"Brother Sam, Brother Sam, please quickly open the door!"
Sam smiled when he heard this voice, as it was Alex.
"Holy Crap! Brother Sam is my life's idol! Dude, First place! You're way too amazing!"
Alex had been unable to attend the second trial, so he had no idea what Sam had been through and had only now learned of the good news.
"Mm. I was able to display some good results yesterday, and my recent progress was quite good, so I was able to attain first place." Sam replied.
"Let's hang out where we brothers will drink to celebrate your achievement!." Alex shouted, filled with happy feelings.
"Mmm, good idea! but for now I don't have time for this, we have to go buy some things first."
Having said that, Sam took out a piece of paper and began to write down the items he needed for the medicinal inscription symbol.
There were various inscription symbols, but Sam had chosen the simplest one, dubbed the "Lower Spirit Cure Symbol."
This type of medical insignia could only be found on lower-quality medications. The costly Crimson Gold Dragon Marrow Pill and Golden Snake Scarlet Pill, which could not be purchased anywhere in the entire Starlight Haven Kingdom, could only be deemed lower-grade pills in the eyes of the ancient elder.
With Sam's current ability, even drawing this 'Lower Spirit Cure Symbol' was already his limit.
Aside from that, Sam had never heard of the numerous components required for higher-quality medical symbols.
Even this 'Inferior Spirit Cure Symbol' had many exceedingly rare materials.
Although Alex knew little about inscription techniques, as soon as he saw Sam write an entire page of materials, he could recognize a few, for instance, 'fourth-grade vicious beast blood.'
"Brother Sam, you want to buy fourth-grade vicious beast blood?"
It had to be known that the Crimson Gold Dragon was also a fourth-level vicious beast.
Fourth-level vicious beasts were at least equal to a Houtian master.
Although the rare vicious beast blood might be purchased in the Starlight Haven Kingdom, it would be offered at an exorbitant price.
This stuff would only be imported overseas; even one or two vials would cost a thousand gold.
Sam continued to write, and the increasing number of materials made Alex feel increasingly fearful and apprehensive. He finally could not bear it and asked, "Brother Sam, do you have that much money?"
Sam nodded. "Mister Jonas gave me 15,000 gold in banknotes a few days ago. It was an early payment for future 'Overwhelming Rune' inscriptions. I just need to deliver them to him later."
"1…15,000….heavens!" Alex gulped down his saliva.
The last time was 9000 gold, this time it was 15,000. He suddenly felt numb, as if gold had just become a number.
One place in Starlight Haven City sold the most inscription materials. It wasn't the Hundred Treasure Hall or any auction house. It was Starlight Haven City's Inscription Association.
Many rare and precious materials couldn't be bought anywhere else, and the price was slightly cheaper than the market price.
"What? Such a good place exists?"
Alex felt this was inconceivable, even after hearing it from Sam's lips.
"This is impossible, unless the person in charge of the Inscription Association's trade union was crazy. If I were the one in charge, I would definitely hike the prices up."
Sam shrugged, "This is what I heard."
They visited several high-end shops and official auction houses but didn't find the rare materials they needed there.
"Then I guess we will go to the Inscription Association." Alex suggested.
"Mm…seems like that's the only plan left."
Sam suspected that shopping at the Inscription Association required the high status of an inscription master.
Until his strength and cultivation had caught up to his inscription technique level, Sam did not want to expose the existence of his skill at the inscription.
This might cause much trouble for him and even place him in dangerous situations.
Although he had Jonas's protection, Sam did not want to trouble him too much.
"Not only do I need an inscription master certificate, but I also need contribution points to purchase any items?"
After Sam arrived at the Inscription Association, he inquired to an elder sister about how to buy rare and precious materials and received this sort of reply.
"I knew it! There was no way such a good deal could exist!"
Alex crossed his arms in satisfaction. This was normal.
"What are contribution points?" Sam asked.
"Mm…it seems your master is not an inscription master of Starlight Haven Kingdom," said the elder sister who managed the reception desk, as she thought Sam was here to purchase materials for his master.
"Contribution points are earned through contributions made by inscription masters and registered at our office. For example, if they accomplished any chores, obligations, or objectives assigned by the Inscription Association, you may earn some contribution points. You might also hold a position or office, such as association president, and earn points. You may definitely donate and trade contribution points with other inscription masters. There are also various ways to earn contribution points. You can view them if you look at the regulations of the Inscription Association. If your master wishes to become a member of the Inscription Association, he is welcome to do so."
The Inscription Association was a loosely organized organization. Many inscription masters were elderly individuals primarily concerned with learning and wisdom.
They were mainly isolated individuals who lived in seclusion and had little contact with the outside world. Without establishing a donation points system, the Inscription Association's existence would have been dull, with probably not many inscription masters joining. Even if they did join, there would be few visitors to the trade market.
Sam flipped through the Inscription Association's rules.
As long as he joined the Inscription Association, he could obtain 100 contribution points immediately. There were also many other ways listed to receive contribution points.
"Pfft. If there are rare materials then you would use them, why would you sell them to the Inscription Association." Alex snorted contemptuously.
Sam said, "Sometimes there are too many of some materials and they cannot be all used, and are just sitting around uselessly. In that case, it's better to trade for something useful. But this way of getting contribution points doesn't suit me. The only road possible seems to be completing some sort of mission."
Sam turned to the receptionist and asked, "Elder sister, where would I go to complete missions?"
"To find missions to complete, you have to go to the mission hall. But, you can only enter the mission hall if you have an inscription master qualification certificate. If your master has any interest in this, he could personally come to have a look. There are many benefits to joining the Inscription Association."
The receptionist said with a hot smile.
Sam considered it and asked, "Does the Inscription Association keep member identities confidential?"
"This is certainly a possibility. If your master has a need for privacy then we can guarantee that we can keep all information pertaining to him secret."
"Mmm. That's good. How is the examination, could you take me to participate?"
"Mm?" The receptionist elder sister stared at him with wide eyes.
Sam shrugged and said, "I'm the inscription master."
The reception elder sister stepped back and sized Sam up from head to toe.
She slowly opened her mouth and asked," Could I… ask… what your age is?"
"15."
"15 years old…?"
The receptionist elder sister heard this and was left speechless.
She guessed the boy in front of her was under the tutelage of some mighty inscription master and had a certain level of talent and many achievements.
But a 15-year-old inscription master was just a bit too exaggerated. In these 80 years of the Starlight Haven Kingdom's records, the youngest had only been 18.
The only one who had any hope of breaking this record was Hen Portia of the Warlord Havens.
"This little brother, if you want to participate in the examination to be an inscription master, you need to prepare the treasure and materials."
As she kindly reminded him, the receptionist elder sister had only good intentions.
Only after creating the inscription symbol could one see its quality and effects.
Generally speaking, a new master's inscription symbols would have a feeble effect, and placing it on a rare treasure would be an utter waste of resources.
The Inscription Association was wealthy but could not afford such a wanton waste of resources and materials.
Therefore, the examination required that all examinees bring their treasures and materials, as they did not want some random half-baked inscription apprentice to come and test his luck.
After all, materials for inscription symbols were very pricey.
"Mm. I knew that. If possible I'd like to purchase some good rare treasure for this examination. I can disburse the costs of purchase."
As Sam said this, he entered his clothes and withdrew several shiny gold banknotes.
Seeing Sam casually bring out so many gold banknotes, the receptionist elder sister was astonished. Not even the juniors of aristocratic families would have this amount of gold.
She looked at Sam and saw that he wasn't treating this as some joke. The receptionist said, "Since you insist, please come along with me."
Sam followed the elder sister and entered the interior of the Inscription Association.
Alex also followed along. As they passed through the halls, they saw all kinds of glowing and complex symbols and runes along the walls; Alex was very excited by everything he saw.
The decoration of the Inscription Association was not luxurious, but it had a very spacious atmosphere.
There were no murals or ornaments on the walls.
Instead, there were complex and unique runes dotted around everywhere.
Each rune was a metal sculpture full of texture and seemed like it had come to life.
"We're here." The receptionist elder sister opened the door and waved them in.
Here was the Inscription Association's inscription room, which also served as the examination space.
"Mmm, thank you elder sister."
Sam saw that the inscription room was about 100 feet long and wide as he walked in.
There were several stone platforms suspended in the room.
In the center was a stone platform covered with many different materials. Above this one was a girl of about 15 or 16 years of age who was drawing symbol after symbol in the air.
The young girl's ten slender, jade-like fingers jumped and weaved in the air.
The girl's watery eyes focused on each symbol as she traced them, and her full attention was devoted to her work. She did not notice Sam and Alex's arrival.
The manner in which she drew the inscription symbol was highly skilled. She was like a superbly professional musician.
Near the young girl was also an older man. He sat behind her on an oversized round-backed wooden chair, looking as if he were meditating with his eyes closed.
But Sam could see the reality of the situation; the older man's soul force had been placed on the girl's body to assist her, and each rune the girl drew was within the older man's grasp.