Even though Director Zhi did not particularly care about Shamrock Enterprise, the mysterious Leaf King was still a terrifying individual. Despite that, Lu Yin did not seem to care about the powerhouse at all. The youth had secretly manipulated the Hall of Honor’s overseers, which was essentially the same as taking control of Mt. Microcosms’ authority.
This was what Director Zhi feared. Mt. Microcosms formed the core of the entire Human Domain. It was astronomically different from the authority that Lu Yin wielded over the Outerverse.
That was also not taking into account how Lu Yin was backed by the Chief Justice, Arch-Elder Zen, and Leon’s Armada.
There were few people in the entire Fifth Mainland who were able to arouse Director Zhi’s jealousy, and Lu Yin was by far the youngest of those few.
Neither Liu Ye nor Fei Hua received the attention that they had expected. They were Envoys, which made them true powerhouses in the Fifth Mainland, and yet they were far from the most powerful individuals at Aurora Fortress.
Aurora Fortress was mind-bogglingly huge, to the point where it would take several years to see every corner of the place.
Director Zhi led Lu Yin on a tour of the most important locations, such as where they manufactured radiant-grade and blackhole-grade Auroras. Lu Yin was even able to see where they built their newly developed blackhole-grade collapsible spacecraft.
“Can a collapsible vessel be upgraded beyond the blackhole grade?” Lu Yin was surprised by what he saw because he had only ever seen radiant-grade collapsible Auroras before. This restriction was because the vessel’s collapsible sections were unable to withstand the forces induced when a blackhole-grade vessel reached its maximum speed.
Director Zhi shrugged. “The technology’s been available for a long time, but we simply do not have enough of the required materials, so we’re only able to produce a few ships. They are usually all custom orders, and the clients are required to supply the materials for the collapsible portions of the ship themselves.”
“Speaking of materials—Director Zhi, I have some materials with me that I was hoping your company could help me with. I would like to use them to create a universal armor based off of this blueprint.” Lu Yin took out the aforementioned blueprint.
Director Zhi checked the plans. “That would not be a problem. It’s very simple to make universal armor, though might I ask, what materials does Alliance Leader Lu have on hand? There are certain materials that are difficult to process and combine.”
Lu Yin took out the various materials and spread them across the ground.
One of the people behind Director Zhi suddenly exclaimed, “Rucen Gold?”
The man then stepped forward and picked up a piece of metal from the ground that glowed with a faint gray as his eyes blazed with excitement.
Lu Yin shot Director Zhi a curious look.
Director Zhi said, “Don’t mind him, Alliance Leader Lu. He’s one of the engineers here at my Aurora Fortress. He’s obsessed with manufacturing, and he also has some level of understanding regarding all sorts of raw materials.”
Lu Yin nodded.
“Lodestar, Orbit Thread, and even Pinglass? All of these things are extremely rare materials, especially that Lodestar. That shouldn’t even exist anymore. How could it be here?” The man was incomparably excited as he muttered to himself.
Another person stepped forward from behind Director Zhi. He was an old man, and he hesitantly studied a thin bit of metal that looked more like a plant than metal. He squatted down to get a better look and then looked up at Lu Yin. “Is this still alive?”
Lu Yin arched a brow. Alive? What was with this question? Was the metal alive? Lu Yin did not understand the question, so he simply stayed silent.
“Alliance Leader Lu, is this living metal?” a man asked in disbelief after seeing the metal that the old man was holding in his hands.
The old man was similarly shocked. “I thought that living metal was something that only existed in ancient records. I never expected it to actually exist.”
Director Zhi’s eyes narrowed as he turned his focus back to Lu Yin. “Alliance Leader Lu, all of these materials are invaluable.”
Lu Yin smiled. “Their value is precisely why I want them to be used to make universal armor. After all, no matter how precious something may be, nothing is more valuable than life, right?”
“Universal armor? No.” The man who had recognized the Rucen Gold was still excited, and he looked up to stare at Lu Yin. “You want to use Lodestar to make universal armor? That’s a terrible joke! I refuse.”
“Using living metal to make universal armor? I can’t agree either,” the old man spoke up.
One after another, various people who had accompanied Director Zhi and Lu Yin to tour around Aurora Fortress managed to identify some of the materials. Not everything was identified, but those that were absolutely shocked the engineers.
Lu Yin had actually asked Ban Jiu to identify these materials, but the man had not been able to recognize even a tenth of them. In comparison, the engineers from Aurora Enterprises had succeeded in identifying almost all of the materials.
As expected, even people who were not managers in Aurora Enterprises had incredibly in-depth knowledge.
Lu Yin remained casual as he watched the various craftsmen. No matter how valuable these materials might be, he was certain that he wanted them to be used to create a set of universal armor. With materials of this grade, he would be able to repeatedly Enhance the armor and make it absolutely amazing.
“Alliance Leader Lu, you have put me in quite a difficult position. Truthfully, these materials are invaluable, and using them to make universal armor is far too wasteful. Doing so would not allow the materials to be used in a manner that best takes advantage of their characteristics. For example, that one metal, the Lodestar—if the collapsible portion of a vessel is made with that, it would be able to reach the eonlight grade!” Director Zhi emotionally explained.
Lu Yin shrugged. “There’s no other option, and it doesn’t matter how many people get offended. Director Zhi, you should already know that I was chased after by Seven Skygods, and so I can’t help but be concerned about my protection.”
People who had reached the level of Director Zhi naturally knew of the Seven Skygods.
“It’s just too wasteful! It’s impossible to use these materials to make universal armor. And I won’t agree! Doing so is an insult to these materials!” the old man shouted.
Even though the other craftsmen stayed silent, their faces showed their complete agreement with the old man.
Lu Yin also understood these people’s feelings. “Director Zhi, I, Lu Yin, am willing to pay you well to produce this for me.”
Everyone turned to look at Director Zhi, their eyes begging the man.
Director Zhi felt cornered. “Alliance Leader Lu, if my Aurora Enterprises wished to buy these materials, would it be possible? Of course, my Aurora Enterprises would also supply an appropriate defensive treasure that Alliance Leader Lu needs.”
Lu Yin instantly refused. “This matter concerns my life and wellbeing. Even if it’s a waste to use these materials, as long as the armor is even a little bit better, that’s good enough for me.”
Director Zhi felt helpless. If anyone else approached Aurora Fortress with these materials, no matter how high their status was, Director Zhi would be confident in being able to keep some behind. However, he really could not move directly against Lu Yin.
The other people all tried to persuade Lu Yin, but he remained steadfast. Even when Director Zhi offered a defensive treasure that could protect Lu Yin from attacks of a power level of 600,000, Lu Yin did not bat an eye.
Lu Yin believed a universal armor made with these materials could be Enhanced to the point where it would be comparable to the Cloudguard Robes that he had once worn.
“It’s just too wasteful! Even if we use these materials to make universal armor, it would only be able to resist attacks at a power level of a bit more than 400,000 at best. It’s very difficult to make something that can work against Envoys. Alliance Leader Lu, please reconsider! My Aurora Enterprises will provide you with a better defensive treasure than what you can get from using these materials. You’ve already said that protection is your entire goal,” the old man begged Lu Yin.
“When Senior refers to a better defensive treasure, can its materials compare to these?” Lu Yin asked in response.
The old man was startled. “As long as the item has a better defense, why would it matter if the materials are better?”
No one could understand Lu Yin’s thinking. They saw Lu Yin as a rich young master; he simply wanted the most expensive option, not necessarily the best.
Director Zhi stopped the craftsmen from continuing to badger Lu Yin. They had already said enough, and if they continued, it would just sour their relationship with Lu Yin.
“These materials are only a portion of what I have. If Director Zhi is willing, I am also willing to make a deal with Aurora Enterprises regarding materials of a similar quality to the ones that you see here,” Lu Yin offered with a smile.
Director Zhi and others were all shocked. “You actually have more materials of this grade?”
Lu Yin nodded. “Not at the moment, but I will shortly.”
Director Zhi did not quite believe Lu Yin’s claim. Aurora Enterprises was constantly scouring the entire universe for rare materials, and when it came to such things, not even the Hall of Honor could compare to Aurora Enterprises’ reserves. Aurora Fortress had the greatest concentration of rare materials in the entire universe. If Lu Yin’s claim to have more such materials was true, then could the guesses that people had made about him actually be true?
When Lu Yin had been in the Outerverse, he had constantly revealed different power vessels and equipment that allowed him to challenge powerhouses far beyond his own cultivation, and he had also used various natural treasures to avoid certain crises. For a long time, people had guessed that Lu Yin must have found some ancient ruins and that everything that he had revealed so far had come from ancient times. If that was true, then these materials should be the same.
“Do you truly have more?” the old man asked, his eyes glimmering.
Lu Yin nodded. “I only said it because it’s true.”
“Very well. If Alliance Leader Lu has such materials, then you can sell all of them to my Aurora Enterprises, and we will make sure to offer you a satisfactory price,” Director Zhi said with a smile.
Lu Yin had already considered what he would ask as payment: a customized spacecraft design that would be exclusively for the Great Eastern Alliance’s use. He wanted to give the Great Eastern Alliance a unique look.
“Hey, it’s still far too wasteful to make a universal armor from these things, so why don’t we do this?” the man who had recognized the Rucen Gold paused as he looked over at Lu Yin, “We will make you a bodysuit armor.”
“What’s a bodysuit armor?” Lu Yin was curious.
“bodysuit armor is a type of battle armor, but it acts like a second skin. This kind of armor best fits the human body, and most people can’t even notice that it’s there, as it won’t affect your movements at all. Universal armor is just something for ordinary humans to use to move about in space. It’s a useless tool that actually gets in the way in combat.”
Lu Yin’s eyes lit up. “So is this better than universal armor?”
“An item’s defensive abilities are based on the base materials. The advantage that bodysuit armor has is that ordinary people can’t even see it.”
Lu Yin nodded and smiled. “Alright, let’s go with a bodysuit armor then.”
It would take longer to produce a bodysuit armor than a universal armor, and Lu Yin planned to stay at Aurora Fortress until the manufacturing process finished.
“Brother Lu, aren’t you afraid that they’ll steal some of the materials?” Luo Shen murmured quietly as her eyes flitted about.
Lu Yin laughed. “No, I’m not worried at all.”
Several days later, Director Zhi visited Lu Yin again. Lu Yin was very interested in Aurora Fortress. “Director Zhi, what sort of power level can Aurora Fortress withstand?”
Director Zhi smiled. “A million.”
An excited light filled Lu Yin’s eyes. “A million? Are you saying that not even Yuan Shi could break through this place’s defenses?”
Director Zhi smiled, but he stayed silent on the matter.
Lu Yin looked down and saw a sprawling city. No fewer than ten billion people resided in Aurora Fortress. All of them were the employees and families of the workers who ran Aurora Enterprises’ headquarters, and they had created a massive city.
Included within the city were corporate behemoths that spanned the universe, such as the Mavis Bank and Shamrock Enterprise.
A dazzling light shone out from a high point off in a distant part of Aurora Fortress in a corner of the city. Lu Yin looked over and heard a loud bang.
“It’s that kid again. He’s getting worse and worse,” Director Zhi angrily complained.
Lu Yin grew curious. He focused on the distant location and saw that a group of people were racing with cars. Yes, they were really racing cars, the primitive, four-wheeled models.
“Are those race cars?” Lu Yin was stunned.
Director Zhi sighed. “It’s my kid and a bunch of other layabout brats who only race cars. Every time they do this, the city’s residents get nervous. But hey, this time, we can make him stop.”
Lu Yin grew more interested. “Those cars look very old, and there’s no excitement at all for a cultivator to drive them.”
“They converted them to run on star energy and specially modified them. Those cars are fast enough to even give a cultivator a thrill.”
“Director Zhi, please carry on with your work, though I would like to go see them.” Lu Yin expressed his interest.
Director Zhi was momentarily surprised, but he soon smiled. “That’s right, I forgot. Alliance Leader Lu is about the same age as my child. If you’re interested in such things, my son has a race car at home. Would Alliance Leader Lu like to try it out?”
“Thank you, Director Zhi.”
OMA’s Thoughts
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC’ed By: OMA
