Mercenaries

Jialan traveled alone through the forest for two days, carefully avoiding dangerous magical beasts and suspicious traces along the way. Just as he was preparing to find a place to rest, he sensed more than a dozen human presences ahead.

He cautiously hid behind a large tree and fully withdrew his spiritual power. After waiting for about half an hour, he saw a twenty-man mercenary party slowly emerge from the woods. When Jialan recognized their insignia, he could not help frowning. It was the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group.

"What a small world," Jialan muttered to himself. He remembered this mercenary group; they had clashed in a tavern in Mist Town. That burly mercenary leader had even suffered at his hands.

Just as Jialan considered whether to take a detour, a voice reached his ears.

"Boss, how could 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?

"Who knows?" the mercenary leader replied gruffly. "But that beast was really powerful. One Light Magic spell sent Third flying."

Jialan was startled. White Dragon Horses could indeed use Light Magic, and that was one of the reasons the Holy Knights were so formidable. Yet such magical beasts were usually bred under the church's strict supervision. It was almost impossible to encounter one in the wild.

"If that White Dragon Horse hadn't been injured, how could it still be so fast?" another mercenary cut in. "Otherwise, we would've caught it."

The mercenary leader suddenly lowered his voice. "Keep it down! If the church finds out we're eyeing their precious mount, we're all done for!"

By this point, Jialan had made up his mind. He straightened his robe and walked out openly.

"Who's there?!" The mercenaries immediately went on alert and drew their weapons.

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

Jialan smiled faintly. "Relax, I'm only passing through. But I happened to overhear you discussing a White Dragon Horse..."

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

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

The mercenary leader hesitated, but under Jialan's gaze, he eventually yielded. "A-all right. But we need to be careful. That beast isn't easy to deal with."

On the way to search for the White Dragon Horse, Jialan noticed that several mercenaries were injured and had trouble moving. Although he had little fondness for this group, he still decided to help them.

"Let me see your injuries," Jialan said to the mercenary called Third. Third hesitated before lifting his shirt, revealing a scorched-black wound across his chest.

Jialan carefully examined the wound and found it to be a typical Light Magic burn. He formed hand seals and cast the Soothing Rain Spell. Gentle water elements enveloped the wound, and Third was astonished to find the pain rapidly fading as the injury healed at a visible rate.

As Jialan cast the Soothing Rain Spell to treat the injured mercenary Third, the surrounding mercenaries could not help holding their breaths. Magic was a remote and mysterious power, something they could only hear about in legends and stories.

Gentle water elements wrapped around Third's injured chest, and the wound healed at a visible rate. The mercenaries stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Th-this is incredible!" a young mercenary could not help crying out.

"Shut up!" the mercenary leader rebuked him in a low voice, though his own eyes remained fixed on Jialan's every movement without blinking.

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

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

The mercenaries exchanged glances, their eyes filled with both envy and fear. To them, spellcasters were lofty figures they normally had no chance of encountering. Yet now, a real mage stood before them and had even treated one of them.

"Lord Mage..." The mercenary leader rubbed his hands together and said awkwardly, "About what happened before... please be magnanimous and forgive us."

Jialan waved a hand. "Let bygones be bygones. Now, take me to find that White Dragon Horse."

The mercenaries immediately got moving, their attitudes far more respectful than before. Jialan could feel an added trace of reverence in the way they looked at him.

Along the way, the young mercenary could not help edging closer. "Lord Mage, was that healing magic you used just now?"

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

"Even basic magic is this powerful..." the young mercenary murmured, yearning shining in his eyes.

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

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

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

Jialan looked at him with some surprise. "If they have talent, they can go to a magic academy for testing. But the tuition is expensive."

Jialan's words plunged the mercenaries into silence. Some of them had indeed cultivated battle qi, which already made them outstanding among ordinary people. But as Jialan had said, magic existed on an entirely different level, far beyond their reach.

The mercenary leader clenched his fist, feeling the faint flow of battle qi within him, and smiled bitterly. "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 touch."

The young mercenary asked unwillingly, "But... is there really no other way?"

Jialan glanced at him, his tone softening. "Magic does require talent, but resources and opportunity are even more important. Do you know how much a magic apprentice spends in a year?"

The mercenaries shook their heads.

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

The mercenaries drew sharp breaths. After risking their lives for an entire year, they would be fortunate to save fifty Jintana.

"Besides," Jialan continued, "even with money, one still needs magical talent. Out of ten thousand people, perhaps only one possesses it."