The moment they entered the settlement, they experienced a shift in the atmosphere. The air was fresher, purer, and possessed a quality that filled a person with revitalizing energy with every drawn breath.
"It's just like the rumors said; compared to our small town, this place is like a corner of the celestial realms!"
The young girl's cheeks flushed slightly; confronted with a circumstance that only enhanced her natural beauty, Mel found himself at a loss for where to direct his gaze.
"Thanks for paying my toll. I'll pay you back as soon as I can!"
Compared to the duo walking beside him, Mel possessed a far more robust and commanding physical presence; however, regarding his attire, the situation was the exact opposite. Within his Spatial Ring rested resplendent robes and intricately embroidered cloaks beautiful enough to make any beholder seethe with envy, yet the young boy refrained from wearing them to avoid drawing undue attention.
In stark contrast, the young man he had met at the gate appeared dazzling. His hair, his garments, and the very aura he exuded compelled the gazes of everyone they passed to focus upon him.
"Don't worry about it, my friend; fate must have destined our paths to cross!"
His voice was equally captivating; he spoke softly and at a measured pace, seeking to ease Mel's embarrassment. Following his words, the young girl joined the conversation.
"We call each other friends, but we haven't even been properly introduced. I'm Marvina, and this is my older brother, Edgan."
The girl introduced both herself and the young man beside her in a single breath.
"My real name is Malcom, but for as long as I can remember, everyone just calls me Mel!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mel. We've traveled a long way; should we keep talking over a meal?"
Following Edgan's proposal, the three youths navigated through the bustling streets and entered a rustic tavern. The establishment was a three-story structure constructed entirely of wood. The architectural style reflected the characteristic features of the buildings prevalent throughout the settlement.
They possessed modest yet numerous windows upon their facades and utilized solid tree trunks as their primary building material. The influence of the dense, encroaching forest was evident in the construction of these dwellings.
"Mel, you need money in this place. I hope I don't have to pay for you again!"
The young boy, tucking his long hair into the collar of his robe, spoke with a mischievous glint in his eye. Believing his joke would place Mel in a difficult position, he was met with a reaction he could never have anticipated.
"When you say money, do you mean this?"
A purple object suddenly materialized in the hand of the muscular youth seated at the table; it possessed four corners and a small hole at its center.
"Mel, hide that right now!"
Before he could even comprehend the situation, Marvina snatched the coin from Mel's grasp and instantly lowered it beneath the table. Her face bore an expression of panic, and her eyes held the disbelief of one who had witnessed an apparition in broad daylight.
"Where did you get that money?"
Just as Edgan leaned his chair forward to question the simply dressed youth, a voice chimed directly beside his ear.
"Would the young masters care to order?"
The tavern maid intervened, thrusting her ample bosom, which spilled from her open collar, practically into the handsome youth's face. Judging by her flirtatious demeanor, she was oblivious to the events that had just transpired.
"We want a stew made from wild beast brisket!"
The maid, expecting a response from the youth she had pressed against, recoiled at Marvina's words. The young girl made it glaringly obvious she did not appreciate anyone encroaching upon her brother.
Observing the girl's protective stance, the maid took their order and departed the table, allowing the three youths to draw close to one another once more.
"Why were you so surprised?"
Unable to grasp the gravity of the situation, Mel spoke in a hushed tone.
"Mel, are you joking? Do you really not know what I'm holding in my hand right now?"
Subjected to question after question, Mel sat paralyzed. Seeing that his sister was pressing him too fiercely, Edgan raised a hand to silence the girl and began to speak.
"My friend, I don't know where you come from, but there are things you need to learn right away. That simple-looking piece of metal on your finger is, I assume, a precious artifact containing a spatial void."
"Not everyone walking the earth has items like that; don't just wave it around in public!"
Listening intently to the counsel, Mel nodded his head in affirmation, signaling his comprehension.
"As for the purple currency, it's way more dangerous than the artifact. But first, I have to ask: do you know about the money in this world?"
Mel was a simple boy who had lived his life in a remote mountain village; having never possessed a need for currency until this day, his answer was remarkably simple.
"No."
The two siblings first exchanged a glance; then, as the steaming bowls of stew arrived at the table, they ceased their conversation for a brief moment. Only when the full-bosomed maid had retreated to a sufficient distance did the handsome youth begin to whisper.
"In this world, money made from base metals is used for everyday mortal needs. Look, this is the money I'm talking about!"
Reaching into his robe, the young boy produced a pouch; from it, he extracted three distinct round objects and placed them upon the table.
"This is a copper coin, this is silver, and this is gold!"
He continued speaking, placing his hand upon the copper piece.
"A hundred of these equal one silver, and a hundred silver equal one gold!"
"Then what was the thing I was holding?"
"Patience; I'm getting to that."
Mel, newly exposed to the outside world, was like a parched sponge; he possessed a relentless thirst to absorb new knowledge.
"Above the base metals, there are jades infused with the spiritual energy of masters who have reached the Domination Realm. These currencies exist on a completely different level than mere metals. Even though a single jade is worth a thousand gold coins, cultivators usually use them to gain enlightenment or to absorb the energy inside them!"
As the knowledge flooded his mind, Mel began to gaze at the young boy before him with awe. With every word he spoke, Mel discovered just how vast the world truly was.
"As for the object Marvina is guarding so fiercely she can't even eat her meal... it has to be something I've only read about in ancient texts. A Purple Crystal Token forged from the cores of wild beasts at the Unity Realm! I can't even begin to imagine its true value!"
The robustly built boy trembled slightly upon hearing those final words. He thought that if these two were this deeply shaken by a single Purple Crystal Token, they would likely lose their minds if they witnessed the sheer quantity contained within his ring.
"Thanks a lot for the warning; I owe you again!"
Mel slowly extended his ring-bearing hand beneath the table toward Marvina's hand, which clutched the Purple Crystal Token. A second later, the four-cornered purple object vanished as if it had never existed.
"Your food is getting cold; come on, eat!"
With the minor crisis averted, they devoured the broth within the deep bowls set before them with great appetite; Mel, in fact, found it so delectable that he could not resist consuming two additional bowls.
"Mel, I can't sense a trace of spiritual power coming from you. Are you maybe a practitioner of body cultivation?"
Scratching his head with his left hand, Mel began to glance around the room with sheepish eyes. Though they had only known each other for a short time, Edgan understood precisely what this demeanor signified.
"I guess you don't know anything about this either, but sorry; I've done enough explaining for one day!"
The handsome youth paused, but his younger sister harbored no such intention.
"If you aren't a martial artist, which division of the academy did you come to join?"
This time, he possessed an answer.
"I want to join the botanical division!"
"That's great! I'm here to walk the path of an Alchemist. My brother, though, is going to join the division for martial artists!"
Overcome with excitement, the girl lost control of her volume; hearing her declaration, the other patrons of the tavern turned their gazes toward them.
"Calm down, Marvina! I haven't even passed the qualification trials yet!"
Thousands of individuals within the academy's settlement were awaiting the qualification trials set to commence in three days; voicing such bold declarations in a public setting was not a testament to wisdom.
"Sorry, brother, but the past two and a half years have been amazing. When I think about them, I just can't help myself!"