"It's a human, a human who can produce Eternal Coins. That's only possible within Great Yi. Eternal Coins are minted exclusively by the Great Yi Dynasty. Any coins found among other tribes or settlements were all acquired through trade with Great Yi."
"Fantastic! I've heard that our human race has finally risen. King Yi established Xuanhuang City, founded a formal kingdom, and created the Great Yi Dynasty. It was even praised by Heaven and Earth. He's become a living legend among our people. We're not far from Great Yi's territory, but we used to be unable to leave the underground—there was no way to reach them."
"If Great Yi truly expands into our region, that would be amazing. We've long dreamed of joining Great Yi, but had no way of crossing the wilderness. I heard that in Great Yi, everyone can cultivate, and anyone can receive free cultivation techniques and martial skills from the Scripture Pavilion. There's no fear of hunger or cold. That's the human realm we dream of."
Many of the human civilians nearby were visibly stirred, their hearts filled with hope and anticipation.
The deeds and policies of Great Yi had long spread to surrounding areas. Anyone who paid attention would know: Great Yi, after numerous brutal wars against various alien races, had not only survived, but grown stronger. Now, it had formalized into a proper Dynasty of Fortune—an unprecedented feat. Countless humans admired it. If the wilderness weren't so deadly, many would have already tried migrating there.
That said, Darkblood Town was still relatively safe.
At the very least, it was a place where people could survive. Compared to most human villages in the wilderness, it was a haven.
"I've heard that Great Yi is expanding, and they've already begun relocating their Celestial Cities. These cities suppress the wilderness with each covering a thousand miles and connected to one another. This kind of expansion is nearly unstoppable unless met with overwhelming resistance."
"You're behind the times. I just got word: the latest Celestial City has landed near Carp Lake. A thousand miles around it is now Great Yi territory. Even though the wilderness remains a hunting ground for all races, the humans have secured a foothold here. With a Celestial City as their base and the help of teleportation arrays, Great Yi can deploy troops in an instant."
"That's right. We're not far from Great Yi's border. If they expand again, our area will likely be enveloped. Who knows what will happen when they discover Darkblood Town?"
Beyond the humans, residents of other races in town also showed curiosity—and a hint of unease.
There was a natural reverence for Great Yi.
After all, Great Yi was not just another kingdom—it had carved out its territory by force from the other races. Its strength was not something any ordinary tribe or alien city could resist.
If they were discovered, everyone knew: Darkblood Town couldn't possibly withstand an invasion from the Great Yi army. Even with rune guns, it would be useless. Great Yi's Divine Mechanized Crossbows were not inferior, and their endless supply of bolts struck terror into any who witnessed them.
No matter what, when Yi Tianxing produced several thousand Eternal Coins, he immediately became the center of attention. Curious stares, speculative glances—he was now the town's focus.
"Eternal Coins! Who has a lot of Eternal Coins?! Hurry, I'll trade anything for them—even a rune gun!"
Suddenly, a short figure dashed in from the distance, shouting as he ran.
It was a goblin, and like most goblins, it was difficult to distinguish one from another. Much like how Westerners often think all Easterners look the same, one might think all goblins share the same face.
However, this one stood out. He wore a finely made robe, clearly indicating status. His face glowed with excitement.
"Brother, it's this guest who had the Eternal Coins! He just bought one of my rune guns. But the coins are mine—I'm not giving them to you!" exclaimed Arama, clutching his spatial pouch tightly with a guarded expression as he addressed the newcomer.
"Human guest, this is my older brother, Anima—a master of engineering and an alchemy grandmaster. He's the co-inventor of the rune gun," Arama quickly explained.
"You still have Eternal Coins? I'll trade for them—whatever you want! I'll give you rune guns in return. I need large quantities of Eternal Coins!" Anima said, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"What do you need Eternal Coins for?" Yi Tianxing asked calmly.
"To study them, of course! These coins are perfect. Far superior to crystal coins—not only do they contain more Heaven and Earth energy, but they also possess a strange power that boosts cultivation speed. Compared to them, crystal coins are trash. I want to uncover how Eternal Coins are made. If I succeed, I'll be able to mint them myself!"
Anima's eyes gleamed with a fanatical light.
He wanted to reverse-engineer the Eternal Coin, even recreate it through alchemy.
He had tried to deconstruct them, but whenever he attempted to break down an Eternal Coin using alchemy, the Heaven and Earth energy within would immediately disperse—and the coin would vanish, disintegrating completely. It was a shocking sight. Not even alchemy could reveal its ingredients.
This only stoked his obsession. The harder it was, the more he refused to give up.
"I'll uncover the Eternal Coin's secret. I will master the forging process."
"Trying to decipher the Eternal Coin's forging method? He's dreaming." Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed slightly."These coins contain unique restrictions and are infused with Willing Power Orbs (愿力珠)—representing the people's will. That power resists all forms of probing. Eternal Coins are crafted primarily from crystal stones and hold Heaven and Earth energy. Once that energy is dispersed, the coin vanishes, returning to the Money Tree. Unless you can stabilize a spent coin, you'll never find its secrets. Even then, there's nothing inside to find."
Only with the Heaven-Earth Coin Minting Furnace (乾坤铸币炉) could one produce Eternal Coins. Without it, trying to reverse-engineer one was pure delusion.
"I do have Eternal Coins," Yi Tianxing admitted. "But one rune gun is enough. I don't need more."
"You don't want more rune guns? No matter—I've got something better. You'll need rune bullets anyway: armor-piercing rounds, explosive rounds, frost rounds, flame rounds. And if those don't interest you, I've got other treasures. Come! To my alchemy lab—you're bound to find something you want. Just give me Eternal Coins!"
Anima was unstoppable. He was the mayor of Darkblood Town, though he hardly cared about governance. He spent all his time on inventions and research. The town's affairs were left to their own devices—which explained why the various races coexisted peacefully. He didn't have time for politics.
Without waiting for a reply, Anima grabbed Yi Tianxing and dragged him toward the Town Lord's Manor.
Yi Tianxing was stunned by the goblin's forceful behavior but intrigued. He was curious to see what Anima had to offer. Running a black market surely meant he'd amassed a great hoard.
Upon entering the manor, it was clear the place hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Materials were piled everywhere, creating a cluttered mess—like a scrapyard or a construction zone.
But that was only the surface.
Deep inside, Anima led him to the manor's underground chambers—revealing a vast subterranean workshop.
The walls were made from rare metals—extremely durable and resistant. Inside were rows of workbenches, with dwarves hammering parts, crafting weapons and forging armor. A branch of the Rongyan River flowed through the area, serving as a natural forge.
Goblins worked meticulously on small components, some engraving runes with rune pens.
Alchemists surrounded alchemy arrays, tossing in raw ores and materials. The arrays operated quickly, purifying the materials and fusing them into new metals.
It was a massive forging complex.
Everyone there was fully absorbed in their tasks, oblivious to the outside world.
There were humans too.
At one table, an elderly man was drawing designs. Beside him were several human assistants.
"Haha! This is my forging base," Anima declared proudly. "That's one of your own—Master Luo Lianping, a famed human weaponsmith. The rune gun was completed thanks to his designs."
Anima clearly respected the man deeply. Among engineers and inventors, only skill and ingenuity earned true admiration.
"Let's head to the treasury. I'll show you treasures that'll blow your mind," Anima said with excitement.