Catching the object thrown at him, Bai Yunfei took a quick glance down at it. It was a space ring.
âAre these crafting materials?âÂ
A quick scan of the contents told him the answer:Â âThey are!â
Judging by how rare every single material was, Bai Yunfei assumed the Three-eyed Tiger King had prepared them beforehand. All sorts of valuable resources and metal could be found in that space ring. Some of them were even rare enough that Bai Yunfei found himself itching to take a good look at them.
The Soulbeast Forest was a hidden trove of treasure. All sorts of rare treasure worth countless stones could be found, but only if a treasure-seeker was in turn willing to risk their lives. Not even the Soul Kings of the Crafting School were willing to risk their lives for the bounty in this forest. But for a soulbeast like the Three-eyed Tiger King, collecting these materials was but a simple task.
âI thank you for these gifts, senior Tiger King. Your participation is nothing but good news for us all. If it worries you about this plan, I can offer up a Vow of Souls with you, seniorâŠâ
âNo need, I believe in you!â The Three-eyed Tiger King refused, âI have little to do with the tiger clan these days, the leader of the clan should be here shortly. He can take the Vow with you if he pleases.â
âI see,â Bai Yunfei nodded, âIf I may beg your pardon, senior, what plans have you for the Demon-eyed Tiger King?â
âI donât wish for any more harm to befall my little brotherâŠâ he cast a worried glance over, âI planned on bringing him to our territory for now. Treatment can be figured out at a later notice once the Beast Taming School is dealt with. I hope that the fall of the Beast Taming School will net us the knowledge to release soulbeasts from their confinesâŠâ
âActually, there was something I was planning to talk about when everyone arrives, but since senior Tiger King is hereâŠif senior doesnât know, the Alchemy School is currently living within the Core World. Many of the Soul Kings were researching a way to save soulbeasts and managed to create a pill we call the âsoul rejuvenating pillâ. As the name implies, the pill helps a soulbeast regain their soul and fight off the slave seal. We hope to complete its research in a matter of days by nowâŠâ
âWhat?!â
The Bloodhowl Wolf King and Three-eyed Tiger King both cried out in surprise. âRepeat yourself! Did you say youâve found a way to help soulbeast puppets?!â
âIs that true?â The Bloodhowl Wolf King questioned after the Three-eyed Tiger King.Â
âWithout a doubt. We were having a difficult time finding any progress until a while ago. I only mention this now instead of before because of that progress.â
âDo you have that âsoul rejuvenating pillâ or not? Iâll pay whatever the price for it now!â
âPlease stay calm, senior Tiger King. Iâve said that research on the pill has only just begun. The effects are quite weak, we have yet to improve it to have any substantial effect. The alchemists in the Yao clan are currently doing their best, but I believe it wonât take long to improve the pill. Soon, we should have a pill thatâll bring back the soulbeasts. If I may also say, senior, this is not something worth paying âwhatever the priceâ for. Think of this has a âthank youâ for agreeing with this planâŠâ
The Three-eyed Tiger King peered suspiciously at Bai Yunfei. âYou are saying you want no noble reward for finding a solution to soulbeast puppets? None at all?â
Anyone that could find said solution would be considered a âsaviorâ to the entirety of soulbeasts. Finding a human willing to help any soulbeast was rare enough, but to find something revolutionary for free? That was too high of a sky-bearing fruit than they were willing to reach forâŠ.
Bai Yunfei remained indifferent, âThis by no means a ânobleâ thing, senior. I am only thinking about the powerful soulbeasts to gather here. If this pill works then weâll definitely be able to crush the Beast Taming School and save those soulbeast puppets. If any soulbeast is willing to help me destroy them, then it should be expected that I return the favor.â
He wasnât thinking of himself as the âsaviorâ of soulbeasts by doing this. He only wished to give back to the soulbeasts helping him. If anything, these soulbeasts were doing most of the work.
âButâŠâ Bai Yunfei began, âProducing these soul rejuvenating pills will require many resources. Considering the abundance of the Soulbeast Forest, it would be very helpful for the soulbeast world to provide assistance.â
âI see no problem with that!!â The Bloodhowl Wolf King replied hastily, âAsk and you shall receive. The ingredients of our forest will be yours to use! I will let the others know when they arrive of the Yao clanâs plight. Iâm sure theyâll be willing to help!â
It took a few more inquiries about the soul rejuvenating pill before the Three-eyed Tiger King backed off. Until the Beast Taming School was gone, the Demon-eyed Tiger King would be left behind in the tiger clanâs territory to await treatment.
During this brief intermission, the Bloodhowl Wolf King took it upon himself to catch Bai Yunfei up on the news regarding the other soulbeasts. A meeting was already being prepared for in three days with the Violet Dragon King being the one in charge of it. But how many soulbeasts were coming or joining their plan had yet to be detailedâŠÂ
Bai Yunfei took his leave shortly afterward. Without anything else to be notified about, he saw it prudent to head back to his room in the Core World.Â
âââââââ
Now back in the Core World, Bai Yunfei sat down at the stone table he had in his room. It was time for him to look at the things he received from the Three-eyed Tiger King.
âOh? I can see a few upgrade stones in there!â
His interest was piqued by a few particular stones amongst the items. One by one, Bai Yunfei took them out from the space ring and placed them upon the table to be closely examined.
<table border="1px solid #000000" style="background-color: #000b28;color: #ffffff;border: 1px solid #000000;width: initial;height: initial;margin: 0px auto 10px">\nUnique EquipmentEquipment Grade: Low HeavenElemental Affinity: NoneEquipment Effect 1: Upgrading has an increased 15x chance of success. Effect cannot be stacked.Equipment Effect 2: Crafting has an increased 10x chance of success. Effect cannot be stacked.Cannot be upgraded.
</tbody>
</table>
This upgrade stone was about the size of two large fists and had several points of interest for Bai Yunfei. He looked absolutely gleeful at the size and effect of the upgrade stone.
Author Note: Iâve decided to change the wording of the effects of regular upgrade stones for the sake of simplicity.
âCould this next one be a High-heaven tier?!â
He hurriedly picked up the second oneâŠÂ
<table border="1px solid #000000" style="background-color: #000b28;color: #ffffff;border: 1px solid #000000;width: initial;height: initial;margin: 0px auto 10px">\nUnique EquipmentEquipment Grade: High HeavenElemental Affinity: NoneEquipment Effect 1: Upgrading has an increased 30x chance of success. Effect cannot be stacked.Equipment Effect 2: Crafting has an increased 20x chance of success. Effect cannot be stacked.Cannot be upgraded.
</tbody>
</table>
âIt is!!â He exhaled with wide-open eyes. âLook at that multiplier!! ThisâŠbasically means something that had a one percent chance of success immediately becomes thirty percent with this stone!â
Regular upgrade stones were rare and few, and the ones Bai Yunfei had right now were either from before, the Golden Roc King and Wind Ape King, or from the Yao clan. Even then, those were very sparse in numbers. To think that the Three-eyed Tiger King had some of his own!
These stones might not be as powerful as Guaranteed Upgrade Stones, but they were very helpful when it came to upgrading with the Upgrade Technique. Naturally, the more of these stones Bai Yunfei had, the better it was.
âOh? This isâŠâ
Another upgrade stone from the pile caught Bai Yunfeiâs attention. There was something about this upgrade stone that felt different. Drawing it out from the bottom of the pile, Bai Yunfei held it up to his eyeâŠÂ
<table border="1px solid #000000" style="background-color: #000b28;color: #ffffff;border: 1px solid #000000;width: initial;height: initial;margin: 0px auto 10px">\nUnique EquipmentEquipment Grade: Low HeavenElemental Affinity: NoneEquipment Effect 1: Successfully upgrade any equipment +11 and under.Equipment Effect 2: Increase the grade of an equipment by two when crafting (highest grade being Low Heaven)Cannot be upgraded.
</tbody>
</table>
Thisâthis was a +11 Guaranteed Upgrade Stone!
Bai Yunfeiâs hands reached out to the pile of upgrade stones at once.
âSwoosh!!â
In one fluid motion, he searched the entirety of the pile in hopes of a second one, but to no avail. The stones hadnât even finished coming to a rest on the table before Bai Yunfei left the Core WorldâŠÂ
In the real world, the Bloodhowl Wolf King and the Three-eyed Tiger King were conversing with one another when the two of them took notice of Bai Yunfei appearing into the room.
The impatient look on Bai Yunfeiâs face caught the Bloodhowl Wolf Kingâs attention, âBai Yunfei? Is there somethingâŠ?â
Saluting politely to the two, Bai Yunfei spoke at once to the Three-eyed Tiger King.Â
âSenior Tiger King, I wish to ask somethingâŠwhere did this stone come from? And is there more of it?â
âEh?â The Three-eyed Tiger King peered closely at the stone Bai Yunfei had in his hand. âIsnât that a crafting stone?â He asked, curious about why this particular item had such an effect on Bai Yunfei. âIs there something wrong with it?â
âIt is indeed a âcrafting stoneâ, but it is distinctly different to the common crafting stone. The difference is very important to me. Senior, is there perhaps a location where this was found? Would more of these be found there?â
âHmmmâŠall those stones were gathered from the same place. I have little idea on the differences between the stones since I wasnât paying attention, butâŠIâm sure more of those can still be foundâŠâ
âReally?!â Bai Yunfei was practically beside himself, âCould the location of this place be given to me? May I have permââ
âNo.â
The Three-eyed Tiger King interjected at once, causing Bai Yunfei to come to a stop in surprise.
âThereâs no use asking me. That is not a place you are allowed to go to.â