Amalia didn't know that Yannis had set his sights on her.
Carlos received his repaired artifact and excitedly suggested meeting with her. "Big Sister, you are amazing. Not only did you repair my artifact, but you also added an intermediate level Amulet in it. I can't thank you enough, and I'd like to show my gratitude in any way I can."
Amalia thought of the personal photo that Carlos had sent her before and replied, "There's no need."
Carlos was persistent, "No, you have no idea what it means for a Basic level artifact to have an intermediate level Amulet. I've been browsing the Red Espiritual Net for years, and I love going through old posts. I've never seen a Basic level artifact with an intermediate level amulet, especially one that gained an extra amulet during post-repair. You're truly remarkable."
"Really?" This topic piqued Amalia's interest.
"Absolutely. If you don't believe me, you can check Heavenly Path Forum."
Amalia thought about Heavenly Path University.
"Heavenly Path Forum is the forum of Heavenly Path University. Do you know about Heavenly Path University? It's the only Immortal Academy in this country, exclusively for Spirit Cultivator. You can't be over thirty-five years old to apply.
Many outstanding Spirit Cultivator and Artificers come from Heavenly Path University. Whenever something important happens, Heavenly Path Forum is the first to report it. It's the second forum I visit after the Red Espiritual Net," Carlos explained, afraid that Amalia might not be aware.
Amalia had some recollection of this information but not much. The original owner had only spent one semester at Heavenly Path University because she was the oldest one in her class, and Alex's siblings had discouraged others from socializing with her, so she had been a loner.
"I know about Heavenly Path University. Do you want to get in?"
Carlos's gaze dimmed. "Who doesn't want to get into Heavenly Path University? It's the dream of us commoners, the only chance to stand out and ascend the ranks. But their admission criteria are incredibly strict. I've applied twice and got rejected both times."
"As the only Immortal Academy, Heavenly Path University only has ten slots open to regular people, but there are over a thousand applicants every year. The odds are one in a thousand, and I'm not exceptionally talented," Carlos lamented.
"Don't underestimate yourself. If you give up on your dream, there's no point in continuing your cultivation. The path of cultivation in the future will be even harder than this," Amalia encouraged.
"I understand, Big Sister. I won't give up," Carlos hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can I ask you a question?"
Amalia nodded.
"Are you an Artificer?" Carlos had been curious for a while.
He initially thought Amalia was an Artificer, but then she mentioned possibly selling Amulets, which made him uncertain. But today, with Amalia repairing his artifact, he wanted to hear it from Amalia herself.
"I am," Amalia admitted.
"I knew it! You're incredible. I can't believe I know an Artificer with such remarkable skills," Carlos exclaimed with excitement.
Amalia smiled, "My skills aren't that impressive; I just have some knowledge in artifice."
"Being proficient in artifice is already amazing. With your level of expertise, even if you go to Heavenly Path University, I doubt anyone will surpass you," Carlos said proudly.
Amalia suddenly remembered that Heavenly Path University's new semester was only a month away. If Carlos hadn't mentioned it today, she might have forgotten about it completely.
She needed to find the time to learn more about it because in her previous life, she didn't have much experience with formal education.
"Big Sister, I think with your talent for repairing artifacts, you could make a living even without selling them. It's a valuable skill," Carlos suggested, impressed by Amalia's versatility.
"Oh?" This idea intrigued Amalia.
"Is there such a profession as artifact repair?" Amalia inquired. In her previous life, she didn't encounter many Spirit Cultivator, and the residents of the planet were primarily powered by Awakener, which left his artifact repair skills with limited opportunities to be used.
"Of course, there is. However, this profession doesn't operate like selling artifacts online. It often requires working outside or through referrals. Although it may not be as profitable as selling artifacts, it still pays well. People who can afford high quality artifacts generally don't lack money," Carlos explained, delighted to be of help.
"I see. Thank you, Carlos," Amalia had a plan in mind.
Amalia opened the network and started searching for information on artifact repair.
With this new information, Amalia realized that the market for artifact repair was more significant than she initially thought. It wasn't limited to the old street but extended to some other places related to Spirit Cultivator.
The old street, being in an area mainly inhabited by ordinary humans, required discretion to avoid raising suspicions. In contrast, some websites and locations restricted to Spirit Cultivator mentioned places where ordinarychumans were less common. Here, Spirit Cultivator only needed minimal disguises and didn't have to be overly cautious.
...
Two days later, a knock on the door sounded, and Amalia opened it to find a young man wearing a work hat.
"Hello, is Ms. Vanquez here? I've come to pick up something."
"Just a moment," Amalia replied. She went back into the house and returned with a rectangular, slightly large box and a note. She handed them both to the young man. "Deliver it to this address."
The young man took the note and received the box, ready to leave. Suddenly, Amalia stopped him.
"If the client doesn't want to disclose their name and address and someone pressures you to reveal it, would your company do so?"