Su Ming's heart was truly black.
The Star Luo representative arrived happily but left cursing and swearing.
This is clearly the Star Luo Empire's asset!
Star Luo Imperial Palace.
Hearing the Star Cloud Douluo's report, the Star Luo Emperor, Dai Batian, was also furious.
"Fine, cooperate then! But we don't necessarily need to use their equipment. Hah, I refuse to believe our imperial technology cannot detect rare metal veins or mine rare metals."
The reason the Blacksmith Association could set such terms regarding rare metal mining relied precisely on their technology.
The technology to detect mineral veins, and the technology to mine rare metals.
This was what the Star Luo Imperial Family lacked, which was why Su Ming could so take away the lion's share of the profits as a matter of course.
In truth, when the Star Cloud Douluo signed this agreement, he harbored the same thought as Dai Batian.
Sign the agreement if we must. At worst, we just won't cooperate with the association on mining in the future.
What was important was cooperation in other areas, such as how many spirit masters from the Star Luo Imperial Family the Gengxin City Blacksmith Association could currently recruit, what conditions it could provide for their subsequent training, and permissions in various other multiple fields.
Dai Batian cursed for a long time, then suddenly thought of a question. He looked at the Star Cloud Douluo and asked.
"By the way, what exactly is rare metals?"
The corner of the Star Cloud Douluo's mouth twitched.
"Reporting, Your Majesty,Rare metals is a category of metal redefined by the Blacksmith Association, separate from ordinary metals. The key distinction is whether it can undergo Thousand Refinement with Spirit. According to them, some metals naturally possess extraordinary characteristics and can accommodate spirituality, thus meeting the conditions for Thousand Refinement with Spirit. Other metals are insufficiently nurtured, lacking characteristics, and cannot bear spirituality."
Dai Batian frowned and pondered for a long time, barely understanding this classification.
"Are there any rare metal veins among the mineral veins controlled by the Empire?"
The Star Cloud Douluo shook his head with a bitter smile.
"I have already sent people to check, but most likely there are none. Because according to the Blacksmith Association, the formation of rare metals is more difficult than that of ordinary metals, making them harder to find and excavate."
Just as he finished speaking, someone came to report.
"Reporting to the Duke, reporting to Your Majesty, there are no rare metals listed in the inventory among the mineral veins controlled by our Star Luo Empire."
Although the Star Cloud Douluo had expected this, his expression still turned grim.
"What about Fine Gold? There should be some in gold mines, right?"
"The annual output of Fine Gold is at most one kilogram," the official replied through gritted teeth.
Searching for Fine Gold in iron ore was like finding a needle in a haystack. The Fine Gold that could be extracted was only the size of mung beans, and it still required separation from ordinary gold ore. The accumulated Fine Gold over a year amounted to only about one kilogram.
The Star Cloud Douluo nearly fainted on the spot.
He had thought rare metals would be very rare, but he hadn't expected it to be this rare.
Su Ming had told him that Zhu Jiuyang, originally a Spirit Douluo with Grandmaster-level blacksmithing skills, had consumed over three hundred kilograms of rare metals in losses from practicing Spirit Infusion until successfully creating his first piece of Spirit Metal through Thousand Refinement with Spirit.
Dai Bati had also learned about the consumption of rare metals from him.
"How much?!" He grabbed the Star Cloud Douluo's shoulders and shook him. "You tell me how much?"
"Over three hundred kilograms," the Star Cloud Douluo said helplessly.
"Then where did they get the initial rare metal from?" Dai Batian asked.
"Ahem, while rare metal veins are hard to find, due to geological shifts or other reasons, some scattered rare metals can still be found. But it's said that for researching Thousand Refinement with Spirit, the Blacksmith Association has already consumed over seventy percent of the rare metals that could be found within Gengxin City."
Dai Batian fell silent.
"The Blacksmith Association's technology should be reliable. It's said they have already found three mineral veins, and the preliminary preparations for mining are complete. They won't lack rare metals for a considerable time to come."
Dai Batian fell silent again.
So, without relying on the Blacksmith Association, even if we had the blacksmithing technique, there would be no materials to practice with, right?
"These points can be understood, but why does Spirit Hall get to take away twenty percent?"
"Most of Spirit Hall's cooperation with the Blacksmith Association involves guarantees. Blacksmith certification will be combined with Spirit Hall identification, integrating the two. Blacksmiths can obtain certain rights and benefits in their capacity as blacksmiths within all spheres influenced by Spirit Hall."
The Star Cloud Douluo gave a bitter smile and laid out everything he knew.
"And there's the authentication of Spirit Metal. Although the Blacksmith Association is the professional authority there, Spirit Hall holds the ultimate authority within the spirit master domain. So, Spirit Metal receives authentication authorization from Spirit Hall."
"Currently, the number of blacksmiths mastering Thousand Refinement with Spirit is limited, and the output of rare metals is also limited. So, in theory, every piece of rare metals can be serial numbered now."
"Once all this is set up, the value of Spirit Metal auctioned in various places in the future can increase significantly."
Dai Batian was so angry he felt like vomiting blood.
Spirit Hall really contributed nothing!
"Actually, those twenty percent can be seen as Spirit Hall snatching it from the Blacksmith Association's hands. The original split was supposed to be seventy percent for the Blacksmith Association," the Star Cloud Douluo reminded weakly.
It could be understood that way?
Dai Batian's eyebrows shot up.
That was indeed much more acceptable.
He stopped cursing Spirit Hall.
"Damn those black-hearted Blacksmith Association!"
Just providing some lousy technology, and they want to snatch seventy percent!
The mineral veins within Star Luo's borders were originally our assets anyway!
"Achoo!"
Su Ming rubbed his nose.
"Which little darling is talking about me?"
Su Ming didn't know how Dai Batian was currently cursing him within the Star Luo Imperial Palace, but he had anticipated it during the negotiations.
Black-hearted?
Good. That's exactly right.
Establishing a black-hearted persona was the fastest way to elevate the prestige of blacksmiths.
At the very least, these forces would soon acknowledge the nobility of blacksmiths themselves,because every blacksmith was forged by smashing rare metals.
What is rare metal?
Valuable goods!
It might even replace gold as a more valuable hard currency.
"The cooperation with the Star Luo Imperial Family is settled. The next step is the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. I wonder if Uncle Ning will proactively reveal it to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family."
Su Ming muttered to himself and began the day's task.
The threat posed by Tang Hao was too direct; he had to prepare life-preserving measures for himself.
The previous Invincible Protection Shield hadn't been used yet, but it could at most block Tang Hao's first, not-too-serious hammer blow.
"Battle Armor isn't enough either. My cultivation level is insufficient. Even with the Trinity fusion and One-Word Battle Armor, it's far from enough to survive under Tang Hao."
"Still have to rely on Teacher. An eight-ring Spirit Douluo, with a set of... uh... a low-spec Two-Word Battle Armor, should roughly have Titled Douluo level combat power."
In the Soul Land III era, Two-Word Battle Armor was typically used by Spirit Emperors and Spirit Sages. Powerful Battle Armor Masters would start crafting Three-Word Battle Armor at the Spirit Sage level.
However, Su Ming truly couldn't craft Three-Word Battle Armor yet.
He couldn't even craft proper Two-Word Battle Armor.
He could only make a low-spec version of Two-Word Battle Armor.
What?
A low-spec Two-Word Battle Armor offers limited amplification for a Spirit Douluo? Can't boost a full major level?
Then it must be that the teacher isn't working hard enough.
Of course, that's a joke.
Su Ming was boosting Zhu Jiuyang's strength for his own safety, so he had to consider the scenario where the teacher might not be enough.
(End of Chapter)