The strange object Ryan was working on was a simple filter. In the alchemist's toolkit, there was no such concept as a filter, but Ryan knew that every solution contained impurities, and the way to eliminate them was through filtration. Since the solution for inscribing the magic circle was highly corrosive, Ryan had to use crystal powder to make this device. It was a crystal vial without a bottom, resembling a glass tube on Earth. The tube's opening was very narrow, and inside the crystal powder, larger grains were placed at both ends, with finer grains in the middle, creating a filtration effect.
After filtering the solution, Ryan poured it into his alchemy pen, which he had modified. The outlet of the pen was made smaller to allow for a more controlled flow. In alchemy, the thickness of the magic circle's lines didn't affect its magic. The power of the circle was determined by the quality of the solution, similar to how electrical conductivity isn't determined by the thickness of wires, but by the material used. For low-level alchemy, the thickness of the lines didn't matter much, but the strength of the magic circle depended on the grade and material of the solution. For example, with magic ape leather, the magic circle could only handle up to a level 3 spell. If you tried to use materials from a level 4 magical beast, the magic ape leather would be destroyed immediately.
Ryan calmed himself and quickly began inscribing the magic circle on the magic ape leather. A small amount of fire magic flowed through a mithril wire in the pen, mixing with the solution and landing on the leather. For low-level alchemy works, the type of magic used didn't matter much because there was no concept of "compatibility" at this stage. Only at level 5, when a magic user's spiritual power was particularly strong, would compatibility come into play. With the improvements Ryan had made to the pen, the solution didn't flow out on its own—it had to be moved by the pen. It was like a fountain pen on Earth, where you had to apply pressure for the ink to flow. Ryan had noticed the flaw in the alchemy pen on his first day and, using crystal to sharpen the tip and the leather of the magic ape to seal the back, had made it work.
When Ryan finished drawing the magic circle, it flashed with a soft yellow light, signaling success. This magic circle would slowly absorb the omnipresent earth elements and, upon receiving a heavy impact, could release the earth magic stored within it, forming a small shield to protect against the blow. This was a low-level alchemical creation, part of the 1–4 level works. Alchemical works of level 5 and above would embed magical cores or crystals, but Ryan didn't know much beyond this basic concept.
"Heh, genius. A level 1 mage can actually craft a level 1 alchemical item. It seems I've come to the right place." As soon as Ryan finished his first creation, a loud laugh echoed, and he felt a powerful presence enter the room. Looking up, he saw an elderly man wearing a golden staff emblem, followed by two others wearing silver staff emblems. Ryan was stunned. He had wanted to make a name for himself, but these were Grandmaster Mages—the top of the food chain in this world. Ryan's mind raced as he tried to figure out how to seize this opportunity, but in the eyes of outsiders, his reaction only showed his lack of worldly experience.
The elderly man glanced at Ryan, then picked up the magic ape leather armor Ryan had just crafted. After inspecting it, he noticed the lines were uniformly spaced, and the layout was very reasonable. The center of the design wasn't exactly in the middle of the chest, but slightly to the left, which surprised the man. Only high-level alchemists would know that the heart is slightly to the left. What intrigued him even more was that the leather didn't show any signs of stitching. If there were stitches, the magic circle wouldn't be able to be inscribed. The old man didn't ask Ryan immediately but picked up the alchemy pen and the filter. Although he seemed deep in thought, he couldn't figure out the logic. The old man wasn't very familiar with alchemy, but he knew that a level 1 mage crafting a level 1 alchemical item was nothing short of genius.
"Ryan, would you be willing to accept our invitation to join the Mage Guild?" After examining Ryan's work, the elderly man issued the invitation. This was the main reason for his visit. Although he hadn't yet witnessed Ryan's ability to cast instant spells, just this one alchemical creation was enough to warrant an invitation. The two silver-level mages behind him looked on enviously. Every mage who joined the Mage Guild had their record carefully documented, including who extended the invitation. This was crucial, as it determined the mage's rank and benefits within the guild. There were three levels of treatment: C, B, and A. C-level mages received protection from the guild, could learn magic for free, and received a modest allowance. B-level mages could oversee certain matters and received doubled allowances, plus the ability to purchase magic materials at half price. A-level mages were the elite—receiving not only allowances but also access to magic materials for free with the guild president's approval, and 40% of the results from magical experiments conducted with the guild's resources. Such experiments could consume tens of thousands of gold coins, and success was never guaranteed.
"You, what about the protection for the families of mages? I mean, ordinary people, like wives and children... Of course, I'm not counting the next generation," Ryan asked. He originally meant to ask about the treatment, but when he thought of Delis, he changed the topic. To others, this just sounded like nervousness.
"Heh, the Mage Guild protects not just the mages but also their families. Don't even mention pets—no one is allowed to harm them," the old man answered arrogantly.
Ryan felt an immense sense of joy and quickly responded, "I am willing to accept your invitation, esteemed Mage." He didn't hesitate. When a Golden Mage invites you, you can't refuse. Even if this old man doesn't trouble you, the people under him will, and you won't survive long in this continent if you refuse. So, Ryan didn't even ask about the treatment. The old man, in turn, thought of it as a sign of loyalty.
"Good. You two, pack up everything here and send it to headquarters. Not a single item should be missing. Ryan, come with us." The old man's heart raced, as he had come out on a bet, and the stakes were high. Not only Ryan's magical talent but his alchemy skills were astonishing.
"Wait, I have a companion," Ryan hurriedly said as he realized he was about to leave.
"Hmm, you can bring up to two people. The rest can take the carriage and follow at their own pace," the old man responded, his excitement barely contained.
Ryan quickly ran back to his room and found Delis and Alice inside. Before he could say anything, Delis rushed at him, crying. Ryan didn't understand what was happening and quickly said, "We'll talk about it later. They're waiting outside."
"W-What, you're abandoning me?" Delis asked through sobs, her eyes swollen and red, shock evident on her face.
"My darling, how could I ever abandon you? Hurry, pack up your things. We're going to the Mage Guild headquarters with the Golden Mage. Don't bring anything unnecessary," Ryan kissed Delis on the lips before adding, "Let's go."
Delis had nothing left to pack. Alice quickly said goodbye to Tory, who was excited about the trip. In truth, Alice hadn't wanted to go to the Mage Guild, but seeing Ryan and Delis in their state made her uneasy. Upon hearing the mention of the Golden Mage, Alice no longer hesitated and decided to go with Ryan. Tory was thrilled because, before leaving, Ryan had told him and Terry they could go to the Mage Guild to find them. Now, Tory couldn't wait to see his master's reaction.
"Hey, little Ryan, can you show us some magic?" After a while, the old man suddenly remembered to ask Ryan to perform some magic.
"Sure." Ryan noticed that the old man didn't carry much of an attitude, so he held up two fingers. One of them summoned a fireball, while the other created a faint blue wind blade. Ryan glanced around and realized there wasn't much of a crowd in the street. With that, he dismissed the fireball and wind blade.
"Hiss." The old man and the two silver mages behind him gasped in awe. The old man was especially stunned, his scalp tingling from the sheer amazement. He felt like he had lost composure and turned away, muttering something under his breath. The two silver mages exchanged looks, nearly stumbling, and then shook their heads with a wry smile.
The group of five was enchanted by one of the silver wind mages, who used the levitation spell, so they left the city in just a few minutes. But it was Ryan's next comment that left everyone shocked.
Ryan looked up at the large bird—at least 15 meters long and 7 to 8 meters tall—that resembled a great egret. He immediately exclaimed, "What a huge bird! Where did this guy come from?"
The bird, as if responding, replied, "You're the bird! Your whole family is a bunch of birds!" Ryan froze in place, leaving Delis and Alice speechless.
Ryan soon remembered that the creature in front of them was a rare magical beast called a Wind Egret. Not only was it incredibly fast and nearly impossible to capture, but it was also highly intelligent. At level 7, it could already speak human language. Ryan, who had previously dismissed the idea, was now convinced. He decided to pretend he didn't know this and confidently boarded the Wind Egret as the old man suggested. The other two, along with Alice and Delis, also climbed aboard. Once on, the two women each took one of Ryan's arms. As they soared into the sky, Ryan glanced at the shrinking city of Harry. He knew this was his opportunity to stand out and make a name for himself, as the path ahead seemed far more promising than staying in the Mage Guild of Loya Province.
The Wind Egret's flight was incredibly smooth, protected by a magical shield that made it feel as though there was no wind at all. As time passed, Ryan noticed that the mountains below grew smaller and smaller, eventually giving way to vast plains, all lush and green. People were working busily on the plains, and Ryan could occasionally spot a passing city. Before leaving, Ryan had planned to look for his pet Niu Niu, but the pet had returned to its space. Ryan relayed a message to Tory, instructing him to bring the small green creature to the Mage Guild. Tory was thrilled by the news. Ryan was also aware that a level 5 Wind Magic Wolf was likely clearing the path ahead, which was sure to deter anyone who might want to block their way.
Meanwhile, back in Harry City, the lord was in a particularly good mood. The previous day, he had successfully dealt with his wife's maid, so he had stayed up late and woke up late as well. He was enjoying a glass of milk at noon and had instructed the kitchen to prepare some aphrodisiacal food for his next encounter with the maid. His anticipation was palpable, as he couldn't wait to continue his "battle" with the maid that night.
"My lord! My lord! Something's wrong!" The butler, no longer his usual composed self, burst into the lord's study, looking pale and panicked.
The lord frowned, displeased. "What's going on? Didn't you knock before entering?"
"My lord! It's terrible! The Mage Guild sent a Golden Mage here to collect a certain mage!" The butler's breath was short, and he hurriedly explained.
The lord immediately sprang to his feet, his face full of excitement. "Where? Prepare a generous gift, we'll go meet them right away!"
"But my lord, it's too late. The person has already left. It's said that the mage was attacked by bandits, and that's why the Golden Mage came." The butler finally finished his report.
The lord stood frozen for a moment, his face alternately red and pale, before he yelled, "Quick! Prepare five thousand gold coins! Go ask Lord Toya what happened, and gather all the troops. Damn these bandits!"
"My lord, I've found out some more details. It seems that the Mage Guild has already put pressure on the Thieves Guild, and two Sky Knights from Rhyx City have been dispatched to the scene. Two mages are accompanying them, along with their followers," the butler reported after gathering more information.
"Sky Knights? Level 7 knights? And mages with their followers? By the gods, what kind of bandit gang is this? This could wipe out an entire city!" the lord muttered to himself.
The butler, seeing his lord in such a state, cautiously asked, "My lord, should we prepare some supplies for these distinguished guests?"
"Yes, go quickly! Bring out the best from the warehouse and prepare gifts for the nobles in the capital as well!" The lord barked, then slumped in his chair, exhausted. Thanks to the squad leader's failure to report in time, the lord found himself facing significant financial losses.
Meanwhile, Ryan and the group were still in the air. "Lord Toyris, are we not going to Rhyx City?" Ryan felt his arm being jostled. He looked up to see Alice giving him a look and approached the old man, who was known as Toyris. No one dared ask for his full name.
Toyris glanced at Ryan and his two companions, shaking his head before replying, "No need. Too much trouble going there, with all the meetings and formalities. Besides, it's only a two-hour difference between Rhyx City and Alliance City."
Ryan was astonished. The world was so vast. He realized they had already been flying for more than an hour, which felt faster than any airplane. Rhyx City was close to the Alliance City District, so once they crossed the Rhyx borders, they would be in the Alliance City area. The total flight time was around three hours, meaning that the straight-line distance from Harry City to Alliance City was about 2,000 kilometers. Ryan marveled at how fast the Wind Egret was, even faster than an airplane.
"Boss, we're finished. Finished!" Scarface, looking up at two flying figures in the sky, and the warriors and archers closing in on them from the ground, felt a chill run down his spine. He knew these two groups alone could wipe out his entire squad of more than twenty men. Upon seeing Ryan and the group escaping, Scarface immediately realized things had gone wrong. He led his men back to the town, but the scene they encountered shocked them. The bodies of the fallen were already frozen solid, and Scarface, for the first time, felt fear. Without looking back, he fled, but his horse collapsed from exhaustion, and he was soon overtaken.
"We surrender! I'll tell you who's behind this!" Scarface cried out as he dropped his weapon. But the only response was a barrage of arrows, followed by the sound of his subordinates falling behind him. Then Scarface, to his surprise, realized he was still alive.