Chapter 237: A Tacit Understanding
Starlight Wizard Tower, Workshop.
Su Nan placed the newly crafted Black Thunder into the Magic Cube. As the synthesis interface flashed, a brand-new Second Order Wizard Tool was created.
"That's the third one."
He retrieved the Black Thunder and stowed it in his Space Ring. Glancing at the three pitch-black spearheads inside, each engraved with Fulu (runes), a smile spread across his face.
Including the three Forbidden Zones, he now possessed six Second Order Wizard Tools.
Ordinary Second Level Wizards struggled to acquire even a single Second Order Wizard Tool, making his collection of six an exceedingly rare accomplishment.
Even True Spirit Descendants didn't achieve this level of extravagance!
However, crafting the three Black Thunders had depleted all the Thunder Stones he had gathered recently. To create more, he would need to venture back into the Lightning Elemental Plane.
Yet, Su Nan had no plans to do so. Three Black Thunders would suffice for now.
In addition to synthesizing Wizard Tools, he had been researching Alchemy Bodys lately.
The crafting knowledge provided by Lize was exceptionally detailed, covering not only the transformation of Alchemy Bodys and the required materials but also eight types of Alchemy Imprints. Some of these were so impressive that even Su Nan found himself coveting them.
For instance, there was the Spirit Storage, which could hold a significant amount of Spiritual Power in advance, allowing for instantaneous replenishment during battle.
According to the information, the Spirit Storage could contain the equivalent of a second-tier Vaporization Wizard's total Spiritual Power.
When fighting an opponent of the same level, having a Wizard engraved with Spirit Storage was almost like having twice the Spiritual Power of the opponent—an enormous advantage.
Another noteworthy example was Talent Specialization, which could greatly enhance the effects of Innate Abilities.
When activated, it temporarily boosted the effectiveness of an Innate Ability, with the increase depending on the user's own level.
For Second Level Wizards, the enhancement ranged from thirty to fifty percent.
This was undoubtedly a startling improvement.
Taking Su Nan as an example, with the blessing of two Super Innate Abilities, he could fight against a Second Stage Crystallization Wizard without relying on a Wizard Tool or an Inscribed Gem.
If he possessed the Talent Specialization imprint, he could easily suppress a Second Stage Crystallization Wizard.
And with a Wizard Tool and an Inscribed Gem at his disposal, as long as he wasn't facing a Level 3 Wizard, he wouldn't need to worry about any opponents!
After reviewing the information provided by Lize, Su Nan made a swift decision. The two Alchemic Seals—Spirit Storage and Talent Specialization—were definitely ones he needed to inscribe.
However, the next challenge was that transforming his Alchemy Body wasn't as straightforward as he had imagined.
The transformation process involves using various rare materials to remodel the body, granting it a scroll-like malleability that allows for the addition of various enchanted characteristics.
This is a lengthy process.
To prevent damage to the body, the transformation must be gradual and step-by-step, taking at least two to three decades, or even four to five decades.
If that were all, Su Nan wouldn’t have thought much of it.
The lifespans of Second Level Wizards are generally over three thousand years, and extending that to five thousand years through various means isn’t difficult either.
For a Second Level Wizard, four or five decades pass in the blink of an eye.
The real difficulty lies in the materials required.
Transforming the Alchemy Body necessitates materials, including hundreds of rare resources such as Aukin, Mithril, Star Sinking Steel, and Sea Heart Flowing Silver.
Among them, Aukin is the most important material.
It is a rare metal similar to Mithril, known for its excellent ductility and magic conductivity, but it is much more precious than Mithril.
Despite spending so many years on the Starlight Continent, Su Nan had never encountered Aukin.
In other words, this material is currently completely inaccessible to him.
"The transformation process of the Alchemy Body is quite unique; the synthesis of the Magic Cube won't suffice. It seems I will have to research substitutes for Aukin."
With this in mind, Su Nan quickly formulated a plan.
When it comes to researching new materials, he had an advantage over other Wizards: he possessed the Magic Cube, his powerful Golden Finger.
It is possible to synthesize materials with the desired characteristics through various attempts, and the research difficulty is relatively low. However, Aukin, a precious material, is not easily substituted. Additionally, there are other rare materials equally challenging to obtain that also require research for substitutes. Su Nan estimates that it will take a considerable amount of time.
“Let’s take it one step at a time; there’s no rush anyway.”
After leaving the workshop, Su Nan teleported to his study. Learning Fourth Circle Spells has become one of his daily routines. Compared to Third Circle Spells, Fourth Circle Spells surpass them significantly in terms of power and difficulty. Even with the assistance of Golden Finger, it still takes Su Nan an average of three to four months to master a single Fourth Circle Spell. If he struggles, one can imagine how slowly the average Second Level Wizard learns Fourth Circle Spells.
Fortunately, Second Level Wizards have long lifespans; otherwise, many would likely not learn even a few Fourth Circle Spells before their lives come to an end. In terms of practicality, several Fourth Circle Spells are quite impressive.
For example, there’s the Dimensional Anchor, which seals off space and prohibits all forms of teleportation spells. Then there’s the Lesser Spell Immunity Barrier, which can block the effects of Zero Ring on Third Circle Spells. There is also the Heavy Fog Technique, which creates a dense fog that obstructs vision and slows movement. Additionally, there are offensive spells like Avar Black Tentacle, Blizzard, and Roaring Technique.
Su Nan intends to learn all the Fourth Circle Spells to be thoroughly prepared. Fortunately, his learning speed is impressive.
Time flies, and over a decade passes in the blink of an eye. Just as Su Nan is concentrating his energy on cultivation and research, Sub-mana technology spreads across the southeastern region of the continent at astonishing speed. As the concentration of continental energy particles gradually increases, the cultivation rate of Sub Magic Stone Mines also accelerates. In areas rich in energy resources, such as Leyline Nodes, the formation speed of Sub Magic Stone Mines is even faster.
By the year 1436 of the Starlight Calendar, there is already one Small Sub Magic Stone Mine and two Medium Sub Magic Stone Mines being mined under the jurisdiction of the Star Alliance, with the output of Sub Magic Stones increasing five to six times compared to previous years.
"The increase in Sub Magestone production has also fueled the rapid popularization of Sub-mana technology.
"This outlines the development of Sub-mana technology in the Southeast Region over the past decade."
Lize placed a document in front of Su Nan.
"The situation is much better than we anticipated. The Southeast Region's revenue has been steadily increasing for the past ten years, and last year’s income was more than double what it was a decade ago. If this trend continues, and if Sub-mana technology is promoted throughout the Starlight Continent, Star Alliance's annual revenue will definitely exceed fifty million Gold Coins."
Su Nan opened the document and read through it, casually asking, "How much longer until the remaining Sub Magic Stone Mine is fully operational?"
"If the concentration of the mainland's Energy Particles continues to rise at the current rate, it will take about two hundred more years."
"That long?"
"After all, the remaining mines are classified as Large, so the development will naturally take longer."
To maximize the utilization of each Leyline Node, Star Alliance opened one Small and two Medium Mines to prepare for the promotion of Sub-mana technology, while the remaining mines were all designated as Large.
Lize added, "Although the wait is lengthy, once all the Large Mines are established, the output will be sufficient for the entire Starlight Continent."
Su Nan agreed.
While the Sub-mana technology in the Southeast Region is still in its early stages and the demand for Sub Magestone has not yet peaked, the output from one Small Mine and two Medium Mines is barely enough to meet the entire Southeast Region's demand for Sub Magestone, demonstrating how significant the output from these mines is.
When the remaining thirty-odd Large Mines are operational, the Sub Magestone output will undoubtedly be more than sufficient to cover the entire continent.
After reviewing the document, Su Nan gained a comprehensive understanding of the development details surrounding Sub-mana technology and the Sub Magic Stone Mines. He set the document aside and then inquired about another matter.
"How has Starlight Academy been faring lately?"
"Not bad."
Lize waved his hand, and another document appeared in front of Su Nan.
"Perhaps due to the increased concentration of Energy Particles, the number of individuals with Wizard Aptitude has been rising in recent years."
"The total number of students at Starlight Academy has now exceeded 23,000, with 288 of them having achieved Level Three Wizard Apprentice."
Su Nan nodded in satisfaction.
The number was already quite exaggerated; the total number of Wizard Apprentices from the past hundred years on the Starlight Continent probably didn't even amount to this figure.
Moreover, it was foreseeable that the number of new students enrolling each year would gradually increase in the future.
Only when the concentration of Energy Particles on the Starlight Continent stabilized completely, and the number of new enrollments reached a balance with the count of Death's Wizard Apprentices, would the total number of students peak.
After that, barring any unforeseen events, it should remain at roughly the same level.
By then, the Starlight Academy would have at least a hundred thousand students.
This would essentially reach the average amount of Wizard Apprentices that a mid-sized human realm could produce.
The reason the large Wizard factions so readily possessed millions of Wizard Apprentices was that they controlled multiple human realms, providing a broad base of prospective students.
"What about the number of Wizards?" Su Nan then asked.
"Currently, it's seven."
Su Nan raised an eyebrow; he remembered there being only five Wizards before.
"Who are the two newly promoted ones?"
"Sheman and Coley."
This answer was quite unexpected for Su Nan.
"When did they get promoted?"
"Half a year ago," Lize replied. "They originally wanted to report their promotion to you, but you were either in the Cultivation Room or locked away in the Workshop; they never found the chance."
Su Nan was speechless.
It seemed he was somewhat unqualified as a teacher, being unaware of such a significant event as his disciples ascending to Wizard.
"Not bad. It seems the two of them have been cultivating diligently. As their teacher, I can't treat them poorly. I'll have them come to study later."
Su Nan paused, then asked again, "What about Artier?"
Lize shook his head. "Her aptitude isn't good enough; no matter how hard she tries, she can't possibly advance to Wizard through normal means."
Hearing this, and sensing deeper implications in Lize's words, Su Nan asked with interest, "Are you suggesting that it can be done through unconventional means?"
Lize remained silent, merely glancing at the Codex on the desk in front of him.
Su Nan was slightly stunned, then frowned. "You want Artier to become like you, in a Ghost form, and then reshape her body?"
"Lize said calmly, "Only by doing this can Artier gain more time; only then will there be a glimmer of hope for her advancement to Wizard."
"But this method isn't guaranteed to succeed," Su Nan frowned, "In fact, it's highly likely to lead to death."
"I've already asked Artier, and she's willing to proceed."
Su Nan fell silent, sighing inwardly.
Artier usually didn't seem fixated on increasing her strength, yet who would have thought she harbored such a strong obsession with advancing to Wizard that she would resort to such a dangerous method for even the slightest chance at a breakthrough?
Perhaps her calm demeanor was merely a facade to hide her disappointment and feelings of inferiority due to her lack of talent.
After a prolonged silence, Su Nan finally asked, "I'm curious, why are you willing to help Artier extract her Soul and convert it into a Ghost form?"
Artier could not possibly know about Lize's experience. The process of extracting a Soul and converting it into a Ghost form must have been something Lize shared of her own volition.
However, given Lize's personality, it was hard to imagine her taking such an action.
Even bringing this up to Su Nan now clearly indicated that she was pleading on behalf of Artier.
Despite Artier being just a Level Three Wizard Apprentice, the resources required for reshaping her body would still be significant, though not as exorbitant as what Lize needed.
For an ordinary Level Three Wizard Apprentice, the resources necessary for such a transformation would undoubtedly be beyond their means; even accumulating Contribution Points for a hundred years wouldn't suffice to redeem them.
Under normal circumstances, the Star Alliance would never pay such a hefty price for a Level Three Wizard Apprentice lacking substantial value.
Lize paused for a moment before saying, "Her temperament is quite appealing to me."
Su Nan chuckled softly.
Indeed, even a Wizard wasn't a heartless being devoid of any feelings.
Artier had been by Lize's side for a long time, assisting in various matters while Lize occasionally guided her cultivation. It was no wonder they had developed a bond.
Though Artier was nominally his student, in reality, their relationship was more akin to that of mentor and apprentice.
Thinking of this, a thought sparked in Su Nan's mind, and he said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "The price for reshaping the body is not cheap. What do you plan to use to persuade me?"
“What do you want?”
“Let’s revise our previous agreement. After your body reshaping, you will join the Star Alliance.”
Lize's expression faltered slightly. She rolled her eyes at Su Nan but eventually nodded.
“Alright, I agree.”
“Then it’s settled. I'll leave the matter of Artier to you. If you need anything, just take it directly from the warehouse. If we’re lucky and everything goes well, I will reshape her body once the Dimensional Barrier is completely repaired in the future.”
With the discussion concluded, Su Nan didn’t linger and left the study directly.
Watching Su Nan's figure disappear, Lize shook her head and chuckled softly.
Having been in the Star Alliance for so long and truly witnessing its potential for growth, she had contemplated the idea of joining herself for quite some time.
Even without today's conversation, she would have eventually brought it up.
She understood that Su Nan had seen through her thoughts. Their exchange just now was a shared understanding between them.
Even if she hadn’t had to pay a price, Su Nan would have agreed regarding Artier.
After all, he was his disciple.
The Star Alliance certainly wouldn’t invest heavily for an ordinary Level Three Wizard Apprentice.
But if that Level Three Wizard Apprentice was a disciple of the Star Alliance's Controller, that changed everything.
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