Wearing a black mage robe embroidered with four golden stripes.
Fourth-rank Magus?!
Sorinus's pupils slightly contracted, but he remained calm on the surface.
He sensed a faint trace of fire elemental magic active around the man.
"Brand, why don't you give it a try?"
The shopkeeper pointed to the spirit potion on the table.
The stern-faced mage nodded lightly.
He picked up the potion, poured a little into his mouth, then closed his eyes and began to meditate directly on the floor.
In just a few minutes, he suddenly opened his eyes.
"The effect is slightly inferior to that of high-grade spirit potions, but my perception of fire elements has increased significantly!"
"By how much?"
"At least thirty percent!"
The mage's eyes gleamed with excitement.
The shopkeeper's expression changed immediately, becoming enthusiastic and respectful.
"May I ask if this was formulated by Master Alduran?"
"What do you think?"
Sorinus snorted coldly.
The shopkeeper quickly changed his tone, "Master."
"I wonder, Master Alduran, how do you intend to sell these?"
Sorinus picked up the tea on the table and took a sip before calmly saying, "Fifteen thousand gold coins per dose."
The shopkeeper's face changed dramatically. "That's impossible!"
Even the faces of little John and the mage twitched.
Sorinus was indeed bold in setting the price.
"At most ten thousand gold coins per dose, and you must provide us with at least five doses."
"Thirteen thousand! And there's only one dose, this kind of new material is very rare.."
Sorinus's tone was firm. "Otherwise, I'll go to another guild."
With that, Sorinus got up to leave.
The shopkeeper hurriedly grabbed him, and bluntly said, "Alright!"
Meditation efficiency comparable to high-grade spirit potions, coupled with unprecedented affinity.
If placed in an auction, it would be enough to drive many people crazy!
Thirteen thousand... the selling price could easily be several times higher.
The shopkeeper gladly paid Sorinus over ten thousand gold coins, to which Sorinus nodded in satisfaction.
"Pleasure doing business with you. If Master Alduran has more next time..."
The shopkeeper wanted to get closer to Sorinus again, but Sorinus was already leaving the shop.
Once Sorinus's figure disappeared from the doorway.
The smile on the shopkeeper's face suddenly disappeared.
"Brand!"
The mage who had tested the potion stepped forward. "Are you planning..."
Brand's face showed a cruel smile.
The shopkeeper's gaze turned cold as he nodded. "Get Elaine as well, a fourth-rank mage and a fourth-rank knight should be enough to deal with this fat sheep.."
The shopkeeper played with the warm crystal vial in his hand, smiling faintly. "If we could get his potion formula, we'd be set.."
...
After leaving the shop, Sorinus deliberately took a few detours.
He had planned to sell the remaining two bottles of potion at another shop, but he felt a vague sense of mental power firmly locking onto him.
As expected...
Sorinus had anticipated this situation.
"If there's a fifty percent profit, it'll take risks; for a hundred percent profit, it'll dare to trample on all rules and laws; for a three hundred percent profit, it'll dare to commit any crime, even risking hanging.."
That's the nature of merchants.
Sorinus remained completely calm, pretending not to notice anything, and hurriedly walked towards the outskirts of the city.
"If he hides in some corner of the imperial city, it'll be difficult for us, but if he leaves the city... hehe.."
In a dark corner, a muscular man with a fierce and cruel face grinned.
"What's the target's strength?"
Brand, who was using his mental power to lock onto Sorinus's figure, opened his eyes confidently. "Not exceeding third rank, might have some tricky methods.. but as long as we coordinate, there's no escape!"
The big man laughed even more heartily.
Sorinus left the city gate and headed towards a desolate and remote area.
When he reached a place several miles away from any signs of human activity, he stopped.
Turning around.
Elaine stood behind him, about ten meters away.
"You're alert too late, Master.."
Elaine smiled faintly at Sorinus.
A fireball flew towards him.
Elaine's face changed drastically as she barely dodged it.
Just as she relaxed a little, the fireball suddenly exploded, splattering sparks all over her body.
"Ah!"
She screamed in pain, rolling on the ground.
A white qi flashed over her body, extinguishing the flames.
But her face and body were covered in burnt marks, looking extremely miserable.
Sorinus didn't bother to exchange any pleasantries with her.
A few more exploding fireballs were thrown out.
"How is this possible?!"
Elaine exclaimed in frustration.
"Damn it, being able to cast second-level spells instantly means at least fourth or even fifth-rank mage strength, okay?"
"Brand! You bastard, get out here... I can't hold on much longer!" Elaine screamed loudly.
A knight facing a mage, one close-range and one long-range, was already at a disadvantage.
Especially against a mage who could cast spells instantly, the opponent was like a humanoid cannon.
"Damn it!"
Brand, hiding in the shadows, cursed softly, realizing his mistake.
The opponent wasn't a fat sheep at all; he was clearly a hungry wolf waiting for them to take the bait.
He quickly chanted a spell and threw out four or five exploding fireballs.
Although he couldn't cast instantly like Sorinus, due to his fourth-rank strength, the power and quantity of the fireballs were significantly stronger.
Sorinus had to dodge.
Dodging five fireballs, the sparks from the explosions were blocked by the magic shield outside his body.
Elaine and Brand cooperated seamlessly. Seizing this opportunity, they both kicked hard on the ground, pointing their swords fiercely at Sorinus.
Just as Elaine was about to approach Sorinus.
Two rings of fire burst out suddenly, forcing him back several meters.
Sorinus gasped for breath heavily.
Fighting alone against a fourth-rank knight and a fourth-rank mage was a bit challenging.
Most notably, his mana was running low, constantly casting spells, and his mental strength was struggling to keep up.
A hint of a smirk appeared on Brand's face.
"He's not that strong, he just knows how to cast instantly.."
Elaine raised her sword, the white aura reaching its peak, ready for the next strike.
Sorinus sighed and muttered to himself, "They're just bullying me because they outnumber me, hmph.."
"Is your mana depleted?"
Brand wore a confident smile on his face.
"You haven't even reached third rank yet.. tsk tsk, being able to cast second-level spells instantly is impressive.."
"Why waste time talking to him?" Elaine impatiently interrupted Brand, looking at Sorinus with a fierce expression.
"Kid, hand over the formula for the high-grade spirit potion voluntarily, and I'll let you go.."
Elaine cracked her neck, making a "crackling" sound.
"Otherwise, I'll slowly crush every inch of bone in your body until you scream until you're out of breath.."
Brand pulled the corner of his mouth and added, "Also, hand over the technique of instant casting."
Sorinus squinted at the two of them and suddenly said.
"Do you.. think you've got me figured out?"
Elaine grinned, hoisting the knight's greatsword over her shoulder, making her intentions clear.
"Yes, we've got you figured out."
Sorinus nodded, standing straight, calmly snapping his fingers.
"Come out, Iya, time for a snack."
Brand and Elaine were taken aback.
The next moment, the heads of the two slowly lifted, their eyes widening.
It seemed like a shadow in the sky completely covered them.
Their faces were filled with horror, as if they had seen something terrifying.
In the sky behind Sorinus, a creature over ten meters long, with a huge body, appeared.
With fiery red scales and eyes with golden vertical pupils in the black, it stared fixedly at the two.
The dragon wings fluttered lightly, stirring up a fierce wind that blew onto their faces, carrying a hot sulfur smell.
"A dragon..."
Brand was horrified, screaming incoherently.
"A dragon! It's a dragon!"
Elaine was also shocked.
The two of them turned pale, a chill rising from their hearts, their bodies trembling involuntarily, like chaff.
They turned around and fled.
"Roar!"
A deafening roar.
Sorinus tilted his head somewhat helplessly, covering one of his ears.
"It's really noisy.."
Iya flapped its wings and flew above the fleeing duo.
Its claws lightly pressed down.
"Ah!.."
A short scream.
A faint red light appeared under the dragon's claw. When Iya lifted its paw again, there was only a disgusting puddle of meat left underneath.
Elaine was going crazy.
Boundless fear gave her the last bit of courage. She raised her longsword high and roared.
A brilliant white light shone on the sword.
Sorinus looked at her with surprise in his eyes.
"Huh, she actually broke through in the heat of the moment! What a genius.."
"Phew.."
A surging flame engulfed Elaine, and not even a trace of white light could be seen.
When Iya closed its mouth.
"Clang.."
A broken piece of iron fell to the ground, still burning with faint flames.
Sorinus frowned and walked over.
"Roar.."
Iya let out a low growl, bringing its head over to Sorinus, as if asking for approval.
"Master, how did I do?!"
"Bad review!"
Sorinus tapped Iya's head and pointed to the two marks on the ground. "How am I supposed to loot their bodies like this! This habit is too extravagant, it's not good, it needs to change!"
Iya nodded with a look of grievance.
As for Elaine, there was no need to think about it. She had been completely burned to ashes.
Sorinus rummaged through the meat sauce that used to be Brand, pulled out a sticky magic book.
It should be his magic notes or something.
Sorinus gave up as well.
"Ah, forget it.."
Sorinus sighed, climbed onto Iya's back, and directed it towards the imperial city.
...
"Young master, you're finally back!"
The effects of the transformation potion and the voice-changing potion had long worn off, and Sorinus had returned to his noble young appearance.
Seeing Sorinus return, Elara was very happy, welcoming him joyfully.
Sorinus smiled at her, accompanied Elara to finish dinner, then disappeared into the basement.
"Return to Pasture."
Familiar scenes.
Sorinus dumped all the coins from the large black cloth bag onto the ground, forming a small mound with a rustling sound.
Finally, he had money.
Sorinus eagerly chose "Upgrade Dragon's Nest".
"Upgrading to a medium-sized fire-type Dragon's Nest.."
Mysterious power descended from the sky once again, thunderously transforming Iya's home.
"Upgrade completed."
"Congratulations to the Lord of Pasture for successfully upgrading the Dragon's Nest to medium size, gaining 200 experience points, and 2000 gold coins."
The medium-sized fire-type Dragon's Nest now looked like a small active volcano.
Smoke billowed from the volcano's mouth, emitting hot air and sulfur.
Iya excitedly growled a few times, flapping its wings and flying up, diving into the lava lake, rolling happily.
Sorinus nodded in satisfaction.
There were still over six thousand gold coins left.
"Develop the second farmland."
The second farmland was much more expensive than the first, costing five hundred gold coins.
"Congratulations to the host for successfully owning the second farmland, gaining 100 experience points, and 1000 gold coins."
Sorinus wanted to laugh heartily.
Investment might be high, but the returns were extremely lucrative.
Three thousand gold coins, three hundred experience points.
He could directly upgrade to the third stage magician now.
"Click to upgrade."
His spiritual power surged again.
Sorinus's current experience was "171/500."
It was time to get better food for Iya.
Sorinus accessed the crop store.
Dragon Scale Fruit, and the next level up is.. Dragon Ling Flower!
"Dragon Ling Flower: A magical flower accompanying the dragons, which can help dragons grow faster, providing 50 growth points."
It was ten times the effect of Dragon Scale Fruit.
The maturity cycle was also longer, taking three days.
The price was five times that of Dragon Scale Fruit, five hundred gold coins per seed, which was acceptable.
Each harvest would give Sorinus more experience, five points of experience.
With two farmlands, he could plant ten Dragon Ling Flowers.
Sorinus spent five thousand gold coins to plant Dragon Ling Flowers.
His assets returned to over a thousand gold coins.
"Now Iya can produce five thousand gold coins a day. After deducting the cost of planting Dragon Ling Flowers, I can earn an extra ten thousand gold coins every two days.."
Sorinus smiled with satisfaction.
The days of being financially strapped were finally over.
Iya was his money tree.