It was a three-story building constructed entirely from a pale green wood.
The exterior lacked any ornamentation, save for a wooden plaque hanging above the lintel with a few words carved into it.
“Knowledge Exchange.”
Many apprentices were coming and going through the entrance.
Some were just leaving, their faces flushed with an excitement they couldn't suppress as they whispered to their companions.
Others walked out with furrowed brows, muttering that it was “too expensive.”
Ethan stepped over the threshold.
The interior space was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
The vaulted ceiling was high, at least four stories up.
A massive crystal chandelier hung from the dome, casting a soft white light.
Tall shelves stood against three of the walls, filled with various knowledge crystals.
Several Treants were acting as sales clerks in front of the shelves.
Ethan walked toward the nearest Treant.
The Treant was about two and a half meters tall, its wooden body shaped in a smooth humanoid form, with leaf-like structures atop its head swaying slowly.
It stood before a row of shelves, using slender fingers to organize the knowledge crystals.
“What do you need?” the Treant asked, turning its head as the leaves on top slightly unfurled.
Its tone was surprisingly gentle, catching Ethan off guard.
“I need some Intermediate-level knowledge regarding energy manipulation.”
“We have that, yes, yes.” The Treant turned around, its slender fingers dancing across the shelves as it quickly pulled down a knowledge crystal. “Microscopic Energy Particle Control, 300 magic stones.”
It pulled down another.
“Advanced Energy Output Stability, 450 magic stones.”
And another.
“Synergistic Effects of Mental Power and Mana, 400 magic stones.”
It introduced each one as it pulled them down, the leaves on its head swaying gently with every word.
Its enthusiastic demeanor was a stark contrast to the expressionless Treants nearby.
Ethan’s gaze swept over the knowledge crystals.
The prices were significantly cheaper than at the academy.
The same Intermediate-level courses would start at five or six hundred magic stones at Blood Bone Tower.
Here, the most expensive was only 450, and the cheapest, the advanced version of Energy Particle Basics, was only 280 magic stones.
“I’ll take all of these,” Ethan said, pointing to the six crystals in the Treant’s hands.
The Treant paused, the leaves on its head twitching slightly.
“All of them?”
“All of them.”
“That will be 5,000 magic stones.” The Treant’s voice held a hint of caution. “Young man, knowledge is a fine thing, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Each of these courses is enough to keep an apprentice busy for a year or two.”
Ethan pulled the magic stones from his storage ring.
“Very well, if you have the coin, you have the final say.” It pushed the six knowledge crystals toward him, then tapped the pile of magic stones with a slender finger, making them vanish instantly.
Ethan stowed the crystals in his storage ring.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he remembered something and stopped.
“Do you have meditation methods here?”
The Treant’s leaves suddenly stood bolt upright.
The leaf-like structures on its head fully expanded, each one tensed straight as if trying its best to show off.
“We do!” the Treant’s voice rose half an octave. “We have every kind of meditation method! The Master has collected them over thousands of years—1,148 types in total!”
Ethan’s eyebrows shot up.
“1,148... types?”
“Yes, yes!” The Treant’s leaves fluttered happily as it counted on its wooden fingers. “Elemental, Flesh, Body Refinement, Mental, Summoning, Curse—we have everything. What is your attribute?”
“Wood, solo path.”
“There are 223 types for the Wood attribute.”
“How many magic stones for the best one?”
The Treant’s leaves stopped fluttering.
It tilted its head slightly as if thinking. Then, it extended a slender finger and carefully gestured a ‘one’.
“1,000 magic crystals.”
Ethan’s pupils constricted.
1,000 magic crystals.
One magic crystal was worth 100,000 magic stones.
1,000 magic crystals meant 100 million magic stones.
Even if he sold himself, he couldn't even scrape together the pocket change for that amount.
“1,000... magic crystals?” Ethan’s voice rose half an octave involuntarily.
“Indeed.” The Treant seemed completely oblivious to how absurd that number was, its leaves fluttering happily again. “This is the Myriad Forest Meditation Method practiced by the Master himself. The complete version, not the stripped-down versions circulating outside. The Master said this set of meditation methods ranks in the top 200,000 in the entire Wizard Council. It is very precious.”
Ethan took a deep breath.
“What about something slightly lesser?”
“We have that too. The simplified version of the Myriad Forest Meditation Method is only 100 magic crystals. Although the runic condensation speed is only thirty percent of the complete version and the rune quality is slightly lower, it’s stable and unlikely to go wrong.”
100 magic crystals.
Ten million magic stones.
Still couldn't afford it.
Ethan’s lip twitched.
“Anything cheaper?”
The Treant’s leaves drooped slightly, but it patiently continued its pitch.
“There is the Emerald Wood Meditation Method for 800,000 magic stones. Exclusive to the Wood attribute, with medium runic condensation speed and above-average rune quality. The downside is that issues can easily arise during later crystal fusion, requiring additional stabilizing potions.”
“Cheaper.”
“Green Vine Meditation Method, 350,000 magic stones. Exclusive to the Wood attribute, with relatively fast runic condensation but average rune quality. The advantage is relative stability during fusion, but the downside is limited room for growth in the later stages.”
“Even cheaper.”
“Heart of the Forest Meditation Method, 300,000 magic stones. Exclusive to the Wood attribute, with slow runic condensation and medium rune quality. The advantage is a solid foundation, but the downside is the long cultivation cycle.”
“Cheaper.”
The Treant’s leaves drooped completely.
It stared at Ethan with its emerald-green eyes for a few breaths, its voice sounding somewhat aggrieved.
“Guest, exactly how many magic stones do you have?”
“Uh, never mind. Sorry to bother you.”
Ethan turned to leave.
The Treant froze for a moment, then strode after him on its long wooden legs.
“Guest, don’t go! Why not look at something else? I have basic meditation methods for the Elemental system for only 4,000 magic stones. Even though they don’t quite fit your Wood attribute, they’re still usable!”
Ethan didn't stop.
“Guest! How about 3,000 magic stones? I have a second-hand one here. The previous owner died halfway through cultivation, but the meditation method itself is complete!”
Ethan had already reached the door.
“Guest!”
A crisp ‘smack’ sounded behind him.
Ethan instinctively looked back.
He saw another Treant pulling back its hand, while the one it had slapped clutched its face, its leaves completely wilted as it looked as aggrieved as a child being scolded by an adult.
“Shut up, or the Master will—”
The slapping Treant cut itself off mid-sentence, realizing Ethan was still watching. Its voice stopped abruptly.
It turned its head, its emerald eyes sweeping over Ethan before it grabbed the still-aggrieved Treant and hurried deep into the rows of shelves.
The figures of the two Treants quickly vanished behind the layers of shelving.
Ethan withdrew his gaze, a wry smile touching his lips.
“Forget it. I’ll just stick to this basic meditation method for now. The advanced Intermediate-level meditation method is only 180,000 magic stones. I should be able to save up for that in a couple of years.”
Ethan stepped out of the Knowledge Exchange to go collect his biological samples.
Rate on N.U.
