Translator: AnubisTL
Jieming stared at the constantly updating material list on the magic network, ranging from common copper and iron to rare elemental crystals and mineral samples from unknown star systems.
Though his merit points were unmatched among apprentices, could he possibly purchase all these "ordinary materials" and study them individually?
Almost impossible!
The sheer variety of materials was overwhelming!
And these were just the ordinary ones!
Beyond them lay the "extraordinary materials," imbued with unique energies, laws, or concepts—the key ingredients for crafting powerful magic tools and potions!
The merit points he had earned were a mere drop in the ocean compared to the vast material reserves of the wizard civilization.
Forget buying extraordinary materials; even collecting samples of all the ordinary ones would quickly drain his merit points through purchase, transportation, and storage costs.
"Looks like I'll have to... take it slow..."
Sitting in his intermediate-level laboratory, Jieming sighed as he gazed at the material list on the magic network.
The initial excitement from earning a large number of merit points had been significantly dampened by the sheer scale and complexity of the material system.
His path to becoming stronger seemed far longer and more arduous than he had imagined.
Abandoning his plans for a massive shopping spree, Jieming purchased only a few rare materials that seemed to correspond to concepts within the cultivation system, intending to start with these.
Composing himself, Jieming's days returned to their usual calm.
During the day, he attended classes, and afterward, he retreated to his laboratory to study the fundamental theories of alchemy, magic potions, and runes.
At night, while cultivating, he would delve into the depths of his consciousness to meticulously study the vast knowledge he had acquired from the Great Dao Library Pavilion.
This relentless pursuit of learning filled Jieming's life with purpose and intensity, even diminishing his desire to earn more merit points.
Over a month later, the school replenished its gold reserves with another fifty cubic meters. This time, however, Jieming purchased only twenty cubic meters, refining it into adamantium as a foundational stockpile for future artifact forging. He refrained from selling the remaining adamantium.
After all, given his current circumstances, the merit points he had earned from his previous adamantium sale were more than sufficient for his needs for quite some time.
One day, after finishing the public lecture on basic alchemy theory, Jieming was about to return to his laboratory as usual when Mentor Clark unexpectedly called him back.
"Apprentice Jieming," Mentor Clark said, his expression impassive.
"Mentor, is there something you need?" Jieming asked, his heart instinctively tightening.
Mentor Clark seemed oblivious to Jieming's nervousness, asking in his usual emotionless tone, "What research have you been conducting recently?"
"Uh... is this concern for me?" Jieming blinked, unable to glean anything from Clark's expressionless face.
After a moment's thought, Jieming decided to answer truthfully, at least partially: "I've been trying to familiarize myself with the properties of various materials."
Clark gave him an inscrutable look.
Without elaborating, he simply instructed, "Go back and check the mission zone on the magic network."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Jieming standing there, his mind buzzing with questions.
"Was that... was that his way of expressing satisfaction?" Jieming wondered, uncertain. After all, his mentor's facial expressions were notoriously subtle.
Occasionally, Jieming envied his mentor's poker-face-like demeanor. At least with such a blank canvas, one's true feelings remained hidden in most situations.
Carrying his mentor's cryptic instructions and exchanging a quick greeting with a surprised Amy, Jieming returned to the intermediate laboratory.
He activated the lab's magic net terminal, connected to the academy's internal network, and navigated to the mission zone.
Scrolling through the bulletin board, he casually scanned the familiar low-level tasks. But a new announcement at the very top instantly caught his eye:
Urgent Workshop Project Announcement: Bottom-Level Storage Room Material Clearance Project Launched!
Description: The wizard civilization's conquests across countless planes have resulted in a massive accumulation of unprocessed materials from bygone eras and otherworlds in the bottom-level storage rooms. These samples are diverse in type and complex in properties, urgently requiring initial cataloging, cleaning, and basic characteristic analysis. We are now recruiting volunteer apprentices with a foundation in materials science and a willingness to contribute to this project.
Project Duration: Ongoing
Merit Point Reward: Moderate (calculated based on workload and results)
Special Note: Participants will have the opportunity to handle a vast quantity of unclassified rare material samples. This is an exceptional opportunity to enhance your knowledge of materials science and broaden your horizons.
Application Method: Submit your application to the Mission Hall.
Jieming's eyes lit up instantly as he read the announcement.
This was exactly what he needed right now!
A legitimate opportunity to access a massive variety of materials and conduct preliminary research!
And the fact that such a mission had remained unclaimed all this time? If there wasn't something fishy about that, Jieming would eat this entire table right here and now!
It was like having a pillow delivered right when he was about to fall asleep—and not just any pillow, but the finest down pillow imaginable!
Privilege truly was something to despise!
Wait, the privilege was for him?
"That's fine then."
Without hesitation, Jieming immediately clicked the "Enroll" option on the magic net terminal and submitted his apprentice ID.
Submission successful.
He glanced back at the mission bulletin board, intending to examine the details of the announcement more closely.
But in the blink of an eye, the announcement that had just been at the top vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
Jieming paused, then realized what had happened.
"Holy shit, they're not even pretending anymore!"
So that's what Mentor Clark's enigmatic expression meant...
Sitting in his chair, staring at the now-empty mission zone bulletin board, Jieming felt a surge of gratitude and awe.
He finally understood the true benefits of the second-tier cultivation protocol.
It wasn't just about increased merit points and privileges; it was about the hidden support—the "information" and "opportunities"—provided by high-ranking wizards!
This protocol had opened secret channels to Jieming, channels that ordinary apprentices would never even know existed.
Meanwhile, in his laboratory, Clark watched the mission being claimed on his terminal interface with a satisfied nod. He then used his authority to close the mission to further applications.
In this world where knowledge is power, no one dared spy on a wizard's laboratory. After all, that would invite an eternal vendetta, far worse than killing their entire family.
But gathering some trivial information didn't require such drastic measures. For example... one could glean quite a bit from a person's recent purchase history.
(End of the Chapter)
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