True Flame!

This was a power that only Alchemy Masters or Artifact Refiners could control.

Its might surpassed even True Essence!

Only Artifact Refiners or Alchemy Masters who possessed a Fire Control Technique could condense True Flame. True Flame relied on True Essence. It could only be formed by using Divine Thought Power to guide the Heaven and Earth Fire Spiritual Qi and condense it within one’s True Essence!

This was also the key step in an Artifact Refining (or Alchemy) Apprentice’s transformation into a true Artifact Refiner (or Alchemy Master)!

Only a true Alchemy Master (or Artifact Refiner) could condense True Flame.

Back then...

Master Kumu had remained an Artifact Refining Apprentice for a full ten years, all for the sake of cultivating a Fire Control Technique and a Divine Thought Method to condense True Flame. It took him a whole decade to raise his Divine Thought Power to the First Grade Junior level and complete the transformation from an Artifact Refining Apprentice to an Artifact Refiner. In the Artifact Refining Realm, this speed was already considered very fast.

After all, far too many people spent their entire lives unable to raise their Divine Thought Power to the First-Grade Level!

Master Kumu had previously been proud and smug that it had only taken him ten years to become a true Artifact Refiner.

But in the blink of an eye...

...a young man not even twenty years old could also condense True Flame. This dealt a heavy blow to Master Kumu, leaving him utterly dumbfounded!

"How is this possible? Condensing True Flame before the age of twenty... Even at the Artifact Refiner Association in the Imperial Capital, a prodigy like this would be considered a top-tier talent and be nurtured intensively..." Master Kumu gulped, staring intently at the golden flame bobbing in Jiang Chen’s palm.

Beside them, Yulan Shouqing and Wang Yizhou exchanged stunned glances.

They knew Jiang Chen’s talent in the Martial Dao was formidable. Before he was even twenty, he had broken through to the True Martial Realm Third Stage and could even fight above his level to kill Zhao Qinghuo!

But... they never imagined Jiang Chen had another trick up his sleeve!

An Artifact Refiner under the age of twenty. No wonder he had the confidence to look down on Master Kumu.

Jiang Chen looked at Master Kumu with a half-smile. "Well? Are you convinced now? If you have any doubts about the authenticity of this True Flame, feel free to test its power!"

"I..."

Master Kumu opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only let out a soft sigh. "Your Excellency is truly a peerless talent. I was blind and failed to recognize a master in my presence."

Jiang Chen smiled. "So, Master Kumu, are you ready to admit defeat and honor our bet?"

"This..." Master Kumu’s expression stiffened.

Although he was shocked that Jiang Chen could control True Flame before the age of twenty, the idea of him, a dignified First-Grade Middle Level Refiner, having to call a young brat not yet twenty ’Master’ and serve him hand and foot was too much.

Master Kumu simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.

After a moment of hesitation, Master Kumu said, "Your Excellency’s talent is unprecedented and truly impressive. But... to have me, Kumu, address you as Master is asking too much. How about this: I am willing to help you break the protective inscription on the Qinghuo Gang’s Treasure Vault. I will only take sixty percent... no, just fifty percent of the treasures inside as compensation. Our previous bet will be null and void. What do you say?"

His demand had dropped from the original eighty percent straight down to fifty percent!

This was a matter of several billion in silver.

In the eyes of Master Kumu, Yulan Shouqing, and Wang Yizhou, this was already a huge concession.

Yulan Shouqing and Wang Yizhou exchanged a look, clearly swayed. Both of them turned to look at Jiang Chen.

However... Jiang Chen just shook his head and said flatly, "Sorry, but I have my own way of dealing with the Treasure Vault’s inscription. You should just honor our bet."

"You have your own way? What way is that?" Master Kumu asked, taken aback.

Jiang Chen said nonchalantly, "Didn’t you see? I am an Artifact Refiner myself. I don’t need you to do anything; I can break the protective inscription on my own. When that happens, I won’t have to give you a single share of the treasure inside. Why would I waste fifty percent of it?"

As soon as he said this, Master Kumu burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

Even Yulan Shouqing and Wang Yizhou secretly shook their heads, feeling that Jiang Chen was overestimating himself.

"You must be joking, Your Excellency! I admit your talent is extraordinary. To be able to control True Flame at such a young age and enter the ranks of a First Grade Junior Refiner... such talent would be considered top-tier even in the Imperial Capital, where geniuses gather. But to think you can break the protective inscription on that Treasure Vault? That’s just wishful thinking!"

Master Kumu chuckled and shook his head. "I’ve already said that inscription was crafted by a First-grade Advanced Refiner. Even if I were to act personally, I would only have a sixty percent chance of breaking it. You? You’re far from capable!"

Yulan Shouqing gave a wry smile. "Nephew Jiang Chen, stop messing around!"

"That protective inscription is too profound. We should ask Master Kumu to handle it," Wang Yizhou added.

Faced with their attempts to persuade him, Jiang Chen was speechless.

’So what if the inscription was left by a First-grade Advanced Refiner?’

’I inherited the Artifact Refining memories of a magnificent Artifact Venerable! Forget First-Grade Advanced; even an inscription left by a Fifth or Sixth Grade Refiner would be child’s play for me!’

He swept his gaze over them, seeing the thick disdain and mockery on Kumu’s face, as well as the doubt in the eyes of Wang Yizhou and Yulan Shouqing.

Jiang Chen couldn’t help but shake his head. "Since you don’t believe me, do you dare to make another bet with me?"

"Bet on what?"

The three of them were stunned.

Jiang Chen smiled. "Master of Yulan Mansion, General Wang... we originally agreed that we would each take fifty percent of the Qinghuo Gang’s treasures and wealth. But now, if I can open the Treasure Vault, then everything inside belongs to me. What do you two think?"

"This..."

Yulan Shouqing and Wang Yizhou were taken aback. They were both tempted, but seeing Jiang Chen’s confident expression, they hesitated again.

Jiang Chen continued, "Of course, if I can’t open the Treasure Vault, then I won’t take a single thing from it!"

Hearing this, Yulan Shouqing couldn’t help but look toward Master Kumu.

Master Kumu said with a confident expression, "I’ve said it before, even if I were to act personally, I would only have a sixty percent chance of breaking that protective inscription. As for him... his chances are less than ten percent!"

"Less than ten percent?"

At that thought, Yulan Shouqing and Wang Yizhou nodded in unison. "Alright, we’ll take that bet!"

"Excellent!" Jiang Chen smiled faintly and turned to Master Kumu. "As for you, Master Kumu, if I can’t open the inscription, our previous bet is void. But if I can..."

Before he could finish, Master Kumu interrupted, "If you can really open that inscription, then Your Excellency’s attainments in the path of Artifact Refining are superior to mine. I will naturally honor our previous bet, acknowledge you as my master, and follow your lead from now on with absolute loyalty!"

"Good. Then let’s head out to the Qinghuo Gang’s Treasure Vault right now."

Jiang Chen clapped his hands together, held his head high, and strode out with the confidence of a dragon and the gait of a tiger.

Previously, it had been unrealistic for him to handle the aftermath of the Qinghuo Gang and claim all their wealth for himself with his own power. He had no choice but to rely on the City Lord’s Mansion and the Red Flame Army. That was why he’d offered them half of the treasure. But now that he finally had a chance to pocket everything, Jiang Chen was naturally delighted.

What’s more...

He could also pick up a First-Grade Middle Level Refiner as a subordinate. With Master Kumu’s status in the Artifact Refiner Guild, he would be quite helpful.

At the very least, he could have Master Kumu handle purchasing refining materials and the like in the future.

Glancing at the three people behind him, who all looked excited as if victory was already in their grasp, Jiang Chen unconsciously started humming a little tune—"I’m laughing triumphantly..."