165: Chapter 165 This is called realism

After the Prussian [Hercules Statue] turned into fireworks, other countries became much more cautious when infusing 'Tower Materials' into their wonder statues.

Especially with high-level Tower Materials, they no longer dumped everything they had all at once. Instead, they infused them one piece at a time, carefully observing the wonder statue's reaction during the process:

whether the wonder's power became unstable after injecting more materials, or if cracks appeared in the outline of the wonder statue itself.

Every country wanted to avoid repeating Prussia's mistakes, especially Russia, the USA, and Sakura Country, which had acquired more high-tier 'Tower Materials'.

As for Dragon Country, they had the fewest 'Tower Materials'. Even if Chen Aoyun wanted to overload the wonder statue with materials, he simply didn't have enough!

Raiders could not use force within this special space, so it was quite safe. Adar, the [Strategist] from the Ottoman Empire, simply decided to stay by Chen Aoyun's side.

While carefully infusing his own wonder statue with Tower Materials, Adar glanced at the wonder Chen Aoyun had outlined for Dragon Country.

The wonders outlined by other countries were basically humanoid, but the wonder statue Chen Aoyun outlined for Dragon Country was not... it was...

A horse!

A steed with a robust build, head held high in a neigh, three hooves off the ground, displaying a galloping posture as swift as the wind!

One of the steed's hind hooves stepped lightly upon the back of a flying swallow spreading its wings;

The galloping horse's head was tilted slightly to the side, its mouth open in a neigh, and its mane and tail flowed in the wind like silk threads, full of dynamism and power.

That's right, this steed statue, with its exquisitely conceived shape and incredibly handsome silhouette from the side, was none other than the world-famous relic from the Huaxia Civilization of the Old Era— [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow]!

Dragon Country had only climbed to the 273rd floor of the tower. After Chen Aoyun infused all the [Bronze Grade] and [Silver Grade] materials into the statue, he began to infuse the remaining [Gold Grade Construction Materials].

Before Chen Aoyun infused the 73 pieces of [Gold Grade Construction Materials], Adar, who was nearby, asked curiously,

"Chen, [Act 2 Rule 2] is on the first floor of the tower; everyone knows that the rules clearly state the wonder statues are meant for dueling."

"The wonders others outlined are all humanoid statues, yet you came up with an animal statue."

"If you had made some kind of ferocious beast, that would be one thing, but you just had to outline a horse."

"Your horse is handsome enough, but how is a horse supposed to duel with other wonder statues?"

"What kind of trick are you pulling again?"

Chen Aoyun infused the last of the Tower Materials while saying, seemingly helpless,

"The amount of material infused determines the combat power of the wonder statue."

"My Dragon Country only climbed to the 273rd floor, so the materials I have are pitifully few; isn't it all the same who I outline? As long as it doesn't blow up, I've saved face for Dragon Country; what else could I be planning?"

Adar didn't believe him, and Chen Aoyun didn't feel the need to explain. When the last piece of Tower Material in his hand was infused, the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] let out a loud neigh, and it 'came to life'!

The handsome [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] was the first wonder statue to be fully infused and activated. Once 'alive', the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] turned in mid-air and landed on the edge of the spatial arena, quietly waiting for the duel to begin.

Adar's gaze remained on the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow]. His expression shifted from appreciation and admiration to suspicion and bewilderment, and finally to shock.

"Chen, can I take back what I just said?"

Chen Aoyun asked curiously, "Which part?"

Adar: "The part where I just praised your statue as handsome..."

Chen Aoyun: "Why do you want to take it back?"

Adar: "You tell me why! Why don't you take a look yourself?"

"Your statue, a steed that looks incredibly handsome from the side, looks like a total goofball from the front!"

"That wise gaze, those sexy horse lips, and that awkward, uncoordinated running posture... It's not that I look down on your Huaxia Civilization, but the front of this wonder statue is just too ugly!"

"What do you know? This is called realism!" Chen Aoyun was stunned, not expecting Adar to care so much about the statue's appearance, and then retorted stubbornly.

The reason Chen Aoyun was being stubborn was simple: the front of the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] was indeed quite... realistic.

... Fine, it was ugly.

Not to exaggerate or bash it, what is the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow]?

Perhaps its other name explains it better— [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow]!

The Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow is just that, and the ugliness—no, the realism—of its front view was officially recognized in the Old Era!

Chen Aoyun defended it weakly, but he hadn't expected Adar, who was easygoing about everything else—at least on the surface—to be surprisingly serious about aesthetics.

Since Chen Aoyun couldn't even convince himself, how could he convince Adar? He simply turned his head and looked at the wonders of other countries that were still being infused with Tower Materials.

The 1st-100th floors of the tower provided [Bronze Grade Construction Materials]; the 101st-200th floors provided [Silver Grade]; 201st-300th were [Gold Grade], 301st-400th were [Diamond Grade], 401st-500th were [Dawn Grade], and above 500th were [Star Grade]!

Except for Dragon Country, all countries had obtained at least [Dawn Grade] Tower Materials.

With enough materials, they still had to consider the upper limit of what the wonder statue itself could bear. Ever since the Prussian [Hercules Statue] turned into fireworks, other countries had become very cautious when infusing materials.

All countries discovered that slowly infusing Tower Materials allowed the wonders to bear more.

But the [Strategist] from Britain stopped after infusing 52 pieces of [Diamond Grade] materials. The wonder statue he had outlined had already started to show fine cracks; if he continued to infuse more, he feared it would explode with just one more piece!

The French [Strategist] stopped even earlier. Chen Aoyun didn't even recognize the wonder statue he had outlined. As a transmigrator, Chen Aoyun served as a benchmark; any wonder statue he didn't recognize belonged to those that weren't famous in the Old Era.

Since it wasn't famous, it naturally couldn't bear the weight of more civilization and humanistic power. The French [Strategist] stopped infusing his statue at the [Gold Grade].

Chen Aoyun said with envy, "It really is a case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer."

"Most countries have more than enough materials, but the wonders themselves aren't up to par."

"Whereas for my Dragon Country, the wonder's strength is unquestionable, but the materials on hand are limited."

"If only materials could be traded..."

For once, Adar made no attempt to hide his emotions and cast a look of contempt at Chen Aoyun,

"Even if you could trade, what foundation does your Dragon Country have to offer?"

"Besides, stop trying to pretty up that incredibly ugly goofball horse."

"Ugly as it is, I already think the Will of National Destiny must be blind to let it absorb all the materials you have."

"Keep infusing? It's bound to explode!"

[wonders] and [Artifacts] are sometimes exactly the same as [Heroic Spirits]: beauty is justice, and beauty is strength.

Ask yourself, which great [Heroic Spirit] who commands the wind and clouds isn't dashing and handsome?

Even if they are ugly, [Heroic Spirits] can compensate for the lack of looks with their aura.

Looking back at the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow], not only is it ugly, but it also lacks the aura brought by the wonder's power.

"You've got the order reversed, no." Chen Aoyun felt he had to vindicate the Huaxia wonder.

"The wonders here are first outlined in shape, and then infused with materials."

"You say the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] is ugly; that's a matter of perspective, and we can agree to disagree."

"But you say the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] lacks the special aura of a powerful wonder; that's only because too little material has been infused!"

"If we weren't building the wonder according to the rules of Act 2, the power radiating from the [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] would absolutely terrify you!"

"Believe it or not, in my opinion, this [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] can absorb at least [Star Grade] materials, no problem!"

Adar, standing nearby, didn't believe it for a second,

"My Ottoman [mount nemrut colossus] already started showing signs of not being able to withstand more materials when I infused it with 12 pieces of [Dawn Grade] materials."

"You're telling me that this unimaginably ugly [Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow] from your Dragon Country can surpass the [mount nemrut colossus] and absorb [Star Grade] materials, which are even higher than [Dawn Grade]?"

"Do you really take me for a fool?"