Omens

"Well... shopkeeper, how do you intend to accept this item?"

Chen Lu saw the risks involved, but thought that selling to a large merchant firm would ensure everything was foolproof.

But if we sell to them as the shopkeeper suggested, the risk is still too great.

He dared not gamble on whether those large trading companies would truly honor their promise not to disclose customer information.

At least the shopkeeper in front of us has been cooperating for many years, and we are both aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

"Last time those people sold it for five thousand spirit stones. My temple is too small to offer such a high price."

After you pay off your loan, I can give you another five hundred spirit coins, for a total of four thousand spirit coins.

After the shopkeeper finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment, then continued:

"Or, if you buy a magical artifact, I'll give you a discount of two thousand spirit stones, which is six thousand spirit stones."

Chen Lu pretended to hesitate for a moment, then chose the second option.

"Shopkeeper, why don't I go to the storeroom and pick something out?"

"That's natural."

The two entered the warehouse together.

After more than a month, many of the magical artifacts in the storeroom have been updated.

In the corner of the storeroom, there were four alchemy furnaces.

Judging from the marks on the bottom of the furnaces, these alchemy furnaces had all been used.

Chen Lu was somewhat curious.

In his mind, alchemists wouldn't easily sell something as private as an alchemy furnace, since it was their livelihood.

Even if he sold them to buy a new stove, he didn't see these four items when he came last time.

It's impossible that four alchemists would choose to sell to the same shop in just one month.

The divination result is a favorable omen, which means there is no risk and there is nothing to worry about.

But Chen Lu still wanted to investigate the origin of these alchemy furnaces.

"Shopkeeper, your secondhand business is doing quite well! You've received four alchemy furnaces in just over a month!"

The shopkeeper glanced at the four alchemy furnaces, waved his hand helplessly, and laughed:

"Not to mention my place, even the entire Fenglinfang area doesn't have as many as Lingbaoge."

My business has been a bit slow lately. The supplier said that the variety of religious items I sell is not comprehensive enough.

Those who come to buy ritual implements will immediately think this Lingbao Pavilion is unprofessional upon seeing it, and will go to the larger Lingbao Pavilions instead.

At this point, he spat out a vicious "Pui!"

"That guy intimidated me at the time, but I gritted my teeth and made up for all the missing parts."

New ones are too expensive, while used ones are cheaper. Many cultivators don't really care whether the magic weapon is brand new or not, as long as the quality is good enough.

After I put it up, I realized, would people who eat rice leave just because a restaurant doesn't sell noodles?

The reason those ritual implements are not for sale is because no one buys them, or very few people do.

"Because of those few magical artifacts, a large sum of my spirit stones has been tied up for many years and remains untouched."

The shopkeeper seemed to be in a good mood because he had received what he had been longing for, so he was very talkative.

They even told him, an outsider, things that were originally inside information.

Chen Lu walked over, looked at the issued nameplate, pointed to the alchemy furnace of the mid-grade magic artifact, and asked:

"And this one, what's its origin?"

After checking the purchase date, the shopkeeper took out the ledger from the storage bag.

After finding the content, it was introduced as follows:

"It is said that it is a new alchemy furnace developed by the Medicine King Zong."

Because the Immortal Sect Alliance had previously signed a convention entitled "Regulations on Prohibiting and Restricting the Emission of Turbid Gas from Alchemy Furnaces and Rectifying the Environmental Regulations of Alchemy Workshops".

As a sacred place recognized by alchemists throughout the world, the Medicine King Sect naturally had to set an example and developed several products.

This is the third model, the ninth unit in the eighth batch.

It is said that the new alchemy furnace, compared to the old one, will not emit any waste gas at all.

Waste cinnabar and waste medicine can be processed in the furnace and refined at high temperatures into the most common plant ash.

Each one has its own unique characteristics, such as mass production, unmanned production, and unmanned processing of elixirs.

The previous method of refining only one type of elixir has been changed to nine methods of application, including granules, liquids, and patches.

Upon hearing the introduction, Chen Lu's pupils constricted sharply, and he quickly pressed for an answer:

"What did you say? Nobody made it!"

The shopkeeper thought for a moment, then said somewhat uncertainly:

"It seems so, but those alchemy furnaces are too expensive. My little shop can't accommodate such a great master."

A surge of anxiety welled up in Chen Lu's heart. He tried to suppress it and continued to press, "I'm asking which pills can be refined without human intervention?"

"It is said, of course it is just hearsay, I am not very sure, but the person who supplies me said that the Medicine King Sect can now produce all Qi Refining level pills without anyone making them."

"In other words, in a few years, alchemists will no longer be needed to make pills at the Qi Refining level."

Chen Lu muttered a few words to himself.

He hasn't even entered the industry yet, but he sees signs that it will be phased out.

Just like in the previous life, the transition from hand-weaving to machine-weaving caused almost all female textile workers to lose their jobs.

Although it is difficult to compare the two, the final outcome is already unfolding before Chen Lu's eyes.

The powerful productivity brought about by the Industrial Revolution exacerbated all contradictions, ultimately leading to World War I.

He already had a premonition about what consequences a cultivation version of the Industrial Revolution would lead to if it were placed in the world of cultivation.

"Pretty much. At least in a few years, those pills with large production volumes and wide sales channels won't need people anymore."

Merchants are always very sensitive to profits. Although the shopkeeper didn't know if the technology was stable, there was no doubt that low-level alchemists would be eliminated by the cultivation world.

"The Thousand Machines Sect, which calls itself the holy land of weapon crafting, has developed a production line that can manufacture low-grade magic weapons without human intervention."

From casting the raw materials to shaping the ritual implement, no weapon refiner is needed; the only requirement is to provide the ore and the raw materials.

Unlike the Medicine King Sect, the Thousand Machine Sect has achieved not only faster speed than weapon refiners, but also at a significantly lower cost.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Lu finally felt a sense of panic.

Changes in the cultivation world often come quietly, in ways that no one can predict.

If the Thousand Machines Sect goes a step further and causes a significant drop in the price of magical artifacts, the outbreak of conflict seems imminent.

Fortunately, the cultivation world is quite different from my previous life. Thanks to the long lifespan, those major events that shocked the cultivation world need to be brewing for many years before they happen.

To put examples from past lives here, we'll have to wait at least several hundred years.

Although it is a long time ago, Chen Lu already felt panicked about his own strength.

He must work hard to improve his cultivation so that he won't become a dispensable weed on the day the conflict erupts.

"Shopkeeper, what special functions does this alchemy furnace have?"

Chen Lu steered the conversation back on track.

"This... is mass-produced. A typical alchemy furnace can only produce about twelve at a time."

Larger ones have higher output, but they are more difficult to control and require a particularly skilled alchemist to master.

This one, however, remains the same size and can produce up to forty pills at a time, with the same difficulty of operation as a regular alchemy furnace.

Chen Lu had no other choice. Besides, this was instructed by a diviner, so the quality must be guaranteed.

But just in case, he asked about the possible consequences.