Visiting an Eighth-level Magus

The caravan soon passed by the outskirts of a border city in the Magnolia Empire. Arnold sat on a flatbed carriage, looking at the city ahead.

The city walls alone stood thirty meters high. Anyone below the level of an Advanced Warrior might not even be able to climb them. The walls were also extremely thick; only an Eighth-level Magus could probably blast through them. But no Eighth-level Magus would be foolish enough to deliberately breach the walls and invite the wrath of the entire Magnolia Empire.

"Jade City, a border city in the northwestern part of the Magnolia Empire." Arnold recalled the introduction he had read about Jade City.

Outside the city, Arnold parted ways with the caravan. Pitero and the caravan still had work to do, and out of respect for Arnold, the caravan directly terminated Pitero's employment. Since they were entering the city, Arnold had the Red-Eyed Black Dragon remain in the forest outside.

With Pitero in tow, Arnold entered Jade City. His purpose was to discuss magic with High-level Mages, and naturally, the person who knew the mages within the city best was the city lord.

After entering Jade City and walking for quite a while, Arnold finally arrived before the city lord's residence.

"Inform the city lord that Ninth-level Archmage Arnold has come to visit," Arnold said directly to the guards at the gate.

The guard froze. Arnold's words had clearly been spoken in an instant, yet the guard strangely felt as though they had lasted more than ten seconds. Arnold was so young that the guard knew he was demonstrating his strength.

The guard did not dare neglect the matter and immediately entered the residence to report it.

A moment later, a rosy-faced old man emerged from the residence, followed by the guard from before.

"Which one is Master Arnold?" The old man glanced at Arnold. He was so young that he probably was not the one. Then he looked at Pitero behind Arnold. Pitero looked like a follower, so he was obviously not a Ninth-level Archmage either. Then who was it?

Without thinking too much, the old man ruled out the utterly impossible Pitero and decided that Arnold must be the Ninth-level Archmage the guard had reported, though Arnold's youth was simply unbelievable.

"That would be me, though I cannot accept the title of master," Arnold said modestly.

The old man stared at Arnold suspiciously, leaving Arnold rather helpless. He silently recited a spell, and in the blink of an eye, his whole body moved at a terrifying speed. At that same instant, nine figures of Arnold appeared simultaneously in different places before the city lord's residence.

The nine figures soon vanished, and Arnold returned to his original spot. The guards, who had been on alert, also relaxed their vigilance.

As the city lord, the old man naturally had keen eyesight. He recognized the ninth-level spell, Wind Shadow Spell. "My apologies, my apologies. Lord Arnold is simply too young, which is why I doubted your identity." The old man slightly cupped his hands.

"No need for courtesy. I came to the city lord's residence this time because I have a favor to ask of the city lord," Arnold said with a smile.

"Lord Arnold's visit to my residence is an honor. If there is anything I can do, I will certainly see it handled properly for you. But let us discuss the matter inside the residence first!" the old man said respectfully.

Arnold and Pitero followed the city lord into the reception hall of the residence.

After sending servants to prepare tea and refreshments, the old man asked directly, "May I ask what Lord Arnold wishes this old man to handle?"

"It is not really anything major. I merely wish to find some mages above the eighth level to exchange insights on magic. I used to belong to the Holy Alliance, and only after the Day of Destruction did I leave its territory and settle in the O'Brien Empire. I am not very familiar with the mages of the Magnolia Empire," Arnold stated his purpose directly.

Hearing Arnold's purpose, the old man felt greatly relieved. He only needed to tell this impossibly young Ninth-level Archmage where several High-level Mages above the eighth level lived. It was hardly a difficult matter, and he could even establish a connection with a Ninth-level Archmage.

"I see. The Magnolia Empire has more mages than any other nation on the Yulan Continent. Even a border city like Jade City has five Eighth-level Magi," the old man said proudly, stroking his beard.

The old man then introduced several Eighth-level Magi in Jade City to Arnold.

Lei Ming, an Eighth-level Magus of the lightning element. He was extremely irritable and battle-loving, so he would certainly be a good opponent for Arnold; Nordman, an Eighth-level Magus of the earth element; Doya, an Eighth-level Magus of the fire element, though she had happened to leave the city recently; and Lan Xin, a water-element Magus.

In other words, there were four people with whom he could discuss magic.

After finishing the introductions, the old man had originally intended to let Arnold and Pitero stay at the city lord's residence. However, Arnold declined. After remaining for a short while, he left the residence with Pitero.

After personally seeing Arnold off at the gate, the old man returned to the reception hall.

The old man's steward was also there and asked worriedly, "City Lord, do you think this Ninth-level Archmage's purpose is truly as he claims?"

The old man remained calm. "Judging by Arnold's manner, we should know the answer in a few days."

Arnold and Pitero rented a room at an ordinary inn in Jade City and stayed there for the time being.

After leaving the caravan, Arnold taught Pitero all the first- through fifth-level earth-element spells and had him memorize them. With Arnold's guidance, Pitero learned of his affinity for earth-element magic and other elements, so he now focused entirely on earth-element magic.

Thus, Pitero's allocation of training time remained unchanged. He spent most of it refining earth-element magical power, while nearly all of his remaining time went toward meditation to strengthen his spiritual force.

After resting at the inn for a night, Arnold left with Pitero early the next morning, intending to visit Nordman, the earth-element Magus, first.

Jade City's layout was roughly similar to Scarlet Flame City's. It too was divided into an eastern district and a western district, with most nobles and mages generally living in the eastern district.

Arriving at a residence on Jade Stone Avenue, Arnold once again explained his purpose to the guards at the gate. They had already been instructed that someone would come to visit. One guard entered the residence to report it, while the other continued watching Arnold and Pitero.

Before long, an old man with a white beard came out.

Upon seeing Arnold, the old man could not help sighing. "The city lord had already told me that Mr. Arnold was very young, but I never expected you to be this young!"

"Not at all. I merely came this time to discuss magic with Mr. Nordman," Arnold said modestly.

"Please come in. Let us go to the reception hall!" The white-bearded old man immediately invited Arnold into the residence.

The reception hall of the residence.

The two sat in chairs, with two people standing behind each of them.

"I know quite a lot about Mr. Arnold. Dixie is already twenty-two this year, yet he is only a Seventh-level Mage. Mr. Arnold, you are a year younger than Dixie, yet you have already reached the realm of a Ninth-level Archmage. There is simply no comparison," the white-bearded old man praised.

"Not at all." Arnold had always merely humored others' flattery.

"I am already fourteen years old, yet I am still lingering at the level of an Eighth-level Magus. To reach the realm of a Ninth-level Archmage, I will probably have to wait until I am sixteen." The white-bearded old man sighed deeply.