'Happy'

Even though nobody believed that Jake was right, they still tagged along.

"If you are frozen, do you really need food and water?"

"I don't know. If you are frozen, you are just a block of ice right? What do you have to absorb?"

"Maybe Badger entered a state of hibernation? Maybe his metabolism is just super low."

Back into the ice cellar.

One after another, Jake crashed the talismans. A stream of orange particles flowed into the ice pillar. Then a stream of light-blue particles. Then a stream of ocean-blue particles.

The group looked at Jake. Jake nodded back.

A moment later...

Some people in the group looked genuine disappointed. Some looked at Jake with a mocking gaze.

"Master Collins, is this your solution that's worth 50 items." Nathaniel asked with a polite tone.

Jake pointed at the ice pillar. "Take a look yourself."

Nathaniel's expression changed a little. Quickly walking up to the pillar, Nathaniel scrapped some frost off.

Inside, Badger looked much better off now.

In Jake's view, this mid-aged dude's condition had stabilized. His drained mana was starting to regenerate. Also, fully awake now.

"Master Collins... Thank you!" Nathaniel looked like he truly appreciated Jake's help. If he didn't subtly grind his teeth, Jake would have believed this guy's acting more.

"If we give my father more talismans, would he regenerate faster?"

"How long does it take for my father to fully heal?"

The crowd here quickly gathered up to take a look as well. Some looked happy. Some looked... 'happy.'

Hearing this, Jake lightly flicked his brows. 'So this guy wants me to make some more talismans and leave?'

Shaking his head a little, Jake didn't want to think any further. He couldn't care less about what Nathaniel's motives were.

"Fully heal?" Jake shook his head. "I'm just stabilizing the situation."

"At this point, giving Badger more talismans is meaningless."

After all, talismans weren't real food and water.

"You have three days at most. To find a true solution."

"After three days, Badger will run out of mana. At that point, nobody can save your guildmaster."

Hearing this, chatter broke out in this cellar. Jake witnessed 'Quick Expression Change Live' again.

"Master Collins... By true solution..." Nick Rogers asked.

"A cleanse talisman." Jake replied.

The chatter got louder.

Cleanse talisman! One of the eight advanced talismans. Perfect for removing curses.

Unlike the basic talismans, the advanced talismans were by no means easy to make. In fact, they were harder to craft than most equipment.

Both types of talismans had small sizes. The blueprint of both were free to artisans. But other than this, basic talismans and advanced talismans didn't have much in common left.

Advanced talisman could only be crafted by certified artisans. (Certified artisans were one level higher than aspiring artisans)

With great difficulty comes great rewards. Advanced talismans could actually affect iron-tier explorers.

With red-tier cores and red-tier materials, a certified artisan could even make silver-tier talismans!

Though the success rate of crafting... erhm.

Using a silver-tier smite talisman, even an unranked explorer could one-shot a bronze-rank!

Though, the success rate for an unranked to land the attack... erhm.

At least, it's possible. When used well, these could make miracles happen.

However, those high-up certified artisans were all always busy. Got long waitlists. Got research projects to work on. Also, got to enjoy their lives.

A good aspiring artisan was already rare to find. How were they supposed to find a higher-tier certified artisan?

Why would someone big like that care about a lowly iron-tier guild? Sure, in Shine city, they were one of the top three guilds. But in terms of North America, they, the Iron Sparrows were really just nobodies.

"Is there... any other way." Nick Rogers' expression turned bitter.

"Not that I know of." Jake shook his head. "Maybe you can contact the branch master here."

Nick Roger's expression turned to despair. Letting out a sigh, this young guildmaster chuckled.

Jake's words were like a death sentence to Badger.

Seeing this result, half of the crowds sighed in defeat and sorrow.

The other half of the crowd also sighed in 'defeat and sorrow.'

'Oi. Can you at least hold down your faint smiles.' Jake looked through the crowd. Acting this time. 4 / 10.

"Master Collins... Could you give this a try?" An explorer asked.

Some eyes lit up in this cold cellar.

"Yeah. You are a really good artisan. You can make one for us right?"

"You can definitely succeed! We trust you!"

Jake lightly knit his brows. "If you put up a good enough offer on Artisan Board, a certified artisan would reply right?"

After all, aspiring artisans were like the elementary school kids in this industry. The certified artisans in comparison were like university students.

You expect an elementary school kid to do calculus?

These guys were over-thinking it.

These explorers opened and closed their mouths a few times. They seemed to be lost for words.

Nick Rogers laughed in self-mockery. "Master Collins, you sure have a good sense of humour."

"Since when would certified artisans care about yellow-tier materials."

"It would take years to get to our order."

"If we want to cut in line, we'd at least need orange-tier materials."

Nick Rogers let out a deep sigh. This young guildmaster seemed to have totally given up now.

"So Master Collins, you can give it a try right?"

"We'll provide free materials."

Nathaniel looked around with a faint snickering smile. What were the odds of success. However...

"I agree. Master Collins, please give it a try." Nathaniel firmly bowed. "We will try our best to provide a satisfying offer for you."

"When you are free, could we have a chat about the remuneration (pay / price for work) in detail?"

"Also, is it possible for you to do the certification exam right now?"

It's 1 AM... A little inconsiderate. Though... In theory, a certification exam could be at any place at any time.

Certified artisans were basically artisans who passed a certifying exam.

8 portions of materials. Make each of the 8 basic talismans once. 100% success rate required for all 8 artifacts.

Fail once and the test would be over. Got to try again next month.

Pass the test. Get the blueprint of advanced talismans as a reward.

A faint smile of confidence appeared on Nathaniel's face.

Jake had just successfully made a nutriment talisman and a hydration talisman. Sure, that was unexpected.

But do all 8 talismans in a row with 100% success rate? At 1 AM, right out of a realm? As an artisan?

In Nathaniel's view, Jake had to be super tired already. After spending some mana to make 3 talismans, Jake had to be even more sleepy. Why else would this high school kid drink that much coffee?

In this condition, what were the odds of success? Even if Jake succeeded, he could make a cleanse talisman in three days? What a joke.

Moreover, if Jake really was capable of passing the test, why do it now?

In other words, as long as Jake was a normal artisan, it would be his success in the end!

In just three days, he would become the next family head! If that big man kept his promise...

Under his lead, his family would prosper like never before!

Thinking of this, Nathaniel's smile widened.