Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Chapter 150 Trust

"Set aside the dispute."

Alkaid understood the meaning of these words.

It was to temporarily give up.

East Sea Archipelago...

Already, several hundred islands had been forced to set aside their conflicts.

Following this trend, it was doubtful whether the Nine Cauldrons Sect would ever manage to restore the East Sea Archipelago.

However, he could also distinguish between an island situated at a spiritual power node with a Fourth-Level Spirit Gathering Array and an island that could only be expanded for a thousand-mile radius of territorial waters in terms of importance.

Nine Cauldrons Sect...

Wanted to inherit the territory of the Artifact Sect.

But the Artifact Sect was one of the top ten Immortal Sects of its time, so powerful.

The Nine Cauldrons Sect didn't have enough strength, despite nominally occupying the Artifact Sect's territory, and naturally felt beset on all sides, struggling to maneuver.

If nothing unexpected happened, they would lose the East Sea Archipelago, the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and even some coastal and southern territories.

It would only truly stabilize when the Nine Cauldrons Sect's territory shrank to the size they could completely defend with their current power.

Fortunately, the Nine Cauldrons Sect had a Golden Core being, so no sects around, including within the Nine Cauldrons Sect itself, dared to stir up trouble and disrupt stability.

If it were any other sect...

Someone would have already raised another force within the sect, or even several other factions, plunging it into turmoil, chaos, and splintering.

"Everyone in the East Sea Archipelago is watching the large-scale moves of the Nine Cauldrons Sect near Posuo Island. If they can't suppress even the Xuanming Sect, it will be a joke to the rest of the sects, and they will become more aggressive," Alkaid said.

"Here in the Eastern Sea, our only truly lethal threat has always been the Great Sun Sword Sect. Other forces, no matter how lively, can only gain small advantages and are unlikely to stir up any real trouble," said Zhang Jianlin, pausing, "So, the threat from the Great Sun Sword Sect... takes precedence over everything else; what needs to be let go, must be let go."

"That's true, but if the Nine Cauldrons Sect keeps failing to show a tough stance, once a situation where many vie for a fallen tiger arises, even if the Great Sun Sword Sect is repelled, the Nine Cauldrons Sect might not withstand it," Alkaid said.

Zhang Jianlin shook his head, about to move on from the topic, but suddenly, as if realizing something, his mind stirred, "What are you trying to say?"

"Doesn't the Great Sun Sword Sect's maneuver still have a month to go?" Alkaid said with a smile, "Perhaps, we can resolve the dispute with the Xuanming Sect and Posuo Island before the Great Sun Sword Sect's maneuvers begin."

"Resolve the Xuanming Sect before the Great Sun Sword Sect's maneuvers?" Zhang Jianlin was taken aback, then proceeded, "Do you mean a full mobilization of the Great Sword Cultivators from the sect?"

He immediately shook his head, "That's not realistic. The Nine Cauldrons Sect has too many directions to defend. There aren't many sword cultivators and technique cultivators who can be mobilized. And once we get bogged down by the Xuanming Sect, all the surrounding sects will become eager to act.

Even the Limitless Star Palace, which might not have originally targeted us as the first prey, will come to share a piece of the pie."

"Not necessarily," Alkaid said. He took out several jade talismans on the console, placed them in a box, and handed it to Zhang Jianlin, "Take this to Hall Master Zhao, it's best to take it to the Main Sect. It might prompt them to make a decision."

"This is..." Zhang Jianlin asked, taking the box and looking at him, puzzled.

"The improved version of the Purple Cloud Twelve Flying Swords," Alkaid explained.

"An improved version!?" Zhang Jianlin's eyes widened in surprise, "So quickly!? You... finished it!? I thought Master Wei Yan and Master Lu Yuan said it still lacked the final touches?"

"This is another version I've independently completed. It has a significant flaw, so I didn't bring it out. But if the sect is willing to commit, providing enough Primordial Spirit Realm Great Cultivators as backup, the flaw can become an advantage," Alkaid said with a smile.

"I'll take it there immediately," Zhang Jianlin replied solemnly.

"If even my obviously flawed plan gets passed... I will need to apply for a large sum of money," Alkaid declared earnestly. "Perhaps, in the process of continuously refining these flying swords, I can further optimize them, transforming them into treasure-level flying swords."

"Magical Treasures!?" Zhang Jianlin gasped, "You... could challenge to become a Grandmaster of Artifact Refining?"

"Only within this series, it's a peculiar approach, not comparable to a true Grandmaster of Artifact Refining," Alkaid waved his hand dismissively.

The title of Grandmaster of Artifact Refining...

Was too grand.

In alchemy, artifact refining, formations, anyone who reaches grandmaster level in their domain can be called a pillar of the sect.

They are even assigned at least one Great Cultivator as a bodyguard and close protection.

The reason for Grand Cultivators to personally guard them...

Is because such talents are the targets other forces go out of their way to woo, subvert or even assassinate mercilessly if they fail to do so.

Especially those top Grandmasters, peerless national scholars, likely have a squad of Great Cultivators for close protection.

Therefore, Alkaid did not want to bear the title of Artifact Refining Grandmaster too soon.

The risk would increase exponentially.

"As long as you can refine a Treasure Level Flying Sword, whether it's a conventional path or not, that makes you an Artifact Refining Grandmaster!" Zhang Jianlin said with certainty.

"Whether I can refine one or not is still unknown," Alkaid waved his hand dismissively.

"Given even a glimmer of hope, the Sect will support you with all its might," Zhang Jianlin said adamantly. "The Sect... is in dire need of such top-tier talents!"

Alkaid understood this point well.

To date, the Nine Cauldrons Sect had not had the capability to refine Second Generation Magical Treasures or Flying Swords.

The few Second Generation Magical Treasures they had were purchased from the Myriad Beasts Sect at a steep price.

The cost ranged from tens to hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones.

Even knowing the exorbitant prices, the Nine Cauldrons Sect had no choice but to reluctantly accept them.

Because aside from the Myriad Beasts Sect, no other Sect would sell Second Generation Magical Treasure Flying Swords, such a strategic resource, to the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

At this moment, Zhang Jianlin also seemed to realize something and quickly added, "Right! You are indeed unconventional... far from a true Artifact Refining Grandmaster..."

As he spoke, he felt his words were amiss and quickly corrected himself, "No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm not saying you can't become an Artifact Refining Grandmaster, what I mean is..."

"I know," Alkaid responded.

Zhang Jianlin looked at Alkaid, saw his sincere expression, and suddenly felt a twinge of emotion in his eyes. After a while, he continued with a choked voice, "Our Nine Cauldrons Sect... has been established for just over eighty years, with much to rebuild. And yet we're surrounded by wolves, each waiting to tear a piece from us, to dismember us like they did the Quicksand Sect.

You know the life of the Quicksand Sect's people for these sixteen years... They can't even think about cultivation, let alone achieving basic food and warmth..."

He struggled to control his emotions: "We know, the Xuanming Sect is eyeing us, the Ancient Immortal Sect, the Star Sea Sect, and the Great Sun Sword Sect, they all have us in their sights. If we don't fight, our future will become ever more difficult. But... we lack too much. Everything in the Artifact Sect was devastated or destroyed in the invasion of the Moon Demon Empire.

If not for Sect Master Li defending the last of the Nine Cauldrons Sect's vitality at the critical moment, our situation would not have been much better than that of the Quicksand Sect..."

Alkaid said nothing.

And did not know what to say.

Fortunately, Zhang Jianlin was only momentarily overwhelmed by the news of Alkaid's potential achievement as an "Artifact Refining Grandmaster" and soon regained his composure.

He solemnly promised Alkaid, "If you have indeed touched upon the domain of refining Magical Treasures, the Nine Cauldrons Sect will spare no effort to support you in taking that step! You will receive everything you wish for!"

Alkaid nodded, "I'll be waiting for your good news."

...

Zhang Jianlin left with the materials related to the modified Purple Cloud Twelve Flying Swords.

In the room, Alkaid slowly uttered two words.

"Magical Treasure."

This represented the pinnacle of equipment in the world.

Especially for Sword Cultivators who heavily relied on their Lifebound Flying Swords, the strength of a Lifebound Flying Sword greatly impacted their power.

The Nine Cauldrons Sect claimed to be second only to the Six Great Immortal Sects because the number of Great Cultivators in their midst was not much fewer than those of other large Sects like the Great Sun Sword Sect, Primordial Yang Sect, Taiyi Sect, Tianyi Sect, and Holy Fire Sect.

But...

The destruction of the Artifact Sect by the Moon Demon Empire was thorough, truly a case of much being needed yet to be done.

Elixirs, Magic Artifacts, Flying Swords, Formations, all were behind the world's standards.

When Sects like the Great Sun Sword Sect had already progressed to the Third Generation for Interior Grade and Medium Grade Magical Treasure Flying Swords, and even to the Second Generation for Superior Grade Magical Treasures, the Nine Cauldrons Sect didn't even have the capability to produce Superior Grade Magical Treasures.

Also, due to a lack of top-tier Elixirs, the Great Cultivators of the Nine Cauldrons Sect suffered from a kind of "nutritional deficiency" and were somewhat less in quality compared to those of other large Sects.

Other large Sects had a 20% to 30% chance of establishing their Dao Foundation, yet the Nine Cauldrons Sect had only about a 10% chance.

In such circumstances, when other Sects' Great Cultivators faced those of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, they could often fight two or even three against one.

The key point was that Sword Cultivators, being somewhat of an extreme profession, could turn a slight advantage into a shockingly disproportionate casualty rate.

Twenty years ago, the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the Great Sun Sword Sect each sent forty Sword Cultivators for exercises in the Eastern Sea, and in the end...

40:7!

The Great Sun Sword Sect managed to annihilate the Nine Cauldrons Sect's exercise team at the cost of "sacrificing" seven Great Sword Cultivators.

"Over the past century or two, due to the impact of the Moon Demon Empire's system, the cultivation system has undergone changes, and naturally, the Artifact Refining industry has advanced with the times. Already powerful Magical Treasures have been continuously optimized to become even more formidable," Alkaid was quite knowledgeable about these matters.

Two to three hundred years ago, Magical Treasures were called First Generation, and only those that could fully integrate with the modern cultivation system were designated as Second Generation. Those that could inversely amplify the modern cultivation system's combat capabilities were deemed Third Generation.

Like the Purple Cloud Twelve Model Flying Swords refined by Alkaid, they should correctly be called Third Generation Spiritual Artifacts, with the improved version being Superior Grade Third Generation Spiritual Artifacts.

However, the market for Magic Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts still struggled to reach the mainstream world stage. Thus, when people referred to Second Generation Flying Swords, they often implicitly meant Second Generation ordinary Magical Treasure Flying Swords.

"Monopolies yield astronomical profits. A Second Generation Magical Treasure Flying Sword can sell for tens to hundreds of thousands by the Myriad Beasts Sect, yet the production cost is probably less than ten thousand.

Even with a small market, the high rate of return ultimately yields more Businessman Experience than fulfilling Spirit Artifact orders that profit several tens of thousands of Spirit Stones," Alkaid cast his gaze towards his own "Artifact Refining" branch.

Zhang Jianlin's visit was to take delivery of the fourth batch of six hundred Flying Swords.

Completing this delivery of Flying Swords would give him the experience required to reach new heights in "Artifact Refining."

"I deliberately leaked some information to test the Nine Cauldrons Sect's attitude towards me as someone showing 'Artifact Refining Grandmaster' potential. If they are as tolerant and inclusively minded as they claim, worth continuing to collaborate with..."

Then it was time to break into the Magical Treasure market and equip the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect with top-tier gear.