Jiang Liu, who was cultivating, suddenly sensed something and his pupils shrank in horror as he stepped out of the wizard tower!
The sea surged with terrifying waves, the sky was filled with swirling clouds, space itself collapsed, and a massive spatial vortex was stirred up. The void was gradually torn apart, as if the heavens and earth had grown a gigantic maw, ready to devour everything.
In the torn void, Jiang Liu sensed a trace of the portal.
Behind that ripped abyss lies another dimension.
Dimensional invasion, war among the heavens. Jiang Liu couldn't help but recall the words of "the one who escaped".
"In wars between planes, the victor is king and the loser is slave. This Middle-earth world doesn't even qualify to be a subordinate plane of the Wizarding World; it's simply plundered. What would happen if the Journey to the West clashed with the Wizarding World? Would the Sages still remain hidden? Or would the Sages already be preparing to invade other great worlds..."
Jiang Liu's pupils seemed to shrink to the size of pinpoints, his face filled with disbelief as a huge celestial body appeared in the sky.
From a distance, it looks somewhat like a small asteroid, but upon closer inspection, it is a colossal object forged from steel. Its specific form is that of the Death Star, a superweapon from Star Wars.
"Could this be the time-space fortress in the wizarding world? A super weapon capable of traversing spatial barriers!"
Compared to the colossal bronze gate that could be traversed, this was simply enormous, much larger than the "Death Star" forged by Jiang Liu in the "Yang Shen" world.
At this moment, a dark cloud shot towards this place. The dark cloud condensed in front of Jiang Liu and transformed into a woman dressed in black.
The Great Wizard Lia, should now be called the Holy Mark Wizard Lia!
"Congratulations on breaking through before it arrives!" Jiang Liu said to Leah.
Leah smiled charmingly and said, "I must thank you, little brother. Without you letting me experience the power of the soul, I wouldn't have broken through in such a short time. The Time-Space Fortress has arrived. Are you planning to go back? This world no longer has much use to you, so I think you should prepare to return!"
"I came to this world as a wizarding apprentice, and now that I've barely reached the level of a third-circle wizard, it's time to return. I've almost forgotten the scent of my homeland!"
Leah was also somewhat moved; having lived in this world for decades, she was naturally filled with emotion.
"Did Sauron die at the hands of Maya?" Lya asked, then stared at Jiang Liu, watching his subtle expressions.
Jiang Liu, without any flaws, said with a hint of sadness, "I am also very saddened by the unfortunate passing of my teacher..."
“I’m not doubting you, but Grote seems ready to accuse you. The Ouroboros aren’t like the Mechanical Heart or the Seventh Ring Tower; they’re ruthless. Sauron was a full member, and now that he’s dead here, they’ll definitely want to find out the truth. I think they might subject you to a soul trial!”
"Soul Judgment?" Jiang Liu seemed to have seen it in that wizarding book; it wasn't a good thing.
Leah smiled and said, "A clear conscience fears no accusation, but a soul judgment can damage the soul, especially for a soul wizard like you. The power of the judgment must reach the level of a Saintly Wizard to be effective. But you don't have the strength of a Saintly Wizard, yet you have to deal with damage that only a Saintly Wizard can withstand. The soul damage you suffer will be beyond imagination. It's enough to halt your cultivation for three years. So... if I let you avoid the soul judgment and you join the Seventh Ring Tower, how about it?"
"The Seventh Ring Tower? You think so highly of me? It seems the Ouroboros organization is far stronger than the Seventh Ring Tower! Even if you, the Seventh Ring Tower and the Mechanical Heart, are combined, you're no match for the Ouroboros!"
Leah looked intently at Jiang Liu and said, "There are advantages to being big and advantages to being small. Your talent might not be anything special in Ouroboros, but in the Seventh Ring Tower, you'll receive special training. I've already reached the Saint Mark level, and once we return, I can apply to form a small team to invade some Great Thousand World. Would you like to join?"
"We'll see! Just like you said, if you're upright, you have nothing to fear. I didn't kill my master, so even if you subject me to a soul trial, I have no fear."
Just as the two were talking, on the other side of the cape, Grote stood on the reef in his mech, looking in the direction of the Wizard Tower, a wicked smile appearing in his eyes.
The Time Fortress finally entered Middle-earth, and Jiang Liu immediately felt his power increase by at least 50%. The Time Fortress, hanging high in the sky like a blood moon, had actually activated the power of the wizard bloodline within his body.
The power of bloodline increases by 50%—what a powerful and mysterious force this is!
Jiang Liu knew the power of the Heavenly Dao. This blood moon seemed to contain a trace of the Heavenly Dao of the wizarding world, which could greatly enhance the power of a wizard's bloodline.
According to Jiang Liu's understanding, this is the space fortress technology of the Wizarding World and the ancient wizards, combined with the primordial will invasion technology obtained after the Second Civilization War! The combination of these two technologies has become the primordial space fortress invasion technology unique to the Wizarding World at this time!
Each spacetime fortress, within its sphere of influence, can counteract the weakening effect of the otherworldly Heavenly Dao on wizards, and the wizards' power is also enhanced under the Blood Moon.
Of course, the resources required to build such a powerful spacetime fortress are beyond imagination. Even the Seventh Ring Tower only has three such fortresses. Each spacetime fortress is overseen by a Seventh Ring True Spirit Wizard, and only True Spirit Wizards can wield such powerful magical artifacts.
Every powerful force that invades another world will inevitably have a blood-red moon hanging in the sky... This is the original spacetime fortress of the wizarding world's invasion of other worlds.
It forms the basis for wizards invading other worlds.
It is also the most basic vehicle for crossing the barriers of time and space.
“They’re here!” Hearing that Jiang Liu had refused to join the Seven Rings Tower, Leah did not give up and said again, “They’ve come from the Origin Space-Time Fortress of the Mechanical Heart. The True Spirit Wizards inside can perform a soul judgment on you and let the Supreme Heavenly Dao judge you.”
Looking at the power of the Heavenly Dao contained in the blood moon, Jiang Liu knew that he was absolutely safe with the protection of "Escaped One," so he had no worries at all.
"If I remember correctly, if I am innocent, the True Spirit Wizard who judged me should compensate me double! I have a clear conscience, so what do I have to fear!"
"Then you'd better take care of yourself! It's such a pity that you have such talent, yet you're wasting three years of your life!"
Leah shook her head inwardly and said, "I owe you a huge favor, and I will do my best to help you! But this time it's the Heart of the Machine that's coming. If it were my Seventh Ring Tower fortress, we wouldn't have this problem!"
Chapter 298 Food and Fireworks
As expected, it was exactly as Jiang Liu had anticipated.
Several messages came from the Time Fortress: first, they would leave Middle-earth in one day; second, they had abandoned the development of this world; and third, destruction, utter destruction.
The Tower of Solon was demolished, and Jiang Liu was temporarily placed under house arrest.
Three fourth-ringed Stigmata wizards were interrogating him. These three wizards were from the groups "Ouroboros," "Mechanical Heart," and "Seven Ring Tower."
"...We will further investigate what you just said. But Third Ring Wizard Grote has confirmed that you murdered Ouroboros Third Ring Wizard Sauron. What defense do you have?"
“I have a grudge against Grote, and he’s taking revenge on me. If he dares, I’m willing to have my soul judged by him under the holy light of the wizard…” Jiang Liu said with a sinister grin.
For Jiang Liu, now is the best time to conduct a soul trial. The wizard's will gathered in this time fortress is only a small part, and Jiang Liu is not afraid of this level of will trial. But when he returns to the real wizarding world, who knows if "The Vanished One" can hide himself?
Moreover, this opportunity will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of the wizard's heavenly rules.
And use this to clear yourself of suspicion.
Killing three birds with one stone, why not do it!
"Soul Judgment! Young man, think carefully. You are only a suspect now, don't be so impulsive!" This white-haired old man was a Saint Mark Wizard of the Seventh Ring Tower, and it was clear that Lia was trying to persuade Jiang Liu.
Although the Ouroboros Saint Mark Wizard was shrouded in a black robe, Jiang Liu could sense that this person, like Sauron, had undergone multiple bloodline modifications.
Sauron's death was a great loss to Ouroboros. Although Sauron had a great weakness in his soul, his skill in bloodline manipulation was extremely outstanding. Now that he was dead in Middle-earth, they naturally did not treat him well.
As for recruiting Jiang Liu into the "Ouroboros" organization, he had this idea the moment he saw Jiang Liu's talent, but he dismissed it the next second.
Because the Ouroboros does not absorb wizards of unknown origin, and the "Seven Rings Tower" seems to have already made contact with him first.
As for the "Mechanical Heart" Saint Mark Wizard, he couldn't wait to subject Jiang Liu to a soul trial.
"Let the Heavenly Spirit decide what to do after it destroys this world!"
"agree!"
"agree!"
Although Jiang Liu was placed under house arrest, he still enjoyed all the freedoms and rights that a wizard should have.
As Jiang Liu emerged from the interrogation room, he saw Lia.
"You're really a rock in a latrine, a soul trial, haha... Grote turned pale when he heard you wanted to drag him into the trial. Speaking of which, your move is brilliant... You came to the G7 world as a wizard apprentice, so I'll take you to see the real wizarding world. Today, you can have a feast, one that will absolutely make you swallow your tongue."
Leah winked at Jiang Liu, looking extremely playful.
Jiang Liu looked at Leah. This woman's age was not apparent from her appearance, but she had been in seclusion in Middle-earth for thirty years, so it was clear that she was definitely not young.
Cultivation knows no time; seclusion for several years or even decades is perfectly normal. Perhaps due to her long-term seclusion and cultivation, although Leah is quite old in age, her mental age seems to be quite young, and her every move is like that of a young girl.
"I've heard that the Time Fortress is a microcosm of the wizarding world, with countless powerful beings from different planes serving under the True Spirit Wizards to protect their respective planes from destruction. Various planes, races, civilizations, delicious food, fine wine..."
Leah's eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled, "Indeed, the only way to avoid submitting to the will of a great wizard is destruction. And the alien civilizations absorbed by wizards all possess their own greatness... So, you've really gotten a great deal from me today; that person only cooks for holy-stigma wizards..."
"Is it only for Stigmata Wizards?"
Jiang Liu discovered that there was a huge modern city inside this "time fortress". The two of them boarded a flying vehicle that resembled a car and merged into the traffic.
From afar, Jiang Liu saw a large truck transform into a giant robot, and its appearance and posture were definitely not those of Optimus Prime, the Autobot.
Seemingly noticing Jiang Liu's curiosity about the robot, Leah explained, "This robot is from Cybertron. The alchemical spark is extracted from their power system and then developed using wizarding knowledge. This robot should be a subordinate of the True Spirit Wizard of Apocalypse Fortress..."
Jiang Liu heard the word "Apocalypse" for the second time and immediately understood. This "time-space fortress" was called "Apocalypse," and the name or title of the master of this "time-space fortress," the seventh-ring True Spirit Wizard, was also called "Apocalypse."
"How is Cybertron now?" Optimus Prime, the Autobot, appeared before him in person. Although Jiang Liu was already calm, he still casually asked.
Leah pondered for a moment, flicked her bangs, and said, "Thirty years ago, the wizarding invasion of Cybertron was nearing its end. Their strongest beings, Unicron and Primordial, seem to have escaped that plane. As for their ultimate fate, I'm not entirely sure. But let's not talk about that now. We've arrived at our destination, and I'm already quite impatient!"
The aircraft was moving very fast and stopped at the edge of a bamboo forest, where a charming little building could be vaguely seen.
Such a sight in this high-tech city clearly indicates that the chef who can create such delicious food must hold a very high position. Or perhaps, he is the personal chef of that true spirit wizard.
An expressionless old man with pure white hair and beard, wearing a chef's hat, stood in front of the bamboo house. Seeing the two approaching, he bowed and said, "Saint Seiya, Zeus is at your service!"
At first, Jiang Liu paid no attention to a dish resembling sashimi, but after taking a small bite, his eyes lit up. This dish, made of some unknown ingredient, not only tasted incredibly delicious, with the meat melting in his mouth, but also felt like a refreshing stream flowing into his stomach, like drinking an ice-cold beer on a sweltering summer day, making every pore on his body open up.
Next came the soup, followed by fish, meat, staple food, vegetables, dessert, and drinks. Jiang Liu finished the whole meal and still felt like he hadn't had enough.
What Leah said earlier about chewing up the tongue is indeed a possibility.
Jiang Liu believed that he had experienced so many worlds and tasted countless delicacies from each world, but none of them could compare to the food he had today.
Moreover, the food was not only delicious, but also extremely beneficial to cultivation. Just like the effects of Dragon Tooth Rice on cultivators, the dishes prepared by this chef were more than just food.
It elevates food to its ultimate form.
There are three thousand great paths, and all things can be entered into the path.
Who says culinary skills can't lead to enlightenment?
Jiang Liu wanted to get to know the chef, but when he looked around, he found that the white-haired old man had already left.
“That old man just now shouldn’t be a wizard, right?” Jiang Liu said to Leah.
At this moment, the Saintly Wizard was also immersed in the delicious food. Jiang Liu asked three times before he finally snapped out of his reverie, his face slightly flushed, and said, "Wizards? No, they come from a place called the Gourmet World, a neutral plane. Although the wizards discovered that world, they did not invade it for various reasons. And they were accepted by the wizards. The best among them are even respected by True Spirit Wizards..."
"Oh! There's such a world!" Jiang Liu was a little curious. He racked his brains but couldn't find any related worlds in his memory.
"Don't underestimate the Gourmet World. Their power comes entirely from the gourmet cells within their bodies. The higher the quality of the food they eat, the stronger their abilities become. The strongest among them are no weaker than a fourth-ring Saint Mark Wizard. That Zeus just now was the top chef in the Gourmet World, and also a powerful figure!"
"Gourmet cells?! Interesting. Do they gain power from food?" Jiang Liu developed a strong interest in these "gourmet cells" after just one meal.
Just as the two were about to devour the food, a dazzling light burst forth from the sky, like fireworks, incredibly beautiful.
“Middle-earth is finished!” Leia said sadly, but a few seconds later, she vanished and said, “The space-based planet-destroying cannons at Apocalypse Fortress will reduce the entire continent to fragments. No one will survive, not even the Maiar…”
"A space-based planet-destroying cannon?" Jiang Liu looked at the flame that burned at the cost of an entire world and realized that the power of this attack was terrifying. It was similar to the final attack of Xu Yi in the "Yang Shen" world. It would only take a few attacks to destroy a continent.
"Why destroy it?" Jiang Liu didn't understand. The resources had been almost completely plundered, and the power of Middle-earth was weak enough. Even if it posed a threat to the Wizarding World, it was still the gods of Valinor!
Destroying this world is simply beyond Jiang Liu's moral bottom line.
This is an entire continent; one shot could kill millions, even tens of millions of lives.
"Because of technological explosion! This term was coined by mechanical wizards. You can also understand it as: in a very short time, the world's will can concentrate the great fortune of the universe into one person, and then quickly break through to reach the seventh ring of True Spirit, or even the eighth ring of Eternal Soul, or the ninth ring of Immortal Will..."