If you focus on creating a magic item, you will inevitably put aside other things at hand.
But Zuo Si was not disturbed at all. Instead, his work efficiency improved.
Both the production speed and the time consumed are almost half of what they were before.
But the sorceress obviously didn't know that the reason why Zuo Si became faster was, on the one hand, due to the substantial improvement in his creator level, which made him more adept at using the two abilities of [Refining] and [Shaping], and the effects and range of influence were much stronger than before.
On the other hand, he had already read almost all the books in the library, and there was no need to delay any further.
He even found the time to copy down a few useful second-level spells on the blank pages of the two spell books he had.
For example, [Detect Thoughts] can detect other people's inner thoughts; another example is [Wild Power] which can increase the target's strength, agility and constitution attributes by +2 at the same time; or [Visual Connection] can observe through the eyes of other creatures.
In short, these are unpopular magics that are not found in spell books and are relatively rare, rarely used by other spellcasters.
By studying and transcribing these spells, Zuo Si discovered a very troublesome problem.
That is the special ink used to copy spells and scrolls, and it is really too expensive.
According to the first-level magic transcription, one page of the spell book is needed, the second-level needs two pages, the third-level needs three pages, and so on...
If you reach the highest ninth ring, it will take up nine full pages.
The ink needed to copy one page of a spell book costs about 100 gold coins.
This also means that...
Just to copy down all the first and second level spells, the ink alone would cost around 60,000 to 70,000!
If the scope is expanded to below the Fifth Ring Road, the number will swell to hundreds of thousands or even millions.
In addition, there is the cost of renting spell books from others for copying (roughly the spell level multiplied by 50 gold coins) and the cost of purchasing scrolls.
Anyway, if you want to learn magic in the continent of Faerun, you must first prepare a huge amount of money.
It gives people the feeling that no matter how much money you have, it will never be enough.
What's more, the higher the level of spells, the harder it is to obtain.
Magic scrolls and books above the fifth ring are rarely sold openly on the market.
If you want a higher level, you need to find another way.
Or make secret deals with the red-robed wizards who set up concessions everywhere; or join some powerful spellcasting organizations; or become a disciple of a "great wizard";
Or find a dimensional merchant who tries to trade with you and is willing to cheat you;
Or become an adventurer and explore ancient ruins to find the books, knowledge and scrolls you need.
This is also the reason why Zuo Si must leave Calim Port and go to Candlekeep.
As the largest library on the west coast of Faerun, the knowledge and spells recorded there may not be the most powerful, but they are definitely the most systematic and comprehensive.
Thinking of this, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders and responded, "Because I will be leaving Port Calim soon. Before I leave, I will use up all the materials you prepared."
"Leaving? So soon?" Elsa was visibly stunned.
"Yeah. I plan to stay away before the guild war starts. Oh, by the way, I want to buy a lot of things from you before I leave." As he said that, Zuo Si took out a list he had prepared in advance.
The sorceress took it and glanced at it, then the corners of her mouth suddenly rose sharply, and she answered without hesitation: "No problem!
I will have everything on the list ready by the day after tomorrow at the latest.
Since my spellcasting level is LV13.
Therefore, the [Fireball Wand] and [Dispel Wand (third-level "Dispel Magic")] that I made by myself are both priced at 29,250 gold coins, [Invisibility Wand] 19,500 gold coins, and [Memory Wand (fourth-level magic. It allows the mage to restore a spell that has already been cast, and the highest spell is no more than the third level)] 39,000 gold coins.
It can bounce back most attacks such as arrows, and is sold for 6500 gold coins. "
"Okay, I'll take them all." Zuo Si didn't try to bargain.
Although the total value of these things has reached an astonishing 120,000 gold coins.
Especially the four magic wands, each of which is so expensive that it makes people want to vomit blood.
But for the sake of safety along the way, the money should still be spent.
After all, for things like the [Fireball Wand] and the [Dispel Wand], the higher the spellcasting level of the maker, the more powerful they are.
Take Fireball as an example.
The same spell, if cast by a LV5 arcane spellcaster, might be as powerful as a large Molotov cocktail.
But if it is released by a level 13 arcane caster, the power is about the same as a napalm bomb with white phosphorus added.
The gap between the two is so big that it's like two completely different spells.
[Memory Wand] can even break the spell slot restrictions of low-level mages, giving the enemy a huge "surprise" in battle.
Anyway, gold coins are meant to be spent.
Zuo Si would not be like those misers and dragons who hid mountains of gold and silver in their family vaults or lair and would never spend a penny until his death.
"I like your straightforwardness."
Elsa could no longer conceal her inner ecstasy. Not only was her mouth smiling, but her eyes were smiling as well.
Before she met Zuo Si, she had never thought that she could make so much profit from one person.
…
At the same time, in the slave market of Port Calin, merchant Bernard had just completed a huge deal with the largest local merchant organization and slave trading group, the Langding Chamber of Commerce.
80 strong male (anti-harmony) slaves, 70 healthy female (anti-harmony) slaves, and a full thousand hard-working camels became the property of the caravan.
Having learned from his previous lessons, he specially hired a team of local mercenaries with a good reputation as guards and managers, a total of more than a dozen people.
Looking at these ragged slaves who were confused and fearful about the future, Bernard pinched his nose and ordered the mercenary leader beside him: "Take them to take a bath, eat something, and have a good rest for two days. Buy some more of the cheapest linen and felt for clothes, and get some leather for shoes. Otherwise, the terrible temperature difference between day and night in the Kalin Desert alone will kill one-third of them."
"Understood! I'll arrange it right away."
A man who looked to be around 30 years old nodded in agreement and without saying anything else, he began to tell his mercenaries to work.
Managing slaves is one of the professional skills that most adventurers and mercenaries in Calimport must master.
Because almost half of their employers were wealthy businessmen and nobles who owned large numbers of slaves.
Some guys were even willing to pay a high price to hire professionals just to capture a runaway slave and torture him to death to vent their anger.
It was very common for caravans to purchase slaves as labor in the Calishite area.
Just as the mercenaries were waving whips and sticks, driving the dirty slaves to the well for washing, a leader of the Longding Chamber of Commerce suddenly came over from a distance and said with a smile: "Bernard, my dear friend. Since you bought a lot of goods from us this time, we have unanimously decided to give you a gift after discussion."
"Gift?" Bernard's eyes flashed with a hint of vigilance.
After all, he is a shrewd businessman and is very familiar with the business mindset.
If a businessman says he wants to give you something as a gift, then this guy definitely wants to make more money from you.
(End of this chapter)