End of the Magic Era

“Great Mage Merlin, you… You are too modest…” Osul’s tone unconsciously became more polite. It was a very small change, but it showed how much Lin Yun’s status had changed in Osul’s mind now.

After all, in the beginning, Osul was very impatient and felt that Lin Yun was trying to get his attention to become his apprentice.

But now, Osul knew that he had guessed incorrectly.

Because it was no longer necessary.

He still had yet to see this young Great Mage’s skill in the field of alchemy, but the technique he’d suggested wasn’t something an ordinary alchemist could grasp… No, not just ordinary alchemists, even an Artisan like himself was shocked by this technique.

An alchemist that mastered the Primal Chaos Theory to the point that he could innovate from it… Even if he didn’t have many accomplishments in the field of alchemy now, that would only be because he was too young, so he hadn’t spent enough time fumbling with research.

Given enough time, a few decades perhaps, it wouldn’t be long before he became a Master Alchemist or an Artisan. It would only be a question of when.

How could such an alchemist try to use such opportunistic methods just to become an apprentice?

Thinking of this, Osul couldn’t help feeling embarrassed…

His words had been too bad. The other side had most likely seen through his way of thinking and had thus chuckled at him.

“Osul, this Merlin…” After the mana fluctuation appeared in the potion, Jouyi’s face was filled with shock. His expression didn’t change and it took a long time for this Archmage to recover.

“Jouyi, I really have to thank you this time.” Osul interrupted Jouyi and said with excitement all over his face, “You can take this bottle of Heaven Awakening Potion.”

“Eh?” Jouyi was all smiles when he heard that. “Then I won’t be polite, Osul. I rarely see you being this generous…”

“Do you even know how to be polite? But I truly have to thank you this time. Had you not brought Great Mage Merlin, I would have certainly thrown this bottle of Heaven Awakening Potion away, and moreover…”

Stopping here, Osul looked at Lin Yun.

“Great Mage Merlin, thank you.” After saying that, under Solomon and Jouyi’s dumbstruck gazes, he deeply bowed to Lin Yun.

“Sir Osul, this was truly a small effort, you shouldn’t take it so seriously.” Lin Yun hurriedly reached over to help him right himself.

But he hadn’t expected that Osul would stubbornly shake his head. “No, Great Mage Merlin, this might be a small effort to you, but it is very important to me. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I might have spent a few decades or maybe even a hundred years before finding out that the Thoradin Catalyst could be compounded in such a way. We are both alchemists, you obviously know how important this knowledge is to an alchemist…”

“I only found out by chance.” Lin Yun smiled and accepted his gratitude.

In fact, Lin Yun knew that the alchemists of this era were like this. Their thirst for knowledge surpassed everything. Knowledge such as what he gave on the Thoradin Catalyst had priceless value to an alchemist.

“Haha, Great Mage Merlin, you are too modest…” Osul shook his head with a chuckle. Although he didn’t say much, how could he not know how discoveries would happen in the alchemy world? Any small discovery would have to be made through trials and errors.

‘Great Mage Merlin might be showing modesty by saying he made the discovery by accident, but wouldn’t it be ignorant to actually believe so?’

Overnight, Osul seemed to have become a completely different person. His impatience and narrow-mindedness had disappeared, and now this Artisan was like a true host, politely receiving his guests, and especially Lin Yun. He was treating him with respect and honor, always asking ‘Great Mage Merlin, how is it?’ After being urged by Lin Yun quite a few times, he started calling him Merlin, but his tone was completely different from before.

There was no need for Jouyi to convince him anymore; hearing about the Magic Hand’s gathering, he immediately volunteered to travel together.

The four men called for two carriages in the small town. Jouyi and Solomon rode in one while Lin Yun and Osul rode in the other, all the way to Oddrock City.

Riding with Lin Yun was Osul’s suggestion. This Artisan wanted to discuss various potioneering techniques on the way, and the more he chatted with him, the more he admired his counterpart. It was at that time that Osul learnt that this youngster’s knowledge regarding alchemy was even deeper than he had thought. At first, the two probed each other, but in the end, it turned into Osul asking for guidance from Lin Yun.

It was inevitable, as the skills and knowledge that Lin Yun had mastered were far superior to those of this era…

Even if Lin Yun tried his best to avoid spoiling Osul, he would occasionally let something slip out that left this Artisan stunned. Then, he wouldn’t stop asking for clarification and guidance and Lin Yun had no other way to quiet him down but to say a few things. Osul benefited a lot from this trip.

Naturally, Lin Yun’s gains weren’t small either…

Osul was a genuine Artisan, after all. Even if he couldn’t compare to Lin Yun in alchemy theory, he had a few hundred years of experience and was like an encyclopedia. All kinds of details, all kinds of practical experiences… These were precisely what Lin Yun, who had top tier theoretical knowledge but not much experience, needed the most. The journey from Lullaby Forest to Oddrock City took about a day, but it was like spending a month in a laboratory for Lin Yun.

By the evening, two carriages stopped outside an ash gray tower.

“Ash Tower?” Lin Yun felt a familiar mana fluctuation. It was the same as what he felt from that Great Mage who died in the Poison Fog Canyon. It seemed to radiate a shocking amount of heat, yet it was deathly silent. Lin Yun knew that this was the Ash Tower’s unique Magic Conducting Rune.

“Yes, the gathering of the Magic Hand will be held inside the Ash Tower.” Solomon proudly smiled. As the biggest enemy of the Sage Tower, Solomon would usually fall under siege within a few minutes of entering the Ash Tower.

But it would be different for these few days.

It wasn’t like they had any choice, since Jouyi was Solomon’s teacher.

As the master of the Cloud Tower, Jouyi usually wouldn’t care about the struggles between the Sage Tower and the Ash Tower. However, during the few days of the Magic Hand’s gathering, who would ever dare to harm the disciple he brought with him?

Even if the Ash Tower were a hundred times more courageous, they still wouldn’t dare to make a move on Solomon for the next few days. That wouldn’t just be offending a peak Archmage’s dignity, it would be provoking the entire Magic Hand!

Who would be able to bear the consequences?

Thus, Solomon could strut around in the Ash Tower for now…

“Merlin, the Magic Hand’s gathering will last three days. Tomorrow morning, Jouyi and I will invite you to become a member of the Magic Hand. Like this, you’ll be able to exchange knowledge at tomorrow’s gathering. Of course, I personally recommend that you exchange some potioneering knowledge…” As the four entered the Ash Tower, Osul didn’t forget to add a few sentences.

In that Artisan’s eyes, Lin Yun was most suited for alchemy. After all, such a young Great Mage had already dipped into the knowledge of the Artisan Realm. This was something extremely rare in Noscent’s history. He was a genius that could enter the Artisan Realm with some polishing. Becoming a Saint Alchemist in the future wasn’t impossible.

Naturally, Jouyi definitely didn’t approve.

‘If you make a talented Great Mage with such a monstrous computing ability focus on potioneering, then who would be able to help the next time they come upon a problem like the Fanrusen Formula? You, Osul?’

“Haha…” Lin Yun chuckled, not being swayed by Jouyi and Osul’s hints. He didn’t nod or shake his head.

Because he already had a plan for this gathering.

Regardless of whether it was alchemy knowledge or magic knowledge, Lin Yun didn’t lack any. What he truly lacked were all kinds of magic materials.

That Strongest True Spirit Magic Tool alone was enough to make a few dozen Lin Yuns become destitute even after pooling their resources. Now that he had such a good opportunity, if he didn’t manage to get some to shore up his needs, Lin Yun wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

The four of them walked into the Ash Tower and were soon welcomed by a few High Mages. These were the higher-ups of the Ash Tower, but facing the high ranked people of the Magic Hand, they could only resign themselves to welcome the guests.

But these few high-ranked executives were relatively tactful. They knew that it was the important gathering of the Magic Hand, and thus, when they noticed Solomon, they only lowered their heads and pretended not to see him.

“Merlin, wait with Solomon here, Jouyi and I will go look for a few people and talk about you joining the Magic Hand.”

“Okay.”

After the two left, the two of them found a bench and sat down.

“Merlin, you really opened my eyes this time…” After sitting down, Solomon couldn’t help shaking his head. He was reminiscing about the first time he saw him in the Sage Tower’s library. He had never thought that in less than a year, that 1st Rank Mage would reach such a stage.

Fortunately, Solomon was quite open-minded and wasn’t jealous of Lin Yun’s miraculous rise. He could only inwardly sigh at fate, at those who mocked Locke Merlin’s son, saying that he would forever remain an Apprentice Alchemist. What kind of expressions would they make if they saw him now?

When it came to magic, he was powerful enough to force a 9th Rank High Mage to die with him.

When it came to alchemy, he had made an Artisan bow his head.

Thousand Sails City was already too small of a stage for the current Merlin.

“Haha, High Mage Solomon, whether it is now or later, Solon will remain one of my best friends.”

“Haha, in that case, the Sage Tower and the Gilded Rose should cooperate more…”

The two men’s laughs seemed incongruous, but they each knew what the other wanted.

Solomon wanted Lin Yun to back Solon.

Lin Yun wanted the Sage Tower to cooperate with the Gilded Rose.

The two weren’t easy to deal with. Two “Haha” were all it took for an alliance that would pressure the entire Thousand Sails City to be born.

“Oh? Isn’t this Mafa Merlin?” But just as the two finalized their deal, a lofty voice echoed in their ears.

Lin Yun looked over and saw a mage in his twenties.