In the tea room.
Wu Tao quietly drank his tea, while schemes for making a fortune flashed through his sea of consciousness one after another. But he soon realized that none of them would really work; there were simply too many lingering worries.
At the root of it all, his strength was too weak.
If he truly stepped into the limelight to make money—for instance, taking large quantities of materials for refining magic robes from Shopkeeper Yu, then mass-refining Small Spirit Shield Robes and Spirit-Absorbing Robes—
Once the war began, he could sell them at inflated prices and indeed make a killing.
But once the situation descended into chaos, demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters would all take the stage. If he made his fortune so conspicuously, it would be easy for others to notice him and rob him in the turmoil.
When that time came, neither his life nor his Spirit Stones would be safe.
Wu Tao felt that, with his current strength, he could not bear such risks. He had to make his fortune quietly. If he had a spell that concealed his aura and changed his appearance, he could avoid the risk of exposure.
But he did not have one, so he could only shift the risk elsewhere.
Wu Tao sipped his tea. When he saw Shopkeeper Yu sitting opposite him, smiling quietly as he watched, a light suddenly flashed through his sea of consciousness. Why not shift the risk onto Shopkeeper Yu? Since he can hear such important news in advance, he must have backing. Besides, what is a risk to me may not even be worth mentioning to Shopkeeper Yu.
Seeing Wu Tao look over, Shopkeeper Yu noticed that his teacup was empty. He picked up the teapot and refilled it, saying, "Artifact Master Li, have some tea, have some tea!"
Wu Tao thanked him, then said directly, "Shopkeeper Yu, I have a business proposition that would benefit us both. Would you be interested?"
Shopkeeper Yu said delightedly, "Please, go on."
Wu Tao explained carefully, "Shopkeeper Yu, once the war begins, what will be most important to tens of thousands of rogue cultivators like us? Our lives. The Immortal Dao values life; only by staying alive can one hope for longevity and eternal sight.
"So I thought of a way. You own a Spirit Material Shop, Shopkeeper Yu, while I am an Artifact Refiner capable of refining Small Spirit Shield Robes and Spirit-Absorbing Robes. Both kinds of magic robes are life-preserving magic tools.
"Once the war begins, rogue cultivators will surely scramble to buy them..."
Wu Tao stopped there, leaving the rest unsaid.
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Yu thought, Ha, I thought of this long ago. I have already hired five Artifact Refiners to make defensive and speed-type magic tools.
But he had intended to befriend Li Mo from the start. Even if Li Mo had not suggested it, he would have brought it up himself. Now that Li Mo had made the suggestion, Shopkeeper Yu was naturally pleased. The more Artifact Refiners who worked with him, the more he would earn...
Unfortunately, this Marketplace was not his alone to dominate. The other material shops with backgrounds like his were also taking the opportunity to hire Artifact Refiners at high prices. First-rank intermediate Artifact Refiners among rogue cultivators were already hard to come by, and he had searched painstakingly to find only five.
Now, with Li Mo added in, he had six.
Thinking this, Shopkeeper Yu put on an expression of being awakened from a dream by a single word and said in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Wu, you mean... I provide the spiritual materials, you refine the magic robes, and then we make a fortune together. What a marvelous plan! How did I not think of it? Ah, and here I am, supposedly a businessman, yet I could not even think of something so simple..."
Hearing Shopkeeper Yu say this, Wu Tao thought, Looks like I have a better head for business than Shopkeeper Yu... A trace of smugness inadvertently appeared on his face, and Shopkeeper Yu caught it.
Shopkeeper Yu thought, It seems my years of flattering people have not gone to waste. Let Artifact Master Li be a little happier, and the Filth Crystal Matter will fade away sooner or later.
He thought very highly of Li Mo.
The two hit it off at once and immediately began discussing the details of their cooperation.
The cost of a Small Spirit Shield Robe was five and a half Low-Grade Spirit Stones, while its selling price in the Marketplace was thirty-nine Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
With an Artifact Refiner Certificate certified by Five Spring Artifact Refining Hall, it could be sold for as much as Forty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
The cost of a Spirit-Absorbing Robe was somewhat higher, around fifteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Its Marketplace price was One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, yielding a profit of eighty-five Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
If rogue cultivators learned of such prices, they would surely curse furiously. The cost was so low, yet the selling price was so outrageously high.
There was no helping it. Those who mastered the craft set the prices. If you knew how to refine them, then go refine them yourself.
But in truth, this method of calculating profit did not apply to every Artifact Refiner. Artifact Refiners varied greatly in skill; some needed several batches of spiritual materials before succeeding once. Their costs rose, and their profits naturally shrank greatly.
One also had to deduct costs such as labor. Artifact Refiners could not possibly stop cultivating and do nothing but bury their heads in artifact refining.
Succeeding once every three attempts was enough to make a profit. But if one failed five or six times, one would lose everything down to one's grandmother's house. Better change professions early.
For someone like Wu Tao, who could achieve a hundred percent success rate after becoming proficient, he was likely the only one among rogue cultivator Artifact Refiners with such foundations. He could achieve this entirely because of his Primary Profession as an Artifact Refiner.
Naturally, when discussing the cooperation contract with Shopkeeper Yu, he had to hide his true abilities. "Shopkeeper Yu, magic robes are relatively cheap to make, and compared with other magic tools, they are also easier to refine. My success rate is roughly four out of ten."
Shopkeeper Yu said happily, "Producing four finished pieces from ten batches of materials is already an extremely high success rate. Artifact Master Li, you are too modest. To have reached such a level at your age, your future will surely be bright as brocade."
After discussing the clauses in greater detail, Wu Tao could not help but treat them seriously. This was a contract concerning profits, and every provision had to be carefully settled.
At last, the cooperation contract was finalized.
Shopkeeper Yu would bear the costs, while Wu Tao would handle the refining. Every month, Shopkeeper Yu would provide Wu Tao with enough spiritual materials for forty Small Spirit Shield Robes, and Wu Tao had to deliver sixteen Small Spirit Shield Robes to Shopkeeper Yu that same month.
Every month, he would provide Wu Tao with materials for fifty Spirit-Absorbing Robes, and Wu Tao had to deliver twenty Spirit-Absorbing Robes to Shopkeeper Yu that same month.
Shopkeeper Yu would sell the magic robes, and Wu Tao would receive the Marketplace price for each one. In other words, for every successfully refined Small Spirit Shield Robe, Wu Tao would receive Forty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones; for every Spirit-Absorbing Robe, he would receive One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.
As for what price Shopkeeper Yu sold them for afterward, all additional earnings belonged to Shopkeeper Yu.
Wu Tao was already extremely satisfied with this contract. He did not need to pay the costs himself, and the risks had been shifted to Shopkeeper Yu. He only needed to refine in peace.
Besides, he had reported a success rate of four out of ten to Shopkeeper Yu, while his real success rate was ten out of ten. He was making a huge profit.
The cooperation contract was made in duplicate. They each pressed their palm print and signed their names. The contract took effect, and if either party breached it, they would certainly face punishment from Five Spring Mountain.
"Shopkeeper Yu, a pleasure working with you!"
"Artifact Master Li, a pleasure working with you!"
Both men smiled and clinked their teacups in place of wine.
Wu Tao looked at Shopkeeper Yu and said, "Shopkeeper Yu, Li has an improper request, but I do not know how to bring it up."
Shopkeeper Yu laughed heartily. "Artifact Master Li, you and I are now partners. If you need help with anything, just say it."
Wu Tao said, "Shopkeeper Yu, could you lend me Ten Spirit Stones?"
He had only a little over sixteen hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones on him, and the war would begin soon. Prices would soar.
Before prices truly rose, he wanted to stockpile enough Qi Condensation Pills and medicinal herbs to Temper Body.
"Such a small matter? Done!"
Shopkeeper Yu immediately had Wu Tao write an IOU, then lent him Fifteen Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. The amount could be deducted later during the handover of the magic robes.
"Many thanks, Shopkeeper Yu. Then I shall take my leave first. I fear that if I wait too long, prices will take off."
Wu Tao took the spiritual materials needed to refine that month's magic robes, rose to bid Shopkeeper Yu farewell, and left.
Mass nucleic acid testing, the line was terribly long. Only one update today for the time being; please forgive me.
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