"Boss Li, if you win a match you gain one point, but if you lose, you lose one point," Snow Empress said thoughtfully. "If the weak remain weak, won't they be trapped forever, unable to accumulate enough points?"
"No," Li Rong replied without hesitation. "With ten levels as the upper limit, I'll place a batch of the weakest phantoms at every spirit-power stage. Their strength will be minimal, their movements stiff. If someone still can't defeat opponents of the same level under those conditions, then I suggest they abandon the path of a Spirit Master and simply enjoy an ordinary life."
Snow Empress fell silent.
"What about support-system Spirit Masters?" she asked after a moment.
"Bi Ji is also a support-system Spirit Master," Li Rong said bluntly, glancing at her. "To be honest, you might not even be able to defeat her right now."
Snow Empress's lips twitched slightly.
"I also plan to place a batch of free first-grade cultivation methods and secret manuals inside the Training Ground," Li Rong continued. "Second-grade cultivation methods and secret manuals will be available at a discounted price, exchangeable with points."
"If someone can't even grasp the free first-grade methods, or can't gather enough points for the discounted second-grade ones," he added calmly, "then it's better for them to quit early."
Dugu Bo pondered for a long time before finally spotting what he thought was a loophole. "What if a Spirit Master deliberately loses matches to manipulate the system?"
"Once a person's points drop below negative thirty," Li Rong answered, "all items in the Training Ground become unavailable—even the free ones. Matching mode will be disabled, and the shop will stop providing services altogether."
"Unless?" Dugu Bo pressed.
"Unless they replenish their points back to zero, or wait for them to recover naturally."
"Recover?" Snow Empress raised an eyebrow. "How does that work?"
"One sacrificial coin can be exchanged for one point, but only up to zero points. Points cannot be converted back into sacrificial coins," Li Rong explained. "For Spirit Masters with negative points, if they enter the Training Ground continuously for ten days, their points increase by one. However, if their points return to zero during that period, all accumulated days are cleared."
Dugu Bo sucked in a breath. "Five thousand points for a red spirit ring—isn't that too much? Even with a perfect win rate, that's over five thousand battles."
"It won't take that long," Li Rong said evenly. "There's no real loss in the Training Ground. A focused match can end in just a few minutes. You can fight again immediately."
He paused, then added, "If the win rate is truly abysmal, I suggest choosing a black spirit ring instead."
"What about Spirit Beasts?" Bi Ji finally asked. "Spirit Masters can exchange points for spirit rings. What incentives do Spirit Beasts have?"
"That's what I'm still considering," Li Rong admitted, scratching his head. "No rewards would discourage participation, but I'm unsure what rewards would be appropriate."
"How about third-grade cultivation methods and secret manuals?" Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. "If only spirit rings and first- or second-grade methods are available, there's no attraction for Titled Douluo-level powerhouses. But third-grade methods would draw in elites from both races—and even 100,000-year Spirit Beasts."
Of course, it would also save him a fortune in sacrificial coins. He was desperate for movement and defensive Spirit Abilities.
"That's not impossible," Li Rong said after some thought. "But I'm worried it might affect the shop's main business."
"Then only offer ordinary third-grade methods," Bi Ji suggested quickly. "No top-tier ones, and no body infusion. Anyone who wants that must come to the main shop and pay sacrificial coins."
Li Rong nodded. "That's workable."
"What are the participation requirements for Spirit Beasts?" Snow Empress asked, her concern lying elsewhere.
"Any Spirit Beast with complete sentience and the ability to communicate freely," Li Rong replied.
That essentially limited participation to 100,000-year Spirit Beasts—or high-bloodline beasts above 80,000 years. Snow Empress frowned slightly.
"There's also the Elixir of Enlightenment," Bi Ji reminded her quietly.
Snow Empress's eyes brightened. Right—once the Elixir of Enlightenment became widespread, that barrier would disappear entirely. She relaxed, thinking of the empty medicinal fields she had already prepared in the far north.
"I still haven't decided on the rewards for defending the arena," Li Rong said. "Any suggestions?"
"These are the top ten powerhouses of the entire world," Dugu Bo said eagerly. "Why not reward sacrificial coins to encourage participation?"
Li Rong ignored him outright. "The rewards can't be too good, and sacrificial coins are out of the question. Otherwise, the same ten people will dominate the arenas forever."
That silenced everyone for a moment.
"How about random rewards?" Snow Empress proposed. "In the far north, Ice Hime used a similar system, rewarding juniors with randomly graded ice marrow."
"Random rewards?" Li Rong froze, then his eyes lit up. "A lottery?"
He thought aloud, enthusiasm growing. "We can place third-, fourth-, even fifth- and sixth-grade items into a prize pool. Each successful defender gets several draws. The item may or may not suit them, and it can't be transferred—only resold to the shop at a low price."
Seeing the three growing excited, Li Rong added quickly, "Of course, we'll also mix in useless items to dilute the pool. There must be consolation prizes."
Dugu Bo immediately deflated. "Consolation prizes?! Defending the arena means facing endless challengers! What if I only draw junk?"
"Then you can watch others get lucky," Li Rong said dryly, already imagining Dugu Bo's expression.
As the thought settled, another issue came to mind. "With the shop fully open and the Training Ground launching soon, we're short on staff."
He looked at Bi Ji and Snow Empress. "Are you two willing to work here? You'd be responsible for handling Spirit Beast customers. Annual salary: two hundred thousand sacrificial coins."
Compared to Dugu Bo's disheveled appearance, Li Rong clearly preferred the calm, dignified duo.
"We're willing," Bi Ji said immediately. Snow Empress nodded as well. They hadn't expected yesterday's casual discussion to become reality so quickly.
"Good. Bi Ji, Xue Hime—there are two empty rooms in the backyard. You can live there. Sharing is fine?"
"No problem," Bi Ji replied.
Snow Empress paused. "Boss, please call me Xue Hime from now on."
The title "Emperor" felt out of place here.
"Alright," Li Rong agreed. "Move in today."
"There is something!" Dugu Bo suddenly shouted. "Since you're hiring staff for Spirit Beast customers, shouldn't you hire people for human customers too? What about me?"
Li Rong didn't even hesitate. "Employees should be pleasing to the eye and inspire trust. You don't meet the standard."
"What about my granddaughter?" Dugu Bo blurted out. "You've met Yan Yan. She definitely qualifies."
Dugu Yan… Li Rong recalled those long, fair legs from their first meeting. After a moment's consideration, he nodded. "Fine. If she's willing, bring her here. Same salary."
Dugu Bo was ecstatic and immediately shot into the sky.
"Wait—" Li Rong started, but Dugu Bo was already gone. Shaking his head, he turned to Bi Ji. "Go to the Ye family's ancestral land and inform Ye Xintang that I wish to hire her daughter, Ye Leng Leng. Same terms. If they agree, bring her back as well."
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a poem written by my brother on river Ganga after watching documentary by Jeremy Wade , I thought I should share with people and this is the only platform I use where if posted more than 10 people will watch
{will ask him to write this in english as well because when i tried google & gpt both butchered it}
भीषण हो रहा अन्याय,हे देवव्रत,
मैली कर दी जटाये, टूटा हर व्रत
पावनता में घोल हलाहल,
डुबकी मारे सब नारी नर,
आन पड़ा ये भारी संकट,
माता का है अंत निकट