Chapter 19: The Might of Spells

"The three rules of magic users?" Hearing this unfamiliar term, Gao De's heart stirred, and at the same time, he secretly committed this rule to memory.

"It was Yilan who said it; he said Magic User Seda told him," Amy explained. "But he only said this one; he didn't say the other two."

"Why would Yilan tell you these things?"

"Also, since 'Never let others know your spells' is one of the three rules of magic users, how could Magic User Seda let you know his spells?"

Gao De frowned slightly and asked without leaving a trace.

Hearing Gao De's question, Amy understood Gao De's meaning and hurriedly explained: "Yilan previously said it in the cafeteria when he was showing off his status as Magic User Seda's true apprentice."

"You weren't in the cafeteria then, so you didn't hear it."

"It is indeed true; Magic User Seda has never told us about any three rules of magic users. If Yilan hadn't said it, how would we know about this saying?"

"As for Magic User Seda's spells, do you remember? Half a year ago, when Magic User Seda wanted Nio to test medicine, Nio was afraid and wanted to run away. He was running to the backyard at the time. I happened to be there and saw with my own eyes that Magic User Seda just reached out and touched Nio, and Nio collapsed to the ground."

"If that spell could take effect without physical contact, Magic User Seda wouldn't have gone to such trouble," Amy pursed his lips and said very affirmatively.

"I see..." Gao De was thoughtful.

What Amy said was reasonable, and he believed it in his heart.

At the same time, he thought of the first day he arrived in this world, when he also experienced Magic User Seda's spell.

That hand that could bring him huge pain still makes Gao De feel lingering fear when he thinks about it.

"In this way, Magic User Seda has at least two spells that require contact to take effect... So, if it really comes to the last step and he confronts him, the first thing is to try to avoid physical contact with him..." Gao De kept it in mind, and his thoughts began to spread.

"Besides avoiding, is it possible to utilize this point?"

"I know, go to sleep early; we still have to work tomorrow." While thinking, Gao De said softly.

Amy didn't get the response he expected from Gao De, opened his mouth, wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say, and finally could only remain silent.

Not long after, the sound of Gao De's steady breathing after falling asleep sounded in the room.

The next day, afternoon.

After finishing the preparation work for the primary spider venom potion early, Gao De left the workshop and went to the commercial district of Hogen City for the third time.

He did not notice that in the shadow of the bushes directly opposite the gate of the medicine garden, three pairs of eyes lit up at the same time.

The owners of the eyes were three thin but sturdy and powerful men.

Each of them was unkempt, with wine stains on their messy beards, greasy and tangled hair, and indelible oil stains on their clothes.

These are the appearance characteristics of bottom-tier figures.

And the three men's eyes were cunning and aggressive; clearly, they were not good people.

After the three watched Gao De walk away, they began to discuss in low voices.

"Boss, is it him?" the man with the darkest skin asked.

"It's him. I've inquired; that old magic user in Seda's medicine garden basically doesn't go out. Whether selling potions or buying raw materials, he lets the apprentices below do it."

"It's just that the one responsible for this before was an older apprentice, and recently it was changed to this kid."

The man called Boss said, his voice a bit sharp, inconsistent with the fierce momentum of his eyes, instead a bit like a rooster.

"Good thing, this kid doesn't look old, he must be easier to deal with."

"But he is a magic user apprentice, he can use spells..." the shortest of the three men hesitated, "Are we really going to do it?"

"If it were the old magic user, we would indeed have to be wary, but what is there to worry about with such a little brat?"

"A magic user apprentice of this age won't have any combat power, at most mastering one or two cantrips."

"And it's highly likely to be a cantrip like Mage Hand that has no lethality. We three have worked in the mines for so many years, which one of us doesn't have strength? Can't we take down such a little brat?"

Among 0-circle spells, Mage Hand can be said to be the most well-known and representative cantrip, and it is basically a spell that every magic user apprentice must learn and the first one mastered.

So even if many people are not magic users, they all know this spell.

"Third brother, your courage is still too small," the second brother echoed the boss.

"This kid didn't bring a package on this trip, so he's not going to sell potions, but to buy raw materials for that old magic user," the man called Boss said again. "I also asked; that old magic user seems to be researching a high-level magic potion these years, and the raw materials needed are extremely precious and expensive, so this kid must be carrying a lot of money."

"We were going to leave Hogen City for Bremen City to find another way out anyway. After doing this job, we'll just leave. Even if that old magic user is amazing, he definitely won't be able to find us to settle the score."

The other two couldn't help but nod when they heard this, feeling it made sense.

"When do we do it?" Third brother asked again.

"We'll do it when we get to the slum area. It's chaotic there, and it's troublesome to investigate, so we can delay for more time, enough for us to leave Hogen City, ensuring no accidents."

"Good!"

Heading to the commercial district of Hogen City, that dark and dirty section of the slum area is still a must-pass road.

However, compared to the previous two times, Gao De, who had newly mastered three 0-circle spells, undoubtedly had confidence this time and no longer needed to lower his head and eyes and be cautious.

Besides, even if the slum area is mixed with fish and dragons, with many thieves and rascals, under normal circumstances, as a civilian dressed simply, and in broad daylight, where would he encounter so many accidents? But Gao De forgot one principle: accidents are called accidents precisely because they are unexpected.

Just like now, just as he walked to the turn of an alley to the street, because it was an alley, the line of sight was a bit dim, and the existence of shadows could not be seen.

It was in this situation that he felt a chill on the back of his head and heard a fierce wind in his ears.

Ambush!

And it was aimed at his head.

Gao De reacted at the first moment, but it was already too late. In his haste, he only instinctively bent his body to lower the strike point, avoiding the head, which was a vital part.

Gao De's instinctive body reaction saved him from the ending of a cracked head, but his back was hit, and the strong force made Gao De let out a muffled groan, his footsteps staggering.

Feeling the burning pain coming from his back, Gao De made the most correct response at the moment: following this force, he did a donkey roll and successfully avoided the second attack that followed closely.

He stood up quickly and saw the black hand that attacked him.

Three quite sturdy men, each holding a wooden stick in their hands, were looking at him with fierce eyes—doing a job is doing a job, but the three of them were not prepared to kill.

Although they were sinister, they were not heinous people.

Besides, they were just prepared to rob money, not having any deep hatred with Gao De. Under normal circumstances, where would they have the heart to kill? Give a sap to knock the person unconscious, then search for money, and hurry away.

"Fortunately, it's just a wooden stick," Gao De secretly rejoiced.

If the attacker was holding a lethal weapon, he would be in bad shape now.

"Who are you? Why attack me!" Gao De asked sternly.

"The kid's reaction is fast. Hand over the money on you, and we'll let you go!" The leading man stared at Gao De and threatened.

"So it's a robbery..." Gao De finally understood. He felt that since he came to this world, he had almost no contact with the outside world, so how could he offend anyone.

However, Gao De was not prepared to spend money to avoid disaster.

And, he only had a few dozen silver coins on him now, and this little money would definitely not satisfy the three villains in front of him.

Thinking this way, Gao De had already raised his hand.

A ray of light flickering with cold blue light burst out from his fingertip.

This ray of light was as fast as lightning, flying straight toward the leading man, leaving a crystal-clear trajectory.

The appearance of the ray was very sudden, and the speed was fast.

Plus, Gao De's donkey roll didn't pull much distance from the three, so in this situation, the attack made people unable to react at all.

The reason Gao De asked for the identities of the three was that he never expected the three to answer this question.

The reason for speaking was just to slightly involve the attention of the three and win time for his own spellcasting.

The ray hit the leading man directly. With a faint sound of ice cracking, a layer of thin ice instantly condensed on the leading man's skin.

He felt a chill deep into the bone marrow and a severe pain, his expression distorted because of the cold and pain.

Ray of Frost!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 20 =====