The carriage from the Crimson Mage Tower slowly made its way along the wide bluestone streets of Green City.
To accommodate the two apprentices, Laurent had specially arranged for a more spacious carriage for Li De.
Inside the carriage, Li De sat with Vina and Cohen on either side. The two apprentices occasionally turned their heads curiously to look out at the streets.
They seemed like children who hadn't been out in a long time, both visibly excited.
Li De paid them no mind, closing his eyes to begin meditation.
He had grown increasingly fond of the Meditation spell, the foundational spell for mages.
Mana was the essence of a mage, and the Meditation spell was the only spell that could effectively increase a mage's mana.
The Meditation spell was a type of spell, but it was more mystical. Normally, casting a spell required inputting mana to activate the magic model.
But the Meditation spell was different. It didn't require inputting mana; instead, it required continuously circulating the Meditation spell's model in the mind using mental energy.
Moreover, the Meditation spell didn't have fixed mana nodes. Each circulation was like redrawing the magic model.
Mages needed to concentrate during meditation to efficiently circulate the Meditation spell's magic model.
Meditation was an activity that required persistence and patience. Typically, a year of meditation might increase mana by no more than 10 points, and once a bottleneck was reached, the gains would be even smaller, far less than what leveling up could provide.
However, meditation was also the best way to widen the gap in combat power between mages of the same level. A mage who had meditated for ten years would undoubtedly have 30% more mana than one who never meditated.
The amount of mana directly influenced the number and power of spells that could be cast, significantly boosting combat effectiveness.
The Vampire Progenitor had meditated for two hundred years. Although his strength had declined after being severely injured by a transcendent mage, Li De estimated that his current 652 points of mana far exceeded that of other high-level mages of the same rank.
This was the result of time's accumulation, the unique advantage of long-lived species.
Li De's current love for magic was no less than that of the Vampire Progenitor. The feeling of continuously absorbing the surrounding mana fascinated him.
These past few days in the mage tower, delving deeply into magic had given him a sense of satisfaction he hadn't felt before.
Watching the miraculous spells dance at his fingertips, he was almost entranced.
After one sun-hour, the three of them got out of the carriage.
Laurent and two assistants from the merchant guild had already alighted from the carriage in front and were waiting.
Green City, with its population of over a million, was even more bustling in the city center than Li De had anticipated.
The crowded streets had a vibe reminiscent of squeezing onto a subway in China.
Most of the people on the streets were commoners, dressed in coarse linen clothes, their eyes darting around nervously. When they saw carriages on the road, they would often stop in panic or move to the sides of the street.
A smaller portion were nobles, dressed in bright, luxurious clothing, their graceful manners making them stand out in the crowd. These were the objects of both envy and fear for the commoners.
The shops lining the streets, selling food, clothing, and weapons, were wide open, frequented by upper-class commoners and nobles in cotton clothes, their spirits entirely different.
The buildings on either side of the road were mostly semicircular or peaked, adorned with religious reliefs depicting deities saving the world.
Several clergy members from unknown temples were solemnly repairing the wings of a giant angel statue that had been damaged by the wind.
There were no slave traders or beggars in the city center, likely driven away by the city lord's patrols that passed by occasionally. This was, after all, where the city lord resided.
The place where Li De's group had parked their carriage was a spacious open area, facing a fifteen-blade-high, five-story ancient Roman-style building.
A large sign made of century-old red maple wood stood in the flowerbed at the center of the open area, inscribed with the words in Continental Common Script.
Alex Merchant Guild.
The sign was enchanted with a third-tier spell, Universal Comprehension, ensuring that anyone who saw it, regardless of whether they could read Continental Common Script, would understand the information on it.
"Lord Li De, there are three branches of the Alex Merchant Guild in Green City. This is their headquarters. I've already arranged a meeting with their vice president. Please, this way."
Laurent was very conscious of his role as a subordinate. Knowing he had messed up, he had been carefully attending to Li De.
"It's fine, it's not your fault. But from now on, you need to build your own connections among Green City's elite.
Just like the nobles do. I don't want to have to personally handle every matter in the future."
Li De didn't blame Laurent too much.
His roots in Green City were still too shallow. When he needed to find someone to solve a problem, he didn't even know any nobles to turn to.
However, Laurent was a decent representative. Although the merchant was timid, he was capable.
Until a more suitable candidate emerged, Laurent would be handling matters related to the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild for a long time.
"Yes, thank you for your kindness, Lord Li De. I won't disappoint you again. Please, this way. The entrance to the Alex Merchant Guild is here."
As one of the three largest merchant guilds in Green City, the Alex Merchant Guild's scale was something a third-rate guild like the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild couldn't compare to.
The headquarters of the Alex Merchant Guild was a hundred times larger than the Crimson Mage Tower, with a staff of three thousand.
The guild's main entrance faced the small square. Under Laurent's guidance, Li De walked straight through the gate, which was wide enough to accommodate five carriages side by side.
The guards, clad in silver half-plate armor forged by dwarves, were momentarily stunned when they saw Li De in his mage robe. But when they noticed the special crescent-shaped emblem on the robe, their expressions changed.
A high-level mage.
They stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Good day, esteemed mage. It is an honor to serve you."
Laurent felt a surge of satisfaction seeing this. When he had come yesterday to request an audience, these guards had ignored him and outright turned him away.
Even today, when he brought Li De's visit request, the guards hadn't given him a friendly look.
Now, seeing them bow to his patron, he felt as if they were bowing to him, and it was immensely gratifying.
"Lord Li De has an appointment with your president. Here is the visit request."
Vina stepped forward and politely handed the visit request, given to Laurent by the vice president of the Alex Merchant Guild, to the guard.
The guard was momentarily dazzled by Vina's beauty but didn't dare to stare. He took the request with both hands, glanced at it, and immediately said respectfully,
"Respected Lord Li De, please come in. President Winnie has instructed that you be taken directly to her office upon your arrival."
Li De nodded. His black mage robe, embroidered with silver patterns, gave him an air of elegance and nobility that surpassed even the nobles.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"No, it is my honor to serve someone of your stature. Please, this way."
Laurent followed behind Li De, feeling as refreshed as if he had eaten an ice-cold watermelon on a hot summer day as he watched the guards bow and smile obsequiously.
In his heart, he praised himself a hundred times for selling the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild to Li De.
Indeed, in Green City, having a mage as a patron was a wise move.
Praise the Goddess.
As Li De entered the main hall of the Alex Merchant Guild, he couldn't help but marvel.
A large mechanical clock, adorned with elven decorations, hung in the center of the hall, its ticking sound crisp and clear.
The exquisite reliefs around the hall, praising the Goddess of Life, exuded a strong religious atmosphere, drawing everyone's gaze.
The chandelier hanging from the ceiling, glowing with a faint yellow light, was made of magic crystals, which were three times the price of gold pucks by weight.
The floor was paved with white star tiles reserved for royalty, and the walls were adorned with vibrant oil paintings.
This place didn't feel like the headquarters of a merchant guild; it was more like an art gallery.
As expected of one of Green City's major merchant guilds and the property of a marquis family. The decor here was more luxurious and extravagant than his ancient castle.
Vina and Cohen's eyes were already darting around, unable to take in everything. Vina, born a commoner, had never been to such a lavish place.
Cohen, born into a minor noble family, was relatively well-off, but his family couldn't compare to the Alex Merchant Guild.
"Lord Li De, this place is like a palace. It's so beautiful."
Hearing Vina's admiration, Li De smiled. "In the future, the headquarters of the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild will be even more luxurious than the Alex Merchant Guild's."
Several employees passing by overheard this and immediately stopped, ready to mock Laurent and Vina's group.
What a joke! The Alex Merchant Guild was a symbol of greatness. How could a bunch of country bumpkins compare to it?
But when they saw Li De's mage robe, they immediately shut their mouths and walked away as if nothing had happened.
A mage lord was not someone they could afford to offend.
"I've heard that Lord Li De is the most outstanding genius among Green City's mages. Before meeting you, I had my doubts.
But after seeing the Alex Merchant Guild's main hall and still daring to speak so boldly, you truly are extraordinary."
A voice as clear as a nightingale's song sounded beside Li De.
Li De turned to see a lady in a pure white noble gown approaching, surrounded by several guards.
The girl's long neck was held high like a proud swan, her demeanor classical and elegant, the kind of grace only a great noble family could cultivate.
Her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders like scattered tulips.
Her features were exquisitely perfect, her beauty enough to make any man hold his breath.
But what was most captivating were her violet eyes, whose gleam when she blinked could enchant even the gods.
Cohen, who had been staring dumbfounded, unconsciously let out a low exclamation.
"The most beautiful tulip in Green City, Lady Winnie."