The Archmage's Request

Dongbo Xueying quickly strapped on the Flying Snow Divine Spear weapon case. He pressed the mechanical button on the side of the case with his right hand, and—shing! shing!—two sections of a long spear emerged from the top. Dongbo Xueying swiftly grabbed the two sections with both hands, pulled them out, and then thrust them backward. They slid easily into the weapon case, locking into place with a crisp click.

"Brother is so cool!" Qing Shi's eyes immediately lit up.

"You'll be even cooler once you become a mage," Dongbo Xueying said with a smile, looking at his younger brother.

"Haha, I actually added that weapon case myself," the middle-aged man in purple robes said, feeling quite pleased to have finally sold an item that had been gathering dust for years. "There are several other mechanisms on the sides. When you're out adventuring, you can store ropes and other items inside the case."

The weapon case was lightweight yet capable of holding many items.

It could even store and retrieve heavy or long weapons at incredible speeds.

"You added the case yourself?" Dongbo Xueying asked with a smile. "The creator of the Flying Snow Spear didn't include one? That doesn't seem right."

Some alchemy mages would prepare custom accessories and exquisite packaging after crafting a weapon.

Yet, the case for this spear had been added separately?

Dongbo Xueying was quite curious about the origins of the spear.

The creator must have been well aware of the weapon's value; logically, the price should have been astronomical. Since Count Quan, the shop owner, had sold it to him for a mere eighteen thousand gold coins, Dongbo Xueying was even more intrigued by the spear's history.

"Don't worry, since I've bought it, I won't regret it," Dongbo Xueying added.

"Ha..." The middle-aged man in purple robes hesitated for a moment before saying, "Brother Xueying, I won't hide it from you. When I was doing business abroad, I encountered an old beggar who ate and drank at my establishment without paying... I felt he wasn't an ordinary person, so I let him be. Three years later, he fired up a furnace and crafted this spear, saying it was to settle his tab, and then he left. I was so excited, thinking I'd truly met a legendary figure. I rushed to have it appraised several times, but it only possesses a minor effect of creating snowflakes and no other special auxiliary functions. Fortunately, it can withstand immense force, so it was classified as a Tier 2 alchemy weapon."

Dongbo Xueying nodded slightly.

After purchasing the weapon, Dongbo Xueying and his group set off to visit the Archmage Bai Yuanzhi.

"The Archmage's residence is at the end of this alley," Zong Ling said, pointing toward a rather narrow alleyway ahead.

"Dismount. Everyone else wait here. Uncle Zong, Shi Tou, let's go in," Dongbo Xueying said.

Dongbo Xueying held his brother's hand as they walked along the ancient alley.

"I didn't expect Archmage Bai Yuanzhi to live in such a remote place rather than in the aristocratic district," Dongbo Xueying remarked.

"The aristocratic district is too restless; it's easier to focus on research here," Zong Ling replied.

They reached the end of the alley.

They saw a large estate with its gates tightly shut. Dongbo Xueying stepped forward to knock on the door himself.

"Whoosh." The door opened, and a short-haired youth asked in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"

"From Snow Eagle Territory, Dongbo Xueying, here to pay a visit to the Archmage," Dongbo Xueying said.

"You're that Spear Demon?" the short-haired youth exclaimed, then quickly covered his mouth.

"Junior brother, who is it?" voices of other youths could be heard from inside the estate.

"Teacher is in seclusion for research and has forbidden anyone from disturbing him. Baron Dongbo, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for half an hour," the youth explained hurriedly. "I'll pass on the message as soon as Teacher comes out, but I dare not let you in right now."

"Very well, no rush," Dongbo Xueying said.

Dongbo Xueying was very patient.

Half an hour later.

Bai Yuanzhi wore loose white robes, his skin wrinkled, and his black beard reached down to his stomach. He was already over ninety years old. He looked at the black-clad youth sitting before him with the weapon case strapped to his back. He was secretly surprised; he could sense a sharp, piercing aura from the youth, which was certainly not that of an ordinary spear master.

"Archmage," Dongbo Xueying said with a humble demeanor.

"State your business. I have much to do," Bai Yuanzhi said bluntly.

"Since the Archmage is direct, I shall be as well," Dongbo Xueying said. "My brother will be ten years old after the New Year. He has immense talent for magic, and I hope he can become your disciple."

"Taking on a nominal disciple isn't difficult, provided certain conditions are met," Bai Yuanzhi said casually.

"No."

Dongbo Xueying shook his head slightly.

"I hope my brother can become your personal disciple!"

"Personal?" Bai Yuanzhi frowned. "Although I am over ninety, I am not considered old among Star-level mages! I still wish to progress further in my magical path, so I will not waste my energy lightly. To this day, I have only taken one personal disciple. You want me to take your brother as a personal disciple... it is not impossible, but I have two requirements. As long as you can fulfill one, I will accept your brother."

Dongbo Xueying said, "Please, Archmage, tell me."

"I am in urgent need of a magic beast material—a Silver Moon Heart!" Bai Yuanzhi's eyes gleamed. "It must be the heart of a Tier 4 magic beast, the Silver Moon Wolf King! It must be fresh, preserved for no more than three days."

"And the other requirement?" Dongbo Xueying asked.

The heart of a Silver Moon Wolf King, and it had to be fresh?

The requirements were too high.

"Mages require a lot of money," Bai Yuanzhi sighed. "All kinds of research cost money, and earning it is not easy. Fifty thousand gold coins, and I will take on another personal disciple!"

Among all the nobles in Yi Water City, even if they sold their territories to raise funds, only a handful could produce fifty thousand gold coins!

Yet, a territory was the foundation of a noble; those who could truly produce fifty thousand gold coins were pitifully few.

"Very well, I understand," Dongbo Xueying said, rising to his feet.

Bai Yuanzhi sighed.

He knew his demands were too high.

"Within a month, I will return to you, Archmage, with either the Silver Moon Heart or fifty thousand gold coins," Dongbo Xueying said as he stood up.

Archmage Bai Yuanzhi was stunned.

He had agreed?

Archmage Bai Yuanzhi could not help but feel excited.

"I shall await your arrival, my Lord." Archmage Bai Yuanzhi also stood up, his manner far more courteous. The first personal disciple he had taken was the child of a late friend; without sufficient conditions, he truly could not be bothered to waste his energy. The requirements he had set were so steep that, to this day, no noble in Yi Water City had ever agreed to them. Yet, Dongbo Xueying had!

"Farewell, there is no need to see me out, Archmage."

Dongbo Xueying rose and walked straight toward the exit.

Archmage Bai Yuanzhi stood by the window, watching the courtyard below as Dongbo Xueying led his younger brother out of the estate gates, with the silver-haired Six-Armed Snake Demon Zong Ling following closely by their side.

"It seems this young lord is no ordinary person," Archmage Bai Yuanzhi remarked with a faint smile.

"Brother, how did it go?" Qing Shi asked expectantly.

"We won't have a result until after the New Year," Dongbo Xueying said with a smile. "Don't worry, Qing Shi, the Archmage should accept you as his disciple. Just wait a little longer, until after the New Year."

Dongbo Xueying, however, was secretly calculating.

To obtain the Silver Moon Heart or fifty thousand gold coins within a month...

The timeframe he had set for himself was quite generous, so it should not be a problem. Still, he would wait until he had accomplished it before telling his brother; he couldn't go around boasting to him just yet.