Regarding the [Blood Qi Blade] skill, Lin Mo was generally quite satisfied.

As for the slight self-inflicted damage... it was probably due to excessive and rapid consumption of qi and blood. For ordinary warriors, this might be quite troublesome, but for Lin Mo, it was completely insignificant.

Don't forget, he also possessed the "Knight" profession, and his current constitution, including profession bonuses, had reached a terrifying 33 points!

The tiny amount of self-damage caused by this skill was almost negligible in the face of such high constitution.

After learning [Blood Qi Blade], only one final, most significant skill remained.

[Primary Meditation Technique].

Just from the name, it was clear this was one of the core skills that mages absolutely must learn.

However, the barrier to learning this skill was quite high. For just the primary level, it was already an excellent-grade skill. By that calculation, wouldn't intermediate and advanced levels be epic-level and legendary-level?

Ordinary mages wouldn't just struggle to learn it—even obtaining the scroll would be incredibly difficult.

Ordinary-grade spell scrolls were worth at least three hundred gold coins, excellent-grade ones would definitely exceed a thousand, and excellent-grade...

Lin Mo didn't even dare imagine how expensive this thing must be.

Unfortunately, his current level and strength were far from meeting the requirements to create skill scrolls, otherwise just making skill scrolls alone could make him incredibly wealthy.

Returning to the main topic, Lin Mo calmed his mind and focused, carefully studying the contents recorded on this skill scroll.

As could be anticipated, this skill was extremely complex, and unlike previous magic circuit combinations, it involved precise control of magical power and required a completely clear mind with highly concentrated spirit to enter the so-called "meditation" state.

This process was quite difficult. Controlling magical power was manageable, but maintaining a completely clear mind posed a significant challenge for beginners.

This was the first time since transmigrating to this world that Lin Mo felt completely stumped while learning a skill.

What exactly constituted a completely clear mind and what "highly concentrated" meant, he had no clear concept, only able to approach it as closely as possible.

However, his habit of overthinking meant that as soon as Lin Mo closed his eyes, he would involuntarily start pondering this and that, making his thoughts increasingly cluttered instead.

How could he truly achieve a completely clear mind?

After over an hour with no progress, Lin Mo simply paused his research. Without finding the key, continuing would only be counterproductive. It was better to let his brain relax first and go out for some spending.

So he left the scroll in the room and went to find Sherfilia and Ellie. Coincidentally, their sparring session had temporarily concluded, and everyone quickly agreed to call Finnie and head out shopping together.

Lin Mo brought all the money he had and first went to the auction house.

As expected, that skill scroll had indeed been sold, fetching exactly 400 gold coins, bringing Lin Mo's total funds to 1,523 gold.

Lin Mo had already decided how to use this money—to purchase elemental reagents!

Previously, in the secret realm, he had obtained a primary flame reagent and drank it immediately after learning magic, increasing his fire element affinity.

The effect was quite noticeable. Combined with the magic stone embedded in his mithril gloves, Lin Mo could now learn and cast fire element magic noticeably faster, with relatively greater power.

According to what Yulian had said back then, elemental reagents don't conflict with each other, meaning Lin Mo could purchase and drink reagents for other elements to enhance his affinity with them.

Although limited by his current magical level, such potions might not provide significant immediate improvement, they offered lifelong benefits.

Even if he obtained higher-level elemental reagents later, they would stack on top of the lower-level ones rather than completely replace them.

In other words, skipping lower-level reagents and directly consuming intermediate or advanced ones would result in discounted effects.

Therefore, purchasing elemental reagents was a no-loss investment that would benefit him long-term.

For Lin Mo currently, this was probably the best use of his money.

The group walked along the street. Although not dressed in their usual adventurer attire but rather ordinary clothes, their exceptional appearances still attracted considerable attention.

Of course, both their composed demeanor and Sherfilia's maid outfit undoubtedly signaled to others that their identities weren't simple, so no one dared disturb them easily.

Like Lin Mo, Ellie had recently upgraded her equipment, and Finnie and Sherfilia similarly had nothing they needed to buy, so they were genuinely just strolling, buying snacks along the way.

However, foods that looked particularly unhealthy would be stopped by Sherfilia, who wouldn't allow their purchase.

Walking, browsing, and eating along the way, the group eventually arrived at Madam Shachel's alchemy shop.

Finnie wiped sauce from the corner of her mouth, looking at the shop ahead with complex emotions.

If not accompanying Lin Mo, she probably wouldn't have come here voluntarily.

Pushing the door open, the familiar wind chime sound greeted them as usual. Madam Shachel slept in her recliner as she did every afternoon, showing no sign of running a business.

Alchemists mostly seemed like this—more willful than shopkeepers of other establishments.

"Auntie Shachel..."

Finnie's soft, tender voice made the half-asleep Shachel instantly open her eyes and sit up directly from the recliner.

Saying this, she casually glanced at the others, showing no intention of greeting them.

Finnie wore an awkward yet polite smile: "Mr. Lin Mo wants to buy something, so I'm accompanying him..."

Only then did Shachel reluctantly shift her gaze to Lin Mo, pursing her lips: "What do you want to buy?"

"Madam Shachel, I'd like to purchase elemental reagents."

"Oh?"

Shachel raised her eyebrows, "Which attributes?"

"Lightning and earth attributes."

Shachel paused briefly: "Why are you buying so many... which element do you primarily cultivate?"

"Um... fire, ice, earth, wind, lightning?"

If money weren't tight, Lin Mo would naturally want one of each attribute.

But with limited funds, he could only choose two.

He chose lightning element because spells of this attribute had considerable power, and Lin Mo happened to have a very useful skill [Lightning Strike].

As for the earth element, that went without saying. Since developing the combined usage of [Earth Shield], knight skill [Shield Bash], and [Great Shield Charge], this had become one of Lin Mo's most frequently used spells.

Shachel rubbed her temples, instinctively wanting to lecture him, but remembering the scene from his last visit, she held back her words.

Later, when she carefully examined those two scrolls again, she discovered that the spiritual power within them had actually been consumed somewhat.

Meaning, in that short period, this kid had actually learned her two spells...

For normal people, specializing in one element was the correct path, but for him, that might not necessarily apply.

With this kid's talent, specializing in one element while dabbling in others probably wouldn't cause issues, so she might as well let him be.

Shaking her head, Shachel got up and rummaged in the inner room for a while, returning with a tray covered with soft, expensive fabric, with two potions resting quietly on the cloth.

One purple, one earth-yellow.

"Two potions, 800 each, total 1,600 gold coins."

She extended her hand as she spoke.

So expensive?!

Lin Mo was instantly shocked. He remembered that Granny Yulian's potion back then only cost 600, and the one he brought out from the secret realm could only sell for 800 gold coins.

Were things more expensive in big cities? Or...

Lin Mo carefully examined the potions before him, then secretly felt astonished.

Although his eye wasn't as precise and sharp as a professional alchemist's, he could clearly see that Madam Shachel's skill level was indeed considerably higher than Granny Yulian's. The effects of these two potions were probably not much different from the one he brought out from the secret realm.

He remembered Granny Yulian saying that was the work of an alchemy master, and Shachel's potions were only slightly inferior to a master's—didn't that mean they were very close to master-level standards?

One must know, master-level alchemists were equivalent to transcendent-level adventurers.

This seemingly ordinary woman before him was actually approaching transcendent existence!

With that level of skill, plus some city premium, 800 gold indeed wasn't excessively unreasonable.

Of course, it was still somewhat expensive, so bargaining was essential.

"Can it be cheaper?"

Lin Mo asked directly.

Shachel didn't seem surprised by this, almost as if she had prepared for it: "For little Finnie's sake, at most 780 each."

That was a full 40 gold coins cheaper per potion—quite a significant discount.

But her quick agreement also meant they were far from reaching her expected bottom line.

"Madam Shachel, I'm a regular customer, right? Make it a bit cheaper? I'll always come to you for future purchases."

"You still have the nerve to mention that?"

Shachel shot him a glare: "Last time you took two spell scrolls from me, and I haven't settled accounts with you yet!"

Lin Mo showed a slightly embarrassed smile, brazenly continuing: "So can it be any cheaper?"

Even at 780 gold coins each, he couldn't afford two.

"What do you think?"

"If you ask me, of course it can be."

The words at Shachel's lips were stifled by his response, making her laugh in frustration.

"No!"

Well, it seemed he could only call for reinforcements.

Lin Mo looked at Finnie with pleading eyes. At times like this, it still depended on her.

Finnie, help me!

Finnie wore a somewhat troubled expression, but unable to withstand Lin Mo's expectant, begging gaze, she could only brace herself and look at Shachel before her.

"Um, Auntie Shachel, could you..."