Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1023
It was the essential difference between Li Yao and Jiang Shaoyang right now.
Looking at the 'Phantom Butterfly' devised by Jiang Shaoyang for the last time, Li Yao took out a hundred coins from his pocket and bought an inventory of the latest magical equipment and materials on sale from the vending machine.
Such an inventory was often stored in jade chips. As long as they were inserted into the portable crystal processor, more than a hundred thousand pages of introductions to magical equipment and materials would be triggered. From blades to guns to crystal suits, and even including the civil magical equipment such as luxury shuttles, everything was included.
If one was interested in magical equipment such as a crystal suit, they could find the introduction and the specific parameters in the inventory. Then, they could experience the crystal suit in person through the virtual cabin. Once they were satisfied, they could ask for the item to be delivered and have a live test in the test field. It was an approach that had maximized the efficiency and minimized trade costs.
Shua…
The light beam was blinking quickly as Li Yao read through the rows of crystal suits.
The crystal suits suitable for Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators are all advanced products. None of them are cheap. Also, I have to prepare three very powerful battle-oriented artificial bodies for Meng Chixin, Wu Suiyun, and Wan Mingzhu. Such goods must be rare and very expensive because of the limited market!
There's no telling whether or not Long Yangjun's operation is going smoothly and how much money they can get.
To reduce uncertainty, let me take a look at the components, units, and secondhand crystal suits!
It was not money that bothered Li Yao.
But just like all the other masters of refining, he had an occupational habit, which was that he considered buying a whole crystal suit to be an insult to his expertise.
Buying a framework or a secondhand product, before filing, polishing, and strengthening in person, was the more favorable approach for an 'Armadominus'.
Li Yao turned to the section for the secondhand crystal suits.
The Dragon Snake Space Zone was a lawless, chaotic place where the strong preyed on the weak. The number of totally wasted crystal suits was shockingly high.
In the magical equipment store of Fish Dragon City, a lot of crystal suits that were seriously damaged were sold at a very cheap price.
Depending on their conditions and odds of being repaired, the secondhand crystal suits were mostly divided into seventy percent new, fifty percent new, and other levels. Those ragged crystal suits that bordered on garbage were often as cheap as garbage.
"This is—"
Li Yao did not expect to meet anything precious in this place, and he was browsing through the inventory randomly. However, one of the broken crystal suits that popped up out of nowhere made his eyes shine. He even gasped subconsciously.
It was a thirty percent new, first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, which was the generic model for the army of the Old Federation that Professor Yuan Manqiu and he had developed together back when he was still in the Refining Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution!
Looking at the crystal suit on the 3D light beam, which was riddled with holes but not collapsing, like a skeleton soldier that had crawled out of the deepest depths of hell, Li Yao felt like crying as so many memories flowed back into his heart.
He did not expect that he would meet such an old friend again in this place after a hundred years!
Rotating the light beam and scanning the first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit from every angle, Li Yao discovered that while the plate armor and the engine units were mostly ruined, the fundamental framework was almost intact. The price of the crystal suit was very low, too. Therefore, Li Yao placed an order through the inventory without any hesitation. He then selected the strengthening components that were ten times more expensive than the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit itself and rented a maintenance workshop of the highest level at a fortune!
He had decided that he would use the first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit if needed!
It was his commitment!
…
Three hours passed.
Swaggering into the crystal suit test center in the renewed first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, Li Yao was smiling delightedly, enjoying the fun that nobody else knew anything about.
It seemed quite weird and eye-catching to wander on the battlefield in an antique crystal suit from more than a hundred years ago.
Even the natives of the Ancient Sages Sector such as Meng Chixin, as long as they had the shallowest understanding about the crystal suits, would be suspicious about his choice.
However, the minor obstacle was no trouble at all for Li Yao.
Over the past hundred years, the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, as the most classic model of crystal suits in the federation, had been continuously improving and upgrading. Li Yao purchased the plate armor and the components of some of the new models of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, changing the appearance of the first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit into that of the thirteenth-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, which was a relatively new model.
Naturally, from the crystal reactor to the power rune arrays to the attack magical equipment, most of the units had been replaced with vastly better counterparts. All the parameters and performances had soared, but the original feedback of the first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit was kept as much as possible. Such redundant modifications were certainly incomprehensible for those who were not the crazy fans of magical equipment and the most passionate refiners.
What a hardcore sense of operation! What unbuffered counterforce! What humming noises from the crystal processor! What waves of heat from the crystal processor to the spine to the internal organs! This is a real crystal suit! This is the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit!
Li Yao could not have enjoyed himself more. While narrowing his eyes and enjoying the most basic movements, he scanned the high-level crystal suits rushing past him performing the glamourous, ultimate skills, like a raptor under the skin of a lamb watching a bunch of lions, tigers, and hungry wolves casually.
A thousand battles scenes were exploding inside Li Yao's brain. All of them were the deductions that he made according to the parameters of the high-level crystal suits.
Well. If I activate the combat ability of the Core Formation Stage, with the enhancement of the first-generation Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit, I should be able to completely destroy the 'Ghost', whose breastplate and legs have been strengthened!
Huh. This crystal suit that is packed with flying swords all over the body does not look bad. It is similar to the 'Sword Torrent Battlesuit' in my memory. By my calculation, according to the thirty percent of the combat ability its master is displaying, I should be able to take care of it in eleven seconds!
This one, nine seconds! This one, fifteen seconds! All the five on this side combined… one minute thirty-three seconds to one minute forty-five seconds!
Right then—
Hiu!
A bluish crystal suit that was almost translucent sprinted past the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit!
Li Yao raised an eyebrow in great interest.
I have never seen a crystal suit in such a style before. It boasts the essence of refining of the four new Sectors and the air from the center of the cosmos. To combine the styles of almost ten different schools not only requires an expertise in designing but also manual crafting skills. This is not bad!
Huh. The overall feeling is similar to the 'Phantom Butterfly' that Jiang Shaoyang designs, except a bit immature. Is it made by his assistant or his true disciple?
Well done, Jiang Shaoyang. Even your disciple has a masterpiece now!
The Exo in the crystal suit is rather tough, too. Judging from his footsteps, it will take me one minute and three seconds to destroy him and his crystal suit if I use the combat ability of only the Core Formation Stage!
While Li Yao was appreciating the crystal suit in great amazement, the bluish crystal suit that was like soft smoke suddenly halted at one end of the test field.
The Exo took off his helmet, revealing an angry face that was full of scars. He roared toward a few maintainers who hurried to him, "No. Something is wrong with the crystal suit!"
Chapter 1578: Observe and Play |
The man's appearance was quite unique.
His nose was particularly huge, like a hybrid between a lion and a tiger. One could easily tell that it was not a template simulated by light and shadow but his real face.
In such a perilous place as Fish Dragon City, especially in the even more dangerous areas such as the casinos, the arenas, and the magical equipment stores, most people would choose a template face and anonymous crystal cards to disguise their real identity and avoid trouble.
If a person chose to show everybody else their real appearance blatantly in such areas, it would be indicative of two things.
Firstly, they were not scared of trouble.
Secondly, it was possible that they were fond of asking for trouble.
The magical equipment store under the Chamber of Commerce boasted the largest multipurpose test field in the Dragon Snake Space Zone. Hundreds of crystal suits were being tested in the place at the same time, and still more maintainers, refiners, and staff were measuring and serving outside of the field.
The bellow of the lion-nosed, scar-faced man, however, made everybody stop whatever they were doing. The more prudent ones stayed far away and watched, and those who were bold or unfamiliar with the man, such as Li Yao, simply went close to observe more carefully.
After all, few people dared speak so bluntly at the magical equipment store under the Chamber of Commerce.
"Where is Manager Nie of the Maintenance Department? Get him here!"
The lion-nosed, scar-faced could not have cared less about how other people were looking at him. He bulged his eyes and yelled, "It was because I trust the expertise of Manage Nie Siyuan of the Maintenance Department of the Four Sectors Magical Equipment Center that I put the limited-edition 'Azure Thunder' here for repair. Otherwise, I would've sent it to the original manufacturer in the Star Glory Federation! When I delivered the crystal suit to you, your staff bashed their chests and promised me that it would certainly be repaired. But what's the meaning of this? Have Nie Siyuan's eyes failed him because of old age, or does he have no respect for me, Zhao Tongtian from the Thunderbolt Exo Society, at all and simply gave my crystal suit to a random guy for maintenance?"
The lion-nosed, scar-faced man must have been a rather famous brutal guy in Fish Dragon City.
Because of the huge fuss that he was causing, few people dared to observe the scene at a close distance like Li Yao. Most of them were watching from afar, all prepared to activate their spiritual shield and run away at the first anomaly!
When Zhao Tongtian and the Thunderbolt Exo Society were mentioned, even the few ignorant Cultivators who were crowding over to watch together with Li Yao all gulped and took a few steps back, like rabbits who smelled the scent of tigers and wolves.
It was obvious that Zhao Tongtian and his Thunderbolt Exo Society were not easy to deal with in the Dragon Snake Space Zone!
All the staff were whispering to each other, their faces pale, not knowing what they should do.
A moment later, the crowd was divided. A middle-aged man, who was tall and slender, with a pair of long, agile hands walked in confidently. Glancing at Zhao Tongtian, he sneered, "So, it is Deputy Captain Zhao. In the last half a month, the once-in-three-years 'Ace Game' has been held in the 'Dragon Snake Arena', which is a gala for the entire Dragon Snake Space Zone. My master has been invited as the magical equipment director of the crystal suit matches. I was the one who supervised the maintenance of your 'Azure Thunder'. Is there a problem?"
"You?" Zhao Tongtian eyed the tall, slender, middle-aged newcomer up and down before he scoffed, "So, Nie Siyuan wasn't here. That explains a lot! However, if you're not prepared to do the time, don't pretend to do the crime! If the manager wasn't here, you shouldn't have taken my order at all in the first place! Sha Yongming, do you have any idea how precious my crystal suit is? You haven't learned a third of your master's expertise yet, and yet you were bold enough to mess with my equipment. You were truly insulting the Four Sectors Magical Equipment Center. You don't know what you are doing!"
"Deputy Captain Zhao!" Sha Yongming, the refiner, blushed. Veins were bulging on his hands like earthworms as he gnashed his teeth. "We are all compatriots from the Uranian Ring Sector. The Thunderbolt Exo Society has shares in the Chamber of Commerce, too. Why are you making a fuss in a place of your own people?"
"I am making a fuss? You will know I'm making a fuss when I'm making a fuss, Sha Yongming!" Zhao Tongtian burst into laughter because of fury. "It's because I trusted you as my own people that I sent my 'Azure Thunder' to your place for maintenance. Although the maintenance has gone wrong, I'm still standing here talking nicely with you! I'm sure that you know who I am, don't you? Since when have I, 'Thunder Lion' Zhao Tongtian, been so reasonable?
"Forget it. Any more words with you will only be a waste. In short, you can't handle this 'Azure Thunder'! If you could, I wouldn't have had it delivered to this place but asked the refiners of the Thunderbolt Exo Society to repair it! I told your staff time and time again that Nie Siyuan must see to it in person. I know that you charge a lot, but do you think that I don't have the money? How were you bold enough to touch my crystal suit when you didn't know how valuable it is? Bring your master here right now. Let me see whether it is because he has zero respect for me or because some bodacious fool failed to forward my demand!"
Because of the great humiliation, arrows of blood seemed to be darting out of every pore on Sha Yongming's face. "What problem do you have with this 'Azure Thunder?"
He was a true disciple of Nie Siyuan, the Chief Maintainer of the Four Sectors Magical Equipment Center, and his arts in refining and maintenance were extraordinary. Particularly good at the repair and modification of crystal suits, he was a minor celebrity in Fish Dragon City.
Even when his master was around, most of the crystal suits delivered to the place for maintenance were actually handled by him. Nothing had ever gone wrong.
When this particular crystal suit was delivered, the requirements did specify that his master needed to maintain it personally, with no limit to the maintenance fee.
However, his master was busy providing technical support for the 'Ace Game', the arena match held once every three years in the Dragon Snake Space Zone, and had entrusted all affairs in the Maintenance Department to him. Furthermore, the crystal suit was indeed an extraordinary piece of art, and Sha Yongming had found the temptation irresistible.
He had thought that, since he had grasped ninety percent of his master's knowledge and the crystal suit had no serious problems but only some minor erosion issues, nothing could possibly go wrong.
But as it turned out, the customer had realized that something was not right after the first try!
"Of course, I know what the 'Azure Thunder' is!"
Cold sweat the size of a yellow bean was flowing on Sha Yongming's forehead, as he pointed at a calligraphic autograph on the right shoulder of the crystal suit that seemed to have been written in silver metal threads.
"This is the very first crystal suit designed and crafted by 'Wu Yaxuan', a young genius of refining who has risen to fame recently in the federation. It was a hit the moment it was released to the public. Even the mass-produced version is difficult to come by, not to mention the limited edition that he crafted personally. As I recall, he only built nineteen crystal suits personally, right?
"But so what?
"I perfectly followed the maintenance manual of the original manufacturer in every detail. All the performance parameters are as good as new! Deputy Captain Zhao, what exactly is the problem with the crystal suit? Insufficient instantaneous acceleration? Rigidness in direction shifting? The fire control rune arrays are not responsive enough? If you have truly found any flaw, we will refund the full maintenance fee with a compensation of ten times as much money. Then, I will ask my master to repair the crystal suit for you again!
"However, if you can't point out any flaws and continue being unreasonable in public, I must regretfully tell you that this is not your playground!"
While they were talking, more and more people crowded into the test field, including many guards who were fully-armed with cold faces.
Fish Dragon City was such a chaotic place. How could the magical equipment center not be heavily protected, given all the highly-valuable materials and magical equipment it had?
Glancing around coldly, Zhao Tongtian laughed in derision before he slowly said, "It's just my feeling."
Bulging his eyes, Sha Yongming was amused. "Feeling? Deputy Captain Zhao, you are not implying that, although you can't find any maintenance fault, the crystal suit 'feels' different from before when you are using it, are you?"
"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Zhao Tongtian replied. "The performance parameters in the crystal suit are the same. Acceleration, turning, and jumping are fine, too. The speed to pick up any weapon is as good as before… Every detail is exactly the same as the past, but when they are combined, it gives me a different feeling from before! The sense of smoothness that feels like mercury flowing on the ground has gone. I can't feel that my soul has melded with the crystal suit anymore. It's almost—it's almost like the 'limited edition' that Wu Yaxuan crafted in person has become one of the 'general edition' manufactured in the factories!"
Sha Yongming's voice grew colder and colder. "Deputy Captain Zhao, have you made up your mind to ask for trouble?"
"I'm asking for trouble?" Zhao Tongtian burst into laughter. He raised his thumb and pointed at his big nose. "Rest assured. If I'm asking for anyone's trouble, it won't be with a small fry such as yourself! If we get to the bottom of it, that's because you are not capable enough. Who is Wu Yaxuan? One of the most creative geniuses in the younger generation in the federation and the first assistant of 'Solar Eclipse' Jiang Shaoyang, the best refiner of the federation! How can you understand the essence of his masterpiece?
