Full-Time Magister: Can My Magic Cultivate Itself?

For some reason, even though he was well prepared, a lingering gloom still haunted Lin Chen's heart.

The feeling was like the suffocating, oppressive atmosphere in the air before a storm.

The blood-red warning in my memory was a blood-red catastrophe that could turn the entire city into a living hell!

"It's not enough... As a half-baked mid-level cultivator who has just broken through and can't even cast a spell, I'm still as insignificant as an ant in the face of a disaster of that level."

Lin Chen wandered aimlessly through the streets of Shanghai, unaware of what was happening.

The towering modern skyscrapers around them gradually disappeared, replaced by an old street with a strong sense of history and the characteristics of the Republic of China era.

The cobblestone path, the mottled brick walls, and at the end of the street stands a seemingly inconspicuous shop that enjoys a prestigious reputation among hunter mages across the country—Qingtian Hunting Grounds.

Lin Chen stopped, looked up at the weathered wooden signboard, took a deep breath, and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

"Ring ring—"

The bronze wind chimes hanging on the door frame emitted a crisp and melodious sound, breaking the tranquility inside the room.

The interior of the hunting lodge was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a unique aroma of aged tea and a faint tobacco scent.

Behind the bar, an elderly man with gray hair, wearing an old-fashioned long gown, was leisurely smoking a pipe and slowly wiping a set of purple clay teaware with a clean cotton cloth in his hand.

Hearing the wind chimes, the old man stopped what he was doing, raised his seemingly cloudy yet deep and unfathomable eyes, and casually glanced at Lin Chen.

"Young man, here to make a request?" The old man put down his tea set, exhaled a puff of bluish-white smoke, his voice hoarse but exuding an undeniable confidence.

"Our Qingtian Hunting Lodge's rule is that the starting price for a commission is 300,000."

"I know." Lin Chen walked to the bar, looked directly into the old man's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "I want my next protection commission, to protect someone."

"Oh?" The old man raised his gray eyebrows, seemingly intrigued.

"We at Qingtian Hunting Station are quite experienced in protection commissions. Tell me the person's basic information, the duration of protection needed, and the location of the protector."

Lin Chen placed his hands on the bar counter and said, word by word:

"That person is me. The protection period will be about five days, starting tomorrow. As for the location... I need to go to Bo City in the south."

"you?"

Upon hearing this, the old man, known as Old Man Bao, paused slightly in the hand holding his pipe.

Suddenly, a sharp, almost tangible light shot out from his previously cloudy eyes as he scanned Lin Chen from head to toe.

boom!

In that instant, Lin Chen felt an indescribable, terrifying mental pressure descend from the sky!

Under that gaze, he felt as if he had been stripped naked and stood in the snow.

From the body to the soul, and even the newly formed fire nebula and mind stardust in the spiritual world, there are no secrets to be found!

Cold sweat instantly soaked Lin Chen's back.

Fortunately, that terrifying pressure only lasted for a brief moment before receding like the tide.

Old Bao resumed his lazy demeanor, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, looking just like a cunning old fox.

"Tsk tsk, interesting. At your age, you've already reached the cultivation level of a mid-level mage. Your foundation is quite solid."

"A mid-level mage, going to a godforsaken place like Bo City, actually needs to hire someone to protect him?"

Old Bao stared at Lin Chen with a smile and exhaled a smoke ring.

"It seems there's a big problem there!"

Lin Chen swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain calm: "You can just answer it or not."

"I'll take it. There's no reason to turn away business that comes knocking on my door." Old Bao pulled a parchment-like form out of the drawer.

"However, given the unknown risks, the price... the commission fee is 1.5 million."

"A deposit of 500,000 is required upfront. The remaining 1 million will be transferred to our hunting agency's account after you have completed all the necessary procedures. If there are no problems, please sign here!"

Old Bao slammed the mouthpiece of his pipe heavily on the signature line of the principal.

One million five hundred thousand!

Lin Chen's heart clenched painfully; the savings his parents had left behind were shrinking at a visible rate.

But he gritted his teeth and, without the slightest hesitation, picked up the pen and signed his name on the form in a flamboyant manner.

Money can be earned back, but what's the use of mountains of gold and silver if you lose your life in Bocheng?

After readily paying the 500,000 yuan deposit, Lin Chen quickly left Qingtian Hunting Grounds under the all-seeing gaze of Old Man Bao.

Watching Lin Chen's figure disappear at the end of the street, Old Man Bao's smile gradually faded, and his eyes became deep.

He picked up the old-fashioned landline on the bar and dialed a number.

Not long after, accompanied by a slight fluctuation of magical energy, a young man in a black trench coat with a cold face appeared in the Azure Sky Hunting Grounds like a ghost.

"Old Bao, you wanted to see me?" The young man bowed respectfully.

"Xiao Ding, this commission is quite suitable for you. Why don't you go to the South?" Old Man Bao pushed the commission letter that Lin Chen had just signed towards him.

The young man, known as Xiao Ding, picked up the power of attorney and quickly scanned the information on it.

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw the words "Bo City" and "Intermediate Mage Employer Protection".

But as a skilled hunter, he didn't ask any further questions, and simply nodded: "Understood, I accept."

……

The next morning, at Shanghai Railway Station.

In the bustling waiting hall, Lin Chen was looking down at the time on his phone.

Suddenly, a tall, slender figure blocked the light in front of him.

"Hello, Lin Chen, right? My name is Xiao Ding, and I'm a hunter mage sent by the Azure Sky Hunting Grounds to protect you."

Lin Chen looked up and was secretly startled when he saw the young man in front of him, who was dressed casually and whose aura was as restrained as that of an ordinary person.

If the other party hadn't spoken up, he wouldn't have even been able to detect any magical fluctuations from them.

"Hello, Brother Ding, I'll be troubling you for the next few days." Lin Chen politely extended his hand.

After exchanging a few brief pleasantries, the two boarded the southbound train side by side.

As the train slowly started moving, the scenery outside the window began to rush past.

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, looking at his slightly immature yet resolute face reflected in the glass window, his thoughts racing.

This trip to Bocheng is like entering a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

But is he afraid?

afraid.

But he knew even better what the purpose of awakening magic and diligently cultivating it was.

Isn't it all for the power to control one's own destiny in this world teeming with demons and fraught with danger?

Isn't it all about being able to gallop freely through this world, and having the confidence to protect those you want to protect and defend the home you want to defend when disaster strikes?