auxiliary spell.

    This spell¡¯s effect was to designate a specific area. When any unmarked creature enters or touches this area, it would trigger an alarm.

    The form of the alarm could be a mental signal or a sound.

    The former would only be transmitted silently to the caster or the creature specified by the caster.

    The latter would emit a sound audible to human ears, clearly heard by all creatures within the alert area.

    Su Nan intended to set up a permanent magic alarm within the base.

    This way, with Stone Golems in the open and magic alarms in secret, the defense network would be complete.

    Even a legendary Knight wouldn¡¯t be able to sneak into the base silently.

    ¡°It¡¯s best to create one more Steel Golem as the final guard of the base.¡±

    ¡°With a legendary Knight-level Steel Golem in place, the base¡¯s security will be even more foolproof!¡±

    Thanks to Still Young Brother and Shi Hun for the rewards, and thank you to all the readers for your monthly tickets!

 Chapter 67: Another Avenue to Prosperity

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    Chapter 67: Another Avenue to Prosperity

    The Thunder Moon vanished like drifting wood chips in a river, swirling through fingertips and disappearing from sight.

    The weather began to grow hotter day by day.

    Not long after entering the Blossom Moon, Su Nan successfully constructed his sixth Star Ring.

    As he had expected, his Spiritual Power attribute broke through the 20 threshold.

    ¡¾Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Spiritual 20.36/ Physique 15.45¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv7 (21/80,000)

    Potion Brewing Lv4 (256/10,000)

    Creature Modification Lv2 (903/3,000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv2 (2,822/3,000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv1 (502/1,000)

    ¡°Eighty thousand proficiency, it will take about three months to level up.¡±

    Su Nan nodded silently.

    One of the conditions for advancing to a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice was to construct nine Star Rings.

    He still needed three more.

    At his current pace, it should take two or three years to complete if everything went smoothly.

    Then, all that would be left would be Spiritual Power.

    ¡°For Spiritual Power, I can use the Nightmare Potion to increase it.¡±

    ¡°The key material, Bloodthirsty Mandrake, is already in hand. The rest of the materials are being collected by the Fire Fox Trading Company, so it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±

    During this period, Su Nan had been diligently brewing potions, and his [Potion Brewing] skill had already reached level 4.

    With this level of [Potion Brewing], he could attempt to brew second-order potions.

    It was worth mentioning that as the skill leveled up, the success rates for brewing Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions and Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potions had also increased, exceeding 40%.

    The increased success rate further reduced the cost of potions, boosting profits significantly and providing much-needed relief for Su Nan, who was desperately short of money.

    ¡°The Clay Golems and Stone Golems have all been built. I won¡¯t need to spend much time refining golems anymore.¡±

    Su Nan had been working overtime to complete the base¡¯s requirements for 10 Clay Golems and 50 Stone Golems.

    In addition, he had created an extra 30 Clay Golems and given them to Kei to help build the supply unit.

    ¡°I have already placed orders with the Fire Fox Trading Company for Silver Moon Flower seeds and Red Vein Fruits. They will take some time to arrive.¡±

    Su Nan began to ponder his next arrangements.

    Aside from training and spell learning, he only had two things to do next.

    The first was to refine Steel Golems.

    One Steel Golem weighed over 10 tons and had to be made with at least the same amount of pure steel.

    ¡¾Enchanted Weapon (Alchemical-Grade/Sub-Magical Item), possesses [Black Steel] property, significantly increased hardness, not easily damaged, reduced martial energy attachment loss.¡¿

    Alchemical-Grade enchanted weapons typically had properties such as [Black Steel], [Sharpness], and [Bloodlust].

    Better ones had [Weak Elemental Damage] and [Martial Energy Gathering].

    The former added weak elemental damage to the weapon.

    The latter strengthened the power of martial energy.

    Generally, an enchanted weapon could only be imbued with one magical property.

    Only wizards with exceptionally refined crafting skills could imbue an enchanted weapon with multiple properties simultaneously.

    Of course, wizards at that level wouldn¡¯t waste their time on such a mundane task.

    Wouldn¡¯t it be better to craft a Gleaming-Grade magical item instead?

    Besides these properties, enchanted weapons had a characteristic that wasn¡¯t exactly a property.

    Due to being infused with magic, enchanted weapons had a significantly improved compatibility with martial energy compared to ordinary weapons.

    This manifested as a significant reduction in the extra consumption of martial energy when attaching it.

    For this reason, even enchanted weapons that failed to imbue properties were still popular among knights.

    ¡°Come to think of it, can enchanted weapons with different properties be combined?¡±

    A flash of insight struck Su Nan.

    If it were possible, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to create an enchanted weapon with over a dozen properties?

    Thinking was doing. Su Nan immediately tried it.

    Over the next period, he crafted over twenty more enchanted weapons.

    The success rate was decent, averaging three successes out of five attempts.

    Each success yielded about twenty proficiency points, and failures still gained around seven or eight points.

    After crafting more than twenty enchanted weapons, his [Magical Item Crafting] skill successfully reached level 2.

    However, Su Nan was disappointed to find that enchanted weapons with different properties could not be combined.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, enchanted weapons with different properties are essentially different items, so it¡¯s not strange that they can¡¯t be combined.¡±

    Enchanted weapons with the same property could be combined.

    The combined enchanted weapon¡¯s property effect would be further enhanced.

    For example, Su Nan used three long swords with the [Sharpness] property to combine into a long sword with the [Armor-Piercing] property, easily breaking through the defenses of fine armor with a single strike.

    Even though it didn¡¯t break through in rank and remained Alchemical-Grade, this long sword¡¯s power was already comparable to ¡°orthodox¡± magical items like the Bloodvine Ring and the Magic Coin.

    ¡°Since magical items with the same property can be combined, I could completely use Alchemical-Grade magical items to combine into Gleaming-Grade magical items, or even Wizard Tools!¡±

    The materials for Gleaming-Grade magical items were mostly rare and hard to find.

    Wizard Tool materials were even more difficult to obtain.

    In comparison, the materials for Alchemical-Grade magical items were much more common.

    If he could use Alchemical-Grade to combine into Gleaming-Grade, or even Wizard Tools, it would undoubtedly save him a lot of effort.

    Su Nan¡¯s spirits rose, feeling like he had found another avenue to prosperity.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 68: Change

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    ## Chapter 68: Change

    Shining Light City, Inner Citadel.

    In the quiet meditation chamber, Xieman sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed.

    In the invisible void, energy particles, like they were drawn by an invisible force, poured into his body and vanished.

    After half an hour, Xieman opened his eyes and let out a long sigh.

    He stood up, pushed open the door and stepped outside. Looking at the lush greenery in the courtyard, a trace of bewilderment flashed across his face.

    Ever since he participated in the assessment, his life had undergone a drastic change.

    The dream he had fantasized about for over a decade had come true overnight. He moved into the castle he had always longed for, enjoyed the service of servants like a noble, and received a gold coin every month.

    During this time, Xieman returned home once. Old Roger told him that after he moved into the castle, many people came to inquire about him and sent many gifts to curry favor with Old Roger.

    When mentioning this, Old Roger grinned from ear to ear, praising Xieman for his success.

    Seeing Old Roger¡¯s joy and relief, Xieman was also very happy.

    But what made him happiest and most surprised was Lord Sunan, or should he call him Teacher now, and the knowledge he taught him.

    A magical knowledge called Meditation!

    After successfully mastering the Star Ring Meditation Method in twenty-five days, Xieman felt the energy particles for the first time.

    Ever since then, he felt like he had entered a whole new world.

    With just two months of meditation, he transformed from a skinny child into a sturdy young man.

    His thin body, where even his ribs were clearly visible, had become robust almost overnight.

    According to Miss Amy, he already possessed the physical fitness of a Sword-Wielding Attendant!

    The blacksmith, Carlo, from the Fire Hammer Blacksmith Shop in the northern part of the city, often bragged in front of him about his past as a Sword-Wielding Attendant.

    If Carlo knew that a twelve-year-old boy like him already possessed the strength of a Sword-Wielding Attendant, would he be so shocked that his jaw would drop?

    Xieman suddenly wanted to see that sight.

    But he was just thinking about it. He didn¡¯t have the time for that now.

    After mastering the Star Ring Meditation Method, his Teacher officially took him as a student. Afterward, he was given a pile of books, instructed to study diligently, and told that he would be tested on his progress every month.

    If his Teacher was satisfied, he would be rewarded.

    To be honest, the content of those books was very complicated and unheard of.

    Things like ¡°Introduction to Magic Plants,¡± ¡°Magic Plant Cultivation,¡± ¡°Introduction to Potionology,¡± ¡°Biology,¡± ¡°Mutation,¡± ¡°Principles of Magic,¡± ¡°Origin of Wizards¡±¡ªall these made Xieman¡¯s head spin.

    Although he could read, his ability was limited to everyday literacy. Digesting these massive tomes was a real challenge for him.

    To keep up with the progress, he had to sneak off and ask Miss Amy for help. The price was that he had to massage Miss Amy for half an hour every day.

    ¡°It seems that the three of you have been diligently meditating lately. Very good.¡±

    Xieman and the others were all delighted to be praised by Sunan.

    ¡°Meow, Sunan¡¯s here!¡±

    Amy suddenly popped out from somewhere, landing on Sunan¡¯s shoulder. The bells around her neck jingled gently, emitting a clear and pleasant sound.

    Xieman and the others watched this scene with calm faces.

    When they first saw Amy¡¯s spatial teleportation ability, they were amazed.

    But after seeing it so many times, they became accustomed to it.

    However, another being had them completely baffled to this day.

    Just as they were thinking about it, a massive figure silently and abruptly appeared before them, its black and red scales and sharp claws shining with a cold, chilling brilliance under the sunlight.

    That primitive and savage aura made Xieman and the others instinctively tense their bodies.

    By the Truth, they had never seen such a terrifying beast before!

    When they saw the Infiltrator¡¯s true form for the first time, they almost collapsed to the ground in fright.

    The Infiltrator ignored the three youngsters, let out a low growl, and approached Sunan.

    Sunan stroked the Infiltrator¡¯s rough head and said with a smile, ¡°Been out to the base outside the city again?¡±

    Infiltrator: ¡°Hiss!¡±

    Amy: ¡°Meow, I¡¯m not afraid of going out alone! I just wanted to go with you because you were bored here!¡±

    Infiltrator: ¡°Hiss!¡±

    Amy: ¡°What¡¯s so good about sleeping? You¡¯re not a real dragon, why do you always lie in your lair?¡±

    Sunan chuckled and interrupted the cat and the lizard¡¯s bickering.

    ¡°The base outside the city is already built. I¡¯ve left a place for you there. It¡¯s much more spacious. You can move there to live.¡±

    Hearing this, the Infiltrator didn¡¯t have any objections.

    Amy looked at Xieman and the others: ¡°Meow, what about these three?¡±

    Sunan glanced at his three students and said, ¡°They can move into the base once they have learned all the knowledge I require of them.¡±

    After hesitating for a moment, Amy shook her head, ¡°Meow, I¡¯ll stay here for now.¡±

    Sunan looked deeply at Amy, nodded, and said nothing more.

    After waking up from her thousand-year sleep, Amy had lost all her family and friends. In this world, she was practically alone.

    Besides Sunan and the Infiltrator, only these three new Wizard Apprentices could be considered in her ¡®circle,¡¯ with whom she could communicate.

    Thus, in the case where Sunan was busy and often disappeared, Amy preferred to stay with these three.

    Thanks for the tip from shikong2333!

    (End)

 Chapter 69: Plague

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    Chapter 69: Plague

    In the study.

    Su Nan put down the book in his hand and nodded slightly.

    ¡°Not bad, all three of you have passed.¡±

    As soon as these words were spoken, Xie Man, Corey, and Atier, who were standing in front of the desk, all breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°This is your reward.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand, and three bottles of Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion floated in front of the three.

    ¡°This is Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion. It can increase your spiritual activity, improve your meditation efficiency and learning ability. One bottle can last for a month.¡±

    Xie Man and the others were overjoyed when they heard this, their eyes gleaming as they looked at the potion in their hands.

    According to the descriptions in the books, real wizard potions, even if they were only zero-order potions, had powerful effects beyond ordinary people¡¯s imagination.

    Not to mention a potion that enhanced meditation efficiency, which was also very precious to wizard apprentices.

    ¡°Keep working hard. If you can pass the knowledge exam next month, there will be more rewards.¡±

    After encouraging them, Su Nan waved his hand and let the three leave.

    ¡°The learning progress of these three little guys is pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Especially Xie Man. I originally thought that because of his background, his learning ability would be weaker than the other two. But he hasn¡¯t fallen behind at all. It seems that the little guy is worth cultivating.¡±

    A hint of a smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    At this rate, in about half a year, the three little guys should be able to take on some of the base¡¯s work.

    Leaving the courtyard, Su Nan went straight to the training ground.

    As expected, Kei was training on the training ground.

    Bred and Jorton were also there.

    Out of consideration for stabilizing his strength, and because the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion needed to be supplied to the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment, Kei hadn¡¯t asked Su Nan to make Dragon Blood Potion for him in the past half year.

    Therefore, he was still a junior Great Knight, and there was no sign of him breaking through yet.

    However, a junior Great Knight at the age of twenty-one was considered quite outstanding in any country.

    Bredon and Jorton had each taken a Dragon Blood Potion.

    The former had already shown signs of breaking through to becoming a Great Knight.

    The latter had just broken through to become a peak knight three months ago.

    Noticing Su Nan¡¯s arrival, Kei immediately stopped training, took a towel from a servant and wiped his sweat, and smiled, ¡°Why are you free today?¡±

    ¡°I have something for you.¡±

    Seeing this, Su Nan threw them each a magical weapon.

    Bred¡¯s was a shield that solidified [Black Steel] and [Energy Accumulation], extremely hard, and could also enhance the power of martial energy.

    Jorton¡¯s was a long sword that solidified [Sharpness] and [Weak Fire Element Damage].

    After receiving their magical weapons, Bred and Jorton were immediately overjoyed and thanked Su Nan repeatedly.

    ¡°Can this kind of weapon be mass-produced?¡± Kei asked excitedly.

    Su Nan shook his head slightly, ¡°Not the kind you have. However, slightly inferior ones, magical weapons that only solidify one property, can barely be mass-produced.¡±

    ¡°What about the cost?¡± Kei asked immediately.

    He was most sensitive to this right now.

    Shining Light Territory needed to expand its military equipment while also supporting Su Nan in building the base, and the economic pressure was still immense.

    ¡°About twenty gold coins each.¡± Su Nan said.

    This was because the magic stones were synthesized by him, and the cost was extremely low.

    Otherwise, according to the market value (if there was one), the cost of a magical weapon would be at least eighty gold coins.

    Kei breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.

    Alright, twenty gold coins wasn¡¯t too much.

    An ordinary fine steel long sword cost three or four gold coins, and magical weapons were much stronger than ordinary weapons, so it was reasonable for the price to be a few times higher.

    That being said, to equip all the knights in the territory with a magical weapon would still cost at least several thousand gold coins, another huge expenditure.

    Kei looked at the weapon in his hand and began to think about whether he could open up a new trade route using it.

    Seeing his change in expression, Su Nan immediately guessed his intentions and poured cold water on him, ¡°Forget about selling it outside. I don¡¯t have that much time to spend making magical weapons.¡±

    Kei was a little disappointed, but he also understood what Su Nan meant.

    It would be too much of a waste to have a wizard apprentice act as a blacksmith.

    After thinking for a while, he decided to equip the knights in the territory with a magical weapon each.

    Su Nan nodded in agreement and gave Kei the magical weapons he had made during this period, including the failed ones, for him to distribute.

    With everything settled, Su Nan was about to leave when he saw Kei¡¯s secretary rushing into the training ground, handing Kei a scroll of parchment.

    The latter opened it and his brow furrowed immediately.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Su Nan stopped and asked.

    Kei took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

    ¡°There is a plague outbreak in Frost Province.¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 70

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    The Starbright Duchy had a total of seven provinces.

    Among them, the Golden Rock Province was located in the northernmost part of the duchy, bordering the Lake Lan Province to the southwest, and beyond that was the Frost Dye Province.

    ¡°What disease?¡± Su Nan asked.

    Kei didn¡¯t elaborate and handed him a piece of parchment.

    Su Nan took it and his brows furrowed.

    Apparently, a month ago, a strange disease suddenly appeared in Silver Ridge City, Frost Dye Province. People who fell ill would gradually grow beast-like hair, claws, and fangs, as well as other animalistic features. They would attack others like maniacs, exhibiting an extremely strong desire for flesh.

    The Silver Ridge City Lord didn¡¯t take it seriously at first. He sent guards to kill the sick, burying them hastily.

    But the situation didn¡¯t end there. More people in the city were subsequently infected with the disease.

    In just a month, the number of infected people in Silver Ridge City had surpassed five hundred, and it was still increasing at an alarming rate.

    The situation had reached such a point that the Silver Ridge City army was unable to handle it.

    With no other choice, the Silver Ridge City Lord had to seek help from the Frost Dye Marquis.

    Currently, the Frost Dye Marquis had sent troops to suppress those infected maniacs.

    After reading the content on the parchment, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but grin, feeling a toothache.

    Wasn¡¯t this just the Beast Transformation Disease!

    It was more accurate to say that the Beast Transformation Disease was an atavistic phenomenon rather than a disease.

    In humans infected with the Beast Transformation Disease, the beast transformation factor would be completely activated. Their bodies would exhibit various beastly features, making them lose their sanity and transform into bloodthirsty, ferocious beasts.

    However, the only ones capable of spreading the Beast Transformation Disease were the Primitive Beast Transformants.

    Primitive Beast Transformants referred to the first generation of beast transformants, as well as the next generation born from Primitive Beast Transformants.

    Beast transformants born from the breeding of a Primitive Beast Transformant and a normal human or an ordinary Beast Transformant wouldn¡¯t be considered Primitive Beast Transformants.

    For example, the Beast Transformant guard Ota beside Mu Zhuo of the Fire Fox Trading Company was clearly an ordinary Beast Transformant.

    In ancient times, the Primitive Beast Transformants had caused a catastrophe known as the ¡°Beast Transformation Calamity,¡± resulting in massive casualties. It wasn¡¯t until later that wizards managed to suppress them.

    After that, wizards realized the threat posed by Primitive Beast Transformants, so they eradicated them all.

    The ones that survived were the ordinary Beast Transformants born from breeding with normal humans.

    So, in theory, there shouldn¡¯t be any Primitive Beast Transformants left on the Starlight Continent. How could the Beast Transformation Disease appear again? R?

    Su Nan secretly felt puzzled.

    ¡°This is the Beast Transformation Disease.¡± Su Nan handed back the parchment.

    Then, the process of selecting and adapting the seeds was repeated, just like with the Silver Moon Flower seeds.

    By the time Su Nan planted the finally selected Dragon Blood Fruit seeds, the time had entered the month of Autumn Curtain, nearing the end of the year.

    The weather had already become cold.

    Fortunately, the Magic Plant Garden had a constant temperature array, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about the effects of climate.

    Looking at the dense seedlings of Silver Moon Flowers and Dragon Blood Fruit in the Magic Plant Garden, Su Nan let out a sigh of relief, feeling quite a sense of accomplishment.

    From now on, he wouldn¡¯t have to spend a lot of gold coins buying Silver Moon Flowers anymore. The material problem for Super Ability Potions had temporarily been solved.

    The substitute for the Secondary Dragon Blood Potion was the same.

    Once the first batch of Dragon Blood Fruit was harvested, the problem of insufficient potion supply could be solved.

    Stretching, Su Nan turned and left the Magic Plant Garden.

    The base was quiet.

    Because he was the only one there, it was usually very quiet.

    Occasionally, he could hear the dull footsteps of the clay golems. They were cleaning the base.

    Since Xie Man and the other three couldn¡¯t yet handle things on their own, Su Nan was completely responsible for the planting and cultivation of the Silver Moon Flower.

    As a result, he had become busier these past few months.

    Therefore, the Steel Golem hadn¡¯t been forged yet. The Blackstone Iron delivered from Shining Light City was still piled up in the warehouse.

    However, Su Nan hadn¡¯t neglected his meditation and spell practice for a single day.

    He had now successfully constructed his seventh star ring, getting one step closer to becoming a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    His spiritual power had also increased to 22.12.

    However, the proficiency of the 8th-Rank Star Ring Meditation Method had also skyrocketed to 130,000 points.

    He still needed more than 20,000 proficiency points to upgrade and break through again.

    ¡°More than 20,000 proficiency points, it¡¯s about a month¡¯s worth.¡±

    ¡°But according to this trend, the proficiency of the 9th-Rank Star Ring Meditation Method will probably reach 200,000. In that case, it will take at least seven or eight months to upgrade.¡±

    Su Nan estimated that the time was roughly in line with his previous prediction.

    If all went well, he would be able to construct the ninth star ring at the end of the month of Summer Ridge or the beginning of the month of Flaming Fire next year.

    Thanks to the reader 1504435735196188672 for the tip, thank you!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 71: Level 1 Summoning Help Technique

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    Chapter 71: Level 1 Summoning Help Technique

    The Puppet Factory echoed with a low rumble.

    The massive mana crystal forging furnace vibrated violently, with an intense orange-red glow radiating from the gaps in its tightly closed lid.

    The entire factory was filled with an anxious atmosphere, the scorching heat making even Probationary Knights unable to withstand it for long.

    Su Nan, however, was oblivious, his face calm as he stood before the workbench.

    A completed steel golem body lay on the wide workbench.

    The black metal surface was covered with countless magic inscription patterns.

    As Su Nan placed the soul crystal in the golem¡¯s chest cavity, a silver glow quickly spread along the inscription patterns, flowing throughout the entire body like a stream of light.

    The next second, the steel golem abruptly sat up, jumped off the workbench, landing with a thud on the ground, standing upright before Su Nan.

    Observing the majestic body of the steel golem, Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°A steel golem made with Blackstone Iron is indeed stronger than ordinary steel.¡±

    ¡°Even against Ho Chi, this steel golem is enough to win.¡±

    A qualified steel golem, in addition to being indestructible and possessing immense strength, also possessed dark vision, immunity to all mental influence effects, immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, confusion, suffocation, and so on, fearless of pain and death.

    It also had extremely high resistance to most elemental damage effects.

    For example, burns from fire, paralysis from lightning, curses from darkness, and corrosion from shadows.

    It was undoubtedly a combat behemoth!

    Even within the wizard towers of official wizards, steel golems could be ranked among the high-level guard ranks.

    For Su Nan¡¯s current base, which was only just starting to take shape, it was more than enough to serve as the ultimate guard rank.

    As for higher-level golems, aside from the lack of suitable soul crystals, his current Puppetry Refining level was insufficient.

    ¡°Steel golems are indeed good guards, but the key materials are hard to find.¡±

    In addition to the metal materials that make up the body, steel golems also require silver, gold, and crystal for inscribing magic patterns.

    The overall cost was close to eight hundred gold coins.

    This was without factoring in the value of the soul crystal.

    If the soul crystal were included, the cost of the steel golem would definitely exceed a thousand gold coins.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a second soul crystal on hand now, so I can¡¯t forge a second steel golem in the short term.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe I could try using gemstones as the soul core, forging a lower-performance, castrated version of the steel golem, and then synthesizing it?¡±

    Those were the Level 1 Summoning Technique and Understanding Language.

    The Level 1 Summoning Technique was also known as the Level 1 Summoning Help Technique among wizards.

    Many wizards would use this spell to summon interdimensional creatures to assist them with experiments, base management, and so on.

    After all, summoning interdimensional creatures was undoubtedly quicker and more convenient than spending a lot of time and effort training apprentices.

    However, this method wasn¡¯t without its difficulties.

    Firstly, the target of the Level 1 Summoning Technique was uncertain.

    Interdimensional creatures were as numerous as stars, and nine out of ten could not meet the requirements of wizards.

    To summon a suitable interdimensional creature, it was almost impossible without trying hundreds or even thousands of times.

    Secondly, there was the issue of language communication.

    During the spell¡¯s activation, the caster could communicate with the summoned creature through the spell using mental communication, so there was no communication problem.

    However, if the interdimensional creature was to be kept, communication became an issue that had to be addressed.

    But this was easy to solve. Understanding Language was designed for this very purpose.

    With this spell, communication with interdimensional creatures wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Moreover, he could later create a magic item with a permanent Understanding Language spell and put it on the summoned creature, eliminating any communication barriers.

    Finally, there was the matter of contracts.

    The prerequisite for turning an interdimensional creature into a helper was to ensure that it wouldn¡¯t betray.

    Furthermore, there was loyalty.

    Therefore, signing a contract was the only option.

    Even if it wasn¡¯t a slave-type blood contract, it had to be at least a cooperative oath contract.

    How to convince the interdimensional creature to sign a contract was something wizards had to consider.

    Of course, if you were ruthless enough, you could force the interdimensional creature to sign a blood contract using violence.

    There were even wizards who used this spell to summon interdimensional creatures as experimental material, leading to the Level 1 Summoning Technique gaining another name: the Level 1 Summoning Resource Technique.

    However, the downside of doing so was obvious. Under the influence of the interdimensional summoning laws, these wizards would likely not receive a response from interdimensional creatures in the future.

    ¡°I also have Magic Coins, which can also summon interdimensional creatures. I can use them together with the Level 1 Summoning Technique.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, I can summon some useful helpers.¡±

    Su Nan added another item to his schedule list.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 72: Base Tour

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    ## Chapter 72: Base Tour

    Shining Light City, tavern backyard.

    Shouts rose and fell, creating a chaotic cacophony.

    ¡°Be quick! Unload everything.¡±

    ¡°Be careful! If you break anything, I¡¯ll deduct your pay!¡±

    ¡°Separate the marked items and I¡¯ll personally send them out of the city.¡±

    Muzhuo loudly directed his subordinates, occasionally throwing in a curse.

    Normally, with his status, he wouldn¡¯t need to personally accompany the convoy to deliver goods.

    But to show his respect for Shining Light Territory, he would personally lead the way every time.

    Remembering his first encounter with Su Nan at the tavern, Muzhuo couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Although he had initially recognized Su Nan as someone extraordinary with a promising future, he never imagined the other party¡¯s performance would be so astonishing and impressive.

    As one of the major merchants of the Thornflower Kingdom, he had his own intelligence channels and knew well how crucial Su Nan¡¯s role was in the recent battle to reclaim Shining Light Territory.

    It could be said that without Su Nan, Black Stone City wouldn¡¯t have been able to make a comeback. Instead, it would have crumbled during the assassination attempt!

    Su Nan had almost single-handedly reversed the power dynamic between the two sides!

    Although Muzhuo had heard countless rumors about the secrets of Wizard Apprentices, he had never witnessed firsthand how powerful they truly were.

    Naturally, he wanted to befriend such a promising individual.

    Not to mention, Su Nan also had a partnership with the Merchant Guild. Those potions brought the Guild a significant profit.

    After unloading the goods, Muzhuo entrusted the remaining tasks to his deputy, while he personally led people and cargo towards the base outside the city.

    Ota followed Muzhuo closely, and they rode in the same carriage.

    After getting into the carriage and lowering the curtain, Muzhuo casually asked, ¡°Any news from the Dyeing Frost Province?¡±

    Ota shook his head with a heavy expression. ¡°No. I sent several letters, but the clan members there have not replied.¡±

    ¡°Strange. The beastmen in Dyeing Frost Province live perfectly normal lives. Why would they spread the Beast Transformation Syndrome?¡± Muzhuo stroked his chin thoughtfully.

    Ota said in a low voice, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be them. Only the original beastmen can spread the Beast Transformation Syndrome, not us descendants. I think there¡¯s something else going on here.¡±

    Muzhuo didn¡¯t refute him. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°After delivering these goods, you go to Dyeing Frost Province and investigate. If the situation is too critical, the Merchant Guild will have to consider shrinking its business in the province.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Ota nodded solemnly.

    The two then fell silent, and the carriage was soon filled with quietude.

    At that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted from outside.

    Curious, Muzhuo lifted the curtain and looked out, discovering three black leopards running through the street, attracting the attention of passersby.

    Blackrock Leopards!

    ¡°Stone Golems!¡± Atir exclaimed.

    She had seen pictures of Stone Golems in books, but this was the first time she saw them in person.

    Xie Man and Kore also stared at the Stone Golems, their eyes wide with wonder.

    ¡°They are the base¡¯s guards, meow.¡± Amy explained.

    As she spoke, a group of clay golems approached from afar, seemingly about to leave the base.

    Amy glanced back and said, ¡°A merchant convoy just arrived with some deliveries. They are going to move things. Come on, let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    She hopped forward, bouncing cheerfully, and the three followed closely behind.

    Amy was very diligent, explaining the purpose of each place they visited.

    ¡°This is the Meditation Area. You can meditate here in the future. Just pick any empty meditation chamber.¡±

    ¡°This is the Magic Training Area. You see those humanoid targets? Once you¡¯ve learned magic, you can practice here.¡±

    ¡°This is the Experimental Area, where we conduct experiments.¡±

    ¡°This is the Living Area, your future residence.¡±

    ¡°This is the Potion Production Area...¡±

    The base was incredibly vast.

    Along the way, the variety of facilities overwhelmed the three youngsters.

    Unconsciously, they arrived at the Puppet Factory.

    Xie Man immediately noticed a towering steel behemoth standing in a corner and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    Amy glanced at it and said, ¡°That¡¯s a Steel Golem.¡±

    ¡°So this is a Steel Golem.¡±

    The books Xie Man and the others had read only described lower-level golems, briefly mentioning the Steel Golem without going into detail. Seeing it in person, they were awestruck.

    It¡¯s so huge!

    ¡°Amy, is the Steel Golem much stronger than the Stone Golem?¡± Kore asked curiously.

    ¡°Of course, the Steel Golem¡¯s combat power is equivalent to a Legendary Knight.¡±

    Upon hearing Amy¡¯s answer, the three youngsters gasped in unison, their eyes wide with astonishment.

    This hulking giant was as powerful as a Legendary Knight!

    They couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard, their gazes filled with awe towards the Steel Golem.

    Their admiration for Su Nan deepened even further.

    How powerful must their teacher be to create a Steel Golem?

 Chapter 73: Missions and Contribution Points

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    ## Chapter 73: Missions and Contribution Points

    Leaving the Puppet Factory, Amy led the three to tour the Magic Plant Garden before heading straight to the warehouse.

    The final stop of the base tour was the warehouse.

    As they approached the warehouse, Xieman heard a melodious music from afar.

    ¡°It¡¯s a violin,¡± said Artir, closing his eyes and listening for a moment, his tone certain.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Kore nodded, ¡°The musician¡¯s skill is outstanding, even better than my previous violin teacher.¡±

    Xieman scratched his head, he couldn¡¯t discern the difference, he just thought it sounded nice.

    ¡°It¡¯s Little Grillie playing, she loves to play the violin.¡±

    Amy said, leading the way towards the warehouse.

    Xieman and the other three suppressed their confusion and quickly followed.

    Upon reaching the warehouse, they discovered a small chair placed in front of the door. A tiny figure was sitting on it, intently playing the violin.

    The little figure was only about twenty centimeters tall, slender and delicate in appearance, looking like a girl who had been shrunk countless times.

    She had pale green skin with slight scales, deep green hair adorned with shells and pearls, and a shawl woven from various seaweeds, giving her an uncanny beauty.

    Artir¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°So cute!¡±

    Xieman hesitated, ¡°Is this... a little elf?¡±

    ¡°Xieman is right, Little Grillie is a Grilie, a helper Su Nan summoned from another world just a few days ago.¡± Amy said.

    Another world summoning? Grilie?

    Xieman and the other three listened, feeling awestruck.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Little Grillie¡¯s age, she has lived for many years. Grilies are a rare immortal race.¡±

    The three apprentices widened their eyes in astonishment.

    Immortal race!

    Doesn¡¯t that mean they live forever?

    Are there such races in this world?

    At this moment, the melodious violin music slowly stopped, followed by a delicate and pleasant voice.

    ¡°Amy, it¡¯s not a good habit to talk about a lady¡¯s age behind her back.¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Amy turned around in confusion.

    They were quite excited.

    But when they saw the contribution points needed to exchange for a Steel Golem, their hearts skipped a beat, and they immediately dismissed the unrealistic idea.

    ¡°You guys are lucky.¡±

    Amy said from the side.

    ¡°The Starsea Continent is resource-scarce these days, many things on this board can¡¯t be found outside, only Su Nan can get them.¡±

    ¡°As long as you work hard enough, you won¡¯t lack resources to quickly improve your strength.¡±

    Xieman, Kore, and Artir were inspired by Amy¡¯s words.

    Over the past half-year, through studying books and chatting with Amy, they had already understood the importance of resources for a Wizard Apprentice.

    Without sufficient resources, it would be difficult for a Wizard Apprentice to even meditate and increase their spiritual power, let alone pursue truth.

    Now, their teacher had provided them with a platform.

    A platform where they could exchange resources for labor.

    As long as they worked hard to earn contribution points, they could continuously grow stronger, until one day, they became strong like their teacher!

    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here in the warehouse, if you want to take on tasks, check your contribution points, or exchange items, feel free to come find me anytime.¡± Grillie said.

    After saying that, she picked up her violin again.

    Seeing this, Xieman and the others wisely bid farewell and left.

    On the way to the residential area, Amy continued to chatter: ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Little Grillie, even though she¡¯s small, her archery skills are amazing, and she can use various Charm spells, Detection spells, and Invisibility spells, even I¡¯m no match for her.¡±

    Xieman and the others responded half-heartedly, their minds wandering to other things.

    For young apprentices, everything they had seen was so new and strange.

    Before today, they had read many books and believed they had a certain understanding of the world of Wizards.

    But after seeing the facilities of the base with their own eyes, they finally felt like they had lifted a curtain and caught a glimpse of a corner of the Wizard world.

    Their previous assumptions were nothing more than the thinking of a frog at the bottom of a well.

    Xieman felt it even more deeply.

    Thinking about his dream of living in a castle, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at himself, his past self was truly shallow and ridiculous, the world was far vaster than he thought.

    Compared to the vast and mysterious world of Wizards, a mere noble castle was like a grain of sand, insignificant.

    ¡°I must become a Wizard, see more of the world!¡±

    At that moment, the young apprentice secretly made up his mind.

 Chapter 74

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    The magic stone lamp emitted a warm glow, illuminating the entire workshop as if it were daytime.

    After successfully synthesizing the magic stone, Su Nan immediately replaced all the lighting fixtures in the base with magic stone lamps.

    Compared to torches and oil lamps, the light from magic stone lamps was much more stable and brighter.

    Energy consumption was also low, with a single magic stone able to sustain the magic stone lamp for over half a year.

    Similarly, the alcohol lamps used in potion making were also replaced with higher precision burning lamps powered by magic stones.

    Thanks to this, Su Nan¡¯s potion making success rate increased by a few percentage points.

    Under the bright lights, Su Nan looked intently at the ring in his palm, a smile of joy on his face.

    After the materials he commissioned from the Fire Fox Trading Company were delivered, he immediately began manufacturing magical items.

    The first item he chose was a spatial magic item.

    Following the plan he had set earlier, Su Nan created seven alchemy-grade space rings in one go, then placed them all in the magic cube, successfully synthesizing a micro-light-grade space ring.

    ¡¾Space Ring (Micro-Light-Grade/Low Magical Item), containing 5 cubic meters of storage space. Objects placed inside are unaffected by the passage of time, but living beings cannot be placed inside. ¡¿

    Alchemy-grade space rings were only 0.5 cubic meters in size and did not have the effect of pausing the flow of time.

    However, after synthesizing the micro-light-grade space ring, the space expanded tenfold, and it also gained the effect of pausing the flow of time, making it far superior to the alchemy-grade space ring.

    ¡°I won¡¯t have to keep taking things in and out of the magic cube anymore.¡±

    Su Nan put the space ring on his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Next, I need to make micro-light-grade magic items for attack and defense.¡±

    Defensive magic items were easy to choose, ¡¶Low-Level Magical Item Encyclopedia¡· contained the manufacturing methods for defensive rings, and Su Nan could follow those to manufacture a few, then synthesize them.

    As for attack-type magic items, Su Nan thought long and hard before finally choosing an alchemy-grade magic item called the Ice Burst Necklace.

    Its effect was to create an explosion of extreme cold shockwaves centered on the user, dealing ice damage to an area within ten meters, and adding a frost-retardation effect.

    It could deal damage and control the battlefield at the same time!

    A win-win situation!

    However, unlike space rings, which only need to be sufficient, attack and defense magic items were always better with greater power.

    So Su Nan planned to manufacture more, hoping to synthesize micro-light-grade magic items with greater power.

    He just needed to be on the verge of breaking through to the level of a wizard.

    Because they were planted early, the Silver Moon Flowers had already been harvested twice.

    The improved Silver Moon Flower yielded significantly more essence when extracted, greatly reducing the cost of synthesizing super-ability potions.

    It was also because of this that Su Nan had extra secondary revitalization potions to provide to his three students.

    After the three little ones took on the task of caring for the magic plants and extracting the essence of the Silver Moon Flower, he was instantly relieved and had more time to devote to other tasks.

    It was worth mentioning that not long ago, the three little ones all successfully constructed their first star ring.

    Xie Man was the fastest, achieving it in just over seven months.

    Most of this was due to the secondary revitalization potions.

    Su Nan remembered that when he first started practicing the Star Ring Meditation Method, he only used Silver Moon Flower essence, which was far less effective than the secondary revitalization potions.

    In comparison, the three little ones were undoubtedly luckier, having potions to help them with their meditation from the very beginning.

    However, even under those circumstances, Su Nan only took six months to construct his first star ring.

    From this point of view, the three little ones¡¯ aptitude was not as good as his.

    The second to construct a star ring was Corey, who took almost eight months, a few days slower than Xie Man.

    The last one was Atir, who took about nine months.

    After successfully constructing their first star ring, the three little ones were now learning zero-ring spells.

    However, Su Nan estimated that it would take them half a year or more to master their first spell.

    This was still with the enhancement of secondary revitalization potions.

    After all, they didn¡¯t have panels or other cheat codes like him to speed up their spell mastery.

    Speaking of panels, Su Nan opened his and took a look.

    The Star Ring Meditation Method had now reached level 9, and he had constructed eight star rings, only one more to go.

    As he expected, the amount of proficiency required to upgrade the 9th level Star Ring Meditation Method had skyrocketed to two hundred thousand.

    According to his estimate, it would take at least six months to break through and upgrade.

    His spiritual power was currently 23.88.

    Once he constructed the ninth star ring, it would probably increase to 25.

    ¡°The higher the level, the harder it becomes to increase spiritual power.¡±

    ¡°To quickly advance to third-rank wizard apprentice, I really have to rely on the Nightmare Potion.¡±

 Chapter 75

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    ¡°Is this the Dragon Blood Fruit?¡±

    Kei stared at the baskets overflowing with bright red fruits, his eyes practically glowing.

    ¡°This thing really has one-third the effect of a Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion?¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly, ¡°Do you want to have someone test it?¡±

    ¡°No need, don¡¯t we trust each other?¡± Kei laughed heartily.

    He wasn¡¯t questioning Su Nan, of course. He was just too excited.

    The supply of Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potions couldn¡¯t keep up with demand, causing the Blackrock Cavalry¡¯s expansion to slow significantly.

    Even with the full support of the entire territory, the Blackrock Cavalry currently only had around three hundred members.

    Of those, only about two-thirds were actual knights.

    Kei still had a long way to go before achieving his goal of an all-knight army.

    He dreamed of Su Nan finding a substitute for the Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion.

    Thankfully, this problem had finally been solved.

    With this batch of Dragon Blood Fruits, the Blackrock Cavalry, stagnant for so long, could finally accelerate its expansion!

    Bred, Jorton, and Stary, standing behind Kei, all had beaming faces.

    They all understood what the Dragon Blood Fruits meant.

    With this, the Shining Light Territory¡¯s military power could experience another rapid surge!

    ¡°Right, this is for you.¡±

    Su Nan tossed Kei a Dragon Blood Fruit.

    The latter instinctively reached out to catch it, questioning, ¡°This is...¡±

    ¡°A specially modified Dragon Blood Fruit. After eating it, you should be able to break through to become a Mid-Level Great Knight,¡± Su Nan explained.

    In reality, it was a synthetic Dragon Blood Fruit, made from hundreds of original ones.

    If converted to Dragon Blood Potions, it would be equivalent to three or four Upper-Grade Dragon Blood Potions.

    Beast Transformation Plague usually resulted in complete loss of reason, accompanied by a surge in strength, akin to a permanent rage state.

    If a knight was infected, a one or two-level increase in combat power was normal.

    If a peak knight was infected, their combat power could even skyrocket to the level of a Great Knight.

    Dozens of infected knights were enough to directly assault a fully equipped thousand-man cavalry regiment. The thought was chilling.

    How could the commanding general responsible for suppression allow the situation to deteriorate to this point?

    As if sensing Su Nan¡¯s confusion, Kei continued, ¡°The commanding general responsible for suppression has been relieved of his duties by the Frost Dye Marquis. The new commander is Lord Yone. He is a veteran general who has followed the Frost Dye Marquis on numerous campaigns, and is also a Legendary Knight. With him in charge, the Beast Transformation Plague should be suppressed quickly.¡±

    Kei spoke with absolute confidence.

    After all, a Legendary Knight was the pinnacle of combat power in the Starsea Duchy.

    Such a powerful figure could easily suppress a group of infected individuals who had lost their minds.

    In fact, all the nobles who knew about this situation shared the same sentiment.

    But the situation¡¯s development defied everyone¡¯s expectations.

    In the Starlight Calendar year 1251, Spring Dawn Month (March).

    Legendary Knight Yone was besieged by thousands of infected individuals in Jade Orchid City. After an exhausting battle, he was killed.

    The accompanying elite cavalry regiment was completely wiped out.

    The news shocked the entire Starsea Duchy. Countless nobles focused their attention on Frost Dye Province.

    In the same year, Thunderclap Month (April).

    The Beast Transformation Plague spread at an alarming rate.

    Apart from the central city of Frost Dye City, almost the entire Frost Dye Province was affected by the plague.

    As the origin of the plague, Silver Ridge City became a wasteland.

    The bordering Lake Orchid Province, Red Leaf Province, and White Pagoda Province all established·âËøÏß (blockades) on their borders, prohibiting residents of Frost Dye Province from entering their territories.

    In the same month, the Frost Dye Marquis sent a plea for help to the capital, requesting reinforcements.

    The following month, the Starsea Duke dispatched troops into Frost Dye Province to begin suppressing the infected.

    For a time, the entire Starsea Duchy seemed to be enveloped in an atmosphere of uncertainty.

 Chapter 76

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    The tumultuous situation outside did not affect Su Nan¡¯s development.

    Time entered the end of the Xia Long month.

    Shortly after his nineteenth birthday, Su Nan constructed his ninth Star Ring.

    By now, he had completed half of the requirements to advance to a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    In the Meditation Chamber, Su Nan sat cross-legged, gazing at the panel in the void.

    ¡¾Su Nan¡¤Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Spirit 25.35/Constitution 17.88¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv10 (35/300000)

    Potion Crafting Lv4 (781/10000)

    Creature Modification Lv2 (1402/3000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv3 (457/6000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv2 (1532/3000)

    A happy smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face as he looked at the data on the panel.

    ¡°Next, I only need to increase my Spirit to 30 to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    Su Nan estimated that the Evil Illusion Potion could increase his Spirit by at least 2 points.

    In other words, he still had to increase his Spirit to 28 or above.

    ¡°Currently, I only gain 0.01 point of Spiritual Power every day through meditation. To reach 28 points, it will take about eight to nine months.¡±

    ¡°Considering that Spiritual Power becomes more difficult to increase as you progress, it will probably take even longer.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m already at the limit with second-order potions. If I could use third-order Super Ability Potions, my meditation efficiency would be even higher.¡± R??

    Su Nan felt a slight sense of regret.

    Even so, advancing to a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice before turning twenty was already considered outstanding.

    At least on the current Starry Light Continent, Su Nan didn¡¯t think many Wizard Apprentices had a speed of cultivation that could match his.

    Shaking off his greedy thoughts, Su Nan stood up and left the Meditation Chamber, heading towards the workshop.

    The manufacturing and synthesis of microlight-level magical items were nearing completion.

    During this time, he had successively manufactured more than twenty Protective Rings and Ice Blast Necklaces.

    Instantly, an icy cold feeling, so cold that it threatened to freeze one¡¯s marrow, descended from the sky!

    With Su Nan as the center, a visible white frost erupted outwards, instantly filling every inch of space within a radius of 100 meters.

    The Steel Magic Puppet, not far away, was almost instantly covered in a thick layer of frost.

    A layer of light blue ice emerged from its feet, spreading rapidly upwards along its ankles.

    Crack! Crack!

    In the blink of an eye, the Steel Magic Puppet was frozen solid into an ice sculpture.

    Although it shattered the ice and broke free with its immense strength a second later, its movements were clearly affected and slowed down.

    Su Nan immediately deactivated the Ice Seal Necklace.

    The air still held the chilling cold.

    Under the attack of the terrifying cold, the ground within a radius of 100 meters had been completely covered in ice, forming a thin layer of light blue ice.

    ¡°Amazing!¡±

    Su Nan was full of excitement.

    This power truly exceeded his expectations!

    Keep in mind that the Steel Magic Puppet, as a construct lifeform, had an extremely high resistance to elemental damage, and it was thirty meters away; yet it still suffered significant damage and impact, which showed just how powerful the Ice Seal Necklace was.

    If it were a flesh-and-blood creature, within a range of two or three meters, even someone like Ho Chi, a Legendary Knight, would either die or be seriously injured.

    ¡°The Ice Seal Necklace paired with the Extreme Protection Ring is a perfect match!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes glinted slightly.

    The Ice Seal Necklace already had such powerful abilities, what if it were replaced with a microlight-level magical item that didn¡¯t focus on control effects, but purely on damage? How terrifying would its power be?

    Su Nan suddenly felt a little itchy, eager to create one right away.

    But when he thought about the materials consumed in creating the Extreme Protection Ring and the Ice Seal Necklace, his impulsive desire to create more quickly died down.

    He now had less than one hundred gold coins left.

    Until the new potion profits were received, he wouldn¡¯t be able to create more microlight-level magical items.

    ¡°My income is still too low; I can¡¯t do many things.¡±

    Su Nan sighed slightly.

    The most direct way to increase income was to expand the scale of potion sales.

    However, he couldn¡¯t spend too much time making potions; he was already at his limit.

    He could only wait until Xie Man and the others grew up and learned how to make potions, then consider expanding the scale.

    (End)

 Chapter 77: Betrayal

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    Chapter 77: Betrayal

    After over a year of construction and improvement, the base was now basically on track.

    Most of the miscellaneous matters didn¡¯t need Su Nan to handle, as the clay golems and three apprentices were responsible for them.

    Besides occasionally checking on the state of the magic plant garden, he spent most of his energy on meditation, crafting enchanted weapons, and making potions.

    Both his spiritual power and skill proficiency were steadily growing.

    He had thought that this state of affairs would continue until he was promoted to a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, but what happened next shattered Su Nan¡¯s peaceful life.

    Starlight Calendar 1251, Month of Blazing Fire.

    The Duke¡¯s reinforcements stationed in the Frost-Dye Province, while trying to quell the Silver Ridge City, were suddenly attacked from multiple directions by infected individuals, suffering heavy losses, with less than one in ten surviving.

    The disaster in Frost-Dye Province completely deteriorated, and the infected horde immediately spread to neighboring provinces.

    The borderlines of Red Leaf Province, White Tower Province, and Lake Blue Province were successively attacked by the infected horde, hanging precariously.

    The three marquises quickly mobilized heavy troops to station them at the border, resisting the invasion of the infected.

    For a while, the entire southwest of the Duchy was filled with the smoke of war.

    Council Chamber.

    Su Nan browsed the battle report in his hand, his brow slightly furrowed.

    ¡°The disaster is spreading too fast, and the several military suppression attempts have all failed in an unusual manner.¡±

    ¡°You feel that way too, indeed.¡± Kei handed him a letter, ¡°This is a letter sent by President Mu Zhuo, take a look.¡±

    Su Nan took the envelope, opened it, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

    The contents of the letter were concise, meaning that Mu Zhuo had sent his bodyguard, the beastman Ota, to Frost-Dye Province to investigate the outbreak of the Beast Transformation Syndrome. R?

    Upon arriving there, Ota discovered that his own race¡¯s dwelling place was already deserted, and all his kin had vanished.

    He followed the clues and investigated, but inadvertently discovered a group of mysterious individuals manipulating the infected individuals of Beast Transformation Syndrome from behind the scenes.

    Just when he wanted to continue approaching the investigation, he was discovered by the other party, and after a fierce battle, he managed to escape at the cost of serious injuries.

    After that, Ota didn¡¯t dare stay in Frost-Dye Province any longer and fled back to the Thornflower Duchy overnight.

    After learning about the situation from Ota, Mu Zhuo immediately realized how deep the water behind this matter was and decisively stopped the investigation.

    As a gesture of goodwill to Shining Light Territory, he subsequently wrote this letter, informing Kei and Su Nan of the report.

    But the timing he chose was impeccable.

    Right now, Frost-Dye Province was almost destroyed, its army had been crippled, and it was nothing to worry about.

    Red Leaf Province, White Tower Province, and Lake Blue Province were facing the invasion of the infected horde, overwhelmed and in a state of turmoil, they had no time to deal with Marquis Golden Rock.

    The remaining Soman Province and Purple Bamboo Province were still safe for now.

    However, the combined strength of these two provinces was among the bottom in the entire Duchy, even combined, they were no match for Golden Rock Province alone.

    Even if they didn¡¯t deal with Marquis Golden Rock, Marquis Golden Rock would probably have to attack them.

    Or, to put it another way, his initial goal was probably these two provinces.

    Taking advantage of the spreading disaster, swallowing Soman Province and Purple Bamboo Province to increase his strength, and then plotting against other provinces.

    Of course, it¡¯s also possible that Marquis Golden Rock merely happened to be at the time of the disaster and was not the mastermind behind it.

    However, thinking back to how Marquis Golden Rock had been plotting to control the power of the entire Golden Rock Province for years, it was highly unlikely that he had no idea about the current situation.

    ¡°We need to prepare early,¡± Kei said in a deep voice.

    Su Nan also nodded solemnly.

    Before launching a war against the outside world, Marquis Golden Rock¡¯s first step would inevitably be to eliminate any stubborn forces within the province.

    And after years of secret development, there were now few noble lords in Golden Rock Province who didn¡¯t obey Marquis Golden Rock.

    Coincidentally, Shining Light Territory was one of them, and it was the most outspoken.

    It was foreseeable that Marquis Golden Rock would definitely send troops to attack Shining Light Territory first.

    Considering the worst-case scenario, Shining Light Territory would be facing a coalition army from almost the entire Golden Rock Province in the future.

    The situation was dire!

    However, neither Kei nor Su Nan showed any signs of panic.

    They had known from a long time ago that Shining Light Territory would eventually clash with Marquis Golden Rock.

    The reason why they worked hard to accumulate power was to prepare for this moment.

    Therefore, when it actually happened, they felt a strange sense of relief that it had finally come.

    ¡°Winter will be in over three months, and Marquis Golden Rock will definitely want to end the war before the roads are blocked by snow. I estimate that he will soon send a large army to attack us.¡±

    ¡°We must immediately make preparations to welcome war.¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 78: Exceptional Treatment

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    Chapter 78: Exceptional Treatment

    Starlight Calendar 1251, Month of Burning Fire.

    Marquis Goldenrock launched a rebellion and issued a declaration of independence.

    Following closely behind, Earl Stormwind, Earl Winterfrost, Viscount Blackscale, Viscount Feather Serpent, and twelve other powerful lords responded, forming the Goldenrock Alliance.

    The next day, the Goldenrock Alliance dispatched troops to conquer the noble lords within the Goldenrock Province who opposed the declaration of independence.

    This included three Barons and one Viscount.

    The flames of war were about to ignite.

    Shining Light City, Council Hall.

    Kei, Su Nan, three knights, and a group of other knights gathered in the hall, discussing how to confront the Goldenrock Alliance.

    ¡°According to intelligence, Marquis Goldenrock has already led his army to Mountlight City, which happens to be located near the intersection of the borderlines of the Solman Province, the Purple Bamboo Province, and the Goldenrock Province. I speculate that Marquis Goldenrock intends to personally oversee the situation, preventing a surprise attack from the Solman Province and the Purple Bamboo Province.¡±

    A long table was set up in the center of the hall, with a military map of the Starfall Duchy spread out on it.

    Bred was explaining the Goldenrock Alliance¡¯s intentions to those present.

    With each sentence, he would point out the corresponding location on the map.

    ¡°Besides Marquis Goldenrock, the rest of the Alliance¡¯s nobles are divided into four groups.¡±

    ¡°Viscount Blackscale leads one force, responsible for attacking Red Horn Territory.¡±

    ¡°Viscount Feather Serpent leads one force, responsible for attacking Brightheart Territory.¡±

    ¡°Viscount Fangwolf leads one force, responsible for attacking Stonemountain Territory.¡±

    ¡°Earl Stormwind and Earl Winterfrost combine forces to attack our Shining Light Territory.¡±

    As the last sentence fell, everyone present involuntarily twitched their mouths and glanced at Su Nan.

    The other three territories being attacked were each led by a Viscount.

    But Shining Light Territory was being attacked by two Earls working together!

    The key was that Shining Light Territory was just a Baron Territory, and this kind of treatment was simply too exceptional!

    Everyone present knew that the reason Shining Light Territory was receiving such obvious preferential treatment from the Goldenrock Alliance was entirely because of Su Nan¡¯s presence.

    Perhaps in the eyes of Marquis Goldenrock, Su Nan alone was more troublesome than an entire Viscount Territory!

    Facing the gazes of everyone, Su Nan remained calm and composed, his expression unruffled.

    Secondly, there was, of course, Su Nan.

    Kei turned to Su Nan and said solemnly, ¡°Su Nan, do you have any suggestions?¡±

    Su Nan said calmly, ¡°I need a batch of gems, and a large quantity of granite.¡±

    Everyone was taken aback, their faces filled with confusion.

    Kei immediately reacted, his eyes lighting up, ¡°You want to refine stone golems?¡±

    He had seen the stone golems in Su Nan¡¯s base, each one possessing the fighting strength of a regular knight.

    Although they were only initial knights, their fearlessness and disregard for pain made them perfect weapons on the battlefield, capable of taking on hundreds of enemies.

    Not to mention, with one hundred stone golems, coupled with the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment, Kei was absolutely confident in defeating Earl Stormwind¡¯s army.

    Su Nan nodded gently, confirming Kei¡¯s guess.

    Due to the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment¡¯s recent rapid expansion, there was a shortage of Blackrock Iron.

    As a result, Su Nan had to put a stop to the production of the castrated steel golems, meaning he didn¡¯t have any extra golems to deploy in the war.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that Su Nan had tried to use gem soul cores for synthesis, but unfortunately, the final product couldn¡¯t replace soul crystals.

    After all, the most crucial aspect of soul crystals was the soul energy they contained.

    Gem-made soul cores, on the other hand, did not inherently contain soul energy, so no matter how they were synthesized, soul energy could not be generated.

    However, while castrated steel golems were not feasible, stone golems were.

    The materials for stone golems, including gems, granite, and silver, were easily obtainable in large quantities within a short period.

    As for finances, although the territory¡¯s current finances were quite tight, there were ways to address it.

    They could simply ask the Fire Fox Merchant Guild for an advance on the profits from selling potions.

    Mu Zhuo would surely agree to their request.

    Unless he was willing to see Shining Light Territory defeated, causing the potion sales route to be cut off.

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Kei exclaimed with excitement, ¡°With the stone golems, we¡¯ll definitely win this war!¡±

    At this moment, the other knights, after being explained to by Jorton, also understood the combat capabilities of stone golems, and they all looked excited.

    As expected of Sir Su Nan, his amazing techniques truly keep appearing, one after another!

    With Sir Su Nan on our side, even if we face an alliance of two Earls, we will not back down.

    ¡°Transport all the materials to Firefly Castle. I¡¯ll bring the magic energy crystal forging furnace there as well, and directly refine the golems there.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly and said,

    ¡°We have to give the ¡®guests¡¯ who have come from afar a bit of a surprise.¡±

 Chapter 79: The Golem Legion

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    Chapter 79: The Golem Legion

    As Kei issued his order, the entire Shining Light Territory sprung into action.

    Large armies were dispatched in two directions, heading for Firefly Castle and Qilin City respectively.

    Su Nan, carrying the magic crystal forging furnace, arrived at Firefly Castle. He designated a plot of land within the city and hastily erected a temporary puppet factory.

    Xie Man, Corey, and Atir, his three students, were brought along as well, providing assistance with the more menial tasks.

    With the [Puppetry Refining] skill having advanced to level 3, crafting stone golems presented no significant challenge for Su Nan. His success rate was practically 100%.

    In fact, the success rate for puppet crafting was generally quite high, far exceeding the success rate for potion brewing.

    The true difficulty with puppets lay in the cost of crafting and the subsequent maintenance expenses.

    However, this batch of stone golems was intended for battlefield consumption, rendering post-creation maintenance irrelevant. The only significant concern was the cost of crafting.

    The cost of a single stone golem amounted to roughly 43 gold coins, approximately three times the cost of a clay golem.

    The majority of the inflated price was attributed to the gems used.

    Higher-grade gems were required to serve as the soul cores.

    To be honest, if the gems required for puppetry and rune gem crafting weren¡¯t exclusively sourced from natural formations ¨C only naturally occurring gems possessed the innate spiritual essence ¨C Su Nan would have already delved into the creation of artificial gems.

    To date, he had already spent upwards of ten thousand gold coins on gem purchases!

    If he could find a solution to the gem supply issue, he could significantly reduce expenses and allocate those gold coins to other pursuits.

    Once the temporary puppet factory was established, it immediately commenced full-scale operations.

    Su Nan, temporarily putting his cultivation and other duties on hold, devoted himself wholeheartedly to crafting stone golems alongside his three students.No?v(el)B\\jnn

    After half a year of learning, Xie Man, Corey, and Atir had mastered the first zero-ring spell ¨C Master¡¯s Hand!

    Furthermore, under Su Nan¡¯s intentional guidance, all three of them had begun to explore puppetry and potion brewing, acquiring a certain level of skill and knowledge.

    Therefore, they served as temporary assistants, performing their tasks with a surprising degree of organization.

    Over the course of half a month, Su Nan finally crafted 100 stone golems.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame time is so tight and money isn¡¯t abundant, otherwise, I could have crafted more stone golems and synthesized even more powerful ones. They would have been even more effective on the battlefield.¡±

    Su Nan expressed a hint of regret.

    While the Fire Fox Trading Company had ultimately agreed to their conditions, pre-paying a portion of their potion sales profits, the total sum amounted to only 5,000 gold coins.

    This was enough to craft 100 stone golems, but anything beyond that was beyond their means.

    ¡°However, 100 stone golems should be more than enough.¡±

    Su Nan surveyed the massive golems packed densely before him, a smile gracing his lips.

    ¡°Tonight? Are you suggesting a night raid?¡± Kei hesitated.

    While a night raid could achieve surprise, not only was it difficult for the enemy to see at night, but the same was true for their own soldiers. A misstep could lead to a disastrous outcome, potentially costing them lives.

    Furthermore, Kei couldn¡¯t believe the Earl of Storm wouldn¡¯t have anticipated such a move.

    He would undoubtedly have deployed troops to keep a watchful eye on Firefly Castle¡¯s gates, ready to intercept any signs of activity.

    Understanding Kei¡¯s concerns, Su Nan smiled gently. ¡°Golems are constructs. By nature, they possess dark vision, so nighttime combat won¡¯t affect them in the slightest.¡±

    ¡°Golems have that ability?¡± Kei was both astonished and delighted.

    If that were true, it would give them a significant advantage in a nighttime battle.

    ¡°Even so, a nighttime operation won¡¯t achieve the element of surprise. The stone golems aren¡¯t exactly subtle in their attacks. The moment we open the gates, the enemy will know we¡¯re coming.¡±

    ¡°What if we could transport the golem legion into the enemy camp without making a sound?¡± Su Nan inquired with a smile.

    ¡°How could that be possible?¡±

    Kei instinctively started to object, then suddenly realized the implication of Su Nan¡¯s words. His eyes widened in disbelief.

    ¡°You have a way?¡±

    Su Nan nodded with a smile.

    Stone golems weren¡¯t truly sentient beings; they could be easily stored in storage rings.

    Of course, the space ring¡¯s capacity of 5 cubic meters could only accommodate three or four stone golems at most. It wouldn¡¯t be possible to implement the plan that way.

    But Su Nan had the Magic Cube!

    100 stone golems could be easily stored in just two slots, leaving ample room to spare!

    ¡°Good, excellent!¡±

    Kei practically rubbed his hands together in excitement.

    He couldn¡¯t blame his overreaction. If what Su Nan said was true, transporting 100 stone golems into the enemy camp without detection, followed by a sudden assault, would undoubtedly throw the enemy into disarray.

    They could then calmly open the gates, deploy their troops, and effortlessly crush the enemy!

    The entire battle could be decided in a single night!

    The plan couldn¡¯t have been more perfect!

    The real key, however, was the person executing the plan.

    If anyone else had claimed they could transport 100 stone golems into the enemy camp, Kei would have been skeptical.

    But Su Nan was different.

    Even though Su Nan hadn¡¯t revealed his strategy, Kei was unwavering in his belief that Su Nan had a method up his sleeve.

    Without further ado, with the plan finalized, they immediately sprang into action.

 Chapter 80: Infiltration

    Read Advanced Chapters of *Synthesis Wizard* and *Steady Cultivation: The Entire Cultivation World Is My Home* on Patreon: /fantasystories797

    ## Chapter 80: Infiltration

    Night had fallen.

    Thick clouds obscured the silver moon in the night sky.

    The moonlight was faint, like a soft, hazy ink wash in the pitch-black night, appearing and disappearing.

    About five to six hundred meters outside the south gate of Firefly Castle, in a dug-out trench, three scouts were lying in wait, observing the movement of the distant city gate.

    ¡°This Firefly Castle is like a turtle shell. We¡¯ve been attacking for so many days and still haven¡¯t taken it down. It¡¯s really frustrating.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, ultimately it¡¯s the Blackrock Beasts. Those monsters are too tricky. I heard they¡¯re Puppet Creatures made by a Wizard.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk, a Wizard huh? I heard it¡¯s because of the Wizard in Shining Light Territory that the Marquis sent two Earls together to make such a big fuss.¡±

    ¡°Are Wizards really as powerful as they say?¡±

    The scout lying on the leftmost side said half-heartedly, but after a while, he noticed his two companions were not responding. He turned his head in confusion, only to find they had collapsed on the ground, motionless.

    ¡°No good!¡±

    He felt a pang of anxiety in his heart, immediately realizing something was wrong. He was about to spring to his feet, but the next second, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and his consciousness fell into eternal darkness.

    Su Nan slowly retracted his palm, his face calm and devoid of any ripple.

    With his current physical fitness, which rivaled that of a peak Knight, even without using magic, silently eliminating three scouts who weren¡¯t even Knights was effortless.

    Carefully examining the appearance and physique of the corpses, Su Nan then whispered a spell.

    In the moonlight, his shape and appearance rapidly changed, in the blink of an eye becoming identical to the deceased scout.

    Even the clothes and weapons on his body were exactly the same.

    ¡¾Magical Disguise¡¿!

    This spell could alter the caster¡¯s appearance, including clothing and equipment.

    It¡¯s somewhat similar to ¡¾Transformation¡¿.

    The difference is that ¡¾Magical Disguise¡¿ can only change the external form, and even if transformed into a creature, it can¡¯t gain the abilities of that creature. §²

    Furthermore, human spellcasters can only become human-like, humanoid creatures, or other bipedal creatures that resemble humans, and cannot transform into other species.

    Once the disguise was complete, Su Nan woke up the other two scouts and used ¡¾Enchant Humans¡¿ to control them.

    Then, he used ¡¾Silent Phantom¡¿ to transform himself into an injured state.

    By this time, all the preparations were complete.

    Su Nan ordered the two scouts to carry him, rushing back to the Storm Army camp.

    The Storm Army camp was brightly lit.

    The dazzling light extended hundreds of meters outside the camp. Anyone approaching would immediately be noticed.

    He understood that he had asked a stupid question.

    Angry, he said, ¡°This won¡¯t work, that won¡¯t work, you guys just give me a solution!¡±

    Everyone looked at each other, their faces filled with helplessness.

    After a long time, an older general finally suggested, ¡°My Lord, actually, we don¡¯t need to rush. Time is on our side. As long as we wait for Earl Frost to capture Chi Lin City and join us, then we can combine the forces of both armies and take down Firefly Castle easily.¡±

    Earl Storm¡¯s face turned black.

    How could he not understand this logic?

    But if he really did that, the credit for conquering Shining Light Territory would be mostly taken by Earl Frost.

    He was not willing to be a stepping stone for Earl Frost!

    Thinking of this, Earl Storm, with a dark face, rejected the proposal. ¡°No, we must take down Firefly Castle before Earl Frost arrives!¡±

    The generals exchanged glances, their faces showing a common look of helplessness.

    Just then, a commotion came from outside.

    Earl Storm was already in a bad mood, and hearing this, he was furious. He slammed his fist on the table and roared, ¡°Who dares to break camp discipline and make noise in the middle of the night? Drag him out and hang him!¡±

    ¡°My Lord, something¡¯s wrong!¡±

    The general who had spoken earlier suddenly jumped up, before Earl Storm could respond, he rushed out of the tent with a solemn expression.

    The others also reacted and rushed out of the tent.

    Once they left the tent, the sound became much clearer.

    Everyone could hear the intermittent screams coming from the distance.

    ¡°That direction... is the infirmary!¡± The general¡¯s face changed dramatically.

    At this moment, a messenger ran over in a panic, knelt on one knee and said urgently, ¡°My Lord, there are monsters appearing in the infirmary!¡±

    ¡°Monsters? What kind of monsters?¡± Earl Storm was full of disbelief.

    But soon he didn¡¯t need to wonder any longer.

    With a deafening roar, a tent hundreds of meters away was blown into the sky. The wind scattered the smoke and dust, revealing a human-shaped creature behind, four to five meters tall, entirely made of rock.

    With a casual punch, it smashed several soldiers, armor and all, into a pulp. A huge pit instantly appeared on the ground.

    The terrifying force made the hair of many generals stand on end.

    Further away, many identical rock monsters were wreaking havoc, slaughtering the panicked soldiers.

    ¡°What... what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Earl Storm¡¯s eyes widened in horror as he stared at the monsters.

    This was the core of the camp, heavily guarded by tens of thousands of troops. How did these monsters get in here?

 Chapter 81

    Read Advanced Chapters of *Synthesis Wizard* and *Steady Cultivation: The Entire Cultivation World Is My Home* on Patreon: /fantasystories797

    BOOM! BOOM!

    A tremendous commotion echoed out in the dead of night, traveling far and wide.

    Chaos rapidly spread from the infirmary district to the entire camp.

    Numerous soldiers were jolted awake from their sleep, hastily donning their armor. They barely stepped out of their tents when they were sent flying by enormous fists, their bodies disintegrating mid-air before their eyes.

    From the commanding officers to the common soldiers, none had anticipated the enemy appearing at the heart of their camp. Caught completely off guard, they were initially unable to mount any organized counterattack.

    The brutal massacre spread at an alarming rate.

    ¡°Damn it, stop those monsters!¡±

    The oldest commanding officer was the first to react, immediately drawing his weapon and charging towards the stone golems.

    Others, like awoken from a dream, joined the fray, some rushing forward to block the monsters, while others ordered their men to remain calm, attempting to quell the chaos and reorganize their forces.

    Just then, a deafening roar of battle erupted from the direction of the camp gate.

    Baron Storm nearly fainted.

    He didn¡¯t need to think to know that Kei had led his forces to attack.

    Under normal circumstances, he would have welcomed Kei¡¯s intervention.

    However, the camp was in utter disarray, its defenses at their weakest.

    With Firefly Castle attacking at this moment, it was like stabbing a knife into their back, and the consequences were unimaginable.

    ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡±

    Baron Storm was both terrified and furious, stomping his feet in frustration.

    He racked his brains, unable to understand how the enemy had managed to infiltrate the camp.

    These rock monsters were so enormous, even a blind man couldn¡¯t miss them!

    ¡°A bunch of useless fools!¡±

    Baron Storm wanted to hang every single guard and patrol soldier, but he was not completely foolish. He knew that losing his composure at this moment would be disastrous.

    Taking a deep breath, Baron Storm forced himself to calm down. Under the protection of his personal guard, he retreated, putting distance between himself and the rock monsters. Then, he pulled out a greyish-black tooth from his chest. ?

    The tooth was exceptionally sharp, seemingly a fang from some ferocious beast. Its surface was covered with eerie, blood-red veins, exuding an aura of sinister strangeness.

    Baron Storm used a small knife to make a cut on his left thumb, then pressed the wound against the tooth.

    His blood flowed freely, spreading along the blood-red veins. A layer of sinister bloodlight flickered across the tooth¡¯s surface.

    The next moment, the tent beside the command tent suddenly shattered, and more than ten figures surged out, instantly reaching Baron Storm¡¯s side.

    Was this the wizard from Shining Light Territory?

    At this point, they finally understood how the monsters had appeared in the middle of their heavily guarded camp.

    The legendary wizard could even do this?

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    Returning to his senses, Baron Storm immediately issued a command with a distorted face. The bloodlight on the tooth in his hand intensified.

    In an instant, the surrounding beastmen abandoned their opponents without hesitation, turning to attack Su Nan.

    Su Nan¡¯s expression remained calm. He unleashed his pre-prepared Magic Missiles.

    With his growing spiritual power, the number of Magic Missiles he could launch had increased to five.

    The five missiles shot through the void like lightning, striking a beastman who was charging towards him.

    However, to Su Nan¡¯s surprise, the missiles only left a small wound the size of an egg on the beastman. He only staggered slightly, then continued his charge as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Magic resistance!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression instantly turned serious. Finally, he understood what they relied on.

    Generally, knights infected with beastman disease would lose their ability to use martial energy, replaced by a significant increase in physical strength, resulting in increased combat power.

    However, these beastmen, besides being exceptionally strong, seemed to have undergone some kind of modification, greatly enhancing their resistance to magic. It was clearly a tactic aimed specifically at him, the wizard apprentice.

    ¡°Physical modification... Does Duke Goldenrock have a wizard apprentice behind him?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s mind was filled with doubt.

    Based on previous events, Duke Goldenrock didn¡¯t seem to have a wizard apprentice behind him, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have repeatedly underestimated Su Nan.

    Yet, these beastmen overturned his assumptions.

    However, this was no time to ponder such matters. Seeing the beastmen charging at him, Su Nan decisively activated his Ice Freeze Necklace.

    High magic resistance was relative.

    When a spell¡¯s power was strong enough, high magic resistance would naturally become low magic resistance.

    In the stunned gazes of Baron Storm and his men, an intense wave of frigid air, mixed with visible frost, erupted from Su Nan as its center, spreading outwards in all directions!

    CRACK! CRACK!

    The dozen beastmen who were charging towards Su Nan had no time to react, instantly frozen into ice sculptures, crashing to the ground with a bang!

    Looking down from the sky, the area within a radius of 100 meters centered on Su Nan had turned into a frozen wasteland, with even the ground covered in a thick layer of ice.

    A blinding white frost had appeared out of nowhere in the vast camp!

 Chapter 82: The Unknown Wizard Apprentice

    Read Advanced Chapters of *Synthesis Wizard* and *Steady Cultivation: The Entire Cultivation World Is My Home* on Patreon: /fantasystories797

    ## Chapter 82: The Unknown Wizard Apprentice

    Earl Storm stared blankly at the scene before him, his mind a complete blank. His mouth hung open, unable to speak.

    How could this be?

    Didn¡¯t the Marquis say these beastmen were a natural counter to wizards, easily able to suppress Su Nan?

    But what was happening before him?

    These beastmen, whom he had placed his hopes on, couldn¡¯t even withstand a single encounter with Su Nan!

    This was absurd!

    He couldn¡¯t understand!

    The air was thick with chilling cold.

    Looking at the dozen motionless ice statues of beastmen, a satisfied smile flickered across Su Nan¡¯s eyes.

    Back when he had killed Ho Chi, he would have fled in terror if he had encountered these beastmen.

    Marquis Jin Yan had used his past self as a benchmark and considered these beastmen his trump card against him. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.

    But times had changed. Now, Su Nan had more aces up his sleeve, and Marquis Jin Yan¡¯s understanding of his strength was out of date.

    Taking his gaze away from the ice sculptures, Su Nan turned to Earl Storm.

    Meeting Su Nan¡¯s indifferent gaze, Earl Storm felt as if a bucket of cold water had been splashed on him, jolting him back to reality.

    ¡°Stop him!¡±

    Earl Storm yelled in terror, ordering his guards to intercept Su Nan. He himself fled in panic.

    Though filled with fear, the guards couldn¡¯t disobey orders. They had no choice but to charge towards Su Nan.

    They were met with a torrent of searing flames!

    Burning Hand!

    The blazing flames erupted from Su Nan¡¯s palm, spreading outwards in a cone shape, engulfing an area of over a hundred square meters.

    The soldiers charging forward instantly turned into blazing torches, screaming as they fell to the ground. They rolled and writhed, gradually silencing as time passed.

    However, as soon as these guards were eliminated, two commanders rushed in, alerted by Earl Storm¡¯s cries for help.

    Looking at the aura of martial energy that enveloped their bodies, they were clearly Great Knights.

    ¡°Such a nuisance,¡± Su Nan muttered, directly launching two rune gems.

    BOOM!

    Lightning tore through the night sky!

    The two Great Knights, who had rushed in to protect their master, were instantly reduced to charred corpses before reaching within five meters of Su Nan.

    Only Lord Su Nan could achieve such an astonishing feat!

    ¡°This is the new Earl Storm. He¡¯s yours to deal with.¡±

    Su Nan pointed at Earl Storm lying on the ground.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job!¡± Kei exclaimed, his face beaming with excitement.

    After tonight¡¯s battle, the Storm Army was no longer a threat. They could now march on the Winterfrost Legion, lifting the siege of Chilong City.

    As long as they defeated Earl Winterfrost, the Shining Light Territory would have a chance to breathe.

    If they acted quickly, they could even seize the Storm and Winterfrost territories before their enemies reacted, significantly boosting their own strength!

    The situation had already turned in their favor!

    ¡°Take this man away and lock him up.¡±

    Kei ordered his soldiers to drag the unconscious Earl Storm away. Then, he turned to the ice sculptures nearby.

    ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°Beastmen,¡± Su Nan replied concisely.

    Kei was startled. Why were beastmen here?

    But he quickly realized that they were likely meant to counter Su Nan.

    It seemed Marquis Jin Yan had greatly underestimated Su Nan¡¯s strength. The beastmen he had prepared were completely useless.

    Kei thought that this was reasonable. After all, even his own brother couldn¡¯t see through Su Nan¡¯s true strength.

    The latter had too many secret techniques and methods up his sleeve!

    ¡°Now we can confirm it. Marquis Jin Yan is the one behind the spread of Beast Syndrome!¡± Kei frowned, ¡°That old man is truly ruthless. He¡¯s willing to sacrifice tens of thousands of lives for his own selfish gains.¡±

    Su Nan said in a deep voice, ¡°Marquis Jin Yan alone couldn¡¯t have orchestrated something this large-scale. I suspect a wizard apprentice is behind him.¡±

    ¡°A wizard apprentice?¡± Kei exclaimed in alarm.

    With Su Nan¡¯s vivid example before them, he had a deep understanding of the power of wizard apprentices.

    If Marquis Jin Yan also had the support of a wizard apprentice, the situation would be extremely difficult.

    ¡°Right now, it¡¯s just a suspicion. I need to study these things before I can be sure.¡±

    Su Nan glanced at the blood-patterned bone tooth in his hand and then at the ice sculptures nearby.

    He intended to dissect these beastmen overnight to see if they were indeed the work of other wizard apprentices.

    ¡°I still have a use for those ice sculptures. Send someone to help me transport them back to Firefly Castle.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone right away.¡±

    Kei nodded, his expression heavy with worry. He turned and gave the order.

 Chapter 83: A Word on Going on Sale

    Read Advanced Chapters of *Synthesis Wizard* and *Steady Cultivation: The Entire Cultivation World Is My Home* on Patreon: /fantasystories797

    ## Chapter 83: A Word on Going on Sale

    2024-08-09

    Chapter 83: A Word on Going on Sale

    I received the notification that the book will go on sale tonight at midnight.

    To be honest, it was a bit sudden. I was originally planning to go on sale next week.

    The wizard genre is relatively niche on Qidian, and achieving success is much harder than writing cultivation or martial arts novels.

    Going forward, I will guarantee at least 8,000 words per day, and I will try my best to add more chapters.

    Originally, I didn¡¯t want to set up extra chapter rules. After all, updating more frequently is better for the author. However, a friend who is also an author made a good point: having an extra chapter rule can create pressure and motivation for me. So, let¡¯s give it a try.

    For the first subscription, I¡¯m setting the goal at 1000. Every 100 subscriptions will result in one extra chapter, with no upper limit.

    For monthly votes, every 300 votes will also result in one extra chapter, with no upper limit.

    Each of these chapters will be 4000 words.

    Once again, thank you for your support. I hope you will continue to support the first subscription and monthly votes. Thank you all!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 84

    Read Advanced Chapters of *Synthesis Wizard* and *Steady Cultivation: The Entire Cultivation World Is My Home* on Patreon: /fantasystories797

    Temporary Puppet Factory.

    A beastman was laid out on the wide workbench, dissected.

    Because it was still cold, the blood was frozen, not flowing everywhere.

    Su Nan put away his tools, removed the Master¡¯s Hand, and looked thoughtful.

    ¡°As I guessed, these people¡¯s beast bloodline factors have all awakened, and they have experienced irreversible atavism. It is indeed bestiality.¡±

    ¡°And they all have traces of physical modification. It¡¯s definitely the work of a Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    Su Nan looked at the dozen or so beastmen standing silently in the corner.

    He had studied the Blood-ÎÆ Beast Tooth he had taken from Earl Tempest and confirmed that it was a magic item used to control the beastmen.

    It was similar to the necklace he gave the Cavalry Regiment to control the Blackrock Beasts.

    This kind of magic item paired with specific puppets and slaves was not difficult to make, but because it was not difficult, the creators usually added some ¡°exclusive¡± enchanted runes, which act as a kind of encryption.

    For those other than the creator to crack and use these magic items, the [Magic Item Creation] skill must be at least two or three levels higher than the creator¡¯s.

    Judging from the craftsmanship of the Blood-ÎÆ Beast Tooth, Su Nan estimated that the creator¡¯s [Magic Item Creation] level was not high, it should only be Level 1.

    However, his skill level was only Level 2, and he still couldn¡¯t crack it.

    He could only barely use the Blood-ÎÆ Beast Tooth to suppress the beastmen, preventing them from becoming hostile towards him.

    ¡°Too bad, this kind of magic item can only control specific targets and can¡¯t be used to suppress other beastmen.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head.

    This Blood-ÎÆ Beast Tooth could only be used to suppress the dozen or so beastmen in front of him, which was essentially useless to him.

    Sighing, Su Nan casually dealt with these beastmen, and then destroyed the Blood-ÎÆ Beast Tooth.

    These beastmen couldn¡¯t be saved. For them, death was a release.

    ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s now certain that Marquis Jin Yan is indeed backed by a Wizard Apprentice. The beastly disaster is most likely related to that Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    Unlike that time with Amy, Su Nan could be sure that this time it was a real, living Wizard Apprentice.

    He was also the first Wizard Apprentice he encountered in this world.

    The reason he was sure it wasn¡¯t a Wizard was because if it were a real Wizard, solving him wouldn¡¯t require this much trouble.

    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice or a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice?¡±

    Su Nan looked somewhat solemn.

    Compared to Marquis Jin Yan, who had amassed an army and powerful forces, a Wizard Apprentice was even more worrisome.

    After all, the former wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him unless he simultaneously sent four or five Legendary Knights to surround him.

    In comparison, a Wizard Apprentice posed a much greater threat to him.

    Especially a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, they could already skillfully manipulate energy particles, release energy runes without relying on rune gems, and had mastered Second-Ring Spells and Super Magic Techniques.

    Even Su Nan, who held many trump cards, couldn¡¯t guarantee that he could handle a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    ¡°To deal with a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, even with the Frost Necklace and the Extreme Protection Ring, it¡¯s not safe. I still need to prepare more trump cards.¡±

    Although he might not encounter that Wizard Apprentice, Su Nan thought it was still safer to prepare early.

    It was always better to be cautious.

    After pondering for a moment, Su Nan quickly had a plan.

    First, create a new magic item of the Microlight tier.

    Different from the Frost Necklace, this magic item would be entirely focused on attack.

    Secondly, prepare new trump cards.

    ¡°I had some ideas before. I can try it out now.¡±

    Su Nan spread his palm, looked at the rune gem in his hand, his eyes glimmering slightly.

    The night of the attack, the Shining Light Territory almost effortlessly defeated the Tempest army.

    The army suffered minimal casualties.

    So Kei immediately made a decision. He left some troops behind to guard the prisoners, then led the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment and the rest of the army to Chi Lin City overnight.

    Su Nan also took the Magic Puppet Legion with him.

    Earl Winter Frost didn¡¯t expect Earl Tempest to be defeated so quickly. When he received news of the Tempest army¡¯s defeat, Kei had already led his army to block his retreat.

    In this way, facing the fierce attack of the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment and the Stone Magic Puppet Legion, the besieged Winter Frost army, as expected, collapsed.

    Earl Winter Frost was captured, and the next day, he was put on the gallows with Earl Tempest.

    As soon as the battle report was released, the entire Jin Yan Province, and even the entire Starlight Kingdom, were shocked.

    No one expected that the combined forces of the two earldoms would be unable to take down a small barony, and they were even defeated in return, and both earls were captured and killed.

    By the month of Revival (February), his spiritual power had grown to 27.45.

    At the same time, the last ingredient for the Evil Illusion Potion was finally collected.

    Without delay, Su Nan immediately set about making the Evil Illusion Potion.

    His [Potion Making] skill was level 4, which was enough to make second-order potions.

    Despite this, Su Nan still failed twice, and it was only on the third attempt that he successfully made the Evil Illusion Potion.

    ¡°Success!¡±

    Looking at the finished potion in his hand, Su Nan breathed a sigh of relief.

    The amount of Bloody Mandala he got from Shizhong City was only enough to make three Evil Illusion Potions. If he had failed a third time, he would have suffered a huge loss.

    Fortunately, his luck hadn¡¯t been that bad.

    ¡°It was indeed the right decision to upgrade the [Potion Making] skill to level 4 before making the Evil Illusion Potion. The difficulty of a second-order potion is significantly higher than that of a first-order potion.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan turned his attention back to the potion.

    The transparent, narrow-necked potion vial contained a violet liquid, within which were scattered shimmering light spots, shining with a mesmerizing beauty under the glow of the magic stone lamp.

    Just by its appearance, it was hard to guess that such a beautiful potion would have the malicious-sounding words ¡°evil illusion¡± in its name.

    ¡°Too bad, if I could have made two Evil Illusion Potions and combined them, I might have been able to directly break through 30 points of spiritual power. But now there¡¯s only one, I guess it¡¯s not enough.¡±

    Su Nan was slightly regretful, but he quickly regained his composure.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t break through 30 points of spiritual power after taking this Evil Illusion Potion, it wouldn¡¯t be far off.

    At most, he would only need to meditate for another month or two, and he would definitely be able to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    He took a magic stone and silver from his space ring. Su Nan drew an energy gathering magic array in the Meditation Chamber. He then activated the magic array, filling the room with large amounts of energy particles.

    Only then did he sit cross-legged on the ground, took a deep breath, calmed his mind, gently removed the cork, and drank the potion in one gulp.

    The slightly cool potion flowed into his stomach, turning into a chilly breath that quickly spread throughout his body.

    Su Nan leaned back and lay on the ground, relaxing his mind and limbs.

    About ten seconds later, his body suddenly tensed, and then began to violently convulse.

    Visibly, the veins on his exposed hands and feet bulged, twisting and convulsing like earthworms. His skin flushed abnormally, and large patches of sweat oozed out, quickly soaking his clothes.

    If a Wizard were present at this moment and used spiritual power to scan him, they would see a countless number of energy particles pouring in from all sides like a tide, almost completely enveloping Su Nan, making him look like a colorful human cocoon.

    Every second, countless energy particles entered his body through his pores.

    Su Nan gritted his teeth, enduring the tidal wave of pain surging through his body.

    Vaguely, he seemed to feel a cold air slowly spreading throughout the room.

    Click!

    A faint sound of footsteps seemed to come from his ears.

    Su Nan struggled to turn his head, and was shocked to find a group of grotesque and terrifying monsters in the room at some point.

    They looked like human-shaped creatures made of rotting flesh. Sticky mud slid down their skin, dripping onto the floor with a sizzling sound, corroding small holes in the floorboards.

    Even more terrifying was the gaping mouth full of sharp teeth in the middle of their rotting bodies. He could faintly see remnants of flesh between the teeth.

    These monsters growled, squirmed, and slowly approached Su Nan with a malevolent intent.

    Su Nan lay on the ground, his whole body stiff and unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as the monsters slowly approached and then used their sharp teeth to tear at his flesh.

    The intense pain hit his nerves like a tidal wave, wave after wave, seemingly endless, until his whole body went numb with pain, losing all sensation.

    In this way, Su Nan watched helplessly as he was torn apart, slowly turning into minced meat and bones, entering the monsters¡¯ mouths. In the end, only a head remained, witnessing the complete process of his dismemberment.

    Sizzle!

    With a soft sound, everything disappeared.

    The monsters, the flesh, and the slime, all vanished.

    The room returned to calm.

    Su Nan lay on the ground, drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

    ¡°Damn it, the side effects are too strong.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but curse.

    He finally understood how the ¡°evil illusion¡± in the name of the Evil Illusion Potion came about.

    Even though his subconscious understood that it was just an illusion, it was still very uncomfortable to watch himself being dismembered.

    The pain during the process was also real. Anyone with slightly weaker willpower would have probably collapsed.

    ¡°Evil Illusion, Evil Illusion, the name lives up to its reputation.¡±

    (End)

 Chapter 85: Magic Emblem Core

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    Chapter 85: Magic Emblem Core

    It took a while before Su Nan recovered some of his spirit. He sat up.

    As he moved, he immediately felt a noticeable difference.

    His spirit, while still somewhat sluggish, was significantly more active than before.

    The connection with the ambient energy particles seemed tighter as well.

    Overjoyed, Su Nan quickly opened his panel.

    [Su Nan¡¤Arnest, Human Male]

    [Spirit 29.51/Constitution 20.15]

    [Skills]

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv10 (189246/300000)

    Potion Making Lv4 (1824/10000)

    Creature Modification Lv2 (1821/3000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv3 (2712/6000)

    Magical Item Manufacturing Lv2 (1532/3000)

    ¡°Not bad, my spirit increased by 2.06!¡±

    A satisfied smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    It was all worth the suffering he endured.

    The Malicious Illusion Potion, as expected of a second-rank potion, had a nasty side effect, but its effect was truly remarkable.

    If he had trained the traditional way, it would have taken him at least seven to eight months to achieve this level of growth.

    ¡°With this, I just need another 0.49 in spirit to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll only take two months.¡±

    The thought of becoming a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice in two months made Su Nan¡¯s heart swell with joy.

    ¡°My Constitution has also broken through 20, reaching the peak of a Knight¡¯s limit.¡±

    The Constitution of a Peak Knight is between 17 and 20.

    Su Nan was now only a step away from a Peak Knight in terms of Martial Energy and combat techniques.

    However, he was confident that even without using magic or magical items, relying solely on his physical fitness and energy particle manipulation skills, he could easily defeat any Knight.

    As for Great Knights, their Constitution is usually above 30. It would be difficult to defeat them without the aid of magic or magical items.

    After cleaning his body and clothes with energy particles, Su Nan stretched and stepped out of the meditation chamber.

    As soon as he got outside, Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted as he looked towards the courtyard in front.

    Space distorted, and the massive body of the Stealthy Dragon materialized out of thin air.

    ¡°Hiss!¡± The Stealthy Dragon hissed softly.

    ¡°Perfect timing. It¡¯s been five days since the last blood transfusion. Time for another round.¡±

    Su Nan led the Stealthy Dragon towards the laboratory.

    The concentration of the Dragon Lizard bloodline in the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s body now exceeded 80%.

    As the bloodline concentration increased, its appearance gradually took on more dragon-like features.

    For example, two protrusions had grown on its head.

    A hook had formed at the end of its tail.

    The breath it exhaled now carried a noticeable heat, sometimes even sparking.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a Dragon Lizard bloodline, yet it exhibits more dragon-like features than some sub-dragons. Is it an inherent talent, or is it due to its transformation into a magical companion?¡±

    This question had been circling in Su Nan¡¯s mind for a long time.

    If the Stealthy Dragon wasn¡¯t his magical companion, and if its abilities weren¡¯t reliable, he would¡¯ve wanted to dissect it to investigate the cause.

    ¡°The Stealthy Dragon now possesses the strength of a near-legendary knight. After its bloodline advancement, it¡¯ll likely reach at least the level of a Second-Ring Legendary Knight!¡±

    A Second-Ring Legendary Knight was strong enough to clash head-on with a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    After completing the blood transfusion in the lab, Su Nan cast a sleep curse on the Stealthy Dragon to help it sleep better. Then he turned and left.

    The last mile is the hardest.

    The remaining 20% of the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline was the most difficult to raise.

    Not to mention the crucial step of transforming from quantitative change to qualitative change.

    Su Nan estimated that it would take at least another year to advance the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline to sub-dragon with only blood transfusions.

    Of course, there were ways to accelerate the bloodline concentration.

    The best method was to fuse with a higher-rank bloodline.

    Such as the blood of a sub-dragon!

    Dragon blood was beyond Su Nan¡¯s reach.

    Not to mention whether dragons still existed on the current Starlight Continent, even if they did, Su Nan didn¡¯t have the strength to draw blood from them.

    It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s covered by clothing, but if it¡¯s on exposed areas like the arms, head, and neck, the magic tattoos are easily visible to the opponent, allowing them to prepare beforehand.

    Another flaw is that magic tattoos are extremely difficult to draw, with a prerequisite of level 3 [Magical Item Manufacturing].

    The vast majority of wizard apprentices cannot meet this requirement.

    Su Nan had considered drawing magic tattoos before, but his skill level wasn¡¯t high enough, so he had to give up.

    As for now, it was even less relevant.

    After becoming a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he could train Super Magic Technique.

    Once he mastered spell casting, the value of magic tattoos would significantly decrease.

    Besides, magic tattoos have higher-level versions like rune engravings and alchemy engravings.

    Compared to magic tattoos, he preferred rune engravings and alchemy engravings, which had stronger effects.

    Putting his thoughts aside, Su Nan looked at the book in his hand.

    The author of the book was Lupert Bevan, a formal wizard.

    Magic Emblem Core was a product of his research, a culmination of magic tattoo applications.

    The principle, in simple terms, is to combine multiple magic tattoos corresponding to multiple spells, using the magic tattoo as a medium to integrate the effects of various spells, thereby forming a new, more powerful spell effect.

    The first half of the book describes how Lupert Bevan researched and created the Magic Emblem Core, as well as its principles and structure.

    The latter half explains the Magic Emblem Core he developed called ¡°Flow Silver¡±.

    According to the book, when activated, ¡°Flow Silver¡± releases a metallic fluid with highly versatile properties. Depending on the changing form, it can be used for both defense and offense, making it a versatile Magic Emblem Core suitable for both attack and defense.

    Its power is said to be no less than the innate abilities of a formal wizard!

    However, Su Nan was skeptical about this statement.

    The innate abilities of formal wizards are often their ultimate moves and trump cards, with immense power.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t believe that a Magic Emblem Core could reach that level.

    But judging from the content of the book, even if there was some exaggeration, it wouldn¡¯t be too much.

    This Magic Emblem Core called ¡°Flow Silver¡±, even if it had only half the power of a wizard¡¯s innate abilities, would be an incredibly powerful ability for a wizard apprentice!

    When he first saw this, Su Nan was very tempted.

    But after seeing the refining method for the Magic Emblem Core, he quelled his enthusiasm.

    Magic Emblem Cores are essentially a special kind of magical item, requiring the refiner to possess certain [Magical Item Manufacturing] skills.

    The book didn¡¯t explicitly state the specific skill level, but it was obvious that it must be higher than the prerequisite for magic tattoos.

    That is, [Magical Item Manufacturing] must be at least level 4.

    Su Nan¡¯s [Magical Item Manufacturing] was only level 2, half the experience needed to reach level 3.

    Secondly, refining ¡°Flow Silver¡± requires a large amount of materials.

    The main materials include 89 metals, more than two-thirds of which are rare magic metals, such as mithril, meteor iron, and so on.

    Su Nan estimated that many of these metals could no longer be found on the current Starlight Continent. He could only try to synthesize substitutes using the Magic Cube.

    This would undoubtedly be a long and time-consuming process.

    Finally, fusing with a Magic Emblem Core would place an enormous burden on the fusion subject¡¯s body. Therefore, the fusion subject must possess both the spirit level of a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice and the constitution level of a junior Great Knight.

    That is, both spirit and constitution must reach 30 or above.

    The requirements were quite demanding.

    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m only short of spirit to meet the standard, but the rest of my skills, materials, and constitution are still far behind.¡±

    Su Nan was a little disappointed.

    If he could refine and fuse with a Magic Emblem Core, even facing a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice wouldn¡¯t scare him.

    However, even though he couldn¡¯t refine it now, he could start making preparations.

    For example, the 89 metals could be collected now, or he could research substitutes.

    After putting the book back in its place, Su Nan grabbed a few books he hadn¡¯t read yet and put them in his space ring. Then he left the library.

    After a flurry of activities, it was already getting late.

    The evening glow stretched across half the sky like rays, and the cirrus clouds, like flames, transitioned from a bright gold line on the horizon to a bluish-purple at the top, then gradually faded to deep blue, turning into a gloomy shadow towards the east.

    ¡°It looks like there will be good weather tomorrow.¡±

    Su Nan stretched his body, feeling that the discomfort left by the ¡°Malicious Illusion¡± had subsided, and he headed for the meditation chamber, ready to continue his daily routine.

    He was still using Super Ability Potions and Divine Blood Crystals to aid his meditation.

    However, as his spiritual power increased, the effects of both were gradually declining.

    The Super Ability Potion was easy to solve. After becoming a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he would be able to handle third-rank potions, and he could synthesize higher-level potions then.

    However, the Divine Blood Crystal was more troublesome.

    To ¡°upgrade¡± the Divine Blood Crystal, he needed to acquire more raw materials.

    However, this thing was a treasure of the Starfire Sect, and they wouldn¡¯t be so kind as to give it to him.

    Su Nan guessed that the Starfire Sect members should have discovered his involvement in the Stone Bell City incident by now. They were probably plotting how to get the Divine Blood Crystal back.

    ¡°But even if they don¡¯t come looking for me, I¡¯ll eventually seek them out for revenge.¡±

 Chapter 86: The Invader

    The base was quiet.

    Atiel walked lightly on the cobblestone path, her lips curving into an unsuppressed smile. Just a moment ago, she had successfully cast the Repair Spell. This was the second zero-ring spell she mastered.

    ¡°After finishing the next task of tending to the magic plants, I¡¯ll have enough contribution points to exchange for another zero-ring spell model book,¡± she thought. ¡°What should I learn for my third spell?¡±

    While contemplating, she headed towards the magic plant garden. Before reaching the entrance, she heard cheerful, lighthearted singing, interspersed with the sweet, tinkling sound of laughter. Atiel couldn¡¯t help but be infected by the joy in the laughter, her smile deepening.

    Entering the magic plant garden, she immediately saw a group of little people sitting on flowers, singing happily. Each one was less than ten centimeters tall, wearing clothes woven from leaves, with petal-like wings. Their skin color resembled that of various flowers, ranging from grayish white to vibrant red or yellow. They had no hair, but instead sported various flower petals.

    They looked like little fairies from a fairytale.

    In fact, these little people belonged to the category of ultra-small spirits. They were Flower Spirits, strange creatures summoned by Lord Su Nan from another world. They were adept at tending plants and could promote their growth. The only downside was that they were quite mischievous. She, Xieman, and Kore had been tricked by these little guys many times while working in the magic plant garden.

    However, Atiel still liked these little guys. After all, they were really adorable.

    Upon seeing Atiel, the Flower Spirits immediately flew over, chirping with joy. Atiel smiled and played with them for a while before bidding them farewell and heading inside.

    Along the way, she encountered a humanoid creature who looked like a female elf but had tree bark-like skin and hair that resembled leaves.

    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Madeline,¡± Atiel stopped and greeted her.

    This was another creature summoned from another world by Lord Su Nan. She was said to be a Child of the Forest and was responsible for guarding the magic plant garden.

    Madeline nodded lightly at Atiel and continued her patrol. Atiel didn¡¯t mind. She knew Ms. Madeline was a bit taciturn.

    In the past two years in the base, Atiel had grown accustomed to discovering new creatures from other worlds every few months.

    Reaching the Silver Moonflower plantation, Atiel immediately saw Xieman watering the plants.

    ¡°Xieman,¡± she called out.

    Xieman turned around, saw Atiel, and his face lit up with a smile. He quickly put down his watering can and ran over.

    ¡°Atiel, why are you here?¡±

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    Atiel rolled her eyes helplessly and said, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Forgot what the teacher told us to do?¡±

    Xieman slapped his forehead and quickly recalled the task, chuckling awkwardly.

    ¡°Oh, right, today is the day.¡±

    The grand Wizard Aptitude Assessment had ended five days ago. Unlike their experience back then, the base was now fully equipped, and newcomers who passed the assessment no longer had to learn at the lord¡¯s manor. They could move directly into the base.

    The only issue was that their teacher was busy and couldn¡¯t spare the time, so they were tasked with familiarizing the newcomers with the base and explaining some things to them. Xieman had been busy with his tasks lately and almost forgot about it.

    ¡°Where is Kore?¡±

    ¡°He is already at the base gate.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±

    They walked out of the magic plant garden side-by-side, discussing the assessment along the way.

    ¡°I wonder how many people will pass the assessment this time.¡±

    ¡°Definitely more than our batch.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense.¡±

    Compared to two years ago, the territory of Shining Light had more than quadrupled in size. The population had also increased dramatically. With a larger population base, the number of eligible children with aptitudes would naturally increase as well.

    And since this was the first assessment, the number of participants would likely be exceptionally high. The base might gain ten or more apprentices this year.

    Thinking about soon becoming a senior, Xieman felt a strange sense of excitement. The current base was so quiet. He couldn¡¯t wait to have more people around to liven things up, more people to exchange ideas with and learn from each other.

    He wasn¡¯t worried about resources being stretched thin by the influx of apprentices. According to Ms. Gree, the resources in the warehouse were more than enough for dozens of apprentices.

    ¡°I heard you started making potions recently. How¡¯s it going?¡± Atiel asked suddenly.

    Xieman scratched his head and chuckled wryly, ¡°It feels really hard. I failed ten times with the Brute Strength potion. All the materials I managed to save up this month went to waste.¡±

    To reduce the difficulty, Xieman had deliberately chosen the Brute Strength potion, a relatively beginner-friendly potion, instead of the more difficult Lower-Grade Revitalization Potion or Lower-Grade Dragon Blood Potion. But his first attempts were still terrible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the teacher said everyone finds it tough at first. It will get better once you get the hang of it,¡± Atiel consoled him.

    Xieman nodded but sighed internally.

    It wasn¡¯t that easy.

    He wasn¡¯t like Kore and Atiel, who came from wealthy families. Even without contribution points, they could buy materials from their families. He had given all his coins to old Roger. The materials he used daily were all exchanged using contribution points.

    This failed attempt at potion-making, wasting those materials, made him feel a pang of heartache.

    ¡°These are Clay Golems, responsible for doing odd jobs. There are also Stone Golems, mainly responsible for guarding and patrolling the base.¡±

    ¡°Besides us apprentices, there is Ms. Gree, who guards the warehouse, Ms. Madeline, who guards the magic plant garden, and the Flower Spirits who cultivate magic plants. They are all helpers summoned by the teacher from another world.¡±

    Along the way, Atiel enthusiastically introduced the base to the newcomers, explaining some important things. Xieman would occasionally interject and add a few points. Kore remained silent, with a detached expression throughout.

    Thankfully, the newcomers didn¡¯t mind. Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide with wonder as they looked at the scenery, finding everything incredibly new.

    Looking at the newcomers, Xieman couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of emotion. He felt like he was seeing himself two years ago. Back then, his reaction upon visiting the base for the first time was probably similar to these newcomers.

    ¡°And there is the Stealthy Dragon and Ms. Amy.¡±

    ¡°The Stealthy Dragon is the teacher¡¯s magic companion, a powerful dragon lizard capable of concealing itself.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Amy is a friend of the teacher. Her origins are shrouded in mystery, but she¡¯s not in the base today. Otherwise, she would likely have come to see you all.¡±

    After touring most of the areas, Atiel brought them to the warehouse.

    Gree was sitting in front of the warehouse door, playing the violin. The melodious sound brought a sense of peace and tranquility.

    Atiel motioned for the newcomers to stop and wait patiently until Gree finished playing a piece, put down her violin, and then walked up to her, saying, ¡°Ms. Gree, I have brought the newcomers.¡±

    ¡°There are quite a few newcomers this year.¡±

    Gree looked at the newcomers with a smile, pointing to the books on a table nearby.

    ¡°This is what Lord Su Nan wants me to give to the newcomers, including the Star Ring Meditation Method and some basic books. Please take them.¡±

    Atiel thanked her and took the books to distribute to the newcomers.

    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s a new guy in the Detention Zone who¡¯s a bit difficult to deal with. Lord Su Nan asked me to tell you all to stay away from the Detention Zone as much as possible.¡± Gree added a reminder.

    A difficult guy?

    Xieman, Atiel, and Kore exchanged glances.

    Clearly, the difficult guy Gree mentioned was another helper summoned by their teacher from another world. It was just unclear what was wrong with him, for Gree, who was usually kind and gentle, to describe him as ¡°difficult¡±.

    They were curious, but they had always followed their teacher¡¯s instructions. They readily agreed upon hearing this.

    Leaving the warehouse, they went to the living quarters for the newcomers to choose their rooms.

    *Woo-woo-woo!*

    At that moment, a piercing alarm sounded in their ears.

    Xieman, Atiel, and Kore¡¯s expressions changed simultaneously.

    ¡°Someone has triggered a magic alarm!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s coming from the gate direction. Let¡¯s go check it out!¡±

    ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t wander around.¡±

    After giving the newcomers instructions, Xieman and the others rushed towards the base gate.

    From a distance, they could see a group of Stone Golems surrounding the base gate.

    As they approached, they discovered that the Stone Golems had surrounded the intruder.

    To their surprise, there was only one person.

    The person was completely covered in a long robe, revealing only a pale, stiff male face. He looked to be about thirty years old, radiating a gloomy aura.

    Looking at the face, Xieman, Atiel, and Kore felt a strange tingling sensation on their skin, as if their spines were turning to ice.

    The man¡¯s gaze swept over Xieman and the others.

    ¡°Three young First-Rank Wizard Apprentices.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. These days, not many people take on students.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was hoarse and unpleasant, like sandpaper. But what surprised Xieman and the others even more was that the voice came from beneath the man¡¯s robe. His mouth never moved throughout.

    A gentle breeze blew past.

    Xieman and the others felt something and turned to see Su Nan standing beside them, as if he had materialized out of thin air.

    ¡°Teacher!¡±

    The three young apprentices bowed hurriedly.

    Su Nan waved his hand, saying, ¡°You go back, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

 Chapter 87: Worldly Affection Has No Meaning

    Although Xie Man and the other two were very curious about the man¡¯s intentions, they dared not disobey their teacher¡¯s words, and answered in unison, turning to enter the base.

    After the three figures disappeared into the base, Su Nan looked up and down at the man, saying indifferently, ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, don¡¯t hide.¡±

    A strange chuckle came from beneath the man¡¯s robe.

    He then lifted his robe, revealing a thin, emaciated body beneath, clad only in a tattered pair of long trousers.

    His upper body was completely exposed. His skin was pale, without a trace of blood, and his ribs were clearly visible, like a patient who had been tortured by illness for many years.

    But what was even more horrifying was that a clearly visible human face was growing on the surface of his abdomen.

    The eyes, nose, and mouth were perfectly integrated with the stomach, as if they had always been there.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Su Nan.¡±

    The face spoke slowly, its features looking somewhat eerie.

    ¡°My name is Herb Gilmer. I apologize for meeting you in this way, but as fellow Wizard Apprentices, I believe you can understand me. This is a necessary precaution, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Su Nan did not deny it.

    The moment he saw the man in front of him, he sensed a strong aura of death.

    It was obvious that this person was dead, and what was standing here was a physical puppet controlled by someone else.

    The Wizard Apprentice behind him was clearly aware of the risk of going to another Wizard Apprentice¡¯s base alone, so he chose this way to meet.

    Seeing that Su Nan was unmoved, Herb didn¡¯t care, a faint smile appeared on his face. However, in this situation, the smile seemed particularly strange and terrifying.

    ¡°I represent Baron Jin Yan and I¡¯m here to discuss something with you.¡±

    ¡°I hope you will no longer interfere in the war between the Jin Yan Allied Forces and the Shining Light Territory.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyebrows shot up.

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    As expected, the Wizard Apprentice who would come to him at this time was only the Wizard Apprentice behind Baron Jin Yan.

    ¡°You want me to let my father¡¯s killer go free?¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    ¡°Father¡¯s killer?¡±

    A hint of mockery seemed to flash across Herb¡¯s face.

    ¡°Su Nan, people like us have long transcended the level of ordinary humans, even surpassing knights.¡±

    ¡°A third-rank Wizard Apprentice¡¯s normal lifespan is over one hundred and fifty years. If you undergo physical modifications or take life-extending potions, living over two hundred years is no problem.¡±

    ¡°Long-lived as we are, worldly affection has no meaning. I personally believe you shouldn¡¯t dwell on this.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m here with good intentions. As long as you withdraw from this war, Baron Jin Yan is willing to pay a price that satisfies you, to make up for his disrespect towards you earlier.¡±

    Faced with Herb¡¯s words, full of seductive overtones, Su Nan remained calm throughout.

    ¡°I¡¯m more curious about why you¡¯re helping Baron Jin Yan. To utilize his forces to collect resources?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s common practice among Wizard Apprentices, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    Herb¡¯s words undoubtedly revealed two pieces of information.

    One was that he knew other Wizard Apprentices.

    The other was that there were many Wizard Apprentices like him who collaborated with powerful nobles.

    ¡°Was the beastly disease epidemic in the Frosting Province also your doing?¡±

    Herb looked at Su Nan in surprise, not expecting him to know about the beastly disease.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You have primitive beastmen?¡±

    Herb frowned, ¡°You¡¯re asking too many questions, Su Nan. Are you trying to extract information from me?¡±

    Su Nan smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    Herb snorted, ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ve shown my sincerity. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve just said a lot of empty words and claim to have sincerity. Your sincerity is too cheap.¡±

    Su Nan sneered.

    ¡°Go back and tell Baron Jin Yan to prepare his neck for me. I¡¯ll settle the score with him, one by one.¡±

    Herb¡¯s face turned completely gloomy. His voice was icy, ¡°So, you¡¯re planning to oppose me to the end?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll return your words to you.¡±

    Su Nan did not back down, his face filled with a cold smile.

    ¡°This is between me and Baron Jin Yan. You¡¯d better not interfere.¡±

    Herb stared at Su Nan with cold eyes for a moment, and sneered, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you haven¡¯t reached the third-rank Wizard Apprentice stage yet.¡±

    ¡°You, a second-rank Wizard Apprentice, are you sure you want to oppose me, a third-rank Wizard Apprentice?¡±

    ¡°As a Wizard Apprentice, you should know the gap between the second and third ranks.¡±

    ¡°I advise you to face reality and don¡¯t go down a dead end!¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly and said, ¡°You talk too much.¡±

    ¡°. You¡¯ll regret this!¡±

    Herb almost squeezed those words out between his teeth.

    The next second, the man¡¯s body suddenly began to expand rapidly, like an inflated balloon. It burst with a bang, sending countless flesh and blood flying in all directions, raining down on the surrounding stone golems like blood rain.

    Sizzle!

    The parts of the stone golems that were splashed with flesh and blood immediately smoked, quickly corroding into pits.

    Chi!

    A dazzling red beam of light emerged from his fingertip and shot out like an arrow!

    Wherever the beam passed, the air seemed to be scorched, receding backwards, creating a visible distortion, showing how much heat it contained.

    After releasing the spell, a smug smile appeared on Herb¡¯s face.

    The [Scorching Ray]¡¯s power was among the best of all second-ring spells. It was impossible for a mere shield to withstand it.

    But what happened next made Herb¡¯s smile freeze.

    The red beam, just a few centimeters away from Su Nan, seemed to hit an invisible object, and disappeared without a trace, like a mud cow entering the sea.

    How is that possible?

    A look of astonishment flashed in Herb¡¯s eyes, but he quickly reacted.

    Defensive magic item?

    Moreover, it was a glimmer-grade magic item!

    An alchemical magic item could not silently block a second-ring spell!

    ¡°This guy actually has a glimmer-grade magic item!¡±

    Herb¡¯s eyes lit up, greed appeared on his face.

    It was extremely difficult to find a complete glimmer-grade magic item in the Star Light Continent today. Most were damaged items left over from hundreds or thousands of years ago. Even if they could be repaired, their power would be weakened to the alchemical level.

    As for making one himself, that was even more impossible.

    Not to mention whether he had the technology, even if he did, he would need to find the materials.

    Therefore, he, a third-rank Wizard Apprentice, did not have a single glimmer-grade magic item to this day.

    ¡°Killing you, this thing will be mine!¡±

    The murderous intent in Herb¡¯s eyes became even stronger.

    Su Nan saw this, but his expression did not change. He released the prepared magic missile, but it was blocked by the invisible protection on Herb¡¯s body.

    Seeing this, Su Nan didn¡¯t panic. He had long known that first-ring spells were ineffective against third-rank Wizard Apprentices.

    He threw out a few rune gems, suppressing Herb¡¯s offensive. Su Nan then shouted, ¡°Fall back, leave the courtyard!¡±

    The battle between Wizard Apprentices was not something knights or Great Knights could interfere with.

    Kei obviously understood this, and he immediately ordered, ¡°Everyone evacuate the courtyard!¡±

    The guards responded with a roar, protecting the Lord and withdrawing from the courtyard.

    The Blackrock Beasts and Stone Golems also retreated without hesitation.

    The three beastmen were still about to pursue them, but a huge creature suddenly appeared in front of them.

    A massive body made entirely of metal, shining with a cold light in the sunlight, exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression.

    As soon as he sensed the invasion of the base, Su Nan had put the Iron Golem into the Cube as a precaution. Now, it was time to use it.

    ¡°Iron Golem!¡±

    Herb was surprised. He never expected Su Nan to have this kind of puppet.

    He didn¡¯t know if he had made it himself, or if he had obtained it from some Wizard inheritance?

    Faced with the legendary knight-level Iron Golem, the three beastmen were no longer as fierce and powerful as before. In an instant, they were beaten back, completely unable to lift their heads.

    Herb watched this scene, his face turning dark, he snorted and took out a scroll, tearing it apart on the spot.

    As light flashed, a giant bear over five meters tall appeared out of thin air.

    This beast had long limbs, sharp claws, and a skin that seemed to be a mixture of strong, clumsy muscles and metal armor.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    As soon as it appeared, the bear pounced towards Su Nan.

    ¡°Pet?¡±

    Su Nan recognized the scroll Herb had torn. It was a pet scroll, a disposable consumable item specifically used for storing pets.

    It could be used to carry pets around. When fighting, it could be released.

    It could only be used to carry pets.

    Looking at the appearance of the giant bear pet in front of him, it was obviously physically modified. Judging from its momentum, it was at least at the level of a high-level Great Knight.

    However, when it came to pets, Su Nan was not afraid at all.

    Without his orders, Stealthy Dragon had already launched an attack.

    The giant bear pet, charging towards him, was like hitting an invisible object, with a bang, it flew backwards and crashed into a wall, smashing it to pieces.

    The rolling smoke and dust that followed was accompanied by the roar of a beast. The two giant beasts were fiercely fighting inside.

    Herb was startled and puzzled.

    He had learned from Baron Jin Yan¡¯s intelligence network that Su Nan had a pet that could become invisible.

    But he didn¡¯t take it seriously at the time.

    Invisibility might be rare for ordinary people and difficult to deal with.

    But for Wizard Apprentices, it had almost no effect. There were simply too many ways to break it.

    However, when he actually saw Su Nan¡¯s pet, Herb was shocked to find that it was not ordinary invisibility!

    No kind of invisibility could eliminate sound, smell, or even make it seem as if the body was erased, moving almost undetectable.

    Even he, as a third-rank Wizard Apprentice, could only barely capture the pet¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Glimmer-grade magic item, Iron Golem, weird pet... This kid is too strange. How many more tricks does he have up his sleeve?¡±

 Chapter 88: Higher Rune Gem

    Chapter 88: Higher Rune Gem

    If before, Herub had faced Su Nan with a sense of superiority as a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice facing a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he now had completely suppressed any trace of arrogance.

    He vaguely realized that Su Nan was no ordinary Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    The opponent¡¯s strength was far greater than he had anticipated.

    Suppressing his greed, Herub began to focus on dealing with Su Nan. With strange chants, one after another, Second-Ring Spells continuously unleashed.

    Brilliant magical glows instantly filled the entire courtyard.

    Herub, though he hadn¡¯t mastered spellcasting without chanting or instant spellcasting, had already mastered segmented spellcasting.

    This was a spellcasting technique similar to using enchanted items, allowing pre-prepared spells to be cast in a concise and rapid manner. It only required reciting a small part of the incantation.

    It was like a stripped-down version of spellcasting without chanting, a necessary precursor skill to mastering it.

    Segmented spellcasting placed extremely high demands on spiritual power, something only Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices could usually grasp.

    And those Wizard Apprentices who mastered segmented spellcasting could cast spells two to three times faster than before.

    Su Nan, at this moment, felt like he was facing a spell storm.

    If not for the powerful defensive capabilities of the Extreme Protection Ring, he would¡¯ve been riddled with holes by now.

    ¡°Just one Second-Ring Spell caused the Extreme Protection Ring to lose nearly 100 points in defense. With 1000 points, I can only withstand eleven Second-Ring Spells at most. I need to end this quickly.¡±

    ¡°It seems I can only rely on that.¡±

    Su Nan took a deep breath, flipped his wrist, and between his index and middle fingers, a gleaming rune gem appeared.

    The next second, he threw the rune gem.

    Herub, noticing this, didn¡¯t take it seriously.

    Su Nan had thrown out several rune gems before. They were roughly as powerful as energy runes, and Herub didn¡¯t even need to activate his defensive magical items. Energy runes alone could withstand them.

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    Seeing Su Nan using the same trick again, Herub remained unconcerned. He cast another spell after a quick glance.

    But the next moment, he saw in horror that the gem exploded in midair, transforming into a thunderclap as thick as a water bucket, crashing down with a thunderous roar!

    The terrifying power instantly engulfed Herub¡¯s entire body, and a chill ran up his spine.

    In his fright, Herub was forced to interrupt his spell, enduring the excruciating pain of spiritual backlash. He hurriedly activated energy runes.

    Boom!

    In the blinding flash of lightning, the necklace around Herub¡¯s neck and the ring on his left index finger suddenly flashed brightly, then quickly dimmed.

    The protection of the two magical items was instantly shattered!

    Following this, three layers of earth energy runes were shattered in a single blink of an eye!

    Lightning then swept across his body, crackling like a lightning snake across Herub¡¯s body. The intense pain forced him to let out a piercing scream!

    Thankfully, as a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, his spirit was exceptionally resilient. Herub gritted his teeth, summoning energy particles, instantly dissipating the lightning around him.

    Then, a blue glow spread across his body. Plant energy particles swarmed in, rapidly healing his wounds.

    While healing, Herub stared at Su Nan with shock and disbelief.

    What exactly was that gem?

    Why was it so incredibly powerful?

    Su Nan had already retrieved a second rune gem and flung it out.

    After learning about the existence of a Wizard Apprentice behind the Duke of Golden Rock, he had considered using synthesized rune gems as a trump card.

    These higher rune gems were the result of his actions.

    Each one was synthesized from eighteen rune gems, resulting in a power two to three times greater than ordinary rune gems!

    It wasn¡¯t that Su Nan didn¡¯t want to use more rune gems for synthesis; it was that eighteen was the limit.

    Any more, and the resulting higher rune gems would be beyond his control, causing self-harm if used.

    It was like a three-year-old holding a gun and firing, unable to withstand the gun¡¯s recoil.

    Whoosh!

    The rune gem transformed into a blazing wave of flames in midair, crushing down on Herub like a tidal wave.

    Herub¡¯s expression changed. He retreated repeatedly, summoning energy particles to block the attack while casting a spell.

    ¡°Elemental Protection¡±!

    A faint glow emerged from his palm, spreading over his entire body in the next instant.

    Herub was engulfed by the surging wave of flames just as he finished the spell.

    As the name suggests, ¡°Elemental Protection¡± reduces various types of elemental damage to the caster.

    Even so, the Herub who emerged from the wave of flames was still seriously injured. He had acquired numerous new charred wounds. He looked completely disheveled, completely devoid of his previous composure.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Herub¡¯s face was twisted in anger.

    He, a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, was beaten to such a state by a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice. If word got out, wouldn¡¯t he be laughed at?

    Fine arcs of electricity spread outward, engulfing almost the entire courtyard. The Beastkin, the giant bear, and the Stealthy Dragon, engaged in battle, were paralyzed and stiffened for a moment when swept by the electric arc.

    Only the Steel Golem was immune to the paralysis, seizing the opportunity to punch a Beastkin into a pulp.

    When the lightning dissipated, a massive pit four to five meters deep had appeared in the center of the courtyard.

    Herub lay in the pit, his massive frame restored to its original form. His entire body was charred black, with hardly an inch of unbroken skin.

    Five long, bloody wounds on his chest and abdomen had flesh ripped open and exposed, a shocking sight.

    Having exited his Beastkin state, he seemed to regain his senses, his eyes filled with terror and despair. He struggled to lift his head, emitting strange gargling noises, as if trying to say something.

    But Su Nan, well aware of the dangers of a Wizard Apprentice, wasn¡¯t going to give him a chance. He directly shot out a beam of lightning, piercing his brow, throat, and heart, ensuring that the guy was dead beyond any doubt.

    With a look of utter disbelief and despair, Herub breathed his last.

    Sensing that Herub¡¯s soul essence was fading away, Su Nan finally let out a sigh of relief.

    It might seem that he had escaped unscathed throughout the battle, but in reality, he had exhausted all his trump cards. If he hadn¡¯t killed Herub, he would have had to consider running.

    ¡°All the higher rune gems are gone.¡± Su Nan felt a pang of regret.

    Each higher rune gem cost over three hundred gold coins.

    He had spent all his gold during this period, only synthesizing six.

    The three he used just now were the last of his higher rune gems.

    Thankfully, the final blow had finally taken care of Herub.

    At the same time, as Herub died, his giant bear magical companion whimpered, its body disintegrating into dust, scattering in the air.

    Without its controller, the two Beastkin fell into chaos. Not long after, they were killed by the combined efforts of the Stealthy Dragon and the Steel Golem.

    Seeing that all enemies were eliminated, Su Nan relaxed and walked towards Herub¡¯s corpse.

    ¡°A battle that cost nearly two thousand gold coins. I hope you have something to compensate for my losses.¡±

    Su Nan reached out and began to loot the body.

    Due to the lightning strike, most of the items on Herub¡¯s body were damaged, including two presumed attack-type alchemical magic items.

    Only the more stable defensive and spatial magic items remained intact.

    The two defensive magic items were both alchemical level, not very useful to Su Nan. He stored them away, intending to let his students exchange them.

    The spatial ring, on the other hand, contained a lot of things.

    Gold coins, gems, books, various materials, and miscellaneous items.

    The gems alone numbered over a hundred, enough to more than cover Su Nan¡¯s battle expenses. He felt instantly better.

    But this wasn¡¯t the place to sort through loot. Su Nan put things away, intending to go back to the base and sort through them slowly.

    As he stood up, Su Nan caught a glimpse of several guards peeking from the courtyard gate.

    It seemed that the people outside had heard the sounds in the courtyard disappear and sent people to investigate.

    Seeing Su Nan standing calmly in the center of the courtyard, the guards¡¯ faces lit up with joy. They turned and excitedly shouted, ¡°Lord Su Nan won!¡±

    Not long after, a group of people rushed into the courtyard.

    Kei, at the head, took a few quick steps. Seeing Su Nan unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.

    Then his gaze swept across the messy, pitted courtyard, as if it had been ravaged by a storm. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel.

    A battle between Wizard Apprentices was truly terrifying. Even dozens of Great Knights fighting together wouldn¡¯t cause this much damage.

    ¡°Where is that Wizard Apprentice?¡± Kei asked, recovering his composure.

    ¡°He¡¯s been dealt with.¡± Su Nan pointed at the charred corpse lying in the pit.

    Kei¡¯s expression lit up with joy.

    He hadn¡¯t stopped worrying about the existence of the hostile Wizard Apprentice.

    To think that he had even come to deliver himself to them, now they would be free of worries.

    ¡°The war coming this spring just lost its biggest threat.¡± Kei laughed.

    Su Nan smiled but said nothing.

    Under normal circumstances, Herub¡¯s actions weren¡¯t wrong.

    Normally, a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice facing a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice was a piece of cake, something that wouldn¡¯t cause any problems.

    Unfortunately, he had run into a freak like himself, getting beaten to death by equipment and items from a higher tier.

    You could say that he was just unlucky.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan didn¡¯t explain to Kei. He only told him to burn Herub¡¯s body quickly.

    After all, judging by Herub¡¯s appearance, he had probably fused with the bloodline of a primitive Beastkin. Who knew if his corpse had any contagious properties? If they weren¡¯t careful, someone might get infected with Beastkin syndrome.

    Kei quickly understood the point and readily agreed. He turned to arrange for someone to deal with the corpse.

    Su Nan, on the other hand, stored the Steel Golem and left the manor.

    He couldn¡¯t wait to see what was in Herub¡¯s spatial ring.

    Five chapters, 20,000 words completed, begging for monthly tickets!

 Chapter 89: Extraordinary Times Call for Extraordinary Measures

    Chapter 89: Extraordinary Times Call for Extraordinary Measures

    Outside the base.

    Xieman and the other two looked anxious, constantly peeking outside.

    Beside them, Madeline and Gril stood with weapons in hand, their expressions calm.

    Stone golems, dense as the stars, stood around.

    Before leaving the base, Su Nan had used a communication spell to have Madeline and Gril protect the base and apprentices in case Hebb launched a surprise attack.

    A dozen new recruits huddled together a few meters away, looking bewildered.

    They had no idea what was going on, suddenly being called here.

    As such, they were not particularly worried, and had the leisure to sneakily look at Madeline.

    Many were curious about the forest child who looked so different from humans.

    At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the base.

    Madeline and Gril instinctively raised their weapons, only slightly relaxing and lowering them after recognizing the face.

    ¡°Teacher!¡±

    Seeing Su Nan¡¯s safe return, Xieman, Atil, and Cole all breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to greet him.

    Hearing that the person in front of them was the legendary Wizard, their future teacher, the new recruits were shocked and quickly bowed.

    ¡°Master Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°Are the new recruits here?¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly, encouraging them with a few words, before waving his hand.

    ¡°Alright, everything is fine, you can go about your business.¡±

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    ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡±

    Despite their curiosity, the three young apprentices obeyed and left.

    The new recruits followed their seniors.

    Su Nan turned to Madeline and Gril, nodding. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Madeline shook her head, silently turned and left, returning to the Magical Plant Garden.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re alright.¡± Gril smiled and also turned to leave.

    ¡°Meow!¡±

    Su Nan suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Amy appeared out of thin air, her eyes wide.

    ¡°What happened? I felt a very strong energy fluctuation from Shining Light City!¡±

    ¡°Nothing, just some enemies came knocking, but I¡¯ve dealt with them.¡± Su Nan said, smiling reassuringly.

    ¡°Enemies? Were they Wizard Apprentices?¡± Amy¡¯s eyes widened.

    Only two Wizard Apprentices clashing could create such a strong energy fluctuation.

    When her master¡¯s previous students were still around, she often felt similar energy fluctuations in the training grounds.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Nan nodded. ¡°A Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice!¡±

    Amy was shocked, but then became puzzled.

    ¡°Meow, aren¡¯t you a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice? How did you defeat a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice?¡±

    Su Nan rubbed the little kitten¡¯s head, saying with a profound smile, ¡°I used the power of money.¡±

    Power of money?

    Amy¡¯s small eyes were filled with big confusion.

    What kind of power is the power of money?

    A magic spell?

    Su Nan smiled and didn¡¯t explain, patting Amy to let her go play, then headed towards the Mind Chamber.

    After a battle, comes the joyous moment of counting the spoils.

    Mind Chamber.

    Under the bright and soft light, Su Nan examined the spatial ring in his hand.

    Perhaps because he never thought the spatial ring would fall into someone else¡¯s hands, there was no secret lock attached, and Su Nan easily opened the internal space.

    The space wasn¡¯t big, less than one cubic meter, but it was crammed full of things.

    Su Nan took out the items one by one, carefully counting them.

    First, the money.

    There were only a little over a hundred gold coins, plus many loose silver and copper coins.

    There were a total of one hundred and twelve gemstones, most of them were low-to-middle grade gems like beryl, jade, zircon, spinel, and topaz, but there were also over ten high-grade gems like ruby, sapphire, and diamond.

    There was even a rare pale green stone.

    Pale green stone, also known as Shield Stone, is a brittle, sparkling stone that is green-white or very dark green, usually only found in extremely dangerous dark regions.

    When used in magic items, Pale green stone can significantly enhance the enchanted properties of energies like strong acid, cold, electric shock, fire, or sound waves.

    It can also be used to lay out formations, create soul cores.

    On the other hand, with the large amount of gems obtained from Hebb, Su Nan¡¯s finances became much more relaxed.

    He took out the middle and lower grade gems, and added those he bought from the Fire Fox Trading Company, all of which were used to create Stone Golems.

    The battle with Earl Winter Frost had proven the powerful assault capabilities of Stone Golems on the front lines.

    Undeterred by death, fearless of pain, the Stone Golems, once they reach a certain scale, can even outperform an equal number of knights on the battlefield!

    The formidable reputation of the Golem Legion is not without reason.

    Therefore, Kei was very enthusiastic about building the Golem Legion, providing all the support possible, granting every request.

    By the time the Thunder Moon arrived, the Shining Light Territory¡¯s Golem Legion had taken shape.

    A total of three hundred Stone Golems were transported to the front lines, ready to be deployed at any time.

    ¡°In the past month, the rate of spread of the disaster in Frost Dye Province has slowed considerably, and the infected who had attacked the borders of Red Leaf, White Tower, and Lake Orchid Provinces have all been wiped out. Now, the three provinces are preparing to dispatch troops to counterattack Frost Dye Province and completely solve the disaster.¡±

    In the study, Kei shook the battle report in his hand, then handed it to Su Nan who was sitting opposite him.

    Su Nan opened it and glanced at it, nodding in understanding.

    It was clear that with Hebb, the mastermind behind the scenes, dead, the infected army had lost control, and its expansion had gradually ceased.

    The infected army now resembled a group of headless flies, and it was only a matter of time before they were wiped out.

    Of course, due to the immense ferocity of the early stages of the disaster, it would still take a long time to completely suppress it.

    Unless the weakness of the infected could be found, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to end the disaster in a short period of time.

    ¡°What did the Royal Family say to Baron Jin Yan?¡± Su Nan asked, putting down the battle report.

    ¡°What else could they say? The Royal Family probably didn¡¯t expect us to be able to fight Baron Jin Yan to a standstill. They might be relieved now.¡±

    Kei smiled and opened a drawer, taking out a beautifully decorated roll of parchment and placing it on the table.

    ¡°This is a letter of appointment sent by the Royal Family, appointing me as Earl of Shining Light. The Royal Family¡¯s envoys also hinted that after completely defeating the rebels, the Royal Family will appoint me as a Marquis, granting me the Jin Yan Province as my territory. Then, the Grand Guild will hold a real appointment ceremony.¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s a generous reward.¡±

    Throughout the history of the Starlight Duchy, except during its founding, no noble had ever been promoted from Baron to Earl, and then even to Marquis, in just one year!

    And even more, a powerful Marquis who controls a province!

    It can¡¯t be denied that the reward promised by the Royal Family this time was extraordinarily generous.

    ¡°Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The Royal Family does have guts.¡±

    Kei said with a half-smile, ¡°Red Leaf, White Tower, and Lake Orchid, the three provinces, are busy dealing with the infected. Purple Bamboo and Soman, the two provinces, are not powerful enough to handle Baron Jin Yan.¡±

    ¡°The Royal Family must also be afraid that Baron Jin Yan will really gain power, so they promised me these things in order to make me work hard to take care of Baron Jin Yan.¡±

    Su Nan smiled noncommittally.

    He knew there was one reason Kei didn¡¯t say out loud.

    That is, the Royal Family was also afraid that Baron Jin Yan¡¯s rebellion would give the other Marquis¡¯ ideas, so Baron Jin Yan must be wiped out!

    Make an example of them!

    Even if it meant sacrificing a Marquis title, it was worth it.

    Furthermore, if Baron Jin Yan is really wiped out, someone must replace him.

    And at that time, besides Kei, who actually controls the Jin Yan Province, there is no one else who is suitable. It might as well be done, and it can also appease the new Marquis.

    ¡°No matter what, with the title of Earl, many things I couldn¡¯t do before can now be done.¡±

    Speaking of which, a genuine smile of joy appeared on Kei¡¯s face.

    Previously, he was just a Baron, and even if his subordinates achieved merits, he could only grant them knighthoods at most.

    But with the title of Earl, the feasibility of granting vassal titles has greatly increased.

    For example, titles like Baron or Viscount, as long as he has enough land to grant, then granting the titles just requires a nominal report to the Royal Family.

    ¡°When are you planning to launch the war?¡±

    ¡°Everything is ready, we will start at the end of the month.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t participate in the war, I¡¯m going to retreat for a while.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power had reached a critical point for a breakthrough, and he was going to retreat for a few days to prepare for advancing to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    As for the war during this time, he wasn¡¯t really worried.

    Hebb is dead, Baron Jin Yan has lost his biggest trump card.

    On the other hand, Shining Light Territory still has the Blackrock Cavalry and the Golem Legion.

    In terms of military power, Shining Light Territory now has the upper hand.

    There¡¯s no suspense in the upcoming war.

    ¡°I understand, you can retreat in peace.¡±

    Kei nodded solemnly, he could tell what was important.

    The end of the Thunder Moon.

    The long winter finally passed, and the snow completely melted.

    The arrival of spring also marked the resumption of the war between Shining Light Territory and the Jin Yan Alliance, which had been put on hold for nearly half a year.

    This highly anticipated war attracted the attention of almost all nobles in the Starlight Duchy, without exception.

    It was clear to everyone that this battle would decide the ownership of the Jin Yan Province.

    The ultimate victor would undoubtedly gain the actual control of the entire Jin Yan Province.

 Chapter 90: Promotion to Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice

    Chapter 90: Promotion to Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice

    While the war in the Golden Rock Province was heating up, Su Nan was alone in the base¡¯s Mind Chamber, oblivious to the world outside.

    Under the soft light, he sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed, his breath long and steady.

    After two months of meditation, his Spiritual Power had reached 29.99.

    Only one last step remained before he could break through and ascend.

    The Mind Chamber was peaceful.

    Only Su Nan¡¯s soft breathing could be heard.

    After an unknown amount of time, the energy particles in the room suddenly fluctuated violently, as if drawn by an invisible force, they rushed towards Su Nan, quickly entering his body.

    In an instant, the concentrated energy particles that Su Nan had previously gathered using the Energy Gathering Formation were absorbed completely.

    More energy particles poured in frantically from outside the Mind Chamber.

    With Su Nan as the center, an invisible vortex of energy particles formed within a radius of hundreds of meters, with Su Nan as the eye of the vortex.

    Not long after, a wave that seemed to originate from the soul level suddenly burst out from Su Nan.

    He slowly opened his eyes, a faint glimmer of light flashing in them.

    A familiar sense of clarity and elevation filled his mind.

    Su Nan had experienced a similar feeling when he was promoted to Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    However, this time it was even more pronounced.

    His perception seemed to have become sharper all of a sudden.

    The whole world seemed to come alive in an instant, countless pieces of information flooding his mind.

    Even though he couldn¡¯t see beyond the room, Su Nan could clearly sense Amy lying on a tree sixty meters away, happily sucking on Ice Mint Candy.

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    Not far away, two newcomers were hiding in a corner of the corridor, looking at Amy on the tree with curiosity, hesitant about whether or not to approach her.

    Further away, he could vaguely hear the joyful singing of the Flower Spirits and the melodious violin playing of Gilly.

    This state of feeling like he had everything around him under control was intoxicating.

    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t last long.

    Not long after, Su Nan regained consciousness from this strange state.

    He took a deep breath and, with a thought, summoned the panel.

    ¡¾Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Spiritual 30.00/Constitution 22.21¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv10 (228429/300000)

    Potion Making Lv4 (2012/10000)

    Biological Transformation Lv2 (2338/3000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv3 (4528/6000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv2 (2140/3000)

    Looking at the panel, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile with genuine joy.

    It had been almost four years since he had crossed over to this world, but he had finally been promoted to Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice!

    He did the math. He would be turning twenty in two months.

    A twenty-year-old Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, even in the Golden Age of Wizards a thousand years ago, would be considered a talented one.

    After rejoicing for a while, Su Nan calmed down and focused his attention back on the panel.

    From the data alone, his strength didn¡¯t seem to have increased significantly compared to before his promotion.

    However, in reality, compared to Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices, the combat power of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices could be said to have skyrocketed.

    First and foremost, his control over energy particles had greatly improved.

    Su Nan extended his palm, a slight movement of his mind, and instantly, a mysterious and strange yellow rune appeared above his open palm.

    The next second, the yellow rune shattered abruptly, transforming into a layer of pale yellow light that enveloped his entire body.

    ¡°Now I can condense energy runes at will, even without rune gems.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly.

    From now on, when facing enemies like Great Knights, he wouldn¡¯t need to always rely on rune gems.

    He could kill them using energy runes alone, at most using a spell.

    The second change was the significant increase in casting speed.

    Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices could now try to master Abbreviated Casting.

    Just like Heb, he could now cast spells by only uttering one or two syllables, casting spells incredibly fast.

    If there was anything inconvenient about spells in combat, it was that they took too long to cast, making it easy for enemies to get close and interrupt them.

    However, after mastering Abbreviated Casting, this weakness was greatly improved.

    This was also the main reason why the combat power of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices increased significantly.

    One step further from Abbreviated Casting was Silent Casting.

    The only thing to keep in mind was that even if one carried multiple magical items, only one of the same kind could be used at the same time.

    For example, for defensive magical items, a Sorcerer Apprentice could only activate one at a time.

    Activating multiple defensive magical items simultaneously would only cause their energy flows to conflict with each other, causing all the defenses to become ineffective at the same time.

    Even if they were the same kind of magical item, their defensive effects wouldn¡¯t stack.

    Of course, even with this flaw, the more magical items, the better.

    ¡°If I want to make more magical items, the material consumption will also be a problem.¡±

    Su Nan thought about it for a moment but didn¡¯t worry too much.

    He could just fleece the territory after Kei conquered the Golden Rock Province.

    Second-Rank Spells and Magic Emblem Cores were important, but the most important thing was meditation.

    The next step after Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice was the coveted Wizard realm that countless people dreamed of.

    And in order to be promoted to an official Wizard, the first condition was to construct eighteen Star Rings.

    That¡¯s right, eighteen!

    In other words, the Star Ring Meditation Method had to be leveled up to level 19!

    Considering that the level 10 Star Ring Meditation Method already required 300,000 proficiency points, Su Nan estimated that the next 9 levels would require at least 30-40 million proficiency points combined.

    At a rate of 1,000 proficiency points per day, that would take eighty to ninety years, or even a hundred years.

    And this was with the help of Divine Blood Amber and Super Ability Potion for meditation.

    For other Sorcerer Apprentices without resources, it would be almost impossible to meet this condition before their lifespans ran out.

    Secondly, Spiritual Power had to reach 60 points.

    Needless to say, this was even more difficult than constructing eighteen Star Rings.

    Once the two conditions of Star Rings and Spiritual Power were met, Sorcerer Apprentices could then begin to attempt to construct their Talent Model (Crystal).

    This was also an extremely difficult step.

    Only after successfully constructing their own Talent Model (Crystal) could Sorcerer Apprentices truly break through the boundaries and be promoted to official Wizards.

    ¡°Eighteen Star Rings, 60 points of Spiritual Power, and Talent Models, none of these can be achieved in a short amount of time.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a long way to go.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Although he had successfully been promoted to Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice and taken a major step forward on the path to becoming a Wizard, the road ahead was still long, and he had to keep working hard.

    ¡°Super Magic Techniques and Second-Rank Spells are a matter of patience, just learn them step by step.¡±

    ¡°But I can find a way to improve my meditation efficiency.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time to synthesize higher-level potions.¡±

    Su Nan made an estimate. There were still two weeks left until the next batch of Silver Moon Flowers matured. He could then try to synthesize higher-level potions.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s start by picking the spells I want to learn.¡±

    Su Nan took all the Second-Rank Spell books from his spatial ring and placed them on the floor in front of him.

    There were seventeen Second-Rank Spells in total.

    Most of them were auxiliary spells like ¡¾Mirror Image¡¿, ¡¾Levitation¡¿, or enhancement spells like ¡¾Agility¡¿, ¡¾Might¡¿. There were only a few attack spells.

    However, Su Nan now had trump cards like High-Rank Rune Gems, the Calamity Ring, and the Ice Seal Necklace, so he wasn¡¯t that desperate for attack spells.

    After pondering for a moment, Su Nan decided to learn ¡¾Elemental Protection¡¿ first, followed by ¡¾Levitation¡¿ and ¡¾Mirror Image¡¿.

    ¡¾Levitation¡¿, as the name suggests, could give the caster the ability to fly for a short period of time.

    ¡¾Mirror Image¡¿ could create an exact copy of the caster.

    The stronger the caster¡¯s Spiritual Power, the more copies they could create, with a limit of eight.

    The copies didn¡¯t have the ability to cast spells or fight, but they could perform any action at the caster¡¯s will, and when moving, they could merge and separate at will, making it difficult for enemies to figure out the caster¡¯s true location.

    The copies would disappear only if they were hit or if the caster canceled them manually.

    This was undoubtedly a very practical spell.

    Especially for casters.

    If used effectively in battle, it could buy the caster enough time to cast spells.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that there was also a ¡¾Level 2 Summoning Technique¡¿ among these Second-Rank Spells.

    As the name suggests, this was an advanced version of ¡¾Level 1 Summoning Technique¡¿.

    To be honest, ¡¾Level 2 Summoning Technique¡¿ wasn¡¯t a high priority in Su Nan¡¯s mind.

    After all, he summoned creatures from other worlds to help the base, and he cared more about whether they were suitable and whether they had useful abilities.

    As for strength, that was secondary.

    So, the fact that ¡¾Level 2 Summoning Technique¡¿ could summon stronger creatures from other worlds wasn¡¯t necessarily an advantage. In fact, the fact that it consumed more Spiritual Power was actually a disadvantage.

    ¡¾Reading ¡®Elemental Protection Spell Model¡¯, ¡®Elemental Protection¡¯ learning progress +0.08%¡¿

    Looking at the text prompt that appeared in front of him, Su Nan sighed with emotion.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot to do next.¡±

    There will be another chapter at 8 PM tonight. In the future, the update time will be adjusted to 8 PM and 9 PM each with one chapter. If there are extra chapters, I will post one more at 10 PM. I¡¯ll try to average 10,000 words per day this month. Thank you for your subscriptions, tips, and monthly tickets, thank you!

 Chapter 91: The End of a Tyrant

    New Flower Moon, spring seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

    The plants in the Base began to display a captivating shade of green, and the flower beds were bursting with blooms, welcoming the height of summer.

    Inside the Potion Room.

    At the large workbench, Su Nan picked up the freshly made potion and stared at the pale purple liquid in the bottle, a satisfied expression flashing across his face.

    [Transcendent Elixir (3rd Rank / Low Quality): After consumption, it allows the user to enter a Transcendent State, where the body continuously absorbs energy particles from the surroundings at a slow pace. It also significantly enhances mental activity and the absorption rate of energy particles, lasting for 53 days and 9 hours. Stacking has no effect, and the user¡¯s mental strength must be at least 30.]

    Compared to the Super Energy Potion, the 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir was undoubtedly more powerful.

    It provided a 24-hour passive meditation state!

    Even though the efficiency of passive meditation was low, far less effective than active meditation, the long duration meant that the accumulated benefits were still quite significant.

    Moreover, it retained the effect of enhancing mental activity and the absorption rate of energy particles.

    This meant that the efficiency of active meditation was also not low.

    "Let¡¯s test the specific effects," Su Nan said.

    He uncorked the bottle and drank the potion in one gulp, then sat cross-legged on the ground to begin meditating.

    To obtain detailed information about the potion¡¯s effects, he conducted tests for five consecutive days and finally had a rough understanding of the Transcendent Elixir¡¯s effects.

    "Star Ring Meditation can increase about 1500 points of proficiency per day, which is about a 50% increase compared to when I used the Super Energy Potion."

    "At this rate, I should be able to construct the tenth star ring in about a month."

    Su Nan nodded to himself.

    A 50% increase in efficiency was already quite impressive.

    Moreover, this was just a low-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir. If it were a high-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir, the effects would be even better.

    The key was the material consumption.

    Synthesizing a bottle of low-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir used up one-quarter of the latest batch of Silver Moon Flowers.

    This was because the improved Silver Moon Flowers had significantly better effects. Otherwise, using the pre-improved Silver Moon Flowers, it would probably take all of them to synthesize a bottle of low-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir.

    "The growth cycle of the Silver Moon Flower is about 100 days, and the duration of the Transcendent Elixir is 53 days. In one growth cycle, I would need about two bottles of Transcendent Elixir, which is half of the yield."

    "The remaining half of the yield needs to be used to make Junior Vitality Potions and Vitality Potions for the apprentices in the Base to exchange."

    After some calculations, Su Nan suddenly realized that the Silver Moon Flowers were not enough.

    The requirements for materials increased significantly with each improvement in quality for 3rd Rank potions.

    He had tested and found that to synthesize a high-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir, he would need about two-thirds of a batch of Silver Moon Flowers.

    Although the duration of the high-quality Transcendent Elixir would increase to over 70 days, the final calculation still showed it was not enough.

    Unless he reduced the supply of Junior Vitality Potions and Vitality Potions.

    This might be acceptable in the short term, but in the long run, it would inevitably slow down the apprentices¡¯ strength growth, which was not beneficial for the Base¡¯s development and expansion.

    He hoped the apprentices would grow quickly to help him with the production of low-tier potions and the creation of low-tier puppets.

    Therefore, the best solution was to open a new Magic Plant Garden.

    However, due to the energy particle concentration issue, the new Magic Plant Garden had to be far enough from the Base.

    This meant he would need to arrange personnel to guard and cultivate it.

    The guarding part was easy to solve; he could send a team of Stone Golems.

    Or he could have Ke Yi dispatch a team of soldiers to be stationed there.

    What truly needed consideration was the cultivation personnel.

    The Base¡¯s Magic Plant Garden had Flower Sprites residing there, and he only needed to assign tasks regularly for the apprentices to help out.

    If he were to open a new Magic Plant Garden, he would need to ¡®recruit¡¯ a batch of Flower Sprites or similar otherworldly creatures.

    However, this was not something that could be done immediately.

    Whether he could summon suitable helpers depended entirely on luck.

    "Opening a new Magic Plant Garden will cost a lot of gold. It¡¯s not too late to consider this after the war in Golden Rock Province ends."

    "Moreover, opening a new Magic Plant Garden will take a considerable amount of time. During this period, I can continue to summon otherworldly creatures to see if there are any suitable ¡®candidates.¡¯"No?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Since the high-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir has a mental strength requirement, I will use the low-quality 3rd Rank Transcendent Elixir for now. By the time the new Magic Plant Garden is completed, my mental strength should be close to the required level."

    Collecting his thoughts, Su Nan temporarily set aside this matter and took out a spell book to read.

    With the boost from the Transcendent Elixir, his speed in learning 2nd Circle spells had also increased significantly.

    At the current rate, he could master a 2nd Circle spell in about fifty days.

    "Fortunately, we have other methods."

    The Marquis of Golden Rock felt a sense of foreboding and frowned. "What methods?"

    "We have found Hebe Gilman¡¯s laboratory in Frost-Stained Province and discovered the weakness of the beastification infected. If we present this method to the Grand Duke of Starry, helping the principality quickly quell the disaster, we should receive sufficient rewards. What do you think, Marquis?"

    The Marquis of Golden Rock¡¯s pupils constricted, and his face turned completely grim.

    Upon realizing Hebe¡¯s death, he immediately sent people to Frost-Stained Province to find Hebe¡¯s laboratory, hoping to find a way to control the beastification infected.

    If successful, he would have the capital to rise again.

    However, he never expected the Starfire Sect to be so quick, finding Hebe¡¯s laboratory before him.

    Now he was completely out of options!

    "Of course, this might not be enough, which is why I came here to borrow something from you, Marquis."

    Joris said with a smile.

    As he spoke, the Marquis of Golden Rock suddenly moved, leaping up and dashing toward the wall beside the window like a cannonball.

    However, the next second, he collided with an invisible barrier, flying backward and rolling on the ground before coming to a stop.

    Ignoring the pain, the Marquis of Golden Rock looked up and was horrified to find that the familiar study had disappeared, replaced by a vast, starry sky.

    Countless stars were scattered around, and a brilliant galaxy stretched across the sky, magnificent and grand.

    He felt as if he were in the boundless cosmos.

    What¡¯s going on?

    The Marquis of Golden Rock¡¯s eyes were filled with shock and uncertainty.

    "Marquis, you¡¯re a bit too hasty. I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet."

    Over ten meters away, Joris held a book, smiling at the Marquis of Golden Rock.

    Casper, his lackey, had also vanished.

    "Don¡¯t put on a show. You just want to use my life to curry favor with the Grand Duke of Starry. Apart from this, I don¡¯t think I have anything else worth your attention."

    The Marquis of Golden Rock sneered, his eyes subtly scanning the book that had appeared in Joris¡¯s hand.

    Is it because of this book?

    "I¡¯m glad you understand, Marquis."

    Joris seemed not to notice the Marquis of Golden Rock¡¯s small actions and continued, "Actually, we are the same. We both have backup plans."

    "Just like you secretly collaborated with another wizard to trigger the beastification disaster without ever informing us."

    The Marquis of Golden Rock snorted, about to speak, but suddenly realized something was wrong. His physical strength and mana were rapidly draining.

    This starry sky actually absorbed physical strength and mana!

    Realizing this, the Marquis of Golden Rock stopped talking and pounced forward, lunging at Joris like a leopard.

    However, he passed right through Joris¡¯s body.

    "It¡¯s useless," Joris said calmly. "Here, you can¡¯t harm me."

    The Marquis of Golden Rock tried several more times, but he could never touch Joris.

    As time passed, the weakness in his body became more pronounced, and he eventually fell to the ground, powerless.

    "Out of respect for our past collaboration, I will leave your body intact."

    Joris walked over, looking down at the Marquis of Golden Rock with a hint of pity in his eyes.

    The Marquis of Golden Rock weakly gasped for breath, his voice hoarse. "Don¡¯t put on a show. I¡¯ll wait for you to join me. Don¡¯t forget, you are also one of the murderers who killed Su Nan¡¯s father. He won¡¯t let you off."

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that," Joris said dismissively.

    "Once our Church¡¯s great ideals are realized, a mere Su Nan is not a concern."

    The Marquis of Golden Rock managed a scornful smile, gasping for breath and saying no more.

    The Starfire Sect is too arrogant!

    Just like he was back then.

    If he had taken Su Nan more seriously and eliminated him before he could grow, he wouldn¡¯t be in this situation today.

    The Starfire Sect will eventually follow in his footsteps.

    Seeing the Marquis of Golden Rock¡¯s expression change, Joris felt a bit annoyed, coldly snorted, and pressed his palm lightly on the book.

    Buzz!

    Countless stars surged forward, engulfing the Marquis of Golden Rock in a tidal wave.

 Chapter 92: The Cabin in the Dense Forest

    The war took an unexpected turn once again.

    Summer Ridge Month hadn''t even reached its midpoint when the news of the Marquis of Gold Rock''s disappearance spread from Goldrock City.

    Thanks to this, the morale of the Gold Rock army on the front lines plummeted, and the already precarious defense lines crumbled instantly.

    The Flashing Territory army advanced swiftly, quickly reaching the outskirts of Goldrock City and successfully capturing it in just two days.

    When the news broke, the entire Starlight Principality was in an uproar!

    No one had expected the war to end so quickly.

    However, even more shocking news followed.

    Three days after the fall of Goldrock City, news came from Starlight City that a sect called the Star God Sect had presented the body of the Marquis of Gold Rock and the weakness of the Beastification Infected to the royal family.

    The Grand Duke of Starlight was overjoyed and declared the Star God Sect as the state religion, allowing it to send messengers to various provinces to spread its faith.

    As expected, this news caused a huge stir among the nobility of the principality.

    There were supporters, opponents, and many more nobles who maintained a wait-and-see attitude, wanting to see what the so-called Star God Sect intended to do.

    Golden Rock Province, Shining City.

    Council Hall.

    Su Nan finished reading the battle report and a peculiar expression appeared on his face.

    It was clear that the so-called Star God Sect was none other than the Starfire Sect, just under a different guise.

    "I didn''t expect the Starfire Sect to kill the Marquis of Gold Rock, which actually helped us. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to capture Goldrock City so quickly," Ke Yi said, stroking his chin with a mix of emotions.

    "The Starfire Sect is truly ruthless. They turned against the Marquis of Gold Rock as soon as they saw he was no longer useful, using his body as a stepping stone," he added.

    With their intelligence, Su Nan and Ke Yi quickly understood the underlying reasons for these events and gained a deeper understanding of the Starfire Sect''s cold and ruthless nature.

    "But does the Grand Duke of Starlight really trust the Starfire Sect? I don''t believe he''s unaware of what the Starfire Sect has done in Golden Rock Province. Declaring such a cult as the state religion seems too frivolous," Ke Yi said, frowning.

    Su Nan replied calmly, "Perhaps they have some kind of secret agreement behind the scenes."

    "I don''t care about their agreements. I won''t allow the Starfire Sect to enter Golden Rock Province. They want to spread their faith here? Dream on!" Ke Yi said with a cold laugh.

    After quelling the rebellion, the royal family honored their promise and enfeoffed Ke Yi as the Duke of Shining, with Golden Rock Province as his fief.

    Unlike other provinces, the original noble lords of Golden Rock Province either died at the hands of the Gold Rock Coalition or were eliminated after rebelling with the Marquis of Gold Rock. They were almost entirely eradicated.

    Now, in the entire Golden Rock Province, all the nobles were newly appointed by Ke Yi.

    As the lord, Ke Yi''s control over these military nobles was far stronger than that of other marquises.

    In essence, the entire Golden Rock Province was now under Ke Yi''s control, and they obeyed his every command.

    Therefore, as one of the few powerful marquises who could fully control an entire province (Red Leaf Province was under the royal family''s control and did not have a marquis), he could find an excuse to prevent the Star God Sect from spreading its faith in Golden Rock Province, and even the royal family would be powerless to stop him.

    Su Nan naturally agreed with Ke Yi''s decision.

    In fact, he estimated that apart from Red Leaf Province, the other provincial marquises would not easily allow the Starfire Sect to enter their territories to spread their faith.

    There would definitely be a struggle between the two sides.

    Let''s wait and see.

    Shifting his attention back to the battle report, Su Nan''s gaze fell on the line about the Star God Sect presenting the weakness of the Beastification Infected. He pondered deeply.

    Based on his analysis, the Starfire Sect was likely unaware of the Beastification Plague.

    Otherwise, the Starfire Sect would not have remained uninvolved throughout the war between the Marquis of Gold Rock and the Flashing Territory.

    So, they must have learned about the weakness of the Beastification Infected either from the Marquis of Gold Rock or by finding Hebu''s Laboratory.

    Su Nan guessed it was more likely the latter.

    Hebu would not have revealed such crucial information to the Marquis of Gold Rock unless he had lost his mind.

    "It seems that what Hebu left behind has probably fallen into the hands of the Starfire Sect," Su Nan said, a hint of regret in his voice, but he quickly returned to his usual calm.

    After all, he hadn''t really expected to find what Hebu left behind.

    The chances of finding a wizard apprentice''s residence in a foreign province, with no information, were akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.

    Moreover, he had just advanced to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice and was in a stage of rapid strength improvement. He couldn''t afford to waste time and energy on such a slim hope.

    Putting down the battle report, Su Nan looked at Ke Yi and asked, "What do you plan to do next?"

    Ke Yi had already thought it through and said without hesitation, "Although the war didn''t last long, Golden Rock Province has suffered significant losses. I plan to take some time to rest and recuperate, develop the economy, and build up strength."

    "Indeed," Su Nan nodded in agreement.

    Owl looked at Su Nan, his gaze full of meaning.

    Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices can store a small amount of energy particles in their bodies. It''s easy to tell from close observation.

    "What do you think, Sir Su Nan? Would you consider joining Forest Hut?"

    "Please believe me, it will be very beneficial for your future development!"

    Su Nan pretended to think deeply but had already agreed in his heart.

    He had been searching for a wizard apprentice organization for a long time.

    Now that he had finally found one, he wouldn''t let it slip away.

    Especially since Forest Hut was a loose organization primarily built on trading.

    Joining it would not impose many restrictions on him, and he could trade resources and information with other wizard apprentices, which would be highly beneficial.

    As his strength increased, the resources he needed became rarer and more precious.

    Relying solely on the Firefox Guild was no longer sufficient.

    Even with the Synthesis Cube, many materials were still out of reach, and he had to spend time and effort researching substitutes, a process that took a long time.

    However, this secret organization, which gathered many Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, might bring him some surprises.

    "Alright, I''ll join you!"

    After pretending to think for a moment, Su Nan agreed.

    "Welcome, Sir Su Nan. From today, you are a member of Forest Hut."

    Owl''s wings gently touched a few times, as if clapping.

    Then it flapped its wings and flew down from the tree, landing and bending forward slightly, its belly bulging and quickly spreading to its mouth. It then vomited out an object.

    It was a small wooden toy house, about the size of a palm, intricately crafted and lifelike.

    The house had no roof, allowing a clear view of its interior, which contained only a long table and a dozen chairs, nothing else.

    The floor, walls, table, and chairs were all engraved with dense enchantment runes.

    "Trade House!"

    Su Nan exclaimed, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

    Owl was even more surprised, "Sir Su Nan, you recognize this?"

    "Sort of," Su Nan nodded slightly.

    The Trade House is a very special Glowing-Class magical item.

    Although it looks like a toy house, it is actually a key that connects to a dimensional space called the Trade House.

    In this dimensional space, all entrants are considered to have signed a vow of covenant, which restricts them from engaging in any actions that could disrupt the trade, including but not limited to harming other traders or stealing their items. Violators will have their souls annihilated.

    In short, it is a magical item specifically designed for secure trading.

    Whether in the heyday of wizards a thousand years ago or in the future wizard era, the Trade House was very common.

    Many wizards (apprentices) preferred to use the Trade House for remote trading, as it was both safe and convenient.

    Seeing that Su Nan seemed to recognize the Trade House and wasn''t lying, Owl was secretly surprised.

    He had found the Trade House by chance in a wizard apprentice''s legacy and had never met anyone who recognized it before.

    It took him a lot of effort to convince other wizard apprentices of its importance for safe trading, allowing him to successfully establish the Forest Hut organization.

    He never expected this newly promoted Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, Su Nan, to recognize the Trade House at first glance.

    "Did you see it in a wizard''s book?"

    Owl was curious but didn''t ask further, pointing at the Trade House on the ground with his wing.

    "Since Sir Su Nan recognizes this, it will be easier."

    "Forest Hut holds a gathering every three months to trade resources and information. The next gathering is in sixteen days. You can prepare the items you want to trade and enter the Trade House when the time comes."

    Su Nan nodded, used energy particles to clean the Trade House, removing the sticky residue, and then picked it up.

    The Trade House can produce multiple ''keys.'' The one in his hand was just one of them, granting only the ability to enter and exit the Trade House.

    "By the way, Forest Hut members use pseudonyms and keep their identities confidential. Sir Su Nan can decide on a pseudonym in advance."

    After reminding Su Nan, Owl flapped its wings and left.

    Watching it fly away, Su Nan retracted his gaze, played with the ''key'' in his hand, and smiled wryly before turning and walking into the base.

 Chapter 93: Today I Will Make Sure You Canâ€™t Trade Anything

    Chapter 93 Today I Will Make Sure You Can¡¯t Trade Anything

    In the workshop.

    The magic crystal forging furnace, which had just been shut down, emitted a faint heat.

    In front of the workbench, Su Nan carefully placed the last protective ring into the magic cube, and then chose to synthesize.

    The next second, the synthesis interface flickered, and a brand new Extreme Guard Ring was produced.

    Su Nan took out the Extreme Guard Ring and put it on the little finger of his right hand.

    Looking at the five Extreme Guard Rings on his right hand, Su Nan smiled contentedly, feeling a surge of security.

    ¡°As long as I don¡¯t encounter an attack that instantly breaks through 1000 defense, I can use the five Extreme Guard Rings in turn.¡±

    ¡°5000 points of defense, enough to withstand more than fifty Second-Ring Spells.¡±

    A weaker Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice probably wouldn¡¯t have enough spiritual power to cast more than fifty Second-Ring Spells consecutively. The strength of the five Extreme Guard Rings was evident.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan looked at his left hand, only his index finger and middle finger were wearing the Calamity Ring and the Spatial Ring respectively, the remaining three fingers were empty.

    He planned to make three more Calamity Rings and use all the remaining fingers.

    ¡°The materials are all used up, I need to buy new materials.¡±

    Su Nan stroked the ring, casting the First-Ring spell, ¡°Disguise Light¡±, and the seven rings instantly disappeared.

    This way, he wouldn¡¯t expose the fact that he possessed many magical items.

    It could also prevent the enemy from discovering them in battle, giving them a head start.

    Su Nan then opened the panel.

    Over the past few days, ¡°[Magic Item Manufacturing]¡± unexpectedly broke through to Level 3, and his proficiency increased by over 1000 points.

    He was now short of nearly 5000 proficiency points to reach Level 4.

    Read Advanced Chapters on Patreon for $5:

    Su Nan estimated that to raise ¡°[Magic Item Manufacturing]¡± to Level 4, he would have to invest at least tens of thousands of gold coins worth of materials.

    As expected, every wizard (apprentice) was built up with massive resources.

    Leaving the workshop, Su Nan went straight to the meditation room to perform his daily routine.

    Just two days ago, he had successfully constructed the tenth Star Ring.

    And the Level 11 Star Ring Meditation Method required a staggering 500,000 proficiency points to upgrade.

    At this rate, it would take about 11 months to upgrade and build the eleventh Star Ring.

    After meditation, Su Nan, as usual, studied spells and practiced breaking down spells.

    By the time he finished, it was already nightfall.

    Su Nan returned to the meditation room and took out the key to the trading house.

    He had already checked it with the magic cube and confirmed that it had not been tampered with.

    It¡¯s just that the key was still in an unusable state, meaning the trading house hadn¡¯t opened yet and the gathering hadn¡¯t started.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t in a hurry, he sat down and waited patiently.

    Over the past half a month, he had carefully considered the matter of the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    To trade for the resources he desired from other Sorcerer Apprentices, he needed something to offer in return.

    Su Nan was confident in this regard.

    He believed that nine out of ten Sorcerer Apprentices in the world wouldn¡¯t have the resources he did.

    Firstly, potions.

    Other Sorcerer Apprentices didn¡¯t have the magic cube, so it was difficult to collect materials for potion making.

    Zeroth-Rank and First-Rank potions were easy, but materials for Second-Rank and Third-Rank potions were priceless.

    Moreover, without enough materials to practice, their potion-making skills might not even reach the level of making Second-Rank and Third-Rank potions.

    Magical items were the same.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t have much else, but he had a lot of potions and magical items.

    These two things were exactly what any Sorcerer Apprentice needed.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t intend to trade with potions and magical items, he had something even better ¡ª magic stones!

    Compared to potions and magic items, which had high production costs, magic stones, which cost less than two gold coins to manufacture, were undoubtedly more suitable for trading.

    As he pondered, the time came to late night, and the silver moon hung high in the sky.

    At that moment, Su Nan suddenly felt a change in the key in his palm.

    Focusing his attention, he discovered that the key was now usable.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan put on the mask, and then injected his spiritual power into the key, activating the item.

    The next second, a feeling of weightlessness swept over him.

    When he came to his senses, Su Nan found himself sitting at a long table. Looking around, he found himself in a simple wooden hut.

    The walls and floor were covered with dense, intricate runes.

    The entire hut was only furnished with a long table and a dozen chairs.

    It was exactly the same as the interior of the trading house he saw before.

    At this moment, four people were sitting around the long table, just like Su Nan.

    They all wore masks and long robes, hiding their faces and figures.

    At the head of the table sat a man wearing an owl mask, with the words ¡°Night Owl¡± inscribed on the table in front of him.

    The person on his right wore a fiery red dragon head mask, with the words ¡°Red Heart¡± inscribed on the table in front of him.

    Further to the right, two seats apart, sat a man wearing a bone mask, radiating an aura of gloom.

    Even from a distance of several meters, Su Nan could feel the intense negative energy emanating from him.

    The words ¡°Wraith¡± were inscribed on the table in front of him.

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    Su Nan sat to the left of Night Owl, three seats away from him sat a man wearing a rose mask, with the words ¡°Rose¡± inscribed on the table in front of him.No?v(el)B\\jnn

    On the current Starlight Continent, magic stones were undoubtedly invaluable materials for any Sorcerer Apprentice.

    These ten magic stones alone were more than enough to serve as the trade items for a gathering.

    Even if Wraith wanted to pick a fight, he wouldn¡¯t find an excuse.

    Seeing Wraith¡¯s silence, Night Owl chuckled and clapped his hands, ¡°Since everyone has no objections, then let¡¯s begin tonight¡¯s trades.¡±

    ¡°Who wants to go first?¡±

    As soon as Night Owl¡¯s voice fell, Rose, who was on the right side of the long table, said, ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Rose¡¯s palm brushed against the table, and two¾«ÖÂÄ¾ºÐ appeared out of thin air.

    She opened one of them, revealing a dense cluster of green seeds.

    ¡°These are Mandrake seeds. You all know the characteristics of Mandrakes, so I won¡¯t say more. There are 120 Mandrake seeds in total, anyone want them?¡±

    Mandrake was a magic plant with hallucinogenic effects, a material used in many potions.

    Su Nan had encountered many Mandrake plants in the Evil Spirit Manor in Stone Bell City, but those Mandrake plants were all corroded by negative energy and could not be used to make potions. They could only be burned.

    ¡°What are you trading for?¡± Su Nan said.

    He was just about to open up a new magic plant garden, and could plant some Mandrake.

    Rose looked at the magic stones on the table in front of Su Nan, hesitated for a moment, and said, ¡°One magic stone, what do you think?¡±

    Su Nan nodded, ¡°Deal!¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Rose breathed a sigh of relief.

    Over a hundred Mandrake seeds were still worth less than one magic stone, this trade was a bit of a bargain for her.

    Su Nan put the Mandrake seeds in the magic cube, checked them to make sure they were alright, and then threw the magic stone to Rose.

    With a magic stone in hand, Rose seemed to be in a much better mood, her voice became lighthearted.

    She opened the other wooden box, pointed to the potion inside and said:

    ¡°This is Blazeheart Potion, a First-Rank potion. Taking it can strengthen your physique and slightly enhance your fire element resistance.¡±

    At the sound of the words ¡°First-Rank potion¡±, all three present except Su Nan were moved.

    Su Nan saw it and nodded silently.

    As he had guessed, for these Sorcerer Apprentices, First-Rank potions were quite precious.

    Night Owl and Red Heart pondered slightly, seemingly thinking about whether to trade for the Blazeheart Potion, but finally shook their heads and kept silent.

    Wraith took out an irregularly shaped gray crystal and said in a deep voice, ¡°A miniature soul crystal, in exchange for your Blazeheart Potion.¡±

    Rose was immediately tempted, she was about to agree, but then she heard Su Nan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Three magic stones, in exchange for your Blazeheart Potion.¡±

    Rose¡¯s spirit lifted, she agreed without a second thought.

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Wraith¡¯s face darkened, he glared at Su Nan fiercely, as if he wanted to throw a spell at his face.

    Su Nan smiled, he gave Rose the magic stones and received the Blazeheart Potion in exchange.

    As First-Rank potions, Revitalization Potion cost about 120 gold coins.

    ¡ª Of course, this was before using the improved Silver Moon Flower, and the cost of Revitalization Potion was now lower.

    Other Sorcerer Apprentices didn¡¯t have the magic cube, so their potion-making costs were even higher.

    The cost of First-Rank potions was at least 200 gold coins.

    And the value of magic stones was about 50 to 60 gold coins, considering the rare premium, three magic stones were a fair price for a First-Rank potion.

    However, this was only fair for others.

    For Su Nan, it was almost like getting something for nothing.

    After all, his cost to synthesize a magic stone was less than two gold coins, three magic stones were just over five gold coins.

    This price was a steal for a First-Rank potion!

    ¡°This potion is perfect for strengthening my physique.¡±

    Su Nan smiled and put the Blazeheart Potion into his Spatial Ring.

    Seeing that Rose didn¡¯t take out any more items for trade, Night Owl turned to the others.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Red Heart spoke up.

    The voice was somewhat muffled and low, obviously disguised, making it impossible to tell the gender.

    What he took out was a massive skeleton.

    When fully extended, it was about ten meters long and five meters high. Judging from its appearance, it should have belonged to a sub-dragon, a dragon lizard, or other similar creature.

    ¡°This is a Spined Wingless Dragon skeleton.¡± Red Heart introduced.

    As soon as the words fell, Wraith couldn¡¯t wait to say, ¡°I want this!¡±

    He then took out a soul crystal and placed it on the table.

    ¡°Although the Spined Wingless Dragon is a legendary sub-dragon, the value of the skeleton is relatively low. It¡¯s not as high as the blood and heart, two miniature soul crystals for your skeleton, it¡¯s a fair deal.¡±

    Red Heart nodded, agreeing with Wraith¡¯s statement.

    He was about to agree, but suddenly thought of something and turned to Su Nan.

    Sure enough, he saw the latter smiling and said, ¡°Five magic stones, do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Red Heart agreed without hesitation.

    Although the soul crystal was precious, it wasn¡¯t as widely used as magic stones, she needed the latter more.

    Seeing this, Wraith was so angry that he almost gritted his teeth, he glared at Su Nan with a murderous look, as if he wanted to blast him with a spell.

    Su Nan smiled faintly and glanced at Wraith.

    Little brat, you dare challenge me, today I will make sure you can¡¯t trade anything!

    (End)

 Chapter 94: The Water Behind It Is Indeed Very Deep

    Chapter 94: The Water Behind It Is Indeed Very Deep

    Though not one hundred percent certain, Su Nan guessed that the code names of the people in the mysterious wooden hut were likely related to their abilities in some way.

    For instance, Night Owl, when he last came to see Su Nan, used a substitute that was an owl.

    Rose traded either magic plant seeds or potions, suggesting she was skilled in magic plant cultivation and potion brewing.

    As for Corpse, his abilities were likely related to the necromancy school.

    His eagerness for the thorny wingless dragon¡¯s boneº¡ was a testament to this.

    Su Nan was determined to give Corpse a taste of his own medicine, the guy who had been intentionally picking on him since the beginning of the gathering.

    With him present, Corpse wouldn¡¯t be able to trade for anything at this gathering.

    Su Nan was confident in his ability to do this.

    In terms of abundant resources, he believed that no one present could compare to him.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t trade the thorny wingless dragon¡¯s boneº¡ purely out of spite.

    Thorny wingless dragons were a subspecies of sub-dragons, and their bones had benefits for Infiltrators, strengthening their bone density after refining and promoting bloodline concentration.

    Putting away the bone, Su Nan suddenly asked Red Heart, ¡°Do you have any dragon blood? Or perhaps the blood of a sub-dragon species?¡±

    Red Heart was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I do have some.¡±

    He flipped his wrist, and a clear glass bottle appeared in his palm, filled with bright red blood.

    ¡°This is the blood of a thorny wingless dragon.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Infiltrator¡¯s bloodline concentration was already approaching 90%. If he could obtain this bottle of sub-dragon blood and refine it with the thorny wingless dragon bone, then perhaps he could directly advance Infiltrator¡¯s bloodline to sub-dragon bloodline.

    This was something he absolutely had to get his hands on!

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    Su Nan asked in a deep voice, ¡°What do you want to trade for it?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Red Heart shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to trade this bottle of blood for anything.¡±

    Red Heart spread out his other palm, revealing a yellowish-brown eyeball.

    ¡°I found this by chance. It seems like a magic item, and it contains a concentrated amount of energy particles, but no matter how I try, I can¡¯t activate the energy within.¡±

    ¡°If any of you can help me identify this object, I will give him this bottle of sub-dragon blood.¡±

    Upon hearing Red Heart¡¯s words, everyone present immediately displayed curious expressions.

    Night Owl said, ¡°Can I take a look?¡±

    Red Heart directly handed the object to Night Owl.

    Night Owl held the eyeball, carefully examining it back and forth. He even tried injecting spiritual power into it, but the eyeball remained unresponsive.

    After a while, he sighed, shook his head, and returned the object.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Seeing that even Night Owl, who had extensive knowledge, couldn¡¯t recognize the eyeball, Rose and Corpse quickly abandoned their attempts.

    At this moment, Su Nan said, ¡°Let me try.¡±

    Red Heart looked at him, then handed the object over.

    Corpse sneered, ¡°Even Night Owl couldn¡¯t figure it out, what are you pretending for?¡±

    Su Nan ignored him and focused on examining the item in his hand.

    Night Owl, Red Heart, and Rose didn¡¯t say anything, but they didn¡¯t believe that Su Nan could make sense of it either.

    However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Su Nan quickly put the item down, smiling, ¡°Not so coincidentally, I happen to recognize this thing.¡±

    Everyone was taken aback.

    Red Heart immediately reacted, saying with delight, ¡°Really?¡±

    Su Nan returned the item to him, speaking leisurely, ¡°This is called the Rainbow Eye, the eye of the Rainbow Monster. It can emit a light similar to rainbow spirit radiance. You could call it a magic item, as it¡¯s considered a natural magic item to some extent.¡±

    Everyone was dumbfounded.

    They had never heard of the Rainbow Eye or the Rainbow Monster.

    The Rainbow Spirit Radiance, however, was a second-ring spell that could cause the target that it shines on to fall into an illusion.

    Though none of those present had mastered it, they had seen it in books.

    ¡°How do we know you¡¯re not lying?¡± Corpse scoffed.

    Su Nan glanced at Corpse, his gaze like that of someone looking at a clown, making Corpse incredibly annoyed.

    Before Corpse could speak, Su Nan turned to Red Heart, saying calmly, ¡°You can try soaking the Rainbow Eye in a mixture of dream flowers and animal blood. Five minutes should be enough.¡±

    Night Owl said at the right moment, ¡°I have some owl blood.¡±

    Rose followed by taking out a light purple flower, ¡°I have a dream flower as well.¡±

    Seeing this, Red Heart no longer hesitated and immediately started trying.

    Since he couldn¡¯t use this thing now, he might as well try what Su Nan said.

    The mixture of owl blood and dream flowers quickly submerged the eyeball. Everyone patiently waited five minutes. When Red Heart took the eyeball out of the mixture, its appearance had completely changed.

    ¡°I need wizard books, gems, and various rare metals. If you have any, you can bring them to me.¡±

    Night Owl, Red Heart, and Rose were all energized.

    If Su Nan needed something else, they might not have it, but they all had wizard books and gems, being sorcerer apprentices.

    The key was that wizard books could be copied, and gems could be purchased with gold coins.

    These two things weren¡¯t particularly rare, and trading them for magic stones was incredibly beneficial!

    Thus, the three of them all brought out various wizard books and gems.

    Su Nan carefully selected them, removing those he already had. The rest he accepted without question.

    As for the gems, he took them all.

    To Su Nan¡¯s surprise, Rose actually brought out over three hundred gems at once.

    Although they were all low-grade gems, it was still extremely wealthy.

    Remember that Herb only had a little over a hundred gems on him.

    ¡°This guy is either a noble from a major family or has a partnership with the royal family of some country.¡± Su Nan took a deep look at Rose.

    Besides that, Red Heart and Night Owl also each brought out nearly a hundred gems.

    To Su Nan¡¯s delight, Red Heart happened to have three rare metals that were materials for the magic emblem core, which was what he lacked, so he immediately took them all without hesitation.

    In the end, Su Nan acquired over three hundred wizard books, over five hundred gems, and three rare metals.

    And all he paid was less than two hundred magic stones.

    Night Owl and the other three felt it was extremely beneficial to trade wizard books and gems for precious magic stones.

    Su Nan felt it was also very beneficial to use low-cost magic stones to exchange for wizard books and gems.

    Both sides felt that this trade was worthwhile.

    It was clearly a win-win situation!

    The only one who wasn¡¯t happy was Corpse, who sat alone in the corner.

    From the start of the gathering until now, he hadn¡¯t traded for a single item, all of them had been snatched by Su Nan.

    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to go to Su Nan and beg for mercy.

    Throughout the entire gathering, he felt like an outsider.

    Looking at the magic stones in Night Owl and the other three¡¯s hands, Corpse felt a hint of regret. He wished he hadn¡¯t provoked the player.

    After the trade, Red Heart and Rose¡¯s attitudes towards Su Nan became noticeably more enthusiastic.

    After all, Su Nan had already proven how powerful his resources were.

    Taking out over two hundred magic stones in one gathering, even the recognized richest member of the mysterious wooden hut, the Staff, couldn¡¯t do that.

    Having such a wealthy member join the mysterious wooden hut, they were naturally delighted.

    This meant they would be able to trade for even more resources in the future.

    The trade was finished, and the gathering ended.

    Before leaving, Su Nan listed a list of rare metals, stating that as long as they could bring out the rare metals on the list, no matter how much, he would accept them all at the next gathering.

    Red Heart and Rose agreed readily, starting to think about how they could collect more rare metals after they returned.

    The wooden hut was quickly left with only Night Owl and Corpse.

    Looking at Corpse, who was enveloped in gloom, Night Owl sighed, ¡°Herb¡¯s death was his own fault, it wasn¡¯t the player¡¯s fault. You shouldn¡¯t have gone to bother the player.¡±

    ¡°You saw it yourself. The player¡¯s resources are far deeper than we initially thought. Having him join is good for the mysterious wooden hut.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a piece of advice. If you want to trade for more resources, try to get along with the player as much as possible.¡±

    Corpse remained silent for a moment before saying in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know where the player got those magic stones? How could an ordinary sorcerer apprentice have hundreds of magic stones?¡±

    ¡°What difference does it make if you knew? You still want to take them from the player?¡±

    Night Owl said with deep meaning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the player was already able to kill Herb when he was just a second-rank sorcerer apprentice. Now that he¡¯s been promoted to a third-rank sorcerer apprentice, he¡¯ll only be stronger. Do you think you have a chance of beating him?¡±

    Corpse¡¯s words faltered, unable to retort.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say that you could beat the player. How can you guarantee that you can get those magic stones? Who knows if those resources are the player¡¯s or if he traded them from someone else?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s the latter, we¡¯d actually be cutting off a channel to trade for magic stones.¡±

    ¡°Since we can trade for magic stones from the player peacefully, why take risks and do something thankless?¡±

    Corpse fell silent once more.

    After a long time, he stood up and said, ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    With those words, Corpse instantly vanished.

    Night Owl shook his head and looked at the spot where Su Nan had been sitting, a thoughtful look crossing his eyes.

    Through his previous investigation, he thought he had a good understanding of Su Nan. But after interacting with him twice, Su Nan¡¯s image had become even more enigmatic and elusive.

    Now even he couldn¡¯t fathom the depths of Su Nan.

    ¡°A twenty-year-old third-rank sorcerer apprentice, the water behind him is indeed very deep.¡±

 Chapter 95

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    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan found himself back in the Mind Chamber, still holding the key in his palm.

    Except the key was now unusable.

    Putting the key away, Su Nan took out all the items he had traded for at the gathering.

    Over three hundred wizarding tomes, over five hundred gems, three types of rare metals, a Flameheart Potion, over a hundred mandrake seeds, a thorny, wingless dragon skeleton, a vial of sub-dragon blood, and over forty red-eyed raven eggs.

    This trip to the trading house was undeniably a great success!

    ¡°Although other wizard apprentices don¡¯t have magic cubes to synthesize resources, they all have their own resources channels. Trading with them can allow me to obtain resources I rarely see.¡±

    ¡°Joining the Mysterious Wooden Hut was indeed the right decision.¡±

    After calming himself down, Su Nan started organizing his loot.

    Out of the over three hundred wizarding tomes, there were a total of twenty-one spell books.

    Among them were five zero-ring spells, eleven one-ring spells, and five two-ring spells, greatly expanding Su Nan¡¯s spell repertoire.

    With the player panel, as long as he had enough time, Su Nan could completely master all the spells. He didn¡¯t need to specialize in only a few spells like other wizard apprentices.

    ¡°The more spells I master, the stronger my ability to adapt to unexpected situations will be.¡±

    ¡°But for now, I should prioritize mastering two-ring spells, and learn the rest later when I have some spare time.¡±

    As for the over five hundred gems, Su Nan planned to use them for creating stone golems and synthesizing higher-grade rune gems.

    The stone golems would mainly be used to guard the new magical plant garden he was about to open up.

    The higher-grade rune gems, however, had changed compared to before.

    After becoming a third-rank wizard apprentice, Su Nan¡¯s energy control ability had greatly increased. He tried increasing the number of rune gems he synthesized, from the previous eighteen to twenty-three.

    The power of the higher-grade rune gems also soared.

    Su Nan tested it with the Extreme Protection Ring, and a single Thunderbolt higher-grade rune gem knocked off over 700 defense points.

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    The power was roughly equivalent to eight two-ring spells hitting simultaneously!

    With such incredible power, aside from glimmer-grade protective magic items, there was no two-ring protective spell or alchemical-grade protective magic item that could completely resist it!

    The key was that as his spiritual power increased, the power of the higher-grade rune gems would also gradually increase.

    It could be said that for a very long time in the future, the higher-grade rune gems could be his trump card.

    ¡°At least before I become a wizard, higher-grade rune gems can be used as a killing move. This trump card cannot be lost.¡±

    ¡°First, I will make five higher-grade rune gems, and save the rest for later.¡±

    Su Nan then looked at the Flameheart Potion, thought for a moment, and directly drank it.

    The scalding potion exploded in his body, turning into a hot current that flowed throughout his body. For a while, he felt like he was soaking in boiling water, his skin becoming red with visible speed.

    Having experienced the pain of taking the Nightmare Potion, the pain brought by the Flameheart Potion was nothing to him. Su Nan easily endured it.

    When his body returned to normal, he immediately opened the panel and found his constitution had increased by 1.82.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Su Nan was already very satisfied.

    After all, the Flameheart Potion was only a first-order potion, and it also had a slight effect of strengthening fire element resistance.

    For the constitution to have this increase was already very good.

    Among first-order potions, the Flameheart Potion was slightly better than the Dragon Blood Potion.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the main ingredient of the Flameheart Potion seems to be the Flameheart Bamboo, which only exists in the Thornflower Kingdom and is harder to find than black scale lizardman blood.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head. It was still easier to synthesize Dragon Blood Fruit to strengthen his constitution.

    From now on, he would have to set aside some of every batch of Dragon Blood Fruit harvest for strengthening his own constitution.

    ¡°Counting these three rare metals, and the two substitute materials I recently researched, I¡¯ve already gathered sixty-five types of metals for refining magic emblem cores, leaving twenty-four more.¡±

    ¡°Once the new magical plant garden is opened, I will set aside a section to plant mandrakes.¡±

    ¡°As for the red-eyed ravens, I need to hatch them as soon as possible.¡±

    Su Nan planned to hatch the red-eyed ravens himself.

    After all, this batch of red-eyed ravens would be responsible for the base¡¯s security. He couldn¡¯t entrust it to Xie Man and the others.

    The remaining thorny, wingless dragon skeleton and blood, needless to say, were naturally used to enhance the bloodline of the Stealthy Dragon.

    Overall, Su Nan was very satisfied with this trip to the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    He even started looking forward to the next gathering.

    After this experience, he believed that next time, Night Owl and the others would bring along more things he wanted.

    In the following days.

    Su Nan began to research how to extract the thorny, wingless dragon skeleton and blood to enhance the Stealthy Dragon.

    After much effort, he finally managed to fuse all the extracted essence into the Stealthy Dragon.

    The Rainbow Sea and the Underworld?

    Su Nan¡¯s heart moved.

    He knew those two places.

    After the Elemental Revival in his previous life, the Rainbow Sea and the Underworld, due to their abundant resources, became the first choices for many wizards (apprentices) to explore and adventure.

    Among them, the Rainbow Sea was a very famous sea.

    It was known for the many colorful corals, as well as various colored plants and animals on the seabed.

    But this sea was also quite dangerous, inhabited by many poisonous and fierce marine creatures, plus many seafolk groups.

    If you weren¡¯t a wizard (apprentice), ordinary people could only stay in the shallow waters.

    Su Nan remembered that the Rainbow Sea was on the other side of the continent, thousands of miles away from Shining Light City.

    Unless he could tame a flying beast, otherwise, riding the Stealthy Dragon to travel there, it would take half a year to go back and forth.

    The Starlight Continent was quite vast.

    As for the Underworld, as the name suggests, it was a vast space located underground.

    There, apart from the ever-present darkness, were countless ferocious monsters.

    Including all sorts of ferocious beasts, demons, insect races, Heartbreakers, mutated spiders, undead, mushroom people, worms, minotaurs, and oozes.

    Of course, it also included the dragons Amy mentioned.

    Many dragons liked to build their nests in the Underworld, mainly because the Underworld was rich in minerals.

    As long as they found a silver or gold mine, captured a group of slaves to mine the veins, then they could lie down and wait for the treasure to flow in.

    This was the ultimate dream of many dragons.

    However, after thousands of years of elemental wasteland, Su Nan guessed that the abundance of resources in the Rainbow Sea and the Underworld would definitely be far less than before.

    In that case, whether there were still dragons living there was a question.

    To go deeper, the current Starlight Continent was no longer a suitable place for dragons to live.

    Whether there were still dragons on the continent was a question mark.

    ¡°Forget it, if I can¡¯t find Dragon Blood, sub-dragon blood will do. If I have to, I can synthesize Dragon Blood with the magic cube.¡±

    ¡°The Rainbow Sea is out of the question for now, but the Underworld is an option.¡±

    ¡°However, the entrances to the Underworld are mostly very secret. It won¡¯t be easy to find them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the others at the next Mysterious Wooden Hut gathering.¡±

    Having made up his mind, Su Nan temporarily put this aside, letting Amy and the Stealthy Dragon go out to play. He himself stayed in the spell training field.

    His eyes fell on the human-shaped target in the distance, Su Nan¡¯s lips moved slightly, and he quickly uttered a syllable. Six magic projectiles instantly appeared, piercing through the void like lightning, and with a boom, the human-shaped target was blown to pieces.

    ¡°The casting speed has increased by about three times.¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    Just two days ago, he had successfully mastered segmented casting.

    Now, he only needed to utter a short syllable or two to cast spells, and his combat ability had made a leap forward.

    ¡°Next is to train spell chanting.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s mind moved, and a line of text suddenly appeared in the void in front of him.

    ¡¾¡®Spell Chanting¡¯ Training Progress: 0.16%¡¿

    ¡°Only 0.16% training progress in two days, at this rate, it should take two to three years to master it.¡±

    Su Nan had expected this situation.

    The true Super Magic Technique was definitely more difficult to train than Segmented Casting.

    Actually, being able to master spell chanting in only two to three years was already very fast.

    Many wizard apprentices never mastered a single spell chant in their entire lives.

    Most of them were only able to gradually learn Super Magic Technique after they became wizards, and their spiritual control ability was greatly strengthened.

    Those who were able to master Super Magic Technique during their wizard apprentice stage were all geniuses.

    If other wizard apprentices knew that Su Nan could learn spell chanting in only two to three years, their eyes would probably pop out.

    ¡°Once my spiritual power increases, the training progress should be able to increase again. Maybe I can master it in less than two years.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s mentality was very calm.

    Unlike skills like ¡¾Potion Brewing¡¿and ¡¾Magic Item Manufacturing¡¿, which could be upgraded in a short time by using resources, Super Magic Technique could only be cultivated step by step.

    A total of seven Super Magic Techniques, to master them all, it was almost impossible without twenty or thirty years.

    It was a long process.

    ¡°With the player panel, I can just grind.¡±

    Su Nan took a deep breath, suppressed his distractions and continued to practice spell chanting.

 Chapter 96: The Grand Wedding

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    Chapter 96: The Grand Wedding

    Time flew by and in the blink of an eye, it was already the month of Blazing Fire (July).

    This was the time when the sun walked across the land.

    In the Cangjin Empire, this was also the time for the annual Fire Festival.

    In the Starry Constellation Duchy, although the Harvest Festival was still two months away, the people had already started to show signs of merriment.

    Jin Yan Province was no exception, and it was even earlier than other provinces to be enveloped in an atmosphere of joy and festivity.

    The reason was that the Marquis of Jin Yan Province was about to get married!

    The moment this joyous news spread from the lord¡¯s manor, it swept through the entire Jin Yan Province like a hurricane.

    Su Nan, who had been immersed in his studies and cultivation, became one of the last people to know about it.

    ¡°So, my brother¡¯s wedding is scheduled for the day of the Harvest Festival.¡±

    Su Nan expressed surprise, having just learned the news in the meeting room.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kei said with a cheerful smile, ¡°A way to celebrate with the people, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... pretty good.¡±

    Hearing the phrase ¡°celebrate with the people¡± coming from a noble¡¯s mouth, it felt strangely awkward.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the bride?¡±

    ¡°The youngest daughter of the Marquis of White Tower.¡±

    A marriage alliance?

    It seemed Kei was gradually expanding his network of relationships.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there on the day of the wedding.¡± Su Nan said.

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    As he was about to leave, Kei stopped him with a chuckle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush off, I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    Su Nan reluctantly sat back down, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re twenty years old this year, it¡¯s time to think about getting married.¡±

    Su Nan was stunned for a moment before shaking his head with a wry smile.

    For a Wizard Apprentice who aspired to become a Wizard, marriage was an extremely distant notion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans for that right now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to consider it? Many nobles have approached me, wanting to marry their daughters or nieces to you, and there are quite a few beauties among them.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Su Nan rejected without hesitation.

    Compared to Wizard Apprentices, the lifespan of ordinary people was far too short.

    Even legendary knights could only live half as long as a third-rank Wizard Apprentice.

    If he were to marry an ordinary woman, the end result would likely be watching her die of old age.

    It wouldn¡¯t be a good thing for him, nor for the woman who would become his wife.

    Besides, he wasn¡¯t interested in getting married now.

    Cultivation, study, and farming development occupied almost all his time and energy, leaving no space for anything else.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve already chosen a new location for the Magic Plant Garden, you¡¯re in charge of the construction.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand and walked out of the hall without looking back.

    Watching him leave, Kei shook his head helplessly.

    ¡°It seems the responsibility of carrying on the family line will fall to me.¡±

    The construction of a single Magic Plant Garden was much simpler than the base.

    By the month of Books (August), the foundation for the Magic Plant Garden was already completed.

    Su Nan named it Magic Plant Garden No. 2.

    As for the one in the base, it was naturally called Magic Plant Garden No. 1.

    In addition to Dragonblood Fruit and Silver Moon Flowers, Su Nan also specifically designated one-third of the area for planting Mandrake, Gold Thorn Grass, Tranquility Flower, and other Magic Plants.

    These were commonly used ingredients for crafting low-level potions.

    Standing at the entrance of the Magic Plant Garden, looking at the various flowers in full bloom, and smelling the sweet fragrance that filled the air, Su Nan wore a satisfied smile.

    When the Silver Moon Flowers here matured, he would be able to synthesize a third-rank mid-grade Transcendent Potion.

    At that time, his meditation efficiency would be further enhanced.

    As for the third-rank high-grade Transcendent Potion, there were restrictions that required Spiritual Power to reach 34 points and Physique to reach 25 points to be able to consume it.

    He estimated that he wouldn¡¯t be able to consume it until he had built the eleventh Star Ring.

    There was also Dragonblood Fruit, which could be used to strengthen Physique, allowing him to reach the level of a Junior Great Knight sooner.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    A warm and sweet voice came from within the flower sea, and more than a dozen exquisite little beauties, only a foot tall, flew out from the flowerbeds, flapping their colorful wings.

    These little people were about thirty centimeters tall, wearing various colors of exquisite long dresses, with bow ties on their chests, colorful wings on their backs, slender and graceful figures, and small, white, tender legs wearing thigh-high boots, making them look very pretty.

    ¡°I want to drink rosedew.¡±

    ¡°I want honey, yesterday¡¯s honey was so delicious.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    Seven or eight little people flew around Su Nan, their sweet laughter echoing in the air.

    However, the group was not afraid at all, their gazes toward the entrance were filled with a fiery heat, their faces full of excitement.

    ¡°Freder, did you find those silver bars in this cave?¡± The man asked in a deep voice.

    Freder nodded heavily, ¡°That¡¯s right, I saw a silver vein deep inside the cave with my own eyes.¡±

    The group¡¯s expressions became even more excited.

    A silver vein, even a super-small, shallow silver vein, could make them rich overnight.

    If the reserves were even larger, they might not have to worry about food and drink for the rest of their lives.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, get in!¡±

    The man suppressed his excitement and led the group into the cave.

    Some people in the front and back of the group lit torches, and the bright light illuminated the inside of the cave.

    The man examined the cave walls and frowned in confusion.

    This cave was full of traces of artificial excavation, and the traces were quite new, combined with the silver vein inside, it should be a recently excavated mine.

    But if that were the case, why were there no figures in sight.

    Moreover, he had inquired in the city and found that no one had ever mined in this forest.

    The man was inexplicably uneasy and began to consider whether to retreat and investigate further before proceeding.

    Just then, a low cry suddenly came from deep inside the cave.

    ¡°It¡¯s the silver vein!¡±

    The man subconsciously looked up and saw a patch of dull silver-gray on the cave wall, immediately catching his eye.

    His heart began to beat rapidly.

    The desire for silver bars instantly suppressed the unease deep in his heart.

    Without hesitation, the man immediately took the iron pickaxe from his waist and exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Dig!¡±

    Everyone had been waiting for this command. Upon hearing it, they couldn¡¯t wait to get to work.

    ¡°Haha, we¡¯re rich!¡±

    ¡°After this job, I can take a break for several years!¡±

    ¡°This cave seems pretty deep, there might be other veins further inside.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, let¡¯s go check it out later.¡±

    The group discussed excitedly.

    At that moment, strange sounds suddenly came from deep inside the cave.

    Despite being caught up in excitement, years of abundant adventuring experience allowed the man to notice the anomaly immediately.

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    ¡°There seems to be something in the cave, everyone be on guard!¡±

    The group immediately put down their iron picks and drew their weapons, their eyes alertly fixed on the darkness deep inside the cave.

    ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡±

    To their horror, a group of rats, as large as cats, rushed out from the darkness.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Rats?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way rats are this big... Damn it, these monsters are so fast, I was bitten!¡±

    These sudden rats had slightly reddish eyes, like crazed beasts, they attacked the group with their sharp fangs and claws.

    What was even scarier was that they were incredibly fast, and there were many of them.

    In the limited space of the cave, the group couldn¡¯t dodge, and they were quickly injured.

    ¡°Stay calm, back-to-back defense!¡±

    The man swung his sword and chopped a giant rat in half, yelling loudly.

    The next second, a muffled roar suddenly came from behind.

    The man didn¡¯t have time to turn around before he was knocked to the ground by a massive figure rushing from behind.

    ¡°Captain!¡± Someone cried out in alarm.

    With the flickering firelight, everyone quickly saw the beast that had knocked the man to the ground.

    It had a toad-like head, dark red skin, no eyes, and incredibly thick limbs.

    ¡°Gurgle, gurgle!¡±

    The toad-like monster opened its bloody maw and bit down on the man¡¯s head. After chewing a few times, it swallowed it whole, then leaped onto the others.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    The man¡¯s death sent the group into complete panic.

    Everyone lost their fighting spirit and rushed to the cave entrance in a desperate attempt to escape.

    However, they hadn¡¯t run very far before they were knocked down by the toad-like monster and the swarm of rats chasing behind them.

    Freder, who was running the fastest, was the first to reach the cave entrance.

    Seeing that he was about to escape, he couldn¡¯t help but show an ecstatic expression on his face.

    But the next moment, a sticky tongue shot out from behind, wrapping around his waist and dragging him back forcefully.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    The short scream was cut off abruptly, followed by the chilling sound of chewing.

    ¡°Crunch, crunch!¡±

    After a while, the sounds disappeared, and the dark cave returned to its deathly silence.

 Chapter 97: Whose Face?

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    Chapter 97: Whose Face?

    Shining Light City.

    The city was abuzz with excitement today.

    The streets were brightly decorated with colorful lanterns and banners, overflowing with people.

    On both sides of the streets hung drapes bearing the insignia of a golden flame, the symbol of the Shining Light Family.

    In the distant square, tables were set up for beer barrels and food, available for all to enjoy.

    The entire city was enveloped in an atmosphere of joyous celebration.

    Inside a carriage, Mu Zhu lifted the curtain, excitedly looking out at the street scene and the throngs of people.

    ¡°Shining Light City is much more prosperous than before.¡±

    Ota, sitting opposite him, nodded and said, ¡°After all, Shining Light City is now the center of the Golden Rock Province.¡±

    After defeating the Golden Rock Marquis, Marquis Kei had established Shining Light City as the center of the province. The Lord¡¯s Mansion was still the original Baron¡¯s Mansion, but it had been expanded.

    Today¡¯s Shining Light City was the political and economic center of the entire Golden Rock Province, naturally becoming increasingly prosperous.

    ¡°President, I heard that the Grand Duke of Starsea and the other five Marquises have all sent envoys to offer congratulations. Is it true?¡± Ota asked curiously.

    Mu Zhu smiled, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. The noble Marquis Shining Light, he deserves a little respect, you know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty big deal.¡±

    As they spoke, the carriage arrived at the Lord¡¯s Mansion.

    Various luxurious carriages were parked in the open space in front of the mansion. The carriages were adorned with countless noble emblems.

    He estimated that there were at least two or three hundred different emblems.

    Ota even saw a few familiar aristocratic crests, clearly belonging to the nobility of the Thornflower Duchy!

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    ¡°Even the nobles from our duchy have come. Marquis Shining Light¡¯s influence is too great!¡±

    Mu Zhu said with a hint of amusement, ¡°His influence is undeniably great, but it may not be Shining Light¡¯s face he¡¯s getting.¡±

    Ota was slightly stunned, then he thoughtfully nodded.

    They handed their gifts to the servants by the gate, then presented their invitations. After a brief inspection, they entered the mansion and were led by the servants towards the grand hall.

    Even from a distance, they could hear bursts of laughter and conversation from within the hall.

    The bright and spacious hall was dotted with tables draped in white cloth. They were laden with a feast of delicious food and fine wine.

    Numerous men and women, their attire elegant and their bearing exuding an air of privilege, were gathered in groups, clinking their wine glasses and conversing gracefully.

    Mu Zhu surveyed the crowd, recognizing many familiar faces.

    They were all big shots rarely seen by ordinary people, many of them viscounts or even earls.

    Yet these individuals, who held a position of high esteem in the eyes of ordinary people, were now gathered in the grand hall, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their host.

    Mu Zhu smiled inwardly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, noting two small groups that drew significant attention.

    The first group consisted of a cluster of middle-aged men gathered near the center of the hall, to the right.

    Compared to the other nobles present, they exhibited less grace and more tenacity in their speech and demeanor, carrying a hint of the iron-blooded spirit typical of soldiers.

    If he had to guess, these were probably the newly promoted military nobles of Marquis Kei.

    These individuals had risen to prominence relatively recently and found it difficult to blend in with the established nobility from elsewhere, so they formed their own circle and chatted among themselves.

    Mu Zhu scanned the group and sure enough, he saw a few familiar faces ¨C Viscount Bred, Baron Jorton, and Baron Stary.

    He had grown acquainted with these three, as they frequently led trade caravans to Shining Light City.

    The other group was comprised of a dozen or so teenage boys and girls.

    Their young and innocent faces stood out among the crowd of adults, drawing attention.

    However, nobody dared to underestimate these young people. In fact, many were secretly observing them.

    After all, these young people were all students of *that one*.

    Several nobles approached them with smiles, hoping to join their conversation, but they retreated soon after, looking troubled, seemingly unsuccessful.

    Mu Zhu looked around again, but he couldn¡¯t find Su Nan.

    He thought to himself that Su Nan wouldn¡¯t appear at this time, so he decided to stop thinking about it. He signaled a passing servant to stop and took a glass of wine from the tray, then forced a smile and walked towards the nearest group of nobles.

    As for Ota, he was directed to another hall, where all the guards accompanying the nobles were gathered.

    ¡°Such a boring banquet.¡±

    Cole frowned, watching the nobles in the hall laughing and chattering, a hint of impatience flashing across his face.

    ¡°And a bunch of boring people.¡±

    Atyl laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. This is the Lord¡¯s wedding. If Teacher hears you saying these things, he¡¯ll definitely scold you.¡±

    Cole snorted, his lips curling in disdain, but he suppressed his impatience.

    He still held great respect for his Teacher.

    In fact, if his Teacher wouldn¡¯t be attending the wedding, he wouldn¡¯t have come here.

    He¡¯d rather spend the time learning magic or refining another Blackrock Beast than attending this tedious banquet.No?v(el)B\\jnn

    Xieman chuckled to himself, looking at the lavish hall and the well-dressed nobles, a sense of nostalgia washing over him.

    Seeing Su Nan changing the subject, Kei didn¡¯t mind, and he sat down on the sofa with a smile, pouring himself a glass of wine.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone back to rest. An eighteen-year-old girl, she¡¯s been busy all day. She¡¯s exhausted.¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Her health is not good. It¡¯s not good for the offspring¡¯s genes. Give her more Dragon Blood Fruit later.¡±

    Gene inheritance was even more pronounced in this world.

    The children of knights were more likely to be good candidates for knighthood.

    The children of Great Knights were almost guaranteed to become knights.

    Legendary Knights were even more extraordinary.

    This was why strong individuals often emerged from noble families with hundreds of years of history. Knights constantly arose from their ranks.

    This was a reflection of their improved genes.

    If both parents were knights, the probability of their children becoming knights was almost eighty or ninety percent.

    Unfortunately, female knights were rare in this era.

    Noble ladies focused more on their demeanor and social graces, learning things like singing, playing musical instruments, and table manners, perhaps also courtly dances and horsemanship, but they rarely practiced martial arts.

    But it didn¡¯t matter. They might not be skilled in martial arts, but they could enhance their physical fitness.

    With Dragon Blood Fruit, dramatically enhancing their physique within a short period of time wasn¡¯t difficult.

    The two chatted casually for a while, then the conversation shifted to the recent situation of the Starfire Sect.

    ¡°The Starfire Sect¡¯s most successful spread of faith has been in the Red Leaf Province and Frost Dye Province.¡±

    ¡°In the former, they have the Grand Duke¡¯s backing. From top to bottom, they faced almost no obstacles.¡±

    ¡°The latter is currently undergoing reconstruction. The people are hungry and cold. The Starfire Sect can easily gain a large number of believers by simply distributing some food.¡±

    ¡°As for the Lake Orchid Province, the Soloman Province, and the Purple Bamboo Province, they haven¡¯t expressed support for the Starfire Sect¡¯s spread of faith, but they haven¡¯t actively hindered it either. They¡¯re probably still observing the situation.¡±

    Kei didn¡¯t mention the White Tower Province.

    However, judging from the White Tower Marquis¡¯s decision to form an alliance with him, his stance was clear.

    ¡°We need time to accumulate power, but we can¡¯t just let the Starfire Sect expand its influence. Do you have any good ideas?¡± Kei asked seriously.

    Su Nan pondered for a moment.

    They couldn¡¯t intervene in the territories of other provinces yet, so they couldn¡¯t disrupt the Starfire Sect¡¯s actions there.

    The only thing they could do was to join forces with the White Tower Province to prevent the Starfire Sect from entering their territory.

    Of course, to be honest, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to take other measures.

    They couldn¡¯t rely on the Golden Rock Province, but they still had the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Perhaps they could start from that angle.

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Su Nan said.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Kei¡¯s expression relaxed considerably.

    He always had great confidence in Su Nan. Since Su Nan had said so, it meant he had a plan.

    Knock, knock!

    A knock came from the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door opened, and Bred hurried in, his expression serious.

    ¡°Lord, Master Su Nan.¡±

    He bowed to both before speaking in a somber tone,

    ¡°The patrol team reported that the villagers of a village about ten kilometers north of the city have all disappeared!¡±

    Kei¡¯s expression tightened, and he asked, ¡°Have you found out what happened?¡±

    ¡°According to the patrol team, there were many traces of beasts¡¯ claws tearing flesh at the scene, and there was a large amount of blood left behind. Based on preliminary investigations, it is suspected that a pack of beasts attacked the village, killed everyone, and then dragged the bodies away.¡±

    ¡°A pack of beasts?¡±

    Kei furrowed his brow, his expression uncertain.

    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for packs of beasts to attack villages, but it was unthinkable for the entire village to have no survivors, not even a single person to send a message.

    How large of a pack of beasts could have done such a thing?

    Such an incident on such a happy day put Kei in a foul mood. He frowned and ordered, ¡°You personally lead a team to investigate, you must find the perpetrators who attacked the village!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Bred nodded solemnly, then left decisively to gather his forces.

    ¡°This had to happen at a time like this¡± Kei sighed.

    Su Nan stood up and patted his shoulder, comforting him, ¡°Take care of the wedding first. We¡¯ll deal with other matters tomorrow.¡±

    Kei nodded, getting up to return to the grand hall.

    After all, he was the main attraction today, and he couldn¡¯t be away for too long.

    Su Nan walked to the window and looked towards the northern direction, lost in thought.

    ¡°A pack of beasts, huh?¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 98

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    Bred¡¯s efficiency was high.

    The next day, the investigation results were presented to Kei.

    According to the investigation, the attack on the village was most likely carried out by a pack of beasts. Several animal hides, incomplete claws, and fangs were found at the scene.

    After confirming this, Bred immediately dispersed his search party from the village outwards, looking for traces of the beast pack.

    He quickly found a chaotic set of footprints and later, bloodstains.

    Finally, following these traces, he located a cave deep within the forest.

    However, while investigating the cave interior, they were attacked by monsters and had to retreat temporarily.

    After leaving some men to seal the cave, Bred rushed back to report the investigation results.

    ¡°These are the monsters Bred and his men encountered in the cave.¡±

    Kei pointed to several paintings on the table.

    Su Nan picked up the topmost painting and raised his eyebrows.

    Wasn¡¯t this a Savage Rat?

    Savage Rats belonged to the Savage Beast category, a mutated species. They were extremely ferocious during attacks, very fast, and adept at using their sharp teeth to bite and chew their opponents.

    However, in reality, the Savage Rat¡¯s strength was similar to that of an ordinary person. If careful, an average adult male could handle one.

    A single Savage Rat wasn¡¯t a problem. The key was that Savage Rats usually roamed in packs, appearing in groups of hundreds.

    Moreover, they carried various diseases and there was a chance of contracting conditions like Fever and Plague.

    Therefore, even Knights encountering a Savage Rat pack would often choose to avoid them.

    The second painting depicted a monster with a toad head and thick limbs.

    ¡°Underground Toad Monster!¡±

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    Su Nan was genuinely surprised.

    If it were just Savage Rats, he wouldn¡¯t have been sure. After all, Savage Rats could appear in many places. However, Underground Toad Monsters were only found in the Underworld. Could it be that this cave was connected to the Underworld?

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.

    Not long ago, he was thinking about where to find an entrance to the Underworld. Now, before he could act, the target was delivered right before him.

    Was this good luck or bad luck?

    ¡°You know this monster?¡± Kei asked.

    Su Nan nodded: ¡°This is an Underground Toad Monster. It lives in the Underworld. I suspect that the depths of that cave might be connected to the Underworld.¡±

    ¡°The Underworld?¡± Kei became even more puzzled.

    ¡°A vast and boundless place, but extremely dangerous. Many powerful and terrifying monsters live there.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Kei¡¯s expression immediately became serious.

    ¡°Will it threaten Shining Light City?¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment and shook his head: ¡°It shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Creatures from the Underworld live in the dark depths year-round and can¡¯t adapt to the surface environment. At most, they might come to the surface occasionally to raid, but they wouldn¡¯t attack towns.¡±

    Kei¡¯s expression relaxed a bit, but he still frowned: ¡°So, those monsters might continue to attack other villages?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility.¡±

    ¡°What should we do? Block off the cave?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    He wouldn¡¯t give up this opportunity to find an entrance to the Underworld just like that.

    He had to explore it first.

    ¡°You send someone to seal off the forest and the cave, preventing the monsters inside from coming out to harm anyone. Don¡¯t let unrelated people go inside either. As for the cave, leave it to me.¡±

    Seeing that Su Nan had spoken so definitively, Kei agreed.

    Half an hour later.

    Shining Light City¡¯s army was deployed, sealing off the northern forest and preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

    Su Nan also arrived at the forest with the army.

    ¡°Sir, this is the cave where the monsters appeared.¡±

    Deep in the forest, Bred pointed to the dark entrance at the bottom of the mountain wall.

    ¡°Keep an eye on the outside. If any monsters come out, kill them immediately.¡±

    Leaving this instruction behind, Su Nan entered the cave alone.

    Torches were hung on both sides of the cave, left by the soldiers who had explored earlier.

    However, the torches only extended to the entrance. The rest was shrouded in darkness.

    Su Nan picked up a stone and cast a [Light Spell]. The dusty stone emitted a torch-like light, dispelling the surrounding darkness.

    As he moved forward, Su Nan observed the traces around him.

    It was clear that the cave wasn¡¯t naturally formed, but artificially excavated.

    Unless there was something unexpected, it was likely created by Underworld residents.

    Savage Rats and Underground Toad Monsters clearly wouldn¡¯t have the ability to do this. It must have been some kind of humanoid creature, like a Dogman, a Grey Dwarf, or a Fungus Man.

    Going further, Su Nan soon discovered a silver mine.

    This solidified the suspicion that the cave connected to the Underworld.

    ¡°Can we eat them?¡±

    Dogmen had very low intelligence. Often, they were driven by instinct.

    Seeing the Blackrock Beasts attack, their first reaction was to rush forward and try to kill these suddenly appearing monsters to see if they could eat them.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Blackrock Beasts charged and killed a dozen of their comrades that they felt fear and scattered in a panicked frenzy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡±

    ¡°Kill the intruders!¡±

    A Dogman leader with a larger build and dark brown scales stepped forward. He whipped the fleeing Dogmen, forcing them to fight back.

    But he was immediately tackled and torn to shreds by the Blackrock Beasts that charged forward.

    Dogmen were much weaker than Underground Toad Monsters in combat.

    Even the Dogman leader was only at the level of a Probationary Knight.

    They were simply no match for the Blackrock Beasts.

    Hundreds of Dogmen were quickly wiped out, with only a few left.

    Just then, a thunderous roar erupted.

    It sounded like countless people roaring in unison.

    Immediately, a monstrous and terrifying creature suddenly burst out of the cave deep in the basin.

    The creature looked like a large tree with many protruding branches, like a long-legged centipede, and was extremely large. It stood over 10 meters tall and was covered in countless arms and heads.

    Each of its arms grasped a sword or a heavy hammer. Its lower half, or should it be said, its torso, was clad in half-body armor.

    Judging by the enchanted runes on the surface of the armor, it was a magical artifact.

    ¡°What kind of monster is this?¡±

    In the shadow behind the entrance, Su Nan stared in shock.

    He had never seen a monster like this before!

    ¡°Hundred-Armed Giant? No, no, Hundred-Armed Giants are at least humanoid, but this monster has many arms but no legs, just roots.¡±

    While Su Nan was still in doubt, the monster had already stepped on its numerous root-like legs and swiftly charged towards a Blackrock Beast. Countless giant swords and heavy hammers struck simultaneously, shattering the Blackrock Beast into pieces.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s strength was clearly far beyond that of Blackrock Beasts. It could one-shot them effortlessly.

    In the blink of an eye, a dozen Blackrock Beasts were smashed into rubble.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    ¡°What terrifying power!¡±

    A real Hundred-Armed Giant was about the strength of a two-ring legendary Knight.

    This monster¡¯s physical strength wasn¡¯t inferior to that of a Hundred-Armed Giant, and it had even more arms. Crucially, it could also use weapons and wear armor, making it potentially even stronger than a Hundred-Armed Giant.

    Even if it wasn¡¯t a three-ring legendary Knight, it was probably not far off.

    A monster comparable to a three-ring legendary Knight!

    Su Nan never imagined that such a terrifying creature was hidden in the cave near Shining Light City.

    If this monster were to rampage on the surface, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    Su Nan suddenly realized that he was very wise to not reveal himself rashly, but instead, send the Blackrock Beasts to test it first.

    Otherwise, he would be fleeing for his life now.

    Even with five high-level rune gems, he couldn¡¯t guarantee victory over this Hundred-Armed Monster.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan silently backed away, heading back the way he came.

    Fortunately, after the Hundred-Armed Monster dealt with the Blackrock Beasts, it looked left and right, but didn¡¯t notice anyone. It then grabbed a few Dogman bodies and went back to its original cave, eating them as it went. It didn¡¯t notice anyone else nearby.

    After a moment, Su Nan exited the cave unscathed.

    ¡°Sir.¡±

    Bred, who was guarding outside, immediately came forward.

    Su Nan said solemnly: ¡°Seal the cave. Don¡¯t let anyone in. If anything comes out, tell me immediately!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Bred didn¡¯t ask any questions and immediately agreed.

    Back in Shining Light City, Su Nan found Kei and briefly explained the situation in the cave.

    Hearing that there was a monster inside comparable to a three-ring legendary Knight, Kei¡¯s face immediately became very serious. He immediately decided to deploy the army to enter the cave and kill the monster.

    After all, leaving such a powerful monster beside Shining Light City meant that he couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully.

    But Su Nan immediately stopped him: ¡°That monster has hundreds of arms. It¡¯s not afraid of human wave tactics. Moreover, the cave space is limited. The army wouldn¡¯t be able to maneuver in there.¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Kei was worried.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to think about it carefully.¡±

    Su Nan also wanted to kill the Hundred-Armed Monster, so he could develop the silver and gold mines inside.

    Finding the entrance to the Underworld was the same. He couldn¡¯t go deeper without first dealing with the Hundred-Armed Monster blocking the way.

    But acting rashly was not advisable.

    After discussing for a while, they finally decided to first increase the number of troops stationed near the forest, absolutely preventing the monster from getting close to Shining Light City.

    As for what to do next, they would figure it out later.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 99: One-Sided Acquisition

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    Chapter 99: One-Sided Acquisition

    Although I decided to deal with the Hundred-Armed Monster, a creature comparable to a legendary knight of the third circle isn¡¯t so easy to kill. I must make thorough preparations.

    With the current strength I possess, I am not confident enough to eliminate the Hundred-Armed Monster.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that the Hundred-Armed Monster shouldn¡¯t be able to come to the surface for a while.¡±

    From the conversations between the dog-headed creatures, the Hundred-Armed Monster was likely driven by a lack of food to have its minions raid. After my massacre, there are now a large number of corpses in the cave. That should be enough food for the Hundred-Armed Monster for a while.

    During this time, I can prepare a way to deal with it. I already have some ideas.

    This sudden incident did not affect my schedule. After attending Kei¡¯s wedding, I continued to focus my energy on meditation and study.

    After consuming a third-rank, mid-grade Transcendent Potion, my meditation efficiency improved significantly. Now, I can gain over 1800 points of proficiency in the Star Ring Meditation Method each day.

    I estimate that I should be able to build the eleventh Star Ring by next year¡¯s Winter Moon. By then, my spiritual power should reach around 34, and I can change to a third-rank, high-grade Transcendent Potion.

    In terms of physique, after taking the Dragon Blood Fruit synthesized using the Magic Cube, my physique has surged to 30 points.

    In terms of physique alone, I am already comparable to a Great Knight.

    Now, my spirit and physique both meet the standards for fusing a Magic Emblem Core.

    I am only lacking in the level of the [Magic Item Creation] skill and the materials for the Magic Emblem Core.

    The former has been practiced for half a year, consuming a large amount of materials and creating a large number of alchemical-grade magic items and secondary magic stones. It¡¯s now only 1000 points of proficiency away from reaching level 4.

    As for the latter, I have recently researched four substitutes. I am currently only short of seventeen rare metals.

    Besides that, the concentration of the sub-dragon bloodline in the Stealthy Dragon is steadily increasing. It rose from less than 8% to over 10% in two months.

    ¡°The bloodline concentration is easier to raise when it¡¯s low.¡±

    I glanced at the Stealthy Dragon sunbathing on the empty land.

    It seems that due to evolving into a sub-dragon species, or perhaps because it awakened its fire-breathing ability, the Stealthy Dragon loves to lie down and bask in the sun. It has clearly picked up some of the ¡®bad habits¡¯ of dragons.

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    Shaking my head, I withdrew my gaze and looked at the red-eyed raven flying in the sky.

    Before hatching it, I specifically modified the egg and infused it with a hint of dragon bloodline.

    The result is that the hatched red-eyed raven is much larger, has scales on its body, and its intelligence has also improved.

    Normal red-eyed ravens are not even as powerful as probationary knights, but this one, infused with dragon blood, can already suppress two to three probationary knights in a head-to-head fight.

    If the red-eyed raven hadn¡¯t had such a weak foundation and couldn¡¯t withstand too much dragon blood, I could have continued to strengthen it to the knight level.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that living creatures cannot be synthesized and enhanced using the Magic Cube, otherwise it would be much simpler.¡±

    However, through this modification, my [Creature Modification] skill has finally broken through to level 3.

    ¡°Tonight is the Mysterious Wooden Hut gathering.¡±

    I walked towards the workshop and stayed there until night before returning to the meditation chamber. I took out the key to the trading house.

    When the key became usable, I activated it immediately. After a flash, I was already in the familiar wooden house.

    The bright moonlight shone in through the window, soft and beautiful. I could faintly hear the sound of the wind rustling the leaves.

    Looking around, I saw Night Owl, Red Heart, Rose, and Grim Reaper.

    There was also one more person. He was wearing a simple, almost undecorated silver mask. The table in front of him had the word ¡®Scepter¡¯ engraved on it.

    ¡°The fifth member?¡± I thought to myself.

    ¡°There are six members attending the gathering today, which is the highest number in recent years.¡± Night Owl said with a chuckle.

    Rose and Red Heart looked at me subconsciously at the same time. They came to this gathering solely because of my existence, wanting to trade for more resources from me.

    ¡°By the way, Scepter, let me introduce you to the new member of the Mysterious Wooden Hut, Player.¡±

    Scepter nodded to me amicably, his voice confident and steady.

    ¡°Welcome to the Mysterious Wooden Hut.¡±

    ¡°I heard from Night Owl that you killed Heb. Well done!¡±

    ¡°I always believe that everyone should abide by order. Order cannot be broken, otherwise it will only lead to the loss of everyone¡¯s interests.¡±

    ¡°This is also the principle that the Mysterious Wooden Hut has always followed. Heb¡¯s recent actions have seriously violated the agreement we made at the beginning. Even if you hadn¡¯t killed him, we were going to kick him out of the Mysterious Wooden Hut.¡±

    I raised an eyebrow. It seems that the Mysterious Wooden Hut is more principled than I thought.

    Thinking about it, most wizard apprentices of the Mysterious Wooden Hut are more or less connected to noble forces or even royal families of certain countries.

    For them, stability is the most important thing.

    If everyone does not follow the rules and acts like Heb, doing things that harm the whole country for their own selfish interests, it will ultimately lead to a situation that is beyond repair.

    After hearing Scepter¡¯s words, Grim Reaper snorted coldly, but said nothing.

    Night Owl shook his head and said: ¡°The man is already dead, why are you still talking about this?¡±

    Scepter chuckled lightly: ¡°Night Owl, I know you want to find more wizard apprentices to join the Mysterious Wooden Hut so everyone can exchange more resources, but you have to carefully select candidates. People like Heb will only bring trouble to the Mysterious Wooden Hut.¡±

    Rose and Red Heart nodded in agreement.

    It has to be admitted that what Scepter said has some truth to it.

    For example, the beast-»¯ disaster that Heb instigated this time. Outsiders who don¡¯t know the truth might think that the Mysterious Wooden Hut is behind it.

    At that time, the hostility that Heb provoked would also be attributed to the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    We wouldn¡¯t want to take the blame for Heb.

    Night Owl smiled wryly and nodded, saying: ¡°Alright, I will be more careful in this regard in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Scepter nodded slightly to Night Owl.

    In past gatherings, as long as he was present, he would always be the one who provided the most resources.

    But compared to me today, he suddenly felt inadequate.

    I wonder where Night Owl found such a wealthy wizard apprentice?

    ¡°Scepter, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    Night Owl¡¯s words interrupted Scepter¡¯s thoughts.

    Coming back to his senses, he coughed lightly, his hand brushing across the table. Three potions, a ring, and a staff appeared on the table.

    ¡°Three bottles of Calming Potion, one alchemical-grade protective ring, and one alchemical-grade staff that can continuously release three magic missiles. Anyone interested?¡±

    Scepter¡¯s eyes swept across everyone, pausing slightly on me.

    To be honest, he also had his eyes on magic stones.

    If he could, he would also like to exchange these things for magic stones with me.

    But to Scepter¡¯s disappointment, I remained indifferent, as if the things he took out were not worth my attention at all.

    In fact, these things were indeed not worth my attention.

    Calming Potion is a first-rank potion that can be used to assist in meditation and sleep.

    But in terms of improving meditation efficiency, it is still inferior to Revitalization Potion.

    Not to mention compared to Super Ability Potion and Transcendent Potion.

    As for alchemical-grade magic items, I¡¯m currently wearing eleven glimmering-grade magic items.

    Moreover, I have hundreds of alchemical-grade magic items in my base warehouse.

    Two alchemical-grade magic items are nothing to me.

    Of course, exchanging them for magic stones with me would be profitable.

    But I don¡¯t intend to do that.

    Taking everything for myself would look a bit greedy. I have to leave some soup for others to drink.

    In the end, the three bottles of Calming Potion were traded by Night Owl, Rose, and Grim Reaper respectively.

    The staff and protective ring were traded by Rose and Red Heart respectively.

    ¡°Does anyone else have anything else to trade?¡±

    At the end of the gathering, Night Owl looked around and said.

    Everyone looked at me.

    Now, I was the only one who didn¡¯t have anything to sell.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to sell.¡±

    I shook my head, then changed the subject.

    ¡°But I want to buy something from you all.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Rose asked curiously.

    ¡°Divine Blood Crystal.¡±

    I noticed keenly that when I mentioned the Divine Blood Crystal, Night Owl and Red Heart¡¯s hands trembled at the same time.

    It¡¯s obvious that they both know about the Divine Blood Crystal.

    ¡°Do you all know about the Starfire Sect?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Starfire Sect?¡± Rose tapped her finger on the armrest. ¡°The national religion of the Starry Constellation Kingdom?¡±

    Scepter pondered: ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this sect. It¡¯s a weird cult, quite radical in its actions. It seems to have some connection to the gods.¡±

    Night Owl coughed lightly and said: ¡°I know about the Divine Blood Crystal. It¡¯s the sacred object of the Starfire Sect. Attacking the Divine Blood Crystal is equivalent to seeking their death. Those fanatics will never give up until they die.¡±

    ¡°Player, what do you need this for?¡±

    I said indifferently: ¡°Secret.¡±

    Night Owl shrugged and wisely didn¡¯t ask further.

    Red Heart said: ¡°The Starfire Sect has a wide influence across the Starry Constellation Kingdom. They are not to be underestimated. The risk of going up against them is not small.¡±

    In short, it means you have to pay more!

    I held up a finger and said slowly: ¡°One Divine Blood Crystal, twenty magic stones.¡±

    As soon as I finished speaking, all the wizard apprentices present were moved.

    They paid so many resources just to exchange for ten to twenty magic stones.

    But one Divine Blood Crystal can be exchanged for twenty magic stones.

    It¡¯s worth it!

    ¡°Deal!¡± Red Heart was the first to agree.

    The others looked at each other and also agreed.

    They have no psychological burden in dealing with a cult that has ties to the gods.

    I watched them, the corners of my mouth slightly lifted under the mask.

    Although there are only five third-rank wizard apprentices here, the combined power they control could probably overturn a country!

    With these five people keeping an eye on them, the Starfire Sect will definitely be in a state of panic!

    Just by using some magic stones, I can greatly slow down the Starfire Sect¡¯s efforts to spread their faith, weaken their strength, and collect Divine Blood Crystals at the same time. It¡¯s a win-win situation for me!

 Chapter 100: Magic Emblem Constructions and the Knight Guard Concept

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    Chapter 100: Magic Emblem Constructions and the Knight Guard Concept

    Puppet Factory.

    The low rumble of the magic crystal forging furnace echoed endlessly throughout the factory.

    Su Nan stood before the wide workbench, his expression focused as he used Master¡¯s Hand to manipulate silver needles, inscribing enchanted patterns on the surface of the Magic Puppet.

    After about ten minutes, as the final stroke of the pattern was laid down, the entire Magic Puppet body instantly gained a vibrant magical aura.

    ¡°Another one finished!¡±

    Su Nan smiled contentedly and placed the miniature soul crystal into the recess in the Magic Puppet¡¯s chest.

    As the recess closed, a series of enchanted patterns flashed in succession, and the steel Magic Puppet on the workbench suddenly came to ¡®life¡¯.

    At Su Nan¡¯s command, the steel Magic Puppet jumped off the workbench and took its place at the end of the line in the corner.

    In front of it stood six identical steel Magic Puppets.

    After the second gathering at the Mysterious Wooden Hut, Su Nan immediately set about crafting new steel Magic Puppets.

    A total of six miniature soul crystals were all refined into soul cores, and the final result was six steel Magic Puppets.

    To maximize the combat strength of the steel Magic Puppets, the steel used for crafting had been pre-synthesized and enhanced, improving the quality of the materials.

    The final steel Magic Puppets had a combat strength that reached the upper echelon of First-Ring legendary knights, stronger than the first steel Magic Puppet he had crafted.

    The cost, however, increased by nearly half, soaring to over 1,500 gold coins.

    Su Nan currently earned roughly 22,000 gold coins per year from selling potions alone.

    These six steel Magic Puppets cost about 40% of his annual potion income.

    Of course, this was only the nominal cost.

    In reality, because the cost of purchasing miniature soul crystals was ridiculously low, the actual cost was not as outrageous.

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    ¡°Six steel Magic Puppets, it¡¯s still not enough to deal with the Hundred-Armed Monster.¡±

    Hundred-Armed Monster was the name Su Nan gave to the monster in the cave.

    The main purpose of his crafting six steel Magic Puppets was to deal with the Hundred-Armed Monster.

    He had to keep the old steel Magic Puppet to guard the base.

    However, considering the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s combat strength, six steel Magic Puppets were still inadequate.

    ¡°At the very least, I need ten.¡±

    With enough tanks in front to block, Su Nan could safely output from behind.

    After thinking for a moment, he quickly came up with a plan.

    If there weren¡¯t enough steel Magic Puppets, then he would use Stone Magic Puppets to make up the difference.

    But ordinary Stone Magic Puppets wouldn¡¯t work.

    A frontline that couldn¡¯t even withstand a single blow from the Hundred-Armed Monster would be meaningless.

    He had to synthesize stronger Stone Magic Puppets.

    Conveniently, he had over twenty Stone Magic Puppets stored in his Magic Cube, so Su Nan directly took them out and placed them in the Magic Cube.

    [Elite Stone Magic Puppet (Puppet/Advanced Great Knight-Level), a puppet creation crafted from granite, possessing immense strength and indestructible, capable of automatically regenerating injuries by consuming energy.]

    ¡°Twenty-five Stone Magic Puppets to synthesize an Advanced Great Knight?¡±

    Su Nan frowned slightly but quickly relaxed his brow.

    After all, the initial combat strength of the Stone Magic Puppets was only at the Junior Knight level. Since they started so low, the high synthesis requirement was normal.

    Su Nan simply transferred over ten Stone Magic Puppets from his patrol team and continued to put them into the Magic Cube.

    When the synthesis number reached forty-two, the combat strength of the Elite Stone Magic Puppet on the synthesis interface finally broke through to the First-Ring legendary knight level.

    ¡°One Stone Magic Puppet costs about forty-three gold coins, forty-two would be over nineteen hundred gold coins, the cost is about three hundred gold coins more than the steel Magic Puppets, but the combat strength is weaker.¡±

    Elite Stone Magic Puppets only had the combat strength of the lower echelon of First-Ring legendary knights, which was inferior to the newly crafted steel Magic Puppets.

    However, after some thought, Su Nan decided to synthesize the Stone Magic Puppets.

    After all, soul crystals were extremely rare, while gems were easier to obtain.

    Having a method to synthesize combat strength at the First-Ring legendary knight level was already quite good.

    ¡°Synthesizing four Elite Stone Magic Puppets requires one hundred and sixty-eight Stone Magic Puppets, leaving me short of one hundred and forty-three.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, I obtained a large amount of gems from the Mysterious Wooden Hut, so materials are plentiful.¡±

    ¡°It will take about twenty days to finish everything.¡±

    Su Nan estimated the time. If all went smoothly, he would be able to craft them before winter arrived.

    Su Nan returned the patrol team¡¯s Stone Magic Puppets and left the Puppet Factory, heading towards the spell practice area.

    It was time to practice his spells.

    He now mastered three Second-Ring spells: [Elemental Protection], [Levitation], and [Mirror Shadow].

    The most important thing was to establish a complete training system, which could continuously supply knights for the base in the future.

    As for why he didn¡¯t choose children from noble families, there were two reasons.

    One was that most nobles had their own knight inheritance.

    Noble children were taught martial arts from a young age by their family knights, and they didn¡¯t need outside help.

    The other was that when the territory recruited knights, most of them were chosen from the descendants of vassal nobles, and Su Nan didn¡¯t want to compete with Shining Light Territory for recruits.

    Anyway, he had dragon blood fruit and various strengthening potions, so he didn¡¯t care much about the cultivation talent of the trainees.

    Even if the commoner and farmer children had poor talent, he could use potions and magical plants to make up for it.

    The key was to be clean and loyal!

    ¡°Magic emblem constructions and a knight guard, I now have two more goals.¡±

    Su Nan let out a long sigh. Neither of these matters could be accomplished in a short time, and they needed to be considered carefully.

    ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the Hundred-Armed Monster first.¡±

    Time flew by, and more than twenty days passed.

    Before the end of the Autumn Moon, Su Nan finally synthesized four Elite Stone Magic Puppets.

    Now he had ten First-Ring legendary knight-level combat forces.

    ¡°I also crafted ten more high-grade inscription gems, making it a total of fifteen, which should be enough to deal with the Hundred-Armed Monster.¡±

    With everything ready, Su Nan placed the Magic Puppets into the Magic Cube, took the Stealthy Dragon with him, and rushed to the North Forest.

    Fortunately, the Hundred-Armed Monster had not come out of the cave for a while.

    Only occasional groups of Cave Toads and Brutal Rats emerged from the cave, and they were quickly eliminated by the knights stationed there.

    Therefore, there were no major casualties during this time, which put Kei at ease.

    Bred had already received a notification from Su Nan that he was going to enter the cave today, so he was waiting outside. Upon seeing Su Nan arrive, he immediately came forward.

    ¡°My lord, as you instructed, the army around the cave and the outer periphery of the forest has been withdrawn.¡±

    ¡°Good, you should leave as well.¡±

    According to Su Nan¡¯s plan, if he couldn¡¯t defeat the Hundred-Armed Monster, he would have to flee the cave, and the Hundred-Armed Monster might pursue him. If the army was still here, it might cause heavy casualties.

    To be safe, he had the army evacuate first.

    After Bred left, Su Nan cast [Shield Spell] on himself, creating a protective layer of energy particles. He also activated a Protection Ring, then entered the cave.

    The Stealthy Dragon, in turn, had already entered the cave in a dematerialized state.

    The cave was still in the same condition as before.

    Besides the torches on the walls being extinguished, there were no other noticeable changes.

    The bodies of the Brutal Rats and Cave Toads that were killed previously had disappeared, probably becoming the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s food.

    Su Nan carefully walked forward.

    The Stealthy Dragon walked a hundred meters ahead of him.

    The cave tunnel was very narrow, unable to accommodate the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s massive body. If it didn¡¯t dematerialize, it wouldn¡¯t even be able to move.

    However, while it was not suitable for combat, the Stealthy Dragon was still suitable for reconnaissance.

    He didn¡¯t encounter even a single monster along the way, and Su Nan reached the basin where he had been before.

    Surprisingly, there was another group of Goblins in the basin, diligently digging for ore.

    The Goblins who were mining there previously had all been killed by the blackrock beasts.

    ¡°Did the Hundred-Armed Monster capture them from somewhere else?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s first thought was that they were captured from the Underground World.

    After all, the Hundred-Armed Monster had never left the cave, so the only way it could capture Goblins was from the Underground World.

    However, these were not his concerns at the moment.

    Su Nan shook his head, clearing his mind, and summoned more than ten blackrock beasts from the Magic Cube, ordering them to attack the Goblins.

    In an instant, ten agile hunters appeared in the dim basin.

    The sudden ambush caught the Goblins off guard.

    One by one, their companions fell to the sharp teeth and claws of the blackrock beasts.

    Su Nan was cautious, using his spiritual energy to activate his Magic Emblem Core, his mind was on guard, and his senses were heightened. He was ready to confront the Hundred-Armed Monster. He didn¡¯t have time to be concerned with these Goblins.

    Faced with heavy casualties, the Goblins quickly became panic-stricken and fled in all directions.

    Just like last time, the commotion in the basin quickly attracted the Hundred-Armed Monster.

    With a roar that sounded like countless voices overlapping, the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s massive body burst out of the cave at the bottom of the basin, and saw the blackrock beasts attacking the Goblins.

    Seeing the black panther that had killed its slaves last time reappear, the Hundred-Armed Monster was furious. Without a word, it swung its weapon at the blackrock beasts, eliminating them all in three moves.

    But before it could rejoice, it was stunned to find a group of colossal figures made of steel and stone had appeared around it.

    (To be continued)

 Chapter 101

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    After successfully luring the Hundred-Armed Monster out, Su Nan immediately released all his Magic Puppets, ordering them to surround the creature.

    While the monster was still bewildered, Su Nan quickly uttered a syllable, followed by a deep roar.

    Instantly, a visible sound wave materialized out of thin air, twisting through the void and slamming into the Hundred-Armed Monster like a cannonball!

    Boom!

    One of the monster¡¯s arms exploded violently, sending flesh and blood flying!

    ¡°Ah!!!¡±

    The Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s dozens of heads let out a chorus of pained cries, the overlapping, muffled sound echoing through the empty basin, making one¡¯s chest feel heavy.

    The Hundred-Armed Monster snapped its heads around, dozens of eyes glaring at Su Nan with venomous hatred, it let out a ferocious howl and charged towards him.

    One Elite Stone Magic Puppet immediately stepped forward to block it.

    Boom! Boom!

    The Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s hundreds of long swords and heavy hammers pounded relentlessly on the Elite Stone Magic Puppet, the attack as fierce as a raging storm, hammering the Puppet back, causing it to shiver with shattered stones falling from its body, its surface instantly covered with numerous cracks.

    ¡°Its attack power is too ferocious!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but grin, but his hands moved without delay, repeatedly casting Shattering Sound Waves.

    One after another, twisted sound waves struck the Hundred-Armed Monster, hitting its arms, heads, and torso.

    Except for the waves that were intercepted by the monster¡¯s preemptive swings or blocked by its magical armor, the remaining sound waves shattered an arm or head each.

    Su Nan keenly noticed that when he shattered a head, the arm below the head was completely unaffected, continuing to wield its weapons and attack.

    In other words, each arm could control any of the heads, and destroying a single head had no effect.

    Furthermore, the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s magical armor was incredibly strong.

    One Shattering Sound Wave hit it, only leaving a fist-sized hole, but the creature itself was unharmed.

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    ¡°Microlight-level enchanted armor?¡±

    Su Nan was stunned.

    This was rarer than a Microlight-level magic artifact ¡ª mainly because no Wizard (Apprentice) would waste their effort crafting something like this.

    He wondered where the Hundred-Armed Monster had found it.

    ¡°I need to take out those arms first!¡±

    In just four or five minutes, the Hundred-Armed Monster had smashed an Elite Stone Magic Puppet to pieces.

    It was surrounded by countless Magic Puppets, yet it seemed to have the upper hand.

    Its numerous heads covering its upper body gave it no blind spots.

    The hundreds of arms also provided it with no weaknesses in attack or defense, allowing it to calmly parry attacks from any direction while simultaneously counterattacking.

    It was only because the Shattering Sound Waves were formless and intangible, making them difficult to defend against, that it was occasionally hit.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s very difficult to deal with!¡±

    Although he had anticipated this, the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s strength still made Su Nan frown.

    If a knight were to face this thing, even a thousand-strong Blackrock Cavalry Regiment would likely be helpless against it.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan¡¯s expression hardened, a High-Rank Rune Gem already in his palm.

    The next second, the High-Rank Rune Gem flew out, exploding in mid-air, transforming into countless black rays of light, raining down on the Hundred-Armed Monster like a shower.

    The monster swung its weapons frantically, trying to intercept the black rays, but its weapons pierced through the light.

    The next moment, the densely packed black rays struck its body with a thunderous crash.

    In an instant, the Hundred-Armed Monster was shrouded in a layer of gloom, its movements suddenly slowed, its originally fierce and ferocious attack noticeably sluggish.

    After a Shadow High-Rank Rune Gem weakened the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s combat strength, Su Nan immediately threw out another Thunder Rune Gem, which transformed into a bolt of lightning the size of a meter, crashing down!

    Boom!

    The heads and four or five arms directly struck by the lightning were instantly charred!

    The lightning subsequently exploded, transforming into countless, densely packed electric snakes that enveloped the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s entire body, crackling relentlessly.

    The Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s massive, monstrous body instantly stiffened for a moment.

    In that split second, the Stealthy Dragon, which had been lying in ambush since the beginning of the battle, suddenly emerged, its bloody maw open, sparks flickering between its teeth.

    Whoosh!

    A terrifying flame erupted from its mouth!

    The raging flames instantly engulfed the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s entire body!

    A heart-rending scream echoed.

    At least ten arms and eight heads were obliterated in this attack!

    More heads and arms were scorched to varying degrees.

    The intense pain instantly snapped the Hundred-Armed Monster out of its stiffening state, also sending it into a state of utter rage.

    As long as he could develop those silver and gold mines, he could easily make back those thirteen thousand gold coins.

    Composing himself, Su Nan walked forward to examine the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s corpse, his gaze falling upon the magical armor.

    Upon closer examination, he noticed that the armor on the creature¡¯s body didn¡¯t fit.

    Compared to the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s massive frame, the armor was a bit small, and the entire suit had been stretched out of shape.

    ¡°Seems like the magical armor was something this guy found by accident and then forcibly put on.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s [Biological Modification] had already reached Level 3, and he was quite skilled in this field, after observing it for a while he was certain that the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s grotesque appearance was not the result of modification, but rather natural growth or mutation.

    Coupled with the ill-fitting magical armor, it was basically safe to rule out the possibility of the Hundred-Armed Monster being a creature modified by some Wizard (Apprentice).

    Su Nan then used Master¡¯s Hand to remove the magical armor from the creature¡¯s body.

    Although he couldn¡¯t use the magical armor himself, it looked quite expensive, and perhaps he could get some rare metals by dismantling it.

    As for the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s corpse, it was of no use to Su Nan, so he simply burned it to ashes.

    Having done all this, Su Nan turned to the entrance where the Hundred-Armed Monster had emerged.

    After some thought, he decided to explore it.

    Putting the Magic Puppets back into his Magic Cube, Su Nan, as usual, had the Stealthy Dragon turn intangible and walk in front, with him and the beast following behind, entering the cave.

    The passage beyond the entrance was surprisingly wide, about twice the size of the passage they had come through.

    Come to think of it, it was obvious that the Hundred-Armed Monster, with its size, could travel through the passage, so the space wouldn¡¯t be small.

    After walking about two hundred meters, Su Nan reached an incredibly spacious cave.

    Numerous bones littered the ground, bearing bite marks and a foul odor.

    Obviously, this was the Hundred-Armed Monster¡¯s lair.

    At the back of the cave was another dark opening, leading to an unknown location.

    Having come this far, Su Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t stop, and continued inwards.

    The passage was still wide and long.

    Su Nan estimated that they had walked several hundred meters, but there was still no end in sight.

    It was not until they had walked about seven or eight hundred meters that the passage suddenly turned downwards.

    Su Nan frowned and did not let the Stealthy Dragon continue down, instead casting Levitation on himself and slowly floating down.

    After descending about twenty meters, a hole just wide enough for one person to pass through suddenly appeared in front of him, and he could vaguely see light coming from outside.

    Hesitating for a moment, Su Nan continued to float down, but the space became increasingly narrow, and eventually a normal person would not be able to pass through it.

    Shining a stone imbued with a Light Technique, he noticed that the passage below was sealed, with no exit.

    Seeing this, Su Nan returned to the opening and went through it.

    His vision suddenly widened.

    He was greeted by a densely packed array of hanging, pointed stones, like a forest of sharp swords.

    Su Nan looked around and realized that he was in a huge, inverted bell-shaped cave, and the pointed stones were actually stalactites hanging from the top of the cave.

    The passage he had just emerged from was originally a hollow stalactite.

    The stalactites were adorned with countless glittering crystals, radiating a brilliant light, enveloping the entire cave in a hazy glow.

    Looking down, he saw a huge, deep lake at the bottom of the cave, like a gem embedded in the middle of the cavern.

    At the very center of the lake was an island.

    On the island, scattered among many stone buildings, he could vaguely see figures entering and exiting.

    ¡°This is... an Underground City-State!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes widened.

    Intelligent creatures of the underworld were accustomed to living in city-states to withstand external threats.

    Scattered throughout the vast underworld were countless city-states of varying sizes.

    Small city-states might have only a few thousand people.

    Larger city-states could have populations of over one hundred thousand.

    The island in front of him was clearly a small city-state.

    Su Nan never expected that there was an underground city-state hidden beneath the forest not far from Shining Light City.

    This was truly...

    Su Nan was speechless for a moment.

    The existence of an Underground City-State was not good news for Shining Light City.

    Underground dwellers always harbored ill will towards their surface neighbors, and who knows when they might invade the surface, bringing war and disaster.

    But for Su Nan, it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    With good luck, he might be able to find many rare materials that were hard to come by on the surface in this city-state.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 102: Caution and Awe

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    Chapter 102: Caution and Awe

    Su Nan ultimately chose to leave quietly.

    While he was eager to investigate the situation on the island, he had just experienced a fierce battle, leaving him with a significant depletion of spiritual power, and only seven High-Rank Rune Gems remaining, his strength was not at its peak.

    It was wiser to return and make thorough preparations before venturing back for the investigation.

    Upon returning to Shining Light City, Su Nan immediately went to the lord¡¯s manor.

    Kei had been waiting in the meeting hall for news since learning about Su Nan¡¯s journey to the cave. When he saw Su Nan returning unharmed, he was immediately relieved.

    He eagerly asked, ¡°Did you take care of it?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Su Nan nodded, but before Kei could show any sign of joy, he continued, ¡°However, I discovered some new circumstances.¡±

    Kei was taken aback. ¡°What circumstances?¡±

    Su Nan briefly explained the matter of the underground city-state.

    After hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Kei was completely stunned.

    He thought it was bad enough that there was a monster near Shining Light City comparable to a three-ring legendary knight. Now, the monster was gone, but an underground city-state had emerged.

    The threat of the latter was undoubtedly greater than the Hundred-Armed Monster.

    Kei began to regret setting the provincial capital in Shining Light City.

    If he had known that the entrance to the underworld was nearby, he would have stayed as far away as possible.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Hundred-Armed Monster should have had some sort of trade with that city-state.¡±

    Su Nan recalled what he had heard from the group of dog-headed people earlier.

    They mined for minerals to exchange for food to support the Hundred-Armed Monster.

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    And in the cave, the only possible trading partner was clearly those from the underground city-state.

    ¡°The residents of that city-state likely knew long ago that the cave connected to the surface. They haven¡¯t invaded the surface for such a long time, so they probably won¡¯t be thinking about it anytime soon.¡±

    Su Nan added reassuringly.

    Of course, it could also be that the Hundred-Armed Monster occupied the passage, preventing those from the city-state from passing through.

    But if that were true, it would be even simpler.

    It meant that the city-state¡¯s forces couldn¡¯t even subdue the Hundred-Armed Monster, so he had even less to worry about.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Kei¡¯s worries subsided slightly.

    ¡°What are your plans for the mineral vein in the cave?¡±

    ¡°Start mining immediately.¡±

    Su Nan said without hesitation.

    After all, the cave was not 100% safe, and the sooner they mined the vein, the better.

    ¡°Do you need me to send someone to recruit miners from Black Stone City?¡±

    ¡°No need, just prepare a set of mining equipment for me. I¡¯ll leave the mining to the Clay Golems.¡±

    One Clay Golem¡¯s mining efficiency was equivalent to that of dozens of skilled miners. Using Clay Golems would be much more efficient.

    Su Nan planned to mine the vein in the cave as quickly as possible.

    This battle cost him a considerable amount of money, and he needed to replenish his funds quickly.

    Moreover, if he wanted to prevent the underground city-state from invading in the future, he would need to refine more golems to guard the cave, which would also cost a lot of money.

    ¡°Alright, let me know if you need any help.¡±

    Kei turned to give the order to the guards.

    The next day.

    Su Nan directly requisitioned thirty Clay Golems from the base to occupy the cave. He had them begin initial expansion work to facilitate future mining operations.

    While dog-headed people were natural miners, that was only relative to other residents of the underworld.

    Compared to humans, dog-headed people were far inferior in terms of both skills and equipment.

    The mineral veins that had been mined by the dog-headed people in the basin looked like they had been chewed on by dogs, they were not aesthetically pleasing or well-organized.

    It took three days for Su Nan to successfully complete the expansion and renovation of the cave.

    The mining equipment arrived just in time, including mine rails.

    After setting up the equipment, a mine area was initially formed.

    Although there weren¡¯t many miners, they didn¡¯t need to rest or eat, so they could work tirelessly for twenty-four hours, which made the mining progress quite fast.

    Su Nan estimated that thirty Clay Golems could mine over a hundred gold coins worth of silver and gold ore per day.

    If they were refined and then sold, their value could increase further.

    At this rate, he would be able to recoup the costs of killing the Hundred-Armed Monster in about three months.

    No one knew how many powerful creatures existed on this vast and boundless land.

    For example, the incredibly dangerous underworld.

    Just near one entrance to the underworld, there was a Hundred-Armed Monster comparable to a three-ring legendary knight.

    How many more powerful and terrifying creatures might there be in the vast underworld?

    And then there was the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Su Nan never underestimated the Night Owl, a group of third-rank wizard apprentices.

    Those who could break through and become third-rank wizard apprentices in a situation where resources were extremely scarce were all geniuses with extraordinary talents and brilliance.

    These people might have been alive for hundreds of years, and who knows how many trump cards they had accumulated over that long period of time.

    If he underestimated them because he had access to abundant resources, he might end up paying a heavy price one day.

    Furthermore, since there was the Mysterious Wooden Hut, there might be other wizard apprentice organizations out there.

    Su Nan felt that it was best to be cautious and respectful of this continent.

    Once he became a formal wizard, then he could do whatever he wanted.

    Giant Nan City, Manor.

    In a bright and spacious hall, three Starfire Sect high priests sat facing each other.

    The atmosphere was tense, and all three of them frowned.

    After a long silence, Yorris broke the ice.

    ¡°In just two months, eighteen of the sect¡¯s outposts have been attacked, fourteen priests and over a hundred cultists have been killed, and countless ordinary sect members have been injured or killed. We haven¡¯t even figured out the identity of the perpetrators. How are we going to explain this to the Great Master Priest Orviju?¡±

    Yansen, sitting on the right, snorted coldly.

    ¡°Do we need to investigate?¡±

    ¡°Those who attacked the outposts were able to cast spells. Clearly, they are wizards. This is an attack by a wizard organization targeting our sect!¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s either the Mysterious Wooden Hut or the Eternal Society!¡±

    Black said thoughtfully, ¡°But why would they attack us? We haven¡¯t offended them in any way.¡±

    ¡°Those greedy bastards don¡¯t care about principles with others. As long as it benefits them, they will do it. Have you forgotten what we lost in this attack?¡±

    ¡°You mean the Divine Blood Amber!¡±

    Yorris and Black immediately realized, and their expressions turned solemn.

    Since the last time they lost over twenty Divine Blood Ambers, the sect had strengthened its management of the Divine Blood Ambers.

    But this time, too many outposts had been attacked, and they had still lost over thirty Divine Blood Ambers.

    Initially, they thought that the enemy had simply taken the Divine Blood Ambers by the way, as they had also taken away many other things.

    But Yansen¡¯s reminder made Yorris and Black realize something was wrong.

    Maybe the enemy really was targeting the Divine Blood Amber.

    Divine blood was useless to anyone outside the sect, but it was an exception for wizards.

    It was said that wizards in ancient times had used divine blood for research.

    After thinking for a moment, Yorris suddenly said, ¡°What if this has something to do with Su Nan? When he attacked the Stone Bell City outpost before, he also took away over twenty Divine Blood Ambers!¡±

    ¡°Do you mean Su Nan has joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut and those who attacked us are from the Mysterious Wooden Hut?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, is it?¡±

    ¡°But even if Su Nan joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut, how did he convince other wizards to take action? The Mysterious Wooden Hut is known for keeping a low profile. They haven¡¯t taken any action on such a large scale for many years.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, we must find a way to stop those wizards. Because of these recent attacks, the sect¡¯s missionary work has been greatly affected. We can¡¯t continue with the missionary work unless we solve the problem of the attacks.¡±

    ¡°And we have to get back the lost Divine Blood Amber. Otherwise, if Great Master Priest Orviju blames us, none of us will be able to bear the consequences.¡±

    Yorris rubbed his temples in frustration.

    If it was Su Nan, this guy was too persistent!

    He hadn¡¯t even gone to find Su Nan to settle the score, yet this guy was already targeting them. What audacity!

    Yorris suddenly remembered the words of Earl Jin Yan before his death, and his heart moved slightly, but quickly suppressed the flicker of doubt. He looked up at the other two and asked, ¡°Great Master Priest Orviju has been in seclusion for almost half a year. When will he be finished?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Black shook his head. ¡°The wizard from the royal family was not weak. Great Master Priest Orviju used three holy artifacts to kill him, and the backlash was quite severe. He¡¯ll probably need to rest for a long time.¡±

    Yansen sneered, ¡°That old fool dared to belittle the great Star God. Killing him was doing him a favor.¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, we didn¡¯t even need to offer the promise of divine blood to temper the body of the Grand Duke of Star. After killing that wizard, the royal family would have been quiet. Why would they dare to go against us?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Black smiled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s better to have the royal family willingly cooperate than to threaten them reluctantly.¡±

    ¡°Besides, the Star Family has been passed down for hundreds of years, and they have deep roots. Even if they lose the wizard who served them, they still have other forces at their disposal. As far as I know, the Star Family once produced a three-ring legendary knight fifty years ago. If that person is still alive, he is not an easy opponent for a wizard.¡±

    ¡°In short, a show of force is enough. There¡¯s no need to push too hard. If the Star Family chooses to fight to the death, we¡¯ll have a headache too.¡±

    Yorris agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right. The current situation is perfect. As long as the Grand Duke of Star is still afraid of death, he will have to choose to cooperate with us.¡±

    Seeing the two of them singing in unison, Yansen rolled his eyes and said no more.

    The three quickly shifted the conversation to missionary work.

 Chapter 103: A Magic Emblem Core Worth Its Weight

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    chapter 103: a magic emblem core worth its weight

    in the workshop, the magic crystal forging furnace roared. looking at the neatly arranged rare metals on the workbench, su nan¡¯s face broke into a delighted smile.no?v(el)b\\jnn

    ¡°it took so much time and effort, but i finally gathered all the materials!¡±

    after calming himself down, su nan steadied his mind and started preparing to refine the magic emblem core.

    he had already memorized the relevant refining techniques, so his hands moved without hesitation.

    as his palm swept over the workbench, the rare metals and auxiliary materials instantly melted like snow, eventually transforming into a fist-sized silver liquid, floating above su nan¡¯s palm.

    su nan lightly tapped the silver liquid with his finger, then hooked it with a flick of his wrist. immediately, a silver thread, thin as a hair, extended from the silver liquid. it began to trace a mysterious and complex enchantment pattern in the void, following his movements.

    then came the second, third, and fourth enchantment patterns. their number increased rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    almost every second, a new enchantment pattern, radiating a faint light, would appear in the void before su nan.

    the densely packed enchantment patterns intertwined and overlapped, gradually forming a hollow sphere. as time passed, they continued to fill the internal space with more enchantment patterns.

    after an unknown amount of time, when the last silver thread transformed into an enchantment pattern, the original silver liquid had completely disappeared.

    in its place was a flawlessly smooth silver sphere.

    it looked like a silver ball cast from pure white metal. however, only when observed with a magnifying glass could one discover that it was actually constructed from countless, infinitely shrunk enchantment patterns, exquisitely crafted to the extreme.

    the fist-sized silver sphere actually contained over a hundred thousand enchantment patterns!

    gazing at the magic emblem core in front of him, su nan took a deep breath and let out a heartfelt smile.

    this relaxation brought an indescribable weariness.

    he had been drawing enchantment patterns for over twenty hours straight. even for him, the mental strain was immense.

    su nan put away the magic emblem core, took a nap, and then meditated for several hours until his energy and spirit reached their peak. only then did he begin to fuse the magic emblem core.

    compared to the meticulous refining process that demanded absolute focus and allowed no room for error, the fusion process was significantly simpler.

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    su nan controlled the magic emblem core, merging it into the center of his chest. it sank into his skin and disappeared, leaving only a coin-sized silver circular mark in the middle of his chest.

    ¡°done!¡±

    su nan snapped his fingers, turned, and left the workshop for the magic training area.

    next, it was time to test the power of the magic emblem core!

    standing in the center of the training ground, su nan thought, and countless silver metal threads erupted from his pores, twisting and wriggling to form a gleaming knight¡¯s sword.

    in the next moment, su nan threw the knight¡¯s sword.

    with a piercing hiss, the knight¡¯s sword shattered and melted into countless metal liquids, only to swiftly recombine into metal spikes the length of chopsticks. they shot out like bullets, piercing the humanoid target in the distance.

    in the blink of an eye, the humanoid target was riddled with holes.

    immediately afterward, the silver metal, decomposed into countless tiny particles, reassembled in front of su nan, transforming into a half-man-high metal shield, exuding a heavy, indestructible aura.

    metal domes, armor, heavy hammers, arrows...

    su nan controlled the metal liquid, constantly changing it into various weapons. it took a while before he finally stopped, a satisfied smile on his face.

    it had to be said that the magic emblem core¡¯s ability to freely shape itself was incredibly useful.

    it could be used for both offense and defense, achieving the ultimate combination of attack and defense.

    its high flexibility allowed for surprise attacks on the enemy during battle!

    just when the enemy thought they were attacking a metal shield, they would be facing a metal storm of countless spikes the next second.

    unless they were prepared, they would undoubtedly be caught off guard!

    su nan then tested the magic emblem core¡¯s attack and defense strength.

    the object of his test was still the dedicated iron golem.

    the final test results left him very satisfied.

    at his full strength, the magic emblem core¡¯s transformed weapons almost pierced the iron golem¡¯s arm with a single strike!

    such a powerful attack, if it struck a vital point, could instantly kill a one-ring legendary knight!

    even martial energy shields and elemental forces couldn¡¯t withstand it!

    furthermore, the magic emblem core¡¯s defense form was also incredibly sturdy, surpassing the defense of the protective ring by a margin.

    converted to defense points, it was roughly between 1500 and 1600.

    the key point was that the magic emblem core¡¯s defense points didn¡¯t decrease like the protective ring¡¯s, being reduced by attacks.

    as long as su nan¡¯s spiritual power didn¡¯t run out, any instant attack with a damage output below 1500 defense points could not break through the magic emblem core¡¯s defense.

    keep in mind that the power of a second-ring spell was only around 100 defense points.

    in other words, as long as his spiritual power was sufficient, su nan could completely withstand any second-ring spell without harm.

    ¡°the only problem is the massive consumption.¡±

    ordinary control and deformation was fine, with minimal consumption.

    but once used for offense and defense, the magic emblem core¡¯s consumption would drastically increase.

    with su nan¡¯s over 34 spiritual power, a short test left him feeling drained.

    ¡°the base needs its own knights to guard it. it will be much more convenient to get things done in the future.¡±

    su nan didn¡¯t reveal the real reason. it wasn¡¯t the right time yet.

    fortunately, kei didn¡¯t think much of it, instead asking in confusion: ¡°then why not recruit from among the noble children? they have much better aptitude and talent than commoners and farmers.¡±

    ¡°wouldn¡¯t that be competing with the territory for resources?¡± su nan waved his hand. ¡°and you forget we have dragon blood fruits. poor aptitude is not an issue.¡±

    kei thought for a moment and agreed.

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll take care of it. just choose the location for the academy, and i¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    if the knight academy could train more knights, it would be a good thing for shining light territory.

    the stronger the base became, the more benefits shining light territory would naturally receive.

    late at night.

    the mysterious wooden hut¡¯s third gathering.

    su nan slowly opened his eyes and looked around the long table.

    unexpectedly, including him, only five people were attending this gathering: night owl, scepter, heart, and skeleton.

    rose was absent.

    after the customary opening remarks, the gathering quickly transitioned into a trading mode.

    heart was the first to take out five divine blood crystals, placing them on the table and staring intently at su nan.

    ¡°as promised, i¡¯ve brought the divine blood crystals. now it¡¯s your turn to fulfill your promise.¡±

    ¡°of course.¡±

    su nan smiled slightly and handed heart a hundred magic stones.

    seeing this, the other three also took out their divine blood crystals.

    su nan glanced at them, a smile widening on his face.

    as he had expected, the mysterious wooden hut¡¯s harvest this time was extremely rich.

    skeleton had three divine blood crystals.

    scepter had seven divine blood crystals.

    what surprised su nan was that night owl had brought out a whopping eighteen divine blood crystals!

    ¡°just how many starfire sect branches did this guy raid?¡±

    su nan was secretly shocked.

    sure enough, the person who could single-handedly establish the mysterious wooden hut wasn¡¯t simple, with vast resources and strength.

    according to the agreed-upon purchase price, su nan paid for the magic stones one by one.

    he ultimately obtained thirty-three divine blood crystals, even more than the divine blood crystals he had seized during his raid on the starfire sect¡¯s stronghold in stone bell city.

    ¡°with so many divine blood crystals, i can at least double the effect of the original divine blood crystals!¡±

    the thought of being able to improve his meditation efficiency soon filled su nan with joy.

    on the other side, night owl and the others were also extremely pleased with the large amount of magic stones they received.

    however, besides their joy, they were secretly shocked by the player¡¯s generosity.

    in just a short while, the player had taken out over six hundred magic stones!

    it was simply extravagant!

    they wondered how many magic stones he actually had.

    ¡°everyone, the divine blood crystal purchase is still in effect,¡± su nan said with a smile. ¡°if you can get your hands on more divine blood crystals next time, i¡¯ll still purchase them at twenty magic stones each.¡±

    the four looked at each other and nodded slightly.

    after the divine blood crystal transaction was completed, everyone returned to their normal trading mode.

    unfortunately, night owl and the others didn¡¯t have many items that su nan was interested in this time. in the end, he only traded for a few rare materials and two miniature soul crystals before stopping.

    the meeting ended, and upon returning to the meditation chamber, su nan immediately took out the divine blood crystals to synthesize them.

    ¡¾divine blood crystal, 2.95 ml of divine blood content. when exposed to air, it can attract free energy particles, forming a high-concentration energy zone. ¡¿

    from the description alone, the synthesized divine blood crystal didn¡¯t seem to have much of a change in effect. it simply removed the original side effects of slight auditory and visual hallucinations, completely eliminating the pollution.

    seeing that he couldn¡¯t tell the difference, su nan simply went straight for a practical test.

    the final result left him delighted.

    the divine blood crystal, combined with a third-rank superior transcendent potion, increased his meditation efficiency by about a quarter.

    this was still because the divine blood crystal could not be kept with him at all times, especially when making potions, crafting magical items, and refining puppets, as it would interfere with the drawing of enchantment patterns. otherwise, with the ¡®24-hour passive meditation¡¯ effect of the transcendent state, the efficiency could be even higher.

    however, even so, the amount of proficiency su nan gained each day from practicing the star ring meditation method had skyrocketed to 2900 points.

    ¡°at this rate, i¡¯ll be able to build the twelfth star ring by the autumn moon.¡±

    su nan rubbed the divine blood crystal in his hand, a smile on his lips.

    it seemed like he would have to keep up the bounty for divine blood crystals.

    (end of chapter)

 Chapter 104

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    deep within the cavern.

    in a low-lying basin, a clumsy clay golem was diligently working.

    the crisp sound of an iron pickaxe striking the rock wall echoed continuously.

    clay golems also pushed mine carts filled with ore, rattling along the mine tracks towards the outside.

    over the past two months, this mine had contributed nearly fifteen thousand gold coins in profits to su nan, already offsetting the cost of killing the hundred-armed monster and leaving a surplus.

    even more joyful for su nan was the fact that the ore vein was far richer than expected.

    su nan estimated that the ore vein would continue to provide him with a profit of at least eighty thousand gold coins before it was completely exhausted.

    that was equivalent to three or four years of potion sales!

    if the mine space wasn¡¯t limited and couldn¡¯t accommodate too many clay golems, he would have wanted to divert more clay golems to mining.

    after touring the mine and finding no issues, su nan went straight to the guard point.

    the so-called guard point was the former dwelling of the hundred-armed monster.

    it had been cleaned up, and five iron golems stood guard here, motionless like statues.

    the magic alarm was also still intact.

    su nan arrived at the entrance to the underworld and walked in without stopping.

    it had been almost three months, and he felt it was time to investigate the city-state¡¯s situation.

    now, he had the powerful magic emblem core as a trump card, and he carried twenty higher-grade rune gems.

    in addition, the income from mining over the past few months had mostly been used by him to refine golems.no?v(el)b\\jnn

    the magic cube now contained two iron golems, eight elite stone golems, and one hundred stone golems.

    with so many cards in his hand, su nan was confident.

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    even if he encountered danger in the underground city-state, he had the means to escape if he couldn¡¯t win.

    reaching the downward-turning entrance, su nan cast a levitation spell on himself, then applied a lightness spell and a stealth spell.

    the latter two were his newly mastered fifth and sixth second-ring spells.

    they were specifically prepared for this investigation.

    as the spells took effect, su nan¡¯s form instantly vanished, disappearing into the air.

    his body also became lighter.

    he jumped and floated effortlessly down into the passage.

    not long after, su nan emerged from the stalactites, and the bizarre island-heart city-state once again appeared before him.

    activating the extreme protection ring on his hand, he also cast a shield spell and an energy particle protection layer on himself before slowly flying forward.

    the lake at the bottom of the cavern was eerily calm, not even a ripple could be seen.

    the dim light emitted by the fluorite embedded in the stalactites couldn¡¯t reach the bottom of the lake, and looking down from above, the entire lake looked like a black curtain, radiating a chillingly lifeless silence.

    one couldn¡¯t help but wonder if any creatures survived in this lake.

    su nan looked around but found no bridges or roads crossing the lake.

    he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the people in the city-state left the island and entered the entrance to the stalactites above.

    however, before long, su nan saw a strange flying creature approaching from the front.

    it looked a bit like a hairy manta ray, with a wingspan of over five meters, and two half-human, half-lion creatures sitting on its broad back.

    they appeared to be a combination of handsome humans and strong lions, with human upper bodies and lion lower bodies.

    ¡°lion-faced men!¡±

    su nan¡¯s eyes narrowed, recognizing the origin of the two creatures.

    lion-faced men are very cunning and evil creatures.

    they possess strong bodies and refined combat skills, making them natural warriors.

    some lion-faced men even have innate quasi-magic abilities, such as various illusions, invisibility, etc.

    lion-faced men who have mastered these quasi-magic abilities are dreaded assassins in the underworld.

    in addition, lion-faced men often have high intelligence and can speak many languages.

    adult lion-faced men possess near-knight-level strength, enough to easily take on four or five probationary knights in a one-on-one fight.

    if they are elite warriors or nobles among lion-faced men, they can even reach the level of great knights or even legendary knights.

    ¡°looks like that¡¯s the mode of transportation for the residents of this city-state.¡±

    su nan watched as the manta-ray-like flying creature slowly flew to a stalactite with a hole in it, and then the two lion-faced men jumped in one after another.

    after the lion-faced men left, the manta-ray flying creature slowly landed on the lake surface, floating motionless on the water, looking very leisurely.

    su nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly made up his mind. he immediately turned around and rushed into the mouth of that stalactite cave.

    behind the entrance was an upward passage, which led to an open cavern.

    after watching for a long time, su nan still couldn¡¯t recognize what creature it was.

    he shook his head and didn¡¯t think about it too much. due to the radiation from the earth veins, all sorts of mutated creatures often appeared in the underworld. even those with the most extensive knowledge wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize all of them. it was normal to encounter creatures they didn¡¯t know.

    he turned to look at the line of people waiting to enter the city.

    there were all sorts of creatures, including lizardfolk, gnolls, minotaurs, and even ogres.

    under the intimidation of the lion-faced men, these bizarre creatures, races vastly different, stood quietly together, lining up to wait to enter the city.

    ¡°good luck.¡±

    su nan¡¯s face lit up with joy.

    magical disguise was similar to enchant humans, it could only disguise as humans, humanoid creatures, or other bipedal creatures that looked like humans, not as lion-faced men.

    su nan had originally planned to try using stealth to sneak into the city, but now that he saw lizardfolk, a subspecies of humans, things became much simpler.

    just as su nan was about to find a place to disguise himself as a lizardfolk and return, something unexpected happened at the city gate.

    the pitch-black lion that had been quietly lying by the city gate suddenly stood up, its pitch-black eyes fixed on a lizardfolk in the line, then it suddenly opened its mouth and let out a deafening roar.

    from a distance of over two hundred meters, the sound entered su nan¡¯s ears, and his head suddenly ached, as if someone had hit him hard.

    at the same time, the lizardfolk in the line who was being stared at by the pitch-black lion groaned and staggered back a few steps.

    as soon as the pitch-black lion stood up, the surrounding lion-faced men noticed something was wrong. when they saw the lizardfolk staggering, their eyes instantly became extremely sharp.

    ¡°that guy is strange!¡±

    ¡°grab him!¡±

    in a fierce shout, over ten lion-faced men drew their curved swords, roared low, and lunged towards the lizardfolk.

    the line at the city gate instantly became a commotion, with a bunch of creatures backing away, highlighting the lizardfolk.

    seeing that his identity was exposed, the lizardfolk no longer concealed himself. his form instantly twisted and blurred, turning into a person wearing a long gray robe and a gray mask in the blink of an eye.

    in the next second, a huge fireball shot out from his hand, hitting a lion-faced man, who instantly turned into a torch, wailing as he rolled on the ground.

    ¡°blazing fireball!¡±

    su nan¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    this cloaked person was also a wizard apprentice!

    whoosh!

    six magic missiles tore through the gloom, blasting the heads of four or five lion-faced men into pieces.

    after losing several companions in an instant, the lion-faced men were not only unafraid, but their ferocity was aroused. they brandished a curved sword in each hand, their four claws pounded the ground, and they roared as they surrounded the cloaked person from all sides.

    the cloaked person took out a staff, waved it, and continuously released magic missiles, while his other hand quickly cast spells.

    scorching ray!

    blazing fireball!

    the scorching heat immediately spread, and the temperature of the air rose sharply.

    even though the lion-faced men outnumbered them, they were being pushed back by the cloaked person¡¯s magic storm.

    however, at that moment, a muscular figure appeared silently from behind the cloaked person.

    he swung his two swords in a criss-cross pattern, as if he had gone mad, and slashed out seven or eight times in one go, all hitting the cloaked person¡¯s back at almost the same time.

    clang, clang, clang!

    the dull sound of blades striking leather echoed one after another.

    the invisible shield behind the cloaked person was shattered almost instantly. the powerful sword shadows then charged forward, but they were stopped by an invisible force field a few centimeters away from the cloaked person¡¯s body, unable to penetrate.

    seizing this opportunity, the cloaked person flashed red, abruptly turned around, and kicked the lion-faced man twenty meters away with a powerful kick.

    barbarian strength!

    the surrounding lion-faced men had never imagined that this thin human could burst out with such amazing strength, and they were all taken aback, their attacks momentarily paused.

    taking advantage of this opportunity, the cloaked person leaped up, paused slightly in mid-air, then flew off towards the distance.

    the lion-faced men who came to their senses immediately gave chase, but they were stopped by the lake.

    by the time some lion-faced men arrived on manta-ray flying creatures, the cloaked person was long gone.

    ¡°damn it!¡±

    the lion-faced man holding two swords stood up from the ground, his face livid as he cursed, then swung his sword and chopped a cowering gnoll in half.

    in a passage in one of the hollow stalactites lining the top of the cave, the cloaked person stopped and looked back.

    ¡°come out.¡±

    su nan walked out of the darkness.

    he hadn¡¯t concealed his presence at all, so the cloaked person easily spotted him.

    ¡°who are you? why are you following me?¡± the cloaked person said coldly.

    the voice beneath the mask was a neutral voice.

    su nan smiled slightly.

    ¡°long time no see, rose.¡±

 Chapter 105

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    su nan¡¯s voice had just fallen when the grey-robed figure froze.

    after a long pause, she slowly spoke, her voice returning to its original sweet female tone.

    ¡°.scepter? or player?¡±

    su nan touched the mask on his face and smiled slightly: ¡°i¡¯m a player.¡±

    ¡°how did you recognize me?¡±

    rose was a little puzzled. she hadn¡¯t worn the rose mask, and her voice was disguised. how did the player recognize her?

    ¡°the staff you used just now.¡± su nan replied concisely.

    the staff that could fire magic missiles was an item that the scepter had brought out to trade at the second gathering.

    su nan clearly remembered that the staff had been traded to rose.

    therefore, the moment he saw the staff, he guessed the identity of the grey-robed figure.

    ¡°.¡±

    rose was silent for a moment.

    she hadn¡¯t expected her identity to be revealed because of the staff.

    fortunately, only people from the mysterious wooden hut could recognize the staff, not the enemies.

    ¡°why are you here?¡± rose asked.

    ¡°same as you.¡± su nan said straight to the point. ¡°you want to enter the city too, right?¡±

    a flash of surprise crossed rose¡¯s eyes, as if she hadn¡¯t expected su nan¡¯s purpose to be the same as hers.

    her gaze flickered slightly for a moment, and she suddenly said: ¡°how about we cooperate?¡±

    ¡°as you saw earlier, that island city is heavily guarded, and there are soul-eating hunters who can detect invisibility and illusions. none of us can sneak in alone. why don¡¯t we cooperate, each getting what we need?¡±

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    ¡°soul-eating hunter?¡± su nan quickly reacted. ¡°you mean that black lion?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right.¡±

    rose nodded.

    ¡°i interrogated it from a manticore. it¡¯s said to be a rare beast raised by the manticore, capable of sensing soul energy. unless you can even change your soul energy, all disguises are useless in front of it.¡±

    ¡°i thought the manticore was exaggerating, until i found out just now that invisibility and magical disguises are useless.¡±

    su nan suddenly realized, then felt a little speechless.

    the manticore was indeed cunning.

    the two manticores he interrogated just now had both deliberately concealed such crucial information, hoping to make him walk right into a trap.

    fortunately, rose had stepped on a mine for him first.

    ¡°cooperation is fine. i also have a way to sneak into the city. but you have to tell me your purpose for sneaking into the island city first.¡± su nan stared at rose intently.

    rose hesitated, then gritted her teeth: ¡°alright, but you must make an oath contract with me, promising not to tell anyone else!¡±

    ¡°no problem.¡±

    the two then signed the oath contract.

    after that, rose slowly explained.

    ¡°i found a wizard legacy in the underworld. according to my investigation, the key to unlocking the wizard legacy is hidden somewhere in that city, so i wanted to sneak in.¡±

    wizard legacy!

    su nan¡¯s pupils narrowed slightly.

    there was actually a wizard legacy nearby?

    ¡°you tell me this, aren¡¯t you afraid that i¡¯ll also want a piece of the wizard legacy?¡± su nan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    rose chuckled and said, ¡°if you¡¯re willing, we can cooperate to explore the wizard legacy together.¡±

    ¡°.will you be so generous?¡±

    ¡°no choice.¡± rose sighed. ¡°the guards there are too strong. the one guarding the entrance alone is a mithril golem. i can¡¯t beat that thing alone.¡±

    mithril golem!

    su nan was a little surprised.

    this was a higher-level metal golem than a steel golem, and its combat strength wouldn¡¯t be inferior to a hundred-armed monster.

    even for him, taking on a mithril golem wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    ¡°the one guarding the entrance alone is a mithril golem, so the guards inside will only be stronger. i can¡¯t take down the wizard legacy alone.¡±

    ¡°originally, i was going to wait until i got the key and then invite one or two people to cooperate at the mysterious wooden hut¡¯s gathering. now that i¡¯ve met you, it¡¯s a stroke of luck.¡±

    ¡°what do you say? want to cooperate?¡±

    rose looked at su nan expectantly.

    although she didn¡¯t know the player¡¯s specific strength, from the fact that he held so many resources and had once defeated hebb, he certainly wouldn¡¯t be weaker than her.

    if the player could join the exploration, the chances of taking down the wizard legacy would undoubtedly be much higher.

    ¡°how will we split the things in the wizard legacy?¡± su nan hit the nail on the head.

    he wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to explore a wizard legacy.

    even if there were risks, it was worth it.

    moreover, he had many trump cards and was confident in his ability to protect himself.

    ¡°i take two-thirds. after all, it¡¯s my information.¡±

    su nan rejected without hesitation: ¡°i want half.¡±

    seeing rose about to speak, he interrupted her: ¡°i¡¯ll figure out how to sneak into the city, and i can deal with that mithril golem, but it¡¯ll cost me a lot. i have to take half of what¡¯s in the wizard legacy.¡±

    ¡°.nothing.¡±

    the manticore named angus shook his head and continued toward the city wall.

    after passing through the buffer zone adjacent to the city wall, su nan and rose finally entered the city proper.

    it was called a city, but it was actually just an island land filled with low, stone houses.

    this seemed to be the outer perimeter area where slaves lived. su nan saw many dirty dogheads and goblins poking their heads out of the low houses, looking towards the city wall.

    the air was filled with a stench, making rose wrinkle her nose involuntarily.

    ¡°where¡¯s the place where the key is kept?¡± su nan turned and asked.

    ¡°up ahead.¡± rose pointed to the front.

    the two ran a little further, and soon entered a clean, wide street.

    it was quiet and gloomy, orderly.

    there were all kinds of taverns, shops, and entertainment venues on both sides of the street.

    the people walking on the street were mostly manticores. occasionally, there would be other races, but most of their hands and feet were chained.

    clearly, this area was where the manticores, who ruled as the city-state, lived.

    su nan looked up.

    in the center of the whole city, there was a towering stone pillar, about three to four hundred meters in diameter, connected to the cave ceiling. it was covered with numerous runes and filled with intricate holes, rooms, and vertical tunnels inside.

    that was where the manticore nobles lived, the palace.

    this was the information that su nan had interrogated from the two manticores earlier.

    ¡°the key is kept under a manticore statue. i only know that the statue is in the upper city, which is here, but i don¡¯t know the exact location.¡±

    ¡°statue, huh.¡±

    su nan frowned slightly.

    although they had successfully sneaked into the city through the chaos, no one knew when the manticores would react. there wasn¡¯t much time for them to search slowly, they had to find the location of the statue as soon as possible.

    thinking of this, su nan looked around.

    after a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up.

    ¡°this way.¡±

    he whispered, su nan rushed into a building on the side of the road and entered through the window.

    rose was stunned, but she followed immediately.

    after entering the building, the first thing she saw was su nan grabbing a short figure by the neck, his palm tightly gripping the man¡¯s neck, preventing him from making a sound.

    ¡°grey dwarf!¡±

    after seeing the man¡¯s short limbs, grey skin, and long beard, rose¡¯s expression moved.

    compared to other dwarves, grey dwarves had a generally bad reputation, often labelled ¡°evil.¡±

    therefore, they were ostracized by other dwarves.

    judging from the man¡¯s clothes and living environment, his status in the city was not low. he was most likely an adjunct to the manticores, rather than a slave.

    after a moment¡¯s thought, rose¡¯s eyes also lit up.

    unlike manticores, grey dwarves were included in humanoids.

    in other words, charm person could have an effect on grey dwarves.

    as expected, su nan then cast charm person, and the grey dwarf quickly stopped struggling, his face becoming dazed.

    su nan let go of the grey dwarf and whispered, ¡°where is there a manticore statue in the upper city?¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s a huge statue in the center square.¡±

    ¡°anything else?¡±

    ¡°no, no more.¡±

    su nan and rose exchanged glances, and a gleam of joy appeared in their eyes.

    unless there was a surprise, the key was under the statue in the center square.

    after confirming the location of the center square, su nan directly twisted the grey dwarf¡¯s neck.

    the two then left the house without delay and headed towards the center square.

    the location of the center square was only five to six hundred meters away from the towering stone pillar.

    looking down from the rooms on the top of the stone pillar, one could see the situation in the center square.

    su nan and rose soon arrived at the center square, but they both frowned immediately.

    because the manticore statue in front of them was extremely huge. its height alone was over ten meters, and it was made entirely of obsidian. just looking at it, one could feel its heavy weight. it was likely that even a great knight couldn¡¯t lift it alone.

    such a heavy statue, whether it was moved or pushed over, would inevitably attract the attention of the manticores.

    ¡°speaking of which, why is the key to that wizard legacy in such a strange place?¡±

    ¡°.i don¡¯t know either.¡±

    ¡°i found the information about the wizard legacy in a biography, but the author wasn¡¯t the wizard who left behind the legacy. i think someone else must have put the key here.¡±

    ¡°well, he sure has a strange sense of humor.¡± su nan twitched his lips.

    he deliberately put the key in the manticore city-state. the person who could do this must be very powerful, but he also had a very strange sense of humor.

    he really couldn¡¯t understand that kind of mentality.

    ¡°what should we do?¡± rose asked.

    su nan sighed.

    ¡°we¡¯ll just have to do it.¡±

    (end)

 Chapter 106

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    having decided to act, su nan and rose didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately took action.

    the human-faced lion statue was exceptionally heavy, even for su nan with the strength of a great knight, it was difficult to move.

    fortunately, he had other methods.

    boom!

    an elite stone golem appeared out of thin air, extending its arms to embrace the statue. it then exerted its strength, lifting the statue in front of rose¡¯s astonished gaze, moving it to the side.

    ¡°this is a stone golem?¡± rose looked at it in disbelief.

    when did stone golems become so strong?

    even legendary knights wouldn¡¯t be this powerful, right?

    however, it wasn¡¯t the time to ponder this, rose suppressed her surprise and pressed her hand on the ground.

    instantly, the ground within a ten-meter radius rippled like water waves.

    after a while, a fist-sized crystal ball slowly emerged from the ground.

    rose snatched up the crystal ball, examining it for a few moments, she exclaimed joyfully, ¡°this is it!¡±

    ¡°good, let¡¯s leave this place quickly.¡±

    in this short period of time, the commotion in the central plaza had already attracted the attention of the human-faced lions.

    at this moment, human-faced lions were charging towards them from all directions.

    su nan ordered the elite stone golem to stay behind to hold off the pursuers, while he and rose quickly fled.

    the direction they chose was opposite to the city gate they had entered from.

    after all, the city gate was currently crowded with a large number of human-faced lions. going there now would be no different from throwing themselves into the lion¡¯s mouth.

    they had to escape from a different direction.

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    after all, the island city was surrounded by a lake on all sides, it was the same no matter which direction they exited from.

    ¡°intruders!¡±

    ¡°catch them!¡±

    more than ten human-faced lions charged forward, brandishing their curved swords and ferociously lunging towards them.

    however, neither su nan nor rose paid any attention to these ordinary human-faced lion warriors.

    they kept moving, and with a wave of their hands, a torrent of lightning swept out, instantly turning the ten human-faced lions into charred corpses.

    faced with two third-rank wizard apprentices, these human-faced lions, whose strength was only close to that of a knight, were no match for them. they were slaughtered without resistance, suffering a complete defeat.

    su nan and rose successfully crossed the city center.

    to avoid the towering stone pillar, which was obviously the residence of the human-faced lion nobles, they deliberately took a detour, circling around it.

    but at this moment, a flash of fire appeared ahead, and a large wave of flames surged towards them. the intense heat was almost enough to singe their hair.

    rose instinctively wanted to stop, but then she heard su nan¡¯s steady voice in her ear.

    ¡°that¡¯s an illusion, charge through it!¡±

    rose didn¡¯t hesitate, she activated her protective magic item and charged forward.

    as expected by su nan, the flames that looked scorching hot in front of them turned out to be nothing more than illusory figures when they touched their bodies.

    the two passed through the flames unscathed.

    rose glanced at su nan in surprise.

    ¡°human-faced lions don¡¯t have magic-like abilities to control fire, they also can¡¯t cast spells, they only know a little bit of illusion magic to confuse their opponents.¡±

    su nan explained without turning around, then he waved his hand, and a bolt of lightning struck an empty space.

    a scream, ¡®ah¡¯, could be heard, and a figure stumbled out of the air, a human-faced lion.

    it landed on the ground, charred and lifeless.

    rose was only a step behind su nan in noticing something was wrong. the ring on her right index finger glowed faintly, and a layer of visible grey light spread outwards from her.

    wherever the grey light passed, human-faced lions appeared one after another, their faces contorted in pain. they knelt down, their curved swords clattering to the ground.

    ¡®hiss hiss!¡¯

    their skin split open, but instead of blood, long, thin grey thorns grew out, gradually spreading over their entire bodies, enveloping them.

    in the blink of an eye, the street was filled with huge bundles of grey thorns.

    ¡®whoosh whoosh!¡¯

    however, more human-faced lions leaped out of the air. they all held curved swords and roared at the two with low growls.

    these human-faced lions were different from the ones su nan had encountered before. they were larger and stronger, their upper bodies were covered in strange patterns that glowed with an eerie light in the dim light.

    their curved swords were also more refined, and without exception, they all wielded two swords.

    it was obvious that these were elite warriors among the human-faced lions.

    facing the onslaught of numerous elite human-faced lions, su nan and rose remained unfazed.

    it was incredibly difficult to obtain a glow-grade magic item these days, and it was unimaginable to create one yourself.

    she had accumulated so many years of experience, and she had over ten magic items, but none of them were glow-grade, they were all alchemy-grade.

    now, seeing the amazing power of the glow-grade magic item, she couldn¡¯t help but envy it!

    ¡°i didn¡¯t expect players to have such good stuff.¡±

    rose had a new understanding of the wealth of players.

    after breaking through carolina¡¯s illusion with a single attack, taking advantage of the human-faced lions¡¯ confusion, su nan flicked his finger, and a sparkling gem shot out like a bullet.

    boom!

    in mid-air, the gem released a dazzling blue-green light, transforming into a thick bolt of lightning that slammed down on carolina, instantly engulfing her.

    ¡°go!¡±

    su nan shouted in a low voice, leaving the two elite stone golems behind to block the enemies, while he and rose quickly fled.

    this was, after all, the enemy¡¯s stronghold, they couldn¡¯t stay too long, they had to leave quickly.

    in the blink of an eye, the two disappeared into the end of the street.

    at the same time, a piercing scream erupted.

    the wind blew away the dust, revealing carolina¡¯s figure.

    her body was covered in charred marks, and most of the scales on her serpent tail had fallen off, she was completely devoid of her previous alluring beauty, she looked incredibly miserable.

    ¡°damn wizards!¡±

    ¡°damn humans!¡±

    carolina glared at the direction su nan and rose had left with a venomous look, knowing that it was too late to chase after them, she slammed her staff on the ground in anger.

    ¡°carolina, my lady.¡±

    a group of human-faced lions came running from afar, led by a tall human-faced lion.

    he stared at the injured carolina with a shocked expression.

    in his memory, the powerful carolina, my lady, had never been so miserable.

    what kind of intruders could injure carolina, my lady, to this extent?

    carolina glanced at him, her face gloomy, ¡°angus, how is the city gate?¡±

    angus lowered his gaze and respectfully replied, ¡°the enemies have all been eliminated!¡±

    he hesitated for a moment, then hesitantly said, ¡°but, my lady, those enemies were strange, they didn¡¯t seem to be truly intelligent creatures.¡±

    carolina said coldly, ¡°those are golems, puppets made by wizards.¡±

    ¡°wizards!¡±

    angus was shocked.

    the ones who attacked the city-state were actually wizards, no wonder even carolina, my lady, was injured like this.

    throughout the vast underworld, there are still many legends about wizards.

    they are a terrifying existence even more fearsome than dragons, dark elves, and frost ghouls!

    ¡°take the injured to be treated. keep an eye on the slaves in the lower city, lest any foolish fools cause trouble. i¡¯m going to report this to the lord.¡±

    ¡°yes, carolina, my lady!¡±

    watching carolina disappear, angus turned to look at the devastated streets. his gaze lingered for a moment on the two shattered golems, and he frowned.

    ¡°someone, clean up this mess!¡±

    after successfully breaking out, su nan and rose immediately used their invisibility spell, their figures disappearing into the shadows again.

    the pursuers had been blocked by the two elite stone golems, and on their subsequent journey, they had only encountered sporadic human-faced lions, and they had escaped the city without further hindrance.

    it wasn¡¯t until they returned to the original cave that su nan and rose relaxed.

    ¡°thank you for that,¡± rose said with a light smile to su nan.

    they were able to successfully retrieve the key to the wizard¡¯s legacy from the human-faced lion city-state, all thanks to su nan.

    if he hadn¡¯t used the golems to attack the city gate, drawing the attention of the main human-faced lion force, and then injured the human-faced lion noble with thunderous force, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape so easily.

    su nan¡¯s strength was even greater than she had imagined!

    especially that blow that severely injured the human-faced lion noble, it resembled an energy rune, but it was far more powerful than an energy rune. even rose couldn¡¯t help but be startled.

    su nan shook his head and didn¡¯t say anything.

    he was mainly in pain.

    the three elite stone golems and one hundred stone golems left in the city-state had a total value of over ten thousand gold coins!

    that was equivalent to a month¡¯s profit from the mine!

    he had paid a considerable price to get the key to unlock the wizard¡¯s legacy.

    ¡°hopefully, the things in the wizard¡¯s legacy can make up for my losses.¡±

    su nan pondered silently.

    (end of chapter)

 Chapter 107

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    ¡°where is the wizard¡¯s inheritance?¡±

    after a brief rest, su nan got down to business.

    rose took out a roll of parchment and unfolded it. it was covered with dense lines and text, a map.

    ¡°this is the city of lion-faced sphinxes.¡±

    rose pointed to a spot on the map, then moved her finger to another point not far away.

    ¡°this is where the wizard¡¯s inheritance is located.¡±

    su nan looked at her in surprise. ¡°looks like you¡¯ve been in the underworld for quite a while. you even drew a map.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s just a small area. probably less than one percent of the total area of the underworld.¡±

    rose shrugged, suddenly as if she had thought of something, and said with a smile: ¡°do you want it? ten magic stones for you.¡±

    ¡°deal!¡±

    su nan agreed without a second thought.

    this was extremely valuable intelligence!

    even with his memories from his previous life, he couldn¡¯t possibly remember the entire terrain of the vast and boundless underworld.

    he had no memory of this area, like the city of lion-faced sphinxes.

    with rose¡¯s map, his future actions would undoubtedly be less troublesome.

    the key was that the map also marked out many explored mine locations and their approximate reserves.

    with this map, once he dealt with the threat of the city of lion-faced sphinxes, he could follow the map and develop the mines in this area.

    this alone made the ten magic stones worth it.

    ¡°also, about the divine blood crystal, there are six in total. i¡¯ll just give them to you.¡±

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    in the end, su nan paid one hundred and thirty magic stones for a map and six divine blood crystals.

    ¡°when are you planning to act?¡± rose asked.

    ¡°time is of the essence, let¡¯s go now.¡±

    su nan didn¡¯t want to delay. after all, there was still the ticking time bomb of the city of lion-faced sphinxes.

    he wanted to take care of the wizard¡¯s inheritance as soon as possible, then go back and prepare to deal with the city of lion-faced sphinxes.

    rose didn¡¯t object.

    the two of them had a simple rest, then set off.

    considering that the lion-faced sphinx might still be searching for them, the two cautiously moved away from the lake island, using the levitation technique to go a big circle, passing through the lake.

    under rose¡¯s lead, the two soon found an opening in the rock wall deep in the cave, and entered.

    behind the cave was a long tunnel.

    rose took out a crystal that emitted a bright light and walked silently in front, occasionally glancing at the map.

    traveling through the underworld was completely different from the surface world.

    there were no obvious markers or open views, only interconnected tunnels like spiderwebs and ubiquitous darkness.

    even the most experienced travelers, with detailed maps, would find it difficult to navigate in such a place.

    and because of the influence and interference of the earth¡¯s veins, compasses and other instruments couldn¡¯t be used.

    so the biggest problem people often faced in the underworld was getting lost.

    even the indigenous people of the underworld couldn¡¯t avoid this.

    fortunately, this wasn¡¯t a problem for two third-rank wizard apprentices.

    the powerful spiritual power of third-rank wizard apprentices gave them all a photographic memory.

    once they had walked a route, no matter how complex, they could recognize it the second time around.

    along the way, relying on the map and memory, rose never got lost once.

    after walking for half a day, they finally reached their destination.

    ¡°that¡¯s the wizard¡¯s inheritance i found.¡± rose pointed to a dark opening in the distance.

    su nan looked closely, the opening was unexpectedly huge, semicircular in shape, with a radius of at least ten meters.

    the faint light outside couldn¡¯t reach inside, and from afar, it looked like a silent black hole, a bit creepy.

    ¡°that golden magic puppet is inside. as long as you get within fifty meters of the entrance, it will appear and issue a warning. if you don¡¯t leave within half a minute or actively attack it, it will attack the intruder.¡±

    ¡°but as long as you leave the entrance for more than a hundred meters, it will stop pursuing.¡±

    su nan understood.

    to put it simply, magic puppets were like robots.

    without the command of the controller, they would only act according to pre-set programs.

    the golden magic puppet rose mentioned was clearly responsible for guarding this wizard¡¯s inheritance.

    it was like the blackrock beast that had sniped them when he discovered the wizard¡¯s inheritance in the blackrock city mine area four years ago.

    ¡°get ready to move.¡± su nan said.

    the older the wizard¡¯s inheritance, the lower the probability of finding rare materials, potions, and magic artifacts.

    in the long erosion of time, these things often deteriorated or wore out and could no longer be used.

    the only good news was that there might be valuable knowledge inheritance inside.

    the closer the time point was to the thousand-year-old wizard heyday, the more complete and powerful the knowledge inheritance was.

    without much effort, the two easily destroyed the secret magic locks and magic traps on the metal door, pushed open the door, and walked inside.

    what greeted them was an ancient cave.

    the walls were covered with light sources, natural fluorescent crystals.

    on both sides were open doors, a total of six rooms.

    through the doors, one could vaguely see wooden shelves, workbenches and other things, probably laboratories or small workshops.

    facing the entrance were two dark and deep tunnels, with squeaks coming from the depths of the darkness, it was unknown what was in there.

    without needing to remind each other, su nan and rose raised their vigilance and prepared for battle.

    the next second, countless dense, blood-red shadows rushed out of the tunnel on the left, surging towards the two.

    by the light emitted by the crystals on the wall, su nan quickly saw the true nature of those blood-red shadows.

    they were actually fist-sized insects, blood-red in color, with sharp teeth lining their mouths.

    ¡°blood soul worm!¡±

    su nan¡¯s face changed slightly, he quickly reminded rose.

    ¡°don¡¯t get hit by these worms, they can devour souls!¡±

    the blood soul worm was said to be a descendant of the ancient beast, scarlet tooth, and had a trace of scarlet tooth¡¯s bloodline.

    however, after so many generations of reproduction, that trace of bloodline was extremely thin.

    even so, it didn¡¯t stop the blood soul worm from becoming a fearsome creature that people dreaded.

    they could eat souls.

    any creature bitten by them would suffer soul damage, and physical injury was secondary.

    if a person¡¯s body was eaten clean by blood soul worms, their soul would also be completely destroyed, leaving no trace.

    a swarm of blood soul worms could be said to be a headache for any creature with a soul.

    after hearing su nan¡¯s words, rose¡¯s face changed drastically.

    these worms could actually attack souls!

    if the soul was damaged, even a wizard apprentice with strong spiritual power would take a long time to recover.

    if the damage was severe, it could even affect future promotions.

    this was unacceptable to any wizard apprentice.

    rose made a decision, throwing out more than a dozen seeds and sprinkling them around her. the seeds landed and quickly sprouted at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into strange plants with giant flower pistils and countless thorny branches.

    these strange plants surrounded rose, frantically waving their branches, constantly swatting away the blood soul worms.

    but the blood soul worms were simply too numerous. the first few plants were quickly eaten by the blood soul worms.

    rose had no choice but to sprinkle another handful of seeds, while releasing spells to kill the blood soul worms.

    in the midst of the battle, she also took the time to glance at su nan¡¯s situation.

    she couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes.

    she saw that there were three steel magic puppets beside su nan, swinging their huge fists to meet the blood soul worms.

    the blood soul worms that were hit by the fists exploded into a cloud of blood mist in midair.

    ¡°steel magic puppets! players even have these things!¡±

    rose was once again shocked.

    when she saw the player take out over a hundred stone magic puppets at once, she had already lamented his wealth.

    but she hadn¡¯t expected that the player even had steel magic puppets.

    these were legendary puppets. three steel magic puppets together were enough to rival a weaker third-rank wizard apprentice!

    rose had also coveted steel magic puppets, but these things were not only incredibly expensive to manufacture, but also required extremely high skill in puppetry refining.

    wizard apprentices who didn¡¯t specialize in this field simply couldn¡¯t refine them.

    ¡°where on earth did the player get so many magic puppets?¡±

    ¡°could it be that he made them himself?¡±

    rose was filled with doubts, feeling that the player was becoming more and more mysterious.

    steel magic puppets had no soul and their bodies were indestructible, which perfectly countered creatures like blood soul worms.

    the only drawback was that they moved slowly and couldn¡¯t stop all the blood soul worms.

    a large number of blood soul worms bypassed the steel magic puppets and charged towards su nan.

    however, they quickly discovered that this seemingly easier prey was actually a tougher shell than steel magic puppets.

    they finally broke through the invisible protective force field around su nan, and in an instant, a new invisible protective force field appeared.

    five extreme protection rings, a total of 5,000 points of defense, even in the midst of the swarm, su nan remained calm and composed.

 Chapter 109: Bloodline Mark, Twin-Blade Spider

    You can now buy gems to unlock chapters. You can now read Synthesis Wizard Advance Chapters by unlocking with coins. --> <!-- <!-- <!-- <!--

    Chapter 109: Bloodline Mark, Twin-Blade SpiderNo?v(el)B\\jnn

    Su Nan and Rose were overjoyed.

    Aivigney named this ability the Bloodline Mark.

    Depending on the ancient beast bloodline extracted, the final bloodline mark transformed would be different, and their strengths would also vary.

    However, to make a bloodline mark, the extracted ancient beast bloodline must reach a certain concentration.

    Aivigney once tried to extract the Crimson Fang bloodline from the Blood Soul Worm, but unfortunately, the bloodline concentration was too low, and he had to give up.¡°Ancient beast bloodline? That¡¯s too rare.¡± Rose shook her head.Descendants of ancient beasts still existed on the Starlight Continent, but without exception, the bloodlines they inherited were very thin.Even Aivigney couldn¡¯t extract a bloodline that met the requirements. Rose doubted she could either.And those few with higher bloodline inheritance were also extremely powerful. She couldn¡¯t handle them.This research result was like a useless bone to her.However, Su Nan didn¡¯t think so.What did it matter if the bloodline concentration was low? With the Magic Cube in hand, he could synthesize it to increase the concentration.He had done this many times before.From this perspective, the Bloodline Mark was like it was tailor-made for him.He only needed to find a descendant group of ancient beasts, no matter how weak their bloodline, he could use the Magic Cube to synthesize it and increase it to the standard required for the Bloodline Mark. Read Advanced Chapters on Patreon for $5: --> <!-- <!----> Putting down the notebook, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but secretly sigh.Aivigney might have been ruthless and not a good person, but he had to admit, the guy was a truly stunning genius.Blood Soul Worm bloodline fusion, Gem Beetle, Bloodline Mark.Any one of these three, a normal Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice might spend a lifetime researching and not be able to figure them out.But Aivigney had done it all.If he hadn¡¯t been unlucky and taken a dead end, his achievements would have been extremely dazzling.Even if he couldn¡¯t advance to Wizard due to the environment of the Starlight Continent, he could definitely become a famous strongman!¡°This person really is a genius.¡±Rose gently stroked the notebook cover, feeling a little sad.Even a genius like Aivigney had fallen on the road to becoming a Wizard, where was her future?Was there really any hope for her to advance to a formal Wizard in her lifetime?The two had different thoughts, and for a while, the room fell silent.After a long time, Su Nan gathered his thoughts and said:¡°Let¡¯s search the other areas.¡±Rose came back to her senses and nodded silently.The two then thoroughly checked the entire cave, found no new gains, and began to distribute the spoils.There was nothing to say about the notebooks. The two divided the work and copied each notebook, then each took a copy.As for the Gem Beetle and Blood Soul Worm, they were distributed evenly.Su Nan took all the rare metals and made up for it by giving Rose some Magic Stones.After distributing the spoils, Rose¡¯s mood improved.Although the knowledge she gained this time, the Bloodline Mark and Blood Soul Worm bloodline fusion were of little use to her, but the Gem Beetle alone made her feel that the trip was worth it.As for Su Nan, he had even more gains with the Bloodline Mark knowledge.¡°The over ten thousand gold coins I spent weren¡¯t wasted.¡±Su Nan was very satisfied.Walking out of the cave, Rose smiled at Su Nan and said:¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you, player. Next time there¡¯s a similar opportunity, we can cooperate again.¡±Su Nan also smiled slightly: ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±¡°See you at the gathering.¡±¡°See you at the gathering.¡±Watching Rose leave, Su Nan also returned to his original cave.Passing by the lake, Su Nan looked at the direction of the Man-Faced Lion city-state from afar.Many Gnolls and Ogres were busy near the city gate, seemingly repairing the collapsed city wall.There were also teams of Man-Faced Lions patrolling the island, their defenses were several times more stringent than before.It was estimated that this would be the norm for the Man-Faced Lion city-state for a long time to come.¡°Looks like I can¡¯t infiltrate again for a while.¡±¡°Forget it, anyway, I¡¯ve pretty much got enough information this time.¡±Taking a deep look at the direction of the Man-Faced Lion city-state, Su Nan turned and left.Returning to Shining Light City, Su Nan immediately found Kei and explained the situation with the Man-Faced Lion city-state.After listening to Su Nan¡¯s words, Kei couldn¡¯t help but frown.¡°According to what you¡¯re saying, the Man-Faced Lion city-state can muster at least four or five thousand troops?¡±¡°That¡¯s about right. The inhabitants of the Underworld are different from us humans, they¡¯re practically a military force.¡±Read Advanced Chapters on Patreon for $5: --> <!-- <!----> Seeing Kei¡¯s face becoming more solemn, Su Nan comforted him.¡°Most of the slaves in the Man-Faced Lion city-state are Gnolls and Lizardmen. Their strength isn¡¯t much stronger than ordinary soldiers. Only the Ogres are a bit tricky.¡±¡°The only ones who are truly a threat are those two thousand Man-Faced Lions.¡±¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Kei asked in a deep voice.Su Nan had a plan in mind, and he answered without hesitation:¡°Firstly, we¡¯ll continue to seal off that forest. From now on, it¡¯s a military restricted area. No unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter.¡±¡°Secondly, we¡¯ll build a camp in front of the cave. I need a bridgehead for attacking the Man-Faced Lion city-state.¡±¡°Also, I need a lot of granite.¡±Kei agreed to all of them and said:¡°How many troops should I send to assist you?¡±He had long wanted to deal with the threat of the Underground city-state, and he was prepared to pay a price for it.But to his surprise, Su Nan shook his head and refused.¡°No need.¡±¡°The environment of the Underworld is unsuitable for humans to fight. I plan to use Magic Puppet Golems as the entire siege army.¡±The Underworld was dimly lit, and humans without dark vision had difficulty adapting.Even Knights could only unleash six or seven out of ten of their strength when fighting in the Underworld.If he really used the Shining Light Territory¡¯s army, even if he could eventually capture the Man-Faced Lion city-state, there would definitely be heavy casualties.It was better to use Golems for siege.Magic Golems with dark vision could move freely in the Underworld.As for the potential losses of war, Su Nan wasn¡¯t worried at all.On the map Rose gave him, there were a total of seven ore veins within a hundred kilometers around the Man-Faced Lion city-state, including one large iron mine, three medium iron mines, one large copper mine, one small silver mine, and one small gold mine.As long as he dealt with the Man-Faced Lion threat, he could develop these ore veins.The future profits would more than cover the war expenses.After finalizing the arrangements, Kei immediately started to make arrangements.Su Nan returned to the base and got busy.The six Divine Blood Amber he got from Rose were all fused into the higher-level Divine Blood Amber.The change was that his Star Ring Meditation Method proficiency grew to 3100 points per day.On the other hand, the learning progress of Spell Casting was also steadily increasing.Su Nan estimated that by next year¡¯s Spring Dawn Moon (March), he would be able to master Spell Casting.It¡¯s worth mentioning that the establishment of the Knight Academy was also on the agenda.Considering the commute and logistics of teachers and students, the location of the Knight Academy could not be chosen outside the city.After careful consideration, Su Nan finally chose a location in the suburbs of Shining Light City, near the north gate.Construction of the academy had already begun. Su Nan had left all the arrangements to the people below him. He only occasionally checked on the progress.According to the construction schedule, it would be completed around the Blazing Fire Moon.Then they could start recruiting students.Kei¡¯s efficiency was extremely high.Before Spring Dawn Moon had passed, a new camp had been built on the basis of the original mining area.Su Nan directly named the camp Camp 1 and built a new Puppet Factory there, then started to produce Stone Golems at full capacity.The production of Steel Golems was limited by Soul Crystals and couldn¡¯t be mass produced.But Stone Golems could be produced indefinitely as long as there were enough gems and rocks.All the profits from the cave mining area were invested by Su Nan in the production of Stone Golems.In order to deal with the threat of the Man-Faced Lion city-state as soon as possible, Kei also specially allocated a large sum of money from the territory¡¯s revenue to support the construction of the Golem legion.With sufficient funds, the Golem legion grew very quickly.Meanwhile, Su Nan was also considering creating a new puppet.Steel Golems and Stone Golems were powerful and indestructible, but their drawback was that they were slow.This was clearly demonstrated in the battle against the Man-Faced Lion city-state before.Faced with agile Man-Faced Lions, Elite Stone Golems and Stone Golems were naturally at a disadvantage.Su Nan realized that he had to consider this early on and design a more agile golem.Traditional Golems were mostly burly and robust humanoid figures with thick, short limbs. Apart from a few Golems with flight ability, most Golems could not avoid the drawback of being relatively slow.So the new golem had to be modified. It would be better to design it with a more flexible animal appearance.The first thing that came to Su Nan¡¯s mind was the spider.When it came to the most terrifying monsters in the Underworld, they were undoubtedly the various mutated spiders and arachnified monsters.Especially the Arachnified Elves, mutated from Dark Elves, their fierce reputation was spread throughout the Underworld.They moved as fast as ghosts, appeared and disappeared at will. They would often launch surprise attacks from unexpected places. They could also walk on walls and ceilings in steep caves and tunnels, making them one of the most powerful assassins in the Underworld.If the golem was designed in the shape of a spider, its eight legs could undoubtedly better adapt to the complex terrain of the Underworld.Thinking about it, Su Nan immediately started designing a spider golem.The proficiency he had gained from mass-producing Stone Golems had long allowed his Puppet Refining to break through to Level 4.Coupled with his experience of crafting the Blackrock Beast, Su Nan finished the structural design of the spider golem without much effort.The key was the materials.To maximize the agile movement advantage of the spider golem, the materials had to be light metals.Of course, hardness couldn¡¯t be ignored either.Otherwise, all that would be created would be a bunch of brittle golems that would shatter at the slightest touch.Blackstone Iron was undoubtedly the most suitable choice in this regard.However, the current production of Blackstone Iron was a bit low. Even if it was all supplied to Camp 1, it wouldn¡¯t be enough for Su Nan¡¯s army, let alone supplying the production of the Blackrock Beast.After careful consideration, Su Nan finally decided to use a metal called Tungsten Steel as the material for crafting the new golem.Tungsten Steel had the characteristics of high hardness, wear resistance, and good toughness. In addition, it also had a series of excellent properties such as heat resistance and corrosion resistance.Although it wasn¡¯t as hard as Blackstone Iron, it didn¡¯t matter, he could synthesize it to strengthen it.In the end, Tungsten Steel, which was synthesized to have similar hardness and lightness to Blackstone Iron, cost about the same as Blackstone Iron per unit volume. It could completely replace Blackstone Iron.After finalizing the materials and design, the crafting process was relatively easy.The final crafted spider golem, like the Golem, possessed dark vision, immunity to all mind-control effects, immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, confusion, suffocation, and high elemental resistance.At this point, the spider golem was already no less than the Stone Golem.However, Su Nan still felt something was missing.He simply enchanted the two front legs of the spider golem, which were used for attack, with the properties of Black Steel and Sharpness, greatly enhancing their hardness and sharpness.In other words, the spider golem was equipped with two enchanted weapons, and they could attack simultaneously.Finally, the crafting cost of the spider golem was calculated to be one hundred and eighty gold coins.It was more than nine times the cost of a normal Stone Golem!But you get what you pay for. The combat power of the spider golem was also much higher than that of a normal Stone Golem.Su Nan specially conducted a test. In a one-on-one situation, the spider golem took less than half a minute to chop a Stone Golem into dozens of pieces. The Stone Golem¡¯s proud defense couldn¡¯t withstand the two enchanted forelegs.Overall, the spider golem¡¯s combat power was comparable to that of a Peak Knight.It was worthy of its high cost.¡°This golem will be called the Twin-Blade Spider.¡±Looking at the pitch-black spider, as big as a carriage, Su Nan showed a satisfied smile.With the Twin-Blade Spider, the Golem Legion¡¯s combat system became even more complete.¡°It¡¯s a pity that flying golems are rare. There are no corresponding design drawings. If I had to research them myself, it would be very time-consuming and the manufacturing difficulty and material requirements would be very high. Otherwise, if I could add another flying troop, it would be perfect.¡±The golem design drawings that Su Nan currently had were mostly various low-level Golems. There were no flying Golems.Even if there were, with his current skills and materials, it would be difficult to create them.After all, flying golems weren¡¯t just about flying, they also needed powerful ranged attack abilities.Flying golems without ranged attack abilities were just flying targets.Take metal Golems as an example. Golems with flight ability and ranged attack ability were at least Shadow Steel Golems and Mithril Golems.The combat power of these two types of Golems was already close to that of a formal Wizard.It was basically impossible for a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice to create them.¡°If there was a flying golem with weaker ranged attack ability, it would be fine. I could synthesize it anyway.¡±¡°I¡¯ll ask other people at the Mysterious Wooden Hut gathering next time.¡±

 Chapter 110

    You can now buy gems to unlock chapters. You can now read Synthesis Wizard Advance Chapters by unlocking with coins.

    Base.

    In a room that had been transformed into a worm nest, various ores were scattered on the floor.

    This was a newly opened worm nest, and it was where the Gem Worms were kept.

    Under the gentle glow of the magic stone lamp, three egg-sized worms were lying on the ores, slowly eating. The pure gems that were almost completely formed on their dorsal shells were particularly eye-catching.

    After more than two months of feeding, the three Gem Worms, once on the verge of death, had fully recovered and become exceptionally healthy.

    Now, all they had to do was eat ores every day and then condense various pure gems.

    Depending on the type of ore they ate, the type of gems they produced would also be different.

    Thanks to the notes left by Awegny, Su Nan had avoided many detours in this regard.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that a Gem Worm could produce an average of three standard units of pure gems per month.

    Three Gem Worms would be nine per month.

    Honestly, this yield was pitifully low.

    Fortunately, Gem Worms could self-divide and reproduce.

    However, they needed to eat a special food.

    According to the notes, the main ingredients of this special food included Abyssal Black Copper, Rainbow Iron, Sun Flame Golden Sand, Mithril, and high-grade gems.

    ¡°None of these are easy to find,¡±

    Su Nan sighed softly.

    But thinking about the benefits of increasing the number of Gem Worms, he perked up again.

    He didn¡¯t need many, as long as he had thirty Gem Worms, the monthly gem output could be increased to ninety, and that¡¯s over a thousand per year. That would be enough for him to refine more than twenty elite stone golems or thousands of ordinary stone golems each year.

    If he had two or three hundred Gem Worms, he would basically never have to worry about low-grade gems again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll collect them slowly.¡±

    Su Nan withdrew his gaze from the Gem Worms and walked out of the worm nest.

    Besides Gem Worms, he had also brought back several Blood Soul Worms from Awegny¡¯s cave.

    However, considering that cultivating these things required a large amount of souls, he was reluctant to waste precious Soul Crystals on them. In the end, he decided to give up.

    After all, the only use of Blood Soul Worms for him was to extract their bloodlines to make Bloodline Marks.

    However, while there weren¡¯t many creatures on Starlight Continent that possessed the bloodlines of ancient beasts, there were still quite a few. There were plenty of materials for making Bloodline Marks, so there was no need to limit himself to Blood Soul Worms.

    Originally, Su Nan had also planned to extract the bloodline of the Blood Soul Worms for synthesis, but unfortunately, he still couldn¡¯t solve the problem of soul pollution.

    He guessed that the soul pollution was not caused by the Blood Soul Worm¡¯s bloodline ability. The Blood Soul Worm¡¯s bloodline ability was to convert soul energy into lifespan, and the soul pollution was a side effect caused by the act of absorbing souls itself.

    Unless he had the ability to purify souls, absorbing souls would always inevitably lead to pollution.

    In the end, Su Nan personally dissected several Blood Soul Worms. After collecting the data, he disposed of the worm carcasses.

    Leaving the worm nest, Su Nan headed straight for the workshop.

    ¡°Teacher!¡±

    ¡°Hello, teacher!¡±

    Along the way, he met several groups of apprentices. Upon seeing Su Nan, these young men and women in grey robes immediately stopped and respectfully bowed to him.

    After the implementation of the qualification testing policy in Shining Light Territory, the base would gain a new student roughly every few months.

    The total number of students at the base now was thirty-six.

    Combined with the various alien creatures that Su Nan had summoned from another world, the base had become quite lively, finally no longer as deserted as before.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t pay much attention to these students, just assigned them various tasks, prepared various resources for them to exchange, and basically became a hands-off boss.

    With the Mysterious Wooden Hut platform, Su Nan had received a great deal of supplement and improvement in the area of basic knowledge.

    Night Owl and the others had accumulated a wealth of wizard books over the years, basically covering all the basic knowledge, zero-rank potion formulas, and low-level golem designs needed by first-rank and second-rank Wizard Apprentices.

    With the knowledge he had traded from them, Su Nan had the confidence to cultivate more apprentices.

    Now, the entire base had its own complete operating system. With the help of Gly and Madeline, and other alien creatures, Su Nan basically didn¡¯t need to worry about anything.

    Of course, he would occasionally give some guidance to the students.

    On the list of resources available for exchange, there was an option for Su Nan¡¯s guidance.

    However, the required contribution points were quite high, and few students could afford to exchange for it.

    Arriving at the workshop, Su Nan went to the workbench.

    On the wide workbench lay a magic robe that was not yet finished.

    The exploration experience in the underground city-state had reminded Su Nan, so after returning, he had the idea of making a magic item that could hide his whereabouts, for convenience in exploring the underground world later on.

    After careful consideration, Su Nan decided to create a robe that permanently cast the Invisibility spell.

    The robe used to make the magic robe was sewn by a famous tailor master in Shining Light City, with exquisite quality and excellent touch.

    Su Nan permanently cast the Cleanse spell, the Silence spell, and the Invisibility spell on it.

    Unless he could come up with conditions that everyone present could not refuse, there was no way he could entice them to attack the Starfire Sect again.

    Sure enough, Night Owl said, ¡°Sadly, it seems like this will be our last time trading Divine Blood Amber.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡± Black Forest muttered, ¡°I haven¡¯t even had a sip of soup, and it¡¯s over?¡±

    Wraith gave him a sideways glance and said calmly, ¡°You can also continue to snatch Divine Blood Amber from the Starfire Sect. No one will stop you.¡±

    Black Forest spread his hands and stopped talking.

    After a brief silence, everyone took out Divine Blood Amber to trade with Su Nan.

    Except for Black Forest and Rose, the others had at least three, and Night Owl still had the most, a full twelve.

    In the end, after calculating it all, Su Nan gained twenty-five more Divine Blood Amber.

    After the Divine Blood Amber trade was completed, the normal trading mode began.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± Black Forest said.

    Seeing that no one objected, Night Owl gave Black Forest a gesture of invitation.

    Su Nan looked over with interest, curious about what Black Forest would bring out.

    Under the gaze of everyone, Black Forest took out a golden apple.

    ¡°Golden Apple!¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    Black Forest looked at Su Nan in surprise, ¡°You actually recognize this thing?¡±

    ¡°I found it in the legacy of a Wizard Apprentice. According to the notes left by that Wizard Apprentice, eating this Golden Apple can grant the magical effect of infinite vitality. No matter how much stamina and spiritual power is consumed, it can instantly recover to its peak state, lasting for about an hour.¡±

    Infinite spiritual power!

    Everyone present straightened up.

    Any Wizard Apprentice who had experienced combat knew that in actual combat, the amount of spiritual power was one of the key factors that affected the outcome.

    With enough spiritual power, they could release spells without worrying about consumption.

    Even if it only lasted an hour, if used properly, it could be enough to determine the outcome of a battle.

    For a moment, everyone was very tempted.

    However, they didn¡¯t notice the joy on Su Nan¡¯s face under the mask.

    For others, the Golden Apple was just a one-time consumable item that could increase their combat effectiveness. However, for Su Nan, it was enough to become a life-saving trump card.

    After all, he had the Magic Emblem Core, a huge consumer of spiritual power.

    The power of the Magic Emblem Core had been proven when dealing with the Mithril Golem.

    The only flaw was that it consumed an enormous amount of spiritual power.

    However, with the Golden Apple, this would no longer be a flaw.

    If he could use the Magic Emblem Core without any reservations for a full hour, he wouldn¡¯t be afraid of one Mithril Golem. Even if ten of them came, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t be intimidated.

    This thing might only be useful to others, but in his hands, it could be a life-saving trump card in critical moments!

    Sensing everyone¡¯s interest, Black Forest said with a bit of pride, ¡°So, anyone want it?¡±

    Everyone looked at Su Nan.

    They had had previous experience and knew that unless Su Nan didn¡¯t want something, if he had his eyes on it, the item would basically end up in his hands.

    There was no other way, this guy was simply too generous.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate and asked Black Forest, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Magic Stones,¡± Black Forest said without hesitation, ¡°Fifty Magic Stones!¡±

    ¡°Too much, thirty.¡±

    ¡°This is a good thing, forty-eight.¡±

    ¡°Thirty-three.¡±

    After a round of bargaining, the two finally agreed on a price of thirty-nine Magic Stones.

    Black Forest was very satisfied after receiving the Magic Stones. Selling the Golden Apple at this price was already very good.

    Su Nan was also very satisfied. He could get a trump card for thirty-nine Magic Stones, it was simply a great deal.

    The trading continued. After that, Night Owl, Scepter, and Heart successively took out items to trade.

    During this time, Su Nan bought up all the rare metals and Soul Crystals. Others simply couldn¡¯t compete with him.

    To Su Nan¡¯s delight, the rare metals Night Owl brought out actually included the Rainbow Iron needed to promote the Gem Worm¡¯s division.

    When he took the Rainbow Iron from Night Owl, he clearly felt a resentful gaze from Rose.

    Clearly, Rose also wanted to buy the Rainbow Iron to cultivate Gem Worms, but unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t compete with Su Nan.

    Unless Su Nan stopped attending the Mysterious Wooden Hut¡¯s gatherings, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hope to trade for Abyssal Black Copper and Rainbow Iron, and other rare metals from others during the gatherings.

    At the end of the gathering, when it was Su Nan¡¯s turn, he directly asked.

    ¡°Does anyone have a design for a special type of golem, preferably a flying one?¡±

 Chapter 111

    You can now buy gems to unlock chapters. You can now read Synthesis Wizard Advance Chapters by unlocking with coins.

    Everyone fell silent.

    Finally, Blacklin coughed lightly and said, ¡°I happen to have a design diagram for a special type of puppet, but it¡¯s not a flying type. Do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Can I take a look?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Taking the design diagram from Blacklin, Su Nan opened it and was immediately stunned.

    The top of the design diagram listed the name of the puppet: Gem Magic Puppet!

    This strange name piqued his interest.

    He continued to read, his expression gradually becoming strange.

    The naming of different magic puppets is usually based on the main material they are composed of.

    For example, there are Steel Magic Puppets made mainly of steel and Stone Magic Puppets made mainly of rock.

    Wizard civilization has existed for so long, wizards have researched and created many different materials for refining Magic Puppets, including some very strange materials, such as flesh and bone, and even magical ropes and shutters.

    The materials are diverse and unusual.

    But this was the first time Su Nan had heard of using gems as a material.

    It¡¯s not that gems are unsuitable as materials, the main reason is ¨C expensive!

    For wizards, no matter what they make, the first thing they need to consider is cost-effectiveness.

    Whether it¡¯s magical items, puppets, or potions, no matter how significant the effects or power, if the cost far exceeds the value it should have, then that item is a failure.

    Because of this, no one has ever considered using gems to refine Magic Puppets.

    But the author of this design diagram dared to do what others wouldn¡¯t.

    His idea is to use diamonds as the main body, supplemented with various gems to construct the magic puppet¡¯s body, then engrave a certain number of Second-Ring Spells, referencing the techniques of the ¡°Gem Magic¡± school, using gems to amplify the power of the spells, ultimately refining a Gem Magic Puppet capable of casting multiple spells.

    It has to be admitted, this concept is very creative.

    A magic puppet constructed with diamonds as the main body, its body is incredibly tough, even a Mithril Magic Puppet might not be able to surpass it.

    And the idea of using gems to amplify the power of spells is also very ingenious.

    With the amplification of the gems, the Gem Magic Puppet¡¯s spells would definitely be no weaker than Third-Ring Spells.

    A magic puppet with an indestructible physical body that can cast spells comparable to Third-Ring Spells, its combat power is so strong that it might even surpass an ordinary Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice!

    However, upon closer thought, you will find that this concept has two very obvious flaws.

    The first is the difficulty of manufacturing.

    To engrave Second-Ring Spells within the body of a magic puppet so that it can cast spells, this is far more difficult than permanently casting a Second-Ring Spell on a magical item.

    Even with Su Nan¡¯s Level 4 ¡°Magic Item Creation¡±, he failed to permanently cast a Second-Ring Spell on his robe several times, and to engrave a Second-Ring Spell, he would probably have to fail dozens or even hundreds of times before he could succeed.

    Even Su Nan has such difficulties, let alone other Wizard Apprentices.

    Others don¡¯t have the same advantages as Su Nan, they don¡¯t have access to a large amount of resources to practice and improve their Magic Item Creation skills.

    For an ordinary Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, reaching Level 2 in ¡°Magic Item Creation¡± is considered to be exceptionally talented.

    Furthermore, to use gems to amplify the power of spells, the refiner must also have knowledge of ¡°Gem Magic¡±.

    But this knowledge has long since disappeared from the Starlight Continent with the departure of the Gem Magic school.

    There is no one to learn this knowledge from now.

    The second flaw, of course, is the cost issue.

    To create a Gem Magic Puppet, the number of gems required would probably be measured in tons, and the final cost would likely be hundreds of millions of gold coins.

    Even the wealthiest wizards couldn¡¯t afford such a staggering expenditure.

    Even if they grit their teeth and scrape together the money to refine it, but they spend so much money just to refine a magic puppet that¡¯s slightly better than an ordinary Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice?

    Only someone who is incredibly extravagant would do such a thing!

    Even in the future, when the Gem Worm swarm grows and can mass produce gems, Su Nan would never waste gems on this.

    In his opinion, this design diagram is almost useless.

    In fact, according to the author¡¯s own account, he only stayed at the concept stage and hasn¡¯t actually refined a finished product yet.

    After reading the design diagram, Su Nan pondered for a while and looked at Blacklin with a playful tone, ¡°What are you planning to trade for this design diagram?¡±

    ¡°Three magic stones, how about that?¡±

    Blacklin also knew that this design diagram was unreliable, so he offered a price that was unusually cheap for a puppet design diagram.

    Su Nan thought for a moment, then agreed.

    While this design diagram is whimsical, it¡¯s not completely without its merits.

    Taking it back to study carefully, maybe he can use it as a basis to design a new type of puppet.

    With the final transaction complete, the gathering came to an end.

    Before they parted, Blacklin waved to Su Nan and smiled, ¡°Player, if you are interested in puppets, I have another rare puppet design diagram, I¡¯ll bring it next time I attend a gathering.¡±

    Su Nan was slightly stunned, then nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going next?¡± Atir asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to check the task board and take on a few tasks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also planning to take on tasks, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    The two of them went to the warehouse together, greeted Miss Gilly who was sunbathing there, and then went to the task board.

    To their surprise, Koley was there too.

    Upon seeing Xie Man and Atir, Koley nodded slightly in greeting, then continued to scan the task board.

    Xie Man walked over and saw that there were quite a few new tasks.

    For example, feeding the Gem Worms in the worm nest with ore.

    Collecting pure gems produced by Gem Worms.

    Performing magical modification on the forelimbs of Double-Bladed Spiders.

    Refining Stone Magic Puppets.

    Suddenly, more than ten new tasks appeared.

    ¡°Did you know that they built a new camp in the forest to the north?¡± Koley suddenly said.

    ¡°We heard about it.¡± Atir replied.

    Xie Man also nodded.

    They already knew that a vein was discovered in the forest to the north of Shining Light City, and beneath the vein was a passage to the Underworld, where there was also a subterranean city-state ruled by a Human-Faced Lion.

    The newly established Camp 1, it is said, was built to monitor the movements of the Human-Faced Lion city-state.

    As for the source of these news, it was naturally Miss Amy.

    Miss Amy often brought them some new and strange stories, and occasionally they could even hear their teacher¡¯s adventure stories, which were a rare bit of fun in their monotonous training life.

    ¡°Miss Amy told me that Teacher is preparing to launch a war against the Human-Faced Lion city-state.¡±

    Xie Man and Atir were surprised.

    But thinking about it, this seems to be foreshadowed.

    For example, all the gems collected from the Gem Worm nests were sent to Camp 1, presumably for refining Stone Magic Puppets.

    The new task of refining Stone Magic Puppets on the task board is clearly because of this.

    ¡°I plan to ask Teacher to let me participate in the war.¡± Koley said something surprising.

    ¡°Participate in the war?¡±

    Atir and Xie Man looked at each other, both quite surprised.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that level of war, it¡¯s not something we can participate in.¡±

    The soldiers participating in the war were either Human-Faced Lions with nearly Knight-level strength at the weakest, or Knight-level Stone Magic Puppets and Double-Bladed Spiders.

    There were even Great Knights and Legendary Knight-level fighting forces!

    A First-Rank Wizard Apprentice participating in this level of war, if they¡¯re not careful, they could die.

    ¡°Meow, you guys are still too early to participate in the war.¡±

    A familiar voice suddenly sounded, Atir felt a slight weight on her shoulder, she turned her head and saw Amy¡¯s white feline body.

    ¡°Miss Amy!¡±

    Amy licked her paw, lazily saying:

    ¡°First-Rank Wizard Apprentices are only barely able to deal with one or two Knights, participating in your human war is barely acceptable, going to fight the Human-Faced Lions is suicide.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not until you become Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices that you¡¯re fit for it.¡±

    Koley frowned, ¡°Miss Amy, I just hope Teacher can allow me to take this opportunity to gain more contribution points, speed up my improvement, and combat might help me break through my bottleneck.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like something a Dark Wizard would do?¡±

    Amy tilted her head, waved her paw and said crisply:

    ¡°Whatever, I can talk to Su Nan for you, but don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡±

    Koley¡¯s face flashed with a hint of joy, ¡°Thank you, Miss Amy!¡±

    ¡°What about you two?¡± Amy looked at the other two.

    Atir shook her head.

    The few spells she has mastered are all auxiliary ones, not a single offensive one, going to the battlefield is no different from going to die.

    Xie Man also shook his head.

    He¡¯s not like Koley, who¡¯s obsessed with improving his strength.

    He enjoys his current state, he can learn new knowledge every day, and he can feel his progress every day.

    This gradual process of unveiling and understanding the world makes him very immersed.

    He prefers to proceed steadily, step by step, rather than rush headlong.

 Chapter 112

    You can now buy gems to unlock chapters. You can now read Synthesis Wizard Advance Chapters by unlocking with coins.

    ¡°Go to war?¡±

    Slightly stunned, Su Nan looked at Amy¡¯s relayed words.

    He immediately and decisively refused.

    What a joke!

    This wasn¡¯t the Black Wizard Academy; they didn¡¯t play that game of selecting the best through fierce competition.

    He had finally nurtured a qualified apprentice, how could he let him go to the battlefield to die?

    If they wanted more contribution points, they could just honestly complete more tasks.

    Of course, Su Nan didn¡¯t plan to raise his students as delicate flowers in a greenhouse.

    But if they wanted experience, they could wait until they advanced to Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices and possessed some self-preservation abilities.

    Leaving Amy with his answer, Su Nan turned around and continued working.

    After incorporating the twenty-five Divine Blood Crystals he had obtained at the last meeting, his meditation efficiency had skyrocketed again.

    Now, every day he practiced the Star Ring Meditation Method, he could increase his proficiency by an average of over 3800 points.

    The progress was incredible!

    The Star Ring Meditation Method only needed ten thousand or so proficiency points before it could level up.

    According to Su Nan¡¯s estimate, he would be able to build the twelfth star ring next month, bringing him closer to becoming a formal wizard.

    Spell learning and spell casting training were also progressing steadily.

    He devoted most of his remaining time and energy to mass production.

    Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

    Time flew by, and in a blink of an eye, the month of Burning Fire (July) arrived.No?v(el)B\\jnn

    He successfully built the twelfth star ring, and also welcomed the fifth Mysterious Wooden Hut meeting.

    Unfortunately, Black Lin didn¡¯t attend, and the promised puppet design was not available yet.

    Su Nan only purchased some rare metals and three miniature Soul Crystals before ending the meeting.

    So far, all the miniature Soul Crystals he had acquired at the meetings were used by him to refine Steel Magic Puppets.

    As of now, Su Nan had twelve Steel Magic Puppets in his possession.

    Apart from keeping three Steel Magic Puppets to guard the base and one to guard the No. 2 Magic Plant Garden, the remaining eight were all stationed in Camp No. 1.

    It wasn¡¯t until the month of Autumn Curtain that Su Nan was fully prepared to wage war.

    In Camp No. 1.

    Looking at the neatly arranged puppet army in front of him, Su Nan let out a long sigh of relief.

    A total of eight Steel Magic Puppets, twelve Elite Stone Magic Puppets, eight hundred Stone Magic Puppets, and fifty Double-Blade Puppets.

    This army, even on the surface, could easily conquer any Baron Territory or a weaker Marquis Territory.

    Now, it was only used to deal with a single Human-Faced Lion City-State, which showed how much Su Nan valued this war.

    To build this puppet army, Su Nan had invested all his mining profits from this year, and even borrowed a large sum of money from Shining Light Territory.

    His cash flow was completely drained.

    But thinking about the seven mines surrounding the Human-Faced Lion City-State, he felt that the current investment was worthwhile.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity the time is a bit short, otherwise, if I waited another half year and doubled the size of the puppet army, we could have easily solved the problem with the Human-Faced Lion City-State.¡±

    Su Nan originally planned to postpone the war to make more preparations.

    However, for the past half month, the Human-Faced Lions had been sending scouts to investigate the cave.

    They were extremely cautious. Upon discovering the Elite Stone Magic Puppets guarding the entrance, they immediately withdrew. However, they didn¡¯t know that they had already triggered the magic alarm, and all their actions were detected by Su Nan in advance.

    Su Nan estimated that the Human-Faced Lion City-State had taken a fancy to this entrance and might attack soon.

    Instead of waiting passively to be attacked, it was better to take the initiative, catch them off guard.

    Gathering his thoughts, Su Nan put all the magic puppets back into the magic cube, then entered the cave.

    Arriving at the¾¯½äµã(¾¯½äµã ¨C alert point or patrol point), he stopped. The air around him twisted, and the hulking, grotesque body of Infiltrator Dragon appeared out of thin air.

    ¡°Be careful yourself later. I don¡¯t think I can look after you during the fight.¡±

    After casting a Levitation spell on Infiltrator Dragon, Su Nan gave it another reminder.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    Infiltrator Dragon responded with a low growl.

    After evolving into a Sub-Dragon bloodline, its roars were getting closer and closer to dragon roars, with a domineering and majestic tone in its low growl.

    Su Nan smiled, activated the Invisibility Robe, and his figure instantly vanished.

    Infiltrator Dragon also disappeared into the air.

    Carolina¡¯s face changed and she shouted: ¡°Intruder!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, thunder roared deafeningly from afar.

    Countless dazzling lightning bolts tore through the darkness, descending from the sky and striking the dense Human-Faced Lion army!

    In an instant, hundreds of Human-Faced Lion warriors turned to charcoal, dying without even having time to scream.

    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±

    ¡°Where is the attack coming from?¡±

    ¡°Find the enemy, where are they?¡±

    The Human-Faced Lions immediately fell into chaos.

    On the other side, the slave army, which had finally been lined up, also fell into a panic due to the sudden change.

    The Human-Faced Lion officers drew their scimitars and shouted loudly to suppress the chaos among the slaves.

    But then the puppet army that appeared out of thin air ruined their efforts.

    As soon as they appeared, the puppet army immediately launched a fierce charge at the Human-Faced Lion army.

    More than eight hundred puppets charged simultaneously, raising a wave of dust that soared into the sky. The terrifying momentum of their crushing onslaught made many Human-Faced Lions change their expressions. Some even trembled in fear, their faces turning pale.

    It happened so suddenly!

    No one expected the enemy to appear out of thin air, and in such a large number.

    At such a close distance, they didn¡¯t have much time to react, and they were caught off guard by the intense fighting.

    Just one encounter, and the Human-Faced Lions were retreating in defeat, suffering heavy casualties.

    As for the slave army on the other side, they were even worse.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t even send much of his forces. He just sent a dozen or so Stone Magic Puppets to charge, and the slaves scattered in a frenzy. The Human-Faced Lion officers couldn¡¯t control them no matter how much they shouted.

    When the Human-Faced Lion officers were engaged by the Stone Magic Puppets and were unable to gather the scattered army, the slaves ran even faster.

    ¡°What¡¯s the saying? Heaven helps those who help themselves?¡±

    Looking at the favorable situation in front of him, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips.

    He had thought that the war would be a tough battle, but he didn¡¯t expect the Human-Faced Lions to give him a break. It seemed that he would be able to end the war soon.

    Su Nan was in a good mood, but the three Human-Faced Lion nobles on the city wall were not.

    Seeing their kin being slaughtered and falling one after another, the three Human-Faced Lion nobles were both shocked and furious.

    Carolina recognized Su Nan immediately, even though he was wearing a mask last time, she wouldn¡¯t mistake that aura.

    ¡°It¡¯s you again!¡± Carolina glared at Su Nan, her face full of anger.

    Yusula and Pallida immediately realized that this person was one of the wizards who had attacked their city-state last time.

    With new and old grudges mixed together, the three of them looked at Su Nan with a particularly vengeful gaze. They shrieked, their bodies levitating into the air and rushing towards Su Nan at high speed.

    Midway through their flight, the staffs in their hands all released an eerie light, shining brightly in the darkness.

    Countless lightning, flames, and ice appeared out of thin air, sweeping towards Su Nan like a tide.

    Human-Faced Lion nobles didn¡¯t have the ability to manipulate the elements, these were illusions.

    However, the deadly attacks were often hidden within these illusions.

    Human-Faced Lions were best at using deceptive attacks that alternated between reality and illusion. If one wasn¡¯t careful, they could easily fall victim to them.

    For example, Su Nan had already noticed several black snakes hidden in the flame waves. Their forked tongues flicked in and out, waiting for him to let his guard down and attack.

    But he didn¡¯t care.

    With the Extreme Protection Ring, he wasn¡¯t worried that the Human-Faced Lion nobles¡¯ attacks could hurt him.

    Without any intention of defending himself, Su Nan activated the Disaster Ring on his left hand without hesitation.

    Boom!

    The surging lightning, flames, and ice engulfed Su Nan.

    Seeing this, the three Human-Faced Lion nobles looked at each other, their faces filled with joy. But then they felt something was wrong.

    The expected screams didn¡¯t come!

    Instead, they suddenly heard a series of crunching sounds, as if ice was freezing.

    The next second, the illusions in the sky suddenly disappeared.

    A visible white shock wave suddenly spread outwards.

    Caught off guard, the three Human-Faced Lion nobles were simultaneously hit by the shock wave, their bodies instantly stiffening, their bodies instantly covered in frost.

    At the same time, four huge gray claws appeared out of thin air, grabbing at Pallida fiercely.

    The four gray claws tore through the void like lightning, grabbing at Pallida from different directions.

    Disaster Claws X4!

 Chapter 113

    A sound like tearing cloth echoed through the air as a dozen bloody wounds suddenly appeared on Pallida¡¯s body.

    A thick, suffocating death aura seeped into her body through the wounds, relentlessly corroding her flesh and bone. Grayish blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the ground.

    ¡°Aahhh!¡±

    Pallida let out a piercing scream.

    The heavy negative energy imbued in the Calamity Claws instantly invaded her vital organs, blood, and bones.

    One Calamity Claw could easily kill a peak Great Knight. Being struck by four Calamity Claws simultaneously, without any preparation, inflicted severe injuries even on Pallida, despite her legendary strength.

    Before she could catch her breath, Su Nan tossed a high-grade rune gemstone.

    The instant it left his hand, the gemstone erupted in a dazzling flash of light, transforming into a blue-green lightning spear. It pierced the air like a released arrow, making a ¡®shhh¡¯ sound as it went through Pallida¡¯s forehead.

    Crackle!

    A violent burst of lightning followed, turning her into a charred husk.

    In less than a breath, Pallida had been reduced to ashes.

    The sight sent chills down Yusula and Carolaina¡¯s spines, and their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Su Nan.

    After eliminating one enemy with lightning speed, Su Nan¡¯s assault continued relentlessly. A torrent of silver metal liquid erupted from his pores, falling and quickly forming into numerous sharp cones in mid-air.

    With a slight pause, the countless cones shot out in a storm, cascading towards Yusula and Carolaina like a hailstorm!

    The Lion-Faced Nobles were all legendary knights.

    And the Lion-Faced Nobles who could serve as lords of a city at least had the strength of a Second-Ring legend.

    Two First-Ring Legends and one Second-Ring Legend working together could stand toe-to-toe with a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    So, Su Nan went all-out from the start, aiming to eliminate one or two enemies as quickly as possible.

    Sssshhhh!

    Sharp, piercing sounds of tearing air exploded one after another.

    The frequency was so dense, it made one¡¯s scalp tingle.

    Feeling the intense threat of death, both Lion-Faced Nobles turned pale and let out piercing screams.

    The crystal spheres on top of their staffs suddenly lit up with a deep, dark light, spreading rapidly until they encased them entirely.

    The next second, the storm of countless cones slammed into the sphere.

    Pfft, Pfft, Pfft!

    The muffled sounds of sharp blades piercing leather echoed continuously.

    After only ten seconds, Carolaina¡¯s sphere shattered. The countless cones swept over her, causing her to explode in a bloody mist. Her tattered body then tumbled to the ground.

    Another one down!

    Su Nan turned his gaze to Yusula, the only one left, and with a thought, he redirected the cones that had been attacking Carolaina to target Yusula.

    She instantly found herself under immense pressure.

    The battle had reached this point, and Yusula knew she was completely defeated.

    Neither her city nor herself could stand against this young wizard.

    If she continued fighting, she would undoubtedly meet the same fate as Pallida and Carolaina.

    Escape!

    She had to escape!

    Her mind racing, Yusula made her decision. A cruel glint flashed across her beautiful face, and she gritted her teeth as she swung her staff towards her tail.

    A ¡®pffft¡¯ sounded as her tail snapped in two at the middle.

    Yusula endured the excruciating pain, muttering under her breath, as her severed tail exploded into a thick blood mist, enveloping her entirely.

    Boom!

    The sphere burst, sending a powerful shockwave that pushed back the surrounding cones.

    Seizing this opportunity, the blood mist shot out like lightning, vanishing towards the distant darkness.

    Its speed was as quick as lightning!

    However, just as the blood mist was about to disappear into the darkness, a huge, monstrous figure suddenly emerged from the nearby shadows, opening its blood-red maw and spitting out a searing ball of fire towards the blood mist.

    It was the Hidden Dragon, lying in wait!

    Sizzle!

    The flames clashed with the blood mist, annihilating each other. Crimson and blood-red intertwined, then quickly shrunk.

    In a blink, the blood mist had thinned considerably, revealing the terrified face of Yusula within.

    Whoosh!

    A figure flashed, and Su Nan reappeared in front of Yusula, his gaze as cold as ice as he stared at her.

    Seeing this, a look of despair appeared in Yusula¡¯s eyes. She understood that she had missed her last chance at escape.

    Who would have thought that this wizard had a Sub-Dragon magical companion that could go invisible?

    Both parties had to agree willingly to sign it.

    Once the soul contract was signed, Su Nan could completely control Carolaina and wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her betrayal.

    And he indeed needed someone to help him manage the city.

    To put it simply, someone had to manage the slaves.

    Magic Puppets were definitely useless in this regard.

    The students in the base were still growing, and they weren¡¯t ready for this yet.

    As for asking Kei for people, that was also impossible.

    The officials in the territory were not familiar with the underground world. Letting them manage the underground city might backfire.

    After much consideration, using natives to manage the city was indeed the best option.

    ¡°Alright, sign a soul contract, and I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±

    Looking at Carolaina¡¯s pleading eyes, Su Nan hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

    Hearing this, Carolaina¡¯s face lit up with the joy of being rescued from a desperate situation.

    Su Nan flicked his wrist, and a gemstone appeared in his palm.

    He rubbed his thumb and index finger together, and the gemstone instantly melted into a semi-transparent thread. As he traced the thread in the air, it gradually formed into a series of mysterious and bizarre patterns.

    When he finished the last step, Su Nan pointed his finger, and the pattern floated towards Carolaina¡¯s forehead, slowly disappearing into it.

    The next second, Carolaina¡¯s body trembled slightly. She felt an intangible connection between herself and the wizard in front of her.

    This was a one-way connection.

    From this day forward, her life was in the hands of the person in front of her.

    After the contract was complete, Su Nan tossed Carolaina a few bottles of healing potions.

    After taking the potions, Carolaina finally regained some mobility.

    ¡°My lord... my people...¡±

    Carolaina glanced at her people not far away and asked Su Nan cautiously.

    Su Nan¡¯s lips curled into a hint of a smile. He went to the Lion-Faced warriors kneeling on the ground, tapped his finger on the group, picking out fifty of the weakest warriors. Then, he turned to Carolaina, who was looking at him with a confused expression, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll only leave these fifty. You kill the rest!¡±

    Since he needed someone to manage the city, he had to leave Carolaina with some people. He couldn¡¯t let her be a lone commander.

    But he didn¡¯t need too many people, just enough to manage the slaves and handle some miscellaneous tasks. Fifty Lion-Faced warriors should be enough.

    As for guarding the city, the Magic Puppet Legion would handle that.

    Although there was a soul contract, he wasn¡¯t afraid of Carolaina betraying him, but he didn¡¯t want to give her the means to act.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Carolaina¡¯s face turned pale.

    Not far away, the Lion-Faced warriors who hadn¡¯t been chosen also changed their expressions, and they tried to resist desperately. But as soon as they stood up, an invisible wave enveloped everyone.

    Group Terror!

    It could instill terror in all creatures within a certain range.

    This was a Second-Ring spell that Su Nan had recently mastered.

    In an instant, all the Lion-Faced warriors were filled with terror, as if they had seen something truly terrifying. Some collapsed to the ground, while others hugged their heads and trembled, all of them losing their will to fight.

    Su Nan turned his head and looked at Carolaina with indifferent eyes.

    Carolaina¡¯s expression changed slightly. Her hesitation disappeared from her eyes as she picked up a scimitar from the ground, gritting her teeth as she walked towards her terrified people.

    It had to be said that the Lion-Faced warriors were all skilled killers. Even though she was badly injured, Carolaina¡¯s movements as she killed were still extremely clean and efficient. Every time, she simply sliced open their throats with a single blow.

    The sudden pain jolted the Lion-Faced warriors out of their terror, but it was too late.

    They let out a gurgling sound from their throats, their faces full of disbelief as they glared at Carolaina, then they collapsed to the ground, motionless and silent.

    It didn¡¯t take long before all sixty or seventy Lion-Faced warriors had fallen to the ground, turning into corpses.

    Carolaina, with a blood-stained scimitar in hand, was panting heavily, her face pale.

    The Lion-Faced warriors who had been lucky enough to survive looked at her with complex emotions.

    Anger, indifference, sadness, hostility...

    Seeing this scene unfold, Su Nan nodded secretly.

    This was also one of his goals in making Carolaina do this.

    He planted a thorn between them, so these guys wouldn¡¯t easily band together.

    After that, Su Nan made the remaining Lion-Faced warriors sign soul contracts one by one. It cost him fifty gemstones in total.

    The spare gemstones in his space ring were almost completely depleted.

    When that was done, Su Nan ordered the Lion-Faced warriors to clean up the battlefield and gather the escaped slaves.

    Luckily, the island was surrounded by the lake, so even if the slaves escaped, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get far. Sending a few groups of Lion-Faced warriors to round them up would be enough.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 114: New Territory, Base 2 Completed

    Chapter 114: New Territory, Base 2 Completed

    After the battle, Su Nan took stock of the Magic Puppets.

    Due to the exceptionally smooth raid, the Magic Puppet legion didn¡¯t suffer heavy losses.

    Totally destroyed and unrepairable were one Steel Magic Puppet, three Elite Stone Magic Puppets, three hundred and twenty-five Stone Magic Puppets, and four Double-Bladed Spiders.

    The rest of the Magic Puppets and Double-Bladed Spiders sustained varying degrees of damage. However, those with minor injuries self-repaired, while those with severe injuries would be fine after being sent back to base for repair. It was nothing to worry about.

    In fact, had the Human-Faced Lion not actively led its troops out of the city to assemble, under normal raid circumstances, the losses of Magic Puppets would have at least doubled.

    The current situation was considered good.

    Su Nan collected the Magic Puppets needing repair into the Magic Cube, leaving the rest on the island for defense. Then he took Karolina and headed towards the city.

    The war had ended, and the next step was to inspect his territory.

    This was the first territory truly belonging to him.

    Compared to the last time he had to sneak in secretly, this time he walked openly through the city gate, leisurely observing the buildings.

    However, the buildings in the lower part of the city were mostly low and simple, nothing spectacular.

    It wasn¡¯t until he entered the upper city that the buildings on both sides of the street started to become organized and began to carry a bit of artistic style ¨C a common sight in the Underworld, where practicality was more important than aesthetics.

    As they walked, the city residents saw Karolina respectfully following a human, and all of them were astonished, their eyes wide with disbelief.

    No one dared to ask any questions.

    Su Nan glanced at Karolina, it seemed that the Human-Faced Lion¡¯s nobility held great prestige here.

    Ignoring them, he walked directly towards the central stone pillar.

    Upon entering the stone pillar, Su Nan discovered that the environment here was far more luxurious than outside, with an exaggerated number of rooms.

    There were living rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, public rest areas, and conference rooms, all of which were complete.

    Such a large place, but only three nobles and their slaves lived there.

    It had to be said that the Human-Faced Lion¡¯s nobility lived far more luxuriously than most human nobles.

    ¡°These rooms can be converted into laboratories and potion rooms.¡±

    Su Nan thought to himself.

    The space inside the stone pillar was very spacious, completely capable of being transformed into another base.

    In the future, he would definitely have to stay in the Underworld frequently. Having a place for him to study and practice would be much more convenient.

    It would be best to build another Magic Plant Garden, workshop, and Puppet Factory here.

    After a tour, Su Nan already had a rough plan in mind. He turned around without looking back and asked, ¡°Where is the treasury?¡±

    ¡°In the basement.¡± Karolina replied.

    ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Under Karolina¡¯s guidance, Su Nan quickly arrived at a warehouse.

    Stacked inside was a mountain of gold coins, chests full of gems, and a variety of metals.

    ¡°Master, here is the treasury inventory.¡±

    Karolina handed over a list.

    In the short time since entering the city, this Human-Faced Lion noble had quickly adjusted her mindset, accepting her slave status, and actively started to curry favor with Su Nan.

    Taking a deep look at Karolina, Su Nan took the inventory and carefully browsed through it.

    From Karolina¡¯s mouth, he already knew that this city was called Silent Lake.

    Because of the presence of many Dwarves, Silent Lake¡¯s mining and smelting skills were high.

    They mined from the surrounding veins year-round, trading food and various necessities with other cities.

    They were also able to smelt their own metals and mint gold coins.

    The gold coins in the treasury were minted by Silent Lake itself. The front featured the image of a half-human, half-snake Human-Faced Lion noble, while the back depicted two crossed curved swords, very much in the Human-Faced Lion¡¯s style.

    Because of its high gold content, Silent Lake¡¯s gold coins were quite popular in surrounding cities.

    However, to use them on the surface, these coins would have to be completely remelted.

    Su Nan picked up a gold coin and weighed it, and immediately felt assured.

    These gold coins, converted to surface coins, were worth about fifty thousand coins.

    This was undoubtedly a considerable sum.

    In addition, there were two hundred and thirty-six mid-to-low grade gems, five high-grade gems, and hundreds of rare metals.

    To Su Nan¡¯s delight, there were rare metals such as Abyssal Black Copper, Rainbow Iron, and Sun Flame Gold Sand.

    Su Nan estimated the quantity, and adding it to what he already had, it would be enough to make special nutrients to allow eight Gem Bugs to split once.

    By then, the Starfall Dukedom would probably face a major upheaval.

    Su Nan shared his guess with Kei.

    After hearing this, Kei¡¯s expression shifted back and forth, he didn¡¯t know what he was thinking.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t say much, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to leave.

    After that, Su Nan returned to the base, and immediately used Abyssal Black Copper and other rare metals to prepare the corresponding nutrients and feed them to the Gem Bugs.

    ¡°It will take about three days for the Gem Bugs to split and increase to six.¡±

    ¡°There are five more batches of nutrients left. I¡¯ll give them to the Gem Bugs to eat after a while. That way, the swarm will grow to eleven.¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    The harvest from this war could be described as incredibly bountiful.

    The current gains alone were enough to make up for the cost of making the Magic Puppets and Double-Bladed Spiders before the war ¨C the key was that the Magic Puppets and Double-Bladed Spiders didn¡¯t suffer much loss, the rest was pure profit.

    Moreover, there were follow-up profits, and the seven mines surrounding Silent Lake City were waiting for him to develop.

    ¡°To develop seven mines simultaneously, a large number of Clay Magic Puppets and mining equipment would be needed.¡±

    ¡°Clay Magic Puppets can be issued as a task, let the students in the base forge them.¡±

    ¡°Mining equipment can be prepared with my brother¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°These are easy to solve. The key is the garrison troops.¡±

    There were many monsters in the Underworld, and it was unknown which tunnel or cave housed monsters. Therefore, all mines must be assigned troops to guard.

    Moreover, there were Oshen and Matu.

    According to Karolina, these two city-states had often robbed Silent Lake¡¯s resources (although Silent Lake had also done the same). So, more troops would have to be deployed to guard the mines closer to these two cities.

    It was estimated that at least five hundred Stone Magic Puppets would be needed for guarding and escorting the seven mines.

    To be on the safe side, it would be best to add some Double-Bladed Spiders.

    Adding to this the garrison forces at Silent Lake, the number of Magic Puppets needed was not insignificant.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to work overtime again.¡±

    Su Nan sighed.

    He couldn¡¯t escape this hard work.

    It couldn¡¯t be helped, it was all for acquiring more resources.

    He had to develop those mines as much as possible before the insects of Kashm invaded, and accumulate enough resources for a massive army.

    In the days that followed, Su Nan was once again in a busy state, never touching the ground.

    After Karolina pacified the residents of the city, Su Nan began to work, transforming the palace where the Human-Faced Lion nobles resided (the stone pillar) into a base, dividing it into laboratories, potion rooms, meditation rooms, and spell practice rooms, and so on.

    He then built a workshop next to the palace and moved the Puppet Factory from Base 1 over to the workshop.

    In addition, Su Nan built a new Magic Plant Garden in the city, named Magic Plant Garden 3.

    Due to the Underworld¡¯s unique environment ¨C mainly the lack of sun and constant low temperature and humidity ¨C Magic Plant Garden 3 could only cultivate some special magic plants, such as Mandrake, Tranquility Flower, and so on.

    At this point, a small base was complete.

    Su Nan named it Base 2.

    Base 2 didn¡¯t have as complete facilities and functions as Base 1, but it was enough as a temporary residence in the Underworld.

    Not long after Base 2 was built, a large batch of Clay Magic Stones arrived at Silent Lake City. The development of the surrounding mines was officially put on the agenda.

    Considering that the troops were still insufficient, Su Nan didn¡¯t develop all seven mines at once. Instead, he chose the four closest to Silent Lake City, as the first to be mined.

    These included one large iron mine, one medium iron mine, one large copper mine, and one small gold mine.

    These four mines alone required a total of three Elite Stone Magic Puppets, three hundred and fifty Stone Magic Puppets, and fifty Double-Bladed Spiders for guarding and escorting.

    The Elite Stone Magic Puppets were mainly used to guard the large iron mine, the large copper mine, and the small gold mine.

    Due to their flexible maneuverability, the Double-Bladed Spiders were mainly used to escort the ore.

    By the time of the Sleeping Month, the operation of Silent Lake City had basically been put on track.

    The four mines were producing a steady stream of hefty profits every day. The increasing income made Su Nan feel happier day by day.

    With the substantial profits provided by the mines, many experiments and research projects could be put on the agenda.

    Moreover, this was only the initial stage. As the other three mines were gradually developed, and as more mines were discovered in the future, the funds provided to him by Silent Lake City would only increase.

    With such a massive gold mine, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for a long time.

    There are only two updates today, thanks to everyone for your subscriptions, monthly tickets, and rewards. Thank you for your support!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 115: Secret Puppet, an Opportunity to Change Destiny

    Chapter 115: Secret Puppet, an Opportunity to Change Destiny

    Starlight Calendar 1254, the month of Winter Melody.

    This year¡¯s New Year celebration was exceptionally grand, far exceeding previous years.

    The main reason was that the lord had given birth to a son.

    To celebrate the son¡¯s birth, the lord generously held a continuous feast in the square for several days, sharing the joy with the people.

    Su Nan had gone to see his newborn nephew once. It was too early to tell about the boy¡¯s spiritual aptitude, but his bone structure was excellent.

    It made sense; after all, the little fellow¡¯s father was a formidable Peak Great Knight.

    Over the years, under Su Nan¡¯s continuous ¡®feeding,¡¯ Kei¡¯s strength had improved rapidly. Now, he was only one step away from becoming a Legendary Knight.

    Su Nan planned to keep all the Dragonblood Fruits from the No. 2 Magic Plant Garden for the next six months. Then, he would synthesize them into advanced Dragonblood Fruits with the effects of a third-tier potion. If Kei consumed those, he would have a high probability of breaking through to become a Legendary Knight.

    A twenty-six-year-old, first-ring Legendary Knight would be unique throughout the entire Starry Constellation Duchy.

    Base No. 1, the Hive.

    In a room converted into a mine pit environment, eleven gem-like insects, with their somewhat dull appearance, were slowly crawling around. When they passed by scattered pieces of broken ore, they would stop and nibble a few bites before continuing their journey.

    After the number increased to eleven, the annual gem yield of the Hive had skyrocketed to nearly four hundred, showing significant progress.

    In addition, Carolina, following Su Nan¡¯s orders, was collecting rare metals such as Abyssal Black Copper and Rainbow Iron.

    With the abundance of metals in the underground world, Su Nan was confident that he would soon be able to gather enough new nourishment to further increase the number of gem insects.

    Apart from that, he had also collected many of the rare metals required for refining Magic Emblem Cores.

    It was estimated that he would be able to gather all the materials needed to refine the second Magic Emblem Core soon.

    Leaving the Hive, Su Nan headed straight for the laboratory.

    Just a few days ago, he had attended the gathering at the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Blackwood, who had stood him up twice, finally appeared at the gathering this time.

    However, according to Night Owl, Blackwood skipped eight out of ten gatherings, which was normal.

    At that gathering, Su Nan finally acquired the rare puppet design blueprint he had heard about from Blackwood.

    After carefully reviewing the blueprint, he confirmed Blackwood¡¯s claim¡ªit was indeed very rare.

    It was more accurate to say that it was a puppet refining technology rather than a puppet design blueprint.

    In simpler terms, it was a miniaturization technology for magic puppets.

    The overall idea was to use light, nimble metals like mithril to create puppets, minimizing their weight while significantly reducing their size. The resulting puppets would be close to human size and driven by medium or large soul crystals as their soul cores.

    This way, the manufactured magic puppets would be agile, swift, possess sufficient intelligence, and could easily pass as living beings if disguised well.

    They could also integrate various combat techniques and magic, making them far more powerful than ordinary magic puppets.

    Due to the use of mithril for the majority of the materials, these miniaturized magic puppets were also known as Secret Puppets!

    According to the description on the blueprint, a Secret Puppet refined using a medium-sized soul crystal would possess combat abilities comparable to those of a formal Wizard.

    It goes without saying that this description made Su Nan very excited.

    However, after careful consideration, he had to abandon the idea of refining Secret Puppets.

    The skill pre-requisites and other requirements aside, the most critical factor was cost.

    Since the majority of a Secret Puppet¡¯s body was made of mithril, even with the utmost savings, refining one would require at least thirty to forty kilograms of mithril.

    Mithril usually appears as a companion material in silver mines.

    As a metastable element of silver, mithril¡¯s value far exceeds the former.

    It possesses remarkable ductility and magic conductivity, and once extracted, it will never fade, with extremely stable material properties. Magical items made from mithril can last for hundreds of years without worrying about natural deterioration.

    Adding even a small amount of mithril when refining magical items can significantly enhance their quality.

    Besides that, mithril can also be used to create metal magic puppets or magical constructs.

    One of the highest achievements in magic puppetry, the Mithril Sage, is rumored to be primarily made of mithril.

    Furthermore, building Wizard Towers and floating cities requires a large amount of mithril.

    Mithril is an indispensable rare material in components like floating rings, anti-gravity devices, and element-driven devices.

    However, mithril is extremely rare.

    Mithril deposits found in conjunction with silver mines are often low in concentration and scattered widely. It¡¯s possible to mine an entire large silver vein and only collect a dozen kilograms or so.

    This scarcity makes mithril extremely valuable.

    When refining magical items, ordinary Wizard Apprentices use mithril by the gram.

    Tens of kilograms is a staggering number.

    Even with two silver veins under his control, Su Nan currently only has less than three kilograms of mithril.

    Most of it was used to refine puppet magic puppets and feed the gem insects.

    Closing the panel, Su Nan left the spellcasting practice area, looking up at the cloudless sky.

    ¡°Speaking of which, the Knights¡¯ Academy has been in operation for more than half a year. I wonder how it¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°Sir Sheman, Sir Athyle, welcome to the Dragonheart Knights¡¯ Academy.¡±

    At the Academy gate, Moritz slightly bowed to Sheman and Athyle, greeting them with a smile.

    ¡°Greetings, Dean Moritz.¡±

    Athyle and Sheman returned the bow slightly.

    ¡°This way, please.¡±

    Moritz was a rare civilian in the army, but he had diligently worked his way up and became a mid-level knight officer in his thirties.

    When Su Nan decided to establish the Knights¡¯ Academy, he transferred Moritz from the army, used Dragonblood Fruit to strengthen him to Peak Knight level, and appointed him as the Dean of the Knights¡¯ Academy.

    Moritz was ecstatic and had no complaints about this arrangement.

    Everyone in Shining Light Territory knew that Lord Su Nan was the pillar supporting the development and prosperity of the entire territory.

    In Shining Light Territory, Lord Su Nan¡¯s status was no less than the lord¡¯s.

    Joining Lord Su Nan¡¯s faction, even if it meant never obtaining a noble title, was still incredibly worthwhile.

    In fact, after becoming the Dean of the Dragonheart Knights¡¯ Academy, Moritz clearly felt his status skyrocketing. Even Baron Bred, who was highly trusted by the lord, had become gentle towards him.

    The other barons and lords greeted him with beaming smiles and endless flattery.

    He may not have had a noble title, but he was essentially no different from a noble.

    Therefore, Moritz was sincerely grateful and respectful to Lord Su Nan.

    If it wasn¡¯t for him giving him this opportunity, based on his civilian status, he wouldn¡¯t know how long it would take to become a noble.

    So, when he heard that Lord Su Nan had sent two of his students to inspect the Academy, Moritz had been waiting at the gate since early morning.

    ¡°Since the Academy enrolls students from civilian and peasant backgrounds, the literacy rate is low, so we have specially set up the most basic literacy courses, along with various fundamental subjects.¡±

    ¡°At present, the students are mainly building their foundation. In addition to cultural courses, they are arranged to spend half a day each day on physical training and strengthening their bodies until they enter the second year, at which point they will start learning martial arts, horsemanship, and breathing techniques.¡±

    Sheman casually asked while observing the surrounding buildings, ¡°How many years is the academy?¡±

    ¡°Four years.¡± Moritz smiled, ¡°But they can graduate early if they are promoted to knight.¡±

    Sheman and Athyle remained silent upon hearing this.

    The Dragonheart Knights¡¯ Academy recruited students aged eleven or twelve, all from civilian or peasant families, with weaker innate foundations. For a student to become a Probationary Knight in four years would be considered exceptionally talented.

    Becoming a knight in four years was practically impossible.

    Unless there was external influence.

    ¡°I heard from the teacher that the base will supply the academy with Dragonblood Fruit every year starting next year.¡± Athyle said with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Moritz beamed with joy.

    He had become a Peak Knight by relying on Dragonblood Fruit, so he knew how powerful it was.

    If they had Dragonblood Fruit, the students¡¯ growth rate would definitely increase dramatically.

    Perhaps in the future, there would be a few elite students who could graduate early.

    As they talked, the three arrived at a wide training ground where many students were running around the track.

    ¡°They all seem to be in good spirits.¡± Athyle smiled.

    Moritz laughed, ¡°Of course, these kids know this is a hard-earned opportunity to change their destiny. They cherish it greatly and are very diligent in their studies and training.¡±

    Hearing this, Sheman couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly.

    He was also one of those whose destiny was changed.

    The base and the Knights¡¯ Academy, established by the teacher, had changed the lives of hundreds of children, like him, who came from impoverished backgrounds.

    Moreover, it was foreseeable that this number would continue to increase in the future.

    At this time, the students on the training ground noticed the three people on the side.

    When they saw a man and a woman wearing robes accompanied by Dean Moritz, the crowd stirred in excitement.

    On the first day of class, the teachers had told them that once they graduated from the Academy, they would join Lord Su Nan¡¯s Knights¡¯ Guard and serve the powerful and mysterious Wizards.

    One of the characteristics of Wizards was their habit of wearing robes.

    Plus, they were accompanied by Dean Moritz, leaving no doubt about their identities.

    For a moment, many students subconsciously slowed down, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the legendary Wizards.

    Only when the supervising teacher yelled at them to focus did they reluctantly turn their attention away.

    Seeing this, Sheman and Athyle couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dean Moritz. Let¡¯s go see other places. We shouldn¡¯t disturb these students.¡±

 Chapter 116

    Xie Man¡¯s inspection report was soon submitted.

    After reading it, Su Nan was quite satisfied.

    Knight training wasn¡¯t something that could be achieved overnight.

    Although there were Dragon Blood Fruits, most of them were used to supply the Shining Light Territory army and students at the base. Only a small portion could be supplied to the Dragonheart Knight Academy, which was not enough to make hundreds of people become knights in just four years.

    Su Nan had already prepared himself for a long war.

    After all, a complete training system required a long time to establish.

    Temporarily putting aside the matter of the Dragonheart Knight Academy, Su Nan turned his attention back to cultivation and research.

    But just then, Kei suddenly found him.

    ¡°Something is not right.¡± Kei placed a piece of intelligence on Su Nan¡¯s desk.

    Su Nan picked it up and looked at it, his eyebrows slightly raised.

    The intelligence mentioned that in the past three months, more than ten nobles in the Starry Constellation Duchy had died, either from illness or accident.

    They all shared a common characteristic: they had strongly resisted accepting the Starfire Sect¡¯s faith.

    Besides them, their direct bloodlines had also died for various reasons.

    As a result, when they died, either their titles were immediately inherited without obstruction by their remaining heirs, or their titles and territories were directly taken back by higher-ranking nobles because all of their heirs had died.

    While similar things had happened before, it was famously chaotic in the noble circle. But to have more than ten incidents in just half a year was truly chilling.

    There was no doubt that the Starfire Sect was behind it!

    They were using the same methods as Duke Jinyan, but they were even more ruthless and blatant.

    ¡°The Starfire Sect doesn¡¯t even bother to cover up their tracks anymore. Aren¡¯t they afraid of retaliation from other nobles?¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise.

    Kei shook his head and said, ¡°These newly-ascended nobles, and the nobles who annexed lower-level territories, have all publicly accepted the Starfire Sect¡¯s faith. With the support of the Grand Duke, perhaps this has given the Starfire Sect the confidence to take such blatant measures.¡±

    ¡°Now that I think about it, you might be right. The Starfire Sect really did promise the Grand Duke a longer lifespan. Otherwise, the Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t allow the Starfire Sect to do this. This is completely digging the Duchy¡¯s foundation!¡±

    The Starfire Sect wasn¡¯t comprised of good people!

    Su Nan had realized this a long time ago.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised that the Starfire Sect used violence to promote their faith.

    What surprised him was why they were so eager.

    They could have used more gentle and covert methods, instead of this approach that was likely to provoke widespread hostility and retaliation from the nobles. ????A??¦¯????E?S?

    After thinking for a while without any answer, Su Nan shook his head and stopped brooding. He turned and asked,

    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±

    Kei gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, ¡°I won¡¯t compromise with my father¡¯s murderer, and I won¡¯t just sit and wait for death. Since the Grand Duke is determined to help the Starfire Sect, then I will simply overthrow this whole system and let the Duchy have a new master!¡±

    Anyone else hearing Kei¡¯s words would likely change their expression.

    But Su Nan remained calm, as if he had expected Kei to say this.

    In fact, he knew that the Shining Light Territory had been expanding its power rapidly in recent years.

    As far as he knew, the Blackrock Cavalry had already surpassed a thousand members, reaching the terrifying number of 1,300!

    Remember that this was a cavalry regiment of all knights, riding knight-level puppet steeds!

    This regiment alone had the strength to flatten any province!

    Not to mention the Magic Puppet Legion.

    Others may be unaware, but the Shining Light Territory¡¯s current strength had already become the strongest among the seven provinces of the Starry Constellation Duchy.

    It had the power to overthrow the Duchy!

    More importantly, there was Su Nan.

    This was the biggest reason why Kei dared to confront the Starry Constellation Duchy.

    Kei was confident that as long as Su Nan was present, the Shining Light Territory would be invincible.

    Even if they couldn¡¯t overthrow the Starry Constellation Duchy, becoming a local hegemon would be no problem!

    ¡°What does the Marquis of White Tower say?¡± Su Nan asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to him, and he supports my idea.¡± Kei¡¯s expression was serious.

    Su Nan nodded knowingly.

    The Marquis of White Tower had already married his daughter to Kei, so it was no surprise that they were cooperating.

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the main reason.

    A mere daughter was far less important to a figure like the Marquis of White Tower than the interests of his family.

    The military power displayed by the Shining Light Territory was the key factor in convincing the Marquis of White Tower.

    Next, the defense.

    In terms of defense rating, it was roughly between 3200 and 3500, far exceeding the defense of the Extreme Protection Ring!

    Su Nan estimated that any opponent below the official wizard level would be unlikely to break through such strong defenses instantly¡ªassuming his spiritual power wasn¡¯t depleted.

    What surprised Su Nan was the negligible increase in spiritual power consumption from the Magic Emblem Core.

    Although it didn¡¯t reduce consumption, compared to the doubled attack and defense, it was still a significant improvement.

    Otherwise, if the spiritual power consumption also doubled, then the Magic Emblem Core would be almost like a one-time rechargeable magical item, like the Calamity Ring.

    That would drastically reduce its practicality!

    Thankfully, the worst-case scenario didn¡¯t happen.

    After constructing the twelfth Star Ring, Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power had increased by a significant amount. Now, at full capacity, it was enough for him to use the Magic Emblem Core for three minutes.

    Even in intense battles, two minutes would be sufficient.

    With the power enhanced by the Magic Emblem Core, two minutes would be enough for Su Nan to take down a three-ring legendary knight!

    ¡°With this, my trump card has become even stronger.¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    With the Magic Cube, the Magic Emblem Core essentially had unlimited growth potential.

    The only requirement was for his physique and spirit to keep up.

    When he merged the 2nd-Level Magic Emblem Core, Su Nan could already feel his body and spirit experiencing significant strain.

    Obviously, he couldn¡¯t merge a third Magic Emblem Core right now.

    Thankfully, collecting and refining the materials for the third Magic Emblem Core would take time. During that time, he could continue to strengthen his physique and spirit until he met the merging requirements.

    Su Nan then checked his spatial rings again.

    Besides the Magic Emblem Core, his trump cards included magical items and high-level rune gems.

    In terms of magical items, now that he was financially comfortable, Su Nan had recently manufactured six Calamity Rings and placed them in his spatial ring, all of them being at the maximum level of reinforcement. Combined with the Calamity Rings he already had, he now had ten in total.

    This way, if he used up the four Calamity Rings he wore on his left hand during a battle, he could instantly take out replacements from his spatial ring.

    The ultimate strategy was to crush the opponent with money!

    The Extreme Protection Ring was the same. He had collected ten in total, keeping them for replacements during battles, just in case.

    As for the high-level rune gems, with Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power increasing, the number he could synthesize had increased to twenty-six, and their power had also increased.

    He currently had twenty high-level rune gems in his spatial rings.

    Using all of them would be enough to overwhelm a three-ring legendary knight.

    In addition, there were twenty elite Stone Magic Puppets and a Double-Bladed Spider synthesized and reinforced to legendary knight level in the Magic Cube.

    These could also be considered as trump cards.

    Overall, Su Nan¡¯s current overt strength, among third-rank wizard apprentices, could only be considered to be in the middle tier, with the most outstanding thing being his spell casting without incantation.

    However, taking into account his numerous trump cards, he could be ranked in the upper tier.

    Even against the most elite group of third-rank wizard apprentices, he would have a fighting chance.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the number of materials needed to synthesize a two-ring legendary-level puppet is just too much. Otherwise, if I synthesized one, it would be a genuine trump card.¡±

    Su Nan had specifically tested this, and the number of Stone Magic Puppets required to synthesize a two-ring legendary Stone Magic Puppet was as high as four hundred and fifty-six!

    That was almost ten times the amount required for synthesizing a one-ring legendary elite Stone Magic Puppet!

    Apparently, once you reach the legendary level, the number of items needed to synthesize increases exponentially for each subsequent level.

    In the end, the cost of one two-ring legendary Stone Magic Puppet was close to twenty thousand gold coins!

    Even if you used the Shining Light Territory¡¯s entire annual tax revenue, you wouldn¡¯t be able to synthesize more than a few.

    But at the two-ring legendary level, value could no longer be measured by money.

    If you asked Kei or any other marquis to choose between twenty thousand gold coins and a two-ring legendary combat force that would obey every order, without a doubt, everyone would choose the latter.

    To be honest, if he really decided to synthesize it, Su Nan could actually synthesize it.

    But the problem was that there were too many places where he needed to use Stone Magic Puppets right now, and he couldn¡¯t spare so many at once.

    The other reason was that he preferred to synthesize agile Double-Bladed Spiders instead of clumsy and heavy Stone Magic Puppets.

    The number of peak knight-level Double-Bladed Spiders needed to synthesize a two-ring legendary one was relatively less, only one hundred and eighteen.

    But Su Nan still needed to save up for a while.

    ¡°Take it slow.¡±

    ¡°The several mines are far from being exhausted. Money isn¡¯t a problem. As long as there¡¯s enough time, I¡¯ll be able to synthesize two-ring legendary-level puppets eventually.¡±

 Chapter 117

    The entrance of the base was bustling with activity.

    The sound of horses neighing and people shouting filled the air.

    A group of guild personnel unloaded boxes from the wagons, sweating profusely.

    The supervisor standing nearby yelled, ¡°Be careful! Be gentle! These are all valuable goods! If you break them, you won¡¯t be able to make up for it even if you lose a month¡¯s salary!¡±

    Among the crowd, over a dozen people with particularly strong and muscular physiques, thick body hair, and distinct animal features, easily carried heavy boxes in their arms.

    Muzhuo, standing a distance away, nodded silently.

    It seemed like taking in these beastmen was a wise decision. They could act as guards and do manual labor. They were hardworking, diligent, and loyal, and one salary could hire the equivalent of two or three people. It was quite a good deal.

    After the Beast Transformation Disaster, beastmen were completely unwelcome in the Starfall Dukedom, they were hated and expelled wherever they went.

    As a result, beastmen migrated to neighboring countries in droves.

    The Thornflower Dukedom, in particular, had witnessed an influx of beastmen.

    Due to Ota¡¯s plea, Muzhuo had made the decision to take in a group of beastmen. At the time, it had sparked controversy within the guild, but now it seemed he hadn¡¯t made a mistake.

    As he was pondering this, a rumbling sound suddenly reached his ears.

    The base gate slowly opened, and towering clay golems emerged from within.

    Each golem carried multiple stacked boxes, seemingly incredibly heavy.

    Arriving before the merchant caravan, the clay golems gently placed the boxes on the ground, but they still made a muffled thud that caused the guild personnel to gasp in astonishment.

    ¡°These big guys are so strong!¡±

    ¡°Those boxes must weigh a ton!¡±

    ¡°I heard they¡¯re called golems.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    The guild personnel whispered amongst themselves, pointing at the clay golems.

    The newcomers, in particular, were wide-eyed with curiosity, having never seen a clay golem before.

    ¡°Sir Xeman.¡±

    Muzhuo noticed a figure emerging from the base and immediately greeted him, his eyes brightening.

    Compared to his youthful appearance from several years ago when they first met, Xeman now exuded a calm and composed aura, making him appear unapproachable. ?A??O???E?s

    ¡°Long time no see, Guild Master Muzhuo.¡±

    After exchanging pleasantries, Xeman pointed at the boxes stacked on the ground nearby and said with a smile, ¡°These are the metals for this trade. They¡¯ve all been smelted into ingots. Have your people check them. If there are no problems, the price will be as we agreed upon.¡±

    After successfully developing the mines around Lake of Shadow City, the trade between the Fire Fox Guild and Sunan, in addition to potions, now also included metals.@@@@

    After all, with five mines (including the silver mine in the cave), coupled with the extremely high efficiency of clay golems, the monthly output of iron, copper, gold, and silver was astonishingly high. Shining Light Territory alone could not consume it all, and most of it had to be sold externally.

    Muzhuo responded, turning to instruct the supervisor to have people count the goods. Then, he turned to Xeman and said thoughtfully, ¡°Sir Xeman, I received a letter from Lord Sunan a while ago. He mentioned wanting to increase the number of potion transactions. This matter...¡±

    ¡°My teacher has already told me.¡±

    Xeman smiled slightly.

    ¡°Starting today, the base will be selling twice as many potions as before. I wonder if the Fire Fox Guild can handle that?¡±

    ¡°Of course, no problem!¡± Muzhuo said decisively.

    He was joking. Even if they couldn¡¯t handle it, they would have to force themselves to.

    Since opening up the potion trade route, the Fire Fox Guild¡¯s profits had skyrocketed.

    The potions sold by the base were extremely popular in the Thornflower Dukedom and were in high demand.

    The Fire Fox Guild, having monopolized this trade, naturally earned a fortune.

    Under these circumstances, Muzhuo would never allow others to come in and take a piece of the pie.

    Not only could the Fire Fox Guild¡¯s scale easily handle double the potions, even if they couldn¡¯t, they could develop distributors and sell part of the potions to them. The guild could then take a cut of the profits, still making a huge fortune.

    Anyone with a brain would know what to do.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. After all, it would be a bit troublesome to find another trustworthy business partner.¡± Xeman said with a smile.

    ¡°Sir Xeman, rest assured, no matter how much you give us, the Fire Fox Guild can handle it!¡±

    Muzhuo patted his chest in promise, then said cautiously, ¡°I replied to Lord Sunan¡¯s letter a few days ago, mentioning the matter of distributing wizard potions. What did Lord Sunan say?¡±

    The wizard potions Muzhuo was referring to were not the diluted ones they had been selling before, but real wizard potions.

    Those diluted potions were a precious treasure for ordinary knights, but for great knights, the effect was rather weak.

    Only undiluted, real wizard potions could pique the interest of great knights. Bringing them into the customer base would expand their profits.

    Most importantly, a small soul crystal was needed as the soul core.

    In the end, the total cost was estimated to be at least eighty thousand gold coins!

    ¡°Diamonds and high-grade rune gems are easy to solve. As long as I¡¯m willing to put in the time, I can gather them. As for the small soul crystal, I can synthesize them using miniature soul crystals. Twenty or thirty should be enough.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just the mithril that¡¯s a problem.¡±

    Sunan currently had two silver mines, both of which contained a small amount of mithril.

    However, both silver mines were small, and even if he mined them completely, he would only be able to obtain eleven or twelve kilograms of mithril.

    The rest he would have to collect.

    Sunan had already announced his intention to buy mithril at the Mysterious Wooden Hut gathering, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be very effective.

    After all, mithril was a precious material, and few wizard apprentices would be willing to trade it.

    ¡°If I could find another silver mine or two, even if they¡¯re small, I could gather enough mithril.¡±

    Sunan sighed softly, picking up the list next to him.

    This was a list of goods in and out of the warehouse compiled by Grily, showing the flow of materials for the month.

    The largest outflow was undoubtedly all the diluted potions.

    Despite the massive profits from the mines, Sunan still hadn¡¯t abandoned the potion sales transaction, but had instead expanded the scale.

    After all, no one would ever complain about having too many sources of income.

    ¡°Opening five magic plant gardens around Shining Light City is the limit. Any more, and they would affect each other, reducing the harvest.¡±

    ¡°Lake of Shadow City¡¯s environment is special, not suitable for growing magic plants. One magic plant garden is enough.¡±

    ¡°If I want to open new magic plant gardens, I have to find places in other towns.¡±

    The Golden Rock Province was vast, with plenty of places suitable for opening magic plant gardens.

    The key was that if the new magic plant gardens were too far from the base, he would have to dispatch troops to guard them, requiring a large number of golems.

    At this stage, most of the golems Sunan and the base had produced were deployed to the Underworld. Even so, there were still some gaps.

    And the war with the Starfall royal family was likely to break out sooner rather than later, and he needed to produce more golems to expand the golem army. He currently didn¡¯t have any extra golems to invest in building new magic plant gardens far from Shining Light City.

    This plan would have to be postponed for now.

    Fortunately, the current magic plants were enough to supply the base for use and potion transactions.

    ¡°Meow!¡±

    A familiar call suddenly rang out in his ear. Sunan felt his shoulders sink, turned his head, and saw that Amy was already perched on his shoulder, a gray, nondescript stone in her mouth.

    Although the stone seemed ordinary, Sunan could sense extremely intense energy particles from it.

    ¡°This is... a gray land stone!¡±

    Sunan took the stone and examined it for a while before recognizing its origin.

    Strictly speaking, a gray land stone was a kind of elemental crystal, formed by the accumulation of earth elements over a long period. It was mostly buried deep underground and difficult to find.

    ¡°Where did you find this?¡± Sunan asked Amy in surprise.

    ¡°I dug it up underground meow.¡± Amy raised her head proudly, ¡°I was taking a walk nearby when I sensed intense energy particles underground, so I asked Carolina to help me dig, and then I found this.¡±

    Sunan suddenly understood, remembering Amy¡¯s ability to sense energy particle fluctuations.

    ¡°How is it? Is this useful to you?¡± Amy looked at Sunan expectantly.

    ¡°Useful.¡± Sunan nodded with a smile, stroking Amy¡¯s head.

    Gray land stones had many uses. They could be used to make potions, manufacture magical items, refine golems, and set up magic formations. They were similar to magic stones.

    ¡°Meow, that¡¯s good.¡±

    Amy rubbed against Sunan¡¯s hand in enjoyment.

    ¡°The Underworld is so much more fun than above. If I find something else good, I¡¯ll bring it to you.¡±

    The little guy seemed quite excited, as if he had found his place.

    Sunan laughed.

    He recalled when he persuaded Amy to return to Shining Light City with him.

    He had also been thinking of using Amy¡¯s ability to sense energy particle fluctuations to find wizard inheritances or rare materials. However, he was too busy with other matters afterward and hadn¡¯t had the time to go exploring. He hadn¡¯t expected this to happen by chance.

    If Amy could find some rare materials in the Underworld, that would be a good thing.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 118: Let Them Taste This Too

    Chapter 118: Let Them Taste This Too

    Starlight Calendar 1254, First Month of the Blooming Moon.

    A shocking event shook the entire Principality of Starsea.

    Baron Kei Arnest of Shining Light openly denounced the belief of the Starfire Sect, angrily accusing them of assassinating nobles and causing chaos in the nation.

    Three days later, the Grand Duke of Starsea publicly reprimanded Baron Shining Light for criticizing the state religion in the Court Council, ordering him to immediately lift the ban on the Starfire Sect, allowing them to spread their faith in the Gold Rock Province, establish churches, and set an example by personally converting to the Starfire Sect. Failure to comply would be considered treason, leading to military suppression.

    On the day the decree reached Shining Light territory, Baron Shining Light directly raised his banner in rebellion.

    Baron White Tower followed suit.

    Thus, after the rebellion of Baron Gold Rock, the second rebellion in the Principality of Starsea, on a larger and grander scale, erupted.

    The Grand Duke of Starsea was furious, ordering Barons Soloman, Purple Bamboo, and Lake Blue to dispatch troops to suppress the rebels.

    War was about to break out.

    In the council hall, everyone gathered.

    Besides Kei and Su Nan, key nobles of the Shining Light territory, including Breton, Jordon, and Staley, were all present.

    Everyone was engaged in a heated discussion about strategic plans.

    ¡°The Soloman and Purple Bamboo provinces are located in our rear. I suggest we concentrate our forces first to take over these two provinces, then we can concentrate our forces and focus on attacking other provinces without worrying about our rear being set on fire.¡±

    ¡°No, Soloman and Purple Bamboo provinces are not strong. As long as we send one army to garrison in Moonlight City, we can suppress them and prevent them from moving. On the contrary, Lake Blue Province is coming aggressively. We need to be cautious.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. During the previous Beast Transformation Disaster, Lake Blue Province¡¯s army suffered little damage, making them much stronger than the other two provinces.¡±

    ¡°Precisely because they cannot be underestimated, we need to solve the Soloman and Purple Bamboo provinces first. Once the rear is stable, we can focus on dealing with Lake Blue Province.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that...¡±

    The people present quickly split into two groups, arguing with each other, each with their own reasoning.

    Kei didn¡¯t get angry. With a composed expression, he looked at Su Nan beside him.

    ¡°Which one do you think is better?¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment and asked a question in return: ¡°What about Baron White Tower?¡±

    ¡°White Tower Province is close to Red Leaf Province. He will block the Red Leaf Province¡¯s army for us.¡±

    ¡°Currently, among the five provinces, which ones have the strongest influence of the Starfire Sect?¡± Su Nan asked again.

    ¡°Red Leaf Province and Lake Blue Province.¡±

    Kei answered without hesitation, obviously familiar with this information.@@@@

    ¡°The Starfire Sect has the full support of the royal family. Their missionary work in Red Leaf Province is the smoothest. It¡¯s also their most extensive territory with the strongest influence.¡± ?A?O¦ÂE?s

    ¡°Second is Lake Blue Province. Many nobles in Lake Blue Province were assassinated by the Starfire Sect. The remaining nobles are either puppets they support or those who have colluded with them. All medium and large towns in the province have branches of the Starfire Sect.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly smiled: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you should attack Soloman and Purple Bamboo provinces first. Take down the two weakest territories before moving on.¡±

    Kei hesitated: ¡°Then what about Lake Blue Province...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a trip to Lake Blue Province, make some trouble for the Starfire Sect and the nobles there. Let them be too busy to focus on the war.¡±

    A playful smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    ¡°They can¡¯t always be the ones to assassinate others while remaining unscathed, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time for them to taste this too.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Kei¡¯s face immediately broke into a smile, but he soon asked with some worry:

    ¡°Are you sure? Those guys from the Starfire Sect are not easy to deal with!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have my limits.¡±

    Su Nan smiled faintly, his tone calm yet carrying a convincing steadiness and strength.

    Hearing him say this, Kei nodded and said nothing more.

    The hall fell silent at some point. Everyone listened quietly to the conversation between the two.

    Seeing how their lord and Mr. Su Nan determined the next strategy with a few words, everyone stopped arguing and calmly accepted it.

    A moment later, a group of generals filed out of the lord¡¯s manor, hurrying in different directions.

    The war machine known as the Shining Light territory started to operate rapidly.

    Underground world,ÓÄºþ³Ç (You Hu City).

    Puppet Factory.

    Because of its proximity to the ore veins, Su Nan had been forging Magic Puppet Golems at the puppet factory here recently.

    At this moment, countless Double-Bladed Spiders were placed in the corner of the puppet factory, filling almost half of the workshop.

    ¡°One hundred and eight, still ten short.¡±

    Su Nan used Master¡¯s Hand to move the iron ingots from the corner and began to forge Double-Bladed Spiders.

    He jumped onto the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s back and casually cast a Lightness Spell on it.

    The Stealthy Dragon let out a low growl and ran forward with its limbs.

    As he walked out of the workshop, Carolina frowned slightly.

    She vaguely knew about the war that was about to happen on the surface.

    The recent series of Magic Puppet Golem movements also indirectly confirmed this information.

    Although Kasham¡¯s insects were restless, they didn¡¯t seem to have the intention to invade for now. It was understandable that her master focused his attention on the surface.

    But to reject the cooperation proposal of the Red Widow and the Black Duke seemed a bit too stubborn.

    After all, from a geographical perspective, You Hu City was more threatened by Kasham. In the past, the Red Widow and the Black Duke took advantage of this, often taking advantage of You Hu City, which made Yusura resentful and led to her tricking them.

    To reject them so directly might lead to the Red Widow and the Black Duke getting stubborn too, which would be a headache for You Hu City.

    But even though she thought this way in her heart, Carolina dared not question her master¡¯s decision.

    By the time she entered the council hall, the beautiful expression on her face had returned to normal, revealing no waves.

    There were two people sitting in the hall.

    On the right was a beautiful woman with blood-red pupils and pale skin without a trace of blood.

    She wore a black cloak, exuding a cold aura.

    This was the messenger from Matu, a vampire.

    On the left was a humanoid creature with a skull head and a body wrapped in dry flesh. Its skin was an eerie gray-green.

    It had sharp claws on both hands. Its hollow eye sockets flashed with eerie blue flames.

    But what was even more striking was the dark flame on its head, like a solar corona, surrounding its head.

    It was clearly a flame, but it wasn¡¯t scorching at all. Instead, it emitted an icy coldness.

    This was the messenger from Osen, a Corpse Wight.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, both of you, my master is busy now and can¡¯t see you. Please come back next time.¡±

    As soon as Carolina entered the hall, she stated directly.

    As soon as these words were spoken, the female vampire from Matu¡¯s face immediately darkened, suppressing her displeasure and saying: ¡°Are you kidding me, Carolina? I came all this way to You Hu City, and you¡¯re using such a ridiculous excuse to fool me. Do you think we¡¯re easy to bully from Matu?¡±

    Carolina said calmly: ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, but my master is really busy. Or you could stay here for a while. When my master is finished, he can meet you.¡±

    ¡°Wait? How long do we wait?¡± The female vampire¡¯s face was grim. ¡°Carolina, we didn¡¯t hold you accountable for what happened last time. We specifically came to discuss cooperation, showing our sincerity. But this is how you respond to our sincerity?¡±

    Carolina remained unmoved: ¡°That was done by Yusura. It has nothing to do with my master.¡±

    The female vampire was furious and was about to say more, but she was interrupted by the Corpse Wight messenger from Osen.

    ¡°It seems You Hu City has no intention of cooperation.¡±

    The Corpse Wight messenger stood up, calmly glanced at Carolina, and the blue flames in his eye sockets emitted a cold light.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I have no need to stay.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, the Corpse Wight messenger left the hall without hesitation.

    The vampire messenger frowned, then stood up and left as well.

    ¡°You will regret this, Carolina!¡±

    As soon as the Corpse Wight messenger left You Hu City, he heard a gust of wind behind him. The female vampire had chased after him.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite indifferent, Carolina. She¡¯s clearly trying to put us off, and you¡¯re not even a bit angry?¡±

    The Corpse Wight messenger glanced at her and calmly said: ¡°What¡¯s the use of being angry? You don¡¯t want to fight Carolina in her own territory, do you?¡±

    ¡°Besides, You Hu City¡¯s attitude has already been made clear. I just need to report this to the Black Duke. As for what to do next, it¡¯s something he should consider.¡±

    Hearing the Corpse Wight messenger say this, the female vampire¡¯s expression gradually softened, but she was still a bit unhappy.

    ¡°That bitch Carolina. She used to be so arrogant, but now she¡¯s groveling at the feet of a human. How pathetic!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an ordinary human. It¡¯s a Wizard.¡±

    The blue flames in the Corpse Wight¡¯s eye sockets flickered, as if in thought.

    ¡°Looking at Carolina¡¯s appearance, it seems she willingly became that Wizard¡¯s slave. If he¡¯s not an extremely powerful person, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to make Carolina submit like that.¡±

    ¡°This new city lord of You Hu City might be even more powerful than we expected!¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    The female vampire snorted disdainfully.

    ¡°No matter how powerful he is, can he fight against Kasham¡¯s insects alone?¡±

    ¡°Just watch. When Kasham¡¯s insects make a move, they will have to come back and beg us!¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 119: Donâ€™t Make It So Mystical

    Chapter 119: Don¡¯t Make It So Mystical

    Lake Lan Province, Ya¡¯an City.

    This medium-sized town sits near the border of Lake Lan Province. Beyond it lies Jinmai City, in the Golden Rock Province.

    Shortly after the Grand Duke of Stars ordered the suppression of the Shining rebels, a large army was stationed in this town.

    The impending storm made the once bustling town exceptionally quiet. Walking down the streets, you wouldn¡¯t see a single pedestrian, except for the soldiers rushing past.

    The Governor¡¯s Mansion, council chamber.

    Over ten people sat facing each other.

    Sitting at the head was Earl Nolay, the confidant of the Marquis of Lake Lan and the commander of the vanguard force this time.

    On his left were his generals, each with the title of Viscount or Baron. As a result, the ruler of Ya¡¯an City, Baron Bedman, could only sit at the end, with a fawning smile on his face.

    On the right side sat a group of people wearing dark blue robes.

    Their robes, without exception, were adorned with dazzling star maps, and a flame emblem was embroidered on their chests.

    Anyone who saw this attire could guess their identity ¨C members of the Starfire Sect!

    At the head was Jensen Rosario, the High Priest of the Starfire Sect.

    His eyes slowly swept over the nobles opposite him, finally landing on Earl Nolay.

    ¡°Earl Nolay, when do you plan to deploy the troops?¡±

    At Jensen¡¯s audacity in directly addressing him by name, a flicker of displeasure crossed Earl Nolay¡¯s eyes, but he suppressed it, considering the man¡¯s identity, and said with a forced smile, ¡°It¡¯ll take a few more days to get the supplies. Just be patient, High Priest Jensen, we¡¯ll deploy the troops as soon as the supplies arrive.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    Jensen frowned slightly.

    ¡°As far as I know, the Shining Territory seems to have concentrated their main forces on the side of Mengguang City. From their intentions, they clearly plan to concentrate their forces to first conquer the provinces of Soman and Purple Bamboo, and the troops stationed in Jinmai City are not numerous. Although I don¡¯t understand military matters, I also know this is a good opportunity. If we deploy troops now, it won¡¯t take a few days to take Jinmai City, and less supplies won¡¯t hinder the overall plan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not quite how it works.¡±

    Before Earl Nolay could speak, a Viscount took over the conversation, his expression solemn.

    ¡°The strength of the Shining Territory is well-known. Whether it¡¯s the Magic Puppet Legion or the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment, they¡¯re both among the top armies on the continent today. Although there aren¡¯t many troops in Jinmai City, with these two legions there, we can¡¯t be sure. It¡¯s safer to be cautious and send out scouts to investigate, and we can wait for the supplies to arrive.¡± ????a?¦­?bE??

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s better to play it safe.¡±

    ¡°After all, the opponent is the Shining Territory.¡±

    ¡°War isn¡¯t child¡¯s play, you can¡¯t just charge in with a hot head, that¡¯ll lead to your doom.¡±

    The nobles echoed their agreement.

    Seeing Jensen¡¯s face darken with silence, Earl Nolay coughed, slowly saying, ¡°High Priest Jensen, we, like you, want to suppress the rebels as soon as possible, but we must proceed steadily. You wouldn¡¯t want us to end up like the Marquis of Golden Rock, would you?¡±

    Mentioning the Marquis of Golden Rock, Jensen¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    It was in that war that the Shining Territory displayed its incredibly powerful military strength to all the nobles, a memory that still made people secretly shudder to this day.

    Taking a deep breath, Jensen calmed down his inner impatience, and his face returned to calmness.

    ¡°I was overstepping. War is indeed something best left to seasoned commanders like Earl Nolay. Your illustrious achievements on the battlefield, I¡¯ve also heard about them.¡±

    Earl Nolay smiled and waved his hand, ¡°High Priest Jensen, you¡¯re flattering me. Those were all things of the past.¡±

    He paused, his smile fading, his expression turning serious, ¡°But the matter of protection is something we need to trouble High Priest Jensen with. You must have heard about the disastrous defeat of Earl Storm. If we allow Su Nan to infiltrate us, the consequences will be dire.¡±

    The name Su Nan seemed to possess a certain magic, causing the nobles present to become visibly solemn.

    Those familiar with the Shining Territory¡¯s past battles were well aware of the significant role Su Nan played in them, and the mysterious and powerful strength he possessed.

    If Su Nan really managed to approach them, they wouldn¡¯t be confident in resisting him.

    If the commanders were wiped out before the war even began, there would be no point in fighting.

    ¡°Rest assured, everyone.¡±

    A slight smirk appeared on Jensen¡¯s lips, a confident smile spreading across his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged enough manpower. If Su Nan really comes, I guarantee he won¡¯t leave alive!¡±

    Jensen¡¯s resounding words eased the nobles¡¯ faces a bit.

    Earl Nolay scanned the Starfire Sect members sitting on the right, seeing them all with expressions of confidence or calm, his heart eased slightly.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave it to you, High Priest Jensen.¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden boom echoed from outside.

    The sound was somewhat distant, as if coming from afar, like thunder, low and deafening.

    ¡°What was that sound?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Guards! Go and see!¡±

    In such a sensitive moment, the sudden arrival of such a sound caused an uproar among the nobles present.

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    Earl Nolay¡¯s stern shout quickly silenced everyone.

    ¡°Four Legendary Knights, twelve Great Knights, what a grand display of strength.¡±

    Seeing Su Nan¡¯s expression, Jensen frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed.

    They had studied Su Nan¡¯s past achievements and made detailed calculations of his strength, and only then did they deploy this lineup.

    Four Legendary Knights, twelve Great Knights, plus the relics in their hands, were more than enough to deal with a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Thinking of this, Jensen didn¡¯t hesitate and decisively took action.

    In an instant, an invisible wave spread out, engulfing the entire hall in a moment.

    Su Nan only felt a flash before his eyes, and when he came back to his senses, he found himself in a vast expanse of stars.

    Thousands of stars were scattered around him, a magnificent Milky Way stretched across the sky above, majestic and magnificent.

    ¡°Half-dimensional space?¡±

    Su Nan raised his eyebrows and tried to sense, only to find that he had completely lost contact with the Hidden Dragon outside.

    This only happens when the master and pet are in different planes or dimensional spaces.

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    Following Jensen¡¯s low shout, the Starfire Sect members all swung their swords and charged towards Su Nan.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t dodge or evade, releasing the magic missiles he had prepared in advance.

    But to his surprise, the seven magic missiles all passed through the bodies of the Starfire Sect members, as if their bodies didn¡¯t exist in this space.

    However, their weapons immediately hit Su Nan, blocked by the invisible force field around him.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless, this is the power bestowed upon believers by the Great Star God Mi!¡±

    ¡°Here, you can¡¯t harm us!¡±

    Jensen sneered, his expression full of confidence.

    Wizards are nothing more than that.

    In front of holy relics, they can only be beaten!

    ¡°. It¡¯s just temporary virtualization, making it so mystical.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head helplessly.

    Did he think he was some naive Wizard Apprentice?

    The so-called virtualization is similar to the Hidden Dragon¡¯s virtual and real transformation ability, transforming the body and all the items on it into a virtual state, making them immune to all physical attacks.

    However, in the virtual state, they are also unable to attack the enemy.

    But the Starfire Sect members in front of him could attack him, indicating that they were not continuously virtualized, but only transformed their bodies into a virtual state for a moment to dodge attacks.

    That is, temporary virtualization.

    Su Nan guessed that this was probably the ability attached to this half-dimensional space.

    In addition, he could clearly feel his physical strength and spiritual power slowly draining away, apparently this half-dimensional space had the effect of absorbing enemy energy.

    But that¡¯s about it.

    An ordinary person might be shocked and terrified by the Starfire Sect¡¯s methods.

    But in Su Nan¡¯s eyes, it was just child¡¯s play.

    In the world of wizards, there are countless more bizarre and difficult abilities than this.

    True virtualization would be more troublesome, but temporary virtualization was much easier to deal with.

    Su Nan sneered, a silver flash flashed from his chest, and the next moment, countless silver metal liquids flew off his body, swirling around him, quickly solidifying into sharp, shining spikes.

    After a slight pause, the dense array of spikes shot out violently!

    In an instant, a violent metal storm engulfed the area within a hundred meters centered on Su Nan!

    Chi chi chi!

    The piercing sound of piercing the air was endless!

    Almost the moment the silver light attacked, the Starfire Sect members present realized something was wrong and immediately entered the virtual state.

    But as Su Nan had guessed, their virtualization couldn¡¯t last for a long time.

    After only four or five seconds, the group had to revert to their solid state.

    In an instant, the dull sound of blades cutting through flesh rang out.

    Twelve Great Knight-level Starfire Sect members were instantly shredded into a bloody mist by the metal storm, without even a chance to scream, leaving no trace of their bodies!

    Only four Legendary Knights were still holding on.

    Each of them was enveloped in a faint layer of starlight.

    It was thanks to this layer of starlight that they were able to hold on.

    Otherwise, with the power of a 2nd-level Magic Emblem Core, the four would have already followed in the footsteps of their companions.

    Jensen stared at Su Nan with a terrified expression, the confidence on his face had long since disappeared, replaced by shock and disbelief.

    I¡¯ll be busy moving for the next few days, so there will only be two updates. I¡¯ll try to update more after I¡¯m done. Thank you for your subscriptions and monthly tickets, thank you!

 Chapter 120

    Jenson was astonished.

    Why was Su Nan¡¯s strength so much higher than what they had investigated and deduced?

    They were completely different levels!

    Even after deploying so many experts and using artifacts, they suffered heavy casualties in just one encounter.

    This kind of power was chilling!

    What was going on?

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    As Jenson was filled with doubts, a weaker Legendary Knight couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. The starlight that enveloped him instantly extinguished, and in the next second, he exploded into a cloud of blood.

    Seeing this, Jenson¡¯s heart tightened, and he didn¡¯t dare to hesitate any longer. He gritted his teeth and pressed his hand on the book.

    Buzz!

    The starry sky suddenly trembled.

    The surrounding stars buzzed and trembled, as if being drawn by an invisible force, they fell towards Su Nan like shooting stars, instantly engulfing him!

    Boom!

    The roar of the colliding stars echoed through the void.

    The massive commotion seemed to shake the entire space, making it appear as if it was about to collapse.

    The surrounding starry sky visibly dimmed, and in the more distant areas, it became a blurry haze.

    Jenson panted heavily, his forehead covered in sweat, his eyes fixed on Su Nan¡¯s location.

    This attack had almost drained all the energy of the Star Book, leaving only a sliver of energy that barely maintained the star field from dissipating.

    This was his last trump card.

    If this couldn¡¯t solve Su Nan, then he truly had no other options.

    The surrounding silver cones disappeared at some point.

    Everyone finally had a chance to catch their breath, their eyes fixed on the intertwined flames and starlight in the distance.

    ¡°Did you take him down?¡±

    ¡°He must be dead, that blow wouldn¡¯t have been survivable even for a Second-Ring Legendary Knight!¡±

    ¡°Even if he didn¡¯t die, he must be heavily injured!¡±

    The flames and starlight gradually dissipated.

    Jenson and the other two subconsciously swallowed, their eyes widened as they looked towards the center, but what they saw next plunged them into a freezing abyss, making their limbs feel numb. r??A?????O??B¦¥?

    Su Nan stood in place, unfazed. He didn¡¯t show any signs of injury, and his clothes weren¡¯t even torn.

    Completely unscathed!

    ¡°Impossible?!¡±

    Jenson¡¯s eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.

    The Star Book¡¯s strongest attack, using its full power, was unable to harm Su Nan!

    The other two¡¯s faces also turned pale, their expressions filled with despair.

    Facing such a terrifying opponent, they had absolutely no chance of winning.

    Su Nan glanced at the dim Extreme Protection Ring on his right hand, slightly surprised.

    He had to admit, the power of that attack was quite astonishing.

    The Extreme Protection Ring¡¯s one thousand points of defense were unable to withstand it. It was only because of the Magic Emblem Core¡¯s defense that it had mitigated the overflowing damage.

    In terms of defense points, Su Nan estimated that the power of this attack was at least twelve hundred to fourteen hundred.

    Even some weaker Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, even if they could withstand it, would be severely injured.

    Red Heart was likely severely injured by this very attack.

    Recalling his gaze, Su Nan looked up at Jenson and the other two.

    Meeting Su Nan¡¯s indifferent gaze, Jenson and the other two instinctively took a step back, their faces pale.

    By now, they understood that the Sect had seriously underestimated Su Nan¡¯s strength.

    In the short span of two or three years, Su Nan¡¯s strength had already swelled to an astonishing level, far exceeding what he was before.

    Even Archbishop Ovid, perhaps, wouldn¡¯t be able to take down Su Nan.

    However, they had no way of conveying this information back to the Sect.

    Under the terrified and desperate gazes of the three, countless silver rays rushed towards them once again, engulfing their entire field of vision like a torrential downpour.

    In the Hall.

    The nobles watched as Su Nan and Jenson disappeared, and they couldn¡¯t help but look at each other.

    ¡°Can Chief Priest Jenson take down Su Nan?¡±

    The current Lord of Yajan City, Baron Berdman, wiped his sweat and asked with some worry.

    If they couldn¡¯t take down Su Nan, the other nobles could still escape, but his territory was here. If he didn¡¯t run, he would die, and if he ran, he would lose everything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Seeing everyone¡¯s nervous expressions, Earl Nole reassured them.

    ¡°Chief Priest Jenson has come prepared this time. He will definitely defeat Su Nan!¡±

    ¡°The Earl is right.¡±

    ¡°Su Nan is just one person. He definitely isn¡¯t a match for Chief Priest Jenson and the others!¡±

    ¡°Look at how confident Chief Priest Jenson was. He¡¯ll surely succeed.¡±

    As if to suppress their inner anxiety, everyone echoed Earl Nole¡¯s words.

    Kei stood on the top of a hill, gazing at the outline of the castle in the distance, his eyes flickering slightly.

    High Cliff City had a special geographical location. It was built on the side of a mountain, with steep cliffs behind it, about five or six hundred meters high. The cliffs were smooth and flat, not even knights could climb them.

    The castle was surrounded by dense forests on both sides, leaving only a mountain path accessible to humans in front.

    It was a fortress that was easy to defend but hard to attack.

    If possible, Kei didn¡¯t want to bite into this hard bone.

    However, High Cliff City just happened to block the way to advance into Soman Province. If they didn¡¯t take down High Cliff City first, once the war heated up, the High Cliff City army would strike from behind, cutting off their logistics, and the consequences would be disastrous.

    On the other hand, Soman Province was mostly hilly terrain. Once they took down High Cliff City, the Blackrock Cavalry¡¯s strategic depth would be greatly expanded, enough to separate the towns in Soman Province and defeat them one by one.

    It could be said that if they took down High Cliff City, the war would be half won.

    That¡¯s why he personally led his army to appear here.

    This battle was one he couldn¡¯t afford to overlook.

    ¡°My Lord.¡±

    Bred walked up from behind, handing him a roll of parchment.

    ¡°This is a battle report from the rear.¡±

    Kei took it and opened it, a look of joy instantly appearing on his face.

    ¡°As expected of Su Nan, his actions never fail to impress.¡±

    Seeing Bred¡¯s curious expression, Kei smiled and threw the battle report to him.

    ¡°You can read it yourself.¡±

    Bred opened it and saw the information. A surprised smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°Earl Nole, Viscount Surick, Viscount Dubi, Baron Permande, a total of twenty-three nobles have died.¡±

    ¡°Chief Priest Jenson of the Starfire Sect has also been killed, and the Yajan City church branch has been turned into ruins.¡±

    ¡°The vanguard army of Hulan Province has suffered heavy casualties. The preliminary estimate is that the number of casualties is no less than two thousand!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    Even Bred, with his steady temperament, couldn¡¯t help but show excitement at this news.

    After suffering such a heavy blow, with their commander wiped out, even if the Yajan City vanguard army didn¡¯t collapse, they wouldn¡¯t be able to attack Jinmai City in the short term.

    Until a new commander and reinforcements arrived in Yajan City, Jinmai City wouldn¡¯t have to worry about threats from Hulan Province for the time being.

    As for whether Hulan Province could quickly dispatch a new commander and reinforcements, Bred was skeptical.

    After all, Lord Su Nan had said that Yajan City was just the first stop, and they would continue to receive ¡®surprises¡¯ from Hulan Province and the Starfire Sect.

    ¡°With Su Nan around, we don¡¯t have to worry about Hulan Province for now. Stari in Jinmai City is enough to deal with them.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t lose to Su Nan. We need to take down High Cliff City as soon as possible.¡±

    Kei was filled with excitement. He turned to Bred and asked, ¡°Have the puppet troops arrived?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve already reached the designated location!¡± Bred nodded heavily.

    ¡°Good, order an attack!¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord!¡±

    Not long after, a melodious horn echoed in the air.

    On the plain at the foot of the hill, the Shining Light Army, which had been waiting in formation, slowly moved forward, gradually accelerating towards High Cliff City, and finally charged into a rush.

    With towering stone golems as their vanguard, the army surged towards High Cliff City like a tidal wave.

    On the city wall built of blue stone, the commanders watched the army flooding the hills, especially those massive rock giants, and their faces turned pale.

    ¡°This is the Shining Light Territory¡¯s golem army?¡±

    ¡°Can our soldiers defeat such monsters?¡±

    ¡°I heard those golems all have the combat power of knights.¡±

    Before the enemy actually attacked, their morale was already plummeting. The lord of High Cliff City, Baron Wilkin, immediately shouted to interrupt the conversation among his men.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°This is a narrow and steep terrain. The enemy army can¡¯t deploy their forces, and we have a large number of troops here. As long as we work together, the enemy won¡¯t be able to take down High Cliff City!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent a request for reinforcements to Earl. As long as we hold out for three days, Earl¡¯s reinforcements will arrive. Then we¡¯ll be safe and sound!¡±

    Baron Wilkin¡¯s words successfully boosted the morale of the defenders.

    But at that moment, a commotion suddenly arose from the rear.

    A soldier, pale with fear, ran frantically towards them.

    ¡°L-Lord, it¡¯s not good. The enemy army is climbing up the cliff from behind!¡±

    Baron Wilkin¡¯s face changed drastically. He grabbed the soldier¡¯s collar and shouted with a livid face, ¡°Impossible! That cliff can¡¯t even be climbed by knights. What kind of army could climb up from there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s spiders, big spiders!¡± The soldier stammered, ¡°There are many of them. The few people we have at the city gate can¡¯t stop them. Those spiders have already charged into the city and are rushing towards us!¡±

    Baron Wilkin loosened his grip on the soldier¡¯s collar and rushed to the edge of the city wall to look out. Sure enough, he saw dust swirling in the distance, and figures were moving, faintly visible were huge black spiders charging through the crowd, rapidly approaching them.

    Seeing this, Baron Wilkin¡¯s eyes went black, his body staggered several times, and he almost fell.

    His deputy quickly supported him, panicking, ¡°My Lord, are you alright?¡±

    Baron Wilkin didn¡¯t bother to answer. He was completely pale, and only one thought echoed in his mind.

    It¡¯s over!

    Completely over!

    Meanwhile, the sound of heavy, booming footsteps had already reached the city walls.

    The towering stone golems, like charging tanks, slammed into the city walls!

    Boom!

 Chapter 121

    Hulan City, Starfire Sect Church.

    Even in the provincial capital city where land was worth its weight in gold, the Starfire Sect¡¯s church occupied a large area in the city center. The church building was luxuriously constructed, even the outer wall was built with expensive marble, exuding luxury everywhere.

    At this moment, a distinguished guest had arrived at the church¡¯s reception hall.

    Black and Yolis hurried in, just as they stepped into the hall, they saw the Hulan Marquis sitting on the sofa with a dark face, the red tea in front of him untouched.

    The two exchanged glances, and their eyes flashed.

    ¡°Long time no see, Marquis, it¡¯s rare to see a distinguished guest like you come, truly an honor for our church,¡± Yolis squeezed out a smile, his first words were a compliment.

    However, the Hulan Marquis didn¡¯t buy into it, he said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid if I don¡¯t come now, there will be no chance in the future.¡±

    Black laughed, ¡°Marquis, you¡¯re joking.¡±

    The Hulan Marquis interrupted him rudely, ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you!¡±

    He threw a battle report on the coffee table.

    ¡°In just two months, I have lost one Earl, three Viscounts, and thirteen Barons, all killed by Su Nan who openly barged into their manor, killed them, and left. Now all the nobles in my territory are in fear, worried that the killer god, Su Nan, will come knocking on their doors. Even I, the Marquis, don¡¯t feel safe anymore.¡±

    ¡°Before, how did you, the Starfire Sect, promise me?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯d handle Su Nan, but what¡¯s the outcome?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all in a mess because of Su Nan, aren¡¯t you?!¡±

    Black and Yolis both had ugly expressions on their faces, but couldn¡¯t utter a word of rebuttal.

    In fact, the Starfire Sect had also suffered heavy losses in this period.

    Every town where a lord was assassinated, the local branch of the Starfire Sect was also destroyed, and almost all the followers were killed.

    The continuous bad news made both the head priests feel apprehensive.

    The strength displayed by Su Nan had far exceeded the intelligence they had gathered earlier.

    Even Jensen, who carried a holy artifact, died at Su Nan¡¯s hands.

    These days, they were racking their brains on how to deal with Su Nan, and how to explain to Oweiju, the Grand Priest.

    ¡°Marquis, we admit that this time, we were negligent in our thinking and underestimated Su Nan¡¯s strength. But please rest assured, Oweiju, the Grand Priest, will soon emerge from seclusion, and when he takes action, he will surely kill Su Nan!¡±

    Black assured him with a solemn expression.

    ¡°.Hope you live up to your words, and don¡¯t just spout empty promises.¡±

    The Hulan Marquis still had a dark face, but his tone softened a little.

    ¡°One more thing, you said before, the cost of creating Stone Golems is very high, Su Nan couldn¡¯t possibly mass-produce them, but what¡¯s going on now?¡± r???§°?E?s?

    ¡°The news from the Somman Province says that the Shining Light Territory had at least three armies of Golems on the battlefield at the same time, each with 200 to 300 Stone Golems, a total of probably 800 to 900, completely different from what you said, how do you explain this?¡±

    Black and Yolis looked at each other, both with a look of astonishment.

    This they didn¡¯t know, after all, the Starfire Sect¡¯s influence hasn¡¯t spread to the military yet, and the speed of obtaining battle reports was definitely not as fast as the Hulan Marquis.

    But 800 to 900 Stone Golems, this number was simply shocking.

    Clearly, when fighting against the Jinyan Marquis, the Shining Light Territory only had less than 200 Stone Golems.@@@@

    Where did Su Nan get the resources to produce so many Golem puppets?

    Yolis suddenly had a flash of insight, blurting out, ¡°Mysterious Wooden Hut!¡±

    Black quickly realized as well, nodding in agreement, ¡°Yes, it must be the Mysterious Wooden Hut supporting Su Nan behind the scenes. Otherwise, just relying on the Shining Light Territory¡¯s income, it¡¯s impossible to support Su Nan¡¯s production of so many Golems.¡±

    ¡°Mysterious Wooden Hut?¡± The Hulan Marquis¡¯s face showed some uncertainty, ¡°I have heard about this wizard organization, but hasn¡¯t the Mysterious Wooden Hut always been low-key and rarely intervened in the affairs of various countries?¡±

    Yolis sneered, ¡°Maybe before, but now Su Nan may have joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut, I don¡¯t know what he used to convince the other wizards. Previously, it was them who destroyed many of our church branches.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s who did it.¡± The Hulan Marquis¡¯s face flashed with understanding.

    He had heard before that the Starfire Sect had been attacked in many cities, and at the time he was wondering which force was behind it, but now he knew it was the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    But then, the Hulan Marquis¡¯s face became a little ugly again.

    Su Nan alone was already a tough nut to crack, if the Mysterious Wooden Hut was added to the mix, could they still handle it?

    For a moment, the Hulan Marquis suddenly regretted his actions.

    Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have taken a stance so early and stood with the royal family?

    Perhaps he should delay it, wait and see the situation before making a decision!

    Seeing the Hulan Marquis¡¯s change in expression, Yolis and Black immediately guessed what he was worried about.

    Black was about to speak and offer some consolation, but a somewhat aged voice suddenly came from beside him.

    But to Su Nan¡¯s surprise, the two strands of Divine Grace he extracted from the Star Book and the Golden Beetle, although they also contained the mark of faith, had a very rigid feeling to them.

    It was as if they had lost their controller and were only following a set procedure.

    It was a bit similar to the Golems in the wizard¡¯s inheritance.

    ¡°If the divine being behind this Divine Grace has perished, then the Divine Grace along with the mark of faith inside should have completely dissipated.¡±

    ¡°Since the Divine Grace and the mark of faith still exist, it means that the divine being behind it still exists, or rather, has not completely perished.¡±

    ¡°Sealed? Dormant?¡±

    Su Nan shook his head.

    As far as he knew, the Starfire Sect appeared less than fifty years ago.

    Before that, the so-called Star God had no significant influence.

    Such a weak, almost nonexistent faith could not support a god for thousands of years, except for a very small number of extremely powerful gods.

    Even if they were sealed or dormant, it wouldn¡¯t work.

    For a moment, Su Nan was at a loss.

    What exactly was the so-called Star God behind the Starfire Sect?

    After thinking for a while, Su Nan shook his head and stopped thinking about this problem, instead focusing on another matter.

    Divine Grace, although it has many drawbacks, is ultimately caused by the mark of faith.

    In other words, as long as the mark of faith inside is removed, Divine Grace will become truly unpolluted pure energy.

    It can be absorbed to increase spiritual power.

    This is different from soul pollution, the consciousness, memory, thinking, and emotions of the soul are inseparable parts of the soul, unless the entire soul is destroyed, it is impossible to remove them.

    But the mark of faith can be removed.

    It is precisely because of this characteristic of Divine Grace that there are so many wizards who desperately seek to capture gods, just to extract their divine energy, purify it, and use it to increase spiritual power.

    Ordinary wizard apprentices naturally can¡¯t remove the mark of faith, including Su Nan himself.

    But he had the Magic Cube!

    The Magic Cube, while synthesizing and strengthening similar items, would also weaken and even eliminate their side effects.

    The Dragon Blood and Divine Blood Crystal were like this.

    From this point of view, the Magic Cube should also be able to eliminate the side effects of Divine Grace?

    ¡°The faith erosion of Divine Blood Crystal can be eliminated, there¡¯s no reason why Divine Grace can¡¯t be.¡±

    Su Nan opened the Magic Cube and put the two strands of Divine Grace in.

    In an instant, the synthesis interface had new items and information.

    ¡¾Divine Energy, 3 Standard Unit, Pure Energy containing a weak mark of faith, has a slight spiritual contamination effect, absorption will lead to changes in thinking and cognition, gradually developing a strong fanatical belief in the source of divine energy¡¿

    ¡°It really works!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Compared to the Divine Grace before synthesis, the description of the Divine Energy after synthesis had a ¡°weak¡± prefix before the mark of faith, and a ¡°slight¡± prefix before the spiritual contamination effect.

    It proved that the side effects of Divine Grace could indeed be weakened through synthesis!

    In this case, as long as he got more holy artifacts, extracted more Divine Grace from them, he could synthesize completely unpolluted divine energy and absorb it to increase spiritual power!

    Su Nan smiled happily.

    Now he had another way to increase his spiritual power!

    It seemed he was really going to go head-to-head with the Starfire Sect!

    Without choosing to synthesize, Su Nan closed the Magic Cube, put the Divine Grace back into the space ring, then took out the Divine Blood Crystal.

    He had destroyed many Starfire Sect church branches in recent times, obtaining more than ten Divine Blood Crystals, which he immediately synthesized into the higher-level Divine Blood Crystal, further improving his meditation efficiency.

    Just two days ago, he had successfully constructed the thirteenth Star Ring.

    His spiritual power also increased to 38.13.

    ¡°Five more Star Rings to go!¡±

    The 14th level of the Star Ring Meditation Method required a whopping 1.5 million proficiency points to upgrade.

    ¡°Right now, I gain about 4,300 proficiency points per day from meditation, it will take about twelve months to build the fourteenth Star Ring. But if I can use divine energy to increase my spiritual power, I should be able to shorten the time considerably.¡±

 Chapter 122: A Feeling I Miss

    Chapter 122: A Feeling I Miss

    Starlight Calendar 1254, Flowing Fire Month (July).

    Shining Light Territory waged a two-front war, simultaneously attacking both Soman Province and Purple Bamboo Province.

    Armed with an army of magic puppets and Blackrock cavalry, the Shining Light forces swept through the battlefield, invincible and unstoppable. The armies of Soman Province and Purple Bamboo Province retreated steadily.

    Scroll Month (August).

    The Marquis of Shining Light personally led his army into the heart of Soman Province, his forces directly targeting Woll City, one of the top three military strongholds in the province.

    In this battle, the Shining Light army crushed the Woll City defenders.

    Thirty thousand defenders were completely annihilated, and the Marquis of Soman, who personally led the defense, died in battle.

    This news shocked the entire Starlight Duchy.

    The nobility of the royal lineage, who had been boasting and high-spirited in their declaration to eliminate the rebels, fell silent all at once.

    Although the eldest son of the Marquis of Soman immediately inherited his father¡¯s title and took over the military command, it was clear to everyone that the fall of Soman Province was only a matter of time.

    To simultaneously confront two major provinces while maintaining such a glorious record, Shining Light Territory once again demonstrated its formidable military power to the world!

    Lake Lan City, Zack¡¯s Tavern.

    The crowd was boisterous.

    Stimulated by alcohol, many patrons had already rolled up their sleeves and were fiercely debating the recent war, which was the talk of the town.

    ¡°Soman Province looks like it¡¯s finished.¡±

    ¡°Shining Light Territory is too strong. I thought at first that the Marquis of Shining Light had gone mad to rebel, but now it seems he had real confidence!¡±

    ¡°I say, the royal family just played a bad hand. Why force people to believe in the Starfire Sect for no reason? What good is that rotten sect? I¡¯ve never seen them donate a single copper coin to me!¡±

    ¡°Shhh, are you crazy? Saying these things in public, be careful the guards arrest you!¡±

    ¡°Cut it out, I think Shining Light Territory will soon be here. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily...¡±

    In a corner, Su Nan listened to the discussion around him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

    It seemed his older brother¡¯s campaign was progressing smoothly.

    ¡°After we finish this job tonight, the Lake Lan Province operation will be over.¡±

    ¡°Then we go straight to Giant Nan City, to the Starfire Sect headquarters. We should find the sacred artifacts there.¡±

    Su Nan had killed over a hundred cultists and priests in the past few days, but he hadn¡¯t found a single sacred artifact.

    He estimated that only high-ranking members, at least the level of Chief Priest or Grand Chief Priest, would possess these artifacts.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Time to act.¡±

    Looking at the night outside, Su Nan placed a gold coin on the table and left.

    Night had fallen completely.

    The night sky shrouded Lake Lan City, and the moon, high in the sky, was veiled by dark clouds, its light dim.

    The night was dark and the wind was high, the perfect time for action.

    He encountered patrolling guards along the way, and the closer he got to the city center, the more frequent the patrols became.

    Yet, these men seemed to not see Su Nan, passing him by with unblinking eyes.

    Soon, Su Nan reached his destination for the night: the territory mansion of the Lake Lan Marquis.

    As expected, the place was heavily guarded, with armed soldiers everywhere, both inside and out.

    Countless soldiers virtually surrounded the mansion.

    Clearly, the deaths of countless vassal nobles under his command had put heavy pressure on the Lake Lan Marquis.

    He was also on constant guard against Su Nan¡¯s attack.

    Su Nan did not make a sudden appearance and attempt to force his way in.

    Even a fool could guess that both the Lake Lan Marquis and the Starfire Sect would know that his final destination was this place.

    The two sides were probably setting up a dragnet in the mansion, waiting for him to walk right in.

    Although Su Nan was not afraid, he was not going to foolishly charge in.

    With a slight thought, countless magic puppet creatures appeared out of thin air on the street in front of the mansion, charging toward the gate without a word. r???o??????s??

    The sudden attack stunned the guarding soldiers, who then quickly reacted.

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    Shouts rose one after another, instantly breaking the silence of the night, echoing far into the darkness.

    A blaze of light instantly illuminated the mansion, and the entire building began to churn like boiling oil.

    At this moment, the rushing magic puppets had already slammed into the mansion¡¯s outer defenses.

    Leading the charge was a steel magic puppet.

    An officer, who appeared to have a high rank, swung his sword at the steel puppet, sparks of martial energy flashing on his blade, as if he wanted to stop the opponent with his own Great Knight-level strength. However, the steel puppet punched him, smashing man and sword together.

    More magic puppets followed close behind.

    It was Su Nan!

    Seeing Su Nan, the Lake Lan Marquis, Joris, and Brack all showed expressions of annoyance and apprehension.

    Only Oviju remained calm, his tone gentle as he said:

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°Oviju, Grand Chief Priest?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyebrows raised, his gaze discreetly sweeping over the star-shaped necklace on the man¡¯s chest.

    He had just witnessed the man transform the necklace into a blue spear and hurl it, knocking away the dual-bladed spider with a single strike.

    It was clear that this star-shaped necklace was also a sacred artifact.

    Oviju nodded slightly, acknowledging Su Nan¡¯s guess.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to show up, it means you also want to settle our accounts, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Su Nan smiled slightly.

    Both sides knew that the resentment they had accumulated until now had made reconciliation impossible, and they would have to fight to the death.

    Their eyes met, and Oviju and Su Nan both made their moves, soaring into the air and flying toward the mansion¡¯s exterior, disappearing into the night sky in a short time.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Grand Chief Priest Oviju deal with Su Nan here?¡± The Lake Lan Marquis furrowed his brow. ¡°We made so many preparations.¡±

    Joris shook his head: ¡°Su Nan wouldn¡¯t fall for it. Didn¡¯t you see that he never set foot inside the mansion?¡±

    Su Nan and Grand Chief Priest Oviju both wanted to settle things, but neither of them was stupid. They wouldn¡¯t put themselves at a disadvantage.

    Su Nan wouldn¡¯t step into the mansion, and Oviju wouldn¡¯t want to face both Su Nan and his magic puppet army simultaneously.

    The current situation was acceptable to both sides.

    What remained was to see their true strength!

    ¡°Let¡¯s deal with those magic puppets first.¡±

    Brack took out a piece of amber and threw it into the air.

    In the moonlight, one could vaguely see a small piece of dry, gray skin encased in the amber.

    The starlight fell on the amber, instantly bursting into brilliance, then exploded like fireworks, turning into countless tiny stars that rained down like a shower.

    At the same time, mysterious patterns gradually emerged from the ground beneath everyone¡¯s feet, emitting a soft glow, echoing the falling stars, creating a strange wave that enveloped the entire mansion.

    The Starfire Sect members who were fighting instantly felt a surge of energy, their strength and speed increasing out of nowhere, as if they had taken a potion.

    The magic puppets, on the other hand, all froze for a moment, as if bound by an invisible, heavy chain.

    The situation instantly reversed.

    Now, the Starfire Sect was subtly gaining the upper hand.

    However, Brack and Joris did not let their guard down.

    The former drew his long sword, while the latter flipped open his Star Book.

    Both of them looked at the dual-bladed spider crawling in from the ruins with a sense of urgency.

    This was the real enemy!

    Again, familiar starry galaxies.

    Su Nan looked at Oviju opposite him, curiously asking: ¡°How many sacred artifacts does the Starfire Sect have? How are these artifacts made?¡±

    Oviju looked at Su Nan with a touch of surprise.

    ¡°You are more knowledgeable than I thought, you can actually distinguish between sacred artifacts and divine weapons. The two wizards I met before both took sacred artifacts as divine weapons.¡±

    ¡°But as for how to make a sacred artifact, you don¡¯t need to know. After all, there¡¯s no need to know anything when you¡¯re dead.¡±

    Su Nan chuckled: ¡°So confident? You let a wizard escape last time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t use my true power.¡±

    Oviju said calmly, his eyes deep and like a pool.

    ¡°That kind of power has a bit of backlash. I usually don¡¯t use it lightly unless I have to kill my enemy.¡±

    ¡°But Su Nan, you deserve it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m honored.¡± Su Nan smiled wryly.

    ¡°Then feel the power of the gods!¡±

    The moment he finished speaking, a brilliant starlight suddenly lit up from Oviju.

    In an instant, the old man¡¯s original, aging, and composed aura abruptly changed, his entire body enveloped in an ancient, vast aura as if from a distant past.

    Amidst the dazzling starlight, Oviju seemed to transform into a true god, his eyes looking at Su Nan with a condescending gaze, as if looking down at an ant.

    A heavy sense of oppression enveloped Su Nan¡¯s entire body, as if a giant boulder had rolled down from his chest, making him suffocate.

    He took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t felt this in a long time. It¡¯s quite nostalgic.¡±

    Oviju froze for a moment, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 123

    Ove filled with trepidation and doubt.

    He was well aware of the overwhelming pressure he exerted in this state on his enemies.

    The last time he unleashed this power, the royal wizard had been terrified, his face pale with fear.

    Yet, Su Nan remained unfazed, even displaying a nostalgic and wistful expression.

    From his tone, it seemed he had encountered similar situations before.

    But how was that possible?

    Apart from him, could there be other humans on the continent who possessed divine power?

    Su Nan quickly adapted to the oppressive aura surrounding him.

    In his past life, he had faced countless similar scenarios.

    Divine emissaries, divine children, demigods... even true gods, he had faced them all personally.

    Compared to those formidable and terrifying beings, the current Ove was simply insignificant.

    Su Nan could see that Ove was merely absorbing divine energy into his body and utilizing it.

    He was essentially a semi-sacred artifact, his self-will and perception twisted by the mark of faith.

    ¡°True divine power is far beyond what you possess,¡±

    Su Nan chuckled, not waiting for the bewildered Ove to ask any questions, he raised his hand and fired a magic missile, striking Ove.

    However, the starlight surrounding the latter merely flickered slightly, obliterating the incoming magic missile.

    Ove snapped out of his reverie, his face turning cold. He ripped off the star-shaped necklace around his neck, clenched it in his hand, and in an instant, starlight erupted from his palm, quickly condensing into aÓÄÀ¶ long spear.

    *Swoosh!*

    TheÓÄÀ¶ spear tore through the void, accompanied by a piercing roar as it surged towards Su Nan.

    However, Su Nan had already completed his second spell. He suddenly blurred, instantly splitting into eight copies, scattering in all directions.

    *Mirror Image!*

    One of the images was pierced by theÓÄÀ¶ spear, shattering and vanishing like a bubble.

    ¡°Illusions!¡±

    Ove snorted coldly, taking out a star book. He slapped the book with his palm, an invisible wave instantly spread outwards, shattering and dissolving every copy of Su Nan, leaving only the original.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t mind. Seizing this opportunity, he had already cast *Agile*Êõ, *Tough*Êõ, and *Shield*Êõ on himself. At the same time, another spell was ready.

    *Burning Ray!*

    A fiery red beam of scorching heat struck Ove with lightning speed, but it was still blocked by the starlight surrounding him.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless, you can¡¯t hurt me,¡±

    Ove said coldly.

    After entering this state, his personality seemed to transform entirely, losing his previous composure and calmness.

    Hearing this, Su Nan just scoffed and ignored him.

    There was no such thing as invincible defense in this world.

    No matter how strong a defense, it would have some kind of limit.

    Either it had a cumulative damage limit, like the *Ultimate Protection*½ä,

    Or it had an instant damage limit, which required a large amount of energy to sustain, like the *Magic Emblem Core*.

    No matter which it was, as long as the damage accumulated to a certain extent, it could be broken.

    His mind racing, Su Nan had already thrown a high-grade rune gem, which transformed into a thunderbolt that roared towards Ove.

    At the moment the thunder struck, the starlight on Ove suddenly brightened.

    Although he ultimately managed to block the thunder, this display undoubtedly revealed a hint of something.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of amusement, ¡°This thing of yours must consume a lot of divine grace, right?¡±

    Ove¡¯s face was gloomy, ¡°So what? Can you last until I exhaust my divine grace?¡±

    As he spoke, his hand was already pressing on the star book again.

    The surrounding stars suddenly buzzed, then fell down one after another, attacking Su Nan in a torrential downpour.

    Su Nan¡¯s figure flickered, dodging the attacks while quickly throwing high-grade rune gems to retaliate.

    The battle quickly escalated to a fever pitch.

    Both sides exchanged blows, attacking each other while desperately trying to dodge each other¡¯s attacks, minimizing the damage they received, their survival depending on who would crack first. R?A?NO???E??@@@@

    For this, Ove was confident.

    The last time he killed the royal wizard, he only used seven or eight years¡¯ worth of accumulated divine grace.

    Currently, he still had nearly forty years¡¯ worth of divine grace left. Even if Su Nan was stronger than the royal wizard, it would be more than enough to exhaust him!

    But as time passed, Ove¡¯s expression gradually became uneasy.

    In just five or six minutes, Su Nan had already endured five *Starfall* attacks and seven *Star Spear* attacks, yet why did he still show no signs of exhaustion?

    How many magic items did this guy have on him?

    Ove wasn¡¯t completely ignorant of magic items. According to his estimation, even if Su Nan was carrying thirty or forty alchemical-grade magic items on him, they should have been depleted by now.

    Could it be that Su Nan also had glimmer-grade protective magic items?

    Thinking that he would soon be able to increase his spiritual power, Su Nan¡¯s mood immediately improved.

    The pain of having spent tens of thousands of gold coins on high-grade rune gems during the battle also eased a bit.

    After collecting his things, Su Nan reapplied *Levitation*Ðg and flew towards the lord¡¯s mansion.

    Inside the lord¡¯s mansion, the battle continued.

    With the blessing of starlight, the *Starfire Sect* members unleashed formidable fighting prowess. Cooperating with the soldiers who rushed in from outside to support them, they had turned the tables and firmly suppressed the magic puppet creatures.

    On the other side, although Brack and Yoris couldn¡¯t defeat the legendary two-ring spider puppet, they relied on the power of their sacred artifacts and didn¡¯t have to worry about being defeated in the short term.

    The situation was developing for the better.

    However, Earl Holan¡¯s heart was still hanging, unable to relax, and he would occasionally look up towards the direction where Su Nan and Ove had left.

    He knew very well that the outcome here was insignificant. The real key was the outcome of the battle between Su Nan and Ove.

    As long as Ove killed Su Nan, the magic puppet creatures here would be nothing to fear.

    But once Su Nan won, then everyone present would be facing a disaster tonight.

    Seeing Earl Holan¡¯s furrowed brows, Casper whispered beside him, ¡°My Lord, don¡¯t worry, with Grand Priest personally taking action, there¡¯s definitely no problem!¡±

    Casper¡¯s tone was filled with strong confidence.

    Outsiders weren¡¯t aware, but they, the mid-to-high-ranking members of the *Starfire Sect*, knew that Grand Priest Ove had received divine favor and could wield divine power!

    Even wizards wouldn¡¯t be a match for a grand priest who was a divine favored one!

    From the moment Su Nan didn¡¯t immediately leave but chose to show himself, his fate had already been sealed.

    ¡°Once we eliminate Su Nan, Shining Light Territory will also be no threat. After suppressing the rebels, the sect¡¯s missionary plans in Starsea Duchy will no longer face any obstacles, and the sect will usher in prosperity,¡±

    Casper thought silently, a slight smile creeping across his lips.

    At this moment, a cry suddenly came from beside him.

    ¡°Someone is coming!¡±

    Everyone immediately looked up, and sure enough, they saw the silhouette of a person flying towards them from afar.

    As the distance closed, everyone gradually saw the person¡¯s features clearly.

    When they recognized the young face, everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Casper was even more pale, his voice hoarse with disbelief:

    ¡°Impossible! How could it be Su Nan?!¡±

    ¡°How could the Grand Priest lose?!¡±

    Earl Holan had already forgotten Casper¡¯sÊ§Ì¬±íÏÖ, from the moment Su Nan appeared in his field of vision, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his limbs icy cold.

    Even Ove had been defeated, no one in the entire Holan Prefecture could stop Su Nan.

    They were finished!

    Intense regret instantly flooded his heart, and Earl Holan felt extremely remorseful.

    If he had known that the *Starfire Sect* was so unreliable, he shouldn¡¯t have rushed to join their side.

    Even if he disobeyed the Grand Duke¡¯s orders, at worst, he would be reprimanded and have some of his territory confiscated. How could it be like this now, where he had lost everything, including his life and his family?

    What a regret!

    Looking at Casper, whose face was pale beside him, Earl Holan suddenly flew into a rage. He swiftly drew the long sword at his waist and thrust it into Casper¡¯s heart.

    Casper was in a state of despair, completely unprepared for Earl Holan¡¯s sudden attack. He was caught off guard and stabbed right through the heart. He looked at Earl Holan with a gaze filled with astonishment and anger.

    ¡°You, you¡±

    He couldn¡¯t finish his words before Earl Holan pulled out the sword and slashed his head off with a backhand.

    Su Nan, who had landed on the ground, saw this scene and a playful expression appeared on his face.

    In-fighting already?

    *Clang!*

    Earl Holan tossed away his weapon and squeezed out a smile towards Su Nan, ¡°Mr. Su Nan, actually, there¡¯s no need for us to get to this point. After all, we have no grievances with each other, right? It¡¯s all the *Starfire Sect*¡¯s fault. I can betray them and offer Holan Prefecture with both hands. I only beg you to spare me and my family!¡±

    Su Nan looked at Earl Holan deeply and suddenly smiled slightly.

    Upon seeing this, Earl Holan was overjoyed, thinking that Su Nan had agreed to his proposal, but the next second, a bolt of lightning pierced his forehead.

    ¡°Extinguishing you and your family, Holan Prefecture will still be ours, and it will be cleaner,¡±

    As Earl Holan¡¯s face filled with confusion and resentment, Su Nan said calmly.

    Then, without even looking at the corpse that had fallen on the ground, he turned his gaze towards Yoris and Brack, who were swiftly fleeing towards the distance.

    The moment Su Nan appeared, these two grand priests of the *Starfire Sect* had not hesitated to abandon their followers and turn to flee.

    Unfortunately, Su Nan had already anticipated this.

    Before they could escape far, they were intercepted by the *Stealth Dragon*.

    The *Double-Bladed Spider* quickly followed suit.

    Two two-ring legends against two one-ring legends, the outcome was obvious.

    Su Nan retracted his gaze and began to clean up the battlefield.

    The night grew even darker.

    Moments later, Su Nan calmly walked out of the lord¡¯s mansion. He glanced at the dark silence behind him, leaped into the air, and quickly disappeared into the night.

 Chapter 124

    Starlight Calendar 1254, the month of Scrolls (August).

    The Duke of Hulan was killed in his ducal mansion.

    The entire family was wiped out overnight.

    The news spread, causing a commotion among the upper echelons of the Principality of Starsea.

    The nobles from the royal lineage were all apprehensive, fearing that they might be assassinated by Su Nan in their sleep.

    The Hulan Province also fell into a state of leaderlessness due to the death of the Duke of Hulan and the extermination of his entire line of inheritance.

    Taking this opportunity, Baron Staley, stationed in Gold Wheat City, led his troops north, capturing four towns in a row, including Yayan City, in just half a month, advancing like a broken bamboo.

    If not for the fact that most of the Shining Light Territory¡¯s troops were in the other two provinces, and Baron Staley¡¯s army was not large enough, he alone might have been able to conquer the entire Hulan Province.

    In the same year, the month of Harvest (September).

    The Shining Light Army captured the city of Soman, the central city of the Soman Province, and the newly appointed Duke of Soman was captured.

    Thus, the entire Soman Province fell into the hands of the Shining Light Territory.

    After a three-day rest, the Duke of Shining Light led his troops out, their sharp edge aimed at the Purple Bamboo Province. Joining forces with Baron Jordan, stationed in Mengguang City, they besieged the Purple Bamboo Province, capturing over two-thirds of its territory in less than a month.

    It was clear to everyone that the fall of the Purple Bamboo Province was inevitable.

    On the other hand, the royal family¡¯s Red Leaf Province army was still engaged in a protracted battle with the Duke of White Tower, despite having the upper hand. There was no indication that they could take down the White Tower Province in a short period of time.

    As for the Frost Dye Province, it was still under reconstruction and could be considered militarily insignificant.

    By now, the tide of the war had completely turned.

    Many who had initially favored the royal family and mocked the Shining Light Territory¡¯s foolishness were now speechless.

    In their place, rumors of the Shining Light Territory overthrowing the royal family became increasingly prevalent.

    A tavern room.

    Su Nan gazed at the golden light swirling in his palm, a delighted smile on his face.

    ¡¾Divine energy, 12 standard units, completely purified pure energy, can be converted into any form of energy.¡¿

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±

    ¡°Completely unpolluted, pure energy!¡±

    After draining all the divine grace from the holy artifacts, Su Nan had finally synthesized 12 standard units of pure divine energy.

    Without hesitation, he flicked his finger, wrapping the golden light around it, then pressed it against his forehead.

    Under the guidance of his invisible spiritual power, the golden light slowly seeped into his forehead and disappeared.

    A familiar feeling of sublimation surged from the depths of his mind!

    This was the feeling of his spiritual power rapidly increasing in a short period of time.

    Su Nan closed his eyes, patiently converting the divine energy into spiritual power bit by bit.

    He didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but when the last trace of divine energy was finally depleted, Su Nan opened his eyes and immediately opened his interface. RA??O?¦¢E?¡ì

    ¡¾Spiritual Power 41.26¡¿

    ¡°Not bad, an increase of 3.02!¡±

    Su Nan smiled in satisfaction.

    The divine energy had not disappointed him.

    If he didn¡¯t build a new Star Ring and simply practiced normally, it would take at least three or four years of meditation to increase his spiritual power by this amount.

    Besides, the increase in spiritual power could also accelerate the growth rate of his proficiency in the Star Ring Meditation Method.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to practice to see the exact increase.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s not urgent, let¡¯s take care of the Starfire Sect first.¡±

    Su Nan got up and went to the window, opened it, and looked out at the street below.

    After killing Auveig and the Duke of Hulan, he had immediately rushed to Giant Nan City in the Red Leaf Province.

    This was also the headquarters of the Starfire Sect.

    After the Duke of Starsea declared the Starfire Sect as the national religion, Giant Nan City had essentially become the sect¡¯s territory.@@@@

    The entire city was actually controlled by the Starfire Sect, even the city guards had been replaced by the sect¡¯s so-called Holy Teachings Group.

    Those warriors clad in armor and wearing star-patterned cloaks that Su Nan had seen at the Duke of Hulan¡¯s mansion that night were members of the Holy Teachings Group.

    Su Nan had assumed that Giant Nan City would be placed under martial law after Auveig¡¯s death, and that the guards would become more vigilant.

    But when he arrived in Giant Nan City, he found that the actual situation was completely different from what he had expected.

    The city was still peaceful, bustling with people on the streets, no different from a normal town.

    Instead, the Holy Teachings Group soldiers stationed at the city gate seemed somewhat worried and absent-minded.

    According to the conversations he heard in the tavern, they seemed to have rarely seen the Holy Teachings Group patrolling the streets in the past few days.

    The Starfire Sect¡¯s worship ceremony, held every three days, had also been postponed several times.

    Based on these clues, it seemed that the upper echelons of the Starfire Sect had fallen into chaos, to the point that it was affecting even those below.

    Su Nan found it rather strange.

    Even if Auveig was dead, the Starfire Sect wouldn¡¯t be so panicked, would they?

    Only the Grand Priest had died, not the Pope.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan activated his invisibility cloak, jumped out of the window, and walked towards the Starfire Sect headquarters.

    No matter what, he would settle things with the Starfire Sect today.

    He would also see if he could harvest some more holy artifacts.

    Su Nan vaguely understood.

    ¡°As expected of the Wizard Apprentice who killed Auveig, you have some skill.¡±

    The gray-robed man¡¯s eyes, which looked like insect compound eyes, stared coldly at Su Nan.

    ¡°You¡¯re after the Divine Remains too, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Divine Remains?

    Su Nan¡¯s expression moved.

    Was this the reason behind the Starfire Sect¡¯s possession of divine blood and holy artifacts?

    But who was this man, and why did he know the secrets of the Starfire Sect?

    Thoughts raced through his mind, but Su Nan remained unfazed, replying calmly, ¡°So what?¡±

    The gray-robed man cracked a terrifying smile, revealing a bizarre grin.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s unfortunate, but you¡¯ll have to give up. The Starfire Sect¡¯s Divine Remains, we, the Eternal Society, must obtain them.¡±

    Eternal Society?

    A Wizard Apprentice organization?

    If it was indeed true, judging by the name, this group of Wizard Apprentices seemed to have ambitious goals.

    ¡°You want to take advantage of the situation?¡± Su Nan sneered.

    He had essentially single-handedly brought down the Starfire Sect. This so-called Eternal Society¡¯s Wizard Apprentices hadn¡¯t done anything, yet they were jumping out to take advantage of the situation at the last minute. How could he tolerate that?

    ¡°So you won¡¯t give up?¡± The gray-robed man cackled.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t bother with words, directly launching a Magic Missile.

    Seven Magic Missiles roared towards the gray-robed man, but his body exploded with a bang, transforming into a swarm of insects that scattered, flying towards the courtyard. He only left behind one cold sentence:

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this!¡±

    Su Nan was slightly stunned, he hadn¡¯t expected the gray-robed man to be so arrogant in his words, yet so decisive in his escape.

    This was inconsistent!

    After confirming that the gray-robed man had truly left, Su Nan shook his head, his gaze turning towards the Starfire Sect disciples.

    With the gray-robed man¡¯s departure, the insects also flew away. The Starfire Sect disciples who had survived the ordeal sat slumped on the ground, gasping for breath, looking fearfully at Su Nan.

    One evil spirit had gone, but another remained.

    Su Nan looked at the old man who had recognized him first, and asked, ¡°Who was that man?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know much about him.¡± The old man answered fearfully. ¡°He had infiltrated the sect headquarters once before, but was driven back by the Grand Priest Auveig.¡±

    When he mentioned the Grand Priest Auveig, the old man¡¯s gaze towards the person in front of him became even more fearful.

    After all, it was said that the Grand Priest Auveig had died at the hands of the person before him.

    Su Nan realized then that the gray-robed man knew he couldn¡¯t win, so he had left without hesitation.

    Was he going back to get reinforcements?

    But to be able to escape from Auveig¡¯s grasp unharmed, the gray-robed man must have been one of the better ones among Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    It seemed that the Eternal Society was not some second-rate force, he would have to ask the others about it next time they gathered.

    ¡°Where are the Divine Remains?¡± Su Nan asked again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about any Divine Remains.¡± The old man looked confused.

    Su Nan frowned, and directly cast a Charm Human spell, asking again, but the answer remained the same.

    The others were equally clueless.

    After thinking for a moment, Su Nan asked again, ¡°Where is your Pope?¡±

    ¡°The Pope is still in seclusion.¡± The old man looked towards the building behind him.

    Apparently, that was where the Pope of the Starfire Sect was in seclusion.

    Su Nan sneered, ¡°Such a big event has happened, and your Pope is still in seclusion. You¡¯re quite calm.¡±

    Below the Pope of the Starfire Sect were the Grand Priest Auveig and the three other chief priests, Yensen, Jorris, and Brack.

    These four people had all died at Su Nan¡¯s hands. The upper echelon of the Starfire Sect could be said to have been completely swept away.

    Their Pope still hadn¡¯t come out to take charge, still in seclusion, which was truly incomprehensible.

    It was no wonder the Starfire Sect was in chaos, even being attacked at their headquarters, with almost all the disciples killed.

    ¡°The Pope¡¯s secluded chamber is made of tempered steel, even a Legendary Knight wouldn¡¯t be able to break it from the outside. The key to enter the chamber is only with the Grand Priest Auveig, we can¡¯t open the chamber, nor can we contact the Pope.¡±

    Key?

    Su Nan thought back, then shook his head.

    He had been a bit too harsh in killing Auveig, except for the holy artifacts, everything about Auveig, including himself, had been destroyed to the point that there was not even a trace left, even if there was a key, it would have been long gone.

    It seemed he would have to change his habit of being too forceful.

    Putting aside his thoughts, Su Nan looked towards the building in front of him.

    His curiosity was growing.

    According to the descriptions of these disciples, the Pope of the Starfire Sect rarely appeared, and most of the sect¡¯s affairs were handled by Auveig.

    Even only Auveig could see and contact the Pope.

    This was obviously not normal.

    It was almost as if the Starfire Sect was completely controlled by Auveig, and the Pope was completely superfluous.

    This was clearly not something a normal church should have.

 Chapter 125: The Machine That Transforms Faith Power

    Chapter 125: The Machine That Transforms Faith Power

    After obtaining the information he wanted, Su Nan ruthlessly killed the remaining Starfire Sect members.

    He instructed the Stealthy Dragon and the Double-Bladed Spider to guard outside, preventing the gray-robed man from returning, and then entered the building.

    At the end of the silent corridor, there was only a tightly closed metal door.

    As the Starfire Sect member had mentioned, the door, along with the wall, was cast in tempered steel, much harder than black stone iron.

    Even a First-Ring Legendary Knight wouldn¡¯t be able to break through it in a short time, let alone a Second-Ring Legendary Knight.

    But it was nothing for Su Nan.

    He walked directly to the metal door, looked down at the lock that looked very intricate, and immediately used an Unlock spell. With a click, the lock opened.

    The Unlock spell, although a zero-ring spell, was very practical.@@@@

    No matter how intricate and complex the lock was, as long as it wasn¡¯t a magic lock or a secret lock, an Unlock spell could solve it.

    The secret chamber designed by the Starfire Sect could only block knights and ordinary people, it was useless against a Wizard Apprentice who possessed the Unlock spell.

    He pushed open the heavy metal door, and the scene behind the door quickly presented itself to Su Nan.

    The entire chamber was empty, without a single piece of furniture, only the cold metal floor, walls, and ceiling.

    A figure lay alone in the middle of the room.

    It was a man in his forties, wearing a magnificent star-patterned robe, lying motionless on the ground, with a crown inlaid with jewels and a golden staff placed beside him.

    Was this the Pope of the Starfire Sect?

    Su Nan stood at the door and observed for a while, his face gradually revealing a strange expression.

    In his spiritual perception, the man lying on the ground had completely dissipated his soul, unable to sense any spiritual energy.

    But strangely, he was not dead, his body still had signs of life.

    Like a living corpse!

    This bizarre situation confused Su Nan.

    He cast a Weaken Ray at the man, but when the spell hit him, it was offset by a strange force.

    This force gave him a very familiar feeling.

    ¡°Divine Grace!¡±

    Su Nan narrowed his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and still maintained his vigilance, cautiously walking towards the man.

    Until he reached the man, he still had no reaction.

    Seeing this, Su Nan directly reached out to check.

    After a while, he finally confirmed that the Pope of the Starfire Sect had completely dissipated his soul.

    The remaining body was completely supported by the Divine Grace within, preventing it from completely ceasing its life activities and decaying.

    To Su Nan¡¯s surprise, although extremely weak, so weak as to be almost imperceptible, the Divine Grace within the man¡¯s body was indeed slowly increasing. R?ANo??§¦?S

    ¡°I understand now.¡±

    After a little thought, Su Nan quickly understood.

    This Pope of the Starfire Sect had actually become a ¡®machine¡¯ that could receive faith power and transform it into Divine Grace.

    He had no autonomous consciousness, nor could he act, he just relied on the Divine Grace to sustain his life, lying in the secret chamber day after day, transforming faith power.

    This was also why the people of the Starfire Sect rarely saw the Pope appear. The Pope was actually dead, and what remained was just a body.

    The one who was actually controlling the entire Starfire Sect in the shadows was their Grand Priest, Ovidiu.

    This also explained why Ovidiu could control so much Divine Grace.

    Apparently, all the Divine Grace of the entire Starfire Sect was being kept by him alone.

    But the problem was that humans couldn¡¯t transform faith power into Divine Grace. The fact that the Pope of the Starfire Sect could do this must mean there was something else hidden about him.

    Thinking of what the gray-robed man had said about the ¡°divine remains,¡± Su Nan had a faint guess in his heart.

    He carefully examined the body of the Pope of the Starfire Sect and soon discovered something strange.

    On the Pope¡¯s right hand, the ring finger was completely different from the other parts, containing more Divine Grace.

    After perceiving it with his spiritual energy, Su Nan quickly determined that this ring finger didn¡¯t belong to the Pope himself but was sewn on later.

    The key was that the strength of this finger was ridiculously high.

    Su Nan used the magic emblem core to condense a blade and cut it with all his might, but couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch.

    Even with the protection of the Divine Grace, this strength was far beyond that of a First-Ring Legendary Knight.

    This was definitely not a normal human body part.

    Obviously, this ring finger was the so-called divine remains.

    ¡°Fusing divine remains to yourself, I don¡¯t know whether to say you¡¯re bold or ignorant?¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    He understood wizards better than most.

    After all, the royal family used to have a wizard as their patron.

    But that wizard, although powerful, wasn¡¯t good at crafting magic puppets, let alone building powerful armies like the magic puppet legions and Blackrock Cavalry Corps.

    He had never heard of any wizard who could achieve this, influencing the course of large-scale wars with his own power!

    It was this misjudgment that led to the situation we have now.

    As he pondered, the Duke of Shining Light reached the door of the secret chamber at the end of the corridor.

    He stopped, adjusted his appearance, and then gently knocked on the door, respectfully saying:

    ¡°Great-Uncle.¡±

    Silence.

    After a long time, a deep voice came from behind the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The Duke of Shining Light breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the door open to enter.

    The secret chamber was simply decorated, with only a bed, a table, and a chair.

    There wasn¡¯t even a painting hanging on the wall.

    A man with ordinary features, seemingly only forty years old, wearing simple clothes, sat on the chair, his eyes calmly looking over.

    Looking at that familiar face, which had remained unchanged for decades, the Duke of Shining Light¡¯s heart trembled slightly, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of envy.

    Looking at the Duke of Shining Light, the man showed a complex look and sighed, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have cooperated with the Starfire Sect.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no free lunch in the world, and deities are not benevolent and charitable beings. Seeking longevity through the grace of a deity must have a huge price behind it. Even if you end up extending your lifespan, you may very well become a puppet of those lunatics.¡±

    ¡°This time, you messed up.¡±

    The Duke of Shining Light showed a wry smile on his face, his voice hoarse, ¡°Great-Uncle, it¡¯s all my fault. I was blinded by greed.¡±

    ¡°But now that the Starfire Sect has been destroyed and the rebels are coming in force, they will be here soon. I really have no choice but to come to you for help.¡±

    The man calmly asked, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    The Duke of Shining Light quickly said, ¡°Please, Great-Uncle, kill Su Nan. As long as Su Nan dies, I still have a chance to defeat the rebels!¡±

    The man was silent for a long time and then asked again, ¡°If Su Nan dies, are you absolutely sure you can suppress the rebels?¡±

    The Duke of Shining Light¡¯s expression froze, and after a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Even if I can¡¯t win, I will fight to the death. I will never let the Kesler family be shamed!¡±

    This time, the man was silent for even longer.

    Just as the Duke of Shining Light was becoming anxious, the man finally spoke.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go find Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Great-Uncle!¡±

    The Duke of Shining Light was overjoyed.

    His Great-Uncle had already been a Third-Ring Legendary Knight fifty years ago. With him taking action, there was a high chance of killing Su Nan.

    In fact, if it hadn¡¯t been for the Starfire Sect using longevity to lure him, with his Great-Uncle around, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about the threat of the Starfire Sect, and he wouldn¡¯t have cooperated with them.

    Who would have thought that the Starfire Sect was so useless. They were always acting high and mighty, pretending to be shepherds, but they were actually completely incompetent.

    Before he even faltered, the Starfire Sect was destroyed by Su Nan!

    Truly despicable!

    No matter what, his Great-Uncle was willing to help. This crisis had a chance of being resolved.

    Seeing his Great-Uncle wave his hand, the Duke of Shining Light, knowing his place, said goodbye and left.

    But after he turned around, he didn¡¯t see the meaningful look his Great-Uncle cast at him.

    Starlight Calendar 1254, Autumn Curtain Moon (October).

    The Shining Light Army captured Purple Bamboo Province and completely incorporated it into their territory.

    Then they marched north, joined forces with the army led by Baron Stali, their subordinate, and took over the entire Lake Lan Province in just one month.

    So far, out of the seven provinces of the Duke of Shining Light, four had fallen into the hands of Shining Light Territory.

    Another province, the White Tower Province, was also an allied province of Shining Light Territory.

    Only Red Leaf Province and Frost Dye Province remained in the hands of the royal family.

    Frost Dye Province hadn¡¯t yet recovered, and its combat power was almost negligible.

    The only one that could truly fight was Red Leaf Province.

    With the war going on like this, even the most optimistic people didn¡¯t think that the royal family could turn the tide.

    Starlight Calendar 1254, Frost Fall Moon (November).

    The Shining Light Army and the White Tower Army gathered on the border of Red Leaf Province, and war was imminent.

 Chapter 126: Legendary Genius, Identity Exposed

    Chapter 126: Legendary Genius, Identity Exposed

    In the quiet room, Su Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed.

    After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of blue light passing through them.

    ¡°Whew.¡±

    Su Nan let out a long sigh, a joyous smile appearing on his face.

    He opened his panel. The Spiritual Power stat had become 44.11.

    As he expected, after absorbing the purified divine energy extracted and synthesized from the divine corpse, his Spiritual Power had surged by a considerable 2.85.

    It had to be said that divine energy was incredibly effective in boosting Spiritual Power.

    ¡°Now, building the Star Rings should be much faster.¡±

    Su Nan had originally estimated that it would take him at least forty or fifty years to successfully build eighteen Star Rings.

    But with this method of increasing Spiritual Power through divine energy, he might be able to advance to a formal Wizard within twenty years.@@@@

    ¡°Of course, this is all contingent on finding a new source of divine energy.¡±

    The Starfire Sect had now been destroyed, the divine corpse had lost its source of faith power, and its divine grace had been drained. Now it was nothing but a corpse that was exceptionally hard but had no other unique properties.

    Its only use would be as experimental material for research.

    Perhaps it could be used later for physical transformation experiments.

    Su Nan had actually considered leaving the Pope behind, controlling a few high-ranking members to manage the Starfire Sect, and using the sect members to provide faith power that could be transformed into divine grace.

    However, something as sinister as the divine corpse could forcibly alter the cognition and will of those who touched it, turning them into fanatic believers, obsessed with reviving the star god.

    Such a group of lunatics would be impossible to control.

    It would only create a new set of enemies for him.

    However, without using the divine blood or sacred artifacts, relying solely on doctrine, he couldn¡¯t develop the religion.

    After all, this was a world with extraordinary powers, you couldn¡¯t develop loyal believers capable of providing faith power with just your mouth.

    After careful consideration, Su Nan ultimately decided to abandon this idea. Extracting all the divine grace from the divine corpse and putting it in his pocket was the safest course of action.

    As for divine energy, it wasn¡¯t exclusive to deities. Many ancestral spirits, totem spirits, and divine creatures also possessed divine energy.

    While its concentration was weaker, it didn¡¯t matter. He could use the Magic Cube to synthesize and boost its concentration.

    ¡°Speaking of which, most divine creatures have the bloodline of ancient beasts, and their bloodline concentration isn¡¯t low either. If I could find a divine creature, I could also extract its bloodline and make bloodline imprints.¡±

    Su Nan recalled the bloodline imprints he had acquired from Aivegni¡¯s experimental notes.

    It was a practical and powerful combat technique.

    The only problem was that it required the bloodline of an ancient beast.

    However, he had been too busy dealing with matters in the Underworld, and then dealing with the Starfire Sect, that he hadn¡¯t had the time to find descendants of ancient beasts. r§Ñ?o?b§¦s?

    ¡°The Underworld seems to have a lot of descendants of ancient beasts. Once this war is over, I¡¯ll spare some time to search for them.¡±

    ¡°I can also post a request in the Mysterious Wooden Hut to buy some clues.¡±

    After finishing his daily meditation routine, Su Nan left the room.

    Now, his daily practice of the Star Ring Meditation Method had already reached a staggering proficiency level of 4,500.

    At this rate, he should be able to build the fourteenth Star Ring before next year¡¯s Blaze Moon (July).

    Leaving the courtyard he lived in, Su Nan headed straight for the main building in the backyard.

    He was currently in Spikescale City, located on the border of the White Tower Province, and ten kilometers to the northwest was the territory of the Red Leaf Province.

    The armies of Shining Light Territory and White Tower Province had now gathered in Spikescale City, sharpening their swords, waiting for the arrival of supplies and food before attacking the Red Leaf Province and finishing the final battle.

    Walking along the path of the Spikescale City Lord¡¯s Manor, there were guards every hundred paces and fully armed patrol teams, making it exceptionally well-guarded.

    The security level was even higher when he entered the courtyard where Kei and the White Tower Marquis lived.

    In addition to numerous knight guards, there were also dozens of stone magic puppets scattered throughout.

    Ten or so double-bladed spiders were perched on the rooftops of the buildings.

    A steel magic puppet stood in front of the main building, towering like an iron tower. Whenever someone passed, it would move its iron-like head, its gaze fixed on the person until it confirmed there was no threat, then it would move its head away again.

    This made the servants passing by feel terrified, afraid that the giant might suddenly strike them down, turning them into meat paste.

    Entering the main building, Su Nan immediately saw Kei and the White Tower Marquis sitting in the hall, seemingly discussing something.

    The White Tower Marquis was over sixty years old, but thanks to being a Great Knight, he looked like he was in his early forties, in his prime.

    He lived up to that description. It was said that last year he had two sons and a daughter, making a great contribution to his family¡¯s growth.

    In fact, this was a common trait among many noble Great Knights.

    They would continue to have as many children as possible while they were still capable, leaving more excellent bloodlines behind for the family and thus strengthening the family.

    Therefore, having a Great Knight in the family was often a sign of the family¡¯s rise.

    Night Owl chuckled, ¡°His name is Traveler. He likes to explore and adventure everywhere. He¡¯s often entangled in unexpected events. It¡¯s common for him not to attend gatherings for several years.¡±

    ¡°The last time he appeared, he said he was exploring the Underworld. He didn¡¯t attend any gatherings for three years after that. Maybe he¡¯s already dead somewhere in the Underworld,¡± Corpse said gloatingly.

    The Underworld?

    Su Nan thought thoughtfully. It seemed that the code name ¡°Traveler¡± wasn¡¯t just randomly chosen.

    After some pleasantries, the gathering transitioned into the trading process.

    With so many participants this time, the entire process lasted for more than half an hour.

    When it was Su Nan¡¯s turn, he stated directly, ¡°I need clues about descendants of ancient beast bloodlines.¡±

    Descendants of ancient beast bloodlines?

    Everyone looked at each other.

    This was a hard thing to find.

    Such beings were either extremely powerful or lived in remote places, making them very difficult to find.

    Su Nan held up a finger, ¡°One valuable clue for thirty magic stones.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out,¡± Rose immediately said.

    The others also agreed.

    It was just a clue, they didn¡¯t have to personally capture them, and they could get thirty magic stones for it, which was a great deal!

    ¡°Also, I want information about the Eternal Life Society,¡± Su Nan continued.

    As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent.

    Night Owl asked solemnly, ¡°Have you encountered someone from the Eternal Life Society?¡±

    Su Nan nodded slightly, ¡°It was a three-ring wizard apprentice who controlled insects. He might have fused with some kind of insect beast bloodline.¡±

    ¡°That guy¡¯s name is Ugo. A wizard apprentice who has fused with insect beast bloodline, a very insidious and despicable fellow,¡± Rose continued.

    ¡°Is the Eternal Life Society a wizard apprentice organization like us?¡±

    ¡°More or less.¡±

    Night Owl nodded.

    ¡°The Eternal Life Society is also established by wizard apprentices with similar ideals.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that their ideals are completely different from ours.¡±

    ¡°The wizard apprentices of the Eternal Life Society are dedicated to the pursuit of eternal life. They believe that with enough lifespan, they can eventually become wizards. Therefore, they will stop at nothing to pursue any method that can extend their lifespan.¡±

    Black Forest snorted, ¡°The Eternal Life Society is a bunch of lunatics. They would do anything for eternal life. For example, the beast transformation disaster that Herb created was just a matter of routine for those in the Eternal Life Society.¡±

    ¡°But those lunatics have always been active in the northwest of the continent. Why would they suddenly go to Starlight...¡±

    Midway through his sentence, Black Forest suddenly realized he had slipped up. He gave an awkward laugh and closed his mouth, no longer speaking.

    The others also remained silent.

    Starlight Duchy was located in the southeast of the continent, separated from the northwest by thousands of kilometers. It wasn¡¯t strange for Black Forest to have this question.

    But the problem was, how did he know that Su Nan had encountered Ugo in Starlight Duchy?

    Su Nan swept his gaze around, taking in the reactions of everyone present. He instantly understood.

    It seemed that the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut already knew his identity.

    Su Nan was actually prepared for this situation.

    The things he had done in Blackstone City and Gold Rock Province were just things that happened in one province of Starlight Duchy. It wasn¡¯t a big deal in the many countries of the southeast of the continent. It wasn¡¯t strange that the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut couldn¡¯t know about it immediately, given their widespread presence across the Starlight Continent.

    But when he had used magic stones to lure them to collect divine blood amber, he had already attracted their attention to Starlight Duchy and the Starfire Sect. Recently, he had done things like wiping out the Starfire Sect and overthrowing the royal family. It was impossible for them not to know now.

    If they still couldn¡¯t guess his identity at this point, then the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut were simply too dull.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t care.

    Now, he had established his influence and possessed many trump cards, including the Golden Apple, Magic Emblem Core, and high-level rune gems. Even if multiple wizard apprentices surrounded him, he was confident in his ability to crush them.

    At this point, he no longer cared much about exposing his identity.

    After all, if he wanted to quickly improve his strength, he inevitably had to do a lot of high-profile things, and exposing his identity was only a matter of time.

    As long as he had enough power, he didn¡¯t need to worry about the consequences of exposing his identity.

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Night Owl coughed lightly, breaking the silence.

    ¡°In any case, those guys from the Eternal Life Society are reckless. It¡¯s not a good thing to be targeted by them.¡±

    ¡°Player, you better be careful.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Su Nan replied calmly.

 Chapter 127

    The end of the Frostfall Moon, the combined forces of the Shining Light Territory and the White Tower Province had finally completed their war preparations.

    However, just as Kei and the White Tower Duke were preparing to launch the final attack, an unexpected visitor suddenly came knocking.

    ¡°Evans?¡±

    In the council hall, Su Nan listened to Kei¡¯s words, stunned for a moment.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Kei and the White Tower Duke exchanged a glance, their expressions a bit strange.

    ¡°When we first received the letter, we also suspected that he might be planning some kind of conspiracy, but the people we sent have already confirmed it. The person there is indeed Evans, the legendary figure of the royal family.¡±

    The White Tower Duke nodded in agreement: ¡°I¡¯ve seen the portraits sent up from below, and it¡¯s definitely Lord Evans. His appearance is exactly the same as it was fifty years ago.¡±

    Su Nan questioned: ¡°That¡¯s strange, what is he doing in our territory? And why did he specifically ask to see me?¡±

    Even a three-ring legendary knight, alone, couldn¡¯t fight against thousands.

    On the combined forces¡¯ territory, Kei could easily dispatch the Magic Puppet Legion and the Blackrock Cavalry to surround Evans. As long as they were willing to pay the price, they could use a sea of people to overwhelm him.

    After all, legendary knights are not wizard apprentices. They are only strong in combat, lacking a variety of extraordinary methods. Once trapped in a siege, they would still die.

    Not to mention, Su Nan was here.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know his intentions, but I¡¯ve already sent the Magic Puppet Legion to surround the tavern where Evans is staying.¡±

    Kei looked at Su Nan with a grave expression.

    ¡°What do you think? Should we go and meet him, or should we just take the opportunity to kill Evans?¡±

    As long as they eliminated Evans, the biggest uncertainty in this war would disappear, and victory would be within their grasp.

    Su Nan thought for a moment and shook his head: ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll go and meet him.¡±

    He had originally planned to meet with Evans to see how he had extended his lifespan.

    Besides, he was also curious about why Evans wanted to see him.

    Seeing that Su Nan had made his decision, Kei and the White Tower Duke didn¡¯t say anything more.

    After all, they were on their own territory. Even if Evans had some kind of scheme, they had nothing to worry about.

    Arriving at the tavern where Evans was staying, it was already surrounded by layers of stone magic puppets and Blackrock cavalry, even steel magic puppets.

    It could be said that Evans was now trapped, unable to escape.

    Su Nan became even more curious about Evans¡¯s intentions. This legendary figure couldn¡¯t be here to commit suicide, could he?

    Pushing open the tavern door, the tavern was empty. Apart from a plain-looking man of about forty sitting at the table in the middle, there was no one else. r¦Á????¦¯b§¦?s?

    His gaze fell on the man, and Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise.

    In his perception, the man¡¯s vitality was vigorous and surging, clearly in his prime, making it hard to imagine that this was a ¡®man¡¯ over one hundred and thirty years old.

    It was clear that Evans was far from the end of his life.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Lord Su Nan. Thank you for accepting my request to meet,¡± Evans stood up and smiled slightly, pointing to the seat opposite him.

    ¡°Would you mind having a drink with me?¡±

    Su Nan nodded and sat down opposite Evans. Two mugs of ale were placed on the table.

    Judging from the color, it was just the most common ale in the tavern.

    Su Nan had no intention of drinking. He went straight to the point: ¡°Lord Evans, what is it that you want?¡±

    Evans didn¡¯t mind, smiling and saying: ¡°I want to make a deal with you.¡±

    ¡°What kind of deal?¡±

    ¡°I know that the royal family is doomed to lose this war, so I¡¯m here to ask you to preserve a bit of the Kessler family¡¯s bloodline. In return, I can provide clues about the Starlight Tower.¡±

    The Starlight Tower?

    Su Nan¡¯s heart jumped, and he was genuinely shocked.

    He never expected that Evans would be here for this, nor that he would have clues about the Starlight Tower.

    Considering Evans¡¯s royal bloodline identity, Su Nan had a faint understanding in his heart.

    ¡°The Starlight Tower is indeed related to the royal family.¡±

    Evans smiled slightly: ¡°You could say that.¡±

    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    ¡°You wizards are all a bunch of troublesome fellows, with endless means and hidden cards.¡±

    ¡°I was already very surprised when Avy could kill a wizard back then.¡±

    ¡°But even Avy died at your hands. I know I¡¯m no match for you. It¡¯s better to make a deal with you than to struggle to the death and drag the entire Kessler family down with me.¡±

    ¡°Wizards believe in the principle of equivalent exchange. In my opinion, the Starlight Tower should still be quite attractive to you.¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow: ¡°You know quite a lot about wizards.¡±

    ¡°Over the years, I¡¯ve traveled and interacted with a few wizards, learning a lot about them from them,¡± Evans shrugged.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Su Nan was immediately interested, ¡°Where did you meet them?¡±

    Evans smiled: ¡°Is that part of the deal as well?¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment and nodded: ¡°Fine, I agree.¡±

    ¡°As long as you hand me the key to the Starlight Tower and tell me about those wizards, I can promise to protect one member of the Kessler family with Kessler blood, no older than five years old.¡±

    Evans was invigorated: ¡°Deal, but we need a sworn oath contract!¡±

    ¡°It seems you really know wizards well.¡±

    Su Nan took a deep look at Evans, but did not refuse.

    Making a sworn oath contract was also beneficial to him. It could guarantee that the information Evans gave him was true, especially about the Starlight Tower.

    As long as it was a living being with a soul, they could make a sworn oath contract.

    It took some time, but the two of them made a sworn oath contract.

    At the moment the contract was concluded, a look of relief appeared on Evans¡¯s face, as if he had been relieved of a burden.

    It seemed that he really disliked such things.

    Come to think of it, if he hadn¡¯t, with Evans, a three-ring legendary knight, as long as he was willing to stand up and support the royal family, the Starry Sky Dukedom wouldn¡¯t have seen so many ambitious people in recent years.

    A powerful top-level combat force is no less than a stabilizing force for a country!

    After that, Evans took out a stone from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of Su Nan.

    ¡°This is the key to enter the Starlight Tower.¡±

    Su Nan picked up the stone and examined it carefully. It was actually a stone carved into the shape of a magic inscription. The material was somewhat like jade, giving off a warm, cool feeling when held in the palm of his hand.

    The surface was engraved with dense and intricate magic runes. Even Su Nan, whose skill in [Magic Item Creation] had already reached level 4, found it dazzling and difficult to understand.

    It could be seen that the person who made this ¡®key¡¯ had far surpassed him in the field of [Magic Item Creation].

    ¡°It¡¯s at least a level six or seven.¡±

    Su Nan thought to himself.

    ¡°The first time I entered the Starlight Tower was forty-eight years ago. The second time was twenty-eight years ago. So the Starlight Tower should appear again in twelve years.¡±

    Su Nan rubbed the inscribed stone, glanced at Evans, and said with a playful expression: ¡°You have more than one key, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Even if there was a promise to his brother, he didn¡¯t believe that Evans would be willing to give up the only means to enter the Starlight Tower.

    If he were a person who valued family ties so much, he wouldn¡¯t have done something so ruthless, sacrificing others for the sake of preserving a little family bloodline.

    Evans chuckled and did not admit, but the answer was clear.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t press further, instead bringing up the previous topic.

    ¡°Tell me about the wizards you¡¯ve met.¡±

    Evans nodded and began to speak slowly:

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve only met three wizards in total.¡±

    ¡°Two of them I met in the Golden Empire and the Thornflower Dukedom. Although they didn¡¯t say it explicitly, I could tell they had aristocratic manners, and it¡¯s highly likely that they were from the royal family or a great noble house.¡±

    ¡°The third wizard I met in the underground world.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been to the underground world?¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise.

    ¡°It was a coincidence,¡± Evans recalled, ¡°I once followed a very rare beast on a journey, and I got lost in the mountains. I accidentally entered the underground world and was attacked by a terrifying monster. Luckily, that wizard saved me.¡±

    ¡°He said his name was ¡®Traveler.''¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 128

    Traveler!

    Su Nan was slightly taken aback, not expecting to hear the Traveler¡¯s name here.

    ¡°When did you meet that Wizard?¡± Su Nan asked nonchalantly.

    Evans hadn¡¯t considered that the person in front of him belonged to the same Wizard organization as the Traveler. After thinking for a while, he said, ¡°About three years ago.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s heart stirred.

    This time period coincided with the Traveler¡¯s cessation of attending gatherings.

    Could it be true, as the Undead had said, that the Traveler had died somewhere in the underworld?

    ¡°What happened after that?¡± Su Nan asked.

    Evans shook his head, ¡°I only spent two days with the Traveler before leaving the underworld. As for the Traveler, before leaving, I heard him say that he planned to continue venturing deeper into the underworld. I don¡¯t know anything after that.¡±

    Su Nan felt slightly disappointed.

    If he knew the Traveler¡¯s whereabouts, he would have liked to meet this Wizard Apprentice who loved exploring and adventuring. He might be able to get a lot of valuable information from him.

    After chatting for a while and asking about the three Wizards, the two ended their conversation.

    ¡°The royal family will announce their surrender in a few days.¡±

    Before leaving, Evans left this sentence behind.

    Outside the tavern, in a nearby building, Kei and the White Tower Marquis were waiting for news.

    Seeing Evans stroll out of the tavern, the two looked at each other with uncertainty.

    When Su Nan returned, Kei immediately asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Su Nan briefly recounted the events, but didn¡¯t mention the Starlight Tower. He only said that Evans had traded with him using something very precious.

    Upon hearing this, Kei and the White Tower Marquis looked at each other in astonishment.

    They never imagined that Evans would come alone, only to surrender.

    This was completely beyond their expectations!

    But after recovering, both felt a sense of joy.@@@@

    While they were confident in winning the war, it would be undoubtedly better to take over the Red Leaf Province without bloodshed.

    As for leaving the Kessler family with some bloodline, it didn¡¯t matter much.

    At best, it was just a collateral descendant, insignificant.

    ¡°Now we just have to wait for the news from the Red Leaf Province.¡±

    Su Nan looked towards the direction of Starlight City, feeling a slight sense of relief.

    After this war, he could focus his attention back on the underworld.

    He had many things waiting for him to do.

    Collecting materials for refining puppet creatures, searching for descendants of ancient exotic beasts, and dealing with the crisis in Kasham.

    He wouldn¡¯t be idle upon returning either.

    Starlight Calendar 1254, Month of Slumber (December).

    The Great Duke of Starlight committed suicide by poisoning. From the Great Duke downwards, all members of the royal family declared their surrender.

    The army of Shining Light then entered Starlight City and took over the military and political power.

    Thus, this war that had attracted the attention of countless people finally came to an end.

    Shining Light successfully overthrew the royal family of the Duke and conquered the entire territory of the Starlight Duchy.

    A new Great Duke of Starlight was born.

    Golden Sky Empire, Holy Flame City.

    Deep inside the imperial palace, in the study.

    The master of the Empire, the Golden Sky Emperor, was sitting behind the desk, diligently reading the secret report in his hand.

    The Scepter sat opposite him, sipping fragrant tea, his expression slightly dazed, as if thinking about something, with a distracted mind.

    After a long time, the Golden Sky Emperor put down the secret report, a sneer flashing across his majestic face.

    ¡°Evans Kessler was quite decisive, didn¡¯t do anything, and directly surrendered to the rebels. For this, he didn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice almost all the royal family members. He did a pretty good job as the protector of the royal family.¡± ?aN¦ÏbE?S??

    His voice was filled with a strong sense of sarcasm.

    The Scepter said leisurely, ¡°I think he did the right thing.¡±

    ¡°If Evans had really gone mad and fought Su Nan to the death, he wouldn¡¯t have any other outcome but death. The Starlight royal family would have been completely wiped out, leaving no one behind.¡±

    ¡°Now, he at least preserved some bloodline for the Kessler family. It¡¯s the best outcome.¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor frowned, his expression solemn as he asked, ¡°Is Su Nan really that powerful?¡±

    ¡°Very powerful!¡±

    The Scepter replied without hesitation, as if to emphasize the credibility of his words, he added a sentence.

    A twelve or thirteen-year-old boy ran over panting, waving the war report in his hand excitedly.

    Hearing this, the crowd around him immediately surrounded him with a whoop.

    ¡°Really? Wasn¡¯t the army heavily concentrated on the border of the Red Leaf Province a few days ago?¡±

    ¡°Your information is outdated. I heard that the Starlight royal family surrendered voluntarily.¡±

    ¡°That explains why it ended so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Haha, now the Marquis is the new Great Duke of Starlight!¡±

    ¡°Seniors are here!¡±

    With a whoosh, the crowd parted, and Xie Man, Cole, and Atyr walked in.

    ¡°We heard your shouts from far away. Did the front lines send new war reports?¡± Atyr asked with a smile.

    An apprentice immediately flattered them by handing over the war report.

    Xie Man, Cole, and Atyr took it, their faces all showing joy.

    ¡°As expected, with Teacher here, Shining Light will definitely win!¡±

    Cole had a look of ¡°I told you so¡± on his face, but then he felt a little melancholy.

    He had been thinking about joining the war after becoming a Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice. Unexpectedly, the war ended so quickly.

    Having a Teacher who was too strong sometimes was also a bit frustrating.

    ¡°The war is over, Teacher should be back soon.¡±

    Atyr said with a smile. As soon as she finished speaking, she felt her shoulder sink, and Amy appeared on her shoulder.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan is coming back? Great!¡±

    Amy said happily.

    Su Nan and Infiltrator Dragon had both gone to the front lines, leaving only her in the underworld. Although exploring everywhere in the underworld was quite fun, after a while, she couldn¡¯t help but miss Su Nan and Infiltrator Dragon.

    ¡°I found a lot of treasures lately meow. I¡¯ll give them to Su Nan when he comes back.¡±

    ¡°Teacher will definitely love the gifts from Amy.¡± Atyr said with a smile, stroking Amy¡¯s head.

    The little cat squinted happily.

    ¡°Amy, has there been any unusual activity from the Man-Faced Lion in Ghost Lake City lately?¡± Cole suddenly asked.

    Su Nan had set down rules that no apprentice could enter Ghost Lake City without his permission.

    Among all the apprentices present, only Xie Man, Cole, and Atyr had been allowed by Su Nan to enter Ghost Lake City to deal with some miscellaneous tasks.

    Therefore, the three of them had met Carolena.

    Thinking back to the first time they entered the underworld, Xie Man still felt a sense of wonder.

    It was the first time he had seen such a strange and magnificent world.

    Before that, he had never imagined that such a vast world existed beneath the surface of the earth.

    ¡°No meow.¡± Amy tilted her head, recalling, ¡°Carolena has been quite obedient lately. She even occasionally helped me drive away some monsters guarding the treasures.¡±

    Xie Man came back to his senses and said with a smile, ¡°Carolena is bound by Teacher¡¯s soul contract, so don¡¯t worry about her doing anything irrational.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure.¡± Cole snorted, ¡°Man-Faced Lions are evil and cunning creatures. Teacher isn¡¯t in Ghost Lake City. She might do some sneaky things.¡±

    Atyr smiled and stroked Amy¡¯s head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With Amy here, nothing will happen.¡±

    Amy immediately puffed up her chest and patted her chest with her paws, proudly saying, ¡°That¡¯s right meow. With me here, you can all rest assured. I¡¯ll go back and keep an eye on Carolena!¡±

    ¡°Amy is amazing!¡± Atyr praised.

    Xie Man and Cole looked at each other, twitching their mouths in unison.

    It felt like Amy had been completely controlled by Atyr.

    ¡°Alright, everyone disperse. Go about your own business.¡±

    Atyr turned to the apprentices and said.

    ¡°Teacher has been gone for such a long time. When he comes back, he might test our learning progress. Everyone should work hard recently and don¡¯t make any mistakes, or you¡¯ll be scolded by Teacher.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior.¡±

    Everyone followed her instructions and dispersed.

    ¡°You still have a way with people. You¡¯re becoming more and more respected as a senior.¡± Xie Man said with a smile.

    Atyr rolled her eyes at him and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s because you and Cole are obsessed with studying and cultivating. I don¡¯t have your talent or your dedication. I have more time to interact with the juniors, so they listen to me more.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you two are going to take missions, right? Go ahead then.¡±

    Seeing that Atyr didn¡¯t want to talk about this, Xie Man and Cole wisely remained silent and walked towards the bulletin board.

    Not far away, Miss Gilly leaned back on her lounge chair, observing the scene, a knowing smile appearing on her small face.

    ¡°Humans are so interesting.¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 129

    ÓÄºþ City.

    Returning to this island-heart city once again, Su Nan was surprised to find that the number of slaves in the lower city seemed to have increased significantly.

    As he passed through the lower city, he saw five groups of dog-headed men and lizardfolk carrying pickaxes, led by a man-faced lion, heading towards the city gates.

    Su Nan pondered.

    Not long after returning to the study of Base 2, Carolina hurried in.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re back.¡±

    Carolina bowed respectfully.

    Su Nan waved his hand casually and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with all those slaves outside?¡±

    Carolina quickly replied, ¡°I was just about to report to the master.¡±

    ¡°Kashamu¡¯s bugs have been frequently attacking and hunting nearby tribes, leaving them with no way to survive, so they migrated here. I figured we still had three mines to develop, so I caught those guys and put them to work in the mines.¡±

    Carolina spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.

    In the underground world, it was completely normal for the strong to capture the weak and use them as slaves.

    In the past, they had to consider food issues, but now with Shining Light City supplying food from the surface, they had no worries. As a result, Carolina became even less hesitant about capturing slaves.

    Su Nan nodded. It seemed like they needed to have Base 1 produce more Clay Golems to get the remaining three mines up and running.

    ¡°So, the bug plague is coming soon?¡±

    ¡°It should be about time,¡± Carolina said with a solemn expression. ¡°Based on past situations, it won¡¯t be more than half a year at the latest.¡±

    Pausing, she hesitated before saying, ¡°Master, should we contact Matu and Orson? Is it too much to handle the bug plague on our own?¡±

    ¡°No rush. Let¡¯s see what Matu and Orson do first.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand nonchalantly and shifted to other matters.

    ¡°How much mithril is in the treasury now?¡±

    ¡°A little over three kilograms,¡± Carolina answered without hesitation.

    As a deputy, she was very competent. She knew what Su Nan cared most about, and she had memorized all the relevant information.

    ¡°Three kilograms...¡±

    Su Nan frowned slightly.

    Crafting a single puppet required at least sixteen kilograms of mithril.

    Even with the accumulated mithril from Base 1 in recent months, they only had about a third, a significant gap.

    ¡°Are there any other silver veins nearby?¡±

    Carolina thought for a moment and said, ¡°Within a hundred kilometers ofÓÄºþ City, there are only two silver veins known to be explored. One is the one we¡¯re currently exploiting, and the other is in Matu¡¯s hands.¡± r§¡No??B¦¥s??

    Matu, huh.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed slightly.

    ¡°Continue collecting mithril.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by the way, where¡¯s Amy?¡±

    Carolina was stunned for a moment, giving Su Nan a strange look.

    Perhaps it was her imagination, but Carolina felt like Amy had been secretly observing her lately.

    Although Amy¡¯s spatial teleportation ability was unpredictable, as a Man-Faced Lion noble skilled in illusions, Carolina could still sense Amy¡¯s presence.

    If it were anyone else, she might have thought the other party was spying on her.

    But Amy, a simple and honest Magical Companion, shouldn¡¯t have such thoughts.

    Who was instigating Amy to do this?

    It couldn¡¯t be the Master, there was no need for the Master to do so.

    Was it the apprentices in the base?

    It seemed like they were the only ones who could persuade Amy.

    Her thoughts drifted in her mind, but Carolina didn¡¯t show any emotion on her face. She gently said, ¡°Amy was here a while ago.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Amy suddenly appeared, landing on Su Nan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan, you¡¯re back! How come you were gone for so long, I missed you!¡±

    ¡°There were a few things to take care of, so it took a while.¡± Su Nan smiled and stroked Amy¡¯s head, causing the latter to close its eyes in contentment. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing left to do on the surface now, I¡¯ll be here for a while.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great, meow!¡±

    Amy cheered, then as if remembering something, vanished in a flash. A few seconds later, it reappeared, carrying a cloth bag in its mouth.

    ¡°Meow, this is a gift. Treasures I¡¯ve collected recently.¡± Amy said in a muffled voice.

    Su Nan opened his panel and took a look.

    Due to constantly crafting large quantities of golems, his [Puppetry Refining] progress bar was now close to two-thirds full, only needing three thousand more proficiency points to reach Level 5.

    Skill requirements weren¡¯t a problem, they would soon be met.

    The real issue was materials.

    The primary material for Mithril Golems was magic mithril, a product created by enchanting mithril.

    One Mithril Golem required about fourteen to fifteen tons of magic mithril.

    Adding other materials like various gems, rare materials, silver, and gold, the total cost was estimated at around fifty thousand gold coins.

    ¡°Just in time, I recently got a lot of loot from the Starfire Sect, enough to craft a Mithril Golem.¡±

    Su Nan estimated that if he crafted fourteen or fifteen tons of magic mithril himself, it would take at least one or two years.

    But if he put it out as a task and assigned it to the apprentices at Base 1, it should be completed within two to three months.

    Crafting magic mithril wasn¡¯t particularly difficult, it was about the same as making magic weapons. There were already quite a few apprentices in the base who could independently complete this task.

    Secretly noting this, Su Nan decided to start working on it when he returned to Base 1. He then began crafting double-edged spiders.

    It took him half a month to refine all the tungsten steel from both bases into double-edged spiders. Finally, he synthesized four elite double-edged spiders.

    Including the one he already had, Su Nan now had five second-ring legendary puppets at his disposal.

    But he didn¡¯t stop there, he began experimenting further.

    ¡°Double-edged spiders are flexible, but they also have obvious weaknesses, like not being able to fly.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re fine against legendary knights, but against wizard apprentices who have mastered levitation or possess flying magic items, they become passive targets.¡±

    To eliminate this weakness, Su Nan eventually came up with a solution: permanently casting [Levitation] on the double-edged spiders.

    He got this idea from the puppet blueprints.

    According to this idea, any puppet could have spells permanently cast on it, thus gaining the ability to cast spells.

    But puppets could do this because they were mainly composed of gems and mithril.

    Su Nan, of course, wouldn¡¯t waste mithril at this time.

    So he settled for a second-best solution, using the method of crafting magic items to give the double-edged spiders casting abilities.

    This was equivalent to adding a magic item that stored magic to the double-edged spider.

    However, since the double-edged spider had no spiritual power, they needed to use another form of energy to replace spiritual power to activate the magic item and achieve the casting effect.

    Su Nan ultimately chose magic stones.

    The final product was an elite double-edged spider that gained the ability to fly after using levitation, at the cost of consuming one lower-grade magic stone per hour.

    For other wizard apprentices, this was undoubtedly a staggering consumption.

    It was clearly extravagant and illogical to spend a large amount of precious magic stones just to give puppets the ability to fly.

    But Su Nan had nothing but an abundance of magic stones, he could produce them in large quantities at low cost.

    Magic stones were a valuable resource for other wizard apprentices, but to him, they were just a cheap source of energy.

    What was actually more expensive was the cost of permanently casting second-ring spells.

    Just permanently casting [Levitation] increased the cost by nearly three hundred gold coins.

    Considering that they might soon have to deal with Kashamu¡¯s bug swarm, Su Nan added a wide-range damage spell, [Shattering Sound Wave], a spell to increase agility, [Lightness], a spell to strengthen the body, [Resilience], and a spell to enhance strength, [Brute Strength] to the elite double-edged spiders.

    Ultimately, the cost of a single elite double-edged spider exceeded twenty-three thousand gold coins.

    The total cost of five was over one hundred and eleven thousand gold coins.

    And this didn¡¯t include the consumption of magic stones during combat.

    ¡°The strength of a third-rank wizard apprentice ranges from first-ring to fourth-ring spells.¡±

    ¡°The combat power of an elite double-edged spider is roughly equivalent to a mid-level third-rank wizard apprentice.¡±

    ¡°One hundred and eleven thousand gold coins in exchange for five third-rank wizard apprentice-level combat powers is also a good deal.¡±

    Su Nan nodded silently.

    He planned to synthesize a few more second-ring legendary High-Level Stone Golems as a precaution.

    In addition, he needed to create a batch of Extreme Protection Rings and Calamity Rings for self-defense.

    Since he had already crafted magic puppets that cost twenty thousand gold coins each, there was no reason to be stingy with a few micro-light level magic items.

    Just that, the mining income ofÓÄºþ City for the next few months would have to be poured into this bottomless pit.

    It was fortunate that they recently developed three new mines, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be able to afford his lavish spending.

    ¡°Strength is built with money.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

 Chapter 130: Life is Short, Time is Precious

    Chapter 130: Life is Short, Time is Precious

    Starlight Calendar 1255, Winter Music Month (January).

    The grand celebration of the new year kicked off, its scale exceeding all previous years. The reason for this unprecedented grandeur was well known: the celebration of the new Grand Duke¡¯s enthronement.

    To the surprise of the general public, the new Grand Duke ultimately decided to establish his capital in Shining Light City instead of Starlight City. He even went so far as to expend immense resources to construct a new palace.

    Only those of a certain standing were privy to the reasons behind the Grand Duke¡¯s decision. The reason was simply that the base of ¡°that one¡± was located near Shining Light City.

    From any perspective, the new Grand Duke¡¯s residence could not be too far from ¡°that one¡¯s¡± base. This was a matter of common sense.

    In fact, from the moment the proposal to relocate the capital was raised to the start of the palace¡¯s construction, not a single noble dared to voice any objections. Everyone unhesitatingly supported the proposal.

    Winter Music Month passed in a whirlwind of festivities and activity, giving way to Rejuvenation Month (February).

    Small snowflakes still drifted through the air. Normally, the snow would begin to melt by this time of year, but the weather remained frigid. However, Su Nan, residing in the Deep Lake City, didn¡¯t feel this cold.

    The temperature fluctuations in the underground world were far less pronounced than on the surface. The environment was perpetually damp and chilly.

    After more than half a month, Su Nan finally finished crafting his first higher-grade stone golem. The higher-grade stone golem was composed of a total of four hundred and sixty stone golems.

    Like the elite double-bladed spider, Su Nan permanently inscribed the spells ¡°Levitation,¡± ¡°Agility,¡± ¡°Brute Force,¡± and ¡°Resilience¡± onto the higher-grade stone golem, a total of four second-ring spells.

    Moreover, Su Nan used the enchanted weapon technology to imbue the stone golem¡¯s body with the ¡°Black Steel¡± attribute. He then enchanted both fists with ¡°Weak Thunder Element Damage¡± and ¡°Weak Ice Element Damage¡± to primarily slow down the enemy¡¯s movement (paralysis and freezing).

    The stone golem¡¯s massive size, combined with Su Nan¡¯s current enhanced ¡°Magical Item Crafting¡± skill, allowed him to simultaneously add three attributes.

    Ultimately, the cost of a single higher-grade stone golem amounted to over 22,000 gold coins! This was only about 1,000 gold coins less than the elite double-bladed spider.

    Even with the Deep Lake City¡¯s current control over seven mine veins, the monthly profit income could only be used to manufacture one higher-grade stone golem or one elite double-bladed spider.

    ¡°It¡¯s expensive, but it¡¯s worth the price.¡±

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that Su Nan had tried to use elite double-bladed spiders to synthesize a three-ring, legendary-level higher double-bladed spider.

    However, after investing five elite double-bladed spiders into the Magic Cube, he still couldn¡¯t synthesize the higher double-bladed spider.

    This meant that the cost of a single three-ring, legendary-level higher double-bladed spider would exceed 100,000 gold coins, far exceeding the Mithril golem.

    Under these circumstances, crafting a Mithril golem would undoubtedly be more cost-effective for obtaining a three-ring, legendary-level puppet.

    ¡°With a design blueprint, crafting higher-level puppets will be more economical.¡±

    ¡°Unless a blueprint or key materials are unavailable, we can only obtain higher-level puppets through synthesis.¡±

    This has already been proven in the past.

    For example, the Iron Golem¡¯s crafting cost is only 1,500 gold coins. In contrast, synthesizing an elite stone golem costs over 7,000 gold coins.

    Both are one-ring legendary puppets, even if the Iron Golem is slightly stronger than the Elite Stone Golem. This difference in strength is far from justifying the drastic cost disparity. RA????¦Ï????E?s

    The reason lies in the scarcity of miniature soul crystals, hindering the mass production of Iron Golems. @@@@

    To obtain a sufficient number of one-ring legendary forces, Su Nan could only achieve his goals by consuming more resources.

    This also applies to potions and magical items.

    For example, a third-grade transcendent potion consumes resources that could be used to make four to five third-grade potions if converted into equivalent materials.

    However, the current Starlight Continent simply lacks the corresponding materials, forcing the production of third-grade potions through synthesis.

    ¡°For three-ring legendary puppets, it¡¯s best to craft Mithril Golems.¡±

    Su Nan had made up his mind.

    Unfortunately, the Mithril Golem he encountered last time was destroyed too badly by the magic emblem core, and its decomposition yielded only a small amount of magical mithril, far from enough to craft a new one.

    He had to post a task and let the apprentices at the base craft magical mithril.

    Regarding cultivation, Su Nan now mastered all the second-ring spells in his possession, exceeding twenty in number.

    Before acquiring new second-ring spells, he returned to a state where he had no spells to cultivate.

    In terms of super magic techniques, the progress in spell casting was quite rapid. The training was already halfway completed.

    Su Nan estimated that he would master spell casting within a year or so.

    Unfortunately, training super magic techniques required casting spells and consuming spiritual power. When his spiritual power ran out, he had to meditate to recover, significantly hindering his cultivation speed.

    Otherwise, he could have increased his training time or cultivated multiple super magic techniques simultaneously.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s no potion to restore spiritual power.¡±

    Time flew by, and it was already mid-Rejuvenation Month.

    Su Nan took the opportunity to conduct an assessment in Base 1, evaluating the progress of all apprentices.

    After four years of development, the number of students at the base had increased to forty-two.

    Furthermore, the new round of aptitude testing had already been conducted throughout the entire Starlight Duchy.

    This round of testing was unprecedented in its scale, encompassing six grand duchies except for the Golden Rock Province.

    It was estimated that the number of eligible participants in the test would exceed 100,000.

    It was only after Sheman entered the base and sent back a significant amount of gold coins every month that Old Roger was able to retire from work and focus on his health at home.

    Later, Sheman even exchanged a bottle of lower-grade dragon blood potion, diluted it, and gave it to Old Roger to take regularly, slightly strengthening his body.

    Otherwise, with all of Old Roger¡¯s ailments, he probably wouldn¡¯t have lived to be sixty years old.

    Even so, Old Roger couldn¡¯t withstand the winter of his sixty-fifth year.

    Fortunately, he passed away peacefully.

    He fell asleep one night and never woke up the next day.

    It wasn¡¯t until the servants noticed something amiss, went into his room to check, and discovered that Old Roger had passed away that they hurriedly went to inform Sheman.

    Knowing that Old Roger disliked extravagance, Sheman didn¡¯t make a big fuss. He simply held a small funeral and then buried Old Roger.

    Standing before Old Roger¡¯s tombstone, Sheman was lost in thought, silent and motionless.

    In the past, he would have already been sobbing uncontrollably at this moment.

    But after spending five years in the base, he was no longer the crybaby who would burst into tears at the slightest mishap.

    But just because he didn¡¯t cry didn¡¯t mean the sorrow welling up in his chest had diminished.

    ¡°Sheman...¡±

    Athel, standing behind him, hesitated, her eyes gazing sorrowfully at Sheman.

    She had never seen Sheman like this.

    Sheman usually had a smile on his face, even when encountering difficulties. He would just sarcastically chuckle a few times and then redouble his efforts, never exhibiting the profound melancholy that enveloped him now.

    ¡°Offer your condolences.¡± Corey, appearing out of nowhere, stood behind Sheman.

    Sheman let out a long sigh, turning to face the two, his expression calm and unreadable, revealing no hint of his emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    He glanced at the somewhat gloomy sky, his voice low and subdued.

    ¡°I just suddenly realized that human lifespans are very short. Decades of time pass in the blink of an eye.¡±

    ¡°Will we eventually die too, lying quietly in our tombs like Old Roger?¡±

    ¡°All people die, right?¡± Athel questioned.

    ¡°What about the teacher?¡±

    Athel¡¯s expression faltered. She couldn¡¯t speak.

    In their eyes, Su Nan was the most formidable individual in the world.

    Powerful, knowledgeable, possessing immense influence and countless resources.

    If it were the teacher, perhaps he could truly live forever.

    Corey said calmly, ¡°People will eventually die, but powerful wizards won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the teacher say that official wizards have lifespans of thousands of years, and True Spirit Wizards can even live for tens of thousands of years without dying? That¡¯s basically no different from immortality.¡±

    Athel chuckled bitterly, ¡°Do you think we can become official wizards?¡±

    ¡°Just set your sights on the goal and strive towards it. Why worry so much?¡±

    Corey¡¯s gaze was fixed firmly ahead.

    ¡°No matter how long it takes, I must become an official wizard!¡±

    Corey walked to Sheman¡¯s side, his voice calm. ¡°It¡¯s understandable to grieve for the deceased, but you need to recover quickly. If you want to continue down the path of a wizard, these kinds of things will only happen more and more often. You need to learn to get used to it.¡±

    Sheman looked at Corey with surprise, ¡°Are you trying to comfort me?¡±

    ¡°You can think of it that way if you like.¡±

    ¡°I thought you always hated me.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like you. It¡¯s still the same now. But I respect your hard work and strength. Having you as a competitor is more beneficial for me to motivate myself. I don¡¯t want you to become so downcast.¡±

    After saying this, Corey gave Sheman a deep look and turned to leave.

    It wasn¡¯t until Corey¡¯s figure disappeared from sight that Athel reacted. She said with amazement, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Corey like this. So he can actually say comforting words.¡±

    Sheman chuckled, his gaze complex as he looked in the direction where Corey had left.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Although that guy has a bit of a stubborn personality, his nature isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    ¡°Before, I always thought we didn¡¯t need to rush to improve our strength. We could just learn steadily and step by step. But now I think what Corey said makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Life is short. Even a third-rank sorcerer apprentice only has a lifespan of a couple of hundred years. In such a short amount of time, if you want to become an official wizard, you really have to fight tooth and nail to make the most of every second.¡±

    Sheman sighed.

    At that moment, he felt a sense of urgency like never before.

    He wanted to become stronger, and he wanted to become stronger quickly!

 Chapter 131

    ¡°Master, Matu and Orson sent messengers with letters.¡±

    Just as Su Nan stepped out of the Mind Chamber, he saw Karolina approaching hastily, a letter in hand.

    Su Nan raised his eyebrows in surprise and took the letter, opening it.

    The Red Widow and Black Duke had been silent for so long that he thought the two city-states had abandoned the plans for Shadow Lake City and were joining forces against Kasham. However, it seemed they had a new development.

    The content of the letter was simple. It was an invitation to meet.

    The three city lords, without any soldiers, would head to the Black Valley alone three days later to discuss matters related to Kasham.

    ¡°Master, what did the Red Widow and Black Duke say?¡± Karolina asked cautiously.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t say anything and directly handed the letter to her.

    After Karolina finished reading, Su Nan asked, ¡°Where is the Black Valley?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s roughly at the center where the territories of Matu, Orson, and Shadow Lake City intersect. It¡¯s a black valley.¡±

    Karolina knew what Su Nan wanted to know and explained in detail:

    ¡°The Black Valley is a very special place. If you use elements and magic there, you will be subjected to intense backlash. The stronger you are, the heavier the backlash. So, when Yusura, the Red Widow, and the Black Duke met in the past, they would choose this place. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about ambushes.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression moved slightly.

    It sounded like a magic suppression zone.

    However, a magic suppression zone would prevent casting spells and using energy particles.

    The Black Valley, on the other hand, allowed the use of energy particles but with a backlash.

    There was a similarity.

    No wonder the Red Widow and Black Duke had chosen this as their meeting place.

    There, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Su Nan attacking them.

    Similarly, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t have to worry about their tricks.

    ¡°Master, are you going?¡± Karolina asked.

    Although Su Nan didn¡¯t say it directly, Karolina felt that he wasn¡¯t particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with Matu and Orson.

    Originally, Karolina had some reservations about this and was preparing to find an opportunity to persuade her master.

    However, a few days ago, she saw several elite dual-blade spiders and high-level stone golems at the puppet factory, which made her dismiss the idea.

    Cooperate?

    With the golem army, it didn¡¯t matter if Matu and Orson existed or not. Shadow Lake City could handle the insect plague alone.

    Now, it was Matu and Orson who should be worried about how to deal with the insect plague!

    ¡°It¡¯s good to go and see what their plans are.¡±

    Su Nan smiled meaningfully.

    While he didn¡¯t intend to cooperate, he could take this opportunity to probe the bottom line of Matu and Orson.

    After all, after dealing with Kasham, it would be the turn of these two city-states.

    Knowing your enemy and yourself, you will win a hundred battles. Gathering intelligence beforehand was never a mistake.

    ¡°Tell them I agree.¡±

    After Karolina left, Su Nan walked towards his study.

    On the table, there were stacks of scrolls. Su Nan sat down and casually picked up one, unfolding it to carefully read.@@@@

    The content was about the secrets of wizards.

    This was the secret intelligence on wizards that the previous Starlight Royal Family had collected. Kei, upon discovering it, had sent it to him immediately. ra?o?§£¦¥S?

    Perhaps because their ancestors were wizards, the previous Starlight Royal Family paid special attention to wizards and invested a lot of manpower and resources every year to collect intelligence on wizards in the southeast region of Starlight Continent. This information was then compiled and organized.

    Over the years, it had produced some good results.

    According to the information, there were a total of 184 wizards whose whereabouts were known.

    Of these, 31 were first-rank wizard apprentices, 148 were second-rank wizard apprentices, and 5 were third-rank wizard apprentices.

    Looking at the numbers alone, the number of second-rank wizard apprentices was disproportionately large compared to the other two ranks.

    But if you think about it, it made sense. First-rank wizard apprentices were still weak and would definitely act low-key, so they were hard to find.

    Third-rank wizard apprentices were simply fewer in number.

    Second-rank wizard apprentices, on the other hand, had already gained a certain level of strength and began using their powers to acquire resources and benefits for themselves. They were naturally the most active group.

    The same applied to the Mysterious Wooden Hut. Apart from Su Nan, Scepter, and Rose, who were known, the others were not on this list.

    After all, the Starlight Duchy¡¯s intelligence collection was mainly confined to the southeast region. It was difficult for their influence to spread to other areas, and naturally, it was difficult to collect intelligence on wizards in those places.

    After spending more than half an hour carefully reading the entire intelligence, Su Nan had a general understanding of the current situation of wizards in the southeast region of Starlight Continent.

    It has to be said that compared to the billions of people in dozens of countries in the southeast region of the continent, the number of wizard apprentices was pitifully small.

    The ratio was less than one in ten thousand.

    To be honest, perhaps all the wizard apprentices in the southeast region combined didn¡¯t even exceed the number of wizard apprentices in his base.

    Although his base had only first-rank wizard apprentices.

    But it was understandable, after all, the current situation on Starlight Continent meant that it was difficult for many wizard apprentices to be born.

    Currently, there were mainly two origins for wizard apprentices on the continent.

    The first was a lucky person with wizard aptitude who happened to come across a book of enlightenment, which stimulated their spiritual power, allowing them to embark on the path of a wizard. They gradually built up their strength and collected resources. If they were lucky and talented enough to be promoted to a second-rank wizard apprentice, they could find a noble force to rely on and become visible in the world.

    The number of wizard apprentices born through this route was very small.

    The second was a son of a noble or royal family.

    Some royal families and big nobles who knew the secrets of wizards or whose ancestors had produced wizard apprentices would use enlightenment books to test the aptitude of their family members.

    Once a member was found to have wizard aptitude, they would spare no effort in nurturing them.

    This type of wizard apprentice was relatively numerous, and because of their backing, they were often easier to be promoted to third-rank wizard apprentices.

    For example, Scepter and Rose belonged to this category.

    Of course, there was also a third category, which was wizard apprentices nurturing students themselves.

    However, this was very rare.

    After all, wizard apprentices themselves didn¡¯t have enough resources. They seldom had extra resources to train students.

    As for Su Nan, who was pouring a huge amount of resources to train dozens of students at the same time, it was unprecedented.

    Other people were training guardians for their country or family, or students to inherit their mantle. Su Nan was training his own forces.

    When this group of students gradually matured, his base would become the most powerful wizard force in Starlight Continent.

    ¡°Based on this intelligence, there shouldn¡¯t be any formal wizards left on Starlight Continent.¡±

    ¡°At least not in the southeast region.¡±

    If there were formal wizards still alive in the southeast region of Starlight Continent, the Starlight Royal Family wouldn¡¯t have failed to find any clues over these years.

    As for other regions of Starlight Continent, they had to continue investigating to find out.

    ¡°Next time we meet, I have to ask Big Brother to pay attention to collecting this information.¡±

    Putting down the intelligence, Su Nan flipped his wrist, and a talisman stone appeared in his palm.

    It was the key to finding and entering the Starlight Tower, given to him by Evans.

    ¡°The next appearance time is in twelve years.¡±

    Su Nan looked at the talisman stone, a thoughtful expression on his face.

    According to Evans, entering the Starlight Tower would require a trial.

    Considering that anyone with wizard aptitude had the qualification to enter the Starlight Tower, and it was possible that those who entered were not even first-rank wizard apprentices, the trial they faced should not be too difficult.

    But there were other possibilities.

    For example, different levels of wizard apprentices entering the Starlight Tower might face different trials, with varying levels of difficulty.

    As to which one it was, they would have to wait and see until they actually entered the Starlight Tower.

    Su Nan estimated that twelve years should be enough for him to build eighteen star rings and raise his spiritual power to over 60 points.

    All that was left was to build the talent crystal.

    This was the most difficult hurdle in becoming a formal wizard.

    Many third-rank wizard apprentices were stuck at this hurdle, wasting decades until their lifespan ran out, without being able to take the final step.

    ¡°With the current situation on Starlight Continent, even with the Magic Cube in my hand, it would take at least forty to fifty years for me to build the talent crystal.¡±

    ¡°But if I can find resources that help with the promotion in the Starlight Tower, perhaps I can skip this hurdle ahead of time.¡±

    Su Nan had a faint intuition that perhaps the opportunity for him to become a formal wizard lay within the Starlight Tower.

 Chapter 132

    Three days passed in a blink of an eye.

    Su Nan went to the Black Valley as promised.

    The straight-line distance between the Black Valley and the Silent Lake City was only twenty kilometers.

    However, in the intricate underground world, the straight-line distance had little significance.

    It was common for the actual distance between two points to be several times longer than the straight-line distance.

    Su Nan cast the Flight spell and flew around for nearly an hour before reaching his destination.

    He was greeted by a vast, sunken valley. The ground was pitch black, resembling a black hole that swallowed everything under the faint glow of fluorite from above.

    The moment he stepped in, Su Nan instantly felt a change in the surrounding environment.

    An invisible pressure enveloped his entire body, making the energy particles and spiritual power in his body seem trapped in a quagmire, making them difficult to mobilize.@@@@

    Of course, he could break through this pressure if he insisted, but his intuition told him that doing so would lead to a dangerous situation.

    ¡°Just like Carolina said, this place is indeed not suitable for combat.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    Even if his puppets were in this environment, they would likely have their soul cores destroyed instantly if they were to engage in a fierce battle.

    Indeed, there was no need to worry about ambushes in the Black Valley.

    ¡°The Wizard is punctual.¡±

    As he was pondering, a hoarse and low voice suddenly came from the left, sounding like two bones rubbing against each other.

    Su Nan turned his head and saw a tall, thin figure emerging from the darkness.

    It was a humanoid skeleton, its entire body a frosty blue, as if encased in a thick layer of ice.

    Its flesh was made of ice, and through the translucent layer, one could faintly see the bones within. Its entire body was covered in ice except for a skull head, with empty eye sockets flickering with black soul flames, and a dark flame circling its head like a corona.

    Jagged, massive ice shards were embedded in its ten fingers, looking like two pairs of giant, sharp claws.

    Even from dozens of meters away, Su Nan could feel a wave of icy coldness rushing towards him.

    The Black Duke, ruler of Orsen, was also a Frost Lich.

    Frost Liche were noblemen among the Lich race and often the leaders of their respective groups.

    An ordinary Frost Lich possessed a first-ring legendary power.

    Those who lived for more than two hundred years could reach the second-ring legendary level.

    According to Carolina, the Black Duke had lived for more than three hundred years, and his power was likely approaching the third-ring legendary level. r?A?NO???E??

    ¡°The Wizard is younger and more handsome than I imagined.¡±

    A melodious and charming voice came from the right.

    A woman emerged from the darkness, her body swaying gracefully.

    She was extremely beautiful, with golden hair, scarlet lips, and blood-red eyes that seemed to contain a captivating allure.

    She wore a daringly cut black dress.

    The dress was very form-fitting, revealing large patches of her skin. Her skin was whiter than washed silk, but it wasn¡¯t merely pale; it had a healthy, flushed color, as if mixed with strawberry juice and cream.

    Alluring.

    This was the woman¡¯s first impression!

    The Red Widow, ruler of Matu, a vampire who had lived for over two hundred years.

    Unlike the usual image of noble and elegant vampires, the Red Widow, both in her attire and mannerisms, seemed somewhat dissolute, making one think of a profession like a prostitute.

    However, in reality, the Red Widow was a powerful individual who was no less formidable than the Black Duke.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to meet the Wizard for a long time, but unfortunately, you declined my request for a meeting last time, which made me quite sad.¡±

    The Red Widow gazed at Su Nan with hazy eyes, her gaze filled with infinite charm.

    Su Nan remained unmoved, his expression calm as he said, ¡°Tell me your purpose for seeking me out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re clearly asking a rhetorical question, Wizard.¡± The Black Duke said in a cold tone, ¡°Besides the insect plague in Kasham, what else could be worthy of our personal appearance here for a meeting?¡±

    ¡°Master.¡±

    As soon as Su Nan returned to Silent Lake City¡¯s Base 2, he saw Carolina approaching.

    ¡°There were over ten Kasham insects near Mine 7, they¡¯ve been killed by the stationed stone golems.¡±

    Su Nan paused, his eyes flickering slightly.

    Mine 7 was the furthest mine from Silent Lake City and also the closest to Kasham.

    The insects from Kasham had already spread to the vicinity of Mine 7, which meant that the invasion was not far off.

    His preparation time was running out.

    ¡°Bring those insect corpses to the laboratory.¡± Su Nan thought for a moment and said.

    He had only heard Carolina talk about how terrifying the Kasham insects were, but he had never seen them with his own eyes. This was a good chance to see for himself, dissect a few instantly, and study their structure. Perhaps he could gain some insights.

    ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Carolina immediately agreed, then cautiously asked, ¡°What about Matu and Orsen?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    Carolina understood immediately. Her master had decided to deal with the insect plague alone.

    Seeing this, she didn¡¯t say anything more, tactfully withdrew, and turned to order her subordinates to bring the insect corpses and send them to the laboratory.

    Arriving at the Puppet Factory, Su Nan quickly put the Red Widow and the Black Duke out of his mind, and continued working on refining puppets.

    He could see that the Red Widow and the Black Duke might have been up to something.

    After all, their reactions were too calm when they heard him refuse cooperation.

    Matu and Orsen, unlike Silent Lake City, didn¡¯t have the golem legions he refined to defend their cities, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to easily withstand the insect plague.

    Just relying on Matu and Orsen¡¯s combined forces wouldn¡¯t be enough to resist the insect plague.

    This was a matter of life and death for both city-states. Logically, the Red Widow and the Black Duke shouldn¡¯t have been so calm.

    They likely already had other ways to deal with the insect plague, so they weren¡¯t worried even if Silent Lake City refused to cooperate.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t know if this method had anything to do with him or Silent Lake City, and he didn¡¯t care.

    In the face of absolute power, any schemes and tricks were paper tigers.

    As long as he had enough golems, no matter what plans the Red Widow and the Black Duke had, he could crush them decisively.

    ¡°Three higher elite stone golems have been synthesized, plus five elite dual-bladed spiders. Now I have eight second-ring legendary combat power.¡±

    ¡°From now on, I can focus on refining ordinary puppets.¡±

    Excluding the puppets responsible for defending the mines and escorting the ore, Silent Lake City currently had five hundred stone golems, one hundred and fifty dual-bladed spiders, twelve elite stone golems, and five steel golems.

    This lineup, deployed on the surface, would be enough to flatten any Earl territory.

    However, to deal with the insect plague that had forced Matu, Orsen, and the previous Silent Lake City to join forces and could barely resist, it was probably still insufficient.

    Not to mention counterattacking Kasham.

    He still needed to continue expanding his golem legion, at least double the number of puppets.

    He could also level up his ¡¾Puppetry Refining¡¿ skill and get it to level 5 sooner, preparing for refining gold golems in the future.

    ¡°There are also Magic Emblem Cores.¡±

    ¡°The materials for the third Magic Emblem Core are almost complete.¡±

    While Su Nan was dealing with the Starfire Sect, Carolina, following his instructions, diligently collected various rare metals. Now, she had gathered most of the materials for the third Magic Emblem Core.

    He only needed eight more types of rare metals to synthesize the level 3 Magic Emblem Core.

    Even though he had Silent Lake City, which greatly increased the efficiency of collecting rare metals, Su Nan had never given up researching substitute metals.

    After all, if he could find substitutes for the rare metals in the Magic Emblem Core materials that were difficult to obtain, he would no longer need to collect them laboriously. He could simply use substitute metals to refine them.

    At that time, not only level 3 Magic Emblem Cores, but even level 9 and 10 would be easy to synthesize.

    ¡°Of the eighty-nine rare metals needed to refine the Magic Emblem Core, twelve can be purchased through the Fire Fox Trading Company¡¯s channels, forty-five have already been researched and found substitute metals, leaving only thirty-two.¡±

    ¡°Now that I don¡¯t need to learn new spells, I can use the time I would have spent learning spells to research substitute metals.¡±

    Thank you for the 10,000 reward from the reader who opened page 34 of the textbook! Thank you!

 Chapter 133: The Death Knell Beetle, Kashamâ€™s Controller

    # Chapter 133: The Death Knell Beetle, Kasham¡¯s Controller

    Carolina¡¯s efficiency was high.

    The next day, the corpses of Kasham¡¯s insects were delivered to Su Nan¡¯s laboratory.

    Under the bright light of a magic stone lamp, twelve gruesome insect beasts lay on the wide workbench.

    These beetle-like creatures had bright red, hard shells, ten limbs, four black round eyes, two sharp claws, and a pair of serrated mandibles.

    But what was even more eye-catching was a huge bell-shaped chitinous protrusion on top of its mouthparts, looking like a giant horn.

    According to Carolina¡¯s description, this creature was called the Death Knell Beetle.

    Their shells were as strong as steel, their sharp claws could easily tear through solid rock, and they could also emit ear-piercing sound waves that could make people bleed from their seven orifices.

    Adult Death Knell Beetles only had the fighting strength of Probationary Knights, not considered strong.

    But these monsters, once they appeared in groups, their threat level would rise sharply.

    Especially when hundreds or even thousands of Death Knell Beetles simultaneously erupted in ear-piercing sound waves, even Great Knights would find it hard to bear.

    Previously, the combined forces of the city-states ofÓÄºþ, ÂêÍ¼, and °ÂÉ­ had suffered heavy losses under the swarm attacks of the Death Knell Beetles, having to pay a huge price each time to wipe out the insect swarms.

    And in Kasham¡¯s insect nest, in that narrow, semi-enclosed environment, the sound wave attacks of the Death Knell Beetles were even more powerful.

    The Red Widow and the Black Duke dared not counterattack Kasham, largely because of this.

    ¡°Insect beasts that can emit sound waves? That¡¯s quite rare.¡±

    Kasham¡¯s insect swarm wasn¡¯t just the Death Knell Beetles, there were also Jellyfish Insects, Giant Mouth Sand Insects, Six-Winged Insects, and other insect beasts.

    But the Death Knell Beetles were the main force of the swarm.

    Su Nan used his Master¡¯s Hand to move a corpse to his front, and began to dissect it.

    As the dissection progressed, more of the Death Knell Beetle¡¯s body structure gradually became visible.

    The huge bell-shaped chitinous protrusion on its head was actually a horn-shaped tumor.

    The ear-piercing sound waves of the Death Knell Beetle were emitted from this tumor.

    The tumor extended from its shoulders, suddenly opening outwards above the sharp mouthparts, and four black insect-like eyes were also located on both sides of this tumor.

    Essentially, this creature had no real head, the giant horn-shaped tumor had replaced its head.

    After Su Nan cut open the tumor, he also found the insect brain inside.

    ¡°What a strange structure.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    He had seen many insects with strange appearances, but he had never seen such a unique structure as the Death Knell Beetle.

    According to his experience, creatures with such structures were usually not naturally grown, they were more likely to be artificially induced mutations, or products of genetic modification. rANO?¦Â§¦s?

    ¡°This is most likely the result of biological modification by some Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s heart moved.

    Could it be that there was a Wizard Apprentice hidden behind Kasham?

    If that was the case, attacking Kasham might not be as easy as he originally thought.

    ¡°If there really is a Wizard Apprentice controlling Kasham, then what is his purpose in sending his insect swarms to hunt and kill creatures every few months?¡±

    Su Nan was puzzled.

    After a moment, he shook his head, no longer dwelling on it.

    No matter what the Wizard Apprentice¡¯s purpose was, Kasham had to be dealt with.

    Otherwise, insect plagues would erupt every few months, how could he develop the surrounding mineral veins and continue to explore more?

    The only good news was that Puppets were very effective against the sound wave attacks of the Death Knell Beetles.

    After all, Puppets did not have the auditory organs and visceral systems of ordinary creatures, making them essentially immune to sound wave attacks.

    In terms of dealing with the Death Knell Beetles, the Magic Puppet Legion still had a big advantage.

    After dissecting all ten or so insect corpses, recording the data in his experimental notebook, Su Nan then waved his hand, sprinkled flames, disposed of all the corpses, and turned to leave the laboratory.

    Kasham¡¯s recent activity was becoming more frequent, and the insect plague would likely erupt soon.

    He had to speed up the refining of Magic Puppets and enhance the power at his disposal as much as possible.

    ¡°These are the architectural design drawings for the other six provincial Knight Academies, all based on the Dragonheart Knight Academy, see if there is anything you need to change.¡±

    In the study, Kei pushed a stack of thick documents in front of Su Nan.

    Su Nan took a quick look at them and nodded in satisfaction: ¡°Just go with this, when will it be built?¡±

    ¡°It should be done next month.¡± Kei smiled, ¡°The instructors responsible for teaching the students have also been arranged, just waiting for the academy to be completed, they can be in place immediately.¡±

    The war had just ended, and many things needed to be dealt with by him, the new Duke, but he still put the things Su Nan instructed first, often personally asking about them.

    ¡°Post a batch of guarding missions at the base, have the apprentices take turns guarding regularly.¡±

    There were no Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices at the base yet, so opening up Magic Plant Gardens could only be done by Su Nan himself.

    But the guarding work could be left to the students, setting the mission contribution points higher.

    Just as a new batch of students was about to arrive at the base, they would be trained for a while and then able to accept various basic missions.

    When the number of people who took basic missions increased, and the supply exceeded the demand, competition became fierce, and the senior students would naturally set their sights on guarding missions.

    Time flew by like a white horse.

    Thunderbolt Moon (April) passed by in a flash.

    During this time, Su Nan participated in a meeting at the Mysterious Wooden Hut again, obtaining ten or so rare metals and four miniature Soul Crystals.

    After this meeting, Su Nan finally gathered the materials for the third Magic Emblem Core.

    After refining the third Magic Emblem Core, he immediately began the synthesis.

    The synthesized 3rd-level Magic Emblem Core further increased the requirements for body and soul.

    In addition to Spiritual Power having to reach 45 points, Physique also had to be above 40 points.

    ¡°My current Spiritual Power is 45.04, which just meets the requirement, but my Physique is only 36.37, still quite a bit off.¡±

    Su Nan weighed the Magic Emblem Core in his hand and turned towards the warehouse.

    His current Physique was about equivalent to a Junior Great Knight, the effect of the higher-grade Dragon Blood Fruit was still quite obvious, synthesizing and taking a few higher-grade Dragon Blood Fruits would quickly increase his Physique to above 40 points.

    After two days of digesting the effects of the higher-grade Dragon Blood Fruit, Su Nan¡¯s Physique successfully increased to 40.35.

    Without hesitation, he immediately fused the 3rd-level Magic Emblem Core, and then went to the Magic Technique training area to test it.

    Considering the power of the 3rd-level Magic Emblem Core, Su Nan didn¡¯t use a Steel Magic Puppet as the test subject this time, but chose a higher-level Stone Magic Puppet with stronger fighting strength.

    First was the attack power.

    At full power, the metal spike storm formed by the Magic Emblem Core took only a dozen seconds to blast the higher-level Stone Magic Puppet into a state of disrepair, almost destroying it.

    ¡°Not bad, the attack power has probably increased by eighty to ninety percent.¡±

    ¡°Against a First-Ring Legendary Puppet, it would probably be able to kill it in one blow.¡±

    Next was the defense power.

    After a series of tests, Su Nan had a rough idea.

    ¡°In terms of defense power, it¡¯s around 4800 to 5000, equivalent to the defense of five Extreme Protection Rings layered together.¡±

    Su Nan nodded secretly.

    With such high defense power, even a Formal Wizard wouldn¡¯t be able to break through it in one attack.

    What surprised Su Nan even more was that the Spiritual Power consumption, which he was most concerned about, had barely increased at all.

    With his current Spiritual Power, it was enough to use the Magic Emblem Core for three minutes.

    Even under high-intensity attacks, it could last for two minutes without any problem.

    ¡°If I can keep the upgrade trend of only increasing power without increasing consumption, when my Spiritual Power increases a bit more, the Magic Emblem Core will almost become a conventional weapon.¡±

    A Magic Emblem Core that can be used conventionally, just thinking about it was scary!

    Once it reached that point, Su Nan would basically be invincible below the level of Formal Wizards.

    ¡°The Magic Puppet Legion has also been successfully expanded.¡±

    With Su Nan¡¯s full commitment, the Magic Puppet Legion of Youhu City had expanded significantly in recent days.

    Considering that he would not be refining Gold Magic Puppets or Secret Puppets in the short term, Su Nan used all four miniature Soul Crystals he had traded for to refine into Steel Magic Puppets.

    Now the Magic Puppet Legion of Youhu City included nine Steel Magic Puppets, twenty Elite Stone Magic Puppets, three hundred Double-Bladed Spiders, and one thousand Stone Magic Puppets.

    This lineup was already far superior to the previous Youhu City.

    At least Carolina was stunned when she saw these Magic Puppets in the temporary military camp she had opened up.

    The last bit of worry she had deep down about the impending insect plague vanished.

    Come on, with such a powerful Magic Puppet Legion, what was a mere insect plague?

    What she should be thinking about now was whether to counterattack Kasham.

    To be honest, if he hadn¡¯t wanted ÂêÍ¼ and °ÂÉ­ to share some of the pressure, reduce casualties, and exterminate as many insects as possible outside to reduce the pressure for a future attack on Kasham, Su Nan would have just ignored the insect plague and attacked Kasham directly.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t have to wait long.

    On the first day of the Month of Falling Flowers, the human-faced lion scouts stationed near Kasham reported that Kasham¡¯s insect swarm had launched a large-scale attack.

    Countless insects were swarming towards Youhu City!

 Chapter 134: Insect Plague, Self-Destructive Attack

    Chapter 134: Insect Plague, Self-Destructive Attack

    ÓÄºþ³Ç.

    On the spacious plain in front of the city gate, countless magic puppets were neatly arranged in formations.

    In the middle were thousands of stone magic puppets, and on both sides were groups of double-bladed spiders.

    The massive iron magic puppets and elite stone magic puppets stood at the forefront of the array, like unmoving reefs in the sea.

    On the city wall, Carolina looked at the army of magic puppets below, her heart filled with silent awe.

    ¡°The Master is truly the Master, single-handedly creating such a powerful and fearsome army!¡±

    It was simply unbelievable!

    The human-faced lions standing behind Carolina were also awestruck, their gazes towards Su Nan¡¯s back filled with reverence.

    Human-faced lions were a race that worshipped the strong and the predatory. In the year or so since Su Nan had taken control ofÓÄºþ³Ç, they had witnessed its rapid growth, and their initial resentment towards Su Nan had been replaced by reverence.

    A strong individual who could command such a powerful army was absolutely worthy of their allegiance.

    Su Nan was unaware of the human-faced lions¡¯ thoughts. His gaze went beyond the islands and lakes, into the distance, towards the darkness.

    With his spiritual power, he could faintly sense a massive number of creatures rushing towards him from that direction.

    Carolina and the human-faced lions seemed to sense something as well, all looking towards the distance with a look of wary vigilance.

    Soon, the darkness in the distance produced a series of strange rustling sounds, as if countless limbs were crawling across the ground.

    The next moment, many bizarre creatures suddenly burst out of the darkness.

    Those creatures were like giant jellyfish with legs, their translucent, pale white bodies seemingly flowing like curtains as their limbs moved rapidly.

    They rushed to the shore and jumped into the water without stopping, their bodies buoyed by the water, floating like duckweed on the surface. They connected to each other, one after another, and quickly spread towards the island in the center of the lake.

    In no time, a white ¡®floating bridge¡¯ appeared between the shore and the island in the center of the lake.

    Following close behind, countless insect beasts emerged from the darkness, scrambling to get on the ¡®floating bridge¡¯, rushing towards the island in the center of the lake.

    These insect beasts looked like giant centipedes, except their heads were replaced by a huge maw filled with sharp teeth, emitting a low, creepy roar.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Jellyfish Worms and Giant-Maw Sand Worms!¡±

    Carolina said with a solemn expression, then furrowed her brow.

    ¡°Master, something doesn¡¯t feel right. The number of insect beasts seems a bit excessive.¡±

    As far as the eye could see, the field of vision was filled with densely packed insect beasts.

    This was just the first wave of the insect beast swarm. The Death Bell Beetles, the main force, hadn¡¯t appeared yet, and the number of insect beasts was already comparable to the most intense attacks in the past. This was definitely not normal.

    Su Nan had heard Carolina talk about the insect plagues of the past, and he could also see that the current situation was clearly not right.

    But he said nothing, just looked down at the scene below with a solemn gaze.

    Seeing the Master remain calm on the surface, Carolina also calmed down and fixed her gaze on the situation below.

    The insect beast swarm, charging wildly, slammed into the magic puppet army¡¯s formation like a raging tsunami.

    Looking down from the sky, the insect tide was like crashing against unmoving reefs. The Giant-Maw Sand Worms at the forefront were instantly shattered, exploding into a cloud of blood mist. R????B¦¥s

    On the other hand, the iron magic puppets and elite stone magic puppets at the front remained motionless and unscathed, raising their massive fists to continuously kill the insect beasts.

    Unable to break through the blockade of the iron magic puppets and elite stone magic puppets, the insect swarm began to spread to both sides, engaging the stone magic puppets and the double-bladed spiders.

    In the blink of an eye, the flat ground in front ofÓÄºþ³Ç had become a blood-soaked battlefield!

    The war quickly escalated!

    There were countless Giant-Maw Sand Worms, so densely packed that they practically covered the entire stretch from the lakeshore to the open ground in front of the city gate. According to visual estimates, there were at least two to three thousand, and even more Giant-Maw Sand Worms were continuously charging over from the other side of the lake.

    In terms of numbers, the insect swarm completely overwhelmed the magic puppet army.

    However, the combat effectiveness of the Giant-Maw Sand Worms was a notch below that of the Death Bell Beetles, let alone compared to the magic puppets.

    Facing the onslaught of the insect swarm, the magic puppets did not retreat a single step. Like a thick wall, they firmly blocked the tide of insects, preventing them from advancing.

    The double-bladed spiders even charged directly into the swarm of insects, wielding their sharp forelimbs and wreaking havoc. Wherever they went, flesh and blood flew in the air.

    For a time, the insect swarm, despite its larger numbers, was being pinned down in front of the city gate. No matter how hard they charged, they couldn¡¯t break through the magic puppet army¡¯s defense.

    In the distance, at the opening of a giant stalactite hanging from the ceiling of the cave, the Red Widow and the Black Duke looked at the battle unfolding far away, with solemn expressions on their faces.

    ¡°Such powerful puppets!¡± The Black Duke said, his voice filled with apprehension. ¡°I never imagined that a large-scale puppet army would be so powerful!¡±

    He had previously sent his subordinates to probe the fighting strength of the magic puppets in the mine. While he had been somewhat surprised then, it hadn¡¯t reached the level of fear.

    But now, he suddenly realized that when these magic puppets were gathered together in hundreds and thousands on the battlefield, the combat power they exerted was far more than the sum of their individual parts.

    They were a powerful army that obeyed orders and was fearless in the face of death!

    With such an army, it was no wonder that the Wizard was uninterested in cooperating with them, and even wanted to counterattack Kasham.

    They did have the confidence and strength to do so!@@@@

    In the startled eyes of the human-faced lions, a vast number of Death Bell Beetles flew out from the darkness on the other side of the lake, flapping their wings and instantly crossing the lake to reach the battlefield above.

    The densely packed Death Bell Beetles were like a layer of dark clouds, blocking the fluorescent light shining down from the top of the cave. For a moment, the entire battlefield seemed to be shrouded in darkness, making it even more eerie.

    Seeing this, many human-faced lions subconsciously swallowed their saliva, recalling the fear of being dominated by the Death Bell Beetles.

    Their proud, sturdy bodies were useless against the Death Bell Beetles¡¯ terrifying sonic waves. A single wave of sound attack could make them feel like their internal organs were being crushed, causing them to bleed from their seven orifices.

    Only elite warriors and human-faced lion nobles could withstand the Death Bell Beetles¡¯ sonic waves.

    ¡°Woo-woo-woo!¡±

    The Death Bell Beetles quickly launched their first attack.

    More than three hundred Death Bell Beetles blew their ¡®horns¡¯ simultaneously, and the deafening sound wave swept across the battlefield in an instant!

    From a distance, many of the human-faced lions on the city wall couldn¡¯t help but show pained expressions, clutching their chests and gasping for breath, as if they were about to suffocate.

    However, to their astonishment, the magic puppets on the battlefield remained unaffected by the sonic waves, continuing to kill the insect beasts as if nothing had happened.

    The Red Widow and the Black Duke hidden in the shadows were also stunned.

    ¡°These puppets are immune to sonic wave attacks?¡±

    The Red Widow and the Black Duke looked at each other, realizing in an instant that they might have made a serious mistake.

    They had never come into contact with a Wizard, and their knowledge of puppets was limited to hearsay. They had no idea that puppets were generally immune to sonic wave attacks, and thus had misjudged the balance of power betweenÓÄºþ³Ç and Kasham.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right.¡±

    The Red Widow immediately realized.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know much about puppets, but the person behind Kasham is also a Wizard. He couldn¡¯t possibly not know that the Death Bell Beetles¡¯ sonic wave attacks are ineffective against puppets!¡±

    The Black Duke also came to his senses at this time, nodding in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right, that guy definitely has other tricks up his sleeve!¡±

    At the same time, Su Nan on the city wall was making similar deductions.

    ¡°If there is a Wizard Apprentice secretly controlling the situation behind Kasham, then he couldn¡¯t have failed to anticipate this situation. He must have already prepared a way to deal with it.¡±

    In the sky above the battlefield, the collective sonic waves were ineffective. The Death Bell Beetles didn¡¯t panic in the slightest. They circled for a moment, then suddenly fell from the sky like meteorites, crashing into the magic puppets below.

    Boom!

    The moment they collided with the magic puppets, the Death Bell Beetles suddenly exploded, turning into a ball of invisible distortion.

    The part of the stone magic puppet that came into contact with the invisible distortion instantly disappeared, as if it had been bitten off.

    In just a few breaths, the three hundred or so Death Bell Beetles were all wiped out.

    And their suicide attacks also took out more than one hundred and twenty stone magic puppets and a dozen double-bladed spiders.

    Carolina¡¯s face turned pale.

    When did the Death Bell Beetles develop this ability?

    Why had they never seen them use it before?

    Buzz buzz buzz!

    More Death Bell Beetles flew in from the other side of the lake, with an estimated number of no less than a thousand!

    Carolina gasped at the sight.

    During past insect plagues, the highest number of Death Bell Beetles they had encountered was only five to six hundred.

    Even then,ÓÄºþ³Ç had paid a heavy price to barely survive that plague.

    But now there were a thousand Death Bell Beetles, and perhaps even more.

    It was enough to make anyone¡¯s scalp tingle!

    The human-faced lions were also pale, sweating profusely.

    Only Su Nan remained calm, even showing a look of ¡®as expected¡¯.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect these Death Bell Beetles to be able to self-destruct.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably by releasing all the sonic energy in their tumor bodies at once, creating a kind of annihilation effect.¡±

    Su Nan, who had dissected Death Bell Beetles before and was very familiar with their body structure, quickly understood the principle of the Death Bell Beetles¡¯ self-destructive attacks.

    ¡°This also confirms it. There is indeed a manipulator behind Kasham, and he is a Wizard Apprentice!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration.

    He had thought he was the first pioneer to develop this area, but it turned out that a Wizard Apprentice had already established his own force in this area before him.

    And judging from the time of the insect plague, the Wizard Apprentice had likely been in the underground world for decades.

    What puzzled him was why the Wizard Apprentice had come to the underground world, yet instead of developing the mines, he had been hiding in Kasham, controlling the insect swarm and hunting everywhere. What was his goal?

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 135

    ¡°Good job!¡±

    Seeing the situation from afar, the Black Duke couldn¡¯t help but shout in praise.

    ¡°That guy did have a hidden trick up his sleeve!¡±

    The Red Widow also smiled, but then her brow furrowed in confusion.

    ¡°Why have I never seen the Death Knell Beetle use this ability before?¡±

    If the Death Knell Beetles had used this kind of self-destructing attack during previous infestations, their city-state wouldn¡¯t have survived until now.

    The Black Duke was also a bit confused, but quickly dismissed it, sneering and saying, ¡°Whatever, now the situation is back to being evenly matched between Silent Lake City and Kasham. If they continue like this, they¡¯ll definitely end up mutually destroying each other. When that happens, it¡¯ll be our turn to clean up the mess.¡±

    The Red Widow thought about it and agreed. The Death Knell Beetles¡¯ newfound ability was undoubtedly good news for them.

    The one who should be worried was the wizard from Silent Lake City.

    On the city wall, Carolina watched as one Magic Puppet after another fell to the Death Knell Beetles¡¯ suicide attacks, her face growing increasingly grave.

    In just over a dozen breaths, more than half of the Stone Magic Puppets were destroyed.

    One of the Elite Stone Magic Puppets was even completely pulverized by a Death Knell Beetle, sending chills down everyone¡¯s spines.

    But when she turned her head, Carolina found that Su Nan¡¯s expression remained calm, as if the current situation was completely within his expectations.

    ¡°Buzz!¡±

    A dull, thunderous roar suddenly erupted.

    It was the Elite Double-Bladed Spider in mid-air, suddenly opening its mouth and letting out a deafening sound. A visible distortion shot out from its mouth, striking the swarm of beetles and detonating with a bang.

    In a flash, over twenty Death Knell Beetles were torn apart without even having time to react!

    Carolina was stunned.

    The Red Widow and the Black Duke in the shadows were also dumbfounded.

    This puppet could also use sonic attacks like the Death Knell Beetles?

    Before they could recover from their shock, they saw the Elite Double-Bladed Spider charge into the swarm of Death Knell Beetles, wreaking havoc. Every swing of its sharp limbs took the life of a Death Knell Beetle. It would occasionally spit out a burst of distorted sonic waves, creating a void in the dense swarm of beetles.

    But the Death Knell Beetles¡¯ self-destructing attacks could only cause the Elite Double-Bladed Spider to pause slightly, its body completely unharmed.

    Su Nan nodded inwardly.

    Under the dual enhancements of the ¡°Black Steel¡± enchantment and the ¡°Toughness Technique,¡± the Elite Double-Bladed Spider¡¯s body strength had already reached an astonishing level.

    The Death Knell Beetles¡¯ self-destructing attacks, while powerful, couldn¡¯t harm the Elite Double-Bladed Spider.

    Just then, a roar came from across the lake.

    Hearing the sound, a faint smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I found you.¡±

    The moment he finished speaking, Su Nan¡¯s entire body floated up and flew towards the source of the sound, leaving Carolina standing there in a state of confusion. r?a???BE??

    As he passed through the battlefield, some Death Knell Beetles foolishly tried to attack Su Nan, only to be wiped out by the thunder or flames he casually unleashed.

    With alternating flashes of thunder and flames, Su Nan forcefully carved a path through the swarm, reaching the other side of the lake in an instant.

    Pausing, Su Nan hovered in the air, looking down. He saw the Stealthy Dragon, appearing and disappearing in the chaotic swarm, ruthlessly chasing after a figure in a grey robe.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyebrows raised as his gaze fell on the person in the grey robe.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±

    ¡°Ugo!¡±

    The person in the grey robe, heavily guarded by the swarm of beetles, was none other than Ugo, whom Su Nan had met at the Starfire Sect¡¯s headquarters.

    In fact, Su Nan had already guessed.

    Someone capable of establishing a force like Kasham must be a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    A Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice capable of controlling a large number of insects was extremely rare, so when Su Nan guessed that there was a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice behind Kasham, he wondered if it could be Ugo of the Eternal Society.

    As it turned out, his guess was correct.

    Seeing Su Nan, Ugo¡¯s face darkened, his eyes filled with killing intent.

    He had accidentally learned that Silent Lake City had a new lord. After investigating and learning that it was Su Nan, he thought of using this opportunity to kill Su Nan and retrieve the Divine Bone. To achieve this, he was willing to give up the hunting opportunity he had been waiting for for years, teaming up with Matu and Orson, all to ensure that he could achieve a decisive victory.

    But not only was the power Silent Lake City showed far beyond his expectations, but those two bastards, the Red Widow and the Black Duke, had also stood him up.

    ¡°Damn undead, you can¡¯t trust any of them!¡±

    Ugo cursed under his breath. He dodged the sharp claws of the Stealthy Dragon that suddenly appeared behind him, feeling a bit of a headache.

    He didn¡¯t know how Su Nan had cultivated this magical companion, but it possessed both invisibility and etherealization abilities. If he hadn¡¯t been quick enough, he would have been ambushed. However, this also exposed his location.

    ¡°Forget it, since I¡¯m exposed, I¡¯ll just go ahead and do it.¡±

    ¡°Kill this guy, get the Divine Bone, and my Death Knell Behemoth can break through again!¡±

    Ugo was filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

    Seeing the Death Knell Behemoth surrounded by the opponent¡¯s magical companions and puppets, unable to escape, Ugo gritted his teeth. His body suddenly burst into countless insects, rushing towards Su Nan.

    He originally thought that using the Death Knell Behemoth would easily deal with Su Nan, but now that the situation had changed, he could only take action himself to eliminate Su Nan.

    But in the next moment, Ugo saw Su Nan¡¯s figure blur, instantly splitting into eight figures, dispersing in all directions.

    Mirror Shadow Technique!

    ¡°Wait, he didn¡¯t chant any incantations. This is Spellcasting without Incantation!¡±

    Ugo was shocked.

    This guy had mastered Super Magic Techniques while still a Sorcerer Apprentice!

    To be able to master Super Magic Techniques at the Sorcerer Apprentice stage was a testament to exceptional talent.

    He had been a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice for over fifty years and still couldn¡¯t master Super Magic Techniques. Now, encountering a Sorcerer Apprentice who was younger and more talented than him, a surge of intense jealousy welled up in his heart.

    ¡°Buzz!¡±

    The eight Su Nans simultaneously opened their mouths and spat out a visible sonic wave, attacking Ugo¡¯s transformed insect swarm from all directions.

    In the Mirror Shadow Technique state, the actions of the body and the clones were identical, even the effects of the spells they cast. It was impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye.

    Ugo didn¡¯t bother dodging at all. Every insect simultaneously let out a piercing scream, releasing a surge of sonic waves that shattered the real and illusory sonic waves, then surged towards Su Nan like a tidal wave.

    Sonic wave abilities identical to those of the Death Knell Beetles.

    Su Nan immediately understood. It seemed Ugo had fused with the Death Knell Behemoth¡¯s bloodline.

    The two clashed fiercely in the air above the cave.

    Spells and distorted sonic waves alternately appeared, then annihilated each other.

    After tentatively enduring several sonic attacks and confirming that he couldn¡¯t instantly break through the defense of his Radiant Guard Ring, Su Nan directly abandoned dodging and defense, decisively activating his Magic Emblem Core.

    Whoosh!

    Streams of silver metallic liquid flowed out of every pore on Su Nan¡¯s body, floating in the air and rapidly condensing into countless sharp, glimmering spikes. They paused for a moment, then surged out like a violent storm.

    Hiss hiss hiss!

    Ugo¡¯s transformed insect swarm could easily dodge spells by dispersing, but they couldn¡¯t avoid the metallic storm that covered a similarly wide range.

    Under Su Nan¡¯s precise control, each spike hit an insect with pinpoint accuracy, never missing.

    With just one burst, more than a third of the insect swarm was wiped out.

    ¡°What kind of ability is that?!¡±

    Ugo was terrified.

    These insects of his may have appeared weak and fragile, but in reality, their body strength and spell resistance were extremely high. Even Second-Ring spells couldn¡¯t inflict much damage on them.

    He had used this ability to kill more than one Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    But these metallic spikes could easily wipe out his insects. What kind of ability was this?

    Seeing the metallic storm turn around and charge towards him again, Ugo didn¡¯t have time to think. He controlled the insect swarm to disperse and avoid it. But the metallic spikes were like clinging vines, relentlessly pursuing and annihilating one insect after another.

    With no choice, Ugo had to gather the insects together, reforming them into their original shape. Then he separated them again, restoring the insect swarm to its original size.

    ¡°It can split?¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow in surprise, but quickly recovered.

    This splitting ability certainly wasn¡¯t without a cost, it probably consumed a lot of spiritual power.

    If that was the case, he would just keep fighting until the opponent¡¯s spiritual power ran out!

    ¡°Woo-woo!¡±

    The insect swarm desperately avoided the metallic storm while also launching sonic attacks at Su Nan. But he was like a rock in the waves, unmoved as the sonic waves swept over him, his body remained steady and unharmed.

    Ugo watched in horror, his heart sinking further and further.

    He had figured out that Su Nan must have powerful Radiant-level magical items, and not just one, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to block his attacks so easily.

    ¡°Magical Companions, puppets, magical items, and these strange metallic spikes. Where does this guy get all these cards?¡±

    Ugo was both shocked and furious.

    He thought this was going to be an easy victory, but from the beginning of the battle, there had been a series of unexpected events, putting him at a disadvantage at every turn.

    Su Nan¡¯s power was far beyond his expectations!

    Now, forget about killing Su Nan and getting the Divine Bone. He was lucky if he could even save his own life!

    Sorry, I was late

 Chapter 136

    ¡°The Death Knell Behemoth is out of the question.¡±

    Ugo glanced at the Death Knell Behemoth, which had already taken down a high-level Stone Golem and an elite Double-Bladed Spider, but was also heavily injured. It wouldn¡¯t be able to support him for a while.

    ¡°I can only rely on myself!¡±

    The swarm of insects reassembled into Ugo¡¯s form, his face a bit gloomy.

    If possible, he really didn¡¯t want to use his last trump card, as it would significantly shorten his lifespan.

    But the current situation left him no room for hesitation.

    If he didn¡¯t kill Su Nan, he would die right now.

    With a sound like tearing cloth, Ugo¡¯s entire body suddenly cracked open, countless gray-white flesh spurting out violently, swelling and rapidly forming a grotesque giant insect.

    The giant insect vaguely resembled a Death Knell Behemoth, but it was much larger and even more grotesque and ugly.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips in disdain.

    He didn¡¯t resist merging bloodlines, but he was very disgusted with turning himself into this inhuman, ghostly appearance.

    Ugo¡¯s human form was already ugly, and this current form was even more repulsive.

    ¡°Spiritual power is still about half left.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered as he recalled the Magic Emblem Core.

    Seeing the metal spikes suddenly disappear, Ugo was taken aback, followed by a surge of joy.

    As expected, such powerful abilities must consume a lot of spiritual power!

    Su Nan¡¯s action clearly meant that he had already exhausted his spiritual power and could no longer use Metal Storm.

    ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s my turn now!¡±

    The giant insect emitted a sharp, piercing laugh from its mouth, flapping its wings and charging towards Su Nan like a cannonball.

    Su Nan smiled wryly, he just wanted to keep some spiritual power in reserve, just in case.

    After all, judging from the current situation, Ugo probably hadn¡¯t divided his forces to attack Matu and Orsen.

    Coupled with the strange behavior of Red Widow and Black Duke recently, the two sides might have reached a secret agreement, possibly to join forces against Lake City.

    But Red Widow and Black Duke hadn¡¯t appeared throughout the entire process, who knows what these two were up to. To be on the safe side, Su Nan felt it was necessary to keep some reserves.

    He wasn¡¯t short of other means to deal with Ugo anyway.

    With a thought, countless wisps of gray mist emerged from the void, rapidly condensing into gray giant claw illusory figures, tearing through the void, whistling with piercing sounds as they fiercely attacked Ugo! ?aNO??E?s

    Ugo dodged repeatedly, trying to avoid them, but the gray claw illusory figures clung to him like a leech, chasing after him relentlessly, striking him one after another.

    Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!

    A total of four gray claw illusory figures pierced through Ugo¡¯s body, emitting a sound like acid splashing on flesh, making one¡¯s scalp tingle. Ugo couldn¡¯t help but scream in agony.

    Microlight-grade magic items!

    Ugo looked at Su Nan¡¯s left hand in horror.

    Just now, he clearly saw magical glow flash from the four rings on the other¡¯s hand, indicating magic items.

    In other words, those four gray claw illusory figures were the effect of those four magic rings!

    This guy Su Nan actually possesses four identical Microlight-grade attack magic items!

    Plus the defensive ones, how many Microlight-grade magic items does this guy have on him?

    Did he plunder a Formal Wizard¡¯s legacy or something?

    But that¡¯s not right, Formal Wizards haven¡¯t appeared for many years, even if it¡¯s a legacy, it would be from thousands of years ago, Microlight-grade magic items wouldn¡¯t be able to remain intact for so long!

    Ugo felt his mind swirling in confusion.

    However, even more shocking was yet to come.

    Su Nan swiped his hand, the four rings on his left hand instantly disappeared, followed by the appearance of four identical rings, and the magical glow lit up again.

    Whoosh!

    Four identical gray claw illusory figures appeared out of thin air.

    Seeing this scene, Ugo felt his entire body go numb, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

    The previous attack had already inflicted a severe wound on him, and now another one was coming, he wouldn¡¯t die but would be seriously injured.

    The key is that he doesn¡¯t know if Su Nan has more Microlight-grade magic items.

    If it happens again, he will surely die!

    ¡°Run!¡±

    The excruciating pain of the gray claw illusory figures piercing through his body caused Ugo to cry out in pain, and the thought of fleeing surged into his mind.

    He even forgot about the Death Knell Behemoth that he usually treasured, and he immediately dashed away towards the distance.

    The terrifying strength Su Nan had displayed had completely crushed his fighting spirit.

    ¡°Want to run?¡±

    ¡°Master, what is this?¡± Carolena couldn¡¯t help but curiously ask.

    ¡°A creature with an ancient bloodline.¡±

    Su Nan casually told her the story of Ugo briefly.

    When she heard that Kasham was actually controlled by a Wizard, Carolena was instantly taken aback.

    She never expected that the insect plague that had caused Lake City, Matu, and Orsen¡¯s three city-states to suffer headaches and fear for years, was actually orchestrated by a Wizard.

    Looking at her master in front of her, Carolena couldn¡¯t help but secretly admire him.

    Wizards are truly terrifying creatures!

    Each one can cause such a stir.

    ¡°But Master, what was the purpose of that Wizard manipulating the insect plague?¡± Carolena asked with a puzzled frown.

    It was easy to see from today¡¯s situation that Kasham actually had the strength to defeat the three city-states one by one and completely control this area, so why hadn¡¯t he taken action for so many years, just sending out insect swarms to attack the three city-states every once in a while?

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Su Nan shook his head.

    But he already had a guess in his heart.

    Ugo was probably collecting souls or flesh for some purpose, so he used the three city-states as renewable resource points, harvesting them every once in a while.

    As for what purpose, he would have to wait until he captured Kasham to find out.

    Su Nan had checked Ugo¡¯s ring, and besides some gold coins and gems, it was just some worthless junk.

    He guessed that Ugo must have kept the truly valuable things in Kasham, where there might be Ugo¡¯s laboratory.

    ¡°Send people to keep an eye on Matu and Orsen, report to me immediately if anything happens.¡±

    Seeing that the insects on the battlefield had been mostly cleared, Su Nan put away the Golems and headed straight for Kasham.

    Time was of the essence, he had to capture Kasham as soon as possible and obtain Ugo¡¯s legacy.

    Once he was done with this, he could start dealing with Matu and Orsen.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Carolena bowed slightly, watching Su Nan¡¯s figure disappear into the darkness in the distance, before slowly straightening her body and squinting her eyes to look around.

    At first, she hadn¡¯t thought about Matu and Orsen.

    But after knowing that there was actually someone controlling Kasham behind the scenes, and then thinking about today¡¯s situation, she immediately understood that Matu and Orsen were most likely in some kind of cooperation with Kasham.

    According to her understanding of Red Widow and Black Duke, these two guys were most likely hiding in the shadows right now, observing the battle.

    Once Lake City and Kasham were both badly wounded, or either side wiped out the other but suffered heavy casualties, these two cunning and treacherous individuals would definitely jump out to reap the benefits.

    It¡¯s just that they underestimated their master¡¯s strength.

    Kasham¡¯s attack didn¡¯t even hurt their master, but the Wizard who controlled it behind the scenes died at the hands of their master.

    Now the threat of the insect plague is completely eliminated, and Kasham will soon fall into the hands of Lake City.

    With their hands free, their master will certainly not allow Matu and Orsen to continue to grow stronger.

    ¡°It¡¯s your turn next.¡±

    Carolena looked towards the direction of Matu and Orsen, a flicker of light in her eyes.

    Red Widow and Black Duke had the same thought.

    Seeing Ugo killed and the insect swarm collapsing, Red Widow and Black Duke¡¯s hearts sank to the bottom.

    ¡°Useless! Useless!¡±

    ¡°Before, he was boasting that he would definitely defeat Su Nan, and in the end, he was so easily defeated!¡±

    Black Duke gritted his teeth in anger.

    He wasn¡¯t surprised that Ugo would eventually be defeated by Su Nan, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be so decisive, without even causing much damage to Lake City¡¯s strength.

    It was obvious that Lake City, which had retained most of its strength, would be targeting next!

    Red Widow¡¯s expression was equally heavy, completely lacking her usual frivolity and wantonness.

    Lake City, or rather Su Nan¡¯s strength, was far beyond their expectations.

    It can only be said that Kasham and Ugo¡¯s defeat was not unjust.

    However, this did not prevent her from despising and being angry at Ugo.

    If this guy had been slightly more capable and let Lake City suffer more losses before his death, she would have had more room to maneuver.

    But now, she had absolutely no confidence in withstanding Lake City¡¯s attack.

    Once Su Nan was free, it would be the end of Matu and Orsen.

    What to do?

    Red Widow glanced at Black Duke, who was still raging beside her, a strange light flashed in her crimson eyes.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 137

    Kasham, more like a towering, pitted pillar than a city, stretched almost 300 meters high. The imposing stone column was riddled with countless holes, resembling a giant anthill, with a network of intricate internal passages. Except for insects that communicated through pheromones, other species entering would easily get lost in the maze-like nest. Overall, it was a perfect battleground for the insectoids. Thanks to their home advantage, Kasham had remained undefeated for all these years.

    ¡°Ugo sure picked a good spot,¡±

    Su Nan surveyed the stone pillar. Unfortunately, it was only suitable for insects and its current state made it difficult to modify. After capturing it, its use was limited and likely to remain abandoned. Unless, of course, he, like Ugo, cultivated a swarm of insects.

    Putting his thoughts aside, Su Nan flew forward, entering the stone pillar. After Ugo¡¯s demise, the remaining insect swarm, though freed from his control, instinctively returned to Kasham. Seeing an intruder, they roared and attacked.

    The narrow tunnels were not suitable for magic puppet combat, so Su Nan released nearly a hundred double-blade spiders, dispersing them along the tunnels to clear out the remaining insects. He then went in search of Ugo¡¯s lab. Such an important place would undoubtedly be located in the deepest part of Kasham.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Su Nan to find it. At the heart of the stone pillar, a massive cavern was transformed into a laboratory, a meditation room, and a magic practice room, among other areas. Su Nan meticulously searched every corner, finding few valuable items except for numerous wizard¡¯s books in the study. Finally, he arrived at the laboratory. Out of all the areas, the laboratory was the largest. In the center stood several broad workbenches, one of which still bore remnants of broken shells and dried mucus. A mound of insect eggs piled in the corner. The fluorescent light filtering from the ceiling illuminated the pale white egg walls, allowing him to see a living creature pulsating faintly within.

    Su Nan glanced at the eggs, then strode towards the workbench. He searched for a moment and found an experimental journal. He immediately opened it and began reading it carefully on the spot.

    As expected, the journal primarily detailed the breeding and modification of various insect beasts. Su Nan skimmed over these entries until he reached the section on the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker. He slowed down and carefully read the information.

    As time passed, a look of surprise gradually spread across Su Nan¡¯s face. According to the journal, the ancient bloodline source of the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker was not only a powerful ancient alien beast but also a rare divine creature.

    The birth of divine creatures generally occurred in three ways.

    The first was for a god to personally split off a sliver of their divinity and infuse it into a living being, transforming it into a divine creature. Many divine creatures in the churches of gods were created this way.

    The second was totem worship. In certain planes, primitive tribes would worship totems or objects like trees and rocks as spiritual symbols. Over countless years of worship and prayers, these objects would gradually acquire a wisp of divine energy within, awakening their sentience and transforming into self-aware divine creatures. In fact, many gods initially arose from these divine creatures.

    The third was relatively more special. These were inherently divine creatures, born with a touch of divinity. This divinity would also be passed down through bloodline inheritance. If the bloodline concentration reached a certain level, it could awaken divinity. However, these creatures were extremely rare, and because they lacked worship and other means of increasing divinity, the strength of their divinity wouldn¡¯t change much throughout their lives.

    Even so, among all the ancient alien beasts, this type of divine creature was among the most powerful.

    The Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s bloodline source belonged to the third category, the inherently divine creatures.

    ¡°This guy was incredibly lucky to find such a rare descendant of an ancient bloodline,¡±

    Su Nan exclaimed in admiration. But now, this treasure belonged to him.

    After reading the journal, Su Nan finally understood why Ugo had controlled the insect swarm to hunt everywhere. The reason was related to the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s bloodline.

    After fusing with the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s bloodline, Ugo¡¯s lifespan had increased significantly, estimated to be at least 300 years. The only problem was that he needed to consume the essence of the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s flesh regularly. However, there was only one Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker, not enough to meet his needs.

    Thus, Ugo came up with a strategy to replace quality with quantity: extracting the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s bloodline and infusing it into other insects. After multiple rounds of genetic modification and selection, he created the Doom¡¯s-Bell Beetle.

    As the Doom¡¯s-Bell Beetle originated from the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker, its flesh essence naturally held a certain similarity. After refining and concentrating, it could replace the essence of the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker¡¯s flesh. With this method, Ugo had managed to survive until now. Of course, cultivating a large number of Doom¡¯s-Bell Beetles required a lot of food. Therefore, Ugo would send out the insect swarm to hunt every few months, stopping only after they had accumulated enough food.

    ¡°Using bloodline fusion to increase lifespan always comes with various drawbacks,¡±

    Su Nan recalled the Blood Soul Worm bloodline fusion of Aivigeni. He was killed by the Blood Soul Worm bloodline. While the drawback of the Doom¡¯s-Bell Striker bloodline fusion was relatively minor, the increase in lifespan was also relatively small.

    Generally, the more effective the bloodline was at increasing lifespan, the more severe its drawbacks. Of course, there were exceptions. But such bloodlines were incredibly rare.

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow, showing no surprise. When he heard that Red Widow was coming with the Black Duke¡¯s head, he guessed that she was going to pledge her allegiance to him. As for whether the Black Duke truly intended to continue opposing Silent Lake City and was killed by Red Widow in a sneak attack, that remained unknown.

    Regardless of the truth, it showed that Red Widow was very decisive. She was a ruthless and bold woman!

    Su Nan glanced at the skull, with no intention of taking it, and said calmly, ¡°What can you offer me?¡±

    ¡°My lord, you are very busy, always managing affairs. You only have Carolaine, and she alone cannot manage three cities, I may not be particularly capable, but I believe I have some experience managing cities and can help you with your burden.¡±

    Su Nan narrowed his eyes. He understood Red Widow¡¯s implication. Having only Carolaine as his subordinate, he couldn¡¯t be sure that she wouldn¡¯t betray him. But if he had another follower, he could have them oversee each other, benefiting him greatly.

    It had to be said that Red Widow¡¯s words hit a nerve.

    Mutual oversight was one thing, but the key was that if he wanted to expand his territory in the underground world, he would inevitably have to recruit more local forces to assist in managing various cities and resource points.

    After all, he couldn¡¯t possibly be everywhere at once, and he couldn¡¯t let various chores take up too much of his time. Red Widow was a suitable candidate. As for loyalty, that was what the soul contract was for.

    ¡°You have convinced me,¡±

    Once he made a decision, Su Nan did not delay and immediately made his demands.

    ¡°I permit you to become my follower, but as a condition, you and all the legendary vampires in Matu must sign a soul contract.¡±

    ¡°As you command, my lord,¡±

    Red Widow agreed without hesitation. Signing the soul contract was expected, she had already mentally prepared herself and convinced all her people. Although it was unbearable to have their lives in another¡¯s hands, it was far more acceptable than death. Moreover, the wizard before her was incredibly powerful.

    She had never encountered anyone as powerful as him in her long life. Becoming the follower of such a powerful being was not something she found difficult to accept.

    Su Nan then took out a gemstone and signed the soul contract with Red Widow.

    ¡°You have three days to handle the aftermath, after which I will bring people to take over Matu and Orson and sign soul contracts with the rest.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand, signaling that she could leave.

    As she left the reception room, Red Widow saw Carolaine standing nearby, staring at her expressionlessly. Red Widow gave her a charming smile.

    Carolaine snorted and turned to leave.

    Seeing Red Widow come out of the reception room unscathed, she knew that her master had accepted Red Widow¡¯s allegiance. This was not good news for her. From now on, she had a competitor. And a very cunning one.

    ¡°A seductive bitch!¡± Carolaine cursed under her breath.

    Meanwhile, Red Widow watched Carolaine¡¯s retreating figure, the smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a touch of disdain.

    ¡°A hypocritical slut!¡±

 Chapter 138

    Three days later.

    Su Nan led his Magic Puppet legion into Matu, formally taking over the city-state.

    It must be said that vampires were a powerful race.

    They had long lifespans, were cunning, and possessed formidable strength. Whether they were engaged in direct combat or serving as scouts and assassins, they were all excellent.

    Their only weaknesses were their fear of sunlight and their low reproductive rate.

    Fortunately, in the underworld, the former could be completely ignored.

    On the other hand, their low reproductive rate had limited the expansion of Matu¡¯s forces.

    In this massive city-state, there were less than two hundred vampires, while the number of subordinate races and slaves reached tens of thousands.

    It was only because of the vampires¡¯ superior individual combat power, with knights and Great Knights aplenty, that they could suppress so many vassals and slaves.

    Thousands of stalactites hung down from the cave ceiling, and blue, green, and dark purple demonic flames burned and swirled among them, like a sea of clouds, providing faint illumination for the entire Matu.

    Standing atop a two-hundred-meter-high stone pillar, Su Nan looked down at the ground, watching the Magic Puppets enter the city one after another. The slaves busied themselves carrying various supplies, scurrying back and forth like ants, giving him a fleeting sense of looking down upon the world.

    The Kasham insect swarm had been cleared, Matu¡¯s vampires had surrendered, the Orsen ghouls had been completely wiped out by the Red Widow and her forces, and the Yuhucheng had long since fallen into his hands.

    It could be said that the area within a hundred miles was all his territory.

    In time, once he had digested the fruits of war and truly brought all the city-states under his control, he would truly have a foothold in the underworld, with a base that belonged to him alone.

    ¡°Orsen¡¯s ghouls are completely wiped out, leaving only a bunch of subordinate races and slaves. We need to send a group of people to handle affairs.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s send a group of Manticores and vampires from Yuhucheng and Matu.¡±

    With the addition of the Matu vampires and Manticores, Su Nan finally had enough manpower.

    But that also meant he was short on troops.

    He could ignore Kasham, but Yuhucheng, Matu, and Orsen all required garrison forces.

    Although he had lost quite a few Magic Puppets in this war, those remaining were more than enough to garrison Yuhucheng.

    He could also send a portion of them to Matu, where they would join the vampires to defend the city. That would be enough.

    However, Orsen¡¯s military strength was currently empty, and he needed a large number of Magic Puppets to fill the gap.

    Moreover, the mines controlled by Orsen and Matu added up to six in total, and he needed to send Magic Puppets to oversee their development, as well as to guard and escort the ore. ?A??obE??@@@@

    All of this required manpower.

    Including the Clay Magic Puppets, he needed about a thousand Magic Puppets.

    ¡°Leave the Magic Puppet production to the base.¡±

    There were now more and more apprentices in the base who had mastered Puppetry Refining. Su Nan no longer had to personally toil over refining Stone Magic Puppets.

    If necessary, he could increase the task reward and obtain a large number of Stone Magic Puppets in a short period of time.

    It was because of this that he was able to double the size of his Magic Puppet legion in just over a month during this war.

    Of course, he still needed to personally make Iron Magic Puppets and Double-Bladed Spiders.

    ¡°From now on, I will focus on researching Bloodline Imprints and Divine Energy.¡±

    Su Nan looked towards Yuhucheng.

    The Death Knell Striker was imprisoned in Base 2, guarded by three High-Level Stone Magic Puppets and three Elite Double-Bladed Puppets, along with a Stealthy Dragon, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t escape.

    For a long time to come, his focus would be on this insect with ancient blood.

    Late at night, the dark clouds concealed the silver moon, and the night sky was dark and gloomy.

    Saulo walked along a secluded forest path, surrounded by darkness.

    After an unknown amount of time, he stopped and extended his hand. A sphere of light gradually appeared in his palm, its gentle glow extending in all directions, casting long shadows of the dense cedar trees on the forest floor. But where the light didn¡¯t reach, the darkness seemed even deeper.

    ¡°Come out.¡± Saulo said in a deep voice.

    Two figures emerged from the darkness, exposed to the light.

    The figure on the left was so obese as to be unnaturally shaped. A gray robe, as if stuffed with something, stretched taut, almost threatening to tear. A strange sound emanated from within, as if some creature were chewing on something.

    The figure on the right was only as tall as an adult human¡¯s waist. He looked like a dwarf, with a long black robe trailing on the ground, completely concealing his figure. His face was also hidden under the brim of his hat, revealing only a patch of darkness.

    ¡°You called us so urgently. What happened?¡±

    The small figure in the black robe spoke slowly, his voice sharp like a boy¡¯s voice in the midst of puberty.

    ¡°Ugo is dead.¡± Saulo said.

    The two figures remained silent for a long time before the black robe figure asked:

    ¡°Who did it?¡±

    ¡°Su Nan.¡±

    As long as they found one of these three inheritances, they would have a great chance of becoming a real wizard, gaining transcendent power and a long lifespan.

    However, they quickly forced themselves to calm down and shifted their gaze away from the key.

    If the person holding the key was another Mage Apprentice, they would have acted without hesitation to seize it.

    But faced with Saulo, they could only suppress their desire.

    As members of the same organization, they knew how terrifying Saulo was.

    Even if they joined forces, they wouldn¡¯t be Saulo¡¯s match.

    ¡°How many people can the key let into the Starlight Tower?¡± The black robe figure asked.

    ¡°One.¡± Saulo quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the keys to enter the Starlight Tower are far more than two or three. There are many more.¡±

    The black robe figure was overjoyed: ¡°Where are the other keys?¡±

    ¡°Evans has more than one key.¡±

    Saulo put away the key, a hint of regret in his voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that some Mage Apprentice intervened and rescued Evans. Otherwise, we could have forced him to reveal the whereabouts of the other keys.¡±

    ¡°Besides, Su Nan also has a key to the Starlight Tower, which Evans traded to him.¡±

    The gray robe figure muttered in a muffled voice: ¡°Then we should just find those two and take all their keys!¡±

    The black robe figure coldly said: ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Evans for now. Su Nan only has one key. Who gets it if we take it?¡±

    The gray robe figure fell silent.

    The Starlight Tower was their hope of becoming a wizard. They would never give up the key to anyone.

    As for giving the key to one person first, and then allocating it to others after seizing the other keys from Evans, that was even more impossible.

    They weren¡¯t that trusting of each other yet.

    But if they didn¡¯t join forces, they had no chance of taking on Su Nan alone.

    While they looked down on Ugo, they didn¡¯t underestimate the forces he had built up in the underworld.

    Being able to defeat Ugo, who controlled Kasham, meant that Su Nan¡¯s own strength and the forces he commanded were enough to make them wary.

    They weren¡¯t one hundred percent certain they could seize the key from Su Nan.

    In comparison, Evans, a three-ringed Legendary Knight, was easier to deal with.

    Besides, he had more than one key.

    As long as they found Evans¡¯ whereabouts, they could all join forces and have a high chance of success.

    In the blink of an eye, the black robe figure had a plan. He asked with a blank expression: ¡°Who was the Mage Apprentice who saved Evans?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That person was very secretive.¡± Saulo shook his head.

    Someone who could rescue a person from Saulo and successfully escape must not be an ordinary Third-Rank Mage Apprentice.

    A few names flashed through the black robe figure¡¯s mind. Then he said: ¡°Saulo, I request a meeting.¡±

    ¡°I second the motion.¡± The gray robe figure muttered.

    Reliance on them alone, to find a three-ringed Legendary Knight who had the help of a Third-Rank Mage Apprentice in a vast continent, was like searching for a needle in a haystack. They had to bring others into the plan.

    With the key to the Starlight Tower in hand, no one would refuse this cooperation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent out the notice.¡± Saulo had clearly anticipated their intentions. ¡°I came here tonight to inform you. The meeting will be held in a month, at the old place.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± The black robe figure nodded.

    After taking care of business, Saulo left without hesitation, his figure disappearing into the night.

    As he left, the light around them gradually faded, and the forest quickly plunged back into the deep darkness.

    In the darkness, the black robe figure seemed more refreshed. He turned to look at the gray robe figure, curled his lips in mockery, and turned to leave as well. But he was stopped by the gray robe figure.

    ¡°You have the smell of Dragon¡¯s Blood on you. It¡¯s very strong.¡±

    The black robe figure stopped, turned back, and said sarcastically: ¡°Your nose is as sensitive as ever. Have you modified any new organs?¡±

    The gray robe figure didn¡¯t answer. He said in a muffled voice: ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll trade you my Flesh Essence for it!¡±

    The black robe figure pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Forget the Flesh Essence. It¡¯s useless to me now. If you really want Dragon¡¯s Blood, do me a favor.¡±

    ¡°What favor?¡±

    ¡°Kill someone. I¡¯ll tell you who it is later. If you agree, we¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°The underworld.¡±

 Chapter 139: Mark of the Death Knell, Five Years of Promotion

    Chapter 139: Mark of the Death Knell, Five Years of Promotion

    Starlight Calendar 1255, Summer Eclipse Moon.

    After half a year of recuperation, the Starry Principality gradually recovered from the shadow of war. Kei¡¯s control over the Principality was increasingly stable. Now, he focused most of his energy on rebuilding the Frost-Dye Province, striving to restore it to its former glory.

    In the same month, the knight academies of the six provinces officially opened, admitting their first batch of freshmen.

    Time flew by until the Blaze Moon arrived, the weather becoming increasingly hot.

    Base 2.

    In a spacious and bright laboratory.

    Su Nan carefully imprinted the last trace of blood-red pattern on the back of his right hand. A flash of blood light erupted, and a horn-shaped crimson mark appeared on his hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±

    A genuine smile of joy spread across Su Nan¡¯s face.

    After the battle of Kasham, he devoted most of his energy to researching the Death Knell Striker. It took him more than two months to successfully create a bloodline mark using the Death Knell Striker¡¯s bloodline.

    ¡°The ancient bloodline concentration of the Death Knell Striker is still a bit low. It needs to be combined and enhanced in concentration before it can be made into a bloodline mark.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it the Death Knell Mark.¡±

    Su Nan stared at the mark on the back of his hand, his smile growing more intense.

    The Death Knell Mark¡¯s effect is to instantly release a powerful sonic wave, more potent than the sonic attack released by the Death Knell Striker itself.

    Preliminary estimates suggest it could instantly kill a Second-Ring Legend.

    Even a Third-Ring Legend wouldn¡¯t survive a hit without serious injuries!

    The only drawback, if it could be called one, is that it¡¯s a one-time use item, disappearing after use, and its creation is not easy.

    Without harming the Death Knell Striker, it takes about fourteen days to accumulate enough blood to create one Death Knell Mark by extracting a small amount each day.

    ¡°Creating four or five for self-defense should be enough.¡±

    With a new trump card in hand, Su Nan felt exceptionally happy. He turned and left the laboratory, heading towards the confinement area.

    This was the most heavily guarded place in Base 2, aside from the warehouse and the laboratory.

    The former two¡¯s defenses primarily targeted external threats, while the confinement area focused on internal threats.

    Multiple formations were set up here, including but not limited to enchantment suppression, weakening, and heavy pressure effects, ensuring that every creature imprisoned here had their resistance weakened to the minimum. r?¦¡?NO??b§¦?S?

    Inside and outside, numerous magic puppets and double-bladed spiders stood guard, making it airtight.

    Arriving in front of the room where the Death Knell Striker was imprisoned, Su Nan looked inside.

    The Death Knell Striker lay on the ground, listless and dejected. Hearing the footsteps, it looked up, saw it was Su Nan, and immediately let out a fearful cry, instinctively shrinking back, its beastly eyes revealing a human-like plea.

    Seeing its pitiful and dejected look, where was the majesty of an ancient bloodline descendant?

    No way, who wouldn¡¯t become like this after being constantly bled for more than two months?

    The Death Knell Striker¡¯s current listlessness wasn¡¯t entirely due to the confinement area¡¯s formation suppression; it was primarily because of the continuous extraction of its blood.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless.

    Whether it was bloodline marks or divine energy, research required a significant amount of experimental material. To accelerate research progress, he had increased the frequency and amount of blood extraction by a ¡°slight¡± margin.

    After all, it was an ancient bloodline descendant. It would recover after some time.

    Unfortunately, the Death Knell Striker¡¯s ancient bloodline concentration was still too low, not enough to awaken divine energy.

    Ugo¡¯s desire for the Starfire Sect¡¯s divine remains was also to extract the divine energy inside for fusion with the Death Knell Striker, enabling it to awaken divine energy and break through to a higher realm.@@@@

    Fortunately, Su Nan didn¡¯t need to go through all that trouble.

    He had other methods to enhance the Death Knell Striker¡¯s bloodline concentration.

    The Stealthy Dragon was a good example.

    ¡°Unfortunately, your power level is too high. Otherwise, I could contract you as a magical companion, and your bloodline concentration would directly increase.¡±

    Su Nan felt a tinge of regret.

    The higher the power level of a creature, the harder it was to contract as a magical companion.

    Unless the wizard (apprentice) had significantly higher power than the contracted object.

    For a creature like the Death Knell Striker, a Third-Ring Legend-level ancient beast, at least a full-fledged wizard could attempt to contract it as a magical companion, and even then, it wouldn¡¯t be a guaranteed success.

    Therefore, many wizards (apprentices) cultivated their magical companions from a young age.

    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to contract powerful beasts, but they simply couldn¡¯t.

    However, even if he couldn¡¯t contract it as a magical companion, taming the Death Knell Striker wasn¡¯t difficult.

    As long as he implanted a little trick in its body, this beast, whose intelligence was no less than humans, would choose to submit to save its own life.

    In fact, the Death Knell Striker was already showing signs of submission.

    More powerful than clay magic puppets and stone magic puppets.

    If one day he could also craft puppets of this level, then he would be truly amazing.

    They had been to the central area countless times before, and they were already familiar with the layout. After passing through the gate, they went straight to the study.

    Just as they reached the door and Xie Man was about to knock, a voice came from inside.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Xie Man and Kore straightened their expressions, pushed the door open and entered. Looking up, they saw the teacher sitting behind his desk, holding a book in his hand, looking at them with a smile.

    To their surprise, Amy, who often stayed in the underground world these days, was also there.

    It was lying in the corner of the desk, enjoying itself, cuddling a catnip stick and sniffing and sucking it.

    ¡°Teacher, Amy.¡±

    Xie Man and Kore bowed together.

    ¡°Meow, it¡¯s Xie Man and Kore.¡± Amy came back to its senses, waved its paw at them, ¡°I heard you two became Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices. Congratulations, meow.¡±

    Xie Man and Kore smiled at the same time, just about to be humble, but heard Amy¡¯s change of tone.

    ¡°But you¡¯re a bit slow, meow. Back in the day, if you hadn¡¯t become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice in over five years, you would have been kicked out of the academy.¡±

    Their smiles froze on their faces.

    Amy continued, ¡°Su Nan only took less than a year to become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, meow.¡±

    Xie Man and Kore were shocked. They looked at Su Nan with admiration.

    As expected of the teacher, he had crossed the Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice barrier in such a short time.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Su Nan interrupted Amy, and looked at them with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Amy¡¯s nonsense, you two are already doing great.¡±

    This was the era of the Element Desert, how could it compare to a thousand years ago?

    And it was even more incomparable to him, who had a cheat code!

    Xie Man and Kore only took a little over five years to become Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices, this talent was already quite good.

    Of course, this was also because the base provided abundant resources. If they were Wizard Apprentices outside, it would take them twenty or thirty years to barely become Second-Rank.

    Those with slightly lower talent might even take fifty or sixty years to cross this hurdle.

    With Su Nan¡¯s praise, smiles appeared on Xie Man and Kore¡¯s faces.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the teacher¡¯s guidance!¡± they said in unison.

    Su Nan smiled slightly, ¡°I only provided you with a platform. To get to where you are today, it¡¯s primarily thanks to your own efforts.¡±

    Then, his smile faded, his expression turning serious, ¡°However, you cannot become complacent. Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice is just the starting point of the wizard path. It only means you¡¯ve become qualified apprentices. On this continent, you need to be at least a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice to be considered strong.¡±

    ¡°Becoming a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice is far more difficult than you imagine, let alone becoming a full-fledged wizard. You need to be mentally prepared, there¡¯s still a long way to go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, teacher!¡±

    Xie Man and Kore¡¯s expressions became solemn, and they bowed together in response.

    After giving them a few pointers, Su Nan softened his tone and smiled, throwing a vial of potion to each of them.

    ¡°This is a Super Ability Potion, a second-order potion that can enhance meditation efficiency. It¡¯s a gift for your promotion.¡±

    ¡°However, there are restrictions on taking this potion. You need to reach a certain level of spiritual power before you can take it. You two should cultivate for a while, stabilize your realm, and then take it.¡±

    A second-order inferior Super Ability Potion requires 13 spiritual power to take.

    For newly promoted Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices, even if their spiritual power hadn¡¯t reached 13, it wouldn¡¯t be far off. After cultivating for a few months, they would meet the requirements.

    ¡°Thank you, teacher!¡±

    Xie Man and Kore were overjoyed.

    Potions that enhance meditation efficiency always require more contribution points than other things to exchange.

    Not to mention a second-order potion.

    If they were to exchange it with contribution points, they would probably have to complete tasks for half a month.

    ¡°Go back. Come back to see me after you stabilize your realm. I have something I need you two to do.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    The two responded in a low voice, bowed respectfully, and then left.

    Walking out of the study, Xie Man and Kore looked at each other, and a smile appeared on their faces simultaneously.

    ¡°This time you promoted thirteen days faster than me, you won. But next time I¡¯ll definitely surpass you!¡± Kore said resolutely.

    In the past, Xie Man would simply laugh it off when Kore said this.

    However, after the death of Old Roger, his attitude towards improving his strength had undergone a dramatic change. Hearing Kore¡¯s challenging words, a confident smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and see. But be prepared, I won¡¯t let you win!¡±

 Chapter 140: Expansion and New Members

    Chapter 140: Expansion and New Members

    Su Nan¡¯s request for Xie Man and Cole to help was, of course, to open up new magic plant gardens.

    After advancing to a Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, they had both mastered the basic techniques of manipulating energy particles and could now learn to set up formations.

    Once they mastered the relevant technology, they would be able to establish magic plant gardens.

    With two new helpers, Su Nan no longer had to run around and could focus his energy on cultivation and research.

    Starlight Calendar 1257, Winter Song Month (January).

    Magic Training Room.

    Su Nan waved his hand casually, and nine magic missiles flew out simultaneously, shattering the humanoid target one hundred meters away.

    In the next instant, another crimson ray of light, like an arrow leaving the bowstring, hit another target, melting it into molten iron.

    Looking at the fragments and molten iron on the ground, Su Nan smiled contentedly.

    **[Instantaneous Spellcasting]!**

    After a year and ten months, he had finally mastered this Super Magic Technique!

    Casting spells directly, skipping the incantation, was self-explanatory in terms of improving combat capability.

    The time it took other Sorcerer Apprentices to cast a single spell was enough for him to cast two or three.

    From this day forward, he would be a true humanoid cannon.

    After a moment, Su Nan came to his senses from his elation, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

    ¡°Which Super Magic Technique should I train next?¡±

    Besides Instantaneous Spellcasting and Silent Spellcasting, Super Magic Techniques also included Spell Extension, which increased the casting distance.

    Spell Delay, which extended the duration of spell effects.

    Spell Expansion, which increased the spell¡¯s range of influence.

    Compound Spellcasting, which allowed for the simultaneous casting of multiple spells.

    Spell Construction, which enhanced control over spells, allowing each spell to reach its maximum potential.

    Su Nan currently had five Super Magic Techniques to choose from.

    After much deliberation, Su Nan finally chose Compound Spellcasting.

    For him now, spells were more of a supporting role in combat, such as the Levitation, Mirror Image, and Agility spells he frequently used.

    In terms of offense and defense, he relied more on magic items, high-level rune gems, and magic emblem cores.

    Compared to these, the power of second-ring spells was somewhat underwhelming.

    Therefore, rather than choosing another four Super Magic Techniques to enhance spell effects, he would choose Compound Spellcasting. In battle, he would have more spell combinations to choose from, enhancing the flexibility of his tactics. R?a?¦­?§£§¦?

    After making his decision, Su Nan immediately put it into action.

    **[Complete one Compound Spellcasting practice, ¡®Compound Spellcasting¡¯ training progress +0.01%]**

    Compound Spellcasting and Instantaneous Spellcasting were two of the most difficult Super Magic Techniques.

    Su Nan estimated that it would take him at least one or two years to master this technique.

    ¡°At this rate, perhaps I¡¯ll be able to master all Super Magic Techniques before I become a Wizard.¡±

    If that happened, Su Nan estimated that he would be the first Sorcerer Apprentice in the history of Starlight Continent to master all Super Magic Techniques.

    With seven Super Magic Techniques at his disposal, he would likely be unmatched in terms of pure spellcasting against other Sorcerer Apprentices.

    After a brief fantasy about the future, Su Nan calmed his agitated mind and left the Magic Training Room.

    He had just returned to his study when the door was knocked on.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door opened, and Carolina and Red Widow entered.

    ¡°Master!¡±

    The two women bowed in respect.

    Su Nan glanced at them.

    Since Red Widow joined his ranks, she and Carolina seemed to have some kind of chemical reaction, and the two secretly competed with each other.

    Su Nan saw it all, but since their competition didn¡¯t hinder their development and even indirectly improved their efficiency, he turned a blind eye.

    Under their coordination and management, the three city-states of Ghost Lake, Mato, and Orson had all entered a stable development track.

    The garrisoning of Orson had also been resolved.

    After that, Su Nan adjusted the base¡¯s task system, reducing the reward for manufacturing magic puppets and increasing the reward for creating magic gold tasks. Through this method, he increased the frequency of apprentices taking on the latter.

    It wouldn¡¯t be long before he could gather enough materials to create a Magic Gold Puppet.

    ¡°Master, here¡¯s this month¡¯s financial report.¡± Carolina respectfully handed over a stack of paper.

    Su Nan took it and scanned it, his eyes flickering slightly.

    ¡°Why is it two-tenths less than last month?¡±

    Su Nan had also tried to probe Corpse, asking to purchase the technology for creating soul crystals from him.

    However, Corpse refused without hesitation.

    He could tell the difference between eating his fill and being constantly hungry.

    Corpse¡¯s greatest advantage in the Mysterious Wooden Hut¡¯s trading was his ¡®product¡¯, the soul crystals. If he traded the corresponding technology to Su Nan, with Su Nan¡¯s previously demonstrated background and strength, he might bring out a large number of soul crystals at the next gathering.

    At that time, not only would he lose Su Nan as a valuable trading partner, but his advantage in the gathering¡¯s trading would also vanish.

    Anyone who wasn¡¯t an idiot would know what to do.

    Su Nan had anticipated this, and he was not disappointed to be rejected.

    If he were in Corpse¡¯s shoes, he wouldn¡¯t trade important technology either.

    After the trading ended, Night Owl raised his hand to signal everyone to wait a moment.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve found a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice. After preliminary investigation, he meets the criteria of our Mysterious Wooden Hut. I intend to invite him to join, and I¡¯d like to hear your opinions.¡±

    The crowd was slightly taken aback.

    Staff laughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s strange. In the past, we only found new members every seven or eight years, or even ten years. Why is it so frequent lately?¡±

    He then glanced at Su Nan.

    After all, the latter had only joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut for about four years, and now, so soon, they had discovered a new member, which was indeed a surprise.

    Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices were not common, they were like radishes.

    These individuals usually hid behind major forces and were generally not easy to contact.

    Night Owl shrugged and said, ¡°I was just lucky. I accidentally discovered his existence while investigating someone else.¡±

    Red Heart asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with him?¡±

    Night Owl said slowly, ¡°As usual, I can¡¯t reveal specific details about him. I can only tell you general information.¡±

    ¡°In terms of strength, he recently escaped from Saulo¡¯s clutches. That should be enough to prove his strength.¡±

    These words caused a stir among the attendees.

    ¡°To escape from Saulo¡¯s grasp, it seems the new member¡¯s strength is formidable,¡± Staff said thoughtfully.

    The rest also nodded in agreement.

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow in surprise and used telepathy to ask Rose, ¡°Who is Saulo? Judging by everyone¡¯s reaction, he¡¯s very powerful?¡±

    Rose glanced at Su Nan and replied through telepathy, ¡°Saulo is the founder of the Eternal Society. I¡¯ve never seen him myself, but I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s incredibly strong. He once single-handedly killed a fourth-ring legendary beast.¡±

    Fourth-ring legendary beast!

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    That strength was indeed formidable!

    Even among Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices, he belonged to the top tier.

    He didn¡¯t expect the Eternal Society to have such a powerful individual.

    Despite acting so aggressively, they had been able to roam freely in Starlight Continent for many years. The Eternal Society truly had some tricks up their sleeve.

    ¡°To escape from Saulo¡¯s grasp, he must be at least at the level of a third-ring legendary creature,¡± Red Heart pondered.

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem with his strength.¡± Rose nodded slightly.

    The Mysterious Wooden Hut only invited Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices to join, but not every Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice could join. There were also hard requirements for their strength.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Su Nan defeating Herb and showcasing his formidable strength, Night Owl wouldn¡¯t have invited him to join the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Seeing that no one had objections, Night Owl continued, ¡°In terms of resources, he comes from a royal family, he has a lot of good stuff, so we don¡¯t need to worry about him not being able to bring any trade goods.¡±

    ¡°As for his behavior, I don¡¯t need to say more. You should all understand.¡±

    Generally speaking, Sorcerer Apprentices from royal families or nobility tended to be more disciplined and would not easily create havoc or cause a lot of casualties.

    After all, they had their own concerns.

    The behavior of such individuals was more in line with the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    ¡°Now we¡¯ll take a vote.¡± Night Owl surveyed the crowd. ¡°According to the rules, if the number of votes exceeds two-thirds, the motion passes.¡±

    Staff immediately responded, ¡°I have no objections.¡±

    ¡°Agree.¡± Red Heart said.

    Rose and Corpse immediately expressed no objections either.

    Su Nan wouldn¡¯t object either.

    Having more trading partners was a good thing.

    ¡°Okay, six votes in favor, the motion passes.¡±

    Night Owl made the final decision.

    Although Black Forest and the Traveler were absent, six votes already exceeded two-thirds of the total number, so there was no need to ask for their opinions.

    ¡°I will get in touch with him and extend the invitation. You all just wait for my good news.¡±

 Chapter 141

    Starlight Calendar 1256, Spring Dawn Month (March).

    After three months of settling, Xieman and Kore had basically stabilized their realms and mastered the relevant formation arrangement techniques for opening up magic plant gardens.

    Su Nan then issued orders to them in the form of missions, instructing them to go to selected locations to open up new magic plant gardens.

    Considering the convenience of operations, Su Nan also allowed them to select a number of apprentices from the base to assist them in completing the task.

    The next day after taking on the mission, the two of them set off with their teams in a flurry of activity, heading for other provinces of the duchy.

    After transferring the work of opening up magic plant gardens, Su Nan¡¯s workload was immediately reduced.

    After creating four Death Knell Marks, he stopped using the Death Knell Striker¡¯s blood to create bloodline marks and began to focus on increasing the Death Knell Striker¡¯s bloodline concentration.

    After being messed around for a while, the Death Knell Striker had obediently submitted to Su Nan, actively cooperating with his various experiments, allowing him to set up some little tricks in its body.

    The so-called little tricks were actually a high-level rune gem.

    Su Nan embedded the gem in the Death Knell Striker¡¯s head. As long as he moved his mind, he could immediately detonate the high-level rune gem, instantly shattering the Death Knell Striker¡¯s head.

    He wasn¡¯t being overly cautious. The Death Knell Striker was, after all, a savage beast. Even though it was docile now, there was no telling when it might betray him.

    Especially after awakening its divine energy, the Death Knell Striker¡¯s strength would inevitably increase significantly. If he didn¡¯t have some means of control, it might cause big trouble later.

    After all, he couldn¡¯t keep an eye on the Death Knell Striker all the time.

    Raising the bloodline of an ancient beast was much more difficult than raising the bloodline of a sub-dragon.

    According to the experimental notes left by Wu Ge, the source of the Death Knell Striker¡¯s bloodline was an ancient beast called the Sisihaiyichong.

    The Magic Cube¡¯s information showed that the Death Knell Striker¡¯s current bloodline concentration was 32.49%.

    However, it took Su Nan half a month to raise the Death Knell Striker¡¯s bloodline concentration by 0.04%.

    ¡°If it takes 100% to make the Death Knell Striker awaken its divine energy and become a Sisihaiyichong, then it will take a very long time.¡±

    Su Nan frowned and pondered, thinking that he should perhaps try a different approach.

    ¡°If I directly synthesize the blood, can I give birth to divine energy?¡±

    ¡°Worth a try!¡±

    Su Nan decided to save the blood drawn from the Death Knell Striker from now on. When he had accumulated enough, he would directly synthesize it into Sisihaiyichong bloodline and see if he could give birth to divine energy. R¦¡?O??¦¢E?S

    If it worked, he wouldn¡¯t have to waste a long time increasing bloodline concentration.

    After all, the Death Knell Striker wasn¡¯t his magical companion. If its strength became too strong, it would be harder to suppress. It would be better if he could maintain its current strength level.

    ¡°The bloodline concentration of the Infiltrator is about to break through 40%.¡±

    Su Nan had not neglected the increase in the bloodline concentration of the Infiltrator.

    However, without the fusion of high-concentration sub-dragon blood and dragon blood, the Infiltrator¡¯s bloodline concentration increased very slowly.

    If there were no other external factors, Su Nan estimated that it would take at least seven or eight years to make the Infiltrator¡¯s bloodline evolve into a true dragon bloodline.

    ¡°Although I¡¯ve asked Kei to help find sub-dragons and dragons, it¡¯s still a question of whether or not we can find suitable sub-dragons and dragons in the current situation of the Starlight Continent.¡±

    There were definitely still low-level sub-dragons on the Starlight Continent.

    But it was difficult to say about high-level sub-dragons and dragons.

    Perhaps the probability of finding them in the Underworld was higher.

    However, Su Nan¡¯s forces in the Underworld were just beginning to take shape. They were not yet strong enough to carry out a large-scale search, so he could only gradually expand his territory. Once his forces were strong enough, he would then search for high-level sub-dragons and dragons.

    Time flies, and time passes quickly.

    In an instant, it was Summer Ridge Month (June).

    On the day of his 24th birthday, Su Nan finally gathered all the magic mithril needed to refine a mithril Magic Puppet.

    Looking at the magic mithril ingots piled up in the Puppet Factory, a happy smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°I can finally refine it.¡±

    Su Nan took a deep breath and began to refine.

    Two months ago, his Puppetry Refining had already reached level 5, more than enough to refine a mithril Magic Puppet.

    Constructing the Magic Puppet¡¯s body, inscribing enchanted runes, stabilizing spells, attaching magical properties... The entire process took three days.

    When Su Nan finally stopped and took a long breath, there was a massive object on the workbench.

    Under the light of the bright magic stone lamp, the mithril Magic Puppet was dark red throughout, shining with a cold metallic luster. Just looking at it gave people a heavy sense of oppression, making it appear unusually strong and mighty.

    Su Nan then embedded the Soul Core into the socket in the Magic Puppet¡¯s chest, completing the final step.

    As dazzling light flashed from the mithril Magic Puppet¡¯s entire body, a strange life force suddenly appeared in the massive object.

    Buzz!

    Next June, the first cohort of students would be graduating.

    According to the rules, students had to pass the graduation exam to graduate successfully.

    In view of this, Moritz, as the dean, had proposed several forms of assessment and specially submitted them to Su Nan for his review.

    ¡°It¡¯s been three years already.¡±

    Su Nan sighed slightly.

    With the ample supply of Dragonblood Fruits, the students at the Dragonheart Knight Academy were progressing very quickly.

    The second-year students basically all had the strength of Probationary Knights.

    Twenty-two of the third-year students had successfully advanced to Knight.

    By next Summer Ridge Month, it was expected that all 500 graduates would be graduating as Knights.

    This was a remarkable achievement for any country.

    The Starlight Continent had never seen such a systematic institution for training knights.

    ¡°It seems that the Knight Guard will soon welcome its first batch of members.¡±

    Su Nan smiled in satisfaction, then his expression turned thoughtful.

    Xieman and Kore¡¯s promotions were a key turning point.

    It meant that the base¡¯s cultivation and accumulation had reached the moment of thick accumulation and thin release.

    Starting with these two, more and more students would successively be promoted to second-rank Mage Apprentices.

    Second-rank Mage Apprentices already possessed considerable combat strength and could truly participate in his plans for the development of his forces.

    In the surface world, the Duchy of Starlight was currently in a period of stable development and there would be no wars in the short term.

    But in the Underworld, it was at the key juncture of starting to expand outward. It was foreseeable that it would soon enter a period of rapid expansion. It was precisely at this time that a large number of personnel were needed.

    These second-rank Mage Apprentices could just participate in this expansion.

    It would also be a kind of training for them.

    Although he did not agree with the cruel, parasitic way of cultivation of black wizards, Su Nan did not want to cultivate a group of hothouse flowers.

    Truly powerful wizards were never academics. They were knowledgeable and proficient in combat.

    After all, both resource collection and adventurous exploration inevitably involved combat and killing.

    ¡°The newly established Knight Guard can be combined with the second-rank Mage Apprentices to explore the surrounding area.¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, with just the current strength of the Star Alliance, we still have too few people.¡±

    Star Alliance was the name Su Nan had given to his forces in the Underworld.

    From now on, the Ghost Lake, Matou, and Ossen would no longer be presented as separate entities, but would all be known collectively as the Star Alliance.

    The Star Alliance had just been established, with its main force being various Puppets. There were very few members who had true subjective initiative, only the vampire and manticore races, and their combined number was less than 400.

    Whether it was exploring the surrounding area or expanding outward, relying solely on Puppets would not be enough. Subjectively active subordinates were also indispensable.

    There were too few people who could be used, and many things could not be carried out.

    That was why Su Nan wanted the second-rank Mage Apprentices from the base to participate.

    This would not only increase the number of available personnel, but also balance out the vampires and manticores, preventing them from developing any wrong thoughts after a long period of time.

    After pondering for a moment, Su Nan had a plan in mind. He put the report aside, took a piece of paper, and began to write.

    Since he had decided to have the Knight Guard participate in the expansion of his Underworld forces, he needed to get them accustomed to and familiar with the Underworld.

    The graduation exam was an excellent opportunity.

    About half an hour later, Su Nan had finished writing. He called Carolina over and gave her the rough outline of the graduation exam, asking her to contact Moritz and be responsible for making a detailed plan.

    After Carolina left, Su Nan took another piece of paper and wrote the four characters ¡®Magic Rune Construct¡¯ on it.

    He had acquired the knowledge of Magic Rune Constructs from the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    It was a special enchanted rune that combined magical tattoos with enchanted weapons. It was not very useful for Mage Apprentices, but it could greatly improve the combat strength of knights.

    Su Nan¡¯s original idea of creating a Knight Guard was inspired by Magic Rune Constructs.

    Now that the Knight Guard was about to take shape, the forging of Magic Rune Constructs should be put on the agenda.

    ¡°The strength of junior and intermediate knights is not enough in the dangerous Underworld. If there are Magic Rune Constructs, the Knight Guard will be able to perform better.¡±

    A set of the lowest level 1 Magic Rune Construct was enough to enhance the strength of a junior knight to the level of a peak knight, close to the level of a Great Knight.

    As long as there were enough Magic Rune Constructs, the Knight Guard would soon become a powerful armed force!

    (End)

 Chapter 142: Heâ€™s Not Interested in Starlight Tower?

    Chapter 142: He¡¯s Not Interested in Starlight Tower?

    Starlight Calendar 1256, Autumn Curtain Moon (October).

    The chill in the air was already quite noticeable, and this year¡¯s snow might fall earlier than usual.

    Meditation Chamber.

    Su Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, slowly opening his eyes. A flash of joy passed through them.

    The fifteenth Star Ring, constructed!

    ¡°Only three more Star Rings left.¡±

    Su Nan let out a long sigh, pushing down his excitement, and opened his panel.

    **[Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male]**

    **[Spirit 48.03/Constitution 43.77]**

    **[Skills]**

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv16 (23/3,000,000)

    Potion Crafting Lv4 (8345/10,000)

    Creature Modification Lv3 (3025/6000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv5 (374/20,000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv4 (5031/10,000)

    ¡°Three million proficiency, at the current rate, it will take about two years.¡±

    ¡°However, if I can utilize Divine Energy to increase my Spiritual Power later, the speed should be even faster.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s lips curled slightly.

    The remaining three Star Rings should be constructed within ten years.

    Then it would be only Spiritual Power and Talent Crystal left.

    Looking down, among the four skills, Puppetry Refining was the fastest-growing, at a unique level 5.

    After all, Su Nan had been frantically crafting various Magic Puppets for the past few years, and his proficiency had increased rapidly.

    On the other hand, Potion Crafting, which was initially far ahead, had slowed down due to the production of low-level potions being handed over to apprentices in the base. Su Nan only needed to synthesize them, and with less crafting, his proficiency naturally slowed down. R?¦Á??o??E?s?

    Magical Item Crafting and Creature Modification were the same, with less and less practice.

    Especially the latter, it was only used when enhancing the bloodlines of the Stealthy Dragon and the Death Knell Strike, and its proficiency had barely increased.

    Even so, being able to raise the four skills to this level during the Wizard Apprentice stage, he was the only one on the entire Starlight Continent who could achieve this.

    Other apprentices didn¡¯t have as many resources as he did to practice.

    Stretching, Su Nan took out the Trading House key, patiently waiting for a while before feeling it activate.

    He immediately activated the key and entered the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Tonight was the once-a-month gathering of the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    The new member hadn¡¯t participated in the last gathering, Night Owl said he had something to do, but he should be here this time.

    Opening his eyes, Su Nan immediately looked around and indeed found a new member.@@@@

    The other party wore a gray robe, and from the faintly visible enchantment patterns, it was clearly a magical item.

    The robe concealed his body completely, and the only exposed face was covered by a plain white mask.

    The other members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut were also sizing up the new member discreetly.

    After waiting patiently for a while and seeing no one else entering, Night Owl announced the start of the gathering.

    ¡°First, let me introduce the new member, this is the ninth Wizard Apprentice of the Mysterious Wooden Hut.¡±

    Night Owl turned towards the gray-robed figure with the white mask.

    ¡°According to the rules, the true identities of all members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut are confidential and must not be revealed. For the sake of convenience, we each have our own code names. You should choose one too.¡±

    The gray-robed figure pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Then call me Hunter.¡±

    As the gray-robed figure¡¯s deep voice fell, the words ¡®Hunter¡¯ slowly appeared on the table in front of him.

    ¡°Welcome, Hunter.¡±

    Night Owl smiled slightly.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s start tonight¡¯s trade.¡±

    Then came the familiar trading process.

    Apart from Black Forest and Traveler, all the other members were present, taking turns to bring out items for mutual trading.

    Hunter observed the trading process without making a sound. He quickly realized that the Wizard Apprentice called Player seemed to have an extraordinary amount of resources.

    Not only did he bring out a considerable number of first-order potions and alchemical-level magical items for trading, but when purchasing from others, he used rare Magic Stones!

    Moreover, from the look of others, it seemed like this was not just the case tonight.

    As if sensing Hunter¡¯s surprise, the staff sitting next to him smiled and whispered, ¡°Player is the richest among us, possessing a large amount of resources. Ever since he joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut, the trading volume of our organization has increased by several levels.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Hunter looked at Su Nan in astonishment.

    Noticing his gaze, Su Nan turned his head and nodded slightly.

    Hunter quickly returned the nod in greeting.

    He could tell that the others treated Su Nan with a hint of respect.

    This was clearly not just because he held a large amount of resources, but more likely because of his strength.

    If it would take a hefty price to get the key, he¡¯d rather decline.

    After all, letting Kei enter Starlight Tower was to obtain the Dawn Potion that could extend his lifespan. He could just wait until he entered Starlight Tower later and figure out a way to get one and give it to Kei.

    Compared to fighting for the Starlight Tower key, Su Nan was more curious about how Hunter got it.

    After all, as far as he knew, the Starlight Tower key was supposed to be only with Evans.

    ¡°Could it be that Hunter knows Evans? Or did he steal it from Evans?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, Night Owl once said that Hunter escaped from Sauro of the Everlasting Society. Could this have something to do with the Everlasting Society?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s mind flashed with various possibilities.

    Just then, the bidding for the Starlight Tower key finally ended.

    In the end, Staff won the Starlight Tower key with a high price of thirteen bottles of Tranquility Potion and gems worth sixty-two thousand gold coins.

    Su Nan was not surprised by this result.

    After all, before he joined the Mysterious Wooden Hut, Staff was the most generous member in the organization.

    Moreover, if he guessed correctly, Staff was indeed from the royal family of the Golden Empire, which would explain his generous spending.

    The Golden Empire was the most powerful country in the Southeast Region of the Continent, bar none.

    Tranquility Potion is a first-order potion that aids meditation and costs about three hundred gold coins each.

    Ultimately, Staff spent nearly sixty-six thousand gold coins to obtain the Starlight Tower key.

    The price was undoubtedly high.

    However, from Staff¡¯s look, he was clearly very satisfied with the outcome.

    Rose, Heart, and Corpse looked a bit reluctant.

    Unfortunately, their fortunes were inferior to others, and they could only hold back their displeasure.

    Su Nan looked deeply at Hunter.

    Since he was willing to trade the Starlight Tower key, it meant that he had another key, or perhaps even more.

    Perhaps the same trade might happen again in the future.

    Frostfall Moon (November).

    White snowflakes dotted the earth.

    The snow this year did fall earlier than usual.

    Compared to the icy cold wind howling on the surface, the underground world was only slightly cooler.

    Inside the city of Yuhula, the Human-Faced Lion Warriors still walked around the streets shirtless.

    In Base 2, laboratory.

    A wide workbench was filled with countless test tubes, each containing blood drawn from the Death Knell Striker, with a uniform capacity of 100 ml.

    ¡°This much blood should be enough.¡±

    Su Nan muttered, opening the Magic Cube and putting in the blood one by one, his eyes fixed on the synthesis interface.

    As more and more blood was put in, the bloodline concentration on the synthesis interface kept increasing.

    59.13% 64.79% 71.34% 84.11%

    When there were only eight test tubes left on the workbench, the bloodline concentration on the synthesis interface finally broke through 100%, and the information suddenly changed.

    **[Hisstous Worm Blood, Purity 1.25%, contains 1 standard unit of Divine Energy. Injecting it into the human body has a very small probability of fusing with the Hisstous Worm bloodline and a very high probability of causing rejection. Severe cases can lead to death. The stronger the constitution and spirit, the higher the fusion success rate and the lower the rejection. ]**

    ¡°Success!¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    As he had expected, even without enhancing the bloodline concentration of the Death Knell Striker, it was possible to create Divine Energy by synthesizing blood.

    Although the description indicated that the contained Divine Energy was very little, at least it proved that his method was correct.

    Su Nan immediately extracted the Divine Energy from the blood and absorbed it immediately.

    Unlike the Divine Energy obtained from deities, the Divine Energy in these naturally-born divine creatures did not contain faith power, there was no risk of faith pollution, and it was very pure, allowing for direct absorption.

    After digesting the Divine Energy, Su Nan opened the panel and found that his Spirit had increased by 0.25.

    ¡°Not bad!¡±

    Su Nan smiled contentedly.

    After all, there was only 1 standard unit of Divine Energy, far less than what he had extracted from the divine remains before, an increase of 0.25 Spirit was already quite good.

    The key was that this was sustainable.

    As long as the Death Knell Striker was still around, he could keep drawing blood, artificially creating Divine Energy, which was equivalent to having a new way to increase his Spiritual Power periodically.

    ¡°It takes about eight months worth of blood to create 1 standard unit of Divine Energy.¡±

    ¡°That means I can get an additional 0.37 increase in Spiritual Power annually, on average.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, the more Spiritual Power I have, the harder it becomes to increase, the subsequent increase should gradually decrease.¡±

    ¡°But even so, it can shorten the time it takes for my Spiritual Power to break through 60.¡±

    Su Nan thought of the Death Knell Striker locked in the confinement area.

    Considering its contribution, he would take it out of the confinement area and give it a more comfortable environment.

    Otherwise, living in a dark dungeon and being drawn blood all the time, it would definitely develop depression.

    Of course, the defense still needs to be strict.

    It just so happened that he wasn¡¯t using that Mithril Magic Puppet, so he would let it guard the Death Knell Striker.

 Chapter 143

    White Tower Province, outskirts of Ryan City.

    A vast manor, planted with dense, crimson fruits.

    At a glance, it seemed as if one had entered a sea of red.

    On the path between the gardens, Xieman looked at the thriving Dragon Blood Fruits, a genuine smile blooming on his face.

    The apprentices behind him also beamed with joy.

    ¡°The first batch of Dragon Blood Fruits are about to mature, indicating that the magic plant garden¡¯s formation is functioning without issues. We succeeded!¡±

    ¡°This counts as completing the task!¡±

    ¡°I told you, with Senior Xieman around, there¡¯s no problem!¡±

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s all thanks to Senior Xieman.¡±

    The group buzzed with happy chatter, filled with a joyful atmosphere.

    Xieman turned back, smiling. ¡°The development of the magic plant garden isn¡¯t just my achievement. It¡¯s thanks to everyone¡¯s help. You¡¯ve all worked hard during this time. I¡¯ll submit a report to the base according to everyone¡¯s contributions. I¡¯m sure the task rewards will be coming soon.¡±

    The apprentices¡¯ expressions brightened even further upon hearing this.

    They had traveled thousands of miles to White Tower Province to develop the magic plant garden. It had been hard work, but the rewards were also incredibly generous.

    These four months of effort had earned them more than their past six months of mission income combined.

    Xieman was also in high spirits.@@@@

    As the main force behind the magic plant garden, he would receive the most contribution points, enough to exchange for several Super Ability Potions and four or five First-Ring Spells.

    ¡°Senior Xieman, when are we going to the next location?¡± an apprentice asked eagerly, fists clenched.

    There were two teams in charge of developing new magic plant gardens, led by Xieman and Kore respectively.

    Each team was responsible for developing three new magic plant gardens, all located near the six knight academies.

    Ryan City was only their first magic plant garden, and they had two more to go.

    Xieman pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°I¡¯ll submit the report to the base later. Once the stationed personnel from the base arrive to take over, we can leave. Ra?o??E?S?

    ¡°Also, we need to harvest and preserve this batch of Dragon Blood Fruits, deliver them to the Dragon Claw Knight Academy in the city, and plant new magic plant seeds. This time, we¡¯ll add some other types of seeds, including Silver Moon Flowers and Calm Mind Flowers.¡±

    Hearing that Xieman had already arranged for everything, everyone agreed.

    ¡°Everyone has worked hard today. After we return to the city, I¡¯ll treat you all to dinner at the Blue Rose Restaurant,¡± Xieman said with a smile.

    ¡°Senior Xieman is treating us? Then I¡¯ll be sure to eat my fill.¡±

    ¡°Senior Xieman is generous. The Blue Rose Restaurant isn¡¯t cheap.¡±

    ¡°Cut it out, how could Senior Xieman be short of gold coins?¡±

    The group laughed and teased each other.

    Except for two apprentices who remained on duty with envious expressions, the rest left the magic plant garden together.

    Four luxurious carriages were parked outside the main gate, their walls engraved with the family crest of Ryan City¡¯s lord.

    Upon seeing Xieman and his companions emerge, the coachmen immediately jumped down, placed footstools, and stood respectfully to the side.

    Ryan City¡¯s lord didn¡¯t dare to neglect these Wizard Apprentices from the capital base. He had arranged their accommodations at the lord¡¯s mansion, prepared four carriages for their use, and provided dedicated personnel to attend to their every need, from travel to meals.

    After all, these were the students of that great person.

    Everyone boarded the carriages one by one, and the convoy set off for Ryan City with a series of neighs.

    Inside the carriage, Xieman took out a spell model book and immersed himself in its pages.

    After being promoted to Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he was finally able to start learning First-Ring Spells.

    The first First-Ring Spell he chose was [Shield Spell].

    ¡°First-Ring Spells are indeed much harder than Zero-Ring Spells. I¡¯ve been learning for almost half a year, but I haven¡¯t fully mastered Shield Spell yet.¡±

    Only after actually experiencing it did Xieman truly understand the difficulty of First-Ring Spells, and he felt even more admiration and respect for his teacher.

    Teacher could master one First-Ring Spell per month, according to Ms. Amy!

    That was something he couldn¡¯t even imagine!

    Time flew by as he studied.

    Before long, Xieman felt the carriage slowing down, followed by the coachman¡¯s voice outside.

    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Xieman put away his book, opened the carriage door, and stepped down.

    The convoy had arrived at the gate of the lord¡¯s mansion.

    Stedd Ponte, who had already received the news, was standing at the gate. Upon seeing Xieman get off, he greeted him with a warm smile.

    ¡°Sir Xieman, I heard you were planning to have dinner at the Blue Rose Restaurant. I¡¯ve already arranged a feast there. If you wouldn¡¯t mind, let me be your host tonight.¡±

    Xieman readily agreed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Lord Stedd.¡±

    Facing the charging Dark Land Dragon, Xieman calmly completed his spell preparation and launched a Stun Spell at the Dark Land Dragon.

    Bang!

    The Dark Land Dragon stumbled and fell to the ground, sliding several meters along the ground due to the immense inertia, kicking up a cloud of dust.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, Stedd, along with the two other knights, charged forward.

    However, dragons were naturally resistant to magic, and while the Dark Land Dragon was only a sub-dragon species, it still inherited some of its abilities, making it significantly more resistant to magic than strange beasts of other species.

    Shaking its head, the Dark Land Dragon climbed back up from the ground, seemingly unharmed, and attacked again.

    ¡°Zero-Ring Spells have little effect on the Dark Land Dragon. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t mastered any attack-type First-Ring Spells yet.¡±

    Xieman sighed, seeing Stedd and the others struggling against the Dark Land Dragon¡¯s attacks. He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly took out a gem.

    The gem, engraved with intricate patterns, sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.

    Xieman then threw the gem, shouting at the same time:

    ¡°Move!¡±

    Stedd and the three knights immediately retreated to the sides, and the next second, the gem in mid-air suddenly burst into a brilliant light, transforming into a bolt of lightning that slammed into the Dark Land Dragon.

    Boom!

    The Dark Land Dragon immediately let out a terrifying roar.

    When the lightning dissipated, the Dark Land Dragon lay motionless on the ground, smoking and silent.

    A knight cautiously approached to check, then revealed a joyful expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead!¡±

    Stedd breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Xieman with awe.

    This was the power of a wizard!

    That bolt of lightning just now was incredibly powerful!

    Even a Great Knight might not dare to face it head-on, right?

    Unbeknownst to him, Xieman was equally astonished.

    This was the first time he had used a Rune Gem in battle, and he never expected it to be so powerful. Even the Dark Land Dragon, with its high magic resistance, was killed in one hit.

    ¡°Rune Gems are expensive, but they¡¯re worth it.¡±

    Xieman sighed inwardly.

    Coming back to his senses, he immediately found Stedd and said, ¡°Lord Stedd, it¡¯s very unusual for a Dark Land Dragon to appear on the surface. It might be related to the underground world. I have to report this to my teacher. Would you please allow me to handle this corpse?¡±

    Stedd¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°No problem, Sir Xieman. If you need help, please just ask.¡±

    Xieman thanked him and asked Stedd to move the corpse to the lord¡¯s mansion for safekeeping.

    Back at the lord¡¯s mansion, Xieman immediately returned to his room, ready to write a letter to his teacher, reporting today¡¯s events.

    Stedd went to his father¡¯s study to report what had happened.

    ¡°Why would a monster from the underground world appear here?¡±

    Lord Haus of Ryan City couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow after listening to Stedd¡¯s report.

    After the spread of South¡¯s deeds, the nobles of Starsea Duchy had begun to actively collect information about wizards, and so Haus had some understanding of the underground world.

    Having creatures from the underground world appear in his territory wasn¡¯t a good sign.

    Perhaps there was an entrance to the underground world somewhere in a corner.

    If that were the case, it would be a real headache.

    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s better to leave this matter to the wizards.¡±

    Haus rubbed his temples, then suddenly remembered another matter.

    ¡°How have you been getting along with Xieman these past few days?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been fine.¡± Stedd smiled slightly. ¡°Sir Xieman is indeed as the rumors say, he¡¯s very approachable, and doesn¡¯t put on airs at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Haus nodded slightly, his expression becoming meaningful.

    ¡°South has many students, but the most outstanding are Xieman and Kore.¡±

    ¡°Kore comes from a noble background and has a proud personality, making him difficult to approach. Xieman is much more approachable in comparison.¡±

    ¡°This time, Xieman led a team to develop magic plant gardens in our Ryan City. It¡¯s a great opportunity. You should take advantage of it and build a good relationship with him. It will be very beneficial to your future development.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡± Stedd replied solemnly.

    Anyone with a bit of foresight could see how important the base would become in Starsea Duchy in the future.

    Therefore, befriending wizards who came from the base was a win-win situation for any noble.

    They were lucky in Ryan City to have Xieman come over, and of course, they had to cherish this rare opportunity.

 Chapter 144: Third-Rank Magic Emblem Construct, First Assistant

    Chapter 144: Third-Rank Magic Emblem Construct, First Assistant

    ÓÄºþ City, Base 2.

    In the brightly lit workshop, Su Nan stood in front of the workbench, carefully drawing the final stroke of the pattern. The special liquid, a blend of gems and metal, was just consumed.

    On the smooth metal table, mysterious and complex patterns intertwined and outlined each other, shining brightly under the light, exuding a strange charm.

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly, beckoned with his hand, and the pattern in front of him suddenly detached from the table, floating up and rapidly shrinking to condense into a round metal ball the size of an egg, resting in his palm.

    After admiring it for a few moments, Su Nan went to the shelf in the corner. Hundreds of metal balls were already placed on it, clearly divided into three piles.

    Su Nan placed the metal ball on the leftmost pile, which had the smallest number.

    For a while, he had been refining Magic Emblem Constructs. These metal balls were Magic Emblem Constructs of different levels. As long as they were activated by infusing Martial Energy, they could instantly spread throughout the body, strengthening it.

    Magic Emblem Constructs were divided into five levels.

    Level 1 was the lowest, and Level 5 was the highest.

    The higher the level, the stronger the strengthening effect, and the heavier the burden on the body.

    To use Magic Emblem Constructs, one needed at least Knight-level strength.

    A Level 1 Magic Emblem Construct could enhance a Junior Knight¡¯s strength to the peak of Knight-level, approaching Great Knight-level.

    A Level 2 Magic Emblem Construct could only be borne by those at Senior Knight-level or higher. It could enhance a Senior Knight¡¯s strength to the level of a Junior Great Knight!

    A Level 3 Magic Emblem Construct required a Great Knight to use. It could enhance a Junior Great Knight¡¯s strength to the level of a Senior Great Knight.

    As for Level 4 and 5 Magic Emblem Constructs, they were for Legendary Knights, which Su Nan hadn¡¯t refined yet.

    The Magic Emblem Constructs he had refined during this period were all Levels 1 to 3.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that, according to the different emphasis of the strengthening effect, Magic Emblem Constructs were also divided into types.

    The most common ones were Agility, Strength, and Constitution types.

    While these three types of Magic Emblem Constructs could all strengthen the overall physical fitness, including muscle strength, impact resistance, and reaction speed, etc., they all had a focus. R¦¡?????ob?s

    For example, the Agility type Magic Emblem Construct¡¯s enhancement of reaction speed and flexibility far surpassed other aspects.

    The Strength and Constitution types were similar. One could tell their focus from their names.

    Besides these, there were also Flying, Elemental, and Special types, etc.

    In general, as long as a Magic Weapon has a certain attribute, it could basically be transplanted to a Magic Emblem Construct.

    Furthermore, the effects of some spells could also be transplanted to Magic Emblem Constructs.

    The level of the Magic Emblem Construct basically represents the number of its attributes.

    For example, single Agility, Strength, and Constitution types were basically Level 1 Magic Emblem Constructs.

    Level 2 Magic Emblem Constructs added one to two attributes on top of Level 1.

    For example, the Flying attribute, the Gathering attribute (reducing Martial Energy consumption), or the Elemental attribute (adding weak elemental damage).

    Level 3 Magic Emblem Constructs added two to three more attributes on top of Level 2.

    It could be said that a Great Knight equipped with a Level 3 Magic Emblem Construct was equivalent to being equipped with four to six Alchemy-level Magic Items. Their combat strength was already comparable to a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice!

    However, conversely, the higher the level of the Magic Emblem Construct, the higher the cost.

    The cost of a Level 1 Magic Emblem Construct was around 83 gold coins, almost twice as expensive as a Stone Golem.

    The cost of a Level 2 Magic Emblem Construct was around 280 gold coins.

    The cost of a Level 3 Magic Emblem Construct was close to 650 gold coins.

    ¡°The cost of 650 gold coins isn¡¯t too expensive.¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five Stone Golems can be synthesized into one Senior Great Knight-level Stone Golem, costing nearly 1,100 gold coins. However, a 650 gold coin Magic Emblem Construct, combined with a Junior Great Knight, can yield a Senior Great Knight-level combat power. It¡¯s still a good deal in comparison.¡±

    For Senior Great Knight-level combat power, humans with subjective initiative could undoubtedly play a bigger role than a Stone Golem.

    ¡°There are a total of 500 graduates in the first session of the Dragonheart Knight Academy. To equip them all with Magic Emblem Constructs, it would cost approximately 41,000 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit expensive, but this way, we can get 500 peak knights approaching Great Knight-level combat power.¡±

    Su Nan estimated that if 41,000 gold coins were all used to refine Double-Blade Spiders (peak Knight-level), it would only be enough to refine 230, less than half the number of graduates from the Knight Academy.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t include the cost of cultivating students. If that were added, it wouldn¡¯t be clear which one was more cost-effective.

    However, if it were up to Su Nan, he would still prefer 500 knights with subjective initiative.

    ¡°Let¡¯s first gather 500 sets of Level 1 Magic Emblem Constructs.¡±

    Minotaurs were not good at smelting. If the tribe didn¡¯t have dwarves, even if they dug up gold ore, they wouldn¡¯t be able to smelt it. They could only trade it.

    ¡°I¡¯m still investigating in more detail, but it¡¯s highly likely that they control a gold mine.¡± Red Widow smiled.

    ¡°Very good.¡± Su Nan showed a smile of approval. ¡°If you confirm that the tribe indeed possesses a gold mine, immediately send troops to conquer it!¡±

    Adult Minotaurs¡¯ combat strength ranged from Junior Knight to Senior Knight level.

    A Minotaur tribe with a population of over five hundred was already a considerable force in the underground world. Even if they held a gold mine, not many dared to have ideas about it.

    The Star Alliance was an exception.

    With the Star Alliance¡¯s current strength, wiping out a Minotaur tribe would be a piece of cake.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Red Widow replied respectfully.

    After discussing the exploration, Su Nan was about to let them go when he saw Carolina suddenly hand him a letter.

    ¡°Master, there¡¯s a letter from Sherman.¡±

    Su Nan understood. It was probably about the new Magic Plant Garden.

    However, after taking the letter and opening it, he was somewhat surprised.

    ¡°Dim Light Land Dragon?¡±

    This underground-world-exclusive creature, how could it have ended up on the surface?

    Could there be an entrance to the underground world around Ryan City?

    Seeing Su Nan lost in thought for a long time, Red Widow couldn¡¯t help but curiously ask, ¡°Master, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t answer. He threw the letter to them to read.

    After reading it, Red Widow and Carolina also showed surprise.

    ¡°Send someone to Ryan City to retrieve the body of the Dim Light Land Dragon. Also, investigate where it came from. If there really is an entrance to the underground world, immediately contact the local lord to seal the entrance and report back to me.¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t think for too long and quickly gave the order.

    If it were simply an entrance to the underground world, he wouldn¡¯t be too concerned.

    After all, there were many unexplored areas around the Star Alliance right now. The maps here weren¡¯t even fully explored yet. He simply didn¡¯t have the energy to develop a second entrance.

    However, if there were Sub-Dragons on the other side of this entrance, it would be different.

    If he could catch a large number of Sub-Dragons or find high-level Sub-Dragons, he could extract their blood to accelerate the speed of increasing the bloodline concentration of the Stealthy Dragons.

    That was what he was truly concerned about.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find clues about Sub-Dragons so quickly. Hopefully, there will be something to gain.¡±

    Su Nan pondered secretly.

    If there were a large number of Sub-Dragons on the other side of the entrance, he might have to go there himself.

    Having stayed with Su Nan for so long, Carolina and Red Widow both knew that their master had been searching for Sub-Dragons for a long time and took this matter seriously. Therefore, upon hearing his words, they both solemnly responded in the affirmative.

    ¡°Alright, go down.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    The two women responded and retreated.

    Leaving the study, Carolina quickened her pace and walked forward. Before she had gone far, she heard the wind coming from behind, and Red Widow had already lightly caught up to her, a teasing smile on her face.

    ¡°Why are you walking so fast? Are you rushing to deal with the swamp and the Eye Demon tribes? Or are you going to send someone to Ryan City right away?¡±

    Carolina said expressionlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t be smug. This time, you were just lucky. It¡¯s not certain who will win in the end.¡±

    ¡°The fact is that I¡¯m one step ahead of you now.¡± Red Widow raised her index finger to her crimson lips, smiling sweetly. ¡°One step ahead, always ahead. By the time you¡¯ve finished dealing with the swamp and the Eye Demon tribes, I¡¯ll have already found more mines.¡±

    Carolina¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. She glared at Red Widow and didn¡¯t bother with her anymore. She quickened her pace and walked forward.

    She had already fallen behind Red Widow in the exploration for mines. She absolutely couldn¡¯t lose to her again in the investigation of the Dim Light Land Dragon. She had to find the source of the Dim Light Land Dragon before Red Widow did.

    Red Widow didn¡¯t chase after her anymore. She watched Carolina walk away, her smile fading. She scornfully curled her lips.

    She naturally guessed what Carolina was up to. It was nothing more than wanting to make up for her loss in the matter of the Dim Light Land Dragon.

    Unfortunately, she wouldn¡¯t give her the opportunity.

    This time, she would also be one step ahead of Carolina.

    The longer she stayed under Su Nan¡¯s command, the more Red Widow felt Su Nan¡¯s strength.

    As long as Su Nan was alive, the Star Alliance¡¯s strength would continue to grow, and its territory would continue to expand. It would eventually become the overlord of the underground world.

    As long as she firmly secured her position as Su Nan¡¯s first assistant, when the Star Alliance became the overlord of the underground world, she would also rise to become a prominent figure in the underground world!

    Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement.

 Chapter 145: Mysterious Prize, Points Assessment

    Chapter 145: Mysterious Prize, Points Assessment

    Starlight Calendar 1257, Summer Dragon Month (June).

    Shining Light City, Dragonheart Knights Academy.

    The weather was hot, a gentle breeze blowing.

    The academy was equally filled with a fiery atmosphere.

    Today was the first graduation assessment for the Dragonheart Knights Academy.

    Early in the morning, many fourth-year students about to graduate gathered in the training ground, discussing the upcoming graduation assessment.

    ¡°I wonder what form the graduation assessment will take?¡±

    ¡°The academy is keeping things pretty secretive. They only tell us the specific assessment content when we reach the assessment location.¡±

    ¡°No matter what it is, the assessment location is in the Underworld. It¡¯s not going to be easy.¡±

    ¡°I heard the Underworld is very dangerous, full of monsters everywhere. I hope the academy doesn¡¯t make the assessment too difficult.¡±

    The students gathered in groups of three or two, their voices buzzing.

    Outside the training ground, students from the other three grades were also curiously watching, trying to see if they could get some information, after all, they would also be going through the same assessment in the future.

    ¡°Shien!¡±

    Shien had finally squeezed through the crowd of lower-grade students to enter the training ground and was looking around for his friends. He heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

    Turning his head, he saw Rug and Sorano waving at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re so late, kid?¡±

    Walking closer, Rug good-naturedly punched Shien on the shoulder.

    Shien scratched his cheek and smiled, ¡°The dean called me over to talk about something.¡±

    Rug¡¯s eyes lit up and he leaned over, putting an arm around Shien¡¯s shoulder, whispering mysteriously, ¡°Did the dean tell you about the graduation assessment? Share some inside information with me, we¡¯re brothers, after all!¡±

    Shien shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. You know how strict the academy rules are. The dean wouldn¡¯t possibly lead the way in breaking the rules. He just encouraged me a few words.¡±

    Rug was disappointed.

    ¡°What? The dean is too rigid. You¡¯re the top student in the fourth year, at least give us some information, what¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    ¡°Exactly because Shien is the top student in the fourth year, the dean believes he can achieve good results, so he won¡¯t break the rules and help him privately.¡± Sorano smiled and revealed two small dimples, turning to Shien, ¡°Shien, how are your preparations?¡±

    ¡°No problem!¡±

    Shien raised his right hand, confidently making a muscle-flexing gesture.

    ¡°I¡¯m definitely going to get first place this time!¡±

    Rug said enviously, ¡°I heard the top five students in the assessment will get a third-grade Dragonblood Fruit and a mysterious prize.¡±

    The higher the grade of the Dragonblood Fruit, the stronger the effect.

    The lowest-grade, first-grade Dragonblood Fruit, was specifically for probationary knights.

    The first and second-year students in the academy, as well as some third-year students who hadn¡¯t yet been promoted to knights, usually ate first-grade Dragonblood Fruit.

    Second-grade Dragonblood Fruit was specifically for knights.

    Only those who had been promoted to knights were eligible to eat this grade of Dragonblood Fruit.

    As for third-grade Dragonblood Fruit, it was said that one could allow a mid-level knight to break through to a high-level knight.

    There were a total of eighteen mid-level knights among this year¡¯s graduating class, including Shien.

    If they could get a third-grade Dragonblood Fruit, they could immediately break through to high-level knights.

    How could this not be envied?

    ¡°That¡¯s great, I want a third-grade Dragonblood Fruit too.¡± Rug looked envious.

    Sorano laughed softly, ¡°The top five will definitely be taken by those mid-level knight students. Let¡¯s aim for the top fifty. The top fifty will still get a second-grade Dragonblood Fruit.¡±

    ¡°A second-grade Dragonblood Fruit is a lot less effective.¡± Rug muttered.

    But this guy was an optimist, and he quickly forgot about it, turning the conversation to the mysterious prize.

    ¡°What do you think the so-called mysterious prize is?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s something from the base.¡± Sorano¡¯s eyes flashed with anticipation, ¡°I heard there are many amazing things there. The Dragonblood Fruit came from there too.¡±

    ¡°Could it be the legendary magical artifact?¡±

    ¡°Not likely. I heard that only wizards can use magical artifacts, knights can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then could it be a potion?¡±

    Rug and Sorano discussed eagerly. Shien stood by, silent, with a strange expression on his face.

    Earlier, the dean had called him over. Besides encouragement, he had also told him what the so-called mysterious prize was.

    Rug had actually guessed right. It was a magical artifact.

    The name was ¡®Magic Emblem Construct¡¯, a powerful magical artifact that even knights could use.

    The dean also said that all graduates would be assigned a set of first-grade Magic Emblem Constructs, but only the top five students who scored the highest would be assigned a set of more powerful second-grade Magic Emblem Constructs.

    It was said that high-level knights equipped with a second-grade Magic Emblem Construct could directly have the battle strength of a Great Knight!

    ¡°Now everyone takes the photosensitivity potion, rest here for ten minutes, and then the assessment will begin.¡±

    Moritz waved his hand, and immediately instructors stepped forward to distribute the photosensitivity potion.

    After taking the potion, the students immediately felt their vision become clearer, no longer as dark as before.

    ¡°So magical!¡±

    ¡°This is the wizard¡¯s potion? Awesome!¡±

    ¡°Finally, I can see my surroundings clearly.¡±

    Many students exclaimed in wonder, while others began to prepare for battle.

    Shien also began to check his weapons and equipment, making final preparations.

    Although he was confident in his own strength, there were many elites in the fourth year, and there were still many strong opponents. He wouldn¡¯t be careless.

    Ten minutes passed quickly.

    As Moritz announced the start of the assessment, the students entered the cave one after another.

    ¡°Good luck!¡±

    ¡°You too!¡±

    After encouraging each other, Shien, Rug, and Sorano separated at the fork near the entrance, each entering a different tunnel.

    As they went deeper, they encountered more and more forks, and the students gradually dispersed.

    Before long, all the students around Shien had disappeared, leaving him alone.

    In the dark underground tunnel, it was dead silent, only the faint sound of footsteps echoed.

    Shien cautiously observed his surroundings, unconsciously tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

    The air was cold and damp, with a bone-chilling coldness that made Shien, who was entering the Underworld for the first time, extremely uncomfortable.

    Fortunately, he had taken the photosensitivity potion beforehand, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about not being able to see his surroundings.

    After walking for a while, Shien keenly noticed that every few distances, there was a raven hanging upside down from the top of the cave. Its eyes were a rare blood-red color, and its body was covered with hard scales.

    ¡°Is this the red-eyed raven the dean mentioned?¡±

    After cautiously testing a few times, Shien found that these red-eyed ravens were motionless, only staring fixedly at him. He immediately confirmed his guess and ignored them, continuing to walk under them.

    After walking more than a hundred meters, he came to a fork in the road, with a total of three tunnels.

    There was a strange rustling sound coming from the leftmost tunnel.

    Shien hesitated for a moment, but still chose the leftmost tunnel.

    Where there were monsters, there was a greater chance of finding crystal balls.

    Not far away, a dense mass of blood-red light spots suddenly lit up in the darkness ahead.

    Taking a closer look, he realized that they were pairs of glowing red, cold animal eyes.

    Squeek! Squeek! Squeek!

    Accompanied by a series of sharp cries, a group of rats suddenly burst out of the darkness, like wild beasts gone mad, charging towards Shien at high speed.

    Shien¡¯s expression tightened, but he was not alarmed. He quickly retreated to the corner, leaned against the rock wall, and prepared to meet the enemy.

    Dragonheart Knights Academy didn¡¯t only teach how to cultivate, it also taught practical skills.

    Besides daily sparring and practice among students, practical courses in fighting and killing beasts and monsters in the wild were also not uncommon.

    In terms of fighting and killing, Shien was no longer a novice who was just starting out.

    He slashed a rat in two with his sword, then shoulder-charged another rat that was trying to sneak attack him, and the blade of his sword trembled violently, tearing through the air and slashing forcefully towards the front.

    Ripple Slash!

    Buzz!

    A low buzz suddenly erupted in the void.

    A powerful force suddenly erupted, tearing apart more than ten rats in front of him. A clear gap suddenly appeared in the dense rat swarm!

    Such a powerful attack momentarily stopped the onslaught of the crazed rat swarm.

    Seizing this opportunity, Shien quickly adjusted his breath and slashed two more rats with his sword.

    He could see that the combat power of these monsters was not much stronger than ordinary people. They were just more numerous. As long as they didn¡¯t get trapped in an encirclement, any knight could easily solve them.

    A moment later, Shien successfully wiped out the rat swarm.

    He stepped over the dense rat corpses on the ground and hurried towards the direction from which the rat swarm had come. He soon saw a stone pillar standing in the middle of the tunnel. On top of the pillar was a crystal ball.

    Inside, three light points shimmered.

    ¡°Three points in hand!¡±

    Shien picked up the crystal ball, a look of excitement on his face.

    Taking a deep breath, he continued walking forward.

    After getting his first reward, he was even more motivated.

 Chapter 146

    While the graduation examination was in full swing, outside the cave, Moritz and a group of instructors were discussing the graduation ceremony.

    ¡°Dean, I heard that this year¡¯s graduates will be joining the exploration team in the underworld after joining the Knights¡¯ Guard. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Moritz nodded slightly. ¡°This graduation examination is meant to prepare them for this. It allows them to adapt to the environment and combat of the underworld.¡±

    ¡°The underworld is fraught with danger. Isn¡¯t it too soon for these students to join exploration missions right after graduation?¡± An instructor said with concern.

    Moritz smiled faintly. ¡°This just shows Lord Su Nan¡¯s expectations of this batch of students.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at these students through the lens of the past. Our academy is the first academy in the Starfire Dukedom, perhaps even the entire Starlight Continent, to cultivate knights. Have you ever seen someone become a knight from a commoner in just four years?¡±

    Everyone shook their heads.

    Not only had they never seen it, but they had never even heard of it.

    They had all spent years diligently cultivating, taking twenty to thirty years to become knights.

    Before joining the Dragonheart Knights¡¯ Academy as instructors, they never thought there would be a place that could cultivate a group of knights in just four years.

    ¡°So, the knight students who graduate from this academy are different from us old fellows.¡±

    A look of sentiment crossed Moritz¡¯s face.

    ¡°The world they will experience and see will be completely different from ours, from the knights in the army. Naturally, the requirements for them will also be different.¡±

    The instructors present all thought about it.

    They all remembered the Magic-Inscribed Construct they had seen recently.

    It was a wondrous piece of armament that would surely stir up a huge storm in the knight world once it was released.

    And this powerful armament was prepared for these students.

    As the dean said, their future path was different from theirs. It was no longer appropriate to look at the students through the lens of the past.

    The open space in front of the cave fell silent for a moment.

    Everyone silently waited.

    The underworld had no distinction between day and night. Only the magic hourglass was used to divide time.

    Ten hours of exam time flew by.

    As time ran out, the Manticore, which had been meditating nearby, suddenly opened its eyes, took out a whistle and walked to the entrance of the cave, putting it in its mouth and blowing.

    The shrill whistle echoed far into the cave.

    Soon, the flapping of wings and footsteps could be heard from inside the cave.

    One by one, the students walked out of the cave, led by the red-eyed ravens.

    Almost every student had injuries, though some were more severe than others.

    But fortunately, no one had died.

    Moritz breathed a sigh of relief, immediately ordering people to bring out healing potions for the students to take, then began to count the points.

    During the wait, Sheen found Rug and Solrano. Seeing that they were not seriously injured, he was relieved.

    ¡°How was your harvest?¡± Sheen asked.

    ¡°I only got twenty-five points.¡± Rug was a little apprehensive. ¡°I don¡¯t know what rank this score will put me.¡±

    ¡°I got twenty-four points.¡± Solrano said, then asked back, ¡°What about you, Sheen?¡±

    Sheen smiled slightly. ¡°I was lucky. I managed to kill a Toad Beast at the last moment, and got a ten-point crystal ball. Now I have a total of fifty-three points.¡±

    ¡°Fifty-three points!¡± Rug exclaimed, then a look of excitement crossed his face. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. You¡¯re definitely going to be the top scorer this time!¡±

    Rug¡¯s voice quickly attracted the attention of those around him.

    ¡°Sheen got fifty-three points? Really?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s too strong. I haven¡¯t even reached half his score.¡±

    ¡°He deserves to be the top student!¡±

    ¡°Rosy and Colen both got forty-plus points. Looks like Sheen is going to be number one again this time.¡±

    The crowd buzzed with discussion.

    Rosy and Colen were both strong rivals who had fought Sheen for the top spot in the past. Even they were no match for Sheen, so the others stood no chance.

    Sure enough, when the instructors announced the exam scores, Sheen unsurprisingly came in first.

    Rug and Solrano also made it into the top fifty.

    All three had joyful smiles on their faces.

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    ¡°It would be best to find a third-rank mage apprentice to manage the No. 1 base. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to handle so much, and I would only need to review reports regularly.¡±

    Su Nan thought silently.

    But while he could think about it, finding a suitable candidate wasn¡¯t easy.

    It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to convince a third-rank mage apprentice to manage the No. 1 base for him. If he gave them enough benefits, he could definitely find someone willing.

    The key was to ensure that they wouldn¡¯t betray him.

    A soul contract?

    It probably wouldn¡¯t work. No third-rank mage apprentice would willingly sign such a contract.

    An oath contract might work, but it wasn¡¯t very reliable.

    After all, much of the No. 1 base involved the secrets of the synthetic magic cube. If he were to let someone else manage it, he had to ensure their reliability and loyalty.

    In short, choosing a manager for the No. 1 base was very important and he had to be extremely cautious.

    As he pondered, Su Nan had already returned to the No. 1 base.

    Two years had passed, and the number of students in the base had increased by more than a dozen.

    Now, the entire base had 284 people.

    Nearly a third of them had already built their second Star Ring.

    Ethan and Atilla were currently making the fastest progress. It was estimated that they would be able to build their third Star Ring within a year, becoming the third and fourth second-rank mage apprentices in the base after Sheman and Corey.

    As he walked, students kept stopping to greet Su Nan.

    Occasionally, he would also see various strange and unusual creatures from other worlds.

    The No. 1 base now had almost as many creatures from other worlds as students, summoned by Su Nan, including a large number of elves and fairies.

    These creatures from other worlds were mainly responsible for managing the various areas of the base.

    It was because of them that even though Su Nan was away for most of the time, the No. 1 base could still operate smoothly.

    Su Nan continued walking, inspecting each of the important areas in the base.

    Counting the two magic plant gardens that were still being developed, Su Nan now had twelve magic plant gardens, numbered from 1 to 12.

    The No. 1 magic plant garden in the No. 1 base was of paramount importance.

    After the development of the No. 7 to No. 12 magic plant gardens, the output of Dragonblood Fruit and Silver Moon Flowers increased significantly, basically enough to meet the needs of the base, the Knights¡¯ Academy and the Blackrock Cavalry Regiment.

    So, Su Nan removed the Dragonblood Fruit and Silver Moon Flowers from the No. 1 magic plant garden and replaced them with other valuable rare magic plants.

    Since he now had enough manpower, he could open up a few more magic plant gardens if he needed to increase the output of Dragonblood Fruit and Silver Moon Flowers in the future.

    In the insect nest, the dull gemstone insect crawled slowly on the ground, the gemstone on its back shimmering.

    With the rare metals supplied by the Star Alliance for making fission nutrient, the gemstone insect population grew rapidly.

    Now there were thirty-two of them.

    The gemstone output of the insect nest also increased to more than one thousand one hundred gemstones per year.

    That translated to more than twenty thousand gold coins.

    Although it was far from the profit generated by the Star Alliance¡¯s mines, it was a steady stream, and there was no need to worry about resource depletion.

    Moreover, this output would gradually increase over time, making it a promising prospect.

    In the workshop, the magic crystal forging furnace rumbled low.

    Dozens of cubicles were occupied by people working.

    Su Nan took a look around and found that most of the apprentices were forging magical mithril.

    For apprentices who had initially mastered ¡°Magic Artifact Manufacturing,¡± the most worthwhile task in the base was undoubtedly forging magical mithril.

    Apprentices who took on the task would receive mithril and materials from the warehouse, then forge it and hand it in, earning a certain number of contribution points.

    Of course, if they failed, they would have to bear the cost of the loss.

    It is worth mentioning that the funds used to purchase mithril were taken from the treasury of the Starfire Dukedom by Su Nan.

    In the first few years after the war, the Starfire Dukedom spent most of its tax revenue on reviving its people, particularly rebuilding the Frostbite Province. For most of the time, its finances were in a state of deficit.

    Only recently had it begun to have a surplus.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate to pull a sum from Kei, using it to forge mithril Magic Puppets.

    The Dragonblood Fruit provided to the army over the past two years had not been free.

    Su Nan had been thinking about separating the base and the Starfire Dukedom economically, making them independent entities. He decided to make a clean break with Kei in the near future and begin the process.

    Only by shifting from an unclear dependent relationship to a mutually beneficial trading relationship could both the base and the Starfire Dukedom develop better.

 Chapter 147: Compound Spellcasting, Spell Construction

    Chapter 147: Compound Spellcasting, Spell Construction

    In the Meditation Chamber.

    Su Nan sat cross-legged on the floor, absorbing the Divine Energy he had just extracted into his body. He then closed his eyes and began to meditate.

    After more than three hours, when he finished meditating and opened his eyes to call up his panel, he found that his Spiritual Power had increased by 0.25.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°At the latest, by next year¡¯s Flowing Fire Moon, I should be able to construct the sixteenth Star Ring.¡±

    Rising from the Meditation Chamber, Su Nan hurried towards Shining Light City.

    After being designated as the new capital, Shining Light City underwent a round of expansion, becoming more expansive and prosperous than before.

    Walking on the street, he saw foreign trade caravans and travelers everywhere, bustling with crowds and incredibly lively.

    The expanded Shining Light City was divided into the Royal City, the Inner City, and the Outer City.

    The Outer City was where the commoners and farmers lived, while the Inner City was mostly inhabited by the nobility and the middle class.

    The Royal City sat in the center of the city. He could see a towering palace from afar.

    Arriving at the Royal City, Su Nan headed straight for the palace.

    As soon as he entered the front courtyard, he saw two maids leading a delicate and handsome little boy towards him.

    ¡°Lord Su Nan!¡±

    Seeing Su Nan, the two maids immediately bowed.

    The little boy, on the other hand, opened his eyes wide and curiously observed Su Nan.

    Looking at the little boy¡¯s face, which bore a striking resemblance to Kei, Su Nan understood instantly.

    This little fellow was Kei¡¯s son, his nephew, Yapei Arnest.

    This was the first time Su Nan had seen him since the little guy was born.

    He thought to himself that he had been a somewhat neglectful uncle.

    Su Nan walked over and patted the little guy¡¯s head.

    The little guy wasn¡¯t afraid of strangers, he stared at him with bright black eyes and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Su Nan smiled, didn¡¯t answer, and continued walking inside.

    It wasn¡¯t until he was far away that the two maids straightened up. One of them softly explained, ¡°Master Yapei, that was Lord Su Nan, your uncle.¡±

    ¡°Uncle?¡± The little guy didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of the word, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression.

    But children are easily distracted, he was quickly drawn to the flowers and grass outside, giggling as he ran out.

    ¡°Master Yapei, be careful.¡±

    Arriving at the study, Kei was handling state affairs. Seeing Su Nan arrive, he stopped working with a smile.

    ¡°What brings you here today?¡±

    ¡°I saw Yapei earlier, the little guy is quite strong.¡± Su Nan casually said after sitting down.

    Kei chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s alright, but a little weaker than Wes.¡±

    Wes was Kei¡¯s second son, just two years old.

    Being born after Kei had ascended to the Legendary Knight, he had a stronger physique by birth.

    ¡°When do you plan to start their training?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until they turn six.¡±

    After some casual conversation, Su Nan got to the point, bringing up the topic of separating the base¡¯s finances from the Starlight Principality¡¯s.

    Kei was not surprised, he smiled and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you about this for a while.¡±

    To be honest, Kei naturally hoped that the base and the Starlight Principality would become one, developing and growing together.

    But at the same time, he knew that this was impossible.

    If their initial collaboration was based on equal footing, each taking what they needed, this balance was broken when the base began to develop the underground world.

    The current Starlight Principality was in a weaker position in the partnership.

    The most obvious point was that the base¡¯s funding no longer depended entirely on the Starlight Principality.

    Even without the Starlight Principality¡¯s financial support, the base¡¯s development could be sustained by the profits from the Star Alliance Mine alone.

    On the other hand, the Starlight Principality continued to rely on the base¡¯s resources, like Dragonblood Fruits, puppets, and enchanted weapons.

    This was still the case, and as the base grew stronger, the gap between them would become more pronounced.

    If they insisted on becoming one, the end result would likely be the Starlight Principality becoming a vassal of the base.

    Therefore, after careful consideration, Kei felt that separating their finances, transforming it into a mutually beneficial cooperative trading relationship, would be better for both sides.

    Hearing Kei¡¯s thoughts, Su Nan was a little surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected his older brother to have thought so much about it.

    But this saved him the effort of persuasion.

    They quickly reached an agreement and immediately discussed the specific details.

    It wasn¡¯t until dusk that the two ended their conversation.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Sherman and Kore took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and walked in. They saw Su Nan sitting at his desk.

    ¡°Teacher!¡± They bowed respectfully.

    Su Nan took a few glances at them.

    After a year of travelling, they had lost some of their naivety, their faces had a more solemn and steady look, making them appear more mature.

    Su Nan nodded secretly, ¡°Did you handle the matters of the Magic Plant Garden?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± Kore replied respectfully, ¡°The three Magic Plant Gardens have been opened and are running smoothly. The assigned personnel have also moved in.¡±

    ¡°Good job, go find Gally to settle your contribution points.¡±

    Su Nan praised them with a smile. Before they could show any joy, he continued, ¡°Go back and rest for five days, then come to the Knight Guard to choose your team. You two will join the exploration team to assist Carolina and Black Widow in exploring the surroundings of the Star Alliance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Teacher!¡±

    Sherman and Kore responded without hesitation.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Su Nan waved his hand.

    After the two retreated, he also got up and left the study, heading for the laboratory.

    The capture of the Sub-Dragons had made progress. Carolina and Black Widow had sent out personnel who successfully found the group of Sub-Dragons and captured many of them alive.

    But after that, when the investigation team tried to go deeper, they were attacked by a Sword Crystal Dragon.

    Sword Crystal Dragons were a very powerful and rare type of Sub-Dragon.

    Adult Sword Crystal Dragons were two-ring Legendary-level in strength, and those that lived longer could even reach three-ring Legendary.

    Facing such a powerful beast, the investigation team was no match, they had no choice but to retreat.

    Su Nan had originally planned to assign the investigation mission to Sherman and Kore after they returned, but it seemed that he had to cancel that plan now.

    ¡°It seems I have to go myself.¡±

    After all, this involved the strength enhancement of the Stealth Dragon, and the blood and many organs of the Sub-Dragons were highly valuable materials, so Su Nan was very concerned about this matter. He was determined to find out the source of these Sub-Dragons.

    The captured Sub-Dragons had been transported to the Confinement Zone.

    Under the suppression of the Confinement Zone¡¯s formation, the Sub-Dragons, who were already badly injured, were no longer as ferocious and violent as they had been. They lay on the ground listlessly, and when they saw Su Nan come in, they just glanced up, ignoring him.

    Su Nan inspected the area, his expression growing more and more surprised.

    There were twenty-five Sub-Dragons in total, including eighteen different races.

    There were even three Legendary-level high-½× Sub-Dragons.

    Apart from human intervention, Su Nan couldn¡¯t imagine why so many Sub-Dragons of different races and levels would live in the same area.

    This made him even more curious about the reason behind it.

    But besides his curiosity, Su Nan was also very happy.

    With so many Sub-Dragons, the Stealth Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration would definitely increase faster.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan fired a Weakening Ray at the nearest Sub-Dragon, beginning to extract its blood.

    Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was Frostfall Moon (November).

    After three months of bloodline fusion, the Stealth Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration successfully broke through 45%, its body expanded again, and the color of its scales became even brighter.

    At the same time, the training progress of Compound Spellcasting finally reached 100%.

    Su Nan successfully mastered the third Super Magic Technique.

    After actual testing, Su Nan found that he could simultaneously cast up to three different spells.

    For example, he could simultaneously cast Levitation, Elemental Protection, and Spell Missile, but he couldn¡¯t simultaneously cast Incinerating Ray, Spell Missile, and Shattering Sound Wave.

    Because of the similar principles of spell operation, the latter would cause conflicts, leading to spell failure.

    However, even so, Compound Spellcasting was a very powerful technique, greatly enhancing Su Nan¡¯s spellcasting combat ability.

    ¡°Compound Spellcasting plus Spell Instantiation, I can easily take down opponents below the three-ring Legendary level with spells alone.¡±

    A smile flashed across Su Nan¡¯s face.

    ¡°The next Super Magic Technique I¡¯ll choose will be Spell Construction.¡±

    Spell Construction could improve control over spells, allowing each spell to achieve its maximum effect.

    Taking Spell Missile as an example, a wizard (apprentice) who mastered Spell Construction could not only greatly increase the power of Spell Missile, but also change its shape, turning it into a sharp cone or arrow shape, and control its flight trajectory, making it difficult for the enemy to see through.

    In the case of Shield Spell, it could also change the shape of the tower shield-shaped intangible shield into full-body armor, increasing the area of protection.

    In short, mastering Spell Construction would allow many spells to achieve more powerful and flexible effects than before, greatly improving combat ability.

    ¡°Spell Construction is less difficult than Compound Spellcasting and Spell Instantiation, it shouldn¡¯t take me two years to master it.¡±

    Su Nan immediately started the training progress of Spell Construction, then looked at the sky outside the window.

    ¡°Next, I should go to Ryan City.¡±

    If it wasn¡¯t for Compound Spellcasting, he would have already set off for Ryan City.

    Now that he had mastered Compound Spellcasting, it was time to deal with the matters there.

    I¡¯m going to slap myself in the face, there¡¯s too much stuff to do, the extra chapters will be delayed, I¡¯ll first guarantee 8,000 words per day, and if I have the time, I¡¯ll add more. The second update tonight will be a little late, I apologize to everyone.

 Chapter 148

    Reyan City, a certain mountain forest in the north.

    The once desolate mountain forest was now heavily sealed off by fully armed troops, with no unauthorized entry allowed.

    In a cave deep in the forest, Su Nan¡¯s figure slowly appeared.

    To avoid trouble, he did not inform the Reyan City Lord and arrived here silently, not alerting anyone along the way.

    The cave was dimly lit, and silent, only the sound of light footsteps echoed.

    After passing through the cave, a desolate hillside suddenly came into view.

    Su Nan activated the levitation spell on his robe, his whole body floated up and flew towards the location of the Sword Crystal Dragon according to the intelligence.

    Along the way, Su Nan looked around.

    As the intelligence said, there were dragon-like footprints everywhere.

    In some places, the footprints were densely packed, overlapping and intertwined, leaving many traces of beasts attacking. It could be imagined that there had been fierce battles between dragon-like species here.

    ¡°So many different dragon-like species, it¡¯s very likely that they ran out of somewhere.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, there should be an ecosystem garden for dragon-like species nearby.¡±

    An ecosystem garden refers to a large-scale breeding area.

    Some powerful wizards would establish a super-large protective barrier, then transform it into a stable and complete ecological environment that can self-cycle to cultivate specific species.

    These species are often rare and precious species that are hard to find in the outside world.

    Therefore, ecosystem gardens are often called species breeding fields or super-large breeding bases.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that ecosystem gardens are usually closed half-dimensional spaces, isolated from the material world, only those who possess the key or opening password can enter.

    Su Nan guessed that there might be an ecosystem garden dedicated to breeding dragon-like species nearby, but this ecosystem garden had some kind of flaw, leading to its connection to the material world, and many dragon-like species ran out.

    Only then could it be explained why there were so many different species of dragon-like species in this area, even though it was not a diverse environment suitable for many dragon-like species to coexist.

    ¡°An ecosystem garden for breeding dragon-like species?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s true, then it¡¯s really a grand project!¡±

    The cost of building an ecosystem garden is not much less than a wizard tower.

    Especially an ecosystem garden for breeding dragon-like species, the cost is even more astronomical!

    It¡¯s comparable to a medium-sized or large wizard tower!

    Even a formal wizard would rarely have such a grand project.

    As he pondered, Su Nan had already reached the place where the Sword Crystal Dragon was.

    He was about to search for the Sword Crystal Dragon¡¯s whereabouts when a roar suddenly came from ahead.

    The next moment, a giant beast resembling a lizard with fire-red crystals covering its spine walked out from behind the mountain wall.

    The length of this giant beast was estimated to be around twelve meters, five meters tall, with thick and powerful limbs, a tail with sharp barbs, and red crystals on its spine like swords standing upright, and sparks could be seen flowing between the crystals when they collided.

    ¡°Sword Crystal Dragon!¡±

    Su Nan raised his eyebrows, this saved him the trouble of searching.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    Seeing Su Nan, the Sword Crystal Dragon roared, and without a word, it lunged towards him.

    Its massive body like a mountain brought with it a violent gust of wind, the whistling sound was low and rumbling like thunder, the oppressive feeling was enough to make those with weaker strength collapse on the spot, losing the strength to resist.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s very weak, a hint of Dragon Majesty has already been born.¡±

    ¡°This Sword Crystal Dragon should have a high bloodline concentration.¡±

    Discovering a high-level dragon-like species, Su Nan¡¯s face showed a hint of pleasure.

    The Sword Crystal Dragon had no idea of the threat posed by the person in front of it. When it rushed close, it suddenly opened its bloody mouth, sparks flashed between its teeth, and the next second, a flame with a sulfurous odor burst out.

    Boom!

    The surging wave of flames engulfed Su Nan¡¯s body!

    The Sword Crystal Dragon roared excitedly, but then it froze.

    Because after the flames dissipated, there was no sign of Su Nan on the spot, only a patch of blackness.

    Just then, a sharp whistling sound came from behind.

    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

    Countless silver spikes suddenly swept in, sweeping over the Sword Crystal Dragon like a flood.

    This second-ring legendary dragon-like species could only let out a short cry of pain before it exploded into a shower of blood all over its body, falling to the ground with a bang.

    The dense silver spikes returned to Su Nan¡¯s body.

    Looking at the Sword Crystal Dragon on the ground, which was dying and had lost the strength to resist, a smile spread across Su Nan¡¯s lips.

    But Su Nan is different, he has magic stones!

    It would be no big deal to create more magic stones, it would always be able to support the operation of the ecosystem garden.

    After all, the cost of his creating magic stones is extremely low.

    As long as he can find a way to control this ecosystem garden, he will have a breeding base that can produce an endless stream of rare materials.

    This is more useful than opening up a hundred magic plant gardens and raising dozens of dragon-like species!

    ¡°But speaking of which, the wizard who could build such an ecosystem garden must be extremely powerful, it must be one of those wizards from a thousand years ago.¡±

    ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t the builder relocate the ecosystem garden?¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that he was kind enough to leave it to later generations, could it?¡±

    Su Nan was amused by his own guess, no matter how kind a wizard was, he wouldn¡¯t be so extravagant.

    That¡¯s a whole ecosystem garden!

    He was more inclined to think that the builder had already died before the wizard¡¯s expedition, which is why the ecosystem garden was left behind.

    But this raises new questions. Where did the energy for the ecosystem garden come from in the thousand years that it has been running?

    Is there someone else providing energy for this ecosystem garden?

    Or is there something special about the energy supply system of this ecosystem garden itself?

    There are more and more questions in his mind.

    Su Nan shook his head, no longer brooding over it. There is too little information at hand now, and he can¡¯t deduce anything. He can wait until he explores further and gathers more information to speculate.

    For now, he should focus on collecting materials.

    In just a few hundred meters, Su Nan had already discovered no fewer than ten kinds of magic plants.

    Dragon Saliva Grass, Jade Frost Flower, Mutated Devil Vine, Golden Thorn Grass... Among them are materials for second- and third-rank potions!

    Materials that are rare in the outside world are abundant here.

    ¡°These magic plants should have been planted at the beginning, and because of the energy of the ecosystem garden, they have been able to reproduce and survive to this day.¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate, and harvested all the magic plants he saw along the way and stored them in his spatial ring.

    Creak! Creak!

    There were some strange sounds coming from the bushes ahead.

    Su Nan immediately stopped and looked towards the bushes with alert eyes.

    The sounds were getting more and more frequent, as if many creatures were approaching.

    Soon, a group of creatures burst out of the bushes.

    These creatures looked like tiny, long and slender miniature dinosaurs, about one meter long, with a mouth full of fine, sharp teeth, two bent fingers on their upper limbs, and much thicker lower limbs, full of power.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Fine Jaw Dragon.¡±

    Su Nan relaxed.

    Fine Jaw Dragon belongs to the small dinosaur category, a low-level dragon-like species.

    Adults only have the combat power of a beginner knight, they are not particularly strong, the only thing to be careful of is that Fine Jaw Dragon often roam in groups.

    When you see one Fine Jaw Dragon appear in front of you, don¡¯t doubt it, there must be dozens of its brethren following behind it.

    Creak creak!

    These Fine Jaw Dragon living in the ecosystem garden seemed to have never seen a human before. When they saw Su Nan, they froze for a moment, widening their cloudy yellow eyes to curiously look at him. Then they let out excited calls and charged at him at a swift speed.

    Obviously, they treated him as some kind of strange food.

    Su Nan chuckled and fired a spell missile.

    Seven missiles instantly blew the heads of seven Fine Jaw Dragons to pieces.

    Because he was in the ecosystem garden, it was not good to capture dragon-like species alive, and the Fine Jaw Dragon was at the bottom of the low-level dragon-like species, there was not much value in capturing and raising them alive, so Su Nan was ruthless in his attack.

    In a short while, more than thirty Fine Jaw Dragons were wiped out.

    After collecting the materials simply, Su Nan activated the invisibility spell on his robe, his figure instantly disappeared.

    The priority now was to investigate the situation of the ecosystem garden, find the core of control, and not hunt dragon-like species, avoid combat if possible.

    Invisibility spell, although it can¡¯t avoid the perception of all dragon-like species, but it is enough to deceive most of the middle and low-level dragon-like species.

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    But just as Su Nan was about to leave, he suddenly noticed that there was a very faint red light escaping from the corpses of those Fine Jaw Dragons, gathering together to form a thin beam of light, and then it flew towards the distance.

    Su Nan was stunned, then he quickly reacted and chased after it.

    But the blood-colored light was flying extremely fast, even with all his strength he couldn¡¯t keep up. Just as he was hesitating whether to use the Higher Rune Gem, the blood-colored light had disappeared from sight.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    Su Nan stopped and looked at the blood-colored light, a look of confusion in his eyes.

 Chapter 149

    From the blood light just now, Su Nan felt a distinct energy particle fluctuation.

    Thinking about this, his expression moved, and he turned around and returned to the place where he had just killed the Thin-Jaw Dragon, landing on the ground to inspect the corpse.

    Upon closer inspection, sure enough, the soul aura of these Thin-Jaw Dragons had all vanished without a trace.

    It is normal for the souls of living creatures to dissipate after death, but there is a process to this, it is not instantaneous.

    However, it had only been two or three minutes since the Thin-Jaw Dragons had died, and their souls had already vanished without a trace, which was definitely abnormal.

    Rather than saying they dissipated, it was more accurate to say they were extracted.

    In addition, the corpses of the Thin-Jaw Dragons were visibly shriveled, looking as if their entire essence had been drained.

    ¡°So that blood light was formed by the souls and physical essence of the Thin-Jaw Dragons.¡±

    Su Nan mused, looking in the direction where the blood light disappeared, with a faint idea in mind.

    Following the direction where the blood light disappeared, Su Nan continued forward, collecting materials along the way and searching for signs of Sub-Dragon species.

    There were quite a few Sub-Dragon species in the ecological garden, and soon he encountered a Spine-Back Wingless Dragon.

    The Spine-Back Wingless Dragon was a Legendary-tier Sub-Dragon species, and even adults possessed the fighting ability of a First-Ring Legendary-tier.

    Unfortunately, it was still no match for Su Nan.

    Without using the Magic Emblem Core, he easily killed the Spine-Back Wingless Dragon using only magic.

    After collecting the materials from the Spine-Back Wingless Dragon¡¯s body, Su Nan patiently waited for a minute, and as expected, faint blood rays appeared on the corpse, forming a blood-colored beam of light that shot towards the distance.

    The direction was the same as the first blood light.

    This time Su Nan was prepared, he didn¡¯t hesitate, activating the high-level rune gem in the palm of his hand, and his entire body was instantly enveloped in a layer of blue light, chasing after the blood light like a gale.

    However, the blood light¡¯s speed was shocking, even with the high-level rune gem, Su Nan could only barely maintain the pace to avoid being left behind.

    After the high-level rune gem¡¯s energy was exhausted, he had to stop, watching helplessly as the blood light disappeared at the end of the horizon.

    Sighing, Su Nan didn¡¯t dwell on it too much.

    After all, he already knew how the blood light appeared, he could just kill a few more Sub-Dragon species, and he would be able to find where the blood light landed.

    ¡°Speaking of which, this ecological garden is incredibly large.¡±

    So far, Su Nan had traveled a straight line distance of at least twenty kilometers, but he still couldn¡¯t see the end of the ecological garden, indicating just how vast its area was.

    With a guess in mind, Su Nan wasn¡¯t in a hurry to find where the blood light landed, so he simply continued exploring along the direction where the blood light disappeared, collecting materials and observing the surrounding environment along the way.

    When he felt it was about time, he would kill a Sub-Dragon species, adjust the exploration direction based on the direction where the blood light left.

    As he went deeper, he encountered more and more Sub-Dragon species.

    In the distance, among the towering trees, forest land dragons slowly moved through, occasionally raising their long necks covered with leaf-like scales, opening their mouths to bite off leaves from the roadside.

    In the sky, flocks of wing dragons soared, their cries echoing in the air.

    Further away, he could also see huge lakes and rushing waterfalls, and the figures of water Sub-Dragons occasionally appeared from within the lakes, reflecting the beautiful brilliance of their shimmering blue scales under the sunlight.

    Su Nan was increasingly amazed.

    This ecological garden could truly be called a living encyclopedia of Sub-Dragon species.

    The Sub-Dragon species he had seen so far alone numbered at least a hundred different races.

    If he could control this ecological garden, he would never have to worry about Dragon¡¯s Blood again.

    He could even select suitable Sub-Dragon species from the ecological garden to form a dragon rider army.

    Just thinking about it made Su Nan¡¯s heart race.

    Boom!

    At this moment, a thunderous roar suddenly came from ahead, interrupting Su Nan¡¯s contemplation.

    His eyes flashed, and he flew towards the source of the sound.

    As he drew closer, the sound became clearer and louder, sounding like someone was fighting.

    Soon, after passing through a few tall trees, a wide lake appeared before him.

    In the air above the sparkling lake, three figures were fighting fiercely.

    The battle was two against one.

    The side with more people was a black-robed man and a gray-robed man.

    The black-robed man was somewhat short, only reaching the waist height of a normal adult male, like a dwarf.

    More than ten pitch-black tentacles emerged from beneath his black robe, ranging from thin to thick, exceeding a hundred meters in length, their ends nearly as thick as a water bucket, with a mouth full of fine, sharp teeth, looking terrifying.

    What was even more astonishing was that although the black-robed man¡¯s face was not covered, looking inside from the brim of his hat, it was pitch black, only the spots where the eyes should be shone with two crimson lights.

    The gray-robed man was extremely obese, the complete opposite of the black-robed man.

    ¡°Are you trying to trick me?¡± Devil¡¯s Hand¡¯s tone became completely icy, suddenly realizing something was wrong, ¡°You¡¯re stalling for time!¡±

    The Traveler smiled playfully, ¡°Only now did you realize? It¡¯s too late!¡±

    The moment the words fell, the calm lake surface below the three people suddenly exploded.

    Amidst the flying water, more than ten long black shadows charged at Devil¡¯s Hand and Blood Mouth.

    Devil¡¯s Hand immediately recognized the true appearance of the shadows, serpent-like organs connecting to lizard heads, hundreds of meters in length.

    ¡°Multi-Necked Dragon!¡±

    Devil¡¯s Hand was startled.

    This was a high-level Sub-Dragon species approaching the Fourth-Ring Legendary level!

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    Amidst the continuous high-pitched roars, more than ten maws, carrying the stench of blood, bit savagely at Devil¡¯s Hand and Blood Mouth.

    Devil¡¯s Hand hurriedly dodged, but his peripheral vision caught sight of the Traveler taking the opportunity to escape into the distance, his heart ached, he quickly wanted to chase after him, but he was intercepted by a snake neck, he was both shocked and angry.

    Obviously, this Multi-Necked Dragon was lured here by the Traveler using some kind of means, he pretended to lower his head just to stall for time, waiting for the Multi-Necked Dragon to arrive.

    And he must have something on him that could avoid the Multi-Necked Dragon¡¯s hostility.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Devil¡¯s Hand was furious, but he could do nothing.

    The lake was the Multi-Necked Dragon¡¯s home ground, it wasn¡¯t easy to escape from here.

    He could only watch helplessly as the Traveler disappeared into the horizon.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    Devil¡¯s Hand¡¯s roar of despair echoed through the air above the lake.

    Half an hour later.

    The Traveler arrived near the canyon, dug a tunnel, and went deep into the mountain wall for more than a hundred meters before stopping.

    After covering up the traces, he also set up several warning magic formations, then sat down with his legs crossed at the entrance of the cave, taking advantage of the time to meditate and recover his spiritual power.

    The Multi-Necked Dragon could only delay Devil¡¯s Hand and Blood Mouth for a while, it couldn¡¯t keep them from escaping.

    It wouldn¡¯t be long before those two would catch up, he had to take advantage of this time to recover his strength and then find a way to leave the ecological garden.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, it¡¯s rare to find a large ecological garden, I was even thinking of whether I could take it, but now it seems I have no choice.¡±

    Staying in the ecological garden any longer, he would eventually be found by Devil¡¯s Hand and Blood Mouth.

    Although the ecological garden was precious, life was more important.

    Besides, looking at the scale of the ecological garden, the energy needed to maintain its operation must be astronomical, even if he controlled the ecological garden, he wouldn¡¯t be able to solve the energy problem.

    Years of adventuring experience had taught the Traveler a realistic truth.

    That is, things that are obtained but cannot be turned into practical benefits, no matter how precious, are worthless to oneself.

    One must know their own limits, the consequence of being blinded by meaningless greed is death.

    The Traveler took a deep breath, about to enter meditation, but just then, his heart suddenly moved.

    The warning formations he had set up outside were triggered!

    The Azure Spirit Branch instantly fell into his palm, the Traveler clenched the Azure Spirit Branch, and asked in a deep voice,

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be Devil¡¯s Hand and Blood Mouth, those two wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of the Multi-Necked Dragon and chase here so quickly!

    Soon, a figure appeared at the corner.

    Seeing the Traveler, who was full of vigilance and on high alert, Su Nan smiled at the corner of his mouth, revealing a friendly smile.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Traveler.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The Traveler¡¯s eyes kept scanning Su Nan.

    He could feel the undisguised energy particle fluctuations coming from the other party.

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    Another Wizard Apprentice!

    Moreover, he was already very close to Zone 2 of the ecological garden, so anyone who could operate here must be a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    But he searched his mind for all the information he could remember, but couldn¡¯t find a single match for the person in front of him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not your enemy.¡±

    ¡°As members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut, we may be more like friends.¡±

 Chapter 150: A Microcosm of Energy Depletion, The Dragon Bone Tower

    Chapter 150: A Microcosm of Energy Depletion, The Dragon Bone Tower

    ¡°Mysterious Wooden Hut!¡±

    The traveler was slightly stunned, quickly recalling the name in his mind.

    Scepter? Dead Remains? Or Red Heart?

    None of them!

    It wasn¡¯t like Black Forest and Night Owl either.

    Suddenly, a flash of inspiration appeared in the traveler¡¯s mind, and he blurted out:

    ¡°You¡¯re a Player!¡±

    Not long ago, Night Owl had contacted him, inquiring about his absence from their gatherings.

    He remembered Night Owl mentioning that the new member of Mysterious Wooden Hut was called Player, a powerful Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Could this be him?

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve heard about me from Night Owl. Saves me some trouble,¡±

    Su Nan said, taking out the Mysterious Wooden Hut key.

    Seeing the unique key shaped like a trading house, the traveler finally confirmed the identity of the person in front of him. He breathed a sigh of relief, and the apprehension in his eyes dissipated.

    No matter what, they were all members of Mysterious Wooden Hut. Even if they weren¡¯t friends, they weren¡¯t enemies at least.

    ¡°You saw the fight just now?¡± The traveler asked.

    ¡°I happened to be there.¡± Su Nan sat down opposite the traveler.

    ¡°Then you should have heard, those two guys are from the Eternal Society.¡±

    The traveler looked at Su Nan intently.

    ¡°You know the Eternal Society¡¯s style. Approaching me at this time isn¡¯t a good thing. You¡¯re looking for me, not because we¡¯re from the same organization, and you want to help out, right?¡±

    Su Nan laughed, ¡°I¡¯m just here to ask for some information, about this ecological park.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here for a while, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Judging from the fact that the traveler could silently summon a Multi-Neck Dragon and find this canyon without stopping, it was evident that he was familiar with the place. He had been here for at least a few months.

    The traveler nodded, acknowledging Su Nan¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Time is short, I won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you about the ecological park, but in return, you need to help me get rid of Bloody Hand and Sharp Mouth, and ensure my safe departure from the ecological park.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Su Nan agreed without hesitation.

    Seeing Su Nan¡¯s quick agreement, the traveler looked at him in surprise. Night Owl was right, Player was indeed strong. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so confident after seeing Bloody Hand and Sharp Mouth¡¯s strength.

    The two then signed a sworn contract.

    After the contract was established, the traveler felt a sense of relief.

    Finally, he could breathe a sigh of relief.

    With a powerful helper, even if Bloody Hand and Sharp Mouth came after them again, they would have a fighting chance.

    Even if they couldn¡¯t win, escaping should be no problem.

    With the guarantee of the sworn contract, the traveler completely let down his guard towards Su Nan and continued meditating in his presence.

    After about two hours, the traveler opened his eyes, his gaze as clear as a deity¡¯s. His spiritual power had obviously recovered to its peak.

    ¡°Now, can you tell me about the ecological park?¡± Su Nan asked.

    The traveler smiled cheerfully and stood up.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain just with words. I¡¯ll take you to see some things, and we¡¯ll talk on the way.¡±

    The two walked out of the cave and into the sky above the canyon.

    After slightly discerning the direction, the traveler took the lead and flew forward.

    ¡°Based on my investigations, this ecological park seems to be divided into three different areas.¡±

    ¡°The outermost area is Zone 1. Most of the creatures there are Sub-Dragon species. The Multi-Neck Dragon is the top predator in Zone 1¡¯s food chain.¡±

    ¡°The place we are going to next is Zone 2. The creatures there are much stronger than those in Zone 1.¡±

    Creatures stronger than high-level Sub-Dragon species?

    Su Nan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    Could it be pure-blooded Dragon species?

    If so, then entering Zone 2 with them would be no different from seeking death.

    An adult pure-blooded Dragon species could only be dealt with by a Formal Wizard!

    But looking at the traveler¡¯s relaxed expression, it didn¡¯t seem like what he thought.

    Seeing Su Nan¡¯s questioning gaze, the traveler smiled and didn¡¯t explain, teasingly saying:

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±

    Not long after, the traveler pointed ahead and said:

    ¡°Zone 2 is just beyond that.¡±

    Su Nan looked in the direction he pointed. After careful observation, he discovered a faint, almost transparent membrane in the void hundreds of meters away.

    ¡°The entire ecological park is actually a microcosm of the energy depletion on Star Light Continent.¡±

    ¡°If those Wizards hadn¡¯t had the ability to expedition to the multiverse, and were trapped on Star Light Continent, they might have ended up like these Dragon Clan.¡±

    After about half an hour, they passed through another barrier.

    The surrounding environment changed again, turning from a desolate wasteland into a verdant grassland.

    A towering silhouette, resembling a tower, stood in the distance.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t see its specific form from far away.

    ¡°That¡¯s the core of the ecological park.¡± The traveler pointed to the distant tower silhouette.

    The two flew towards the tower silhouette.

    As they got closer, Su Nan gradually saw the true form of the silhouette. He was shocked to find that the so-called tower was actually a huge, bone-white skeleton!

    A massive Dragon remains towering over a thousand meters!

    The entire skeleton twisted and coiled, standing upright like a giant tower. The huge dragon skull and the ferocious horns on its head pointed towards the sky, majestic and powerful, with an aura of indescribable grandeur.

    The hollow dragon eyes stared at him, as if filled with a divine aura, as if they were truly watching him across time and space.

    ¡°This Dragon Bone Tower should be the control center of the ecological park, but there are formations inside. I can¡¯t go in without the key.¡±

    The traveler said with some regret.

    Su Nan went straight to the Dragon Bone Tower.

    The dragon head was followed by a spine-like dragon pillar, and at the bottom was a tightly closed bone gate.

    Su Nan took out a Stone Magic Puppet and ordered it to push the door open.

    However, the moment the Stone Magic Puppet¡¯s hand touched the bone gate, it was engulfed by flames that appeared out of thin air.

    The flames, with a strong sulfur smell, instantly burned the Stone Magic Puppet to ashes.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    This power was stronger than the Crystal Dragon¡¯s Dragon Breath by more than a notch!

    Even an Elite Stone Magic Puppet would likely be instantly burned to ashes if it went in!

    ¡°No use, the defense formation of the Dragon Bone Tower is very powerful. I¡¯ve tried many times but can¡¯t break through it.¡±

    While speaking, the traveler¡¯s gaze swept across Su Nan¡¯s hands in surprise.

    Where did that Stone Magic Puppet come from?

    Even a space-type magic item of the Glow level wouldn¡¯t be able to hold a Stone Magic Puppet, right?

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t surprised either.

    After all, the builder of the ecological park was likely a True Spirit Wizard. The defense formations set up by a mage of this level, not to mention a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, even a Formal Wizard couldn¡¯t easily break through them.

    This was probably just the outermost defense formation.

    Of course, if he really wanted to break through, Su Nan wasn¡¯t incapable.

    He could use the most stupid but simplest method.

    Using a vast number of puppets to continuously consume the energy of the ecological park, until the energy was exhausted, the defense formation would naturally lose its effect.

    However, although the ecological park is currently in a state of energy deficiency, the remaining energy is still a huge number. If he uses the puppet tactic to consume energy, he would need a massive number of puppets.

    Su Nan estimated that even if he poured in the resources of his current base and the entire Star Light Duchy, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Or he could wait another hundred or so years, until the ecological park is in a more serious state of energy depletion, and then make his move.

    However, besides the fact that the ecological park¡¯s biological chain and ecological environment would be severely damaged, the key is that the Eternal Society has already discovered this place.

    It goes without saying that those guys wouldn¡¯t let the ecological park go!

    It¡¯s best to take control of it before the Eternal Society gets involved.

    ¡°Looks like we need to find the key to enter.¡±

    Su Nan thought to himself.

    But the question is, where is the key?

    He turned to the traveler, who shrugged.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I told you, I don¡¯t know where the key is.¡±

    ¡°How did you know all this information?¡± Su Nan asked.

    The traveler wasn¡¯t like him, who had cheat codes. Based on exploration alone, it¡¯s unlikely he could know so much about the ecological park.

    Restricted by the sworn contract, the traveler didn¡¯t hide anything and said frankly:

    ¡°I accidentally obtained a Wizard¡¯s tome that described the knowledge of the ecological park. I got the lead on this ecological park from it, and then I searched for it in the Underworld for a long time before I found this place.¡±

    ¡°But the book didn¡¯t mention where the key is, otherwise, I would have already taken control of the ecological park.¡±

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    Su Nan believed this.

    If the traveler had the key, he would have many ways to get rid of Bloody Hand and Sharp Mouth, and he wouldn¡¯t have been chased so badly.

    At this moment, the two suddenly felt their expressions shift at the same time, and they both turned to look in the direction they came from.

    Even two figures in the sky in the distance were flying towards them at high speed.

    It was Bloody Hand and Sharp Mouth, who had just been shaken off by the traveler!

 Chapter 151

    ¡°Two persistent devils!¡±

    The traveler grimaced, his voice laced with pain, but his expression held no hint of panic.

    After all, things were different now, with Su Nan by his side.

    In the blink of an eye, the Magic Hand and the Blood Mouth reached the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower.

    They stared at the tower for a long time, their eyes wide with astonishment at the sight before them.

    ¡°Control... center!¡± A muffled voice emanated from under the Blood Mouth¡¯s gray robe.

    ¡°Most likely!¡±

    A wave of excitement tinged the Magic Hand¡¯s voice.

    After discovering the ecological garden, he had contemplated bringing it under his control, but he had no leads. Now, seeing the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower, he knew that the key to controlling the ecological garden lay within.

    However, their immediate priority was to deal with the traveler.

    Snapping out of his contemplation, the Magic Hand turned his gaze back towards the traveler. Two crimson bloodlights flickered under his hat brim, lingering on Su Nan for a moment.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°This is between the Eternal Society and that fellow. Unrelated people should leave!¡± The Magic Hand¡¯s tone was harsh and rigid.

    He had clearly noticed the acquaintance between Su Nan and the traveler, trying to scare Su Nan off with the name of the Eternal Society.

    Unfortunately, he had miscalculated.

    Su Nan chuckled disdainfully, ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m not exactly an unrelated person.¡±

    After all, the Eternal Society¡¯s Ugo had died at his hands.

    But the Magic Hand misunderstood, scrutinizing Su Nan up and down, his tone growing colder, ¡°You are also from the Mysterious Wooden Hut!¡±

    When Su Nan ignored his question, the Magic Hand let out a cold snort.

    ¡°Since you are determined to seek death, I shall fulfill your wish!¡±

    His black robe billowed, and countless black tentacles extended from beneath.

    ¡°Wizard apprentices¡¯ flesh... so fragrant!¡±

    The gaping maw on the Blood Mouth¡¯s chest rumbled with a low, guttural sound. He then threw back his hood, revealing a wrinkled face with only one eye.

    His icy eye fixated on Su Nan, radiating undisguised greed and cruelty.

    Confronted with the unmasked murderous intent of the two, the traveler¡¯s expression grew grave. The Azure Spirit branch in his palm began to emit a soft, green glow.

    However, just as the battle was about to commence, the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower in the distance shuddered.

    Immediately after, a mechanical, monotonous voice rang out in the air.

    ¡°Five bio-sources meeting the conditions detected. Initiating the Dragon Forest Ecological Garden inheritance program.¡±

    ¡°Ecological garden central key distribution in progress. The possessor of the complete key will gain ownership of the Dragon Forest Ecological Garden.¡±

    The sudden voice instantly captured the attention of everyone present.

    Upon understanding the mechanical voice¡¯s words, all four of them were moved simultaneously.

    The ecological garden¡¯s key!

    A shared surge of delight coursed through them.

    Whoever obtained the key would control the entire ecological garden!

    This was a place that had nurtured countless sub-dragon species and rare magical plants. It was an irresistible temptation for any wizard apprentice.

    The Magic Hand and the Blood Mouth immediately shifted their focus, their eyes fixed on the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower in the distance.

    Once they controlled the ecological garden, they could seal the entrance and exit, trapping the traveler and Su Nan like fish in a barrel, slowly finishing them off. A win-win situation!

    Buzz!

    The skeletal dragon head atop the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower suddenly unleashed a blinding light, and five dazzling silver rays shot out from the head towards the four cardinal directions, like meteors falling towards the distant horizon.

    Almost instantaneously, Su Nan, the traveler, the Magic Hand, and the Blood Mouth all leaped into the air, each chasing after a silver ray.

    At the same time, hundreds of meters away in the forest, a figure also sprang into the air, pursuing the fifth silver ray.

    Catching a glimpse of this, Su Nan finally understood.

    The Magic Hand had contemplated dealing with Su Nan before.

    However, based on his investigation, Su Nan spent most of his time at his base near Shining Light City or in the underground city ofÓÄºþ³Ç (Yo?uhu?che?ng, a fictional city in the novel).

    Both locations were Su Nan¡¯s strongholds, heavily guarded by countless puppets.

    Even he, the Magic Hand, wasn¡¯t arrogant enough to believe he could kill Su Nan in his strongholds.

    But now, Su Nan had ventured out from his territory, changing everything.

    Thinking about this trip, which would not only allow him to obtain the Azure Spirit branch to solve the bloodline rejection problem but also the ecological garden¡¯s ownership and the Starlight Tower key, the Magic Hand was ecstatic.

    This was a truly bountiful harvest!

    Overwhelmed by his joy, the Magic Hand¡¯s black robe billowed violently, as if something were about to burst forth from within.

    The next second, two black clumps, resembling viscous liquid, fell from his black robe. The instant they touched the ground, they rapidly expanded, transforming into two grotesque four-legged monsters.

    The two four-legged monsters were each about seven or eight meters tall, resembling a blend of tiger and panther. They had sharp claws and fangs, but their entire bodies were pitch black, resembling black silhouettes.

    As soon as they were formed, the two four-legged monsters roared and lunged at Su Nan, the wind howling as they attacked.

    Simultaneously, the Magic Hand seemed to sink into the shadows beneath him, disappearing from sight.

    When he reappeared, he darted out from the shadows behind Su Nan, his hands transforming into sharp black spikes, aiming at Su Nan¡¯s back.

    Thud!

    A muffled sound, like a sharp blade piercing leather, echoed through the air!

    The black spikes halted just two or three centimeters from Su Nan¡¯s body, stopped by an invisible force field.

    The Magic Hand wasn¡¯t surprised. Any third-rank wizard apprentice would surely have one or two protective magic items on them.

    But protection was ultimately limited. All he had to do was break through it!

    The Magic Hand vanished into the shadows once again, seizing the opportunity while Su Nan was dealing with the two four-legged monsters, repeatedly bursting forth from unexpected corners to attack Su Nan.

    However, gradually, he noticed something wrong.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°This kid has taken so many attacks from me. Why hasn¡¯t his protective magic item been broken?¡±

    ¡°Even a twilight-level magic item should have depleted its energy by now!¡±

    The Magic Hand was filled with bewilderment and confusion.

    This lapse in concentration gave Su Nan a chance to exploit his weakness. In an instant, a silver light flashed across his body, and countless metallic spikes materialized out of thin air, cascading down upon the Magic Hand like a torrent!

    Almost instantaneously, the Magic Hand¡¯s multi-layered protection, composed of magic spells, magic items, and shadow power, was shattered!

    His black robe disintegrated instantly, revealing his inner form: a completely black, shadow-like, diminutive body.

    The next second, the storm of metal relentlessly engulfed him.

    The Magic Hand¡¯s semi-shadow body was capable of withstanding most physical attacks but was utterly ineffective against magic emblem core attacks.

    In a moment, he let out a soul-wrenching scream.

    His black body violently throbbed like a lake surface under a heavy rainstorm, churning endlessly, fading before their eyes!

    Hit with such a devastating blow, the Magic Hand¡¯s fighting spirit quickly waned. The blazing murderous intent he had harbored earlier vanished, leaving only pure terror in its place.

    He swiftly vanished into the shadows, reappearing hundreds of meters away in the shadow of a tree. He then propelled himself into the air, fleeing with no hesitation.

    The terrifying defense and attack displayed by Su Nan had shattered his fighting spirit.

    All that remained in his mind was the urge to escape.

    Just then, two figures appeared in the distant sky, flying at breakneck speed from the east and south respectively.

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    It was the traveler and the Blood Mouth.

    Both of them had obtained their key fragments and, relying on the mutual sensing ability of the fragments, quickly rushed to the scene.

    Hearing the Magic Hand¡¯s plea, the traveler paused in surprise, looking first at the Magic Hand fleeing in disarray, then at Su Nan, who was calmly pursuing from behind, a trace of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

    What was going on?

 Chapter 152: Unfathomable, Opening the Dragon Skull Tower

    Chapter 152: Unfathomable, Opening the Dragon Skull Tower

    The Traveler had clashed with the Phantom Hand before, and knew how powerful the latter was.

    In a one-on-one fight, he even felt that his chances of losing were far greater than winning.

    After all, the Phantom Hand¡¯s unpredictable and bizarre fighting style was simply too tricky!

    But what was happening now?

    The Phantom Hand had actually been beaten into this sorry state by Su Nan!

    It had been less than an hour since the key fragments appeared, and excluding the time spent chasing the fragments and searching for other holders, the two had probably fought for less than ten minutes.

    In such a short time, Su Nan had driven the Phantom Hand into a panicked retreat, a development that was truly beyond his expectations.

    Bloodmouth, who was familiar with the Phantom Hand¡¯s strength and personality, was also taken aback.

    The Phantom Hand was always so arrogant, what had to happen to make him look so pathetic?

    ¡°Be careful, that¡¯s Su Nan!¡±

    ¡°The Wizard Apprentice who killed Ugor!¡±

    The Phantom Hand flew to Bloodmouth¡¯s side and said in a rapid voice.

    Bloodmouth was surprised again, but then came¿ñÏ² (¿ñÏ²: ecstatic joy, overwhelming joy).

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten that the Starsea Tower key was on Su Nan, and killing Su Nan meant the key would be his.

    ¡°The Starsea Tower key is mine!¡± Bloodmouth said in a muffled voice.

    The Phantom Hand¡¯s expression changed repeatedly, and finally he gritted his teeth, muttering, ¡°Good, I promise you, kill Su Nan, the Starsea Tower key is yours, we¡¯ll discuss the Ecological Garden key fragment later!¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Bloodmouth¡¯s giant maw split open at the corners, revealing a fierce and savage smile.

    The Traveler, not far away, had been listening with a tongue tied.

    Su Nan?

    Is that the player¡¯s real name?

    And he killed Ugor?

    The Traveler had heard of Ugor¡¯s reputation, and was said to have a strange insect descendant of an ancient bloodline, with formidable strength.

    Unexpectedly, he had died at the hands of the player!

    Coupled with the Phantom Hand¡¯s current pathetic state, it seemed like the player was even stronger than he had anticipated!

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    A roar like that of an ancient beast echoed like thunder, breaking the Traveler¡¯s daze.

    Bloodmouth¡¯s body suddenly inflated like it had been filled with air, his skin split open, and bloody muscles scrambled to push out of the wounds.

    In the blink of an eye, Bloodmouth transformed into a blood-fleshed giant over ten meters tall, foul-smelling black blood slowly oozing from the flesh, flowing slowly down the surface of his skin.

    The bloated head was completely bald, with only a cold, singular eye.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    The blood-fleshed giant roared and lunged towards Su Nan.

    At the same time, the Phantom Hand summoned two four-legged monsters to attack the Traveler, while he himself wielded countless black tentacles, encircling Su Nan from all directions.

    ¡°This time I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

    The Phantom Hand sneered silently.

    The bloodline ability Bloodmouth had fused was special, able to unleash the essence of blood and flesh he had been devouring and storing in a short period of time, thereby greatly enhancing his strength.

    Although it could only last for four or five minutes, during that time, his strength would be comparable to a four-ring legend!

    Even Su Nan wouldn¡¯t be able to stand up to him!

    The price to pay would be the need to spend several years accumulating blood and flesh essence again.

    No matter what, he was no match for Su Nan one-on-one, but with Bloodmouth at full strength, he should be able to defeat Su Nan.

    As for the Traveler, the Phantom Hand had never taken him seriously.

    The guy was just relying on the defense of the Green Spirit Tree Branch, his real strength was not worth mentioning.

    Two four-legged monsters were enough to hold the Traveler for a while, while he dealt with Su Nan first!

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    The Traveler had heard of Bloodmouth¡¯s signature move, and his face changed, he wanted to go to Su Nan¡¯s aid, but he was intercepted by two four-legged monsters, he could only watch as the blood-fleshed giant transformed by Bloodmouth slammed a fist into Su Nan!

    Boom!

    A violent wave of air suddenly erupted, spreading outward from Su Nan as the center!

    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Su Nan, who had taken this terrifying blow head-on, didn¡¯t even flinch, he was unscathed.

    ¡°Over 300 defense points is pretty good.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.

    An ordinary third-rank Wizard Apprentice¡¯s second-ring spell is equivalent to less than a hundred defense points.

    But this punch from the blood-fleshed giant had negated over 300 defense points from the Extreme Protection Ring, almost equivalent to the combined power of four second-ring spells.

    This power was definitely four-ring legend level!

    ¡°A temporary power enhancement ability.¡±

    After a moment of thought, Su Nan immediately realized, his lips curling into a slight smile.

    Generally speaking, this kind of ability has a considerable price, the consumption is also very astonishing, like his Magic Emblem Core, it is also very simple to deal with.

    Just use force to break force!

    With a thought, silver metallic liquid flowed out of his pores, quickly condensing into countless metal spikes, and attacked the blood-fleshed giant like a storm.

    The blood-fleshed giant hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of his own punch failing to break through Su Nan¡¯s defense, when he was suddenly engulfed by the storm of metal, his massive body seemed to have fallen into a rapidly rotating turbine, his flesh was torn and shredded, and a thick black-red blood mist erupted from all over his body!

    Although the shredded flesh quickly grew back, the intense pain still caused the blood-fleshed giant to let out a terrible scream.

    The intense pain completely ignited its ferocity, it stubbornly endured the storm of metal, and kept pounding Su Nan with punch after punch, the dull sounds of the punches, like thunder, were incessant.

    The two sides fought like this, strength against strength, with the tough attacking the tough, completely abandoning defense, only focusing on attacking, it was a battle of who would break first!

    Such a fierce scene, left both the Phantom Hand and the Traveler staring with wide eyes.

    But soon, the Phantom Hand came to his senses, and controlled the tentacles to take advantage of the opportunity to sneak attack Su Nan from behind.

    The black tentacles ripped through the air, like whips, slashing down towards Su Nan¡¯s back.

    Su Nan countered with a shattering sonic wave, at the same time his figure blurred, suddenly splitting into two.

    ¡°Instantaneous spell casting? Compound casting?¡±

    The Traveler, seeing this scene, just like the Phantom Hand not long ago, almost popped his eyeballs out.

    Two Super Magic Techniques, and they were the two known as the most difficult in the Super Magic Techniques!

    No, since he¡¯d mastered Instantaneous Spell Casting, he must have mastered Silent Spell Casting as well!

    The player had actually mastered three Super Magic Techniques!

    The Traveler was awestruck for a moment.

    Until he was almost hit by a four-legged monster¡¯s sharp claw, he suddenly woke up.

    ¡°What kind of background does this player have?¡±

    Looking at the player, who was facing Bloodmouth and the Phantom Hand, two powerful figures, alone, and still looked at ease, the Traveler was filled with wonder.

    With such power, no one in the Mysterious Wooden Hut could compare!

    The Traveler was amazed, but the Phantom Hand was going crazy.

    He and Bloodmouth¡¯s attacks had hit Su Nan countless times, any other third-rank Wizard Apprentice would have been blown to pieces.

    But Su Nan was completely fine, the invisible protective force field around him was like it had no defense limit, it was simply impenetrable from beginning to end!

    Even if Saurolo came, he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand his and Bloodmouth¡¯s attacks for so long without a scratch!

    It was simply absurd!

    ¡°What the hell is going on with this guy?!¡±

    The Phantom Hand was going crazy after attacking for so long without success.

    To add insult to injury, at this moment, the blood-fleshed giant suddenly froze, and then quickly shrunk like it was deflating.

    The Phantom Hand¡¯s face immediately turned pale, he immediately understood that Bloodmouth had consumed too much blood and flesh essence to repair his injuries, so he returned to his original state in less than two minutes.

    Realizing this, the Phantom Hand did not hesitate, turned around and fled towards the distance.

    Bloodmouth in the blood-fleshed giant form, even with him fighting together, couldn¡¯t deal with Su Nan, now it was even more impossible to be an opponent.

    Continuing to fight would only lead to death!

    Escape!

    He must escape!

    Now he had to save his life, and then think about revenge later!

    With a glance at the Phantom Hand¡¯s escape, Su Nan calmly controlled the metal storm, shredding the exhausted Bloodmouth into a bloody mist, casually grabbing the dropped magical items and key fragments.

    After collecting his loot, he took out a high-level rune gem, activated it, and turned into a meteor chasing after the Phantom Hand.

    Hearing the strong wind rushing towards him from behind, the Phantom Hand looked back and was immediately terrified, quickly summoning a few four-legged monsters to block Su Nan.

    Dense metal spikes circled around Su Nan, like arrows, shooting straight ahead, piercing and tearing through the charging four-legged monsters, and hitting the Phantom Hand relentlessly!

    Sssshhhh!

    The black tentacles that were blocking were instantly shredded, the Phantom Hand quickly experienced the baptism of the metal storm again.

    This time he had no strength left to escape.

    His half-shadowed body could only hold on for three or four breaths before being torn apart and wiped out by the metal storm, turning to ashes.

    Magical items and key fragments fell to the ground, being picked up by Su Nan.

    Now he had four key fragments in his hands, and after they were fitted together, a key with only one piece missing was formed.

    Returning to his original location, as the Phantom Hand died, the two four-legged monsters also vanished into smoke.

    The Traveler looked at Su Nan, who was flying towards him, with a complex gaze, filled with admiration.

    The Phantom Hand and Bloodmouth were both famous strongmen in the southeastern region of the continent, able to take on both of them alone, and then kill them both, there were only a few Wizard Apprentices in the entire southeastern region of the continent.

    Not to mention, judging by Su Nan¡¯s appearance, he had clearly not exerted his full strength.

    His true strength was unknown!

    He was truly unfathomable!

    His gaze swept across the key with a missing corner in Su Nan¡¯s hand, the Traveler chuckled wryly, before Su Nan could say anything, he threw the key fragment over.

    This key fragment was useless to him, he couldn¡¯t possibly take the other four key fragments from Su Nan, it was better to give it away as a favor.

    Su Nan looked at the Traveler with surprise.

    He thought he would have to spend a lot of effort to persuade him, but the Traveler was so open-minded.

    After a moment of thought, Su Nan took out a space ring and threw it to the Traveler.

    ¡°Payment for the key fragment.¡±

    The space ring was the Phantom Hand¡¯s, and the materials, gems, and gold coins inside had been taken out by him earlier, leaving only a few alchemical magic items.

    He also put in the shimmer-level protective magic items he had gotten from the Phantom Hand.

    Since the Traveler was so straightforward, he didn¡¯t plan on taking anything for free, he would give these to the Traveler as payment.

    Anyway, they were useless to him.

    The Traveler took the space ring in confusion, opened it up and his eyes widened.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to give me all of this?¡± The Traveler couldn¡¯t help but confirm.

    It wasn¡¯t strange that he was so fussy, shimmer-level magic items were extremely rare, even he, who was considered one of the better third-rank Wizard Apprentices, only had one shimmer-level magic item.

    Su Nan just casually gave away a shimmer-level magic item, in his eyes it was really extravagant.

    ¡°To me, the key fragment is worth far more than these things.¡±

    Su Nan casually said, and at the same time he fit the last key fragment in place, with a flash of light, the seam disappeared, a complete key was born.

    Looking at the square metal key in his hand, Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of joy.

    Without bothering to talk more with the Traveler, he turned and flew towards the Dragon Skull Tower.

    He was eager to see what was inside the Dragon Skull Tower.

    The Traveler hesitated for a moment, then followed.

    He was also curious to see what would happen after the Dragon Skull Tower was activated.

    One after the other, they arrived near the Dragon Skull Tower.

    Su Nan landed directly in front of the bone gate, his gaze swept across, and he inserted the key into the square recess in the center of the gate.

    Immediately, there was a click, and countless thread-like, small haloes appeared from the key, spreading along the bone patterns on the surface of the gate.

    The next second, there was a loud boom, and the bone gate slowly opened.

    Su Nan took a deep breath and stepped inside.

    His vision suddenly darkened, then suddenly brightened, dispelling the surrounding darkness.

    Su Nan looked around and found himself in a spacious hall.

    The entire hall was paved with white marble, neatly arranged with many stone chairs and stone tables, and hundreds of Everbright Pearls were embedded in the ceiling.

    It was these Everbright Pearls that had suddenly emitted light, illuminating the entire hall.

    ¡°It looks like a public resting area.¡±

    Su Nan walked towards the center of the hall, where there was a teleportation formation engraved on the ground.

    The moment he stepped onto the teleportation formation, countless lines of light appeared, weaving and forming a semi-transparent light screen, on which ¡°second floor¡±, ¡°third floor¡± was written from top to bottom, all the way to the fifteenth floor.

    ¡°Only fifteen floors?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with doubt.

    After all, the Dragon Skull Tower was thousands of meters high, its volume was enormous.

    Even if there was no spatial folding technology inside, according to the actual space calculation, it should be far more than fifteen floors.

    Maintaining this doubt, Su Nan chose the second floor.

    The scene in front of him suddenly flickered, a strong feeling of weightlessness swept through his body, making his chest feel a little stuffy.

    After several seconds, the strange feeling slowly disappeared, and the feeling of solid ground under his feet returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve experienced this feeling.¡±

    Su Nan secretly lamented.

    This was the first time in his life that he had used a teleportation formation.

    After regaining his composure, Su Nan looked up, and before him was a bright hall, much smaller than the previous one.

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    On the edge, ring-shaped, were doors, through the doorways without doors, one could vaguely see the spacious and neat corridors behind them.

    Su Nan stepped into the first corridor on the right.

    There were closed doors on both sides of the corridor, he casually opened one of them, and found it was a spacious room, the decoration was simple but comfortable, the furniture was complete, but there was a layer of dust on the floor and furniture, it was obvious that it had not been cleaned for a long time.

    The other rooms were similar in decoration and layout.

    Su Nan immediately understood, this level was a residential area.

 Chapter 153

    After searching carefully and finding nothing of value, Su Nan went straight to the next level.

    The third level was an area divided into several halls, mainly various leisure and entertainment venues.

    ¡°Leisure area, huh?¡±

    Such an area typically wouldn¡¯t yield any treasures. After a quick search, Su Nan proceeded to the next level.

    From the third level upwards, there were the training area (including meditation rooms and spell practice rooms), the workshop area (including magic item workshops and puppet factories), the experiment area, and the storage area.

    The workshop area housed hundreds of clay golems and stone golems. However, they looked like they hadn¡¯t been activated for a long time, likely due to energy shortages.

    The experiment area was also empty, with no valuable items like experimental notes.

    The storage area was the same.

    ¡°This place¡¯s layout is similar to my base. With a little renovation, it could be used as Base 3.¡± Su Nan nodded in agreement, continuing to explore upwards.

    The situation finally changed when he reached the twelfth level.

    The twelfth level appeared to be an incredibly spacious laboratory, equipped with numerous workbenches. What set it apart was a dedicated section housing dozens of large, transparent glass tanks. Each tank was filled with green or blue liquid, containing bizarre creatures¡ªsome were sub-dragons, others were different species. Su Nan even saw what appeared to be limbs and skulls of pureblood dragons.

    Overjoyed, he opened one of the glass tanks and pulled out a dragon head. But after careful examination, he was greatly disappointed.

    Perhaps due to improper long-term preservation, the essence within the dragon head had completely dissipated, becoming worthless waste.

    Su Nan unwillingly opened each glass tank one by one, only to find the same results.

    ¡°Right, after all, it¡¯s been thousands of years. Even if these facilities had powerful preservation capabilities, it¡¯s impossible for these biological specimens to last this long.¡±

    With a sigh, Su Nan gathered his thoughts and moved on to the next level.

    The thirteenth and fourteenth levels were the same, both equipped with numerous workbenches and glass tanks. Clearly, like the twelfth level, they were both modification areas. The creatures and biological specimens in the glass tanks had also lost their effectiveness long ago.

    ¡°It seems the builder of the ecological garden placed a lot of emphasis on biological modification.¡± Su Nan mused.

    He had encountered many previously unseen sub-dragons in Ecological Garden Zone 1. At the time, he thought it was just him, after all, sub-dragons are countless in variety; it¡¯s natural for anyone to encounter unfamiliar ones occasionally. But now it seemed that was not the case.

    Those unfamiliar sub-dragons might not have been existing species, but rather new sub-dragon species bred and modified by this ecological garden.

    Having explored the first fourteen levels, only the final level remained.

    Su Nan already had a guess in mind. Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the teleportation array.

    After a flash before his eyes, he arrived at a vast platform. The platform was entirely constructed of white stone, with dense engravings on its surface, exuding an arcane beauty.

    ¡°Hanyu white marble!¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    Hanyu white marble is a kind of fine-grained white marble, characterized by its hardness and suitability as a top-notch building and sculpting material.

    Many wizards would choose Hanyu white marble as the main material when constructing their wizard towers.

    Looking around the platform, he found himself surrounded by a vast starry sky. Countless stars dotted the expanse, with a dazzling Milky Way stretching across it, causing an involuntary feeling of self-diminishment.

    After admiring the view for a while, Su Nan retracted his gaze and looked towards the deepest part of the platform.

    There, a square pool, ten meters long and ten meters wide, was paved with pure white marble. Its surface was covered with a silver coating, adorned with dense patterns, actually a large-scale energy gathering magic array.

    ¡°Elemental pool!¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up. He hadn¡¯t expected this ecological garden to have built an elemental pool.

    Although it didn¡¯t seem very large, not even qualifying as a small elemental pool, at most it could only be considered a miniature elemental pool, it was still quite good.

    After all, the elemental pool is a standard configuration for the energy supply system of a wizard tower.

    ¡°It seems that besides the ecological garden¡¯s energy circulation system, the minimal energy required to sustain its operation comes from this elemental pool.¡±

    The elemental pool¡¯s operating principle is to open a channel to the elemental plane, drawing elemental energy from it, providing an endless and stable supply of energy.

    It¡¯s a high-level energy supply device, far more efficient than setting up mana transmission pipelines on ley lines.

    Many large-scale facilities use elemental pools as their energy supply devices, the most common being wizard towers.

    A small elemental pool is enough to meet the basic needs of a wizard tower.

    However, building an elemental pool requires a large amount of gems, special metals, and various rare materials, making it extremely expensive. It also requires a certain level of proficiency in ¡¾Magic Item Crafting¡¿.

    Even among official wizards, not everyone could afford to build an elemental pool.

    When the energy particle density of the Starlight Continent dropped thousands of years ago, some wizards considered using the method of building elemental pools to open channels to the elemental plane and introduce elemental energy to increase the energy particle density. However, they ultimately failed.

    With a small number of channels, the elemental energy introduced from the elemental plane couldn¡¯t keep up with the rate of energy loss.

    With a large number of channels, it was equivalent to drilling numerous holes in the Starlight Continent¡¯s dimensional barrier, greatly reducing its isolating and protective functions, allowing large numbers of otherworldly creatures to cross the barrier and enter the Starlight Continent, leading to many disasters.

    Even many elemental deities took advantage of the situation and extended their tentacles into the Starlight Continent.

    Ultimately, the wizards had to abandon this approach, which had more drawbacks than benefits, a desperate solution.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the elemental pool has been abandoned.¡±

    After checking it, Su Nan reached a conclusion. It made sense; if the elemental pool could still operate, the ecological garden wouldn¡¯t have fallen into an energy shortage.

    ¡°If I can repair and activate this elemental pool, the ecological garden¡¯s energy supply will be secured.¡±

    A smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    Although repairing the elemental pool wouldn¡¯t be easy, it was still simpler than building one from scratch, and he had some confidence.

    Snapping out of his elation, Su Nan looked at the crystal ball next to the elemental pool.

    The crystal ball was perfectly round, purple-blue in color, with a radius of about half a meter, floating about six or seven centimeters above the ground, emitting a faint glow.

    Based on his experience, this crystal ball was most likely the control hub of the ecological garden.

    Approaching the crystal ball, Su Nan thought for a moment and placed the key on its surface.

    ¡°Activation source detected. Management system officially activated.¡±

    ¡°Scanning user status. Meets criteria. Do you want to log in?¡±

    ¡°Log in.¡± Su Nan said without hesitation.

    ¡°Logged in.¡±

    ¡°Manager rank is currently blank. User permission level has been elevated to the highest.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to the Longlin Ecological Garden, Master. Butler 1 at your service.¡±

    Butler? Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    When he heard the voice coming from the Dragon Bone Tower, he suspected that the ecological garden might have an intelligent auxiliary life like a tower spirit. It seemed he was right.

    However, this thing¡¯s capabilities were probably far inferior to a tower spirit, at most only slightly higher than a puppet life like a mithril golem.

    If it were a real tower spirit, even without a controller¡¯s orders for thousands of years, it could have chosen the optimal way to operate the ecological garden, and wouldn¡¯t have reduced it to its current state.

    ¡°1, scan the ecological garden¡¯s status.¡± Su Nan issued the first command.

    ¡°Self-scan initiated!¡±

    ¡°Scanning in progress.¡±

    ¡°Constructing 3D model.¡±

    ¡°Scan complete.¡±

    A faint glow emerged, countless rays of light spilling from the crystal ball, intertwining above to form a 3D model, a miniature 3D panorama of the ecological garden.

    Numerous text labels were also displayed alongside it.

    ¡¾Ecological Garden: Longlin¡¿

    ¡¾Level: Large (Damage Level: 69.34%)¡¿

    ¡¾Current Remaining Energy: 38.79%¡¿

    ¡¾Intelligent Auxiliary Life: Butler 1¡¿

    ¡¾Areas: Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3¡¿

    ¡¾Facilities (Dragon Bone Tower): Living Area, Storage Area, Experiment Area, Training Area, Workshop Area, Modification Area, Control Center, Elemental Pool (Miniature)¡¿

    ¡¾Servants: Clay Golem ¡Á 182¡¿

    ¡¾Protective Devices: Large Spatial Barrier (Damage Level: 3.48%)¡¿

    ¡¾Combat Devices: Golem Legion (Stone Golem ¡Á 145)¡¿

    ¡°Only 39% energy remaining?¡±

    Su Nan opened each of the three zones one by one.

    ¡¾Zone 1: Operational, minimum energy required to maintain operation: 24.28%, optimal energy: 35.12%¡¿

    ¡¾Zone 2: Suspended, minimum energy required to maintain operation: 53.66%, optimal energy: 73.41%¡¿

    ¡¾Zone 3: Operational, minimum energy required to maintain operation: 3.06%¡¿

    ¡°Zone 2 requires over 50% of the energy at minimum!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but gasp. No wonder Zone 2 was abandoned and left to ruin. After all, it was the area where dragons were kept. The amount of energy it consumed was truly astonishing.

    ¡°It seems the first step is to restore the energy to over 81%.¡±

    The minimum energy required for the three zones added up to over 81%.

    As long as the ecological garden¡¯s energy was restored to this level, Zone 1 and the Dragon Bone Tower could be kept running while gradually restoring Zone 2¡¯s ecological environment.

    Once Zone 2¡¯s ecological environment was restored, he could consider how to restore the dragon population.

    ¡°Open the energy slot.¡± Su Nan gave the command.

    With a click, the ground next to the crystal ball slowly opened, extending a hollow stone pillar from within.

    Su Nan took out all the magic stones from his spatial ring and poured them into the stone pillar.

    After a while, the data next to the 3D model suddenly changed. The remaining energy jumped from 38.79% to 38.81%, an increase of 0.02%.

    ¡°Two hundred and thirty-five lower-grade magic stones only increased the energy by 0.02%!¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    Based on this calculation, to restore the energy to 81%, he would need to invest at least 500,000 lower-grade magic stones!

    That would cost roughly 900,000 gold coins!

    Even if he didn¡¯t spend a single gold coin from now on and accumulated all of it, it would take him four or five years to gather enough.

    This was still considering that he could manufacture magic stones at a ridiculously low cost.

    For other wizard apprentices, if they wanted to use magic stones to increase energy, they wouldn¡¯t be able to restore Zone 2¡¯s ecological environment in their lifetime.

    The ecological garden¡¯s energy consumption was truly astonishing!

    ¡°81% of the energy requires so many magic stones, and who knows how many it would take to restore it to 100%. This method won¡¯t work. I have to figure out how to repair the elemental pool.¡±

    After pondering for a while, Su Nan made up his mind and issued a new command.

    ¡°1, how much energy is required to repair the spatial barrier?¡±

    The priority was to patch up the ecological garden¡¯s breach, preventing the sub-dragons from escaping from Zone 1 and attracting more wizard apprentices or other intelligent creatures.

    ¡°It requires 6.23% energy.¡±

    Su Nan quickly estimated that after repairing the spatial barrier, the remaining energy would still be enough to meet the minimum energy needs for Zone 1 and Zone 3.

    He could always invest some magic stones later to increase the energy level.

    Thinking of this, Su Nan immediately issued the repair command.

    ¡°Repair initiated. Estimated time: 18 hours, 35 minutes, 32 seconds.¡±

    Watching the 3D model slowly disappear, Su Nan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling extremely happy.

    Although he didn¡¯t find any valuable treasures in the Dragon Bone Tower, the Longlin itself was already the biggest treasure.

    With Longlin as his foundation, he could establish a base with more comprehensive functions and better security.

    Moreover, the tens of thousands of sub-dragons and countless rare magic plants within Longlin were also a vast fortune.

    Once he repaired the elemental pool, it would be equivalent to having an inexhaustible material treasure trove.

    Before his advancement to wizard and construction of a wizard tower, Longlin could serve as his base, upon which he could develop and expand his power.

    ¡°Once the elemental pool is repaired, I can move Base 1 here.¡±

    Longlin was a semi-dimensional space, without a fixed location in the material world. As long as Su Nan, the controller, opened the passage in the material world, he could enter Longlin.

    At the same time, outside the Dragon Bone Tower.

    The Traveler kept his gaze fixed on the Dragon Bone Tower, his eyes filled with undisguised envy.

    As a wizard apprentice, he knew very well the immense benefits of getting his hands on a large ecological garden.

    It would provide significant benefits for his personal strength improvement and power development.

    However, he also knew that this ecological garden was not something he could covet.

    Not being able to beat the player was one thing, but another was that even if he got the ecological garden, he wouldn¡¯t have the resources to provide it with sufficient energy.

    The player was different.

    From what Night Owl said, the player had vast resources far exceeding those of ordinary third-rank wizard apprentices. Perhaps he had a way to solve the ecological garden¡¯s energy shortage.

    ¡°On the bright side, if Su Nan really can solve the ecological garden¡¯s problems, I can buy sub-dragon blood from him in the future.¡±

    The Traveler pondered to himself.

    Just then, the Dragon Bone Tower¡¯s door suddenly creaked open, and Su Nan walked out.

    The Traveler hesitated for a moment, but couldn¡¯t help but be curious and stepped forward to ask, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    ¡°Lots of problems.¡± Su Nan shrugged, ¡°But the ecological garden¡¯s breach is being repaired. It won¡¯t be long before it¡¯s fully restored. What are your plans next?¡±

    The Traveler was slightly taken aback.

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    What else could he do?

    The ecological garden is now yours. Can I still hang around here like a leech?

    But to his surprise, Su Nan then extended an invitation.

    ¡°Interested in being a guest at my place?¡±

    (End)

 Chapter 154

    Two figures slowly flew over the sky aboveÓÄºþ³Ç.

    Looking at the bustling city below, where different races like puppets, humans, vampires, and human-faced lions coexisted peacefully, the traveler couldn¡¯t help but marvel.

    Any Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, as long as they planned for decades, wouldn¡¯t find it difficult to control a city-state in the underworld.

    But to develop a powerful force that encompasses three city-states like Su Nan, is quite rare.

    Not to mention the Starry Kingdom behind Su Nan.

    The more he interacted with Su Nan, the more he felt the depth of his unfathomability.

    Therefore, he accepted Su Nan¡¯s invitation and came toÓÄºþ³Ç to have a look.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect even Human-faced Lions and vampires to become your vassals,¡± the traveler remarked with a sigh.

    Su Nan caught the implication in his words and was surprised, ¡°You¡¯ve been here before?¡±

    The traveler nodded, ¡°Eight years ago, I came here once. I wanted to sneak intoÓÄºþ³Ç to take a look, but the Human-faced Lions were too heavily guarded, and there were Spirit-Devouring Hunters guarding the gates. I had to give up. I didn¡¯t expect that now even ÂêÍ¼ and °ÂÉ­ have been conquered by you.¡±

    As he spoke, his gaze swept over the stone golems patrolling the streets below.

    From the city gate all the way here, he noticed that most of the garrison force and patrol forces inÓÄºþ³Ç were various golem puppets.

    Among them were no shortage of legendary puppets!

    Human-faced Lions, vampires, and other enslaved races only accounted for a small portion.

    It seemed that the reason why Su Nan was able to conquerÓÄºþ, ÂêÍ¼, and °ÂÉ­ was due to his powerful golem army.

    Night Owl was right, the resources that Su Nan possessed were truly shocking.

    Ordinary Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices couldn¡¯t possibly raise such a large-scale golem army.

    What puzzled him even more was that legendary puppet materials were extremely rare. Just the medium and small Soul Crystals alone were a bottleneck for many Sorcerer Apprentices.

    Where did Su Nan obtain so many medium and small Soul Crystals to refine legendary golems?

    The traveler pondered over this, unable to find an answer.

    Then, Su Nan suddenly said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    The two slowly descended to the ground. ¿¨ÂÞÀ³ÄÈ and Red Widow were already waiting at the palace gate.

    ¡°Master, welcome back.¡± The two women bowed together in unison.

    The traveler saw this and secretly praised them.

    Su Nan was truly blessed with good fortune, and he was also very decisive.

    Both Human-faced Lions and vampires were notoriously cunning.

    Sorcerer Apprentices without any ability couldn¡¯t possibly subdue these two races, let alone bring them under their command.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should rest for a few days first, and we¡¯ll have a good chat later,¡± said Su Nan.

    The traveler readily agreed, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Su Nan smiled and turned to instruct ¿¨ÂÞÀ³ÄÈ, ¡°Arrange the best room for the traveler.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¿¨ÂÞÀ³ÄÈ replied respectfully, then bowed slightly to the traveler, ¡°Traveler, please come with me.¡±

    After the traveler left, Su Nan entered the palace and said without turning back, ¡°How¡¯s the exploration going while I was away?¡±

    Red Widow followed closely behind Su Nan, smiling and saying, ¡°Thanks to your foresight, Master, allowing Xieman and Kore, along with the Knight Guard, to join the exploration, their assistance has significantly accelerated the progress.¡±

    ¡°The subterranean Toad Monsters and Slime Monsters in the eastern swamp of the Star Alliance have been cleared. The exploration team is now exploring deeper.¡±

    ¡°The situation in the north has also been investigated. There are a total of four Eye Demon tribes within a radius of fifty kilometers. We have wiped out two, and it¡¯s just a matter of time before the remaining two are eliminated.¡±

    ¡°The iron ore vein discovered in the west has been officially developed. Besides, the exploration team has found two new veins, a medium-sized copper mine and a small tungsten mine. We are currently clearing the nearby monsters and expect to start mining in a month.¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    From Red Widow¡¯s tone, the Knight Guard, which had just been formed, seemed to be performing quite well.

    But it was normal, after all, the Knight Guard¡¯s equipment was far superior to the indigenous forces in the underworld.

    Magic Emblem Armament was a given, they also had enchanted weapons and armor.

    In addition, various potions were carried with them.

    It could be said that any knight randomly selected from the Knight Guard could stand a chance against a Great Knight.

    Such a force, led by Xieman and Kore, wouldn¡¯t be afraid of anything as long as they didn¡¯t encounter legendary creatures.

    Even if they encountered a legendary creature, with the Rune Gems in their possession, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to escape.

    Seeing the satisfied expression on Su Nan¡¯s face, Red Widow was delighted and said with a smile, ¡°Moreover, Master, five days ago, I personally led a team to wipe out the Minotaur tribe in the south. Now, their gold mine is in our Star Alliance¡¯s grasp.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a medium-sized gold mine. Preliminary estimates show that it can bring in over 300,000 gold coins in profit!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The smile on Su Nan¡¯s face deepened.

    A medium-sized gold mine, with the efficient mining efficiency of the Clay Golem, meant he wouldn¡¯t have to worry too much about funds for at least the next six months.

    He could stockpile more magic mithril and refine more mithril golems.

    This time, he killedÄ§ÊÖ and Ñª¿Ú, along with ÎÚ¸ê, three members of the Eternal Society had died at his hands.

    Although the other party might not know that Ä§ÊÖ and Ñª¿Ú were killed by him, once they knew, even if the Eternal Society¡¯s organization structure was loose, they would inevitably clash with him.

    Better safe than sorry. He had to prepare early and accumulate more strength.

    If he had dozens of mithril golems, he could walk all over the Starry Continent, let alone the Eternal Society.

    ¡°Continue exploring, find more veins, and also pay attention to collecting intelligence on surrounding forces,¡± instructed Su Nan.

    So far, the Star Alliance¡¯s exploration and expansion had only encountered tribes, whose strength was weak and insignificant.

    However, considering that the exploration range had expanded to nearly two hundred kilometers, it was estimated that they would soon encounter other city-states.

    At that time, if they wanted to continue expanding their territory, they would inevitably have to engage in war, and the Star Alliance had to be prepared for this.

    One of the reasons why Su Nan invited the traveler toÓÄºþ³Ç was to inquire about intelligence on the forces in the underworld.

    The traveler had been adventuring and exploring the underworld in the southeastern region of the continent for many years, so he might know more than Su Nan.

    ¡°How¡¯s Shining Light City doing?¡± asked Su Nan again.

    ¡°The detailed report is in the study.¡±

    As they spoke, they reached the study door, and Su Nan pushed it open. Entering the study, he sat down at the desk, and his eyes first landed on the report on the table.

    Ever since he and Ke Yi reached an agreement on the idea of system separation, Su Nan began to implement it.

    By the time he set off forÈð°²³Ç, system separation had been implemented for a while and was on track.

    And the report on the table was the financial report of the past six months.

    According to the report, after implementing system separation, the base¡¯s profits had increased by almost half.

    The bulk of the profits came from the purchase of puppets like Blackrock Beasts, Clay Golems, and Stone Golems, as well as potions, enchanted weapons, and Dragon Blood Fruits, accounting for over 80% of the profits.

    The remaining less than 20% came from the purchase of various metal ores mined from the underworld.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t surprised by this result.

    After all, in the previous dependency, the base¡¯s benefit transfer to the army was far greater than the army¡¯s benefit transfer to the base.

    It could even be said that part of the profits obtained from mining in the underworld was used to subsidize the Starry Kingdom.

    That was precisely why the Starry Kingdom was able to recover from the war in just a few years.

    It was just that, because Su Nan¡¯s early capital accumulation was largely due to the territory, so he had always accepted this fact.

    Now that the two sides were separated, there was no need to subsidize the Starry Kingdom at a loss, so the base¡¯s profits naturally increased.

    ¡°As long as the Starry Kingdom continues to grow strong, the profits the base receives from purchases will only continue to increase.¡±

    After reading the report, Su Nan left the study and went to the laboratory.

    He took out gems and silver, and it took him half an hour to set up the magic array. Then, he injected his spiritual power to activate it.

    As the light flashed, countless rays of light emerged from the magic array, intertwining with each other. Soon, a four-to-five-meter-tall light gate was formed.

    ¡°Done.¡±

    Su Nan clapped his hands and looked at the teleportation channel in front of him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

    With this teleportation channel, he could freely enter and exit the Dragon Forest from Base 2.

    He would also set up one at Base 1 when he had time, for easy access.

    He could even enter the Dragon Forest from Base 2 and exit from Base 1, effectively achieving long-distance teleportation between the two bases.

    This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to travel back and forth all the time, saving him a lot of time.

    After setting up the channel, Su Nan summoned the Stealthy Dragon through the contract.

    As a result, °¬Ã× also came along.

    ¡°Meow! What¡¯s this?¡±

    °¬Ã× widened her eyes, curiously looking at the light gate.

    ¡°Go in and see for yourself.¡±

    Su Nan smiled and took the lead in entering the light gate.

    Seeing this, °¬Ã× quickly urged the Stealthy Dragon to follow.

    The light gate connected to the public resting area on the first floor of the Dragon Bone Tower. Then, Su Nan took °¬Ã× and the Stealthy Dragon to Zone 1.

    When they saw the magnificent forest sea full of towering trees, °¬Ã× was completely stunned.

    ¡°Meow! This, this is an eco-garden!¡±

    Now it was Su Nan¡¯s turn to be surprised.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen an eco-garden?¡±

    ¡°Of course, meow!¡± °¬Ã× raised her head proudly. ¡°My previous master also had an eco-garden where he raised a lot of strange creatures, but I couldn¡¯t see it after I woke up.¡±

    Su Nan thought for a moment. It seemed that the eco-garden was moved by°¬Ã×¡¯s previous master.

    Unlike Dragon Forest, which was left on the Starry Continent.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan, you got the control over this eco-garden?¡±

    °¬Ã× suddenly remembered Su Nan¡¯s casual teleportation just now and immediately realized it.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m the master here now.¡±

    ¡°Wow, how did you do it, meow?¡± °¬Ã× asked curiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. We¡¯ll talk as we walk.¡±

    Su Nan took the lead and flew forward, the Stealthy Dragon quickly following.

    On the way, he told °¬Ã× about the events that had happened, leaving her completely speechless.

    ¡°Meow, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± °¬Ã× exclaimed.

    She had experienced the era of the Sorcerer¡¯s Golden Age a thousand years ago and had a powerful master, so she knew more than many Sorcerer Apprentices, and she naturally understood the incredible value of a large-scale eco-garden.

    Even if it was a semi-abandoned eco-garden, it was worth more than the entire Starry Kingdom!

    Then, as if she had thought of something, °¬Ã× excitedly patted the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s back with her paw and said crisply, ¡°Meow, big guy, you¡¯re in luck!¡±

    ¡°Roar?¡± The Stealthy Dragon let out a questioning roar.

    Su Nan smiled slightly.

    This was precisely why he brought the Stealthy Dragon here.

    Although Zone 2 of Dragon Forest was abandoned, Zone 1 still had many sub-dragon species, including high-level sub-dragon species.

    Enough to provide ample sub-dragon blood to rapidly increase the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration.

    And Su Nan¡¯s goal was to get Multi-necked Dragon and Ä§±©Áú, these high-level sub-dragon species.

    Reaching the lake where the traveler, Ä§ÊÖ, and Ñª¿Ú had fought not long ago, Su Nan unleashed his spiritual power to sense for a moment, and soon he found his target.

    His body shimmered silver, and a silvery metallic liquid instantly separated from his body, forming countless metallic spikes, tearing through the air and whistling as they plunged into the water.

    The next moment, the lake surface suddenly surged violently, exploding with a booming sound.

    As water waves splashed everywhere, over ten snake heads burst out of the water, letting out deafening angry roars that echoed across the lake.

    One of the snake heads had blood gushing from its long neck, staining the lake water red.

    Su Nan immediately used Master¡¯s Hand to draw the blood over and collect it in the glass tubes he had prepared.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    After realizing that it was Su Nan, the culprit who injured him, the Multi-necked Dragon immediately roared angrily, its ten heads surrounding him from all directions, fiercely biting down on him.

    Su Nan remained unfazed. With a thought, Metal Storm swept out.

    The man and beast engaged in a fierce battle above the lake.

    After about seven or eight minutes, having collected enough blood, Su Nan left without hesitation, and the Multi-necked Dragon couldn¡¯t catch up, only able to roar angrily in the sky behind him.

    He rejoined °¬Ã× and the Stealthy Dragon who were watching the battle from a distance, and the three of them returned to Base 2.

    Su Nan immediately took the Stealthy Dragon to the laboratory to perform the bloodline refining operation.

    In terms of strength, the Multi-necked Dragon was close to a four-ringed legend, while the Stealthy Dragon wasn¡¯t even a three-ringed legend yet.

    The former¡¯s bloodline concentration completely crushed the latter.

    As a result, after fusing the purified sub-dragon blood from the Multi-necked Dragon, the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration directly soared by 0.36%.

    In the past, relying solely on extracting the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s own blood, it would have taken at least two to three months to increase that much.

    ¡°High-level sub-dragon blood is indeed more effective.¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    Before the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration surpassed that of the Multi-necked Dragon, Ä§±©Áú, and other high-level sub-dragon species, its bloodline concentration increase rate would remain at a high speed.

    By the time the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration increase rate slowed down, it would have likely broken through to the four-ringed legend.

    At that time, he would have another powerful force in his hands!

    After that, even if the bloodline concentration increase rate slowed down, with the abundant supply of high-level sub-dragon blood, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s ability to withstand it like before when extracting its blood. No matter how much the bloodline concentration increase rate slowed down, it wouldn¡¯t be slower than before.

    The Stealthy Dragon becoming a pure-blood dragon was only a matter of time!

 Chapter 155

    The brightly lit living room.

    Su Nan and the Traveler sat facing each other, exchanging pleasantries.

    ¡°How was your rest these past three days, Your Excellency?¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± the Traveler laughed. ¡°I haven¡¯t stayed in such a comfortable room in the Underworld for a long time. In the past, for convenience, I¡¯ve been living in caves, and occasionally when entering a city-state, I could only stay in simple taverns.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°What city-state was it?¡±

    ¡°An Dark Elf city-state, about a thousand kilometers from here.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me more about it?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The Traveler readily agreed.

    Over the past three days living in Misty Lake City, he had explored the entire city-state. Although he hadn¡¯t been able to visit the Base 2 he was most interested in, he had a general understanding of the forces in Misty Lake City.

    The current Misty Lake City had military strength far exceeding that of eight years ago.

    It could be said that Misty Lake City alone, with its military strength, could easily destroy some small countries on the surface.

    And Su Nan¡¯s forces weren¡¯t limited to just Misty Lake City. There were also Matu and Olsen.

    Although he hadn¡¯t visited them in person, based on the information he had gathered through roundabout inquiries these past few days, the military strength of these two city-states was probably not much weaker than Misty Lake City.

    The three city-states merged together to form the Star Alliance.

    From this name alone, it was clear that Su Nan¡¯s ambitions were not limited to just three city-states.

    The more he learned, the more mysterious Su Nan seemed to the Traveler.

    He even vaguely felt that what he had learned so far was just the tip of the iceberg of Su Nan¡¯s forces and resources!

    If anyone on the continent could become a full-fledged Wizard, the Traveler thought Su Nan was definitely one of the most likely candidates.

    Faced with such a person with immense potential, even someone as casual as him couldn¡¯t help but think of making friends and building good relations.

    If some intelligence could win Su Nan¡¯s favor, it would undoubtedly be worth it.

    ¡°That Dark Elf city-state is called Spider City, inhabited by twelve Dark Elf families. The matriarchs of all the families form the Supreme Council, ruling the entire city-state.¡±

    ¡°There are over six thousand Dark Elves in Spider City alone, in addition to no fewer than 50,000 dependent races and countless slaves. In terms of both foundation and strength, it can steadily rank among the top three in the entire Southeast Domain.¡±

    Spider City?

    Su Nan¡¯s mind immediately conjured up related memories.

    There were countless races in the Underworld.

    In terms of population alone, the Dark Elves wouldn¡¯t even rank in the top thousand.

    But in terms of fighting strength, the Dark Elves could definitely rank among the top three.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Dark Elves loved infighting and wasted most of their energy on internal power struggles, they would probably have unified the entire Southeast Domain long ago.

    Su Nan vaguely remembered that in his previous life, during the Elemental Rejuvenation, the Dark Elves seemed to have already unified the entire Southeast Domain of the Underworld.

    How did they achieve internal unity?

    Speaking of which, the Star Alliance and Spider City were only less than two thousand kilometers apart. Whether the Star Alliance expanded outwards or Spider City expanded its forces, they seemed destined to collide sooner or later.

    It seems I need to take precautions.

    His thoughts racing, Su Nan remained calm on the surface, patiently listening to the Traveler¡¯s account, occasionally asking a few questions.

    It had to be admitted that the Traveler¡¯s understanding of the distribution of forces in the Underworld was far more detailed than the few scraps of knowledge in his mind.

    As he listened to the Traveler¡¯s description, Su Nan quickly sketched out a detailed map of the distribution of forces within a thousand-kilometer radius of the Star Alliance in his mind.

    With this map of forces, the Star Alliance¡¯s future expansion would undoubtedly be much smoother.

    ¡°Do you know where there is a silver mine?¡±

    After the Traveler finished speaking, Su Nan suddenly asked.

    The Traveler thought carefully for a moment and hesitated. ¡°There is one, but it already belongs to someone else.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Su Nan didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s near Giant Eye City. It¡¯s a medium-sized silver mine, belonging to Giant Eye City.¡±

    Su Nan was immediately excited.

    Even if only half of the medium-sized silver mine was mined, it would be enough to make up for the missing resources needed to refine the secret puppet.

    I must get this silver mine!

    The Giant Eye City mentioned by the Traveler was located 300 kilometers north of the Star Alliance, just a bit further than the Eye Demon tribe he had previously discovered.

    Su Nan speculated that those Eye Demon tribes were likely the losers of a power struggle in Giant Eye City, banished to the wilderness.

    The ruler of Giant Eye City was a Nest Mother Eye.

    It sounded like a female, but in reality, like ordinary Eye Demon races, it had no concept of gender.

    This name actually came from its special ability to control other Eye Demons.

    Through this ability, the Nest Mother Eye could often subdue a large number of Eye Demons to serve it, which was also the origin of the Eye Demon city-state.

    The Nest Mother Eye itself was not particularly strong, only slightly stronger than an ordinary Eye Demon, at most a first-ring legendary level.

    What was tricky was the Eye Demon horde under its command.

    They came in hundreds or even thousands, and there were many legendary Eye Demon mutants among them.

    Judging solely from the Traveler¡¯s words, Giant Eye City was even stronger than the previous Misty Lake City.

    But Su Nan didn¡¯t care too much.

    Sending a gold magic puppet with a magic puppet legion would be enough to easily wipe out Giant Eye City.

    Deciding to hand this matter over to the Red Widow, Su Nan then raised another topic.

    ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you establish your own forces?¡±

    ¡°With your strength, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to take over a city-state, right?¡±

    The Traveler shook his head with a smile. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m not cut out for that, and I don¡¯t like spending too much energy on developing forces. Compared to that, I prefer exploring and adventuring, seeing more scenery. There are still many beautiful sights on this continent that I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±

    ¡°But without establishing your own forces, it¡¯s difficult to gather resources.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a lone wolf either.¡± The Traveler shrugged. ¡°I still collaborate with a few powerful nobles, which is enough.¡±

    After a pause, he looked wistful, sighed, and said:

    ¡°Besides, what good is gathering more resources?¡±

    ¡°The situation on Starlight Continent now, if you want to advance to Wizard, it¡¯s not something that can be solved by just having more resources.¡±

    ¡°To break this deadlock, you have to find the legendary three Wizard inheritances. I¡¯ve been searching for them all these years.¡±

    As he spoke, the Traveler¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    Su Nan noticed this and his heart skipped a beat. He stared intently at the Traveler.

    ¡°You¡¯ve found a clue?¡±

    The Traveler hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in confirmation.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Which Wizard inheritance is it?¡±

    ¡°The Black Forest.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he smiled slightly. ¡°How about this, I won¡¯t take advantage of you. You tell me the clue to the Black Forest, and I¡¯ll tell you the clue to the Starsea Tower. How does that sound?¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± The Traveler agreed without hesitation.

    Su Nan was startled, then quickly realized.

    When Magic Hand and Blood Mouth had exchanged information, they had mentioned the Starsea Tower key. It seems that the Traveler had heard it then and took note. Now mentioning the Black Forest clue was a way to wait for him here.

    This guy is actually quite cunning.

    Meeting Su Nan¡¯s meaningful gaze, the Traveler smiled awkwardly, laughed it off, and said:

    ¡°I can make a sworn contract to guarantee that the information I give you is 100% true!¡±

    Su Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    After making the sworn contract, the two began exchanging information.

    ¡°I got the Black Forest clue in Spider City.¡±

    ¡°The Filial Family, one of the twelve families in Spider City. Their third-generation matriarch is said to have entered a strange forest and gained powerful strength from it, which allowed her to defeat all her competitors and inherit the position of matriarch.¡±

    ¡°I infiltrated the Filial Family and checked their records. They do indeed record this matter, but no more detailed information can be found.¡±

    ¡°In my estimation, if this is true, such important information would definitely only be passed down orally. Perhaps only the successive matriarchs of the Filial Family know.¡±

    The Filial Family?

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with thought.

    No matter what, now that there was a clue, he had to investigate.

    It seems that contact with Spider City is inevitable.

    Even if they don¡¯t come to my doorstep, I will go to them.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan also truthfully informed the Traveler about the Starsea Tower clue.

    ¡°The Mysterious Wooden Hut recently added a new member, called the Hunter. Have you heard of him?¡±

    The Traveler shook his head. He hadn¡¯t seen the Night Owl in almost two years, so he naturally had no idea about the Mysterious Wooden Hut¡¯s recent activities.

    ¡°At a gathering some time ago, the Hunter sold a Starsea Tower key. With the key, one can locate the Starsea Tower when it appears and enter it. I guess the Hunter probably has more keys. You might be able to start from this aspect.¡±

    The Traveler¡¯s heart sank at the news.

    He wished he had attended the gathering. If he had known that a rare item like the Starsea Tower key would appear, he would have gone.

    Unfortunately, he had been chased by Magic Hand and was too busy to attend the gathering.

    ¡°The Hunter? It seems I need to find a way to contact him privately,¡± the Traveler thought to himself.

    At this moment, Su Nan suddenly threw something at him, which the Traveler subconsciously caught. He looked down and saw a space ring.

    ¡°This is...¡± The Traveler looked at Su Nan with a questioning gaze.

    ¡°A token of gratitude. You¡¯ve given me so much information, I have to give you some gifts,¡± Su Nan said with a smile.

    The Traveler opened the space ring and found one hundred magic stones lying inside. He was immediately shocked.

    This reward is too generous!

    However, the temptation of magic stones was too great. The Traveler couldn¡¯t bear to give it up. He hesitated for a moment before finally accepting it.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He said seriously.

    Su Nan waved his hand, indicating that he was welcome.

    To be honest, apart from the Black Forest clue, the Traveler had given him information about the distribution of forces, which was definitely worth more than one hundred magic stones.

    Moreover, doing this could also leave the Traveler with the impression that he was generous.

    If he had any other information in the future, the Traveler would be happy to trade it with him.

    The next day after exchanging information, the Traveler bid farewell and left.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t try to stop him. After he left, Su Nan threw himself into his busy schedule.

    Besides his daily cultivation, he devoted most of his energy to two tasks.

    One was to increase the bloodline concentration of the Stealthy Dragon.

    The other was to repair the Elemental Pool.

    The cost of repairing the Elemental Pool was not high, the materials consumed amounted to only about ten thousand gold coins, the key was the technical problem.

    Without the spiritual power of a formal Wizard, the difficulty of repairing many parts suddenly increased significantly.

    Drawing a large number of precise runes, if one failed, one had to start over. Su Nan often had to fail dozens or even hundreds of times before succeeding, giving him a sense of de?ja? vu of his first attempt at making potions.

    After more than three months, Su Nan finally completed the repair of the Elemental Pool.

    Dragon Forest, top floor of Dragon Bone Tower.

    Looking at the square pool in front of him, which had been completely repaired, Su Nan let out a long sigh and smiled with genuine joy.

    The completion of the Elemental Pool repair was of great significance.

    It marked a new stage in the development of his forces.

    ¡°The next step is activation.¡±

    Su Nan took out the gems he had prepared in advance from his space ring, carved them into simple eight-sided rhombuses, and embedded them into the magic formation, making them appear as one.

    Buzz!

    The entire Elemental Pool suddenly trembled violently, and cracks suddenly appeared in the surrounding space.

    The scenery behind these cracks was bizarre and varied: a sea like an abyss, an endless sky, a fiery sea that could burn the heavens, and a thick and solid crust, among other things.

    They were all elemental planes!

    After a strange intermingling of energy, streams of deep blue water flowed into the Elemental Pool.

    This was not real water, but condensed elemental energy in liquid form, which would appear in the Elemental Pool in the form of water¡¯s surface.

    A gentle form of energy manifestation!

    With the successful establishment of the Elemental Pool, an abundant and active energy enveloped the entire Dragon Bone Tower.

    ¡°Success!¡±

    Su Nan took a deep breath, feeling the elementally charged air, his expression quite happy.

    The Elemental Pool would continuously radiate energy outwards.

    Within the range of this energy, the spiritual power of Wizards (Apprentices) would recover significantly faster, and meditation efficiency would also slightly improve. It could even delay aging to a certain extent and increase a person¡¯s lifespan.

    In other words, those who lived in Dragon Bone Tower for a long time would receive the benefits of increased longevity, rapid recovery, and improved meditation efficiency.

    Moreover, the larger the Elemental Pool, the better the effect.

    Su Nan estimated that the miniature Elemental Pool should be able to increase spiritual power recovery speed by 20% and meditation efficiency by 5%.

    Long-term residents could also gain an additional 5 to 10 years of lifespan.

    Watching the water level slowly rise in the Elemental Pool, Su Nan¡¯s mood became even more cheerful.

    The Elemental Pool used the most primitive elemental channel mechanism, using elemental surges to generate magic that poured back into the Elemental Pool. The operating efficiency was not high, but it was good because it didn¡¯t have to worry about depletion. As long as the Elemental Pool was not damaged and regularly maintained, it could be used for thousands of years.

    With the Elemental Pool providing energy, the ecological environment within Dragon Forest could gradually be restored, and there would be no need to worry about insufficient energy.

    The only pity was that the energy provided by the Elemental Pool was stable but meager, not enough to do too many things.

    Su Nan steadied himself and opened the three-dimensional model of Dragon Forest.

    The spatial barrier of Dragon Forest had already been repaired, leaving only Dragon Bone Tower and Zone 2 unrepaired.

    The areas needing repair in Dragon Bone Tower were mainly the cultivation tanks and various experimental facilities in the transformation zone, the magic crystal forging furnace in the workshop zone, the targets in the cultivation zone, and the overall magic energy transmission pipeline, among other things.

    Years of neglect had caused various problems in these facilities, which needed to be repaired one by one.

    Fortunately, Dragon Bone Tower had a complete self-repair function, plus the assistance of Butler 1, as long as there was enough energy, it wouldn¡¯t take too much time to repair.

    ¡°1, start repairing Dragon Bone Tower,¡± Su Nan gave the order.

    ¡°Starting Dragon Bone Tower repair, estimated time: 18 days, 15 hours, 25 minutes, and 16 seconds.¡±

    Su Nan nodded silently.

    Once the repairs in Dragon Bone Tower were complete, he could start moving the base.

    As for Zone 2, he would wait until the energy was fully restored before slowly repairing it.

    Anyway, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find a dragon to breed for a while.

    Without dragons in Zone 2, even if it was fully restored, it could only be used as a super-large magic plant garden.

    End of this chapter.

 Chapter 156: Dragon Antelope Ranch, Bloodline and True Spirit

    Chapter 156: Dragon Antelope Ranch, Bloodline and True Spirit

    Starlight Calendar 1258, Spring Dawn Moon (March).

    The Dragon Bone Tower was finally repaired.

    Su Nan immediately began the base relocation work.

    Mainly the No. 1 base.

    The facilities in the No. 1 base were basically all in the Dragon Bone Tower, and they were more comprehensive and complete.

    Facilities like the Insect Nest that were not there could be solved by selecting a room and modifying it.

    The overall relocation work went smoothly.

    From now on, the apprentices¡¯ daily living, cultivation, and learning would all be conducted within the Dragon Forest.

    Top floor of the Dragon Bone Tower.

    Su Nan stood in front of the control center, staring intently at the three-dimensional model.

    [Ecological Garden: Dragon Forest]

    [Level: Large (Damage Degree 48.23%)]

    [Current Remaining Energy: 95.23%]

    [Intelligent Auxiliary Life: Steward No. 1]

    [Area: Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3]

    [Facilities (Dragon Bone Tower): Living Area, Warehouse Area, Experiment Area, Cultivation Area, Workshop Area, Transformation Area Control Center, Element Pool (Miniature), Insect Nest]

    [Servants: Clay Golem ¡Á 423, Flower Spirit ¡Á 52, Forest Child ¡Á 3, Red-Eyed Raven ¡Á 67, Grieg Spirit ¡Á 1]

    [Protective Device: Large Space Barrier]

    [Combat Device: Golem Legion (Stone Golem ¡Á 426, Double-Blade Spider ¡Á 85, Elite Stone Golem ¡Á 20, Iron Golem ¡Á 5)]

    Looking at the data marked next to the three-dimensional model, Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    After half a month of charging, the energy in the Element Pool was almost full.

    The recovery of Zone 2 had also begun.

    Although it was just a beginning, with the help of the Clay Golems and Flower Spirits he brought from the No. 1 base, the recovery speed should be much faster in the future.

    ¡°If Zone 1 maintains its optimal operating state, it will consume 35.12% of the energy cycle.¡±

    ¡°After Zone 2 is restored, it only needs to maintain the lowest operating state before the introduction of new dragons, consuming 53.66% of the energy cycle.¡±

    ¡°Combined, that¡¯s 88.78%.¡±

    Almost 90% of the energy ratio!

    If you add the minimum energy required to maintain the operation of Zone 3, which is 3.06%, it will already exceed 90%.

    This 3.06% refers to the minimum energy cycle consumed to maintain the operation of Zone 3, mainly the daily operation of various facilities in the Dragon Bone Tower, including providing lighting, experiments, transformations, and other regular applications.

    In addition to this, the energy cycle consumption depends on the wizards¡¯ (apprentices¡¯) experimental energy consumption and the energy consumed in making potions, magical items, and puppets.

    This aspect can be said to have no upper limit.

    Su Nan queried the past energy consumption records through Steward No. 1.

    In the Dragon Forest a thousand years ago, during the peak period of energy consumption in the Dragon Bone Tower, it once occupied 47.23% of the energy cycle!

    It almost caused the energy cycle of Zone 1 and Zone 2 to collapse.

    ¡°Fortunately, we don¡¯t have to worry about that for now.¡±

    Su Nan muttered to himself.

    Currently, the base only has him, a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, and there are not even a few Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    The energy consumed in experiments and production could at most occupy 10% of the energy cycle.

    Plus, Zone 2 hasn¡¯t been put into full use yet, so there¡¯s no need to worry about insufficient energy cycle.

    ¡°The number of troops has also increased significantly.¡±

    The original Dragon Forest only had over 100 Stone Golems, but with the arrival of the base¡¯s garrison forces, the total number of Golems has now surpassed 500.

    However, the increase in troop strength is not of much use.

    The Dragon Forest is a semi-dimensional space, semi-isolated from the material world. Except for the teleportation channel in Su Nan¡¯s hands, no one else can enter.

    Unless it¡¯s a wizard with enough power to tear apart the space barrier and possessing the spatial coordinates of the Dragon Forest.

    However, such a person simply doesn¡¯t exist in the current Starlight Continent.

    So, there¡¯s basically no need to worry about external enemies attacking the Dragon Forest.

    Perhaps because of this, the original builders didn¡¯t build any combat devices to defend against external enemies, only stationing a small number of Golems.

    These Golems are probably used to capture the sub-dragons in the Dragon Forest.

    Therefore, Su Nan transferred the higher-level Stone Golems and Elite Double-Blade Spiders from the No. 1 base to the Star Alliance.

    Now, the No. 1 base is basically just an empty shell, with nothing left except the Magic Plant Garden.

    Of course, Su Nan doesn¡¯t intend to abandon the No. 1 base.

    It will serve as a transfer station for material transport between the Dragon Forest and the surface world.

    The same goes for the No. 2 base.

    With the teleportation array in the Dragon Forest, Su Nan can now quickly travel between the surface and the underground world, eliminating the need to build another No. 2 base.

    The facilities in the No. 2 base have been moved into the Dragon Forest, leaving only the Magic Plant Garden and a spatial channel leading to the Dragon Forest, which will serve as a transfer station for future material transport between the Dragon Forest and the underground world.

    ¡°With only one base, I won¡¯t have to run back and forth anymore, and many things will be much more convenient.¡±

    Su Nan smiled with a relaxed expression.

    ¡°I also don¡¯t need to open up more Magic Plant Gardens in the future. Separating a section from Zone 2 will be enough to plant magic plants.¡±

    The Dragon Forest is different from the outside. Here, as long as the energy supply is continuous, the concentration of energy particles can be maintained at a high level, sufficient for the growth of magic plants.

    Just by carving out a piece of land in Zone 2, its area would be equivalent to more than ten Magic Plant Gardens outside.

    ¡°The matter of taming sub-dragons should also be put on the agenda.¡±

    Su Nan stretched out his hand and touched the void. A picture suddenly appeared in front of him.

    The picture showed steep cliffs filled with caves, where creatures with shiny golden scales, resembling a combination of dragons and antelopes, flew in and out of the caves.

    Dragon antelopes, a powerful and elegant sub-dragon species.

    A thousand years ago, they were tamed as mounts by many legendary knights.

    They are very simple sub-dragons, loyal to their masters, and extremely powerful in combat.

    An adult Dragon Antelope has the strength of a First-Ring Legendary-level, and will gradually become stronger with age, reaching the highest level of Third-Ring Legendary.

    When Su Nan discovered numerous sub-dragons within the Dragon Forest, he had already formed the idea of building a dragon rider army.

    After days of selection, he finally chose the Dragon Antelopes.

    Apart from their loyalty and powerful combat strength, Dragon Antelopes prefer to live in deep caves far away from civilization, with a natural strong adaptability to dark environments.

    This means they can maintain their combat strength even in the dark and humid environment of the underground world.

    A Dragon Antelope rider army, just thinking about it is exciting!

    However, taming sub-dragons is a very time-consuming and laborious task.

    Adult Dragon Antelopes are basically untamable, so taming must begin with the young.

    Sub-dragons inherit some of the characteristics of dragons, including their extremely slow growth rate.

    Even with some growth-catalyzing methods, it takes at least ten years to raise a young Dragon Antelope to adulthood.

    ¡°The Knight Guard is still too weak. There aren¡¯t even any Great Knights. They still need time to grow.¡±

    ¡°Starting to tame Dragon Antelopes now, in ten years, when the Knight Guard has reached a sufficient strength, they can be paired with the Dragon Antelopes.¡±

    After some thought, Su Nan already had a complete plan in mind. He reached out and drew a line on the three-dimensional model, separating an area that would serve as the future Dragon Antelope breeding ground.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it the Dragon Antelope Ranch.¡±

    After dividing the area, Steward No. 1 will naturally arrange for the Clay Golems to handle the specifics.

    Su Nan then went to the main laboratory in the Transformation Area, which is the large laboratory exclusively for him.

    Hidden Dragon was already waiting in the laboratory. Seeing Su Nan arrive, it crawled forward and rubbed its head affectionately against his chest.

    ¡°You waited long.¡± Su Nan smiled and patted Hidden Dragon¡¯s head.

    With an abundance of high-level sub-dragon blood, Hidden Dragon¡¯s bloodline had been rapidly advancing.

    Now, its bloodline concentration had broken through the 50% mark, and its combat strength had also broken through to Third-Ring Legendary.

    With the improvement of bloodline and strength, Hidden Dragon¡¯s size has also become larger.

    Its head-to-tail length has exceeded thirty meters, and even when lying down, its height is close to four meters.

    If it didn¡¯t have the ability to dematerialize, Hidden Dragon¡¯s movement within the Dragon Bone Tower would be severely limited.

    ¡°In the Dragon Forest, the sub-dragon with the highest bloodline concentration is the Magic Tyrant Dragon, at 85.37%.¡±

    ¡°Once it exceeds this threshold, the speed of Hidden Dragon¡¯s bloodline enhancement will slow down significantly.¡±

    ¡°After reaching 90%, it should be able to break through to Fourth-Ring Legendary.¡±

    Su Nan pondered, but his actions were not slow. He expertly completed the bloodline fusion surgery for Hidden Dragon.

    Now, Hidden Dragon needs to undergo an average of three surgeries per month, with time between surgeries used to digest bloodline power.

    The high-frequency bloodline fusion surgery has brought a lot of proficiency to Su Nan¡¯s [Biological Transformation] skill.

    Su Nan estimates that the [Biological Transformation] skill should reach Level 4 in another two or three months.

    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the Flowing Fire Moon (July).

    Just after the first ten days of the month, Su Nan successfully constructed his sixteenth Star Ring.

    [Su Nan ¡¤ Arneste, Human Male]

    [Spirit 50.93 / Physique 45.88]

    [Skills]

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv17 (130/5000000)

    Potion Making Lv4 (8635/10000)

    Biological Transformation Lv4 (529/10000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv5 (1023/20000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv4 (5477/10000)

    ¡°Two more Star Rings to go.¡±

    Su Nan exhaled happily.

    The proficiency he gained each day practicing Star Ring Meditation Method had increased to around 4800 points with the growth of his spirit power.

    At this rate, it would take about two and a half years to construct the seventeenth Star Ring.

    ¡°I should be able to construct the remaining two Star Rings within eight years.¡±

    ¡°By then, even if my spirit power hasn¡¯t reached 60, it should be close.¡±

    With the pure divine energy provided by the Death Knell Beetle, Su Nan¡¯s current spirit power growth is much faster than before.

    ¡°Physique, however, needs to be improved.¡±

    Just last month, Su Nan gathered enough materials to craft a Magic Emblem Core, successfully crafting his fourth Magic Emblem Core.

    However, the problem now is that his spirit and physique are not enough to handle a Level 4 Magic Emblem Core, so he hasn¡¯t fused it yet.

    Fusion of a Level 4 Magic Emblem Core requires 51.22 spirit and 54.39 physique.

    In terms of spirit, Su Nan estimates that he should be able to meet the requirements after absorbing divine energy twice more.

    Although he is lagging behind in physique, with Dragon Blood Fruit, it¡¯s easy to improve.

    After all, his current 45.88 physique is about the level of a mid-level Great Knight, still far from a Legendary Knight.

    ¡°Without bloodline fusion, physique improvement is still slow.¡±

    Even so, if Su Nan had a choice, he would rather chew on Dragon Blood Fruit and slowly strengthen his body than casually fuse with a bloodline.

    While bloodline fusion can instantly enhance strength, the price is that future growth potential will be significantly narrowed.

    Take the Death Knell Behemoth for example. Once you fuse with its bloodline, no matter how much you increase your strength in the future, it¡¯s difficult to exceed the power level of the original bloodline, which is the ancient beast, the SË»ñ”Òì³æ (Si Hai Yi Chong).

    Because of this drawback of bloodline fusion, the advancement path of wizards after that is divided into two branches: bloodline and true spirit.

    Su Nan¡¯s goal has always been the true spirit path.

    Only True Spirit Wizards can advance to the highest level.

    ¡°The substitute metal for the Magic Emblem Core is almost finished.¡±

    Among the eighty-nine substitute metals required for the Magic Emblem Core, besides the twenty that can be purchased with gold coins, Su Nan has already researched sixty-seven of the remaining sixty-nine, leaving only two.

    It will take at most one or two months to complete.

    After that, as long as his spirit and physique keep up, he can infinitely enhance the Magic Emblem Core.

    Late at night, the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Moonlight shone through the windows, illuminating the interior.

    There were eight people sitting around a large table.

    Except for the Hunter, all other members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut were present, a rare occurrence.

    Unexpectedly, the Traveler was also there.

    ¡°This is unusual. I didn¡¯t expect you to be here.¡± The Scepter looked at the Traveler in surprise.

    ¡°I thought you died in some forgotten corner.¡± The Wraith¡¯s words carried a hint of malice.

    Ignoring the Wraith¡¯s words, the Traveler shrugged at the Scepter and said, ¡°I ran into some trouble before, but thanks to the Player, it was resolved. I will actively participate in the gatherings from now on.¡±

    Everyone looked at Su Nan in surprise, not expecting the two of them to encounter each other outside the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    ¡°By the way, where is the other new member?¡± The Traveler looked around curiously, finally frowning in disappointment. ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± Black Forest said nonchalantly. ¡°He¡¯s probably held up by something.¡±

    In the Mysterious Wooden Hut, this was considered normal, and everyone was unconcerned. They entered the trading process as usual.

    When it was the Traveler¡¯s turn, he looked at the Scepter and said earnestly, ¡°Scepter, I want the key to the Starlight Tower. It¡¯s very important to me. If you¡¯re willing, please name your price and trade it to me!¡±

    The Scepter was startled, then shook his head. ¡°Sorry, the key to the Starlight Tower is also very important to me, I don¡¯t intend to trade it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, Traveler.¡± Black Forest said bluntly. ¡°If the Scepter were willing to trade, I would have already snatched it. How could it be your turn?¡±

    The last time the Hunter participated in the gathering, only Black Forest and the Traveler were absent.

    Later, they learned that the Hunter brought the key to the Starlight Tower in that gathering, and Black Forest couldn¡¯t help but regret it. He proposed trading with the Scepter in subsequent gatherings, but was rejected without hesitation.

    Hearing this, the Traveler sighed in disappointment but didn¡¯t press further. He placed several bottles of sub-dragon blood on the table.

    ¡°Whoever wants it, name your price.¡±

    Everyone looked at Su Nan without exception.

    Whenever sub-dragon blood appeared in previous gatherings, it would always be bid for by Su Nan.

    .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }  .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }

    Over time, they knew that Su Nan was determined to get sub-dragon blood, so they stopped competing with him.

    But to everyone¡¯s astonishment, Su Nan shook his head this time.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

    Only the Traveler knew that Su Nan, who had an entire ecological garden in his hands, didn¡¯t need sub-dragon blood at all.

 Chapter 157

    Starlight Calendar 1258, the month of Flowing Fire (August).

    After a brief feeling of weightlessness that made her slightly uncomfortable, Xieman¡¯s vision cleared. She looked around and found herself in a spacious and bright hall.

    The hall was neatly arranged with many stone chairs and tables, and some apprentices were sitting there chatting and laughing.

    ¡°Is this the Dragon Skull Tower?¡±

    Ruger, behind Xieman, looked at the hundreds of Eternal Bright Pearls embedded in the ceiling and exclaimed in amazement.

    Shien, Solano, and a group of Magic Emblem Knights beside them were also full of wonder.

    Only Cole remained indifferent, his expression unmoved. He said to Xieman, ¡°Let¡¯s go report to the teacher first.¡±

    Xieman was about to nod when she heard a familiar voice.

    ¡°The teacher is still in the laboratory and hasn¡¯t come out yet. You have to wait a while.¡±

    Xieman looked back and saw Atiel standing a few meters away, smiling at them.

    ¡°Atiel!¡± Xieman smiled in surprise, ¡°Long time no see!¡±

    Atiel had not yet advanced to the Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, so he did not participate in the opening of the new magical plant garden or the exploration of the underground world.

    It had been almost two years since she had last seen him.

    Seeing him again, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of joy.

    Cole¡¯s expression softened slightly as he nodded gently to Atiel.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    He paused, then carefully scrutinized Atiel for a moment. His face suddenly flashed with surprise.

    ¡°Atiel, you have broken through?¡±

    Xieman was stunned. She recovered and carefully looked at Atiel, her face also showing surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯ve advanced to the Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Atiel nodded with a smile, ¡°I just broke through two months ago.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Xieman said excitedly.

    After advancing to the Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, Atiel was eligible to participate in many of the base¡¯s operations.

    This way, they could return to the time when the three of them acted together.

    Cole also squeezed out a smile and said, ¡°Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Atiel smiled, her lips slightly pursed.

    As the first group of apprentices to enter the base, the three of them had the deepest feelings for each other, as well as the strongest sense of belonging.

    Now that the three of them were back on the same level, their moods were naturally quite pleasant.

    After a few pleasantries, Atiel turned her attention to Shien and the others.

    ¡°Are these the Knights of the Guard?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Xieman nodded with a smile, pointing to Shien, ¡°This is Shien, the current captain of the Knights of the Guard, the top graduate of the first class of the Dragonheart Knight Academy. Don¡¯t be fooled by his youth, he¡¯s already at the level of a Great Knight.¡±

    ¡°Sir Atiel!¡±

    Shien hurriedly bowed to Atiel, then said with a restrained expression, ¡°Sir Xieman is too kind. Compared to the three of you, my strength is nothing.¡±

    This was not humility. Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices who had mastered magic had at least the combat strength of a Great Knight. A Great Knight was nothing compared to them.

    ¡°Alright, enough with the pleasantries.¡±

    Cole interrupted their conversation and turned to Atiel.

    ¡°Since the teacher is still busy, we¡¯ll report later.¡±

    ¡°Atiel, take us around the Dragon Forest. I haven¡¯t seen the new base yet.¡±

    When the base was relocated, Cole and Xieman were still busy in the underground world, so they didn¡¯t participate.

    Now that they had a rare chance to return and rest, they naturally wanted to take this opportunity to have a good look around the new base.

    Xieman also showed a look of excitement when she heard this.

    Atiel didn¡¯t mind at all, and readily agreed. She turned to Shien and the others and said, ¡°The base¡¯s rule is that only Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices can move freely outside the Dragon Skull Tower. Others are forbidden from leaving the Dragon Skull Tower without taking on missions. You can only stay in the tower today. Go down and rest for now.¡±

    She then called up a clay golem, which led a group of Magic Emblem Knights to the living quarters.

    After advancing to the Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, her teacher had granted her some privileges, allowing her to command clay golems within the Dragon Skull Tower to a limited extent.

    After the clay golem led the people away, Atiel took Xieman and Cole out of the Dragon Skull Tower.

    They didn¡¯t feel anything inside, but when they came out and saw the overall appearance of the Dragon Skull Tower, which looked like a giant dragon coiling around, Xieman and Cole were both shocked.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be the real skeleton of a giant dragon, can it?¡± Xieman was speechless.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Atiel¡¯s eyes flashed with admiration as she looked at the Dragon Skull Tower. ¡°The teacher said that the skeleton used to build the Dragon Skull Tower probably belonged to an ancient dragon that lived for more than eight hundred years.¡±

    Now, even Cole couldn¡¯t help but show a look of utter amazement.

    ¡°The person who built the Dragon Skull Tower back then must have been a very powerful wizard!¡±

    A look of longing flashed in Cole¡¯s eyes, but it quickly faded into a sigh.

    He also wanted to become such a powerful wizard, but he knew very well that it was uncertain whether he could become a formal wizard, let alone a powerful wizard like the one who built the Dragon Skull Tower.

    After admiring it for a while, Atiel summoned three Blackrock Beasts, and the three of them rode them away.

    Zone 3 didn¡¯t cover a large area. They soon passed through an invisible barrier and entered Zone 2.

    Seeing the somewhat desolate fields and the sparse greenery on them, Xieman was rather surprised.

    ¡°Why is it so barren here?¡±

    Atiel said, ¡°Zone 2 of the Dragon Forest was originally abandoned. It¡¯s actually quite good now. When the base first relocated here, there wasn¡¯t even a single blade of grass to be found.¡±

    ¡°I heard the teacher say that Zone 2 was originally used to breed dragons. But now, I don¡¯t think you can find any dragons on the continent. It can only be used for growing magical plants now.¡±

    Breed dragons!

    Xieman and Cole were both shocked by this scale.

    Just thinking about how this place had been a breeding ground for dragons that were comparable to formal wizards made them feel a sense of awe.

    Shocked as they were, there wasn¡¯t much to see in Zone 2.

    The dragon bones that had once covered the land had all been cleared away.

    They passed through the empty Zone 2 and soon entered Zone 1.

    The moment they passed through the barrier, a vibrant emerald green rushed into Xieman and Cole¡¯s field of vision with unstoppable force, instantly filling their entire vision.

    Towering trees tens or even hundreds of meters tall cast a dense shadow over the land. The plants on the ground were extremely lush, even the bushes were two to three meters tall.

    They could hear roars rising and falling in the distance, and they could faintly hear heavy footsteps as well.

    Everything seemed to have stepped back into a prehistoric age.

    Xieman and Cole subconsciously held their breaths, looking at the magnificent scenery before them.

    ¡°It¡¯s impressive, isn¡¯t it? The first time I saw this sight, I was just like you.¡±

    Atiel waited patiently until they recovered before smiling and saying, ¡°More than ninety percent of Zone 1 is forest.¡±

    ¡°This area is home to many rare magical plants, and tens of thousands of Sub-Dragons.¡±

    ¡°There are a considerable number of Legendary-grade Sub-Dragons among them. Considering the danger, Zone 1 is currently closed to the public. Only Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices are allowed to enter the Dragon Forest to carry out some tasks, such as collecting Sub-Dragon Blood or magical plants.¡±

    As she spoke, she led them into the forest.

    It seemed she had been here many times before, carefully avoiding certain areas along the way.

    According to her, there were Legendary-grade Sub-Dragons in those areas, and it was best to avoid them unless necessary.

    Otherwise, if they were discovered and chased, it would take a waste of Rune Stones to escape.

    They walked only a thousand meters, and Xieman and Cole saw no fewer than thirty species of Sub-Dragons, and their hearts were filled with even more admiration for the wonders of the Dragon Forest.

    In the past, they would never have imagined that there was a place dedicated to breeding Sub-Dragons.

    Sub-Dragons that were rare outside were common here.

    Only Sorcerer Apprentices could know how precious this place was!

    It was a walking materials aggregation center everywhere you looked!

    ¡°By the way, have you thought about the matter of contracting a Magical Companion?¡±

    Atiel suddenly asked as they walked.

    Xieman and Cole both nodded.

    Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices could contract Magical Companions.

    They had been considering this for a long time, but they had never found a suitable target for contracting.

    With their teacher¡¯s incredibly powerful Magical Companion as an example, they didn¡¯t want to contract just any ordinary Magical Companion.

    ¡°Have you considered a Sub-Dragon?¡± Atiel asked, her words startling.

    ¡°A Sub-Dragon?¡± Xieman was stunned and shook her head with a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯d like to, but the more powerful a creature is, the harder it is to contract as a Magical Companion. Contracting a Sub-Dragon... It¡¯s probably impossible, right?¡±

    Cole also shook his head. ¡°Even the weakest Sub-Dragon has the strength of a Great Knight. With our current strength, we can¡¯t possibly succeed in contracting one.¡±

    It was said that when their teacher contracted the Stealthy Dragon, it only had the strength of a Peak Knight.

    They couldn¡¯t be more radical than their teacher, could they?

    Atiel smiled. ¡°Adult Sub-Dragons are definitely out of the question, but there are many juvenile Sub-Dragons in Zone 1. We can choose them as our targets. As long as we pick a species with a gentle temperament, the probability of success is still quite high.¡±

    Xieman and Cole were stunned.

    They had never considered this path before, because adult Sub-Dragons were rare outside, let alone juveniles.

    When they were considering Magical Companions before, they never even considered this aspect.

    But now that Atiel had mentioned it, it seemed quite feasible!

    Suddenly, Xieman and Cole both showed excited expressions.

    If they could contract a Sub-Dragon as a Magical Companion, it would be amazing!

    The growth potential of Sub-Dragons was far greater than that of ordinary creatures!

    After having this idea, they looked at the Sub-Dragons along the way with an undisguised heat in their eyes.

    Every time they saw a species of Sub-Dragon, they started to assess in their hearts whether it would be suitable as a target for contracting a Magical Companion.

    Atiel saw this and laughed, ¡°There is detailed information on Sub-Dragons in the Dragon Skull Tower. When you go back, just have Butler 1 copy a copy for you.¡±

    ¡°Butler 1?¡± Xieman looked puzzled.

    Atiel explained, ¡°It¡¯s the Dragon Skull Tower¡¯s intelligent auxiliary life. The teacher said it¡¯s even more advanced than the Mithril Golem.¡±

    Xieman understood.

    After a brief tour of Zone 1, the three of them finally turned back, reluctantly.

    On the way, Atiel suddenly remembered the Shien and the others she had seen earlier and asked curiously, ¡°I heard the Knights of the Guard are equipped with Magic Emblem Constructs. How¡¯s the effect?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very strong.¡± Xieman said without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s more powerful than ordinary Alchemy-grade magic items.¡±

    ¡°Especially Second-Rank Magic Emblem Constructs. It feels like they¡¯re not far behind Minor Radiance-grade magic items.¡±

    Cole also chimed in, ¡°I heard there are even more advanced Third-Rank Magic Emblem Constructs. I wonder how strong the reinforcement effect is?¡±

    ¡°The base¡¯s exchange list was just updated recently, and now it has Third-Rank Magic Emblem Constructs. If you¡¯re really curious, you can exchange for a set and try it out.¡± Atiel said with a smile.

    She was just joking, but the moment her words fell, she saw Xieman and Cole both show a look of interest, and she was speechless.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t really be thinking of exchanging for it, would you?¡±

    Xieman recovered and said, ¡°When we were exploring the underground world, we were often attacked by monsters, and there was no way to defend against them. Many times we had to fight monsters up close. If we had a set of Third-Rank Magic Emblem Constructs, our safety would be much higher.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cole nodded in agreement.

    ¡°But Third-Rank Magic Emblem Constructs can only be used by Great Knights.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy. Just exchange for a few high-level Dragon Blood Fruits.¡±

    Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices generally already have the physical fitness of a Knight.

    Both Xieman and Cole had already reached the level of a Great Knight in terms of physical fitness. Taking a fourth-level Dragon Blood Fruit would be enough to break through to the Great Knight level.

    For Sorcerer Apprentices, strengthening their physical fitness was nothing.

    Atiel thought about it carefully and realized that what they said was quite reasonable. She was also a little tempted.

    After all, she would definitely join the exploration activities in the underground world after mastering magic.

    If she had Magic Emblem Constructs, her safety would be more secure.

    When they returned to the Dragon Skull Tower, Atiel asked Butler 1 and heard that her teacher had already come out of the laboratory and was now in the study. She then took Xieman and Cole to the tower level where the study was located.

    ¡°Go see the teacher yourselves from now on.¡± Atiel waved goodbye to them.

    Xieman and Cole tidied up their appearance, then knocked on the door of the study.

    ¡°Come in.¡± The teacher¡¯s voice came from inside.

    They pushed the door open and saw their teacher sitting behind the desk, his eyes fixed on a piece of parchment on the table.

    It seemed to be a... map?

    ¡°Seeing you rushing back to see me, did you have a breakthrough in your exploration?¡±

    Su Nan looked away from the table and looked up at them.

    ¡°Yes, teacher.¡± Cole was the first to speak. ¡°We have already wiped out the remaining Eye Demon tribes in the north. Then we continued to explore northward. As you said, we found an Eye Demon city-state.¡±

    ¡°We managed to capture an Eye Demon and, after interrogation, confirmed that the city-state is called Giant Eye City, and its ruler is indeed a Nest Mother¡¯s Eye.¡±

    Su Nan nodded knowingly, his gaze falling on the map.

    This was a military map made based on the information provided by travelers.

    It clearly depicted the detailed distribution of forces within a radius of two thousand kilometers of the Star Alliance, including major city-states, tribes, and dangerous areas where powerful monsters or deadly oddities existed.

    Of course, considering the limited abilities of a single traveler, it was impossible for them to completely explore every corner of this area, so this map was definitely incomplete.

    But even so, it was of great benefit to the Star Alliance¡¯s future expansion.

 Chapter 158

    ¡°What¡¯s the detailed military strength of Giant Eye City?¡±

    Su Nan withdrew his gaze from the map and continued to ask.

    Cole bowed and said, ¡°Based on the intelligence we¡¯ve gathered so far, we estimate that there are at least a thousand Eye Demons in Giant Eye City, including at least five legendary mutated Eye Demons. There are also at least twenty thousand slaves.¡±

    Eye Demons were best known for using their spiritual power to control other creatures, turning them into their slaves.

    For Eye Demons, slaves were expendable, and if they lost some, they would simply control more.

    That¡¯s why Eye Demons were notorious for their love of slaughtering slaves.

    Over a thousand Eye Demons only controlling twenty thousand slaves, this number was a bit conservative.

    Su Nan estimated that there were at least thirty thousand slaves in Giant Eye City.

    Of course, the creatures that could be controlled by Eye Demons weren¡¯t very strong, usually races like dog-headed men, lizardmen, and ogres.

    They were the usual cannon fodder in the underworld.

    After pondering for a moment, Su Nan made a decision and said in a deep voice, ¡°Let Red Widow be the commander, the two of you be her deputies, and lead a small legion of magic puppets to attack Giant Eye City. I¡¯ll give you an extra gold puppet. Conquer Giant Eye City within three months. Is there a problem?¡±

    After the base migrated into Dragonwood, the importance of Base 1 and Base 2 decreased significantly, and Su Nan drastically reduced the garrison strength. The vacated puppets were all incorporated into the Star Alliance.

    After that, Su Nan reorganized and restructured the magic puppet legion, mainly dividing it into legion formations.

    From lowest to highest, they were squads, platoons, banners, companies, and legions.

    The first four formations had puppet numbers ranging from 10 to 500, with the main types being stone puppets and double-bladed puppets.

    The difference was that banners also included an elite stone puppet.

    Companies included five elite stone puppets and a steel puppet.

    As for the highest-level legion, the puppet count started at 5,000 and would definitely have a second-ring legendary puppet.

    Legions were divided into small, medium, and large according to puppet quantity and strength.

    A small legion included ten companies, with a puppet count of up to 5,000.

    Besides the number of elite stone puppets and steel puppets corresponding to the number of companies, it also included two superior stone puppets and an elite double-bladed spider.

    Five small legions could be combined into a medium legion.

    In addition to numerous first-ring and second-ring legendary puppets, the medium legion would also have an additional gold puppet.

    Similarly, five medium legions could be combined into a large legion.

    Above the large legion, Su Nan also had an idea for a group army.

    However, for now, it was just an idea, because the current Star Alliance was far from being able to form a group army.

    In fact, not even a large legion or a medium legion existed.

    The current Star Alliance only had two small legions.

    It wasn¡¯t that Su Nan didn¡¯t want to form more legions, but that he had limited resources.

    The cost of forming a small legion of magic puppets was about 700,000 gold coins.

    The puppets that formed the two small legions were what Su Nan had accumulated bit by bit.

    In the short term, he couldn¡¯t build a third small legion, let alone medium or large legions.

    Setting up higher-level formations was merely for future army expansion.

    Sherman and Cole had already learned about the Star Alliance¡¯s recent army formation changes from Artier. They readily agreed.

    A small legion of magic puppets, plus a gold puppet, plus Red Widow, a second-ring legendary powerhouse, was more than enough to conquer Giant Eye City.

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve both been working hard lately. Take a few days off, get familiar with the new base, and then deal with the matter of sending troops to Giant Eye City.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Seeing Su Nan wave his hand, Sherman and Cole respectfully withdrew.

    After the two left, Su Nan¡¯s gaze returned to the map.

    Within a 300-kilometer radius of the Star Alliance, Giant Eye City was the only real city, and the rest were just tribes, not worth mentioning.

    As long as they conquered Giant Eye City, they could freely develop the area within a 300-kilometer radius of the Star Alliance.

    With such a large area, finding a few mines shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    As for attacking Giant Eye City, as Su Nan had just decided, he didn¡¯t intend to personally participate, but leave it to his subordinates.

    The reason for establishing the Star Alliance was precisely for situations like this.

    Giant Eye City would be a trial run. If it went smoothly, they could leave smaller cities to his subordinates.

    He only needed to focus on the big picture.

    ¡°After conquering Giant Eye City and getting the silver mine they have, I should be able to gather enough mithril to refine the secret puppet.¡±

    Thinking about the prospect of refining a fourth-ring legendary puppet soon, Su Nan¡¯s heart warmed slightly.

    Calming his mind, Su Nan turned to another stack of documents.

    Those were reports submitted by the six knight academies.

    Next year, in the Xia Long Month (June), these six knight academies would also welcome their first graduating class.

    With Dragonheart Knight Academy as a precedent, the graduation assessment of the six knight academies would naturally be held in the underworld, and the format wouldn¡¯t differ much.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t concerned about that; Carolina would arrange the graduation assessment.

    What he really needed to worry about was the magic emblem armor for a total of 3,000 graduating students, including 2,970 sets of level-1 magic emblem armor and 30 sets of level-2 magic emblem armor.

    To make such a large number of magic emblem armor, he could foresee that he would be exceptionally busy for the entire next year.

    ¡°Sherman and the others can only manufacture enchanted weapons at most. They haven¡¯t even mastered alchemy-grade magic items, let alone magic emblem armor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it myself.¡±

    Su Nan sighed and got up to go to the workshop.

    Fortunately, the elemental pool had been repaired, and Dragonwood¡¯s operation was gradually getting on track. Besides cultivation and increasing the bloodline density of the Stealthy Dragons, he didn¡¯t have any other major tasks on hand, so he had time to make magic emblem armor.

    ¡°My grasp of spell construction is almost complete. My training progress should reach 100% before the second half of next year.¡±

    On a vast, empty plain.

    Two figures were running wildly, their speed as fast as flowing light, swifter than the finest warhorses.

    Even so, the two running figures kept looking back from time to time, their faces pale with fear, as if a terrifying monster was chasing them.

    Only after running for two to three hundred kilometers and seeing no pursuers behind them did the two finally relax a bit and slow down.

    They had run such a long distance in a short time. Even though they were both legendary knights, their martial energy and elemental power were both about to run out. They needed to find a place to recover as soon as possible.

    They quickly found a hidden cave and sat down cross-legged, closing their eyes to recover their martial energy and elemental power.

    But as soon as they closed their eyes, they realized something was wrong. They opened their eyes simultaneously and were horrified to find that they were back on the same plain.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The tall knight¡¯s face turned pale.

    The other knight, a white-haired old man, looked around, his face full of disbelief.

    ¡°This is where we started!¡±

    The tall knight looked around and indeed found traces of battle nearby. They were very familiar and were clearly the traces of their battle with the enemy a while ago.

    The tall knight¡¯s face instantly turned bloodless.

    They had been running in circles the whole time. They hadn¡¯t run far at all.

    As a member of the Holy Fist, he naturally knew why.

    Illusion!

    They had both been caught in the enemy¡¯s illusion!

    Whew!

    A slight breeze suddenly blew by.

    The tall knight and the old knight felt something and looked towards the left front. They saw that a woman had appeared on the originally empty plain.

    She was a slender, tall woman wearing a long gray robe.

    Her skin was fair, her hair was smooth and silky, and her whole being exuded an elegant air of a noble maiden.

    Looking at her figure alone, most men would be tempted.

    ¡ªUntil they saw her face.

    Her face had no other features besides a pair of bright blue eyes.

    Droplets of water danced around her, with faint blue wind swirls appearing from time to time.

    ¡°Ilora!¡±

    The tall knight gritted his teeth and spat out a name, his expression a mix of hatred, fear, and apprehension.

    They had thought they had escaped from this woman, but they had fallen for the illusion and had been running in circles the whole time.

    ¡°You two have worked hard.¡± Ilora bowed slightly to them, her movements graceful.

    The beautiful etiquette, performed at this moment, had a strong sense of mockery.

    The two legendary knights¡¯ faces instantly turned ugly.

    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s really pathetic!¡±

    Another voice rang out.

    More than ten meters away, a spark of fire appeared out of thin air, quickly expanding into a humanoid figure of flames. A male face was faintly outlined in the area where his face should be.

    His mouth opened and closed. As he spoke, sparks flew out, leaving tiny scorches on the ground.

    ¡°Two ridiculous fools. You were busy for so long before you realized you¡¯d been tricked. I almost laughed myself to death watching you.¡±

    He turned to Ilora and sneered, ¡°In my opinion, you¡¯re too cautious. Just kill them directly. Why waste their strength?¡±

    Ilora didn¡¯t show any anger. The gentle wind swirling around her spun slightly, and a melodious female voice came from it.

    ¡°These two are still second-ring legendary knights. If we fought them head-on, it would take a lot of effort to kill them. It¡¯s better to do it like this.¡±

    Seeing the two chatting nonchalantly, completely treating them as caged animals, the tall knight and the old knight were furious.

    But then they realized in despair that they really couldn¡¯t defeat these two.

    A third-rank mage apprentice was already a headache.

    Let alone two!

    Moreover, these two were among the strongest third-rank mage apprentices!

    ¡°You Everlasting Ones are too much! Do you really think we, the Holy Fist, are toys for you to play with?¡± the tall knight gritted his teeth and said.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    The flame humanoid sneered, his lips curving upwards in a mocking smile.

    ¡°A bunch of legendary knights. You dare to meddle in wizard matters. I don¡¯t know if you should be called audacious or ignorant.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re smart, hand over the keys to Ivence and Starlight Tower. I can give you a quick death!¡±

    The tall knight snorted coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know. Even if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t tell you. Anyone who believes in the Everlasting Ones¡¯ credibility is a real fool!¡±

    The flame humanoid didn¡¯t get angry when he heard this. Instead, he laughed loudly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re finally getting smart.¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need for nonsense. After I kill you two, I¡¯ll extract your souls and torture them slowly!¡±

    The moment his last word fell, the flame humanoid suddenly exploded, turning into countless waves of flames, sweeping forward like a flood, crashing towards the two knights.

    The tall knight and the old knight looked at each other, giving a bitter smile at the same time. Then, their expressions quickly returned to a firm resolve. They didn¡¯t retreat but instead advanced, fearlessly confronting the oncoming waves of flames.

    They both knew that they had no chance of survival today. They simply gave up trying to escape and decided to fight to the death.

    Bang!

    A deafening roar reverberated through the sky above the plain.

    The dazzling light of flames intertwined with the radiant light of martial energy.

    The battle lasted only a dozen breaths.

    The two knights, already exhausted, were no match for the Everlasting Ones¡¯ mage apprentices. Ilora didn¡¯t even need to intervene. The fire mage apprentice easily dealt with them.

    ¡°Worthless fools!¡±

    The waves of flames receded, reforming into a flame humanoid.

    He opened his mouth and took a breath. Two hazy figures struggled to escape from the two charred corpses, uncontrollably entering his mouth.

    ¡°They probably don¡¯t know much.¡± Ilora finally spoke.

    Ashes scoffed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Kill all the Holy Fist members, and Ivence will have nowhere to hide. We¡¯ll find him sooner or later.¡±

    ¡°But that Hunter guy, he¡¯s very close to Ivence. If he helps Ivence escape, it will cost us a lot of unnecessary effort.¡±

    Ilora remained silent for a while, acknowledging Ashes¡¯ words.

    A mage apprentice who could escape from Saulo¡¯s grasp was enough to make them look up to him.

    At that moment, both of them suddenly felt something and looked to the side.

    They saw a figure slowly emerging from the void¡ªSaulo.

    Saulo glanced at the charred corpses on the ground and said in a deep voice, ¡°AnyÊÕ»ñ (harvest)?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll know after we torture them.¡± Ashes sneered, ¡°But don¡¯t get your hopes up. These two probably don¡¯t know Ivence¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

    Ilora asked, ¡°How about the stone scorpion side?¡±

    ¡°The same.¡± Saulo said calmly, ¡°The Holy Fist¡¯s secrecy is excellent.¡±

    ¡°What do we do next?¡±

    ¡°Continue. Eradicate the Holy Fist and force Ivence to show himself.¡±

    Ashes chuckled, licking his lips. ¡°I like this direct approach. I heard the Holy Fist¡¯s leader is very strong. Leave that guy to me. I can¡¯t wait to taste his soul.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    After throwing out a sentence, Saulo¡¯s figure slowly vanished into the distance.

    A gust of wind swept past, and Ilora also disappeared.

    ¡°Two boring fools.¡±

    Ashes scoffed, turned into flames, and soared into the sky.

    Next was torture and extracting souls, a time to savor the beauty of torment and pain.

 Chapter 159

    After entering the Autumn Curtain month, the autumn air grew increasingly thick.

    The plains around Shining Light City were bathed in a light yellow hue.

    Entering the palace without any obstruction, Su Nan arrived at the central palace.

    Passing through the courtyard, he saw three children, carved from jade and as delicate as dolls, playing in the yard, surrounded by a dozen maids.

    Noticing Su Nan, the oldest boy, while calling him ¡°Uncle,¡± ran towards him, excitedly, hugging his leg.

    The other two younger children, a boy and a girl, followed, curiously looking at Su Nan.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    The maids who chased after him bowed respectfully.

    Su Nan waved his hand and squatted slightly, smiling as he patted Yapei¡¯s head.

    ¡°Where is your father?¡±

    ¡°Father is in the council hall.¡± Yapei replied in a clear voice.

    Su Nan smiled faintly and looked at the two children behind him.

    ¡°You are Wes and Adelia, right?¡±

    Wes was Kei¡¯s second son, and Adelia was his first daughter.

    ¡°How did you know our names?¡± Wes tilted his head in confusion.

    Adelia was still young and couldn¡¯t speak well, she just sucked her fingers, staring at Su Nan with big black eyes.

    ¡°Because I am your uncle.¡±

    ¡°What is an uncle?¡±

    Su Nan chuckled, not answering, and patted the little guy¡¯s head. He turned to the maids.

    ¡°Take good care of them.¡±

    After giving the order, Su Nan turned and left.

    After he left, Yapei reluctantly took his eyes off him and turned to pat his brother¡¯s head.

    ¡°You¡¯re stupid, Uncle is Father¡¯s brother, everyone says Uncle is a very powerful person.¡±

    Wes seemed to understand, but his attention was soon attracted by a butterfly flying past, and he ran after it, excitedly.

    When he reached the council hall, Kei was discussing affairs with his ministers.

    From the original Black Stone City to today¡¯s Starry Sky Duchy, Kei¡¯s forces had grown much larger.

    There were many unfamiliar faces that Su Nan didn¡¯t recognize.

    The dozen or so people sitting in the council hall were all powerful noblemen of the Duchy.

    However, Su Nan only recognized a few, like Bred, Jordan, and Staley.

    Compared to ten years ago, Bred and the others had aged and their faces were weathered, with more silver streaks in their hair.

    Even the power of a Great Knight could not withstand the erosion of time.

    Fortunately, years of pampering kept their complexions rosy and their spirits bright.

    Sitting among a group of ministers in their forties and fifties, Kei looked very young.

    After all, he was only thirty this year and was at the peak of his physical prime.

    Possessing Legendary-level strength, he was far from aging.

    ¡°Sir Su Nan!¡±

    Seeing Su Nan enter, everyone stood up and bowed.

    Kei also smiled, waving at the crowd.

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today, we¡¯ll talk about other things tomorrow, you can all go back.¡±

    Bred and the others responded in unison and retreated discreetly.

    The hall instantly became empty, leaving only Kei and Su Nan.

    After the servants brought in red tea and placed it on the tea table before leaving, Kei said with a smile:

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in months, have you been busy with the new base lately?¡±

    Su Nan had mentioned the base relocation to Kei.

    Although there was some regret, Kei respected Su Nan¡¯s decision.

    Moreover, Base 1 was not completely abandoned, it would continue to exist as a transit station.

    As long as there was such a place, everyone in Shining Light City would feel more secure.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost finished.¡±

    Su Nan picked up the red tea and took a sip, then put it down, and changed the subject.

    ¡°I read the gazette, the Azure Gold Empire hasn¡¯t been very peaceful lately, has it?¡±

    Although he spent most of his time in the underworld, Su Nan had never ignored the situation in the surface world.

    Every month, the Starry Sky Duchy would compile the latest important intelligence into a gazette, which was sent to the nobles for viewing, and also to Su Nan¡¯s study.

    According to the description in the gazette, the Azure Gold Empire had been conducting military exercises in the border cities adjacent to the Starry Sky Duchy for the past two months. The royal staff speculated that the Azure Gold Empire was likely using this move to conceal some military deployments.

    ¡°The existence of the Duchy has already threatened the Azure Gold Empire¡¯s rule in the Southeast Region, it is not surprising that His Majesty the Emperor will take action against the Duchy.¡± Kei said calmly.

    If it were any other ruler, they would be extremely nervous, if not panicking, upon learning that their country was being targeted by the Azure Gold Empire.

    But Kei was different.

    Because the Starry Sky Duchy had Su Nan.

    Others may not know, but Kei knew how powerful the Star Alliance that Su Nan had built in the underworld was.

    To be honest, the Star Alliance¡¯s military strength was even stronger than the Starry Sky Duchy.

    With such a reliable ally, Kei naturally had nothing to worry about.

    However, this was also the main reason why the Azure Gold Empire had its eyes on the Starry Sky Duchy.

    The Starry Sky Duchy with Su Nan was like a young lion with huge potential.

    The Azure Gold Empire, as long as they weren¡¯t stupid, couldn¡¯t just watch the Starry Sky Duchy grow and one day challenge them for dominance in the Southeast Region.

    In fact, Kei knew very well that if it wasn¡¯t for Su Nan, the Azure Gold Empire might have already launched a war against the Starry Sky Duchy.

    ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Su Nan asked.

    ¡°Although I haven¡¯t made full preparations yet, if the Azure Gold Empire wants to start a war, I¡¯ll play along.¡±

    Kei said with a chuckle, full of confidence.

    ¡°The only problem is the wizard from the Azure Gold Royal family, is it Scepter? You are both from the same wizard organization?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Nan nodded calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll find a chance to talk to him.¡±

    If Scepter really supported the Azure Gold Empire in starting a war, then there was nothing to talk about, they would just clash on the battlefield.

    Even though they were both from the Mysterious Wooden Hut, he would not show any mercy.

    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the Frostfall month arrived.

    The first snow finally fell.

    White snow covered the entire land, the wind howled.

    The Dragon Forest, however, remained as warm as spring, with a pleasant climate.

    The thirteenth floor of the Dragon Bone Tower, Breeding Room 3.

    Although it was called a breeding room, it actually used space-folding technology, with a real area of about one square kilometer, one of the three large breeding rooms in the Dragon Bone Tower.

    The entire breeding room had been transformed into a dark cave environment.

    Su Nan was currently suspended beside an inverted stalactite, watching the young Dragon Antelope running happily in the huge cave below.

    After deciding to establish a Dragon Antelope ranch, Su Nan immediately set about implementing it.

    However, building a ranch wasn¡¯t as simple as catching a group of Dragon Antelope.

    Adult Dragon Antelope had already developed their temperaments and were extremely difficult to tame, so Su Nan planned to start training them from a young age.

    He had captured a batch of newborn Dragon Antelope from the wild, placed them in the breeding room, and personally raised and tamed them. He planned to release them to the ranch outside once they grew up.

    After a few months, the results were satisfactory.

    The young Dragon Antelope, who had been fed by apprentices all along, still had some wildness, but they were no longer so resistant to human approach and touch.

    If it had been adult Dragon Antelope, it would have been impossible to achieve this in just a few months.

    ¡°If I raise them for two or three years, they should be able to lose their wildness and then they can be released to the ranch outside.¡±

    Su Nan left the breeding room and teleported to the workshop.

    After this period of cultivation, his spiritual power had already met the standard for fusing a 4th-level Magic Emblem Core.

    His physique had also been strengthened to 55 points through consuming Dragon Blood Fruits, meeting the standard as well.

    After that, Su Nan immediately synthesized a 4th-level Magic Emblem Core and fused it into his body.

    As expected, the upgraded 4th-level Magic Emblem Core had increased significantly in power.

    Under full exertion, the metal spike storm formed by the Magic Emblem Core took less than half a minute to blast the Mithril Magic Puppet into a thousand pieces.

    Remember that this was an enhanced Mithril Magic Puppet, a genuine 3rd-ring Legendary Puppet, not the primitive version of the Mithril Magic Puppet that he encountered at the door of the Aivigny laboratory.

    ¡°If it were a 2nd-ring Legendary Puppet, it would probably be killed in one hit.¡±

    In terms of defense, converted to defense points, it was around 6500 to 7000, roughly equivalent to the combined defense of six or seven Extreme Protection Rings.¡±

    With such a high defense point, even a formal wizard would need some effort to break through.

    Below formal wizard level, unless his spiritual power ran out, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to break through.

    As for Su Nan¡¯s most concerned spiritual power consumption, it barely increased.

    ¡°With my current spiritual power, it¡¯s enough to support about four minutes.¡±

    ¡°In high-intensity combat, it should be no problem to support for about three minutes.¡±

    It is worth mentioning that Su Nan had also researched the last two alternative metals needed for the synthesis of the Magic Emblem Core.

    In other words, he had basically achieved Magic Emblem Core freedom.

    He could mass-produce Magic Emblem Cores at any time if he wanted to.

    Now, the only limiting factors were the cost and his own spirit and physique.

    The requirements for fusing a 5th-level Magic Emblem Core were Spirit 58.65 and Physique 71.24.

    As for the 6th-level Magic Emblem Core, Su Nan estimated that he wouldn¡¯t be able to fuse it until after he advanced to Wizard.

    That being said, this was also good news for Su Nan.

    Magic Emblem Cores were not only one of his trump cards now, but also the key to his future advancement to Wizard.

    That¡¯s why he insisted on researching alternative metals, even though he knew that there was an upper limit to the synthesis level of the Magic Emblem Core.

    After spending half a day in the workshop, making a batch of Magic Emblem Constructs, Su Nan returned to his study.

    He had barely sat down when Carolena came in.

    ¡°Master.¡±

    Carolena, with her seductive figure, performed a graceful bow.

    Since she pledged allegiance to Su Nan, this human-faced lion noble had consumed countless Dragon Blood Fruits and various enhancement potions, and her strength had long since broken through to the 2nd-ring Legendary level, no weaker than the previous Lord of the Dark Lake City, Yusuola.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Su Nan asked without looking up, his eyes fixed on the book in his hand.

    Carolena said respectfully, ¡°Master, the location for setting up the spatial tunnel has been chosen.¡±

    Su Nan finally looked up, thought for a moment, and then stood up and walked out of his study.

    ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Inspired by the Dragon Forest teleportation array, Su Nan also planned to set up spatial tunnels between the Dark Lake City, Matu, and Ausen, connecting them to each other, so that he wouldn¡¯t have to travel hundreds of kilometers every time he wanted to go back and forth.

    The reason he didn¡¯t build a teleportation array was because he didn¡¯t have the corresponding technology.

    Furthermore, teleportation technology was always a field that only wizards could access. Even if he, a wizard apprentice, had the technology, he wouldn¡¯t be able to build a teleportation array.

    So Su Nan came up with a clever solution.

    Just like the connection between Base 1 and Base 2, he would set up a spatial tunnel connecting each of the three cities to the Dragon Forest, using the Dragon Forest as a transit point to connect the three cities.

    This way, although he couldn¡¯t achieve real-time teleportation, he could at least achieve the effect of half a teleportation array, greatly shortening the distance.

    After traveling back and forth a few times, Su Nan quickly set up a spatial tunnel in each of the three cities.

    The other side of the tunnel was connected to a piece of land that was separated from the Dragon Forest Zone 3, used only as a transit point and unable to enter other areas of the Dragon Forest.

    ¡°With these three spatial tunnels, I won¡¯t have to travel long distances back and forth anymore.¡±

    After testing with a stone Magic Puppet and confirming that the three spatial tunnels could operate normally, Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    The underworld was vast and sparsely populated, with far fewer cities than the surface world, and each city was extremely far apart.

    The complex terrain also limited the use of carriages and other means of transport, so most of the time they could only travel on foot or by riding some kind of beast.

    This was also why there were rarely any national-level forces in the underworld.

    Besides the fact that there were many races in the underworld, it was also because there was no efficient transportation and communication system, which limited the efficiency of information transmission and material exchange between cities, making it difficult to form a whole.

    Now, with the spatial tunnels of the Star Alliance, distance was no longer a problem.

    Besides solving the problem of long-distance travel, these three spatial tunnels could also provide timely support during wartime.

    In less than half an hour, a small army of Magic Puppets could travel from one city to another via the spatial tunnels.

    It could even go a step further, with a mobile Magic Puppet army stationed directly at the transit point.

    Once a war broke out in a city, the spatial tunnel could be opened immediately to send support, taking even less time.

    No matter how detailed or meticulous the enemy¡¯s plans were, they would never expect there to be another army in the city.

    After all, in the current Starlight Continent, no wizard apprentice would build a teleportation array.

    Besides Su Nan, who held the Dragon Forest, no other force could achieve such rapid support!

    Carolena, of course, understood this as well.

    From the moment Su Nan suggested setting up spatial tunnels, she realized how beneficial it would be for the Star Alliance.

    It could be said that with the spatial tunnels, the biggest challenge to expanding the Star Alliance¡¯s territory had been solved!

    Looking at Su Nan¡¯s back, Carolena couldn¡¯t help but feel a hint of awe.

    In the entire Star Alliance, the position she held could be said to be one of the closest to Su Nan.

    But even so, she still hadn¡¯t truly seen through Su Nan.

    The more she interacted with him, the more she felt how unfathomable he was, capable of doing many things that seemed impossible, making him difficult to fathom.

    If before, there was a hint of unwillingness and depression in the depths of her heart because of her position under someone else, now those feelings had vanished, leaving only a sense of gratitude.

    Following behind this man, she might witness the day when the Star Alliance conquered the entire underworld.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 160

    BOOM!

    A deafening roar, like thunder, echoed through the giant cavern, shaking the stalactites on the ceiling. The sound mingled with the constant cries and screams of battle.

    Wolf-men, dog-heads, and lizard-men, clad in armor, stood on the city walls, their eyes burning red with rage as they desperately resisted the onslaught of stone golems. Even as their comrades fell under the golems¡¯ giant fists, these creatures, usually driven by self-preservation, showed no fear, fighting with a ferocity bordering on madness.

    Behind them, a swarm of eye demons floated. Each looked like a giant eyeball, with a gaping maw full of sharp teeth in the center, long tentacles sprouting from the sphere, ending in tiny, glowing purple eyes. A closer look revealed a faint purple glint in the eyes of the enslaved humans, too.

    Hiss, hiss, hiss!

    Gray beams shot across the battlefield. Eye demons couldn¡¯t use illusions on golems, so they relied on their beams to fight the constructs. Golems shattered one after another.

    The slaves and golems fighting on the front lines were mere expendables, for both defenders and attackers. Neither side hesitated to sacrifice their troops, throwing them into the fray with reckless abandon.

    From the moment it erupted, the war had entered a frenzy.

    Xieman and Kore, watching from afar, both looked grave. It was their first time witnessing an underground siege.

    The war itself didn¡¯t seem so bad before, but now, witnessing the carnage firsthand, they were deeply shaken. In this war, where even knights were cannon fodder, a second-rank sorcerer apprentice was barely a match, and a single mistake could be fatal. The pride and complacency they felt after reaching the second rank evaporated in the face of the fierce battle cries.

    The knight guards behind them instinctively tightened their grips on their swords, their faces betraying their nervousness. They, too, were seeing real war for the first time. The skirmishes they¡¯d encountered during their explorations paled in comparison to this.

    But as they touched the magic emblem constructs on their chests, their anxiety eased a little.

    BOOM!

    A loud roar erupted from a distance, accompanied by plumes of dust rising into the sky. The crumbling city wall, finally unable to withstand the onslaught of golems, collapsed with a deafening crash. The path to Giant Eye City was now open.

    Witnessing this, Red Widow, as the commander, immediately ordered a general assault.

    RUMBLE!

    Led by the high-rank stone golems and elite double-bladed spiders, the team of legendary golems surged forward, their arrival adding to the chaos of the battlefield.

    The knight guard wasn¡¯t to be outdone. As their captain, Xien, roared, ¡°Activate constructs!¡±, every knight simultaneously gripped their chest emblems and channeled their martial energy.

    In an instant, their exposed skin was covered with peculiar black markings. An invisible ripple enveloped their bodies, as if they were clad in invisible armor. Instantly, their presence commanded respect.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    Xien brandished his sword, leading the charge atop his black rock beast. The other magic emblem knights roared in agreement, following close behind. Five hundred magic emblem knights, like a black torrent, surged towards Giant Eye City, unstoppable.

    Xieman and Kore exchanged a look, activating their own magic emblem constructs and their protective rings, casting a shield spell on themselves before riding their black rock beasts into battle.

    The wind whipped away the dust, revealing the situation inside. After the city wall collapsed, the eye demons, previously positioned at the rear, retreated further. More slaves surged forward like a tide, attempting to hold back the advancing forces.

    However, against the charging magic emblem knights, these cannon fodder proved little obstacle. Dog-heads and lizard-men fell one after another under the enchanted weapons. The knight guard, like a sharpened blade, tore through the defenders¡¯ formation, shredding it to pieces.

    Zzzzt!

    A beam shot from afar, striking Xien. But just an inch from his body, it was deflected by the magic emblem construct¡¯s invisible force field. Xien staggered slightly, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the beam came. Seeing it was an eye demon, he let out a cold snort and turned towards it, charging for the kill.

    Meanwhile, Xieman and Kore had also located the hidden eye demons, and both charged towards them.

    To defeat an army, one must first target the leader. These slaves were acting with reckless abandon because they were under the eye demons¡¯ control. Kill the eye demons, and the slaves, regaining their senses, would surely disperse.

    As they closed in, both simultaneously threw a rune gemstone. The gems blossomed into brilliant red light in mid-air, instantly transforming into a raging wave of flame that crashed forward, plowing through the dense enemy ranks and creating a wide path.

    Xieman and Kore pressed forward, their strides unwavering, quickly reaching the eye demons, their mouths chanting incantations, their hands firing several magic missiles.

    Pop, pop!

    The magic missiles pierced the spherical bodies of two eye demons, instantly killing them.

    The remaining eye demons panicked, the glowing purple eyes on their surrounding tentacles blazing with an eerie light. Invisible, strange waves instantly enveloped Xieman and Kore.

    However, the two remained unaffected. Before charging into battle, they and the knight guard had all taken a dose of the sobering potion, granting them high resistance to illusions and enchantments. Unless it was the Mother Eye itself, the eye demons¡¯ control abilities would have no effect on them.

    Hiss, hiss, hiss!

    With rune gemstones and magic, Xieman and Kore, just the two of them, overwhelmed over a hundred eye demons.

    The eye demons, in turn, tried to target the two with their beams, but their attacks couldn¡¯t penetrate the four layers of defense: magic emblem construct, protective ring, shield spell, and energy particle shield.

    In a short time, dozens of eye demon corpses littered the ground.

    At the same time:

    With the addition of two sorcerer apprentices, the knight guard, and numerous legendary golems to the battlefield, the scales tipped in favor of the attackers. Giant Eye City¡¯s defenses crumbled, soon pushed back to the heart of the city.

    ¡°Squeak!¡±

    A piercing shriek suddenly erupted from the enemy¡¯s rear. Instantly, Xieman and Kore felt a dizzying sensation in their heads.

    But just as quickly, a sharp shout broke through the fog, snapping them awake. Xieman regained his senses immediately, his eyes vigilantly scanning the distance. He saw a special eye demon, smaller than the rest, floating amidst a swarm of regular eye demons, but its spherical body was connected to hundreds of tentacles, far more than those of its counterparts.

    The eyes at the end of its tentacles glowed an eerie purple-black.

    His gaze met those eyes, and Xieman felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He quickly looked away.

    Illusions!

    It¡¯s the Mother Eye!

    Xieman and Kore quickly realized the situation, their hearts tightening. The Mother Eye was accompanied by four eye demon variants, clearly larger than the others. Their tentacles were covered in sharp claws, not just eyes, and their swipes tore through the air with sharp, ripping sounds.

    The four eye demon variants were riding on grotesque giant insects.

    ¡°Those are guide eyes!¡± Kore said, his voice firm.

    Xieman nodded solemnly. He had read about the guide eyes in books, and they looked exactly like the eye demon variants before them.

    Guide eyes often appeared in eye demon groups under the control of a Mother Eye or General Eye. They were a common variant. Their eye beams weren¡¯t stronger than those of ordinary eye demons, but their melee abilities were far superior, making them adept at riding their giant insects deep into enemy lines to wreak havoc.

    They were a rare melee type among eye demons!

    At that moment, the four guide eyes were wildly flailing their clawed tentacles, trying to block the approach of a blood-colored light.

    It was Red Widow!

    The beautiful vampire was shrouded in thick blood mist, her entire being radiating an eerie, cold aura. Every time she raised her hand, blood mist coalesced in front of her palm, forming a blood spear that ripped through the air, striking the Mother Eye.

    The four guide eyes fought desperately, but they could only barely block her attacks.

    ¡°Squeak, squeak!¡±

    Feeling threatened, the Mother Eye let out a piercing shriek. As the sound spread, the surrounding eye demons attacked with even greater ferocity, shooting gray beams, striking the blood mist surrounding Red Widow.

    The blood mist quickly faded, visible to the naked eye.

    ¡°Annoying pests!¡±

    Red Widow snorted in disdain.

    Suddenly, she stopped, her right hand held aloft, her eyes blazing red.

    In an instant, dozens of surrounding eye demons cried out in agony. Countless blood droplets seeped from their bodies, spiraling towards Red Widow¡¯s palm, forming a blood sphere.

    The eye demons, drained of their blood, transformed into withered corpses, collapsing to the ground.

    Immediately afterward, the blood sphere in Red Widow¡¯s hand quickly deformed, transforming into a blood spear, even more crimson than before. With a flick of her wrist, she launched the spear, which pierced through the void like lightning, instantly penetrating a guide eye, nailing it to the ground.

    The guide eye twitched convulsively, as if electrocuted, then fell silent.

    Having completed this task, Red Widow¡¯s face paled somewhat, clearly showing the significant strain the move had taken on her.

    The surrounding eye demons seized the opportunity to attack Red Widow, but just then, a roar echoed, and a visible distortion of space descended upon the eye demon swarm. Then it exploded, tearing dozens of eye demons to pieces.

    Sonic burst!

    BOOM!

    A mithril golem charged into the eye demon swarm, instantly unleashing a bloody storm. Every eye demon it passed was blasted to pieces, dissolving into a bloody mist. In a blink of an eye, it was within ten meters of the Mother Eye.

    The three remaining guide eyes tried to block it, but the mithril golem tore them to shreds in three strokes.

    Finally, the Mother Eye was smashed to pulp with a single punch!

    Witnessing this, Red Widow couldn¡¯t help but marvel.

    Each of those guide eyes possessed a legendary first-rank power, and they were guarded by hundreds of eye demons. She had barely managed to kill one guide eye after much effort, yet the mithril golem had effortlessly broken through the defenses, slicing through them like a knife cutting through butter, killing the Mother Eye and three guide eyes!

    The power was truly terrifying!

    ¡°This is the strength of a legendary third-rank golem.¡±

    Red Widow was amazed, her awe for Su Nan, who could forge such a powerful golem, growing even stronger.

    With the deaths of the Mother Eye and guide eyes, the eye demons fell into chaos. They scattered, fleeing in all directions.

    But Giant Eye City was already completely surrounded by golems.

    With golems blocking the exit and sorcerer apprentices and magic emblem knights pursuing them, the fate of the eye demons was already sealed.

    After an hour or so, the shouts and cries of battle gradually faded from Giant Eye City.

    The eye demons were nearly all wiped out, and the few survivors were captured by magic emblem knights, imprisoned, and transported back to Silent Lake City under the supervision of golems, to be used as experimental subjects for the base in the future.

    The remaining slaves were also imprisoned, to be used as laborers in the future, responsible for repairing Giant Eye City and mining.

    After hastily making the arrangements, leaving the knight guard to guard the prisoners, Red Widow, Xieman, and Kore quickly rushed to the Mother Eye¡¯s lair.

    Entering the lair, the three headed straight for the warehouse.

    Upon opening the warehouse and seeing the silver ingots piled high, smiles lit up their faces.

    ¡°These big eyeballs are quite wealthy,¡± Xieman chuckled.

    ¡°After all, they control a silver mine.¡±

    Kore scanned the area, quickly spotting a box amidst the cluttered warehouse. He opened it, his eyes widening in surprise.

    ¡°Mithril!¡±

    The box contained a piece of mithril.

    Kore picked it up and weighed it in his hand, his smile broadening.

    ¡°At least three kilograms.¡±

    Xieman and Red Widow were equally delighted.

    Before attacking Giant Eye City, Su Nan had issued orders: after conquering the city, they were to immediately search for mithril.

    With this mithril, their teacher (master) would surely be pleased.

    After collecting the contents of the warehouse, the three started searching the entire lair.

    Moments later, Xieman called out, and the three reunited in a spacious cavern.

    In the center of the cavern stood a statue.

    The statue was incredibly bizarre, looking like a clump of countless wings. A long tail extended from the middle of the clump, dragging behind it.

    ¡°What kind of creature is this?¡±

    Xieman and Kore simultaneously looked at Red Widow.

    Red Widow was far more knowledgeable than they were when it came to underground world creatures.

    The vampire frowned, lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this creature before, and I don¡¯t recognize it.¡±

    Kore frowned at her answer, his eyes curiously scanning the cavern. ¡°Come to think of it, why would eye demons have a statue like this in their cavern? And why would they put only one statue in such a large space?¡±

    Xieman looked around, his mind suddenly illuminating. He blurted out, ¡°Worship!¡±

    Seeing the surprised looks from Kore and Red Widow, Xieman quickly explained, ¡°What if this place is where eye demons worship?¡±

    ¡°And this statue is the object of their worship.¡±

    Kore and Red Widow were taken aback. But upon careful consideration, Xieman¡¯s explanation seemed plausible.

    This empty cavern did look like a worship hall.

    It was just that they had never heard of eye demons having religious beliefs.

    After a moment of pondering, failing to come up with any answers, Kore decided to stop dwelling on it. He said in a firm voice, ¡°Let¡¯s take this statue back to the teacher.¡±

    Xieman and Red Widow had no objections.

    Summoning golems to carry the statue, the three left the lair.

    The caverns where the eye demons lived were spacious, but the hygiene was abysmal.

    The trio couldn¡¯t stand to be there for long.

    Early September, monthly votes are coming soon, thank you for your support!

    (End)

 Chapter 161

    In the brightly lit laboratory, Su Nan looked at the wing sculpture in front of him, his expression a mixture of strangeness. Having once come into contact with divine remains and the Starfire Sect¡¯s holy relics, he instantly perceived the power of faith contained within the sculpture.

    Although very thin, not even one percent of the divine remains he had encountered before, it was indeed genuine power of faith.

    ¡°This should be some kind of divine creature.¡± Su Nan mused.

    The current environment of Starlight Continent was impossible for the birth of new deities.

    The ancient deities all existed for at least ten thousand years, and he knew them all.

    The sculpture in front of him, however, didn¡¯t belong to any of them.

    Therefore, it could only be some kind of divine creature.

    Every moment in the multiverse, new divine creatures were born, most of which didn¡¯t belong to a specific race. They were entirely new races themselves, so it was normal to encounter a divine creature he didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know if this divine creature originated from Starlight Continent or crossed over from another plane.¡±

    Su Nan was more inclined to believe the former.

    After all, in the current environment of Starlight Continent, no divine creature would be foolish enough to come here voluntarily.

    A divine creature capable of interplanar travel had already surpassed the life level of a wizard apprentice. Entering the current Starlight Continent would be like a human entering a thin atmosphere. Every extra moment spent here would bring more pain.

    ¡°But the believers were all wiped out. Why didn¡¯t the divine creature appear?¡±

    ¡°Or perhaps it simply doesn¡¯t care about those Eye Demon believers.¡±

    This possibility wasn¡¯t out of the question.

    If it were a naturally born divine creature, the power of faith would be harmful to it, not beneficial. Naturally, it wouldn¡¯t need believers.

    Perhaps the Eye Demons of Giant Eye City merely believed in the divine creature out of their own initiative.

    Regardless, finding a clue to a divine creature near the Star Alliance was something that couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. He had to find its whereabouts.

    This added another task to the exploration team¡¯s mission.

    Snapping out of his thoughts, Su Nan took out the divine remains finger and tried to extract the power of faith from the sculpture and introduce it into the divine remains finger, but he failed.

    After all, it wasn¡¯t power of faith aimed at the divine remains. The two were completely incompatible.

    With no other choice, Su Nan could only let the power of faith slowly dissipate.

    The power of faith, which couldn¡¯t be transformed into divine energy, was useless to him.

    Fortunately, this bit of power of faith was too thin. Even if it were transformed into divine energy, it would probably only increase his spiritual power by 0.02 to 0.03 at most, so he wasn¡¯t particularly bothered.

    Putting away the sculpture, Su Nan went to his study.

    Carolaine and Red Widow were already waiting for him.

    ¡°Master.¡± The two women bowed together.

    ¡°You both did well this time.¡±

    Sitting down behind the desk, Su Nan praised Red Widow.

    ¡°This is my duty, Master.¡±

    Red Widow smiled sweetly, her beautiful eyes shimmering, and she subtly glanced at Carolaine next to her.

    Carolaine pouted and snorted softly.

    Su Nan turned to Carolaine and asked, ¡°The graduation examination of the six knight academies will be in two months. How are your preparations going?¡±

    Carolaine immediately replied, ¡°Preparations are complete, Master.¡±

    Su Nan nodded slightly. ¡°After the graduation examination, all the students will join the Knight Guard and form new exploration teams with the new second-rank sorcerer apprentices. You two will take care of the arrangements. The Star Alliance¡¯s expansion must accelerate.¡±

    After Xieman and Kore, Artier, Ethan, and several others had successively advanced to second-rank sorcerer apprentices.

    Now, the total number of students at the base had exceeded 300, reaching 303.

    There were a total of six second-rank sorcerer apprentices.

    In the future, this number would increase at an even faster rate.

    Su Nan had originally planned to build a third small magic puppet legion, but he had been busy making magic rune constructs recently, and didn¡¯t have time to refine puppets.

    In addition, magic rune constructs were expensive, and most of the Star Alliance¡¯s current income was invested in them. There wasn¡¯t enough cash flow to build a new magic puppet legion for the time being.

    The only solace was that the newly added 3,000 knights, equipped with magic rune constructs and enchanted weapons, were comparable in combat strength to a small magic puppet legion. They had achieved the goal of expanding their military strength.

    ¡°After the graduation examination, the Knight Guard will have 3,500 people. The number will continue to increase every year. Calling it the Knight Guard is no longer appropriate. Let¡¯s change its name to the Magic Rune Knight Order.¡±

    Su Nan made the final decision.

    From now on, the Magic Rune Knight Order would become one of the most important armed forces of the Star Alliance.

    Starlight Calendar 1259, Summer Long Month.

    The six knight academies ¨C Dragon Scale, Dragon Horn, Dragon Claw, Dragon Eye, Dragon Bone, and Dragon Blood ¨C welcomed their first graduating class.

    On the third day of the month, 3,000 knight students gathered on the island of Youhu City, ready to face their graduation examination.

    ¡°This year¡¯s scale is much larger than last year!¡±

    Looking at the sea of heads on the island, Rug couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    Solano chuckled, ¡°After all, there are six knight academies this year.¡±

    Seen looked at the students, whose expressions were a mixture of excitement and apprehension. He couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Once the examination is over, our Knight Guard, ah, I guess we should call it the Magic Rune Knight Order now, will increase sixfold.¡±

    ¡°You should be called captain now.¡± Rug grinned. ¡°The larger the size of the Magic Rune Knight Order, the higher Captain Seen¡¯s status in the Star Alliance. It¡¯s even comparable to a sorcerer apprentice.¡±

    Seen shook his head with a smile.

    He didn¡¯t care much about the size of his power, but he felt a heavy sense of responsibility.

    Lord Su Nan had appointed him as captain of the Magic Rune Knight Order, entrusting him with the management of thousands of people. He had to live up to this trust.

    ¡°Enough idle chatter, let¡¯s get to work.¡±

    Seen took a deep breath and said seriously, ¡°From this year on, the graduation examinations of every graduating class will be handled by our Magic Rune Knight Order. This graduation examination is our first time hosting it. We must not make any mistakes.¡±

    Rug and Solano suppressed their smiles and replied solemnly.

    Throughout the entire Summer Long Month, the Star Alliance was immersed in busyness.

    Time flew by, and it was the time for the Fire Flow Month.

    In the magic training room, Su Nan stood motionless in the center of the spacious area.

    With a slight movement of his mind, ten magic missiles appeared out of thin air, quickly transforming into spear-like projectiles, each a foot long, dispersing and whistling out, drawing strange trajectories in the void. They finally converged at a point, simultaneously piercing the humanoid target a hundred meters away.

    ¡°The attack power has increased by about 30-40%.¡±

    Su Nan nodded with satisfaction.

    After nearly two years, the magic construction training progress had finally reached 100%.

    This difficulty was second only to the super magic techniques of compound casting and spellcasting, and its power didn¡¯t disappoint him.

    While it only increased the effect by 30-40%, the accumulation of damage output in a battle was enough to skyrocket. The improvement to combat ability was immediate.

    The key was that magic construction could greatly enhance the flexibility of magic.

    For example, controlling the flight trajectory of magic missiles.

    Or changing the shape of a shield spell from a limited-area tower shield to a 360-degree, no-dead-angle protective shield.

    Wizards (apprentices) who mastered magic construction often gave their enemies many unexpected ¡®surprises¡¯ in battle.

    ¡°Which super magic technique should I continue to train next?¡±

    The only super magic techniques that Su Nan hadn¡¯t mastered were spell extension, which increased the casting distance; spell duration, which extended the duration of spells; and spell expansion, which increased the range of spell influence.

    In fact, the practicality of these three super magic techniques was not much different. It didn¡¯t matter which one he chose.

    And the difficulty was much lower than the previous few super magic techniques.

    With his current spiritual power, he could probably master it within a year at most.

    Therefore, Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate too long and decisively chose spell duration.

    ¡¾Complete a spell duration practice, ¡®Spell Duration¡¯ training progress +0.02%¡¿

    After practicing for a while, Su Nan left the magic training area.

    He had important things to do today and couldn¡¯t waste his spiritual power on practice.

    After conquering Giant Eye City, Su Nan immediately arranged for people to develop the silver vein that Giant Eye City had controlled.

    During this time, he had continuously obtained a considerable amount of mithril. Coupled with what he had accumulated previously and what he had obtained from the Eye Demon warehouse, he finally had enough mithril to refine a secret puppet.

    He could finally refine the secret puppet.

    Entering Dragon Forest, Su Nan teleported directly to the workshop area and entered his own dedicated large workshop.

    With the element pool providing endless energy, he installed three magic crystal forging furnaces in the workshop, greatly improving his work efficiency.

    Turning on the magic crystal forging furnaces, Su Nan went to the workbench and took out materials from his space ring, placing them on the table. Taking a deep breath, his expression instantly became incredibly focused, and he buried himself in his work.

    Years of extensive puppet refining had given him an extraordinary amount of experience.

    His ¡¾Puppet Refining¡¿ skill had also reached level 5.

    In terms of puppet refining skills, Su Nan was confident that he was no worse than some official wizards, and he far surpassed wizard apprentices.

    Whether it was now or in the past, no wizard apprentice had ever had such exquisite puppet refining skills.

    Secret puppet refining was difficult, but it was only a bit more troublesome for him. It wasn¡¯t at all difficult.

    When he was focused on refining, time flew by quickly.

    Only in the evening did Su Nan deactivate the Master¡¯s Hand, taking a long breath and looking at the result on the workbench with excitement.

    It was a humanoid metallic figure, the same size as a real person, emitting a slightly blue silver sheen in the light.

    It looked like a muscular warrior, with bulging muscles all over its body, its eyes closed tightly.

    Except for its body color being clearly different from a normal human, it looked no different from a real person.

    Su Nan moved his mind, and the secret puppet suddenly opened its eyes. It moved swiftly and flexibly, bouncing off the workbench like a cannonball, flipping over in mid-air and landing steadily.

    At the same time, a section of its palm suddenly protruded, quickly transforming into a shimmering knight¡¯s longsword, and it stabbed fiercely into the void, creating a harsh whistling sound.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Su Nan nodded with satisfaction.

    One of the main materials of the secret puppet was diamond. Its body strength was much harder than that of a mithril magic puppet. Its strength and reaction speed were also excellent. Its close-combat capabilities were exceptionally good.

    Of course, what was even more remarkable was its casting ability.

    Mithril itself was a material with excellent ductility and magic conductivity. In addition, many high-level rune gems were added to the secret puppet¡¯s body, so it also had the ability to manipulate energy particles.

    Apart from that, Su Nan had permanently set many zero-ring, one-ring, and two-ring spells in the secret puppet¡¯s body, making it effectively possess the ability to cast spells.

    The key was that it cast spells like activating a storage spell item. It didn¡¯t need to chant spells. There was only a barely perceptible pause, almost like mastering spellcasting.

    As long as its energy wasn¡¯t depleted, it could continuously cast spells.

    From this point of view, the secret puppet¡¯s casting ability completely outclassed most third-rank sorcerer apprentices.

    The final secret puppet, although not as powerful as an official wizard, was already much stronger than a typical third-rank sorcerer apprentice.

    After testing it in the magic training area, Su Nan was satisfied and determined that the secret puppet already possessed the power comparable to a fourth-ring legend.

    Even he, without using his magic rune core and numerous magic items, wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat the secret puppet.

    If he wanted to kill the secret puppet, he would have to use his high-level rune gems, bloodline marks, and other trump cards.

    The secret puppet¡¯s strength was evident.

    ¡°Against the third-rank sorcerer apprentices like Magic Hand and Bloody Mouth, the secret puppet should be able to easily win.¡±

    Su Nan looked at the secret puppet in front of him, its outline clear, as if a real person. With a movement of his mind, the secret puppet in front of him melted quickly like hot butter, and in the next instant, it transformed into a thin and delicate, silver-haired and beautiful girl.

    Its skin also lost its color and became as smooth as milk.

    The secret puppet had no concept of gender, nor a fixed form. It could change its shape and appearance at will, and it could easily impersonate a living person.

    Even a third-rank sorcerer apprentice wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish it without careful inspection.

    After a moment of delight, Su Nan calmed down, his eyes filled with thought.

    The cost of refining the secret puppet was higher than he had originally anticipated.

    In order to enhance the secret puppet¡¯s combat strength, he had permanently set more spells and added many enchantment features, causing the cost to skyrocket to 100,000 gold coins.

    In the few months since the magic rune constructs were completed, the accumulated cash flow was almost completely consumed.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the large chunk of mithril that he had already accumulated, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford to refine the secret puppet for the time being.

    ¡°It took so long to accumulate 16 kilograms of mithril. I won¡¯t be able to accumulate enough materials to refine a second secret puppet in the short term.¡±

    Having said that, Su Nan didn¡¯t mind.

    As long as he successfully refined the secret puppet and proved that his idea was feasible, that would be enough.

    He could always accumulate more over the next few years.

    ¡°The next step is to continue improving the secret puppet.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes shone brightly.

    Compared to ordinary puppets, the secret puppet, whose structure was closer to that of a human, had much more room for growth than ordinary puppets.

    The successful refining of the secret puppet was only the first step. There were many other ideas that could be researched and verified.

    For example, fusing a magic rune core or bloodline mark onto the secret puppet.

    If it were successful, the secret puppet¡¯s combat strength would surely increase exponentially.

    When he refined four or five secret puppets, and then combined them, maybe he could create a powerful puppet comparable to an official wizard!

    At the thought of this, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.

 Chapter 162: Hunterâ€™s Plea

    Chapter 162: Hunter¡¯s Plea

    The addition of a large number of Rune Knights significantly boosted the Star Alliance¡¯s expansion speed.

    Almost every month, the explored area on the military map in Su Nan¡¯s study would expand by a circle.

    Native tribes encountered during exploration were either wiped out or subjugated into slavery under the Star Alliance¡¯s overwhelming force.

    However, Su Nan still offered these natives a glimmer of hope.

    Those who made sufficient contributions to the Star Alliance could be freed from slavery, promoted to citizens, and granted equal status and rights as the Manticore and the Vampires.

    As the Star Alliance¡¯s exploration strategy proceeded in full swing, Su Nan spent his days locked in his laboratory, engrossed in improving his Puppet Creations.

    With the help of Butler No. 1 in Dragonwood, and apprentices like Caroline, Black Widow, and Xieman in the Star Alliance, he only needed to manage the overall direction, leaving the rest to his subordinates.

    Except for occasional need to craft magical items that only he could refine, he was essentially half a hands-off manager.

    This was the expected development of a mature force.

    Only when the Star Alliance could continue to function smoothly for decades even without his presence, would it truly become a mature entity.

    Late at night, a silver moon hung high in the sky.

    Moonlight streamed through the small window, illuminating everything inside the room.

    Su Nan sat at one corner of the long table, patiently waiting for other members to arrive.

    Since joining the Mysterious Wooden Hut, he hadn¡¯t missed a single gathering.

    Even though he sometimes didn¡¯t buy a single item, he was never absent.

    After all, nobody knew what items would appear at the gathering, and missing a treasure ¨C like Traveler and Black Forest ¨C would be a regret for life.

    Perhaps it was a lesson learned from Traveler and Black Forest, but in subsequent gatherings, everyone except Hunter was present.

    Even Traveler and Black Forest, who used to be invisible, had a higher attendance rate than before.

    This gathering was no exception, all eight members except Hunter were present.

    Just as Night Owl announced the start of the trade, a figure suddenly appeared in a seat.

    It was Hunter, whom everyone thought was absent.

    ¡°Everyone, I need your help!¡±

    As soon as he appeared, Hunter immediately spoke, his tone unprecedentedly solemn.

    Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

    Finally, Night Owl cleared his throat and broke the silence. ¡°Hunter, what happened?¡±

    ¡°The Eternal Society has targeted me!¡± Hunter¡¯s voice was heavy. ¡°They have their eyes on the Starlight Tower key in my possession, and they¡¯re chasing me relentlessly. I¡¯ve tried many ways to escape, but I can¡¯t shake them off. I need the help of everyone here!¡±

    ¡°You want us to help you repel the Eternal Society?¡± Red Heart mumbled.

    ¡°No.¡± Hunter shook his head. ¡°Those guys are obsessed lunatics. Even if we repel them once, they¡¯ll come back again later. I hope everyone here can help me eliminate the Eternal Society once and for all.¡±

    The room fell silent.

    Everyone remained silent.

    If it were just a matter of repelling the Eternal Society, they might consider it if Hunter offered a suitable reward.

    But to kill the Eternal Society¡¯s Wizard Apprentices?

    Sorry, impossible!

    Any sane person understood the risks involved in fighting fellow Wizard Apprentices.

    Let alone the Wizard Apprentices of the Eternal Society.

    They were not going to risk their lives for a little profit to deal with the Eternal Society.

    Unless Hunter could offer a reward that was truly enticing!

    Hunter understood this, seeing everyone silent, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°After the deed is done, I will give each participant a Starlight Tower key!¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow. It seemed his initial guess was right, Hunter had indeed colluded with Evans.

    Only Evans would have so many Starlight Tower keys.

    ¡°Deal!¡± said Necromancer immediately.

    Ordinary benefits were not worth risking his life for, but the Starlight Tower key was different.

    It represented the hope of becoming a Wizard.

    Even if it meant risking his life, he had to give it a try!

    The others seemed to have similar thoughts.

    After a brief hesitation, Night Owl, Red Heart, Traveler, Black Forest, and Rose all agreed.

    Only Scepter and Su Nan remained.

    Hunter looked at the two with complex emotions.

    Scepter already possessed a Starlight Tower key, so the reward he offered would not be attractive to him.

    The same went for the Player.

    Based on the information he gathered, Hunter had already guessed the Player¡¯s true identity.

    Evans had also mentioned that Su Nan possessed a Starlight Tower key, so this reward probably wouldn¡¯t be attractive to him either.

    In fact, neither of them had made any move to speak yet, likely waiting for him to offer a more tempting reward.

    After a moment of hesitation, Hunter¡¯s palm grazed the table, and two potions appeared out of thin air.

    Under the moonlight, the potion in the bottle gradually changed from dark blue to light blue, shimmering with a beautiful, hazy glow.

    ¡°This is Dawn Potion.¡±

    Hunter¡¯s gaze swept past Su Nan and towards the others.

    Among those present, probably only Su Nan had heard of Dawn Potion from Evans.

    ¡°After taking it, a person¡¯s lifespan can be extended by about one-third, but each person can only take one bottle, taking more will have no effect. Besides, this thing has little effect on Wizard Apprentices, only extending their lifespan by five to ten years.¡±

    Necromancer and the others were moved.

    It was a potion that extended lifespan, which was quite rare!

    Even if this potion could only extend lifespan by five to ten years, it was still a lot.

    With bloodline fusion or physical modification, a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice could only live for a little over two hundred years.

    Scepter¡¯s heart was stirred. After hesitating for a moment, he said, ¡°One bottle of Dawn Potion isn¡¯t enough, add a gemstone worth 20,000 gold coins!¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Hunter agreed without hesitation. After all, he didn¡¯t have to pay the gold coins, Saint Fist, with his deep pockets, would be responsible for that.

    Then he looked at Su Nan. ¡°Player, what do you say?¡±

    Su Nan remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, ¡°Two bottles of Dawn Potion, plus a Starlight Tower key.¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned.

    A greedy demand!

    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Hunter only hesitated for a moment before nodding heavily.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Necromancer said unhappily. ¡°Why do we all have the same contribution, but the Player gets a higher reward than us?¡±

    Although others didn¡¯t say it out loud, their gazes towards Hunter and Su Nan were also filled with dissatisfaction or confusion.

    Only Traveler remained calm.

    Hunter explained calmly. ¡°Because the Player is stronger than all of you.¡±

    The others were unaware, but through Saint Fist¡¯s channels, he knew about some of the things Su Nan had done in the underground world, and he knew deep down that Su Nan possessed strength far surpassing anyone else in the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Even Night Owl couldn¡¯t compare to Su Nan.

    Seeing Necromancer still unwilling to accept his explanation, Hunter had to look at Su Nan.

    Su Nan shrugged. With a thought, a Mithril Magic Puppet appeared beside him.

    The sudden appearance of the Magic Puppet startled everyone. They wondered where Su Nan had taken this behemoth from.

    Their attention quickly shifted to the shimmering luster of the Magic Puppet¡¯s body.

    ¡°This is... Mithril!¡±

    Rose, who had seen the Mithril Magic Puppet before, was the first to recognize its type, and she widened her eyes in disbelief.

    ¡°Mithril Magic Puppet!¡±

    The others were stunned when they heard this, and they immediately widened their eyes to look carefully, soon confirming Rose¡¯s words.

    ¡°It really is a Mithril Magic Puppet!¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?!¡±

    Everyone showed expressions of disbelief.

    How could the Player have a Mithril Magic Puppet?

    Did he obtain it from some Wizard¡¯s legacy?

    No, impossible.

    Even if a complete Mithril Magic Puppet still remained in a Wizard¡¯s legacy, an outsider would not be able to gain control of it.

    This wasn¡¯t a magical item that could be used by simply erasing the mental imprint.

    Each puppet¡¯s Soul Core had a mental symbol left by the creator, and unless the creator actively erased it, outsiders couldn¡¯t eliminate it.

    Even destroying the Soul Core wouldn¡¯t work.

    The puppet¡¯s body and Soul Core were one, destroying the Soul Core meant destroying the entire puppet.

    But if it wasn¡¯t obtained from a Wizard¡¯s legacy, then it couldn¡¯t be something the Player crafted himself, could it?

    That wasn¡¯t likely either.

    Not to mention where the Player got the design blueprints or how he obtained enough Mithril to craft a Mithril Magic Puppet, just the Puppetry Refining technique alone was enough to block most people.

    The Player was quite skilled in refining puppets, but had his Puppetry Refining skill reached that level?

    For a while, everyone was a little uncertain.

    Even Traveler and Hunter, who were already aware of Su Nan¡¯s strength, were shocked.

    But regardless, one thing was certain: Su Nan, who possessed a Mithril Magic Puppet, could definitely play a far greater role in dealing with the Eternal Society than anyone else present.

    Even Necromancer, who was the most dissatisfied, fell silent.

    Seeing that no one objected, Hunter said solemnly, ¡°Let¡¯s settle it then.¡±

    ¡°Just in case, we should still sign a Soul Contract.¡±

    Everyone agreed unanimously, as it was a guarantee for both parties.

    There was no need to discuss the reward, but when it came to dealing with the Eternal Society, there were disagreements.

    Night Owl and the others unanimously disagreed with Hunter¡¯s request to wipe out the Eternal Society.

    It was simply unrealistic!

    Most Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices had their own means of survival.

    Especially those of the Eternal Society, who had many enemies and were hated by everyone.

    If they could still survive to this day and remain at large, they must have some life-saving tricks up their sleeves.

    Repelling a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice was easy, but killing one was extremely difficult, unless you possessed overwhelming power.

    So, after some bargaining, they finally decided to kill three members of the Eternal Society.

    ¡°As far as I know, the Eternal Society¡¯s Magic Hand and Blood Mouth are already dead. Right now, except for Saulo, there are only three members left: Ember, Iloh, and Stone Scorpion.¡±

    ¡°Among these four, you just need to assist me in eliminating any three of them, and it will be considered a completed deal, and I will pay the corresponding rewards.¡±

    As soon as Hunter finished speaking, Night Owl immediately asked, ¡°Do you have any specific plans?¡±

    Hunter clearly had a plan, and without hesitation, he said, ¡°The Eternal Society is searching everywhere for my whereabouts. As long as I reveal my location slightly, I can lure them all here. We can set up an ambush in advance and wipe them out in one fell swoop!¡±

    Everyone exchanged glances and nodded.

    The plan was simple, but practical.

    ¡°I¡¯ll choose the location, and I¡¯ll inform everyone in three days.¡±

    Hunter turned to Night Owl.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to open the Mysterious Wooden Hut again.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Night Owl nodded in agreement.

    At this time, Su Nan suddenly said, ¡°Being able to survive the Eternal Society¡¯s pursuit, you couldn¡¯t have done it alone, you must have other helpers, right?¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone else also realized this and stared at Hunter with bright eyes.

    Hunter sighed and said, ¡°Alright, I didn¡¯t intend to hide it. I do have helpers.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Rose asked curiously.

    ¡°Saint Fist.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s them.¡± Scepter realized.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be cryptic.¡± Black Forest quickly asked, ¡°What are Saint Fist?¡±

    Scepter smiled and explained, ¡°Saint Fist isn¡¯t a single person, but a hidden organization made up of legendary knights. It was established around three hundred years ago, and its members are mainly legendary knights from various countries in the southeastern region of Starlight Continent. It¡¯s said they have dozens of Second-Ring and Third-Ring legendary knights, with formidable strength.¡±

    ¡°That was before.¡± Hunter¡¯s voice was bitter. ¡°During this period of fighting with the Eternal Society, Saint Fist lost over twenty legendary knights, and even their leader, Clarence, died at the hands of Ember. He was the only Third-Ring legendary knight in Saint Fist.¡±

    Scepter shook his head slightly and said nothing.

    An organization of legendary knights would be considered a behemoth to ordinary people.

    But compared to the Eternal Society, whose members were all Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, they were a bit lacking.

    Saint Fist¡¯s defeat was completely expected.

    Instead, it was a bit surprising that they still dared to fight back against the Eternal Society, even after suffering so much damage.

    It could only be said that the Starlight Tower was an irresistible temptation, not only for Wizard Apprentices, but also for legendary knights.

    ¡°When the action begins, Saint Fist will also come to help.¡±

    ¡°However, Saint Fist has suffered heavy losses, and there are not many surviving legendary knights left, so don¡¯t hold too high expectations.¡±

    Hunter sighed and said.

    Scepter shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s alright, facing such a formidable enemy as the Eternal Society, any help is better than none.¡±

    This drew agreement from everyone else.

    After all, the enemy was the infamous Eternal Society, even as fellow Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, they were a bit apprehensive deep down.

    Even if just a few First-Ring legendary knights joined them, it would be a good thing. At worst, they could be used as cannon fodder.

    Of all the people present, only Su Nan remained calm throughout.

    A few months ago, he would still have been a bit hesitant about this mission.

    But now, with the Puppet Creations he had in his Magic Cube, he had a strong sense of confidence.

    Let alone with everyone else in the Mysterious Wooden Hut, even if he faced the Eternal Society alone, Su Nan was confident that he could defeat them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡±

    ¡°Once I choose the ambush location, I¡¯ll inform everyone immediately.¡±

    Hunter looked around at everyone with a solemn expression, and said sincerely, ¡°I beg everyone!¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 163

    Three days later.

    The Mysterious Wooden Hut opened again as promised.

    The Hunter informed everyone of the location where they would ambush the Eternal Society.

    Surprisingly, the ambush location was chosen in the underworld, in a cave over two hundred kilometers north of the Star Alliance.

    This was good news for Su Nan, as it was near his own territory.

    He guessed that the Hunter might have considered this as well.

    If the ambush against the Eternal Society failed, they could escape into Su Nan¡¯s territory for protection.

    After deciding on the ambush location, the operation did not begin immediately.

    After all, the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut were scattered all over the continent, and it would take some time for them to gather from other places.

    After much discussion, they finally decided to carry out the plan in five days.

    Su Nan, who was close to the action, saved the travel time and decided to use these five days to make some preparations.

    Although he had his secret puppets, he was confident, but the opponent was the infamous Eternal Society, so it was always wise to make more preparations.

    In the Mind Chamber.

    Su Nan checked his personal panel.

    His Spiritual Power was now approaching 52 points. In about five months, he would be able to construct the seventeenth Star Ring.

    Combined with four Super Magic Techniques, even without using various trump cards, his actual combat strength would be enough to rank among the top three tiers of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices.

    ¡°Without using any trump cards, I should be able to contend with the likes of Bloodmouth and Master Hand.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the level of a Third-Ring Legend.¡±

    ¡°If I add the Magic Emblem Core and various magical items, I should have no problem against a Fourth-Ring Legend.¡±

    Su Nan looked down at the back of his hand, where five crimson marks were engraved.

    Death Knell Mark!

    A bloodline mark made from the bloodline of the Death Knell Striker.

    Besides this, there were over a hundred higher-grade rune gems stored in his spatial ring.

    As his Spiritual Power increased, the energy intensity that Su Nan could now bear also skyrocketed.

    Thanks to this, the number of higher-grade rune gems he could synthesize had now surged to 37, significantly increasing their power.

    Su Nan had conducted tests, and a single higher-grade rune gem was enough to break through the defense of the Supreme Protection Ring!

    Its power was equivalent to the combined force of over ten attack-type Second-Ring Spells!

    It was even enough to instantly kill a higher-grade Stone Magic Puppet!

    With so many trump cards in hand, Su Nan was confident that even if he encountered the most top-tier Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, he would have a high chance of winning.

    However, just in case, Su Nan still stuffed a whole army of smaller magic puppets into his Magic Cube, filling over half of its grids.

    Besides this, he also ordered the Magic Emblem Knight Order to stand by in Giant Eye City, ready to strike at any time.

    After doing all this, Su Nan finally felt relieved and stayed in Giant Eye City, waiting for the operation to begin.

    Five days flew by in the blink of an eye.

    Su Nan arrived at the ambush location as promised.

    It was a huge cave, extremely wide, with an unusually smooth top, unlike other places where it was covered in dense stalactites.

    This also meant there were no other entrances at the top of the cave.

    Similarly, there were no other openings deep within the cave. All that could be seen were thick rock walls.

    The vast cave was completely sealed off, except for the entrance they entered from.

    Su Nan secretly understood.

    This way, once they lured the Eternal Society members into the cave and sealed the exit, they would be trapped.

    ¡°Not bad.¡± Night Owl commented.

    When Su Nan arrived, everyone else from the Mysterious Wooden Hut was already present except for the Hunter.

    It is worth mentioning that everyone was dressed in long robes and wearing masks, concealing their appearance and features, just like they were in the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    Only Su Nan was not wearing a mask, openly revealing his true appearance.

    When they saw him like this at first, everyone was stunned.

    After recovering, Staff laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite open about it.¡±

    Traveler also laughed, ¡°After all, he has the confidence to do so.¡±

    The true identities of the Players were no longer a secret in the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    However, out of consideration for not wanting to offend Su Nan, no one had ever actively revealed his identity and had avoided talking about it.

    But now that Su Nan was revealing himself, it meant he no longer cared, so they no longer concealed it.

    Hearing Traveler¡¯s words, the gaze of everyone present also carried a hint of admiration.

    Only Su Nan could be so open.

    With his current strength and influence, even if he revealed his true identity, no one would dare to target him.

    Not to mention, the single Gold-Tier Magic Puppet alone would be enough to deter many malicious individuals.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the Hunter?¡± Su Nan asked, looking around.

    ¡°He should be here soon.¡±

    As soon as Night Owl finished speaking, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he turned towards the entrance.

    ¡°Here they come.¡±

    Along with faint footsteps, seven or eight figures walked into the cave.

    The one at the head was the Hunter.

    Following behind him were six men clad in heavy armor, with a sharp aura about them.

    Su Nan took a quick glance and realized that the six were all Legendary Knights. The armor they wore and the longswords on their waists were all enchanted weapons.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±

    Coming closer, the Hunter first apologized, then pointed at the people behind him and introduced them, ¡°This is Puvido and Moss, members of the Holy Fist. They both are seasoned Second-Ring Legendary Knights.¡±

    ¡°This is Kurt, Berger...¡±

    The Hunter introduced the remaining four in turn.

    However, except for a slight nod to Puvido and Moss as a greeting, Night Owl and the others reacted indifferently to the remaining four.

    After all, in their eyes, a First-Ring Legendary Knight was just cannon fodder. Only a Second-Ring Legendary Knight was worth their attention.

    The Hunter understood this, so after the introductions, he didn¡¯t engage in idle chatter and went straight to the point.

    ¡°I deliberately left some traces along the way, so I believe the Eternal Society members will soon track us down here. You guys can start setting up ambushes in advance.¡±

    The specific details of the operation had already been discussed once before, so upon hearing this, everyone immediately took action.

    Except for the Hunter, Night Owl, Staff, and the members of the Holy Fist, who stayed inside the cave, the rest of the people left the cave, forming pairs and finding hidden places to hide, waiting for the Eternal Society members to enter the cave before appearing and blocking the entrance.

    Su Nan was paired with Rose.

    They both used invisibility spells and sprinkled some odor-eliminating potions before waiting.

    ¡°The Holy Fist is finished.¡± Rose suddenly whispered.

    Su Nan glanced at her and nodded slightly.

    The once vast Legendary Knight organization had been slaughtered by the Eternal Society, leaving only a handful of survivors.

    And after this battle, who knows how many would be left? Even if they successfully eliminated the threat of the Eternal Society in the end, the Holy Fist, with only a few members left, would be nothing more than a name.

    However, Su Nan was thinking about something else.

    According to the intelligence gathered so far, there were only two Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice organizations in the Southeast Region of the continent, the Mysterious Wooden Hut and the Eternal Society.

    The number of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices in these two organizations alone accounted for at least half of the total number of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices in the Southeast Region of the continent.

    After today¡¯s battle, there would inevitably be only one left.

    The number of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices in the Southeast Region would also drastically decrease.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve killed four Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices so far.¡±

    Su Nan suddenly realized that he had seemingly made a significant contribution to the sharp decrease in the number of Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices in the Southeast Region.

    But this wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    Resources on the continent were limited, so naturally, the fewer Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices there were, the better.

    ¡°The Azure Gold Empire has recently been making frequent military movements, vaguely targeting the Starry Kingdom. Do you know about this?¡± Rose suddenly brought up another topic.

    Su Nan glanced at Rose, his eyebrows raised slightly, ¡°What, did the Thornflower Kingdom send you to be a lobbyist?¡±

    ¡°Lobbyist is a bit of an exaggeration, after all, it also concerns my interests.¡± Rose admitted frankly. ¡°The Azure Gold Empire has dominated the Southeast Region for hundreds of years, exploiting surrounding countries and treating them as nourishment for its own growth. Many countries have long been filled with resentment, but they dare not rebel out of fear of the Azure Gold Empire¡¯s powerful military strength.¡±

    ¡°If the Starry Kingdom takes the lead in resisting the Azure Gold Empire, I believe many countries will respond.¡±

    Su Nan looked a little strange, ¡°We¡¯re currently cooperating to deal with the Eternal Society, and you¡¯re secretly digging a hole for Staff?¡±

    Rose shrugged, nonchalantly saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know about others, but Staff had some unpleasantness with the royal family back in his youth, so he has never had much sense of belonging to the Azure Gold Empire. If you were to make a move, I believe he would abandon the Azure Gold Empire without hesitation and join another country. After all, with his strength, he could be treated as a guest of honor in any country he joins.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he pondered for a moment.

    As Rose said, aside from a few exceptions like Staff, most Sorcerer Apprentices who were from a certain kingdom or royal family had interests tied to their country.

    The prosperity and growth of the Starry Kingdom would also benefit him and the Star Alliance.

    Not to mention, if the Starry Kingdom expanded outward, it would inevitably need to purchase a large amount of potions, puppets, and weapons from the Star Alliance, from which the Star Alliance would gain huge profits.

    Moreover, looking at the Azure Gold Empire¡¯s current covetous behavior, even if the Starry Kingdom didn¡¯t take the initiative to attack, sooner or later, war would fall upon them. It was better to join forces and take the initiative than to wait for the Azure Gold Empire to attack.

    His thoughts raced in his mind, and Su Nan quickly made up his mind.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll convey your intentions to them.¡±

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s agreement, Rose¡¯s face lit up with joy.

    At this time, her gaze suddenly sharpened, and she abruptly turned her head to look at the distance.

    Before her, Su Nan had already noticed.

    Without a sound, four figures appeared out of thin air in front of the cave.

    Except for the man at the head wearing a long robe who looked relatively normal, the other three had bizarre appearances.

    A woman with a slender figure, an elegant temperament, but only a pair of eyes on her face.

    A creature made entirely of flames, resembling a blurry human silhouette, with an ambiguous gender.

    And a man whose entire body was covered in obsidian armor, revealing only a grayish-blue face.

    He had a multi-segmented tail behind his buttocks, ending with an opening shaped like the mouth of a lamprey.

    It was obvious that these four were Sauro, Eiro, Ember, and Stone Scorpion, members of the Eternal Society.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but secretly sigh.

    Including Ugo, Bloodmouth, and Master Hand, who died at his hands, the members of the Eternal Society really liked to make themselves look like neither human nor ghost.

    Human bodies were irrelevant to them. They could abandon them at any time as long as they were pursuing power.

    Only Sauro seemed relatively normal, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily true.

    Who knows what was hidden under that long robe?

    Being able to suppress a group of demons and monsters, Sauro himself might be an even more powerful demon or monster.

    Perhaps out of fear of the Hunter escaping after they finally caught him, or perhaps confident in their own strength, the four men only glanced around before rushing into the cave without hesitation.

    However, after entering the cave, they found that besides the Hunter, there were seven or eight other people present.

    A group of people were calmly watching them.

    Sauro and the other four immediately realized something was wrong. Looking back, they saw a group of people walking into the cave, blocking their escape route.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    Sauro immediately recognized the unmasked Su Nan and realized the situation after a moment of contemplation.

    ¡°So, it seems the Mysterious Wooden Hut is going to war with us.¡±

    Night Owl said coldly, ¡°It involves the Starsea Tower, the hope of becoming a Wizard, no Sorcerer Apprentice can resist this temptation.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sauro calmly nodded.

    Although they were surrounded by several times their number of enemies, Sauro and the other three remained remarkably calm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time.¡±

    Ember¡¯s flaming mouth curved upward, revealing a mocking smile.

    ¡°Since we all came for the Starsea Tower key, let¡¯s have a fight. The strongest survivor will get the rightful reward, fair enough, right?¡±

    As the last word fell, Ember¡¯s entire flaming body suddenly expanded and grew larger, like oil being poured into a fire. It turned into raging flames and swept towards Night Owl and the Hunter in front of him.

    Night Owl¡¯s eyes twitched, secretly thinking that this guy was indeed a madman.

    Before the ambush, the Hunter had provided everyone with the intelligence he had gathered on the Eternal Society.

    One point was that most of the Eternal Society members had bloodline incompatibility issues, leading to personality changes, making them more or less prone to fanaticism, madness, and psychological distortions.

    This included Ember.

    He had fused with an ancient bloodline called Magma Demon, giving him the ability to control fire elements and souls. He was bloodthirsty, violent, and delighted in tormenting others¡¯ souls.

    He was a real madman!

    And his current actions proved this.

    In a situation where they were ambushed and surrounded, he still took the initiative to attack, charging towards the enemy alone. Only a madman could do something like this.

    While he was internally complaining, Night Owl and the Hunter didn¡¯t hesitate, their prepared spells were cast simultaneously, combining their power to blast towards Ember.

    The battle began.

    At the same time, the rest of the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut and Puvido and the other Holy Fist members also charged towards Sauro and the other three.

    ¡°Stone Scorpion!¡± Sauro suddenly shouted.

    The moment the words left his mouth, Stone Scorpion, whose entire body was covered in obsidian armor, suddenly opened his mouth, emitting a piercing screech that threatened to pierce people¡¯s eardrums!

    The screech transformed into a wave of sound that was almost tangible. In an instant, there was a series of cracking sounds as the surrounding rock walls and cave ceiling developed countless cracks. Stones fell down in a continuous stream.

    Before everyone could react, there was a loud boom, and the cave collapsed!

    (End)

 Chapter 164

    Everyone was completely unprepared for the enemy¡¯s attack.

    Before they could escape the cave, they were engulfed by the boulders raining from above!

    Boom!

    The earth shook, and dust filled the air.

    Su Nan felt a sudden darkness envelop him, followed by a feeling of falling.

    In a flash, Su Nan activated the Magic Emblem Core on his body, and with the added protection of the Extreme Protection Ring and Shield Spell, the boulders crashing down from above did not cause him any harm.

    He then activated the Levitation spell on his Invisibility Robe, stabilizing his descent and allowing him to hover in mid-air.

    Gradually, the roaring sound around him subsided.

    There were no more boulders falling from above.

    Su Nan was finally able to take in his surroundings.

    He was now in a massive cavern, similar to the previous one, but with a large irregular opening, about 7-8 meters in diameter, on the ceiling. The opening extended upwards, leading to an unknown depth, shrouded in darkness.

    He had fallen from that opening.

    The underground world was intricate, a giant and complex honeycomb.

    One cave was connected to another, and this did not surprise Su Nan.

    What shocked him was that the Stone Scorpion could launch such a devastating, wide-range attack, collapsing the entire cave and causing the surrounding terrain to shift!

    This was definitely not something a Wizard Apprentice could achieve with their spells or magic items!

    ¡°A Bloodline ability?¡±

    Su Nan mused.

    This was most likely a directed ability to manipulate earth and alter the environment.

    Otherwise, if the Stone Scorpion¡¯s true strength was capable of causing large-scale environmental changes at will, then it wouldn¡¯t be far off from a Full Wizard. It could have directly killed all of them on the spot, no need for this kind of performance.

    But this broke the encirclement.

    If the Eternal Society¡¯s people took advantage of this opportunity to escape, their mission would be considered a failure.

    ¡°But those maniacs won¡¯t just leave.¡±

    As if to confirm Su Nan¡¯s thoughts, a section of the rock wall, about 40-50 meters in front of him, slowly bulged out, quickly solidifying into the shape of a Stone Scorpion.

    ¡°As expected.¡±

    Su Nan chuckled, his eyes fixed on the Stone Scorpion.

    ¡°Choosing this place to fight is a huge mistake that will make you regret it.¡±

    The Stone Scorpion slowly detached itself from the rock wall, hovering in mid-air, its gaze fixed on Su Nan with a condescending air, its eyes gleaming with the same look as a predator spotting its prey trapped in a snare.

    ¡°This is my domain!¡±

    ¡°No one is my opponent in this place, where earth and stone are everywhere!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s gaze swept across the Stone Scorpion¡¯s tail, and he suddenly scoffed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play coy, it¡¯s just Crushing Shriek, you clearly have the Stone Singer bloodline, yet you¡¯re pretending to be an earth elementalist.¡±

    As soon as the words left his mouth, the Stone Scorpion froze, its pupils constricting.

    How did this guy know?

    Stone Singers were extremely rare. If not for his own fusion with the Stone Singer bloodline, he wouldn¡¯t have known such an ancient bloodline existed.

    And he had never revealed his bloodline to anyone, not even his Eternal Society comrades.

    How did this guy see through his disguise so easily?

    Seeing the Stone Scorpion¡¯s doubtful expression, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but secretly smile.

    In his previous life, he had seen a Wizard who had fused with a Stone Singer, but their external characteristics were slightly different from the current Stone Scorpion, so he hadn¡¯t recognized it at first.

    However, when the opponent used Crushing Shriek, the signature ability of the Stone Singer bloodline, he immediately made the connection.

    Stone Singers were terrifying and peculiar creatures composed of flexible, transformable stone. They looked like scorpions at first glance.

    They were adept at using their songs to manipulate earth and stone, creating effects similar to earth element magic.

    Of course, what the Stone Singers called songs were just harsh noises to human ears.

    Their ability to manipulate earth and stone was inferior to that of earth elementals, but they possessed a petrifying ability.

    Creatures that were stung by the Stone Singer¡¯s tail would become petrified.

    The Stone Singers would then carry the petrified prey back to their nests and force them to listen to their songs, devouring them for nourishment when they were hungry.

    Su Nan remembered that the Stone Singer no longer existed on Starlight Continent.

    Even during the later Element Awakening era, the Wizards captured Stone Singers from other worlds.

    The Stone Scorpion before him had good luck to fuse with the Stone Singer bloodline.

    In the current Starlight Continent, this was probably one of the few ancient bloodlines that were powerful without affecting the individual¡¯s temperament, with bloodline rejection reactions being negligible.

    ¡°.Your knowledge is quite surprising.¡±

    The Stone Scorpion finally recovered, its laughter cold.

    ¡°Sadly, it won¡¯t change your fate.¡±

    ¡°You and your companions have been separated, you¡¯re alone now. I¡¯ll kill you first, and then deal with the others!¡±

    A bone-chilling coldness filled his words, laced with murderous intent.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t care at all, and simply smiled. ¡°The one who¡¯s alone is you.¡±

    As his voice fell, countless wisps of gray mist suddenly appeared around the Stone Scorpion, quickly solidifying into gigantic gray claw illusory figures, which then clawed down at him with a piercing, tearing sound!

    ¡°Disaster Claw!¡±

    The Stone Scorpion¡¯s face turned pale.

    Wasn¡¯t that the ability of the Dim Light-level magic item, Disaster Ring?

    But he distinctly remembered that Disaster Ring could only summon one Disaster Claw!

    Su Nan was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect the Stone Scorpion to recognize Disaster Claw. It seemed it had read about it in some Wizard¡¯s book.

    Knowing the power of Dim Light-level magic items, the Stone Scorpion didn¡¯t dare to withstand it, immediately dodging out of the way, but the four Disaster Claws clung to him like leeches, pursuing relentlessly.

    With no other choice, the Stone Scorpion opened its mouth and let out a long howl. In an instant, cracks appeared on the surrounding rock walls, countless pieces of rock surged together, solidifying into a thick wall in front of the Stone Scorpion.

    Clang!

    The four Disaster Claws tore the rock wall apart in an instant, but the Stone Scorpion had already prepared its spell while dodging, letting out a piercing shriek.

    Crushing Soundwave!

    With the enhancement of the Stone Singer bloodline, the power of Crushing Soundwave was amplified several times. Visible distortion instantly collided with the Disaster Claw, turning it into a puff of gray smoke that slowly dissipated in the air.

    However, before the Stone Scorpion could rejoice, more gray mist emerged from the void, once again solidifying into four Disaster Claws, attacking fiercely!

    The Stone Scorpion¡¯s expression changed, and from the corner of his eye, he glanced at Su Nan, just as the latter was removing four rings from his left hand and replacing them with four new ones.

    The next second, four more Disaster Claws appeared!

    Seeing this, the Stone Scorpion finally understood. His face contorted in horror and jealousy.

    This guy actually had over ten Disaster Rings!

    Was he wholesale buying Dim Light-level magic items?

    Why did he possess so many Dim Light-level magic items?!

    This time, the Stone Scorpion couldn¡¯t dodge. After exhausting all his strength to obliterate four Disaster Claws, the remaining four penetrated his body.

    With a strange, sizzling sound, corrosive energy swept through the Stone Scorpion¡¯s body, making his body stiffen in mid-air, unable to help but let out a piercing scream.

    And something even more terrifying happened to the Stone Scorpion.

    Four more Disaster Claws emerged from the void.

    Wait, why were there four more?

    More!

    Looking at the two dozen gray claw illusory figures, dense and overwhelming, the Stone Scorpion¡¯s eyes reflected horror and disbelief.

    Just how many Disaster Rings did Su Nan have on him?

    Whoosh!

    Over ten Disaster Claws pierced through the Stone Scorpion¡¯s body almost simultaneously, draining his life force and inflicting a heavy blow to his soul.

    In Su Nan¡¯s perception, the Stone Scorpion¡¯s soul aura was weakened almost instantly, like a candle flickering in the wind.

    Under this heavy blow, the Stone Scorpion fell from mid-air and crashed to the ground with a thud.

    A beam of lightning shot from afar, piercing his brow with a hiss.

    Before his consciousness plunged into eternal darkness, a thought flashed through the Stone Scorpion¡¯s mind.

    It was indeed him who was alone!

    This guy, Su Nan, might only be one person, but he had a ridiculous number of Dim Light-level magic items!

    He would rather face multiple Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices!

    One hundred meters away, Su Nan slowly retracted his hand, glancing at the four rings on his left hand.

    The cave environment of the underground world was indeed suitable for the Stone Singer bloodline¡¯s ability to flourish. If he had let the Stone Scorpion take the initiative, dealing with it would have taken a lot of effort.

    Therefore, Su Nan decisively used over twenty Disaster Rings, quickly eliminating the Stone Scorpion.

    It was a pity that this Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, whose power was no weaker than Bloodmouth and Magic Hand, didn¡¯t even have the chance to fully unleash his abilities before being ruthlessly crushed by Su Nan¡¯s superior equipment!

    If he knew Su Nan had over twenty more Disaster Rings in his Spatial Ring, he might have despaired and killed himself.

    After replacing the Disaster Rings with new ones, Su Nan extended his spiritual power to sense his surroundings.

    Unfortunately, the unique magnetic field and geographical environment of the underground world greatly limited the effectiveness of spiritual sense-like methods.

    After sensing for a while with no results, Su Nan shook his head and flew forward in a random direction.

    Whoosh!

    A blazing wave of flames crashed against the rock wall, instantly leaving behind a charred and cracked area.

    The echoes of a hoarse, manic laugh reverberated through the cave.

    He had transformed into a 60-meter tall, flame-giant with the appearance of a fiend, horns sprouting from his head, his head almost touching the ceiling of the cave. He was swinging his giant fist and attacking the Staff, Traveler, and Pruvido.

    The intense heat caused the temperature in the air to rise, and even the air itself seemed to distort slightly.

    The vast cave had become a scorching inferno.

    Several charred corpses lay in a corner.

    These were members of the Holy Fist.

    As soon as the battle broke out, several First-Ring Legendary Knights were swiftly killed by Remnant, without even managing to play much of a role.

    ¡°A bunch of sewer rats!¡±

    ¡°Are you only going to hide and run?¡±

    Remnant¡¯s arrogant curses echoed, trying to provoke the Staff and the others into a head-on confrontation.

    But the latter didn¡¯t budge.

    A faint golden light enveloped the Staff¡¯s entire body, making him immune to the surrounding heat, and also making him incredibly fast, dodging Remnant¡¯s fists with agility and swiftness.

    The source of the golden light was the staff in his hand.

    Moments ago, in plain sight, the Staff had pulled out this staff from within his body. It was completely made of gold, shining brightly, and adorned with countless precious gems at the top.

    On the other side, Traveler was also protected by the Green Spirit Branch, immune to the high temperature and flames.

    Remnant hit Traveler several times, but they were all blocked by the green light surrounding his body.

    Compared to Traveler and the Staff, Pruvido and Moss were in a much more miserable state.

    They could only rely on their elemental powers to resist the high temperature, and their faces soon became tired, indicating their substantial consumption of energy.

    The Staff saw this and frowned secretly.

    He raised his golden staff, and a beam of golden light shot out from the top, striking the void a hundred meters away like an arrow, causing ripples to spread.

    The next moment, a beastly hoof emerged from the ripples.

    Then came another foot, a torso, hands, and a head.

    Soon, a creature with a canine head and a human body appeared in the void.

    At first glance, it looked like a dog-man.

    But upon closer inspection, it was completely different.

    Unlike the dirty and thin dog-men, this canine-headed creature was strong and sturdy, radiating an aura of strength and shrewdness. It wore what looked like very fine armor and wielded a broadsword.

    ¡°Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy!¡±

    Traveler was startled, looking at the Staff in surprise.

    This was a very rare and powerful creature from another world, and the Staff had actually summoned it.

    Was it random? Or a designated summoning target with a signed contract?

    After scanning the surroundings, the Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy quickly locked onto its target and charged at Remnant like an arrow.

    The latter swung his giant fist, but the Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy easily dodged it and slashed his sword downwards.

    It was just a two-meter-long broadsword, but as it pierced through, it also cut through the four or five-meter-wide flame arm.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    Remnant howled in pain and backed away, covering his arm.

    Traveler¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    So that¡¯s it, the Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy¡¯s attacks carried strong positive energy, while Remnant, who had fused with the Magma Demonic Ghost bloodline, had transformed into a flame giant, a combination of fire element and negative energy. The Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy essentially countered him perfectly.

    But before Traveler could rejoice, he suddenly heard a rushing sound of water.

    He looked up and saw a torrent pouring down from the sky, completely filling his field of vision!

    Boom!

    The giant wave crashed down on Traveler, its heavy force almost making him fall from the sky.

    Traveler¡¯s heart sank, the green light on his body suddenly intensified, and the next second, he felt the water around him disappear without a trace.

    Looking around, the ground and the rock walls were dry, without a trace of moisture.

    Not far away, the Staff¡¯s face was filled with gloom.

    In the short time just now, the Mastiff-Head Spirit Envoy had also been hit by the illusion and killed by Remnant and Illo working together.

    ¡°Again!¡±

    The Staff cursed in his heart.

    This kind of scenario had happened more than once since the battle started.

    Whenever they were about to gain the upper hand, Illo, hidden in the shadows, would strike, turning the tide.

    This woman¡¯s illusion abilities were incredibly powerful. Even though they had the Hunter¡¯s information and had taken pre-emptive doses of Clarity Potion to enhance their resistance to illusions, they couldn¡¯t completely resist.

    If not for Illo¡¯s interference, he and Traveler would have defeated Remnant long ago!

 Chapter 165

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Seeing the ember¡¯s arm recover completely and charge at them again, the Staff had no choice but to grit his teeth and fight back.

    He knew the opponent¡¯s intention: to drain their strength, both his and the Traveler¡¯s. Once they showed signs of weakness, Ilor, hidden in the shadows, would strike like a venomous snake, biting them mercilessly.

    As for Puvido and Moss, he had automatically excluded them from his calculations. Neither the fiery giant, Ember, nor the elusive Ilor, possessed the means to deal with those two. Their only purpose was to help absorb some of Ember¡¯s attacks.

    ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s useless. You¡¯re no match for us!¡±

    Ember¡¯s derisive laughter echoed through the cave, causing rock fragments to fall from the walls.

    Boom!

    Ember¡¯s fist slammed into the Traveler. The Traveler¡¯s body glowed a pale blue, momentarily mitigating the attack before fading rapidly.

    At the same time, the Traveler felt a sudden dizziness, and a pair of bright blue eyes seemed to appear before his eyes.

    He instinctively bit his tongue, snapping out of the trance, and poured his Spiritual Power into the branch of the Green Spirit Tree.

    As the blue glow intensified, the disoriented feeling vanished instantly.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    The Traveler cursed under his breath. That woman¡¯s illusions were truly insidious. Any slight lapse in their defenses, and they would fall prey to her magic.

    If this continued, they were doomed to defeat.

    He turned to the Staff, meeting the Staff¡¯s gaze.

    Their eyes locked, and instantly, both understood their plan.

    Without hesitation, the Traveler and the Staff both dashed in opposite directions.

    Ember paused briefly, a moment of indecision flickering in his eyes.

    Which one should he chase?

    Should he split up with Ilor and pursue them individually?

    But doing so would break their combined attack.

    In a one-on-one scenario, he wasn¡¯t entirely confident in his ability to take down either the Staff or the Traveler.

    However, he soon didn¡¯t have to hesitate.

    A muffled whooshing sound filled the air as a sudden gust of wind swept through the entire cave.

    Both the Staff and the Traveler, as well as Puvido and Moss, were momentarily frozen, a look of bewilderment in their eyes.

    ¡°Hahaha, Ilor, you never cease to amaze me!¡±

    Ember laughed, reaching out with both hands to grab Puvido and Moss. His enormous fiery hands clenched, instantly turning the two into a pile of ash.

    He then strode towards the Traveler, smashing him with a punch and sending him flying towards the Staff.

    The Staff and the Traveler had just broken free from the illusions when they looked up to see a circle of scorching flames enveloping them, leaving no room for escape.

    Witnessing this, their hearts sank.

    The woman hidden in the darkness possessed uncanny and unpredictable illusionary powers.

    They wouldn¡¯t be able to escape or defeat Ember unless they dealt with her first.

    But she remained hidden, concealed in the shadows. They were powerless against her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother struggling. Surrender and die. It¡¯ll be less painful.¡±

    Ember¡¯s mocking voice echoed through the flames, coming from all directions.

    The Staff and the Traveler ignored him, attempting to escape again when a thunderous roar suddenly echoed in their ears.

    Turning to the source of the sound, they saw a giant hole tear open in the dense wall of fire, and a figure rushed in.

    The moment they recognized the face, the Staff and the Traveler both beamed with relief.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    Su Nan glanced at the Staff and the Traveler before looking around.

    Were these flames coming from that Ember guy, the Eternal Society¡¯s Wizard Apprentice?

    ¡°You!¡±

    The flames around them momentarily paused. Ember¡¯s low voice resonated, then rose a few pitches.

    ¡°You came at the perfect time. Let¡¯s finish you off together!¡±

    With Ilor assisting from the shadows, even against three Wizard Apprentices of the same rank, Ember was confident in his victory.

    With a burst of laughter, the flames swirled down towards them, a raging torrent cascading upon them.

    At the same time, an odd energy wave enveloped the three.

    Su Nan felt his vision blur, and countless spectral figures with disheveled hair appeared out of thin air, clawing at him.

    ¡°Illusions.¡±

    Su Nan immediately recognized the source of the attack. It explained why the Staff and the Traveler were struggling even against Ember alone, with someone else attacking them from the shadows.

    It must be the woman rumored to be skilled in illusions, Ilor.

    However, even knowing it was an illusion, Su Nan could still feel the chilling atmosphere and the heavy negative energy emanating from the specters.

    This was the power of illusions!

    Even if you knew they were illusions, as long as you couldn¡¯t break them, the damage they caused would be real.

    Without hesitation, Su Nan moved his mind slightly. One of the crimson markings on the back of his right hand suddenly glowed red before vanishing.

    At the same time, a heavy, booming bell sound echoed throughout the cave.

    The spectral figures lunging at Su Nan seemed to collide with something, screaming before dissolving into nothingness.

    In the shadows of a corner of the cave, a graceful figure stumbled out, clutching her chest. A pair of bright blue eyes revealed her pain.

    It was Ilor.

    The sonic attack of the Death Knell Sigil was omnidirectional and indiscriminate.

    The Staff and the Traveler were also affected, but they were further away and had the protection of the Golden Staff and the Green Spirit Tree, so they only felt discomfort.

    Ilor, who was directly in front of Su Nan when she cast the illusion, was directly hit by the soul shock embedded in the sonic waves. It dealt a significant blow to her.

    Another victim of the attack was Ember. The vast wall of flames absorbed most of the sonic attack¡¯s power, erupting like boiling oil splashed with water. Ember¡¯s pained cries echoed through the flames.

    Seizing this opportunity, Su Nan dashed towards Ilor, unleashing a barrage of Spell Missiles.

    Ten Spell Missiles scattered, arcing through the air in various trajectories, attacking Ilor from all sides, completely blocking any chance she had of dodging.

    From afar, the Staff stared with wide eyes.

    ¡°Spell Construction!¡±

    But the truly shocking part was still to come. Following the Spell Missiles, a searing ray of light shot from Su Nan¡¯s palm, its speed like an arrow.

    There was no pause between the two spells.

    ¡°Instant Spell Casting!¡±

    The Staff gasped.

    Another Super Magic Technique!

    Two, no, considering Spell Silent Casting, that would make three!

    Su Nan actually mastered so many Super Magic Techniques!

    Ilor and Ember were equally astonished.

    Wind and water currents converged in front of Ilor, forming a barrier that blocked the searing ray.

    However, the Spell Missiles coming from the sides and behind were impossible to dodge. Ilor could only endure the impact, her invisible shield shattering and dissipating in an instant. The residual energy hit the magical protection of her magical item, causing a ripple effect.

    The power of these spells shocked Ilor.

    They were far more powerful than typical second-ring spells.

    It wasn¡¯t just the enhanced power from Spell Construction. Su Nan¡¯s Spiritual Power must have been exceptionally high!

    Although the Eternal Society had gathered intelligence regarding Su Nan¡¯s powerful strength, Ilor only truly grasped the weight of that description at this moment.

    From Su Nan¡¯s appearance until now, it had only been a few breaths, yet both she and Ember had been injured, and their initial advantage had been reversed, completely beyond their expectations.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    Ember roared, an endless sea of flames surging towards Su Nan, engulfing him and burning him to ash.

    Su Nan remained unfazed. The Ice Seal Necklace around his neck flashed, and a wave of extreme cold erupted from his body, engulfing the surrounding area.

    Crack!

    The surging flames instantly extinguished, transforming into frozen particles that fell to the ground.

    The endless sea of flames rapidly diminished before their very eyes. The temperature in the air plummeted.

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

    Ember let out a bloodcurdling scream, consumed by intense pain. His rage swelled, and the flames expanded and strengthened once more.

    Su Nan sneered, suppressing Ilor with spells, preventing her from using illusions, while simultaneously taking out a new Ice Seal Necklace.

    Instantly, another icy shockwave engulfed the surroundings.

    Then a third, a fourth, and so on.

    The Staff and the Traveler stood speechless.

    They could clearly see that those necklaces were all Gleaming-Grade magical items. And because of that, they were awestruck by Su Nan¡¯s actions.

    It was the first time they had seen someone use Gleaming-Grade magical items like this!

    Other Wizard Apprentices treated their Gleaming-Grade magical items as their trump cards, using them only when absolutely necessary.

    But Su Nan was treating them as consumables, one after another.

    It was outrageous!

    As they watched, the Staff and the Traveler grew numb.

    Within a short span of time, Su Nan had already used his seventh Ice Seal Necklace.

    His Gleaming-Grade magical items must have been more numerous than his own Alchemical-Grade magical items?

    Where did he even get them all?

    Under the onslaught of continuous blows, Ember¡¯s ferocity faded.

    The flames that once engulfed half the cave had shrunk to a height of only two meters, returning to their human form.

    But their color was now exceptionally dim, as if they might extinguish at any moment.

    The fiery face, which was now formed in the shape of a human, revealed a human expression of fear and horror.

    Su Nan¡¯s relentless attacks had dispelled all his fury and madness. The only thing left was pure terror.

    ¡°What the hell is going on with this guy?¡±

    ¡°Why does he have so many Gleaming-Grade magical items?¡±

    The situation had completely reversed. Now, it was Ember and Ilor who were considering retreat.

    They were utterly terrified by Su Nan, realizing that they were no match for him, their minds unconsciously coming up with escape plans.

    Without hesitation, they both retreated, speeding away in different directions.

    Witnessing this, the Staff and the Traveler couldn¡¯t help but sigh in awe.

    They had struggled endlessly to defeat Ilor and Ember, only to find themselves at a disadvantage. But the moment Su Nan arrived, he had driven them into a chaotic retreat.

    The difference in strength was clear as day!

    The Traveler was fine, having already witnessed Su Nan kill Bloodmouth and Deathhand.

    But this was the first time the Staff had seen Su Nan¡¯s true power with his own eyes.

    He had always known Su Nan was strong, but never imagined he was this powerful.

    While marveling at Su Nan¡¯s strength, neither of them stood idly by. They quickly intercepted Ilor and Ember.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother struggling. Surrender and die. It¡¯ll be less painful.¡± The Traveler grinned at Ember.

    Ember had just spoken those same words to them a moment ago, and hearing them again from the Traveler, even the air seemed to fill with a sense of irony.

    Ember gritted his teeth in anger, but his body continued to move, unleashing a furious wave of flames towards the Traveler.

    If he was caught here, he¡¯d be finished once Su Nan made his move.

    But the Traveler understood this as well, and facing Ember¡¯s attack, he didn¡¯t even bother to dodge. He stood his ground, relying on the blue glow surrounding his body to absorb the blow.

    This brief delay gave Su Nan the chance to strike.

    Countless dazzling silver lights tore through the darkness, striking like lightning from afar, engulfing Ember in a storm of metal.

    Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

    Sharp, piercing sounds echoed through the air, merging into a single, continuous noise.

    The silver metallic storm completely engulfed the area where Ember stood!

    The Traveler retreated, staring in shock at the spectacle before him.

    ¡°Spells? That doesn¡¯t seem right. Could it be magical items?¡±

    ¡°But Gleaming-Grade magical items don¡¯t have that kind of power, do they?¡±

    Even though the Traveler wasn¡¯t the target of the attack, he could still feel the terrifying power of the silver metallic storm from where he stood.

    If he had faced this attack head-on, even with the Green Spirit Tree, he wouldn¡¯t be confident in his ability to completely resist it.

    After ten seconds, the metallic storm gradually dissipated.

    Ember¡¯s figure had disappeared, leaving behind only a wisp of smoke and a spatial ring.

    Su Nan reached out and the spatial ring landed in his palm.

    Without pausing, he turned towards Ilor.

    From afar, she saw Ember¡¯s death and her heart sank. She tried to escape, but the Staff clung to her like a shadow.

    Boom!

    At that moment, the nearby rock wall suddenly exploded.

    Amidst the flying rock fragments, several figures rushed out one after another.

    In the dim tunnel.

    Rose and Heart flew in a panic.

    Only the sound of their rapid breathing echoed through the silent tunnel.

    Suddenly, Heart cursed under her breath.

    ¡°Damn it, why did things turn out like this?¡±

    Rose sighed deeply, not responding.

    The sudden roar from the Stone Scorpion had disrupted their ambush, leaving them scattered and disoriented.

    All their companions were separated, and their initial numerical advantage vanished.

    Snapping out of the daze, she realized she was alone.

    After a long search, she finally reunited with Heart and Bones, but then they encountered Saulo.

    The battle erupted in an instant!

    It was only after actually fighting that Rose realized how terrifying the founder of the Eternal Society truly was.

    It was three against one, they had the advantage in numbers, but in the actual confrontation, they were defeated and scattered in just over ten minutes.

    Midway through their flight, Rose and Heart reunited.

    They briefly discussed their strategy and decided to find the others first, and then confront Saulo with their combined strength.

    As they flew further, Rose suddenly paused, her expression changing.

    ¡°Movement!¡±

    Heart snapped out of her daze, listening intently. She also heard sounds coming from a distance.

    They immediately assumed a defensive stance.

    Soon, three figures rushed out from the corner ahead.

    Rose looked closer and sighed with relief.

    The figures were Night Owl, Black Forest, and Hunter, who had been separated from them.

    ¡°You. . .¡±

    Rose was about to ask a question, but Night Owl interrupted her.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    He said, urging them to flee as the three sped towards them, their expressions panicked.

 Chapter 166

    Rose and Red Heart turned and flew away without hesitation.

    Although their hearts were filled with doubts and uncertainties, neither of them was stupid. They knew that whatever was capable of forcing Night Owl and the others to flee in such a sorry state must be incredibly terrifying. At this moment, even the slightest curiosity could lead to unimaginable consequences; escaping was their top priority.

    After flying for three or four hundred meters, Rose suddenly heard a strange sound behind them. It sounded like countless wings flapping simultaneously. She glanced back over her shoulder and her eyes widened in disbelief.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    Five or six hundred meters behind them, a bizarre creature was rapidly pursuing them. The monster appeared to be composed of countless wings, all covered in pale feathers and intertwined to form a single mass. It had no head, no limbs, no facial features. Aside from the countless wings, the only other part of its body was a long tail trailing behind it.

    All the wings flapped simultaneously, moving up and down, left and right with equal force. Such a bizarre flying style should have resulted in chaotic movement, yet the winged creature flew with both speed and stability. It was as if the wings were merely decorative and it was actually relying on another means of flight.

    ¡°What kind of creature is that?¡±

    Seeing Night Owl and the others catching up, Red Heart eagerly asked.

    Night Owl¡¯s expression was solemn, ¡°I don¡¯t know. We were originally looking for you two, and then we encountered this monster. It attacked us as soon as we saw it, and we were no match for it. We had no choice but to run.¡±

    Rose and Red Heart exchanged a glance, both half-believing and half-doubting. Night Owl, Black Forest, and Hunter were all not weak. The fact that the three of them combined were defeated and driven to flee by a single monster was hard to imagine.

    However, they didn¡¯t have long to doubt.

    The winged monster chasing them behind suddenly increased the speed of its wing flaps several times. Its body swelled slightly, as if taking a deep breath. In that instant, Night Owl and the others could clearly feel the air in the tunnel churning.

    Then!

    ¡°Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±

    A terrifying howl echoed through the entire tunnel. The terrifying sound waves spread out like air waves, accompanied by incredibly violent energy fluctuations. Death followed the spread of the sound waves like a shadow, crushing down on everyone like a tidal wave.

    In an instant, all the Wizard Apprentices groaned in unison, their faces behind their masks contorted in pain. Their bodies, which were flying through the air, involuntarily stopped.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, the winged monster quickly closed the distance. Its densely packed wings flapped wildly, churning the air into countless blade-like air currents that shot out, striking Red Heart, who was at the back of the group.

    Almost instantly, Red Heart¡¯s shield spell, energy particle shield, and magical item protection were all torn to shreds by the countless air blades. Immediately after, his body was also shredded into a blood mist.

    Seeing this, the rest of the Wizard Apprentices¡¯ faces changed drastically. They didn¡¯t have time to cast spells, and they hastily activated their magical items. In an instant, a colorful array of light engulfed the winged monster.

    After doing all this, they frantically accelerated their escape.

    Everyone ignored the need to conserve their strength, using all their life-saving techniques, their speed noticeably faster than before.

    However, not long after, a wall of rock suddenly appeared in front of them.

    A dead end!

    Night Owl gritted his teeth and shouted in a deep voice, ¡°Break through the wall!¡±

    At this moment, everyone tacitly agreed, without saying a word, they used their strongest attacks, hitting the wall at the end of the tunnel.

    Boom!

    The thick wall instantly shattered, revealing a black, dark opening behind it.

    Without slowing down, everyone charged into the opening one after another.

    Their vision suddenly darkened, then regained some light.

    The opening led to another huge cave.

    Everyone looked around, their eyes suddenly stopping.

    Not far away, Su Nan, Traveler, and Staff were surrounding Elowen.

    Both sides froze in surprise upon meeting.

    Night Owl was about to speak, but his expression changed abruptly, and he quickly dodged to the side. Rose and Hunter reacted in the same way.

    Boom!

    Countless air blades erupted from the opening, pulverizing the rock wall and widening the opening by several times. Then, the winged monster charged out from inside.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    Traveler and Staff were both startled. They had assumed that Night Owl and the others had been pursued by Saulo and Stone Scorpion, leading to their sorry state. However, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. They appeared to be hunted by this strange creature with countless wings.

    However, Su Nan was even more astonished. He stared intently at the winged monster, his eyes filled with uncertain light. The winged monster before him looked exactly like the statue he had found in Giant Eye City.

    ¡°This monster is the divine creature worshipped by the Eye Demons?¡± Su Nan thought in disbelief.

    After taking down Giant Eye City, he had instructed Red Widow to send people out to search for this divine creature, but they had never found any trace of it. He never expected to encounter it now. But upon second thought, this place wasn¡¯t that far from Giant Eye City. It wasn¡¯t surprising to find this divine creature here.

    ¡°Be careful, this monster is very powerful!¡± Rose¡¯s tone was solemn, ¡°Red Heart died at its hands! It can use Siren¡¯s Howl!¡±

    Hearing this, Staff and Traveler both looked serious. Siren¡¯s Howl was a well-known ultra-large-scale instant kill attack, possessing unmatched terrifying power! Creatures with physical strength and mental power below a certain level would die instantly upon hearing Siren¡¯s Howl, blood pouring from their seven orifices. Even those who could resist it would still be severely injured.

    Although Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices were incredibly strong in terms of both physique and mental power, they couldn¡¯t completely avoid Siren¡¯s Howl.

    Su Nan just shrugged and didn¡¯t speak. The others had only read about Siren¡¯s Howl in books, so they didn¡¯t know much about it. But Su Nan had witnessed it with his own eyes in his previous life.

    A real Siren¡¯s Howl was a power even a formal Wizard would be wary of. If this divine creature had used a real Siren¡¯s Howl, Rose and Night Owl would never have escaped here! This Siren¡¯s Howl was just a similar sonic ability, similar to the sonic attack of a Death Knell Striker.

    Having said that, this divine creature was easily able to kill Red Heart, and its power level was definitely at the level of a four-ring legend, maybe even stronger.

    Thinking of this, Su Nan¡¯s expression also became more solemn.

    ¡°à±à±!¡±

    As if never having encountered so many humans at once, the winged monster paused in surprise. After regaining its senses, it screeched and flapped its wings, whipping up a large mass of air blades that struck out towards everyone.

    After regrouping with their companions, Night Owl and the others felt much more confident. Instead of fleeing, they began to fight back.

    Su Nan looked around and found that Elowen was nowhere to be seen. She probably escaped during the chaos. This woman, skilled in illusion, was a master of hiding. If it hadn¡¯t been for her casting illusions on him before, and being injured by the Death Knell Mark, revealing her form, catching her would have been quite difficult.

    Dismissing his thoughts, Su Nan turned his attention back to the winged monster. The most important thing was to deal with this divine creature first!

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Deafening roars echoed through the cave. The colorful magic light illuminated the cave like daytime.

    The winged monster was probably the first creature in thousands of years in Starlight Continent to be surrounded by seven Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    It was worthy of this lineup.

    Facing the attacks of seven people, it still held its ground. It used air currents to envelop its entire body, blocking the attacks while also constantly flapping its wings, whipping up a large number of air blades to fight back. It also occasionally summoned lightning and thunder, catching everyone off guard.

    ¡°Air currents, and lightning, this creature¡¯s divine energy is probably related to the gods of the sky and air.¡± Su Nan thought to himself.

    The abilities of divine creatures depend on the divine powers they are linked to. For example, the Shrieking Alien, its divine power is linked to sonic powers. The divine power of the winged monster before him could also be easily guessed from its abilities.

    No matter what, a divine creature means divine energy and bloodline marks. It was a rare opportunity to encounter one, so Su Nan wouldn¡¯t miss it.

    ¡°Everyone, how about we split this divine creature?¡± Su Nan said loudly.

    Everyone was in the middle of a fierce battle, and they were stunned to hear Su Nan say this. For a moment, they were almost hit by the oncoming air blades.

    Night Owl looked at Su Nan in confusion and said, ¡°It¡¯s too early to talk about this right now. It¡¯s not too late to discuss dividing the spoils after we kill this monster.¡±

    Rose immediately guessed Su Nan¡¯s intentions, ¡°You want to capture it alive?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Su Nan nodded calmly.

    Everyone was stunned. They were already having a hard time resisting this monster, and it was still uncertain whether they could kill it. Yet Su Nan was thinking about capturing it alive? It was simply absurd!

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to be joking around.¡± Black Forest said unhappily, ¡°If you have time to brag, you might as well help deal with this monster!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression remained calm, and he casually cast a spell projectile, slightly hindering the winged monster¡¯s attack.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to discuss the spoils in advance to avoid disputes later.¡±

    Black Forest said impatiently, ¡°If you can capture this monster alive by yourself, it¡¯s yours!¡±

    ¡°Agreed!¡± Su Nan looked at the others, ¡°What do you say?¡±

    Night Owl and the others exchanged glances, and they all stopped and retreated in unison. They were genuinely curious now.

    They, so many of them together, couldn¡¯t even handle this monster. How was Su Nan going to capture it alive? Even Traveler and Staff, who had seen Su Nan¡¯s power before, thought Su Nan was being a little overconfident now.

    This monster was clearly not something one person could handle, let alone the difficulty of capturing it alive, which was much greater than killing it.

    But they all knew Su Nan wasn¡¯t someone who acted rashly or recklessly. He must have his reasons for doing this, so they decided to watch and see what Su Nan was going to do.

    Having achieved his goal, Su Nan stopped holding back. Silver-bright metallic liquid instantly seeped out of the pores of his body, quickly forming metal spikes that fell down like a torrent of rain, engulfing the winged monster from head to toe.

    ¡°Shishishish!¡±

    The air current barrier that could easily withstand everyone¡¯s spells shattered after only three or four breaths under the attack of the metal storm. Sharp spikes cut through the winged monster¡¯s body, leaving behind bloody wounds.

    ¡°à±à±!¡±

    The winged monster let out a painful cry.

    Watching this, everyone couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Such powerful attacks!¡±

    ¡°Magical item?¡±

    Rose and Traveler, who had seen the Magic Emblem Core before, also widened their eyes in astonishment. They could clearly feel that the power of the Magic Emblem Core was even stronger than before.

    Not paying attention to the reactions of others, Su Nan decisively activated the Death Knell Mark on the back of his hand.

    A piercing sonic wave swept through the area in an instant, causing the winged monster¡¯s body to stiffen in place.

    Seizing the opportunity, Su Nan decisively threw out three high-level rune gems, which transformed into golden-red flames that slammed into the winged monster¡¯s body.

    At the same time, four gray Catastrophe Claws formed out of thin air and clawed down at the winged monster.

    The winged monster was undoubtedly the most powerful creature Su Nan had encountered so far. Therefore, he went all out as soon as he made his move, using almost all his trump cards without holding back.

    He threw out high-level rune gems as if they were worthless, replacing his Catastrophe Rings as soon as they were used, without any hesitation.

    Under Su Nan¡¯s furious bombardment, the winged monster was simply beaten up, howling in pain, unable even to fight back, barely able to hold on.

    The members of the Secret Forest Lodge had already been stunned into silence. They couldn¡¯t believe that Su Nan actually managed to suppress the monster!

    And what were those gray giant claws and those rune-covered gems? Magical items? Those gray claws were one thing, but the power of those gems was clearly beyond the scope of a glimmer-level magical item. What were they?

    Coming back to their senses, everyone subconsciously swallowed. The power that Su Nan was currently displaying was simply shocking. It was on an entirely different level from them.

    Only now did they realize that they had greatly underestimated Su Nan. His true strength was far beyond what they had imagined!

    After a furious barrage of attacks, the Catastrophe Rings on Su Nan¡¯s hands were the first to run out. The Death Knell Mark on the back of his hand had also used three strokes, leaving only the last one. The high-level rune gems were also used up, more than twenty in total.

    Although the consumption was huge, the results were also remarkable. The winged monster lay on the ground, dying, covered in blood, barely breathing.

    Su Nan casually fired a spell projectile, smashing into the winged monster¡¯s body, causing it to convulse and moan, but it couldn¡¯t get up. He then confirmed that the monster had finally lost its ability to resist and let out a long sigh of relief.

    After all, it was a four-ring legendary divine creature. For the sake of safety, he had used most of his trump cards, even his mental strength was on the verge of exhaustion. If he hadn¡¯t been able to defeat the winged monster, he would have had to use his last remaining trump card.

    If he could, Su Nan didn¡¯t want to go to that extent. After all, things weren¡¯t safe yet. Saulo was nowhere to be seen so far. He might be hiding somewhere, watching in the shadows. He had to keep a secret weapon in case of emergencies.

    Approaching the winged monster, Su Nan took out a gem and began to draw a sealing spell array.

    His previous research on Death Knell Strikers had given him some knowledge on how to weaken divine creatures, and now he was putting that knowledge to use on the winged monster.

    Hu!

    At this moment, a dark shadow suddenly emerged from the opening, carrying a foul stench and ruthlessly attacking Su Nan¡¯s back.

 Chapter 167: Calos Giant Python Bloodline, Seed of Killing Intent

    Chapter 167: Calos Giant Python Bloodline, Seed of Killing Intent

    At the same time as Su Nan was attacked, the others in the Mysterious Wooden Hut were also ambushed.

    One after another, dark figures rushed out of the gap, their hissing, eerie cries echoing as they charged towards the group.

    Everyone had taken the Light Sensitivity Potion beforehand, so under their dark vision, they quickly saw the faces of the attackers.

    They were thick, enormous pythons.

    These pythons had transparent bodies that stretched over a hundred meters long. The closer to the head, the more distinct and real they became. You could even see the snake scales, sharp like blades, standing up in rows, covering the head. The teeth in their mouths were like swords, extremely ferocious and terrifying.

    Most of the group¡¯s attention was on the multi-winged monster, so they were caught off guard and bitten by the pythons.

    But they quickly reacted and fought back.

    Bang! Bang!

    The ferocious python heads shattered one after another. The headless snake bodies twitched and retreated.

    However, instead of being relieved, the group was alarmed. After they smashed the python heads, a semi-transparent, tiny snake head was hanging on the spot where they were bitten. Most of the snake heads had penetrated their defenses and were biting into their flesh.

    Under the fluorescent light, the semi-transparent snake heads slowly dissipated, but everyone vaguely felt that something had been added to their bodies.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Hei Lin¡¯s face changed slightly.

    No one answered him. Everyone looked uncertain.

    Su Nan frowned and looked towards the opening of the cave not far away.

    Two figures slowly walked out from inside.

    They were clearly Saulo and Illo.

    Saulo was still holding a head in his hand.

    He threw the head back, sending it flying for more than ten meters before landing on the ground. The head rolled a few times before stopping, revealing a masked face.

    It was the Withered Skeleton.

    Rose¡¯s face changed slightly.

    She had been wondering where the Withered Skeleton had escaped to, but she didn¡¯t expect it to have already perished under Saulo¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Divine creature?¡±

    Saulo¡¯s eyes swept across everyone, finally landing on the multi-winged monster. There was a slight tremor in his indifferent voice.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯m lucky. Besides the Starlight Tower key, there¡¯s an extra bonus.¡±

    His words implied that he already considered the multi-winged monster to be his possession.

    Hei Lin was unhappy with Saulo¡¯s attitude and sneered, ¡°Big words. Your Eternal Society only has two people left now. Two against seven, do you think you have a chance?¡±

    The others also stared at Saulo and Illo with cold eyes.

    While Saulo was indeed powerful and infamous, they had seven people on their side, and most importantly, they had Su Nan. No matter how you looked at it, they had the advantage.

    In fact, it was truly baffling why Saulo and Illo, in this situation, wouldn¡¯t try to escape quietly but instead dared to show themselves.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered as he recalled the scene just now, a faint sense of familiarity.

    ¡°A chance?¡± A cold glint flashed in Saulo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Of course there is.¡±

    The moment the words left his lips, the long robe on his body suddenly flew open, revealing seven snake heads that surged out. Their mouths opened wide, and their forked, crimson tongues stretched out rapidly, shooting towards everyone.

    As they charged, the snake heads swelled dramatically. When they reached the group, their entire heads had expanded to the size of a millstone.

    Everyone used their magic to attack the snake heads.

    Spells of various colors slammed into the snake heads... then dissipated like mud sinking into the sea. The snake heads, however, seemed to have received some kind of tonic, their scales becoming even more profound in color, and their originally somewhat illusory bodies suddenly solidified.

    Hiss! Hiss!

    The snake heads became even more fierce!

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±

    Night Owl and the others¡¯ faces changed drastically. They couldn¡¯t believe it and released a few more spells.

    But without exception, these spells not only failed to harm the snake heads, they became nourishment for the latter¡¯s growth.

    ¡°Damn it! What kind of bloodline ability is this?¡± Hei Lin cursed under his breath with a livid face.

    Such a strange ability, obviously not a spell or magical item characteristic, could only be a kind of bloodline ability.

    But he had never seen such a bizarre bloodline ability.

    Could it be some kind of ancient bloodline?

    Even Rose, who had briefly fought against Saulo in the past, was full of shock now.

    Now she understood that Saulo hadn¡¯t used his full strength back then. Otherwise, she and Red Heart might not have been able to escape.

    But why had Saulo let them go?

    For a time, everyone was forced into a chaotic frenzy by the snake heads. They couldn¡¯t not fight back, but fighting back didn¡¯t work either.

    Only Su Nan remained calm, his eyes flashing with thought.

    He tried attacking with energy particles and magic emblem cores separately, but without exception, the energy was absorbed by the snake heads.

    Of course, not all attacks were like that.

    For example, attacks from external objects like the Ice Sealing Necklace and the High-Level Rune Gem were not absorbed by the snake heads.

    However, even if they used magic items to smash the snake heads, they would soon regrow, the only cost being that the other snake heads would become slightly dimmer.

    Su Nan immediately understood that these snake heads shared the same energy. Unless they depleted the energy and Saulo¡¯s spiritual power, they couldn¡¯t destroy all the snake heads.

    Just then, a scream rang out.

    Everyone turned their heads to see that Saulo had somehow gotten behind Hei Lin. A hand had pierced through the latter¡¯s abdomen, stained with blood, and extended out from the front.

    ¡°Damn woman!¡±

    Hei Lin roared, his skin suddenly cracking, releasing countless brown thorns that wrapped around his body.

    Saulo was forced back by the thorns, retreating more than ten meters.

    A light figure emerged beside him, slowly condensing into Illo¡¯s form.

    It was she who had taken advantage of the moment to use illusion magic to attack Hei Lin, causing a momentary lapse in his mind, which gave Saulo an opportunity.

    Su Nan glanced at Illo. This woman could be considered average in a one-on-one fight, but once she had a partner, she could play a role greater than the sum of her parts, making her the best support.

    After being seriously injured, Hei Lin¡¯s situation became extremely precarious. The snake heads kept attacking him, forcing him to fight defensively, looking very flustered.

    However, what he feared even more was Saulo and Illo, who were watching him intently from the side.

    If he were to be caught off guard by these two again, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    Hei Lin called out to the others for help.

    But everyone else was also in a desperate situation, busy dealing with the snake heads. They couldn¡¯t spare a hand.

    After more than ten breaths, Hei Lin was caught off guard again by Illo¡¯s illusion magic attack. Saulo took advantage of the moment and approached, along with a snake head biting from the other side, tearing Hei Lin into pieces!

    Less than ten minutes into the battle, and despite having the advantage in numbers, the Mysterious Wooden Hut team had suffered the first casualty.

    Seeing this, Night Owl and the others felt their hearts sink to the bottom.

    They couldn¡¯t have imagined that Saulo¡¯s strength was so terrifying.

    He was almost fighting seven people alone, and he was still suppressing them completely. This kind of strength, even across the entire Starlight Continent, was probably unparalleled!

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    A series of sounds suddenly burst out.

    Along with a flash of silver light, seven snake heads shattered almost simultaneously.

    ¡°Fall back!¡±

    Su Nan shouted in a deep voice, at the same time retracting the magic emblem core into his body.

    The already meager spiritual power had been consumed a lot by that attack just now. He couldn¡¯t use the magic emblem core again, otherwise, he would drain his spiritual power.

    Night Owl and the others were stunned for a moment, but they quickly reacted and gathered behind Su Nan.

    Although they didn¡¯t understand what Su Nan was trying to do, the powerful strength he had displayed before had already made him the backbone of the Mysterious Wooden Hut.

    In the current situation, everyone subconsciously looked to him for guidance.

    ¡°What? Do you plan to surrender?¡±

    Saulo said emotionlessly, his eyes glancing at the slowly recovering snake heads.

    Su Nan smiled disdainfully, ¡°Calos Giant Python bloodline, right?¡±

    At these words, Saulo, who had remained indifferent throughout the battle, finally showed a trace of shock on his face, his pupils contracting slightly.

    Night Owl and the others saw it and immediately understood that the so-called Calos Giant Python bloodline was obviously the bloodline that Saulo had fused!

    As long as they knew the opponent¡¯s fused bloodline ability, they could probably find ways to deal with it.

    Thinking of this, everyone suddenly felt their spirits lift.

    Traveler hastily asked, ¡°Su Nan, what are the abilities of the Calos Giant Python bloodline?¡±

    Su Nan explained calmly, ¡°The Calos Giant Python is an ancient beast that feeds on the killing intent of its prey. They will plant a seed of killing intent within their prey. Any creature with the seed of killing intent, as long as they harbor killing intent towards the Calos Giant Python, will constantly provide the Calos Giant Python with nourishment. Besides that, any attack originating from themselves will not harm it. The energy contained in the attack will be absorbed back by it, strengthening its body.¡±

    Night Owl and the others gasped in shock.

    There was such a strange and powerful bloodline?!

    So, the semi-transparent snake heads that had disappeared into their bodies before were the so-called seeds of killing intent.

    No wonder Saulo, despite seeing that they had the advantage in numbers, dared to show himself.

    The Calos Giant Python¡¯s bloodline ability was simply too suitable for fighting a smaller number of enemies!

    Within the range of the number of snake heads, the more enemies there were, the more nourishment the Calos Giant Python would receive, and the stronger it would become!

    Especially when the opponent didn¡¯t know about the Calos Giant Python¡¯s bloodline ability, it was easy to end up giving Saulo a lot of nourishment and energy.

    That was exactly what had happened to them earlier.

    Rose also understood why Saulo had deliberately let them escape before.

    It was to create this current situation.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered a wizard apprentice who recognized the Calos Giant Python bloodline.¡±

    Saulo looked at Su Nan deeply.

    ¡°You have more knowledge than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Stone Scorpion is already dead at your hands, right?¡±

    Su Nan admitted frankly, ¡°That¡¯s right. The Stone Singer¡¯s bloodline ability is very powerful, but as long as you¡¯re prepared beforehand, it¡¯s not difficult to deal with.¡±

    Hearing this, Night Owl and the others couldn¡¯t help but look at Su Nan in astonishment.

    That mysterious Stone Scorpion was actually killed by Su Nan?

    And what kind of bloodline was the Stone Singer?

    For a moment, everyone was speechless.

    Wizard apprentices, in the eyes of ordinary people, were all symbols of profound knowledge.

    But at this moment, standing beside Su Nan, they inexplicably felt a sense of academic inferiority.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t pay attention to the reaction of the Mysterious Wooden Hut group. He waved his hand without turning around and said, ¡°Leave this place.¡±

    ¡°This guy isn¡¯t someone you can deal with just by having more people. I¡¯ll take care of him.¡±

    Night Owl and the others hesitated for a moment, then obeyed and backed away.

    Although they knew about the Calos Giant Python¡¯s bloodline ability, they still didn¡¯t have a good way to deal with it.

    After all, the best weapon to deal with those snake heads was magic items.

    But this was precisely the weakness of many wizard apprentices, including themselves.

    They each had at most one or two glimmer-level magic items, and they had already used them up in the previous battle. Against the snake heads, they were almost helpless, and they would only become tools to feed the opponent.

    It had to be admitted that Saulo¡¯s Calos Giant Python bloodline was extremely effective against wizard apprentices.

    No wonder so many third-rank wizard apprentices had died at his hands.

    Saulo seemed indifferent to Night Owl and the others¡¯ actions, his gaze fixed on Su Nan.

    In his eyes, Su Nan was the most troublesome enemy!

    As long as he killed Su Nan, the rest of the Mysterious Wooden Hut would be nothing to worry about.

    ¡°Can Su Nan do it?¡± Rose asked worriedly.

    Scepter whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Su Nan also has the Mithril Magic Puppet.¡±

    Everyone was stunned for a moment, then their eyes lit up.

    That¡¯s right!

    Puppets were external objects, and they wouldn¡¯t naturally harbor emotions like killing intent. They were the perfect choice to deal with the Calos Giant Python¡¯s bloodline ability.

    And Su Nan just happened to have a Mithril Magic Puppet!

    Magic puppets were huge and couldn¡¯t be carried around in space rings, so everyone hadn¡¯t thought about it in the beginning.

    It wasn¡¯t until Scepter reminded them that they remembered Su Nan had the means to carry magic puppets.

    However, soon, everyone calmed down again.

    A single Mithril Magic Puppet couldn¡¯t decide the outcome in a battle of this level. At best, it could serve as an auxiliary force, giving Su Nan a little more chance.

    After all, even if you removed the Calos Giant Python¡¯s bloodline ability, Saulo himself was one of the top third-rank wizard apprentices.

    The cave suddenly became silent.

    Saulo¡¯s seven snake heads had already recovered to their full glory, their tongues flicking in and out, their cold, ferocious eyes piercing Su Nan like sharp swords.

    At the same time, a figure appeared out of thin air beside Su Nan.

    Night Owl and the others were stunned when they saw it.

    The figure was not the Mithril Magic Puppet they thought it was, but a beautiful girl with snow-white skin.

    ¡°This... is a puppet?¡± Traveler asked in astonishment.

    The others were also puzzled.

    They could sense the distinct soul aura emanating from the girl, so it was definitely a puppet.

    But they had never seen a puppet that looked so much like a human being.

    In order to strengthen their combat power, puppets were usually designed with compromises in construction and appearance. At best, they could maintain a humanoid shape, but you could tell at a glance that they were different from humans.

    Only puppets that weren¡¯t made for combat or labor, but for purely ornamental or special purposes, would be made to look exactly like real people.

    These puppets were usually called dolls, differentiated from battle puppets and labor puppets.

    The girl in front of them looked like a doll.

    But in this situation, what was Su Nan doing with a doll?

    For a time, Night Owl and the others were baffled.

    On the other side, Saulo stared at the girl-puppet for a while, his eyes narrowing.

    ¡°Is this your trump card?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like it?¡± Su Nan smiled faintly and issued a command to the secret puppet, ¡°Let him see your power.¡±

 Chapter 168

    As Su Nan¡¯s voice faded, a dazzling array of colorful lights suddenly appeared on the puppet¡¯s body.

    Everyone present was a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice, their eyes sharp, and they instantly recognized the unique brilliance of magic.

    Levitation, Agility, Brute Force, Toughness, Shield, Elemental Protection...

    In a split second, eight spells were cast upon the puppet.

    This scene left Night Owl and the others stunned, their eyes wide.

    Puppets that could cast spells weren¡¯t unheard of. Wizarding texts recorded techniques for permanently imbuing puppets with spells, but their puppetry skills were not yet at that level, they couldn¡¯t craft such puppets.

    While unable to craft them, they knew that even with such techniques, permanently imbuing three or four spells on a puppet was already considered quite a lot.

    Yet, this puppet had cast eight spells in succession, which meant it had at least eight spells permanently imbued on it!

    They had lived for over a hundred years and had never seen anything like it!

    What kind of puppet, no, what kind of golem was this?

    Saulo was also taken aback.

    He, too, had never seen such a puppet.

    In an instant, his initial contempt vanished, replaced by a grave expression.

    Pfft! Pfft!

    The serpentine body connecting the seven snake heads suddenly severed from Saulo¡¯s body, landing on the ground and transforming into seven thick, long pythons. They charged towards Su Nan with a foul stench in their wake.

    Meanwhile, Saulo raised his hand, releasing an arrow composed of a greenish liquid.

    The Serpent Fang, strengthened with the power of the acid of the Ma-You-Fu!

    ¡°Spellcasting without incantation!¡±

    Night Owl exclaimed, surprised to find that Saulo also had mastered the technique of spellcasting without incantation.

    But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw Hunter, Traveler, and Staff all display peculiar expressions.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Night Owl asked in confusion.

    Traveler grinned and pointed at Su Nan, saying, ¡°You should take a look yourself.¡±

    Night Owl looked over in confusion, then his eyes widened in shock.

    Su Nan was casting spells with every move he made, flashes of magic appearing in rapid succession, each spell seamlessly transitioning into the next.

    Magic Missile, Searing Ray, Shattering Sonic Wave, Blazing Fireball... Almost as soon as one spell was cast, the next one would shine with magic, the speed of casting was astonishing.

    Even more shocking was that the spells Su Nan cast were clearly different from ordinary spells.

    The Magic Missile¡¯s trajectory was unpredictable, the Searing Ray could actually bend, the Shield spell transformed into a protective shield that enveloped his entire body.

    Wait!

    Night Owl suddenly realized that while casting offensive spells, Su Nan had also cast a Shield spell on himself!

    Compound spellcasting!

    Hiss!

    Night Owl gasped, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    Spellcasting without incantation, compound spellcasting, spell construction!

    Su Nan had mastered so many Super Magic Techniques!

    And they were the most difficult ones among the Super Magic Techniques, notoriously hard to master!

    Compared to this, Saulo¡¯s mastery of spellcasting without incantation suddenly seemed insignificant.

    Saulo, on the opposite side, also had an expression of utter shock.

    He had thought that his mastery of spellcasting without incantation made him exceptionally gifted, but Su Nan actually mastered at least four Super Magic Techniques!

    ¡°Is this guy a monster?!¡±

    Saulo, who was always considered monstrous in others¡¯ eyes, couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of jealousy in his mind.

    However, he quickly brushed this thought aside, his attention immediately drawn to the puppet not far away.

    At the same time that he and Su Nan were clashing, the puppet girl and the seven giant pythons were also locked in a fierce battle.

    The puppet girl wielded a sword in one hand and magic in the other, showcasing formidable close-combat skills while also demonstrating her mastery of magic.

    Her casting speed was even faster than Saulo¡¯s.

    In just seven or eight breaths, she had cast no less than twenty different spells.

    How many spells had been permanently imbued on her?

    Even if Su Nan had the skill, what material could handle the burden of so many permanently imbued spells?

    What shocked Saulo even more was the layer of intertwining pale blue and earthy yellow light that enveloped the puppet girl.

    Those were wind-elemental energy particles and earth-elemental energy particles.

    The crimson and azure light covering the blade were fire-elemental energy particles and lightning-elemental energy particles.

    He could also see the puppet girl occasionally releasing large swathes of frost and shadow rays, which were undoubtedly ice-elemental energy particles and shadow-elemental energy particles.

    This puppet could actually control energy particles!

    A wave of astonishment washed over Saulo.

    The puppet¡¯s capabilities completely exceeded his understanding!

    Such abilities, what was the difference between them and a Wizard Apprentice?

    When did golems become capable of controlling energy particles and freely casting spells like Wizard Apprentices?

    No, this puppet was even stronger than many Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices!

    At least based on the power she had displayed so far, in the entire Eternal Society, besides him, probably no one could stand against this puppet!

    Saulo¡¯s heart was filled with indescribable fear.

    Night Owl and the others had been completely dumbfounded, their gazes vacant.

    ¡°It can even control energy particles...¡±

    ¡°Is this really a golem?¡±

    ¡°The bodies of those snake heads haven¡¯t solidified, it must be a golem.¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable...¡±

    They had never imagined that golems could be so refined and powerful!

    It was almost like creating a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice!

    Even stronger than them!

    Boom!

    A giant fireball roared, pulverizing a snake head into dust. The puppet girl kept moving, her figure flashing, dodging two snake heads that attacked from left and right, she then moved with a ghostly grace behind another snake head, her long sword thrust forward, piercing the snake head. Then, flames and lightning erupted, instantly tearing the snake head and its body to shreds.

    Although two new snake heads quickly recondensed, their bodies were noticeably more ethereal, and the scales on the snake heads were becoming increasingly dull.

    Having lost the ability to absorb nourishment from the seeds of killing intent, these seven transformed pythons were no match for the puppet girl.

    With each kill and rebirth, their energy was rapidly depleting.

    Seeing this, Saulo¡¯s heart sank.

    He thought that the Carros Serpent¡¯s Bloodline ability would give him the upper hand against the people from the Mysterious Wooden Hut, but he hadn¡¯t expected Su Nan to have such a hidden trump card.

    ¡°The seven snake heads are useless now. My only option is to kill Su Nan first!¡±

    A cold glint flashed in Saulo¡¯s eyes, his hands shot out, twisting and contorting into two grotesque snake heads. They extended towards Su Nan at lightning speed, their forked tongues hissing as they lunged forward to bite.

    At the same time, a strange wave enveloped Su Nan¡¯s entire body.

    Mysterious spiritual power burrowed into Su Nan¡¯s mind, attempting to warp his thoughts.

    ¡°You never learn, do you?¡±

    Su Nan sneered, without hesitation, he used the last Death Knell mark.

    As the muffled, thunderous sound of the death knell erupted, Elo emerged from the shadows a hundred meters away, staggering. Before she could catch her breath, two Golden-Steel Golems descended from the sky, surrounding her from both sides, their iron fists slamming down towards her head.

    Night Owl and the others, who were about to rush forward to help, stopped in their tracks upon seeing this, their hearts secretly filled with awe.

    Not one, but two Golden-Steel Golems!

    On the other side, Saulo was also shaken by the death knell¡¯s sonic wave, groaning in pain. The two grotesque snake heads exploded into a cloud of bloody mist.

    He withdrew his hands, his two arms already covered in blood.

    ¡°Bloodline mark!¡±

    Saulo¡¯s temples throbbed.

    He had lived for nearly two hundred years, and he had encountered at least sixty or seventy Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices in his lifetime, but he had never encountered anyone like Su Nan, whose trump cards seemed to be endless.

    It was a real headache!

    The only thing he could be grateful for was that Su Nan had expended a lot of energy in the previous battles, and his spiritual power was probably at its limit. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have stopped using magic after one exchange.

    In other words, Su Nan now only had his magic items left.

    As long as he depleted Su Nan¡¯s magic items, he could kill him!

    His mind racing, Saulo made his decision. He pointed two fingers at the palm of his right hand and forcefully slashed it. The skin immediately split open, but instead of blood, it was a grayish, viscous liquid that flowed out.

    With his excellent eyesight, Su Nan clearly saw that there seemed to be small white dots the size of sesame seeds in the liquid.

    Upon contact with the air, the white dots expanded rapidly as if inflated, becoming egg-like objects, then cracked open, revealing slender snakes immersed in the viscous liquid.

    The viscous liquid evaporated quickly in the air, and at the same time, the snakes inside grew rapidly.

    In the blink of an eye, the cavern was filled with hundreds of pythons, each over ten meters long, hissing and lunging towards Su Nan.

    Su Nan¡¯s expression remained unchanged, he flipped his wrist, and a High-Grade Rune Gem materialized in his palm.

    The next moment, there was a deafening boom, countless snake-like streaks of electricity exploded in the cavern, instantly annihilating dozens of pythons.

    Saulo¡¯s eyelid twitched, he gritted his teeth and released a large number of snake eggs.

    Su Nan had also seen Saulo¡¯s intention at this point, he let out a dry chuckle and pulled out another High-Grade Rune Gem.

    For a time, the sounds of hissing pythons and muffled thunder echoed endlessly in the cavern!

    Pythons kept emerging, only to be obliterated by lightning.

    The center of the cavern had become a battlefield akin to a meat grinder!

    Night Owl and the others, watching from the sidelines, subconsciously swallowed their saliva, secretly filled with awe.

    If they were to face either of these two, they would have been killed long ago!

    The strength of these two was simply on a different level than theirs!

    Boom!

    The lightning exploded, once again annihilating the surrounding pythons!

    Saulo turned pale, but he didn¡¯t take any further action this time.

    After all, the snake eggs in his body weren¡¯t endless. After the fierce battle just now, he had already exhausted all the snake eggs.

    Seeing this, Su Nan let out a cold chuckle, flipping his palm, four High-Grade Rune Gems were nestled between his fingers, shining brightly in the fluorescent light from the cavern ceiling.

    For this mission, he had prepared over a hundred High-Grade Rune Gems.

    The previous battles, especially against the Multi-Winged Monster, had consumed a lot of them, but he still had nearly a hundred left.

    Saulo wanted to engage in a war of attrition with him, he was simply seeking his own demise.

    Even if another Saulo were to appear, he wouldn¡¯t be able to win a war of attrition!

    To be frank, even if he were to run out of High-Grade Rune Gems, he still had the Golden Apple and the Golem Legion in the Magic Cube, he wouldn¡¯t possibly lose in a war of attrition.

    From the moment he decided to engage in a war of attrition, Saulo¡¯s fate was essentially sealed.

    Seeing the four gems in Su Nan¡¯s palm, Saulo instantly turned ashen.

    The next moment, accompanied by a deafening boom, blinding lightning engulfed Saulo!

    Not far away, the seven snake heads, already battered and battered by the puppet, were so ethereal that they seemed about to disappear, suddenly twitched as if electrocuted, then shattered like bubbles, vanishing without a trace.

    Su Nan fixed his gaze, as the lightning dissipated, only a charred corpse remained.

    ¡°The body infused with the bloodline of an ancient creature is indeed formidable, it didn¡¯t even turn to ashes.¡±

    Su Nan exclaimed in admiration.

    The combined power of four High-Grade Rune Gems striking in succession would reduce even a Golden-Steel Golem to ashes, Saulo¡¯s body could still remain, his physique was truly remarkable.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t rashly rush forward, he had the puppet girl inspect the body to confirm Saulo¡¯s death, then he had the puppet girl take his spatial ring and then looked towards Elo who was not far away.

    The golems were immune to all illusions, under the attack of the two Golden-Steel Golems, Elo no longer had the composure she had before, but instead, she was in a precarious situation.

    Seeing Saulo die at Su Nan¡¯s hands, she realized that things weren¡¯t looking good for her and tried to escape, but Su Nan¡¯s gaze had already fallen on her.

    ¡°I let you run away during the chaos last time, but you dared to return, do you think you¡¯ll have a second chance?¡±

    Su Nan sneered.

    Without him needing to do anything, the puppet girl charged forward.

    Facing an opponent who was as powerful as a top-tier Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice and immune to illusions, Elo was almost helpless. In just one encounter, the puppet girl tore through her shields and magical items, then beheaded her with a single blow.

    The severed head flew high into the air, landing over ten meters away, then rolled a considerable distance before coming to a stop. Its bright blue eyes stared fixedly at the top of the cavern, still filled with the lingering fear and unwillingness.

    Su Nan shrugged.

    While specializing in illusion could be immensely powerful in certain situations, it was completely ineffective against opponents who were immune to illusions, leaving them completely helpless.

    ¡°But even though there¡¯s no need to specialize in it, it¡¯s still worth exploring.¡±

    Su Nan took Elo¡¯s spatial ring, opened it, and took a look. Inside were many wizarding texts, perhaps he could find some illusion spells in them.

    He put away the ring and glanced at Night Owl and the others not far away, then walked towards the Multi-Winged Monster.

    Due to being in a corner, the Multi-Winged Monster had not been affected by the fierce battle just now, and it had actually recovered some strength.

    Seeing Su Nan approaching, this divine creature immediately flapped its wings anxiously, using the air currents to lift its body, trying to escape, but the puppet girl swatted it down with a single blow.

    Then, she landed a few more punches, leaving the Multi-Winged Monster completely helpless.

    Only then did Su Nan take out the gem and begin drawing the sealing array.

    Only then did Night Owl and the others finally recover from their daze, looking at Su Nan¡¯s back with a mix of awe and admiration.

    The formidable founder of the Eternal Society, had perished at the hands of Su Nan.

    Before that, he had just barely managed to subdue a Fourth-Ring Legendary divine creature.

    Such strength was truly astounding.

    They had known Su Nan for so long, and only today did they truly understand how powerful he was.

    In the entire Southeast Territory, they couldn¡¯t find a Wizard Apprentice more formidable than Su Nan!

 Chapter 169

    A moment later.

    Su Nan completed the sealing magic array.

    The multi-winged monster, with most of its power sealed, completely wilted, being carried on the shoulder of a golden golem. It had resigned itself to its fate and no longer resisted.

    Putting the puppet girl and another golden golem into the magic cube, Su Nan then walked toward the group from the mysterious wooden hut, his gaze falling on the Hunter.

    ¡°The deal is done. Now it¡¯s your turn to keep your promise.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Rose, Traveler, and the others all perked up, turning their heads to look at the Hunter.

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    The Hunter smiled and took out the Dawn Potion and the Starlight Tower key, handing them out to everyone.

    The Starlight Tower key in hand, Rose and Traveler¡¯s eyes flashed with joy.

    They had taken such a huge risk, almost dying, all for the Starlight Tower key.

    With this, they had a chance to become wizards.

    Only Night Owl¡¯s expression was a little complex.

    There were only nine people in the mysterious wooden hut in total, and three had died during this operation. The trading scale that had been built up with great effort suddenly returned to what it had been ten years ago.

    Now they would have to find new members again.

    Having obtained what he wanted, Su Nan didn¡¯t stay long. He bid farewell without any hesitation and left.

    He still had a lot to do.

    Watching Su Nan¡¯s figure disappear at the entrance of the cave, the remaining five people looked at each other, their eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Su Nan to be hiding so deep.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that he was hiding, it¡¯s more like we never saw through him.¡±

    ¡°Right, I feel like Su Nan might not even have used his full strength when he killed Sauro. He might have other tricks up his sleeve.¡±

    ¡°Shhh, stop thinking about it. I feel like a complete loser if I keep thinking about it.¡±

    Traveler quickly ended the topic. Looking at the talisman stone in his hand, he asked the Hunter:

    ¡°Hunter, tell me the truth, how many Starlight Tower keys do you have in your possession?¡±

    The Hunter shook his head: ¡°Besides these given to you, there are only four left. Three were originally reserved for Wraith, Black Forest, and Red Heart. Evans only gave me this many.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Evans?¡± Staff asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± The Hunter spread his hands. ¡°After I drew the attention of the Eternal Society, that guy disappeared without a trace. But I guess he must have quite a few Starlight Tower keys on him.¡±

    Traveler sighed: ¡°It used to be hard to get even a little clue about the Starlight Tower. Now, the Starlight Tower keys have suddenly appeared in a big pile. The Starlight Royal Family really kept it hidden well.¡±

    Staff frowned: ¡°I hope that Evans guy is hiding well. I don¡¯t want to encounter a lot of wizard apprentices when we find the Starlight Tower in six years.¡±

    Although based on current information analysis, the Starlight Tower inheritance is not competitive, the resources for each wizard lineage are limited. The more people enter, the fewer resources will be shared by each person.

    If possible, they didn¡¯t want too many wizard apprentices to enter the Starlight Tower.

    If they couldn¡¯t find Evans, they would even want to capture him, lock him up for six years, until they obtained the Starlight Tower inheritance.

    ¡°There are still six years.¡± Night Owl said in a deep voice. ¡°Get yourselves ready, everyone.¡±

    Back in Giant Eye City, Su Nan went straight through the spatial passage and returned to Dragon Forest.

    A flash of light, and he appeared in the¸ÄÔìÇø (remodeling area) on the thirteenth floor of Dragon Bone Tower.

    The three remodeling areas in Dragon Bone Tower all had dedicated detention rooms for confining sub-dragons and dragon species.

    Su Nan found a detention room of the highest level, threw the multi-winged monster in, instructed Butler No. 1 to watch over it, and then returned to the control center on the top floor.

    After the battle, the next thing to do was the pleasant moment of counting the spoils of war.

    This time, Su Nan obtained a total of seven spatial rings. Besides the four from the Eternal Society, he also got the spatial rings of Black Forest, Wraith, and Red Heart.

    He got the first two from Sauro.

    He quietly obtained the last one while everyone was desperately fleeing from the pursuit of the multi-winged monster.

    He had avenged Red Heart by defeating the multi-winged monster, so it was reasonable to take his spatial ring as a reward.

    Yes, it was very reasonable.

    Su Nan first opened Red Heart¡¯s spatial ring.

    Gold and silver coins, gems, wizard tomes, potions, materials... These were all common items found in wizard apprentices¡¯ spatial rings.

    Su Nan had already accumulated rich experience in this area, and he efficiently sorted them by category.

    He was slightly disappointed that there wasn¡¯t anything particularly eye-catching inside.

    The most valuable item might be a bottle of high-grade sub-dragon blood.

    Unfortunately, that was the last thing Su Nan needed now.

    The second ring he opened was Black Forest¡¯s.

    Compared to the previous one, there were more materials in this spatial ring.

    There were a lot of rare magic plants.

    But still, nothing particularly exciting.

    It wasn¡¯t until he opened Wraith¡¯s spatial ring that Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up slightly.

    Soul crystals!

    A hundred soul crystals!

    Although they were all miniature soul crystals, they were still very valuable.

    ¡°Now I have enough materials to synthesize a medium-sized soul crystal!¡±

    It took about one hundred and twenty miniature soul crystals to synthesize a medium-sized soul crystal.

    Su Nan had been saving up miniature soul crystals for a long time to synthesize the medium-sized soul crystals needed for the puppet.

    But now he had enough materials to synthesize a second medium-sized soul crystal, and he just needed to accumulate enough mithril to refine a second puppet.

    The puppet¡¯s powerful combat strength had been demonstrated in today¡¯s battle.

    Without a doubt, this was the puppet that Su Nan would focus on researching and refining in the future, without any question.

    Besides the soul crystals, what made Su Nan even more excited was that he found wizard tomes related to manufacturing soul crystals in the spatial ring.

    Although it only recorded how to manufacture miniature and small soul crystals, it was enough.

    With the synthesis magic cube in hand, as long as he had enough miniature soul crystals, he could even synthesize legendary soul crystals.

    Overjoyed, Su Nan immediately flipped through the tomes.

    Supported by his powerful spiritual power, it only took him less than half an hour to read the entire book, and he frowned slightly in thought.

    ¡°Only third-rank wizard apprentices can extract souls and condense soul crystals?¡±

    If that¡¯s the case, he could only manufacture soul crystals himself.

    After all, there was no other third-rank wizard apprentice in the entire base besides him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no shortage of souls. There are plenty of indigenous tribes and city-states around the Star Alliance. A small-scale war to wipe out a tribe could at least produce dozens of soul crystals.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a war to wipe out a city like Giant Eye City, it would be no problem to produce hundreds of soul crystals, and even a few small soul crystals.¡±

    A legendary being could create a small soul crystal.

    Although legendary creatures were rare in the vast underground world, they were certainly not uncommon.

    ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t be short of soul crystals anymore.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s brow relaxed, and he smiled.

    With enough soul crystals, he wouldn¡¯t have to consume so many stone golems to synthesize first-ring and second-ring legendary puppets. He could directly use steel golems to replace elite stone golems, and then use steel golems to synthesize elite steel golems, replacing the higher-level stone golems, greatly saving costs.

    Putting down Wraith¡¯s spatial ring, Su Nan happily opened the Eternal Society¡¯s spatial rings.

    There was nothing unexpected in Ember and Scorpion¡¯s spatial rings.

    Iro¡¯s spatial ring was also similar, except for some wizard tomes about illusion that Su Nan was interested in.

    He took out these tomes and placed them aside, ready to study them at some point. Finally, he turned to Sauro¡¯s spatial ring.

    ¡°The founder of the Eternal Society, he should have a lot of good stuff.¡±

    Su Nan opened the spatial ring, and a smile appeared on his face.

    As expected, Sauro¡¯s spatial ring could be called a treasure trove.

    Just the gold coins were estimated to be seventy to eighty thousand, and there were over two thousand gems, including high-grade gems.

    Just these two items alone were worth more than one hundred thousand gold coins!

    Besides that, there were a lot of magic plants, rare metals, and other materials.

    There were also numerous potions and soul crystals.

    Su Nan even found a medium-sized soul crystal inside.

    He didn¡¯t know how many legendary knights Sauro had killed to collect enough souls to create this medium-sized soul crystal.

    Or maybe they weren¡¯t legendary knights, but the souls of wizard apprentices?

    Su Nan smiled and accepted this medium-sized soul crystal.

    After sorting through all the treasures and materials, he was left with over a hundred wizard tomes.

    The wizard tomes that Sauro kept in his spatial ring were naturally not ordinary.

    After a quick glance, Su Nan found many interesting tomes.

    ¡°The founder of the Eternal Society, he has quite a few rare knowledge inheritances in his hands.¡±

    Su Nan smiled.

    And when he picked up the last tome and saw the words on the cover, his eyes lit up.

    ¡¶The Model Construction of Talent Crystal ¡®Killing Intent¡¯¡·

    Talent crystal!

    Su Nan hurriedly opened the book and read it carefully.

    The three criteria for becoming a wizard ¨C star ring, spiritual power, and most importantly, the talent crystal!

    Once the number of constructed star rings and spiritual power meet the standards, wizard apprentices will have to face the most difficult hurdle in becoming a formal wizard ¨C constructing a talent crystal model!

    A talent crystal model is essentially a collection of runes.

    Different types and quantities of runes will ultimately form different talent crystal models, resulting in different abilities.

    Talent crystals can be said to be the most important combat means of a wizard, determining a wizard¡¯s future growth potential and combat strength. Their importance is self-evident.

    Talent crystals can be divided into upper, middle, and lower levels, from highest to lowest.

    If you want to break through and become a true spirit wizard in the future, you must construct at least a middle-level talent crystal.

    The chances of a lower-level talent crystal wizard becoming a true spirit wizard are extremely slim.

    In fact, the chances of a middle-level talent crystal wizard becoming a true spirit wizard are less than one in a hundred.

    Only upper-level talent crystal wizards are qualified to aspire to become true spirit wizards.

    Sauro¡¯s book described the model construction method for a lower-level talent crystal called ¡®Killing Intent¡¯.

    A wizard who becomes a formal wizard through the ¡®Killing Intent¡¯ talent crystal can master the ability to release a killing intent field centered on themselves. All creatures within the killing intent field will continuously suffer from the killing intent impact. Creatures with weak wills can easily fall into madness.

    Besides that, the wizard can also recover their physical strength and spiritual power slightly through killing, truly becoming stronger through battle!

    It¡¯s easy to imagine how terrifying a wizard with this ability would be on the battlefield against knights!

    And this is just a lower-level talent crystal!

    This shows how powerful formal wizards are!

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s only a lower-level talent crystal model.¡±

    Su Nan was slightly disappointed.

    He was definitely going to become a true spirit wizard in the future, so he would definitely aim for an upper-level talent crystal.

    Lower-level and middle-level talent crystals were not even considered.

    There are three steps to constructing a talent crystal.

    The first is to decide which talent crystal model to construct.

    Talent crystal models are usually improved and deepened based on the original model.

    The simplest and most common approach is to improve and deepen a certain spell model as the original model.

    There is also the option of replicating and extracting the characteristics of a certain magic item as the original model.

    The last one is to use bloodline abilities as the original model.

    This option is usually chosen by wizard apprentices who are following the bloodline wizard path.

    For example, the ¡®Killing Intent¡¯ talent crystal model is clearly improved from the original model based on the Carloss giant python bloodline ability.

    Wizard apprentices who have fused the Carloss bloodline ability, if they become formal wizards with the ¡®Killing Intent¡¯ talent crystal, will have higher combat strength and potential than other wizards who have constructed a lower-level talent crystal because the talent crystal is very compatible with their bloodline.

    In the early stages, bloodline wizards generally have more advantages than true spirit wizards.

    In a way, this can be seen as sacrificing potential in exchange for advantages.

    In short, when choosing a talent crystal model, wizard apprentices can choose talent crystal models left by their predecessors, or they can choose to research and create new models.

    The advantage of the former is that it saves time and effort, and because the model has been proven feasible by predecessors, there is no need to worry about any accidents.

    The disadvantage is that these models may not be entirely suitable for you.

    Every talent crystal model, when it was created, was created based on the creator¡¯s own conditions.

    Even if the souls and bodies of two people are very similar, they cannot be perfectly matched in every detail, there must be differences.

    This can lead to the later generations not being perfectly compatible with the talent crystal model, affecting their performance to some extent.

    This may not be obvious in the early stages, but it will definitely be revealed when aspiring to higher realms in the future, becoming an obstacle to breakthroughs.

    Therefore, all ambitious wizard apprentices, without exception, will choose to research and create their own models.

    Even those wizard apprentices who follow the family bloodline inheritance path, who are forced to choose the talent crystal models left by their ancestors, will still adjust and modify them to make them more suitable for themselves, never accepting them uncritically.

    And Su Nan, naturally, intended to choose the second path.

    In fact, he had already decided on the original model for the talent crystal he would construct.

    That was the magic emblem core, which he had always regarded as his trump card!

 Chapter 170: Synthetic Idea, An Unprecedented Model

    Chapter 170: Synthetic Idea, An Unprecedented Model

    The Magic Emblem Core is incredibly powerful, both offensively and defensively. It¡¯s undoubtedly the best choice as the original model for the Talent Crystal.

    At least, it¡¯s the best option among the resources currently available to Su Nan.

    In fact, as early as when he fused the first Magic Emblem Core, Su Nan already had a vague plan.

    Only recently, has this thought gradually become clear.

    The Magic Emblem Core is originally constructed from countless runes, and similar to the Talent Crystal model, its essence is also a collection of runes. It¡¯s not difficult to modify it into a Talent Crystal model.

    More importantly, the Magic Emblem Core can be infinitely upgraded and strengthened.

    As long as he is willing to spend time, Su Nan can completely use the Magic Emblem Core as a sample to create a higher-level Talent Crystal model.

    For Su Nan, who is currently in the resource-scarce Starlight Continent, a place where even official Wizards cannot be easily reached, this is undoubtedly the best outcome.

    He estimates that on the current Starlight Continent, only the three major Wizard inheritances might have the construction methods for medium to high-level Talent Crystal models.

    However, the Starlight Tower will not open for another six years, and he doesn¡¯t plan to wait until then.

    Moreover, if there are no higher-level Talent Crystal models in the Starlight Tower, wouldn¡¯t he have wasted years of time?

    In conclusion, choosing the Magic Emblem Core as the original model is clearly the best choice.

    The second step in constructing a Talent Crystal is to construct the model.

    Generally speaking, the higher the level of the Talent Crystal model, the more runes it contains, and the construction difficulty increases exponentially.

    Even the lowest-level, lower-level Talent Crystal model contains between 800,000 to 1 million runes, far exceeding the Magic Emblem Core.

    With such an astonishing number of runes, the construction time naturally takes decades.

    The medium and higher-level Talent Crystal models are even more difficult.

    In fact, many Wizard Apprentices, after reaching the Star Ring and spiritual power requirements, get stuck at this stage. They never manage to construct a complete Talent Crystal model until their death.

    Of course, there are ways to shorten the time it takes to construct a Talent Crystal model.

    The Wizard world has many potions that accelerate the construction of Talent Crystal models.

    Basically, any potion that can improve meditation efficiency can have an effect in this regard.

    ¡°I have the Divine Blood Amber and the Transcendent Potion, so the speed of constructing the Talent Crystal model should be faster than usual. However, it¡¯s still unlikely to construct a Talent Crystal model before the Starlight Tower appears.¡±

    After all, it¡¯s a higher-level Talent Crystal. The difficulty of construction is several times higher than that of a lower-level one.

    It would be considered fast if it could be completed within ten years.

    Unless there are other potions to increase construction speed.

    If it were a lower-level Talent Crystal model, it could be completed before the Starlight Tower appears.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I wonder if the Talent Crystal model can be synthesized?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up with inspiration.

    The Magic Cube can only synthesize physical objects, while the Talent Crystal model and the Magic Emblem Core are both constructed from runes. They lack rare metals as a carrier, so he is not sure if they count as physical objects.

    ¡°I can try it.¡±

    After thinking for a while, Su Nan quickly made up his mind.

    It¡¯s impossible to construct a higher-level Talent Crystal model before the Starlight Tower opens. He might as well use the Magic Emblem Core as the original model to construct a lower-level Talent Crystal model and see if it can be synthesized.

    If it fails, at most he¡¯ll waste a few years, which can be considered as accumulating experience for constructing a higher-level Talent Crystal model.

    But if it succeeds, then it¡¯s a huge gain.

    Perhaps he can synthesize a Talent Crystal that is more advanced than the higher-level model, an unprecedented Talent Crystal!

    The benefits to his future Wizard path are self-evident!

    ¡°Worth a try!¡±

    Su Nan made up his mind.

    The third step in constructing a Talent Crystal model is to crystallize the model.

    Wizard Apprentices need to inject their spiritual power into the constructed model, filling it to transform it into a crystalline body.

    This process also takes a very long time, often measured in years.

    After all, the Wizard Apprentice¡¯s spiritual power is a drop in the bucket compared to the spiritual power required for the model¡¯s crystallization.

    The entire process is a repetition of injecting and recovering spiritual power.

    The only way to shorten this process is to use special items to speed up the recovery of spiritual power, reducing the time spent.

    Su Nan has already made arrangements for this.

    He currently has a very suitable item in his possession ¨C the Golden Apple!

    After eating the Golden Apple, one can obtain the magical effect of infinite vitality. No matter how much stamina and spiritual power is consumed, they can instantly recover to their peak state, lasting for about an hour.

    This one hour should be enough for him to fill the higher-level Talent Crystal model.

    ¡°Next year¡¯s Revival Moon, I should be able to build the seventeenth Star Ring. Afterwards, I will construct the eighteenth Star Ring, raising my spiritual power to 60 points, and I can begin constructing the Talent Crystal model.¡±

    ¡°Before that, I¡¯ll get the model done first.¡±

    Su Nan let out a long breath. He has a lot on his plate.

    Manufacturing Soul Crystals, refining Steel Golems, and synthesizing new Second-Rank Legendary Puppets.

    Extracting the blood of the Multi-Winged Monster to research bloodline markings, and extracting divine energy.

    Creating the Talent Crystal model.

    Every task requires a significant amount of time.

    Moreover, he cannot neglect his training.

    Su Nan has already foreseen the upcoming busy scene.

    ¡°The formation of the third small Golem Legion also needs to be put on the agenda.¡±

    Su Nan glanced at the several spatial rings in front of him.

    The ambush on the Eternal Society, although encountering several unexpected events, was still a success, and the harvest was extremely rich.

    Not to mention the Multi-Winged Monster, just these seven spatial rings alone, with their combined value, definitely exceed 500,000 gold coins.

    After all, the original owners were all top students among the Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, each with a considerable fortune.

    With this money, the funding gap for the formation of the third small Golem Legion was instantly reduced.

    Leaving the control center, Su Nan returned to his study and summoned Carolina and Black Widow.

    ¡°The Rune Knights stationed in Giant Eye City can withdraw.¡±

    After casually giving an order, Su Nan continued:

    ¡°From now on, if you discover other tribes and city-states, report to me immediately.¡±

    Carolina responded first, then asked with confusion: ¡°Master, do you have other plans?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hide anything: ¡°I need a lot of souls to manufacture Soul Crystals.¡±

    Carolina and Black Widow understood.

    Both of them were ruthless and bloodthirsty individuals. They had no problem with using creature souls to manufacture Soul Crystals.

    If they knew how to extract souls, they would have already started doing it themselves.

    Soul Crystals are precious.

    After inquiring about the progress of the exploration, seeing that there were no issues, Su Nan waved his hand, dismissing the two women. Then, he left Dragon Forest and returned to Base 1, going straight to the palace.

    When he saw Kei, the latter was practicing martial arts.

    After becoming the king, Kei didn¡¯t neglect his training. He still practiced breathing techniques and martial arts diligently every day.

    With the support of abundant Dragon Blood Fruits, he had already broken through to become a Second-Rank Legendary Knight two months ago.

    A Second-Rank Legendary Knight at only 31 years old was unique in the entire Starlight Continent.

    However, at this level, if he wanted to quickly improve using Dragon Blood Fruits, he would have to consume sixth-grade Dragon Blood Fruits.

    There weren¡¯t even enough Dragon Blood Fruits harvested from the entire Botanical Garden in a single mature cycle to synthesize one.

    The key is that one isn¡¯t enough, and he would have to consume them long-term.

    Considering this, Kei reduced the amount of Dragon Blood Fruit he consumed.

    Otherwise, even if Su Nan could provide them, he wouldn¡¯t have enough money to spend on them.

    As long as he could be promoted to a Third-Rank Legendary Knight within six years, catching up with the opening of the Starlight Tower, it would be fine. There¡¯s no need to rush.

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    When Kei finished his training and walked over, Su Nan directly threw a talisman stone and a potion at him.

    Kei reached out and steadily caught them, examining them for a moment before a look of joy appeared on his face.

    He had already heard Su Nan mention the ambush on the Eternal Society. Seeing this, he immediately understood that this stone was the key to the Starlight Tower and the potion was Dawn Potion.

    For a long time, Kei finally recovered from his joy. It seemed like he remembered something and asked:

    ¡°What about the Eternal Society?¡±

    ¡°Starting today, the Eternal Society no longer exists on the Starlight Continent,¡± Su Nan said with a slight smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Kei¡¯s face beamed with joy.

    The existence of the Eternal Society was a threat to the rule of any king, a destabilizing factor.

    After all, no one knew when those maniacs would cause disaster.

    The demise of the Eternal Society was undoubtedly good news for the entire Southeast Region of the continent.

    ¡°There¡¯s something else I need to tell you.¡±

    Su Nan relayed what Rose had told him earlier.

    After listening, Kei pondered for a long time, his expression solemn as he said:

    ¡°This is a good suggestion.¡±

    ¡°The Azure Gold Empire has been increasingly active lately, almost openly threatening to attack the Principality. Although I¡¯m not afraid, it¡¯s still a bit difficult to fight the Empire alone. Even if I defeat them, other countries may take advantage of the situation. It¡¯s better to find a few more allies and seize this opportunity to destroy the Empire once and for all!¡±

    The Azure Gold Empire had been the overlord of the Southeast Region for hundreds of years, with deep roots. Even with the Black Rock Knights and the Golem Legion, the Starry Principality didn¡¯t dare to guarantee victory against the Empire.

    It¡¯s good to have other countries to share the pressure.

    Moreover, even if they conquered the Azure Gold Empire, the Starry Principality¡¯s current size would make it difficult to swallow it whole. It¡¯s better to give up some benefits in exchange for reduced casualties, which is a good deal.

    Su Nan nodded, saying nothing.

    He was just delivering a message. As for what to do next, it was up to Kei to decide.

    As for the war on the surface, besides the deal with the Starry Principality, Su Nan didn¡¯t intend to get involved.

    At this stage, he was focusing more on improving his strength and expanding the Star Alliance. He didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to the war on the surface.

    As long as he and the Star Alliance were there as a backing, the Starry Principality wouldn¡¯t have to worry about defeat.

    ¡°If we go to war with the Azure Gold Empire, I hope to hire a Golem Legion from you.¡± Kei said.

    Su Nan thought about it and agreed.

    He planned to form the third small Golem Legion soon. It would be fine to detach one to support the surface, and it would also earn him some money to ease the financial pressure.

    After that, Su Nan started to get busy.

    After personally destroying several native tribes and a native city-state, he obtained a large amount of Soul Crystals. He then started mass-producing Steel Golems and synthesizing them.

    It takes six Steel Golems to synthesize one Elite Steel Golem, costing approximately 9,000 gold coins.

    With the constant magic and enchantment processing, the total cost was only around 12,000 gold coins, which is 10,000 gold coins less than the same level Elite Stone Golem!

    In other words, if the entire small Golem Legion was replaced with Steel Golems and Elite Steel Golems, replacing the Elite Stone Golems and Higher Stone Golems, it could save approximately 300,000 gold coins.

    And the cost of forming a small Golem Legion is only around 700,000 gold coins.

    It can be said that it saves more than 40% of the cost!

    The wealth Su Nan gained from the ambush on the Eternal Society alone was enough to form a small Golem Legion.

    This is the biggest benefit of mastering the manufacturing technology of Soul Crystals!

    Su Nan immediately decided to stop synthesizing Elite and Higher Stone Golems and replace them all with Steel Golems.

    After that, Su Nan tried synthesizing Third-Rank Legendary Puppets using Steel Golems. However, after calculating the cost, it reached 78,000 gold coins, which was 20,000 gold coins more than Mithril Golems.

    ¡°As expected, synthesis is much more expensive than refining.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head and decisively decided to stick with refining Mithril Golems.

    After all, he could now manufacture Soul Crystals himself. All he needed was magical Mithril.

    In the modification area, inside the laboratory.

    Su Nan used the Master¡¯s Hand to manipulate the blood, carefully drawing the final bloodline marking on the back of his hand.

    With a flash of blood light, a new bloodline marking was formed.

    Looking at the crimson mark on the back of his hand, Su Nan smiled with satisfaction.

    This was the bloodline marking he created using the Multi-Winged Monster¡¯s blood. Its effect was to control air currents, instantly unleashing countless air blades.

    He remembered that the Multi-Winged Monster had used this move to instantly kill Red Heart, so its power must be considerable.

    ¡°Now I have another ace up my sleeve.¡±

    Under the light, the backs of both Su Nan¡¯s hands were marked with bloodline markings.

    One was the Death Knell Mark, and the other was the Air Blade Mark.

    In the previous operation, all five Death Knell Marks were consumed. Su Nan has only recently recreated two new Death Knell Marks.

    The Air Blade Mark was newly researched, so he only had one.

    To fill both backs of his hands with bloodline markings, he would have to accumulate a significant amount of blood over time.

    ¡°Although it will slow down the absorption of divine energy, I now have two divine beings, doubling the absorption speed. I will be able to catch up soon.¡±

    Su Nan has not neglected the research on the Multi-Winged Monster¡¯s divine energy during this time, and he has already extracted the divine energy from its body.

    The only problem was that because it had once received worship from the Eye Demons, the Multi-Winged Monster¡¯s divine energy was contaminated with a trace of faith power.

    Although it was very faint, it was still considered contamination.

    It had to be synthesized by the Magic Cube and the contamination removed before it could be absorbed.

    With this extra step, it would take a long time to absorb.

    But no matter what, with the added divine energy provided by the Multi-Winged Monster, his spiritual power should reach 60 points faster than he expected.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 171: The Assailant in the Shadows

    Chapter 171: The Assailant in the Shadows

    Starlight Calendar 1259, Frostfall Moon.

    The first gathering after the ambush against the Eternal Society saw a significant decrease in attendance.

    Aside from Night Owl and Su Nan, only Rose was present.

    ¡°The others have gone into seclusion to prepare for the Starlight Tower six years from now,¡± Night Owl explained.

    ¡°I will also be going into seclusion to focus on my cultivation. During this time, the gatherings at the Mysterious Wooden Hut will be temporarily suspended,¡± Su Nan said without objection.

    Rose had no objections either, as she also needed to prepare for her trip to the Starlight Tower.

    To achieve her goal of becoming a Wizard, she had to acquire as many resources as possible within the Starlight Tower.

    Starlight Calendar 1260, Revival Moon.

    Su Nan successfully constructed the seventeenth Star Ring, his Spiritual Power exceeding 53 points.

    Simultaneously, the proficiency required to upgrade the Star Ring Meditation Method skyrocketed to seven million points.

    Su Nan calculated that even with the meditation bonus from the Elemental Pool, it would take at least three years to construct the final Star Ring.

    ¡°This leaves only three years to construct the Talent Crystal model,¡± he thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit rushed, but not impossible.¡±

    Su Nan stood up, leaving the Meditation Chamber and heading to the laboratory.

    After nearly half a year of research, significant progress had been made in constructing the Talent Crystal model using the Magic Emblem Core as the original model. It was more than sufficient to complete the construction before the Star Rings and Spiritual Power met the requirements for advancement.

    After all, it was just a lower-grade Talent Crystal model, not a difficult task.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the third small Magic Puppet legion was also established.

    Its high-end combat force was composed entirely of Iron Golems, Elite Iron Golems, Elite Double-Bladed Spiders, and Mithril Golems.

    In terms of high-end combat strength alone, it was actually slightly stronger than the other two Magic Puppet legions.

    Su Nan planned to leave this Magic Puppet legion to expand the Star Alliance¡¯s territory while drawing a legion from the other two to support the Starfall Duchy.

    After receiving the cooperative intentions of the Thornflower Duchy from Su Nan, Kei began secret negotiations with the Thornflower Duchy. A joint effort against the Golden Sky Empire was quietly underway.

    The war broke out sooner than Su Nan anticipated.

    Starlight Calendar 1260, Spring Dawn Moon.

    The snow had just melted, and nine nations, including the Starfall Duchy and the Thornflower Duchy, simultaneously declared war on the Golden Sky Empire.

    The Golden Sky Empire, which had planned to initiate the war soon, was caught off guard.

    They had expected the Starfall Duchy to launch a preemptive attack and had even prepared for it, but they never imagined that eight other countries would join the attack!

    Suddenly, the Golden Sky Empire was facing enemies on all sides.

    A large-scale war spanning ten nations thus began.

    Su Nan paid no attention to the war on the surface. He simply had the palace send him a monthly war report and then continued to focus on his cultivation and research. He occasionally took time to check on the progress of exploration missions and the construction of Dragonwood.

    After two years of restoration, Dragonwood was now fully repaired.

    Zone 2 had been restored to its original state.

    However, due to the lack of dragon breeding, Zone 2 could only be used as a large-scale magic plant farm.

    Su Nan waved his hand, directly planting magic plants on a large scale, with nearly one-third of the area dedicated to planting Dragonblood Fruits.

    After all, the Magic Pattern Knights would be expanding annually, and their demand for Dragonblood Fruits would increase significantly each year. Su Nan¡¯s actions were a precautionary measure.

    Simply planting magic plants did not require a lot of energy circulation.

    According to the calculations of Butler 1, a final energy circulation ratio of 18.48% in Zone 2 would be sufficient.

    As for Zone 1, where the Sub-Dragon species resided, it maintained the optimal energy circulation ratio of 35.12%.

    The Dragon Bone Tower, due to the limited number of Wizard Apprentices, only used less than 10% of the energy circulation ratio at its peak.

    More than half of that was used by Su Nan himself.

    Overall, Dragonwood was currently in a state of energy surplus, and there was no need to worry about energy shortages for a long time.

    On the other hand, the first batch of Dragon Antelope in the large-scale breeding room had moved to the Dragon Antelope ranch after leaving their infancy.

    It was estimated that the first batch of mature Dragon Antelope would be ready for the formation of Dragon Antelope cavalry in four to five years.

    By then, the combat strength of the Magic Pattern Knights would increase significantly.

    Dragonwood was now on a stable development path, and Su Nan no longer needed to invest excessive attention in it.

    Time flew by like an arrow, and the days flew by like shuttles.

    Four years passed in the blink of an eye.

    Starlight Calendar 1265, Thunder Moon.

    Underground World, over 50 kilometers north of Nolan City.

    A deathly silence reigned in the dark underground tunnel, only the faint echo of footsteps breaking the stillness.

    Sherman cautiously observed the surroundings, confirming that all his team members were in their respective positions. He breathed a sigh of relief and tightened his magic cloak further.

    They were at least ten kilometers below the surface, the air cold and damp, carrying a chilling coldness.

    Even though Sherman had been living in the underground world for six or seven years, he still couldn¡¯t fully adapt to it.

    Thankfully, the magic cloak he wore was resistant to moisture and provided warmth, making it almost standard equipment for all Wizard Apprentices and Magic Pattern Knights participating in exploration missions.

    Core and Atil, a few steps behind Sherman, were also cautiously alert to their surroundings.

    After becoming Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices, Atil had returned to his previous state of working with Sherman and Core.

    The three of them almost always acted, fought, and grew increasingly tacit with each other over the years, earning countless merits.

    Their outstanding achievements as a team had also influenced others, with more and more Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices choosing to team up in groups of three.

    Aside from the three Wizard Apprentices, Sherman, Core, and Atil, the team also included two Magic Pattern Knight squads, a total of twenty Magic Pattern Knights.

    Everyone remained silent along the way, minimizing unnecessary communication to avoid making any noise that could interfere with their vigilance.

    After ten minutes, the team arrived at a wide area.

    Sherman gestured, and the group immediately dispersed, checking the surroundings. After confirming that there were no issues, they found a place with a clear view and sat down.

    Except for the Magic Pattern Knights on watch, the others took out their food and water, trying to make time for rest and nourishment.

    Sherman nibbled on his dry rations, his invisible Tower Shield still hovering behind him.

    Years of exploration and battles in the underground world had transformed him into an experienced adventurer.

    He always kept in mind that there were many monsters in the underground world that could burrow through rock walls, so he never chose places close to the walls as resting spots.

    Secondly, the underground world could be prone to sudden monster outbreaks and battles, so they could never let their guard down.

    At least one magical item, whether for magic or protection, should be activated at all times.

    ¡°I heard they¡¯re forming Sub-Dragon cavalry at the base this year?¡± Atil broke the silence during their break.

    Sherman nodded. ¡°Dragon Antelope Knights, I saw the Dragon Antelope ranch from afar. There are many Dragon Antelope there, all very healthy.¡±

    Pausing, he turned to Core and asked, ¡°Core, did you get your Dragon Antelope Magic Companion from the breeding room?¡±

    Core, always taciturn, simply nodded in response.

    The three of them now had their own Magic Companions.

    Core had a Dragon Antelope.

    Sherman had a Storm Dragon Beast.

    Atil had a Winged Dragon.

    They were all contracted Sub-Dragon species, still in their youth.

    After more than four years of cultivation, their Magic Companions had all grown to Legendary level.

    Of course, they were still far from their teacher¡¯s Magic Companion.

    They heard that the Stealthy Dragon had now grown to four-ring Legendary level, its bloodline purity approaching that of a true dragon.

    Even the three of them felt a sense of fear and shortness of breath when standing before the Stealthy Dragon.

    It was a powerful pressure that was eerily close to the DragonÍþÑ¹ (Dragon¡¯s Intimidation).

    It was foreseeable that the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s evolution into a true dragon was only a matter of time.

    Sherman dreamed of one day cultivating his Storm Dragon Beast to the same level as the Stealthy Dragon.

    ¡°I heard Prince Abbe is going to take the aptitude test this year?¡± Atil brought up another topic.

    ¡°Yes, Prince Abbe is already twelve years old, meeting the minimum age requirement for the aptitude test,¡± Sherman mused. ¡°I wonder if he will pass.¡±

    ¡°After all, he¡¯s a member of the royal family. He should have a high chance of passing the test,¡± Atil said.

    ¡°Not necessarily. The royal family only excels in Knight talent. Their Wizard aptitude is not much different from ordinary people. It¡¯s more likely that they won¡¯t pass the aptitude test,¡± Sherman explained.

    Atil thought about it and agreed. Duke Kei was only a Legendary Knight, not a Wizard Apprentice. His descendants didn¡¯t have much of a genetic advantage in this area.

    But the teacher, if he had descendants, the likelihood of them having Wizard aptitude might be very high.

    ¡°Speaking of which, the teacher has been showing up less and less recently. I heard from Carolina that the teacher often spends one or two months at a time in the Meditation Chamber. Do you think the teacher is about to advance to Wizard?¡±

    Hearing Atil¡¯s words, Sherman and Core¡¯s expressions moved simultaneously.

    To be honest, they had similar thoughts.

    Although they had gradually come into contact with a broader world and knew that it was almost impossible to produce a true Wizard on the Starlight Continent today, their teacher was different.

    Although they had never met other Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, they also knew that a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice with vast resources like their teacher was truly unique on the entire Starlight Continent.

    If anyone on the Starlight Continent had the highest chance of becoming a Wizard, it would undoubtedly be the teacher!

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Sherman said with a smile.

    If their teacher really succeeded in becoming a Wizard, it would be a huge boost to them as apprentices.

    At least it gave them a glimmer of hope that the Starlight Continent could still produce Wizards.

    ¡°I¡¯m not expecting to become a Wizard,¡± Atil sighed. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice in this lifetime.¡±

    Sherman pursed his lips and didn¡¯t speak. Deep down, he still held a glimmer of hope for becoming a Wizard, even though he knew it was a long shot.

    The base now had over three hundred and fifty apprentices, with a two-digit number of Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    More and more Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices were joining the Star Alliance¡¯s exploration efforts, significantly accelerating their outward expansion.

    Compared to four years ago, the Star Alliance¡¯s territory had more than doubled.

    Four years ago, the Star Alliance only had four city-states:ÓÄºþ (Youhu), ÂêÍ¼ (Matu), °ÂÉ­ (Aosen), and ¾ÞÑÛ³Ç (Giant Eye City), plus ¿¨É³Ä· (Kasham), which had become a magic plant farm.

    But now the Star Alliance had grown into a behemoth with fifteen city-states and hundreds of resource points.

    However, as their territory expanded, the Star Alliance encountered increasingly strong resistance to its expansion.

    More and more city-state forces realized the threat posed by the Star Alliance and united against its expansion efforts.

    This time they were out on a mission because they had received a report from a Man-Faced Lion Scout about the presence of Dark Elves in the area, which had cost them a few Man-Faced Lion Scouts.

    ¡°We¡¯ve circled around several times but haven¡¯t found them. Could they have been mistaken?¡± Atil brought up the main topic.

    Sherman shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Man-Faced Lion Scouts are extremely skilled at hiding. There aren¡¯t many creatures around Nolan City that can detect their presence. Moreover, the body of the dead Man-Faced Lion Scout also had knife wounds and traces of Shadow Power corrosion, which does seem like the handiwork of Dark Elves.¡±

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡±

    ¡°Keep searching! Although Dark Elves are also very good at hiding, I don¡¯t believe they can stay hidden forever. We will find them sooner or later!¡±

    ¡°Ä§Öë³Ç (Demon Spider City) is hundreds of kilometers away from here. I wonder what those Dark Elves are doing here?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re feeling uneasy about the Star Alliance¡¯s expansion.¡±

    Atil thought about it and agreed. If she were the matriarch of a Dark Elf family, she would also feel uneasy about the Star Alliance¡¯s rapid expansion in the past four or five years.

    Just then, a low shout came from the Magic Pattern Knights guarding the front.

    ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡±

    In fact, there was no need for him to remind them, as the three of them had sensed it in the first place.

    They immediately stood up, either activating magic items or casting spells.

    The other Magic Pattern Knights reacted instantly, activating their Magic Pattern Constructions and raising their weapons, their eyes alertly fixed on the front.

    Silence descended on the surroundings. After about six or seven seconds, a heavy and distinct series of footsteps came from the front, as if a huge crawling monster was moving towards them.

    Its speed wasn¡¯t fast, but its weight was clearly immense. The nearby rocks and soil seemed to be slightly shaking.

    The Magic Pattern Knights instinctively tightened their grips on their swords, their expressions turning serious.

    Sherman, Core, and Atil remained calm, their faces betraying no emotion. They had quietly placed the Rune Gems in their palms.

    A round, black shadow soon emerged in their field of vision.

    It looked like a giant black maggot, about three meters long from head to tail. It had six short, thick claws, a triangular pointed head, and a protruding, thin tube at its mouth. It had no eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Dark Sound Blind Monster!¡±

    Sherman immediately recognized the creature.

    The Underground World Creature Guide provided by the base mentioned Dark Sound Blind Monsters.

    This type of monster lacked eyesight but possessed highly developed ears. Their tubular mouths could produce precisely controlled resonance, and the sonic waves they emitted were powerful enough to shatter rock walls.

    Let me clarify the strength of Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices. As mentioned in previous chapters, the combat strength of Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices varies greatly. Depending on their Spiritual Power, equipment, and bloodline abilities, their combat strength can range from one-ring Legendary to four-ring Legendary. Also, Legendary Knights are only from one-ring to four-ring, there¡¯s no five-ring. Beyond that, they are no longer considered normal Knights.

 Chapter 172

    ¡°Be careful, the Soundless Blind Monster possesses near-legendary combat strength. Watch out for its sonic attacks!¡±

    Sherman reminded them, not lowering his voice.

    The Soundless Blind Monster¡¯s hearing was good enough to detect their voices from a hundred meters away. This monster was probably attracted by their previous conversation, had already noticed their presence, and hiding wouldn¡¯t help.

    Sure enough, the Soundless Blind Monster soon raised its head, its tubular snout quivering slightly, emitting a sonic wave capable of piercing through gold and splitting stone. It targeted Sherman and the others directly.

    Two Magic Emblem Knights immediately charged forward, holding their shields in front of Sherman and the others, directly facing the sonic wave the monster emitted.

    After a silent tremor, the iron-made shields quickly returned to calm.

    After all, they were enchanted equipment. If they had been ordinary metal shields, they would have definitely shattered under this attack.

    The two Magic Emblem Knights¡¯ block bought them time, and Sherman and the others had already finished their spells.

    Sherman¡¯s Weakening Ray and Atir¡¯s Freezing Ray hit the Soundless Blind Monster almost simultaneously. The monster visibly weakened, and a layer of frost visible to the naked eye appeared on its body.

    Following closely behind, Cole¡¯s magic missile arrived and accurately hit the Soundless Blind Monster¡¯s tubular snout, blowing it to pieces.

    The monster let out a series of wails, only because of the damage to its beak, the sounds were muffled and unclear.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Magic Emblem Knights swarmed forward, wielding their knight¡¯s longswords and warhammers to strike fiercely.

    Under the siege of more than ten Magic Emblem Knights possessing Great Knight-level strength, the Soundless Blind Monster struggled desperately, but it was soon smashed to death.

    Confirming that the Soundless Blind Monster was indeed dead, Sherman lowered his hand with a calm expression.

    He had experienced countless similar battles in the past.

    He had even joined forces with his companions to kill legendary monsters.

    Compared to that, a near-legendary Soundless Blind Monster was nothing special.

    But just as everyone relaxed because of the killing of the Soundless Blind Monster, three black shadows suddenly rushed out of the darkness, ghostly figures flashing to the rear of Sherman and the others, their daggers shining with aÓÄÀ¶¹âÔó (a dim blue glow) directly stabbing towards their heart!

    The sudden change caught everyone off guard.

    By the time the surrounding Magic Emblem Knights reacted, it was too late to stop the three figures. They could only watch helplessly as the daggers pierced Sherman and the others, instantly tearing through their invisible shields and energy particle protective layers, before being intercepted by an invisible force field.

    The three attackers were slightly taken aback. After reacting, they immediately distanced themselves.

    Unfortunately, it was already too late, Sherman and the others¡¯ counterattack had arrived.

    Three dazzling flames tore through the darkness in an instant, turning into a fan-shaped blaze that engulfed the attackers!

    Burning Hand!

    The three attackers all let out muffled groans, their figures burst through the flames and retreated in disarray.

    Using the light of the fire, Sherman quickly saw the faces of the attackers.

    The three of them were slender, with delicate features, looking no more than twenty years old, appearing to be young girls.

    However, as his eyes swept over the three girls¡¯ extremely distinctive black skin and silver hair, Sherman¡¯s expression stiffened, and he blurted out:

    ¡°Dark Elves!¡±

    There really were Dark Elves!

    Atir¡¯s brow furrowed, and he felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he had been maintaining the activation of the Extreme Protection Ring, which allowed him to narrowly avoid the sneak attack. If he had taken that attack, he wouldn¡¯t have died but would have been severely injured.

    It was said that Dark Elves were natural assassins, and he had never had any real experience with them. Now, it seemed that it was true.

    Any other second-rank Wizard Apprentice without the Extreme Protection Ring would have died from that sneak attack.

    Sherman and Cole also looked solemn. Unbeknownst to them, the three Dark Elves on the opposite side were also secretly shocked.

    They had waited for a long time, thinking that their attack was sure to succeed, but it was easily blocked by the other party, and their efforts came to nothing.

    Originally, they wanted to sneak attack and kill the three Wizard Apprentices, then withdraw calmly. But now that their attack had failed, they naturally had no intention of continuing to fight the other party. The three exchanged glances and decisively retreated back, wanting to blend back into the shadows.

    Having finally found their target, Sherman and the others wouldn¡¯t let the enemy escape. Without hesitation, they activated the Calamity Rings on their hands. In an instant, three Calamity Claws materialized out of thin air, penetrating the bodies of the three Dark Elves.

    Sherman and the others had only exchanged for ordinary Calamity Rings, not the limit version.

    But the Dark Elves weren¡¯t powerful third-rank Wizard Apprentices either. As the Calamity Claws pierced their bodies, the three of them let out a sharp scream, collapsing to the ground, their bodies twitching like they were electrocuted, completely losing their ability to resist.

    The surrounding Magic Emblem Knights took the opportunity to swarm forward and suppress the three Dark Elves.

    Seeing this, Sherman breathed a sigh of relief, his fingers stroking the Calamity Ring, a smile forming on his lips.

    Fortunately, the Calamity Ring was effective. Otherwise, if these three Dark Elves had managed to slip into the shadows, it would have been difficult to catch them.

    The dark environment of the underground world was naturally the Dark Elves¡¯ home turf.

    Their Shadow Walk ability was unmatched in this environment, making them elusive and unpredictable.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for this, the Dark Elves¡¯ notoriety wouldn¡¯t have spread throughout the entire underground world, making people fear them.

    ¡°Put them in magic-suppressing handcuffs and bring them back to Nolan City.¡±

    ¡°Dark Elves?¡±

    Su Nan, sitting behind the desk, raised his head, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

    He had just emerged from the Meditation Chamber after a long absence, and had just summoned Carolena and Red Widow, only to hear from them that they had captured Dark Elves.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    The closest city to the Spider City in the Star League was Nolan City, but it was still about 800 kilometers away.

    No matter how quickly the Star League was expanding, it was still far from threatening the Spider City.

    Would those guys in the Spider City, who loved to fight amongst themselves, have such a sense of urgency and send people to investigate the Star League¡¯s intelligence in advance?

    Su Nan didn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Carolena replied respectfully, ¡°We interrogated the three captured Dark Elves, and their confessions were consistent. They were all members of the Filir family, one of the twelve families in the Spider City. This time, they were specifically sent to investigate the Star League¡¯s intelligence.¡±

    ¡°They had originally planned to return to the Spider City, but they encountered the exploration team on the way and decided to ambush the Wizard Apprentices in the team on a whim.¡±

    Speaking of which, Carolena couldn¡¯t help but secretly pity the three unfortunate Dark Elves.

    If it had been any other team led by other Wizard Apprentices, they might have actually succeeded. But they had encountered Sherman¡¯s team.

    Those three were the most powerful Wizard Apprentices under Su Nan¡¯s command.

    They had exceptional strength and were well-equipped, not even fearing a first-ring Legendary Knight.

    The Dark Elves had targeted those three, and it could only be said that they were asking for it.

    ¡°The Filir family...¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered.

    He remembered that the clue to the Black Forest, one of the three Wizard legacies, might be held by this Dark Elf family.

    He hadn¡¯t even gone to find them yet, but they had already come knocking on his door.

    After thinking for a moment, Su Nan said in a deep voice:

    ¡°Inform the exploration team about the matter of the Dark Elves, and tell them to be on high alert whenever they go out.¡±

    ¡°Also, the fourth small Magic Puppet Legion will arrive at the front lines today. You two can discuss the specific arrangements yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Carolena and Red Widow both felt a surge of joy.

    The pressure on the Star League¡¯s front lines had been increasing recently. With only two small Magic Puppet Legions supporting them, their forces had gradually become stretched thin.

    Fortunately, they now had another Magic Puppet Legion, which would certainly greatly relieve the pressure.

    ¡°How are the Dragon Antelope Knights doing?¡± Su Nan asked about another matter.

    The Dragon Antelopes of the Dragon Antelope Ranch had been bred to maturity and were now ready to be released.

    There were two hundred Dragon Antelopes in total, enough to establish a Dragon Antelope Knight force.

    If things went well, they would be able to produce a batch of Dragon Antelopes from the ranch every year, gradually expanding the number of Dragon Antelope Knights.

    Of course, given the rate of expansion of the Magic Emblem Knight ÍÅ (tuan, group, unit), it would be impossible for everyone to be equipped with Dragon Antelopes. At most, they would select some elites to be equipped first.

    ¡°Everything is ready.¡± Red Widow said, ¡°We have selected elites who have already been promoted to Great Knights.¡±

    Su Nan nodded approvingly.

    Great Knight-level Magic Emblem Knights, equipped with third-level Magic Emblem Constructs, along with enchanted weapons, had a real combat power comparable to peak Great Knights.

    And although the two hundred Dragon Antelopes were not fully grown yet, they were not far from reaching the legendary level.

    The combination of the two, the Dragon Antelope Knights, could even fight against a first-ring Legendary Knight.

    Such an army would be a core trump card of the Magic Emblem Knight Tuan.

    They would surely become a formidable force on the battlefield that enemies would fear!

    Seeing Su Nan wave his hand, Carolena and Red Widow wisely withdrew, leaving the study and immediately rushing to the front lines.

    As the Star League grew stronger, the two women became increasingly motivated.

    Although they were busy all day long, they enjoyed it.

    In the past, they had at most managed one city and a few mines, but now they were in charge of a total of fifteen cities and hundreds of resource points, which were incomparable.

    Now, they were big shots in the southeast region of the underground world.

    In the study, Su Nan pondered over the battle report in front of him.

    It was a report from the surface world.

    In the past four years, the Star Alliance, led by the Starry Sky Duchy, had waged a fierce war against the Golden Sky Empire.

    At the beginning of the war, the Golden Sky Empire was able to match the Star Alliance blow for blow, thanks to its deep-rooted foundations.

    However, the heavy pressure brought by the overly long front lines eventually became too much for the Golden Sky Empire to bear.

    A year later, the Golden Sky Empire was forced to abandon a large swathe of border territories, shortening its front lines in exchange for a respite.

    The Star Alliance, tasting victory, was boosted in morale and continued to push forward in the following three years.

    To this day, the Golden Sky Empire had lost more than half of its territory.

    Most of it had been swallowed by the Starry Sky Duchy, and its territorial map had expanded by nearly twice its original size.

    With this disparity, the Golden Sky Empire was no longer a match for the Star Alliance.

    It was clear to everyone that the Golden Sky Empire was already in its twilight years, and its demise was only a matter of time.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t surprised by this.

    With the Magic Puppet Legions supported by the Star League, as well as numerous allied countries, if the Star Alliance still couldn¡¯t defeat the Golden Sky Empire, then they should disband as soon as possible.

    It was precisely because the Star Alliance was gaining momentum that even though the pressure on the Star League¡¯s front lines was also quite high, Su Nan had never recalled the supporting Magic Puppet Legions.

    After all, he was still counting on the Magic Puppet Legions to earn more mercenary fees to cover the funding gap for forming the fifth small Magic Puppet Legion.

    Once the fifth small Magic Puppet Legion was formed, the Star League would have a real medium-sized Magic Puppet Legion.

    ¡°According to the organization, the medium-sized Magic Puppet Legion needs a Mithril Magic Puppet.¡±

    In the past four years, Su Nan had successively refined three Mithril Magic Puppets. Now he had a total of five Mithril Magic Puppets.

    In addition, over the years, he had accumulated a lot of Mithril and refined a new Secret Puppet.

    Now, he had two Secret Puppets, which he named Secret Puppet No. 1 and Secret Puppet No. 2.

    Setting aside the battle report, Su Nan stretched.

    A year ago, he had already built the final Star Ring, and his spiritual power had increased to 59.65.

    After that, he absorbed the divine energy of the Death Knell Striker and the Multi-winged Monster, boosting his spiritual power to 60.

    At this point, all the prerequisites for constructing the Talent Crystal had been met.

    The model of the lower-level Talent Crystal for the Magic Emblem Core had already been researched, and Su Nan immediately began construction.

    With the experience of his previous life, coupled with the bonus from the Divine Blood Crystal, the Transcendent Potion, and the Element Pool for meditation, the model construction went smoothly.

    In just over a year, the model construction was already about halfway completed.

    Su Nan estimated that by the end of next year, before the Star Sea Tower appeared, he should be able to successfully construct the lower-level Talent Crystal model.

    After that, whether he could use the Magic Cube to synthesize and strengthen it would be seen.

    Shining Light City, Royal Palace.

    Abei Arnest walked into the hall with a dejected face. He looked up and saw his father and mother sitting in the hall, as well as his younger brother, Wes, and his younger sister, Adela.

    Seeing Abei, the two little ones immediately rushed forward to greet him.

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    The three of them were about the same age and had always had a good relationship.

    Abei forced a smile on his face and chatted with his brother and sister for a few words before escaping their clutches and approaching his parents.

    ¡°Father, Mother.¡±

    Abei took a deep breath, about to tell them the results of his aptitude test, but his father, Kei, interrupted him.

    ¡°The testing process is very draining on your spirit. You should go and rest first. We¡¯ll have dinner together later.¡±

    His mother, Saya, also got up and gently hugged him, saying softly:

    ¡°You must be tired. Go and rest.¡±

    Abei immediately understood. His father and mother must have known about his failing the aptitude test right away.

    Seeing that his father and mother were not disappointed in him, but were as gentle as always, Abei¡¯s disappointment lessened slightly. He nodded obediently and went back to his room to rest.

    After Abei left, Saya hesitated and said:

    ¡°Kei, can¡¯t you ask Su Nan to help? Even if Abei¡¯s aptitude is a bit lacking, he should be able to become a Wizard Apprentice with his help, right?¡±

    Kei sighed and shook his head:

    ¡°It¡¯s no use. Even if we forcibly increase his spirit with potions and he manages to pass the test, his aptitude is not good enough. He will probably just be a first-rank Wizard Apprentice for the rest of his life. It¡¯s better to go down the Knight path.¡±

    It¡¯s true that Wizard Apprentices are very powerful, but that refers to at least second-rank Wizard Apprentices.

    First-rank Wizard Apprentices are not even as good as Great Knights. They are just tools for making low-level potions and puppets, and their future is not very bright.

    Instead of wasting their lives at the first-rank Wizard Apprentice level, they should focus on practicing the Knight Breathing Method and martial skills.

    At least Abei had good Knight aptitude. With the royal family providing resources, he would definitely become a three-ring Legendary Knight in the future, and it wouldn¡¯t be a dream to break through to a four-ring Legendary Knight. This had far more prospects than becoming a Wizard Apprentice.

    Saya sighed and looked thoughtful.

    Kei turned to his two somewhat bewildered children.

    To be honest, he hoped deep down that the royal family would have a Wizard Apprentice.

    It would be a good thing for consolidating the royal family¡¯s prestige and strengthening their connection with Su Nan.

    But unfortunately, this kind of thing was not something he could expect to achieve, even though he was the illustrious Starry Sky Grand Duke.

    He could only hope that his children would live up to their expectations.

    Recommended reading: A book written by a friend, ¡°Playing King in the Wizard World.¡± Interested readers can check it out.

 Chapter 173: Divine Energy Carrier

    Chapter 173: Divine Energy Carrier

    The wind rustled through the forest, creating waves of green. A few leaves drifted down.

    Evans sat beneath a tree, his face pale, his whole body looking languid and listless.

    After a long time, his expression suddenly shifted. He turned his head to the empty space on his left.

    An unfamiliar figure had appeared there. It was the Hunter, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave the Southeast Region? Why are you back?¡±

    The Hunter¡¯s voice was low.

    ¡°Where¡¯s that Kessler family brat you were with?¡±

    ¡°I left him in the Northwest Region.¡± Evans stared at the Hunter with a complex expression. ¡°I came back specifically to find you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The Hunter¡¯s voice was indifferent.

    ¡°Do you still have the key to the Starlight Tower?¡±

    ¡°What do you need it for?¡± The Hunter¡¯s voice finally showed a hint of fluctuation. ¡°Do you want to take the Starlight Tower key back?¡±

    Evans shook his head. ¡°Not me.¡±

    As soon as he said this, the Hunter realized something was wrong and quickly retreated.

    But in the next instant, several crimson rays of light suddenly attacked from all directions, almost simultaneously hitting his body.

    With a pop, the Hunter vanished like a shattered bubble.

    ¡°A mirror image clone? You¡¯re quite cautious.¡±

    A man in a gray robe appeared out of thin air.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Another man, clad in a green robe, slowly emerged from a tree trunk about twenty meters away. His entire skin was the same brown as the tree trunk and covered in cracked grooves, making him look like he was wearing a layer of dried bark.

    ¡°The mirror image clone can¡¯t be separated too far. He¡¯s still in this forest. From the moment he stepped into this forest, he was destined to be caught.¡±

    As if to confirm the words of the man in green, a dense rustling sound suddenly came from a distance of four to five hundred meters, like countless leaves falling down.

    Looking up, countless branches rose as if alive, wildly waving and whipping in the air. Amidst the branches flying in all directions, the Hunter was dodging left and right, trying to break through the encirclement of branches.

    It was as if a switch had been flipped, and more than ten figures suddenly emerged from the surrounding forest and surrounded the Hunter.

    Seeing this, Evans, beneath the tree, sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

    Moments later, an indignant shout came from a distance.

    The sound quickly faded away.

    The Wizard Apprentices who had participated in the siege flew back. The leader, a man with average features and scales covering both cheeks, had an undisguised smile on his face.

    ¡°That guy really has the key to the Starlight Tower, and he has four of them. More than we expected.¡±

    ¡°Now we only need one more to complete the set.¡±

    The man in green nodded in satisfaction. Then, he turned to a man with a gloomy face and a thin figure, asking in a deep voice, ¡°Fabio, what intelligence did you extract from the Hunter¡¯s soul?¡±

    Fabio, who was called, held a Soul Crystal in his hand, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°His resistance was a bit fierce. I used some methods, and his soul shattered quite badly. I didn¡¯t get much information, but I got exactly what we need.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as you guessed, the Eternal Society has been destroyed, and it was the Mysterious Wooden Hut that killed them.¡±

    ¡°But now there are only six left in the Mysterious Wooden Hut. Oh, except for this unlucky fellow, now there are only five left.¡±

    ¡°They all have keys to the Starlight Tower, especially a Wizard Apprentice named Su Nan. He may have more than one key.¡±

    The man with scales licked his lips and said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t we just go after Su Nan?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to change targets?¡± Fabio said.

    The man in green raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°From the Hunter¡¯s memories, that Wizard Apprentice named Su Nan is very strong. Saulo died at his hands, and he also has a powerful force called the Star Alliance. Even if we could kill him, we¡¯d likely pay the price in casualties.¡±

    Hearing this, the others all shook their heads.

    ¡°A Wizard Apprentice who can kill Saulo is not to be underestimated. Let¡¯s forget it.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re only missing one key. It doesn¡¯t matter who we go after.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s change targets.¡±

    They didn¡¯t want to become the ¡®casualties¡¯ that Fabio had mentioned.

    The man in green readily agreed. ¡°Then let¡¯s change targets.¡±

    Evans under the tree secretly felt a pang of regret. If this group attacked Su Nan, they might end up in a mutual annihilation, giving him a chance to escape.

    Unfortunately, they were too cunning and cautious.

    At this time, the man in green turned to Evans and asked, ¡°Evans, where is the Starlight Tower?¡±

    Evans said with a bitter expression, ¡°I¡¯ve said it many times. I can only vaguely sense the general area where the Starlight Tower will appear. I can¡¯t be more specific than that.¡±

    The man with scales snorted coldly. ¡°An area of ??three to four hundred miles. Your range of perception is too wide!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. This perception ability is related to my power level. If you can help me break through to the Four-Ring Legendary realm, I¡¯ll be able to sense it more clearly.¡±

    The man with scales narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Evans.

    Evans met his gaze without fear.

    The man in green broke the tense atmosphere between the two, his tone softening slightly.

    ¡°Evans, we¡¯ve signed a vow contract. As long as you help us enter the Starlight Tower, we¡¯ll naturally leave you alone afterward. We¡¯ll also help you break through to become a Four-Ring Legendary Knight. So you better not have any other thoughts. That¡¯s good for both of us.¡±

    Evans secretly sneered, but put on an expression of being wronged and helpless.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Starlight Calendar 1266, Thunderclap Month.

    The Talent Crystal model was constructed faster than Su Nan expected.

    In the Meditation Chamber, ¡®looking¡¯ at the mysterious and strange three-dimensional crystal in his mind, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh with relief.

    It was finally done!

    The next step was to verify his hypothesis.

    Su Nan took a deep breath and opened the Magic Cube, silently reciting to put the Talent Crystal model inside. However, to his disappointment, the Magic Cube remained silent.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work?¡±

    Su Nan frowned.

    ¡°As expected, it lacks rare metals as a carrier. The Talent Crystal model can¡¯t be synthesized using the Magic Cube like the Magic Emblem Core.¡±

    While disappointed, Su Nan had already prepared himself for this. He also had a plan.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s due to the lack of a carrier, if I can find a carrier for the Talent Crystal model, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to synthesize and strengthen it with the Magic Cube?¡±

    Su Nan decided to give it a try.

    However, he had to be careful when choosing the carrier.

    First, the carrier must be perfectly compatible with the Talent Crystal model and not damage its structure.

    Second, the carrier must be absorbable by Su Nan.

    After all, he would have to absorb the carrier into his mind along with the Talent Crystal model and then separate the carrier from the Talent Crystal model, keeping it whole.

    To achieve this, the carrier had to be compatible with his spiritual power.

    Only then could he perfectly separate the Talent Crystal model.

    ¡°The Magic Emblem Core is a basic model, perfectly compatible with the Talent Crystal model, but it can¡¯t be absorbed into the mind.¡±

    ¡°Gemstones won¡¯t do. Not perfectly compatible.¡±

    ¡°Soul Crystals are pure energy, perfectly compatible, and can be absorbed into the body, but they can¡¯t be assimilated by spiritual power.¡±

    After thinking about it for a while, Su Nan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

    Maybe Divine Energy could work!

    Firstly, Divine Energy could be absorbed into the mind and could be perfectly assimilated by spiritual power.

    Secondly, Divine Energy is a pure energy, without any impurities or pollution, and would not damage the structure of the Talent Crystal model.

    The more Su Nan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

    He happened to have a lot of Divine Energy accumulated over the past two years, since he couldn¡¯t absorb more after his spiritual power reached the 60-point bottleneck. It was perfect for experimentation.

    Thinking about it, Su Nan went straight to the laboratory, extracted 1 unit of Divine Energy, and crystallized it.

    After a while, a beautiful golden rhombus crystal appeared in his palm.

    The next step was the key.

    Su Nan concentrated and carefully separated the Talent Crystal model from his body.

    The model looked like a silver multifaceted crystal, with a sense of extreme symmetrical beauty.

    If you were to look at it through a magnifying glass, you would find that it was actually made up of countless tiny runes.

    Su Nan carefully fused the model with the Divine Energy crystal, watching intently as the two slowly overlapped and finally completely merged into one. The color also changed to a copper-like hue.

    After carefully examining it and confirming that the fusion was perfect, a smile involuntarily spread across Su Nan¡¯s face.

    But the smile quickly disappeared, and he hurriedly put the crystal into the Magic Cube.

    No matter how perfect the fusion was, if it couldn¡¯t be put into the Magic Cube, it would be useless.

    Fortunately, the result did not disappoint Su Nan. The crystal appeared in the Magic Cube.

    Seeing this, Su Nan finally sighed with relief and showed a genuine smile of joy.

    From now on, as long as he continuously constructed lower-level Talent Crystal models, he would be able to synthesize super Talent Crystal models that were beyond the upper level, unprecedented!

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know how many lower-level Talent Crystal models it will take?¡±

    If it was a single-digit number, then it would take decades, but he could manage.

    What if it was dozens? It might not be possible even in two hundred years.

    But Su Nan didn¡¯t dwell on it too much.

    In about half a year, the Starlight Tower would appear. Perhaps there were resources inside that could accelerate the construction of Talent Crystal models. Maybe he would have some gains there.

    If all else failed, he would synthesize fewer models then.

    After figuring out the method of synthesizing the Talent Crystal model, a huge weight was lifted from Su Nan¡¯s heart, and his mood lightened considerably.

    After turning all of his stored Divine Energy into crystals, he left the laboratory.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there¡¯s so little Divine Energy. Otherwise, I could try to improve my magic models.¡±

    Magic models were also constructed with spiritual power, and could be incorporated into Divine Energy.

    With enough Divine Energy crystals, he could synthesize and strengthen all his existing magic models.

    So far, Su Nan¡¯s total number of mastered spells had surpassed two hundred.

    Looking at the entire Starlight Continent, he was confident that no Wizard Apprentice had mastered more spells than him.

    After all, not everyone had a cheat like him.

    In addition, over the past five years, Su Nan had also successively mastered three Super Magic Techniques: Spell Delay, Spell Extension, and Spell Expansion.

    Adding the four he already had, he had mastered all seven Super Magic Techniques.

    Even among official Wizards, not everyone could do that.

    It could be said that in terms of mastery of Super Magic Techniques, Su Nan could already look down on some official Wizards.

    ¡°The Magic Emblem Core has also been upgraded to level 5.¡±

    Su Nan touched his chest.

    After his spiritual power reached 58.65, he immediately synthesized a level 5 Magic Emblem Core.

    However, as expected, the level 6 Magic Emblem Core required his spiritual power to exceed 60 points.

    Before becoming a Wizard, he couldn¡¯t fuse a level 6 Magic Emblem Core.

    However, in reality, he wouldn¡¯t need to fuse another Magic Emblem Core after becoming a Wizard.

    If he could successfully synthesize a Talent Crystal that surpassed the upper level, its power would surely surpass that of a level 6 Magic Emblem Core, and it would definitely spawn more powerful effects.

    At that time, the Magic Emblem Core would naturally become ¡®outdated.¡¯

    Thinking about it, Su Nan began to look forward to the moment when he finished constructing the Talent Crystal.

    ¡°Next, we just have to wait for the Starlight Tower to open.¡±

    Time flew by, and it was suddenly Autumn Curtain Month (October).

    Su Nan thought that Night Owl would hold another Mysterious Wooden Hut meeting one or two months before the Starlight Tower appeared, but there was no sign of it.

    By the middle of the month, an unexpected visitor suddenly arrived.

    After receiving Caroline¡¯s report, Su Nan went to the reception hall. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Rose sitting on the sofa. Hearing the sound, she raised her head and looked at him.

    ¡°Long time no see, Su Nan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a rare visitor.¡±

    Su Nan had not seen Rose since their last gathering five years ago.

    Even though the Rose Kingdom and Starlight Kingdom on the surface were in a honeymoon period, joining forces with the Golden Empire in a fiery battle, the two had not met.

    Unexpectedly, Rose suddenly showed up now.

    Su Nan carefully observed Rose and found that her soul aura had become much more condensed. She must have gained a lot from her five years of seclusion.

    Unbeknownst to her, Rose was also a little surprised to see Su Nan.

    She vaguely felt that there had been some indescribable change in Su Nan. Just standing there, he gave her a faint pressure that seemed to come from the soul level.

    The whole person seemed to be more unpredictable, like a deep pool, so deep that it was impossible to see through.

    A thought suddenly flashed in Rose¡¯s mind.

    Could it be that Su Nan had already started constructing the Talent Crystal model?

    This thought scared even herself.

    At this time, Su Nan suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I want to stay here for a while. Are you welcoming?¡±

    Coming back to her senses, Rose quickly put away her thoughts and said jokingly.

    Su Nan¡¯s face was calm, but he just stared at her.

    Seeing this, Rose put away her smile and sighed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell the truth. It¡¯s not very peaceful outside recently. I want to stay here for a while, lay low. When the Starlight Tower appears, I¡¯ll set off with you.¡±

 Chapter 174

    ¡°Not peaceful?¡± Su Nan raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    After the demise of the Eternal Society, the southeastern continent had become much calmer these past years.

    Well, not counting the war between the Stellar Alliance and the Azure Gold Empire.

    Rose¡¯s voice was grave. ¡°Has Night Owl contacted you recently?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered, and he shook his head.

    ¡°Neither has he contacted me. It¡¯s very unusual. Based on Night Owl¡¯s style, he would definitely hold another gathering at this time.¡±

    Su Nan agreed with Rose¡¯s assessment in his heart but said, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s busy with his cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Rose changed the subject. ¡°But I¡¯m more inclined to believe that something might have happened to Night Owl.¡±

    Su Nan immediately understood the implication behind her words.

    ¡°You mean someone is after the Starlight Tower key that Night Owl possesses?¡±

    If there was anything that could cause Night Owl trouble at this time, it was undoubtedly the Starlight Tower key.

    Rose nodded solemnly. ¡°Very likely.¡±

    ¡°The battle between us and the Eternal Society attracted a lot of attention and investigation. The existence of the Starlight Tower key may no longer be a complete secret. Now that the Starlight Tower is about to appear, it¡¯s not surprising that someone would take a risk.¡±

    Su Nan nodded noncommittally.

    Rose¡¯s words were not without reason.

    The demise of the Eternal Society drew the attention of many interested parties. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if someone found the Starlight Tower clue from the series of events.

    Even without that, there was still Evans.

    There were many intelligent people among the Wizard Apprentices. If someone deduced the connection between the Kessler Family and the Starlight Tower from recent events, they would surely go after Evans.

    Although Evans was a third-ring Legendary Knight, without the protection of the Sacred Fist, he was vulnerable. If three third-rank Wizard Apprentices teamed up against him, he would have a hard time resisting.

    By then, the Starlight Tower key would no longer be a secret.

    And those in the Mysterious Wooden Hut, who possessed the key, would naturally become a hot commodity.

    Night Owl might have encountered trouble because of this.

    However, all of this was still just speculation. Night Owl might actually just be busy with his cultivation.

    Regardless of which, Su Nan wasn¡¯t really concerned.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t close enough to Night Owl to care about his well-being.

    He also didn¡¯t worry about anyone being foolish enough to come to the Star Alliance territory just to snatch the Starlight Tower key from him.

    If that happened, Su Nan would be happy, on the contrary¡ªthat would be a gift!

    Rose was aware of this, which was why she sought his protection.

    If something really happened to Night Owl because of the Starlight Tower key, her situation would also be dangerous. Only with Su Nan would she feel truly safe.

    ¡°We¡¯ll know if anything happened to Night Owl once the Starlight Tower appears.¡±

    Su Nan casually diverted the topic, glancing at Rose.

    ¡°I welcome you to stay in Black Lake City. You can stay as long as you like.¡±

    ¡°But let me make this clear, if you cause any trouble, the price for me to solve it won¡¯t be cheap.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Rose felt relieved.

    With the reputation he gained from attacking and killing Saurolo, who in the southeastern continent didn¡¯t know of Su Nan¡¯s name?

    She didn¡¯t think anyone would be reckless enough to come here and provoke Su Nan.

    If they did, it would mean that they were someone she couldn¡¯t handle. In that case, it would be worthwhile to pay the price for Su Nan¡¯s protection.

    Su Nan then summoned Carolina and asked her to arrange accommodation for Rose.

    Coming here with worries, she was too preoccupied to observe Black Lake City. Now that her heart was at ease, Rose had the leisure to look around. Her gaze passed through the corridor window, overlooking the city streets below.

    She could see many Stone Golems patrolling the streets.

    Although she rarely ventured into the underground world, Rose had been secretly observing the Star Alliance¡¯s activities. She knew that the Star Alliance was expanding rapidly and had become one of the most powerful forces in the southeastern underground world.

    The Star Alliance¡¯s trump cards were the Rune Knight Order and the Golem Legion.

    Information about the former was not difficult to obtain.

    The intelligence concerning the seven knight academies in Stellar Duchy had been compiled into detailed reports that appeared on the desks of high officials in various countries.

    Many countries even established knight academies, modeled after Stellar Duchy, that only recruited civilians and farmers, dedicated to training knights.

    But even with the same system as the seven knight academies, the final results were far inferior.

    Ultimately, it was because these countries lacked a Star Alliance behind them, unable to provide a large number of Dragon Blood Fruits, enchanted weapons, and Rune Constructs.

    As for the latter, due to its location in the underground world, information gathering was very difficult.

    To this day, no one knew how many golem puppets the Star Alliance possessed.

    Pulling her gaze back, Rose focused on Carolina, who was in front of her. Her eyes sparkled, and she suddenly said, ¡°I heard that the Golem Legion, which is sweeping through the battlefield in Stellar Duchy, is provided by the Star Alliance?¡±

    Carolina turned back and looked deeply at Rose, a playful smile on her face. ¡°Rose, you¡¯re not supposed to interfere in the surface wars, why are you concerned about this?¡±

    ¡°Just curious. It¡¯s my first time seeing a fully organized Golem Legion.¡±

    Rose¡¯s tone was tinged with genuine curiosity.

    Carolina smiled slightly. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, why don¡¯t you join our Star Alliance and see for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Join the Star Alliance?¡±

    This time, Rose was genuinely surprised. She never thought Carolina would suggest this.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Carolina said with a charming smile. ¡°Rose, you should be aware of our Star Alliance¡¯s strength. Joining us wouldn¡¯t diminish your reputation.¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be denied that Rose was somewhat tempted.

    She had never considered such an idea before. But now that Carolina had brought it up, she realized it might be a good proposal.

    The Star Alliance¡¯s vast resources were well-known, and the glimpse they had seen from the outside world was already astonishing and enviable.

    If she could receive support from the Star Alliance, it would undoubtedly be beneficial to her Wizard path.

    As for being tricked by the Star Alliance, that didn¡¯t seem to be a concern.

    As far as she knew, the Star Alliance had cultivated quite a few Wizard Apprentices and didn¡¯t treat them harshly, adhering to the principle of equal exchange.

    In this regard, the Star Alliance had a good reputation.

    Joining the Star Alliance would be like joining a resource platform.

    Essentially similar to the Mysterious Wooden Hut, but with a closer connection and certain obligations.

    For example, upholding the Star Alliance¡¯s interests.

    This was not something she found unacceptable.

    ¡°Is this your own idea, or Su Nan¡¯s?¡±

    After pondering for a while, Rose slowly spoke.

    Seeing Rose¡¯s hesitation, Carolina smiled. ¡°Master has always had this idea.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t a lie.

    Carolina knew that her master had always wanted to find a manager for the base to help handle various affairs.

    And Rose was undoubtedly a good choice.

    She was of noble birth, might have had some experience in government affairs, and she was a third-rank Wizard Apprentice, so she would definitely be adept at handling base matters.

    As for the fact that she was a member of the Thistle Kingdom royal family, that was insignificant.

    Having spent so many years in the Star Alliance, Carolina deeply understood one principle: When you experience enough benefits within an organization, you gradually become assimilated into it, subconsciously defending the organization¡¯s interests.

    The cooperation between Wizard Apprentices and royal nobles was mostly for acquiring resources.

    As long as Rose gained more benefits from the Star Alliance than from the Thistle Kingdom royal family, the balance in her heart would naturally tilt towards the Star Alliance.

    As for bloodlines... well, the blood relationship between Rose and the current Thistle Kingdom royal family was probably distant.

    If there wasn¡¯t a connection of interest, Rose wouldn¡¯t even care about the Thistle Kingdom¡¯s affairs.

    This was the mentality of many Wizard Apprentices who had lived for over a hundred years.

    As a subordinate, Carolina felt obligated to help her master.

    If she could convince Rose, she would be able to solve a problem for her master.

    After a long pause, Rose finally said, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Let¡¯s talk about it after the Starlight Tower matter is settled.¡±

    Carolina smiled and didn¡¯t say more. She turned around and continued to lead the way.

    After settling Rose, Carolina went to find Su Nan to report back.

    Upon hearing this, Su Nan pondered slightly.

    He had indeed thought about inviting those from the Mysterious Wooden Hut to join the Star Alliance, but considering the potential complications that might arise, he ultimately abandoned the plan for now.

    Once he advanced to a full-fledged Wizard, possessing absolute crushing power, then he would implement this plan, perhaps with fewer troubles.

    Moreover, Su Nan had a faint inkling of another idea.

    By then, it would be time for a more in-depth reform of the base.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put this aside for now.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand, then thought for a moment and added:

    ¡°Except for a few important places, Rose can visit any other place she wants. You can accompany her personally.¡±

    Although he wasn¡¯t planning to invite Rose to join now, it wouldn¡¯t hurt for her to know more about the Star Alliance and form a deeper impression.

    Carolina understood and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Also, the Star Alliance¡¯s expansion operations are to be suspended temporarily. Deploy a Golem Legion to be on standby in Dragonwood.¡±

    ¡°The Golem Legion supporting Stellar Duchy is also to be recalled, replenished, and then sent to Dragonwood to be on standby.¡±

    Considering that he would be entering the Starlight Tower soon, Su Nan felt he should start making preparations.

    Not to mention, it would be safer to put two Golem Legions in the Magic Cube just in case.

    This was a good opportunity for the Star Alliance to take a breather and digest the fruits of its efforts over the past few years.

    As for the surface world, the Stellar Alliance was currently holding a firm advantage in the war. Even if the Golem Legion were withdrawn at this point, it wouldn¡¯t have much impact on the battle.

    After making these arrangements, Su Nan continued working on constructing the Talent Crystal model.

    The following days were calm and peaceful. Nothing happened that Rose worried about.

    The monotonous yet fulfilling routine of cultivation continued until the middle of the Frostfall month (November).

    As Su Nan was constructing the Talent Crystal model in his meditation chamber, he suddenly felt a sense of premonition and opened his eyes abruptly.

    With a thought, the Starlight Tower key appeared in his palm.

    The talismanic stone that had previously looked ordinary, like a common pebble, now had faint blue light emanating from its surface patterns.

    Su Nan closed his fingers, tightly clutching the talismanic stone in his palm. His mind went blank for a moment, and a blurry image appeared in his head.

    In the image, a towering, majestic tower, about five to six hundred meters high, floated in the sky.

    The tower, primarily colored deep blue, appeared exceptionally magnificent and resplendent against the blue and white sky. Its overall style was distinctly Gothic, adorned with intricate carvings on its flying eaves and balustrades. Eye-catching spires and pointed archways stood tall and straight. Colorful elemental clouds and energy particles swirled and flowed around the spires, making the entire tower appear to be soaring and ascending towards the sky.

    The image lasted only a few seconds before disappearing from Su Nan¡¯s mind.

    He immediately understood that the tower in the image was the legendary Starlight Tower!

    ¡°Finally!¡±

    Su Nan let out a long sigh of relief.

    Since he first obtained the clue about the Starlight Tower, he had been eagerly anticipating the appearance of this Wizard inheritance.

    The target had finally appeared!

    Whether or not he could construct the Super Talent Crystal model depended on the Starlight Tower!

    Getting up from the meditation chamber, Su Nan returned to Black Lake City.

    As soon as he came out from the top of the stone pillar, he saw Rose floating in the air, waiting for him.

    ¡°The Starlight Tower has appeared!¡± Rose said, her voice tinged with a hint of unconcealed excitement.

    Su Nan nodded and simply said, ¡°Follow me,¡± before turning to leave.

    Rose was confused but followed him nonetheless.

    Soon, they arrived at the location of the Black Lake City spatial portal.

    Upon seeing the peculiar spatial gate, Rose couldn¡¯t help but express her surprise.

    Seeing Su Nan enter without hesitation, she hesitated for a moment before finally following him in.

    The world blurred, and before her eyes, a vast expanse of green suddenly burst forth.

    Looking at the magnificent and majestic forest in front of her, Rose couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.

    And when she saw the ancient and majestic Dragonbone Tower, she gasped in astonishment.

    Dragon bones!

    The oppressive aura was definitely from real dragon bones!

    ¡°Where is this?¡± Rose couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Dragonwood, the Ecological Garden.¡±

    Su Nan replied without turning around, and then turned towards another spatial portal.

    Rose remained frozen in place, her face full of disbelief.

    She knew what an Ecological Garden was, of course.

    It was a dimensional space known for its large-scale cultivation and breeding facilities.

    But she never expected that Su Nan actually possessed an Ecological Garden.

    Moreover, it seemed that this Ecological Garden was flourishing and prosperous.

    Just how many secrets did this man possess?

    Watching Su Nan¡¯s back, Rose couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart, her desire to join the Star Alliance grew even stronger.

    She snapped out of her daze and quickly followed Su Nan.

    The two passed through another spatial portal, this time returning to the surface world, at Base 1, located near Shining Light City.

    As expected, Kei was already waiting for them at Base 1.

    After sensing the key¡¯s change, he immediately rushed to the base to await Su Nan.

    Without much exchange, they chatted for a few moments and then flew towards the direction indicated by the key.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 176

    The sudden commotion instantly attracted the attention of everyone around.

    Almost immediately, many people couldn¡¯t contain themselves and rushed towards the Starlight Tower.

    However, just as they were about to push open the door of the Starlight Tower with joy on their faces, they were knocked back by a wave of invisible energy.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we get in?¡±

    ¡°Damn it, there¡¯s a defensive magic array!¡±

    Several impatient Wizard Apprentices couldn¡¯t help but release magic spells towards the door, trying to break through the defensive magic array.

    But the magic array, upon landing on the door, vanished as if swallowed by the sea, without a ripple.

    The next instant, a light flashed from the top of the tower, and several beams of light descended from the sky, hitting the Wizard Apprentices who were attacking the door.

    The few of them didn¡¯t even have time to scream before they turned to ash in an instant.

    Seeing this, the crowd surrounding the tower immediately changed their expressions, backing away in panic and fear.

    ¡°What was that?¡± The traveler gasped.

    Even from hundreds of meters away, he could feel the intense energy fluctuations contained in the beam of light.

    It was a terrifying energy intensity that could kill him in an instant!

    ¡°Spell Turrets,¡± Su Nan said, ¡°One of the standard combat devices for Wizard Towers. One shot can easily kill a three-ring legendary knight.¡±

    The Staff, the Traveler, and the Rose all looked at Su Nan in surprise.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± The Rose asked curiously.

    Su Nan shrugged and didn¡¯t answer.

    With the fate of those unlucky few as a warning, the Wizard Apprentices and legendary knights around didn¡¯t dare act rashly anymore.

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    A cold shout suddenly rang out, followed by a short scream.

    Maywich took the lead and flew towards the Starlight Tower, casually killing a Wizard Apprentice blocking his way with a flash of lightning along the way.

    Seeing this, the others all retreated to the sides.

    They didn¡¯t have the confidence or the strength to confront a third-rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Ignoring the gaze of the surrounding crowd, who dared to be angry but dared not speak, the eyes of the Truth Council group were all fixed on the Starlight Tower, their eyes shining with excitement or joy.

    The towering structure in front of them was their hope for advancement to Wizard!

    Without hesitation, Meigisen and the others immediately took out their imprint stones.

    A faint glow emanated from the surface of the imprint stones, rapidly spreading over their entire bodies, completely enveloping them.

    The next second, over ten people disappeared into thin air.

    This scene immediately caused a commotion in the surroundings.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone... no, they¡¯re inside!¡±

    ¡°Why can they go in?¡±

    ¡°Is it because of that stone? Do you need some kind of medium to enter the tower?¡±

    Realizing this, the crowd instantly looked around with flickering eyes.

    Perhaps someone in the crowd held the same stone!

    ¡°Those guys got there first.¡± The traveler clicked his tongue.

    That being said, there wasn¡¯t a trace of panic in his voice.

    After all, they had four third-rank Wizard Apprentices and a three-ring legendary knight, not to mention Su Nan holding back, they were not afraid of those rabble in the surroundings at all.

    ¡°Time is of the essence, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Su Nan was the first to get up and walk towards the Starlight Tower.

    Seeing this, the others also got up and followed.

    The combination of the five people was already quite eye-catching, now that they were moving, they immediately attracted a lot of attention.

    When they saw them stop in front of the Starlight Tower, spread their palms and reveal the stones in their palms, someone finally couldn¡¯t hold back.

    A Wizard Apprentice suddenly raised his hand and shot a black beam of light, splitting the air and rushing towards the Rose.

    Almost at the same time, two legendary knights suddenly leaped up, jumping towards Kei and the Traveler respectively, their swords slashing through the air.

    The three of them seemed to have pressed a switch, and in an instant, the people around them all made their moves, dozens of people attacking Su Nan and the others in unison.

    They weren¡¯t blind to the strength of Su Nan and the others, but in the face of the temptation of the Starlight Tower, their greed ultimately overrode their reason.

    Moreover, there were only five targets, unlike the Truth Council who had over ten people, while the attacking crowd had at least forty or fifty people, relying on their numerical advantage, they might have a chance to grab the stones.

    As for how to distribute them after they got their hands on them, that was a matter for later.

    But the next moment, they realized how wrong they were.

    The moment they made their move, Su Nan, the Staff, the Traveler, and the Rose retaliated at the same time.

    With the four of them as the center, dozens of magic missiles suddenly exploded, instantly piercing through the first seven or eight people who charged forward.

    These attackers, who were at best only one-ring legendary in strength, were reduced to corpses in a blink of an eye!

    Such a scene instantly frightened the rest of the people into a daze, hesitant to step forward.

    However, Su Nan and the four others didn¡¯t intend to let them off, their magic spells continued to fly out, quickly slaughtering the surrounding crowd.

    These second-rank Wizard Apprentices and one-ring legendary knights were nothing more than ants that Su Nan and the others could crush with a flick of their wrist.

    Even though the former had a numerical advantage of ten times or more.

    Realizing the disparity in strength between them and Su Nan and the others, the surrounding crowd who had been eager to move immediately retreated.

    No one dared to move anymore, they just stayed in the distance, casting fearful and jealous glances at them.

    Su Nan and the four others didn¡¯t care, it was as if they had crushed a few ants.

    Their attention was all on the imprint stones.

    As the imprint stones emitted a faint glow, spreading to their entire bodies, the next instant, the five of them disappeared from their original positions.

    When they regained their senses, Su Nan found himself in a vast hall.

    The entire hall was paved with white marble, its surface carved with intricate patterns, which seemed to contain a certain pattern, exuding a strange beauty.

    The entire hall looked somewhat similar to the control center on the top floor of the Dragonbone Tower, but it was more spacious, and there were many criss-crossing gaps on the surrounding walls, vaguely outlining rectangles against the floor, seemingly tightly closed doors.

    The ceiling above was at least a hundred meters away from the floor, studded with countless precious Everlasting Pearls, illuminating the entire hall brightly.

    Just as Su Nan was observing the hall, a voice suddenly came from the void.

    ¡¾Detecting entrant, starting scan!¡¿

    ¡¾Scan complete, entrant is a third-rank Wizard Apprentice, meets inheritance requirements, now activating inheritance process!¡¿

    ¡¾Welcome to Starlight Tower, Wizard Apprentice!¡¿

    Ten meters in front of Su Nan, the void suddenly lit up, and a illusion appeared out of thin air.

    It was a gray-white meatball the size of a person, covered with countless mouths, with fine, sharp teeth faintly visible inside.

    At this moment, hundreds of mouths simultaneously opened and closed, emitting a slightly mechanical, monotonous sound.

    ¡¾I am the Tower Spirit of Starlight Tower, and I am also the examiner presiding over the trials.¡¿

    ¡¾According to the rules of Starlight Tower, all entrants can get the chance to challenge the trials, successfully challenge the trials can get inheritance rewards, do you want to challenge?¡¿

    Su Nan didn¡¯t answer immediately, but looked at the meatball who called itself the Tower Spirit with great interest.

    Without even thinking, he knew that the so-called Tower Spirit was fake, probably just a self-aggrandizing boast of the creator.

    How precious are Tower Spirits, even if there were wizards who left behind inheritances thousands of years ago, they wouldn¡¯t be willing to leave the Tower Spirit in such a place.

    Moreover, the tone of the meatball¡¯s speech was also difficult to conceal its dullness and mechanicalness, its intelligence was clearly not high, at best it was only slightly better than Dragonlin¡¯s Butler No. 1.

    But then again, the taste of the builder of the Starlight Tower is really speechless, he actually designed the auxiliary intelligent life form to look so heavy.

    Secretly muttering to himself, Su Nan said loudly:

    ¡°Challenge!¡±

    The meatball was silent for a second or two, its mouths on the surface opened and closed simultaneously again.

    ¡¾Start matching the trial!¡¿

    ¡¾Matching successful, based on the challenger¡¯s age and realm, the difficulty of the trial is set to the highest level!¡¿

    ¡¾Friendly reminder, the trial is divided into three levels in total, please complete them within ninety days, otherwise it will be deemed a failure!¡¿

    ¡¾Now starting the first level, knowledge assessment!¡¿

    With the sound falling, a flash of light in front of Su Nan, ten illusory figures suddenly appeared.

    ¡¾Please choose three from the following ten materials and elaborate on their name, function, and growth environment, etc. The information density and accuracy need to meet certain standards.¡¿

    Listening to the voice in his ear and looking at the illusory figures in front of him, Su Nan inexplicably felt a sense of nostalgia.

    When he took the exam at the Wizard Academy in his previous life, it was about the same scene.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to take an exam here.¡±

    After sighing for a while, Su Nan turned his attention back to the exam in front of him.

    Among the ten materials, there were magical plants, rare metals, as well as various other strange and bizarre things.

    Su Nan glanced at them and immediately understood.

    These materials were not extinct in the current Starlight Continent, but they were very rare.

    It was estimated that they could only be seen in some ancient books.

    It might be difficult for other Wizard Apprentices, but it was very simple for him.

    Without hesitation, Su Nan directly pointed at the first inconspicuous yellow withered grass on the right side and began to answer.

    ¡°Revival Grass, an extremely cold-resistant magical plant, mostly grows in harsh environments such as ice plains, volcanic areas, and miasma swamps, its most famous ability is to come back to life, it can resurrect again when it¡¯s almost completely dried up, it has a strong mutation ability, in order to adapt to the harsh living environment, it often undergoes certain mutations and evolutions, thus giving birth to many branches.¡±

    ¡°Revival Grass contains powerful vitality, taking it directly can slightly increase lifespan, it can also be used to make potions, and it¡¯s one of the main materials for Dawn Potion.¡±

    ¡¾Passed.¡¿

    Su Nan was not surprised, he moved his finger lightly and turned to the second material.

    It was a silvery-white sapling in appearance, but it was actually a metal.

    The metal surface of the tree leaves shimmered with starry light, which was very beautiful.

    ¡°Starry Silver Essence, a rare metal, its growth environment must meet two conditions, first, there must be a vein nearby, and second, it must be exposed to moonlight, and it has very strict requirements for the concentration of energy particles.¡±

    ¡°The ductility and magic conductivity of Starry Silver Essence are better than Mithril, it can be used to make magical artifacts or refine puppets.¡±

    Before the meatball could speak, Su Nan pointed at the third transparent irregular crystal and said:

    ¡°Dragon Crystal, a strange crystal born from the corpse of a dead dragon in rare cases, containing the essence of the entire dragon corpse, with very wide applications, it can be used to cultivate magical companions, biological transformation, manufacture magical artifacts, or refine puppets.¡±

    ¡¾Passed.¡¿

    A smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face, this kind of material identification question was no difficulty for him.

    Buzz!

    Ten more illusory figures appeared, but this time they were ten strange-looking creatures.

    ¡¾Please choose three from the following ten creatures and elaborate on their name, growth environment, biological characteristics, etc. The information density and accuracy need to meet certain standards.¡¿

    ¡°This time it¡¯s identifying creatures.¡±

    Su Nan still looked calm, his gaze falling on the first jellyfish that emitted a faint blue fluorescence on the left side.

    The jellyfish was white and umbrella-shaped, with countless eyes on its front, about twenty-four eyes scattered around its head, which made people feel a bit scalp-tingling upon closer inspection.

    ¡°Umbrella Jellyfish, a social creature, usually lives in deep waters, highly poisonous, its internal organs can be used to make potions, and its venom can be used as an enchantment material.¡±

    Following that, Su Nan picked the second Magical Eel and the Throat-Squeezer, elaborating on their information in turn.

    As expected, the meatball gave a ¡¾Passed¡¿ evaluation.

    Passing easily once again.

    ¡°What will be next, identification of what, bring it on.¡±

    Su Nan smiled confidently.

    But the illusory figures that appeared next surprised him, it was actually a book.

    ¡¾Master this spell and successfully cast it once.¡¿

    It¡¯s learning a spell?

    Su Nan raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then he felt a little relieved.

    A spell usually involves ten or even dozens of knowledge, and many spells are interconnected.

    Generally speaking, the more knowledgeable the wizard (apprentice), the easier it is to learn spells.

    The reason why high-level wizards can master a low-level spell in a short period of time is that their spiritual power is high, but more importantly, their depth and breadth of knowledge are far beyond those of Wizard Apprentices.

    It¡¯s like a Ph.D. doing elementary school problems, it¡¯s easy.

    Su Nan simply flipped through the book, the content above was a zero-level spell called ¡®Bone Arrow¡¯.

    He thought back, and it seemed that there wasn¡¯t such a spell in the spell books he had collected so far.

    It should be the self-created spell of the builder of Starlight Tower, if nothing else.

    After all, if it¡¯s an exam, it must give out spells that are not available outside, to prevent challengers from just happening to have mastered the spell, which would lead to unfairness.

    ¡°Zero-level spell.¡±

    Su Nan smiled.

    Normally, it takes a third-rank Wizard Apprentice two or three weeks to learn a zero-level spell, even if they are fast.

    But he is different, with his golden finger, it takes more than three days to be considered too long.

    Putting his thoughts aside, Su Nan began to flip through the book.

    ¡¾Reading ¡®Bone Arrow Spell Model¡¯, ¡®Bone Arrow¡¯ learning progress +0.15%¡¿

    The spell learning progress was faster than Su Nan expected, almost every few minutes a progress prompt popped up.

    It took only two days for Su Nan to successfully master this zero-level spell called ¡®Bone Arrow¡¯.

    The moment the prompt popped up, he closed the book, pointed with his hand, and a pale, sharp bone arrow materialized out of thin air, shooting towards the wall at the end.

    With a clang, the bone arrow shattered, and the wall remained intact.

    ¡¾Passed.¡¿

    ¡¾Successfully passed the first level.¡¿

 Chapter 177

    Su Nan retracted his hand, a relaxed smile playing on his lips.

    The first stage of the assessment was almost effortless for him, only the final spell learning took a bit more time.

    [The second stage begins now, Skill Assessment.]

    [Please select the type of skill you wish to be assessed on from the following four options.]

    [Potion Brewing, Creature Modification, Magic Item Creation, Puppetry Refinement.]

    ¡°Skill Assessment?¡±

    Su Nan almost didn¡¯t hesitate, swiftly choosing Puppetry Refinement.

    Apart from the fact that his [Puppetry Refinement] skill level was the highest, he also possessed the most high-level puppet design blueprints.

    If he had chosen Potion Brewing or Magic Item Creation, and they had asked him to make high-level potions or fabricate glimmer-level magic items, he would have been stumped.

    After all, he had obtained all the high-level potions and glimmer-level magic items through synthesis, he didn¡¯t have any corresponding recipes or design blueprints.

    On the other hand, he had puppets ranging from Clay Golems, Stone Golems, Steel Golems, to Mithril Golems and Arcane Automata. His collection of design blueprints encompassed Knight-level to Four-Ring Legendary-level puppets. No matter what level of puppet they asked him to refine, he could handle it with greater ease.

    The moment Su Nan selected Puppetry Refinement, a door on the right-hand wall suddenly opened, and a group of Clay Golems carrying things emerged from within.

    It was a variety of metals, gems, and Soul Crystals.

    Su Nan even saw high-grade gems and small Soul Crystals among them.

    After dropping off the materials, the Clay Golems returned behind the door. Then, a dull thudding sound followed, and a tall figure walked out from behind the door.

    It was a colossal puppet!

    Standing roughly seven to eight meters tall, its entire body was composed of massive bones, its pupils emitted an eerie dark red blood-colored light, and it emanated a stench of decay and evil.

    It held a sharp bone war axe in its hand.

    Bone Golem!

    Su Nan instantly recognized the origin of the puppet in front of him.

    A golem crafted primarily from biological bones, it was a common type of golem used by many Wizards (Apprentices) specializing in the Necromancer faction.

    ¡°Could it be that the builder of Starlight Tower was also a Wizard specializing in the Necromancer faction?¡±

    Su Nan mused quietly.

    [Remaining Challenge Time: 87 Days 22 Hours 18 Minutes. Please refine a puppet capable of destroying the Bone Golem within the stipulated time. Quantity is not fixed. Failure will be deemed if the time limit is exceeded, or all materials are consumed, and the Bone Golem is not destroyed.]

    Su Nan felt a sense of relief. This assessment content was quite easy.

    The combat strength of a Bone Golem was comparable to a Steel Golem.

    A single Steel Golem might not be enough to destroy the Bone Golem, but two would definitely suffice.

    Su Nan had already crafted hundreds of Steel Golems, the refining process was already familiar to him. Just two Steel Golems, he could handle them in less than a day.

    That¡¯s exactly what happened. Within a day, two brand new Steel Golems were ready.

    Next came the battle.

    As Su Nan anticipated, the two Steel Golems easily suppressed the Bone Golem, dismantling it into a pile of bones in less than ten minutes.

    [Passed!]

    A beam of light suddenly shot out from somewhere, instantly disassembling one of the Steel Golems into a pile of metal fragments.

    Another beam of light followed, shattering the second Steel Golem.

    Rumble.

    The Clay Golems walked out from the door, carrying the materials back. The bones and metal fragments on the ground were also swept away.

    [The third stage begins now, Practical Assessment!]

    As the sound finished, the wall opposite suddenly rumbled open towards both sides, revealing a vast expanse of darkness.

    A gigantic gray hand abruptly emerged from the darkness, followed by an arm, a head, a torso, and a lower body.

    A huge creature soon appeared before Su Nan.

    It was an enormous giant, its entire skin a deep gray with a slight bluish tint, dotted with dark or light-colored patches. Bones and skin formations the size of coins, like pebble-like bumps, were distributed across its neck, shoulders, and arms.

    Its face had no eyebrows, prominent brow bones, a wide jaw, and pebble-like bumps were scattered on its head as well.

    There wasn¡¯t a single hair on its entire body, even its head was bare.

    ¡°Goliath!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyebrows shot up, recognizing the origin of the creature in front of him.

    Goliaths were a race of giants, possessing immense strength and a natural ability to manipulate air currents.

    These otherworldly creatures had the strength of a Three-Ring Legendary approaching Four-Ring Legendary upon reaching adulthood, incredibly powerful creatures that were born warriors.

    After climbing out from behind the door, the Goliath immediately stood up straight, reaching a height of fifteen to sixteen meters. Combined with its massive and sturdy grayish body, it gave off a sense of a towering mountain range, a heavy sense of oppression.

    [Defeat the trial creature and you will pass!]

    Su Nan recalled the two dismantled Steel Golems, couldn¡¯t help but sneer.

    This assessment was truly airtight, not giving anyone any loopholes to exploit.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    The Goliath roared, lifting its massive spiked club, it charged towards Su Nan like a charging tank, the violent air waves it unleashed even caused the robe on Su Nan¡¯s body to billow.

    Su Nan¡¯s expression remained unchanged, a flicker of thought in his mind, and countless silvery metal liquids surged out from within his body, transforming into a metal storm that swept forth, engulfing the Goliath like a torrent!

    Sizzle sizzle sizzle!

    The incessant muffled sounds of blades cutting flesh echoed through the hall, drowning out the shrill screams.

    Four or five breaths later, the metal storm receded, returning into Su Nan¡¯s body and disappearing.

    The Goliath had also vanished, only a pool of blood remained on the spot to prove its existence.

    With a 5-level Magic Emblem Core operating at full power, even the Goliath, with strength approaching Four-Ring Legendary, couldn¡¯t withstand the attack. It was instantly killed in a single encounter.

    [Passed.]

    The meatball in the distance opened its mouth, emitting the familiar mechanical voice.

    [Congratulations, you have successfully passed the trial. Evaluation: A+, Receive inheritance reward!]

    Crack!

    In the center of the hall, the ground suddenly cracked open into three fissures. A rectangular stone pillar slowly rose up from each fissure, reaching about a meter high before stopping.

    On top of the rightmost stone pillar was a bottle of potion.

    Inside the transparent potion bottle, the light purple potion shimmered with a captivating brilliance under the light of the Everlasting Pearl.

    On the middle pillar was a book.

    On the leftmost pillar lay a silver orb, the size of an egg, perfectly round.

    [Construction Potion, ¡®Bone¡¯ Intermediate Talent Crystal Model, Spirit Pearl.]

    [These are your inheritance rewards!]

    Construction Potion!

    Su Nan¡¯s heart surged with delight.

    The name alone clearly indicated that this was a potion specifically used to accelerate the construction of Talent Crystal Models. Consuming it could significantly enhance construction speed.

    A single Construction Potion could allow a Wizard Apprentice to successfully construct a Lower-Grade Talent Crystal Model within a month.

    The effect was indeed potent!

    Whether in the Age of Wizards a thousand years ago, or in the future when Wizards returned, Construction Potion was a highly precious potion, essentially monopolized by those Wizard factions, while wild Wizard Apprentices couldn¡¯t even get a glimpse of it.

    The builder of Starlight Tower was actually willing to offer a Construction Potion as a reward, even for an A+ evaluation. It truly surprised Su Nan.

    ¡®Bone¡¯ Intermediate Talent Crystal Model was also a very good reward, but it was no longer appealing to Su Nan at this point.

    As for the Spirit Pearl, as the name suggests, it was a highly condensed crystallization of spiritual power. It could be used to quickly restore spiritual power.

    However, only formal Wizards could refine this, and it came at the price of permanently decreasing their own spiritual power.

    Apart from some Wizards nearing the end of their lifespan, very few were willing to sacrifice themselves in this way. Therefore, the Spirit Pearl was also quite valuable.

    ¡®Bone¡¯ Talent Crystal Model is a given. The Construction Potion and Spirit Pearl were clearly prepared for the second and third steps of constructing the model.

    Su Nan guessed that in the trial projections of Starlight Tower, those who could achieve an A+ evaluation were likely Three-Ring Wizard Apprentices about to or already in the process of constructing Talent Crystal Models, which is why the inheritance rewards were given.

    It had to be admitted that the builder of Starlight Tower was quite generous.

    With these thoughts in mind, Su Nan reached out towards the Construction Potion, but before his hand could touch it, an invisible force field blocked him.

    ¡°??¡±

    Su Nan froze for a moment.

    At that moment, the meatball in the distance opened its mouth again.

    [Wizard Apprentice, according to the rules of Starlight Tower, if you wish to claim the inheritance reward, you must first sign an Oath Contract.]

    Oath Contract?

    Su Nan frowned, asking, ¡°What is the contract content?¡±

    A flash of light in front of him, rows of text appeared in succession.

    After reading through the text, Su Nan¡¯s face immediately turned black.

    The contents of the Oath Contract were actually that he would become a member of the Wizard organization [Dark Throne] from now on. He was not allowed to disobey any orders of [Dark Throne] or do anything detrimental to [Dark Throne].

    In short, once he signed this Oath Contract, he would essentially become an obedient slave of [Dark Throne].

    It was called an Oath Contract, but in reality, its harshness was almost as bad as a Soul Contract.

    Unless one had a screw loose, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t sign such a contract under any circumstances.

    Furthermore, others might not know, but he did.

    There weren¡¯t many Wizard factions in the multiverse that could be considered well-known and established, a dozen or so at most. [Dark Throne] was one of them.

    Members of this Wizard faction mostly specialized in the Necromancer faction, their actions were extremely radical.

    If it were only this, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem. The key was that the organizational structure of [Dark Throne] was imbued with a strong feudalistic flavor.

    The high-ranking Wizards were high and mighty, occupying and enjoying the majority of resources.

    The lower-ranking members were the exploited class, they signed the Oath Contract, and they could only obediently collect and generate resources for the organization for the high-ranking members to use.

    They were called Wizards, but they were essentially no different from slaves.

    The reason they didn¡¯t use Soul Contracts, but used the guise of Oath Contracts, was simply to reduce the psychological resistance of those signing.

    It was precisely for this reason that [Dark Throne] had a terrible reputation in the Wizard world, despised by many Wizards.

    ¡°No wonder the Wizard inheritance was left in Starlight Continent.¡±

    Su Nan now truly understood.

    He had been puzzled all along.

    The Wizard community has always been incompatible with a sense of responsibility.

    After venturing into the multiverse, there were actually Wizards who left their inheritances on Starlight Continent, leaving a glimmer of hope for future generations to become Wizards. No matter how you thought about it, it was abnormal.

    Su Nan initially assumed that it was a special individual in the Wizard community who was selfless and didn¡¯t seek anything in return, but now it seemed that the truth was vastly different from what he had guessed.

    Starlight Tower was actually a facility established by [Dark Throne] on Starlight Continent, specifically for the development of members.

    Due to their terrible reputation, very few people in the multiverse were willing to join [Dark Throne].

    To develop their members, [Dark Throne] often resorted to some less than noble means.

    Starlight Tower was obviously one of them.

    Without knowing the true nature of [Dark Throne], faced with the lucrative inheritance rewards and the hope of becoming a Wizard, it was unlikely that anyone could resist the temptation and not sign the Oath Contract.

    Once they signed, when the future elements recovered and Wizards returned, they would discover the true face of [Dark Throne]. If they wanted to regret it, it would be too late.

    ¡°Truly a shameless style befitting [Dark Throne].¡±

    Su Nan scoffed disdainfully.

    He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.

    The so-called Wizard inheritance was actually a scam.

    Looking at it this way, Blackforest and Falling Star City, which were equally renowned as Starlight Tower, likely had their fair share of tricks up their sleeves.

    Even if they weren¡¯t as blatant a trap as Starlight Tower, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get knowledge inheritance and resources without paying any price.

    ¡°Forget about Blackforest and Falling Star City for now, let¡¯s deal with the matter at hand.¡±

    Signing the Oath Contract was naturally out of the question. Su Nan wouldn¡¯t jump into a fire pit willingly.

    But according to the usual practices of [Dark Throne], at this point, even if he gave up the reward and refused to sign the Oath Contract, it was unlikely that they would allow it.

    Su Nan looked up at the meatball, his voice deep and firm. ¡°I refuse to sign the Oath Contract. I am relinquishing the inheritance reward.¡±

    After a few seconds of silence, the meatball spoke again.

    [Challengers who refuse to sign the contract must compensate for the resources and energy consumed during the trial. The fee is thirty Upper-Grade Magic Stones, please pay up!]

    [Those who cannot pay will be eliminated!]

    As expected!

    Su Nan sneered coldly.

    Where in the present Starlight Continent could a Wizard Apprentice afford thirty Upper-Grade Magic Stones?

    Even Su Nan, with a bunch of Magic Stones lying in his Space Ring, couldn¡¯t synthesize thirty Upper-Grade Magic Stones.

    If even he couldn¡¯t, let alone others.

    This rule of Starlight Tower was clearly designed to give challengers no choice.

    Either sign the Oath Contract, or die!

    There was no third option!

    [Please make a choice, challenger!]

    [Pay the fee, or sign the Oath Contract!]

    The meatball¡¯s hundreds of mouths opened and closed, emitting a mechanical and cold voice.

    Su Nan could vaguely sense that something in the hall had targeted him. Once he refused, it would immediately attack.

    A chilling sense of oppression instantly enveloped him!

    Su Nan acted as if he didn¡¯t notice, a cold smile flashed across his face.

    ¡°Go to hell with your choices!¡±

    He abruptly reached out towards the Construction Potion, countless silvery metal liquids surfaced simultaneously, transforming into a metal storm that slammed against the invisible force field!

 Chapter 178

    Su Nan had never been one to be threatened.

    Since the Starlight Tower wouldn¡¯t give him a choice, he simply wouldn¡¯t choose. He would just turn the tables!

    A silver metal storm tore through the barrier of the invisible force field in an instant. The moment Su Nan¡¯s fingers touched the Constructing Potion, he stored it in his Spatial Ring.

    Immediately after, he lightning-fast grabbed the book and the Spirit Crystal as well.

    Only then did the meatball react to Su Nan¡¯s sudden attack.

    [Warning!]

    [Starlight Tower under attack, defense program activated!]

    A beam of light shot down from the sky, silently striking Su Nan.

    The shield around Su Nan¡¯s body shattered instantly, followed by the energy particle protective layer. The beam finally stopped a couple of inches away from Su Nan¡¯s body, causing a small area of distortion before disappearing.

    The defense of the Ultimate Protection Ring instantly dropped by over 300 points!

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, glancing at the top of the hall.

    Even if this beam¡¯s power wasn¡¯t as strong as a Spell Cannon Tower, it wasn¡¯t much weaker.

    He had to take care of the device that was firing the beams first, otherwise, no matter how many Ultimate Protection Rings he had, they wouldn¡¯t be enough to withstand it.

    His mind racing, Su Nan had a plan.

    A steel Magic Puppet suddenly appeared out of thin air above his head, perfectly blocking an incoming beam.

    The steel Magic Puppet instantly shattered, turning into metal fragments that scattered everywhere.

    Taking this opportunity, Su Nan had found the source of the beams. The raging metal storm immediately changed direction, flowing like a torrent and smashing into a device on the ceiling that looked like a cannon tower, instantly pulverizing it!

    Whoosh!

    The walls of the hall suddenly opened up on all sides, revealing doors, and one after another, stone Magic Puppets charged out, encircling Su Nan from all directions.

    ¡°Want a Magic Puppet showdown?¡±

    Su Nan chuckled, he wasn¡¯t afraid of this.

    One after another, stone Magic Puppets emerged from around him, fearlessly charging at the enemy.

    The hall immediately erupted into a war between Magic Puppets!

    The tall stone Magic Puppets fought brute force with brute force, using their strength against each other¡¯s strength, swinging their giant fists at each other. The dull sounds of impacts merged into deafening sound waves, echoing endlessly in the hall.

    Almost every second, a stone Magic Puppet would fall, turning into a pile of rubble.

    The battle quickly degenerated into a meat grinder-like battle of attrition!

    Su Nan didn¡¯t make another move, only staying vigilant around him.

    He still didn¡¯t know what tricks the Starlight Tower had up its sleeve, he had to save his strength for the upcoming battle.

    But while he was cautious, Su Nan wasn¡¯t too worried in his heart.

    The Starlight Tower was just a legacy facility for Wizard Apprentices, far smaller than a real Wizard Tower, its defenses wouldn¡¯t be very strong.

    He had prepared well for this mission, bringing two squads of small Magic Puppet armies, and he also held many trump cards, these were the confidence and reliance he had to turn the tables.

    Since the Starlight Tower wouldn¡¯t let him leave, he would just take down the Starlight Tower, the resources inside would become his!

    As if realizing that the stone Magic Puppets couldn¡¯t handle Su Nan, the stone Magic Puppets that came out from behind the doors soon turned into steel Magic Puppets.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hold back either, directly releasing his steel Magic Puppets, along with Elite Double-Bladed Spiders, exceeding the number of Magic Puppets sent by the Starlight Tower. The battle line gradually pushed towards the doors around them.

    When Su Nan¡¯s Magic Puppet army occupied two-thirds of the hall, the silent meatball illusion finally moved.

    [Detecting increased invasion intensity, now upgrading the defense level to Level 2 Standard!]

    With a series of buzzing sounds, the entire Starlight Tower seemed to tremble.

    A powerful energy fluctuation suddenly surged from above the hall.

    Su Nan looked up and saw that in the originally empty void, magic circles, each a meter in diameter, suddenly appeared. Cannon towers extended from them, with glowing halos gathering and shining on top.

    Eighteen cannon towers in total!

    The next moment, with a hum, eighteen cannon towers fired simultaneously, eighteen water-bucket-thick beams tearing through the void, attacking Su Nan at the same time!

    Unlike the simplified cannon tower from before, these eighteen cannon towers were genuine Spell Cannon Towers, their power was incomparable.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t dare to take it head-on. In an instant, the Elite Double-Bladed Spiders around him all leaped up, forming a shield over Su Nan¡¯s head with their bodies.

    However, the attack of a Spell Cannon Tower could easily kill even a Third-Rank Legendary Knight, Elite Double-Bladed Spiders with only Second-Rank Legendary strength were simply impossible to withstand.

    In just an instant, more than twenty Elite Double-Bladed Spiders were blown to dust.

    And their sacrifice only countered four beams, the remaining beams still charged towards Su Nan with relentless force.

    However, taking advantage of this opportunity, Su Nan had already used the Mirror Shadow Technique to split himself into eight, scattering to the surroundings.

    The Spell Beams chased after them relentlessly, soon splitting up and hitting the eight ¡®Su Nans¡¯.

    Seven clones dissipated into bubbles in an instant, and Su Nan¡¯s true body was also hit by two beams.

    The Shield Technique shattered in an instant, the 1,000-point defense of the Ultimate Protection Ring also returned to zero in an instant.

    Fortunately, after being weakened by the two barriers, the power of the Spell Beams was greatly reduced, easily blocked by the Magic Emblem Core.

    After this attack, Su Nan was shocked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let these Spell Cannon Towers keep attacking, otherwise, even with more Ultimate Protection Rings, I won¡¯t be able to withstand them!¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Nan directly threw out more than a dozen High-Level Rune Gems.

    If it came down to firepower, even if his opponent was eighteen Spell Cannon Towers, he wouldn¡¯t back down.

    Boom! Boom!

    The deafening sound waves echoing in the hall instantly increased in intensity!

    Along with it came dazzling elemental radiance and beams flying around everywhere.

    Su Nan, who didn¡¯t hesitate to use his resources, had become a human cannon tower, fighting eighteen with one, clashing against the Spell Cannon Towers, his momentum no less impressive.

    One after another, the cannon towers collapsed and shattered under the relentless bombardment of the High-Level Rune Gems.

    In just over a dozen breaths, the eighteen Spell Cannon Towers were all destroyed!

    Su Nan had also paid the price of seven Ultimate Protection Rings and over sixty High-Level Rune Gems.

    Taking out the Spirit Pearl and holding it in his hand, while absorbing and replenishing his Spiritual Power, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little fortunate.

    It was also fortunate that the Starlight Tower wasn¡¯t a real Wizard Tower, only equipped with eighteen Spell Cannon Towers, otherwise, if it had been the standard configuration of over a hundred Spell Cannon Towers in a Wizard Tower firing at him at the same time, even with the Ultimate Protection Ring and the Magic Emblem Core, he would have been instantly blown to smithereens.

    In the short time it took Su Nan to destroy the Spell Cannon Towers, the Magic Puppets sent by the Starlight Tower had already been completely overwhelmed, beaten to the point where they couldn¡¯t even lift their heads.

    Seeing that Su Nan¡¯s Magic Puppet army was about to charge into the doors, the Starlight Tower didn¡¯t hesitate and closed all the doors.

    [Detecting increased invasion intensity, now upgrading the defense level to Level 3 Standard!]

    [Warning, Level 3 defense program activated, suspending all unnecessary energy consumption, suspending non-combat facility operation!]

    As the voice fell, the huge metal gate in the middle suddenly opened, and huge behemoths walked out from inside.

    It was a creature with a somewhat deformed appearance like an ogre, but much larger.

    It was estimated to be over twenty meters tall.

    Its body was like it was made of tightly stretched clay, with many painful and distorted faces showing through the surface, as if other creatures were trapped inside and desperately trying to break free.

    There were no features on its face, only a deep black hole.

    ¡°Deep Gloom Magic Puppet!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression became a little more serious.

    This was an evil Magic Puppet made up of flesh and soul, its materials were taken from creatures that had been subjected to extreme torture, hence it carried extreme malice, pain, and despair.

    Due to the evil manufacturing method of the materials, few Wizards (Apprentices) would refine Deep Gloom Magic Puppets, only those who specialized in Necromancy would refine this kind of evil Magic Puppet.

    A Deep Gloom Magic Puppet was more powerful than a Mithril Magic Puppet, reaching the level of a Fourth-Rank Legendary.

    And from behind the door, four Deep Gloom Magic Puppets walked out!

    Su Nan estimated that this was most likely the Starlight Tower¡¯s final battle sequence!

    ¡°Ah!!!¡±

    A painful howl came out of the black hole on the Deep Gloom Magic Puppet¡¯s face.

    The voice, full of despair and pain, caused Su Nan¡¯s head to ache slightly, making him fall into a trance.

    By the time he snapped out of it, the four Deep Gloom Magic Puppets had already charged into the Magic Puppet army, cutting through them like a hot knife through butter, rushing towards him.

    Outside the Starlight Tower.

    After Su Nan¡¯s group entered the tower, the people hiding around couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. They all appeared, surrounding the Starlight Tower, trying to use various methods to enter.

    Sadly, they all failed, and a few unlucky souls seemed to have inadvertently touched some taboo, being blown to dust by the Spell Cannon Towers.

    For a while, the group looked at the Starlight Tower helplessly, like watching a delicious cake they couldn¡¯t reach.

    Just then, a flash of light appeared on the ground in front of the tower, and more than ten figures appeared out of thin air.

    It was the group of people from the Council of Truth who had just entered, along with the four of them, Wand, Rose, Traveler, and Kei.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why am I out here?¡±

    Mavitch was completely dumbfounded.

    He had just been concentrating on browsing spellbooks, ready to break through this level as soon as possible, and then he blinked, and when he looked up again, he was already back outside the tower.

    What happened??

    However, no one answered his question.

    Everyone, including Megison, was confused, looking at each other.

    Wand¡¯s group was also dumbfounded, clueless.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Did we touch some kind of rule and were teleported out directly?¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, look at those people from the Council of Truth, they were teleported out too.¡±

    ¡°Then what happened... wait! Where¡¯s Su Nan?¡±

    Reminded by Kei, the other three suddenly woke up.

    Yes, everyone who went in came out, where was Su Nan?

    Was he still inside the tower?

    The four looked at each other, the same thought appearing in their minds at the same time.

    Could this situation be related to Su Nan?

    If it was Su Nan, it wasn¡¯t impossible for him to cause this kind of situation.

    In fact, the current situation looked like it couldn¡¯t be separated from Su Nan.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, Su Nan didn¡¯t come out!¡±

    On the Council of Truth¡¯s side, Evans soon noticed that Su Nan wasn¡¯t teleported out with them.

    Mavitch¡¯s face turned black, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Everyone else was teleported out of the tower, only Su Nan didn¡¯t, he must have done something, capture his accomplices and interrogate them!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort, those guys obviously don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Fabio glanced at the four, Wand¡¯s group, who were equally confused, and frowned in thought.

    ¡°But this matter is most likely related to Su Nan, what exactly did he do?¡±

    Everyone was baffled.

    ¡°No matter what happened, the most important thing now is to find a way to re-enter the tower.¡±

    Megison said in a deep voice, frowning at the inscription stone in his palm.

    ¡°No way.¡± Fabio had already tried it, ¡°The key doesn¡¯t respond.¡±

    The others didn¡¯t believe it and tried a few more times, but no matter how they activated the key, it didn¡¯t work.

    With no other choice, everyone could only look at Megison and wait for him to make a decision.

    Megison¡¯s face was dark and silent for a while, then he suddenly pointed at a middle-aged man in armor nearby, obviously a Legendary Knight, and said coldly, ¡°You go and attack the Starlight Tower!¡±

    The middle-aged knight¡¯s face changed drastically, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    Mavitch immediately understood Megison¡¯s plan, he stepped forward, his eyes cold as he stared at the middle-aged man, and said in a cold voice, ¡°Either attack the Starlight Tower, or die, you choose!¡±

    The other members of the Council of Truth also cast unfriendly glances.

    The middle-aged knight¡¯s face fluctuated for a moment before finally giving in.

    He couldn¡¯t be the opponent of more than ten Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    The middle-aged knight walked towards the Starlight Tower with a pale face, hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and slashed out a sword aura, then quickly retreated, looking at the top of the tower with fear.

    Those previous unlucky souls had been killed by the beams that shot down from the top of the tower!

    But nothing happened.

    The top of the tower was still.

    Seeing this, the middle-aged knight showed a look of relief.

    Megison and his group looked at each other.

    ¡°It seems something must have happened inside the tower.¡± Fabio frowned in thought.

    ¡°What does it matter?¡± Mavitch showed an eager look, ¡°Since attacking the Starlight Tower won¡¯t be attacked back, then let¡¯s go all out, as long as we break through the defensive magic circle, even without the key, we can re-enter the tower!¡±

    This statement was agreed upon by everyone.

    Without delay, Megison and the others all took action, in an instant, countless spells rushed towards the Starlight Tower.

    The defensive magic circle that enveloped the entire tower instantly rippled.

    Seeing the actions of the Council of Truth, Wand immediately understood.

    ¡°It seems they want to break through directly!¡±

    Traveler hesitated, ¡°Should we also take action?¡±

    The three looked at each other, without hesitation for too long, they quickly joined the attack on the Starlight Tower.

    Kei hesitated for a moment, and then he also took action.

    He didn¡¯t have the same yearning and urgency as others for the Starlight Tower.

    After all, he had already taken the Dawn Potion.

    Compared to that, he was more worried that Su Nan might be in danger inside the tower.

    No matter what, breaking through the defensive magic circle and entering the tower to investigate would tell him the truth.

    As the two strongest forces present took action one after the other, the other onlookers couldn¡¯t sit still any longer, and they all joined the siege.

    As long as they broke through the defensive magic circle, the doors of the Starlight Tower would also be open to them.

    That way, they could also go in and get a share of the pie!

    Thinking of this, many people were elated.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 179: You Think Too Highly of Yourself

    Chapter 179: You Think Too Highly of Yourself

    **[External attack detected, emergency defense array strength boost! ]**

    **[50% 60% 80% ]**

    **[Initiating inscription turrets. Initiation failed, all inscription turrets destroyed!]**

    **[Defense array maximum energy activated!]**

    Su Nan, in the midst of battle, suddenly heard the mechanical voice of the meatball, and couldn¡¯t help but frown in confusion.

    External attack?

    Who did it?

    Those onlookers without keys?

    But judging from the words of the auxiliary AI, the intensity of the attack seemed quite high. Those Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices and legendary knights shouldn¡¯t be able to do that, right?

    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s all good for me anyway. It¡¯s a good chance to drain the energy of the Starlight Tower.¡±

    Su Nan muttered, putting his mind back on the battle in front of him.

    In the hall, two secret puppet girls were locked in a fierce battle with two Deep Dark Golems, one on one.

    Both sides exchanged blows, evenly matched.

    On the other side, five Gold Golems led dozens of elite Steel Golems, besieging a Deep Dark Golem.

    Although they were slightly on the defensive, they wouldn¡¯t lose for a while.

    Su Nan himself was facing off against a Deep Dark Golem.

    To save spiritual power, he only used magical items and bloodline imprints.

    After twenty-plus Calamity Claws struck in rapid succession, the Deep Dark Golem was riddled with holes, covered in wounds.

    Su Nan then activated the Air Blade Imprint on his hand, countless sharp air blades whizzed out, instantly tearing the Deep Dark Golem into pieces!

    Compared to the resourceful Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, the Deep Dark Golem was relatively easy to deal with.

    After taking care of his opponent, Su Nan moved on to the second Deep Dark Golem without stopping.

    He systematically destroyed them one by one, and in less than twenty minutes, all four Deep Dark Golems were wiped out.

    After dealing with the Deep Dark Golems, the meatball illusion in the distance fell silent, saying nothing.

    Su Nan smiled wryly, knowing that the auxiliary AI was out of tricks.

    Strictly speaking, the Starlight Tower¡¯s defense force wasn¡¯t weak.

    Both the eighteen inscription turrets and the numerous golems were enough to easily crush any Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    But it happened to meet him, who had been given a cheat code.

    The [Dark Throne] who built the Starlight Tower probably never imagined that this kind of situation would happen today.

    Another thing to be thankful for was that the battle took place inside the tower.

    If it had happened outside the tower, with the defense array protecting it, destroying the inscription turrets wouldn¡¯t have been so easy. It would have taken several times, or even dozens of times, the cost to break through the Starlight Tower¡¯s defenses!

    Just as he was pondering this, Su Nan suddenly felt the talisman stone inside his robe lining getting slightly warm.

    He immediately realized something and threw the talisman stone out without hesitation.

    As expected, the talisman stone instantly disappeared from where it was.

    ¡°You want to drive me out because you can¡¯t win?¡±

    Su Nan sneered.

    ¡°You think too highly of yourself!¡±

    **[Sorcerer Apprentice, we will waive your trial fee, please leave the Starlight Tower immediately!]**

    The meatball opened its mouth and spoke.

    Su Nan ignored the low-level AI that couldn¡¯t think for itself and looked around.

    Now that the Starlight Tower clearly had no way to deal with him, it was time to figure out how to get the resources inside the tower.

    He had paid such a high price to break through the Starlight Tower¡¯s defenses, and if he didn¡¯t find a way to make up for it, he would be at a huge loss.

    Activating the levitation spell on his robe, Su Nan rose into the air and flew towards the nearest metal door. With a wave of his hand, a dozen magic projectiles smashed through the door.

    However, behind the door was a small puppet factory, probably for golem maintenance and charging.

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t disappointed and continued exploring other metal doors.

    As expected, most of the metal doors led to small puppet factories, except for the largest one, which led to a smaller hall.

    The floor was paved with white jade and a mysterious array was drawn on it.

    Su Nan took a few glances and quickly determined that this was an otherworldly creature summoning array.

    The Goliath from before must have been summoned using this array.

    Seeing that there was no gain on this level, Su Nan shifted his gaze to the ground. With a slight movement of his mind, the Metal Storm swept out and crashed into the floor!

    Boom!

    Even with the protective array, the floor was harder than magic Mithril, but under the full force of the Magic Emblem Core, it only held for ten seconds before it shattered and split open a huge gap.

    Su Nan jumped into the gap and went down to the next level.

    As far as the eye could see, it was the same hall as the previous level, but it was empty.

    ¡°Is this another trial area?¡±

    Su Nan searched around, found nothing, and continued digging down.

    But he kept exploring for twelve levels, and they were all the same hall, all empty.

    Su Nan wanted to continue down, but this time he encountered extremely strong resistance.

    Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the surface of the white jade floor was shimmering with a faint light.

    ¡°Defense array... So this is the bottom level?¡±

    Su Nan was slightly disappointed and had to turn his attention to the top, back to the original hall, and controlled the Metal Storm to blast through the ceiling.

    It was still the trial hall.

    This time, he went through seven levels all the way, and when he reached the eighth level, he finally reached a level that seemed to be a residential area.

    Su Nan paused, staring at the gap below, lost in thought.

    ¡°According to this, there should be only twenty levels of trial halls, which is roughly the same number of people who entered the Starlight Tower.¡±

    ¡°But why aren¡¯t there anyone in these halls?¡±

    Su Nan thought that his speed in passing the assessment far exceeded others, so logically, others should still be in the middle of the trial.

    Thinking back to the words of the auxiliary AI, Su Nan had a faint guess.

    Perhaps the auxiliary AI had expelled everyone else from the Starlight Tower, just to mobilize all the available energy to deal with him.

    ¡°No wonder the Starlight Tower suddenly suffered a strong external attack, it must be the Truth Council and the Scepter attacking the defense array.¡±

    Once he realized this, a smile spread across Su Nan¡¯s face.

    That¡¯s good, the auxiliary AI must be using most of its energy to maintain the defense array, so it won¡¯t have much energy left to deal with him in the short term.

    Recovering from his joy, Su Nan continued to explore upwards.

    Although the Starlight Tower was mainly for inheritance, it still had basic facilities.

    In addition to the trial hall, there were also residential areas, cultivation areas, experimental areas, and planting areas.

    However, the planting area probably lacked maintenance personnel and no magical plants were planted.

    Su Nan searched around and only found a batch of well-preserved magical plant seeds.

    The types were quite rich, about two to three hundred different types, and the quantity was also very considerable.

    It was probably prepared for the ¡®slaves¡¯ who signed the oath contract, so they could easily plant magical plants.

    Su Nan collected them all without hesitation.

    Then he continued to explore. To his surprise, the next level up was actually a library.

    Row upon row of bookshelves were neatly arranged, each bookshelf was filled with books, dazzling and endless.

    Su Nan was overjoyed. Starting from the first bookshelf, he scanned through them one by one, glancing at the names of all the books, and the smile on his face grew deeper as he looked.

    These books could be said to cover all basic disciplines, from magical philosophy, world principles, and material science to magical plant cultivation, scroll copying, and basic potion making.

    It could be said to cover almost all the necessary knowledge for a First-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice to a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    Including more than thirty types of talent crystal models.

    However, most of them were lower-level talent crystal models, with only three intermediate talent crystal models.

    One of them was the ¡®White Bone¡¯ that Su Nan had seen before.

    Although there were only three intermediate talent crystal models, it was already quite a lot.

    Many sorcerer forces¡¯ Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices could only access intermediate talent crystal models at most.

    Upper-level talent crystal models are usually only accessible to core members, so they naturally wouldn¡¯t appear in this kind of place.

    In addition, there were some books that could only be accessed after advancing to a Wizard, including potions, spells, magical artifacts, and high-level puppets.

    ¡°The Dark Throne, while their intentions are not pure, is still willing to invest in the cultivation of ¡®slaves¡¯.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, slaves also need enough power to create more benefits for them.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly and put all the books into his spatial ring.

    He was still worried about how to get his hands on Wizard-level knowledge after he advanced, and these books prepared by the Starlight Tower solved most of his worries.

    Making sure he didn¡¯t miss anything, Su Nan smashed through the ceiling and went up to the next level.

    This level was a spacious and bright hall, with metal doors embedded in the walls around it.

    Different metal doors had nameplates embedded above them, respectively ¡®Metal¡¯, ¡®Magical Plant¡¯, ¡®Potion¡¯, ¡®Gem¡¯, and so on.

    Su Nan¡¯s heart leaped with joy, he knew he had finally found his true target.

    This level was the warehouse area he was looking for!

    Su Nan immediately rushed to the metal door with the word ¡®Potion¡¯ on it, controlled the Magic Emblem Core to cut the metal door into pieces, and strode into the room.

    What greeted his eyes was a dense array of metal shelves, separated by sealed transparent glass, with bottles of potions of different colors on them, estimated to be no less than six hundred bottles.

    Revitalization Potion, Dragon Blood Potion, Endurance Potion, Clarity Potion, Nightmare Potion...

    Su Nan looked at them one by one and found that the lowest level ones were all First-Rank potions, and all were the more valuable ones among First-Rank potions.

    Among the Second-Rank potions, there was also the Nightmare Potion, a precious potion that could increase spiritual power.

    He walked all the way to the innermost metal shelf and finally saw the Construction Potion.

    With his powerful spiritual power, he counted the number of potions in an instant, and a smile couldn¡¯t help but curl up on his lips.

    Eighty-six bottles!

    He had hit the jackpot!

    ¡°So many Construction Potions, it should be enough for me to synthesize a Super Talent Crystal Model!¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    Just the Construction Potions alone made up for all his investment this time.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan immediately collected all the potions, then explored other warehouse rooms one by one.

    ¡®Metal¡¯, ¡®Magical Plant¡¯ and ¡®Gem¡¯ warehouses, as expected, were filled with materials corresponding to their names.

    In the warehouse marked ¡®Other¡¯, Su Nan found more than ten Spirit Pearls.

    After a round of plunder, Su Nan¡¯s spatial ring was almost full.

    Looking at the countless treasures inside, Su Nan felt satisfied.

    The total value of these things was immeasurable, many of them were priceless.

    For example, the Construction Potion, even describing it as priceless wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration!

    This time, he had undoubtedly struck gold!

    Back in the central hall, Su Nan flew upwards, broke through the ceiling and reached the level above.

    He was greeted by the same endless starry Milky Way, white jade floor beneath his feet, and a familiar meatball suspended in the air not far away.

    Seeing this familiar scene, Su Nan immediately understood.

    This level was obviously the control center of the Starlight Tower.

    **[Sorcerer Apprentice, you have caused significant damage to the Starlight Tower, according to the regulations, you will be added to our organization¡¯s wanted list!]**

    **[Please leave the Starlight Tower immediately and hand over all the plundered goods, willingly enter the detention area, and await trial by our organization personnel!]**

    ¡°Oh?¡± Su Nan sneered and asked casually, ¡°When will they be here?¡±

    **[The specific time is unknown, depending on the recovery status of the plane barrier!]**

    Plane barrier recovery status?

    Su Nan raised his eyebrows in confusion.

    What¡¯s going on?

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the plane barrier recovery?¡±

    However, the auxiliary AI didn¡¯t answer his question and repeated its previous words.

    ¡°Since you can¡¯t provide any valuable information, there¡¯s no point in keeping you around.¡±

    Su Nan raised his hand, a beam of lightning struck the meatball, instantly turning it into charcoal.

    Unlike the tower spirit that can exist in a non-physical form, this kind of auxiliary AI usually has a physical body.

    For example, the crystal ball on the top of the Dragon Bone Tower was the physical body of Butler No. 1.

    And the meatball was the physical body of the Starlight Tower¡¯s auxiliary AI.

    Its death meant the death of the Starlight Tower¡¯s auxiliary AI.

    However, even without the auxiliary AI, the Starlight Tower could continue to operate at its most basic level according to pre-programmed procedures.

    The advantage was that Su Nan no longer had to worry about being harassed by the auxiliary AI.

    ¡°The elemental pool here is bigger than the one in Dragon Ridge, unfortunately I can¡¯t take it with me.¡±

    Su Nan was a bit envious of the Starlight Tower, but this tower was destined not to be under his control.

    After all, he didn¡¯t have the secret core of the tower, and he didn¡¯t know if the [Dark Throne] had left any backdoors.

    But the tower itself was a good material.

    If he wanted to build his own wizard tower in the future, he could take the Starlight Tower apart and use it as material.

    ¡°Constructing a talent crystal model here is faster than in Dragon Bone Tower.¡±

    Su Nan thought about it and decided to just construct the talent crystal model here.

    After all, the Starlight Tower was no longer a threat to him, all the combat forces were destroyed by him, only the otherworldly creature summoning array and the defense array remained.

    The former could be dealt with by sending secret puppets to block the summoning array, kill one when it came.

    The latter, on the other hand, has become his protection.

    The Starlight Tower would autonomously block any intruders.

    Unless someone could drain the Starlight Tower¡¯s energy and break through the defense array, as long as he stayed here, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being disturbed.

 Chapter 180

    After making his decision, Su Nan immediately took action.

    Sitting cross-legged on the spot, he took out a Constructing Potion and drank it. Then, he began constructing the Talent Crystal Model.

    Under the effect of the Constructing Potion, Su Nan felt that his entire spirit¡¯s activity level had increased to an astonishing level.

    The speed of constructing runes increased by dozens of times!

    In fact, the Constructing Potion also significantly enhanced the efficiency of meditation.

    However, Constructing Potions were extremely precious, and no one would usually use them for meditation.

    That would be a complete waste!

    Divine Blood Crystal, Transcendent Potion, Elemental Pool, Constructing Potion... Under the combined boost of these four enhancements, the speed at which Su Nan constructed the Talent Crystal Model was as if it was making a leap forward, progressing a thousand miles in a day.

    It only took him thirteen days to successfully construct the second Talent Crystal Model.

    Carefully fusing the Talent Crystal Model with the Divine Energy Crystal, Su Nan continued to construct the third without stopping.

    Thirteen days later, the third Talent Crystal Model was successfully constructed.

    Then came the fourth, fifth, and sixth...

    With eighty-six bottles of Constructing Potion in hand, Su Nan didn¡¯t have to worry about consumption and wasn¡¯t stingy at all. As soon as the potion¡¯s effect wore off, he would immediately take another bottle.

    After constructing each Talent Crystal Model, he would open the Magic Cube to check the progress of the fusion.

    When the number of lower-level Talent Crystal Models placed in the Magic Cube reached four, the synthesis interface finally displayed the words ¡°Intermediate Talent Crystal Model.¡±

    When it reached twelve, the ¡°Intermediate¡± on the synthesis interface instantly changed to ¡°Upper.¡±

    When the number exceeded twenty, increasing to twenty-five, the finished product on the synthesis interface had become ¡°Super Talent Crystal Model.¡±

    ¡°Success!¡±

    Looking at the Talent Crystal Model shining brightly on the synthesis interface, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    After all the effort and time he had spent, he finally synthesized the Talent Crystal Model he desired.

    Looking at the entire history of Wizards, this was probably the first Talent Crystal Model that surpassed the Upper level!

    Su Nan tried to absorb the Divine Energy Crystal, which carried the Talent Crystal Model, into his body. Then, he focused his mind to sense it, silently nodding.

    ¡°The load isn¡¯t significant, I can continue to synthesize and strengthen it!¡±

    Since he had decided to synthesize a powerful Talent Crystal Model that had never existed before, he naturally couldn¡¯t stop at the ¡°Super¡± level.

    He had to continue synthesizing and strengthening it to his limit, just like with the Magic Emblem Core!

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan continued to construct.

    The twenty-sixth, the twenty-seventh, the twenty-eighth...

    Every thirteen days, a Divine Energy Crystal would be added to the Magic Cube.

    After each synthesis, Su Nan would absorb it into his body and sense whether he was approaching his limit.

    It wasn¡¯t until he fused the thirty-second one that he finally felt a familiar sense of limit.

    It was very similar to the feeling when he fused the Magic Emblem Core.

    ¡°It seems like thirty-two is the limit.¡±

    Su Nan sighed with relief, but also felt a little regretful.

    He still had a lot of Constructing Potions left. If he could synthesize eighty-six Talent Crystal Models until all the potions were consumed, that would be perfect.

    However, he also realized that this thought was a bit greedy.

    To synthesize an Upper Talent Crystal Model, only twelve ¡°Lower¡± ones were needed.

    However, the final product he had in his hand was made with thirty-two ¡°Lower¡± ones. Its effect was more than just double that of an Upper Talent Crystal Model; it was at least five or six times, maybe even more.

    With this unprecedented Talent Crystal, he would advance to Wizardhood, his future strength and potential would definitely surpass other Wizards.

    It would be ignorant to be greedy at this point.

    Shaking his head with a wry smile, Su Nan calmed his mind, carefully absorbed the Divine Energy Crystal into his body, and then began to assimilate it.

    With his previous experience of absorbing Divine Energy, the whole process went smoothly.

    In no time, the Divine Energy Crystal, acting as the carrier, disappeared and merged into Su Nan¡¯s Spiritual Power.

    At the same time, the Talent Crystal Model manifested.

    The gorgeous crystal, containing the beauty of extreme laws, hovered in his mind, emitting a faint, beautiful light that was breathtaking.

    ¡°Now, all that¡¯s left is the final step!¡±

    Su Nan smiled with relief.

    The most difficult part of constructing the Talent Crystal was the second step. The final step was just a matter of time.

    Even though this unprecedented Super Talent Crystal, it was predictable that the Spiritual Power needed to fill it would be a huge amount. But he had the Golden Apple and over ten Spirit Beads, so the whole process shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    Taking a Spirit Bead in his hand, Su Nan began the final step of crystallization.

    There was no technique involved, just filling the model with Spiritual Power.

    It wasn¡¯t until a whole Spirit Bead was consumed that the Talent Crystal Model was filled by less than two percent.

    For a moment, Su Nan didn¡¯t know whether to be worried or happy. The Super Talent Crystal Model truly required an exaggerated amount of Spiritual Power to fill it.

    Normally, a Spirit Bead would fill almost half of a Lower Talent Crystal Model.

    But now, it could only fill a small part of the Super Talent Crystal Model.

    Even if he used all ten Spirit Beads, he could only fill less than thirty percent.

    However, the more Spiritual Power needed to fill it, the more powerful the Talent Crystal would be.

    This was undoubtedly a good thing.

    ¡°I can only use the Golden Apple.¡±

    Su Nan took the Golden Apple out of his Spatial Ring and looked at the golden fruit, feeling a little reluctant.

    This was one of his biggest trump cards.

    It was a bit painful to use it like this.

    However, thinking about spending ten or twenty years filling the Talent Crystal Model, Su Nan gritted his teeth and ate the Golden Apple.

    Considering that the effect only lasted for one hour, Su Nan didn¡¯t delay and immediately focused his mind, mobilizing his Spiritual Power to frantically fill the model.

    Endless Spiritual Power surged from all directions, crowding into the model. The crystallized part of the model instantly increased at a visible rate, and the light it emitted became more and more dazzling.

    The hour passed in a flash.

    When the effect of the Golden Apple faded, the Talent Crystal Model had been filled to about two-thirds.

    ¡°The effect of the Golden Apple is indeed stronger!¡±

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.

    The feeling of having endless Spiritual Power, which could not be consumed no matter how much he used, was simply wonderful.

    If it could last for another half an hour, it would be enough to completely crystallize the model.

    After resting for a while, Su Nan took out a Spirit Bead and continued to fill it.

    After using up all the Spirit Beads in one go, the model was filled to about 95 percent.

    ¡°The rest is just a matter of time.¡±

    Su Nan let out a breath.

    Compared to starting from scratch, the remaining 5 percent progress was much easier.

    In the following days, Su Nan began the repetitive process of filling the Spiritual Power, meditating to recover, and then filling the Spiritual Power again.

    Even though it was monotonous, watching the model gradually approach completion, he still felt a sense of indescribable satisfaction, not finding it boring at all.

    He didn¡¯t know how long it had been. When the last trace of blank space in the model was filled and crystallized by the Spiritual Power, a ray of dazzling light suddenly burst forth from the model, no, it should be said, the surface of the crystal.

    The entire crystal emitted a beautiful, gorgeous light, more beautiful than the most precious gemstones in the world!

    At the same time, a sense of elevation that seemed to come from the depths of his soul surged up from within his body.

    Su Nan slowly opened his eyes, and a large amount of rare metal appeared in front of him out of thin air. As if it were hot butter, it quickly melted, transforming into a liquid metal that flowed endlessly into the surface of his skin.

    His originally fair complexion gradually turned slightly silver as the liquid metal fused with it.

    In a blink of an eye, Su Nan had become a silver humanoid.

    As time passed, the silver gradually faded, sinking into his skin and disappearing.

    Su Nan¡¯s face reappeared.

    He was beaming with joy.

    The Talent Crystal had been constructed, meaning that from this moment on, he was officially a Wizard, his life essence had evolved to a higher level!

    Thinking back on his journey so far, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    It had taken him about twenty years to finally break through and become a Wizard!

    Reaching this point on the Starlight Continent, where elemental energy was scarce, even with his cheat, he had spent countless energy and effort, and paid countless sacrifices.

    And these sacrifices were now rewarded handsomely!

    Becoming a Wizard meant that he had truly transcended the mundane level, evolving to a higher level of life.

    From this moment on, he could truly be considered to have stepped onto the path of a Wizard.

    For a while, Su Nan didn¡¯t recover from his joy.

    He stretched out his body and stood up to move around. Even though he had been sitting still for a long time, his body didn¡¯t feel sore at all, but instead felt full of strength.

    His mind was also clear, and his perception was significantly sharper than before.

    It was as if the whole world had been covered with a veil before, and now that veil had been lifted.

    ¡°My perception of energy particles is also clearer, and my control ability has also increased a lot.¡±

    Su Nan snapped his fingers, and a flash of lightning suddenly appeared at his fingertips, making a crackling sound as it struck the nearby white marble floor, instantly creating a deep pit in the incredibly hard floor.

    ¡°Not bad!¡±

    Su Nan smiled in satisfaction.

    He could clearly feel that the number of energy particles he could mobilize per unit time had increased by more than tenfold, and the accuracy of his control had also greatly improved.

    Now, a casual attack using his energy particle control was no weaker than a Second-Ring Spell he had cast before.

    If it were a real spell, it would be even more powerful.

    More importantly, a Wizard¡¯s Spiritual Power consumption when casting spells would be greatly reduced.

    From this realm onwards, the combat endurance of a Wizard would greatly increase, and they would be known as humanoid self-propelled cannons.

    Of course, the lowest consumption was for talent abilities.

    Almost negligible.

    Therefore, most of the time, Wizards would prefer to use their talent abilities for combat.

    Besides, Wizards could also project their Spiritual Power outwards, forming a Spiritual Force Field around their bodies.

    This Spiritual Force Field wouldn¡¯t affect the Wizard¡¯s daily life, but would automatically resist damage when attacked, equivalent to a 24/7 protective layer.

    This was also the main reason why Wizards were difficult to be assassinated.

    ¡°Speaking of which, after advancing to Wizardhood, I can start using Wizard Tools.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Microlight-level magical items had gradually become inadequate for his strength. Before, he couldn¡¯t use higher-level magical items due to his Spiritual Power limitations. Now that he had broken through, those limitations were gone.

    Su Nan immediately decided that after returning, he would synthesize some Wizard Tools.

    Talent Abilities, Spells, and Wizard Tools were the three most commonly used tricks of a Wizard.

    A qualified Wizard needs to learn to use these three together, building a combat system of their own.

    The importance of Wizard Tools to Wizards is self-evident.

    Calming his emotions, Su Nan then called up his personal panel.

    ¡¾Su Nan¡¤Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Aetherization: 1.34%¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv19 (MAX)

    Potion Making Lv4 (9617/10000)

    Creature Modification Lv4 (874/10000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv5 (8930/20000)

    Magical Item Crafting Lv4 (6488/10000)

    After breaking through his realm, his original Spiritual and Physical attributes had disappeared, replaced by Aetherization progress.

    Su Nan concentrated his mind and looked inwards, and discovered that some hazy gas had already surrounded the Talent Crystal. It was like a faint mist enveloping the Talent Crystal, making the light emitted by the crystal appear faintly visible.

    This mist was the Aetherized Spiritual Power.

    In the world of Wizards, Wizards who have condensed a Talent Crystal are collectively known as Crystal Wizards.

    Crystal Wizards are ranked from Level 1 to Level 3, from lowest to highest.

    Newly advanced Wizards are Level 1 Wizards.

    They are also divided into three stages based on the form of their Spiritual Power: Aetherization, Liquefaction, and Crystallization.

    During the Aetherization stage, the Wizard needs to continuously increase and refine their Spiritual Power until it is completely liquefied, at which point they can break through to Level 1 Liquefaction.

    After that, it¡¯s the same process of increasing and refining Spiritual Power until it crystallizes, breaking through to Level 1 Crystallization.

    Once they reach this level, Wizards can begin preparing to construct their second Talent Crystal, preparing to advance to Level 2 Wizard.

    ¡°The question is, how do I increase and refine my Spiritual Power.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with thought.

    After advancing to Wizardhood, the effect of meditation was already negligible.

    The Star Ring Meditation Method could not be upgraded any further, as the number of Star Rings could not be increased.

    If there were no external forces to assist, ordinary Wizards would rely solely on meditation to break through to the Level 1 Liquefaction stage, which would probably take hundreds of years, or even longer.

    Therefore, any artifact or potion that could increase and refine Spiritual Power was essential for any Wizard.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t worry too much.

    After all, he had the Magic Cube, so he didn¡¯t lack the corresponding resources.

    ¡°When I get back, I can start synthesizing Fourth-Rank Potions.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s spirit was a little excited.

    After advancing to Wizardhood, there were many things that he couldn¡¯t do before, but could now start working on.

    Like Wizard Tools and higher-rank Potions.

    Like some experiments that required Wizard-level Spiritual Power to complete.

    These could all be put on the agenda.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be busy.¡±

    Su Nan smiled and looked up at the top.

    Counting the time, he had been in the Starlight Tower for a long time.

    It had taken him over a year just to construct the many lower-level Talent Crystal Models, and then another half a year to fill the model, totaling more than two years.

    What¡¯s the situation outside now?

 Chapter 181

    Outside the Starlight Tower.

    On the slope, a thousand meters away, Kei looked at the towering tower in the distance and the crowds surrounding it, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh with worry.

    It had been more than two years since he was suddenly expelled from the Starlight Tower.

    No matter how they besieged the defensive formation, they could not break through the seemingly thin, invisible protection, leaving them only to look on helplessly.

    And all this time, there had been no movement within the Starlight Tower.

    Su Nan was still nowhere to be seen.

    As time passed, Kei¡¯s worries grew stronger.

    The Star Alliance had repeatedly sent people to urge him to return and lead the war, but Kei had ignored them, stubbornly waiting here.

    After all, he knew very well that without the Star Alliance¡¯s support, even if the Star Principality defeated the Azure Gold Empire and swallowed up most of its territory, they would not be able to hold on to the coveted spoils of war.

    And Su Nan was the soul of the Star Alliance, without him, the Star Alliance would naturally be difficult to maintain.

    Moreover, Su Nan was his only younger brother.

    Behind Kei, the Scepter, the Traveler, and the Rose stood side by side, their brows furrowed as they looked at the Starlight Tower in the distance.

    ¡°Su Nan hasn¡¯t come out for so long, could he really be in trouble?¡± The Traveler frowned.

    The Scepter and the Rose both remained silent.

    They couldn¡¯t answer the question either.

    The situation of the Starlight Tower was truly bizarre.

    If it was fine, why couldn¡¯t the key be used, why couldn¡¯t they enter, and why was there no response to their attacks?

    If it was in trouble, why was the defensive formation still functioning properly, why hadn¡¯t it collapsed after being besieged by numerous Wizard Apprentices for more than two years, clearly showing that the energy system of the Starlight Tower was still normal.

    This bizarre situation was truly baffling.

    If they weren¡¯t so reluctant to give up the hope of becoming a Wizard, they would have left long ago, they wouldn¡¯t have wasted more than two years here.

    ¡°What exactly happened inside?¡± The Scepter¡¯s eyes flashed with confusion.

    The people of the Truth Council were just as confused.

    Mavek¡¯s eyes were fixed on the Starlight Tower, his expression filled with uncontrollable anxiety and annoyance.

    After more than two years, his patience was almost exhausted.

    Anyone who wasted more than two years, attacking the Starlight Tower relentlessly every day, yet still couldn¡¯t see any hope of breaking through, wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood.

    ¡°Is this really going to work?¡± Mavek said with a gloomy face, ¡°There must be an elemental pool inside the Starlight Tower, constantly replenishing the energy consumed by the defensive formation, unless we can inflict instant damage that surpasses the limits of the defensive formation, otherwise, no matter how long we siege it, we won¡¯t be able to break the defensive formation!¡±

    Fabio said expressionlessly, ¡°Then you want to give up on the Starlight Tower?¡±

    Mavek¡¯s eyes twitched, and he was speechless for a moment.

    How could he give up!

    That was his only hope of becoming a Wizard!

    Missing this opportunity would mean waiting another twenty years, could he even live that long?

    Even if he could, by then, his lifespan wouldn¡¯t be much left, even if he found a way to become a Wizard, he probably wouldn¡¯t have enough time to achieve it.

    If not for this, why would he have persisted until now, knowing that the hope of breaking the defensive formation was slim?

    The current Starlight Tower was almost his only chance!

    Mavek¡¯s thoughts were shared by the others in the Truth Council.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic.¡±

    Megisan¡¯s voice drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°The Starlight Tower will only exist in the material world for three months, but it has been far longer than that now, something must have gone wrong inside.¡±

    Many people subconsciously looked towards Evans.

    Evans nodded, ¡°Indeed, the last time the Starlight Tower appeared, it also disappeared after three months.¡±

    Seeing that Mavek was about to speak, he quickly added, ¡°But I don¡¯t know much, I¡¯m also clueless about the current state of the Starlight Tower.¡±

    Mavek snorted coldly, ¡°This must have something to do with Su Nan!¡±

    ¡°That guy hasn¡¯t come out for so long, could he have died inside?¡± Someone said.

    Many people subconsciously nodded.

    The trials of the Starlight Tower certainly involved real combat, and Evans¡¯ experience proved this point.

    Perhaps Su Nan had died in battle.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it would be a good thing for him.¡± Mavek said resentfully.

    He could be said to be extremely resentful towards the culprit who caused the unexpected situation.

    If Su Nan died in the Starlight Tower, that would be fine, but if he hadn¡¯t died, he wouldn¡¯t let him go once he came out!

    ¡°Alright, enough idle talk, it¡¯s time to act.¡±

    Megisan interrupted their conversation, getting up and walking towards the Starlight Tower.

    The others had gloomy faces, but they also got up and followed.

    Now they could only hope that the defensive formation of the Starlight Tower would experience some malfunctions after long-term high-intensity operation, so that they would still have a chance to enter the Starlight Tower.

    Seeing the Truth Council members start their daily routine of attacking, the surrounding Wizard Apprentices immediately retreated a distance.

    At the beginning, they would still join forces with the Truth Council to besiege the Starlight Tower.

    But since the past few months, the irritable Mavek, in order to vent his anger, had found excuses to kill a few Wizard Apprentices, and no one dared to approach them anymore, fearing that they would be blamed.

    Some of the cowardly ones had already left.

    But more people stayed, clinging to the hope of being able to fish in troubled waters.

    The Truth Council didn¡¯t care about these small fry.

    They were ants that could be crushed with a flick of their wrist, if they dared to harbor any inappropriate thoughts, they would be merciless!

    Arriving in front of the Starlight Tower, Megisan and the others were about to release their magic attacks as usual, when suddenly, a thunderous roar like thunder exploded above their heads.

    They looked up in astonishment and saw that the top of the Starlight Tower suddenly shattered.

    Amidst the flying debris, a figure shot out like lightning, paused slightly in midair, and then slowly descended from the sky.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡± Evans widened his eyes in astonishment.

    Mavek was startled at first, then overjoyed, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

    ¡°That guy isn¡¯t dead! Perfect!¡±

    At the same time, Kei and the others in the distance also saw Su Nan and flew over.

    ¡°Su Nan!¡±

    Kei took the lead, his face filled with joy, and he examined Su Nan from head to toe. Seeing that Su Nan seemed unscathed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    The Traveler couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°Su Nan, what happened to you inside? Why did you only come out now?¡±

    The Scepter and the Rose also looked at him with questioning eyes, they were eager to know what exactly had happened to the Starlight Tower.

    Su Nan was about to speak, but the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of the Truth Council members rushing towards him, surrounding him and Kei and the others.

    The Traveler¡¯s face changed, and he said in a deep voice, ¡°Megisan, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a question we should be asking you!¡± Mavek stared at Su Nan with a cold smile, ¡°What exactly did you do? Why did the Starlight Tower expel all of us?¡±

    Su Nan ignored him, instead asking Kei, ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting outside all this time?¡±

    Kei nodded, ¡°How could I leave without you?¡±

    Even surrounded by the Truth Council, a well-known force in the Northwest Region, Su Nan remained calm and composed, completely ignoring the hostile gazes around him, and asked Kei about what had happened in a leisurely manner.

    This demeanor, in the eyes of the Truth Council members, immediately ignited their anger.

    Especially Mavek, his eyes flashed with undisguised killing intent.

    ¡°Since you won¡¯t say, then I¡¯ll extract your soul and interrogate you slowly!¡±

    The more than two years of waiting had already pushed Mavek¡¯s anxiety and annoyance to their limit, and now that he was ignored by Su Nan¡¯s actions, he could no longer hold back and attacked.

    In full view of everyone, Mavek¡¯s head suddenly expanded and deformed, instantly turning into a huge, grotesque shark head, opening its bloody mouth to reveal rows of sharp teeth, and lunging at Su Nan with a fierce bite.

    But he was faster than Mavek, a silver light suddenly burst out from Su Nan¡¯s brow!

    The silver light struck like lightning, piercing through the void without any obstruction, penetrating layers of protection, and sinking into the shark head, then emerging from the back of the head, bringing with it a spray of warm blood!

    Mavek staggered forward a few steps before collapsing to the ground, lifeless, and his head returned to its original form.

    Silence!

    Dead silence!

    Everyone stared at the scene in disbelief and shock.

    Just like that, a powerful Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice was instantly killed?

    Were they dreaming?

    Megisan was the first to come to his senses, his face turning pale, and he shouted to his companions in a deep voice.

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    As soon as the words left his mouth, countless blood vessels suddenly erupted from all over Megisan¡¯s pores, quickly solidifying into a huge blood-red claw, slashing towards Su Nan with a piercing roar!

    The rest of the Truth Council members also woke up as if from a dream, and all launched attacks at Su Nan.

    Kei and the others¡¯ faces changed when they saw this, and they were about to defend and counterattack.

    But before they could act, a layer of silver light suddenly appeared, enveloping them in layers.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Colorful magic beams and elemental light flooded the area where Su Nan and the others were, stirring up a large cloud of dust.

    Seeing their attacks hit their target, Megisan and the others did not show any joy, instead, they looked at Su Nan with solemn expressions, preparing for their next wave of attacks.

    Mavek¡¯s strength was firmly within the top three of the Truth Council, yet he was easily killed by Su Nan, which horrified them, making them dare not underestimate Su Nan¡¯s power.

    Even, some people secretly had a shocking thought.

    But quickly, they subconsciously denied it.

    Su Nan had only been in the Starlight Tower for two years, it was impossible for him to take that last step so quickly!

    Whoosh!

    The gust of wind dispersed the dust, revealing the scene inside.

    Under the sunlight, a huge silver hemisphere shone brightly, its surface flowing slowly like liquid.

    ¡°What is that?¡± An apprentice wizard couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    The next moment, they saw the silver hemisphere suddenly twist and deform, revealing the figures of Kei and the others.

    They stood there blankly, still not recovered from their shock, just staring blankly at the silver metal liquid gathering around Su Nan, wrapping and covering him in layers, instantly forming a sphere of silver light.

    The sphere of metal liquid then shot towards the sky like a cannonball, expanding and growing rapidly like an inflated balloon, instantly transforming into a terrifying giant, over a hundred meters tall, with a silvery white body that shimmered.

    The sunlight shone on the silver giant, casting a huge shadow that engulfed the area where the Truth Council members were.

    At that moment, Megisan and the others felt a shudder that seemed to come from the soul level, their spines couldn¡¯t help but shiver, as if they were facing some terrifying existence with a life level far higher than theirs.

    Before they could figure it out, a violent roar exploded in their ears.

    The silver giant raised its arm high and slammed its fist down towards them with force, the huge fist was like a falling meteorite, stirring the air and making a roaring sound that made their chests feel tight!

    The fist looked huge and cumbersome, moving slowly, but somehow, they felt a flash in front of their eyes, and the fist was already upon them.

    One Wizard Apprentice didn¡¯t even have time to react before he was struck by the fist!

    What shield spells, energy particle defenses, and magical item defenses, all were as fragile as thin paper in front of the fist, they couldn¡¯t even slow it down for a moment, and instantly shattered.

    The moment he touched the fist, the Wizard Apprentice was blown to pieces by the terrifying energy contained in the fist, turning into a bloody mist!

    The fist paused slightly, then, defying the laws of physics, bent in an odd arc, and slammed into another Wizard Apprentice.

    Bang!

    Another crimson blood blossom bloomed!

    Swoosh!

    A huge blood blade suddenly slashed through the air, striking the silver giant¡¯s wrist.

    With a hissing sound, the silver giant¡¯s hand was severed at the wrist, and it fell to the ground with a thud, instantly turning into a pool of silver liquid.

    But the next moment, the liquid sprang up from the ground, swelling up against the wind, turning into a magnificent water curtain that covered the sky, engulfing Megisan who couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and then swirling back.

    By the time the silver liquid returned to the silver giant¡¯s wrist and condensed into a hand, Megisan was also firmly grasped in the palm of his hand.

    Feeling the terrifying pressure from all directions that threatened to crush him, despair finally appeared in Megisan¡¯s eyes, his features were contorted, revealing a twisted expression of disbelief and envy.

    If he had any doubts before, now he was sure, Su Nan had indeed become a formal Wizard!

    Only a formal Wizard could suppress him so easily that he was completely powerless!

    But he was unwilling!

    Su Nan had obviously gained a strange opportunity in the Starlight Tower, which allowed him to become a Wizard.

    If he hadn¡¯t been expelled, if he had passed the trial and received the inheritance reward, he would definitely have been able to break through as well.

    Just one step away, he could have reached that dream-like realm!

    To die like this, he was unwilling!

    ¡°Ahh!!!¡±

    The excruciating pain that surged through his body caused Megisan to let out a scream.

    As the silver giant¡¯s palm closed tightly, the leader of the Truth Council exploded into countless blood mists, carrying his jealousy, despair, and unwillingness.

    The deaths of three companions in a row made the remaining Truth Council members realize something was wrong, and without a word, they turned and fled.

    But before they could run far, they saw the silver giant suddenly burst apart, countless silver metal liquids splashing around, turning into metal spikes in mid-air, sweeping towards the surroundings like a storm!

    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

    Fabio and Evans and the others were pierced by the metal spikes almost simultaneously, their defenses didn¡¯t provide even a sliver of protection.

    In just an instant, over ten Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices were killed, completely wiped out.

    The metal spikes circled in mid-air, returned along the way, and sank into Su Nan¡¯s body, disappearing without a trace.

    Silence returned to the surroundings, and the air was still.

    Whether it was Kei and the four of them, or the Wizard Apprentices watching from afar, they were all stunned in place, their tongues tied, their minds blank.

 Chapter 182

    A Wizard, even a newly promoted one, would find killing a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice no harder than crushing an ant.

    Slaughtering over a dozen Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices didn¡¯t give Su Nan any sense of accomplishment.

    After all, Wizards and Wizard Apprentices were fundamentally different life forms.

    This outcome was only natural.

    However, some discoveries made during the battle caused Su Nan to frown slightly.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan suppressed his doubts temporarily. With a wave of his hand, he gathered the spatial rings of the deceased Truth Council members into his possession, then turned to Kei and the other three.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Su Nan asked.

    Scepter, Traveler, and Rose instinctively shook their heads in unison, then abruptly recovered, their faces contorted with a mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief.

    ¡°Su Nan, you, you¡¯ve become a Wizard?¡±

    Although she already had a hunch, Rose couldn¡¯t resist confirming it again.

    The answer was, naturally, unsurprising.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Su Nan admitted calmly.

    Scepter glanced at the shattered top of Starlight Tower and hesitated. ¡°Then, what about inside Starlight Tower?¡±

    Su Nan said flatly, ¡°Everything inside has been taken by me. Starlight Tower is now just an empty shell.¡±

    The moment he became a Wizard, there was no longer anyone on the Starlight Continent that Su Nan feared.

    A Wizard¡¯s power was enough to sweep across the entire Starlight Continent. With such formidable strength, he naturally had no need to conceal himself.

    As expected, upon hearing this, the trio of Scepter, Traveler, and Rose hesitated before ultimately saying nothing.

    Facing Su Nan, who had already become a Wizard, they could no longer find the confidence to engage in equal dialogue.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand, and a legion of small magic puppets appeared out of thin air, surrounding Starlight Tower.

    Although he had emptied Starlight Tower of its resources, the tower itself was made of valuable materials.

    Su Nan intended to dismantle it later and use the materials to build a Wizard Tower. He naturally wouldn¡¯t allow anyone else to touch them.

    For the time being, he would leave a legion of magic puppets to guard Starlight Tower.

    As a precaution, besides leaving a secret puppet behind, he also destroyed the element pool inside Starlight Tower.

    In this way, deprived of its energy source, Starlight Tower would be unable to escape into dimensional space and would have to remain in the material world.

    Only after Su Nan and the others had gone some distance did the onlookers gradually emerge from their hiding places. Seeing the legion of magic puppets surrounding Starlight Tower, they looked at each other helplessly.

    ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°What else can we do? Let¡¯s just leave. Do you think you can beat so many magic puppets? Don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you, there are even Mithril Magic Puppets among them!¡±

    ¡°Even if we could beat them, what then? Do you want to be hunted down by that person? Didn¡¯t you see those Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices getting crushed like ants?¡±

    ¡°I never thought someone would actually become a Wizard.¡±

    ¡°From now on, the Starlight Continent might be turned upside down.¡±

    The onlookers¡¯ expressions were complex. Recalling the scenes they had just witnessed, they couldn¡¯t help but feel like they had witnessed history.

    After flying not too far, Scepter, Rose, and Traveler took their leave one after another.

    They felt immense pressure in the face of Su Nan and simply couldn¡¯t stay any longer.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t mind. He controlled liquid metal to envelop himself and Kei, forming a shuttle-like shape, and shot towards Shining Light City.

    It had taken four days to arrive, but now, with Su Nan¡¯s full effort, it only took half a day to complete the journey.

    Su Nan parted ways with Kei in Shining Light City and then returned to Base 1, passing through the spatial passageway back to Dragon Forest.

    Back in the control center on the top floor of the Dragon Skull Tower, he immediately summoned Butler 1 to check Dragon Forest¡¯s operational logs over the past two years.

    Before leaving, Su Nan had considered the possibility that he might not be back for a long time and had made some arrangements in advance. Therefore, Dragon Forest had been operating normally without any major issues.

    There was, however, a backlog of miscellaneous tasks that required his attention.

    There was also the Star Alliance. The amount of things requiring his decision-making accumulated over the past two years must have been substantial.

    But none of these were urgent.

    Su Nan had other matters that needed to be verified as soon as possible.

    Standing by the element pool, Su Nan cast a few spells and manipulated the energy particles for a while, finally confirming his suspicions.

    ¡°As expected, the concentration of energy particles is the biggest constraint for Wizards.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression was somewhat complex.

    When he had attacked and killed the Truth Council members earlier, he had noticed that the intensity of the energy particles he could manipulate was significantly lower than his control limit.

    Assuming he could manipulate energy particles with an intensity of 100, he could only actually mobilize around 20.

    This meant that the power of the spells he cast and the energy particles he manipulated was only about 20% of their normal level!

    The reduction in power was one thing, but the key issue was that the energy particles¡¯ gradual infiltration and strengthening of his body, as well as the speed of his spiritual power growth and recovery, were all significantly affected.

    Su Nan was now truly experiencing the adverse effects of energy scarcity.

    Back when he was a Wizard Apprentice, because his power had not yet reached the upper limit of the Starlight Continent¡¯s energy particle concentration, the effects weren¡¯t very noticeable.

    But after becoming a Wizard, his power level had abruptly broken through the upper limit of energy particle concentration, allowing him to truly understand what it meant to be energy-deprived.

    In this environment, Wizards, besides experiencing a noticeable reduction in strength, would also face significant setbacks in cultivation.

    Furthermore, there was also a feeling of discomfort on a sensory level.

    When he had just become a Wizard, because he was right next to the element pool, Su Nan hadn¡¯t felt it much, but after leaving Starlight Tower, he had a feeling similar to what a normal person might experience when suddenly entering an oxygen-thin environment.

    ¡°No wonder the Wizards from a thousand years ago left the Starlight Continent. This place really isn¡¯t suitable for Wizards to stay.¡±

    Su Nan sighed.

    He currently didn¡¯t have the ability to perform interplanar travel, so he could only make do on the Starlight Continent.

    ¡°There was also the mention of the restoration of the planar barrier by the auxiliary AI of Starlight Tower. There might be some secrets I don¡¯t know about regarding the events a thousand years ago.¡±

    In his previous life, Su Nan had entered the game when it was already in its 2.0 version, ¡°The Return of the Wizards.¡± He had not learned much about the earlier 1.0 version and the transitional period in between. He only vaguely remembered some information and rumors he had read.

    He had thought the Starlight Continent was just a simple elemental desert, but now it seemed there was more to it.

    ¡°There seemed to be some books in that batch from Starlight Tower that mentioned this matter. I¡¯ll have to find time to read them.¡±

    Su Nan took a deep breath and began pondering his next steps.

    First was cultivation.

    The growth and condensation of gaseous spiritual power were already very slow. A one percent increase often took years.

    Furthermore, with the energy scarcity in the current Starlight Continent, without external assistance, maintaining his current level, let alone improving, would be a challenge.

    ¡°Divine Blood Crystal is almost useless to me now.¡±

    ¡°Supernatural Potion as well. I need to synthesize a higher-grade one.¡±

    The element pool, potions, and divine energy combined should be enough to offset the impact of energy scarcity.

    After that, he needed to find other ways to accelerate the growth of his spiritual power.

    Secondly, there were Wizard artifacts.

    This wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Su Nan.

    If it weren¡¯t for the limitations of his spiritual power, he would have already synthesized Wizard artifacts back when he was a Wizard Apprentice.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t plan on just casually synthesizing a few Wizard artifacts.

    Other Wizards didn¡¯t have much choice, but he had the ability to synthesize Magic Cubes, giving him plenty of options.

    Ideally, he would synthesize a Wizard artifact that best suited his own combat style and system.

    This would produce a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts.

    This also needed to be considered carefully.

    Then there were experiments.

    Now that he had become a Wizard, many experiments that had previously been impossible due to limitations in his spiritual power could be put on the agenda.

    For example, refining Secret Puppets and bloodline imprints, creating more advanced runes compared to magic tattoos, and so on.

    Finally, there was the Wizard Tower.

    As one of the greatest alchemical creations in the history of Wizard civilization, the Wizard Tower was renowned throughout the entire multiverse.

    To this day, countless planar civilizations had succumbed to the bombardment of Wizard Towers.

    Its reputation had long spread throughout countless planes.

    There was a saying in the multiverse ¨C A Wizard is fearsome, but a Wizard with a Wizard Tower is even more formidable!

    Every Wizard aspired to possess their own Wizard Tower.

    However, building a Wizard Tower wasn¡¯t so simple.

    A qualified Wizard Tower must have a stable mana supply, a dimensional barrier energy field with protective enchantments, ultra-long-range strike capabilities, an internal Magic Puppet Legion, and a Tower Spirit Construct Commander, among other things.

    The resources required to build even the most basic Wizard Tower were worth millions of gold coins.

    Even official Wizards rarely possessed this kind of wealth.

    Therefore, many First-Rank Wizards didn¡¯t have their own Wizard Towers.

    Even among Second-Rank Wizards, few could afford to build a Wizard Tower.

    Generally speaking, Wizard Towers could be divided into two types.

    Flying and non-flying.

    Non-flying Wizard Towers primarily referred to those built on ley lines.

    These Wizard Towers were often bound to ley lines and were fixed in place, unable to move, let alone fly.

    In the eyes of many Wizards, these were hardly considered Wizard Towers.

    Unless one was strapped for cash or forced to build a Wizard Tower for some reason, very few Wizards would choose to build them on ley lines.

    The vast majority of Wizards chose to build ¡°flying¡± Wizard Towers.

    In the classification of Wizard civilization, Wizard Towers were divided into small, medium, and large based on their size.

    The larger the Wizard Tower, the more expensive it was to build.

    Medium and large Wizard Towers were beyond Su Nan¡¯s reach for now.

    Even if he dismantled the entire Starlight Continent, he wouldn¡¯t be able to gather enough resources to build even a medium-sized Wizard Tower.

    His goal was only a small Wizard Tower.

    Even though it was small, it was still far larger than Starlight Tower.

    ¡°Building a Wizard Tower requires vast resources. With the current state of the Starlight Continent, building a Wizard Tower will be very difficult.¡±

    ¡°Disassembling Starlight Tower will provide some resources, but there will still be a large gap.¡±

    ¡°To gather the remaining resources, the current Star Alliance alone wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered, and he already had a plan in mind.

    Before building a Wizard Tower, the first thing he needed to do was to unify the Starlight Continent!

    Only then could he consolidate all the manpower and resources of the entire Starlight Continent, focusing all his resources on building a Wizard Tower.

    Unifying the surface world wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Most of the work could be delegated to the Star Kingdom, while he would only be responsible for dealing with Wizard Apprentices.

    As for the underworld, the Star Alliance would be in charge.

    Besides that, he also needed to find the Black Forest and Falling Star City.

    These two Wizard legacies likely contained a significant amount of resources. If he could get his hands on them, it would alleviate a lot of the resource pressure.

    Just so happened, the clues to the Black Forest were in the hands of the Spider City. He might as well start by taking down Spider City, taking the first step towards the Star Alliance¡¯s unification of the underworld.

    After pondering for a while, Su Nan had a general idea of his future plans.

    Then, he started to think about the Dark Throne.

    After taking down Starlight Tower, he had undoubtedly made an enemy of the Dark Throne.

    The Dark Throne was not known for its generosity or compassion. Once it returned to the Starlight Continent, it would inevitably seek revenge.

    He needed to prepare for this in advance.

    ¡°The official start of the 2.0 version, if I recall correctly, was around Starlight Calendar 2000.¡±

    ¡°However, in the decade leading up to it, various Wizard factions had already begun sending people to explore the Starlight Continent, establish outposts, and prepare for the arrival of their main forces.¡±

    Su Nan vaguely remembered that among the first Wizard factions to send outposts to the Starlight Continent, the Dark Throne was one of them.

    The reason he remembered this was because the Wizards from the Dark Throne had committed a lot of atrocities in the Starlight Continent, subjecting the players of that time to a dark period for over a decade.

    It wasn¡¯t until the major Wizard factions set up shop in the Starlight Continent that the Dark Throne¡¯s influence was checked, and the players¡¯ situation improved.

    Eventually, after the players grew strong enough, they banded together and retaliated against the Dark Throne.

    ¡°It is now Starlight Calendar 1269. It is still seven hundred years before the first group of Wizards arrives in the Starlight Continent.¡±

    Su Nan pondered to himself.

    This amount of time was enough for him to turn the Starlight Continent into his own territory and build a Wizard Tower.

    By the time the Dark Throne¡¯s people arrived, he could perhaps give them a ¡°surprise.¡±

    Although he had already offended a multiversal Wizard faction with a fearsome reputation before elemental resurgence had even occurred, Su Nan wasn¡¯t very worried.

    The multiverse had more than just the Dark Throne.

    If worse came to worst, he could always seek refuge with a Wizard faction that was an enemy of the Dark Throne.

    Within moments, numerous options had sprung to mind for Su Nan.

    The Deep Blue Alliance, the Star Spirit Bell Tower, the Wisdom Codex...

    There weren¡¯t many factions that could go toe-to-toe with the Dark Throne, let alone surpass it, but there were still a handful.

    He was sure no Wizard faction would refuse a genius who, despite being in an energy-deprived environment in a resource-scarce elemental desert, could still ascend to Wizardhood in just thirty years.

    As for lifespan, that was even less of a concern.

    The lifespans of Wizards who had undergone a transformation in their life level far surpassed those of ordinary humans.

    First-Rank Vaporized Wizards had lifespans of seven to eight hundred years. By incorporating some long-life bloodlines or undergoing bodily transformations, living for a thousand years wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

 Chapter 183: Base Transformation, Wizard Academy

    # Chapter 183: Base Transformation, Wizard Academy

    The study was silent. Only the soft sound of turning pages echoed faintly.

    Carolaina and the Red Widow stood quietly before the desk, afraid to make a sound, lest they disturb the Southern Cross behind it.

    However, the two women couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at Southern Cross, their eyes sparkling with light.

    When Southern Cross had said he was going to investigate the Starlight Tower, he had disappeared for two years. Even though he had made arrangements beforehand, the Star Alliance had managed to maintain stability and avoid major problems, but two years was a long time to be out of contact. Carolaina and the Red Widow couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    After all, they were well aware that the prosperity of the Star Alliance rested on the shoulders of Southern Cross alone. Without him, the entire alliance would crumble in an instant. This was a result they couldn¡¯t accept.

    Just when they were about to lose their patience and send people to search for Southern Cross, he finally returned.

    And with him came news that shocked them to their core. Their master had become a full-fledged Wizard!

    This wasn¡¯t something he had told them. It was a rumor that had been circulating for some time. It was said that Southern Cross had successfully ascended to Wizardhood within the Starlight Tower, and upon his exit, had ruthlessly killed fourteen Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices of the Truth Council, claiming the Starlight Tower for himself.

    At first, Carolaina and the Red Widow didn¡¯t quite believe it. But when they saw Southern Cross with their own eyes and felt the aura emanating from him, an aura as deep and bottomless as the starry sky, completely different from before, the doubts in their hearts vanished instantly, replaced by overwhelming joy.

    Years of experience within the Star Alliance had given them a deep understanding of Wizards, and they knew what a Wizard meant in the current Starlight Continent. If they had to use an analogy, it would be the only god in the Starlight Continent!

    They couldn¡¯t imagine anything that could withstand the power of a Wizard!

    With a Wizard in their ranks, the Star Alliance¡¯s march towards unifying the underworld, no, towards unifying the entire Starlight Continent, would be unstoppable! This was far grander and more exhilarating than their previous ambition of becoming the ¡®Overlord of the Underworld¡¯!

    Thinking about this, the two women couldn¡¯t help but tremble with excitement, their faces flushed, their gazes towards their master behind the desk filled with awe and admiration.

    Southern Cross didn¡¯t notice their subtle actions, focusing on reading the reports from the past two years. Because of the temporary halt in expansion, the Star Alliance had experienced little change in its territory over the past two years, only developing a dozen or so resource points.

    Perhaps because of this, the Dark Elves had not sent anyone to harass them. The Star Alliance had enjoyed a rare period of peace and stability.

    However, compared to the unchanged territory, the growth of the Star Alliance¡¯s military power was quite impressive.

    Regarding Magic Puppets, the Star Alliance had accumulated a large number of Stone Magic Puppets and Double-Blade Spiders over the past two years, enough to form two small Magic Puppet legions. As soon as Southern Cross filled the gaps with Iron Magic Puppets, Elite Iron Magic Puppets, and Elite Double-Blade Spiders, the Star Alliance would have two more small Magic Puppet legions.

    But what surprised Southern Cross the most was the Magic Rune Knights.

    After over ten years of development, the number of Magic Rune Knights had increased tenfold, reaching close to fifty thousand.

    Unfortunately, the speed of creating Magic Rune Constructs couldn¡¯t keep up with the growth of the Magic Rune Knights. Currently, only less than a third of the Magic Rune Knights were equipped with Magic Rune Constructs. This was an issue the Star Alliance needed to address urgently.

    Once the equipment issue was resolved, the fully equipped Magic Rune Knights would become the Star Alliance¡¯s second powerful force, equal to the Magic Puppet legions!

    ¡°First and Second-Rank Magic Rune Constructs can be manufactured by apprentices in the base. But Third-Rank and above, I have to do it myself,¡±

    Southern Cross mused.

    Thanks to the expansion of the Starfire Sect¡¯s territory, the number of apprentices in the base had also increased rapidly in the past two years. The total number of apprentices now exceeded 500, reaching 524. Among them, there were over forty Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices. These were the workforce for manufacturing First and Second-Rank Magic Rune Constructs.

    Southern Cross immediately decided to adjust task rewards, increasing the incentive for apprentices to manufacture First and Second-Rank Magic Rune Constructs.

    As for Third-Rank Magic Rune Constructs, if he really didn¡¯t have time to manufacture them, he could get them by combining First and Second-Rank Magic Rune Constructs. It would just cost more.

    Also, due to the lack of Magic Rune Constructs, the number of Dragon Antelope Knights, the core force of the Magic Rune Knights, had stagnated.

    However, the ranch had accumulated over 300 mature Dragon Antelope, and once the equipment was ready, the number of Dragon Antelope Knights could double immediately.

    After reading the reports, Southern Cross had a good grasp of the Star Alliance¡¯s development over the past two years. Overall, while there weren¡¯t major problems in his absence, development in various aspects had been affected to some degree, and the overall improvement in strength had stagnated. But this loss of time was negligible compared to the gains he had made in the Starlight Tower.

    Moreover, with his return, the Star Alliance was poised for explosive growth.

    Closing the reports, Southern Cross looked up at Carolaina and the Red Widow. The two women instinctively straightened their posture.

    ¡°Once the two new Magic Puppet legions are formed, we will restart the expansion operation.¡±

    ¡°This time, we will target Spider City and prioritize exploration and expansion towards that direction.¡±

    Carolaina and the Red Widow replied respectfully.

    ¡°Send people to investigate the situation in Spider City and gather intelligence.¡±

    After giving another instruction, Southern Cross waved his hand, dismissing them.

    After they left, he looked down at the base report on the desk, his expression thoughtful.

    Since the establishment of the base, it had been running smoothly for nearly twenty years, providing him with significant assistance.

    However, as his forces expanded, some shortcomings in the base began to manifest.

    The most important one was the severe lack of knowledge transmission to the apprentices.

    Southern Cross was extremely busy and had little time to teach apprentices.

    When the number of apprentices was small, he could offer limited instruction through an exchange system. But later, as the number of apprentices increased, he removed this exchange option from the list to save time.

    Currently, the apprentices in the base could only learn by reading books, which made their progress incredibly slow.

    Considering that the number of apprentices joining the Star Alliance would only increase as the territory of the Starfire Sect expanded, it was time for the base to change.

    Even before he went to the Starlight Tower, Southern Cross had already pondered this.

    For example, he could separate the apprentice training function of the base, establishing a dedicated academy for training Sorcerer Apprentices.

    Wizard Academies were essential for almost every Wizard force. They were their main channels for absorbing fresh blood.

    To give the Star Alliance a broader scope for development, a Wizard Academy was necessary.

    To establish a Wizard Academy, the most critical aspect was the teaching staff.

    At first, Southern Cross considered inviting the members of the Mysterious Wooden Hut to join as academy mentors. But considering trust and acceptance issues, he put it on hold after much deliberation.

    But now things were different. With his Wizard power and identity, he could easily suppress the likes of Staff and the others.

    Plus, the appeal of Construction Potions and other resources would ensure their acceptance.

    Once the teaching staff was secured, establishing the academy would be a breeze.

    After pondering for a moment, Southern Cross had a plan in mind. He flicked his wrist, and a delicate, miniature wooden hut model appeared in the palm of his hand. It was the original form of the Mysterious Wooden Hut. He had found this in the Spatial Rings of Megisun and the others.

    Apparently, as he suspected, Night Owl had been killed by the Truth Council. The hunters who secretly contacted Evans were probably also in danger.

    Including Southern Cross, there were only four members left in the Mysterious Wooden Hut, making it virtually nonexistent. But this was good news, it would be easier to take over the remaining members.

    Putting away the Mysterious Wooden Hut model, Southern Cross left the study.

    Dragon Forest, Zone 3, an open plain. Southern Cross appeared out of thin air, gazing down at the Infiltrator running across the plain, and Amy, sitting on its back, a smile playing on his lips.

    He hadn¡¯t brought the Infiltrator with him to the Starlight Tower, leaving it behind in Dragon Forest.

    Over the past two years, the Infiltrator hadn¡¯t undergone Bloodline Refinement, so its Bloodline Concentration had increased very slowly. But its Bloodline Concentration had already exceeded 90% before, and after two years, it was now approaching 94%.

    The only issue was that once the Infiltrator¡¯s Bloodline Concentration exceeded 90%, its Sub-Dragon Bloodline had become the strongest in the Dragon Forest.

    Other Sub-Dragons¡¯ blood, directly fused, had no effect on it. It had to be refined and combined to improve the Infiltrator¡¯s Bloodline Concentration.

    Fortunately, the Dragon Forest had plenty of Sub-Dragon veins, so the Infiltrator¡¯s Bloodline Concentration hadn¡¯t slowed down much.

    Southern Cross estimated that in two or three years at most, the Infiltrator¡¯s bloodline would complete its evolution. Then, he would have another powerful force comparable to a Wizard.

    Thinking about this, a smile couldn¡¯t help but cross Southern Cross¡¯s face.

    ¡°Meow, Southern Cross!¡±

    A clear voice interrupted his thoughts. Southern Cross felt a slight weight on his shoulder, turned his head to see that Amy was already perched on his shoulder, staring at him with her big sapphire eyes, asking question after question.

    ¡°When did you come back meow?¡±

    ¡°Did you find the Starlight Tower meow?¡±

    ¡°Why did you stay away so long meow?¡±

    Southern Cross quickly interrupted the little creature, smiling, ¡°I¡¯ve only been back for a few days. The Starlight Tower has been found, but something happened, so it took longer than expected.¡±

    Amy didn¡¯t press him further. It was happy to see Southern Cross back. But at that moment, its nostrils twitched, sniffing Southern Cross a few times, and its pupils widened in a human-like expression of shock.

    ¡°Meow! You¡¯ve become a Wizard!¡±

    ¡°You can sense that too?¡± Southern Cross looked at the little creature in surprise.

    While Amy had the ability to perceive fluctuations in energy particles, Southern Cross had deliberately suppressed his energy particle fluctuations. Amy shouldn¡¯t have been able to sense it.

    ¡°My senses are very sharp meow! Your aura is exactly the same as the Wizards I¡¯ve seen before!¡±

    Amy proudly raised its head, then looked at Southern Cross with adoration.

    ¡°So awesome meow!¡±

    ¡°You became a Wizard in only twenty years meow!¡±

    ¡°And you did it in this environment! You¡¯re the most outstanding genius I¡¯ve ever met, besides my master meow!¡±

    Amy excitedly waved its paws, and if someone didn¡¯t know better, they might think it was the one who had become a Wizard.

    Southern Cross curiously asked, ¡°How long did it take for your master to become a Wizard?¡±

    Amy wanted to gesture with a number, but seeing its chubby paws, it gave up. Instead, it chirped, ¡°Sixteen years meow.¡±

    ¡°Sixteen years to become a Wizard?¡± Southern Cross nodded slightly. That was indeed fast.

    ¡°Not meow,¡± Amy shook its head unexpectedly. ¡°My master became a Wizard at sixteen years old.¡±

    ¡°Sixteen?¡± Southern Cross was taken aback, then quickly realized. ¡°Your master is a True Spirit Descendant?¡±

    ¡°Correct meow!¡± Amy proudly said.

    Southern Cross was amazed.

    A True Spirit Descendant refers to the offspring of a True Spirit Wizard. At the level of a Wizard, their life essence had already transcended that of ordinary creatures, and their offspring would inherently possess stronger physiques and spiritual powers than ordinary humans. It was almost certain that they would have the potential to become Sorcerer Apprentices, and they were more likely to advance further on the path of Wizardry.

    For example, the offspring of two First-Rank Wizards would, at the very least, become Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices, and their chances of becoming Wizards would increase by several times compared to ordinary people.

    If two Third-Rank Wizards were to have children, barring any accidents, they would almost certainly become full-fledged Wizards.

    And the offspring of a True Spirit Wizard would have even more extraordinary potential, with many achieving Wizardhood by the age of sixteen or seventeen! These individuals were known as True Spirit Descendants.

    In the world of Wizards, True Spirit Descendants were synonymous with genius.

    Southern Cross didn¡¯t expect Amy¡¯s master to be a True Spirit Descendant.

    Thinking about it, it was no wonder that such a peculiar Magical Companion could be bred.

    A Wizard¡¯s child, after all. Their foundation was something ordinary Wizards couldn¡¯t compare to.

    However, just like dragons, the stronger the Wizard, the more difficult it was to produce offspring. Throughout the entire multiverse, the number of True Spirit Descendants was extremely small.

    Southern Cross was becoming more and more curious about why Amy had been left in the Starlight Continent.

    But seeing the little creature brimming with pride, he wisely decided not to mention it, smiling as he patted its head. In this era of Wizards returning, Amy¡¯s master would undoubtedly return to the Starlight Continent, and then the reason would be revealed.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    The Infiltrator roared from below.

    Southern Cross landed on the ground, and the Infiltrator immediately trotted over, rubbing affectionately against his body.

    With its increased Bloodline Concentration, the Infiltrator was now over 30 meters long, approaching 40. Such a massive creature performing affectionate actions was quite a contrast.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, to the laboratory, I¡¯ll refine your bloodline for you after a long time.¡±

    Southern Cross patted the Infiltrator¡¯s scales, smiling slightly.

    ¡°In two years, you¡¯ll become a true dragon.¡±

    Thanks to theÃËÖ÷ of the ¡°Thirty-four pages of textbook opened¡± group, thanks for your support! Three more chapters will be added and updated later!

 Chapter 184

    Starlight Calendar 1269, Fire Moon (July).

    War broke out again. The day after the Star Alliance declared war, they launched a fierce attack on the Golden Sky Empire.

    Despite having two years of respite, the Golden Sky Empire, having lost a vast amount of territory, hadn¡¯t accumulated much power. Facing the renewed onslaught of the Star Alliance, they were steadily retreating from the very beginning of the war.

    Golden Sky Empire, Saint Flame City.

    Fire Moon was originally the time of the Golden Sky Empire¡¯s annual Flame Festival. However, in Saint Flame City, the capital of the Empire, there wasn¡¯t a single trace of festive atmosphere; instead, it was eerily quiet.

    The Imperial Palace, study.

    The Golden Sky Emperor, having just finished a court meeting, returned to his study. Pushing open the door, he saw the Staff standing by the window, gazing out at the sky.

    ¡°You finally decided to come see me.¡± The Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s face was not looking good.

    The Staff turned around, his eyes looking at him with a faint sadness, he sighed.

    ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t interfere in the war between your Empire and the Star Duchy.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to watch the Empire fall and the royal bloodline die out?¡± The Golden Sky Emperor gritted his teeth and asked.

    News of successive defeats on the front lines was coming in. The Empire¡¯s demise was imminent. He didn¡¯t care about the other party¡¯s lofty status in the Empire. He took a confrontational attitude.

    However, the only response he received was the Staff¡¯s calm and impassive gaze.

    ¡°The royal family¡¯s kindness to me, I have already repaid. The Empire and I are now just partners. I don¡¯t need to be responsible for the Empire¡¯s demise. I thought you knew this all along.¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s expression faltered. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°What do you want in return? Just say it. As long as you can save the Empire, I¡¯ll agree to any condition!¡±

    The Staff shook his head, saying nothing.

    Seeing this, the Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s face grew even more grim. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Since you don¡¯t intend to intervene, then help me with something!¡±

    ¡°What do you need?¡±

    ¡°Help me contact other Wizard Apprentices! I¡¯m willing to pay a sufficient price. As long as they are willing to join forces to help the Empire deal with Su Nan!¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor made up his mind secretly. As long as he could kill Su Nan, even if he had to empty the national treasury, he would do it.

    With Su Nan dead, the Star Duchy would inevitably fall into chaos and wouldn¡¯t be able to continue the war. And without the Star Duchy as its core, the Star Alliance would naturally collapse.

    The Empire would then have more time to catch its breath, and perhaps even have the chance to rise again in the future!

    The Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s mind raced, but then he met the Staff¡¯s pitying gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless. Even if you gather all the Wizard Apprentices on the continent, you won¡¯t be able to harm Su Nan in the slightest.¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor was stunned. He subconsciously asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    The Staff sighed with a complicated expression and said softly, ¡°Su Nan has already become a Wizard.¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor was stunned for a while before he realized the implication of the Staff¡¯s words. He was struck as if by lightning, his eyes wide.

    ¡°Wi-Wizard?¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?! How could anyone on the Starlight Continent possibly become a Wizard?¡±

    As the overlord of the Southeast Region, the Golden Sky Emperor had access to more secrets about Wizards than others. Naturally, he also knew the current predicament of the Starlight Continent: it was almost impossible for anyone to become a Wizard on this land!

    Facing the Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s shocked questioning, the Staff simply replied with four words.

    ¡°Starsea Tower.¡±

    These four words instantly drained all the Golden Sky Emperor¡¯s strength.

    He slumped back in his chair, his face pale, his eyes filled with despair.

    The Golden Sky Emperor knew very well what a Wizard meant.

    As the Staff had said, all the Wizard Apprentices on the entire continent wouldn¡¯t be a match for Su Nan.

    On this continent, a Wizard was synonymous with invincibility.

    Thinking of how he had just been fantasizing about dealing with a Wizard, the Golden Sky Emperor suddenly felt a bit ridiculous.

    ¡°Surrender,¡± the Staff said softly, ¡°Doing so might still preserve a sliver of the royal bloodline.¡±

    The Golden Sky Emperor was silent for a while before he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Will the Star Duchy allow the royal bloodline to continue?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they? What does the Star Duchy need to worry about now?¡± The Staff asked back.

    The Golden Sky Emperor opened his mouth, but he was speechless.

    Yes.

    The Star Duchy, with a Wizard backing them, had nothing to worry about anymore.

    As long as Su Nan was around, no one could shake the Arnest family¡¯s position.

    Even if they left the Golden Sky royal bloodline, it wouldn¡¯t have any impact on the Star Duchy.

    ¡°...Fine, the Empire surrenders.¡±

    With these words, the Golden Sky Emperor seemed to age a lot all of a sudden.

    After shedding the aura of being the overlord of the Southeast Region, he now looked like a frail old man.

    The Staff shook his head slightly, looking out the window again, his eyes flashing with thought.

    The Starlight Continent was about to experience a drastic change, should he make some changes too?

    Dragon Bone Tower, Fifth Layer.

    Sherman came out of the workshop and was about to head to the warehouse.

    Looking at the ten sets of Second-Rank Magic Patterned Constructs lying in his Space Ring, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    These Magic Patterned Constructs, when converted into Contribution Points, would be enough to exchange for a Super Ability Potion.

    ¡°The sixth Star Ring is only a little bit away from completion. With this Super Ability Potion, it should be enough.¡±

    Thinking happily, Sherman entered the central hall and teleported to the warehouse area.

    As soon as he looked up, he saw Athiel and Corey discussing something not far away.

    More than ten years had passed, and Athiel and Corey were both over thirty years old.

    But judging from their appearance, they looked at most like they were in their early twenties.

    Long-term immersion and improvement by Energy Particles would significantly slow down the aging process of Wizard Apprentices, allowing their bodies to remain in peak condition until just before their death, when they would start aging rapidly.

    Therefore, unless there were changes in appearance due to bloodline fusion or physical transformation, very few Wizard Apprentices would show signs of aging.

    Sherman himself was the same.

    ¡°Athiel, Corey.¡±

    Hearing the voice, Athiel turned around and saw Sherman. A bright smile bloomed on her face.

    Corey gave him a slight nod, his expression as indifferent as ever.

    Sherman didn¡¯t mind. He casually asked, ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±

    He then glanced around and looked surprised, ¡°Why are there so many people today?¡±

    Athiel stared at Sherman with wide eyes, surprised, ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡± Sherman was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ve been staying in the workshop lately. I just came out. Did something happen?¡±

    Athiel was relieved. She smiled and said, ¡°The Teacher is back.¡±

    Sherman was stunned for a moment, followed by immense joy.

    The Teacher had been gone for more than two years. Although he had left a message beforehand as a precaution, not seeing the Teacher for so long had left the entire base, including him, with a faint feeling of loss, as if they had lost their backbone.

    Before Sherman could recover from his joy, Athiel said mysteriously, ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around outside lately, do you know what it is?¡±

    Sherman rolled his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±

    Athiel didn¡¯t mind. She smiled and said, ¡°The rumor is that the Teacher has received the legacy of the Starsea Tower and become a Wizard!¡±

    ¡°What? Is it true?¡± Sherman was shocked.

    ¡°It should be true,¡± Corey said, ¡°At the time, many people saw the Teacher killing the fourteen Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices of the Truth Council in the Northwest Region. And he did it alone, taking only two or three breaths!¡±

    ¡°Besides a Wizard, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who could do that!¡±

    By the end, even the stoic Corey couldn¡¯t help but show a flicker of excitement and longing.

    Sherman stood there dumbfounded, his expression somewhat dazed.

    Although he had thought before that the Teacher might become a Wizard, he was still shocked when it actually happened before his eyes.

    After all, it was a Wizard!

    The realm that every Wizard Apprentice dreamed of!

    ¡°You¡¯re surprised, aren¡¯t you?¡± Athiel sighed. ¡°I was shocked too when I heard this news. I didn¡¯t expect the Teacher to take that step so soon.¡±

    ¡°The Teacher¡¯s talent is beyond our imagination!¡± Corey said.

    Sherman regained his senses and glanced at Corey with strange eyes.

    From before, he had faintly felt that Corey, though seemingly indifferent and taciturn, actually admired the Teacher deeply, even to the point of being unprincipled.

    If the Teacher was a god instead of a Wizard, Corey would definitely qualify as a fanatic.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Sherman then realized, ¡°What does this have to do with you two gathering in the warehouse area?¡±

    Athiel explained, ¡°The Task Hall has posted a lot of new tasks. They¡¯ve also increased the Contribution Points for buying Magic Patterned Constructs, Magicized Weapons, Stone Golems, and Twin Blade Spiders. Everyone is here to take on new tasks.¡±

    Sherman narrowed his eyes and immediately understood the deeper meaning behind these changes.

    ¡°Is the Star Alliance about to launch an expansion again?¡±

    ¡°Most likely,¡± Corey¡¯s eyes shone with light, ¡°The Starlight Continent is about to experience a drastic change.¡±

    Sherman nodded thoughtfully.

    Indeed, the Star Alliance, with a Wizard backing them, was now qualified to unify the underground world and even the entire Starlight Continent.

    Following the Teacher¡¯s usual way of doing things, he would undoubtedly do so.

    The change in Contribution Points for equipment and Golems was undoubtedly a preparation for launching a war.

    ¡°Actually, besides the tasks, I also heard a little rumor.¡±

    Athiel said in a low voice.

    ¡°I heard the Teacher is going to establish a Wizard Academy.¡±

    A Wizard Academy?

    Sherman widened his eyes in surprise.

    Corey was also stunned. This was the first time he had heard about it.

    ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± Corey asked quickly.

    ¡°Lord Amy said it.¡±

    Sherman and Corey¡¯s eyes flickered.

    Since Lord Amy said it, it was probably true.

    ¡°But if we¡¯re going to establish a Wizard Academy, how will we solve the tutor problem?¡± Sherman asked in confusion.

    Even if the Teacher was willing to teach them personally, an academy couldn¡¯t be built with just one tutor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Athiel shrugged.

    Sherman was both confused and excited for a moment.

    If the academy really did come to fruition, it would undoubtedly be a good thing for them, the apprentices.

    Having a tutor to teach them knowledge would undoubtedly greatly improve their learning efficiency.

    In the future, when they encountered difficulties, they wouldn¡¯t have to bury themselves in research alone.

    Dragon Bone Tower, Sixth Layer, Experimental Area.

    In a spacious and bright laboratory, Su Nan stood in front of the workbench, placing bottles of Lower-Grade Revitalization Potions into the Magic Cube.

    After opening up a large magic plant garden in Dragon Forest Zone 2, the supply of Silver Moon Flowers had increased dramatically. Now, he basically didn¡¯t have to worry about that anymore.

    Especially during the two years plus he had spent in the Starsea Tower, his warehouse had accumulated a large amount of Silver Moon Flowers, enough to last for a long time.

    As more and more potions were added, the text information on the Magic Cube synthesis interface kept changing, and finally flashed sharply, finally displaying the word ¡®Fourth Rank¡¯.

    ¡¾Crystal Soul Potion (Fourth Rank/High Grade), after consumption, can significantly increase the speed of Spiritual Power condensing, and enhance the absorption efficiency of Energy Particles. Duration: 182 days 22 hours, no stacking effect. The user must reach at least the First-Rank Gasification Stage and their Spiritual Power must meet certain standards (Lower Grade 25.32%/Middle Grade 17.88%/Upper Grade 8.24%/Super 1.02%)¡¿

    Su Nan nodded inwardly.

    Based on the description of the effect, Crystal Soul Potion was purely an upgraded version of Revitalization Potion. The effect was only better than Revitalization Potion, with no other significant changes.

    As for the last part of the description, it obviously referred to the Talent Crystal¡¯s grade.

    The grade of a Talent Crystal had a significant impact on a Wizard¡¯s subsequent development, which was reflected even in the consumption restrictions of potions.

    Wizards with higher-grade Talent Crystals, though they would have a harder time condensing Spiritual Power than those with lower-grade Talent Crystals, would have lower restrictions on potion use in return.

    Moreover, for the same Spiritual Power condensation progress, the former would be more powerful than the latter.

    Overall, the benefits outweighed the disadvantages.

    ¡°According to this calculation, my current 1.34% condensation progress is equivalent to about 30% of a Lower-Grade Talent Crystal Wizard.¡±

    A satisfied expression appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    This was why he went to great lengths to pursue a high-grade Talent Crystal. Although it was more difficult in the early stages, the benefits would be much greater in the later stages.

    Su Nan then tried synthesizing a Fifth-Rank potion. As a result, the consumption restriction jumped to the First-Rank Crystallization Stage (Super 24.45%).

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ll only be able to use Crystal Soul Potion for a long time.¡±

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t too disappointed. Crystal Soul Potion, coupled with the Element Pool and Divine Energy, was already enough for him to cultivate like a normal Wizard, without being affected by the environment of the Starlight Continent.

    This was already very good, he couldn¡¯t ask for more.

    He would just slowly look for other ways to improve his cultivation efficiency later.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan drank the potion immediately and then returned to the Element Pool on the top floor to cultivate.

    By the time his Spiritual Power condensation progress increased by 0.01%, twelve days had passed.

    ¡°At this rate, it will take about three hundred years for me to break through to the First-Rank Liquefaction Stage.¡±

    Su Nan pondered slightly.

    Seven hundred years, I wonder if it¡¯s enough for me to break through to the First-Rank Crystallization Stage?

    If I can find more ways to improve my cultivation efficiency, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan got up and left the top floor, teleporting to the workshop area on the Fifth Layer.

    The potion issue had been solved, now it was time to deal with the Artifact issue.

    After thinking about it for the past few days, Su Nan had a preliminary plan.

 Chapter 185

    In the eyes of many Wizards, only Witchcraft Items could be considered true magical objects.

    Anything below that, like Alchemical-Grade or Luminescent-Grade, was simply substandard or even inferior. Even the lowest-level First-Rank Witchcraft Item possessed power far exceeding that of Luminescent-Grade magical objects. High-rank Witchcraft Items were even comparable to legendary Artifacts.

    In a well-lit workshop, a large worktable was laden with countless Luminescent-Grade magical items. These were all crafted by Su Nan during this period.

    He¡¯d already planned out the types of Witchcraft Items he wanted to make. A protective Witchcraft Item was a must. Considering the outstanding performance of the Extreme Protection Ring in the past, Su Nan decided to stick to this type for the new protective Witchcraft Item.

    Force field protection was, in fact, the choice of most Wizards. Besides physical attacks, a protective force field also offered excellent defense against intangible attacks like soul shock. But Su Nan¡¯s ambitions went beyond mere protection.

    Simply defending wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy him. It would be ideal to add some extra functionalities while still providing protection. Adding offensive capabilities was clearly impossible. Even an Attack-Defense combined Magic Emblem Core had to separate attack and defense, incapable of doing both simultaneously. The same applied to magical items.

    However, while offensive abilities were out of the question, some auxiliary capabilities like crowd control or debuffing were feasible. Su Nan had found numerous magic item design blueprints in the batch of books from Starlight Tower, so he decided to seek inspiration from them, borrowing ideas from many magical items and researching to create a new Alchemical-Grade magical item.

    The reason for choosing Alchemical-Grade was that creating new Luminescent-Grade magical items was simply too difficult. As he could always use synthesis to enhance it, Su Nan naturally chose the simpler option, focusing on designing the desired function.

    The final magic ring he crafted still possessed the invisible force field protection of a Protective Ring. However, the force field was no longer as close to the user¡¯s body as before, instead expanding significantly in volume, forming a spherical force field with a one-meter radius centered around the user.

    Any enemy entering this force field would be suppressed by it, essentially getting a ¡°heavy pressure¡± buff, severely hindering their movements. With this, the new magical item achieved the effect of both defense and crowd control.

    Naturally, the addition of functionality came with a reduction in the effectiveness of individual functions. The most apparent was the significant decline in the defensive capabilities of the force field. But Su Nan wasn¡¯t bothered, as Magic Cube synthesis could solve this problem.

    He began the synthesis process, placing the rings on the worktable one by one into the Magic Cube. After twenty-six rings, the synthesis interface instantly displayed the word ¡°Witchcraft Item.¡± However, this was only the lowest-level Witchcraft Item. Su Nan didn¡¯t stop and continued adding more rings.

    With each additional ring synthesized, Su Nan had to take out the Witchcraft Item and try to sense it. The use of Witchcraft Items was also subject to the limitations of spiritual power.

    Without sufficient spiritual power, forcing the use of high-rank Witchcraft Items would only lead to backlash and detrimental consequences. He couldn¡¯t let the Witchcraft Item¡¯s power exceed his tolerance limit.

    Finally, after synthesizing seventy-eight rings, Su Nan felt an impending sense of overload. ¡°Is this the limit?¡±

    Su Nan glanced at the synthesis interface. The level displayed was still ¡°First-Rank.¡± He had a vague feeling that this Witchcraft Item was still quite a distance from breaking through to Second-Rank. However, his current strength could only handle this much.

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue the synthesis after improving my condensation progress.¡±

    Su Nan took out the ring and put it on, then activated it. In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to distort, and an invisible wave, centered on Su Nan, suddenly spread outward.

    Creak!

    The metal worktable in front of him suddenly flattened, as if an invisible giant hand had pressed down on it with force.

    Accompanied by a piercing screech of unbearable pressure, the worktable, forged from enchanted refined iron, which was even tougher than a steel Magic Puppet, instantly turned into a flattened pile of scrap metal.

    Su Nan inwardly exclaimed ¡°Oops,¡± and quickly activated his thoughts, dispelling the heavy pressure that had been engulfing the scrap metal. As the user of the Witchcraft Item, he could decide the target of the force field.

    ¡°Force field radius, about five meters.¡± Su Nan nodded silently.

    This was akin to a small domain. From the worktable turning into scrap, it could be judged that this force field, just with the heavy pressure alone, could easily obliterate a First-Rank Legendary.

    But he still needed to test it out properly.

    Su Nan teleported to the training area and unleashed a few Gold Magic Puppets and Secret Puppets to begin testing. The results were very satisfactory.

    Even powerful Gold Magic Puppets were unable to move within the force field.

    The Fourth-Rank Legendary Secret Puppets could barely move under the heavy pressure, but their speed was no better than that of an eighty-year-old. It could be said that creatures below the Wizard level, once within the force field¡¯s range, would have to use all their strength just to resist the heavy pressure, leaving them unable to do anything else.

    If used against First-Rank or Second-Rank Legendary creatures, the heavy pressure effect, which was originally just an auxiliary one, could easily deal devastating damage.

    In terms of defense, if converted into defense rating, it would be approximately between fifty-three thousand and fifty-five thousand. This was fifty times the defense rating of the Extreme Protection Ring! Such astounding defensive power was barely inferior to his talent, ¡°Liquid Metal.¡±

    Of course, ¡°Liquid Metal¡± provided defense against instantaneous damage, while the force field provided defense against sustained damage. Once its energy was depleted, it would need to be recharged before it could be used again. Its defense was still inferior to the former.

    The only advantage was that it could be mass-equipped.

    ¡°Too bad there¡¯s no Wizard-level combat power to assist with testing, otherwise, I could get more specific data.¡± Su Nan felt a slight pang of regret.

    Despite that, the current test data was already quite satisfying.

    ¡°I need to come up with a new name.¡±

    Caressing the ring¡¯s textured surface, covered in ridges and bumps, Su Nan quickly had an idea. ¡°I¡¯ll call it ¡®Forbidden Zone¡¯ then.¡±

    Synthesizing the Forbidden Zone had consumed nearly all his rings, forcing Su Nan to pause the thought of synthesizing a second one.

    Just like the Extreme Protection Ring, he intended to synthesize at least five ¡°Forbidden Zones¡± to wear on his person. No one would ever have too many ways to save their lives.

    However, the amount of magical items needed to synthesize Witchcraft Items was quite considerable. He¡¯d have to accumulate them for a while.

    After dealing with the protective Witchcraft Item, the next would naturally be the offensive Witchcraft Item. In this aspect, Su Nan had his sights set on a Luminescent-Grade magical item called ¡°Black Thunder¡± from those design blueprints in Starlight Tower.

    The main material for crafting Black Thunder was taken from Thunderstone, found deep within the Lightning Element Plane.

    These stones had been bombarded by lightning for centuries. Over hundreds of years, all impurities and dross had been eroded away by lightning, leaving behind the most refined essence, imbued with exceptionally rich and violent lightning energy particles.

    Black Thunder, crafted from Thunderstone, could, upon activation, transform all lightning energy particles into violent, pitch-black thunder, launching a thunderous strike against the target, with immense power.

    Su Nan was drawn to this simple, straightforward, yet powerful form of attack. After all, he already had ¡°Liquid Metal¡± for agile attacks.

    He had quite a few Thunderstones among the materials obtained from Starlight Tower. Su Nan spent a month refining over ten Black Thunders, then synthesized them into the ultimate Witchcraft Item.

    A Secret Puppet, even at its strongest, wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the power of an offensive Witchcraft Item. So he could only find a deserted place to simply test Black Thunder¡¯s power before stopping.

    To obtain truly detailed data, he¡¯d have to wait for Infiltrator to evolve into a Dragon, when he would have a suitable test subject.

    Su Nan intended to use the remaining Thunderstones to craft a few more Black Thunders and synthesize a second Witchcraft Item. To make more Black Thunder Witchcraft Items afterwards, he¡¯d have to travel to the Lightning Element Plane and collect more Thunderstones.

    Although First-Rank Wizards still lacked the ability to travel through planes, they could briefly enter an Element Plane. But the Lightning Element Plane was known for its danger among all Element Planes.

    Considering the risks, Su Nan planned to accumulate more strength and resources before venturing into it.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that while testing the Forbidden Zone and Black Thunder, Su Nan noticed a crucial issue: the charging of Witchcraft Items.

    Witchcraft Items possessed immense power, but the energy particles they needed to absorb after depletion were far more numerous than those required by Luminescent-Grade magical items. This meant that, in the current environment of Starlight Continent, charging Witchcraft Items had become a very time-consuming process.

    A preliminary estimate suggested that it would take over two months for the Forbidden Zone to fully recharge. Black Thunder, due to its reliance on absorbing only lightning energy particles, charged even slower, taking approximately eight months for a full charge.

    The only benefit was that Black Thunder¡¯s power wasn¡¯t affected by energy depletion, as its power came from the stored energy particles.

    ¡°In the future, when I encounter battles, I should try to use Liquid Metal as much as possible.¡±

    Compared to spells and magical items, Liquid Metal¡¯s energy consumption was far lower.

    Talent energy was inherently less affected by energy depletion, and Liquid Metal wasn¡¯t particularly dependent on energy particle concentration, so its impact was naturally reduced.

    If not for this, Su Nan¡¯s combat power as a Wizard would likely be reduced to a level not much stronger than a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    Putting away the Witchcraft Items, Su Nan took a long sigh of relief.

    The most important potions and Witchcraft Items were all taken care of. He could now focus his energy on other aspects.

    For example, Puppets.

    During this period, Su Nan had made time to fill out the high-end combat power of two small Magic Puppet Legions. Now, the entire Star Alliance already had six small Magic Puppet Legions. To be more precise, one medium-sized Magic Puppet Legion and one small Magic Puppet Legion.

    The seventh small Magic Puppet Legion was also in the process of being formed. However, the main force behind crafting Magic Puppets was the base¡¯s apprentices. Su Nan was only responsible for a small number of high-rank Puppets, not consuming much of his energy.

    His focus was on Secret Puppets.

    In the two years or so since he¡¯d left, the Star Alliance had successively developed three silver ore veins, including a medium-sized silver ore vein, accumulating nearly thirty kilograms of mithril. It was enough to craft two Secret Puppets.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t plan on doing so.

    He had been forced to craft simpler versions of Secret Puppets due to the limitations of skills, materials, and strength. Now that he had materials, sufficient strength and skill levels, he could finally try crafting the original version of the Secret Puppet.

    The full version of the Secret Puppet could easily achieve combat power comparable to a formal Wizard!

    ¡°The full version Secret Puppet requires approximately thirty-six kilograms of mithril.¡±

    Su Nan had recently earned a large sum from the spatial rings of Starlight Tower and the Truth Council members. Among the materials he obtained were over ten kilograms of mithril. Added to the mithril in the Dragon Forest warehouse, it was more than enough to craft the full version Secret Puppet.

    ¡°My Wizard-level spiritual power and 5-level [Puppetry Refining] are also sufficient for crafting it.¡±

    Besides mithril, the full version Secret Puppet also required a large amount of gems, rare metals, and most importantly, a medium-sized Soul Crystal. Su Nan had all these materials now, lying in his spatial ring, all contributed by Starlight Tower and the Truth Council.

    However, having just finished crafting the Witchcraft Items, Su Nan intended to take a few days to rest and recuperate before crafting the Secret Puppet.

    Returning to his study, Su Nan sat down behind his desk and picked up a book. He had been diligently reading the books he brought back from Starlight Tower.

    Besides knowledge, he had also learned some secrets about the incident a thousand years ago.

    There weren¡¯t just one, but countless other planes across the multiverse that had experienced Element Deserts.

    Over countless epochs, similar planes were numerous.

    Wizards had also summarized some patterns.

    The causes of Element Deserts were diverse, but the two most common were:

    The first was plane origin weakening. To put it simply, it was when a plane¡¯s lifespan was nearing its end, leading to a drastic reduction in elemental energy.

    This kind of Element Desert was irreversible and would continue to worsen until the plane¡¯s origin completely dissipated, causing the entire plane to vanish.

    The second was related to the plane barrier.

    There were countless planes in the multiverse, each with a unique type.

    Not all planes possessed objects like gravity, soil, magma, sunlight, air, and water. Some planes were even completely void, lacking even a piece of land to step on.

    But any complete plane that spawned life would inevitably possess elemental energies like earth, water, wind, fire, lightning, etc. The only difference was the quantity.

    These planes and the Element Planes were separated by a special plane barrier, which, to put it simply, could be described as a layer of gauze with many small holes.

    Through this ¡°gauze,¡± elemental energy could slowly flow into the plane.

    When Wizards (Apprentices) opened up Element Pools, they were essentially expanding a hole in the ¡°gauze,¡± increasing the amount of flowing elemental energy.

    However, a thousand years ago, the barrier between Starlight Continent and the Element Planes underwent a change. The holes in this ¡°gauze¡± became smaller, leading to a significant reduction in the flow of elemental energy, turning Starlight Continent into an Element Desert.

    To solve this problem, before leaving Starlight Continent, the Wizards worked together to perform a sealing repair on the plane barrier. According to their estimates, Starlight Continent¡¯s plane barrier would be fully restored in about two thousand years.

    During this period, Starlight Continent would be completely isolated, and any existence with a life level exceeding a certain limit would be unable to enter or leave the plane. Forcing entry or exit would inevitably come with a heavy price.

    In fact, many planes had similar rules, which was why entities with high life levels like gods were unable to easily descend to material planes.

    The Wizards had simply further strengthened this restriction based on Starlight Continent¡¯s existing rules, to prevent any high-level entities from entering or leaving, disrupting the gradually recovering elemental balance.

 Chapter 186

    ¡°So, until the Plane Barrier was almost completely restored near the Starlight Calendar 2000, the Wizards gradually returned,¡±

    After reading through the information recorded in the books, Su Nan finally understood why the Starlight Continent could maintain peace for a thousand years without any Wizards entering.

    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to, but that they couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°But this means that besides the Elemental Plane, I can¡¯t leave the Starlight Continent and go to other planes now.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head.

    He didn¡¯t mind that much, after all, he didn¡¯t have the ability to travel between planes yet, even if he wanted to leave the Starlight Continent, he couldn¡¯t.

    Actually, in a positive light, the current situation on the Starlight Continent wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing for him.

    Although cultivation was a little more difficult, at least it gave him a stable environment to develop.

    At least in the next seven hundred years, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about other Wizards or beings of a higher life level coming to bother him.

    As for seven hundred years later, if things went well, he would already have the strength to protect himself.

    ¡°No matter what, let¡¯s just develop steadily.¡±

    Su Nan thought to himself, putting down the book.

    Just then, a knock came from the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door opened, and Karolina walked in, handing him a battle report.

    ¡°Master, this is a battle report from Shining Light City.¡±

    Su Nan took the battle report and opened it, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

    The Golden Sky Empire surrendered?

    However, after his surprise, Su Nan quickly understood that the Scepter had likely played a major role behind the scenes.

    The battle report also mentioned that the Golden Sky Empire¡¯s surrender condition was that the Starlight Alliance would not harm the Golden Sky Royal Family, and Kei had already accepted this condition.

    ¡°I need to speed up the establishment of the academy.¡±

    Su Nan thought to himself.

    As soon as the war ended, the Starlight Principality would probably quickly hold another round of aptitude testing, and more apprentices would be sent to the base. They needed to establish the academy as soon as possible.

    Starlight Calendar 1269, Harvest Month (September).

    The Golden Sky Empire declared surrender.

    Thus, the hegemonic empire that had dominated the southeast region of the continent for over four hundred years finally came to an end.

    The Starlight Alliance accepted the Golden Sky Empire¡¯s surrender immediately, and the invading army took over all the territories of the empire.

    In this battle, the Starlight Principality became the biggest winner, swallowing up about two-thirds of the Golden Sky Empire¡¯s territory.

    The remaining one-third of the territory was divided among the other eight countries.

    In the same month, the Starlight Principality announced its name change to the Starlight Empire.

    Thus, stepping on the corpses of the Golden Sky Empire, the Starlight Empire suddenly became the new hegemon of the southeast region of the continent.

    However, after the war, the atmosphere in the southeast region of the continent did not become peaceful and relaxed as a result, but instead became even more tense.

    Many eyes focused on the Starlight Empire.

    No one knew whether this country would continue the unfinished hegemonic ambitions of the Golden Sky Empire and attempt to become the sole ruler of the southeast region from being the southeastern hegemon.

    In a quiet cottage, moonlight seeped in from the window, bathing the long table in a light, ethereal veil.

    Rose opened her eyes, the first thing she did was look at Su Nan¡¯s location. When the familiar figure came into view, a complex emotion surged within her.

    When she sensed that the key to the trading house was activated, she knew it was Su Nan who had done it. After hesitating for a while, she decided to come to the gathering.

    She was curious, what did Su Nan want to gather them for?

    Not long after, the Traveler and Scepter arrived one after the other.

    When they saw Su Nan, they both showed complex expressions.

    Seeing someone who was a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice just a short time ago, had reached the realm they had dreamed of, anyone would be complex.

    As a Wizard Apprentice from a royal family, Scepter quickly adjusted his mentality. Looking at Su Nan, he said respectfully,

    ¡°Master summoned us here, is there anything you need?¡±

    He also changed to a more respectful title when facing Su Nan who had become a Wizard.

    Su Nan scanned Rose and the Traveler, seeing that both of them had assumed a listening posture, he didn¡¯t beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

    ¡°I¡¯m planning to establish a Wizard academy, are you interested in becoming academy instructors?¡±

    Wizard academy? Instructors?

    Scepter, Rose, and the Traveler were all stunned, their expressions full of confusion.

    They had thought that Su Nan might be recruiting them, but they never thought that he would invite them to be instructors at a Wizard academy.

    Before they could react, Su Nan continued,

    ¡°The main duties of the academy instructors are teaching and maintaining academy order. If necessary, you can also participate in some of the Star Alliance¡¯s actions.¡±

    ¡°All of this can earn you contribution points, which can be used to exchange for resources.¡±

    ¡°Including materials, potions, puppets, micro-light level magic items, talent crystal models, and construction potions, etc.¡±

    Nothing was more attractive than the last sentence.

    Scepter, Rose, and the Traveler¡¯s eyes all lit up.

    Rose was the first to respond.

    ¡°Master, I accept your invitation!¡±

    When she was in the Ghost Lake City, Rose had been persuaded by Karolina to join the Star Alliance. Now with the added attraction of construction potions and talent crystal models, she naturally didn¡¯t hesitate.

    Scepter followed suit and agreed.

    The Traveler, on the other hand, had a look of struggle.

    What he wanted to do most was explore the various places on the Starlight Continent.

    But once he joined the academy, although he wouldn¡¯t be completely restricted, there would be some limitations, he couldn¡¯t just leave whenever he wanted.

    Freedom and becoming stronger were truly difficult choices.

    Finally, Su Nan¡¯s light words completely shattered his hesitation.

    ¡°The lifespan of a Wizard is at least seven to eight hundred years. If you become a Wizard, you¡¯ll have more time to explore, and maybe one day you¡¯ll even get to see the scenery of the outer planes.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in.¡±

    Seeing that all three had agreed, Su Nan¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile.

    Scepter, Rose, and the Traveler were all outstanding Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices. The youngest of them had lived for over a hundred years, possessed a vast knowledge base, and had rich experiences. They were more than qualified to be academy instructors and teach a group of First and Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    Although there were only three instructors, it was enough to deal with the initial stage of the academy.

    He would look for more suitable candidates later.

    ¡°Then all three of you, I¡¯ll be waiting for your arrival at the Shining Light City base.¡±

    Magma Spider City.

    The silent night enveloped the entire city.

    The rules of the Dark Elves were extremely strict. No other races were allowed to appear on the streets at night without permission. Even male Dark Elves were often subject to strict restrictions.

    On the dim streets, a lizard stomped its four legs and ran wildly.

    The patrolling Dark Elf guard team turned their heads at the sound, their palms pressed against the hilts of their curved swords, revealing cold and guarded gazes.

    Only when they saw the graceful figure sitting on its back did they release their grip on the hilt, gave a distant salute, and turned to continue patrolling.

    Targona ignored the patrol team and silently rode her lizard mount through the streets, arriving in front of a huge mansion shortly.

    She patted her lizard mount on the head, stopping the eight-legged behemoth in its tracks, then gracefully jumped off.

    The gold-encrusted gate was tightly shut. The two giant spider statues on either side silently turned their eye sockets, recognizing the identity of the visitor, and then continued to lie in wait, remaining silent in the darkness.

    The girl walked closer, softly uttering a spell, activating the platinum brooch on her robe.

    A faint, dim light emanated from the brooch, forming a delicate and beautiful black-skinned Elf, then transformed into a spider.

    ¡°Targona Filir.¡±

    The girl reported her name, and then the gate silently opened automatically.

    ¡°Welcome home.¡±

    A hoarse and grating voice came slowly from the darkness behind the gate.

    Targona stared at the darkness in front of her, pursed her lips, then stepped inside.

    The figure of the ¡°Gatekeeper¡± slowly emerged from the darkness.

    It was a ghost, or more accurately, a fusion of multiple ghosts.

    The twelve families of Magma Spider City, each family had such a Gatekeeper.

    It was a powerful being created by the Dark Elf family using secret techniques to guard the family, and was the final destination for the souls of every strong Dark Elf in the family (limited to female Dark Elves).

    The older the lineage of a Dark Elf family, the more powerful the Gatekeeper.

    Any enemy who wanted to attack the family had to first pass the Gatekeeper.

    The Gatekeeper that appeared before Targon was the combined souls of two hundred and seventy-two strong individuals in the Filir family¡¯s history.

    It looked like a valiant Drow female, slender and seductive, her slender body wrapped in black armor, only her eyes glowed with a dark red, marble-like light.

    Targona waited until the Gatekeeper¡¯s form became completely clear before she slightly bowed and then stepped forward, walking straight through the ghost¡¯s body and into the mansion.

    This seemingly rude and childish act did not harm the girl ¡ª as long as she wore the family brooch, she would not be harmed by the negative energy carried by the Gatekeeper.

    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t harm the Gatekeeper either.

    The Gatekeeper slowly disappeared behind her, and the mansion¡¯s gate closed again.

    The air inside the mansion was somewhat chilly.

    The demon fire hanging on the walls provided only a little illumination, but it couldn¡¯t provide any warmth.

    Targona wrapped her cloak tighter and walked along the spiderweb-like path through the stalactites and stone pillars, finally reaching the main building of the Filir family.

    It was a circular temple, with purple-black, eerie lights flickering at the top, and various exquisite carvings covered the exterior walls, most of which featured spiders as the main motif.

    The massive building was like a monster lying in wait in the darkness, its entrance was the monster¡¯s gaping maw.

    Everyone who entered the temple was like prey being swallowed by the monster.

    The temple was pitch black, but Targon didn¡¯t mind. The Dark Elves¡¯ innate dark vision allowed her to see every detail around her.

    She navigated the narrow and winding corridors, accurately changing directions at each corner, eventually reaching the center of the temple.

    It was a spacious hall.

    In the center was an altar built of black marble.

    Eight huge braziers burned around the edge, and black flames rose from them,»Ã»¯³É¸÷ÖÖÖ©Öë¡£

    On the altar was a statue about ten feet tall.

    It was a mature and beautiful Elf woman riding on the back of a giant, ferocious spider, looking down from above at the Dark Elves below like a god.

    With the altar as the center, hundreds of Dark Elves stood around, all of them female.

    The vast majority of them were dressed in soft, well-fitted armor and wore black cloaks with the same platinum brooch as Targon, indicating their tribal identity.

    Only the eight figures standing in the farthest corner wore robes that covered their entire bodies, making it impossible to see their faces and figures.

    Targon scanned the area, quickly walked to the outermost edge of the crowd and stood still.

    Most people¡¯s attention was focused on the statue on the altar, and few people noticed Targon¡¯s arrival.

    Except for a tall female Dark Elf standing next to her.

    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± Vinia whispered.

    ¡°No way.¡± Targon whispered back, ¡°It took a while to break through the city, I rushed back here overnight, leaving the slave caravan behind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good you didn¡¯t miss the ceremony.¡±

    Vinia looked up at the statue on the altar, her eyes shining with fanaticism and excitement.

    ¡°It¡¯s been twelve hundred years, we finally got to receive the divine message, the great Miya has truly not abandoned us!¡±

    Targon¡¯s eyes flickered, and she didn¡¯t respond.

    Although she had witnessed Miya¡¯s miracles with her own eyes, she still harbored a slight doubt about Miya.

    After all, the great Miya had not appeared for twelve hundred years, and now that she had appeared, she asked the Magma Spider City to start a war and unify the underworld, which might not be a good thing for the Dark Elves.

    In fact, many young Dark Elves had the same doubts as her, but this voice was suppressed by the fanatical upper class.

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    A sweet but authoritative voice suddenly rang out, silencing all the whispering.

    The hall suddenly became quiet.

    Everyone looked at the female who had spoken.

    She was a slender, delicate-faced Dark Elf woman.

    Her light blue eyes were as pure and transparent as crystal, her silver hair was smooth and lustrous. If you judged solely by her appearance, she was completely a young girl.

    But in reality, this Filir Matriarch had turned one hundred and forty-eight years old last year and was already the mother of over a dozen daughters.

    Her gaze swept around the crowd, and the Filir Matriarch said in a deep voice,

    ¡°The ceremony begins.¡±

    As her words fell, strange rustling sounds suddenly came from the darkness all around.

    Countless large and small spiders crawled out of the darkness and crawled towards the altar.

    Their eight legs tapped the ground, forming a strange rhythm and melody.

    In an instant, the altar was covered in densely packed spiders.

    They glared at each other, as if wanting to kill their fellow kin, but they didn¡¯t actually do it.

    At the same time, the eight Dark Elf women standing in the corner took off their robes, revealing their slender and beautiful faces and naked bodies.

    They walked among the spiders, gracefully leaped onto the steps, went up to the altar, stood at the eight corners respectively, then knelt down, chanting praises in unison.

    Then the spiders began a brutal massacre.

    They swung their eight legs, using their mandibles to tear open the armor of their opponents, using their fangs to pierce through flesh, injecting venom, and then gnawing and devouring.

    The delicious flesh and souls of the defeated made the victors stronger, and every time one-eighth of the spiders died, one of the Dark Elf women standing by the altar melted like hot butter, turning into mist and dissipating.

    Death was so terrifying, yet no one escaped.

    The number of spiders decreased rapidly, leaving only one victor.

    The huge, ferocious spider stepped onto the remaining final Dark Elf woman with heavy footsteps, its crimson eye sockets staring coldly at her.

    The Dark Elf woman was fearless, spread her arms, and showed an ugly and dangerous smile.

    The spider suddenly opened its mandibles and bit down, its fangs accurately piercing her skin, penetrating flesh, and a burning and numbing sensation spread throughout her body simultaneously.

    In full view of everyone, the Dark Elf woman and the spider both melted, merging together like wax, and then quickly reshaped, transforming into a strange creature with a black spider body and a Dark Elf woman¡¯s upper body.

    Spider Elf!

    A creature said to be blessed by a certain deity, possessing terrifying and powerful strength!

    Looking at the newly born Spider Elf on the altar, the surrounding Dark Elves all showed excited and fanatical expressions.

    Many couldn¡¯t help but chant praise in a low voice.

    The Filir Matriarch¡¯s beautiful face showed a genuine smile of joy.

    It worked!

    As long as they had this ritual, they could continuously create Spider Elves.

    This would be the Dark Elves¡¯ reliance for unifying the underworld!

    The traffic is jammed, the second update will be late.

 Chapter 187: The Most Suitable System

    Chapter 187: The Most Suitable System

    Dragon Skeleton Tower, top floor.

    Su Nan stood before the crystal ball, his eyes fixed on the three-dimensional holographic model in the void. It was a lifelike and vivid panoramic view of the academy.

    Su Nan had designed the new academy building layout by combining his memories of the wizarding academy he had attended in his previous life. It was expected to be large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of students and a greater number of servants and puppets, and also left space for future expansion.

    It was more like a small town than an academy.

    The specific layout of the academy and the previous base were quite similar in many details, only with a larger space and more teaching buildings.

    After the last gathering at the Mysterious Wooden Hut, Su Nan had started building the academy. With the help of Butler 1 and over a thousand clay golems, the academy had already taken shape in just half a month.

    It was estimated that it would be completed in another ten days at most.

    It was worth mentioning that the academy was located next to the Dragon Skeleton Tower.

    Su Nan dispelled the model. The light in front of him instantly dissipated, then intertwined and outlined into lines of text. This was the system he had been thinking about for the academy, also referencing the wizarding academy he had attended in his previous life.

    The system was actually very simple. It could be summarized as ¡°equal exchange.¡± Students earned contribution points by completing tasks, and then used the contribution points to exchange for resources.

    While it seemed similar to the base, there were actually some differences.

    For example, basic courses were free.

    Some books in the library could be read for free.

    Most importantly, students could use gold coins to purchase some basic resources and some courses.

    Of course, it would be more expensive to buy with gold coins than with contribution points.

    But presumably, many wealthy students wouldn¡¯t mind, they would even be happier.

    Overall, this system could generate more profits for the academy, while also accelerating the growth of wealthy students.

    The only disadvantage, if you had to say one, was that it was unfair to students from poor or peasant backgrounds.

    But there was no absolute fairness in this world.

    Perhaps making them realize this early on would also be beneficial to their future growth.

    After thinking for a while, Su Nan added some text to the illusion in front of him, perfecting some details, then copied it down and planned to let the three wizards read it later so they could better understand the academy.

    After all, they were different from him. They had no concept of a wizarding academy. Their impression of a wizarding academy probably still stuck at the level of a knight academy.

    Having done all this, Su Nan left the control center and teleported back to the laboratory.

    In the center of the laboratory, a perfectly round crystal ball was placed on the large workbench.

    The crystal ball was a beautiful deep blue, with a radius of about one meter and twenty-three centimeters. Under the light of the magic stone lamp, it shimmered with a beautiful luster. If you looked closely, you could see countless stars dotted inside, making the crystal ball look like a starry sky, beautiful and dazzling.

    Looking at the crystal ball, Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed with satisfaction.

    This was an attribute crystal ball.

    As the name suggested, it was a magical artifact specifically designed to measure the physical data and spiritual level of wizard apprentices.

    Through the attribute crystal ball, one could measure a wizard apprentice¡¯s physique, spirit, and health condition, etc., and display them in a digitized format.

    Many wizarding academies had similar equipment, which could help students better understand their own situation and arrange their training plans.

    The principle of the attribute crystal ball was very similar to Butler 1¡¯s scan.

    In fact, the former was inspired by the latter and was a simplified version of the latter.

    Of course, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t use it himself.

    His panel data was much more detailed than that provided by the attribute crystal ball, and it also included skill proficiency.

    However, for ordinary students, the attribute crystal ball could help them avoid many detours.

    Su Nan was pondering where to place the attribute crystal ball in the academy when he suddenly heard Butler 1¡¯s voice.

    ¡¾Master, Base 1 has sent a message. The three guests have arrived.¡¿

    Su Nan came to his senses, a smile appearing on his face.

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty fast.¡±

    Base 1, the reception hall.

    The Wand, the Traveler, and the Rose sat facing each other, discussing Dragon Forest in low voices.

    ¡°An ecological park to cultivate sub-dragon species?¡± The Wand¡¯s eyes flashed with amazement.

    Thinking of the large number of rare sub-dragon species in Su Nan¡¯s ecological park, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy.

    The Rose was also surprised.

    Although she had entered Dragon Forest, she had only entered Zone 3 and hadn¡¯t seen the sub-dragon species in Zone 1. Now that she heard that there were still a large number of sub-dragon species in the ecological park, she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised and envious.

    No wizard apprentice could refuse an ecological park.

    ¡°What confuses me is that the ecological park has already fallen into a state of insufficient energy. How did Su Nan solve this problem?¡± The Traveler frowned in confusion.

    After all, Su Nan wasn¡¯t a wizard at that time.

    ¡°There must be an elemental pool in this kind of ecological park. Most likely, he repaired the elemental pool.¡± The Wand guessed.

    The Rose and the Traveler looked at each other, shaking their heads in unison.

    It was easy to say, but if they were to do it, they couldn¡¯t.

    They hadn¡¯t even seen an elemental pool device, let alone repaired one.

    Only Su Nan could do this.

    Just as they were thinking about Su Nan, the man in question stepped into the hall.

    ¡°The three of you arrived earlier than I expected.¡± Su Nan smiled.

    The Rose shrugged, saying frankly, ¡°After all, I want to get the talent crystal and construction potion as soon as possible.¡±

    Su Nan glanced at her, then at the Wand and Traveler, who were also wearing masks, and said, ¡°We should no longer need to hide from each other, right?¡±

    The three exchanged glances, all nodded, and took off their masks.

    Although their actual ages were definitely over a hundred, all three looked very young, only in their twenties or thirties.

    The Wand was handsome, with an elegant demeanor, completely in line with the noble impression given by royalty.

    The Rose had beautiful features, and if she put on a fine dress, she would be a perfect aristocratic lady.

    Compared to these two, the Traveler was much more ordinary in appearance. Perhaps due to years of traveling and exploring, his face had a hint of age.

    Su Nan nodded, turned to the door and extended his hand.

    ¡°Please, the three of you. Let¡¯s go see your future workplace.¡±

    The Wand, the Traveler, and the Rose had long been curious about the academy Su Nan spoke of, and they immediately got up.

    The group walked through the spatial passage in the base and arrived at Dragon Forest.

    The Wand immediately saw the exceptionally prominent Dragon Skeleton Tower. Even though he had already heard some information from the Rose and the Traveler, he was still shocked.

    Thousands of years later, the dragon skeleton still had faint traces of dragon might. It was not difficult to imagine how powerful and terrifying this dragon had been when it was alive!

    And the wizard who could kill this dragon and use its skeleton as a tower must have been incredibly powerful!

    For a long time, the Wand finally recovered and saw that Su Nan and the three of them were already flying forward, so he quickly followed.

    When they saw the academy, which occupied an unusually large area, spread out on the plain, the Rose and the three were all surprised.

    They had thought that Su Nan was going to build a small academy, after all, the number of apprentices shouldn¡¯t be too many, right? There was no need for such a large area?

    Seeing the three of them confused, Su Nan said calmly.

    ¡°The academy will be open to students from all over the Starlight Continent in the future.¡±

    Just these short words made the three of them shudder.

    Was this the rhythm of unifying the Starlight Continent?

    If it were anyone else, they would only think that the other person was bragging, but Su Nan was different. He now had the strength to achieve this goal!

    Not only because he was the only wizard on the Starlight Continent, but also because he controlled the Star Alliance, a huge entity.

    Seeing the changes in the three of them, Su Nan smiled faintly and didn¡¯t say anything more, continuing to fly forward.

    Since he had decided to recruit the Rose, the Wand, and the Traveler, there were some things he should naturally tell them beforehand.

    For example, the goal of unifying the Starlight Continent and the matter of building a wizarding tower.

    However, there were also some things he couldn¡¯t let them know for the time being.

    For example, the elemental revival, the return of the wizards, and the Dark Throne.

    For them now, these matters were still too far away. Knowing too much would do more harm than good.

    Besides, it was still a question whether the three of them would survive for another seven hundred years.

    If one of them became a wizard one day, Su Nan might consider telling them everything.

    Not long after, the group had toured the entire academy.

    Su Nan then took out the prepared system documents and handed them to the three.

    After quickly browsing through them, the three of them all looked surprised.

    This academy was completely different from what they had imagined.

    Ordinary academies were simply a paid education mechanism, where students paid their tuition once and then their mentors taught them.

    But the academy that Su Nan was going to build pushed the principle of ¡°equal exchange¡± to the extreme.

    Apart from some basic knowledge being free, students had to pay equivalent contribution points or gold coins for everything they wanted to get.

    Even the mentors were no exception.

    It was less of an academy and more of an organization that bound numerous wizard apprentices together through a network of interests.

    An organization formed in this way might be more cohesive and structurally tighter than something like blood relations.

    At least for wizards (apprentices).

    While surprised, the Rose, the Wand, and the Traveler secretly felt relieved.

    No wizard apprentice would be happy to be overly restricted. The rules and regulations Su Nan had given them wouldn¡¯t make them feel too restricted.

    Seeing the three of them seemingly relax a lot, Su Nan knew what they were thinking and secretly smiled.

    This wizard academy system was the most practical form of system that wizard civilization had explored after years of practice and countless lessons.

    It had been improved many times since then, and could be said to be the most suitable system for the psychology of the wizard (apprentice) group.

    Whether it was mentors or students.

    Almost all the academies under the control of wizarding forces in the multiverse used similar systems.

    The difference was that some academies were gentler in their specific implementation, being relatively friendly to students, such as those under the Deep Blue Alliance and the Wisdom Codex.

    Some academies were stricter, deliberately guiding students to compete fiercely, trying to cultivate excellent seeds through a ¡°raising-gu¡± style approach, such as those under the Dark Throne and the Savage Spirit.

    The latter¡¯s student mortality rate was often much higher than the former.

    Of course, the students cultivated in this way also tended to be more powerful individually.

    After reading the system rules, the Rose, the Wand, and the Traveler were soon attracted by the subsequent exchange list.

    It listed all the resources that academy mentors could exchange, a wider variety than those for students.

    The low-level materials and items at the beginning, like Silver Moon Flowers, Tranquility Flowers, Dragon Blood Potion, and Stone Golems, were fine, but the later ones, like Transcendent Potion, Phantasmal Potion, Magic Emblem Core, Extreme Protection Ring, and Mithril Golem, made the three of them breathe faster unconsciously.

    Even though they hadn¡¯t heard of many of them, the detailed effects described afterwards made them easily understand how precious these things were.

    Especially the Transcendent Potion and the Phantasmal Potion, which were a huge temptation for any third-rank wizard apprentice.

    With these two potions, the time it took them to raise their spiritual power to the breakthrough threshold would undoubtedly be shortened by a lot!

    The later ones, like the Construction Potion and the Talent Crystal Model, didn¡¯t need to be mentioned.

    The dazzling array of exchange items on the list made the three of them dizzy and amazed.

    Although they already knew that the resources Su Nan had at his disposal far exceeded those of ordinary third-rank wizard apprentices, when they actually saw this list, they realized that they had greatly underestimated Su Nan.

    What they knew before was just the tip of the iceberg of Su Nan¡¯s vast resources!

    If this list were to leak out, it would definitely cause a huge sensation among wizard apprentices!

    After seeing the list, the three of them were even more determined to join the academy.

    ¡°When will the academy open?¡± The Traveler was the first to ask.

    ¡°In half a month.¡±

    Su Nan, who already had a plan, said calmly, ¡°The apprentices in the base will be the first batch of students in the academy. You can familiarize yourselves with the academy¡¯s operations in advance and get ready. The Starfall Empire is now preparing for a new round of large-scale aptitude tests. Once the tests are finished, a new batch of students will enter the academy. That will be when you are truly busy.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± The Traveler¡¯s eyes were shining.

    The Wand and the Rose smiled, but they were also quite excited in their hearts.

    Thanks to the rich resources on the list, before they even officially joined the academy, they already had a great sense of belonging to the academy.

    Su Nan saw it and secretly nodded.

    This was also the purpose of him bringing out the list.

    After asking Butler 1 to arrange accommodation for the three of them and to act as their guide to familiarize themselves with the interior of the Dragon Skeleton Tower, Su Nan then left Dragon Forest and headed towards the Starlight Tower.

    Before the academy opened, he had to finish all the loose ends of the Starlight Tower.

    The Starlight Tower had been there for so long. It was time to dismantle it.

    He could feel more at ease when the materials were recycled this morning and put into the warehouse.

    In addition, the golem legion stationed there also needed to be recovered and re-deployed into the Star Alliance.

    After several months, the Star Alliance had made preparations for war and would soon start expanding again.

    At this time, it was natural to gather all the military forces.

 Chapter 188

    Starlight Calendar 1270, Spring Dawn Moon (March).

    The first wizard academy on the Starlight Continent was officially established, named Starlight Academy.

    Over five hundred apprentices from Dragonwood became the first students of Starlight Academy, beginning their student careers.

    After getting over their initial unfamiliarity, Starlight Academy quickly entered a stable state of operation.

    With a complete set of rules and regulations, Su Nan hardly needed to invest much energy in the academy.

    He was able to free up his energy and shift his focus to other matters.

    Dragonbone Tower, fifth floor, workshop number 12.

    The roar of the magic crystal forging furnace echoed through the spacious workshop.

    Su Nan stood in front of the workbench, his eyes fixed on the puppet doll on top.

    After freeing up from the academy matters, he immediately put the refining of the complete version of the Secret Puppet on the agenda.

    To save on mithril, he did not refine a new puppet, but instead upgraded and modified the original puppet.

    The complete version of the Secret Puppet did not have the design of adding high-level rune gems and diamonds. To strengthen the puppet¡¯s combat strength, Su Nan directly modified the original design.

    This alone took him over four months.

    Compared to the time-consuming design modification, upgrading and modifying the puppet was relatively simple.

    After spending over half a month in the workshop, Su Nan completed the task.

    The newly upgraded and modified puppet, its body still mainly constructed of mithril and diamonds, but the quantity was twice as much as before.

    Therefore, both the hardness of the body and the affinity and capacity for elemental energy had a tremendous improvement.

    Thanks to this, the new puppet¡¯s control over energy particles was also greatly enhanced, no less than a formal wizard.

    Besides the original fixed zero-ring, one-ring, and two-ring spells, Su Nan also added three-ring spells he had recently mastered inside the puppet.

    From the books he obtained from the Starlight Tower, about one-tenth were various spell books.

    They included spells from zero-ring to five-ring, with a wide range of categories.

    After becoming a wizard, Su Nan could now learn three-ring spells.

    Just as there was a world of difference between a wizard and a wizard apprentice, the power of three-ring spells far surpassed two-ring spells, and their functionality was even richer.

    For example, [Snow and Rain Storm], which can significantly alter the environment.

    [Human Immobilization], which can make human, sub-human, or bipedal targets unable to move.

    [Invisibility Orb], which makes multiple targets invisible over a large area.

    [Higher Illusion], similar to Silent Illusion, but with stronger effects.

    [Degeneration Ray], an advanced version of Weakening Ray.

    [Gaseous Form], which turns the recipient into a ghostly state and allows them to fly slowly.

    And so on.

    Whether it was power or practicality, they were not comparable to two-ring spells.

    In fact, starting from three-ring, the power of spells went up a notch.

    Until advancing to a True Spirit Wizard, spells were one of the most important combat methods for wizards.

    Su Nan tested and found that he could master one three-ring spell every month or so.

    So far, he had mastered eleven three-ring spells, all fixed into the Secret Puppet.

    And this was just the beginning.

    As he mastered more spells, he would continue to engrave them onto the puppet.

    Overall, the upgraded and modified Secret Puppet, except for lacking a talent crystal, was already no less powerful than a formal wizard in other aspects.

    Even in this special environment of the Starlight Continent, even without a talent crystal, the puppet¡¯s combat power was actually not much weaker than a wizard who was restricted everywhere.

    After all, the puppet¡¯s reliance on external energy was very low. It could rely entirely on the energy contained in the magic stones within its body for combat output, and its combat endurance far exceeded a wizard.

    This was enough to make up for the lack of a talent crystal to some extent.

    If Su Nan¡¯s talent crystal was not the ¡°Liquid Metal¡± that was even stronger than the upper level, he himself would not be confident in being able to defeat a Secret Puppet with enough magic stones one hundred percent of the time.

    ¡°Once I fix more three-ring spells, my combat power will improve even further.¡±

    Su Nan smiled in satisfaction.

    Although there were factors of special environment, the combat power comparable to a formal wizard already made him very satisfied.

    If there was any problem, it was the high cost.

    Just the mithril and gems alone, the cost exceeded two hundred thousand gold coins.

    The other materials, including everything, also amounted to nearly fifty thousand gold coins.

    Add to that the cost of fixing various spells, especially three-ring spells, the total cost reached three hundred and thirty thousand gold coins.

    In addition, the puppet consumes a lot of magic stones in every battle ¨C lower-grade magic stones can no longer meet the puppet¡¯s consumption, the minimum must be middle-grade magic stones ¨C it can be said that every battle is a money pit.

    The high manufacturing cost plus the huge consumption, a true money-eating black hole!

    But in the face of powerful combat strength, these shortcomings are acceptable.

    It¡¯s just that Su Nan has the Combination Cube. If it were other wizards, forget about over three hundred thousand, even eight hundred thousand gold coins might not be enough to refine a formal wizard-level puppet.

    Su Nan plans to refine two Secret Puppets and put them into the expansion operation of the Star Alliance.

    With two Secret Puppets assisting, he should not have to take action himself.

    After dealing with the Secret Puppet, Su Nan then began researching rune engravings.

    The knowledge of rune engravings was also found in the books he brought from the Starlight Tower.

    It must be said that for Su Nan at this stage, these books were a treasure trove, every time he could find surprises in them.

    Rune engravings, like magic tattoos, are a form of enchantment technology.

    But the former is more advanced, a refined technology that wizards invented based on magic tattoos.

    Magic tattoos are a form of tattooing spells onto the surface of human skin, which are activated and released during combat, equivalent to storing several spells that can be instantly released.

    Rune engravings are different.

    They are a form of engraving specific enchantment characteristics onto the surface of human skin in an engraved form. Although the form is similar to magic tattoos, the enchantment characteristics that can be added, both in terms of type and effect, far exceed magic tattoos, and the richness is not comparable to spells.

    And there is another advantage, that is, they will not appear on the surface of the skin, and there is no need to worry about being identified by the enemy in advance during combat.

    Besides that, rune engravings take up less skin area.

    Normal people can only tattoo six or seven magic tattoos on their bodies, but if it¡¯s rune engravings, engraving more than ten is no problem.

    From any aspect, rune engravings completely overwhelm magic tattoos.

    But correspondingly, the requirements for engraving rune engravings are also more stringent.

    Only formal wizards whose mental and physical strength have reached a certain height can withstand the violent energy fluctuations generated by activating rune engravings without any backlash.

    ¡°Rune engravings, huh?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face showed a thoughtful expression.

    After advancing to a wizard, his strength had indeed undergone a drastic change.

    But limited by the environment, many of his combat methods were somewhat constrained.

    For example, the spell power was weakened, and the mental power consumed was difficult to recover quickly outside of the element pool.

    Magic items charged slowly, and it took a long time to recharge after using them once.

    Bloodline Markings were also lagging behind his strength growth.

    Unless he was willing to consume more Death Knell Striker and Multi-winged Monster blood to create stronger bloodline markings.

    However, this was impossible.

    Rather than using blood to create bloodline markings, Su Nan preferred to use it to extract divine energy, accelerating the growth and condensation of mental power.

    The same applies to high-level rune gems.

    The principle of high-level rune gems is to use the energy runes they carry to attract surrounding energy particles, unleashing a huge amount of elemental energy damage.

    Therefore, in the case of lower energy particle density, the damage will naturally decrease.

    No matter how much Su Nan increases the number of synthesis, the power of high-level rune gems will have an upper limit.

    Although it was stronger than when he was still a wizard apprentice, it was very limited.

    At least it couldn¡¯t keep up with the growth of his wizard power.

    After thinking about it, the only thing Su Nan could use without restriction was his Liquid Metal talent.

    Other combat methods, either the power decreased or the consumption was too great.

    Given this, Su Nan has been considering researching a new combat method recently.

    Rune engravings were one of his choices.

    Of course, simple rune engravings would not do.

    In essence, rune engravings are also a type of magic item.

    They absorb energy particles and store them during non-combat time, and then activate them during combat, transforming them into enchantment effects to release.

    Just like the Forbidden Zone and Black Thunder, rune engravings are also charging-type.

    This means that they will also be affected by the current environment of the Starlight Continent.

    To turn rune engravings into a viable combat method, the problem must be solved first.

    So after much thought, Su Nan finally came up with a solution.

    Since charging is troublesome, why not simply omit this step!

    What if the rune engraving is made into a disposable consumable item like a high-level rune gem, then there would be no need to worry about charging!

    To do this, the first thing to do is to change the carrier of the rune engraving.

    For example, changing the carrier from the human body to a gem.

    Of course, it¡¯s easy to say, but it¡¯s not easy to do.

    Pure gems simply cannot withstand the violent energy fluctuations generated by activating rune engravings.

    Not even high-grade gems.

    If the carrying capacity is too poor, it cannot replace the human body.

    To this, Su Nan planned to improve it from two aspects.

    One is to strengthen the quality of the gem.

    Refer to the manufacturing principle of rune gems, choose high-grade gems for enchantment treatment, improving their adaptability and capacity for energy particles.

    The other is to reduce the power of rune engravings.

    If the power of rune engravings decreases, the load requirement for the carrier will also decrease.

    After spending over two months, Su Nan finally successfully created a rune gem.

    The gem carries a rune engraving called ¡°Ice Blast,¡± which when activated instantly bursts with intense icy energy, causing severe ice erosion to all creatures within a certain range, with an added ice freezing and slowing effect.

    Since it is a weakened version of the rune engraving, its power is naturally far less than the full version.

    It¡¯s not even one-tenth.

    But it doesn¡¯t matter, there¡¯s still the Combination Cube.

    As long as the rune gem is successfully created, the problem of power reduction can be solved by strengthening it through synthesis.

    In the end, Su Nan synthesized eighteen rune gems, obtaining a new rune gem.

    The reason he didn¡¯t continue synthesizing was because, like the previous high-level rune gems, the energy intensity exceeded the limit he could currently handle.

    Even so, the power of this rune gem was still much stronger than the original rune engraving, about three times more powerful.

    Moreover, as his mental power condensation level increased, he could gradually increase the number of syntheses, further strengthening its power, with huge room for improvement.

    ¡°Not bad!¡±

    In the spell training area, Su Nan, who had just finished testing, looked at the ice all over the ground, a satisfied smile on his face.

    This way, besides his talent ability, he finally had another combat method that he could use without restriction.

    Although the cost of rune gems was somewhat expensive, about four thousand seven hundred gold coins per gem, compared to their power, it was undoubtedly worth the price.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that those books in the Starlight Tower don¡¯t have knowledge of alchemy engravings, otherwise, I could study it.¡±

    Alchemy engravings are an advanced technology of rune engravings, far more powerful than the latter.

    However, to engrave alchemy engravings, one must first transform oneself into an alchemy body.

    Su Nan currently lacks the materials and his power level is not enough. Even if he obtains the relevant knowledge, he cannot engrave alchemy engravings, but studying and learning from it, perhaps he can improve the effect of rune gems.

    Shaking his head, putting aside the somewhat ambitious thought, Su Nan left the spell training area and teleported back to the top-level control center.

    The materials from the Starlight Tower had been recovered, and the matter was settled.

    The research on Secret Puppets and rune gems was also complete.

    He doesn¡¯t have much left on his hands.

    One is to enter the Thunder Element Plane to collect Thunderstones and create more Black Thunder wizard weapons.

    But this is not urgent, it can be put on the agenda after his strength improves a little.

    The other is to synthesize and refine legendary puppets and build more golem legions.

    The vast area of the Underworld must have enough troops to defend.

    Although he can build some native armies to alleviate the shortage of troops, golem legions are still indispensable.

    Su Nan estimates that to unify the Underworld, he will need at least two to three large golem legions.

    Fortunately, low-level golems can be refined by apprentices, and with the establishment of the academy and the arrival of a new batch of students, the future workforce capable of refining golems will only increase, otherwise, he would be exhausted to death building so many golem legions.

    ¡°Counting the time, the new round of aptitude testing should be about to end.¡±

    Su Nan looked towards the direction of the academy, his eyes deep.

    Starlight Academy was his first step in building his wizard forces, and in the near future, it would also be his reliance on controlling the entire Starlight Continent.

    After a long time, Su Nan retracted his gaze, collected his thoughts, and began cultivating.

    The growth and condensation of mental power were always the most crucial.

    From now on, unless it was something related to this aspect, he would not waste too much energy on other things.

 Chapter 189

    A wisp of blue smoke rose, swirling between theÖÓÊ¯Èé (ÖÓÊ¯Èé: a type of stone, a cultural reference from the novel, meaning unknown).

    Walking through the city gate, now reduced to rubble, Xieman surveyed the devastated streets, his gaze darting around.

    In the distance, he could hear faint shouts of battle. Sporadic clashes were still ongoing within the city, but the outcome was already decided. Soon, the war would be completely settled.

    Conquering Fire Hammer City had been surprisingly easy.

    The dwarves had built their walls with sturdy, bright black rock, reinforced with molten ice iron, greatly enhancing the walls¡¯ resistance to elemental energy.

    They had also deployed various siege weapons on the walls, including even ballistae and catapults. The level of equipment was rare even in the entire underground world.

    Unfortunately, they were facing an army of unstoppable, powerful magic puppets.

    The attacks from the ballistae and catapults had limited effect on the puppets¡¯ tough bodies.

    The walls were equally unable to withstand the massive charge of the magic puppets.

    Under the onslaught of the magic puppet army, led by a Gold Magic Puppet, Fire Hammer City¡¯s pride, its defenses, crumbled in less than half an hour.

    With the walls breached, the magic puppet army surged forward, quickly crushing Fire Hammer City¡¯s defenders.

    Now, most of Fire Hammer City was under the Star Alliance¡¯s control.

    The Magic Rune Knights were clearing out the remaining pockets of resistance. They were expected to completely take control of Fire Hammer City soon.

    Leaving the mop-up operation to the Magic Rune Knights, Xieman and Atir led their Wizard Apprentices directly to the palace at the heart of Fire Hammer City.

    To enhance their expansion efficiency, the Star Alliance¡¯s forty-plus Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices were divided into two teams, led by Xieman and Atir, and Kore and Ethan, respectively. They, accompanied by the magic puppet army, were deployed in two separate campaigns to conquer native tribes and city-states.

    Fire Hammer City was the seventh city-state Xieman¡¯s army had conquered in over half a year.

    The dwarven king had already died in the battle for the city gate. They were now going to the palace to collect the city-state¡¯s wealth.

    Their way into the palace was unimpeded. When they opened the warehouse and saw the countless precious metals and gold coins, all the Wizard Apprentices couldn¡¯t help but gasp in awe.

    ¡°We¡¯ve struck it rich!¡± exclaimed a Wizard Apprentice, his face beaming with excitement.

    The others also wore expressions of joy.

    The Contribution Points they earned from war were determined not only by the size and number of city-states they conquered, but primarily by the value of the spoils of war.

    The higher the value of the spoils, the more Contribution Points they would ultimately receive.

    Xieman was also quite pleased.

    After storing all the spoils of war from the warehouse into his space ring, the group thoroughly searched the palace, making sure nothing was left behind, before making arrangements for accommodations.

    After conquering Fire Hammer City, they would stay for a few more days, waiting for the next wave of troops to take over the city-state, replenish their supplies, and then move on to their next destination.

    Xieman found a study and prepared to write his battle report.

    He had to write a report summarizing recent battle developments every so often. These reports would ultimately reach his teacher¡¯s desk.

    Atir sat beside him, engaging in casual conversation.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a crystal ball in Starlight Academy that can test your spiritual and physical data. I really want to see it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to see it when we go back to the academy after we conquer Spider City.¡± Xieman said with a smile as he wrote his report.

    They had been out conquering cities while the academy was open, so they hadn¡¯t seen the academy for themselves. They could only get occasional updates from the apprentices who went back and forth from the battlefield to Dragon Forest.

    But this situation wouldn¡¯t last long. The Star Alliance¡¯s front lines were now less than five hundred kilometers from Spider City. If all went well, they should be able to conquer Spider City within a year at most.

    At that time, the war would end, and they would be able to return to the academy.

    ¡°I heard that the three new instructors at the academy were previously part of the same wizard organization as your teacher. I think they called it the Mysterious Wooden Hut?¡± Atir¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re like?¡±

    Xieman pondered for a moment, ¡°Those who were in the same wizard organization as my teacher must have exceptional skills and knowledge.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Atir nodded in agreement.

    Those invited by their teacher to be academy instructors were naturally no ordinary individuals.

    ¡°Having instructors teaching will make it easier for future students to learn knowledge.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we didn¡¯t arrive at a better time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly right. When we first arrived, there were very few people in the base. We could even exchange Contribution Points for guidance from the teacher back then, which isn¡¯t bad.¡± Xieman said with a smile.

    Atir thought about it and realized he was right. Plus, they could ask Amy for help when they didn¡¯t understand something back then.

    Later students wouldn¡¯t have such good treatment.

    Now, Amy was obsessed with treasure hunting across the underground world. She had no time to care for others.

    She only interacted with them, Xieman, and Kore occasionally.

    Many of the new apprentices had only heard of Amy but never met her.

    ¡°The new round of aptitude testing ended a few days ago. They say that a lot of people passed this time. The academy should have a large batch of new students this year.¡±

    ¡°This is good news.¡± A faint smile appeared on Xieman¡¯s face.

    As their teacher ascended to the rank of Wizard, the Star Alliance¡¯s growth was accelerating at a visible pace.

    The establishment of Starlight Academy was a testament to the beginning of a new era.

    From now on, Wizard Apprentices would become increasingly active in the Starlight Continent, participating in more events and becoming known to more people. They wouldn¡¯t be confined to legends like before.

    The current situation in the underground world was a powerful testament to this.

    The Star Alliance¡¯s territory now stretched across most of the Southeast Domain. Even the most remote corners of the underground world had heard of the Star Alliance. The formidable reputation of Wizards (Apprentices) had spread throughout the entire underground world.

    This situation would likely be repeated in the surface world in the near future.

    While the surface world seemed peaceful now, Xieman knew that the Star Empire hadn¡¯t stopped its bulk purchases from the Star Alliance. They were even increasing the volume, clearly preparing for the next war.

    In the near future, the Star Empire would likely launch a new round of wars to completely unify the Southeast Domain.

    And a dominant empire ruling the Southeast Domain of the continent was undoubtedly in line with the Star Alliance¡¯s interests.

    At that time, their teacher might allow the Star Alliance to assist.

    Xieman was deep in thought when a sudden burst of footsteps interrupted him.

    A Wizard Apprentice walked in.

    ¡°Captain, the Magic Rune Knights have made a new discovery. You should come and take a look.¡±

    Xieman looked puzzled.

    A dwarven city-state, what could possibly warrant such attention from a Wizard Apprentice in his team?

    Intrigued, Xieman put down his pen and rose from his seat. He left the study and joined Atir in the palace¡¯s central square.

    Near the entrance of the square, a group of Dragon Antelope leisurely paced back and forth.

    These powerful and elegant creatures had gradient scales ranging from reddish-brown to bright gold. Their large wings extended from their shoulders and could span up to nine meters when in flight.

    The Dragon Antelope Knight force had been formed during the Star Alliance¡¯s period of inactivity. So, they hadn¡¯t truly proven their strength on the battlefield.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Star Alliance resumed its expansion efforts over half a year ago that the Dragon Antelope Knights had the opportunity to showcase their power.

    Their brilliant performance had astounded many.

    In the underground world, very few armies could withstand the combined charge of nearly three hundred legendary-tier knights.

    During the previous siege, after the Fire Hammer City walls collapsed, it was the Dragon Antelope Knight force¡¯s charge that tore through the dwarves¡¯ last line of defense, securing victory.

    Such a spectacular performance made Xieman look forward to the future of this force.

    When the number of Dragon Antelope Knights increased and reached the size of a small legion, they would inevitably become a powerful force that would strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.

    Pulling his gaze away from the Dragon Antelope, Xieman turned towards the group of people in the center of the square.

    It was a dozen fully armed knights, led by Koren, one of the deputy commanders of the Magic Rune Knights. He was also the commander of this Dragon Antelope Knight force.

    ¡°Xieman, Atir.¡±

    Koren immediately approached them upon spotting Xieman and Atir.

    Although he had ascended to the rank of Legendary Knight and held the position of deputy commander of the Magic Rune Knights, he still didn¡¯t dare to be careless or dismissive in front of the two most outstanding students under Su Nan.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Commander Koren.¡±

    After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, Xieman got straight to the point and asked about the so-called discovery.

    Koren pointed to a dwarf sitting on the ground, bound by chains. ¡°We found this guy in Fire Hammer City¡¯s prison. According to the prison guards, he escaped from a city-state that was conquered by the Dark Elves. He came to Fire Hammer City and was imprisoned by the dwarves.¡±

    ¡°I thought he might have some information we could extract from him, so I had him brought here. It turns out he actually knew something.¡±

    Hearing that it was related to the Dark Elves, Xieman and Atir instantly grew more serious.

    Xieman turned to look at the dwarf.

    Perhaps due to the hardships of his escape or the torture he endured at the hands of the dwarves, the dwarf was dressed in tattered clothes that offered little protection. He was covered in grime, visibly haggard, and his face was filled with fear.

    The dwarves and the gnomes were both considered ¡°Stone Kin,¡± skilled in dealing with stone. They excelled at mining, digging, and smelting.

    The former were known for metal forging, boasting many skilled blacksmiths. The weapons and armor they forged were highly sought after in the underground world.

    The latter, however, were mostly skilled in fine mechanical craftsmanship.

    Despite being Stone Kin, dwarves and gnomes had a poor relationship. They disliked each other and often clashed.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising that a gnome would end up in a dwarven city and thrown into prison.

    Withdrawing his gaze, Xieman looked at Koren questioningly.

    Koren didn¡¯t beat around the bush. He said with a solemn expression, ¡°According to this guy, the Dark Elves have suddenly intensified their offensive in the past six months. They¡¯ve conquered many city-states. Now, the area within three hundred kilometers of Spider City is already under their control.¡±

    Xieman and Atir immediately furrowed their brows.

    They had known about Spider City¡¯s military operations against nearby city-states years ago.

    While they were surprised that the Dark Elves, contrary to their usual behavior, had stopped their infighting and united, Spider City was still far from the Star Alliance at the time. Their military operations were only minor skirmishes, so the Star Alliance hadn¡¯t paid much attention.

    They never expected that Spider City¡¯s territory had already expanded to such an extent.

    Based on this, they were now not far from Spider City¡¯s territory. If they went another hundred kilometers, they would probably encounter Spider City¡¯s army.

    Xieman frowned, puzzled. ¡°Spider City shouldn¡¯t have enough power to take over so much territory. What happened?¡±

    Koren glanced at the gnome and whispered, ¡°According to this guy, it¡¯s because the Dark Elves have a very powerful monster. Just one of them defeated their city-state¡¯s army!¡±

    Monster?

    Xieman quickly thought of the beasts the Dark Elves usually kept, but none of them had such formidable power.

    Frowning, he turned to the gnome and looked down at him.

    ¡°What do those monsters look like?¡±

    Recognizing the high status of the person asking, the gnome didn¡¯t dare to hide anything. He swallowed hard and stammered, ¡°They, they have spider lower bodies and Dark Elf upper bodies. They¡¯re very fast. Many of my people didn¡¯t even see their movements before they, they were beheaded!¡±

    The gnome¡¯s face contorted in fear as if he was reliving the scene.

    Half-human, half-spider monsters?

    Xieman pondered for a moment, but still couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    Atir was just as puzzled.

    ¡°Forget it. We¡¯ll just write this down in the battle report. If it¡¯s my teacher, he should know what kind of creature it is.¡±

    Knowing what to do, Xieman ignored the gnome and turned to Koren. ¡°Commander Koren, I think we need to send out more scouts to investigate the situation ahead.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll go make arrangements right away!¡± Koren nodded vigorously.

    If the gnome¡¯s words were true, they might have to face a formidable enemy in the next battle.

    Before that, gathering as much information as possible would help them better prepare for the upcoming war.

    After Koren left with the gnome, Xieman and Atir returned to the study.

    Xieman tore up the previous battle report, thought for a moment, and then felt confident enough to write a new one.

    This time, Atir didn¡¯t bother him. She sat quietly, patiently waiting for Xieman to finish writing the report and seal it before speaking.

    ¡°Should we ask for reinforcements?¡±

    Xieman thought about it and nodded. ¡°Caroline said that my teacher recently refined a powerful high-level puppet. He was just about to deploy it on the battlefield. Just in case, I¡¯ll write a request for one.¡±

    From the gnome¡¯s words, the half-human, half-spider monster was at least a four-ring Legendary creature, possibly even higher. The strongest puppet in the magic puppet army on the front lines was a three-ring Legendary Gold Magic Puppet.

    While they could use a human wave tactic to deal with that monster, for the sake of safety, Xieman thought it was best to be prepared.

    Seeing that Xieman had everything under control, Atir didn¡¯t say anything more.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 190

    ¡°This is Starlight Academy?¡±

    Fleming couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in awe as he looked at the vast academy and its majestic gates in front of him.

    Around him, more young boys and girls were gazing curiously at their surroundings, while others focused their attention on the tall tower in the distance.

    Even from a distance of over a thousand meters, they could still see a massive outline, indicating how enormous it actually was.

    Its peculiar shape also sparked their curiosity.

    The children gathered here were all those who had recently passed the aptitude test and were of suitable age. They were between twelve and fifteen years old, without exception. They had gathered from various parts of the Empire to Shining Light City, then were taken to a strange base, passed through a peculiar gate, and finally arrived here.

    Many couldn¡¯t understand why simply passing through a door would transport them to a completely different environment, with an academy suddenly appearing in front of them. This novel experience left them amazed, and their anticipation and excitement for the legendary Wizard Academy grew even stronger.

    Just then, a man and a woman walked out of the academy gate. They looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in grey robes, their eyes deep and full of spirit, with an odd glow that made people hesitant to meet their gaze.

    As the two arrived, the young boys and girls immediately fell silent, all eyes focused on them.

    They were, without a doubt, the academy¡¯s representatives sent to welcome them.

    ¡°I am Xie Qin ¡¤ Blade, and this is Duvini ¡¤ Treadway. We will be guiding you on a tour of the academy. Please maintain silence, do not ask random questions, and do not touch anything. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences,¡± Xie Qin said impassively, turning to walk towards the academy gate.

    ¡°Follow!¡±

    The young boys and girls exchanged glances, but still followed obediently.

    ¡°He seems like a tough guy,¡± Donothan whispered to Fleming.

    Fleming nodded.

    He heard that many Wizard Apprentices had solitary personalities. Perhaps this senior, Xie Qin, was one of them. The senior girl, Duvini, seemed much more approachable, even smiling at them.

    Upon passing through the gate, everything opened up before them. Oddly-styled buildings were scattered throughout their vision, immediately drawing the eyes of the young boys and girls. On the wide streets, they saw many apprentices hurrying along, glancing at the new students before nonchalantly shifting their gaze away.

    ¡°Caw!¡±

    A somewhat harsh cry came from overhead.

    Fleming looked up and saw over a dozen crows hovering in the sky. What surprised them was that these crows were unusually large, with scales covering their bodies and their pupils were a blood-red color.

    ¡°Those are Red-Eyed Ravens,¡± Duvini explained, turning back to notice the new students¡¯ gazes. ¡°They are the academy¡¯s surveillance. Any student who violates academy rules within their sight will be punished accordingly.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate them. These Red-Eyed Ravens are very clever,¡± she added.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened, and they looked at the Red-Eyed Ravens with a newfound sense of seriousness.

    ¡°This is the library. The books on the first floor are free to borrow but can only be read within the library. Books on the second floor and above require payment.¡±

    ¡°This is the teaching building, where you¡¯ll attend classes. The bulletin board at the entrance displays the course schedule for the next week. You can choose the classes you wish to attend freely. Basic courses are free, but advanced courses require a fee.¡±

    ¡°There is the task hall, where you can take on tasks and earn contribution points. While the academy provides some things for free, most resources, especially higher-level resources, require contribution points for exchange.¡±

    Xie Qin, while cold and aloof, was quite diligent. He provided detailed explanations for every place they passed. However, Fleming guessed that he had likely taken on a task, which was why he was so thorough.

    ¡°While the academy allows all apprentices to take on tasks, there are few suitable tasks for new students. So I suggest you focus on your studies at the beginning and take on tasks later when you¡¯ve gained some strength. This will be more efficient,¡± Duvini picked up the conversation, offering advice with a smile.

    ¡°Many basic resources can be bought with gold coins at the beginning, so don¡¯t waste your time and energy on tasks if you can solve a problem with gold coins.¡±

    Many of the new students unconsciously nodded in agreement.

    Only a few new students, whose clothes were rather plain, looked hesitant and remained silent. They didn¡¯t have much gold on hand.

    Soon, they arrived at a large square. In the center of the square, a giant crystal ball stood, with over a dozen students lining up in front of it.

    ¡°That¡¯s the Attribute Crystal Ball. It can measure the physical attributes, spiritual power, and health condition of Wizard Apprentices and display the data in a numerical form.¡±

    ¡°Once you start practicing, you can use the Attribute Crystal Ball to check your progress every few days. This will help you better understand your own practice progress,¡± Duvini explained, pointing at the Attribute Crystal Ball.

    As soon as she finished speaking, several new students immediately raised their hands eagerly.

    ¡°Senior Sister, can we try it?¡±

    Dvini glanced at Xie Qin. Seeing that he had no reaction, she nodded with a smile.

    ¡°You can, but don¡¯t stay too long. Half an hour, alright?¡±

    With permission granted, many new students couldn¡¯t wait to break away from the line and join the queue. Fortunately, the Attribute Crystal Ball¡¯s single-user time was short, and it was their turn after just ten minutes.

    Fleming was the first in line. He placed his palm on the surface of the crystal ball as instructed by Duvini.

    A slight tingling sensation traveled from his palm, and soon a line of text appeared on the crystal ball.

    [Physicality: 2.2, Spirit: 0.7]

    [Body condition is healthy, slight muscle strain in right arm, expected natural healing in two days]

    [High Fire Element affinity, suitable for practicing Fire magic]

    Fleming was surprised. He had accidentally strained his right arm while practicing martial arts a few days ago. Based on his past injury experience, it should take two days for it to heal completely. He didn¡¯t expect this to be detected either. The Attribute Crystal Ball was truly amazing!

    ¡°But what does the last sentence mean?¡±

    Fleming wondered in secret, only to discover that Xie Qin and Duvini were staring at him with strange expressions, a hint of...envy in their eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Xie Qin asked him, breaking his usual silence. His tone was clearly gentler.

    ¡°Fleming.¡±

    ¡°Fleming, you have an excellent talent,¡± Xie Qin said.

    Seeing Fleming¡¯s confusion, he patiently explained:

    ¡°Elemental affinity refers to the affinity for a certain kind of energy particle. The higher the affinity, the easier it is to control the corresponding energy particles and the faster you will learn the corresponding magic.¡±

    ¡°Generally speaking, Wizard Apprentices with elemental affinity have an advantage in their practice, with many benefits. However, elemental affinity is rare. There is usually not even one person in a hundred Wizard Apprentices who has it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the new students¡¯ gazes towards Fleming instantly turned envious and jealous.

    Fleming was also a little stunned.

    Did this mean he was a genius?

    The other new students continued to undergo their tests, but no one else detected elemental affinity like Fleming¡¯s.

    After half an hour, Xie Qin interrupted the new students¡¯ tests and led them to their living quarters. It was a castle-like dormitory. Two towering steel Magic Puppets stood at the gate.

    ¡°This is your dormitory. You¡¯ll be living here for the next few years until you become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.¡±

    Many of the new students had learned about Wizard Apprentices through various channels before coming here, including the strength level division of Wizard Apprentices.

    As soon as Xie Qin finished speaking, a new student couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to ask a question.

    ¡°Senior, where do Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices live?¡±

    ¡°Dragon¡¯s Skull Tower,¡± Xie Qin spat out the three words, simultaneously glancing in a certain direction. An unmasked yearning appeared on his usually expressionless face. Even Duvini was no exception, with longing flashing in her eyes.

    Following their gazes, many new students instantly realized that the tower they saw from afar at the academy gate was most likely the Dragon¡¯s Skull Tower that Xie Qin mentioned.

    Many new students from noble families had a flicker in their eyes. They suddenly thought about the legendary figure, wondering if he also resided in the Dragon¡¯s Skull Tower.

    ¡°Is Dragon¡¯s Skull Tower better than the academy?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s better. Only Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices can enter, so it must be better.¡±

    ¡°I want to go there too.¡±

    The new students buzzed with discussion. Many of them were eager and ambitious. But Xie Qin quickly poured cold water on them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±

    ¡°Many talented students in the academy have practiced for over a decade but still haven¡¯t become Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices. You still have a long way to go before you can live in Dragon¡¯s Skull Tower. First, master the Star Ring Meditation Method.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. According to academy regulations, those who haven¡¯t mastered the Star Ring Meditation Method within three months will be expelled.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the new students¡¯ faces instantly tightened. They had stood out from hundreds of thousands of their peers and entered Starlight Academy with the expectations of their families and loved ones. Being expelled would not only ruin their own lives but also bring shame to their families. This was something they absolutely could not accept!

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be so nervous,¡± Duvini smiled to ease the tense atmosphere.

    ¡°Usually, it takes about one or two months to master the Star Ring Meditation Method. You don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±

    ¡°Now everyone, go get your keys. You have twenty minutes to unpack your luggage in the dormitory, and then we will take you to the dining hall.¡±

    The new students all responded in agreement, rushing into the dormitory. A few were curious and even touched the steel Magic Puppets, which slightly turned their heads, scanned over the new students, and then turned back.

    As the new students poured into the dormitory, three people stood by the window of a building about three or four hundred meters away, observing the new students¡¯ actions.

    ¡°Two hundred and forty-three students. This year¡¯s batch is pretty large,¡± Rose said.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for the number to be higher for the first aptitude test in the Starlit Empire,¡± Staff smiled.

    If it had been the former Starlit Duchy, it would have been considered good to have over ten new students a year. However, with the addition of two-thirds of the former Golden Empire¡¯s territory, this was the first aptitude test in this land that had never held such a test before. The number of those who passed the first aptitude test would certainly be the highest. Next year, the number of new students would likely decrease significantly.

    ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable that I can see so many Wizard Apprentices one day,¡± Traveller said with a hint of awe. ¡°When I think about how these students will all grow into Second-Rank and Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices in the future, I feel like I¡¯m witnessing a new era.¡±

    Rose and Staff also had a trace of emotion in their expressions, agreeing with Traveller¡¯s words.

    In their era, Wizard Apprentices were mostly hidden behind the scenes. Even among nobles, only a small number knew about their existence. But now, while ordinary citizens might still be unaware of Wizard Apprentices, they were no longer a secret among the nobility.

    The establishment and recruitment of Starlight Academy gradually brought Wizard Apprentices to the forefront. It was foreseeable that, in time, Wizard Apprentices would become known to more and more people on the continent. The era of Wizards was about to arrive.

    And all of this was created by Su Nan. He changed the way Wizard Apprentices lived, allowing more and more people to join this group, expanding their influence.

    ¡°These students are much better off than we were,¡± Rose sighed. ¡°When I was still a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, where could I find so many potions to improve my meditation efficiency?¡±

    Traveller nodded in agreement. ¡°These little guys have much faster practice speeds than us. I heard that two of Lord Su Nan¡¯s students became Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices in only five years. In the past, this speed was unimaginable.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Sherman and Corey, right?¡± Staff laughed. ¡°These two have good talent and are supported by academy resources. It¡¯s very likely that they will become Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices before the age of fifty.¡±

    Traveller¡¯s expression turned a bit complicated. He had been close to eighty years old when he became a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    He simply hadn¡¯t been born in a good era.

    But he quickly cheered up. With the support of the academy¡¯s resources, his practice efficiency had increased several times over. While becoming a Wizard before his death was still incredibly difficult, at least he had a glimmer of hope. That alone made him feel that joining Starlight Academy was the right choice.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to go back and prepare,¡± Rose stretched her body, revealing her alluring curves. ¡°The basic courses are getting a lot more lectures with new students coming in. We¡¯ll be busy.¡±

    She said this, but there was no trace of difficulty in her expression. Instead, she was filled with joy. After all, as tutors, a significant portion of their contribution point income came from teaching. The more lectures there were, the more contribution points they could earn to exchange for resources. Whether it was Hyper Potion, Magic Emblem Core, Construction Potion, or Talent Crystal Model, they all required a huge number of contribution points to exchange for. Especially the latter, which required them to work for the academy for a long time to exchange for it.

    However, they were still happy to do so. They wouldn¡¯t have had any chance to exchange their work for these things in the past.

    (End)

 Chapter 191: Intermarriage and Prospects

    Chapter 191: Intermarriage and Prospects

    After all, they were new to the place and didn¡¯t want to make their seniors wait too long. In less than fifteen minutes, the freshmen returned to the dormitory doors.

    The group then headed to the cafeteria.

    ¡°The academy has two cafeterias, one in the north and one in the west. The one we¡¯re going to now is the second cafeteria in the west.¡±

    The second cafeteria was massive. You could see it from afar.

    Upon closer inspection, they found a bulletin board at the entrance of the cafeteria, which displayed the recommended dishes for the day.

    [Today¡¯s Special: Crystal Mushrooms from the Underworld, with a slight effect of enhancing spiritual activity, 20 gold coins per serving.]

    [Today¡¯s Special: Electric Thorn Dragon Meat from Zone 1, with a slight effect of strengthening physique, 12 gold coins per serving.]

    [Today¡¯s Special: Ice Rainbow Fish from the Underworld, with a slight effect of enhancing ice element resistance, 30 contribution points per serving, only available to Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentices and above.]

    ...

    One line of information after another filled the bulletin board.

    A group of apprentices surrounded the bulletin board, seemingly discussing something. They could faintly hear someone complaining about the price being too expensive.

    ¡°The food in the cafeteria needs to be purchased, and the prices vary. The recommended dishes on the bulletin board are the most expensive. Even we can only afford to eat them occasionally.¡±

    Duvini explained to the freshmen:

    ¡°Although it¡¯s expensive, most of the recommended dishes are worth the price. Many times, if you come late, you might not be able to get them. Some foods also require a certain level to purchase.¡±

    The freshmen were also stunned by the prices listed on the bulletin board.

    Most of them came from noble families and were financially well-off. But even so, they had never tasted a dish that cost tens of gold coins per serving.

    This price was practically robbery!

    Duvini saw their expressions and smiled without saying anything.

    Once they tasted the flavor and effect of these delicacies, they would realize that these gold coins were well spent.

    Entering the second cafeteria, they found multiple areas, each with a different style and offering unique food.

    The freshmen found a place to sit down. Soon, several staff members approached them to take orders.

    To their surprise, these staff members were not human but a peculiar type of female humanoid creatures.

    They had purple-bronze hair and skin as smooth as white jade. Their faces were flawlessly beautiful, as if they had stepped out of a painting.

    Their eyes were deep, large, and round, and their ears were long and folded backward, with a hint of elf-like features.

    They were about a meter tall, slightly taller than halflings.

    ¡°These are water fairies, the staff members of the cafeteria,¡± Duvini introduced. ¡°They are kind and love cleanliness. They can also manipulate water elements.¡±

    ¡°How come I¡¯ve never heard of such creatures before?¡± a freshman asked in confusion.

    ¡°That¡¯s normal.¡± Duvini chuckled. ¡°Water fairies are interdimensional creatures. This continent doesn¡¯t have such creatures, so you haven¡¯t seen them before.¡±

    ¡°They were summoned by the academy from another dimension and have signed contracts with the academy. They serve the academy in exchange for rewards.¡±

    The appearance of the water fairies seemed to have flipped a switch. The freshmen immediately started asking all sorts of questions.

    Duvini patiently answered them one by one, while Xie Qin sat silently on the side.

    Not long after, the water fairies brought their plates.

    A beautiful water fairy placed the plate in front of Fleming. As she left, she gave him a sweet smile.

    Fleming¡¯s heart beat faster involuntarily. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at the water fairy¡¯s back.

    In the past, he thought the neighbor¡¯s sister who lived next door was very beautiful, and he even thought about marrying her when he grew up. But now, he suddenly felt that the water fairy was pretty good too.

    After a lively lunch, Xie Qin and Duvini took the freshmen to the logistics department to collect materials such as academy maps, regulations, exchange lists, books, robes, and brooches.

    ¡°The brooch is your student ID. Many places require you to wear the brooch to enter. Remember to keep it safe. If you lose it, you¡¯ll have to pay to get a new one.¡±

    After giving these final instructions, Duvini and Xie Qin left.

    The freshmen held their materials, and in groups of three or two, they returned to their dormitories.

    The dormitories were all single rooms, complete with a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and other amenities. The furniture was also brand new, and the living environment was excellent.

    The freshmen, who had just witnessed so many novel things at Starlight Academy, were clearly excited. They gathered in the corridor, chatting and exchanging ideas.

    After all, they were just teenagers. While they were gradually maturing physically, their minds were still relatively childish.

    Fleming did not join them but went directly to his dormitory.

    As soon as he put down his things, Donohue came to visit.

    ¡°Fleming, what courses are you going to enroll in tomorrow?¡±

    Fleming had already made his decision. Without hesitation, he said, ¡°All of them! I¡¯m going to enroll in all the basic courses!¡±

    Donohue¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°Are you going to be that hardcore?¡±

    Fleming shrugged and asked, ¡°What courses are you going to enroll in?¡±

    Donohue sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve said it all. What else can I do? I have to enroll in all of them. I don¡¯t want to be left behind by you.¡±

    Fleming smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s work hard together!¡±

    Fleming was extremely grateful for this opportunity to finally be admitted to Starlight Academy.

    Even without the penalty of expulsion looming over him, he would have worked hard.

    After all, this was his only chance to transcend the ordinary!

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to live longer and witness the pinnacle scenery of the continent?

    After a brief chat, Donohue left.

    Fleming closed the door and couldn¡¯t wait to pick up the books from the logistics department. He carefully flipped through them.

    ¡°Star Ring Meditation Method¡±!

    This was the only book that freshmen were given for free.

    To obtain more books, they had to borrow them from the library or exchange them for gold coins and contribution points.

    Taking a deep breath, Fleming calmed his mind and focused on reading the book in his hand.

    He had asked Sister Duvini about this before. Among the seniors who had advanced to Second-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice, the fastest to master the Star Ring Meditation Method was Senior Sherman, who had done it in just twenty-five days. The slowest one hadn¡¯t taken more than a month and a half.

    He didn¡¯t expect to break the twenty-five-day record, but he at least needed to master the Star Ring Meditation Method within a month and a half.

    Only then could he stand out among the freshmen.

    Although he had only been here for less than a day, Fleming could clearly feel the intense competitive atmosphere of the academy.

    Everyone was diligently studying and practicing, making the most of every second to improve their strength.

    This gave him a sense of urgency, making him unwilling to waste even a single moment.

    ¡°One day, I will also enter the Dragon Bone Tower!¡±

    Shining Light City, Royal Palace.

    In the council chamber, Kei frowned and remained silent.

    Bred, Jourdan, and Stary, who were standing beside him, kept their eyes fixed on their noses and their noses fixed on their hearts, all remaining silent.

    In the recent aptitude assessment, Second Prince Wes Arnest and Grand Princess Adela Arnest both failed the aptitude test and missed the chance to attend Starlight Academy.

    Upon hearing this news, His Majesty had sighed and lamented in front of them many times.

    Bred, Jourdan, and Stary were not surprised. His Majesty was just a legendary knight, not a formal wizard. The probability of his descendants having wizard aptitude was no different from ordinary people.

    After a while, Jourdan, who was the most impatient of the three, finally couldn¡¯t bear the silence. He winked at Bred.

    Bred rolled his eyes secretly but still coughed lightly to break the silence.

    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s not really their fault. People with wizard aptitude are rare, one in a thousand. It¡¯s not like the two princes could decide their own aptitude.¡±

    Kei sighed. ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t blame them. It¡¯s just that the royal family has never had a sorcerer apprentice. If this continues, it might have a negative impact on the royal family¡¯s prestige.¡±

    Bred and Stary looked at each other upon hearing this.

    This was indeed a problem!

    Jourdan didn¡¯t think as much as the other two. He spoke casually, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re overthinking. Even if Prince Wes and Princess Adela didn¡¯t pass the aptitude test, there are still so many princes and princesses in the royal family. There must be one with wizard aptitude, right?¡±

    Adhering to the idea of branching out and multiplying, Kei had given birth to many children over the years.

    Now, upon hearing Jourdan¡¯s words, he was stunned for a moment before a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

    That¡¯s right!

    As long as he had enough children, one of them was bound to have wizard aptitude!

    He could still live for another hundred years or so. As long as he continued to branch out and multiply, he would eventually be able to cultivate a sorcerer apprentice for the royal family.

    With the empire¡¯s current foundation, as long as the royal family had a sorcerer apprentice, no matter how poor their aptitude, with the empire¡¯s full support, they could be piled up into a Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice using resources!

    Kei felt that this was feasible, and as his thoughts diverged, he quickly came up with another idea.

    ¡°What do you think about arranging an intermarriage between the royal family and a sorcerer apprentice from Starlight Academy?¡±

    Bred, Jourdan, and Stary were all stunned for a moment before quickly understanding His Majesty¡¯s intentions.

    He wanted to improve the royal family¡¯s genes through intermarriage with a sorcerer apprentice.

    After a moment of silence, Bred hesitated. ¡°Your Majesty, many of the empire¡¯s nobles have the same idea. They have already contacted some of the sorcerer apprentices in the academy, but only a few agreed to intermarriage.¡±

    Kei frowned upon hearing this but quickly relaxed.

    The sorcerer apprentices of Starlight Academy were all in their prime right now. Naturally, they didn¡¯t have the time or energy for marriage, especially with Su Nan as an example. Anyone with ambition would not agree to marry into a noble family.

    But that was before.

    With the establishment of Starlight Academy, the competition among the students was becoming increasingly fierce.

    Many students from ordinary families or minor noble families lacked the financial resources to support the academy¡¯s huge expenses.

    To obtain resources, they had to spend a lot of time and energy taking on missions.

    But if they intermarried with nobles, they would have ample financial support, allowing them to save more time for cultivation and learning, which would accelerate their early development.

    For both the students and the nobles, this was a win-win situation.

    It was conceivable that in the future, more and more sorcerer apprentices would choose to intermarry with nobles.

    And in this regard, the royal family had an undeniable advantage.

    The resources the royal family could provide would surely far exceed those of the lower nobles.

    That said, Kei knew that this was not something that could be rushed. It required careful planning.

    First, the royal family didn¡¯t have any members of marriageable age yet. Even the oldest, Yabai, was not yet eighteen.

    Second, choosing the right marriage partner was paramount.

    Kei¡¯s most preferred targets were Sherman, Kore, Atir, and Ethan, the outstanding students with the highest potential to advance to Third-Rank Sorcerer Apprentice.

    However, he also understood that these people didn¡¯t need the empire¡¯s support, so the probability of them agreeing to an intermarriage was very low.

    Perhaps, one day in the future, when they couldn¡¯t see any hope for further breakthroughs, they might consider procreation.

    However, that would be an extremely distant future.

    Excluding those people, Kei wouldn¡¯t be interested in other mediocre sorcerer apprentices.

    He was more inclined to select promising freshmen from the new batch. While they were still weak, he would intermarry with them and support their rapid growth. In this cooperative relationship, their relationship would undoubtedly be more stable.

    But selecting promising freshmen wasn¡¯t something that could be done overnight. It would require long-term observation before making a decision.

    After some thought, Kei had a plan in mind. He dropped the topic and turned to another matter.

    ¡°How¡¯s the resource mobilization going?¡±

    When it came to serious matters, Bred, Jourdan, and Stary subconsciously sat up straight.

    ¡°All the resources have been mobilized to the border cities. It¡¯s enough to sustain a large-scale war!¡±

    Kei nodded in satisfaction and asked, ¡°Is there anything unusual about the surrounding countries?¡±

    ¡°Besides adding troops to the towns bordering the empire, there are no other unusual actions.¡± Bred replied.

    Kei understood and nodded.

    It was not strange for the surrounding countries to take these actions.

    They were guarding against the Starfire Empire¡¯s launch of a war to unify the Southeast Region.

    The current Starfire Empire, in terms of land area, was no smaller than the former Azure Gold Empire. In terms of overall strength, it was even stronger. Not to mention, it had the only wizard on the continent as its ruler.

    It could be said that the current Starfire Empire had a stronger foundation and greater power to unify the Southeast Region than the Azure Gold Empire.

    Even if the Starfire Empire claimed that it had no intention of unifying the Southeast Region, no country would believe them.

    And in fact, Kei indeed had plans to unify the Southeast Region.

    The Southeast Region was just the first step. His true goal was the entire Starlight Continent.

    On this point, he had had an in-depth conversation with Su Nan once. The two brothers agreed on this.

    With Su Nan¡¯s support, Kei¡¯s confidence grew.

    Thinking about the empire¡¯s future prospects, even though his temperament had become much calmer than before, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement.

    At this moment, an internal affairs official suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall. He bowed and saluted.

    Kei glanced at him and said indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, a messenger from the Thornflower Duchy has arrived and requests an audience.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the four people in the hall were taken aback.

    Jourdan frowned. ¡°At this time, sending a messenger... Could it be that they¡¯ve discovered our plan?¡±

    Stary, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. Although the Thornflower Duchy has added troops to the border cities, that was before the empire mobilized its resources. They shouldn¡¯t know about the empire¡¯s plans yet.¡±

    Kei thought for a moment and waved his hand. ¡°Take him to the reception room. I¡¯ll receive him there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 192

    Dragon Bone Tower, study.

    Su Nan flipped through the battle report in his hand, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

    In the report, Sherman mentioned that the Dark Elves had mastered a very powerful half-human, half-spider monster, most likely a four-ring legendary creature, or even stronger.

    ¡°Half-human, half-spider monster?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered.

    Similar monsters were not uncommon in the Underworld. After all, mutated spider species were one of the major lineages of the Underworld.

    However, there were none that could reach the four-ring legendary level.

    Plus, with the characteristic of having an upper body of a Dark Elf, a thought immediately popped into his mind.

    Could it be a Spiderized Elf?

    Su Nan¡¯s expression became somewhat serious.

    There were countless gods in the multiverse, and it was difficult for anyone to remember all of them.

    Su Nan only remembered a few of the most powerful gods, and some that were more distinctive.

    Like the Spider Queen.

    She was an evil deity who mastered the laws of assassination, darkness, and spiders.

    She was cruel and capricious. She loved to make her followers fight among themselves, killing each other for power, and she enjoyed watching her followers please her with death, destruction, and torment.

    Among all the gods, the Spider Queen¡¯s power wasn¡¯t considered strong. It was barely enough to be considered middle-of-the-road.

    The reason Su Nan remembered this deity was because in the era of the Wizard¡¯s Return, which was many years later, there were wizards who had joined forces to attack the Spider Queen, but they were ambushed and suffered heavy casualties.

    This incident had caused quite a stir in the wizarding community at the time.

    The Spider Queen had many followers, including Hunt Spiders, Half-Spider Devoted, It-Thing, Soul-Devouring Spider, Phase Spider, Demon-Hunting Spider, Wax-Melting Demon, and Dark Elves.

    Su Nan remembered that one of the ¡°materials¡± used to create a Spiderized Elf was a Dark Elf.

    The birth ceremony of a Spiderized Elf was evil. It involved raising a large number of spiders to kill each other in a ¡°raising-gu¡± style. (Raising gu is a practice in Chinese culture where various insects are placed in a container and allowed to fight each other until only one survives.) The blood and souls of the losers were absorbed by the winner, becoming nutrients. Ultimately, the only winner became a terrifying monster that had fused with countless spiders.

    Then it would absorb the blood and souls of multiple Dark Elves. This is how the Spiderized Elf was born.

    Spiderized Elves born through this ritual possessed power that surpassed four-ring legends.

    While they hadn¡¯t yet reached the level of a formal wizard, if four or five Spiderized Elves teamed up, in the current special environment of the Starlight Continent, they might have a chance of fighting a formal wizard.

    ¡°But why are there Spiderized Elves in the Spiderweb City?¡± Su Nan pondered with a frown.

    As a divine creature, only the Spider Queen could create a Spiderized Elf.

    The ritual only created a vessel for the Spiderized Elf. Only when the Spider Queen descended her divine power could the Spiderized Elf be successfully created.

    ¡°Could it be that the Spider Queen¡¯s tentacles have already penetrated the Starlight Continent?¡±

    Suddenly, Su Nan recalled that in his memory, Spiderweb City seemed to have unified the Southeast Region of the Underworld around the year 1300 of the Starlight Calendar.

    Previously, when Sherman and the others had encountered the Dark Elves, he had also thought about this. At the time, he had been puzzled as to why the Dark Elves, who always liked to fight among themselves, would suddenly abandon their internal struggles and unite to expand outwards.

    But if it was the Spider Queen, everything made sense.

    Only an order from a deity could suppress the Dark Elves¡¯ personal interests and make them abandon their infighting to unite.

    And only with the support of a deity could Spiderweb City, whose power was not considered strong, suddenly have the power to unify the Southeast Region.

    What puzzled Su Nan was how the Spider Queen had infiltrated her power into the Starlight Continent?

    After all, the current Starlight Continent had long been sealed off by the combined efforts of the wizards. Unless she paid a huge price, the Spider Queen shouldn¡¯t be able to break through the seal with her power.

    After thinking for a moment without a result, Su Nan shook his head and stopped pondering.

    He now considered the Starlight Continent his own private land. No matter what schemes the Spider Queen had in mind, he would not allow her to touch his belongings.

    The Spider Queen couldn¡¯t possibly descend in person. As long as she didn¡¯t descend in person, Su Nan wasn¡¯t afraid at all.

    If she dared to reach in, he would cut off her hand.

    After thinking for a while, Su Nan summoned Carollina and instructed, ¡°Deploy the Secret Puppets to Hammer City and have them deal with the Spiderized Elves.

    ¡°Also, if you kill a Spiderized Elf, send the corpse back here immediately.¡±

    Divine creatures were essentially a type of divine being. They contained divine energy, so they couldn¡¯t be wasted.

    An idea vaguely formed in Su Nan¡¯s mind.

    If everything went well, he might have another way to obtain divine energy.

    Carollina quickly took her orders and left to make arrangements.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t intend to tell his subordinates about the Spider Queen.

    Gods hadn¡¯t appeared on the Starlight Continent for many years, but many legends about gods still circulated on the continent.

    In the eyes of wizards, gods were just high-level lifeforms, valuable materials that were full of potential for experimentation.

    But in the eyes of ordinary people, gods were superior beings that could not be violated or offended.

    Letting his subordinates know about the Spider Queen would only cause unnecessary worry and panic.

    After all, they didn¡¯t need to face the Spiderized Elves. The Secret Puppets would naturally take care of these divine creatures.

    Snapping out of his thoughts, Su Nan put down the front-line battle report and turned to open the report from the Starlight Academy.

    A new batch of students had enrolled in the Starlight Academy, and everything was going smoothly. No problems had arisen.

    Currently, the Starlight Academy had more than 800 students.

    And with the size of the Starfall Empire¡¯s territory, the rate of student growth would not be slow. It was estimated that the total number of students would reach a thousand within seven or eight years at most.

    By then, the number of second-rank sorcerer apprentices should also reach triple digits.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the number of third-rank sorcerer apprentices is still too small. Otherwise, many things would be much easier.¡±

    The academy tutors and the resources for refining all required a considerable number of third-rank sorcerer apprentices.

    However, Su Nan understood that this was not something that could be rushed.

    Even with sufficient resources, it would still take Sherman and the others at least two or three decades to grow into third-rank sorcerer apprentices.

    After all, not everyone was like him, who had a Synthetic Magic Cube.

    Putting down the academy report, Su Nan picked up another document.

    It was written with a large title.

    ¡¶ÁúÁÖ2Çø¸ÄÔì¼æÑÇÁúÖÖÑªÂöÌáÉý¼Æ»®¡·

    [Dragon Forest Zone 2 Renovation and Sub-Dragon Bloodline Enhancement Plan]

    This was a new plan that Su Nan had recently conceived.

    The Dragon Forest was now operating stably, and the energy overflow had been ongoing for a long time.

    About one-third of the energy cycle was constantly idle.

    Therefore, Su Nan had been thinking about how to utilize this part of the energy cycle lately.

    The only energy consumption in Zone 2 currently came from the large magic plant garden.

    However, although it was called ¡°large,¡± the magic plant garden only occupied a small part of the area. Most of Zone 2 was still vacant.

    After careful consideration, Su Nan decided to restart Zone 2.

    Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to cultivate dragons.

    First of all, he couldn¡¯t find any real dragons. Even if he did, he wasn¡¯t sure he could control them, let alone cultivate them.

    He planned to relocate all the sub-dragon species groups in Zone 1 with bloodline concentration above 70% to Zone 2, turning it into a large breeding ground for high-level sub-dragons.

    On this basis, he would use the method of enhancing the concentration of the Infiltrator Dragon bloodline to gradually improve the bloodline concentration of these high-level sub-dragon species groups.

    Since he couldn¡¯t find any real dragons, he would cultivate them himself.

    Gradually improving the bloodline concentration of the sub-dragon species groups and then fixing the bloodline concentration through reproduction.

    By accumulating changes to achieve qualitative changes, he would eventually be able to cultivate real dragons.

    However, this would be a very long process.

    It might take hundreds of years to see any noticeable results.

    But Su Nan could wait.

    After all, the next seven hundred years would be a period of development. He could afford to wait this long.

    And by then, he should have enough power to cultivate dragons.

    ¡°Almost a thousand sub-dragons need to undergo bloodline refinement surgery. This is a huge project.¡±

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t possibly complete this plan on his own.

    He divided the whole plan into several steps.

    Collecting sub-dragon blood would naturally be assigned to second-rank sorcerer apprentices at the Starlight Academy in the form of tasks.

    He was only responsible for synthesizing sub-dragon blood.

    As for the bloodline refinement surgery, it would also be assigned to Rose, Staff, and Traveler in the form of tasks.

    ¡°If it¡¯s just Rose, Staff, and Traveler, the initial progress of the plan probably won¡¯t be fast.¡±

    Su Nan thought for a moment and added a new executor to the plan.

    Second-rank sorcerer apprentices who were proficient in biological modification could also take on tasks.

    After revising the plan, Su Nan closed the plan document and placed it aside. He would start the preliminary work tomorrow.

    Then, he summoned his panel.

    ¡¾Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Aetherization: 1.64%¡¿

    ¡¾Skills¡¿

    Star Ring Meditation Method Lv19 (MAX)

    Potion Making Lv5 (35/20000)

    Biological Modification Lv4 (924/10000)

    Puppetry Refining Lv5 (10356/20000)

    Magic Item Creation Lv4 (7294/10000)

    Looking at the data on the panel, Su Nan shook his head slightly.

    A year had passed, and his spiritual power condensation progress had only increased by less than 0.3%.

    Deep in his consciousness sea, the aetherized spiritual power surrounding the talent crystal hardly showed any change.

    ¡°The progress is still too slow.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, the front lines will bring some surprises.¡±

    The only thing worth celebrating was that [Potion Making] had finally broken through to level 5.

    [Puppetry Refining] had also increased significantly in proficiency because of the recent large-scale refining of high-level magic puppets. The progress bar was already over half full.

    [Magic Item Creation] had also increased in proficiency because of the refining of magic weapons.

    The only skill that had barely moved was [Biological Modification].

    After all, apart from enhancing the bloodline concentration of the Infiltrator Dragons, he rarely used this skill anymore.

    In the dark underground passage, there was an eerie silence, only the faint sound of footsteps echoing.

    Walking alone in the passage, Targana¡¯s beautiful face remained calm and composed. With every step she took, her figure was always enveloped in shadow, like an elf merging with the darkness.

    After passing through several forks in the road without stopping, Targana suddenly halted.

    At the same time, a voice filled with vigilance came from the darkness ahead.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    ¡°Offer blood, death, and souls to the Queen. The spiderwebs of the Abyss will spread throughout the world.¡±

    As Targana uttered the code phrase, the faint killing intent surrounding her instantly dissipated.

    Footsteps came from the darkness ahead.

    Vinya walked out, followed by two male Dark Elves.

    Unlike Vinya and Targana, who wore fine chainmail armor, cloaks, and two obviously well-made curved swords on their waists, the two male Dark Elves only wore leather armor. They had no other armor and only carried a curved sword each.

    The two men were several steps behind Vinya, their eyes lowered, not daring to meet Vinya¡¯s gaze.

    In Spiderweb City, female Dark Elf warriors had the right to punish lower-ranking male Dark Elves who dared to offend them.

    The reasons for offense were numerous. Staring at a female Dark Elf for too long was one of them.

    In fact, as long as a female Dark Elf was in a bad mood, she could always find a suitable reason.

    ¡°How is the situation?¡± Vinya asked impatiently.

    Targana shook her head, then replied, ¡°Tarren City has been captured by the Star Alliance. I saw the magic puppets standing on the city wall.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Vinya couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°How could the Star Alliance be so fast? We¡¯ve been rushing day and night!¡±

    Targana pursed her lips and said nothing.

    The Star Alliance¡¯s main force was the tireless Magic Puppet Legion. It was simply a mistake to compete with them in terms of marching speed.

    Besides, their army also had the demoralized slave troops holding them back.

    ¡°What should we do next?¡± Targana asked.

    Vinya thought for a moment and said, ¡°We have to report this to the Mother. Tarren City is the only way to pass through this area. The Mother will definitely order us to attack Tarren City!¡±

    Targana hesitated.

    Seeing her expression, Vinya frowned, waved her hand to signal the two male Dark Elves to move back a little, then walked forward, lowering her voice, ¡°Are you thinking about that again?¡±

    Targana sighed and said, ¡°I just think it¡¯s too risky to go to war with the Star Alliance. They¡¯re a huge force that has conquered half of the Southeast Region. And they have wizards among them. I¡¯m really not optimistic about this war.¡±

    Vinya rolled her eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much. Don¡¯t forget we have the Spiderized Elves bestowed by the Queen!¡±

    Mentioning the Spiderized Elves, Vinya¡¯s face revealed a touch of excitement.

    ¡°You saw the previous battle. Our enemies were no match for the Spiderized Elves. They were easily defeated. The Star Alliance will be the same!

    ¡°No matter how powerful a wizard is, can they be more powerful than a Spiderized Elf?¡±

    Looking at Vinya¡¯s confidence, Targana¡¯s lips twitched. In the end, she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Unlike other fanatical members of her race, she always harbored a sense of unease towards the Queen.

    Vinya glanced at her and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s fine to say these depressing words in front of me. But don¡¯t let anyone else hear you. If it gets back to the Mother and the Martial Arts Instructor, you¡¯ll be in for a hard time!¡±

    Targana¡¯s expression tightened. She nodded heavily, ¡°I understand the seriousness.¡±

    The Dark Elves¡¯ torture methods were infamous throughout the Underworld. They didn¡¯t spare their enemies, and they were just as ruthless, even enjoying torturing their own kind who had made mistakes.

    Targana didn¡¯t want to try it.

    The two stopped talking and turned to walk towards the camp.

    Soon, the originally silent camp was filled with commotion. A large number of slave troops were driven out and marched towards Tarren City.

 Chapter 193

    Sherman was reviewing the supply list when he suddenly heard a sharp battle horn.

    An enemy attack alert!

    Sherman frowned, put away the list, and rushed out.

    He didn¡¯t go far before he ran into Wizard Apprentices who were hurrying towards him. The leader was Artile.

    ¡°Who¡¯s attacking?¡± Sherman asked.

    Artile immediately answered, ¡°Dark Elves!¡±

    Sherman wasn¡¯t surprised.

    The tribes and monsters around Taren City had been basically wiped out, and the only remaining enemy was the Dark Elves further ahead.

    The only ones who would attack Taren City at this time would be the Dark Elves.

    When Sherman and Artile reached the city wall, the battle had already begun.

    Taren City was located inside a giant cave, with one side against a stone wall and three sides surrounded by city walls.

    The Dark Elves were attacking from the south.

    Ogre warriors clad in armor, Bear Goblins, Dog-Headed Humans, and Lizardmen surged like a tide, using retractable cloud ladders to climb the walls, wielding battering rams to smash the city gate, and with elite Minotaur troops waiting behind. However, few Dark Elves could be seen.

    All the outposts outside the city had been occupied. Giant catapults were set up, hurling huge stone balls towards the city walls.

    If it were the old Taren City, facing such a fierce attack, they would have been caught off guard.

    However, the emotionless Magic Puppets didn¡¯t know what fear and panic were. They calmly guarded the walls, wielding their iron fists to slaughter the enemy.

    A rustling sound came from the sides of the walls, as Double-Bladed Spiders circled around, raising their sharp forelimbs and charging into the enemy army. They ripped through the enemy lines with little effort, forcing them back.

    On the city wall, Sherman calmly watched the scene.

    Over the past period, the Star Alliance had captured a lot of indigenous people who had escaped from the Dark Elves¡¯ territory, and they had extracted valuable information from them through torture.

    This included the Dark Elves¡¯ warfare tactics.

    Among these Dark Elf cannon fodder, only the Minotaurs were the real main force. They were brave and ferocious, far more elite than Bear Goblins and Dog-Headed Humans.

    The attack was frustrated. The Ogres, Bear Goblins, and Dog-Headed Humans began to retreat. Then, a long battle horn sounded, and fully armed Minotaurs surged from the rear, charging towards the Double-Bladed Spiders.

    Seeing this, Sherman decisively gave the order to open the city gates.

    Compared to defending the city, the Magic Puppet Legion would undoubtedly be more advantageous in open combat.

    Boom!

    The city gate opened, and tall, sturdy Magic Puppets charged out, leaping over the Double-Bladed Spiders to the front line, forming a steel wall that stood firm, allowing no ground to the ferocious Minotaurs, no matter how they attacked.

    Taking this opportunity, two Elite Iron Magic Puppets slowly walked forward. Light flashed from their chests, and a ball of visible distortion landed in the Minotaur ranks like a cannonball.

    Crushing Sound Wave!

    Buzz!

    A violent sound wave erupted, transforming into a tangible shockwave that spread rapidly outwards, instantly shattering the Minotaurs within a radius of more than ten meters!

    The two Elite Iron Magic Puppets continued to move, unleashing spell after spell, in a blink of an eye eliminating hundreds of Minotaurs.

    Even brave Minotaurs began to fear and retreat in the face of such terrifying attacks.

    Just then, a huge spider illusion suddenly shone in the distance, in the sky. Then, teams of Lizard Riders surged out from the fortresses. All the riders were wearing exquisite chain mail, without helmets, revealing their silver-white long hair and obsidian-like faces, wielding long spears.

    ¡°Dark Elves!¡±

    Sherman¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    Finally!

    This was the true elite force of the Dark Elves. Those earlier were just cannon fodder.

    The Lizard Riders began to charge. They were extremely fast, and in a blink of an eye, they were in the midst of the Magic Puppet Legion. Accompanied by a flash of cold light, one after another, Stone Magic Puppets were chopped to pieces by their curved swords.

    Looking at this, Sherman¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    ¡°Just as the intelligence mentioned, these Lizard Riders are very powerful,¡± Artile looked down at the battle, her eyes assessing the situation. ¡°Each one has the fighting power of a Knight, no less than the Black Rock Cavalry Regiment of the Starlight Empire.¡±

    The addition of the Lizard Riders immediately turned the tide. The two sides once again engaged in fierce battle.

    Sherman and Artile calmly watched the situation below, without any hurry.

    For the Star Alliance, Magic Puppets were just consumables.

    But for Spider City, which had limited troops, each Lizard Rider was a valuable asset, and losing one would be a painful blow.

    In this kind of war of attrition, it wasn¡¯t they who should be anxious.

    As expected, a horn soon sounded in the front line.

    The Lizard Riders retreated like a tide.

    The Magic Puppet Legion was about to pursue, when a black shadow suddenly charged out from the shadows above, moving like a ghost, passing through more than ten Magic Puppets.

    In an instant, there was a series of cracking sounds. More than ten Magic Puppets were smashed to pieces almost simultaneously, falling to the ground.

    Amidst the rubble, a half-human, half-spider figure stood upright.

    Its upper body was a beautiful Dark Elf female, wearing a close-fitting, fine chain mail, showing off her voluptuous, alluring body curves, holding two gleaming curved swords.

    Its lower body was a huge black spider body, shining with a cold metallic sheen in the fluorescent light. Its eight limbs looked sharper than the Double-Bladed Spiders.

    ¡°Spiderized Elf!¡±

    Sherman¡¯s expression became more serious.

    This was their real enemy.

    Only when he saw it with his own eyes did Sherman realize that the Spiderized Elf was even more powerful than the intelligence described.

    Among the more than ten Magic Puppets that had been killed just now, there was an Elite Iron Magic Puppet.

    Being able to easily kill a Second Ring Legendary-level puppet like chopping vegetables, the Spiderized Elf was clearly not an ordinary Fourth Ring Legendary creature.

    Fortunately, they weren¡¯t without trump cards.

    Sherman turned to the figure standing beside him. The figure was wearing a wide, gray robe, concealing its whole body, even most of its face was hidden under the brim of the hat, leaving only a white chin visible.

    To be honest, when Sherman learned that the figure was a puppet, he was quite surprised.

    He had never seen a puppet that looked so much like a human being.

    The puppet didn¡¯t have the huge, hard body of the Magic Puppets, making people doubt its fighting strength.

    But Sherman didn¡¯t think much about it.

    If it were just a regular puppet, why would the teacher have deployed it to be used against the Spiderized Elf?

    Since it was the teacher¡¯s arrangement, there would definitely be no problem.

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you!¡± Sherman whispered to the robed figure.

    The latter nodded slightly.

    The Secret Puppet, whose Soul Core was a medium-sized Soul Crystal, already possessed a basic level of intelligence.

    Although it couldn¡¯t compare to Long Lin¡¯s Butler No. 1, it was able to receive and execute orders like a normal human and could even engage in relatively simple communication.

    Whoosh!

    The robe was blown off, revealing a tall, slender figure of a young girl.

    She was almost 1.7 meters tall, wearing a silver scale armor that hugged her body, clearly outlining her voluptuous curves, quite attractive to the eye.

    Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the girl jumped off the city wall.

    Her falling speed slowed down in mid-air, then stopped and hovered. After a slight pause, the whole person suddenly shot up into the sky and shot forward.

    The Spiderized Elf, who was slaughtering the Magic Puppets, immediately sensed the approaching threat and slashed its two swords down towards the front. With a piercing shriek, two visible black sword energies tore through the void and struck towards the incoming person.

    The girl didn¡¯t slow down. She collided head-on with the black sword energies.

    The moment they touched her body, a layer of invisible force field suddenly emerged, blocking the two black sword energies.

    Immediately afterwards, the girl swung back, unleashing a blue lightning bolt that struck the Spiderized Elf.

    [Lightning Bolt]!

    Crackle!

    A dazzling electric light tore through the surrounding darkness.

    Lightning snakes instantly appeared on the Spiderized Elf¡¯s body, coiling around its skin, causing it to cry out in pain.

    In the rear of the Dark Elf army, the Dark Elf leaders who saw this scene looked at each other in astonishment.

    ¡°Magic!¡±

    ¡°That girl is a Wizard?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the Star Alliance¡¯s Controller?¡±

    It was no secret in the Underworld that the Star Alliance¡¯s Controller was a powerful Wizard.

    But the girl in front of her not only used magic, but also took a single shot to make the Spiderized Elf suffer a loss. Such powerful strength, they couldn¡¯t think of anyone besides the Star Alliance¡¯s Controller.

    ¡°It must be her!¡±

    The martial arts instructor of the Lerret family, who was also the commander of this army, had a look of excitement on her face.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the Star Alliance¡¯s Controller would appear here. This is a good thing. As long as we kill her, the Star Alliance will surely fall into chaos, and we can take advantage of the situation to launch a massive attack!¡±

    Other Dark Elf leaders also showed signs of joy.

    Targona in the corner flashed a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that the famous Star Alliance Controller would be such a young and beautiful girl.

    However, it was said that Wizards had ways to delay aging, so one couldn¡¯t judge their age based on appearance alone. Perhaps this girl had actually lived for hundreds of years.

    As Targona was pondering, the Dark Elf leaders had already decisively pressed all their troops forward.

    The Minotaur army and Lizard Riders charged forward again.

    Some other Dark Elf elite warriors also sneaked into the shadows, silently approaching the battlefield.

    On the city wall, Sherman, who had noticed the Dark Elves¡¯ movements, did not hesitate to order the reserve troops to press forward.

    An entire small Magic Puppet Legion was stationed in Taren City. In terms of troops, he was not at all afraid.

    As more troops joined the battle, the front of the city wall soon became a chaotic battlefield.

    On the ground, the Magic Puppet Legion and the Dark Elf army fought fiercely.

    In the sky, the girl also clashed fiercely with the Spiderized Elf.

    Colorful magical lights flashed in the sky, illuminating the surroundings like daytime.

    Spell after spell poured out of the girl¡¯s hands, with almost no pause between them, sometimes even two or three spells being released simultaneously.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Artile was dumbfounded.

    She had seen puppets that could use magic before ¡ª such as the Elite Iron Magic Puppet and the Elite Double-Bladed Spider, which could both use a small amount of magic ¡ª but puppets like the girl who could cast spell after spell, even casting Third Ring spells, and whose casting speed was almost equivalent to a combination of spellcasting and composite casting, she had never seen before.

    This was almost on par with a formal Wizard!

    Sherman was equally surprised, his eyes gleaming with bright light.

    He had never imagined that Puppetry could reach such a height!

    This was almost equivalent to creating a living Wizard!

    It was simply incredible!

    ¡°Perhaps I should spend more time studying Puppetry.¡±

    Sherman thought silently.

    The Dark Elves were shocked by the Star Alliance¡¯s joy.

    ¡°How could this be?¡±

    ¡°The Spiderized Elf isn¡¯t the opponent of that guy?¡±

    ¡°This is a Divine Favored created by the Goddess!¡±

    Seeing the Spiderized Elf being gradually defeated by the girl¡¯s attacks and soon becoming covered in wounds, the Dark Elf leaders were dumbfounded.

    Previously, they had relied on the Spiderized Elf to become invincible and unstoppable, giving them great confidence.

    But who would have thought that in their first encounter with the Star Alliance, they would be dealt such a heavy blow.

    For a moment, the Dark Elves were somewhat panicked and confused.

    Lerret¡¯s martial arts instructor, the commander, also had a terrible look on her face.

    Just then, a shrill cry came from the sky above the battlefield.

    The Dark Elves looked up in astonishment. What they saw was the Spiderized Elf, trapped in the air and unable to move, surrounded by numerous serpent-like, strange runes, and a sharp, lightning-like long sword attacking!

    Swoosh!

    The enchanted long sword pierced the chain mail without any obstruction, sinking deeply into the Spiderized Elf¡¯s chest. Then, it twisted with force, completely ending the Spiderized Elf¡¯s life.

    Seeing this, Lerret¡¯s martial arts instructor¡¯s face turned pale. She no longer hesitated and decisively gave the order to retreat.

    A piercing horn sounded suddenly, and the Dark Elf army retreated in a panic, fleeing to the rear.

    Sherman on the city wall saw this and decisively waved his hand. A firelight instantly flew out of his hand, soared into the sky, and exploded like fireworks, clearly visible from afar.

    Tap tap tap!

    A dense and rapid sound of footsteps suddenly came from the darkness around.

    Immediately after, a large number of Knights suddenly charged out from the darkness.

    The leader was the Dragon Antelope Knight, followed by the Magic Emblem Knight Regiment riding on Black Rock Beasts.

    Countless cavalry surged like a tide from all directions, charging towards the Dark Elves like a mountain collapsing.

    Considering the existence of the Spiderized Elf, in order to avoid unnecessary casualties, Sherman did not deploy the Magic Emblem Knight Regiment immediately. Instead, he had them hide in the flanks of the battlefield, waiting patiently. They only attacked with all their might after the Spiderized Elf was killed and the Dark Elves began to retreat.

    The effect was very obvious.

    The Dark Elves clearly hadn¡¯t expected the Star Alliance to have more troops hidden. They were caught off guard, and their retreat soon turned into a rout.

    Countless Dark Elf warriors were overtaken and killed by the cavalry during their retreat. Those who dared to resist were no match for the Knights equipped with Magic Emblem constructs, and were quickly slaughtered.

    The Dark Elf army was utterly defeated.

    After a round of pursuit, only a handful of Dark Elves managed to escape, fleeing into the darkness and disappearing without a trace.

    Sherman felt a little regretful.

    The dark environment of the Underworld was too advantageous for the Dark Elves. Otherwise, this should have been a perfect annihilation.

    But soon, Sherman¡¯s attention was drawn to the Spiderized Elf.

    He immediately gathered his people, preparing to send the Spiderized Elf to Long Lin.

    This was something the teacher had specifically instructed.

    Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone!

 Chapter 194

    The Star Alliance had established spatial passages leading to the Dragon Forest in every city-state.

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    Numerous spatial passages connected the vast territories of the Star Alliance, making it exceptionally swift for both material transportation and troop mobilization.

    On the same day the battle of Tallen City ended, the corpses of the spider-ized elves were sent to Su Nan¡¯s laboratory.

    After a considerable effort, Su Nan successfully extracted the divine energy from the corpses.

    ¡°8 standard units of divine energy, much more than the Death Knell Striker and Multi-Winged Monster.¡±

    A satisfied smile graced Su Nan¡¯s face.

    After all, as divine favored creatures, their bodies contained far more divine energy than ordinary divine creatures.

    The only drawback was that it was a one-time deal, unlike the Death Knell Striker and Multi-Winged Monster, which could be continuously extracted.

    It had its pros and cons.

    After the initial joy, Su Nan immediately synthesized the divine energy, cleansed the faith contamination, and absorbed it without delay.

    After digesting the divine energy, he opened his panel and found that his spiritual condensation had increased by 0.66%.

    ¡°Not bad, roughly equivalent to over two years of cultivation gains.¡±

    A hint of a smile curled Su Nan¡¯s lips.

    If each spider-ized elf could bring similar gains, then the speed of his spiritual condensation increase would undoubtedly be accelerated by a considerable margin.

    ¡°It seems we can¡¯t attack the Spiderweb City so soon.¡±

    Ever since he learned about the spider-ized elves, Su Nan had a vague idea of ¡°sustainable development.¡±

    Now that he had confirmed the significant effect of the spider-ized elves on increasing his spiritual condensation, that idea could be put into action.

    Since the Spider Queen had specially sent him this supplement, he couldn¡¯t refuse.

    He would simply treat Spiderweb City as a treasure trove that could continuously produce divine energy, harvesting it for an extended period.

    Returning to his study, Su Nan immediately summoned Carolina.

    ¡°Pass the order down, exert pressure on the Dark Elves, squeeze out their war potential as much as possible, but don¡¯t attack Spiderweb City.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, if you encounter spider-ized elves, be sure to leave their bodies intact and send them to the laboratory immediately.¡±

    Carolina was taken aback, filled with confusion.

    Why exert pressure without attacking Spiderweb City?

    Only when she heard the latter part did the intelligent human-lion noble realize, a sense of pity for Spiderweb City instantly filling her heart.

    It was being treated as a resource point by her master.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Carolina responded respectfully.

    ¡°What about Red Widow?¡± Su Nan asked subsequently.

    ¡°The first legion¡¯s front line has already advanced to the border of the Northwest Region. Lord Kore requested material support, and Red Widow is currently overseeing the logistical affairs in that area,¡± Carolina replied.

    After expansion, the Star Alliance now had two medium-sized Magic Puppet Legions, named the First Legion and the Second Legion, respectively, led by Kore and Ethan, and Sherman and Atir, respectively.

    The former advanced towards the Northwest Region, while the latter advanced towards Spiderweb City.

    Currently, the First Legion had basically cleared all the indigenous forces in the region where the Southeast Region and Northwest Region bordered, officially pushing the battlefield into the Northwest Region.

    In other words, the entire Southeast Region of the Underworld, excluding Spiderweb City, was now under the control of the Star Alliance.

    For thousands of years, the Underworld had never seen such a large force emerge.

    Even Su Nan had heard that the city-states in the Northwest Region had seemingly united to resist the Star Alliance.

    ¡°What is the situation in the Northwest Region now?¡± Su Nan asked.

    Carolina respectfully replied, ¡°Most of the city-states in the Northwest Region have united to form an alliance, and they even gave it a name: Falling Star Alliance.¡±

    Falling Star Alliance?

    Su Nan¡¯s expression turned strange, but quickly returned to normal. After a moment¡¯s thought, he said, ¡°Shift the focus of the war to the Northwest Region for now, we can hold off on Spiderweb City.¡±

    Since he had decided to temporarily not attack Spiderweb City, there was no need to station too many troops there. He could shift his focus to the Northwest Region and deal with the so-called Falling Star Alliance first.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Carolina received the order and withdrew.

    Sherman and Atir soon received Su Nan¡¯s orders.

    The two looked at each other, bewildered at the words on the parchment.

    ¡°Is this a strategy of surrounding without killing?¡± Atir¡¯s face was full of confusion, ¡°Why do this?¡±

    Sherman pondered for a moment and said thoughtfully, ¡°It must be related to the spider-ized elves. Perhaps they are important to the teacher, and he wants to obtain as many of their corpses as possible.¡±

    ¡°But in that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to attack Spiderweb City and directly kill all the spider-ized elves?¡± Atir said.

    The two did not understand the birth process of the spider-ized elves, so they didn¡¯t understand the meaning of the order at all.

    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t need to understand it.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s the teacher¡¯s order, we¡¯ll follow it.¡±

    Sherman took out the military map and spread it out on the table.

    This was a map of the Southeast Region of the Underworld.

    The Star Alliance had spent a considerable amount of manpower and resources to create such a detailed and complete military map of the Southeast Region.

    This map played a significant role in the Star Alliance¡¯s expansion.

    Two areas were distinguished on the map by color, representing the territories of the Star Alliance and the Dark Elves.

    Compared to the vast territory of the Star Alliance, the Dark Elves¡¯ territory occupied only a small corner.

    Sherman drew a circle around the outskirts of the Dark Elves¡¯ territory, saying, ¡°While we can¡¯t attack Spiderweb City, we can first attack their outlying city-states. This can reduce the pressure we face later and also create a greater sense of crisis for the Dark Elves.¡±

    Atir remembered the part in the teacher¡¯s order about ¡°squeezing out the Dark Elves¡¯ war potential¡± and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Also, the teacher asked us to dispatch some troops to support Kore.¡±

    ¡°The city-states we captured before are basically stable. We can deploy the remaining troops after garrisoning, and send them to support Kore.¡±

    With a few brief exchanges, Sherman and Atir quickly finalized their plans.

    As orders were issued one after another, the vast war machine swiftly sprang into action, pressing towards the Dark Elves.

    Starlight Calendar 1272, Spring Dawn Moon (March).

    After nearly twenty years of bloodline refinement, the Stealthy Dragon finally crossed the final step and evolved into a true Dragon Bloodline.

    Dragon Forest Zone 3. Su Nan looked at the Stealthy Dragon soaring and circling in the sky, a happy smile spreading across his face.

    After its bloodline ascension, the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s body expanded once again, now exceeding fifty meters in length, and it had grown a pair of massive wings.

    When it perched in front of him, it looked like a small mountain.

    In addition, its head had completely transformed into a dragon skull, with curved, sharp horns rising from the top, and its scales had completely turned into a fiery red.

    However, unlike typical dragons, the Stealthy Dragon retained its lizard-like crawling habits, unlike most dragons whose forelimbs are short and hind limbs long, accustomed to standing upright.

    What pleased Su Nan was that the Stealthy Dragon had awakened two new abilities.

    The first was the unique special ability of a magical companion ¨C Spell Sharing.

    As their life level increased, magical companions would gradually awaken various special abilities.

    For example, when the Stealthy Dragon evolved from Dragon Lizard Bloodline to Sub-Dragon Bloodline, it had awakened the special ability of Vision Sharing.

    The Spell Sharing ability, on the other hand, allowed the master, within a certain range, to choose to have the effects of spells cast on themselves also apply to their magical companion, until the duration of the spell ended or the two were separated by a certain distance.

    For example, when Su Nan cast the Lightness Spell on himself, he could make the effects of the Lightness Spell also apply to his magical companion.

    This ability could enhance the magical companion¡¯s combat ability to some extent and was considered quite practical.

    The second ability was the expected Flame Domination.

    As early as when the Stealthy Dragon awakened the Flame Breath ability, Su Nan guessed that when it evolved into a dragon, it was very likely to awaken Flame Domination.

    And the reality proved him right.

    Invisibility, Real and Unreal Transformation, and Flame Domination. The Stealthy Dragon now possessed three spell-like abilities.

    And they were all highly practical abilities.

    Coupled with the dragon¡¯s high spell resistance, sturdy physique, flight ability, dragon intimidation, and dragon breath, and other abilities, the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s combat ability was already not inferior to that of a formal Wizard.

    Just now, Su Nan and the Stealthy Dragon had a sparring match.

    Without using engraved gems or wizarding tools, Su Nan could only barely suppress the Stealthy Dragon.

    And this was with the Stealthy Dragon having just broken through and not fully adapting yet.

    Once it fully stabilized its realm, Su Nan estimated that without using his trump cards, he could only fight the Stealthy Dragon to a draw.

    ¡°Dragon Bloodline is truly extraordinary.¡±

    Su Nan sighed inwardly.

    Unfortunately, after evolving into a dragon, the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s bloodline concentration could no longer be enhanced.

    Like the vast majority of dragons, it primarily relied on time to grow its strength naturally.

    Even dragons could grow stronger while sleeping, but the speed was incredibly slow.

    However, this would be compensated by the dragon¡¯s long lifespan.

    Even a Chromatic Dragon, a lower-grade dragon, had a lifespan of over a thousand years.

    Generally, the older the dragon, the stronger it was, a consensus across the multiverse.

    The Stealthy Dragon naturally inherited these advantages.

    However, Su Nan didn¡¯t intend to let the Stealthy Dragon rely solely on natural growth to enhance its strength.

    Although its bloodline concentration could no longer be enhanced, biological modification using dragon blood could still promote the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s strength enhancement.

    He could completely synthesize dragon blood and use it to enhance the Stealthy Dragon¡¯s strength, accelerating its strength growth.

    While synthesizing dragon blood required a large amount of sub-dragon blood, this was the least of their concerns in the Dragon Forest.

    Su Nan turned his head towards Zone 2.

    The Dragon Forest Zone 2 Transformation and Sub-Dragon Bloodline Enhancement Project had already been implemented and the initial phase of the work had been completed.

    Zone 2 was now back in operation and housed nearly a thousand high-level sub-dragons.

    After all, they were not true dragons, and the number of creatures was relatively small, so the energy cycle ratio occupied by Zone 2 was not high.

    The optimal energy cycle ratio was only 28.33%.

    At present, the Dragon Forest had less than 10% of energy overflow, but Su Nan didn¡¯t intend to use this part, as it might be needed for future experiments.

    Every day, high-level sub-dragons were being brought to the laboratory for bloodline refinement surgery.

    Although the magnitude was not obvious, the overall bloodline concentration of the Zone 2 sub-dragon population was steadily increasing.

    Su Nan estimated that in four or five hundred years, perhaps a true dragon could be born from among them.

    Compared to the slow progress of transformation and evolution, another event that occurred recently had attracted Su Nan¡¯s attention.

    Just three days ago, the Starsea Empire declared war on the neighboring Snow Lion Duchy and invaded across the border with a massive army.

    This action immediately drew strong reactions from surrounding countries.

    Although the Starsea Empire only attacked one Snow Lion Duchy, it was like poking a hornet¡¯s nest, triggering resistance from almost all the countries in the Southeast Region.

    These countries united without hesitation to resist the Starsea Empire.

    A war involving the entire Southeast Region of the continent erupted.

    It was larger in scale than the previous war between the Azuregold Empire and the Starsea Empire, with almost all countries participating.

    After all, everyone with a clear mind could see that the Starsea Empire¡¯s goal was the entire Southeast Region of the continent.

    If the Starsea Empire was allowed to defeat them one by one, eventually all the countries would be annexed by it.

    No country was willing to see this happen.

    They understood the principle of ¡°a shared fate.¡±

    However, there was one country that was an exception.

    At the same time as the war broke out, the Thornflower Duchy announced its allegiance to the Starsea Empire, becoming another ducal territory within the empire¡¯s vast realm.

    This move by the Thornflower Duchy caught many by surprise, but Su Nan was thoughtful when he heard the news.

    ¡°Was it Rose who was behind the scenes, stirring the waters?¡±

    Only Rose could possibly persuade the Thornflower Duchy to surrender.

    Perhaps after joining the Star Alliance and realizing the vast resources it possessed, she persuaded the Thornflower Royal Family to surrender and preserve their bloodline.

    Only those who truly lived within the Star Alliance and held a certain position, able to access deeper layers of information, would understand how terrifying the power and development potential of this behemoth were.

    Su Nan had asked Rose about this matter, and her reply was that she had simply made the right choice.

    ¡°Indeed, it was the right choice.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly.

    The Starsea Empire now possessed sufficient strength. It no longer needed to borrow Magic Puppet Legions from the Star Alliance. It already had the power to clear all obstacles and unify the Southeast Region by itself.

    From the moment it erupted, the outcome of this war was already predetermined.

    ¡°Roar!¡±

    A loud dragon roar interrupted Su Nan¡¯s thoughts.

    Looking up, he saw the Stealthy Dragon soaring and circling, flying swiftly over the academy.

    The loud roar and the vast shadow that fell quickly attracted the attention of many students. A wave of exclamations rose from the academy.

    After circling several times in a showy manner, the Stealthy Dragon seemed to finally be satisfied. It left the academy airspace and descended to the ground, returning to Su Nan¡¯s side, raising its head and calling out several times.

    Su Nan chuckled, ¡°I know you¡¯re happy, but go easy. Otherwise, it¡¯ll take a long time to recover later.¡±

    As a high-life-level creature that could be compared to a Wizard, the Stealthy Dragon was naturally affected by the environment of the Starlight Continent. Not only was its strength significantly reduced, but if it overexerted itself, recovery was also very slow.

    Even in the Dragon Forest, where energy particles were relatively abundant, the influence had not been eliminated, only relatively better than outside.

    The Stealthy Dragon let out a low growl, indicating that it understood.

    Su Nan smiled and said no more. He teleported back to the laboratory in the Dragon Bone Tower.

    According to his calculations, the new corpses of spider-ized elves should have arrived.

 Chapter 195

    The war¡¯s trajectory defied many expectations.

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    Starlight Calendar 1272, Month of Scrolls.

    The Starsea Empire conquered the Snow Lion Duchy¡¯s capital, leading to the Snow Lion Duchy¡¯s demise.

    Starlight Calendar 1273, Month of Winter Lute.

    The Starsea Empire crushed the Newman Kingdom.

    Starlight Calendar 1273, Month of Summer Ridge.

    The Starsea Empire destroyed the Atlan Duchy.

    Starlight Calendar 1273...

    The Starsea Empire, with its swift momentum, crushed its adversaries at a breathtaking pace. Even amidst multi-front engagements, it displayed an overwhelming power that instilled a sense of utter helplessness.

    By Starlight Calendar 1275, over half of the ten-plus nations that had initially besieged the Starsea Empire had been conquered.

    The Starsea Empire showed no signs of weakness, instead growing stronger with each victory. The scales of victory had undeniably tilted in their favor. Many had come to realize that the Southeast Continent was about to welcome its true ruler.

    While the surface war raged on, Su Nan immersed himself in cultivation.

    Over the past few years, the frontlines had continuously sent him over twenty Spidery Elf corpses. The Divine Energy extracted from them had significantly boosted his Spiritual Condensation.

    By the Month of Summer Ridge, his Spiritual Condensation had reached 22.62%. At his original cultivation pace, it would have taken at least seventy years to achieve this. He had accomplished it in a mere six.

    ¡°The Spider Queen has gifted me a grand present.¡±

    A slight smile graced Su Nan¡¯s lips, followed by a hint of regret.

    The frequency of Spidery Elf appearances had been declining lately. Despite his orders for the Star Alliance to ease up, five years of relentless war had completely drained the Magma Spider City¡¯s combat power.

    Magma Spider City¡¯s forces had dwindled to the point where they could no longer hold their ten-plus subordinate cities. Their defense lines were shrinking, constantly abandoning outposts.

    Recently, the Dark Elves had even completely abandoned their two remaining vassal cities, retreating with their entire force back to Magma Spider City.

    Based on this trend, even if the Star Alliance didn¡¯t launch an attack, Magma Spider City would likely be unable to mount any counteroffensives. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they could no longer provide him with Spidery Elves.

    ¡°It would be better if they could hold out a bit longer. I should¡¯ve told Sherman to go a little easier.¡±

    ¡°Should I just stop attacking and give Magma Spider City some time to recover?¡±

    For once, Su Nan found himself considering his enemy¡¯s well-being.

    After all, they were down to a single Magma Spider City. Leaving them alone wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    He could get occasional ¡®supplements.¡¯

    The idea was good, but would the Spider Queen play along?

    No deity was a fool. The Star Alliance¡¯s strange actions over the past few years were likely to have aroused her suspicions. Unlike the natives of the Starlight Continent, deities were well-versed in wizards. The Spider Queen may already have guessed he was collecting Divine Energy.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan temporarily shelved the matter.

    Besides the situation with Magma Spider City, the Northwest Domain¡¯s campaign was proceeding smoothly. The so-called Falling Star Alliance was no match for the Star Alliance.

    After the newly established Third Medium-Sized Magic Puppet Legion was deployed to the Northwest Domain, the already struggling Falling Star Alliance was pushed further back, now retreating steadily on the frontline. Their defeat was only a matter of time.

    Everything was unfolding in a positive direction.

    Magma Spider City.

    The shadow of war hung over the city.

    The streets were eerily quiet. Occasionally, fully armed Dark Elf armies would pass by, their movements hurried, their expressions grave.

    As Tagana passed through the Lower City where the slaves resided, she heard screams coming from various houses. It was clear that some Dark Elves with foul moods were tormenting the slaves.

    Many Dark Elves had always enjoyed venting their frustrations through such acts, and with the recent string of defeats, the pressure on the people had intensified. This in turn fueled their use of such methods.

    Consequently, many slave corpses were hauled out of the city every day for cremation.

    Thinking back on the past few years, Tagana sighed.

    This war was perhaps a mistake. The Dark Elves had gained nothing from it.

    The twelve families of Magma Spider City had gone from initial excitement and zeal to shock and disbelief, and now to a state of bewilderment and despair.

    They were a prime example of what it meant to be ¡°happy beyond measure, only to face misery.¡±

    Over these years, the twelve families had conducted rituals that birthed over twenty Spidery Elves, all of whom perished at the hands of that mysterious young sorceress.

    Magma Spider City had even deployed multiple Spidery Elves at the same time to ambush the sorceress, but they failed to kill her and instead suffered complete annihilation.

    After several such incidents, Magma Spider City finally became afraid. They deliberately avoided the cities where the sorceress resided, instead targeting other cities.

    But, incredibly, no matter which city they attacked, as soon as the Spidery Elves appeared, the young sorceress would be on the battlefield within moments!

    After several successive encounters, the young sorceress had become Magma Spider City¡¯s nightmare!

    She and the Star Alliance stood like an insurmountable wall before them, unyielding despite all their assaults.

    Their strength was both shocking and disheartening.

    The only thing the war had brought to Magma Spider City was a reduction in population.

    Some were casualties from the war with the Star Alliance, while a significant portion were sacrifices for the rituals. Many of their people willingly sacrificed themselves to become part of the Spidery Elves.

    Unfortunately, their sacrifices proved futile, failing to bring victory to Magma Spider City.

    Tagana couldn¡¯t see any hope of defeating the Star Alliance.

    ¡°Tagana!¡±

    A call interrupted Tagana¡¯s reverie. She turned to see Vinya approaching swiftly, her eyes scrutinizing Tagana with confusion.

    ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply? I¡¯ve called you several times.¡±

    ¡°Nothing much.¡± Tagana shook her head, then noticed Vinya¡¯s weary appearance and asked, ¡°You¡¯re just back from outside?¡±

    Vinya nodded. ¡°The Martial Arts Instructor needs a few capable hands to scout the Star Alliance¡¯s situation, so I volunteered.¡±

    ¡°Any findings?¡±

    ¡°None.¡± Vinya shook her head, her face dark. ¡°Those Spider Puppets are too tricky. Even I couldn¡¯t detect their presence. We didn¡¯t dare get too close.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tagana¡¯s expression turned somber.

    Dark Elves were renowned for their assassination and stealth, and few creatures could engage them in the shadows and hold their ground.

    But the Star Alliance¡¯s Double-Bladed Spiders were an exception.

    Those puppets lacked a soul aura, and their life energy could be suppressed to an incredibly faint level. When they lay still in the shadows, even Dark Elves had trouble detecting them.

    The key was their incredible speed. They navigated the complex terrain of the Underworld with ease, as if they were walking on flat ground.

    One could say they were even better suited for scouting than Dark Elves.

    Initially, the Dark Elves were unaware of the Double-Bladed Spiders¡¯ strength and suffered heavy losses while scouting. Many of their trained Dark Elf scouts perished under the puppets¡¯ razor-sharp limbs.

    Now, no Dark Elf scout dared to venture too close to the Star Alliance¡¯s territory. No one knew how many Double-Bladed Spiders lurked in those shadows.

    ¡°The Star Alliance has taken over the two cities we evacuated. Now Magma Spider City is completely surrounded by the Star Alliance.¡±

    Vinya¡¯s voice was heavy, tinged with a hint of bewilderment.

    ¡°Tagana, do you think we can win?¡±

    Tagana pursed her lips and whispered, ¡°Magma Spider City still has the Queen¡¯s protection.¡±

    Mentioning the Queen, Vinya perked up and nodded vigorously.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, we have the Queen¡¯s protection. The Queen is omnipotent!¡±

    Tagana managed a forced smile. Only she knew how insincere her words were. If the Queen were truly omnipotent, Magma Spider City wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament.

    ¡°By the way, the Mother Conference is being held today, right?¡± Tagana changed the subject.

    Vinya nodded, her gaze towards the central temple.

    ¡°It should have already started.¡±

    The twelve families of Magma Spider City each had their own family temple, independent of the others. However, after the Queen¡¯s divine decree six years ago, the twelve families abandoned their infighting and united to face the outside world. They immediately joined forces to build a central temple.

    The new temple dwarfed any family temple in size. It not only housed the Queen¡¯s statue but also served as the gathering place for the twelve families to discuss important matters.

    At that moment, the meeting hall of the central temple was filled with the twelve families¡¯ matriarchs.

    Twelve Dark Elf females, each with distinct features and faces, but all young and beautiful, sat around a long table. Their expressions ranged from indifferent to somber, all remaining silent.

    A heavy atmosphere permeated every corner of the hall.

    After a long silence, the matriarch of the Lestat family, the first family of Magma Spider City, finally broke the silence.

    ¡°The Star Alliance is pressing hard. Magma Spider City is now completely surrounded by Magic Puppet Legions. Does anyone have any solutions?¡±

    Silence reigned.

    Finally, the matriarch of the Aulorie family spoke up.

    ¡°We can¡¯t counterattack until we eliminate that sorceress.¡±

    Everyone remained silent, exchanging glances.

    They all knew this was the case, but couldn¡¯t think of a good solution.

    Even Spidery Elves were no match for the young sorceress. What could they do?

    If they had a solution, they would have taken action long ago in these five years.

    ¡°I wonder if the Star Alliance is secretly plotting something?¡± The matriarch of the Valludary family suddenly spoke. ¡°Their actions over the past few years have been strange. I have a feeling they haven¡¯t been going all out, as if they¡¯ve deliberately given us a break.¡±

    The hall fell quiet.

    The matriarchs exchanged looks.

    The matriarch of the Philir family scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re overestimating the Star Alliance!¡±

    The matriarch of the Valludary family glared at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯m simply stating facts.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s your Valludary family who¡¯s afraid to fight and is intentionally preserving their strength. During the defense of Ulu City, if your Valludary family hadn¡¯t been the first to flee, causing the entire defense line to collapse, Ulu City wouldn¡¯t have fallen to the Star Alliance!¡±

    ¡°That was just an accident. I¡¯ve already turned the commander responsible into Spider food. What else are you dissatisfied with?¡±

    ¡°You¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    The matriarch of the Lestat family, who sat at the head of the table, intervened to silence their bickering. Her gaze swept coldly over the two.

    ¡°Now is the time to unite. Let your usual grievances toward each other rest for now. Or are you planning to disobey the Queen¡¯s decree?¡±

    Seeing the Lestat matriarch bring up the Queen, the Philir and Valludary matriarchs both changed expressions, glared at each other, then shut their mouths.

    The Lestat matriarch ignored them, her eyes sweeping across the group as she spoke in a solemn tone:

    ¡°After over twelve hundred years, the Dark Elves have finally regained the Queen¡¯s attention. This is an opportunity we¡¯ve fought hard for!¡±

    ¡°We must fulfill the Queen¡¯s decree and earn her favor again!¡±

    ¡°If we fail and lose the Queen¡¯s protection, Magma Spider City won¡¯t be able to hold out against the Star Alliance for long!¡±

    As the Lestat matriarch spoke, the other matriarchs gradually adopted serious expressions.

    They understood the truth of her words.

    Magma Spider City had undoubtedly reached a point of no return.

    If the Queen no longer focused on the Dark Elves, losing her protection, Magma Spider City wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Star Alliance.

    ¡°But what should we do?¡± The Aulorie matriarch frowned.

    ¡°Hold a larger-scale ritual!¡± The Lestat matriarch responded without hesitation. ¡°We need more Spidery Elves!¡±

    The others all furrowed their brows simultaneously.

    The Spidery Elf birth ritual required not only Dark Elves as sacrifices but also a large quantity of spider species.

    But over the years, for the sake of the rituals, Magma Spider City had nearly depleted its spider species reserves.

    The new batch of spider species had just been born and needed time to grow.

    The Lestat matriarch naturally considered this point and said solemnly, ¡°Use secret methods to accelerate the spider species¡¯ growth. The batch of slaves we brought from the other cities takes up too much space. They¡¯ll be perfect as nutrients.¡±

    A look of understanding flashed across the Aulorie matriarch¡¯s eyes.

    Now she understood why the Lestat matriarch had insisted on taking the troublesome slaves from the two cities. It was all in preparation for this moment.

    The others couldn¡¯t think of any better solutions either, so they were ready to agree to the Lestat matriarch¡¯s proposal.

    But at that moment, they all moved in unison, their gazes fixed on a certain direction outside the meeting hall.

    It was where the Queen¡¯s statue stood.

    The next instant, a spider illusion appeared out of thin air in the void.

    ¡°The Queen!¡±

    The twelve matriarchs simultaneously rose from their seats and knelt on the ground, their expressions reverent and devout.

    Then, a voice simultaneously echoed in their minds.

    The content of the voice made the twelve matriarchs¡¯ expressions a mixture of shock and bewilderment, but they quickly masked their emotions and bowed their heads in reverence.

    ¡°Great Queen, your decree is our mission!¡±

    The spider illusion above the meeting hall gradually faded away.

    The twelve matriarchs remained kneeling for a while longer, then slowly stood up.

    ¡°You¡¯ve all heard the Queen¡¯s decree.¡±

    The Lestat matriarch¡¯s face was hidden in the shadows beyond the firelight, making her expression impossible to discern.

    ¡°The Queen is very dissatisfied with our performance. Now is the time to make amends.¡±

    The Philir matriarch was the first to make a declaration: ¡°The Philir family is willing to provide one hundred of our most loyal Dark Elf warriors!¡±

    Seeing this, the other ten matriarchs, despite their heavy expressions, all made their own declarations.

    Soon, the Mother Conference reached an agreement.

    The twelve then left, heading to their respective families with resolute action, ready to make arrangements.

    They all understood that this was Magma Spider City¡¯s last chance!

    (End)

 Chapter 196

    ¡°Attend the ceremony? What¡¯s going on?¡±

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    Tagara stared at her friend in disbelief, grabbing her arm and urgently asking, ¡°You¡¯re one of the most elite Dark Elf warriors in our family, why would they choose you as the sacrifice for the ceremony?¡±

    Vinia shook her head, ¡°This ceremony is different from the past, the Goddess¡¯ messenger will descend and save the Spider City.¡±

    ¡°Only Dark Elves with the most devout faith can participate in this ceremony, we will become part of the messenger, kill that wizard, and then return to the divine realm with the messenger!¡±

    Looking at her friend with fervent eyes, Tagara¡¯s face turned slightly pale, filled with incomprehension.

    Why were they so enthusiastically worshipping an entity that had disappeared for over twelve hundred years?

    It was like they had lost their minds!

    ¡°Vinia, you¡¯re going to die!¡± Tagara couldn¡¯t bear to watch her friend go to her death.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Tagara,¡± Vinia displayed a genuine smile of joy, ¡°Death is not scary, as long as we return to the divine realm, I will be reborn under the power of the Goddess, and gain eternal life.¡±

    Seeing Tagara wanting to continue persuading her, Vinia waved her hand to interrupt her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore, Tagara!¡±

    ¡°We are the Goddess¡¯ most loyal subjects, we should naturally obey her orders, it is my honor!¡±

    After saying this, Vinia turned and walked towards the central temple.

    Tagara stood frozen in place, her expression filled with bewilderment and daze.

    At the same time, Dark Elf warriors rushed from various parts of Spider City to the central temple.

    Dark purple demon fire burned and surged between the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, illuminating the outline of the temple below.

    The gigantic temple was like a monster lurking in the darkness, opening its bloody maw, waiting for its prey to willingly walk into its grasp.

    Bank City.

    As the closest city-state to Spider City, it was also the first line of defense against Spider City.

    To delay the advance of the Star Alliance, the Dark Elves evacuated before taking away all the slaves in the city, and also destroyed the city walls and most of the buildings.

    The Star Alliance was forced to pause their advance and repair the city-state.

    However, this was exactly what Xieman wanted.

    He didn¡¯t want to attack Spider City too quickly, and he could now take a month or two to repair the city walls and buildings.

    Emerging from his meditation chamber, Xieman went straight to his study.

    Although he had to command the war, he didn¡¯t neglect his cultivation and studies.

    This was the foundation for a wizard apprentice.

    Participating in war was to earn more contribution points, exchange for resources to improve his strength, the latter being the ultimate goal.

    Xieman wouldn¡¯t get his priorities mixed up.

    Entering the study, Atil was reading battle reports inside, so focused that she didn¡¯t notice anyone approaching.

    Only when Xieman walked into the study did she come to her senses, raising her head and smiling, ¡°You¡¯re just in time, there are a few documents here that need your signature.¡±

    As the commander of this army, Xieman was in charge, and Atil was only his deputy, so many documents needed Xieman¡¯s signature before they could be approved.

    Xieman took the documents, glanced at them, quickly signed his name, and then asked, ¡°How about the two puppet creatures?¡±

    ¡°The new batch of magic stones have just been shipped, they went to ¡®recharge¡¯.¡±

    What was called recharging was actually stuffing magic stones inside.

    Atil only learned later that those two puppet creatures were powerful, but their energy consumption was terrifying.

    One battle would consume about ten mid-grade magic stones, costing nearly ten thousand gold coins (the Star Alliance supplied all the magic stones at ¡®market prices¡¯)!

    It was truly a bottomless pit!

    ¡°Which puppet creature should we deploy for the next battle?¡± Atil asked.

    Xieman thought for a moment, ¡°Number 1 just killed a spiderized elf two days ago, and its injuries haven¡¯t fully recovered, we¡¯ll send Number 2 out next.¡±

    To avoid scaring Spider City and make the Dark Elves lose their will to fight completely, Xieman had been deliberately avoiding deploying both puppet creatures on the battlefield at the same time.

    He only deployed one against spiderized elves each time.

    Anyway, both puppet creatures had the ability to change their appearance, as long as they maintained the same appearance, the Dark Elves couldn¡¯t tell the difference.

    ¡°By the way, the teacher has a new order,¡± Atil handed over a scroll of parchment.

    Xieman took it and looked at it, his expression immediately became strange.

    Atil had already read the contents of the document and was puzzled, ¡°What does the teacher intend to do? We were told not to push Spider City too hard before, but now we¡¯re ordered to surround but not attack.¡±

    Xieman was also confused, but he still said, ¡°The teacher must have his arrangements, we just need to follow them, and we can have more time to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Atil nodded readily.

    It was not often that they had such a good opportunity to earn contribution points and cultivate at the same time.

    ¡°I heard that Corey and Ethan are making good progress, they¡¯ve won a few big victories.¡±

    ¡°They have two medium-sized golem legions on their side after all, the so-called Falling Star Alliance has no chance against them.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the war in the northwest region will end faster than ours.¡±

    As the two were chatting, a soldier suddenly hurried to the study door, bowing to them.

    ¡°Sir, scouts report that the Spider City army is marching towards us.¡±

    Xieman was startled and looked at Atil, the latter also showed surprise in her eyes.

    Spider City had abandoned its vassal city-states to avoid the Star Alliance¡¯s offensive, concentrating its forces to defend Spider City, but now it was abandoning its defensive advantage and taking the initiative to attack, what were those Dark Elves up to?

    ¡°They¡¯re not coming to surrender, are they?¡± Atil joked.

    ¡°Even if they were, it would be a feint.¡± Xieman had no trust in the Dark Elves known for their cunning, ¡°Moreover, they wouldn¡¯t come to surrender with their entire army.¡±

    After joking for a few sentences, the two didn¡¯t delay and immediately rushed to the city gate.

    When they reached the city wall, they happened to see the Dark Elf army deploying their forces in the distance.

    ¡°This number... Spider City has emptied its entire city!¡± Atil¡¯s face became more solemn.

    Xieman¡¯s brows also furrowed.

    From the looks of it, the Dark Elves were treating the next battle as their last stand?

    But what he couldn¡¯t understand was, where did the Dark Elves get their confidence?

    They were even putting themselves at a disadvantage by being the attacking party.

    This move was undoubtedly strange.

    However, seeing the puppet creature that had arrived beside him at some point, Xieman¡¯s heart relaxed slightly.

    No matter what the Dark Elves were up to, with two puppet creatures, there was no need to worry too much.

    Soon, the Dark Elf army launched their attack.

    As always, the slave troops acted as the vanguard, and when the cannon fodder had been consumed, the minotaur troops and lizard riders charged ferociously.

    Bang!

    The city gate opened, the golem legion marched towards the battlefield in unison, like a giant wall blocking the enemies¡¯ tide-like charge.

    The two sides clashed in an instant, and the battlefield was instantly filled with deafening shouts.

    Xieman stared intently at the rear of the battlefield.

    The Dark Elves dared to attack Bank City, not because of these armies, they must have other trump cards.

    More spiderized elves? Or something else?

    Xieman didn¡¯t have to wonder for long.

    A dark shadow suddenly shot up from the direction of the Dark Elf camp, paused briefly in the air, and then darted towards this side like a bolt of lightning, stopping above the battlefield.

    The light from the fluorite quickly revealed the shape of the being.

    ¡°Spiderized elf? No, that¡¯s not right,¡± Atil¡¯s pupils constricted, ¡°What kind of monster is this?¡±

    The monster above the battlefield looked very similar to a spiderized elf, but upon closer inspection, one could see that its lower body spider form was larger than any spiderized elf they had seen before, its color was even darker, looking from afar, it was as if a black hole was floating in the air, its eight long limbs swaying slowly in the void, like blades emitting a chilling gleam that made one¡¯s heart skip a beat.

    Above the spider form was a graceful Dark Elf female body.

    The body was naked without any clothing or armor, its jade-like skin was covered with strange, crimson patterns, vaguely intertwining to form ferocious blood-red spiders, which under the illumination of the fluorite light, had a perverse beauty.

    Xieman looked at the half-spider monster with a sense of unease.

    For some reason, this monster gave him a strong sense of threat, far stronger than a spiderized elf!

    Just when Xieman and Atil were bewildered, the half-spider monster shrieked, and then shot towards the city wall like a cannonball, pausing briefly in mid-air.

    On the way, two elite iron golems noticed the half-spider monster, the light on their chests flashed, and sonic blasts and magic missiles roared out simultaneously.

    However, the half-spider monster didn¡¯t even look at them, its huge spider body crushed the sonic blasts and magic missiles like foam, then its eight limbs crossed and slashed, eight crescent-shaped light blades fell from the sky, cutting the two elite iron golems into pieces!

    An elite gold golem activated its levitation spell and soared into the air, blocking the path of the half-spider monster, its two iron fists, under the boost of magic, struck out with the force of a mountain, but were cut off by the half-spider monster swinging two scimitars.

    Then the cold light flashed, and the huge gold golem was instantly cut into pieces.

    All this happened in the blink of an eye, Xieman hadn¡¯t even had time to react.

    Not caring about the loss of golems, he quickly ordered the other golems to stay away from the half-spider monster.

    This monster was clearly stronger than a spiderized elf, ordinary golems were no match for it.

    Seeing the golems retreating, the half-spider monster didn¡¯t bother with these miscellaneous troops, it continued to fly towards the city wall, its gaze fixed on the puppet girl the entire time.

    Without Xieman¡¯s orders, the puppet girl had already thrown back her grey robe and leaped from the city wall to meet the half-spider monster.

    In an instant, raging flames and violent lightning swept out simultaneously, blasting onto the half-spider monster.

    The spells cast by the puppet girl were not comparable to those of the elite iron golems, the half-spider monster didn¡¯t resist this time, but nimbly dodged, approaching the puppet girl like a ghost, wielding its scimitars and lower limbs to strike at the same time.

    The puppet girl didn¡¯t show any fear, she brandished her magic-enhanced longsword and met the attack.

    The two sides instantly engaged in a fierce battle in mid-air, and the battle quickly reached a fever pitch.

    The puppet girl fought with one hand holding a sword and the other casting spells, using both physical combat skills and spells, her momentum was awe-inspiring.

    The half-spider monster might not be able to cast spells, but it had many weapons, and those crimson patterns on its body seemed to have some kind of defensive effect.

    Every time a spell hit the half-spider monster, the crimson patterns on its body would flash, annihilating the spell without a scratch.

    The two sides were deadlocked for a while.

    After a long stalemate, the half-spider monster seemed to be getting angry, letting out a shrill shriek, its body suddenly ignited with violet demon fire, its aura suddenly exploded.

    The eight limbs of the spider body were also enveloped in violet demon fire, slashing out dense blades of light towards the puppet girl.

    Each hit caused a subtle distortion on the surface of the puppet girl¡¯s body.

    Xieman and Atil couldn¡¯t help but be startled when they saw this.

    Only they knew that this was a sign that the defensive power of the Extreme Guard Ring was plummeting rapidly.

    It hadn¡¯t been like this when resisting the half-spider monster¡¯s attacks before, how could the violet demon fire be so powerful?

    Xieman frowned as he stared at the violet demon fire on the half-spider monster.

    For some reason, the aura emanating from the violet demon fire gave them a sense of heavy pressure.

    ¡°It¡¯s not elemental energy, nor is it spiritual power, it¡¯s an unprecedented energy type!¡±

    Xieman was puzzled in his heart.

    As the half-spider monster deployed its demon fire, the puppet girl was quickly put on the defensive!

    Atil widened her eyes in shock.

    They knew that the puppet girl was a puppet on par with a formal wizard, what kind of existence was this half-spider monster, that it could suppress the puppet girl?

    At the same time,

    In the Dark Elf camp, the matriarchs of the twelve families also fixed their gazes on the battle in the sky, watching the performance of the half-spider monster every second.

    When they saw the half-spider monster completely suppressing its opponent and firmly holding the upper hand, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their faces filled with relief and joy.

    ¡°As expected of the Messenger, that wizard is no match at all!¡± Filial Matriarch¡¯s eyes shone with fanaticism.

    ¡°It¡¯s worth all the sacrifices we made...¡±

    Aurory¡¯s words stopped halfway, she suddenly came to her senses, quickly shaking her head, dispelling this disrespectful thought towards the Goddess.

    How could this be called a sacrifice?

    It was an honor for those Dark Elf warriors!

    Thankfully, the other matriarchs were so filled with joy that they didn¡¯t notice her words.

    Lesta Matriarch smiled, ¡°After killing that wizard, the Star Alliance will be leaderless and will definitely be in chaos for a while, we can take advantage of this opportunity to counterattack!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Filial Matriarch nodded heavily, ¡°As long as that wizard dies, the Star Alliance will be no match for us!¡±

    The others were also full of excitement.

    With the Messenger, Spider City would surely unify the southeast region, no, it would unify the entire underground world!

    Boom!

    A figure smashed down like a meteor, smashing more than ten Dark Elf warriors and golems into debris, instantly creating a huge crater on the ground.

    The puppet girl lay in the crater, her body covered in wounds, her left arm was severed at the shoulder.

    The half-spider monster hovered in the air, its eyes coldly overlooking the puppet girl, with an air of aloof indifference.

    ¡°We won!¡± Filial Matriarch showed a triumphant smile on her face.

    In the Dark Elf camp, cheers rang out, with occasional hymns of praise mixed in.

    The Dark Elf matriarchs didn¡¯t reprimand their soldiers, they all showed expressions of delight.

    The outcome was decided!

    In the sky above the battlefield, the half-spider monster raised its scimitar, and the spider body beneath it also raised its sharp limbs.

    In the next instant, she suddenly descended, crashing down towards the puppet girl like a falling star.

    By the looks of it, she was going to end the battle with one blow!

    Clang!

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, the half-spider monster¡¯s attack was blocked.

    A tall, slender figure stood in front of the half-spider monster, holding a sword in both hands, simultaneously blocking the scimitar and the limb that were about to strike.

    In the distance, Filial Matriarch looked at the girl lying in the pit, then at the other girl blocking the Messenger, her face showed a mixture of shock and bewilderment.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 197

    What¡¯s going on?

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    The Dark Elf Matrons stared dumbfounded at the second girl who appeared.

    She and the one lying on the ground, both in appearance and figure, were exactly the same, as if they were carved from the same mold.

    ¡°This, this, what¡¯s going on?¡± The Filir Matron murmured in shock.

    However, no one answered her question.

    Everyone was in a state of intense shock.

    Until the Aurory Matron¡¯s exclamation woke them up.

    ¡°Look at her arm!¡±

    Following her gaze, everyone looked at the broken arm wound of the girl in the deep pit, their pupils contracting at the same time.

    What appeared in the wound was not flesh and blood, but a liquid that flowed like mercury!

    The Lestar Matron¡¯s face instantly turned pale.

    If it were just simple mercury-like flesh and blood, it could be explained as a kind of peculiar bloodline, but the appearance of the second girl made her instantly have a very terrible guess.

    They had always thought that the girl wizard controlled by the Star Alliance was in fact, a puppet!

    The other Dark Elf Matrons soon thought of this too, their faces all turned ugly.

    ¡°It could also be twin wizards.¡±

    The Filir Matron said through gritted teeth, but halfway through she felt it was too ridiculous.

    Wizards were already extremely rare, let alone twin wizards, the possibility was really too low.

    The truth was obviously only one, and it was already in front of them.

    It¡¯s just that for a while, they couldn¡¯t accept it.

    After all, if these two powerful girls were really puppets, then how powerful would the wizard who could create such puppets be?

    They felt their scalp tingling and their backs getting cold just thinking about it.

    At the same time, the half-spider monster seemed to be startled by the sudden appearance of the girl puppet, a surprised expression appeared on its face covered in blood, but it was immediately replaced by a strong killing intent.

    No matter how many come, kill them all!

    Clang!

    Amidst the ear-splitting sound of metal clashing, the half-spider monster swung its blade again towards the puppet girl in front of it.

    The battle broke out again.

    On the city wall, Xeman and Atier secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    Fortunately, the second puppet arrived in time, otherwise, if they lost a puppet here, they would have no way to explain to their teacher.

    Although they didn¡¯t know the detailed cost of the puppet, Xeman guessed that it wouldn¡¯t be much lower than the cost of building a small Magic Puppet Legion.

    After all, it was a puppet comparable to a wizard.

    At this time, the situation in the battlefield sky changed again.

    The injured puppet girl climbed out of the deep pit, her entire body covered with a silvery, bright luster, her body surface flowed like mercury, quickly gathered to the broken arm, and quickly wriggled to grow new bones and flesh.

    In the blink of an eye, the broken right arm had grown back.

    The skin also returned to its normal color.

    Unexpectedly, the fully healed puppet girl didn¡¯t go up to surround the half-spider monster, but instead retreated.

    The puppet girl who was fighting the half-spider monster also pulled away from the battlefield.

    The half-spider monster was about to pursue, but suddenly stopped, its body stiffening in mid-air.

    It turned its head abruptly and looked at the void not far away.

    There was a figure there, who appeared out of nowhere, looking at it with interest.

    At the same time, both sides of the war immediately noticed the figure that appeared out of nowhere.

    Seeing the figure clearly, Xeman and Atier both showed surprise.

    ¡°Teacher!¡±

    The person who came was none other than Su Nan.

    Although they were a little confused why their teacher was here, both Xeman and Atier were relieved.

    They were really a little worried that the two puppets were not the opponent of that half-spider monster.

    But now that the teacher is here, there¡¯s no problem.

    On the other side, the Dark Elf Matrons all changed their faces.

    Just looking at the two puppet girls standing quietly behind the man, they could guess his identity.

    The true controller of the Star Alliance, the wizard who created those two powerful puppets!

    ¡°With the Divine Envoy here, there¡¯s definitely no problem!¡± As if to comfort herself, the Filir Matron said through gritted teeth, ¡°Even if he¡¯s a wizard, what does it matter? The Divine Envoy is the subordinate of the Goddess, he will definitely be able to defeat that wizard!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°The Goddess¡¯s envoy will never lose to a mere wizard!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait and see!¡±

    Several Matrons responded in unison, but there was less confidence in their voices, sounding more like they were trying to cheer themselves up.

    The Lestar Matron secretly clenched her fists.

    Life or death depends on whether the Divine Envoy can kill that wizard!

    Su Nan didn¡¯t pay attention to the Dark Elf Matrons at all, his gaze was all on the half-spider monster in front of him.

    ¡°Half-spider Divine Favored,¡± Su Nan¡¯s lips curled slightly.

    After absorbing Divine Energy countless times, he was now incredibly familiar with the aura of Divine Energy, clearly sensing the rich Divine Energy contained in the monster in front of him.

    More than the twenty or so spiderized elves combined!

    This was clearly a Divine Favored creature of a higher level than the spiderized elves.

    After a moment of thought, Su Nan understood.

    The Spider Goddess must have realized his intention to use the Spider Web City as a Divine Energy production point, and didn¡¯t want to continue to entangle with him, so she simply made a big one.

    If he could solve the Star Alliance, then it would naturally be a happy event.

    If he failed, he could also cut his losses in time.

    ¡°It seems like this is the last harvest.¡±

    Su Nan felt a little regretful.

    If the Spider Goddess could have noticed a few dozen years later, maybe he would be able to break through to the first level of liquefaction with Divine Energy.

    But this was just a thought, the Spider Goddess wouldn¡¯t be slow to that extent.

    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s not bad to be able to harvest a big one in the end.¡±

    Su Nan stared at the half-spider Divine Favored with burning eyes.

    In his eyes, the half-spider Divine Favored was a walking big gift package.

    Perhaps it was the look in Su Nan¡¯s eyes as he saw the prey that enraged it, the half-spider Divine Favored¡¯s killing intent finally overwhelmed its hesitation, and it let out a sharp cry and rushed towards Su Nan.

    The demonic fire covering its entire body left purple traces in the void, charging like a purple meteor.

    Faced with such a powerful enemy, Su Nan remained suspended in mid-air, motionless. Countless silvery-white liquids emerged from the surface of his skin, and in the blink of an eye, they wrapped him into a silver, shining white liquid ball.

    The next moment, a giant palm suddenly shot out of the liquid ball like lightning, carrying the power of thunder and lightning, and slammed heavily onto the half-spider Divine Favored, instantly making a loud bang, sending the half-spider Divine Favored crashing to the ground like a cannonball!

    Boom!

    A wave of dust and smoke billowed up, and there was instantly a deep pit on the ground.

    After smashing the half-spider Divine Favored, the palm continued to drill out, first the arm, then the shoulder, then the head and torso.

    Looking from afar, it was as if a silver giant had drilled out of the liquid ball.

    Immediately afterwards, the silver giant descended from the sky, landing in front of the half-spider Divine Favored, and slammed its fist down.

    The half-spider Divine Favored in the deep pit struggled to straighten up, crossing its two scimitars to block the fist.

    Bang!

    The fist hit the scimitars hard, generating a visible shockwave!

    The eight segmented limbs of the half-spider Divine Favored only bent slightly before straightening back up again.

    The force from the two scimitars was equal.

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow upon seeing this.

    It seems that the half-spider Divine Favored is stronger than he expected.

    It looks like it didn¡¯t go all out when dealing with the puppet girl.

    It¡¯s estimated that it wanted to save its strength due to the influence of the Star Light Continent environment.

    In any case, this half-spider Divine Favored was different from the spiderized elves, it was a real wizard-level creature, with the strength level of a first-level liquefied wizard.

    In a head-on confrontation, it had the power to kill a first-level liquefied wizard.

    Otherwise, the Spider Goddess wouldn¡¯t have created it to deal with the Star Alliance.

    ¡°It seems that ordinary methods won¡¯t be able to solve this fellow.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he already had a plan in mind.

    The silver giant¡¯s fists slammed down repeatedly, so fast that they almost produced afterimages, and the dull sound of impact almost merged into one.

    Looking from afar, the half-spider Divine Favored was like it was surrounded by a sea of silver fists.

    However, its response was no less formidable, its double blades swung at high speed, countless blade shadows intertwined into a net, blocking the sky full of fist shadows.

    Just when the two sides were exchanging blows endlessly, the half-spider Divine Favored suddenly raised its spider leg and fiercely slashed towards the silver giant¡¯s legs!

    At such a close distance, Su Nan couldn¡¯t dodge in time, but he didn¡¯t intend to dodge either.

    The sharp leg, which could cut steel and break iron, hit the silver giant¡¯s legs, but it was as if it had sunk into mud, its speed suddenly slowed down.

    The half-spider Divine Favored tried to pull it out with force, but it felt a sticky force, and for a while it couldn¡¯t pull out its leg immediately.

    Just then, the giant in front of it suddenly rippled, like the surface of a rippling lake, Su Nan suddenly drilled out of it.

    He was pinching a gem engraved with strange patterns between his index and middle fingers.

    Looking at the gem, the half-spider Divine Favored keenly felt that something was wrong.

    It suddenly exerted force and pulled out its leg, then it was about to retreat.

    But it was too late.

    The next moment, a blinding ray of light erupted, taking over the entire field of vision!

    The engraved gem ¡¾Thunder Burst¡¿!

    As an advanced enchantment technique for magic tattoos, rune engraving alone is more powerful than a third-ring spell.

    And engraved gems not only have three times the energy strength of rune engraving, but the key is that they release all of their energy in a destructive burst, although the price is a higher cost for a one-time consumption, but the damage brought about by this is a huge increase!

    In an instant, the surging lightning flooded the half-spider Divine Favored!

    The deafening thunder drowned out the half-spider Divine Favored¡¯s screams.

    The scattered fine electric arcs spread out for several hundred meters, causing many Dark Elf warriors who hadn¡¯t had time to retreat to suddenly stiffen, and before they could recover, they were smashed to death by the immune-paralyzed Magic Puppet.

    Whew!

    The afterglow of the lightning hadn¡¯t dissipated yet, and a figure suddenly broke through the lightning and rushed towards the Dark Elf¡¯s direction.

    Divine Favored creatures don¡¯t fear, but they know how to judge the situation.

    After realizing that it was no match for Su Nan, it immediately chose to retreat, saving its life force.

    Su Nan looked coldly at the back of the half-spider Divine Favored, his wrist flipped, and a palm-sized black spear appeared out of thin air. It was about the length of a little finger, with lightning-like patterns on both sides, and it faintly emitted a cold, destructive aura.

    It was one of the two great Divine Artifacts he currently had, ¡¾Black Thunder¡¿.

    As Su Nan clasped his five fingers together, dazzling lightning suddenly burst from his palm and quickly condensed into a long, bar-shaped object, rapidly lengthening.

    In the blink of an eye, Su Nan had a black lightning spear in his hand.

    The spear body, condensed from pure thunder power, exuded a terrifying aura that made people feel terrified.

    The half-spider Divine Favored in the distance immediately noticed this, and a look of astonishment appeared on its face.

    Just then, a strange aura suddenly descended and enveloped its entire body.

    A palm-sized black spider illusion slowly emerged from its back.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a sneer appeared on his face.

    ¡°Finally couldn¡¯t bear to make a move?¡±

    As the words fell, he suddenly threw the black spear.

    A sonic boom that almost pierced the eardrums suddenly erupted.

    The black spear tore through the void like thunder and lightning, reaching behind the half-spider Divine Favored in the blink of an eye.

    As if sensing a strong threat, the spider illusion suddenly twisted, turning into a graceful and slender female hand, pressing straight towards the incoming spear.

    In full view of everyone, the hand and the spear collided, bursting out with brilliant light, clear and unclear sounds mixed together, the invisible shock waves spread out like ripples, and large, clearly visible distortions instantly appeared in the surrounding void.

    Even from a distance, the onlookers could feel the terrifying energy pressure, which almost made them unable to maintain their consciousness.

    Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

    Then, the graceful hand shattered piece by piece, turning into ashes and dissipating into the air.

    The black spear then pierced through the half-spider Divine Favored¡¯s heart, the latter¡¯s body stiffened, and it fell to the ground like a broken kite.

    Faintly, Su Nan seemed to hear a malicious chuckle in his ears.

    ¡°Young wizard, we¡¯ll meet again.¡±

    Su Nan squinted his eyes, ignored it, stretched out his hand and summoned the half-spider Divine Favored¡¯s body, which flew up and floated beside him, then was collected into his spatial ring.

    He didn¡¯t even look at the Dark Elf army, and flew straight towards the city of Bank.

    Behind the battlefield, the Dark Elf Matrons stared blankly at Su Nan¡¯s receding figure, only feeling a buzzing in their heads and a blank mind.

    They lost!

    The Divine Envoy they had placed their hopes in was dead!

    They could even see clearly, that at the last moment, the Goddess they faithfully believed in even took action, but still couldn¡¯t stop the attack of that wizard.

    If even the Goddess couldn¡¯t do anything about that wizard, what hope of victory did they have?

    The Spider Web City is finished!

    At this moment, the same thought appeared in the minds of the twelve Dark Elf Matrons.

    Boom!

    As if to respond to their thoughts, the city gate of Bank City opened wide in the distance, and countless Magic Puppets poured out, sweeping towards the battlefield like a flood.

    At the same time, neat and dense footsteps came from both flanks of the battlefield.

    Countless knights riding Blackrock Beasts and Longling (dragon antelope) charged out from both flanks of the battlefield, quickly piercing the battlefield like sharp blades, and rushed towards the Dark Elf camp behind.

    Looking at this scene, all the Dark Elf Matrons were pale with fear.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 198

    The death of the demigod not only deprived the Demon Spider City of its final trump card but also completely shattered the morale of the Dark Elf army.

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    With just a single charge, the Dark Elf army crumbled and quickly devolved into a one-sided slaughter.

    The battle was decided!

    The Dark Elf matriarchs regained their senses and immediately ordered a retreat, but under the pursuit of the Golem Legion and the Rune Knight Corps, their retreat soon turned into a rout.

    Only a small number of stragglers managed to escape back into Demon Spider City.

    The losses incurred by Demon Spider City in this battle were beyond description.

    Without the favor of the Spider Queen, Demon Spider City held no value. Su Nan didn¡¯t plan to keep it any longer and directly ordered an attack on the city.

    The Golem Legion set out for Demon Spider City that very day, breaching the city gates and storming into the city within less than an hour.

    Thus, Demon Spider City fell.

    The last remaining territory in the Southeastern Region fell into the hands of the Star Alliance.

    The Southeastern Region of the Underworld officially witnessed the birth of its sole ruler.

    Dragon Skull Tower, Laboratory.

    After bringing back the body of the Spider Demigod, Su Nan immediately extracted the divine energy.

    As he expected, the Spider Demigod contained far more divine energy than the spiderized elves, a total of 213 standard units.

    To Su Nan¡¯s surprise, the magic cube displayed that this divine energy, besides being contaminated by faith, also contained a soul poison.

    This soul poison would inflict a curse upon a wizard¡¯s soul.

    Even if one could endure it, their soul would suffer irreversible damage and require a significant amount of time to recover.

    ¡°That cunning spider, she still had this trick up her sleeve.¡±

    Su Nan sneered.

    It was clear that the Spider Queen had anticipated his purpose of collecting divine energy and thus had left something in it, aiming to deliver a sneaky backstab.

    If not for the magic cube, he might not have discovered this trap.

    ¡°As expected of a deity renowned for its cunning, even her counterattack after defeat was well thought out.¡±

    Another wizard might have fallen for the Spider Queen¡¯s scheme.

    Unfortunately, this tactic was useless against Su Nan.

    As for the Spider Queen¡¯s veiled threat earlier, Su Nan didn¡¯t take it to heart.

    While it was still unclear how the Spider Queen had managed to infiltrate the Starlight Continent, her actions thus far indicated that she was still subject to the continent¡¯s limitations and could not penetrate with too much force.

    Especially after losing the faith of the Dark Elves and lacking sacrifices and mediums, her ability to infiltrate the Starlight Continent became even more difficult.

    And once the Starlight Continent¡¯s dimensional barrier recovered, the wizards would return.

    At that time, even if the Spider Queen had ten times the courage, she wouldn¡¯t dare to openly infiltrate the Starlight Continent, let alone make a descent.

    That last statement was simply a dog¡¯s bark. Su Nan simply dismissed it as a fart.

    Perhaps due to her focus on creating spiderized elves, Demon Spider City didn¡¯t have any sacred objects, only a few statues of the Spider Queen, each containing a trace of divine energy.

    Su Nan extracted them all and placed them in the magic cube for synthesis.

    Synthesis could eliminate faith contamination and naturally purify soul poison as well.

    After using the magic cube to purify the divine energy, Su Nan absorbed it immediately. Upon digesting all the divine energy, his spiritual refinement had increased by 17.57%.

    ¡¾Vaporization: 40.19%¡¿

    Seeing the data on the panel, Su Nan breathed a sigh of relief.

    This was a good haul, saving him decades of cultivation time.

    Even without divine energy to absorb in the future, he could still reach Level 1 Liquidation in around two hundred years through regular cultivation.

    Moreover, without divine energy, there were still other means to accelerate cultivation speed.

    Su Nan hadn¡¯t forgotten the initial purpose of attacking Demon Spider City.

    The Philiir family, one of the twelve families of Demon Spider City, likely possessed clues to the Black Forest, one of the three wizard legacies.

    By finding the Black Forest, he might be able to discover something within that could enhance his spiritual refinement.

    To this end, Su Nan had specifically instructed Sherman to interrogate the members of the Philiir family after conquering Demon Spider City.

    Results should be coming in a few days.

    The results came sooner than expected.

    The day after capturing Demon Spider City, Sherman delivered the information Su Nan desired.

    ¡°So, it was a Dark Elf who provided the clue?¡±

    In his study, Su Nan raised an eyebrow, looking at Sherman.

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    Sherman¡¯s expression was also somewhat peculiar.

    ¡°The moment we conquered Demon Spider City, I captured all the members of the Philiir family, including the matriarch and the martial arts leader. I immediately had them interrogated by the Man-faced Lion, but all the female Dark Elves refused to speak, while the male Dark Elves were willing to cooperate. However, they basically didn¡¯t know any valuable information.¡±

    The Dark Elves revered women, a tradition stemming from the influence of the Spider Queen.

    This female deity favored female Dark Elves more, often bestowing upon them more blessings than male Dark Elves, which led to the low status of males in the Dark Elf race.

    Therefore, male Dark Elves didn¡¯t have access to high-level information and it was normal for them to be unaware of the clues to the Black Forest.

    However, it was unexpected for the female Dark Elves to be so stubborn.

    It seemed that the Spider Queen must have made some sort of arrangement, deepening the faith contamination of these female Dark Elves.

    Only then could it be explained why those female Dark Elves would rather die than speak.

    However, this made the female Dark Elf who volunteered to provide the clue stand out even more.

    ¡°What¡¯s her status within the Philiir family?¡± Su Nan asked.

    ¡°Her name is Tagana. She¡¯s a regular soldier in the Philiir family, but she¡¯s the daughter of the Philiir matriarch.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression immediately turned strange.

    A daughter betraying her mother?

    Well, it wasn¡¯t entirely surprising. In the Dark Elf race, which loved infighting, many family matriarchs ascended to power after their daughters backstabbed their mothers in a coup d¡¯e?tat. It was a tradition among the Dark Elves.

    And if she was the matriarch¡¯s daughter, it wasn¡¯t strange for her to have access to information about the Black Forest.

    What surprised Su Nan was why Tagana was the only exception, while the other female Dark Elves were all subjected to faith contamination.

    Su Nan became curious.

    ¡°Bring that Dark Elf here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    After Sherman left, Su Nan looked at a pitch-black twig lying on the table.

    This was the item found in the Philiir family¡¯s temple after Tagana provided the information.

    The twig was about ten centimeters long, as thick as an index finger, with a wrinkled surface like bark, covered in fine lines.

    However, upon closer inspection, one could see that these fine lines seemed to contain a certain pattern, vaguely forming some kind of enchantment rune.

    In fact, this wasn¡¯t a simple twig but a magical item.

    It was also the key to opening the Black Forest.

    After placing it in the magic cube, Su Nan gained access to all the information about the twig.

    Unfortunately, the magic cube didn¡¯t provide specific instructions on how to use it, so he still needed to research it for a while before figuring out how to use it to find the Black Forest.

    The thought of soon finding the second wizard legacy filled Su Nan with joy.

    ¡°Now, all that¡¯s left is Starshine City.¡±

    He was determined to obtain resources from all three wizard legacies.

    Otherwise, with only the current resources on the Starlight Continent, he would need an eternity to advance to Level 2 Wizard.

    Not long after, Sherman walked in with a Dark Elf girl.

    Tall and slender, with exquisite features, the girl before him was beautiful, like most Dark Elves.

    Although her jet-black skin didn¡¯t conform to the aesthetic preferences of most humans, some might find it to be a bonus.

    While Su Nan observed Tagana, she was secretly observing him as well.

    Thinking that the person in front of her was the actual controller of the Star Alliance, a powerful wizard who had slain the Demigod, Tagana couldn¡¯t help but feel tense.

    This was an involuntary physiological response of a creature when facing a vastly superior being of a higher life form.

    Seeing Tagana¡¯s nervousness, Su Nan directly cast a hypnosis spell. The Dark Elf girl¡¯s eyes instantly became dull and unfocused.

    With Su Nan¡¯s current spiritual power, his hypnosis spell could subdue anyone below Legendary Knight level without even a moment of struggle.

    He then stepped away from his desk and stood before Tagana, placing his hand on her head.

    Sherman watched this with a confused expression, but refrained from interrupting.

    After a while, Su Nan ended his spiritual exploration and returned to his desk.

    He was now certain that Tagana hadn¡¯t been subjected to faith contamination. The reason was likely due to her spiritual power far exceeding that of her race.

    After all, the Spider Queen¡¯s faith contamination targeting the Dark Elf race was a large-scale phenomenon. For individuals, as long as their spiritual power reached a certain threshold, they could resist or even be immune.

    Tagana happened to be the one who was immune.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be individuals with such high spiritual power among the Dark Elves.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a good candidate for becoming a wizard.¡±

    Su Nan mused.

    While he was deep in thought, Tagana had gradually recovered.

    Her higher-than-average spiritual power made her vaguely aware of something amiss. Something had happened, but she couldn¡¯t recall it clearly.

    ¡°Why did you volunteer to provide the clue?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, startling Tagana awake.

    She hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth and said, ¡°They¡¯re all crazy, they¡¯ve been controlled by the Queen... by that thing. She also killed my best friend, I don¡¯t want to do her bidding. If she wants everyone to keep the Black Key a secret, I¡¯ll just tell them!¡±

    Sherman looked at Tagana in astonishment. He could hear the resentment in her tone towards the Spider Queen, which didn¡¯t seem fake.

    Su Nan said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯ve suffered from faith contamination.¡±

    ¡°Faith contamination?¡± Tagana looked confused.

    Sherman glanced at Su Nan¡¯s expression and quietly explained to Tagana.

    As a wizard apprentice, he naturally knew about the faith contamination of deities.

    After listening to Sherman¡¯s explanation, Tagana¡¯s expression became a mixture of shock and bewilderment.

    She never imagined that a so-called deity was actually a creature that controlled its believers through faith contamination.

    It was simply... despicable!

    Tagana didn¡¯t doubt Su Nan and Sherman were deceiving her. There was no need for them to do that.

    For a moment, she felt even more resentful towards the Spider Queen.

    After a moment of silence, she suddenly said, ¡°Wizard, is there any way to save my people?¡±

    Su Nan shook his head slightly.

    Faith contamination wasn¡¯t irreversible, but it would require a great price. He couldn¡¯t afford such a huge price to solve the problem of a bunch of Dark Elves.

    Tagana¡¯s face fell and she lowered her head.

    ¡°Wizard, what are you going to do with us?¡±

    ¡°For your sake, I can spare your people. As long as they work obediently in the mine area, I won¡¯t execute them.¡±

    This answer was completely unexpected for Tagana. She looked up at Su Nan in astonishment.

    Even Sherman was surprised.

    He thought it would be fine to keep the male Dark Elves, as they weren¡¯t deeply infected by faith, but keeping the female Dark Elves would be more harmful than beneficial. Based on his Master¡¯s past actions, he would have thought his Master would have purged the female Dark Elves without hesitation.

    Now, he was making an exception for this Dark Elf girl?

    Sherman couldn¡¯t help but look at Tagana a few times, his mind inexplicably going astray.

    Did his Master have a thing for this Dark Elf girl?

    But soon, Su Nan¡¯s next words dispelled his unfounded suspicions.

    ¡°You have the potential to become a wizard. Would you like to try?¡±

    As soon as these words were spoken, both Sherman and Tagana froze.

    Sherman was completely dumbfounded.

    A Dark Elf wizard apprentice?

    Was his Master joking?

    But soon, he realized that no records had ever stated that Dark Elves couldn¡¯t become wizards. It¡¯s just that he¡¯d never seen a wizard apprentice from a race other than humans, so he subconsciously assumed it was a human exclusive.

    Tagana was equally surprised, but a wave of excitement surged within her upon realizing the implications.

    How powerful wizards were, the person before her had already demonstrated with his actions!

    Even the Demigod wasn¡¯t his match!

    Even if she could only possess half, no, a third of this wizard¡¯s power, it would be enough to dominate the Underworld.

    Tagana wasn¡¯t stupid. She understood this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Without hesitation, she immediately agreed.

    Su Nan nodded in satisfaction, ¡°From today onwards, you are a formal student of the Starlight Academy. Work hard, and if you have any questions, you can come to me for guidance when I¡¯m at the Starlight Academy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Wizard.¡± Tagana said, suppressing her elation.

    Sherman looked at her with envy.

    He¡¯d never seen a student receive this kind of attention from his Master.

    Sherman then took Tagana away. Su Nan leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.

    Wizards weren¡¯t exclusively human. Other races had also produced wizards, although they were few and far between.

    And almost all of them were sub-human races similar to humans.

    After all, existing wizard knowledge was almost entirely created based on humans. Other races would inevitably encounter ¡°cultural shock¡± and inefficiency when learning and cultivating this knowledge.

    It was rare to find a Dark Elf with the potential to become a wizard, and her potential was exceptional. It was a good opportunity to put this into practice and see what the differences were between sub-human wizards and human wizards.

 Chapter 199: The Key is Still Su Nan

    Chapter 199: The Key is Still Su Nan

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    With the conquest of the Spider City, the entire southeast region of the underworld fell under the control of the Star Alliance.

    The southeast region war subsided, and then transitioned into development and exploitation.

    In the entire southeast region, the Star Alliance had few external threats. Therefore, except for leaving behind a small garrison force, most of the military forces were gradually transferred to the northwest region front line.

    Dragon Bone Tower, study.

    Su Nan was flipping through recent battle reports.

    The war in the northwest region was progressing smoothly. After suffering consecutive heavy defeats, the Falling Star Alliance had basically disintegrated, existing only in name. They were now fighting separately.

    All that was left was to clean up the remaining forces one by one.

    Within four to five years at most, the northwest region could be completely conquered.

    By then, the entire underworld would be in the Star Alliance¡¯s grasp!

    Thinking about this, a hint of a smile crept across Su Nan¡¯s lips.

    In his plan, the underworld was a crucial part.

    It was even more important than the surface world.

    The underworld¡¯s abundant resources, especially various minerals and metals, were essential for building a Wizard Tower.

    A Wizard Tower was essentially a large fortress that could accommodate thousands of people for living and cultivation. Therefore, the basic building materials required were enormous.

    Various stones and metals were measured in tens of thousands of tons.

    Without sufficient financial support, even the ¡®shell¡¯ of the Wizard Tower couldn¡¯t be built, let alone the various large-scale facilities later.

    In the age of wizards, those who could build Wizard Towers usually controlled at least one private base, or a colonial plane.

    Su Nan¡¯s plan was to transform the underworld into his private base, providing him with various resource materials for future development.

    As for the surface world, at this stage, it served as a place for the Star Alliance to dump goods and as a source of fresh blood for the Starlight Academy.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the war on the surface world was also progressing smoothly.

    The unification war launched by the Starlight Empire was in its final stages. Now only a few remaining countries were struggling, but their defeat was only a matter of time.

    According to the battle reports, the Starlight Empire could end the southeast region war within two years at most.

    After that, they might recuperate for a while, then launch a conquest of the northwest region.

    Closing the battle report and putting it aside, Su Nan looked up at the puppet girl standing on both sides of the desk.

    The battle against the Semi-Spider God-Favored had proven the combat effectiveness of puppets.

    Although they had been at a disadvantage from beginning to end, their opponent was a powerful God-Favored creature capable of confronting wizards head-on. Honestly, the puppet girl had done well to achieve that level.

    After all, even he had used the Engraved Gemstone and Black Thunder to kill the Semi-Spider God-Favored.

    However, this battle had also exposed the weakness of puppets¡ªinsufficient defense.

    The diamond body, when facing opponents below the wizard level, was virtually indestructible.

    But once encountering higher-level beings, it became inadequate.

    Otherwise, the puppet wouldn¡¯t have had an arm severed by the Semi-Spider God-Favored.

    He needed to find a way to strengthen the puppet¡¯s defense, otherwise, if he encountered another opponent of the same level, insufficient defense would still be a fatal weakness.

    ¡°Synthesizing a higher hardness magic diamond to replace the current body material is too inefficient, and the cost will increase significantly.¡±

    ¡°Adding defensive enchantment runes... No, the current enchantment runes are already the limit. Unless we can find a material more advanced than mithril, it¡¯s impossible to add more enchantment runes.¡±

    Several ideas flashed through Su Nan¡¯s mind, but he quickly dismissed them.

    The necessary condition for realizing these ideas was the upgrade of materials.

    With the Synthesized Magic Cube, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to achieve this, but the cost would increase drastically.

    In the end, the cost might skyrocket to millions of gold coins.

    This was unacceptable to Su Nan.

    Even though he now controlled half of the underworld, he couldn¡¯t afford to be that extravagant.

    He still needed to accumulate resources to build the Wizard Tower and couldn¡¯t waste too much on this.

    ¡ªOf course, the main reason was that the cost-effectiveness was too low.

    After pondering for a while, Su Nan suddenly had an epiphany.

    Since he couldn¡¯t work on the physical structure, he would have to find a solution from external objects.

    For example, magic items.

    Puppets lacked spiritual power and couldn¡¯t activate magic items, but they could embed magic items into their bodies and change the activation method, allowing them to activate magic items using energy particles.

    To put it simply, it was like an external device for robots.

    In fact, the two puppet girls had the Extreme Protection Ring embedded in their bodies.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the artifact level was too high and couldn¡¯t be embedded in the puppet¡¯s body, Su Nan would have even installed a Forbidden Zone. The defensive power would have definitely skyrocketed.

    However, the Forbidden Zone wouldn¡¯t work, but the Magic Emblem Core could be tried.

    The Magic Emblem Core itself was a powerful magic item that was both offensive and defensive. If the puppet could fuse with the Magic Emblem Core, not only would it significantly enhance its defensive power, but its attack methods would also become more diverse.

    Originally, the biggest difference in combat effectiveness between puppets and wizards was that they lacked innate abilities, and the Magic Emblem Core could undoubtedly make up for this, narrowing the gap with wizards.

    The more Su Nan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

    The only problem was that the Magic Emblem Core heavily relied on spiritual power consumption. He had to change its energy source so the puppet could use it.

    This wasn¡¯t easy to do.

    But if successful, the puppet¡¯s combat effectiveness could likely be strengthened to a level comparable to the Semi-Spider God-Favored.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate to add an improvement plan for the Magic Emblem Core to his future arrangements.

    This was bound to be another time-consuming research project.

    After that, Su Nan looked at the black branch in his hand.

    This branch was called the Black Key, as the name implied, it was the key to opening the Black Forest.

    After researching it for some time, Su Nan had roughly mastered the use of the Black Key.

    At the same time, he also discovered that the Black Key was constantly absorbing energy particles from the surrounding air.

    It was estimated that it would take about three years to fully charge.

    Based on this, Su Nan guessed that the Black Forest was likely to open only once every period of time, just like the Starlight Tower.

    And the next time the Black Forest opened, it was likely to be in three years.

    ¡°Hopefully it will give me some surprises.¡±

    Su Nan muttered to himself, his eyes flashing.

    After the Starlight Tower incident, he no longer had high hopes for the so-called wizard inheritance.

    The Black Forest was highly likely to be another facility where a wizard faction forcibly recruited personnel, cultivating their forces in advance for a future return.

    In order to obtain the resources inside, they might have to engage in another battle.

    Although he had already advanced to a wizard and his strength was much stronger than when he was at the Starlight Tower, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t underestimate the Black Forest.

    After all, it was a wizard inheritance. Anything related to wizards shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. Nobody knew what dangers lurked within.

    More importantly, the Black Forest was highly likely to be related to the Spider Queen.

    The Fillier family had held the clues to the Black Forest for so many years. Su Nan didn¡¯t believe that the Spider Queen wouldn¡¯t care at all.

    Perhaps she had already extended her tentacles into the Black Forest.

    Furthermore, the reason why the Spider Queen was able to intervene in Starlight Continent was likely related to the Black Forest.

    Even though it was just speculation, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t ignore any potential risks.

    ¡°I need to be fully prepared before entering the Black Forest.¡±

    Su Nan pondered.

    In just three years, without a large amount of divine energy to absorb, his spiritual condensation wouldn¡¯t improve much. He could only find ways from external objects.

    ¡°Once the research on the Magic Emblem Core is complete, it¡¯s best to refine a few more puppets.¡±

    ¡°Also, I need to prepare more Engraved Gemstones. My current spiritual condensation should be able to increase the number of synthesizations. I¡¯ll try twenty.¡±

    ¡°And Black Thunder, I should also make a few more.¡±

    The power displayed by Black Thunder in the battle against the Semi-Spider God-Favored had impressed Su Nan.

    At this stage, Black Thunder was arguably his most powerful attack method.

    Even Liquid Metal, in terms of instantaneous damage, couldn¡¯t compare to Black Thunder.

    Such a powerful trump card, naturally, the more the better.

    However, Su Nan currently only had two Black Thunders.

    To make more Black Thunders, he needed a large amount of Thunderstones.

    ¡°Looks like I have to take a trip to the Thunder Element Plane as soon as possible.¡±

    Among the numerous element planes, the Fire Element Plane and the Thunder Element Plane were the most dangerous and the most inhospitable to life.

    For example, the Fire Element Plane, where there were fire seas everywhere, the terrifying heat would instantly turn even a knight into ashes upon entering.

    The Thunder Element Plane, on the other hand, was filled with countless thunderclouds, with dense thunderbolts falling from the sky every second. You could get struck by lightning while walking.

    Without sufficient protective measures, you could be struck by lightning and reduced to ashes within a short distance in the Thunder Element Plane.

    In addition, the element spirits in the Fire Element Plane and the Thunder Element Plane were also very troublesome.

    If he had just advanced, Su Nan wouldn¡¯t have dared to step into the Thunder Element Plane.

    But now, with the Forbidden Zone, Black Thunder, and other trump cards, as well as his spiritual condensation exceeding 40%, he had enough strength to attempt exploring the Thunder Element Plane.

    As long as he didn¡¯t venture into the core area, he should be fine with caution.

    Aurora Kingdom, capital city Aurora.

    When Triff Jangi walked into the council hall, he found that the spacious hall was already filled with people.

    Besides the royal family, all the influential nobles of the kingdom had gathered.

    ¡°It seems that the pressure from the Starlight Empire is huge.¡±

    Triff¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    Among these people, there were no shortage of sworn enemies who had always been at odds with each other. Usually, they would have drawn their swords at the slightest provocation. But now, they could sit together peacefully, which showed how great the pressure brought by the Starlight Empire was, forcing them to temporarily put aside their hatred and unite against the external threat.

    Triff understood.

    The Aurora Kingdom was located on the edge of the northwest region, bordering the southeast region boundary line. It was the closest country to the rising powerful empire across the border.

    Once a war broke out, the Aurora Kingdom would be the first to bear the brunt. It was no exaggeration to say that they were at a critical juncture of survival.

    ¡°Triff, thank you for coming personally.¡±

    Seeing Triff¡¯s arrival, King Aurora, sitting at the head of the hall, personally rose to greet him.

    The nobles who were arguing noisily also fell silent and stood up to welcome him.

    As the only third-rank wizard apprentice in the Aurora Kingdom, Triff Jangi held a unique position in the kingdom. Even King Aurora treated him with great respect and couldn¡¯t afford to neglect him.

    After a few words of greeting, Triff sat down beside the king.

    As soon as he sat down, King Aurora spoke eagerly.

    ¡°Triff, you must have heard about the situation in the southeast region. What¡¯s your opinion?¡±

    Triff considered his words carefully and said slowly, ¡°Your Majesty, the Starlight Empire¡¯s actions so far all prove its great ambition. That empire will not be content with just the southeast region. Once they have digested the newly conquered territories, they will definitely turn their attention to our northwest region.¡±

    ¡°As expected, you think the same.¡± King Aurora sighed, his face filled with worry.

    In fact, anyone with discerning eyes could see the Starlight Empire¡¯s intentions.

    If any country were in the Starlight Empire¡¯s position, possessing the power to conquer Starlight Continent, they would inevitably make the same choice.

    ¡°Triff, what do you think we should do?¡± King Aurora asked anxiously.

    The royal family members and nobles in the hall also looked at Triff expectantly.

    They had argued for a long time, but they couldn¡¯t come up with any good solutions. At this moment, they could only hope that this wise man, who had always been resourceful, would point them in the right direction.

    Facing the expectant gazes, Triff remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly,

    ¡°Your Majesty, I think surrendering to the Starlight Empire is a good option.¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone¡¯s faces changed.

    Triff didn¡¯t care, and continued calmly, ¡°The Thornflower Duchy in the southeast region surrendered to the Starlight Empire. Their royal family members were not liquidated but were instead granted ducal titles. The nobles below the royal family also mostly retained their territories. I think our kingdom can also follow suit.¡±

    The hall fell into an eerie silence.

    King Aurora and the other members of the royal family¡¯s faces changed repeatedly.

    Although a ducal title was not bad, how could it compare to controlling a country?

    Once they surrendered, their status and power would inevitably be greatly reduced, which made it difficult for them to accept.

    The other nobles also hesitated.

    Although most of the nobles in the Thornflower Duchy had retained their territories, nobody knew if they were part of the ¡®majority¡¯.

    Besides, there was no guarantee that the Aurora Kingdom would receive the same treatment as the Thornflower Duchy.

    Unless the emperor of the Starlight Empire personally made a guarantee.

    After a long silence, King Aurora broke the silence, his voice hoarse, ¡°Are there any other options?¡±

    Triff sighed inwardly, knowing that King Aurora was still unwilling to let go of his power and status.

    He had expected this, so he brought up the second option he had already thought of.

    ¡°The Starlight Empire has a strong military force, but if the countries in the northwest region unite, we might have a chance of fighting back.¡±

    ¡°The key is still Su Nan!¡±

    The name Su Nan seemed to have some magic power. It made everyone in the hall change their expressions instantly.

    By now, Su Nan¡¯s reputation had spread throughout the continent.

    Especially among wizard apprentices, royal families, and upper nobles.

    Everyone knew that the Starlight Empire had produced a formal wizard.

    Upon his advancement, he had used thunderous means to kill more than a dozen third-rank wizard apprentices from the Truth Council, showing the world the mighty power of wizards!

    When this news reached the northwest region, it caused a huge uproar!

 Chapter 200: Plane of Thunder Element

    Chapter 200: Plane of Thunder Element

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    The Truth Council is arguably the most famous wizard organization in the northwest region of the continent.

    Though their fame is mostly due to their notoriety, there is no doubt that the Truth Council is the most prominent wizard organization in the northwest region. For hundreds of years, they have suppressed the wizards of the northwest region, leaving them simmering with resentment but unable to act.

    But this powerful wizard organization was easily wiped out by Su Nan.

    The power of a full-fledged wizard is thus evident!

    The crucial point is that this wizard is the biological brother of the Emperor of Starfire.

    If he intervenes, even if all the countries in the northwest region join forces, they would be no match for these brothers.

    Everyone present is well aware of this fact.

    Yet, despite their understanding, they are helpless.

    They simply cannot think of a way to deal with a wizard powerful enough to annihilate the Truth Council.

    Triff didn¡¯t expect the group to come up with a solution. After a moment of silence, he continued:

    ¡°While Su Nan is powerful, he¡¯s not invincible.¡±

    ¡°If we can unite all the third-rank wizard apprentices in the northwest region and attack together, there¡¯s still a chance to defeat him.¡±

    The King of Aurora¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this, but he soon hesitated: ¡°But... how can we unite all the third-rank wizard apprentices?¡±

    Third-rank wizard apprentices are the guests of honor of the royal families, ruling families, and nobles of various countries. Their status and identity are no less than that of a king. The Aurora Kingdom doesn¡¯t have the influence to rally everyone together.

    ¡°We can persuade the Russell family to take the lead!¡± Triff said with gleaming eyes. ¡°The Russell family has great influence among the entire northwest region¡¯s wizard circles. If they come forward, those people will definitely give them face.¡±

    ¡°Uniting is beneficial to everyone. I believe they wouldn¡¯t want to see the Starfire Empire unify the northwest region!¡±

    The King of Aurora was convinced and nodded heavily.

    ¡°Good, I will write to Facardo Russell immediately!¡±

    Starlight Academy, Teaching Building.

    After class, Donohann dragged Fleming out of the classroom and rushed towards the cafeteria.

    ¡°Hurry up! I heard that the cafeteria¡¯s special menu today features Serth fruit, and if we¡¯re late, it¡¯ll be gone!¡±

    Fleming sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just Serth fruit. Silver Moon Flower Essence can also enhance mental alertness, and the price is the same. Why are you so eager about it?¡±

    ¡°How can they be the same?¡± Donohann scoffed. ¡°Serth fruit salad tastes much better than Silver Moon Flower Essence. For the same price, why not choose Serth fruit?¡±

    He pointed around, ¡°Look, everyone is rushing towards Serth fruit.¡±

    Fleming looked around and realized that many other students were rushing toward the cafeteria as well. This kind of scene was rare.

    Scratching his cheek, Fleming couldn¡¯t understand why taste mattered so much.

    Seeing his expression, Donohann rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Forget it, you won¡¯t understand, you bookworm.¡±

    After discovering that Fleming had completed three basic courses in just half a month of self-study, Donohann nicknamed him ¡°Bookworm.¡±

    As Fleming completed all the basic courses in a short two years and started enrolling in advanced courses, his ¡°Bookworm¡± title spread through the academy.

    Donohann admired his friend from the bottom of his heart.

    Fleming had entered the Star Ring Meditation Method in only 18 days, and then built his first Star Ring in about nine months.

    In Starlight Academy, this record was only surpassed by seniors Sheman, Corey, and Ethan.

    These three were acknowledged as the leading figures among the students in Starlight Academy and were now leading armies to conquer the underworld.

    Being comparable to these three was a testament to how outstanding Fleming was.

    Many people said that Fleming was exceptionally talented, but only Donohann knew how hard Fleming worked. He dedicated almost all his energy to cultivation and learning.

    Donohann had rarely seen Fleming engaged in any form of entertainment. The most he did was stare at the water sprites in the cafeteria.

    Because of this, Donohann teased him that when he mastered the Level 1 Summoning Technique, he should summon a water sprite and try to persuade her to sign a contract and become his maid.

    Fleming was tempted by the idea, to say the least.

    Rushing as fast as they could, the two finally managed to grab two portions of Serth fruit before they ran out.

    After eating and drinking their fill, Donohann walked out of the cafeteria, letting out a satisfied sigh.

    ¡°Just in time. The effect of the Silver Moon Flower Essence I took earlier just ended, so this Serth fruit will replenish it, lasting for ten days.¡±

    ¡°Fleming, where are you headed next? The library or the task hall?¡±

    Donohann finished speaking but heard no response from Fleming. Turning his head, he saw the latter staring intently at a certain spot.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Following Fleming¡¯s gaze, Donohann saw many people rushing towards a specific direction, their faces full of excitement.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Donohann looked puzzled.

    Fleming shook his head, equally curious.

    Donohann then grabbed a student who looked approachable and asked, ¡°Bro, where are you guys going?¡±

    ¡°The academy gate,¡± the student looked at them in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys know? Senior Sheman and Senior Atil just returned from the underworld.¡±

    He then rushed away.

    ¡°Senior Sheman!¡± Donohann¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled Fleming towards the gate. ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡±

    This time, Fleming didn¡¯t object.

    He had heard a lot about Sheman¡¯s exploits in the academy but had never met him in person. He was curious.

    The two arrived at the academy gate just in time to see a group of people surrounding a man and a woman walking in.

    The woman was stunning, with a beautiful face and a friendly smile. Her demeanor was gentle.

    Fleming immediately understood. This must be Senior Atil.

    He heard that Senior Atil was gentle and popular among the students. Many seniors were her admirers, but he never heard of her being together with anyone.

    As for the man next to her, he was obviously Senior Sheman.

    He wasn¡¯t considered handsome but gave off a sense of calmness and stability. He clearly had a steady personality.

    Sheman and Atil were surrounded by a crowd of seniors, like stars in the sky, making it impossible for the freshmen to approach. They could only watch from afar.

    ¡°I heard that Senior Sheman has already built his seventh Star Ring!¡±

    ¡°Ah, so fast! Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s about to become a third-rank wizard apprentice?¡±

    ¡°The Traveler Mentor said it himself, Senior Sheman might break through and become a full-fledged wizard before he turns 50!¡±

    ¡°Amazing! If I can become a second-rank wizard apprentice by the time I¡¯m 50, I¡¯d be grateful to heaven.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s worthy of being Lord Su Nan¡¯s favorite disciple.¡±

    Listening to the discussions around him, Fleming couldn¡¯t help but envy them.

    He also wanted to become an outstanding wizard apprentice like Senior Sheman.

    Seeing Sheman gradually disappear into the crowd, Fleming withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Donohann asked.

    ¡°To the meditation room,¡± Fleming waved his hand without turning around.

    It was better to go back and practice than to just watch here.

    One day, he would also become the envy of everyone.

    Finally escaping the crowd, Sheman arrived in front of his dormitory and let out a long sigh of relief.

    It was a good thing that second-rank wizard apprentices in the academy had their own detached villas. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape the enthusiastic crowd so easily.

    ¡°Being the academy chief isn¡¯t easy, is it?¡± Atil said with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tease me,¡± Sheman shook his head with a wry smile.

    He didn¡¯t know why he suddenly became the academy chief.

    Atil teased him for a while before getting to the point: ¡°What are your plans now that you¡¯re back?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll focus on cultivation for a few years first,¡± Sheman had already made up his mind. ¡°I earned a lot of contribution points during this war, which will last me for a long time. I¡¯m going to focus on cultivation and strive to break through and advance soon.¡±

    Atil nodded, not surprised at all. After all, she had the same plan.

    ¡°Let¡¯s work hard together.¡±

    Dragon Bone Tower, top floor, control center.

    The grand hall surrounded by the Milky Way was like a pure white space floating in the universe.

    Su Nan stood by the elemental pool, examining the patterns on the square pool surface.

    ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s time to expand the elemental pool.¡±

    When he first took control of Dragon Bone Tower, he was not yet a wizard. He could only repair the elemental pool.

    However, times had changed. Now that he possessed the power to create elemental pools, he could take it a step further.

    ¡°Let¡¯s expand the elemental pool first. It¡¯s a good practice for building the elemental pool in the future wizard tower.¡±

    The elemental pool in the wizard tower is much larger than the one in Dragon Bone Tower and has a higher construction difficulty.

    Su Nan felt that it was necessary to gain some experience first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll put it on the agenda after returning from the Plane of Thunder Element.¡±

    Putting his thoughts aside, Su Nan took out a gem as a medium and used the power of the elemental pool to open an elemental portal. Then, he stepped in.

    His vision suddenly brightened, and a feeling of weightlessness enveloped him.

    The strange feeling lasted for a few seconds before he felt solid ground beneath his feet.

    Su Nan opened his eyes abruptly. A desolate wasteland greeted him, and the sound of rumbling thunder echoed in his ears.

    ¡°This is the Plane of Thunder Element?¡±

    Su Nan looked around. The surroundings were barren, with no plants, no jagged rocks, only charred craters all over, as if bombarded by intensive artillery fire.

    The scorched earth stretched as far as the eye could see, vast and endless.

    Looking up at the sky, he saw clouds swirling in the sky, with lightning flashing and thunder booming. Dragons seemed to be soaring through the clouds.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration.

    No matter how many times he saw it, the scene was awe-inspiring.

    No one could explore the true extent of an elemental plane, as its boundaries were endless.

    Taking the Plane of Thunder Element as an example, the entire plane contained countless thunder elemental spaces.

    Each independent thunder elemental space had different characteristics.

    Some were scorched earth with constant lightning strikes.

    Some only had rolling clouds and thunder seas.

    Some were just a sphere of pure lightning.

    No matter what the characteristics of a thunder elemental space, their common feature was their extreme danger.

    Not only because of the ever-present, potentially lethal lightning strikes, but also because of the elemental spirits that reside in these planes.

    Elemental spirits are creatures made entirely of elemental energy particles.

    In a way, they can be seen as a mass of elemental energy with independent consciousness.

    They mostly reside in the corresponding elemental plane, and only under certain circumstances, such as being summoned by spellcasters, would they descend to the material plane or other outer planes.

    Elemental spirits of different types have different personalities.

    For example, wind and water elements are generally gentle.

    Earth elements are usually slow and steady.

    Fire elements, on the other hand, are synonymous with violent temperaments.

    Thunder elements are slightly better than fire elements, but their nature is still restless and combative.

    Elemental spirits come in different strengths.

    Weak elemental spirits can be easily eliminated by a second-rank wizard apprentice.

    However, strong elemental spirits can defeat even a third-rank wizard apprentice.

    The elemental giants that stand above them can even compete with full-fledged wizards.

    As for the higher-level elemental giant elders and elemental lords, they are not something Su Nan could afford to mess with right now.

    Especially elemental lords. The weakest ones have demigod-level power, and the stronger ones can even go toe-to-toe with gods.

    The thunder elemental spaces where these elemental lords reside are places Su Nan wouldn¡¯t even dare to set foot in.

    The elemental plane is vast and boundless. Every time an elemental portal is opened, it leads to a random elemental space.

    Fortunately, his luck was good. The concentration of elemental energy particles in the space he entered was not high, and there were probably no elemental lords or giant elders.

    As for elemental giants, he should be able to avoid encountering them as long as he didn¡¯t venture deep into the space.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan activated the Extreme Protection Ring.

    The Ultimate Forbidden Zone charges too slowly. He wouldn¡¯t use it lightly unless he was in a fight.

    After doing all this, Su Nan began to walk forward.

    The thunder elemental plane did not have any recognizable terrain. Everything looked the same, making it impossible to navigate.

    Fortunately, he didn¡¯t need to navigate. He could return directly by opening the spatial portal again.

    He just had to carefully distinguish the high and low concentration of thunder elemental energy particles and avoid entering the core area of the elemental space.

    Boom!

    The deafening thunder never seemed to stop.

    Every ten to twenty seconds, a bolt of lightning struck the ground with a deafening boom, sending rocks flying everywhere.

    It was obvious that the charred craters all over the place were formed this way.

    Even with the naked eye, one could feel the power of these lightning strikes.

    Anyone below the Legendary Knight level would be reduced to ashes after a single strike.

    And this was still a relatively less concentrated area of thunder elements. If he ventured further, the power of lightning would only increase further.

    ¡°Without the power of a full-fledged wizard, coming here is a death wish.¡±

    Su Nan sighed inwardly.

    After walking just a few dozen meters, he was struck by three bolts of lightning, causing the defense rating of his Extreme Protection Ring to drop by over ten points. He couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    Ten points of defense rating was not much, but he had only just entered the Plane of Thunder Element. If he stayed here for a long time, the Extreme Protection Ring he was carrying might not be enough.

 Chapter 201

    ¡°If all else fails, I¡¯ll have to use the forbidden zone.¡±

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    Su Nan suppressed his thoughts and continued walking forward.

    Thunderstones mostly appeared in areas with frequent lightning strikes. It was unlikely to find Thunderstones in the outermost periphery of the Thunder Element Plane. He had to explore further inside.

    But he didn¡¯t get far before encountering a Thunder Element Spirit.

    Lower-level Thunder Element Spirits looked like a ball of lightning with flickering electric arcs.

    Only as their strength increased would their appearance gradually become humanoid.

    When they reached the Element Giant level, they would become humanoid in the upper half, with the lower half shrouded in swirling arcs of electricity resembling mist, or their entire body would become humanoid in shape.

    The one in front of him was just a lower-level Thunder Element Spirit, without even a vague humanoid outline. Su Nan casually blasted it into oblivion with a spell projectile.

    The Thunder Element Plane did not have a problem with energy shortage.

    Here, the spiritual power consumed by casting spells could be quickly recovered.

    But there was also another more serious problem.

    That was, the Thunder Element Plane contained almost no energy particles other than those of lightning.

    This also meant that practically no spells that required other types of energy particles could be cast here.

    Considering that lightning-based spells were ineffective against Thunder Element Spirits, the combat methods Su Nan could use here were limited to non-elemental spells like spell projectiles, the Calamity Ring, engraved gems, and liquid metal.

    As for the Black Thunder, it had very little use in the Thunder Element Plane.

    The Thunder Element Spirit left behind a small amount of sparkling powder after death.

    This was Elemental Dust, a material rich in elemental energy that could be used for enchanting or creating magical items.

    Su Nan reached out and summoned it, storing it in his spatial ring.

    In this half-plane filled with Thunder Elements, Su Nan¡¯s distinct aura stood out like a sore thumb.

    Thunder Element Spirits could detect his presence from afar.

    Along the way, most of the Thunder Element Spirits roared and charged at him, wanting to turn him into charcoal.

    Only a very few Thunder Element Spirits ignored him, lazily floating in mid-air like clouds, moving slowly.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t provoke these Thunder Element Spirits, only dealing with those who were unwise enough to attack him.

    As he went deeper, the Thunder Elements in the air became visibly denser, even forming substantial arcs of electricity, flickering in the void.

    The Thunder Element Spirits he encountered along the way also became stronger.

    Su Nan simply released two secret puppets.

    Ordinary puppets couldn¡¯t harm the incorporeal Thunder Element Spirits. Only high-level puppets that had permanent spells and magical treatments could deal with them.

    With the secret puppets taking care of clearing out the Thunder Element Spirits, Su Nan was finally able to free up his mind to focus on finding Thunderstones.

    Before long, he made a discovery.

    He stretched out his hand and summoned a pitch-black stone from the roadside. The stone flew into the air and landed in his palm.

    Feeling the violent Thunder Element energy within the stone, a smile appeared on his face.

    Finally, he had made a breakthrough!

    Su Nan then searched carefully in the surrounding area and found a few more Thunderstones.

    With his discovery, Su Nan became even more motivated.

    There was no day or night in the Thunder Element Plane. Due to the numerous spatial rifts, it was also difficult to encounter other creatures, making it easy to lose track of time.

    He didn¡¯t know how long had passed, but when Su Nan finally stopped, there were already over two hundred Thunderstones in his spatial ring.

    ¡°These many Thunderstones are enough to craft three Black Thunders.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly and looked at the two secret puppets standing by his side.

    Although they had gone through several battles, the two secret puppets were basically unscathed.

    After all, their opponents were just a bunch of Element Spirits.

    Since he had eliminated a considerable number of Element Spirits, his spatial ring was also filled with Elemental Dust.

    ¡°Compared to Elemental Cores, Elemental Dust is still inferior in value.¡±

    Not long ago, Su Nan had caught sight of a Thunder Element Giant from afar.

    But he didn¡¯t intend to fight it on its home turf, so he had avoided it early on, keeping it from noticing his presence.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Element Giants are also a kind of divine creature.¡±

    In energy-rich and pure elemental planes, it was easy for natural divinity to manifest. Therefore, Element Spirits were the most likely race to give birth to divine creatures.

    For example, Element Giants, Elder Element Giants, and Element Lords were all divine creatures.

    The rule powers they mastered were often linked to their own elemental attributes.

    In other words, Divine Energy should also be able to be extracted from Element Giants.

    But considering the difficulty of killing a Thunder Element Giant in the Thunder Element Plane, Su Nan gave up on this idea.

    On its home turf, the Thunder Element Giant¡¯s combat power would at least increase by half, while his power was restricted by the environment. This was a huge disadvantage, and the risk was simply too high.

    Perhaps he could try it when his strength was further increased, but for now, doing such a thing was tantamount to seeking death.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan opened a spatial passage and returned to the Dragon Bone Tower.

    Over the next period of time, Su Nan devoted his attention to crafting the Black Thunder and improving the Magic Emblem Core.

    The former took less than two months to complete, and Su Nan had three more Black Thunders.

    The latter took nearly two years to research and develop before it was successful.

    The improved Magic Emblem Core could be activated through the magic formations set up in the secret puppet¡¯s body. It only required the injection of energy particles.

    Although the cost of the modification was a decrease in power, this problem was easily solved through Magic Cube synthesis.

    In the end, the secret puppet integrated version of the Magic Emblem Core had roughly the same power as the original 6th-level Magic Emblem Core.

    It wasn¡¯t that Su Nan didn¡¯t want to integrate a higher-level Magic Emblem Core, but that this was already the limit of the secret puppet¡¯s load.

    After all, a 6th-level Magic Emblem Core originally required the spiritual power of a formal Wizard and the physique of a legendary entity beyond the fourth circle to be integrated. Even Su Nan, at his current level, could only integrate a 6th-level Magic Emblem Core at most.

    However, the secret puppet¡¯s combat power had increased significantly after integrating the Magic Emblem Core.

    Even Su Nan, without using wizard weapons or engraved gems, could only barely fight it to a draw.

    This was still the case after his spiritual concentration had increased significantly.

    If he had been at his level when he had just advanced, he would have been no match for it.

    The current secret puppet girl, if she were to fight the Half-Spider God¡¯s Apostle, would at least have a 50/50 chance.

    However, the price of the surge in combat power was a massive increase in cost.

    In addition to integrating the 6th-level Magic Emblem Core, the secret puppet¡¯s body structure had also been upgraded to bear the 6th-level Magic Emblem Core, resulting in a final cost of 480,000 gold coins.

    It should be noted that the cost of building a small Magic Puppet legion was only around 400,000 gold coins.

    In other words, the cost of a single secret puppet was equivalent to that of a small Magic Puppet legion.

    ¡°The cost of refining high-level puppets will only continue to increase in the future. After all, many materials can only be obtained through synthesis, and the cost is much higher than manufacturing them.¡±

    Su Nan sighed silently.

    Taking the 6th-level Magic Emblem Core as an example, if it were manually manufactured, the cost could be at least half as cheap as synthesis.

    Just like the Iron Magic Puppet and the Elite Stone Magic Puppet, both of which were legendary puppets of the first circle, the cost of manufacturing the Iron Magic Puppet was more than half that of the Elite Stone Magic Puppet.

    This was the price of using the Magic Cube.

    Of course, compared to the magical ability of the Magic Cube, this price was nothing.

    After all, in theory, there was no limit to the synthesis of the Magic Cube. Many things could not be manufactured even if you spent a lot of gold coins, but the Magic Cube could easily synthesize them.

    In fact, for Su Nan now, gold coins were no longer an issue. What really limited his development was resources.

    With control over the southeast region of the Underworld and the Shining Light Empire as a market for his goods, the Star Alliance brought in over ten million gold coins in revenue every year.

    But materials like mithril needed for refining secret puppets were limited to the silver veins controlled by the Star Alliance. The amount of mithril mined each year fluctuated within a fixed range, and no matter how much gold you had, you couldn¡¯t increase it out of thin air.

    Other rare resources were the same.

    This problem would become even more prominent in the future, when he controlled the entire Starlight Continent.

    In the absence of a third-party trading partner, Su Nan could only control the resources of the Starlight Continent. No matter how much gold he had, it was useless.

    ¡°Fortunately, the resources of the Starlight Continent are enough for me to build a Wizard Tower.¡±

    ¡°Once the Plane Barrier recovers in the future and the Starlight Continent can trade with other planes, the resource issue will be solved.¡±

    Shaking his head, Su Nan put his thoughts aside and focused on refining secret puppets.

    He still had enough mithril on hand to refine two more secret puppets.

    Underworld, Northwest Region.

    The Mushroom Forest City, which had just ended a war, was shrouded in smoke, and the light from the firestones falling from the caves illuminated the ruins below.

    Clay Magic Puppets walked back and forth among the ruins, carrying blood-soaked corpses to the outskirts of the city for burning and disposal.

    Corey walked wearily through the ruins, with traces of blood stains on his gray robe, looking exhausted, obviously having just experienced a fierce battle.

    The Mushroom Forest City had gathered the last of the elite forces of the Northwest Region, so the resistance was fierce. He, as the commander, had to personally join the battle, and it took him half a day of fighting before he finally took this hard nut to crack.

    And he had good reason to do so.

    After taking the Mushroom Forest City, there were no more organized resistance forces in the Northwest Region. The remaining few were easily dealt with.

    The Northwest Region could be considered to have fallen under the control of the Star Alliance.

    At most, in two months, the war here would be quelled.

    Thinking of Dragon Forest, which he had not returned to for many years, even Corey, who rarely indulged in sentimentality, couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of longing.

    He heard that Dragon Forest had established a Starlight Academy. He wondered what kind of academy it was.

    As Corey pondered, he had already reached the stone pillar in the center of the Mushroom Forest City, and he strode into it.

    The wizard apprentices behind him followed suit.

    The interior of the stone pillar was unusually spacious, and Clay Magic Puppets were busy moving supplies.

    Corey quickly found the warehouse, and before he entered, he saw Ethan coming out, with a happy smile on his face.

    Seeing this, Corey knew that the harvest was great, but he still asked,

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°The harvest is very rich.¡± Ethan beamed. ¡°The resources from the warehouses of those few city-states should all have been gathered here.¡±

    Corey¡¯s face also lit up with a faint smile.

    The richer the spoils of war, the more contribution points he would receive.

    After assigning personnel to collect the sorted resources, Ethan and Corey walked out together.

    ¡°Are we going to rest here for two days?¡±

    ¡°No, there aren¡¯t many resistance forces left. Let¡¯s take advantage of the momentum and finish it off, lest we have problems later.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ethan nodded in agreement.

    Having been in command outside for nearly seven years, he was also tired and wanted to end this war quickly so he could return to Dragon Forest and focus on his cultivation.

    The contribution points he had earned over the years were enough for him to use for a long time.

    After being away for so long, he also missed Dragon Forest.

    The two of them arrived at the intact city wall on the other side of the Mushroom Forest City and looked out at the darkness in the distance.

    That was the only remaining region in the Northwest Region that had not been incorporated into the Star Alliance¡¯s territory, occupying an area on the military map that was less than one-fiftieth of the Northwest Region.

    Looking at the entire Underworld, it was just a corner of the world.

    ¡°When I was first appointed commander, I never imagined that the Star Alliance would unify the Underworld so quickly.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s face showed a hint of exclamation.

    In just seven or eight years, the Star Alliance had first swept through the Southeast Region, even capturing the Demon Spider City, which was protected by a god, and then swept through the Northwest Region, invincible.

    Seeing that the Star Alliance was about to unify the Underworld, and that he was one of the participants, witnessing it all happen, it was impossible not to feel sentimental.

    Corey¡¯s face seemed calm, but deep down, he agreed.

    Back then, when he was still a student learning from his teacher, their base was just a small place next to Shining Light City. Who could have imagined that in less than thirty years, the base would become a behemoth that was about to unify the Underworld?

    To many people, it was a miracle!

    ¡°That¡¯s because our teacher is there.¡± Corey said.

    Ethan had long since grown accustomed to Corey¡¯s fanatical reverence for their teacher, so he simply smiled when he heard this.

    ¡°I heard the Empire is preparing to attack the Northwest Region. Once the Northwest Region is successfully unified, the entire Starlight Continent will be the Star Alliance¡¯s for the taking.¡±

    ¡°That day will come soon.¡± Corey nodded.

    In their view, although the Shining Light Empire would eventually unify the surface world, it was no different from the Star Alliance acting directly.

    The Shining Light Empire was the Star Alliance¡¯s dependent. It relied on the Star Alliance for its current development and could essentially be seen as a subordinate organization of the Star Alliance.

    This was not arrogance or conceit on the part of Corey and Ethan.

    In the Star Alliance¡¯s wizard apprentices and the Empire¡¯s nobility circles, this had become a consensus.

    Although on the surface, the Shining Light Empire and the Star Alliance were independent and coexisted on an equal footing, anyone with any knowledge of the world knew that equality was only established on the premise that both sides were equal in strength.

    The Shining Light Empire dominated the surface world, but its actual strength was far inferior to the Star Alliance.

    In terms of resources, the Shining Light Empire was highly dependent on the Star Alliance, while the opposite was not true.

    In this situation, the Shining Light Empire naturally had little say in the matter.

    Over a long period of cooperation and trade, the Shining Light Empire would naturally become a subordinate of the Star Alliance through gradual changes.

    From the emperor to the nobles, they did not resist this.

    On the contrary, they were happy to be more closely tied to the Star Alliance.

    ¡°The future will belong to the Star Alliance.¡± Ethan smiled. Then, he suddenly had a whimsical idea. ¡°Do you think, after conquering the Starlight Continent, where will the Star Alliance go next?¡±

    Corey was taken aback. He thought for a while before saying, ¡°I heard that ancient wizards liked to conquer other civilized planes. Perhaps our teacher also has similar ideas.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    That was a good goal.

    He also wanted to see the scenery of other planes.

    If one day the Star Alliance went on an expedition to another plane, he would definitely join it and go see other planes!

    But before that, he still needed to advance to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    For the Star Alliance now, Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices were still too weak.

 Chapter 202

    Starlight Calendar 1278, Scroll Month (August).

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    The last independent city-state in the Northwest Territory fell to the Magic Puppet Legion, signifying the complete takeover of the entire region by the Star Alliance.

    Thus, the Underworld welcomed its first ruler in a millennium.

    After the war subsided, the Star Alliance fully transitioned into a developmental phase. They no longer engaged in large-scale military operations, instead focusing on exploiting the Underworld.

    Su Nan meticulously prepared a list of materials required for constructing a Wizard Tower, entrusting Carolina and Red Widow with the task of gathering them. Once he returned from the Black Forest, building the tower would be a top priority.

    This was a massive undertaking, not something that could be accomplished overnight.

    Even with ample resources and manpower, it would take decades to complete. Given the current state of the Starlight Continent, Su Nan estimated that a century would be a fast turnaround.

    As the month drew to a close, with only three days left before Harvest Month (September), the energy of the Black Key finally filled up.

    The instant the Black Key activated, Su Nan¡¯s mind instantly conjured an image of a dense, gloomy forest teeming with black trees, and he instantly grasped its location.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance from the Spider City.¡±

    The Underworld¡¯s map was already etched in Su Nan¡¯s mind. After a brief recollection, he identified the closest city-state to the Black Forest, then used Longlin¡¯s spatial portal to reach it, swiftly flying towards the Black Forest.

    Over a hundred kilometers vanished in a blink of an eye. Soon, Su Nan discovered a pitch-black opening within a secluded cave.

    ¡°A spatial portal.¡±

    ¡°Unlike the Starsea Tower, the Black Forest appears to be in an alternate dimension.¡±

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t surprised.

    If the Black Forest existed in the material world, his forces would have already discovered clues. Therefore, he speculated that the Black Forest was either an alternate dimension itself or, like the Starsea Tower, could traverse between the material world and other dimensional planes.

    This pitch-black spatial portal undoubtedly proved the former.

    Casting a defensive spell on himself and activating the Extreme Protection Ring, Su Nan stepped into the spatial portal without hesitation.

    His vision flickered, and when it returned to clarity, Su Nan found himself in a bizarre forest.

    As far as he could see, it was filled with towering black trees.

    The trunks were black, the branches were black, even the leaves were black.

    Above him was a starry sky, with dim starlight showering down on the forest. From a distance, the black trees resembled clawing devils, casting long, eerie shadows on the ground.

    The entire forest was shrouded in ghostly shadows, instilling a primal fear in anyone who gazed upon it.

    A faint layer of gray mist seemed to permeate the air.

    However, Su Nan knew it wasn¡¯t mist, but rather negative energy particles, so dense they were almost tangible.

    ¡°Such concentrated negative energy particles.¡±

    Su Nan marveled at the sight.

    Unlike positive energy particles, negative energy particles couldn¡¯t be used to strengthen the body. They instead caused harm.

    Besides Wizards (Apprentices) specializing in Necromancy, few would voluntarily absorb negative energy particles. Prolonged exposure to environments with high concentrations of negative energy particles would also damage the body.

    ¡°The Wizard organization that left this legacy is most likely part of the Evil faction.¡±

    ¡°First-Rank Wizard Apprentices and Knights below Legendary level would be corrupted into a pool of pus within a short time in this place.¡±

    ¡°This Wizard legacy clearly has much stricter entry requirements than the Starsea Tower, and the assessment methods are probably different.¡±

    Su Nan had a hunch, but it required further observation to verify.

    He extended his spiritual power, sensing the surroundings for a moment before heading towards a region with a higher concentration of negative energy particles.

    If his assumption was correct, the Black Forest¡¯s core should lie in that direction.

    The starlight that fell into the forest seemed to be tinged with a dark hue.

    The surroundings were eerily silent, except for the sound of Su Nan¡¯s footsteps. This, combined with the gloomy, dark environment, created an oppressive atmosphere.

    Su Nan initially hoped to find some rare magic plants, but after meticulously searching, he found nothing.

    Just as he was about to give up, a flash of scarlet caught his eye.

    Su Nan¡¯s gaze flickered, and he cautiously approached.

    As he drew closer, he realized it was a cluster of red roses.

    Bright red petals were dotted with black and gold stars. The base of each flower was encircled by six-inch hollow thorns, blooming amidst ghastly skeletons!

    Su Nan¡¯s nostrils twitched, catching the sweet scent wafting in the air. It was subtly mingled with a faint, rotten flesh-like aroma.

    Recognizing the origin of these peculiar flowers based on their shape and distinctive scent, Su Nan immediately unleashed a Magic Missile, preemptively striking.

    These were Magic Palace Roses, evil plants that thrived on corpses. They would attack any living creature that came near, draining their blood and turning them into new beds for the flowers.

    Upon realizing their exposure, all the Magic Palace Roses instantly unfurled their petals, fluttering like wings, as if a swarm of bees rising into the air, fiercely charging towards Su Nan.

    Buzz, buzz, buzz!

    The air filled with a dull sound like that of a swarm of bees flapping their wings.

    Twenty or so Magic Missiles wiped out a good number of Magic Palace Roses, but many more surrounded Su Nan.

    Su Nan¡¯s expression remained composed.

    A single Magic Palace Rose had the combat strength of a Knight. A large-scale infestation could pose a threat to a Great Knight, but that was all.

    They posed no threat to him.

    With four Burning Hands, Su Nan easily dealt with the remaining Magic Palace Roses.

    However, this battle seemed to have flipped a switch, and strange rustling sounds echoed from the darkness all around.

    Rumble!

    A deafening sound erupted from the left, as if giant boulders were rolling towards him, accompanied by the sound of trees collapsing.

    A moment later, a giant, round, spherical object burst from the darkness, rolling towards Su Nan.

    By the dim starlight, Su Nan quickly identified the true nature of the sphere.

    It was a ball entirely composed of vines and branches, as large as a house, its surface covered in a sickly green cloud of spores. It didn¡¯t look like something you¡¯d want to touch.

    ¡°Pestilence Vineball!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s brow furrowed. This was a Legendary-level, third-ring creature capable of spreading plagues. The pestilence poison clouds on its surface could instantly kill a second-ring Legendary Knight.

    Simultaneously, a grinding of metal echoed from the front.

    Tall, hulking figures charged out from the depths of the forest.

    At first glance, these creatures resembled apes clad in black armor. Their faces were grotesque and ugly, and their long tongues, dripping with disgusting pus, protruded from their mouths. Snakes emerging from their helmets coiled around their armored arms.

    ¡°Rotting Dead King!¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    Rotting Dead Kings were third-ring Legendary-level undead creatures. Besides their formidable combat strength, they could summon and command undead.

    As the Rotting Dead Kings raised their axes and roared, the ground cracked and groaned, and one after another, undead creatures emerged from the earth, their bodies rotten and riddled with exposed white bones.

    More and more creatures emerged from all around, surging towards Su Nan like a tide.

    ¡°Is this the Black Forest¡¯s test?¡±

    Even surrounded by countless monsters, Su Nan¡¯s expression remained calm and collected.

    With a thought, countless puppets appeared around him, marching in synchronized steps towards the onslaught of monsters.

    A fierce battle erupted in an instant!

    Roars and thundering sounds shattered the silence of the night!

    Hundreds of elite Steel Magic Puppets and Mithril Magic Puppets formed a protective circle around Su Nan, like a sharp blade ripping through the encirclement of monsters, relentlessly pushing forward.

    The density of the monsters surprised Su Nan.

    Almost every step he took resulted in the death of a monster or puppet.

    Looking down from above, the path he was carving was paved with blood and shattered metal.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°This level of assault wouldn¡¯t even be survivable for a third-rank Wizard Apprentice. It completely defeats the purpose of an assessment.¡±

    Su Nan was puzzled.

    Perhaps the Black Forest was different from the Starsea Tower. It wasn¡¯t intended to recruit qualified Wizard Apprentices?

    But if that wasn¡¯t the case, why would the Wizard force behind the Black Forest leave this legacy?

    Or perhaps something had happened to the Black Forest?

    Though confused, Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate. He continued to release spells to eliminate the few monsters that breached the defenses.

    No matter what, he would reach the core of the Black Forest and see for himself.

    The number of monsters in the Black Forest was ultimately limited.

    As time passed, Su Nan noticed a significant decrease in the number of monsters surrounding him.

    He estimated that he had killed at least 1,400 to 1,500 monsters, at the cost of over a hundred destroyed Magic Puppets.

    However, for Su Nan, who now had a vast fortune, this loss was entirely bearable.

    Compared to Secret Puppets, Steel Magic Puppets and Mithril Magic Puppets were much easier to obtain.

    He was willing to lose some puppets to preserve his strength for whatever awaited him.

    Moments later, with a final wail, the last Rotting Dead King fell under the might of a Mithril Magic Puppet¡¯s giant fist.

    The monsters surrounding Su Nan were now completely wiped out. Aside from the pitch-black trees, there was no sign of any creature.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered.

    At that moment, the trees behind him suddenly swayed violently. Several thick branches burst from the earth, whip-like, and lashed out at his back!

    Thud!

    A muffled sound resonated as the branches were stopped mere inches from Su Nan¡¯s body by an invisible force field.

    Su Nan whipped around, unleashing a bolt of lightning, incinerating the branches.

    Crash!

    A series of rhythmic clattering sounds of branches swaying filled the air!

    In an instant, all the surrounding trees began to shake violently, countless branches erupting from the ground, densely packed like a raging storm, sweeping towards Su Nan and his puppets!

    Creak!

    In a flash, several elite Steel Magic Puppets were tightly bound by the branches. As the branches tightened, the metal bodies twisted visibly, emitting grating sounds, turning into scrap metal in a blink of an eye.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate, unleashing a blazing fireball. The surrounding puppets also unleashed flames, instantly turning the surrounding branches into ashes.

    But the next moment, another clattering sound of branches swaying reached his ears.

    Centered on Su Nan, the trees within a hundred meters began to tremble violently. Branch after branch shot out from the earth, like arrows, hurtling towards him.

    The branches, which had just been cleared, quickly became dense again.

    Seeing this, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    Could it be... that all the trees in this forest are monsters that control branches?

    Although the darkness obscured his vision, Su Nan had been using his spiritual power to sense the surroundings as he traversed the forest. He estimated that the number of trees in this forest couldn¡¯t be less than four digits.

    If all these trees were living creatures, then things would get tricky.

    As Su Nan contemplated, the entire forest began to awaken like a slumbering giant.

    The swaying of the trees spread outwards in waves, like a tide.

    One after another, trees stirred from their slumber, pulling branches from the earth, whipping wildly through the air.

    Seeing this, Su Nan didn¡¯t hesitate. He swiftly retracted his Magic Puppets, levitating into the air.

    At the same time, countless silver liquids seeped from his pores, encasing his entire body in an instant, quickly solidifying into a giant, ten-meter-long spike.

    Boom!

    With a piercing sonic boom, the giant spike shot forward like a bolt of lightning, spinning rapidly as it advanced.

    Whirr, whirr, whirr!

    Dense, black branches converged from all directions, an overwhelming force, lashing out with incredible force, but they were shredded into countless fragments the moment they touched the giant spike.

    For a time, the giant spike was like a tank speeding across a highway, forcefully carving a path through the black sea, pulverizing countless black branches in its wake.

    After an unknown amount of time, Su Nan felt the pressure ahead ease.

    He looked around and noticed that he had broken through the encirclement of branches and entered a vast clearing.

    This clearing seemed to have some kind of barrier. The branches could only thrash wildly at the boundary between the clearing and the trees, unable to enter.

    Confirming that the branches posed no further threat, Su Nan retracted his liquid metal and turned his gaze to the center of the clearing.

    A giant, spreading black tree stood silently rooted in the middle of the clearing.

    The tree, estimated to be two to three hundred meters tall, was pitch black, almost blending seamlessly with the night. It seemed to have the ability to block spiritual perception, so much so that Su Nan hadn¡¯t noticed its presence until he entered the clearing.

    The pitch-black tree stood motionless. Though its color was deep and profound, it exuded an eerie beauty, creating a stark contrast with the desolation around it. It was as if he was witnessing a real illusion, full of fantastic color.

    ¡°Shadow Demon Tree.¡±

    Su Nan whispered softly to himself.

    The previous experience, coupled with the sight of this colossal black tree before him, confirmed his guess.

    He knew which Wizard organization was behind the Black Forest.

    (End)

 Chapter 203

    Normally, plants are symbolic of life and not associated with death.

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    However, in the world of Wizards, this is not always true.

    There are some Wizards who specialize in the combination of plants and death, and in this process, create unique creatures.

    For example, the Palace Rose.

    And the Plague Vineball.

    This Wizard faction is called the ¡°Drywood Council.¡±

    The ¡°Drywood Council¡± is a Wizard faction leaning towards the evil camp, its members are all Wizards (Apprentices) specializing in the field of plants and death. They are dark and radical in their actions, and their reputation in the multiverse is not much different from the ¡°Dark Throne.¡±

    However, the overall strength of the ¡°Drywood Council¡± is much weaker than the ¡°Dark Throne,¡± barely ranking among the second-rate Wizard forces.

    The Darkwood Tree is the ¡°Drywood Council¡¯s¡± unique alchemical creature.

    Wizards of the ¡°Drywood Council¡± will plant a Darkwood Tree in every invaded plane, which serves as both a base and a plane anchor.

    The Darkwood Tree has strong combat ability and many auxiliary functions. It can be said that the ¡°Drywood Council¡± has been able to enter the second-rate ranks due to the contributions of the Darkwood Tree.

    Long ago, when he encountered the Palace Rose and the Plague Vineball, these undead plants, Su Nan already vaguely guessed that the Black Forest was likely a legacy left behind by the ¡°Drywood Council.¡± Now, seeing the Darkwood Tree, he directly confirmed this point.

    ¡°No wonder the environment here is so gloomy, it turns out the Drywood Council is behind it.¡±

    Su Nan muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the black giant tree in front of him.

    Whoosh!

    The branches and leaves of the Darkwood Tree suddenly trembled, and then a low, hoarse voice, like that of an elderly man, suddenly sounded.

    ¡°Lucky Wizard, congratulations on passing the test of the Black Forest.¡±

    The voice seemed to come from all directions, as if it was coming from the body of the Darkwood Tree in front of him.

    ¡°As a reward, you will receive the Millennium Tree Essence.¡±

    A long black branch stretched out from the thick canopy, reaching all the way to Su Nan¡¯s face. The tip of the branch was embedded with a piece of wood that seemed to have been scooped out from the trunk, its surface covered in wood grain.

    The entire piece of wood was only the size of an egg, but Su Nan could clearly feel the vast energy it contained.

    A flash of light crossed his eyes.

    The Millennium Tree Essence, formed by the condensed essence of a magical plant that has grown for over a thousand years after its death, contains vast and gentle energy that can be absorbed without refining or purification, significantly increasing spiritual refinement, and is very popular among first-rank Wizards.

    Just this small piece of Millennium Tree Essence could increase his spiritual refinement by at least 10%.

    Due to its extremely harsh formation conditions, it not only requires a magical plant, but also one that has grown for over a thousand years, so the Millennium Tree Essence is quite rare.

    Even the ¡°Drywood Council,¡± which specializes in plants, produces no more than a dozen Millennium Tree Essences per year.

    Su Nan really didn¡¯t expect that the ¡°Drywood Council¡± would leave behind the Millennium Tree Essence in the Black Forest as a reward for those who pass the test.

    Moreover, since it¡¯s a reward, does it mean there¡¯s more than one Millennium Tree Essence?

    Such a generous reward is not like the style of a dark camp.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, he took the Millennium Tree Essence without showing any change in expression, pretending to put it into his spatial ring, but actually placed it into the Magic Cube.

    When he saw the words displayed on the Magic Cube, he had a look of understanding, and secretly sneered.

    As expected, it was as he guessed.

    ¡°Alright, Wizard, you can leave.¡± The low voice of the Darkwood Tree sounded again, ¡°The Black Forest is about to close, and it will reappear in twenty years. I hope to see you again then.¡±

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t hope that.¡± Su Nan said meaningfully.

    ¡°. What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Literal meaning.¡±

    The moment the words fell, Su Nan suddenly flicked his wrist, two Thunderburst Engraved Gemstones flew out of his hand and turned into dazzling violent thunderbolts in mid-air, roaring towards the Darkwood Tree.

    At the same time, a small, exquisite spearhead fell into Su Nan¡¯s palm. As his five fingers closed together, a profound light instantly burst out from between his fingers, quickly transforming into a black spear.

    Chi!

    The spear flew out, turning into a black streamer that shot through the void like lightning, towards the Darkwood Tree.

    Whoosh!

    A large amount of liquid metal surged out from Su Nan¡¯s body, condensing into countless silver sharp cones in the void, densely packed almost filling the sky, and then swept out like a violent storm.

    At this moment, Su Nan almost used all his strength, his three strongest trump cards were all unleashed, aiming at the Darkwood Tree together.

    The Darkwood Tree didn¡¯t expect Su Nan to suddenly attack, caught off guard, it didn¡¯t have time to do much defense, it could only control the roots and branches to drill out from the ground and the canopy, quickly weaving together into a thick vine net in front of it.

    But the next moment, the vine net was torn apart and shattered by the incoming thunderbolts, turning into fly ash and dissipating in the air!

    Following closely behind, the black streamer pierced through its tree trunk!

    As the violent black thunder exploded, a shocking pit instantly appeared in the center of the Darkwood Tree¡¯s massive trunk!

    Through the pit, one could even see the charred wood inside where faint smoke was rising, as well as the scenery behind the tree.

    Before it could catch its breath, the silver metal storm followed closely behind, tearing open one wound after another on the tree trunk, accompanied by the incessant sound of sizzling.

    After a series of fierce attacks, the Darkwood Tree was already covered in wounds, and let out a shrill wail.

    Whoosh!

    Violet flames suddenly ignited from the center of its tree trunk, spreading rapidly to the entire tree body and canopy. The silver sharp cones came into contact with these flames and were instantly vaporized.

    ¡°Wizard!¡±

    The Darkwood Tree finally had the energy to ask angrily, countless black branches sprang out from its canopy, like poisonous snakes aiming at Su Nan.

    ¡°Why did you attack me?¡±

    ¡°Why are you still pretending at this point?¡±

    Su Nan sneered, his eyes scanning the violet flames on the Darkwood Tree.

    Silence!

    After a long time, the Darkwood Tree finally spoke slowly, but this time the voice was no longer low and hoarse, but instead became a sweet and mature female voice.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡±

    The voice was strangely familiar.

    Even though he had only heard it once, Su Nan still had a deep impression.

    It was the voice of the Dark Elf¡¯s protector ¨C the voice of the Spider Queen!

    He had heard it three years ago when he killed the Semi-Spider Deity¡¯s devotee.

    ¡°You guess.¡± Su Nan said calmly.

    In the Magic Cube display, the Millennium Tree Essence was indeed a real one, but a little something was added to it ¨C a terrible spider venom!

    Once he absorbed the Millennium Tree Essence without any precautions, the spider venom would naturally enter his body, eroding and corrupting his flesh and soul.

    Su Nan could tell with his toes who had done the trick.

    This kind of tactic was not the first time.

    After hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, the Spider Queen did not get angry, but instead seemed thoughtful.

    ¡°It was my mistake.¡±

    ¡°When I saw that you hadn¡¯t been hit by the soul poison I left behind earlier, I should have guessed that you had the ability to detect poison, and I should have used a more subtle method.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face was impassive, but he sneered inwardly.

    With the Magic Cube, no matter how many methods the Spider Queen changed, it would be useless.

    Furthermore, even without the Magic Cube, he would not have fallen for the Spider Queen¡¯s trick.

    He had already suspected that the Spider Queen might be interfering with the Black Forest, and now he saw the ¡°Drywood Council¡± leaving behind the Millennium Tree Essence in an unreasonable way, he had already suspected something, and he would never have absorbed that piece of Millennium Tree Essence rashly.

    The Spider Queen¡¯s failure was because she didn¡¯t know that he was very familiar with the ¡°Drywood Council.¡±

    The gap in information doomed the Spider Queen¡¯s plot to failure.

    ¡°You seem to have many secrets hidden in you.¡±

    The Spider Queen¡¯s voice carried a hint of interest.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that the Starlight Continent can still produce a Wizard like you today.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve started to be interested in you.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not interested in you.¡± Su Nan¡¯s face was indifferent, ¡°Deities should stay in their own divine realms, isn¡¯t the Abyssal Web big enough for you? Whether it¡¯s before, now, or in the future, the Starlight Continent is not a place you can interfere with.¡±

    ¡°. You seem to know a lot about me?¡± The Spider Queen¡¯s voice paused slightly, ¡°I¡¯m becoming increasingly curious about your origins,¡±

    ¡°You can go back and think about it slowly.¡±

    The Spider Queen chuckled, her voice tinged with a touch of charm.

    ¡°Young Wizard, I lost this time, as a reward for you winning against me, this tree trunk is yours.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to the day when we meet again in the future, and I hope you can bring me some more surprises then.¡±

    With the Spider Queen¡¯s voice, the violet flames on the Darkwood Tree gradually weakened.

    When the last word fell, the last trace of flame also extinguished.

    The aura of the deity completely disappeared from the massive tree trunk.

    Realizing her complete failure and unable to turn the tide, the cunning deity decisively admitted defeat and left, putting her hope of revenge into the future.

    Su Nan just scoffed at this.

    He would indeed likely meet the Spider Queen again in the future, but it would definitely not be the scene she expected.

    In the memories of the future, that ambush against the Spider Queen by the Wizards would end in a crushing defeat, but that was without his intervention.

    If he were to come along as the ¡°yellow bird¡± in the back, it would be a different story.

    Maybe he could give the Spider Queen another ¡°surprise¡±!

    Su Nan concentrated and sensed for a while, making sure that the Spider Queen had indeed left, then he walked up to the Darkwood Tree.

    The Darkwood Tree had the function of a space anchor, and could also serve as a space channel for interplanar travel.

    The reason why the ¡°Drywood Council¡± left behind the Darkwood Tree in the Black Forest was probably because they wanted to wait until the Starlight Continent¡¯s plane barrier was almost repaired, and then use the Darkwood Tree as a springboard, before other Wizard factions, to send people into the Starlight Continent ahead of time, to seize the initiative.

    But then the Spider Queen discovered the Black Forest, so she took over and used the Darkwood Tree¡¯s spatial anchor function to open a gap, infiltrating her divine power, which led to the series of events in Spider City.

    In other words, as long as the Darkwood Tree was destroyed, it would be equivalent to severing the Spider Queen¡¯s channel of infiltrating the Starlight Continent.

    Before the plane barrier was repaired, she would not be able to intervene in the Starlight Continent anymore.

    If Su Nan hadn¡¯t sneak attacked and severely injured the Darkwood Tree, the Spider Queen would certainly not have given up so readily, there would definitely be a fierce battle between the two.

    Su Nan stroked the rough surface of the Darkwood Tree, sensing the dense divine energy remaining inside, a smile appeared on his face.

    This Darkwood Tree was already dead.

    That piece of Millennium Tree Essence was probably the essence condensed after its death.

    The dead tree trunk had long been transformed and modified by the Spider Queen into a tool for transmitting divine energy, so it also contained a lot of divine energy.

    The Spider Queen didn¡¯t really intend to leave the tree trunk to him as a reward, but for the time being, she couldn¡¯t withdraw the divine energy inside, so she had no choice but to give up.

    The so-called reward was just a face-saving statement.

    No matter what, it was good news for Su Nan.

    With so much divine energy, his spiritual refinement would be able to experience another leap forward.

    Boom!

    A deafening sound suddenly came from afar.

    Su Nan came back to his senses from his joy, immediately soared into the air, looking towards the distance.

    At the end of the horizon, large swathes of distortion were visible to the naked eye, filling every inch of space in the void, slowly but steadily advancing, devouring everything.

    Huge trees were shattered and crushed in the distortion, annihilating and disappearing.

    ¡°Is the space collapsing?¡±

    Su Nan frowned, glanced at the Darkwood Tree, and realized after a moment¡¯s thought.

    The core of the Black Forest was probably the Darkwood Tree.

    Its death led to the natural collapse of the Black Forest.

    It was just that the Spider Queen had been maintaining the stability of this space before, now that she had left, the space naturally could not be maintained.

    Su Nan was slightly regretful.

    He had originally thought that he could take the Black Forest into his possession, but now it seems impossible.

    ¡°Well, the environment of the Black Forest was originally restricted in its use, and giving up is giving up.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head, put away his thoughts, and began to explore the area, looking for the resource storage points of the Black Forest.

    However, he didn¡¯t know whether the resources had already been taken away by the Spider Queen, or the ¡°Drywood Council¡± hadn¡¯t left behind any resources at all, he searched for a long time but found nothing.

    ¡°The ¡°Drywood Council¡± wouldn¡¯t have planned to cultivate any Wizard Apprentices at all, would they? They just used this place as a pure space anchor?¡±

    Su Nan was a little disappointed, but thinking about the Millennium Tree Essence and the tree trunk containing divine energy, his mood improved a little.

    With these two things, this trip was not a waste.

    Seeing that the spatial collapse was about to spread to his side, Su Nan didn¡¯t delay any longer, and immediately put away the tree trunk.

    It was a good thing that he had the Magic Cube, otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to take away such a massive tree trunk.

    Su Nan guessed that the Spider Queen must have thought of this too, leaving the tree trunk behind was perhaps intended to make him feel the frustration of being able to see it but not eat it.

    It could only be said that the Spider Queen was not a person who would willingly suffer losses.

    Activating the Black Key, Su Nan¡¯s figure then disappeared into the air.

    Not long after, the large swathe of spatial distortion swept over like a tide, engulfing the last bit of space.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 204

    Returning to the original cave, Su Nan turned around and saw the dark space passage shrinking rapidly, eventually disappearing into a speck of black.

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    A touch of emotion flashed across Su Nan¡¯s face as he watched this scene.

    The Black Forest collapsed and vanished, and the Starsea Tower was dismantled by him into materials. Two of the legendary three Wizard inheritances of the Starlight Continent had disappeared forever at his hands.

    Only Falling Star City remained.

    ¡°I wonder where Falling Star City is?¡± Su Nan mused to himself.

    He had searched the entire underground world, but he had never found any trace of Falling Star City.

    The clue to this last Wizard inheritance was most likely in the surface world, and it was highly likely to be in the Northwest Region.

    After all, he had already scoured the Southeast Region.

    ¡°After the Star Empire conquers the Northwest Region, I¡¯ll ask Kei to help me find it.¡±

    Snapping out of his thoughts, Su Nan left the cave.

    The Dark Magic Tree¡¯s body was too large to be taken out in Dragon Forest, so he had to find a wide and secluded place to extract the Divine Energy from the tree¡¯s body.

    However, this work took much longer than Su Nan had expected.

    The Divine Energy contained in the Dark Magic Tree¡¯s body wasn¡¯t particularly abundant, only less than three hundred standard units, but due to the tree¡¯s immense size, it was quite time-consuming to extract.

    It took more than two months, and Su Nan absorbed the Divine Energy as he extracted it. He finally absorbed all the Divine Energy from the tree¡¯s body.

    His spiritual condensation rate had also increased by nearly 20%, soaring to 60.37%!

    Since all the essence had been condensed into Thousand Tree Essence and the Divine Energy had been drained, the Dark Magic Tree¡¯s body had become a pile of ordinary wood, but it was wood radiating negative energy particles, more harmful than beneficial, so Su Nan simply burned it.

    After that, Su Nan divided the Thousand Tree Essence into several pieces and then synthesized them, purifying the spider venom inside before absorbing it.

    Perhaps because it was condensed from all the essence of the Dark Magic Tree, this piece of Thousand Tree Essence contained more energy than Su Nan had imagined, ultimately causing his spiritual condensation rate to surge by more than 14%.

    At this point, Su Nan¡¯s spiritual condensation rate had broken through the 70% mark.

    ¡¾Su Nan ¡¤ Arnest, Human Male¡¿

    ¡¾Gasification: 74.82%¡¿

    ¡°I¡¯m about 15% away from breaking through to Level 1 Liquification.¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    He had thought it would take three to four hundred years to break through to Level 1 Liquification, but he had only been a Wizard for ten years and his spiritual condensation rate had already increased to over 70%.

    Speaking of which, a large part of the reason why his spiritual condensation rate could increase so quickly was thanks to the Spider Queen.

    Almost all of the Divine Energy he had absorbed in the past ten years came from the Spider Queen.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the Spider Queen¡¯s persistent delivery of multiple gift packages, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to break through the 70% mark in spiritual condensation so quickly.

    Thinking about this, Su Nan suddenly felt a bit regretful that the Spider Queen could no longer interfere in the Starlight Continent.

    Should he not have killed the Dark Magic Tree so quickly?

    ¡°Forget it, that woman is too cunning, and she might cause trouble if she¡¯s left alive. It¡¯s better to get rid of her sooner rather than later.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head after thinking it over.

    Leaving the Dark Magic Tree alive was too risky. He didn¡¯t need to keep a ticking time bomb around for a little bit of Divine Energy.

    ¡°I only have about 15% of my spiritual condensation rate left. If I cultivate diligently, I should be able to break through to Level 1 Liquification in about eighty years.¡±

    ¡°Besides, there are other ways.¡±

    A glint of light flashed in Su Nan¡¯s eyes.

    When he was looking for the Thunder Stone in the Thunder Element Plane, he had the idea of hunting Element Giants and extracting Divine Energy from them.

    However, he had put it off for the time being due to his lack of strength.

    Now that his spiritual condensation rate had nearly doubled, and his strength had greatly increased, perhaps he could try it.

    If it succeeded, he would have a stable source of Divine Energy in the future.

    However, he needed to prepare.

    The Thunder Element Plane was the home ground of the Thunder Element Giants. The only tools he could use against them were non-elemental spells, non-thunderbolt imprint gems, and liquid metal.

    As for other methods, either they were not powerful enough, or they were restricted by the environment and could not be used, or they were ineffective against the Thunder Element Giant, all of which were not within Su Nan¡¯s consideration.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare more imprint gems.¡±

    ¡°If all else fails, I can kill it with enough imprint gems.¡±

    With a plan in mind, Su Nan no longer lingered. He cast the levitation spell to take to the air and flew towards the nearest city-state.

    Counting the time, he had been away for almost three months.

    However, with the war already over, the Star Alliance should not have much for him to worry about.

    At most, he would listen to reports occasionally and oversee the general direction.

    As soon as he returned to Dragon Bone Tower, Karolina and Red Widow came to find him immediately.

    ¡°Master, the marble and metal you requested have all been collected, but the white jade will take some time.¡±

    In the study, Karolina handed over a list, which listed the various materials that had been collected, including marble, obsidian, and refined steel.

    These were the basic building materials needed to build a Wizard Tower.

    And collection was just the first step.

    These ordinary building materials could not be used to build a Wizard Tower yet. They had to be enchanted to improve their hardness and magic conductivity before they could be used.

    The quality of the enchantment of the basic building materials would largely determine the upper limit of a Wizard Tower.

    In short, the massive amount of basic building materials meant that the enchantment process was a very time-consuming and labor-intensive task.

    Su Nan waved his hand, dividing the enchantment of the building materials into different tasks and assigning them to the students of Starlight Academy to handle.

    This kind of basic work could be done by any first-rank Wizard Apprentice with a certain level of enchantment foundation.

    ¡°The collection of white jade can be taken slowly, but focus on quality.¡± Su Nan instructed.

    Hanbaiyu, a fine-grained marble with a pure white color, was a superior building and carving material.

    It already possessed a weak magic conductivity, and its performance would be greatly enhanced after enchantment, which could be used to strengthen the elemental magic arrays deployed, making it suitable for building elemental pools and meditation areas.

    In addition, white jade could be made very strong after being empowered by spells, capable of withstanding third-ring magic attacks, making it equally suitable for building magic practice rooms.

    The only downside was that it was expensive.

    ¡°What about the other materials?¡± Su Nan asked, putting down the list.

    Karolina replied respectfully: ¡°Magic steel ingots and high-quality gems have been collected, but there is still a three-fifths shortfall of magic crystals, arcane dust, and star sea sand. I have dispatched more people to collect them everywhere.¡±

    ¡°In addition, I am currently asking the Star Empire to assist the Star Alliance in acquiring the silver mines in the surface world. We will control the silver mines as strategic resources, which will greatly increase the production of Mithril.¡±

    Su Nan nodded slightly.

    There were many large facilities in a Wizard Tower, including but not limited to elemental pools, elemental furnaces, magic lock protection energy force fields, levitation rings, and ultra-long-range strike devices.

    These facilities required a large number of rare materials, including Mithril.

    And the Starlight Continent lacked trade channels with other planes, so all resources had to rely on its own output, which naturally collected very slowly and could only be accumulated bit by bit over time.

    In addition, some materials were not available in the Starlight Continent at all, so Su Nan had to find a way to research substitute materials.

    It could be said that without the Synthesis Magic Cube, it would be a pipe dream to build a Wizard Tower on the Starlight Continent.

    Karolina was already a remarkably capable worker for being able to collect such a large amount of rare materials in such a short time.

    Su Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t be too demanding.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job.¡±

    Upon receiving the praise of her master, Karolina¡¯s face showed uncontainable joy.

    Red Widow saw this and secretly rolled her eyes.

    What was there to be proud of?

    As she was slandering, Su Nan suddenly turned to her.

    ¡°Has anything happened on the surface lately?¡±

    Karolina was mainly responsible for underground affairs, while Red Widow was mainly responsible for surface affairs.

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s question, Red Widow immediately straightened up and replied respectfully:

    ¡°Master, a month ago, the Star Empire formally invaded the Northwest Region.¡±

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow, but he wasn¡¯t surprised.

    It had been almost seven years since the unification of the Southeast Region, and the Star Empire had almost digested the fruits of its previous victories, completely stabilizing the situation in the Southeast Region.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising that they would now move into the Northwest Region.

    However, if that was all, Red Widow wouldn¡¯t have specially reported it to him at this time, so Su Nan didn¡¯t interrupt and motioned for her to continue.

    ¡°Five days ago, King Kei sent a letter requesting that we dispatch high-level combat power to support them.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s face finally showed some surprise: ¡°Why?¡±

    With the Star Empire¡¯s current military strength, it should be sufficient to conquer the Northwest Region, so why would they need to ask the Star Alliance for support?

    Red Widow¡¯s face looked strange as she replied: ¡°All the countries in the Northwest Region have united and formed an alliance to fight against the Star Empire. In addition, with the mediation of the Russell family, almost all third-rank Wizard Apprentices in the Northwest Region have also joined forces to assassinate the commanders of the Empire¡¯s various armies. Because of these people, the Empire has been in a state of turmoil recently, and the front line has been unable to advance, so they came to us for help.¡±

    ¡°The Russell family?¡± Su Nan became interested. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this family?¡±

    Most third-rank Wizard Apprentices were solitary, carefree, or arrogant individuals. To gather them together was no easy feat.

    The fact that the Russell family could achieve this was truly astonishing.

    Red Widow handed Su Nan a document, saying at the same time:

    ¡°The Russell family is a thousand-year-old Wizard family with a deep foundation. It is said that their ancestor was a Wizard from a thousand years ago. They have immense prestige in the Northwest Region. Although they are not the royal family of any country, they are respected by all countries.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, the Russell family has a high reputation among Wizard Apprentices. Many Wizard Apprentices have interacted with them and received their help, so they would often give them face in many matters.¡±

    ¡°The reason why third-rank Wizard Apprentices in the Northwest Region were able to put aside their differences and unite this time was because the current head of the Russell family, Facardo Russell, personally came forward to persuade them.¡±

    Su Nan opened the document. It listed information about the Russell family, including its family members.

    The current head, Facardo Russell, was one hundred and fifty-six years old and a third-rank Wizard Apprentice. He was consistently ranked among the top three in the entire Northwest Region.

    And below him, there were a total of sixteen Wizard Apprentices in the entire Russell family.

    This included three third-rank Wizard Apprentices, five second-rank Wizard Apprentices, and eight first-rank Wizard Apprentices.

    This alone was no less than some Wizard Apprentice organizations.

    It had to be said that the Russell family truly had the confidence and strength to be respected by all countries and Wizard Apprentices.

    ¡°A thousand-year-old Wizard family.¡±

    Su Nan thought thoughtfully.

    This reminded him of the Kessler family.

    The Kessler family¡¯s ancestor was also a Wizard, and their legacy also exceeded a thousand years.

    However, the Kessler family had been far less successful than the Russell family. They didn¡¯t even have a single Wizard Apprentice.

    Their only third-ring Legendary Knight was now dead.

    The only remaining family member was missing, and it was unknown whether he was still alive.

    ¡°The Kessler family¡¯s ancestor left them a clue to the Starsea Tower. As fellow thousand-year-old Wizard families, did the Russell family¡¯s ancestor possibly leave them a clue to the Wizard inheritance?¡±

    The words ¡°Falling Star City¡± flashed in Su Nan¡¯s mind.

    Perhaps the clue to the last of the three Wizard inheritances lay with this Russell family.

    ¡°Send Puppet No. 1 and Puppet No. 2 there.¡± Su Nan closed the document. ¡°Try to capture members of the Russell family alive, especially Facardo Russell. I want to extract some information from his mouth.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Red Widow replied respectfully.

    Su Nan waved his hand, and the two women politely left.

    As they walked out of the study, Karolina suddenly asked: ¡°Are you going to personally lead the team to the Northwest Region?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Red Widow glanced at her, smiling sweetly. ¡°The master is clearly very serious about capturing members of the Russell family, so I naturally have to personally oversee the matter.¡±

    Karolina looked at her deeply, saying meaningfully: ¡°I hope you don¡¯t disappoint the master.¡±

    Red Widow¡¯s smile remained unchanged, and she giggled: ¡°With two puppets there, I don¡¯t think there will be any difficulty in this operation.¡±

    The combat power of the puppets was no secret to those in the higher ranks of the Star Alliance.

    Two puppets with the combat strength comparable to Wizards, facing a group of third-rank Wizard Apprentices, couldn¡¯t even be described as strong men bullying children.

    It was simply fully armed knights against unarmed children!

    The result would be without any unexpected twists!

    Over a thousand years of inheritance, the people of the Russell family probably no longer understood the power of Wizards.

    Otherwise, they would never have made the ridiculous move of uniting a group of third-rank Wizard Apprentices to fight against Wizards.

    Only those who had witnessed the might of Wizards would understand that such an act was simply like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

    The master didn¡¯t even need to be present, two puppets would be enough to make those clowns lose their wits.

    Karolina naturally knew this, and she pursed her lips without saying anything else before turning and leaving.

    Watching her leave, Red Widow slowly withdrew her smile and sneered.

    No matter how long they had worked together, she still couldn¡¯t stand this pretentious woman.

 Chapter 205: A Low-Cost Method for Rapid Advancement

    Chapter 205: A Low-Cost Method for Rapid Advancement

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    Half a month later.

    At the top of the Dragon Bone Tower, beside the elemental pool.

    Su Nan glanced at the hundred engraved gems lying in his spatial ring, a satisfied smile on his face.

    So many engraved gems should be enough to deal with the lightning elemental giant.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan opened a spatial passage and stepped into it.

    After a momentary blur, he found himself in the lightning elemental space.

    Dark, brooding clouds met his eyes, filling every corner of his vision.

    Lightning bolts danced and crackled within the clouds, accompanied by thunderous booms. The dazzling brilliance of the lightning, tearing through the clouds, emanated a sense of primeval wilderness.

    ¡°No land in this lightning elemental space?¡±

    The ground was also cloud. Luckily, Su Nan had cast a levitation spell before entering, so he wasn¡¯t caught off guard and fell.

    Without hesitation, he opened the spatial passage again and retreated.

    Fighting in an element space like this, where the clouds filled the entire view, presented too many uncertainties. It wasn¡¯t the best option.

    Since he could change the entry point endlessly, and the cost was only a few gems, Su Nan could afford it.

    He continued entering several more times. The elemental spaces were either harsh environments or had too high of an energy particle concentration, and he abandoned them without hesitation.

    On his fifth attempt, he finally arrived at an elemental space similar to the previous one.

    He cast a ¡°Elemental Energy Shield¡± on himself and activated the ¡°Forbidden Zone¡± before flying into the depths of the elemental space.

    His target was the elemental giant, which usually lurked in the depths of the elemental space.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t stop along the way. He ignored any elemental spirits that tried to attack him, using his speed to quickly leave them behind.

    As he ventured deeper, the concentration of energy particles in the air became increasingly thick.

    Suddenly, Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted as he looked toward the right front, seeing a blurry humanoid creature, roughly ten meters tall and covered in dense electric arcs, charging towards him at incredible speed.

    ¡°Elemental Giant!¡±

    Su Nan was not afraid but excited.

    Finally, he had found his target.

    Without hesitation, he threw out an engraved gem.

    Considering that lightning energy particles wouldn¡¯t harm the lightning elemental giant, and might even become a source of nourishment for it, the latest batch of engraved gems Su Nan made contained no ¡°Lightning Burst¡± at all. They were all ¡°Blazing Inferno,¡± ¡°Freezing Chill,¡± ¡°Abyssal Darkness,¡± and ¡°Gale Force,¡± etc.

    As the engraved gem emitted blinding brilliance, an extreme chill exploded outwards, aiming at the lightning elemental giant¡¯s head.

    In an instant, the lightning elemental giant¡¯s body was covered in a layer of white frost, extinguishing many of the electric arcs on its surface.

    While the lightning elemental giant was momentarily slowed, Su Nan threw out two more engraved gems, ¡°Blazing Inferno¡± and ¡°Gale Force,¡± turning them into flames and gale winds to engulf the lightning elemental giant. At the same time, liquid metal surged out, transforming into a powerful silver giant in the blink of an eye, charging towards the opponent with unstoppable might.

    Taken off guard by the engraved gems, and before it had recovered, the silver giant smashed its fist into the lightning elemental giant¡¯s head.

    The lightning elemental giant¡¯s incorporeal form could withstand any physical attack, but not the elemental energy infused liquid metal. It was knocked off balance by the punch that came crashing down on it.

    The lightning elemental giant was already extremely volatile, and now, having suffered a surprise attack, it roared in anger, swinging its fists at the silver giant.

    Both the lightning elemental giant and Su Nan were at the level of Wizards, yet their fighting styles were primitive and brutal.

    They met force with force, hard attack with hard defense. Although both were fighting barehanded, the clash sounded like two heavy, armored copper men colliding, creating deafening roars.

    Visible energy brilliance and violent shock waves surged out from the center of the clash, spreading out in all directions, distorting the void.

    The ground beneath them was constantly cracking and disintegrating, turning into a massive crater in the blink of an eye.

    After a brief exchange, Su Nan had a sense of the situation.

    Perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t yet reached the core of the elemental space, the lightning elemental giant in front of him wasn¡¯t exceptionally powerful compared to its peers. It was only equivalent to a First-Rank Vaporization Wizard who had just been promoted.

    However, with the advantage of its home ground, its combat power had been enhanced to almost the level of a First-Rank Liquefaction Wizard.

    Fortunately, it was still within his capabilities.

    After gauging his opponent¡¯s strength, Su Nan held nothing back. He controlled the silver giant to launch a ferocious attack, while also throwing out engraved gems without reservation.

    As his spiritual condensation increased, the number of engraved gems he could synthesize had grown to twenty-two, their power roughly four times that of ordinary rune engravings.

    This power was not to be underestimated, even by a formal Wizard.

    As ten engraved gems were thrown one after another, the lightning elemental giant was completely bewildered.

    Fierce flames, gales, and shadows rolled over it in succession. Within just four or five breaths, the dazzling electric light on the lightning elemental giant¡¯s body visibly dimmed, and its robust form shrank by nearly half.

    Su Nan took the opportunity to push forward, his attack becoming increasingly ferocious.

    After ten minutes, with a reluctant roar, the lightning elemental giant¡¯s body shattered, turning into countless light particles that dissipated into the air, leaving behind an irregular, egg-sized blue crystal that fell to the ground.

    Su Nan stepped out from within the silver giant and caught the crystal with lightning reflexes.

    Looking at the beautiful blue crystal in his palm, his face was filled with a joyful smile.

    Elemental Core.

    A crystalline body that concentrated abundant elemental energy, considered a higher-grade material than elemental crystal dust.

    Only elemental creatures at the Elemental Giant level or higher possessed an elemental core.

    However, this wasn¡¯t the reason for Su Nan¡¯s joy. What made him even happier was the divine energy contained within the elemental core.

    After putting the elemental core into the Magic Cube, Su Nan quickly received detailed information.

    ¡°Six standard units of divine energy, a little on the low side.¡±

    The Arachne Elves had eight standard units of divine energy each, but the elemental giant had less.

    However, upon further reflection, Su Nan was relieved.

    The Arachne Elves were created entirely from divine energy. The elemental giant, on the other hand, was a fusion of elemental energy and divine energy, with elemental energy taking up the majority. It was normal for it to have less divine energy in its body.

    ¡°Should be enough to increase my spiritual condensation by about 0.4%.¡±

    Before, this amount of divine energy would have increased his spiritual condensation by 0.5% to 0.6%, but as his spiritual condensation grew higher, the difficulty of improvement increased accordingly.

    Su Nan estimated that by the First-Rank Liquefaction stage, the amount of divine energy needed to increase his spiritual condensation by 1% would likely skyrocket to 50 or 60 standard units.

    But for now, at least, the benefit a single elemental core brought him was still significant.

    The entire battle cost eighteen engraved gems.

    Su Nan calculated that the current cost of an engraved gem was around 5,800 gold coins, making eighteen gems just over 100,000 gold coins.

    100,000 gold coins in exchange for a 0.4% increase in spiritual condensation, a pretty good deal overall.

    The elemental space was rich in energy, and Su Nan quickly restored his spiritual power to its peak state, continuing his hunt.

    He had no intention of venturing into the core area. Instead, he circled around the edge, searching for traces of the lightning elemental giant.

    Before long, Su Nan found his target.

    This time, he didn¡¯t wait for the lightning elemental giant to attack, instead charging at it directly.

    The battle erupted once again.

    Two days later.

    When Su Nan returned to the Dragon Bone Tower, his spatial ring contained three elemental cores.

    The cost was over fifty engraved gems.

    By the elemental pool, Su Nan sat down and began absorbing the divine energy contained in the elemental cores.

    Elemental giants, as naturally occurring divine creatures, possessed inherently pure divine energy in their bodies. There was no contamination from faith, allowing for direct absorption and synthesis.

    When all three elemental cores had turned into dust, Su Nan¡¯s spiritual condensation had reached 76.06%.

    Looking at the data on the panel, Su Nan was filled with overwhelming joy.

    At this rate, he would soon break through to the First-Rank Liquefaction stage.

    The only problem was that this method of advancement was extremely wasteful of engraved gems.

    To break through to the First-Rank Liquefaction stage, he would need to invest at least six million gold coins in engraved gems.

    Although the Star Alliance¡¯s annual income had exceeded ten million gold coins, it was actually used in many areas.

    Refining secret puppets, making crystal spirit potions, crafting Wizard artifacts, and the biggest expense, building Wizard Towers.

    Suddenly taking out six million gold coins would put a significant strain on the Star Alliance¡¯s cash flow.

    ¡°If only there was another way to hunt lightning elemental giants that was less costly.¡±

    Su Nan pondered silently.

    He knew he was being greedy, however.

    Which First-Rank Vaporization Wizard could hunt lightning elemental giants in the lightning elemental space like he was doing?

    Without some kind of background or means, an ordinary First-Rank Vaporization Wizard would be incinerated and reduced to ashes when facing a lightning elemental giant in the lightning elemental space.

    Unless they were descendants of true spirits, with higher-level Wizards specifically collecting elemental cores for them to cultivate.

    Shaking his head, Su Nan dismissed his unrealistic thoughts, his eyes falling on the dust that remained from the elemental core.

    Although the divine energy had been absorbed, the elemental energy in the dust still remained, essentially becoming elemental crystal dust.

    Wait!

    A thought flashed through Su Nan¡¯s mind like lightning.

    Elemental giants were formed from elemental spirits advancing. During this process, the elemental crystal dust that formed within the elemental spirits gradually coalesced, eventually forming the elemental core.

    It could be said that the process of elemental spirits evolving into elemental giants was essentially the process of elemental crystal dust turning into an elemental core.

    Did this mean that he could synthesize elemental cores with elemental crystal dust, which contained divine energy?

    Su Nan¡¯s spirits immediately soared.

    The possibility was quite high.

    Like the blood of the Doom Bell Striker, its blood inherently contained special factors inherited from the divine creature, the Squealing Strange Insect. As long as these factors were activated, divine energy could be born.

    It was the same with elemental spirits.

    They likely also possessed a certain special factor. When the concentration of elemental energy reached a certain limit, causing a qualitative change from quantitative change, this factor could be activated, transforming them into elemental giants, while also giving birth to divine energy.

    If his guess was right, he could use elemental crystal dust to synthesize elemental cores in the future!

    Hunting elemental spirits was much easier than hunting elemental giants!

    Snapping out of his thoughts, Su Nan immediately prepared to try it.

    The elemental crystal dust he had obtained from the lightning elemental space some time ago was still neatly stored in his spatial ring. He immediately took it out and put it into the Magic Cube.

    [Elemental Crystal Dust, Purity 28.35%, Contains Rich Lightning Elemental Energy, Can Be Used for Crafting Potions, Magic Items and Puppets, Also Can Be Used to Lay Down Formations.]

    Su Nan continued his actions, putting more elemental crystal dust into the Magic Cube, while focusing on the synthesis interface.

    The purity of the elemental crystal dust increased rapidly.

    When it surpassed the 100% limit, the information on the synthesis interface finally changed.

    [Elemental Core, Contains Enormous Lightning Elemental Energy, Also Contains a Trace of Pure Divine Energy (0.1 Standard Units), Can Be Used to Craft Potions, Magic Items and Puppets, Also Can Be Used to Lay Down Formations, Divine Energy Can Be Absorbed Directly, Increasing Spiritual Power.]

    ¡°It worked!¡±

    Su Nan was overjoyed.

    He could actually synthesize elemental cores with elemental crystal dust!

    Although it only contained a meager 0.1 standard unit of divine energy, it was a success nonetheless.

    He wasn¡¯t worried about the quantity, as long as it wasn¡¯t zero.

    Even if it was just a tiny amount, he could synthesize it to increase it using the Magic Cube.

    Taking a deep breath, Su Nan calmed his excitement, throwing the rest of the elemental crystal dust into the Magic Cube, ultimately synthesizing an elemental core containing 2 standard units of divine energy.

    He then absorbed the divine energy within the core, his spiritual condensation increasing to 0.13% as expected.

    The increase was small, but it filled Su Nan with excitement.

    From now on, he wouldn¡¯t have to risk his life and spend exorbitant amounts of gold to hunt elemental giants anymore. He could just hunt elemental spirits.

    He had initially wanted to develop another channel for obtaining divine energy, but he had unexpectedly found a low-cost method for rapidly improving his spiritual condensation. Su Nan was in a fantastic mood at this moment.

    His gaze fell upon the dust that remained from the elemental core, and he suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

    Could these elemental crystal dust be reused?

    If so,

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately put all the dust into the Magic Cube.

    However, to his disappointment, the elemental core synthesized this time did not contain divine energy.

    ¡°Is it because the special factor was absorbed along with the divine energy?¡±

    After being disappointed, Su Nan quickly understood after a moment of thought.

    Without the special factor, this elemental crystal dust naturally couldn¡¯t activate divine energy anymore, leaving it to be used as ordinary materials.

    He shook his head and quickly regained his composure.

    Even though it was a pity, being able to find a way to synthesize elemental cores was already very good.

    With this method, he could break through to the First-Rank Liquefaction stage in just two or three years.

    This was significantly faster than his previous estimations.

    ¡°At this rate, I might be able to advance to a Second-Rank Wizard before the Plane Barrier is restored.¡±

    Su Nan smiled.

    Even in the vast and boundless multiverse, a Second-Rank Wizard could be considered a strong individual.

    They could confront the ¡°Dark Throne¡± or join other Wizard forces.

    No Wizard faction would refuse the addition of a Second-Rank Wizard with a clean background.

    Advancing to the Second-Rank Wizard stage and building a Wizard Tower.

    Su Nan set his goals for the next seven hundred years.

 Chapter 206: Good News, Su Nan Is Not Here

    Chapter 206: Good News, Su Nan Is Not Here

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    Starlight Calendar 1280, Autumn Moon (October).

    The weather gradually took on a hint of bleak chill.

    However, the Sal Plain was filled with a tense atmosphere, a blanket of dark clouds hanging over the plain, as if foreshadowing an impending war.

    From high above, the once empty plain was now occupied by armies stretching as far as the eye could see.

    The two clearly defined sides stood facing each other from a distance of several kilometers, a tense and serious atmosphere that had driven away all the animals within dozens of kilometers.

    War was imminent.

    Within the Northwest Alliance camp, on a sloping area.

    A group of high-ranking officers from the Allied forces gazed towards the elite Imperial army in the distance, whispering among themselves from time to time.

    At the forefront, the Allied Commander, Edith Thurman, lowered the spyglass in his hand, his brow furrowed.

    After the real outbreak of war with the Starlight Empire, he truly understood the terrifying military strength of this empire that had conquered the Southeast Region.

    Led by the Blackrock Cavalry and the Golem Legion, the Imperial army pushed the Allied forces back step by step on the front lines.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Facardo and others repeatedly employing decapitation tactics, disrupting the Starlight Empire¡¯s strategic plans, the Alliance would have already faced defeat.

    Even so, the Alliance had lost more battles than it won.

    If this continued, the situation would only become more unfavorable for the Alliance.

    Thinking of this, Edith sighed involuntarily.

    If only the Alliance had a Wizard Apprentice proficient in puppetry.

    While a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice was powerful, even capable of influencing the outcome of a small-scale war, their role in a war that affected the entire continent was limited.

    Unless they were like Su Nan, who could build a powerful Golem Legion on their own.

    Edith sometimes couldn¡¯t understand why, with such a deep foundation as the Russell Family, they hadn¡¯t produced such a remarkable Wizard in a millennium, how could the Southeast Region give birth to such a genius?

    After a moment, Edith sighed inwardly, collecting his thoughts and turning to leave.

    Regardless, today¡¯s battle was crucial, they had to win.

    Otherwise, if the Imperial army broke through the Sal Plain, the remaining three thousand kilometers would be a clear path with no natural barriers, making defense difficult.

    By then, the Alliance¡¯s situation would be even more perilous.

    Returning to the central tent, the spacious tent was already filled with people.

    On the left were military representatives from various nations, while on the right were Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices led by Facardo Russell.

    A total of twenty-five Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, accounting for over eighty percent of the Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices in the Northwest Region.

    Edith first nodded slightly towards the Wizard Apprentices in a gesture of respect, then took his seat at the head, glancing around the room. Seeing that everyone was present, he signaled to his deputy to start the war council.

    ¡°Preliminary estimates suggest that the Starlight Empire has deployed an army of up to a million on the Sal Plain, including a Blackrock Cavalry of twenty thousand and ten thousand Stone Golems.¡±

    The first sentence spoken by the deputy caused a slight change in everyone¡¯s expressions.

    A wave of low gasps echoed through the tent.

    ¡°A million-strong army? The Starlight Empire has reinforced?¡±

    ¡°The Blackrock Cavalry has also increased in numbers, twenty thousand... that¡¯s equivalent to two hundred thousand regular legions!¡±

    ¡°The ten thousand Stone Golems are even more troublesome, these puppets are fearless and incredibly difficult to deal with on the front lines.¡±

    Edith seemed to have anticipated this situation, saying ¡°quiet¡± and suppressing the discussion in the tent.

    Being the commander of the Allied forces, he had some prestige among the generals of various nations.

    Seeing the silence, Edith gestured for the deputy to continue.

    ¡°The commander in charge of this war is Duke Bred, along with Marquis Jorton, Marquis Stali, Earl Lange, Earl Crook...¡±

    The generals¡¯ faces grew increasingly grim as they listened.

    The names spoken by the deputy were primarily those who had been close confidants of the Starlight Emperor since his early days, following him from the small Black Stone City all the way to the present-day Starlight Empire.

    It could be said that these individuals were all seasoned veterans with renowned achievements.

    Their gathering on the Sal Plain demonstrated the Starlight Empire¡¯s immense importance placed on this war.

    The more they listened, the less confident they felt about winning.

    Patiently waiting for the deputy to finish, Edith spoke in a calm voice.

    ¡°I believe everyone understands the strategic significance of the Sal Plain, this war we must win, we cannot lose.¡±

    With just this one sentence, Edith turned to Facardo and asked, ¡°Facardo, what is your opinion?¡±

    Edith understood that the key to the Alliance¡¯s victory in this war did not lie with the generals present and their armies.

    With a significant disadvantage in terms of troops and morale, relying solely on frontal combat would give the Alliance a minimal chance of winning.

    The only hope for victory ultimately rested upon Facardo and his companions.

    Facardo was over a hundred years old, but he looked no different from a young man in his thirties, with a fair complexion and slender fingers, revealing a life of privilege.

    Facing Edith¡¯s inquiry, he smiled faintly:

    ¡°The Starlight Empire¡¯s top generals have all gathered on the Sal Plain, which is actually good for us, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°As long as we seize this opportunity and take them out in one go, without their leadership, the Imperial army will surely collapse and fall into chaos for a long period, giving the Alliance a golden opportunity to strike back.¡±

    Facardo¡¯s words ignited the generals¡¯ eyes, they nodded enthusiastically.

    Edith, however, was not swayed by excitement, his expression solemn.

    ¡°We have attempted to assassinate Imperial generals several times before, the enemy must have taken precautions, Duke Bred and others are certainly heavily guarded. Attempting another assassination now, the chances of success are probably low.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Facardo did not show any anger at Edith¡¯s doubts, instead, he nodded in agreement, then changed the subject.

    ¡°Therefore, we are not planning another night attack on the camp, instead, we will wait until the battle begins, then bypass and launch a surprise attack on the rear of the Imperial camp, that¡¯s when Duke Bred and the others will be at their most vulnerable.¡±

    Edith paused slightly, falling into deep thought.

    To bypass and strike the enemy¡¯s rear during a battle, this plan seemed far-fetched, but when implemented by a group of Wizard Apprentices, it held the potential for success.

    With Facardo and the others¡¯ abilities, they could silently infiltrate the rear of the Imperial camp and then launch a fierce surprise attack.

    By that time, most of the Imperial army would be engaged on the battlefield, with fewer guards around than usual.

    The chances of success were higher than attempting a night attack after the Empire had gone on alert.

    ¡°There is one more issue.¡± Edith¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What if Su Nan is here?¡±

    ¡°Cough.¡±

    Sitting beside Facardo, Caile coughed lightly and took over. Among the Wizard Apprentices present, he was the most experienced and also the most powerful, after Facardo.

    ¡°In the four months since we¡¯ve been at war with the Starlight Empire, Su Nan has not appeared, likely the same will be true now, he might not care about the war between the Starlight Empire and the Alliance.¡±

    Edith frowned slightly, but he didn¡¯t refute Caile¡¯s words.

    Based on the intelligence they had gathered, during the Starlight Empire¡¯s unification of the Southeast Region, Su Nan had not personally intervened.

    ¡°Besides, even if Su Nan does appear, we are not without the means to fight back.¡±

    As Caile spoke, he glanced at Facardo.

    There were twenty-five Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices among them, in terms of overall strength, they were far superior to the former Truth Council.

    Moreover, Facardo possessed a Witch Artifact inherited from the Russell Family.

    Although it had been passed down for a millennium, partially damaged, and its power greatly diminished, it was still a powerful weapon far surpassing a micro-light magical artifact.

    It was the only one in the entire Starlight Continent!

    With this trump card, Su Nan¡¯s absence was fine, but if he did appear, they would certainly give him a big surprise.

    Seeing Facardo and Caile¡¯s confident expressions, Edith nodded and said nothing more.

    At this moment, a low horn sound came from outside.

    Edith¡¯s expression turned serious, he immediately stood up and walked out of the tent.

    A soldier quickly ran over and reported, ¡°Sir, the Starlight Empire¡¯s army is on the move!¡±

    Edith¡¯s eyes narrowed, he gave a stern order.

    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±

    He then turned and bowed slightly to Facardo and his companions as they emerged, saying solemnly:

    ¡°I entrust this to you!¡±

    Facardo smiled slightly. ¡°Edith, just wait for our good news.¡±

    As both armies began to move, the Sal Plain suddenly became lively.

    With the Golem Legion in the vanguard, infantry in the center, archers in the rear, and the Blackrock Cavalry protecting the flanks, ready to strike, the mighty and elite Imperial army resembled an ancient beast, slowly but steadily advancing towards the enemy.

    The soaring momentum of the army¡¯s advance dispersed the dark clouds in the sky, tearing open a huge gap.

    Seeing this from afar, the Allied army, which had just formed their battle lines, stirred slightly.

    Although the unrest was quickly quelled, it was enough to illustrate the Allied forces¡¯ current fear in the face of the Imperial army.

    Edith saw this and his heart sank even further.

    He could only hope that Facardo and his companions¡¯ assassination mission would be a complete success, that way the Alliance would still have a chance to win. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    Taking a deep breath, Edith dispelled the extraneous thoughts, and said firmly:

    ¡°Advance!¡±

    ¡°Advance!¡±

    The command was passed down layer by layer, the Allied army began to move slowly, gradually accelerating.

    Looking down from the sky, the two armies were like floods gradually speeding up, ultimately colliding violently in the center of the plain.

    In an instant, the very center of the impact exploded with a blinding crimson, followed by deafening shouts and screams that turned into rolling waves, echoing across the sky!

    The Golems swung their iron fists, continuously crushing enemies, man and armor, into pulp, like giants rampaging through the enemy ranks.

    The Alliance often had to pay ten times the casualties of the Golems to destroy a single one.

    Located in the heart of the fierce fighting, the casualties of the Golems were increasing at an alarming rate, yet these puppets showed no signs of retreating.

    They had no fear, like cold machines, they continued to kill one enemy after another.

    Just as it had happened numerous times before, facing these fearless and impervious foes, the Alliance¡¯s vanguard retreated steadily under immense psychological pressure. With growing casualties, they showed signs of collapse.

    Seeing this, Edith promptly dispatched the reserve troops to reinforce, beheading a dozen retreating soldiers before finally stabilizing the formation.

    The rear forces then pressed forward, the cavalry from both flanks charged, attempting to disrupt the Imperial army and ease the pressure on the front lines.

    But as the cavalry charged out, they met the even stronger Blackrock Cavalry.

    Meanwhile, the Imperial infantry rear forces also joined the battle.

    The situation for the Alliance remained unchanged.

    Although they had anticipated this, looking at the scene before them, Edith¡¯s heart sank to the bottom.

    His gaze went beyond the battlefield, towards the Imperial camp in the distance.

    At the same time.

    Facardo and his companions also reached the rear of the Imperial camp, hiding in a forest, gazing towards the countless tents a few kilometers away.

    Facardo turned to a pale, expressionless man with a complexion that seemed almost transparent.

    ¡°Same as always, Momir, it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Momir nodded silently, sat cross-legged on the spot, and closed his eyes.

    A strange ripple emanated from his body, spreading faintly to the far distance.

    A short while later, Momir opened his eyes.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Someone immediately asked eagerly.

    Momir nodded expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯ve found the target¡¯s location, a total of twelve people, excluding two hundred and twenty-three personal guards, there are thirty-two Golems in total.¡±

    ¡°What type of Golems?¡± Facardo asked.

    ¡°Two Mithril Golems, five high-level Steel Golems, five high-level Double-Bladed Spiders, the rest are Steel Golems.¡±

    Having clashed with the Starlight Empire multiple times, everyone had already figured out the Empire¡¯s Golem strength levels.

    Hearing this, Caile¡¯s expression relaxed, he laughed, ¡°That¡¯s fine, we can break through easily with our strength.¡±

    Everyone revealed relieved smiles.

    Of these Golems, only the two Mithril Golems posed a slight threat to them, but only slight.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you find Su Nan?¡± Facardo asked, not feeling reassured.

    Momir shook his head, hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°There are three more people beside those noble generals, one is a woman, the other two are wearing cloaks so their faces are obscured. But based on their stature, they should also be female.¡±

    ¡°If Su Nan were here, there would be no need to hide his identity.¡± Caile spoke in a relaxed tone. ¡°I think he never intended to intervene in this war.¡±

    Facardo thought about it and agreed.

    ¡°Too bad, I really wanted to face Su Nan and see how powerful a formal Wizard really is.¡±

    A tall Wizard Apprentice chuckled.

    His right arm was thicker than his left, and its surface was covered in fine scales.

    ¡°If you really face Su Nan, you wouldn¡¯t even last a minute.¡± A Wizard Apprentice who was close to him teased.

    Facardo coughed lightly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back, and said solemnly:

    ¡°Alright, enough idle chatter.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll start the operation now, our target is those noble generals, not the Golems. Avoid any unnecessary entanglement, deal with the target quickly and leave, lest we be surrounded.¡±

    Even Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices would be in danger if they were caught in an army¡¯s encirclement.

    Everyone present understood this, they silently nodded.

 Chapter 207

    ¡°Looks like we won again!¡±

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    Jorton couldn¡¯t help but grin, looking at the retreating coalition forces on the battlefield.

    The other commanders all had an expression of ¡°it¡¯s only natural.¡±

    The coalition army was a motley crew, each with their own agenda, making it difficult to unite them into a single force. Their combat strength was inherently inferior to the imperial army, so defeat was expected.

    Stari laughed, ¡°The coalition¡¯s main force is here. Once we deal them a heavy blow, it will be much easier to deal with them later.¡±

    Jorton laughed heartily, then turned to see Bred looking thoughtful. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Bred shook his head, pondering, ¡°The coalition army can¡¯t possibly defeat the empire on the front lines. The commander on their side can¡¯t possibly not know this. In the past, they¡¯ve always used beheading tactics to turn the tide, but they haven¡¯t made a single move until now.¡±

    Jorton nonchalantly said, ¡°They probably think we¡¯re prepared and that a night attack won¡¯t be successful, so they¡¯ve given up.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Bred said noncommittally.

    ¡°Duke Bred needn¡¯t worry.¡±

    A seductive voice suddenly came from the side.

    Just by listening to the voice, everyone present felt a strange heat rise in their bodies, their hearts stirred.

    They all knew how alluring and beautiful the owner of the voice was, the most beautiful woman they had ever met.

    However, no one dared to linger their gaze on the owner of the voice for too long, lest they incur her displeasure.

    ¡°Master sent me here to deal with those wizard apprentices.¡±

    ¡°If they come, just leave it to me.¡±

    The Red Widow chuckled.

    Two figures cloaked in robes stood motionless behind her.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Bred said respectfully.

    The woman in front of him was one of the two right-hand men of Lord Su Nan, a core member of the Star Alliance. Even the emperor would give her some respect, and even though Bred was a duke, he didn¡¯t dare to be the slightest bit disrespectful.

    The Red Widow smiled and glanced at the two figures behind her.

    With them, the entire Starlight Continent could not find anyone she feared.

    At this moment, the two figures simultaneously looked towards the distance, paused slightly, and raised their hands to fire a bolt of lightning at the same time.

    The two bolts of lightning tore through the air, hitting the void over 500 meters away almost simultaneously.

    In an instant, the void twisted, and two men in gray robes appeared simultaneously, stumbling back a step.

    Their faces were full of astonishment.

    They thought they would have to get within a hundred meters before being detected by the puppets surrounding their target, but they were discovered from such a distance.

    What kind of people were those two cloaked figures?

    Their senses were far too keen!

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    A low shout rang out suddenly.

    Seeing that he had been discovered, Fakado no longer hid, appearing decisively and dashing towards his target.

    At the same time, over twenty wizard apprentices appeared from thin air, their faces cold and grim as they launched attacks at Bred and his group.

    ¡°Those guys again!¡±

    Jorton, instead of being surprised, was overjoyed. He drew his weapon and was about to charge forward to fight, but Bred stopped him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive. Don¡¯t forget your identity.¡±

    Bred gave Jorton a helpless look. He was already a marquis, how could he still be so reckless?

    You¡¯re a First-Ring Legendary Knight and you want to fight third-rank wizard apprentices?

    What¡¯s the difference between that and seeking death?

    ¡°Leave the assassins to the Red Widow.¡± Bred said.

    Jorton clicked his tongue, but stopped.

    On the other side, seeing the assassins appear, a seductive smile bloomed on the Red Widow¡¯s face.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    With a sweet laugh, the two figures behind her lifted their cloaks, revealing their tall, slender figures and delicate, beautiful cold faces.

    Whoosh!

    Liquid silver metal flowed from the palms of the two girls, quickly forming two knight¡¯s longswords.

    Next, the two girls, wielding dual swords, darted towards the assassins like arrows.

    After the scene where their presence was discovered beforehand, Fakado and the others didn¡¯t underestimate the two young girls. The two wizard apprentices who were at the forefront sneered, one suddenly roared, and from his nose, mouth, and every pore of his body, blazing red flames erupted.

    The flames soared fiercely, burning fiercely, churning and intertwining to form a three-meter-tall wolf, crashing towards the girl on the left like a raging tide.

    The other one quickly recited an incantation, and countless emerald green mists appeared from thin air, condensing into a monstrously huge beast head, opening its bloody maw and biting fiercely at the girl on the right.

    In the face of these attacks, the two girls¡¯ response was surprisingly consistent.

    With a whoosh, silver liquid metal flowed from their bodies, quickly enveloping them, as if coating them with a layer of silvery skin.

    Whether it was the fiery wolf or the poisonous beast maw, they were blocked by the seemingly thin layer of silver metal skin.

    Shhh!

    Taking advantage of the close distance and their inability to dodge, the girl on the left stabbed her sword into the fiery wolf¡¯s body. With a twist of her wrist, a muffled sound, as if a sharp blade were cutting through flesh, suddenly erupted. Countless sharp blades suddenly sprouted from all over the wolf¡¯s body, instantly turning him into a porcupine.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    The fiery wolf let out a piercing scream, filled with disbelief.

    In the form of a fiery wolf, physical attacks should have been completely ineffective against him, even magical weapons could hardly harm him, yet the sword that pierced his body had taken his life.

    At the same time, screams came from the other side.

    Dense metal spikes tore through the emerald green beast maw in a raging storm, drowning the wizard apprentice opposite.

    As the metal storm swept past, the wizard apprentice burst into a bloody mist, not even a single speck of residue remained!

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    At the same time, a kaleidoscope of magical light swirled, engulfing the two girls.

    However, when the light dissipated, all the wizard apprentices were shocked to find that the two girls were completely unscathed.

    An invisible force field, seemingly thin but unbreakable, enveloped their entire bodies.

    Fakado and the others were already pale.

    Just one encounter, two skilled third-rank wizard apprentices were instantly killed, and they were able to block everyone¡¯s attacks unscathed, this power was simply terrifying!

    When did the Star Alliance have such powerful figures, and even two of them?

    Fakado quickly recalled the intelligence he had gathered about the Star Alliance.

    The Star Alliance should only have one female third-rank wizard apprentice, Rose. But where did these two girls, who looked exactly alike and seemed to be twins, come from?

    Before they could figure it out, the two girls had already charged towards them expressionlessly, shooting out a barrage of dense magical missiles with their hands.

    ¡°Instantaneous spellcasting!¡± A wizard apprentice exclaimed in horror.

    But even more shocking things were to come.

    Serpent Pattern Seal, Lightning Bolt, Exhaustion Ray.

    One spell after another was unleashed from the two girls¡¯ hands, quickly taking down two wizard apprentices.

    ¡°Third-Ring Spells!¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?!¡±

    ¡°Are these two formal wizards?¡±

    The wizard apprentices were filled with horror.

    Third-Ring Spells, plus what seemed to be liquid metal manipulation as an innate ability, these two girls did indeed seem to be formal wizards.

    But how was that possible?

    As third-rank wizard apprentices themselves, they knew how difficult it was to become a wizard.

    It was already incredible that the Starlight Continent had produced a Su Nan. How could it possibly produce two more wizards?

    And they were twins?

    For a moment, Fakado and the others were filled with disbelief and felt utterly ridiculous.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    A scream suddenly rang out.

    One of the girls appeared behind a wizard apprentice as if flashing, her longsword suddenly transformed into countless sharp blades that pierced the latter¡¯s body.

    Another comrade died!

    Everyone woke up from their daze and unleashed their spells in retaliation.

    In the face of two opponents who were far more powerful than expected, they no longer dared to be the slightest bit dismissive, unleashing their strongest attack techniques.

    Especially when they saw Fakado take out a bead, the wizard apprentices intensified their offensive, tying down the two girls to buy time for Fakado.

    The bead was the size of an egg, perfectly round, as crystal clear as a diamond, shining with a beautiful luster in the sunlight.

    As Fakado poured his spiritual power into it, the bead suddenly lit up, as if all the surrounding sunlight was being sucked into it.

    The light quickly became blindingly bright, visible to the naked eye.

    In the next instant, the bead suddenly hummed and trembled, and a blindingly brilliant beam of light shot out from the bead, almost instantly reaching the girl in front of it.

    Even with the girl¡¯s agility and swiftness, she couldn¡¯t dodge in time this time, so she had to control the liquid metal to concentrate in front of her, forming a palm-sized silver shield.

    Tick!

    Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and then, with a muffled sound, the silver shield was pierced by the beam of light. Then came the protective shield, the Extreme Protection Ring, the Element Energy Protection, and the Energy Particle Protective Layer.

    In a split second, all five layers of the girl¡¯s protection were broken, the beam of light hit her brow without any obstruction, and pierced through her head, exiting from the back of her skull!

    Seeing this, Kair and the others all showed gleeful expressions.

    ¡°As expected of the Russell family¡¯s ancestral magic artifact, its power is truly formidable!¡±

    Kair was both delighted and awed.

    They had just experienced firsthand how strong the girl¡¯s defenses were.

    She had taken dozens of spells without a scratch, it was simply terrifying.

    Fortunately, Fakado¡¯s Sunmelting Bead did not disappoint!

    Fakado took a few quick breaths, his face slightly pale, but as he looked at the hole in the girl¡¯s brow, a smile appeared on his face.

    But the next second, the smile on his face suddenly froze.

    The companions around him also showed expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

    The girl¡¯s brow twitched, and silvery liquid flowed out from the pores of her surrounding skin, quickly filling in the wound, instantly filling the wound. Then, with a flash of silver, her skin returned to its original white complexion, and the wound had disappeared.

    The girl shook her head and continued to charge towards them expressionlessly.

    ¡°!!!¡±

    Everyone stared in disbelief.

    What was going on?

    It clearly hit a fatal spot, why was she completely fine?

    Fakado was even more dumbfounded.

    He knew best how powerful the Sunmelting Bead was.

    That beam of sunlight, when it pierced the girl¡¯s brow, the extreme scorching energy contained in the beam should have roasted her entire head, no matter how tenacious a creature¡¯s vitality, it couldn¡¯t possibly survive!

    ¡ªUnless she had integrated some kind of special bloodline, her head wasn¡¯t a vital spot, or she simply wasn¡¯t a creature in the conventional sense!

    A shocking thought suddenly flashed through Fakado¡¯s mind.

    His expression fluctuated for a moment, then he gritted his teeth and activated the Sunmelting Bead again, shooting out a beam of light that hit a girl.

    This time he aimed at her left chest, and deliberately changed the energy properties, causing the beam to explode instantly when it hit, instantly blowing a hole the size of two fists in the girl¡¯s chest, vaguely showing the flowing silver liquid inside, as well as a silver-gray crystal as bright as a gemstone.

    ¡°Soul Core!¡±

    Fakado was struck by lightning as if he were struck by a bolt from the blue, his entire body instantly went numb.

    The other wizard apprentices who saw this scene also widened their eyes, showing an expression as if they had seen something incredible.

    The Soul Core, these two girls who were so powerful, they could fight two against many and make them feel defeated, were puppet creatures!

    How was that possible?!

    How could a puppet be so powerful?

    For a moment, Fakado and the others were in disarray.

    They were already at a disadvantage, and now they were even less of a match for the two girls.

    One by one, the wizard apprentices fell to the girls¡¯ hands.

    Fakado wanted to activate the Sunmelting Bead, but after using it twice in a row, his spiritual power had reached its limit. Now, he couldn¡¯t even unleash a few spells, let alone activate the Sunmelting Bead.

    After ten breaths, out of the twenty wizard apprentices who had attacked the imperial camp, including Fakado, only four were still standing.

    Looking at the two girls who stood before and behind them, expressionlessly blocking their retreat, Fakado experienced the meaning of despair for the first time in his life.

    ¡°Fakado Russell, current patriarch of the Russell family, correct?¡±

    A beautiful woman walked over, her gaze scrutinizing him meaningfully.

    Fakado gritted his teeth, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°The Red Widow.¡±

    Fakado¡¯s heart jumped.

    He had seen this name in intelligence reports, it seemed to be one of the core members of the Star Alliance.

    Ignoring Fakado¡¯s reaction, the Red Widow chuckled, ¡°Surrender. If it wasn¡¯t for Master having some interest in the Russell family and ordering me to spare your lives, you would have been dead long ago.¡±

    Fakado was stunned and looked around. He realized that the three survivors were all wizard apprentices of his family.

    After realizing this fact, he didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of joy, but instead became even more bitter.

    In the midst of battle, he could still selectively choose targets to attack, which undoubtedly meant that the two puppet girls were not going all out, but still had room to spare. This was undoubtedly a more despairing fact.

    With a deep sigh, Fakado¡¯s heart was filled with despair and he lowered his arms.

    ¡°We surrender.¡±

    The second update should be too late. There¡¯s only one update today, and I apologize to everyone. The second update is owed, and that counts as the one update I owe the Alliance Leader. So now I owe two updates in total, and I¡¯ll definitely make it up! Thank you for your support and subscriptions!

 Chapter 208

    Hearing the clan leader utter the word surrender, the other three Sorcerer Apprentices of the Russell family all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

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    They were truly afraid.

    Those two puppet girls were unbelievably strong!

    Not to mention defeating them, they couldn¡¯t even escape.

    Not to mention the army waiting outside, ready to strike.

    If they continued to resist, they would all have to pay with their lives.

    The Russell family was merely cooperating with the Allied Forces, not sacrificing themselves. There was no need to risk their lives.

    ¡°A wise choice.¡± Red Widow smiled sweetly.

    Facardo chuckled wryly, only feeling bitterness in his mouth.

    Only now did he truly realize how foolish their previous actions had been.

    They had recently thought that by combining their efforts, they could definitely stand toe-to-toe with Su Nan.

    But reality had slapped them hard, making them understand what it meant to be overconfident.

    Su Nan hadn¡¯t even appeared, only sending two puppets, and they were almost completely wiped out.

    Facardo wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to think that the Wizard who could craft such powerful puppets would be weaker than his creations.

    The strength of a formal Wizard was truly beyond his imagination!

    Thinking about this, Facardo couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disheartened.

    He had previously thought that his strength was already at the top of Starlight Continent. Even if it wasn¡¯t as good as a formal Wizard, it wouldn¡¯t be too far off.

    But now he realized how arrogant and absurd his thoughts had been.

    Not far away, seeing the battle end in less than ten minutes, with assassins dying and others surrendering, Bred and the others couldn¡¯t help but look at each other.

    To be honest, when they first saw Red Widow arrive with only two puppets, they didn¡¯t say anything on the surface, but they were actually quite worried deep down.

    But they didn¡¯t expect these two puppets to be so powerful.

    They completely crushed the attacking Sorcerer Apprentices like they were fragile objects!

    It was simply astonishing!

    ¡°Lord Bred, my task is complete, I have to bring people back to report, I will be leaving here.¡±

    Red Widow¡¯s voice woke Bred up, the latter quickly bowed slightly, replying sincerely:

    ¡°Thank you for your assistance, please give my regards to Lord Su Nan.¡±

    Red Widow smiled and nodded, turning around to leave with the puppets and the Russell family members.

    Watching them leave, Bred finally withdrew his gaze, looking towards the battlefield.

    ¡°Send the reserve army as well, it¡¯s time to end this war!¡±

    Joden immediately drew his weapon and said: ¡°I will lead the army, after seeing the battle just now, I¡¯m quite eager to give it a try. It¡¯s a good opportunity to move around.¡±

    This time, Bred didn¡¯t stop him, waving his hand and letting him go.

    With the reserve army joining the battlefield, the Imperial army¡¯s offensive became even more fierce, and the Allied Forces were showing signs of defeat.

    At the back of the Allied Forces, Edith saw this and understood that Facardo and the others¡¯ actions had probably failed.

    He sighed deeply, his face instantly becoming ashen.

    The Allied Forces were finished.

    Thunder Element Plane, a certain elemental space.

    Boom!

    A dazzling flash of lightning tore through the void, smashing onto a steel magic puppet, and the latter¡¯s massive body instantly melted away, becoming a blob of semi-liquid scrap metal.

    However, more magic puppets fearlessly charged towards the lightning, their enchanted iron fists, imbued with [Weak Elemental Damage], continuously struck the elemental spirit.

    An intense battle was unfolding in the wasteland.

    Magic puppets were constantly turning into scrap metal and being destroyed, while elemental spirits were continuously wailing and dissipating into the air, leaving elemental crystal dust behind. As soon as the crystal dust formed, it was collected by an invisible force and floated towards the back of the battlefield, landing in Su Nan¡¯s palm and disappearing.

    Looking at the mountain of elemental crystal dust piled up in his spatial ring, Su Nan¡¯s face showed a faint smile.

    After discovering the method of synthesizing elemental crystal cores from elemental crystal dust and then absorbing divine energy from them, he had devoted most of his energy to hunting elemental spirits.

    To improve hunting efficiency, Su Nan directly deployed his magic puppet legion, while also spreading his own energy fluctuations, attracting elemental spirits, and then having his puppet legion take care of them. All he had to do was focus on being the elemental spirit lure and the elemental crystal dust collector.

    This significantly increased the efficiency of obtaining elemental crystal dust.

    The price was the consumption of magic puppets.

    But compared to hunting elemental giants with inscription gems, this cost was negligible.

    Before long, the attracted elemental spirits were all wiped out by the magic puppets.

    Su Nan estimated that nearly all the elemental spirits within a radius of ten kilometers had been cleared out, so he withdrew his magic puppets and opened a spatial channel to return to the Dragon Skull Tower.

    He sat cross-legged beside the elemental pool, took out the elemental crystal dust to synthesize elemental crystal cores, and then absorbed them immediately.

    After half a year of hunting and absorption, his spiritual condensation had already reached the limit of breaking through.

    With the assimilation and fusion of more than ten standard units of divine energy, his spiritual power finally broke through the limit and underwent a qualitative change.

    Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the gaseous spiritual power that had been slowly flowing around the talent crystal suddenly stalled, then solidified like it had encountered cold, turning into tiny water droplets that fell like rain.

    Before long, the gas had disappeared completely, replaced by a river of water, flowing slowly around the talent crystal like the Milky Way.

    The water flowed, crystal clear, slowly around the talent crystal, and Su Nan could almost hear the pleasant sound of rushing water.

    ¡°I did it!¡±

    Su Nan opened his eyes, called up the panel, looked at the [Liquidized: 0.01%], and a genuine smile of joy appeared on his face.

    He had finally broken through!

    From his ascension to Wizard, it had only been twelve years.

    In such a short period of time, to break through from First-Rank Gaseous to First-Rank Liquidized, except for True Spirit descendants, it was already considered quite impressive in any Wizard era.

    From gas to liquid, the spiritual power seemed to have decreased in quantity, but its quality had skyrocketed, overall increasing by more than double compared to the gaseous stage.

    Among First-Rank Wizards, regardless of various trump cards and hidden techniques, First-Rank Liquidized Wizards could completely crush First-Rank Gaseous Wizards.

    For a while, Su Nan calmed down his inner joy. Seeing that there were still five standard units of divine energy in the elemental crystal dust, he absorbed them all in one go.

    His spiritual condensation level increased to 0.2%.

    ¡°It takes about fifty standard units of divine energy to increase spiritual condensation by 1%.¡±

    As expected, after breaking through to the Liquidized stage, it became significantly more difficult to increase spiritual condensation.

    But soon, he rallied himself again.

    With the method of synthesizing elemental crystal cores, he could reach First-Rank Crystalized in at most fifty to sixty years.

    This speed was already far beyond most First-Rank Wizards.

    Especially on the current Starlight Continent, it was unimaginable.

    ¡°After breaking through to First-Rank Crystalized, I need to construct a second talent crystal.¡±

    ¡°I need to decide on a talent crystal model to construct.¡±

    Out of the talent crystal models he had obtained from the Starsea Tower, the best one was only Intermediate, and Su Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t look at it.

    His plan was still to synthesize a super talent crystal model similar to ¡®Liquid Metal.¡¯

    It would be best to prepare the corresponding talent crystal model before breaking through to the Crystalized stage.

    Researching talent crystal models, hunting elemental spirits, and building a Wizard Tower.

    Su Nan suddenly realized that he had quite a lot of work on his hands.

    And each task would require a lot of time and effort.

    It was fortunate that he didn¡¯t have to worry about the Star Alliance or the surface world at the moment, otherwise, he would have been busy to the point of neglect.

    Stretching, Su Nan looked towards the elemental pool nearby.

    After the expansion, the energy absorption speed and capacity of the elemental pool had significantly increased, roughly growing by 15%.

    Although it was only a 15% increase, the cost of various gems and rare metals was as high as two million three hundred thousand gold coins.

    But the effect was also very noticeable.

    The increase in capacity goes without saying. In terms of energy use, Dragon Forest had more leeway.

    The most important was the improvement in meditation efficiency and spiritual power recovery speed.

    ¡°Unfortunately, it hasn¡¯t reached the size of a standard small elemental pool yet. Otherwise, the effect would be at least 50% better than before.¡±

    Su Nan estimated that the Dragon Skull Tower¡¯s elemental pool could still be expanded to improve its effect, but the cost-effectiveness was extremely low. It was better to spend the gold coins on building a Wizard Tower and strive to build a new elemental pool as soon as possible.

    A standard small elemental pool could significantly improve his cultivation efficiency.

    ¡°For now, I can only use Fourth-Rank Soul Crystal potions, Fifth-Rank potions require at least First-Rank Crystalized spiritual power to withstand.¡±

    ¡°Inscription gems, Forbidden Zones, and Black Thunder can also be synthesized and upgraded.¡±

    After breaking through to the Liquidized stage, Su Nan¡¯s spiritual power had significantly increased, and his load-bearing capacity was also significantly higher, so he could naturally increase the number of inscription gems and wizard artifacts he synthesized.

    Having decided what to do next, Su Nan began to think about the Wizard Tower again.

    He had already had a lot of knowledge about building Wizard Towers in his mind. Over the years, he had gradually collected many books on this subject through various channels, along with the books he had obtained from the Starsea Tower. In terms of knowledge about building Wizard Towers, he was already well-prepared.

    All that was left was to take action.

    First, there was the level aspect.

    In the division of Wizard civilization, Wizard Towers are classified according to their scale, from low to high, as Small, Medium, and Large.

    The larger the scale of the Wizard Tower, the more expensive it is to build.

    The most basic Small Wizard Tower costs hundreds of millions of gold coins.

    As for Medium and Large Wizard Towers, they are no longer measured in gold coins.

    Without two or more colonial planes providing resources, there is no hope of building Medium or Large Wizard Towers.

    Su Nan was very self-aware.

    Medium and Large Wizard Towers were definitely out of the question. Even if he dismantled the entire Starlight Continent, he wouldn¡¯t be able to build a Medium or Large Wizard Tower.

    His goal from the beginning was to build a Small Wizard Tower.

    As for floating cities, which are even more advanced than Large Wizard Towers, they are a realm that only True Spirit Wizards can reach. He was still far from that level.

    ¡°Even a Small Wizard Tower is not so easy to build.¡±

    A Wizard Tower can be roughly divided into three parts: energy supply, space planning, and combat devices.

    First, the energy supply can be divided into three major parts: the elemental pool, the floating ring, and the central crystal energy transmission system.

    The elemental pool is the most basic and core facility of a Wizard Tower, serving as the energy supply device for the entire Tower.

    A complete elemental pool needs to be connected to multiple element planes at the same time, extracting elemental energy from them to create a complete cycle, providing a constant supply of energy for the Wizard Tower.

    To use an analogy, the elemental pool is like a hydroelectric power station. As long as the elemental channel is still there, it will continuously generate energy.

    A small elemental pool can meet the basic needs of a small Wizard Tower, including charging needs for magic puppets, operation of various combat devices, and providing lighting, experiments, conversion, and other routine applications.

    Excess energy that is not used can be stored for use during war.

    The larger the elemental pool, the more energy it can supply and store, and it can handle more intense battles.

    Generally, a small elemental pool corresponds to a small Wizard Tower.

    But if the building skills and financial resources are sufficient, a medium elemental pool, or even a large elemental pool, can be built.

    However, if you do this, the cost will also soar.

    It is worth noting that the cost of a small elemental pool is already as high as tens of millions of gold coins, and a medium elemental pool costs more than ten times that of a small elemental pool, and also requires the use of many rare materials.

    This includes elemental source crystals, rare materials that only elemental giant elders drop.

    While Su Nan was eager to build a medium elemental pool, he simply didn¡¯t have the capacity at this stage.

    ¡°Let¡¯s build a small elemental pool first. It¡¯s enough for now, and I can upgrade it later if I need to.¡±

    The second part of the energy supply, the floating ring, is, as the name suggests, the device that allows the entire Wizard Tower to take flight.

    This device requires a large amount of mithril, which is also expensive.

    The last part, the central crystal energy transmission system, is not as expensive as the elemental pool and floating ring, but it is still not cheap.

    Its principle is mainly to graft the entire Wizard Tower onto the Crystal Scar, allowing the energy from the elemental pool to be transmitted to various places in the Wizard Tower. It is an upgraded version of the magic energy transmission pipeline that was laid in Base 1.

    The central crystal energy transmission system can be said to be an indispensable part of the Wizard Tower.

    Su Nan estimated that the energy supply alone would require at least 50 million gold coins in materials for the elemental pool, floating ring, and central crystal energy transmission system.

    And many of these materials are very difficult to obtain even if you have money, even in the short term.

    For example, mithril.

    Even with the Star Alliance¡¯s massive size, its annual mithril production is less than fifty kilograms.

    Just building the floating ring alone requires two to three thousand kilograms of mithril.

    Add in the consumption of other facilities, and this number is likely to soar to over five thousand kilograms!

    Even if mithril is saved and not used at all, it will take at least a hundred years to accumulate enough.

    This is undoubtedly a heart-stopping number!

    ¡°Anyway, it will take one or two hundred years to build the entire Wizard Tower, so I can slowly accumulate it during this time.¡±

    Su Nan thought for a while and decided to put off building the floating ring for now, and put it on the agenda when enough mithril has been accumulated.

    (End)

 Chapter 209

    The second part of the wizard tower construction is space planning.

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    As the name suggests, it mainly focuses on the layout of the internal space within the wizard tower.

    A complete wizard tower includes, but is not limited to, areas such as the experimental area, planting area, meditation area, training area, storage area, residential area, workshop area, and detention room.

    These areas cannot be simply designated with a piece of space.

    The experimental area requires the installation of protective magic to prevent accidental explosions from destroying the wizard tower.

    The planting area needs to be equipped with energy gathering formations to gather energy particles and enhance the growth of magical plants.

    The meditation area needs to be equipped with energy activation formations to improve meditation efficiency.

    Even the simplest training area needs to be reinforced and protected, with the addition of magic targets capable of detecting energy strength, making it easier for apprentices to get real-time feedback on their spell mastery.

    However, the most important part is to expand the space using dimensional space technology.

    A small wizard tower, which appears to be only 500 to 600 meters tall from the outside, often has an internal area larger than a city.

    This alone requires a large amount of stardust, which is the main material used to make space-related magical items.

    The final combat devices are also crucial for the wizard tower.

    Combat devices are primarily divided into defensive and offensive components.

    The former primarily refers to the energy field generated by the magic lock protection.

    Even a basic small magic lock protection energy field can easily withstand the spell bombardment of dozens of level one wizards for 24 hours.

    As long as the instant attack intensity does not exceed the protective limit of the energy field and the elemental pool has sufficient energy, it is generally difficult to break through the energy field.

    In general, unless it is a war artifact of the same level, it is almost impossible for biological individuals to break through the magic lock protection energy field.

    When attacking the Starlight Tower, Su Nan breached it from the inside. The energy field of the Starlight Tower was useless. Otherwise, even with his magical puppet legion, he would not have been able to capture the Starlight Tower within three months.

    It is worth noting that the Truth Council spent more than two years, attacking the Starlight Tower continuously every day, and still could not break through its energy field.

    The standard small magic lock protection energy field is simply not comparable to the ¡°mountain-Õ¯¡± energy field of the Starlight Tower in terms of defense.

    Similar to the elemental pool, the magic lock protection energy field is also divided into small, medium, and large sizes.

    The higher the level, the stronger the defense, and naturally, the higher the cost.

    If possible, Su Nan would also like to build a central magic lock protection energy field.

    However, the cost in gold coins is secondary. The key is that some of the materials are simply not available on the Starlight Continent.

    ¡°Maybe I can consider synthesis.¡± Su Nan pondered.

    Since the materials for building medium-sized facilities are lacking, he could simply synthesize smaller ones to obtain them.

    However, this would inevitably increase costs significantly.

    Based on past experience, synthesized items are always much more expensive than those made through manual manufacturing.

    After thinking for a while, Su Nan shook his head and put this idea aside for now. He could think about it when he actually started construction.

    On the offensive side, it can be further subdivided into ultra-long-range strike devices and deployed legions.

    The former generally refers to various energy weapons.

    For example, the inscription cannon tower inside the Starlight Tower.

    The inscription cannon tower is the most basic energy weapon construct, capable of firing energy beams to attack specific targets. It is the most fundamental remote strike device in a wizard tower.

    Further up, there are disintegration cannons, plasma cannons, and pulse cannons.

    The disintegration cannon¡¯s projectile power is equivalent to the sixth-ring spell ¡°Disintegration,¡± enough to decompose a level one wizard into their most basic molecular units.

    In general, the disintegration cannon is the ultimate weapon sequence for a small wizard tower.

    The higher-level plasma cannon and pulse cannon are the final weapon sequences for medium and large wizard towers, respectively.

    As for floating cities, the strike devices are typically phase weapons, such as magic energy crystal superconductivity pulse cannons.

    ¡°Inscription cannon towers work well against wizard apprentices, but they are a bit weak against official wizards, unless hundreds or even thousands of inscription cannon towers are used for concentrated fire.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best to use magic cubes to synthesize and improve the power of the inscription cannon towers.¡±

    ¡°I also need to make a few disintegration cannons.¡± Su Nan had a plan in mind.

    As for the deployment legion, it usually refers to a magical puppet legion, but it also includes other creatures.

    Some wizard towers prefer to breed certain biological groups, which can be deployed for combat.

    Any creature that permanently resides in the wizard tower and can be deployed for battle outside the tower during wartime falls under this category.

    However, the majority of wizard tower deployment legions are mainly composed of various magical puppets, especially high-level ones.

    Low-level magical puppets, such as flesh and blood puppets, clay puppets, and stone puppets, are simply not worth it for official wizards. They are suitable for chores, but their combat capabilities are inferior to a few inscription cannon towers.

    The built-in magical puppet legion of most wizard towers starts with iron puppets.

    Even the mighty mithril puppet is considered a regular troop in a wizard tower.

    Only high-level magical puppets, such as shadowsteel puppets and diamond puppets, which are capable of competing with wizards, can be considered high-level combat sequences.

    However, the manufacturing cost of these puppets is astronomical.

    Su Nan wondered if the Starlight Continent still had the materials needed to build shadowsteel and diamond puppets.

    If all else fails, he could only rely on synthesis to create puppets of the same level.

    Beyond shadowsteel and diamond puppets, there are even more advanced supreme puppets.

    Supreme puppets are the original form of magic energy constructs.

    Magic energy constructs, also known as legendary construct lifeforms, include, but are not limited to, arcane guardians, magic energy mechas, tower spirit constructs, and silver-secret sages.

    These legendary construct lifeforms all possess combat power comparable to third-level wizards. The strongest ones can even engage in direct combat with true spirit wizards.

    However, due to their extremely high manufacturing cost, few wizard towers can afford them. They are typically deployed as the combat sequences for floating cities.

    Although supreme puppets are not as powerful as true magic energy constructs, they are significantly stronger than shadowsteel and diamond puppets. Even within large wizard towers, they are usually deployed as the final combat sequences.

    A single supreme puppet can easily take down over ten level one wizards in a direct confrontation.

    ¡°Magical puppet legion, huh?¡±

    A thoughtful gleam flickered in Su Nan¡¯s eyes.

    If it were up to him, he would definitely focus on quality over quantity.

    The built-in magical puppet legion would definitely start with mithril puppets.

    Mithril puppets would serve as the main force, supplemented by a small number of puppets equivalent to shadowsteel puppets.

    However, this would undoubtedly lead to exorbitant costs.

    ¡°At least the problems that can be solved with gold coins are not problems. I can always save up enough. But materials cannot be created out of thin air.¡±

    Su Nan pondered silently.

    Apart from the three main parts: energy supply, space planning, and combat devices, the tower spirit is also a vital component of the wizard tower.

    They are the most advanced artificial intelligence, responsible for the integrated operation of the wizard tower. They combine functions such as terminal computing, data recording, combat command, and experimental assistant.

    Generally speaking, a wizard tower needs at least one tower spirit.

    However, if the budget allows, more tower spirits are always better.

    The computing power of a single tower spirit is limited. Sometimes, deploying two or three large tasks will occupy the tower spirit¡¯s entire computing capacity.

    The more tower spirits there are, the smoother and more efficient the operation of the wizard tower will be.

    Generally, it¡¯s best to arrange three tower spirits within a wizard tower, each responsible for the wizard tower¡¯s combat command system, daily operation, and experimental assistance.

    Higher-level tower spirit constructs can even transform into physical bodies to assist wizards in combat.

    The creation of tower spirits requires legendary soul crystals.

    This was not a problem for Su Nan, as he could synthesize them using miniature soul crystals.

    During the conquest of the underground world, he had accumulated a large number of soul crystals, more than enough to synthesize several legendary soul crystals.

    ¡°Now that I have accumulated enough materials, it¡¯s time to start building the wizard tower.¡±

    Su Nan extended his hand, and a panoramic 3D model of Dragon Forest instantly appeared in the void.

    Scanning the model, he began selecting a construction site.

    Considering the charging issue of clay puppets and the transportation of materials, the location of the wizard tower should be chosen within Dragon Forest.

    The spatial channels that run throughout the underground world and the Starlight Empire allow materials to be transported to Dragon Forest at any time.

    In the end, Su Nan chose a spacious forest area in Zone 2 as the construction site.

    Zone 2 has a vast area, with high-level sub-dragon races and large magical plant gardens occupying less than half. The rest is vacant land, perfect for utilization.

    ¡°Number 1, establish the ¡®Build Wizard Tower¡¯ task.¡±

    Su Nan gave the order.

    ¡°Begin recording the wizard tower design diagram. Recording complete.¡±

    ¡°The ¡®Build Wizard Tower¡¯ task has been established.¡±

    ¡°Please set the number of laborers.¡±

    ¡°One thousand clay puppets.¡± Su Nan thought for a moment and said.

    This number of clay puppets should be sufficient. Any more would only hinder efficiency.

    Moreover, they are only needed for the initial construction of the base and tower body. During the actual construction of the internal space, the number of clay puppet laborers required will be much smaller, a hundred or so should be enough.

    The internal layout and facilities of the wizard tower must be handled by the wizard personally.

    After all, clay puppets cannot draw runes or formations.

    This is the main reason why it takes hundreds of years to build a wizard tower.

    Of course, other wizards can be hired to assist, or facilities like floating rings, inscription cannon towers, and magical puppet legions can be purchased from other sources, significantly shortening the construction time.

    However, few wizards would do so.

    The wizard tower is the core secret of a wizard. Few wizards would allow others to participate in its construction. If someone leaves a hidden hand, they might suffer a huge loss someday.

    Wizards would rather build their wizard tower piece by piece, slowly and patiently, than rely on others.

    The construction of the base and tower body is relatively simple. It can be handled by the¹Ü¼Ò 1ºÅ, and Su Nan only needs to monitor the progress occasionally.

    After setting up the task, he left the Dragon Bone Tower and returned to Ghost Lake City.

    The Red Widow sent a message three days ago saying that they had captured the people from the Russell family and were escorting them back to Ghost Lake City.

    Due to the unstable situation in the cities captured by the Starlight Empire in the Northwest Region, no spatial channels have been built. Most of the journeys have to rely on riding puppet flying vehicles, which takes some time.

    Calculating the time, they should be arriving at Ghost Lake City soon.

    Sure enough, as soon as he returned to Ghost Lake City¡¯s Base 2, the Red Widow came to report to him.

    ¡°Master, the four level three wizard apprentices from the Russell family, including the current patriarch, Facardo Russell, are now in the reception hall. They are being guarded by Secret Puppets 1 and 2.¡±

    The Red Widow stood respectfully in front of the desk, her body slightly bent, showing no trace of her usual casualness and flirtatiousness in front of others.

    Occasionally, she would glance at Su Nan with a fiery look.

    ¡°Good job.¡± Su Nan complimented her.

    The Red Widow¡¯s face brightened, and she subtly glanced at Carolina beside her.

    Carolina remained expressionless, but her hands, resting on her abdomen, unconsciously clenched slightly.

    Ignoring his two subordinates¡¯ little interactions, Su Nan walked directly towards the door.

    In the reception hall.

    The four wizard apprentices from the Russell family sat on the sofa, looking rather uneasy. They would occasionally turn their heads and look towards the entrance of the hall.

    Two secret puppet girls stood calmly on both sides of the door, like door guardians.

    Facardo glanced at them, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.

    On their way to being escorted here, he had thought about escaping, but on the one hand, he couldn¡¯t escape from the two secret puppet girls, and on the other hand, he felt that escaping was pointless.

    The entire Starlight Continent was about to fall under the control of the Starlight Empire and the Star Alliance. Even if he fled to the ends of the earth, he could not escape their sphere of influence.

    Although it wasn¡¯t impossible to find a place to hide, he couldn¡¯t live in hiding for the rest of his life.

    Let alone whether he could adapt, even if he could, without resource supply, he would find it difficult to continue improving his strength in the future.

    Should he just give up on becoming a wizard?

    Facardo found this more difficult to accept than death.

    ¡°Patriarch, why do you think that person wants to see us?¡±

    A voice interrupted Facardo¡¯s thoughts.

    He turned his head and saw that the speaker was Innocent Russell, the strongest level three wizard apprentice in the family besides him.

    Innocent was injured in the previous battle and hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. His face was pale.

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Facardo shook his head.

    However, he had a vague guess.

    If there was anything about the Russell family that could pique the interest of a formal wizard, it had to be that.

    But how did the other party know about this secret?

    In the entire Russell family, only the patriarch knew about this secret.

    Apart from that, even within the family, no one else knew about it.

    While still in doubt, Facardo suddenly felt something was wrong. He turned his head and saw that a figure had appeared in the hall, seemingly out of nowhere.

    A young man, no older than twenty years old, at most.

    His appearance could be considered handsome, but what really caught the eye were his eyes, deep and mysterious like the starry sky. Just looking into them gave one the feeling that their soul would be sucked in.

    Almost instantly, Facardo realized who the person in front of him was.

    The controller of the Star Alliance!

    The only wizard in the Starlight Continent for a thousand years!

    Su Nan Arnest!

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 210

    On the way toÓÄºþ City, Facardo had thought about many things concerning Su Nan.

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    Among them were guesses about his appearance, which were all sorts of strange.

    But when he actually saw him, he realized that Su Nan looked like an ordinary person.

    Unlike many Wizard Apprentices whose appearances were distorted due to bloodline fusion, Su Nan looked no different from a normal human.

    Except for his eyes.

    Just a glance, and Facardo clearly realized how vast the gap was between himself and the person in front of him.

    It was a gap in the spiritual realm, like a chasm.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Lord Su Nan!¡±

    Facardo bowed deeply, his head lowered.

    Facing someone whose strength far exceeded his own, the only thing he could do was express his respect.

    Innocent and the other two woke up from their daze and bowed deeply.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so polite, sit down.¡±

    Su Nan waved his hand and sat down at the head of the table.

    After he sat down, only then did the four of them sit down again.

    They exchanged glances, and Facardo¡¯s eyes flickered, he was about to speak but was interrupted by Su Nan raising his hand.

    ¡°As long as the Russell family no longer participates in the war, I can ensure that the Starry Empire won¡¯t attack the Russell family.¡±

    Facardo was taken aback, followed by great joy, but what Su Nan said next made his face change slightly.

    ¡°The premise is that you hand over the clues to Falling Star City.¡±

    As he spoke, Su Nan¡¯s eyes swept across the four of them.

    Innocent and the other three looked bewildered, but Facardo¡¯s changing expression did not escape his gaze.

    Su Nan was certain, the head of the Russell family did indeed know the clues to Falling Star City.

    ¡°Facardo, how about this deal?¡±

    Facardo was silent for a moment, a wry smile appeared on his face, and he nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good deal.¡±

    What else could he do?

    He should be grateful that the Russell family still had something that Su Nan was interested in, otherwise, with his way of doing things, the whole family would have been mercilessly destroyed long ago.

    Just like the former Council of Truth.

    After hearing Facardo¡¯s words, Innocent and the other three all looked at each other in disbelief.

    Falling Star City?

    Their family actually had clues to Falling Star City?

    Why had nobody mentioned this before?

    As if he could sense their doubts, Facardo explained with a wry smile:

    ¡°Our family does indeed possess clues to Falling Star City, but it has always been passed down through the patriarch orally, so apart from the patriarch, no one else knows.¡±

    At this point, Facardo couldn¡¯t help but glance at Su Nan.

    He still couldn¡¯t figure out how Su Nan knew about this secret.

    Noticing Facardo¡¯s gaze, Su Nan remained calm and didn¡¯t say anything.

    He couldn¡¯t exactly say that he was bluffing, could he?

    ¡°Why?¡± Innocent couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Facardo sighed and said, ¡°Because since seven hundred years ago, no one in our family has been able to enter Falling Star City anymore, no matter what method they used.¡±

    ¡°The secret of Falling Star City is very easy to attract covetousness, not to mention being unable to enter. To avoid getting nothing and getting a bad reputation, our ancestors decided to seal this secret, only the successive patriarchs could know.¡±

    Facardo¡¯s words were both an explanation to his family and a notification to Su Nan about the current situation of Falling Star City, preventing him from thinking that he was intentionally hiding the method to enter Falling Star City, and thus blaming the Russell family.

    Su Nan frowned slightly, but quickly smoothed it out.

    ¡°The key to entering Falling Star City should be in your hands, right?¡±

    Based on the experiences of the Starry Tower and the Black Forest, Falling Star City should also have a so-called key.

    Sure enough, Facardo nodded and handed Su Nan a bead.

    In his opinion, since Su Nan knew the Russell family¡¯s secret, it was no surprise that he knew about the existence of the key, so he wasn¡¯t surprised at all.

    It was Innocent and the other three who were surprised, their eyes widening.

    They didn¡¯t expect that the family heirloom, the Day Fusion Bead, was actually the key to entering Falling Star City.

    ¡°Witch Artifact.¡±

    After taking it and examining it for a moment, Su Nan raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    ¡°You have sharp eyes, sir.¡±

    This time, Facardo was truly surprised.

    In the Starry Continent today, even Dim-Light Grade Magic Items were rare, let alone Witch Artifacts.

    At least he had never heard of anyone obtaining a Witch Artifact.

    Yet Su Nan could recognize the grade of the Day Fusion Bead at a glance, this kind of knowledge was truly astonishing.

    He had no idea that Su Nan had nearly a dozen Witch Artifacts, otherwise, his eyeballs would probably have popped out.

    ¡°It seems that the ancestors of the Russell family were quite considerate of their descendants, they even made the key to entering Falling Star City into a Witch Artifact and passed it down.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, it has been too long, this Witch Artifact has been worn down quite a bit, its power is probably less than half of what it used to be.¡±

    Su Nan felt a little regretful, looking up at Facardo.

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by being unable to enter Falling Star City?¡±

    Since they had come to this point, Facardo didn¡¯t hide it, he explained honestly:

    ¡°According to the family records, Falling Star City opens once every thirty years, the location is in the Rainbow Sea at the end of the continent, but since seven hundred years ago, although our ancestors could still sense the time and location of Falling Star City opening with the Day Fusion Bead, when they arrived, they could no longer find Falling Star City.¡±

    Can sense but can¡¯t find?

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered, lost in thought.

    ¡°When was the last time Falling Star City appeared?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen years ago.¡±

    That means it will open again in fifteen years.

    Su Nan understood, he weighed the Day Fusion Bead in his hand and said, ¡°Keep this with me for now, I¡¯ll return it to you after I¡¯m done with it.¡±

    Facardo hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°As you please, sir.¡±

    Seeing his concerns, Su Nan smiled disdainfully, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not greedy for a half-destroyed Witch Artifact. If this thing breaks, I¡¯ll compensate you with a similar one.¡±

    A half-destroyed Witch Artifact was just a chicken bone to him, it was not as important as the meaning of the key to Falling Star City.

    After hearing Su Nan¡¯s words, Facardo gave a dry laugh, not sure if he believed it or not.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t plan on explaining further, he turned to another matter.

    ¡°What are your plans for your family in the future?¡±

    Facardo was taken aback, then he looked thoughtful.

    On the way here, he had been anxious, worrying about the reason why Su Nan had approached his family, he hadn¡¯t even considered what would happen next.

    Now that Su Nan had reminded him, he suddenly realized the awkward situation of the Russell family.

    In the past, the Russell family had a preeminent position in the Northwest Territory, they had cooperation with many countries, obtaining resources from them.

    But the Starry Continent was about to be unified by the Starry Empire, and the Starry Empire had the Star Alliance as a formidable partner, they wouldn¡¯t need the Russell family at all.

    Without access to resources, how would their family survive?

    Innocent and the other three obviously thought of this too, their brows furrowed.

    After all, he was the patriarch, Facardo quickly came to his senses, Su Nan deliberately brought this up, clearly not just to remind them, there must be a follow-up, so he bowed respectfully to Su Nan.

    ¡°What instructions do you have, sir?¡±

    He was a smart man.

    Su Nan nodded secretly, and smiled faintly, ¡°Have you ever considered joining the Starry Academy?¡±

    Starry Academy?

    Facardo and the other four were stunned.

    They had naturally heard of the name of the first Wizard Academy on the Starry Continent, they even specifically collected related information.

    But the Star Alliance kept the information about the Starry Academy very confidential, they only knew that the Starry Academy had recruited a large number of Wizard Apprentices, and nothing else.

    The natural cautious nature of Wizards made them unable to join a force they didn¡¯t know enough about.

    Therefore, for a time, they all hesitated.

    Su Nan didn¡¯t mind, he waved his hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone take you to visit the Starry Academy, after you have a sufficient understanding, you can decide whether to join or not.¡±

    Hearing this, Facardo and the other four breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡±

    Su Nan then summoned Carolena and asked her to take the four to the Starry Academy, and pass on the word to Rose and the other three to take charge of reception.

    After Facardo and his group left, Su Nan looked at the Day Fusion Bead in his palm.

    From the situation of the Starry Tower and the Black Forest, it was highly likely that Falling Star City was also a Wizard legacy left behind by a certain Wizard force.

    And the ancestors of the Russell family were probably members of this Wizard force.

    The Russell family, in fact, like the Kessler family, should both be guardians of the Wizard legacy.

    It¡¯s just that after thousands of years of inheritance, both families had lost control of the Wizard legacy.

    The Kessler family was because they had no Wizard Apprentices.

    The Russell family, on the other hand, was because there was some kind of change in the Wizard legacy itself.

    No matter what, he was going to visit Falling Star City.

    In the first two Wizard legacies, he had gained a lot of benefits, which gave him a high expectation for Falling Star City.

    Maybe he could get his hands on some more resources that could quickly improve the spiritual condensation rate.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t been to the Rainbow Sea yet.¡±

    The Rainbow Sea was a strange sea area that was as famous as the Underworld.

    The Underworld was known for its deep mystery, while the Rainbow Sea was known for its vastness.

    This sea area was located at the end of the Northwest Territory, it could be described as the end of the world.

    Because there were many colorful corals and various colorful plants and animals at the bottom of the sea, it was named the Rainbow Sea.

    It is worth mentioning that the Rainbow Sea is also quite dangerous, it is home to many poisonous and ferocious marine creatures, as well as a large number of Seafolk tribes.

    If you were not a Wizard (Apprentice), ordinary people could only move around in the shallow sea, venturing into the deep sea would result in becoming food for marine creatures or being captured by the Seafolk tribes as slaves and breeding tools.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go and see the Rainbow Sea.¡±

    Starlight Calendar 1280, Autumn Curtain Moon (October).

    The Salping Plain battle, the Allied forces were defeated and fled, the Imperial army was able to advance, gaining a wider space for war.

    Starlight Calendar 1280, Slumber Moon (December).

    Snow fell, the land was covered in white snow, everything was white as snow.

    It was difficult for the army to march in the wild.

    Only the Magic Puppet Legion and the Blackrock Cavalry of the Starry Empire were exceptions.

    These two armies had the ability to march in the snow.

    The existence of the Clay Magic Puppet logistics unit also meant that the Empire¡¯s logistics transportation was barely affected by the snowy weather.

    Taking advantage of the snowy season, the Starry Empire¡¯s troops marched out in all directions, and conquered towns one after another with lightning speed.

    In just two months, five countries had perished under the Empire¡¯s might.

    Starlight Calendar 1281, Awakening Moon (February).

    The most powerful nation in the Northwest Territory, the Croe Empire, perished at the hands of the Starry Empire, all the nations in the Northwest Territory mourned.

    Starlight Calendar 1281, Thunder Moon (April).

    Frostleaf Duchy, Rainbow Emerald Kingdom, Mist Forest Duchy, the remaining three nations in the Northwest Territory surrendered to the Starry Empire, marking the fall of the entire Northwest Territory into the hands of the Starry Empire.

    Thus, the Starry Empire unified the Starry Continent!

    It was also the first country to achieve great unification on the Starry Continent in thousands of years!

    ¡°How does it feel to be the ruler of the Starry Continent?¡±

    In the study, looking at Kei who was beaming with joy, Su Nan teased with a smile.

    ¡°It feels pretty good.¡±

    Kei laughed heartily, then he also raised an eyebrow at Su Nan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about me, you also unified the Underworld, and you did it earlier than me, you should know better than I do what it feels like.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not an emperor.¡± Su Nan shook his head with a chuckle.

    After a few jokes, the two quickly got back to the topic.

    ¡°It will take some time for the Northwest Territory to stabilize the situation, once it is completely stable, I will immediately arrange for people to conduct aptitude tests.¡±

    Kei pushed open the window and looked out at the courtyard.

    A group of young children were playing and laughing under the care of servants in the courtyard, their cheerful laughter made one¡¯s mood feel a little more pleasant.

    Since he made the decision to ¡°branch out¡±, Kei had been actively implementing it, and he had many children over the years.

    He had high hopes for these children, especially the ones nearing the age of twelve, hoping that one of them would become a Wizard Apprentice.

    He was also very concerned about the upcoming aptitude test.

    Su Nan looked at Kei, and said nothing.

    He could understand Kei¡¯s persistence in wanting a Wizard Apprentice, besides wanting to deepen the connection between the Star Alliance and the Starry Empire, it was also a way for him to project his own yearning and longing for Wizards.

    If there really was a Wizard Apprentice in the Imperial family, for his elder brother¡¯s sake, Su Nan would consider tilting some resources towards that person.

    As long as that person had the aptitude for Wizards, no matter how poor their aptitude was, with the Star Alliance¡¯s current resources, they could be piled into a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    ¡°Speaking of which, Xieman and Kore are about to become Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.¡±

    Su Nan suddenly thought.

    He had just asked about Xieman and Kore¡¯s cultivation progress a while ago, and they had both built eight Star Rings, only one more to go before they could become Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    Maybe, just like the scepter said, they could both completely break through before the age of fifty.

    A Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice at the age of fifty, besides him, it was also unique in the Starry Continent.

    Suddenly, Su Nan thought of something else, he looked at Kei.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become a Fourth-Ring Legendary Knight, right?¡±

    Kei withdrew his gaze and nodded with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right, I broke through two months ago.¡±

    With ample resources, it was still quite fast for Knights to improve their strength.

    Like Kei¡¯s eldest son, the current first prince of the Empire, Yabe¡¤Arnest, he was only twenty-seven years old and already a First-Ring Legendary Knight.

    He was even better than his father at that age.

    Besides inheriting his father¡¯s excellent talent, the Empire¡¯s abundant resources were also a major reason.

    ¡°I was just about to ask you.¡± Kei looked at Su Nan intently, ¡°What is the path after becoming a Fourth-Ring Legendary Knight?¡±

 Chapter 211: A New Goal

    Chapter 211: A New Goal

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    Su Nan took a sip of his red tea, savoring the flavor before answering calmly, ¡°Strictly speaking, the Four-Ring Legend is the pinnacle of human knights.¡±

    Kei frowned, but then he realized something, his expression shifting.

    ¡°You mean, going beyond that transcends the human level?¡±

    Su Nan nodded approvingly, saying, ¡°To break through the Four-Ring Legend and advance to the next level, there are only two paths.¡±

    ¡°The first is the semi-elementalization path, becoming an Elemental Knight.¡±

    ¡°The second is the bloodline fusion path, becoming a Bloodline Knight.¡±

    Kei¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, ¡°What are the differences between these two?¡±

    Su Nan spoke slowly, ¡°Elemental Knights have significantly enhanced control over elemental forces. Their semi-elementalized bodies are basically immune to physical attacks, and their resistance to energy attacks is also greatly enhanced. They can basically be considered a strengthened version of the Four-Ring Legendary Knight.¡±

    The biggest difference between Legendary Knights and Great Knights is that Legendary Knights have awakened elemental powers.

    Therefore, Elemental Knights can be seen as Legendary Knights with enhanced abilities in all aspects, possessing semi-elemental bodies.

    ¡°The specific abilities of a Bloodline Knight depend on the bloodline they fuse with.¡±

    ¡°However, whether it¡¯s an Elemental Knight or a Bloodline Knight, their essential life forms have already changed. They can no longer be considered human.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, in terms of lifespan, Elemental Knights and Bloodline Knights, though not as long-lived as official Wizards, are not inferior to Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices. Their lifespans generally range from one hundred and fifty to two hundred years.¡±

    Kei¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement.

    Increased strength was one thing, but the key was lifespan.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to live longer?

    If he could become an Elemental Knight or a Bloodline Knight, he could gain decades of lifespan, which was the most appealing benefit.

    ¡°So how can you become an Elemental Knight or a Bloodline Knight?¡± Kei asked eagerly.

    ¡°Biological modification,¡± Su Nan replied.

    Neither semi-elementalization nor bloodline fusion could be achieved through cultivation.

    Like Wizard Apprentices, these two paths could only be achieved through biological modification combined with potions.

    The difference was that modifying oneself as a Wizard Apprentice was relatively easier.

    This was partly because they had a better understanding of their own bodies and partly because they were at a lower power level.

    For example, the several Wizard Apprentices of the Eternal Society, even if they became semi-elementalized or fused with bloodlines, their power levels were only Three-Ring Legendary.

    But to modify a Four-Ring Legendary Knight who had already cultivated to the peak of mortal knights, only a Wizard could do it.

    And it had to be a Wizard whose biological modification skills had reached a certain level.

    Therefore, in the era of Wizards, Elemental Knights and Bloodline Knights were usually the followers of a certain Wizard or belonged to a certain Wizard faction.

    ¡°So you...¡±

    Kei didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

    Su Nan shook his head, ¡°My biological modification skills are not yet up to standard.¡±

    Modifying Elemental Knights and Bloodline Knights required the ¡¾Biological Modification¡¿skill to be at least Level 5, and his current skill was only Level 4, with more than two-thirds of the progress bar remaining.

    Seeing Kei¡¯s disappointment, Su Nan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in ten years or so, my biological modification skills should meet the requirements.¡±

    He was constantly strengthening the Hidden Dragon¡¯s body and bloodline, and occasionally participated in the Sub-Dragon bloodline enhancement project, so the growth of his ¡¾Biological Modification¡¿skill was slow, but he could reach Level 5 in ten years by simply grinding.

    ¡°Besides, you need time to push your power to the limit of the Four-Ring Legend.¡±

    Kei thought about it and a smile returned to his face. He then asked, ¡°Which path do you think is more suitable for me?¡±

    Su Nan pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Elemental Knight training is very reliant on environment. With the current energy scarcity on Starlight Continent, Elemental Knights face too many limitations. It¡¯s better to choose the Bloodline Knight path.¡±

    ¡°Just so happens, there are many high-level Sub-Dragon bloodlines in Dragon Forest. If you don¡¯t mind, you can choose one to fuse with in the future.¡±

    ¡°What about the Hidden Dragon?¡±

    Kei had seen the Hidden Dragon evolve into a giant dragon, and the terrifying pressure it exuded left a deep impression on him.

    ¡°The physique of a Four-Ring Legendary Knight can¡¯t handle the Giant Dragon bloodline.¡± Su Nan spread his hands.

    Bloodline fusion also had its rules. It wasn¡¯t about being the strongest.

    Besides compatibility with one¡¯s physique, it also depended on one¡¯s physical strength.

    Giant Dragons were creatures comparable to official Wizards. A Four-Ring Legendary Knight couldn¡¯t withstand the physical evolution after fusing with such a bloodline.

    Upon hearing this, Kei was inevitably disappointed, but he quickly cheered up.

    ¡°It seems I need to visit Dragon Forest a few times.¡±

    After finishing the discussion about knight advancement, Su Nan changed the topic.

    ¡°You asked me about Starlight Tower before, remember?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kei nodded.

    At that time, he was very confused as to why Su Nan had attacked Starlight Tower. Su Nan had been evasive, and he had wisely refrained from asking further.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you then because I was afraid you¡¯d worry too much. But now that the Empire has achieved grand unification, it¡¯s time to tell you about it.¡±

    Hearing the seriousness in Su Nan¡¯s tone, Kei couldn¡¯t help but look solemn.

    Su Nan then briefly explained the return of Wizards seven hundred years later and the matter of the ¡¾Dark Throne¡¿.

    After listening, Kei was completely stunned, his expression blank.

    He had heard Su Nan mention the Elemental Desert and the Wizards¡¯ thousand-year expedition into the multiverse, but he didn¡¯t know those Wizards would return to Starlight Continent seven hundred years later.

    This was undoubtedly a significant event!

    In comparison, the Empire¡¯s unification of Starlight Continent paled in comparison.

    For a long time, Kei was digesting this shocking news, snapping out of his daze, his brows furrowed as he said, ¡°Once those Wizards return, will Starlight Continent...¡±

    Su Nan understood what he meant and shook his head, ¡°According to the rules of the Wizard world, Starlight Continent is my exclusive plane. Unless they want to make enemies of me, other Wizards generally won¡¯t try to covet it.¡±

    Kei breathed a sigh of relief, but then he looked worried again.

    ¡°What about the ¡¾Dark Throne¡¿?¡±

    A faction with thousands of Wizards. Before, Kei couldn¡¯t even imagine it.

    How vast and terrifying their power must be?

    Simply thinking about it made him shudder.

    ¡°No need to worry too much. If it comes down to it, we can rely on Wizard factions that are hostile to the ¡¾Dark Throne¡¿.¡±

    Su Nan offered a reassuring word, and then added, ¡°But ultimately, we must improve our own strength.¡±

    ¡°In the coming days, I¡¯m planning to build a Wizard Tower, and the Empire needs to fully cooperate.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Kei agreed without hesitation.

    Finally, he looked somewhat conflicted.

    The information he had learned from Su Nan today had truly shaken his understanding.

    The multiverse, for him, was more of a symbol before.

    But after truly listening to Su Nan¡¯s narrative, he deeply realized the vastness of the multiverse.

    Compared to the vast multiverse, Starlight Continent was just a speck of dust.

    After the Starry Empire unified Starlight Continent, Kei had a sense of pride and arrogance. But now, that pride had been shattered, replaced by a feeling of insignificance.

    Compared to those factions that existed for tens of millions of years in the multiverse, Starlight Continent undoubtedly had a long way to go.

    However, after the feeling of insignificance subsided, a burning ambition ignited within Kei¡¯s heart.

    He had initially felt a sense of emptiness after achieving his goal and losing a direction to strive for. But now, a more grand goal emerged before him.

    Although he was unlikely to live to see the return of the Wizards, he would do his best to make the Empire stronger and ensure its continuation in the future.

    Observing Kei¡¯s changing expressions, Su Nan subtly nodded.

    His brother¡¯s willpower was stronger than he had anticipated. He had initially been worried that Kei would become apprehensive after hearing about the ¡¾Dark Throne¡¿, but it seemed he was overthinking.

    Starlight Calendar 1282.

    This was the most peaceful year in the history of Starlight Continent.

    After the Starry Empire unified the continent and swiftly quelled the remaining rebellious forces, the continental situation completely stabilized, entering a period of peaceful development.

    Thunderbolt Moon (April).

    An imperial decree was issued, and knight academies began to be established across the empire.

    Apart from a few royal knight academies exclusively for the children of nobles, the vast majority of knight academies were open to ordinary people, treating the middle class, commoners, and farmers equally.

    As long as they passed the entrance examination, all tuition and fees were waived.

    In addition, the Empire vigorously promoted and popularized basic education, establishing numerous basic academies across the countryside. The fees were affordable, even for commoners and farmers.

    Although many commoners and farmers, due to financial pressures, had no intention of sending their children to school, more people felt genuine joy and excitement about this policy.

    After all, the first requirement for participating in the Wizard Aptitude Test was literacy.

    After years of propaganda by the Empire, even the most impoverished farmers understood that becoming a Wizard was the fastest path to cross classes and become someone important.

    Passing the aptitude test meant a quick rise to the top.

    Wizards were people who even noble lords dared not offend.

    For those at the bottom, Wizards were a glimmer of hope in their difficult lives.

    It was a long shot, but it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.

    Even if their children ultimately failed the aptitude test, literacy would still be an advantage when applying to knight academies.

    Because of these benefits, the implementation of universal basic education encountered less resistance.

    While truly widespread basic education still required a very long time, at least it had a good start.

    Apart from knight academies and basic education, more edicts were issued one after another, demonstrating the reformist determination of the emperor who sat high on his throne.

    This caused many nobles to be astonished.

    They had thought that after unifying the continent, the Emperor would either lose his ambition, indulge in pleasure, or at least not be as eager to make progress.

    Who would have thought that the Emperor would be even more ambitious than before?

    It was truly unexpected.

    Only a few close nobles, like Bred and Johton, knew that all this was related to Lord Su Nan.

    Dragon Forest, Starlight Academy.

    Central Clock Tower, this was where the instructors lived and cultivated. It was also the tallest building in the entire academy.

    Standing on the spacious platform at the top of the Clock Tower, one could clearly overlook the entire academy.

    Looking at the students coming and going below, Fackardo couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    He had been at Starlight Academy for more than half a year.

    The longer he stayed here, the more he learned about Starlight Academy, and the more he was amazed.

    Before this, he couldn¡¯t imagine that there was such a model for training Wizard Apprentices.

    No, it wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t imagine it, but the reality was that his family simply couldn¡¯t afford it. How could they have spare resources to cultivate others?

    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Inosent exclaimed, ¡°Where did the Star League get all these precious resources?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they collected them from the Underworld. After all, the Star League has unified the entire Underworld,¡± another Wizard Apprentice, Turiao, said.

    Mentioning this, the four of them sighed again.

    When they learned that the Star League had unified the entire Underworld, they were almost shocked speechless.

    That vast, mysterious Underworld was filled with countless dangerous places, home to powerful and terrifying creatures, and inhabited by numerous city-states and tribes.

    They had to be extremely cautious and vigilant whenever they ventured into the Underworld.

    And such a terrifying place was actually conquered and unified by the Star League!

    At that moment, they realized how terrifyingly powerful the Star League had become!

    Their desire to join Starlight Academy grew even stronger.

    And when they saw the resource list that the instructors could exchange for at the Scepter, they were almost instantly determined to join Starlight Academy.

    With all those dazzling three-level potions, microlight-level magical items, mithril magic puppets, various rare metals and rare magic plants, Fackardo suddenly realized that the Russel family, renowned for being a thousand-year-old Wizard family with deep roots, seemed no different from a beggar in front of the Star League.

    If he had known the Star League had such abundant resources, he would have brought the Russel family to join the Star League directly. Why would he have flirted with the Allied Forces?

    His thoughts drifted for a while before Fackardo pulled his gaze back and turned to his three relatives.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Inosent shrugged and laughed, ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about? Such a good opportunity is right in front of us. If we don¡¯t cherish it, then we¡¯re too stupid.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The other two nodded in agreement.

    Fackardo chuckled and said, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±

    He was optimistic about the future of Starlight Academy.

    This academy would definitely become a cradle for training Wizard Apprentices.

    Perhaps in the distant future, Starlight Continent would enter the era of Wizards.

    During this period, he would be able to witness this era as an instructor at Starlight Academy.

 Chapter 212

    ¡°Facardo and the others have decided to join the Academy.¡±

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    In the study, Su Nan, Rose, and Scepter sat facing each other.

    Upon hearing Scepter¡¯s words, Su Nan remained calm, showing no surprise.

    He knew from the very beginning when inviting Facardo and the others that they would ultimately agree to join Starlight Academy.

    Unless they didn¡¯t want to improve their strength and become Wizards, they wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the temptation of freely exchanging resources.

    On the entire Starlight Continent, only Starlight Academy (Star Alliance) had enough resources to support their advancement to Wizards.

    ¡°The other Wizard Apprentices from the Russell Family joined the Academy as well.¡±

    Scepter took a sip of his flower tea. The fragrance of Ning Shen flowers invigorated him slightly.

    ¡°In addition, the Wizard aptitude test in the Northwest Territory ended last month, and the new batch of students arrived at the Academy yesterday, a total of five hundred and twenty-three. The total number of students in the Academy has now surpassed fourteen hundred.¡±

    Su Nan nodded slightly, ¡°What about the number of Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices?¡±

    ¡°One hundred and two,¡± Scepter replied without hesitation, clearly familiar with the Academy¡¯s development status. ¡°The number is still growing. It¡¯s estimated that in another twenty or thirty years, the number of Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices may exceed three hundred.¡±

    Su Nan nodded knowingly.

    From the base era to the current Academy, after years of accumulation, the number of Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices had entered a period of rapid growth. The growth rate of Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices in the future would only accelerate.

    As for Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, that was still far away.

    It wouldn¡¯t be until Starlight Academy produced its first Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.

    ¡°Over fourteen hundred students. If it weren¡¯t for the addition of four more instructors, I¡¯d be too busy just with teaching,¡± Rose complained softly.

    Scepter nodded in agreement, deeply understanding.

    The number of instructors at Starlight Academy was still too small. A ratio of nearly five hundred to one put immense pressure on the three instructors.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that more teaching meant more contribution points, they would have protested long ago.

    Fortunately, with the addition of Facardo and the others, the pressure was finally eased.

    Su Nan smiled slightly, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    After a pause, he added thoughtfully, ¡°If you know any other Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices, feel free to extend an invitation. As long as they can pass the approval of both me and most of you instructors, they can also join the Academy as instructors.¡±

    ¡°No problem!¡± Scepter replied with a smile, ¡°I happen to know a few people.¡±

    Rose also expressed that she would reach out to some individuals.

    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Traveler?¡± Su Nan finally remembered another absent individual.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone into seclusion,¡± Rose replied. ¡°Traveler plans to transform himself into a semi-elemental lifeform to extend his lifespan.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°In fact, I also intend to undergo semi-elemental transformation soon.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Scepter said seriously, ¡°I plan to exchange some high-grade sub-dragon blood and then perform bloodline fusion.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted slightly.

    Rose and the others¡¯ plans reminded him that they hadn¡¯t undergone any lifespan-extending biological transformation surgeries.

    As far as Su Nan knew, Wizard Apprentices seeking to extend their lifespans, besides taking special potions like the Dawn Potion, usually had three options.

    Apart from semi-elementalization and bloodline fusion, there was also the option of transforming into aÍöÁéÐÎÌ¬ (undead form).

    Completely transforming their bodies and souls into undead forms would significantly extend their lifespans.

    Of course, Wizard Apprentices in undead forms were not truly immortal. Their lifespans would only increase by two to three hundred years, a much greater increase than the previous two methods.

    However, the cost was also enormous.

    Firstly, the transformation conditions were strict, and the success rate was low.

    In addition to needing a lot of resources, they also needed to find a place with concentrated negative energy, like the Black Forest, as a transformation site.

    Even if all conditions were met, the success rate wouldn¡¯t exceed twenty percent.

    Secondly, even if they were lucky enough to succeed, their strength would be difficult to improve in the future, making it almost impossible to become a Wizard.

    Most Wizard Apprentices chose to extend their lifespans to buy more time to become Wizards. Transforming into an undead was like putting the cart before the horse, and therefore very few Wizard Apprentices chose this path.

    In comparison, semi-elementalization and bloodline fusion, although they increased lifespans less, at least offered room for improvement and the hope of advancement.

    However, most Wizards wouldn¡¯t undergo semi-elementalization or bloodline fusion during their apprentice stage.

    After all, biological transformations at this stage didn¡¯t significantly enhance their strength and could even hinder their future development.

    It was best to wait until they became Wizards and then choose more powerful bloodlines for fusion or undergo deeper elementalization for better future growth.

    It was just that on the current Starlight Continent, Wizard Apprentices had little choice.

    After Rose and the others joined Starlight Academy, they were no longer as short of resources. However, they had ultimately ¡°wasted¡± too much time. If they followed the usual path, the probability of becoming a Wizard before they reached the end of their natural lifespan was extremely slim.

    Therefore, they could only choose semi-elementalization and bloodline fusion.

    Even so, the probability of the three of them becoming official Wizards was still extremely low, less than ten percent.

    It was even lower than Sheman and Cole, who were outstanding students.

    At least the latter had a good chance of becoming Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices before the age of fifty, giving them far more time to strive for Wizards in the future, increasing their chances of success.

    Honestly, Su Nan didn¡¯t mind having one or two more Wizards in the Star Alliance.

    In the future, when facing the [Dark Throne], they would have one or two more battle forces.

    With this in mind, he was currently researching the formula for constructing potions.

    There were still more than fifty bottles of construction potions brought from the Starlight Tower, a considerable amount, but they would eventually be consumed.

    It was necessary to start making new construction potions as soon as possible.

    It was impossible to find all the main materials for making construction potions on the Starlight Continent, and researching substitute materials was equally difficult.

    So Su Nan simply went against the grain and focused his efforts on researching a weakened version of the construction potion.

    As long as it was successful, no matter how weak the effect, he could use the Magic Cube to synthesize potions that were no worse than the original.

    After chatting with Rose about the Academy for a while, Su Nan left the study and headed straight for the construction site of the Wizard Tower in Zone 2.

    After more than a year of construction, the foundation and tower body of the Wizard Tower were nearing completion. He was now starting to build the central crystal energy transmission system.

    Once the central crystal energy transmission system was completed, the next step would be the elemental pool.

    As long as these two facilities were successfully operational, the foundation of the Wizard Tower would be laid, and then they could move on to spatial planning.

    ¡°Before that, it¡¯s best to create the Tower Spirit as well. That way, it¡¯s more convenient to keep track of the construction speed of the Wizard Tower in real time.¡±

    Su Nan decided to start working on the Tower Spirit as soon as he got back.

    This was also a challenging project.

    The difficulty of creating a Tower Spirit was no less than that of a Secret Puppet.

    Starlight Calendar 1288, the Month of Slumber (December).

    In some Wizard records, the Month of Slumber symbolized talent.

    Some Wizards specializing in prophecy believed that infants born in this month possessed extraordinary potential.

    Potential meant dormant power, and dormancy corresponded to awakening. From slumber to awakening, that was the meaning represented by the Month of Slumber.

    This month was also the most important month for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new year.

    Fleming quite agreed with this statement.

    Because he was born in the Month of Slumber.

    ¡°What are you looking at, Fleming?¡±

    Donohue¡¯s voice interrupted Fleming¡¯s thoughts.

    He didn¡¯t look up, but casually answered while turning the page.

    ¡°An astrology book. The contents are quite interesting.¡±

    ¡°When did you get interested in this?¡± Donohue was very curious.

    In his impression, Fleming never seemed to read such books.

    ¡°For Wizards, knowledge is power. It¡¯s not bad to delve into some other knowledge,¡±

    Fleming placed a bookmark in the middle of the page, closed the book, and placed it aside.

    ¡°I heard from Rose Instructor that Su Nan Lord has memorized all the books in the Academy and the Dragon Bone Tower library.¡±

    Donohue rolled his eyes and said, ¡°You know, that¡¯s Su Nan Lord. We have to spend months digesting one spell book. To read all the books in the library, that would take ages.¡±

    ¡°Forget about that. Are you going to the banquet tonight?¡±

    Fleming didn¡¯t even think before nodding, ¡°Sheman Senior helped me a lot. Tonight¡¯s banquet is to celebrate him and Cole Senior becoming Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices. Of course, I¡¯ll be going.¡±

    ¡°I envy you for getting an invitation.¡± A hint of envy flashed in Donohue¡¯s eyes.

    The banquet was jointly held by Sheman and Cole, two seniors who had good relationships with Wizard Apprentices. Considering the limited space, only Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices were invited.

    And Fleming, who had become a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice in his fifth year of joining the Academy, was naturally invited.

    In the eyes of many students, this was proof that Fleming¡¯s talent was recognized by the seniors, making others envious.

    Fleming felt a little smug in his heart, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face. He changed the subject and said, ¡°I heard that Tagana will also be attending the banquet?¡±

    ¡°Of course. She¡¯s an alien student personally nominated by Su Nan Lord to join the Academy. Several instructors have been taking good care of her. The organizers of the banquet would definitely not leave her out.¡±

    Mentioning this, Donohue¡¯s voice carried a hint of jealousy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Tagana¡¯s talent is very outstanding.¡±

    ¡°Her time to master the Star Ring Meditation Method is much longer than yours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s not human. If she were human, her talent would definitely be even more outstanding than mine.¡±

    Fleming¡¯s words were sincere.

    It was inevitable for Dark Elves to practice the Star Ring Meditation Method, which was created based on human standards, with twice the effort for half the results.

    However, even so, Tagana took only two months to master the Star Ring Meditation Method, which was truly astonishing.

    If there were dedicated Meditation Methods and spell books created for Dark Elves, her speed of improvement might even surpass Sheman Senior and Cole Senior.

    One could only say that anyone personally nominated by Su Nan Lord to join the Academy must have something extraordinary about them.

    After joking around with Donohue for a while, Fleming sent him away and began his daily routine of meditation in the dormitory.

    By the time he finished meditating, it was already dark outside.

    Fleming glanced at the quartz clock on the wall. It was half an hour before the banquet started, so he got up and left the dormitory.

    The seniors who held the banquet had booked the top floor of the second cafeteria.

    When Fleming arrived at the top floor hall, there were already quite a few people there.

    Various delicious dishes and drinks were arranged on tables covered with white cloth. Beautiful Water Spirits, holding trays, moved gracefully between the tables, their movements like dancing.

    Fleming admired the scene for a while before reluctantly moving his gaze, scanning the room to search for Sheman Senior¡¯s location.

    Soon, he found his target.

    In fact, it was very obvious.

    In the center of the dining hall, Sheman Senior and Cole Senior were surrounded by a group of people, like stars around the moon, chatting.

    ¡°Sheman, I heard the Academy wants to invite you to be an instructor?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a possibility. Cole also received an invitation.¡±

    ¡°So, what are your plans?¡±

    ¡°That goes without saying. Of course, I¡¯ll accept. Instructors can get more contribution points and exchange more resources than students, right, Sheman, Cole?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I plan to do.¡± Sheman replied with a smile.

    ¡°Same.¡± Cole remained as taciturn as ever.

    Fleming felt a little envious.

    Would he be able to become a Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice at this age?

    After a while, the students surrounding the two gradually dispersed, and Fleming finally had the chance to approach them.

    ¡°Sheman Senior, Cole Senior, congratulations on your promotion.¡±

    ¡°Long time no see, Fleming Junior. Thank you for coming to the banquet.¡± Sheman said with a gentle smile.

    Cole also nodded slightly towards Fleming.

    He was a typical strength-above-all-else person. He didn¡¯t even bother with those who lacked strength and talent. And Fleming was clearly not in that category.

    ¡°Greetings, Atil Senior.¡± Fleming then turned to Atil, who was standing nearby.

    After a long time, Atil Senior was as beautiful as ever. The gentle aura around her became even more mellow with the passage of time.

    ¡°Long time no see, Fleming Junior.¡± Atil smiled softly, ¡°I ran into Scepter Instructor recently. He praised your talent and said you have already constructed your fifth Star Ring.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Scepter Instructor¡¯s praise.¡± Fleming modestly replied.

    The group chatted merrily, and just when the atmosphere was quite good, there was a commotion at the entrance of the hall.

    Fleming turned his head and saw a tall, slender girl with obsidian skin and delicate, beautiful features walking in.

    She had a detached expression, exuding an aura that kept people at bay.

    Even so, she immediately attracted many gazes in the hall as soon as she appeared, becoming the center of attention.

    The girl seemed accustomed to this scene, oblivious to the gazes around her. She looked around, and when she saw Atil, the coldness on her face melted away, replaced by a faint smile.

    ¡°Tagana¡¯s here.¡± Atil greeted her with a smile, affectionately taking the Dark Elf girl¡¯s arm.

    The two women quickly started whispering to each other.

    Seeing this, Fleming was a little surprised, ¡°Atil Senior seems to have a good relationship with Tagana?¡±

    Sheman replied with a smile, ¡°When Tagana first entered the Academy, Atil was instructed by our teacher to take care of her, so they have a good relationship.¡±

    Fleming understood.

    No wonder.

    As far as he knew, when Tagana first entered the Academy, many people were interested in her Dark Elf identity and deliberately approached her, but Tagana refused them all without exception.

    Over time, Tagana was labeled as cold and aloof, and the butterflies surrounding her immediately dwindled.

    The Dark Elf girl didn¡¯t mind, continuing to live her life as she pleased, immersing herself in cultivation and learning, almost completely ignoring others.

    If she hadn¡¯t come to the banquet tonight, Fleming wouldn¡¯t even know that she had a friend like Atil Senior to talk to.

    (End)

 Chapter 213

    ¡°Let me introduce you, this is Xieman, Corey, and Fleming.¡±

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    After a while, Atir brought Tagana over and introduced her to Xieman and the others, then smiled at them and said:

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to introduce Tagana, do I?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have heard of the great name of junior Tagana.¡± Xieman said with a gentle smile.

    The four of them greeted each other.

    Perhaps due to Atir¡¯s presence, Tagana¡¯s attitude towards the three of them was not enthusiastic, but it was not cold either.

    The group chatted casually, and the topic gradually shifted to a recent event.

    ¡°The Star Alliance is planning to form a team to explore the Rainbow Sea, and they are said to be considering setting up a base there.¡±

    ¡°A base at sea?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not a difficult task for the Star Alliance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Fleming nodded in agreement subconsciously.

    Land reclamation is a daunting task for ordinary people, but it¡¯s a piece of cake for the Star Alliance.

    It can be easily done with magic and clay golems.

    ¡°But why is the Star Alliance suddenly exploring the Rainbow Sea? Could it be that after unifying the underground world, they want to set a new conquest target?¡± Fleming joked.

    Xieman answered seriously, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, the cost-effectiveness of completely conquering the Rainbow Sea is too low.¡±

    The Rainbow Sea is vast and boundless, and countless biological races live in it. To conquer this vast sea area, the manpower and material resources required would be daunting to even think about.

    Even if the Rainbow Sea has extremely rich resources, it would not be worth the effort.

    Instead of completely conquering it, it would be more cost-effective to establish several bases and develop some resource points in areas rich in resources.

    There may be other better ways, but the Star Alliance knows too little about the Rainbow Sea. They need to collect more intelligence before making a decision.

    ¡°The academy has also issued an exploration mission for the Rainbow Sea, stipulating that only second and third-rank Sorcerer Apprentices can accept it. Anyone here wants to go?¡± Xieman asked.

    ¡°Judging by your expression, you¡¯re planning to go.¡± Atir said with a chuckle.

    Xieman didn¡¯t hide it, he nodded and admitted, and then said, ¡°But not right now.¡±

    ¡°Exploring the Rainbow Sea is not something that can be done in a short time, this mission should last for a long time. I just recently promoted, and I still need to learn second-ring spells. After I have some achievements, it will be not too late to take on the Rainbow Sea exploration mission.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡± Corey said.

    Atir, Fleming, and Tagana were also a little moved when they heard this.

    On one hand, they were curious about the Rainbow Sea, on the other hand, they were attracted to the reward of the mission.

    Generally speaking, the rewards for such exploration missions are quite generous.

    The rewards from a single mission are enough to cover the income from over a dozen academy missions.

    Seeing the three of them eager, Xieman smiled and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you join us then?¡±

    Atir and Tagana looked at each other and agreed in unison.

    Fleming didn¡¯t think about it for too long, and soon agreed as well.

    Exploration missions usually have a high level of danger, especially going to an unfamiliar sea area. Joining a team of two third-rank Sorcerer Apprentices would undoubtedly greatly increase their safety.

    He would not miss this opportunity to hitch a ride on someone else¡¯s success.

    In the Dragon Forest District 2, a wide expanse of forest.

    A majestic tower with a deep blue primary color stood upright, towering over 600 meters high. The towering tower body pierced the sky like a long spear.

    Standing in front of the tower, the majestic aura unique to the spectacular architecture made people feel awe from the heart.

    Looking at the Wizard Tower that belonged to him alone, Su Nan¡¯s face revealed a joyful smile.

    Even though it was just a shell, with many internal aspects still incomplete, it made him very happy.

    ¡°The tower body and the base have already been built, the central crystal energy transmission system has also been built, next is the elemental pool and the tower spirit.¡±

    Su Nan came to the control center on the top floor of the Wizard Tower.

    The layout here was similar to the control center of the Dragonbone Tower, with the boundless starry sky surrounding a floating hall, only it was larger.

    In the center of the hall was a square pool, its surface covered with densely packed, strange runes.

    This is the elemental pool of the Wizard Tower.

    Just in terms of volume, it was at least twice the size of the Dragonbone Tower elemental pool.

    Su Nan took out the gems he had prepared from his spatial ring, simply carved them into eight-sided rhombuses, and embedded them all in the magic array of the elemental pool, as if they were one, and then injected spiritual power.

    Buzz!

    The entire elemental pool suddenly vibrated violently, and cracks suddenly appeared in the surrounding space.

    Behind the cracks were a vast sea, an endless sky, a fire sea that could incinerate the heavens and boil the earth, and a thick and solid earth crust. They appeared one by one, and countless energy tides surged in, blending together to form a stream of deep blue water that poured into the elemental pool.

    At the same time, a rich and active energy enveloped the entire Wizard Tower.

    The elemental pool was successfully activated!

    Su Nan took a deep breath and felt the air filled with elemental energy. He felt refreshed.

    ¡°The energy absorption speed and storage limit are both more than twice that of the Dragonbone Tower elemental pool, and the spiritual power recovery speed and meditation efficiency increase have also increased by more than twice.¡±

    Su Nan immediately decided to meditate and cultivate by the side of this elemental pool in the future. The efficiency would be much higher.

    ¡°The energy supply of the Wizard Tower is basically complete, the remaining floating rings can be built last.¡±

    ¡°Next is to activate the tower spirit.¡±

    Su Nan reached out and stroked the void. A crystal ball half the size of a person instantly appeared out of thin air on the empty ground in front of him.

    The azure crystal ball was perfectly round and transparent, shining like the finest gem, yet with a deep, spiritual and vibrant charm.

    This was the tower spirit that Su Nan had refined using a legendary soul crystal and a large amount of rare materials.

    The legendary soul crystal alone consumed one-third of his soul crystal inventory accumulated over the years.

    Adding the other materials, the total cost was 24 million gold coins.

    Having said that, Su Nan thought it was worth it.

    Unlike other materials, combining low-level soul crystals to synthesize high-level soul crystals is actually cheaper than artificially creating high-level soul crystals.

    After all, to create a legendary soul crystal, you need at least the soul of a first-rank wizard or a creature of the same level, or the souls of thousands of four-ring legendary creatures.

    In comparison, it is obviously much easier to manufacture thousands of miniature soul crystals.

    In wizard civilization, legendary soul crystals are often not available for purchase with gold coins, and can only be obtained through barter.

    If an artificially manufactured legendary soul crystal were used, the cost of the tower spirit would definitely far exceed 24 million gold coins.

    ¡°One tower spirit is enough for the construction phase, when the Wizard Tower is completed, I will create two more tower spirits.¡±

    Su Nan patiently waited for a while, until the elemental pool was full of elemental water, then stretched out his index finger and pressed it against the surface of the crystal ball, injecting his spiritual power.

    As he did so, a pale golden light instantly lit up on the surface of the crystal ball.

    At the same time, the elemental pool gradually became agitated, and countless azure elemental waters formed a water spout, engulfing the golden light.

    The crystal ball frantically absorbed the elemental power, and the elemental water in the elemental pool was rapidly decreasing at a visible speed.

    Only five minutes had passed, and the elemental water was about to run out.

    At that moment, a buzzing sound suddenly rang out.

    Time seemed to stop at this moment.

    The golden light suddenly contracted sharply, turning into a pure golden crystal that sank into the crystal ball, hovering in the very center, like a golden eye.

    [Master]

    A cold, emotionless mechanical voice sounded:

    [Tower Spirit No. 1 obeys your summon and awakens!]

    Su Nan¡¯s face broke into a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Tower Spirit No. 1.¡± He said softly, ¡°Scan the Wizard Tower structure.¡±

    A cold mechanical voice rang out in his mind:

    [Received instruction, starting connection with the Wizard Tower.]

    [Connecting, 1% 4% 100%, connection successful.]

    [Starting scan of the Wizard Tower Scan complete.]

    [Recording design blueprint Recording complete]

    [Data integration in progress Integration complete, starting to build a 3D model.]

    Countless thin rays of light appeared out of thin air and intertwined in front of Su Nan, forming a 3D model that was exactly the same as the Wizard Tower.

    [Wizard Tower: Unnamed]

    [Level: Small (Construction progress 12.47%)]

    [Current remaining energy: 2.21%]

    [Intelligent Auxiliary Life: Tower Spirit No. 1]

    [Facilities: Elemental Pool (Small), Central Crystal Energy Transmission System, Living Area (Construction progress 89.34%), Storage Area (Construction progress 76.22%), Experimental Area (Construction progress 25.16%), Practice Area (Construction progress 46.91%), Meditation Area (Construction progress 88.21%), Planting Area (Construction progress 9.27%.)]

    [Servants: Clay Golem ¡Á 124]

    [Protection Device: None]

    [Combat Device: None]

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it Starlight.¡±

    Su Nan casually chose a name, then waved his hand, and the Wizard Tower model automatically disassembled into dozens of regions.

    He carefully checked each one.

    Regions like the living area, storage area, and experimental area, etc., only had their main bodies built, and various attached magic arrays had not been drawn yet, so the construction progress was still a distance away from 100%.

    ¡°Next, I¡¯ll solve the space planning issue.¡±

    ¡°And the magic lock protection energy field should also be built.¡±

    For any Wizard Tower, energy is the primary issue, followed by protection.

    ¡°Although I don¡¯t have enough resources to build a medium-sized Wizard Tower, I can start with the elemental pool, magic lock protection energy field, and strike devices to enhance the power of the Wizard Tower.¡±

    Su Nan had long had the idea of using the synthesized Magic Cube to strengthen the Wizard Tower.

    If he couldn¡¯t build a medium-sized Wizard Tower, a reinforced version of the small Wizard Tower would be good.

    Later, when the plane barrier recovers and I can connect to other planes, I¡¯ll find a way to obtain resources to upgrade the Wizard Tower.

    Coming back to his senses, Su Nan turned his attention back to the tower spirit.

    With a legendary soul crystal as the carrier, Tower Spirit No. 1 has very powerful terminal computing power, which can assist him in experiments.

    With Tower Spirit No. 1, he would have an easier time researching talent crystal models or developing weakened versions of construction potions in the future.

    The powerful data analysis capabilities of the tower spirit are even comparable to those of some weak gods.

    Gods receive millions of prayers from believers every day, and at the same time respond to countless priests¡¯ divine spells. This computing power exceeds that of the most advanced artificial intelligence.

    ¡°The remaining soul crystals are just enough to create two legendary crystals, enough to refine two more tower spirits.¡±

    ¡°However, deducting this part of the soul crystals, the remaining ones are few and far between.¡±

    After the end of the war, the soul crystals suddenly lost their largest source.

    Su Nan felt a little regretful that he didn¡¯t make more of them at the time.

    But there was no way, after all, at that time, only he and the Staff could create soul crystals, and they were busy cultivating and learning, they were too busy to spare themselves and couldn¡¯t run around all day long, so they couldn¡¯t take full advantage of the opportunities brought about by the war.

    Nowadays, the materials for making soul crystals are only death row inmates in the empire¡¯s cities and some dangerous creatures in the underground world.

    The annual output is just enough to support the consumption of the Star Alliance and the Starlight Academy.

    Of course, if you were ruthless enough to use ordinary civilians as soul crystal materials, you could quickly make a large number of soul crystals.

    But Su Nan is not a psychopathic wizard who would do such a thing.

    ¡°Unless we can open up another battlefield.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed, and he looked towards the northwest direction.

    It seems that there are countless biological races in the Rainbow Sea, which could be a good place to create soul crystals.

    After thinking for a moment, Su Nan had a vague idea in his mind, but he needed to think about it further.

    Leaving the Wizard Tower, Su Nan returned to the Dragonbone Tower. As soon as he entered the control center, he saw Yinyong lying by the elemental pool.

    On his massive, thick back, there was also a lazy cat lying.

    ¡°These two are still as close as ever.¡±

    Su Nan smiled slightly.

    Thanks to the Yinyong enhancement surgery, his [Biological Transformation] skill is now level 5.

    It is now Kei who hasn¡¯t kept up, and it is estimated that he won¡¯t have to consider bloodline fusion for another ten years.

    Because of the large amount of dragon-type blood used to synthesize dragon blood for reinforcement, Yinyong¡¯s strength has improved at a considerable rate.

    If described in terms of wizard power levels, Yinyong¡¯s current strength is roughly equivalent to 40% to 50% of a first-rank gasification wizard.

    It was only because Su Nan accidentally discovered the method of using elemental crystal dust to synthesize elemental crystal nuclei to absorb divine energy that his strength improvement could keep up with Yinyong.

    Yinyong can now defeat two Secret Puppets with ease, can draw with three Secret Puppets, and only starts to lose against four Secret Puppets.

    The main reason for this is the dragon¡¯s high energy resistance.

    The zero-ring, one-ring, and two-ring spells that Secret Puppets master are ineffective against Yinyong, and the damage of three-ring spells is also significantly reduced.

    In terms of physical strength, Secret Puppets are also no match for Yinyong, who is a dragon.

    It can be said that Yinyong is extremely effective against Secret Puppets.

    In fact, wizards also have this problem when facing dragons.

    The damage of spells is limited, and most of the time, they can only rely on talent abilities, magical artifacts, or other means to fight, and they are naturally at a disadvantage when fighting dragons.

    Not only wizards, but also many races in the multiverse face the same situation when facing dragons.

    This is also the main reason why the dragon race is one of the top races in the multiverse.

 Chapter 214

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan!¡±

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    Amy¡¯s perception was as sharp as always, and she was the first to notice Su Nan¡¯s arrival. The little guy instantly disappeared from where he was and reappeared on Su Nan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Meow, did you go to the Wizard Tower again?¡± Amy licked her paw and asked.

    Su Nan smiled and said, ¡°I just activated the Elemental Pool today. The energy there is more abundant than Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower. You and Stealthy Dragon can rest there in the future.¡±

    Stealthy Dragon, who was walking over, let out an excited cry when he heard this. After evolving into a giant dragon, he became extremely sensitive to the concentration of energy particles. He couldn¡¯t stand staying outside, and he basically wouldn¡¯t leave Dragon Forest.

    When Su Nan wasn¡¯t using the control center, he would run to the vicinity of the Elemental Pool just to enjoy the high-concentration energy particle environment for a while longer. Naturally, he was extremely happy to hear that there was a place with even higher concentration of energy particles.

    On the other hand, Amy didn¡¯t have high requirements for the energy particle concentration. After all, his power level was still far from the upper limit of energy particle concentration in Starlight Continent.

    Even so, Amy was also very happy.

    ¡°Yay, we can finally live in the Wizard Tower meow!¡±

    Before his long slumber, he had been living in the Wizard Tower and missed the living environment there. Although the Dragon Forest was also good, it was still not as good as the Wizard Tower.

    Su Nan was also interested and asked about Amy¡¯s master¡¯s Wizard Tower.

    ¡°Master¡¯s Wizard Tower?¡±

    ¡°I remember it was a large Wizard Tower meow, very big and spacious!¡±

    As expected of a True Spirit descendant, even their Wizard Towers were large.

    Suddenly, Su Nan remembered something and asked, ¡°What level Wizard is your master?¡±

    ¡°Meow, Master is a Third-Rank Wizard.¡±

    ¡°But before I went to sleep, Master seemed to be on the verge of advancing to True Spirit Wizard meow.¡±

    True Spirit Wizard!

    Su Nan sighed inwardly. Due to genetic inheritance, True Spirit descendants had a naturally higher chance of advancing to True Spirit Wizard compared to ordinary Wizards. Coupled with their deep background, lack of resources, and guidance from their family elders, two or three out of ten would usually advance to True Spirit Wizard.

    Don¡¯t look at how low this number is, it¡¯s actually very exaggerated.

    For ordinary Wizards, there might not even be one out of a thousand who could advance to True Spirit Wizard.

    More than a thousand years have passed, perhaps Amy¡¯s master had already advanced to True Spirit Wizard.

    ¡°I want to go to the Wizard Tower!¡±

    Amy, with his childlike personality, pulled Stealthy Dragon towards the Wizard Tower after a few short words.

    Su Nan shook his head with a smile and then teleported to the laboratory.

    With the help of Tower Spirit No. 1, the research on the Talent Crystal model should be much smoother from now on. He could try to refer to more literature and gain more inspiration.

    As for the type of the second Talent Crystal model, Su Nan had already made up his mind.

    The first Talent model, ¡°Liquid Metal,¡± is an offensive and defensive type. So, the second and third Talent models should be one for extreme defense and one for extreme attack.

    Su Nan currently had many attack methods, so he prioritized the second Talent Crystal model to be defensive.

    After much deliberation, he finally chose the Witch Artifact, ¡°Forbidden Zone,¡± as the original model.

    The ¡°Forbidden Zone¡¯s¡± invisible force field could not only defend against attacks from all angles without any dead ends, but it could also cause a gravitational pressure on approaching enemies ¡ª weakening the enemy was also a form of defense, wasn¡¯t it?

    Limited by materials, the power of the ¡°Forbidden Zone¡± could only reach this level. But if it was improved and transformed into a Talent Crystal model, its power could be further expanded and strengthened.

    Su Nan was looking forward to the final product.

    Time passed by silently, like sand slipping through his fingers.

    Starlight Calendar 1291, Blossom Month (May).

    Ten years had passed since the Starfall Empire unified the mainland. The wounds of war had long been healed, and people had returned to their former peaceful lives.

    Under the Emperor¡¯s vigorous reforms, the entire empire flourished, and its development was booming. The people at the bottom felt the most significant changes. Their better lives than before made them wholeheartedly support the Empire¡¯s rule.

    In the eyes of some discerning individuals, the most noticeable change was the increasing number of Knights they saw in their lives. In the past, Knights were either nobles or followers of nobles. Their status was much higher than ordinary people.

    But now, there were many more Knights from commoner backgrounds.

    This change was even more apparent in the military. In the past, a Probationary Knight with outstanding strength could serve as an officer. But now, even the lowest-ranking junior officers had to be Knights to qualify.

    Knights were becoming increasingly common.

    If the observations of discerning individuals were just vague guesses, then the report in front of Su Nan presented detailed data. In the past four years, Knight academies across the empire had graduated over 20,000 Knight trainees. The number of Probationary Knight trainees was in the hundreds of thousands.

    If you also count the seven Knight academies under the Star Alliance and the more than ten royal Knight academies of the Empire, the number of Knight trainees was close to 40,000. ¡ª The seven Knight academies under the Star Alliance alone had graduated more than 10,000 Knight trainees in four years.

    In the past, this was simply unimaginable.

    But in the present, it was quite normal.

    In fact, if not for the fact that most of the Star Alliance¡¯s Dragon Blood Fruits and Dragon Blood Potions were used to supply the Magic Emblem Knight Corps, the seven Knight academies, and those royal Knight academies, and only a small amount was supplied to ordinary Knight academies, the number of Knights trained each year could have been doubled.

    Taking back his gaze, Su Nan turned to another report. The report was written by Rose, and its contents were about a new type of fruit-bearing magic plant she had recently developed. This magic plant had the effect of strengthening the physique, but its effect was much weaker than the Dragon Blood Fruit, only about one-fifth of it.

    To be honest, it was a bit of a stretch to call it a magic plant.

    However, despite its weak effect, this fruit had low requirements for its growth environment. Even in the current environment of Starlight Continent, it could be cultivated and grown without the need to set up energy-gathering arrays. In Su Nan¡¯s opinion, this was the most valuable aspect.

    This meant that this fruit didn¡¯t need to be grown in the magic plant garden, and even ordinary people could plant it. If this fruit could be widely promoted and popularized in the empire, it could, to some extent, alleviate the problem of insufficient Dragon Blood Fruits and Dragon Blood Potions.

    Without hesitation, Su Nan directly wrote an approval on the report, instructing it to be forwarded to the Emperor of the Empire and recommending that it be widely promoted and planted. He then gave Rose a considerable contribution value reward.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that Rose named this fruit ¡°Star Fruit.¡±

    The significance of the Star Fruit was self-evident. With the Star Fruit, the Starfall Empire could cultivate more Knights.

    Su Nan never thought that he should only focus on improving his own strength or only focus on the development of the Star Alliance. This behavior, although it could bring relatively rich returns in the short term, was very short-sighted in the long run.

    Starlight Continent was his base.

    Strengthening and developing his base was also a way of increasing his foundation. With a strong enough foundation, he could go further in the future.

    Therefore, he supported Kei¡¯s reforms without reservation. Popularizing basic education, establishing Knight academies, and many other reform policies were subtly strengthening the power of Starlight Continent.

    The stronger Starlight Continent became, the more benefits he could gain as the de facto controller.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there are no magic stone veins on the continent, otherwise we could develop magic energy technology and improve the level of basic science and technology.¡±

    Magic energy technology refers to applied technology developed using magic stones as an energy source, including magic stone lamps, magic energy carriages, magic energy spaceships, magic energy weapons, and a series of other applications in the fields of people¡¯s livelihood and the military.

    The two prerequisites for developing magic energy technology are, firstly, abundant magic stone veins, and secondly, a strong Wizard civilization (with a sufficient number of Wizard apprentices and formal Wizards).

    The current Starlight Continent does not meet these two prerequisites.

    The latter can be gradually achieved through time.

    But the former, unless the elemental resurgence arrives and after a long period of recovery and accumulation, it will be impossible to achieve.

    As for using Magic Cubes to synthesize magic stones, Su Nan didn¡¯t even think about it. Once magic energy technology is widely promoted, the amount of magic stones needed, based on the area of Starlight Continent, will be an astronomical number, which he alone cannot meet.

    After approving the documents, Su Nan stretched and left the study.

    The place where he is now is the Wizard Tower still under construction.

    Ever since the Elemental Pool was opened, he had been working, studying, and handling affairs in the Wizard Tower. Compared to Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower, the energy particle concentration here was more comfortable.

    The Wizard Tower¡¯s space planning was still being perfected, with only about one-third of the progress completed.

    It¡¯s worth mentioning that during this time, Su Nan tried to build another Elemental Pool and then synthesize it with the original one.

    The result was that the synthesized Elemental Pool had a 1.2 times increase in all aspects, which made him quite happy.

    ¡°It seems that four to five small Elemental Pools should be able to synthesize an Elemental Pool with effects similar to a medium-sized one.¡±

    As he pondered, Su Nan had already reached the experimental area.

    The huge experimental area had over 200 laboratories, each of which had to be equipped with an array to prevent energy bursts from experimental accidents from destroying the laboratories and affecting other areas. This work alone would take seven or eight months to complete. And this was just one aspect of the spatial planning.

    ¡°A long way to go.¡±

    By the time Su Nan finished his work, it was evening. Glancing at the sky outside, he suddenly felt like eating.

    Ever since he advanced to Wizard, Su Nan had basically eliminated eating. Even if he didn¡¯t eat anything for decades or even hundreds of years, he wouldn¡¯t feel hungry. Absorbing free energy particles in the air was enough to sustain his life.

    Although he didn¡¯t need to, Su Nan still enjoyed delicious food from time to time. It was one of the few remaining pleasures he had now.

    Of course, the only food that could catch his eye were the ones made with rare ingredients and had special effects, like the ones on the daily recommended menu of the Starlight Academy and Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower canteens.

    For this purpose, Caroline had specially prepared a private box for him in the Dragon¡¯s Bones Tower canteen.

    As usual, not long after Su Nan entered the box and sat down, Caroline walked in with her tail dragging behind her, followed by a team of Water Spirits carrying trays. When the Water Spirits put down the trays and lifted the covers, a rich aroma that made one¡¯s mouth water wafted out, filling every corner of the room.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes fell on one of the trays, and his expression moved slightly.

    ¡°This is... Emperor Shrimp?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Caroline smiled.

    She knew that the origin of the dish wouldn¡¯t be difficult for the knowledgeable Master.

    Emperor Shrimp is a ferocious marine creature. It can reach over five meters in length, with strong and sharp pincers, a wide range of diets, few natural enemies, powerful lower limbs and claws, and a formidable fighting capacity. In the ocean, even a beginner Knight would not dare to face an Emperor Shrimp head-on.

    As far as Su Nan knew, Emperor Shrimp was a deep-sea creature, and it seemed that only the Rainbow Sea had this creature.

    He scanned the other dishes.

    Sure enough, the Seven-Colored Fan Shrimp, Rainbow Clam, Coral Fish, and Dragon Whale Meat were all specialties of the Rainbow Sea.

    The Rainbow Sea has extremely rich resources. It is home to the world¡¯s largest coral reefs, producing all kinds of delicious seafood.

    Caroline had prepared a Rainbow Sea seafood feast for him today.

    Su Nan smiled, waved for the Water Spirits to leave, and then gestured for Caroline to sit down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s chat while we eat.¡±

    Caroline was slightly taken aback, then overjoyed. Holding back her excitement, she carefully moved to the seat, coiled her tail around the chair, and sat to Su Nan¡¯s left.

    Su Nan took a few bites of Emperor Shrimp meat and nodded in satisfaction. Then he got to the point.

    ¡°How¡¯s the exploration of the Rainbow Sea going?¡±

    Caroline answered respectfully, ¡°We have currently built five city-states in the Rainbow Sea Bay. In addition, we are also filling in the sea to create land, preparing to build three islands as a transfer station for deep-sea exploration and the bay city-states. However, due to the interference of the Deep Sea Naga, the Siren Sea Nymphs, and sea monsters, the progress has been slow.¡±

    As she spoke, Caroline glanced cautiously at Su Nan. Seeing that he was slowly savoring the food, and there was no sign of displeasure on his face, she felt a little relieved and continued, ¡°I have sent additional troops to the Rainbow Sea Bay, and I have also issued tasks to Starlight Academy to order magic ships that can sail on the sea, as well as special puppets that can operate underwater. In addition, Lord Ximen and Lord Corey are also preparing to lead teams to the Rainbow Sea. With their assistance, I believe the exploration will soon make a breakthrough.¡±

    The deep sea is the territory of marine races and sea monsters. No matter how strong and sturdy the ship is, it is no match for these creatures at sea. So, humans can only roam the land and no country has ever tried to touch the Rainbow Sea.

    Even a powerful force like the Star Alliance has encountered many difficulties and obstacles in exploring the Rainbow Sea and still can only hover around the outer edges.

    However, Caroline believed that as long as the Star Alliance increased its investment and put in more resources, they would definitely be able to solve the current predicament in the Rainbow Sea.

    She had prepared this feast today, partly to ask for something from her Master.

    She was sure that the Master could see it.

    Indeed, after listening to her words, Su Nan looked at her with a playful smile and said, ¡°I will ask the Academy to cooperate with you. You can also mobilize the resources of the Star Alliance. The only requirement is that you need to open up the situation in the Rainbow Sea as soon as possible.¡±

    Only about four years were left before the opening of the Falling Star City. Before that, they had to set up some power in the Rainbow Sea.

    Maybe they could use it when looking for the Falling Star City.

 Chapter 215

    While Su Nan was savoring seafood delicacies, Sherman and his companions, who had just arrived at Rainbow Bay, had already boarded a ship and entered the Rainbow Sea.

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    On the boundless ocean.

    A giant ship, towering ten meters high, sailed slowly, parting the water and creating waves.

    ¡°This is the Rainbow Sea.¡±

    Atir¡¯s eyes gleamed as he gazed at the shimmering surface of the sea, five hundred meters away. The magnificent violet light danced in the waves, incredibly beautiful.

    Located at the intersection of the land and sea veins, this area sometimes exhibits unique phenomena, with the sea occasionally emitting various strange lights. The name Rainbow Sea came from this phenomenon.

    Targiana stood at the edge of the deck, curiously observing the surrounding scenery.

    There was no ocean in the underground world, only lakes and swamps.

    This was the first time she had seen a real ocean with her own eyes.

    The sparkling, vast surface of the sea, seemingly endless, and the horizon merging into a single line in the distance, all gave her a sense of spaciousness and liberation.

    Almost no land was visible within her field of vision, only a few seabirds. Marine fish seemed to be abundant.

    However, these fish were bizarre, many of which she had never seen before.

    On the other side, Sherman, Cole, and Fleming were chatting with a woman.

    The woman was beautiful, with a slender figure, but her lower body was a thick snaketail.

    This revealed her identity ¨C a noble of the Gorgon.

    During the process of unifying the underground world, the Star Alliance had conquered over ten Gorgon city-states, and these Gorgon populations were ultimately assigned to Caroline¡¯s command.

    This Gorgon noble named Andrea was the ruler of one of these city-states.

    Now, she was the ruler of one of the city-states in Rainbow Bay.

    Having heard that they wanted to explore the Rainbow Sea firsthand, she took the initiative to accompany them on their voyage and thoughtfully brought along a group of guides.

    The so-called guides were actually a group of fish people.

    Their height only reached the waist of an adult male human. Their skin was indigo blue, and they had fish heads, human-like torsos and limbs, but covered in fine scales. Their fingers and toes were webbed.

    These fish people came from a fish people population near the Rainbow Bay.

    When the Star Alliance first arrived at the bay to build a city, they happened to encounter this fish people population while they were plundering. As a result, they dispatched a legion of magic puppets, defeating them decisively.

    Later, they directly pursued them to their lair, scaring the fish people population into surrendering.

    Although these fish people only lived in shallow water areas, they were quite familiar with the Rainbow Sea. Therefore, Andrea accepted them.

    The leader of the fish people was a fish person called Blue Scale. At this moment, he was diligently introducing the information about the Rainbow Sea to everyone.

    ¡°There are many poisonous species in the Rainbow Sea. Nearly one-fifth of the fish are poisonous. You must carefully identify them before eating them.¡±

    ¡°But most of the non-poisonous fish are very delicious. Stewed, grilled, or eaten raw, they all taste great. If you want to try them, just tell me. I¡¯m not bragging, but my cooking skills are quite good.¡±

    The fish person said with a flattering smile, looking servile and fawning.

    He had heard that these people in front of him were even more powerful than Lord Andrea, so if he could please them, he might be promoted to chief.

    Hearing a fish person volunteer to cook seafood, Sherman and Fleming both looked a little awkward.

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Sherman coughed lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything extra. I¡¯m asking you, what are some of the more powerful sea monsters in this sea?¡±

    The fish person scratched his head and said awkwardly, ¡°Lord, for us fish people, all sea monsters are powerful.¡±

    ¡°.¡±

    Sherman realized at this moment that asking a fish person who couldn¡¯t even defeat knights about which sea monsters were the most powerful was indeed the wrong question.

    He turned to Andrea, who thought for a moment and said, ¡°There aren¡¯t really any powerful sea monsters in the shallow water area, but there are many in the deep sea. Fish dragons, whale dragons, megalodon sharks, mosasaurs, kraken, deep-sea jellyfish...¡±

    Andrea listed dozens of sea monsters in one breath. Finally, she added solemnly, ¡°These sea monsters all have the power of legendary level 2 or 3. If you encounter them, try to avoid fighting if possible.¡±

    Legendary level 2 or 3 monsters on land might not be much of a threat, but in the sea, they were very troublesome.

    Without the power of two or three levels higher, it was impossible to deal with these sea monsters.

    At this moment, there was a sudden commotion on the other side of the deck.

    Targiana had grabbed a monster from the sea.

    This bizarre creature looked like a giant, multi-legged freshwater lobster. It was 1.5 meters tall and three meters long, with a blue-green shell that was extremely hard, small eyes that blinked without stopping, and two large, powerful claws. Its lower limbs were thick and strong.

    Although it was restrained in the air by Master¡¯s Hand, it still roared loudly, struggling wildly and swinging its claws, clearly very aggressive.

    ¡°This is a lobster man, with low intelligence, similar to a domesticated dog.¡±

    Andrea came to Targiana and Atir, who were curiously observing the lobster man, and explained softly, ¡°They are very aggressive, but weak in combat. An experienced probationary knight can easily defeat a lobster man.¡±

    Blue Scale came over and looked at the lobster man, swallowing his saliva and rubbing his hands, flattering him, ¡°Lords, the meat of lobster men is very delicious. How about you give this lobster man to me, and I¡¯ll cook some delicacies for you.¡±

    Sherman and the others exchanged glances, and finally refused.

    After all, lobster men were a sentient race, and they were also humanoid. Eating their meat felt a bit uncomfortable.

    Targiana was very interested, however.

    The dark elf didn¡¯t care about such things. She was curious to see how the taste of lobster men differed from ordinary lobsters.

    But seeing that Atir and the others had refused, she had to abandon the idea.

    Andrea said, ¡°Lobster men usually live in the junction between the shallow sea and the deep sea. Since we¡¯ve encountered a lobster man, it means we¡¯re about to enter the deep sea area.¡±

    ¡°We might encounter deep-sea Naga and siren mermaids. We need to be careful.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sherman and his companions also put aside their playful mood and nodded solemnly.

    After entering the deep sea area, the number of sea monsters increased significantly.

    Sea monsters could be seen fighting each other from time to time along the way. Large amounts of blood stained the surrounding sea surface, attracting more predators, gradually evolving into a large-scale battle.

    According to Andrea, such battles were common in the deep sea area.

    In such situations, it was best to leave immediately, otherwise, it was easy to be drawn into the battle.

    Occasionally, sea monsters would attack the ship, but they were quickly dealt with by Sherman and his companions.

    With two third-rank mage apprentices on board, as long as they didn¡¯t encounter legendary level 3 sea monsters, they didn¡¯t need to worry too much.

    Moreover, considering the danger of this mission, Sherman and Cole brought many high-level rune gems.

    Even if something unexpected happened, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to escape.

    Andrea praised, ¡°With you all here, this voyage is much easier.¡±

    ¡°How did you deal with sea monsters before?¡± Fleming asked curiously.

    ¡°We used magic puppets enchanted with levitation magic,¡± Andrea said helplessly, ¡°But puppets are too heavy, and we have to maintain the light spirit spell all the time to carry them on board. Even then, the number of puppets that can be carried on a ship is very limited.¡±

    Sherman and his companions all nodded in understanding.

    Puppets weighed tens of tons each, and they were huge. Ordinary ships couldn¡¯t fit a few.

    Even if they were all carried as mithril puppets, the ship¡¯s combat power would still be very limited. If they encountered a slightly larger number of sea monsters, they could only flee.

    Sometimes, even escape was a luxury.

    No wonder the exploration and expansion of the Rainbow Sea had been slow.

    ¡°Lord Andrea, don¡¯t worry.¡± Sherman smiled slightly. ¡°The Academy has already developed stronger and larger magic ships. In addition, there are special puppets designed for underwater operations. They will be mass-produced and deployed here soon. By then, we will have the strength to advance into the deep sea.¡±

    Andrea¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Heaven knows, she had suffered from the deep-sea Naga and siren mermaids so much in recent years that she had long wanted to deal with those damned creatures!

    Just then, a warning came from the lookout platform above the deck.

    ¡°About two thousand meters ahead, deep-sea Naga and siren mermaids have been spotted!¡±

    Andrea¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she immediately went to the edge of the deck, taking the spyglass handed to her by her subordinate and looking into the distance.

    Sherman and his companions directly activated the Sharp Eye earrings they wore on their ears. A blue light flashed in their eyes, and their vision instantly zoomed in, focusing on the sea surface two thousand meters away.

    On the vast sea, an intense battle was taking place.

    On one side were humanoid creatures with snake-like lower bodies and scales all over, looking similar to Gorgon nobles, but with a layer of blue scales and webbed feet.

    ¡°Deep-sea Naga!¡±

    Although he had never seen them before, Fleming immediately recognized these humanoid creatures.

    They resembled the images he had seen in books.

    His gaze then shifted to the other side of the battle.

    It was a group of strong mermaids riding head-hunting sharks, humanoid creatures with similar elongated snaketails.

    They were siren mermaids.

    People unfamiliar with these two races might easily mistake them for each other.

    But in reality, there were significant differences between them.

    The deep-sea Naga¡¯s bodies had evolved to exhibit fish-like characteristics, while the siren mermaids¡¯ forms were at least human-like in their upper bodies.

    In addition, the deep-sea Naga were a race with both males and females, but siren mermaids only had females. Their true race belonged to the harpy species.

    They were semi-undead creatures that roamed the seas, but the ocean had given them new bodies.

    There were not many siren mermaids, but most of them were very powerful.

    They were skilled in illusion magic, with incredibly beautiful faces and deadly, melodious voices that could control other marine species. They were a very dangerous existence.

    It was worth noting that siren mermaids were not born through mating, but were nurtured by the sea. They could be considered a kind of nature spirit, but they represented the evil part of the ocean.

    Among the warring parties, the deep-sea Naga had a numerical advantage, nearly twice as many as the siren mermaids. However, in reality, it was the siren mermaids who had the upper hand.

    They wielded tridents, wielding their masterful combat skills to fight multiple opponents at once. From time to time, they would sing loudly, casting illusions.

    Even from two thousand meters away, one could faintly hear the melodious and beautiful singing.

    Blue Scale, standing nearby, was already in a daze and instinctively took a step to jump into the sea. Fleming slapped him awake, and he immediately crawled back into the cabin, covering his ears and not daring to listen to the singing anymore.

    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Atir said, a hint of surprise in her tone. ¡°The combat skills those siren mermaids are using seem to have a shadow of knightly combat skills.¡±

    The girl turned to Cole.

    Among everyone present, Cole was the most skilled in knightly combat techniques.

    Besides being a third-rank mage apprentice, he was also a junior great knight.

    ¡°Indeed, there are traces of knightly combat skills, and they are quite intricate. Not the common goods from outside, they are likely from a famous master,¡± Cole frowned.

    Siren mermaids could also fight in close combat, but due to limitations in civilization development, they could not have as intricate knightly combat skills as humans. Most of their fighting techniques were straightforward.

    This scene contradicted the information they had learned about siren mermaids in books.

    ¡°Not only that, have you noticed?¡± Sherman suddenly spoke up. ¡°Isn¡¯t the power of the siren mermaids¡¯ singing a bit too strong?¡±

    The others were taken aback, and then they looked thoughtful.

    Reminded by Sherman, they suddenly realized that from two thousand meters away, the siren mermaids¡¯ singing could still affect them, causing Blue Scale to become disoriented. The power of their singing was quite astonishing.

    Either the information about siren mermaids they had read in the wizard¡¯s books was wrong, or these siren mermaids themselves had problems.

    Sherman asked Andrea, ¡°Are all siren mermaids like this?¡±

    Andrea shook her head, ¡°We actually noticed this as well. Before we entered the deep sea area, we captured some shallow sea marine populations and asked them about the information on siren mermaids. But the information we received was different from the siren mermaids we actually encountered. We suspect that siren mermaids may have gradually become like this in recent decades.¡±

    ¡°In the deep sea area, the deep-sea Naga were the most powerful sentient race, always keeping the siren mermaids under control. But in recent decades, siren mermaids have gradually overtaken the deep-sea Naga.¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, in recent major battles, the deep-sea Naga have been defeated by the siren mermaids.¡±

    As if to confirm Andrea¡¯s words, the battle in the distance had reached a conclusion.

    Under the fierce attack of the siren mermaids, the deep-sea Naga were defeated and fled in all directions. But they were quickly chased down by the siren mermaids riding head-hunting sharks, and pierced by their tridents.

    Only a small number of deep-sea Naga managed to escape.

    After the battle ended, these siren mermaids did not stop there.

    With a low conch sound, the siren mermaids turned their direction and charged towards the ship, riding their head-hunting sharks.

 Chapter 216

    ¡°They¡¯re coming for us.¡±

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    Kore narrowed his eyes.

    Andrea¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Nymphs both consider the deep sea area their territory. They won¡¯t allow any other race to enter. Attacks on ships are commonplace. The three artificial islands we¡¯re currently building are frequently harassed by them.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Xieman chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice. ¡°It seems like these neighbors are not fond of us.¡±

    Kore¡¯s face remained stoic. ¡°We¡¯ll teach them a lesson. Once they feel our pain, they¡¯ll understand who not to mess with.¡±

    Standing nearby, Tagana and Fleming were already itching for a fight.

    Seeing this, Xieman smiled. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s have some fun. This is a good opportunity to gather some intelligence on the Siren Sea Nymphs¡¯ capabilities.¡±

    The entire team implicitly acknowledged Xieman as their leader. As soon as he spoke, the other four readily agreed and began preparing for battle.

    Andrea hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should call up the Mithril Magic Puppet from the ship¡¯s hold. However, seeing that Xieman and the others hadn¡¯t said anything, she held back.

    The Headhunter Sharks moved swiftly through the water and soon reached the ship.

    More than ten Siren Sea Nymphs opened their mouths and sang. Their sweet and melodious voices instantly spread throughout the surrounding waters. Strange waves instantly enveloped the entire ship.

    The remaining Siren Sea Nymphs quickly climbed along the ship¡¯s side.

    Their hands and serpent tails seemed to possess the same suction capabilities as octopus tentacles, making their climb incredibly agile and smooth.

    This was a tactic Siren Sea Nymphs frequently used against ships.

    First, they would use their song to trap the creatures on board in illusions, rendering them immobile. Then, they would seize the opportunity to board the ship and easily eliminate the creatures on board.

    They had used this tactic countless times, each time achieving considerable success.

    But this time, something went wrong.

    When the Siren Sea Nymphs jumped onto the deck, they didn¡¯t see the expected sluggish prey, but several humans gazing at them with a look of amusement.

    Their eyes were as if they were the ones surrounded.

    Before the Siren Sea Nymphs could react, they saw the humans raise their hands. The next moment, countless magic missiles rained down from the sky, covering them completely.

    The first ten Siren Sea Nymphs were instantly riddled with holes!

    Strange incantations followed, emanating from the mouths of the humans.

    At this point, the Siren Sea Nymphs finally regained their senses and shrieked as they lunged at their enemies.

    Siren Sea Nymphs¡¯ illusions had no effect on Third-Rank Wizard Apprentices.

    Atir, Fleming, and Tagana had also preemptively consumed Clarity Potions, directly ignoring the songs and shrieks in their ears.

    Deprived of their most powerful illusionary abilities, the Siren Sea Nymphs¡¯ combat prowess immediately plummeted. They couldn¡¯t even get close to Xieman and the others before they were thrown into disarray.

    In just three or four breaths, nearly half of the nearly one hundred Siren Sea Nymphs who had boarded the ship were eliminated.

    One Siren Sea Nymph, who seemed to be the leader, let out a sharp cry, leaping into the air. She dodged the incoming magic missiles and swung her trident towards Xieman.

    The sharp tip of the trident tore through the air, emitting a piercing, screeching noise, making an impressive spectacle.

    But the next moment, a gray, colossal claw illusion materialized out of thin air, passing through the Siren Sea Nymph¡¯s body like a ghost. She couldn¡¯t even let out a scream before she tumbled to the ground, lifeless.

    Seeing their leader fall, the Siren Sea Nymphs were finally terrified. They jumped into the sea, riding the Headhunter Sharks and joining their comrades below to escape.

    But soon, they were horrified to discover that the Wizard Apprentices were pursuing them.

    Either using Levitation Spells or activating magical items, Xieman and the other five soared through the air, relentlessly chasing after the Siren Sea Nymphs, continuously using spells to harvest their lives.

    Only when there were five Siren Sea Nymphs left did Xieman signal the others to stop. He cast Sleep Spells to knock them unconscious and used Master¡¯s Hand to bring them back onto the ship.

    ¡°Lock them up. We¡¯ll interrogate them after we return to the bay,¡± Xieman said.

    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±

    Andrea lowered her head slightly, filled with admiration.

    Today, she had truly witnessed the power of Wizard Apprentices.

    Just five of them had managed to rout over one hundred Siren Sea Nymphs, nearly decimating their entire force.

    This kind of power was truly terrifying!

    No wonder Lady Carolina was so enthusiastic about that esteemed individual.

    Even the Wizard Apprentices were so powerful. How powerful could the legendary Formal Wizards be, who were said to be even stronger than Wizard Apprentices?

    After the battle ended, Xieman and the others also decided to end their on-site observation and turned the ship around to return to the bay.

    The Star Alliance had built a total of five city-states in Rainbow Bay, arranged in a crescent shape along the bay¡¯s edge, facing the sea.

    White Bay City, located in the middle, was where the headquarters for coordinating Rainbow Sea exploration was located, and it was the city-state under Andrea¡¯s jurisdiction.

    As soon as they returned to White Bay City, Xieman and the others immediately interrogated the Siren Sea Nymphs.

    Siren Sea Nymphs were adept at illusions and had high resistance to [Charm Human] and [Hypnosis].

    In the end, Andrea had to personally step in. She tortured the five Siren Sea Nymphs until they were on the verge of death, their will near collapse. It was only then that Kore and Xieman were able to successfully extract the intelligence they wanted from their mouths.

    ¡°How was it? Did you find anything out?¡±

    As soon as Xieman and Kore returned to the council chamber, Atir eagerly asked.

    ¡°We did find out something,¡± Xieman said, with a strange expression on his face. ¡°The Siren Sea Nymphs said that the reason they were able to learn those battle techniques and enhance their illusionary abilities was because they received divine inspiration?¡±

    Divine inspiration?

    Atir and Fleming looked at each other in surprise.

    Tagana¡¯s face changed, remembering what happened in Spider City.

    ¡°Does this mean that the Siren Sea Nymphs have also received a god¡¯s favor?¡± Atir pondered, his brow furrowed.

    Xieman shook his head. ¡°I think there¡¯s something fishy here.¡±

    ¡°Even though they said they received divine inspiration, none of the Siren Sea Nymphs have ever seen a divine miracle with their own eyes or received any divine decree.¡±

    ¡°The only one in the entire Siren Sea Nymph race who has received so-called divine inspiration is their leader. All the combat techniques and illusionary training methods were passed down through the leader¡¯s mouth to her people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really strange,¡± Atir said, his brow furrowed.

    Generally speaking, the more devout and fanatical a believer¡¯s faith, the more benefits a god could gain from it.

    And the best way to enhance a believer¡¯s faith was to perform divine miracles and bestow power.

    But the Siren Sea Nymphs had not seen any divine miracles, and even the so-called bestowal of power was only about passing down combat techniques and illusionary training methods, allowing the Siren Sea Nymphs to train themselves.

    This method of bestowing power was way too simple.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not a real god, then someone is impersonating a god,¡± Kore suddenly spoke.

    Everyone was stunned.

    Impersonating a god?

    What was the purpose?

    Was it just to control the Siren Sea Nymphs?

    Tagana suddenly asked Andrea, ¡°Why did the Siren Sea Nymphs attack the Deep Sea Naga? To fight for territory?¡±

    Andrea froze for a moment before shaking her head after realizing. ¡°The Rainbow Sea is vast and rich in resources. There¡¯s no need to fight for territory. They¡¯re actually fighting for the Sea Heart?¡±

    ¡°Sea Heart?¡± Xieman thought back carefully. He didn¡¯t seem to recall ever hearing of anything like that.

    Andrea explained, ¡°The Sea Heart is the essence of the sea. It inherits the peaceful aspect of the ocean, possessing the power to drive away sea monsters and calm storms and tsunamis. If you place a Sea Heart in the center of a sea area, that area will become a place where people can live and work in peace, free from worry about sea monster attacks and disasters.¡±

    ¡°Generally speaking, the more Sea Hearts a marine race possesses, the larger the territory they occupy and the easier it is for their race to develop and grow. Therefore, Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Nymphs often fight each other to seize each other¡¯s Sea Hearts.¡±

    After hearing Andrea¡¯s explanation, everyone couldn¡¯t help but marvel.

    ¡°There¡¯s actually such a magical thing in the world.¡±

    Fleming couldn¡¯t help but sigh, his expression suddenly shifting.

    ¡°If we could get our hands on a Sea Heart and place it on the ship, then we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about storms and sea monster attacks!¡±

    Andrea smiled, her lips pursed. ¡°Theoretically, that¡¯s true. But if we do that, all the marine races will desperately attack the ship to seize the Sea Heart. You see, all marine races can sense the presence of a Sea Heart.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the allure of the Sea Heart to marine races.¡±

    Fleming chuckled sheepishly.

    They discussed for a while but couldn¡¯t come up with any solution.

    Seeing this, Xieman made a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll report the matter of divine inspiration to my teacher. We¡¯ll leave the handling of this matter to my teacher. Our top priority is to help Lord Andrea build the three artificial islands as soon as possible. We need to gain a foothold in the Rainbow Sea.¡±

    Everyone exchanged glances, and all agreed.

    Half a month later.

    The supporting ships and puppets finally arrived at White Bay City.

    In addition to the Magic Puppet Legion escorting the supplies, there was also the Magic Emblem Knight Order.

    To Xieman¡¯s surprise, the leader was none other than the current leader of the Magic Emblem Knight Order, Sheen.

    ¡°Sheen, why are you personally escorting the supplies?¡±

    ¡°Lord Xieman, long time no see.¡±

    Sheen bowed to Xieman before smiling and explaining. ¡°There¡¯s a special team among this supporting force. I¡¯m here to check on the situation.¡±

    Xieman became interested. ¡°What kind of team requires you, the leader, to personally lead?¡±

    Sheen turned and gave an order. A knight immediately turned and ran away.

    Not long after, accompanied by the sound of steady footsteps, a team of knights jogged over to Sheen and Xieman, standing in formation, awaiting orders.

    To Xieman¡¯s astonishment, the knights were not riding Blackrock Beasts or Dragon Antelope, but a kind of Sub-Dragon with bright blue scales that shone with a radiant glow.

    ¡°This is... an Aquatic Sub-Dragon?¡± Xieman expressed his surprise.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sheen smiled. ¡°By order of Lord Sunan, Longlin has newly opened Aquatic Sub-Dragon Ranches, Winged Dragon Ranches, and Storm Dragon Beast Ranches. These Aquatic Sub-Dragons are the latest batch of Sub-Dragons from the ranches, equipped for the Magic Emblem Knight Order to form a dedicated naval force, which is this Aquatic Sub-Dragon Knight unit.¡±

    ¡°However, because it was only recently established, the Aquatic Sub-Dragon Knight Unit currently has a small number of people, only a hundred or so.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still pretty good,¡± Xieman exclaimed.

    Like the Dragon Antelope Knight Order, the Aquatic Sub-Dragon Knight Order was also clearly a unit of elite troops with individual legendary combat strength!

    One hundred people meant one hundred legendary combat strengths!

    The arrival of such a unit could significantly enhance the Star Alliance¡¯s combat strength in the Rainbow Sea. It was a godsend.

    What else could he be unhappy about?

    Xieman then went to the bay port to inspect the supporting ships.

    Atir and Tagana were already at the port, curiously looking at the ships.

    To Xieman¡¯s surprise, he had originally thought that the magical ships developed by Starlight Academy would be incredibly large. But when he actually saw them, he discovered that the ships were only slightly larger than ordinary seafaring vessels.

    They were barely as large as some of the bigger seafaring ships.

    The difference was that the ships were completely made of metal, with intricate enchanted runes etched onto the surface, shining with a cold metallic luster in the sunlight. It looked like a steel beast lurking at the port.

    Andrea was already speechless.

    This was the first time she had seen a ship made entirely of metal.

    Xieman and the others were okay, after all, they had seen magnificent structures like Dragon Skull Tower, so their acceptance of magical ships was naturally greatly enhanced.

    Everyone then entered the ship¡¯s hold.

    After entering, they discovered that the ship¡¯s interior was a different world, and the actual space size was much larger than it appeared from the outside.

    ¡°I see. They used space expansion technology.¡± Fleming was amazed. ¡°How much gold did it take to build a magical ship like this?¡±

    Sheen grinned. ¡°The student from Starlight Academy who was responsible for handing over the ship to me said this was a Level Two C-Class magical ship. One ship costs about 150,000 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°150,000 gold coins!¡± Fleming gasped.

    Xieman, Kore, and Atir looked normal.

    They had participated in the unification of the underground world and had seen countless high-cost puppets, so they were used to it.

    150,000 gold coins was about the same as three Mithril Magic Puppets, less than one-third of the cost of a magic automaton.

    Sheen said, ¡°That student said that this magic ship is equipped with ten magic cannons, powerful enough to instantly kill a Level One Legendary creature. It also has a main gun, a Spell Tower, that can kill a Level Three Legendary creature with one shot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Fleming was stunned. ¡°No wonder one ship costs 150,000 gold coins.¡±

    Atir laughed. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s going to use up a lot of magic stones.¡±

    Tagana suddenly asked, ¡°You said this is a Level Two C-Class magic ship, meaning there are higher-level magic ships?¡±

    Sheen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. There are three levels of magic ships.¡±

    ¡°The lowest level, Level One magic ships, are small vessels that focus on maneuverability and agility.¡±

    ¡°Then there are Level Two magic ships, which are medium-sized vessels with powerful long-range strike capabilities and can carry a certain amount of troops.¡±

    ¡°The highest level is Level Three magic ships. Well, Starlight Academy hasn¡¯t built any concrete examples yet. But according to them, the most prominent feature of this level of magic ship is that it has flight capabilities.¡±

    Flight capabilities!

    The eyes of the Wizard Apprentices present lit up.

    If they could fly, then the ship would be much more convenient to operate at sea. They basically wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being attacked by sea monsters anymore.

    If they were also equipped with powerful long-range strike capabilities, then they would be invincible fortresses at sea!

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If we had three Level Three magic ships, and placed them above the three artificial islands, who would we be afraid of? Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Nymphs? We¡¯d kill them all!¡± Fleming exclaimed.

    Everyone agreed.

    Xieman asked, ¡°How many magic ships are there in this support force?¡±

    ¡°Twelve Level One magic ships and three Level Two magic ships.¡±

    Xieman nodded silently.

    With the support of these magic ships, both the defense of the artificial islands and the exploration voyages at sea would be much easier. They wouldn¡¯t be as passive as before.

    As they toured and chatted, they unconsciously arrived at the door of a compartment.

    Sheen pointed to the compartment and said, ¡°The new puppets we¡¯ve been supporting are in there.¡±

    End of Chapte

 Chapter 217: Spell Turret II and Mana Machine

    Chapter 217: Spell Turret II and Mana Machine

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    New puppet!

    Everyone was curious.

    Fleming was the first to couldn¡¯t hold back and went forward to open the compartment.

    As the metal door creaked open to both sides, the scene inside the compartment was also revealed.

    In the spacious hall, huge puppets were neatly arranged in a square formation, standing motionless, giving off a sense of rhythmic beauty.

    These puppets looked like metal octopuses, with dozens of long, coiled tentacles growing around their bulky bodies, the ends of which were sharp, cone-shaped, like sharp blades flashing a cold, chilling glow.

    ¡°Octopus-shaped puppets.¡±

    Sherman had a feeling of unexpected yet reasonable.

    In the Rainbow Sea, there were octopus-like sea monsters. The octopus form could be said to be very suitable for underwater movement.

    And those tentacles, at first glance, obviously had formidable attack power.

    It could be said that the octopus form is one of the best forms that combines underwater movement and attack.

    ¡°There are a total of five hundred octopus puppets here, each with a first-ring legendary combat power. In addition, there are ten elite octopus puppets with a second-ring legendary combat power.¡±

    ¡°The other two level-two magic ships also have the same number of puppets.¡±

    A total of one thousand five hundred octopus puppets and thirty elite octopus puppets.

    Sherman nodded secretly.

    This number is roughly enough for the current stage.

    Once the three artificial islands are built, we can build the Magic Puppet Factory, then we can transfer the octopus puppet production line to the islands, produce puppets in bulk on site, and then we won¡¯t have to worry about manpower.

    ¡°Now that the reinforcements have arrived, let¡¯s set off for the artificial islands today.¡±

    Wizard¡¯s Tower, plantation.

    Su Nan used the Master¡¯s Hand to control a special liquid that combined rare metals and gems, carefully drawing the last stroke of the inscription on the ground.

    As the inscriptions connected to form a closed loop, the entire magic circle instantly flashed with silver light, adding a layer of inexplicable, strange aura.

    ¡°Done!¡±

    Su Nan breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.

    The formation in the plantation was completed, all that was left was to plant the magical plants.

    In terms of growth environment, the Wizard¡¯s Tower plantation, which has a higher energy particle concentration and a formation, is obviously better than Dragon Forest Zone 2.

    The latter¡¯s only advantage is its large area.

    ¡°Rare magical plants can be transferred to the plantation, while those of relatively low value can still be kept in Dragon Forest Zone 2.¡±

    Su Nan turned around and beckoned to Tia, who was wandering around not far away.

    ¡°Tia.¡±

    Hearing Su Nan¡¯s call, the elegant and beautiful Flower Fairy Queen immediately flew over happily.

    ¡°Su Nan, are you finished with your work?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the formation is already set up, it will be almost done after we transplant the magical plants.¡±

    Su Nan stretched out his index finger and gently stroked Tia¡¯s delicate face with his fingertip. The girl showed an expression of enjoyment.

    ¡°Tia, I need you to summon another batch of your kin.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡± Tia chuckled, ¡°Many of my kin want to come here.¡±

    Most flower fairies have a wish to have a flower garden that they can manage themselves, and the plantation happens to fulfill this wish.

    Plus, Su Nan is very generous, giving them a lot of compensation, so the flower fairies are all living happily here, which makes their kin back home very envious.

    After playing with Tia for a while, Su Nan left the plantation and returned to the control center.

    ¡°No. 1, scan the current state of the Wizard¡¯s Tower.¡±

    ¡¾Receiving instructions, starting scan.¡¿

    ¡¾Scanning... Scan complete.¡¿

    A three-dimensional, stereoscopic panoramic model immediately appeared before his eyes.

    ¡¾Wizard¡¯s Tower: Starlight¡¿

    ¡¾Level: Small (Construction progress 37.22%)¡¿

    ¡¾Remaining energy: 93.82%¡¿

    ¡¾Intelligent auxiliary life: Tower Spirit No. 1¡¿

    ¡¾Facilities: Element Pool (Small/Enhanced), Central Crystal Energy Transmission System, Living Area, Warehouse Area (Construction progress 76.22%), Experimental Area, Practice Area (Construction progress 46.91%), Meditation Area, Plantation Area¡¿

    ¡¾Servants: Clay Magic Puppet ¡Á 130¡¿

    ¡¾Protection device: Magic Lock Protective Energy Field (Small)¡¿

    ¡¾Combat device: None¡¿

    ¡°The progress is still going smoothly.¡±

    Su Nan nodded secretly.

    The Magic Lock Protective Energy Field has also been manufactured, and the next step is to consider manufacturing more to be synthesized.

    The Element Pool is the same, it is still in the Enhanced +1 state, and can be further synthesized.

    The progress of space planning is only halfway complete, and there are many areas that haven¡¯t been perfected.

    It is worth mentioning that Su Nan recently manufactured Spell Turrets.

    The first batch of practice creations were used to equip the magic ships.

    For those manufactured afterwards, he planned to synthesize them and then equip them on the Wizard¡¯s Tower.

    ¡°The current situation of the Starlight Continent, it¡¯s impossible to gather enough resources to manufacture plasma cannons and pulse cannons. Even if they were manufactured, the small Element Pool can¡¯t bear the energy consumption of these two weapons.¡±

    Su Nan shook his head.

    Not to mention pulse cannons, even the lower-level plasma cannons are energy-consuming.

    He estimated that even an Enhanced +1 Element Pool would only be enough to fire two plasma cannons.

    For a small Wizard¡¯s Tower, the levels of plasma cannons and pulse cannons are too high. They are the equipment of medium-sized and large Wizard¡¯s Towers.

    Small Wizard¡¯s Towers can only be equipped with Disintegration Cannons at most.

    However, although it cannot be equipped with plasma cannons and pulse cannons, it is no problem to synthesize and enhance the power of Spell Turrets and Disintegration Cannons.

    Although there is also the problem of increased energy consumption with increased firepower, this can be solved by enhancing the Element Pool.

    After numerous experiments and firepower tests, Su Nan finally decided on the number of Spell Turrets to synthesize: five.

    This number of Spell Turrets, synthesized, would have a power roughly seven times, close to eight times, that of the original.

    Su Nan asked the puppet girl to assist with the test, and as a result, one shot directly seriously injured the puppet girl.

    If it weren¡¯t for the Magic Emblem Core offsetting most of the attack power, the puppet girl would have become a pile of scrap metal.

    ¡°This power is almost catching up to the Disintegration Cannon!¡±

    Su Nan exclaimed in amazement.

    Even a first-rank Vaporization Wizard would be seriously injured, if not killed, by a few hits from the Spell Turret beams.

    However, the price of significantly enhancing the power is that energy consumption also skyrocketed to about four times the original.

    Su Nan estimated that only by enhancing the Element Pool to near medium-sized levels can it bear the consumption of using Spell Turrets as conventional weapons.

    He also planned to do so, so he controlled the number of synthesizing to five.

    Continue to enhance upwards, the Spell Turrets can certainly continue to increase in power, but they would lose their meaning as conventional weapons.

    As for high-end weapons, he plans to enhance the Disintegration Cannon.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s a brand new version, let¡¯s call it Spell Turret II.¡±

    Su Nan decided to first equip the Wizard¡¯s Tower with one hundred Spell Turret IIs, and then add more according to the situation.

    This alone would cost more than fifteen million gold coins.

    But the benefits are also very obvious. The firepower of the Starlight Wizard¡¯s Tower is definitely far superior to most small Wizard¡¯s Towers.

    If it¡¯s equipped with synthesized and enhanced Disintegration Cannons, then its firepower may not be inferior to medium-sized Wizard¡¯s Towers.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re done with the Spell Turrets, we¡¯ll research the Disintegration Cannons.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also the Magic Puppet Legion, the high-level puppet problem hasn¡¯t been solved yet.¡±

    The high-level puppet blueprints that Su Nan currently has are the Mithril Magic Puppet and the Puppet.

    The former can be enhanced to third-rank legendary, and can be used as the main force of the Wizard¡¯s Tower Magic Puppet Legion. The source of mithril material is not a concern.

    The problem is the latter.

    Generally speaking, small Wizard¡¯s Towers are equipped with high-level puppets at the level of official wizards as the final combat sequence.

    In other words, such puppets must at least reach the combat level of a first-rank Vaporization Wizard.

    The puppet girl undoubtedly meets this requirement.

    But the problem is that the cost of refining puppets is too high.

    A single puppet costs as much as four hundred and eighty thousand gold coins, equipping one hundred would cost nearly fifty million gold coins.

    The key is that even if Su Nan is willing to spend that money, there¡¯s not that much material.

    Refining puppets requires a lot of mithril, and the current output of mithril in the Star Alliance is basically used for Wizard¡¯s Tower construction. It is foreseeable that enough mithril won¡¯t be available for mass refining of puppets in the next hundred years.

    Of course, he could accumulate for a hundred or two hundred years after the Wizard¡¯s Tower is built, and he would be able to gather enough mithril to refine puppets.

    But considering the wide range of applications of mithril as a material, it would be a waste to use it for mass refining of puppets.

    It¡¯s best to find a way to get the wizard-level puppet blueprints and directly refine them manually.

    As for materials, we can find ways to synthesize or research substitutes, anyway, the key Soul Crystal is definitely not a problem.

    ¡°There are a lot of problems to solve.¡±

    Su Nan rubbed his temples.

    Building a Wizard¡¯s Tower in a world of element deserts and dimensional lockdown is indeed a laborious task.

    But compared to the benefits of a completed Wizard¡¯s Tower, these problems are not problems.

    Leaving the control center, Su Nan returned to his study.

    He had been immersed in building the Wizard¡¯s Tower for the past few months, and he hadn¡¯t reviewed the reports that were sent in a long time. There shouldn¡¯t be any major issues with the Star Alliance and the Starlight Empire, but the Rainbow Sea, he wondered how things were going.

    However, just as he returned to his study, Su Nan suddenly sensed a powerful energy fluctuation erupting.

    ¡°That direction... It¡¯s the Starlight Academy!¡±

    Su Nan disappeared instantly and reappeared in the sky above the Starlight Academy.

    The students¡¯ power levels are too low, they haven¡¯t sensed the energy fluctuation, the academy is as peaceful as ever.

    Soon, the chief instructors, such as Staff, Rose, and Facado, also came to Su Nan.

    Under the introduction of Staff and Rose, the Starlight Academy has since absorbed three third-rank Mage Apprentices as instructors.

    Together with Sherman and Corey, who have accepted the invitation to become instructors, the number of instructors at the Starlight Academy has now reached double digits, greatly alleviating the pressure on teaching resources.

    ¡°It should be the Traveler.¡± Staff said, ¡°He¡¯s been in seclusion for several years, it¡¯s about time he came out.¡±

    Rose said, ¡°That being the case, his half-elemental transformation should have been successful.¡±

    Sure enough, a figure rushed up from the ground and flew rapidly towards where everyone was standing.

    It was the Traveler, who had not been seen in a long time.

    Compared to before his seclusion, the Traveler¡¯s aura was more peaceful, yet vaguely carried a kind of vibrant vitality, like ten thousand trees flourishing.

    When he stopped and hovered in the air, he seemed to be vaguely integrated with the entire world.

    This is a sign of successful half-elemental transformation.

    Moreover, judging by the aura, the Traveler had obviously chosen the Wood Element.

    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Su Nan smiled and congratulated him.

    The others reacted at this time and came forward to congratulate him.

    The Traveler also returned his thanks with a cheerful smile.

    After a few words of greeting, Facado and the others bid farewell and left. Only Su Nan, Rose, and Staff, who were relatively familiar with the Traveler, remained.

    ¡°How does it feel?¡± Rose asked with bright eyes.

    She also intends to take the half-elemental transformation path, and the Traveler¡¯s experience may give her some reference.

    The Traveler did not hide anything, and said honestly: ¡°It¡¯s very good. My perception and control of plant-type energy particles have been significantly enhanced. The specific increase in lifespan is not yet clear, but at least forty or fifty years is certain.¡±

    Among all the half-elemental transformation paths, the Wood Element, due to its nature, increases the lifespan the most.

    That is to say, the half-elemental transformation path must be chosen in accordance with one¡¯s physical constitution. If it does not match one¡¯s physical constitution, the probability of failure is extremely high, otherwise most Mage Apprentices would probably choose the Wood Element.

    The Traveler was also lucky enough to have a constitution compatible with the Wood Element.

    ¡°However, after half-elemental transformation, I vaguely feel a certain kind of restraint, as if I¡¯m going to touch a certain boundary if I take another step up.¡± The Traveler frowned and said.

    ¡°That¡¯s the restraint of the Starlight Continent¡¯s environment.¡±

    Su Nan explained the matter of the upper limit of energy particle concentration.

    After hearing this, the three of them realized it.

    ¡°No wonder the wizards of a thousand years ago left, staying here is indeed unbearable.¡±

    ¡°Not only that, it also makes it difficult for wizards to cultivate in this environment.¡±

    Rose couldn¡¯t help but glance at Su Nan.

    She couldn¡¯t see through Su Nan¡¯s power level at all, and she didn¡¯t know what level he had reached.

    All along, Su Nan gave her the feeling of being too unfathomable, always acting in unexpected ways.

    Perhaps Su Nan has a way to overcome the harsh environment of the Starlight Continent.

    After chatting for a while, Su Nan returned to the Wizard¡¯s Tower.

    After the Traveler successfully transformed into a half-elemental being, Rose was clearly eager to try it too.

    She¡¯s probably going to start seclusion soon.

    And she¡¯ll probably also choose the Wood Element.

    In fact, the half-elemental transformation of Mage Apprentices has almost no impact compared to Elemental Knights.

    After all, Mage Apprentices don¡¯t have any restrictions on the type of energy particles they can absorb during meditation.

    Elemental Knights, on the other hand, can only absorb certain types of energy particles to improve their strength, which means that they have a higher requirement for the upper limit of energy particle concentration, and are more easily affected by the energy particle concentration ceiling of the Starlight Continent.

    This is also why Su Nan suggested that Kei choose the Bloodline Knight path.

    Back in his study, Su Nan sat down and flipped through the reports.

    The reports from the Starlight Empire were mainly about the implementation progress of the reforms.

    Due to the lack of magic stone veins, Su Nan rejected the idea of promoting mana technology, but after that, he had the idea of popularizing sub-mana technology using secondary magic stones as energy sources.

    Magic stones could only be synthesized by him, but secondary magic stones could be created by second and third-rank Mage Apprentices.

    Although the quantity is not enough to supply the entire continent, it is feasible for small-scale supply.

    So, he directly threw the mana technology blueprints to the Starlight Academy, asking them to research corresponding sub-mana technology based on it.

    Since it was backwards compatible, the research progress was pretty fast.

    Three months ago, a mana machine driven by secondary magic stones was born.

    This mana machine is somewhat similar to an internal combustion engine, but its energy utilization rate is higher and can be applied in many production fields.

    However, due to the limited number of secondary magic stones, the mana machine is currently only being promoted for use in the imperial capital area.

    Having said that, it¡¯s still a good start.

    As the number of Mage Apprentices at the Starlight Academy increases, the output of secondary magic stones will also increase year by year, driving the gradual popularization of sub-mana technology, expanding its application range, and giving birth to more sub-mana products.

    (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 218

    ¡°The Starlight Continent is the lower limit of the Star League, the higher the lower limit, the better the Star League can develop.¡±

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    After quickly reading through the report on the Star Empire, Su Nan then picked up the report from the Starlight Academy.

    The first one was about the magic ship.

    The development of the magic ship was still an order Su Nan had personally given.

    It was not just because of the need to develop the Rainbow Sea, but also considering that in the future when the Star League conquered other planes, there was a high probability of encountering naval battles, so it was necessary to make preparations in advance.

    ¡°The three-level classification system is sufficient in the Starlight Continent.¡±

    Su Nan nodded with satisfaction.

    The Starlight Academy is currently still tackling the third-level magic ship. It will still take a long time to actually build it and reach the stage where it can be practically applied.

    Although it is possible to create a third-level magic ship through synthesis, Su Nan does not intend to do so.

    After all, the cost of synthesis is far higher than that of artificial manufacturing.

    If a naval army is to be built, artificial manufacturing is obviously better.

    Let the academy do its own research, he can¡¯t always do everything personally.

    After reading the Starlight Academy¡¯s report, the only thing left was the Star League¡¯s report.

    It was mainly about the development progress of the Rainbow Sea.

    However, after reading the contents of the report, Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but show a strange expression on his face.

    ¡°Divine Revelation?¡±

    Su Nan looked thoughtful.

    The plane barrier hasn¡¯t recovered yet, so it¡¯s impossible for the gods outside to reach into the Starlight Continent.

    The previous Spider Goddess was a special case. She used the Dark Forest¡¯s Darkwood to penetrate the Starlight Continent.

    Could there be another ¡®Darkwood¡¯ in the Rainbow Sea?

    This possibility exists, but it¡¯s not high.

    In comparison, Su Nan was more convinced that the so-called Divine Revelation was just the disguise of a certain creature, using it to manipulate the Siren Sea Elves to achieve a certain goal.

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered.

    Starfall City is located in the Rainbow Sea, and yet the Rainbow City has experienced the so-called Divine Revelation.

    It¡¯s hard for him not to connect the two.

    But whether or not the two are connected, whether or not it¡¯s a real god, he can¡¯t just let them run wild on his turf.

    To find out the truth, all he has to do is catch the Siren Sea Elf leader and interrogate them.

    Having decided on his course of action, Su Nan directly approved the report and sent someone to relay it to Rainbow Bay.

    Just as Su Nan¡¯s order was on its way to Rainbow Bay, the war between the Star League and the Ocean Races broke out.

    On the same day that the magic ships and octopus puppets arrived at Rainbow Bay, Sherman and the others led the reinforcements to the artificial islands.

    Due to the fact that the three artificial islands were far apart from each other, after some discussion, everyone decided to first occupy one of the fastest-progressing islands, called Coral Island.

    The name came from the colorful coral reef located four or five kilometers away from the island.

    Colorful coral is a rare material that can be used to make potions.

    This is also the main reason why the Star League chose this location for their land reclamation project, making it convenient to collect colorful coral.

    In the Star League¡¯s plan, the area of Coral Island is expected to be 1,500 to 2,000 square kilometers.

    However, due to the interference of the Deep Sea Naga and the Siren Sea Elves, Coral Island has only been filled to less than 200 square kilometers.

    Everyone agreed to complete the construction of Coral Island first, then begin building the other two islands.

    Once Coral Island is completed, the golem army can move in and establish complete defensive facilities.

    By then, even if the Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Elves come to attack again, they won¡¯t be able to achieve anything.

    After all, the number of supporting magic ships is limited. It¡¯s better to concentrate troops on one island rather than scattering them around three different islands.

    This way, they won¡¯t be forced to defend passively when facing enemy attacks, and they can completely launch counterattacks.

    The facts proved that their consideration was not wrong.

    On the fifth day after the reinforcements entered Coral Island, the Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Elves attacked again.

    The five first-level magic ships patrolling the waters around Coral Island immediately discovered the approaching sea monsters.

    There was no so-called humanitarian warning in advance. When the attacking sea monsters crossed the warning line, the five magic ships opened fire simultaneously.

    Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

    More than thirty magic energy cannon beams shot out in a torrential downpour, splitting the air and hitting the underwater sea monsters, penetrating their heads.

    Magic energy cannons are genuine magic energy technology products developed by the Starlight Academy. They are powered by magic stones and have extremely powerful destructive force.

    In an instant, dozens of sea monster corpses appeared underwater, dyeing the surrounding seawater red with blood.

    At the same time, a piercing alarm sounded through the air above Coral Island.

    Sherman and the others on the island rushed out immediately. When they reached the coastline, the five first-level magic ships had already wiped out the attacking sea monsters.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Siren Sea Elves. They always control sea monsters to attack first.¡± Andrea said with a solemn expression.

    As if to confirm her words, a clear conch horn sound suddenly came from afar, faintly mixed with beautiful singing.

    Dozens of huge humpback whales suddenly broke through the surface of the water and emerged in front of everyone¡¯s sight.

    And on their broad backs, were hundreds of Siren Sea Elves.

    More Siren Sea Elves, armed with tridents, rode head-hunting sharks from behind the humpback whales, eyeing the magic ships with menacing looks.

    At the same time, a piercing alarm sounded from the other side of the island.

    ¡°It must be the Deep Sea Naga. They often attack from different directions, separated from the Siren Sea Elves, increasing the pressure on our defense of the island.¡± Andrea¡¯s face was heavy.

    Flemming clicked his tongue and said, ¡°They¡¯re clearly hostile enemies, yet they can unite against us.¡±

    ¡°After all, we are outsiders.¡± Sherman¡¯s face was calm, looking at Corey, ¡°Corey, you and Flemming are responsible for dealing with the Deep Sea Naga, alright?¡±

    Corey nodded silently, turning around without hesitation and flying towards the other side of the island.

    Flemming quickly followed.

    Watching the two leave, Sherman retracted his gaze and looked out at the Siren Sea Elves charging towards the island, taking a deep breath and straightening his expression.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Beat these guys up once and for all, make them afraid to attack Coral Island again easily, that way we¡¯ll be less busy in the future.¡±

    Atil and Tagana nodded expressionlessly.

    The three of them instantly lit up with dazzling magical light and rushed towards the battlefield.

    As soon as the alarm sounded, the magic ships docked in the harbor immediately set sail. Two second-level magic ships and three first-level magic ships went straight towards the Siren Sea Elves.

    After merging, ten magic ships lined up in a row, forming a solid line of defense on the sea, like a towering metal wall blocking the path of the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ assault.

    When the Siren Sea Elves launched their charge, the first thing to greet them was a barrage of intensive bombardment.

    In the past, when the Siren Sea Elves charged towards the island, they would also be met with long-range attacks such as crossbows and spells. However, with the huge bodies of the humpback whales as shields, these long-range attacks could not cause any effective damage to them.

    Now they planned to use the same trick again, but the subsequent developments caught them completely off guard.

    The ten magic ships together had a total of 68 magic energy cannons. Just one volley turned the three humpback whales at the front of the charge into sieves, blood gushing out like a spring, instantly turning the surrounding area into a red sea.

    If that was all, the humpback whales could still rely on their numbers to endure the cannon fire and get close to the magic ships.

    But as the main cannon turrets of the two second-level magic ships opened fire, this dream was quickly shattered.

    Buzz!

    Two thick beams instantly crossed a distance of over a thousand meters, penetrating the humpback whales¡¯ heads and then through their tails, bringing up a spray of blood that was as red as it could be.

    This powerful sea monster, which even in the ocean food chain ranks among the top, was instantly killed without any resistance.

    Buzz! Buzz!

    The two cannon turrets fired at a frequency of five to six seconds, one beam after another, continuously harvesting the lives of the humpback whales.

    The dual cannon fire attacked in a criss-cross pattern, forming a dense net of beams that covered the area in front of the magic ships, turning the thousand-meter sea into a death zone.

    In less than two minutes, more than 30 humpback whales were wiped out, becoming bloody corpses floating on the surface of the water.

    The Siren Sea Elves also paid the price of over 100 deaths.

    The remaining Siren Sea Elves, having barely made it through the death zone and reached the magic ships, looked up at the towering metal beasts in front of them, but they had a feeling of helplessness.

    Tap, tap, tap!

    A hurried footsteps suddenly came from the ships, as if some kind of multi-legged creature was running quickly.

    Following this, creatures that looked very much like octopuses suddenly emerged from the deck, leaping into the sea with a splash, splashing up large waves.

    The surrounding Siren Sea Elves instinctively raised their tridents to stab, but they heard a crisp clang, as if they had stabbed some hard object, the tiger¡¯s mouth shaking slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a puppet!¡± A Siren Sea Elf shouted a warning.

    Hearing this, the surrounding Siren Sea Elves did not retreat, but instead waved their tridents and charged forward.

    Previous encounters with the Star League puppets had taught them that these puppets were very heavy once they entered the water, and they could easily be played with.

    But soon they realized that they were completely wrong.

    Countless dark tentacles broke through the water and attacked, their speed so fast that the Siren Sea Elves couldn¡¯t react in time. They only felt a flash of black in their vision, followed by a sharp pain in their chests.

    Looking down, they were met with a metal tentacle that had pierced deeply into their chests!

    The Siren Sea Elves who survived the cannon fire did not see any improvement in the situation, but instead faced a new round of slaughter.

    Facing thousands of legendary puppets, the Siren Sea Elves were simply no match, one after another being robbed of their lives by the metal tentacles.

    This was a complete massacre!

    The Siren Sea Elves quickly collapsed, scattering and fleeing in all directions.

    But soon, they found their escape route blocked.

    A group of human knights riding peculiar sub-dragon species had somehow surrounded them from behind, blocking their escape path.

    The knights, who had taken underwater breathing potions, rode their water sub-dragons and began to chase the Siren Sea Elves in the sea.

    And in the air, Sherman, Atil, and Tagana specifically targeted the more powerful elite Siren Sea Elves.

    From the start of the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ attack to the end of the war, the entire process lasted less than ten minutes.

    The Star League side had almost completely crushed the Siren Sea Elves in a devastating manner.

    The latter part of the war was entirely one-sided pursuit and mopping up.

    Andrea, who was watching the battle from the coast, was filled with amazement.

    Whether it was the cannon fire of the magic ships or the combat effectiveness of the octopus puppets and the water sub-dragon knights, she was impressed and marveled at them.

    With these magic ships and armies, as long as the scale is large enough, forget about defending the islands, charging into the deep sea to wipe out the Siren Sea Elves is not a fantasy!

    In the end of the battle, except for a few lucky ones who escaped, nearly two thousand Siren Sea Elves were wiped out.

    Even though the Siren Sea Elves are known as the most intelligent race in the Rainbow Sea, such a huge loss is enough to cripple them and cause them to feel the pain.

    The number of magic ships on the other side of the island was not as many as on the front line, but the Deep Sea Naga¡¯s attack was also not as fierce as the Siren Sea Elves¡¯. Not long after the battle on Sherman¡¯s side ended, the war on the other side of the island also came to an end.

    Over a thousand Deep Sea Naga were also nearly wiped out.

    Finally, after taking stock of the losses, it was found that they had only lost more than thirty octopus puppets.

    There were no casualties among the water sub-dragon knights, only a few who were slightly injured.

    The magic ships also suffered some damage, but they could be repaired and restored to their original state.

    Compared to the abundant spoils of war, these losses were negligible!

    After merging, everyone had joyful smiles on their faces.

    ¡°After this, the Deep Sea Naga and Siren Sea Elves shouldn¡¯t dare to underestimate us anymore. At least in the short term, they shouldn¡¯t come to attack Coral Island again.¡±

    Sherman said with a smile, then changed the subject.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t be careless. If they come again, their attack will definitely be more fierce than this time. We need to be prepared.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    However, things developed even more smoothly than Sherman expected.

    Perhaps they were beaten badly enough, that after that, the Siren Sea Elves and Deep Sea Naga never came to attack Coral Island again.

    On the contrary, Sherman and the others later went on several trips into the deep sea area to explore, and they encountered the Siren Sea Elves and Deep Sea Naga fighting each other.

    For some reason, the two races seemed to have given up their efforts to hinder the Star League¡¯s expansion in the Rainbow Sea, turning instead to attack each other.

    Almost every time the battle ended with the Siren Sea Elves winning.

    And after winning, the Siren Sea Elves did not dare to attack the ships again, leaving without hesitation and disappearing into the sea.

    The Star League¡¯s artificial island construction plan thus entered a period of peaceful and rapid development.

    Starlight Calendar 1292, Coral Island was completed.

    The Star League added another city-state called Coral City to its territory.

    The first golem factory and the first shipyard in the Rainbow Sea were established in Coral City, starting to manufacture octopus puppets and magic ships at full capacity.

    Starlight Calendar 1293, Clamshell Island was completed, Clamshell City was established.

    Starlight Calendar 1294, Red Shrimp Island was completed, Red Shrimp City was established.

    In the same year, the Starlight Academy developed the first third-level magic ship, which passed practical tests and was officially deployed to Rainbow Bay.

    Starlight Calendar 1295, the month of Revival (February).

    The Star League¡¯s first fleet was formed, named the First Naval Fleet.

    The First Naval Fleet included five third-level magic ships, twenty-five second-level magic ships, and two hundred and fifty first-level magic ships.

    In the same year, the month of Thunderclap (April).

    The First Naval Fleet entered the deep sea area, heading towards a sea area called the Azure Eye where the Siren Sea Elves live.

    War is about to break out! (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 219

    A strong wind whipped across the surface of the ocean, creating waves.

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    In the vast expanse of the ocean, a patch of exceptionally deep water, like a sapphire gem, was embedded in the middle of the ocean.

    From above, it looked like a piercing blue eye.

    The name Azure Eye came from this resemblance.

    Beneath the surface, in the depths of hundreds of meters, lay a cluster of buildings built on coral reefs.

    The hollow coral reefs were transformed into exquisite houses.

    Between the reefs, at intervals, stood low buildings constructed with materials like coral, shells, seaweed, and rocks.

    Beautiful Siren Sea Elves sat atop the coral reefs, swaying their snake-like tails and singing.

    Despite being surrounded by water, their voices were clear and distinct, as if ringing in one¡¯s mind.

    At the heart of the building cluster stood a towering palace.

    It stood out amongst the low buildings, appearing even grander.

    What was even more surprising was that, with the palace as its center, the seawater for a hundred meters around was pushed aside by an invisible force, creating a void without water.

    It was as if a giant bubble had appeared out of nowhere in the deep sea.

    Deep inside the palace, in a spacious hall, whale oil lamps illuminated the entire space. Aydah knelt before a long table, devoutly prostrating herself, chanting strange syllables.

    As the beautiful sounds reverberated, wisps of starlight emerged from thin air, intersecting and landing on the table, outlining the shape of a book. Then, the outline solidified into a real object.

    It was a massive book, floating horizontally, its pale green cover facing downwards, shimmering with a cold metallic sheen. A jade-white gardenia was drawn on the cover.

    An invisible hand turned the pages, revealing a page with a black vortex in the center, slowly rotating and expanding, gradually filling the entire page.

    Following this, a clear, cold voice echoed from the vortex.

    ¡°Aydah, the annual meeting day is still two months away. Why have you summoned me ahead of time?¡±

    Aydah, trembling with apprehension, lowered her head and respectfully replied, ¡°Respected Miah, our race faces an unprecedented crisis. We implore your salvation!¡±

    ¡°Crisis?¡± The cold voice slightly intensified. ¡°Tell me in detail.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miah!¡±

    Aydah hurriedly recounted the recent events.

    After listening, the cold voice remained silent for a moment, and when it spoke again, it carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this at the last meeting?¡±

    Aydah apologetically said, ¡°I underestimated the enemy¡¯s strength. I thought we could solve the Deep Sea Naga problem first, collect enough Sea Hearts for Miah¡¯s descent, and then you would lead us to deal with those humans.¡±

    During the previous meeting, to conceal her own shortcomings, Aydah hadn¡¯t truthfully reported the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ defeat on Coral Island, fearing Miah¡¯s reprimand.

    In her mind, preventing those humans from building islands was impossible. She decided to ignore them for the time being and focus on dealing with the Deep Sea Naga.

    Once Miah successfully descended, taking care of those humans would be a piece of cake.

    But the humans¡¯ actions were unexpectedly swift and decisive. Shortly after the three islands were completed, they assembled a fleet and headed straight towards their nest.

    Aydah had heard from her people about the terrifying power of those metal ships, and now, more than a hundred of those metal ships were approaching Azure Eye!

    They couldn¡¯t possibly withstand them!

    The only option was to seek Miah¡¯s help.

    Faced with Aydah¡¯s earnest plea, the cold voice fell silent.

    As Aydah¡¯s anxiety grew, the cold voice finally resounded again, but the words she uttered plunged Aydah into a cold abyss.

    ¡°You are on your own.¡±

    The moment the voice faded, the book instantly shattered into countless rays of light, dissipating into the air.

    ¡°Miah!¡±

    Aydah abruptly raised her head and cried out in panic.

    But the table was already empty.

    Aydah hastily knelt back down, chanting even more devoutly than before.

    But after a long time, she didn¡¯t receive any response.

    Aydah stopped chanting and slumped to the ground, her face ashen.

    The empty table unmistakably showed her the cold reality: the Siren Sea Elves had been abandoned by Miah!

    At this moment, a commotion erupted from outside, startling Aydah out of her despair.

    She quickly rose and walked outside. As she exited the palace, she saw a tribesman running towards her with a terrified expression.

    ¡°Chieftain, it¡¯s not good! The humans have attacked!¡±

    Aydah¡¯s face instantly turned white.

    At this moment, she truly understood the meaning of misfortune never coming alone.

    On the vast ocean surface, the wind howled.

    A massive fleet consisting of hundreds of giant ships rode the waves, sailing into the Azure Eye territory.

    ¡°This place looks rather beautiful.¡±

    Gazing at the sapphire-blue ocean, like a gem, Atiel couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    But then, Cole¡¯s prosaic voice echoed in her ears.

    ¡°Where are those Siren Sea Elves hiding?¡±

    ¡°In the Coral City, over two hundred meters underwater.¡± Andrea pointed to the azure ocean, ¡°The Siren Sea Elves must have already discovered us.¡±

    Xieman and the others nodded in agreement.

    Such a conspicuous fleet, the Siren Sea Elves would be blind not to see it.

    Since they hadn¡¯t appeared yet, it was likely they were planning to hide underwater and resist.

    After all, the ocean was their natural domain, inaccessible to humans.

    Perhaps they thought that by hiding deep in the sea, the Star Alliance wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to them.

    ¡°Attack! Let¡¯s get this over with and go back to report to the Master.¡± Xieman said.

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    After staying in Rainbow Sea for nearly four years, they all wanted to finish things here and return to Starfall Academy.

    This was the first battle of the naval fleet. As long as the new fleet demonstrated sufficient combat strength, proving that the Star Alliance possessed the power to dominate the ocean, their mission here would be complete.

    As the order to engage was issued, the magic ships¡¯ metallic outer walls abruptly emitted a bright light. The light then expanded, transforming into a very faint, very thin shield, enveloping the massive hull.

    From afar, all the ships of the First Fleet appeared to be encased in giant bubbles.

    The next moment, these bubbles broke through the surface of the water and submerged.

    The heavy water pressure pressed in from all directions, but it only caused the shield to deform slightly, unable to penetrate this layer of protection.

    Hundreds of magic ships sailed and submerged slowly in the ocean.

    Soon, a cluster of buildings, rising and falling, appeared within their field of vision.

    Numerous Siren Sea Elves, wielding tridents, gathered before Coral City, their faces pale as they gazed at the densely packed behemoths, fear overwhelming their eyes.

    They had never imagined that ships could dive into the ocean!

    The ocean, which they relied on, could no longer serve as a barrier. They couldn¡¯t stop the humans¡¯ invasion.

    As the magic ships spread out and surrounded Coral City, despair began to manifest in the eyes of many Siren Sea Elves.

    At this moment, a figure suddenly emerged from the crowd and swam towards the magic ships.

    ¡°Chieftain!¡±

    Upon recognizing the figure, the Siren Sea Elves were startled.

    Several Siren Sea Elves who seemed to be higher-ranking officials instinctively wanted to follow, but Aydah stopped them with a wave of her hand.

    Observing this from afar, Xieman was also curious about what the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ chieftain intended to do. He ordered the magic ships to temporarily hold their fire.

    Aydah went straight to the largest magic ship, opened her mouth, and her unique Siren Sea Elves¡¯ melodious voice resonated far and wide in the ocean.

    ¡°The leader of the Star Alliance, please come out and see me!¡±

    ¡°What is she trying to do?¡± Fleming wrinkled his brow in confusion.

    Everyone was equally puzzled, their eyes fixed on Xieman and Cole.

    Although Andrea was the public figurehead of the Star Alliance in Rainbow Sea Bay, Xieman and Cole were actually the highest-ranking individuals.

    Xieman glanced at Cole. Seeing that Cole had no intention of stepping forward, he leaped off the deck.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to her.¡±

    Manipulating water element particles, Xieman created a waterless space around him and quickly reached Aydah.

    ¡°Chieftain of the Siren Sea Elves, what do you want to say?¡±

    Aydah looked Xieman up and down, seeming surprised by his youth. After hesitating for a moment, she said, ¡°Can you make decisions for the Star Alliance?¡±

    ¡°Only for Rainbow Sea Bay, and as long as the requests are not excessive, I can make decisions.¡±

    Xieman had a faint idea of what she intended to do.

    Sure enough, he saw Aydah speaking in a low voice, ¡°As long as the Star Alliance can guarantee our people¡¯s safety, not harming any of our tribesmen, we can surrender.¡±

    Xieman smiled slightly, ¡°Of course. As long as you don¡¯t resist, we wouldn¡¯t want to inflict unnecessary casualties.¡±

    Seeing Xieman¡¯s agreement, Aydah was relieved, but her heart was also filled with complex emotions.

    With Miah abandoning them, the Siren Sea Elves had no power to resist the Star Alliance. Besides surrender, there was no other way out.

    The anticipated battle didn¡¯t erupt, saving them a lot of trouble.

    °²µÂÀòÑÇ took charge of arranging the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ affairs, and Xieman and the others, accompanied by Aydah, boarded a Level 1 magic ship and returned to Rainbow Sea Bay, before immediately teleporting to Dragon Forest.

    Half an hour later, Aydah met the true ruler of the Star Alliance in the meeting room.

    ¡°Have a seat.¡±

    Su Nan pointed to the sofa opposite him.

    Aydah sat down on the sofa somewhat hesitantly.

    On the way here, she had heard Xieman mention that his teacher, who was also the ruler of the Star Alliance, wanted to see her.

    But when she actually saw the man, her innate Siren Sea Elves¡¯ keen perception of aura made her keenly aware of the oppressive pressure emanating from him.

    What made her even more uncertain was that this pressure seemed somewhat similar to Miah¡¯s.

    ¡°The Siren Sea Elves have truly received the favor of the gods?¡± Su Nan went straight to the point.

    Aydah hesitated for a moment and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡±

    Before the Star Alliance fleet arrived, she had firmly believed in Miah, believing that Miah was the legendary god, a beacon of hope for their Siren Sea Elves.

    But gods should be omnipotent.

    A ¡®god¡¯ who, when faced with the crisis of his followers, abandoned them without hesitation, was he truly a god?

    Aydah was filled with confusion and bewilderment.

    Noticing Aydah¡¯s change in expression and the Siren Sea Elves¡¯ surrender, Su Nan immediately guessed the truth, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

    ¡°It seems you have been abandoned by that god.¡±

    Before Aydah could speak with a gloomy expression, he changed the subject.

    ¡°Tell me about your encounter with that god.¡±

    Aydah sighed and began to recount the story.

    The appearance of that god could be traced back fifty years.

    During a fierce battle with the Deep Sea Naga, the being suddenly intervened, summoning waves and storms, defeating the Deep Sea Naga, saving the Siren Sea Elves from imminent defeat and turning the tide.

    When Aydah sincerely expressed her gratitude and inquired about the being¡¯s name, the being claimed to be the Goddess of the Ocean, who had been sealed away for tens of thousands of years and had just awakened recently.

    Since the Siren Sea Elves had been her followers before the seal, upon awakening, she saw that they were about to be slaughtered by the Deep Sea Naga, and she intervened to help.

    Upon hearing this, Su Nan immediately concluded that the so-called Goddess of the Ocean was definitely a fake.

    Firstly, the Starfall Continent had never had a Goddess of the Ocean. Even if there was one, it would have been captured from another plane by wizards.

    If the latter was the case, when the wizards left thousands of years ago, they would never have abandoned such a valuable material on Starfall Continent.

    Even if, for the sake of argument, such a thing had happened, and there really was a Goddess of the Ocean sealed somewhere on Starfall Continent, but there were currently no followers of the Goddess of the Ocean on the continent, lacking the supply of faith, unable to absorb faith power, how did she regain her strength and awaken?

    Absorbing it from another plane?

    That was even more impossible, as Starfall Continent was still under plane lockdown.

    Thoughts raced through Su Nan¡¯s mind, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued listening to Aydah¡¯s story.

    Initially, Aydah had also harbored doubts.

    But as the ¡®Goddess of the Ocean¡¯ bestowed upon the Siren Sea Elves the dazzling combat techniques, taught them to master more powerful illusion abilities, and instructed them on the cultivation methods of many rare plants, Aydah¡¯s doubts gradually dissipated, and she gradually came to believe that the being was the true Goddess of the Ocean, and she offered her devout faith.

    After that, the ¡®Goddess of the Ocean¡¯ issued a decree demanding them to collect Sea Hearts. She claimed that as long as they collected enough Sea Hearts, she would descend in her saintly form and lead the Siren Sea Elves to dominate Rainbow Sea.

    ¡°Collecting Sea Hearts...¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered with thought.

    Sea Hearts were an extremely rare material that could be used to create magical items or some precious potions, such as water element potions.

    The latter was a valuable potion required by many wizards during their elemental transformation.

    But apart from that, he didn¡¯t know much about the other uses of Sea Hearts, nor did he understand the purpose of that so-called ¡®Goddess of the Ocean¡¯ in collecting them.

    ¡°So, you never saw her true form?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Aydah shook her head, ¡°Miah... that being said she had just awakened and her strength was at its lowest. She could only wake up for a short period of time each year, so she arranged for an annual meeting. Every time we met, she would appear before me in the form of a book.¡± (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 220

    It seemed there was no way to get more precise information from the Siren Mermaid.

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    Su Nan was a bit disappointed.

    The only valuable gain was to confirm that the person wasn¡¯t a deity.

    Or rather, the person¡¯s actions towards the Siren Mermaid were more like a Wizard¡¯s.

    Even so, Su Nan didn¡¯t care much.

    The Siren Mermaid had already surrendered, and the Deep Sea Naga, alone, wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the Star Alliance¡¯s forces for long.

    By then, most of the Sea Hearts in the Rainbow Sea would be under the Star Alliance¡¯s control.

    If the mysterious person wanted a large amount of Sea Hearts, they would eventually have to contact the Star Alliance again.

    Having obtained the information he desired, Su Nan lost interest in continuing the conversation. He reassured Aida with a few words and had her sent back to Rainbow Bay.

    The Star Alliance could establish a base in the Rainbow Sea, but to truly control the vast Rainbow Sea, they would need to rely on the ocean races.

    In the Star Alliance¡¯s future sea development plan, the role of the Siren Mermaids was indispensable.

    After Aida left, Su Nan flipped his wrist, and a bright bead appeared in his palm.

    The Sun Melting Bead, also the key to finding the Falling Star City.

    According to Fakado, the Falling Star City would appear in a month.

    Following past patterns, the Falling Star City would exist for three months before disappearing.

    In other words, he needed to find the Falling Star City within three months.

    Regarding Fakado¡¯s claim of not being able to find the Falling Star City, Su Nan already had some guesses, but he would have to see the actual situation to know for sure.

    A month passed in a flash.

    Su Nan had arrived early in Coral City, waiting in the Rainbow Sea.

    When the Sun Melting Bead reacted, he sensed it immediately.

    ¡°Southwest direction.¡±

    Su Nan immediately soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of light and rushing towards the southwest.

    The distance of over 300 kilometers was quickly covered under full-speed flight. Finally, Su Nan stopped in the air above a calm sea.

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    Su Nan took out the Sun Melting Bead and checked, confirming that the key pointed to this sea.

    But looking around, the endless sea was empty, not even a single bird could be seen, let alone the Falling Star City.

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flickered. He controlled energy particles to form a protective layer around him, then dived into the water and started searching underwater.

    About half an hour later, the surface of the sea splashed with a whoosh, and Su Nan broke through the water, resuming his position in the air, looking at the sea with furrowed brows.

    He had searched the entire area within ten kilometers, but still hadn¡¯t found the Falling Star City.

    ¡°Unless the Sun Melting Bead¡¯s guidance is wrong, the Falling Star City must be hidden here.¡±

    Considering that he might have missed something searching alone, Su Nan simply returned to Coral City, ordered the First Fleet to mobilize, and searched the sea with the Siren Mermaids.

    To Su Nan¡¯s disappointment, they searched for three consecutive days, almost digging the sea three feet deep, but still found nothing.

    ¡°Sir, that sea area is only seventy to eighty kilometers away from the Azure Eye. My people often fish and hunt sea monsters there. For hundreds of years, they have never seen any city.¡±

    After asking Aida, Su Nan received this answer.

    Although he didn¡¯t find anything, he confirmed one thing: the reason he couldn¡¯t find the Falling Star City wasn¡¯t because the sea area was too vast, but for other reasons.

    For example, using an illusionary formation to conceal its whereabouts.

    Realizing this, Su Nan fell into a new dilemma.

    He wasn¡¯t lacking in ways to break illusions, like using the spell ¡°Secret Eye¡± or using magic items that could dispel illusions.

    The problem was that using these two methods to search was too slow. To carefully search the entire area of ten kilometers, three months would probably not be enough time.

    ¡°Is there a better way?¡±

    Su Nan thought hard for a moment and suddenly slapped his forehead.

    ¡°How could I forget about that!¡±

    He immediately returned to Dragon Forest, found Amy resting on the top floor of the Dragon Skeleton Tower, and brought her directly to the Rainbow Sea.

    The poor little guy was dreaming that he was surrounded by ice mint, enjoying himself. Suddenly, a gust of sea wind woke him up. He opened his eyes and found himself being held by Su Nan, with a vast ocean beneath him.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan, why did you bring me here?¡±

    ¡°Amy, I need your help.¡±

    Su Nan stopped abruptly, right above the sea area locked by the Sun Melting Bead.

    He pointed to the shimmering sea below and said, ¡°Can you sense any obvious energy fluctuations around?¡±

    Illusionary formations would inevitably generate energy fluctuations when they operated.

    He couldn¡¯t sense the weak energy fluctuations in the vast ocean, but Amy could.

    The latter¡¯s ability to sense energy particles was unmatched, even by official Wizards.

    ¡°Energy fluctuations? What are you looking for, meow?¡±

    ¡°The Falling Star City.¡±

    ¡°The Falling Star City, one of the three Wizard inheritances? Meow, I¡¯ve heard of that!¡±

    Hearing that he was looking for the Falling Star City, Amy suddenly became enthusiastic. She climbed onto Su Nan¡¯s shoulder with her hands and feet, and started sensing the surrounding energy fluctuations.

    ¡°Meow, there¡¯s nothing here.¡±

    Su Nan nodded and started flying slowly around the sea area, from the outer circle to the inner circle, not missing any area.

    After more than ten minutes, Amy suddenly called out.

    ¡°It¡¯s here, meow, under the sea!¡±

    Su Nan was energized. He opened his energy shield, enveloped Amy within, and dived into the sea.

    ¡°I sense energy fluctuations, a little lower down.¡± Amy said in a crisp voice.

    Su Nan immediately took out a gem and flicked it out, transforming into an orange light ball the size of a basketball, hovering above his head.

    *Light Spell*

    The lowest-level zero-ring spell, cast by an official Wizard, greatly enhanced the effect, illuminating the surrounding hundred meters as bright as day, like daylight.

    They had been diving for about three hundred meters when Amy finally spoke, pointing ahead and saying.

    ¡°It¡¯s here, meow.¡±

    Su Nan controlled the orange light ball to move over. The bright light illuminated the dark seabed clearly, but except for some stones, there was nothing else.

    ¡°It¡¯s so strange, meow. I clearly felt the energy particle fluctuations.¡±

    Amy pressed her two chubby paws on the sides of her head, looking confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably being concealed by illusions.¡±

    Su Nan immediately cast *Secret Eye*.

    This three-ring spell could see magical aura. Although it wasn¡¯t like *True Eye* that could directly see through illusions, it could also be used to search for objects with energy particle fluctuations that were concealed in some cases.

    As a stream of blue light flashed from Su Nan¡¯s eyes, a blurry door quickly appeared in his vision.

    ¡°Found it!¡±

    A joyful smile appeared on Su Nan¡¯s face.

    This door in front of him was two meters tall and about a meter wide, just enough for two people to pass side by side.

    If he had to use *Secret Eye* to search slowly, he didn¡¯t know when he would find such a small door in the vast and dark sea.

    Without hesitation, silver liquid metal flowed out of Su Nan¡¯s body, quickly forming a two-meter-long spike with a cold glow at its tip. Then, it shot out like a cannonball and struck the door not far away!

    In the silent world of the deep sea, a visible shockwave ripple spread out in all directions, centered on the collision point.

    The sea seemed to shake for a moment. The ground directly impacted by the shockwave instantly sank, forming a pit six meters deep and over a hundred meters in diameter.

    The surrounding stones were instantly crushed and disintegrated, making the surrounding currents muddy.

    In an instant, the surrounding hundreds of meters of sea area seemed to have experienced a violent explosion. It took a long time to gradually return to calm.

    Su Nan and Amy were nowhere to be seen.

    The moment the silver spike pierced the door, Su Nan had already taken Amy through the door and reached the space behind it.

    Then he saw a jade-white city.

    The city sat quietly on a huge black mountain with a rounded cone shape, slowly rotating clockwise, with a spiral-shaped high tower standing prominently in the center of the city, like a sharp needle piercing the sky, overlooking the entire city.

    In the vision of *Secret Eye*, thousands of shining enchanted runes poured out from the top of the spiral high tower like water droplets, automatically converging and arranging themselves into seven long, radiant colored ribbons, intertwined and surrounding the entire city.

    ¡°Is this the Falling Star City, meow? It¡¯s so magnificent!¡± Amy stared at the city in front of her with wide eyes.

    Su Nan was also full of amazement.

    In terms of appearance alone, the Falling Star City was far better than Starlight Tower and Black Forest.

    And it looked a bit like a floating city.

    However, Su Nan was well aware that it was only superficially similar. The real floating city was not that small.

    No matter what, he had finally found the Falling Star City!

    Suppressing his excitement and joy, Su Nan flew into the jade-white city.

    What he saw was that all the buildings were built with jade-white stones, which looked very aesthetic.

    Su Nan casually broke off a stone from a flowerbed by the roadside and examined it closely. He found that these stones were actually white jade.

    ¡°A city built entirely of white jade.

    Su Nan couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    He didn¡¯t know how to describe it other than the word ¡°extravagant.¡±

    Even when building a Wizard Tower, only places like the spell training room and laboratory would be built with white jade.

    And these buildings in the Falling Star City were clearly meant for living in. To use such precious white jade for them, it was simply too extravagant!

    ¡°So much white jade, it¡¯s enough to build a large Wizard Tower.¡±

    Su Nan decided that after exploring the Falling Star City, he would dismantle all the buildings here, recycle all the white jade, and save it for upgrading the Wizard Tower later.

    Walking through the streets and alleys, Su Nan and Amy quickly reached the spiral high tower in the center of the city.

    Amy curiously approached and reached out to touch the colored light ribbons made of enchanted runes, but her claws passed straight through.

    ¡°Meow, it¡¯s so cool!¡± The little guy was having a blast.

    ¡°Stop playing, let¡¯s get down to business.¡±

    Su Nan picked up Amy and put her back on his shoulder, then strode towards the tower gate.

    However, as soon as he approached the gate, the seven colored light ribbons reacted. Dozens of dazzling enchanted runes detached from them, like stars, rapidly falling towards Su Nan, striking him head-on.

    Su Nan raised an eyebrow, but calmly controlled the liquid metal to meet the runes.

    The two collided in mid-air. The moment they touched, the enchanted runes and the liquid metal both annihilated and disappeared.

    After blocking all the enchanted runes, the volume of the liquid metal had shrunk by nearly one-third.

    ¡°Annihilation runes?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s eyes flashed.

    Seeing that more enchanted runes were detaching and falling from the colored light ribbons, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He controlled the liquid metal to block the runes, while he quickly rushed into the gate with Amy.

    The moment he stepped inside the gate, the enchanted runes paused slightly, floated back and forth, and rejoined the colored light ribbons, continuing to move quietly like a river, as if nothing had happened.

    The danger was averted, but Su Nan didn¡¯t relax in the slightest.

    He had thought that the Falling Star City had already run out of energy and its defense mechanisms couldn¡¯t activate. But now it seemed that the defense mechanisms were still active, only limited to this spiral high tower.

    There might be other attacks on the journey ahead.

    Behind the gate was a long, spiral staircase winding upwards, seemingly endless.

    Su Nan secretly raised his guard and stepped onto the stairs, walking upwards.

    The surrounding area fell silent, only the sound of Su Nan¡¯s footsteps echoing gently.

    The air was a bit cold, and the dead silence made Amy a little scared, so she hugged Su Nan¡¯s neck tightly.

    He didn¡¯t know how long he had been walking when Su Nan stopped and looked up.

    It was still the endless spiral staircase.

    ¡°How long is this staircase? We¡¯ve been walking for so long, meow!¡± Amy¡¯s big eyes were full of confusion.

    Su Nan narrowed his eyes and chuckled, ¡°The staircase isn¡¯t long, someone just doesn¡¯t want us to reach the top.¡±

    The moment he finished speaking, the surging liquid metal flowed out of Su Nan¡¯s body, like a torrent, crashing violently in all directions.

    Crack!

    A sound of something shattering suddenly came from the void.

    Amy only felt a flash in front of her eyes, and her vision was still the spiral staircase, only it was no longer as endless as before. She could see the ceiling at the top.

    ¡°Illusion, meow?¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t explain, just smiled and continued walking upwards.

    Stepping onto the last step, the man and the cat arrived in a huge, luxurious hall that looked like a palace.

    The area was estimated to be at least four to five square kilometers.

    The hall was empty, except for two stone pillars, about half a person tall, standing in the deepest part, with something placed on top of them, but it was shrouded in a halo and couldn¡¯t be seen clearly.

    ¡°It must be treasure, meow!¡±

    Amy jumped down and ran towards the pillars, but was grabbed by the back of the neck by Su Nan and lifted back up.

    ¡°You know you can teleport, but don¡¯t run around in a place like this.¡±

    Su Nan gave Amy¡¯s forehead a good flick and then pointed to the front of the pillars.

    Amy covered her forehead and stared with wide eyes, only then did she notice a puddle of mud in front of the pillars.

    Wait!

    How could there be mud in this luxurious hall?

    Under Amy¡¯s astonished gaze, a round object slowly arched up from the mud, first only the size of a pot lid, then it rapidly expanded. When it finally fully emerged, it was almost half the size of a basketball court.

    It was an extremely huge monster.

    Its skin was a strange, pale blue, with dark blue patterns on it. Four small eyes were lined up from top to bottom. Dozens of black tentacles connected to its body, looking unusually bizarre and comical because of the color difference, as if they had been hard-pressed to fit together.

    However, the terrifying size was enough to make anyone stop laughing.

    ¡°S-squid?¡± Amy was dumbfounded.

    In terms of appearance, the monster in front of him was indeed quite similar to a squid, but ordinary squids wouldn¡¯t have four eyes, let alone dozens of tentacles.

    ¡°That¡¯s a puppet.¡± Su Nan said. (End of Chapter)

 Chapter 221

    Su Nan had personally crafted tens of thousands of puppets.

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    He was already familiar with the distinct life force emanating from them, a force different from that of living flesh and blood.

    The moment the monster appeared, he sensed the unique aura belonging to puppets on it.

    ¡°A puppet capable of changing its form? That¡¯s rather rare,¡± he said, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

    As he observed the octopus puppet, it suddenly moved, raising a tentacle covered in barbs. It hovered briefly in the air, then shot toward him, creating a powerful whistling sound.

    Su Nan remained motionless, his expression calm as he watched the tentacle tear through the air.

    However, as it approached within five meters of Su Nan, the tentacle seemed to be trapped in invisible mud, its speed abruptly slowing down. It could only inch forward, finally stopping half a meter away from Su Nan.

    Upon closer inspection, one could see the tentacle trembling slightly, as if under immense pressure.

    ¡°It has decent attack power. It¡¯s not inferior to a third-ring spell,¡± Su Nan commented nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow.

    Sssshhh!

    More whistling sounds exploded suddenly.

    After failing its first attack, the octopus puppet launched a full-fledged assault. Dozens of tentacles, howling, flew out, wrapping around him like a whirlwind, lashing down towards Su Nan.

    However, the same thing happened again.

    Once these tentacles approached within five meters of Su Nan, their speed noticeably slowed, becoming progressively slower as they got closer, until they completely stopped.

    In an instant, dozens of tentacles surrounded Su Nan, sealing him in a dense web, but unable to harm him in the slightest.

    ¡°Meow, Su Nan is so amazing!¡± Amy excitedly exclaimed, her eyes filled with admiration for Su Nan.

    Su Nan smiled and patted the little girl¡¯s head, but his gaze never left the octopus puppet.

    This puppet undoubtedly possessed the combat power of a formal wizard. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to defeat it, especially considering it was likely one of Falling Star City¡¯s final battle sequences.

    As if to confirm his thoughts, the surface of the surrounding tentacles suddenly glowed with various spell effects. Lightning and flames danced on the tentacles, while ice and acid sprayed from them. The tips of all the barbs emitted a faint blue glow!

    In that moment, all the tentacles were infused with various magical effects!

    Sssshhh!

    The countless tentacles attacked again, their power increasing significantly, overwhelming the protective force field of the ¡°Restricted Zone¡±, which was rapidly consuming energy.

    ¡°This combat power is far stronger than that of the secret doll,¡± Su Nan remarked, amazed.

    If he hadn¡¯t broken through to the first-level liquefication stage, he would have had to expend much effort to take down this octopus puppet.

    While thoughts flashed through his mind, Su Nan began to counterattack. Raising his hand, his five fingers suddenly clenched together, deep and profound light erupted from his fingertips, quickly forming a jet-black spear.

    In the next instant, he threw the spear with a sudden flick of his wrist. It turned into a black streak of light, instantly striking the octopus puppet.

    Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

    The octopus puppet¡¯s surface suddenly flickered with a rainbow of spell effects. In an instant, it activated dozens of defensive spells, layered upon layer to envelop its entire body, as if wearing the most solid armor.

    However, these seemingly solid defenses, upon contact with the black streak of light, melted and vanished quickly, like candles encountering fire.

    The black light, encountering no resistance, broke through the layers of defenses and penetrated the octopus puppet¡¯s body, then exploded violently!

    Crackle!

    Countless black electric sparks erupted from the octopus puppet¡¯s body, instantly turning it into a dazzling ball of lightning, illuminating the previously somewhat dim hall as if it were daytime.

    It took a long time for the lightning to gradually dissipate.

    The octopus puppet was lying on the ground, its dozens of tentacles limp and sprawled around it, clearly incapacitated.

    Only its occasional twitching body indicated that the puppet had not been completely destroyed.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite tenacious,¡± Su Nan praised.

    After breaking through to the first-level liquefication stage, his spiritual power skyrocketed. Under his guidance, the ¡°Black Thunder¡± had been further synthesized and upgraded, becoming at least 50-60% more powerful than before.

    It could be said that even the secret doll girl would definitely not be able to withstand a single hit from ¡°Black Thunder.¡±

    The octopus puppet, having taken a direct hit from ¡°Black Thunder,¡± had only been seriously injured but not destroyed. This ¡°constitution¡± was truly formidable.

    Su Nan hesitated for a moment, then decided to keep the octopus puppet. He would take it back to study, hoping to gain inspiration from it to create more powerful puppets.

    He summoned two secret doll girls to watch over the octopus puppet, then walked towards the depths of the hall.

    This was the top floor of the tower, the most critical location in Falling Star City.

    And with such a powerful force as the octopus puppet guarding it.

    It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the two stone pillars held the most valuable things in Falling Star City.

    All the way to the stone pillars, Su Nan encountered no further obstacles.

    As he had guessed, the octopus puppet was indeed Falling Star City¡¯s final battle sequence.

    The glow surrounding the stone pillars was a protective array. Su Nan dispelled it without much effort, revealing the objects on the pillars.

    It was a book and a crystal clear orb.

    The book was twice or three times the size of a normal book. Its light green cover shimmered with a cold metallic sheen, adorned with a jade-white gardenia flower, exquisitely crafted.

    Su Nan could feel the abundant energy particles contained within the book, indicating that it was a magical artifact.

    The other orb was about the size of a fist, shining brightly. Inside, countless tiny dots were scattered like stars, forming a beautiful starry night.

    Upon closer inspection, one could see that these dots were countless miniature enchanted runes.

    To Su Nan¡¯s surprise, he could faintly sense that the energy contained within this orb was flowing towards the empty void in a way he couldn¡¯t understand, seemingly connecting to the entire tower.

    He had a sudden realization.

    This orb was likely the energy source of this tower, or perhaps even the entire Falling Star City!

    Although he was very curious about the orb, Su Nan was more eager to see the contents of the other book.

    Thinking this, he reached out towards the book, but the next moment, a soft sigh echoed in his ears.

    The sound came from the book.

    ¡°The book is talking!¡± Amy exclaimed in fright.

    Whoosh!

    The book snapped open, one of its pages suddenly emitted countless rays of light, intertwining and floating to the side of the stone pillar, forming a somewhat illusory figure.

    It was a woman who looked to be about twenty years old, wearing a gray wizard¡¯s robe. She had cascading silver hair, and her purple eyes glittered with brilliant stars, like starlight. She was tall and slender.

    Her lips were thin, her chin slightly pointed, and her long eyes slanted upwards. Her features were sharp and angular, giving her a cold and aloof demeanor.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, the master of the Star Alliance,¡± the woman in the gray robe said softly, her voice cool yet magnetic.

    ¡°You know me?¡± Su Nan raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± the gray-robed woman replied, her lips curving into a slight smile. The coldness of her features combined with a hint of gentleness made her even more captivating. ¡°But I saw the fleet and the Siren sea monsters searching outside. Only the master of the Star Alliance can simultaneously command both, right?¡±

    Su Nan¡¯s expression shifted, instantly realizing, ¡°You are the ¡®Ocean Goddess¡¯ who deceived the Siren sea monsters?¡±

    The gray-robed woman remained unfazed, ¡°Deception is not the right word. The Siren sea monsters helped me gather the Sea Heart, while I imparted knowledge to them and helped them grow stronger. It¡¯s a fair trade, isn¡¯t it? I used the name ¡®Ocean Goddess¡¯ simply for ease of communication.¡±

    Su Nan didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Then why are you showing yourself now? Do you want revenge?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± the gray-robed woman shook her head. ¡°I have no such intention. Nor am I your opponent. As for that tentacle puppet.¡±

    She glanced at the octopus puppet, which was convulsing on the ground, ¡°That¡¯s Falling Star City¡¯s automatic defense program, which activates when an outsider invades. I have no control over it.¡±

    Tentacle puppet?

    Su Nan remembered a creature that looked like an octopus, called the Golden Tentacle.

    No wonder he found the octopus puppet familiar. The puppet¡¯s prototype was indeed the Golden Tentacle.

    That was a well-known divine creature!

    ¡°The reason I¡¯ve shown myself is also because I have no other choice,¡± the gray-robed woman said, her gaze falling upon the book on the stone pillar, her expression complex.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed my current state. This book is my vessel. Once it¡¯s destroyed, I¡¯ll perish along with it. At this point, I have no reason to hide.¡±

    Su Nan had indeed noticed that the gray-robed woman was currently a ghost.

    Generally, a ghost couldn¡¯t exist for long in the material world.

    Unless it evolved into a vengeful spirit, attacking humans everywhere, devouring souls and flesh, becoming a bound evil spirit with territorial attributes, then it could survive in the material world for an extended period.

    Just like the evil spirit he had encountered in Kubero¡¯s mansion.

    But there were exceptions.

    Rarely, after death, a person could fuse their soul with an object, becoming a ghost bound to that object, thus maintaining the soul¡¯s integrity.

    But accomplishing this wasn¡¯t easy.

    Aside from the deceased needing extremely strong soul energy during their lifetime, they also had to find a suitable container for the soul, along with a fair amount of luck.

    All three were indispensable!

    If any one of them was missing, the fusion would fail, resulting in the soul being extinguished.

    The gray-robed woman in front of him was clearly one of those fortunate few.

    Su Nan was somewhat surprised by the gray-robed woman¡¯s honesty.

    But thinking about it, even if she hadn¡¯t revealed it, he would have discovered it soon. Rather than be exposed, it was better to be honest, which might give him a good impression.

    Su Nan stretched out his hand and summoned the book on the stone pillar. It floated into his palm.

    With her vessel, her vital point, in someone else¡¯s hands, the gray-robed woman instinctively stiffened, but quickly suppressed it, biting her lower lip.

    Su Nan seemed not to notice, flipping open the book.

    What met his eyes were densely packed spell models, one per page, ranging from zero-ring to three-ring spells. It seemed like there were at least a hundred of them.

    A spell codex!

    Su Nan immediately made his judgment.

    Similar to the spell storage staff, the codex was also a magical artifact that contained engraved spell models, which could be activated to release spells.

    However, compared to the former, the codex could store more spells.

    But a regular codex would only store twenty to thirty spells at most, and mostly one-ring and two-ring spells. Not like this one, with hundreds of spells, including many three-ring spells.

    Even if it wasn¡¯t as powerful as a magical weapon, it would definitely be among the top-tier magic artifacts at the dim light level.

    Su Nan closed the book, already having his answer.

    ¡°You used this codex to control storms and waves to help the Siren sea monsters defeat their enemies?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    There was no need to hide anything at this point. The gray-robed woman readily admitted it.

    ¡°Before I became like this, I was a wizard.¡±

    Su Nan wasn¡¯t surprised by this, but rather showed an expression of ¡°as I thought.¡±

    To be able to fuse one¡¯s soul with a codex after death, and still use it in a ghost form, wasn¡¯t something ordinary people could do.

    Only a wizard could achieve this.

    Wait!

    Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Su Nan, and he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Liza Russell,¡± the gray-robed woman replied.

    As expected!

    Su Nan¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he looked at her deeply.

    ¡°You are the ancestor of the Russell family.¡±

    The Russell family were the guardians of Falling Star City. A wizard had emerged from the family in history. And here was this gray-robed woman, appearing in Falling Star City and a wizard in her lifetime. There had to be a connection.

    Upon asking, it was indeed the case.

    ¡°You know me?¡± Liza¡¯s purple eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.

    ¡°No, I just heard your family members mention you,¡± Su Nan said with a hint of amusement. ¡°The Russell family is now a member of the Star Alliance.¡±

    Liza was stunned, then she nodded, understanding.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You are a formal wizard. It makes sense for the Russell family to serve you.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect that a formal wizard could be born in the Starlight Continent.¡±

    Liza¡¯s gaze at Su Nan was filled with both awe and admiration.

    She, too, had witnessed the era of element depletion. She knew how extraordinary one¡¯s talent had to be and how much effort one had to put in to become a wizard, especially in an era where energy was scarce.

    The person in front of her must have made unimaginable efforts and endured countless hardships to reach his current level.

    That was why, upon discovering that he was a wizard, she showed herself immediately.

    In the current Starlight Continent, only this person had the potential to help her achieve her goal.

    ¡°I¡¯m more curious about why you became like this and what¡¯s going on with Falling Star City,¡± Su Nan got to the point.

    Liza remained silent for a moment, then asked a question instead of answering, ¡°Do you know the origin of Falling Star City?¡±

    ¡°The legacy of a wizard from a thousand years ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but also no,¡± Liza nodded, then shook her head. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Starfall Society?¡±

    ¡°The Starfall Society? Isn¡¯t it extinct?¡± Su Nan looked at Liza. ¡°You¡¯re a member of the Starfall Society.¡±

    Liza froze, truly surprised.

    The Starfall Society was a wizard force from a thousand years ago. Logically, Su Nan shouldn¡¯t know about it.

    She had only asked casually, already prepared to explain, but she didn¡¯t expect Su Nan to actually know about the Starfall Society.

    He even knew the Starfall Society was extinct!

    What kind of origins did this person have? (End of Chapter)