Hogg Selling Off His Family Assets (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Other merchandise?"

A flicker of doubt crossed Linley's eyes, and the next moment, the shop interface before him began to change.

Wind Element Magic: 10,000 Green Energy Points

Fire Element Magic: 10,000 Green Energy Points

Earth Element Law Fragment: 1,000,000 Green Energy Points

Wind Element Law Fragment: 1,000,000 Green Energy Points

Fire Element Law Fragment: 1,000,000 Green Energy Points

Water Element Law Fragment: 1,000,000 Green Energy Points

Purple Light Dew (Complete Version): 10,000 Green Energy Points

T-Virus (Complete Version): 10,000 Green Energy Points

"So much?"

Looking at the vast array of new items in the shop, a flash of surprise appeared in Linley's eyes.

"This isn't much." Lin Ke smiled and shook his head. "I will add more merchandise later, especially regarding the laws, as well as items from other worlds."

"Other worlds?"

Linley was stunned for a moment. For an eight-year-old Linley, these concepts were simply too far removed from his reality.

"Let's not talk about that for now." Lin Ke interrupted Linley's contemplation. "Your main priority right now is to break through and become a Saint-level."

"Squeak, squeak~"

Beside them, Beibei's impatient cry caused Linley to break off his conversation with Lin Ke.

"Don't be anxious, Beibei." Linley flipped the ribs and pork knuckles with his hand. "It will still take a while before they're ready to eat."

Across from Linley, Doehring floated in mid-air, his eyes filled with deep thought.

Linley was just too mysterious.

Originally, Doehring had believed that with his own experience as a Saint-level, he would be more than enough to mentor Linley.

However, the changes in Linley today left Doehring feeling somewhat at a loss.

To be able to become a seventh-rank warrior within twelve hours.

Was he truly that important to Linley?

But soon, Doehring shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

"It seems I really have grown old." A smile tugged at the corners of Doehring's mouth. "Isn't it because I value Linley as a person that I have been teaching him magic so wholeheartedly?"

Doehring cast aside his previous utilitarian thoughts.

When he looked at Linley again, his gaze was filled with affection.

It was as if an old man were watching his own grandson.

And while Linley was deep in the Wushan mountains.

In Wushan Town, at the Baruch Mansion.

"Linley hasn't returned for a day and a night."

Hogg sat in his study with a history book on the table, but his thoughts had long since drifted away.

Linley had taken a powerful mage as his master and had already become a mage himself.

For Hogg, this was the best news he had heard in a long time.

"My Lord." The butler Hiri knocked on the study door. "Viscount Locke is here."

Hiri's words brought Hogg back to reality.

"I understand." Hogg stood up and straightened his collar. "Take Viscount Locke to the reception hall; I will be there shortly."

As he spoke, Hogg walked to the bookshelf and retrieved three ancient texts from the very top shelf.

The Saint-level battle a month ago had caused heavy losses to the entire Wushan Town.

Hogg did not want to increase the tax burden on the residents of Wushan Town.

Consequently, the subsequent reconstruction was funded almost entirely by the Baruch Clan.

Fortunately, the workers for the reconstruction were all residents of Wushan Town who refused wages, asking only to be provided with meals.

But even so, the finances of the Baruch Clan were once again in a state of emergency.

Helpless, Hogg had no choice but to sell off more of the family's possessions.

It was just that...

With no new Dragonblood Warrior appearing for over a thousand years, the Baruch Clan had been in decline for several centuries.

Over these hundreds of years, almost everything that could be sold had already been sold, and there was not much left for Hogg.

The three ancient books were preserved quite well; although they had yellowed, the pages were not damaged.

These three books were musical scores from the Yulan imperial family dating back over three thousand years.

It was unknown which ancestor of the clan had collected them, but they had been kept in the study all this time.

Hogg was truly at his wit's end, so he had no choice but to seek out Viscount Locke, who was rumored to be obsessed with classical music, to see if he could help.

"Long time no see, Hogg." Inside the parlor, the fifty-something-year-old Viscount Locke greeted Hogg with a chuckle. "I heard you have musical scores from the Yulan imperial family from over three thousand years ago?"

"Long time no see, Locke." Hogg smiled and embraced the other man, then placed the three scores on the table. "These are the three, Locke, you can take a look."

Upon seeing the three scores, Locke's entire gaze was completely captivated.

Ignoring the fact that he was currently in the Baruch Mansion, Locke took out a monocle and put on a pair of gloves to begin flipping through the scores.

About half an hour later.

Just as Hogg was starting to grow impatient, Locke finally raised his head to look at him.

Removing his monocle and taking off his gloves, Locke returned to a calm expression.

"They are indeed musical scores from the Yulan imperial family, but..." Locke said, pausing for a good while before continuing, "These scores are not particularly rare. As far as I know, the current Yulan imperial family still retains the music from these three books."

As he spoke, Locke tapped his fingers on the tabletop.

Hogg naturally knew that Locke was preparing to drive the price down.

However, instead of being angry, Hogg actually breathed a sigh of relief.

A buyer who criticizes is a buyer who intends to purchase.

If Locke had showered the scores with praise, Hogg would have been the one to worry.

"One final price: eighty gold coins per book. Three books, 240 gold coins. How about I take them all?"

As soon as Locke's voice fell, Hogg shook his head directly.

"Too low. 100 gold coins each." Hogg held up one finger. "Three hundred gold coins for the three scores. These are scores from over three thousand years ago, after all."

"Although they are from over three thousand years ago, the Yulan imperial family has never had a break in their lineage. These three pieces of music have been preserved within the Yulan imperial family to this day. One hundred gold coins is a bit too high. Eighty-five gold coins."

"Ninety-five gold coins at the very least."

"Ninety gold coins, Hogg. This is the highest price. If you don't agree, I'll have to leave."

Inside the parlor, the two men haggled back and forth, and Hogg's expression turned somewhat helpless.

"Ninety gold coins it is!" Hogg finally sighed. "Three scores, for a total of—"

"Father~" Just as Hogg was about to agree, Linley's voice rang out from the courtyard. "Sorry, Father, I didn't know you had a guest."

Linley was holding two fangs of a Bloodthirsty Wild Boar in one hand and the hide of a Bloodthirsty Wild Boar in the other.

Half of his body was soaked in blood, and there was a smile on his face.

Viscount Locke, who had been secretly pleased with himself, saw Linley's appearance and his entire body began to tremble.

"Linley, what is this?"

Hogg found it difficult to reprimand Linley at this moment, and he was also somewhat curious: what was Linley doing?

"Father, this is what my teacher asked me to bring back." Linley said, throwing the fangs and the boar hide onto the ground and taking out the magic core of the Bloodthirsty Wild Boar. "The magic core of a level six Magic Beast, the Bloodthirsty Wild Boar, along with its fangs and hide."

"Bloodthirsty Wild Boar? A level six Magic Beast?" Upon hearing this, Viscount Locke couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. "Hogg, did your son take your captain of the guard as his master?"

In Locke's memory, in all of Wushan Town, only Hogg and the captain of the guard, Hillman, were level six warriors.

Since Linley called him his teacher, it could only be the Baruch Clan's captain of the guard, Hillman.

"No, Locke, you've misunderstood." Hogg tilted his head slightly, his expression filled with pride. "My son has taken a noble mage as his master, and now, he is also a mage."