Chapter 130 Life is short, so make every second count

Astral Calendar 1255, Winter Qin Month (January).

On the first day of the new year, an unprecedented celebration kicked off.

This year's celebration was even grander than in previous years, and the reason was well known, naturally to celebrate the ascension of the new Grand Duke.

What surprised the general public was that the new Grand Duke finally set the capital in Flash City instead of Star City.

He even spent a huge amount of money to rebuild the palace.

Only those who have reached a certain level of status know why the new Grand Duke did this.

It's just because that person's base is near Flash City.

No matter from which aspect, the new Grand Duke's residence cannot be far away from that person's base.

This is reasonable.

In fact, from the proposal of moving the capital to the start of building the palace, no noble raised any objection without a long eye.

Everyone agreed to this proposal without hesitation.

Winter Qin Month passed in celebration and busyness, and in a blink of an eye it was the Recovery Month (February).

There were still small snowflakes floating in the sky.

The snow had started to melt at this time of year in previous years, but the weather is still cold this year.

However, Sunan, who is in Youhu City, cannot feel this.

The temperature change in the underground world is much smaller than that on the surface, and it is damp and cold all year round.

It took more than half a month for Sunan to finally complete the first high-level stone golem.

The high-level stone golem is composed of a total of 460 stone golems.

Like the elite double-bladed spider, Sunan also gave the high-level stone golem a constant four second-ring spells: [Levitation], [Lightness], [Brute Force] and [Tenacity].

In addition, Sunan also used the magic weapon technology to enchant the body of the high-level stone golem with the [Black Steel] attribute, and the two fists were enchanted with [Weak Lightning Element Damage] and [Weak Ice Element Damage] respectively, mainly to reduce the enemy's movement speed (paralysis and freezing).

It was also thanks to the high-level stone golem's large enough body and Sunan's current [Magic Item Manufacturing] level that three attributes were added at the same time.

In the end, the cost of a high-level stone golem is as high as more than 22,000 gold coins!

Only about 1,000 gold coins less than the elite double-blade spider.

Even with the seven mines currently controlled by Youhu City, the profit income for a month can only produce one high-level stone golem or one elite double-blade spider.

"It's a bit expensive, but it's worth it."

It is worth mentioning that Sunan tried to use elite double-blade spiders to synthesize three-ring legendary high-level double-blade spiders.

However, after putting five elite double-blade spiders into the magic cube, it was still impossible to synthesize a high-level double-blade spider.

In other words, the cost of a three-ring legendary high-level double-blade spider has exceeded 100,000 gold coins, which is much higher than the adamantium golem.

In this case, if you want to get a three-ring legendary puppet, it is undoubtedly more cost-effective to refine the adamantium golem.

"If there is a design, it will be more cost-effective to refine a high-level puppet."

"Unless there is no design or key materials, you can only get a high-level puppet through synthesis."

In fact, there is already a precedent for this.

For example, the cost of refining an iron golem is only 1,500 gold coins.

However, the cost of synthesizing an elite stone golem is as high as more than 7,000 gold coins.

Both of them are one-ring legends. Even if the iron golem is slightly stronger than the elite stone golem, this increase in strength is far from worth such a huge cost difference.

The reason is that the number of micro soul crystals is too small to mass-produce iron golems.

To obtain enough one-ring legendary combat power, Sunan can only achieve his goal by consuming more resources.

The same is true for potions and magic items.

For example, if the resources consumed by the third-level transcendent potion are converted into materials of equal value, it is more than enough to make four or five bottles of third-level potions.

It’s just that the corresponding materials cannot be found in the current Starlight Continent, so third-level potions can only be made through synthesis.

“For a three-ring legendary puppet, it’s better to refine a fine gold golem.”

Sunan had a plan in mind.

Unfortunately, the adamantium golem encountered last time was almost destroyed by the magic pattern core. Only a small amount of magic adamantium can be obtained after decomposition, which is far from enough to refine a new one.

We still have to issue tasks to let the apprentices in the base refine magic adamantium.

In terms of practice, Sunan has now mastered all the second-level spells in his hands, with a number of more than 20.

Before getting a new second-level spell, he returned to a state where there was no spell to practice.

In terms of super magic skills, the progress of spell instantaneous casting is very rapid, and the training progress has exceeded half.

Sunan expects that in about a year, he should be able to master spell instantaneous casting.

Unfortunately, training super magic skills requires casting spells to consume mental power, and when the mental power is used up, meditation must be restored, which greatly slows down the speed of practice.

Otherwise, he can completely increase the practice time, or practice multiple super magic skills at the same time.

"It's a pity that there is no potion to restore mental power."

Time passed, and it was the middle of the recovery month in a blink of an eye.

Sunan took the time to hold an assessment at Base No. 1 to examine the learning progress of all apprentices.

After more than four years of development, the number of students in the base has increased to 42.

And a new round of qualification tests have been held throughout the Principality of Stars.

The scale of this test is unprecedentedly large, covering the six provinces except Jinyan Province.

It is initially estimated that the number of eligible people participating in the test will exceed 100,000.

It can be predicted that after this round of qualification testing is over, the number of students in the base will definitely usher in a surge, and it is very likely to break through three digits.

In addition, Sunan has also discussed with Keyi and plans to establish a knight academy in each province to establish a more complete and huge talent reserve system for the future knight guard.

In view of this, the development of the new magic plant garden has become imperative.

After all, more dragon blood fruits and silver moon flowers are needed.

The matter of the knight academy is fine. Sunan does not need to take care of it personally. Keyi can arrange people to take charge. He only needs to take time out occasionally to pay attention.

Only the development of the magic plant garden requires him to do it personally.

"But it is estimated that it will only be busy for another one or two years."

"Sheman and Cole's meditation is going well. It is estimated that they will be promoted to second-level wizard apprentices soon."

"By then, the matter of opening up the magic plant garden can be handed over to them."

The second-level wizard apprentice can basically take charge of himself. Sunan can let them do many things without having to do everything himself.

By then, he can free up his hands to do more things.

For example, explore the underground world and find the descendants of ancient beasts.

For example, study more powerful puppets.

"Okay, that's all for today."

After finishing the last spell assessment, Sunan announced the end of the inspection. He swept his eyes over the more than 40 students in front of him, didn't say much, just encouraged them and turned away.

He would not scold the students for not working hard.

After all, this is their choice.

He provided a platform for equal exchange, so that the students' efforts would be rewarded. As for whether to work hard or not, it all depends on their choice.

As long as they abide by the rules of the base and do not do things that harm the interests of the base, Sunan generally will not interfere too much with the students' behavior.

This is also the commonality of many wizard academies.

Even the Black Wizard Academy, which adheres to the principle of cruel competition, respects the autonomy of students in some aspects.

Of course, in the Black Wizard Academy, the consequences of not working hard are often more miserable.

When Sunan's figure disappeared at the door of the spell training room, the students seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden and breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately afterwards, some people showed joyful expressions, while others were full of frustration.

"It's over. I just failed to cast spells three times in a row. The teacher must think I'm stupid now."

"Me too. I made mistakes in the first step of the two potions. It's so embarrassing."

"Ethan is still amazing. He successfully made a brute force potion in one go!"

"I'm just lucky."

Ethan smiled modestly, turned his head and looked at Sheman and Corey, with a flash of envy in his eyes.

"I'm still not as good as Senior Sheman and Senior Corey. The teacher said in person that the two seniors will be able to build the third star ring soon."

When mentioning this, everyone looked at Sheman and Corey with envy and admiration.

Once the third star ring is successfully built, they can be promoted to a second-level wizard apprentice.

At this level, they can truly be called qualified apprentices.

Unfortunately, most of them have just built the first star ring not long ago, and they are still a long way from being a second-level wizard apprentice.

The crowd was in a commotion when a cloud of smoke half a person's height suddenly floated in from outside. After a short pause, it flew towards Sherman in the crowd.

"It's a fog monster!" said a student.

Fog monsters are a kind of semi-virtual creatures, with a whole body in the shape of smoke.

They are messengers in the base. As long as you spend a little mental energy, you can ask them to help deliver messages or transport light items, which is very convenient.

This is naturally the "helper" from another world summoned by Sunan.

The fog monster flew lightly to Sherman's side, extending a wisp of gray fog, which wrapped around Sherman's ears and made a slight humming sound.

This is the unique fog language of the fog monster clan. After being translated by the magic item that Sherman carried with him, which had the effect of understanding language, it quickly became a language that he could understand and passed into his ears.

The next moment, Sherman's face suddenly changed, and he turned around and ran out of the spell training room quickly.

Leaving everyone looking at each other in confusion.

Old Roger still couldn't survive this winter after all.

He died at the age of 65.

In this era, it is considered a rare old age.

In fact, Roger's health has never been very good.

The illness he suffered when he was young made him become much weaker after he turned 50.

It was not until Sherman entered the base and sent back a lot of gold coins every month that Roger did not have to work and retired at home to recuperate.

Sherman later exchanged a bottle of secondary dragon blood potion, diluted it and gave it to Roger to take regularly, making his body a little stronger.

Otherwise, with Roger's illness, he might not live to be 60 years old.

Even so, Roger still did not survive the winter of his 65th year.

Fortunately, he died peacefully.

He fell asleep and did not wake up the next day.

It was not until the servants found something wrong and went into the room to check that Roger had passed away, and hurried to inform Sherman.

Knowing that Roger did not like extravagance, Sherman did not make a fuss, but held a simple funeral and buried Roger.

Standing in front of old Roger's tombstone, Sherman looked dazed and silent.

If it were him in the past, he would have cried his eyes out by now.

But after spending five years in the base, he is no longer the crybaby he used to be when something happened.

Just because I won't cry doesn't mean that the sadness surging in my chest will diminish.

"Sherman."

Atil, who was standing behind, hesitated to speak, looking at Sherman sadly.

She had never seen Sherman like this.

Normally, Sherman always has a smile on his face. Even if he encounters any difficulties, he will smile a few times in a self-deprecating manner, and then continue to work hard with all his energy. He has never been like this, with his whole person exuding a strong sense of joy. Sad.

"My condolences." Corey arrived at some unknown time and stood behind Sherman.

Sherman let out a long breath and looked back at the two of them. His face was calm and his emotions could not be seen.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

He glanced at the gloomy sky and said in a low tone:

"I just suddenly felt that human life is very short, and decades pass by in the blink of an eye."

"Will we all die one day and lie quietly in the grave like old Roger?"

"Everyone will die, right?" Adil said doubtfully.

"What about the teacher?"

Adil's expression froze and he was speechless.

In their eyes, Sunan is the most powerful person in the world.

He is powerful and knowledgeable, and he also has huge influence and abundant resources.

If he were a teacher, he might actually be able to live forever.

Kore said calmly: "Everyone will die sooner or later, but a powerful wizard will not."

"Didn't the teacher say that a formal wizard can live for thousands of years, and a true spirit wizard can live for tens of thousands of years without dying? That is almost the same as eternal life."

Adil smiled bitterly: "Do you think we can become official wizards?"

"Just stick to your goal and work hard towards it. Why do you want to think so much?"

Kore looked ahead firmly.

"No matter how long it takes, I must become an official wizard!"

Corey walked to Sherman and said in a calm tone: "It's understandable to be sad for the deceased, but you have to cheer up as soon as possible. If you want to continue on the path of a wizard in the future, such things will only become more and more common. You have to learn to get used to it.”

Sherman glanced at Corey in surprise: "Are you comforting me?"

"That's okay if you think so."

"I thought you always hated me."

"I just don't like you, and I don't like you now, but your efforts and strength deserve my respect. Having you as a competitor is more conducive to urging me to work hard and move forward. I don't want you to stay depressed like this."

After saying this, Corey took a deep look at Sherman and turned to leave.

It wasn't until Kore's figure disappeared from sight that Atil reacted and said with surprise: "This is the first time I've seen Kore like this. It turns out that he can also say comforting words."

Sherman laughed dumbly and glanced at the direction in which Kore left with complicated eyes.

"You're right. Although that guy has a bit of an awkward personality, his nature is actually not bad."

"In the past, I always thought that we didn't need to rush to improve our strength, and just study step by step and steadily, but now I think what Kore said makes sense."

"Life is short. Even a third-level wizard apprentice only has a lifespan of one or two hundred years. In such a short period of time, if you want to become an official wizard, you really have to race against time and try your best."

Sherman sighed.

At this moment, there was an unprecedented urgency in his heart.

I want to become stronger faster!