Chapter 237 235-The Basic Construction of Dark Lord City
Chapter 237 Chapter235-The Basic Construction of Dark Lord City
Upon returning to Dark Lord City, Ethan took a moment to inventory his recent acquisitions.
Among the collected formulas, the most significant were the Evolution Formula for the Thunder Wyvern that Oriel had traded and another Potion Formula for the Power of the Earth provided by another member.
Both of these formulas were now backed by available resources.
[Evolution Formula·Thunder Three-Headed Wyvern]
[An exclusive Evolution Formula for the Thunder Wyvern.]
[Place three Thunderous Wyverns inside a container marked with the Fusion Magic Circle. Add Potent Creature Blood to incite the brutality of the Thunder Wyverns. Following their combat, only one will remain alive. This survivor will consume the bodies of the other two Thunder Wyverns and undergo an evolution, growing two additional heads.]
[Notice: There's a possibility the evolution might fail.]
"The cost is indeed steep," Ethan couldn't help but take a sharp intake of breath.
The Thunder Wyvern evolved from the sandworm.
Based on data compiled by Pale Wolf, approximately one in a hundred sandworms would evolve into a Thunder Wyvern.
Fortunately, with the establishment of the sandworm lair, their numbers had proliferated significantly, easing concerns about this resource.
Moreover, the Fusion Magic Circle was a fundamental aspect of Alchemy, which Ethan had already mastered.
Next, Ethan turned his attention to another Potion Formula:
[Potion of Earth's Power]
[Rank: Epic]
[Materials: One Earth Crystal, One Potent Creature Blood] [Crafting Method: Soak the Earth Crystal in Potent Creature Blood until it fully absorbs the blood. Crush the saturated crystal and combine with a small amount of water to create a viscous solution.]
[Potion Effect: When applied to the skin, it draws upon the Power of Earth to form armor.]
This was a recipe of striking simplicity, with a singular effect - defense.
However, its epic rank signified a formidable defensive capability.
After briefly reviewing both formulas, Ethan summoned Victor, handing him the formulas and instructing him to oversee their production.
Victor promptly set to work.
Ethan, in the meantime, stepped out once more, taking stock of the ongoing construction in Dark Lord City.
Another half-moon had passed.
By now, the fundamental construction of Dark Lord City was largely complete.
In fact, compared to many of the dilapidated human settlements, it stood out as remarkably intact.
The entire Dark Lord City was divided into three distinct sections.
The first, and largest, was the Factory Zone.
Here, several facilities had already been established: Flesh Factory, Sandworm Lair, Thunder Wyvern Lair, Thunder Three-Headed Wyvern Lair, Holylight Lair, and the Potion Factory, among others.
The primary responsibilities of these factories were outlined as:
[Flesh Factory: Centered around the Oksd heart device and equipped with a Space Magic Circle. It devours a vast amount of flesh and blood to produce Blood Source.]
[Sandworm Lair: Where the sandworm queens lay their eggs, giving birth to more sandworms.]
[Thunder Wyvern Lair: Here, sandworms are immersed in diluted pools of Blood Source, facilitating their evolution.]
[Three-Headed Wyvern Lair: Engraved with a vast Fusion Magic Circle, several incubation areas are established atop this circle. Each area houses three Thunder Wyverns, yielding roughly ten Three-Headed Wyverns daily.]
[Holylight Lair: The primary summoning ground for basic creatures. This includes Holy Light Warriors, Holy Light Dragonguards, Holy Light Craftsmen, and other common monsters, such as goblin troops. They are primarily tasked with transporting city resources and patrol duties.]
[Potion Factory: Dedicated to concocting potions. Current formulas include the Potion of Dragon's Power and Potion of Earth's Power, among others.]
The second section was dubbed the Residential Zone.
Many craftsmen, brought together by Khosro, were so enamored with the prosperity of Dark Lord City that they expressed reluctance to leave.
They approached Khosro with the idea of settling there permanently. After all, they'd been consistently witnessing monsters in their daily lives.
Yet, these creatures neither attacked nor harmed them; instead, they assisted in various tasks.
This surprising alliance greatly eased the craftsmen's innate fears regarding the monsters.
Upon hearing of this, Ethan consented to their wishes.
He tasked Victor with designing a spacious Residential Zone.
While many plots within this area were yet to be developed with housing, the space available could easily accommodate several hundreds of thousands.
Lastly, the heart of Dark Lord City lay in what Ethan termed the Dungeon Zone.
Inspired by the underground command center of Maya City, the Dungeon Zone went even further.
It spanned nine vast levels, each level expansive with stone-tiled pathways, making it highly navigable.
The first three levels served as a resting area for the summoned monsters.
Levels four to six constituted the newly established research area, co-chaired by Victor and Henry Powell as the elders of the research academy.
However, the crucial last three levels, seven to nine, held the most importance.
Not only did they house essential supplies, but a vast library was also constructed there.
Ethan had placed all the books he had acquired from Apothecary Old John into this repository.
Alongside these, were a multitude of contributions from Victor and Henry Powell.
Additionally, Ethan had ensured a separate procurement of countless books.
The wealth of knowledge within these texts was invaluable, encompassing vast crafts and even esoteric skills.
It was no exaggeration to say that if one were to grasp all the knowledge within the library, they would be on the cusp of achieving deity status.
And this was evident from Victor's frequent presence in the library. The alchemy books that Ethan added seemed to pique his interest.
However, to Ethan's slight disappointment, Victor seemed content just browsing without delving deep into the craft of alchemy.
The ninth level served as the living quarters for Ethan and his entourage.
For Ethan, who had made significant strides in the practice of space magic, constructing a simple space magic circle on the ninth floor underground wasn't a challenge.
As a result, even though this floor seemed to be the deepest underground, one could still behold views of the outside world from various regions: the Snowy Plains, the vast oceans, desolate deserts, towering mountains, and the starry expanse of the night sky.
However, these vistas were merely for viewing.
With Ethan's current proficiency, he couldn't create a space gate, let alone maintain its stability for prolonged periods. What was displayed were space mirrors.
This Space Mirror Spell was documented in the "Guide to Spatial Esoteric Practice."
At the time, Ethan was uncertain about its construction.
Left with no choice, he sought Oberlis's expertise.
Upon witnessing this particular space magic, Oberlis was immediately overwhelmed with excitement, continuously marveling at the wonder that was the Space Mirror Spell.
Because this spell wasn't merely for scenic viewing.
The Space Mirror Spell needed to be built deep within a space rift.
Since the mirror was inherently a part of the spatial realm, it was more akin to directly harnessing various space rifts rather than artificially constructing them.
This rendered the Space Mirror Spell not only energy-efficient but also remarkably stable.
That is, unless the space rift housing the space mirror shattered.
Furthermore, the space mirrors were incredibly discreet, eluding detection by anyone.
According to Oberlis, even Lana·Mokos would remain oblivious to them.
This implies that, with enough space mirrors strategically placed, one could observe the entire world from a single location, staying privy to the affairs of every kingdom.
However, achieving this seemed impossible.
Overconcentration of space mirrors posed its own risks.
In the end, it was Oberlis who took the initiative, installing different space mirrors across various regions.
The landscapes these mirrors reflected would be displayed on the ninth floor of the Dungeon.
Yet, conspicuously absent among these visions was the capital city of the Azure Empire.
Indeed, fear had taken hold of Oberlis.
Besides the Space Mirror Spell, another crucial element of the Dungeon Zone was the Space Key Spell.
It's documented as the most vital spell in the cultivation guide—unparalleled in importance.
This spell harbors no destructive power, yet it's an essential skill every space magus must master.
However, based on Ethan's inquiry to Oberlis, such a spell shouldn't even exist.
Why?
Because the Space Key can lock a portion of space.
Once sealed, this fragment of space becomes the private possession of the Space Key's master.
Outsiders, without permission, are barred entry.
Furthermore, the area bound by the Space Key Spell is shielded from probing.
What an astonishing spell!
Space has never been a private entity.
It exists throughout the universe, intangible and beyond detection, yet it's palpably real.
Grasping this abstract concept requires tremendous innate talent. And even if one does perceive it, they can only utilize space, not claim it.
For instance, the Space Ring might seem to cut out a chunk of space, but that piece still genuinely exists somewhere in the world.
Theoretically, if someone were lucky enough to discover the actual location of the Space Ring's internal space, they could extract its contents.
Yet, the likelihood of this happening is virtually negligible.
Space is boundless.
But now, the Space Key claims a segment of space as its private dominion, forbidding others from entry.
How audaciously domineering is this spell!
"Aisya…"
Ethan murmured softly, recalling the golden-haired maiden from the Hot Spring Ruinstrial, the author of the "Guide to Spatial Esoteric Practice."
"The world seems ever more profound and unfathomable."
Once more, Ethan whispered to himself, gazing at the vast snowy mountains through the space mirror.