Full-Time Magister: I Had No Intention of Reaching the Dimensional Throne

Tian Huijiu was stunned for a long time. He glanced at the goji berries in his cup.

The water was still warm; it hadn't even been the time it takes to drink a cup of tea since he and Bai Mo finished their conversation and agreed on the time to enter the association's sacred cultivation ground.

However, the strong smell of blood from the demon's head quickly brought him back to his senses.

"The White Judge is truly divine and mighty. I will now take you to the Xiaoxiang Secret Realm."

With a long sigh, Chairman Tian gave Bai Mo a deep look, as if he were looking at a future high-ranking and powerful figure, and immediately spoke.

"Thank you for your help, Chairman Tian."

With a slight smile, Bai Mo did not put away the head of the Earth Vein Golden Armor Monarch. This was a way to give an explanation to Chairman Tian and the various organizations in Xiangcheng.

As Bai Mo walked out with Chairman Tian, ​​he casually asked about the Xiaoxiang Secret Realm.

"I've never heard of this place in Xiangcheng before. What's so special about it?"

"It is a secret realm, which is special enough. The Xiaoxiang Secret Realm is said to have been left by the human race on this land a long time ago. It is rich in magical elements, which can support the cultivation of high-level mages."

Having promised Bai Mo he would take him inside, Chairman Tian didn't hold back and proudly introduced the Xiaoxiang Secret Realm.

"This secret realm is a treasure of Xiangcheng, and it would never be revealed to outsiders under normal circumstances. To be honest, I'm also very puzzled as to how Judge Bai knew about it."

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo glanced at the middle-aged man in the Tang suit with a slightly impolite look.

He simply smiled at his question.

It's better not to tell the truth, otherwise the chairman might realize that he might not be very smart.

He had initially speculated that the Xiangcheng Magic Association possessed a secret realm, but when he asked, Chairman Tian admitted it without hesitation.

During the conversation, Bai Mo followed Chairman Tian to a staircase between the eleventh and twelfth floors.

Upon approaching this place, Bai Mo, with his mastery of spatial magic, vaguely sensed a distant and mysterious spatial fluctuation.

Chairman Tian then reached out and took out a small, round, antique-looking seal, which was yellowish-brown in color.

After a faint fluctuation of magical energy, a strange rune flew out of the small seal and landed on the wall at the corner of the corridor.

Immediately afterwards, a deep spatial passage with silver swirling patterns opened up at this corner.

"It's right here, please follow me."

Chairman Tian said very politely that Bai Mo could tell that the middle-aged man in the Tang suit became much more respectful after he took out the head of the Earth Vein Golden Armor Monarch.

Bai Mo didn't care about this change and followed him inside, arriving at a secret realm in one step.

As soon as he entered, Bai Mo understood why this secret realm could be hidden here.

Because this secret realm is very small, only the size of an elevator space.

The secret realm is also shaped like an elevator, presenting a cylindrical form.

Stepping inside, one can feel an extremely rich elemental energy.

Why is this place called the Xiaoxiang Secret Realm?

A look of surprise appeared on Bai Mo's face as he looked around and asked.

This small, easily visible area was a hazy, dark gray expanse, completely unrelated to the name "Xiaoxiang".

Mentioning the name "Xiaoxiang" evokes countless associations for anyone from the Nine Provinces.

Whether it's the misty waters and the moonlit sand, or the flute music in the bamboo forest and the pipa played by a singing girl, these two words are inseparable from the words "Jiangnan".

"We named it after the Xiangcheng area because it was known as the land of Xiaoxiang in ancient times."

With a slight smile, Chairman Tian naturally knew what Bai Mo was surprised about; he too had been deceived by this name back then.

"Now that we've arrived here, what is the purpose of the trial?"

When he asked that question, a hint of curiosity flashed in Chairman Tian's eyes.

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo understood and did not dwell on the name.

He walked around in this narrow, secret space without offering much explanation, then took out the Star Sun Pearl and the Chariot Token, and infused them with magical energy.

Following the arrow of the Star Sun Pearl, Bai Mo looked in the direction they had come from, while Zhen Ling remained silent.

"Not here!?"

He frowned, thought to himself, and walked closer. The arrow inside the Star Sun Pearl was still pointing towards the entrance where Chairman Tian was standing.

Wait! Chairman Tian!!

Bai Mo's pupils contracted as a flash of inspiration struck him, leading to a guess.

Turning around again, the two of them were expressionless. They walked around to the left and right and soon noticed that the arrow had begun to sway slightly from side to side.

The general target is Chairman Tian, ​​who is standing by the entrance.

Is that him, the water worm?!

With a slight twitch of his lips, Bai Mo dismissed the idea, finding it somewhat absurd.

Since it's impossible for a person to transform into a water worm, there must be another possibility.

Something related to the water worm exists on him.

This leads to the question: is he a totem guardian?

Unfounded speculation is useless. Bai Mo put away the Star Sun Pearl and looked at Chairman Tian, ​​asking:

"Chairman Tian, ​​do you know what a water worm is?"

"A water worm?"

Upon hearing this, Chairman Tian was quite surprised, and at the same time, he understood that Bai Mo might have come looking for something.

Judging from the name, it seems to be a demon?

"What is that? A demon?"

"It seems you don't know."

Seeing his demeanor and hearing his heartbeat, which showed no signs of quickening, Bai Mo sighed.

I thought things would be easier this time, but it's still so unpredictable.

"The water worm is a totem."

"Totem!" Upon hearing this, Dean Tian's pupils contracted.

He didn't know much about the Zhenshui Earthworm, but since the Xuan Snake appeared in Yuhang and a big tree appeared in the Demon Capital, he had learned a little about totems.

"The White Judgment is saying that the Zhen Water Worm is a totem, and it's in this secret realm?!"

Looking at the small area with surprise and shock, Dean Tian said in a trembling voice.

I felt a mix of surprise and fear; I wanted to hear a positive answer, yet I didn't want to receive one.

For a moment, he didn't know what he was thinking.

"I was just guessing at first, but unfortunately, there's no trace of it here."

Bai Mo's calm denial quickly calmed him down, but his next words made him gape.

"However, I found traces of the Zhenshui worm on you. Have you had some kind of adventure? Or have you seen or collected any ancient objects?"

"Here's the thing, I've been entrusted by the Grand Speaker to search for the totem for the safety of the coastline. If you have any clues, please let me know."

After a long silence, Chairman Tian was initially pleasantly surprised, but then immediately rejected the idea.

After listening to Bai Mo's words, he began to recall his past and felt horrified.

Then, with a trembling voice, he said, "I am the eldest son of the Xiangcheng Tian family. From the beginning of my cultivation to becoming the president of the Xiangcheng Magic Association, I have followed the proper procedures step by step."

Even when they went out to kill demons, they only encountered ordinary demons, and the resources they obtained were all provided by their family. They had never had any extraordinary encounters, nor had they ever seen any ancient objects or anything ancient!

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo couldn't help but shake his head and glanced at him up and down a few times.

It's hard to tell anything, as a mage's magical tools are all bound to the soul and directly absorbed into it.

Magical artifacts can be hidden in the place where they are worn.

Huh! A magical artifact!?

With his mind racing, Bai Mo began to carefully recall the instructions given by the Star Sun Pearl along the way.

"Did you visit floors 11, 6, 9, 8, and 2 of the Xiangcheng Magic Association today?"

Upon hearing this, Chairman Tian felt a chill run down his spine.

How did you know?

"It seems so, Chairman Tian. Please take out all the magical artifacts you have and put them aside so I can take a look."

Nodding slightly, Bai Mo felt somewhat certain and then politely replied.

"Why is this happening, Judge Bai? Even though you work for the Grand Speaker, you can't act so recklessly!"

Chairman Tian's beard immediately flew up. He was the president of a magic association, not a criminal. How could he just display his magical artifacts at will?

"Oh, is that so? I have something to search for the Zhenshui worm, and I guessed that you might have a magical artifact related to the Zhenshui worm, which led to my misjudgment."

Seeing this, in order to avoid too much trouble and misunderstanding, Bai Mo told the truth.

Upon hearing this, Chairman Tian's eyes flickered slightly, and he stiffened his neck and said:

"Actually, I'm just the president of a small prefecture-level city magic association, and I don't own any magical artifacts."

"President Tian, ​​I don't want anything from you, I just want you to take it out and show it to me so I have a better idea of ​​what's going on."

"Haha, of course I'm not worried about Bai taking it, it's just that I'm short of money, I really don't have it!" Chairman Tian sighed and smiled rather bitterly.

"The Bai family can grant the Tian family the production and distribution rights for high-level doubling magic artifacts."

Rolling his eyes and cursing the old fox in his heart, Bai Mo knew that this guy was asking for something in return.

But since he was asking someone for something, he couldn't really say anything.

He can't just kill people to steal their treasure; he's not a bandit leader.

So he decided to offer some benefits, after all, if his guess was really true.

So what the Star Sun Pearl was pointing to was actually the totem of the Zhen Water Worm.

So it makes sense that he would exchange some benefits for a totem.

"Hey~ Look at my memory, I'm really getting old. I brought a magic weapon with me when I went out today, haha, I'm so sorry."

Chairman Tian suddenly slapped his forehead, pretending that he had just remembered.

After watching the performance with a blank expression, Bai Mo pointed to an empty space to the side with his chin.

"Let me see if I have it."

"Of course," Chairman Tian nodded with pleasure. "This is the Azure Sky Bracelet and the Long Forest Necklace."

He began to take off his belongings one by one, explaining them as he did so.

It has a bit of the feel of a roadside vendor.

Bai Mo held the Star Sun Pearl in his hand, remaining unmoved, because the Star Sun Pearl was still pointing towards the middle-aged man in Tang suit.

"This is the Entangling Silk Ring, which I acquired at an auction years ago. It could accelerate my water-based cultivation speed, but unfortunately, I've already surpassed the previous level, so its function has become somewhat useless."

As Chairman Tian explained, he took off the bracelet from his finger, one ring at a time.

Bai Mo's gaze also shifted as he looked at the ring. The arrow inside the Star Sun Pearl had swayed slightly as he moved his hand.

This ring is rather peculiar. Strictly speaking, it is a thin thread that is wrapped around the finger in circles to form a ring.

The silk thread is semi-transparent and doesn't appear to be short.

As Chairman Tian placed it on the ground and was about to retrieve something, Bai Mo shook his head, glanced at the seven or eight magical artifacts on the ground, and said:

"This is the silk-wrapped ring, Chairman Tian. You obtained it at the auction?"

"That's right, I remember it very clearly. This ring cost me 80 million. That was money I had saved up for a long time. I obtained it myself as a hunter mage. It hurt me a lot at the time. That's why, even though it's not of much use to me now, I still kept it with me."

Chairman Tian nodded slightly, his gaze distant, as if reminiscing about the past.

"Do you remember where it was taken? Who was the seller?" Bai Mo nodded slightly and continued to ask.

"It's in Xiangcheng. As for the seller, I don't know, but I do know the auction session and the organizer. I'll write it down for you."

As expected, Bai Mo thought to himself and steered the conversation to the main topic.

"I need this ring."

"After all, he's been with me for many years."

"The corpse of the Earth's Leyline Golden Armor Monarch is yours."

That's not what I meant.

"Ten warrior-level spirit essences."

"Ah, Judge Bai, I'm really not that kind of person," Chairman Tian said, his fingers trembling.

"Does the Grand Speaker have to come and negotiate with you?"

"How so? As a member of the Kyushu Magic Association and a supporter of the Grand Speaker, what the Grand Speaker wants to do is what I must do!"

The middle-aged man in the Tang suit, with an upright posture and a righteous expression, said in a firm and powerful voice:

"It's just a ring, something from my younger days, nothing special. But since Judge Bai needs it for his business, I'll give it to him as a small gift."

As he spoke, he bent down, picked up the silk-wrapped ring, and handed it over.

Bai Mo stared at him for a moment, then reached out and took the ring, storing it in her personal space.

Then, with a silver glow emanating from his palm, he swept it across the wrist of his other hand.

He took off a bracelet and handed it over.

"Inside are the essences of ten warrior-level beings and the corpse of the Earth Vein Golden Armor Monarch. Chairman Tian is loyal and devoted to the country and its people, but he cannot neglect himself."

"This is unacceptable. I must learn from the Grand Speaker."

"In that case, I will first send the Spark Tribunal Envoy to determine Chairman Tian's background, and then inform the Grand Speaker as appropriate."

Bai Mo spoke expressionlessly, making a move to take back the bracelet.

Upon hearing this, Chairman Tian's expression changed slightly, and he immediately changed his words.

"Oh, there's no need for that. I still have a lot to learn. Let me improve for a while longer before I go to see the Grand Speaker."

Although he hadn't done anything particularly heinous, he had accepted some small gifts.

The Spark Tribunal consisted mostly of recent graduates, students who were intolerant of any wrongdoing.

He dared not get entangled with these people. If things escalated to Bai Mo's hands, he might just seize all his assets, and that would be the end of him.

Seeing that he accepted the bracelet, Bai Mo nodded slightly.

Everyone gets what they need, and it's a simple exchange of benefits. If you insist on being unreasonable, then we can stop playing this game.

As for Chairman Tian's concerns, he didn't bother to expose them.

He did not come to earth to execute absolute justice or advocate for peace and prosperity.

What he wanted from the very beginning was actually very simple: a peaceful and stable environment.

As for issues like embezzlement and bribery, they are not suitable for Bai Mo to handle.

After leaving the secret realm, Bai Mo found Lingling and the other two and explained the information.

"We can look for the auction dates, but it was seven years ago. Let me see."

As Lingling spoke, she became engrossed in her little notebook.

The group of people automatically quieted down, providing her with a comfortable environment.

After all, this is the only clue left regarding the Zhenshui worm.

If this lead goes cold, they will be left with no choice but to try their luck aimlessly and conduct a thorough search for the Zhenshui worm.

However, this encounter also made Bai Mo realize that the Star Sun Pearl was not locking onto the traces of the other Vermilion Bird Seven Mansions totems, but rather onto the totem artifacts of those totems.

To sense the location where the totem was buried and where the remains were, one needs to find the general area and examine the totem token.

Thinking of this, Bai Mo took out the translucent silk-wrapped ring.

This was a ball of thread, very strong, but Bai Mo didn't feel any cutting sensation, which meant it wasn't sharp.

It feels a bit cold to the touch, like water.

When you focus your mind on it, a connection of souls naturally arises.

As magic energy was infused, a faint red halo appeared on it, which gradually deepened and turned into alternating colors of gold and red.

It looks like a thread woven from molten lava.

However, he didn't sense any special abilities.

Is it just for the simplest purpose of tying people up?

"The Winged Fire Serpent's Bow." Seeing his puzzled expression, Ding Yumin's eyes flickered slightly as she reminded him:

"Don't you think this looks a lot like a bowstring?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo was slightly taken aback, remembering the fire bow that had been gathering dust in his spatial backpack.

That thing requires multiple owners of fire elemental species to recognize it as their master, and he didn't immediately connect the two.

Moreover, there was indeed no bowstring on it.

But if that's really the case, then it undoubtedly means that the totem artifacts of the Seven Mansions of the South are actually a set of combined magical artifacts?!

"Perhaps, let's try again when we get back."

Touching his chin and pondering for a moment, Bai Mo put away the Zhen Shui string.

"Bai Mo, give me a cup of inspiration."

A flash of silver light, and a cup of milk tea landed. Lingling took a delicious sip before looking up.

It was already dark by the window.

Sensing the movement, Ding Yumin and Mu Nujiao also woke up from their meditation.

Looking expectantly at Lingling, she said:

"I checked the seller information from that year's auction and found the person who sold Zhen Shuixian, but he was already dead."

Upon hearing this, the three of them felt a jolt of fear, but Lingling continued speaking:

"Fortunately, the auction was recorded on video and the video was not deleted. I learned from the video that Zhen Shuixian came from Nanyue Village, a village in Xiangzhou."

The seller was not from Nanyue Village. Although it was unknown how he acquired the Zhenshui string, according to the auctioneer, it was an antique from Nanyue Village.

A clear stream flows gently down from the distant Shitai Mountain, its green color tinged by the lush pines and bamboos on both sides.

Walk leisurely along the river that has existed for thousands of years, cross the mottled stone bridge, enter the village through the earthen city wall that has stood for countless years, and then slowly emerge.

The stream babbled happily as it walked out of the village and encountered a group of people, their bright eyes reflecting their beautiful faces.

Bai Mo admired the village in front of him; it perfectly matched his definition of an ancient village in Jiangnan.

"Nanyue Village is a tourist-oriented village. The city walls surrounding the village and the wasteland on the side are buildings from a thousand years ago. That's why this village is larger than usual."

She adjusted her straw hat and spoke eloquently about Nanyue Village.

"It looks very prosperous, but if this place is developed, will the traces of the Zhenshui worm be lost?" Ding Yumin asked.

"Let's go in and take a look. It's such a small place, it won't take us much effort to find it."

As soon as the group entered the village, a clever and enthusiastic older woman recognized them as tourists enjoying the spring scenery.

He immediately pointed out, "We only have one inn here, located at the east end of the village. It's run by the village chief. Is the village chief nice? If you have any problems with your accommodations or encounter any trouble, you can go to him."

"Thank you, Auntie."

The group readily accepted the old woman's suggestion, but instead of rushing to find accommodation, they first wandered around the entire village.

This village is already quite large, and there are plenty of tourists dressed similarly to them on the road.

However, no matter how large it is, it is only 1.5 square kilometers.

"We didn't find anything in the village, so let's go check out the ancient building ruins outside," Bai Mo said calmly, putting away the Zhenling from his palm.

The three of them naturally had no objections, and as they walked, Mu Nujiao said:

"I feel something's off here. I don't know if you've noticed, but the organization here is very sophisticated."

The Magic Association, the Inquisition, the Hunter's League, the Guard Bureau, banks, and even the newly established Starfire Network—all have dedicated branches here.

She paused, then added, "They're all a bit small."

He helped Leng Qing with some matters at Xinghuo.com for a period of time, and even personally led a team to investigate some things.

These experiences have made her very observant now, able to notice things that seem insignificant but are actually not quite right.

"I saw the Hunter's Alliance and the Magic Association, but I didn't notice anything else." Lingling's eyebrows furrowed.

"This village is very large," Ding Yumin said, implying that the presence of some official organizations was not difficult to understand.

"But it is still a village, which is a point of doubt. However, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with our search for the totem. Let's go and take a look at the ancient building ruins nearby first."

Bai Mo shook his head. He also felt that something was wrong, but there were many possibilities behind this phenomenon.

For example, the village chief might have connections at higher levels, so he received special treatment here.

Moreover, through sound system detection, he discovered that the public's evaluation of the official organizations here was quite good.

This shows that the organization here is not sent down from above to do some shady business.

The four walked out of the village. The ancient building ruins to the side were said to have been unearthed by the villagers while they were farming.

Passing over the pits, one can vaguely see the living environment and urban layout of the ancient people here six or seven thousand years ago.

The civil engineering buildings are now only vaguely visible in outline. I walked along, taking in the sights, but the token in my hand did not react.

Frowning slightly, Bai Mo couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"no."

He shook his head in response to the questioning looks from the group.

"Could the clues be wrong?" Mu Nujiao couldn't help but ask. Lingling's gaze also turned serious, and she began to doubt whether her investigation was accurate.

"That's right, where are you looking?"

Suddenly, Bai Mo pointed to a spot in the pit.

The group looked in the direction he was pointing, and their eyes immediately lit up with joy.

It was an altar, and the things placed on it had long since turned to dust.

However, one pattern on the surface of the altar was preserved.

Part of that pattern matches the totem pattern on the Zhenling.

"It seems to be this place. This village is very likely the legacy of the original guardians of the Zhenshui worms."

After comparing the two, Bai Mo nodded affirmatively.

Beside her, Lingling also let out a breath and said:

"Since there are no ancient building ruins, perhaps the local sacrificial traditions still exist, or there are still altars or temples or similar structures, just not in the village. We can go back to the village and inquire about the situation to find out." (End of Chapter)