Chapter 1025: Invitation to the Banquet, Learning the Reason

Fortunately, Bulundesi did not require Xia Duo to make a decision on the spot, but after reading out the relevant permissions for a 5th-Level Member of the Union, Bulundesi immediately issued an invitation.

"Welcome Night?"

Xia Duo repeated this very unfamiliar term and cast an inquiring gaze toward Bulundesi.

"Yes!"

Seeing Xia Duo's confusion, Bulundesi readily explained, "This is considered a traditional event of the Arcane Union! Whenever a new 5th-Level Member appears, the Headquarters will hold a Welcome Night banquet.

"If the new 5th-Level Member is an ordinary Mage, it will be hosted by multiple Councilors; but if the new member is a Senior Arcanist, then Master Kangjienio will attend in person to encourage the junior, so Lord Xia Duo must not miss it."

After speaking, Bulundesi added in a low voice, "Master Kangjienio is about to step down from his position as President, so there might be an extra surprise then!"

What kind of extra surprise could there be? Surely he wouldn't leave his inheritance to him!

Xia Duo was very clear about the long lifespan of this Legendary figure; stepping down did not equal death, but it was quite possible he might mix in a set of Ioun Stone equipment.

"I wonder when the Welcome Night will be?"

"Once the procedures are finished, if nothing unexpected happens, it will be in the near future!" Bulundesi did not give a specific date.

This actually made Xia Duo suspicious; "in the near future" wasn't that just about the Princess's disappearance and the whole business at Giles Tower? For a moment, he even suspected that Bulundesi wanted to trick him into going to Seventon.

However, he soon mocked himself; if he had worried about being detained upon going to Seventon in the past, he now had absolutely no need to worry about such things.

The interior of the Seven Towers was not like those Mage Towers outside where infighting could be fatal; the interior of the Seven Towers was still relatively harmonious, and "struggling without breaking" should be the most basic principle.

Like before, Greta had been out of contact due to some incidents and was later known to be in the Nether Palace, but hadn't she returned to Giles Tower now!

There must have been some struggle in between, and Greta was clearly a core figure in that struggle. If she was fine, and he had already become a Senior Arcanist, with most of his body standing outside the situation, how could he possibly have any trouble!

Unless some madman appeared who completely disregarded everything and eliminated all opponents by destroying their physical bodies; if that were the case, Greta would have been gone long ago and wouldn't have had to wait until now.

After a moment of thought, Xia Duo readily accepted the banquet invitation; to tell the truth, he was just looking for an opportunity to go to Seventon!

……

With official business finished, Bulundesi also prepared to leave. Seeing this, Xia Duo immediately rose to see him off, but in reality, he secretly sent a message:

"Councilor Bulundesi, could you inform me of the recent situation at Giles Tower?"

If such an inquiry had been made before today, Bulundesi certainly would not have answered, and even if he had, he would not have mentioned the key points.

But if it were now, after confirming that Lord Xia Duo had already become a Senior Arcanist, then Bulundesi had to seriously consider the influence of a Senior Arcanist.

The Reception Room and the Teleportation Room were both on the Public Level of the Tower of Time, and there was not much distance between them; even walking, the three of them quickly arrived at the entrance of the Teleportation Room.

With Xia Duo's current status, it would be somewhat beneath his dignity to go inside, so he had no choice but to send another message to Bulundesi, his tone slightly more tactful.

Bulundesi was still hesitating; if Lord Xia Duo could join Jilan Tower, then it wouldn't matter what he said, but Lord Xia Duo had not. However, if he didn't speak, perhaps the little bit of personal friendship already established would also vanish into thin air.

Seeing that they had already reached the Teleportation Room, Bulundesi gritted his teeth and secretly sent a message: "Half a month ago, the previous Controller of Giles Tower, the Great Arcanist Kaousi, suddenly appeared and demanded to take over the tower's permissions, but was refused by Ms. Greta.

"As for the successor designated by Her Highness the Princess, it is very difficult for him to take office while Master Bailun is missing. Later, the Seven Towers made a resolution: if Master Bailun cannot be found within a month, Kaousi will take over Giles Tower, and if Master Bailun can be found, then Sikumu, designated by the Princess, will still succeed.

"But half a month has already passed, and there is still no news of Master Bailun!"

So that was the situation!

Xia Duo was shocked upon hearing this and was about to continue questioning, but Bulundesi and the others had already stepped onto the Teleportation Array, and as the array activated, they disappeared from sight.

……

Xia Duo's expression was calm; he stood in place thinking for a moment, then teleported directly back to Niya's Study. Niya was not in the study at the moment; perhaps she had gone to the Spell Laboratory.

Xia Duo did not go to disturb her, but simply sat down by the window, brewed a cup of tea for himself, adjusted the Projection screen, and then looked at the vast snowy scenery of Daxia Territory outside the window, continuing to ponder.

He really hadn't expected that Master Bailun had actually gone missing!

No wonder there were so many issues at Giles Tower!

If Master Bailun were still here, he would certainly be able to ensure the smooth transition of power within Giles Tower, rather than having a Great Arcanist Kaousi suddenly pop up like now.

Great Arcanist Kaousi—Xia Duo had actually heard this name long ago, but the person corresponding to this name and this identity should have died long ago.

The Library of Giles Tower had very clear records stating that Kaousi was seriously injured while fighting a thief who stole a 【Nether Scroll】 and died shortly thereafter.

And at almost the same time, the other Great Arcanist Controllers of the Seven Towers either retired due to illness or passed away; in any case, they were all replaced.

Looking at it now, there was quite a bit of trickery involved!

At the very least, Kaousi, who was recorded as deceased within Giles Tower, hadn't he suddenly popped up now? Perhaps the other Great Arcanists were also still alive.

In fact, from the Fielder Spellbook he had obtained earlier, Xia Duo already knew that there might be hidden Great Arcanists in the Seven Towers, but it wasn't until now that this fact was truly confirmed.

However, what Xia Duo worried about was that only Kaousi wanted to play at a "comeback" now, but would other vanished Great Arcanists also play this game?

It was not impossible that they might even tear the interior of the Seven Towers apart!

"What kind of mess is this! Sigh—"

Xia Duo could roughly imagine Greta's mood now; although she had temporarily returned to Giles Tower to continue working, if Master Bailun could not be found after half a month, she would have to hide in the Nether Palace again.

Perhaps even the Nether Palace would become a target for Kaousi to contend for.

Come to think of it, the Princess's generation was actually the last of the Nether Family, and the Princess had left no heirs before her Ascension to Godhood; therefore, the Nether Family's territory and assets had no clear successor.

The next Controller of Giles Tower she designated could not inherit these private assets; one must know that Giles Tower was actually the collective property of the Giles lineage and did not belong to any one person; the Controller was not equivalent to the owner.

They were merely the leader of this lineage, nothing more.

Of course, if the Controller wanted to inherit the Princess's family's private assets, there were reasons; it was equivalent to "eating the widow's portion" on Earth—everyone could get a share.

But undoubtedly, Niya, as the Princess's student, could inherit more legally.

"This is really a headache!"

Xia Duo had originally thought that Master Bailun would handle all the aftermath of the Princess's Ascension to Godhood, and no matter how the power transition within Giles went, it wouldn't be too severe.

As long as he revealed his identity as a Senior Arcanist, even if the Princess's opponent took office, the benefits that should be given would still have to be given, it just might not be as convenient as in the past.

But now, a long-dead Great Arcanist had reappeared, and Master Bailun had gone missing; with one addition and one subtraction, this added a few more variables to the future.