Earth's Greatest Magus

With Hecate's integration into Emery's subtle influence, the immediate pressure from Kronos was temporarily alleviated. However, a new urgency arose – the need for more spirit stones. The moon base construction had been in progress for three weeks, leaving Emery with a mere 10 days until the 5 million second installment payment to Master Borin was due. The stark reality that the Earth factions lacked the required funds was a source of frustration.

In a discussion about devising a strategy for quick wealth accumulation, Klea proposed with a sly smile, "What about tricking Kronos again? Force them to break the blood contract agreement and pay the 50 million."

Hearing this gives Emery a headache. Not only was Klea not joking, but he was actually tempted to agree. This shows how desperate they were.

Other than the production installments, they also needed to prepare for the defense barrier, and possibly add more Magus guards, including, if possible, a Grand Magus level. The 50 million coins would have resolved all of these problems.

"Let's go back to Golden City first," Emery suggested.

To handle the matter with Khaos, Emery had to take Cthulhu back with him from Terra City. Therefore, Emery opted to use the Nova ship for the trip. It would be best if he had the means to activate the waypoints in Terra City without having to leave the Khaos guardians. As of now, Emery had the opportunity for a leisure trip with Klea.

Three days later, they touched down in Golden City. Emery's immediate agenda was to explore the lucrative prospects offered by the apothecary, which had become his default plan for amassing wealth. His next destination was the Golden City Apothecary Center.

"Alright then, let's separate for now," Klea suggested with a smile.

Recognizing that Klea couldn't assist him in the apothecary, Emery acknowledged her decision and wished her luck with her own plans. Klea intended to register with the Golden City Formation Center, aiming to both earn money and enhance her skills.

"Good luck," Emery said, offering a reminder for her to stay cautious. With VIA's access to Golden City's security systems, Emery felt reassured that she would remain safe.

With a determined mindset, Emery made his way to the Apothecary Center.

Emery's initial inclination was to undergo the apothecary test and attain his mastery title, which promised numerous benefits. However, advancing to the desired ranks—senior artisan (rank 6) and master (rank 7)—required substantial fees. Additionally, the next test was a week away, a timeline that Emery couldn't afford to wait for.

Considering his options, Emery decided to revisit and assess his virtual shop, [Merlin's Apothecary] It had been eight years since he last accessed the shop, and the only notable activity was the cancellation of an order for his [reviving pills]

Despite his Artisan rank and his status as Master Grom's disciple, Emery realized that relying on his master workshop for the highly profitable yet low-tier [reviving pills] wasn't yielding substantial returns. Producing 500 of them only garnered a total of 750,000 spirit stones. Recognizing the urgent need for better and more lucrative products, Emery sought to enhance his inventory swiftly.

Inspired by the possibilities presented at the last auction, Emery was keen on crafting the highly sought-after [Heaven Defying Pills]. The notes he acquired from Vanyar, a valuable resource, hinted at the intricate process involved in creating these potent pills. However, the journey to perfecting such high-tier alchemy required time—possibly weeks or even months of meticulous development.

"Perhaps I should begin with ready-made recipes," he contemplated.

As he perused his repertoire of recipes, he realized that all the good ones required him to purchase expensive ingredients. Faced with this dilemma, Emery recognized the urgent need for funds to sustain his alchemical pursuits.

With his pockets nearly emptied, Emery decided to leverage his accumulated wealth of potions and pills gathered from his victims during the celestial expeditions. These items, though of lesser quality than what Emery could personally create, still held substantial value in the market. Determined to expedite the creation of new recipes, he made his way to the alchemical shop in Golden City.

The shelves of the shop were filled with vials and phials and the transaction yielded a substantial influx of spirit stones.

[You received 1,850,000 spirit stones.]

Examining the newfound wealth, Emery couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. "Alright, this should be enough to finance the initial batches of high-tier pills," he affirmed.

As he walks away from the shop, Emery passesan unfamiliar room that had eluded his notice in previous visits.

"What is this place?"

This circular hall held an intriguing atmosphere, with notes plastered all over the walls. Drawn by curiosity, Emery approached one of these notes and began reading its contents.

[Refining Heart Clearing Pills]

The note delved into the challenges faced by the Apothecary master in the pursuit of creating a tier 6 pill. Judging by the worn appearance of the note, it had occupied its spot on the wall for many years, serving as a testament to the enduring difficulties associated with the alchemical process.

Emery's eyes wandered to the note adjacent to the first one, revealing yet another apothecary problem. Much to his surprise, the room was brimming with dozens of high-grade apothecary dilemmas, each having stubbornly clung to the walls for years. While the intricacies of solving these issues were captivating, Emery acknowledged the pressing constraints on his time. However, a newfound revelation caught his attention – there was a number at the bottom of each note.

[2.1 million spirit stones] [1.5 million spirit] [3 million spirit stones]

These figures represented the lucrative rewards awaiting anyone who could successfully tackle and resolve the apothecary challenges. Realizing that this could be the optimal path to amassing wealth swiftly, Emery made a decisive choice to engage with and solve as many of these problems as possible.

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