On that night itself, the group of 21 people enjoyed their drinks and snacks, all the way until time went way past midnight. As a visitor themselves, Zhang Wu Ji and Meng Ran can only stay in the Flying Flavors Pavilion's guest room, which part of the arrangement when they received any outside visitors.
In the next morning, only half of the disciples that came to greet him appeared, including their representative. After some menial courtesy greetings, it seems that a part of them was dispatched to other cities to help with some of the repairing works and handling their production task.
This manner of operation is much similar to how the Heavenly Sword Sect controls the tax from the cities, towns, and villages, and partially similar to how Seven Star Sect conduct their assistance. But if it was to be compared, the Willow Timber County's operation is more similar to a Franchise Scheme.
As the Headquarters itself, they established four different sub-headquarters to the other four cities to handle most of the menial works. Only the important matters will require the decision to be made from the Headquarters itself. No wonder the Willow Timber County only required five cities to resides all their population, instead of completely scattered like the Heaven South County or Seven Star County.
Their five cities consist of Peony Flower City, Chrysanthemum Flower City, Rainbow Flower City, Cherry Flower City, and Lotus Flower City. Each city holds over two million residents and more, with the exception of Peony Flower City, with 6 million residents. In total, the Willow Timber County holds 14 million residents, about three times compared to the Seven Star County.
Unfortunately, due to their high qualification and restrictions in their Celestial Designer Profession, the whole county only possess 2 Third-Grade Celestial Designers, 5 Second-Grade Celestial Designers, 100 (Half Step) Second-Grade Celestial Designer, and between 10,000 First-Grade Celestial Designer. This amount is counting the Mystic Engineer Establishment itself, without adding the unqualified Celestial Designer which amounted to 30,000 members.
With only ten thousand official members of Mystic Engineer Establishment and thirty thousand unofficial members, they're having difficulties to provide sufficient service and maintenance to the cities although it was only five. Steps to increase their efficiency and recruitment has been made, but up to date, no significant results can be seen from their method.
"Senior brother Wu Ji, let us escort you to visit the Mystic Engineer Establishment! Unfortunately, Senior brother Yong Lie has to go out this morning to the Lotus Flower City, or else he will be the one to personally bring you around." one of them said.
The group cheerfully walk and exchange their pointers and experience until they reach the vicinity of the Mystic Engineer Establishment. Inside, the members took him to visit their own workshop first, and later to the blacksmithing and other parts, such as shops and special equipment workshops.
After visiting for a while, they took Zhang Wu Ji straight to meet the headmaster and also the one of the two Third-Grade Celestial Designer, master Windchaser.
Being allowed into the headmaster's hall, Zhang Wu Ji awaits the headmaster, while the others, included Meng Ran, left the hall after excusing themselves by speaking to the empty air. Zhang Wu Ji continues to stand in the middle of the hall waiting for the Master Windchaser to meet him.
While waiting, Zhang Wu Ji inspects the item placed nicely on the display podium. Cupping his hand on the main seat of the hall, Zhang Wu Ji steps closer to one of the item looked like a walnut in display and touches it.
Thunderclap Seed
-Damage: 330 | Warrior Qi Consumption Rate: 140
-Capacity: 1-Shot | Usage: Single Activation Treasure
-Durability: 7/7 | Quality: Second-Grade
-Information: crafted by Third-Grade Celestial Designer, Windchaser. The Thunderclap Seed is an explosive weapon that will strike deep into enemies ranks without leaving the enemy to remain calm.
-Special: Stun Effect +3 Second / Concussion Effect +5 Second / Bleeding +4 Second / Dispersal of Natural Energy +1 Minute
"Good weapon!" Zhang Wu Ji praised the build if this item. With such an amazing weapon in their hand, what will the Headmaster Windchaser worry? Even if there is a revolt or attack from other counties, with a hundred of this Thunderclap Seeds alone, the Mystic Engineer Establishment can easily destroy the crowd of enemies without any worries.
Filled with expectation, Zhang Wu Ji steps to the second podium and take a look at the sword.
Lang Ya Whipping Blade
-Attack: 230 | Defence: 200
-Durability: 240/240 | Quality: Tier 2 Weapon / Second-Grade
-Information: crafted by Third-Grade Celestial Designer, Windchaser. The Lang Ya Whipping Blade carries the engineering of Wolf Tooth from the Sabertooth Black Wolf, Horse Whip, and extremely light Moon Silver blade body. The weapon allows a 360 degrees attack, with the whipping length of 10 meters. All opponent injured by this weapon will suffer Bleeding Effect. Effect doubled when an attack strikes more than once.
-Special: When in Whipping Stance, the weapon enters Invulnerability and gain resistance against all Tier 2 materials.
"Another great weapon! A whip, a blade, and a weapon to bleed opponents to death. What an engineering! This is the first time I've seen such good construction! The more I go, the more impressed I am!" Zhang Wu Ji smiled. This visit to the Mystic Engineer Establishment may not bear a fruit of return, but based on the sheer impression and exposure itself, Zhang Wu Ji deem that this is far more enough that expecting for a return!
Unless its a museum for people to appreciates the treasure, else, where will somebody have the chances to study the treasure one to one like this? Perhaps even his master, Liang Tian himself might have some hesitation to take his treasure and showcase them like this!
Zhang Wu Ji turned to the third podium and stares at the pill-like treasure.
Designer Pill (Tier 1)
-Usage: Upon consumption, removes the requirement to spend any Inner Qi or Fighter Qi to design blueprints.
-Durability: 14/14
-Special: Blueprints designed under the pill's effect will carry two additional strands of Golden Threads
"Such a treasure exist in this world? Like... Seriously?" Zhang Wu Ji falls flat on his bottom the moment he finishes the description on the Designing Pill. With such a pill in hand each time he creates a blueprint, won't the requirement to exhaust himself each time he creates a blueprint? They even come with two additional strands of Golden Thread!
"Young one should try to resist the temptation to see too much thing before they got the experience to try creating them. A Celestial Designer profession may come with many perks, but too many perks corrupt a mind, and the corrupted mind is either creating something malicious or end up losing themselves in high expectations."
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"I see you're a proper Celestial Designer. Viewing the treasure and understanding them isn't easy, but if you failed at giving the reaction on the third podium, I may not coming out to see you." an old man about his master's age came out to greet the youth. He was dressed in a complete green robe, filled with branches of willows as their robe design.
"Disciple Zhang Wu Ji, the ninth disciple of Headmaster Liang Tian from Seven Star Sect pay his respects to Master Windchaser!" Zhang Wu Ji half kneeled as he cupped his hand together to greets the headmaster.
"Stand up and less ceremony. I hate that to be honest." the Headmaster Windchaser replied the greetings and turn his direction towards the door right behind the main seat of the hall. With a few strands of Qi into the door, it was opened like how the main gate of the city does, allowing the two to step inside.
It was a completely enclosed chamber, which is almost as wide as the outside hall. With the dim but clear light from the Night Glowing Pearl, their path is illuminated clearly as they proceeds.
The headmaster waved his hand here and there to injects a few strands of qi into unknown tools, and when all of them were activated, the spacious room is fully illuminated with tables and chairs, tools, equipment, drawing tables and so on.
"This is my workshop. I know you're Liang Tian's disciple quite early because when he was accepting you as his ninth direct disciple, I am in the sky watching." the headmaster Windchaser revealed his existence during his examination.
"So, what are you here for?" he asked.
"Junior wishes to know more about the Spatial Ring Blueprints and also information related to Metal Bird." Zhang Wu Ji states his reason to make such a distance visit to their county, and it was for this two reasons.
"Ah... Metal Bird... Did you say the Spatial Ring's Blueprints too?" Headmaster Windchaser's expression changed from smiling to puzzled.
"Do you remember my word about corrupt?" he asked.
"Yes, master Windchaser," Zhang Wu Ji replied.
"Throughout my life, I'd accepted six disciples. You've seen Yong Lie before, but did you know where the others went?" Windchaser's expression turns sour when he thought about all these matters.
Keeping himself quiet, Zhang Wu Ji awaits the Master Windchaser to begin his story. It was essential to learn, not only on the blueprints and method to forge something, but including the experience, life, and sorrow of a master before the disciple inherits what he has. This reaction gave him another good impression on the understanding yet a calm youth, allowing him to take a seat and begin his story.
Zhang Wu Ji stands up, walk to the table and prepares a cup of tea for the elder to starts his words with a cup of tea.
"My first disciple. I neglected him for the years I am fighting for the sake of combining the strength of the whole Willow Timber County. He was my disciple for ten years, yet learn nothing about Celestial Designer at all. At the moment I've done my lifelong dream, he left, together with the incomplete blueprint of Kong-Class Metal boat."
"Filled with sorrow, I found my second disciple. I mold him, build his character, and treated him like a child of mine. He was the complete disciple I ever expected, but unfortunately, his greed over the impossible craft corrupts his mind, destroy his sanity, and ruin his future as a light cultivator. He left after that, and is the infamous Hall Master of Assassin Hall in the Western Imperial Kingdom."
"My third, fourth, and fifth disciples did not have a good basic, but all of them possess a good heart. Unfortunately, none of them managed to survive past twenty, when the Beast Infestation attacked. That was the worst losses of the Willow Timber County, where three of the direct disciples of the Headmaster is dead in their sacrifice to protect others."
"Left with only Yong Lie by my side... I wanted him to be ordinary, yet I cannot be that selfish to make him ordinary. This is why, instead of allowing him to learn many things, I chose to let him learn about how to become a better person. Knowledge can be gained, Character can be mold, and personality can be tempered, but spirit... Can only be protected!"
"Through all the good karma I have, I will give it all this sole disciple of mine so he could inherit everything I have. But I am afraid. What will happen if he ended up like his other senior brothers? A deserter, a corrupted assassin, and a sacrificial tribute?"
Windchaser speaks his mind out like pouring out all the sorrow that's been gathering for a long time. Unknown of the reason why he felt relaxed after speaking out all of this plaguing his mind for so long.
"Your master and I is a good friend when we were younger. Do you know that I am the one that made him his seven swords? And do you know that the City Forge is the handiwork of your master? If you paid attention to the wall in the upper tower, you will notice a blade of the sword stuck on one of its corners. That old fellow said this sword will end up protecting people with evil thoughts on me."
"Foolish friend he is, but a loyal companion of mine." Windchaser completed his word finally, and look at Zhang Wu Ji with his pair of old, but clear of evil and fatherly eyes.
"Wu Ji dares to say, As long Wu Ji is alive, Brother Yong Lie will always be my brother forever." Zhang Wu Ji kneeled on the ground, on both knee this time to make this oath.
"I trust that it will be... With all this meaningless discussion is over, shall I went forward with the topic on how to craft a Spatial Ring first?" Windchaser stands up and moved his palm slowly on the table, taking out one spatial ring after another. Each of the spatial ring's built is extremely fine and precise, without a hint of difference can be seen on their surface.
"Inside each of the rings in a blueprint that worth the prices of a city. As a Celestial Designer, one need not only knowledge, preciseness, and effort, but even luck is included in the path to become a better Celestial Designer. In this ten rings, five blueprints came from my life effort in creating them, two came from my victory against the Beast Infestation, and three came from the favor of Imperial County."
"If you have chosen the Spatial Ring Blueprint, you will keep them by your side, but if you failed, then I'm afraid, your first test to obtain the blueprint you wished is failed," Windchaser explains the test he will now conduct against Zhang Wu Ji, and decided to see how will this youth fare.
Zhang Wu Ji shows the elder his expression of anticipating the challenge. He wanted to ask one further question before getting started, but the elder added a sentence before he got his chances.
"You may touch the ring, or even inject you strands of Qi into the ring, but I will tell you honestly, they're my best creation until now, so it will be impossible for you to probe what is inside."
"Dear Master Windchaser, this junior will take the challenge!" Zhang Wu Ji almost wanted to laugh out himself when he heard about the last sentence the elder said. He stands up and touches the first ring before he moved to another.
Fine Jasper-Class Spatial Ring
-Capacity: 1 Item | Weight Limit: Unlimited
-Usability: Blood Contracted | Lord Qi Consumption rate: 90
-Durability: 7,800/7,800 | Quality: Fine-Level Tier 6
-Information: Crafted from Third-Grade Celestial Designer, Windchaser. This ring is one of the eleven-piece set especially crafted to store one most important treasure belonged to the user. Without any verification from the person with blood-oath, the ring will be inaccessible to outsiders. If the person tied under blood-oath died, the ring will follow and perish together.
-Special: When the ring is worn physically, increase the regeneration of Lord's Qi by 10%
Content: First-Grade Onyx Gemstone Type Spatial Ring Blueprint
Zhang Wu Ji did not expect that the item he's looking for came out in the first ring he inspected. But because of his curiosity, Zhang Wu Ji inspects the other spatial rings to see what precious item is kept safe inside the rings.
Content: Second-Grade Mystic Water Tower Blueprint
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Content: Second-Grade Thunderclap Hammer Blueprint
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Content: Second-Grade Thunderclap Seed Blueprint
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Content: First-Grade Designer Pill Blueprint
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Content: First-Grade Spatial Stone Producer Blueprint
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Content: First-Grade Aerial Spirit Pavilion Blueprint
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Content: First-Grade Galleon Gourd Bottle Blueprint
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Content: Third-Grade Er-Lang Flying Trident Blueprint
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Content: Third-Grade Bai-Long Jade Seal Blueprint
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"!!!" Zhang Wu Ji's heart fallen the moment he looks at each of the blueprints. No wonder the elder said each of this ring contains a blueprint that worth a city itself. In fact, he was being too humble because, except the Designer Pill, Spatial Stone Producer, Aerial Spirit Pavilion, Galleon Gourd Bottle, and the Spatial Ring's blueprint is worth a city, the other five blueprints worth three to five cities each!
Zhang Wu Ji took the first ring up and allows the elder to inspect it. But without doing anything, the elder remotely took the content out from the ring and letting it fall on Zhang Wu Ji's hands. He looks at the elder before he opened the blueprint to inspect their contents.
First-Grade Blueprint - Fine Onyx Gemstone Spatial Ring
-Capacity: 16 Items | Weight Limit: 10 Tonnes
-Usability: Direct | Fighter Qi Consumption Rate: 5
-Durability: 5/5 | Quality: Fine-Level Tier 1
-Information: A fine quality blueprint revised by Third-Grade Celestial Designer, Windchaser. Treasures store within the Onyx Gemstone carries the effect of preservation, allowing the item stored within to remain fresh without the worries of being corroded by the flow of time.
-Restriction: Only one ring can be used per user. The restriction is not applied to the person that forged the Spatial Ring.
-
Ingredient Required:
(5) Carats Spatial Onyx Gem
(100) Grams of Low-Tier Spirit Grade Pure Iron
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Unexpected to himself, after he finishes going through the method to produce the ring, there was another additional square that describes something else.
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Production Blueprint - Spatial Onyx Gem
-Usage 1: Allows the user to learn and produce the Spatial Onyx Gem used in forging Onyx Gemstone Spatial Ring.
-Usage 2: Allows the user to learn the formation required to produce the Spatial Formation Inscriptions.
-Usage 2: Converts every 1 tonne of mineral materials, 100 Spatial Formation Inscriptions, and 100 Fighter Qi into (0.1 Carat) of Onyx Gemstone. Conversion takes 10 hours to completes
-Durability: 5/5
-Special: Under the application of [UPGRADE] System, reduce the Cost of time by 90%
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"This... They do not use normal onyx, but Spatial Onyx? No wonder the creation of a Spatial Ring and also it's price is so hefty!" Zhang Wu Ji finally realized why the Spatial Ring is not widely distributed throughout the county or kingdom. It was because the production for the gem itself cost 10 hours for 0.1 Carat, which means, to obtain 5 carats in total, he will need a total of 500 hundred hours to create a Spatial Onyx of 5 Carat size. It means, without spending 21 days in total, it will be impossible to forge the ring. Furthermore, one should not forget the cost of materials is 500 tonnes for the Mineral materials, 50,000 Spatial Formation Inscriptions, and 50,000 strands of Fighter Qi.
The production along will kills him if he remains in this strength.
Luckily, Zhang Wu Ji's system allows him to obtain 18 strands of Fighter Qi every three days now, wherein another three days, Zhang Wu Ji will be a 6th Stage Inner Qi Fighter soon. Rolling the scroll back into how it was, Zhang Wu Ji thanked the elder for his gift.
"I know what you're thinking, but I will be honest to you... You will need to perform some deeds as a Celestial Designer in order to win my approval for you to obtain the blueprints for the Metal Bird!"