Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree

The end of the message included the names of all the raw materials from the three lists that he currently lacked. He did not explain what these materials were for, nor was it necessary to do so.

The formula for a third-level potion is the answer in itself to those who understand. He simultaneously opened the exchange system of the Arcane Master Association to begin searching the material inventory and also opened the exchange system of the Six-Ring Tower to compare items one by one.

What followed was a period of intense querying, comparison, estimation, and decision-making.

In the spiritual power network, the contribution point exchange directory of the Six-Ring Tower appeared as a huge light screen, densely packed with the names, levels, inventory quantities, and required contribution points of various items.

Duke went through them line by line, constantly updating his material procurement list in his mind.

Harrison from the Giant Rock Commerce Association was the first to reply. The old man’s response came surprisingly fast.

Harrison’s message was brief, but the tone implied an unmistakable excitement he could barely contain: "Lord Duke, is this the list of materials for advancing to a Level 3 Mage?"

Duke certainly did not conceal this, and then Harrison’s messages flooded in as if a gate had been opened.

The current inventory situation of the Giant Rock Commerce Association regarding rare materials: Starlight Sand is unavailable. This must be obtained from the Star Realm, and the Giant Rock Commerce Association lacks the capability for Star Realm expeditions.

There is a batch of Void Crystal Grass in stock, not of high grade but usable. It can be redirected to Duke, and the price is negotiable.

They also have a batch of Tears of Tide, hoarded from previous trades with the Ocean Plane, of medium quality, available at cost price.

Aurora True Liquid, Nightmare Dust, Dragon’s Breath Pollen, Void Pollen, Eternal Ice, Silent Heart — none of these are on the inventory list of the Giant Rock Commerce Association.

Harrison candidly acknowledged this in the message but then shifted gears: "Although we don’t have these materials in stock, we can find them through our channels. Our association may not be as large as Star Dome, but over the years, we’ve accumulated a network for special sources."

Before Duke could reply, Oliver from Star Dome Commerce Association also sent a message.

Unlike Harrison’s excited tone, Oliver’s language was consistently professional and calm: "Esteemed Lord Duke, we have received the three material lists. Congratulations on preparing to advance to Level 3 Mage. After initial inventory checks, our company can provide the following materials: Starlight Sand, as collecting in the Star Realm is our regular business, delivery is expected within a month; Tears of Tide, available anytime as ocean plane fixed channel stock; Dragon’s Breath Pollen, with scheduled supply terms in our trade agreement with the Dragon Race plane, sufficient stock is available.

The following materials are not in stock but can be sought through our cooperative relationships: Void Crystal Grass, Nightmare Dust, Void Pollen, Silent Heart. The inventory status of Aurora True Liquid and Eternal Ice will be confirmed further, with a definitive reply expected within three days."

Duke compared the two replies side by side: the Giant Rock Commerce Association could directly provide two materials, though of medium quality, but quickly.

Star Dome Commerce Association could immediately supply Starlight Sand, Tears of Tide, and Dragon’s Breath Pollen, surpassing the Giant Rock Commerce Association by more than one level.

For the materials not in stock, both sides showed willingness to search.

But this was only the first step; materials directly obtainable from inventory are often the easiest to resolve. The real difficulty lies in those requiring personnel to collect from specific planes on-site.

In the following days, Duke spent nearly all his time on this matter.

In an independent reading room on the second floor of the Six-Ring Tower library, Duke sat at an old desk made of dark oak, with a dozen alchemy material science books and plane resource distribution maps pulled from different shelves piled before him, and a cup of herbal tea by his side, already cooled.

He checked each material’s origin, collection conditions, market price, and acquisition difficulty, drawing up tables on parchment and noting the optimal procurement channel for each material beside it.

Dragon’s Breath Pollen, Tears of Tide, Void Crystal Grass — these three had channels locked in place, posing little challenge.

Starlight Sand, with Star Dome Commerce Association’s promise of delivery within a month, also fell within acceptable timing.

The issue lay with Aurora True Liquid, Nightmare Dust, and Eternal Ice.

These three materials were not found in inventory through the Six-Ring Tower’s contribution exchange system, Arcane Master Association’s points mall, nor in the inventories provided by Harrison and Oliver.

Either their source is in high planes that prevent collection in the near future, or collection conditions are too stringent leading to unstable supply chains, or they are simply too rare, seized by higher-level forces upon appearance, never flowing into regular channels.

Duke stared at the blank rows in the table, his brow furrowed, and could only wait for news from commerce channels.

Days later, messages from both commerce associations arrived.

Oliver’s message popped up first: there is currently no stock of Aurora True Liquid, as the collection window in the Aurora Plane has been missed, with the next aurora burst estimated to be years away. Conventional channels couldn’t obtain it until the window arrives.

However, Star Dome Commerce Association could handle a special situation. They have a long-term cooperating Magic Potion Master with a private observatory in the Aurora Plane, who happens to have emergency reserves of Aurora True Liquid originally meant for personal use.

If Duke requires it, Star Dome Commerce Association could persuade this master to relinquish a small part, securing it through their credit and cooperative relationship, and Duke would pay the fee, directly as Star Dome Commerce Association’s support for Duke’s advancement to Level 3 Mage.

Then the message from Harrison arrived, starting with a brief mention of Aurora True Liquid, noting that since Star Dome Commerce Association has committed, Giant Rock Commerce Association wouldn’t intervene, before pivoting to the main topic.

"Eternal Ice, we’ll take on."

Duke stared at these words for two seconds; he instinctively wanted to reply to Harrison asking if he knew this required digging beneath the millennial ice layer of the Frost Plane but hesitated with his fingers hovering above the badge.

Harrison surely knew, an old shopkeeper who has been in the magic potion material business his entire life couldn’t be unaware of the difficulty in collecting Eternal Ice.

Frost Plane is a known plane with an outpost established by the Wizard Council, theoretically offering lower safety risks than unexplored planes; but being known and being safe are separated by a vast chasm.

The millennial ice layer is located at the Frost Plane’s deepest point, where the extreme cold would demand even Level 3 Mages to maintain constant state to ward off the cold that could invade spiritual power. Moreover, near the ice layer’s depth, Frost Giant Beasts often lie dormant, these creatures merge with the ice layer, making mental scans indistinguishable.

Collecting Eternal Ice requires descending to the lowest part of the millennial ice layer, manually removing the ice crystal layer-by-layer without disturbing the surrounding ice structure. Even a slight error could trigger a chain collapse and bury the entire collection team under layers of ice.

And Eternal Ice, once collected, cannot be stored in ordinary Space Rings.

Its Ice Rules prototype clashes with the Space Ring’s storage space, causing intense rule repulsion reactions, necessitating transport at constant low temperatures with a specially designed Constant Temperature Sealing Box. Any temperature fluctuation en route would shatter the crystal’s internal structure, rendering the entire material worthless.

Mere transport costs exceed the total prices for most third-level potion excipients.

As Harrison’s message continued, as if guessing Duke’s concern.

He said the commerce association had already contacted through old connections with a high-tier mage squad stationed at the Frost Plane. The leader is a high-tier Level 3 Mage specializing in Ice Rules, with experience in numerous explorations of the millennial ice layer.

The association would cover all costs, from hiring fees, equipment, transportation, to risk compensation.

Harrison didn’t discuss the price with Duke nor brought up any additional conditions, just writing a simple sentence at the end of the message.

"Lord Duke, back when you were an apprentice on the West Coast and we signed the first magic potion recipe acquisition contract, I knew you would go far one day. Now that you’re advancing to Level 3, even though Giant Rock Commerce Association is less substantial than Six-Ring Tower and Star Dome Commerce Association, we are also glad to offer whatever assistance we can in such matters."

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