Chapter 1653 – Celebration Banquet
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This time, Lin Ming hadn’t handed over many Heretical God Symbols at the start, instead handing them all in near the end. This was a slap in the face for the divine runic masters who had doubted him.
In the early part of the first year when Lin Ming had only handed in divine runic symbols in the single digits, many divine runic masters gossiped and said that Lin Ming would definitely be unable to complete the task. There were even some people who said that if Lin Ming could finish his task, they would eat their own divine runic tables like steamed buns.
But in the end, Lin Ming had taken a year and nine months to complete the task. Without a doubt, this left all of his detractors’ faces swollen red from shame.
In their deep mortification they began to curse Lin Ming and say that he was putting on an act. If he could clearly complete them early, why would he wait until the final several months to turn them in? If this wasn’t putting on a show, what was?
But, although these divine runic masters cursed Lin Ming in their heart, they still understood that Lin Ming’s ability to draw up divine runic symbols far surpassed their imaginations!
Towards someone this young but with such an absurdly high level of talent in the divine runic arts, those people that openly gossiped about him decided to take a new approach to the current situation; they decided to scurry away. If they had offended someone like this wouldn’t it be better to just hide?
As these people were mulling over leaving Divine Rune City, the Divine Runic Masters Guild was holding a massive celebration banquet. One reason was to celebrate Lin Ming’s completion of his task and another reason was to propagandize the successes of the Divine Runic Masters Guild so that more divine runic masters would join them, causing Divine Rune City to grow even stronger.
Lin Ming originally had no interest in attending this celebration banquet, but after Song Wen repeatedly requested his presence and said that it was for the future of the Divine Runic Masters Guild, Lin Ming decided to take up the offer. He allowed them to do as they wished.
Before the celebration banquet began, all sorts of celebrities in the world of divine runic masters began to converge. All of them wanted to experience the magnificent style and elegance of this new legendary divine runic master.
Someone like Lin Ming who had a limitless future in front of them was simply a spirit treasure in human form. There were countless influences that wanted to win him over but he had declined all guests during his seclusion. Since these influences didn’t have the opportunity to meet him before, they certainly wouldn’t miss the chance at this celebration banquet.
For a time, all sorts of people surrounded Lin Ming. These celebrities of the inner Asura Road greeted him, wanting to get on good terms with him.
This was a scene that Suya definitely wouldn’t miss out on. However, she wasn’t the only bright spot on the field. Even though she put on her eternally sexy and captivating clothes, she still couldn’t cover up the light of the other girls.
In the center of the field there was no shortage of proud beauties from many different great influences. These women all came in their own styles. Some were cute and lovable, some were pure and ethereal, some were exploding from their clothes, and no matter which beautiful young woman it was, Suya didn’t necessarily surpass them.
And after Lin Ming arrived, he became the focus of all these young ladies’ wiles.
“Grandmaster Lin Ming, you are far too fierce. I’ve been studying the divine runic arts for more than 10 years but I’m still only just a little first grade divine runic master. But Grandmaster Lin Ming doesn’t seem much older than me yet your divine runic arts are skilled enough to transform classic versions of divine runic symbols. You can establish your own sect and begin your own inheritance! When my grandpa returned from Divine Rune City, he had nothing but endless praise for Grandmaster Lin Ming!”
A young girl with snow-white skin and shimmering bright eyes breathily said. Her long dark hair fell down her shoulders like an inky waterfall and as she spoke to Lin Ming her vision was filled with an alluring charm. As she lifted a glass of wine in her hands, her pale white hands contrasted with the deep red wine, seeming especially beautiful.
The grandpa that she was mentioning was an Empyrean supreme elder.
Of course, an Empyrean’s granddaughter wasn’t anything too great. After all, a general Empyrean had far too many granddaughters. All descendants of Empyreans had to rely on their own abilities and it was quite good for her to become a first grade divine runic master in 10 years.
But to suddenly be referred to as ‘Grandmaster Lin Ming’, Lin Ming had a strange expression come over his face. To think that he had inexplicably become a grandmaster… it was quite bewildering. “I am not a grandmaster; just refer to me by my name…”
“In my eyes you are a grandmaster… I wonder, if you have any free time, perhaps you could… direct… my divine runic arts…?”
The young girl said, her face blushing red. Just as she was about to speak again, an old man with silver hair approached Lin Ming. This old man wore purple robes and his white hair was frizzy like needles that stuck up from his head. His aura was restrained and his eyes were sharp. Lin Ming could see that he was a master at first glance.
“Half-step Empyrean?”
Lin Ming was surprised as he rapidly made this judgment. A half-step Empyrean, no matter where they were, was considered a formidable existence. Even in Divine Rune City where masters were like clouds, there weren’t many half-step Empyreans.
“Little friend Lin, haha… I have already been hearing your famous name for quite some time. Since we can meet like this today, allow me to introduce myself. I am the Vice Palace Master of Lionheart Heavenly Palace. The reason I came this time is on behalf of Empyrean Lionheart…”
The Vice Palace Master of an Empyrean influence?
Lin Ming was startled. This sort of status was quite exaggerated. Compared to the Vice President of the Divine Runic Masters Guild, it was only slightly worse.
As the old man introduced himself he quickly caught the attention of many people. He smiled and said, “Little friend Lin, allow an old man to raise a cup to you. Before this I was worried that the Palace Master’s 500 improved Heavenly Fire Symbols wouldn’t be able to be fulfilled anytime soon, but now it seems I was overthinking matters. Really, even 500 Heretical God Symbols were completed by little friend Lin in just a year and nine months. Then, drawing up the Heavenly Fire Symbols shouldn’t be a problem at all, hahaha!”
The old man heartily smiled, raising his wine glass to Lin Ming.
As for Lin Ming, after a brief moment of surprise he suddenly said, “If the Lionheart Holy Lands want the 500 improved Heavenly Fire Symbols, I have already finished drawing them. If Senior wishes then I can fulfill the promissory note now.”
Lin Ming’s voice wasn’t loud, but most of the martial artists in attendance were already paying attention to him and the silver-haired old man. They were able to clearly hear what they were saying.
For a time, the loud and bustling party calmed down…
Everyone looked at Lin Ming, stunned, not sure whether or not they could believe their own ears.
The silver-haired man was bewildered. The wine glass in his hand also froze in mid air. “You… you finished? 500 Heavenly Fire Symbols… you’ve finished drawing them?”
The silver-haired old man’s throat twitched. He found it difficult to speak.
This old man’s response confused Lin Ming. Was this so strange?
He had originally promised a three year deadline and that was to complete both the Heavenly Fire Symbols and Heretical God Symbols. If he hadn’t finished them then why would he leave seclusion?
Of course, his results were better than what he had imagined. In less than two years he had completed the 1000 divine runic symbols. Lin Ming was highly satisfied with his own speed.
He lightly clinked his wine glass with the silver-haired old man’s and said with a matter-of-course tone, “I’ve naturally finished drawing them otherwise I wouldn’t have left seclusion. If I were to fall behind in drawing up the expensive divine runic symbols that a Holy Land purchased, I would simply have to work overtime, so how would I have the time to drink wine at this banquet?”
Lin Ming thought that his own actions were quite normal. But, everyone present was left dumbfounded. It took them some time to regain their composure.
Not too far away from Lin Ming, Old Xue was enjoying his 100,000 year spirit rhino wine, drinking down cup after cup. But as he heard Lin Ming’s words, he nearly spat out all the wine in his mouth. In less than two years, Lin Ming had completed 500 Heretical God Symbols as well as casually completing the 500 improved Heavenly Fire Symbols!
When one considered the difficulty and time required to draw up these two divine runic symbols, this was simply… unbelievable!
“You…” The silver-haired old man licked his dry lips. “Little friend Lin, since when did you complete the 500 Heavenly Fire Symbols that my Holy Lands purchased?”
He asked this question because he had some slight suspicions that Lin Ming might have completed a portion of the Heavenly Fire symbols before the auction had begun.
However, Lin Ming refuted this. He shook his head and said, “It was last year. I first drew up the Heavenly Fire Symbols and after I completed them I began to draw up the Heretical God Symbols. After all, the Heretical God Symbol is a bit more difficult to draw up so it would be easier with the experience of drawing up 500 Heavenly Fire Symbols before that. Fortunately, my success rate increased afterwards. Starting with something simple and then progressively going harder will naturally save more time.
“If the Lionheart Holy Lands had requested that I hand over the completed Heavenly Fire Symbols every three months then I would have handed them in then and there wouldn’t have been a need to wait until now.”
As Lin Ming spoke, everyone suddenly recalled what happened last year. During the first year, Lin Ming had only completed an extraordinarily small number of Heretical God Symbols, sometimes even handing in single digits of completed ones.
But in the second year, Lin Ming’s speed of drawing up Heretical God Symbols rapidly increased!
One time, he even handed in 150 of them!
Originally, many people thought that Lin Ming had finished most of the Heretical God Symbols last year and only turned in the majority of them near the end. They assumed that Lin Ming was putting on some sort of show.
But, they never imagined that Lin Ming simply hadn’t been drawing up Heretical God Symbols at all, but had been focusing on drawing up Heavenly Fire Symbols!
As others were worrying over whether or not Lin Ming would be able to complete his task, he hadn’t been worrying over this matter at all. Everyone’s concern during the first year had simply been unnecessary!
Rather, it could be said that when Lin Ming agreed to a three year deadline, he had factored additional time into the deadline. In fact, he had been referring to drawing up both divine runic symbols within the deadline!
Lin Ming had put extra cushion room in his deadline in order to guarantee an escape route for himself.
Many people froze as they realized all of this. For a time, none of them knew what expression to make. They felt that in front of Lin Ming, their thousands or tens of thousands of years of life had all been a waste!
“I see… so little friend Lin only needed less than a year to draw up the Heretical God Symbols…”
The silver-haired old man mumbled, his mind in jumbles. During the last three months Lin Ming had delivered a total of 150 Heretical God Symbols, all of them complete. He had used the whole three months to do this. In other words, he had been drawing up five divine runic symbols every three days!
This degree of speed left many sixth grade divine runic masters red with shame.
“Little friend Lin, do you have those completed Heavenly Fire Symbols with you?” The silver-haired old man was particularly respectful with his tone. Lin Ming nodded and took out a jade box from his spatial ring. As he opened the jade box, a black-red flame slowly fluttered out, as if the jade box contained a mass of burning black flames.
An incomparably pure energy surged out. Upon feeling this pure strength, even the silver-haired old man who didn’t understand the divine runic arts too well knew that these Heavenly Fire Symbols were all top quality!
Seeing was believing. Even though everyone knew that Lin Ming wouldn’t lie in this situation, as the 500 Heavenly Fire Symbols appeared before them, this still left a considerable impact on their minds.