"To think these magic crystal coins only cost 20 gold coins."
In the pitch-black desert, Rhine, a mage, stared with sparkling eyes at the glowing magic crystal coin in her hand, aided by the starlight.
"You've been looking at it the whole way. Do you really like it that much?" Manfred couldn't help but ask.
"You're not a mage, so naturally you don't understand the preciousness of these magic crystal coins."
"Hmm..." Rhine gripped the magic crystal coin and thought for a moment, trying to find a way to explain its value so that even a foolish warrior could understand.
"As I mentioned before, the mana content of a single magic crystal coin is equivalent to ten times my total mana capacity."
"If I were to refine mana myself, it would take me thirty days of refining without sleep or rest to produce the mana contained in one such coin."
"In other words, one magic crystal coin can save me thirty days of cultivation time spent on refining mana."
Manfred spoke with a hint of shock and confusion, "Doesn't that mean that as long as you have enough magic crystal coins, you can mass-produce extraordinary beings?"
Rhine wagged a finger.
"It's not that simple."
"As a first-rank swordsman, you should know that becoming a first-rank swordsman requires more than just refining mana and strengthening the body."
"One's swordsmanship must also be honed to the limit to trigger a qualitative change, allowing one to grasp Sword Qi and become a first-rank swordsman."
"The same applies to further advancement. Refining mana is merely the tedious, repetitive work."
"To break through, one must use their comprehension to understand and transcend."
"These magic crystal coins can save the time wasted on that repetitive work."
"But if someone lacks the comprehension or their skills don't meet the requirements, they still won't be able to break through."
Rhine spoke, yet she did not doubt the value of the magic crystal coin itself for a moment.
"Furthermore, for a mage, they are even more valuable."
"Because the mana within can be absorbed directly without needing to be refined, one can rapidly replenish consumed mana during battle."
"Exchanging twenty gold coins for one magic crystal coin like this is a great deal."
"What's more, it can be used as currency to trade for treasures within the Well of Eternal Imprisonment."
"If you took it outside, you could easily flip it for several times the gold coins."
Unfortunately, the amount of magic crystal coins carried by a monster merchant was quite limited, so there was no way to exchange gold coins for too many of them.
Perhaps encountering a monster merchant was essentially the same as finding a treasure chest?
This dungeon was truly too unique.
Facing such a peculiar dungeon, a hypothesis formed in Rhine's mind.
Could this dungeon actually be a medium-scale dungeon with more than thirty floors?
A new medium-scale dungeon was about to be unveiled in the Northern Territory...
Over the course of three days, more and more adventurers began to discover the monster merchants.
Some people attacked the monster merchants; some succeeded, while others were killed instead.
Among them, some adventurers chose to trade.
After all, adventurers always possessed a spirit of risk-taking.
The adventurers who traded obtained monster materials and mana equipment.
A few wealthy adventurers even gritted their teeth and spent 20 gold coins to acquire a single magic crystal coin.
Those who exchanged for magic crystal coins then turned around and sold them to human merchants, earning 80 gold coins in profit.
Adventurers who bought magic items and mana armor also made quite a bit of money.
Suddenly, many adventurers were filled with regret, while those who had gone to great lengths to kill monster merchants looked even more miserable.
They realized they had killed a literal walking gold mine.
A large number of adventurers gathered in the fourth-floor tavern to discuss information regarding the monster merchants.
Meanwhile, human merchants had also caught the scent of money.
They began purchasing dungeon coins, with the buying price for magic crystal coins even reaching 40 gold coins each.
This price was only temporary, as things are valued when they are rare; as the number of magic crystal coins increased, the price would eventually return to a normal level.
A bottle of mana-restoring alchemy potion cost between 5 silver coins and 5 gold coins.
A 5-silver alchemy potion could quickly restore a first-rank mage's mana to a quarter of its total capacity.
This speed was much faster than absorbing magic crystal coins.
Consuming alchemy potions could also compress the time spent refining mana, so the price of magic crystal coins could not be higher than the price of alchemy potions containing an equivalent amount of mana.
Dalun Li had anchored the exchange rate between magic crystal coins and human gold coins exactly according to the value of alchemy potions.
If there were too many magic crystal coins, their value might even drop below the 20-gold exchange rate.
However, Dalun Li would never allow the number of magic crystal coins to exceed that threshold.
"I wonder if the monster merchants will do business with us."
"If we could trade directly with the monsters, we would surely make a fortune," the human merchants stationed at the fourth-floor station couldn't help but think.
Human merchants with high initiative had already hired adventurers to begin searching for the monster merchants wandering the floors.
The monster merchants were not only trading with humans.
As a monster merchant, it was only natural to conduct business with monsters as well.
"Two magic swords and two sets of mana armor."
The skeletal shaman spoke in a raspy voice as he looked at the monster merchant before him.
He needed some equipment to arm his undead lizardmen.
As an intelligent monster, he had already received his monthly salary three days ago.
A monthly salary of 50 copper coins.
Naturally, these wages were to be used for his loyalty to his master, to protect the master and the Well of Eternal Imprisonment.
"I will prepare them for you immediately, my guest."
"By the way, guest, I have a material here that I think you will be interested in."
The monster merchant took out the corresponding material and spoke with a smile.
"Cackle, what is it?" The skeletal shaman let out a chilling, strange cry, his bony jaw clicking as he spoke.
"Ascension Bone."
"A special material that can increase your power and level."
"300 copper coins."
The skeletal shaman froze. It was so expensive; he couldn't afford it.
However, he had to buy it!
To better protect his master and offer his loyalty, he would buy it even if he had to scrimp and save.
"Not only that, I have Flame Bone."
"It can grant you the power of fire for 400 copper coins."
"And Growth Bone, which can grant you powerful restorative abilities for 500 copper coins."
"..."
The monster merchant kindly introduced his wares.
In his eyes, there was only currency.
He would collect all the treasures of the world for his master!
The monster merchant didn't even pass up a single mandragora.
"Miss Mandragora, this is the latest Plant Sharp Teeth. By absorbing it, you can gain incredible biting power, enough to bite off the head of a despicable intruder in one go."
"Don't understand? I can explain it in more detail. It's like... cackle, crack, crunch, crunch!"
"Still don't get it? No matter, let's take it slow."
"..."
At the deepest level of the dungeon.
Having finished his work for the day, Dalun Li looked toward the dungeon with great interest. The monster merchants had been out for three days; he wanted to see how things were progressing.
"Impressive."
Rate on N.U.
