Chapter 104: Violet Gold Coins

I’m Gray, a manservant at Feipuli Academy.

“Is that so?” Lilye laughed. “Then why do I get the feeling there’s more to you than meets the eye?”

“I’m very ordinary,” Ye Tian said with a wry smile.

“Oh, really?” Lilye said, still smiling, as she studied him slowly. He looked back at her as well.

“Has Blandar been giving you trouble lately?” she asked all at once.

“No. I haven’t seen him for a while, actually,” Ye Tian said after thinking it over.

“Don’t let your guard down. That madman never plays by the rules. And one thing I do know: he will never let you go. Remember that.”

“Thank you,” Ye Tian said sincerely.

“This is partly my fault. You were dragged into it innocent and unsuspecting. I’m the one who’s sorry.” Lilye sighed, then her expression changed. “Make me something delicious. If you dare give me acne, I’ll make sure you die in a very ugly way.” She smiled sweetly.

“Then maybe you’d better not eat at all,” Ye Tian said helplessly.

“Fine. Then be my boyfriend.”

She blew a soft breath near his ear.

“No, Mentor Lilye, does that really amuse you? Setting aside the difference in our status, do you even like me?” Ye Tian asked.

“It has nothing to do with liking someone.” Lilye loosened the finger that had been hooked beneath Ye Tian’s chin. “I’m not qualified to like anyone.”

“Bullshit!” Ye Tian said angrily. “Everyone is qualified.”

“Hee hee, that’s exactly what I like about you.” Lilye moved her finger lightly. “What a pity. Otherwise, why don’t we give it a try first?”

“No. I’m not your toy, and don’t you think that would be unfair to you?” Ye Tian said seriously.

“Fair? There’s no such thing as fair anymore.” Lilye released him. “I thought things would be less boring once I came back, but I didn’t expect them to stay just as dull.”

“Then try loving someone. Fall in love with someone you truly like, and you won’t be bored anymore.” Ye Tian stood up, gathered everything, set the little creature on his shoulder, and left.

“If only it were that easy.” Lilye’s expression darkened at once.

After lunch, while no one was around to bother him, Ye Tian slipped out at once and headed straight for Old Man Ralph’s apothecary. It was actually the first time he had ever gone out alone; normally he stayed cooped up inside the academy. Unexpectedly, the old man wasn’t there. Ye Tian thought for a moment, then decided to wander around a bit. Maybe the old man would be back soon.

The town was still very prosperous, full of people coming and going, lively and bustling. Ye Tian had never really noticed that before.

“I wonder where there’s a smithy,” he muttered, glancing around. The place was too large for its own good; he could see everywhere, yet still couldn’t find what he was looking for.

“Huh? Aren’t you that guy called Gray?”

Two pretty girls had come up to him.

“Greetings, honored young ladies,” Ye Tian said, turning around. They turned out to be students from the academy.

“What are you looking for?” asked the more demure-looking one.

“Oh, miss, I’m just seeing whether there’s a smithy around here,” Ye Tian said with a smile.

The girl frowned. “Don’t you recognize me?”

“Uh, sorry.” Ye Tian scratched his cheek.

“Hmph, I knew it. See, Latic? I told you he wouldn’t remember us,” the other girl said indignantly.

Ye Tian gave an awkward smile. The quiet girl sighed. “We fell in the corridor. Does that ring any bells?”

“Sorry, no.” Ye Tian shook his head.

The girl blushed briefly, then quickly composed herself.

“My name is Lati, and this is my friend Karakana.” The demure girl pointed to the irritated girl beside her.

“Oh, pleased to meet you,” Ye Tian said with a bow.

Lati’s mouth twitched. Still unable to hold back, she stepped forward and stomped hard on the top of Ye Tian’s foot. Before he could cry out, Karakana did the same.

Hmph.

The two girls left in a huff together.

“What the hell...” Ye Tian groaned, clutching his foot. Why was it always his foot that got hurt?

“Psst!”

A whistle came from nearby. Ye Tian turned and saw Old Man Ralph’s sly, wrinkled face.

“Heh-heh-heh, not bad. Haven’t seen you for a while, and now you’ve gone and hooked two more young ladies.”

“That would be nice,” Ye Tian said, dropping the act. He hopped up onto the old man’s cart. “Let’s go. I need to buy a few things.”

“Seriously? I’ve already sorted all those herbs out. What did you do with them? Got any finished product?” Ralph asked in surprise on the way.

“What finished product? I don’t have a furnace,” Ye Tian said, curling his lip.

“A furnace? You mean one of those huge pots with a lid?” Ralph gestured.

“Yes. Have you seen one?”

“I have. Only once, though. But don’t get your hopes up—you can’t get your hands on it.” Ralph sighed.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s in Dragon Valley, being worshiped as a sacred relic by a bunch of winged lizards. Think you can just go get it?”

“Dragon Valley? There really are dragons in the world?” Ye Tian’s interest was instantly piqued.

“There are. Long ago, though, they all hid away in Dragon Valley and rarely came out.” Ralph sighed. “Don’t ask anymore. That’s all ancient history.”

“Oh, all right.” Ye Tian’s mind was churning. Dragons.

“We’re here. Come help me unload,” the old man said, pointing to the little hill ahead.

“What the...” Ye Tian’s jaw nearly hit the ground.

“What are you afraid of? Just carry it bit by bit. And all right, I’ll give you a discount on the herbs later.” Ralph grinned wickedly.

“You shameless old geezer!” Ye Tian muttered, then lifted two huge bundles and hauled them up at once.

“Heh, not bad!” Ralph laughed.

Ye Tian shot him a look.

“Oh, I’ll go pour you some black tea.” With that, the old man chuckled and went inside.

“Hey, where do you want this?” Ye Tian said, instantly frustrated. Fine, he’d just bring it in first.

Carrying the two large bundles, he went inside.

“Put it there, there!” The old man wasn’t pretending at all; he sat drinking tea and directing Ye Tian to arrange the goods properly.

“I’m exhausted!” Ye Tian said, tossing the last bundle of herbs into the storeroom.

“And the cart,” Ralph said with a smile.

“Troublesome old lecher!” Ye Tian snapped, then turned to deal with the cart.

“Hard work, hard work.” Ralph smiled and handed Ye Tian a cup of black tea.

“You didn’t just use this one, did you?” Ye Tian asked suspiciously.

“No,” Ralph said solemnly.

“Then forget it. Who knows how long that cup’s been sitting there?” Ye Tian said, pursing his lips.

“Hmph, underestimating me. My tableware is always properly cleaned,” Ralph said unhappily. “Don’t drink it then. I didn’t even want to give it to you.” He poured himself a cup and sipped it slowly.

“Right, what did you need me for?” Ralph asked between sips.

“Have you seen this before?” Ye Tian asked, holding a gleaming coin up in front of the old man.

Pfft!

Not a drop was wasted. He sprayed it all over Ye Tian’s face.

“Old man!” Ye Tian was ready to explode.

“Purple gold coin!” The old man threw down his cup and snatched the coin from Ye Tian’s hand.

“I’m dead...” Ye Tian hurriedly caught the teapot and teacup before they could fall, otherwise he’d have to clean up again—and the old man would absolutely make him do it.

“Where did you get this?” the old man asked, sounding excited as he kept turning the bright coin over in his hands. “Purple gold, no, it’s a purple gold coin. This is a rare treasure! Where on earth did you get it?”

“At the bottom of a lake in the Beast Domain,” Ye Tian said, not bothering to hide it.

“You went to the Beast Domain?” Ralph nearly lost his spectacles. “You actually went to the Beast Domain?”

“Then where else do you think I got it, from a street stall?”

“Fair enough. If street stalls sold these, I’d be browsing them every day.” The old man clicked his tongue. “What a fine thing. What a pity!” He closed his eyes and slowly sensed it. “It carries the aura of nature... Could it be the Goddess of Nature?”

“What?” Ye Tian was thoroughly bewildered.

“Here, take it back. And remember: don’t let anyone know about this. Otherwise you’ll die a miserable death.” The old man’s tone turned grave.

“Is it really that serious?” Ye Tian asked.

“Is it really that serious?” the old man snorted. “Go outside and try shouting about it. I guarantee you won’t even make it back to Feipuli Academy!”

Ye Tian jumped. It seemed the matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.

“Purple gold is a precious metal with powerful magical sensitivity, and it can greatly amplify magic. In other words, if a staff has a piece of purple gold this size set into it, the mage holding it can cast spells one level higher.”

The old man pointed at the coin in Ye Tian’s hand.

“So powerful? Right, that flaming staff?” Ye Tian suddenly remembered the staff held by one of Leyton’s opponents in a duel.

“Was it called the Staff of Blazing Flame?”

“Yes, that one. It’s a treasure of the Rast family. It doesn’t contain purple gold, but mithril instead.” The old man smiled. “That’s also a precious metal. As for magical sensitivity, mithril is even stronger, but in terms of durability it’s not as good as purple gold.”

“I don’t get it,” Ye Tian said, shaking his head.

“You’re not a mage, so of course you wouldn’t. Now, as for purple gold—such a valuable metal is extremely rare these days, which is why every mage dreams of owning a staff inlaid with it.”

“As for the coin in your hand, to be precise, it’s a divine coin—the currency used by gods themselves!” Ralph went on, dropping another bombshell.

“Gods?” Ye Tian frowned.

“Yes, gods. Legend says purple gold coins were the currency used among gods, and that’s why they carry the aura of divinity.”

“The aura of divinity?” Ye Tian repeated, furrowing his brow.

“To put it simply, divine power,” Ralph sighed. “But who could possibly seize even a trace of that power for themselves?”

“Divine power? For myself?” Ye Tian lifted the purple gold coin. He hadn’t imagined that such a tiny coin could conceal such a vast mystery.

“Has anyone succeeded?” he asked.

“I don’t know. It’s only said that the human Archmage Cherbeli succeeded. And let me tell you something else: Feipuli Academy has an item once used by that Archmage hidden inside it.”

“The library?” The word flashed through Ye Tian’s mind.

“Remember not to tell anyone. It’ll cause a lot of trouble,” the old man sighed. “Only a clueless youngster like you would blurt it out. Anyone else would never say a word, even at knifepoint.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ye Tian said with a smile.

“You’re wrong. Many times, secrets come at a price. Those who know and those who don’t are the same.”

“Anything else?” Ye Tian asked, idly toying with the coin.

“It seems you still don’t understand. Let me put it this way: once word gets out that you have a purple gold coin, not only ordinary people, but even old monsters like me might come looking for trouble. You have to understand, the temptation of becoming a god is not something just anyone can withstand. Even those old monsters who have already reached the peak are the same. They have endured for too long; sometimes a single thought can drag you into utter ruin.”

“But no one has succeeded.”

“Not everyone thinks that way. Luck—luck. Everyone believes their own luck is better than the next man’s,” Ralph sighed.

“If you still don’t believe me, go outside and shout about it. I guarantee your future life will be more exciting than anyone else’s,” the old man said with a bitter smile.

“Oh, thanks, I believe you!” Ye Tian said, flipping the purple gold coin into the old man’s hand.

“What do you mean?”

“Keep it for me. I’m a bit too childish to hold onto it myself,” Ye Tian said with a laugh.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll just run off with it?” the old man said, trembling.

“I don’t care. That thing is useless to me.”