Chapter 1225: The Cosmos (Part 2)
The reason that Saleen was sure it was true was that he was unable to peer into the ring’s secret, no matter what he first tried. He was unable to even interpret the small amount of its content on the surface.
“This thing is called the ‘Ring of Cosmos,’ ” Lex said, speaking the syllables awkwardly to make sure that the name was clear.
After seeing Saleen looking puzzled, she added, “That was the true name of the ring. The language that the name comes from is something that we can only piece together with transliterations, and we cannot fully express its true meaning. If it were to be translated into the magic language, it would turn into a thesis or an entire book’s worth of magic notes.”
Saleen only nodded as a way of telling her that he understood, somewhat.
Lex continued: “The Lord Chief of the Grukos was a level-18 powerful professional back in those times and had been taken inside a different Crystal Wall system. There were humans in that system as well, and yet the powers they wielded were completely different from what we have here. They were terrifyingly powerful—so much so that not even the crystal wall system’s rules were able to hold them back.”
Lex took a breather before continuing. She told him that she had sealed that secret using magic and was unable to remember much of it, recalling only that a memory like that existed. The way she explained to Saleen, it felt as if it was being said by someone else and had nothing to do with her.
“This Ring of Cosmos was a powerful piece of equipment from that Crystal Wall system. My ancestor had earned merit through battle, and was bestowed with it. However, he died as soon as he came back to Myers Mainland. As a result, the Grukos did not ascend until the Fourth Dynasty collapsed. The Grukos then borrowed the power of the mages and built an empire.”
“The Grukos had quite a lot of patience indeed.”
“Indeed. The mark of the Six-winged Flying Snake is something we inherited from that ancient ancestor as well. It wasn’t until the end of the Fourth Dynasty that the Grukos began to rise and carve themselves a piece of the mainland.”
“What about that magic clock in Holy Rock City, then?”
“That was something that the aforementioned ancestor crafted himself.” Lex smiled and added, “That Crystal Wall system might have been powerful, but not everyone was a professional, and it would have been downright impossible for everyone to attain 18 and above. Otherwise, my ancestor wouldn’t have been… invited to help with their war.” Lex almost broke out in laughter as she elaborated on all of that.
The truth was, her ancestor had been taken against his will to help with the war all those years ago, in the same manner that spirits from the spirit plane were summoned by humans. The spirits did not need to agree to be summoned.
However, that other Crystal Wall system had its own rules. Such methods of recruitment came with their own rewards. It was quite fortunate that that ancestor of the Grukos was able to return alive.
Saleen had no problem understanding that. He had in-depth knowledge of the other Crystal Wall systems. At level 18, one could do as one pleased in the system that they were in at the moment.
However, in this other Crystal Wall system, a level 18 was just another powerful being, and not the pinnacle of professionals.
He realized from listening to what Lex said that the other Crystal Wall system. which Gaine had so looked forward to getting to, was not one that had the highest rules. The highest one would be at level 24.
Saleen sighed and smirked.
What use are those highest rules or whatever to me, anyway? I’m but a level ten sorcerer, and I need to train one step at a time. His teacher’s knowledge regarding such matters might even have paled in comparison to Saleen’s, but Jason never lamented anything.
By the time he was able to get that far, his destiny would have been laid out before him…
Destiny?
Saleen recalled, all of a sudden, that, if he were to reach level ten with his astrology, he would need to get to the Imperial City of the Abyss and get that level-19 Star Gathering Needle for Gaine.
I’ve promised Gaine that. Should I do it or not?
The level 19 Star Gathering Needle was on his person at all times. If he were to give it to Gaine, the astrologer would simply take the entire astrology tower and head for another Crystal Wall system. He would have lost one very reliable support if that were to happen.
If only it had been Teacher… Such thoughts would have never crossed his mind!
Saleen steeled his mind. If my astrological arts advance to level ten, then so be it. If Gaine wants to leave, then I’m in no position to hold him back. If Myers were to be resurrected, there are still grandmasters and the others, after all.
The grandmaster might have been an a**hole, but, if there was any truth to his words, it lay in the fact that he definitely wouldn’t have permitted any G.o.ds to exist on this plane.
“Boundless courses of fate are contained within this Ring of Cosmos, and I’m unable to comprehend any of it, Saleen. But, since you’ve come to understand it, you can teach me. I need to be able to see my path before me.”
Saleen was surprised that Lex would say something like that. He had always known her to be strong and firm, never showing weakness to anyone, Nonetheless, she had just behaved in such a way in front of him.
“Alright. Now that you’ve something like that, you should stand a better chance against the great head inquisitor. Go, Saleen. I’m through with all fighting in Daliang City.”
“Right,” Saleen said, putting the Water Flame away. He took out the mental power ring and handed it to Lex.
Lex smiled and said, “My G.o.d’s Ring is far more powerful than this thing here. Give it to your student, Truman. He needs this more than anyone right now.”
Saleen reflected that what she was saying made sense. Truman would struggle to use a powerful piece of equipment like the Elemental Envoy. Lex’s G.o.d’s Ring was extremely mysterious. Every time her power was enhanced, she drew more power from the G.o.d’s Ring.
“I’ll be off, then. Take care of yourself.” Saleen parted with Lex in a hurry. She returned to her palace right away, while Saleen summoned his people to him and reentered the Magical Element Tower. The tower left Daliang City right in front of the crowd below and headed straight for the Separation Sea.
The Tower had veritably tortured the Holy See’s forces or days. The 3,600 demonic spirits were all enchanters, and, with that many enchanters under the magic net, it had felt as if they were fighting 3,600 mages at the same time.
Theisio could clearly see the tower flying away all of a sudden and was puzzled as well. He then smirked, having come to realize something, and prevented his men from chasing after it.
Saleen’s tower seemed like a piece of very tough bone. Theisio had been unable to kill Saleen when he had previously thrown the mage into a divine kingdom. Now that he had come to possess all three G.o.dly items, he had no intention of wasting his time and energy on Saleen.
The great head inquisitor is still here, anyway.
The great head inquisitor had revived himself using the Divine Stone tablet and advanced to level 11, placing huge pressure on Theisio. His plans to consolidate the Holy See had to be pushed back as a result.
If the three G.o.dly items are really able to work as they should and can bring forth the power spoken of in legends, then the Tribunal and the oracle will have had no choice but to bow to me.
He was puzzled as to why his G.o.d was reluctant to grant him more power. If he could acquire the G.o.d’s blessing, the three G.o.dly items’ power would grow exponentially.
The Magical Element Tower flew southward and pa.s.sed by the wardens’ main camp. The great head inquisitor was there.
The great head inquisitor was stunned when he saw the tower fly by, but quickly burst out in laughter.
“So, this Saleen is baiting me, eh?” At his level, he could vaguely sense his fate and the looming crisis, despite never having trained in astrology.
Saleen’s intentions were laid bare for all to see. He hadn’t concealed anything at all.
“Sir, shall we mobilize the Crimson Army and chase after it?” A newly-advanced inquisitor asked for the great head inquisitor’s thoughts.
“Theisio didn’t bother doing anything about him, so why should we? Saleen’s wife is in that city right now. I sure as h.e.l.l don’t believe that he would just leave her behind like that.” The great head inquisitor then paused for a bit before saying, “Send several shadow wardens after him and see what this Saleen is baiting me with.”
“Yes, sir.” The young inquisitor received his orders, bowed, and left the building which the great head inquisitor was in. The great head inquisitor had set it up to serve as his residence. There was a dungeon below it, keeping under lock and key some unknown beast that roared and howled every day.
Nothing within a hundred miles radius could escape the eyes of Saleen, who was inside the tower. He could have even used the tower itself to watch over the are that lay within dozens of miles of it.
Several wardens clad in armor tailed the tower. Saleen could have simply killed them on the spot, as the Thunder Dragon Blaster surpa.s.sed any level-ten magic spells when in range. However, Saleen simply let the wardens tail him while he observed the red armor that they were wearing.
Those wardens were fairly powerful, and seemed to be at level five or six. Having people of such levels serving as rank-and-file soldiers spoke volumes of the Tribunal’s power. However, warriors at level five or six were incapable of flight.
There were only two reasons that the six wardens were able to catch up to Saleen’s tower. The first was that Saleen was having it fly at less than 100 miles per hour, waiting for them patiently; and the second was that the red armor that the wardens wore allowed them to obtain a decent flight speed, enabling them to keep up with mages of at least level six.
The distance between Daliang City and the Separation Sea was only several miles. The bone castle on the sh.o.r.e of the Separation Sea had been rendered useless.
Without the Winged Skull taking charge of the place, Mu En the great sorcerer was unable to hold it for long. He had never been a “great sorcerer” or whatever in the first place; that was only a t.i.tle that Saleen had used to intimidate others.
The city at the Separation Sea’s sh.o.r.e was still intact, as the Holy See had not razed the place. They did want to take it, raze it, and rebuild it.
The city was still in Saleen’s hand and there were fewer than 1,000 of the weak, old and disabled in it. It would be impossible for them to hold the place, as their numbers were so low that they could not guard the city’s gates.
Saleen left over 10,000 demons in the city as he pa.s.sed it. The demons and the magic bugs made the place into their turf for the time being. The leading demon possessed level-nine power. That would suffice to hold down the fort unless the Holy See decided to send huge forces to take the city.
Saleen a.s.signed his people there for a while before flying the tower toward the Separation Sea again.
Things were calm on the Separation Sea, and Saleen flew close to the water. His Elemental Eye scanned everything below, and he flew all the way to the sea’s center, but he did not find the eye of the sea as had been deduced by calculations using magic formulas.
Seems like it’s truly being suppressed then. Deep down, Saleen was elated.
Even if there were a water-type element spirit below, it would not be all that powerful. Such a spirit would probably be hiding in another s.p.a.ce, not daring to emerge.
He turned around to look at the wardens tailing him and then dropped the tower into the water without warning.
The general depth of the Separation Sea was about several hundred meters, but no one had ever bothered to check the depth at the center. The Magical Element Tower continued to drop for a mile or so but had yet to reach the bottom. In this location, Saleen’s Elemental Eye caught sight of the ocean floor below.
Someone capable of controlling the water element enough to fool Saleen’s Elemental Eye was definitely one very powerful being!
Saleen accelerated the tower and dived for the deepest depth of the lake. The tower just shook violently and stopped, having dived over ten miles down.
They finally reached the bottom. Saleen peered outside the tower and saw the leg of a very huge turtle