https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-44-The-Opening-of-the-Tempering-Castle/12939211/
Chapter 45: "Sky Eye" Essence
Chapter 45: "Sky Eye" Essence
Large-caliber handguns like the Sky Serpent Revolver are essentially the most powerful C-Rank heat weapons.
You could say it's the equivalent of a pistol's rank with the power of a rifle.
Of course, this power comes at the cost of reduced ammo capacity.
For ordinary metahumans, if they don't have the talent for firearm enhancement, investing their divine energy in this might be a bit awkward later on.
However, for wealthy families with ample resources, it's not an issue.
Lu Heng placed the Sky Serpent Revolver back and asked, "Do you plan to temper this gun?"
"Yes, I've already prepared the tempering materials."
Lin Zeyu nodded slightly and then pushed the two pieces of tempering essence forward.
Lu Heng wasn't in a rush to take on the job. He calmly stated the prerequisites first:
"There are a few conditions regarding weapon tempering that need clarification.
"First, tempering is not a guaranteed success; there's a certain failure rate. In case of failure, materials and fees are non-refundable.
"Second, a failed tempering attempt has a minuscule chance of damaging the weapon. If damage occurs, the Forge Castle will not compensate, but we'll try to assist in repairs. However, we can't guarantee successful repairs.
"Agreeing to tempering means accepting these two terms. If you don't accept them, you can leave now."
After hearing these two terms, Lin Zeyu understood that they were liability waivers.
He considered for a moment and asked, "What's the success rate of tempering?"
Lu Heng replied calmly, "Currently, my tempering success rate is one hundred percent. I mentioned the prerequisites beforehand to avoid unexpected situations. If you can't accept that, you can choose not to proceed with the tempering."
Currently, the Forge Castle is the only place capable of weapon tempering.
Regardless of how harsh the terms may seem, that's just how it is.
For the Lin family, the two pieces of tempering material aren't valuable enough to cause concern.
Lin Zeyu decided on the spot, "Alright, I accept the terms. Please temper it for me."
Lu Heng continued, "The effects of tempering have a certain degree of randomness. Let me give you a rough idea of the effects after tempering.
"This revolver's current attack power is 155 points. With one successful tempering, it gains 10 points of attack, and another 10 points with a second success.
"If the tempering level reaches 3, you can attempt to infuse it with a spirit to gain an inscription effect. However, that requires more advanced materials, which you probably don't have at the moment."
Upon hearing that weapons could be further enhanced, Lin Zeyu looked at Lu Heng with a hint of admiration and nodded, saying, "If this tempering succeeds, I'll gather more materials and come back."
Lu Heng continued, "Now, let's discuss the price of tempering. The cost for each tempering is one demon crystal core. You can pay with demon crystal cores, tempering materials, energy crystals, or other items. I have a value exchange rate table here."
Lin Zeyu was taken aback and asked, "Can't I pay in cash?"
"You can use cash to purchase demon crystal cores and then use them for tempering."
In truth, demon crystal cores on Blue Star do have a price, but it fluctuates greatly.
In the early days of the Abyssal Descent, an ordinary crystal core was priced between 300,000 and 500,000.
As time passed, this price would surge beyond one million.
Only crystal cores retain their value, and within a certain range, they can be considered hard currency.
If Lu Heng accepted cash, he would still need to use it to acquire demon crystal cores, which would be too troublesome. It's more convenient to have the customer provide the demon crystal cores directly.
Lin Zeyu took out two demon crystal cores and said, "I brought two cores with me. Will that work?"
"Yes."
Lu Heng accepted the two demon crystal cores and stood up, saying, "Wait here. The tempering process will take about half an hour."
"Can I watch the tempering process?" Lin Zeyu quickly asked.
"That's the price for taking on an apprentice, which you can't afford.
Lu Heng had no intention of letting Lin Zeyu witness the tempering process.
"What's the price? Name it, and I'm sure I can afford it," Lin Zeyu continued to negotiate.
A hint of a smile tugged at Lu Heng's lips behind his mask as he stated an astonishing condition, "A Professional Quintessence."
Upon hearing these four words, Lin Zeyu froze.
Currently, Professional Quintessences were extremely rare, and almost all major powerhouses were vying for them.
This was no longer something that could be bought with money.
After stating this condition, Lu Heng couldn't guarantee that he would agree, so he didn't stop walking.
Just as he was about to reach the door, Lin Zeyu suddenly stood up and asked, "Can it be any type of Quintessence? If there's no restriction on the type, I can accept it."
Although this was his initial plan, Lu Heng was still a little surprised to hear him genuinely agree to this condition.
For Lin Zeyu, being able to witness the tempering process firsthand was not something that could be measured in monetary terms.
Even entering the Forge Castle would be of great value to the Lin family.
Lu Heng halted his steps and glanced at him, replying, "Sensor Class, Summoning Class, or even Psychic Class are all acceptable."
Lin Zeyu's eyes lit up at the mention of these classes.
If it were a Professional Quintessence of a combat-oriented class, then it would truly be impossible to obtain.
For example, Fighter, Destroyer, and Knight Quintessences, which belonged to primary combat-oriented classes, were not something money could buy.
In comparison, Sensor Class Quintessences were relatively easier to acquire.
It wasn't that Sensor Class Quintessences were less valuable, but at this stage, there were fewer Metahumans willing to take the Sensor route, so the demand was naturally lower.
For someone like Lin Zeyu, a young master of a prominent family, he was destined to become a super-fighter and would never choose a support path.
Therefore, for major powerhouses, Sensor Class Professional Quintessences were relatively less rare.
"I have a Sky Eye and a Micro Sniffer Quintessence, both of Sensor Class. If you allow me to observe the tempering, I can use one of them for the exchange," Lin Zeyu decided without hesitation, offering a Professional Quintessence in exchange for this opportunity.
Lu Heng had only set an exorbitant price as a test, never expecting this guy to be willing to trade a Professional Quintessence for the chance to witness the tempering process.
The Sky Eye rank wasn't purely a Sensor Class; it should be considered a dual class of Sensor and Summoning.
Currently, Su Muyu needed a Professional Quintessence, and the Sky Eye was perfect for her.
Lu Heng's Abyssal Battlefield countdown had only three days left, and this recruitment was highly likely to be a Quintessence contest.
If Su Muyu could obtain a Professional Quintessence now, there was a high chance she could enter the same Abyssal Battlefield.
Otherwise, if Su Muyu had to fight in a Quintessence contest alone in the future, it would be dangerous.
After all, since she was taking the support path, she needed to team up with combat-oriented Metahumans to maximize her value.
If she were summoned alone into the Abyssal Battlefield and couldn't find trustworthy teammates, it would be like entrusting her life to strangers.
Therefore, Lu Heng hoped to find a suitable Professional Quintessence for Su Muyu within three days.
Lu Heng emphasized the time constraint, "If it's the Sky Eye Quintessence, I can let you observe the tempering, but this promise is only valid for three days."
Lin Zeyu's eyes lit up with surprise, and he hurriedly said, "I can go back and get it right now. Give me half an hour."
For major powerhouses, tangible items, whether Crystal Cores or Quintessences, could be bought with money.
However, information that transcended eras was far more valuable than a single item.
With an information advantage, one could earn back a hundredfold and even seize the initiative in times of transformation.
Therefore, when Lin Zeyu heard he could watch the tempering process, he immediately decided to go back and retrieve the Sky Eye Quintessence.
Lu Heng nodded in agreement, "I can wait half an hour for you."
"Then I'll be quick," Lin Zeyu said without hesitation, immediately leaving the Forge Castle to retrieve the Professional Quintessence.
(End of Chapter)
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