Mercenary

Jialan traveled alone through the forest for two days, carefully avoiding dangerous Magic Beasts and suspicious tracks along the way. Just as he was about to find a place to rest, he sensed over ten human presences ahead.

He cautiously hid behind a large tree, suppressing his Mental Power to its fullest. After about fifteen minutes, a mercenary team of twenty slowly emerged from the woods. When Jialan recognized their insignia, he couldn't help but frown. It was the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group.

"Talk about running into enemies," Jialan muttered to himself. He remembered this mercenary group from a previous conflict in a tavern in Mist Town. The leader of the group had even suffered at his hands.

Just as Jialan was considering taking a detour, a voice reached his ears.

"Boss, why would that White Dragon Horse appear in a place like this?" a scrawny mercenary asked.

Jialan's ears immediately perked up. A White Dragon Horse? Wasn't that the exclusive mount of the Holy Knights of the Church?

"Who knows," the mercenary leader replied gruffly. "But that beast is really something. It blasted Third Brother away with a single Light spell."

Jialan was shocked. White Dragon Horses could indeed use Light magic, which was one of the reasons the Holy Knights were so powerful. However, these Magic Beasts were usually bred under the strict control of the Church, making them almost impossible to find in the wild.

"How is that White Dragon Horse still so fast even when injured?" another mercenary chimed in. "Otherwise, we would have caught it."

The mercenary leader suddenly lowered his voice. "Keep it down! If the Church finds out we're after their precious mount, we'll all be finished!"

Hearing this, Jialan had already made up his mind. He adjusted his robe and walked out openly.

"Who?!" The mercenaries immediately became alert, drawing their weapons.

When the mercenary leader saw that it was Jialan, his face instantly turned pale. "It... it's you!" he stammered, clearly remembering their last encounter.

Jialan smiled slightly. "Don't be nervous, I'm just passing by. But I happened to overhear you discussing the White Dragon Horse..."

The mercenaries exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. The mercenary leader wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and forced a smile. "Uh... Lord Mage, we were just chatting..."

"Take me to see it," Jialan said directly. "I'm very interested in that White Dragon Horse."

The mercenary leader hesitated, but under Jialan's gaze, he finally relented. "Alright... alright, but we need to be careful. That beast isn't easy to deal with."

On the way to find the White Dragon Horse, Jialan noticed that several mercenaries were injured and had difficulty moving. Although he didn't have a good impression of this group, he decided to help.

"Let me see your injuries," Jialan said to the mercenary referred to as Third. Third hesitated but eventually lifted his shirt, revealing a charred wound on his chest.

Jialan examined the wound closely and found it to be a typical burn from a Light spell. He formed hand seals and cast the Soothing Rain Spell. Gentle Water element enveloped the wound, and Third was astonished to find that the pain quickly subsided, and the wound healed at a visible rate.

As Jialan cast the Soothing Rain Spell to treat the injured Third, the surrounding mercenaries held their breath. Magic was an unattainable, mysterious power, only heard of in legends and stories.

Gentle Water element enveloped Third's injured chest, and the wound healed at a visible rate. The mercenaries stared with wide eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.

"This... this is incredible!" a young mercenary couldn't help but exclaim.

"Shut up!" the mercenary leader hissed, but his own eyes were glued to Jialan's every move.

Third felt a coolness spreading from his wound, and an incredulous expression appeared on his face. "It doesn't hurt anymore... it really doesn't hurt!"

Jialan withdrew his spell and said calmly, "The wound has healed. It's best not to engage in strenuous activity for the next few days."

The mercenaries exchanged glances, their eyes filled with both envy and fear. To them, spellcasters were beings of a higher order, someone they normally couldn't even approach. Now, a real Mage was standing before them, even treating their injuries.

"Lord Mage..." the mercenary leader said, wringing his hands nervously. "Uh, we... we were rude before... please don't hold it against us."

Jialan waved his hand. "Let the past be the past. Now, take me to find that White Dragon Horse."

The mercenaries immediately sprang into action, their attitudes much more respectful than before. Jialan could feel a hint of awe in their gazes.

Along the way, the young mercenary couldn't help but lean closer. "Lord Mage, was that a healing spell you just used?"

Jialan nodded. "Yes, the Soothing Rain Spell, a basic healing spell."

"Even a basic spell is this powerful..." the young mercenary murmured, his eyes shining with longing.

"Lord Mage," the young mercenary asked bravely, "can ordinary people... learn magic too?"

Jialan pondered for a moment. "It requires talent and a lot of practice. And..." He glanced at the mercenaries' rough hands. "For you, it might be too late."

The young mercenary's eyes dimmed, but he quickly rallied. "Then... what about our children?"

Jialan looked at him with surprise. "If they have talent, they can test at a magic academy. But the tuition is very expensive."

Jialan's words cast a silence over the mercenaries. Some of them had indeed cultivated Battle Qi, which was already exceptional among ordinary people. But as Jialan said, magic was on another level, far beyond their reach.

The mercenary leader clenched his fist, feeling the faint flow of Battle Qi within him, and said with a bitter smile, "Lord Mage is right. For people like us, cultivating Battle Qi is already a blessing from heaven. Magic... that's something only noble lords can access."

The young mercenary asked unwillingly, "But... isn't there any other way?"

Jialan glanced at him, his tone softening slightly. "Magic indeed requires talent, but more importantly, it requires resources and opportunities. Do you know how much a magic apprentice costs per year?"

The mercenaries shook their heads.

"At least five hundred Jintana," Jialan said, "and that doesn't include the cost of magic materials and instructors."

The mercenaries gasped. They risked their lives for a year and would be lucky to save fifty Jintana.

"Moreover," Jialan continued, "even with money, you need magical talent. Out of ten thousand people, perhaps only one has this kind of talent."