C8 Joining

Since the last debacle, Liu Feng had been too scared to return to school, dreading another encounter with Ms. Zhuang. The physical marks from the two blood-red slaps had faded, but the psychological impact was a constant torment.

Liu Feng spent his days in his home's courtyard, deeply engrossed in his books and engaged in Shadow Meditation. He was simultaneously enhancing his theoretical knowledge and psychic force, as well as honing his arcane skills.

The deeper he delved into the arcane, the more he realized its complexity and obscurity, far from the idyllic vision he once held.

Liu Feng had begun to work with the shadow cards, but the shadow entities were incredibly shy and uncooperative. Every attempt to transfer Magicka to Liu Feng left them trembling with fear. Without the success he had with fire, he might have doubted his own abilities.

Meanwhile, with assistance from the fire elemental, Liu Feng had mastered the use of low-level arcane spells, capable of casting them up to ten times a day, achieving true mastery and finesse akin to a blazing fire.

Concerned about the lack of progress with the shadow entities, Liu Feng considered seeking advice from other teachers. Approaching Zhuang Qiushuo for help with the shadow element was out of the question—it would be like slapping his own face to curry favor with her.

The thought of Zhuang Qiushuo only fueled his desire to excel in the shadow element. He recalled how she had used the Shadow Evade arcane skill against him. Possessing such a skill would be incredible—imagine the possibilities with invisibility! But no, he reminded himself, he was an arcanist of integrity and could not misuse such power.

Apologizing to Zhuang Qiushuo was not an option; it would only serve to demean himself and acknowledge fear, especially since her actions had been unprofessional, while his were merely those of any reasonable man. What to do?

Then, like a bolt of lightning, an idea struck him—the Hunter Guild!

Ever since his encounter with the giant rat demon, Liu Feng couldn't shake the lingering fear of how close he came to death. This preoccupation caused him to neglect the Hunter Guild. It seems a visit to the Guild is now necessary.

The Hunter Guild has a history that stretches far back into the past, with its exact founding date being a topic of debate. Nonetheless, every city boasts a Hunter Guild, serving as the primary arcane force among the populace and acting as the city's secondary line of defense. They are tasked with hunting down demons that breach the city's barriers and undertaking various commissioned missions, earning monetary rewards in the process.

Wealthy families often issue missions through the Guild, leveraging money to tap into arcanist resources directly. For instance, if a family's younger members require a fire spirit seed, they can simply purchase it with money, avoiding the dangers of venturing into the Verge of Serenity.

To enhance the potency of elemental arcane, upgrade the quality of elements, and amplify magical power, the simplest method is to refine an element seed. Natural elemental convergence sites around the world can easily spawn spirit seeds, which, over centuries, may evolve into Soul Seeds.

Take the fire element, for example. Using soul fire can amplify arcane power by two to three times, while employing Soul Fire can increase it by eight to nine times. The power varies as different spirit seeds and Soul Seeds have unique additional effects.

Another approach involves attuning oneself to the profound forces of the cosmos, absorbing special substances like Magic Stones or devil crystals, or incorporating Magicka from other arcane systems. This process can give rise to a spirit seed or Soul Seed, known as an acquired seed. This method is exacting, hinging on both the comprehension of profound forces and the acquisition of special materials, with compatibility between the two being the rarest achievement.

Innate seeds and acquired seeds each have their advantages. The former demands substantial financial investment, while the latter requires less monetary expense but is exceedingly difficult to produce. Few can manage it. As for their effectiveness, there's no clear superiority; strength adapts to the circumstances. It all depends on the arcanist's innate talent and the intrinsic qualities of the element seed.

In the Hunter Guild's hall, the large LCD screen showcased a variety of missions. Some sought the teeth of beasts to forge into dark weapons, while others aimed to find innate element seeds. There was even a quest to locate a dragon egg in hopes of acquiring a personal Familiar.

Members of the Hunter Guild interested in a mission would notify the receptionist, who would then tear off the corresponding paper form, signifying the acceptance of the task. Hunters could undertake the mission solo or team up to complete it collaboratively. Afterwards, they would negotiate the division of profits among themselves. The guild would take a small percentage of the earnings to cover operational costs.

Upon Liu Feng's arrival, a young lady dressed in professional attire, her smile more courteous than genuine, greeted him. "Hello, sir. How may I assist you today?"

"I'd like to join the Hunter Guild," Liu Feng responded with a smile.

"Do you have an appointment?" Wen Lu, the receptionist, inquired with a cool demeanor.

"No," Liu Feng admitted, his smile turning sheepish.

"I apologize, sir, but you need an appointment to begin the assessment process. Please come back another time," the receptionist informed him with a neutral tone. She had assumed he was there to take on a mission, and realizing he was likely a novice who hadn't even joined the guild yet, she regretted even greeting him.

The receptionists at the guild were rewarded based on the caliber of hunters they assisted—the more formidable and esteemed the hunter, the greater the compensation. This was because receptionists played a role in matching hunters with missions, and upon successful completion, the guild would provide a commission to the receptionist.

This situation left Liu Feng in a bind. He recalled Uncle Qu Qi mentioning that simply stating his name would suffice for guild entry. Why was he being turned away now?

"Uncle Qu Qi told me that mentioning his name would be enough; he approved of me joining the Hunter Guild," Liu Feng stated calmly.

"You're quite young to not know arcane skills. And you're saying the president has approved you? I haven't even seen the president in a year. You must be dreaming," Wen Lu retorted with a roll of her eyes, her gaze filled with scorn.

Liu Feng touched his head, wondering if he truly appeared so youthful. But if that were the case, he mused silently, she would be considered an old auntie. He kept his thoughts to himself.

Members of the guild, who were perusing documents nearby, overheard the conversation and couldn't help but chuckle.

"This kid's full of hot air. The president is elusive; does he really think he's met him?"

"Exactly. The kid's still wet behind the ears. He should go back home and stick to milk, hahaha," a bald man quipped.

"Ah, youngsters hate to lose face, but they shouldn't stretch the truth. The president hasn't returned; only a fool would believe that," Lei Boshi, with his rugged appearance, remarked.

Just then, the crowd parted to create a pathway. A bearded man strode toward the receptionist and Lei Boshi, and the once noisy hall fell silent.

"Good to see you, President!" the crowd greeted him.

Liu Feng clicked his tongue in surprise. So, he was actually the president. He hadn't expected this and now regretted not trying to curry favor and reap some benefits.

President Qu Qi nodded slightly, acknowledging the greetings.

The receptionist and Lei Boshi, expecting the president to commend them for their recent good performance and perhaps offer a reward, were about to speak when a youthful voice cut in.

"Uncle Qu Qi, it's been a while."

"Haha, my boy, indeed it has. I knew you'd come. Who received this young man just now?" Qu Qi had noticed from a distance the group seemingly giving Liu Feng a hard time and questioned them.

"I..." Wen Lu, the receptionist, was now blushing and had bowed her head, losing her previously cold and disdainful demeanor.

"Didn't you read the secret directive I issued? It clearly stated that anyone mentioning my name should be treated well," Qu Qi observed, instantly sensing something amiss with Wen Lu.

"I, I forgot..." Wen Lu had been swamped over the past few days and had indeed neglected to check the notifications on her phone. It was just her bad luck.

"You've been negligent. Your salary for this month will be docked. Let this not be repeated," Qu Qi stated calmly.

"Yes," Wen Lu could only respond with a nod. The position of receptionist at the Hunter Guild was truly desirable. Without facing the dangers of battling demons, she could earn arcane resources simply by speaking. She couldn't afford to lose this job.

She was alone.

Qu Qi offered Liu Feng a gentle smile, warm and friendly—a stark contrast to his earlier aloof demeanor. "Let's go. Follow me. Oh, and Lei Boshi, you come too."

Lei Boshi, suspecting the guild president might seize this chance to dock his pay, silently cursed the man for his greed. With a scowl and clenched teeth, he trailed behind Qu Qi.

Liu Feng covertly surveyed the president's office. Expecting opulence, he was surprised to find a modest room, so unassuming that it was hard to believe it belonged to the guild president. At night, the stars were visible through the skylight, a breathtaking sight.

President Qu Qi retrieved a small booklet from a drawer and handed it to Liu Feng. "This is your identification. With it, you can access numerous special privileges." He then produced a devil crystal from his pocket and passed it to Liu Feng.

Devil crystals were used to replenish Magicka and to swiftly enhance the abilities of low-level arcanists. For intermediate and top-level Mages, however, these crystals had little effect on their advancement, for reasons unknown. They still served to replenish Magicka, but due to their exorbitant cost, few opted to use them for that purpose.

Liu Feng caught the devil crystal, puzzled. It was small, somewhat transparent, and glowed with a natural purple hue. Lei Boshi watched with envy, thinking, "Why not me? That's worth a million! I'll have to swindle it from this kid later."

Qu Qi glanced at Lei Boshi, his gaze piercing through the man's greedy thoughts. "This devil crystal aids low-level arcanists in their training. Don't show it to others, or if someone takes it, you won't get it back." He gave Lei Boshi a meaningful look as he spoke.

Liu Feng nodded, catching Qu Qi's warning glance. He admired Qu Qi's kindness and noted to himself that despite the uncle's seemingly honest appearance, he was quite shrewd.

"If you encounter any issues with your training, seek out Wen Lu, the lady who welcomed you today. She may be just a receptionist with modest abilities, but she's more than capable of instructing you. After today's events, she'll surely take your training seriously."

"In the future, when you're assigned missions, pair up with Lei Boshi. He might not be the best of men, nor particularly formidable, but he's capable enough to show you the ropes."

Lei Boshi grumbled to himself. Was that a compliment or an insult? Could anyone actually talk like that?

"Yes, Guild Master. Rest assured, I'll keep an eye on the youngster."

Liu Feng nodded, gathered his belongings, and prepared to depart. Pausing, he turned back with a puzzled look and inquired, "Why are you offering me so much help?"

Liu Feng wasn't naive. He knew Qu Qi must have an ulterior motive; it was best to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later.

Qu Qi didn't respond directly. Instead, he turned to gaze at the vast expanse above the office, where clouds churned across the endless sky, and spoke with a detached air.

"I haven't even asked your name up to this point because it's irrelevant. I don't need to know your identity, nor do I expect any form of repayment. All I require is for you to grow stronger as quickly as possible. Your bravery and proficiency in arcane arts during your last battle have convinced me of your potential."

"Jixledo is on the brink of change."

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