Chapter 167: This Must Be a Ploy

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The moment Zhao Hailin’s post was published, the incident that had already garnered so much attention became even more heated. It shocked even more people, such that at present, on Upper Academy Island, the incident had become the most widely debated topic.

Wang Baole was also paying attention to it during his spare time while refining the scabbard. After reading about the Armament Soldier’s provocation, Wang Baole looked serious as he pursed his lips.

“All of them are sly old foxes…” Wang Baole was feeling upset about how he never met anyone who was simple-minded and straightforward. After all, he just wanted to learn.

Even though Wang Baole was rueful, his eyes still lit up. Almost immediately, he completed the necessary administrative processes and took Zhao Hailin’s Numinous Treasure.

However, Senior Brother Zhao is indeed a nice person. This is a Numinous Treasure, which is not cheap at all. Even I can hardly bear to use it for my studies.

Wang Baole’s heart was fired up. Even though he had some Numinous Treasures in his hands, be it Chen Yutong’s Slimming Helmet, the jade pendant given by the Chancellor, or the mirror given by the Lin Family as compensation, they were all important. He was afraid that he would ruin them if he researched them and did not have the courage to do so.

Despite being relatively well off, Wang Baole still felt a pinch even though he could purchase new Numinous Treasures for himself. However, all his worries were eliminated now, since Zhao Hailin had sent one to him of his own accord for him to research.

Upon receiving the item, Wang Baole looked at the Numinous Treasure that appeared to be a bronze mirror, his heart filled with anticipation. He then immediately rushed to the smelting furnace room to begin the research and dissection process.

It seems like there were numerous different materials used on this Numinous Treasure. Theoretically, there shouldn’t be a need for so many of them. Furthermore, it doesn’t look impressive and is filled with many cracks and flaws that have been left behind after the integration process…

This flaw… Could it have inevitably appeared because the temperature affected the inscriptions?

As for this Spirit Kernel… Darn it! The inscriptions on the Numinous Treasure are far too complicated!

As he researched, Wang Baole gasped in surprise time and again. He grew more and more exhilarated, and a glow escaped his eyes. It was as if in his eyes, the bronze mirror had become a treasure, such that as he immersed himself in the process of examination and dissection, he was also putting his own knowledge and understanding of Numinous Treasures to the test.

To Wang Baole, this was like fate. As he analyzed and dissected the Numinous Treasure, he swiftly grew more confident of handling a Numinous Treasure, and that alone made him even more agitated with exhilaration.

While Wang Baole was researching on the Numinous Treasure, Zhao Hailin also received the two self-exploding beads. After trying to examine them, he realized that it was too difficult. Cursing under his breath, he invited the friends who had helped him previously for another round of examination and research.

However, this time, the four Armament Soldiers burrowed their heads in research for three days but were all disappointed and had to give up. The inscriptions within the beads were so problematic, far exceeding what they had expected.

“Senior Brother Zhao, the person who refined this Dharmic Artifact is crazy. It’s just a second-grade Dharmic Artifact, but it is filled with tens of thousands of inscriptions. There are several hundred aspects that have been transformed. How do we go about this?”

“Even if we don’t eat and sleep in order to look through everything inscription by inscription, we will still need at least half a year.”

Zhao Hailin was somewhat dumbfounded. He struggled as he thought about whether or not he should give up. Over at Wang Baole’s side, Wang Baole was laughing with his head raised toward the sky as he rushed out of the smelting furnace room.

“I get it now! Temperature changes do not just depend on the smelting furnace but also on the forging material!

“Different forging materials have different melting temperatures. Therefore, this point must be considered when refining Numinous Treasures!

“Refining a Dharmic Artifact involves a completely different process, as Dharmic Artifact refinement follows a sequence of steps. The second step is only considered when the first step is completed. However, this aspect is different from that of a Numinous Treasure, where all the details and steps must be considered before starting the refinement process. Obtaining an approximation of the influence of all the details on temperature is like arriving at an answer after solving a sum. Only after that can inscriptions be carved to complement it. It is only through this way that it is possible to refine Numinous Treasures!

“This is advanced inscription studies for someone who has already learned about high-level inscriptions!”

In his exhilaration, Wang Baole used his inscription formula to pinpoint the error in the Numinous Treasure. He found that the error lay in the arrangement of the wind- and fire-type inscriptions. The wind-type inscriptions were more powerful, which not only prevented the fire-type inscriptions from riding on its force but suppressed it instead. This resulted in a mess that led to the malfunctioning of the entire Numinous Treasure.

If it was someone else, a lot of research and testing would have been needed to discover the error. However, it was made easy for Wang Baole as he had a strong knowledge foundation and the necessary formula.

Agitatedly, Wang Baole immediately published a post on the Spirit Intranet. After explaining his findings from examining the Numinous Treasure, he ended the post emotionally.

“It was indeed a small problem. Senior Brother, you are definitely a man of his word.”

Many people who were keeping watch on the Spirit Intranet immediately resumed their discussions upon seeing the post. After all, no one had expected that Wang Baole would only take three days to derive an answer, and that filled everyone with surprise.

On the other hand, Zhao Hailin, who was originally still struggling to decide whether or not to continue, was taken aback after hearing the news. He subsequently let out a cold laugh.

“Previously, I needed a month’s time, heavily discussing and experimenting in order to find the root of the problem. This person only used three days… Impossible!” Zhao Hailin sighed coldly and opened up the Spirit Intranet. He searched for Wang Baole’s post and looked at it with his eyes narrowed. As he read the post, he widened his eyes suddenly and gasped in shock.

“Impossible!”

Zhao Hailin’s facial expression warped wildly. He took a closer look and took in a deep breath. When he read Wang Baole’s emotional ending clause, blue veins popped out of his forehead. To him, the emotional ending clause was the biggest insult to his ego!

“If this person is not an Armament Disciple, he must be someone with a strong backer!

“This is a plot directed against me!”

With that thought, Zhao Hailin trembled. He began making associations, and very quickly, enemies that he had made over the course of these few years surfaced in his mind. However, there were simply too many of them, and he could not put a finger on who it could be.

However, he also thought about why he sent the first video in the first place. It was because his curiosity was piqued as a relative of his had casually mentioned the topic to him.

“There is something wrong with this person!” A cold look was revealed in Zhao Hailin’s eyes. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that it was a meticulous plot against him.

“No matter how sly that person is, this is a battle that cannot be lost. So long as I keep winning, I will definitely be able to foil the plot!” Zhao Hailin looked vicious and determined. He gritted his teeth and activated his connections.

In the days that followed, he managed to enlist the help of tens of Armament Soldiers from the Dharmic Armament Pavilion. There were altogether over twenty people who were researching the beads intensively.

Finally, after a month, just as the people on the Spirit Intranet began gossiping, Zhao Hailin emerged disheveled with blood shot eyes. He had paid a significant price, and it was then that he sent away the twenty or so Armament Soldiers who were equally exhausted.

In the month that had passed, they had researched in seclusion. By combining the intellect and Dharmic Armament knowledge of the twenty or so people, they had finally discovered the problem with the self-exploding beads. To them, refining several Numinous Treasures was nothing compared to the research in terms of difficulty.

In the end, even Zhao Hailin himself began to grow wary of the mysterious maker of the beads. He found it impossible to imagine how the maker had managed to create the self-exploding beads.

It was a pity that he did not know that, in reality, even Wang Baole was clueless as to how the beads were made.

This Dharmic Artifact is so difficult to make and is not particularly impressive. No one would go to the effort to make it. Therefore, this must be a carefully prepared trick by the other party to defeat me!

After sending the people away, Zhao Hailin sat in his cave abode and laughed chillingly to himself.

However, even though that was the case, I still managed to solve it. Retaliation is part of my personality!

Zhao Hailin took a deep breath and combed his messy hair. He then swallowed a pill to dissipate the blood in his eyes before recording the video and sending it out!

“This Dharmic Artifact was indeed somewhat challenging, but it was still a small feat. Its Spirit Qi was too concentrated and not properly blocked, resulting in the Spirit Qi being unable to flow in the correct path to spread around the necessary inscriptions after being integrated. The accumulation of Spirit Qi results in it self-exploding with the slightest touch!”

The video was very detailed and even included the lines of inscriptions where errors were found. Zhao Hailin’s tone and facial expression were as disdainful as before. In the end, he listed yet another Numinous Treasure.

“It is rude to not reciprocate. Do you dare find out where the problem lies in this Numinous Treasure?”

Wang Baole did not care about the commotion that had erupted on the Spirit Intranet. Now, all his attention was on the answer that Zhao Hailin had given. His breathing hastened while he gained enlightenment, as if lightning was erupting in his mind.

This is another problem in the refinement process of Numinous Treasures!

Not only it is necessary to estimate the temperature that is optimal for the materials, it is also important to be able to spread the Spirit Qi in the correct sequence so that it can be perfectly functioning!

Wang Baole’s face showed his enlightenment. The only thought he had was that this exchange with the Armament Soldier had benefited him significantly.

Senior Brother Zhao is indeed impressive!

In his agitation, Wang Baole immediately obtained the Numinous Treasure from the Spirit Intranet. When he received it, he sprang into action to research it. After several days, Wang Baole looked exhausted, but he was energetic and in high spirits. After announcing the answer, he listed yet another Dharmic Artifact.

The Dharmic Artifact he listed was an umbrella that thought of itself as a flying sword…

In his anticipation, Zhao Hailin, with his eyes reddened, paid the price to invite others to join him in the battle of deciphering the umbrella. Just like that, the entire process cycled between the two of them, and a never-before-seen battle of treasures began!

In the days that followed, relying on Zhao Hailin’s help, Wang Baole’s knowledge of the Dharmic Armament grew significantly. That allowed him to refine the scabbard into a perfect second-grade Dharmic Artifact. In his agitation, he became even more passionate about Zhao Hailin’s videos. Wang Baole treated all the minor details in the videos as an opportunity for him to learn.

Senior Brother Zhao is so impressive!

Senior Brother Zhao is so capable! He could even find out the problem with the umbrella!

Senior Brother Zhao’s knowledge of Dharmic Armaments is so profound!

The more Wang Baole watched the videos, the more agitated he became. He continuously listed all sorts of Crossed Dharmic Artifacts on the Spirit Intranet. In the end, as he listed the large seal, Zhao Hailin seemed to have been driven crazy. The twenty or so Armament Soldiers that he had invited all felt that they have been surrounded by bad luck to be involved in the entire fiasco. No matter what benefits Zhao Hailin promised them, they no longer wanted to participate. As they left one by one, Zhao Hailin stood solemnly in his cave abode and was left with no choice but to give up on this battle of the treasures.

To him, the battle of the treasures was of secondary importance. It was imperative to find out the details of the other party’s plot. However, even then, no matter how hard he analyzed the situation, he was unable to find out the motive of the other party’s ploy.

This, in his opinion, was what made the entire situation so frightening!

The other party is very well prepared. I imagine that this plot against me definitely took more than two years to plan. What should I do?

Zhao Hailin took a deep breath to calm himself down. He began to feel that this was the biggest challenge that he had faced since becoming the supervisor of the audit department!

The Dharmic Artifacts prepared by the other party, as well as the speed at which he managed to understand his own Dharmic Artifacts, made him completely frightened and confirmed his hypothesis at the same time.

There is definitely a group of people backing this person!

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