Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1513: Chapter 240: A Teacher Transmits Knowledge, Imparts Skill, and Resolves Doubts

Basically, there’s no such thing as stopping midway through a story, especially when Boss Luo is the type who loves listening to others tell stories… and even more so under the premise of using the last wish.

“He was the most respected teacher in the Prince’s life. From him, the Prince not only learned more knowledge but also realized that outside the kingdom were vaster worlds, different races, and oceans broader than lakes. The Prince wanted to see everything his teacher spoke of, to experience the greatness of the world alongside him…” The Red Lamp Spirit’s expression gradually softened. “For this, the Prince was even willing to give up his identity, just wanting to wander the world with his teacher.”

Boss Luo gradually felt something ominous… hopefully, it was just an illusion.

But the imagery in the room gradually became philosophical.

“The Prince and his teacher ascended unprecedented heights, they crossed vast oceans, and even lived in Utmost North with the locals, marveling at the magic and splendor of the Aurora… All of this made the Prince feel how insignificant he once was. Now reborn, he was euphoric. He wanted to understand the world’s truths, to stay by his teacher’s side forever, listening to his endless wisdom… These days lasted for ten years. Finally, the Prince and his teacher returned from their journey, back to the Prince’s homeland.”

Suddenly.

A tremendous shadow surged in the room… like dark clouds, shrouding the entire kingdom.

“When the Prince returned, there were neither greetings from loved ones nor embraces from parents, nor cheers from his adored subjects…” The Red Lamp Spirit coldly looked at Boss Luo, “What awaited the Prince was this expanse of ruins, just like these wrecks.”

The dark clouds in the room dissipated, leaving only debris and ruined walls… this was surprisingly a miniature of a fallen kingdom. The Red Lamp Spirit grasped a handful of dust, letting it fall between its fingers, standing silently.

“Because of the war?” Luo Qiu asked softly.

“It was an invasion,” the Red Lamp Spirit said indifferently, “a barbaric army from the south… They baptized the Prince’s kingdom with war, hanged the King and Queen, and mercilessly slaughtered the Prince’s subjects, destroying his homeland completely.”

“The Prince is preparing for revenge.” Luo Qiu still asked softly.

“Of course, the Prince wished for revenge! How could he not?!”

The Red Lamp Spirit’s expression immediately turned sharp, “The Prince pleaded with his teacher, the Wizard with great magical power, hoping to gain his assistance! The Wizard didn’t even consider and told the Prince the method to restore everything… do you know what the method was?”

“The Magic Lamp.” Luo Qiu had already guessed the gist.

“Exactly!” The Red Lamp Spirit nodded: “The Wizard told the Prince there exists in this world a great power that cannot be resisted, but only those with pure hearts can obtain it… it can fulfill any wish! That is the legendary Magic Lamp with magic power! Finally, after countless hardships, the Prince found this Magic Lamp. Unfortunately, the Prince failed the Lamp’s test… because his heart was filled only with hatred, with a desire to kill, the Lamp would not respond to the plea of an evildoer!”

“The Wizard appeared at this moment, telling the Prince that only by letting go of hatred and purifying his mind could he earn the Lamp Spirit’s recognition. He urged the Prince to abandon thoughts of vengeance, saying that time would punish the sinful army, that instead of revenge, he should sincerely wish for the Magic Lamp’s spirit to resurrect the Prince’s deceased parents and subjects, for the lost kingdom to be restored… to return everything to its original state, to undo the tragedy.”

Luo Qiu remained silent… Indeed, the Wizard’s advice was more appropriate and wise than mere vengeance—if the reward for letting go of hatred was to resurrect loved ones… who wouldn’t want that?

“Did the Prince let go of his hatred in the end?” Boss Luo curiously asked.

“He had to let go,” the Red Lamp Spirit said indifferently: “Without any resentment, with a heart pure as water, only then could he gain the Lamp’s recognition. To purify himself, the Prince left his ruined kingdom, traveled the land again with the Wizard, experiencing Qingfeng Mingyue, great rivers and mighty waters, using time to cleanse the sorrow in his heart, overcoming the Heart Demon with repeated memories of his loved ones and friends… The Prince took thirty full years to completely shed his bitterness, becoming purer. Finally, the Prince received the Magic Lamp’s acknowledgment, successfully summoning the Lamp Spirit… After a long period of cultivation and tasting the world’s sufferings, the Prince finally succeeded in seeing his parents again.”

“The Prince used his first wish to resurrect those who perished in the war from the kingdom. He then used his second wish to restore the destroyed kingdom, bringing it back to its former thriving state… everything, as though time had turned back, with the Prince looking at his parents and loved ones, who were now of an age similar to himself, unable to hold back his tears.”

“I really wish the story ended here.” Boss Luo exhaled slowly at this moment, the imagery in the room showing the Prince embracing his family, “But obviously, this is not the case, is it?”

The Red Lamp Spirit took a deep breath, “The Prince still had one last wish.”

“What wish did you make?”

“I wished to replace the original Lamp Spirit and become the spirit within the Magic Lamp.”

“Oh?” Boss Luo blinked, then suddenly continued, “Was this what your teacher told you?”

The Red Lamp Spirit looked at Luo Qiu with astonishment, finally nodded silently, thoughts drifting away… many, many years ago.

…

“Teacher, look! The kingdom has been restored, and the people can once again live a happy life! These are the freshly harvested crops, I had some sent to you!”

“How long do you think this kind of happiness can last?”

“As long as I’m here, I will ensure it continues… I still have one last wish, with it I can protect the kingdom, Teacher.”

“You and I will ultimately have a day when we depart, and the third wish will eventually be used up, the Magic Lamp will change hands, you cannot possess it forever. Then… what will you rely on to protect this home?”

“Teacher, guide me!”

“Only by gaining great power can you, under any circumstances, guard your kingdom, fend off all invasions… just like that barbaric army’s invasion back then. With great power, you can protect your home and kingdom.”

“I understand, Teacher wants me to wish to the Lamp Spirit, asking it to grant me great power to protect the kingdom.”

“No, even if you acquire great power, it is only temporary, you will eventually perish someday.”

“Then… then what should I do?”

“The only way is for you to become the Lamp Spirit.”

“I… I am to become the Lamp Spirit? Can I… can I really do it? I’m just an ordinary person…”

“Listen, nothing is impossible in this world! Only if you become the Lamp Spirit can you eliminate all misfortunes from your country. You must understand, everyone only has three wishes, and once you’ve used your wishes, the Magic Lamp will pass into the hands of the next qualified person. However, the qualification recognized by the Magic Lamp is singular; once the holder’s heart becomes impure, even tainted by ambition, the successor of the Magic Lamp will bring terrifying disaster to the world! You’ve already witnessed the power of the Magic Lamp, can you imagine how terrifying it would be if it were controlled by ambition?”

“I… I can’t, I truly can’t, Teacher.”

“So! Only you! Only when you become the new Lamp Spirit will I have confidence! I taught you personally, no one knows your kindness better than I do, only when you become the Spirit of the Magic Lamp will you truly care for those who are kind-hearted, only you can truly wield the power of the Lamp Spirit to help those in need! You could even make the Magic Lamp a royal heirloom, allowing future generations to summon you in times of crisis, selecting pure-hearted descendants to resolve the country’s crises. Passed down in this manner, this country… will never decline!”

“Never decline… but, but can I really do it? I’m just… a mortal.”

“Trust me, my dearest student… you are the only candidate I trust to wield the power of the Magic Lamp without doubt! Only you can truly wield this divine power!”

“I… what should I do?”

“It’s simple… first, summon the Lamp Spirit, then make your final wish.”

“A wish?”

“Voluntarily replace the Lamp Genie, accepting all its responsibilities and obligations, to accompany the Magic Lamp.”

“Teacher, your knowledge is far more profound than mine, your insights far surpass mine, wouldn’t it be better for you to wield the power of the Magic Lamp?”

“I can’t do it, I still have obsessions in my heart, unable to gain the Magic Lamp’s approval… even as a teacher, I am not as proficient as you in this aspect of cultivation! So… once you become the Lamp Spirit, let me protect you. My student, my only pride…”

“I… I won’t let you down, Teacher!”

…

…

“As you saw, this is how I became the Lamp Spirit,” the Red Lamp Spirit said calmly.

The phantoms in the room then froze at the moment of the Prince’s conversation with the Wizard, gradually fading until they finally disappeared.

“And then?” Boss Luo, obviously sensing that the other party was skimping on details, gently prodded with a reminder, as he was always good-natured.

The Red Lamp Spirit furrowed its brows, seemingly struggling internally, and suddenly roared with anger, “He deceived me! He deceived me! He deceived me!! My most respected teacher, whom I was willing to give my life for, he deceived me!!”

“He made me the new Lamp Spirit only to free the former Lamp Genie from the Magic Lamp!! His lover!! Everything he did was for this sole purpose from the beginning!”

The Red Lamp Spirit’s anger turned shrill and piercing: “He didn’t tell me that after becoming a Lamp Spirit, I would constantly endure the burning flames within the Magic Lamp! He never told me about needing to fulfill a thousand wishes! He even turned out to be the mastermind behind the destruction of my country from the beginning! He brought in the army that destroyed my country! He deceived me all along!! I want to kill him!! And his lover… that vile woman!!”

This story slightly differed from the quality of stories he had heard before, with even more flaws… Boss Luo opened his mouth, then snapped his fingers, instantly providing a full set of tea on the coffee table, and poured a cup of tea for the Red Lamp Spirit, whose mouth must be dry from storytelling, “Tea.”

“Oh… thank you.” It took it reflexively, “Did I frighten you? Sorry, my temper has worsened after being in the Magic Lamp for too long… but I feel so much better after talking about it. You’re actually quite kind…”

“You’re welcome.” Boss Luo smiled slightly, and when he saw the Red Lamp Spirit move closer, he subtly retreated a little.

They looked at each other in this way.

The Red Lamp Spirit suddenly said in a low voice, “After knowing all this, will you look down on me?”

Since becoming the Club Owner, Boss Luo had become quite eloquent, but in facing the gaze of the Red Lamp Spirit, he found himself at a loss for words…

He rubbed his eyebrows, pondering his words, “So you would rather pledge your Soul than lose half of your Power, intending for the future when you gain freedom to seek revenge.”

“Half the Power is not enough to deal with my old… deal with the Wizard!”

The Red Lamp Spirit gritted its teeth and said, “He himself is a mighty Wizard with powerful Mana! And that vile woman… she became the Lamp Genie many years before I did, she must be hiding a lot I am unaware of! Don’t say half the Power, even if I were released from the Magic Lamp’s restraints now, I couldn’t even say for sure I could handle that vile woman!”

Luo Qiu organized his thoughts, listening to the Red Lamp Spirit’s repeated use of the term “vile woman”… strictly speaking, given that the Wizard’s lover, the previous Lamp Genie, was technically the Red Lamp Spirit’s… well, Sister.

After a simple analysis, it becomes clear that the Red Lamp Spirit’s story is essentially a tale of “My most respected teacher actually teamed up with my seductive wicked/sister to jointly harm me, and I can’t even beat them, I’m desperate, what do I do, urgent.”

“So many years have passed, you as the Lamp Genie can live an Undying Life… but your Teacher and the previous Lamp Genie may not live that long.” Boss Luo shook his head.

The Red Lamp Spirit also shook its head, “No, I believe the Wizard surely can! Because he is sure to drink the water from the Fountain of Youth… that vile woman too!”

Boss Luo blinked, “Fountain of Youth?”

The Red Lamp Spirit nodded, “I discovered that treasure while searching for the Magic Lamp… I even told him everything without reservation… my teacher!”

Emmmm… in terms of no reservation, Boss Luo truly believes it.