Chapter 195 Master Xun
As usual, Zhou Chen walked into the Rune Master Association.
Zhou Chen, a student of Haze Academy, had just broken through the human dipper stage and had quite a bit of fame within the academy.
Many of his teachers and ssmates believed that he was strong enough to participate in the provincial examination that wouldmence in September.
Zhou Chen also wanted to give it a try, but he was worried about the fact that hecked an aeth tool after breaking through to the Human Dipper Stage.
Human-grade aeth tools were divided into four tiers: lower, mid, upper and top.
Top human-grade aeth tools were incredibly rare and extremely valuable. They were considered precious treasures and so Zhou Chen didn’t dare to hope for one.
However, the power of lower human-grade aeth tools was limited and couldn’t bring out the full power of the human dipper stage.
Therefore, Zhou Chen’s eyes were set on two aeth tool tiers—mid-tier and upper-tier.
Generally speaking, the majority of human dipper cultivators would choose to use mid-human grade aeth tools. Firstly, they were rtively cheap and secondly, they could bring out a human dipper cultivator’s true power.
However, a well-known young cultivator like Zhou Chen, whose talent was considered top ss, couldn’t help but look down on mid human-grade aeth tools.
However, if he chose an upper human-grade aeth tool, although the power was great, the price was too high. Moreover, he couldn’t guarantee that an aeth tool of that tier would be suitable for him.
The reason was very simple. The most important aspect in choosing an aeth tool wasn’t its grade and tier but whether it suited a cultivator as that determined whether or not a cultivator could fully unleash their power.
A higher tier aeth tool might be powerful but it consumed a huge amount of aeth power and could be difficult to control. The disadvantages might outweigh the benefits.
The more that Zhou Chen analyzed the different tiers of aeth tools, the more troubled he looked. He couldn’t decide whether he should choose a mid human-grade aeth tool or an upper human-grade aeth tool.
Therefore, in recent days, he would often visit the Rune Master Association to carefully examine the various aeth tools.
Unfortunately, he still hadn’t found one he was satisfied with.
Although there was still six months until the provincial examination, he couldn''t help but feel worried. Like him, many cultivators were doing everything they could to increase their strength before the provincial examination.
This was because the provincial examination waspletely different from the district and prefectural examinations. It not only tested a cultivator’s aptitude andprehension but also theirbat strength!
Aptitude andprehension were nothingpared to how a cultivator would cope on the battlefield.
Regardless of how great a cultivator’s aptitude andprehension were, they wouldn’t be able to pass the provincial examination with poorbat strength.
And what would a battle test?
Essentially it was one’s cultivation. Additionally, a cultivator’sbat techniques and skills as well as experience, weapons and armaments were also important factors that could affect a battle.
Zhou Chen had an abundance ofbat techniques and experience but hecked a good weapon!
A powerful weapon could y a critical role in reversing a battle and turn a defeat into victory!
Therefore, Zhou Chen definitely would never overlook the importance of a good weapon.
After arriving at the Rune Master Association, Zhou Chen directly headed towards themission zone without waiting for an attendant to wee him. A few days ago, he had posted a weaponmission request, hoping that a rune master would help him create a tailor-made aeth tool.
“Young Master Zhou, you’re here.” A female attendant in charge of reception in themission zone greeted Zhou Chen.
Zhou Chen hade here almost every day so she was already very familiar with Zhou Chen.
“How’s it going?” Zhou Chen’s face was full of expectation.
The attendant shook her head. “Sorry Young Master Zhou, you had toe all the way here for nothing again. There are only nine rune masters in the association and for some reason, the number of weaponmission requests has increased several times so the rune masters are overwhelmed with work and can’t take on anymore.”
Although Zhou Chen already expected that to be the case, he still couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
He also knew the reason why the number of weaponmissions requested had increased tremendously—The provincial examination wouldmence in half a year and many participants wanted to prepare in advance.
After all, aeth tool refining wasn’t a simple task. It was time consuming and there was a high risk of failure. Even if sessful, it would take a cultivator a while to adapt and grasp how to use the newly-refined aeth tool.
Based on those facts, it was understandable that cultivators started preparations half a year in advance.
“Then how long do you think before mymission will be epted?” asked Zhou Chen.
“It’s hard to say.” The attendant didn’t dare to promise anything since themissions in themissions department had to involve rune masters, and rune masters had a superior status and identity in the world. An attendant like her couldn’t control whether or not the rune masters would ept amission.
“Young master, why don’t you take a look at the treasure zone? Maybe you can find an aeth tool you’re happy with there,” suggested the female attendant.
“No need.”
Zhou Chen shook his head. He had already examined the various aeth tools in the treasure zone and found none suitable for him.
However, just as Zhou Chen was about to leave, he heard amotion.
“You guys don’t need to fight over it. The Snowfury de is definitely going to be mine!”
“Hmph, you can’t say that. Since this treasure is a consignment sale, it should belong to whoever pays the highest.”
“Come on, keep bidding then! You think I would be afraid of you guys?”
Zhou Chen was startled. Themotion rang from the treasure zone and seemed to be caused by a treasure.
Curious, Zhou Chen couldn’t help but hurry over there.
A group of cultivators was gathered around a counter and not a stream of water could pass through them.
There were men and women, old and young, but all were staring at a de behind the counter.
Zhou Chen moved forward and managed to squeeze through the crowd after much difficulty. Only then did he clearly see a Snowfury de, a mid human grade aeth tool on the market. Apart from that, there was nothing else special about it.
However, Zhou Chen’s heart fluttered when he read the de’s description. Twenty percent more powerful than ordinary Snowfury des?
How is that possible?!
Zhou Chen was in disbelief but when he saw the name at the bottom of the description, he immediately believed it because the person who verified the aeth tool was Chu Feng, the President of the Rune Master Association!
Chu Feng was a top rune master known all over Haze City and also the President of the Haze City Rune Master Association. How would the aeth tool he verified be fake?
Zhou Chen finally understood why so many cultivators were fighting over the unique Snowfury de.
It was an unimaginable feat to create a mid human grade aeth tool with twenty percent more power than usual.
“That’s the weapon I need!” Zhou Chen’s eyes lit up.
“I offer 700 silver coins!”
“Hmph, I offer 800 silver coins!”
“What a joke! I don’t believe that I can’t win the de. I offer 900 silver coins!”
As the bidding continued, Zhou Chen smacked his lips and seemed hesitant.
Generally speaking, the majority of mid human-grade aeth tools on the market cost between 200 to 400 silver coins and some top quality ones could be sold for around 500 silver coins.
It was extremely rare to see bids go up to 900 silver coins.
In the end, Zhou Chen gritted his teeth and made a bid, “1,000 silver coins!”
Many cultivators broke into an uproar.
The bidding had reached a climax and everyone thought that the bidding would end at just under 1,000 thousand silver coins, but who would have thought that it suddenly soared to 1,000 silver coins!
“It’s Zhou Chen from Haze Academy who recently made a name for himself.”
“It turns out to be him. I heard that he has been looking for an aeth tool recently, but I didn’t expect him to take a fancy to that de.”
Many cultivators recognized Zhou Chen and were all surprised.
Zhou Chen’s offer shook the audience. Many bidders’ expressions dramatically changed.
One thousand silver coins was enough to purchase an upper human grade aeth tool!
In the end, the Snowfury de fell into Zhou Chen’s hands, and he had to pay 1,000 thousand silver coins for it. But in Zhou Chen’s opinion, it was absolutely worth it!
He particrly knew that he had made the right decision when he held the de in his hand and examined it. He found it even more mysterious and was sure it was not an ordinary Snowfury de.
“With this de, I can no doubt smoothly pass the provincial examination!”
Beaming, Zhou Chen strode out of the Rune Master Association.
Not long after Zhou Chen left, the cultivators unsessful in the bidding looked extremely disappointed and all started to ask questions.
“Can I ask which rune master made that de?”
“Yes, I saw a Xun character engraved on the de. Could there be a new powerful rune master?”
“Is there another Snowfury de?”
Faced with the many inquiries, Jia Zhen, who had just started to be in charge of the Treasure Department, had to personallye forward and exined, “To tell you the truth, the de is indeed made by a new rune master in the association…”
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted. “Stop talking nonsense and tell me the name of the Rune Master. I’m going to make amission request and offer the same price for a Snowfury de!”
Jia Zhen looked a little troubled as he exined, “Sorry, Great Master Xun just started today. I’m not sure if he will takemissions.”
Great Master Xun!
Many cultivators buzzed with excitement upon hearing the name. Great Master? Could it be a rune grandmaster?
Many cultivators couldn’t hold back any longer. They spun around and raced to themission zone. Regardless of who Great Master Xun was, they had to make amission request first!
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How would the rune master who made the unique Snowfury de be an ordinary person?
Jia Zhen stared dumbfounded at the chaos, while Lin Xun’s figure emerged in his mind.
He sighed inwardly. No wonder President Chu Feng kept Great Master Xun’s identity a secret. If these cultivators learn that Great Master Xun is just a teenager, I wonder what they would think.
On this day, the poprity of themission zone of the Rune Master Association soared. In just one hour, there were another one hundredmission requests and each one was for Great Master Xun.
Meanwhile, the news that Great Master Xun of the Rune Master Association created a unique Snowfury de spread like wildfire. It rapidly spread throughout Haze City and stirred up great waves.
Even Zhou Chen, who bought the de, received a lot of attention from the incident.