Martial Peak

“Quota?” Yang Kai frowned, looking at Qian Tong and asked, “Is there a limit to the number of people who can enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field?”

“En, that is something this old man intended to tell you,” Qian Tong nodded. “In fact, when the Flowing Flame Sand Field first opened, there was no limit on the number of people who could enter, but Nephew must also know that cultivation resources on Shadowed Star are extremely scarce, especially the higher-grade ones. As one of the Three Great Forbidden Zones, the Flowing Flame Sand Field naturally has many good things inside it, enough to make all the great forces covet it, which was the root of the problem. A long time ago, when the Flowing Flame Sand Field opened, all Saint Kings were eligible to enter, and indeed a great many would, but with such a large number of people searching for treasures, everyone was only able to harvest a small amount while still plucking the Flowing Flame Sand Field clean, leaving next to nothing for those who entered the following time.”

“Excessive harvesting leads to damaging the environment!” Yang Kai nodded.

“It is exactly as Nephew says. As such, the great forces on Shadowed Star came together and set some restrictions on the Flowing Flame Sand Field. Each Sect from that point on was only allowed a certain number to answer. The Three biggest sects, Star Emperor Sect, Heaven Battling Union, and Thunder Typhoon Sect, were each given sixty quotas, while first-class Sects like my Shadow Moon Hall were granted fifty. As the size and power of one’s force decreased, the number of quotas they were given also decreased. Small families and Sects are only granted two or three quotas each. By establishing a system like this, it not only reduced the loss of Shadowed Star’s Saint King Realm cultivators, but also allowed the Flowing Flame Sand Field to maintain a certain concentration of precious treasures. After thousands of years of following this tradition, all the forces on Shadowed Star had adapted to this quota system and each time the Flowing Flame Sand Field opens, they all select the appropriate number of disciples to send.”

Yang Kai nodded slightly, indicating he understood.

Qian Tong added, “Even so, after each opening of the Flowing Flame Sand Field, there are no less than ten thousand people who enter it! However, the Flowing Flame Sand Field is very, very large, so even if ten thousand people enter, it does not matter.”

Having listened to Qian Tong’s explanation up till here, Yang Kai immediately understood the meaning of his previous words.

If he wanted to go in, he really had to acquire a quota from Shadow Moon Hall, but since Shadow Moon Hall could send fifty people, a single quota wouldn’t be a big deal to them.

“Additionally, it is not possible to enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field from any random place on its perimeter, it can only be entered through some special locations. The Flowing Flame Sand Field is truly quite strange, and many great Seniors suspected that it is actually a massive Spirit Array that had been arranged by some great ancient expert. However, we have no way to break this Spirit Array. Only when the blazing heat weakens will some access points appear around its edge. Those who want to enter must pass through these access points.”

Hearing this information, Yang Kai realized his thoughts on this matter had been too simple.

One needed a quota to enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field, and one could only enter it through specific points and specific times. It wasn’t like he had thought that once the Flowing Flame Sand Field opened, anyone could enter at will.

Realizing all this, Yang Kai quickly said, “Senior, this Junior really wishes to enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field, so I’m afraid I will have to trouble Senior with this matter.”

Qian Tong laughed, “Nephew is too polite, if this old master thought of you as a mere outsider, he would not have spoken so much today. Since Nephew wishes to enter, you can leave everything up to this Old man. I will make sure you’re satisfied.”

Qian Tong was actually worried Yang Kai wouldn’t ask him for help with this matter. Although he felt that Qian Tong felt he had displayed enough sincerity in wanting to befriend Yang Kai, he was still concerned that as a young man Yang Kai would act aloof and supercilious, disdaining to interact with an old man like him.

Now that Yang Kai had upfront asked for his assistance, Qian Tong was naturally happy.

Steering the conversation in a different direction, Qian Tong said, “Nephew Yang must prepare appropriately for this excursion though.”

“What do I need to prepare?” Yang Kai humbly asked.

“A few artefacts that can withstand the extreme heat are a must. If Nephew does not have appropriate artefacts, I can provide you with some Ice Attribute materials from Monster Beasts. Artefacts refined from such materials are the most suitable for resisting the Flowing Flame Sand Field’s intense temperatures. I have prepared many such materials for use here.”

Yang Kai was about to refuse, when suddenly something dawned on him and he thoughtfully asked, “Brother Wei and Sister Dong are also going to enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field, aren’t they?”

Qian Tong nodded and acknowledged, “Naturally they will be going. Although that place is dangerous, those two are the best disciples in Shadow Moon Hall’s younger generation, how can they mature if they don’t experience a few great storms?”

“The artefacts for those two…”

Qian Tong smiled awkwardly, “Some have been purchased, but most are just Saint King Grade High-Rank, so how much effect they can display is questionable. En, my Shadow Moon Hall’s Origin Grade Artefact Refiner is growing old and is no longer capable of strenuous Artefact Refining.”

Yang Kai raised his brow and offered, “If Senior is willing to, you can leave the Ice Attribute Monster Beast materials with me and I will have two Origin Grade artefacts refined for Brother Wei and Sister Dong to protect themselves!”

Qian Tong had already determined that there was an Origin Grade Artefact Refiner behind him, so Yang Kai didn’t need to hide this anymore. On top of that, Qian Tong had just said he had many materials on him. Obviously, he was hoping to ask the imaginary Artefact Refiner behind him for this matter. Qian Tong had helped Yang Kai out a great deal recently and was even providing him with a quota to enter the Flowing Flame Sand Field as well as a great deal of information. Yang Kai didn’t mind returning the favour.

Those who respect me one point, I respect ten.

Sure enough, after seeing Yang Kai offer this all on his own, Qian Tong was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, “Willing, naturally I am willing. En, this Old man couldn’t feel more relieved with anyone else, hahaha. Then I shall have to trouble Nephew Yang with this.”

Qian Tong had still been thinking about what to do if Yang Kai couldn’t understand the subtle message he was trying to convey. If that were the case, for the future of Shadow Moon Hall, he could only resign himself to losing face and ask frankly, but he hadn’t expected that after only some slight roundabout hints, Yang Kai had actually understood his meaning.

Having reached an understanding, Qian Tong directly took out a Space Ring and handed it to Yang Kai.

He had prepared these materials long ago and was just waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Qian Tong had also brought Wei Gu Chang and Dong Xuan’er here before on the one hand to let them meet Yang Kai while on the other to try to find a way to ask Yang Kai to help refine artifacts for them.

Unfortunately, his two Juniors had eyes but failed to see, wasting Qian Tong’s hard work.

Yang Kai accepted the ring and casually checked its contents, quickly discovering a large amount of Monster Beast materials exuding ice-cold auras. From the strength of these auras, it was obvious these materials came from Ninth-Order Monster Beasts. There were even a number of highly valuable Monster Cores inside.

There was no shortage of raw materials for Alchemy and Artefact Refining on Shadowed Star, what was lacking was high-grade Alchemist and Artefact Refiners to process them.

With so many materials, refining four or five artefacts wouldn’t be an issue.

“Nephew Yang, for this favour, this old man is very grateful.”

“Senior has helped me a lot recently, there’s no need to be so polite. If Senior has any other needs in the future, feel free to let me know.”

Qian Tong nodded repeatedly. Although he knew Yang Kai was simply speaking politely here, it was still pleasant to his hear.

“Right, when will the Flowing Flame Sand Field open exactly?” Yang Kai returned to the main topic.

Qian Tong paused for a moment before saying, “That can’t be determined precisely. It may be as soon as a month from now, or as long as four months from now, it all depends on when the blazing heat weakens. But Nephew can rest assured, all the great forces are monitoring the Flowing Flame Sand Field day and night, so once it opens, we will immediately receive the news. It won’t be too late to start off then. Nephew Yang can take advantage of this period of time to make preparations. Once this old man hears anything, I will inform you.”

Saying so, Qian Tong handed Yang Kai a communication artefact.

Yang Kai took it and stored it into his Space Ring.

At this time, there was a knock at the door again and Wu Yi walked over to open it. Luo Qing walked inside a moment later with a solemn look upon his face.

Qian Tong laughed, “It must be that old dog Yan Pei who sent Luo Qing to deliver Nephew’s Saint Crystals.”

Yang Kai’s spirit shook as Wu Yi and Yang Yan’s beautiful eyes lit up.

During the auction, the four items they had brought had all sold for extraordinary prices, and it was only now that the Saint Crystals they had earned were sent over. Yang Kai waiting here was for two reasons: One, to speak with Qian Tong, and two, to accept these Saint Crystals.

Thinking about the over one hundred million Saint Crystals he was about to receive, even Yang Kai couldn’t hold back his excitement.

Luo Qing stepped forward and respectfully placed a Space Ring on the table before quickly saying, “Manager Yan said the total amount of Young Master Yang’s earnings are one hundred and six million, five hundred thousand and forty-five Saint Crystals, but because of the huge auction amount, it has been rounded up to one hundred and seven million Saint Crystal. Please inspect it at your leisure, Young Master Yang.”

“One hundred and seven million…” Yang Kai frowned; this number was slightly off from his expectations.

Qian Tong saw his reaction and explained with a smile, “Treasure Trove Pavilion charges a fee for every item which is auctioned. Generally speaking, they take ten percent of the auction proceeds, so for a hundred million Saint Crystals, they would normally take ten million.”

“So greedy!” Wu Yi and Yang Yan shouted indignantly. Losing ten million Saint Crystals hurt their hearts greatly.

Qian Tong added, “But Yan Pei seems to have only collected five percent this time. Seems he still has a bit of a conscience left. He also probably wants to keep cooperating with you in the future, which was why he was willing to lower his usual fee.”

Yang Kai smiled and shook his head, “There won’t be such good things in the future, those Origin Condensing Pills were something my Master acquired accidentally a long time ago, there are no more. On that note, Senior, why was there such intense competition for that Origin Condensing Pill which formed Pill Veins?”

Seeing Yang Kai’s confused look, Qian Tong couldn’t help chuckling, “Gu Chang and Xuan’er also asked this old master about this point before.”

After hearing the explanation from Qian Tong, Yang Kai realized that it was not that these people had gone insane, but rather that there were too obsessed with pursuing the Origin King Realm, to the point where they didn’t care how many Saint Crystals they had to pay in order to obtain even a chance of reaching it.

After knowing this, Yang Kai relaxed.

An Origin Condensing Pill which forms Pill Veins could be refined at any time by him with his current achievements in Alchemy, but he was lacking the primary materials for refining Origin Condensing Pills.

Inside his Black Book space, there were countless precious treasures, thousands of Origin Grade herbs, and even two or three hundred Origin King Grade herbs, but there had only been two stalks of Emerald Silk Grass which was the main ingredient in Origin Condensing Pills. Now that these two stalks had been used up, Yang Kai could not refine any more Origin Condensing Pills, so naturally, there was no way he could cooperate with Treasure Trove Pavilion again.

What’s more, he currently had over a hundred million Saint Crystals, so there was no need for him to do anything like that in the near future. One hundred million Saint Crystals was more than even Shadow Moon Hall could take out immediately.