Novels online

Chapter 171: Assailants in the Shadows

Starlight Calendar Year 1259, Frostfall Moon.

The first gathering after the Eternal Life Society ambush was notably smaller.

Besides Night Owl and Su Nan, only Rose was present.

"The others have all gone into seclusion to prepare for the Star Tower in six years," Night Owl explained.

"I, too, will enter seclusion to focus on my cultivation, and during this time, the Secret Forest Hut gatherings will be temporarily suspended," Su Nan added, showing no objections.

Rose did not disagree either, as she also needed to prepare for her journey to the Star Tower.

This was crucial for her promotion to Wizard, and she had to gather as many resources as possible while there.

Starlight Calendar Year 1260, Resurgence Month.

Su Nan successfully constructed the seventeenth Star Ring, with his Spiritual Power exceeding 53 points.

Su Nan estimated that even with the Elemental Pool’s Meditation bonus, he would still need at least three years to construct the final Star Ring.

"That leaves me with only three years to create the Talent Crystal Model," he mused.

"It's a bit rushed, but not impossible."

Su Nan rose from his seat, left his Meditation Room, and headed toward the Laboratory.

After nearly half a year of research, his studies on constructing the Talent Crystal Model using the Magic Pattern Core as the original model had made significant progress, and he was confident he would have ample time to complete it before his Star Ring and Spiritual Power reached the requirements for promotion.

After all, it was merely a Lower Level Talent Crystal Model, not particularly difficult.

It is worth mentioning that the third Small Golem Legion had also been formed.

Its high-end combat power consisted entirely of Steel Golems, Elite Steel Golems, Elite Double-Bladed Spiders, and Mithril Golems.

In terms of high-end combat power alone, it was actually a bit stronger than the other two Golem Legions.

Su Nan planned to deploy this Golem Legion to expand the territory of the Star Alliance forces and draw a Golem Legion from one of the other two to support the Starry Sky Empire.

After securing the Thorn Flower Principality's intent for cooperation from Su Nan, Ke Yi began secret negotiations with them, quietly orchestrating a campaign of alliances and counter-alliances against the Azure Gold Empire.

The war erupted more swiftly than Su Nan had anticipated.

In the year 1260 of the Starlight Calendar, during the Spring Dawn Moon, as the last remnants of snow melted away, nine nations—including the Starry Sky Empire and Thorn Flower Principality—simultaneously declared war on the Azure Gold Empire.

The Azure Gold Empire, which had been preparing to initiate its own offensive, was caught completely off guard. While they had considered the possibility of a preemptive strike from the Starry Sky Empire and even made appropriate preparations, they had not anticipated that eight other nations would join in the attack at the same time!

In an instant, the Azure Gold Empire found itself surrounded by enemies on all sides.

A large-scale war involving ten nations had erupted.

Su Nan chose not to focus on the surface-level aspects of the war, instead instructing the Royal Palace to send monthly war reports. He continued to immerse himself in cultivation and research, occasionally checking on the progress of exploration missions and the construction of Long Lin.

After more than two years of recovery, Long Lin was now fully restored. Zone 2 had returned to its original state. However, without the cultivation of the Dragon Clan, Zone 2 could only be utilized as a Large Magical Plant Garden.

Su Nan waved his hand and began planting Magic Plants on a large scale, using nearly three-quarters of the area to cultivate Dragon Blood Fruit. This precautionary measure was necessary, as the demand for Dragon Blood Fruit would significantly increase along with the annual expansion of the Magic Knight Order.

Moreover, the energy cycle required for simply planting Magic Plants wasn't substantial. According to calculations by Butler Number 1, Zone 2 only needed to maintain an energy cycle ratio of 18.48%.

In contrast, District 1, which housed the Sub-Dragon Species, consistently maintained an optimal energy cycle ratio of 35.12%. Due to the limited number of Wizard Apprentices in the Dragon Bone Tower, it consumed less than 10% of the energy cycle ratio even at its peak, with more than half of that still being utilized by Su Nan.

Overall, the energy within Long Lin was now in a state of overflow, alleviating any concerns about energy scarcity for the foreseeable future.

On another front, the first batch of Dragon Antelope raised in the cultivation room had already left their infancy and was transferred to the Dragon Antelope Ranch.

It is anticipated that in another four to five years, the first batch of mature Dragon Antelope will be ready to form the Dragon Antelope Cavalry.

At that time, the combat power of the Magic Knight Order will significantly increase.

Currently, Long Lin has entered a stable development phase, so Su Nan does not need to invest as much attention any longer.

Time flies like an arrow; days pass in the blink of an eye.

Four years have passed in an instant.

In the year 1265 of the Starlight Calendar, during the month of Thunder.

Underworld, a little over fifty kilometers north of Nolan City.

The dark underground passage was deathly silent, with only the faint echoes of light footsteps.

Xie Man cautiously observed his surroundings, confirming that all his team members were in their respective positions. He let out a small sigh of relief and tightened the Magic Cloak he wore.

Here, at least ten kilometers below the surface, the air was cold, damp, and bone-chilling.

Even though Xie Man had lived in the Underworld for six or seven years, he still had not fully acclimated to it.

Fortunately, the Magic Cloak he wore repelled moisture and retained warmth, making it essential gear for all Wizard Apprentices and members of the Magic Knight Order involved in exploration missions.

Cole and A'Tier were a few steps behind Xie Man, also keeping a careful watch on their surroundings.

Since advancing to Second Level Wizard Apprentice, A'Tier had resumed moving in tandem with Cole.

The three of them typically acted and fought together, and over the years, their teamwork had become increasingly seamless, earning them significant merit.

Their impressive performance also influenced subsequent arrivals, resulting in more Second Level Wizard Apprentices choosing to form teams of three.

In addition to the three Wizard Apprentices led by Xie Man, the team included two Rune Knight squads, totaling twenty Rune Knights.

Everyone remained silent along the way, avoiding unnecessary communication to prevent any noise that might disrupt their alertness to their surroundings.

More than ten minutes later, the team arrived at a wide open area.

Xie Man gestured, and the others immediately scattered, scanning their surroundings. Once they were certain it was safe, they found a spot with a clear view and sat down.

Except for Rune Knight, who was on watch, the others took out food and water, trying to rest and nourish themselves.

Xie Man took small bites of the dry food, his invisible Tower Shield still hovering behind him.

Years of exploration and combat in the Underworld had made him an experienced adventurer.

He always remembered that many monsters in the Underworld could traverse rock walls, so he never chose to rest near them.

Furthermore, the Underworld was prone to sudden monster outbreaks, so they could never fully relax.

Either a spell or a protective magic item had to be active at all times.

"I heard the base is going to form a Sub-Dragon cavalry this year?" A'Tier said during their break, trying to relax.

Xie Man nodded. "That's right. The Dragon Antelope Knights. I saw the Dragon Antelope Ranch from a distance. There were many robust Dragon Antelope there."

He paused and looked at Cole, asking, "Cole, did you get your Dragon Antelope magical pet from the breeding facility?"

Cole, always a man of few words, simply nodded.

Now, the three of them each had their own magical pets.

Cole's pet was a Dragon Antelope, Xie Man's was a Storm Dragon Beast, and A'Tier's was a Pterosaur.

Without exception, they were all contracted juvenile Sub-Dragon species.

After more than four years of nurturing, their magical pets had all reached the Legendary Realm.

Of course, they were still far from matching their teacher's magical pet.

It was said that the Hidden Dragon had already reached the Fourth Circle Legend level, and its bloodline concentration was very close to that of a true dragon clan.

Now, standing before the Hidden Dragon, even the three of them felt a sense of apprehension, a shortness of breath—a powerful pressure akin to Dragon's Might.

It was clear that the Hidden Dragon evolving into a true dragon clan was only a matter of time.

Xie Man's dream was to one day raise his Storm Dragon Beast to the same level as the Hidden Dragon.

"I heard Prince Abbott is going to participate in the Aptitude Test this year?" A'Tier brought up another topic.

"Well, Abbott Prince is already twelve years old, which meets the minimum standard to participate in the Aptitude Test," Xie Man murmured thoughtfully. "I wonder if he can pass it."

"After all, Abbott Prince is royalty; his chances of passing the test should be quite high, right?" A'Tier remarked.

"That's not necessarily true," Xie Man responded. "Being royalty means he has exceptional Knight talent, but his Wizard aptitude is no different from anyone else's. It's likely he'll fail the Aptitude Test."

A'Tier pondered this and found it to be true. The Key Grand Duke was merely a Legendary Knight, not an Other: Wizard Apprentice, so his descendants didn't have much of a genetic advantage in this regard.

On the other hand, if the Teacher had descendants, the chances of them possessing Wizard aptitude would be significantly higher.

"Speaking of the Teacher, he has been showing himself less and less lately. Karolina mentioned that he often stays in the Meditation Room for a month or two at a time. Do you think the Teacher might be on the verge of ascending to Wizard?"

Upon hearing A'Tier's words, Xie Man and Cole were both visibly moved.

To be honest, they shared similar sentiments.

Although they had gradually learned about the wider world and knew that it was nearly impossible for a true Wizard to be born in the current Starlight Continent, the Teacher was different.

While they had never encountered another Level Three Wizard Apprentice, they understood that a Level Three Wizard Apprentice like the Teacher, who wielded such vast resources, was truly unique on the entire Starlight Continent.

If anyone in the Starlight Continent had the best chance of ascending to Wizard, it would undoubtedly be the Teacher!

"It's possible," Xie Man said, his expression brightening.

If the Teacher did succeed in ascending to a Formal Wizard, it would certainly boost the morale of their group of Apprentices.

It would at least offer them a glimmer of hope that the Starlight Continent could indeed give birth to a Formal Wizard.

"I don’t have any hopes for becoming a Wizard," A'Tier sighed. "I'd be content if I could become a Level Three Wizard Apprentice in this lifetime."

Xie Man pursed his lips and remained silent. Deep down, he still held a sliver of hope for becoming a Formal Wizard, even if he knew it was, realistically, out of reach.

Currently, the number of Apprentices in the Base had grown to over three hundred and fifty, with the number of Second Level Wizard Apprentices reaching double digits as well.

More and more Second Level Wizard Apprentices were joining the exploration of the Star Alliance, greatly accelerating its expansion into the wider world.

"Compared to four years ago, the sphere of influence of the Star Alliance has more than doubled.

Four years ago, the Star Alliance consisted of just four cities: Lake of Gloom, Matu, Olsen, and Giant Eye City, with the addition of the Magical Plant Garden known as Kasham.

Now, the Star Alliance has transformed into a behemoth with fifteen cities and hundreds of resource points.

However, as its influence expanded, the resistance against the Star Alliance also grew dramatically.

More city forces have become aware of the threat posed by the Star Alliance and have united to resist its expansion.

The reason they sent a team out this time was that a Sphinx Scout discovered traces of the Dark Elves nearby, an encounter that had cost them the lives of several Sphinx Scouts.

“A'Tier, we've circled around several times without finding anything. Could it be that they were mistaken?” A'Tier got straight to the point.

Xie Man shook his head. “I don’t think so. The Sphinx Scouts are very skilled at concealing their tracks. There are not many creatures around Nolan City that can detect their movements. Moreover, the corpse of one of the fallen Sphinx shows wounds from a dagger and signs of Shadow Power erosion. This definitely seems like the work of the Dark Elves.”

“Then what do we do next?”

“Keep searching! Although the Dark Elves are also adept at hiding, I don’t believe they can remain concealed forever. We will find them eventually!”

“Spider City is seven or eight hundred kilometers away from here. I wonder what those Dark Elves are doing so close?”

“Perhaps they are worried about the expansion of the Star Alliance.”

A'Tier thought that was likely. In just four or five years, the Star Alliance's territory had expanded outward by five or six hundred kilometers. If she were a Matriarch of a Dark Elf family, she would certainly feel uneasy.

Just then, a low shout from the guards on duty came from ahead.

“Situation!”

In fact, without his reminder, Xie Man and the others had already sensed it.

The three of them immediately stood up, activating their Magic Items or beginning to chant spells.

The remaining Rune Knights also reacted swiftly, activating their Magic Pattern Constructs, raising their weapons, and gazing warily ahead.

The surroundings were silent, and after about six or seven seconds, heavy and distinct footsteps approached from the front, sounding like some enormous crawling monster was moving toward them."

Its speed wasn't fast, but its weight was clearly astonishing; it felt as though the nearby rocks and soil were being slightly shaken.

Rune Knight subconsciously gripped the hilt of their sword, their expressions turning serious.

Sheman Cole and A'Tier remained calm, their faces showing no trace of emotion, but Rune Gem had quietly slipped into their palms.

Before long, a round, dark silhouette appeared in their sight.

It resembled a giant black grub, about three meters long from head to tail, with six thick, short claws and a triangular, pointed head. Its mouth was a protruding, thin, long tube, and it had no eyes.

"It's a Dark Sound Blind Monster!"

Xie Man immediately recognized the creature.

The Underground World Creatures Guide, titled Base, issued by the sect, mentioned the Dark Sound Blind Monster.

This type of monster lacked eyesight but possessed highly developed and sensitive hearing. Their tube-like mouths could produce precisely controlled resonance, generating sound waves powerful enough to shatter stone walls.

Let me explain the battle power of a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, as mentioned in previous chapters. The difference in battle power among Level Three Wizard Apprentices is significant. Depending on their Spiritual Power, equipment, and Bloodline Ability, their battle power can range from a first-ring legend to a Fourth Circle legend. Also, Legendary Knights only possess first to fourth rings, not the fifth ring. Beyond that, they are no longer considered knights in the usual sense.