Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

Chapter 62: The Cost of the Profession

Runemasters were professionals who used their knowledge regarding the Universal Language to manipulate mana and the laws of Twin Lands. That was the foundation of the profession. But to create lasting artifacts, runes alone were not enough. They needed materials and artifacts, but not only that, they needed tools to use the Universal Language to their advantage.

Historically, the profession of Runemasters was born when scholars began to specialize in the art of inscribing runes. They developed methods to improve the efficiency of their work and created artifacts for general use.

Before that, the use of runes was more associated with spells, rituals, and other phenomena that would dissipate and lose their effects once the cultivator stopped pouring mana into the runes.

Liam had seen this himself. The ritual used by the demon incubus was based on runes and the manipulation of the laws of the world by someone with the knowledge and skills of a Sorcerer. He still didn't understand everything about that day and his relationship with the incubus, but he already knew about the relationship between runes and the world of cultivation.

All kinds of professionals, Spirit Masters, beasts, and magical beings, they all used runes in one way or another. But those who created permanent artifacts with fantastic effects were known as Runemasters.

Someone who could use runes to create spells and curses could be called a Sorcerer. Someone who could use runes to heal injuries and diseases was called a Healer. In short, there were many variations in using runes and mana, and how those who could use them were called.

But Runemasters, in particular, had developed several tools and methods to ensure that their work could be used repeatedly after they had finished inscribing runes.

It wasn't interesting that an item like a lamp required the Spirit Master to give away their own mana and go to the trouble of creating runes every time they wanted light.

To ensure that their artifacts would last a long time, Runemasters used special brushes and inks to inscribe their runes, as well as materials that could hold mana and various types of magical elements.

Upon entering this shop, a place that looked like a grocery store with several shelves and items on display, with signs showing their prices, Liam sighed when he saw the price of some materials.

{First Class Inscription Brush: 5 gold coins/unit.}

{Second Class Inscription Brush: 20 gold coins/unit.}

{First Class Mana Repellent Colorless Ink: 10 gold coins/bottle.}

{Second Class Mana Repellent Colorless Ink: 40 gold coins/bottle}

{First Class Fox Leather: 10 silver coins/square centimeter.}

...

{Second Class Dragon Glass: 70 gold coins/unit.}

Liam researched the prices of several materials and tools and couldn't help but cringe at the cost.

'It is amazing how expensive all the materials are for Runemasters! I'll have to visit other shops to get the best price.' Liam thought in silence while other people like him searched for materials in this shop, some buying and others leaving after a few moments.

The price was indeed high, but the tools, such as ink and brushes, could be used repeatedly until they ran out or lost their effectiveness and had to be replaced. Other materials were also expensive, but the artifacts that contained those materials were usually expensive as well.

Even ordinary items like magic lamps could cost a lot. For this reason, most mortal cities didn't use this kind of lamp for public lighting, but whale oil lamps. Only wealthy mortal families or the families of Spirit Masters could afford efficient lighting like that provided by magic lamps.

'For now, I'll concentrate on finding the best price and buying only what I need. A brush and colorless ink, both First Class. I'll also buy ready-made lamps.'

Runemasters could either build the artifact on which they would inscribe their runes from scratch—usually the best way, since they could inscribe their runes in pieces as they assembled the artifact—or use off-the-shelf artifacts made by others, a convenient method, but not versatile.

It wasn't uncommon for Blacksmiths and Glassblowers to create items that would go through Runemasters before receiving runes that would make them more fantastic.

Weapons were the most famous artifacts to receive rune inscriptions, but the best sellers across the continent were definitely the special glassworks behind the famous magic lamps.

The magic lamp was the cheapest and most common artifact for Runemasters to produce.

With this in mind, Liam left the first shop he entered to investigate the other nine shops he knew that sold materials and tools for Runemasters in City Thirteen.

…

He soon discovered that in this city, as in the others, competition was merely a front for a cartel that controlled prices. In all the shops he visited that afternoon, he found the same prices for every item he looked at.

The only difference was inventory. Some stores had more of certain materials, others had less, and there might be a shortage of certain items in some stores.

But even these differences in supply didn't change the prices, which were artificially kept at the same level throughout the city.

In the end, he bought the ink, the brush, and five light bulbs, spending 15 gold coins and 50 silver coins.

With his materials to train his runic inscription skills, he set off to the Library, thinking back to Ann's words earlier, quite eager to learn a technique to hide his cultivation.

'As long as I find something like what she suggested, I'll be able to hide my progress and maybe fool the enemies watching me.'

Liam looked at the entrance to the Library and followed the students going in and out.

He went straight to the entrance to level two, not bothering to pay 10 merit points to enter the area ahead.

As Ann had said, there were several techniques that could hide a Spirit Master's cultivation. Liam would choose five of them to analyze before choosing the one he would take the copy of to study.

Eager to learn one of them as soon as possible, he was already planning to go to the Lotus Temple to train in his chosen technique when he left the Library!