Chapter 159 - 147 - 154

Prophecy

From what Leylin gathered, dark Magi from all over the continent disguised themselves in order to enter Nightless City each day. Their aim was to trade items, amongst other activities.

The guards of the city turned a blind eye to their actions.

It could be said that Nightless City's prosperity was largely dependent on the dark Magi.

Within the city, as long as dark Magi did not intentionally reveal their identity, light Magi would not bother about them.

Hence, Leylin simply smiled and told Jenna, "I came to the Teljose Plains to seek a peaceful way of life. I'm willing to abide by the rules here."

"Nightless City is a fertile and beautiful city. I'm sure you'll like it here!"

Jenna laughed and said.

Leylin made small talk with Jenna and managed to gather quite a lot of exclusive information about the city.

Leylin had seen a glimpse of Volcano City in the afternoon, but it was only after the sky dimmed that he reached the gate.

At the moment, there were rows of people queueing up in front of the gates of the city.

The numerous heads seemed like ants as they were separated into different groups and entered various entrances.

Leylin noticed that beside the many small doors, there were also several huge passages. The gates to the city itself were over ten metres high, and the passageways were closed.

"These doors are for giants and large creatures, so they aren't usually open!" Jenna explained at the side.

"As for us, we are official Magi, so we are able to enter by the prestigious pass!"

Jenna explained as she led Leylin to a smaller door which was quieter.

As for the doors on both sides, there were even a dozen guards with the strength of level 3 acolytes, their bodies radiating the energy waves of their magic artifacts.

"Respected Lords, may I ask if it is a temporary or permanent lodging…"

After seeing Leylin and Jenna, these dozen acolytes immediately bowed and greeted them.

Leylin noticed that they held a circular item that was emitting the glow of a magic spell, in their hands. Looking at the runes on the surface, it should be the runes formation to detect energy waves.

Jenna immediately raised her right hand and revealed a white ring on her finger.

The ancient ring had a silver body with detailed inscriptions on the surface, constantly emitting bits and pieces of light.

"So it's a Lord who has a permanent residence. Please enter!" The acolytes respectfully made way.

"It's my first time here. Are there any procedures I need to follow?" Leylin asked the acolyte from before.

"Yes. For magicians who enter for the first time, we have a simple procedure. You can pay 200 magic crystals and obtain permanent residence, or spend 10 magic crystals and stay in Nightless City for a month!"

"Handle a permanent residence for me!" Leylin immediately tossed out two high-grade magic crystals.

"Of course. Please wait a moment…" The acolyte quickly produced a piece of parchment and scribbled something on it. "May I have your name?"

"Leylin Farlier!" This was the light Magi's territory and the Lilytell Family's influence did not extend to this area. Leylin decided to use his real name.

"Here is your token. Please keep it well!"

The whole process was surprisingly straightforward. The acolyte merely asked for Leylin's name, noted it down, and then passed him a silver ring.

"This is a token you will need to enter the city. Please keep it safe! Also, please do not linger on the streets after 12am. If not, the law enforcement group will apprehend you!"

The acolyte reminded him as he bowed.

Leylin nodded in understanding before leaving with Jenna, who had been waiting at the side.

"Jenna, I've been waiting for you!" Leylin went through a passage that was around five or six metres deep, and before he even had the chance to look around the city, he heard a hoarse voice.

A burly blonde man who had been standing at the door for some time immediately rushed forward with a worried expression.

"Uncle Manla!" Jenna put on a coquettish expression and immediately embraced the large man. "Jenna missed you!"

"Haha…Me too!" The burly man smiled and looked at Leylin beside her.

"This fellow reeks of blood, it seems like he's from the eastern marshes!"

The murderous aura and strong scent of blood from Leylin's body immediately caused the man to raise his guard against Leylin. He positioned himself between Leylin and Jenna.

"This is…" The burly man's glared at him, as if ready to make a move the moment he misspoke.

"This is Leylin, someone I met along the way!" Jenna hung on to Manla's arm.

"He's a wandering Magus who is planning to stay in Nightless City!"

"Really? This is a city that advocates peace and harmony, so I hope you'll enjoy your stay here. Here is a complete map of the city!"

The burly man showed him a kind smile and passed the map to Leylin. It was very obvious that he did not want Leylin to travel together with Jenna.

"Many thanks!" Leylin grinned brightly.

He could understand where the man was coming from. If he were a parent who saw his child mixing with a suspicious person, he would have the same reaction.

"It was great fun travelling with you! I'll see you again, milady!" Leylin turned to Jenna with a smile and gave a gentleman's bow, and Jenna answered with a bashful expression.

Having received the map, Leylin took a quick look at it and entered the trade centre of the south coast, also known as the Teljose Volcano City, where the night was as bright as day.

The burly man waited till Leylin was completely gone before turning to the female Magus, a stern expression on his face.

"Jenna, from what I know, you don't usually get this close with strangers?"

The large man put on a puzzled expression.

"I don't know why, but I have some premonition that makes me want to get closer to him…" Jenna's eyes seemed to cloud over.

"Or perhaps, this is what fate decreed!"

"That seems plausible!" The man scratched his head. "The high-grade meditation technique that you're cultivating in may not be very powerful, but at times, it is able to accurately pinpoint a trace of the future. Since that Magus gives you such a peculiar feeling, do you need me to send someone to check out…"

"Leave it! I have a feeling that if we do that, it'll definitely incur his displeasure."

Jenna's eyes suddenly turned completely white, with no hints of any other colour.

"Twice! You actually made two prophecies about him!"

The burly man looked shocked. "That Magus' fate is sure to be intertwined with yours!"

"Not me, but the whole of the south coast!"

The female Magus' eyes regained their colour, cold sweat pouring down her face. She looked as if all of her energy had been wrenched from her.

"Quick, send me back to grandmother's place!"

Jenna spat out and immediately fainted.

"Jenna! Jenna!" The expression on the burly man's face was grim as he held her in his arms and quickly left the area…

Leylin, however, was completely oblivious to the situation. He was currently strolling through the streets of the Nightless City.

The moment he entered, Leylin's first impression was—People! A sea of people!

Numerous heads were gathered close to each other, forming a sea of blackness. There were also various stores, as well as stands that were messily displayed. The constant haggling and bawling noises attacked the ears.

Many Magi and acolytes who were dressed in different coloured clothing were arguing aggressively with the vendors.

This almost reminded Leylin of the markets in his previous world.

However, the different races that he saw within the masses brought him back to the present.

There was the scaly marine race, the sub-humans with fur and marks all over their bodies, the smaller version of giants who were over five meters tall, as well as the little green people who had pairs of transparent wings on their backs, dancing gracefully in the air.

Many lifeforms from the Magus world were communicating with each other, their speech slipping back to parts of their own languages.

Among the humans, Leylin even saw several regular humans who had absolutely no energy waves radiating from them, and yet they were still confidently trading items on the street out in the open.

"My Lord, is it your first time in Nightless City?"

Leylin's intrigued expression naturally attracted the attention of many people. A man who was so skinny that he was like a stick approached Leylin as he bowed, wearing a flattering expression on his face.

"Do you need a tour guide? My fee is definitely the lowest. Moreover, my home is within Nightless City, so I am familiar with every nook and cranny in this place!"

"Are you the 'ears' of this city?"

Leylin inquired to clarify.

"Of course. If there is anything that you want to know, I could also make some inquiries…"

"What is your name?" Leylin asked.

"Sean! My Lord, you can call me Sean." The thin man was delighted as this situation meant it was possible to seal the deal.

"Good. I wish to stay here for an extended period of time. Take me to a place where I can rent some lodgings. It must have all the facilities!"

"If you wish to stay here for long, renting an apartment which is in the heart of Nightless City would be the most worthwhile!" Sean said quickly without needing to think.

As if fearing that Leylin did not understand, Sean quickly went on, "The heart of the city is controlled by several large factions that back Nightless City. There are different types of apartments for sale, and they are generally quite safe and convenient…"

"Very well, let's go there!"

Leylin nodded his head, and Sean hurriedly led the way with a gleeful expression.

After going through the throng of people and walking for about half an hour, Sean brought Leylin to a small door.

"Nightless City has five zones, and the outermost zone is meant for regular people and acolytes to live in. Its organisation is the most chaotic, and as long as one is in possession of a token, he or she can enter and leave the city at will."

"The second zone is reserved for those who have done the paperwork to stay here permanently. Of course, Official Magi are allowed to stay here too!" Sean brought Leylin to the queue in front of the door and explained further.

"As for the third and fourth zone, they are the residences of the official Magi. There is also a trade area specifically catered to the official Magi erected within the zone."

"Lastly, we have the fifth zone, where various powers have established their branches there. Usually, they are not open to the public and if you are not a member, you are not allowed to enter!"

Sean gave Leylin a clear explanation.

The Communal Centre

The queue progressed quickly, and within a few minutes, it was Leylin's turn.

Leylin produced the ring he had recently acquired, and showed it to the guard, who respectfully stepped aside to allow him to pass.

The second zone was a lot bigger than the first, and the shops were arranged in an organised manner, unlike the situation in the first zone.

*Thud Thud *

His leather shoes thudded as they descended upon the marble floor.

With Sean's guidance, Leylin arrived at the centre of the second zone.

What was known as the communal centre was situated at the middle of the second zone. It was a humongous building that, based on its outward appearance, looked like a person's inverted palm pressed to the ground.

Each of those fingers was a wide entrance.

Magicians formed long lines, looking like ants as they constantly went through the entrances.

"This is where the Nightless City's internal affairs are conducted. These includes the renting of lodgings, the applications for store licenses, the issuing of missions, and so on."

Sean brought Leylin into the passageway on the forefinger.

"This is the second passage that is specially catered for the Magi who wish to rent lodgings. Of course, we also provide property agents, though the price will be higher and the rentals may not be of the best quality…"

"Sir, would you like to rent a lodging? Come to Old Hork's place! Our facilities are complete, and there are even snake and fox girls who will serve you!"

"No! Come to our side. Our prices are the most reasonable here, and we're even willing to gift you ten regular human servants."

The moment Leylin entered, he attracted the attentions of multiple agents, who all looked ready to gobble him down.

"He's my customer! Get out of the way! Move!"

Sean guided Leylin to a passageway nearby, pushing away the overzealous hands reaching for him.

Within the passage was a spiral staircase. When they got to the second level, Leylin suddenly realised how quiet his surroundings were.

As they passed through a door frame that read "Hall No. 762," Leylin saw a large domed hall.

On the ceiling, there was a huge crystal chandelier from which multicoloured rays of light bounced off, casting a phantom image on the ground.

To the side of the domed hall, there were many counters, and a few seats meant for people to wait in. A few magicians were already seated, their eyes glazed over as if they were about to fall asleep.

On the right wall, there was also a black screen. There were words in red on it which were constantly being refreshed.

"Apartment #332, West Hall Street West, small sized — costs 6700 magic crystals!"

"Apartment #893, Flamingo Street, of medium size — costs 85000 magic crystals!"

"These lodgings are all second-hand. The prices here are considerably cheaper, and many people wait here, hoping they might be lucky enough to get a good price…" Seeing the look of interest on Leylin's face, he launched into an explanation.

Leylin was speechless, the thought of a real estate agency from his past life suddenly came to his mind.

"If you wish to rent an apartment, you can proceed to counters 1 to 15. Would you like me to queue on your behalf?"

"Fine," Leylin nodded.

Even though he had quite a sum at hand, he was unwilling to splurge on an apartment so quickly, when he had not yet made sense of the situation in Nightless City.

Seeing all of these ridiculously high prices made Leylin think of the acolytes back in the academy who were so desperate for magic crystals that they wished a magic crystal was worth twice its actual value. The image made him want to cry and laugh at the same time.

There were many counters in the hall. After Sean left to join a queue, Leylin found himself a seat and began to flip through one of the magazines left on a table.

"Rose Sanctuary and Fresh Blood White Bones are currently in a conflict. They are currently gathered in Margaret City, and the number of casualties is unknown…"

"It has been reported that magicians have found the culprit that caused the tsunami in the Eastern Sea- an Ancient Whale. Currently, Ennea Ivory Ring Tower is holding an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures…"

"Looking to purchase large quantities of purified gems. Name your price."

There was plenty of news in the magazine, though they seemed outdated. Furthermore, the majority of the content was on advertisements, sponsorships and the like.

"Sir, it's your turn now!"

Sean's voice travelled over. Leylin put down the magazine, heading to the 13th counter where Sean was standing.

"Welcome! How may I help you?"

Behind the counter was an adorable girl with a professional smile on her face, who was wearing something that was similar to lace. She seemed quite young, and Leylin guessed that she was, at most, eighteen or nineteen years old.

Leylin's gaze shifted to the back of the counter, where he caught a glimpse of the white ball behind the maiden's shapely backside.

"Of all the half beasts, someone who's half-rabbit?" Leylin chuckled inwardly, not expecting the centre to actually hire a rabbit maiden.

"I wish to rent a house. The facilities must be complete, and it is best if it includes a laboratory, and the defensive spell formation has to be of at least this standard…"

Leylin stated his requirements.

"Please wait for a moment…" The rabbit maiden quickly flipped through the stack of parchments in front of her, closing her eyes from time to time while caressing a crystal ball with a metal base, as if she was communicating with someone.

"We have many houses that fit your requirements, but in order to rent a lodging in Nightless City, we require you to show evidence of… Ah! My lord! My sincerest apologies!"

Upon seeing the silver ring that Leylin revealed, the rabbit maiden's previously absent-minded expression completely changed.

She stood and bowed, showing her charming body and sturdy thighs, and the rabbit's tail behind her backside occasionally appearing. It gave one the urge to reach forward and grab hold of it. "So it was an official Magi! Please excuse Bayjess' rude behaviour!"

"It's fine. Tell me about the houses!"

Leylin withdrew his right hand.

"For an official Magus of such high esteem, we strongly recommend apartments that are in the third zone or above. There is a total of thirteen empty houses that meet your requirements…"

As she spoke, she continued to rub the surface of the blue crystal ball.

Rainbow coloured lights converged in front of Leylin and the multicoloured streaks formed many three-dimensional figures.

From the looks of it, it was a map of Nightless City, on which there were thirteen bright spots.

"All information about the apartments are on it, and there are also figures that allow you to view the structures of the lodgings."

Leylin took a quick look. All of the apartments were in the second zone or above, and the total area of the land was rather large. They were at least medium sized villas that included gardens and other entertainment facilities.

Nightless City was built on a mountain, and the higher up one went, the more valuable every inch became. In a place like this, the privileges and extravagant lifestyle that magicians were entitled to were especially evident from the area of land they had access to.

Leylin raised his hand and pressed on the villa that he was interested in.

*Ding!*

With a flash of white light, the model was magnified, and a three-dimensional figure was displayed in front of him.

"Medium-sized villa's location: Nightless City Zone 3, Large Whale Street #56. It includes a laboratory, a defensive spell formation, a negative energy reaction pool…"

Beside the 3D figure, there was also a white frame that displayed more information about the villa.

"While this technology is based on magic, it's just too similar to how it was in my past life…"

Leylin suddenly sighed.

While the foundations of the two worlds were extremely different, one being science, and the other being magic, it somehow made Leylin feel a little nostalgic.

"I'll take this one. How much is the rent?"

Leylin pointed to one of the models and asked the rabbit maiden.

"Sir, the rent for this villa is a thousand magic crystals per month…" She peeked at Leylin, looking as if she wanted to say something, and eventually made her mind. "If you join any one of the powers backing Nightless City, you'll be gifted a villa, and…"

"Alright. Which family do you come from?

Leylin was very much aware that these employees were part of the powers behind Nightless City, and it was naturally their job to attract talents. They were sure to receive attractive rewards for their work if they were successful.

"The Mordeken family! I come from the Mordeken Family!" The rabbit maiden lowered her collar and revealed a brand in the shape of a palm under her shoulder.

The shape of the palm was a little strange. Instead of having five fingers, as was the norm, there were actually six.

The sides of the brand were a little charred and twisted. From the looks of it, a branding iron had been used directly on her skin in the past. The contrast between that and the rabbit maiden's delicate skin gave rise to an abnormal sense of beauty.

"I understand! If there's anything I need in the future, I'll consider the Mordeken family first!"

Leylin's expression remained the same, seemingly unmoved by her attempts. Sean, on the other hand, was salivating at the offer.

"Here are the magic crystals. I'll be renting it for a year." Leylin threw a small bag of magic crystals towards the back of the counter.

After being rejected, the rabbit maiden's expression slightly darkened, but she immediately forced a smile.

Even though she wasn't able to convince an official Magus to join the family, she would still receive some rewards from this transaction.

The rabbit maiden asked for the ring on Leylin's finger, and placed it in a device behind her, within which an exotic symbol was inscribed. She then respectfully returned it to Leylin.

"The pattern of the villa's defensive spell formation has already been marked onto your ring. You may enter the villa using the ring, and also make changes to the spell formation…"

Following which, the rabbit maiden passed Leylin a bunch of keys and a document.

"Here are the keys to the rooms in the villa, as well as some important information. I hope you have a pleasant stay there!"

Leylin retrieved the items and walked out of the hall with Sean.

"He actually spent over ten thousand magic crystals in one go…"

Sean still had a look of disbelief on his face.

Although he had heard of how certain magicians were able to spend unimaginable amounts of wealth, being in actual contact with someone who had the means to do so was still an entirely different feeling.

"Having met such a magnanimous customer, my rewards will definitely not be meagre. I might even be able to get a generous tip as well…"

Sean began to let his imagination run wild.

"Bring me to the villa and these will be yours!"

Leylin smiled, tossing a few magic crystals that were glistening temptingly.

"Of course! Your wish is my command!"

Sean's eyes brightened, and he quickly ran to the front. "Please follow me! There's not one place in Nightless City that I, Sean, am not aware of!"

Trifling Issues

*Rumble!*

Crystal clear spring water continuously flowed from a white canteen.

Under the white canteen was a half-nude marble statue. The statue was depicting a poised, long-haired maiden. In her eyes, there was an expression of indolence and perplexity. One hand was tugging on the skirt on her lower body, and the other hand was holding a white canteen upside down.

The spring water gathered below, forming a small pond. Different colored pebbles and fishes in the pool were reflecting the light.

Next to the pond were was a small garden. Inside the garden were different coloured flowers of unknown names. Different fragrances were mixed together, but it didn't feel jumbled; instead it provided a unique scent that made one feel refreshed.

Leylin leisurely walked around the garden before returning to the villa.

This was the new villa that he had recently rented for a year. The address was: Nightless City Zone 3, Large Whale Street #56.

There were very strict regulations for each of the three zones.

The zones above the third one were only for official Magi and trade, with the exception of some specialised servants that were permitted to pass through.

This villa had a huge area, and its magic defenses against spells were also strong. According to Leylin, a level 3 acolyte, or even an official Magus, would have no chances of entering. If they wanted to destroy this place, it would require a huge amount of effort from them.

However, Leylin still wanted to add some modifications and more defensive spell formations to this place.

Regarding the spell formations that the Nightless City had, Leylin didn't trust them enough.

In the area around Leylin's villa, there was another Magi. Previously, there was even a red haired old man who waved to Leylin. He seemed quite friendly.

*Click!*

They sound of a copper key entering the lock could be heard, followed by the sound of a door opening with a squeak.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Leylin leisurely strolled around his villa.

This villa had 3 floors, two of them being above ground, and also a basement.

The apparatuses in the lab were very complete, and the furniture and other things were up to date, making Leylin feel that he had truly received his money's worth.

The bedroom was on the second floor and even had an open balcony.

Leylin stood on the balcony and observed the distant scenery.

The sun was setting; the dark curtain of night gradually enveloping the surroundings.

*Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!*

By the side of the road, one lantern after another was being lit, extending far into the distance.

The little spots of light had an effect as they lit together, finally forming a huge body of light.

A bright — but not blinding — light flooded the entirety of the Nightless City.

"No wonder that Teljose City was referred to as the Nightless City!" Leylin exclaimed.

While he was used to this kind of setting in his previous life, the Magus world was different. A huge amount of energy was needed to be able to support this many lights, and perhaps only the volcano's never-ending geothermal energy could barely support the city's needs.

*Ding!*

Something like an incandescent light bulb lit up inside Leylin's room.

"All of this energy, this overbearing splendor, is provided by the communal centre free of charge!"

Leylin shook his head and commanded, "A.I. Chip scan the whole villa, and in addition, try to modify the defensive spell formations!"

Following Leylin's command, a spot of glittering and sparkling blue light flashed in his eyes.

[Beep! The overall layout of the villa has been recorded, no tracking spells have been detected!]

The response from the A.I. Chip came after a very short amount of time.

[According to the Host's request, modifying the spell formation of the entire villa allows an optimization of 13%…]

Afterwards, the A.I. Chip projected the places where the spell formation needed to be altered in front of Leylin's eyes.

"Spell formations requires extreme fine-tuning, and once they are altered, even the places where they were previously concealed will be exposed…"

With a confident smile, Leylin brought out some materials from his bag in order to alter the villa's spell formations.

By the time that Leylin had hurriedly finished his work, it was already midnight.

Leylin then placed a warning spell outside his bedroom, before reclining on his soft bed.

The effort of constantly running while covering his back to prevent assassination attempts from the Lilytell Family had caused Leylin to be mentally exhausted.

Now that he had finally reached his destination, even the Lilytell family couldn't do anything inside the Nightless City. Leylin felt like a huge mountain had been lifted from his shoulders, allowing him to relax completely.

"Speaking of which, I only have these things left ever since I left the academy…"

Leylin opened the package and emptied its contents onto the bed.

A silver colored metallic hoop, a couple of separately packaged flowers and such, and an assortment of different materials and magic crystals appeared in front of Leylin.

First, Leylin brought out the metallic hoop.

This was the spoil of his fight against the clone. It was a counterfeit Hoop of Imprisonment recovered from the body of the Lilytell elder's clone. Even if it was a counterfeit, this magic artifact was still a middle-grade artifact. At that time, if it wasn't for the fact that Leylin had activated his Fallen Star Pendant, he might not have been able to escape the confinement of this magic artifact.

According to the A.I. Chip, there were no hidden traps, so Leylin took it for his own use. He was planning to later alter it, or just simply sell it.

Ever since Leylin's advancement, the A.I. Chip also received a huge upgrade.

A lot of things that he couldn't discern back when he was an acolyte were now laid bare before him.

That Lilytell elder was simply at the level of a rank 1 Magus, and couldn't hide anything from Leylin.

"Also, these ingredients need to be used soon. I've kept them for too long, and their medicinal properties are decreasing…"

Leylin looked at the several remaining stalks of plants and flowers which were under some preservation spells.

This was his loot from the Dylan Gardens. Previously, he had harvested them in a hurry, so their current appearance was not too pretty. Afterwards, he had been on the run, so he could not find much time to add more layers of preservation and maintenance spells. Hence, they currently were in a rather withered and dried up state.

A black diary lay quietly at the side. It was the Book of Giant Serpent, and even now Leylin had to flip through it every once in a while.

Although he had recorded everything with the A.I. Chip, Leylin still felt that the methods of the great Magus Serholm did not just end with the writings.

Moreover, the materials used to make the Book of Giant Serpent were extremely strange. The amount of information it could store was alarming, which gave Leylin the urge to conduct more research on it.

What was left was the Fallen Star Pendant hanging on Leylin's neck, as well as some magic crystals and some other miscellaneous items.

Everything that was present, if added together, was all of what Leylin had.

"A rank 1 Warlock wishing to advance must never lack in the meditation and bloodlines. If not, just based on hard work, it is simply too difficult. One requires the aid of resources!"

High-grade meditation technique required precious resources as a complement and they were extremely precious. Some even existed only back in ancient times, and they have been extinct by now.

Leylin summed up his wealth and realised that he would at most lead a comfortable life in Nightless City. If he thought of relying on what he currently had to obtain enough resources to advance into a rank 2 Warlock, it was no difference from a pipe dream.

Subconsciously, he looked at his current stats.

[Leylin Farlier. Rank 1 Warlock, Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Strength: 7.1, Agility: 6.7, Vitality: 8.5, Spiritual Force: 28.4, Magic Power: 28 (Magic Power is in synchronisation with Spiritual Force). Elemental essence conversion: 1%. Status: Healthy]

Every day, Leylin did not neglect his cultivation in a high-grade meditation technique. The Kemoyin's Pupil was indeed a well-suited meditation technique for his bloodline. Leylin could feel that his spiritual force was growing at a steady pace daily.

As for the progress of the elemental essence conversion, it was not that satisfying.

"According to the records of the meditation technique, the conversion progress is more difficult the higher it is. The stages of a semi-converted elemental Magus of 50% and a Magus with an elemental essence conversion of 80% especially are two bottlenecks. I wonder how many Magi had been obstructed from advancement because of this!"

Leylin's face was somewhat solemn, "Right now my spiritual force could be increased with a high-grade meditation technique, and my bloodline is extremely pure. These two aspects do not require further planning for now. The only thing holding me back right now is the progress of the elemental essence conversion!"

The breakthrough of a high-grade meditation technique will often lead a Magus to breakthrough automatically. Right now Leylin had 3 levels of the Kemoyin's Pupil meditation technique, so his spiritual force progress would just be a breeze.

As for the aspect of bloodlines, he had obtained the purified blood of an ancient creature, the Giant Kemoyin Serpent. This creature, in its mature stages, could reach the level of a rank 4 Magus — a Morning Star Magus.

Right now Leylin was just a rank 1 Warlock, and with respect to the concentration of his bloodline — it could most likely surpass a pre-pubescent Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Every day, he could feel the strength of the bloodline affecting his body. According to Leylin's estimations, his second transition stage ever since obtaining the bloodline was soon approaching.

These two aspects left Leylin extremely satisfied. The one thing slowing down his progress was the elemental essence conversion.

The elemental essence conversion progress seemed to have something to do with the aptitude of a Magus' soul. As for Leylin, he only had a third-grade aptitude, which was a common, middle tiered aptitude.

The higher the aptitude of a soul, the faster the conversion would naturally become. People like Leylin could only slowly improve through the passing of time.

Leylin was, however, on the wanted list of a Magus family, so naturally, he did not want such a slow progress.

Apart from relying on time to progress, some precious ingredients could also hasten the progress of the elemental essence conversion.

However, Leylin looked at the ingredients on his bed.

"The Book of Giant Serpent must never be sold! The Fallen Star Pendant and Hoop of Imprisonment are rather handy for me at this stage, and are also magic artifacts which I'm lacking, so I cannot sell them too."

"The only choice left are these plants and the amassed magic crystals from before!"

Leylin was somewhat frustrated.

These items would at the most exchange for only a few of the resources he needed. His current situation was akin to pouring a cup of water on a burning cart of firewood.

Right now, he was reminiscing about the Dylan Gardens.

That was a secret plane left behind by a rank 4 Warlock. Just the harvest each year was worth a million magic crystals! With it, Leylin would not have to worry about the resources needed to advance to a rank 2 Warlock.

It was a pity, however, that the Dylan Gardens was destroyed by a self-destruct formation left by the great Magus Serholm.

"Perhaps, he did not wish for his inheritor to obtain too many items, for fear of losing the will for improvement!" Leylin surmised.

Crystals

After hastily keeping the items on his bed, Leylin performed his routine meditation, then fell into a slumber.

It was a very deep sleep. When he finally woke up, it was already midday of the next day.

Leylin thought for a while, dressed up in a comfortable gown, and headed into the wilderness.

Along the path between the villas, Leylin followed the map he had obtained the day before, and walked towards the fourth level of the Nightless City.

"Good day sir!"

The red-headed old geezer, whom he met yesterday, was pruning his lawn. Upon seeing Leylin approach, he smiled and greeted Leylin.

"Hello!" Leylin felt a strong spiritual force propagating from within the old red headed geezer's body. It did not feel like that of a budding Magus but that of someone who had halted in rank for a long time, and had accumulated a lot of essence.

Furthermore, looking at the traces of energy particles hovering around the old geezer, the A.I. Chip had estimated that he was at least a semi-converted elemental Magus.

The old geezer's power level was similar to that of the clone from the Lilytell family that had been hunting Leylin.

"I wonder, what is his true battle prowess?"

The light Magi were better in the matters of theory and research. Leylin did not get the slightest feeling of similarity of a dark Magus from the old geezer. Obviously, he was a light Magus.

Being in a higher state does not necessarily mean that the fighting capabilities are high too. This was proved by the fact that despite having an elemental conversion of only 1%, Leylin managed to barely defeat a semi converted elemental Magus.

"My name is Crew. It has been a long time since any new neighbours have moved in!"

The old geezer smiled and placed his shears on the ground. From the looks of it, he was very excited to see Leylin.

"I am Leylin, and I have just arrived at Nightless City. It is a tranquil city and I love it here!"

Leylin bowed slightly as a sign of respect.

From the old geezer's body, Leylin felt a sense of peace. The old geezer also had a heavy scent of books and scrolls, and had the temperament of a scholar

In the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, all of the instructors brought about an air of intractable chill. The acolytes were afraid of them.

"Haha…you made a good choice!"

Upon hearing Leylin's words, the old geezer's wrinkly face creased with laughter.

"Where are you headed?" The old geezer sat down on a stool in the gardens. "Would you like to drink some red tea with an old geezer?"

"No thanks, I would like to have a stroll in the city and take a look at the trading district!"

Leylin rejected the old geezer's suggestion with a smile on his face and left the area.

"This is really a peaceful city, maybe I should stay here for awhile!"

Leylin wandered around the streets.

The third zone of the Nightless City was very different from the first two zones, especially the Magi's quarters. All of the villas were widely spaced, and they were adorned with eye-catching symbols.

Besides, the third zone's city walls were constructed using meteorites.

The meteorites were not only visually attractive, but were also capable of absorbing loose energy and radiation.

According to estimations from the A.I. Chip, the city walls exceeded an amount of two million magic crystals to construct. It left Leylin speechless.

There were significantly less people in the third zone. Occasionally, official Magi and their attendants could be spotted.

Leylin even spotted a few bodies that were intertwined with the energy of vengeful spirits and fresh blood.

Obviously, Leylin was spotted by the others as well. It was easy for those of the same kind to spot each other.

However, due to the rules of the Nightless City, and perhaps for other reasons as well, Leylin and the other dark Magi only exchanged looks from the distance, and left their positions in haste.

Leylin reached the fourth zone of the city after passing through a heavily guarded gate.

Many different types of stores dotted the vicinity. Occasionally, Magi could be spotted entering and exiting the stores.

The Magi that passed through the area had energy levels of official Magi and above. Not a single acolyte was seen.

"From the looks of it, this is the trading district set up for official Magi!"

Leylin was very pleased. The light Magi region was the trade center of the south coast, and Nightless City was one of the biggest cities within it. Congregated in here was some of the best the south coast had to offer. With an endless amount of resources available, it would definitely satisfy his needs.

Leylin looked around at the various store signs as he walked along the path towards the center.

"Old Gelling's medicine store!" "Cape of good hope refined gold goods!" "Clothes manufacturing shop" "Refined gemstones store" "Mythical creature trading store…"

Leylin was bewildered by the large variety of shops available.

However, he followed the information obtained yesterday, and made a beeline straight towards the fourth zone's central plaza.

Smack dab in the middle of the district packed full of stores was a large open plaza. Eighteen pillars that were as thick as the human skull were erected around it.

Occasionally, there were Magi on the plaza using their hands to feel the pillars with their eyes shut. It was as if they were interacting with something.

Some of the Magi that looked directionless and lost gained a sense of purpose in their movements after interacting with the pillars. They hurried along their way out of the market or towards a certain shop.

"We have reached the trade plaza!"

Leylin let out a gasp, and a flash of expectation came over him.

Following which, he queued behind a red-robed, middle-aged man.

There were only a scant few Magi on the plaza, so Leylin's turn came quickly.

Leylin took in a deep breath, and stood in front of the pillar, his palms pressing upon it.

*Buzz Buzz!*

The moment his palms felt the rough stones on the pillar, Leylin experienced an extremely ice-cold spiritual force creep from the pillar and bore into his forehead.

Leylin's skin slightly stretched, and a few streaks of dark rays passed by. He felt as if he had been suppressed while the spiritual force bore into him.

"Data transmission interface detected, awaiting permission to enter"

"Allow it!" Leylin commanded.

Following which, a large amount of scripts and diagrams were circulated into Leylin's mind like a message. The information converged into what seemed like a hefty book.

Leylin's spiritual force gingerly touched the book and flipped to the first page.

"Material types" "Finished goods types" "Knowledge types" "Potion types"…

What entered his vision first was a densely packed index catalogue. Leylin hesitated for a while, before opening the "Knowledge types" segment.

*Bang!*

A silver light flashed. Following which, a lot of sub-clauses appeared before Leylin's eyes.

"High level dwarf enchanting studies"

"Comprehensive details for flame runes"

"Introduction to crafting of medicines"

"Soul research date"

...

Many different branches of high-level academic knowledge appeared before Leylin.

There were many branches of discipline which Leylin himself had never heard of before. The names appeared to be very strange to him.

"However, there was no data on high level meditation. There was also no information in regards to the advancement of a Magus. It looked like it was intentionally hidden…"

With a slight flash in his eyes, Leylin turned to the "Material types" section.

Blue-gold stone, bayern flower, essense of wilted tree, black rose, heart of light blue lizard. There were many materials, some of which he had never heard of before, and some of which even had depictions that were very realistic looking.

"Search—crystallised Darkness energy particles!"

Following which, the majority of the data disappeared, and only a few lines of information from the hefty book remained.

"Looking to buy egg of a Fire Ingesting Bird at a favourable price, can choose from the following for trade: I have wood spirit 200 grams, crystallised Darkness energy particles 100 grams, Firestone 800 grams, Rotten Cloud medicine, and various types of liquids…"

"Store sells the following: crystallised Darkness energy particles, dragon grass, ghastly sunflower…"

On the hefty book, only these two statements appeared. It looked pathetic.

"There is only such a minute amount, and one of them only accepts the egg of a Fire Ingesting Bird for trade!"

Leylin frowned.

In order to increase the elemental conversion rate, other than relying on hard work, the A.I. Chip suggested that he could also ingest crystallised energy particles that suited his elemental affinity.

This sort of high energy concentration crystals were only formed in nature under very strict elemental conversion criteria.

Once a Magus ingested the crystals, he would be able to increase the rate of his elemental conversion.

Through this method, Leylin would be able to rapidly increase his elemental conversion rate, and fix his shortcomings.

However, these type of crystals were very valuable. Furthermore, the Darkness elemental ones were very rare, causing the whole database to only contain two lines of information in response to his query.

"Whatever. This is better than having to go search for the information myself."

While Leylin was using his spiritual force to reply to the message selling the crystals, a small messaged appeared: Elm Street #231!

This was the address of the shop from earlier.

Leylin threw a high-grade magic crystal into the stone pillar's interface.

A considerable fee was needed when information was obtained from the trading plaza. Leylin rolled his eyes at the fact that the profitable areas were dominated by the powers behind the Nightless City.

Upon analyzing the situation, Leylin found that he was not willing to part with another high grade magic crystal to obtain the contact information of the trader requesting the egg of fire ingesting bird.

After leaving the trade plaza, Leylin found the small shop written on the message in no time.

The tiny shop was rather inconveniently located in a small alley. If not for the definite address, Leylin would not have found it.

The shop was dimly lit and its floor was dusty.

The racks in the store were filled with transparent glass jars. Different types of organs and tissues were submerged in a faint yellow liquid within these glass jars. Leylin even saw a few that resembled a human embryo.

"What do you want?"

From the sales counter, a female witch wearing a tall pointed hat walked out. Her face was filled with fine wrinkles and her nose was hooked like an eagle's talons.

"I was looking at the trading board. Are you selling crystallized Darkness particles?"

Leylin asked with anticipation.

"Whoa! Look what I found, a Magus that majors in the cultivation of Darkness energy particles…"

The old female Magus laughed out as fire green light appeared in her eyes.

Absorption

"You reek of blood, young man."

The old witch cried out in exaggeration.

"You are a dark Magus, am I right?"

"Is there anything wrong? I don't know of any rule in Nightless City that states that you can't sell to dark Magi." Leylin's brows furrowed.

"Hehehe… Don't worry, I'm a dark Magus too, though that's a matter from over 200 years ago. Ah, just remembering those times makes me feel nostalgic…"

The old witch chuckled, which sounded like an owl hooting.

"For you young people who want to take shortcuts, the price of crystallised Darkness energy particles is not something a newly advanced Magus can afford. I doubt you have that many magic crystals, so as a favour as your senior, I'd like to offer you another option…"

Leylin furrowed his eyebrows even more. "What option?"

"A trade! You should be aware that once we get to this level, all ordinary resources mean nothing to us. Only fellow Magi on the same level as us have the supplies we require…"

"What do you need?" Leylin didn't have a good feeling about this.

"One thousand! I need a thousand spirits brimming with energy! If you provide me with them, all of these Darkness crystals will belong to you."

The old witch's eyes shone with excitement.

"Are you out of your mind? If you want me to collect a thousand spirits within the light Magi domain, you might as well be telling me to commit suicide!"

Leylin replied indignantly.

Extracting spirits was a meticulous task, and in order to obtain the amount that the old witch desired, at least ten thousand people's lives would be consumed.

If Leylin were to harvest such a gargantuan amount, he would definitely be on the death list of white Magi!

"I'm not asking you to harvest spirits here. You can do it in the dark Magi's domain!" The old witch's face was nonchalant.

"That's much too far, and will consume too much time. Furthermore, I do not wish to incur the wrath of more dark Magi forces!"

Leylin immediately shook his head and rejected the old witch's request. "Since you posted a notice at the trade centre, I imagine you still require some magic crystals. It's not as if there aren't any spirits sold in the Nightless City. At most, you'd have to spend more time to amass them…"

"Alright then. However, young man, I have to remind you that the price of the Darkness crystals is not to be underestimated!"

The old witch had an internal struggle for a while, before realising that her requirements were a little too much, while walking back behind the counter.

*Ping Ping Pang Pang!*

After rummaging through the drawers for quite a while, the old witch finally placed a conical glass bottle on the counter.

At the bottom of the glass bottle was a layer of semi-solid crystals. It let off a mysterious lustre as if wanting to suck in the souls of those peering at it.

"300 grams of crystallised Darkness energy particles. Every gram will cost 100 magic crystals!"

"Kiddo, I'll still reiterate my earlier suggestion. As long as you bring me 1,000 spirits, these will all be yours!"

The old witch tried her best to tempt Leylin.

"No need for that!" Leylin shook his head. However, the given price did surpass what he could pay.

Most of his magic crystals were earned from selling potions that he had brewed. After the bloodbath in the academy, he also managed to earn a huge amount, obtaining many magic crystals and precious ingredients.

However, to offset the amount he spent yesterday, those resources were mostly diminished.

Leylin did not plan to be so foolhardy as to harvest 1,000 spirits just for the sake of this small amount.

Even amongst the dark Magi, if one were to massacre large amounts of humans and harvest their spirits, he or she would be seen as the evilest of existences.

Leylin did not wish to live the life of a street rat1 in the south coast, receiving animosity from everyone.

"Can I use other ingredients to compensate for the remaining amount?" Leylin asked.

"Yes!" The old witch nodded. "However, I only accept ingredients pertaining to spirits. As for those kinds of items, I will only offer a 90% rate for them!"

"Spirits?"

Leylin suddenly understood that this old witch was a Magus who was most likely specialised in spirits. Right now, her experiments had reached a critical point, and she required large amounts of materials for her conjectures and theories.

Leylin did have plenty of precious ingredients on him, but many were still useful to him, and he did not plan on letting go of them anytime soon. Upon the realisation that this old witch was also researching spirits, Leylin's eyes flashed as he came up with an idea.

"How about… Advanced information regarding spirits? Will you accept that?"

Leylin asked.

"Advanced information? Let me have a look first!" The old witch's expression brightened.

Leylin chuckled, withdrew a pearl the size of a thumb, and handed it over.

This pearl was a special tool used to store memories. While conducting his research as an acolyte, Leylin had recorded some information regarding spirits and stored it within the pearl.

Although Leylin was only an acolyte at that time, with the help of the A.I. Chip, his research on spirits was extremely profound. It could even surpass the knowledge of his academy's professors.

Moreover, Leylin only intended to reveal some of the information that he had discovered in his earlier stages.

As for the experiments such as optimising the Blood Vengeance Potion and the bit of information that he had obtained from the Book of Giant Serpent, he was prepared to keep it for himself.

The old witch gave it a once over, "It seems to be research materials at an acolyte level. I won't reject…"

However, with the passing of time, her expression turned solemn, and she even seemed to be entranced.

"Such exquisite experimentations! Also, the unique perspective! How about the rest of the information! Hurry up and show them to me!" The old witch snarled, looking slightly deranged.

However, upon seeing this scene, Leylin smiled confidently.

"So then, we should be able to discuss and work out the price of this information…"

A dozen minutes later, Leylin left the old witch's shop smiling.

The glass bottle containing the Darkness crystals was nested safely within his robes.

He had somewhat underestimated the zealotry that the old witch had for spirit research. The information earlier had been sold for a price of 20000 magic crystals almost immediately.

After Leylin withdrew another 100 high-grade magic crystals, the Darkness crystals were immediately sold to Leylin.

Moreover, after looking through Leylin's experiment research, the old witch seemed to have a complete change in attitude. She became extremely affectionate towards Leylin and even invited him to collaborate in an experiment.

This was quite a sensitive matter, and Leylin eventually rejected after giving it some thought. However, he did leave his secret imprint with her. Although her craziness made Leylin rather reluctant to befriend her, it was undeniable that she had quite a few useful items. Moreover, Leylin had a plan that required a partner like her to carry out.

...

"Magus Leylin, it's you again. How was your afternoon?"

Under the flickering lamps of the street, Leylin returned to his villa.

Along the way, he coincidentally met that red haired geezer, Crew.

This old geezer was resting on his couch with a contented look on his face. Beside him were several maids with voluptuous clothing, who fed him delicacies time to time.

"Does this old geezer have a fetish for being the target of voyeurism?"

Leylin was somewhat speechless regarding Crew's nonchalance about seeking pleasure out in the open.

However, he still smiled on the surface. Resting against the fence, Leylin said, "It went okay. I managed to purchase some of the items that I yearned for…"

"Haha… After staying here for a long time, you will realise that Nightless City has everything you need!"

The old geezer chugged down the grape wine in his glass, before grabbing a maidservant beside him and smooching her out in the open.

As for the other maidservants, they chuckled, as if it was a common sight.

Although Leylin knew that after advancement, some Magi would give up on further improvement and turn lewd, engaging in wanton ways, it was still a first for Leylin to see such a sight. It had somehow widened his perspective. After exchanging several more sentences with Crew, Leylin returned to his villa.

Leylin laid on his bed upon returning to his bedroom, recollecting the day's events.

After obtaining the old witch's crystallines, Leylin saw that there was still some time to kill. At the same time, he contacted the Magus that wanted to trade the Darkness crystals for the egg of the Fire Ingesting Bird with wishful thoughts, wanting to purchase it off of him through other methods.

However, Leylin did not succeed, as the other party only wanted the egg of the Fire Ingesting Bird. Even though Leylin offered a 50% increase from the market price, it still did not move the seller.

Finally, Leylin could only reluctantly spend several hundred more magic crystals, and put out a notice at the trade centre saying that he wanted to purchase Darkness crystals, before returning to the villa.

"A.I. Chip! Show me my stats and simulate the best way to absorb the Darkness crystals!"

Leylin thought inwardly.

[Mission establishing, gathering Host's data, beginning model simulation!]

After receiving the command of its host, the A.I. Chip began to rapidly calculate, and rows of data began to flash past Leylin's eyes.

The next day, Leylin relaxed while strolling throughout the city, finding a restaurant to have a sumptuous feast before returning to his villa.

The basement of the villa had been remodeled, and a large spell formation had been carved into the surface of the floor.

Leylin placed the Darkness crystals that he had recently acquired at the centre of the formation.

"Based on the A.I. Chip's calculations, the crystals' absorption rate will achieve an efficiency of 94.7% when placed within this formation."

Leylin murmured to himself, as he came to the centre of the formation.

"Activate!" He said the opening command in the ancient Byron language.

* Buzz buzz! *

The entire spell formation vibrated, emitting a bright light.

In the heart of the formation, the Darkness crystals began to melt. First, they shifted from a half-solid state to a liquid state and filled in a bizarre rune. Immediately after, a bright red light flashed, and the liquid within the rune vaporised into black smoke, which circled within the basement.

The black smoke converged, and seven indistinct snakes with red eyes emerged, twisting around Leylin's body.

Ice cold and slimy, the little snakes formed from the smoke resembled a real snake in every way, giving Leylin a bizarre sensation.

Leylin breathed in deeply.

*Sssii!*

Two tiny snakes were immediately sucked into his nose.

Leylin felt as if his body had expanded, and he felt tipsy as if he was drunk.

1. TL Note: Unanimous hostility from everyone

The Bloodline's Transition

The five remaining tiny snakes issued cries of terror while struggling to escape Leylin's reach.

Suddenly, Leylin opened his mouth and inhaled sharply.

All five tiny snakes were all swallowed inside his stomach.

Meanwhile, the spell formations on the ground emitted black lights, engulfing the entire basement.

Wrapped in darkness, Leylin had a feeling like he returned to his mother's womb— serene and comfortable.

Only the constant notifications from the A.I Chip could be heard.

[A large amount of essential substances are entering the Host's body, confirmed to be Dark energy particles, absorption in progress…] [Host absorption rate greatly enhanced under the effect of the Darkness rites, crystal utilisation increased!] [Absorption complete! Host's elemental essence conversion greatly increased, currently 35%.]

*Di!*

A crisp tone sounded in the centre of the formation. Following which, the black light converged into the shadow of a figure at the centre.

"Huff…"

Leylin gradually opened his eyes, and a flash of black light streaked past his eyes.

"This feeling…"

Having the elemental essence conversion increase to 35% so quickly was a strange sensation. Leylin could clearly feel that in the surrounding void, tiny black particles of the Darkness element were hovering around like fireflies.

Although Leylin had a Darkness elemental aptitude, being able to sense the energy particles in the air this easily was still a first for him. It was a feeling of novelty. Moreover, Leylin could sense that it required less spiritual force than before to control the energy particles.

"Latent Fireball!"

Leylin quickly chanted the spell, and from the darkness of the basement, countless black fireballs flew out.

Flames gathered in Leylin's hands and became five times larger in an instant.

Corrosive flames continuously formed and raised, and even the roof of the basement gradually turned red, seeming to be on the verge of melting.

"A.I. Chip. Calculate the current stats!"

Leylin muttered inwardly.

[Rank 1 Magic: Latent Fireball. Degree of attack: 40.5. Additional damage from elemental essence conversion: 10.5!]

"As expected! The might of the latent fireball has risen sharply compared to before, and the amount of spiritual energy and magic power needed has been decreased."

Leylin's lips quirked in a slight smile.

His elemental essence conversion had already reached 35%, which allowed him to have an increase in prowess when he cast Darkness spells. Moreover, as it was energy particles that were from his elemental affinity, the consumption of spiritual force and magic power was lowered too.

"If my elemental essence conversion reaches 100%, I wonder what kind of extent will it reach…"

There was an outward expression on Leylin's eyes.

Right now, his elemental essence conversion was only at 35% and it had brought him this many benefits. If he was a fully converted elemental Magus, then he could rival the existences of those ancient elemental beasts!

Of course, Leylin was clear deep down that humans were, after all, not elemental creatures, so the possibility of 100% elemental essence conversion was minimal at best.

To some Magi, as long as they reached 80% elemental essence conversion, they could attempt to advance to a rank 2 Magus.

As for those with 90% elemental essence conversion and above, they were the geniuses that were groomed by powerful guilds.

"100% is an unreasonable goal. However, with so many good conditions that I possess, I must have at least a 90% elemental essence conversion before I advance to rank 2!"

The studier the foundations were built, the more benefits one could reap after advancement in the future. This logic had been long since comprehended by Leylin back when he was an acolyte.

"Crystallised energy particles! I need large amounts of crystallised Darkness energy particles!"

His eyes were blazing with a fiery passion.

After waiting for a few minutes, Leylin went to the spiral staircase in the basement.

"A.I. Chip! Check my current stats, and see if there are any residual effects or injuries on my body. Calculate the amount of time needed before I can use the energy particles again!"

A flash of blue light appeared in front of Leylin.

[Leylin Farlier, Rank 1 Warlock. Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Strength: 7.1, Agility: 6.7, Vitality: 8.5, Spiritual force: 29.8, Magic power: 29 (magic power is in synchronisation with spiritual force). Status: Healthy]

Based on the stats that A.I. Chip had calculated, after using the crystals, not only had Leylin's elemental essence conversion rapidly increased to 35%, his spiritual force had also risen.

[Residual substances have appeared in Host's body, determined to be elemental impurities! Currently in the process of expelling impurities from the body. Estimated time needed: 4 Months, 21 Days!"

The results that the A.I. Chip gave left Leylin somewhat shocked.

Magi who used external resources to advance would often cause themselves some problems. He had known this since long ago. However, he didn't think that the damages would have been this much lesser than expected.

"This can't be correct! According to the meditation technique and the Book of Giant Serpent, after using the crystals, the backlash will only be the invasion of negative energy and a temporary loss in ability to sense the energy particles in the surroundings?"

Leylin was somewhat puzzled. If using such crystals had such a good outcome, then the price should have been several times higher.

The reason for the circumstances that happened to him most likely stemmed from his own body.

"A.I. Chip, find out the reason why!"

Leylin could tell that this probably had to do with his Warlock bloodline. Ever since his body had taken in the ancient blood of the Giant Kemoyin Serpent, his body had been continuously merging with the blood, also transforming his physique.

The change in his body when he advanced into a Rank 1 Warlock had been minimal. There was also still a large amount of blood that was constantly merging with his body, which unknowingly gave him many benefits.

[Mission establishing, obtaining authorisation! Beginning microscopic analysis. Scanning in progress!]

The A.I. Chip quickly cast a light blue diagram in front of Leylin.

It was a diagram of a human's DNA helix structure.

The difference between him and regular humans was that on Leylin's diagram, there were many barbs on his helixes. These barbs vaguely formed the shape of a mysterious rune.

This rune was somewhat similar to the rune that Leylin saw while transplanting the bloodline. Furthermore, it seemed to expand continuously, as if wanted to cover the entire model of Leylin's DNA.

[Abnormality in genetic information found in Host's body. Endocrine secretion is different from normal humans. Cell activity increased, increasing effect of expelling poison!]

At the bottom of the diagram, the A.I. Chip came up with a conclusion.

From the A.I. Chip's conclusion, it could be seen that upon receiving the bloodline, Leylin's body was constantly getting stronger. His body's ability to expel poison had also exceeded most rank 1 Magi, to the point that it was able to dispel the residual impurities caused by the usage of the crystals.

[Beep! Based on analysis of the Host's DNA, the Giant Kemoyin Serpent's bloodline is getting stronger, and will soon undergo a transition. Estimated time: 1 Year, 09 Months.]

The A.I. Chip prompted Leylin with another frame.

"Bloodline transition?"

Leylin suddenly thought back to the records in the Book of Giant Serpent.

If a Warlock's bloodline was extremely concentrated, and if the level of the bloodline exceeded that of the Warlock by a large margin, the power of the bloodline would remain stagnant within the Warlock's body, and accumulate until it underwent a transition!

For every transition in the bloodline, the Warlock's body would undergo a drastic change!

What Leylin had transplanted was the purified bloodline of the ancient creature, the Giant Kemoyin Serpent. If one were to quantify its level, it would be at least a rank 4 Morning Star Magus.

As for Leylin, he was only a rank 1 Magus as of now! The concentration of the bloodline was too high, so it could only be dormant within his body. After Leylin's elemental essence conversion and spiritual force had reached a certain threshold, it would then enhance him with a deeper harmonization.

"It seems that the ancient creatures' bloodlines are mysterious yet powerful, which far exceeds my expectations!"

Leylin who was walking up suddenly halted.

"There's still 1 year and 9 months huh?"

The second transition would bring immense benefits to Leylin. The most obvious change would be the leap in power!

"If that is the case, a lot of my plans from before should now be modified!"

Leylin's eyes flashed, "A.I. Chip, are there any methods to hasten the arrival of the second transition?"

[Mission established! Searching within the database!]

The A.I. Chip quickly began to compute. [Lacking in data, unable to proceed! Beginning simulation!] [Possible methods — 1: Using Bloodline Crystals. 2: Obtaining a spell formation that can strengthen the bloodline…]

That was also one of the benefits of the A.I. Chip being upgraded. When important data was missing, it could establish conjectures, and provide a case scenario with the highest rate of success to the Host.

"Weren't these two items already extinct within the south coast years ago?"

Leylin was somewhat speechless, "Is my only option to wait this out?"

After walking to the top of the spiral staircase, Leylin opened a wooden door that had a metal hoop and came to the study room of the villa.

"It seems that I have to look for some servants and the like!"

Leylin sized up the empty villa.

There were multiple rooms here, as well as a professional kitchen and stable. By the looks of it, these had been prepared for a Magus' servants.

After most Magi advanced, they would usually find themselves a few servants or followers, and some might even accept apprentices to service them.

It was a very rare situation for Magi who had advanced to still live alone, as Leylin did.

"I guess I should make changes to the original plan!"

Leylin looked around the villa. "It's a good opportunity to stay here for a while and take care of matters such as getting servants."

Originally, Leylin had been planning to undergo a series of expeditions to acquire resources for his advancement after settling down in the Nightless City.

However, from the looks of it, since he already knew that his strength would be greatly boosted in 2 years' time, he could afford to give it some time and wait it out.

For Magi, two years were not a very long period of time. As for Leylin, who had the bloodline of an ancient creature, his lifespan was higher than most Magi.

"Since I have decided to stay in Nightless City for a while, I should not be idling around. I have to create potions for sale and join other guilds to obtain protection and high-grade information. These can all be carried out at the same time!"

Thoughts ran through Leylin's mind as he suddenly remembered his neighbour, the red-haired geezer.

This neighbour of his would definitely be helpful in this area.

Seeking Entry

"Come on! I specially got someone to bring this black tea all the way from the eastern islands!"

The simplistically carved wooden teacup was giving off steam, which vaporised into the air, bringing about the fragrance of brewed tea.

With a hospitable smile on his face, the red-haired Crew brought a cup of black tea to Leylin.

Sometime after Leylin finished consuming the crystals and made the decision to be a resident of the Nightless City, he bought a gift and paid the Magus Crew a visit.

"Come, this is a honey cake made from the honey of Pomelo Bees! The taste is delicious!"

After seeing Leylin drink the red tea, old Crew directed one of his maidservants to serve a plate of extremely sweet mini cake.

The maidservants wore extremely exposing uniforms, only covering the few crucial areas. Most of her glossy skin was out in the open, which looked extremely alluring.

"If you like them, I can gift you a few!"

Crew laughed absent-mindedly.

"Please don't tease me!" Leylin shook his head as he forced a smile. "Haven't I already told you the purpose of this visit?"

At the mention of getting down to business, Crew's expression became stern.

He waved his hands, and the maidservants in the surroundings bowed deeply, before quickly taking their leave. They were obviously trained and did not make any sound as they retreated.

"Do you wish to join an organisation in Nightless City?"

Crew's expression was solemn.

"Yes, for the sake of high-grade information and some precious ingredients needed in experiments…"

What Leylin said was the truth. Obviously, he could brew his own potions and earn magic crystals, leading a very comfortable life in the Nightless City.

However, even if Nightless City was known as a trade centre, some precious items were still under strict regulations.

For example, only a few official Magi were able to access high-grade information, as well as some information that was related to breaking through bottlenecks.

These materials were heavily regulated, whether it was by magisteriums and guilds operating behind the scenes of the Nightless City, or through strict control and distribution on a periodical basis. As for wandering Magi like Leylin, there were no chances of obtaining them on the streets.

Perhaps a couple things could be found in black markets, but the amount would definitely be extremely little, and the prices extremely farfetched.

If that was the case, it was better to join a guild, even obtaining privileges at times.

"Well… the magisteriums in Nightless City are quite regulated, and…"

Crew may have omitted some information, but Leylin was well aware of what he was implying.

While Magi organisations and families may have had the tradition of recruiting wandering Magi or those who were on the run, there was a crucial requirement said Magi must not have created trouble that might bring harm to the organisation backing them.

For a Magus like Leylin, whose history was unknown, Magi organisations would do a complete investigation into his background, and then judge whether or not he was permitted to join their group.

"My full name is Leylin Farlier. I don't have anything to hide, as you'll find if you look into my history."

Leylin didn't have any plans on hiding anything about his background.

He was from the Chernobyl Islands, and was a noble's son. All of his experiences from when he was a child up till now had been recorded, and he was definitely not afraid of being investigated.

Furthermore, the only enemy that he had was the powerful Lilytell family. Unfortunately, the Lilytell family was a typical dark Magi family.

They were the arch enemy of the light Magi, who were in control of Nightless City. Countless dark Magi had lost their lives within the light Magi's domain.

Leylin had always been sticking to his role as an acolyte. There was no evidence that indicated he was insane or sick in the mind, such as having massacred regular humans at will.

As a result, his identity would not affect his entry into an organisation in Nightless City.

"There were some disputes over interests before. Due to some personal conflicts and interests, I killed the heir of a family, and am now on their wanted list…"

Leylin briefly explained his past.

After hearing Leylin's recount, Crew's face turned even gentler.

"Be at ease. I personally do not have any animosity towards dark Magi. Moreover, you have already abandoned their camp, have you not?"

As if afraid that Leylin was worried, Crew even explained himself.

"We of Nightless City will still welcome Magi like you, so be at ease!"

Crew sipped the black tea from the appealing wooden cup, before he slowly said, "So then, there are many guilds in the Nightless City; which one are you planning to join?"

"It's precisely because I don't know much that I'm here to seek your guidance!"

An embarrassed expression surfaced upon Leylin's face.

"En! Let me think, where should I begin?"

Crew racked his brains, and after thinking for a while, he said, "There are many guilds in the Nightless City. Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, Mercifura Academy, Four Seasons Garden, Hand of Femke, Human Faced Lion's Eye…"

"These are all guilds that are more powerful, monopolising the trade behind the Nightless City. On the surface, there are a few other small organisations. Those ones aren't that strong, some even having only a semi-converted elemental Magus as their backer. If at any time they were to die, the organisation would naturally be dismissed…"

"They are only guilds in name, and their shares of resources are extremely few, to the point of almost being negligible. Some are even just based on friendships and the collaboration of experiments. After some time, groups like that will naturally be formed. These types of groups have no backing at all, so don't even think of joining them!"

Crew advised Leylin with a good heart.

"As for the application, you only have to go to the communal centre, and request an application. Once you pass the test, you will be granted entry!"

"Of course, the Ennea Ivory Ring Tower might have some special welfare and restrictions…"

Leylin did not pay Crew a visit just to find out superficial information such as this. He also wanted to understand more about the inner workings of the large guilds in Nightless City. This information could only be known by older Magi who had been a resident of Nightless City for a long time.

Of course, Crew knew of this, so he leaked some important information further on in their discussion, allowing Leylin to grasp a better understanding of the various guilds.

Several hours later, Leylin bade Crew farewell with a huge grin on his face, and he returned to the villa.

In the study room, a white ball formed from magic was floating in mid-air, giving off vivid rays of light that were not too harsh on the eyes, and brightening up the entire study as if it were day.

Leylin sat on an armchair, holding a stiff goose feather quill pen, and seemingly deep in thought.

On the surface of the piece of parchment spread out over the table, there were several handwritten lines written in black ink.

At the very top of the list was Ennea Ivory Ring Tower and Mercifura Academy, followed by Four Seasons Garden, and the tier below was the Hand of Femke, Human Faced Lion's Eye, Aide Society, and the like.

These were obviously the names of the true powers behind Nightless City.

"Ennea Ivory Ring Tower and Mercifura Academy are both schools and have the harshest requirements for Magi who wish to enter. They even demand that Magi hand over a part of their spirit, and make an unbreakable vow! Even though their treatment is the best, I won't go there."

From the very start, Leylin crossed off Ennea Ivory Ring Tower and Mercifura Academy from the piece of parchment.

"As for the Hand of Femke and the Human Faced Lion's Eye, they are both organisations formed by and for half-humans. The ratio of pure humans to half-humans is quite low, and there are rumours that they are discriminated against, so I'm not going there either!"

Once again, Leylin struck off two organisations from the list with a wave off his black goose feather quill pen.

"As for Aide Society, they are more partial towards using positive energy magic. It's an organisation made up of light Magi who are known for their healing abilities, which is definitely not my cup of tea…"

Leylin struck off the characters that represented Aide Society.

There was just one lonely option left on the parchment.

"Four Seasons Garden. I guess this is my only choice…"

Leylin had a bitter smile on his face. From the information that he had received from Crew, Leylin had a certain level of understanding regarding the organisations backing Nightless City.

However, many of them did not meet his requirements.

He was thinking of entering an organisation as an external lecturer or a visitor, but most organisations required their recruits to pledge their absolute loyalty to them.

There were some with more lax prerequisites, but unfortunately, their specialisation did not coincide with Leylin's interests, so he could not learn much from them.

No matter how he saw it, Four Seasons Garden was his only option.

Four Seasons Garden was a large scale Magi organisation. There were rumours that it was founded by a formidable Potioneering organization, and even now, Four Seasons Garden was still well known for its cultivation of vegetation, as well as Potioneering.

This coincided with what Leylin was studying.

The requirements to enter this organisation were also laxer, and those who had talent in Potioneering received excellent treatment.

Leylin had already achieved a certain level of attainment in Potioneering, and with the help of the A.I. Chip, he was almost as good as his mentor, Kroft. If he revealed just a small portion of his talent, it would definitely be enough to gain the respect of the Magi at Four Seasons Garden.

Since Four Seasons Garden was a Magi organisation renowned for Potioneering, it was sure to have many formulas, even including those ancient Potioneering formulas.

In addition, the large quantities of documents and books that they possessed would definitely be extremely helpful for the A.I. Chip's database.

As Leylin pondered, a trace of anticipation flashed within his eyes.

The next day, Leylin donned leather armour, with a cross blade in a silver scabbard, and went to the second level of the communal centre in the Nightless City.

The level of activity in the construction resembling a gargantuan palm was very high; every now and then, magicians walked in and out like scurrying ants.

This time, Leylin entered through the passage that resembled the thumb.

Most of the Magi here were rank 1, with cold auras that deterred others from getting into close proximity with them.

"These are most likely wandering Magi coming here to seek an opportunity!"

Leylin inadvertently scanned his surroundings and saw several strangely dressed Magi. Just based on the energy waves radiating from them, Leylin felt a sense of danger. With just one look at them, one could tell that they were no pushovers.

There was a large hall at the end of the passage, and straight ahead of it, there were several counters that were separated by glass windows. Within those counters, several magicians seemed to be scribbling on their papers.

Four Seasons Garden

As there were only a few official Magi, empty counters were readily available.

There were a few magicians sitting on the big benches around the hall as if waiting for something or someone.

Leylin looked around and arrived in the front of an empty counter.

"Hello!" The young maiden behind the counter seemed to emit the energy waves of a level 3 acolyte. Upon seeing Leylin, she greeted him cheerfully, as her face brightened up with a smile.

"I wish to join Four Seasons Garden, hence I'm here to apply!" Leylin directly told her his purpose for arriving.

"Nightless City welcomes you as our newest member!" After listening to Leylin's request, the young maiden's smiling expression was more pronounced. "Please show me your ring!"

Leylin removed the silver ring from his finger and handed it over to her.

The young maiden reached out for the ring, placed it onto an instrument from behind the counter, and then respectfully handed the ring back to Leylin.

"Please fill out this form, and we will send a reply to you as soon as possible!" Subsequently, the young maiden handed a sheepskin parchment form to Leylin.

Leylin glanced at the form.

The questions on the form were simple. They asked for a name, aptitude, elemental affinity, address, and so on. On the back of the form was a note, allowing magicians to fill in other information they deemed as important.

Leylin quickly filled out the form and handed it back to the maiden.

The maiden accepted the form from Leylin and pressed on the crystal ball in front of her as if consulting something. Soon after, her face reflected her joy.

"Lord Leylin! A few examiners from Four Seasons Garden will be here this afternoon to conduct a test. You'll only have to wait for a bit…"

"Oh? It seems like lady luck is shining on me!"

Leylin smiled as he nodded his head; he had finally found out what those magicians in the hall were waiting for.

According to Crew, after wandering magicians handed over their application forms, they would have to wait for the examiners of the various guilds, who would classify their abilities through an assessment.

The timing was not fixed. It could be as short as a few days, or as long as a few months.

This time, however, Leylin had managed to catch the right timing.

"Thank you!"

Leylin thanked the girl behind the glass window, and proceeded to a corner of the hall devoid of others, and closed his eyes as he waited.

"Hello Mister, would you like some lunch?"

A somewhat timid female voice sounded near Leylin.

Leylin opened his eyes and realised that a maid pushing a white dining cart had come up to him.

On the dining cart, there were a few silver plates on which a temperature-maintaining spell had been cast. Even though they were covered, the food's aroma still drifted over to Leylin's nose.

"What kinds of dishes are there? Do they require magic crystals for payment?" Leylin asked with curiosity.

It was evident that it was the first time the maid had seen an easygoing magician like Leylin; her reaction was sluggish. "There is roasted lamb thigh, calf loin… As for dessert, there's an assorted fruit salad! All of these are complimentary…"

Leylin nodded his head. It seemed that official Magi were treated pretty well in the Nightless City.

This was common sense. It didn't matter where it was; a person who had mastered a certain degree of power or ability would always be valued.

"Give me one portion of the roasted lamb thigh, as well as a portion of the fruit salad!"

The lobby was very large, and there were even customised compartment rooms that one could choose so stay in. Other than meals, it seemed that there were other special offers.

Leylin personally witnessed a huge magician pulling a maid into one of the compartment rooms. Following which, sounds of repressed moans could be heard.

"L… Lord, if you want…" The maid servicing Leylin was also quite a beauty and combined with her slightly shy demeanour, caused one to feel lusty, and desire to ravage her.

"There is no need. I'll just eat outside!"

Leylin shook his head. Inside the hall were some round tables and long benches, similar to the layout of a coffee place from his past life, where one could stay to dine.

Leylin considered whether he had his sperms acting as a brain. With the assessment commencing this afternoon, how could that magician still think of something like this? Wasn't he afraid that his current actions would adversely affect his state of mind and ability to produce results during the assessment?

Upon hearing Leylin's response, the maid released a sigh of relief. Soon afterwards, whether it was because she felt like she had been relieved of a huge burden, or she just felt empty, Leylin had made his way into her heart.

While the maid looked at Leylin, who exuded elegance and charisma, she momentarily felt an indescribable feeling.

Leylin, on the other hand, did not notice the maid's feelings.

He was currently skilfully controlling the knife and fork in his hands, sending the lamb thigh meat into his mouth. Every move he made had an indescribable feeling of elegance and grace to it.

In his previous life, Leylin was someone who paid extra attention to etiquette, and as the heir to an aristocrat, the previous Leylin had also undergone etiquette lessons over a long period of time.

As a result, the original Leylin was very noble-like, and when coupled with the charisma he had gained from the Kemoyin bloodline, plenty of young female magicians favoured him.

Just by walking along the streets of Nightless City, the present Leylin would spot several young ladies stealing glances at him.

There were even a few voluptuous female magicians that directly requested a date with Leylin, causing him to be dumbfounded.

After having a pretty tasty lunch, Leylin waited for a while before entering the hall, in which a large commotion was occurring amongst the magicians.

"Are they here?"

Leylin watched attentively as two Magi, who wore white robes imprinted with four unknown flower designs, walked to the center of the hall.

Next to them were two other Magi wrapped in white cloaks, revealing nothing but two pairs of green eyes.

"Today is the day of assessment for Four Seasons Garden and Hand of Femke. Those who have submitted their application form and would like to join Hand of Femke, please come with me!"

One of the Magi with green eyes spoke first in a hoarse voice as if his vocal cords had been damaged.

At the moment that he began to speak, the surrounding air started to faintly vibrate. Circles of aquamarine light started to loom around his body.

"This is ... a semi­-converted elemental Magus?!" Leylin blinked.

This type of energy wave was similar to the one that he had seen from the clone of the elder of the Lilytell Family.

After the cloaked figure revealed his strength as a semi-converted elemental Magus, the whole hall turned silent.

Magi only respected and answered to power and strength, and this was even truer among wandering magicians and dark Magi.

Furthermore, under normal circumstances, wandering magicians and wanted Magi had no fixed ways of breaking through their bottlenecks due to the lack of means to obtain advanced academic knowledge, potions, and the like.

As a result, wandering magicians were generally of lower levels. Even amongst the wandering official Magi, it was extremely rare to find a semi­-converted elemental Magus.

While the large Magi organizations of Nightless City could easily dispatch two semi-converted elemental Magi as examiners, this kind of power was something that smaller organizations could only hope to achieve.

After the cloaked figured finished his speech, he left without delay, and headed to a nearby side tunnel, while his companion followed behind without a word.

Upon hearing the words of the green eyed magician, many magicians in the hall stood up and followed closely behind him.

Leylin could sense a mixture of energies emanating from these magicians. Some even had fur on their faces, which was an obvious trait of being half beast.

"It's a pity, They're just a tribe of sub-human Magi and not Warlocks!"

Leylin now anxiously wished to be able to find another Warlock organisation.

He simply had too many unanswered questions regarding this ancient branch of Magi, the Warlock. With just the Book of Giant Serpents, he wouldn't be able to go far upon the path of his bloodline.

However, unfortunately, warlocks seemed to be extinct within the South Coast. Leylin had travelled this far and had only been able to find a little girl in the Inlan Dukedom, who had a very slight connection with warlocks.

"Hello, everyone! I am Wade, a Magus from the Four Seasons Garden! This person next to me is Tyne!"

In comparison to the lack of politeness received from the men from Hand of Femke, the two main examiners from Four Seasons Garden were friendlier.

Wade, the middle-aged magician with golden hair, had taken the initiative and introduced himself. Tyne, who was next to him, was silent and taciturn, and sometimes even absent-minded.

However, from their bodies, one could feel that they possessed the strong energy waves of a semi­-converted elemental Magus, discouraging wandering Magi from causing trouble.

"Now! Those who want to be assessed for Four Seasons Garden, please come with me!"

The golden-haired Wade turned towards the side road in the opposite direction that the Magi from the Hand of Femke had taken. Tyde followed closely behind.

Leylin and the rest of the five or six magicians exchanged glances and started taking strides to catch up.

The side road was long, and the path was made of an unusual and bizarre material. The floor had no traces of cracks, and it was smooth and glossy. Leylin could even see his own reflection on the ground.

After walking for about ten minutes, Leylin and the rest arrived at a hall that was slightly smaller than the one from before.

In the middle of the hall, there were several experiment tables and equipment for Potioneering.

Upon seeing this, Leylin instantly knew what the Four Seasons Garden was going to evaluate them on.

"As we all know, our Four Seasons Garden is famous for our specialisation in Potioneering. Therefore, we have some requirements in the area of Potioneering for new members. The test is very simple. Within the established time, successfully brew a bottle of Jeffrey's Purifying Potion!"

Wade spoke softly, but it seemed like some sort of magic technique was being used, and his voice was clearly heard by every magician's ears.

"Raw materials are arranged on the experiment tables; we have prepared three portions of raw materials for each of you. In other words, you'll only have two chances to fail!"

"This kind of request…."

Leylin squinted for a bit. Jeffrey's Purifying Potion was a type of middle-grade medicine, which, even amongst potions of a similar tier, was famous for being extremely difficult to brew.

Brewing this potion with only three portions of ingredients and within a specified time limit was something only those who were at a level comparable to Potion masters such as Kroft would be able to pass.

"Tsk…."

Sure enough, after the listing the requirements, Leylin heard distinct hisses from the magicians around him.

"In recent years, the larger powers within Nightless City have made their recruitment criteria increasingly stringent…"

At this time, a sound of complaint travelled to Leylin's ears.