by Zhuang Bifan
Lasorick stood up at once, and his agitation made him topple a few glasses of wine on the table. His face was crimson and his arms were waving vigorously. A timid man would have been scared by him.
Unfortunately, Lin Li did not have a cowardly personality.
Hence, when Lasorick stood up, he did not even pay any attention to him. To Lin Li, that man with exaggerated actions was not a human, but a buzzing fly.
"Watch your words, Lasorick. You're too rude," said William with an ashen face.
"But, Uncle William…"
Although Lasorick was usually arrogant and unreasonable, he did not dare to be too arrogant before this man. From how his father usually treated William with extreme politeness, he knew that this skinny old man should not be just an elder who owned the Time Consignment Store. His status would not be as what he portrayed it to be.
Just when Lasorick was still thinking of excuses to defend himself, he felt somebody tugging on his sleeves. He stole a glance and saw his companion gesturing to him. Lasorick hesitated before sitting down unwillingly. Only after that did the young man stand up from his seat slowly.
"My apologies, Mage Felic. As you see, Lasorick is a straightforward man. If his words offended you, please don't be appeased. I will help him apologize to you in advance. But, your attitude towards Mr. William indeed lacks proper respect…"
"Is that so…" Lin Li said as he glanced at the man casually. He became clearer of the man's identity now. This fella had to be related to someone he knew of. Otherwise, he would not have stepped out to create such an incitement between William and him. Although that man seemed to be apologizing for Lasorick, his actual intention still surfaced in the last line he spoke.
"Argus, could you help me take the wine I left on the way here?" William spoke.
"Alright, Mr. William…" The young man froze. His smile became very awkward. But, he was definitely not as foolish as Lasorick. After a short moment of hesitation, he excused himself from William and Lin Li.
"I'm so sorry, Mage Felic. These kids are still learning. Please do not hold it against them." William smiled apologetically after the young man by the name of Argus walked away.
"Hehe, Mr. William is too nervous…" Seeing that the elder was really sincere in his apology, Lin Li started to form a good impression of William.
"The question I asked earlier on was indeed too abrupt. But, I hope that you don't misunderstand me. I'm just asking as a curious appraiser. When I was very young, my father kept on reminding me that a successful appraiser has to have a curious heart, and not be satisfied with the knowledge he already gained."
"You really want to know?"
"Yes," William replied and nodded seriously.
After thinking for a while, he called Norfeller over. "Norfeller, lend me the Heaven's Wrath for a while."
"Yes, Master." Norfeller did not ask anything. He took down the pair of daggers that was hanging at his waist, and placed it on the table.
"Mage Felic, this is…" William gasped after he saw Norfeller.
"His name is Norfeller, a companion I met in Doland." Lin Li naturally did not reveal Norfeller's true identity. After introducing Norfeller to William briefly, Lin Li picked up one of the daggers. "Mr. William, what material do you think these two daggers are made of?"
"Hmm…" William thought for a while. "From its dull and black appearance, it should be made of Hell Iron."
"No, no…" Lin Li shook his head in disagreement. He turned the dagger around and showed its edge to William. "Look at this edge closely. It is not as sharp as fel metals."
"Is that due to the long period of time it was left unused? You know, they have been in the showroom for one or two decades. That would be enough to blunt its edges."
"It is not related to how it was left behind. Magical weapons are not any normal weapons. The magical elements within them have a fluidity that can affect the way these weapons rust. The rusting of normal weapons starts from their blade as it is the weakest and thinnest part that will always come into contact with moisture.
"A magical weapon, however, will protect the edge from rusting due to the magical elements that are the most vigorous in its edge. Hence, although the result is the same, the process is reversed."
"So that was the reason…?" William nodded reflectively. To be honest, the concepts the young mage had shared with him just now was not complicated. In fact, they were all very shallow. William knew for sure that the mage was speaking the truth. The rusting process for a magical weapon and a normal one was indeed different.
Yet, it was this shallow knowledge that caused him to overlook it. Who would look at a rusty weapon? Furthermore, the decay had been going on for hundreds of years. How many people in the world would be so free to take time to observe the way in which a weapon decayed?
"Then, Mage Felic, what magical metal is it made of?"
"Adamantine of Bad Luck. A type of magical metal that has a lot of weaknesses. To an extent, it is no different from a normal metal. Among all the different magical metals, it is the least tough as well. If one does not employ a special forging technique, all it takes for it to break is a trivial battle. Look at this edge carefully. Apart from the Adamantine of Bad Luck, I really cannot think of any other magical metal that would become like this."
Lin Li took a pause before he continued speaking.
"But, an advantage that the Adamantine of Bad Luck has that outweighs any other magical metals' strong points is its capacity for storing unlimited magical elements. The Adamantine of Bad Luck would be able to overcome any source of mana and mageweath regardless of how menacing they are."
Chapter 343 - Stupefied Guests
"I understand it now…!" William exclaimed in enlightenment.
Although Lin Li had only explained it briefly to him, it was sufficient for him to get the whole picture. As the chief appraiser of Roland City, no other people could have more experience and better ability than him. Furthermore, being the owner of the Time Consignment Store, he had seen many weapons that were out of the norm.
William might not have heard of the Adamantine of Bad Luck, and did not know the origin of that magical metal, but it did not affect his judgement towards the value of the metal. Its capacity to house unlimited amount of mana could explain everything.
"So, how is it, Mr. William, do you have any other queries?" Lin Li asked William smilingly as he returned the dagger to Norfeller.
"That's it. Thank you, Mage Felic," William replied while he shook his head. Then, he stood up from the chair slowly.
"Hehe, you are too courteous…"
Lin Li smiled. Just when he wanted to reply William with some formalities, he saw William bowing before him.
"Thank you for your advice."
"W-what are you doing…?" Lin Li asked in a daze. The old dude was too easily excited! All Lin Li did was mention a few characteristics of the Adamantine of Bad Luck. If he were to explain the forging process of the Heaven's Wrath to the elder, would it cause him to have a heart attack for him?
Damn, he would not have talked to him if he'd known it earlier…
Lin Li rubbed his nose and laughed bitterly. The bow was nothing to Lin Li. What mattered now was the result thereof—Lin Li did not need to raise his head to know that all eyes were on him…
William's bow was like a sudden strike of thunder in the banquet hall. The entire hall instantly turned silent. Everybody—including the host and the guests of different statuses—had their gazes on this old and young duo. They were flabbergasted. No one could expect that the legendary figure of Roland City and the owner of the Time Consignment Store, William, would bow before a 20 years old youngster.
H-has the world turned crazy?
The banquet hall was unusually silent. The guests had forgotten that they were in the midst of conversation, and the musicians had forgotten that they were in the midst of a performance. It was as if everything had turned stale, including time.
"M-Mr. William… What ar
e you doing…?" After what seemed like an eternity, the voice of the castellan broke the eerie silence.
The castellan had a glass of wine in his hand as he walked towards them in shock. Perhaps he was too stunned by what he saw, but the castellan did not even notice that he had slanted the glass, and the red wine was flowing out of it…
"Hehe, my apologies, Arathor. I guess I might have stunned your guests…" William laughed, then he leaned closer to Arathor. "It is nothing special. I was just thanking Mage Felic for his guidance…" he told Arathor in a low voice.
After he finished speaking, William did not make sure if the castellan understood his words. He turned back to Lin Li, and said, "Mage Felic, I'm very impressed by your wisdom and profound knowledge. If there is a chance in the future, I would love to hear more advice from you. But, there are too many people today. Should you have the time after this banquet, please visit the Time Consignment Store. I have a lot to consult you on."
"Of course, of course…" Lin Li responded uneasily as he tried to avoid everybody's eyes. It was too awkward! Lin Li felt like an animal exhibited in the zoo. He regretted answering William's question. Now that he did that, Lin Li was really treated like a rare animal under the scrutiny by the public.
After he got Lin Li's assurance, William nodded in satisfaction, and left with Lasorick.
"Phew…" Lin Li could finally breathe after seeing William take his leave. Just when he wanted to call on Norfeller and escape, the castellan approached him passionately.
"Hehe, I can't believe that Mage Felic is such a talented individual that even Mr. William has a good impression of you. Oh, yes. Mage Felic, what do you think of my proposal just now?"
"What proposal…?"
Lin Li could not recall when he actually had a discussion with Arathor. He thought they were just acquaintances.
"Hehe, Mage Felic must be a busy man. Have you forgotten that I suggested that you could help guide my two children on magic before the banquet started?"
"Oh…." Lin Li suddenly recalled that Arathor had indeed made that request before the banquet commenced…
But, it was just part of formalities. Neither of them actually took the words said by the other seriously. Lin Li could not believe that Arathor could mention it again after two hours. At that moment, Lin Li did not know if he should laugh or cry.
William was the reason why Arathor tried to mention this matter again. Lin Li could tell from everyone's reaction when he received that bow that the elder had to be someone of great importance. Otherwise, the guests would not be so flabbergasted.
Unfortunately, apart from how he gave Old William some advice, the castellan was not aware of other trouble Lin Li had gotten himself into. The four people from the Brilliance Shrine had been staring at him intensely, especially the Paladin named Rina. Lin Li was absolutely certain that this s.e.xy Paladin would surely use her sword to slay him as soon as she found a chance.
Lin Li rubbed his nose, and did not give Arathor an immediate reply. He was just wondering what would Arathor's expression be if he let him know the truth…
Arathor interpreted Lin Li's hesitation as reluctance to take up his proposal. He knew it had been his fault not to show Felic more kindness. He was so blinded by Jason's reputation in Doland that he overlooked Sienna's attitude toward this young mage. Sienna definitely showed more respect to this mage as compared to how he treated Jason. That was certainly a genuine attitude. If he'd been clever enough then, he would have realized that this mage was definitely somebody of authority. Why else would a man like Sienna be so respectful towards him?
Unfortunately, he'd overlooked Sienna's formal attitude towards this mage. He had been too focused on getting close to Jason, and neglected Felic's existence…
"How should I put it…"
Arathor rubbed his hands awkwardly. He was planning a few scripts in his mind, but dismissed them as they lacked conviction. Just when he could not make up his mind, the young mage spoke.
"I don't have much time, as I'm returning to Doland City tomorrow. But, I still have some time tonight. Why don't you bring your children to me after the banquet? I would be with Sienna. Then, I can teach them some basic knowledge about magic. The rest could be discussed again the next time I visit Roland City."
"Really?" Arathor asked in surprise. Felic's swift reply was outside his expectations. "Yes, then that's that. Mage Felic, I will bring them over to you after the banquet!" Arathor said as he nodded his head profusely.
"Sure."
Hearing that, Lin Li nearly burst out laughing. He even tried to bite his teeth to prevent himself from doing that. In fact, he did not expect Arathor to be so agreeable. He had gotten himself an amulet without much effort.
Now, everything's settled…
Since the castellan was going to send Lin Li off after the banquet, how could the four people from the Brilliance Shrine find a chance to attack him?
While Lin Li was laughing internally, Lasorick was scratching his head in confusion.
The situation that happened at the banquet was too complicated. His IQ could not allow him to understand the reason why Uncle William had not taken his side. Although Lasorick had told William about the conflict he had with Lin Li that afternoon, his uncle could still chat so sincerely with that fella…
"Uncle William, why are you… so nice to that fella…?" asked Lasorick. Although he was a foolish man, he had a strength of his own too. It was this straightforward personality that brought him to ask this question.
"Lasorick, when are you returning to Doland?" William asked casually.
Lasorick's question was ignored.
"Huh?" Lasorick was stunned by his sudden question.
"Lasorick, go make arrangements and return to Doland tomorrow." After saying that, William waved his hand tiredly. "Alright, Lasorick. Look, I need to take some rest now. You can leave now…"
"Alright, Uncle William…"
As he watched Lasorick leave, William sighed. What a foolish son Beckham has! If this goes on, Lasorick will definitely get himself into trouble one day…
Chapter 344 - Warning
William was really annoyed. Beckham's idiotic son seemed to be causing a lot of trouble every time he came to Roland City. Although he was very annoyed, having to give Beckham face, he had no choice but to help clear up the mess. Thankfully, he had some influence in Roland City; otherwise, he would have no way to clear things up.
However, William knew that he could not handle it himself this time round…
That young mange called Felic was not as nice as Lasorick had imagined.
It did not matter that Lasorick was clueless how powerful the other party was. After all, he was just an idiot. Other than having a rich and powerful father, he had nothing else. However, William realized something clearly: how could somebody that owned the VIP Card of the Glittergold Trade Union be so casually provoked?
How could William not know what the VIP Card of the Glittergold Trade Union meant? It represented that this Mage Felic was being supported by the whole Glittergold Trade Union. Under all sorts of circ.u.mstances, he would receive full assistance from the Glittergold Trade Union, be it financial or military support.
In other words, being an enemy of this Mage Felic would also mean being an enemy of the whole Glittergold Trade Union. Even if it was Lasorick's father, Doland City's Castellan Beckham, he would have to lower his head in front of such a strong power such as the Glittergold Trade Union.
Furthermore, this young mage called Felic was no ordinary person himself. Just look at the attendant beside him. Even though William was old, he wasn't blind. He believed that he could still recognize a powerhouse that was level-17 and above. If that youngster called Norfeller was active in Roland City, he would be one of the top powerhouses there. Even Castellan Arathor would have to speak politely when conversing with him. Yet, he was just an attendant for Mage Felic. Then, Mage Felic's status…
William sat quietly, thinking about the frightful
power that this young mage could possibly have, that he was only in his twenties, and about the deep knowledge he'd displayed during their conversation. After thinking about it over and over again, he could not understand—where did such a terrifying person come from? He had not heard from anyone in the past that there was such a powerful young mage called Felic in the Breezy Plains…
After thinking about this, William slowly stood up, and called a middle-aged man in his forties over. He quietly ordered, "Rode, go find out the background of this Mage Felic. But, remember, do not alarm anyone, especially Mage Felic himself…"
"Yes!" The middle-aged man was short and looked plain. He was naturally somebody that could not be found after being thrown into a crowd.
"Yes…" William thought about it for a while, and remarked, "I heard the accent of this Mage Felic. He seems to be from Jarrosus. Just start from there…"
"Yes!"
The sky started to darken, and the guests were dispersing. When William was leaving, the banquet hall was almost empty. Other than Lin Li's group sitting in the corner, there were a few guests from the Brilliance Shrine seated at the other end of the banquet hall.
"I guess it's time we left…" Lin Li slowly stood up and tidied up the robe he was wearing. He glanced at those guests from the Brilliance Shrine while speaking.
Sienna looked at the empty banquet hall, and stood up after nodding his head. "Then I'll say goodbye to the castellan."
"There's no need to, Sienna. The castellan will return with us later."
"Ah?" Sienna was immediately dazed.
Lin Li laughed, but did not explain the reason. He simply brought Norfeller along and walked towards those four guests from the Brilliance Shrine.
"Excuse me. I'm really sorry, but I think I'll make a move first."
"You really think that you can leave the Castellan Mansion?" The beautiful Paladin stood up quickly. Her delicate face was cold. She was like a sharp sword that just got unsheathed, and a chilling aura was being emitted from her whole body.
"Won't I find out after trying?" Lin Li's face still carried a polite smile, but his immense mana surged out impolitely. In an instant, there was an intense magical wave spreading throughout the banquet hall. Even with the powers of these four guests, they could not help but feel uneasy when they were in the midst of this intense magical wave.
