Wizards pursue the truth

Chapter 52 [52] Transcendental Potion, Nightmare Flower, Outsider

It took Wang Ya about half an hour to figure out some of the rules. Free Street is divided into commercial shops and market stalls. The former are controlled and regulated by the Underdark, and most of the items sold there are guaranteed to be genuine. The latter are located deeper in Free Street, at the wizard stalls in the plaza camp, where you can buy rare treasures at extremely low prices. Of course, you have to be sure you can find the original shop in a few minutes.

"My magic stones! That damned liar stole all my magic stones!" A young man cried out, rolling on the ground, clearing a large space, his pained expression revealing his immense grievance. The surrounding people watched coldly, many stall owners offering mocking smiles. Most people entering the plaza camp had concealed their faces; with their disguises, where could they possibly find them?

Wang Ya watched the farce unfolding before him, his brow furrowing slightly beneath the black face mask.

This is all too common at the plaza campsite. People always think they can find a bargain, always think they're special, but in the end, they're scammed and lose everything. Just a little inquiry and you can hear countless examples and stories, yet people still fall for it.

Wang Ya walked past the man and headed further inside. Behind him came the reprimands of the law enforcement wizard and the young man's desperate cries; if he continued his tantrum, he would naturally be expelled from the wizard city.

An hour later, Wang Ya had a general understanding of the market and had also assessed the value of some of the items he owned.

Two types of wizard potions, each costing about fifteen magic stones.

The "Water Guardian" spell array component is the most expensive; Wang Ya estimates it would cost at least a hundred magic stones.

The Thorn Heart, which is ready to be sold, is a low-grade extraordinary material, usually costing around two magic stones per piece. However, due to its rare cultivation characteristics, it can cost three to five magic stones per piece.

In shops, these items cost significantly more magic stones, but the selling price is very low, probably because shops have their own stable channels.

Wang Ya was only prepared to use "Water Guardian" and Thorn Heart.

Wang Ya had no shortage of protective measures, and he was willing to pay low prices for high-quality books on extraordinary knowledge. What he lacked most were the hard currency to enhance his strength, as well as methods or items to replenish his weakened soul.

However, he could give up on books related to extraordinary knowledge. A basic book on extraordinary magic cost thirty magic stones—even killing and looting wouldn't be that fast. He had over a dozen such books in his silver bracelet.

He felt a little regretful for not taking more with him; it was quite a windfall for him, and he couldn't possibly sell these unlearned witchcraft books.

Of course, he wouldn't give up the Eye of Truth, such a powerful weapon. Wang Ya did find quite a few good things, but the wizards at the stalls clearly knew their stuff, and the prices were all in line with that standard. His desire to find bargains gradually faded; no one was a fool.

After careful consideration, he decided on two items to enhance his strength: the Nightmare Flower and the Mind-Cleansing Potion, as well as the Red-haired Foxtail Grass to replenish his soul power. The combined price exceeded the maximum amount of magic stones Wang Ya currently possessed.

He was still a pauper, far from wealthy. Especially the "Clarity Potion," which, despite being a low-grade potion, cost more than twice as much as the two wizard potions he already possessed.

Unable to resist asking, Wang Ya heard from the wizard stall owner that he was just a middleman selling the products, earning back his cost price, while the lion's share went to the potion wizard, who would earn at least 80%, and he would only take 10%.

That's incredibly profitable!

Wang Ya almost lost his composure and was completely stunned. His guess of 70% profit was still far too low.

A healing potion sells for fifteen magic stones, but only costs one. Without middlemen, they make a net profit of fourteen. Those potion-making wizards are a bunch of bastards, utterly heartless!

The stall owner also said that the Mind-Clearing Potion is different from ordinary potions, and it is much more difficult to make. After all, it can assist wizards in practicing meditation. The price of 'thirty magic stones' is very affordable.

Wang Ya could only remain silent.

The stall fee of two magic stones wasn't expensive. After setting up his stall with eight thorn hearts covered in ice, Wang Ya began his first wizard stall business.

It's only noon, and there's still an afternoon and evening to sell.

The plaza camp was bustling with people, and few wizards who frequented the area were unaware of its value. Of course, there were also inexperienced young wizards who, upon seeing the less-than-ideal-looking black heart, would simply frown and leave.

Wang Ya sat calmly, his mind contemplating fundamental extraordinary knowledge—this too was a form of cultivation.

However, just ten minutes later, a disheveled middle-aged wizard approached, his eyes filled with surprise, and said, "Your black heart is clearly from a Thorn Sea Beast, but why is it black and radiating extraordinary energy? It's really strange."

Wang Ya looked at him calmly, her lips moved slightly, "Five magic stones and one heart, no bargaining."

The middle-aged wizard was instantly stunned, while Wang Ya simply closed his eyes to rest. Finally, the former sighed and chuckled, "You won. Five magic stones it is, reasonable. I'll take them all."

As he spoke, he took out a storage wizard bag. Compared to storage wizard artifacts, it was much simpler and had no spell restrictions, so other wizards could easily open it.

The middle-aged, slovenly wizard readily completed the transaction with Wang Ya.

Wang Ya watched the other person's departing figure. The value of extraordinary items could be measured simply by using mental power to sense them.

Truly extraordinary items that are undetectable by observation are extremely rare.

The realm of extraordinary knowledge is a huge pitfall. There are many fraudsters, sometimes one part truth and nine parts falsehood, deceiving many wizards into believing it to be true and spending their entire fortunes to buy the notes and manuscripts of some great wizard, even if those are just fragments of a diary that are of little use.

You have obtained 40 Magic Stones.

Wang Ya felt it was still a bit too fast; the other party didn't haggle, as if he had set the price too low.

The Eye of Truth's analysis should be correct; his ideal price is four magic stones, so he's already made a profit.

The departing, disheveled middle-aged wizard was also pleasantly surprised; he was absolutely certain he hadn't been mistaken. These hearts carried the scent of secret medicines from the Dragon School within the Darklands; even though they were merely remnants, they could still have some effect on nurturing life.

He wouldn't investigate the source; as long as he could make money, that was enough. It was just a matter of changing its appearance. "The latest improved secret potion from the Dragon School"—that sounded much better and looked much better too.

Wang Ya's progress in Wizard Meditation has reached the fifth Wizard Rune. The Mind-Cleansing Potion reduces fluctuations in mental energy, stabilizing it and making it easier to outline the rune in meditation. Nightmare Flowers can directly boost mental energy, and even with side effects, they are quite expensive, costing a full eighty magic stones.

Even with his innate mental strength, if he were to meditate and outline all the runes, he would still be a little short of advancing to the first-level wizard apprentice level. It's normal to need some auxiliary methods; there's no question of it affecting his foundation.

At most, it will just lead to drug resistance.

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Ya finally placed the Water Guardian Witchcraft Formation on the stall.

The magic array formula is not something an alchemist can assemble and implant. Most importantly, it will be triggered whenever there is danger, regardless of the type of danger, making it somewhat useless.

It is useless against enemies that can defeat Wang Ya. It is useless against enemies that Wang Ya can defeat.

I'd have to find an alchemist and spend some time and magic stones to implant it, which would be a huge hassle. I might as well cut off the root of the problem and gain an increase in strength in return.

To Wang Ya's surprise, just two minutes later, a figure walked over, letting out a surprised exclamation. It came from another narrow street, a spot rarely frequented from Wang Ya's stall.

The newcomer was dressed in a black wizard's robe, stood 1.8 meters tall, a head taller than Wang Ya, wore a white tiger mask with blue pupils peeking out from the hole, and had shoulder-length light blue hair.

"A witchcraft array, defensive type, not bad." The voice was actually a woman's, but very hoarse, like the hissing of trees rubbing against each other.

Wang Ya added, "It triggers automatically; it can save your life!"

"I'll take it! What's the price?"

"One hundred and fifty magic stones," Wang Ya said.

"Sure!" the other person replied readily.

After inserting the magic stone into the silver bracelet, Wang Ya watched the person blend into the crowd, his expression beneath the mask carrying a hint of something unusual.

Something's off about this guy!

There was an indescribable feeling, as if I didn't belong here.

It was more like an intuition. The feeling Wang Ya got from the wizards, like Lando and his companions, was different. Similarly, there was a fundamental difference between the new students from the island continent and the wizarding new students; it was palpable.

Could it be that wizards from other regions, similar to those from my previous life, appear in wizard cities in the wizarding world?

She was also significantly taller than the people of the Vast Ocean Wizard City, and she was a woman. The lingering blue light in her pupils revealed some information; her strength was surprisingly similar to that of Wizard Is and Wizard Tuta, though it was impossible to discern.

Wang Ya blinked, probably misreading. Anyway, it was none of his business; the money and goods had already been exchanged, and his status as a stall owner could be discarded.

Wang Ya emerged from the hidden corner, her mask now bearing a crescent moon pattern.

Purchase a Tranquilizing Potion, costing 30 Magic Stones.

Purchase Nightmare Flower for 80 Magic Stones.

Purchase Red-haired Foxtail Grass for 20 Magic Stones.

Wang Ya has exactly 100 magic stones left.

The Dark Wizard Academy's situation was unclear, and it was likely that the official purchase price from the shops in the Vast Ocean Wizard City was the same. With that in mind, Wang Ya decided to check again to see if there was anything he needed.

After browsing for about an hour, he found that items were either too expensive or he couldn't find anything he liked. Of course, the biggest problem was that he didn't have enough magic stones. Wang Ya then spotted a stall selling wizard books, which even included experimental manuscripts from a certified wizard, attracting a large crowd.

When he looked at it with his Eye of Truth, he found it to be nothing more than a jumbled mess of fabricated data. Even the experimental data he found was mixed up and completely useless. The stall owner swore it was true, swearing on his entire family that it was true, and if it wasn't, his whole family would die.

Perhaps the whole family is already dead, Wang Ya thought, his eyelids twitching.

After leaving the plaza camp, I looked around at the various shops, but still couldn't make up my mind to spend the hundred magic stones. I still didn't have enough magic stones; there were so many things I wanted to buy, a dazzling array of goods, but none of the necessities were suitable.

Finally, Wang Ya gritted his teeth and spent eighty magic stones to buy a bottle of "Transformation Potion," which could enhance mental strength and physical constitution. It was said to be able to transform oneself and undergo a complete metamorphosis.

As Wang Ya walked out of Ziyou Street, he was suddenly drawn to a sound. It was an old man on the side of the street with all sorts of odds and ends in front of him, including books, a gold pocket watch, several gold rings, jewelry, jade and the like.

While they might be valuable in the mortal world, in the wizarding world they are like grave soil; magic stones are the true hard currency.

The old man knelt on the ground, pleading, "My esteemed wizards, I will give you everything I have, all of this, and my life. I can sign a contract to save my son."

Behind him lay a young man in his early twenties, his face pale, with a deep wound on his chest that revealed his internal organs. He was being affected by an energy radiation and was barely clinging to life.

It's likely that they went into the sea to capture extraordinary creatures, and an accident happened; these kinds of things happen a lot.

No wizard lingered, not even sparing a glance.

The old man's face was filled with sorrow, tears streaming down his face, but he dared not cry out, for disturbing the order would attract the attention of the law enforcement wizards, who would then banish them, leaving them with absolutely no hope.

Although he is called an old man, he is actually only around forty years old. However, the long-term, minute erosion caused by energy radiation has made him look like a rare person from ancient times.

Wang Ya walked towards them, and immediately the old man looked at him with pleading eyes.

The wizard's robes attracted the curious gazes of many wizards, and when they saw the young face holding a bottle of healing potion and handing it to the old man, they almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Judging from his face and the youthful aura around him, you could tell he was a young wizard who had just entered the wizarding world. Still clinging to so-called compassion, he hadn't even developed a true wizard's heart, making it a complete waste of a healing potion.

Even when they later retrieved the gold pocket watch from among the items scattered on the ground, no one cared—gold in the mortal world was as worthless as dirt.

Wang Ya's heart pounded, but she forcibly suppressed her fluctuating emotions and showed a hint of sympathy on her face.

"Thank you for your mercy, Wizard! Thank you so much, Wizard!" The old man repeatedly knelt and bowed to Wang Ya. Then he gave the young man a healing potion. Instantly, a transformation occurred, the radiation gradually dissipated, and the wound began to heal at a visible speed.

Among the crowd, one or two new students from the wizard ship stared wide-eyed when they saw Wang Ya's face and actions.

"Are you kidding me?! This is Demon King Ya!! He's being helpful? That's outrageous."

(End of this chapter)