Free Web NovelChapter 188: Chapter 122: War Fortress, Demigod-Level Battle (2)
Compared to those High-tier Wizards, he was still very weak. He had a long way to go on the path of a Wizard.
After composing himself, Pei Ze asked, "From what I know, don’t all War Fortresses have Divine Body Golems?"
Colin shook his head. "Divine Body Golems are extremely difficult to create and exceptionally rare. They aren’t that common."
"Of the eight major War Fortresses in the Turin Plane, only Bishui City and Bai Bing City each have a Divine Body Golem. Otherwise, the higher-ups in Red Maple City wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to research and create Tree Spirit Puppets."
Pei Ze finally understood.
Just then, a series of sharp cries echoed from the sky.
The group looked up to see more than ten majestic, eagle-like creatures flying over from the distance. They passed two or three hundred meters above their heads like shooting stars.
Pei Ze immediately recognized them as Giant Eagles, a type of large Magic Beast. They were War Beasts mass-produced by Wizards using Black Giant Eagles.
Giant Eagles possessed exceptional eyesight. They could fly at altitudes of over ten thousand meters and still clearly see a person moving on the ground, so they were often used as Scouts on the battlefield.
However, these Giant Eagles were not in good shape. They had obvious wounds and bloodstains on their bodies.
The riders on their backs were also covered in injuries.
"They’re the patrolling Giant Eagle Knights," Colin said. "A full squadron of Giant Eagle Knights has no fewer than thirty members. Judging by their condition, they must have been attacked by the Turin People."
Pei Ze’s expression flickered. He asked, "What’s the war situation like now?"
Colin withdrew his gaze and shrugged. "What else? It’s a stalemate."
"Red Maple City’s opponents are the hundreds of nobles in the northern Winter Frost Sect Country, after all. During the initial invasion, they managed to achieve significant results by catching the Turin People off guard. However, as the Turin People reacted and began to form a coalition army, the war gradually devolved into a stalemate."
"Right now, both sides are hunkered down, preparing for the major battle to come. There are no signs of it starting for the time being."
"But countless small-scale battles break out every day as both sides do their best to seize resource points and expand their strategic visibility."
’A stalemate...’
A glint flashed in Pei Ze’s eyes.
’It’s cold, but for Free Mages like us, this might be the best-case scenario.’
As they talked, the group arrived at the mountainside.
A plaza had been built here as well, though it was smaller than the one on the summit.
More than ten black stone steles stood in the middle of the plaza, arranged in a circle with five meters between each one. An arcane and complex array was engraved on the ground in the center.
"The exchange is a bit far from here. We’ll have to use the Teleportation Array to get there," Colin said.
The teleportation fee was one Magic Stone Coin per person. After paying the fee, the group stepped into the Teleportation Array.
The next moment, his vision suddenly blurred. When he came to his senses, Pei Ze found that he had been transported from the mountainside to a bustling area.
A hundred meters away, a castle-like building constructed entirely of heavy granite with a massive, arched dome came into view.
"That’s Red Maple City’s exchange, and it’s also the main hub of activity."
Colin led Pei Ze and the other two toward the building, explaining as they walked.
"The merit points you earn in Red Maple City can be brought here to exchange for resources, including daily food and water, materials, Magic Items, Scrolls, potions, and puppets."
"Oh, right. The mission hall where you accept quests is not far from here. You’ll see it if you turn right after you leave."
Passing through the building’s main gate, Pei Ze discovered it was even more spacious inside than it appeared from the outside.
The massive, towering dome was so vast you could barely see its edges. Looking up, he could only see a deep, dark void.
The spacious hall was teeming with people, a mix of humans and other races. Wizards in white robes and formidable Legendary Knights could be seen everywhere.
On the walls surrounding the hall, shimmering, iridescent text displayed the names and exchange prices of various resources.
Pei Ze’s gaze swept across them, and sure enough, he found Resonance Potions listed.
Just then, a burst of laughter reached his ears.
A man with short, grayish-white hair walked over, laughing, and gave Colin a warm hug.
"Colin, you rascal! You’ve been back in Chenxi City for over half a month, right? You’re finally back! Without your Stone Golems, we haven’t dared to attack the Turin People’s fortifications. Our hauls have been much smaller."
Colin and the newcomer were clearly very close friends. After they exchanged pleasantries for a moment, Colin introduced him to Pei Ze.
"This is Jiang Rui, a friend of mine."
Then Colin introduced Pei Ze to Jiang Rui. "This is Pei Ze. We met on the road and decided to travel here together."
"Pei Ze?" Jiang Rui was slightly taken aback. "The prodigy from High Tower Academy?"
"That’s him," Colin said with a chuckle.
Jiang Rui’s eyes instantly lit up, his face breaking into an incredibly enthusiastic smile. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed to Pei Ze.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Pei Ze."
Pei Ze returned the gesture with a smile. "Just Pei Ze is fine."
Jiang Rui readily agreed with a laugh. "When I heard you’d advanced to a Wizard, Pei Ze, I wondered if you’d come to the Turin Plane. I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Looks like my luck is good."
"Colin, two other Wizards, and I have formed a small team. We usually run missions together. Would you consider joining us?"
Hearing this, Colin also looked at Pei Ze, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
The real reason he had offered to be Pei Ze’s temporary guide was to try and recruit him for their team.
Although Pei Ze had only recently become a Wizard, rumor had it he had advanced using a top-tier Advanced Meditation Technique.
Even freshly advanced, a Wizard like that was no weaker than some veteran Wizards, and their potential was even greater.
More importantly, Pei Ze was also a Tier Two Alchemist who could concoct Resonance Potions.
If they could convince Pei Ze to join, it would be a huge benefit to their team.
Pei Ze feigned consideration for a moment, then said, "Allow me to think it over. I’ve only just arrived and there’s still a lot I don’t know. I’m not in a rush to decide."
Jiang Rui and Colin were visibly disappointed but still smiled and agreed.
"That’s true."
"If you do decide to join a team, be sure to consider us first."
"I will," Pei Ze said with a smiling nod.
As for what he was really thinking, no one knew.
The three of them then moved on to other topics.
Su Ya and Peng Yan stood quietly to the side, not saying a word.
They weren’t qualified to interject in a conversation between Wizards.
Both Colin and Jiang Rui ignored them as well.
When the conversation turned to what had happened in Red Maple City while Colin was away, Jiang Rui’s expression turned to one of awe.
"You guys haven’t heard, have you? Just half a month ago, Councillor Ji Zhang killed a Demigod from the Winter Frost Sect in the Sunset Grand Canyon!"
A Demigod!
As soon as he said it, both Pei Ze and Colin’s expressions turned grim.
In the power structure of a Divine Plane, a Demigod could be considered one of the most powerful beings, second only to a Divine Spirit.
Even the weakest Demigod possessed power comparable to a Sixth-level Wizard.
A powerful one could even contend with a Seventh-level Wizard head-on.
"A battle between a Councillor and a Demigod... What a pity! If only I could have been there to see it!" Colin said, his face full of regret.
Jiang Rui laughed heartily. "And what could you have done if you were there?"
"A battle of that magnitude? Forget watching it, Level 1 Wizards like us wouldn’t even dare to get close."
"After that battle, the entire Sunset Grand Canyon was razed to the ground. And that was with the two of them moving their fight into an Alternate Space. Otherwise, the entire Winter Frost Sect Country, along with Red Maple City, would have been annihilated."
"...That’s true," Colin said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Pei Ze nodded in deep agreement.
’The aftershocks from a battle at the Demigod level could wipe out hundreds of Level 1 Wizards.’
’Watch?’
’I’d need to be at least a Level 4 Wizard to even think about it!’
Just as he was marveling at this, Pei Ze suddenly felt several gazes on him. He looked around and noticed that many Wizards nearby were looking in their direction—or rather, their gazes were focused primarily on him.
The vast majority of them were filled with undisguised malice.
Noticing Pei Ze’s gaze, Colin glanced around, a look of understanding appearing on his face. He lowered his voice and said, "It’s the guys from Red Lotus City."
