Chapter 440: White Tower Star Ring |
“Vivian, you really ought to review the modern history section of 《Ancient Magic History》 properly. These should count as very basic things.”
“Ahem, I already remembered—just now I was a little dazed, that’s all.”
Hearing Janna’s slightly “scolding” tone through the transmitted voice, Vivian coughed awkwardly, then turned her head, pretending nonchalance as she looked out the window.
The city of Dordogne was vast. Even with mechanical carriages that could reach speeds comparable to automobiles from her previous life when there was no traffic, it still took nearly fifty minutes before they finally reached the area where the White Tower stood.
“So this is the White Tower? How magnificent!”
The one speaking was Yuli-Shelan, with her sweet and lovely appearance.
In fact, it wasn’t only her. When all the apprentices in the carriage looked out through the windows and saw the White Tower standing tall in the distance, shock was written across every face.
Pristine white, towering, mysterious.
Beyond the enormous tower body nearly two hundred meters high, it was the colossal star ring encircling the White Tower in a perfect circle that left everyone truly stunned.
As the carriage drew closer and she saw the “star ring” clearly, Janna couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
Yet unlike the “Saturn’s Rings” of her past world, which were formed of water ice, dust, and rocky particles, the star ring encircling the White Tower was actually composed of countless stars, as though plucked from the vast cosmos itself.
Of course, Janna speculated that the stars within this “star ring” should only be illusory projections of the universe, not real celestial bodies.
“Honored Sage, may I ask—are the stars surrounding the White Tower real or false?”
Just as Janna was still pondering, Jose-Gold, seated next to Gushan-Rav, suddenly spoke up.
“They are all real.”
Real!?
Hearing Gushan-Rav’s words, Janna couldn’t help but widen her eyes slightly.
“That is the 【Primary Material World】’s surroundings, 【Fallen Stars】 compressed by billions of times. Therefore, if you value your lives, never approach the 【White Tower Star Ring】 rashly. Otherwise, you’ll only lose yourselves within the 【Fallen Stars】.”
【Fallen Stars】?
Listening to this unfamiliar term that she had never once seen in her textbooks, Janna’s thirst for knowledge surged once more, making her eager to dig deeper.
“We’ve arrived. Let’s get off.”
As the mechanical carriage halted near the White Tower, the group descended one after another.
“Welcome to the White Tower. I am 【No.1009】, your guiding spirit.”
No sooner had they alighted than a strange creature shaped like a book fluttered before them and began to introduce itself.
Isn’t this thing an alchemical lifeform?
+
Seeing the odd form of 【No.1009】, Vivian secretly asked Janna via voice transmission in slight puzzlement.
“It should be a Spirit Realm creature. I can sense the breath of life from its body.”
Hearing Janna’s words, Vivian nodded slightly.
“This time, I shall be responsible for leading everyone into the barrier. Please, follow me.”
Saying so, 【No.1009】 flapped the covers of its book-like wings and flew toward the White Tower.
At this sight, Janna and Vivian exchanged a glance, then followed behind Anthony-Rook and the other wizards, heading with 【No.1009】 toward the entrance barrier of the White Tower.
“So the 【Star Ring】 around the White Tower is in fact a protective barrier—”
Sensing the surrounding fluctuations of magic power, Janna and the others, under 【No.1009】’s guidance, successfully passed through the barrier.
Immediately afterward, as they stepped across the 【Star Ring Barrier】, the scene before their eyes changed drastically.
“Is this the cosmos?”
Space twisted, the heavens shifted. Just a second ago it had still been daylight, yet in the next, the sky dimmed abruptly. The towering White Tower vanished without a trace, replaced instead by an endless expanse of stars.
“Esteemed ones, ahead lies the 【Book World】 created by the 【Lord of Wisdom】. Except for this trial’s participants, all others must remain here.”
Hearing 【No.1009】’s words, Janna’s first instinct was to glance toward Anthony-Rook.
“You may go. I’ll be waiting for you here.”
At his words, Janna, Vivian, Gawen-Tull, and Soro-Flare—the four apprentices representing White Coral Academy—nodded in agreement. Together with the apprentices of Blackbone Grove and Mist Tower, they followed 【No.1009】 into the “cosmos.”
“Wha-la-la—”
After only a few steps forward, a colossal book nearly three meters high suddenly appeared before them.
The pages began to flip. Before they could react, 【No.1009】 had already flown into one of the book’s pages, vanishing from sight.
“What a massive book!”
Seeing the sudden appearance of the enormous tome, Gawen-Tull couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Wha-la-la—”
The pages turned again. Without a moment’s hesitation, Reiman-Tulan leapt in after 【No.1009】.
Immediately after, Jose-Gold and Yuli-Shelan—two Black Wizard apprentices unwilling to fall behind—also dove into the book.
“Let’s go in as well.”
Unlike the aggressive Black Wizard apprentices, who fought to always be first, the White Wizard apprentices led by Janna were comparatively cautious.
Seeing that the book showed no signs of danger, Janna and the others entered the 【Book World】 one after another.
“Wha-la-la—”
The pages flipped rapidly. Once everyone had entered the 【Book World】, the tome shut tight, transforming into dazzling starlight that soon vanished into the vast cosmos.
“Then let’s be off as well. After all, knowing ‘that one’s’ style, they won’t be coming out anytime soon.”
With those words, Gushan-Rav tapped his bone staff, causing a great mass of white bones to sprout beneath his feet.
“By the way, Anthony, you still owe us a meal—”
“Wha-la-la—”
The ceaseless sound of pages turning filled Janna’s ears. In the instant she leapt into the 【Book World】, she felt her entire body dissolve into small black characters, wriggling like tadpoles.
The scenery before her eyes shifted from color to black and white, then transformed once again, now resembling something outlined by crayon—colorful, yet grainy.
“Honored Miss Janna Roland, welcome to the 【Book World】 created by the 【Lord of Wisdom】. I am your guiding envoy, 【No.1】.”
【No.1】?
Not 【No.1009】?
Hearing this unfamiliar voice in her ears, Janna’s dazed consciousness gradually cleared once more.