Chapter 209: Chapter 101: Steam Ritual, Activate
By early morning, Zorn could already sense numerous faint gazes within the steam.
’They probably can’t get in, but we can’t just let them attack unchecked. At the very least, we need to show them that we can fight back, so they won’t dare to assault my Steam Castle so brazenly.’
"Yes, Master!"
The group replied respectfully.
During this time, Zorn had moved a considerable amount of resources out of his Divine Kingdom.
Divine Kingdom Statues, Divine Kingdom Sand, Divine Kingdom Crystal Wall Fragments, and so on.
These resources were either placed inside the Steam Magical Castle to stabilize its overall framework and reinforce its defenses,
or they were absorbed by the Steam Magical Castle to accelerate the growth of its [World] power.
As his core Wizard Fortress, it naturally wouldn’t be breached so easily.
WOOOOOO...
Accompanied by the roaring blast of a steam whistle,
a massive amount of Steam Grey Mist spewed forth.
The castle, which occupied a vast expanse of land, was quickly submerged in a massive cloud of steam.
Deep within the streets surrounding Zorn’s Steam Castle,
one after another, Transcendents of considerable power sized up Zorn’s Steam Gray Mist Castle, eager to make their move.
Once the Steam · Realm-Founding Ceremony began,
Zorn and the other Transcendents would have to garrison the Steam Ceremony Tower.
With their Spiritual Wills detached, the [Tower Guardians] would lose their ability to resist in the physical world.
This would be the perfect time to attack the [Tower Guardians] in the physical world.
A successful attack would have a massive impact on the entire course of the battle.
Even if the attack failed, just distracting a [Tower Guardian] and making it difficult for them to stably garrison the Steam Ceremony Tower would be a huge win.
The Steam Spirit Realm!
The physical plane!
A two-pronged attack—this was Saintisman’s strategy.
「In the castle’s secret underground chamber.」
Zorn first entered the Star Realm through the Star Realm Gate. After a quick inspection to confirm there were no issues with the Starship,
he withdrew and re-entered the Steam Spirit Realm.
WOOOOOO...
The moment he entered, he was met with the vast, soaring roar of steam that seemed to cover the sky and land.
Outside the Steam Spirit Realm’s Spiritual Barrier,
the Jade Grey Mist had not only grown thicker and more solid, but it was also pressing forward with increasing intensity.
Zorn withdrew his gaze from the outside and looked toward his own Steam Ritual Tower.
’The tower defense game is about to begin!’
Zorn thought to himself with a shake of his head and a smile.
Whether it was the Spirit Realm’s current tower,
or the Holy Crown Tower and even the Legendary Tower he would construct with other experts in the future,
all of them required fending off various other factions during their initial construction.
[Tower Defense] was one of the game modes many Players enjoyed.
In this ritual tower-defense war, a successful defense meant rich rewards.
Failure meant the destruction of both the tower and its master.
Zorn began to operate the various parts of the Steam Ritual Tower.
He quietly awaited the start of the ceremony.
Before long, the ethereal silhouette of Lady Sun appeared near Zorn’s Steam Ritual Tower.
Zorn understood and allowed her ethereal silhouette to enter his tower.
Lady Sun, wreathed in a golden solar halo, looked Zorn up and down before speaking with a smile.
"It’s a good thing you managed to uncover that crucial piece of intelligence earlier."
"In the mist of the Fir Tree Forest to the north, Lady Ailuviya found two groups of operatives from the Forbidden Bloodline, that Evil God Organization."
"After eliminating both groups, Lady Ailuviya recovered a batch of extremely potent Forbidden Blood from them."
"Afterward, Lady Ailuviya used the ritual you provided to establish a connection with the [Gray Mist Giant] and sent it toward the target destination: the Volcanic Rock Castle."
"Just yesterday, the [Gray Mist Giant] reached the Volcanic Rock Castle."
"Along the way, members of the Forbidden Bloodline, that Evil God Organization, obviously noticed the [Gray Mist Giant]’s movements. They even tried to use a ritual to stop it."
"Naturally, they were met with a counterattack from the [Gray Mist Giant]."
"The fast ones barely managed to escape with their lives, while the slower ones were swallowed by the gray mist."
"I heard the Forbidden Bloodline lost quite a few powerful Middle Rank Level Transcendents this time."
Zorn chuckled at her words.
"The Gray Mist Giant is a terrifying Upper Ranker. It’s a forbidden existence, after all—something even Divine Spirits wouldn’t dare to provoke lightly. Middle Rank Transcendents are nothing but ants before it."
Lady Sun glanced at the Jade Grey Mist outside and continued.
"Although we foiled their plot this time, Saintisman’s forces are still within the Ancient Porcelain Holy City."
"We’ve deployed some defensive forces near your castle as well."
"But you still need to be careful."
"I understand."
Zorn nodded slightly.
As they were speaking,
WOOOOOO...
The Steam Tower at the core of the Steam Spirit Realm let out a surging, passionate roar.
They both looked over at the same time.
Zorn could faintly see a vast, epic scroll depicting the age of steam in the Northern Border Region slowly unfurling.
The ceremony of the Steam Spirit Realm was like a powerful hand, its force pressing through the very paper as it fiercely branded its own Immortal Sacred Mark onto the majestic, epic scroll of the Northern Border Region.
Zorn’s own Evil Spirit Catastrophe Ceremony was completely dwarfed by the Steam Spirit Realm ceremony.
However, the costs involved were also completely different.
The Evil Spirit Calamity Ceremony only required a little preparation to sketch out a Sacred Mark.
The Steam Spirit Realm ceremony, on the other hand, required an immense amount of preparation.
Furthermore, a single vast, epic scroll only allowed for one "Sacred Mark of the Steam Spirit Realm Ceremony" to be inscribed upon it.
The Evil Spirit Calamity, however, could be inscribed many times.
"The ceremony is starting. I must return to garrison my own tower. Be careful,"
Lady Sun said gently to Zorn, her pupils surging with a brilliant light.
"Mm."
As Lady Sun vanished,
Zorn sprang into action.
His [Spiritual Realm] bloomed slightly.
Its powerful Spiritual Power easily pierced through both the Steam Spirit Realm and the physical world.
Zorn could now fight off the attacks from the Jade Steam within the Steam Spirit Realm,
while simultaneously using his Spiritual Realm to garrison the castle and defend against any potential attackers in the physical world.
Seated within the Spirit Realm’s Steam Tower and in full control of his Spiritual Realm, Zorn squinted as he sized up the Jade Grey Mist.
GURGLE GURGLE...
The Calamity Black Mist began to slowly flow, seeping into the Steam Consciousness Tower beneath him.
A moment later!
RUMBLE...
Deep within the Jade Grey Mist, a rumbling roar approached from the distance.
Zorn gazed into the distance.
The Jade Grey Mist churned madly, as if it were boiling.
Suddenly, the Jade Grey Mist surged upward like a majestic mountain peak.
He could even see vast quantities of the mist transform into trees, vines, mountain crags, streams, and thick earth.
It was as if an entire, tangible world made of jade was bearing down on them.
All the Garrisons, including Zorn, watched with grim expressions as the massive jade wave charged toward them.
RUMBLE...
The majestic jade wave instantly submerged the entire Steam Spirit Realm.
