Chapter 179: The Great Magic Wave at O Village (Part 1)

by Tidal Guest

Looking at the completely wooden building, Sang Chu stepped onto the threshold, his eyes scanning the place.

Suddenly, a strange bird popped out from the beam above, dragging its body as it stared at Sang Chu, instantly startling him.

“Welcome, welcome! Are you here to stay, guest?”

The people inside didn’t even bother to look up, as if they were used to this. Sang Chu, carrying his bag, walked past them.

The innkeeper, dressed in simple clothes with dark skin, yawned lazily. But when his sleepy eyes caught sight of Sang Chu in his mage’s robe, he immediately straightened up and greeted him with a cheerful smile.

“Honored mage, welcome! Are you looking for a room?”

“Yes, there are seven of us. Please give us seven rooms.”

At this, the innkeeper looked a little troubled. “Honored mage, recently everyone in O Village is heading to Lixin City for the pilgrimage. There are only three rooms left in my inn.”

“I’ll take them all!”

Before Sang Chu could respond, a young man nearby quickly claimed the rooms.

Sang Chu smiled at the young man who stepped forward. “Young man, do you not understand the rules here?”

The young man glanced at Sang Chu’s robe—clearly from a lower-ranked city—and snorted disdainfully. “Innkeeper, I’ll pay double for your rooms. Arrange them for me. I’m exhausted from traveling!”

The innkeeper, though only wearing a magic academy’s black robe with a white camellia badge, hurriedly replied, “Alright, alright, the three rooms are yours.”

Watching the young man’s departing figure, Sang Chu frowned slightly. Rabbit Spirit, unable to understand, asked in his mind: [A-Chu, I have money. Why didn’t you just outbid him?]

[No need. I’ll let him have it. You go see if you can find out why so many mages are heading to Lixin City. I’ll look for another inn.]

Rabbit Spirit sometimes didn’t quite understand Sang Chu’s thinking, but since he’d already said so, she could only go along with it.

At the same time, Sang Chu messaged Sang Jingwen and Lu Minli: [There are a lot of people in this village heading to Lixin City. See if you can find out what the merchants are saying.]

Sang Jingwen replied: [I just arrived at the square. Seems like something happened in Lixin City—a batch of rose flowers appeared, and the city lord has declared a three-day holiday, one month from now.]

Sang Chu: [Rose flowers? City lord?]

These words weren’t unfamiliar, but why did they sound so strange together?

Lu Minli: [Is it related to that mage Qiqi and the rose flowers we encountered at the flower shop?]

Sang Chu fell silent for a moment, then messaged Saiha, the black mage: [Saiha, do you black mages just pick up quests like this?]

Saiha, who had been shopping, was startled by Sang Chu’s direct question in her ear. She was a little uncomfortable—this was the first time someone had used the slave contract on her!

[Master, there are no black mages in this area. I can’t see the new quest marker!]

Sang Chu: [How far is your black mage base from here?]

[About three days’ journey.]

Sang Chu: [I’ll give you a bottle of healing potion and four rose flowers. You can go back to report, but first, I need you to check on something.]

Saiha immediately put down what she was doing: [Master, just say the word!]

[I need to know if Mage Qiqi is alive or dead!]

Saiha was stunned for a moment, then replied, [Master, Qiqi issued a wanted order. How could he be dead?]

[That’s why I need you to check. If his quest hasn’t been canceled, it means he’s probably alive. If…]

Saiha: [If the quest is gone, it means the issuer is dead. Understood, Master. I’ll go right away. Where should I meet you?]

[Come here. I’ll put the potion on a card for you. Find me at the inn’s entrance—I’ll be waiting.]

[Okay, I’m on my way!]

Saiha and C hurried toward Sang Chu, causing Sang Jingwen and Lu Minli to exchange anxious glances.

Sang Chu: [Brother, Minli, you two go with Saiha and help her investigate.]

Sang Jingwen wanted to object, but seeing Sang Chu’s determination, he kept quiet.

While waiting, Sang Chu stood outside the Tidal Guest Inn, watching the people coming and going.

He was dressed plainly. For a moment, he almost felt like he was just an ordinary traveler, not someone who had transmigrated.

“Sir, would you like to buy some seafood?”

An old man carrying a basket approached Sang Chu, speaking carefully. His basket was filled with all sorts of dried fish and shellfish, as well as three or four small jars of medicinal herbs.

“How much for all of this, old man?”

“If you want it all, thirty crystal shards, sir. Is that alright?”

“Alright, I’ll take it all.”

Sang Chu took out thirty crystal shards from his wooden ring. The old man’s eyes widened at the sight of the sparkling crystals, and he hurriedly handed over the basket’s contents. But then he realized he didn’t have a storage ring to hold the items.

Seeing his embarrassment, Sang Chu smiled and said, “Here, old man, you keep the crystal shards. I’ll put the items away myself.”

“Thank you, thank you, sir!”

The old man wiped his hands clean before accepting the crystals. When he looked up again, all the items from his basket had already disappeared.

“Sir, are you from out of town?”

“Yes. Do you know if there are any inns nearby?”

The old man glanced around nervously, then pulled Sang Chu aside and whispered, “Sir, you seem like a good person, so I’ll be honest with you. Tonight isn’t safe. If you have somewhere to go, you’d best leave.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

The old man seemed very frightened, his voice trembling. “The cold mist here is terrifying. Even in a place with magic, people have been eaten by the demon king. Many mages have died. Sir, you’d best leave.”

“All the dead were mages?”

The old man nodded, his face full of fear.

“A-Chu!”

Saiha called out as she ran over. When the old man saw Saiha and her group, he quickly picked up his basket and left.

“A-Chu, who was that man?”

“Just a peddler.”

C stared after the old man, lost in thought. Sang Chu asked, “Is there something strange about him?”

Saiha and C hesitated for a long time, then finally whispered in Sang Chu’s ear, “Master, that old man is also a black mage—a level five summoner.”

Sang Chu’s head snapped up to look at the old man’s retreating figure. “Didn’t you say black mages can’t enter the city?”

C: “Yes, but summoners are an exception. They can summon wandering souls from outside the city, possess them, and become entirely new people. It’s very hard to catch them.”"