Chapter 55: The Storm Before the Wizarding World

After this day, Queen Lilith suddenly withdrew all cultivation resources for her own practice.

Previously, in the Kingdom of Babylon, after Lilith's cultivation stalled, she chose to stop consuming resources and instead focused on nurturing new talents, hoping someone could eventually succeed her. However, such a genius was incredibly hard to find. The fastest among the orthodox witches had only just broken through to Level Five Wizardry, still far from reaching the level of the seasoned Level Five Wizard, Lilith.

"Now, the Queen has reclaimed the resources. Is she about to break through and become the legendary Level Six Arch-Wizard?"

"This is a great fortune for our Kingdom of Babylon!"

Some elders wept with joy.

"Our orthodox witches have hope again. With a Level Six Wizard, we might just be able to contend with the Great Death Lord Medusa, especially since she hasn't broken through to Level Seven herself."

"Level Seven Epic is merely a theoretical concept! How easy could it be to break through? Even the Three Witches of old, before their demise, couldn't establish that realm. How could the Great Death Lord alone, no matter how brilliant, easily achieve it?"

The existence of Li Shengjiang was kept entirely under wraps.

Everyone believed Lilith was on the verge of a breakthrough. Lilith, a resolute and formidable figure, poured all national resources into this endeavor. All ancient texts left by the Three Witches were made available for study, and every need was met. No one knew she was doing all this for the weakest of monsters—a slime.

Year 341 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

Despite the exhaustive national effort, Lilith remained at the Level Five Witch stage, leaving the people of Babylon deeply disappointed.

Year 362 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

Lilith once again spent countless vast resources, yet made no further progress. People's hopes for her instantly plummeted to an all-time low.

"King Lilith, if you cannot break through yourself, why insist? We could nurture new talent; our Kingdom of Babylon might yet see another genius emerge."

"Indeed, with these resources, even if we just poured them in, we could produce several Level Five Wizards!"

That year, the people became utterly disillusioned with their great King Lilith.

Year 381 of the Babylonian Kingdom.

Crack!!

Suddenly, a thunderbolt flashed across the sky above the Kingdom of Babylon. People throughout the streets stared blankly upwards. What had been a clear, boundless sky was rapidly gathering a vast swirling vortex of clouds.

"What is that!?" someone gasped in shock.

Everyone was stunned. Those still inside rushed out, even men holding their children. The previously cloudless sky was now accumulating more and more cloud formations.

"Dark clouds? Is it going to rain?"

At the Royal Palace of Babylon, Lilith stood on the rooftop, holding a wooden staff. The terrifying oppressive force made her struggle to look up at the sky.

"No! Those aren't clouds!" Lilith suddenly trembled all over, murmuring as she leaned on her staff. "That is!!... That actually is!!"

Vast swathes of white clouds churned in the sky, as if stained black by ink. A colossal, exquisitely magnificent black rose abruptly appeared, forming a vortex that rapidly drew in the surrounding clouds. Before this immense and majestic rose stood a tiny, beautiful woman in crimson wizard robes, holding a wooden rose staff. She hovered in the heavens, looking down upon the entire Royal Palace of Babylon.

"The Flower of Death."

The Great Death Lord Medusa, wielding her rose staff high, descended upon the Kingdom of Babylon. The sky grew dark, her boundless and immense magical power churning the entire azure heavens. The colossal black rose was poised to fall upon the entire capital city.

It hadn't fallen yet. Wild winds howled, and a sudden pressure descended upon Lilith. Lilith trembled instantly from the distant presence, feeling death's imminent arrival. But the pressure abruptly vanished the next second.

"Too weak," Medusa said, walking through the sky with her crimson rose staff. She cast a final, wistful glance at Lilith before departing. "It's truly a pity. The one who could once contend with me has fallen to such a level. I heard you were gathering national resources; I had thought you were on the verge of reaching a new realm."

Her voice faded into the distance, vanishing into the air.

"During the era of the Three Witches, they could verify each other's progress. But in my era, the Great Death Lord Medusa, it is too lonely. I have suppressed the world and ruled unchallenged for over two centuries, yet I cannot find an opponent. Without someone to challenge and verify my power, I cannot break into the Level Seven Epic realm. This is my sorrow, and it is the failing of this age."

The power she displayed was a terrifying level that even the Three Witches of old had never reached. The Three Witches of old had merely paved the way for Level Six Wizardry before their decline; they were not at the peak of Level Six. The terrifying oppressive feeling now was truly unnerving.

"She has completely surpassed the Three Witches of old! Although she hasn't entered the legendary Level Seven Epic, she has reached an unfathomable realm." Lilith trembled, biting her lip until blood seeped out. "Can we truly defeat this monster!?"

"I... I don't know."

In the Royal Palace's secret alchemy chamber, a plump, clumsy slime, shaking the antennae on its head, struggled to look up. "I thought I was already close. I'm a Level Five Wizard now, and wearing 'Grantham,' sitting in the alchemical airship fortress, I estimated I could fight the Three Witches of old. But now she... I need ten more years!"

"Ten years?"

Lilith was silent, a fervent fire of hope flickering in her eyes. "I will continue to endure the condemnation and secure everything for you."

In ten years, the world will change!

Lilith's eyes blazed with intense resolve.

If the dark age of the Babylonian Kingdom, lasting nearly two centuries, cannot be brought to an end, then it will face utter destruction! The Kingdom of Babylon had placed its gamble on this slime's shoulders!

"That's enough research for today," Li Shengjiang suddenly declared, bouncing away. "I need to go back to the Witch Brotherhood. Their little magic pet went missing, and they must be worried."

Lilith suddenly shivered, watching his retreating figure. She whispered, "You are clearly so powerful, yet you still go to those young witches, let yourself be manhandled and wildly kneaded in their arms. This is not fitting for a supreme being... Why do you still transform into a small Level Three Wizard, a little pet, and strive alongside them?"

"Because that is my home," Li Shengjiang replied, bouncing endearingly as he left the palace. "In both my previous and current lives, my family passed away too soon. They are my only family now."

Lilith fell silent. She did not doubt his answer about "family," for the slime race was indeed suffering greatly in the Rose Kingdom. This King of Slimes shared a common enemy with her.

"Home, huh? I truly envy those young girls. And you, Grantham, King of Alchemy, I also envy you for having someone to care about..."

Lilith merely smiled, a bitter yet gentle expression, as she watched the cute, bouncing creature depart.

"Garfield, these past years must have been difficult for you too, haven't they?"

She suddenly became listless, looking up at the sky, her gaze fixed absently on the window. In Lilith's mind, she recalled the knight who had always silently protected her, her former lover, now the Queen of the Rose Kingdom.

"If, if everything truly ends..." Her face gradually became streaked with tears, crystalline drops falling. "Then I will abdicate the throne of Babylon and silently retreat with Garfield, living secluded in the mountains."

At that moment, a witch minister appeared behind her.

"Should the next batch of resources still be delivered?"

"Deliver them."

Lilith sharply turned her head, revealing a stern, cold expression.

—The King of Babylon allows no tears.

On the other side.

The Elizabeth Witch Brotherhood.

Still in that same dilapidated, humble room, Elizabeth and the others anxiously watched the outside. Suddenly, a cute, bouncing creature appeared on the street outside.

"You're finally back!"

"Why do you go out for walks all day? It's so dangerous."

"That's right, that's right! You're only a small Level Three Wizard, and there are far too many powerful individuals outside. Just now, the Great Death Lord Medusa came to the Royal Palace of Babylon, her presence blotting out the sky. Her terrifying sorcery could probably destroy the entire capital in an instant. We sisters were almost scared to tears, afraid something might happen to you out there."

A group of sweet young witches tenderly picked up the adorable slime, cradling and kneading it in their arms, chatting excitedly.

"I'm fine," he said. "I just went out for a stroll."

Li Shengjiang smiled brightly, bouncing endearingly, his antennae wiggling adorably on his head. No one knew, not even the young witches of the Witch Brotherhood, what terrifying power their cute little pet possessed. This tiny, adorable slime was already the sole hope for saving the entire Babylonian Wizard Kingdom!