Chapter 819: All in Readiness (I)

The Inspectorate.

Chen Yao was also perusing the Skystar Commander Office’s orders. They were no secret since they were being publicly issued.

“Damn, he’s willing to spend!” Chen Yao breathed out after he took in everything. To be honest, regular people weren’t able to pay this price. On the other hand, he was equally pained by Li Hao setting three thousand pieces for one drop. The plant spirit that backed his family didn’t charge too high at fifty thousand pieces a drop. Some more expensive prices were sixty thousand pieces a drop—more than ten times Li Hao’s price!

Li Hao could trade one hundred thousand pieces for more than thirty drops, whereas everyone else could only manage two. Could this even be a competition?

Chen Yao walked to the rear yard when his thoughts traveled here. His father wasn’t reading this time, but holding a one year old child in his arms.

Chen Yao rolled his eyes.

I really can’t take this humiliation anymore! This is my umpteenth younger sister. At my age, my granddaughter would be older than this younger sister. This is ridiculous!

His old man seemed to know his thoughts and remarked faintly, “What are you looking at? In the ancient civilization, powerhouses were so long-lived and had children even at ten thousand years old. Wouldn’t you die of apoplexy if you lived in that age?”

That was the ancient logic, but it was also because they had such long lives.

Are you going to live to ten thousand years old?

Chen Yao couldn’t be bothered to say anything else and looked to the depths of the yard. “Have you spoken to that one?”

The price for Water of Life had weighed on him like a lump in his throat ever since Li Hao spoke of it. What they had to pay was too expensive!

“I did,” the old man said faintly. “It said... not one less stone!”

A violent light flashed through Chen Yao’s eyes, one that quickly dimmed. He cursed to himself.

I hadn’t known that you bastards were skimming so much off the top before. All of us are faced with the same price.

In the beginning, one hundred thousand pieces a drop was normal and everyone was happy when it was slightly lowered.

Now that they knew about Li Hao’s price, however, they were in a mood to kill!

“It’s a fish trapped in a swamp!” Chen Yao grit his teeth and transmitted, “Taking a bit less means we’ll be able to raise more powerhouses and expand our influence. That will result in more opportunities and chances to give it more benefits. Does it not understand that?”

“It makes forty-seven thousand stones per drop,” the old inspector general said leisurely. “If it charged ten thousand, it would make seven thousand stones per drop. It would take seven drops to make what it does with one current drop. Will your need for Water of Life be seven times what it is now?”

If it could, why wouldn’t it charge more? Seven times more... of course Chen Yao could. There was always a need for Water of Life. But upon closer thought, all of the ruins that could be excavated had already been excavated. The ones that couldn’t were unable to be explored for the moment. All factions were wary of the Skystar Mine and didn’t dare easily venture into it.

Therefore, the sum of mysterious power stones in the world was fixed and most of it would go to the plant spirits in the end. Why should they offer more Water of Life then? It was far better for them to absorb it themselves.

As irritated as Chen Yao was, he also knew that everyone’s hopes for ascension lay with the plant spirits. He was quite resigned and had to change the subject. “Forget it, let’s not talk about this.” He then switched to transmission, “How about we talk to Li Hao and have him supply us with some cheap Water of Life? I already sent two Arcanus over to help him—he probably needs people. This will be the basis for our partnership, so he should be able to supply some for his allies, right?”

“You can go try!”

Chen Yao cursed to himself.

If I try, I’ll be thrown out! I’m coming to you naturally because I want you to try. You command more respect!

“My thoughts are that Li Hao looks like he wants to move against the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. He seems to have truly made up his mind as he’s summoned all of the Silver Moon martial masters. I’m thinking... why don’t you keep a low profile, change your name, and join the group? You can bring back some resources and won’t raise attention with your disappearance since you normally aren’t in the public eye. You should do it for my thirty-seven or eight or nine younger siblings, even if you don’t do it for me.”

Chen Zhongtian started and raised his head, as if looking at his son for the first time. Was he even listening to what he was saying?

“You’re very strong,” Chen Yao ignored his father’s look and continued transmitting, “He’ll certainly be happy to have your help. I can’t, I’m just a three element Arcanus. He doesn’t lack those. You’re four or five elements, right? Qi Pingjiang is peak six elements, so I’d believe it if you’re six elements too. He’ll definitely pay a high price if you go!

“Not to mention, I can’t just vanish from the public eye. You can, though. You can be a mercenary for him. Honestly, you should earn more money while you can still fight. We can’t always depend on this unreliable plant spirit, can we?

“I also have so many younger siblings that need to advance to Arcanus in the future. Have you calculated how much Water of Life they’ll need? You might have more children right now than Ying Hongyue!

“Ying Hongyue is cruel and ruthless, so he doesn’t care if his children die. Can you say the same?”

“......” Chen Zhongtian stared at his son. As flighty as his son was, there were indeed some points in his words that the man had never considered before.

Indeed, having too many children was also a problem. His children had been too young to prompt these worries before, but now he had a dozen who were adults. Outsiders were unreliable, his own children were best. Therefore, instead of outsiders, the Chens invested quite a great deal of resources into his children. They were quite strong as adults and some were close to Arcanus.

Roughly fifty drops of Water of Life were required to enter Arcanus and stabilize the two element level. Based on current prices, that would require 2.5 million stones to produce a two element Arcanus. Ten meant twenty-five million...

Meanwhile, Chen Zhongtian needed to cultivate, as did his son and other members of the family. The powerhouses of the Inspectorate that followed by their side also needed to cultivate. The benefits that the Inspectorate had skimmed over the years had almost all gone back into their people.

Chen Zhongtian sank into deep thought.

“You say to build a strong relationship with him, isn’t this the best timing to do so?” Chen Yao continued. “He won’t think much of me if I go, but he’ll definitely treat you like a treasure. Our demands won’t be high. Well pay ten thousand stones for a drop. If we can purchase one hundred drops with that price, it will only cost us one million stones.

“That’s an immediate savings of four million stones, just think about how much we can do with that! Where can you get a gig that makes you four million stones in one go?”

“......” Chen Zhongtian stared at his son and breathed out after a long moment, “You’ve grown!”

You’ve grown to the point where you plot against your own father! This is a very dangerous endeavor!

Granted, with the restrictions in the world these days, the strongest anyone could be was peak six element. The danger wouldn’t be that extreme. Unfortunately, his son made sense.

“Then, fine... ai, I’m old, but still need to go out and earn my own money. I built the family enterprises for you when I was young, but they’re still not enough for you!”

Chen Yao couldn’t be bothered to say anything. It was all fine so long as his old man was willing to go. They were truly in a financial crisis! Li Hao inspired so much competition that the nine ministries, royal family, and other factions were furiously adding to their military capabilities. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be such a rush to reach the Arcanus level. No one had been in a hurry before and could proceed at their own pace.

Cultivating day by day and absorbing mysterious power stones could strengthen the five organs all the same. The consumption of resources involved in that route wasn’t as great.

But now?

That was not feasible anymore!

One had to progress, and immediately! Two elements was insufficient, it had to be three, then it had to be four! The barometer moved by the day and their physical bodies couldn’t handle the strain, so then even more resources had to be consumed!

The fact that these plant spirits weren’t willing to lower their prices also had much to do with Li Hao. They knew that these people had a very pressing and high need for Water of Life. In that case, it was nice enough of them to not raise prices. Lower them?? Impossible!

Since the Inspectorate faced a financial crisis, Chen Yao felt that the other factions would be in similar straits. Water of Life had suddenly become the most important strategic resource.

......

Before the sun rose on the second day.

Li Hao waited for people throughout the night. Tyrant Blade had already arrived, Thunderleg and the others were on the way and almost here. They would arrive before the sun rose.

The young man was considering whether to handle the big tree first after his breakthrough or the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? He had a copy of the Arcanus and Divine Masters Rankings in hand—not his fakes, but the real ones!

So those of the Pavilion hadn’t detected his presence and the word of his visit really hadn’t leaked. Well, he couldn’t be entirely sure of its veracity, but the vice director general of South Peak really had gotten his hands on an original. The messenger had instructed him to print ten thousand copies of each for distribution the day after tomorrow.

Li Hao was scanning it, the look in his eyes changing rapidly. Footsteps sounded outside the door.

“Commander!”

“Come in!”

Liu Long swiftly pushed the door open and whispered, “The Inspectorate has sent someone who wants to see the commander. He says his name is Chen Zhongtian!”

Li Hao’s eyebrows raised and he looked at the Arcanus Ranking in his hand. Chen Zhongtian, first generation minister of the Ministry of the Inspectorate. Peak six elements Arcanus, ranked number nine.

Indeed, number nine.

Chen Zhongtian... six elements!

The look danced in Li Hao’s eyes for a bit before he said, “Show him in!”