Chapter 130 – One Tael of Star Obsidian
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Inscription Association –
When Murong Zi saw Wang Yuhan in the distance speaking to guests in the Inscription Master Hall, she immediately ran up with joy.
“Yuhan! Long time no see, did you miss me?” Murong Zi called out from afar.
“Hey, you! It’s really been a long time since we saw each other.”
Wang Yuhan, Murong Zi, and Bai Jingyun were three girls of similar age, status, and outstanding natural talent. In Sky Fortune City, besides Qin Xingxuan, the most talked about girls were these three proud ladies.
These three girls had known each other since childhood and were close friends. However, Bai Jingyun and Murong Zi later left to attend the Seven Profound Martial House. Since Wang Yuhan favored inscription technique, and was not interested in fighting, she gave up on her opportunity to enter the Seven Profound Martial House.
Bai Jingyun asked, “Yuhan, how come you aren’t studying with your grandfather today? Why are you in the hall greeting guests? Oh, that’s right, isn’t there a very fierce guest inscription master who’s come recently? Is he here today?”
Wang Yuhan slightly hesitated and immediately understood that there were many people who didn’t know that the guest inscription master was Lin Ming. Murong Zi and Bai Jingyun were disciples of the Seven Profound Martial House, how else would they not know that it was Lin Ming.
A sardonic smile crossed her face as she said, “He’s in. I’m his assistant, so it’s my duty to greet guests in the hall.”
“Wow, an inscription prodigy that managed to have young lady Wang as his personal assistant. He must be extraordinary. I must certainly experience this person.” Murong Zi said with a flair of exaggeration.
Wang Yuhan still smiling, said, “Being his assistant, I can learn many things. Would you like to see him now?”
“Haha, yes, I must see.”
At this moment, Bai Jingyun commented, “I came to Little Sister’s place today because there is a matter I’d like to ask of the new guest inscription master.”
As she said this, she took out the medium-grade human-step treasure long sword. “I came this time to ask for a water attribute inscription symbol. I’d like to ask if the gentleman inscription master has time.”
Wang Yuhan covered her mouth and chuckled. “Yes, he has the time. He’s just restored his condition. Here, I’ll lead you there.”
Lin Ming looked into the hall from the inscription room, and saw Wang Yuhan bringing in two women. As they opened the door, Lin Ming had just withdrawn from his ethereal martial intent state. His true essence and soul force had not yet restored to their optimum condition, and he heard some people come in. Lin Ming sat in meditation and said, “Please write down your request on paper, lay down the materials and treasure, and you may leave. After the inscription is finished, someone will call you. During this period, please do not come in.”
Lin Ming spoke these words, but hadn’t actually gotten a response. He slightly frowned and slowly opened his eyes. He looked back at a Murong Zi and Bai Jingyun staring at him with wide, round eyes. Also, Wang Yuhan was standing to their side, her smiling face filled with a happy expression.
“Mm? It’s you…” Lin Ming naturally recognized these girls. They were the Seven Profound Proud Pair of the Seven Profound Martial House.
“It’s… it’s you? You are the guest inscription master?” Murong Zi did not know if this was simply a Lin Ming lookalike. Her pair of beautiful eyes stared at him like two large quail eggs. She looked at Lin Ming’s face with an unblinking expression, as if he was an illusion that would disappear at any time.
“Yes. I am.” Now that Lin Ming had sufficient status and influence, he no longer needed to conceal his status as an inscription master.
“You… you……” Murong Zi stuttered. She had heard that the new guest inscription master was young, but she had never thought that this man would be Lin Ming!
‘Heavens, this is just so damn depressing, is this some joke? This kickass elder sister has already recognized your strength. When you comprehended a martial intent, this elder sister did not have any words to say. When you had that evil monstrous perception I just took you as some hard working farm animal, but damn, this is so depressing, since when were you an inscription master?’
Ahh, I’m going crazy, this is just too damn shocking!
Even this elder sister can’t stand this.
“This is a joke right? Yes? Yuhan, did you plot with this fellow to tease elder sister so you can be happy? Good. I admit that your joke is a bit creative, but… this can’t be real, right?” Murong Zi saw Lin Ming’s serious face and heard his words, but still simply could not accept this fact.
Wang Yuhan shrugged and said, “I might tease you for fun, but do you think that Lin Ming would join me in teasing you?”
Murong Zi squinted her eyes. Yes, this Lin Ming fellow, besides cultivation did not have the slightest interest in anything else, otherwise he would have already messed with countless young ladies. How could he join with Wang Yuhan to play a joke like this on her? Not to mention they didn’t really know each other.
“You… when did you start to study inscription technique?”
“When I was 12 years old.” Lin Ming nonsensically said. “When I was 12 I ran into my master, and I studied under him.”
Lin Ming said this lightly with some superficialness, but his tone made Murong Zi extremely unhappy. It was just like a poor person asking a super wealthy man with 1,000,000 gold taels where he got that much money, and the wealthy man finally said, “I casually earned it when I was young.”
With this kind of indifferent tone, Murong Zi had an impulse to beat someone up. Certainly, once she considered whether or not she could beat up this farm animal, and thinking that she might not necessarily win, Murong Zi was forced to give up on this idea.
By now, Bai Jingyun had recovered from her initial shock. She unnaturally smiled and said, “It’s you… I see… every time I thought I’d seen the full height of Junior Apprentice Brother Lin, in the end, I find that I have underestimated Junior Apprentice Brother Lin… this inscription technique, Junior Apprentice Brother Lin only studied for three years to be at the level of a master?”
Lin Ming responded, “I don’t dare to call myself a master, but I can draw out some simple inscription symbols. This is all because of the help of my master.”
“Haha…” Bai Jingyun let out a hollow laugh twice. Some simple inscription symbol? She had heard that when Lin Ming had drawn the ‘Icefrost Guard’ symbol and placed it on some armor, the armor had changed color. Could this still be called a ‘simple’ inscription symbol?
Three years to reach the point of being a master-level inscription master. Bai Jingyun could only attribute it to Lin Ming’s monstrous perception that could comprehend a martial skill like the ‘Body Tearing Bone Shattering Fist’ with a 70% loss rate. To become a master–level inscription master in three years, this also… she could reluctantly accept… however, for Lin Ming to be an inscription master, was his soul talent much more outstanding than this martial arts talent?
“What business do you two have here today?” Lin Ming opened his mouth to ask. His time was very tight these days; he didn’t have any to waste.
“Oh… yes, I have a matter.” Bai Jingyun responded, and then drew out her treasure longsword to hand to Lin Ming.
The treasure sword was more than three feet long, and the shining blade was dazzlingly bright like snow. Moreover, it was extremely soft and could easily circle around one’s waist. At the center of the sword pommel, there were two characters written in symbols. It wrote, ‘Blue Water’.
“Good sword. Lin Ming praised as he probed the Blue Water sword with his soul force. He discovered that the array structure was very subtle and exquisite; it was superior to most medium-grade human-step treasures.
Bai Jingyun said, “Junior Apprentice Brother Lin, I would like you to inscribe a water attribute or ice attribute inscription symbol on this sword. The true essence increase should be at least 36%.”
“Water or ice attribute, 36%. Anything else?
“No… no more.” Bai Jingyun listened to Lin Ming’s casual tone; he obviously thought this request was very easy. She thought for a moment and said, “If Junior Apprentice Brother Lin can do better, that would be for the best. If the materials are insufficient, I can add more.”
Lin Ming glanced at the materials on the table. Although these materials were precious, they were useless to him. He could only use them to trade for points, but no matter how many points he had, there were some materials that were impossible to buy because the Inscription Association did not have them.
Remembering his early plan, Lin Ming came to a decision. He would use this time to utilize all that he had recently learned, and see if he could draw up an inscription symbol that even Houtian stage masters would covet.
Then, after he had attracted the attention of all the Houtian masters in the nation, he could have them help him find these rare materials. If so, they might even be collected in a short time!
Thinking this, Lin Ming said, “One tael of Star Obsidian. If Apprentice Sister Jingyun can find one tael of Star Obsidian, then I will use my own materials and draw the highest level inscription symbol that I can. I can guarantee that Apprentice Sister Jingyun will be satisfied with the end result.
“One tael of Star Obsidian?” Bai Jingyun hadn’t spoken, but Murong Zi already cried, “You…you are way too black. One tael of Star Obsidian costs 15,000 gold taels, and not only that, but it’s very difficult to find in the Sky Fortune Kingdom. If you really wanted to buy it, then 15,000 gold taels might not be enough!
Star Obsidian was not only used in inscription, but also in refining. It was an extremely precious and rare material.
Lin Ming said, “My true essence has recently thickened and condensed even more, and the level of my inscriptions has risen. But, I can still only barely draw up this inscription, and there is a risk of failure. Moreover, the value of the materials will not be less than 6 or 7 thousand gold taels. I can guarantee that as long as I succeed, it is absolutely worth it. Were it not for the fact that the Inscription Association did not have any Star Obsidian, I would not have proposed this request.
“This…” Bai Jingyun clenched her teeth and said, “Okay. My uncle in the Huoluo Nation has some influence. I think he can find it. I promise you.”
Bai Jingyun had a very high status within the Bai Family. Although 15,000 gold taels was not a small amount, if it was just one time, she was able to bring this much out.
“Well, then I will thank Apprentice Sister Jingyun.” Lin Ming said. He took out a pen and immediately began to write down a detailed list of materials.
“For these materials, spend the money and points from my account.” Lin Ming said as he handed the list to Wang Yuhan.
This time was Lin Ming’s personal business. Normally, according to the regulations of the Inscription Association, the guests had to pay the guest inscription master and Inscription Association in a 60/40 ratio. The Inscription Association provided the materials, and the guest inscription master provided the service.
However, with Lin Ming’s current status, the Inscription Association wouldn’t haggle over him occasionally taking advantage of his reputation as a guest inscription master and using the Inscription Association’s materials to take on a personal request.
Wang Yuhan read the rows of materials, and she was slightly startled. The value of these materials was not low. Generally speaking, even tedious high-quality inscription symbols would only cost 1000 gold taels in materials. But the cost of this inscription symbol that Lin Ming wanted to draw up was 7000 gold taels, and there were also several materials that were fairly rare.
After the materials were collected, Lin Ming did not immediately start drawing the inscription symbol. Instead, he took up a true essence stone and once again entered the ethereal martial intent state. He sat in meditation and adjusted his condition for half an hour, to restore his true essence and soul force back to their peak condition.
Afterwards, Lin Ming began to formally draw the inscription symbol. What he was going to create today, was the complete version of ‘Cold Ice Fragments’.