Chapter 5: Fragrant Cloud City
「Father, what is Fragrant Cloud City like?」
「It is Larger than our Green Mountain City and have 3 opposing forces within it. each one of them is more than two of our Feng Clan combined; they are the Li Clan, Yan Clan, and the Zhang Clan. This naturally means that they would have control of all the smaller cities in the area. Currently, Our Green Mountain City is controlled by the Yan Clan. Although they do tax us it is still much better than the other cities under the control of the Zhang and Li clans. We must go and pay the taxes later this month, and I assume you asked because you want to go, right?」
「Yes, I have been wanting to see how big the city is and look at the Mechanics Hall, as well as visit the Apothecary Association.」
「Very well, When I go the Fragarent Cloud City you can also come with me, for now, go and cultivate. I know you have been progressing much faster than in the past but you must remember that creating a solid foundation is more important than speed, but, this also is not to be used as an excuse to slack off.」
Turning on the Crystal Processor he looked at the different levels of access to the Crystal network. The access was limited to the second level, Small city. The different levels were organised like this:
Level 1 - Civilian - Just average content for the city
Level 2 - Small City - For the clans/local governments in charge of small cities
Level 3 - Medium City - For the clans/local governments in charge of medium cities
Level 4 - Large City - For the clans/local governments in charge of Large cities
Levels 5 to 10 - Clan - For 1-star to 5-star Clans
Levels 11 to 15 - Sect - For 1-star to 5-star Sects
Level 16 - Official - For Royal officials
Level 17 - Royal - For the Royal family
Level 18 - Imperial - For the emperor and previous emperors only.
Different levels of access have access to different areas of the continent as well. The first level of access only has access to most of the data in the current city they are in, the second level is having access to all of the data of the small city in which they reside and civilian level access to information of cities they have been to before not exceeding their rank by 1. the third and fourth levels are pretty much the same as the second just on a larger scale.
「System show all functions」
Ding!
Inventory 1 cubic metre (Upgradeable with spatial storage equipment)
Lottery
Shop
「Open Shop」
Welcome to the shop, here you can spend spirit stones for different items, 10 low-grade spirit stones will equal 1 mid-grade spirit stone, 100 mid-grade spirit stones will equal 1 high-grade spirit stone, 1000 high-grade spirit stones will equal 1 supreme grade spirit stone and 1000 supreme grade spirit stones will equal 1 celestial spirit stone. the value will change depending on the elemental affinity if you choose to spend spirit stones with an elemental affinity. Please keep in mind that you have a limited monthly transaction amount that will increase as you level up; the same applies to the free spirit stone conversion, exceeding the conversion limit will count as a transaction.
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Name: ≪Chen Hua≫≪Feng Shan (Current)≫
Titles: ≪N/A≫
Profession(s): ≪Apprentice Inscription Master (Unofficial)≫≪Apprentice Array Master (Unofficial)≫
HP: 600/600 MP: 60/60
Level: 5 EXP:(54/85)
Age: 7 Race: Human
Strength: 5.2 Dexterity: 5.4
Agility: 5.4 Intelligence: 5.7
Status points: 8 Mastery points: 5 Lottery draws: 0
Shop transactions remaining: 3 Free conversions remaining: 2
Currency: 3 Spirit stones (Low Grade) 3.23 taels of gold
Equipment: ≪Icy wind dagger≫≪Model 4G-D1 Energy Sheild≫
Skills: ≪5 Elements Pentagram |50 MP (1/5) | Level 1≫≪Dragons Traversing the Heavens | (MP 10-1) (1/8) | Level 4≫≪Tai Chi: Recovers 5 MP/m (5 MP per minute) | 0 MP (0/0) | Max≫≪Gods Eye of Fire and Ice | (MP 5/s) (1/5) | Level 1≫≪Sun Moon Divine Technique. | (MP 0) (Upgrades with cultivation realm) |Level 1| (5 EXP/h)≫
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「List the materials to begin array making.」
- Slates
- Beast cores
- Spirit stone conversion
- Wolf hair brush
- Inks
- Carving tools
- Arrays
「Wolf hair brush」
Handle - bamboo, flame steel, spirit bamboo, soft silver, purple steel alloy, shimmering bamboo, star steel alloy
「star steel alloy」
- Inscription element: none, fire, wood, earth, metal, water, dual, other
「none」
brush element: none, fire, wood, earth, metal, water, dual, other
「none」
Final cost: 3 spirit stones, star steel alloy: 2 spirit stones, inscription and brush material: 0.5 spirit stones each.
Confirm purchase? [Y/N]
「Yes」
Ding! 2 transactions remaining
Convert 1 tael of gold into spirit stones.
Confirm conversion of 1 tael of gold into 2 low-grade spirit stone? [Y/N]
「Yes」
Ding! one free conversion left this month.
Purchase slates
- Slates: Wood, Jade, Stone, Winter Iron, Black iron, Magma stone, other
「Purchase 2 jade slates and 1 spirit stones worth of wood slates」
Final const: 2 spirit stones Jade slate: 0.5 spirit stones each, Wood slates: .005 spirit stones each.
confirming purchase of 2 jade slates and 100 wood slates [Y/N]
「Yes」
Ding! one transaction left this month.
When I go to the Fragrant Cloud City with father I will look for basic Array patterns and their required geography on the network, or if necessary, purchase it from the array branch of the mechanic's hall. I should also find out how to make ink or just purchase a lot there, but the question is how to bet it back here without father noticing anything or revealing the system's inventory without first getting my hands on a piece of spatial equipment.
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3 days later
「Shan er, we must be careful and do our best to avoid bandits and Demonic beasts along the path.
When we arrive at the city it is best not to offend anyone but you must not offend anyone from the Li and Zhang Clan, but you must absolutely not offend anyone from the Yan Clan. Before you go and explore we will go and find a suitable inn to stay at for the night. We will be staying there for two nights before returning on the third day, so see what you want to see tomorrow.」
The shuttle was just the most common run of the mill shuttles but, even these were rare in small cities. The road to Fragrant Cloud City took about 1 day by the average shuttle and about 4-5 days by foot granted that one is not rushing.
「Open shop and list common weapons」
- Battleaxes
- Swords
- Bows
- Hidden Weapons
- Spears
- Sabers
- Hailberds
- Spirituial Cannons
- Hand held Spirituial Cannons
「show hidden weapons」
- Flying Knives
- Needles
- Reinforced Threads
- Needle & Arrow Launchers
- Powders, Acids, and Poisons
- Smoke and Poison Bombs
「Show Needle and Arrow launchers as well as the handheld spiritual cannons」
- Collapsing Crossbows
- Blow Pipes
- Sleeved Bows
- Coiled Needle bow
- Spiritual Type
- Kinetic Type
- Plasmatic Type
- Light Type
「Show lowest price for the different types of handheld spiritual cannons」
- Spiritual - 1 high grade
- Kinetic 75 mid-grade spiritual spirit stones
- Plasmatic - 1 high-grade spiritual stone
- Light - 5 high-grade spirit stones
「Is it possible to purchase blacksmithing manuals and techniques?」
Ding! Showing blacksmithing Techniques and Manuals in shop
...
「We have arrived at the city and are about to enter, take a look around. This is the east gate, you over there is where we will be headed tomorrow, the Yan Clan residence. The Yan Clan are most influential over here in the east and north of the city while the Zhang and Li clans are the most influential in the South and West respectively. Over there in the centre of the city there is the Mechanics hall and Apothary association you wanted to visit, be sure to dress good and bring these 3 spirit stones with you when you go so you are not seen as poor and are chased out under the presumption you are there to make trouble.」
「open shop and show prices for blacksmithing and apothecary basic manuals」
10 Spirit stones, 5 each
Ding! New Mission: Register as a grade 1 array master
Time Limit: 2:12:59
Rewards: Basic Apothecary or Basic Blacksmithing manual, 1 dexterity.
Failure: 1/2 of your status points and 1 dexterity removed for 30 days
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Name: ≪Chen Hua≫≪Feng Shan (Current)≫
Titles: ≪N/A≫
Profession(s): ≪Apprentice Inscription Master (Unofficial)≫≪Apprentice Array Master (Unofficial)≫
HP: 600/600 MP: 60/60
Level: 5 EXP:(60/85)
Age: 7 Race: Human
Strength: 5.2 Dexterity: 5.4
Agility: 5.4 Intelligence: 5.7
Status points: 8 Mastery points: 5 Lottery draws: 0
Shop transactions remaining: 1 Free conversions remaining: 1
Currency: 3 Spirit stones (Low Grade) 2.23 taels of gold
Equipment: ≪Icy wind dagger≫≪Model 4G-D1 Energy Sheild≫
Current Missions: Register as a Grade 1 Array Master
Skills: ≪5 Elements Pentagram |50 MP (1/5) | 1≫≪Dragons Traversing the Heavens | (MP 10-1) (1/8) | 4≫≪Tai Chi: Recovers 5 MP/m | 0 MP (0/0) | Max≫≪Gods Eye of Fire and Ice | (MP 5/s) (1/5) | 1≫≪Sun Moon Divine Technique. | (MP 0) | 1 | (5 EXP/h)≫
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The next day...
Arriving at the gates of the Yan clan two disciples stepped out to block the gate.
「This is the Yan Clan, what business mighy the two of you have here?」
「Here is our vassal's medallion, may the two disciples let us pass through to pay respects to your clan leader and pay this year's taxes?」
「Hmph... Fine, just go on ahead and be sure not to wander from the main path. The clan leader should be in the main hall; you can reach it if you just travel down this path, your destination will be the largest building at the end.」
Walking along the main path they came across few disciples and members of the Yan Clan, the from the main path no one could be seen other than the servants running about. All of the servants appeared to be returning to and coming from the main hall where they were instructed to go.
「Who are you and what is your business here? I don't believe anyone let you in because I ordered the two disciples at the gate to prevent anyone from coming in to disturb the clan leader.」
「Here is the Green Mountain City's vassal's pass Elder, we have come here to pay this year's taxes, 100 gold worth of fine iron, revitalising grass, vermilion capped mushrooms, and ice dew moss.」
Fine iron is a step above normal iron but a step below black iron, which is the most common weapon refining material in any mid-sized city or larger. It is made by combining fine iron with a few other materials. Revitalizing grass is the main ingredient in the revitalizing pill, a healing pill which can typically stop the bleeding of a gash in a couple of seconds and help heal the wound; although it is nothing compared to the virmilion rejuvenation pill. This pill's main ingredient is the virmilion capped mushrooms and can heal a gash the size of one's palm in an hour or two. The ice dew moss is the rarest and most valuable to the Yan Clan who specializes in producing fire-based pills. It will only grow in winter on the underside of ice in a frozen-over lake while the ice must be clear so the light can shine through. This, when put into a dark cold place, will start to produce ice dew which is used after a large batch of fire-based pills are created to help neutralize the sometimes overwhelming firey residue left behind.
「The Clan leader is busy just leave them here and the clan leader will summon you when he is ready we will send a servant to notify you at the inn you are staying at.」
「If you don't mind saying might I know what is going on around here and why it is so empty compared to the previous times I was here?」
「We have just discovered a new spiritual stone mine capable of producing mid-grade spiritual stones so we are rushing to get there before the Li and Zhang Clans are able to; I am afraid that they have already noticed and started to move out so we must act fast. Currently, we have a few people delaying their advance to the mine but it won't stay like that for long. As we have control over a good half of this city's resources the Li and Zhang clans just might ally themselves to fight us for this mine.」
「Thank you Elder, You can find me at the Rising Tide Inn while this is my son's first time here in the city so he will be looking around. You could probably find him at the Mechanics Hall or Apothecary association. We will take our leave now, we wish you luck in retaining the mine.」
Leaving the Yan Clan Feng Hua returned to the inn to await the Yan Clan's heads summon while Chen Hua headed off into the centre of the city to find the Mechanics Hall to find some ink to start practising before he tried to take the exam. The Dragons traversing the heavens caligraphy form should be adequate for making tier 0 and tier 1 arrays.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
UndyingOldGeezer
UndyingOldGeezer 2/4 overdue chapters