End of the Magic Era

Lin Yun clearly understood…

Not just the reason why the Monchi Family tried so hard, but also why Solan left for the Dark Azure Plane.

Because the Spatial Magic Tool he got from the High Mage in the Bone Plane had been made of Deep Sea Mithril, and Deep Sea Mithril was a material specific to the Dark Azure Plane. In other words, back in the days, that High Mage might have stayed in the Dark Azure Plane for some time.

He may have left some notes in the Dark Azure Plane…

Naturally, these notes shouldn’t be very detailed, they would most likely mention the existence of a strange location, without more detailed explanation. That strange location should be the Planar Path, otherwise how could the 9th Rank High Mage already be making a move. That was a 9th Rank High Mage, currently besides Solomon, who could contend against him?

In fact, even that dead High Mage himself might not have known it was a Planar Path.

It had only been a few centuries since the tragedy of the Crimson Tower happened. If the High Mage had known it was a Planar Path, he wouldn’t have dared to step on it even if he was hundred times more courageous.

Thinking about it, Lin Yun sighed in relief.

As long as no one knew about the Planar Path, Lin Yun wouldn’t feel as pressured.

Nothing could be done about it. A Planar Path, especially one leading to the Bone Plane, is something any powerhouse would be unable to resist. Noscent’s finest forces would go crazy over it, not to mention that Lin Yun was only a Great Mage right now. Even if Lin Yun finished forming five Magic Arrays and could contend against High Mages, he wouldn’t be able to defend the Planar Path, unless he got hold of the Book of Death…

But fortunately, no one knew that it was a Planar Path yet.

Moreover, Solan just gifted him one year of preparations…

One year was plenty enough for Lin Yun to get hold of the Book of Death.

Hearing the good news William brought him, Lin Yun’s mood improved. This older cousin of his suddenly became pleasing to look at.

“Thanks for your reminder, Cousin William.”

“D-d… Don’t mention it.” William suddenly felt overwhelmed with gratitude and a bit of fear at the same time, this was the thanks from a Master Alchemist!

“However, the Merlin Family’s conditions…”

“I understand, I understand…” William’s reaction wasn’t the least bit slow. Seeing Lin Yun’s expression, he could tell that the latter was dissatisfied with the conditions offered. He immediately stood up and said with a righteous bearing, “Those old guys from the Elder Council are a bunch of senile old men. Cousin, by all means, do not lower yourself to their level. How about you wait for now, I’ll write a letter to the elders to reprimand them and make them change for better offer!”

“My conditions are very simple.” Lin Yun looked at William’s performance and didn’t say much, only calmly stating his terms, “I can sell Nether Iron Ore to the Family according to market price, but they have to pay in magic crystals. In addition, the Merlin Family has to send me a group of Mages.”

“Mages?” William stared blankly, ‘Since when have Mages become a currency?’

“Yes, 5th Rank and above Mages, at least fifty of them.”

If Bassoro was here, he would definitely remark that Great Mage Mafa Merlin was getting addicted to being paid in manpower.

It was true, Lin Yun mentioning this was connected to that matter.

He had been delighted with the previous transaction with the Alchemist Guild, he only paid what was a useless alchemy formula in his eyes, and managed to quickly develop the Gilded Rose in exchange. It could be said that without the fifty Alchemists delivered by Bassoro, the Gilded Rose wouldn’t be as successful and popular as it was nowadays.

Thus, Lin Yun also wanted to trade with manpower in this deal with the Merlin Family.

As for why he wanted so many Mages…

That was because Lin Yun knew that the Gilded Rose’s development had reached its peak. There was no alchemy shop that could contend with the Gilded Rose, including the Monchi Family’s Twin Moons Splendor.

But a too fast-paced development would create many problems.

Such as his own force.

Thousand Sails City’s seven chambers of commerce all had their own chamber of commerce’s mercenary groups, of which the Twin Moons chamber of commerce’s group’s strength wasn’t much inferior even in comparison to the first underground force of Thousand Sails City, the Viper Nest. It was actually ranked just under the Silver Moon Mercenaries, the official number one force.

The Gilded Rose on the other hand…

Let alone a chamber of commerce’s mercenary group, they didn’t even have an armed caravan. Last time, Lin Yun had to personally take a trip to the Poison Fog Canyon when a few Alchemy Apprentices got detained by the Viper Nest. It wouldn’t be bad once or twice, but what if he had to do something like that eight times, ten times. Would Lin Yun still have a life?

Moreover, the Gilded Rose would expand sooner or later. Thousand Sails City wouldn’t be able to satisfy Lin Yun’s needs for magic practice, he needed a huge amount of wealth at his disposal. At that time, would Lin Yun have to run around to deal with the Gilded Rose’s problems?

Thus, the chamber of commerce’s mercenary group had to be established, this was imperative.

There hadn’t been a suitable opportunity before, but now that the Merlin Family was in the picture, would Lin Yun be polite?

After the matter was settled, William Merlin went to write a letter. Lin Yun sat down and put the draft papers in order before leaving the alchemy laboratory.

Just as he reached the lobby, he met Faleau heading in.

“Great Mage Merlin, you are still here?” Faleau came over and greeted Lin Yun.

“I’m on my way home. Oh? Faleau, what’s that?” Lin Yun greeted Faleau and then casually asked about what Faleau was holding in his hands.

“Oh right, you should check this, Great Mage Merlin…” When Faleau heard Lin Yun’s question, he recalled something and promptly handed over the thing in his hands, “This is a new enchanted magic weapon from the alchemy workshop, you should take a look at it, if possible, I hope to have it mass produced.”

“Okay, let me have a look.” Lin Yun checked it. It was a Nether Iron forged hand crossbow with a very elaborated design. The forging was also very good. It could be considered pretty good as a secondary weapon. Even if the enchantment was quite rough, if an alchemy array was added, its power could double, or more.

‘Hold on, alchemy array!’

A flash of insight appeared in Lin Yun’s mind.

“Faleau, have someone tell the old butler that I still have something to do and I won’t come back for dinner!” Lin Yun left those words in a hurry and returned to the alchemy laboratory. He sat down at the refining table and spread a brand new piece of paper before picking up a quill. He then drew the elaborated hand crossbow.

Afterwards, Lin Yun started drawing an alchemy array.

Lin Yun drew a total of four alchemy arrays, three of which added additional damage properties.

An armor piercing and an annihilating attribute, respectively targeting all kinds of armor and mana shields.

And then there was a heavy wound attribute.

Weapons with that kind of attribute could double constitution loss and the depths of injuries. Of those, the deepening of injuries effect was actually dispensable, but the loss of constitution was something Lin Yun urgently needed. With that constitution loss effect, the Obsidian Flower Sap’s might would be able to display its effects perfectly.

It could be said that this heavy wound attribute was the core of the design, as for the one array remaining, it was a sealing array. It was to prevent the Obsidian Flower Sap from leaking.

He had been busy on the design for the whole day and finally managed to complete it before dark.

Afterwards, Lin Yun spent some time to set up the mana cycle of the hand crossbow before leaving and finding Faleau downstairs.

“Faleau, help me and send that design to the alchemy workshop. Have the guys over there create a hand crossbow based on that design.”

“Understood, I’ll immediately take care of this.”

Lin Yun’s hand crossbow design was already Master level, and the design he had Faleau deliver didn’t include the mana circulation system and the crucial three damaging arrays, but it wasn’t something that could be done in a short time. After handing him the design, Lin Yun left the Gilded Rose.

In the evening, just as Lin Yun was about to go to bed after his daily meditation, William Merlin knocked at his door.

“Cousin, the elders from the Elder Council agreed!” After entering, William reported the good news to Lin Yun.

“Haha, pretty good.” Lin Yun smiled, but didn’t ask why there was an answer in the evening when he wrote a letter in the afternoon.

A peak force like the Merlin Family, how could it not have a special communication method? Not to mention the Merlin Family, even the Monchi Family should have some special communication method to connect to Solan in the Black Tower, otherwise, how could Monchi not bid from the beginning in the Black Horn Auction before suddenly taking out 4.000.000 golds. Lin Yun wouldn’t believe that he bid so much without Solan prompting him.

“The elders said that there is no problem with the market price transaction, nor is there any with the magic crystal payment method…” William Merlin stopped there, some curiosity on his face, “They want me to ask, what do you want fifty 5th Rank Mages for?”

After saying that, as if afraid Lin Yun would go back on the deal, he hurriedly explained, “Don’t misunderstand, don’t misunderstand, those fifty 5th Rank Mages are already on the way, the Elder Council only wants to ask, there is no other meaning.”

“Because I need a group of Great Mages to help me handle matters.”

“Okay, I understand.” William left Lin Yun’s room after nodding.

But just as he reached the hallway, William’s face froze.

‘Wait…’

‘Did I just hear… Great Mages?’

‘Wasn’t it 5th Rank Mages? When did they become Great Mages?’