Hogg, Who Was Selling Off the Family Estate (Please Follow)

"Other items?"

A hint of confusion flashed through Linley's eyes. The next moment, the shop before him began to change.

Wind Element Magic: 10,000 Green Energy Points

Fire Element Magic: 10,000 Green Energy Points

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

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

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

Water 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 many?"

Looking at the large number of new items in the shop, Linley's eyes flashed with surprise.

"That's not much." Lin Ke smiled and shook his head. "I'll add more items in the future, especially ones related to the Laws, as well as items from other worlds."

"Other worlds?"

Linley was stunned for a moment. To Linley, who was only eight years old, all of this felt far beyond his reach.

"Let's not talk about that." Lin Ke interrupted Linley's musings. "The most important thing for you right now is to break through and become Saint-level."

"Squeak, squeak~"

Bebe's impatient cries nearby cut off Linley's conversation with Lin Ke.

"Don't rush, Bebe." Linley turned over the ribs and pork knuckles. "They'll be ready soon."

Across from Linley, Doehring floated in the air, his eyes full of contemplation.

Linley was far too mysterious.

Doehring had originally thought that his experience as a Saint-level expert would be more than enough to teach Linley.

But the changes in Linley today had left Doehring at a loss.

He had become a Rank 7 Warrior in just twelve hours.

Did Linley really need him that much?

However, Doehring quickly shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

"I really must be getting old." A smile tugged at Doehring's lips. "Wasn't it because I valued Linley as a person that I taught him magic so wholeheartedly?"

Doehring cast aside his earlier, self-serving thoughts.

When he looked at Linley again, his eyes were filled with affection.

It was as if an old man were looking at his grandson.

Meanwhile, while Linley was deep in the mountains of Wushan...

At the Baruch Mansion in Wushan Town.

"Linley has been gone for a whole day and night."

Hogg sat in his study, a history book lying on the desk before him, but his thoughts had long since drifted elsewhere.

Linley had become the apprentice of a powerful mage and was now a mage himself.

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

"My lord." Hiri knocked on the study door. "Viscount Locke is here."

Hiri's words brought Hogg back to the present.

"I know." Hogg stood and straightened his collar. "Take Viscount Locke to the reception room. I'll be there shortly."

As he spoke, Hogg went to the bookshelf and took down three ancient books from the top shelf.

The Saint-level battle a month ago had caused heavy losses throughout Wushan Town.

Hogg also didn't want to increase the taxes on the town's residents.

So the Baruch Clan had covered almost all the costs of the subsequent reconstruction.

Fortunately, the workers were all residents of Wushan Town and hadn't asked for wages. They only needed to be fed.

But even so, the Baruch Clan's finances were once again in trouble.

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

The problem was...

No new Dragonblood Warriors had appeared for over a thousand years, and the Baruch Clan had been in decline for several hundred years.

Over those centuries, they had sold almost everything they could. There wasn't much left for Hogg to sell.

The three ancient books were still in fairly good condition. The pages had yellowed a little, but none of them were damaged.

They were scores from the Yulan Imperial Family dating back more than three thousand years.

Some family elder had apparently collected them, and they had been kept in the study ever since.

Hogg had no other choice, so he decided to approach Viscount Locke, who was said to be passionate about classical music, and see if he was interested.

"Long time no see, Hogg." In the reception room, the fifty-something Viscount Locke greeted him with a cheerful smile. "I heard you have scores from the Yulan Imperial Family dating back more than three thousand years?"

"Long time no see, Locke." Hogg smiled and embraced him, then placed the three books on the table. "These are the ones. Have a look."

The moment Locke saw the scores, they captured his full attention.

Forgetting that he was still in the Baruch Mansion, Locke took out his monocle, put on a pair of gloves, and began leafing through them.

A little over half an hour later...

Just as Hogg was beginning to grow impatient, Locke finally looked up at him.

He took off his monocle and gloves, his expression returning to its usual calm.

"They are indeed scores from the Yulan Imperial Family, but..." Locke paused for a long while before continuing. "They're not especially rare. As far as I know, the Yulan Imperial Family still has copies of these three pieces."

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

Hogg knew Locke was trying to drive down the price.

But instead of getting angry, he felt relieved.

A buyer was bound to criticize the goods.

If Locke had praised the scores to the skies, Hogg would have had reason to worry.

"Let's make it simple. Eighty gold coins each, 240 for all three. How about I take them?"

As soon as Locke finished speaking, Hogg shook his head.

"Too low. One hundred gold coins each." Hogg held up one finger. "Three hundred for the set. These scores are more than three thousand years old."

"Even though they're more than three thousand years old, the Yulan Imperial Family has continued uninterrupted. They still have these three pieces in their collection. One hundred gold coins is too much. Eighty-five each."

"At least ninety-five each."

"Ninety gold coins, Hogg. That's my highest offer. If you won't accept it, I can only leave."

The two continued haggling in the reception room, and Hogg's expression grew helpless.

"Fine, ninety gold coins each!" Hogg finally sighed. "Three scores, for a total of—"

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

Linley held two Bloodthirsty Wild Boar tusks in one hand and the animal's hide in the other.

Blood covered half his body, and he wore a smile.

Viscount Locke, who had been secretly celebrating, trembled at the sight of Linley.

"Linley, what happened to you?"

Hogg couldn't bring himself to scold Linley in front of their guest. He was also curious about what Linley was doing.

"Father, my teacher told me to bring these back." As he spoke, Linley dropped the tusks and hide on the ground, then took out the Bloodthirsty Wild Boar's Magic Core. "The Magic Core, tusks, and hide of a Rank 6 Magical Beast—the Bloodthirsty Wild Boar."

"The Bloodthirsty Wild Boar? A Rank 6 Magical Beast?" Viscount Locke exclaimed. "Hogg, did your son become the apprentice of your guard captain?"

In Locke's memory, the only Rank 6 Warriors in all of Wushan Town were Hogg and Hillman, the guard captain.

Since Linley said his teacher was a man, that could only mean Hillman, the Baruch Clan's guard captain.

"No, Locke, you misunderstood." Hogg raised his chin slightly, an expression of pride on his face. "My son became the apprentice of a prestigious mage. He's a mage now, too."