novelraw Chapter 313 - 168: Talisman Masters and Holy Beetles (Part 2)
Chapter 313 - 168: Talisman Masters and Holy Beetles (Part 2)
At the same time, orders were issued to increase the supply of Zombie Flesh Essence and initiate the second batch of Holy Beetle cultivation.
The reason for not waiting is that creating Talisman Beetles is extremely difficult, and there will definitely be significant losses in the process. Even gathering seventy-two Holy Beetles will not guarantee success in one attempt, as failures are inevitable during the refining process.
Thus, the first batch of five Holy Beetles was meant for familiarization and practice. More Holy Beetles will continuously be sent as experimental materials.
For Zheng Yi, these are renewable resources.
With the Soul Hall and Fengdu City, there will be an endless supply of Holy Beetles emerging.
As the production machinery of Fengdu Ghost City starts, in the Great Yi City Immortal Realm, under Zheng Yi’s direction, news soon spread from the Daluo Alliance, inviting Talisman Masters as esteemed guests.
In essence, this was a lucrative recruitment for Talisman Masters, asking them to engrave runes on specific items, with substantial offers at stake.
In the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, Talisman Masters, Pill Masters, and Artifact Refiners are extremely profitable artisans. However, the entry-level barriers are high and require talent; even after decades of hard work, barely one in a hundred can earn a living with these skills.
Basic rune prices start from a hundred spirit crystals, sometimes costing up to one or two low-grade spirit stones, whereas some precious runes are priced even higher.
The price offered by the Daluo Alliance doubles this amount, but with higher demands. They must engrave top-grade runes with a high success rate, sign confidentiality agreements, and make a Celestial Dao Oath not to disclose the details of the engraved runes.
But the pay is irresistibly tempting, and with the Daluo Alliance’s vast industry and recent expansion, their credibility is assured, eliminating concerns about not receiving the agreed compensation, which prompted a flood of Talisman Masters to their branches.
"All the bustle under heaven is for profit; all the commotion under heaven is for gain."
Even those who have cultivated to immortality are no exceptions.
People are always after profit.
Therefore, shortly after the recruitment announcement, many Talisman Masters were already employed by the Daluo Alliance, beginning their work.
The Daluo Alliance clearly values this task greatly, providing comprehensive lodging, meals, and other essentials, as well as the necessary tools and resources for rune engraving, all of top-grade quality, with no hesitation in support.
This naturally won the hearts of many Talisman Masters. After all, like talisman making, alchemy is a high-investment, high-return endeavor.
Many people, despite having talent, are turned away because it requires various resources to practice. Not to mention achieving any accomplishments, just mastering the basic runes costs significantly.
But now, all these resources are provided by the Daluo Alliance, sparing no expense, offering as much as needed.
Of course, the prerequisite is meeting the Alliance’s requirements, with professional supervision in place to prevent exploitation.
Given the current influence of the Daluo Alliance, few independent practitioner Talisman Masters dare to take advantage for free.
Though the official requirements seem strange, as runes are typically engraved on magical artifacts, talisman papers, jade, or carrying objects to harness their power, the Daluo Alliance demands them to be inscribed on a golden living beetle.
This Golden Beetle is unknown to the external world, but its golden armor shines brilliantly, exuding a soft glow, with a tough shell adept at hosting spirituality, surpassing even top-grade talisman paper.
Those assigned the task speculate whether the Daluo Alliance discovered these peculiar Spirit Insects and planned to merge them with engraved runes for some unique effects.
Before arriving, they signed a Spirit Contract with the Daluo Alliance and made a Celestial Dao Oath, choosing not to be nosy, suppressing any doubts to focus on their tasks and earn money.
No matter what others require, they just follow suit.
"Take someone’s money, solve someone’s troubles." Although independent practitioner Talisman Masters hold high status, they pale compared to the colossal Daluo Alliance and understand this dynamic well, cooperating fully.
Independent practitioners with a skill often possess shrewdness to avoid inviting trouble upon themselves, as there are no legal protections in the Cultivation Realm.
The Daluo Alliance offers significantly higher prices, nearly double the usual rune engraving rates, so for Talisman Masters, as long as the price is right, what is engraved onto what, and its purpose, are matters beyond their concern - fulfilling the client’s request is all that matters.
Moreover, the special material of the Golden Beetle presents an excellent experimental avenue, with others providing top-grade resources for practice, something many independent Talisman Masters are eager to seize without hesitation.
The first batch of Talisman Masters to arrive at the Daluo Alliance were selected from various Commerce Association branches, totaling over twenty, and all were independent practitioners; the Daluo Alliance specifically excluded those cultivated by sects.
This requirement was also mandated by Zheng Yi, partly to prevent anyone from exploiting the situation and, more importantly, to maintain maximum confidentiality, avoiding unnecessary speculations or unforeseeable events.