Mo Jin stood before the Sect Master and the elders with a calm expression.
He knew it was only a matter of time before he would appear before his father, but he never expected it to happen in the middle of an ongoing meeting.
Standing behind him was Zhao Tian, trembling under the intense gazes directed at him.
"Son, tell the truth. Are you the one who created this thing?" the Sect Master asked, looking at the sleek device in his hand.
He could not believe that his son—once deemed untalented—could create something as significant as this.
"Yes," Mo Jin responded with a nod.
All the elders were shocked. They stared at him for a moment, unsure how to react. Many found it impossible to believe, but no one could deny it.
"Are you sure?" his father asked, a rare smile creeping onto his face.
"Yes… That is the third version of the device. And these are the two earlier versions," Mo Jin said, taking out the Common Grade and Standard Grade Spirit Links from his spatial pouch.
"These two grades are not as powerful as the Deluxe version." He turned to the elders.
"We have a limited supply of the Deluxe grade. The elders should buy now before we run out of stock."
Watching Mo Jin pitch his device to the elders, the Sect Master did not know whether to laugh or cry.
'When did this rascal turn into a shrewd businessman?'
"Sect Master, may I examine it?" Elder Bai Delan, a renowned rune and talisman master, asked.
"Yes, you should check it out," the Sect Master nodded and handed him the Deluxe Spirit Link.
"And yours…" he said, looking at Mo Jin.
Without hesitation, Mo Jin handed over the Common Grade and Standard Grade Spirit Links.
Instantly, all eyes fell on Elder Bai Delan, waiting for his evaluation.
As a talisman and rune master, they all believed there was no way he wouldn't understand what a mere disciple had created.
However, as Elder Bai Delan scrutinized the Spirit Link, he continuously furrowed his brows. Silence filled the hall as everyone waited for his response.
Standing behind Mo Jin, Zhao Tian was screaming in his mind. We're finished. The elder is going to figure out everything about the Spirit Link.
Is the sect going to force us to create it for them?
No. No. I don't think so. I think the sect will just start making their own.
His thoughts were in disarray, and he subconsciously wiped the sweat from his forehead.
What are we going to do if the sect starts producing their own Spirit Links? He raised his head and glanced at his grandfather.
"Hmm… It looks like a voice talisman, but it's different," Elder Bai Delan murmured, various expressions flashing across his face.
Watching Elder Bai Delan focus so intently on a device made by a disciple, the elders immediately knew that Mo Jin's creation was far from ordinary.
Supreme Elder Zhao glanced at his grandson before turning his gaze to Elder Bai Delan.
"What are you mumbling about? Just tell us what you think of the device. Can another sect recreate it or not?" Supreme Elder Zhao asked impatiently.
"Huh?"
Elder Bai Delan snapped out of his trance and looked at the Sect Master and elders staring at him.
"Hmm. Hmm." He cleared his throat and looked at Mo Jin in disbelief.
"Sect Master, I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. All the runes used are basic, but there are three runes that I can't make sense of."
"What?"
All the elders, including the Supreme Elders, were stunned. How could a runemaster fail to understand something created by a supposed rookie?
Calling Mo Jin an apprentice runemaster would have been an overstatement. He was nothing but a rookie with no talent. And yet, his work was beyond the understanding of the sect's runemaster.
"Are you sure? Can other sects' rune masters replicate it?" the Sect Master asked for confirmation.
"Sect Master, no one can reverse-engineer it, not even a Tier-1 or Tier-2 runemaster," Mo Jin said confidently.
"Huh?"
All the elders sucked in a cold breath at Mo Jin's unwavering expression.
Normally, they would have berated him for such arrogance, but now, they could only watch in silence.
"Good. Good." The Sect Master smiled. "I knew my son was talented after all."
Seeing the Sect Master's bright smile, the elders understood his joy.
"Son, if you need any help, don't hesitate to reach out to the elders. The sect will support you in every way."
"Thank you," Mo Jin said, his smile deepening as he left the grand hall.
Watching his son's departing figure, the Sect Master was full of pride.
He did not care if his son was a warrior or not; as long as he found his own path in life, that was enough.
With the two disciples gone, the elders' expressions turned serious.
"Sect Master, with that artifact, we could improve communication with our disciples outside the sect," one elder suggested.
"I know. We need to wait for him to develop a better version that works beyond the sect's boundaries."
"Sect Master, shouldn't we assist him?" another elder asked.
"That is his creation. Why should we interfere? Before he invented the artifact, we all used voice talismans. We can continue using them. Don't try to take advantage of his work."
Hearing the Sect Master's firm stance, the elders realized that trying to seize control of Mo Jin's creation was impossible.
They abandoned the idea.
Meanwhile, Mo Jin arrived at his mother's courtyard with a flattering smile.
"Son, I heard you created an artifact that allows communication with multiple people, both inside and outside the sect," his mother said, her smile unreadable.
"Yes… Mother. This is for you." Without hesitation, he brought out a Deluxe Spirit Link.
Looking at the sleek and elegant Spirit Link, his mother's smile deepened. "Rascal, what took you so long to give this to your mother?"
"Ah…" He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I needed others to test it first to make sure there were no issues before giving it to you."
"Hmph!" She scoffed but did not press further. "Tell me how to use it."
Breathing a sigh of relief that she didn't continue questioning him, Mo Jin quickly began explaining how to use the Spirit Link.