Consumption Exchange

"The last wizard ruin produced? There was only one copy of Basic Rune Exposition left. Even dogs wouldn't..."

Anthony Silvercoin froze for a moment. After thinking for a while, he finally recalled that there had indeed been such an unsold item.

In the realm of wizard apprentices, the three most common Zero-Ring wizardries were:

Flesh Strengthening could permanently improve one's physique, making up for the weakness of wizards in their early stages—their frail bodies.

Crimson Flame Ring could melt gold and refine iron. Its destructive power was immense, and it could also condense energy into flaming bullets for long-range attacks.

Only Wizard's Hand was in an extremely awkward position. Its power was neither high nor low, and its range was neither near nor far. Its only merit was that its ritual runes were simple, making it convenient for moving things and the like.

Zero-Ring wizardry: Wizard's Hand, rune exposition?

Even dogs didn't want it?

After all, even if one understood the composition of Wizard's Hand ritual runes, what could they do with it?

Develop Wizard's Foot? Wizard's Head?

The upper limit of power would not change. There was no way to turn a mutt into a tiger.

"Yes! That's the Basic Rune Exposition I want. What's the price?"

Yin Ming only had five Element Crystals on him. One was equivalent to roughly ten standard units, worth 5,000 merit points at the Flame-Burners Association.

"You have an eye for goods! Anything produced by a ruin is bound to be a treasure. Those who study rune expositions are all mighty wizards."

Anthony Silvercoin took a bound gray-skinned ancient book from the storeroom behind him. There was no writing on its cover, and traces of ash that had not been fully wiped away still clung to it.

Looking slightly embarrassed and too awkward to continue boasting, he said, "I'll give it to you at its original starting bid. Two thousand merit points!"

"Fine! I'll take the book! And I also want a bottle of Bloodline Potion."

Yin Ming took out five Element Crystals, along with the identity plaque engraved with Yasum Eno's name.

He walked to the shelf, peering through the glass at the Bloodline Potions and their written descriptions.

First-Ring Bloodline: Jungle Tree Lizard.

Exchange price: 900 points.

Description: An extraordinary creature that was a top predator of the jungle and could achieve visual invisibility by adjusting the color of its skin.

First-Ring Bloodline: Abyssal Quasit.

Exchange price: 700 points.

Description: The most widespread demons of the Abyss, skilled at hiding and fleeing, with powerful survival abilities.

First-Ring Bloodline: Devouring Snake.

Exchange price: 1,000 points.

Description: An adult Devouring Snake could grow to a hundred meters long and possessed formidable digestion and stamina.

Second-Ring Bloodline: Twisted Treant.

Exchange price: 2,800 points.

Description: An extraordinary creature with terrifying regeneration and terrifying survivability.

Second-Ring Bloodline: Lava Troll.

Exchange price: 3,000 points.

Description: A demon that wielded terrifying flame abilities and lived amid the lava volcanoes of the Abyss.

"..."

All the Bloodline Potions at the Flame-Burners Association were at either the First Ring or Second Ring level.

The difference was that the True Blood used to brew them came from mature First-Ring bloodline creatures or juvenile Second-Ring bloodline creatures.

The descriptions were also exceedingly crude, not even introducing the bloodline talents.

That was because this portion belonged to extraordinary knowledge and had to be purchased separately.

"The Element Crystals provided by the scholar contain abundant elemental energy. The Association has purchased them at a ten-percent premium and exchanged them for 5,500 merit points for you."

After Anthony Silvercoin conducted an inspection, Yin Ming had 5,500 additional merit points in his account. Besides buying Basic Rune Exposition, he could also afford a bottle of Second-Ring Bloodline Potion.

"Forgive my presumption, but as a wizard, Scholar, why are you buying a Bloodline Potion...?"

Wizards and warlocks were two extraordinary paths that did not inherently conflict.

However, wizards needed to accumulate mental power, permanently inscribe Permanent Mental Runes, and convert elemental energy into magic power.

Warlocks condensed True Blood, requiring them to fuse mental power and elemental energy into their blood and body.

Cultivating both together would wear against each other, inevitably making one's cultivation twice the effort for half the result.

"I'm buying it for a friend! I want the Lava Troll Bloodline Potion."

"Also... could you do me a favor? Give me the potion for drawing Mystic Runes, as well as the Mystic Rune Totem?"

During the journey, Yin Ming had roughly learned from Johnny Green about the process of becoming a bloodline warlock.

A warlock!

First, they needed to use a special Blood-Fusing Potion to tattoo the Mystic Rune corresponding to the bloodline onto their chest.

Then, through medicinal baths, they absorbed the extraordinary bloodline and fused it into the totem Mystic Rune.

Their usual daily cultivation consisted of visualizing the totem Mystic Rune, condensing their mental power and vital energy into True Blood, igniting the totem Mystic Rune, and gaining mastery over the bloodline's power.

This method of refining the spirit and vital essence to reshape the body somewhat resembled the Golden Core Method of Core-Nurturing Embryo-Forming on the Immortal Path, yet it was only similar in appearance, lacking the true essence.

The core of the Golden Core Great Dao lay in this: the golden nature was indestructible; chaos formed like a pill; one became a world unto oneself. The eight extraordinary meridians circulated like golden gates and jade locks.

Spiritual energy entered like food entering a pixiu's belly—it went in but never came out. It would not flow backward when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth dried up. Only then was there the saying: "Once a Golden Core is swallowed into the belly, my fate is mine, not heaven's."

"Scholar Eno wishes to take away the totem Mystic Rune and the Blood-Fusing Potion! This... does not comply with Association regulations, and the Warlock Alliance also..."

Not explicitly refusing meant permission with conditions.

Yin Ming's fingers trembled slightly. An Element Crystal, only the size of a pigeon egg and freshly condensed by the Scavenger Gourd today, slid precisely into the other man's sleeve.

The troubled expression on Anthony Silvercoin's face instantly vanished. With a chuckle, he said, "Easy! For the scholar's sake, I'll make the decision and permit it!"

"..."

Money! It really vanished before one could even spend it properly!

After buying Basic Rune Exposition and the Lava Troll Bloodline Potion, he only had 500 merit points left.

The scholar identity provided a fixed 3,000 merit points each month, while the Scavenger Gourd could provide 33,000 merit points every month without rest.

That made 36,000 merit points in total, certainly enough for ordinary expenses!

But wizard research was a bottomless pit. He needed to buy wizardries, detailed wizardry expositions, extraordinary knowledge, Magic Plants, and even ruin-produced goods. The funding gap was no ordinary one.

Making money was nothing more than opening new sources and cutting expenses!

Cutting expenses was definitely impossible. He could only find a way to open new sources!

"Scholar Eno, your things have already been packed for you!"

Yin Ming accepted a gray-skinned ancient book, a scroll of totem Mystic Runes, and two glass test tubes of sealed potions protected inside a gift box with recessed slots.

He took several Golden Sore Medicines from the gourd and asked, "I have a new type of potion that can effectively treat all kinds of internal and external injuries. Can I consign it to the Association for sale?"

"Of course, but for a new potion, the scholar must provide a small number of samples. We need three days to test its medicinal properties before deciding whether to put it on sale." Anthony Silvercoin replied with a smile.

"No problem..."

Yin Ming left behind five Golden Sore Medicines, then headed straight for his residence in the eastern outskirts of the Underground City.

Following the key number, 7-404, he found the two-story detached building numbered 04, in the fourth row of the seventh district.

As a scholar, he enjoyed the treatment of a First-Ring Wizard. Not only was the residence furnished with every facility, it also had a small patch of fertile land for growing Magic Plants and a secret chamber for cultivation and meditation.

"After transmigrating for so long! I finally have a place to settle down. I hope it can remain peaceful and lasting."

Including the Underground City of the Flame-Burners Association, Yin Ming had moved through three places in total.

The first two, Viscount Orson's Mountain Territory, had met with a catastrophe the moment he arrived after transmigrating.

Count Golden Lion's Tulip Manor had been somewhat better. It had not been destroyed, but Count Golden Lion's castle and his entire clan, young and old alike, had been wiped out by Alchemical Bombs.

"..."

Begging for everything—please keep reading. I have an ominous feeling about 404!!!