The Golem Mage

Days passed after the Gordons’ auction, yet it remained the city’s hottest topic, as if it had only just happened.

The buzz hadn’t died down, and with good reason, because thanks to the introduction of the Undead Purge pills, many infected mages that had been damn to die had been cured instead, and some clans chose to store their remaining pills, treating them as vital lifelines for the next Blood Moon battle after seeing how efficient it was.

When the City Lord of the Estonia city finally heard the full account of what happened at the auction, he found himself completely at a loss, at first, he could hardly believe what his son told him about the quality of things that were auctioned off, but with nearly the entire city echoing the same story, he could no longer feign indifference.

And one thing became crystal clear to him and that was the fact that he had gravely underestimated the Gordons Clan, every time he felt like he had overestimated them enough and they just come up with another thing to make him worry about.

—

While Estonia City and even nearby cities buzzed with discussion about the Gordons’ methods and their auction, major changes were quietly unfolding within the Gordons Clan itself.

To begin with, the clan’s hierarchy had evolved again as they now have nine elders, one Grand Elder and eight regular elders all under the Patriarch’s command.

Both Zack and Draco had advanced in their cultivation journeys, with Zack becoming a low-tier Tier 6 mage and Draco stepping into the low-tier Tier 7 realm, officially adding another high-rank mage to the Gordons’ ranks.

Alec had personally passed on a set Tier 7 cultivation pill to Draco, enabling him to ascend swiftly and without restriction.

Unlike during the Grand Elder’s and Third Elder’s breakthroughs, this time the clan was well-prepared for Draco’s ascension into the high rank, and that was because they now had multiple Tier 7 mages available, with that much they had constructed a mental energy array barrier following a similar pattern to the one Alec had made them construct for the auction, they used this one instead to shield the surrounding area from the disruptive phenomena of Draco’s breakthrough.

Which made the news of the Gordons getting another High rank mage among them a secret between the clan members, and only those that made up the top brass that were aware that he was attempting to breakthrough in the first place.

Upon entering the Tier 7 realm, Draco had awakened a hybrid elemental affinity as a sub ability from his two elemental affinity, earth and fire, magma was the sub ability he awakened just like Alec.

However, his control over it was far more destructive as he had a higher mana, experience and mental energy, eventually his mental image took the form of an erupting volcano.

So far, Alec has only encountered three distinct mental images among the elders of the Gordons clan: the Grand Elder beauty/ugly Siren’s, the Third Elder’s Golden Battle God figure, and now Draco’s fearsome volcano.

Though The Fourth Elder’s and his grandfather’s mental images still remained a mystery to him, though curiosity gnawed at him, but he chose to wait until they summoned it or they showed him of their own free will.

Alec had learned that a mental image was the manifestation of a Tier 7 mage’s power, but at the early stage, it was difficult to control, so most avoided summoning it altogether, because no matter how powerful it made them an injury to the mental image was an injury to the soul, and no one wanted to risk a wound that could cripple their future progress.

Even Terran Dunce had returned to the academy days ago after realizing that Alec had gone into another round of secluded cultivation, though the others had already emerged, and visited Alec daily, hoping to catch him when he came out, but so far, no sign.

Even the Patriarch had entered seclusion after witnessing Bailey ascend into the Peak of the Tier 7 mage realm.

The sight had nearly driven him mad with envy, prompting him to demand some Tier 7 cultivation pills from Alec before letting Bailey go from the auction house on that day.

And just like that, Alec lost the last of his Tier 7 cultivation pills.

In the following days, the Gordons’ pill shop temporarily closed, having sold out its entire stock.

Alec had only intended for it to operate briefly anyway, not as a permanent fixture for now, its purpose had been to offset the Darkbliss Clan’s attempt to exploit their monopoly on the Tier 4 and Tier 5 Undead Purge pills after winning them at the auction.

—

#Back at the academy

Old Man Alderic sat quietly in his chair at the logistics department shop inside the second Dimension the War God Mage Academy had access to, still processing everything Terran had told him.

“So you believe this clan is hiding even more secrets, and that it would be in our best interest to draw closer to them?” Old Man Alderic asked, his tone measured.

Terran nodded without hesitation.

“Well, even if you weren’t put to use out there, you’ve brought back something valuable.” Alderic said, before tossing a small Pill bottle toward Terran.

Unlike the white-coloured cultivation pills or the golden coloured healing pills, this one had a light blue hue though not as bright but it was there, the moment it landed in Terran’s palm, his eyes nearly popped out, even though there were only two pills inside.

“Old man…” Terran began, but Alderic shook his head, cutting him off.

“You’re not allowed to return them. I heard how you’ve been getting pushed around by those faction lackeys and still haven’t gained access to the mental cultivation room, you know I can’t throw my weight around there due to my identity, but this is the least I can do, I’m giving you my own share of this month’s mental cultivation pills.”

“Hopefully, it’ll help you heal the cracks in your mental image and soul faster,” he added.

Terran nodded.

“I promise I’ll repay you someday. I don’t know how, but this act of goodwill won’t be forgotten. I swear I’ll give everything I have to meet your expectations and reach the Tier 8 mage realm,” he said with a bitter smile.

“Just take it easy, there’s no need for all that,” Alderic replied with a small wave of his hand, trying to ease the weight of Terran’s vow.

He wanted the boy to know he didn’t need to carry such a burden for a simple gesture.

But Terran was never one to take things lightly, the more he was told to relax, the more fired up he became.

“In this lifetime, I, Terran Dunce, have vowed to chase the pinnacle of cultivation, so what if there are risks? I’ll either overcome this hurdle and continue this journey or die trying,” he said back to Old man Alderic as he walked out the door of the logistics department shop.

Terran’s headstrong attitude was well-known, after all he was just like his master.

Alderic knew there was no changing his mind, all he could do was support him however he could.

Still, Alderic’s somber mood didn’t last long.

His eyes sparkled like stars as he raised the space ring that housed all Alec had sent back to him, slowly, he pressed his cheek against the cold metal, giggling with a joy he couldn’t hide.

When he had decided to rely on Alec to help with the pill shortage at the academy, Alderic hadn’t expected such a swift response returning back to him.

Everyone knew the success rate for refining those pills wasn’t high, and based on the capabilities of the academy’s own alchemists, it usually took a long time to gather that quantity, at least, that’s what he had assumed.

But Alec not only delivered the promised three hundred Tier 6 cultivation pills at such a fast speed, but he also provided an additional hundred Tier 5 cultivation pills, along with healing pills in both the Tier 5 and Tier 6 range, and he called them a gift he chipped in.

Never in Alderic’s wildest expectations had he imagined receiving healing pills in exchange for the corpses he had handed over to Alec.

Now, after hearing about the Gordons’ auction, where even treasures that would make the mages of War God Mage Academy envious were traded for corpses, he knew it was time to seriously consider implementing the idea Terran suggested.