Chapter 413: Teleportation and Mutation
Chapter 413: Teleportation and Mutation
"Jennifer, why don't you stay in the capital? Leave Minter to others to manage."
The beautiful woman smiled slightly and said, "Dear, I know you're concerned about my safety. However, although the situation in Minter is unstable, business is better than ever."
"Besides, I won't leave the city, and you've arranged for the Ice Claw Bear Mercenary Corps to protect me. My safety should be fine in the short term."
"Moreover, if I stay in the capital, what could I do here?"
After some thought, Ren nodded.
Indeed.
What could Jennifer do in the capital?
His business empire hadn't yet expanded to the capital. Perhaps, after this secret realm mission, he could collaborate with Luther, Halowen, and others.
If necessary, he could also contact the Stuart family where Alyosha is.
After Jennifer returned to her room to rest, Ren thought for a moment and picked up the wooden box again.
Ren opened the box and grabbed all twelve soul energy crystals.
[Ding! Detected soul energy crystals that can increase the degree of mental crystallization. Would you like to accelerate absorption? (Note: System absorption can remove impurities and complete the process in one go.)]
"Yes!"
In an instant, Ren felt the number of small crystals in the silver liquid in his mental sea rapidly increase.
The liquid began to feel more like a crystallized honey.
However, this process lasted only a couple of seconds before ending.
Ren felt a bit unsatisfied.
Although the number of small crystals had visibly increased, the increase was far less than what he had experienced after taking the ancient dragon soul elixir.
Ren checked his system attribute panel:
Mana: 132 (Crystallized 17%)
"After taking the dragon soul elixir, the crystallization progress was 13%, and now, after using twelve soul energy crystals, it only increased by 4%?" Ren muttered to himself, frowning at the change in numbers.
"Three soul energy crystals only increased it by 1%."
"This is still the early stage of crystallization. If it's the middle or late stage..." Ren's frown deepened.
No wonder so many talented wizards get stuck at the crystallization stage.
If he didn't have the system or various rare elixirs, it would take at least several decades, or even a century, to push his crystallization progress to over 90%.
Meanwhile.
In the capital, Tamriel.
In a luxurious mansion in the third ring, in the living room.
The three members of the Dragon Scale Brotherhood who participated in the Dragon Knight preliminary test with Ren were sitting on one side of a long table, discussing something with the person opposite them.
If Ren were here, he would recognize the person opposite them as an old acquaintance—Buchanan.
"How was it? Did you observe the preliminary test? Are you confident?" Buchanan smiled.
"Uh, Lord Buchanan, to be honest, if I were to face Ren alone, I wouldn't even dare to confront him." Reagan spoke up first.
"I feel the same, Lord Buchanan. His strength is even greater than what your intelligence indicated last time!" Bronson added, his face serious.
Upon hearing their responses, Buchanan didn't show any disappointment or frustration. Instead, he looked at Barnes, who was sitting between the two.
"What about you, Lord Barnes?" Buchanan asked.
"It's hard to say, a fifty-fifty chance. He didn't show much during the preliminary test. Unless..." Barnes paused for a moment.
"Unless what?" Buchanan pressed.
"Unless... if the three of us can be together, our chances of success should be over 90%." Barnes thought for a moment and replied.
Barnes had a basis for his statement.
The three of them, with similar temperaments and ages, and all part of the Dragon Scale Brotherhood, often practiced combat coordination.
While Reagan and Bronson were slightly weaker, their coordinated teamwork formed a formidable force, capable of rivaling two of him.
Hearing this, Buchanan immediately smiled. "Lord Barnes, I'm here to solve that problem."
"As you know, after teleporting into the secret realm, everyone's position is random. However, His Highness had a solution prepared. Here are three specially made locator crystals."
Buchanan said this as he placed a brown wooden box on the table and opened it to show them.
"These locator crystals have been specially treated to work even in the secret realm's environment."
"With these, you can quickly regroup after entering the secret realm. I believe, with the three of you working together, dealing with Ren shouldn't be a problem, right?" Buchanan smiled.
Seeing the glowing rhombic locator crystals in the wooden box, the three exchanged glances. Reagan and Bronson, in particular, immediately smiled and responded:
"Thank you, Lord Buchanan, please convey our gratitude to His Highness."
"Please rest assured, His Highness and Lord Buchanan. With this, we will complete the task."
Even the usually reserved Barnes smiled and nodded. "Lord Buchanan, wait for our good news."
"Excellent. This is the blood essence extractor," Buchanan pointed to another square box he had brought, smiling.
"Rest well, gentlemen. If you need anything, feel free to contact me."
In the inner ring of the capital, a similar scene played out at the Dram family mansion.
In the luxurious banquet hall.
The long dining table was laden with an abundance of exquisite dishes, but the steady stream of maids continued to bring out more delicacies.
At the table, only two people were eating: Lambert, the top disciple of the Tide Sword Saint, and Duke Dram, who sat at the head of the table with a smile on his face.
Half an hour later.
"Master Lambert, after observing the preliminary test, do you have confidence?" Duke Dram asked after the other had finished eating and drinking.
"An excellent opponent. Battling him should help me reach my teacher's level."
"Lambert, a robust man, wiped his mouth with a white napkin and said.
"In that case, I'm relieved." Duke Dram smiled.
He naturally understood Lambert's implied meaning.
The next morning.
Early in the morning, the capable young woman Olenna accompanied the female Major Tatiya and arrived at Lord Renn's mansion.
In the study.
"Good morning, Lord Renn," Olenna said with a smile.
She had already heard that Lord Renn before her had passed the Dragon Knight Cadet Selection preliminary exam.
"Lord Renn, congratulations on passing the preliminary round of the Dragon Knight Cadet Selection," Major Tatiya said, offering her congratulations as the first words she spoke to Renn.
"Thank you, Major Tatiya and Olenna, please take a seat," Renn smiled.
After some small talk, Tatiya sat up straight, her well-tailored major's uniform accentuating her feminine curves, and said, "Lord Renn, the purpose of my visit is to deliver a special communication device for use within the Mystic Realm."
As she spoke, Tatiya opened a dark wooden box she carried with her, took out a crystal emitting a faint Arcane Pulse, and handed it to Renn.
Renn's eyebrows rose, and he immediately took it, examining it carefully.
The crystal device was the size of a mobile phone from his previous life, made entirely of a transparent material with intricate patterns engraved on both sides, resembling a circuit board at first glance.
"The usage of this communication device is simple. While in the Mystic Realm, you can communicate by infusing a strand of Mana."
After a moment's thought, Renn asked, "Communicate?"
"Is it communication between the task participants or with the command center?"
Tatiya apologized, "My apologies, Lord Renn, I wasn't clear earlier. The communication function of the device is limited to two-way communication between you and the command center. Direct contact between task members is not possible."
"This special communication device still has a one-way communication function even in extreme situations. In other words, even in the midst of spatial turbulence, the command center on the Astrologist's Platform can send one-way messages to you."
Communication limited to the command center?
Logically, if a group has a common task goal, mutual communication seems more reasonable.
Is this to avoid some risk?
Although Renn was puzzled, he didn't ask further, but nodded and said, "I understand."
"Secondly, this device has another function, which is positioning. All task members within the Mystic Realm can check whether the 'Rift' closer has arrived at the designated location and is activated."
"Can we position each other?" Renn asked again.
"No," Tatiya shook her head.
"The locations of all members will only be displayed in the command hall of the Astrologist's Platform."
"This is also to ensure that unexpected situations are avoided. For example, if there's a spy among the task members..." Tatiya added, but stopped there.
"Understood," Renn nodded.
Indeed, there was a reason for this arrangement.
Indeed, this arrangement was rather clever.
The positions of all task members would only be displayed in the command hall of the Astrologist's Platform, preventing the situation where individual members might be infiltrated by the Cult or other organizations and intentionally cause disruptions.
At the same time, centralized coordination from the command hall would allow for reasonable deployment of personnel, avoiding conflicts between different department squads.
"Then what's my main task this time?" Renn asked, looking at Tatiya.
"Currently, you don't have any assigned tasks and are merely a reserve member for this operation," Tatiya smiled.
Hmm?
Tatiya's words left Renn puzzled.
No assigned tasks?
That's fine.
"However, as a Candidate participating in the second round of trials, you'll have a task to complete during the assessment in the Mystic Realm."
"Mmm," Renn nodded.
"By the way, Lord Renn, there's something else you should be cautious about," Tatiya said, her expression turning solemn as if she had thought of something.
"Some of the creatures within the Mystic Realm may have undergone mutations due to the invasion of the Void Beasts, so the information you saw last time is only for reference."
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"Okay, I understand," Renn immediately recalled the memory crystal about the Mystic Realm given to him by General Augustus.
Within the crystal was an introduction to the Dragon Valley Secret Realm.
As the name suggests, Dragon Valley is a vast, bowl-shaped valley surrounded by a ring of towering mountains.
Beyond the mountainous region lies various spatial turbulence.
The true Dragon Valley is the area enclosed by these mountains, featuring diverse terrain and vegetation, including swamps, meadows, forests, and various aggressive species with different habits.
Many of these aggressive species are unique to the Mystic Realm, possessing various abilities that even Legendary Powerhouses find challenging to deal with.
Now, these species have mutated, making them even more formidable.
"Lord Renn, Olenna, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. Remember, the special communication device is intricate and time-consuming to make, so please take good care of it."
"Understood, Major Tatiya."
Two days passed in a flash.
The day of the second round assessment.
The Astrologist's Platform in the northwest corner of the Imperial Palace, heavily guarded.
Dozens of airships filled the sky, interspersed with squads of Gryphon Knights.
On the ground, the Imperial Guards were stationed every five steps, with a sentry every ten steps.
At this moment, Renn and the other participants of the second round assessment stood on the Starry Top of the Astrologist's Platform.
"Ladies and gentlemen, next, the Imperial Grand Astrologist, Lord Dalien, will announce the assessment criteria for the second round."
An elderly man with a white goat beard nearly a meter long, wearing a gray robe and holding a wooden staff, approached the group.
Hmm?
Renn's eyebrows rose.
As the name suggests, Astrologists are proficient in Astrology and Divination, and their combat abilities are generally not strong.
If a Tier 1 Wizard specializes in astrology, they can also be called an Astrologist.
Similarly, if a Tier 1 Wizard specializes in a certain type of divination, they can also be referred to as a Diviner.
A Grand Astrologist generally refers to a Tier 3 Crystal Mage or above, as astrology also requires a powerful Mana as support.
The stronger the Mana, the higher the accuracy of the astrology.
But now it seems that Lord Dalien, the Grand Astrologist, is at least a Dawn Wizard-level Grand Astrologist, and possibly even stronger.
Because he appeared before them, yet Rayen could hardly sense his presence.
Additionally, this wasn't the first time Rayen had heard of Lord Dalien's name. Claire had mentioned him before regarding a prophecy he had made.
The gist of it was that the current turmoil in the Empire was just the beginning.
Rayen remembered this clearly.
"Later on, the Empire's Grand Astrologists will open the ancient teleportation array leading to the Dragon Valley Secret Realm."
"At that time, you will enter this most important secret realm for the Empire, and you will also see the dragons that are most renowned by the people of the Empire. Of course, they will be young dragons."
"Your task this time is to gain the approval of a young dragon. Help them solve a difficulty, and they will bestow upon you a Dragon Speech Mark."
"Difficulty?" Rayen's expression turned pensive.
Many people below also started whispering to each other.
Most people didn't quite understand what this difficulty specifically represented. Obviously, Grand Astrologist Dalien also heard the discussion below, and he stroked his beard with a smile, saying:
"Solving difficulties is actually easy to understand. For example, young dragons need to hunt for blood food. If you help them capture a prey they like, you can gain their favor."
"Generally speaking, one or two hunts will be enough to obtain a Dragon Speech Mark."
So that's how it was.
Upon hearing Dalien's explanation, everyone showed expressions of realization and relief.
From this perspective, obtaining the Dragon Speech Mark didn't seem difficult.
"Since there are only six spots in the final assessment, the more marks you have, the better."
"The person with the most marks will naturally have a higher chance of being favored by the dragons after returning. Because you have helped their offspring."
Upon hearing this, all the candidates, including Rayen, basically understood.
Obtaining a single Dragon Speech Mark wasn't difficult, but the challenge was to obtain as many marks as possible to secure a spot in the top six.
"By the way, here's a little trick. It's better to choose the offspring of a specific dragon bloodline for your task."
"For example, if you choose a Red Dragon, try to continue choosing their offspring for subsequent tasks."
"If the Dragon Speech Marks of different bloodlines are mixed, the effect will be relatively weaker compared to marks of a single bloodline." Grand Astrologist Dalien smiled slightly and said.
"Finally, you only have twenty-four hours. Once the time is up, you will be forcibly pulled back due to the teleportation mark just applied."
"This is also to ensure your safety."
"Additionally, there are Void Beasts in the secret realm, so be vigilant during your tasks."
The instructions were given along with the points to note.
The candidates walked through the heavily guarded circular corridor and descended into the depths of the earth. Soon, including Rayen, they entered a spacious underground hall.
Upon entering the hall, a roughly twenty-meter-high ancient stone archway stood tall in the center, catching their eyes.
The archway was rectangular in shape, with a deep-colored stone material for the lintel and frame, and intricate and mysterious patterns carved on its surface. Energy resembling currents occasionally flashed through the patterns.
Even from a distance of over a hundred meters, an ancient and mysterious aura washed over them.
"Is this the ancient teleportation gate to the Dragon Valley Secret Realm?" Rayen exclaimed in surprise as he gazed at the ancient stone archway.
The other candidates also showed expressions of astonishment.
At this moment, Grand Astrologist Dalien, accompanied by five elderly men, arrived in front of the stone archway.
"Hiss~ Five Dawn Wizards!"
"What a grand gesture!"
Soon, with the strong fluctuation of magical energy, the five Dawn Wizards, positioned in a pentagram formation, unleashed a powerful energy pillar from the large witch array beneath their feet towards the ancient stone gate.
In an instant, a strange light curtain door suddenly appeared within the stone archway.
The candidates could clearly see the scene on the other side.
The night sky in the Dragon Valley Secret Realm was adorned with countless twinkling stars.
"All candidates, enter in an orderly manner." A responsible Imperial Guard commander shouted.
As Rayen and the other thirty candidates entered the light gate one by one, three groups of people suddenly appeared in the hall: three people dressed in Swordmaster attire, a four-person squad in military uniforms, and three in Imperial Guard uniforms.
Moreover, each group had a person carrying a leather-like object.
"You all, enter as well."
The few people nodded.
Just as they were about to enter, a strong energy fluctuation suddenly came from afar.
This energy was as powerful as the magical energy fluctuation used to open the secret realm.
This caused everyone present to turn and look towards the southeast of the capital.
That was the direction from which the energy was coming!
"This..." One of the white-haired Dawn Wizards in the pentagram formation furrowed his brows in thought.
"Not good! They are forcibly connecting to our teleportation channel." Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock.
"Quick! Go in!"
"We must end this teleportation array immediately."
Upon hearing the elder's words, the three teams exchanged glances and immediately rushed into the secret realm.
"No, it's not enough for us to stop here. They have already connected to the secret realm. We must send someone to interrupt their teleportation immediately." Grand Astrologist Dalien's expression turned solemn as he spoke.
(End of Chapter)
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