CHAPTER 629: CHAPTER 121: ARTIFACT REFINING CRISIS

Hearing the amount, Manager Chu also furrowed his eyebrows.

"Mother, is there a problem?" Chu Yu saw the difficulty faced by his mother.

"Yuyu, I won’t hide it from you, I don’t have that much money on hand. As for the funds in the Treasure Pavilion, the Eldest Young Master has stipulated that any advance over one hundred thousand gold coins must be approved by him," Manager Chu sighed.

Ever since Chu Yu went to the Sky Wings Arena, the Eldest Young Master has increasingly marginalized her, and Manager Chu has been working hard at the Treasure Pavilion, yet the Eldest Young Master is always on guard against her.

"The money at mother’s disposal amounts to at most six hundred thousand gold coins, and the remaining one million gold, I’m powerless," Manager Chu felt a bitter taste in her heart, having worked for the City Lord Mansion all her life, yet ended up being shunned along with her daughter.

Chu Yu herself also had around five hundred thousand gold coins on hand, and the shortage of the remaining six hundred thousand gold coins couldn’t be resolved for the time being.

When Chu Yu and Manager Chu discussed this matter, they didn’t avoid anyone, with Yun Sheng and Donghuang Lingling listening clearly by the side.

"Then, is there any other way to raise money?" Donghuang Lingling, also listening anxiously by the side, wished she could instantly produce a million gold coins to solve Chu Yu’s urgent problem.

"I’m afraid not, the accounts of the Treasure Pavilion are all controlled tightly by the Eldest Young Master and Young Madam. I do not want to give that couple any leverage over my mother," Chu Yu replied with a few cold laughs after hearing this.

While they were talking, suddenly the sound of questioning came from outside.

Manager Chu went out, and after a series of hushed discussions, Manager Chu came back in.

This time, she had a Mantis Blade in her hand, which was broken into two pieces.

Manager Chu, distressed by the fundraising issue for Chu Yu, put the blade aside upon returning.

Seeing the blade, Chu Yu asked with concern, "Mother, has something happened?"

"Someone at the Artifact Pavilion messed up, ruining a high-level Mantis Arm Blade during precision forging," Manager Chu rubbed her forehead, her face showing signs of irritation.

"What? The Treasure Pavilion also helps with refinement?" Yun Sheng, who had been listening to the conversation between Chu Yu and her mother, finally interjected.

Chu Yu nodded.

"Inside the Treasure Pavilion, there’s an artifact tower with specialized Artifact Refining Masters who not only craft various Weapons and Magic Artifacts but also provide refinement services."

On the continent, both Alchemists and Artifact Refiners are highly respected professions.

However, compared to Alchemists, the number of Artifact Refiners is even smaller because crafting a weapon or a Magic Artifact consumes much more time and effort.

Thus, many Mages with the qualifications for artifact crafting choose to become Alchemists instead.

Regarding Artifact Refining, there are two types: Initial Refining and Precision Refining.

Initial Refining is the basic formation of various artifacts.

Precision Refining, on the other hand, is specifically for Intermediate and above Magic Artifacts and Weapons. As a Martial Artist or Mage’s cultivation advances, they can elevate the Rank of their Magic Artifacts and Weapons by adding materials and soul stones among other methods."

Especially for Martial Artists, accustomed to using a single weapon, they often opt for Precision Refining to enhance their weapon properties.

But the difficulty of Precision Refining is much greater than that of Initial Refining. Inappropriate material ratios or inadequate control of the forging temperature could easily damage the original artifact.

Therefore, weapon or Magic Artifact shops that offer Precision Refining are rare, and correspondingly, the Artifact Refining Masters capable of it are even rarer.

The Treasure Pavilion, being the largest treasure hub in the city, employs several Artifact Refining Masters, tasked with helping various Martial Artists and Mages enhance their Weapons and Magic Artifacts due to daily operational needs.

Or it could be that these Artifact Refining Masters refine some old Magic Artifacts Weapons pawned as collateral.

For Treasure Pavilion, this is also a significant source of income.

Listening to Chu Yu’s explanation, Yun Sheng and Donghuang Lingling also understood.

This damaged sword belongs to a Martial Saint contestant from the Sky Wings Arena in the Sky Wing District.

In a few days, he has an important match, the monthly competition of the Sky Wing District, so he sought out Treasure Pavilion and did not hesitate to offer a high compensation of three hundred thousand gold coins to help with a Purple Gold refinement.

"Purple Gold refinement?" Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng’s heart stirred, and she glanced again at the Magic Wand in her hand.

"Yes, the Purple Gold refinement, a process that troubles many Artifact Refining Masters on the continent," Manager Chu, knowing much more than Chu Yu about Purple Gold refinement, simply took over the conversation and started explaining.

Purple Gold is an extremely rare metal on the continent, very valuable even in small amounts.

But its uses are broad; apart from being mixed with gold to produce Purple Gold Coins, it can also be used in refinement.

Both Magic Artifacts and Weapons can be refined with Purple Gold.

If a Magic Artifact is infused with Purple Gold, the magic sensitivity is higher and it’s more durable.

As for Weapons, it goes without saying that once infused with Purple Gold, they become nearly indestructible.

Generally speaking, intermediate Weapons and Magic Artifacts infused with a bit of Purple Gold can at least rise one Rank.

The Martial Saint Level contestant, for this competition, has really spent a fortune, taking out a piece of Purple Gold worth two hundred thousand, plus refinement costs, to commission this refinement from Treasure Pavilion.

A single refinement costing five hundred thousand, Yun Sheng and Donghuang Lingling both covertly swallowed their saliva.

No wonder it’s Sky Wing City, even cabbages can be sold at abalone prices.

Perhaps, on the whole continent, only Yun Sheng would compare Purple Gold to a cabbage.

After all, her Beast Language Ring contains a Rich Man Gold entirely cast from pure Purple Gold.

Yun Sheng thought to herself, previously Ye Huli really did scam her. Fortunately, she also used quite a bit of Ye Huli’s Purple Gold, barely breaking even with some original costs.

If Manager Chu and the others knew what Yun Sheng was thinking right now, they’d probably vomit blood.

"Now that this blade has failed in refinement, doesn’t Treasure Pavilion have to compensate fifty thousand gold coins?" Donghuang Lingling picked up the Mantis Arm Blade, which now had a very obvious crack.

Once a crack occurs, it means the whole blade is ruined.

With Donghuang Lingling’s insight, she could tell this blade was a high-grade weapon, easily worth several hundred thousand gold coins on the market.

But the value of a blade, especially to its owner, cannot be measured merely in terms of money.

The Martial Saint Level Martial Artist, having used this blade for no less than twenty years, would be greatly affected in his upcoming matches due to the urgent need to find a new weapon.

This refinement can be considered an utter failure.

"Not just fifty thousand, even a million might not satisfy the other party. The refinement failed, the Purple Gold is gone, and the blade is heavily damaged. Most importantly, it can no longer undergo a second refinement. This blade is ruined," Manager Chu shook her head.