Everyone was left utterly bewildered by Gu Feng's intimidating presence.

With a helpless sigh, Gu Feng patiently began to introduce the concept to them, using terms they could understand to explain the functions this cultivation artifact needed to have.

"What is 'instant communication'?"

"What is 'wireless network access'?!"

"What is 'multimedia application'!?"

Gu Feng eloquently explained for over two hours, yet everyone remained in a fog, unable to grasp the essence.

"Ah, I understand now!"

The head of the Technical Department, a scholar-like cultivator, suddenly slapped his thigh in realization and exclaimed excitedly, "This artifact is essentially a combination of the 'Thousand-Mile Mystic Light Mirror' and the 'Sound Transmission Technique'!"

"Exactly!" Gu Feng was overjoyed, feeling that his efforts had finally paid off with someone who understood.

Pointing at the head of the Technical Department, Gu Feng turned to Manager Wu and asked, "What is this person's name?"

Regarding the matters of the Artifact Crafting Department, Gu Feng had only established the framework; the specific details were all handled by Manager Wu.

"Replying to the young master, his name is Li Zongwen, appointed by this old servant as the head of the Technical Department, and he studied under the Spirit Control Sect," Manager Wu quickly replied.

After pondering for a moment, Gu Feng recalled that there indeed was such a sect in Heroic Spirit City, where disciples entered the path through artifact refining, and their cultivation methods were closely related to artifact refining. No wonder this scholar could pinpoint the key issue so accurately.

"Good!" Gu Feng smiled with satisfaction and said, "Reward him with ten medium-grade spirit stones!"

Manager Wu complied, quickly retrieving a small pouch of spirit stones from his storage ring and tossing it to Li Zongwen.

Li Zongwen received the spirit stones, ecstatic, and knelt in gratitude. Just these ten spirit stones were enough for him to cultivate for half a month, leaving the other two department heads envious and wide-eyed.

Gu Feng nodded and further discussed with him how to use small formation engravings to facilitate the convenient transaction of spirit stones. To his surprise, Li Zongwen had some real insights into artifact refining, and after a few exchanges, he was able to draw inferences and offer many substantial suggestions!

In fact, many of his proposals directly solved the problems that had been troubling Gu Feng for days!

Suppressing his excitement, Gu Feng was delighted and sighed, indeed! Professional matters require professional people!

He immediately instructed, "Li Zongwen! The development and construction of the Immortal Spirit Communication project is entirely entrusted to you! If you do this well, I will reward you handsomely!"

"Thank you for the recognition, Sequence. I dare not claim credit, but only wish to serve as a vanguard before you, bringing glory to the two hundred disciples of my Spirit Control Sect!" Li Zongwen bowed repeatedly, his heart filled with joy.

This sudden flattery, though not particularly original, was well-timed.

Gu Feng naturally didn't take it to heart and, after a few words of encouragement, proceeded to the Production Department's workshop.

***

The Production Department was the core department of the Artifact Crafting Department and also the one with the most personnel.

Walking through the workshops, many artifact refiners were busy at the furnaces, refining divine sense and mixing various materials, each workspace operating in an orderly fashion.

Large black flying swords were being transported out of the workstations in a steady stream.

"How many of these flying swords can be produced daily?" Gu Feng asked as he casually inspected the production progress.

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The head of the Production Department, a burly man, quickly stepped forward and replied, "Replying to the Sequence, with full production, we can refine about three hundred a day."

Shaking his head, Gu Feng was somewhat dissatisfied with this speed. With a population of over eighty million in Heroic Spirit City, at least ninety percent being lower-level cultivators, a daily production of three hundred was far from meeting the future market demand for the Sharing Flying Sword project.

"Too slow!" Gu Feng said coldly, "Increase the production capacity for me. If there aren't enough people, then hire more! Starting next month, the daily output must reach a thousand!"

Manager Wu quickly complied.

Jiu Long listened and frowned slightly. In his view, these schemes were merely a waste of spirit stones, raising his perception of Gu Feng as a prodigal to a whole new level!

Noticing that many of the artifact refiners in the compartments were secretly healing, Gu Feng realized these were the ones who had clashed with Xia Lengling earlier, and he couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Damn woman, coming to cause trouble, injuring my workers, affecting my production capacity, I'll settle the score with you one day!

Thinking of this, Gu Feng felt his intelligence-gathering capability was truly lacking, having no clue about the movements of those Elders. These old foxes were always hoping for his downfall, and even though a bet had been made, who knew when they might secretly strike against him again.

He considered whether he should establish an intelligence department in Heroic Spirit City solely for himself.

As his industry continued to expand, without a strong armed force, incidents like today might happen again!

Although he had the "Order of Heroic Spirit" in his hand, the Chen Long Army was ultimately an armed force directly under the City Lord. While it could be used to exert some pressure, it was too difficult to use it for his own purposes!

Talents, oh, how hard it is to find talents!

Gu Feng wished he could shout to the heavens. The people around him now, Manager Wu could be completely trusted, but could only handle logistics!

As for Jiu Long, he would only act if Gu Feng's personal safety was at risk.

There were truly few usable people left.

"Manager Wu!" Gu Feng instructed while pondering, "Post notices all over Heroic Spirit City. I, Gu Feng, am willing to offer a substantial reward to recruit all kinds of extraordinary talents in the city!"

After thinking for a moment, Gu Feng continued, "Anyone who believes they have a special skill can come to Qiong Feng Pavilion for an interview! Once hired, the treatment will be excellent!"

Manager Wu bowed and agreed, but after a moment, he asked worriedly, "Young master, Heroic Spirit City is a mix of good and bad, with cultivators from all over the Eastern Region Divine Continent coming and going. There are even demon cultivators from the Southern Plains disguising themselves as humans and hiding in the city. Should there be any restrictions on this recruitment order?"

The Southern Plains, adjacent to the Eastern Region Divine Continent, had always been at odds, often engaging in conflicts.

The reason was that the Southern Plains were inhabited by demon cultivators, and human cultivators despised associating with them.

These demon cultivators could also transform into human form, traveling between the two continents for trade or intelligence gathering. Once their identities were exposed, they typically became common enemies of human cultivators!

No one noticed that Jiu Long, standing coldly by, frowned slightly at Manager Wu's words, a fleeting expression of discomfort passing over his face.

With a light shake of his folding fan, Gu Feng always scoffed at such discriminatory systems.

However, Heroic Spirit City occasionally had cultivators on the run, like Ye Tianchen, hiding within it.

Recruiting them would undoubtedly offend the sects or cultivation forces pursuing them, causing some trouble.

After pondering for a while, Gu Feng snapped his folding fan shut with a loud clap and arrogantly laughed, "I have three no-questions when employing people! No questions about background, no questions about origin, no questions about cultivation level! I, Gu Feng, value talent over virtue! Just do as I say!"

"This old servant obeys." Seeing Gu Feng's indifferent attitude, Manager Wu had no choice but to comply.

"Oh, and!" Gu Feng seemed to remember something and continued to instruct, "Arrange a meeting with Ye Tianchen for me. Tomorrow at noon, in the reception hall of Qiong Feng Pavilion, I want to host a banquet for him!"

***

At noon, the sun was high in the sky.

Qiong Feng Pavilion, banquet hall.

Gu Feng lay sprawled on the main seat's Buddhist mat, impatiently fanning himself with his folding fan.

In front of him, the maids had already laid out a variety of immortal fruits and delicacies. Beside the table, the purple jade jug was emitting a visible white fragrance.

This was an immortal brew that Gu Feng had specifically ordered at great expense from the distant western region of Canaan, named—"Intestinal Dew"!

In the eighty-thousand-mile western region of Canaan, Buddhism flourished, with many Buddhist cultivators practicing diligently there. They were self-disciplined and compassionate, yet oddly enough, the region was known for producing fine wines.

The name "Intestinal Dew" sounded frightening, much like a poison.

In reality, it was derived from a Buddhist aphorism: "Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha remains in the heart," representing a carefree and liberated path of cultivation.

The immortal wine was sweet and mellow, with a rich aroma, greatly beneficial to a cultivator's Dao foundation.

Gu Feng had arranged such a grand setup to entertain Ye Tianchen, who had readily agreed to come.

His ultimate goal was to recruit Ye Tianchen as his visiting scholar.

Currently, Gu Feng was short on talent, with limited personnel available in the short term. Ye Tianchen, having inherited the Dao lineage from an ancient immortal tomb, was decisive and had remarkable skills, making him an excellent "hitman"!

After waiting for a long time without seeing anyone, Gu Feng quickly sent Manager Wu to personally welcome him, to avoid delaying his important matters.

Unexpectedly, after Manager Wu left, there was no news, and even after half an hour, there was still no sign of either of them.

Gu Feng couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.

Could something have gone wrong again?!

"Young master!" Manager Wu, riding a golden abacus, hurriedly landed outside the courtyard. Hearing him, Gu Feng quickly walked out and asked, "Where's Ye Tianchen? Has he arrived?!"

"Young master! There's trouble!"

Wishing he could slap himself, it seemed that bad news always came true while good news didn't. He quickly asked, "What happened?!"

Manager Wu took a breath and replied, "The Chen Long Army discovered Ye Tianchen's whereabouts, and both sides are now in a standoff in the southern part of the inner city!"

Damn it! What's going on?!

Gu Feng felt a headache coming on, his heart filled with mixed emotions!

Ye Tianchen had escaped from Fire Phoenix City under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Region Divine Continent. The City Lord of Fire Phoenix City, Murong Zhengyi, reported to the Divine King of the Eastern Region, issuing an immortal execution order against him. Any cultivator in the Eastern Region Divine Continent had the duty to hunt him down.

The Divine King's immortal order! It cannot be defied!

Unless you no longer wish to survive in the Eastern Region Divine Continent!

Although Ye Tianchen was extraordinarily talented, dazzling and eye-catching from the start, he had no power, no influence, and no backing!

His only sect, Pine Sword Sect, was merely a small sect that had once depended on the Murong family of Fire Phoenix City.

Previously, it had already been easily wiped out by the Murong family because of Ye Tianchen!

No background, ruthless methods, possessing an ancient Dao lineage, with limitless potential for future achievements, and most importantly, he had offended the arrogant Murong family of Fire Phoenix City!

All these were reasons why this continent couldn't tolerate Ye Tianchen's continued existence!

This was the unspoken rule of the Eastern Region Divine Continent.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, it might be different, but Ye Tianchen had run into the Chen Long Army!

"This kid is too careless!"

Even if Gu Feng wanted to help him, it felt like a hot potato!

After some thought, he seemed to have made a decision, suddenly slamming the table and swiftly storing the "Intestinal Dew" beside him into his ring storage, shouting, "Lead the way!"