Inside the tavern.

  The noise of the crowd was deafening.

  Everyone was discussing the news of Pierce conquering the Mithril resource point in just half a day.

  "Unbelievable. Pierce actually did it all by himself."

  "Isn't that a bit too exaggerated? How did he manage it?"

  "Could it be that the Rank 4 Priest had already left and wasn't at the resource point?"

  "Pierce's two followers explicitly stated that the Rank 4 Priest was killed by him."

  "...Maybe they're just bragging."

  As soon as the Wizard from Red Lotus City let out those sour words, numerous mocking gazes shot his way.

  Several Wizards from Red Lotus City sitting next to him inconspicuously distanced themselves.

  Bragging?

  What was there to brag about in a situation like this?

  Setting aside the fact that Red Maple City would definitely send personnel to verify and record the death of a high-tier enemy combatant like a Rank 4 Priest...

  Pierce simply had no reason to lie.

  If he didn't possess the strength to kill a Rank 4 Priest, even if he managed to reclaim the Mithril resource point, it would quickly be snatched back by the Turins, which would undoubtedly subject him to even greater ridicule.

  Therefore, no one doubted the authenticity of the news.

  The only thing that baffled them was how Pierce had achieved it.

  The shock value of this news was no less than a Rank 1 Wizard killing a Rank 2 Wizard head-on!

  In a corner of the tavern, Colin and Jared exchanged glances, unable to hide the shock on their faces.

  They never could have imagined that Pierce would actually conquer the Mithril resource point.

  And in only half a day, at that.

  Excluding the travel time, the actual battle probably hadn't even lasted an hour!

  It was simply inconceivable!

  In contrast, Hubert's squad, which had a massive numerical advantage yet suffered total annihilation, had undoubtedly become a laughingstock.

  "It seems we've all underestimated Pierce." Jared took a swig of ale and let out a long breath.

  Colin nodded with a complex expression.

  They had already overestimated Pierce's strength as much as possible, but who would have thought they were still underestimating him.

  Speaking of which, those who could advance to formal Wizards were all considered geniuses in the eyes of ordinary people.

  But compared to Pierce, they suddenly felt more like mediocre commoners.

  Late at night, in the mining area.

  Ian, who had just returned from patrolling the underground veins, found his companions engaged in a heated discussion.

  He cast a confused look at them but didn't stop, heading straight for the stone building at the very center of the mining area and knocking on the door.

  "Come in," a gentle voice replied from within.

  Ian pushed the door open and found that aside from Yuna, there were three other Wizards in the stone house—two men and one woman. They were all Yuna's squadmates.

  Although he was a direct descendant of a Wizard Family, Ian still maintained the proper respect when facing formal Wizards, greeting the three of them one by one.

  The three Wizards smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

  Only then did Ian look at Yuna and ask in confusion, "Cousin, did something happen? The people outside seem to be acting a bit strange."

  Before Yuna could answer, the female Wizard smiled and said, "They are probably discussing the matter regarding Pierce."

  "Pierce?" Ian froze.

  What did this have to do with Pierce?

  Hasn't the incident with Fortification No. 89 long passed?

  Seeing his confusion, the female Wizard smiled and explained, "Just recently, Pierce single-handedly conquered that Mithril resource point garrisoned by a Rank 4 Priest."

  These words were nothing short of a bomb, blasting Ian into a state of absolute shock. He stood frozen in place, his mouth hanging wide open.

  Pierce conquered the Mithril resource point?

  How is that possible?!

  Ian asked blankly, "What about that Rank 4 Priest?"

  "Killed by Pierce, of course."

  Ian was completely speechless, his heart filled with overwhelming shock.

  He had originally thought Pierce taking down Fortification No. 89 was absurd enough, but he never expected him to do something even more outrageous.

  Single-handedly taking down the Mithril resource point and killing a Rank 4 Priest... could it be that Pierce had already advanced to a Rank 2 Wizard?

  Seeing Ian's utterly shell-shocked expression, Yuna and the other three exchanged a smile.

  Let alone Ian, even they had been absolutely floored when they first heard the news.

  Especially Yuna.

  She had watched Pierce grow step by step to reach his current level.

  Ever since the twin-city tournament, she had actually had a premonition that Pierce would surpass her one day.

  She just hadn't expected that day to come so soon.

  Although her strength had grown rapidly since arriving at the Planar Battlefield, she was still only at the Rank 1 Liquid Phase.

  If she went all out, she was confident she could defeat the vast majority of Rank 1 Crystalline Phase Wizards.

  But a Rank 2 Wizard... that was absolutely impossible under any circumstances!

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  Pierce's current power had undoubtedly surpassed hers.

  Thinking of this, Yuna's feelings were somewhat complicated, a mixture of gratification and a hint of loneliness.

  At this moment, the female Wizard suddenly suggested, "Yuna, you and Pierce are from the same academy, right? Your relationship must be close. Once we finish things here and return to Red Maple City, perhaps we could cooperate with him."

  Hearing this, the eyes of the other two Wizards lit up.

  This was an excellent idea.

  If they had a powerhouse capable of killing a Rank 4 Priest in their squad, they could accept missions with much higher rewards.

  Yuna snapped back to her senses and smiled noncommittally. "We'll see."

  "Are you kidding me... How is that guy Pierce becoming more and more monstrous?"

  Gwendolyn set down the parchment in her hand, her pretty face filled with shock.

  "He can even kill a Rank 4 Priest. His strength must be comparable to a Rank 2 Wizard by now, right?"

  Sitting across from her, gently swirling the blood in her wine glass, Enevia glanced at the girl and asked with a smile, "What is your relationship with this Pierce? You seem to pay a lot of attention to him."

  Gwendolyn's face flushed slightly, and she pursed her lips. "We're classmates from the same academy."

  "I see." Enevia revealed a faint, teasing smile but didn't press the matter. Instead, she changed the subject. "From what you're saying, this person named Pierce is only a Rank 1 Wizard."

  "That's right! That guy is an absolute monster." Gwendolyn nodded emphatically. "Have you ever seen a Rank 1 Wizard with the strength of a Rank 2 Wizard?"

  "Quite a few, actually," Enevia smiled.

  "Right? I told you..." Gwendolyn was halfway through her sentence when she abruptly realized what Enevia had said. She looked at her in astonishment. "What do you mean, 'quite a few'?"

  Enevia said leisurely, "You underestimate the geniuses of the Multiverse far too much. Let alone a Rank 1 Wizard possessing Rank 2 strength, there are even more exaggerated cases than that."

  Seeing Gwendolyn's look of disbelief, Enevia chuckled and shook her head. "Take Rule Wizards, for example. Their descendants are born with the mental energy of a Rank 1 Wizard, and they inherently possess a sliver of Rule Power. As long as they learn to wield it proficiently, let alone challenging Rank 2 Wizards, even Rank 3 Wizards wouldn't be their match."

  "There are many such Chosen Ones throughout the Multiverse. Once you've seen more of the world, your horizons will naturally broaden."

  Gwendolyn listened, dumbfounded.

  The descendants of Rule Wizards were that absurdly overpowered?

  But why had she never heard of this before?

  It seemed none of the Rule Wizards in Aurora City had any descendants.

  While she was still reeling from the shock, she heard Enevia continue, "Of course, this Pierce you speak of doesn't have any bloodline advantage. For an ordinary person to grow to such a level... his talent is indeed outstanding. Even looking across the entire Multiverse, he is worthy of the title 'Genius'."

  Gwendolyn instantly felt a sense of defeat.

  If even Pierce was only considered "outstanding" in her eyes, didn't that mean she was as utterly mediocre as one could get?

  Seemingly reading Gwendolyn's thoughts, Enevia smiled. "No need to be disheartened. At the very least, the taste of your blood is extremely delectable. It easily ranks in the top five of all the blood I've ever tasted."

  Gwendolyn rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  She could really do without that kind of ranking.

  Enevia smiled, bringing the glass to her lips and draining the blood in one go. Her movements were incredibly elegant and pleasing to the eye.

  However, Gwendolyn was in no mood to appreciate it. Instead, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

  After all, what was in that glass was her blood.

  "Speaking of which," Enevia set down the glass, "I heard your people are searching for the whereabouts of the Silver Frost Dire Wolf?"

  Gwendolyn corrected her. "It's House Monroe, not us. House Monroe is a Bloodline Family that inherited the bloodline of the Silver Frost Dire Wolf."

  "I see. So that's why they are so proactive." The corners of Enevia's lips curled up slightly.

  Gwendolyn felt there was a hidden meaning behind her smile and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Is there something amiss?"

  "Nothing. I just find it quite amusing."

  Gwendolyn paused. "Amusing how?"

  Enevia smiled. "The Silver Frost Dire Wolf is an ancient creature that mastered the essence of Ice and Frost. The Lady of Winter Frost is a deity who holds dominion over Ice and Frost. Don't you find the connection between the two a bit too coincidental?"

  Gwendolyn's eyes widened slightly, and she hurriedly said, "Are you implying that the Silver Frost Dire Wolf didn't appear in the Turin Plane by chance, but that it's connected to the Lady of Winter Frost?"

  Enevia smiled and raised an eyebrow, the meaning in her eyes abundantly clear—Isn't it obvious?

  Gwendolyn frowned deeply. "If that's the case, isn't the appearance of the Silver Frost Dire Wolf a trap set by the Lady of Winter Frost?! No, I have to report this immediately."

  Gwendolyn abruptly stood up, but when she turned around, she saw Enevia looking at her with an amused expression.

  "What is it?"

  "You usually seem quite clever. Why are you acting so obtuse now?" Enevia smiled. "If you and I can figure this out just by chatting, do you really think the higher-ups of House Monroe haven't realized it?"

  "This..."

  Gwendolyn's expression froze.

  "The matter is actually quite simple."

  Enevia gestured for Gwendolyn to sit down and spoke unhurriedly:

  "House Monroe definitely knew long ago that this is a trap set by the Lady of Winter Frost. Yet, they still cannot refuse."

  "This is a temptation that a Bloodline Wizard Family cannot resist, and it is a destiny they must inevitably face."

  "If my guess is correct, House Monroe hasn't produced a Rule Wizard in a very long time, have they?"

  Gwendolyn thought for a moment and nodded. "Ever since the ancestor of House Monroe fell over seven thousand years ago, they indeed haven't produced another Rule Wizard."

  "Then that explains it." Enevia nodded slightly. "Without a Rule Wizard to re-condense the bloodline and pass it down, a Bloodline Family will inevitably march step-by-step toward decline."

  "Judging from House Monroe's current situation, if they cannot find the Silver Frost Dire Wolf to extract a new bloodline, they will face utter ruin in two thousand years at most."

  "Therefore, even knowing it's the Lady of Winter Frost's trap, they have no choice but to brace themselves and jump right in."

  Hearing this, Gwendolyn finally understood everything.

  "So, White Ice City is in a very dangerous situation right now?" Gwendolyn frowned.

  After Enevia's analysis, she suddenly understood many things.

  Perhaps the Turins' previous string of defeats in the war was merely a facade, designed to make White Ice City lower its guard.

  "Don't worry." Enevia smiled faintly. "Unless the Lady of Winter Frost descends personally, as long as I am here, you will definitely be safe."

  Her tone was plain and casual, yet it carried a profound, stabilizing power, allowing one to clearly feel the absolute confidence within.

  Although Gwendolyn pursed her lips and feigned indifference, deep down, she felt a profound sense of relief.

  Sophia and Payne's efficiency was extremely high.

  Early the next morning, the golems and the slave team arrived at the valley.

  Bound by their contracts, even the naturally belligerent and hot-tempered Hill Dwarves became incredibly docile. Upon entering the mining area, they skillfully began setting up the mining system and commenced their life's work of mining and smelting.

  The thirty Stone Puppets were operated by the Hill Dwarves, primarily responsible for heavy manual labor like transportation.

  The golems were divided into two groups: one to garrison the mining area, and the other to assist with labor.

  The Clay Golems had somewhat square-shaped faces, lacked necks, and possessed broad, robust chests. Their thick arms, attached to their shoulders, hung all the way down to their knees, ending in short, thick, yet surprisingly dexterous fingers.

  Their legs were only one-third the length of their bodies, and their feet were large and flat.

  Crafting a golem required a material known as a Soul Crystal Stone.

  This material was created by condensing the soul of a living being. It contained fragmented memories of that life, and once activated through special means, it became a natural artificial intelligence.

  When a Soul Core made from a Soul Crystal Stone was embedded into a golem's body, it granted the golem basic autonomous intelligence, allowing it to complete easily understood tasks.

  The complexity of the commands a Soul Core could understand depended on the quality of the Soul Crystal Stone used.

  Soul Cores crafted from Purified Soul Crystals—which were far superior to Soul Crystal Stones—could even grant a golem self-awareness.

  For example, the legendary Tower Spirit Constructs; the primary material for their Soul Cores included Soul Crystal Stones.

  They were the administrators of Wizard Towers, the absolute pinnacle of artificial intelligence. They were responsible for the tower's integrated operations, handling terminal computations, data recording, combat command, serving as experimental assistants, and much more.

  It was said that there were even higher-tier entities known as Tower Spirit Commanders, possessing even more formidable intelligence and capabilities, typically used as the central cognitive cores for operating floating cities.

  However, whether it was Tower Spirit Constructs or Tower Spirit Commanders, they were far beyond Pierce's current reach.

  Those were matters only Rank 4 Wizards had the qualifications to consider.

  He focused all his attention on the affairs of the mining area.

  With Sophia and Payne assisting in execution, Pierce's arrangements were implemented smoothly, and the mining operations were gradually put on track.

  As for defense, the city wall that had collapsed during yesterday's battle had long been repaired by Pierce using Earth-attribute energy particles.

  He had also deployed over twenty Oak Guards at the entrance to the valley.

  With the Oak Guards and Clay Golems in place, the defense was comparable to four Church Knight detachments.

  Having finished all this, Pierce returned to the stone building in the center of the valley.

  This had originally been the residence of the Winter Frost Priests, but he had now claimed it as his own.

  Arriving at the room on the top floor, Pierce sat down and took out the spatial badge he had obtained from Andrej. Opening it and seeing it brimming with Mithril, a joyful smile blossomed on his face.

  A full twenty kilograms of Mithril! It was even more than he had anticipated!