Chapter 47

Snezhnaya... The northernmost nation was one of many contradictions.

They screamed how personal strength was the most important feature in a person. Yet their very head goddess in the Tsaritsa killed more people than any void monster or any other kind of being within her lands with her endless blizzards.

Snezhnaya didn't rely on the strength of man, god, and supernatural creatures that were on the side of light to fight back the abyss and other fiends. No, all the people with any amount of magical power, be it vision holders, cultivators, and martial artists worked to contribute to the endless blizzard.

So seeing Arlecchino here... It was certainly scary. As Snezhnaya had the habit of forcing deals for large amounts of food and other resources to supply their nation with how literally nothing but pitiful amounts of food were grown deep underground.

But she did mention that Snezhnaya had wanted a 'long term deal' as it were. So I took a deep breath and asked. "What is the deal you want from me Arlecchino." 

She tilted her head to the side slightly with her glowing X-shaped pupils staring into my eyes before she spoke bluntly. 

"After our spies collected the information on the materials and resources you gathered from your primary factory and gave them away to Liyue as a gift, tax, or to purchase the protection of Liyue." 

Arlecchino took a breath and then continued. "The people of Snezhnaya likewise need those resources and thus the Tsaritsa has requested for you to create a similar factory within her lands." 

I gave her a look of confusion as I asked. "That's it? Just the basic resources? What about my mechs and flying machines?" 

Arlecchino gave me a weak smile and then answered frankly. "Your machines... At least those two, are almost worthless in the land of forever winter. The land is filled with glacier ravines the mech can easily fall into, or just ice to break under its weight. And I imagine your aircraft will have issues flying through the hurricane-force winds that the Tsaritsa uses to fling her ice and snow through the air." 

My lips twitched at her words and I realized that her words were true. My mechs were made with Liyue's mountainous terrain in mind along with having stable ground. Likewise, although my Pelican's could deal with turbulence, they still shouldn't be flying directly into hurricane-force winds.

Hence Arlecchino shrugged and continued. "Hence we want the basic resources. Steel plates and beams to build the frames of our structures. Your concrete to build the foundation of our buildings. And of course... The spirit stones." 

And that was the kicker. They wanted an automated miner that would suck up a good fifty thousand medium-tier spirit stones a month without anyone needing to lift a finger.

Thus I asked the very obvious next question. "What do I get for doing this?" 

To which Arlecchino folded her arms underneath her ample chest and spoke with some humor. "The respect of the Tsaritsa, along with favorable trade deals for the rest of your life with the lands people."

I actually gave Arlecchino a dull look as I said flatly. "Your goddess's appreciation is far... Far away from the southern point of Liyue, Arlecchino. Not to mention I have been approached with a better offer to do a similar job inside of Sumeru." 

Her eyes tightened and I grimaced as the tiniest flare of her aura seeped from her form before she returned to her placid expression before she said with some amusement. "Then what do you want from the land of Snezhnaya, Jake Bariss?" 

I ran through some options in my head, a bodyguard, seeds, and samples of their local spirit herbs and natural treasures... But in reality, they didn't have anything I truly needed. Until I had a thought.

"Martial Arts Manuals leading up to tier four at least," I spoke with Arlecchino's face turning into a dark frown as she gazed at me with a heavyweight in her gaze.

As I was basically asking for manuals leading to the peak of what humanity could accomplish without some bullshit heavenly herb or treasure that elevate them from a Martial Saint to a tier-five Earth Immortal.

There was a silence as Arlecchino considered my demand and before she went to say something I added on. "I am asking for only copies of such manuals... I am not demanding you to turn over the nation's heritage as I am aware such manuals can still fit on a Jade Memory Tablet here in Liyue."

The reason I hadn't gotten martial arts manuals was that frankly, the only good way to get the best ones were to fight directly in the Chasm or Depths with the Cloud Refining Sect or the Heavenly Mountain Sect.

Even Ningguang and the Liyue Qixing didn't have any tier-four manuals that could lead me to the level of a Martial Saint. Hell neither did Keqing have a tier four manual and that's why she was stuck at the level of tier three for the most part despite myself helping her cultivation with my special body.

'Speaking of which... I need to try to get a lightning-based martial manual from Inazuma at some point.' I thought before Arlecchino broke out of her thoughts to respond.

"Five tier four manuals." She stated and I raised an eyebrow before I countered.

"Five tiers four manuals for men and women each, ten total then." 

She gazed into my eyes and then she spoke quietly. "Ten copies of tier four martial manuals... Well, they aren't as valuable as cultivation arts, nor does Snezhnaya even have a cultivation manual for your Yang veins anyway."

Her aura leaked out again this time on purpose as her dark eyes looked at me firmly as she spoke. "Then Jake Bariss. Do we have a deal?" She finished with her holding out her hand which was stained black with whatever abyssal taint she had.

I looked at that hand... For a long minute before I took a breath and spoke. "Yes, we have a deal. I have my own wedding here in Liyue this weekend along with checking on my second factory so that gives you plenty of time to get half the manuals to prove your sincerity and at that point, I will follow you to Snezhnaya." 

And with that I shook Arlecchino's hand while I covered my hand with my thin amount of qi and spiritual energy making Arlecchino's face quirk up into a smile before she blinked and offered with only a raised eyebrow. "Then... I will say congratulations on your upcoming nuptials Jake."

She let go of my hand and then she stepped away from me as she gave me a long look before saying. "Then next weekend. I will be taking you to Snezhnaya and you will meet my lands goddess. Be ready for such a meeting."

And I blinked as Arlecchino manifested a large scythe in her hands that with a flick of motion spun it in the air. With a portal opening up she casually walked through with the portal closing behind her.

Leaving me all alone in my house... My traitor ghost housemate didn't count.