Chapter 184: Chapter 85: Level 7 [Puppet Master]
CLACK... CLACK...
The rhythmic drone of the steam train made everyone in the carriage drowsy.
On a steam train from Ogrande City, bound for the Ancient Porcelain Holy City.
Zorn sat in a private compartment.
His gaze drifted northward, settling on the Ancient Fir Tree Forest, which towered like a majestic mountain range.
The spring of 1646.
Across the Northern Border Region, the snow was constantly melting.
Zorn had begun his journey to the Ancient Porcelain Holy City.
Throughout the winter, Zorn had made thorough preparations.
Zansi Dolly, a Golem Witch who had already reached Level Five, was leading a group of Transcendents as Zorn’s vanguard.
She had arrived in the Ancient Porcelain Holy City ahead of them to carry out the numerous tasks and plans Zorn had assigned her.
Silver Horse Raymond maintained the Ogrande City Mafia’s operations.
Meanwhile, the Lantern-carrying Elder continued to develop his industries in Ogrande City. It would be time enough for him to come over after he reached Level Six and had settled his affairs in Ogrande.
In a high-stakes arena like the Ancient Porcelain Holy City, Level Six was the bare minimum for entry.
Vanessa was with Zorn.
Alvin was brought along to help out.
As the train rounded a bend, Zorn caught a glimpse of the towering, ancient firs.
’Hmm... We’re almost at the station!’
Surrounding those towering ancient firs was Sugi Tree Town.
That was the staging point for reaching another entrance to the Divine Kingdom.
It was also the final stop for this steam train journey.
...
[Star Trace Fighter]
Level: 5 (99%)
[Talent]
Gangyi Iron Bone (SS-Level)
[Skills]
Shattering Spirit·Skull-Splitting Fist: Level 3 (44%)
Vigorous Qi Mastery (Passive): Level 2 (24%)
Thousand Streams·Gale Step: Level 2 (25%)
Star Trace·Holy Armor: Level 1 (62%)
Gang Dragon Hand: Level 1 (35%)
...
[Evil Spirit Wizard] (World-level BOSS)
Level: 5 (99%)
Evil Witch Spirituality: Feeds on spirits.
Immortal Divinity: Reviving.
[Talent]
Mortality and Rebirth (SSS-level): Resurrection (5/5).
Evil Spirit Authority (SSS-level): Control over Spirituality.
...
[Skills]
Life Absorption: Level 2 (76%)
Forbidden Weaving: Level 1 (32%)
Double-Ringed · Destruction Magic Ball: Level 3 (18%)
Scythe of the End (Forbidden Technique): Level 2 (36%)
Eternal Calamity Whip (Forbidden Technique): Level 2 (32%)
Upper Rank: Ringed Snake’s Eye (Exclusive Forbidden Technique): Level 1 (42%)
Tarktos’ Hand (Ancient God Forbidden Technique): Level 2 (12%)
Witch Spirit·Fast Casting: Level 2 (14%)
...
This entire winter, Zorn had painstakingly ground his skills in the Ancient Ruins to increase his power.
Every one of the Evil Spirit Wizard’s skills had improved substantially.
Witch Spirit·Fast Casting, in particular, had gone up a level.
Compared to Witchcraft skills, which were difficult to level up, the Fighting Master’s skills were somewhat easier to improve.
Nearly every skill had increased by one level.
However, Zorn was still stuck at Level 5 (99%).
It wasn’t that Zorn couldn’t level up.
With the profound power of his Sacred Mark, Zorn could have easily advanced to Level Six.
The main reason was that the Divine Kingdom was about to be opened.
Advancing the first few times by borrowing the Divine Kingdom’s power would grant access to the powerful Middle Rank Level Forbidden Curses stored within it.
Furthermore, a Fighting Master could also obtain some decent Secret Techniques for their class through the power of the Divine Kingdom.
Therefore, Zorn planned to explore the Divine Kingdom, advance to Level Six inside, stabilize his power, and then proceed to the Ancient Porcelain Holy City.
After all, the current situation in the Ancient Porcelain Holy City was a tangled mess of warring factions, and the conflict was severe.
Even Zansi, a Level Five "minor boss" Golem Witch, could only hide in a corner and develop her power in secret, not daring to make any major moves.
As Zorn was lost in thought...
WOO WOO WOO...
The low, melodious sound of the steam whistle rang out.
The train was approaching Sugi Tree Town.
Zorn was dressed in a black formal suit befitting a nobleman, complete with a fleece-lined top hat and a cane with a deep green jade handle.
Vanessa followed behind Zorn, carrying a small, ladylike Monster Treasure Chest.
Alvin, meanwhile, carried two men’s Monster Treasure Chests, acting as the pack mule.
Although the Monster Treasure Chests were quite heavy, for Alvin, who was already Level Four, it was a piece of cake.
At the moment, Zorn looked more like an ordinary nobleman.
His Sequence Level appeared to be only Level 2, and he exuded the aura of a Wizard.
As they left the steam train station and entered the rather bustling town, Zorn’s brow furrowed slightly.
Just before the train pulled into the station, he had sensed a strange atmosphere.
And now that he had arrived in Sugi Tree Town, his suspicions were all but confirmed.
Although he could use Upper Rank: Ringed Snake’s Eye to probe further, spying on a suspected Level 7 Puppet Master within a town they had already rigged with puppets would undoubtedly be asking for trouble.
’Is he using a dense web of puppet strings to control every resident of the town to cultivate his own skills?’
’Or... is he attempting to advance to a higher level here?’
’Or is he lying in ambush for someone else?’
He had only just neared the Ancient Porcelain Holy City, and was still in a border town, yet he had already encountered such a Level 7 expert.
This made Zorn even more wary of the current state of the Ancient Porcelain Holy City.
"Young Master Zorn, should we have lunch here before we leave?"
Vanessa asked curiously.
Uncertain of the Level 7 Puppet Master’s intentions, Zorn naturally had no desire to linger here.
"I think we should go have a picnic on the mountain instead."
"After all, we brought plenty of barbecue equipment and food."
Alvin, following behind, immediately agreed.
"I love barbecue, and I’ve also heard that food cooked over redwood lumber has an especially unique flavor."
