"Thank you, master!" the three elders kneeled right before Zhang Wu Ji. It was a surprise to each of them after what had just happened right in front of everyone present. The three elders that were stuck in their cultivation for quite a long time has actually breakthrough with a simple sip of a Roasted Mulberry Tea. If one wanted to mention the miracle they seen in life, this will be the top miracle amongst all of their stories.
"Ya Pin, make your trip daily here to collects the Mulberry Leaves to be used as feed for the Qi Essence Silkworms. If there were anything else you need, do not hesitates to mention to the three elders. The three of you recently advanced, so you will need to stabilize your foundation before continue to do what you supposed to do. I will remain here no longer to give you space to cultivates."
"Everyone, proceed with your own task, I will return to the courtyard by myself." Zhang Wu Ji finishes his words and walked towards the exit. Since Tang Yuan and Zhao Xiao Hua still have their works undone in the farm, they followed him as they returned to the courtyard.
Outside, the crowd is yet to disperse. Seeing the three disciples coming out from the Elder's Accommodation Sector, some of them amongst the crowd wished to question, while some wishes to curse. But none of them dare to proceed with what they were thinking, because the person walking right past them, is the well known Master Senior Ninth that was being generous to them.
How could a crowd of woodpeckers dare to be mischievous towards the person that previously bring a part of their fellow Slave Disciples out from their difficult situation, and up to date, most of them were given the opportunity to help in the Apprentice Hall for the sake to earn a few Qi Sensing Pills?
The business in the Apprentice Hall wasn't just amazing, it was sufficient enough to support over a hundred of disciple's usage of Qi Sensing Pill every day, which is a great feat. Unless a well-established sect or clan, this kind of treatment were considered luxurious for those not that wealthy.
Without any obstructions, the trio returned to the courtyard. With Zhao Xiao Hua excuses herself to the farm first, Tang Yuan went to the Dining Hall and prepared to carry all the books brought by the three elders into Zhang Wu Ji's room before he excuses himself as well and returns to his works. Inside the room, Zhang Wu Ji rested himself for a moment, before he took the five manual he completed their rewriting and upgrading.
At the same time, he remembered something extremely important, which he felt like cutting off his skull and see where did this part of the memory was hiding before he coincidently found them.
New Compilation of Smelter Record +5 (Origin Author - Tai Yin - Shao Yang Phase)
-Usage 1: Increase the quality of Copper - Iron - Silver - Steel by 10%
-Usage 2: Increase the speed of Smelting and Tempering by 10%
-Usage 3: Effect increased by 5% if the owner created his own Seal Bonding (Cannot be Reverted)
-Durability: 16/16
-Special: The Compilation of Smelter Record's effect is stackable with other Passive Increments
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New Iron Working and Forging Process +5 (Origin Author - Tai Yang - Shao Yin Phase)
-Usage 1: Iron Works conducted by the user is more likely to have a 10% Increase in Durability Only
-Usage 2: Iron Forging conducted by the user have the chances to house a Low-Tier Spirit (One Spirit Only)
-Usage 3: Iron crafted by the user when holding this book will have the chances become Iron Powder, Quality Varies
-Durability: 16/16
-Special 1: Increase the speed of extracting pure molten iron from the ore by 10%.
-Special 2: Increase the speed of heating Iron Ingot by 10%
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New Silver Processing Manual +5 (Tai Yin Phase)
-Usage 1: Increase the chances of refining Pure Molten Silver by 5%
-Usage 2: Increase the amount of Pure Molten Silver refined by 5%
-Durability: 7/7
-Special: Increase the amount of silver found from the impurity slimes by 5%
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New Copper Concentrates Silver Processing Method +5 (Tai Yin Phase)
-Usage: Increase the amount of Impure Silver Extract collected on the crucible base by 5%
-Durability: 7/7
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New Firestone Upgrading Technique +5 (Tai Yang - Shao Yang Phase)
-Usage: By paying (10) Firestones as the tribute, allows the user to create (1) Flame Rock. Each process cost 100 Strands of Inner Qi to execute.
-Flame Rock Estimated Heat temperature: 1900 Fahrenheit - 4000 Fahrenheit
Durability: 3/3
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"It seems all the Manuals I copied from the library is not too bad. The only unfortunate thing is their Four Phases effect is questionable, making me not daring to Fuse them together. If the results are good, I won't complain, but if their fusion ends up worthless, then it will be a waste of time for me. How good if I actually could get a good ability that can recycle all the failure item in my hand." Zhang Wu Ji inspected the five manuals in his hand and kept them all together.
Perhaps, he will be the only one in this world that will walk around the house and outside with few manuals kept by his side. Others have Pills, gold coins, and treasures or weapon tied on their back or their waist belt, but for Zhang Wu Ji, it was manuals. Luckily the manual wasn't as thick like those dictionaries or collection books of Guinness World of Records size manual, else he will look like a glutinous rice forcefully wrapped with the clothing.
"Should I pay a visit to the Apprentice Hall once again?"
"Nope. I should let them improve themselves. Looking after them too much will spoil the broth. Leaving them, for now, will be the best idea, because not only they can improve their own skills without me putting pressure on them, it can also let them grow a pair of balls to face the hurdle made by fellow humans. As long there weren't anything special, I will let them progress without restrictions."
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"The farm is going well for now. I am confident with Tang Yuan's ability to handle the plants, added with Ya Pin and Xiao Hua's help, the farm management will become even better. At the end of this month, I can expect 1 fruit from the Sun Facing Fruit, 100 Yantai County's Mandrake Plants, 100 of the Yin Ling Fruits, and a random number of Taixia Condensed Dew. That will be the day for my production to come."
"Should I just focus in handling the Blacksmith part for now? Oh wait, I forget about that!" Zhang Wu Ji considered his current situation and options he got, and suddenly remembered about something he has forgotten for so long until now.
"I entered the stage of Inner Qi Fighter already! When did I assume that +5 were the highest I can upgrade? I am so foolish to assume that and let my Upgrade System stagnated for so long! What a waste of a special ability!" Zhang Wu Ji wanted to slap himself, but he was no fool. Only people with no brain should slap himself hard. He wasn't a fool, thus he shouldn't do it.
"Let us starts with something normal first." Zhang Wu Ji went to the Blacksmith room after he remembered such an important research on his own ability. How can he let this topic aside now, after taking so long to remember? It was the most important matter for now, at least in his mind.
"Seems like the appearance of the five manuals at this time were just at the right time! We should begin with small weapons first!" Zhang Wu Ji fired the Furnace to begin his crafting. Without any specific requirements, he selected the most simple to prepare weapon, which was a short knife with a shape similar to a Celtic Dirks. [1]
With only between 200 to 250 grams of weight, the 12 kilograms weight Pure Iron Ingot was more than enough for him to mass produce them in large quantities. The reason he selected the dirk was very clear, he wanted to massively upgrade all the weapon he could craft in a short period of time, and the Celtic Dirks without sophisticated design and appearance was the best choice for him to made.
It wasn't too easy, but given the skills and also the passive effect that came along with the manual in his possession, Zhang Wu Ji spent between 12 hours in order to complete the initial appearance of the weapon before he proceeds with the detailed touch and also sharpening. In a complete day, he completed 45 Celtic Dirks, while throwing the remaining three back into the furnace to be made as a smaller chunk for recycling purposes.
Since it was crafted altogether at the same time, the quality of the dirks was even, without any of them were in better quality or worst quality. This was the most basic requirement he needed it to have in his crafting process, because if each time of his crafting will end up creating weapon better than the first again and again, then where is his average standing point in his weapon-crafting?
Although quality products were important, it failed to match against the importance of stability. Because without stability, one can only persistently craft better weapon, and higher quality once after another, but he will no longer capable to craft an averagely accepted weapon because this method taken for his approach indirectly canceled his retreating point when he unexpectedly fails.
Iron Thrusting Dirk
-Attack: 4
-Defense: 1
-Durability: 9/9
-Special: Increase 1 Durability when "Thrusting Attack" land a killing Strike
"Not a bad quality, plus all of them were crafted quite well, as it was only taking me close to one single day to complete all 45 of them. If I place more effort in tempering the metal and the weapon before completion, perhaps their quality will become even better. But that will cost me at least ten more minutes handling each dagger, so it will at least take me another seven an a half hour to complete them." he played with one of the daggers as he inspects their build quality.
If this design of a dirk went out to the public market, perhaps it will be despised for their short and pitiful range of attack, it was not even qualified to be used as a proper cooking knife, but only those from Zhang Wu Ji's previous world will understand how deadly is this [Iron Thrusting Dirk] when it was used in a one to one fight.
The 4 points in attack might seem puny in the eyes of many, but how many people have the defensive ability of 4 points? If it's wasn't because of the passive effect of +5 points in Vitality, Defence, and Strength provided by the Bronze-Grade Nourishment Art, perhaps even himself will fall under the 4 points attack dagger.
"UPGRADE!"
"AGAIN!"
"Let's make it through +5!" Zhang Wu Ji upgrades process successfully until it was +5, placed on this crucial moment, he proceeds. A shout of [Upgrade] overcome the crackling sound came from the furnace, as the weapon in his hand...
Turned into ashes...
"Why? Did my upgrade went wrong in between?" Zhang Wu Ji was surprised by the results. This was the first time his upgrade actually failed. It wasn't difficult to discern, because all his upgrade experience did not end with the upgraded material disintegrated into a pile of ashes. He touches the leftover pile of metal ashes on the ground, and unexpectedly, a status came out.
Ashes of Failure
-Usage: to remind the user of his failure in upgrading
-Durability: -/-
"You ass! This was your way to remind me?" Zhang Wu Ji almost wanted to spit a mouthful of blood when he read through the description. But it was pointless to get angry because that was a remnant of his failure. If he gets angry on a pile of ashes, what will that make him? A failure than release his failed anger on a pile of Ashes of Failure? He must be the craziest people in this world if he did.
"I will continue again." he upgraded the next Iron Thrusting Dirk and still failed.
"Third one." the third attempt end up failing again. At this moment, the pile of ashes on where he sits was enough to fill a teapot.
"I don't believe I am that bad!" he continued.
Failed...
Failed...
It continues until he finally succeeds at his fifteenth dagger. Carried with all the happiness in his mind, Zhang Wu Ji jumps in the Blacksmithing Room to congratulate himself in the success, but he forgets that the time outside was a few more hours to sunrise. The others in the courtyard begin to thinks;
"What happened to Master Senior Ninth?"
Soon, he calms his mind and read through the descriptions written on the status panel.
Iron Thrusting Dirk +6
-Attack: 10
-Defense: 7
-Durability: 15/15
-Special 1: Increase 2 Durability when "Thrusting Attack" land a killing Strike
-Special 2: allow the user to Execute [Lengthening] to increase the blade from 6" to 8"
"Damn! The +6 ability actually increased an additional Skill! Or did that happened at +5? Damn! My mistake for not paying too much attention when I was upgrading. But that's fine. With my success rate now, maybe I can get 3 of them in +6 status at the end of the 45 dirks?" his happiness stops in between when he noticed the absent-minded him forgotten that when did the 2nd ability happened.
He continued. Although the upgrades only cost him 6 strands of Inner Qi each time, the toll taken into his mind and body were something that only a proper rest and rejuvenates. It went along negatively until the 27th dirk, where it was a success.
The result was similar, but he noticed the differences. The ability was given when it reaches +5, and on +6, it still follows the law of the normal upgrades. Which means, his surprise is going to be at when it turns into +10. But this also means one fact to him.
It will cost him over a hundred, perhaps a thousand of the same tool for him to lucky enough to upgrade them into +10. Only by looking at this attempt to upgrade them into +6, it took him 27 dirks to have two successful upgrades. That was a 1 success in every 14 dirks. To have 10 units of the +6 dirks, he will need to first craft 140 dirks to have them upgraded and then continue with the second tryst to make them become +7.
"My path of an upgrade is not an easy one to treads. If this is the initial cost of my upgrading system to works, I guess being ten times richer than how I was now is still not sufficient to support this kind of way of exploiting my expenses." Zhang Wu Ji shakes his head with disappointment. But he still continues with the upgrades, and as expected, he ends up with three success to reach their +6 status, and when he tried to have them become +7, it was a complete failure.
It wasn't a pointless overnight for him, but it was a fruitless one. With no successful result in his hand, he returned to his room for a good night rest. In his slumber, his mind did not get calm but continued to search for the correct way in improving himself using the upgrade. Because he worked himself too hard last night, Zhang Wu Ji ends up missing the breakfast and sleep all the way until afternoon.
Nobody came to disturb him, allowing him to get a satisfying rest before he wakes up to freshen up himself. The three disciples of his made the breakfast session a habit, pushing themselves over to visit the courtyard once every morning. It was also a shock to them that their master was waking up late, but after listening to Tang Yuan's explanations, the accidental action ends up to become an attitude the three of them worshipped.
"We were kept in the dark regarding our master's effort in improving himself. How shameful of us to take his lesson for granted, while our master actually continued to improve himself when everyone was asleep. What an amazing perseverance of a teacher in the morning, a practitioner in the night!" the worshipping of the three become crazier the longer they were left with too many unknown elements to imagine.
Coming out from his room, the few kitchen staff already prepared some of the dishes to be placed at the Dining Hall the moment their Master Senior Ninth came out from his rest. The dishes were specially prepared, just for the sake to fill his stomach while they prepare some piping hot food out from the kitchen. It was like the kitchen is working 24 hours a day, because no matter at when he was looking for a food, the kitchen is always ready with a sumptuous amount of food.
"Should I venture into the food industry next? If I can introduce canned food, will that generate me another pile of income?" he jokes as he eats. It was a joke for him at this moment because, for this person that had lived his second life, he was a person that never properly cooked before! His previous life were a competition of who made the best Instant Noodles before they died, and in this life, he was a wealthy young master that doesn't need to enter the kitchen at all!
He was the best example of a "Useless Young Master that know how to eat but don't know what he really eats!"
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[1]. the Celtics dirk were a decorative dagger that was made with a very beautiful handle with an extremely short blade. There was a longer ceremonial purposes version, but I prefer the smaller one. Take it as the obsession after watching the Actor, Wu Jing's, movie, the [Wolf Warrior 2].