Chapter 154: Mana Shackles

In fact, this was the part that he didn't understand about the influence of a Family.

That power was maintained by bloodline. They were greedier and more guarded against outsiders than anything else, and they were used to controlling everything.

To them, having to get Nether Iron Ores through a deal also brought a kind of a problem.

In contrast, they were much more willing to directly control this Nether Iron Vein.

This was a common problem of all Families and Clans. The Merlin Family was like this, and so was the Watson Family. Even Thousand Sails City's Monchi Family was like this.

"I can give you an opportunity right now." Leon saw the other party's unsightly expression and felt that it was the crucial moment to extend his olive branch.

"What?" Lin Yun had been inwardly thinking about how to teach a lesson to the Merlin Family when he suddenly heard the word "opportunity" and immediately looked at Leon suspiciously.

"I can let you return to the Merlin Family, and I can also let you keep the Nether Iron Vein..."

"Ahah..." Lin Yun understood when he heard this. 'Turns out he was trying to recruit me all this time!'

At this point, Lin Yun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 'How come the rank decreased? Earlier, Star Sage Jouyi tried to recruit me, yet, a few hours later, it's now just a 1st Rank High Mage trying to recruit me!'

Oblivious to these thoughts, Leon continued, "Moreover, after returning to the Merlin Family, you can directly serve under me as my manager of business and financial affairs..." After saying this, Leon glanced at William with a domineering expression. "You can ask William... Not just anyone can join my circle."

"Ff..." William suddenly felt like cursing.

'Fuck, it's fine if you are courting death, but don't drag me in! Saying something like managing finances and business, didn't you just take a fancy to the Gilded Rose's wealth? So annoying... Those old guys of the Elder Council are obviously just thinking about the Nether Iron Vein. And did you think that the person in front of you will agree?'

'Please, don't bother... Just look, He has such an unsightly expression on his face, if you keep going, I can't guarantee that you will be able to leave the Gilded Rose in one piece.'

Unfortunately, Leon didn't understand his painstaking worries. After not getting a response for a bit, he angrily said, "I already gave you the opportunity, it's up to you to grab it."

"Well, High Mage Leon, I have a question..."

"Yes?" Leon suddenly frowned. He saw that Lin Yun was somewhat dissatisfied and thought, 'This Mafa isn't very tactful. I'm giving him such fair treatment, yet he is pushing it. Looks like people from such a small place like Thousand Sails City don't have a sense of propriety. Just because I was being nice to him, he would dare raise some conditions...'

This made Leon quite unhappy...

In Leon's eyes, a subordinate should have the appearance of a subordinate. They should receive what they are offered and not reach their hands for more.

As he thought about it, Leon's frown accentuated. Although he didn't say it, he inwardly decided to wait until he thoroughly subdued this Mafa Merlin before teaching him a lesson. He had to make him understand that meddlesome subordinates were an eyesore.

"I want to ask, are you dreaming?"

"What?" Leon suddenly froze. He hadn't expected this question, and furthermore, why did it sound so antagonistic?

"I mean, if you are still dreaming, I can introduce you to a few hotels where you can finish your night..." Lin Yun clapped his hands and stood up from his chair. Ignoring Leon's reaction, he called William over and told him, "Cousin, help me take care of High Mage Leon, I still have some matters to take care of. Also, next time High Mage Leon comes sleepwalking by, remember to get a room at the Oak Inn on the other side, you can accompany him back over here once he wakes up..."

"Yes, yes, yes..." William nodded repeatedly while mentally hurling curses at Leon. 'Damn, I kept reminding you to not provoke him. You can daydream, but why are you dragging me in? Now you provoked him and implicated me... Forget it, it isn't that bad today, it didn't reach the point of a fight breaking out, that's rare enough. I'm tired of eating a loss because of the Family, I'll just send you out...'

But William didn't have the time to say anything before Leon flared up. "Mafa, what is this attitude?" The High Mage loudly struck the table, making a few drops of water spill from the cup in front of him.

"Don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive..." When William saw this, he knew that it was too late. He couldn't deal with the future Patriarch of the Merlin Family, but he straightforwardly went all-out to try to stop Leon Merlin's arm, urging him as if his own life depended on it, "Leon, Leon, you have to be careful with your words. Don't be impulsive, by all means, don't be impulsive..."

"Let go."

"You have to talk nicely, by all means, try to remain friendly..."

"I told you to let go." Leon gave him a cold glance. "William Merlin, pay attention to your status. You are speaking for an outsider, and this is affecting my assessment of you..."

William Merlin almost felt like crying...

'Fuck your assessment, I'm trying to save you, and you are still talking about my status? If I were really paying attention to my status, I would have already let go and let you rain curses while hitting the table, and then you would know why Raven and Allen Watson made themselves scarce after returning to Okland. They had been scared to death by this person...'

Unfortunately, Leon didn't know or care about that. Although his arm had been held by William, he still hurriedly shouted at Lin Yun's back, "Mafa Merlin, I shall let you know that you will regret refusing me sooner or later. I want to see who will stand by your side when Aube Merlin comes to get the Nether Iron Vein from your hands."

'It's over, it's over...'

William felt his sight darken when he heard that...

"Eh?" Lin Yun stopped just as these words echoed. "You are saying that the Merlin Family is going to send more people?"

"Ahaha, you are truly naive. Did you think that you could keep a Nether Iron Vein to yourself with your strength as a mere 5th Rank Great Mage? Let me tell you, you are dreaming. Without my protection, don't mention your Nether Iron Vein, you won't even be able to keep your Gilded Rose..."

"Your words are reasonable..." Lin Yun nodded, paused, and then stretched his hands out.

Suddenly, it felt as if a huge vortex had appeared in the reception room. Leon didn't even have time to understand what had happened before he flew towards Lin Yun. The latter only opened his hand and grabbed Leon's neck.

"Wh... What do you think you are doing!" Leon was startled, but he immediately roused his mana to retaliate against this frightening power.

But unfortunately, Leon's mana was suppressed by a more frightening mana. Leon then suddenly discovered that the magic power he had been so proud of since his childhood was simply unable to contend with that astonishing mana.

'Ho... How could this be!'

Leon almost went crazy on the spot. 'How could this be? I'm a true High Mage, how could I be suppressed by a 5th Rank Great Mage?'

"I want you to take some words back with you."

After Lin Yun said this, he chanted a mysterious and abstruse incantation. Leon then felt as if the mana within his body had been shackled by some sort of force. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get his mana to show any signs of circulating.

'Wh-wh-wh... What's going on?'

Leon's eyes suddenly became filled with fear. The mana that he had accumulated for over twenty years had been sealed. He was now like an ordinary person, when he had been a High Mage just before. Such a huge change made Leon feel frantic and desperate.

'Isn't that Mafa Merlin a 5th Rank Great Mage? How could this be... How could a 5th Rank Great Mage have such frightening magic power, to actually suppress a High Mage in an instant... And what kind of incantation was that, how could he suddenly shackle my mana?'

An esteemed High Mage was transformed into an ordinary person. The feeling of having his life in the hands of someone else completely broke Leon Merlin's imposing pretense. That young High Mage's face was filled with fear as he opened his mouth one more time to ask with a shivering voice, "Wh-wh... What words?"

"Return to let the Merlin Family know that when they have someone that is able to undo the shackles on your body... At that time, they can start thinking about the Nether Iron Vein."

After saying this, Lin Yun loosened his grasp on Leon's neck. After helping pat the dust off of him, he opened the door to the reception room and left. Before leaving, he told William, "Cousin, don't forget to help me send High Mage Leon to Oak Inn to rest."