Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

While Deep Sea University’s Refining Department had been sent into a complete mess by Jiang Shaoyang’s insane stunt, the culprit of the whole fiasco, Li Yao, was completely oblivious. He was comfortably sitting in a private compartment on a crystal train which was traveling towards Wild Waves City.

Originally, he could have boarded a military carrier to the Giant Edge Pass.

However, Li Yao came to remember Ding Ying’s words and made the same choice as her of embarking a crystal train with the ordinary people while traveling in the Wasteland.

If due to a one in a million chance, the crystal train encountered a beast tide, he could help them resist for a while.

Unconsciously, Li Yao began to strictly follow the standards of a cultivator too.

There was still a day’s time before the crystal train would due to arrive at Wild Waves City, which Li Yao had no intention of wasting. He sat with his legs crossed on the floor and started the crystal processor, before initiating the telepathic thoughts of the Heaven Origin Cultivators’ Nexus.

A resplendent half-step great illusionary land, in the blink of an eye, enveloped the small compartment.

A middle-aged, beautiful cultivation assistant, that was purely an illusion, looked at him smilingly and congratulated him in arousing tone, ”Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Li Yao, for successfully passing the Refiners’ Registration Examination and becoming a powerful registered refiner. You have been granted a higher clearance level and the refining forum of the Heaven Origin Cultivators’ Nexus is fully open to you!”

At this moment, Li Yao was not only a 6th level Refinement Stage cultivator, he was also a registered refiner. Many sections that used to be gray at the beginning had completely transformed into resplendent, colorful rays of light as he was flooded with information, and their number had increased by a couple dozen times.

Ignoring that information, Li Yao directly entered the refining forum.

”Fellow Daoist Li Yao, as you have entered the refining forum for the first time, let me give you an introduction.”

The cultivation assistant continued, ”This forum was built by the registered refiners’ association and is a specialized platform dedicated for exchange between the refiners. There are multiple sections in here where you can discuss academic issues with the other refiners or browse a large number of job offers, or receive a mission of your choice with huge pay, or improve your own rank. Of course, if you have any missions, or want to recruit like-minded refiners to complete complex projects, you can also post your requests here!”

Li Yao nodded. These things were common sense. He quickly skimmed past them.

”Whoosh!”

Behind the cultivation assistant appeared eight translucent block diagrams, each representing eight sections.

The world of magical equipment was immensely vast. In theory, all non-living entities powered by spiritual energy that could emit spiritual power were all magical equipment.

Such a vast world could not be completely mastered by a single refiner even if they exhausted their entire life. A vast majority of refiners could only master one or few aspects of this immeasurably vast world.

In the Star Glory Federation, the magical equipment is divided into eight ranks by their size.

First rank, mustard-level, also known as nanoscale, means holding Mount Sumeru within a mustard or accommodating the entire universe in a grain of rice.

A single nanoscale magical equipment is even smaller than a cell but once thousands and thousands of units combine together, they could display inconceivable abilities.

The Star Glory Federation has a powerful combat suit called ”Nano Suit”, it is crafted using nano-scale magical equipment and weighs very little. It flows like a liquid but has the strongest defense. If it is worn together with a crystal suit, it can form a two-tier combat system.

If a cultivator wore a crystal suit over a nano suit, he could simply kill a god if a god blocked the way, kill Buddha if Buddha blocked the way. He would be invincible and ever victorious.

Second rank, the super small-scale magical equipment.

Super small-scale magical equipment have the size of flies, mosquitoes, or similar sizes. Once they gathered into a group, they could also become terrifying killing weapons.

Third rank, small-scale magical equipment, or also known as individual-type magical equipment.

This level is comprised of most widely used magical equipment. Flying swords, crystal suits, firearms, puppet warbeasts, are all small-scale magical equipment.

There were many refiners who studied small-scale magical equipment. Li Yao, too, was a specialist in this domain.

Fourth rank, middle-scale magical equipment.

The magical equipment of this rank has a length varying from seven-eight meters to twenty-thirty meters and can weigh dozens of tons to hundreds of tons. Crystal tanks commonly used by the military, as well as the flying shuttles that can carry dozens of people, are all middle-scale magical equipment.

Fifth rank, large-scale magical equipment.

Army carriers, patrol crafts, destroyers, are all large-scale magical equipment. When they open fire, their destructive force is comparable to that of a Golden Dan Stage.

Sixth rank, super large-scale magical equipment.

The main force of the army, battleships, flagships, aerial fortresses, are all super large-scale magical equipment. The federation army’s eternal flagship, the Distant Expanse that Li Yao had seen above the Far East Ocean, perfectly represents a super large-scale magical equipment!

Seventh rank, giant-scale magical equipment!

Once the magical equipment reached this rank, they tended to become complex, integrated systems that could cover the entire city, such as ”Anti-demon beast defense system”.

The eighth rank is also the technical force of the Star Glory Federation and can touch the highest rank, the planetary-level! The planetary-level magical equipment’s ability can cover the entire mainland.

The ”super-fast crystal train system” that ran through the entire Star Glory Federation was an out-and-out planetary-level magical equipment!

This type of magical equipment couldn’t be manufactured overnight. Even the super-fast crystal train system was still expanding, new rails were being built, connecting many more cities. Perhaps, it would take centuries to completely finish it.

As for the above planetary-level magical equipment, rumor had it that during the Star Sea Empire, cultivators could craft ”star-level magical equipment” that could radiate the entire solar system.

However, in the ”Armageddon Rebellion”, this technology was lost.

’It’s truly regrettable.’

Li Yao heaved a sigh and entered the small-scale magical equipment section.

The background of this section was tens of thousands of classical magical equipment blueprints shining brightly in the pitch black night sky, like countless brilliant stars.

Rows after rows of information once again cascaded down in front of Li Yao. However, this time the information was more targeted, all of which was related to small-scale magical equipment.

A majority of the information was about some cultivator willing to spend a truckload of money to buy a small-scale magical equipment.

It also included specific requirements, such as speed, weight, attributes and so on.

Li Yao browsed for a bit. Much to his surprise, the highest bidder was willing to spend billions to buy a small-scale magical equipment.

Li Yao smacked his lips; no wonder it was said that the refining profession was one of the best careers in the world of cultivation.

So long as the refiner could craft three to five pieces of such magical equipment every year, he could have everything: money, contacts, and resources!

However, the cultivators who were willing to spend billions would naturally seek the best refiners. Li Yao assessed the request for a moment, and realized that he could not achieve the requested performance parameters; he could not even think of achieving them!

In addition, there were recruitment notices posted by major sects, universities, and registered refiner firms.

With Li Yao’s phenomenal performance in the Refiners’ Registration Examination, he could now be considered as a small rookie with some reputation in the refiners’ circle. It would be easy for him to find a good job be good future prospects.

However, Li Yao had already contacted his teacher.

And when Yuan Manqiu came to know that he had successfully become a registered refiner, she was extremely happy. Even when Dean Xiong Baili received this happy news, he was completely satisfied with his performance. He faintly revealed that after he graduated, if he stayed at the institute, he would enjoy the same treatment as Ding Lingdang.

Therefore, Li Yao’s gaze did not stay on the recruitment notices for too long and jumped to the rank assessment.

The registered refiners were divided into ten ranks, from one-star to nine-star.

The refiners from one-star to three-star were ”elite refiners”.

A vast majority of registered refiner will stop at that level for their lifetime.

The refiners from four-star to six-star were ”expert refiners”.

Refiners of this rank were experts and authorities of a domain. Their words carried irrefutable weight.

Li Yao’s teacher Yuan Manqiu, as well Supernova Jiang Shen, were expert refiners.

It was also the limit of ordinary refiners.

The refiners from seven-star to nine-star were ”grandmaster refiners”. Not only did they have authority over a domain, they could completely establish new domain and sect. The super magical equipment they refined could also be called national treasures. Only they could be awarded such honors.

Even in the entire Star Glory Federation, grandmaster refiners could be counted on one’s fingers. Each one of them was in a prominent position; they were great figures whose names resounded throughout the federation!

”I wonder when I will become a grandmaster refiner!” Li Yao let his fallacy run wild.

He was neither an elite nor an expert, let alone a grandmaster. He was nothing but a whiteboard, ”starless”, the lowest class.

”I want to elevate my rank as soon as possible. At least become an elite! Being a whiteboard is simply shameful!”

Only when he improved his rank could he participate in higher-ranked refining projects, only then could he purchase more heaven and earth treasures from the refining association, only then could he have the qualifications to discuss and compete with higher-level experts, only then could he have the qualifications to contend with Deep Sea University.

The method to improve one’s rank was also very simple.

Major universities, sects, loose cultivators, and armies posted many missions at the refining association.

And the association in accordance with the difficulty of the task assess them into different ranks.

As long as one could finish a ”one-star refining mission”, he or she would automatically have his or her rank upgraded to one-star refiner.

”Soon it will be summer vacation.”

Li Yao pondered aloud, ”In the summer vacation, on one hand, I can complete some tasks and improve my rank, and also earn some money, while I am it, to buy some heaven and earth treasures and refining tools. On another hand, I can only also temper my skills.

”After all, next semester, teacher will restart the Project Mystic Skeleton. I also want to participate in it and contribute.

”Crystal suit is magical equipment in magical equipment; it is very difficult to craft. My current skills are probably insufficient to play any crucial role.

”Train, I must train madly. I must leave the ’Fiend Star’ name on the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit!”

...

When the crystal train slipped into the Wild Waves City train station, it was already late night.

Li Yao didn’t return to the Refining Department but went to the faculty area with an excited look covering his entire face.

He went looking for Ding Lingdang. He wanted to tell her the great news.

He didn’t know why but after he became a registered refiner, the first person that appeared in his mind with whom he wanted to share this happiness was not Professor Yuan Manqiu but Ding Lingdang.

However, he resisted this urge.

It was meaningless to share such great news via the spiritual crane messenger. Of course, it must be face to face. While at it, he wanted to look the stunned expression on Ding Lingdang’s face and then listen to her compliments!

While thinking of Ding Lingdang, Li Yao’s corners of lips rose into a smile. Even he himself wasn’t aware that his eyes were radiating a wily radiance.

He knew Ding Lingdang would not be asleep.

She was a cultivation maniac. As long as it wasn’t between two and three in the middle of the night, she would not be asleep.

At the base of the small mountain, amid the sea of bamboos, Li Yao’s gait was like he was walking in his own garden as he greeted the parrot and small snake.

Immediately, he raised his eyebrows as the smile on his face stiffened.

As he raised his nose, he got a whiff of a faint intoxicating smell before his pupils constricted suddenly.

”It’s the smell of intoxicating immortal vine!”