Upon returning to Anthony's laboratory, Charlie found that his teacher was not present. Anthony had been busy with his own research lately and had little time to attend to his two apprentices.
As Charlie stepped inside, Erin approached him with a flushed face, quickly reminding him that a visitor had been waiting for him for over two hours.
"It's you?" Charlie was taken aback when he saw a handsome figure in the guest room and quickly managed a wry smile. Could this guy be here to demand points from him because he had broken his promise?
Qianjue lightly tapped the table and stood up. Even a simple motion had a certain elegance about it, exuding charisma. No wonder Erin had a starry-eyed look, her IQ seeming to drop by half in his presence.
"You can humiliate my body, but you cannot break my will! Ha ha! Master Wizard, is that all you can do?" Qianjue declared, his words powerful and righteous, making hearts race.
These were Charlie's own words, and delivered by him, they carried an extraordinary weight.
"What a great 'is that all'!" Qianjue laughed heartily and praised, "Charlie, your deeds in the Inspection Department have spread throughout the entire academy. The most respected behavior in the Arcane Circle is to 'challenge authority,' and you took this to the extreme yesterday. You are now the idol of the entire academy!"
"Really?" Charlie touched his nose and self-deprecatingly remarked, "At that time, I was just throwing caution to the wind. Since I was going to die anyway, I might as well do something I wouldn't normally dare to do."
"Stop being humble! In that situation, not everyone would have reacted the way you did," Qianjue said as he gestured for Charlie to follow him. "Do you have time today? I want to take you out for a chat."
"Sure!" Charlie handed his books to Erin and followed Qianjue out.
Having just returned from Master Narl's magical tower, he was now taken by Qianjue to the upscale shopping district around the tower. This area was a high-end consumption zone in the Arcane Circle, where many services could not be bought with money alone; one had to spend points, effectively isolating the lower and middle classes of the Arcane Circle.
Qianjue led Charlie into a luxuriously decorated bar. Soon, a sweet-faced young girl took them upstairs to a private room. She seemed a bit awkward in her demeanor, not like a professionally trained server.
Charlie was surprised to notice that she wore a gold-level apprentice badge on her chest, which indicated that she was not only a student but likely a higher-level one. Outside of the academy, she might have impressive titles such as a duke's favored daughter or a baroness who owned several estates.
Seeing Charlie's gaze, Qianjue smiled and explained, "If you want, there are many ways to earn points in the Arcane Circle. Working part-time as a server here can earn you five points an hour, plus decent tips—it's an ideal part-time job.
Of course, the requirements are quite high; a gold badge is the minimum threshold. Good looks, a pleasant voice, a distinguished background, and having received awards at the academy all count as pluses. So, it's quite common to see young ladies serving drinks here; some people like that sort of thing."
Charlie shook his head and sighed, "You rich people really know how to have fun!"
"Don't underestimate them; compared to many jobs, this is actually a very legitimate and clean one," Qianjue gave Charlie a knowing look.
For points, perhaps people would sell anything!
Charlie suddenly realized this and couldn't help but marvel that even the most glamorous places have their hidden dirt. He shook his head and laughed, "I have no grounds to underestimate them; I don't even qualify to carry a tray."
Qianjue opened the door for him, making an inviting gesture.
As the door swung open, the first thing Charlie saw was Qianxue sitting by the window.
She was curled up in a chair, hugging her legs and nibbling on a straw. Her cheeks were rosy, and her fair skin glowed faintly in the sunlight, exuding a radiant charm. The soft curves of her body perfectly showcased youthful allure, and her lazy, curled-up posture made her side profile especially captivating.
Hearing the door open, Qianxue turned her head and quickly got up to greet him, smiling, "Brother Charlie, you're here!"
Her demeanor was a mix of joy, shyness, and a hint of awe, perhaps still feeling a bit nervous about Charlie's previous indifference.
Charlie smiled back and nodded.
Once the door closed, the three took their seats in the private space.
Qianxue felt shy, Charlie appeared puzzled, and a brief silence fell over the room.
Qianjue spoke up, "Charlie, do you know why I asked you to come today?"
Charlie chuckled wryly, "Are you here to get that points card back from me?"
Qianjue chuckled awkwardly and said, "No, that's a compensation for you taking care of Qianxue on the ship. You deserve that without needing to mention it again. I brought you here today to apologize for making that unreasonable request."
Charlie was surprised and glanced at Qianxue, who pretended to be looking out the window.
Charlie chuckled, "You really spoil your sister."
Qianjue rubbed her head, and she playfully swatted his hand away, showing her teeth in a grin.
Qianjue laughed, "This little one is a tyrant at home, and everyone is afraid of her. I thought there was no one who could handle her in this world, but then you appeared. It seems that the master is fair; she has a nemesis."
Qianxue squirmed a bit, burying her face in her arms on the table.
Charlie finally understood Qianxue's influence in the Wales family. In truth, Qianjue didn't need to apologize; he had done nothing wrong. Charlie also began to appreciate the depth of his sentiment. As expected of an heir nurtured by a century-old aristocratic family, Qianjue possessed extraordinary charisma that was hard not to admire.
Charlie smiled but said nothing in response.
Qianjue said seriously, "This time, when Felinand caused trouble for you, my family initially wanted to intervene behind the scenes to see if we could ease the situation. However, we didn't expect the Inspection Department to act so fast, completely catching us off guard. Fortunately, Princess Angelina stepped in, or it could have turned into a disaster."
Charlie replied, "Yeah! Before I returned, I had considered the possibility of retaliation. I asked Qing Tong for help, and thankfully, that arrangement worked. I didn't expect Master Felinand to target a new student."
Qianxue said with lingering fear, "Yes! Thanks to Sister Qing Tong! If it weren't for Lady Angelina's intervention, even Master Narl alone wouldn't have been able to stop that old man! You have no idea how fierce he is—an old man who's lived for hundreds of years targeting a child in their teens? How could he have the nerve!"
"I've found some clues and can confirm that Peter and Prince Winning are behind it, so Mr. Felinand let go of his pride and acted against you. There are probably some unknown trades happening behind the scenes."
"So it's these two bastards causing trouble! I'll fix them!"
Qianjue frowned, "Don't be reckless! Do you think the academy is your home? You can't afford to provoke Prince Winning. Stay away from him!"
Qianxue huffed, "I can just tell my aunt! I can't do anything about him, but her father definitely can!"
"Qianxue!" Qianjue called her name, "Don't cause trouble for your aunt. The situation in the palace is very complicated. One action can affect everything. Don't act rashly!"
Seeing Qianxue pouting, Charlie could tell she was still unconvinced, and although she didn't speak, she likely had her own plans brewing.
Noticing this, Charlie felt a warmth in his heart and said, "Qianxue, listen to me. Don't get involved; this is a matter between men. I will personally settle the grudges with Peter!"
Qianxue obediently replied, "Okay."
Qianjue sighed in relief and asked, "When did you develop a grudge against Prince Winning?"
Charlie explained, "It should have started during Master Narl's Stellar Meditation class! It's probably because of Qing Tong. She and I are good friends, and it seems he sees Qing Tong as his possession."
Qianjue shook his head, "Winning is ambitious and intelligent, making him difficult to deal with. The only notable flaw he has is his weakness for beautiful women."
"He really is a lecherous scoundrel." Charlie recounted the story of how he had ruined Prince Winning's plans at the Sogo Marshes as a joke.
After hearing Charlie's story, Qianjue burst into laughter, "That was a brilliant move! He must be so frustrated! The key issue is, he's full of anger but doesn't know who to vent it on."
Qianxue's face turned slightly red, and she spat, "What a shameless person! No wonder Sister Su Xi has been avoiding him!"
It seemed that the core circles of the Millennium Empire were not too vast, and everyone recognized each other when certain names came up.
While they laughed, dealing with such an opponent was genuinely troublesome. Peter had been warned by Angelina and might restrain himself, but Prince Winning was lurking in the shadows. With Qing Tong's intervention on Charlie's behalf, it was likely that another grudge would be added to his heart, making it impossible for him to let Charlie off the hook.
Qianjue said solemnly, "Charlie, have you thought about why you came to the Arcane Circle? What ultimate goal do you want to achieve?"
Charlie pondered for a moment and replied, "Before coming to the Arcane Circle, I just wanted to learn magic well, work hard to improve my strength, and prove that I'm not worthless. Looking at it now, that goal seems a bit small."
"Of course it's too small! You achieving first place in new student points is enough to demonstrate your strength and potential. Master Narl personally confirmed your talent, proving you are a monster outside the academy's talent assessment system. That goal is practically no goal at all."
"Do you have any suggestions, Qianjue?"
"My advice comes in two parts: personal development and team building." Qianjue held up two fingers to explain, "Personal development means you should aim to reach the Crescent-level wizard strength before graduation. An 18-year-old Crescent-level wizard has the potential to become a master wizard. You have already mastered Stellar Meditation, so it shouldn't be too difficult.
Team building means you need to attract a group of people willing to follow you. A single person's energy is always limited, and to exert greater influence, you need the support of a team.
In fact, the upper echelons of the Millennium Empire desperately push their heirs into the academy. Their main expectation isn't just to train their heirs' personal strength, but to have them build their networks within the academy—both with classmates and teachers. After graduation, this will become their most valuable asset, as graduates from the Arcane Circle are virtually guaranteed to rise to the middle and upper levels of the empire.
If you want to surpass your father, Duke Thomas, this step of building relationships is essential!"
Having been pointed in the right direction by Qianjue, Charlie immediately began to understand some issues he hadn't previously realized. These words came from the heart.
"I've learned a lot," Charlie nodded and chuckled, "Brother, aren't you too confident in me? Becoming a Crescent-level wizard in three years is quite a tall order!
Right now, I still face a significant hurdle—a life-and-death duel with Peter at the end of the year, and he is a student of Master Felinand."
Qianjue, with a proud look, said, "So what! A true battle wizard is forged through real combat, not built up with resources. From the perspective of training, your chances are equal."
Charlie silently nodded.
Qianjue laughed, "Don't worry! If the opportunity arises, I'll take you to experience what a real wizard is like. By then, you'll have confidence, but let's wait until you become a Stellar Wizard to talk about it."
"Alright, it's a deal!"