Chapter 71 Disputes and Differences
Soren learned quickly. Perhaps it was because the 0-level spells were indeed much simpler; he managed to learn Lightning Shock, Magic Trick, Mage Hand, Repair Spell, Read Spell, Flash Spell, and several others in one night, totaling eight 0-level spells. As he progressed, his learning speed increased, and he could complete the construction of the spell models for the basic 0-level spells in just half an hour.
However, to permanently memorize these 0-level spells, Soren also used about 300 points of Killing Experience.
When he prepared to memorize the 9th 0-level spell, that familiar sense of dizziness returned. Soren knew that he had overexerted his mental energy, and his brain was starting to feel overwhelmed. So, he put down the spellbook and began to rest. Before sleeping, he tried meditating again, and this time he successfully entered a meditative state, albeit it was just a light meditation for sensing external elements rather than a deep meditation to perceive the Magic Network. By the time he groggily woke up from meditation, it was already the next morning.
“I actually fell asleep while meditating.”
Soren got up and rubbed his head, then stood up to pack his things. Meditation was a state similar to sleep; high-level witches could use it as a substitute for sleep. In the end, Soren’s mind was empty, and he felt as if he had fallen asleep. Yet, he still maintained a slight awareness of the external world, which was quite interesting. He went downstairs to eat something, then hurried towards the direction of the merchant caravan’s base.
Although White Horse City had tightened its defenses significantly, moving around during the day wasn’t too problematic; at least he would not encounter searches from the guards. If it were nighttime, the guards would scrutinize anyone who seemed suspicious. Recently, a number of people had been thrown into the prison by the guard, and it would be impossible for them to get out without some money. Soren had heard complaints yesterday that the guard planned to raise funds through such methods.
The Northern caravan was still stuck inside the city; it seemed no one could leave, and they might be trapped for a month or two.
If White Horse City continued to remain inactive, they might even have to spend the winter in the south.
Even with the strength of the Northern Witch, the high-level merchant caravan mistress, it was unlikely she could take on the two-headed ogre. It would be fine for her to pass through on her own, but leading such a large group of people would be nearly impossible.
The Guard Captain was training others.
When he saw Soren, a look of surprise crossed his face. As a third-tier Northern Barbarian, the Guard Captain’s profession level was roughly around level 10. Although Northern Barbarians could rage, they still belonged to an advanced warrior class; their rage did not affect their sanity, but they could not gain as notable boosts as barbarians. He looked at Soren with a deep gaze, seemingly noticing the increase in Soren’s strength, and slowly said, “The Mistress said you can come and go freely.” Soren nodded slightly and glanced at the others who were training.
He had also trained for a while, but the professional experience gained from training was too little; he got less than ten points per session, with a maximum of just over a hundred points in a day. So, afterwards, not many people improved their strength through training; most professionists chose to level up through killing. However, for the natives, training was their main means of enhancing strength.
Professional experience was not as good as Killing Experience and had far fewer uses.
………………
Soren pushed the door open and walked in. There was a maid cleaning in the hall, and after glancing at him, she took him to a nearby guest room.
It was clear that the merchant caravan mistress had instructed her in advance.
The maid brought him a cup of milk tea, a beverage popular among wizard nobles. It was made with ground tea bricks, milk, and sugar powder, but Soren was never quite used to it.
He did not wander around, as this was the witch’s house; he simply sat quietly on the sofa and waited.
Creak!
The large door of the guest room slowly opened, but it was not the merchant caravan mistress who walked in. Instead, it was a strikingly beautiful woman with long hair reaching her waist, dressed in a noblewoman’s gown. Her fair neck adorned with a diamond necklace had three rings on her fingers: an agate ring, a jade ring, and a uniquely inscribed ring. A pink silk scarf was tied around her chest, slightly revealing her delicate curves along with what appeared to be an extraordinary accessory.
The alluring woman’s youthful appearance belied her true age. Soren knew that she was not as young as she appeared; just her mature and aristocratic aura was not something a young girl could possess. The exquisite gown featured delicate lace, while her seemingly ordinary red high heels bore strange patterns, and her black stockings were embroidered with rose patterns, but the mixed patterns made Soren cautious.
Stockings were an invention of witches, a remarkable achievement of alchemy, and were extremely expensive. Ordinary stockings might cost ten Ginds.
The enchanting woman before him wore spider silk, and if Soren was not mistaken, the material came from the Underdark.
“Hehe.”
The beautiful woman let out a light laugh, gracefully walking over with a cat-like tread. Her curious gaze scrutinized Soren, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of her mouth as she playfully said, “You must be Vivian’s brother?”
“That little guy named Soren? Just as I thought, a handsome young man!”
Her eyes brimmed with allure, and her expression seemed teasing as she lifted a finger and beckoned lightly, her tone flirtatious, “Come here, little guy, let me take a good look; sister will help you check your body.”
“Hehe!”
Amidst her flirtatious giggle, she slowly approached, her jewel-like eyes glimmering as she wore a sweet smile that made one want to rush forward and kiss her. Her slender waist swayed as her full hips moved gently, the curve enticing enough to make one feel parched just by looking.
Soren felt the same; a hint of greed and desire appeared in his eyes, and he stood up, moving toward the enchanting woman. However, his hand subtly shifted, conveniently resting on the hilt of his blade.
“Now, that’s more like it!”
The enchanting woman did not notice Soren’s slight movement; the light in her eyes grew brighter, and she maintained an unconcerned smile, playfully saying, “Come here, handsome little guy; I have some questions for you.”
Step by step, their distance narrowed. Suddenly, Soren’s gaze regained clarity, and with a swift sound, he unsheathed his curved blade, striking down at the enchanting woman before him.
Clang!
The curved blade was stopped by an invisible energy field when it was within a foot of her; Soren sliced through the protective field with his blade, quickly positioning it against the woman’s neck.
“Tsk tsk.”
The beautiful woman showed a brief moment of surprise, then waved her fingers dismissively, a weak light appeared, and the invisible energy field suddenly expanded, slamming into Soren and knocking him backward.
Bang!
Soren crashed into the sofa, twisting his body and stabbing the blade into the floor. The screeching sound created sparks as he slid back three meters before finally stopping.
“Who are you?” Soren stood with his blade crossed over his chest, his eyes filled with vigilance.
The woman had cast charm spells on him right after they met, which was not a sign of friendliness. If it had not been for the inability to break the protective field, his blade would have surely been at her neck by now. This was a witch of considerable strength; the spells she had just used were ‘Charm Human’ and ‘Repelling Energy Ring.’
The beautiful woman examined him curiously before pouting, “Your will is quite impressive! The question is, can you withstand the Frenzied Charm!”
A spark of magic light appeared.
The beautiful woman continued casting spells with interest, while Soren took a deep breath, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes as he charged forward like a leopard, the curved blade in his hand glowing with a dark sheen.
“Stop!”
The merchant caravan mistress’s voice rang out, restrained and angry, as her figure suddenly appeared in mid-air, pointing directly at the alluring woman.
——“Dimension Step!”
——“Spell Counter!”
The beautiful woman’s face paled as her spell was interrupted in an instant. A flush crept over her cheeks, her eyes grew watery, giving her an inexplicably odd look, like a woman in a boudoir bursting with desire.
——“Human Restrain Spell!”
Another spell’s spark exploded as the merchant caravan mistress’s ring glowed, and in an instant, Soren felt his entire body stiffening and floating in mid-air. The momentum from his jump sent him crashing into the enchanting woman, sending her flying backward. Simultaneously, the curved blade struck an energy shield, and with a thud, it dropped to the floor.
“Enough!”
The merchant caravan mistress’s gaze was sharp, her chest rising and falling with anger as she shouted, “Mother! You really should rein in your behavior! This is my territory; I trust you remember how to show respect to a high-level witch!”
“Good daughter.” The enchanting woman’s voice dripped like honey, her flush slightly fading as she spoke in a tone of feigned innocence, “I was just saying hello to him…”
The merchant caravan mistress’s face turned grim as she retorted, “Does saying hello require charm spells?”
“Mother.”
“Your behavior has increasingly veered away from your position, and I think you really need to reflect on it!”
“Otherwise, the council will surely imprison you.”
——“Maze Spell!”
The enchanting woman’s expression changed dramatically, and she exclaimed in disbelief, “Good daughter! Are you serious?!”
“Ah!…”
As the echo lingered, the enchanting woman had vanished, teleported into an extradimensional maze.
The merchant caravan mistress took a deep breath to calm herself, then glanced at Soren, waving her hand to dispel the effects of the Human Restrain Spell, slowly saying, “I apologize.”
“Vivian is in the laboratory at the back; come with me.”
Without giving Soren a chance to ask or explain, the merchant caravan mistress waved her hand gently. The broken items in the room floated into the air, and then she snapped her fingers, causing everything to begin rapidly repairing itself. Soon, the messy hall returned to its original orderly state.
——“Mage Hand.”
——“Repair Spell.”
Soren remained silent for a moment, then picked up the curved blade and followed her. His expression showed no emotion. The merchant caravan mistress before him was even more powerful than he had thought; utilizing two 0-level spells to such an effortless extent suggested she mastered at least five or more extraordinary magic specialties. For such a character to become a Legendary Witch is just a matter of time.
