Chapter 231: Rupture! (23)

Night.

Aaron, Lion Castle.

Since the news of the legendary mage reached Dange's ears, he immediately went to seek the Eye of the Storm, Sanchester.

Although they hadn't spoken for a long time, at this moment only the Five‑Ring Sage could somewhat answer his questions.

Finally, he found the old sage in a small study.

The sage wore a pair of reading glasses, was intently studying an unknown spellbook, and when he heard a movement, he lifted his eyes.

The motion deepened the wrinkles on his forehead, like cracks on weathered rock.

Without waiting for Dange to ask, he spoke.

"Your Majesty, I know why you have come."

"What I can say is, if the rumor is true, Aaron has no way to resist Duke Weilan."

"The only way is to admit defeat with dignity."

Dange swallowed hard and asked, "Is there no other path?"

"There is another path."

Sanchester's voice was soft, his eyes hidden deep behind thick reading glasses, almost impossible to discern.

"What path?"

Dange seemed to clutch a lifeline.

The old sage slowly uttered a sentence.

"Seek aid from the Radiant Empire, open the Giant Fortress, let the Radiant Legion enter Aaron's Plains, and together with the Lord of Radiance confront Duke Weilan."

Dange was shocked and fell into a long silence.

After a full three minutes, he asked, "Sage, do the legendary spell rings truly exist?"

Sanchester answered off‑topic.

"I heard that at the opening ceremony of the Weilan Higher Arcane Academy, there were over thirty thousand teachers and students."

"Among them, more than twenty mages possessed power beyond Five Rings, and four mages possessed Six Rings."

"No matter how exquisite the illusion, it cannot evade everyone's perception, so the spellcraft displayed by Duke Weilan is truly real."

"I don't know how he did it, but I know the duke already stands atop the unsurpassed pinnacle of spellcraft, looking down on the world."

"Even if some revere him as a god, I think that is entirely understandable, even inevitable."

"Facing such a figure, whether the legendary spell rings truly exist or not, no kingdom like Aaron's can withstand him."

"Perhaps Aaron, Kao, Levinde, and even the union of the natural nations across the White Continent, together isolating Duke Weilan, might have a chance to defeat the duke."

"But..."

The old sage looked up at Dange again and said, "That is clearly impossible."

Dange immediately retorted:

"No, it is possible!"

"As long as Aaron is willing to concede benefits, it is possible!"

A hint of unmistakable sarcasm appeared on the old sage's face: "Don't be foolish, Your Majesty Dange!"

"Why does Kao keep cooperating with Duke Weilan?"

"Why would Levinde, who has always opposed Duke Weilan, stage a coup?"

"The little king and the queen dowager's corpses hung on the great tree for three full days and nights; guess who the mastermind is?"

Dange was not foolish; he knew there was a huge problem, but since purging the domestic aristocracy, he has faced a mountain of internal issues daily, making his perception of other nations extremely dull.

"Could it be Duke Weilan pulling the strings behind the scenes?"

"Obviously."

"Wha‑la~~"

Sanchester turned a page, his gaze still fixed on the book, as if the spellbook's contents mattered more than the king before him, a detail that stirred hidden anger in Dange.

The old sage seemed oblivious to the king's anger and continued, "Levinde and Kao have already been seized by the duke. Of the three gems destined to be set into the Natural Crown, only the final one remains."

Those words made Dange's heart pound.

He knew the name of that last gem: "Aaron".

He felt panic, anxiety, and intense jealousy.

"Natural Crown—does he intend to crown himself emperor?"

That throne was the ultimate treasure he coveted day and night yet dared not contemplate deeply, and now a minor figure whose fate he once easily controlled seeks that supreme crown.

He was full of resentment! Sanchester sensed this; in the past he would have soothed Dange with words, but now he lacked that patience and deemed it unnecessary.

Because a flock of flattering jackals had gathered around the Lion, daily feeding him sweet compliments that completely obscured the Lion's wisdom.

Thus, whatever he says is useless.

But he still had to remind him of one thing.

"Your Majesty Dange, a crown is not forged by others' coronation, but forged by one's own hands."

"No, he lacks natural divine blood; he has no right to become Natural Emperor!"

"Mother Nature would never consent, absolutely not."

Tormented by the flames of jealousy, Dange roared loudly like a wounded Lion, flailing his hands as if repelling an invisible foe.

"Even if Mother Nature cannot stop him, I will do everything to stop him!"

"If I cannot stop him, I will ally with the Radiant Empire to stop him!"

Having said that, Dange turned and left.

After a few steps, the old sage's voice followed from behind.

"Your Majesty, if this path could plunge the Natural Alliance into the abyss, would you still choose it?"

King Dange gave no answer and strode away.

"Ah~~~"

Sanchester let out a long sigh.

Then his figure gradually faded, faded, and finally vanished.

It turned out to be just a magical illusion.

About ten minutes after the illusion disappeared, Aaron Night Guard surrounded the study.

This Night Guard squad was led personally by Bloodflame Saras, the executor of the Night of the Black Blade, wielding the king's sharpest knife.

He gestured forcefully: "Your Majesty's decree, make Sanchester shut up completely!"

The Night Guard surged into the small study like a pack of wolves.

At the same time, in the basement of a small building in the outer district of Rhein City, north of Lion Castle, Sanchester let out another long sigh.

He quickly left the building, went to the dock, and boarded a new Black Stone cargo ship, sailing down the river.

About a day later, he reached the coast, immediately switched to a sea vessel, crossed the Gilded Sea Strait, and headed north toward Weilan.

King Dange was already beyond cure, but Aaron could still be saved, and the Natural Alliance must never fall into the abyss.

At this very moment, only this brilliant duke had the ability to save the Natural Alliance! By noon the next day, Sanchester followed the Oran River of Weilan to the shore of Swan Lake in Mondaniya. From afar he gazed at the grand academy towering on the west bank of the lake and the exquisite Swan Castle opposite the academy across the water, feeling a flood of emotions.

"In the end, the Lion was devoured by its beastly nature, while the duke's original intention remained unchanged."

"The Lion's failure was destined; it just came a bit too quickly."

With another sigh, Sanchester entered Mondaniya and proceeded toward Swan Castle.

This time, he made no secret of it and openly presented his name card.

About a quarter hour later, he was received and sat on the guest leather chair in the duke's lakeside study.

Not far ahead, a massive desk was piled with towering scrolls of documents, behind which sat the ever‑vibrant yet increasingly solemn Duke Weilan.

Seeing such a figure, Sanchester felt deeply old for the first time.

"Sage, please wait a moment while I finish reviewing this document."

"Lord Duke, feel free."

He didn't wait long; a few minutes later, Duke Weilan's attention shifted to him: "Sage, your face shows disappointment and anxiety—has the Lion gone mad?"

Sanchester was startled, but then relaxed, realizing that since the other side intended to unify the Natural Alliance and had already taken many steps, they would naturally keep a close eye on Lion Castle's movements.

He instantly felt his trip was somewhat unnecessary.

But he was not only a Five Rings mage; he was well‑read, resilient, and quickly steadied his disappointment, carefully outlining King Dange's possible future moves.

Behind the desk, Luosen listened quietly.

After listening, he sighed: "I originally wanted to preserve some dignity for King Dange."

Sanchester's body trembled slightly: "Lord Duke, my request may be bold, but I hope to preserve the Dange royal family."

Luosen smiled faintly: "I will, but not the Dange royal house—rather the Dange family."

He paused, then asked: "Sage, do you have any other requests?"

Sanchester thought for a moment and added: "I hope the duke will treat Aaron's citizens equally and not slight Aaron because of King Dange's madness."

"I naturally will."

"And you yourself? Do you have any requests?"

Sanchester thought and said: "If possible, I would like a small manor by Swan Lake, plus a sum of savings sufficient for the rest of my life."

Luosen nodded: "The request is simple, but is the Sage truly planning to retire?"

Sanchester's face turned bitter: "Lord Duke, I am already 120 years old, with only a few years left—if I don't retire, what else can I do?"

Luosen raised an eyebrow: "From my observation, with your magical talent, Sage, I can help raise your cultivation to Ten Rings step by step."

According to Naya's secret art, those who ascend to Five Rings by their own power possess supreme magical talent, allowing them to use a legendary technique to reach Ten Rings.

In fact, in a nation of legendary mages, the value of magical cultivation has dropped sharply, yet a person's ability, insight, and outlook remain scarce.

Clearly, this 120‑year‑old Aaron Sage is an exceptional talent; to die of old age like this is truly a pity.

Thus, Luosen concluded: "Once you possess a Ten Rings soul, you could live at least two hundred more years."

Sanchester's heart raced: "Is that possible?"

Luosen smiled: "I need someone to help subdue the mad Lion."

As he spoke, he raised a hand, extended his index finger, and a faint golden light shimmered on his hand.

"If the Sage is willing to do me this favor, I can now help the Sage ascend to Six Rings."

Sanchester's dormant inner flame whooshed back to life, burning brightly, and his slightly clouded eyes instantly flashed with brilliance.

"Lord Duke, leave this to me. I am ninety percent certain I can force the Lion to abdicate!"

Before, he was old and could only expect a few more years—bad luck might end him in his sleep—but if he ascended to Six Rings, he could live at least twenty years.

How many mortals even have twenty years?

Not to mention the possible future ascent to Ten Rings, a power he could scarcely imagine.

Thus, he unhesitatingly abandoned the Lion King who had disappointed him.

Luosen was equally decisive, bringing Sanchester forward and pointing a finger at his forehead.

"Your cultivation has already peaked at Five Rings, so I can directly raise you to Six Rings."

"After reaching Six Rings, you must continue diligent practice; once your cultivation peaks at Six Rings, the soul's turbulence should subside."

"When that time comes, come find me again; I will help you ascend to Seven Rings."

"Additionally, your body is aged, but worry not; I have a golden blessing elixir that restores youth."

He has stored plenty of this elixir; some are kept in the study to reward meritorious officials.

At that moment, he took out 100 milliliters.

Sangqiesite did not hesitate and gulped it down in one breath.

The potion entered his stomach, and he felt an indescribable exhilaration, as if he now possessed inexhaustible vigor.

He instantly felt his heart surge.

His heart "bang bang bang" pounded powerfully, and the last time such a rapid heartbeat occurred was a hundred years ago, during his first intimate encounter with a woman.

He felt as though he had instantly returned to his youth.

"Duke, just wait for my good news."

Luosen added, "A ninety‑percent chance is still insufficient; I need a hundred percent, even two hundred percent success probability."

"After all, this concerns the fate of countless members of the Natural Alliance; there can be no slip‑ups."

"So, here it is for you."

An insignia was handed to Sangqiesite: "Aaron Branch of the Island Foreign Affairs Bureau, Lion Hunt Operation Commander Insignia."

"With this, you can mobilize the forces of Aaron's Foreign Affairs Bureau."

Indeed, this is a massive aid, greatly reducing the operation's difficulty.

Luosen then handed over a legendary artifact: "Solid Ice Talisman, possessing the strength of the Ten Rings' summit, capable of activating ten times; it should protect the Sage's safety."

Sangqiesite exclaimed that he had never even heard of such a powerful artifact, and immediately took it and put it on.

Luosen also summoned Stonard, the director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau, and briefed him: "Fully cooperate with Mage Sangqiesite."

"Yes, Sir."

The two of them then left the study side by side.

Although one was old and the other young, the old man's depressive aura completely vanished.

For Luosen, Dange was no longer a foe of that magnitude; with Sangqiesite's help, Dange's issue was largely resolved, and what to do next depends on how Aaron's situation unfolds.

Just as he was about to continue handling official documents, Chief of Internal Affairs A Lai handed him a visitation name card.

Interestingly, the name card was written on a leaf.

The leaf's material was very peculiar; although its shape resembled a maple leaf and it bore intricate veins, its texture was exceptionally tough, displaying a metallic quality.

After a brief magical scan, Luosen was filled with astonishment: "Is this the life‑tree species cultivated by Elves' magic?"

As far as he knew, the Elves' path of spellcraft is entirely different from that of humans, following a unique route of "biological modification."

It is said that Elves are also long‑lived, like Mediana, their souls especially resilient, and their lifespan is several dozen times longer than that of humans.

But Luosen had never seen an Elf in person, so he was quite curious about the emissaries of the Elf Empire.

(End of chapter)