Chapter 127

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Chapter 127: White Tower Ruins

In this joint development project of the White Tower Ruins this time, more than half of the personnel were lost.

That day, when Tasha returned from the Astral Plane, the group successfully teleported out of the Mage Tower through the teleportation array left by Pathfinder Liandrin, appearing less than a hundred meters away from the White Tower Ruins. They spent almost a day in the Mage Tower, the Liandrin Lantern Vine spell below had already expired, and the path to the Mage Tower had closed. The wizards now have not regained the ability to reopen the Rasheil Mage Tower. Those who did not pass through the unstable teleportation array to reach the tower base were forever left there.

It’s fortunate that most wizards and many apprentices were captivated by the mysteries of the Mage Tower and made a quick decision to step into the teleportation portal.

The casualties were regrettable, and they were recorded in the war casualties list, entitling them to martyr’s compensation. However, overall, the gains from this journey far outweighed the losses. As they fed the demon remains gifted by the Astral Mage to Victor, the wizards’ treasures obtained from the treasure trove were also taken back to the Archmage Tower.

Everyone who returned was laden with goods. When the group suddenly appeared outside the White Tower Ruins, nearby farmers were shocked not just by the unexpected arrival but also by the heavy loads each person carried. They looked like a group of ants moving homes, with Tasha carrying a small mountain – she believed if the mountain got any taller, it would collapse, and the wizards would ask her to carry even more. The guards and Tasha acted as carriers, just like the wizard and apprentices, everyone was like an overloaded truck.

It is well known that most professionals in the magic field have little interest in going out or physical activities, their slender arms and legs can only bear the lightest cloth armor and wave small magic wands, wizards’ wands are much lighter than Druid wands. But when they came out of the Ancient Mage Tower, every magic user looked as helpless as a snail, every available space was stuffed with belongings. They were panting like cows, legs trembling, faces flushed, showing no signs of exhaustion from carrying so much.

A farmer watching on commented, "If I had to carry a few sacks of gold, I could walk and even run!"

That’s the way it is.

Wizards briskly carried precious ancient wizardry relics, and the Archmage Tower had a great harvest. Tasha, acting as a Tower Spirit ghostly figure, watched a bunch of gasping, chest-beating, and hand-clutching screams. If this moment were captured with a spell, many people’s idealized image of wizards as elegant, dignified, and noble would shatter.

Of course, it could also undermine the threat of sorcerers. The wizards, eagerly flipping through books as if they were shopping for limited edition items, were no different from ordinary folks. Even almost a week later, wizards would inexplicably burst into laughter in the corridors and dining halls.

Spellbooks written in ancient magical runes were hastily translated, keeping a large number of scholars busy. Tasha could also translate, but her translations were like machine translations. Many parts of the magical book could only be understood by experts due to subtle differences in meanings, and many ancient spells couldn’t be directly translated into modern language, requiring readers to tackle the original text. The top priority documents included the most profound and the simplest ones: spellbooks containing powerful magic and apprentice tasks reviewed by ancient wizards. The former was vital for the upcoming Abyss War, and the latter for the wizard’s legacy.

"I wish we could have found them sooner," sighed the white robe wizard Hayden, "Many past knowledge has been lost, us wizards have missed the golden opportunity to change, but the apprentices still have a chance, starting earlier would benefit a whole generation."

Hayden is a teacher at Wizard Academy, his own power is not strong, relatively not very knowledgeable or research-oriented. He is considered an average person among wizards, but as a teacher, he is excellent. Apprentices who receive basic education from Hayden have a solid foundation, and no matter which field they delve into in the future, they learn quickly, and are welcomed by people from all walks of life.

The treasure of the Ancient Mage Tower arrived a bit late, the first batch of new wizards had already graduated and could not enjoy this new knowledge. He didn’t say another not-so-nice thing, but Tasha could understand: with a few years before the Abyss invasion, that responsible good teacher was still worried about the potential break in the wizard legacy.

However, being late is better than not coming at all.

Compared to various books peacefully circulated, the competition for spellcasting materials is much more intense.

Fairy dust, Naga bones, dragon blood ink whose making methods have long disappeared in the river of history… These spellcasting materials that were not particularly precious in the past, now some have become a bit luxurious with even a little shortage, while others are seen as valuable antiques with huge archaeological value. Wizards from various colleges argue vehemently, using all means necessary at the meeting table, pulling tricks, and sleeves to get a bit more materials for their own side.

Whether it’s Black Magic, white magic, or practical magic without attributes, there are a bunch of spells that have become obsolete due to lack of materials. Wizards have managed to restore many forgotten spells in their research, but they are struggling with lack of spellcasting materials, many experiments are stuck halfway, which is a pain in every researcher’s heart. Bringing back that pile of spellcasting materials piled up into a mountain, however, when it comes to distribution, there are too many applicants and not enough to go around. Besides wizards, there are also witches, Druids, Magic Technicians, historians, and archaeologists applying, and each one’s application is very reasonable.

In the end, most of the spellcasting materials were classified under the "alternative research of ancient magic spellcasting materials" project, which is dedicated to researching modern substitutes for these precious materials.

In fact, there is a lot of potential in this, ancient wizards were fond of mystifying magic, inclined towards various mysterious rituals, and loved grand occasions. For example, if a common turtle shell has the same effect as the shell of an endangered, powerful and ferocious Thunderbolt Turtle, they would choose the latter, and only record the latter; if candlelight and "the first beam of light cast during the full moon" both work, they would consider the latter to be the right path, even if the former works, its power is surely not as great as the latter.

When the decision was made, many people went to see Dark Robed Wizard Miranda, worried that she would strongly oppose it. Miranda had always been a strong supporter of ancient magic and ancient wizards. She believed that ancient magic was much more powerful than modern magic (which is actually true). She thought that the wizards, who were currently in decline, should go back to the ancient ways of using magic instead of learning the more recent magic from the Aryan era (this point has always been highly debated). When she heard about the decision to "demystify" ancient spells, Miranda surprisingly did not say a word.

After the meeting, Alchemist Gloria found Miranda to inquire about the research on alternative materials for casting ancient magic spells. The members of the research group had prepared a lot of arguments to debate with Miranda, but they were worried as they didn’t get the chance to challenge her and thought that the Dark Robed Wizard might play tricks.

"Why didn’t they come and ask me themselves?" Miranda said impatiently.

"They are afraid," Gloria said straightforwardly, "that group is all about theories and not good at practical magic. They dare not confront you, so they asked me to test the waters. We have been through thick and thin together, so please be honest with me."

"They can rest assured," Miranda still had a stern face, "I also agree with their views."

The Alchemist, dressed in a rainbow-colored robe, looked surprised like the sun rising from the west. The Dark Robed Wizard rolled her eyes and said, "The oldest is not always the best."

She paused for a moment, rarely softened her tone and explained, "I still believe that ancient magic is stronger, but it may not be the ‘best’ or suitable for now."

After visiting the Mage Tower of the ancient wizards, Miranda’s beliefs were greatly shaken. After leaving Rasheil’s Mage Tower, she revoked many applications to revert back to the old wizard system and became less strict with apprentices. Her reason being, as she said, "The strongest is not always the most appropriate."

In ancient times, there were so many huge and terrifying creatures that the ones who survived until now are not nearly as powerful, they just adapted better. Those powerful ancient wizards survived in the law of the jungle, each individual was as terrifying as ancient monsters. However, their lineage eventually ended, being replaced by modern wizards. Their mysterious, secluded, cruel, and antagonistic way of life eventually led to their downfall. Their unmatched power also became the reason they were eventually replaced.

In the world of competition, only the best survive, not everything gets better with age. Like the original Casting Golems, Tasha could guess why they were lost when Miranda introduced them. "Made with a Magic Spring central core stronger than secret silver runes, with a shell forged from moonlight iron a hundred times tougher than regular steel, activated directly by Archmage Rasheil’s spell," making them so difficult to create with such precious materials, how could they be widely spread? The result is what we see now, Casting Golems have been lost for a long time, while Iron Golems have endured through centuries of wars and magical lows, still active on Aryan’s production lines.

Besides that, there was another significant gain on this journey.

The Astral Mages live peacefully and have no intention to interfere in the life or death of the Aryan world, but before Tasha returned, they still offered their final help. The former White Tower Wizard Liandrin gave her the remains of a Demon Lord and a blueprint.

"I know what my old colleagues did," the old wizard sighed, "White Tower has been striving for the reform of ancient magic for so many years, but the greatest work before the destruction was in the style of ancient wizards, it’s really a pity. I can’t give you the power blueprint of the Astral Mage Towers, but at least in these years, I’ve improved the works of my old colleagues."

That blueprint was for the Source of Magic.

Compared to the Source of Magic under the Aryan Empire’s capital, this one can be manufactured faster, has higher conversion power, and costs less. It doesn’t require the transformation of wizards and dragon remnants, or cursed synthetic monsters. By combining slime with existing magic factories, a new magic core can be formed, as if the sacrifices made by ancient people in the wilderness had become a nuclear power plant. After the new Source of Magic is built, Aryan’s magical weapons will no longer rely solely on Tasha’s dungeon.

"You don’t object?" Tasha asked.

"Why would I object?" Victor replied, "The Abyss is approaching, the human empire won’t be stupid enough to go to war against you with a Source of Magic in hand in the coming years. And after the battle, if you can destroy the source once, you can do it a second time. -My dear, I’m no longer a foolish book anymore."

Victor, who usually played the devil’s advocate, seemed to have regained some intelligence and appeared much more obedient. Though this former Demon Lord had been banished to the Abyss, Tasha didn’t believe he had changed for the better, he probably just got better at pretending.

"That’s right," Tasha agreed, tapping the book on Victor’s desk. "Keep up the good work."

Victor was no longer a motionless Book of Dungeons. His vague memories had returned, and it would be a waste not to make use of them. All the official Abyssal knowledge books were brought for Victor to review. As a local resident of the Abyss, he was responsible for correcting any errors and producing a revised edition. With the impending Abyss invasion by Aryan, many of the knowledge in his mind needed to be recorded and distributed like common knowledge.

"I feel like I’ve jumped from one sweatshop to another," Victor lamented. "Even if the new boss is attractive, it can’t heal my emotional wounds."

"Be good, finish this and you can have a break," the kind boss Tasha comforted. "You can go wherever you want."

She kept her promise.

After hundreds of years unable to set foot on the ground, the demon borrowed Mavis’s rolling pin and concealed his horns. He now looked no different from an ordinary citizen. Tasha provided him with ample financial support, while Governor Natasha paid him a salary on the surface that could fully support an artistic demon.

Victor only hid his horns.

Instead of crafting a mediocre face, he walked into places where artists gathered with his distinctive face. Victor strolled through galleries, theaters, and various art salons. He engaged in conversations with contemporary artists, his yellow eyes showing keen interest as he observed the talented individuals. To Tasha, it seemed like a thief walking into a jewelry shop, eagerly examining and selecting each piece with delight.

But the artists did not see him the same way.

When Victor tried to be likable, almost everyone liked him. They saw a young man who was elegant, funny, knowledgeable, handsome, and rich. He could confidently talk about various forms of art, show curiosity and no bias towards modern art, and also discuss ancient art in detail. He spoke about historical figures as if they were old friends, narrated past secrets as if he witnessed them himself, and was generous and friendly towards those in need.

Mr. Victor quickly became popular in the circle, saying things like "Art is endless, yet life is short, how sad!" with a sad expression, sincere tone, and captivating eyes. He said, "If only there was a chance to dedicate oneself to this great cause…"

Suddenly, there was only music playing in the salon. As if parting the sea, a tall and unforgettable beautiful woman walked through the crowd towards the center of attention. She hooked her finger onto the tie of the main topic person, lifted him off the couch, and said kindly, "You may continue." Mr. Victor cooperatively walked with her, waved goodbye to everyone as he left.

After a few minutes of silence, people started confirming frantically if the person who just entered was the Lord Governor.

Tasha usually turned a blind eye to all of Victor’s harmless actions, but in the midst of a major conflict, there was no time to let him disrupt the social stability. Governor Natasha was highly renowned in Tasmania, and if she stepped in once, Victor would not be able to sneakily trade souls or establish a cult in the future.

However, there were some minor side effects.

The artists of Tasmania had free spirits, and the core idea of the Walke Artist Association was for free will, meaning they could talk freely without any restraints. Victor’s popularity skyrocketed rapidly, turning him into a hot topic within a few days.

Rather than the fun of gossip, the people of Tasmania seemed more shocked at the fact that their great Lord Governor was involved in gossip. Every public figure inevitably has stories that people enjoy, but Tasha was different – she was like a dungeon!

Initially, Tasha did not have a tangible body to show, so to reduce fear, she let others believe that the ghost with a wolf’s head was the true spokesperson for her. The City Master, who strategized for her, was basically a reliable symbol. After elements were extracted to give her a more human-like body, Mavis’s illusions advanced, and that’s when the image of "Governor Natasha" came to be. This body, quite literally, didn’t need earthly sustenance, as long as it had magic, it could survive without eating or sleeping. Tasha was omnipresent in her territory, possibly knowing everything about others, while others knew nothing about her.

Most of the work was done in a way that others couldn’t understand. Tasha always acted appropriately, so Governor Natasha became like a floating figure in the air, believed by many to be able to do the impossible things. People even superstitiously thought she was always right, even though not many believed the pink gossip rumors. Now, she was seen bringing a handsome man to a public event, and later people found out that the rich man’s bills were going to Governor’s mansion. This unprecedented and clear evidence left everyone speechless.

The discussions exploded as people desperately tried to dig up what had happened.

Victor’s Abyss-related books, which he had corrected and written, made their appearance at this moment. Not only was Victor’s name written on the cover, but his face was also printed on it. It even mentioned his previous reputation in the art community, making sure people knew it was the same Victor. When news of the Abyss invasion first appeared, Abyss-related books became very popular as people tried various remedies, but the best-selling book at that time didn’t match this set.

That’s what celebrity effect means.

In their home, Victor rolled around with Tasha to discuss copyright fees, portrait fees, and damages. Tasha kissed his cheek and wrote him a check. Governor Natasha acknowledged Victor’s authority in the preface of this book, claiming she had received great help from "Mr. Victor in Abyss-related matters," causing a stir among the onlookers.

No one dared to pretend to be Governor and write a preface. The ambiguity in this matter was practically officially recognized – acknowledging that indeed Mr. Victor and Ms. Natasha had a "close" relationship, and almost telling everyone that Governor was not intending to hide it and wouldn’t harm those who spread gossip.

What a mess! Gossipy news turned into a national scandal, even those who usually didn’t bother with rumors put on serious faces, claiming they discussed this to care about the state affairs: how could Governor let such an unknown person take the lead in such an important matter like the Abyss!

Nobody thought Natasha would be manipulated, but almost everyone thought Victor was a lucky young man who stumbled upon good luck, oh, a lucky black face.

Artists stood by Victor, believing he was favored for his exceptional talent, seeing his luck as a completely reasonable, romantic success story, not simply a case of favoritism. Those against believed these artists just saw Victor as a representation of their group, engaging in a self-amusing political game. Every day, thousands awaited their turn in today’s verbal battles. In the period of preparation, this lively national entertainment event energized Aryan’s atmosphere, sustaining many struggling newspapers economically, and promoting the revised Abyss information.

The experts studying the Abyss were angry that a mysterious artist suddenly joined important discussions. The debate about some corrections started in academic circles and then spread to the media. The researchers thought it was necessary to dismiss this newcomer to set things right.

Under their strong demand, the authorities in the Abyss Research, the wizard Weber and Mr. Victor, met at the Governor’s mansion. The meeting was private, and later it was known that the old wizard almost had a heart attack. When Weber the wizard came out from the emergency room, he avoided talking about the meeting and just gave a mysterious smile to his apprentices.

"Let’s go with that book," he said. "The gentleman knows much more about the Abyss than I do."