Remuneration

The grand main hall of the Divine Weapon Pavilion exuded an air of majesty. Colorful stained glass adorned numerous prominent booths, each displaying treasures and various grades of divine weapons.

The Divine Weapon Pavilion was a vast space, spanning three levels, and it attracted tens of thousands of customers daily.

Outside the pavilion's main hall, a young man in white robes stood with a wine cask in hand, exuding the scent of alcohol.

"Immortal Drunken Wine, here for more treasure hunting, I see? Let's take a look!"

"Hey, Immortal Drunken Wine, bring that wine cask over here. Let's see if there's any left."

As Immortal Drunken Wine entered the Divine Weapon Pavilion, he was greeted by friendly voices and jests. It was clear he was a regular customer.

"Come find me when someone's willing to buy me a drink," Immortal Drunken Wine replied with a smile before making his way to the second level.

Laughter filled the air as the crowd appreciated the presence of such a courteous and talented individual like Immortal Drunken Wine.

He was one of the Royal Capital's ten prodigies, renowned for his exceptional swordsmanship. Although he rarely displayed his sword skills, everyone in the Royal Capital knew his name.

Legend had it that Immortal Drunken Wine's swordplay rivaled his capacity for alcohol. Some claimed to have witnessed him performing an exquisite sword dance while inebriated, earning him his unique moniker. His real name was nearly forgotten by all.

Immortal Drunken Wine was known not only for his swordsmanship but also for his passion for collecting precious swords. Hence, he frequented the Divine Weapon Pavilion.

On the second level of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, Immortal Drunken Wine headed straight for the sword section, where a wall displayed countless swords.

"Interested in our new arrivals?" asked the lovely attendant, standing in front of the sword wall. She greeted Immortal Drunken Wine with a warm smile and handed him a few swords. "These are all newly forged 2nd-level divine swords, ranging from mid to top grade."

Immortal Drunken Wine carefully examined each divine weapon before shaking his head with a smile. "I'll come back another time."

The attendant, accustomed to such responses, nodded politely. Just then, a young man approached her, carrying three recently forged swords. "Sister Sword-Dance, these were just finished."

Sword-Dance examined the swords, channeling her Yuan Energy into the blades. Glancing at Immortal Drunken Wine, she said, "These three swords are 2nd-level as well, but they might not match the ones you looked at earlier."

"Let me try them." Immortal Drunken Wine took a sip of his drink and tested the three swords one by one. Unsatisfied, he shook his head. Then, he randomly pointed to a plain-looking sword on the left side of the wall and asked, "How much for this one?"

"It's a 2nd-level low-graded divine sword. If you're interested, it's priced at a 2nd Heavenly Layer Yuan Meteor Stone," replied Sword-Dance with a smile.

Yuan Meteor Stones, besides being used to condense Astral Souls, served as currency for precious goods. These stones fell from the heavens in irregular shapes, referred to as Astral Ores until they were cut and refined into standardized Yuan Meteor Stones.

Ordinary Yuan Stones, containing the Yuan Energy of Heaven and Earth, served as currency for lower-grade items. However, patrons of the Divine Weapon Pavilion often used Yuan Meteor Stones.

"Alright, I'll take it," Immortal Drunken Wine said with a smile, handing a 2nd-layer Yuan Meteor Stone to the surprised Sword-Dance. She had named a price expecting a casual inquiry, never expecting Immortal Drunken Wine to accept it without hesitation.

"Immortal Drunken Wine, what kind of deal did you just make? Let me see that," said a middle-aged man, the administrator of the second level of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, approaching them.

Immortal Drunken Wine handed the sword to the administrator, Yang Chen, who infused it with Yuan Energy. His stern expression gradually turned into amazement as he turned to Sword-Dance and asked, "Who brought this sword here?"

"Grandmaster Francis, one of our pavilion's guests asked me to bring this sword for sale. He urgently needs Yuan Meteor Stones," the sword apprentice respectfully explained.

"Immortal Drunken Wine, we'll take this as our loss," Yang Cheng scolded Sword-Dance before turning to leave, heading directly to Francis.

"I'll come with you," Immortal Drunken Wine declared. Sipping from his cask, he followed Yang Chen to the backyard of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, where Francis resided.

Naturally, Francis didn't anticipate a personal visit from Yang Chen, an Administrative Elder with a higher status.

"Francis, did you engrave the divine imprint on this sword?" Yang Cheng pointed to the sword in Immortal Drunken Wine's hand.

Francis's eyes flickered as he replied, "The divine imprint was inscribed by my Master."

"Could I meet your esteemed Master?" Yang Cheng smiled.

"I'll check with him," Francis replied. He went back into the Weapon Forging Hall to consult Qin Wentian. Shortly after, two youths emerged, leaving Yang Cheng thunderstruck.

"Elder Yang Cheng, this is my esteemed Master, Qin Wentian," Francis introduced.

"Excellent, genius indeed comes from a young age. Grandmaster Qin, I'm Yang Cheng. Shall we move to a more pleasant place to chat?" Yang Cheng looked at Qin Wentian, who agreed. He had not expected his divine imprint to prompt an Administrative Elder to personally seek him out. This suggested that the divine imprint he had inscribed had an extraordinary value.

The group made their way to a lakeside pavilion within an inner courtyard, offering a beautiful view.

"Why are you still here, Immortal Drunken Wine?" Yang Cheng looked at Immortal Drunken Wine, who was standing beside him.

"If that's the case, would esteemed Grandmaster Qin be willing to become a guest of my Divine Weapon Pavilion? I can offer you special privileges and treatment," Yang Chen proposed.

"I don't have the time to stay here in the Divine Weapon Pavilion. Francis will be staying here for as long as I am," Qin Wentian replied, his gaze fixed on Yang Chen, who furrowed his brows in concern. Before Yang Chen could respond, Qin Wentian continued, "If Elder Yang has nothing else for me, I will take my leave."

"Grandmaster Qin, please wait." Yang Chen stopped Qin Wentian and retrieved several Yuan Meteor Stones. They emitted a brilliant Astral Light, signifying their substantial energy content. These Yuan Meteor Stones were all from the 2nd Heavenly Layer.

"Grandmaster Qin, please don't be in such a hurry to decline. Consider this the payment for the divine sword you forged earlier," Yang Chen said politely, gesturing toward the sword in Immortal Drunken Wine's hand. Qin Wentian felt a slight temptation upon seeing the Yuan Meteor Stones, but he restrained himself. People from the Divine Weapon Pavilion were indeed wealthy. When he thought of his impoverished Qin Clan, which didn't even have a single Yuan Meteor Stone left in its vaults, he felt a pang of sadness.

The Qin Clan was truly destitute, their remaining resources continually dwindling.

Fan Le, standing beside Qin Wentian, felt his eyes gleam with avarice. They were going to become wealthy!

"In the future, would Grandmaster Qin be willing to bring the divine weapons you forge to the Divine Weapon Pavilion for sale? We'll split the proceeds 50-50, with half going to you. Of course, we'll provide all the necessary materials from the Divine Weapon Pavilion. Furthermore, if Grandmaster Qin is unwilling to stay here as a guest, I can elevate Francis's status to a higher level, allowing him to enjoy the benefits and resources of our Divine Weapon Pavilion."

Finally, Yang Chen's words moved Qin Wentian. The disparity between the price he personally sold weapons for and the price at which he sold his divine weapons to the Divine Weapon Pavilion, which were then resold, was like the distance between heaven and earth. Using the Divine Weapon Pavilion as a platform was the right choice.

Moreover, they would provide the materials for forging, demonstrating their sincerity.

"I can't promise that I'll forge divine weapons frequently," Qin Wentian said, looking at Yang Chen.

"The rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes. For Grandmaster Qin's masterpieces, we'll auction them. We won't impose a monthly quota of divine weapons on you. It will be as you desire," Yang Cheng explained further.

"I agree." Qin Wentian broke into a youthful smile, leaving Yang Chen slightly stunned.

"In that case, I won't be polite about these Yuan Meteor Stones." Qin Wentian's eyes gleamed as he accepted the Yuan Meteor Stones that Yang Chen had offered.

"Boss, what about me?" Fatty, with pleading eyes, stared at Qin Wentian and kept calling him "boss."

Qin Wentian gave Fatty a disdainful look but eventually handed him a Yuan Meteor Stone. Although Fatty continued to gaze longingly at the other Yuan Meteor Stones in Qin Wentian's hand, Qin Wentian ignored his pitiful expressions.

"Haha, Grandmaster Qin, if you're ever free in the future, please visit the Divine Weapon Pavilion often. I'll have my men arrange living quarters and a better Weapon Forging Hall for Francis. If you need any assistance, feel free to seek me out!" Yang Chen rose with a smile. These two fellows were quite interesting.

"Understood," Qin Wentian said, smiling, and bid farewell to Yang Chen. Immortal Drunken Wine glanced at Qin Wentian and smiled. "If you're ever looking for a drinking buddy, remember to find me."

After Yang Chen and Immortal Drunken Wine left, Qin Wentian stared at the Yuan Meteor Stones in his hands. His lips curled into a smile, knowing that he finally had enough Yuan Meteor Stones to open his Astral Gate.

"Grandpa Qin, Father, wait for me," Qin Wentian silently vowed in his heart. He hadn't forgotten that both his Grandpa and Father were currently imprisoned.

"I consider those who can forge a weapon I love as my friends. The reason I'm here is to make a new friend," Immortal Drunken Wine replied, his breath heavy with alcohol.

"Do you want a sip?" Immortal Drunken Wine gestured to his wine cask, looking at Qin Wentian.

"This guy is something else," Qin Wentian thought with a smile but politely declined.

"Grandmaster Qin, regarding this divine imprint, there are still some imperfections," Yang Cheng began to discuss official matters.

"They're not imperfections. I haven't completely grasped the insights, so they might seem like flawed runic lines," Qin Wentian replied tactfully.

"Would you be willing to sell this divine imprint to our Divine Weapon Pavilion? You can name your price," Yang Cheng finally revealed his intentions. Qin Wentian glanced at him and then smiled, shaking his head. Selling the divine imprint would mean that Yang Cheng could spread it to all the weaponsmiths in the Divine Weapon Pavilion, rendering it no more valuable than scrap paper.