The Crimson Mage Tower's carriage slowly moved along the wide cobblestone road of Green City.
To accommodate the two apprentices, Laurent specially replaced Lide's carriage with a more spacious one.
Lide sat inside the carriage, with Veena and Kohen sitting on either side of him. The two occasionally turned their heads curiously to look at the street.
Like children who had not been out for a long time, they were a bit excited.
Lide ignored them and closed his eyes to begin meditating.
Lide grew increasingly fond of this entry-level spell for mages—Meditation Skill.
Magic power was the foundation of a mage, and Meditation Skill was the only spell that could effectively increase a mage's magic power.
Meditation Skill was also a spell, but it was more magical. Normal spellcasting required the input of magic power to activate the magic model.
But Meditation Skill was different. It did not require the input of magic power; it only needed spiritual power to continuously operate the meditation model in the mind.
Additionally, Meditation Skill did not have fixed magic nodes, so each execution was like redrawing the magic model.
A mage needed to concentrate to efficiently operate the magic model of Meditation Skill.
Meditation was an activity that required considerable persistence and patience. Generally speaking, the magic power increased through meditation in a year might not exceed 10 points, and even less if encountering a bottleneck, far less than what could be gained by leveling up.
However, meditation was also the best method to widen the gap in combat power between mages of the same level. A mage who had meditated for ten years would absolutely have thirty percent more magic power than a mage who never meditated.
The amount of magic power indicated the number and potency of spells that could be cast, significantly enhancing combat power.
The Ancestor Bloodline had meditated for two hundred years. Although his strength dropped somewhat after being severely injured by a Transcendent Mage,
Lide estimated that his current magic value of 652 points absolutely far exceeded those of the same-level Advanced Mages.
This was the sedimentation brought by time, the unique advantage of longevity species.
Lide's current love for magic absolutely did not fall short of the Blood Clan Ancestor's. He was deeply fascinated by the constant absorption of surrounding magic power.
These days of meticulous study of magic within the Mage Tower also provided him a satisfaction he never had before.
Watching one magical spell after another dance at his fingertips, he was almost entranced.
An hour later, the three got off the carriage.
Laurent and two assistants from the Chamber of Commerce had already disembarked from the front carriage, waiting.
Green City, as a large city with a population of over a million, its bustling city center even exceeded Lide's expectations.
The crowded scene had a bit of the feel of a crowded subway in Huaxia.
Most of the people on the streets were commoners, mostly dressed in coarse linen clothes, their eyes somewhat evasive. Upon seeing a carriage on the road, they often stopped in a panic or retreated to the sides of the street.
A small fraction of them were nobles in bright and luxurious clothing. Their elegant manners made them extremely conspicuous in the crowd, and they were both the objects of envy and fear among the commoners.
The shops on both sides of the street, selling various foods, clothes, and weapons, all had their doors wide open. The people entering and exiting were either upper-class commoners in cotton clothes or splendidly dressed nobles, their spirits entirely different.
The buildings lining the road mostly had semicircular and spire structures, engraved with religious reliefs of divine salvation.
Several unknown temple clergy were solemnly repairing the wings of a giant angel statue that had been damaged by the wind.
There were no signs of slave traders or beggars in the city center, likely driven away by the City Lord's patrolling team that passed by from time to time...this was where the City Lord lived.
By the roadside where Lide's carriage parked was a spacious vacant lot, facing a fifteen-foot-high, five-story Ancient Roman-style building.
A large plaque of a century-old red maple stood upright in the flowerbed in the center of the vacant lot, inscribed with several large characters in the common language of the continent.
Alex Chamber of Commerce.
Additionally, a Three Circle Magic spell was enchanted on it; literacy—anyone who saw this plaque, whether they recognized the common language or not, could clearly understand the information on it.
"Lord Lide, there are three branches of the Alex Chamber of Commerce in Green City, and this is the headquarters. I have already arranged with their Vice President, please."
Laurent was very aware of his role as a subordinate and knew that he had botched his task, so he cautiously attended to Lide.
"No worries, this isn't your fault, but from now on, you must also establish your connections within the upper echelons of Green City.
Just like those nobles, I don't want to have to personally intervene every time I need something done."
Lide did not overly blame Laurent.
His foundation in Green City was still a bit too shallow, and even finding a familiar noble to solve problems was difficult.
However, Laurent was a good representative. Although a timid businessman, he had capabilities.
Before finding a more suitable candidate, Laurent would handle matters regarding the Golden Wheat Commerce for him for a long time.
"Yes, thank you for your mercy, Lord Lide. I won't disappoint you again. This way, please, the entrance to the Alex Chamber of Commerce is over here."
Being one of the three largest chambers of commerce in Green City, the Alex Chamber of Commerce's scale was incomparable to a third-rate commerce like the Golden Wheat Commerce.
The headquarters of the Alex Chamber of Commerce was a hundred times larger than the Crimson Mage Tower, with as many as three thousand employees.
The main gate of the chamber of commerce faced this small plaza directly. Under Laurent's guidance, Lide walked straight into the gate that could accommodate five carriages entering side-by-side.
The guards in silver half-armors forged by dwarves were momentarily stunned upon seeing the mage robe-clad Lide. Upon catching sight of the half-moon emblem on the mage robes, their expressions changed slightly.
Advanced Mage.
They stepped forward respectfully, placing a hand over their chest in greeting.
"Good day, Honorable Mage. It is our privilege to serve you."
Seeing this scene, Laurent felt quite pleased. Yesterday, when he came to visit, these guards did not even bother with him and directly chased him away.
Today, when he presented Lide's gift card, the guards still didn't treat him well.
Now, seeing them bow to his backer, Laurent felt extremely joyous, as if the guards were bowing to him.
"Lord Lide has an appointment with your president. Here is the gift card."
Veena stepped forward and courteously handed the gift card from the Vice President of the Alex Chamber of Commerce to Laurent, over to the guard.
The guard was stunned by Veena's beauty but did not dare to look too much. Taking the gift card with both hands, he glanced at it before respectfully saying,
"Honorable Mr. Lide, please, Chairman Winnie gave special instructions for you to be taken directly to her office upon your arrival."
Lide nodded, his black mage robe with silver embroidery making his aura even more elegant and noble than that of a noble's.
"Much obliged."
"No, it is my honor to serve someone like yourself, please."
Laurent followed behind Lide, feeling exceedingly comfortable as he watched the guard bowing and smiling obsequiously. It was like eating ice watermelon on a hot June day.
At this moment, he silently praised himself a hundred times for selling the Golden Wheat Commerce to Lide.
Indeed, in Green City, having a mage lord as a backer was a wise move.
Praise the Life Goddess.
Upon entering the hall of the Alex Chamber of Commerce, Lide was fascinated.
Adorned with elf decorations, the dwarf-made grand clock hung centrally, ticking crisply.
The hall's exquisite reliefs, extolling the Life Goddess, exuded a rich religious aura, making one unable to look away.
Suspended mid-air was a chandelier of magic crystal stones glimmering with a soft yellow light, the equivalent quality of magic crystal stones costing three times that of Gold Puck.
The floor was paved with royal-use white starry tiles, the walls adorned with vibrant, lush paintings.
This place didn't resemble a chamber of commerce's headquarters, but rather an art exhibition hall.
It was indeed the headquarters of a major chamber of commerce in Green City; from a marquis family. The decorations here were more luxurious and lavish than his castle.
Veena and Kohen were already overwhelmed by the splendor. Veena, hailing from a commoner background, had never been to such an opulent place.
Kohen, though born into a small noble family, had a relatively affluent upbringing but could not compare to the Alex Chamber of Commerce.
"Lord Lide, this place is like a palace, so beautiful."
Lide laughed at Veena's exclamation: "In the future, the headquarters of the Golden Wheat Commerce will be more luxurious than the headquarters of the Alex Chamber of Commerce."
Several passing employees who overheard this paused, ready to mock Laurent and the group.
What a joke, how grand was the Alex Chamber of Commerce, and you bumpkins dared to compare?
But upon recognizing Lide's mage robe, they immediately shut their mouths and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Mage lords were not to be trifled with.
"They say Mr. Lide is the most outstanding talent among the mages in Green City. I had some doubts before.
But daring to speak like that after seeing the hall of the Alex Chamber of Commerce, you indeed are extraordinary."
A voice as clear as the nightingale's call rang beside Lide.
Lide turned his head to see a lady in a pure white noble gown approaching, flanked by several guards.
The girl's long neck was raised like a proud swan, with a classical and elegant demeanor, the hallmark cultivation of a great noble.
Her brown hair fell on her shoulders like scattered tulips.
Her features were exquisite and perfect, a breathtaking beauty that could make any man hold his breath.
The most striking were her pair of beautiful violet eyes, whose glittering light could allure a divine being.
An awestruck Kohen beside them let out a subconscious exclamation,
"Green City's most beautiful tulip, Lord Winnie."