Chapter 356 - 47: The Sect and the Times

That’s why, Senior Brothers, I said it originates from the Extreme Dao but surpasses a comprehensive build.

This is because I added two Basic Techniques to circumvent the Celestial Punishment associated with the Tier Four Extreme Dao. By doing so, I prevent the Dantian from entering an extreme, single-Rune state.

It’s also why a single Rune, powering numerous Techniques, can be combined into countless variations once mastered.

Therefore, one flower becomes a hundred. This Mastery Bead Set is the Flower Wood Dao."

Qian Ruyan nodded in understanding. "It seems I was worrying too much."

Zhang Deming shook his head nonchalantly. "It’s nothing. You’re not a Spirit Nurturing Master, after all. It’s perfectly normal that there are many things you don’t understand.

In that case, does this mean we have a deal?"

Qian Ruyan paused for a moment. "Let’s call it a deal," she said. "When can I expect delivery?"

Zhang Deming smiled. "It’s quite a coincidence, actually. Your son is a perfect fit for my particular methods.

Therefore, for this order, I won’t need to learn many new Techniques. I’m already proficient in most of them.

Except for the Techniques geared towards Escape, I can craft the others quickly.

So, fifteen beads per technique... for the whole set, let’s say three months.

Of course, for the Escape beads, a conservative estimate for delivery is within five years, with a possibility of further delays."

Qian Ruyan wasn’t too concerned about the Escape Technique. Given Qian Xiaogong’s age and Cultivation, he wouldn’t have an urgent need for such a Skill for decades.

What she was concerned about was the quantity. Her brow furrowed as she asked, "Fifteen? Why is that less than half the conventional number?

I ordered a complete Mastery Bead Set, which should at least guarantee Xiaogong can bring every Skill to the ’Control’ stage."

Zhang Deming chuckled. "If you want the kind with five Mastery beads and dozens of other qualities, I can make that for you too.

But I decided it would be better to give you fifteen Mastery Beads directly. After all, this is my first order since coming to the Sect, and your son’s Talent is... severely lacking."

"Fifteen all-Mastery Beads for each type? Alright, deal!" Qian Ruyan said quickly, as if afraid Zhang Deming would change his mind.

Gan Zili was slightly stunned. He was about to speak up and stop her, but it was too late.

Zhang Deming paid it no mind. He had done it on purpose, of course. He needed to establish a unique brand for himself right from the start.

After all, it took him the same amount of time and materials to create a Mastery bead as it did an Ordinary one. Since that was the case, he might as well build a special brand.

His Mastery Bead Sets would contain only Mastery Beads—a Mastery Bead Set worthy of the name.

This way, he would save a great deal of time and wouldn’t have to bother with creating lower-quality filler beads.

After a few more pleasantries, Qian Ruyan stood up and left.

After she left, Guk Liancai immediately said, "Even if she paid a fortune, you didn’t have to go that far. A Mastery Bead Set with fifteen beads per skill? You could break that apart and make three standard Mastery Bead Sets from it.

It’s honestly not clear who got the better deal here, especially since this was a custom order."

For once, Gan Zili and Yuee Mengsheng actually agreed with Guk Liancai. "Indeed," they said. "Junior Brother Zhang, what you did was rather inappropriate."

Zhang Deming just smiled. "It’s fine. It’s not difficult for me to make them, and not many Spirit Nurturing Beads get accidentally downgraded in the process.

Besides, once my strength is restored, I’ll need to consider advancing to Tier Four."

"What?!"

"What?!"

"What?!"

All three of them started, staring at Zhang Deming in astonishment.

A Tier Four Spirit Nurturer was an extremely rare existence outside of the Spirit Nurturing Holy Land.

If that were true, their Celestial Spirit Sect would be on par with the Nine Great Blessed Lands in terms of Spirit Nurturing Masters.

Zhang Deming smiled. "It’s still a bit early for that. I’m just mentioning it for now."

The three, however, looked at Zhang Deming with inscrutable expressions, their minds racing.

"Oh, right. Senior Brothers, about the Sect Leader a while ago...?" Zhang Deming asked.

Gan Zili paused briefly before answering, "Oh, that. Just ignore them. They heard about the Tier Three Mastery Bead Set and got greedy. They just want to sponge off you.

Our quotas for the year are already fulfilled, so we can completely ignore them."

Zhang Deming just smiled. "Actually, it’s not out of the question."

Yuee Mengsheng raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Junior Brother Zhang, are you saying you’re going to take on the Sect’s routine quota?"

"Ahem..." Zhang Deming coughed a few times. "What? Senior Brother Yuee, what quota are you talking about? Do you mean the matter with Zhang Wu?"

Seeing Zhang Deming lie so blatantly to their faces, the expressions of the three men twitched in unison.

Gan Zili pointed at Zhang Deming and shook his head. "You... you’re just like Senior Brother Yuee. At least when it comes to being lazy, you’re two of a kind."

Yuee Mengsheng ignored Gan Zili’s comment and looked at Zhang Deming. "Is there something you want?"

First, he’d dropped the bombshell about being close to Tier Four. Now, he was indicating he’d let the four departments sponge off him. To someone with Yuee Mengsheng’s shrewdness, this was as good as saying he needed something.

Guk Liancai said, "If you need something, you don’t need to make these kinds of trades. Just put the word out, and people will be scrambling to help. Afterward, you can decide whether or not to give them a bead set depending on your mood."

Zhang Deming: "..."

’I never realized. You’re not just a supreme contrarian, you’re also the type to take everything and refuse to pay up!

Listening to how casually you say that, I bet this isn’t your first time pulling something like this, is it?

No wonder nobody likes you!

It’s a good thing you’re a Spirit Nurturing Master. You’re so rare that people just hold their noses and put up with you!’

Zhang Deming ignored Guk Liancai and looked at Yuee Mengsheng. "There is something, actually. I want to set up a chain of stores and plan to operate them under the Sect’s name."

Gan Zili paused. "Junior Brother Zhang, are you that short on Spirit Stones? Our Spirit Nurturing Peak has..."