Magic Chef of Ice and Fire

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Nian Bing muttered in his heart, "You clearly got the information from Li Duo, yet you're still questioning me. Obviously, you got suspicious," he said, "I came from a small place and haven't traveled much. I don't really understand what's going on due to the recent lockdown. I stayed in the city at a friend's ironware shop."

"An ironware shop? I know most of the reputable weapon shops in the city. Which one is it?" Long Zhi relentlessly pursued and even though his tone was bland, the sharpness was apparent.

Nian Bing replied with a small smile, "You probably wouldn't know about that one. It's a small ironware shop called the 'Second-Hand Ironware Shop.' They don't see many customers, and their market is quite competitive, making life a little difficult for them."

"Second-Hand Ironware Shop?" Upon hearing the name, Long Ling couldn't help but chuckle out loud, commenting in amusement, "With a name like that, how could business be good? You should advise them to change it."

Nian Bing echoed, "Yes, I've told her about this too. However, she's quite stubborn and refuses to change it. We aren't very close, and it's not my place to say too much."

Long Zhi set down his chopsticks, smiling lightly, "That's enough for now, go on and eat. I drank a little too much this afternoon and feel a bit worn down because of the lockdown. I'll go take a rest now. Ling'er, Shi Jiu, please take care of Nian Bing. We've arranged his accommodation. Walk him back after dinner. Nian Bing, the Mage Guild won't inhibit your freedom, but I hope you'll stay and dedicate your time to your magic training."

Nian Bing quickly nodded in agreement, watching Long Zhi leave. He knew he had managed to convince them for now, but Long Zhi will indeed be looking into the Second-Hand Ironware Shop. Given Feng Nu's cleverness, he felt confident she wouldn't leave any loopholes. This thought set his mind at ease, sparking an appetite for the meal laid out in front of him. The dishes were just average, but they were good enough to fill his growling stomach.

Finally, Shi Jiu spoke for the first time, "Nian Bing, what are your future plans? Will you stay here in the guild and practice, or will you seek experience outside?" His emphasis on the word 'experience' was quite noticeable.

Nian Bing swallowed a piece of food, and mumbled, "I am yet to decide. However, I certainly want to spend more time in the library. Let's see what the future holds."

Shi Jiu responded with slight disdain, "Do you not know that it's impolite to speak while your mouth is full?"

Nian Bing, who knew Shi Jiu was picking on him deliberately, didn't mind. Swallowing the food, he humbly replied, "I'm sorry, being brought up in a rural area, I'm not well trained in etiquette. In the future, I hope Brother Shi Jiu will guide me more." Though he displayed an anxious look, he laughed internally. Dealing with Shi Jiu was easier than he had imagined.

"Elder brother, don't be so hard on Nian Bing. We can teach him later. Nian Bing, eat as much as you like. Looks like you've had tough times," Ling'er defended.

The peculiar mood of the dinner eventually concluded, Shi Jiu taking different stabs at Nian Bing and Ling'er constantly supporting him. Shi Jiu grew jealous, and Nian Bing, unflappable as ever, continued to enjoy his meal, feeding his hunger unabashedly.

"Brother Shi Jiu, Ling'er, I'm done eating, do you think…" Nian Bing asked with an innocent look.

Ling'er stood and said, "Let's go, I'll take you there. The food at the guild has really gone downhill. Nian Bing, someday, I'll take you to the Qingfeng Vegetarian Restaurant, they serve truly delicious food."

Shi Jiu also stood up, looking at Ling'er somewhat wistfully, "Junior Sister, you should get some rest. I'll take Nian Bing."

Long Ling did not insist and lightly smiled. She said, "Elder Brother, may I ask for your help? Nian Bing just arrived here. Please teach him anything he doesn't understand."

Shi Jiu looked deeply at Nian Bing, then smiled at Long Ling. He said, "No worries, Younger Sister, I will. Nian Bing, let's go."

Nian Bing bade Long Ling farewell and followed Shi Jiu out of the restaurant. On the way, Shi Jiu didn't say a word as he led Nian Bing to the Mage dormitory. The Gothic dormitory building wasn't particularly big. Walking into the corridor, Nian Bing observed closely. There were about fifty rooms. As Mage Li Duo had mentioned, only those with the skill level of an Archmage or higher could possibly be arranged to reside here.

Shi Jiu led Nian Bing all the way to a significant location in the building. Taking out a silver key from his pocket, he unlocked the door. Turning back to Nian Bing he said, "This is it."

Walking into the room, Nian Bing looked around. The space was divided into an inner and outer room. The outer room was about twenty square meters. A three-seater sofa and two single ones were neatly arranged in the room which looked very airy. The floor was made from wooden planks that creaked slightly when they were stepped on, and by the entrance of the outer room was a six or seven square-meter bathroom, fully stocked with toiletries. The inner room, however, was slightly smaller—about a dozen square meters large—with a large, and comfy-looking bed. The magic lamp in the room emitted a soft yellow glow. This indeed was a comfortable place to live in.

Shi Jiu closed the door behind him and walked over to a couch to sit down. He said, "We have hot water running twenty-four-seven here. You can use the bath anytime. For meals, there's a public canteen further down the right corridor from this room. Of course, you can also get the meals delivered to your room, if you prefer. For any other needs, just push this magic button on the wall." As he spoke, he pointed at a red button on the wall.

Nian Bing thought to himself, 'It's no wonder this is the Mage Guild. All the amenities here are magic-based. Being an Archmage does come with its perks.'

Shi Jiu pointed at the couch beside him and told Nian Bing, "Have a seat, I have something to tell you."

Though Nian Bing had an idea about what he was going to say, he deliberately looked clueless. He sat down on the couch next to Shi Jiu who, without looking at him, began nonchalantly, "Nian Bing, although your status has changed since joining the Guild, you are still a newbie. It's best to focus all your energy on improving your magic skills and not bother with anything else. More importantly, you should avoid getting too close to people who you're not supposed to be around. I've been living here for twenty years, and I'm more familiar with everyone here. You'd best take my advice, to prevent any future problems."

Nian Bing held back a smile and straight-faced said, "Elder Brother Shi Jiu, I don't quite understand what you're getting at. Also, I haven't thanked you for introducing me to the Guild. If it weren't for your and Miss Ling'er's help, I doubt I would have been able to join the Guild so easily."

Shi Jiu reclined against the back of the couch and unabashedly confessed, "It's enough that you get it. In this Guild, even though I'm not a Magic Instructor, I hold a similar status. Our master has high hopes for Ling'er, and she will most likely focus most of her time on her training. Try to avoid seeing her in the future unless necessary, got that? Ling'er and I, we've grown up together, and she will eventually become my wife. I just don't appreciate other men getting too close to her." Seeing that Nian Bing seemed a bit lost, Shi Jiu finally spoke what was really on his mind.

Nian Bing feigned surprise and said, "Who would've thought...only someone like Elder Brother Shi Jiu deserves Miss Ling'er. Allow me to congratulate the two of you in advance."

A gleam of happiness flashed in Shi Jiu's eyes, and any prior dissatisfaction vanished at Nian Bing's words. He asked, "Do you really think so?"

Nian Bing sincerely stated, "Of course! The first time I saw Elder Brother Shi Jiu and Miss Ling'er together, I knew you two were made for each other. Brother, rest assured. I only think of Miss Ling'er as a common friend. Given my humble origins, it's impossible to harbor ulterior motives."

Hearing Nian Bing's clarification, Shi Jiu was elated. With a smile, he said: "Brother, since you're a part of the Guild now, let's not talk about status anymore. With your character and looks, you'll surely find a suitable partner one day." Shi Jiu was more than satisfied with Nian Bing's tact. Hence, he immediately switched from addressing him by his name to calling him "brother", seemingly in high spirits.

Nian Bing smiled and replied, "I will still largely rely on your help in the Guild, Elder Brother. I hope that you will guide me often. If there's anything you need in the future, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I will not refuse."

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Since I plan to spend every Tuesday at my parents' house, the morning updates may be a little late. I hope you will all understand.