### Chapter 290: The Purpose of the Heroic Spirit Tower
Having confirmed the information, Yuliya suddenly realized something.
Based on the intel from the Ruinous Country dungeon, it was highly likely to be the origin point of the Calamity.
Or perhaps, it was where the invasion of divine beings and demons began.
This whole divine-beast invasion war was a grand conspiracy that had been brewing for ages, spreading far and wide.
From Sogriede’s clues, it seemed the five major countries already had their issues with each other.
When trouble comes from the outside, there’s bound to be a mess on the inside. Simply put, a fly doesn’t buzz around a seamless egg.
Maybe it was external forces guiding things along, or just the long-standing peace building up to this conflict and rift among the five great nations.
Using this chaos to sneak in, the divine beings and demons started the first wave of attacks in the tiny, nearly overlooked Rainbow Country.
And from there, they built a stronghold to ultimately crumble this massive human race.
This is what they call a Calamity.
But there were still big questions looming.
What on earth was the Golden Kingdom up to? What were Father and Mother thinking?
Regardless of whether it was from Aslan or Andrew, Yuliya received the same message.
That is, the Queen foresaw the disaster, and the Golden Kingdom had already made plans in advance.
First off, the Golden Kingdom was not without its fighting strength.
Even when the divine beings and demons launched a massive attack and isolated the Golden Kingdom, diverting a good amount of their forces, under such circumstances, the “Dragon” launched a full-scale assault against the Golden Kingdom.
The final result was that the “Dragon” paid a heavy price just to obliterate the Golden.
This was a being regarded by Ayelus as the strongest among the new generation of gods.
So, if they foresaw disaster ahead of time, why did they play right along with the demons’ plans?
Was there some kind of targeted resistance that managed to seriously injure the “Dragon”?
That part was a little foggy.
“Clark, do you have anything else to tell this princess?”
“There’s one final point, about the Heroic Spirit Tower.”
Yuliya perked up instantly, “Spill it.”
“The primary use of the Heroic Spirit Tower is not trials; that was merely a later accidental discovery. As time has passed, it has gradually evolved into this.”
Clark paused for a moment, glanced at Yuliya, then continued, “Its original purpose was to accumulate power.”
He emphasized the last four words, punctuating each one with flair.
“Accumulate power?”
“That’s right, accumulate power. From ancient times to the present, vast amounts of it. This power will assist Your Highness at critical moments.”
“My assistance…” Yuliya was a bit puzzled, “Does that mean I have to stay within a certain range of the tower?”
“No need to worry about that, Your Highness. Do you know how many Heroic Spirit Towers we have?”
“A bunch, like a hundred?”
Clark shook his head, “Nope.”
“A thousand?”
He still shook his head with a smile.
“Could it be… ten thousand?”
Clark chuckled lightly, “Close, we have nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.”
What the heck!
Are you kidding me? That’s luxury on a level that’s hard to even count!
The Jade Emperor Kingdom has dozens of them, and if the other four countries had a similar arrangement, then a hundred seemed entirely reasonable for Yuliya to guess.
But looking at Clark’s expression, it was clearly way off.
So let’s multiply that by ten then.
And you seriously mean to tell me it’s 9999?
What am I supposed to do with that? I can’t even wrap my head around it!
Yuliya rested her forehead against her hand, “I’m just trying to figure out how we can fit so many towers.”
“You can fit them all. The ancient human continent had vast territories, and the land of our five major countries makes up only about a third. In short, it’s totally feasible.”
“But who knows how much time has passed? Perhaps many Heroic Spirit Towers have already been buried beneath the sands or sunk into the abyss of the sea.”
“Will those Heroic Spirit Towers still be effective?”
“Of course. As you can see, the inside of the Heroic Spirit Tower isn’t a real tower; it’s a special space.”
Ah, another piece of the Golden Kingdom’s magical technology.
Yuliya chuckled.
As a princess, it’s a touch embarrassing to be awestruck by your own nation’s tech.
“I think I have a vague sense of this vast power you’re talking about, but can I really use it?”
“Your Highness need not fret. The timing will reveal everything in due course.”
“Alright…” Yuliya sighed, “How do you know all of this?”
“I was the head bodyguard of the Heroic Spirit Tower’s chief designer—Prince Ilais, and I traveled to many places with him.”
“‘Prince Ilais’? My memories are still pretty foggy.”
“His Majesty’s younger brother, making you uncle and niece.”
“Got it.”
Yuliya silently thanked that elder in her heart.
After a moment, Yuliya turned back to Clark, “So, is there anything else to clarify?”
“Everything’s been said, Your Highness. It’s time for you to continue your journey.”
“Right. I can’t just stop here.” Yuliya looked at Clark, her eyes gradually shining with golden light, “So, you’ll have to let me through.”
Clark looked back at Yuliya with equal seriousness, “That’s precisely what I’ve been hoping for.”
The rules of the Heroic Spirit Tower were as such, and now Yuliya wasn’t the newcomer she once was, throwing a tantrum to get through.
Because that wasn’t necessary anymore.
“Just a heads-up, I’m pretty strong now. You might want to take me seriously.”
“While my talent pales in comparison to Your Highness, I’ve spent several more years on the battlefield, so I won’t be a pushover.”
With that, a sword appeared in Yuliya’s hand, while Clark summoned a spear.
The moment their gazes locked, Yuliya was already in front of Clark.
And Clark was completely unfazed, ready to respond with confidence.
He was one of the leaders of the Golden Kingdom’s vanguard, and his mastery of the Golden Battle Technique was on par with Yuliya’s; in a basic exchange of techniques, he wouldn’t fall short.
But now, he could only defend.
Yuliya approached him with her sword against his spear, opting for close combat right off the bat.
Going in close was quite simple; just evade and he wouldn’t be able to stop her at all.
In such circumstances, the spear’s advantages wouldn’t come into play, and he’d naturally have to defend.
The Yuliya now was completely different from the one who faced Aslan when she first entered the Heroic Spirit Tower.
If back then was merely a phase of awakening her bodily memories and combat skills, then the final battle in the Ruinous Country had completed her metamorphosis.
From a combat perspective, she could already claim to be invincible beneath the divine, and a match for any divine being above her level.
No matter if you were Emerald Level or Legendary Level, as long as your realm was suppressed to match hers, she wouldn’t lose.
As for the Mythical Level? Well, it all depended on the situation; the abilities of divine beings and demons were often quirky, some even bordering on unsolvable—best not to count your chickens before they hatch.
In the end, it took Yuliya over ten minutes to conclude the fight.
She had the complete upper hand, but breaking through Clark’s defenses wasn’t easy-peasy.
For a Legendary power to give it their all, even minor differences in strength wouldn’t lead to an easy defeat.
Anyone who could break through to Legendary Level had an iron will and spirit beyond the normal.
“Your will burns as hot as the fire upon you,” Yuliya commented, retracting her sword in genuine admiration.
“But it still pales in comparison to Your Highness,” Clark said, glancing down at the scars on his chest with a wry smile, “Wishing you thriving success in martial endeavors, I shall take my leave.”
“Okay, go on then.”
