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

“Wizard Lynn, this meeting… it can be tricky in some ways, but it can also be easy in others.”

The wizard Green's expression was inscrutable, his voice low, yet his words were enticing.

Lynn raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled by the statement, but the weight in Green's tone gave him a sense that the meeting was anything but ordinary.

However, this was clearly not the right time to ask questions in detail, as Green had just said that the meeting was about to begin.

The three of them did not linger at the entrance to the upper city.

Wizard Alder's face was ashen, and though he was filled with resentment, he had no choice but to use his authority as an enforcement wizard to personally open a passage for Lynn and lead him and Green into the territory of the Upper City.

The division between the Upper Town and the Lower Town is like two different worlds.

The upper city of the mountain city is not large, encompassing only the core facilities and buildings required by the Southern Branch of the Wizard Council. The overall layout is simple and solemn, even somewhat desolate.

Compared to the bustling and diverse scene of the Lower City, where a variety of civilized beings gather, this place lacks the throngs of shops and entertainment facilities. Instead, the streets and alleys are filled with towering, neat, and austere wizarding buildings, row upon row reaching into the clouds.

Along the main road, the patrolling alchemical creatures moved silently, their eyes flashing with a cold light, creating a chilling and deadly atmosphere.

Lynn followed Green and Old, heading towards the council hall in the center of the upper city.

That majestic building resembled a giant sword piercing the heavens and the earth, exuding a solemn and imposing aura that inspired awe.

As he walked, Wizard Green slowly spoke, finally explaining his previous seemingly ambiguous statement.

"The destruction of the Nightmare Rift Valley... isn't entirely unacceptable." His tone was calm, his expression grave.
“Some members of the Radiant Moon level forces already knew that the Radiant Moon Lord who was stationed in the Nightmare Rift had left not long ago. Therefore, the Nightmare Rift was only a level six Morning Star Wizard force, and its destruction in the face of the Meteor Council’s full-scale attack was to be expected.”

“However…” Green’s voice lowered slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, “

This is precisely the crux of the matter. Even though His Majesty the Radiant Moon has departed, the Nightmare Rift remains under his control. And now, the destruction of the Nightmare Rift, in the final analysis, is because they participated in the actions of a branch of the Wizarding Council…”

"If we really want to get to the bottom of this, the source of this storm is our Southern Region branch."

As Green spoke, a heavier atmosphere seemed to settle in the air.

Alder, standing to the side, had a gloomy expression and a slight frown, clearly feeling quite pressured by these words.

Lynn's eyes flickered slightly as she mentally pieced together the events, then nodded gently in understanding.

The reason this matter is so troublesome is that it involves a true pinnacle being, His Majesty the Radiant Moon.

The destruction of the Nightmare Rift was almost tantamount to a resounding slap in the face to His Majesty in public.

What's even more frustrating is that the Southern Region Branch was one of the leaders of this operation. If His Majesty Huiyue returns in the future, they will probably be the first ones to be held accountable.

Wizard Green seemed to notice the subtle look in Lynn's eyes, and slowly began to explain:
"However, there's no need to be overly nervous. Although this matter is indeed sensitive, even if His Majesty the Radiant Moon returns, he will at most seek revenge against the Wizarding Council of the Southern Region... Other involved forces and individuals will not be affected..."

At this point, he pursed his lips slightly, revealing a faint smile:
"So our Forgestone only sent a level 4 Morning Star Wizard to make a show of things this time. As for level 5 Morning Star Wizards, and even top-tier Morning Star Wizards like my teacher, none of them came in person."

After saying that, Green glanced at Wizard Ald without making a sound.

Alder's face grew increasingly grim, as if a stone was pressing on his chest. After all, he belonged to the law enforcement sequence of the Southern Region branch, and these words were tantamount to pointing the finger directly at the system above him.

“Of course,” Green continued, “in the eyes of an existence at His Majesty the Radiant Moon’s level, we fourth-level Morning Star wizards are nothing but insignificant little people. Even if he were to personally come to the Southern Region, he would only seek out sixth-level wizards, His Majesty the Radiant Moon, or even higher authorities. As for us? We are nothing but insignificant pawns on the chessboard.”

Lynn listened silently, gradually sketching out the outline of the entire situation in his mind.

It turns out that the claim that "the Southern Region Morning Star Wizards gathered together" was just a carefully crafted publicity stunt by the Southern Region branch.

In this way, those fourth-level Morning Star Wizards who came from independent cultivation would feel the pressure and dare not slack off. For example, Nightshade Wizard and White Heart Tower Master were pushed by an invisible hand and hurriedly rushed to the Mountain City.

Wizards like Green, who came from powerful forces in the Forgestone, were much more composed.

They have a broader perspective, and therefore their knowledge is clearer.

Even the level 5 and 6 Morning Star wizards inside the Forgestone might not take this matter seriously.

For Lynn, this was unexpected good news.

After all, among his enemies, the most threatening and the one who hated him to the core was none other than Aquila.

Aquila has always considered the resources in the [Landscape] as its own, but Lynn has snatched them away from its jaws. This action is enough to make Aquila grit its teeth and wish it could tear him to pieces.

If it weren't for the protection of Hercules, he would probably have already lost his life.

Now that Aquila is not here in person, he doesn't have to worry about encountering Aquila and causing all sorts of trouble.

Coming to his senses, Lynn had already figured out most of the details of the meeting.

The fact that he and Green, both fourth-level Morning Star wizards, were summoned here is probably not just for show.

The Wizarding Council's Southern Region branch's grand display was, on the one hand, a clear indication of their attitude towards His Majesty the Radiant Moon.

On the other hand, it also cleverly dragged all the Morning Star wizards, who were originally unrelated to this matter, into the vortex.

After all, the initial operation to annihilate Nightmare Rift Valley was only carried out by Morning Star wizards from the border area between the White Wizard and Black Wizard territories.

This is why the Meteor Council was able to act so arrogantly for a time and still cause trouble everywhere.

If all the Morning Star Wizards in the Southern Region had mobilized, the Meteor Council would probably have been wiped out within days and wouldn't have lasted until today.

Now, the Wizarding Council is holding this grand meeting, which seems to have a sense of "post-event remediation".

Lynn frowned slightly, but a mocking smile curved her lips:

"Are we going to make everyone take the blame?"

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his guess was almost certainly true.

Once the meeting is held, the fact that Her Majesty the Moon's Nightmare Rift Valley has been destroyed will be laid bare. Regardless of their attitudes or actions, the Morning Star Wizards who attend will be seen as having "tacitly" participated in the operation.

Wizard Green spoke casually, assuring them that there was no need to worry about His Majesty the Radiant Moon targeting them, these "insignificant" fourth-level Morning Star wizards.

Indeed, this makes sense to Green. As a wizard of the Forgestone, and with a master like Hercules as his mentor, no matter how great the storm, it will not affect him.

But what about those independent cultivators who have no background and are all alone? They will probably be pushed to the forefront and become scapegoats and shields.

If His Majesty the Radiant Moon were to return in the future and question this matter, the Southern Region Wizarding Council branch could easily deflect the question by saying, "This is a joint decision of all the Morning Star Wizards in the Southern Region."

However, true independent cultivators may face annihilation as a result.

Lynn sneered inwardly, a curse flashing through his mind: "Damn it, he's really heartless."

He could almost imagine that the idea most likely came from a dark wizard. The Southern Territory was already divided between white wizards and dark wizards, and naturally, there were many dark wizards among the high-ranking members of the council.

Such ruthless methods, silently pushing countless wizards of the same level into the fire pit, can be described as cunning and skillful.

Thinking of this, Lynn's eyebrows suddenly twitched slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

It seems he has discovered a huge "loophole".

Although he naturally blended into the meeting group, strictly speaking, he was not an official member of the Southern Region branch.

In other words, once the meeting officially begins, he will neither be able to speak nor participate in the voting, and naturally will not leave a trace in the official records.

In this way, even if His Majesty the Moon were to return and bring up old grievances in the future, Lynn could simply remain uninvolved and wouldn't have to worry about suffering any consequences.

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of joy, and the dark clouds that had been swirling in his mind seemed to have been blown away.

"After this meeting, I'll go through the formalities in a couple of days to become a member of parliament, and then receive my Morning Star gift..."

Lynn secretly made plans in his mind, walking alongside Green and Wizard Ald.

The view ahead gradually opened up, and the grand meeting hall that carried the authority of the Southern Region Wizard Council finally came into his view.

It was a huge building that floated in mid-air.

It hovers silently high in the sky, like a huge, frozen full moon, resisting the constraints of gravity with indescribable power.

The entire hall is perfectly circular, with its outer walls inlaid with thick mithril and obsidian. Ancient runes emanate a faint glow from the surface, like embers flowing in the long river of time, silent and majestic.

From a distance, it looks more like a floating celestial body than something ordinary.

Lynn stopped in his tracks, a look of surprise in his eyes.

"Is this the first time you've seen this kind of architecture?"

Upon seeing this, Wizard Green smiled gently, his voice carrying a hint of explanation.

"This is a rule and symbol established by the ancient sages of our wizarding world. As long as one steps into the Realm of Morning Star, one automatically gains the status of a member of the Wizarding Council, enabling one to vote and participate in decisions that affect the entire wizarding world. The existence of this hall is the embodiment of that rule."

He paused, then raised his hand and pointed to the suspended circular hall, his tone solemn and slow:
"According to the rules, the Wizard Council is divided into different levels: the Morning Star Council, the Moonlight Council, and an even higher, invisible level. Even if there is a huge difference in strength, the councilors are equal before the round table. Even a sixth-level Morning Star wizard's opinion is completely equivalent to that of a fourth-level Morning Star wizard like myself."

Lynn looked up at the circular hall and seemed to feel an invisible sense of oppression emanating from its silent exterior walls—a projection of authority and order.

“That’s why,” Green continued, his tone becoming somewhat lighthearted.
“Every meeting hall of the Wizarding Council is designed with a round table, without a head seat or a hierarchy, symbolizing equality and rules. At least here, the boundaries of status and power are blurred.”

He paused here, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips:

"Of course, this is only equality in terms of rules. The Radiant Moon Lords are as rare as morning stars, and the vast majority of matters concerning the Wizard Council are decided by us Morning Star Wizards through voting."

Lynn nodded in sudden understanding, gaining a more intuitive understanding of the wizarding world's system.

Only then did he belatedly realize why the level 5 and 6 Morning Star wizards of the Forgestone were unwilling to come here.

They are powerful figures in the real world, but once they sit at this round table, their status is no different from that of an ordinary fourth-level wizard. That disparity must make them quite unhappy.

The three level-four Morning Star wizards didn't say much, but exchanged a glance before taking off into the air together.

A surge of elemental power rippled beneath their feet, as if an invisible wind was lifting them up, propelling them toward the towering, massive circular building in mid-air.

The circular hall resembled a planet suspended in the sky, its shadow enveloping the ground. As they drew closer, the building's massive silhouette inspired even greater awe.

The ancient runes surrounding the outer wall emitted a faint yet profound light, each arc line seemingly engraved with the ancient history of the wizarding world, solidifying a certain indescribable pressure.

When Lynn stepped into the main hall, he had expected it to be a magnificent and dazzling place of wonders, but what he saw before him was unexpected.

The interior is extremely simple, without elaborate carvings or rare alchemical materials adorning the walls, presenting an overall solemn and dignified style.

The soft light and shadow fall on the gray-white stone floor, each stone slab polished smooth and neat, yet without appearing ostentatious.

In the center of the hall is a circular platform, raised above the ground like a fighting ring, while the seats around it spiral upwards in concentric circles along the arc of the dome, resembling the stands of a gladiator, but more solemn and grand than any gladiator.

The seats surrounding the entire venue were arranged in a staggered manner, with each seat offering a view of the central platform, clearly designed to ensure that every member of parliament could see each speaker equally.

At this moment, the hall was filled with a dense crowd of Morning Star Wizards, their black and white robes intertwined, like a painting woven from yin and yang, without any barriers between factions.

The council's rules allowed dark wizards and white wizards to sit side by side, where they were neither particularly close nor obviously hostile.

This enormous building can accommodate a great number of wizards, but even so, only about half of the councilors attending today were seated, with many seats remaining empty.

Even so, Lynn was still secretly shocked to see so many Morning Star wizards gathered together for the first time.

Normally, any Morning Star Wizard could suppress a force and wield considerable influence within the kingdom. Yet now, they have become equal members of this Round Hall.

"Seating is optional. Except for the bottom ring closest to the center, which is the speaking area, you can sit anywhere else."

Wizard Green explained in a low voice.

Lynn nodded to indicate that he understood, and followed Green and Old across the wide staircase to find a relatively quiet, less crowded area to sit down.

He leaned back gently in his seat, his fingers tracing the cold stone armrests, silently marveling at the invisible aura of solemnity emanating from them.

After taking his seat, he immediately sent brief messages to the White Heart Tower Master and the Night Shadow Wizard, informing them that he had entered the venue.

After sending the message, he was somewhat bored during the short wait, so he looked around and took in this unfamiliar world of the Wizarding Council.

Contrary to what one might imagine, the Morning Star Wizards here are not all mysterious and unapproachable masters; some of them are silent with their eyes closed, seemingly meditating.
Some were talking in hushed tones, as if exchanging information; others had indifferent expressions, their eyes sweeping around without any emotional fluctuation.

The various styles of robes, badges, and decorations reveal their different origins and heritages.

"Black wizards have four great furnaces, white wizards have four great towers... That area is where wizards from those powerful forces gather."

"And those without obvious markings are mostly rogue cultivators..."

"However, just as Wizard Green said, it seems that the major powers don't have many level 5 or level 6 Morning Star Wizards..."

"On the side of the rogue cultivators, we can see the figure of a level five Morning Star Wizard..."

Lynn silently tried to discern the origins of these wizards, and with each glance he cast, he seemed to see different stories and experiences in them.

For the first time, he truly felt that the true source of power in the entire Southern Region was concentrated in this solemn and magnificent circular hall. (End of Chapter)