Chapter 234: Book of Ten Thousand Spells
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This bottle of Void Power Potion had caused the whole Pharmacists Guild to be submerged in delight. Balbo announced on the spot that tonight, the Pharmacists Guild would host a grand celebratory banquet. He hoped that all of the respected pharmacist present would attend it.
After the announcement, Balbo left the guild pharmaceutical lab with a smile on his face.
After that, he called Old Grimm over.
“Burnside…” Burnside sat on the chair and thought for a long while before he suddenly said, “I think I should speak to Felic.”
“When?”
“Tonight’s banquet.”
Old Grimm was immediately somewhat uncertain. “Wouldn’t this be too fast?”
“We can’t afford to wait…” Balbo stood up and paced to and fro, circling around the room twice. His expression was unusually frustrated. “I am also left with no other choice. You have already seen it as well just now in the pharmaceutical lab. When that group of as*holes looked at Felic, was that any different from the look of a pack of famished wolves? If we do not act fast, it will be only a matter of time before this young genius is snatched away. By that time, it would be too late even for regrets!”
“Which group of as*holes…?”
“Who else…?” Balbo pouted, and counted one to ten with his stretched fingers. “Fatty Hoffman, dead man Sendros, Prince Lionheart Johnathan, Archbishop Englos. Oh, yes, and there is also Killer Rode. Aren’t they cursed as*holes?
“You’re saying that they are also interested in Felic?”
“Of course. Think about it. Behind Hoffman is the Glittergold trade union. Sendro is backed by the Darkness Shrine, and Mongraine is supported by the Brilliance Shrine. Oro controls Red Moon, and there this is still that bastard, Johnathan. He is the brother of the king. The powers behind all of them are all full of ambition. Who wouldn’t want to control a genius pharmacist like Felic?”
“Sigh, I really regret it this time. Why didn’t I listen to you back then? If I’d made my move earlier, wouldn’t there have been no issues now?” Once he spoke of this, Balbo’s face was filled with distress. “It is a pity that it’s too late for anything now. If I am not mistaken, Felic’s pharmaceutical standard is already at the master, at the very least. Think about it, a master pharmacist below the age of twenty… how terrifying is this existence?”
“Indeed…” Thinking about that young mage’s pharmaceutical ability, Old Grimm could not help but nod.
“Hence, we cannot wait anymore. Burnside, this time, we must pull him into the Pharmacists Guild.” Balbo stood up from the chair vigorously, his eyes seemed to be filled with killing intent. “Pay no mind to expenses!”
This time, even Old Grimm could not help but feel moved. He had known Balbo for tens of years, but in these tens of years, he had never seen Balbo so determined. Old Grimm hesitated for a moment before asking, “You’re saying…”
“Book of Ten Thousand Spells.”
“What the hell…” Old Grimm suddenly froze.
“Let me finish….” Balbo pulled the chair, signaling Old Grimm to take a seat first. “I am clearer than you how precious the Book of Ten Thousand Spells is. To use it to trade for a master pharmacist may seem like making a loss, but, Burnside, don’t you forget that that master pharmacists is only twenty years old. Based on his talent, I can guarantee that he will break through to the guru realm. At that point, even a hundred books would not make anyone bat a single eyelid, not to mention just one. Burnside, this is our last chance. If we miss this chance, we would have to pay hundreds of times the price in the future…
“You’ve really made your decision?”
“Yes.” Balbo nodded his head.
“Ok, I’ll find you a chance to speak with Felic alone during tonight’s banquet.”
“Oh, yes, Burnside. Just now, you mentioned that Felic needs some Leaf of the Origin Tree?”
“Yes, looking at him just now, he seemed to be in a hurry…” After Old Grimm finished speaking, he looked at Balbo with doubt. “Why, are you really giving it a shot with this? Balbo, I need to advise you on this. This kid’s character had always been be open to persuasion, but not to coercion. If you are trying to woo him with Leaf of the Origin Tree, it’s better to call it off. Don’t let your image be ripped apart before you have gained any advantage. What dignity would you have left when facing Andoine in the future?”
“No, no, no…” Burnside shook his head. “Relax, I wouldn’t push the limit. What is the Leaf of the Origin Tree to a master pharmacist? Then, Burnside, when the banquet starts later, help me pass some Leaf of the Origin Tree to him. Don’t mention about buying or whatever, just say that it’s a gift from me. After all, other than being rather rare, this thing is not worth a lot. It’s rather suitable to use as a friendly gesture.”
…
Pharmacists Guild had spent a lot of effort on this banquet. It was grand and magnificent. Almost of all the pharmacists from the gathering came. The only two absentees were the Amman master and disciple pair that had already left in the afternoon.
Amman was wise as well. Once the gathering ended in the afternoon, he went to look for Balbo and said that there was something urgent that he had to attend to in the Thunder City Guild of Magic. Thus, he would not be attending the banquet…
Balbo pouted. He thought to himself, I earnestly hoped that you wouldn’t attend. This banquet is a celebration prepared for Felic. If you two, master and disciple, came along, wouldn’t it make everyone uneasy….
Of course, his face was wreathed in smiles. After pretending to persuade them to stay, he went with the flow and let them leave. As for whether they really went back to Thunder City, only heaven knew.
When Lin Li walked into the banquet hall, there were numerous people seated already. A group of waiters were holding plates and served exquisite food continuously. Glasses of fine wine emitted a dream-like luster under the resplendent light. Those acquainted pharmacists were gathered together and conversing, just like in the guild hall back in the morning. The only difference now was that once the pharmacists saw Lin Li enter, they would stand up and passionately greet this young mage that had shocked the whole Pharmacists Guild.
“Good evening, Master Felic.”
“Master Felic, are you free to talk?”
The group of pharmacists did not feel uncomfortable at all despite using “master” to address a youngster in his twenties. Just based on the pharmaceutical standards this young man had exhibited this afternoon, no matter how proud a person was, he had to admit that Felic definitely lived up to the word “master”.
Furthermore, everyone believed that the word “master” would only be use for a few years before it was changed to “guru”…
“How’s it, Master Felic. How do you feel?” Both master and disciple sat in a corner. Andoine was speaking to acquaintances beside him, and occasionally made some time to ask questions.
“It’s nothing much…” Lin Li scratched his head, and spoke with a tone of annoyance, “I feel like I’m being watched.”
“Haha…” Andoine laughed and retracted his gaze. “This is normal. You’ll get used to it after a while.”
“I hope so.”
“Oh, yes, Felic.” The both of them chatted for a while before Andoine suddenly remembered something. “During the gathering in the afternoon, Hoffman looked for me.”
“Hoffman?” Lin Li thought about it before realizing. “Oh, you mean that fatty?”
“Yes, it’s Fatty Hoffman. He asked me to tell you that he had some difficult questions that he wanted consult you about. If you are able to help him solve it, he is willing to give you the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations.”
“What is this Book of Ten Thousand Incantations?”
“It’s something good!”
“…”
“Really, I’m not lying to you this time. The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations is something good!” When Andoine said this, his expression was unusually serious. “The Book of Ten Thousand Incantations is one of the treasures passed down since the Dark Ages. Its previous owner is the well-known Highlord Osric. Apparently, Osric took it from a demon’s palace while leading the magic army on an expedition into the Abyss. After that, for some unknown reasons, it ended up with Fatty Hoffman. Don’t think that that fatty has a dreadful appearance and he doesn’t have much power. I told you that he was well-known in the Breezy Plains and he was a shareholder of the Glittergold Trade Union. He was somebody that nobody dared to provoke. What he relied on to get there was the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. If you really can obtain it, it would a breeze to walk about in the Breezy Plains.”
“So impressive?”
“It is that impressive.” Even Andoine was moved when talking about the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations. “It’s a pity. Back when Osric invaded the Abyss, he had obtained two books. One was the Book of Ten Thousand Incantations, and the other was the Book of Ten Thousand Spells. Although the fatty Hoffman was lucky, he only obtained one book. If he had both books at the same time, I’m afraid even I would be no match for him…”
“Why would Hoffman bring it out, then?”
“How would I know…” Andoine pouted his lips. He stretched out his finger and pointed at the fatty that was toasting about as though he was wearing butterflies. “If you want to know, why don’t you ask him?”
“You mean that you approve of me speaking with him?”
“Yes.” Andoine nodded his head. “It’s fine to just talk. Anyway, other being good at stirring trouble, you do not have any major flaws. You’re also too wise. I never worried about you making a loss with such things. After all, you should just decide for yourself when it comes to that point.”
“Then I’ll go speak to him when I’m free later…”
“Oh, yes, don’t hurry back to the Guild of Magic once the banquet is over.”
“Why?”
“Because I suddenly thought a way to improve magical power within a short period of time, and I was thinking of finding someone to try it out…”
“…”