Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 547 - 387: Ember Smelting, the Gambling Stone Workshop of the Era of Myth!_2
Fang Zhou strolled along, admiring his surroundings, and finally stopped in front of a gray tent.
"This is it."
He looked up and examined it carefully. A delicate plaque hung at the entrance, inscribed with four large words in neat calligraphy—All Bets Are Final.
Indeed, this was the casino he had been searching for, and the stakes were the Ancient Marvels he so desperately wanted.
The casino occupied several hundred square meters, its massive scale making it a behemoth in the temporary merchant district. Fang Zhou stepped inside and was immediately captivated by the scene before him.
Three rows of counters were neatly arranged along the tent’s edges, each stretching for tens of meters and displaying various types of amber and fossils. The exhibits varied in form, from exquisite, palm-sized pieces of amber to rare fossils as large as washbasins. There were even gigantic fossils taller than a person. Too large to fit on the counters, they stood directly on the ground and were particularly eye-catching.
In stark contrast to the bustling shops in the other tents, this place was serene. Only a few scattered students stood before the counters. Some carefully observed the stones, their eyes filled with intense interest, while others gently rubbed the fossils in their hands, feeling their texture and temperature. Whatever they discussed, they did so in whispers, afraid of disturbing the thoughts and choices of others.
This was a Gambling Stone Workshop.
In the Era of Myth, countless powerful civilizations rose and fell, like sand sifted by a great wave, while innumerable races quietly perished in the forgotten corners of the world. The world of Blue Star was gradually integrating into the Mythical World, and at the confluence of these worlds, numerous Spatial Fragments drifting from the Void had become embedded. Many of these Spatial Fragments were actually the ancestral graveyards and civilization burial grounds of other, alien civilizations. Most creations of these alien civilizations had turned to dust under the ravages of time, but a few ingeniously crafted Ancient Marvels remained, concentrated deep within fossils. The stone shells around them grew thicker over time, eventually forming rough stones.
Some Professionals accidentally obtained these rough stones hiding Ancient Marvels, thus acquiring relics from alien civilizations passed down through the ages. Most relics from alien civilizations had lost their original value, becoming little more than unique handicrafts in the hands of Blue Star’s Professionals. However, a few of these Ancient Marvels still retained some of their efficacy. For Professionals, these Marvels could offer powerful assistance, even allowing them to deduce more potent legacies from ancient civilizations. Some Professionals made a small fortune from them, while others rose to prominence, their lives taking a dramatic turn. Such events happened frequently in the Mythical World, often accompanied by rumors, both true and false, that sparked the imagination.
This Gambling Stone Workshop was a joint venture run by several senior students, which was where they sourced their rough stones. Of course, the stones’ exteriors only hinted at what might be inside; only by cutting them open could one confirm if they truly contained an Ancient Marvel.
In small-scale workshops like this, eight or nine out of ten stones are solid, with no Ancient Marvels inside. Even among the stones that do contain them, most may no longer have any function—eight or nine out of ten are just for show. However, if you happen to find a usable Ancient Marvel, you can make a substantial profit most of the time. If the Ancient Marvel is extremely rare, it can provide a significant boost to your future cultivation as a Professional.
Fang Zhou knew the ins and outs of this business all too well. After all, the Mirror of the Heart he had traded from Gu Yueyuan had been obtained through stone gambling. This Mirror of the Heart had the powerful effect of accelerating soul recovery, making it an extremely precious Marvel during the Apprentice Stage.
Fang Zhou stood at the entrance for a moment, his gaze quickly scanning the area, before slowly walking toward the counter on the left. Behind the counter, senior students—both male and female—were stationed every few meters to assist customers.
Seeing Fang Zhou approach the counter, the female student closest to him immediately walked over. "Excuse me, classmate," she said softly, a friendly smile on her face. "Are you looking for a specific type of Ancient Marvel? The stones at this counter are each priced at 100 contribution points. If this is your first time and you just want to try your luck for fun, you might prefer the counter on the right. The stones there are only 50 contribution points. If you’re seeking a bigger thrill, you can go to the high-level counter straight ahead, where the rough stones sell for 200 contribution points each."
This senior student was clearly experienced, having worked at the Gambling Stone Workshop for some time. When she saw Fang Zhou enter, she inferred from his appearance, age, height, and overall aura that he was an underclassman. Underclassmen had just embarked on their cultivation journey. Even the genius Seed Students who had already broken through to the Black Iron grade in their early years were usually short on funds due to cultivation expenses. Who among them would have spare money for stone gambling?
Underclassmen like him usually just came in to browse and satisfy their curiosity. The vast majority were just window-shoppers. Only a few with better financial means might buy one or two of the cheapest fossils to try their luck. Therefore, the female student didn’t have high expectations about Fang Zhou making a purchase. Still, she maintained her courtesy and enthusiasm, smiling as she awaited his response.
"I’ll look around first." Fang Zhou nodded to her, then lowered his head and began to carefully examine the stones on the counter.
Every stone had been meticulously placed, some with smooth, jade-like surfaces, others rough and uneven. Fang Zhou’s gaze wandered among them as he silently calculated his remaining contribution points, pondering how to get the most out of his limited resources.
To be honest, Fang Zhou didn’t have much confidence or any real plan to obtain a decent Ancient Marvel from these fossils. From what he had heard and seen, only someone blessed with immense luck, like Gu Yueyuan, could profit significantly from stone gambling. He wouldn’t bet his path to power on something as ethereal as this. Relying on luck was never his style.
What he truly wanted to do was use his attribute panel to perceive these dubious fossils, hoping to sense the presence of the Soul Crystal he so desperately desired. As long as he could sense the presence of a Soul Crystal, the trade would be worth it. Even if the Ancient Marvel within the fossil had already lost its function and was merely a decorative piece, he would still consider it a win.
Fang Zhou observed for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. Stone gambling was by no means cheap. In this gambling stall, even the cheapest fossil cost 50 contribution points, with others priced at 100 or even 200. Even with his current wealth, he couldn’t just recklessly buy all these fossils that potentially held Ancient Marvels.
Take the mid-tier counter before him, for example. There were more than twenty fossils with brilliant, ostentatious-looking surfaces. Whether any of them contained a Soul Crystal was a complete unknown.
He had to consider the consequences of any risk or gamble. Fang Zhou was no longer a naive kid, nor was he an overconfident gambler. People who believed themselves favored by fate usually ended up as victims of its whims.
I have to save some contribution points to sustain my daily cultivation and the development of new skills, Fang Zhou thought to himself.
He did a quick calculation. After setting aside funds for his basic needs, he could spend at most 4,000 contribution points on purchases over the next few days. For a mere second-year student like him, 4,000 contribution points was an enormous sum. Yet, this was an amount he had painstakingly accumulated after frantically developing and perfecting his various Undead Mage skills.
Of course, Fang Zhou had earned far more contribution points than that in total. However, he had spent most of them on accumulating various Skill Materials and purchasing resources to accelerate his cultivation.
