Chapter 175: Truth Council
Several years had passed, and Ke Yi had long since advanced to a Third Circle Legendary Knight. Utilizing Elemental Power for flight was trivial for him, and keeping pace with Su Nan and Rose was not difficult at all.
"Given the distance, Star Tower should have manifested within the Southeast Region, about three thousand kilometers from here," Ke Yi remarked.
As the ruler of a nation, Ke Yi was well-acquainted with the geography of the Southeast Region. With a brief analysis, he pinpointed the location of Star Tower.
“Star Tower will take five days to fully manifest, so we don’t need to rush on our journey," Su Nan stated.
Ke Yi and Rose both nodded in agreement.
Traveling over three thousand kilometers was no small endeavor, whether for a Level Three Wizard Apprentice or a Third Circle Legendary Knight.
No one knew what the situation at Star Tower would be like, so it was wise to proceed cautiously, taking their time and conserving their strength.
Fortunately, Star Tower appeared in the Southeast Region. If it had emerged in the Northwest Region, they would have had to rush frantically for the entire five days.
And so, the three of them flew at a leisurely pace, occasionally using their Key to observe the status of Star Tower.
At the same time, they encountered other Wizard Apprentices. However, these individuals merely glanced at them from a distance. Noticing their numbers, they turned and left without hesitation, showing no intention of engaging.
"They're not from Secret Forest Hut," Rose remarked, frowning slightly. "It seems others are aware of the emergence of Star Tower."
"That's not surprising," Su Nan replied calmly. "The commotion caused by Star Tower's appearance was significant, and it was bound to attract attention."
From the images in his mind, Star Tower was enormous and suspended visibly in the sky. It could be seen from afar, so it was only natural that it drew many curious onlookers, prompting some Wizard Apprentices to come after hearing the news.
However, these individuals lacked the Key, so even if they arrived, they wouldn't be able to enter Star Tower.
With their proximity to the tower, Su Nan and the others no longer traveled slowly, increasing their speed to forge ahead.
Before long, the silhouette of a tall tower came into view.
As the distance gradually diminished, the full view of the tower emerged steadily before their eyes.
It was exactly as they had seen before.
However, only upon witnessing it with their own eyes did the sense of ancient grandeur become more pronounced.
The entire tower floated in the air, a hundred meters above the ground, like a straight spear piercing the sky. The majestic and imposing structure made one feel an involuntary sense of insignificance.
Both Ke Yi and Rose looked astonished.
This was the first time they had encountered such a magnificent and exquisitely crafted building.
Su Nan, on the other hand, remained very calm.
After all, he had seen many buildings far more majestic than this.
The Star Tower was at most considered a Small Wizard Tower, perhaps even less impressive.
It only appeared so astonishing because it was the finest in the current Starlight Continent.
Stopping a thousand meters away from the Star Tower, Su Nan focused his senses for a moment and detected no fewer than twenty auras.
These auras belonged to either Legendary Knights or Second-Level Wizard Apprentices, mostly drawn by the commotion caused by the tower's appearance.
There might have been Level Three Wizard Apprentices present as well.
However, if a cultivator of that caliber deliberately concealed themselves, Su Nan would not be able to sense them for the time being.
With no intention of hiding his whereabouts, Su Nan found a quiet place and sat down openly, waiting for the Star Tower to open.
As time passed, more and more people gathered around the Star Tower.
Su Nan had just closed his eyes to rest when he suddenly sensed an aura approaching. Opening his eyes, he saw that it was an acquaintance.
"Long time no see."
Scepter approached, smiling as he greeted Su Nan and Rose, then offering a slight nod to Ke Yi.
Ke Yi was already aware from Su Nan about Scepter's stance toward the Azure Gold Empire Royal Family. Recognizing that the person before him was not an enemy, he returned a friendly smile.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Scepter sat down casually beside them.
Compared to those who were hiding in the shadows, it was much safer to be with familiar faces.
Not long after, another acquaintance approached—it was Traveler.
The four of them sat together, discussing Night Owl's situation.
“Actually, I also feel like something’s off,” Scepter said in a low voice. He was one of the Elders of Secret Forest Hut and among the first members invited by Night Owl. He was quite familiar with Night Owl's methods.
“Originally, I thought Night Owl would invite everyone to the Star Tower together, but we haven’t heard anything.” He paused, then continued, “And he hasn’t shown up until now; it’s highly likely that something has really happened.”
Traveler chimed in, “Also, Hunter doesn’t seem to be here either.” If Hunter had come, he would have joined them by now. The thought that something might have happened to both Night Owl and Hunter made everyone frown simultaneously.
Just then, the four of them suddenly grew alert, raising their heads to gaze into the distance. They spotted a group of people slowly emerging from the forest, about four or five hundred meters away.
There were roughly a dozen of them, all wearing long robes and emanating a strong, undistorted Energy Particle Fluctuation. They were all Level Three Wizard Apprentices!
A low commotion rippled through the surroundings. Clearly, those hiding in the shadows hadn’t expected so many Level Three Wizard Apprentices to appear all at once.
The four of Su Nan exchanged glances, surprise evident on their faces.
“They are unfamiliar faces, not like the Level Three Wizard Apprentices from the Southeast Region,” Rose remarked softly.
“They are from the Other: Wizard Apprentices of the Northwest Region,” Scepter replied suddenly.
Seeing the surprise on the others' faces, he added in a low voice, “The Azure Gold Empire royal family has gathered intelligence on Northwest Region Wizards; I’ve specifically looked into it.”
Everyone understood. As the overlord of the Southeast Region, it was not surprising that the Azure Gold Empire would collect information about the Northwest Region Wizards. This overlord empire clearly harbored ambitions toward the Northwest Region, though they no longer had the resources to pursue them.
Scepter continued, "The one leading them, wearing a green robe, is called Megison. He's the Speaker of the Northwest Territory Council of Truth, very strong, and his reputation in the Northwest Region is no less than Saulo's."
“Truth Council?” Rose scoffed, “Such a grand title.”
Su Nan chuckled quietly.
“To dare use the name 'Truth' for their organization, this so-called Truth Council clearly harbors great ambition.”
Scepter shrugged and replied, “Their tone may be grandiose, but they have the qualifications to back it up.”
“The Truth Council has a total of thirteen Level Three Wizard Apprentices, and besides Megison, there are several formidable individuals among them.”
“For example, there’s that guy with bark-like skin; his name is Milkan. It is said he's already half-Wood Elementalized. In forested environments, few at his level can compete with him.”
Wood Elementalization?
Su Nan raised an eyebrow.
It was a rare type.
In terms of offense, the wood element fell short compared to Fire and Lightning; in defense, it lagged behind Earth; and in versatility, it couldn't match Water.
However, in areas abundant with plants, a Wizard with Wood Elementalization could unleash their full potential, reaching up to two hundred percent of their power!
It was an elemental type highly dependent on its environment.
“Then there’s the one with scales on his face, named McVeigh. He has merged with the bloodline of a shark-like Exotic Beast, making his combat strength extremely high.”
“That short, thin Wizard Apprentice is called Fabio. Like the Undead, he specializes in Undead magic, adept at manipulating souls, yet his strength surpasses that of typical Undead.”
It was clear that the Azure Gold Empire’s intelligence gathering was meticulous. Scepter recounted details of all the dozen or so Wizards as if they were family.
Except for three or four individuals where the details were vague, he shared names and rough abilities for the others.
As Scepter described them, Rose and Traveler’s expressions grew solemn, their gazes towards the group of Northwest Region Wizard Apprentices becoming progressively more wary.
The overall strength of this Wizard organization was on par with the Eternal Life Society!
“Do these newcomers seek Star Tower as well?” Rose furrowed her brow.
However, the answer was already apparent.
This location was tens of thousands of kilometers from the Northwest Region. No matter how significant the uproar surrounding Star Tower’s appearance was, it couldn’t have reached here so quickly.
The swift arrival of the Truth Council indicated they had prior knowledge and had entered the Southeast Region much earlier.
What puzzled Rose was how they had inferred that Star Tower would inevitably appear in the Southeast Region?
Su Nan's expression shifted slightly, as if he were deep in thought.
His gaze swept across the crowd of the Truth Council, finally settling on a figure whose features were concealed by long robes and a wide-brimmed hat.
At that moment, the Truth Council group also halted not far from the Star Tower.
Seeming to notice Su Nan's gaze, Megison turned to look at them, then shifted his attention back to the obscured figure, speaking in a low voice. When he returned his gaze to Su Nan and the others, his eyes held a hint of amusement.
The figure beneath the hat lifted the brim, revealing a somewhat pale face.
"Evans!"
As soon as they recognized that face, Traveler and Rose were taken aback.
They immediately recalled the Legendary Knight, who had been the main instigator behind the war between the Eternal Life Society and the Secret Forest Hut.
But how could Evans be involved with the Truth Council?
A glint of realization flashed in Su Nan's eyes.
He had heard from Hunter that Evans had fled to the Northwest Region to escape the Eternal Life Society. Now it seemed that he was the one who had provided the Truth Council with information about the Star Tower's appearance.
It appeared that Evans hadn't been entirely forthcoming with him back then.
The other party must have a way of knowing the approximate location of the Star Tower's emergence ahead of time.
However, Su Nan was most troubled by the implications of Evans's presence here.
"Night Owl and Hunter," Su Nan reminded them quietly.
The other three were momentarily taken aback, then quickly grasped the situation, their expressions darkening.
With the Truth Council group present, they must possess the Star Tower Key.
Where had they obtained the Key?
Was it solely from Evans?
Or was it partly from Night Owl and Hunter?
After all, Evans was one of the few who knew that the Secret Forest Hut had the Star Tower Key.
If that were the case, then Night Owl and Hunter must be in grave danger!
Although Scepter Three's relationship with Night Owl and Hunter wasn't particularly close, they were still members of the same organization. Upon learning that the two were likely killed by the Truth Council, Scepter Three felt a mix of heaviness and resentment.
Even so, all three of them rationally restrained their emotions and refrained from acting.
The opening of the Star Tower was imminent; now was the time to conserve their energy, not to take action.
If they were to settle accounts later, it wouldn’t be too late after they exited the Star Tower.
Meanwhile, the members of the Truth Council were also observing Su Nan and the others.
"That's Su Nan, the one who killed Saulo? Doesn’t look too impressive," McVeigh said, licking his lips as his gaze slithered over Su Nan like a venomous snake, itching for a fight.
His companions were used to this demeanor. Because of his Bloodline, McVeigh's bloodlust was exceptionally high, and he thrived on battling strong opponents.
This reckless approach, which starkly contrasted with the cautious philosophy of Wizards, would have turned McVeigh into a pile of White Bone long ago if he weren't powerful enough.
"Judging a Wizard Apprentice's power by their appearance is a very foolish thing," Mikaner said flatly, ignoring McVeigh's glare as he turned to Megison.
"Chairman, with the annihilation of the Eternal Life Society, heavy casualties in Secret Forest Hut, and a sharp decline in the number of Level Three Wizard Apprentices in the Southeast Region, this is a time of weakness. I believe now is a prime opportunity to attack the Southeast Region."
Fabio's eyes lit up, and he wholeheartedly agreed, "Indeed, that's the case."
Megison's eyes flickered slightly, clearly tempted by the idea.
The Southeast and Northwest Regions had similar levels of Wizard Apprentice strength and had coexisted peacefully for years. However, following a series of upheavals, the Southeast Region had lost many Level Three Wizard Apprentices, significantly weakening their overall strength. If they launched a military attack now, the chances of defeating the Southeast Region's Wizard Apprentice forces would be high.
Perhaps they could seize this opportunity to claim the Southeast Region's vast territory!
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Megison decided. He smiled lightly and said, "There's no rush. The most important thing right now is the Star Tower. We'll discuss this after we come out of it."
The crowd understood implicitly.
McVeigh began to eye the Other: Wizard Apprentices around them with malicious intent.
Due to the Star Tower, a significant number of Other: Wizard Apprentices had gathered in this vicinity.
Once they emerged from the Star Tower, ambushing a few groups along the way could further weaken the forces of the Southeast Region's Other: Wizard Apprentices.
Time flowed on steadily.
More and more people gathered around the Star Tower.
Occasionally, someone would tentatively approach it. However, the seemingly authentic tower high in the sky did not actually exist in this world; what appeared before them was merely an illusion, leaving those who probed with disappointment.
Eventually, no one made any further moves, and the crowd waited quietly.
As the sun set and rose again, at noon on the second day after Su Nan and the others arrived, the Star Tower in the sky finally stirred.
Accompanied by a dull buzzing sound, the Star Tower slowly descended from the sky, landing with a resounding thud and stirring up clouds of dust.
At the same time, Su Nan felt a sudden surge of heat from the Rune Stone in his palm.
He immediately understood in his heart.
The Star Tower had been opened!
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