As the Eight Clawed Spider Guild was already a small-scale guild, they would only cause Nature’s Alliance to lose their resources if they were victorious. What they would obtain would be meagre.
“Skrill! If you had any conflicts with Nature’s Alliance, why did you not mention it during the mediation period and instead wait until now?”
The council member holding the scale furrowed his brows.
“My apologies, my lord! The animosity between us and Nature’s Alliance is not appropriate to be declared here, but please approve my request!” Skrill bowed, sounding resolute.
The lines on the council member’s forehead became deeper.
Honestly speaking, he did not want there to be internal friction between two small-scale guilds. However, Eight-Clawed Spider was not a medium-scale guild, and challenges between guilds of the same ranking were allowed.
The moment Nature’s Alliance was defeated, not only would they lose their spot, but they would also have to hand over all their resources to be re-distributed by the joint conference. Skrill could only, at most, obtain a portion of these resources.
As there were no benefits to it, few Magi chose to do this.
However, Leylin knew that they would definitely choose to take the icy caves! Knowing the situation, the abyss in his pupils grew darker, and a sneer appeared on his lips.
“Alright! Guild leader of Nature’s Alliance, Celine, who will you send onstage?”
The council member looked towards Celine.
“I invite our famed professor, Mister Leylin, to represent my Nature’s Alliance guild and battle!” Celine gave a slight bow.
Leylin sighed and stood up.
“I am also sending out our famed professor to represent we of the Eight-Clawed Spider onstage!” At the other side, Skrill immediately bowed and moved aside to reveal the figure behind him.
It was a human figure completely wrapped in black mist. There were also numerous black tendrils fluctuating around it.
“Hm? They both sent out famed professors!”
The surrounding Magi broke out into a discussion.
Though small-scaled guilds could invite famed professors to act as external support, only one professor was allowed to act. Since there were very few Magi working alone, such situations rarely appeared.
Now, with two suddenly appearing, it was no wonder that the Magi were surprised.
There were a few Magi who could somewhat see through part of the strength of Leylin and the person wrapped in mist, and they shrunk back in fear, their eyes showing their terror.
“En! You have both chosen famed professors to battle?”
The council member holding a thick book looked at Leylin, and some probing spells even flashed, before he flipped through his book.
“Professor Leylin of Nature’s Alliance guild does not belong to any other guild, and can thus represent Nature’s Alliance!”
“Magus Skrill, please get the Magus behind you to reveal his face for inspection!”
The council members spoke to Skrill.
Seeing this, Skrill could only speak to the person wrapped in the mist in a low voice.
The black mist then dissipated, revealing a face that was foreign to all the Magi here.
“Xerxes greets all of you!”
What appeared in front of the audience was a very androgynous face. Even the voice was neither male nor female; one could not tell this person’s gender.
The Magus called Xerxes seemed to want to provoke Leylin, shooting him a glance from the corner of his eyes.
“En! The famed professor from the Eight-Clawed Spider meets the requirements as well. I hereby announce…”
Six Stars
Just when the council member was about to announce the start of the fight, Leylin suddenly interrupted him.
“What? Do you want to admit your defeat right now, Celine?”
Of course, Skrill did not dare to be brazen with Leylin. In fact, regardless of whether it was Leylin or Xerxes, he could not afford to offend either of them. Hence, he could only taunt Celine.
“Rubbish!” Celine retorted angrily, worriedly looking at Leylin at the same time.
“Leylin… He… He wouldn’t just give up because of his inability to clearly see through Xerxes’s strength, would he?”
Celine clenched her fists, and even started breaking out in cold sweat.
Honestly, with her talents and meditation skills, Celine was very confident previously that she would be able to defeat all the Magi that had competed in the previous rounds.
However, upon seeing Leylin’s strength, her confidence had dissipated into thin air.
Right now, Celine realised that she did not understand Leylin a single bit.
“Magus Leylin! Do you have any problem?”
The council member holding the books asked.
“I recall that during the evaluation, other than these battling methods, aren’t there other ways as well?”
Leylin looked around the arena and took in Skrill’s taunting, Celine’s anxiety, and Xerxes’s killing intent. He laughed abruptly and then questioned.
Once the word went out, all the Magi looked stunned.
“Yes, there is such a rule. You can even be exempted from fighting through your research contributions.” The council members quickly responded with little emotions.
“However, the results of your research have to be made public, and must be recognised by the council members. Furthermore, since Nature’s Alliance is a small-scale guild, the information you provide has to be at a rank of at least 5 stars”
Research with a rank of 5 stars was equivalent to research conducted by peak rank 1 Magi, and is obviously not easy to obtain.
Celine had the same idea previously, but unfortunately, the council members’ evaluation of research was extremely strict. Furthermore, the nine biggest large-scale guilds were already at the level where you could find the region’s finest research. Hence, very few things would interest them.
Moreover, a lot of time and effort was required to obtain research data of this level. The time invested in the research is no less than the time taken in inviting a semi converted elemental Magus. Hence, after conducting the research for a period of time, Celine gave up on that idea.
“Should you research data not be at the level of 5 stars, it would mean that you lose your independent research without garnering any gains. We hope you can think it over!”
“Please do not worry, I am very confident in my own research!” Furthermore, Magi have always been virtuous people searching for the truth, so in this path of the search for knowledge, I do not mind sharing the results of my research with my fellow man”
Leylin’s words were immediately well received by the crowd of magi.
Many high-level magi that are on friendly terms would gather to exchange their own experiences so that they could improve together.
“We can see the glory of ancient times in your being!”
The nine council members nodded their heads, “Please present your information!”
“I object!” Skrill immediately shouted. He agitatedly pointed towards Leylin, his eight-clawed spider legs seemingly trembling “We were first in issuing our challenge. Even if the information were to be presented, it can only be done so after the challenge!”
“Objection overruled! Magus Leylin’s ways are in accordance with the ancient rules!”
A few council members immediately suppressed Skrill’s objection. Magus Xerxes, on the other hand just coldly started, his thoughts unable to be determined.
Looking at the scene before him, Leylin snickered to himself.
Under the witness of so many Magi, a battle to the death would be like a monkey show set up for an audience. Was that really in his best interests?
Even though many Magi would be willing to do so under the influence of the interests involved, Leylin was not one of them!
Furthermore, in front of the nine peak rank 1 Magi, along with the Magi troops, L
eylin would not be able to kill. Otherwise, as Leylin’s injuries were not yet completely healed, he would not be able to defend against the joint attack of nine peak rank 1 Magi. He also did not want to offend the nine large-scale guilds that the nine peak rank 1 Magi belonged to.
After all, the large-scale guilds must have Magi of at least rank 2. Leylin did not want to find trouble at all.
Hence since he was not able to kill, there was no point in accepting the challenge and putting on a monkey show for others.
Naturally, Leylin would choose the most effortless method.
He smiled, his every movement resembling how the ancient royalty were trained. He seemed calm, and together with the unique warlock’s charm that he had, this convinced many of the Magi.
The eyes of Mistress Sache, whom Leylin had previously met, lit up like two balls of fire.
Immediately, Leylin passed his already prepared research data to the council members.
This was, in part, the flawed articles he had seen in the Nature’s Alliance. The research had already progressed to the final stages, but unfortunately, because of the lack of crucial steps, the articles were not able to be developed into a meditation.
However, Leylin was different. He was a rank 2 Warlock, and had the support of the entire knowledge vault of the south coast. He could be said to have a bird’s eye view of the whole situation. Together with the incredible mathematical operations of the A.I. Chip, with a few tweaks here and there, Leylin would be able to produce research of a high calibre.
Leylin was able to obtain the data without much trouble, and the information did not cost very much. However, when presented externally, these data were considered to have at least a rank of 5 stars, the equivalent importance of a peak rank 1 Magus. This was sufficient to allow the Magi present to vie for the information .
Sure enough, upon receiving the crystal ball filled with research formulas and graphical information, the faces of the council members became more solemn.
Their faces were serious while they perused the crystal ball in succession, and all the while, they were animatedly engaging in discussion.
In the end, they even gathered in a circle, agitatedly discussing and letting out cries of argument from time to time.
Meanwhile, Skrill’s heart grew heavier, while Celine’s face revealed a smile. The Magi outside were anticipating the results, eager to see Leylin’s research data.
With regards to all the goings on, Leylin pretended not to notice and continued to calmly stand upright.
Just based on this cultivation of calmness during the chaos, Leylin received the admiration of the Magi here.
”Hu!”
Eventually, the council members returned to their seats. The council member sitting in the middle even removed his presbyopic glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
*Bang!* He aggressively slammed his gavel downwards, which meant that the official evaluation of the research would begin.
“According to the council members’ unanimous decision, the information Magus Leylin has provided regarding the biological structure and bloodline of dark elves is to be classified as having a rank of 6 stars!”
*Hua!* The venue resonated with cries of wonder. The fact that Leylin’s provided information would be able to be pass the test was within the expectations of many of the Magi. This was because Magi were not stupid; if they were to present any information, it must be because they were confident that it would suffice.
However, little did they expect that the information Leylin provided would actually have a rank of 6 stars!
Research of this nature must be close to the standards of a rank 2 Magus.
“These data will be recorded in the collective data vault. All Magi present will be able to use these contributions…”
After the council member had made the announcement, he immediately beamed. “Magus Leylin’s aspirations and intensive studying spirit has obtained my admiration. May I know whether there will be a chance in the future to invite Magus Leylin to my institute to undergo an interview?”
“It would be my honour!” Leylin bowed slightly.
Meanwhile, on the side, Celine seemed a bit dazzled.
“Master! We have succeeded!” Only when the sound if Ilya cheering entered her ear did she return to her senses, her eyes watery with tears that were on the verge of falling.
At this moment, all the difficulties they had experienced in the past, along with the ridicule they had to suffer, appeared in her mind. “Teacher, can you see this…”
“Hmph!”
Skrill’s face was extremely dark. He glared at Celine, “Consider yourselves lucky this time around. I hope that luck will always follow you!”
After which, without turning back once, he left the venue, with Xerxes unhurriedly following behind him.
This time around, the plot of the Eight-Clawed Spider was fruitless, and with the possibility of inducing rage from the Dense Fog Forest, Skrill did not want to stay at the conference for a single minute longer.
“Leylin! Thank you!”
After Leylin returned to his seat, Celine held his hands, her face filled with a genuine smile.
“It was nothing!” Leylin smiled.
Actually, Leylin was very sure that this matter was far from over.
After their open and aboveboard plans have failed, the opponent could only utilise underhanded means now.
“Underhanded means? But those are my favourites!”
Leylin smiled coldly. Right now, during the joint conference, the only restrained party in this case wasn’t merely his opponent but himself as well. After all, he had started off as a legitimate dark Magus. Bloodshed and killing were very common to him.
When that happened, it would be too late for the other party to have regrets.
With regards to Leylin’s contributions, the Nature’s Alliance was able to be exempted from the challenge this time around, and could be considered to have survived an ordeal.
After the evaluation, there was nothing much to see at the conference.
There were only a few guilds left to compete with one another. During the majority of the time, the apprentices would compete in a friendly context. This was also one of the reasons why Celine had brought Obo and Ilya to the conference.
Leylin had completed his task at hand, and so he sat with Celine, who was beaming, as they watched other Magi compete.
”Leylin! I can’t believe that I would see you here!”
At this moment, a Magus with a gold-plated, robotic right hand walked over, his face radiating with happiness.
“I can’t believe this, you actually joined the Nature’s Alliance without telling anyone!”
“Hello, Siegfried!”
Leylin greeted him. “There was no other choice since they had something very tempting to me in their hands! Moreover, I’m only a honorary professor, which means I can also guild.”
“Oh, I know!”
Siegfried’s face revealed a smile that all men would be able to understand. It was obvious that Leylin was bewitched by Celine, was it not?
“Come! Let me bring you to meet some of the high-ranking officers in the Earth Fire Association!”
Compared to his previous interactions with Leylin, Siegfried was now more cordial.
After all, Siegfried was currently not able to discern Leylin’s true abilities. However, based on the presentation of his high-end research standards and academic attainments, it was worth it to rope Leylin in.
In addition, a few high-level guilds council members had all expressed their friendliness in succession, which made it even more plausible to try and rope Leylin in.
Mist Transformation
A carriage travelled across the dark plains unhurriedly.
Two wildebeests pulled the carriage. Due to the unhurried nature of the journey, these two steeds snorted as they gnawed at the plants along the path from time to time.
Around the carriage, a layer of light illuminated the surro
unding land.
This was due to a constant illumination magic being applied to the horse carriage.
“Leylin, you made Obo and Ilya lower the speed of the carriage, and you also had me prepare this. What is this all about?”
Within the horse carriage, Celine asked Leylin as she suddenly raised her head and lifted a crystal ball that glowed with runes.
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