507 Pharmacist Training

In addition, they also heard from Gavin and the magicians of the Tower of Dusk that this small town was not just for living. If they were to encounter an attack like the last time again, it would guarantee that no one was harmed again. They were certain that it was true since the senior mages were the ones who said it. The new Tower of Dusk was almost like paradise in Anril, for there was a new environment to live in, with new furniture and guaranteed safety.

Lin Li got ready to go to the new Black Clouds Town to visit the residents. However, he was attracted to a strange image before he arrived at the door.

Is that… a mage? The robe on his body had already been heavily discolored and altered. Clothes in such poor condition would rarely be worn even by normal people. Yet, a mage was wearing them.

"I heard that food and lodging are provided here, as well as clothes and magical equipment. I wonder if it's real," asked a mage who was trying to find out about the welfare of Tower of Dusk, appearing extremely dejected.

"You…" said the mage in charge of reception. He scanned him from head to toe and asked apprehensively, "Are you really a mage?"

The only person in charge of the reception was a ninth-level magician, but he dressed even better than the man who claimed to be a mage. Although he did not mean to insult that man, he was really in doubt of the mage's identity. How unlucky did he have to be to end up in such a plight?

The receptionist might not have been able to tell, but Lin Li who had already reached the Legendary-realm could tell that the dismal mage was actually an Archmage whose power was about level-19. It was absolutely suspicious, for it wasn't likely that a high-level mage would be so unkempt and shabby. Even members of smaller factions would have a better appearance.

"Mr. President, this man is called Apuda," said Gavin, who was about to accompany Lin Li to the new Black Clouds Town.

"Do you know him? He seems to be very capable. Why is he in such a shabby state…?" Lin Li asked.

"Shabby? He's always been this shabby. It's said that his teacher is a Legendary-mage whose identity he refuses to reveal." Gavin stared at Apuda resignedly.

Gavin and Apuda knew each other, but they did not contact each other much. In fact, very few people have contacted Apuda because of his eccentric personality. Although Apuda had the strength of an Archmage, no one would want to stand next to someone who looked like a beggar, for it was way too embarrassing.

Apuda was 44 years old this year, but it had been more than a decade since he reached level-19. It was said that his teacher was a Legendary-mage, but he refused to disclose the identity of his teacher, regardless of who asked him. Due to the fact that he had always been tight-lipped about it, everyone began to think that it wasn't true.

Gavin introduced the peculiar mage Apuda to Lin Li.

Everyone knew that being a mage was an expensive profession, for the costs of all the necessary food, supplies, and apparel were exorbitant. Even if one could pinch and scrimp on magical equipment and gear, they still had to spend a significant amount of money on necessary items. Otherwise, it would make the learning process much tougher.

The flair that humans had for magic was not as good as that of the High Elves in the first place. However, how did humans end up rebelling against that natural disparity and overthrowing the rule of the High Elves? One of the main reasons was that humans had found a way to break free from the shackles of the magical world. They had also gained the capital that allowed them to compete with High Elves in terms magic, and that was Activating Potions.

It was said that when humans first began to learn magic, the news of it was presented to the elven queen. When discussing whether to forbid humans from learning magic, several highlords agreed that humans who had a short lifespan would never surpass the High Elves in terms of magic. Hence, the fact that humans were learning magic did not phase the High Elves at all. Another reason was that humans had closed mindsets which were not suitable for learning magic.

Activating Potions were used for changing a person's mental state, and they were also the very reason humans could make it so far in the field of magic. Not everyone had the extraordinary mental strength of Lin Li; hence, the Activating Potions were like a key to the gates of magic for mages. It was absolutely necessary for advancing in the field of magic.

However, anything that was indispensable would not come at a cheap price, let alone something that was necessary for mages. Each high-level Activating Potion cost thousands of gold coins, and even the inferior ones would cost at least hundreds of gold coins. However, for the average magician, spending hundreds of gold coins per month on several activating potions was manageable. It was the same even for a mage who was down and out.

However, Apuda was so downcast that he could not lay his hands even on a few hundred gold coins. Hence, he seemed to have plateaued after reaching level-19 more than a decade ago. He also showed no signs of reaching the pinnacle.

In fact, the mage industry was very lucrative even though it was expensive. It didn't matter which organization he joined. Even if Apuda joined a team of Adventurers to complete quests, he wouldn't be in such a pathetic and shabby state.

After listening to the rest of Gavin's words, Lin Li finally realized the reason for Apuda's plight.

A level-19 Archmage was bound to be poor if he did not join any organization. Normally, an Archmage at that level was definitely in demand in the Breezy Plains. It was said that in the past, the head of the Malfa Family, Sorenson, who was also Hutton's father, had personally visited Apuda at his house to solicit his services. However, he was rejected by Apuda despite offering attractive conditions and very good treatment.

In some large and medium factions, Activating Potions were not considered precious, and were actually part of welfare that would be distributed to the mages regularly. If Apuda were to join some small and lowly force, he would probably directly become its leader. However, he was extremely eccentric, and would turn all solicitors down regardless of which faction or organization they were from. He even hid in the Dragon Mountains for several years because of that.

There were also some mages who refused to join any organization. For example, the ancestor who had founded the Malfa Family had not joined any organization at first, and instead used his own strength and ability to gain a foothold in the Breezy Plains where he established the Malfa Family. Apuda might not be able to achieve such a great feat, but he would at least be able to live well so long as he put in a little bit of effort, especially since he was a level-19 Archmage. However, that was also the reason he deserved to be in such a plight.

Not only did he not join any organization, but he also refused to take the risk and go to the Guild of Magic to take on any tasks. No one knew the reason for his peculiar behavior, and the only explanation they could come up with was that he was lazy, causing himself to end up in such a miserable state that he could not even afford Activating Potions with the money he made in a year, let alone magical equipment.

Mages would stagnate in their progress without the help of Activating Potions. Apuda was named the most bizarre magician in the Breezy Plains, for he had been stuck at level-19 for more than a decade.

Lin Li shook his head, for he felt that Apuda absolutely deserved his plight, even though he also deserved sympathy. A level-19 Archmage would not end up in such a pathetic situation even if he only put in a tiny amount of effort. With 10 years, he would at least reach the peak of level-19 too.

"Mr. President, look…" Gavin pointed at the door while speaking softly to Lin Li.

Lin Li sighed, and said, "Take him to settle the administrative procedures. After all, we're all mages, and the purpose of the Guild of Magic is to help everyone solve their problems."

The Supreme Council set up the Guilds of Magic with the original purpose of supporting magicians who didn't care about what went on in the world and only focused on studying magic. Compared to the mages who served various factions or ran around all day to go on quests with Adventurers, mages who were dedicated to magic research would definitely make greater contributions to the development of magic. Although they couldn't make any money on their own or fight for the interests of the Guild of Magic, their research results would benefit all magicians.

It was just that no one seemed to even remember the original purpose of the Guild of Magic anymore. All the Guilds of Magic had become as ordinary as those local factions which schemed and fought battles for the sake of their interests.

Of course, the Presidents of the guilds were not to be blamed. After all, society was developing, and if all of the Guilds of Magic were comprised of magicians who were only devoted to research, what were they supposed to do if they were to get bullied? For example, the Jarrosus Guild of Magic had been overwhelmed by several local factions, and even got invaded by the Shadow Nest. That happened because they did not have any powerful faction to support them.

At the beginning, the Supreme Council would give the Guilds of Magic some support. However, the Supreme Council stopped interfering with the Guilds of Magic after some time.

Since the Supreme Council could not uphold justice for the guilds, they were in no place to restrict them from going against the motto of the Guild of Magic. Hence, the guilds became more and more interest-oriented and mercenary, because they no longer needed to use benefits to attract superior mages.

Humans were all pragmatic, and the only purpose of picking up a skill was to give one some hope of making it rich. Since they could live well as a part of the local factions, there was no need for them to join the Guild of Magic and live a mundane life at all. Hence, the Guilds of Magic would require a strong force in order to gain the upper hand in the battle for interests, and they would need plenty of money in order to become stronger.

Anyway, Lin Li was not cash-strapped for now, and he felt that Apuda would be worth nurturing, for he was a level-19 Archmage, though he had no idea if Apuda was lazy or just obsessed with research.

Gavin pretended to suddenly recognize Apuda, and—much to his bewilderment—pulled him directly to complete the administrative procedures of joining the Tower of Dusk. After completing the administrative procedures, Gavin casually asked Apuda for his reason for joining the Tower of Dusk, since he'd refused to join any organization in the past.

Apuda answered his question truthfully. Actually, his reason was simple. He claimed that he would have joined the Guild of Magic a long time ago—had there been one in the Breezy Plains.

After seeing Apuda, Lin Li asked Gavin to take Apuda to get familiar with the people and environment of the Tower of Dusk while he left alone and flew to the new Black Clouds Town to meet the new residents, after which he attended a bonfire party to celebrate the completion of the new Black Clouds Town.

Although mages were masters and superior class to ordinary people, the 20-year-old Lin Li did not make them feel pressured. They could not associate the young Lin Li who was dancing with the girls around the campfire with the formidable masters who were stern and austere.

The bonfire party only ended at midnight, and Lin Li had also received plenty of handicrafts from the affectionate girls who were smitten with him. However, he didn't have the time, nor was in the mood, to think about those things now.

Lin Li returned from Black Clouds Town to the Tower of Dusk, only to see dozens of luxurious carriages parked in the small square in front of the gate of the Tower of Dusk. He knew for sure that Gerian had to have returned with everything settled. He entered the Tower of Dusk and was greeted with the sight of a radiant Gerian.

"Haha, I've duped the person you wanted for you," Gerian said with a smug smile upon entering Lin Li's room.

"How could you say that it's duping? It's their fortune to be able to come here," Lin Li said self-righteously.

Lin Li was speaking the truth, but Gerian could not be bothered with it at all, for he had already completed his task and returned from Alanna in glory.

Gerian had previously made various trips to the Pharmacists Guild for the supply of herbs for the Jarrosus Guild of Magic, but to the people of Alanna, Jarrosus was just a backwater, and the President of the Jarrosus Guild of Magic had never been a remarkable person in their eyes—he was just like what ordinary humans were like to mages. Gerian, who was the President of the backwater Guild of Magic, was naturally never regarded highly by pharmacists.

However, things were different this time. Gerian arrived at the entrance of the Alanna Pharmacist Guild and asked to see their President, Balbo. However, he was mocked by a few pharmacists who acted like he was a beggar asking to meet the king. However, no one, including Gerian himself, expected that Balbo would go downstairs to meet him personally. The expressions of the rest were absolutely interesting.