The brief episode with the blue flames did not delay Richard much. After handing the flames over to Ulysses, he returned to the sea of lava and continued to ascend.
The ascent lasted three days, and on the fourth day, Richard finally saw the rock wall at the upper layer of the lava sea.
All that remained was to carve a tunnel from the rock wall to the surface.
Richard gently touched the rock wall with his staff, and a spell's light entered the wall. Immediately, the wall turned to dust and fell into the lava sea.
"Hmm? It turned directly to dust instead of soft mud. It seems that under different elemental conditions, some spells can have altered effects."
Richard then released several spells to turn rock into mud, effectively carving out a pit in the wall that could accommodate his body.
Diving into the pit, Richard completely emerged from the lava sea.
"Getting out is really not easy."
Once inside the pit, Richard began to advance toward the surface according to his plan.
...
Twenty years may be just a moment for the world, but the situation in the world has changed dramatically in that time.
The wizards spent twenty years occupying one-sixth of the Crimson Sun World. If it weren't for the small number of wizards, this figure would have been even greater.
Most of the territory occupied by the wizards was that of the Morik Empire and the Linksa Empire. During the conflict with the Linksa Empire, the wizards even flew a Floating City directly into Linksa Empire territory.
The powerful firepower of the Floating City, combined with the White Wizard Legion, led to a crushing defeat for the armies gathered by the Linksa Empire, with even their commander losing his life on the battlefield. If it weren't for Harash, who took command of the legion as a volunteer, the elite forces of the Linksa Empire would have been nearly wiped out in that battle.
Meanwhile, in the rear, infiltrating Black Wizards were continuously conducting activities behind enemy lines.
Spreading rumors, stealing intelligence, assassinating capable officials to support the incompetent, sabotaging military supplies... these activities plunged the Linksa Empire into chaos. The Linksa Eye, established in imitation of the Morik Shield, successfully gathered a group of scum under the interference of the wizards. This made the already chaotic situation in the Linksa Empire even worse.
Compared to this group of scum, the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the Great Purge could be considered a beacon of justice.
Under multiple factors of interference, the Linksa Empire is now in disarray, and even the orders of the Fire Lizard King may not be reliably communicated.
The empire is filled with bandits supported by wizards. If it weren't for the fear of the Fire Lizard King's intervention, the infiltrating Black Wizards could even rally the rebels.
It can be said that if the Fire Lizard King of the Linksa Empire still exists, the current Linksa Empire would have already collapsed.
Linksa Empire, Luxor Province.
The center of Luxor Province is a city named Luxor.
During the day, the sun blazes down, and Fire Lizards in white robes crowd the streets. They bargain with vendors, stride purposefully toward their destinations, or simply enjoy the rare peaceful scene.
Luxor Province is currently the most stable province in the Linksa Empire, where all the bandits and thieves have been reduced to lizard carcasses hanging on execution racks under the pursuit of Fire Lizard warriors.
In other provinces where the Linksa Eye holds power, they can only keep their heads down in Luxor Province.
This is because General Barashar, stationed in Luxor Province, truly disregards their background and would execute them all without hesitation.
However, keeping their heads down does not mean they are entirely submissive. Barashar must also consider the orders from the Fire Lizard King behind the Linksa Eye, so the Linksa Eye still maintains an office in Luxor.
And in the basement of that office, a group of black-robed wizards is plotting something.
A black-robed wizard with a formidable presence pointed at the map on the table: "According to the intelligence, the Dragon Beast breeding base of the Linksa Empire is located in that volcano on the outskirts of Luxor."
Around him, several other wizards with equally strong auras were also focused on the map.
"Are you sure? Don't mess it up like last time." said a necromancer. "Last time, our operation already alarmed the enemy. If we do it again, our arrangements in Luxor Province will be completely ruined."
"Based on the intelligence obtained from those Fire Lizards, it should be there."
"But last time we acted based on their intelligence too, and what happened? We were surrounded by the Dragon Beast Knights and lost nearly a hundred fellow wizards."
The one speaking now was an Alchemist Wizard whose body had been transformed into an alchemical puppet. His voice carried a metallic buzzing sound.
"Exactly, I suspect these Fire Lizards have either defected or been discovered." said a wizard whose body had turned to stone, his voice deep like the tremors of the earth.
"Impossible. If they had been discovered or defected, we would have already been surrounded by the Dragon Beast Knights." said a wizard whose body resembled a ghost.
"How is that impossible? What if Barashar wants to make a big move?"
"Then what do you suggest? Should you go gather intelligence?"
"I think we should just assassinate Barashar. Why is the Linksa Eye so restricted in Luxor? It's precisely because those Fire Lizards fear Barashar. As long as we deal with him, we can act as we please in Luxor."
"Well said, then this glorious yet arduous task will be entrusted to you. I have no interest in assassinating a commander protected by elite forces, especially one who is a tier-three creature..."
"Shut up!"
A wizard exuding a decaying aura spoke in a low voice.
The wizards in the room turned their gazes toward this old wizard, whose life was nearing its end.
For wizards, age is proportional to strength. Wizards like this, whose aura is decaying and whose lifespan is about to end yet can still participate in planar wars, are invariably the strongest among the strong, the ruthless among the ruthless.
Such wizards, regardless of their alignment, are respected by expedition wizards, and even Great Wizards would treat them with extra courtesy.
Of course, this is limited to tier-two and tier-three wizards; tier-one wizards have too short a lifespan and have not yet undergone a qualitative change due to energy transformation.
"Master Theodor, what do you think about this matter?" the first wizard to speak asked.
"The intelligence from those Fire Lizards should be reliable; the Dragon Beast breeding base should indeed be in that volcano.
But the fact that they obtained this intelligence is very suspicious.
Barashar is a cautious person, and the Dragon Beast Knights are one of the few armies of the Linksa Empire that we haven't infiltrated. He must be extremely careful with intelligence.
And the few indigenous scum we support could not possibly have obtained this information."
The old wizard Theodor's voice was hoarse, as if he had sand stuck in his throat, but his words plunged the wizards present into deep thought.
The intelligence is true, but it was intentionally leaked by someone.
This is both a strategy and a challenge.
Barashar is challenging the wizards, saying, "I have given you the intelligence you need, but do you have the guts to come?"
"So what do we do? Do we eat this poisoned cake or not?" asked a wizard whose body was almost made of flames.
Everyone turned their gaze back to Theodor, hoping he would come up with a decision.
"Eat it, why not?" Theodor's face revealed a hint of ferocity. "As long as we destroy the Dragon Beast breeding base, the Dragon Beast Knights of the Linksa Empire will lose one for every one we kill.
This will have significant implications for the final battle.
Moreover... cough cough cough, the Dragon Beast breeding base uses items from the [Lost Ones]. If we can obtain one, even if we want to seal the land, the Great Wizard won't oppose it."
[Lost Ones]
Hearing this term, the emotions of the wizards present jolted.
"Master, are you sure that the Dragon Beast breeding base contains items from the [Lost Ones]?" the Alchemist Wizard couldn't help but ask. "The [Lost Ones] are from a time too distant for us; how could their items still be usable?"
"Who knows? The usability of the [Lost Ones] items cannot be judged by our experience." Theodor replied calmly. "These Fire Lizards are still using [Lost Ones] communication devices, so it's not surprising that the breeding base also uses [Lost Ones] items."
The wizards fell silent for a moment. The potential benefits of this operation were too great, causing even these battle-hardened wizards to waver internally.
"How about we vote by raising hands?" one wizard suggested. "The minority obeys the majority."
"Okay."
"Sure."
"Let's raise our hands."
The wizards all agreed to this method, but just as they were about to raise their hands to vote, the stone wizard suddenly shouted.
"Who is down there!"
In the next moment, the stone wizard stomped his foot hard, and a crack opened in the basement floor. He reached out with his hand, trying to catch the little mouse hiding underground.
He could sense that this little mouse was not even tier-three.
But the next moment, his spell was unexpectedly disrupted.
"Something's off! Everyone, attack together! There's a mouse underground!" the stone wizard called out.
The intelligence from this meeting was absolutely classified, not even the Fire Lizards of the Linksa Eye knew about it. And now, in such a secret meeting, a mouse had appeared.
Although this mouse was several dozen meters underground and likely just happened to pass by the basement, all the wizards present were the type who would rather kill an innocent than let one go. With a mouse present, they were determined to catch it and see what it was.
"Come out!"
Theodor waved his staff, and the surrounding space began to warp, a powerful gravitational force trying to pull the little mouse out from underground.
But strangely, their methods had no effect on the little mouse underground, and even in the stone wizard's perception, the little mouse suddenly transformed from tier-two to tier-three.
"Something's wrong, prepare to attack!"
Theodor's eyes sharpened, and a gravitational shield appeared in front of him in an instant.
The next moment, a figure engulfed in black-blue flames shot out rapidly from underground.
"Who dares to attack me!"
(End of Chapter)