Tang Hao met the Taoist masters and heavenly masters in the studio.
“Fellow Cultivator Tang!”
Shabby Taoist Master was the first to greet him. Then, he smiled and said, “No, I should call you Perfected Person now, right?”
The news that Fellow Cultivator Tang had advanced to the State of Foundation Establishment had long spread throughout Mao Mountain. They all knew about it.
At that time, when the acting Elder told them the news, the entire Mao Mountain was in an uproar.
They were thoroughly shocked by the news.
A half-step Perfected Person at nineteen, and a full Perfected Person at twenty. That was simply incredulous.
“Congratulations! Congratulations!”
Trendy Taoist Master and the others cupped their hands and congratulated him.
The heavenly masters also walked up and greeted him respectfully, “Spiritual Master Tang!”
“Eh, just call me Fellow Cultivator! I’m used to it!” Tang Hao waved his hand.
Then, he told them his purpose of coming.
“An artifact formation that covers the entire Provincial City? Oh my god! How big is that?” The Taoist masters were shocked.
Fellow Cultivator Tang was getting more and more powerful. It was amazing that he could make such an Artifact formation.
Then, they all exclaimed in admiration.
“Wonderful idea, Fellow Cultivator Tang!”
“The name is also very meaningful. We can achieve true peace with the formation!”
“That’s right, this is a meritorious deed! It’d be great if we can cover the entire Huaxia with the formation!”
Tang Hao laughed drily when he heard that.
It was not easy to craft the Artifact formation. The materials cost a lot of money, not to mention the craftsmanship. Each Artifact of the formation was made of high-quality spirit jade nourished by many spiritual items.
With his current reserves of spirit jade, he could only make two more such arrays.
‘Cover the entire Huaxia! You must be joking!
‘It’s impossible to cover the entire Huaxia!’
At most, he could make a few more in the future to cover the major cities. That was the extent of his abilities.
” Hey, Fellow Cultivator Tang! What was the identification pendant you mentioned earlier? Quickly show it to us!” Trendy Taoist Master said.
Tang Hao took out a few jade pendants and handed them over.
“You only need to drip a drop of blood on it. Remember to wear it at all times. Otherwise, when the Artifact formation is activated, you will be ejected,” Tang Hao said.
“Oh, it’s numbered? This is number 71. Do you have a smaller number, Fellow Cultivator Tang? I want a single-digit number!”
“I want a single-digit number too!”
The Taoist masters became excited.
In the future, that would be the identification document of the cultivation world! Every cultivator needed to have one. A single-digit identification number would be a status symbol.
When they walk on the streets in the future, they would lift up their clothes and inadvertently reveal that single-digit identification pendant. Wow! How cool would that be?
Just thinking about it made them excited.
The logic was the same as car plates or employee identification numbers. The lesser the number, the higher the status!
The heavenly masters also started shouting.
“Give me a single-digit pendant, Spiritual Master Tang. Just name your price!”
Tang Hao waved his hand and said, “Don’t get too excited. I’m not releasing any of the single-digit pendants. In fact, the first fifty aren’t for sale!”
Of course, Tang Hao had considered the fact that the lesser numbers were the most precious. He planned to keep them for now.
Naturally, they were disappointed.
However, they also knew that the Tang Hao was reserving the lesser numbers for more important people. The Senior Uncles and Elders at Mao Mountain would certainly be fighting for the single-digits.
“Then I want number 51!”
“Dammit, stop fighting with me over it! I’m your Senior Brother, so you’ll have to give it to me!”
“So what if you’re my Senior Brother? You should be a role model and let me have it!”
The Taoist masters’ faces were turning red as they argued.
“OK! OK! All of you can draw lots and I’ll record the number down. That’ll be the number you get!” Tang Hao said helplessly.
“Alright, let’s try out luck!”
In the end, Shabby Taoist Master picked number 51. He was beaming with joy, and he held onto the pendant as though he was holding some treasure.
“Number 51! I’m ahead of all you guys!”
He began to brag.
“Dammit!”
The Taoist masters gnashed their teeth as they watched. They wished that they could beat him up.
Some were happy after drawing lots, but some were disappointed.
Tang Hao had chosen numbers from regular intervals. There were some in the hundreds, and some in the two-hundreds.
Those who got two-digit pendants were beaming, while those who got three-digit pendants were dejected.
“Remember to drip a drop of blood on it before putting it on!”
Tang Hao reminded them again before he left.
It was already dark outside the studio. Looking at his watch, it was already seven o’clock.
Tang Hao gave General Bai a call.
“You’d better not be up to something again this time, Comrade Tang Hao!” General Bai said.
“No!” Tang Hao laughed.
Then, he told him about the Artifact formation.
“Wow! That’s a good idea!” General Bai exclaimed. “OK, I’m on board! Go ahead and do it!”
“Do we have only one formation? We’ll definitely need more. The Capital needs one, and River Delta City too!
“Make two more to protect the Capital and River Delta City. I’ll report your deeds to the Higher-Ups. You’ve broken through recently, right? You’ll definitely be promoted too.
“Lieutenant General Tang! How about that?”
“Well…”
Tang Hao was tempted.
Then, he gritted his teeth and said, “Alright! It’s settled then!”
After a pause, he said, “I’m preparing to set up the formation tonight. I need to verify the number of cultivators in Provincial City first. Send some people and that radar over so that we don’t miss out on anyone.”
“Alright, I’ll get to it!”
About ten minutes later, General Bai called back.
“It’s settled. We’ll be setting off soon. Right, I’ve reported this to the Higher-Ups and they’re very interested. You’ll be Lieutenant General for sure!”
Half an hour later, at a military base near the Capital, a fleet of military aircraft took off. They carried the radar and personnel and headed toward Province Z.
Meanwhile, Tang Hao studied on the map the best location to lay the formation.
He rushed over to the place, took out a compass, and decided on the final location.
A few hours later, Tang Hao went to the airbase near Provincial City and met General Bai and the others.
After a short exchange of pleasantries, General Bai handed over a document.
“This is the register. Now, eighty-three cultivators are living and working in Provincial City. Their addresses are inside.”
“Eighty-three… that’s not a lot.”
“Of course. The operation had scared away a lot of people, but I’m not sure if there’s anyone we missed,” General Bai said.
Tang Hao nodded and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s start!”
Soon, a long convoy drove out of the base and headed to the city.
