Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 351 Where is the road?
Chapter Six

Barras had no way of knowing the grudges and feuds in Luscany, but he was certain that his Canaanite squad of less than ten men had virtually no chance of managing a territory.

Luscan is the enemy's rear. No matter how much chaos you cause, you can just leave. But can you act so recklessly in your own territory?

Even if we take a step back, perhaps with this kid's abilities, he could indeed support the establishment of a territory and develop it into something respectable, but what about time? What about energy?
Barras did not recommend that this promising young man, whom he regarded as having a bright future, plunge headlong into such worldly games, as it would be putting the cart before the horse.

Therefore, his initial proposal was to entrust the territory to a third party, with the mage lord remaining at the academy for further studies, and the academy sending dedicated personnel to manage the territory, with the profits, after deducting the corresponding fees, still going to the individual.

This way, the various problems associated with a new official taking office can be avoided, and the mage can also be freed from worldly affairs and focus on exploring the mysteries of the path.

However, after thinking it over, Zhang Yuan declined the suggestion.

It wasn't that he distrusted the academy or worried about things like usurping its place. Now that he had returned to the academy as a direct descendant, he believed that his elders would surely make arrangements, and that the people in charge wouldn't be so blind.

However, how much of the territory he built in this way would actually match his own vision?
If Zhang wanted this piece of land simply to make money or indulge in the fantasy of being a lord, then there would be no need for him to go to such lengths.

Why not just ask for a large manor in the Black Lake District, recruit a few lackeys, and take in some beautiful maids?

From the moment the Samsung chess piece appeared and came into contact with the consciousness of Kaguya's world, Zhang Yuan's previously somewhat vague and hesitant thoughts finally became clear, and he no longer had any doubts about the future path of his territory.

There's no need to be arrogant or self-deprecating; more than a year has passed since Zhang Yuan arrived in the world of Faerûn.

Even for individuals who are not immortal, these ten months or so are but a small segment of the long journey of life. No matter how hard they try to grasp this fleeting moment, they can hardly change anything.

Only those who truly possess, recognize, and discover their own brilliant talents can achieve self-transformation in this short period of time.

With his own efforts and the support of the system, Zhang Yuan finally completed his initial accumulation, possessing enough strength to at least protect himself and establishing a small foundation.

While they may not be able to command the winds and rains or change the course of events with a flick of their wrists, they can certainly stir up trouble.

The Luskan gang, whose affairs had been thrown into chaos, certainly had something to say, after all, in their eyes, this person had become the number one troublemaker.

In addition, with a powerful backer, there is no need to worry too much about their own safety and survival in the short term. So the most pressing issue to be resolved right now is power.

To survive, or even live well, in Faerûn, a place fraught with danger, one's own strength is undoubtedly the most important foundation; absolute strength equals absolute freedom and power.

However, absolute strength is always just empty talk, and people will always find themselves in situations beyond their control at some point.

Putting aside these grand pronouncements, Zhang Yuan truly did not believe that his aptitude was inferior to others in terms of the accumulation and growth of his power, and he had no doubt that he would one day glimpse the view of the pinnacle of arcane arts.

However, this is by no means something that can be accomplished overnight!
Having already reached the level of a ninth-grade mage, Zhang Yuan, who had personally measured the smooth and rugged path to heaven with his own footsteps, could also be certain that the distance ahead of this road not only held beautiful scenery but also endless hardships.

He was no longer as blindly confident as before, believing that the system alone would allow him to soar to new heights, ignoring the massive resources, countless days and nights of diligent study, and the rare and precious inspiration and opportunities that lay behind his dazzling achievements. Zhang Yuan was lucky; he couldn't deny it. He had more than once felt fortunate to have encountered mages like Bantri and Tyrantir, who possessed their own moral principles. The former led him into the realm of arcane magic, and the latter...
No matter when, only a small group of people occupy the top of the pyramid, and entering their circle is a shortcut that ordinary people cannot reach.

A person's social network is often consistent with their own level. If it weren't for their lineage, these powerful figures like Cangqiong Zhi Nu, Suo-Kou Hu, the old dean, and Balas would have almost no chance of having any interaction with Zhang, a mere mage, let alone any friendship.

Even a few words or a casual remark from a master can be very beneficial, let alone intentional guidance and admonition.

Elders who have high expectations for younger generations are never stingy in sharing some small pieces of life experience.

In the words of almost every elder, one word inevitably comes up—the road.

Spellcasters, whether mages or warlocks, will face a problem in the later stages: choosing a path.

For sorcerers, bloodline is the path.

However, bloodline can be both a blessing and a curse. The more carefree and unrestrained one is in the early stages, the more likely one is to be constrained and restricted later on.

For example, what right does a white dragon's bloodline have to hold up the throne of a legendary warlock?

Once the potential of their bloodline has been fully exploited, the warlocks who have already enjoyed the initial benefits are left with only two paths:

Bloodline purification, or bloodline fusion.

In Toril, bloodlines involve far more than just the physical body; the success rate of such actions, which touch upon the very foundation of one's existence, is predictably low.

Therefore, apart from those lucky ones who are born at the finish line, such as Storm Queen Shinb, many warlocks will choose to take on side jobs in the later stages of the game, although there are also those with bad tempers.

Forget about part-time jobs and magic research, just go for it!

For monks, this issue offers more room for maneuver, but it is also more complex.

Not to mention the stringent requirements for advancing to the legendary level, without one's own unique legendary spell construction, the spellcaster will be forever blocked on the outside side of the highest level nine magic net, unable to enter its gate. Even mastering high-level spells is not so simple.

It is unclear when exactly, but all sorts of magical arts were divided into eight major schools, and there is a reason for this.

Many spellcasters specialize in one or a few schools of thought, but this does not mean that they are completely detached from other schools; they simply have different focuses.

We're all sorcerers; who wouldn't want to be knowledgeable and versatile? Who wouldn't want their spellbook to have as many options as possible?
However, limited energy in reality is one aspect, and another important consideration is the combination of spells and the direction of research.

(End of this chapter)