The next few days passed quietly.
For Ivan, life gradually settled into a steady rhythm. Every morning, he would wake before sunrise and cultivate the Crimson Heart Breathing Method. Afterward, he and Olivia would head toward the academy library together, spending most of the day surrounded by endless shelves of books while Nova continuously recorded knowledge into her database.
By now, nearly all of the knight breathing methods available within the public sections of the library had been copied. Alongside those breathing methods, Ivan had also recorded a vast amount of foundational magical knowledge, including basic magic theory, basic alchemy, potionology, material identification, and numerous other fields related to wizardry.
Even subjects unrelated to his immediate goals were not ignored if they appeared useful. In the wizarding world, magical creatures, bloodlines, spells, and cultivation methods were countless and bizarre. No one knew what kind of situation they might encounter in the future. Knowledge from an obscure field could one day become the key to surviving a dangerous situation, defeating a powerful enemy, or solving an impossible problem.
Knowledge was never truly useless.
It only depended on whether one had encountered the right situation to use it.
Especially for Nova.
As a super-intelligent auxiliary system, Nova relied upon enormous amounts of data to analyze, calculate, optimize, and improve various theories. The more information she possessed, the more terrifying her capabilities became.
And after recording so much information during the past few days, the gains had been tremendous.
After recording thousands of knight breathing methods and integrating the fragmented Sky Knight Breathing Method obtained from the mysterious gray metal book, Ivan instructed Nova to begin optimizing the Crimson Heart Breathing Method.
The results exceeded all expectations.
After countless calculations, simulations, comparisons, and reconstructions, Nova completely rebuilt the breathing method from the ground up while retaining its original core characteristics.
The new version was named:
Crimson Heart Breathing Method 2.0 — Optimized Version.
The name was simple.
Yet the effects were astonishing.
Compared to the original version, the cultivation efficiency of the breathing method increased by nearly four times without using any auxiliary medicines whatsoever. The knight qi produced by the technique became significantly denser, purer, and more refined than before.
After only several cultivation sessions, Ivan could clearly feel the difference.
His body became stronger.
His blood circulated with greater vigor.
His muscles contained more explosive power.
Even his senses seemed slightly sharper than before.
According to Nova's calculations, Ivan could attempt a breakthrough into the Intermediate Knight realm within the next few days if he wished.
However, the greatest surprise was not the increased cultivation efficiency.
It was another special feature hidden within one of the thousands of breathing methods recorded inside the library.
The technique was a mid-tier breathing method called the Heart Flow Breathing Method.
It had been created nearly a thousand years ago by a Second-Level Sky Knight. Despite being created by such a powerful individual, the breathing method itself was surprisingly ordinary. Its cultivation speed was mediocre, its combat abilities were average, and some low-tier breathing methods even surpassed it in practical combat performance.
On the surface, it appeared completely unremarkable.
Yet it possessed an astonishing characteristic.
Automatic circulation.
After cultivating the breathing method enough times, it would gradually become a natural instinct of the body itself. Just like breathing or the beating of a heart. The body would continue operating the technique subconsciously without requiring deliberate control.
Even while sleeping, eating, reading, walking, or resting, the breathing method would continue circulating passively.
Its efficiency was far lower than active cultivation.
However, it never stopped.
Not even for a single second.
The accumulated gains were terrifying.
Even an individual with mediocre talent could steadily improve simply through the passage of time. While others rested, the technique cultivated. While others slept, the technique cultivated. While others wasted time, the technique continued gathering knight qi without interruption.
After understanding the underlying principles, Nova integrated this concept into the Crimson Heart Breathing Method 2.0.
The result was extraordinary.
Now the breathing method circulated inside Ivan's body twenty-four hours a day.
Every second, every minute, and every hour, knight qi continuously flowed throughout his body without interruption. Even while quietly reading books inside the library, Ivan could feel his strength slowly increasing.
The growth was subtle.
Yet it was constant.
And constant growth was often the most terrifying form of growth.
Many knights trained for years without making any significant progress. Some spent decades trapped within the same realm. Yet Ivan could clearly sense himself becoming stronger every single day. The difference might be tiny, but it existed.
And as long as growth continued, eventually those tiny differences would accumulate into something astonishing.
The improvements did not stop there.
The optimized breathing method further strengthened Ivan's mutated heart. The burst ability he inherited from the Crimson Heart lineage became significantly more stable than before.
Previously, Ivan could only maintain the burst state for a short period before suffering severe exhaustion and dangerous side effects.
Now he could sustain the state for nearly ten minutes.
The side effects were also greatly reduced.
After using the ability, he would merely experience weakness for roughly an hour before recovering completely. Compared to the original version, the difference was enormous.
Even Ivan found it difficult to remain calm after learning the results.
For the next several days, a faint smile remained on his face whenever he cultivated. The benefits brought by the new breathing method were simply too great.
Gradually, time passed.
Before Ivan realized it, the day before the official start of classes had arrived.
Today, he stood before a district he had not yet explored.
Above him floated a massive glowing sign. The letters slowly rotated in midair while emitting a soft magical radiance.
Academy Market.
Looking at the bustling district before him, Ivan calmly stepped forward.
During the past few days, aside from studying and cultivating, he had also visited the academy cafeteria several times. The food was excellent and contained traces of magical ingredients beneficial to cultivation.
Unfortunately, the prices were equally memorable.
After paying several magic stones for meals alone, Ivan finally realized a serious problem.
He was running out of money.
When he first arrived at the academy, he possessed fifty magic stones. Four were spent aboard the Hurricane-Class Transport Ship while gathering information. Ten disappeared during academy enrollment. Fifteen were given to Olivia. Several more were spent on meals and miscellaneous expenses.
After calculating everything carefully, only sixteen magic stones remained.
For ordinary Wizard Seeds and low-level wizard apprentices, that might seem like a considerable amount of money.
For a future alchemy wizard, however, it was practically poverty.
Alchemy consumed resources at an astonishing rate.
Magical ores, rare herbs, experimental materials, rune constructs, rune machines, alchemy factories, enchanted components, magical beast materials, and countless other resources all required enormous amounts of money.
Every step forward required magic stones.
Every experiment consumed resources.
Every improvement demanded investment.
One could even say that alchemy wizards were built upon mountains of resources and endless piles of magic stones.
Therefore, Ivan came today with a simple goal.
Learn the market situation.
Understand the prices within the academy.
And perhaps find an opportunity that could improve his current financial condition.
The moment he entered the Academy Market, noise assailed him from every direction.
It was the complete opposite of the quiet atmosphere of the library. Gone were the silent bookshelves and focused scholars. In their place stood countless wizard apprentices moving back and forth through crowded streets filled with magical goods and endless negotiations.
The front section of the market was packed with hundreds of stalls.
Wizard apprentices occupied nearly every available space. Some sold resources gathered from academy missions. Others sold materials obtained through experiments. A few simply hoped to earn extra income by clearing out unused resources.
The entire place was extraordinarily lively.
Seeing the bustling atmosphere before him, Ivan quietly began walking between the stalls. As he moved through the crowded pathways, countless different goods appeared before his eyes. Rare ores, magical beast materials, potion ingredients, enchanted equipment, and strange objects whose purpose he couldn't immediately identify filled both sides of the street.
"High-grade magic ores! Only fifteen kilograms remaining! Five magic stones per kilogram!"
"Intermediate Fire Staff! Amplifies fire wizardry by fifteen percent! Only sixty magic stones!"
"Fresh Wind Wolf skeletons! Perfect for necromancy practice! Only three left!"
"Dark Crystals! Enhance undead creatures by ten percent! Limited quantity!"
"Low-level healing potions! Four bottles for ten magic stones!"
The shouting rose and fell continuously throughout the market.
Listening to the endless advertisements, Ivan suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity. It reminded him of the fish markets from his previous life. The only difference was that magical beasts and enchanted artifacts had replaced vegetables and seafood.
As Ivan walked through the crowded pathways, Nova continuously scanned the surrounding stalls.
Large amounts of information regarding magical ores, wizard artifacts, magical beast materials, and potion ingredients flowed into her database. Although most of the goods were ordinary, every new piece of information improved Nova's understanding of the wizarding world.
Most items were ordinary.
Some were clearly overpriced. Others possessed decent value. Occasionally Ivan would stop briefly before continuing onward, allowing Nova to analyze certain materials in greater detail before moving on.
The deeper he traveled into the market, the higher the quality of the goods became.
The surrounding stalls gradually transformed from simple apprentice merchants into more experienced traders. The resources on display became noticeably rarer, and the prices rose accordingly.
Suddenly, Nova's voice sounded inside his mind.
"Master. Chromos Ore detected."
"Location: Stall to your left."
Ivan immediately stopped walking.
His gaze shifted toward the nearby stall indicated by Nova. Behind a large pile of ores and metallic materials sat a middle-aged wizard apprentice wearing a dark robe.
Judging from the silver badge attached to his chest, he was an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice.
Among the scattered ores and metals, Ivan quickly noticed a crimson crystalline mineral.
At first glance, it appeared completely ordinary. It was merely another crimson ore mixed among dozens of similar materials. Yet Nova had specifically pointed it out.
Squatting beside the stall, Ivan silently observed the ore.
At the same time, he asked internally,
"Nova, what is this Chromos Ore?"
Nova immediately responded.
"Chromos Ore is one of the primary construction materials required for a standard Class One Mobile Base."
"We will require significant quantities in the future."
Ivan's eyes narrowed slightly.
A material required for constructing a Class One Mobile Base?
Looking at the crimson ore before him, he found it difficult to imagine. To his eyes, it looked no different from an ordinary magical crystal.
Another question quickly surfaced in his mind.
"Nova Can't the Void Furnace produce it?"
Nova answered almost instantly.
"The Personal Void Furnace attached to my system is only a portable model."
"It does not possess the production capability of a Class One Void Furnace."
"While many Class One materials can be manufactured by the portable model, several specialized resources cannot."
"Chromos Ore belongs to one of those specialized categories."
Ivan nodded slightly.
The entire exchange occurred within less than a second.
Meanwhile, the stall owner had already noticed him.
At first, the middle-aged apprentice appeared hopeful. However, after noticing Ivan's badge and sensing his status as a mere Wizard Seed, the interest in his eyes quickly faded.
Not even an official apprentice.
After watching Ivan examine the materials without purchasing anything, impatience gradually appeared on his face.
"If you're buying, then buy."
"If not, move along."
"Don't block my business."
Ivan ignored the attitude completely.
Instead, he calmly selected several ordinary magical ores from different piles. Mixed among them was the piece of Chromos Ore Nova had identified.
After gathering everything together, he looked toward the stall owner.
"Boss, how much for these?"
The middle-aged apprentice glanced at the collection.
Then his eyes landed on Ivan's Wizard Seed badge. A trace of cunning immediately flashed across his face.
"One magic stone."
Ivan immediately frowned.
The price was ridiculous.
Fortunately, he had already absorbed a considerable amount of material knowledge from the academy library. The combined value of the ores was nowhere near one magic stone.
Especially the Chromos Ore.
Although extremely valuable in Nova's eyes, within the wizarding world it was merely a common auxiliary material used in certain alchemical creations. Its market value was fairly low and certainly did not justify such a price.
Thus began a lengthy negotiation.
Back and forth, offer after offer, the two exchanged prices. The middle-aged apprentice initially treated Ivan as an ignorant newcomer, but as the discussion continued, his expression gradually changed.
This Wizard Seed possessed an unexpectedly solid understanding of ore values.
Several times the stall owner attempted to exaggerate the rarity of certain materials, only for Ivan to calmly point out their actual value.
Eventually, after several rounds of haggling, the deal was finalized.
Thirty magic coins.
Not thirty magic stones.
Only Thirty magic coins.
Exactly one-third of a magic stone.
The stall owner looked somewhat unwilling, while Ivan appeared completely satisfied.
After paying the money, Ivan packed the ordinary ores into a cloth bag before continuing deeper into the market.
Soon, the noisy stalls gradually disappeared behind him.
The center of the Academy Market was completely different.
No roadside stalls existed here.
Instead, permanent shops lined both sides of the street. Elegant signs hung above their entrances, giving the entire area a much more professional appearance.
Lucian's Alchemy Shop.
Luna's Herbalist Hub.
Necros Bone Emporium.
Silver Moon Enchantments.
Emerald Cauldron Potions.
Old Larry's Bookshop.
Starforge Artifacts.
Black Raven Materials Exchange.
The atmosphere here felt far more refined.
Ivan even noticed several restaurants and bars where wizard apprentices sat together while enjoying meals, exchanging information, and discussing magical experiments.
At the very center of the district stood a massive structure.
It towered above every surrounding building.
Suspended above the entrance was a gigantic golden sign that radiated faint magical fluctuations.
Academy General Store.
Unlike the surrounding businesses, this establishment belonged directly to the academy itself. Its reputation and reliability naturally surpassed ordinary shops.
However, before entering, Ivan's attention was drawn elsewhere.
On both sides of the Academy General Store stood several buildings that were even grander than the surrounding shops. Their architecture was magnificent, and the magical fluctuations surrounding them were noticeably stronger.
Above their entrances hung impressive signs.
White Breeze Chamber of Commerce.
Silver Moon Chamber of Commerce.
Twilight Plane Networks.
Interdimensional Planar Conquest Company.
Several other large organizations occupied nearby buildings as well.
Looking at those names, Ivan quickly understood their purpose.
These were not ordinary shops.
They were major commercial organizations responsible for conducting trade between academies, wizard organizations, wizard towers, and various other powerful forces throughout the Wizard Continent.
Compared to the individual stores he had seen earlier, these organizations operated on an entirely different scale.
Ivan silently memorized their names.
He decided he would investigate them in the future.
Only then did he walk toward the Academy General Store.
The moment he stepped inside, Ivan's eyes narrowed slightly.
From the outside, the building already appeared enormous. Yet after entering, he immediately discovered that the interior was several times larger than the exterior dimensions should physically allow.
The answer was obvious.
Spatial Expansion Rooms.
Only wizards possessed the ability to casually distort space on such a scale and integrate it into everyday architecture.
On the first floor rows upon rows of shelves extended into the distance.
Silver magical lamps floated beneath the ceiling, illuminating the spacious hall with a gentle glow. The entire first floor looked less like a store and more like a massive resource warehouse capable of satisfying the needs of thousands of wizard apprentices simultaneously.
The first floor was bustling with activity.
Wizard apprentices moved back and forth between the shelves and display counters while examining goods or discussing prices with the academy attendants. Some carried staffs upon their backs, while others wore rune-inscribed armor or carried various magical tools at their waists.
A few apprentices even had strange magical creatures perched quietly upon their shoulders. Tiny spirit birds, crystal insects, and miniature elemental creatures could occasionally be seen among the crowd. The atmosphere was lively, yet surprisingly orderly.
Ivan calmly observed everything while slowly walking forward.
At the same time, Nova continuously recorded information through his eyes, cataloging every item she encountered. As he moved deeper into the first floor, countless apprentice-level resources gradually appeared before him.
Magic ores.
Potion ingredients.
Magical beast materials.
Wizard tools.
Wizard apprentice-level spell books.
Basic alchemy manuals.
Even beginner rune-engraving guidebooks could be found throughout the first floor.
Every item possessed a small information plaque beside it, allowing customers to quickly understand its purpose and value. The academy had clearly organized everything with great care, making it far easier for apprentices to browse through the enormous collection of goods.
Ivan walked slowly while reading one description after another.
While he was exploring the first floor, an alchemy puppet serving as one of the store attendants approached him. Its metallic eyes briefly examined Ivan before it spoke in a calm mechanical voice.
"Respected customer, do you require any assistance?"
Ivan shook his head slightly.
"I'll look around first."
The alchemy puppet immediately nodded.
"If you select any item, please contact any attendant for detailed information and purchase procedures."
After saying so, the puppet turned and moved toward another wizard apprentice nearby.
Soon, a piece of armor caught Ivan's attention.
The armor was dark red in color, and faint traces of heat radiated from its surface. Complex runes were engraved throughout the armor, causing small streams of fire-element particles to occasionally flicker across its surface.
A description plaque stood beside it.
Flame Rune Armor.
Crafted from the scales of a Lava Lizard, an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice-level magical beast.
Engraved with Fire Resistance Runes and Basic Mana Shield Runes.
Capable of resisting attacks from Intermediate Wizard Apprentices.
Price: 80 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ivan merely glanced at it briefly before continuing onward.
A few shelves later, another item attracted his attention.
It was a beautiful emerald-green staff. The wooden surface seemed alive, and tiny leaves occasionally sprouted from the staff before slowly fading away moments later.
A description plaque stood beneath it.
Nature Staff.
Crafted from a branch of a mature Life Tree.
Amplifies nature-type wizardry by twenty-five percent.
Engraved with the Vine Tangle Spell.
Price: 120 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ivan silently memorized the information.
Several wizard apprentices stood nearby discussing whether the staff was worth purchasing. Judging from their expressions, many clearly wanted it, but the price was enough to make them hesitate.
Further ahead, a black cloak hung within a crystal display case.
Its surface occasionally blurred before disappearing entirely for a brief moment, only to reappear seconds later. The strange effect immediately attracted the attention of nearby apprentices.
A description plaque stood below it.
Invisibility Cloak.
Crafted from the hide of a Shadow Spider.
Capable of concealing the wearer from ordinary Wizard Apprentice perception.
Ineffective against Formal Wizards.
Can be detected through certain light-type wizardry.
Price: 160 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Seeing the price, several wizard apprentices immediately shook their heads and walked away.
One hundred and sixty magic stones was an enormous amount for ordinary apprentices. Even many Intermediate Wizard Apprentices did not possess that many savings.
Ivan continued walking through the first floor.
The further he went, the greater his understanding of the wizarding world's economy became. The prices of magical resources, equipment, and various materials gradually formed a clearer picture within his mind.
Most ordinary magical equipment cost several magic stones.
Anything possessing practical combat value quickly rose into dozens or even hundreds of magic stones.
No wonder wizard apprentices constantly searched for resources.
The path of wizardry was truly built upon mountains of resources and endless expenditures.
While observing the displays, Ivan also noticed numerous magical ores and potion ingredients.
Crimson Crystal Ore.
Moonlight Silver.
Black Iron Essence.
Star Moss.
Blueleaf Grass.
Sunflower Root.
Many of these materials had already appeared within the books Nova copied from the academy library. Now that Ivan could finally see their actual appearances, Nova's database became even more complete.
After nearly half an hour of browsing, Ivan eventually arrived near the rear section of the first floor.
It was here that something finally caught his attention.
Inside a glass display cabinet rested a brown leather bag.
Ivan walked closer.
Its information plaque immediately entered his vision.
Space Bag.
Crafted from the hide of a Space Deer native to the Northern Wizard Continent.
After engraving specialized spatial runes, the hide gains limited storage capabilities.
Internal Space: One Cubic Meter.
Price: 20 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ivan raised an eyebrow slightly.
So this was a space bag.
His gaze shifted toward the price.
Twenty magic stones.
For a Wizard Apprentice, this was already considered expensive. Yet when compared to the convenience it offered, the price seemed relatively reasonable.
Beside the first bag were several larger variants.
Two Cubic Meter Space Bag.
Price: 40 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Five Cubic Meter Space Bag.
Price: 120 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ten Cubic Meter Space Bag.
Price: 230 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Seeing the prices, Ivan immediately understood the pattern.
The larger the internal space became, the more difficult the manufacturing process was. As a result, the price increased dramatically with every increase in capacity.
The difference between one cubic meter and ten cubic meters was far greater than a simple tenfold increase.
Ivan silently memorized the numbers.
Then his eyes suddenly paused.
A familiar object appeared not far away.
A ring.
Its appearance was remarkably similar to the ring currently resting upon Ivan's finger.
His gaze immediately moved toward the information plaque.
Common Space Ring.
Crafted using fragments of Low-Level Space Stones.
Internal Space: One Cubic Meter.
Price: 40 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ivan's expression remained calm.
However, his heart skipped slightly.
The same storage capacity.
Twice the price of a space bag.
The reason was obvious.
A ring was far more convenient. It occupied almost no space and could be carried everywhere without attracting attention.
Naturally, its value far exceeded that of an ordinary storage bag.
Ivan continued looking.
Soon he located larger models.
Two Cubic Meters.
Five Cubic Meters.
Then finally—
Ten Cubic Meters.
When Ivan saw the price, even he could not remain completely indifferent.
Common Space Ring.
Internal Space: Ten Cubic Meters.
Price: 450 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Ivan's pupils contracted slightly.
Four hundred and fifty magic stones.
That amount was enormous.
For a brief moment, he finally understood just how valuable the ring on his finger truly was.
Soon afterward, relief quietly appeared within his heart.
Thankfully, he had never openly displayed the ring before other wizard apprentices. Otherwise, unnecessary trouble would have followed him almost immediately.
A Low-Level Wizard Apprentice generally earned around ten to fifteen magic stones each month.
Many earned even less.
Intermediate Wizard Apprentices usually earned between thirty and forty magic stones.
High-Level Wizard Apprentices could earn anywhere between fifty and one hundred magic stones depending upon their abilities and background.
Some apprentices skilled in alchemy, potionology, enchanting, or other wizarding professions could occasionally earn two hundred or even three hundred magic stones during particularly successful periods.
Four hundred and fifty magic stones represented months or even years of accumulated wealth.
For many apprentices, it was a fortune they might never possess throughout their entire academy lives.
Ivan silently adjusted his thoughts.
The wizarding world was mysterious.
One could never be too careful.
Even if nobody could hear his thoughts, caution remained one of the most valuable survival skills a wizard could possess.
After all, there might exist strange spells capable of exposing secrets.
Or magical artifacts capable of detecting special equipment.
Until he fully understood the academy, remaining cautious would always be the safest choice.
After calming himself, Ivan continued walking through the first floor.
More wizard apprentices entered and left around him. Some argued over prices, while others discussed potion formulas and magical experiments.
A few apprentices proudly displayed newly purchased magical tools to their companions, earning looks of envy from nearby students.
The entire place felt less like a store and more like the economic hub of the academy itself.
Resources flowed through this place every day.
Apprentices came and went constantly.
Nearly every wizard apprentice within the academy relied on this place in one way or another.
After spending another twenty minutes browsing the various displays, Ivan finally felt that he had gained a basic understanding of the market prices within the academy.
Only then did he turn his gaze toward the staircase leading to the upper floors.
Beside the stairs stood a long counter.
Several academy workstations had been established there, where attendants handled transactions, answered questions, and guided apprentices toward different sections of the store.
Ivan calmly walked toward the counter.
There were still many things he wanted to know about the Academy Market.