The Cost of War

"Young Pillar… Are you… actually considering refining this… How are you going to convince our sister Forces to cough up such riches? If we ask for these things it could lead to us being laughed out of their Halls." The man from before spoke again, somewhat interrupting Lei Jin.

The other Refiners were in a mix about this and many words flew back and forth. For the most part it was the women who seemed to side with Lei Jin. However, they were not the only ones. Roughly half of the men either didn't bother making a fool of themselves here or took Lei Jin's side.

Lei Jin put the scroll down and tried to remain calm. "It's a good thing I only need Mother Mei to refine this. Otherwise I would have lost all hope of this happening for the time being." He thought to himself. "ENOUGH! I don't have the patience for senseless bickering. And you, refrain from speaking nonsense. I have no need of the riches from our Sister Forces. Doing that would be impossible as we need those supplies for the war. That aside it would take too long and have little gain if any. Which is why I will front the cost… Alone." Lei Jin said, releasing a small portion of his massive strength causing everyone to form a drip of sweat from nervousness.

"Young Pillar, you say you can afford this thing? On… On your own?" Another man trembled as he uttered those questions.

"Indeed I am not only able to afford this but I can make about 100 of them though I don't have the means to set that many to what I believe their max speed could go. So I'll just do 1 for now. Besides, the real limit is how long Mother Mei can withstand the sheer heat during refinement." Lei Jin said, with a narrowed look as if annoyed that these people thought he wouldn't be able to do this.

"Such might, such riches and so many women. Young Pillar truly is an unfathomable existence. How strong will your offspring become?" One of the Cultivators said, collapsing to the ground in shock. "My eyes have been opened. It's indeed a great blessing for my human Race to Young Pillar on our side." He said recovering a bit.

"Ahahaha, my children will all have my Innate Divine Body. However, their strength will be their own business. I grew up in that hellish environment where everyone I ever knew was constantly injured or dying. I'd prefer if my children didn't have to go through the same scenes I did as a very young boy. When the time comes that they must fight I sincerely hope that it is only after they have grown up and broken through to the Open Heaven Realm." Lei Jin said, his smile slowly disappearing. "Such a place… is no place for a child to witness. Even I might have gone insane without my Divine Body's influence." He added, as memories flooded his mind of the very last smile he saw of his family. The last one before they left for the resource mission.

The room was absolutely silent for a moment. No one knew what they should say. After all, they all felt the same way about their Disciples and those who had children of their own thought the same. Some people even kicked their children out of the Force just so they would be taken in by a 2nd class force. They did this so their ilk would survive.

"In any case, I must press forward and eliminate Ink from existence. They are nothing more than plague upon this world. Manifestations of every kind of evil. They slaughter pillage and destroy just to move on and continue destroying everything. There is nothing good about it. That aside I will have my vengeance." Lei Jin said his face returned to one of sheer focus and will. As if anything that called themselves his enemy would surely meet their end.

"So what was it that you wanted to ask?" Supreme Elder Mei asked.

"Are you able to do it with this recipe?" Lei Jin asked, handing the Scroll back for her to check.

Supreme Elder Mei focused on the scroll assuming that Lei Jin had made some changes but… "Jin'er… this… I can do it but… can we really do as this suggests? Are you really that powerful?" Supreme Elder Mei asked, wearing a difficult expression.

"Ahahaha, I have said it so naturally I can do it. If that's the only issue let's get started right away. The sooner the better." Lei Jin said, immediately beginning to prepare the room. "Oh everyone 7th rank and below should avoid this area at all costs. I have specially prepared some 7th ranks to guard the ring around the exclusion zone. I suggest you hurry. And I will not be taking any questions." He added.

Everyone without missing a beat cupped their hands respectfully and hightailed it out of there. They didn't know what was about to happen but whatever it was… it wasn't going to be easy to deal with.

Lei Jin wrapped Supreme Elder Mei in a solid Rainbow Cloth. To help alleviate the heat and also wrapped her up in several more layers of his Aura. Right now Supreme Elder Mei's body temperature was completely regulated to such a degree that it would likely be impossible for her to get over heated. Even still Lei Jin had to protect himself and manage a portion of the refining. As he was the only other person capable of handling the heat.

Lei Jin then brought out the massive amount of High Rank Materials. Creating mounds upon mounds of them. And added into the equation several of the other Artifact Worlds. "Once we begin, if Mother feels any discomfort she must let me know at once." Lei Jin said, worried about his Mother-in-law.

"Understood! This mother will do her very best to finish this refinement. Once we have succeeded, the grand plan can move forward significantly faster." Supreme Elder Mei smiled happily, readying herself after hearing "mother" from Lei Jin's mouth. It was an oddly soothing thing for her to hear and much needed knowing just how intense this was going to be.