It Smells So Good

The Department of Lore's base.

Li Mo felt a splitting headache.

The reason? He was out of money!

Yes, poverty had embraced him...

At the start of the month, Brishisan had given him some pocket money, but Li Mo never expected magecraft materials to be so expensive!

Li Mo sighed. It was only the middle of the month, and he usually relied on Brishisan for food and clothes. Now that he was broke, he couldn't just ask him again, could he?

Maybe he should start his own business?

As a transmigrator, writing novels or singing his way into the entertainment industry were basic moves, right?

If all else failed, he could start a company or invest in future big shots, and the money would just roll in.

But that wouldn't work either. Even if he got rich, it would be in the future...

Let me think, it's 1987, no, it's almost 1988 now. What should I do?

Smartphones? QQ, WeChat, Facebook? Develop games?

No way. Home computers weren't even common yet, and hardware development would still take years!

Could he go into manufacturing?

That wouldn't work either. Li Mo cupped his forehead. In my previous life, I was born in the 90s. Coming to 1987, who knows what was profitable back then!

What makes me sad! What makes me suffer!

It's poverty, poverty!

But... Li Mo's eyes darted around, an idea forming. It wasn't good to keep mooching off Brishisan, but he wouldn't let him take missions from the Mage Association right now either. So, how about...

Ah! The sun is shining, the breeze is gentle!

"Do you want to dance too?"

On the lawn, Li Mo swayed his hands, and countless flower petals drifted around Brishisan.

Brishisan had a "#" symbol on his head. "Speak. What's so important that you had to call me here?"

Hurry up and say what you need to say, spit it out already. You've only been learning magecraft for a few months, and you're already showing off to me, your teacher?

How much of my Department of Lore's magecraft have you even learned?

Li Mo's expression was gentle, and Brishisan's face began to change.

Li Mo's expression was gentle, and Brishisan's face began to contort.

Li Mo couldn't keep up the act and started to laugh awkwardly.

"Teacher, what do you think of my Flower Magecraft?" Li Mo tried to salvage the situation, acting subservient.

Brishisan's face was already twisted. "Not good at all!"

You ungrateful disciple! You really called me here specifically to show off your magecraft?

This disciple is going to be trouble!

Li Mo was dumbfounded. It was just the beginning, how did it fall apart so quickly? Couldn't you just play along, teacher?

Brishisan snorted, speaking impatiently. "If you just wanted to show me your magecraft, you can leave. You know, you've been draining that ley line I was cultivating on for a while now, and it's almost depleted. I still need to do some maintenance."

Li Mo was speechless. This was indeed his fault...

"Um, Master, don't you think this magecraft is beautiful? How about we try filming a movie and see if we can make some money?" Alright, his tone was meek, and Li Mo didn't dare to provoke Brishisan any further.

Filming a movie?

Brishisan froze, then looked at Li Mo as if he were an idiot. "You want to use the Flower Magecraft Merlin taught you to film a movie? Of all the things every magus in the magecraft world desires, this is all you could think of?"

"I'm out of money... The Puppet Magecraft you taught me is so expensive, and I haven't succeeded in any of them yet," Li Mo mumbled, but wasn't this the fault of poverty? What could he do?

Brishisan's eyes narrowed, and he spoke with the tone of someone disappointed in a protégé. "If you're out of money, why didn't you ask me? I can't afford to support the entire Department of Lore, but I can afford to support you alone!

Besides, how much money can you make from filming a movie!

With your current mana, even though you don't know many magecrafts, you can easily take on several missions from the Mage Association and earn a lot of money. Isn't that better!"

"Teacher, you agree to me taking missions!" Li Mo exclaimed, his eyes blinking, trying to look as cute as possible. "You agreed to this, so I'm not being rebellious, unfilial, or disrespectful to my teacher!"

Good grief! So that was your goal!

Brishisan's eyes narrowed. Ever since he took this disciple, his temper had become more and more volatile...

Others were cat or dog slaves, but why did he end up being a disciple slave?

"Fine, fine, I agree," Brishisan waved his hand impatiently. "But I still need to test you to see if you have the strength to take on missions from the Mage Association!"

In the end, it still comes down to a fight... Li Mo sighed.

He remembered that time a while ago when he excitedly sought Brishisan's praise after filling his body with mana, and his head still ached thinking about it...

Even the beatings under socialism weren't this painful!

"Let's set this straight, Teacher Brishisan, you can't use high-level magecraft!" Li Mo's eyes widened, but his expression remained timid.

Last time, he was brought to tears by the Department of Lore's unique Magecraft!

He cried for real! He'd never experienced such pain in his life!

Jumping off a building? Wouldn't that just be closing your eyes and going?

Brishisan's face flushed, and he said with annoyance, "Fine, no high-level Magecraft this time."

Is it that serious? Do I, a Monarch, need to use high-level Magecraft to deal with you?

That was an accident last time, alright!

Receiving an affirmative reply, Li Mo quickly ran off, "Teacher, don't move yet, I'll cast my buffs first!"

Brishisan: ???

I have to wait for you to cast buffs? Have you ever seen a battle between Magus where anyone waits? We are Magus, not knights!

However, before Brishisan could react, Li Mo began his performance. He bent over and placed his hands on the ground, and a magic circle immediately appeared around him: "Attunement: Soul Devour!"

"Reinforcement: Source of Ten Thousand Sounds!"

"Hahaha, didn't see that coming, Master Brishisan! The Reinforcement Magecraft I learned from you is for strengthening my tongue!"

This world is so dumb! Li Mo laughed maniacally. As a frail Magus, shouldn't Reinforcement Magecraft be used on one's own tongue!

"Word Spirit: Flow!"

"Projection begins: Cup of Heaven!"

"Command Chant!"

"Final step! Mana Burst!"

Li Mo's mouth moved frantically. Although the sequence seemed complicated, it only took a short time because he had preemptively strengthened his tongue with Reinforcement Magecraft.

"Used two short measures this time, that's progress!" Li Mo rejoiced inwardly. His incantation time was getting shorter and shorter. If he kept training, could he reach the level of Divine Era Magecraft with no incantations?

After all, if a normal Magus were to use these Magecrafts, they would need to prepare instantaneous contracts at the very least. Not only would the incantation take over ten seconds, but the preparation time alone would take several hours. Now, after Li Mo applied Reinforcement Magecraft to his tongue, the time had been reduced tenfold!

The mana stirred the surrounding air, causing the Magecraft robe Li Mo wore to billow. At this moment, he truly looked like a descending deity as he let out a triumphant laugh towards Brishisan, "Teacher Brishisan, face the wind!"

"Hasa..."

"Stop!"

Brishisan raised his hands and shouted to stop Li Mo just as the mana was about to surge after being converted by the projected Holy Grail. He gritted his teeth with a sense of helplessness, "I acknowledge your current strength! You can go take missions now!"

Who the hell could withstand this!

With Li Mo's 108 Magic Circuits drained from his Spirit Veins, the mana stored within them is probably comparable to that of a Magus!

If you unleash this, is it even a question of whether I can withstand it? With this torrent of mana, I'm afraid I won't even be left with scraps!

A brute among Magus! Who the hell has the capital to specialize in using these three moves!

If the enemy isn't dead after the mana is depleted, wouldn't I be finished?

But, Li Mo's mana...

Fine, Brishisan nodded sadly. Li Mo really does have the strength...

It doesn't matter if he knows high-level Magecraft or not. Under this intensity of mana, even the later members of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors of the Dead Apostles probably couldn't handle it...

With a livid expression, Brishisan seemed to want to regain some of his dignity as a teacher and roared, "Who taught you to use mana like this! Who taught you this kind of projection! Who taught you to use Reinforcement Magecraft on your tongue!"

Why are you yelling so loud!

Li Mo was displeased. If you can't think of it, you won't let me think of it?

"But after I strengthened my tongue, the incantation that originally took three short measures (one short measure ≈ 1 second) now only takes one process (less than a second)! Didn't you see it just now, Master!"

Brishisan looked at him with suspicion and asked, "Really?"

However, before Li Mo could reply, Brishisan flicked his finger, "Reinforcement: Tongue!"

Screw your Source of Ten Thousand Sounds! Tongue, tongue, can't you just speak properly!

Eh...?

"Command: Darkness Surge!"

So good!