The Wizard: From Zero-Ring Wizard to Almighty Lord.

Chapter 210 The Four Great Forges
Chapter 210
The wizarding world is vast and boundless, and its territory can be roughly divided into five major regions: east, south, west, north, and central.

Lynn is currently in the southern region of the wizarding world.

In this southern region, the power division between black wizards and white wizards is clear-cut, separated by a rift extending from the distant other side.

The rift stretched from the far reaches of the earth, cleaving the entire southern region, passing through the Atlas Mountains, crossing the Red Swamp, and finally merging into the deep, dark Nightmare Rift Valley…

At this moment, Lynn was riding the jet-black dragon, traveling along a route that was the opposite of what was going on.

They are about to leave the Nightmare Rift, cross the Red Swamp, traverse the Atlas Mountains, and return to the Dark Wizard's domain.

This is the path he once walked, and now, he is once again embarking on his journey home.

It's worth mentioning that Beverly is now a slave to the scales, and Lynn can take her in the golden scales without worrying about her being a burden on the journey.

……

A majestic mountain range stands on the earth, like a natural barrier, stretching between the borders of the white wizards and the black wizards; this is the Atlas Mountains.

The mountains rise high into the clouds, and from the halfway point they become a world of ice and snow that never melts. The wind and snow howl, and everything is white, as if you have entered another silent ice kingdom.

High in the blizzard, an elegant and majestic black dragon soared through the air, its body as sharp as a sword amidst the storm.

On the back of the black dragon, Lynn wore a black wizard's robe, the hood covering most of his face, revealing only a pair of calm and deep eyes.

He raised his head slightly, looking down at the snow-covered earth below, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

"This... should be the pass I passed through when I left the wizarding realm..."

Lynn murmured softly.

He returned to the place, but he was no longer the weak young wizard he once was.

For example, Lynn's current presence, along with the oppressive aura he and the black dragon exude, has already alarmed certain interested parties below.

He only paused in the air for a moment to recall his thoughts before attracting the attention of the guards at the pass.

Soon, on that boundless, snow-covered plain ravaged by wind and snow, the swirling snowflakes began to change.

As if drawn by some force, they combined on their own and coalesced into a silver-white snow wolf!
The snow wolf soared into the air, riding the wind, and headed straight for Lynn.

On the snow wolf's forehead stood a tall, slender figure, facing the wind, exuding extraordinary strength.

Lynn stared at the man, a hint of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

He remembered that person.

It was the same bartender he had seen in the bar when he passed through the pass.

Of course, that was only part of the other party's concealment of their identity.

The power fluctuations emanating from the other party are enough to prove their true identity; they are at least a level three Grand Wizard!
“The Spirit-Eyed Wizard’s memories indicate that this person is the guardian of this pass, named Sirius, one of the disciples of Sirius, the ‘Forge Stone’…”

"You seem somewhat unfamiliar..."

Sirius stood atop the silver-white snow wolf, his gaze cautious yet carrying a hint of amusement, as he looked at Lynn on the black dragon's back and spoke.

Although Aquila had already released information about Lynn in the bounty poster.

But the person before him had changed so much in appearance and demeanor that even if Aquila were to come in person, he would probably find it hard to connect him with the little wizard of the past.

Sirius also failed to recognize Lynn.

He came here only because he noticed that Lynn lingered above the pass for a moment and behaved strangely, so he came out to make contact out of vigilance.

In fact, not only Lynn, but even the majestic black dragon was completely unrecognizable to Sirius as the one that had once been subdued by the "Spirit-Eyed Wizard".

Countless high-ranking wizards pass through this border-guarding passage every day, and those who ride black dragons are not uncommon.

Above the black dragon, Lynn lowered his head slightly, looking at the little Sirius rising from the snow. Sensing the probing intent in the other's tone, he coughed lightly and responded calmly:

"Sorry, revisiting this place has made me feel a little disoriented."

"Oh?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The level-three aura emanating from that black dragon already spoke volumes; the person on its back was undoubtedly extraordinary.

This powerful man actually said, "Returning to this familiar place, I feel somewhat dazed."

Could he be a dark wizard who left the south a long time ago? Or perhaps even a peak level three archmage pursuing the Path of the Morning Star?
The "sophistication of time" revealed in one's eyes and tone of voice is not something that can be easily faked.

Could this person before me be someone who has made a breakthrough and decided to return home to focus on further improvement?
Although the peak of a Level 3 Archmage is only a hair's breadth away from a Morning Star Wizard, the difference is worlds apart.

Thinking of this, Sirius Black stopped testing the waters and instead showed goodwill:
"You've been away from here for some time now, haven't you? If you're not in a hurry to continue your journey, why don't we go down for a chat? Have a few drinks, and we can talk about the changes in the south in recent years. Perhaps I can give you a brief explanation."

"Alright."

Lynn nodded in agreement.

Although he was rushing back, he wasn't in a hurry.

I can get some information about the southern region from Sirius and compare it with what I've already gathered.

……

Beneath the ground, the bar at the pass remained bustling and lively.

Sirius originally planned to take Lynn to a quiet private room, but Lynn preferred the noisy atmosphere of the bustling crowd and declined.

In the lobby, in front of the bar.

The air was filled with the aroma of wine, the flames flickered, and a subtle magic seemed to emanate from the air. The noise and commotion were not chaotic.

Memories of the past and the reality of today intersect and overlap at this moment.

Lynn gazed at the scene before him, his eyes flickering slightly, his gaze deep and unfathomable, yet calm and composed.

Beside him, Sirius slowly mixed drinks while answering Lynn's question in a calm tone:
"In terms of major events... there's nothing really that constitutes a major upheaval."

He spoke casually, as if discussing a trivial matter.

"After all, under the suppression of the four major forces of the Forge Stone, the Abyss Forge, the Shadow Forge, and the Forge Temple, it is really not easy for the entire Southern Black Wizard Region to stir up trouble."

These four major forces are recognized as the top powers in the southern black wizard territory, and they now firmly control this wizarding land where chaos and abyss coexist.

The four major factions are located in the southern Black Wizard Territory, and the closest one is the Forgestone.

Sirius pushed a glass of shimmering silver potion toward Lynn, and then said:

"However... while there haven't been any major events that have shaken the entire region, there have been a series of minor incidents. For example, the Spirit-Eyed Wizard you asked about."

At this point, Sirius paused slightly and said in a low voice:

"He disappeared, and the Spirit Eye Forge he built was also completely destroyed."

"Of course, although his power is nominally part of the Black Wizard lineage, it is located in a remote area, encompassing the border region of three kingdoms, and has never been of much concern to high-ranking wizards. Now that the Forge has collapsed, no Morning Star wizard seems willing to take over personally."

Lynn picked up his glass, his expression remaining calm, as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Sirius noticed his composure and, with the intention of befriending a future wizard of great potential, he did not stop at a superficial reply but continued to extend goodwill:

“Speaking of which, if you’re going to the Three Kingdoms region, I’d like to offer a word of advice. Don’t be fooled by the apparent ‘poverty’ of that place.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice: “As far as I know, the area near the Emerald Island Great Forest is extremely dangerous… In fact, even Lord Aquila has ventured deep into it many times.”

Upon hearing this, Lynn's fingers paused slightly.

Even with his calm and clear mind, he couldn't help but squint at this moment.

“Aquila…” he murmured to himself.

Those who obtain a "title" within the Forgestone not only possess formidable strength but also represent the potential to reach the pinnacle of a Level 6 Morning Star Wizard.

To obtain a title, one must be at least a level 5 Morning Star Wizard.

If such a powerful being truly resided permanently in the Emerald Island Forest...

Therefore, Lynn's plan will undoubtedly face extremely difficult resistance.

However, Sirius quickly added:
"However, Lord Aquila is very busy and doesn't spend much time in the wizarding world. As far as I know, he only went to the Emerald Isle Forest once or twice before leaving in a hurry."

Lynn's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this.

He now understands very well that as their strength increases, wizards tend to spend most of their time exploring endless planes, and rarely stay in the wizarding world itself.

This is especially true for wizards of the Morning Star level and above, who only appear occasionally to handle extremely important matters.

It seems that Aquila is also this type of entity.

In this way, even if the other party still has some lingering interest in the Emerald Island Forest, they won't need to personally oversee the situation.

Most likely, they would send their strongest subordinates to garrison the area, serving as spies and protectors.

This is completely different from directly facing the Aquila constellation itself.

Lynn felt a sense of relief. Although he didn't show any change in expression, a slight hint of deep thought flashed across his eyes.

After talking with Sirius for a while and gathering as much information as possible about the Three Kingdoms, Lynn rode the black dragon, flapped his wings again, and left the pass, heading straight for the Three Kingdoms.

……

The so-called "land of the Three Kingdoms" actually refers to:
A large area where the Kingdom of Eluria, the Duchy of Keshira, and the Duchy of Salam meet.

They got their name because they all surround the Emerald Island Forest.

The vast and secluded Emerald Island Forest is both a natural barrier and a forbidden land hiding countless strange and mysterious secrets.

These three countries are geographically closest to the forest and are most deeply affected by it.

In the wizarding world, although high-ranking wizards often form their own systems and do not live with "mortals," this does not mean that they are completely detached from the operation of secular regimes.

Behind many ordinary nations, one can more or less see the shadow of wizarding forces, or even their direct intervention.

Powerful wizards often support a regime and manipulate its political situation from behind the scenes through expansion, conquest, and unification.

They will develop it into their own resource hub to continuously collect everything they need, including population and resources.

Mortal kingdoms are generally divided into three levels based on their overall national strength and control over wizard resources: duchies, kingdoms, and empires.

Of course, this does not mean that a "principality" is equivalent to weakness.

Below the principalities, there are also a large number of nameless small states, and even private territories and noble autonomous domains scattered in the border areas.

For example, the current Kingdom of Eluria was originally just an obscure little principality.

However, with the support of the Spirit Eye Wizard, it conquered several countries in just a few decades, its territory expanded rapidly, and it became a kingdom-level power.

If the Spirit Eye Forge had not been destroyed, with its continued support, the Kingdom of Eluria might have already surpassed the three kingdoms and moved towards the title of "empire".

Unfortunately, with the mysterious disappearance of the Spirit Eye Wizard, the Spirit Eye Forge also collapsed and split into several factions.

As a result, the development momentum of the Kingdom of Eluria plummeted, and the once unified kingdom quickly descended into internal strife.

"The Kingdom of Eluria is now divided into four major powers, all of which are at the level of third-level archmages..."

The black dragon roared in the air, flapped its wings, and carried Lynn straight to the Kingdom of Eluria.

This information was revealed by Sirius before he left.

Sirius did Lynn a favor by telling him about the internal situation of the kingdom without reservation, without taking a penny.

According to him, the kingdom's four major powers today are all former members of the Spirit Eye Forge. After the disappearance of the Spirit Eye Wizard, they fell apart and became rivals in their struggle for dominance.

These are: the Heart of the Sea Palace, the Crimson Lotus Party, the Silver Moon Castle, and the Royal Family itself.

Lynn pondered for a moment.

Of these four major forces, the first three are each overseen by a Level 3 Grand Wizard, who controls their respective wizarding communities.

Although the royal family does not have any publicly known third-level wizards, this does not equate to them being a weak and powerless force.

After all, it is rumored that the Spirit Eye Wizard had an ambiguous relationship with the once stunningly beautiful Queen of the Royal Family, and it is highly likely that he left some "contingency plans" and resources in the Royal Family.

It is thanks to these hidden legacies that the royal family was able to stand firm after the collapse of the regime and become one of the four powers that exist today.

“I’m not familiar with the Crimson Lotus Party and Silvermoon Castle… but it seems that the Great Wizard Helen is behind the Heart of the Sea Palace.”

Lynn narrowed his eyes, chuckled softly, and his mind raced.

His real goal for this trip was to reach the Great Forest of Emerald Island.

But clearly, he didn't intend to just barge in, as that would only invite unnecessary trouble.

He became even more cautious after learning from Sirius that the Azure Isle Forest was still guarded by the forces of Aquila.

Therefore, Lynn decided to take a safer route:

First, integrate the Kingdom of Eluria, and then use your own power as a bridge to gradually infiltrate the outskirts of Emerald Island.

In this way, one has a legitimate reason to act and need not worry about alerting the enemy with one's actions.

Moreover, a stable, prosperous, and controllable mortal regime would also be of considerable benefit to a wizard.

Originally, this benefit belonged to the missing Spirit-Eyed Wizard.

Now, however, it has fallen into Lynn's hands.

"The power of a Morning Star Wizard ultimately depends on the size and level of the wizards within its sphere of influence..."

Lynn's gaze was calm as he murmured softly.

He was not arrogant, but rather had a very clear understanding of his own abilities and future.

He possesses three core abilities: Heaven rewards diligence, the Spirit of the Azure Sky, and the Golden Scales.

Once you successfully advance to the third-level Grand Wizard and overcome the shackles on your lifespan, the realm of Morning Stars will no longer be far away.

In other words, he can already prepare for his path to becoming a Morning Star.

Unifying the Kingdom of Eluria ahead of time, integrating its resources and population, and incorporating it into its own system were all preparations for that step.

Even if he doesn't need it right now, this plan will become a springboard for him to reach higher levels of authority when he reaches the Morning Star level.

(End of this chapter)