End of the Magic Era

After saying that, Kave secretly raised his head to look at Jouyi a bit guiltily. Nothing could be done about it, as his words clearly expressed the intention to set himself against Jouyi, against the Star Sage who had already entered the Archmage realm several hundred years ago, against a peak existence in the entire Andlusa kingdom…

But after Kave glanced at Harren again, that hesitation disappeared, replaced by fervor and greed.

“The pursuit of the Magic Hand has always been the sharing and trading of magic knowledge. No one cares about innate skills and no one care how much he contributed in the research of the Fanrusen Formula. We are only concerned whether he has sufficient knowledge of magic.”

At first, Kave’s voice was still somewhat shaky, but the more he talked, the more steady he became, because Kave himself had been opposed to Jouyi and Osul’s recommendation to begin with.

At the time, Kave hadn’t been fighting it so resolutely. With Jouyi and Osul there, one threatening him and one luring him with benefits, Kave had quickly started to yield.

But it was completely different now.

There were so many people in the Banquet Hall and only Kave knew what was behind Harren’s gesture. It meant that he was willing to share the information about the Black Tower’s unique Magic Conducting Rune, the Dark Sun, with the Ash Tower. That was one of the core secrets of the Black Tower. The powerful Dark Sun was one of the main reasons that the Black Tower could stand side by side with the Cloud Tower at the peak of the kingdom.

Kave was simply unable to refuse this offer.

“If I’m not wrong, when Sir Eljin became a member of the Magic Hand, he brought to us the long lost Extreme Winter Meditation Law. When Sir Mogg joined the Magic Hand, he directly made public the secret Storm Heart Magic Conducting Rune. As for myself, I’m sure everyone remembers that research report on magical flames. Thus, I want to ask you, Mafa Merlin, you want to join the Magic Hand, but what did you bring?”

In truth, Kave was expressing thoughts that many had been thinking. And many of them let out sounds of approval.

But Harren didn’t say a word.

From start to finish, Harren only looked at Jouyi with a smile that wasn’t a smile.

To Harren, a Great Mage was incapable of becoming a member of the Magic Hand, this was simply impossible.

Harren only cared about dealing with Jouyi.

Usually, Harren would turn a blind eye to this kind of trivial matter, especially with Osul promising all kinds of benefits. But it was out of the question this time, because in Harren’s eyes, this was the best opportunity to give a blow to Jouyi’s reputation!

After all, the Magic Hand gathered all these Archmages of the kingdom, creating a huge, incredible power, and it could be said that as long as the Magic Hand said a word, the entire kingdom would shake.

But in the past few years, Jouyi’s status in the Magic Hand had been rising higher and higher. How could Harren not feel anxious when he noticed that?

With time, the Magic Hand might become a tool that Jouyi could use to suppress the Black Tower. By then, Harren would only be able to regret not acting earlier…

Fortunately, he found an opportunity today.

A chance to land a blow on Jouyi’s reputation.

‘It’s great that you are putting so much effort into recommending a Great Mage. I’ll give you trouble without even acting personally. I only needed to promise some benefits for Kave to help me deal with you. I’ll see how you can keep your reputation when Kave humiliates you. And as for that Great Mage, he will be unable to recover from that setback and will lose himself to despair.’ That young mage was basically cannon fodder. Getting involved in the struggle between two Archmages was very dumb. He would only have himself to blame for any consequences.

Here, Harren gave Kave a meaningful glance.

“You aren’t very smart, Mafa Merlin…” Kave instantly understood and looked at Lin Yun with a smile. But that smile felt somewhat unkind. “A mage’s greatest sorrow is not being able to understand oneself. You want to join the Magic Hand? Sure, but let me ask you. What accomplishment do you have outside of the bit you did with Fanrusen Formula? Have you come up with a widely accepted theory? Have you ever earned the right to name a formula?”

“Not for the time being.”

“Good, not for the time being…” Kave nodded, a visible sneer plastered on his face. “If that is the case, I don’t need to ask more. You haven’t done any of that, and you haven’t even led any magic research yet. Mafa Merlin, I am baffled. Where does your courage come from? Take a look. Aside from disciples, who in this Banquet Hall doesn’t have to be addressed as Sir? Are you qualified to stand next to them?”

“Jouyi, do you see that?” After Kave’s words settled in everyone’s minds, Harren slowly stepped out, his eyes staring at Jouyi. As for Lin Yun, he still didn’t pay him any mind.

Because he was unworthy of Harren’s attention.

“Harren, you’re insisting on opposing this?” Jouyi’s expression was very unsightly, not because of Harren and Kave’s opposition, but because these two foxes echoing each other were humiliating that young Great Mage, and doing that only in order to attack his own reputation.

Jouyi didn’t care about their attack on his reputation, but he couldn’t put up with Harren and Kave involving this young Great Mage just for that purpose.

“Jouyi, your words are a little wrong. Am I the only one opposing him? Take a look, how many members of the Magic Hand are in favor of accepting this Mafa Merlin? This isn’t my opinion, this is the will of the majority. Jouyi, I don’t think you’d be so stubborn as to go against the majority?”

“I…” Jouyi opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Indeed, there were some opposing voices in the Banquet Hall. Even if he had the will, he wouldn’t be able to persuade everyone.

“Haha, good, Jouyi, the gathering will soon start, you should lead your kid out…” Harren knew that he had already won. As long as that young Great Mage left the Banquet Hall, Jouyi’s reputation would definitely fall.

Jouyi was able to have such a lofty reputation because besides being a peak Archmage, all the strategic decisions he made for the Magic Hand never ended in failure.

But Jouyi had finally made a mistake.

Just once was enough.

After this, no matter what Jouyi said in the future, he wouldn’t be able to avoid being doubted by others. What if was wrong again?

Once, twice, thrice…

After a few times, Harren would supplant Jouyi’s position in the Magic Hand.

“Harren, it’s not up to you to decide when the event starts!” Jouyi’s expression was very indignant, but he was powerless to counter Kave and Harren’s arguments.

Jouyi was truly regretful now…

He regretted overestimating his influence in the Magic Hand. He originally thought that with Osul and his own joint recommendation, Merlin would be able to join the Magic Hand without any problems. But he hadn’t expected that Harren would use this to attack his own reputation and Merlin.

If he had known earlier, he would have waited for Merlin to become a High Mage. By that time, Merlin would have inevitably obtained shocking achievements. In that situation, there would have been no problem for him to enter the Magic Hand.

By then, even if there were ten Harrens opposing it, it wouldn’t have had any effect.

But now…

Jouyi looked at Lin Yun apologetically.

But as he looked at him, Jouyi realized that there was no change in that young Great Mage’s expression. He had been faintly smiling this whole time, as if Kave and Harren had been talking about someone else.

‘Hm?’ This smile even made Jouyi recall that miraculous night when that young Great Mage calculated a dozen core spell matrices of the Fanrusen Formula.

Jouyi’s heart was moved. ‘Don’t tell me…’

“Sir Kave, are you deaf?” Sure enough, as Jouyi looked at him, Lin Yun asked with a smile.

“What did you say!” Kave was startled.

An insignificant 5th Rank Great Mage dared to ask a 9th Rank Archmage if he was deaf!

So arrogant!

Because of the matter with Dylan, Kave had already been very angry, but Lin Yun’s question made him become outraged on the spot. Jouyi and Harren didn’t take him seriously, but that was normal. They were peak Archmages who touched upon the Extraordinary Realm. But how could Mafa Merlin act like that?

‘Do you think that you have the same qualifications as Harren and Jouyi, looking down on me like that?’