by <unknown>
But such words were best to be kept within one's own territory.
'You came to the Grand Desolate War Institution's booth and nitpick the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and crow over your own crystal suit? Do you want some face slapping?'
Brutality shined in Li Yao's eyes.
'You are seeking your own death. Not my fault!'
"Fellow Daoist from Red Serpent Sect, we've visited your booth just now. Both 'Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII' and 'Flying Flame Battlesuit' are modern classics that we need to learn from."
Li Yao squinted with a fake smile. "Especially the Flying Flame Battlesuit. It employs the same framework and spiritual energy flowing system as those of the Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII. Most of the characteristics of Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII can be found on it, too, which basically makes it a smaller-scale Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII. But its price is only 300 million, a fifth of the price of Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII. The price-performance ratio is really impressive.
"However, there is one thing that has been bothering me and I hope the fellow Daoist from Red Serpent Sect can enlighten me.
"As far as I know, the long working time of Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII in extremely hot environments boils down to the countless Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that it uses, including Heavenly Sun Stone and Phantom Snow Crystal, and is not because there is anything special about its structure design.
"Heavenly Sun Stone can absorb heat and transform it into the purest spiritual energy; Phantom Snow Crystal is a natural heat-resistant material that can block hot waves if it is smeared out of a magical equipment component.
"The two Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures are very useful and very expensive. If we're going to cover a medium crystal suit with Heavenly Sun Stone and Phantom Snow Crystal from head to toe, the total weight of the materials to be used can be hundreds of kilograms, the cost of which alone will be well above 500 million.
"It's certainly fine to decorate the Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII this way.
"However, the price of the Flying Flame Battlesuit is 300 million. Its cost will only be lower than that. May I ask how many Heavenly Sun Stones and Phantom Snow Crystals are used on the Flying Flame Battlesuit?"
In a cold smile, Cao Huorong's chin was protruding further and further as he heard Li Yao complimenting the Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII.
He didn't expect that Li Yao had dug a big pit in the end waiting for him to jump in.
"Are you playing dumb? As a cheap MP crystal suit model, of course the Flying Flame Battlesuit does not use as many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures as the Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII."
Li Yao smiled.
"Are you indicating that there is no Heavenly Sun Stone and Phantom Snow Crystal on the Flying Flame Battlesuit?"
Cao Huorong blushed.
"Although we didn't use Heavenly Sun Stone or Phantom Snow Crystal, we have employed a new cooling technology by melting the powder of Heavenly Sun Stone and Phantom Snow Crystal into the icy moisture made of special materials which circulates among key magical equipment components. It is a very efficient way to reduce heat and bring down the temperature of the suit!"
"So, icy moisture," Li Yao drawled, with a brutal smile.
When he was visiting Red Serpent Sect's booth, he had watched the Flying Flame Battlesuit closely and guessed that it was made possible by a cooling liquid circulating system.
Icy moisture was a very rare liquid material that was barely used in the modern Cultivation world.
However, it shared the same drawback as many other liquid materials recorded in the books of the Hundred Smelting Clan, which was…
"A special cooling liquid by melting the powder of Heavenly Sun Stone and Phantom Snow Crystal into icy moisture can bring down the cost as well as maintaining the normal functions of the suit in high-temperature environments, which is indeed a marvelous design."
Li Yao smiled.
"However, have you sorted out the biggest problem of the icy moisture, which is that it becomes extremely volatile?
"The Flying Flame Battlesuit of yours is designed according to the Bursting Flame Battlesuit XVII, which uses Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to cool down and therefore is not distinguished for its airtightness.
"Now that the icy moisture needs to flow through all the circulation tubes in order to cool down the suit, the rate at which the icy moisture is used will increase.
"The Flying Flame Battlesuit that you are demonstrating does not carry a pot to store the icy moisture, which means its entire cooling system is based on the little icy moisture inside the circulation tubes. I wonder, how long can the icy moisture work before it is completely gone? Three to five days, isn't it?
"Icy moisture is not expensive. But if you are going to refill it every three to five days, the long-term cost can be quite startling after a few years, which will not be much less than buying the Bursting Flame Battlesuit right now.
"Besides, if the crystal suit is to be used for a mission that lasts for more than five days, you'll have to carry a pot filled with icy moisture. Not only will it be a huge nuisance, it will also cause major trouble if it is blown apart by the enemy in a battle, won't it?
"If we take that into consideration, the working time of the Flying Flame Battlesuit might not be much longer than that of the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit. In fact, it could be even shorter!"
Everyone watching the scene nodded their heads approvingly and looked at Cao Huorong suspiciously.
Confused, Luo Jingang asked, "Fellow Daoist Cao, if the Flying Flame Battlesuit is to be used to patrol and fight in underground mines that are a thousand meters deep at a temperature of hundreds of degrees, how often will the suit need to be refilled with icy moisture and how much will it cost?
"Well…"
Cold sweat was dripping off Cao Huorong's head. He felt his head was dizzy and his ears were humming, which made him unable to say anything.
Li Yao's words had hit his critical part.
It was true that the rate of the icy moisture consumption was extremely fast. Otherwise, the Bursting Flame Battlesuit would've made use of it a long time ago, and they wouldn't have waited until right now to put it into the Flying Flame Battlesuit.
Meanwhile, in order to compete with other MP crystal suit models, the price of the Flying Flame Battlesuit had been reduced to minimum, to the extent that there was barely any profit.
Red Serpent Sect had been planning to promote its product with a low initial price before making profits through post-sales services.
According to the plan, Red Serpent Sect would monopolize the components and the maintenance service of the Flying Flame Battlesuit.
For example, Red Serpent Sect could sell the icy moisture at a high price and gain income from it over time.
There wouldn't be an option if the buyer wanted to switch to another kind of icy moisture provided by other sects, since Red Serpent Sect had added almost twenty micro-constituents into its own icy moisture.
Only with this particular icy moisture could the crystal suit function normally. Faults would occur if a different kind of icy moisture was to be used.
The repair fee would be a huge source of income, too.
Not just Red Serpent Sect. Quite a few other sects who had invented their own MP crystal suit models were actually planning the same thing.
Otherwise, it would be a miracle that almost twenty different MP crystal suit models could be produced within one year.
Cao Huorong never expected that Li Yao would be able to point out the biggest problem of the Flying Flame Battlesuit straight from the start.
'How can the boy know the details of such a scarce material as the icy moisture?'
He was startled and knew that he had been caught in a dilemma.
If he was to go back just like that, when the news spread out, there was no chance that the Flying Flame Battlesuit would be sold, let alone the military order that his sect was trying
to bid for.
His leader would tear him apart and eat him alive!
Hearing the louder and louder discussions around and seeing many other Cultivators shaking their heads, Cao Huorong's face was flushed in embarrassment and anger as he gnashed, "Talk is cheap. If you are so confident in your crystal suit, I challenge you to a duel to see which one is more suitable for high-temperature combats, Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit or Flying Flame Battlesuit!"
The crowds gasped at his words.
A duel between two pieces of magical equipment was always in the repertoire of the Magical Equipment Exposition and often the most amazing part of it.
Generally speaking, if one party challenged someone else to a duel, the other party wouldn't say no, because it concerned the pride of the refiner as well as the honor of the sect or university behind him.
Everybody was aware that the military was going to reveal the bidding plan at the Magical Equipment Exposition. At that time, more than twenty MP crystal suit models would be engaged in a tremendous fight!
But they did not anticipate that the first duel would take place so fast!
Li Yao looked back at Yuan Manqiu.
With a solemn expression, Yuan Manqiu bit her lips and nodded her head vigorously.
Chapter 312: 700°C Battleground |
Mystic Skeleton versus Flying Flame, the duel was about to begin!
The news quickly spread to every corner of the convention center.
Although all the MP crystal suit models would take part in the performance tests hosted by the organizers of the exposition in which there would be battle simulation tests, such one vs. one duels were apparently more intriguing for Cultivators who desired conflicts more than anything else.
Everyone was crowding to the top floor of the convention center where the arena was located. The reporters were all jumping up and down as if they were on drugs.
Seeing that he had caused a lot of trouble, Cao Huorong had to report the whole issue to the elders of Red Serpent Sect, and was, no doubt, berated by them, partly for his recklessness, and partly because they thought he had chosen the wrong opponent.
"Competition of the MP crystal suit models is so intense. Everyone is trying to promote their own product in order to gain a larger market share. It is not unacceptable to challenge someone to increase our popularity.
"But what kind of opponent have you picked? Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit of the Grand Desolate War Institution? Isn't it the well-known metal scraps? Even if we tear it into pieces, it won't be enough to prove anything at all!"
Elders of Red Serpent Sect bashed him as above.
But now that the challenge had been accepted, there was no way that they were taking it back.
Red Serpent Sect had done a lot of preparation for the Magical Equipment Exposition. Ruan Honglie, test pilot of the Flying Flame Battlesuit, was a Cultivator at the peak of the Refinement Stage, as well as an Exo with more than ten years of experience.
At 3 p.m., in the arena on the top floor of the convention center…
The arena was 300 meters long and 300 meters wide. It was surrounded by countless rune arrays and magical equipment which could simulate all kinds of extreme environments.
It could switch from a snow world of -100°C to a sizzling inferno of 500°C in a flash.
There were no empty seats in the auditorium. More people in the lower levels of the convention center were watching at the giant light beams floating in the air waiting for the fierce battle to begin.
The ordinary tourists in the ground floor visiting the civil magical equipment exhibitions were also craning their heads eagerly.
Before the match began, the auditorium was already humming with whispers.
"Flying Flame versus Mystic Skeleton. The former is the latest magical equipment of a major refining sect, while the latter has shown great durability and stability just now. Which side do you think will win?"
"Flying Flame Battlesuit, of course. Flying Flame Battlesuit is a crystal suit most suitable for high-temperature environments. Besides, it is twice as expensive as its opponent, with abundant Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. It's impossible that it will lose!"
"Correct. According to the brochure of Red Serpent Sect, the Flying Flame Battlesuit is basically a Bursting Flame Battlesuit in a smaller scale. Its specifications and parameters are much better than the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit's. Besides, the battlefield is a scorching one that is most favorable for it. This battle is going to be a one-sided slaughter!"
"Their test pilot Ruan Honglie is a renowned Exo who knows what he's doing. Although he is only at the peak of the Refinement Stage, he has been in real battlefields for more than ten years. His experience is much more than a sophomore student's."
"All the circumstances are in support of Red Serpent Sect. I would say that the Grand Desolate War Institution will prove themselves capable enough if their crystal suit can survive five minutes!"
"Five minutes? I think three minutes will be miraculous enough!"
In the highest place of the auditorium, a tall and thin figure was standing straight like a spear. He was gazing at the arena.
His name was Feng Kai, an Exo from the Battlesuit Department of Star Nebula University. He was the test pilot for the Mournful Mist Battlesuit.
"Feng Kai, I didn't expect that you would be attracted by such a boring game."
A teasing voice came from his back, as a smiling face gradually appeared in the darkness. A man that was not very tall but had two extremely long arms walked out slowly.
"Sha Yucheng?"
Feng Kai's pupils constricted violently.
Although the newcomer seemed to be nice and friendly, he was the best sword trainer of the younger generation in the Rising Tide Sword Guild, as well as an ace Exo who boasted a lot of potential.
The Sword Torrent Battlesuit that had been co-developed by the three major sword-training sects would be driven by him.
Sha Yucheng of Rising Tide Sword Guild and Zuo Feijing of Deep Sea University were two formidable enemies that Feng Kai had been preparing to deal with before the Magical Equipment Exposition began.
However, he couldn't help but notice that a new enemy needed to be added to the list.
Feng Kai said casually, "Since the military announced that the standard crystal suit of the army would be outsourced, 21 organizations have released their own MP crystal suit models. However, until this day, no MP crystal suit models have ever been engaged in a real fight. I would definitely come and enjoy such a show. Not just me. Someone came even earlier."
Feng Kai nodded his head to a direction.
Sha Yucheng narrowed his eyes. Green lights beamed out of his eyes as his pupils shrank to the size of the tip of a sword. Then he saw a guy standing in the darkness far away.
It was Zuo Feijing, test pilot of the Tiger King Battlesuit as well as one of the Novem Stellae.
Zuo Feijing saw the two of them, too. But he didn't show any sign that he did, as if greeting them was a complete waste of time.
"What an arrogant guy!"
Sha Yucheng's lips twitched.
"He has every reason to be. Both the performance of the Tiger King Battlesuit and his skills of driving a crystal suit are extraordinary!"
Feng Kai's expression remained unchanged.
"Huh. We're going to find out whether or not the Tiger King Battlesuit is as invincible as it claims to be tomorrow!"
Sha Yucheng licked his lips and said in confusion, "Back to this match. I have fought with Ruan Honglie several times before, and I know he is quite an experienced expert. But who is this guy Li Yao? I understand that he is a refiner who invented a piece of magical equipment named Demon Beast Detector that has been quite popular. What, is he also an Exo?"
"For old time's sake, I'll offer you a kind reminder. Don't look down upon Li Yao because you don't know him. You will regret it one day."
Feng Kai continued with a vague smile, "Same as Zuo Feijing, the guy is a hybrid-type Cult
ivator that is both talented in fighting and in creating. He has a nickname 'Vulture', which is a hint of his brutality and cruelty.
"Rumors have it that he had never touched crystal suits until he studied in the Thunder Training Camp last year. But don't consider him some random newbie just because of that. There is a young rising star in the world of Exos named Long Qianyue. Have you ever heard of her name before?"
"Of course I have. She defeated seven experts who had more than ten years of experience in crystal suits last year and hence has become known as the strongest Exo below the age of 30."
Sha Yucheng frowned. "Does she have something to do with Li Yao?"
"She and Li Yao were in the same class when they were in the Thunder Training Camp. According to Long Qianyue, Li Yao's skills in driving a crystal suit were as good as hers, if not better, and the reason why she is challenging expert Exos crazily right now is because she wants to duel with Li Yao and see which of them is stronger someday."
"Is that so?"
Sha Yucheng was a little shocked. "Then I'll have to watch this match closely."
"You should."
Feng Kai said carefully, "Vulture Li Yao is the biggest uncertainty in this Magical Equipment Exposition. He is also the trickiest opponent other than Zuo Feijing to cope with for you and me."
While they were talking, two crystal suits had risen up from the below of the arena.
The arena simulated the environment of an underground mine. Under the heating of flame rune arrays, the temperature inside the arena had shockingly reached 700℃.
Giant stone pillars were scattered all over the arena which would spurt super-hot fire as a simulation of underground magma.
The Flying Flame Battlesuit was standing on one side of the arena. In the background of boundless flames, it looked more majestic than ever, as if it were the king of the magma world.
The Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit had just added a layer of heat-resistant plate armor with a lot of frost rune arrays plugged in that looked like patches. It looked plain and shabby.
Judging from the outlook, the Flying Flame Battlesuit was definitely the winner!
