When Liu Tian stepped out of Dust, he had spent every last one of the thousand yuan bills he'd brought with him. It really was the biggest antique shop, wasn't it? Even among the first-tier pieces, there were nearly a thousand unique antiques.
The results, however, were far worse than he'd expected.
Liu Tian opened the effort panel, which only he could see. It showed the results of a day's effort—Origin Points: 3.8. At the same time, Heavenly Martial Killing Dao once again displayed the words "Upgradeable."
Of nearly a thousand antiques, fewer than one in thirty had given him Origin Points, and usually only 0.1. A mere touch had absorbed them completely. Unlike the Prism Pillar, none produced any lingering warmth.
There was just one problem.
Like after a bout of post-orgasm clarity, Liu Tian had cooled down after spending all that money. Looking back over the day, he turned toward Dust, and a thought suddenly occurred to him: How could I be sure that everything he showed me was a relic of the Lost Empire? What if half of it was real and half fake? Or, worse, what if only one in ten pieces was real?
Rather than trust a capitalist's scruples, I'd better find a way to learn how to authenticate antiques. At the very least, I shouldn't be so easy to fool.
He glanced at his mechanical wristwatch, then set off for Tian Dao's house.
Eleven days later, at the Rose Academy library.
The weather was bad today. The sun, which had been working for more than ten days straight, was now resting behind thick clouds. The sky was gloomy, and the wind howled now and then.
After adding a final note to his notebook, Liu Tian gently closed the third book he'd found in the library about the Lost Empire. It was getting late, and he didn't look for another. He returned the book to its place, packed away his notes, and prepared to leave.
During these past few days, while enduring Tian Dao's measured beatings, Liu Tian had found time to think about how to cultivate his ability to appreciate antiques. In the end, he'd settled on a method that was guaranteed to work.
Reading.
Without a doubt, although the Liu family had lived here for over a decade, their rare black hair set them apart. Their father was also a foreigner, and he wasn't the type to claw his way into society. As a result, they were still quietly shunned to some extent.
So, in high society, the Liu family could still be considered strangers.
In this era, unlike Earth during its knowledge explosion, a learned intellectual was incredibly valuable. Someone who could genuinely be called a researcher of the Lost Empire, and who could accurately determine which antiques belonged to it and which did not, was more precious still. People with such expertise were more common across the sea in the Dawn Alliance, after all—that was where they could really make a name for themselves.
So a rare breed like that wasn't someone an outsider like Liu Tian, who was "cut off from the world," could easily meet, let alone persuade to teach him their trade.
Even if he managed to find someone qualified, he'd certainly end up owing them a considerable favor.
These days, money was easy to repay, but favors were hard to return. Especially for a traditional family like the Lius, who took their word as binding. Unless absolutely necessary, neither Liu Yun nor Liu Tian would want to owe anyone a favor.
And, looking at it pessimistically, the Lost Empire had been gone for so long that materials were scarce. Were the experts who claimed they could accurately identify its antiques really that precise? Or were they just good at talking?
So learning how to authenticate antiques himself was essential. He might even discover some underlying connection that would help him obtain Origin Points.
Besides, Liu Tian was genuinely interested in the history of the Lost Empire. A whole civilization that had vanished without a trace, powerful technology that remained intact and operational after six thousand years, and a storm that had lasted half a century—all signs pointed to the fact that the empire of six thousand years ago had been far from ordinary. There had to be secrets behind it all.
"Hey! You're here again today?" A voice called from behind him. A young man's voice, one he'd become somewhat familiar with recently, came from nearby. "Interested in going to the party Rose Princess is hosting at seven tonight?"
"Not interested." Liu Tian answered as he turned around. As expected, the person before him was the familiar Ailian Yuga, the third son of a new family that had risen during the last World War. His family had made a name for itself in the Hundred Flowers Kingdom through arms dealing and military command.
Though it lacked deep roots, the Ailian family was still a rising star, especially now that the international situation was growing increasingly tense. Countless people were gravitating toward them because of their formidable military strength.
Ailian was eighteen that year, and handsome as could be. His features were chiseled like a sculpture, and he had short, pale golden hair and deep silver-white eyes. His tall, lean frame hinted at well-built muscles. The roguish smile at the corner of his mouth didn't detract from his appearance; it gave him a hint of danger instead.
Ailian Yuga was fairly popular at the academy, but Liu Tian was naturally withdrawn and rarely socialized with his classmates. He had no friends there, so Ailian certainly wasn't one of them—let alone the kind of friend who could invite him to a party.
As for why they'd suddenly become somewhat familiar recently, and why Liu Tian had even received a party invitation, it was because Ailian had shamelessly gone out of his way to get close to him. And that was all connected to Rose Princess Lilia, who had suddenly taken an interest in the Lost Empire.
As a professional simp with five years of experience, Ailian always went wherever the wind blew.
Since Rose Princess was interested in the Lost Empire, Ailian naturally had to prepare in advance—namely, by finding a tool to answer questions about it.
That was how Liu Tian, who had recently started spending four hours a day in the library researching the Lost Empire, had come to his attention.
After several "chance encounters," Ailian confirmed that Liu Tian was seriously studying the Lost Empire, had a strong aptitude for learning, and had not the slightest interest in Rose Princess. So he'd spent a lot of effort lately building a relationship with him.
Liu Tian wasn't fond of pointless socializing, but he didn't mind someone who came over shamelessly and still knew where to draw the line. Thanks to Ailian's tireless efforts, the two had gradually become "friends."
More important to Liu Tian, of course, was that Ailian occasionally brought him antiques to examine for free. He'd only brought three so far, since they'd known each other for a short time, but one of them was a red gemstone containing 0.3 Origin Energy, which had given his reserves a considerable boost.
With the prospect of getting free Origin Energy in the future, Liu Tian naturally felt obliged to return the favor. It was hard to turn down someone who came bearing gifts.
"This time, Rose Princess's close friend will be there too. I heard the young lady of the Luvia family is gentle and well brought up. This is her first time attending a party, so it's a rare opportunity. Still don't want to meet her?" Ailian raised his eyebrows with a mischievous grin. "Aren't people from the Crimson Cloud Empire supposed to like that kind of girl? She might be right up your alley."
"You know what I'm like." Liu Tian started walking toward the exit as he replied, "I have to go to my master's house every night to learn combat. I really don't have the energy to attend parties. Maybe next time, if I get the chance."
"Combat, combat, combat. Is it really better than a beautiful woman?" Ailian didn't press him. He just shrugged. "These days, a lifetime of martial arts training is worth less than one artillery shell. It's just not cost-effective. I think it's enough to use drugs to reach the Martial Artist level in your twenties. Why work so hard?"
"Enjoy life while you can, my friend. You'll miss your chance if you let it pass..."
"Maybe next time. If I get the chance..." Liu Tian waved a hand without arguing. The sky was already dark, and he hadn't brought an umbrella, so he needed to get going.
Before you continue