Feng Shayan was a little surprised. She knew that when an artificer forged a Magic Tool, they needed to condense Samadhi True Fire, which consumed a great deal of qi and vital essence.
Besides that, they also needed a large quantity of materials, and those materials had to have some age to them. Even then, the failure rate was still considerable, so producing several finished items in a row was very difficult.
That was why the Feng Family had its own dedicated artificers, yet Magic Tools were still scarce.
The man before her had forged a Magic Tool for her just ten days ago, and now he was able to forge another one. Judging by his tone, his success rate was quite high, too.
The Magic Tool he had made wasn't powerful, but it was exceptionally well suited to her. For an Otherworldly Person, that kind of compatibility was precious.
"Little Ode, Shayan didn't handle this matter well. As her big brother, you should be more understanding. Your uncle can tell you're talented. Our Tianxia Group needs talent like you!"
Feng Zhenghao came in from outside with a broad smile, then gestured for Feng Shayan to leave.
"Don't mind what people outside say. Take your uncle's advice and stay."
Now that the main player had arrived, he knew his plan was working.
After all, public opinion and the reputation he had in the Otherworldly Person community were fleeting clouds to him, a passerby in this world.
But they put considerable pressure on the reputation of the Tianxia Group.
Over the past ten days or so, aside from using "Life Extraction" to restore his vitality, he hadn't been idle. He had deliberately released the news that was now drawing attention.
Not only had he paid to get it trending, he'd also donated ten million to build momentum. It was all to shape public opinion.
The rest of his time had gone toward learning about the distribution of forces in this world and gathering information on artificers. He needed more information to complete his plan.
His identity as an artificer and his Magic Tools were undoubtedly his best bargaining chips.
Of course, if he had no value, he would certainly be discarded like a worn-out shoe!
But if he could demonstrate value far beyond that of an ordinary cadre—or even an ordinary artificer—then he would have the right to negotiate with them.
It was a game of wits, and a gamble. He was betting on the value of an artificer!
Now he had succeeded, just as he was succeeding here!
"Since Uncle Feng has said so, I'll certainly follow your advice. But as for my forging..."
As he spoke, he rose and bowed, smiling with both humility and shyness.
"You young people should get out there and meet the heroes of the world! Little Ode, you should go see more of the outside world, too. How about this? I'll see what I can do to get you a spot in the Luotian Grand Ceremony."
Feng Zhenghao looked at the young man bowing before him and couldn't help feeling impressed. This kid was no simple character. It seemed the boy really had been behind the public-opinion campaign.
"Then I thank you, Uncle Feng. I'm planning to forge a Magic Tool for Young Master Xing Tong. If nothing goes wrong, it should work well with his cultivation method."
He remained bent over, not straightening up.
"Is that so? You've certainly been thoughtful! Then I'll thank you on Xing Tong's behalf, Ode."
Seeing that he still hadn't straightened up, Feng Zhenghao's eyes darkened slightly. This man wasn't just able to humble himself and rise again—he also never gave anything without getting something in return.
Before Feng Zhenghao had come in, he'd kept calling her Miss Feng, his tone cool and detached. The moment Feng Zhenghao walked in, he'd seized the opportunity and started calling him Uncle with great warmth.
[Notification: You have obtained the qualification to compete in the Luotian Grand Ceremony. Please arrive at the competition area on Dragon Tiger Mountain, Jiangxi, within 3 days.]
"Being able to help Young Master Xing Tong is my honor. Here are the materials I need. Please take a look, Uncle Feng. Also, I'd like to exchange my contribution points for a defensive cultivation method. I hope you'll grant my request."
After receiving the notification, he immediately straightened up and handed over a list. This time, it contained no materials recognized by Paradise, only ordinary ones.
He had also submitted an application to exchange his contribution points for the Golden Bell Shield technique!
"The Golden Bell Shield? Little Ode, have you already sensed qi?"
Feng Zhenghao glanced at the exchange request, looking a little surprised.
He remembered that when he'd met this young man before, his body had been completely empty. His vital essence, energy, and spirit had all been vigorous, but he truly hadn't had even the slightest sense of qi.
Had he managed to sense qi in just over ten days? That was interesting.
"Yes. A while ago, I gained some insight while forging. Over the past few days, I've developed a faint sense of qi. I'm ashamed to say that I'm twenty-four, and I've only just sensed a little."
Without that one hundred percent Life Essence, he could never have obtained Innate One Qi.
"You really are a promising young man! Little Ode, consider the Golden Bell Shield a gift from your uncle. Just get a good result at the Luotian Grand Ceremony. After all, you're a cadre of the Tianxia Association!"
Feng Zhenghao patted Wang Changle firmly on the shoulder. He could sense the faint trace of qi within the young man. At least he seemed honest enough.
[You have accepted the side quest: President's Investment] Quest difficulty: LV4 Quest description: Represent the Tianxia Association faction and participate in the 'Luotian Grand Ceremony' as a cadre of the Tianxia Association. Quest information: Deliver one Magic Tool. Achieve at least a top-32 ranking. Quest time limit: Until the Luotian Grand Ceremony ends. Quest reward: Golden Bell Shield technique (already obtained) Quest penalty: 6,000 reputation points or an equivalent amount of Paradise Coins (if you don't have enough Paradise Coins, equipment will be deducted. If that is still insufficient, you will be forcibly executed.)
Feng Zhenghao didn't give him a chance to refuse. He finished speaking, then left with a chuckle.
What a sly old fox. On the surface, this quest made it seem like Wang Changle had come out ahead.
But the Tianxia Association—and Feng Zhenghao himself—hadn't lost anything at all.
He'd gained a good reputation by standing up to public opposition and keeping a capable subordinate. Everyone would praise Feng Zhenghao for his magnanimity and appreciation of talent.
The investment came first, but Wang Changle still had to deliver a Magic Tool, and the reputation requirement was three times higher than before.
If he met the requirements, the Tianxia Association's reputation would soar. It would also show that Feng Zhenghao was discerning and knew how to make good use of people. He'd win everyone's applause.
Finally, Feng Zhenghao had left him no room to protest, let alone bargain.
No wonder he was the president of an association—and one of the newest members of the Ten Elders!
Not long after Feng Zhenghao left, the Golden Bell Shield technique was delivered to him.
[You have obtained the Golden Bell Shield technique] Golden Bell Shield (Technique) Origin: The Outcast Blue: 58 Type: Skill Book (Technique) Requirements: Awakened Innate One Qi. 10 points of Stamina Passive effect, Lv1: Stamina +1. Active effect, Lv1: When activated, consumes 10 points of qi per minute. Automatically negates physical damage equal to Stamina × skill level. Description: When circulating qi, the body becomes as strong as gold. Once mastered, the body can become an unbreakable golden form. Price: 6,000 Paradise Coins
After learning it, he could feel the qi within his body beginning to flow slowly from his "tailbone" toward his "waist acupoint."
[You have learned the skill Golden Bell Shield]
He activated the Golden Bell Shield, and a layer of golden light covered his body. He picked up a fruit knife and jabbed it toward his chest. The blade bent without penetrating. Then he thrust it toward his throat.
"The defense is nearly the same across every part of my body. As long as I have enough Innate One Qi, I can basically ignore attacks dealing less than 12 points of damage. Add this Armor of Toughness, and my defense is good enough."
After testing the Golden Bell Shield's defensive power, he had a better understanding of it. Ordinary blades would have a hard time hurting him.
During these ten days of rest, he had reflected on the battle at Sakura Garden more than once.
It had been the most brutal battle he'd experienced since entering Paradise. Calling it a fight to the death wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
Before the battle, he'd planned everything carefully. He'd also made extensive preparations by drawing on his Cthulhu Lore, and had even summoned a Black Goat Cub.
But during the fight, he'd faced death several times and used up every healing item he had. Even his permanent summon had been killed once, and he himself had survived by the skin of his teeth.
Even after giving everything he had, he'd only managed a narrow victory.
Those experiences had made him understand that the battles ahead would only grow more dangerous, and the enemies he faced would only grow stronger.
After all, if he wanted Paradise's rewards and privileges, he had to pay an equivalent price.
Before this, he'd been thinking about becoming a mage or a summoner. But the battle had opened his eyes.
A pure long-range spellcaster could become a Contractor and join a team to make up for their shortcomings. That might let them become a mage or a support caster.
But as a Hunter like him, destined to be alone without a team or teammates, he would have to survive amid bloodshed and slaughter while carrying out one dangerous hunting mission after another. He couldn't be just a spellcaster.
He especially couldn't be a spellcaster with no means of close-quarters combat!
The Violator who looked like an old snake-man had been powerful, with numerous summons and all kinds of bizarre spells.
But so what? Once an expert got close, he'd still been suppressed completely.
So if Wang Changle wanted to survive in the worlds to come and complete his hunting missions,
he had to shore up his weaknesses. He needed enough close-combat abilities.
Kakashi was right: his combat instincts and skills were lacking.
So he needed defense—powerful enough to make up for his shortcomings in close combat.
Only with sufficient defense could he ensure his casting space was safe.
Looking at it in terms of attributes, his Stamina had already reached 12 points. Stamina was also an affinity attribute, so he would certainly keep increasing it in the future.
That was why he'd chosen the Golden Bell Shield. It was a defensive skill that enhanced his abilities, and with its level-one passive effect, his Stamina had already reached 12 points.
Combined with his Armor of Toughness, if he had a shield, he was confident he could become a tank!
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