Chapter 420: Beginning

426. Chapter 426 Beginning

One thing can be certain.

If what Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke says is true, her true status ought to be no different from that of a sage.

However, judging from her behavior since they met, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke has not shown many special traits; at least, she does not ascend as easily as eating and drinking, unlike the reincarnated sage Luo Te Suo.

Especially before the trial of opening the special ruins world, she could only be considered a talent within an ordinary range.

And thinking about the trial of the special ruins world, Lin Ke had another question in his mind.

That is, who exactly set up this trial?

Is it the 'I' spoken by Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, that Ai Rui Si who can span the sources of many universes' time rivers and return to the wizard civilization's universe?

Or is it a rule formed by the coupling of the wizard world's will and the heavenly Dao of the immortal-god civilization upon their collision?

This question is destined to remain unsolved, and it is not suitable to ask Ai Rui Si again.

Lin Ke chose to hide it in his heart together with other unresolved or newly arisen questions.

After finishing their business, Lin Ke did not immediately say goodbye and leave; instead, he kept Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke company and finished a cup of black sugar deer pill cow milk tea.

As the saying goes, see through but do not speak through.

Some things, once spoken out or opened up, do not necessarily bring a positive effect.

After this frank and sincere exchange today, the relationship between Lin Ke and Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke will inevitably change.

For now, it is unlikely to deteriorate too much or too quickly.

But in the end, it cannot remain as intimate and with boundaries as before.

So, wanting to sit together again and leisurely enjoy milk tea is probably not very possible.

Putting down the crystal-clear glass cup, Lin Ke bade farewell and rose to leave.

Watching Lin Ke's back as he left without looking back or lingering, Ai Rui Si lightly sniffed, lowered her head to look at the two empty cups before her, and remained silent.

Moments later, a light-and-shadow illusion that matched Ai Rui Si in appearance, temperament, and aura, but with different attire, appeared on the chair where Lin Ke had previously sat.

Ding! Ding!

Though the light-and-shadow illusion was illusory, when a finger flicked the glass cup, it produced a substantive clear sound.

Ai Rui Si heard the sound, raised her head, furrowed her brows, and coldly snorted, 'What are you doing out here?'

'You?'

The light-and-shadow illusion covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, 'As it turns out, you still refuse to admit that I am you and you are me.'

Saying this, the smile on the light-and-shadow illusion's face became ever more obvious, and she chuckled, 'Indeed, you have gone to so much trouble, slaying the Ai Rui Si born in the dream, slaying the pitiful beast-taming wizard Ai Rui Si. Messia, slaying the many split chaotic personalities—how could you be willing to acknowledge my existence?'

'What do you want to say? What do you want to do?'

Ai Rui Si seemed not to have heard the light-and-shadow illusion's words, merely asking coldly.

'I don't want to say anything, nor do I want to do anything. Moreover, even if I did, would you allow me to say or do it?'

The light-and-shadow illusion gathered the smile on her face, lowered the right hand she had previously raised to cover her mouth, spread both hands, and said helplessly, 'Your body is yours, your will is yours, your sea of consciousness is yours, your natal world is yours, everything is yours—what can I do?'

Ai Rui Si's brows furrowed further, her tone growing more impatient: 'I don't have that much time to argue with you; if you don't speak within ten seconds, I will strike you once.'

'Oh dear! I'm so scared...'

The light-and-shadow illusion affectedly cooed, then immediately clutched her chest, putting on a wronged look, and timidly said, 'I just want to taste the black sugar deer pill cow milk tea, you know. When I was born in the wizard world, my diet was poor. Unluckily, I went to other universes becoming an "alien guest," and all I wanted was to return, never paying attention to any delicacies or enjoyment; I really want to taste that black sugar deer pill cow milk tea you've been thinking about.'

This affected manner, full of tea-like affectation, is even more cloying than the black sugar deer pill cow milk tea.

Moreover, the light-and-shadow illusion bears a face indistinguishable from Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's.

Seeing this, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke could no longer endure it.

With a thought, she smoothly employed the 'Slay Self' technique honed through the nine trials of the special ruins world.

The light-and-shadow illusion let out a plaintive 'Ah,' eyes brimming with tears, utterly aggrieved and resentful as she stared at Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, her chest heaving violently, lips trembling, finally exhaling like a thread, she voiced her resentment: 'You... you... you... you are so cruel... you have such a cruel heart!'

Seeing this, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke immediately wanted to strike again.

However, the 'Slay Self' technique first harms the user then the enemy, a move that kills a thousand foes while damaging oneself eight hundred; it cannot be used frequently.

At this moment, the light-and-shadow illusion jumped out, doing everything possible to nauseate Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, employing the goading tactic to provoke her into using the 'Slay Self' technique more often.

The more times it is used, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's 'true self' will, due to repeated injuries, lose its ability to suppress the light-and-shadow illusion.

Thus, the light-and-shadow illusion can pry open a gap and escape from the layers of suppression and sealing.

Taking a deep breath, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke restrained the impulse in her heart.

This made the light-and-shadow illusion very displeased, and then it 'died' in displeasure.

Staring at the now-empty yet polluted chair and glass cup, Ai Rui Si rose and went to the window, gazing at the vehicle Lin Ke was driving.

Within a few seconds, the vehicle speeding at full throttle disappeared from Ai Rui Si's field of view.

'Alas!'

Letting out a long sigh, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke moved her heart and closed the curtains.

She herself also stepped back a few steps, retreating into the shadows.

At that moment, the vehicle Lin Ke was driving also entered a patch of shadow.

Moments later, the vehicle rose in altitude and entered the starry sky shuttle with its docking cabin hatch opened.

The starry sky shuttle, with its destination coordinates already set, immediately headed toward the High Council of the Central Lands of the Wizard Continent.

This return to the wizard civilization has now been fully completed.

Although some questions remain unresolved, it is sufficient to go into action lightly equipped.

Lin Ke will formally embark on the road to confront his own 'predetermined fate.'

The starry sky shuttle travels within the wizard world; naturally it cannot be as free as sailing in outer space, and must follow the routes plotted by the High Council, avoiding the numerous no-fly zones set by various wizard powers.

Thus, speed could not be increased, and after a considerable period, it finally reached the Central Lands.

After docking at the designated spaceport, facing the astonished gazes of the High Council wizards who came to receive him, Lin Ke gestured with his hand, shrinking the starry sky shuttle and taking it into his palm.

It's not that the Supreme Council wizards have shallow knowledge, unaware that the wizard civilization had long prevailed in the ability to miniaturize devices.

But this starry sky ark is too huge; to achieve miniaturization, the cost incurred might be higher than the construction cost of all warships of a seventh-level great sage legion star fleet.

The data received by the Supreme Council wizard working at this spaceport showed that the Colin Delange wizard before them is merely a fifth-level sage!

What kind of fifth-level sage can be so extravagantly heartless?

Either they have a good father, or a good grandfather, or a good family.

No matter which case, this Colin Delange wizard is someone you cannot offend.

Working in the Supreme Council sounds impressive when spoken aloud, but in reality how lowly it is only oneself knows.

This Supreme Council port wizard's thoughts kept churning; he put on a smile and enthusiastically went up to meet.

Lin Ke saw some things, glanced at the starry sky ark lying on his right palm, not yet stored in the dedicated containment bag, and understood everything. Remembering his new persona, Lin Ke's demeanor was extremely aloof, he said indifferently: 'No need to attend, step back.'

After saying that, Lin Ke ignored the port wizard whose face instantly fell, looking very unsightly, and left directly.

The port wizard half-turned, stared at Lin Ke's back for a while, and let out a sigh: 'As expected of a wizard from a great noble family, the temperament is just different.'

The sharp-eared Lin Ke clearly heard that sigh, and couldn't help but frown.

When did the atmosphere of the Supreme Council become like this?

Wizards esteem power, and even more pursue freedom.

If many wizards, like the port wizard, submit to power and forget the pursuit of freedom, can the wizard civilization still return to its peak?

Not to mention returning to the peak, it might directly cause a landslide and collapse.

However, if not in the position, one does not plan its policies.

Lin Ke is merely a small fifth-level sage; he has not formally established a wizard force subordinate to himself, nor held any office in the Supreme Council, so it's not his turn to worry about this.

What he should do now is use the false identity provided by the Medici sage, and quietly return to the Celestial Divine Civilization.

This false identity can avoid the sight of the Celestial Divine Civilization, which is of course best.

Even if it can't, it will still be discovered by the Heavenly Court or the Heavenly Master's Office, which doesn't matter.

This in itself is a two-birds-one-stone plan, and there are different follow-up plans for different situations.

Leaving the spaceport, Lin Ke directly came to the application point for using the two-way universe channel.

According to the cooperation agreement, the Medici sixth-level sage has already arranged everything; after Lin Ke arrived at the application point, he received VIP treatment, everything simplified and expedited.

In less than ten minutes, Lin Ke obtained the permit to use the channel.

Moreover, his priority is extremely high.

This scene made those wizards who had left their wizard forces and wanted to make a name for themselves in the parallel universe jealous beyond measure, yet helpless.

However, the seed of anger had already been planted.

Many wizards cannot understand: although they come from great noble families and already have plenty, why must they lower their heads to compete for resources with these lowly wizards?

Can't you just use the channels of your great noble families?

Feeling the many complex gazes behind him, Lin Ke's heart also churned incessantly.

Actually, regarding that prophecy of the Nostradamus Sage before his demise, Lin Ke has always had some places he didn't understand.

Regarding the Supreme Council of the wizard civilization's decision to fully exert effort to develop parallel universes, Lin Ke likewise harbors doubts.

So-called great change unseen in thousands of years is just a vague statement.

It can be understood as the long-term impact brought by opening channels to parallel universes.

It can also be understood as the wizard civilization and the divine civilization, already mortal enemies, either deciding a winner, or again both suffering losses and declining together.

However, whether intentionally or not, the vast majority of wizards, following the will of the Supreme Council, believe that the great change unseen in thousands of years is precisely that developing parallel universes will allow the wizard civilization to advance further and accumulate enough power to utterly destroy the divine civilization in one fell swoop.

But what is the fact?

The fact is, while developing parallel universes, the wizard civilization also has to endure the increasingly frenzied attacks of the divine civilization that has obviously detected something amiss.

The fact is, developing parallel universes means the wizard civilization must contend with the Celestial Divine Civilization and fight to the death with the demon civilization.

Fighting on multiple fronts, however, is a major taboo for strategists.

Now, the Supreme Council has again exposed a cruel reality problem from all sides.

That is the solidification of hierarchy, or the trend of hierarchy solidification.

What on earth is the Supreme Council trying to do?

What do the five sages think?

One problem after another, making Lin Ke's heart become chaotic.

Lin Ke had to resort to the 'Wisdom Sword', cutting off these miscellaneous thoughts, not considering things he shouldn't consider.

Focus on oneself, focus on family, focus on companions, focus on the Grand Sage Legion and 'free to do anything'.

Not long after, shortly after Lin Ke had sorted out his thoughts, it was his turn to use the two-way universe channel and go to the Celestial Divine Civilization.

After long uninterrupted expansion and construction, the channels between the two universes have been built to no less than twenty.

Between the channels, specifications differ, upper limits differ, speeds differ, durations differ.

There are six channels for personal and small team use.

As a privileged person, Lin Ke naturally uses the one among the six channels with the highest specifications, highest capacity, fastest speed, and shortest duration.

From obtaining the permit to entering the channel, less than ten minutes.

From entering the channel to arriving at the Celestial Divine Civilization universe, it seems like just a moment, but actually an hour has passed.

Here, time is measured according to the time flow speed of the wizard civilization.

The Medici sixth-level sage led his five team members, waiting at the other end of the channel to greet Lin Ke.

Just as Lin Ke used a false identity and also disguised himself, the Medici sixth-level sage and his five team members likewise disguised themselves.

'Long time no see, Grand Sage.'

The Medici sixth-level sage extended his right hand from afar, warmly welcoming Lin Ke.

Long time no see.

Lin Ke and Mei Diqi, a six-level sage, lightly shook hands, then he corrected him, saying, "Please call me Delan Ge wizard, thank you."

Haha...

Mei Diqi, the six-level sage, laughed loudly and corrected himself, saying, "You see my memory, I really ought to call you Delan Ge wizard."

After the words fell, a team member, also a four-level sage wizard, stepped forward to remind: "Mei Diqi wizard, Delan Ge wizard, we have to go. Over there is already prepared, just waiting for us to go over."

Shall we go over?

Upon hearing this, Mei Diqi the sage looked at Lin Ke, seeking his opinion.

Hmm.

Lin Ke nodded in agreement.

The group of seven immediately left the entrance of the two-way cosmic passage, heading toward the "over there" mentioned by the team member.

Throughout the process, they tried to avoid all sight as much as possible.

They proceeded quietly.