Chapter 599: Airship Raid

The sky brightened.

Reslin stood on a hillside dozens of li outside Urgel City for half the night; the sun rose from the east, its light bathing the endless prairie, and the floating city in the sky became even clearer.

The Soul Eye performed a remote measurement.

ParrasFloatingCity's diameter exceeds eight kilometers, its area about fifty square kilometers, overall tinted pale red, like an enormous crystal. In fact, Parras's base is a complete red monolith, its surface polished smooth, reflecting pure sunlight, dreamlike.

In this fairy‑tale‑like flying city, every building, every street, even every exterior wall's decoration is meticulously designed, like a unique grand artwork.

Dozens of Wizard Towers rose into the clouds, shimmering with magical aura.

Between the Wizard Towers are beautiful gardens and plants, a dozen waterfalls cut through the city, flowing from the outer rim of the floating city. The waterfalls disperse into mist in the sky, and when sunlight hits them, beautiful rainbows form, framing the red monolith that supports the whole city, like a fairyland.

Reslin's gaze fell on the center of Parras.

There, two of the tallest Wizard Towers stand, square and massive, like huge pillars side by side, their exteriors entirely glass‑covered, spectacular.

These two towers are Parras's control hub.

The southern tower is the residence of Duke Hong Shi; his meditation chamber, magical laboratory, alchemy room, and all his daily life are inside.

The northern tower houses the teachers and students of the Parras Wizard Academy.

Reslin looked at the two towers, which in Ai Lun E Si are truly avant‑garde, and recalled the skyscrapers of his past life.

Attacking ParrasFloatingCity, one certainly cannot bypass them.

The sun rose higher.

As morning progressed, people began to come and go from ParrasFloatingCity; magical airships lifted off from the city, descending into Urgel City below, or sailing directly toward the distance.

Each time a magical airship enters or exits the floating city, it must pass through a protective shield.

This is similar to Weizelan.

The floating city is actually the domain of the Holy Soul Wizard who controls it; every action of every person and thing within the city is constantly perceived by the Holy Soul Wizard.

People generally have two ways to enter the city.

One is to obtain a passage permit for the floating city, usually a badge or other magical item, and teleport directly from afar; the other is to ride a magical airship, which is also the only way outsiders can enter the floating city.

All magical airships are strictly regulated.

When they pass through the floating city's shield, the entire airship is inspected, including its passengers, who are subtly subjected to a series of magical scans; if any anomaly is detected, the floating city's counterattack and control are triggered immediately, and a Wizard will board the airship to investigate.

If they are enemies, they will be met with attacks from the Holy Soul Wizard.

A Holy Soul Wizard stationed in the floating city, wielding near‑infinite energy, is the very definition of invincibility in the mortal realm; even divine avatars cannot withstand it, and any exposed enemy has no way out.

From the rise of the first Naiser floating city to now, over 1,600 years have passed.

Historically, the Empire's seven floating cities have each suffered, to varying degrees, several calamities and invasions; the most recent was Weizelan, yet to this day none has ever truly been brought down.

Today, a new piece of history may be created!

Reslin's eyes held no emotion as he calmly gazed at ParrasFloatingCity.

Because he was too far away, the All-Seeing Eye could not see through the floating city's interior, yet he did not rashly approach; his heart harbored hostility, and if he got closer, those psychics might notice him, and Duke Hong Shi would also sense him.

He stood on the hillside observing Parras's movements, watching for a full day.

This was the wilderness on the city's outskirts, with no one passing by.

Occasionally one or two magical airships flew overhead, and those aboard could not perceive the ground below, a sign of an invisible figure.

From morning he watched until deep night.

Sunset and sunrise passed, and only at the next morning did Reslin withdraw his gaze; a clear plan had formed in his mind. The plan was inspired by those two adjacent towers and the magical airships that entered and exited the floating city on schedule.

He opened a portal and stepped through, appearing in a secluded alley of Urgel City.

While invisible, Reslin looked up at the sky.

Observing ParrasFloatingCity up close, its grandeur became even more palpable, like a massive red cloud hanging overhead, impossible to ignore.

Reslin stepped out of the alley onto the street.

This is Urgel's trade district, where the Voice of All Things brings countless sounds into the ears.

Urgel is the Empire's most ethnically diverse metropolis, home to humans, centaurs, beastmen, half‑beasts, elves, dwarves, trolls, and countless mixed‑blood races; they speak various alien tongues, conducting trade or other dealings throughout the city.

Every hour, a squad of Red‑Flame Sword Guards riding warhorses patrols the streets.

The Red‑Flame Sword Guard is a supernal profession founded by Duke Hong Shi, tasked with protecting the Parras Wizards' safety and maintaining order in Urgel City.

When they pass, people step aside and cast reverent glances.

What the supernal beings and other races revere is not the Red‑Flame Sword Guard's strength, but their status and the Duke Hong Shi behind them.

Reslin remained invisible, standing at a high point in the trade district.

He was waiting for an opportunity.

After half a morning passed, finally a male figure clad in a dark‑red magical robe appeared in view, looking about thirty, surrounded by a squad of Red‑Flame Sword Guards, a palace‑shaped red badge hanging on his chest.

He is a psychic!

The number of wizards specializing in this is actually small; it demands too high a talent, the count is similar to that of dark sorcerers, yet their status is extremely high, especially in Urgel City.

The Soul Eye saw through the details; this psychic had just reached level seven, a high‑rank Wizard, with quite impressive power.

He rode atop a high‑rank magical panther, swaggering.

Pedestrians veered away as soon as they saw him.

The psychic arrived at a five‑story building, a fairly sizable alchemy material shop; a rather attractive witch emerged, respectfully ushering the psychic inside.

The All-Seeing Eye pierced the wall, seeing inside the alchemy shop.

The Voice of All Things also heard their conversation; the psychic was not a customer but the real behind‑the‑scenes owner, here to audit the accounts today.

He ordered the Red‑Flame Sword Guard to rest downstairs, while he ascended to the office on the top floor.

First he engaged in a vigorous hand‑to‑hand fight with that witch in the office's lounge, then began the actual business, sitting down to peruse several thick ledgers, which seemed unlikely to finish within an hour or two.

Seeing this, Reslin did not rush to act.

He looked up at the sky.

After patiently waiting for half an hour, a magical airship arrived from the western horizon, and an airship also rose from Urg City; according to their speed and course, they will land on the east and west landing platforms of ParrasFloatingCity, with no more than a half‑minute difference.

"It's time."

Reslin quickly calculated in his mind, reviewed his plan again, and then began to act.

A Door of Anywhere opened silently; he stepped through and appeared on the fifth floor of the alchemy material shop, in the small lounge of the luxurious office.

The psionic and the witch were reconciling accounts in the office, separated by a wall.

The witch felt nothing.

The psionic frowned slightly; Reslin saw his soul ripple violently and was instantly surprised—no wonder he was the most perceptive psionic, a high‑rank wizard, able to detect the fluctuation of his own Door of Anywhere.

But knowing that was of no use.

The psionic turned to cast a spell, but Reslin, hidden by invisibility, had already completed his casting, a Soundproof Force Field enveloping the office.

Bang!

The psionic's Heartfire Arrow pierced the wall but hit no target.

This made him hesitate, wondering if he had erred; just as he was about to apply Insight Technique, a formless flash of spirit light shot out from the hole in the wall, as fast as lightning, instantly striking him and the bewildered witch beside him.

Higher‑level Sleep Technique!

Both collapsed, falling into deep sleep.

Reslin pushed open the partition door and stepped in front of the young psionic.

The psionic excels at mental protection, but he is still only a high‑rank wizard; against his own Six‑Ring Higher‑level Sleep Technique, that protection is useless. The Higher‑level Sleep Technique is stronger than ordinary sleep spells; once afflicted, even injury won't wake the victim easily.

If they are left to sleep, with no one to dispel it, they may even sleep until death.

The Soul Eye confirmed their condition; they will not awaken for a short time.

Reslin took off the psionic's chest badge; this Parras badge functions much like the Weizelan badge—it can transport the wearer into Fu Kong Cheng, is a premium magical item of great value, can shield against mental attacks, though only up to Five Rings.

What happened upstairs went unnoticed by the Red Flame Sword Guard below.

Throughout the above actions, Reslin remained completely invisible.

If anyone else were in the room, they would only see the psionic and the witch suddenly fall asleep, then someone pick up the psionic's badge.

Reslin looked up, his gaze piercing the roof, as two magical airships drew ever closer to Fu Kong Cheng.

In a few more minutes, they will pass through Fu Kong Cheng's protective shield.

Time ticks by second by second.

The airship coming from the west will arrive first; its speed will drop, and within half a minute it will reach the shield. The airship that took off from Urg City will arrive about twenty seconds later.

Reslin's mana surged, triggering the Mirror Image Technique.

The Eight‑Ring Mirror Image Technique, one ring higher than the main body Lei En, enhanced by both the Key of Doors and Void Resonance, instantly filled the room with ten Mirror Images, each clad in black robes, hands empty, expression indifferent, looking exceedingly mysterious.

Reslin produced ten prepared masks.

Each mask was identical, shaped like a withered white skull, bordered with purple‑black fabric, and at first glance looked terribly frightening.

This is the holy emblem of the Deceiver Luo Xi.

The ten Mirror Images silently took the masks and wore them; the fabric, like a hood, covered their faces completely, leaving no holes for the eyes.

Possessing the All‑Seeing Eye, they could see straight through the masks without any visual hindrance.

Reslin also put on a mask.

It is well known that Duke Hong Shi possesses the Willpower of Truth, able to see through all illusion, disguise, and transformation; such tricks are powerless before his eyes. Yet Reslin, who also has the Willpower of Truth, knows the countermeasure is simple—just wear a mask.

The Willpower of Truth can pierce magical concealment but is ineffective against physical obstruction.

Only the All‑Seeing Eye can achieve that.

Then Reslin produced two nondescript Dimensional Space Rings, handing one to each of two Mirror Images; the rings and their contents are the key to this operation.

All of this was completed in just a few seconds.

Reslin and the Mirror Images waited silently, and soon the western magical airship touched Fu Kong Cheng's protective shield.

A flash of magical light swept over the airship, showing no abnormality.

A passage opened in the shield, the airship entered smoothly, and after a few seconds it successfully entered the city, descending toward the platform below.

Reslin's gaze hardened.

Grasping the psionic's badge and channeling mana, as expected, he could not use it.

Fu Kong Cheng's badge is bound to its user's soul; even if stolen, it is useless. However, Reslin only used it as a cover—this extra action was a smoke bomb, meant to confuse Duke Hong Shi's subsequent investigation.

A teleportation portal opened in the room.

The other side of the portal led to a storage room inside ParrasFloatingCity, and Reslin and the ten Mirror Images entered one after another.

After the Key of Doors was raised to Eight Rings, Reslin's teleportation spell reached an unimaginable level.

The portal was silent and did not trigger Fu Kong Cheng's magical protection.

The first Mirror Image emerged, wearing a Dimensional Space Ring, and vanished in an instant.

The next second, it appeared in the power room of the descending magical airship, just a few steps from the rune steam furnace. Two mechanical craftsmen, startled by the sudden Mirror Image, were instantly blown apart by two magical missiles to the head, dying instantly.

At the same time, several Mirror Images consecutively teleported onto the airship.

One Mirror Image took control of the airship's cockpit; two Mirror Images jointly suppressed all passengers in the cabin, including a resisting transcendent who was mercilessly killed; another Mirror Image seized the airship's rune formation, preventing outsiders from entering or relaying information.

In less than ten seconds, five Mirror Images had seized control of the magical airship.

People on the ground of Fu Kong Cheng immediately noticed the sky anomaly; the magical airship swayed, its tail emitting a thick white steam, appearing out of control and about to crash.

People looked at the sky, pointing and commenting.

Yet no one worried; even if the magical airship crashed, it would not harm Fu Kong Cheng, as the entire city is under tight magical protection.

Suddenly, the magical airship accelerated wildly and slammed into the two tallest Wizard Towers within Fu Kong Cheng.

(End of Chapter)