Saleen did not say much. He took Nailisi and Sika and left, not wanting to stay a second longer.
Picasso watched Saleen’s back as he left, sprouting curiosity for this young mage. However, this mage definitely hadn’t lied. Kossain hadn’t been killed by him personally.
Even if it had been him, so what? Kossain wasn’t a descendant of Lord Faka and he had been the one to make the decision to change the route forward. Served him right that he was dead. Picasso gave a cold smile before leaving in the direction of Canghong. Whether those two mercenaries were dead or not was not important. Since he already had the map, what was important now was finding the entrance to the ruins.
Saleen and the others moved as quickly as they could for over ten kilometers before slowing down.
"Chief, that guy won’t go back on his words, will he?" Sika continued holding onto her cudgel, ready to fight. She did not believe the words of the Holy See’s high priests. Back in the Caucasus region, the Holy See had spent a great amount of manpower and money each year in corrupting numerous villages. This had led to her abandoning the natural faith.
With more preachers, it was hard to separate the good and bad, and every underhanded method had been used. Hence, even innocent Caucasus people did not mix well with diviners.
"I have no idea. By virtue, he shouldn’t. We are too insignificant." Saleen’s hand had been kept in his sleeve, his hand wound tightly over his family badge. This was the only weapon he possessed that could cause damage to the white deacon. Unfortunately, this had to be stuck on and Saleen had possessed no confidence at all, his hands full of sweat.
"Too bad the magic beast soul was killed. If not, we could control a few low-grade beasts to move faster." Sika was a little dejected. She was too weak and could not help Saleen. Her eyebrows, like a pair of knives, furrowed. She looked miserable.
"Don’t be sad, Sika. I’ll help you find a new magic beast soul. I have memorized the map of that white deacon. From here to the Phoenix Duchy is about five hundred kilometers, and it is the narrowest part of the Chaotic Swamp."
Sika nodded in a daze. She was terrible at navigation and whatever Saleen had said was useless to her.
"Master…"
"What!" Saleen voice was stern. The imp could not change her ways and it was hard for him to be pleased about it.
"Do you want to move faster?"
"Yes. So what?"
"I can carry you and run. So long as that lady can catch up, we can be about four times faster than now." Nailisi gave him a pitiful look and Saleen could not help but feel sorry for her.
He had taken advantage of the imp’s misfortune to make it his. If it had been anyone else, they would have been unhappy too. Tempting a human into making mistakes was the nature of demons. He needed to treat Nailisi better.
Saleen thought about it this way not because Nailisi was pretty. He had seen Nailisi’s original appearance, and that image would have surely given many people nightmares. Moreover, Nailisi still was not sure of its gender. Even if Saleen had been yearning, he would not fantasize about it. And most importantly, they were running for their lives now. It was hard for him to express any youthful feelings.
He was purely looking at things in the manner that a mage would look at their pet. This attitude had been influenced by Jason Statham. Even though the two of them had had little interaction, Jason’s words were etched in Saleen’s heart.
Don’t come down with feelings for your pets. It will kill them.
In the end, Nailisi picked up Saleen. She was much taller than him, and carrying someone as big as Saleen was nothing for her. The three of them sped up and fled towards Phoenix Duchy.
Night descended upon the Chaotic Swamp. Nailisi’s instinct for danger was much sharper than Sika’s and from start to finish, they moved carefully, hiding from predators that roamed the night. Nailisi’s long hair was caught by the wind and brushed against Saleen’s face.
Her hair was like silk, making Saleen’s heart flutter.
At the end of the day, he was still an insignificant person. When Saleen and Sika said had said those things, he had not felt much. However, as Nailisi carried him on her back and ran, he was touched.
I must become powerful, just like teacher, Saleen thought as he rested his head on Nailisi’s shoulder and curled up his body. He felt like he had been sent back to the time when he had been the beggar that cowered in the rain, and at that moment, he could no longer hold back his tears.
Master is crying? Nailisi grew excited. Unlike humans, demons never wished for their masters to be powerful. It would be best if all humans were weaklings, and that was what creatures living throughout the many universes hoped too.
"Master, I’ll protect you," Nailisi said softly as she sped up.
Nailisi’s voice had a certain magic that calmed Saleen down and eventually, he fell asleep. All this while, he had been trying to manage their situation as well as Canghong’s team. While the others had rested, he had been responsible for their safety. While the others had fought, he had needed to deal with the most powerful opponents.
Anyone, no matter how strong he or she was, would get tired, much less a Grade 1 mage like Saleen. If it had not been for the special training with his badge which granted him extraordinary endurance, Saleen would have broken down a long time ago.
Sika tried her best to keep up with Nailisi. The imp seemed to know Sika’s limit and was always a step ahead of her, forcing Sika to run as fast as she could to catch up. Despite her armor being very permeable, it was pooling with sweat and for the first time, Sika felt that it was unbearable to go without showering.
After running for a full day and night, Sika was just about ready to drop dead onto the floor in fatigue. Nailisi stopped at this point as Saleen woke up.
"Nailisi, take a break. Sika can’t go on any longer."
Sika sat on the floor gasping for breath. Back in her hometown, she had never felt that running was something this difficult. While chasing their prey, Caucasus people could go without rest for tens of hours until their prey ran out of energy. Using this method, they could overpower creatures that were stronger than humans.
However, the imp ran too fast and by Sika’s estimate, the imp could outrun any living thing on the ground with this kind of speed. Sika wordlessly brought out her boots. With a pillow under her head, it only took her a few seconds to fall into a deep sleep.
"Nailisi, how far have we run?" Saleen’s ancient Myers was getting better and he was lazy about nagging the imp to learn the common language. In any case, they had a long way to go and it seemed that they had escaped danger.
"Almost five hundred kilometers. By daylight tomorrow we can leave the Chaotic Swamp."
"So soon?" Saleen was shocked.
"Yes." Nailisi did not continue the conversation. She was thinking about the times back at her home when she had always been prey for larger demons. In the times that she had been chased by them, it seemed as though she could run even faster.
Saleen saw that Nailisi was done talking and went to sit beside Sika. He had slept enough and might as well have used the time now to manage his items.
A green dragon magic nucleus to be sent to the Bitter Water Prefecture and a set of empty magic books for him to use in the future. The rest were all gemstones and minerals. Saleen reevaluated his loot, as all of the gemstones were primitive and had not been processed. Many of them still had an outer covering of mineral.
"Nailisi, are you tired?" Saleen was concerned.
"No, I’m not master."
"Alright. Can you help me get rid of the outer covering from these gemstones? I only want the purest parts inside." Saleen looked at Nailisi’s snow white teeth and smiled. At least he could save money on processing gemstones next time. He had heard that cutting minerals was an expensive service that was only found in big cities.
Nailisi realized then that Saleen was not concerned about her body. She sighed and sat beside Saleen, starting to use her teeth to process these gemstones. As a demon, she should not have expected anything of him. Humans were greedy creatures.
These gemstones were large and even the smallest ones were the size of Sika’s fist. Once they were processed, they became smaller. Saleen placed the processed gemstones back into the Ring of Gifts and the fragments that Nailisi had bitten off into the leather bag. These fragments were impure, but to a normal mage, they were a dream come true.
"Master, I’m hungry." Nailisi saw Saleen attentively wiping the gemstones and carefully storing them away piece by piece. She was a little annoyed and wanted to find an excuse to take a break.
"Even I don’t have anything to eat. What are you harping on about? Wait until we get to Phoenix Duchy." Saleen’s stomach growled. He had thrown out all his dried food back at the temple to fit the gemstones in the remaining space.
Nailisi teared up as she continued processing the stones, not caring about Saleen’s worries.
Saleen certainly was a little dejected. Although Sika was pretty, she was a bulky Caucasus warrior and not many people would have feelings for her. This imp had transformed into the likes of the Myers Goddess and was naturally attractive. With this appearance, they could get into a lot of trouble in the future, and she certainly enjoyed creating trouble.
"Nailisi…"
"Master?"
"Just continue and listen to what I have to say."
Crunch crunch.
"Nevermind. We will talk about this in the future." Saleen was a little defeated. He didn’t know how to mentor a demon.
Crunch crunch…
Sika had a beautiful dream where she dreamed that her magic beast soul had been revived. In her dream, she was waving her cudgel and beating the crap out of the Holy See priest she was chasing. In her dream, Sika giggled.
"Keke, I shall let you run. Go die!"
Saleen was feeling more dejected by the minute. He revealed the left hand that he hid under his sleeve. The dried up left hand was almost like the body of a deceased creature. He carefully cast a Grade 1 magic: Restorative Water. Saleen patiently used the water to moisturize his injured flesh.
He might have been rich now, but his skills had decreased tremendously. Before his left hand healed, he could not continue learning Grade 2 magic. From the start, he had needed to use both hands to hold the spell while casting it, and this process would allow him to gradually grasp it. Saleen carefully lifted the index finger on his left hand. The finger bent slowly, and even though it had not been entirely lost, it was possible that it would take up to half a year to heal.
It seemed like a good idea now to look for the prefecture head of the Bitter Water Prefecture for support. Hiding among the wealthy, he could avoid any unnecessary trouble. Now that he had money, he no longer needed to go around risking his life.
It was too bad he had to give up the magic nucleus of the green dragon to do so.
When Sika woke up, it was already morning. The surroundings were breathtaking and there were few magic beasts around. A forest appeared in front of them. Saleen recalled the map of the white deacon and said, "This forest is fifty kilometers wide. Cross this and we will reach the borders of Phoenix Duchy. Sika, can you do it?"
"Chief, I’m alright." Sika energetically waved her fists and legs, filled with energy.
"Master, is she also a demon?" Nailisi looked at the speed of Sika’s recovery in disbelief. She had intentionally run faster yesterday to make Sika’s life harder.
"What?" Saleen didn’t understand Nailisi’s question.
Nailisi cleverly kept her mouth shut. She knew that if she continued to question it, her pettiness would show.
Saleen’s team continued on their way. With an imp on their side, even if Saleen had not had a map, they would not have gotten lost. This time the imp slowed down, using half a day to get through the forest.
In reality, this forest was also filled with danger. It had a rare magic beast known as the tree hornet. Tree hornets were naturally vicious and would attack humans for no reason at all. However, the imp easily went around the tree hornet territory, walking a large distance around but making their way out unharmed.
No matter how dangerous this forest was, it would not be as scary as the demon universe. Every living creature there was deadly. At least in this forest, the trees did not eat humans and the magic beasts were relatively friendly.
Passing through the forest, they came across a small town. The architecture here was very different from that in Sikeqinya. The people in Sikeqinya liked to use stone to build their houses, as they fancied elegance and grandness. The buildings here were mainly made out of brick, and were very meticulous and elegant.
Even though most of the people were dressed simply, they had a different energy from those in Ceylon City. The people here were clean and simple, and even though their clothes were old, they were washed clean. They had a look of bliss on their faces that Saleen couldn’t understand.
The town had a very high wall. Since this was the border and no war had taken place here before, the simple layout of the wall was meant to defend against the bigger magic beasts from the forest.
The foreign vibes soothed the pain that Saleen felt from leaving his city. For a long time, he had read about how the Qin Empire had a lot of people, especially wise sages. From what he saw now, even a small town from the Qin Empire was much more powerful than Ceylon City. The guards protecting the city didn’t accept the money that Saleen gave them and were oblivious to the mercenary badge he was wearing. Evidently, mages had special privileges here.
Saleen loved the atmosphere here. Walking along the streets in his mage robes, no one paid any extra attention to him. Although he found it a little strange, Saleen figured that there must have been too many mages in the Qin Empire and everyone had already grown used to it.
Saleen was right. The town was only a tenth of the size of Ceylon City with over ten streets and few stalls. Even so, walking into a bar, he rubbed shoulders with another mage.
He was a Grade 2 mage wearing a white magic robe, and at his chest were two lines of magic imprints. Seeing Saleen appear before him, the Grade 2 mage nodded his head in acknowledgement.
The bar in this town was also very different from the ones in Ceylon City. Many of the people drinking were mercenaries. This place was close to the Chaotic Swamp and there were many missions to capture magic beasts. However, the mercenaries here weren’t as uncouth as those in Sikeqinya, and they spoke politely. Saleen was even a little uncomfortable in this environment.
Many paintings were hung up on the walls of the bar, with many being sketches of everyday life. In a place this small, there were not any famous artists. These paintings had not been purchased by the bar but rather had been placed there to be sold by the artists themselves.
Calling the waiter, Saleen passed a gold coin to him since he did not have any silver coins. The waiter immediately refused. He couldn’t accept such a large tip.
"I want some smoked meat, takeaway. Ten large breads and any side dishes," Saleen requested politely. At that, the waiter accepted the gold coin coyly.
He lowered his voice and asked Saleen, "Lord, is there anything else you need?"
"Do you have a professional union here?"
"Yes, it’s two streets ahead," The waiter answered fluidly. He had gotten used to interacting with people looking for jobs.
Saleen was relieved. There was an professional union here and he could register himself as a mercenary. This would allow him to move around the Qin Empire freely. Nailisi’s appearance was also a little eye-catching, dressed in an outfit from tens of thousands of years ago and barefoot, and Saleen decided to buy a new outfit for her. Most importantly, he had to sell away some of the gemstones for gold, as he had run out of gold. In the temple, Saleen had emptied out almost all his space for the gemstones. Besides the few gold coins he had lying around, he only had Sikeqinya bank notes.
Nailisi seemed to understand Saleen’s thoughts and ate quietly, not drawing any attention. After the three had hurriedly filled their stomachs, they left for the professional union that the waiter had directed them to.
The professional union in Sikeqinya was not the same organization as the one in the Qin Empire. However, both had frequent contact and mercenaries from one could accept missions from the other.
The union in this small town was small and from the outside, looked like a museum. The main door’s wall had a red phoenix drawn on it, and this was the symbol of the Phoenix Duke.
Entering from the main door, no one seemed to notice their presence. At the front was the counter and some staff were sitting behind, talking boredly in hushed tones. Staircases lined the two sides, leading to the upper floor. Saleen walked to the counter and tapped his fingers.
Behind the counter was a young man with an honest face. The staff in this union did not have the swordsman get-up of those in Sikeqinya. Seeing Saleen come to the counter, the young man gave a smile and asked, "Lord, may I ask how I can be of service?"
"I’m from Sikeqinya. I want to register as a mercenary in the Qin Empire. Can I do it here?"
"Sure. Give me your name and your mercenary badge."
Saleen gave his fake name and handed over his badge. The young man helped him fill out the form earnestly and it was done within a minute. All he needed was for Saleen to sign it.
"That will be three gold coins." The young man hadn’t even asked for the names and occupations of the other members in Saleen’s team. The efficiency was amazing!
"Um, if I may ask, are there any escort missions here?" Saleen had no money after handing over the gold coins. He was afraid looking up missions here might cost an extra fee. Luckily, the young man happily gave Saleen an answer.
"If you’re doing a mission on your way to somewhere, you may go to that board to search. If you’re looking for something specific, we will take a commission of five percent. We will provide a comprehensive contract, ensuring no errors."
"That won’t be necessary. Give me a map of the mainland."
"That will be one gold coin, my lord."
Saleen suddenly felt disgusted by the young man’s smile. No matter how good the service was here, it was only a means for him to earn money for survival. Seeing no other option, Saleen took out a gold coin and put it on the counter.
Saleen wanted to find a mission not because he lacked money, but rather because he wanted to integrate into a group while travelling as to not attract attention. It was hard to say if the fanatics of the Holy See would enter Phoenix Duchy.
Taking back his badge, it now had an extra gold stamp on it. With this, he could move around freely as a mercenary under the jurisdiction of the Qin Empire. Keeping a copy of the mercenary registration form, Saleen left the counter and went to the board. There were lots of paper notes stuck onto it, and many were last minute missions. Most of them were notices for buying magic nuclei, hides, herbs, and minerals.
There were hundreds of notes but none of them were for an escort mission. Saleen did not have many gold coins left and had no choice but to leave the union.
After getting some directions from people along the way, Saleen brought Sika and Nailisi to an equipment store. Like any border city, even a small city like this would have a decent equipment store.
This equipment store’s architecture was ancient, its signage bearing scars of time. The boss seemed to have been too lazy to repaint it and let the wood show its age. The vines growing on the wall along the street had turned yellow as autumn approached.
The words on the sign were in the Qin Language: Deep Wood Equipment Store
Saleen walked in only to find the store empty. At the front was a glass cabinet, and there were shelves on the two sides. The shelves were made out of fine wood and had intricate flower designs carved into them. One look was enough to make people feel as though anything placed on the shelf must have been exquisite.
"Boss, boss!"
Saleen called but no one answered. He shouted louder.
Cough cough…
Coughing sounds came from the door to the east of the shop and a weak voice replied, "Sir, please keep quiet. Give me a minute."
The way he did business was indeed rare. Saleen remembered that back in Sikeqinya, whenever a customer walked in, somebody would be ready to serve them. He sat in front of the counter. The chairs provided were comfortable unlike those of the stores in Sikeqinya which were mostly benches.
The items in the glass cabinet were very exquisite indeed. Saleen even saw a rubidium inlaid dagger. This was a magic weapon as rubidium could store magic, and it did not require a mage to activate it. This particular gemstone did not fetch a high price and was mostly used as a replacement for rutile.
Cough…
Following a soft cough, the east door opened and a sickly youth came out. He took a glance at Saleen and the others and said, "Lord, sorry to have kept you waiting. What can I get for you?"
"You’re the boss?" Saleen was shocked. This youth was probably the same age as him and he already owned a shop. This was pretty impressive.
"Can’t say so. It’s a family business." The youth smiled modestly, his sickly face lighting up.
"I want to sell a few items." Saleen was direct, seeing as he no longer had any gold coins on hand.
"I’m sorry, my lord, we don’t accept equipment. We only sell weapons produced by our family here," The youth rejected politely.
"They’re gemstones."
"Oh, let me see!" The youth was energetic again, almost as if he were a dying person that had received a revival spell.
Saleen retrieved a finger sized gemstone fragment from his bag. This was a fragment of fluorite and even though it had been a leftover material, it was still crystal clear. Anyone who could not tell would mistake it for calcite.
"Fluorite!" The youth’s face regained even more color. The quality of this fragment was even better than those from some of the trade stores in big cities. From the quality, it seemed like this fragment had been cut off directly from pure fluorite. Even though it wasn’t pure, it could still be used to make high-grade magic props.
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