Castle of Black Iron

Chapter 291: Lay a Solid Foundation

Translator: WQL Editor: Millman97

Looking at the shock in Zhang Tie’s eyes, the Bamboo Woods Man revealed a faint smile, "Don’t be curious about how I know that you are dreaming of becoming an alchemist. It’s not telepathy, but a round of calculation by the skill of yi. It’s just a small trick; no need to be curious about that!"

Hearing his words, Zhang Tie’s heart pounded as he recalled a mysterious oriental profession——augur. It was said that people in this profession could use a calculation skill called "yi", by which they could predict many things. It was truly a marvelous profession.

"You...you’re an augur?"

"I’m not an augur. He...he...as I’ve studied the law of yi for dozens of years, I just know a bit of it!" The Bamboo Woods Man gave a smile as he touched his beard.

Hearing his words, Zhang Tie relaxed a bit. If the old man could really see through him and know everything about him at the first sight of him, Zhang Tie might have already been scared away.

Since he attended that auction in Kalur City, when he witnessed the power of the alchemists, Zhang Tie had already been greatly moved and thoroughly believed that "true heroes should act like alchemists". Having entered the Breaking-Heavens Department, of course Zhang Tie would not give up on his dream due to only one person’s suggestion. Perhaps the Zhang clan of Huaiyuan Palace could really cultivate powerful rune manufacturers, but compared to the talent of "touching a stone to turn it into a piece of gold", the great deterrence that an alchemist could bring to a country was more attractive to Zhang Tie.

A guy who could produce horrific "thermal bombs" and casually change common stones into priceless items was far more than "cool"——"Treasure Manufacturer", "Walking Vault", "All-Purpose Stone Speaker", "Thermal Weapon Converter in Cold Weapons Age", "Humanoid Bomb"——When he thought about the reputations of alchemists; Zhang Tie would feel his blood boiling.

To be an alchemist was Zhang Tie’s greatest dream that he had found since he was born 15 years ago.

"My dream will not change. What can I learn from you?" Zhang Tie looked at that Bamboo Woods Man with expecting eyes.

"I can only teach you one sentence——lay a solid foundation!" After saying this, the Bamboo Woods Man glanced at Zhang Tie before adding, "Alchemy is the most powerful profession among human beings. Only 1 or 2 out of 100 million people have the ability to stride over the threshold to become an alchemist. Each alchemist is one of the most excellent human beings or has a very exceptional aptitude. If you want to learn from an alchemist, you have to be at least a powerful fighter above LV 9. Igniting 34 surge points and becoming a LV 9 fighter is the lowest condition to come into contact with alchemy. As you are just LV 6, you could not even touch the lowest threshold to be an apprentice of an alchemist, even if there are chances in front of you, you will be not qualified to touch them!"

"The lowest threshold to be the apprentice of an alchemist is LV 9 fighter?" Zhang Tie widened his eyes and asked.

"Of course, each alchemist would always go to the underground world. They have to explore and cultivate in places that are out of commoners’ imagination, how could they not even protect themselves? Even though they are LV 9 fighters, they could still barely protect themselves, as they are just fighters! The more powerful the profession is, the higher the threshold would be. If you can not break through the surge points on your spine, your cultivation would be useless. In many powerhouses’ eyes, to be a LV 9 fighter is just the beginning on the road of cultivation!" After saying this, the Bamboo Woods Man revealed a faint smile to Zhang Tie while lying on the soft bed, head inclined, "Do you think that LV 9 fighters are powerful?"

Zhang Tie forced a bashful smile. Ever since he was born, he had never encountered a fighter above LV 9. When in school, Miss Daina had promised them if any one could be a LV 9 Bloody-Scorpion fighter, she would marry him. Therefore, Zhang Tie always thought that a LV 9 fighter was pretty powerful. LV 9 was once Zhang Tie’s target. As for the ranks after LV 9, he really didn’t know. This was determined by the knowledge, background, and experience of Zhang Tie. However, according to the Fibonacci Number Series, there are definitely more powerful ranks after LV 9.

"Can you talk about the ranks after LV 9? I’m still confused about the ranks after LV 9. When I was in school, we learned that it was related to Fibonacci Number Series." As the Bamboo Woods Man was in front of him and this lesson was free, Zhang Tie seized this chance and asked in a respectful way.

The old man smiled, "Most commoners might not be able to reach LV 9 in their whole lives. But in the eyes of the truly powerful men, a LV 9 fighter is just someone who has ignited 34 surge points on their spine. He or she has only just entered the ranks of cultivators."

"When you ignite 55 surge points, you will be a strong fighter."

...

"When you ignite 89 surge points, you will be a fighting master."

...

"When you ignite 144 surge points, you will be a great fighting master."

...

"When you ignite 233 surge points, you will be a fighting spirit."

...

"When you ignite 377 surge points, you will be a fighting monster."

...

"When you ignite 610 surge points, namely when you have ignited all the surge points, you will be a fighting general."

The Bamboo Woods Man patiently explained.

"It turns out that with the exception of the shrine surge point, there are 610 more surge points!" Zhang Tie mumbled. As he realized that he had just ignited 20 surge points out of the 610, Zhang Tie started to ooze cold sweat. Even if he was a LV 9 fighter and had ignited 34 surge points on his spine, he would still have 576 surge points to ignite. Yesterday, when he reached LV 6, Zhang Tie was very pleased about that. However, now, Zhang Tie finally knew that compared to those surge points that he had not ignited, his current achievement was just the first step for a long march.

"Precisely, in the eyes of many powerful men, in the stage of igniting surge points, namely during the process that you ignite all the surge points before you reach LV 15. To a greater extent, the 15 levels could be divided into fighter, strong fighter, fighting master, great fighting master, fighting spirit, fighting monster and fighting general. Of course, each rank could be further divided. Do you understand why a LV 9 fighter is only the lowest threshold to be an alchemist?"

"I know. My current strength does not even reach the lowest threshold to be an alchemist!" Hearing his words, Zhang Tie didn’t feel frustrated at all; instead, he just calmed down with a great ambition rising up from inside him once again, "Is there any greater existence after the fighting general?"

"Of course, it will come to knights after the fighting ranks. You don’t need to know about knights now. Sometimes, it might be not good for a young man to know too many things as you might lose your motivation!" The Bamboo Woods Man stared at Zhang Tie with wise eyes, "I could only tell you that many top alchemists are above knights themselves!"

"You said nobody in Hidden Dragon Palace and Zhang clan could help me to become an alchemist. What about the entire Waii Sub-Continent? Will I be able to find someone who can help me become an alchemist there?" Zhang Tie still didn’t give up.

"No!"

"Why?" Zhang Tie became surprised.

"Because the inheritance of alchemists is different from common inheritance as the first one involves abhiseca, which is a sophisticated and deep inheritance ceremonial pattern that can only be mastered by alchemists who have reached a certain level. As there are few alchemists, let alone those master alchemists. Although there are some alchemists in the entire Waii Sub-Continent, not one of them would be able to carry out abhiseca!"

Abhiseca? It was Zhang Tie’s first time to hear this word. He had not imagined that the inheritance pattern of alchemists was so rarely seen.

"You mean that the alchemists in the entire Waii Sub-Continent basically adopted abhiseca in other areas?"

"Almost. According to my knowledge, including the alchemists of Jinyun Country, none of the alchemists in Waii Sub-Continent adopted abhiseca in Waii Sub-Continent! There are too few alchemists who can carry out abhiseca in human beings!"

"How can I gain the abhiseca inheritance of alchemists then?"

"It depends on two things: fortune and real strength. Fortune is uncontrollable, yet real strength is under your control!" The Bamboo Woods Man smiled, "Although you cannot gain such a fortune in Hidden Dragon Palace, it could grant you the real strength to be close to fortune. Am I clear?"

"Thanks, I’m clear!" Zhang Tie nodded as he made the decision inside.

"You can ask me another question!" The old man reminded him.

"As I’ve awakened the precise throwing skill, I would like to know how I can further improve it so as to gain a new ability!"

Besides gaining the old man’s guidance on the direction one should develop in and their future ambitions, each person who came here could also ask him about how to improve their ancestral blood line. This was a very precious opportunity, which was almost equal to a gift that Breaking-Heavens Department sent to each newbie. Of course Zhang Tie would not give up such a good opportunity.

...

After several minutes, with the method to further improve his precise throwing, Zhang Tie respectfully left. At the same time, he heard a faint snore from the Bamboo Woods Man lying on the soft bed.

When Zhang Tie stood outside the small building, he bowed towards it before leaving.

He had not imagined that he could improve his precise throwing in this way. On the way back, Zhang Tie thought about the method as was told by the old man. He then felt it very inconceivable. The information on alchemists was also precious to Zhang Tie.

’If you don’t break through the surge points on your spine, your cultivation would be useless. Lay a solid foundation.’ Zhang Tie mumbled, not realizing that he had been surrounded by some women who did not look kind...