He put down the Stone Slab and asked, "Where can I get a Purification Rune Array? The kind used for cultivation."

The Witch finally glanced up at him, the corner of her mouth twitching.

"West side, Workshop district. The Alchemy and Rune Association office. But kid, I’d advise you not to get your hopes up. That thing isn’t meant for an Apprentice."

Ian nodded and turned to leave.

The office of the Alchemy and Rune Association was a three-story stone building. Most who entered and exited had a composed aura, being at least Apprentices who had touched the threshold of Tier One. Occasionally, Official Wizards would come and go.

Ian walked into the first-floor hall. Many samples of Rune Array Discs were on display, with brief descriptions and prices marked beside them.

He quickly found his target: a Tier One Rune Array Disc called the "Source Annihilation Array."

The principle of this Array was to treat contamination as structurally flawed Energy or matter. It would ingeniously construct a high-energy reaction field to forcibly break it down into the most basic, harmless Magic Power particles.

Marked price: 1,000 Merit Points, or rare materials of an equivalent value.

Behind the counter was an old Apprentice with graying hair and Crystal Glasses, who spoke up when he saw Ian lingering.

"Young man, got your eye on this one? I’ll be honest with you, this Array Disc is fine on the surface, but down here, at best it’ll keep you from going crazy during cultivation. As for efficiency... it’s better than nothing, I suppose."

"If you really want to cultivate in peace, you’ll need to buy a Tier One Top Level Array Disc at the very least, or go to the core area and rent one of those Cultivation Rooms with a Tier Two Purification Array."

He paused. "As long as you have enough Merit Points, I have everything you could want right here."

Ian thanked him and turned to leave.

After leaving the office, a few Apprentices who were selecting materials near the counter began to talk in low voices.

"Got lucky on this sweep. We nabbed an injured Nightwalker and finally scraped together one hundred fifty Merit Points."

"I only have thirty-eight. I’m still two points short of that Concentration Potion."

"I heard some guy on Deputy Captain Snyder’s team had some shit luck—the good kind. He picked off a heavily injured Magma Rock Scale Beast and his Merit Points shot straight past three hundred. Tsk, tsk..."

"Three hundred? That’s top-tier for an Apprentice, right? He’s probably in the top twenty around here?"

"Maybe. But it’s still a far cry from the Official Wizards..."

Ian didn’t break his stride, pulling up his hood and calmly merging into the crowd.

He felt that time was tight. A residence cost Merit Points, a Purification Array cost Merit Points, cultivation required Merit Points—everything needed Merit Points.

And his Realm, ever since entering the underground, had been completely stagnant at 91.6%.

The violent and chaotic Magic Power here was impossible to absorb directly. Forceful cultivation would only contaminate one’s mind and could even trigger the whispers of the Abyss’s Will.

He needed a safe place to stay, one that could purify Energy. More importantly, he needed to raise his strength to that of a Level One Wizard as quickly as possible.

Only with the status of an Official Wizard could he gain more resources and respect on this brutal front line.

Ian walked toward the makeshift market that had formed at the edge of the square, his gaze sweeping over the stalls.

He needed to solve his housing problem first, then plan how to efficiently earn Merit Points.

Between the outer and middle zones, he took a liking to a relatively secluded stone house set against a rock wall.

Although it was on the edge of the middle zone, its advantage was its quietness. Plus, there seemed to be a natural crevice behind the rock wall, which might allow for some discreet arrangements.

The monthly rent was thirty Merit Points.

He went to the Residence Management Office, paid the Merit Points, and received the stone house’s Rune key.

The key was cool to the touch. Simple identification and access Runes were engraved within it.

Following the directions, Ian arrived before the stone house numbered "Middle-74".

The stone house was about ten square meters and sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a table, and a chair. Lighting Crystals that emitted a steady white glow were embedded in the walls, along with the faint fluctuations of a Sound Insulation Barrier.

He checked the place over once and, confirming there were no hidden spying Runes, finally let Gaga out.

"Gaa, this is a little better than the tent, but it’s still so depressing," Gaga chirped, landing on the table and ruffling its feathers.

"It’s a temporary foothold," Ian said, taking out the lump of Memory Soft Gold and placing it in his palm.

His Spiritual Power slowly seeped in, guiding the soft gold to deform and extend according to the Inner Armor design he had conceived in his mind.

The silver-gray Metal flowed like a living thing, gradually covering his chest, abdomen, back, shoulders, and arms, forming the prototype of an extremely thin, form-fitting layer of armor, slightly thicker at key points.

The whole process was exceedingly simple, mainly thanks to his freakishly strong Spiritual Power.

After the final step, with a single thought, the soft gold reverted to a lump and he put it back in his pouch.

’Next, I need to earn Merit Points.’

Ian walked to the table and spread out a sheet of rough parchment—a simple map of the nearby area he had picked up at the market.

His gaze fell on several areas he had seen before on the mission Light Curtains.

"Poisonous Mist Rift Valley," "Worm Mud Swamp," "Shadow Weaving Demon activity zone..."

’I can’t reveal all my cards, but I can still be more efficient.’

By coordinating with Gaga’s shadow reconnaissance and his Omen Eye, he could precisely hunt lone or small groups of Tier One Demons, avoiding large-scale battles and prying eyes.

’First, I’ll take a reconnaissance mission to scout out the Poisonous Mist Rift Valley. And while I’m at it... I’ll see if there are any "unexpected windfalls."’

He put away the map, activated the stone house’s simple warning Rune, and headed out the door.

The mission hall was as noisy as ever.

Ian walked to the Light Curtain, found the mission to scout the Poisonous Mist Rift Valley, and pressed his hand on the corresponding Rune on the screen.

His Jade Token warmed slightly as the mission information flowed into it:

[Mission accepted. Time limit: three days. Upon completion, present recorded images or a token at the hall for settlement.]

Ian put away his Jade Token, pulled his hood low, and walked toward the stronghold’s exit.

As he crossed the square, he caught sight of Hawke squatting in a corner, helping a Dwarf polish parts in exchange for a few Magic Stones.

Hawke sensed his gaze and looked up. Their eyes met, and Hawke managed a weak smile before lowering his head again.

Ian averted his gaze and stepped through the faint golden Barrier gate, his figure gradually disappearing into the gloom.

Following the map’s directions, he headed toward the Poisonous Mist Rift Valley.

Gaga was hidden in a special pocket on his chest, releasing only a sliver of its Perception to the outside.

Along the way, he habitually kept his [Eye of Vigilance] active. An invisible eye of Energy followed twenty meters above his head, its vision piercing the gloom to scan the path ahead and to his flanks.

Although its vigilance was greatly diminished here in the underground, where Energy was chaotic and light was distorted.

But Ian had long since made it a habit, treating it as a way to grind his Skill Level.

[Eye of Vigilance: Limit-Breaking x1 (1582/1600) (Limit-Breaking Trait: 1. Concealment)]

This Middle Level Witchcraft was just a hair’s breadth away from its next Limit-Breaking.

The surrounding environment gradually changed from relatively uniform rock strata to a rugged, broken landscape. A strange, cloyingly sweet and spicy smell began to fill the air—a precursor to the unique miasma of the Poisonous Mist Rift Valley.

The fluorescent moss on the rock walls also grew sparse, and the light became even dimmer.

Just as Ian was estimating he was about three *li* from the Rift Valley entrance, the pocket on his chest twitched slightly.

"Gaa, there are people ahead, about five of them. Their Energy fluctuations aren’t weak—they’re all at the High Level Apprentice standard... It’s those mutts from the Deep Red Royal Court!"

Gaga’s voice rang out in his mind. Thanks to Ian’s indoctrination, it had also come to despise the Deep Red Royal Court.

Ian’s eyes turned cold in an instant.

The Deep Red Royal Court.