"Ha! An interesting proposal."
"Is it money? No! That’s the least likely." Dazhe muttered to himself, "I don’t believe a mage like you would lack money or be defeated by greedy desires."
"Then is it women? No! Those two girls just now could be considered top-notch, yet you showed no excitement. Women can’t be your ultimate goal."
"Power or influence? No! As a mage, you don’t seem like someone who craves power. There’s no desire in your eyes to possess everything, and you don’t care about the authority to judge life and death from on high."
"Strength? Maybe. The mysterious allure of magic is always irresistible, becoming more powerful is every mage’s dream, and you’re no exception. But just wanting power isn’t enough to persuade you to stay."
"Glory? To be honest, if it were for glory, you wouldn’t be following a guy like me with serpent blood. You would’ve already used your power to gain glory in the mortal world."
"Then what could it be, my dear mage friend? I’m terrible at guessing riddles, so why don’t you just tell me the answer directly?" Dazhe looked at Lynch without the slightest trace of disappointment or annoyance, his eyes brimming with confidence, as if he already knew the answer but was deliberately holding back.
"Mr. Dazhe, in truth, every condition you offer is enticing, and all my desires are stirring. But I still can’t stay. There’s an almost insurmountable obstacle."
"No matter what kind of difficulties there are, they can be resolved. All obstacles are mini-games in life’s journey, things that bring pleasure. Every time a difficulty is overcome, there’s a sense of satisfaction. I’m that kind of person."
"No, that’s not what I mean." Lynch waved his hand, "If I’m not mistaken, it won’t be long before I’m inevitably leaving this world, just like last time in the great fire, I could return to my own world at any moment. That’s the main reason I can’t help you." Lynch snapped his fingers, "With a swoosh, I’m gone."
"Indeed, it’s a tricky matter, because in your presence, it is truly impossible to set up defenses in my space." Dazhe leaned back on the thick cushions, and after a period of silence, he finally spoke, "Mage, I don’t want to beat around the bush with you anymore. Let’s have a frank conversation."
Lynch chuckled, exhaling a long breath, "Just what I wanted..."
"For you to enter this space, aside from using Teleportation Magic, there’s only one possibility, and that’s the Arcane Secret Scroll of an Ancient Great Arcanist on you." Dazhe looked at Lynch, his eyes intensely fixed on him, not wanting to miss any of the mage’s actions or expressions, "This space has something that attracts the Arcane Secret Scroll. I don’t know the conditions for you arriving and leaving here, but it’s certain you have that scroll."
"I won’t deny it, Mr. Dazhe, please go on." Lynch maintained his smile.
"You guessed it, I have a similar scroll as well, but I want yours too, or the knowledge recorded on it." Dazhe took a deep breath, voicing his wish, "I want magic."
"To be honest, Mr. Dazhe, the magic on the Arcane Secret Scroll is too difficult for you. If you have already become a mage, the things recorded on it might help you. Starting from zero, the Arcane Secret Scroll is of no use to you at all."
"Do you intend to keep that scroll as private property, Mr. Vizde? That would harm you." Dazhe chuckled, "Those scrolls are not just mere recording tools. Hidden within them is a powerful soul. When you think you can master magic, that’s when it wins and destroys you. If you want to avoid this, relying on my strength is your only choice."
"Thank you for your good intentions, Mr. Dazhe, but no matter how nicely you put it, we can’t build real trust right now. So, let’s end the discussion about the Arcane Secret Scroll." Lynch still wore a harmless smile, but to Dazhe, this smile was more infuriating than a sneer. This human mage opposite him was like a pile of cotton, his punches having no effect. The conversation, filled with mutual digressions, remained stagnant, going nowhere.
"Mr. Vizde, you’re a skilled negotiator, nearly exhausting my patience. But I still say, being on my side, you can get anything you want, and I can make it happen for you. All you need to do is share a bit of knowledge."
"On your side?" Lynch’s fingers lightly tapped the teacup before him, "Mr. Dazhe, your world is teacup, exquisite, beautiful, captivating. I quite like it, of course, the only downside is there are too many snakes here. Being on your side, it doesn’t sound difficult, but I don’t know who you are opposed to. To build an army of Snake-men, there must be an enemy. I wonder if, compared to your opposite, your side is as beautiful yet fragile as this teacup."
"I have no enemies on the opposite side, or rather, I won’t place anything on my opposite side." Dazhe brushed his nose, "Only those nuisances would stand against me on their own, becoming my enemies." Follow current novels on novel~fire~net
Seeing Dazhe’s action, Lynch noticed a flicker in his gaze. As Dazhe touched his nose, his heartbeat also quickened. The mage smiled slightly, naturally not believing his lies.
At this moment, Lynch felt a warm sensation envelop him, starting from his heart, flowing through his veins into every cell. Gradually, the world before him began to blur, and Dazhe’s figure started to distort.
"Looks like I have to leave, Mr. Dazhe."
"We will meet again, Mage Vizde—whether or not that’s your True Name, we will meet again. Consider my words well. Also, don’t forget..."
Before Dazhe could finish speaking, all the images before Lynch vanished, and darkness completely enveloped him again. This time, the young mage seemed to fall into a void, directionless, senseless, devoid even of air. Lynch opened his mouth wide, trying to perform an inhaling motion for his lungs.
"Hah..." Long-missed air filled his flattened lungs, and Lynch suddenly sat up from the cold floor.
"You finally woke up..." Zilvra’s voice sounded beside him.