Chapter 20: I Have Lost

Taking money to do tasks for others. When I secured this deal, I acquired a large sum of gold coins, and the thrill was overwhelming. However, after extensive refining, I realized that day had truly been one of extraordinary luck; the success rate for producing the Bitter Essence was dishearteningly low. Out of ten furnaces, only one or two would yield success, and at most two essences per furnace.

So far, six beginner alchemy furnaces have broken down, and two bronze cauldrons are ruined. All the stockpiled bear gallbladders have been used up. I had no choice but to return to Xiling to hunt black bears for more gallbladders. Unfortunately, more players are leveling there now, so the yield was disappointing. It took three days to refine just forty Bitter Essences. As promised, I handed them over to West Chu, feeling a great relief as the glittering gold coins poured into my pocket. The bittersweet taste of hard-earned success was truly memorable.

Three days without leveling caused me to fall off the rankings, but my secluded alchemy efforts brought an unexpected gain. One day, I inadvertently noticed the fire-attribute tiger bone and wood-attribute black ganoderma among the materials. Recalling Wuchenzi’s words about wood strengthening fire, I used tiger bone as the main ingredient and black ganoderma as the auxiliary in an 8.5:1.5 ratio. The result was a new type of intermediate pill: the Mighty Pill, which boosts strength by 20 points and increases HP by 10% for five minutes. Anyone familiar with wood producing fire in alchemy knows that the combination and proportions of ingredients are a profound art. Mistakes in the primary and secondary roles or in the ratio spell failure. So even if others know the ingredients, without precise data, they can’t replicate it.

The Mighty Pill’s name came from a game I used to play, with a similar effect—an instant power boost for boss fights and PvP. Though my advanced alchemy skill is only 2130/10000, the success rate for intermediate pills has increased by just 5%. Moreover, black ganoderma grows slowly in the sunny areas of the Blackwood Forest, limiting production to around twenty pills.

When West Chu Crazy Blade learned about the new pill, he showed great interest and bought fifteen at 300 gold coins each. Such pills don’t weigh down the inventory much, so keeping a few for emergencies is wise. The system rewarded me 100 reputation points this time; I now have 700 reputation, likely the highest in the Chinese server. Hidden quests are not easy to trigger, and reputation gains are limited. Features like guild creation and shop purchases are not yet unlocked, so the value of reputation remains untapped. But looking ahead, after the public beta ends and the system updates, a whole new world will open.

As players accumulate more gold coins, the official exchange rate between game currency and RMB stands at 1:3. I currently hold 34,800 gold coins, with few expenses. When the rate was 1:3, I sold 10,000 coins. Judging by trends, the rate may drop slightly. I saved 30,000 coins to convert to RMB, which quickly transferred to my real bank account. In less than half a month, I earned 100,000 RMB, boosting my confidence. Choosing the fantasy genre was unquestionably a wise decision.

The recently acquired blacksmith’s hammer remains unused, but I am eager to test it, especially with three mysterious advanced gems on hand to appraise. Since my ore reserves are depleted, I bought intermediate ores from the system’s mining store. Though the prices aren’t too steep, crafting skills require large quantities, adding up to a hefty sum. The system’s ores tend to be lower quality than those I mine myself, so I spent money advertising within Dali City to buy intermediate or better ores from players at slightly lower prices than the system’s. I also informed West Chu Crazy Blade to ask his friends to sell ores to me. After spending a considerable amount, I quickly gathered a vast assortment, including many advanced ores, indicating that many players have reached advanced mining skills.

I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t visited the blacksmith’s shop for days. The old blacksmith works year after year, day after day, hammering diligently in pursuit of higher forging mastery. His focused expression commands respect. There is no nobility or lowliness in a profession; once one attains a certain realm, the job no longer controls the person, but rather the person enjoys the spiritual fulfillment the work brings. How many in reality can be like this humble yet great old blacksmith? I watched his every hammer strike and detail with deep admiration. His careful movements were like tending to a newborn; the item beneath his hammer was his whole world.

“Old man, hope you’ve been well!”

“You’re here, boy! Still remember to visit this old man.” He smiled—a rare sight on his usually stern, chiseled face. The wrinkles softened into kindness, reminding me of my own aging father, who toiled all his life for his children without complaint. Just past fifty, prematurely aged, losing teeth, his silver hair framing a face of endless worry and love. Seeing him always stirred a pang in my heart. The old blacksmith before me was much the same, except all his time was devoted to his craft, not family.

“I’ve been busy lately, but I’ll come visit more often. What I’ve learned from you will benefit me for life!”

“My skills are nothing special. You learn because you’re humble and diligent. Most others come here half-hearted, don’t even listen properly, and rush into things. How can a restless heart grasp the essence of forging?” The old smith sighed.

“You’re right, many focus only on the superficial steps and neglect the inner process.”

“Exactly. That’s why some never reach master level. Enough talk—what brings you here today?”

The old man immediately sensed my purpose.

“Well, old man, can’t I just come see you without a reason? But this time, I do have a small favor. I have three advanced gems I can’t identify. Could you take a look?”

His face lit up with surprise. “Advanced gems? Those are rare. Let me see.”

I produced the three stones. His gray eyes gleamed with excitement.

“This golden stone is an Earth Spirit Stone, a top-grade advanced gem, forged from the essence of the earth itself. Its texture is extremely hard and reflective, with excellent defensive properties—a rare gem for integrating into armor. I’ve rarely seen many in my lifetime. These two blood-red stones are Chicken Blood Stones; the deeper and more vivid the red, the higher the grade and quality. Yours are a bright red, high intermediate grade. What do you plan to do with them?”

His excitement was unmistakable—an old master of forging encountering fine gems naturally stirred his passion.

“My forging skill is only intermediate; I can’t yet integrate gems. They’re just gathering dust. But if you could craft some equipment using these gems, I’d be deeply grateful.”

“Well… it’s been ages since I last had the ‘Tianxia Restaurant’s’ food and drink. I still remember the rich, mellow taste of Yuquan Brew, its fragrance lingering long after. The five delicacies of Tianxia truly are unforgettable!” The old man’s mouth watered at the thought.

Knowing this was surely a hidden quest, I quickly replied, “Since you miss the five delicacies so much, I’ll go to Lin’an and bring some for you.”

I rushed to Lin’an and bought two sets of the four delicacies and four jars of Yuquan Brew, spending 350 gold coins—a painful expense. Hmph, old man, you’re making me bleed gold! I’ll get it all back with interest and make you feel the pain!

When I presented the food and drink, the old smith excitedly snatched the jars, tore off the seals, and gulped down several mouthfuls like a thirsty ox. His blackened hands quickly stuffed food into his mouth, eating messier than even the clumsy Awei. It was a waste of such good food! After finishing one jar, he finally noticed me and, with a ragged apron, wiped his mouth and smiled awkwardly: “Hey… um, young friend, want a taste?”

Damn, they say those who eat are soft-spoken; calling me “young friend” after that wolfish feast—he’s got some nerve! Watching his nimble, lively eating, he looked no older than eighteen, clutching the jar as if it were his lifeblood. Not a chance he’d share. But after being “contaminated” by him, I had no appetite. I politely declined, “I’m not much of a drinker. Please, enjoy yourself.”

He was pleased by my respect for elders. “It’s rare for a young friend to be so polite. After I’m full, I’ll show you some tricks. Just don’t call me ‘senior’ or ‘old man’ anymore—it sounds too formal! Call me Old Gu, or Old Three Gu.”

Perfect! Calling him “senior” felt awkward—what era is this? Seeing his eagerness, I said, “Then I’ll gladly comply, Old Gu. Hey, that even sounds good!”

“Yes, yes. Much friendlier,” he said, mouth full of food, mumbling incoherently.

“Alright, Old Gu, enjoy your meal. I’ll start practicing forging.”

Using the blacksmith’s hammer was noticeably better than a regular iron hammer, greatly improving my success rate. After successfully smelting a blend of yellow and black iron and combining it with a bear hide to craft a silver bracer, my forging experience surged by 150 points, pushing me from intermediate to advanced forging, now at 56/10000. Time flew—three hours had passed unnoticed.

I called to the old smith by the furnace, “Old man, why didn’t you call me when you finished eating?”

“You were too absorbed in forging. I called twice, but you didn’t respond. You have to focus completely to make breakthroughs.”

“Oops… sorry, I thought you might slack off after eating and ignore me!”

The old man scowled, “You little brat, don’t think so poorly of me! I’ve been working here over an hour, all for your armor preparations.”

I laughed, “I deserve that. I misunderstood your intentions. Next time I’ll bring the five delicacies to apologize properly.”

“You’ve got a conscience. Now, bring out all your advanced ores. Let me see what’s usable.” His hammer swings became more vigorous, fueled by the prospect of tasting those delicacies again.

“Only these tungsten steel ores? The rest are either low grade or unsuitable. I want to forge an armor model with advanced ores and embed your three gems. That should give us an 80% success chance at producing a golden battle armor. The armor needs to be lightweight yet tough with good defense. Too heavy and it hinders combat; too weak and it’s useless. Tungsten steel is perfect for armor, but you don’t have enough now. I don’t have that type either.” The old man sifted through my ores and selected the tungsten steel pieces.

“Don’t worry, Old Gu. I can buy more ores. But isn’t an 80% success rate a bit low? If it fails, won’t it be a total loss?”

“You’re ungrateful! Do you think golden equipment is easy to make? I’ve been forging over 40 years and only made five successfully. Crafting this level isn’t just about materials; it’s about the artisan’s heart. To put it plainly, your mindset. Without peace and inspiration, even the best materials go to waste. Of course, at the grandmaster level, it’s somewhat easier. With your advanced gems and my years of insight, I dare open the furnace to create. Isn’t an 80% chance good enough?”

“I see. Then go ahead, Old Gu. I won’t blame you if it fails. I’ll start buying ores.” An 80% success rate is worth the investment, especially with such rich rewards. Golden-grade gear only drops from high-level bosses or powerful spirit beasts. There are fewer than eight golden armors on the rankings now; success guarantees a spot.

Fantasy Online