Chapter 518: Spirit Spring Dew Tree Seed and Ten Thousand Spirits Secret Medicine

First-Class Merit Exchange List.

Gao De looked at the thin new booklet in his hands, a faint ripple stirring in his heart.

The Sea Sentinel’s merit exchange list resembled the catalog system in certain games from his past life—corresponding entries only unlocked upon reaching a specific rank.

Here, only after acquiring a certain tier of merit could one unlock the corresponding tier of the exchange list.

Previously, Gao De had already unlocked the Third-Class and Second-Class Merit exchange lists.

Now that he had obtained First-Class Merit, he finally unlocked the last remaining tier: the First-Class Merit exchange list.

Compared to the Second-Class and Third-Class lists, the First-Class booklet was noticeably thinner.

It made sense—only the finest items appeared on the First-Class list.

Fine things were inevitably rare.

Gao De opened the booklet and first scanned the spell formula section, his primary concern.

As he had suspected, the spell formulas listed under First-Class Merit were all fourth- and fifth-ring rare spell formulas.

To his surprise, the list also included a few sixth-ring spell formulas.

Though only a handful, and all common spells, their presence alone revealed the Sea Sentinel’s profound depth.

Among the fifth-ring rare spell formulas, Gao De also spotted the one he cared about most: Spell Stabilization.

【Spell Stabilization [Rare]】 (Alteration, Fifth-Ring):

This spell can render the duration of certain other spells permanent—you need only cast the desired spell, then immediately follow it with Spell Stabilization.

Spell Stabilization can fix the spell not only on yourself, but also on other beings or objects; however, stabilizing on others requires meeting specific conditions and consuming certain materials.

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×1】

In Gao De’s mind, he longed to exchange for 【Spell Stabilization】 immediately and take it back to the Northern Frontier.

After all, this spell was one of his main reasons for leaving the Northern Frontier.

But for a first-ring mage to spend a precious First-Class Merit on a fifth-ring spell formula he wouldn’t use for a hundred years was absurd—and far too suspicious.

So, no matter how urgently he desired it, Gao De could only suppress his impulse for now.

After a cursory glance at the spells, he began carefully examining the other items available for exchange:

【Wind Feather Clear Brew】

【A ring-advancing potion brewed from Wind Feather flowers; the liquid is clear and luminous, with a faint blue aura. Consuming it increases a second-ring mage’s success rate for advancing to third-ring by forty percent.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×1】

【Silver Dragon Blood Extract】

【A ring-advancing potion brewed from the blood of silver dragon birds; consuming it increases a third-ring mage’s success rate for advancing to fourth-ring by forty percent.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×2】

Among the treasures on the First-Class list, the only category of potion was ring-advancing potions.

Ring-advancing potions, as the name implies, are auxiliary potions aiding mages in advancing rings.

For mage advancement, ring-advancing potions are not essential.

Some mages have advanced without them; others have failed even after consuming them.

But for most mages, regardless of conditions, they spare no effort to obtain a ring-advancing potion—even a low-quality one.

First, advancement is inherently extremely difficult; attempting it without any external aid might yield less than a ten percent success rate.

Second, if advancement fails, the backlash severely damages one’s vital energy, requiring long recovery; in the worst cases, permanent internal injuries may form, drastically shortening lifespan.

Though ring-advancing potions cannot guarantee success, they minimize the backlash and injury from failure, allowing the mage to attempt advancement again without hindrance.

In a sense, this is why potioncraft has remained one of the “Big Three” auxiliary professions.

After all, for mages, ring-advancing potions are an absolute necessity.

The ring-advancing potions provided by the Sea Sentinels aren’t just the finest in the Jin Quehua Dynasty—they’re among the very best on the entire Nolande Continent.

A forty percent boost in success rate is nothing any inferior potion could ever match.

For a mage to use such a potion in advancement is nearly like having one foot already stepped into the next ring.

Yet such exceptional quality comes at an exorbitant price.

However, the First-Class Merit list contained no potion for advancing from first-ring to second-ring.

This was because second-ring advancement potions were too low-tier in value to qualify for the First-Class list—they could be exchanged with Second-Class Merit.

This was because second-ring upgraded potions were relatively low-tier, their value insufficient to appear on the Class-One Merit exchange list—Class-Two Merit sufficed to obtain them.

There, right before his eyes, was the rune-armor customization he’d heard rumors about from Mei Liya.

【Rune Armor Customization】

【Exchange for a set of rune armor custom-crafted by a third-ring or higher rune-armor artisan, tailored to your specifications.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×1 to unlimited (evaluated by the rune-armor artisan)】

To other mages, this was an enticing option—but Gao De glanced at it once and looked away silently.

Self-reliance was the true path!

【Anti-Magic Breastplate (Third-Ring–Fifth-Ring)】

【A breastplate forged from anti-magic stone.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×1–5】

This was the most minimally described treasure he’d seen—and yet its price was steep.

But he wasn’t surprised.

The very words “anti-magic stone” explained everything.

Anti-magic stone, the true symbol of the Jin Quehua Dynasty, more representative than the ever-blooming Jin Quehua flower, was the foundation of the dynasty and the only known mineral capable of blocking magical energy—also called the Spell Killer.

In the mage world, the weight of the term “anti-magic stone” needed no elaboration.

Naturally, Gao De was intrigued by this miraculous substance recorded in textbooks.

But since it wasn’t essential, and the price was truly exorbitant, he merely noted it mentally and moved on.

Further down, he reached the material category, and the most prominent item was 【Anti-Magic Stone (Third-Ring–Fifth-Ring)】.

Again, Gao De had little current need for materials—he merely skimmed and turned the page.

The next page changed color entirely, with a new heading in the top-left: Limited-Time Exchange.

The First-Class Merit list was exceptionally unique—the items available for permanent exchange were extremely limited.

Because the treasures were inherently scarce, usually only a few pieces existed; once claimed, they vanished from the list.

Only spell formulas and potions could be mass-produced.

The bulk of the First-Class list consisted of ever-changing, non-fixed items, with limited quantities—some even single items, available only to the swift.

These non-fixed items were no longer categorized; instead, they were ranked by required merit, highest to lowest.

【Ancient Sea Beast Blood Crystal】

【A crystal formed when an ancient sea beast, on the brink of death, condensed its immense magical energy; it contains pure, potent sea beast magic, along with fragments of the beast’s memories and instincts.】

【By communing with and refining this blood crystal, one may raise their mage rank and potentially unlock the secrets of ancient sea beast spells.】

【Note: Refining a sea beast blood crystal carries extremely high risk.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×10】

The first item on the list delivered a powerful shock to Gao De.

Ancient sea beast spells—another new school of magic, somewhat akin to Frostglaze magic.

Of course, Frostglaze magic was a broad category; ancient sea beast spells were merely a niche path.

He was deeply tempted—but lacked the power. He could only regard it as a curiosity.

【Rejuvenating Mandrake】

【A magical plant growing in the Song of Songs Forest; its flowers, boiled with spring water into a salve, when applied to the chest and maintained for three days and nights, extend the user’s lifespan by thirty years.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×5】

A lifespan-extending magical plant!

For Gao De now, this was of little interest.

But for mages nearing the end of their natural lives yet still hoping to break through, this was a gift from heaven—a chance to borrow thirty more years. They’d pay five First-Class Merits, or even their entire fortune, without hesitation.

Of course, that had nothing to do with Gao De.

He was young, with a long life ahead—he was a mage of the Greenwood Longevity Scripture, the least worried about lifespan.

Further down, he found all manner of extraordinary items: terrain creature eggs, ancient mage spell research manuals, and even a shop in the Kensington District—exchangeable for two First-Class Merits.

But no matter how strange these items seemed, if they appeared on the First-Class Merit list, they were unquestionably of immense value and extreme rarity—unobtainable even with gold.

Most items stirred his desire—but only as desire.

The only true necessity was 【Spell Stabilization】—yet he couldn’t exchange for it directly.

With limited First-Class Merit on hand, he chose to be a miser, lest he later encounter a treasure he truly wanted but had no merit left to claim it.

As he flipped to the final page of the First-Class Merit list, “miser” Gao De’s gaze suddenly brightened—he stopped turning the pages.

Turning the Class-One Merit exchange list to its final page, “Skinflint” Gao De’s gaze suddenly brightened, halting his turning of the pages.

【A fourth-ring magical tree seed; when the Spirit Spring Dew Tree matures, a spirit spring wells forth from its roots; drinking its water rapidly restores magical energy;】

【The spirit spring water possesses potent healing effects against common diseases and toxins;】

【Additionally, watering other plants with this water accelerates their growth, improves their quality, and increases the likelihood of them becoming high-grade plants.】

【Note: This magical tree is extremely delicate and exceedingly difficult to cultivate.】

【Merit Required for Exchange: First-Class Merit ×1】

Military merit required for exchange: First-Class Merit ×1

A Level-4 demon tree seed.

Even if it had no other effect, just being Level-4 would be enough for Gao De to spend one military merit to exchange for it.

Because a single Level-4 demon tree can boost Yujiatexila’s growth progress by 2,797 months—that’s 233 years!

Not to mention, this Spring Dew Tree is a demon tree with extremely potent abilities.

The healing waters of the Spring Dew Tree are like heavenly rain for the Northern Frontier, where medical conditions are still inadequate.

Its ability to accelerate plant growth is an absolute necessity.

A Level-4 demon tree seed costs only one First-Class Merit?

Although Gao De knew this was because the Spring Dew Tree seed was difficult to cultivate and demon trees had extremely long growth cycles.

Compared to other treasures that take effect immediately upon exchange, demon tree seeds required waiting a hundred years or more before they could even begin to function, making them far less attractive—and thus lower in value—but he still felt he’d scored a massive bargain.

No need to hesitate.

Good steel must be used on the cutting edge; Gao De immediately selected the Spring Dew Tree seed.

Then, he opened the Second-Class Merit exchange list.

Unlike his cursory glance through the First-Class Merit list, he now had clear goals.

First: Level-Two Ascension Elixirs.

There were two Level-Two Ascension Elixirs available for Gao De to choose from on the list: [Green Vine Spirit Dew] and [Sea Firefly Marrow Fluid].

The former increased the success rate of ascension by forty percent; the latter only by twenty percent.

Correspondingly, the former required five Second-Class Merits to exchange, while the latter needed only two.

The same principle applied: good steel must be used on the cutting edge; being stingy at this stage was extremely unwise.

Gao De selected [Green Vine Spirit Dew]; the remaining five Second-Class Merits and ten Third-Class Merits he immediately targeted toward spell formulas.

First, he selected three rare spells from the Second-Class Merit list:

[Long-Range Shot [Rare]] (Transmutation, Level-One):

This spell increases your ranged attack range by twenty feet.

[Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy [Rare]] (Divination, Level-One):

Recalling a creature you encountered within the past day, after casting, you gain some knowledge about that creature.

[Elixir of All Beings [Rare]] (Transmutation, Level-One):

You may choose one of several beneficial effects concerning health, happiness, or joy, and infuse a bottle of water to create a secret elixir with no side effects.

Pain Relief: For one hour, you ignore minor pains such as arthritis, colds, or hangovers. During this time, you gain additional resistance to pain-effect spells.

Clarity: For one single attack or skill use within one minute, you perform better—you may choose when to trigger it, as long as it applies.

Illusion: For one hour, you see various amusing illusions—floating lights, music, cute surreal little animals, and so on.

You can tell yourself they’re not real, but they will distract you.

Intoxication: You feel euphoric and light-headed for one hour, as if you’d consumed alcohol. (But it causes no hangover.)

Lucid Dreaming: If you use this elixir within one hour before sleeping, you will have a fully controllable lucid dream lasting one hour.

Resistance: You gain slight additional resistance to all types of spells.

Sleep: You enter a pleasant, comfortable sleep lasting at least one hour, unless awakened.

If this is your usual sleep time, you will continue sleeping normally after the elixir’s effect ends.

Alertness: For one hour, you remain completely awake; your actions ignore all negative effects of intoxication, though magical and alchemical effects (such as detection potions) will still detect you as intoxicated.

The elixir’s duration does not count toward the time needed to sober up (because it merely delays it).

Resilience: You gain temporary enhanced Constitution for one minute.

Awakening: For two hours, you remain awake and free from drowsiness, with no side effects such as nervous exhaustion. You gain additional resistance to sleep effects like lullabies and sleep spells.

This elixir merely delays your need for sleep; it does not count toward your total rest or sleep duration.

You may use this elixir multiple times, but each time its effect ends, you still become fatigued as if you had never used it.

(End of Chapter)