Chapter 908: This Business Made a Big Profit

Even the destructive power of such a combination—a Fire Spirit Stone enhanced with an Exploding Spirit Mark—could not be easily withstood. As for Spirit Mark Masters at the True Lake Realm, it went without saying: a single explosion would be enough to injure them, and three to five would leave them on their deathbed.

"That's why I'm very curious about these stones," Gan Wudang said, looking at Lu Ye.

"My success rate for crafting spirit marks is relatively high."

Lu Ye couldn't claim that there was no possibility of failure when crafting Exploding Spirit Marks, as Gan Wudang wouldn't believe him even if he did. No matter how skilled one was, there was always a chance of failure; higher skill merely reduced the probability.

"My success rate for crafting Exploding Spirit Marks is around 80%," Gan Wudang continued. "Even if yours is higher, how much higher can it be? I want to know how you manage to remain unharmed when the spirit stone explodes and the fire spiritual energy is unleashed. That's the key. Having such a method would undoubtedly add a new means of offense against enemies, which holds immense strategic value."

Lu Ye found himself in a difficult position. Gan Wudang thought he had a way to avoid the threat of exploding spirit stones caused by failed spirit mark crafting, but that wasn't the case at all. How could he explain this? After much thought, Lu Ye could only say, "I have my own unique method."

"It's not convenient to disclose?" Gan Wudang looked at him with a half-smile. "Don't worry, we won't ask for it for free. If you can share this method and help the Provincial Guard solve this problem, you'll certainly be well-rewarded, including, but not limited to, military merits!"

Lu Ye felt a headache coming on, unsure how to respond. Finally, he could only say helplessly, "My Lord, it's not that I'm being secretive. It's just that my method truly cannot be used by others. Even if I shared it, it would be useless... My Lord, it seems you don't believe me. Very well, I ask the Heavenly Secret to bear witness: if my method can be used by others, then let the Heavenly Secret inflict punishment!"

After waiting a moment, Lu Ye spoke again: "Surely my Lord believes me now."

In Kyushu, Heavenly Secret Oaths could indeed sometimes help cultivators resolve doubts and unnecessary disputes, as no one could lie under the Heavenly Secret's witness.

Gan Wudang hadn't expected Lu Ye to be so straightforward. It seemed Lu Ye truly wasn't deceiving him; his method was only usable by himself, making it pointless to share and only revealing his secrets.

He sighed, a look of disappointment on his face: "If that's the case, then there's nothing more. You may leave."

"Understood." Lu Ye breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave. But as he reached the door, he suddenly turned back. "Is there something else?" Gan Wudang asked, puzzled.

Lu Ye said, "If my Lord wishes to have Exploding Fire Spirit Stones, I can contribute to their refining."

Gan Wudang chuckled, "How many could you refine by yourself? If only one person refines them, the output would be limited, and they would lose their intended value."

"How many does my Lord believe would be sufficient to meet demand each day?" Lu Ye asked in return, not answering directly.

Gan Wudang looked at him, noticing that Lu Ye seemed to be discussing the matter quite seriously. He then said, "For such a deadly weapon, naturally, the more the better. But if you're the only one refining them... could you produce a thousand per day?"

*I expected you to ask for more. A mere thousand pieces? If I were to truly refine these, it would just be a matter of passing them through my hands. A thousand Exploding Fire Spirit Stones probably wouldn't even take half an hour.*

*He's a Division Chief, after all, why is his ambition so small?*

However, Lu Ye also knew that it was best to stop when appropriate. Gan Wudang likely thought he couldn't refine a thousand in a day due to the limits of human energy and the inherent risks of refining. If he claimed he could do more, Gan Wudang might not believe him, or even if he did, he would undoubtedly become suspicious.

"It should be possible."

Gan Wudang was immediately astonished: "Is that truly possible?"

If the daily output could be a thousand, that would be 300,000 per month, more than enough to equip a Law Enforcement Division.

"As it concerns the future of our province, your humble subordinate is willing to give it my utmost effort!" Lu Ye replied.

"Excellent, excellent." Gan Wudang nodded in approval, looking utterly pleased as if the Province of Bing now had capable successors.

However, Lu Ye's next words revealed his true intention: "My Lord, refining these items is time-consuming and energy-intensive for your humble subordinate. Shouldn't the Provincial Guard offer some form of compensation?"

His bluntness made Gan Wudang chuckle with amusement: "Of course, you'll be amply compensated!"

After a moment of thought, he proposed, "How about this? The Provincial Guard will provide the refining materials, and for each Exploding Fire Spirit Stone you refine, you'll receive one point of military merit as a reward!"

Lu Ye turned and began to leave.

"Two points!" Gan Wudang was speechless, realizing that Lu Ye truly wasn't giving him any leeway.

Lu Ye continued walking without stopping. Two military merit points per Exploding Fire Spirit Stone meant two thousand points for a thousand stones a day. It wasn't a huge amount, but it wasn't small either, especially since it took Lu Ye virtually no effort to refine them, completing a thousand in half an hour. Calculated this way, he could earn 60,000 military merit points from this task alone in a month.

However, this didn't align with Lu Ye's expectations. More importantly, opportunities like this were rare, so he naturally wanted to seize as much benefit as possible.

"How much do you want?!" Gan Wudang relented, speaking quickly as Lu Ye was about to walk out of the side hall.

Lu Ye turned, held up his palm with fingers splayed, signaling a higher price.

"You brazen brat, asking for such an outrageous sum!" Gan Wudang was furious. To think that he, the dignified Chief of the Law Enforcement Division, who commanded the Provincial Guard's laws with unwavering authority and whose word was law, was being haggled with. He glared at Lu Ye, his tone softening slightly: "Lad, you must understand that you are a part of the Provincial Guard. What you refine strengthens the Provincial Guard, and when the Provincial Guard grows stronger, you will also benefit."

"My Lord, I naturally understand the principle, but if you want a horse to run, you also need to feed it well, don't you?"

"Though I am the Chief of the Law Enforcement Division, everything must prioritize the Division and the Provincial Guard. The price you're asking, I cannot accept."

"Bargaining is how business is done. You set a price, I counter with a low offer." "You little rascal!" Gan Wudang gritted his teeth. "Fine, three points! Three military merit points per spirit stone. That's three thousand points a day, and ninety thousand a month!"

Lu Ye shook his head. "My Lord, setting aside the risks of refining this item, it is very time-consuming and interferes with my cultivation. I am sacrificing my future prospects to secure the Provincial Guard's future, so my Lord cannot let me suffer a loss. I need military merits to buy Golden Spirit Charms to make up for my lost cultivation progress. How can Golden Spirit Charms bought with 90,000 military merit points a month possibly compensate for that?"

Gan Wudang listened and seemed to agree with the logic. He sighed, "Five points. This is the absolute limit I can authorize. Any more, and we won't be able to negotiate."

"Let's form a Heavenly Secret Pact!" Lu Ye readily agreed. Five military merit points per Exploding Fire Spirit Stone was precisely the price he had in mind.

"Are you so certain you can complete the task?" Gan Wudang looked at him with some suspicion. "You know, once a Heavenly Secret Pact is established, you will be punished if you fail to complete the task."

"That's my concern, My Lord. You just wait and see." "Since you have such confidence, then so be it!" Gan Wudang raised a hand, and a blank Heavenly Secret Pact descended with a golden glow. He quickly listed the terms for Lu Ye to review. After both confirmed there were no issues, they imprinted their respective marks. Thus, the Heavenly Secret Pact was formed.

"My Lord, there's one more thing I need to explain," Lu Ye said again.

"The Heavenly Secret Pact is already set. You can't raise the price now."

"My Lord underestimates me. What I wanted to tell you is that there will be some loss during the refining process."

"I'm aware of that, but the loss rate must not exceed 30%."

Lu Ye's heart swelled with delight, though he outwardly looked a bit troubled: "I'll do my best!" Now he wouldn't have to worry about the Fire Spirit Stones needed for his talent tree. A loss rate not exceeding 30% meant that, in other words, he could pocket 30% of the Fire Spirit Stones. This way of gaining benefits wasn't his original intention. It was just that if his refining success rate was 100%, it would be difficult to explain. 70% was the ideal rate.

"Then, My Lord, when can I begin work?" Lu Ye asked, somewhat impatient. He hadn't expected that this trip to Vast Heaven City would not only provide a stable source of military merits but also a way to acquire Fire Spirit Stones. This was a hugely profitable deal.

"If you feel ready now, then you can start immediately." "Your humble subordinate awaits your Lord's instructions."

"Follow me." As Gan Wudang spoke, he led Lu Ye outside. Stepping out of the side hall, he rose into the air, enveloping Lu Ye in spiritual power, and they soared in one direction.

They soon landed inside a small courtyard. "This is an asset of the Law Enforcement Division, normally used as a recuperation facility for injured cultivators. You will be staying here for the time being. I will have the Fire Spirit Stones delivered to you. I will not ask about the process, only about the result. Someone will come to collect the refined stones in seven days."

Lu Ye nodded. This arrangement was acceptable.

Gan Wudang soon departed, leaving Lu Ye alone. Yiyi could finally emerge and breathe freely. The courtyard was small. Lu Ye set up some defensive and warning formations. No sooner had he finished than a knock came at the door.

Lu Ye got up and opened the door. Outside stood an unfamiliar cultivator, who handed him a storage bag. Lu Ye took it, checked it briefly, and found exactly ten thousand Fire Spirit Stones inside. He nodded and said, "No problem." The person said nothing, clasped his fists, and turned to leave.

Gan Wudang had ordered a full ten thousand Fire Spirit Stones to be delivered, with collection scheduled for seven days later. This clearly accounted for the 30% loss rate, so in seven days, Lu Ye only needed to hand over seven thousand Exploding Spirit Stones to complete the task, at which point he would receive 35,000 military merit points. This was in addition to the remaining three thousand Fire Spirit Stones.

Entering the room, he set up another layer of warning formations.

Time to get to work!