"System, tell me: can I choose the location of their appearance once I summon them? And what happens if a civilian witnesses them appearing out of thin air?" I asked, focusing on the most critical aspect of my safety.
After all, I needed a foolproof explanation for the Hunter Union. Five high-level mages appearing alongside my brother out of a vacuum would raise every red flag in the country.
[Don't worry, Host. You may designate the specific coordinates for their arrival. The System will ensure a 'perception filter' is active during the process so no unwanted eyes witness the summoning. Furthermore, the five subordinates will be integrated into the global database with complete hunter registrations and verifiable backgrounds. Their identities are ironclad.]
"That's a relief," I muttered, a weight lifting off my chest. "Alright, System—convert one Super-level card. Summon my brother and the five random subordinates to a secluded area near Dongting Lake. As for the remaining Super card, store it in the System Space for now."
[Ding! Request processed. The summons are underway. Note: The cultivation realms of the subordinates vary, including your brother's. However, your brother's original Magic Systems remain unchanged from his previous life.]
[[1] LI SHEN (ELDEST)
Ice Element: Advanced Level 3 (Soul Seed: Glacier's Breath – 6x Multiplier)
Shadow Element: Advanced Level 3 (High-tier Fleeing/Coercion)
Space Element: Advanced Level 2 (Silver Diamond Boundary achieved)
[2] LI WEI (SECOND)
Fire Element: Advanced Level 2 (Spirit Seed: Crimson Lotus)
Light Element: Advanced Level 2
Lightning Element: Advanced Level 1
[3] LI JUN (THIRD)
Wind Element: Advanced Level 2 (Spirit Seed: Azure Gale)
Space Element: Advanced Level 2
Chaos Element: Advanced Level 1
[4] LI HAN (FOURTH)
Earth Element: Advanced Level 1 (spirit seed High-density Rock)
Summoning Element: Advanced Level 1 (Contract: Steel-Hide Commander)
Plant Element: Advanced Level 1 (Binding/Entrapment focus)
[5] LI ZHU (FIFTH)
Psychic Element: Advanced Level 1 (Focus: Group Illusion)
Sound Element: Advanced Level 1 (Focus: Sonic Vibration/Killer Chord)
Curse Element: Advanced Level 1 (Ghost Claw manifestation)]
"As long as the Magic Systems are the same, I can work with the rest," I thought.
In this world, cultivation levels are flexible. If you're weaker than expected, you keep your mouth shut; if you're stronger, you simply claim you had a 'fortuitous encounter' and a sudden breakthrough. But a change in Magic Systems? That was impossible to hide from the magic sensors and would lead to a dissection table in a lab.
"Now... for the moment of truth. System, start the Lucky Draw."
A shimmering, ethereal wheel materialized in my vision, divided into segments that glowed with a faint, pulsing light. As it began to spin, my pulse quickened. It was that universal thrill—the high-stakes gamble that anyone who has ever played a gacha game knows all too well. My breath hitched as the needle flickered past various colors before slowing to a crawl.
[Congratulations, Host! You have received: Three Red Vitality Petal.]
[Item: Red Vitality Petal – A rare fragment of the Seven-Petal Red Vitality Flower. Each petal extends the consumer's lifespan by 20 years while simultaneously rejuvenating their physical peak by 25 years. Can also heal deadly injuries but can't do anything about deceases.]
I stared at the screen, stunned. At my current age, it was useless to me personally, but in the world of Versatile Mage, this was a god-tier artifact. Even the high-and-mighty Forbidden Curse Mages, who sat at the pinnacle of human power, would kill to get their hands on twenty extra years of life.
"I hit the jackpot," I whispered, my mind racing. "With this, I could trade for an Earth Pistil or an top-tier Soul Seed without breaking a sweat. Or I can hoard it as a final life-saving measure." I forced myself to take a deep breath, calming my frantic thoughts. I had to play this smart.
My focus shifted back to the immediate future. My brother and his new squad would reach the city near Dongting Lake by tomorrow. Once the news hit Bo City, the vultures circling our family would have to retreat.
"I've noticed the 'eyes' on us lately," I narrowed my eyes, looking toward the window. We were wealthy, and with my brother missing, people had started getting greedy.
"But once they realize five high-level mages are backing us, they'll crawl back into their holes. They aren't idiots."
However, I couldn't be complacent. If all of them stayed in Bo City permanently, the Black Vatican might see them as a threat to their upcoming 'Blood Alert' plans and do something desperate. I would have to send most of them to Shanghai once the dust settled, keeping only one as a hidden guardian.
The sky outside had turned a bruised purple, signaling the onset of evening. Grandma Zhang would be home soon. Feeling the mental exhaustion of the awakening and the high-stakes summoning finally hitting me, I stood up and stretched.
The path ahead is dangerous, but for the this time, the scales were starting to tip in my favor. I headed to the bathroom, letting the steam of a hot shower wash away the tension of the day.
Stepping out of the shower and into the hall, I found the house already filling with the savory scent of dinner. Grandma was already at the stove, her hands moving with practiced ease. Even though she rarely lets me near the actual cooking, I headed straight for the kitchen anyway; I knew I could at least handle the prep work.
"Grandma, let me take care of these," I said, reaching for the pile of vegetables. For once, she didn't wave me away. We worked in a comfortable rhythm—me scrubbing and chopping, her seasoning and stirring. By the time we sat down to eat, the food tasted even better because of the conversation that seasoned our meal. It felt good to just be there with her.
After dinner, Grandma Zhang's weary steps echoed down the hallway; the long hours at her shop had clearly taken their toll.
Once her door clicked shut, I retreated to the sanctuary of my own room, the quiet of the house finally allowing me to breathe.
I didn't waste a moment. Settling onto the floor in a cross-legged meditative stance, I reached into my inventory and pulled out a Mind Stone—a shimmering reward from the System that felt cool and humming with latent energy against my palm.
My situation was far from ideal; with all three of my stardusts currently sealed away, I was effectively cut off from my primary sources of power.
However, I wasn't about to let these next two years go to waste. By channeling the pure, psychic essence of the Mind Stone, I could bypass my sealed foundations and begin the slow, arduous process of elevating my spiritual level.
As I closed my eyes, the stone began to glow with a faint, violet hue, and I felt the first trickle of energy begin to weave into my consciousness. It was a small start, but in two years, even a trickle can carve a canyon.
To be continued.....
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