Chapter 380

In terms of thickness alone, the 2nd Class Merit exchange list was actually not much different from the 3rd Class Merit exchange list.

This indicated that there wasn't much difference in quantity, only in quality.

The first thing Gao De focused on was still the large category of spell formulas.

He first went through the catalog and quickly discovered the difference:

Not only were the spell formulas on the 3rd Class Merit exchange list all ordinary spells, but the highest level of the spells only went up to the third circle.

Whereas the 2nd Class Merit exchange list allowed for the exchange of 4th-circle and 5th-circle spell formulas.

Additionally, the 1st-circle and 2nd-circle spells listed on the 2nd Class Merit list were all rare spells.

With this deduction, Gao De could basically determine the level of the spell formulas on the 1st Class Merit exchange list:

Rare spell formulas of the 4th and 5th circles.

Including the 【Permanency】 he needed most, which would very likely also appear on the 1st Class Merit exchange list.

As for whether there were 6th-circle spell formulas, it was hard to say.

This level was too high; according to Gao De's guess, perhaps the entire Sea Hai Shao Bing didn't necessarily have a 6th-circle magic user, and even if they did, there wouldn't be many.

Thoughts flashing through his mind, Gao De had already flipped to the spell page, browsing in detail the 1st-circle rare spells listed above:

【Know Your Enemy】, 【Legendary Sharpshooter】, 【Long Shot】, 【Create Food and Water】...

There were actually more than a dozen in total, and the military merit required for exchange was a uniform 2nd Class Merit * 1.

This was the terrifying foundation of the Sea Hai Shao Bing, or rather, the Jin Jin Quehua Dynasty.

Gao De's primary goal was definitely still attack spells, but plans couldn't keep up with changes; the appearance of a special non-attack spell made it impossible for him to look away.

【Goodberry 【Rare】】 (Transmutation, 1st Circle):

Up to 10 berries appear in your hand. The berries are infused with magic for the duration of the spell. Each transformed berry can provide the nutrition of a normal meal for a medium-sized creature.

While eating the berry, you also gain a weak healing effect. A maximum of 8 healing effects can be effective through Goodberry within any 24-hour period.

The created berries will lose their effectiveness if not eaten within 24 hours after the spell is cast.

【Military Merit Required: 2nd Class Merit * 2】

An invincible logistics spell that, when combined with 【Create Water】, could achieve true self-sufficiency.

While possessing strong invincible edible and economic value, it also came with a weak healing effect as a bonus.

A 1st-circle spell that could be considered flawless.

Likewise, the military merit required to exchange for 【Goodberry】 was twice that of other rare spells.

But there was nothing to say; let alone twice, even if it were five or ten times, he had to get this spell.

Phew~

Gao De closed the military merit exchange list.

His biggest feeling right now was: the Sea Hai Shao Bing really had too many good things, and there were even more things he wanted; his military merit was simply not enough.

No wonder Melia told him back then that Sea Hai Shao Bing magic users were very active in taking on missions, so in most cases, missions had to be "snatched," and the competition was fierce.

With such an exchange list placed here, it was equivalent to a potent stimulant, enough to make everyone howl and work hard.

For example, Gao De now already had the urge to go take on missions to earn merit.

Suppressing his restless patience slightly, he had already picked out the treasures he needed to exchange for.

【Goodberry】 (2nd Class Merit * 2), 【Magic Missile】 (3rd Class Merit * 4), 【Pressure Blade】 (3rd Class Merit * 3), 【Expeditious Retreat】 (3rd Class Merit * 2).

A total of four spell formulas, which together required: 2nd Class Merit * 2, 3rd Class Merit * 9.

He had on hand: 2nd Class Merit * 3, 3rd Class Merit * 2.

10 3rd Class Merits cannot be combined into one 2nd Class Merit, but one 2nd Class Merit can be broken down into 10 3rd Class Merits.

Of course, once broken down, there was no such thing as gathering ten 3rd Class Merits later to re-synthesize the original 2nd Class Merit.

Once broken down, no returns or exchanges.

After exchanging like this, he would have 3rd Class Merit * 3 left over.

Gao De thought for a moment and then selected an attack spell from the 3rd Class Merit exchange list that happened to require three 3rd Class Merits.

【Witch Bolt】 (Evocation, 1st Circle):

A blue energy spear wreathed in crackling magic shoots at a creature within spell range, making a ranged spell attack against the target creature.

If it hits, the target takes lightning damage, and a persistent lightning arc is generated between you and the target. For the duration of the spell (one minute), you can deal an equal amount of lightning damage to the target every 6 seconds through this lightning arc.

If you do anything else, the spell will immediately terminate.

Additionally, if the target leaves the spell's casting range or is in total cover relative to you, the spell will also immediately terminate.

A very special attack spell; theoretically, the total damage a single spell can deal can reach 11 times that of an ordinary 1st-circle spell.

Of course, that's only in theory.

In most cases, no one will stand still and let you shock them continuously.

A total of 5 spell formulas, exactly using up all the military merit he earned this time.

Sea Abyss White Tower, Supplies Department.

"Magic User Gao De, are you sure? 2nd Class Merits are not common. Among us Sea Sentinels, I haven't seen anyone break one down to use as 3rd Class Merits."

Magic User Neil couldn't help but remind him after hearing Gao De's exchange request.

2nd Class Merits are hard to come by; besides strength, they also require a bit of luck, and you can't just get them whenever you want.

This was the first time he had seen Gao De use military merit this way.

If military merit wasn't enough, everyone's general choice was to hurry up and work hard for another month or two, doing missions properly to earn merit.

"Breaking" a 2nd Class Merit to use as 3rd Class Merits is something only a spendthrift would do.

"I see you want to exchange for spell formulas. Mastering a spell takes half a year, and even if you are gifted, it would still take two or three months, right?"

"So why are you in such a hurry? Why not exchange for 【Goodberry】 and 【Expeditious Retreat】 first, and exchange for the remaining three spell formulas when you have enough 3rd Class Merits later?" Magic User Neil offered his advice.

Under normal circumstances, his suggestion was reasonable.

But unfortunately, Gao De wasn't very "normal."

"No need, let's just do it like this," Gao De insisted.

It wasn't that he didn't know the preciousness of a 2nd Class Merit, but he didn't care about that.

In his view, converting military merit into his own combat power first was the most correct choice.

Once combat power is improved, it will also help him earn more great merit.

"2nd Class Merit, I will earn more soon." Facing Magic User Neil's puzzled gaze, Gao De grinned, which served as an explanation for why he did this.

Magic User Neil had originally wanted to say something more to persuade Gao De, but upon hearing him say this, all his words were suddenly stuck in his throat.

He wanted to say that 2nd Class Merits weren't that easy to get.

But then he remembered that Gao De had only been in the Sea Hai Shao Bing for three months, and this was his first mission, and he already had three 2nd Class Merits.

To Gao De, it seemed like it might really not be that difficult?

"You are..." After a moment of silence, old Neil gave Gao De a thumbs up and said seriously, "I look forward to your performance later."

He recorded Gao De's exchange request in detail.

"Things like magical plants need time to be transferred, but spell formulas aren't that troublesome," he said while pushing the exchange form to Gao De, "Take a look and see if there are any problems. If there are no problems, just sign it."

Gao De scanned it, and after verifying it was correct, he signed his name.

"Wait a moment." Magic User Neil took back the exchange form and reached out to press a "button" on the table. A moment later, another staff member hurried in.

"Magic User Neil."

"Help me send this for review, sorry for the trouble." Magic User Neil handed the signed exchange form to the staff member.

About twenty minutes later, the staff member re-entered the room with the exchange form.

This time, there was another stamp on the bottom right corner of the exchange form.

"Magic User Neil, Captain Merrick has stamped and confirmed it."

Magic User Neil took the exchange form, said thank you, and solemnly put the exchange form into a drawer before standing up, opening a secret door, and walking into the treasury in the back.

Not long after, he walked out with the five spell formulas Gao De needed and handed them to Gao De.

After getting the spell formulas, Gao De immediately went to the major magical material shops in the city to browse and purchase the main and auxiliary materials needed for the spell potions.

"A pinch of moonstone powder, a portion of rootless water, a section of purple berry root, a piece of mistletoe... a section of lightning-struck wood... a piece of white crystal fragment... a pinch of refined iron engraving stone powder, a portion of earth crystal liquid..."

Five spell formulas, totaling twenty-one different materials.

Even though Dorn was so prosperous and all kinds of resources were particularly complete, Gao De had to run to three magical material shops to gather them all.

Among them, the lightning-struck wood and earth crystal liquid were relatively rare 1st-rank materials with small quantities, and he paid a premium of thirty or forty percent, costing another 226 Jin Jin Quehua coins in total.

He turned around to buy a small pot before returning to his "dormitory"—the dormitory provided by the Sea Hai Shao Bing didn't include a kitchen.

Using this small pot, Gao De "cooked" all five spell potions and drank them in one gulp.

【Lifespan: 15/335

Mental Power: 200

Mana: 40 drops liquid

1st-Circle Source: 4】

This was Gao De's current "base stats."

An awkward point:

The 1st-circle source was not enough.

Because he had the help of Phoenix's hunter magic user, Gao De had obtained nearly twenty points of 1st-circle source in a short time.

With such a "huge sum" in his hands, he couldn't help but be extravagant.

Any 1st-circle spell, as long as he mastered it, was just one word:

"Add!"

And now, he had fallen into the predicament of a source deficit.

"Rest and settle down for a while, then continue doing missions; I can't lie flat at all." Gao De made a decision.

To others, the main purpose of doing missions is to earn military merit.

But to Gao De, while earning military merit, he was also accumulating source; adding the two together, it was a total win.

The more he did, the more he won!

Entering the meditation room, Gao De first started his daily required cultivation and the construction of the mana network (taking drugs).

By the time these were finished, it was mealtime. After going out to the "canteen" for a meal, Gao De took a detour and headed straight to the Collingwood Art Museum.

Going out to execute missions is a great opportunity for actual combat and training.

At the same time, it is also a great way to discover one's own shortcomings or areas that need supplementation, to check for gaps and fill them, and to perfect one's combat system.

And the area Gao De currently needed to supplement most was "sword skills."

He didn't need very advanced sword skills; as long as he could reach the "introductory" level, it would bring a significant improvement to his combat power.

For sword skills, being an introductory level wasn't too difficult.

The cost-effectiveness was extremely high.

The Collingwood Art Museum naturally had sword skill instructors.

In the eyes of most people, sword skills belong to relatively high-end social activities and skill training.

But that is for ordinary people.

Sword skills are ultimately just non-supernatural power, so the tuition fees wouldn't be too expensive; one lesson was just 5 silver dragons, with a duration of 1-2 hours.

According to the sword skill instructor, magic users possess the ability of precise perception and have far better body control than ordinary people, so learning such mundane skills makes them all gifted, and under normal circumstances, they can be introduced in about a hundred lessons.

One hundred lessons, at most, would only cost 50 Jin Jin Quehua coins, which was too cost-effective.

Nothing to say, just learn it!

Half a month passed quickly.

In Gao De's diligent "settling down," the construction progress of the Li Li Oumeng mana network was already more than halfway done.

And the spell models corresponding to the five newly acquired spells, with his breaking-limit mental power strength, had also been fully constructed long ago.

But because his source was currently stretched thin, Gao De could only return to being frugal and thrifty, temporarily only adding points to 【Goodberry】 and 【Magic Missile】, which he valued most.

【Goodberry+】:

Extra: The berries created by this spell will have a strong attraction to animals.

【Magic Missile+】:

Extra: If all three darts hit the same target, it will cause a force shock, and the target will be knocked back a short distance.

Magic Missile gained a control effect, and Goodberry's applicability was further expanded; both were extremely solid improvements.

With two points of source left, Gao De saved them for rare spells he might master in the future.

He always had to keep some in reserve.

Lest he encounter the spell he most wants to add points to at the age when he has the least source, leaving only regrets.

On the other hand, amidst his busy cultivation, Gao De also renovated Old Harlin's grocery store, recruited employees, and finally, yesterday, opened the magical material shop he had been planning for a long time.

This was his first business in Dorn City, and also his first business in the Jin Jin Quehua Dynasty that he had placed in the open.

A magical material shop that wasn't very big.

"Walmart Magical Material Shop."

This was the name Gao De gave it.

Not for a prank.

It's just that people are like this; if you arrive in a strange place and it's very difficult to return to your hometown, you will always want to create some familiar things in this strange place to add some shadows of your hometown.

However, Gao De currently didn't have many connections or resources in Dorn City, and had no channels to obtain stable and favorable magical materials.

Therefore, the current Walmart Magical Material Shop could only be considered to be in a trial operation state, mainly focusing on acquiring magical materials, especially tree seeds and magical tree seeds.

Plus, it was a new shop with no regular customers, so business was very bleak.

Of course, Gao De wasn't in a hurry.

As long as this magical material shop could help him acquire tree seeds, it had already achieved his goal.

The rest were actually just bonuses.

If it could grow big, it would be a pleasant surprise; if not, it didn't matter.

Let it be like this for now; losing money didn't matter.

When he returns to the northern realm next time, he will bring a large batch of magical materials, and at that time, focusing on polar magical materials could also be considered a new track, and perhaps it could become popular.

Bang bang.

As usual, after finishing his daily cultivation, Gao De was just about to head to the art museum for his sword skill lesson when his door was suddenly knocked on.

Gao De opened the door.

Standing outside the door was a magic user wearing a Sea Hai Shao Bing uniform, who was older and looked quite serious.

"Officer, are you here to see me?" Gao De asked.

—He was now a 2nd-class apprentice magic user, the bottom of the bottom, and everyone was an officer to him.

"Magic User Gao De, I am Sergeant Lu Ping. I am here to find you on the orders of Captain Merrick. It is mainly about one thing..."

As he spoke, he took out an extremely exquisite crystal bottle from his bosom and handed it to Gao De.

Through the transparent bottle body, Gao De could see three drops of viscous silver-blue gelatinous substance inside.

"This is...?"

Gao De reached out to take the crystal bottle, feeling puzzled in his heart.

"This is spirit marrow... Magic User Gao De, you made a great contribution in the Marco Water Beast incident. According to the rules, after the Sea Hai Shao Bing raided the Embroidery Nail Gang and confiscated all their property, we would take a small portion from it to bestow upon you as an extra reward," Magic User Lu Ping explained patiently.

(End of chapter)