Pillar of Yita

”And getting one or two tickets is useless for us,” Tianlan continued, ”If Brother Ade wants to take the entire Seven Seas Travel Group to the Second World, we need not individual tickets but group tickets.”

”Group tickets?”

”Simply put, if more than seventy percent of our team has individual tickets, it automatically upgrades to a group ticket,” Tianlan replied, ”But the chances of that are very slim, because the tickets expire every year, usually... it’s almost impossible to gather that many individual tickets in one year. So we have to take another route, which is major quests...”

”Major quests?”

”For example, if we took out that annoying Prime Minister, and that young King, and made that Prince the King of Colin Ishurian, he might issue us a group ticket in the name of the Colin Kingdom—” Tianlan replied.

”Tianlan, what are you talking about?” Fang Hong said irritably, ”Don’t talk nonsense.”

Tianlan quickly stuck out her tongue, ”I was just using an analogy, of course, that’s against the ’Stargate Declaration’. But the point is, major quests are tasks that change the history or even political landscape of a region. Because your influence is significant, you might gain enough benefits to take you to the Second World.”

Ai Xiaoxiao widened her eyes: ”That sounds even less reliable than the first possibility.”

”Yes,” Fang Hong nodded, ”But there’s a third possibility, which is buying with points. That’s the route the Tabopolis Oak Knights took, they first obtained some individual tickets via the first route, then used the points accumulated over the previous years to buy other people’s tickets, allowing them to send a team to the Second World. In fact, combining the first and third routes is the method most guilds prefer.”

”But,” Ai Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but say, ”Hasn’t that pesky Super Competitive League already banned us from participating in any Super Competitive events, blocking our first route?”

Upon mentioning this, Fang Hong couldn’t help but frown. The reason why the Super Competitive League has such intimidation over Invokers and major guilds is precisely because of this reason. But fortunately, they can only govern the Invokers.

”They can control the Invokers, but they can’t control the Natives,” Fang Hong replied, ”Although most of these competitions are organized by the Super Competitive League, there are also some like the Continental League, native competitions, some of which also offer ticket qualifications.”

”I see.” Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t know how many times she had said ’I see’.

She finally understood the context of the previous conversation between Sophie and Fang Hong.

The little girl propped her chin and thought for a while, suddenly remembered something, lifted her head and said blankly: ”Right, about the Pillar of Yita... people discovered the Ancient Era relics, doesn’t that prove the myths are true? And then? The Second World was discovered, what about the legendary Yita?”

Hearing this question, Fang Hong couldn’t help but glance at the not-too-distant Miss Ship’s Officer.

Hilveld also smiled slightly, proactively said: ”People think so too, Xiaoxiao.”

She turned around, looking at the floating clouds outside the window: ”Because that’s precisely the motive that has driven the mortals of Eteliria since that era to continuously go to the Second World, searching for the original Bridge of Heaven...”

And her father was just a part of this vast historical torrent.

...

Luo Yu looked at his parents.

He slightly shifted his gaze to the picture hanging on the wooden wall beside the bed: It showed a man and a woman holding a charming little boy. The little boy had short hair, red lips, white teeth, and dark eyes filled with starlike light, bearing some resemblance to the teenager in front of him.

The blinds were tightly shut, making the cabin somewhat dark, the only light came from a floating screen in midair, on which a Communication Crystal was cast to project a light beam, passing through drifting dust, resembling countless sparkling tiny creatures, swimming erratically in the air.

After a while, the figure on the light screen finally spoke.

”Xiaoyu, your father and I have discussed,” the elegant woman pushed her glasses up, speaking sternly, ”You should remember what we told you before, right?”

Luo Yu frowned, silently nodding.

”Good that you remember,” the woman nodded, ”We have high expectations for you, you must be the best. Of course, I understand your thoughts — one must take responsibility for friends and the team. Having a sense of responsibility is good, we fully support you —”

”How about this,” she said, ”Xiaoyu, if you have time, help arrange a meeting for us — your father and I also want to meet your friends, how about that?”

Luo Yu opened his mouth, looking at the two people on the screen, but in the end, made no sound.

And the woman seemed not to require his answer: ”Take care of yourself, don’t easily put yourself in danger, we’ll talk face to face when we meet.”

”Remember,” her voice carried a resolute tone, ”Your father and I will be waiting for you there.”

The image darkened.

Luo Yu just stood there looking at his Communication Crystal, motionless.

...