“Prosperous Northwest!”

This time, Ren Xiaosu saw the stellar gate appear next to him before a suction force tried to suck the pheasant away.

This suction force was not physics-based but an inexplicable kind of power.

However, Ren Xiaosu’s strength was much greater. As a result, the suction from the stellar gate could not pull anything in even after a long time. All that got sucked in were some feathers.

The events left Melgor dumbfounded. He had not expected something like that. But he was very sure now that Ren Xiaosu was using him as an experiment.

Ren Xiaosu said analytically, “There are a few traits to this summoning spell. Let me explain them to you. First of all, the size of the stellar gate should be directly related to the number of times the spell is practiced. Otherwise, the stellar gates that we opened wouldn’t be of the same size. If it’s related to mental strength and you’re able to open a stellar gate half a meter in diameter, I should be able to open one that’s a hundred meters wide.”

Melgor felt helpless for a long time. “Is there really such a huge difference between us? Can you please just state the conclusion directly? You don’t have to tell me your analysis….”

Ren Xiaosu nodded and continued analyzing, “If the summoned creature does not die, it will get summoned again each time the spell is cast. I killed the goat, so you summoned a pheasant the second time you activated the stellar gate. But if I don’t kill the pheasant, you’ll still summon this same pheasant on your third spell.”

“Mhm, that makes sense.” Melgor nodded. Honestly, he really admired Ren Xiaosu for being able to comprehend several of the new spell’s traits so quickly.

Ren Xiaosu said, “There’s also a third and most important point, which is that the summoned creature and the caster do not have a master-servant relationship. This is also the most useless trait of the summoning spell. Since the goat and the pheasant attacked you, we can pretty much conclude that. By the way, did you feel any connection between yourself and the summoned creature?”

“No.” Melgor shook his head.

“That’s right then.” Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said, “But it felt a little different for me.”

When he activated the dimensional portal, Ren Xiaosu somehow felt a sense of closeness with the monster on the opposite side even though it was roaring. Moreover, there was an inexplicable familiarity exuding from it.

On this point, it was a different feeling from Melgor’s.

However, Ren Xiaosu was afraid to practice the summoning spell casually, because he still couldn’t confirm what was on the opposite end of the stellar gate.

He also did not know what kinds of consequences there would be if he actually summoned the creature.

At this moment, Qian Weining and his men were quietly hiding in the corridor of the relay station and eavesdropping. They did not dare to stand too close and kept a distance of about ten meters away from the door.

Earlier, Qian Weining was quite sure he heard the roar of a monster. Perhaps the guards could be fooled by Melgor, but he was much more knowledgeable and knew what alchemy was.

“Sir, are you saying there’s a monster in Ren Xiaosu’s room?” a guard asked.

“Mhm.” Qian Weining answered seriously, “How could I have heard wrong if the roar could even wake me up from my drunken stupor? I’m just not sure what’s inside his room. I’ve investigated Lord Melgor before and found out he’s terrible at alchemy, so what alchemy experiments could he be doing in his room? Look, he went straight to Ren Xiaosu’s room after coming out of his own room, so I guess he lied to you all just now. Actually, that sound had come from Ren Xiaosu’s room.”

“But it’s a monster.” A guard said nervously, “What should we do?”

“Grab your weapons and be careful. If anything rushes out, kill it without mercy,” Qian Weining said.

The door to Ren Xiaosu’s room swung open. Qian Weining and his men saw him running straight for the relay station’s kitchen with a goat in his left hand and a pheasant in his right hand.

After some time, the aroma of pheasant soup wafted over.

A guard hesitated for a moment. “Sir, was that the monster you mentioned?

Qian Weining loosened his grip on his broadsword. “Haha, I was just joking with you guys. I didn’t expect to be taken seriously!”

“But when Lord Melgor and Ren Xiaosu came back just now, they didn’t have the goat or pheasant with them,” a guard wondered.

Qian Weining stared intently at Ren Xiaosu and Melgor’s rooms, thinking about something.

…

On the afternoon of the seventh day since the Battle of Sun City, Winston City’s gate suddenly opened. Guards were carrying rolls of red carpet and laying them at the entrance, extending all the way to the Winston Cathedral.

A large formation of knights were standing at attention outside the city. Hundreds of soldiers in the foremost row were holding scarlet flags that were fluttering in the wind. The flags were embroidered with the lion emblem of the House of Berkeley.

At the front of the formation, a middle-aged man rode forward slowly on a white horse while knights in heavy silver armor followed him.

The middle-aged man said calmly, “Guards Brigade, follow me into the city. The rest of you, remain outside and wait for further instructions.”

“Yes, My Lord!” The uniform echoing at the rear was so resounding it rattled many of the Winston City residents.

This was the kind of excellence elite knights should exude in the Kingdom of Sorcerers. Over the past 100 years or so, the reputation of the Knights of the Inferno had always been among the top three.

As the middle-aged man rode his horse down the red carpet, the Winston family’s patriarch got down on one knee at the entrance. “Welcome, Patriarch.”

The middle-aged man turned out to be the current head of the House of Berkeley. Meanwhile, the Winston family’s patriarch no longer pretended as he became totally subservient to the Berkeley family’s patriarch. From this, it could be seen that the rumors of the House of Winston joining the Berkeley family was not just baseless speculation.

This Berkeley family’s patriarch was different from the sorcerers Ren Xiaosu had previously encountered. He was wearing armor and had a broadsword slung from his waist. He was clearly dressed as a warrior and looked extremely chivalrous.

“Rise.” The middle-aged man said slowly, “Have the walls been repaired?”

“Yes,” the Winston family’s patriarch said in embarrassment after he got up.

“How disgraceful,” the middle-aged man sneered. “But your boldness in surrounding and killing Kayle has truly made me see you in a different light. Get on your horse and follow me for a meeting.”

The Winston family’s patriarch was delighted. He knew he had made the right decision by taking the risk to kill Archmage Kayle.

With a great war imminent, the House of Berkeley would no longer condone spineless people. The Winston family’s patriarch had to decisively pledge his allegiance to the Berkeley family. Otherwise, he would end up offending both sides.

Now that Archmage Kayle’s head had been taken as a sacrifice to their flag, the House of Winston was tied to the House of Berkeley as they executed their war plans.

The middle-aged man riding on the horse suddenly chuckled as though he had thought of something funny.

The Winston family’s patriarch asked cautiously, “Patriarch, why are you laughing?”

“That Kayle was really unlucky.” The Berkeley family’s patriarch shook his head and said, “Actually, he came to the south to kill a sorcerer named Melgor and had nothing to do with the chaos in Winston City. But you did the right thing by killing him. Since the northern expedition has already started, he would have to be killed either way.”

The Winston family’s patriarch was stunned. “Patriarch, are you saying that Kayle…”

“That sorcerer named Melgor is in your city and should be with Qian Weining now.” The Berkeley family’s patriarch said, “Summon him for an audience with me.”