Chapter 656: Mad Scramble
Chapter 656: Chapter 654: Mad Scramble
In an instant, all eyes were fixed on Artifact Refining Furnace number seven.
This was because the Magical Treasure refined by the man at station seven was now emitting faint traces of light.
For a Magical Treasure to emit light meant that its quality was exceptionally high.
There’s a phenomenon known as awakening for Magical Treasures. Any awakened Magical Treasure is of a higher quality than one that isn’t.
Clearly, the Magical Treasure being refined at station seven was showing signs of awakening.
“Damn, the Magical Treasure that kid refined actually awakened.”
“I think his name is Chen Shou. He has to be the most outstanding one in this batch.”
“It looks like he’ll be able to refine a Middle-Grade Dharma Artifact at the very least. Becoming a One-Star Middle-Grade Refiner should be a sure thing.”
The crowd broke into an uproar.
They were all stunned by the man at station seven.
After all, for an Apprentice Artifact Refiner to succeed in refining a Middle-Grade Dharma Artifact on their first attempt was the mark of a true genius.
At that moment, members of both the Han Family and the Zuo Family shot to their feet.
All of them stared intently at station seven.
The Magical Treasure at station seven was about to be completed.
“HUMMM!”
Following a low hum, the Magical Treasure being refined at station seven unexpectedly began to vibrate.
The man at station seven was thrilled.
When he finished, he held up a blade-shaped Magical Treasure, a faint sheen emanating from its surface.
In that instant, he became the center of everyone’s attention.
“I succeeded! Master, could you please inspect it and tell me what grade of Dharma Artifact it is?”
The man excitedly carried the Magical Treasure over to the supervising Artifact Refiner.
That Artifact Refiner, a Two-Star Refiner, looked at the young man with great appreciation.
Without delay, he began the inspection on the spot. The Two-Star Refiner reached out and gripped the Magical Treasure.
He then abruptly infused it with his own Cultivation Power.
“HUMMM!”
The blade vibrated continuously, and in the next moment, it emitted powerful energy fluctuations.
After a long moment, it finally fell still.
However, the light it emitted grew increasingly brilliant.
The Two-Star Refiner finally stopped and smiled at the man. “Congratulations. This is a Middle-Grade Dharma Artifact. You have earned the Artifact Refiner Guild’s certification as a One-Star Middle-Grade Refiner.”
The man, Chen Shou, trembled with excitement.
“Thank you, Master.”
At the same time, the Artifact Refiner immediately asked, “Chen Shou, are you willing to join our Artifact Refiner Guild?”
The Artifact Refiner Guild was also actively recruiting newly promoted refiners like him as part of their reserve force.
Chen Shou grew even more excited and was just about to agree.
But just then, a group of people suddenly rushed over.
It was the Han Family.
The leader of the group said to Chen Shou, “Chen Shou, are you willing to join our Han Family?”
“As an Artifact Refining Family, our Han Family has a deep and rich heritage. If you join us, we can guarantee your meteoric rise.”
A One-Star Middle-Grade Refiner, especially one who achieved the rank upon his very first certification, possessed immense potential and was a target for recruitment by all the major powers.
Chen Shou was momentarily stunned.
He didn’t know how to choose.
He knew that the Artifact Refining Families—the Han Family and the Zuo Family—were both major powers with formidable Artifact Refining Techniques.
It was safe to say that joining either the Han Family or the Zuo Family now would bring him endless benefits.
In fact, the current Artifact Refiner Guild was controlled by the Zuo Family and the Han Family.
Joining the Artifact Refiner Guild was not as good an option as joining the Zuo or Han Family directly.
Just as he was hesitating, another voice rang out.
“Chen Shou, would you be willing to join our Zuo Family?”
“As an Artifact Refining Family, our Zuo Family is considerably more powerful than the Han Family.”
The speaker was from the Zuo Family, and he was openly belittling the Han Family.
The Han Family members were furious.
“Zuo Family, you’ve gone too far!”
“You’re courting death, daring to look down on our Han Family.”
But the members of the Zuo Family didn’t back down in the slightest.
“What’s the matter, not happy about it? What are you going to do, bite me?”
It looked like the two groups were about to come to blows right then and there, all over a single One-Star Middle-Grade Refiner.
The Two-Star Refiner from the Artifact Refiner Guild was furious.
The Zuo and Han Families were openly poaching talent, and there was nothing the Artifact Refiner Guild could do about it.
After all, even the Artifact Refiner Guild itself was controlled by the Han and Zuo Families.
This sort of thing was permitted.
After all, the Zuo and Han Families were in constant competition, frantically scrambling to snatch up any available talent.
He immediately shouted, “You can fight over recruits, but you cannot come to blows in here!”
“Otherwise, you will be punished!”
He couldn’t stop the Han and Zuo Families from competing, but he would not allow them to fight here.
The members of both families, and even the other Artifact Refiners from the Guild, all turned to look at Chen Shou.
Within the Artifact Refiner Guild, aside from the Zuo and Han Family factions, there was also a neutral party of refiners. These refiners had not joined either family, so they too were competing against the two families for talent.
The members of the Zuo and Han Families didn’t actually come to blows.
However, they all turned to look at Chen Shou.
“Chen Shou, please make your choice.”
All three parties looked at Chen Shou. He was a prize that everyone wanted.
Chen Shou hesitated for a moment before stating decisively, “I am willing to join the Zuo Family.”
What?
Hearing Chen Shou’s decision to join the Zuo Family…
…the members of the Han Family were instantly incensed.
The people from the Artifact Refiner Guild’s neutral faction also felt helpless.
Only the members of the Zuo Family were overjoyed.
“Hahaha! Chen Shou, excellent! You have made the correct choice. Joining our Zuo Family comes with endless benefits.”
The members of the Han Family glared daggers at the Zuo Family, but since the choice had been made, there was nothing they could do.
They could only wait for the next talented refiner to appear.
The rest of the apprentices in the batch finished one after another.
Of course, a few of them failed to refine a Dharma Artifact within the time limit. They could only leave in disappointment, retaining their status as Apprentice Artifact Refiners.
Besides Chen Shou, a few others were ultimately certified as One-Star Lower-Grade Refiners.
They were clearly not as outstanding as Chen Shou. The Han and Zuo Families selected a few of them but showed little interest.
Nevertheless, those who were chosen to join the Han or Zuo Family looked very pleased.
“Next group! Those whose names I call, please step forward.”
Soon, it was Jiang Chen’s group’s turn.
A dozen or so people stepped forward one by one as their names were called.
Jiang Chen was assigned to Artifact Refining Furnace number fifteen.
“Apologies, I’m late.”
Just then, another figure walked in from outside the Artifact Refining Pavilion.
The voice quickly drew everyone’s attention.
Immediately, upon seeing the figure, many people cried out in surprise.
“It’s Zuo Feng of the Zuo Family!”
“It’s really him! Legend has it that Zuo Feng is the most talented Artifact Refiner of the Zuo Family’s younger generation. I heard this is his first certification exam, too. They say he can easily refine a Middle-Grade Dharma Artifact and might even be able to attempt a Top-Grade Dharma Artifact!”
“That’s him, I’ve heard of him. He’s one of the young talents the Zuo Family is heavily invested in.”