Chapter 54: The Road Back Home
As the button was pressed, a crystal signal was sent from the signal tower connected to the button, transmitted to the Floating City several kilometers away.
Upon receiving the signal, the operators within the Floating City immediately began operations.
"Ignite the Power Furnace!"
"Yes!"
As the lever was pulled down, substances from the anti-dimension began to flow into the power chamber at a constant speed, continuously. The frenzied energy underwent six transformations in the Power Furnace, ultimately converting into stable Magic Power that entered the energy transmission pipeline.
In the next moment, a "boom" was heard.
The massive Floating City, originally embedded in the earth, suddenly trembled. Immediately afterwards, this behemoth with a diameter of ten kilometers slowly rose from the ground.
A few kilometers away, a crystal camera captured this historic moment, then converted it into a crystal signal, transmitting it to households throughout the goblin world.
"It succeeded!"
"Holy shit, it's flying! Such a massive thing actually flew!"
"This is the glory of the Divine, praise to the Sage, praise to the Sun!"
Amidst the countless cheers and astonishment of the goblins, the Glory Floating City officially took to the skies. Seeing this scene, Richard and a group of goblin researchers also breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as it can ascend without disintegrating, there won't be any big problems ahead.
Richard continued into the crystal stone communicator: "Prepare to cross the World Barrier."
"Yes."
Under Richard's command, the Floating City climbed higher and higher. Then, a figure draped in Holy Light appeared above them, clothed in a black robe.
The World Barrier is the boundary of a world, and under normal circumstances, no matter what objects or creatures from within the world can touch it.
Thus, Richard emerged.
Amid the cheers and praises of the many goblins, Richard wielded the magic wand, summoning a gigantic Rune Formation. Then, a Space Rift connecting beyond the world unfolded in the sky.
The frenzied ether blossomed twisted colors within the world, while the invisible space turbulence, like fierce winds on the sea, affected the flight trajectory of the Floating City.
Inside the Floating City, operators nervously operated the steering rudder, sweat pouring down like rain. Under their control, the Floating City flew towards the rift in space that resembled the mouth of a giant beast.
One thousand meters, eight hundred meters, five hundred meters...
The Floating City drew closer and closer to the position of the rift, the hands of the operators gripping the steering rudder trembling slightly.
If they made a mistake in operation, the Floating City might collide with the Space Rift, which could cause a shift in direction resulting in a chain reaction.
But fortunately, everything went smoothly.
They were all carefully selected elites, such operations could not go wrong.
The massive Floating City slowly entered the space rift, then the rift closed, and all crystal screens turned dark.
"Hey, did the crystal screens break?"
Bang bang bang, "No response."
"Why did it go dark? Is it over?"
Just as countless goblins were puzzled, the crystal screens suddenly lit up, and then, an unprecedented scene appeared on the screens.
It was a giant bubble, gleaming with light. And behind it...
The stars were shining.
...
"You say you've finished building it?"
Within the Wizard Dimension, the Crown Throne listened to Richard's latest news, the usual calm face filled with shock.
"Are you sure it's complete? I advise you to check it thoroughly, if the Floating City falls apart in the Star Realm, those alien slaves of yours will all die."
"Of course, I've checked it thoroughly." Richard said with a somewhat helpless smile, "I even let the Floating City fly around the world once, without any problems. From the Power Furnace to the energy transmission pipeline to the outer armor, there are no issues at all?"
"Really no problem?" The Crown Throne asked again.
"Really no problem. I am an Alchemy Wizard, this level of competence I still have."
The Crown Throne looked at Richard again and again, finally speaking with amazement: "Why not come back directly? With your ability you'd be better at logistics than those few old folks."
As an old wizard who started conquering in the early stages of exploration, the Crown Throne had ample understanding of the construction of Floating Cities.
A normal expedition Floating City requires countless workers just for the forging of basic components, engaged in mining and smelting, ten thousand or more wizards, and wizard apprentices for production.
Beyond the basic components, the Floating City also requires more advanced parts. These are the most critical to the Floating City, and each part requires the pure handcrafting of an Alchemy Master.
As for the core Power Furnace, theoretically, an ordinary wizard can make it. But to be safe, all Power Furnaces are personally completed by Great Wizards.
These conditions combined, even the established White Wizard Academies must scrounge around to gather enough. If it were the Black Wizard Academies, even the past Garon Wizard College could not muster this many wizards.
And now, Richard has astonishingly completed the construction of a Floating City in just thirty years using a group of natives.
This isn't just unbelievable; if you mentioned it in a tavern, people would say you were drunk.
"Haha, you're flattering me," Richard chuckled awkwardly, thinking that the dean was really joking.
Is logistics something the average person can handle? Without strong methods, sufficient background, and great power, if an ordinary Great Wizard were to manage logistics, they would surely be engaged in a deadly battle post-war.
Logistics is always in short supply in such a massive battlefield.
"Now that you've managed to create the Floating City, I happen to have some coordinates for you. In the Wilderness Great World, we found a Lost Database containing Star Maps from the Lost Era and the world information they recorded.
Based on the numbers and native information you provided, I've already pinpointed your location."
With a casual wave, Physique Crown Throne caused a vast galaxy to appear in the air.
"Even though millions of years have passed, the world's position has shifted slightly. However, we have calculated and refined the Star Domain around the Wizard Civilization. You should be located here."
The Galaxy suddenly zoomed in, and a zigzag line extended from the tip of Physique Crown Throne's finger, passing through two points of light and easily connecting to a larger point of light.
"I must say, you're quite lucky. You're currently on the edge of the Star Map, beyond which are unknown worlds unrecorded even by the Lost Ones," Physique Crown Throne said, pointing to one end of the line. "By scale estimation, from your current location, you could connect to the Wizard's transit world after exploring two worlds."
Physique Crown Throne's finger moved to the end of the line segment.
"That's this world."
"Unfortunately, records of these two worlds are quite vague. I find it difficult to provide you with useful information."
Upon hearing this, Richard quickly said, "No need, just having the coordinates is enough. It's already a huge favor that you can give me a coordinate."
But Physique Crown Throne shook his head: "Richard, times have changed. The current war situation is unfavorable, and the council can't spare any strength to expand territories.
World coordinates are now virtually worthless; a few old guys hoarding coordinates are just thinking of trading them for something."
Richard was stunned: "Is the war really so unfavorable?"
"Yes," Physique Crown Throne nodded slightly. "We have too few people. Even with Wild Beastmen and Alien Slaves supplementing our forces, we're still outnumbered by those bugs.
To make up for this, we must wait for the Wizard World to self-repair and turn all humans into Wizards."
"All humans... become Wizards?"
Richard stuttered when he said that. After the Wizard World had wizarded everyone, the population multiplied many times over. He conservatively estimated that the current Wizard World had at least hundreds of billions of commoners.
Turning so many commoners into Wizards, you might just steamroll to victory.
"That's an ideal situation. According to estimations from the energy manipulation schools, after the End of Magic Era, the Wizard World will enter a golden age surpassing the Enlightenment Period. The magic power concentration in the Wizard World will exceed the Enlightenment Period, and the air could even be called a magical breeze.
Based on data from the Enlightenment Era, roughly one in ten people have the potential to become Wizards.
Currently, with the universal wizarding process, even the spiritual power of newborns is gradually rising. At that point, universal wizarding might not be an impossible task."
"This... is indeed possible."
Images of universal wizarding flashed in Richard's mind, and his heart couldn't help but tremble.
The scene was truly awe-inspiring.
Suddenly, the Secret Keeper appeared beside Physique Crown Throne and whispered a few words to him.
Immediately, Physique Crown Throne's expression became somewhat serious.
The Rune Gate opened in mid-air, green strips of paper spread over Physique Crown Throne's body, and an imposing aura surged from him. Beyond the Rune Gate, a similarly grand but chilling aura flowed into the Wizard Dimension.
"Richard, I'll give you the coordinates in a bit. I have some urgent matters to attend to now."
The gate closed, and the aura disappeared.
Richard gulped, his heart pounding like a drum.
He was certain that behind the Rune Gate was the Star Realm Master of the Galaxy Mayfly faction.
Richard released the fist he didn't know he had clenched and exhaled, muttering to himself:
"...still not strong enough."
...
Back in the goblin world, Richard soon received the coordinates from Physique Crown Throne.
According to the coordinates, within three Flowing Light Years from his vicinity, there is a small world.
A Flowing Light Year is a unit of distance in the Star Realm, similar to a light-year. However, the flowing in Flowing Light Year refers to the speed of light flow.
Richard's Floating City is a very old version, with a stable speed of one-fifth of light flow speed. This means it would take him fifteen years to reach that world.
"Fifteen years... quite long," Richard murmured to himself, gazing at the coordinates before him.
"By the way, how did Ulysses make that contract? It's a pity not to plant some stakes in the internal world with such a long time."