Alan, noticing that Velen seemed like a wealthy young master, naturally wanted to strike up a conversation.
"I'm Alan, an Adept Rank awakener and a tier-3 alchemist!"
As he spoke, pride flickered across his face.
At his age, reaching such a level of both awakening and alchemy was nothing short of extraordinary.
"I'm Velen," Velen replied calmly.
Alan frowned slightly at Velen's lack of reaction.
With his rank and status, he was accustomed to being highly regarded on this planet.
Being dismissed by Anastasia earlier was one thing—after all, she was a prodigy respected even by the mentor in his ring, with immeasurable strength and talent.
But Velen? Though rich, this young man showed no sign of respect.
Alan was a 16-year-old prodigy who had reached Adept Rank and tier-3 alchemy, an unparalleled talent even the House of Violet had gone to great lengths to suppress.
And yet, within five minutes, he had been ignored twice!
"By the way," Velen suddenly spoke, "since you're an alchemist, do you know of any good items for enhancing rank advancement?"
Alan, slightly taken aback, replied seriously, "You could use Starmetal Shards or the horn of an earth dragon to craft a special Starmetal Stone. Consuming one improves mana absorption efficiency and refines the body. But Starmetal Stones are incredibly rare and expensive. Even with vast wealth, they're almost impossible to obtain."
Although Alan knew how to craft Starmetal Stones, the materials required were so rare that he couldn't gather them on his own.
Velen nodded thoughtfully, then accessed the ethereal interface visible only to him.
He customized the lottery pool, setting Starmetal Stones as the target item.
After confirming the pool, the system displayed the required luxury points for each draw: 100 luxury points per draw, with a high probability of obtaining the selected item.
With 1,200 luxury points remaining, Velen decided to start with two single draws.
"Congratulations, host! You've obtained 2 Starmetal Stones!"
The system notification sounded.
Velen nodded in satisfaction—the odds seemed favorable. Both single draws hit the target.
Encouraged, he tried a 10-draw next.
"Thank you for participating. Better luck next time!"
"Congratulations, host! You've obtained 1 Starmetal Stone!"
"Congratulations, host! You've obtained 1 Starmetal Stone!"
"Thank you for participating. Better luck next time!"
…
At the end of the 10-draw, three attempts yielded nothing, but he still secured seven more Starmetal Stones, bringing his total to nine—including the two from earlier.
Having used 1,200 luxury points, Velen considered nine Starmetal Stones a good haul.
As Velen finished his lottery spree, Alan said gravely, "Big brother, there's no need to think too far ahead. Your current rank is too low. Even if Starmetal Shards were right in front of you, you couldn't safely consume them. The mana inside is too volatile and could harm your body."
"Besides, Starmetal Stones are so rare and expensive that hardly anyone sells them. When they do, the price is astronomical!"
Alan's warning was cut short as the old man stopped walking and gestured to the desolate fortress in the distance.
"We've arrived. For now, this place is ours alone. Find a room to settle in temporarily."
Velen and Alan nodded, choosing adjacent courtyards.
After settling into his courtyard, Alan decided to bring Velen some basic supplies.
The courtyards were rudimentary at best, with many essential items missing.
But as Alan pushed open Velen's door, a rich, intoxicating aroma greeted him.
This smell… it seems familiar.
Muttering to himself, Alan stepped inside and froze.
In the courtyard, Velen was busily crushing several crystalline purple stones on a table.
The enchanting aroma emanated from these stones.
Starmetal Stones!
The scent and appearance left no doubt in Alan's mind. His nose twitched instinctively, confirming his judgment.
Then his eyes fell on the pile of crushed stones—at least five Starmetal Stones, ground into powder.
Velen showed no sign of stopping, continuing to crush more stones.
Alan's heart nearly shattered.
Even for an Adept Rank awakener, a single Starmetal Stone was a treasure of immeasurable value.
Yet Velen was destroying them so casually!
As Velen reached for another stone, Alan could no longer contain himself. He dashed forward, grabbing Velen's wrist and pleading:
"Big brother, stop! These Starmetal Stones are priceless treasures! Don't waste them like this. Save them for when you reach Adept Rank—they'll be far more useful then!"
Unperturbed, Velen gently pulled his hand away and continued crushing the stones.
"Don't worry, little brother. I've got plenty more. Besides, I can't absorb them at my current rank, so I thought we'd use them to celebrate joining the fortress."
Alan: "…"
He was on the verge of spitting blood.
As an alchemist, nothing infuriated Alan more than waste—especially when it involved such precious materials!
"Congratulations, host! You've successfully flaunted wealth in front of Alan and earned 1,500 luxury points!"
The system notification brought a broad smile to Velen's face.
Not bad at all!
Earning 1,500 luxury points so easily was a huge win.
Smiling, he said, "Don't feel too bad about it. Once they're crushed, the potency dissipates, which makes it safer for someone at my level to absorb. See? It's actually a good thing."
Alan's mind blanked.
Velen's logic made no sense, yet it was delivered with such conviction that Alan couldn't refute it.
Feeling his blood pressure spike, Alan clutched his chest and retreated from the courtyard, unwilling to witness any more of this madness.
But as he walked away, a thought struck him.
While Starmetal Stones were valuable, consuming too many could have side effects.
Rushing back to Velen's courtyard, Alan flung open the door—and froze again.
The courtyard was shrouded in thick, aromatic smoke.
At its center, Velen sat cross-legged amidst a cluster of incense burners, all releasing streams of Starmetal Stone fumes.
"Big brother… what are you doing?" Alan's voice trembled, his pupils contracting sharply.
Velen inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma.
"I tried eating a piece earlier, but it tasted awful. So I figured, if it doesn't taste good, why not burn it? Turns out it smells much better this way, and the absorption efficiency is even higher!"
Alan's mouth twitched violently.
Swallowing Starmetal Stones was the best way to maximize their benefits.
But Velen? He deemed them too unpalatable and decided to burn them as incense.
With ten incense burners, no less!
This is madness!
"Congratulations, host! You've earned 1,500 luxury points!"
As Alan grew increasingly agitated, Velen's system chimed again, adding to his delight.
But before he could bask in his success, his skin suddenly darkened, as if he had just emerged from a coal mine.
What just happened?
Velen froze, utterly bewildered.