Chapter 392 Exchange, Transcription, and Beginning

Three to five days later, Shaoke and his companions finally arrived at the super empire. They appeared on a designated teleportation array for Eighth-order Practitioners. Nearly a hundred such arrays filled this vast space, with white flashes of light indicating arrivals or departures. After the head of the Maple Leaf Empire Wanderers Alliance presented their credentials, the Maple Leaf Empire assigned personnel to host them.

An ordinary Nine-rank Mage quickly led them to a massive mage tower, which would serve as their residence for the coming period. After explaining the local rules, the Nine-rank Mage departed. Adequate servants and attendants were dispatched to serve them. Since the Ninth-order beings were not overly particular, they were quite satisfied with the arrangements.

Shaoke and the Blue-robed Mage lived on the same floor of the mage tower in adjacent rooms. After resting for a few days, the Blue-robed Mage invited Shaoke to explore the surroundings, as it was their first visit to the Maple Leaf Empire.

The tower they stayed in was surrounded by many others, each over twenty stories high.

This entire area was designated for foreign guests. It was a great distance from the imperial capital's center—according to the servants, a carriage ride of a full day and night to reach the heart of the empire, where the largest library, academies, and residences of nobles and Great merchants were located. Since flight was prohibited within the capital, the mages had to travel by carriage, which naturally allowed for sightseeing along the way.

The Blue-robed Female Mage seemed to become a young woman again, stopping frequently at bustling spots to explore. Fortunately, Shaoke had paid the coachman ample common gold coins, so he had no complaints. Moreover, the mages' generous tips made him anticipate even more earnings upon reaching the city center. He was unconcerned about the time spent.

"Mage Xueye, what do you think of this?" In a jewelry shop, the Blue-robed Female Mage held up an ornament made of purple-gold crystal. "You could buy something for your wife and daughter. I think they would like it," she said. A shop assistant chimed in, hoping they would make a purchase to increase his commission.

Shaoke nodded and asked the Blue-robed Female Mage to help him choose while he casually surveyed the shop. The store was not large, accommodating only about a hundred customers at once, and it was crowded with merchants and young nobles. Nearby, young maids stood beside trays of wine and pastries, with soft chairs for resting customers.

The shelves were lined with various ornaments, some crafted from precious crystals, others from magical beast cores. Many valuable items used by mages and other professionals were visible, which made Shaoke slightly uneasy, but he said nothing and merely observed. The Blue-robed Female Mage did the same, eventually purchasing a large number of ornaments on the assistant's recommendation.

After spending a magic hour there, the mages left. As they returned to the carriage, the Blue-robed Female Mage's expression darkened. "What's wrong?" Shaoke asked after a while.

She tossed the jewelry boxes aside and leaned against a cushion, speaking gloomily, "An ordinary jewelry shop uses so many precious magic materials and crystals to make common ornaments. How powerful must this Maple Leaf Empire be?" She added, "Back home, we rarely see such ornaments made from crystals, let alone magic materials!" She sighed and stared blankly at the jewelry box.

Shaoke poured wine for the Blue-robed Female Mage and said, "According to the continental map, our region and the Blue Feather Empire are remote areas. There might be plenty of precious magic materials there, but they are guarded by magical beasts, making them inaccessible to commoners." He paused, then added, "And those of us with the ability to obtain them consider it beneath us to do so. I think that's part of the reason." He picked up the box, weighed it lightly, and placed it into his spatial ring. The Blue-robed Female Mage shot him a glare but said nothing.

As the Blue-robed Female Mage was lost in thought, Shaoke took over her earlier task, lowering the carriage window to watch the streets. Wide roads were packed with pedestrians, mostly merchants in various attire rather than commoners. He suspected that the merchants gathered here might represent all the empire's merchants across the continent. He also saw many strange races—young elves at jewelry shops, dwarves at weapon stores, and beastmen at specialty shops—but none caught his attention. Instead, he focused on the rare commoners he saw.

These commoners seldom appeared on the streets, and when they did, they hurriedly purchased goods and left. Using the method he had learned from the deity's memory, Shaoke roughly observed their physiques. After over an hour, he felt envious.

"What's wrong?" the Blue-robed Female Mage asked, her cheeks flushed from drinking too much wine. "What did you find? Withdraw your mental power; the guards might detect it."

Shaoke shook his head, indicating there was no need for concern. "With tens of thousands of people on this street, releasing a small amount of mental power won't be noticed." He quickly revealed his discovery. "The people here have excellent physiques. I believe that after some training, any of them could quickly become a qualified soldier—at least in terms of physical fitness." He frowned and added, "Now I know one thing we should obtain from here."

"Food seeds?" The Blue-robed Female Mage brushed her messy blue hair aside and said softly, "Seeing this, I feel all my efforts back home have been wasted." She sighed and turned to look outside, determined to make her own observations.

As time passed, the two mages gained a deeper understanding of this super empire. For lunch, they chose a large, elegant tavern frequented by many mages, which was the main reason they selected it. They didn't want to be disturbed by rude people during their meal.

The tavern had three floors; the mages went to the top floor but opted to dine in the main hall rather than a private room. Many mages were present, including low-level Spellcasters, Seventh Rank, and Sixth Rank practitioners. Some warriors and other professionals appeared, though fewer in number. Although the environment was not particularly refined, the lack of merchants discussing business made it satisfactory.

Soon, servants brought beautifully prepared food. Shaoke and his companion ate in silence while listening to other guests' conversations, but nothing caught their interest until the meal ended. People discussed mercenary guild benefits and places with young beautiful women, while some talked about the birth of the empire's hundredth prince.

After a brief rest, the mages paid and left. Back in the carriage, Shaoke commented, "I didn't expect even a small tavern like this to have so many spellcasters and other professionals. If we go to more advanced places, I wonder if we'll encounter Eighth-order Practitioners dining there." In the Blue Feather Empire, Eighth-order Practitioners rarely frequented such taverns, preferring to eat at home with family or companions. Perhaps it was a matter of custom, Shaoke thought.

"Mage Xueye, I must remind you," the Blue-robed Female Mage said, pulling out a book and flipping through it casually. "Less than an hour apart, we pass a small library. Every five small libraries, there's a larger one. I think we should spend a few days exploring the outskirts before heading to the city center. That will give us a better understanding of this empire."

Shaoke nodded, observing the surroundings as the mage idly turned pages. After a while, she broke the silence. "In half a day, we've encountered four comprehensive academies." She fell silent again. Periodically, she would share her observations and record them.

That night, they stayed at an inn where they enjoyed service reminiscent of home. The extra cost was worth the comfort.

The next day, as they discussed their findings, the Blue-robed Female Mage frowned again.

"An ordinary shop sells those high-grade auxiliary drugs," she said with a sigh, then fell silent. Everything here surpassed not only their own Barbarian Empire but also the Blue Feather Empire. Shaoke suddenly understood why these super empires had so many Nine-rank Professionals—the environment was ripe for their emergence.

After a month of exploration in the empire, the two mages finally reached the capital's center. They first visited the massive library, an ancient-looking structure built with stone blocks weighing several tons, covering tens of thousands of acres. The sight was awe-inspiring. Mages of various types, warriors, and other professionals entered and exited to study. In less than an hour, Shaoke noticed nearly a hundred Eighth-order Practitioners coming and going, all dressed in Maple Leaf Empire attire. Occasionally, elderly scholars, bards, merchants, and nobles appeared, but not many.

"Should we go in?" the mage asked, though she was reluctant. After a moment's thought, Shaoke decided to enter. They presented their credentials, and a mage acting as a guide led them to the area reserved for Nine-rank Spellcasters.

Inside, they were shocked by the sight of many Nine-rank Spellcasters from various empires studying books. Shaoke even spotted a Death Mage from the Blue Feather Empire. The mage gestured for him to approach.

The Death Mage regarded them calmly, answering their queries with indifference. He informed them that books for levels up to Tenth Tier were open to all, but those at Eleventh Tier and above required a price for access. The cost was substantial.

The shelves held books of varying thickness, each with a label indicating the required payment in magic materials or equivalent knowledge. These were original copies, but Shaoke and his companion didn't even browse them—they couldn't afford the fees. Embarrassed, they quickly left.

"A book on ninth-tier spell principles requires so many precious magic materials just for reading. I could only afford three or four such books with my materials," the Blue-robed Female Mage complained. She hadn't yet considered trading her own spellbooks. Shaoke remained silent, lost in thought. Back in the carriage, she asked what was troubling him.

Shaoke shook his head. "I just thought of a way to obtain valuable materials, but it requires more preparation." He paused. "I spent time in the Mist Forest long ago, where some Snow Bee Queens lived. I observed them for a while." He licked his lips. "We might be able to raise Snow Bee Queens. Their honey and blood are precious, and many things here can be exchanged for them."

The mage girl happily hugged him. "If you succeed, the alliance will grant any request." She poured wine and handed it to him. "If not in a decade, then a century or a millennium. Time—that's what we have plenty of."

After another month of wandering in the capital, they learned why the emperor had delayed the celebration of his child's birth by a year. They quickly returned to inform the Wanderers Alliance leaders.

"I forgot," the Maple Leaf Alliance leader said with a wry smile. "Every hundred years, a grand auction rotates among several super empires' capitals. This year, it's the Maple Leaf Empire's turn." He added, "As leaders of the Barbarian Empire, our gifts are…" He trailed off, lost in thought.

"Must we buy items from this auction? Our empire is newly founded; we can't afford luxury goods. Offering our best as a blessing shouldn't look bad," Shaoke said calmly. He cared little for the hundredth prince, and the Maple Leaf Empire had offered no help during their war with the Mage Guild, nor sent officials for their empire's founding. Still, he kept his reservations to himself.

After discussion, they agreed with Shaoke. Even if they wanted to buy from the auction, they lacked sufficient funds. Every item there required the resources of an empire. For a nation founded merely decades ago, it was still too difficult.

The auction had begun, lasting six months. Three days after its end, representatives from various empires would congratulate the hundredth prince. By then, Shaoke and his group must present their gifts, and the Maple Leaf Empire would reciprocate according to its own rules, though such gestures were rare and only occurred on special occasions.

One day, while Shaoke was recording his observations, the Blue-robed Female Mage invited him to the auction. Any Eighth-order Practitioner or above with credentials could enter.

Shaoke agreed. He had spent most of his life learning magic and had rarely indulged in pleasure. This time, he decided to relax with the Blue-robed Female Mage and witness the top-tier materials and treasures.

"The spell record of the Moisag Lic of Light," a young woman's voice announced through an Amplification Spell as they entered the vast hall. The hall had eight tiers; they found a spot on the third. Above sat powerful figures from various empires. "This is the first item of the auction. A million years ago, he was still remembered by some." The voice finished, and Shaoke used a magic item to observe the item below: several books wrapped in black mist floated in mid-air. No one doubted their authenticity; ever since the modern magic era, such auctions never sold fakes.

Transactions weren't conducted with common gold or crystals but with precious magic materials. A legendary mage's spell record was bought by an empire at a steep price in standard magic materials. Shaoke estimated that even if their alliance spent a century, they wouldn't use up a tenth of that amount. He shook his head and closed his eyes to rest.

More books from Legendary Spellcasters and other professionals were sold. By nightfall, the Blue-robed Female Mage and Shaoke left. The moment they stepped out, Shaoke felt dozens of mental and Aura scans from Ninth Rank beings, triggering his cautious stance, hand ready on his staff.

"It's their custom," the Blue-robed Female Mage explained. "I forgot to mention it. A few super empires send guards. Long ago, some robbed departing guests, so several super empires started monitoring." She elaborated. Shaoke cautiously expanded his mental detection range, then nodded and left with her.

"That mage seems to specialize in Death Will," a hoarse voice in the sky remarked to another. "I'd love to spar with him." An ancient voice countered, "You know, fighting someone like that means either you kill him or he turns you into a statue." The voices faded as more professionals emerged from the venue; they still had work to do.