Before entering the Guevana Empire, they would pass by a few small countries. These small countries served as a buffer zone between the empires.
As they struggled to survive in the cracks between the big countries, they were proficient in the art of taking advantage of both sides. At least in terms of their attitude towards outsiders, they were quite open. That was because the governments that locked the countries down had already become part of the two big empires. Without power, they still had to go against those big shots. If they were crushed by a finger, they could not blame anyone. That was what the saying went: a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
The ships on the Golden Water Route passed by these small countries. Due to the convenience of their national policies, there were not many restrictions. Of course, they still had to pay the taxes. Lin Jie and the others smoothly passed through these countries with their identities as magicians. There were no unnecessary obstacles.
However, even the easiest journey had an end. The last port city on the Golden Water Route, Colombo, was right in front of them. This place was not filled with thousands of sails and ships as he had imagined, but it was still quite crowded. That was because they were very close to the source of the Po River, and the river was quite narrow.
On the other side of the horizon, they could see a tall and continuous mountain range. The Jura Mountain Range stretched across the border between the Central Continent and the Western Continent. It stretched for more than a thousand kilometers, and was also the source of the Po River. It was late winter and close to spring. The peak of the mountain was as white as snow, as if it had been cut by a knife. It was like a world barrier, separating reality from the unknown world.
However, according to the trajectory of history, thousands of years ago, the other side of the mountain belonged to the civilized world, while this side belonged to the wilderness.
There were many ways to cross the Jura Mountain Range. The most popular way was at the port before Colombo Port, which was also the end of the trade port. There was a passage to the underground world near the port city, which was jointly operated by the countries on both sides of the mountain range.
What the two countries did was not only to widen the passage to make it easier for carriages and horses to travel. They also had to encircle and eliminate any magic beasts that approached the passage, as well as any residents of the underground world who harbored ill intentions.
As a price, everyone who wanted to pass through the passage had to pay a considerable toll. Each side had to pay once, so there were a total of two expenses. The two countries on both sides of the mountain range relied on the income from this underground passage to live quite comfortably.
The other route, which was more challenging and was also a route that some smugglers would take, was to cross the Jura Mountains directly. In fact, this was also the earliest route used.
Traversing the mountain range was not as easy as climbing a mountain. Until now, people had only found some mountain roads that were easier to walk on in this mountain range that stretched for thousands of kilometers. There were very few roads that could be taken by horse carriages. Even these roads would be temporarily interrupted due to changes in the weather on the mountain. It could be said that without a guide who was familiar with the situation in the mountains, going up the mountain rashly was no different from seeking death.
Thinking of this, Lin recalled the introduction of Uzov on the cruise ship. Speaking of this, he sighed. A certain Magician, who was puzzled as to why this man was still by his side, asked in a supportive manner, "What's wrong? Could it be that you've walked the mountain path of the Jura Mountains? "
"Yes, Your Excellency. When I was young, I challenged myself to cross the Jura Mountains with a group of good friends. Although we succeeded, and luckily no one was left behind, it was not a good memory. There were a few accidents, and none of us could walk out of the mountain. "
On the ship, the group of people boiled a pot of hot soup and drank it to dispel the cold. Looking at Uzov's fearful expression, they all had the same doubts in their hearts. Since it was so dangerous, did this guy lead them to this place for the sake of world peace and to send some scourge to death?
Noticing the suspicious gazes of the people, Uzov changed his gloomy expression, put his hand on the back of his head, and laughed heartily. "Of course, I recommended everyone here not to challenge the mountain path, but to use another means of transportation."
"Means of transportation?" At that time, listening to the advice of this experienced adventurer, Lin could only think of one thing in his mind.
"Yes, the third, safest, and also the most convenient way to cross the Jura Mountains is to take an airship."
He still remembered that when he heard this term again, he felt that it was somewhat unreal. At the same time, he heard Uzov continue his introduction. "The Jura Mountains is a pass that can be passed through, and it is also a position that is lower in the mountains. This means that the airship can easily cross this mountain from the air. Moreover, the airship can also directly fly to the destination we want to go. As long as there are no restrictions on the airship's entry, it can be said to be the most convenient means of transportation. However, if you want to take it, you have to pay an expensive ride fee. However, by flying through the air, you don't have to pay the tax of the countries or the nobles' territories. The time spent is also relatively short, and the supplies required are not as much. Therefore, some people feel that it is worth it, while others are unwilling to spend more money. But with your wealth, it is just a small matter. Or do you wish to leisurely move forward by land and travel while you are at it? "
If the relevant expenses were not calculated in detail, whether it was a profit or a loss was indeed a mess. However, for a certain transmigrator, the concept of time was money was deeply ingrained. Therefore, Lin believed that if he could save some time, he would save some time.
As for traveling, he had been drifting outside for nearly three years. For an otaku, three years could be said to have used up his lifetime allowance to leave home. In the end, he was not the type to wander around, so it was better to go straight to the destination.
Moreover, there was a lot of research that could not be done thoroughly because he was constantly traveling. Many of the research projects that he wanted to do were backlogged. Just looking at the list and memo made his legs tremble.
However, he still had doubts about the airship. At that time, of course, he asked, "Is the airspace of the Jura Mountains safe?"
"Airspace? What do you mean? "
Uzov's puzzled expression left a deep impression on him. At that time, Lin also remembered that the mysterious land did not have the concept of air supremacy. However, the sky here was not free at all, nor was it safe.
On Earth, excluding machines, the overlords in the sky were, at most, carnivorous birds of prey with wingspans of two to three meters. However, in the mysterious land, although flying magical beasts of more than ten meters were not everywhere, they were not rare species.
The airships he saw in the southwest peninsula, the Gausbotone belonging to the Lyon District, and the Hyder Empire's airship corps, were all military weapons. In the sky, not to mention the ability to protect themselves, they could even fight. Perhaps they were not as agile as those with wings, but they could use all kinds of magic and war weapons. Ordinary flying magical beasts could only take a detour.
However, according to Uzov's introduction, he meant that airships carrying passengers could be found near Colombo Harbor. This airship was definitely not the military type, so of course, Lin had to ask about the protection in the sky. However, the man laughed and said, "We shouldn't be so unlucky as to meet dragons everywhere we fly. Also, I have not heard anyone say that they met any dangerous magical beasts in the sky. "
… If they did, they would not be able to come back and report it to you.
Although he wanted to complain about this shameless man who kept pestering him, Lin still seriously considered his next move. In the end, he decided to take a look at the condition of the airship, as well as the various arrangements and costs. If it really did not work, it was still not too late to turn back and use the underground passage to cross the Jura Mountains. Therefore, the group came to Colombo, the last port on the Golden Waterway.
The place where the airship was docked was to leave Colombo Harbor and go to another bustling town with a large grassland. The airship there was completely different from the airship seen on the Golden Waterway.
The airship on the Golden Waterway was mainly used to move forward as a boat. Flying was only an auxiliary function. However, the airship here was purely a means of moving in the air and had a higher ceiling. It used a tethered method to get close to the ground, but it could not completely land on the ground. The airship Gao Sibotong that was seen in the southwest peninsula was of the latter type.
A high ceiling meant that it could fly high. There were very few types of magical beasts that could fly high, so naturally, it was much safer. Not to mention, crossing mountains was incomparable to flying on flat ground. There were many more things to consider. Without seeing it for himself, he could not make up his mind.
However, he would not be able to make it to the town today. Therefore, Lin and his group would spend the night in Colombo Harbor and set off the next morning.
Lin was used to wearing a magician's cape when entering crowded places. Revealing his identity at the right time could save him a lot of trouble.
The two apprentices and the dwarves were busy setting up the carriage again and moving the luggage. The four horses that he had obtained when he left Wulian City three years ago had also followed him to Colombo Harbor and were once again pulling the carriage.
Looking at the two girls who were busy going in and out with happy expressions on their faces, Lin was forced to force himself to be forced to read the books. She recalled the time when she was forced to study. As long as she could come into contact with things other than books, she would feel happy, even if it was heavy labor.
In the past few months, they had been forced by the Lich beside them on the ship. It could be said that every time they opened their eyes, they would be studying. Therefore, Lin did not dare to snatch the work that they were doing that would make them happy. This was definitely not an excuse to be lazy.
"Hey, you didn't hang those two?"
Fen, who was standing beside him, was originally using her sharp eyes to observe whether the two apprentices had integrated magic into their daily lives. She was constantly on guard and protected by magic. However, she suddenly said something.
For a moment, he was a little confused. However, he immediately understood that Fen was referring to the two Golden Spikes that he could wear after being granted the title of a grand magician by the Lizejian branch of the Society of Sorcerers. In fact, Lin only wore one in front of his chest.
It was not that he did not have the money to buy a second Golden Spikes. For that kind of thing, as long as the shape and specifications followed the rules, the Society of Sorcerers did not care about anything else. Therefore, some magicians would tamper with the Golden Spikes, such as instantaneous casting of some protective spells, resistance to mental charms, and so on. Lin had also made many Golden Tassel Threads with different functions, but there was only one that was actually hanging on his body.
Lin smiled and said, "My title as a grand magician was obtained from the Lizejian branch. It hasn't been recognized here yet. If I were to have conflicts with others because of these two Golden Spikes, it would be very troublesome. I'm not like you, who has a solid foundation, magical knowledge, and accumulated power. These are all in the inhuman range. If you only look at these two points, who would recognize me as a grand magician? "
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