LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 138: Primordial Spirit
Under the leadership of Qin Yi and Zhang Jianlin, Alkaid met Zhao Siliang, the Sect Master of the Nine Cauldrons Sub-sect.
The Great Cultivator, who had established his Dao Foundation and ignited his True Fire, was very enthusiastic about Alkaid's joining.
He personally handled a series of procedures for Alkaid.
Within just two days, he had already joined the Nine Cauldrons Sect and completed his induction as the Chief of the Purple Cloud Flying Sword Pavilion.
...
The next day, accompanied by Zhang Jianlin, Qin Yadong, and Lin Sen, Alkaid visited the Purple Cloud Flying Sword Pavilion.
As the only flying sword manufacturing pavilion in Dragon Majestic City rated at the Lifebound Flying Sword Level, Qin Yadong and Lin Sen, both high-rank Artifact Refiners, naturally held positions there.
One as a senior consultant, the other as a normal consultant.
When the group arrived at the Purple Cloud Flying Sword Pavilion, several senior executives had already prepared the relevant documents.
Xiang Guangming, the chief among them, introduced the details of the pavilion one by one.
"Including staff members on assignment, the Purple Cloud Flying Sword Pavilion has sixteen high-rank Artifact Refiners, eighty-two Artifact Refiners, and one thousand three hundred and sixty-two apprentices..."
"Last year, the orders for the Purple Cloud Pavilion were eighty-four flying swords, earning two thousand eight hundred spirit stones in revenue. After deducting material costs and various expenses, the profit was a loss of one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four spirit stones..."
"Each year, the sect allocates two thousand and eighty spirit stones..."
"After deducting hospitality, losses, and other expenses, the current balance of spirit stones is one hundred and three."
Xiang Guangming spent over an hour completing the informational report for the Purple Cloud Pavilion.
After he finished, Zhang Jianlin turned to Alkaid, "The Sect Master knows your current situation is a bit difficult and has specially approved an addition of three hundred spirit stones to your account, hoping you will perform well in the next four years, help the Purple Cloud Pavilion through this difficulty, and avoid being downgraded."
Alkaid nodded.
The Artifact Refining Hall of the Nine Cauldrons Sect possessed various types of sub-institutes that produced many kinds of magic artifacts and spiritual artifacts, including flying swords, battle armors, and combat instruments.
According to their importance and size, they were categorized into sect-level key refining institutes directly managed by the Artifact Refining Hall, sub-sect-level refining institutes, city domain-level refining institutes, and basic-level refining institutes.
As a sub-sect-level refining institute, the Purple Cloud Pavilion's annual allocation fluctuated between one thousand five hundred and three thousand spirit stones.
This figure...
was nearly on par with the annual revenue of the Hundred Refinements Sect and Zong Lian, the Great Cultivator.
Otherwise, the annual income of the Hundred Refinements Sect would barely amount to a few hundred spirit stones.
"The Purple Cloud Pavilion is now in your hands. Don't feel too burdened, and don't neglect your cultivation because of artifact refining, especially the path of Divine Refining."
Zhang Jianlin said, smiling, "You're currently stuck in artifact refining, perhaps not because your refining skills aren't good enough, but because your cultivation hasn't kept up. Trust me, once your Divine Refining cultivation reaches the high-rank cultivator's level, you'll find artifact refining much more manageable."
"I hope your words prove true."
Alkaid nodded slightly.
"All right, I won't disturb you any longer, I'll take my leave now."
As a Primordial Spirit Realm Divine Dao Great Cultivator, Zhang Jianlin naturally had his own affairs to tend to.
Alkaid had Qin Yadong see him out on his behalf.
He knew there was truth in Zhang Jianlin's advice.
If he could break through to the Primordial Spirit Stage in the "Divine Dao" Realm, refining artifacts would indeed become much easier.
However...
"Four hundred and three spirit stones."
That was the amount of spirit stones he currently had access to.
But these spirit stones couldn't just be used for himself...
He then turned his gaze toward Xiang Guangming, "How many models of 'Purple Cloud' do we currently produce?"
"There are six types in total, including speed-type, lethality-type, stability-type, aesthetic-type..."
"Wait, aesthetic-type? People dare to use aesthetic flying swords as their lifebound flying swords?"
"Er... yes..."
Xiang Guangming spoke, lowering his voice slightly, "Moreover, out of the eighty-four flying sword orders last year, aesthetic-type flying swords sold eighteen units, ranking it the second best-selling model..."
Alkaid was speechless for a while before saying, "Flying sword information, please."
"Here."
Xiang Guangming took out a box containing several jade talismans.
Alkaid nodded, "Go attend to your business."
"Very well."
Xiang Guangming nodded and then asked, "Chief, do you have someone in mind for your personal assistant, or do you have any particular requirements?"
"I have someone arranged."
Alkaid said.
"Understood."
Xiang Guangming wasn't surprised.
It was only natural for a high-rank cultivator, and a borderline Master Artifact Refiner, to have close and capable followers.
Not long after Xiang Guangming left, Qin Yadong and Lin Sen returned.
Qin Yadong handed over a jade box, "The successful resolution of the Immortal Shadow 60's energy problem was largely thanks to you, Chief Alkaid. Please accept this small token of appreciation."
Alkaid scanned it with his Divine Sense.
Inside were precisely one hundred spirit stones.
The amount was not insignificant.
"I'm actually quite short on spirit stones, thanks."
Alkaid said.
"This is what you rightfully deserve."
Qin Yadong smiled.
He continued, "Although it's somewhat presumptuous to ask... the Immortal Shadow Refinement Institute is very satisfied with Chief Alkaid's improvements, and moreover... Chief An Zhe would like to invite you to join in the enhancement and development of 'Immortal Shadow 60.' Would you have time to participate?"
"Of course."
Alkaid smiled slightly.
"That's great, I'll contact Chief An Zhe and head to the Void Divine Realm for the meeting,"
Qin Yadong said with a smile on his face.
Alkaid was also satisfied in his heart.
It was not in vain that he had painstakingly worked for the Immortal Shadow 60; the time for returns had finally arrived.
Although the market performance of Immortal Shadow 50 wasn't very good, its popularity was still considerable.
Compared to the 50 series, the 60 series had notably improved performance in several aspects, and it was worth writing about, at least for its spirit consumption, which reached the advanced levels of Cangwu.
If the power system, balance system, and stability system could be further perfected...
Cultivators from Nine Cauldrons Sect would definitely choose the flying swords produced internally at the same function and price, rather than buying from other sects.
By that time, the sales volume of Immortal Shadow 60 would definitely be significant.
Sales naturally represented fame.
With fame, when the new model "Purple Cloud" was launched in the future, the orders would likely not be just in the double digits.
Subsequently, through Qin Yadong's introduction, Alkaid discussed with the chief of the Immortal Shadow in the Void Divine Realm.
Several hours later, An Zhe sent over the detailed data for Immortal Shadow 60.
Alkaid went to his private office area and projected the Immortal Shadow 60 onto a workbench engraved with numerous formation patterns.
"An Eighth Rank magic artifact, not too hard to optimize,"
Alkaid smiled slightly.
If he fully optimized it, elevating the performance of this flying sword to the realm of a Ninth Rank wouldn't be a problem.
Getting Ninth Rank quality for an Eighth Rank price, and furthermore, it being a product of their own Nine Cauldrons Sect...
"This will definitely make a name for itself."
With a smile, he immersed his mind into the spiritual world.
Within the spiritual world, three branches were lush with leaves and branches.
Among them, the Martial Path branch was the most notable followed by the Divine Path and Artifact Refining branches.
"Lately, the progress in the Martial Path has almost completely stalled; to this day, it's still at 81% of the Second Layer of the Heavenly Star..."
Meteor Star, Heavenly Star, Main Star.
Three forms, representing three potentials.
Just like the Qi Refinement system's Foundation Establishment, Dao Foundation, and Immortal Foundation.
Externally, Star Masters are divided into five ranks: First Rank for those cultivators who can merge into the Stellar Power Field during the early stage of Meteor Star; Second Rank for those who nurture their own Stellar Power Field in the middle stage of Meteor Star; Third Rank for those who have forged a body of a Star God or Divine Demon in the late stage of Meteor Star; and beyond that...
Fourth Rank Star Masters have the potential of Heavenly Star and have cultivated a body of God or Demon; Fifth Rank Star Masters have the potential of Main Star and cultivated such a body.
Same for Foundation Establishment
Cultivate True Yuan, form an inner core, ignite True Fire.
Representing the three stages of Foundation Establishment cultivation.
Stay connected via empire
But only those who build an Immortal Foundation and ignite True Fire are considered Fifth Rank.
"Creating a Dao Foundation allows one to use the True Fire within to ignite an inner core like a liquid planet and produce nuclear fusion... advancing to the Golden Core realm... This step, common Foundation Establishment cultivators die ten out of ten times, and even those who build a Dao Foundation face death nine times out of ten,"
Alkaid's thoughts dispersed: "It is said that in those days, over ninety percent of Golden Core cultivators were sacrificed, and it was with countless forebears' blood that the path of the Supreme Golden Core was paved, blocking the advance of the Moon Demon Empire…"
Currently, he did not have a Qi Refinement branch, so naturally, he couldn't follow the Qi Refinement path...
But since he had the Martial Path branch, he intended to follow that path to its end.
However...
"Three Spirit Stones, but most of them aren't mine. Judging from the nutrients contained in the Businessman branch right now, let alone the Martial Path branch, even the Artifact Refining branch cannot break through. Since that's the case..."
Alkaid focused his gaze on the Divine Path branch.
The next moment...
This branch grew rapidly!
Its progress also gradually reached 100%, and then...
It blossomed and bore fruit.
Almost as the Divine Path branch blossomed and bore fruit, signaling the Primordial Spirit Realm, Alkaid's Divine Sense surged, beginning to spontaneously congeal as if to form an ethereal shadow.
However...
The Divine Sense of the Sixth Layer of Divine Refinement was ultimately too weak.
So much so that before the Primordial Spirit ethereal shadow could take shape, it lost power and had to disperse.
But this anomaly sparked something in Alkaid's mind.
"Indeed... in the Divine Path system, the realm is more important than the strength..."
He had a premonition that just by elevating his Divine Sense to the level of the Seventh Layer of Divine Refinement, he could be the first to congeal a Primordial Spirit.
Although due to the weakness of Divine Sense, his Primordial Spirit would be extremely weak, probably maintaining a perceptual range of just around a few dozen miles, but...
The mysteries that a Primordial Spirit should possess were nonetheless complete.
"Divine Path..."
Alkaid sighed.
After all, he couldn't let the Divine Path overshadow everything else.
With the experience recounted by Leng Tianfeng before him, he knew the various mysteries of the Primordial Spirit by heart. After digesting it a bit, he turned his gaze towards the Dao Fruit that emerged from breaking through the Ninth Rank in the Divine Path.
"The last Dao Fruit was Soul Division, which gave me the foundation for dual cultivation. I hope this time, 'Soul Division' can be upgraded a bit."
Alkaid pondered.
But he also knew, this idea was impractical.
Dual cultivation wasn't so simple.
In fact, it didn't turn out as he had expected.
The new Dao Fruit...
"Divine King?"
Alkaid felt it for a moment and was immediately amazed.
His Divine Sense could resonate with other cultivators' Divine Sense and Divine Intent, and like commanding soldiers, he could coordinate everyone's Divine Sense and Divine Intent into one unified force.