Badge in Azure

The mages cheered, but Saleen did not feel lightheaded, as they were none who came out to face him, and there were no territorial powers used against him.

According to Saleen’s analysis, if Jason had used territories, his Puppet Constellation would not have had any effect. However, his Puppet Constellation was very powerful, which meant that the territory that had been ripped from Saleen was already restored.

The Puppet Territory was extremely invasive, as it contained properties of the Puppet of God’s heart. Saleen realized why his teacher asked to have his territory stripped after he realized its properties.

Such properties were detrimental to mages because they added too many abilities that hindered a mage’s advancement, but when the properties were transferred to a piece of equipment, it became beneficial instead.

Saleen was able to use such equipment to do tasks usually reserved for demons, enabling easier dismantling of temples, which enabled the low level materials in the Puppet Constellation to be absorbed.

The puppets in Puppet Constellation took the materials and created new puppets, adding to the mass of the Puppet Constellation.

It was capable of self-evolution. At the end of the process, it would possess the power of the God of Puppets.

A God of Puppets might even appear in the equipment, giving birth to divine fire and manifesting a divine persona. If a god appeared, they would be a part of Saleen’s weapon spirit. Saleen was extremely impressed by his teacher,.

The cheers gradually subsided. Everyone was happy because they learned something. If they only read about it, it would take them decades to comprehend.

The Puppet Constellation was miraculous. Any mage below level ten could not even aspire to obtain it.

The mages’ personal experience with the equipment could not be replaced and could not be described with words.

The Puppet Constellation shrank and the sun in the sky appeared again. The dazzling stars around disappeared as well. A ball of the size of an eye dropped into Saleen’s hand.

Saleen caressed it and sensed the Big Guy feeling relieved. The Big Guy would heal quickly in the space and no longer need to fear death.

The Puppet Constellation took up a slot in the Starline Bangle. Saleen descended from the sky, and the mages dispersed to return to their own residences and digest everything they learned.

The temple guards returned to their formations, heading back to their respective garrisons. Saleen went to Jason’s place after he returned to the temple.

“Teacher, I finally got what you said,” Saleen said when he saw his teacher. It was rare for him to skip formalities and share his excitement with his teacher.

“Glad you did.” Jason did not mind. Saleen’s growth meant that his plan could be completed earlier than expected.

Jason began telling Saleen about interdimensional spaces. The one connected to the temple was growing at breakneck speed, as if it was growing alongside Myers Mainland.

The land around Raphael’s magic tower expanded to over 300 square meters and the forest grew at an even more frightening rate. The volcano no longer erupted and most of the dust in the air settled.

There was a hill beneath Raphael’s magic tower. A huge spring appeared below the hill with freshwater fit for irrigation flowing. Furthermore, according to the mages’ calculations, the number of wellsprings would only increase.

More wellsprings would appear below the hill, forming a river that would flow everywhere.

Raphael had chosen the place because it was on the path to becoming a full-fledged plane. There were celestial entities in the sky and the sun was no longer bright red.

The heat would enable plants to grow, and not just the ones native to the interdimensional space that relied on the energy provided by underground fires to survive.

Jason told Saleen that the entire interdimensional space would surpass Saleen’s kingdom sooner or later. It would be deemed fit for human living and the flying puppets created by the mages had detected sea at the end of the land. The sea would give birth to native life someday, despite only being dead water at the moment.

“What should I do then, Teacher?” Saleen asked for Jason’s thoughts on the matter.

“Myers Mainland is on its way to restoration, but things are getting increasingly worse. It’s best to move all of your subjects to the interdimensional space. Unless it is interfered with by gods, it will not decay for millions of years.”

“That’s a tall order.” Saleen was exasperated. Move everyone to the interdimensional space? No way the teleportation portal can be used for that. His kingdom had over 10 million people, and they were all very loyal.

There were more than five million loyal subjects at Lex’s side waiting to be moved. The total number of people to be moved neared 20 million.

“When the Puppet World advances to level 13, it will be able to carry living beings, and you will be able to move over a million people at once. What are you fretting about?”

Saleen thought for a bit. It was impossible for him to move his subjects right away, but since there were no one in the interdimensional space at the moment, he could take his time to build a city and get farming lands sorted out, creating the basic infrastructure that every nation needed.

When that was done, he could move his subjects.

He was, after all, a king, and he needed to answer to the common folk who chose to follow him. His alchemy factories would need to be moved as well, as the interdimensional space would not become a battlefield.

If all else failed, he could sever the connection between the interdimensional space and Myers Mainland. He could manage the interdimensional space.

The Winged Skull arrived with news. The trade was completed and Glen delivered the rest of the heart fragments of the God of Puppets. 600 ships of ores were taken away. However, there were no warships of the Devil’s Horn seen and no space coordinates found on any of the islands. Glen left just like that.

Saleen did not believe that the Devil’s Horn would simply give up. He sent the water puppet to Lianyun City to inform Grand Duke Iron Blood, making it clear that he had just sealed a very huge trade between him and the Alchemy City.

The Grand Duke, as expected, delivered different news. He told the water puppet clearly that both parties could sign a treaty to last for over 100 years, but he wanted to talk to Saleen about it in person.

The venue was decided by Saleen. Saleen admired Grand Duke Iron Blood. The Grand Duke did not even reject the notion of having treaty negotiations take place in Metatrin City. That meant that the Grand Duke was sincere.

Saleen asked his teacher, and Jason answered, “this Grand Duke acquired absolute power and was not the least bit worried about you crossing him out, so he agreed to it.”

“Absolute power?”

“Grand Duke Iron Blood has the Dragon Island, so there is no need for him to be worried about equipment. He acquired True might Territory and corresponding equipment, becoming confident that you won’t be able to do him any harm, so he agreed to talk about the treaty with you and gauged what Metatrin City is capable of at the same time.”

Saleen thought for a bit. “I understand. I’ll see him in Metatrin City’s royal palace. The treaty seems weird, seeing how we were enemies…”

“The only enemy to mages is time,” Jason quoted at Saleen.

“Well, I’ll have a nice chat with him.” Saleen felt the world was a mystical place. He had once wanted to destroy the very person that would soon be an ally of his. Furthermore, the Grand Duke was serious, stating that he would bring Imposa along and cease all hostilities for the moment.

So long as they remained allies, even Imposa would not make any moves against Saleen.

Saleen understood. Imposa would kneel and kowtow to Saleen or whatever else Saleen demanded him if it meant that he could enhance his powers. Imposa gave everything to the study of magic.

It was like… a zealous adherent who had no faith.

The meeting was set to happen in November. Saleen had more than a month to spare, so he took the time to get familiar with using Puppet Constellation.

Nailisi and Eleanor were summoned back, and the outskirts of the Oceanic Ice Block were left to the Winged Skull. Saleen was confident in the Winged Skull’s powers. If the full brunt of the Reaper Scythe were brought onto the enemy, not even a level ten magic shield would be able to defend against it.

The Ancient was super powerful on its own. If he signed a treaty with the Grand Duke, both parties could seal all routes to the Oceanic Ice Block within 100 years.

Truman had been hard at work. It was rare for Saleen to be around to teach him, and Saleen even gave a whole set of magic books to him. Truman had no lack of similar equipment until he reached level 18.

The news of Grand Duke Iron Blood coming to Metatrin City was not kept secret, as the Grand Duke had an entourage of 10,000 people, heading straight for Guderian City on land, before passing Phoenix and arriving Saleen’s Metatrin City. There was no way of hiding news of 10,000-person entourage marching that far on land.

Safilos from Holy Rock City wrote Saleen a letter immediately, demanding to know why he had chosen to ally with the enemy nation.

Saleen replied Safilos sincerely, laying out the feud between him, Alchemy City, and Agares. Saleen made it clear that the Grand Duke refused Misty City’s command, effectively making the Grand Duke splinter from the Cloudflow Empire. Saleen saw fit to be on his good side.

Safilos fumed over Saleen’s reply. His words meant that Saleen had forgotten that the Grand Duke was still taking Lianyun City. However, with so many cities falling at the northern side of the empire, if Safilos were petty, he might have simply earned Saleen’s ire.

The 10,000-person entourage was only a show of force to make it clear to Saleen that the mage could no longer back away. The alliance between them was not forged in secret. Saleen was relieved, as it meant that the treaty mattered a lot to the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke’s entourage finally made it to Metatrin City in the middle of November. Saleen threw a grand welcoming ceremony to receive the powerful noble.

6,000 guards of honor welcomed their guests outside Metatrin City. The Grand Duke had left most of his people at Guderian City. Only 2,000 arrived at Metatrin City. There was even a merchant group among them, making it clear that they intended to trade with Metatrin City.

There were two powerful ones at the grand duke’s side, one of the mages replaced by someone else—a red-robed level ten mage. The golden grand swordmaster, Dark Blue, had advanced to become a level ten True might.

However, Dark Blue’s power paled severely in comparison to the Grand Duke. He looked totally insignificant at the Grand Duke’s side.

The only notable difference that made him stand out was that his eyes had six pupils. It was a powerful thing to take note of, as it meant that he had at least 10 chances of escaping death.