Chapter 498: The Thirteenth Holy Soul

Anxiwodasi glanced at his student and reminded, "Lei En, in the coming years keep a low profile, act as if you know nothing, but privately stay vigilant and be prepared."

Lei En nodded silently.

Whether Augulevi Master has fallen or not, he harbors great hostility toward Weizelan.

He not only hides behind the scenes to cooperate with the Lord of the Dead's minions, summons undead calamities, and aims to destroy the floating city, but also sends agents to meddle with the Dragon‑born's restoration in Kangjiatuo; most importantly, he clearly intends to put the teacher in mortal danger, weakening the Empire's transcendent power.

If the plot succeeds and Weizelan's floating city collapses, other floating cities and Holy Soul wizards will become new targets.

A traitor's destructive power often surpasses that of the enemy.

In less than a century, the Empire will fragment, and countless people will have their souls harvested by the Lord of the Dead.

Just thinking of that outcome sends a chill down one's spine.

Lei En asked, "Teacher, I mean, if Augulevi Master truly fell, what should we do?"

"Naturally, eliminate him!"

Anxiwodasi answered without hesitation, his expression resolute, and said, "When I investigate him in secret, I will also probe the other Holy Soul wizards to see whether they are aware and whether they have any ties to Augulevi. Once Augulevi is confirmed to be problematic, we will report to the Goddess and, together with members of the Supreme Council, eliminate this fallen one; we must not allow him to destroy the Empire."

Lei En sensed the teacher's determination and couldn't help sweating for him.

Augulevi Master's reputation and standing in the Empire are so high that, aside from his influence over nobles and commoners, his Naiser Floating City ranks first in strength across the Empire, without dispute.

The Naiser Floating City is the world's first floating city, founded in New Era Calendar year 866; it has existed for over sixteen hundred years, producing countless wizards. Currently, the city houses nearly two thousand wizards—more than four times Weizelan's total!

All of those two thousand‑plus wizards are Augulevi Master's disciples, including over sixty legendary wizards, of whom twelve are Legendary High‑rank—more than all of Weizelan's legendary wizards. They form the "Elder Council" that runs the Naiser Floating City daily, dubbing themselves the "Mini Supreme Council."

These twelve Legendary High‑rank wizards are almost all direct students of Augulevi Master, with only two exceptions.

There are even more wizards who once studied at the Naiser Floating City but later left.

These wizards either join other floating cities and spellcasting groups, establish their own schools, or explore the New Continent and numerous planes, leaving footprints across the Ai Lun E Si world.

Adhering to the Naiser School's casting philosophy, altogether Augulevi Master's disciples exceed three thousand, far beyond what "peach and plum everywhere" can describe.

One word from him can command countless wizards to serve.

In contrast, Weizelan's floating city is far weaker overall, hampered by economic troubles, a shortage of wizards, and the Mo Du school's philosophy—being a later arrival—has slightly less influence.

The only one who can match the Naiser Floating City is the teacher himself.

If one were to look for a wizard in the Empire whose strength most closely rivals Augulevi Master's, almost everyone would think of Anxiwodasi.

Tim*Kenan Master of the Balance faction ranks third.

Among the Empire's three Supreme Council powerhouses, Augulevi Master is the most dominant; Duke Hong Shi and Grand Sage KangJielade are his staunchest allies. Those two floating cities belong to the Naiser School and lie in the Empire's north, naturally close allies.

Moreover, the youngest Holy Soul wizard, the Black Robe Duke, also supports Augulevi Master, though his stance is less firm.

The teacher also has his own allies in the Supreme Council: Prophet Mei Difu, Storm Queen Xingbu, and Silver Star Duke; all three are staunch allies, making four Holy Soul wizards—including himself—who together occupy one‑third of the council's seats.

PurpleFlameDuke Magna*Eilan, the founder of the Combat School Ouroin Master, and the long‑recluse Wantu Si Rui*Howai Master generally remain neutral or abstain; most of the time they side with Balance‑faction Tim*Kenan Master, forming a third‑party force—though not disunited, they are the weakest side.

Augulevi Master's attacks on Weizelan and the teacher likely stem from the teacher posing the greatest threat to him.

Whether it's personal strength or the backing he has within the Supreme Council.

If the two sides completely tear the veil of civility, the Empire and the Supreme Council will inevitably split, and Lei En cannot foresee how it will end.

A slight misstep would mean an irretrievable calamity.

"Teacher, you must be careful," Lei En said with concern, "Otherwise just report directly to the Goddess and let Him handle it."

The God of Magic will never allow the Empire to be destroyed.

"It's not that simple," Anxiwodasi looked upward, his expression heavy, and sighed, "Augulevi is not a Divine Chosen, but his relationship with the Goddess is extremely close, as if they've been old friends for millennia; the Goddess trusts him more than she does a Divine Chosen."

"For Augulevi to scheme under the Goddess's very eyes, he must have made exhaustive preparations, concealing his anomalies and actions."

"Rashly accusing will only make the Goddess doubt us."

"Even if the Goddess believes us, He will still need the Supreme Council to act."

"Deities cannot easily descend to the mortal realm; if they only send an avatar, it may not match Augulevi. Once the avatar is destroyed, divine power wanes, giving hostile deities a chance to exploit the void, which could be even more terrifying than the Empire's split."

"Unless we have absolute proof, we must keep it secret from everyone, including the Goddess!"

Lei En nodded cautiously.

The teacher and student's conversation never mentioned the God of Magic's true name, referring to her only as "the Goddess" or "He." In the Ai Lun E Si world, anywhere outside the Abyss, if anyone utters the titles "VijesCui" or "God of Magic," the nine words before and after will be heard by the God of Magic.

Of course, the Goddess does not constantly intend to listen.

She only listens to matters important or interesting to herself; the vast majority of content is ignored.

Anxiwodasi's analysis made Lei En fully realize Augulevi's terrifying nature; this Holy Soul wizard, even among mortals, fears no deity.

"Teacher, how will you investigate?" Lei En asked.

The Supreme Council usually meets via long‑distance projections, much like video conferences of the past; just from the projection, even one's soul‑eye cannot discern details.

There are very few matters that require Augulevi's direct hand, and he can have his student act in his stead.

Seeing his true form is far too difficult.

Anxiwodasi, however, is confident: "Under normal circumstances Augulevi does not appear easily, but there is one matter he must attend in person."

"What matter?" Lei En asked, curious.

"The investiture ceremony of the newly‑promoted Holy Soul wizard," Anxiwodasi replied coolly.

Lei En was shocked, "The Empire has a wizard advancing to Holy Soul?" A slew of famous Legendary High‑rank wizards flashed through his mind, and he quickly recalled a name: "Sabbath Dean?"

"Exactly," Anxiwodasi nodded. "In as little as six months, and no more than three years, Sabbath*Bulaindo will fully master the Holy Soul‑level Magic Soul Transformation Art, trigger the seventh Soul Transformation ceremony, and become the Empire's thirteenth Holy Soul wizard."

"It really is Sabbath Dean!" Lei En exclaimed.

Sabbath*Bulaindo is the head of the Empire's oldest transcendent academy, the Bruwodz Academy; three centuries ago he was already a nineteenth‑level wizard, a step away from Holy Soul, hailed as the foremost beneath the Holy Soul wizards.

However, Sabbath Dean is a Transformational wizard of the Soul‑Control School.

Among the three major wizard schools and eight specializations, only Transformational wizards have never produced a Holy Soul; his path is one no one has walked, even more arduous, bearing the hopes of countless Transformational wizards.

For centuries people have speculated when Sabbath Dean would ascend; generation after generation has passed, yet no good news ever arrived.

Finally, that day is about to arrive.

This is an absolutely uplifting event for all shapeshifting wizards.

"The thirteenth Holy Soul Wizard!" Lei En exclaimed with admiration, "Master, you must have a good relationship with Sabbath Dean, right?"

Otherwise, Sabbath Dean would not have revealed his Holy Soul Ascension progress.

Anxiwodasi smiled, "For Sabbath to achieve Holy Soul Ascension, I put in great effort; otherwise he could not obtain the magic soul of the Flaming Phoenix."

"No wonder…" Lei En thought, suddenly enlightened.

The Flaming Phoenix occupies a sizable portion in the *Book of a Thousand Souls* and is also called the Immortal Bird; this famed elemental creature is born only on the fire element plane, innately mastering almost all fire spells, capable of rebirth within flames, and is one of the rarest elemental magic souls, certainly also the most terrifying monster.

The Master, being a Holy Soul Wizard specialized in fire elements, is the only one capable of subduing or slaying the Flaming Phoenix.

If Sabbath Dean ascends smoothly and enters the Supreme Council, he will inevitably join the Master's camp, adding another supporter by his side.

Then the Mo Du faction's influence in the Supreme Council would surpass that of the Naiser faction.

This is obviously something Augulevi Master does not wish to see.

Lei En asked, "Besides you, does anyone else know about Sabbath Dean's situation? Has Augulevi Master also received the news?"

"Probably not," Anxiwodasi replied, "I am the second to know." He considered briefly and added, "But he knows that I am closer to Sabbath Dean; whether he fully understands or not, he will be on guard."

"During the ceremony conferring a dukedom on Sabbath, Augulevi will certainly make an appearance."

"Less than a hundred years ago, when Tuzlei achieved Holy Soul Ascension, he appeared, but only as a projection; this time I will find a way for him to appear in his true form."

Anxiwodasi did not disclose his method, and Lei En did not press further, but expressed some concern, "If Sabbath Dean delays three years before ascending, would that be too late?"

"Lei En, you must be patient," Anxiwodasi instructed. "The conflict among Holy Soul Wizards never ends in the short term; not to mention three years, even three hundred years is normal. Augulevi's fall certainly did not begin only in recent years; I estimate it has lasted three to four hundred years. This time he failed to stop the dragon-born restoration, his plot collapsed, and he will need several years of silence before any new move."

"We are not in a hurry either."

He looked at Lei En, "I will still pretend that my body has a problem and cannot leave Weizelan, to confuse the opponent's judgment. Your power is still in a rapid growth phase, so you can use these years to advance further."

"I have noted it, Master," Lei En replied earnestly.

"Anything else?"

Lei En said directly, "Her Majesty Aimilisi has a request; she wishes to abandon belief in the Dragon God, lead the citizens of the Zhuogeng Fort Principality to convert to the God of Magic, and asks the Master to petition the goddess on her behalf."

He deliberately used the goddess's honorific, hoping the deity would hear his words.

Anxiwodasi was momentarily stunned, exclaiming, "The dragon-born wants to convert to the goddess?" Seeing Lei En nod in confirmation, he added, "This is no small matter."

"His Majesty the dragon-born's resolve is indeed great," he recalled, "I remember that the population of Zhuogeng Fort Principality accounts for one third of Kangjiatuo, exceeding ten million. Convincing so many subjects to change faith is not an easy task."

"Master, please peruse it,"

Lei En produced a thick plan document.

It was co‑written by him and Aimilisi, encompassing a series of measures to be first carried out in the Augustus Principality: establishing schools to disseminate knowledge and wisdom, building a solid popular base, importing wizards from Weizelan, founding a wizard academy, and simultaneously constructing an altar and temple for the God of Magic.

The Augustus Principality is his own domain; he has always been a follower of the goddess, so he can openly erect a temple and demand the populace to convert.

The wizard academy's appeal needs no further explanation; it offers the people of Kangjiatuo the most powerful path to transcendence.

Lei En hopes that the academy's graduates will have the opportunity to enter Weizelan.

This is a win–win for both Weizelan and the people of Kangjiatuo.

Furthermore, Lei En plans to reform the Augustus Principality's system: aside from himself being a Duke, there will be no longer any actual feudal lords, only nominal titles like the Empire's aristocracy. He currently holds over ten million gold, intends to allocate half to develop the principality, cooperate with the Steam and Machinery Guild, and comprehensively boost the productivity of its over five million citizens, rapidly transitioning from an agricultural nation to an industrial one.

He will appoint a Mayor, using City Hall as the hub for construction: building roads and bridges, establishing schools, hospitals and factories, mechanizing agriculture, perfecting the judicial system, and so on.

This is a long‑term plan, requiring at least five years before initial results appear.

When the Augustus Principality gets on track, it will gradually seep northward, step by step altering the faith of the Zhuogeng Fort Principality's people, which will take even longer.

Anxiwodasi grew increasingly astonished as he read.

The plan document is exceedingly thorough; some terminology is unfamiliar, such as "Five-Year Plan," "productivity," "education," "industrialization," "technological revolution," and so forth—some even coined—but they are highly appropriate, and their meaning is clear upon first reading.

From his experience, he vaguely sensed the heavy weight of the plan, recognizing that behind it lies a complete logical framework and an unfathomably vast potential.

If it were disseminated, it could guide not only a principality of merely a few million people but also the development of the Empire…

This sparked Anxiwodasi's boundless imagination, leaving him somewhat absent‑minded.

"Master?" Lei En called softly.

Anxiwodasi snapped back to attention, eyes full of amazement, and asked, "Did you write this plan?"

"It was written by me and Her Majesty Aimilisi together."

"You need not be modest," Anxiwodasi laughed, "I did not expect your governance talent to be so outstanding, not inferior to your cultivation gifts. It's a pity you are too young to command the masses; otherwise you could compete for the Empire Consul position and display your abilities."

"The Master is joking," Lei En shook his head repeatedly.

The Empire Consul, whose authority and honor rank just below the Twelve Holy Soul Wizards, is selected from Empire senators, approved by the Supreme Council, serves a ten‑year term, may be reappointed, but cannot serve more than four terms.

"One cannot precisely predict a person's fate; it depends on individual effort and historical currents. I think you are quite suitable," Anxiwodasi said with a meaning‑laden smile.

Lei En felt a slight flutter in his chest and did not delve further into the topic.

"I will keep this plan here, petition the goddess for a response, and you can return and await news," Anxiwodasi tucked away the plan.

"Very well, Master."

Lei En rose, bowed, and left the room.

He teleported to his own tower, recalling the Master's words, which seemed pointed, and let out a light laugh—truly a sage who has lived a thousand years, his gaze far‑reaching.

After pondering briefly, Lei En summoned his students, guiding each of them in magical study.

Soon half a day passed.

The students dispersed satisfied, and Lei En returned to his castle to rest well for a night; the next day he spent another half‑day handling affairs in the Gra Morgan domain, teleported to Jin Gang Fort's alchemy chamber, and began refining over 350,000 pounds of source crystal ore.

Titan Elder demands source crystal purity above ninety to exchange for items.

Activated metal can be easily refined to near‑100 % purity, but Lei En was not so generous; he kept the purity just above ninety, enough to meet the standard, which increases the quantity of source crystal by ten percent!

It took him two days in the alchemy chamber to finish refining all the ore.

The purified source crystal, combined with previously collected stock, totaled over 17,000 pounds; source crystal is extremely dense, so this massive weight occupies less than half a cubic meter, not even filling a box, and Lei En tossed it straight into the dimensional ring.

He had just left the alchemy chamber when an Extreme Warrior rushed in to report that a distinguished lady had arrived at Gra Morgan Castle.

"A noble lady?" Lei En asked, puzzled: "Who is it?"

Extreme Warrior shook his head, saying he didn't know.

He was summoned by Butler Fabian to notify, that lady did not reveal her identity, not even her name, but Butler Fabian immediately treated her as the most honored guest, personally attending to her with great care, and not allowing anyone in the castle to approach.

Lei En was even more baffled.

Only Viola and Aoxiliya could make Butler Fabian value them so highly, but they wouldn't behave like this; it doesn't match their style.

If it were an enemy in disguise, it would also be hard to hide from the Extreme Warrior's gaze.

I'll go back and check right now.

Lei En teleported back to Glamorgan Castle; as soon as he appeared in the teleportation hall, he immediately sensed something was off in the castle, though he couldn't pinpoint what exactly was wrong—he just felt uneasy, yet the Truth Willpower did not trigger a danger alert.

He walked into the castle's lounge full of doubt, but did not see Fabian.

Only a slender female figure sat on the sofa; hearing the footsteps, she turned her head, and when Lei En saw her face clearly, a boom— rang in his mind, stirring up a tremendous wave, and instantly everything went blank.

Yesterday no update, sweat…… I'll make up with double updates tomorrow!

(End of chapter)