booknovelhub
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
C11 – Old Mage Master
Thundery Castle was situated on the western frontier of the Qilin Empire, nestled against the Azure Tomb Mountains. It boasted both mountains and rivers.
However, its remoteness from the county city and frequent wild beast attacks rendered it a quintessential rural area.
The previous ruler was merely a Baron, and under normal circumstances, a prince of Choo Qin’s stature wouldn’t be assigned to such an insignificant locale.
Regrettably, when the reigning emperor was distributing territories on a whim, he found himself with an excess, and thus Choo Qin, labeled a loser, became the sole recipient of this misfortune.
Yet, there were advantages to a smaller domain, and Choo Qin had grown quite fond of the place.
Chai Jiu proved to be quite capable. Since his appointment as the commander of the guards, he had managed affairs with remarkable efficiency.
Moreover, he had assumed many of the former butler’s duties, recruiting ten young maidservants from the villages within Thundery Castle’s jurisdiction, infusing the castle with a new energy.
“Your Highness… Your Highness, East Village is just ahead…”
“East Village is the most flourishing among the nearby villages. It has even established a school in recent years and produced an esteemed Old Mage Master.”
The speaker was a young girl named Qiao Ling, whose delicate features betrayed her nervousness in the presence of such a high-ranking individual.
?Out of the ten maids, Choo Qin had chosen her to be his personal attendant at first glance.
She was petite, with a well-proportioned figure, and her fair neck particularly delighted Choo Qin.
The idea for today’s patrol had come from Chai Jiu. Choo Qin had been at Thundery Castle for about a month but had yet to make an appearance before his subjects.
So, led by Qiao Ling, the trio set out on their inaugural inspection.
Observing the people living and working contentedly in their simple attire, Choo Qin was struck by the peaceful atmosphere.
……
“Boss, someone spotted the prince; he’s out and about in East Village right now.”
“Hmph, that butler promised us a monthly payment in gold coins, and we haven’t seen a single one. Does he really think Azure Tomb Stronghold can be taken lightly?”
“Do you really think we can take him? Once we capture the prince, will we have any trouble getting paid?”
“Hehe, gather your men and let’s head to East Village!”
Unbeknownst to Choo Qin, someone had already set their sights on him from a secluded spot in Azure Tomb Mountain.
He was also unaware that his butler, now reduced to ashes, had been paying a hefty “protection fee” on behalf of the once deemed loser.
Currently, guided by Qiao Ling, he was on his way to meet someone.
The “Old Mage Master” of East Village.
The “Old Mage Master,” known as Hua Jie, was celebrated for a month by the entire village when his magical talents were first discovered.
Years had passed, and Hua Jie had made a name for himself at Long Song City Academy. His influence had elevated the Fang family to the position of village chief in East Village, making it only natural for Choo Qin to pay a visit.
As it happened, Hua Jie was still in East Village due to certain circumstances. Upon Choo Qin’s arrival, he was taken aback.
He had expected the Old Mage Master to be an elderly man, but to his surprise, Hua Jie was a young man, roughly his own age.
Qiao Ling mentioned that Hua Jie had been practicing magic for a few years, indicating that he had become a mage in his early teens.
Hua Jie’s home was noticeably more refined than the other houses in the village, a testament to the greater resources available to mages compared to ordinary folk.
Upon entering, Choo Qin was greeted not by Hua Jie, but by his father, the village chief of East Village.
His father explained that Hua Jie was engaged in “Dark Meditation.”
Choo Qin wasn’t concerned. He had heard of the meditation technique, which was said to be essential for mages to increase their magical power. However, he had bypassed this need entirely with the Upgrade System.
But after waiting for over an hour, Choo Qin’s patience began to wear thin.
After all, he was a prince, and surely, even in meditation, a meeting with him was warranted.
Initially, Choo Qin had refrained from using his probing technique out of politeness. But after a brief scan, his annoyance flared into anger.
Hua Jie wasn’t meditating in the slightest!
To think he’d leave a prince hanging like this, only to be off on his own, sipping tea and perusing a book!
“Here I am, a prince, waiting for you, and you actually believe that reading is more important than me?”