Chapter 2629 - 2621: Protecting Dao Heritage Property Rights

Chapter 2629: Chapter 2621: Protecting Dao Heritage Property Rights

Yi Jue and the other two entered the manor once more, not feeling anything amiss, as they were already accustomed to coming and going from this manor, thinking nothing of it – though this time might be somewhat different.

However, upon seeing the magical treasure measuring a full ten square meters, the trio’s rationality finally returned.

Yan Yuxi didn’t hide her astonishment – in fact, as a Nascent Soul seedling of the Yan Family, she had been constantly cultivating, not knowing about these things was understandable, "This magical treasure, is it really this large?"

"A combination magical treasure, is it so strange?" Yi Jue considered herself well-informed – she had indeed seen many things, her attention focused on, "Mountain Master Feng, your complexion seems a bit pale, as if... you’re out of your depth?"

"You just realized?" Feng Jun gave a bitter smile, then sighed, "This task is truly inhuman..."

He originally thought using ordinary Spirit Stones was just a bit more troublesome, yet it could educate the Artifact Spirit, preventing it from being so picky, thinking that Intermediate and Superior Spirit Stones were easy to come by – did it really dislike Intermediate Spirit Stones?

To know, if he didn’t possess a few skills others couldn’t match, any Loose Cultivator at the fifth layer Golden Core trying to obtain Intermediate Spirit Stones would need luck, not to mention Superior ones.

That is precisely why, many Loose Cultivator Golden Core, upon reaching unguarded areas, become so vicious – lack of resources easily pushes people to take risks.

So he thought the Artifact Spirit’s demands were purely unreasonable, still basking in its former glory.

But this time refining artifacts made him witness firsthand the difference between ordinary and Intermediate Spirit Stones – exchanging Spirit Stones was quite a test.

It seemed that the Artifact Spirit was intentional in its strict timing requirements for exchanging Spirit Stones. Feng Jun initially thought, it was merely exchanging Spirit Stones, even if he wasn’t sufficient alone, there were Zhang Caixin, Liu Yiyi, and Lin Heihu assisting.

However, unfortunately, together the four were overwhelmed, nearly failing to cooperate – who would have thought, sprinkling Spirit Stones would be so challenging.

Thankfully Feng Jun was an intermediate level Golden Core; if it were just Liu Yiyi and Zhang Caixin, entry-level, at least twenty people would be needed to barely complete tasks.

The bulk of the hard work fell to Feng Jun because the Jing Ling didn’t want others knowing of its existence – safety wasn’t the main concern, the Artifact Spirit felt its current state was humiliated, naturally preferring to remain undisclosed.

Thus, Feng Jun not only had to aim for precise timing to connect Spirit Stones, remove the abandoned Spirit Stone powder, but also act as an exchange hub, issuing orders to the others... at least commanding Lin Heihu was handled by the Artifact Spirit.

Handling multi-threading tasks, dealing with over a million Spirit Stones, making the first time refining impeccable... Feng Jun felt it was more exhausting than high-intensity battles.

Zhang Caixin and Liu Yiyi also felt quite depleted, each responsible for only eight points of Spirit Stone connections, already overwhelmed, whereas Feng Jun handled nearly a hundred points, alongside relaying Jing Ling’s orders, the level of exhaustion can be imagined.

By this morning, after tossing out over 1.3 million Spirit Stones, Liu Yiyi almost couldn’t hold on, "Boss, when will this end? Isn’t it possible to call more people?"

Feng Jun had previously communicated with Jing Ling, knowing the total was just over a million, yet he confirmed with Jing Ling, "How much longer?"

Aren’t you capable of deductions? The Artifact Spirit wanted to taunt them seeing their pitiful state.

But considering Feng Jun’s temper, it decided against provoking him, "We’re close, the timing for Spirit Stone connecting is precise, with another thirty thousand or so Spirit Stones, it can be completed... caution is advised, ’Ninety miles is but half in a hundred-mile journey.’"

Feng Jun conveyed this to Liu Yiyi, and took over two points from her, then two more from Zhang Caixin, even the famously competitive Xiao Caixin surrendering silently showed she too was quite fatigued. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

After the magical treasure was refined, Lin Heihu escorted the Yin-Yang Mirror back to the Earth Realm, Zhang Caixin and Liu Yiyi went directly to the Spirit Gathering Array to recuperate – actually, not much Spiritual Energy was output, mainly the consumption of Divine Sense was heavy.

Even Feng Jun himself, only adjusted his condition for half an hour before lowering the defensive formation’s level – physically he wasn’t too tired, but mentally utterly exhausted.

Then he sought out the Yin Spirit Bigwig hiding nearby, gritting his teeth and asked, "Is that guy deliberately messing with me?"

The Yin Spirit Bigwig indeed was observing but hadn’t been discovered by the Jing Ling, proving its cultivation level was quite exceptional.

After pondering a while, it responded, "Messing with... possibly a bit, but not obvious. I’d say, for crafting such a level of magical treasure if you don’t intend to increase manpower, using Intermediate Spirit Stones would be best, ordinary Spirit Stones are somewhat inadequate."

"Tsk," Feng Jun clicked his tongue, reluctantly stating, "Increase manpower?"

"Naturally," the Bigwig naturally indicated, "If you wish for secrecy without increasing manpower, opting for Intermediate Spirit Stones is more suitable... the exchange rate of Intermediate to ordinary Spirit Stones exceeds a hundred, certainly for a reason."

"Well... consider it next time," Feng Jun frowningly mumbled, changing now wouldn’t do, or else that Artifact Spirit might become conceited beyond measure.

At this juncture, he heard Yi Jue questioning, unable to resist grumbling, "Really too tiring."

Yi Jue was a bit puzzled. It’s been less than two days and nights, and you, a Fifth Layer Golden Core cultivator, have worn yourself out like this?

She hadn’t had the chance to ask when Qian Zhong spoke up, "Could it be that... you’ve been using regular Spirit Stones all along?"

As expected of someone with vast experience! Feng Jun nodded and replied gloomily, "There’s no other option; I’m short of Upper and Intermediate Spirit Stones."

"You’re even short on Upper and Intermediate Spirit Stones?" Hearing this, even Yan Yuxi couldn’t hold back, "I say, Fellow Daoist Feng, you’re being so Fensai... Versailles. You earn Spirit Stones faster than the combined output of the Spirit Stone Mines in my family!"

Feng Jun helplessly glanced at her, "But my expenses are also high."

"That can’t be right?" Yan Yuxi looked at him suspiciously, "Your earning speed far exceeds the expenditure of the entire Pine Cypress Peak. Are you... gambling?"

"No need to mention it, every talk ends in tears," Feng Jun waved it off, among these three, there’s a shrewd one like Qian Zhong. He didn’t want her to deduce the current status of the Earth Realm, "There are more ruinous things than gambling. Let’s first take a look at this Magical Treasure."

Qian Zhong had actually already sneaked a peek at the components of the Magical Treasure. Feng Jun didn’t really have a good way to deal with this. He couldn’t beat her, and the Guardian couldn’t just come over to catch her. She simply peeked due to her strength, and she’s still on their side, so how to handle it?

However, at this moment, Qian Zhong raised her brows slightly and remarked in surprise, "Some components... weren’t crafted at White Pebble Beach?"

"Predecessor, you almost guessed it," Feng Jun looked at her displeasedly. Ever since he escaped from under Jing Ling, he had more confidence when facing these seniors, able to be neither humble nor arrogant, "Since you’ve seen it, just let it go. How could you still have the nerve to ask?"

Qian Zhong wasn’t bothered and replied nonchalantly, "I said I’d compensate. It’s just that I’m genuinely curious."

Feng Jun gave her a deep look, making her a bit guilty, before saying plainly, "Someone will be eyeing your compensation... Although I’m not good at Artifact Refining, I’m aware of the importance of protecting intellectual property. How could I not have precautions?"

The core three computational processing components were crafted with the help of a Guardian. Jing Ling could also refine these, but its main body is on Mars, and a strand of its Divine Spirit can’t do such things.

However, Jing Ling did accomplish one thing—it helped Feng Jun negotiate a discount!

The Guardian initially asked for three hundred Upper Spirit Stones, but Jing Ling thought it wasn’t worth thirty Upper Spirit Stones, and then... Feng Jun was ushered out of the Guardian’s courtyard.

Half a day later, the Yin-Yang Mirror also ended up in Luohua, and the Artifact Spirit said, fine, that guy is quite pitiable. How about giving it a hundred Upper Spirit Stones, and the excess will be considered our pity for it...

This means that in crafting these three components, Feng Jun spent a hundred Upper Spirit Stones, and the Artifact Spirit then pestered him for a hundred Upper Spirit Stones as a "bargaining fee." After some negotiation, he gave it fifty Upper Spirit Stones.

Feng Jun wasn’t reluctant to give it, but rather he had a good relationship with the Guardian, and there was simply no need to negotiate like this.

If he were to give the Artifact Spirit a hundred Upper Spirit Stones because of this, the Guardian would definitely be unhappy knowing that—it helped craft three components, yet earned as much as the Artifact Spirit, which would be embarrassing for it.

But after the artifact’s completion, the Artifact Spirit would still charge him a hundred Upper Spirit Stones.

Feng Jun originally wanted to bargain it down to fifty Upper Spirit Stones, so it would’ve earned the same as the Guardian, but the Artifact Spirit adamantly stated no less because it also provided refining insights apart from integrating the Magical Treasure.

Feng Jun acknowledged this—mental labor is still labor, so after the Magical Treasure’s testing, he would pay a hundred Upper Spirit Stones.

Calculated this way, crafting this Magical Treasure cost him roughly two hundred fifty Upper Spirit Stones and nearly two million regular Spirit Stones, equivalent to approximately four hundred Upper Spirit Stones.

As for hiring those Artifact Refiners, which took nine months along with the material waste cost, that can’t be counted as part of the artifact cost; that falls under research and development costs, not production costs.

In short, if he wanted to sell this type of Magical Treasure externally, it wouldn’t make sense for under five hundred Upper Spirit Stones.

Given such a significant business, how could he not have contingencies?

Qian Zhong understood his intentions and didn’t continue the dispute; instead, she asked another question, "Can I watch the testing of this Magical Treasure?"

"It’s not convenient to test at the moment," Feng Jun shook his head, smiling broadly, "How about... discussing compensation first?"

"Alright," Qian Zhong nodded, "Your asking price. However... I don’t have much in Spirit Stones."

"I don’t want much," Feng Jun extended a hand, smiling as he asked, "Five Supreme Spirit Stones... not too costly, is it?"

"Five Supreme Spirit Stones?" Qian Zhong hadn’t yet spoken when Yan Yuxi widened her mouth in astonishment, "What did she do?"