Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Feeling Cooped Up

Wang Jie kept chatting with Jiang Cai, coaxing out information bit by bit.

Of course, he also mixed in his own “insights,” speaking in a deliberately mysterious way that left Jiang Cai bewildered. Jiang Cai clearly didn’t understand—yet somehow still felt it was profound.

Elsewhere, Jiang You Sheng listened quietly.

Jiang Cai repeated Wang Jie’s words without missing a syllable.

“So why is the method of star-refining special?” Jiang Cai recited, trying hard to sound wise. “Because when there is no starforce in your heart, starforce naturally exists. Heaven and earth have spirit. Sometimes starforce runs out…”

Jiang You Sheng had never heard theories like this. Then again, he had never met many Chen refiners.

The universe was vast. Chen refiners were far too rare.

“Tower Lord,” Jiang Cai admitted, “this Master speaks too deeply. I don’t understand.”

Jiang You Sheng said, “If you could understand, you would be a Chen refiner too. Go serve Master. It seems he is quite satisfied with you.”

“Yes.”

In just over ten days, Wang Jie had a decent grasp of Chen refiners.

He learned the going rates for star-refining, as well as details about artifact craft and Chen artifacts.

He also learned that when a Chen refiner infused starforce, they usually exhausted their own starforce first, then replenished it. That recovery alone took at least three days.

So he followed that timing.

Jiang You Sheng brought him no fewer than twenty materials—at that pace, work that would take about two months.

As for starstone, besides the agreed price, the starstone used for the refiner’s recovery also had to be paid by the client. It was an unspoken rule.

Wang Jie couldn’t “earn” starstone from the star-refining itself. The starforce extracted from ten thousand starstone was just enough to complete the refining of one item.

The only true profit was the recovery portion—the extra starstone provided so the Chen refiner could restore their strength.

It wasn’t small. Two tenths of the total.

Wang Jie spent forty days in total on the work—much faster than Jiang You Sheng had expected.

When Jiang You Sheng arrived at the courtyard, he saw the neatly arranged materials at a glance. Every one of them had been infused with starforce—genuine, stable, ready for crafting into Chen artifacts.

Jiang You Sheng bowed deeply. “Master’s methods are superb. I admire you.”

He produced a storage ring. “A small token. I hope Master won’t think it too meager.”

Wang Jie kept his tone even. “Thank you.”

Jiang You Sheng had his people carry the materials away. He lingered, looking like he wanted to speak, but couldn’t decide how.

“Tower Lord,” Wang Jie said, “is there something else?”

Jiang You Sheng hesitated. “I have a question, but I’m not sure whether I should ask.”

“Go ahead.”

At this point, it didn’t matter. The question was coming either way.

“Master seems to cultivate lockforce?”

Wang Jie smiled faintly. “Is there some necessary link between being a Chen refiner and cultivating starforce?”

Jiang You Sheng froze.

Wasn’t there?

How could someone who cultivated lockforce infuse starforce?

He couldn’t figure it out.

Wang Jie added calmly, “My luck is poor, and my background is worse. I never obtained a cultivation method for starforce. But even if I cultivate lockforce, I can still use lockforce to drive starforce and act as a Chen refiner. Tower Lord… are you looking down on me?”

Jiang You Sheng jolted upright. “Master, please don’t misunderstand! I absolutely didn’t mean that.”

“I’m tired today,” Wang Jie said. “Tower Lord, please return.”

Jiang You Sheng bowed hastily. “Master, please rest well. I will visit again in a few days.”

Before leaving, he placed another storage ring down as an apology, then finally departed.

Wang Jie exhaled.

He’d been waiting for that question.

If he could fool Jiang You Sheng, he could probably fool most people.

And he dared speak to Jiang You Sheng this way because the status of a Chen refiner was even higher than he’d imagined.

For a Chen refiner, the greatest value wasn’t in earning money through small commissions. It was in attaching themselves to a suitable Hundred-Star powerhouse.

Star-Breaking, Full-Star, Roaming-Star—and only after that came the Hundred-Star realm.

If a Hundred-Star expert wanted to break through to the next stage, they needed rare materials and had to refine those materials into themselves. The better the materials, the stronger they would become after the breakthrough.

And what every Hundred-Star powerhouse desired most was a Chen refiner at their side—someone who could star-refine every material they obtained.

That was the true worth of a Chen refiner.

Deputy Domain Lord Yan was only Roaming-Star, after all.

So no matter where you went, the appearance of a Chen refiner could draw the attention of Hundred-Star giants. A single word could shake an entire star chain.

The more arrogant Wang Jie acted, the more “normal” it seemed.

His gaze fell on the two storage rings.

One held one hundred thousand starstone.

The other held two hundred thousand.

Double the payment for the work.

Jiang You Sheng was generous.

Next, Wang Jie wanted to go out for a walk.

He stepped out of the courtyard and found Jiang Cai waiting. Jiang Cai bowed at once.

“Take me out,” Wang Jie said. “I want some air.”

Jiang Cai hesitated, then nodded and led the way.

In principle, because the fourth defense line had been attacked, no puppeteer was allowed to leave the Puppeteer Tower.

But that rule didn’t apply to a Chen refiner.

After all, he was a Chen refiner.

The Tower Lord had said to meet his demands.

And Wang Jie claimed he only wanted a walk.

He really did just go out to breathe, then returned shortly after.

“By the way,” Wang Jie said casually, “where is Bei Feng? I haven’t seen him in a while. I want to catch up.”

Jiang Cai couldn’t understand why Master Wang wanted anything to do with that Bei Feng, but he led him over immediately.

Bei Feng’s courtyard wasn’t far. Perhaps because of his cultivation, his treatment was also high.

Bei Feng didn’t expect the visit, but he invited Wang Jie in. Both of them remained inside their puppets, so neither could see the other.

“Brother Bei Feng, long time no see,” Wang Jie said. “Are you settling in?”

Xia Bei Yi stared at him from within his puppet. This noisy man was actually a Chen refiner.

“I’m used to it,” Xia Bei Yi said. “By the way… Brother still hasn’t told me your name.”

“A name is just a label,” Wang Jie said. “No need to mention it.”

Bei Feng paused. “Brother… where did you come from? What are you doing here? You look travel-worn. Do you have some plan?”

Wang Jie asked question after question. Bei Feng answered with forced patience, thoughts racing.

It felt less like a conversation and more like an interrogation.

And he couldn’t refuse. In front of a Chen refiner, ordinary people always acted respectful.

He ground his teeth, furious, but had no choice.

He couldn’t figure out why this man had fixated on him.

[Is he just overly friendly?]

“Hey,” Wang Jie said cheerfully, “Brother and I hit it off at first sight. Since we’re both stuck in the Puppeteer Tower, we should meet more. Let’s stop here for today. Tomorrow—tomorrow I’ll come again.”

Bei Feng was speechless.

But he swallowed his temper, spoke politely, and even had to welcome the next visit.

The next day, Wang Jie came again.

This time, Jiang Cai didn’t follow. Inside the Puppeteer Tower, wandering the grounds was allowed.

Day after day, Wang Jie visited Bei Feng, prying for every scrap of information he could.

He had to return to the Silver Radiance Empire.

Because Blue Star was there.

Otherwise, going to the seventh star chain under the identity of a Chen refiner wouldn’t be a bad path at all.

And the Shuang Hua Sect had treated him as expendable.

That debt would be paid.

After six straight days, Bei Feng couldn’t take it anymore. This bastard could at least tell him his name.

Then someone from the Eight-Hell Mad Clan arrived, requesting star-refining.

Wang Jie looked at the two Mad Clan beings and stayed silent.

“Master,” one of them said, “name your demands.”

Wang Jie raised his eyes. “I don’t really have demands. I’m just wondering… how many weapons does the Mad Clan need star-refined?”

They exchanged looks, uncertain how to answer.

Wang Jie felt a flicker of satisfaction.

He wasn’t afraid they would ask for too much.

He was only afraid they would ask for too little.

The more the better.

As for the war, he didn’t care.

If the Shuang Hua Sect Master had deliberately started this conflict, then preparations were already in place. A few Chen artifacts wouldn’t decide the overall outcome.

“One hundred items,” the Mad Clan being said at last.

Wang Jie blinked. “How many?”

His voice even rose.

The Mad Clan being looked faintly guilty. “One hundred items.”

Wang Jie fell silent.

Outside the courtyard, Bei Feng arrived—and happened to hear “one hundred items.” His face sank.

[This is bad.]

If the Eight-Hell Mad Clan gained a hundred more Chen artifacts, the Shuang Hua Sect’s losses would be enormous.

But he had no way to stop it.

“That’s too many,” Wang Jie said flatly. “I’ll work myself to death.”

The Mad Clan being said, “We know Master is tired. The clan has decided to pay double for Master’s star-refining. We ask Master to endure the hardship.”

Wang Jie rubbed his forehead. “Do you know what star-refining costs? How much time it wastes? Have you ever seen a Chen refiner used like this? Am I supposed to stop cultivating myself?”

“Go back first,” he said. “Let me think.”

The Mad Clan beings withdrew.

Wang Jie smiled to himself.

This deal would make him rich.

He decided to go shopping.

With Jiang Cai guiding him, he left the Puppeteer Tower. He also wanted to pass by the mission site and take a look.

“Brother—Brother!”

Bei Feng called out, chasing after him.

Wang Jie turned his head.

“Brother, you’re going out?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you take me with you?”

Wang Jie feigned curiosity. “Brother Bei Feng, why do you want to go out?”

“I’m cooped up.”

“Me too,” Wang Jie said, delighted. “Brother and I really are the same. We both like a little excitement.”

“Exactly,” Bei Feng said quickly. “Then let’s go together?”

“No.”

Bei Feng froze. “Why?”

Wang Jie said solemnly, “I don’t want to break the rules.”

Then he left.

Bei Feng stared after him, stunned. [That bastard.]

Once outside, Wang Jie felt refreshed.

They wanted to use him as a pawn? Fine.

He would see how far he could toy with them.

As he walked, he finally took a real look at Qing Shan Cheng.

He had Jiang Cai lead him to buy things for protection. First he purchased disaster materials worth one hundred thousand starstone—so much a normal storage ring couldn’t even hold it all. Then they went to buy a storage ring.

He set his sights on one that cost two hundred thousand starstone.

The price was outrageous—equal to twenty Chen artifacts. But expensive things had their reasons.

First, storage rings were rare in the first place.

Even the well-connected trialists from Jia Yi Sect hadn’t all had one.

An ordinary storage ring held only a few cubic meters. Wang Jie’s own ring was like that. Wen Zhao’s likely wasn’t much bigger.

But this one could fit an entire small mountain.

As cultivation rose, it wasn’t only size that mattered. Certain items couldn’t be stored together; they needed separation.

A few cubic meters would never be enough.

Even so, two hundred thousand starstone made him wince.

But if it solved the problem for good…

He grit his teeth and bought it.

After all, it was money Jiang You Sheng had handed him.

Next, Wang Jie bought a formation scroll.

A formation scroll was formation dao condensed into a flat plane, like a sheet of paper that could be released at any time.

Naturally, it was expensive.

This one was a three-wraith formation. Once released, it could confuse a powerful enemy and give Wang Jie a chance to escape.

It was said to work even against the Full-Star realm.

One hundred fifty thousand starstone.