Raylin surveyed this small gathering of Earthfire Society Wizards.
Very few Wizards were present — only three. Even with Raylin and Siegfried added, the group amounted to a mere five Wizards.
Whether on the South Coast or in the Dark Polar Region, advancement to formal
"When I've been practicing the Power of the Earth recently, I've found it increasingly difficult to attract earth-type energy particles — especially when it comes to gathering the aura of the earth..."
At that moment, a red-haired Wizard had already begun speaking with barely contained eagerness.
"For this problem, I think an energy particle pool could help you..." Siegfried couldn't help but chime in.
"That's unrealistic! It's far too resource-intensive! I'd recommend using a Type Three Meditation-Rune Supplement, paired with Breath Water, though the Spiritual Power impurities afterward would be a problem in itself..."
Raylin noticed that what these Earthfire Society Wizards discussed most was the practice content of their high-grade Meditation Method — the Power of the Earth.
Some of these questions had already gone quite deep, and they even offered Raylin a spark of inspiration for repairing and refining both the Eye of Komoy and the Holy Light Candleflame.
This was simply the custom of the Dark Polar Region — Wizards shared their Meditation Method experiences in the hopes of progressing together.
Of course, expecting to fully reconstruct the high-grade Meditation Method Power of the Earth from these scattered fragments was nothing short of a pipe dream, so the Wizards had no fear of their Meditation Method secrets leaking out.
When it was Raylin's turn, he shared his experiences of breaking through minor bottlenecks in his Meditation Method, which gave the other Wizards much to ponder.
Although his time since advancement was brief, he had already elevated the Eye of Komoy to the second tier, placing him at a relatively high level. Moreover, he had obtained another high-grade Meditation Method — Holy Light Candleflame — and with the Chip's continuous deductions, his understanding of Meditation Methods had even surpassed that of these old-timers who had immersed themselves in high-grade Meditation Methods for centuries.
"It seems that from now on, I can't just bury my head in solitary cultivation. I'll need to exchange ideas with others of equal standing on a regular basis."
This single discussion alone had given Raylin fresh perspectives on the confusion and uncertainty he had encountered in his own cultivation — and this was all based on the fact that what he practiced was not even the Power of the Earth.
Furthermore, the information the Chip had gathered during this exchange allowed his deductions on both high-grade Meditation Methods to advance another level.
Of course, among the Wizards, the ancient principle of equivalent exchange still held firm.
Raylin noticed that what these Wizards shared openly was limited to general principles and directional guidance.
As for truly specific information, that was typically only exchanged between two Wizards through mutual trade, in keeping with strict confidentiality protocols.
Just moments ago, Siegfried had sold a set of notes regarding energy particle pools and received a generous reward.
After the public exchange session concluded, the salon transitioned into a phase of private trading.
Any formal Wizard could place items they wished to sell on their own table for potential buyers to browse at their leisure.
The atmosphere here was far more refined than that of common street vendors and market stalls.
Wizards were rarely in a hurry to offload their goods. Instead, they seemed to be exhibiting and admiring their own collections. From time to time, one could see buyers and sellers chatting amicably, even raising their glasses in celebration once a deal was struck.
Unfortunately, while these underground resources were indeed quite precious, most of them no longer caught Raylin's eye.
Through ancient data collected by the Chip, he could effortlessly identify the names and origins of these materials. But the pity was that these resources tended to be most useful to first-level Wizards, and Raylin had already advanced to the second level.
However, the underground world was fundamentally different from the South Coast, and among these Wizards' displayed goods, a small fraction made Raylin's eyes light up — strange items whose names he couldn't even begin to call out, piquing his interest.
"What is this?"
Raylin walked up to a table and picked up an object resting on a white tablecloth.
It was a bone flute of peculiar design, with irregularly shaped circular holes along one side.
"The Sakel Flute, passed down from the Ligutan Duchy during the McEas era. They say its sound is extraordinarily beautiful, surpassing even the voice of a mermaid. Because of this, it was also used as a tool for luring and capturing mermaids. Sadly, since the fall of the Ligutan Duchy, no one alive knows how to play this instrument anymore…"
The seller was a middle-aged gentleman dressed impeccably. He held a tall-stemmed glass in his hand, filled with deep crimson wine.
"I've always been passionate about ancient instruments. I've already collected three thousand nine hundred and twelve different instruments from various eras in my collection room, but keeping this piece in my hands only does it a disservice. I'd like to find an owner who is more worthy of it!"
The gentleman's face carried a look of wistful regret, as though gazing upon a lover.
"All you need to do is play the ancient Requiem on her, and this piece is yours!" He raised his glass toward Raylin in a toast.
"Ah… I'm sorry, but I don't have any deep knowledge of music…"
Raylin was somewhat at a loss for words, though this was perfectly typical for Wizards. Over the course of their long lives, they always sought some extra entertainment beyond their experiments and studies.
Having an eccentric collecting hobby was among the more common and harmless pastimes. Some Dark Wizards, however, could have their temperaments utterly transformed, developing all manner of strange or even bloodthirsty obsessions in the end, bringing ruin upon themselves and others alike.
"What a great pity. But one day, I will find the true master for this piece!" The gentleman seemed both regretful and somewhat relieved. "Come! A toast — may my beloved collection remain treasured for just a while longer!"
"Cheers!" Raylin silently rolled his eyes, but still picked up a cup of orange-hued fruit juice and clinked it against the middle-aged gentleman's, producing a crisp sound.
Eccentric Wizards like this gentleman were present at the trading fair, but they were an extreme minority. The vast majority of Wizards were engaged in proper exchanges. Some specifically sought to trade for particular items or information, while more still simply accepted transactions using Magic Stones.
In the Dark Pole Domain, Magic Stones were also the general equivalent of currency among Wizards.
Raylin used his refined Magic Stones to purchase several rare resources available only in the Dark Pole Domain, planning to study them thoroughly once he returned.
Fearing potential subtle differences between the Magic Stones from the two regions, Raylin had re-purified all the Magic Stones and crystal cards he brought from the South Coast, turning them into the purest possible form of refined Magic Stone essence.
This essence was the same crystallized form of Magic Stone he used to activate the ancient teleportation formation. Having undergone multiple stages of purification, it no longer showed any characteristics of originating from the South Coast.
Much like gold coins, the patterns on South Coast gold coins would naturally differ from those of the Dark Pole Domain, but if Raylin melted them all back down into gold ingots, then no one could tell the difference.
"Hmm?"
Raylin was walking around, occasionally observing other Wizards haggling and trading, silently watching and learning. At that moment, something on a white table caught his attention.
"What is this?"
Raylin picked up an ice-sheet-like object from the white table, a look of interest appearing on his face.
This ice sheet was perfectly preserved inside a box made of jade, appearing extremely valuable.
But these aspects weren't what had drawn Raylin's attention.
As he passed by, he had felt his bloodline stir, as if sensing something, and the source of that sensation originated from this very ice sheet.
And now, as Raylin held the ice sheet between both hands, the feeling became even stronger.
Sss! A puff of white mist emanated from the ice sheet, quickly condensing into a layer of white frost that froze around Raylin's knuckles.
This level of frost naturally posed no threat to Raylin, but he discovered with delighted surprise that under the invasion of this cold energy, the Cormoreant bloodline within him had undergone a wondrous change. The multitude of complex emotions that had been constantly assaulting his mental tranquility suddenly subsided. His entire body felt cool and incredibly comfortable.
"This feeling... it's like having a bucket of cold water doused over someone in a furious rage! Truly exhilarating!"
Raylin sighed inwardly.
The bloodline sickness that caused emotional instability in Warlocks had troubled him for a long time. Although the Chip had used the research notes left by the Great Crimson Warlock and the original Tranquility Potion formula to create a more advanced version of the Tranquility Potion, it could only suppress, not eradicate, these negative emotions in Warlocks.
And now, this ice-flake-like substance in Raylin's hands had given him hope!
"I have a feeling that this little bit alone can suppress my negative emotions for a whole year! And if I can find more of the same material, perhaps the emotional sickness that plagues Warlocks can finally be cured!"
A glimmer of joy flashed through Raylin's eyes, but he quickly masked it.
Before he could learn the name and origin of this ice-flake substance, he didn't want to reveal too much of his hand.
"This is the Breath Crystal of the Ice Jade Scorpion! The Ice Jade Scorpion is a creature found exclusively in the Ice Cavern. Its breath has a catalytic effect on many advanced ice-attribute Meditation Methods. It sells for five hundred thousand Magic Stones or equivalent resources..."
Standing before Raylin was a remarkably beautiful female Wizard.
She wore a purple robe, and the loose, comfortable garment could do nothing to conceal her lovely figure — if anything, it only made her more captivating. Her light purple hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her delicate, refined face bore a shrewd smile.
In terms of sheer beauty, this woman could easily rank among the top ten women Raylin had ever laid eyes on, and she was even sharper and more capable than she was pretty.
"One of my research projects may require a large quantity of this resource. Could you take me to that Ice Cavern? Or, I could purchase large amounts of this material from you..."
From the woman's smile, Raylin could tell she had already seen through his urgent need for the Ice Jade Scorpion's Breath Crystal, so he candidly admitted it.