"Private transactions for 0th Ring Magic Formulas aren't uncommon. And the authorities have always turned a blind eye to such trades, haven't they?" Gaode understood these principles, but he didn't banish the thought, continuing to insist.
0th Ring Magic was quite special. Cultivating Magic at this level didn't require the aid of a Magic Potion. Hence, it was also called a Trick, excluded from the true ranks of Magic. This also made private trading of Magic Formulas of the Same Tier much more common. The cost of trial and error was simply much lower.
Pierre narrowed his eyes slightly and didn't speak, seemingly pondering.
"If you agree, I can add ten more Trifoliate Flower Silver Coins for each Magic Formula." Gaode increased his bargaining chips. He desperately needed to master a new Magic—a new Magic with lethal power. Crisis could arrive at any moment. He had to strengthen himself and do everything possible to prepare a trump card, so he would have room to fight back when the time came.
"Private trading of 0th Ring Magic Formulas is indeed commonplace, but I am running a business after all. I can't be sure of your true intentions. You might agree to trade with me now, only to turn around and report me right after.
"While both parties would be punished in such a trade, you'd at most pay a fine and be locked up for a while. My store, on the other hand, would be forced to close down. I can't risk it," Pierre said, shaking his head calmly under Gaode's gaze.
Although the private trading of Magic Formulas could never be fully stamped out, it was almost exclusively conducted between individuals. This was merely Pierre and Gaode's first meeting. There wasn't even a shred of trust between them, and the consequences they would face were unequal. Pierre's refusal was completely reasonable. However, before Gaode could be completely disappointed, Pierre spoke again, "Although I won't make this trade with you, well..."
Gaode's eyes lit up. Seeing Pierre's hesitant expression, he instantly understood. "If you can provide a reliable channel, Mr. Pierre, I can pay you for it."
Seeing how tactful Gaode was, Pierre nodded in satisfaction. "I have a customer who happens to be a bit strapped for cash recently. He once tried to sell me a few Magic Formulas, which I also refused. I can help connect the two of you. As for the specific details of the transaction, you will have to discuss that yourselves. If any problems arise, it has nothing to do with me."
Gaode pursed his lips, musing for a moment before nodding. "Naturally. I will have to trouble you, then." He naturally knew there were risks involved, but he had no other choice. Hogan City was nothing more than a small town. There was no official Sean Mage Association here, so Gaode simply couldn't purchase Magic Formulas through legitimate channels. He could only opt for a private trade.
"This customer usually visits me once every ten to fifteen days, and his last visit was already eight or nine days ago. How about this: come back to the store before evening prayer in five days," Pierre said. Evening prayer was around five in the afternoon. Gaode had no objections.
Walking out of the Pierre Grocery Store, Gaode sighed inwardly, "Knowledge is truly an expensive thing." Just to get Pierre to act as a middleman, he had already paid the price of ten Trifoliate Flower Silver Coins before even seeing the Magic Formula. But at least he had gained something; he only needed to wait another five days.
At the thought of obtaining a new Magic Formula then, Gaode couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Having been in this world for less than a day, he had already caught an initial glimpse of the wonders of Magic. After all, how many people wouldn't yearn for a supernatural power like it?
He walked along the alleyway toward the main road of the commercial district. It was getting late. He needed to hurry up and meet Amy so they could return to the Medicinal Garden. Gaode's steps were hurried, yet his Spirit was quite scattered as he constantly muttered in his mind. Whether it was inexplicably arriving in this world, the current crisis, or the marvel of Magic, everything had brought him a tremendous shock, forcing his thoughts to race.
The next five days passed uneventfully. While Gaode constantly kept his guard up, he also gradually grew familiar with life in the Medicinal Garden. However, this familiarity didn't put him at ease. As time flowed on, his Heart and Spirit only became increasingly restless. Knowing full well that the next potion testing essentially equaled his "date of death," and knowing it would happen soon without being able to pinpoint the exact time—this kind of torment was something no one could understand without experiencing it firsthand. The fact that Gaode hadn't suffered a mental breakdown by now, was still alive and well, and could actively brainstorm survival strategies only proved his resilient will. Perhaps it had been forged by over a decade of "bitter battles" with math problems in his previous life.
"A new Magic, and a new Origin..." Gaode knew this was his only chance of survival at the moment. While there was still hope for a new Magic, the new Origin left him completely at a loss. 0th Ring creatures were not easy to find. "0th Ring rejects" like the little gray mouse—which possessed the bloodline of Earth Vein Creatures and reached the 0th Ring Same Tier but lacked even a shred of combat power—were exceedingly rare. Even someone like Elan, a Mage Apprentice whom Gaode had to ambush at night to kill, was actually at the very bottom of the 0th Ring in terms of combat power.
As he pondered, he dropped the final drop of Green Spider Venom into the vial. With a flash of Spiritual Light, a fine quality Basic Spider Venom Potion was successfully brewed. Gaode put away the Potion, neatly tidied the equipment on the table, and then took out a wooden box from under the storage shelf. He opened it, and three colors met his eyes: gold, silver, and copper. The box contained all his savings, totaling six gold, thirty silver, and eight copper coins, which was roughly equivalent to 7,500 yuan. He did a quick conversion in his mind. After a brief moment of thought, he took out all his savings and stuffed them into his pockets, making them bulge out heavily. He returned the empty wooden box to its original place, then slowly stood up and pushed the door open to leave.
His afternoon work was finished. The rest of the day was his free time. Right as he stepped outside, he ran straight into Amy. He clearly hadn't expected Gaode to be out and about instead of mixing Potions in the workshop at this hour, but he quickly recovered from his surprise.
"Gaode, are you heading into town?"
Gaode nodded, not hiding his whereabouts. With Elan dead, he now had the right to freely enter and exit the Medicinal Garden. There was no need to sneak around.
Watching Gaode's back disappear into the shadows of the Medicinal Garden's corridor before being enveloped by the light outside the door, Amy stood blankly in place for a long time.
The five days were up. Gaode headed into the city with his entire net worth this time for no other reason than to purchase a Magic Formula. Leaving the Medicinal Garden, with his previous experience, the fact that it was daytime, and his eager mood, Gaode knew the way like the back of his hand. It took him less than forty minutes to arrive at the commercial district of Hogan City. This wasn't his first time visiting the commercial district. Moreover, compared to his past life, the prosperity of this so-called bustling district couldn't even match a single shopping street in a small county town. But after staying in the oppressive Medicinal Garden for so long, the bright and spacious commercial district still filled Gaode with a sense of yearning and vitality.
With a clear goal in mind, he looked straight ahead, following the door numbers until he reached the Pierre Grocery Store hidden deep within the alley. Gaode strode into the store. Just like their first meeting, the owner, Pierre, was leaning back in a recliner, resting. However, compared to five days ago, there was an outsider in the empty store. It was a man in his thirties with a long, thin face. The sparse stubble on his face made him look somewhat weather-beaten, and he was wearing clothes woven from fine linen. Even though his back was turned to Gaode and he didn't glance over his shoulder, Pierre acted as if he had eyes on the back of his head. Just as Gaode was examining the man, Pierre stood up and said, "You're finally here. Yom has been waiting for you for almost an hour. If you hadn't shown up soon, I wouldn't have been able to keep him."
The man's name was Yom. He was the very customer Pierre had introduced to trade the Magic Formula with Gaode.
"It took some time on the road," Gaode apologized to Pierre. He then looked at Yom, though he didn't speak to him immediately. During a negotiation, if you couldn't guarantee that you held the initiative, it was best to wait for the other party to speak first. This would prevent them from figuring out your bottom line. This was a little trick up Gaode's sleeve. Yom clearly lacked experience in this regard. Upon learning that Gaode was the one looking to buy his Magic Formula, he eagerly eyed Gaode with a suspicious gaze.
"You're the one who wants to buy the Magic Formula?" Evidently, Gaode's plain clothing and youthful appearance made Yom doubt the weight of his coin purse.
"No one pays ten Trifoliate Flowers just to play a joke," Gaode spread his hands and replied calmly. The middleman fee of ten Trifoliate Flower Silver Coins had been paid by him.
Yom stared into Gaode's eyes for a few seconds. After a moment of silence, he calmly pulled out a piece of Yellow Paper from his coat and handed it over. "These are the Magic Formulas I intend to sell. Take a look."
Since Magic Formulas were essentially the sale of knowledge, it was naturally impossible to let Gaode see the actual formulas before the transaction was finalized. The paper listed several Magic Formula entries, along with descriptions of their corresponding Magic effects. Customers would read through these descriptions, select their desired Magic, and then exchange money for the goods. This was the most standard process for trading a Magic Formula. Even when purchasing a Magic Formula through official channels, the process remained the same.