Chapter 1021: The Birth of Cormanthor, Returning to the Main Plane

On this day, he arrived at the summit of a small hill in the forest not far west of the Elf Court. Under the gaze of numerous high-ranking Elf Mages, Xia Duo paid tribute to the sun, then inserted the Sword of Ruling into a circle of flowers.

Sunlight poured out from the Sword of Ruling like flowing water, spreading rapidly outward from the ground where the sword was inserted until it shrouded the entire hill.

And when Xia Duo pulled the Sword of Ruling from the ground, the hill where he stood rose upward at a speed visible to the naked eye, quickly transforming into the form of a tall tower.

"Everyone, this is the future new capital—Kemansuoer!" Xia Duo announced to the high-ranking Mages who had come to witness the event.

Today, four years after the divine sword trial, Coronal Osons of Jielunsita had long since passed away, and his successor had already chosen to submit to Xia Duo.

At this moment, at the top of the tower, the high-ranking Mages chanted in unison: "Laier Akalama, Coronal of Kemansuoer, the sole True King of the future Elf World, we pay tribute to you!"

After the Tower of Governance was established, the holders of the other two divine swords, Beinuo Huo Kesen and Istima Galanuode, also established the Zhanzheng Zhi Ta and the Jiyi Zhi Ta on either side of the Tower of Governance, respectively.

Inside the Tower of Governance, Xia Duo met with the full members of the Advisory Group for the first and, as it should be, the last time. Afterward, he returned to the top floor and announced he was entering a state of brief meditation.

He then returned to the Main Plane. As for the subsequent construction of the new city of Kemansuoer, let the real Laier Akalama worry about that!

……

Main Plane, Tower of Time, Plane Exploration Layer, Projection Hall.

Four years of memories, and even time itself, flooded back into his physical body all at once. Xia Duo could barely suppress a groan before collapsing to the ground.

When he woke up, he found himself lying on Niya's bed, and Niya was sitting on a chair not far away, reading a book quietly.

Perhaps it was a telepathic connection; when Xia Duo opened his eyes, Niya was also looking up at him.

As their eyes met, Xia Duo could see worry and blame in Niya's gaze. Seeing him wake up, Niya said somewhat angrily:

"Bishop Anbulier just came to check on you. He said there is a phenomenon of a large amount of time passing on you in a short period. How long did you stay in the Projection Plane!"

"Don't worry, it wasn't long, just a few more memories."

Xia Duo explained casually and got out of bed. Niya also stood up, looking him over incessantly. Being watched by Niya like this, even as an old married couple, Xia Duo felt a bit embarrassed.

However, when he placed his hand on Niya's waist, it was Niya's turn to be embarrassed. Of course, Xia Duo did not continue to be mischievous and shifted the topic at the right time:

"I have become a Senior Arcanist!"

"Really?!"

Niya was happy at first, but then she reacted, realizing that Xia Duo must have stayed in the Projection Plane for quite a long time.

But she could not bring herself to say harsh words and could only sigh slightly, "Actually, you didn't have to do this. We are in Nan Jing, and we have the Tower of Time as support; who could threaten us?"

Xia Duo nodded, agreeing with Niya's words, but regardless, having extra strength was always a good thing.

Furthermore, he was not satisfied with only being able to protect himself. If possible, he also wanted to gain benefits from this turmoil.

And the prerequisite for all of this was at least the foundation of a Senior Arcanist.

……

After soothing Niya, Xia Duo immediately sent an application for certification to the Arcane Union. If an Arcanist could only obtain the status of a Level 4 Member of the Arcane Union, then a Senior Arcanist could at least become a 5th-Level Member.

Equivalent to the rank of Councilor, aside from Great Arcanists, 5th-Level Members were already at the very top of the Arcane Union.

Of course, a 5th-Level Member of the Arcane Union did not have much use; their actual power within the Union might not even be as great as a Level 4 Member with a position, but this was a symbol of status and a symbol of influence.

Even an Archmage could not directly become a 5th-Level Member of the Arcane Union. Only a Senior Arcanist, the existence closest to subverting the Netheril Magic System, could be so special.

And at the level of a 5th-Level Member, the certification did not require personally going to the Arcane Union Headquarters; one could choose to have the Union send people to the location of the prospective 5th-Level Member to carry out the certification procedure.

Under normal circumstances, for the certification of a 5th-Level Member, at least two Archmages would be dispatched, and they both had to be 5th-Level Members.

As for a Senior Arcanist with a special status like himself, and in this sensitive period, Xia Duo speculated that the Arcane Union would very likely send a Councilor to handle it personally.

And among the candidates for the Councilor to be sent, Archmage Bulundesi, with whom he had had dealings, was the most likely.

Archmage Olong was of course also possible, but that would have been before the Princess's Ascension to Godhood. Now that the Princess had succeeded in her Ascension but had lost contact, and there was suspected power struggle within Giles Tower, it would be even more sensitive for Olong to come at this time.

However, if Xia Duo successfully obtained certification, it would certainly give tremendous Gumu to the forces of the Princess's faction, such as Olong and Greta, who were far away in Seventon.

A Senior Arcanist, even without showing their face, possessed powerful influence by their very existence.

Of course, to successfully obtain certification, Xia Duo still had one final step: to complete an Ascension Trial on the Main Plane once more.

……

As a visitor to the Main Plane, from the moment Xia Duo entered the Projection Plane, the level at which he could contact the Magic Net was restricted.

At most, he could only reach the Seventh Layer of the Magic Net.

Even if the projected character was originally a low-ranking Mage, once Xia Duo went over, he could immediately become an Advanced Rank Mage; and if the projected character was originally an Archmage, once Xia Duo went over, he would still be an Advanced Rank Mage.

In addition, Arcane Fire was a special Psionic Creation created by Arcanists through Magic on the Main Plane, which could not be brought into the Projection Plane. If one only contacted the Fifth Layer of the Weave, it could be recreated in the Projection Plane.

Therefore, even if Xia Duo completed the Ascension Trial many times in 【Cormanthor Birth】, he could not contact deeper layers of the Magic Net.

He had to do it again on the Main Plane. The Projection Plane could not be upgraded; it was more like an existence for a Spellcaster to accumulate experience for a true upgrade on the Main Plane.

……

Without any surprise, Xia Duo only completed one 8th-ring spell experiment of Low-Circle Element Expression in the Laboratory, and the Magic Net Eighth Layer completely opened its arms to him.

Three years on the Main Plane, ten years on the Projection Plane.

From the time he traveled here until now, he had spent a total of thirteen years, finally reaching his current position, becoming a Senior Arcanist who carried significant weight in Netheril.

Withdrawing from the macroscopic vision of the Magic Net, Xia Duo was filled with emotion. He knew that more thirteen-year periods were waiting for him in the future, and he would surely advance one step, two steps, two steps further, until he reached an unimaginable realm.