"Since we both came from the Western Islands, what, can't I come visit you?" Master Deers, having arrived at Moxidu's laboratory, spoke to Moxidu without the slightest sense of reserve.
"I can, I can." Moxidu gave an awkward smile.
In terms of appearance, Master Deers was clearly much younger and more beautiful, the complete opposite of the gloomy, rigid manner typical of the other Black Magicians at the Black Wizard Academy.
Moreover, Master Deers was famously well-liked throughout the entire Black Wizard Academy.
Moxidu could refuse to give Headmaster Dadalong any face, but if even Di'ersi was acting as a mediator, it seemed Moxidu really would have to let Kaisersen off.
"Three Level-1 Energy Crystals, five hundred grams of Ailan Grass Powder, two Ruigen Fruits, and one Five-Hundred-Year-Old Magic Tree Branch. How about it?"
"I've already told you the bottom line of what Kaisersen can offer. Can these things make you spare him?"
Master Deers sat before Moxidu, her long legs crossed together as she asked.
"Heh! That fellow has quite a few good things in his hands."
"He even has Ruigen Fruits, magic beast fruits already extinct across most regions of the Wizard World, and that Five-Hundred-Year-Old Magic Tree Branch... Hmph, hmph." Moxidu sneered.
"As a Plant Element Magician, it isn't strange for him to cultivate Ruigen Fruits using some ancient seeds and sufficient Magic Beast Blood Meat."
"Plus, there's that Five-Hundred-Year-Old Magic Tree Branch, a prime material for a magic staff. Well? Are you going to spare him or not?" Master Deers pressed.
"Hmph, even you're acting as his mediator. What benefit did he give you?" Though Moxidu had clearly been moved, he still asked with outward resentment.
"Hehe, nothing much. It's just that this old fellow truly has some skill in botany."
"A great many of my Magic Potions need him to provide the raw materials, that's all." Master Deers said casually.
"Fine, I agree to spare him, but he'd better not appear before me again." Moxidu said.
"What I'm more curious about is why he's willing to pay such a huge price just to remain at the Black Wizard Academy."
"This wealth isn't a small sum even for Formal Black Wizards." Moxidu said, shaking his head.
Hearing this, Master Deers gave a soft laugh and replied, "Hehe, isn't it because news of that Time-Space Rift has already spread throughout the academy?"
"All the Black Magicians are rubbing their fists and palms together, wanting to make a killing on the other side of that Time-Space Rift."
"If the other side truly is a resource Demiplane, or if we're lucky enough to stumble upon a Complete Rule Plane, then any plundering he does over there would yield far more than this little compensation he's giving you," Deers said with a smile.
Plane Wars and Alien Plane plundering were the fastest paths to capital accumulation.
Ordinary lifeforms simply could not imagine how immense the wealth accumulated by an entire world could be.
In the past, the conquest and plundering of Alien Planes had always been monopolized by the Holy Towers and Knights' Halls of the Wizard World.
For Black Magicians like them, let alone getting a sip of soup, they did not even get a chance to smell its aroma.
Now that a Time-Space Rift had been discovered in the Underdark, how could these Black Magicians be willing to leave so easily?
After hearing Deers's answer, Moxidu gave a soft laugh.
As for that Time-Space Rift, he was probably among those who knew the most about it.
Even Deers before him, as well as Andis, the strongest among the Level-1 Black Magicians, likely knew less than Moxidu.
Moxidu's soft laugh made Deers sense something unusual.
Just as the female magician was about to probe further into the details, Moxidu stood and saw her out. "All right, go back and tell Kaisersen that I agree to spare him."
"But the compensation he promised must be delivered to me within three days!"
Saine did not know that his mentor had already reconciled with Kaisersen.
That day, after finishing his daily experiments, his Senior Brother Zorro stopped him.
"Thanks to your Low-Level Recovery Potion last time, I've almost recovered over these past few days."
"I noticed you still don't have your own Crystal Ball, so I made one for you last night." Senior Brother Zorro spoke, and at the same time, a Crystal Ball suddenly appeared in his hand.
Senior Brother Zorro before him clearly possessed Space Equipment, just like Saine's mentor.
Saine did not pay attention to exactly which piece of Space Equipment Senior Brother Zorro possessed. His gaze was now focused mainly on that Crystal Ball.
"Thank you, Senior Brother. From now on, when I want to test my Mental Strength value, I won't need to trouble Mentor or make a special trip to the academy's Public Library." Saine said with a smile.
Zorro nodded. "Mentor should actually have made you a Crystal Ball himself, but he's been too busy recently, and some unexpected things happened. He probably forgot."
"Work hard. Both Mentor and I can see that you have a certain talent for alchemy." Zorro encouraged him, patting Saine on the shoulder.
"Yes." Saine replied respectfully.
In truth, the Low-Level Recovery Potion Saine had given Senior Brother Zorro that day had not been of much use at all.
But that was simply the atmosphere within Mentor Moxidu's line.
The mentor treated his several apprentices well, and likewise, the apprentices treated one another with more human warmth.
Before this, Senior Brother Zorro's relationship with Saine had not been nearly as close as Senior Sister Fei'er's relationship with Saine.
Yet because of Saine's thoughtfulness and that Low-Level Recovery Potion, Zorro came to see Saine anew and accept him.
Giving him a Crystal Ball was merely a small gesture. Its greater significance and impact lay in the fact that Saine could now seek much more guidance from this Senior Brother in alchemy.
Having studied under Mentor Moxidu for several months, Saine had also gained a general understanding of his two Senior Brothers and Senior Sister.
Senior Brother Zorro was usually quiet and low-key. He had inherited most of Mentor Moxidu's alchemy Knowledge Inheritance.
Senior Sister Fei'er had a more lively personality. Not especially interested in alchemy, she had mainly inherited Mentor Moxidu's Knowledge Inheritance in the field of Fire Element Magic.
After exchanging a few more words with Senior Brother, Saine finally parted from him.
Senior Brother Zorro did not live in the Apprentice Dormitory. He resided permanently here with their mentor, which also made it convenient for him to assist Mentor with Alchemy Experiments.
From those final exchanges with Senior Brother, Saine learned a piece of information that greatly interested him and was quite valuable: he finally learned Senior Brother's exact magic rank.
Quasi-Magician was Senior Brother's current rank.
It was a rank between Advanced Apprentice and Formal Black Wizard.
Magic Apprentices at this level already possessed some of the methods and abilities of Formal Black Wizards, which was why they were called Quasi-Magicians.
They were the greatest reserve force for Formal Black Wizards, with one foot already stepping into the academy's upper ranks.
The Black Wizard Academy currently had far more Quasi-Magicians than just Senior Brother Zorro.
It was also during his conversation with Senior Brother Zorro that Saine learned a somewhat awkward secret about him: his Senior Brother apparently was not skilled at combat?
Without activating magic equipment in advance, Senior Brother Zorro might not even have been stronger than an ordinary Advanced Apprentice.
The reason for this was that Senior Brother had spent too much energy on alchemy, instead neglecting his own cultivation and the honing of his combat abilities.
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