The Interview

Just as expected! The grand manager of the Qiongyu Guild was extraordinarily formidable, likely a mid or even late Core Formation master. One could not help but wonder whether a merchant guild like this could even mobilize Nascent Soul Patriarchs. Qin Sang and Ran Luo conversed for a little longer before he brought up the purpose of his visit. Ran Luo pondered for a moment and said, "It is only right for fellow human cultivators to look out for one another in foreign lands. Several fellow Daoists have already agreed to travel together, so you need not worry, Daoist Qingfeng. However, I have a few questions. Would you be willing to answer them?" "Please, go ahead, Fellow Daoist," Qin Sang said, sitting upright. Ran Luo nodded. "May I ask if this is your first time traveling to the Storm Demon Sea? What are your plans after arriving? Do you intend to hunt demons alone, or have you already made arrangements to join a group?" Qin Sang frowned and said in a heavy voice, "These are my private affairs. Do they concern your guild?" He had no desire to expose his background in front of a stranger. Ran Luo waved her hand. "Please do not misunderstand, Daoist. You do not have to answer if you do not wish to. I only ask because I was worried that if this is your first time to the Storm Demon Sea, you might not understand the perils there. In the Storm Demon Sea, even someone with cultivation as high as yours rarely dares to venture outside alone. Most choose to join a faction or band together with a few fellow cultivators into a team to advance and retreat together. If you have not yet contacted any other faction, you might consider our Qiongyu Guild." Ran Luo looked at Qin Sang openly as she extended the invitation. Realizing that every Core Formation cultivator who came to the Qiongyu Guild received such an offer, Qin Sang did not rush to refuse and gave serious thought to the possibility. "An outer sea guest elder?" Qin Sang muttered softly. That was the title Ran Luo had just promised him. "Indeed," Ran Luo offered an explanation upon seeing his confusion. "Those of us who frequently travel in and out of the Storm Demon Sea are accustomed to calling it the Outer Sea, while referring to the Canglang Sea as the Inner Sea. The division between inner and outer is not limited to the waters; many factions have begun dividing themselves accordingly. "The most common example is merchant guilds like ours. Unlike sects, we harbor no sectarian prejudices. To secure our influence in the Outer Sea, we recruit many cultivators of profound skill like yourself to serve as outer sea guest elders. "Most of these outer sea guest elders are disciples of top sects back in the interior, yet that does not prevent them from joining our guild. "Affairs in the Outer Sea have nothing to do with the Inner Sea. "Once in the Inner Sea, if you still wish to serve as a guest elder, we would be delighted. If not, we will not force you. In the Inner Sea, we can treat each other as strangers, without affecting your existing affiliations. "Becoming an outer sea guest elder of our guild carries endless benefits..." Ran Luo explained smoothly, doing her utmost to dispel Qin Sang's misgivings and tempting him with a multitude of benefits. A few of them genuinely tempted him. He was not a native cultivator of the Canglang Sea and had no sect ties holding him back, so joining the Qiongyu Guild would not hurt. Yet Qin Sang knew very well that such generous perks did not come for free. "What responsibilities come with being a guest elder in your guild?" Ran Luo chuckled lightly. "If the guild encounters a crisis, of course we will need you to join forces with us to weather the storm. In normal times, the guild will not impose many restrictions on you. On the contrary, we will help you connect with other fellow Daoists to hunt demons at sea..." As expected. There was no gain without loss. They called it a guest elder to make it sound nice, but in reality, it was hired muscle. The Storm Demon Sea was never stable; crises could strike at a moment's notice. He was on his own. In the face of danger, he would naturally run if he could. Becoming an outer sea guest elder would saddle him with an unwanted set of shackles, robbing him of his freedom to come and go as he pleased. Taking the perks without doing the work was even more out of the question. Deserting in the face of battle would likely lead to him being hunted down not just by the Qiongyu Guild, but by the entire Eastern Pole Alliance, leaving him without a foothold in either the Inner or Outer Sea. Even so, having the backing of a major faction did offer many advantages. Ran Luo was right about one thing: going solo in the Storm Demon Sea was not viable. Qin Sang had realized long ago the hardships of being a rogue cultivator. After pondering for a while, an idea struck Qin Sang, and he asked, "Does your guild recruit only this kind of guest elder? If there were someone skilled in artifact crafting or pill refining, would they qualify to join your guild?" The responsibilities expected of an artifact craftsman were entirely different from those of hired muscle. Besides, Qin Sang already intended to pursue the path of artifact crafting in greater depth. Joining a faction under the mantle of an artifact craftsman would suit him perfectly. Ran Luo's eyes lit up. "If there are fellow Daoists skilled in artifact crafting or alchemy, any merchant guild would welcome them with open arms. How could we turn them away? Could it be that you...?" Qin Sang nodded slightly. "I have attained a modest degree of insight in the art of artifact crafting." Ran Luo was overjoyed. "What magic treasures have you crafted, Daoist?" *Why does this feel like a job interview?* Qin Sang muttered inwardly, feeling slightly embarrassed as he said, "I have only crafted my own life magic treasure, and I am still comprehending the craft. However..." Because a life magic treasure was coordinated with a cultivation technique, crafting it merely required following the guidance step by step, which was not particularly difficult. Other magic treasures were a different story. The spirit materials required for magic treasures were extraordinarily precious. Qin Sang possessed only the dictated insights of an artifact craftsman from the Xuling Sect, barely brushing against authentic heritage. Furthermore, having yet to master them thoroughly, he did not dare rashly attempt to forge magic treasures. The Primordial Concentric Rings still had one intact Yin Ring, which greatly reduced the crafting difficulty. Once he successfully crafted the Primordial Concentric Rings, his attainments in artifact crafting would surely advance by leaps and bounds. Noticing the flicker of disappointment in Ran Luo's eyes, Qin Sang changed his tone and said with confidence, "However, I am exceptionally proficient in crafting magic tools, especially top-grade magic tools. With the same spirit materials, not only is my success rate higher than others, but the resulting magic tools are also somewhat more powerful." Qin Sang's confidence stemmed from the Nine Nether Demonic Fire. When he had crafted the Essence-Devouring Awl in the dark-winged eagle's cave, he had verified that the Nine Nether Demonic Fire provided tremendous assistance during artifact crafting. With his current cultivation, using the Nine Nether Demonic Fire could substantially elevate both the success rate and the power of the magic tools. Crafting top-grade magic tools would undoubtedly be well within his capabilities. Top-grade magic tools were not as precious as magic treasures, but they were unquestionably in the highest demand in the cultivation world. The Qiongyu Guild did not cater exclusively to Core Formation cultivators; Qin Sang did not believe they would remain indifferent. Hearing Qin Sang's resolute words, Ran Luo was indeed thoroughly intrigued. "Some of the demon carcasses acquired in the Outer Sea are not suitable for crafting magic treasures or alchemy pills, so we choose to forge them into magic tools on the spot. Our guild is thirsty for talent. If you truly possess unique artifact crafting methods, as long as you are willing to join us, you may name whatever terms you wish, and we will certainly satisfy you." Catching the unspoken meaning behind her words, Qin Sang glanced around and said after a moment's thought, "I still have a few matters to attend to. In any case, we are traveling together to the Storm Demon Sea. Why not wait until we arrive there, where demon carcasses are abundant, and I will demonstrate my craft in person? How does that sound? We can discuss the details then." The Qiongyu Guild was assessing him, but he was also evaluating the Qiongyu Guild. Qin Sang still knew very little about the Storm Demon Sea and had no desire to commit so quickly. He would decide which faction to join after reaching the Storm Demon Sea.