Chalk Country

The Merman Sorcerer was the tribal chief, and the Fish Pearl within its body was already considered a magical material, worth thousands.

This is the proof of completing the task; the Wizard Tower will purchase it at market price.

With this, the mission is considered a complete success.

However, the group didn't immediately head back. Instead, they waited outside the cave until the next morning, after the poisonous smoke had dissipated, before venturing inside to investigate.

This search yielded many fragmented materials, with values ranging from a few Magic Stones to over ten.

Elite Warriors, possessing Demonized Organs, can also condense Fish Pearls worth tens or even hundreds.

And then there were the various miscellaneous items that could be collected from the surroundings...

Another bonus harvest!

A few days later, the group returned to the Wizard Tower to hand in the mission and sell their materials.

After tallying everything up, the total earnings were around 3750 Magic Stones.

"We agreed to split everything equally, so each person's final profit is 750 Magic Stones!"

The group discussed and proceeded with the equal division.

The reason they didn't use a more complex method to calculate who contributed more or less was that they hadn't yet established an authoritative leader, and no one could oversee the distribution.

So, to save trouble, they simply divided it equally.

Roy was quite satisfied with this arrangement.

Although his current strength far surpassed the others, he definitely wouldn't have been as safe or efficient relying solely on himself.

Until this advantage reached a qualitative leap, he still needed the help of his companions.

"With this sum of Magic Stones, there are many things I can do next.

For example, re-refining Magic Stones to expand this profit.

Buying various potions to keep as trump cards.

Or even preparing a few Demonized Items with spell-like abilities for myself."

However, after browsing the Market Street, Roy quickly realized he was overthinking things.

This money wasn't quite enough to buy Demonized Items.

"Forget it, if I can't afford Demonized Items, I'll just look around for other things, see if there are any good bargains to be found."

The Ring Tower Market Street often had vendors setting up stalls, selling all sorts of goods.

While there were plenty of fakes and shoddy products, every now and then, you could find good items at a bargain.

After browsing for a while, Roy spotted a Mechanical Beast Demon Leopard constructed from materials like Light Spirit Oak, Magic Source Mechanisms, and Alloy Claw Blades.

To be precise, it was a semi-finished product.

It was missing a Puppet Heart.

The stall owner was an Old Apprentice who looked mature for his age, and it was unclear how many years he had remained at the Intermediate Apprentice stage.

Seeing Roy stop, he called out to him, "Friend, the price is very cheap, only 500 Magic Stones!"

Roy gave it a quick inspection and confirmed that the mechanical beast before him clearly possessed the complete joint structure expected of a puppet creation. It only lacked a power source like an Elemental Furnace or a Magic Power core, forcing the seller to treat it as an empty shell.

This was likely a project left unfinished due to insufficient funds.

"This thing looks pretty good, why are you thinking of selling it?" Roy hadn't actually planned to buy it, but he still asked out of curiosity.

"Honestly, if you buy it, you'd be getting a great bargain. A mechanical beast like this shouldn't be sold so cheaply."

The Old Apprentice said to Roy with a hint of inexplicable melancholy.

"But what can I do? I've been assigned a Mandatory Task by the Wizard Tower, and I have to risk my life!

This mechanical beast is useless, it's more practical to exchange it for Magic Stones."

"Another Mandatory Task?" Roy frowned.

"That's right. The incident in the Small World 'Chalk Country' last year had too great an impact. Many Ley Lines near the Wizard Tower have become unstable.

During my years serving at the Wizard Tower, I spent too much time and energy studying these external things and couldn't convert it into combat power in time. Otherwise, sigh..."

The Old Apprentice shook his head.

Roy wasn't interested in listening to the other person's complaints; it might just be an act to gain sympathy and sell the item.

What interested him were the words "Chalk Country."

This was a term he had translated from the language of the Wizarding World, based on the memories of his previous life and the wizarding world's terminology.

"Chalk" referred to a type of constituent material, and "Country" was similar to a nation.

However, it wasn't a secular nation in the strict sense, but a concept like a divine realm or paradise.

Therefore, the complete meaning of "Chalk Country" was "a paradise for the chalk-people created by a god," a typical example of a pocket dimension, demiplane, or pseudo-divine realm!

"A typical Genesis experiment pocket dimension..."

Roy tried to inquire with the old apprentice, but the man only knew the name and nothing more. Roy had no choice but to give up.

The old apprentice tried his best to sell it. "Friend, even if you don't want to buy the whole thing, at least take a look at the mechanical beast's claw blades.

This is Aquena Magic Gold!

If you just want the blades, how about I sell them to you for 400 magic stones?"

The entire unfinished mechanical beast for 500 magic stones, but the claw blades alone for 400?

Roy found it almost laughable.

However, as he examined them more closely, a peculiar, indescribable sensation made him pause.

Looking again, their surface had a lustrous texture like jade, and within them, a liquid resembling blood seemed to flow.

"It really is Aquena Magic Gold!"

Roy recalled a piece of knowledge.

"This is a demonized metal that only Formal Wizards can refine. Where did you get it, to use it on an apprentice-level mechanical beast?"

The old apprentice looked dejected. "Who doesn't have grand ambitions these days?

Ever since I was a Low-level Apprentice, I've aspired to be a great Puppeteer and refine all sorts of Mechanical Puppets.

Of course, the materials for the attack weapons have to be top-notch!"

The most prominent characteristic of Aquena Magic Gold is that it possesses residual fragments of a certain law, also originating from the Weird World.

It can continuously temper and grow by absorbing metallic elements, life energy, and magic power from blood.

Because of this, besides its formal name, it also has another infamous common name – Bloodthirsty Magic Gold!

"It's rumored that its growth potential is extremely high, a type of growing, demonic metal material.

You could buy these claw blades and melt them down to extract the effective components.

Even if you don't do that, you can still make them into weapons.

They will grow stronger as you fight and kill enemies, and even possess self-repair capabilities!"

The old apprentice coaxed him, trying hard to make the sale.

This little bit wasn't enough to forge a proper weapon.

At best, it would make a small dagger.

Besides, as a Wizard Apprentice, he didn't have much need for melee weapons.

What Roy was thinking of was using it on his Hair Ghost Witch Body.

The Hair Ghost was already an anomalous existence with high growth potential. By integrating its characteristics, it would gain another growth pathway: absorbing blood!

"400 is too expensive. If you're willing to lower the price a bit, I might consider it..."

He pondered for a moment and began to haggle with the old apprentice.

In the end, he bought the six claw blades of the mechanical beast for 300 magic stones.