Chapter 20

"Guild of Mages has four floors in total. The first floor is the reception hall and the place for handling various procedures. The second floor, on the east side, is the trading hall where you can trade with other mages and purchase rare items that are hard to find elsewhere. On the west side, there is a tavern where you can enjoy food and reminisce with friends—of course, we only serve non-alcoholic beverages. As for the third floor, we have set up five lecture halls. By paying a certain fee, you can rent one to promote your academic achievements and original magical theories..."

The young man enthusiastically introduced everything to Gao Dun.

"I see the Guild of Mages only has three floors. Where is the fourth floor you mentioned?"

"Oh, the fourth floor." The young man smiled, "It's underground, a duel arena built to the standards of a second-level arena, reinforced with a solidified barrier. Unless a large-scale destructive spell like Meteor Shower is used, the arena cannot be damaged. Duelists can fight without restraint."

"Does the Guild of Mages need an arena?" Gao Dun's curiosity was instantly piqued.

The young man continued, "Sir, although mages value rational thinking, it doesn't mean they are not combative. You know, conflicts often arise on the third floor's lecture halls due to differing views. These conflicts don't always remain polite and confined to verbal debates. If the argument gets heated, mages don't mind using their wands to determine who is more reasonable."

Well, in Gao Dun's world, even university professors sometimes resolve academic conflicts with real-life PKs in Zhongshan Park. It seems that intellectuals in any crystal lattice system aren't always averse to violence.

After the introduction, the young man left, and Gao Dun headed to the second floor.

In the center of the trading hall were ten marble tables. On each table was a crystal ball, and behind the crystal ball was a highly polished moonstone slab.

Following the young man's instructions, Gao Dun walked to an unoccupied marble table and placed his right hand on the crystal ball. A cool sensation spread through his skin, and Gao Dun felt a subtle, thread-like energy pulse connect with his mind.

With a thought, Gao Dun's intentions were immediately transmitted into the crystal ball. The transparent sphere glowed in his palm, and rows of the trading information he wanted immediately appeared on the moonstone slab.

This was as convenient as a search engine!

Gao Dun didn't expect this seemingly backward world to have such advanced and informatized magical devices. He didn't know that the Guild of Mages' convenient and efficient system had been in operation for over 900 years.

At the beginning of the Fourth Era, the divine war that marked the start of a new era finally ended. The old gods fell, and a new batch of gods ascended. Among them was Elassus, who had just obtained the domains of law, order, and civilization. As a new god, Elassus made a far-reaching decision to expand his influence and gain more followers.

He first collaborated with the goddess of magic, Mystra, to invent the information query and recording device used by the Guild of Mages today, powered by the Weave. Elassus, who wanted to incorporate everything into the planning of civilization and order and manage it effectively, succeeded. With the help of the goddess of magic, Mystra, the device named after the god of law, Elassus, quickly spread to the guilds of mages across the land.

Elassus and Mystra benefited from this, gaining more followers and increasing their divine power. Later, the Storm Lord and War King, Kord, approached Elassus. This god, who promoted strength and muscle and was the protector of the Brotherhood of Warriors, had many followers. Through cooperation with Elassus, the Brotherhood of Warriors also adopted the Elassus device.

Subsequently, the Adventurers' Guild, protected by the god of travel, adventure, and freedom, Eilistraee, also introduced the device.

Under the maintenance and promotion of the gods' infinite power, the advanced information system, which seemed to transcend several eras, was now present in the major guilds across the Telos world. This system also led to the formation of an alliance among powerful gods, deeply influencing the structure of the Star Sea Divine Realm.

Gao Dun wanted to buy a few magic books. Unlike the common magic books available in regular magic stores, the books sold by the Guild of Mages were mostly handwritten by mages, containing theoretical research and arcane knowledge, and might even record unique spells they had invented.

Mages' power comes from their knowledge. With the system's assistance, Gao Dun, who could gain experience points by reading, had an even stronger desire for magic books.

Gao Dun quickly found the information he needed. A sixth-level mage named Rodok wanted to trade a book, "Dasong's Notes on Evocation Spells," for some rare magical materials. Dasong was a famous mage from 200 years ago, skilled in evocation spells and with exceptional insights into temperature control. His series of spells, such as Dasong's Scorching Furnace and Dasong's Chilled Prison, are still widely studied and used by spellcasters today.

In a private room on the west side of the tavern on the second floor, Gao Dun met Rodok, a middle-aged man with a slightly plump figure and pale skin from lack of sunlight.

Without unnecessary pleasantries, Rodok asked, "Young man, what can you offer in exchange for my book?"

"Can I see the book first? That way, I can more accurately assess its value."

Rodok hesitated, "You can look at up to ten pages."

He was afraid that Gao Dun might use a spell to instantly improve his memory, memorize the content, and then not buy the book, which would be a significant loss for him.

"Don't worry, I'll just look at the cover."

Rodok took out "Dasong's Notes on Evocation Spells." Gao Dun, under the puzzled gaze of the middle-aged mage, gently caressed the thick, textured leather cover. A piece of information appeared in his mind.

"Book Intelligence Requirement: 16. Reading Check Passed. Final Reading Gain: Experience +1000, Arcane Knowledge +5, Spell Identification +5, Casting Focus +3. Learned Feat: Basic Evocation School Proficiency."

"Truly a masterpiece by a famous mage, far superior to those common magic books!" Gao Dun was delighted but didn't show it on his face.

"I have a vial of trace fire elemental essence and a vial of trace wind elemental essence, as well as some gems." Gao Dun offered his price.

Rodok deliberated, "To be honest, I don't particularly need elemental essences right now. However, they are hard to obtain, so it's good to store them for future use. As for the gems, do you have red star gems and rose starlight crystals? If you have them and they are of good quality, then combined with the elemental essences, the deal can be made."

Gao Dun realized that the box of gems he obtained from Mendoza did not contain rose starlight crystals: "I'm sorry, I only have red star gems. Can white opals be used instead of rose starlight crystals? They are both used for illusion school spells."

Rodok looked hesitant, unsure if he was genuinely considering canceling the deal or just haggling: "I am indeed a specialist in the illusion school, but white opals are still inferior to rose starlight crystals."

"Three white opals and 100 gold coins." Gao Dun gritted his teeth.

"Alright, you've convinced me. Let's go to the trading hall and complete the transaction under the supervision of the Guild of Mages staff." Rodok extended his hand.

Gao Dun shook hands with Rodok politely. Just as the deal was about to be finalized and he was about to get the magic book he needed, an unexpected visitor entered the private room.

"Master Rodok, I heard you have a copy of 'Dasong's Notes on Evocation Spells'..." The man walked into the room, but upon seeing Gao Dun, his tone became arrogant: "So, Gao Dun is here too. You can actually afford the 5 gold coins membership fee? I doubt how you got into the Guild of Mages. Did you climb over the wall? Ha ha!"

The man who walked into the room with a haughty attitude was about thirty years old, tall and slender, with a pair of thin, cruel lips. Gao Dun remembered him as Helin Haidenberg, a fifth-level mage specializing in the school of enchantment. As the assistant to the ninth-level mage Orogro, he managed a magic workshop called "Orogro's Hand." Gao Dun had worked there for a long time and had significant conflicts with Helin.

The reason was simple. Helin came from a farming family and was recognized by Orogro for his magical talent. Through his own efforts, he became a mage capable of casting third-level spells, making him part of the elite class in the city. His humble origins and hard-earned success created a stark contrast, leading to a gradual psychological distortion.

He had a natural aversion to those who were born into superior classes. If he faced true nobles, he could only hide his aversion and curse them with envy. If he faced someone like Gao Dun, a fallen noble, he could mock them freely, showcasing his superiority: "Look, what does bloodline and noble status matter? I am still stronger than you!"

The job at the magic workshop was well-paid and offered practical skills, making it a desirable position. Helin, who already had a conflict with Gao Dun, acted in his own interest to get his nephew a job there. He lied to Orogro and found a reason to fire Gao Dun. Losing his job, Gao Dun took a risk and joined an adventure team to explore the Cold Fog Mountains.

The story then began with Gao Dun waking up as a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越者" in English, but in this context, it means "穿越者" as a term for someone who has been transported to another world or time).

Facing Helin, Gao Dun didn't intend to pay attention. His taunts were far less effective than those of players in games who argue over monsters and equipment. He just wanted to complete the transaction quickly.

Seeing that Gao Dun ignored him, Helin felt extremely uncomfortable, like a punch landing on cotton. Realizing that his malicious words had no effect on Gao Dun, he quickly thought of another way to strike back.

"Master Rodok, since your transaction isn't complete, you surely don't mind another bidder. I believe my offer will be higher than his." Helin proudly took out an item from his pocket and placed it in front of Rodok.

Rodok, who had been observing the conflict between the two mages, suddenly lit up with excitement, his breathing becoming rapid. He looked at Gao Dun with difficulty and said, "I'm sorry..."

The page begins with an ad.

The page ends with an ad.