Versatile Mage: Get the Desert Emperor clone at the start

Chapter 374 One call, a hundred responses; reclamation of the sea, city building; Malzahar paves the way!
Xi Zhe stayed at the Mu family's house for less than an hour before taking his leave.

His purpose for this trip was clear: to head straight to Shanghai, a major city in East China and a pearl at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

The atmosphere was heavy inside the council hall of the Mu Family Manor in Shanghai.

Mu Nuxin, the outstanding young generation of the Mu family, is facing several elderly clan elders with gray hair and beards all by himself.

"Nuxin, wake up! You're gambling with the entire Mu family's century-old foundation. The other side of the table is an abyss!" A solemn elder pounded the table with his knuckles, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger and worry.

Another elder spoke more gently, but with greater concern: “We know that Qin Xiaonan has always cooperated well with us and has indeed treated our Mu family very well.”

"But this matter... this matter is no small thing! Building a city? How can this be a child's play? The resources required are enormous, the pressure we will face is immense, especially the threat from the sea monsters... If we are not careful, my Mu family will be doomed!"

“Moreover,” someone added, staring sharply at Mu Nuxin, “the essence of the earth is so precious, it is the foundation of a city.”

"How did Qin Xiaonan manage to obtain it? Is there some unknown cause and effect behind this? Could it bring annihilation to my Mu family?"

Mu Nuxin stood tall and straight in front of everyone, her beautiful face showing no sign of timidity, her eyes as firm as a rock.

Just as she was about to retort, there was a gentle knock on the carved wooden door of the council chamber.

A servant hurried in, bowed, and reported: "Elders, Miss, a gentleman who calls himself Xi Zhe has come to visit, saying... that he has come about the construction of the city."

"Xi Zhe?" The elders looked at each other, the name was completely unfamiliar to them.

Mu Nuxin's heart stirred, recalling Qin Xiaonan's earlier hint that a "helper" would arrive.

“Please let him in,” Mu Nuxin said decisively.

The door opened again, and a figure stepped into the hall.

Without exchanging pleasantries, he spoke directly, his voice steady yet striking everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer: "I am Xi Zhe. I have come here on the orders of Mr. Su Lu to assist the Mu family in completing the construction of the city."

"Su Lu?!"

The name resounded like a thunderclap in the quiet council chamber!
Several clan elders suddenly stood up from their seats, their faces filled with disbelief and shock.

Although Mu Nuxin was mentally prepared, her pupils suddenly contracted and her heart skipped a beat.

Su Lu!

That's the current president of the Asian Magic Association, wielding immense power and possessing unfathomable strength. His influence extends throughout Asia, making him a true giant at the very top of the power pyramid!
Qin Xiaonan... how exactly did he get in touch with Su Lu?
Mu Nuxin was in turmoil, but she tried her best to remain calm on the surface.

The elders who had previously vehemently opposed the move suddenly changed their attitude completely.

The anger and worry on his face were quickly replaced by awe, ecstasy, and an unbelievable daze.

If Su Lu intends to build a city here, and if his representative comes to assist him in person... then all the risks seem to have turned into huge opportunities!

"So...so it's Mr. Xizhe! Quickly, please take a seat!" The elder at the head of the clan said with a trembling voice, and hurriedly ordered his servants to serve tea, his attitude extremely respectful.

"We were unaware that Mr. Su Lu was a special envoy, and we apologize for our rudeness! With Mr. Su Lu's attention on the city's construction, our Mu family will certainly do our utmost and follow your lead!"

The previous disagreements and doubts vanished in an instant.

The meeting's theme instantly shifted from "whether or not to build a city" to "how to build a city as quickly as possible."

The elders were in high spirits and began to discuss resource allocation, personnel arrangements, and urban planning, as if they could already see a magnificent new city rising in the hands of the herdsmen.

……

The news of Xi Zhe's arrival naturally did not escape Shao Zheng's notice. "Xi Zhe... one of Su Lu's most trusted deputies, he came to Shanghai to help the Mu family build a city?" Shao Zheng muttered to himself, his eyes filled with deep suspicion and vigilance.

He and Su Lu had different views and could not work together. He knew that the Asian Speaker was ambitious and unpredictable.

"What were the results of the investigation?" he asked his secretary behind him.

"According to surface intelligence, Xi Zhe's plenipotentiary representative, Su Lu, is assisting the Mu family in building a new city to resist the demons of the East Sea."

"Furthermore, the Mu family, through some unknown means, did indeed obtain a Core of the Earth as the energy core of the new city," the secretary reported respectfully.

Shao Zheng's brows furrowed even more.

Building a new fortified city on the outskirts of Shanghai is of great strategic significance for the increasingly strained coastal defenses, especially in dealing with the impending invasion of sea monsters.

From the perspective of national interests, this is a tremendously good thing.

But why Su Lu?

What exactly does he want to get out of this?
Shao Zheng did not believe that Su Lu possessed such a pure "internationalist spirit".

Ever since Su Lu returned from the Black Dragon Land after the last contract, he felt that Su Lu had become even more unpredictable, as if shrouded in a deeper mist.

"Closely monitor all movements of Xizhe and the Mu family. Report any unusual activity to me immediately," Shao Zheng finally ordered.

"For now... we will not interfere. If the new city is built, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. But we must know what Su Lu is really up to."

After finalizing the plan, the Mu family began recruiting some mages from the community.

Once the news of recruiting mages was released, there was an overwhelming response; it was almost a one-to-one call.

A large number of high-level mages flocked from all over the country. Many of them were highly skilled and experienced, but their backgrounds were mysterious.

They were disciplined and highly efficient, clearly different from ordinary independent monks.

A large portion of these people were members of the Void Worm who had infiltrated and integrated into Asia early on.

After final surveying and discussion, Qin Xiaonan and Mu Nuxin decided to locate the new city site in the northeast of Shanghai, facing the East China Sea.

……

On the day of the foundation laying, the sky was overcast, the sea breeze howled, carrying a salty and fishy atmosphere and a faint siren-like aura.

The waves near the shore were unusually turbulent, and countless dark shadows were throbbing underwater.

Malzahar made the first move.

He waved his hands, and in an instant, the sea surface within a radius of hundreds of miles centered on him seemed to be pressed down hard by an invisible giant hand!

The roaring waves froze instantly, transforming into a massive, uneven piece of blue amber.

The surging tide was frozen in the air, and the splashing water transformed into shimmering ice sculptures.

The sea level dropped rapidly, as if a giant funnel had appeared on the seabed, forcefully pushing the seawater aside to reveal the damp seabed below, which was full of trenches and reefs!
Malzahar was born by devouring the power that dominates the Indian Ocean.

In addition to his own power of the void, he also has a strong grasp of the laws of the ocean.

(End of this chapter)