The Arcane Path Begins Here!

Zhang Yuan, lying flat on his back, began to recall his first day in this alternate dimension.

Although his coins hadn't been used, the banknotes he'd initially dismissed as worthless paper had brought an unexpected surprise. Five gold coins might not sound like much, but knowing the local prices, he didn't see it that way.

A substantial hamburger cost only two copper coins, and a large mug of ordinary beer was the same price. Comparing this to prices back on Earth, one copper coin here had the purchasing power of about ten Yuan or an equivalent amount in Euros.

So, does that mean I have about five thousand Yuan to my name now? Zhang Yuan finally felt a bit more secure. It was true, money was the root of all courage.

He suddenly remembered the butler's words when handing him the gold coins, and Wiles's question about the Silver Scale Mail costing five gold pieces.

Interesting. So, one dollar in the game is equivalent to one copper coin in this world. I thought gold coins in Faerûn weren't worth much.

Recalling the "huge transactions" of thousands of gold pieces in the game, he couldn't help but chuckle.

As he laughed, his brow furrowed. He thought of the system that hadn't responded since he arrived in the world of Faerûn, and he wondered when it would finally activate.

DLTCEP? System? Zhang Yuan called out a few times, but receiving no response, he gave up. Fortunately, the benefits the system provided were real. Not to mention the miraculous universal language comprehension, the seven spell models existing in his mind were also undeniable facts.

Magic, which had only existed in fantasy until now, was now within his grasp. Heaven knew how much willpower Zhang Yuan had used to curb his curiosity.

But then again, even if he wanted to cast spells, he'd have to memorize them into his spell slots and then sleep on it. Once he woke up, he'd be a proper Archmage. With this anticipation, Zhang Yuan drifted off to sleep contentedly.

The sun was high in the sky, and the day was bright. Zhang Yuan, woken by the sound of his phone, groggily turned off the alarm. As he forced his eyelids open, he felt a dull ache all over his body.

"Damn, why is this bed so hard? Where's my mattress?" Zhang Yuan propped himself up with his hands, finding the bed frame digging into him. Only then did he remember that he was no longer in his simple yet warm little apartment.

Everything familiar was gone. Even that world was now just a concept of "hometown."

Zhang Yuan sat numbly on the edge of the bed for a while before a loud sneeze startled him awake.

"Ha~ha~choo!" Wiles, also waking up, rubbed his nose and asked in a muffled voice, "Did I just hear someone playing music? Is it a bard downstairs? They're here so early?"

"Probably. Are you going to sell paintings again today?" Knowing that the painter had likely been woken up by his alarm, Zhang Yuan didn't want to bring up the source of the ringing and casually asked.

Wiles retorted, "What do you mean 'sell paintings'? I'm going out for inspiration, for artistic creation!"

"Heh." Zhang Yuan couldn't be bothered to argue and turned away, leaving the room.

A shiver ran down Wiles's spine as he felt a wave of malice wash over him. He quickly asked, "Where are you going?"

"To wash my face and brush my teeth. Oh, by the way, do you know where to buy toiletries?" The person who hadn't yet adapted to life in this new world had to seek help from the "native" beside him.

Emerging from a general store, Zhang Yuan bought a pile of daily necessities and a backpack, stingily counting his meager coins.

Yesterday's food, drink, and lodging had cost twenty copper coins. Adding the 25 copper coins spent on his purchases just now, he was left with only four gold, five silver, and five copper.

Although the amount spent wasn't excessive, the constant outflow of money with no income put him under considerable pressure.

With his mind turning back to his coins, Zhang Yuan remembered that his companion was somewhat involved in the art industry. Perhaps he knew many collectors?

"Are there any well-known collectors around here? Can you introduce me to a generous one?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"Are you planning to sell that other painting?" Wiles said with a hint of regret. "Actually, many nobles have a habit of collecting art. They're our main patrons. However, their taste isn't great, and they're very demanding."

After complaining for a bit, Wiles paused before continuing, "In this city, besides Grand Duke Silver Shield and the Duke of the Belt, Ferenno of the Kist family is the most enthusiastic collector. He even held an exhibition recently to show off his treasures."

Hearing Ferenno's name, Zhang Yuan, who found it familiar, quickly asked, "Does Sir Kist live near the market in the city center?"

"Oh, you've heard of him too? His residence is to the west of the market, but we can't see him without an introduction or an invitation."

This is too troublesome... Having roughly identified who Sir Kist was, Zhang Yuan remembered how he always kicked down doors in the game and began considering the possibility of recruiting a rogue teammate.

Unfortunately, this trip was for a business negotiation, not a freebie. Thinking about it, he had to abandon the idea.

Without a noble title or any fame, Zhang Yuan didn't expect Ferenno Kist, an NPC, to send him an invitation.

Helplessly, he could only hope that Wiles might have some connections to open this door.

Unexpectedly, Wiles did give Zhang Yuan a surprise. Of course, it wasn't some cliché plot where the down-and-out painter suddenly met his confidant, who turned out to be a cultural artifact tycoon.

"Sir Kist always enjoys showcasing his collection. There's a small gathering planned for the end of this month, and I think you might be able to meet him there."

"An exhibition? Is it open to everyone? Can I go in?" Zhang Yuan was a bit surprised.

"Of course, not just anyone can enter. Those philistines wouldn't understand it and might even damage the Duke's treasures. But as an artist, I've had the honor of attending exhibitions hosted by the Duke." Wiles said, puffing out his chest with a proud expression.

"That's truly impressive. I suppose only a true artist would be recognized by the Duke." Since this guy could still be useful, Zhang Yuan didn't hold back on the praise.

Wiles, his ego thoroughly stroked, immediately declared, "Don't worry, you'll meet Sir Kist in about six days. Just don't forget my contribution when it happens."

"If it works out, I'll treat you to as much Jade Wine as you can drink!"

"It's a deal!"

Zhang Yuan returned to his room at the inn alone and finished his ablutions. Now he finally had time to ponder his professional abilities and power system.

After careful consideration before falling asleep last night, he had finally chosen the spells Mage Armor and Lesser Malison.

The former could provide the protection of a suit of chain mail, which was a great boon to Sword Saints and mages who couldn't wear armor, not to mention its eight-hour duration.

While the latter's destructive power was weak, it could provide the caster with an equivalent amount of healing, serving as a commoner's version of vampiric touch.

The two completed spell constructs existed in his mental sea, but Zhang Yuan couldn't understand at all how they were formed, nor could he comprehend the existence of the mental sea itself.

Completely reliant on the system's endowment and having never encountered true magical knowledge or theory, he could only stare blankly at the structure of the two spells in his sea of consciousness, like an elementary student looking at advanced mathematics.

The spell models, woven from intricate arcane runes, emitted a faint glow. The runes lit up like stars in the night sky, echoing, connecting, and interlocking with each other.

Lost in the beauty of the arcane, Zhang Yuan could no longer suppress his eagerness and curiosity. Thus, in a simple room at an inn, a chant began, and casting gestures flowed from the hands of a visitor from a foreign land.