Not long after, Roy took the now-useless sheep's blood to the bathroom, poured it into the toilet, and flushed it all away.
He then returned to his bedroom and picked up the books he had borrowed from the library, continuing to deepen his understanding of Aquinas magic gold.
This special metal possessed remarkable properties. Not only could it freely switch between soft and hard states, but it could also adjust its conductivity.
Roy immediately thought of numerous applications.
For instance, twisting it into fine braids and then solidifying it could create a defense against flying arrows.
Condensing it into iron needles, skewers, or spears would allow for piercing attacks within a range of several meters, or entangling and restraining enemies.
All of this could be achieved simply by controlling the Wizardry Energy infused into it.
More intricate was the principle similar to a Faraday cage, which could protect against lightning strikes. By creating a metal cage around oneself, one could become immune to a certain degree of electrical damage!
However, such an operation wasn't easy to execute.
In actual combat, there might not be enough time to react.
"The safest approach is to fully utilize the Hair Demon Physique's inherent Animation Energy, developing some conditioned reflexes or even imbuing it with a sense of sentience!"
The essence of the Hair Demon Physique was actually an anomalous entity composed of Law Remnants.
He pondered whether he could fully exploit this aspect.
...
The next day, Roy headed to the market street once more.
The third-floor ring market of the Wizard Tower was noticeably quieter than the lower levels. This was because the number of advanced apprentices was inherently small, and the failed Forbidden Experiment in Chalkland had led to the demise of many advanced apprentices and even official Wizards.
It was only now, a year and a half later, that things had gradually begun to recover.
"Roy, I've just acquired a batch of Healing potions and Mana potions. Interested in buying some?"
"Freshly made synthetic meat, essential for crafting puppets. Bulk discounts available!"
"How about some Ecstasy Potion? Pure extract from Carefree Fruit, guaranteed to blow your mind with just one sip!"
People greeted each other, clearly familiar with one another.
Roy, however, paid little attention to them and instead headed straight to the other side of the market, entering a shop called "Miraculous Hundred Things."
The official shops within the Wizard Tower were affiliated with the Seven Towers Alliance, and only items crafted by official Wizards were allowed to be sold here.
They were expensive, but the quality was guaranteed, with no counterfeit or subpar goods.
These items were delivered through Wizard Arrays or subspace channels and were updated periodically.
In contrast, the items sold in the ring market were mostly crafted by apprentices. They were more affordable but lacked any guarantee of quality.
A junior apprentice on duty quickly approached and bowed respectfully, "Sir, what can I assist you with?"
Roy replied, "I'll just browse for now."
The apprentice then led him to a shelf protected by a Wizard Array.
Before his eyes was a dazzling array of Arcane Objects and equipment, each imbued with various Wizardry powers. Their forms varied widely, and their functions were equally diverse.
"Take a look, this is a self-writing quill, this is a magical conch that allows communication over a distance, and these are vibration rings that can sense each other's presence..."
"They sound interesting, but not particularly useful. Do you have anything suited for combat, concealment, or escape?"
"Of course," the apprentice said, leading him to another section.
"The Invisibility Ring, of course, at this level, it doesn't grant complete invisibility, but it does make the body semi-transparent, making it undetectable from a certain distance...
And these Boots of Swiftness, they have a swiftness effect that can greatly reduce body weight and increase your speed..."
"How much for these boots?" Roy asked, intrigued.
"Only 1500 Magic Stones!" the shop apprentice replied.
Roy hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you have any other protective items?"
"Of course," the apprentice said. "We have various Elemental Resistance Amulets. Wearing one can reduce the effect of elemental attacks by about 30%, with a maximum protection limit of 3 degrees. They only cost 350 Magic Stones each."
Roy felt a bit disappointed.
Only 30% protection, and a maximum limit of 3 degrees at that.
Moreover, these amulets not only cannot stack with similar effects, but each one also has a specific type of protection it offers.
A universal amulet that protects against all spell attributes would cost at least ten times as much!
But after some thought, Roy decided to buy the Boots of Swiftness and a Lightning Resistance Amulet.
The boost these items provided was far less significant than Bloodline Modification, and they wouldn't be of much use in the long run.
But at least they were highly targeted, specifically prepared for that powerful Fishman Lord!
He didn't feel too reluctant about spending the money, but he did regret not knowing how to craft these items himself, which meant he was inevitably paying for the processing fee.
"If I knew how to craft and had enough time and energy, I could make these myself..."
But then again...
Isn't earning money faster than making it?
As long as I master more practical core technologies, like crafting Magic Stones...
I could create even greater value with the same amount of time and effort!
By then, buying these items would be equivalent to buying someone else's time and energy.
Not everything has to be made by myself; the key lies in core technology.
...
After finishing his purchases, Roy left the shop and found that he only had a little over a thousand Magic Stones left.
"Money really flows like water!" he couldn't help but lament.
But as he passed through the market street, he continued to buy some Location Talismans, hemostatic ointments, Minor Healing Potions, and the like.
And two very important items—Minor Lightning Resistance Potions!
These are magical potions that can temporarily boost elemental resistance. Consuming this type of potion allows one to gain a field of Wizardry Energy within the body for a certain period, neutralizing the enemy's lightning-based spell attacks.
As consumable Alchemy potions, they aren't too expensive, costing only 25 Magic Stones per bottle. But for a poor apprentice who doesn't earn much, it's still a significant expense.
Later, Roy stopped at one of the stalls and pondered for a moment.
"Milina, how much are these Minor Mana Potions?"
The stall owner, Milina, was a recently promoted senior apprentice, slightly younger than Roy.
She quickly replied, "These are diluted versions I bought and mixed myself. If you want them, I can sell them to you for 10 Magic Stones per tube."
What appeared before him was a common magical potion in the form of a blue liquid, originating from the Arcane World. From it, pure Mana could be extracted, also known as magical energy.
This is an impersonal supernatural force, considered the fundamental element of spells and also a component of the soul.
Wizardry Energy and magical essence are similar in nature, differing only in the elements they incorporate and the systems they belong to, which have led to various alternative names.
As a result, Spellcasters can utilize these resources as essential supplies.
(End of Chapter)