Chapter 545: Combat Practical Assignment

After discussing it, Zong Ge and Zi Di both agreed they weren't suited to rush back.

The Deep Sea Monster Fish had been taken by the young commander.

Da Dou had already left the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. If Zong Ge and Zi Di wanted to pursue the big guy, they'd have to board other ships.

These vessels were far too conspicuous, placing their every subsequent move under constant scrutiny.

The chances of catching up to Da Dou were slim.

Even if they did catch up, confronting a gold level giant would be a troublesome affair.

Zong Ge and Zi Di had far more important matters to attend to. Not only did they need to execute their business plan, but they also had to travel to the royal capital. There, using the communication devices of the Wisteria shop, they would continue their contact with the Bai Zhen Clan.

Their decision wasn't to abandon the big guy outright, but to pin their hopes on Shuang Lian.

In the letter, they learned that Tripleblade had already gotten Shuang Lian's promise to help the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps get back the big guy.

Shuang Lian was a gold level magician, so her methods were far more varied than Zong Ge. She possessed a mage tower and a demi-plane, making her the most suitable candidate to rescue the big guy at present.

Even better, the big guy's value was secondary to Shuang Lian. What she truly coveted was the alchemy knowledge held by the survivors.

“Let's depart. Our destination is Ice Prison City.” Zi Di finally made the decision. ”With the Spatial Shuttle Squad's assistance, our journey will be swift."

“The arrangements for shops across all regions will be completed soon.”

“What we must accomplish is paramount for everyone.”

“Fulfilling our respective duties, that is the accountability we must demonstrate!”

Zi Di and Zong Ge jointly sent a secret letter back to headquarters.

The message was swiftly delivered to Snow Bird Harbor.

Without further delay, Zi Di, Zong Ge, and their group boarded a spatial shuttle and departed Igloo City.

With events escalating to this point, the survivors found themselves caught between Shuang Lian and the Li Jian Clan, shouldering immense risks.

Driven to desperation by the mysterious force, they had no choice but to give their all, sprinting toward the future with everything they had.

The reply soon reached Tripleblade's hands.

After reading its contents, Tripleblade first breathed a sigh of relief, convinced Zi Di and Zong Ge's choice was correct.

Then, he immediately set off for the Honey Snow Tower.

Upon learning of Tripleblade's arrival, Bu Quan personally greeted him and escorted him into Shuang Lian's study.

“Come in,” Shuang Lian sighed inwardly as her beloved disciple Bu Quan pushed open the door.

Tripleblade was merely iron level, unworthy of Shuang Lian's personal audience.  In truth, even the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was currently only a silver level group, far from matching an entity like Shuang Lian.

Even the dragonman youngster's feat of slaying Teng Dong Lang had merely earned Shuang Lian's respect, not true recognition at the same level.

Shuang Lian's personal audience with Tripleblade stemmed entirely from Bu Quan's influence.

Upon meeting, Tripleblade immediately bowed, expressing his profound honor. Having once served as a mercenary commander and fought his way up from the bottom, he knew this reception far exceeded standard protocol.

Shuang Lian's expression remained impassive as she addressed Tripleblade: “Within a day, the tower spirit will calculate the precise coordinates for Da Dou's teleportation.”

“Moreover, over the past two days, the mage tower has detected some unusual activity.”

Shuang Lian informed Tripleblade that vessels had departed the docks, both from Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's faction and the Sea Bird Church. Some groups hadn't even left via the docks.

Tripleblade's heart sank as he instantly grasped the implications: “During the eating contest, the big guy demonstrated his potential. Most spectators believed he possessed gold level talent.”

“But then, Da Dou's direct attempt to snatch him away has sparked even more suspicion and curiosity among many.”

"Da Dou paid a heavy price for the big guy, abandoning the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's ceremony outright. This action, taken in reverse, suggests he has even greater expectations for the big guy's bloodline level!"

"And I have already publicly declared on behalf of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps that we will only collaborate with Shuang Lian. Others cannot obtain our endorsement, which is why these private maneuvers have emerged."

Regardless of which faction secured the big guy, they wouldn't report to the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, they'd strive to claim him for themselves!

Tripleblade's heart was filled with worry: “Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's schemes are vast, backed by formidable reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capabilities.”

"The Sea Bird Church is no pushover either, they're a genuine, full-fledged church. Snow Bird Harbor is their largest diocese within the Ice Sculpture Kingdom. Crucially, their clergymen gain flight abilities at low levels. For maritime reconnaissance, that mobility is incredibly advantageous."

At this thought, Tripleblade suggested to Shuang Lian, “Perhaps, Lord Shuang Lian, you might consider tracking these individuals.”

“No one can predict the future.”

“Who knows? We might uncover clues about our corps' giant from this group.”

Shuang Lian gave Tripleblade another appraising look, thinking to herself: This short human fellow, no wonder he was secretly appointed to handle the branch affairs. His mind works rather quickly.

Bu Quan finally caught up: “Are you saying this group is after the giant belonging to our mercenary corps?”

Shuang Lian glanced at Bu Quan before replying to Tripleblade: "Rest assured, I've already taken care of it. Most of those setting sail have been secretly marked by me."

“If they locate the target first, I'll detect it swiftly too!”

Hearing this, Tripleblade immediately expressed gratitude and offered a small compliment.

Then he spoke: "Esteemed Magician Shuang Lian, I have one more request. I hope the potion production can be temporarily increased tenfold from the current output."

On her way here, Bu Quan had already learned of this strategic adjustment from Tripleblade.

She promptly offered, “I can leave the tower to oversee a small alchemy workshop.”

Bu Quan volunteered eagerly, brimming with enthusiasm.

Shuang Lian shot her a stern glance, her voice turning cold. “Bu Quan, have you completed all the assignments I gave you?”

“You've been away from the mage tower for so long, falling behind on much of your work.”

“Your top priority now should be to seize every moment for continuous study and cultivation.”

Bu Quan replied, “Teacher, all assignments are completed. I've already communicated with the tower spirit and submitted everything.”

“Thank you for your concern, Teacher, but I believe it's actually fine.”

"Even though I left you and came to Snow Bird Harbor, I never stopped studying. Moreover, I frequently corresponded with you, seeking your guidance on many alchemy questions."

Shuang Lian's expression grew even colder.

She secretly focused her mind to swiftly review Bu Quan's assignments. She discovered, just as she had claimed, that they were all correct!

In fact, for many problems, Bu Quan had provided multiple solutions, each showing unique innovation.

This left Sheng Lian with no grounds to erupt in anger.

“It is precisely because of your talent that you deserve stricter demands.” Sheng Lian stared at Bu Quan before her, sensing a hint of pride in her beloved disciple's demeanor.

Her voice turned icy. “Bu Quan, proceed to the top floor of the mage tower. You still have practical assignments to complete.”

Bu Quan let out a soft groan, casting a disappointed and resentful glance at her teacher. Seeing no softening in her expression, she resigned herself to fate, bowed her head, and left the study.

Tripleblade witnessed this exchange and promptly excused himself, not wishing to interrupt Shuang Lian's teaching.

Soon, Tripleblade emerged from the Honey Snow Tower.

He glanced back at the towering structure, which seemed to stand as a pillar between heaven and earth, shielding the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps from external pressures.

Tripleblade exhaled a heavy breath.

Deepening cooperation with the Li Jian Clan and Shuang Lian's intervention had significantly eased his burden.

“But the big guy went missing under my watch at the branch,” Tripleblade's expression remained stern, his gaze intense. “This is my responsibility!”

“Now, all hope rests on Shuang Lian's operation.”

"Da Dou may be gold level, but he's no magician. With Lady Shuang Lian involved, it should be fine, right?"

“Yes, the odds of success are high!”

If possible, Tripleblade desperately wanted to join Shuang Lian and the others on their mission.

But he knew requesting to accompany them would be presumptuous.

Besides, even if he did join, his contribution against a gold level giant would be negligible.

Not only that, he still had to oversee the daily operations of the Snow Bird Harbor branch.

Without him, the branch's routine tasks and functions would suffer greatly.

“In the end, I'm just a small fish,” Tripleblade sighed inwardly, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness and tinged with melancholy.

He was merely an iron level fighter, capable of influencing the current situation only minimally.

He could only align himself with a faction yet still felt like a leaf tossed by the wind.

Yet despite his personal weakness, he never gave up or lost heart, always dedicating his strength wholeheartedly to the entire Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.

Shuang Lian swiftly reached the top floor of the mage tower.

Here, numerous magic formations converged, alongside crystal spheres and circular metal platforms covered in intricate magic runes.

This was the control room.

One of the most critical chambers within the Honey Snow Tower.

From here, Shuang Lian could not only manipulate the entire mage tower but also remotely oversee her demi-plane.

Her demi-plane, meticulously refined by her, operated in excellent condition. Shuang Lian expended vast resources to construct multiple colossal magic formations within the demi-plane.

These formations enabled her to harness greater combat power, effortlessly altering the demi-plane's environment.

Bu Quan, granted temporary authorization, proceeded directly to the main control room.

Her movements were observed by other apprentices, stirring envy among them. They whispered among themselves: “Look, Bu Quan just entered the main control room alone.”

“She must have Teacher's permission. Nothing unusual about that.”

"Teacher favors her far too much, letting her enter such a critical area alone! We're always under strict supervision by others or puppets, even when cleaning routine tasks."

The murmurs soon ceased.

For they saw Shuang Lian also entering the control room.

Honey Snow Tower.

Within the control room.

“Come, stand beside me,” Shuang Lian beckoned to Bu Quan.

The teacher and student stood at the center of the circular metal platform.

Shuang Lian waved her hand lightly. Instantly, the various magic runes on the platform lit up simultaneously, radiating multicolored brilliance.

Shuang Lian explained each rune's function to Bu Quan, along with some control techniques.

When discussing the demi-plane, magic projections appeared, allowing Bu Quan to see clearly.

Finally, as Shuang Lian reached the conclusion of her instruction, the magic projection revealed a battlefield.

A blizzard swirled into a tornado, trapping Yi Jiu within its vortex.

"Your practical assignment today is combat. Manipulate these magic runes and attempt to kill this enemy!"

Shuang Lian declared, “Only when you slay him will you earn the right to leave the mage tower.”