Chapter 130: Life is Short, Seize Every Moment

Starlight Calendar 1255, Month of Winter Harp (January).

On the first day of the New Year, a grand celebration began.

This year's celebration was more magnificent than ever, for a well-known reason: to celebrate the ascension of the new Grand Duke.

To the surprise of many, the new Grand Duke chose Shimmer City as the capital instead of Starlight City.

He even spent a fortune to build a new palace.

Only those with a certain status understood the reasoning behind the Grand Duke's decision.

It was because his base was near Shimmer City.

From any perspective, the new Grand Duke's residence couldn't be far from his base.

It was a logical decision.

In fact, from the proposal to move the capital to the start of palace construction, not a single noble opposed the idea.

Everyone agreed without hesitation.

The Month of Winter Harp passed in celebration and busyness, quickly turning into the Month of Renewal (February).

Fine snowflakes still fell from the sky.

In previous years, snow would have started to melt by now, but this year it remained cold.

However, Sunan, being in Lake U City, didn't feel it.

The underground world's temperature varied far less than the surface, remaining damp and cold year-round.

After spending over half a month, Sunan finally completed the first high-grade stone golem.

The high-grade stone golem was synthesized from a total of four hundred sixty stone golems.

Like the elite Twin-Blade Spider, Sunan also affixed the high-grade stone golem with Levitation, Lightness, Brute Force, and Tenacity, totaling four second-circle spells.

Additionally, using enchanted weaponry techniques, he imbued the high-grade stone golem's body with Black Steel properties, and its fists with minor lightning and ice elemental damage, focusing on slowing enemy movement (paralysis and freezing).

Thanks to the high-grade stone golem's large body and Sunan's improved [Magic Item Creation] level, he could attach three properties simultaneously.

Ultimately, a single high-grade stone golem cost over 22,000 gold coins!

Only about 1,000 gold coins less than an elite Twin-Blade Spider.

Even with the seven mines currently under Lake U City's control, the monthly profit could only produce one high-grade stone golem or one elite Twin-Blade Spider.

"Expensive, but worth it."

It's worth mentioning that Sunan attempted to synthesize a three-circle legendary high-grade Twin-Blade Spider.

However, even after placing five elite Twin-Blade Spiders in the cube, it wasn't enough to synthesize a high-grade Twin-Blade Spider.

This meant a single three-circle legendary high-grade Twin-Blade Spider's cost exceeded 100,000 gold coins, far more than an adamantite golem.

Under these circumstances, crafting an adamantite golem was undoubtedly more cost-effective for acquiring a three-circle legendary golem.

"Having the design makes crafting high-grade golems more economical."

"Unless there's no design or lack of key materials, synthesis is the only way to obtain high-grade golems."

There's precedent for this.

For example, crafting a steel golem costs only 1,500 gold coins.

In contrast, synthesizing an elite stone golem costs over 7,000 gold coins.

Both are one-circle legendary golems, and even though the steel golem is slightly stronger, the cost difference isn't justified by such a marginal increase in strength.

The primary issue is the scarcity of micro soul crystals, preventing mass production of steel golems.

To acquire sufficient one-circle legendary strength, Sunan had to expend more resources.

The same applies to potions and magical items.

For instance, the resources consumed to create a third-tier transcendental potion could produce four to five third-tier potions with equivalent materials.

However, the corresponding materials aren't available on the Starlight Continent, so synthesis is the only option for making third-tier potions.

"For three-circle legendary golems, crafting an adamantite golem is ideal."

Sunan had made up his mind.

Unfortunately, the last adamantite golem he encountered was mostly destroyed by the Magic Rune Core, yielding only a small amount of magical adamantite, insufficient to craft a new one.

He'd need to assign the task of crafting magical adamantite to the base's apprentices.

In terms of training, Sunan had mastered all the second-circle spells he possessed, totaling over twenty.

Until he acquired new second-circle spells, he was once again without spells to train.

Regarding metamagic techniques, his progress in spell quickening was swift, already halfway through.

Sunan estimated that within a year, he should master spell quickening.

Unfortunately, training metamagic techniques required spellcasting, consuming mental energy. Once depleted, meditation was needed to recover, significantly slowing training.

Otherwise, he could increase training time or train multiple metamagic techniques simultaneously.

"Too bad there's no potion to restore mental energy."

Time passed, and it was soon mid-Month of Renewal.

Sunan took the opportunity to conduct an evaluation at Base 1, assessing all the apprentices' progress.

After over four years of development, the base's student body had grown to forty-two.

A new round of aptitude testing had been conducted throughout the Starlight Duchy.

This test was unprecedentedly extensive, encompassing all six provinces except Goldrock Province.

Initial estimates suggested that over 100,000 eligible participants would undergo testing.

It's anticipated that this round of aptitude testing will lead to a surge in the base's student population, likely surpassing three figures.

Additionally, Sunan and Ke Yi had agreed to establish a knight academy in each province, creating a more comprehensive and extensive talent reserve system for future knight guards.

Thus, the development of new magical plantations became imperative.

More dragon blood fruits and silver moon flowers were needed.

The knight academy could be handled by Ke Yi, delegating personnel to oversee it, requiring only occasional attention from Sunan.

Only opening the magical plantations required his personal involvement.

"But it should only be another year or two of busyness."

"Xieman and Korey's meditation is progressing well; they should soon advance to second-level wizard apprentices."

"By then, they can handle the development of the magical plantations."

Second-level wizard apprentices can essentially operate independently, allowing Sunan to delegate many tasks, freeing him from micromanagement.

Then he can focus on more endeavors.

Like exploring the underground world for ancient beast descendants.

Or researching more powerful golems.

"Alright, that's it for today."

After concluding the final spell assessment, Sunan announced the end of the evaluation, glancing over the forty-some students. He offered a few words of encouragement before turning to leave.

He wouldn't reprimand students for not putting in effort.

After all, that was their choice.

He provided a platform for equivalent exchange, where students' efforts were rewarded. Whether or not to work hard was their decision.

As long as they abided by the base's rules and didn't harm its interests, Sunan generally wouldn't interfere with their behavior.

This was common among many wizard academies.

Even black wizard academies, which adhered to cruel competition principles, respected student autonomy in certain areas.

However, in black wizard academies, the consequences of not working hard were often harsher.

Once Sunan's figure vanished from the spell training room's entrance, the students seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Some showed joy, others were dejected and mournful.

"It's over. I failed to cast a spell three times in a row. The teacher must think I'm so dull."

"Same here. I messed up both potions at the start. So embarrassing."

"But Ethan was amazing, successfully making a Brute Force potion on his first try!"

"I was just lucky," Ethan humbly smiled, glancing at Xieman and Korey with a hint of envy.

"Still not as good as Senior Xieman and Senior Korey. The teacher said they'd soon construct their third star ring."

Mentioning this, the students looked at Xieman and Korey with admiration and awe.

Constructing the third star ring would advance them to second-level wizard apprentices.

At that level, they'd truly be considered competent apprentices.

Unfortunately, most of them had only recently constructed their first star ring, far from becoming second-level wizard apprentices.

As the group chattered, a half-man-high cloud of smoke drifted in, pausing briefly before heading toward Xieman.

"It's a Mist Monster!" a student noted.

Mist Monsters were semi-corporeal beings, their bodies smoke-like.

They served as messengers in the base. For a bit of mental energy, they could deliver messages or transport lightweight items, making them quite convenient.

Naturally, they were another of Sunan's summoned "helpers."

The Mist Monster floated to Xieman, extending a tendril of gray mist to wrap around his ear, emitting a soft, whirring sound.

This was the unique Mist language, translated through Xieman's constant-effect magical item with a comprehend languages ability, quickly becoming intelligible speech in his ear.

Suddenly, Xieman's expression changed dramatically, and he hurriedly ran out of the spell training room.

Leaving the others puzzled and bewildered.

Old Roger hadn't survived the winter.

He passed at sixty-five.

In this era, that was an impressive age.

In truth, Old Roger's health had never been good.

Issues from his youth caused his health to decline significantly after fifty.

It wasn't until Xieman entered the base and began sending home substantial amounts of gold each month that Old Roger could retire and rest at home.

Later, Xieman even exchanged for a vial of diluted lesser dragon blood potion, which he gave Old Roger regularly, slightly improving his health.

Otherwise, with his ailments, Old Roger might not have reached sixty.

Even so, Old Roger didn't make it through the sixty-fifth winter.

At least he passed peacefully.

He fell asleep one night and didn't wake up the next day.

It wasn't until a servant noticed something amiss, checked his room, and discovered his passing, hastily notifying Xieman.

Knowing Old Roger disliked extravagance, Xieman kept things simple, holding a modest funeral before laying Old Roger to rest.

Standing before Old Roger's tombstone, Xieman was dazed and silent.

The old Xieman would have been in tears by now.

But after five years at the base, he was no longer the crybaby who sobbed at the slightest thing.

Though his tears were gone, the sadness in his heart was undiminished.

"Xieman..."

Behind him, Atil hesitated, her gaze sorrowfully on Xieman.

She'd never seen him like this.

Normally, Xieman wore a smile, even when encountering difficulties, usually offering a self-deprecating chuckle before redoubling his efforts, never appearing so shrouded in melancholy.

"My condolences," Korey had arrived unnoticed, standing behind Xieman.

Xieman exhaled deeply, turning to face them, his expression calm and unreadable.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

He glanced at the somber sky, his tone low:

"I just suddenly realized how short human lifespans are, how decades pass in the blink of an eye."

"Will we all die someday, lying quietly in a grave like Old Roger?"

"Everyone dies, right?" Atil pondered.

"What about the teacher?"

Atil froze, unable to respond.

To them, Sunan was the most formidable person in the world.

Strong, knowledgeable, with vast resources and influence.

If anyone could achieve immortality, it might be him.

Korey said calmly, "Everyone dies eventually, but powerful wizards don't."

"The teacher mentioned that formal wizards live for over a thousand years, and true spirit wizards can live for tens of thousands of years, which is practically immortality."

Atil smiled ruefully, "Do you think we can become formal wizards?"

"Set your goal and strive for it. Why think so much?"

Korey gazed firmly ahead.

"No matter how long it takes, I'll become a formal wizard!"

Korey approached Xieman, speaking calmly: "It's understandable to mourn the deceased, but you must recover quickly. If you wish to continue on the wizard's path, you'll face more of this. You need to acclimate."

Xieman glanced at Korey, surprised: "Are you comforting me?"

"If that's how you see it."

"I thought you disliked me."

"I just don't like you. That's still true, but I respect your effort and talent. Having you as a rival motivates me to keep pushing forward. I don't want you to fall into despair."

With that, Korey gave Xieman a meaningful look before leaving.

Once Korey was out of sight, Atil reacted, surprised: "That's the first time I've seen Korey like this. I didn't know he could be comforting."

Xieman chuckled, looking at Korey's departure with a complicated expression.

"You're right. He may be difficult, but he's not bad at heart."

"I used to think there was no rush to improve our abilities, that steady learning was enough, but now I see Korey has a point."

"Life is short. Even third-level wizard apprentices only live a century or two. To become a formal wizard in such a brief time, we must seize every moment and give it our all."

Xieman sighed.

In that moment, a sense of urgency he'd never felt before stirred within him.

He wanted to grow stronger, faster!

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