Inventorying the Items

Next were the magic materials.

Matthew temporarily set the magic stones aside and opened several small pouches and wooden boxes in turn.

In the first box were several grayish-brown crystals. Their surfaces were not smooth, looking like fragments forcibly excavated from deep within rock layers. However, as Matthew held them, he could feel the residual earth-element fluctuations within.

“Earth element crystals.”

The quality wasn't top-tier, but the quantity was substantial. These could be used to craft defensive magic materials or be used by earth-attribute apprentices. While Matthew might not need all of them himself, he could easily trade them for other resources.

In the second pouch were several black phosphorus vine roots. The roots were dried and twisted, their surfaces covered in fine, black scaly textures. An ordinary person would mistake them for rotting tree roots, but Matthew knew they were black phosphorus vine roots.

They could be used for stamina recovery potions or as a neutralizing material for certain corrosive potions.

In the third small vial was a mass of dark liquid. The liquid was extremely viscous, sliding slowly against the glass walls and emitting a faint, corrosive scent. Matthew didn't open the stopper, merely observing it under the light for a while.

This had come from inside the tomb's mechanisms and was likely some kind of specially treated demonized venom residue. If handled well, its value was high. If handled poorly, he could end up sabotaging himself.

Matthew placed it separately, far from the other materials.

Following that were a few dark silver scales, a shriveled magical beast eyeball, a small pinch of grayish-white bone powder, and a broken short staff.

That short staff drew several extra looks from Matthew. Its surface was cracked, and the runes originally carved upon it were incomplete. Even so, Matthew could still feel faint mana pathways from the fractures.

It might not be usable anymore, but it could be studied. For a wizard apprentice, something that could be researched was sometimes more valuable than something that could be sold directly, as knowledge itself could be converted into strength.

Matthew carefully set the short staff aside, mentally estimating the value of these materials. Conservatively, they were worth at least sixty magic stones. If he found the right buyer, the price could go even higher.

In other words, the magic stones and materials with confirmed value alone were worth nearly three hundred magic stones.

Three hundred magic stones. A wave of heat rose in Matthew’s heart once more.

For a Second-Grade Apprentice, this was an extremely abundant sum of resources. It was enough to benefit him endlessly; if used correctly, he might even rely on these three hundred magic stones to break through to the Third-Grade Apprentice rank!

However, this was only Matthew’s speculation. He planned to try using one magic stone after finishing his meal to see how effective it would be.

His inventorying was not over yet, for there was still a ring left on the table.

The ring was dark gray and looked utterly unremarkable. It had no gemstones or ornate patterns; its edges were even somewhat worn due to age. If it were just an ordinary accessory, Matthew wouldn't have given it a second glance.

But from the moment he picked it up, he had a faint feeling that something was unusual about this ring. It wasn't a dangerous kind of unusual, but rather that it seemed to hide an extremely subtle mana fluctuation inside.

This fluctuation was very weak—so weak that Matthew could have easily missed it if he hadn't checked repeatedly.

Matthew picked up the ring and turned it slowly under the light. Inside the band was a circle of tiny runes, carved very deeply, though most had been worn away by time. The runes were incomplete, yet they still retained a certain structure.

Matthew didn't rashly put it on. Items brought out from a tomb must never be used casually against one's skin. Who knew if a curse was hidden inside, if the tomb owner’s spiritual mark remained, or if it would trigger some unknown mechanism upon contact with flesh.

Matthew first took out a silver needle and gently touched the ring’s surface. There was no reaction.

Then, he took out a low-level purification talisman and lit it beside the ring. A pale white flame burned slowly, its light reflecting on the ring. No black spots appeared on its surface, nor did any distorted aura emerge.

This indicated there were at least no obvious curses. But Matthew was still not at ease.

He closed his eyes and released a very fine strand of Spirit. The strand was like a thin thread, slowly approaching the ring.

Upon making contact with the ring’s surface, Matthew felt a layer of obstruction. The obstruction was thin yet extremely resilient, like a long-neglected door that, though decayed, remained firmly shut.

Matthew’s heart stirred. This didn't feel like an ordinary magic item. If it were an ordinary ring, his Spirit should have encountered a fixed runic circuit. But the feedback from inside this ring was different; it didn't feel like a simple spell structure, but more like a small, sealed-off space.

Matthew’s breathing grew a bit lighter. He wasn't in a hurry to break through the obstruction.

When it came to Spirit, the finer the detail, the less one could afford to be crude. Especially with old items of unknown origin, a forced impact could easily trigger residual marks or even cause a spiritual backlash.

Matthew controlled his Spirit, rubbing it against the layer of obstruction bit by bit. His movements were very slow, as if he weren't cracking a magic item but slowly peeling away a layer of dried old skin with his fingertips.

The first time, there was no change. The second time, the obstruction merely trembled slightly. The third time, Matthew clearly felt a runic node loosen a little.

He didn't get greedy for speed, continuing to wear it down at the loosened spot. Time passed bit by bit.

The oil lamp in the room made a faint burning sound. Occasional footsteps came from outside, only to quickly fade away. Cold sweat gradually seeped from Matthew’s forehead.

His consumption had already been severe, and continuing to use his Spirit now was undoubtedly further straining his depleted reserves. But he didn't stop because he already had a suspicion.

If this suspicion was true, then the value of this ring might even exceed all the magic stones and materials on the table.

The old mark grew weaker and weaker under his attrition. Finally, at a certain moment, Matthew’s Spirit felt as if it had passed through a thin membrane.

The space ahead suddenly opened up. A cramped but truly existing space appeared within his perception.

Matthew snapped his eyes open. For the first time, a clear look of pleasant surprise appeared in the depths of his eyes.

“A storage ring.”

His voice was very soft. But as those words fell, even Matthew himself could hear the emotion within them.

He closed his eyes again to carefully perceive the interior space of the ring. One cubic meter. Two cubic meters. Nearly three cubic meters.

After confirming this range, Matthew’s heartbeat finally accelerated uncontrollably. Three cubic meters might not be much to a true wizard, but for a Second-Grade Apprentice like him, it was an immense space.

This meant he could carry more potions, materials, food, and weapons when he went out in the future. It meant he didn't have to keep his magic stones in a conspicuous leather pouch. It meant that in the face of danger, he could pull out a prepared trump card from his storage space at any moment.

A three-cubic-meter space was enough to change many things.

Matthew tried to put an ordinary magic stone into it. With a thought of his Spirit, the magic stone on the table vanished instantly. The next moment, it appeared quietly within the ring's space.

Matthew took it out again, and the magic stone fell back into his palm. The process was incredibly smooth. There was no rejection, no collapse, and no hidden traps.

Matthew looked at the magic stone in his palm and then at the ring in his hand. The corners of his mouth finally curled up in a way he couldn't suppress. This joy was even more intense than when he was counting the magic stones earlier.

Magic stones would be used up, and materials would be consumed. But a storage ring was different—it would stay with him. For a long time to come, this would become one of his most vital trump cards.

Matthew slowly slid the ring onto his left index finger. It fit snugly against his skin, bringing a slight sensation of coolness.

He didn't rush to put everything inside, instead testing it repeatedly. Only after confirming the ring's space was stable did he begin to categorize and store the magic stones and materials.

The items on the table dwindled one by one, while the sense of security in Matthew’s heart grew bit by bit. When only a few ordinary magic stones remained for temporary use, he finally leaned back against the chair and let out a long breath.

The harvest this time was too great. It was enough to push his future plans forward by a significant margin.

But after the joy, Matthew didn't relax completely. The sarcophagus deep within the tomb surfaced in his mind again. That thing was what truly made him wary.

If one day he could research and understand that sarcophagus, or even turn it to his own use... Matthew’s eyes flickered slightly. The improvement that would bring would likely be incomparable to a few hundred magic stones; it could be a true leap in strength.

However, he suppressed the thought as soon as it appeared. It was too early to think about such things. He was only a Second-Grade Apprentice.

Even with this harvest, it only meant he had more resources, not that his strength had immediately become greater. The owner of that tomb was likely only a Fifth-Grade Apprentice. Yet the tomb left by a mere Fifth-Grade Apprentice had nearly cost him his life. How terrifying would it be if a living Fifth-Grade Apprentice stood before him?

Of course, the two couldn't be compared directly. That tomb was a place the owner had spent their life's blood to build; the mechanisms, circuits, sarcophagus, and secret rooms were all prepared in advance. In a normal battle, a Fifth-Grade Apprentice might not be able to display such layers of overwhelming pressure.

But even so, it was enough to remind Matthew not to be arrogant. Luck had played a large part in his escape this time.

Firstly, it was because of the map. If the map in his mind hadn't given him enough information, he never could have found the correct route in such a complex tomb, nor could he have avoided certain dangers in advance.

Secondly, it was because he was decisive enough. When the situation turned south, he didn't stay greedy, didn't think about taking just a bit more, and didn't pin his hopes on others. Instead, he chose to retreat immediately.

If he had been even a step slower, the outcome could have been entirely different. Even if he had already been a Third-Grade Apprentice at the time, he might not have escaped so easily. The dangers in the tomb were not something that could be completely crushed by a one or two-grade difference in strength.

Matthew looked down at the ring on his hand, his gaze returning to its usual calm. Resources were good things, but they only truly belonged to him once they were converted into strength. Until then, they could also become a source of calamity.

Just then, a knock came from the door. Aidan’s voice rang out.

“Brother Matthew, the food is here.”

Matthew looked up. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Aidan entered with two inn workers. The workers carried heavy trays laden with steaming food. There was roasted magical beast leg meat dripping with oil, thick slices of stewed meat, rich meat soup, and several plates of meat steaks fried with spices.

Heat flooded the room in an instant. The intense aroma of meat mingled with the unique blood energy of magical beast meat wafted toward him.

Matthew had been able to suppress his hunger before, but the moment he smelled this, his stomach cramped violently. The sense of emptiness deep within his body finally found an outlet.

The workers set down the trays and quickly withdrew. Aidan closed the door and turned around, about to say something, when he saw Matthew had already sat up straight and picked up his knife and fork.

At that moment, the weight in Aidan’s heart finally halfway lifted. He could eat, and he looked like he really wanted to. That meant Brother Matthew was at least truly holding up.

Matthew looked at the table full of food, his gaze rarely lacking its usual coolness. This time, he truly needed to properly compensate for the nutrition he had lost.

Matthew didn't hold back. He cut a large piece of roasted magical beast meat and put it into his mouth. The freshly roasted meat was still piping hot, charred and fragrant on the outside while retaining plenty of juice inside. The moment his teeth bit into it, a surge of intense blood energy and heat slid down his throat and into his stomach.

In that instant, Matthew could almost feel a satisfied sigh from deep within his body. It wasn't mental, but a physical instinct.

The consumption in the tomb had been too great. His Spirit had been constantly strained, and his body had been in a state of tension for a long time. During the escape, he hadn't even had the mind to feel exhausted. It was only now, as the hot magical beast meat hit his stomach, that the hollow weakness finally began to ease bit by bit as if receiving compensation.

Matthew ate quickly but not sloppily. His movements remained restrained, though the frequency with which his knife and fork moved was significantly faster than usual. Thick steaks were cut, soup was gulped down, and heat spread from his stomach to his limbs. His originally pale complexion slowly regained some color.

Aidan sat opposite him, watching him eat like this, and the worry in his eyes finally dissipated a bit more. Being able to eat so much at least meant Brother Matthew hadn't suffered any fundamental damage.

But he still couldn't help asking, “Brother Matthew, is it enough? If not, I’ll have the kitchen send more.”

Matthew swallowed a mouthful of soup and nodded. “Send another portion.”

Aidan immediately stood up. “I’m on it.”

“Wait, don’t be in such a hurry, I’m not finished yet...” Matthew said, calling Aidan back.

Aidan stopped at once, looking at Matthew and waiting for the rest of his words or instructions.

...

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