Floating City
The multiple bolts of lightning twined together, converging into a giant lightning serpent. There even seemed to be a hologram behind it, as it faced the unwanted guest that had just entered its lightning zone.
*Bzz Bzz!* Sparks flew madly on the surface of the Colossal Serpent, and the original defensive layer began to deform, seemingly unable to endure further.
“Emergency alert? The strength of each lightning bolt is above 300 degrees?” Leylin touched his chin.
An attack strength of 300 degrees was rare even amongst rank 3 Magi. Even Crystal Phase Magi would find it difficult to take on the combination of the lightning storm and the atmosphere.
Other than Morning Star Magi, perhaps only a fleet of tens of rank 3 Magi could gain entry using the airship’s defences augmented by a continuous supply of magic crystals and potions.
This had caused tickets into Sky City to become immensely expensive, enough to make official Magi go broke.
‘If not for caring little for this meagre source of income, Morning Star Magi could earn quite a lot of money if they took charge of these airships!’ Leylin thought indifferently.
Of course, Morning Star Magi were exceedingly rich and cared little for such a meagre profit. In addition, their arrogance would not allow them to do something like this.
Leylin was not staying idle right now. A terrifying soul force emanated from this body, wrapping the Colossal Serpent within it.
*Buzz!* With the support of soul force, the Colossal Serpent’s defensive membrane immediately stabilised and was now reinforced with another thick layer. It was now like a solid black crystal.
The deck of the Colossal Serpent, that had been shuddering all this while, was now as solid as a mountain.
That was not all. Tiny black flames clung to the energy defence. The lightning could not even reach the Colossal Serpent itself and was instead absorbed by these flames. In fact, the Colossal Serpent’s energy reserves grew rapidly.
The black flames seemed to form a pathway in the air, not allowing any lightning to strike in its path.
The Colossal Serpent was then free to move as it liked, the lightning no longer daring to attack.
“Oh?” Leylin scanned an area and chuckled. The Colossal Serpent turned into a black streak as he quickly left.
“Hah...” A long while after the Colossal Serpent disappeared, the clouds dissipated to reveal an elemental sprite whose lower body was covered by a spiral of unlimited lightning elemental particles.
“What a terrifying human!” Only now did it dare mutter to itself, a tremble in its voice, “He’d long since found me! Just his gaze alone was paralysing... Even the earlier Morning Stars haven’t given me this feeling, could he be a great Radiant Moon Magus?”
This lightning elemental sprite with a body of lightning energy particles shuddered as it looked in the direction Leylin had departed, eyes full of fear...
*Boom!* The black clouds parted as a similarly black streak flew across the skies, with black flames trailing behind as it left a magnificent path in the air.
“Hah... So this is Sky City, the airborne holy land of the Magi!” Leylin observed a large floating city from the deck in amazement.
This city was constructed on a hemispherical island. The city itself was massive, glowing with light from all types of spells. Once in a while, a few ant-like black dots would move in the distance horizon. With Leylin’s sight, he could tell that they were no ants, but magic airships that were bigger than even the most gigantic cruises in his previous world.
In comparison to the floating city, these large airships appeared to be tiny.
“And to think I still knew that Sky City was afloat. Pictures and words can’t describe the mind-blowing nature of this view.” As the Colossal Serpent approached it, the city seemed to grow even larger. A faint golden light rose from the heart of the city, seeming to create a holy radiance in the sky.
“Peace and harmony! What a beautiful city!” Even Leylin could not help but sing its praises right now.
[Beep! The Colossal Serpent has received a communication request.] the A.I. Chip sounded. The floating city had obviously discovered the communication devices on Leylin’s personal airship.
‘As expected of something from the Fallor Family, they’d tampered with the airship!’ Leylin’s eyes flashed coldly. While he had known of this, he had allowed it because it made communications easier, which did not go past his bottom line.
Leylin had intentionally used the Colossal Serpent to come here. If he were to sneak in alone, who would discover him?
Through the communications channel, a polite and humble voice was heard. “Airship number DKGW1394! Distinguished Duke Farlier, welcome to Sky City! Please follow our guiding airship and park at the private port we’ve allocated!”
“Mm!” Leylin agreed, and the Colossal Serpent began to slow down while following the mentioned route before it stopped.
Meanwhile, in the command room somewhere in Sky City, things were in chaos!
“Morning Star undulations detected! Determined to be at Four Stars!”
“No issues with the Colossal Serpent. Kemoyin Duke Farlier is confirmed to be inside.” Information was flashed through red warning lights and many staff members gaped at the gigantic airship. The figures working the deck felt faint.
“A Morning Star has come to visit us. Why were we not notified earlier?” A burly middle-aged man shouted as he barged in after bursting through the door. He looked panicked as he snarled, “Do you know who he is? He’s the most powerful Kemoyin Warlock in history, the one who killed Demon Hunter Cyril. It’s Duke Leylin Farlier! If this kind of person flares up at us for how we receive him, we’re finished!”
Immediately after, he looked at the red warning alarm and couldn’t help but hold his head in his hands, feeling the desire to end his life there and then. “Four Star undulations? The upper-tier of Morning Star? Gods, just let me die!”
Morning Star Magi were a rarity in the central continent, and there were naturally no clear methods of classifying them. They were normally classified based on their reputation and battle achievements among others.
As the holy land of Magi, Sky City was the most advanced research centre in the central continent. It had independently come up with a standard to measure the strength of a Morning Star.
They had divided Morning Stars into five levels represented by five Stars, with a One Star Magus being the weakest. A grade of Four Stars was already at the upper tier of Morning Stars, while Five Stars was the peak!
Of course, since Leylin had intentionally hidden some of his strength, their detection was not accurate.
However, even Four Stars was already terrifying. Most of the Morning Stars were around One to Three Stars. Morning Stars at Four Stars or above were absolutely powerful, and even Radiant Moons would be apprehensive when up against them.
Sky City might be called the holy land of Magi, but there were few Morning Stars of this calibre among their ranks.
People like them in charge of the ports could not afford to offend him. Even if they were exposed to the radiations on his body, there would be massive casualties here!
“We’ve already sent out the signal and requested that he stop at the personal dock. He’s accepted our guidance airship, and is probably here with kind intentions...”
A golden-haired young man produced a handkerchief and wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. “What we need to do now is to report this news to the Sage Committee, and then all of us should welcome him!”
“Oh, yes, yes! You’re right. Quick, report it in!” While the Sage Committee which controlled Sky City had their own methods of detection, as their subordinates, they had to do their utmost as well.
The burly man from before looked like he had just woken up as he snarled, “What are you standing there like that for? Report it in, and follow me to welcome him!”
“No need for that.” A white-gold flash appeared in the control room.
“Lord Boffel!” The staff of the control room immediately bowed to the man.
“He comes with good intentions and doesn’t want to act ostentatiously. I’ll see to him myself. Go back to your posts and forget about this!” The white-gold light spoke and diverged into many rays of light.
“Good, good! With our Morning Star taking over, anything that happens next isn’t our problem!” The burly man sighed, hands behind his back as he left the control room.
The other members in the control room looked relieved as they sat back down. The young man who had reported this earlier continued to work diligently, concealing the envy and feverish look in his eyes.
*Boom!* The Colossal Serpent steadily descended atop a lawn with a large rune on it, not flipping up any dust.
“Is it Lord Leylin? Welcome!” Due to the urgent message just now, there was no staff member around. A young man with platinum hair and wings of light similar to the wings of angels stood under the elevating platform of the airship.
“I am Leylin Farlier. You are...?” The door opened and Leylin walked out, looking friendly.
Though Gilbert had suggested that he sneak in and conceal his identity, Leylin wanted the title of a Virtuous Sky Sage in Sky City, and he would need to make contact with the Endowing Scepter. He would definitely be interrogated thoroughly and would even attract the attention of the Monarch of the Skies. How could he conceal himself?
Hence, Leylin had chosen to step forward without any tricks. The title of a Virtuous Sky Sage from Sky City was an honour open to all Magi of the central continent, and large numbers of scholars would be attracted here. It was not shameful in any way that he wanted to obtain this.