Spellcasting Gods

I am currently preparing for war and have no time or energy to concern myself with the petty power struggles in King's Landing..."

Zhang Cheng had no intention of hiding anything, nor was there any need to conceal it, because when Eric landed on the continent of Westeros, an earth-shattering battle would inevitably break out, which anyone who wasn't blind could see.

Chapter 0220 Power

"The enemy? You mean Daenerys Targaryen?"

Forgive my bluntness, but perhaps she and her three dragons have great potential, but you seem to be far behind. At least I don't think she can threaten you.

As for your point that rights are merely an appendage of power, I don't entirely agree.

Power is power; it is a standard that can influence and change the hierarchical relationships between people, and it is not subservient to anything else.

If you have power, you don't need to do everything yourself. Often, you only need to give an order, and your subordinates will rush to do it. You can use the time saved to continue studying profound magic, or enjoy all kinds of pleasures.

In fact, rights are far more useful and important than you might imagine. After all, most of the time, power is controlled by rights; otherwise, the reverse could lead to enormous disasters.

Perhaps you are still young and do not understand the value of power and the enormous energy it contains.

Believe me, once you truly begin to taste the power, you will soon be hopelessly addicted…

Olena Redwin, adopting the air of someone with experience, described to Zhang Cheng the various benefits of acquiring power. She was completely unaware that the young man standing before her was indifferent not because he lacked interest in power itself, but because he had no interest in power that couldn't be maintained in the long run.

Zhang Cheng knew very well that with the deaths of Joffrey and Tywin, he didn't have much time left. If he wasn't mistaken, the deadline was probably after he killed Eric.

This means that even if he seizes the Iron Throne, he can only be king for a few months at most. Forget about enjoying the benefits of power, he won't even have time to deal with a huge mess. It's no wonder he'll be uninterested.

From a pragmatic perspective, he strongly agrees with the "Queen of Thorns'" definition of power. Power often brings many benefits, especially since researching magic requires a lot of resources, and the later the research, the more terrifying the resources become. Often, the loss from a failed large-scale experiment is enough to make an extremely wealthy country feel the pinch.

Obviously, the rate at which mages accumulate wealth is far slower than the rate at which they consume it. Therefore, many mages either join powerful spellcaster organizations or become advisors to kings and nobles in exchange for their financial support.

However, being controlled by others is never as good as relying on oneself. A very small number of mages clearly realized this and began to use the power of magic to gain power, even to control a country, and to have thousands of subjects continuously provide manpower and resources for costly research.

Although Zhang Cheng doesn't need such vast resources yet, he understands what power can bring him. Therefore, he has long been planning to establish a foothold in several worlds where magic is flourishing, so that he can obtain what he needs in the future.

Unfortunately, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire is not one of them.

First of all, magic in this world has passed its most prosperous period. Judging from the periodic visits of the crimson comet, it is absolutely impossible for a high-level magic system with a complete theoretical system like Dalaran to be born.

Secondly, this world has no precious magical materials. Neither Valyrian steel nor dragon crystal, which has been endowed with mysterious properties, can compare to the countless magical minerals on the continent of Azeroth. Rather than wasting time here, it would be better to devote more energy to improving one's status in Dalaran.

Finally, and most importantly, aside from the White Walkers in the North, he had already collected about 80 percent of the world's knowledge related to magic, so there was no need to acquire 100 percent of it.

Zhang Cheng has no collecting obsession or compulsion. The reason he collects different magical knowledge is not to learn it all, but to refer to and learn from it, so as to establish his own unique magical system.

Of course, it is quite difficult to do this, but he is still young and has plenty of time and opportunities to slowly supplement, try, and improve the vast knowledge base needed to build a magic system.

"Lord Mason, after all I've said, I wonder if you've changed your mind and are willing to join forces with House Tyrell to create a new dynasty?" Olenna Redwyn, completely unaware of her mistake, confidently proposed.

In her eyes, no one can resist the allure of power. Anyone who is not interested in power has either never tasted its power or has been blinded by strong emotions such as anger, hatred, and love.

Looking into the other person's cunning eyes, Zhang Cheng shook his head without hesitation: "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I still choose to stick to my previous stance and will not lay a finger on the Iron Throne. In addition, your information is probably not very good. Daenerys has been defeated by someone else and lost her dragons and army. This person is the formidable enemy I was referring to."

"What?!" The Thorn Queen gaped in shock.

She simply couldn't believe that anyone could defeat Daenerys Targaryen, who possessed three dragons and an army of Unsullied.

“Quite surprising, isn’t it? But wait, there’s more to come. You probably don’t know this, but Daenerys Targaryen currently lives in the Tower of Ascension.” As he spoke, Zhang Cheng revealed a playful expression and turned to wink at Morroya.

The latter understood immediately and left the control center. About ten minutes later, she brought Daenerys, who was dressed in a white dress and had an elegant and proper demeanor, into the room.

"The Seven Gods! You...you're insane! You actually took in a Targaryen princess?!" Noticing Daenerys's signature hair and pupils, Margaery couldn't contain her shock and cried out.

"Hahahaha! Why not? You know Viserys has always believed that once he returns to Westeros with a large army, the Tyrells will be the first nobles to stand up for him. Now, a true dragon of pure blood is standing right in front of you, what are you still hesitating for? Quickly kneel down and swear allegiance!" Zhang Cheng mocked in a gloating tone.

Completely bewildered, Daenerys frowned instinctively and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Why were you called here? And who are these two guests?"

Zhang Cheng deliberately slapped his forehead and replied in an exaggerated tone, "Ah! I almost forgot to introduce you! This is Lady Olenna Redwyn, the mother of the Duke of Highgarden and the head of House Tyrell. As for the other one, this is the young and beautiful Queen Margaery. You know, our Queen has married two kings, and interestingly, both of them died. If nothing unexpected happens, she will soon marry a third king, who will also eventually die. What an amazing and tumultuous fate! If I were a poet, I would be tempted to write a poem to describe this legendary life..."

Chapter 0221 Matchmaking

“Count Mason, are you mocking me?” Margaret asked, her face ashen.

She could hardly believe that after traveling all the way from King's Landing to Oldtown, she had not only failed to receive the courtesy she deserved, but had instead suffered the greatest insult of her life.

For a young girl, nothing is more shameful or embarrassing than losing husbands one after another and becoming a widow.

Furthermore, the final line, "Her next husband will also die," completely goes beyond a joke and can even be interpreted as some kind of vicious curse.

If her grandmother hadn't told her to always remain gentle, affectionate, and understanding no matter what happened, Margaret would have definitely taught the other person a lesson.

Enjoying "Little Rose's" almost intense reaction, Zhang Cheng slightly curled the corners of his mouth, replying with a half-smile, "No, please don't misunderstand, I'm not mocking you, I'm merely stating a fact that's about to happen. You must understand, Toman is a timid boy. He's long been accustomed to living in the shadow of his mother and older brother, and has never truly made any decisions in his life. Imagine if you two became husband and wife; the guileless Toman would inevitably be attracted by your gentleness and beauty, then quickly develop a strong affection and dependence, and might even become completely obedient, a puppet you can manipulate at will..."

Before he could finish speaking, Margaret couldn't help but interrupt, "So in your eyes, I am a scheming and vicious woman?"

"Heh, you might be a little scheming, but you're far from being malicious. Compared to Cersei Lannister, you're quite kind, so please keep quiet and let me finish." Zhang Cheng raised his hand to stop the girl from pestering him further.

After all, he had no intention of discussing profound topics like human nature and moral standards with a girl who was not even eighteen years old. In fact, once such a debate started, there was no way to reach a conclusion.

"Okay, I hope you can give me a satisfactory explanation."

Perhaps the reassurance worked, or perhaps she received a hint from her grandmother, but in any case, Margaret's expression and tone softened considerably.

Zhang Cheng ignored these unimportant details and continued, "Obviously, as I just emphasized, Tommen, who is about to ascend the throne, will become increasingly dependent on you over time, and this dependence will arouse Cersei's vigilance and jealousy. I believe you know very well how terrible things a woman can do when she becomes jealous of someone younger, prettier, and more popular than herself, right? Especially since you've taken away her most beloved child. Our poor little king will then be caught between his beloved wife and his mad mother. When the struggle between the Tyrell and Lannister families reaches its climax, will his fragile heart seek relief in another way? For example, suicide..."

“You mean, Toman might be driven insane by me and his mother?” Margaret frowned, her tone full of doubt.

“It’s not a possibility, it’s a certainty. Otherwise, why do you think Lady Olena came to see me today?” After saying that, Zhang Cheng turned his gaze to the “Queen of Thorns.”

The latter narrowed his eyes as if considering something, and after a full minute, he smiled and nodded: "That's right! I don't believe that Cersei can maintain a cooperative alliance between two families in the midst of competition like Tywin did, so I hope to find a powerful and reliable new ally."

"So you chose me?" Zhang Cheng stroked his chin with interest.

“Yes! You are Elo’s husband and Loras’s friend. We should be closer than the Lannisters led by Cersei,” Olenna Redwyn suggested earnestly, deliberately ignoring Daenerys standing to the side.

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline. As for the reason, I've already explained it before: I have a dangerous enemy to deal with right now, and I don't have the time or energy to get involved in the power struggles within King's Landing. However... I can recommend someone."

At this point, Zhang Cheng paused for a moment, then bowed deeply to Daenerys: "The last bloodline of the Targaryen dynasty, the revered Mother of Dragons, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, the only legitimate ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, don't you think this is a great opportunity?"

"An opportunity?" Daenerys was clearly confused, her eyes revealing doubt and bewilderment.

“Yes, an opportunity. As you can see, the alliance between House Tyrell and House Lannister is about to break down. About a third of the nobles in King's Landing support the former. The only thing they lack is a legitimate reason to support them. But if we have you, daughter of Aerys II Targaryen, they can gain more support from the neutrals, seize the opportunity to launch a coup, and ultimately crush the Lannisters' ambition to rule the Seven Kingdoms.”

In order to make this self-important queen understand the current situation, Zhang Cheng had to patiently explain it to her.

Although he had no intention of personally getting involved, that didn't stop him from stirring up trouble and creating some problems for Cersei Lannister.

"And what about me? What can I get out of this?" Daenerys asked uncertainly.

After these days of serious reflection, she has discarded many naive aspects of her personality and no longer believes that the Tyrell family would be so kind as to help her regain the Iron Throne for free.

Zhang Cheng did not answer the question, but turned around to look at the "Queen of Thorns" whose eyes were constantly flashing with a sharp light.

About two or three minutes later, Olenna Redwyn seemed to have thought of something, and a playful look appeared on her wrinkled face: "You can restore the Targaryen dynasty and become the only queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Of course, in return, you must appoint my son as the Hand of the King after you succeed, and the leader of the Kingsguard must also be a knight of House Tyrell."

"You want to use me as a puppet?!"

Hearing such harsh conditions, even though Daenerys was mentally prepared, she couldn't help but be enraged.

"Don't put it so harshly. I simply hope that the Tyrell family's contributions will be rewarded accordingly. Besides, you haven't proven yourself to be a qualified ruler, so how can we feel comfortable entrusting power to you?" Olenna Redwyn retorted righteously.

Daenerys was undoubtedly stumped by the question, standing there clenching her fists tightly, her heart filled with anger.

Just as she was wondering how to refute him, Zhang Cheng suddenly interjected, "Madam, isn't it a bit too early to discuss how to divide the spoils of victory? Have you forgotten that the Tyrell family has never been good at war, especially against the battle-hardened Lannisters? I suggest you put aside your arrogance and prejudice and sit down to discuss a feasible cooperation plan."

"And what about you?" Olena Redwin asked cautiously.

"Me? I'm ready for the great war that's about to begin! A true magical war! You who are obsessed with power struggles will never understand what I'm after..."

Chapter 0222 The Second Dragon Egg

In the dead of night, on the dark and secluded lowest level of the Tower of Heights, a dragon egg shimmering with a silvery-gray luster was placed in the center of a huge magic circle, surrounded by dozens of Ironborn prisoners who were tightly bound with ropes.

They were all agitated, their eyes filled with fear, struggling desperately to escape.

Unfortunately, no matter how much they struggled, they couldn't loosen the rope even slightly, and because their mouths were gagged, they couldn't shout or curse, only making a series of incomprehensible whimpering sounds.

"Quiet! I've said it many times, please don't resist or struggle. Doing so will only increase your pain. Remember, you are atoning for the evil you have committed, you are sacrificing yourselves for a great experiment. Mortals must die eventually. Rather than living and hurting others, why not make a contribution with your death?" Zhang Cheng said sarcastically without turning his head as he poured the blood that smelled strongly of blood into the groove.

These prisoners, who were about to become sacrifices in the magical ritual, had each killed countless innocent civilians after invading the old town, so he felt no unease, guilt, or pity whatsoever; all he felt was disgust and coldness.

As the dark red blood slowly flowed, the once quiet magic circle suddenly burst forth with eerie black light. The prisoners seemed to be corrupted by some evil force, their whole bodies began to tremble violently, and their blood vessels became thick and grotesque as if they were about to explode. In just a few minutes, their bodies began to age and shrink, eventually becoming lifeless, withered corpses.

The dragon egg at the center of the magic circle was not affected in any way; on the contrary, it revealed a surging and powerful death energy.

Just as Zhang Cheng was about to go forward to check the dragon egg, the tightly closed basement door suddenly creaked open.

A woman dressed in a long black dress, Morroia, slipped through the crack in the door and quickly approached, reporting in a low voice, "Master, Daenerys Targaryen has boarded the ship and is heading towards King's Landing with the Tyrells. As you instructed, I have placed a shadow spell on her to prevent any unforeseen circumstances."

“Very good! You are much more useful and capable than I expected. It seems that my decision to spare your life was the right one. At least with your help, I successfully obtained the second dragon egg.” Zhang Cheng reached out and gently stroked the other’s pointed chin and slender, smooth neck.

“No! Master! It is my honor to serve someone like you!” Moroya replied with fervor.

After a period of "training," her mind was completely distorted. She not only forgot her hatred but also developed an almost insane obsession.

Of course, this infatuation stems from both a thirst for powerful magical knowledge and an admiration and adoration for the master.

Using the pocket watch's wondrous hypnotic power and a little psychological knowledge, Zhang Cheng successfully created a loyal assistant, a qualified cannon fodder who would die for him in a critical moment.

It must be said that he initially only wanted a puppet with less rebellious tendencies, but for some reason, since that night, Morroia Hightower has become a different person, even personally eliminating several of her own brothers and sisters, simply because they might threaten the rule of Oldtown.

Zhang Cheng was not a psychologist, nor did he possess the magic to read minds, so he didn't understand what kind of dramatic change had occurred in this woman. The only thing he knew was that their current relationship was very advantageous to him.

With Morroia's assistance, the progress of various complex research projects and the modification of the Tower of Triumph's attack methods has been greatly accelerated.

Feeling the delicate touch of his palm, a slight smile played on his lips as he asked in a slightly amused tone, "Tell me, what has Beth been up to lately? The potion you concocted didn't cause her too much harm, did it?"

“Beth has amnesia and is currently spending her days in taverns, living a life of debauchery. To be precise, she has forgotten everything that has happened in the last few months. The potion is very effective, with absolutely no side effects,” Moroya assured her confidently.

“Interesting. Send people to keep a close eye on her every move. I don’t want anyone to know that there’s an unhatched dragon egg in the Tower of Heaven, understand?” Zhang Cheng’s tone carried a hint of warning, and his eyes revealed a dangerous glint.

Clearly, after learning that Beth's father had hidden a dragon egg, he ordered Morroia to take full charge of finding it.

After a month and a half of investigation and surveillance, the silver-gray dragon egg was finally found in Dalia's coffin.

Unlike the egg that hatched Kuro Kerba, this egg was already confirmed dead when it was discovered, with no sign of life inside.

To the people of the A Song of Ice and Fire world, a dead dragon egg may have no value, but to Zhang Cheng, a dead dragon egg can still be hatched.

The only difference is that living eggs hatch into normal dragons, while dead dragon eggs require a series of complex and evil magical rituals to hatch into dead dragons with a completely different life form.

It's important to know that in the world of Azeroth, the Scourge had already invented magic to transform frost dragons and plague dragons.