Age of Adepts c1-1513

by Zhen De Lao Lang, 真的老狼

  One had to admit that the Archivists were a harmless group of individuals. They were a neutral organization that remained uninvolved in all adept affairs, after all. However, just because a gnat was harmless didn’t mean that it was fine to let them buzz around. That was why Greem suggested that Mary expel the Archivist from the tower.

  After all, killing an Archivist was likely to anger the Diviners’ Tower.

  No adept or organization could survive if they made an enemy out of this mysterious organization that possessed all the World of Adepts’ secrets in the past tens of thousands of years.

  That was why high-grade adepts didn’t dare kill these Archivists without proper reason, as much as they hated their privacy-breaching actions.

  After all, what stood behind them was the Omnisicent Eye, which represented the ability to witness everything in the World of Adepts!

  According to certain adepts that knew more about the Diviners’ Tower, the Omniscient Eye was likely a projected manifestation of the Fate powers of the World of Adepts. One could understand and uncover all the secrets flowing in the World of Adepts’ shadows with the Omniscient Eye.

  The adepts were a very large group of individuals. Naturally, there would always be some of them who did not like the fighting nor the scramble for power. Rather, they preferred to conduct research and seek the truth of the world in silence.

  These people gathered around the Omniscient Eye with the motto of never being involved, never intervening, and never explaining. They worked constantly, relying on the Omniscient Eye to peer into the World of Adepts’ higher principle powers.

  Due to their prolonged contact with the Omniscient Eye, they had unknowingly conducted an exchange of power with the Fate powers. The Omniscient Eye allowed them to approach it and track the flow of the Fate powers. However, they were also forbidden from revealing their research and knowledge. All of that information could only be stored within the looming Diviner’s Tower.

  That was why, in all honesty, the Archivists were no more than servants bound to the Omniscient Eye’s side. However, they firmly believed that they were the ones who had grasped the Fate powers!

  Though all other adepts perceived the Archivists as madmen, their prolonged contact with the Fate laws had given them powerful and unusual magical abilities.

  The means by which they hid themselves were utterly different from adepts of conventional elementium attributes. The power they possessed could even be considered an independent branch of power that existed entirely outside the traditional adept’s system!

  The negotiations in the room continued.

  Apart from Mary, who appeared somewhat distracted, the other adepts were very focused. They were treating the matter with solemn seriousness.

  The group was clearly split into two factions: Zhentarim and the Silver Union.

  The Fourth Grade adepts of the Central Lands might seem like a pack of unorganized wolves. However, the moment any of the three major organizations revealed their ambitions to conquer Zhentarim, they instantly turned their spears outwards and formed a united line.

  The conflict within Zhentarim was a civil war at best. In the end, no matter how savage the fighting, the meat would remain in their pot instead of ending up in the jaw of an outsider. If the three major organizations were allowed to extend their dirty hands into Zhentarim, it would be much more difficult to drive them out!

  That was why the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned heated the moment everyone sat down.

  As expected, Tartas and Monari came here with a secret agreement signed by Freed. The agreement consented to the Silver Union establishing an outpost in his personal territory and founding a major public city here.

  Naturally, this public city would have to be open to all organizations and clans.

  Everyone knew very well that the Silver Union would most likely be the ones directing what happened within this public city.

  That would have been crossing the line!

  Zhentarim might have allowed Silver Union members to conduct commercial activity here in the past, including the establishment of minor outposts and small amounts of land. However, the construction of an actual adept tower was strictly forbidden!

  As long as the Silver Union had no adept tower within Zhentarim, they would never be able to truly plant roots in the Central Lands, nor have any hopes of growing their influence.

  While many cities in the Central Lands would sometimes hire Silver Union members as management, the authority over the adept towers always remained firmly grasped in the hands of Central adepts.

  The most common examples of this situation were the flying ships that traveled all across the Central Lands. Those ships were all managed by the Silver Union. However, the Silver Union ships only had the right to transport goods and personnel. They did not possess even a single base of operations where the ships were allowed to remain for extended periods.

  It was the iron law of Zhentarim and its final bottom line!

  However, this secret agreement signed by Freed had clearly broken this rule. Not only had he allowed the Silver Union to construct a so-called ‘public city’ in his territory, but he had also handed over the most crucial component to the Silver Union– control over the adept tower of the city.

  It was no wonder that Kerala, Alfred, and Declan’s faces all turned purple after reading the terms of the agreement. They had already cursed Freed ten times over in their hearts, hurling every insult they knew of at him and every member in his family tree.

  Only Greem remained unfazed after reading the agreement. Instead, a cheeky smile appeared on his face.

  “If Freed was the one that signed this agreement with you, you should be looking for Freed to honor what he has agreed to. Why have you come to me instead?”

  The agreement was undoubtedly not the complete picture.

  The actual contents of the agreement between Freed and the Silver Union most likely included a deal for the Silver Union to send forces to help him resist the invasion of the Crimson Clan. Meanwhile, he would betray Zhentarim’s benefit and transfer part of the authority over his territory to the Silver Union.

  Such terms clearly could not be written in paper, which was why it took the form of a cooperative city development plan instead. Moreover, judging by the terms of the agreement, Freed had even sold Kerslin Castle over to the Silver Union.

  It seemed like these two guests had come here today with the intent of taking over Kerslin Castle with that ‘agreement’ of theirs!

  Taking over Kerslin Castle.

  Mary’s attention was immediately drawn back when she heard these sensitive terms. She started glaring at the two Silver Union members much more fiercely.

  The forcefield fluctuations in the air began to concentrate upon sensing Mary’s emotions. Crimson energy twisted together, forming tiny and imperceptible energy nodes.

  Powerful and fearsome pressure was then applied to these two Silver Union members, with the energy nodes as the center of force. Tartas and Monari felt a chill run through their bodies as their Spirits tremble. They could sense the very hostility of their environment toward them.

  Their expressions changed, and they silently started to prepare for the eventuality of battle!

  Tartas kept up the smile on his face, but a faint silver radiance was glowing on his skin beneath his robes, varying in brightness along with his breathing. Meanwhile, the eyes of a tall and majestic metal golem in the crystal ship one and a half kilometers away glowed red, the complicated runes all over its body slowly lighting up.

  The castle’s forcefields could not wholly sever the mental connection between Tartas and his magical golem. When necessary, Tartas could teleport the magical golem armor to his side with just three seconds to confirm the spatial coordinates.

  Meanwhile, the eagle-headed Monari also had a few intricate silver statues in his palm. If it came down to a fight, he would only need to throw out these miniature puppets, and they would instantly transform into fer
ocious combat puppets.

  That was why the two Silver Union members remained calm and confident even though they were still within Mary’s home field.

  However, this confidence vanished like mist the moment Mary’s crimson eyes glowed!

  Mary smiled sinisterly. When red mist started rising around her, the forcefields of Nightmare Castle resonated with her magical aura and merged as one. The entire space was suddenly separated from the World of Adepts, cutting off all magical connections outside the castle.

  The magical golem armor on the crystal ship dimmed, having lost the guidance of the soul aura. Tartas’ expression shifted tremendously. His eyes were filled with unconcealable horror when he looked at Mary.

  He was a golem master. His attributes were mediocre, and over eighty percent of his power rested within that magical golem armor that he had spent countless treasures and rare materials forging. If his soul connection with the magical golem armor were severed, he would be effectively crippled, making him about as strong as a beginner Fourth Grade adept.

  Moreover, he would be a beginner Fourth Grade adept that had barely any elementium spells in his arsenal nor a resilient Physique, overwhelming Strength, or incredible speed.

  In contrast, Puppet Master Monari was barely affected by the change in his environment. Still, fighting against a greatly enhanced melee adept with extraordinary Agility, spatial sense, and combat technique in such a closed environment was not an intelligent move!

  Seeing as everyone was on edge as if they were about to break out into a fight at any moment, Greem simply smiled. He reached out with his hand and patted Mary’s right hand a few times as he gently said, “I’m sure our two guests won’t be unreasonable! Why not sit down and hear what they have to say first?”

  Bloody Queen Mary was usually never someone who could be talked down with words. However, Greem had her wrapped around his finger. She glared at the two Silver Union adepts angrily and spat, “There is no more Kerslin Castle now. There is only my Nightmare Castle! Anyone who has their eyes set on it is an enemy of mine. Hmph! Don’t regret it if I pick a fight with you!”

  Having said that, Mary’s imposing aura slowly subsided, and the forcefield fluctuations weighing on everyone’s shoulders gradually faded away.

  Chapter 1333 - Absolute Power

  Chapter 1333 Absolute Power

  Negotiations were always long and challenging.

  Moreover, the result of negotiations would always end up equal to the difference in power between the two negotiating parties.

  One had to admit that Mary’s shocking display of power had indeed given the Crimson Clan greater leverage in this mediation. Even those who believed they had figured out the true depth of the Crimson Clan’s power were now confused and in despair.

  Who would’ve thought? Who would’ve expected!?

  Not only did the Crimson Clan have their clan leader, the legendary fire adept in possession of two artifacts and with power rivaling an ultra-powerhouse now. Bloody Queen Mary had now demonstrated that she held equally fearsome strength.

  The combination of Mary and the Nightmare Castle might not be equal to a true ultra-powerhouse, but as long as they remained where they had their home-field advantage, they could unleash power equivalent to an ultra-powerhouse.

  This combination could be considered an ultra-powerhouse that could only be used on the defense!

  It also meant that a mere adept clan in the Central Lands possessed two pseudo-ultra-powerhouses. Such absolute power was not just enough to crush the Central Lands’ clans, but also sufficient to make the three major organizations treat them seriously. They would have to truly ponder if they should improve their relationship with the Crimson Clan.

  A change in quality could occur when there was sufficient quantity!

  When Greem was the only pseudo-ultra-powerhouse of the Crimson Clan, he still did not possess enough influence. The three major organizations had plenty of means to keep him in check using their vast reserves of power and resources.

  However, when the Crimson Clan gained another pseudo-ultra-powerhouse, the three major organizations’ numerical advantage became far less obvious. It was no longer practical for them to hope to intimidate the entirety of the Central Lands by sending over an ultra-powerhouse, as they had done in the past.

  Curse Adept Cerveris’ defeat last time could be interpreted as an outlier. However, with Mary’s rise to power, those who once looked down upon the Central Lands would have to properly reconsider the consequences of recklessly throwing their weight around now.

  Cerveris had not shown himself once since he returned to the Adept’s Association and hid in his room. It was said that the injuries he sustained were severe. There was no way he could remove the foreign laws that had seeped into his body without several years of treatment.

  In contrast, Greem had recovered enough to come out of hiding after just a month.

  In this regard alone, Greem was superior to Cerveris. He was a genuine powerhouse that no one could underestimate.

  There were no more than ten ultra-powerhouses throughout the entirety of the World of Adepts. All of them were split between the three major organizations. In the past, Gaia Clan Leader Mornashen Gaia was the only one who had been able to reach this level in the Central Lands.

  Greem and Mary’s sudden appearance would now undoubtedly affect the balance of power in the World of Adepts significantly!

  To put it frankly, even if Greem and Mary were utterly penniless now, their status and power as pseudo-ultra-powerhouses would allow them to do almost anything they wanted. The three major organizations could not stop them if they wanted to plant their roots in the Central Lands’ power vacuum and develop.

  In the World of Adepts, power was authority, and absolute power was absolute authority!

  Even a gigantic organization like the Adept’s Association would not be able to suppress two united ultra-powerhouses.

  That was why Tartas and Monari were not the only subdued ones when Mary displayed her ‘true power.’ Kerala, Alfred, and Declan had also been impressed.

  Ultra-powerhouses were ultra-powerhouses. Even a pseudo-ultra-powerhouse had the overwhelming power to crush a Fourth Grade adept in combat!

  Tartas and Monari, who had come here in ‘sincerity,’ immediately got up and bid farewell to their hosts.

  Their outdated information had not only made their trip completely pointless but had also given them quite a scare. They obtained none of the things promised to them in their agreement with Freed. The only thing they could do was bring back terrible news to the senate heads and senate members; it was awful news that no one would like to hear.

  As for whether they would be allies or enemies with the Crimson Clan in the future? That was not a matter that could be decided by two ‘humble’ senate members like themselves.

  After sending off the two Silver Union senate members, it was once again a closed-door meeting between the allied forces of the Crimson Clan. The three Fourth Grade adepts were now much more humble and gentle in their attitude toward Mary and Greem.

  In the past, Mornashen Gaia’s presence meant that Greem would have always been kept in check, no matter how powerful he was. He would require the aid of these three guests of his if he wanted to unify the Central Lands.

  That was why Kerala, Alfred, and Declan had yet to put down their pride as Fourth Grade adepts. They always carried themselves and referred to themselves as ‘allies’ of the Crimson Clan.

  However, with Mary’s sudden growth in power now, a single Mornashen Gaia could no longer keep them both in check. The balance of power in the Central Lands was leaning far too heavily in their favor. The rise of the Crimson Clan was now unstoppable!

  Under such circumstances, the three Fourth Grade adepts were no longer as important as they previously believed themselves to be. If they did not lower themselves slightly, there might no longer be a place for them in the Central Lands of the future.

  They might feel
hints of sorrow and despair in their hearts, resentful that they had been born in the same era as this prodigious couple. However, more than anything, they were probably rejoicing that they had not made enemies out of the Crimson Clan for their own reasons.

  Compared to them, Mirva, Nicolas, Matthew, and the others were probably wallowing in regret now! They could only imagine the despair they would feel when news of Mary’s strength reached their ears.

  The three Fourth Grade adepts could easily imagine their reactions without seeing it for themselves.

  The clans that the opposing adepts belonged to were also ancient clans that had existed in the Central Lands for thousands of years. They all had various connections and relationships formed over these years, whether on the surface or in the shadows. However, these adepts and their clans might soon be exiled from Zhentarim because of their incorrect judgment. They would be forced to fight for scraps in foreign territories.

  Just the thought of this cold reality sent chills down the spine of Kerala and the other two. They were all spooked at the very possibility that they might have been the one to suffer that fate.

  Freed had been dealt with, and the Entom Clan exterminated. It was more than enough for an opening move. Once the rebels heard the news of what had happened here, there was no way they would gather together for a last stand.

  At their level, everyone viewed their lives as the most important thing above all else, even above their clans.

  To ask these Fourth Grade adepts to sacrifice themselves for their clan was an impossible task!

  Kerala was almost entirely sure the rebels would panic and fall into helpless despair the moment they heard the Crimson Clan had two ultra-powerhouses.

  Either flee or surrender.

  There would not be a third option for them!

  Gather together to form a resistance?

  The fate of the Entom Clan was the bloodiest reality to answer those hopes of theirs.

  They might wish to protect the former glory and freedom of their clan. However, if the pursuit of these things meant putting their lives in danger, they would rather suppress their desires and move on.