Chapter 1410: Constructive Criticism.

"It won’t be cheap, though," Black Chain said, dousing his excitement.

"Divine Positions cost a lot of lifespan, and you will still need 5 million years for each attempt. Then you will need a large number of talented mortals before it can be feasible."

"A Grand Dao will need 4.9 million years of lifespan to solidify it. Even if your extraction efficiency is 100% and every being you sacrifice has 100 free lifespan, you will need 49 thousand mortals."

Shaking his head, he said, "It is already difficult finding someone with enough talent and potential to make a Supreme Metac. But you have to find 49 thousand of them, train them well, and ensure they don’t die or quit along the way"

"That’s already difficult, but I’m sure it will be much more difficult when you attempt it. Realistically, you can expect them to live 50 years. I also estimate that the extraction efficiency with that sword is at most 10%. So you might actually need 980 thousand talented Rank 5 cultivators for the Forging Pathway."

"Tell me, do you even have up to 980 thousand Rank 5 cultivators in your sect? Do you even have up to 10 thousand?" Black Chain asked, chuckling.

"It can work, and that’s all that matters," Sword Maestro said.

"Black Chain has a point, but that doesn’t mean this method is useless," Tepid Scholar said in agreement.

"Take your extraction method, for instance. If we can hone it, we might be able to compete with the Gemini race and their Root of Life."

Sword Maestro immediately lit up in excitement, and he said, "That’s true. Now mortals won’t be so useless to us."

Then Black Chain rained on their parade, saying, "While it would be of use to us, it won’t be useful to the mortals."

"According to Time Traveler, the Root of Life can give mortals lifespan. How can we compete with that? The mortals will flock to them, leaving us with no one to extract lifespan from."

"Then there is the fact that the extraction will kill the disciple completely, in body and soul, removing them from the reincarnation cycle. So the more we use the extraction, the weaker our sect will become."

"Last but not least, the extraction efficiency is abysmal. The Root of Life can transmit lifespan with 99% efficiency. But I doubt you can achieve 10% efficiency," he said, examining Sword Maestro from head to toe.

"In summary, the extraction method is not attractive to mortals, nor is it sustainable. It can’t compare with something as attractive and efficient as the Root of Life."

"What is your problem?" Tepid Scholar asked, his voice disapproving.

"Why must you always point out problems? Why don’t you suggest a solution for once?"

"I speak the truth as it is. It isn’t my fault it is bitter and difficult to swallow," Black Chain said, shrugging.

"Didn’t you also criticize his plans earlier? Look at where it led you? Now the plan is more feasible and focused."

Nodding his head, Sword Maestro admitted, "You’re right. Criticism, if constructive, isn’t bad."

"You’re also right about the weaknesses of the extraction system. But what if we make the extraction efficient? And what if we grant mortals power through the sword the way Ragnarok does with his Dao Fetus? Wouldn’t that make it attractive?"

"Hmmmm," Black Chain grunted, racking his brain.

"You can surely make it more efficient if you tweak some things in your Core Metac, but you will have to weaken your Core Metac to make room for the changes or go Ragnarok’s route and install a parasite in them.c

"Even if you succeed in increasing your extraction efficiency, I doubt you can make it as efficient as the Root of Life, but you can give it a shot. As for lending the mortals your power, good luck with that."

"You have to make sure the mortals can handle the power, and you have to make sure you’re not spending more lifespan to empower them than what you’re getting from the extraction. There is also the fact that the extraction will wipe them out of reincarnation. You..."

Tepid Scholar didn’t want to hear anymore and said, "So it can work. We just need to tweak it a little bit."

"If this works, we might have a new cultivation system to compete with the Gemini race, and it would all be because of me," Sword Maestro said, his eyes shining.

Sword Maestro felt hopeful and excited for the future. But Black Chain refused to let him be happy for long.

The Dao Lords of the Four Directions Sect immediately said, "Now, now. Let’s not jump ahead of ourselves and call it a new cultivation system."

"I suspect your extraction system can only work with your Killing Pathway the way the Dao Fetus needs the Devouring Pathway. So not everyone can use it. Even if they manage to copy you, the extraction efficiency will be abysmal."

"That aside, I think you should use your sacrificial method to build a Killing Supreme Metac. It is a better option because it is easier to train mortals to be killers, and the extraction will be more efficient if used for a Killing Supreme Metac."

The excitement on Sword Maestro’s face was gone now. His face was dark as he said, "I already sacrificed my killing talent for my current Killing Supreme Metac, so I can’t create another one."

"Ah. That’s true. That’s true," Black Chain said, nodding.

"In that case, forget I said anything. Carry on with using an extraction system of the Killing Pathway to turn your disciples into swords of the Sword Pathway and use the swords to build a Forging Supreme Metac," he said pointedly, chuckling all the while.

When he caught everyone looking at him with dark, frowning faces, he said, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Trust me, I’m not doing this just for the pleasure of it. The pleasure is only a minuscule part of my motivation."