Zhenhai

To even speak the words "bankrupt ourselves" showed just how determined the Nine Cauldrons Sect was to support Yaoguang. A third-generation flying sword. This was nothing less than a transformation from nothing into something for the Nine Cauldrons Sect. While the Nine Cauldrons Sect had been capable of forging Treasure Weapons in the past, they were essentially all first-generation flying swords. Achieving a second-generation flying sword required them to recklessly pile on expensive materials without restraint. As for third-generation flying swords, they had no choice but to purchase them from outside sources. Each one easily cost over a hundred thousand spirit stones. Compared to the actual production cost of twenty to thirty thousand, the markup was staggering. However... "Bankrupting the sect won't be necessary," Yaoguang said. "The power of low-grade flying swords still falls considerably short compared to high-grade flying swords. If we truly want to re-equip the sect across the board, we should keep half of the cost-effective low-grade flying swords for routine patrols. As for the other sword cultivators, they ought to be outfitted with high-grade flying swords instead." "High-grade flying swords?!" The underlying implication of these words caused an uncontrollable surge of delight to rise in the eyes of both Xu Qiexing and Dong Liushui. "You... you already have an idea?" "Yes. I intend to dedicate myself fully to the Zixiao series. I wouldn't dare make promises regarding swords with other specifications, but as for the high-grade model of the Zixiao-13—the Zixiao-15—I do indeed have some initial concepts." Yaoguang paused, then added, "Of course, it will still take time. By forging the Zixiao-13, we can refine the model while continuously perfecting the relevant techniques—learning as we forge, until we've completely designed an all-new Zixiao-15 flying sword." He smiled faintly. "Once the Zixiao-15 is successfully forged, that will be the true moment for us to equip our forces on a grand scale." "The Zixiao-15!" Xu Qiexing and Dong Liushui both drew in a sharp breath. Yaoguang had already planned out the model designation, which went to show how confident he was in designing a high-grade flying sword like the Zixiao-15. If he truly could develop an advanced high-grade Treasure Weapon flying sword... Even if it only reached the standard of a second-generation sword, it would still grant a qualitative leap to the Nine Cauldrons Sect's overall strength. "Before that, to avoid unnecessary waste, I'd like to ask a rather forward question—just how many elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, meaning third-tier, late Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, does the sect actually have?" Yaoguang looked at Xu Qiexing. The number of Great Cultivators possessed by a sect had always been classified information. Ordinary people certainly had no way of knowing, and even regional lords like Zhao Siliang and You Qianshan might not be able to state an exact figure. However, Xu Qiexing hailed from the main sect... Moreover, he concurrently served as Vice Sect Master and Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall, so he was naturally privy to such data. Furthermore, Yaoguang had asked about the number of elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators rather than the total count of all Great Cultivators, so it did not quite cross into the most sensitive classified data. Thus, he replied through divine sense voice transmission: "The sect has a total of three hundred elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators." "Three hundred..." This number aligned closely with Yaoguang's expectations. In fact, it was slightly higher than anticipated. After all, on the surface, the Nine Cauldrons Sect possessed only eight to nine hundred sword cultivators. Having third-tier, late Foundation Establishment sword cultivators account for more than a third was already impressive. Yet before Yaoguang could speak, Xu Qiexing shifted the conversation. "However... you should know that our Nine Cauldrons Sect permits local sects to maintain their own heritages. The Hundred Refinements Sect where you previously stayed is one such example. There are still quite a few civilian Foundation Establishment sword cultivators similar to Sect Master Zong Lian. If we count them as well, there are five hundred elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators." "Five hundred?!" This number... It was no less than the number of elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators that the Great Sun Sword Sect displayed on the surface. "Furthermore... doesn't our Nine Cauldrons Sect hold quite a few subsidiary worlds? The quality of some of these subsidiary worlds isn't actually bad. Although their spiritual energy nodes cannot rival those of our home realm, several worlds possess three to five of them. These spiritual energy nodes can sustain a number of Foundation Establishment cultivators. Counting those in the subsidiary worlds who have not yet returned to the main sect... the total is roughly seven hundred." Xu Qiexing laid out the honest truth. "???" Yaoguang stared at Xu Qiexing in utter disbelief. Xu Qiexing wore a helpless expression as well. "Our Nine Cauldrons Sect was once one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects. The surviving Six Great Immortal Sects in today's world certainly don't want a new immortal sect rising up to divide the spoils with them... In order to avoid prematurely triggering restrictions and blockades from those supreme sects... we had no choice but to keep a trick up our sleeve." Keep a trick up their sleeve? Could this even be called keeping a single trick up their sleeve? He had thought it would already be extraordinary if the Nine Cauldrons Sect concealed ten to twenty percent of its power. Yet here they were, hiding an extra one hundred and thirty percent! "So... when you spoke of bankrupting yourselves earlier..." "That part is true. Our spirit stone production isn't particularly high. Even factoring in hidden output from accounting margins and the subsidiary worlds, it doesn't exceed eighty million," Xu Qiexing said at once. Fifty million versus eighty million... That increase was not nearly as exaggerated as he had imagined. Still... If they hid sword cultivators and spirit stone yields, wouldn't they also have concealed some of their spell cultivators, body cultivators, and spirit cultivators? Hiding a bit more across other areas, all added up... The Nine Cauldrons Sect had truly taken playing dumb to an extreme. "All right, I understand the situation now," Yaoguang said. He had previously found it strange that despite being a sect overseen by a Golden Core cultivator, the strength the Nine Cauldrons Sect displayed was far below not just the Six Great Immortal Sects, but even major sects like the Great Sun Sword Sect and Shouyang Sect. It had been weak enough that even factions like the Xuanming Sect and the Great Yue Dynasty dared to come reap advantages in the East Sea Archipelago. Now it seemed... The higher-ups had their own long-term strategy. After a moment of thought, he said, "First, give me an order for three hundred low-grade Treasure Weapon flying swords. As for the price, how about thirty thousand each?" Saying this, he remembered something and added, "As you can see from the design schematics, my profit margin on each flying sword is only three to four thousand spirit stones. Once distributed, my share comes out to only one or two thousand. And all of those profits will eventually be used to purchase cultivation resources... What's more, as long as the prices you offer aren't overly steep, I can purchase all of them directly from the Nine Cauldrons Sect." "Not a problem!" Before Xu Qiexing could speak, Liang Qiu, Hall Master of the Logistics Hall who oversaw the movement of all sect supplies, agreed right away. "We will do exactly as First Seat Yaoguang proposes." Yaoguang using the spirit stones to purchase cultivation resources within the Nine Cauldrons Sect meant that all the spirit stones would remain circulating within the sect. Going around in such a cycle would allow many departments to enjoy far more comfortable days ahead. Furthermore, Yaoguang buying cultivation resources was essentially investing in himself. He was currently a member of the Nine Cauldrons Sect. When his strength increased, wouldn't that mean the Nine Cauldrons Sect's strength increased as well? It was a virtuous cycle. Xu Qiexing realized this as well. In fact, he thought even further ahead. Although Yaoguang was currently only capable of forging low-grade Treasure Weapons and still needed to invest time and energy to research high-grade ones, once his cultivation advanced, wouldn't that timeframe be drastically shortened? Once he could forge high-grade Treasure Weapons and equip them across the elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators... Even setting aside avenging the humiliation of the Wuji Astral Palace bringing their forces to their doorstep, they could at least reclaim the East Sea Archipelago and the Shiwan Dashan, restoring the Nine Cauldrons Sect's complete sovereignty. "Since First Seat Yaoguang has made his choice, Grandmaster Dong Liushui will remain here from now on. With you two Artifact Refining Grandmasters exchanging ideas, perhaps you might one day develop an even more powerful flying sword beyond the Zixiao-15," Xu Qiexing said with a smile. The Zixiao series prioritized speed and low spiritual energy consumption, but what flying swords truly required were speed and offensive power. Especially for high-grade flying swords. Anyone wielding a high-grade flying sword would undoubtedly be engaged in an intense battle of life and death; who would care about low energy consumption at such a moment? "I will be troubling Grandmaster Dong Liushui, then," Yaoguang said, nodding to the grandmaster. With his team joining in, the forging efficiency of the Zixiao Institute would climb to a whole new level. "We will learn and improve together," Dong Liushui replied, then sighed with feeling. "Of course, my progress will fall far short of First Seat Yaoguang's. Judging from your designs for the Zixiao-13, you have already begun researching formation patterns, haven't you?" "Yes," Yaoguang agreed with a nod. "Without understanding formation patterns, third-generation flying swords are the absolute limit. We would never be able to keep up with the Wuji Astral Palace and forge fourth-generation flying swords." Formation patterns were essentially a branch of study focused on localizing and miniaturizing formations. They were not as complex as full formations, but because they emphasized miniaturization and compatibility with dharma treasures, they placed far greater demands on one's divine mind. Dong Liushui agreed deeply. "Our Nine Cauldrons Sect endured a collapse after all, and only eighty-some years have passed since our rebirth. I believe that given another eighty years, we will surely catch up to the forefront of the world and restore the former glory of the Ten Great Immortal Sects," Xu Qiexing said with a smile. He only dared to speak of matching the glory of the Ten Great Immortal Sects. As for catching up to the Wuji Astral Palace... He did not dare entertain such thoughts right now. Even factoring in the Nine Cauldrons Sect's hidden strength, they were likely half a step weaker than the Great Sun Sword Sect, let alone the world's strongest power, the Wuji Astral Palace, which could casually dispatch over a dozen sky-patrol warships to blockade them. Yaoguang did not pursue that topic. Who could say what the future held? He got straight to the point: "Since the sect possesses so much manpower, and the Jiuxiao Domain has the East Sea to defend, assign me a unit. I intend to test a new combat doctrine." "Assign you a unit?" Xu Qiexing looked at Yaoguang. "If you chose the third option to pursue research into artifact refining, we did indeed plan to establish a new combat division here. Handing it over for you to take charge of is fine, but... won't you be too busy? You must not let these matters interfere with your cultivation, or you would be putting the cart before the horse." "It's fine. I can manage," Yaoguang said. "In that case, we'll do as you say. What requirements do you have for the personnel?" Xu Qiexing asked. "I need seventy-two Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, thirty-six spell cultivators, and twelve spirit cultivators—a total of one hundred and twenty Great Cultivators." Yaoguang stated his requirements directly. A sky-patrol warship was a sect-guarding divine weapon that he would inevitably forge in the future. And a single sky-patrol warship standardly required thirty-six Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, twenty-four spell cultivators, and twelve Origin Spirit cultivators, with adjustments made according to its specific capabilities. However, when Yaoguang eventually forged a sky-patrol warship, he would only do so once he had accumulated at least second-generation or even third-generation technological reserves. A third-generation sky-patrol warship required considerably more Great Cultivators than a first-generation one. Around a hundred men was just right. "One hundred and twenty men... That can form a composite reinforced combat division," Xu Qiexing remarked, then asked, "No body cultivators needed?" "No need. The threat to the Jiuxiao Domain comes from the East Sea Archipelago. In naval warfare, body cultivators are at a disadvantage," Yaoguang replied. Although body cultivators could fly by borrowing astral force fields, their speed fell vastly short of sword cultivators and spell cultivators. "Very well. Within a month, one hundred and twenty Great Cultivators of at least the second tier will arrive in Longxiang City." Xu Qiexing agreed to the request, then added an explanation: "This combat unit will primarily be tasked with defending the Zixiao Institute, so it will be difficult to make them all third-tier. I hope you can understand." "Understood," Yaoguang nodded. "Have you thought of a designation for this combat division?" "A designation..." Yaoguang pondered for a moment. The primary battlefield for this combat division moving forward would undoubtedly be the East Sea Archipelago. Since the main theater was the East Sea Archipelago... "Call it 'Zhenhai.'"