[Name: Yin Ming (Eno).] [Method: Vast Sea Meditation Method.] [Realm: Junior Wizard Apprentice (Mirror Reef Level Two).] [Lifespan: 18/97.] [Constitution: 31.] [Magic Power: 4/20.] [Spiritual Power: 2/25.] [Wizardry: Crimson Flame Ring, Wizard's Hand, Flesh Strengthening, Soul Severing, Abyssal Summoning, Abyssal Sacrifice.] [Immortal Arts: External Elixir Art, Seventy-Two Forms: 1/72.] [Unknown Runes: 1.] [Knowledge: Demon Tongue, Wizard Script, Potion Studies.] [Potions: Basic Healing Potion, Bloodline Potion, Element-Revealing Potion.] [Items: Pure Character Law Fragment, revolver...]
"..."
"The magic plant has finally sprouted! My use of the Scavenger Gourd to optimize both the seeds and soil was not in vain."
Yin Ming walked out of the meditation room, his spiritual power and magic power drained dry by the Lava Troll Form.
When the spirit was damaged, qi became deficient; when qi was deficient, blood was depleted.
His steps floated, his face was the color of golden paper, and his entire body had returned to how it had been after researching the Eight-Nine Mystical Art.
In a corner of the garden, on the plot specially reserved for magic plants, the Crimsonblood Vine had pushed out a small patch of tender shoots.
Zero-Ring magic plant materials could be bought with Element Crystals, but First-Ring magic plants were scarce even at exorbitant prices and could only be acquired through special channels such as underground wizard gatherings and auctions.
To keep magic plant materials from becoming a chokehold when he brewed Second-Ring Bloodline Potions in the future, Yin Ming began cultivating magic plants.
Zero-Ring magic plants only needed sufficient elemental energy concentration in the soil to grow, but cultivating First-Ring magic plants sent the difficulty soaring in an instant. Not only did it require special cultivation methods, it also required a long cultivation process.
The best time to plant a tree was a hundred years ago. The next best time was—now.
Yin Ming did not think several decades was too long. At least it was faster than peaches that took three thousand years to blossom, three thousand years to bear fruit, and another three thousand years to ripen.
"Crack, crack, crack..."
Yin Ming took out an Element Crystal and crushed it into powder, scattering the fragments evenly across the area to increase the soil's elemental energy concentration.
Without knowledge related to cultivating magic plants, he could only keep experimenting, exploring, and drawing conclusions on his own.
The two small metal balls continued rolling in his palm, while the Lava Troll External Core was worn close to his body as an accessory.
"..."
After watering the magic plants once, Yin Ming first went to the association's Exchange Building and exchanged one thousand Golden Sore Medicines for merit.
Recently, paranormal incidents in the Landon Duchy had been increasing without end, sending Golden Sore Medicine sales soaring and successfully pushing his Merit Points past seven figures.
"Scholar Eno, someone asked me to inquire whether you are willing to sell the Golden Sore Medicine formula. By way of Equivalent Exchange." Anthony Silvercoin returned his identity plaque, paused, then asked.
Equivalent Exchange referred to wizards trading scarce resources unavailable on the public market. They used barter, knowledge for knowledge, or, naturally, Element Crystals for settlement.
Did that mean he could trade for genuinely good things that were not everywhere on the street?
Unlike the Exchange Building, where the exchangeable items—
Were only various raw materials, finished potions, finished wizard artifacts, Alchemical Bombs, and flintlock muskets.
Knowledge such as wizardry and illustrated guides was also restricted to the Zero-Ring Apprentice level.
And knowledge that could earn Element Crystals—such as potion-making, alchemy, and magic plant cultivation—would absolutely never be sold.
"..."
Yin Ming was somewhat tempted. Golden Sore Medicine was mainly used to earn merit while waiting for the next relic-produced exchange items.
If he could exchange the formula in advance for what he needed, then as long as the price was right, he naturally would not refuse.
There was quite a bit of knowledge he was currently interested in, such as blood activity preservation techniques for extraordinary creatures, First-Ring magic plant cultivation techniques, Second-Ring extraordinary creature blood, Second-Ring extraordinary creature True Name Rune totems, and the later portions of the Vast Sea Meditation Method.
Unfortunately, this was not a matter of willingness.
Without extraction by the Scavenger Gourd, its medicinal effect simply could not reach a level comparable to a Basic Healing Potion.
"I'll sell!"
Yin Ming had originally intended to refuse, but he suddenly thought of something and hurriedly changed his words. "I want the Second-Ring Vast Sea Meditation Method, Second-Ring extraordinary creature bloodline, Blood-Fusing Potion, and True-Name Totem Mystic Rune. Pick any two out of those three, plus any wizardry scroll, and I'll sell."
"That price... it's more expensive than even a First-Ring potion formula. Isn't that outrageously absurd? Would anyone agree to it?"
Anthony Silvercoin's eyes widened. He practically suspected there was something wrong with his ears.
A Zero-Ring healing potion formula in exchange for Second-Ring core knowledge—this was more outrageous than trading a paperclip for a villa. Had he perhaps missed the words "equivalent exchange"?
"Just make the offer. If they do not agree, then forget it!" Yin Ming said.
"Fine! I'm only responsible for passing on the message anyway." Anthony Silvercoin shook his head, assuming Yin Ming did not want to sell the formula. He then joked, "If this deal goes through! From now on, I, Anthony, won't take a single coin from your business commissions. I'll revere you as I revere a god."
"..."
Yin Ming did not explain. He left the Exchange Building, turned around, and entered the Scholar Ember Building.
The Golden Sore Medicine formula was not valuable. The extracts from the two plant ingredients were not valuable either. What was valuable was the mold that extracted a medicine similar to penicillin.
It was equivalent to opening up a new line of thought in Potion Studies, where raw materials would no longer be limited to magic plants.
Not only was his asking price not high—it was actually too low.
Yin Ming's offer was not based on the formula's value at all, but on an assessment of his own strength and the moral character of wizards from major factions.
Yin Ming guessed that a wizard from some major faction had discovered that Golden Sore Medicine contained no magic plant components.
That was why they were interested in the Golden Sore Medicine formula. And among the major factions publicly known in the present world, there were only the Wizard Black Tower and the Warlock Alliance.
As for why it had to be a major faction—without tens of thousands of Zero-Ring Apprentice-level wizards and a great wizard capable of analyzing a potion with no magic plant components, who would care about a Zero-Ring healing potion?
"Eh..."
Yin Ming entered the Scholar Building and was astonished to find that Robert Kava was not there. A bad premonition immediately rose in his heart.
Could it be—he had researched Inscription Runes and gotten himself killed!
"Gallon, your old..."
Yin Ming found one of Robert Kava's students and was about to ask about Robert Kava's whereabouts.
Before he could finish, Gallon interrupted, "Scholar Eno, nothing happened to my teacher. He merely entered seclusion to prepare for a breakthrough to Two-Ring Wizard."
"Ahem... I was just showing concern as a friend."
Yin Ming coughed awkwardly twice, realizing that the frequency of his recent inquiries had indeed been just a little too high.
"You—should take care of your own health. This is already the second time. Some books in the building are better left unread."
Gallon's lips twitched twice. Looking at Yin Ming's thoroughly drained body, he ultimately could not help offering a word of advice.
Yin Ming: "..."
Robert Kava had been stuck at the First-Ring limit bottleneck for decades. How had he suddenly gained the confidence to break through to Two-Ring Wizard only a month after obtaining Inscription Runes?
Was there necessarily a connection between the two?
"No! I should play it safe one more time. What if Robert is only pretending to be in seclusion, waiting for me to test the waters first?"
Yin Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to research Inscription Runes. He casually pulled a book from the shelf and read absentmindedly.
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