Feng Chou took the letter of recommendation and left the druid union. He returned to the city and followed York's directions to the west side of the city.
The Nikles Mage Guild was located within the Nikles Mage Academy. These two organizations were actually a group of people and two different systems.
The Nikles Mage Academy was quite large. There was also a tall mage tower in the middle of the academy, so Feng Chou quickly found the place.
With the letter of recommendation from Druid Gavin, his journey was naturally smooth. He quickly met the dean of the academy, who was also the president of the Mage Guild.
The dean of the Nikles Mage Academy was a rank 17 great wizard named Aldrich. He looked to be in his thirties and was a very handsome middle-aged gentleman.
Contrary to what Feng Chou expected, this great wizard didn't wear a wizard robe. Instead, he wore a black tuxedo with a straight black trousers, black leather boots, and a top hat. He didn't look any different from a normal city gentleman.
Unlike Alvindale, the Sutton Empire had a much higher acceptance of tuxedos and gentleman's tuxedos. It was said that gentleman's tuxedos originated from the Sutton Empire. These tuxedos were a variation of the Sutton Empire's knight's tuxedos. They were designed so that the tuxedos could hang down from the sides of the horse's body when the knight was riding.
As for the fact that he was in his thirties, that was just his appearance. Wizards, especially powerful ones, had many ways to maintain their youthful looks. It was just that some wizards didn't care about their appearances.
Dean Aldrich was very enthusiastic. He asked Feng Chou some simple questions and had him fill in a simple form. It was about filling in his birthplace, name, and other simple information.
This time, Feng Chou didn't use the name Leo. Instead, he used the name Auston Stuart. In Alvindale, the Stuart family was an ancient and huge family. In the upper class of Alvindale, the surname Stuart was very common.
Aldrich also did a simple test on Feng Chou's wizard rank.
In fact, he wanted Feng Chou to cast two different 6th Tier Spells in front of him.
Aldrich didn't show any disgust or other emotions towards Feng Chou's two consecutive Necromancy Spells. Necromancers were unwelcome among ordinary people, but they weren't treated differently in the mage community and weren't illegal.
Next, Aldrich introduced Feng Chou to his rights and obligations after joining the Mage Guild.
In terms of rights, firstly, as a high-ranking member of the Mage Guild, he automatically received the title of Baron of the Sutton Empire for life, and had the corresponding aristocratic privileges.
Secondly, he had the right and obligation to obtain contribution points from the Mage Guild.
There were three ways to earn contribution points from the Mage Guild.
The first was to become a tutor in a mage academy under the Union. As a grade-11 mage, he would only have to teach at least three students every year and conduct two public classes every week. Not only would this position bring him a salary of 400,000 crowns per year, he would also receive 4,000 contribution points per year.
The second way was to turn in alchemy products to the Mage Guild. High-ranking mages had to turn in mid-level and above alchemy products to receive contribution points.
The third way was to join the Mage Guild's Special Affairs Department and participate in missions issued by the Union to receive the corresponding contribution points.
In addition, discovering new magical theories, inventing new spells, and alchemy products could also be exchanged for a high amount of contribution points from the Mage Guild. However, this wasn't something that ordinary mages could do.
Out of these three ways, turning in alchemy products was the most profitable. A 5th Tier alchemy product worth tens of thousands of crowns could only be exchanged for about 50 contribution points.
Joining the Special Affairs Department would earn more contribution points, but completing missions required a certain amount of risk. There were many casualties in the Special Affairs Department every year.
Becoming a tutor in an academy was the most cost-effective. The missions weren't heavy, the contribution points were high, and he could also get a good salary. Although teaching students was a burden, he could also get a group of free assistants. Moreover, if he was an alchemist, it wouldn't affect his ability to produce alchemy products in exchange for contribution points while teaching.
Aldrich also warned him that after becoming a high-ranking member of the Mage Guild, he had to earn a thousand contribution points every year. If he couldn't earn enough contribution points for three consecutive years, he would be fired.
Feng Chou also asked about the price of using contribution points to exchange for information on master-level spells. Aldrich told him that any master-level information on any type of spell would cost at least 300,000 contribution points and 30 million crowns.
This price made Feng Chou gasp. 30 million crowns wasn't a big deal. He just had to wait for Qiankun Pagoda to level up and he was confident that he could get it. However, 300,000 contribution points was a pain in the ass.
According to Aldrich, becoming a tutor in the Mage Academy was the best way to earn contribution points. Even then, it would take a full 75 years to exchange for one type of spell!
Of course, if he was an alchemist, he could turn in some alchemy products while teaching. As a mage's rank increased, the contribution points would also increase. In reality, it wouldn't take 75 years, but it would take at least 30 years.
Most mages wouldn't exchange for an entire type of spell at once. If they did it bit by bit, they would be able to catch up with the progress of a mage of their level.
However, this speed was obviously unacceptable to Feng Chou.
However, it was better than nothing. He could only comfort himself in this way.
After some communication, the president quickly settled the procedures for Feng Chou's membership. Compared to the Alvendell Guild of Magic, which required one to sign a sacred contract under the witness of the God of Arcane, the Sutton Empire's Guild of Magic was as simple as playing around.
After settling the procedures, President Aldrich once again invited Feng Chou to join the Mage Academy.
Feng Chou rejected him without hesitation. He told the other party that he had decided to exchange for contribution points by turning in alchemy products.
However, he also expressed that he might choose to join the academy or the Special Affairs Department in a few years' time.
Aldrich once again reminded him that he had to earn at least a thousand contribution points every year.
After Feng Chou expressed his gratitude to the other party, he said goodbye.
Walking out of the Mage Academy, Feng Chou played with a round badge in his hand. It was a badge with a blue background with a moon and a tower relief. This was the badge of the Sutton Empire Mage Guild. The badge had a golden tower and a silver moon on it, indicating that he was an advanced mage.
Feng Chou looked at the badge and smiled, wearing it on his chest.
After putting on the badge, Feng Chou called for a carriage and asked the coachman to take him to the best real estate management company in Niklos City.
When Feng Chou, wearing the advanced badge of the Mage Guild, walked into the real estate management company called "Longman", he was immediately received with the highest standard. A senior manager of the company received him.
This manager, Barrett Longman, became even more enthusiastic when he heard that this advanced mage was planning to buy a manor of at least the level of a knight. He immediately took out the company's resources and let Feng Chou browse.