[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-above-the-mage":3,"chapter-above-the-mage-above-the-mage-chapter-58":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Above the Mage!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2257062,4404,"Chapter 58: Basic Magic Potion","above-the-mage-chapter-58",58,"\u003Cp>Gao De was startled, realizing he had still not been cautious enough, too impulsive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only recently bought a scroll of striking magic from Pierre to suppress the arcane lock, and now he was displaying such a “nouveau riche” demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who thought about it for a moment would understand the implications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Pierre was not a man with ill intentions, and likely had already guessed something when Gao De sought help with the [Arcane Lock].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao De was still shaken, and learned a lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must never again be so careless with his pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad, not bad,” Gao De laughed it off, bowing slightly: “Then I look forward to your good news.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After setting a specific time with Pierre, Gao De took his leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man glanced at Gao De’s retreating back, muttering to himself: “This kid is becoming increasingly unpredictable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pierre had agreed to his request; even if he couldn’t secure it, Gao De’s mood was still quite good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Yom had brought five magic formulas in total.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But due to limited funds, he had chosen only the three most suitable for his situation: [Acid Splash], [Freezing Ray], and [Enhanced Resistance].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining [Blade Ward] and [Read Magic] were temporarily abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he had returned to reconnect with Yom to purchase these two remaining formulas, first because his finances had improved considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, he truly needed these two formulas he had once abandoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To obtain the source, Gao De would eventually have to confront the earthline creatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Blade Ward], which could protect against physical damage, had become especially important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Gao De still remembered the time he was ambushed by three unemployed miners from the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had suffered only minor injuries and driven them off with the spell of punishment, recalling it now still sent chills down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes, no matter how skilled in martial arts, one still fears a cleaver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Same principle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least with [Blade Ward], he wouldn’t have to fear cleavers anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for [Read Magic], it was even more crucial to Gao De.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could even be said to be his primary goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that as a mage, lacking the ability to decipher magical script would bring him countless inconveniences in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even right now, Gao De had no choice but to master [Read Magic].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—He needed [Read Magic] to decipher the magical script on the scroll from Ceda’s legacy, whose purpose and origin remained unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scroll that looked obviously priceless—how could anyone not be curious about what it recorded? After leaving Pierre’s general store, Gao De did not return directly to the herb garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment, then detoured to the Qiangweimoyaodian , located at the street’s end, farthest from Feiermoyaodian .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three most famous magic potion shops in Hogen City were  Feiermoyaodian ,  Youguangmoyaodian , and  Qiangweimoyaodian .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each shop sought to dominate the market, monopolizing Hogen City’s potion trade, so their competition was fierce—truly irreconcilable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Visiting a potion shop meant either selling or buying potions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s goal was the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a “fortune” in his pocket now, he dared to entertain thoughts he had previously dared not consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to extravagantly purchase [Basic Magic Potion] to aid his guiding method cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he could not buy it from  Feiermoyaodian .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already aroused suspicion among the shop staff there; buying [Basic Magic Potion] would be safer elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The market price for [Basic Magic Potion] was six gold per set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A first-rank apprentice mage could consume one set in six days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant if Gao De wanted to drink [Basic Magic Potion] continuously, the fifty gold left by Ceda would sustain his cultivation for only fifty days. Though Gao De was usually extremely frugal, he knew well the difference between realm and gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, improved strength would make earning money easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was precisely why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping into the Rose Magic Potion Shop, Gao De scanned the interior but saw no [Basic Magic Potion] on display.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he did not leave disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In small cities, mages were still too few, so potion shops primarily stocked remedies for commoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Potions like [Basic Magic Potion], meant exclusively for mages, were not necessarily displayed openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper had sharp eyes; before Gao De could ask, a young male clerk had already approached him: “Hello, sir, how may I help you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had noticed Gao De’s gaze sweeping the shelves—clearly searching for a specific potion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such customers needed no persuasion and almost never left empty-handed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Gao De scan the entire shop without speaking, he guessed Gao De had not found what he wanted and hurried over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you sell [Basic Magic Potion]? I didn’t see any.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course we do, but it’s stored in the back cabinet. Wait a moment—I’ll get it for you.” The clerk glanced at Gao De with mild surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De wore a brown linen tunic—the typical attire of a commoner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And [Basic Magic Potion] was clearly a “luxury”—he hadn’t expected Gao De’s target to be it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprise aside, the clerk swiftly knelt beside the cabinet, pulled out a delicate box from a drawer, placed it carefully on the counter, and opened it before Gao De’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the box were three small vials of potion, their liquid glowing a crystalline sea-blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here you are, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De’s heart stirred, a faint glimmer flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Detect Magic].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his vision, an invisible medium-brightness magical aura shimmered on the vials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The quality was decent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having verified the goods, Gao De was satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much for a set?” he asked as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, one set is six gold and ten silver. Our prices are fixed—no haggling.” The clerk smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t the market price for [Basic Magic Potion] six gold per set?” Gao De’s expression changed, his calm shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true,” the clerk explained patiently, “but recently, earthline creatures have appeared frequently outside the city, drawing many outsiders to Hogen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You know, many of these outsiders are apprentice mages who also buy [Basic Magic Potion] to drink.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without such unexpected demand, our sales of [Basic Magic Potion] were stable—each year we sold roughly the same number of sets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So we kept our stock minimal. Now, with this surge, our inventory can’t keep up—we’ve had no choice but to raise prices.” The clerk spread his hands, as if it were obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can check with  Feiermoyaodian  or  Youguangmoyaodian —they’re charging the same.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always, the market determines price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine,” Gao De said, gritting his teeth in frustration. “Give me two sets.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right away!” The clerk immediately knelt again and pulled another set of [Basic Magic Potion] from the cabinet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A purchase over ten gold coins was considered a major sale in the shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao De carefully pulled out his coin purse, counted out thirteen gold coins, and handed them to the clerk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1153,"2026-06-19T14:28:48.629Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2ca4e726777a1d889c3d461c97ab9e45ca61170bce82e4fc3cb03e726934119e","above-the-mage-chapter-59","above-the-mage-chapter-57",529,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fabove-the-mage-cover.jpg"]