Lin Gui looked down at his outfit, which had never changed, and let out a sigh.
He was well aware of the chain of discrimination between wandering mages and registered mages.
Registered mages prided themselves on being orthodox, studying standard magic.
Standard chanting methods, complete magic circuits, and an orthodox system of heritage.
Whether in the stability of spellcasting or the power of magic,
they were far superior to half-baked mages like wandering mages.
It was somewhat like the difference between a licensed doctor and an unlicensed country quack.
Yet it was undeniable that there was indeed some truth to it.
Many powerful Transcendent magic and Legendary magic spells
were basically monopolized by Archmages or magic families, preventing them from leaking out.
Meanwhile, most of what could be found on the market were crippled versions.
Not only did they consume a vast amount of mana, but their power could not be compared to the genuine versions.
And this discrimination reached its peak after the Magic City began enacting the regulation stating that "wandering mages cannot stay for long."
Wandering mages could not remain in the City of a Thousand Towers.
Much less set foot inside the symbol of mages—the Mage Guild.
Even with Freya, a Legendary mage, leading the way, it probably would not work.
After all, that regulation had been set down by the Apex of the High-tier Epic rank.
It seemed he truly had to change his clothes.
After saying a brief goodbye to Freya, he walked over to a corner.
From his storage space, he pulled out the stack of clothes Elvia had picked for him.
He took off the faded mage outfit and put it into his storage space.
He changed into new clothes.
It was nothing flashy.
Just ordinary dark trousers and a light grey shirt.
The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing well-defined wrists.
Over it, he wore a well-fitted black casual jacket.
No mage robes, no staff.
No magic crystals, no runes.
In the mirror, he was simply an ordinary young man with black hair and black eyes.
After looking down to confirm there were no signs of a mage on him, he stepped out of the corner.
Freya was waiting at the street corner.
When Lin Gui appeared before her in his new attire, she froze for a moment.
Her gaze lingered on him for a few extra seconds.
Lin Gui was not extraordinarily handsome.
He had balanced facial features and a clean look around his eyes and brows.
Yet his rare black hair and black eyes added a touch of exotic charm to him.
His black hair was slightly messy, with a few strands falling over his forehead.
His black eyes were calm and deep, like two bottomless wells.
Paired with that simple, neat casual wear.
His whole demeanor made him look like a traveler from a distant city-state.
Clean, restrained, carrying an indefinable sense of distance.
Freya could not help but steal another glance.
Then she spoke.
"Very handsome."
After saying that, she froze.
Her hand unconsciously rose, gently covering her lips.
A trace of confusion and shyness flashed across her azure eyes.
She did not understand how she had blurted it out.
Perhaps it was because of their week together.
His profound understanding of Levitation.
That surgical precision in his explanations, that patient and meticulous guidance.
His teaching capability, far exceeding her instructor's, which had thoroughly convinced her.
Unknowingly, she had already placed him on the same level as herself.
Subconsciously speaking to him in the tone of a friend.
She lowered her eyelashes, looking away from Lin Gui.
She turned around.
"Let's go."
Her voice was slightly quieter than before.
Lin Gui followed behind her.
The two walked toward the Mage Guild.
The building of the Mage Guild was a towering magic tower.
The body of the tower was made of dark blue stone, its surface etched with silver runes.
A massive magic crystal floated at the top of the tower, slowly rotating.
Freya walked ahead.
She wore ice-blue mage robes, with the Mage Guild badge pinned to her chest.
The star on the badge was bordered with three gold edges.
That was the mark of a Legendary mage.
Upon seeing her, the guards at the entrance immediately bowed their heads in respect.
Freya nodded slightly, without breaking her stride.
Lin Gui followed behind her.
He had shed all clothing identifying him as a mage.
No robes, no staff, no magic crystals.
Yet a trace of his mana would still naturally seep out.
That was an aura that a High-tier High Rank mage could not completely conceal.
The guards' eyes swept over him, their brows furrowing slightly.
They had clearly guessed his identity—a wandering mage.
However, with no robes and no staff,
he could easily claim he was not a mage, but a Priest or belonging to another class.
They had no reason to stop him.
The guards pulled back their gazes without making a sound.
Lin Gui followed Freya, stepping into the Mage Guild.
He looked around curiously.
A few days ago, he had delivered a letter here.
It was the letter given to him by the fake Sivir.
However, he had not actually entered the interior.
This was essentially his first time stepping inside the Mage Guild—the strongest backing for mages.
The hall was extremely tall, with a semi-circular dome.
It was covered in colorful murals.
They depicted the history of mages.
The descent of the Demon God, the construction of magic towers, and the birth of the City of a Thousand Towers.
Every scene was outlined with remarkably fine brushstrokes.
The light of magic glowstones poured down from all around the dome,
illuminating the entire hall as bright as day.
The floor was paved with dark blue stone slabs.
The seams were filled with silver metal, forming smooth, flowing arcs.
In the hall, mages in robes of various colors came and went.
Some walked hurriedly, clutching thick tomes.
Others gathered in small groups, discussing something in low voices.
Their robes were all brand-new and refined.
Mage Guild badges were pinned to their chests, the stars on the badges glinting with a pale golden light.
When they saw Freya, the look in their eyes changed instantly.
Awe, longing, respect.
Some paused in their steps, bowing slightly in greeting.
Others lowered their voices, whispering to their companions.
Their eyes were filled with admiration.
That was respect for a Legendary mage.
Recognition of her long ice-blue hair.
Admiration for that badge with two gold borders.
A badge with two gold borders signified a registered Mid-tier Legendary mage.
Then, their gazes fell upon Lin Gui behind Freya.
That young man wearing casual clothes with black hair and black eyes.
Their brows furrowed.
The admiration in their eyes turned into disgust.
As if they were looking at something that should not be there.
Intruding without their permission.
Defiling this sacred hall.
Their stares were so blatant, so obvious.
Without any attempt at concealment.
Lin Gui, however, felt nothing at all.
His gaze moved away from the murals and swept across the faces of those mages.
His black eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
Compared to the tragic past he had experienced, this was nothing.
Up ahead, Freya, who had been quietly observing this, curled her lips slightly upward.
She gave a faint smile.
Lin Gui was not particularly young.
She remembered he was twenty-four years old.
Yet within the perspective of Akara's mages, whose average lifespan exceeded a century, he was extremely young.
Freya had seen far too many so-called magic geniuses who studied in ivory towers and only began gaining field experience in their forties.
They wore refined robes and pinned gleaming badges to their chests.
Chanting standard incantations and casting orthodox magic.
Yet compared to Lin Gui, they lacked far too much maturity.
That calm which seeped from the marrow, born of having witnessed far too much death and suffering.
Freya pulled back her gaze.
She led Lin Gui across the hall and through the corridors.
Heading all the way inside.
Ultimately, they arrived at the most core location of the Mage Guild.
It was also the core reason why it, as a guild, could rival the Transport Guild.
The magic tower.
It was an independent, extremely tall tower.
The tower rose from the center of the guild building.
Extending upward, piercing through the dome.
The top was nowhere in sight.
The surface of the tower was covered in densely packed runes.
Not pale gold, but pure gold.
Every rune flowed slowly, like a living creature breathing.
Magic towers held a transcendent position in the apocalyptic city-states.
It was the only facility capable of transmitting information instantaneously across ten thousand li.
The establishment of the City of a Thousand Towers was largely due to the emergence of magic towers.
The over one thousand magic towers in the City of a Thousand Towers were like a massive communication base.
Handling communication for all magic towers within their coverage zone.
Enabling Dawn City, the innermost core, to directly govern and supervise every city-state in the Central City-States.
One could say that the presence of a magic tower signaled the presence of the Alliance's power.
It also indicated that this city-state was extremely important to the Alliance.
If it were lost or destroyed, it would be a significant blow.
Lin Gui glanced over.
Then he closely followed Freya, walking toward the magic tower.
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