Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Li’s Trading Company!

Lin Chen sat in the pavilion, while Li Qin brewed tea gracefully.

”Brother Xiao isn’t from Hundred Refinements City, is he?”

”No.”

Li Qin smiled slightly. ”Brother Xiao, I’m not going to ask where you come from, but even though you got first place in this alchemy competition for the qualifiers in Hundred Refinements City, if you’re not a native, you can’t represent the city in the finals, and certainly can’t receive the rewards from this competition.”

”The rules of the Artifact Refining Competition didn’t mention this, right?”

Lin Chen squinted his eyes while looking at Li Qin. He hadn’t expected the Artifact Refining Competition rewards to have residency requirements; Shopkeeper Li hadn’t mentioned this to him.

”Shopkeeper Li didn’t inform Brother Xiao because they didn’t expect Brother Xiao to participate in the Artifact Refining Competition. This is something known by all the contestants in Thousand Mechanism Domain.”

Li Qin’s words were clear; since you don’t know this, you’re not from Thousand Mechanism Domain.

”So, this competition doesn’t allow participants from the Outer Domain?” Lin Chen retorted.

”Of course, you can participate. However, Outer Domain participants can only go to Thousand Mechanism City, where there is a specific competition for Outer Domain Artifact Refiners. If they rank in the top ten, they can qualify for the finals, but the Outer Domain competition lacks rewards.”

Upon hearing Li Qin’s explanation, Lin Chen understood.

Thousand Mechanism Domain allows Outer Domain Artifact Refiners to participate, but does not offer any rewards, only providing the top ten a spot in the finals.

This rule makes sense, as the city’s elites offer rewards for the qualifiers to encourage their refiners to improve their skills. If their refiners achieve rankings in the finals, it brings more benefits from Thousand Mechanism Sect.

Unlike other domains, Thousand Mechanism Domain is exceptionally prosperous in trade. However, to externally sell items such as Soldier Spirits, Storage Boxes, Arrays, and Pills, one must obtain approval from Thousand Mechanism Sect, which means acquiring a Special Permit.

Without the Special Permit, one can only sell the refined items to cities with a permit, naturally earning less profit compared to external sales.

”Miss Li, you didn’t invite me here to discuss these matters, right?”

”The reason I invited Brother Xiao is to ask you to represent the Li Family in the finals.”

”Represent your Li Family?”

Lin Chen was a bit surprised. He hadn’t anticipated Li Qin would make such a request; he didn’t know that the Artifact Refining Competition could be represented by families.

Seeing Lin Chen’s confusion, Li Qin explained, ”Our Li Family not only has trading companies in Hundred Refinements City, but also in other cities. Our headquarters is in Thousand Mechanism City, and for us, the Special Permit poses little restriction. It merely involves transferring sales from one trading company to another.”

”However, families like ours face competition. The rankings in the Artifact Refining Competition affect the tax we pay to Thousand Mechanism Sect and the number of branches we can open... The details are too complex to explain one by one.”

Listening to Li Qin, Lin Chen somewhat understood. Thousand Mechanism Sect isn’t concerned about how much wealth the families and sects under it earn; it wants those occupying resources in Thousand Mechanism Domain to continuously deepen their Artifact Refining skills...

Therefore, despite the apparent prosperity, the Li Family would fall dramatically if it fails to achieve the required rankings in the competition.

”Why me?”

Lin Chen asked the most pressing question. Was it because he possessed the Innate Fire?

”Because currently in Thousand Mechanism Domain, you are the only one qualified to participate in this year’s finals, possessing Innate Fire, and without any backing,” Li Qin replied.

Li Qin did not hide anything and continued, ”For this year’s Artifact Refining Competition, aside from our own refiners, we invited three others. With Brother Xiao, that makes four.”

”Your Li Family has that many spots?”

”Brother Xiao, since you won first place in Hundred Refinements City’s qualifiers, you won’t be using up a spot.”

Hearing Li Qin’s response, Lin Chen laughed. This Miss Li really knew how to strategize. Inviting him to represent the Li Family without occupying their slot was quite clever, perhaps even a calculated gamble.

”Brother Xiao, don’t misunderstand. Since I’m asking you to represent the Li Family, I will undoubtedly offer terms that satisfy you. Please feel free to state your conditions.” Seeing Lin Chen’s sarcastic expression, Li Qin hurriedly explained.

”I want three thousand Divine Soul Techniques, with at least two being top-tier.”

”Two top-tier Divine Soul Techniques.”

Li Qin furrowed her brows. ”While three thousand Divine Soul Techniques are numerous, ordinary techniques can be gathered, but top-tier ones... Brother Xiao, you understand how precious top-tier Divine Soul Techniques are. Each one is an ultimate skill of a sect; the condition is somewhat excessive.”

”Miss Li, there’s no need to rush. Let me finish. Simply representing the Li Family in the finals doesn’t equate to two top-tier Divine Soul Techniques. Three thousand techniques are for participating for the Li Family, while the top-tier ones depend on the ranking achieved. Miss Li, what ranking do you think would warrant this transaction?”

Lin Chen smiled slightly. Li Qin didn’t answer immediately but stared at him for a moment, wondering where Xiao’s confidence came from?

Is it merely for an Innate Fire?

”Top ten, as long as you make it into the top ten, I can promise Brother Xiao two top-notch Divine Soul Techniques, but Brother Xiao must swear not to pass the technique to a third party.”

Li Qin made a demand. The Li Family has accumulated several top-notch Divine Soul Techniques over the years. If Xiao Yan can really make it into the top ten, the benefits to the Li Family would justify giving him two techniques, as long as Xiao Yan swears not to transmit them, keeping the techniques firmly within the Li Family’s grasp.

”Okay.”

Lin Chen nodded in agreement; he hadn’t intended to share them anyway.

”Miss Li, Xiao has another humble request.”

”What request?”

”Xiao wishes for an entry spot into Hundred Refinements City’s Fire Storage Pagoda.”

”A spot in the Fire Storage Pagoda?”

Li Qin’s eyes narrowed sharply, starting to understand why Xiao Yan suddenly decided to participate in the Alchemy Competition.

Hundred Refinements City, able to become one of the three major cities of the Thousand Mechanism Sect outside Thousand Mechanism City, is due to having an Innate Fire.

Cyan Li True Flame.

Tens of thousands of years ago, Hundred Refinements City was just a small town.

Until the emergence of a Celestial Pride.

That Celestial Pride, even as a teenager, displayed high talent in manipulating flames and artifact refining. At the time, both the Thousand Mechanism Sect and Ten Thousand Flames Sect offered olive branches to this Celestial Pride, hoping to recruit him into their sects.

Although the Flame Dynasty doesn’t stipulate that martial artists must join the sect in their own domain, if the Thousand Mechanism Sect refuses to let him go, the Ten Thousand Flames Sect would struggle to recruit this Celestial Pride.

The Thousand Mechanism Sect controls the entire Thousand Mechanism Domain, joining them means the entire family, kin, and even mentors and friends would receive the Thousand Mechanism Sect’s care, achieving fame brings success to all.

However, if joining the Ten Thousand Flames Sect, that privilege doesn’t exist unless the Celestial Pride grows to the Innate Fourth Realm, but that would take at least decades.

Eventually, after negotiating with the Thousand Mechanism Sect and paying a price, the Ten Thousand Flames Sect managed to take the Celestial Pride.

And the price was leaving behind an Innate Fire in Hundred Refinements City, not just any Innate Fire.

Cyan Li True Flame is a creation by the Ten Thousand Flames Sect, integrating several Innate Fires based on forging and alchemy properties.

Using Cyan Li True Flame for alchemy can enhance the success rate of pill refinement.

Due to the existence of this Innate Fire, many alchemists without confidence would come to Hundred Refinements City, using this flame to refine rare pills they’re unsure of. However, Hundred Refinements City imposes restrictions on using this Innate Fire, charging outsiders a hefty price.

Many alchemists decided to relocate their entire families to Hundred Refinements City, leading to today’s Hundred Refinements City.

Coming to Hundred Refinements City was Yin Yue’s choice. Lin Chen initially had no opinion, but upon entering the city, his Innate Fire sensed it and reacted within him.

Innate Fires coexisting can cause reactions, which is normal. Lin Chen wasn’t bothered but unexpectedly, after creating the Immortal Technique, Racing Against Time provided an enhancement.

[Racing Against Time: Can refine Cyan Li True Flame to evolve Immortal Technique]

Because of this prompt, upon hearing Li Chongshan mention the Artifact Refining Competition, he decided to participate.

Originally intending to secure a position in the top ten of the semifinals to represent Hundred Refinements City in the finals on the condition that he persuades its dignitaries to let him into the Fire Storage Pagoda, using the pretext of the Cyan Li Fire to enhance his alchemical skills.

If Miss Li couldn’t secure an entry into the pagoda, even if willing to provide two top-notch Divine Soul Techniques, he wouldn’t agree.

”Many have set their sights on Hundred Refinements City’s Innate Fire, but none have succeeded. Not only because the two Innate Fires are hard to tame, but also because the Ten Thousand Flames Sect left this fire for the city, leaving arrangements in the Fire Storage Pagoda so that entrants can only borrow its flame for alchemy and can’t awaken the Innate Fire.”

Li Qin reminded that tens of thousands have sought the Innate Fire over the years, including some masters, but none have succeeded.

”Miss Li overthinks, I’ve merely heard using Cyan Li Fire for alchemy can enhance success rates, allowing me to gain experience in refining higher-grade pills.”

Lin Chen smiled lightly; Li Qin looked deeply at Lin Chen, realizing that several successful alchemical experiences can indeed aid an alchemist. Many remain stagnant simply because they keep failing when refining higher-tier pills, but if they succeed once, finding the rhythm means future success becomes attainable.

This is termed as: The Hand Feel, among alchemists.

”The finals are in a month. I can secure a spot for you in the Fire Storage Pagoda, but you’ll have only ten days.”

”Agreed.”

Lin Chen’s lips curled upward; ten days were sufficient for him, needing only three days to succeed if he could refine it.