Grinding EXP From Fireball Skill

Chapter 130: The Center of Attention

After the caravan entered the city, Li Wei and the other two got out at the city gate.

The total fare was three Silver Coins.

Li Wei paid.

After he paid, the carriage drove away.

Li Wei looked up and saw flowerbeds lining the roads, filled with vibrant, colorful blossoms.

The entire city was enveloped in the fragrance of flowers.

The Flying Flower Festival hadn’t started yet, but Flying Flower City was already bustling with visitors.

Gu Ze said, "First, let’s find a place to stay."

Li Wei nodded. "Okay."

Rota had no objections.

The three of them walked along the street toward the city center.

With the Flying Flower Festival just around the corner, Flying Flower City was incredibly lively, with stalls everywhere selling flower-themed products.

Flower cakes, flower stickers, flower lanterns, flower fireworks...

Passing a stall, Rota stopped and remarked, "The jasmine-flavored flower cakes are quite good."

Hearing this, the stall owner quickly smiled and said, "If you’ve come to Flying Flower City, you have to try the flower cakes. I have all sorts of flavors here, cheap and a great value."

Seeing this, Li Wei bought a few of every flavor.

The three of them couldn’t even carry everything with both hands, yet it had only cost 120 Copper Coins.

"Safe travels, Master Mages." The stall owner happily saw Li Wei’s group off.

Gu Ze, carrying flower cakes in both hands and his luggage on his back, said helplessly, "Why did you buy so many? What if we can’t finish them all?"

Li Wei chuckled. "I didn’t expect there to be so many flavors either."

Rota looked at the two of them and smiled without saying a word.

The atmosphere of Flying Flower City felt familiar and welcoming to him.

Although he hadn’t been home in eighteen years, he would come to Flying Flower City every so often and buy some flower cakes to take back to Maple City.

The three found an inn and checked in.

Room rates were much more expensive during the Flying Flower Festival, but for the three of them, it was a trivial matter.

The monthly Contribution reward from the Mage Tower was worth five Gold Coins.

That was equivalent to a monthly salary of fifty thousand.

Most Mages were both rich and poor.

After putting down his luggage, Gu Ze found Li Wei and said, "I signed you up for the Young Mage Exchange Tournament. Now that we’re here, you need to report to the Mage Association, or they might cancel your eligibility to compete."

This was to prevent people from signing up but then being delayed by other matters and unable to attend, which would disrupt the normal proceedings of the tournament.

Li Wei nodded. "Should we go now?"

"It’s getting late, so let’s go now. It’s probably going to be crowded these next couple of days. If we check in early, we can avoid having to wait in line later when it’s packed," Gu Ze said.

The two of them headed outside and happened to run into Rota, who had just showered and tidied up his appearance, on his way out as well.

Seeing this, Li Wei smiled. "Is Mage Rota off to see an old flame?"

Rota chuckled and said frankly, "Yes."

"I’m heading out. See you later."

With that, Rota eagerly hurried outside.

Li Wei and Gu Ze exchanged a look and smiled.

Gu Ze sighed wistfully. "I really envy Rota. He still has someone to love."

Li Wei’s heart stirred. He asked, "Teacher Gu Ze, don’t you have a sister?"

Gu Ze froze, looking at him in surprise. "How do you know that?"

Li Wei said, "I heard it from someone."

Gu Ze said, a little uncertain, "Is that so? I don’t even remember telling anyone about it."

Li Wei asked, "Have you looked for your sister, Teacher?"

Gu Ze gave a bitter smile. "Of course I have. How could I not have looked for her?"

"I’ve been searching for thirteen years, but there’s been no news at all."

"Maybe, she’s already..."

Gu Ze’s mood sank.

"Forget it. Let’s not talk about this. We should get to the Mage Association."

The two of them headed toward the Mage Association.

Li Wei watched Gu Ze’s back, his heart stirring once again.

’If I could help him find his sister, he’d surely be very happy. But I don’t even know where Gu Ze is from. How am I supposed to find his sister who’s been missing for over a decade?’

Knowing about Gu Ze’s past, Li Wei guessed that Gu Ze must have lived in the Snowfield.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have encountered a Snow Bear.

The two arrived at the Mage Association in Flying Flower City. The main hall was already packed with people.

There were few Mages in Mage Robes; most of the people were Mages’ attendants and servants.

There were also some nobles who had come to visit Mages.

The Mage conference was imminent.

Right now, many powerful and influential Mages were gathered at the Flying Flower City Mage Association.

Mages and Grand Mages who were rarely seen on a typical day could now potentially be met.

Some nobles wanted to take this opportunity to curry favor with the Mages.

"We didn’t get to see Mage Melvin again. Sigh... what are we going to do!"

"Didn’t our family produce a Mage in the past? Why don’t we look for him?"

"That person disappeared over a decade ago. Who knows where he is?"

...

Li Wei saw two nobles walking out of the Mage Association.

When the two saw the Magic Badges pinned to Li Wei’s and Gu Ze’s chests, they quickly made way.

Even though it was the lowest rank, a single star, it still signified an Official Mage.

Even nobles were unwilling to offend them.

Li Wei and Gu Ze paid the two no mind and walked into the Mage Association.

"Excuse me, please let us through," Li Wei called out.

The people in front turned to look, noticing their Mage Robes and the Magic Badges on their chests.

The crowd parted to create a path.

"Such a young Official Mage!"

The two young nobles at the entrance stared at Li Wei and exclaimed in awe.

Everyone inside the Mage Association was also stunned by Li Wei’s youthful appearance.

They had never expected to see such a young Official Mage.

"Is he here for the Young Mage Exchange Tournament? Isn’t he a bit too young? How old is he?"

In an instant, Li Wei became the center of attention.

Li Wei’s heart sank. He had a bad feeling about this.

’This seems a bit too high-profile,’ he thought.

Gu Ze was also a bit surprised. He whispered, "I think I underestimated the impact you would have."

"Nothing bad will happen, right?" Li Wei asked worriedly.

Gu Ze said, "It should be fine. The Flying Flower City Mage Association is the strongest power here right now. No one would dare harm a young Mage on their grounds."

The two walked up to the service desk. The beautiful receptionist glanced twice at the Magic Badge on Li Wei’s chest to make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

She smiled and asked, "Master Mages, how may I help you?"

Li Wei said, "I’m here to check in for the Young Mage Exchange Tournament."

"Oh, of course. Have you already registered?"

"Yes, I’ve already registered."

"Okay, let me check."

Soon, the beautiful receptionist said, "Mage Li Wei, Official Mage from the Maple City Mage Tower, age... sixteen!"

The receptionist’s voice grew quieter and quieter as she, too, was shocked by Li Wei’s age.

However, the crowd still heard her.

"What? A sixteen-year-old Official Mage? Are you kidding me!"

"No way! Forget being an Official Mage at sixteen, even becoming an Apprentice Mage at that age would make you a genius. What kind of monster is this kid?"

"Looked at another way, this could be a good thing. Luckily, he’s only sixteen and just became an Official Mage. His talent may be high, but his actual strength is still low."

Hearing this, the crowd thought it made sense.