Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

Chapter 175 Sea Fortification

"I might be throwing everything we have into this," he said.

It shows how determined the Nine Cauldrons Sect is in supporting Alkaid.

Third Generation Flying Swords.

This amounted to a transformation from nothing to something for the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

In the past, although the Nine Cauldrons Sect could refine treasures, they were primarily First Generation Flying Swords, and the Second Generation was completely reliant on an all-out effort with materials.

The Third Generation Flying Swords had to be bought from the outside, sometimes costing hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones per piece, compared to their costs of twenty to thirty thousand, the markup was more than just substantial.

However...

"Bankrupting ourselves is not necessary. The power of interior-grade Flying Swords is still significantly less than that of superior-grade Flying Swords. If we truly want a complete overhaul, we should keep half of the cost-effective interior-grade swords for routine patrols. The other sword cultivators should be equipped with superior-grade ones,"

Alkaid said.

"Superior-grade Flying Swords!?"

The implications revealed in these words filled Xu Quexing and Dong Liu with uncontrollable excitement.

"You... you have an idea?"

"Yes, I've been focusing on refining the Purple Cloud series. I can't guarantee the performance of other types of Flying Swords, but for the superior-grade model of Purple Cloud 13—Purple Cloud 15, I've already made some progress,"

Alkaid said, adding, "Of course, it still requires time. By refining Purple Cloud 13 and improving upon it, while continuously perfecting the relevant techniques, and learning while refining, until we completely design the new Purple Cloud 15 Flying Sword."

He smiled slightly, "Once the Purple Cloud 15 is refined, that will be the time for us to heavily equip it."

"Purple Cloud 15!"

Xu Quexing and Dong Liu gasped.

Alkaid had even the Flying Sword's number planned out, as shown by his confidence in designing the Purple Cloud 15 superior-grade Flying Sword.

If he really could design such advanced superior-grade treasure Flying Swords...

Even if they only reached the Second Generation standard, it would enough to significantly enhance the strength of the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect.

"Before that, to avoid unnecessary waste, I wish to ask a presumptuous question—just how many elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, specifically those in the late stage of the Third Rank, do we have?"

Alkaid looked at Xu Quexing.

The number of great cultivators a sect had was always top secret. Not just any person, but even high-ranking officials like Zhao Siliang and You Qianshan might not be able to provide an accurate figure.

But Xu Quexing was born in the main sect...

And, being the deputy sect master also holding the position of Artifact Refining Hall Master, he was naturally informed about these numbers.

Alkaid was asking for the number of elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators, not all great cultivators, which didn't touch the core data. At that moment, Xu Quexing communicated through divine sense, "The sect has three hundred elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators."

"Three hundred..."

This number was more or less what Alkaid had anticipated.

It was even a bit more.

After all, the Nine Cauldrons Sect outwardly only had eight or nine hundred great sword cultivators, which meant the Third Rank late-stage foundation establishment sword cultivators made up over one third.

Before Alkaid could speak, Xu Quexing changed the subject, "But... you should know, our Nine Cauldrons Sect allows local sects to preserve their own legacies. The Hundred Refinements Sect, where you once resided, is an example. There are indeed some civilian Foundation Establishment sword cultivators like Sect Leader Zong Lian. If we count them, there are five hundred elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators."

"Five hundred!?"

This number...

Was no less than the openly acknowledged number of elite Foundation Establishment sword cultivators in the Great Sun Sword Sect.

"Additionally... we from the Nine Cauldrons Sect have many subordinate worlds, right? The quality of some subordinate worlds is actually not bad. Although spiritual nodes cannot compare with the homeland, some worlds also have three to five. These spiritual nodes can sustain some Foundation Establishment cultivators. Including those from the subordinate worlds that haven't returned to the main sect... roughly seven hundred,"

Xu Quexing candidly spoke.

"???"

Alkaid looked at Xu Quexing with a face full of astonishment.

Xu Quexing also seemed a bit helpless, "Our Nine Cauldrons Sect is one of the existence at the level of the ten great Immortal Sects. The remaining Six Great Immortal Sects in the world do not wish another Immortal Sect to arise and share the spoils with them... To avoid arousing the restrictions and blockades from these top sect-level forces too soon... we have to keep some cards hidden."

Keeping some cards hidden.

Is this called keeping some cards hidden?

He had thought that the Nine Cauldrons Sect hiding about 10% to 20% of their strength was already significant.

This turned out to be hiding around 130%!

"So... when you previously mentioned bankrupting yourselves..."

"It's true, our Spirit Stone production is not high; even including some hidden values from calculation errors and subordinate worlds, it wouldn't exceed eighty million,"

Xu Quexing immediately said.

Fifty million and eighty million...

The numbers flipped were not as exaggerated as imagined.

But...

Sword cultivators hidden, Spirit Stone production hidden; technique cultivators, body cultivators, and divine cultivators surely must also hide something, right?

Other industries hiding a bit here and there, all combined...

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The Nine Cauldrons Sect, this level of concealment is impressive indeed.

"Alright, I know enough now,"

Alkaid declared.

He had been wondering why the Nine Cauldrons Sect, despite being a sect stationed by golden core cultivators, displayed strength that, not to mention comparing with the Six Great Immortal Sects, but even the strength demonstrated by the Great Sun Sword Sect and Primordial Yang Sect far surpassed theirs, even as far as drawing forces like Xuanming Sect and Dayue Dynasty to dare to come raiding the East Sea Archipelago.

Now it seems...

They too had their strategy.

After pondering for a moment, he spoke up, "Give me an order of three hundred interior-grade treasure Flying Swords first, and about the price... thirty thousand per piece; how about that?"

As he spoke, he thought of something and continued, "As you can see from the design plan, each Flying Sword gives me a profit margin of only three to four thousand Spirit Stones. Of these profits, the part that belongs to me is merely one or two thousand. And this profit, I will later use to purchase cultivation resources... and as long as the price you set isn't too high, I am willing to make all purchases from the Nine Cauldrons Sect."

"No problem!"

Before Xu Quexing could speak, Logistics Hall Master Liang Qiu, who was in charge of all the sect's material operations, had already agreed.

"Let's do it according to Chief Alkaid's proposal."

Alkaid was going to use Spirit Stones to purchase cultivation resources at the Nine Cauldrons Sect, which essentially meant all the Spirit Stones were still circulating within the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

In this way, rotating once, many departments would be able to spend the coming days comfortably.

Moreover, Alkaid's purchase of cultivation resources was, in fact, an investment in himself.

Now a member of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, didn't an increase in his strength also represent an increase in the strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect?

This was a virtuous cycle.

Xu Quexing had also thought of this point.

He even thought further ahead.

Although Alkaid could currently only refine interior-grade treasures, and refining superior-grade treasures would take more time and energy to study, wouldn't this time be greatly shortened once his cultivation had increased?

Once he could refine superior-grade treasures and equip them among many elite Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivators...

Not to mention avenging the shame of the Limitless Star Palace's troops pressing to the city gates, at the very least, the East Sea Archipelago and the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains needed to be reclaimed to restore the complete sovereignty of the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

"Since Chief Alkaid has already made a choice, then Grandmaster Dong Liu will stay here from now on. You two Artifact Sect Grandmasters communicate well; perhaps one day you might develop a flying sword even stronger than the Purple Cloud Model 15,"

Xu Quexing said smiling.

The Purple Cloud series of flying swords emphasized speed and low Spirit Consumption, but what flying swords truly needed were speed and attack power.

Especially superior-grade flying swords.

Using superior-grade flying swords, it was obviously a fierce life-and-death battle. At such times, low Spirit Consumption wasn't a consideration.

"Thank you, Grandmaster Dong Liu."

Alkaid nodded to the grandmaster.

With his team joining, the Artifact Refining efficiency of Purple Cloud Courtyard could climb to a new level.

"Mutual learning, mutual progress,"

Dong Liu said, feeling deeply moved, "Of course, I can by no means keep up with the progress of Chief Alkaid. From Chief Alkaid's design of the Purple Cloud Model 13 flying sword, I gather that Lord Alkaid has already started studying Formation Patterns, right?"

"Yes,"

Alkaid nodded. "Without understanding Formation Patterns, Flying Sword Model 3 is the limit. We will never be able to keep up with the Limitless Star Palace and refine a Flying Sword Model 4."

Formation Patterns were actually a research direction that dealt with localizing and miniaturizing formations.

Although they were less complicated than full formations, due to their emphasis on miniaturization and compatibility with magical treasures, they required higher Divine Sense.

Dong Liu deeply agreed.

"After all, our Nine Cauldrons Sect has once experienced destruction. It has only been just over eighty years since our rebirth. I believe that given another eighty years, we will be able to catch up to the world's forefront, restoring the glory of the Sect when it was among the top ten Immortal Sects,"

Xu Quexing said smiling.

He only dared speak of catching up to the glory of the top ten Immortal Sects.

As for catching up to the Limitless Star Palace...

It wasn't even a consideration at the moment.

Even if including the hidden strength of the Nine Cauldrons Sect, it was still weaker by half compared to the Great Sun Sword Sect, let alone being the strongest in the world, casually sending out a dozen or so Patrol Heaven Warships to block them like the Limitless Star Palace could.

Alkaid didn't continue the topic.

What about the future? Who could say.

He directly stated, "Since the Sect has so many people, and the Nine Heavens Domain also has the Eastern Sea to defend, arrange a group for me; I plan to experiment with a new combat system."

"Arranging a group?"

Xu Quexing looked at Alkaid, "If you chose the third suggestion, to engage in Artifact Refining research, we indeed planned to establish a new combat department here. It would be fine for you to take charge, but... wouldn't this make you too busy? Don't let these matters delay your own cultivation; that would be putting the cart before the horse."

"No worries, I can handle it well,"

Alkaid responded.

"Since that's the case, then as you said, what are your requirements for personnel?"

Xu Quexing inquired.

"I need seventy-two Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivators, thirty-six Technique Cultivators, twelve Divine Cultivators, totaling one hundred and twenty Great Cultivators,"

Alkaid directly stated his requirements.

A Patrol Heaven Warship, a Sect Anchoring Divine Artifact, was something he would inevitably refine in the future.

And a Patrol Heaven Warship's standard deployment often included thirty-six Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivators, twenty-four Technique Cultivators, twelve Primordial Spirit Cultivators, with adjustments based on specific performance.

However, when Alkaid refined a Patrol Heaven Warship, he would only proceed when at least Second or Third Generation technology reserves were available.

The number of Great Cultivators required for a Third Generation Patrol Heaven Warship was significantly higher than that for a First Generation one.

A little over a hundred personnel was appropriate.

"One hundred and twenty people would precisely form a reinforced compound combat department,"

Xu Quexing said, then asked, "Don't you need body cultivators?"

"No need; the threat in the Nine Heavens Domain is the Eastern Sea Archipelago. Naval combat makes body cultivation inconvenient,"

Alkaid explained.

Body Cultivators could fly utilizing Stellar Power Fields, but their speed, compared to Sword and Technique Cultivators, was far behind.

"Alright, within a month, one hundred and twenty Great Cultivators of at least Second Rank will arrive at Dragon Majestic City,"

Xu Quexing agreed, adding, "This combat department is mainly for defending Purple Cloud Courtyard, so it's hard to ensure all members are Third Rank. I hope you understand."

"Understood,"

Alkaid nodded.

"Have you thought of a code name for this combat department?"

"Code name…"

Alkaid pondered. The main battlefield for this combat department was undoubtedly the Eastern Sea Archipelago.

Since the main battlefield was the Eastern Sea Archipelago...

"Call it 'Sea Fortification'."