The precious decorations turned to dust under the energy surge, and even the special metal composing the walls began to deform.
But the flesh altar only curled up in grievance, and the child’s voice continued:
"Grandma, don’t be angry... Great-Grandpa is really busy with something important... He said once he’s done with this session, he’ll take me to see the stars..."
"Enough!"
Cassandra’s roar seemed to tear reality itself.
Her Void Power was completely out of control, causing space within the entire chamber to crack.
As she was about to completely fall into madness, iridescent light unfolded in the air, brilliant and dazzling like the aurora.
The radiant mirror slowly formed, dispelling the chaotic energy in the chamber.
That gentle yet commanding presence instantly calmed the frenzy of purple magic power.
"Little Cassandra, though that old man’s actions are indeed infuriating, you have indeed lost control somewhat."
The King of Illusions’ voice carried a hint of regret but no blame:
"Calm down a bit first."
"Lord Panadora..."
Seeing the only elder who still cared about her, Cassandra’s emotions began to crumble.
Her voice carried deep fatigue and helplessness:
"I need help... the Expeditionary Army is on the verge of collapse, the Star Domain Lord of Vital is far stronger than any intelligence description..."
Her voice began to tremble:
"I feel like I’m about to give up... the allies who have fought alongside me for years have started betraying me, even ancestors aren’t willing to see me..."
The figure in the mirror shook its head slightly, with sympathy in its tone:
"I know, child, that ancient god’s power does indeed exceed the range of conventional conquest. But..."
The King of Illusions paused, seemingly organizing their words:
"The key to breaking the situation is not on the battlefield, but in understanding."
"Understanding?"
Cassandra raised her head in confusion, her eyes full of bewilderment:
"I have studied the Vital Republic for thirteen years, what else is there that I don’t understand?"
"The true source of Vital Republic’s power is not just the ’Star Domain Lord’ itself, but also their unique social structure and collective consciousness network."
The King of Illusions’ tone became profound and mysterious:
"To truly conquer them, one cannot rely solely on force, but must fundamentally dismantle this deep connection. And this requires insight, not destructive power."
Cassandra nodded thoughtfully but quickly showed confusion again:
"But I’ve tried analyzing their social structure, I can recite the distribution map of those collective consciousness nodes..."
"What you’re analyzing is merely the surface."
The figure in the mirror chuckled softly:
"Sometimes, the most complex problems don’t need more information, but require a new way of thinking.
And among the people you know, there is a young man who possesses this...special perspective."
"You’re referring to..."
Cassandra seemed to have some understanding, but then found it hard to believe:
"Ron? But he just got promoted to Moon Level Wizard, how could he handle problems of this level..."
"Little Cassandra, the level of power does not represent the depth of wisdom."
The King of Illusions’ voice turned warm and patient:
"Some people are born with the ability to perceive the essence and can see the key points others ignore.
That young man showed this thinking pattern when treating Eve, proving this point."
The mirror slowly faded, but the King of Illusions’ voice remained clear:
"Give him the detailed information on Vital, let him analyze it from an outsider’s perspective. I believe you’ll be surprised by the results."
"But..."
Cassandra wanted to continue asking, but the mirror had already disappeared.
The chamber returned to silence, leaving her alone facing this suggestion.
She slowly stood up, staring at the empty air.
Rationality told her this suggestion was absurd—a newly promoted young wizard, how could he solve a problem that had troubled her and other great wizards for thirteen years?
But deep inside, she faintly felt that perhaps this truly was the final hope.
After all, when all conventional methods fail, unconventional thinking might bring a miracle.
Moreover, Ron indeed showed insight beyond his years.
During Eve’s treatment, the wisdom he displayed was praised even by ancient great wizards.
"Perhaps..."
She gently touched the insignia on her chest, hope rekindled in her purple eyes:
"Perhaps it’s time to trust in the wisdom of the young."
The flesh altar curled up in the corner, the child’s voice spoke cautiously:
"Is Grandma not angry anymore? Great-Grandpa really cares about you, he’s just truly busy right now..."
Cassandra looked at the altar, shook her head with a bitter smile:
"Tell ’Great-Grandpa’ that his descendants will find a way to solve the problem themselves."
Though she still had doubts in her heart, now she had no other choice but to trust the King of Illusions’ suggestion.
Besides, even if this attempt fails, at least it won’t make things worse.
......
The dedicated flying vehicle slowly landed, the humming of the hover engines gradually dissipating.
Ron looked out through the crystal porthole, the sight before him taking him by surprise.
In the center of the busiest commercial area of Dawn Harbor stood a seemingly overly ordinary three-story building.
This small three-story building was sandwiched between a shop selling materials and an alchemy workshop.
The outer wall was made of ordinary gray-white bricks, without even a sign.