Project: Mage - The Frugal Mage

"We finally arrived" Liu Yang spoke as he looked at the giant forest in front of him.

The green trees with thick trunks and giant leaves, each tree was about fifty meters high and five meters in radius. These trees were very large.

Roaring wild animals were occasionally heard from within the forest. The wild mood was felt by everyone on the edge of the forest.

The more someone looked inside, the darker it became. The interior had no light because of the trees.

This was the Amazon Rainforest, the largest forest in the world, and also one of the most dangerous places in existence.

At the entrance to the forest, there was a gigantic group of people preparing to venture into the forest. Each of them had considerable cultivation to venture into the forest.

Liu Yang and Ivy were together with a group of Chinese who were going to explore the forest for some academic work.

The group consisted of seven students and two teachers. Among the students, only one was a Great Mages while the others were Advanced Mages, one of the teachers was a Great Mage and the other was a Warrior Mage. The group was strong if compared to many other groups at the site.

…

Going back a few days ago ...

Liu Yang and Ivy returned to the Nazca Transport Center after recovering. They needed to buy some things before traveling to the forest.

Inside the transport center, they found a group of students and professors from Central University who were going to the Amazon Rainforest to research the forest.

As the group was Chinese people, Liu Yang asked if he and Ivy could join the group.

At first, the students were against this idea because they thought that Liu Yang and Ivy just wanted their protection to be safe inside the forest.

When the two showed their powers of level 8 Advanced Mages, the teachers agreed with their help, as two levels 8 Advanced Mages were of great help. Liu Yang and Ivy were much stronger than some students in the group.

Furthermore, as Liu Yang was Chinese, they had a favorable impression because he was from the same country as him.

Liu Yang introduced himself as Shi Wu, while Ivy introduced herself as Carine. The two acted as a couple because they were holding hands.

Some male students were envious of Liu Yang because of Ivy's beauty, she was much more beautiful than the girls in the group, her red hair gave her a sense of wildness.

Only the teacher in the group had a beauty similar to Ivy. But as she was a teacher and a Warrior Mage, moreover, she belongs to a very influential clan in China. Thus, the students lacked the courage to court a teacher, even though she was the target of many influential young people.

The student with the cultivation of a Great Magician was also one of those who fell for Ivy at first sight. He felt that he deserved Ivy as his woman, as he was a Great Mage while Liu Yang was just an Advanced Mage. He didn't understand why Liu Yang had a beautiful woman like Ivy while he didn't have a beautiful woman like her.

Although he came with the group just to try to chase his beautiful teacher, he never received a compliment from her. Because she had no interest in him. So he tried to find another woman to try to attract.

This student's name was Xu Bao, he belonged to the Xu clan, one of the hundred clans. His talent and cultivation were above the average of his clan, so he was always favored by the elders and the head of the clan. Thus, his arrogance has always been very high.

The group accepted Liu Yang and Ivy as temporary members, but the two must work if they are to remain in the group. Otherwise, they will have to leave.

Liu Yang accepted the terms, as it was easy for him to fight wild beasts or look for food. He had Little One with him, the greatest sniffer in the world.

Before leaving the Nazca Transport Center, the group had to buy many for a long trip. The university group will explore the forest for two months, so they needed supplies and many other things.

Liu Yang's case was different, he didn't even know how long it would take to find Realiin, so he bought as much as he could. He also bought some magical equipment for Ivy, Little One sniffed some treasures being sold at a cheap price.

Liu Yang made a lot of money after hunting many desert beasts and keeping them in the nanotechnology bag. The Transport Centers had exchange centers with evaluators buying or exchanging these corpses.

Ivy received three magic equipment, an armor to wear under her clothes, a belt, and a whip. Liu Yang bought him a boot and a ring.

The most dangerous in the forest were the creatures that stalk the dark places and those that camouflage themselves to catch their prey with a surprise attack. Thus, Liu Yang bought more defensive than offensive magic equipment.

The two were already Warrior Mages, so they would not have much difficulty in advancing into the forest, as long as they do not get too close to the heart of the forest. There was the place where only Emperor Mages or above can survive.

Finishing resolving matters inside the transport center, the group left and went to the place where everyone needs to go before entering the forest.

To the east of the Nazca Plateau City is a small town called Edge City. The city got its name because it was on the border between the plateau and the forest.

This was where everyone who wants to enter the forest needs to go, there was where all the information about the forest was sold. Many other adventurers who have ventured into the forest sell this information or the corpses of creatures they have killed.

Thus, the city was very rich despite being small. Many adventurers stop in the city to buy new things.

However, things were not cheap. If things sold in stores at the transportation center were already expensive. The things sold in Edge City were about five times more expensive.

Liu Yang bought the information about the regions explored by the adventurers for him and Ivy, while the teachers bought for the students.

Within the Edge City, there was a branch of the International Association of Adventurers. This organization brought together all those who liked to venture around the world in search of new challenges.

The association also receives requests to hire magicians to be bodyguards or something, they distribute the mission and mediate between adventurers and employers. Basically, the International Association of Adventurers served to help the most humble mages to find a job, since mages from influential clans do not do this kind of thing.

As an international organization, the association had privileged information that only members can access. But for that, it was necessary to have to do a lot of work and increase the rank.

Liu Yang registered to be an adventurer for the international association, as he needed some information about some items. Tang Chen could do this for him, but Liu Yang chose to do this on his own and with his own efforts.

Ivy didn't know why he did it and didn't question it.

The university students, those who were more influential than others, they thought that Liu Yang was poor and that he needed money and that is why he joined the association. That thought made them wonder why Ivy was with Liu Yang if he was very poor. Many of them were much richer than Liu Yang.

Some even thought of using wealth to attract Ivy, but it was a pity that none of this was going to happen. Because Ivy never cared about Liu Yang's wealth, moreover, she is extremely rich.

Liu Yang saw some basic quests for novice adventurers and took several of them. As he showed that he is an Advanced Mage, Liu Yang was allowed to take intermediate level missions, even with the Wood rank, his high cultivation helped him at that time. This would help him to increase his level faster.

The rank of adventurers was divided into Wood, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Master. Each rank had special benefits for the adventurer, but it was very difficult to level up, in addition to completing the missions, the adventurer must have the required cultivation.

These two factors made it very difficult for adventurers to have the highest ranks. To be an adventurer of wood rank, the mage needs at least the Intermediate level, Bronze was Advanced and so on, the Master rank was the last rank and only Holy Saint can become one.

After everyone resolved matters within the Edge City, they walked together towards the Amazon Rainforest. They were not the only ones, thousands of magicians were also going there, each had their own reasons for doing so.

During the walk, Liu Yang saw many groups from different countries. He found it interesting that the Amazon Rainforest attracts so many different people.

After a few minutes, the group finally reached the entrance to the Amazon Rainforest.

Liu Yang's next adventure will begin.