Chapter 389 Azure Lotus Flag
After the payment was settled, Fang Shiping politely asked:
"Do you two have any other needs? We can also provide various customization services. As long as you can tell us your requirements, we can create a puppet."
He transmitted his voice to Ji An:
"For example, puppets can be made into human or animal shapes, with special materials for the outer skin, body temperature indistinguishable from a real person, and capable of executing simple commands."
Ji An grinned, "Wow, that's some serious tricks! Isn't this supposed to be an AI robot?!"
Before I even traveled here, my phone would frequently receive push notifications advertising: Experience an AI girlfriend!
He coughed and interrupted:
"Is it possible to customize a puppet capable of casting planting spells?"
If his cultivation level remains stuck at a bottleneck and cannot be improved for a long time, he might consider experiencing the world of pleasures, but for now, it's better to forget about it.
The Golden Puppet Pavilion can create puppets that can unleash wind blades and wind roars, so theoretically they should be able to create puppets that meet their requirements.
Fang Shiping thought for a moment, then said:
"Of course it is possible, but I will explain the pros and cons to you in detail. After all, puppets are not cultivators. They can only release spells by increasing their energy with spirit stones."
This creates a situation where the strength of a spell is entirely determined by the accumulation of spiritual energy, and it is impossible for it to contain any magical intent.
"It's manageable during battles, since brute force can produce miracles, but planting requires intention and spirit to function."
The essence of magic is a key difference between a puppet and a cultivator casting spells. It is quite normal for a spell with the essence of magic to be 30% to 50% stronger than one without, when mobilizing the same quality and quantity of magic power.
If a cultivator has a deep understanding of the meaning of the law, the effect of the spell may differ by a factor of two or more.
“It just won’t work,” Ji An shook his head slightly, his desire to use puppets for planting being extinguished as soon as it arose.
Fang Shiping didn't speak, but he actually had a solution.
There is a type of puppet that can bind a cultivator's soul as its core. This type of puppet can understand and execute complex instructions and also has a certain learning ability.
If a spirit specializes in cultivation during its lifetime, it can unleash spells imbued with the essence of magic.
Restraining a cultivator's soul is universally condemned in the cultivation world. Many major sects engage in such evil deeds, but they absolutely cannot do it openly.
He only learned of this secret after becoming a core disciple of the sect in this generation.
The Golden Puppet Sect possesses two Nascent Soul stage puppets. These puppets were created by the sect's first and fourth generation founders, who chose to have their souls reside within them before their time was up, allowing them to fight for the sect one last time at a crucial moment.
However, Nascent Soul cultivators can reincarnate and start cultivating again. Although it is not easy to unravel the mystery of the womb, there is still hope, and very few cultivators are willing to do so.
Ji An asked again:
Does your establishment sell puppets for the Golden Core stage?
Fang Shiping straightened his already upright back and said proudly:
"Of course, as long as you can afford the price."
If you have fourth-tier materials, you can even customize a Nascent Soul stage puppet!
Fellow Daoist should know that our sect is backed by the Golden Puppet Sect, one of the most renowned puppet sects in Central Continent, with a Nascent Soul patriarch presiding over it.
Although the sect has accumulated tens of thousands of years of experience in creating puppets with Nascent Soul combat power, and has not created a single Nascent Soul puppet in the last few thousand years, it still has to boast.
"Tier 4 materials? I'd be laughing my head off if I ever got Tier 3 materials."
Ji An shook his head, stood up and said:
"Transaction complete, farewell, fellow Daoist."
When Ji An left the Golden Puppet Pavilion, he only had two high-grade spirit stones left on him, and in the Void Realm space, he only had spirit fruits, spirit tea, and spirit items such as the Fire Dragon Talisman and the Mysterious Armor Talisman.
Han Yan smiled and said:
"Junior brother, when you do make a move, it's always astonishing."
All her expenses over the past few days couldn't compare to the value of a single transaction by the other party.
As a more senior cultivator in the Chaoyuan stage, she would receive sect benefits for several decades longer than the other party, and would have at least thirty more high-grade spirit stones in her reserves.
Even so, she couldn't possibly produce seventy high-grade spirit stones at once, but the other party had gathered them up with ease.
'No wonder he's the sect's number one nouveau riche!'
"When traveling, who knows what unexpected situations might arise? Only by converting the resources at hand into combat power as much as possible can we go further."
Ji An explained with a smile that the most tragic thing for a cultivator is to die before they have spent all their wealth.
Han Yan nodded in deep agreement. The other person saw things more clearly than she did. She had bought a lot of spiritual herbs, but these things were useless in battle.
"Senior sister, let's go to the last shop."
Hehe, even though my pockets are already empty, it doesn't cost me any spirit stones.
Ji An chuckled and pointed to the magnificent buildings, saying, "You can look at them even if you don't buy anything."
The two walked side by side and strolled around inside for an hour.
The magical artifacts in Wanbaolou were indeed exquisite, which Ji An greatly admired, but they were not suitable for the combat system he had built; in other words, he gained some knowledge.
Of course, the most fundamental reason is that they are short of money and do not have the capital to be willful.
As he was leaving, he asked:
"Can your esteemed establishment customize top-grade replicas of the innate spiritual treasures Azure Lotus Banner, Profound Origin Water Control Banner, and Plain Cloud Banner?"
The receptionist narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said:
"The divine power of innate spiritual treasures is unfathomable, and imitations can hardly reproduce even a fraction of their power. Moreover, such spiritual artifacts are not well-suited to the current state of the cultivation world."
Our Wanbaolou has the method for refining replicas of the Azure Lotus Treasure Banner, and we accept custom orders.
As for the other two types of precious flags, fellow Daoist will have to seek out more capable ones.
In addition, we also have the method for crafting the Ground-Leaving Flame Banner; you may order one if you wish.
The Five Elements Flag, a naturally occurring spiritual treasure, is renowned for its infinite wonders. However, it is a treasure born from the heavens, and imitations cannot display its wonders; they can only be used as spiritual tools to control the power of the five elements.
Nowadays, few people refine such spiritual artifacts; they are mostly used by disciples of major sects as tools to aid in comprehending the power of the five elements.
The Plain Cloud Banner still exists in some sects in the Central Continent. The complete method of refining the Xuan Yuan Water Control Banner disappeared with the destruction of the Tianshui Sect, but there are still incomplete inheritances in the East Sea.
Ji An's eyes lit up with joy, and he smiled:
What do I need to give in exchange for a custom-made Azure Lotus Flag?
Wanbaolou did not disappoint. As long as you can customize a spirit weapon, you can get the third Five Elements Flag.
"Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment while I go and confirm."
The steward left, not really optimistic about the client's idea of ordering such impractical Five Elements Flags, but as long as the client was willing to pay real money, he didn't care about anything else.
Han Yan lowered her eyes and transmitted her voice:
"Junior brother, are you really going to customize a top-grade spiritual weapon? There's no need for that!"
Having too many top-grade spiritual artifacts puts too much strain on the Yuanming Fire.
Moreover, as the deacon said, the Five Elements Flags are merely imitations of the Spirit Treasure and are unsuitable for our era.
"Senior sister, I'm just asking. Besides, I'm broke right now, how could I possibly afford to pay that price?"
A moment later, the deacon strode back, smiling warmly:
"Our shop has all the materials for this kind of top-grade spiritual artifact stored, but they are kept at our headquarters in Central Continent."
It can be refined when the merchant airship arrives again in thirty years. The total cost is two hundred high-grade spirit stones.
If you've decided to have it custom-made, you only need to pay a deposit of one high-grade spirit stone. We'll bring the materials and refine it on-site.
If you change your mind, this spirit stone will not be returned. What do you think?
If the other party chooses to refine it, they will make a lot of money; if they back out, they have only done a transfer and have not suffered any loss.
'Can I earn two hundred high-grade spirit stones in thirty years?'
Ji An was confident about this issue. Even without considering the income from cultivating top-grade Azure Dragon Wood again, the output of Crimson Flame Peak was not a problem.
However, he only achieved such benefits because he stayed at Crimson Flame Peak. Without his magical support, the benefits would have dropped significantly.
He thought for a moment and said:
"This price is unacceptable. As my fellow Daoist said, the replicas of the Five Elements Flag are not suitable for this era."
I just bought a second-tier top-grade flying puppet from the Golden Puppet Sect for only sixty-five high-grade spirit stones.
Fellow Daoist, name a fair price!
Judging from the quoted price, there is clearly room for negotiation; at least ten high-grade spirit stones can be reduced.
Han Yan shook her head slightly. This junior brother wouldn't listen to advice! Oh well, what can you do when others are so rich and powerful?
The steward felt even more at ease, secretly thinking that things were looking promising.
"Fellow Daoist, that's not how you calculate it. Because top-grade spiritual artifacts have the potential for growth, they are naturally much more expensive than top-grade puppets. You can also use this top-grade spiritual artifact as the embryo for your natal magic weapon."
After some haggling, the deal was struck at two hundred high-grade spirit stones, and Ji An didn't get any more benefits.
The steward smiled with delight, took out two blank jade slips, and signed the agreement on the spot, giving each person a jade slip as proof.
"Looking forward to serving fellow Daoists in thirty years!"
He was already calculating how much reward he could get.
Ji An and the other person left the flying boat and returned to the sect's residence, where they each went back to their rooms to rest.
Not long after, someone outside shouted:
"Junior brother, open the door."
Upon recognizing Jia Shixiong's voice, Ji An immediately went to open the door.
"Junior brother, you've been staying with the cultivators in Central Continent for so long. What good things have you bought?"
"Haha, this is my first time on a merchant airship, so of course I have to explore it completely to broaden my horizons."
I bought an attack puppet to diversify my tactics.
Ji An stepped aside, "Senior brother, please come in."
After the two entered the room and sat down, he asked again:
"How have things been going for the sect in the past few days?"
Jia Yu said with heartache:
"The harvest was decent. We traded some practical methods for crafting spiritual artifacts and also received a lot of knowledge about cultivating and planting spiritual fields."
However, the investment in these two areas was too large, leaving insufficient resources to trade for Chaoyuan-stage spells.
All the resources he brought from the sect have been spent, and the Treasure Pavilion is now the emptier it has been since he took over. The resources inside can only maintain the sect's most basic operations.
"Does the transaction involve information about various precious plants?"
Jia Yu took out a jade slip, his face trembling:
"I bought it. It's just this one jade slip that can't bring any benefits. It cost a few high-grade spirit stones and introduced hundreds of third- and fourth-tier precious plants."
A smile appeared on Ji An's lips:
Is this kind of knowledge available to me for free?
"Of course, all cultivators in the Chaoyuan stage can view it for free, as long as it is not shared outside the sect."
My junior brother is about to go on a journey; who knows, he might be incredibly lucky and encounter a rare plant.
"Take this. The jade slip key contains the energy circulation route map for the Fire Element chapter of the Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture."
As Jia Yu spoke, she took off the storage bag from her waist and said:
"Inside are the Earth Origin Soul-Soothing Pills, 120 Azure Treasure Light Pills, and 90 White Tiger Profound Gold Pills that you obtained through your small merit."
The Azure Treasure Light Pill and the White Tiger Profound Gold Pill are not produced in the Western Continent and are too expensive, so I only managed to exchange for this small amount of pills.
As far as he knew, the price of Canglan Baoguang Dan in Xizhou was more than three times the original price.
But there was no way to organize a caravan that could traverse the continent, as the Western Continent was too weak to unite.
Such a caravan needs at least several Golden Core cultivators to be in charge. You can't expect several sect patriarchs to team up and run a trade business, can you?
As the number of Golden Core cultivators gradually increases, it may be possible to organize caravans, which would reduce the exploitation by cultivators from the Central Continent.
"It's already very good. The Central Continent Merchant Alliance makes its money from these spirit stones."
Ji An was quite content. He knew that long-distance trade could be very profitable, but it also carried great risks, and one day he might lose everything.
He took out the pills, checked the quantity, returned the storage bag, and nodded in satisfaction.
Jia Yu handed the storage bag to him again, smiling:
"When traveling abroad, do not flaunt your wealth."
Although I know you have a Void Stone for storing items, having a storage bag on you might reduce the chances of anyone coveting your belongings.
"Senior brother is very thoughtful."
Ji Anshun obediently hung the storage bag on his waist and put some low-grade spirit stones inside.
The two chatted idly, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed.
Jia Yu stood up and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting:
"After this parting, I don't know when we will meet again. Junior brother, please take care and try to be kind to others, because the sect can no longer be your support."
However, if a cultivator bullies you, you must not show weakness; only by striking back with one punch can you avoid a hundred.
Ji An chuckled, "Don't worry, senior brother, I don't cause trouble, but I'm not afraid of trouble either."
Unless they are Golden Core cultivators, they won't tolerate anyone.
He had a deep understanding of the power of Golden Core cultivators. For example, the ancestor's flight speed far exceeded his own, but the ancestor's flight speed was not outstanding among cultivators of the same level.
If he really had a conflict with a Golden Core cultivator, the only thing he could rely on was the Five Elements Escape Technique. Among so many ways to escape, there was bound to be one that suited him.
"Yes, we don't provoke trouble, but we're not afraid of trouble either!"
Jia Yu took out several talismans surrounded by a crimson, precious light, and said:
"Junior brother, these three top-grade fire dragon talismans have been with me for many years. Now I give them to you for protection."
Ji An declined, saying:
"Senior brother, the talisman is too precious."
Without saying a word, Jia Yu shoved the talisman into his hand:
"Junior brother, there's no need for that. How much spirit wine have I been swindling over the years? Just consider it money I've used to buy wine."
If you really feel bad about it, please give me some more spirit wine when you return to the sect.
"Alright, when I return, I will definitely have a good drink with my senior brother!"
"If anything happens to Crimson Flame Peak while I'm away from the sect, please lend a hand, Senior Brother."
(End of this chapter)
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