Sam had previously considered abandoning his ambition to become an inscription master in the depths of his spirit. His single obsession was the art of martial cultivation, and the convoluted route to inscription mastery had appeared to him as an impassable mountain.
To walk this path, one had to toil tirelessly, decipher the mysteries hidden behind thick, dense times, and bear the spiritual impact it exacted. Sam thought it was impossible to traverse the worlds of martial prowess and inscription art at the same time. However, fate had now guided him in a different direction, one dictated by the most practical of needs—money!
There was just "better" in the world of body transformation; there was no concept of "good" medications.
The only things Sam had at the moment were simple medicine. Medicines that might directly raise one's cultivation and free one from the restrictions of limiting worlds existed in this world. It goes without saying that such medicines had expensive price tags.
Weapons, armor, martial techniques—all these necessitated a steady flow of currency. Sam's winnings, a meager thousand of gold, seemed but a paltry sum, insufficient to propel him into the coveted Pulse Condensation Stage.
So, Sam had made up his mind to follow the route of inscription mastery in order to get over this financial obstacle. He rented a modest room and dove into the maze-like memories carved into the soul piece.
These memories made up the bulk of the component and were covered in a mysterious complexity that was difficult to understand. It took Sam hours to finally combine these memories into his own consciousness.
Meanwhile Alex, who was by himself at the busy trade fair, was awestruck by the unanticipated change that had occurred to his friend. Alex couldn't help but appreciate Sam's unwavering commitment to starting this difficult cultivation journey, even when it exceeded addiction.
Sam's eyes flickered open as the afternoon progressed. Although he was suffering from a severe headache, he had an uncontrollable grin on his face and eyes that shone with pure joy.
The inscription methods developed in the Realm of the Gods were unmatched in beauty and profundity of complexity; they were a form of art that the lower realms could not even begin to comprehend.
The inscriptions hidden within the soul piece turned out to be a gold mine of knowledge, able to improve tools, strengthen medications, and even engrave the very flesh to speed up cultivation.
Sam only had a portion of this wisdom repository, which was the product of centuries spent in many realms inside the Realm of the Gods.
While some of these skills may have existed in the lower worlds, the majority had been forgotten over time and buried beneath the ruins of long-gone faiths and cultures.
Starlight Spill continent's inscription art, by contrast, could barely elevate the quality of equipment, and even then, only by a fraction. The discrepancy between the two was similar to comparing heaven and earth.
Sam stood up as a wave of dizziness briefly overcame him. His body took a beating from the melting process' massive inflow of information. After three hours, Sam had only been able to absorb 50 percent of the information present in the soul piece. But he was already putting together a careful plan.
First, he would procure the requisite materials and commence his practice from the very fundamentals. His focus would be on enhancing the potency of medicines, perfecting the art of compounding, and mastering the body-engraving technique.
The possibilities seemed limitless, and Sam couldn't contain his excitement.
It was worth noting that certain herbs, medicines, and ingredients within this world were exceedingly rare and precious, their acquisition a monumental challenge.
Even with boundless wealth, acquiring such treasures remained an elusive dream. But with the power of inscription art, the efficacy of these rare substances could be doubled—transforming one rarity into two. It was a concept that defied logic.
As for the body-engraving technique, it promised to not only accelerate cultivation but also elevate one's innate talent to astonishing heights. It was, in essence, a technique that transcended the boundaries of the ordinary.
However, contemplating the exorbitant costs of the materials he needed, Sam forced a wry smile, recalling his recent windfall of a thousand gold.
The decision had been made; he would invest it all in inscription. Procuring Starlight Wind Grass juice, the blood of rank three desolate beasts, the molt of long-tailed cicadas, and the elusive ice-bound shrimp became a frenzied shopping spree.
But despite his best efforts, Sam was only able to locate a small portion of the supplies he had been told to bring from the Realm of the Gods. The Starlight Spill Continent and even the Starlight Haven Kingdom might not have had many of these materials at all.
For better or worse, Sam had committed himself entirely to inscription. Armed with a stack of symbol papers, he returned to his chamber, fully aware of the financial abyss he was descending into. Success in engraving these inscriptions and selling them was his only hope for sustaining his endeavors.
While Sam pondered his precarious financial situation, Alex returned from the trade fair, his eyes widening as he beheld the mountain of materials before Sam.
He couldn't fathom that his friend had embarked on this journey of cultivation with such fervor. Sam's unwavering dedication was truly something to admire and support, even if it bordered on fanaticism.
Alex was left speechless. His friend had embarked on this journey of cultivation with a sense of dedication that bordered on obsession, and the sight before him left him at a loss for words. Sam was not one to mince words; he simply replied,
"I'm studying inscription techniques."
Alex, struggling to comprehend this revelation, stammered, "Studying inscription techniques? Are you serious, brother? Did something happen to you today? With less than a thousand gold, how do you plan to learn inscription techniques, and who will teach you?"
Sam gestured toward an enormous book that was lying on the table with a hint of pride. The headline, "Inscription Technique: Getting Started on the Path to Inscription," caused Alex's eyes to swell up.
Sam had procured this book to gain insight into the Starlight Spill Continent's inscription art and compare it to the knowledge from the soul fragment.
Alex was on the verge of utter despair as he contemplated the gravity of his earlier boasting about inscription masters. The weight of regret pressed heavily on his heart.
His gaze then shifted to the pile of materials, and Alex felt his heartache anew.
Although he dreaded the answer, he couldn't help but ask, "How much did you spend on these materials?"
Sam replied with a helpless tone, "About 70 gold."
Alex sighed in relief, thinking that 70 was a manageable sum. However, Sam's subsequent words shattered his newfound hope. "I have 70 gold left."
Alex's world turned dark, and he collapsed to the floor in a faint.
While a group of young nobles listened as a well-dressed man with a charming grin praised the merits of a particular inscription symbol paper in the trade fair's bustling transaction hall. These papers, created by the illustrious Master William, were widely sought after since they could increase any treasure's strength and status by at least 20%.
Sam had paid the hefty admission fee to enter this exclusive transaction hall, and his entire fortune now amounted to a modest 75% of gold. He tread carefully, conscious that the slightest misstep could result in a financial catastrophe.
Curious to see how inscription masters earned their keep, Sam ventured into the hall dedicated to inscription products, investing a significant portion of his remaining wealth in the process.
As he overheard the conversation nearby, the staggering price of 1500 gold for Master William's work left Sam stunned. It was a veritable downpour of gold coins from the heavens.
However, he couldn't help but experience a rush of excitement at the idea. The possibility of being wealthy had never been more tempting, even if he had begun his journey of inscribed art to make money.