NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 152: Talent
"I would like to meet him and have a chat, exchange some thoughts on artifact refining," Dong Liu carefully requested. "These thoughts... I'm afraid they could be enlightening for me as well."
"You'll have an opportunity," Xu Quexing said and then turned to Zhang Jianlin, "This master artifact refiner... named Alkaid, does he have any demands for his living or working conditions?"
Immediately afterward, he quickly added to Zhao Siliang, "We must ensure his personal safety."
"Rest assured, I have already ordered it. A Third Rank Star Master personally leads the protection for his safety," Zhao Siliang immediately replied.
"Not enough!" Dong Liu spoke up at once. "I suggest we adopt the protection standards of a grandmaster of artifact refining, and arrange a team consisting of one Primordial Spirit Realm, one Foundation Establishment Realm, and two at the Star Lord Realm to guard him."
"Grandmaster of artifact refining standards?" Xu Quexing, Zhao Siliang, Xiang Tianheng, and the others were startled.
"During the testing of this flying sword, I got a feeling that this Mr. Alkaid is not incapable of crafting treasure-level flying swords. It's not that his vision or knowledge is lacking but rather he seems to be stuck at a certain point—you could say a threshold, which isn't as dramatic as a bottleneck.
He just needs to overcome this threshold, and he should be able to step into the domain of grandmaster artifact refiners," Dong Liu asserted.
"A threshold?"
"Stuck? Where is he stuck?"
"Formation?" A few of them were somewhat confused.
"I don't know either, which is why... I want to meet him. If we can have an honest exchange, perhaps we can figure out where his problem lies and enable him to truly possess the ability to craft magical treasures," Dong Liu shook his head.
"I will try to arrange it," Zhao Siliang pondered for a moment and then gave his response.
At this time, Zhang Jianlin weighed his thoughts and spoke, "Perhaps... I know where he's stuck..."
Everyone's gaze immediately fell on this Great Primordial Spirit Cultivator.
Without playing coy, when he glanced at Zhao Siliang, he said, "Has the Sect Master forgotten? He is neither of the Foundation Establishment nor of the Primordial Spirit."
As soon as these words came out, Zhao Siliang's mind flashed as if struck by lightning!
"A Great Cultivator! He... he's not even a Great Cultivator!"
The meaning dawned on everyone immediately.
If one isn't a Great Cultivator, their insight into the laws of heaven and earth is naturally much less profound.
Their abilities, vision, perception, and reactions are all inferior to those of a Great Cultivator. When studying secondary professions like artifact refining, formation arrangement, or alchemy, they naturally progress slower than Great Cultivators.
"So that's it! So that's it!" Dong Liu also saw the light and quickly said, "That has to be it! If he could become a Great Cultivator, he would undoubtedly break through this threshold in a very short time and become a true grandmaster of artifact refining!"
"Alkaid must also understand this!" Zhang Jianlin exclaimed. "I once asked Alkaid what help he would need if it was confirmed that he indeed has the potential to become a grandmaster of artifact refining, and his answer was—just give him 100,000 Spirit Stones! 100,000 Spirit Stones, does that not remind you all of something?"
"100,000 Spirit Stones..." With the previous hint about a "Great Cultivator," everyone quickly found the answer after a moment of thought: "Divine Transformation Pill?"
"That's right, the Divine Transformation Pill that can assist in strengthening one's Divine Sense and transform Qi into Divinity!" Zhang Jianlin said.
"The Divine Transformation Pill... merely simulates a sliver of the Dharma Phase's divine aspects, accommodating a vast amount of Spiritual Energy in the form of Law of Heaven and Earth, then refining Qi into divine... I fear it's not enough to let a cultivator of the Ninth Layers of Divine Refinement consolidate their Primordial Spirit," Xu Quexing expressed his doubt.
"Alkaid is different," Zhang Jianlin said gravely. "It has been said in the Purple Cloud Courtyard that Chief Alkaid can already exhibit a nuance of the Primordial Spirit. Given his profound background in the Divine Refining Path, coupled with the innate ability of the Divine Transformation Pill to aid in consolidating the Primordial Spirit...
if he takes such an elixir, he might directly step into the realm of the Primordial Spirit and become a Great Primordial Spirit Cultivator!"
"He already exhibits a nuance of the Primordial Spirit?" "Then it's settled." "I recall records suggesting that Alkaid seems quite young, not even thirty?"
People exchanged thoughts, and Xu Quexing, laughing at himself, said, "Now, I certainly won't ever believe that Alkaid harbors any ill intent towards our Nine Cauldrons Sect."
The weight of a master in a secondary profession often exceeds those of Body Refinement, Qi Refinement, and Ninth Layers of Divine Refinement, slightly lower than that of a Great Cultivator. And the weight of a grandmaster... is only second to Golden Core! It's comparable to cultivators who have solidified their Immortal Foundation.
An individual not even thirty years old, yet could accomplish Primordial Spirit, and also holds the standard of a grandmaster of artifact refining—lurking in the Nine Cauldrons Sect? To speak bluntly... The Nine Cauldrons Sect isn't worthy.
"Alkaid comes from a subordinate world. According to the records, he didn't choose to join our Nine Cauldrons Sect right away upon his arrival but stayed in a place called the Hundred Refinements Sect in Dragon Majestic City to observe. This shows that... while we are evaluating him, he is also assessing us. Therefore... we absolutely cannot let real talent be discouraged," Zhao Siliang said.
"With just the Third Generation Superior Grade Spiritual Sword he presented, it's worth 100,000 Spirit Stones!" Xu Quexing decided on the spot, generously gesturing, "It's just a Divine Transformation Pill, isn't it? Give it to him! In addition, allocate another 30,000 Spirit Stones as a personal reward for him!"
Having said that, he turned to Xiang Tianheng, "You may stop the orders for Zhanlu. All purchases of high-end spirit swords will be redirected to Purple Cloud Courtyard—let's start with three thousand swords!"
"Cough, cough..."
Xiang Tianheng heard the number "three thousand" and was a bit short of breath.
It took him a while before he could only wryly smile and say, "We don't have any Spirit Stones left."
A cost of one thousand six hundred, a purchase price of at least one thousand eight hundred, an order of three thousand Flying Swords...
Five million four hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
The Sword Cultivation Department's annual purchasing quota is just over two million.
If we place this order, the Sword Cultivation Department won't even think about updating any equipment for the next two years.
"Let's reduce the order quantity a bit,"
Zhao Siliang said, "Consumption of Superior Grade Spiritual Artifacts is ultimately a little too much after all."
Whether it's Spiritual Artifacts or Treasures, theoretically, Interior Grade equipment has the best cost-performance ratio, while Superior Grade has the highest-end performance and completeness.
But, the high-end performance of Superior Grade equipment is seldom needed, yet their energy consumption is several times that of Interior Grade equipment.
Therefore, from a comprehensive cost-performance consideration, many sects equip about 60% Interior Grade equipment, with Medium Grade and Superior Grade each making up 20%.
Spirit Stones are needed for cultivation, daily use, and all aspects of life; everyone needs them, so they must be used sparingly.
Of course...
When it comes to all-out war, a life-and-death struggle, cost-performance must take a back seat to performance.
And if there are plenty of Spirit Stones, one needn't worry about energy consumption issues.
"We can't reduce the order quantity; otherwise, wouldn't all the effort Alkaid Chief has put into this Flying Sword be wasted?"
Xu Quexing said.
After considering for a moment, Xiang Tianheng said, "Alkaid Chief has given us a glimpse of hope for swiftly crushing the Xuanming Sect with these Spiritual Artifacts, so let's equip the most elite disciples with Superior Grade Spirit Swords, in terms of quantity... I think one thousand is appropriate. One thousand people should be enough to defeat the elite of Xuanming Sect."
The number of elite high-rank Sword Cultivators in the Xuanming Sect is estimated to be less than one thousand.
Once they are crushed, it's as if a Sword Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement has been cut down a level; the remaining eight and seven layers can still defend effectively with formations, but going to the front lines would be tantamount to suicide.
By that time, if a cultivator of a single heavy layer is annihilated, Xuanming Sect won't recover for the next ten years, and the dispute over Posuo Island will naturally be resolved.
"Can your side come up with one million eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"
Xu Quexing asked.
"No, which is why we need cooperation from the Technique Cultivation and Body Cultivation purchasing departments,"
Xiang Tianheng said.
"As it should be, even if we have to borrow Spirit Stones from other departments, we can't let the hard work and meticulous design of our people go to waste, especially since this Flying Sword is so outstanding,"
Xu Quexing settled the matter and said to Xiang Tianheng, "When the time comes, go with Sect Master Zhao and the others to meet with Alkaid Chief, both to protect the delivery of the Divine Transformation Pills and to explain our difficulties to him."
"All right,"
Xiang Tianheng responded.
Zhao Siliang and Zhang Jianlin also nodded in agreement.
This was the best possible outcome.
...
Nine Heavens City.
Compared to Zong Yan and Ji Pingtian who were still lingering in Dragon Majestic City, the Xie Family had gradually relocated to the capital of Nine Heavens Domain—Nine Heavens City.
The promotion banquet was also being held in a renowned restaurant in the capital.
In order to have a successful promotion banquet and take this opportunity to penetrate the upper echelons of Nine Heavens City, the Xie Family invested a lot of manpower and resources, with rumors that the cost of the banquet alone was no less than one million.
Add to that their contact with the Murong Family, with whom the Xie Family had a good private relationship over a month ago, and even at the cost of gifting more than ten Spirit Stones in heavy gifts, they invited guests based on the reputation of the Murong Family; without exception, all were individuals of status and standing in Nine Heavens City.
At this moment, as the face of the Xie Family, Xie Yushu—who had become a high-rank cultivator with the help of Celestial Pills—and Murong Yun, a seventh layer Technique Cultivator from the Murong Family, were together welcoming one distinguished guest after another.
However, as they welcomed each guest, both Xie Yushu and Murong Yun, from time to time, looked expectantly towards a certain direction.
At that time, a man in his fifties approached, "Have Steward Liu, Chairman Fang, and Dean Luo not arrived yet?"
"Third Brother,"
Murong Yun greeted, then followed with, "These three didn't give a definite response, so I'm not sure."
"If even they haven't come, it looks like that esteemed personage is even less likely to show."
Murong Yuan expressed his regret, and then he glanced at Xie Yushu, "Your Xie Family missed a good opportunity. Knowing that person was so talented, why did your attitude completely change after coming here?"
Xie Yushu could only smile bitterly and say, "We haven't skimped on the necessary courtesies; we still visit him every now and then… It's just that he's too busy, with hardly any time to meet with us…"
"Ultimately, it was your lack of sincerity in that first month that made you miss the opportunity."
Murong Yuan said.
"We've been doing what should be done. Just a few days ago, we specially sent over some local specialties, but didn't meet the person. Now… the gap between us has been thoroughly widened; we're not on the same level anymore."
Xie Yushu shook his head.
Hearing this, Murong Yuan had nothing more to say.
Even with the help of the Murong Family, the Xie Family was at best on the level of a wealthy family.
Relying on the wealth brought from their Subordinate World, they had managed to secure tens of millions in assets, even accumulating dozens to hundreds of Spirit Stones—how many remain now is unclear.
Without mastering any techniques or abilities, their future, unless Xie Yushi distinguishes himself, would be limited to living off these assets.
It's not difficult to be moderately wealthy, but to acquire status or power, the prospects are bleak.
"I should go in and accompany the other guests,"
Murong Yuan said, then turned and left.
Xie Yushu responded with a bitter smile and a nod of his head.
Just then, an expensive but not particularly outstanding hover car among the many luxury vehicles present, pulled up and stopped.
Alkaid along with Zong Yan then got out of the car.