Chapter 128: I Advise You Not to Do Anything Foolish

Chapter 128: I Advise You Not to Do Anything Foolish

Traveler!

Su Nan was taken aback, not expecting to hear the name Traveler mentioned here.

"When did you meet that wizard?" Su Nan asked, maintaining his composure.

Evans never thought that the person in front of him might belong to the same wizard organization as Traveler. After a moment's thought, he replied, "About three years ago."

Su Nan's heart skipped a beat.

This timeline coincided with when Traveler stopped attending gatherings.

Could it be that Traveler really died somewhere in the underground world, as the Skeleton had said?

"What happened after that?" Su Nan asked.

Evans shook his head. "I only stayed with Traveler for two days before leaving the underground world. Before I left, I heard him say he planned to delve deeper into the underground world. I don't know what happened after that."

Su Nan felt a bit disappointed.

If he knew where Traveler had gone, he would have liked to meet this wizard apprentice who loved exploring and adventuring. He might have gained a lot of valuable information.

They continued talking for a while, with Su Nan asking more about the three wizards. Eventually, their conversation came to an end.

"Within a few days, the royal family will announce their surrender."

Just before leaving, Evans left this parting message.

Outside the tavern, in a nearby building, Koy and the White Tower Marquis were waiting for news.

Seeing Evans walk out of the tavern calmly, they exchanged a puzzled glance.

When Su Nan returned, Koy couldn't wait to ask, "How did it go?"

Su Nan briefly recounted the events but didn't mention the Tower of the Celestial Stars. He only said that Evans had traded something very precious with him.

Koy and the White Tower Marquis exchanged another glance.

They never expected Evans to come alone to surrender.

This was truly unexpected!

However, after a moment, they felt a mix of surprise and relief.

While they were confident they could win the war, it was better to secure the Red Leaf Province without bloodshed.

As for leaving some of the Kessler family alive, it didn't matter much.

At most, it would be a minor branch of the family, insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

"Next, we just have to wait for news from the Red Leaf Province."

Su Nan looked in the direction of the City of the Celestial Stars, feeling a slight relief.

Once this war was over, he could focus his energy back on the underground world.

He had many tasks waiting for him.

Collecting materials to create secret puppets, searching for descendants of ancient beasts, and dealing with the crisis in Kasham.

Even after returning, he wouldn't have a moment's rest.

In the year 1254 of the Starlight Calendar, during the month of Dormancy (December):

The Grand Duke of the Celestial Stars committed suicide by poisoning, and all the royal family members below him announced their surrender.

The Flash Army subsequently entered the City of the Celestial Stars, taking control of military and political power.

Thus, this war, which had captured the attention of countless people, finally came to an end.

The Flash Domain successfully overthrew the royal family and occupied the entire Celestial Stars Duchy.

A new Grand Duke of the Celestial Stars was born.

In the Holy Flame City of the Azure Gold Empire:

Deep within the imperial palace, in a study.

The ruler of the empire, the Azure Gold Emperor, sat behind his desk, diligently reading a confidential report.

Scepter, seated opposite, sipped on a fragrant floral tea, his expression distant, as if lost in thought.

After a long while, the Azure Gold Emperor put down the report, a hint of derision flashing across his stern face.

"Evans Kessler was quite decisive, surrendering to the rebels without a fight, even at the cost of almost all the royal family members. He certainly fulfilled his role as the royal guard."

His tone was filled with thick sarcasm.

Scepter spoke calmly, "I think he made the right decision."

"If Evans had really lost his mind and gone to fight Su Nan to the death, he would have met his end, and the Celestial Stars Royal Family would have been completely eradicated."

"Now, at least, he has preserved some of the Kessler family's lineage, which is the best possible outcome."

The Azure Gold Emperor's brows furrowed, his expression grave. "Is Su Nan really that powerful?"

"Very powerful!"

Scepter replied without hesitation, adding for emphasis, "I am not his match."

The Azure Gold Emperor fell silent.

He had known the wizard in front of him since his earliest memories and was well aware of his mysterious and formidable nature.

Yet, this wizard, whom he considered incredibly powerful, admitted to being inferior to Su Nan. This realization instantly elevated his wariness of Su Nan to a new level.

After a long silence, the Azure Gold Emperor suddenly said, "Is there any way to deal with Su Nan?"

Scepter calmly sipped his floral tea, seemingly unfazed by the Emperor's words.

Setting down his cup, he replied slowly, "I advise you not to do anything foolish."

The Azure Gold Emperor frowned. "If you're worried about handling Su Nan alone, invite more help, like other wizards from the Cabin in the Forest."

"Su Nan is also a member of the Cabin in the Forest."

"So what? If the reward is high enough, they won't hesitate to act. Wizards are practical people who prioritize their interests, aren't they?"

"True," Scepter agreed, unperturbed by the hidden sarcasm in the Emperor's words.

But then he spread his hands. "The problem is, no matter how great the reward, nothing is more valuable than one's life."

"To be honest, I still can't gauge the full extent of Su Nan's power."

"He has access to an astonishing amount of resources. No one knows how much he has accumulated and trained over the years, or what cards he has up his sleeve."

"To be frank, the power Su Nan has already shown openly is enough to make anyone think twice about going against him."

"I advise you to give up on unrealistic thoughts. The other members of the Cabin in the Forest aren't fools. No matter how much you offer, they won't agree to help you against Su Nan."

"On the contrary, I think they might be tempted by the rewards Su Nan offers and turn against you instead."

As Scepter spoke, the Azure Gold Emperor's frown deepened.

"Are we just going to sit back and watch the Flash Domain rise?"

Anyone familiar with Koy's family history would be amazed by the miracle.

In just six years, Koy went from an exiled noble's son and a border city lord to rapidly grow and develop, rising from the Flash Baron to the Flash Marquis, and now to the Grand Duke of a nation!

The speed of his rise and the expansion of his territory were nothing short of miraculous!

And all of this was because of Su Nan's support!

If allowed to continue, the new Flash Domain might one day surpass the Azure Gold Empire and become the new hegemon of the southeastern domain.

When that happens, the Azure Gold Empire will be in grave danger.

As the ruler of the Azure Gold Empire, he could not tolerate such a scenario!

For years, the Azure Gold Empire had dominated the southeastern domain and clashed with neighboring countries, including the Flash Domain.

In fact, if not for the recent conquest of a country and the need to rest and recover, they would have taken advantage of the internal strife in the Flash Domain.

No one could have predicted this outcome.

If he had known, he would have intervened in the Flash Domain's internal conflict without hesitation.

"Look at the bigger picture," Scepter said calmly.

"The Flash Domain has just ended a major war. It will take them at least a decade to recover."

"Even with Su Nan's support, it will take the Flash Domain several decades to a century to grow strong enough to replace the Empire."

"By then, you'll be nothing but a pile of bones. Why worry so much?"

The Azure Gold Emperor's face darkened.

What kind of talk was this?

As the ruler of a nation, if he didn't consider the long-term future of the Empire and only focused on immediate concerns, what right did he have to sit on the throne?

"You are a member of the Empire and the royal family. Are you unwilling to contribute to the Empire?"

Scepter was unmoved. "I fulfilled my responsibilities as a royal family member fifty years ago. Since then, my relationship with the Empire has been one of cooperation. You provide me with resources, and I solve your problems. It's that simple. Don't try to pin any more responsibilities on me."

Seeing the Azure Gold Emperor about to speak, Scepter waved a hand to cut him off.

"Enough. I've said my piece. What you do is your business. If you cause any trouble, don't expect me to clean up after you."

With his last word, Scepter vanished.

The Azure Gold Emperor sat alone behind his desk, his expression shifting.

In Flash City, at the base, a group of apprentices were selecting tasks from the bulletin board when a voice suddenly called out from a distance.

"We won! Our Flash Domain army has entered the City of the Celestial Stars!"

A twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy ran over, breathless and waving a battle report, his face flushed with excitement.

The news spread like wildfire, and the crowd immediately swarmed around.

"Is this for real? Weren’t the forces still massed at the border of Red Leaf Province just a few days ago?"

"I guess your information is a bit outdated. It seems the Starlight Royal Family surrendered voluntarily."

"That makes sense. No wonder it ended so quickly."

"Ha! Now the Marquis will be the new Grand Duke of Starlight!"

"Seniors are here!"

The crowd parted, and Xie Man, Cole, and Arth arrived on the scene.

"Could you hear all the commotion from a distance? Did the front line send a new battle report?" Arth asked with a smile.

One of the apprentices eagerly handed over the report.

Xie Man, Cole, and Arth took it and their faces lit up with joy.

"Of course, with Master around, the Flash Domain is bound to win!"

Cole's smile was one of certainty, but then a hint of melancholy crept in. He had been looking forward to joining the war once he advanced to the second level of wizard apprentice, but it ended much sooner than he expected.

Having such an incredibly powerful teacher sometimes made him feel a bit helpless.

"The war is over, so Master should be back soon."

Arth said with a smile. As she spoke, Amy appeared on her shoulder.

"Meow, is Su Nan coming back? That's great!"

Amy said excitedly. She had stayed behind in the underground world while Su Nan and Yinlong went to the front lines. Exploring the underground world was fun, but she couldn't help but miss Su Nan and Yinlong after a while.

"I've found a lot of treasures recently, meow. I'll give them to Su Nan when he gets back."

"Master will definitely love the gifts from Lady Amy." Arth patted Amy's head, and the little cat closed her eyes in delight.

"Lady Amy, has the sphinx in Dark Lake City shown any unusual behavior recently?" Cole suddenly asked.

Su Nan had set a rule that no apprentice could enter Dark Lake City without his permission. Among the apprentices present, only Xie Man, Cole, and Arth had ever been allowed to enter the city to handle various tasks.

They were the only ones who had met Carolina.

Thinking back to their first glimpse of the underground world, Xie Man still felt a sense of awe. It was the first time he had seen such a strange and magnificent place. Before that, he never imagined such a vast world existed beneath the surface.

"No, meow." Amy tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "Carolina has been pretty calm lately. She even helps me drive away some of the monsters guarding the treasures sometimes."

Xie Man smiled and said, "Carolina is bound by Master's soul contract, so there's no need to worry about her doing anything irrational."

"We can't be too sure," Cole grunted. "Sphinxes are evil and cunning creatures. With Master not in Dark Lake City, she might try something sneaky."

Arth patted Amy's head and said, "Don't worry, Lady Amy will keep an eye on things."

Amy puffed out her chest and patted it with her paw, declaring proudly, "That's right, meow. With me around, you don't need to worry. I'll keep an eye on Carolina!"

"Lady Amy is so amazing!" Arth praised.

Xie Man and Cole, watching this, couldn't help but twitch their lips. It seemed Lady Amy was completely under Arth's influence.

"Alright, everyone, back to your tasks."

Arth turned to the apprentices and said, "Master has been gone for a long time. When he returns, he might test our progress. Make sure to work hard and avoid any mistakes that might get us scolded."

"Yes, Senior."

The apprentices dispersed as instructed.

"You really know how to handle things. You're becoming quite the respected senior," Xie Man said with a smile.

Arth rolled her eyes and whispered, "That's because you and Cole are always focused on studying and training. I don't have your talent or your drive, so I have more time to interact with the younger apprentices, which is why they listen to me."

"Alright, you two, you were about to take on a mission, right? Go on."

Seeing that Arth didn't want to dwell on the topic, Xie Man and Cole wisely kept quiet and headed toward the bulletin board.

Not far away, Miss Grier lounged in her chair, watching the scene with a thoughtful smile.

"Humans are truly fascinating."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end