Chapter 174: Target Appears, Star Tower!
"Not peaceful?" Su Nan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
With that troublesome Eternal Life Society out of the picture, the Southeast Region of the continent has been much more tranquil these past few years.
That is, of course, if you ignore the ongoing war between the Star Alliance and the Azure Gold Empire.
Rose's tone turned grave as she said, "Night Owl hasn't contacted you recently, has he?"
Su Nan's eyes flickered, and he shook his head.
"Neither have I. That's very unusual. Given Night Owl's style, he would definitely be calling for another gathering by now."
Su Nan silently agreed with Rose's assessment but said, "Perhaps he's just busy with his cultivation."
"Maybe," Rose replied, shifting the topic. "But I have a nagging feeling that something might have happened to Night Owl."
Su Nan immediately grasped the implication of her words.
If there was anything that could put Night Owl in danger right now, it would undoubtedly be the Key of Star Tower.
Rose nodded solemnly. "Very likely."
"The battle we had with the Eternal Life Society stirred up quite a commotion, drawing a lot of attention and scrutiny. The existence of the Star Tower Key may no longer be a complete secret. Now that the Star Tower is about to appear, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone took the risk to acquire it."
Su Nan nodded in agreement.
What Rose said was quite plausible.
The fall of the Eternal Life Society had certainly piqued the interest of many parties, and it wouldn’t be unusual for someone to uncover clues about the Star Tower amidst the events that unfolded.
Even without that, there was also Evans to consider.
The Other: Wizard Apprentice world was filled with clever individuals. If someone deduced from the recent disturbances that the Kessler Family was linked to the Star Tower, they would undoubtedly target Evans.
Though Evans was a Third Circle Legendary Knight, he was weak and isolated without the protection of Holy Fist. If some Level Three Wizard Apprentices banded together against him, he would struggle to defend himself.
At that point, the Star Tower Key would no longer remain a secret.
And the Secret Forest Hut group, who possessed the Key, would naturally become highly sought after.
It’s possible that Night Owl’s troubles stem from that very situation.
"But all of this is just speculation for now. Night Owl might genuinely just be busy cultivating.
Regardless, Su Nan didn’t really care.
After all, his relationship with Night Owl wasn’t close enough for him to worry about their safety.
Nor was he concerned that some fool would rush into Star Alliance's territory to snatch the Star Tower Key from him.
If that happened, Su Nan would actually be quite pleased; it would be a free prize delivered right to his door!
Rose had sought his protection precisely because she understood this.
If Night Owl were truly in trouble because of the Star Tower Key, then her situation would be equally perilous. Only with Su Nan would she feel secure.
"The appearance of the Star Tower will reveal whether Night Owl is in trouble," Su Nan said, casually brushing aside the topic as he glanced at Rose.
"You're welcome to stay in Youhu City for as long as you like."
"But let me make this clear: if you attract trouble, the price for my assistance won’t be cheap."
"I understand," Rose replied, feeling relieved.
With the reputation of having killed Saulo, who in the entire Southeast Region didn’t know of Su Nan’s name?
She didn’t believe any fool would dare provoke him.
If there were such a person, they would surely be an enemy she couldn’t handle. Thus, paying a price for Su Nan's protection would be well worth it.
Su Nan then called for Karolina and asked her to arrange a place for Rose to rest.
Having worried the whole time, she hadn’t had the chance to observe Youhu City. Now, with her heart finally at ease, Rose had time to look around, her gaze drifting through the corridor windows to overlook the bustling streets below.
She noticed many Stone Golems patrolling the area.
Although she rarely ventured into the Underworld, Rose had kept a close eye on events in the Star Alliance over the years. She was aware that Star Alliance had been rapidly expanding and had become one of the most powerful forces in the Underworld Southeast Region.
Their military strength relied heavily on their Magic Knight Order and Golem Legion. Information regarding the former wasn’t difficult to obtain."
Information regarding the Starry Sky Empire's Seventh Institute Knight Academy had long been compiled into detailed reports and placed on the desks of high-ranking officials in various countries.
Many nations had even emulated the Starry Sky Empire by establishing their own academies that exclusively recruited civilians and farmers to train knights.
Yet, despite mimicking the systems of the Seventh Institute's Knight Academy, the results in these countries were far inferior.
The root of the problem was that these nations lacked the support of the Star Alliance, which could provide substantial quantities of Dragon Blood Fruit, Enchanted Weapons, and Magic Pattern Constructs.
As for the Magic Pattern Constructs, gathering intelligence was extremely challenging due to their location in the Underworld.
Even now, it remained unclear just how many Golem Puppets the Star Alliance possessed.
Withdrawing her gaze, Rose's eyes settled on Karolina in front of her. Her interest piqued, she asked, "I heard that the Golem Legion currently sweeping the battlefields is being supplied by the Star Alliance?"
Karolina turned her head, giving Rose a penetrating look before responding with a playful smile, "Rose, Your Excellency, aren’t you supposed to stay out of surface wars? Why are you suddenly interested in this?"
"I'm simply curious. After all, it's the first time I've encountered organized units of the Golem Legion."
A hint of surprise laced Rose's tone, suggesting her curiosity was genuine.
Karolina smiled slightly. "If you are so curious, why not join our Star Alliance and find out for yourself?"
"Join the Star Alliance?"
Rose was genuinely shocked. She never expected Karolina to make such a proposal.
"That's right," Karolina said with a charming smile. "Rose, Your Excellency, you should be aware of the strength of the Star Alliance. Joining us would certainly not be beneath you."
For a moment, Rose felt a twinge of temptation.
She had never considered such a possibility before, but after hearing Karolina's words, it suddenly seemed like a rather appealing suggestion.
It was common knowledge that the Star Alliance possessed vast resources. What the outside world saw was merely the tip of the iceberg, yet it was enough to inspire awe and envy.
If she could gain access to the resources of the Star Alliance, it would undoubtedly benefit her path as a wizard.
As for the fear of being deceived by the Star Alliance, that concern did not seem to bother her.
According to what she knew, Star Alliance had cultivated quite a few Wizard Apprentices, and they were not harsh on these apprentices, completely adhering to the principle of equivalent exchange.
In this regard, Star Alliance had a good reputation.
Joining Star Alliance was essentially like joining a resource platform. It was similar to Secret Forest Hut, but with closer connections and certain obligations to uphold, such as safeguarding the interests of Star Alliance.
This wasn't unacceptable to her.
"Is this your own idea, or is it Su Nan's intention?"
After pondering for a while, Rose finally spoke slowly.
Seeing Rose's interest, Karolina smiled and said, "Master has actually always had this intention."
This was not a lie. Karolina knew that her master had always sought a manager for the base to assist in handling its numerous affairs, and Rose was undoubtedly a good choice.
With her noble background and previous involvement in government matters, along with being a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, Rose would surely find it easy to manage the base's affairs.
As for her identity as a member of the Thorn Flower Principality Royal Family, that was of little consequence. After spending many years in Star Alliance, Karolina understood one truth: when one enjoys enough benefits within an organization, they gradually become assimilated, consciously safeguarding its interests.
The cooperation between Wizard Apprentices and the royal families was largely driven by the desire for resources. As long as Rose received more benefits from Star Alliance than from the Thorn Flower Principality Royal Family, she would naturally begin to favor Star Alliance.
As for blood ties… The connection between Rose and the current Thorn Flower Principality Royal Family had likely been severed generations ago. If it weren't for the maintenance of mutual interests, Rose would probably have little concern for the affairs of her home principality.
This mindset was also shared by many Wizard Apprentices who had lived for hundreds of years.
As a subordinate, Karolina felt it was her duty to alleviate her master's concerns. If she could persuade Rose, she would be solving a headache for her master.
After hesitating for a long moment, Rose finally said, "I will consider it. Let's discuss it after the Star Tower matter is resolved."
Karolina smiled, knowing when to stop, and turned to continue leading the way.
After arranging Rose, Karolina turned to report to Su Nan.
Upon hearing her, Su Nan paused for a moment, reflecting on the situation. He had indeed considered inviting the Secret Forest Hut to join the Star Alliance. However, the potential changes that might arise from such a decision led him to ultimately postpone it for now.
Once he advanced to the rank of Formal Wizard and possessed absolute crushing power, implementing this plan would likely save him a great deal of trouble. Moreover, Su Nan had other ideas quietly developing in his mind. When the time came, it would also signal the right moment for a more thorough reform of the Base.
"Let's put this matter on hold for now," Su Nan said, waving his hand. After a brief moment of thought, he added, "Apart from a few important locations, allow Rose to explore freely, and you can personally accompany her."
Though he didn’t plan to invite Rose to join the Alliance just yet, letting her learn more about it and deepen her impression wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Karolina understood and responded respectfully.
"Also, the expansion of the Star Alliance is to be temporarily halted. Draw a Golem Legion to stand by at Long Lin."
"The Golem Legion currently supporting the Starry Sky Empire should also be recalled, brought to full strength, and then stationed at Long Lin."
Considering they would soon be approaching the Star Tower, Su Nan felt it was time to initiate some preparations. At the very least, two Golem Legions should be placed inside the Magic Cube, just in case.
He could take this opportunity to allow the Star Alliance to catch its breath and properly digest the gains of the past few years. As for the surface world, the Star Alliance had already established a solid upper hand in the war, so withdrawing the Golem Legion at this time wouldn't significantly impact the overall situation.
After arranging everything, Su Nan resumed his focus on constructing the Talent Crystal Model.
In the period that followed, peace reigned, and the troubles Rose had feared did not come to pass. The routine of monotonous yet fulfilling cultivation continued until mid-Frostfall Moon (November).
As Su Nan was constructing the Talent Crystal Model in the Meditation Room as usual, he suddenly felt something and abruptly opened his eyes.
With a slight thought, the Key of the Star Tower appeared out of thin air in his palm.
The Rune Stone, which had always appeared unremarkable—like an ordinary stone—now emitted a faint blue glow from its surface.
Su Nan closed his fingers tightly around the Rune Stone in his palm, and a sudden daze washed over him, allowing a scene to form in his mind.
In that scene, a towering giant tower, five or six hundred meters high, floated in the sky.
The tower, predominantly deep blue, looked exceptionally magnificent against the azure backdrop of the sky. Its architecture was distinctly Gothic, with intricate carvings adorning the eaves and walls. Striking spires and pointed arches rose tall and proud, while colorful clouds and energy particles swirled around them, making the entire structure appear to soar into the heavens.
The vision lasted only a few seconds before fading from Su Nan's mind.
In that moment, he realized the tower in the scene was none other than the legendary Star Tower!
"It's finally here!" Su Nan let out a long sigh of relief.
Ever since he had obtained clues about the Star Tower, he had been eagerly anticipating the manifestation of this Wizard Inheritance.
Now, his target had finally revealed itself!
Whether he could construct the Super Talent Crystal Model depended on the Star Tower!
Rising from his seat in the Meditation Room, Su Nan made his way back to Youhu City.
As he emerged from the top floor of the stone pillar, he spotted Rose hovering in mid-air, waiting for him.
"Star Tower has appeared!" Rose exclaimed, her voice betraying her excitement.
Su Nan nodded and simply said, "Follow me," before turning to leave.
Rose, puzzled, decided to follow him.
The two quickly reached the location of the Youhu City Spatial Channel.
When Rose saw the strange Space Doorway, surprise flickered across her face.
Seeing Su Nan step inside without hesitation, she hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed.
After a brief disorientation, a vast expanse of green suddenly filled their vision.
As she took in the magnificent jungle before her, astonishment washed over Rose's face.
"And when she laid her eyes on the ancient, magnificent Dragon Bone Tower, she couldn’t help but gasp. Dragon Bone! This pressure was undoubtedly that of a true Dragon Skeleton!
'Where is this place?' Rose couldn't help but ask.
'Long Lin, Ecological Garden,' Su Nan replied without turning his head, then took off to fly towards another Spatial Channel.
Rose stood frozen in place, disbelief etched on her face. She knew what the Ecological Garden was—a Dimensional Space recognized as a cultivation garden and breeding ground for the powerful. She just hadn’t expected that Su Nan actually controlled such a place. Moreover, this Ecological Garden appeared to be thriving and developing remarkably well.
How many secrets did this man possess that she remained unaware of? Watching Su Nan's retreating figure, Rose felt a surge of admiration and an even stronger desire to join the Star Alliance.
Snapping back to reality, she quickly followed in Su Nan’s footsteps.
The two passed through another Spatial Channel, this time returning to the surface world, specifically to Base Number 1 near Flash City.
Unsurprisingly, Ke Yi was already waiting at Base Number 1. Upon sensing the anomaly associated with Key, he had rushed to the Base to await Su Nan's arrival.
After exchanging a few brief words, the three of them took off quickly in the direction indicated by Key's sensing."
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