NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 375: Borrowing
Chapter 375: Borrowing
Xu Lian calculated in his mind. Advancing to Sage Realm Stage 7 required 64 Metamorphosis Elixirs, advancing to Sage Realm Stage 8 required 128, and advancing to Sage Realm Stage 9 demanded 256. All in all, he needed a total of 448 Metamorphosis Elixirs.
He hadn’t realized it before, but the numbers were staggering. From Sage rank 1 to Sage rank 6, he had only used 63 Metamorphosis Elixirs-a mere drop in the bucket. The real challenge was in the later stages, where the demand for Metamorphosis Elixirs skyrocketed.
This realization made him feel bitter. It had taken him over a hundred years to reach this point, and now the remaining stages would probably take several more centuries.
Currently, he had three Metamorphosis Elixirs left. “Not counting the ones I have on hand, I still need 445 more. How long will it take to produce them?” he asked.
Time Supreme responded, “The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands has over twenty exclusive cultivation resource zones capable of producing Metamorphosis Elixir ingredients. With enough aged herbs and rare beasts, we can theoretically refine about 450 Metamorphosis Elixirs.
“The herbs and rare beasts that you looted from Qian Dynasty during your two raids are also suitable raw materials for about 150 Metamorphosis Elixirs.
“The raw materials aren’t the problem; what we lack is manpower.
“Each Metamorphosis Elixir requires two top-tier alchemists working together for approximately thirty years to refine. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands currently has 36 top-tier alchemists capable of refining Metamorphosis Elixir. If they all work at full capacity, on average, one Metamorphosis Elixir can be produced every year and a half. You do the math.”
Xu Lian frowned. “At that rate, it would take about 660 years to produce 445 Metamorphosis Elixirs… That’s far too long. The world is already in chaos. Anything could happen in 600 years. We need to find more high-level alchemists.”
The Time Supreme replied, “Top-tier alchemists capable of refining Metamorphosis Elixirs are not something ordinary factions can cultivate. Only the great powers have such individuals. These factions may not be short of alchemists, but they certainly don’t have extras lying around – they’re all busy refining Metamorphosis Elixirs for their own people. Where are we supposed to find more?”
Xu Lian thought for a moment. “What if we approach factions with good relations to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and borrow some top-tier alchemists? For example, the Divine Flower Palace or the Blazing Flame Sect?”
“Borrow?” Time Supreme considered the possibility.
Xu Lian explained, “What most factions lack is not top alchemists, it’s the raw materials needed to refine Metamorphosis Elixirs, especially aged rare herbs and exotic beasts. Factions like ours, which are rich in resources, are few and far between. As a result, many of their top alchemists are often idle.”
Having personally refined Metamorphosis Elixirs in the Qian Dynasty, Xu Lian was well aware of the situation. Take the Qian Dynasty, for example. They had about 89 top-level alchemists capable of refining Metamorphosis Elixir, but when production was underway, they usually only used about six of them due to the lack of sufficiently aged materials.
The Time Supreme pondered over this. “Fine. I’ll discuss this with the Supremes of the Divine Flower Palace and the Blazing Flame Sect.”
Xu Lian nodded. “Even if the Divine Flower Palace and the Blazing Flame Sect lend us their alchemists, they can probably spare no more than six or seven at most. That’s still too few. I’ll also consult with the Yin Dynasty Royal Family and the sea tribes of the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea.”
Time Supreme knew that Xu Lian had connections with the Yin Dynasty Royal Family and the sea tribes. “Then go ahead.”
Xu Lian crossed through space and arrived at the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea first. He descended directly to the deepest part of the sea, where the high-ranking members of the sea tribe slumbered.
With his current strength, there were only a few places in the world that he couldn’t reach. Even if a Supreme-level expert harbored ill intentions toward him, while he might not win a fight, self-preservation wouldn’t be an issue. Thus, he dared to venture out here alone.
“Nine Heavens Divine Son, what brings you here?” Instantly, the slumbering Sea Tribe Supreme awoke, his gaze sharp and probing. Clearly, he hadn’t expected Xu Lian to infiltrate their resting place alone. “Our resting place may not have the strongest defenses, but at least a Supreme-level cultivator is required to breach it. Have you already grasped the laws of the Divine Kingdom?”
Xu Lian didn’t answer directly. Instead, he smiled and said, “I’ve come to ask for a small favor.”
The Sea Tribe Chief paused, then gestured for him to continue. “Speak.”
Xu Lian explained, “The world is in turmoil, and chaos is spreading. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands wishes to accelerate the growth of our Sages, which requires a massive number of Metamorphosis Elixirs.
“We have mobilized all our resources and plan to refine a large amount of Metamorphosis Elixirs in a short period of time. However, we do not have enough high-level alchemists. We’d like to borrow some from the Sea Tribe. Is that possible?”
The Sea Tribe Supreme fell silent, deep in thought.
The Sea Tribe Supreme said, “Although I have been in a deep slumber, I am not unaware of the chaos spreading throughout the world. Our sea tribe also plans to accelerate the growth of our Sages, which requires a large number of Metamorphosis Elixirs. I’m afraid we don’t have any spare top-tier alchemists to lend to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands”.
Xu Lian inwardly cursed the old fox… This was clearly a ploy to gain some benefits.
As far as he knew, the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea had an abundance of life-prolonging spiritual medicines, but their exclusive cultivation resource zones were few and far between. Zones capable of producing Metamorphosis Elixir ingredients were even rarer. Where would they get enough raw materials to refine such a huge amount?
Bullshit… without even thinking it through.
Xu Lian replied, “If borrowing isn’t possible, how about renting? Surely that works?”
The Sea Tribe Supreme immediately replied, “How much is the rent?”
“…” Xu Lian hesitated. If the rent was too low, this old fox wouldn’t agree to it. But in order to speed up the production of Metamorphosis Elixirs, he couldn’t afford to hesitate for long. “For every five Metamorphosis Elixirs refined, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands will provide one Origin Tracing Light!”
“Deal!” The Sea Tribe Supreme grinned.
Xu Lian knew the price was steep.
If the elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands’ at the Origin Tracing Realm found out that he was using Origin Tracing Lights as rent… they’d surely berate him until his ears bled.
But now that he had reached the Sage Realm, the Origin Tracing Lights were useless to him. He decided to make a small sacrifice on behalf of the Origin Tracing Realm-it wasn’t too much to ask, right?
“Slowing down the progress of the elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands’ at the Origin Tracing Realm is a fair trade-off for accelerating my own growth. No issues here,” Xu Lian reasoned with himself, satisfied with his decision.
With that settled, the Sea Tribe Supreme issued an order: “All Sea Tribe alchemists capable of refining Metamorphosis Elixirs, listen up! Two of you will stay to refine Metamorphosis Elixirs for the Sea Tribe. The rest will go to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to refine Metamorphosis Elixirs for them.”
Although confused by the sudden order, the Sea Tribe alchemists obeyed without question.
Xu Lian brought them through space and returned to the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land. He sent them directly into the exclusive cultivation resource zones of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and ordered them to begin work immediately.
Next, Xu Lian crossed through space once more and arrived at the imperial capital of the Yin Dynasty.
At this point in time, the Yin Dynasty’s imperial capital still drifted through the void, hidden from the mortal realm. However, with his strength rivaling that of a Supreme, Xu Lian could effortlessly locate it and descend upon it.