Chapter 26: The Extractor

Chapter 26: The Extractor

The Sect Leader looked over my proposal. It was expensive to build, but if I was going out to hunt beasts, I needed to move quickly. That meant a device to quickly extract cores. I could locate them, but the higher level beasts were tougher. I couldnt just plunge my hand into them like rank 1 beasts.

That was why I had been spending time on research and looking at how the extractors were actually built. My idea was to create a revolutionary design to make the process much easier and then sell it to the Imperial Sect, with the hope of licensing it.

The base extractor was just a Qi sensing rod attached to a drill. There was a tiny formation connecting the gauge to the rod. It was fairly simple and difficult to damage. The formation could wear out over time, which would cause issues. That was what had happened to hunter Xiaotongs old core extractor.

Since I needed to move quickly from beast to beast while hunting them, I couldnt afford to linger around trying to force my small child hand into their large bodies. Rank 3 beasts were about the size of a car. I guess I could use my sword, but I also wanted something I could sell and make a lot of money on.

My hope was that I could get my foot into the Imperial Sect with my idea. That would be the opening I needed to go after more wealth that they were hording along with the other old monsters across various sects. I knew exactly what was needed and I had thought about it before. See a need, fill a need.

My new design for an extractor, was a thin sensing rod, wrapped up in spirit metal with various formations on it. It would also be counted as a weapon in a sense. The design was simple. It would use thin layers of force to separate a cylinder of space in front of it by its surroundings. On the backside was a formation that tied the rod to a small light that would be fueled by the spirit stone to indicate when it was pointed at core, instead of needle.

A level 1 spirit stone was used to power the device, but since it only was on intermittingly, it could last for a hundred uses with a level 1 spirit stone. The spirit stone was underneath a screwed-on cap, so it wouldnt easily fall out when in use.

My reserves of spirit stones and spirit ore had been spent creating and paying for the initial design of the Cylinder Extractor as I called it to a formation master in the sect. The design of the formations was quite complex, which was why there was such a large initial cost. The Sect Leader was looking over the device along with the creation and instruction manual I had included with it.

Quite clever. Using force to create a sheering plane. Also, quite a deadly weapon. But it wont hurt anything above rank 2.

But a wounded and dying beast, will be struggling to maintain their defense. Beasts require focus to maintain their power and durability. That is why wounding them and then extracting their core is possible for mortals, I countered, and the Sect Leader nodded.

You want to use this, which is fine. But I suspect there is something else, he added.

Yes. I want to try and get a license, patent, or permission from the Imperial Sect to sell this design far and wide. The Sect Leader spun the Cylinder Extractor in his hands. I havent read about or seen such a device during my travels. That sounded like good news, but I was still worried.

It is unique, but the base cost, would be two level 1 spirit stones for the materials. Another three to pay a person to make this and distribution. Then the price is set to six spirit stones, you would get one spirit stone lets say and then it takes a spirit stone every hundred uses. It wont be allowed beyond the sect. What?!

You can use it for yourself as a one-off device and we can sell it within the sect. So, it isnt a waste. But the fact it consumes spirit stones means it is something that wont be allowed to be sold. The various devices that use spirit stones that we make are limited to sect members. The current drilling device uses the energy in the heavens and the earth for the barest of purposes combined with the Qi Sensing Rod to function.

This is an active device, therefore it cant be mass marketed to mortals or to cultivators, the Sect Leader explained and set it back on his desk in front of me.

I couldnt even trade in the design to the Imperial Sect? I asked hopefully.

You could and would get a paltry fifty level 1 spirit stones at best for this idea. A fortune to other starting cultivators. But they most likely already have a design like this and wouldnt pay you anything. I have seen similar weapons that the Imperial Sect has. The Sect Leader shook his head. A remarkable tool, but ultimately pointless.

I picked it up feeling disappointed. It was a still a useful device to quickly get a core out of a beast and to stop it from breaking down as a beast died. I had another idea. Before investing in it, I would hear your opinion first, I told the Sect Leader. He nodded at this. The Cylinder Extractor was something I could use myself. My next idea was something that would be only useful for selling.

A three-dimensional projection of light, that a person could look at their cultivation. The Sect Leader smiled at me. What? They already have something like that?

Yes, they do my disciple. I wanted to puke blood at this.

Since it uses spirit stones, it isnt widely spread, I muttered.

Indeed. Some elders want me to purchase such a device, but we are a poor sect, he said. I looked at the Sect Leader with exasperation. I felt the same way as you. I came up with several ideas myself. But they had all been thought of before and horded by the Imperial Sect.

I collapsed back into my chair. I had felt for sure that my idea was something I could sell to sects and make lots of spirit stones. This is impossible, I muttered.

Indeed. The market for cultivator goods is quite stagnant. The high-ranking sects maintain their monopoly on anything that isnt one off and hand crafted. Also, raw materials or really basic items, like spirit wine.

And raw materials are constrained by heaven and earth, I realized. Another limitation on the production of spirit wine.

Exactly.

This energy, where does it come from, or go? Since it clearly the bottleneck, is there something that can be done? I asked.

That knowledge is held by the high-ranking sects. I have investigated myself, since it is rumored as the path to breaking past the second bottleneck. I suspect it has to do with how much energy the continent as a whole can draw from the Firmament. But that is just speculation.

What exactly is the Firmament? I have heard that, but it isnt a world, since it is endless and infinite? I asked. I started wondering about the topology of this world when I had first traveled across the continent after being in the astral plane. I wasnt in a place to ask questions and hadnt been too concerned at the time.

It is where the continent resides. I have gone beyond the continent once into the wider Firmament, and almost died. That is how I have managed to reach rank 8. Many elders leave and never return. He wanted to send me out there as a rank 3?!

The Firmament is existence itself. The boundary between order and chaos. Those are the words that are said. But true knowledge and more detailed information, would require one to be an immortal, the Sect Leader explained. Life and death can happen by accident. We are but specks of dust drifting along. But that is something we can work out if you reach rank 3. Now, your other preparations?

They are completed Master. It would be helpful if I could have a second spatial ring. He smiled and shook his head. Then, Martial Elder Lei just needs to sign off on my progress. He has issued no rebukes or complaints and I have diligently trained.

He has told me as much. You are free to depart in a month. The remaining month you will be instructed in the Parting Cloud Sword style by elder Yi Meifeng. I see you have one more question. Go ahead.

Thank you, Master. I was wondering about the path of triple cultivation. I have seen references to a Dao and a path. If I make past the bottleneck, how will it all come togeather? I asked.

Completely unknown. Well perhaps the high ranking sects know. But the higher stages of cultivation are about understanding your cultivation on a deeper level. Your three-path cultivation of mind, body, and soul has a lot of potential, but only if you arent ripped apart by getting the resources you need, and getting passed the bottleneck. The Sect Leader shook his head. Just getting to Core Formation is going to be a struggle, and then getting past the first bottleneck is a whole other challenge. Worrying about the later stages wont help you disciple and will only distract you at this point in time. Is there anything else disciple?

No Master, I replied.

You are dismissed disciple, the Sect Leader said. I got up and bowed my head towards him before leaving his office with my Cylinder Extractor and the booklets I had written up.

What a disappointment. I really needed to take a look into the Imperial Sect once I left and began my travels in earnest. This trip wouldnt be that long. Since the goal would be to get enough level 3 beast cores to pay for the level 6 refined beast essence. I had a time limit of one year. But the Sect Leader had made several statements that he thought it would take me longer.

I wanted to see how deep these waters were for myself. To see if there was any kind of market I could break into and get wealth without risking life and limb.

The next morning, I greeted by elder Yi Meifeng instead of Martial Elder Lei and his massive muscles. The Parting Cloud Sword style can only be fully expressed with cutting techniques. I have been told you have mastered the basic movements. Show me, she commanded.

I quickly went through each slash and thrust. Acceptable. No hesitation and you flow between each form without issue. As you climb up the ranks, form becomes more important. The power you exert can strain and damage your body if you arent careful.

Techniques are created by pushing out your energy, which is only possible at the fourth stage and above. But in the fourth stage this will slow down your cultivation progress. Still, having the sword forms down is important if you ever wish to use such techniques without injury. Watch closely as I demonstrate.

Yi Meifeng, lunged, bringing her sword up from pointing at the ground towards the sky in one fluid motion. That is the first form. She then went back to a neutral stance before repeating it once more. A bright beam of energy left her sword, sailing across the training yard. The sand was parted. A bright white barrier appeared at the far wall of the training courtyard blocking the energy that was imparted into the attack.

That is the first form with a technique behind it. Now watch as I demonstrate the other two forms. The second form consisted of a very wide horizontal slash, where the sword was behind her and brought all the way around to her other side. The last form consisted of thrust and twist of the sword. When a technique was used it punched deeply into the sand.

Those forms matched up with the instruction manual my first Master, Yi Rong had left me. There are only three forms to this sword style. Questions disciple?

Why the exaggerated movements elder? I asked.

To gather energy and aim. It can be improved with practice, like all techniques. But the base forms are necessary along with mastering the technique before you seek to improve upon them. Now demonstrate them.

I repeated each form slowly and carefully, making sure I got them right. Decent, but you need to move faster. If you reach the fourth rank, feel free to seek me out for further instruction to combine energy as part of your techniques, she said and then immediately left. That was sudden. But she probably felt this was a waste of time and had been imposed on by the Sect Leader.

Hmm, you sure do like to tease. I guess I will be left forever wondering, Yao Yang said. I resisted from glaring at him. I was talking to my sister, but he was her husband. It would make her unhappy if I got annoyed with him.

The following day after the family dinner the day before, I went to see Zheng Ting my senior director for Zhou Holding Company Limited. There was no big welcome this time, since I didnt want a fuss. I went to her office and looked over the reports she had prepared.

You are keeping things stable, I finally said after looking through her reports. There had been no expansion, but no losses either.

Yes, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. That seemed like the best option moving forward. I let out a long sigh. This was pocket change compared to the amount I truly needed. It was daunting how much I needed. Mortal businesses just didnt have the market to support a cultivator, especially one as demanding as me. It was like trying to trade pennies one at a time to get a billion dollars. It was too slow and painful. Also, there werent enough pennies in circulation to make a billion dollars.

I need a lot of money Zheng Ting, a lot. My cultivation requires resources in large amounts, I said with a heavy sigh.

How much are we talking about? she asked. I chuckled softly.

A conservative estimate, to reach the start of rank 4, I need six billion tael. That wasnt counting special materials I needed to find. There was utter silence at that.

Six billion? she asked, just to confirm the number.

About that much. Or six million, rank 1 spirit stones, I said with a strained smile to lighten the mood.

Thats quite a lot. I wouldnt know where to being, Zheng Ting replied softly.

I am going out into the wilderness to hunt beasts. But even then, it will be difficult to get enough. And that is not even counting rank 4. I shook my head. The words of the Sect Leader still ringing in my head. Everything.

Everything of what? Zheng Ting asked. It was so absurd as to be hilarious.

Everything. The entire wealth of the continent, I finally replied.

Ah, she said quietly as the scale of what I was saying hit her. Everything was quite a lot after all. The sheer absurdity of that thought made me want to laugh in despair.

For now, I want you to arrange for a residence to be purchased in Imperial City. A team of people sent there to gather information on the markets in Imperial City. They are not to make waves. But to get a better understanding of the powers that control the city, and what cultivators want. Is there a demand somewhere.

This was my plan. I needed to do market research. Before I could just bully my way through my business ventures. But now I was in a position of weakness both in terms of backing and understanding. Correcting the first would be difficult and was offset being the personal disciple of the sect. The lack of understanding I could correct by having people do research for me.

That will cost quite a bit, Zheng Ting told me.

I know. But when I arrive, I want the information ready for me, rather than trying to dig it up myself, I replied.

It will require someone you trust quite a bit as well, she said.

Indeed. What, are you thinking about volunteering? I asked. She looked off to the side. I had only been joking, but she was serious about this.

A bit. I am getting old. I am already forty years old. I have no children. I would like to see more than this city before I die, she replied with a sigh.

Why havent you gotten married? I asked bit rudely. Since she had a last name, she could find a husband easily.

I never found someone Yuan Zhou. Everyone was fake. I went from a servant to a noble. Now I am too old and a pregnancy would be risky, she replied with a sigh. I didnt want to press her anymore. Her using my name like that was a subtle rebuke, even with the massive difference in our positions, I didnt call her out on it.

All right. Arrange for your replacement. I will leave the arrangements to you. You are authorized for ten level 1 spirit stones or coins. I will probably show up in a decade or so, I replied.

That long? she asked me.

It takes two or so years to get there by caravan. Ten years is short, I told her.

Thank you, Cultivator Yuan Zhou, she told me.

Consider it a reward for a loyal service. Is there anything else you would ask of me?

Just to meet with my replacement. Seeing you in person, would help stabilize things once I depart. I nodded at that.

Everyone was getting older while I was stuck in the appearance of a child. The weight of time was immense. Learning how to deal with that weight was important. The only way I knew how was to take things one day at time.

I had started on this path out of a desire to be challenged and not wanting to die again. I did not know what allowed me to come back to this land, but I didnt think I would get lucky enough for a third life. Even if it was possible, I didnt want to take that risk any time soon.

After meeting with Zheng Tings replacement, I got into the carriage that had been prepared for me. It set off for a remote section of road that was quite a distance from Half Moon City. There would be no carriage that would come to pick me up. I would be out in the wilderness until I got enough beast cores or spirit stones.

Perhaps I would be struck by enlightenment and come up with an idea for a business. Everything came back to the limited energy of the heavens and earth. It was the absolute bottleneck. All other resources were derived from that source, which was unknown.

If there was a spigot of power, I would not give up the source, which was what the high rank sects were doing. The wonders I had seen on my trip, the Endless Waterfall and the Primordial Ziggurat were locations of interest. There were other such places, but the one thing they all shared in common was death. Cultivators poked at these locations with some hope that they could gain some treasure or insight.

What happened instead was that they died, their soul lanterns triggered. There was very little knowledge gained, since the deaths were often sudden and unclear in how they occurred. It was rumored that a few of these special locations were hiding locations of the demonic sects and they knew ways around soul lanterns.

It was tempting to rush to one of these sites, battling my way through. But the joke was that the demonic sects used these sights so they could farm cultivators without having to make a fuss. It would not be surprising if there was a rank 8 monster at the end sharpening their teeth and filling their belly on idiots that ran into their gaping maw.

While I had been training in swinging my sword for the last year, I was no sword master or expert. I might be able to hold off a low rank 3 cultivator since my cultivation was insane compared to other cultivators. But after that the difference in speed in strength would quickly become insurmountable. Skill might take me to a high rank 3 cultivator. The problem was that I had a very low level of skill, and my small stature didnt help my reach.

I wouldnt stab myself or swing my sword around like an idiot. But I would struggle against a cultivator on the martial path. Looking down at the sword in my lap, One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth. While that wasnt the name of the sword, that saying of my former master was etched onto the blade. It was an immense gift he had left me. I vowed once more in my heart to not squander his faith in me.

I gripped the sheath, taking comfort in how sturdy it was. The sheathe was made of spirit wood that had been dyed light blue and white. It was dyed, not painted so the coloration would last as long as the blade it housed did.

I looked up at the large cloudy gem partially covered up with metal to look like the Cloudy Moon Sect symbol on the hilt of the blade. Yi Rong had urged me to get good at fighting, but I was not a fighter at heart. Unfortunately, the path of defiance and the martial path overlapped quite a bit. Even if I traveled to other places or to this Firmament outside the continent, then I would need strength regardless of my intentions.

The pressure of cultivation was weighing down on me. I knew I had gotten incredibly lucky so far. With my innate talent to see the concentrated energy of the heavens and earth, or Qi. Coming back from the astral plane was another fortuitous event.

I did not like depending on luck, even less than I liked fighting. Depending on luck meant that one did not properly plan. While I had planned, I had been too sure of myself. Thinking that I could rapidly align motes without considering the consequences. Now I was trapped, and there was no way off the path I was traveling.

To slow down meant death. Hopefully Zheng Ting would find information I could use in Imperial City for when I finally journeyed there. While I was giving her a lot of trust, the amount I had given her was a small amount compared to what I needed. Not even a drop in the bucket.

I really was a pig with how many resources I needed. The Sect Leader had been right, even if it hurt to admit that. Well, I was going out to get some myself. I set my sword to the side. Might as well get changed now. I was not about to travel in the wilderness in my sect robe. I was keeping my sect robe with me, for when I returned to avoid trouble.

The clothes I put on were specifically commissioned, since they were made with spirit thread. That meant they were tougher than normal. A dark gray t-shirt and dark gray shorts. While it might get chilly, I could use my sect robe as a blanket. Gone were the comfortable padded shoes I normally wore.

Instead, I had sandals that had straps going around the back of my ankle. They would let my feet breathe and allow me to adjust my footing more easily. Martial Elder Lei had made it clear, that dodging was far superior to taking attacks unless I was a body cultivator.

Even then, dodging was preferred. That was why I was wearing such light clothing that didnt constrict me in any way. While my sect robe was easy enough to move around in, I had no doubt there would be copious amounts of blood, grime, and all manner of terribleness spilled upon me. Better to keep it clean.

It would take a couple of days to reach the location I was planning to start hunting from. The hardest part would be finding the beasts quickly, while avoiding a beast tide.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience