What Pan An did not know, was that the Patriarch was currently working out a deal with a top ten power within the Commandery in order to supply them items for their youngest generation of followers. The name of the power was the Black Raven Church, a religious type of group that used evil methods to achieve their goals in the cultivation world.
The Patriarch of the Pan clan did not mind putting his entire clan in jeopardy by helping supply items to such a hated power because there were quite a few benefits. Not only would the Black Raven Church purchase bulk items from the Pan clan since they accepted so many followers with low cultivation levels, but they were willing to send a Master stage cultivator to push back against the King clan to make the Pan clan the undisputed number one power within Crimson Circle.
The biggest issue was of course that the Pan clan currently had a limit of only two formation experts of the two star level. This was a workable setup since a two star formations expert was proficient enough to finish a single item within the span of a day and customers were only about a dozen or so every week.
However, the Dark Raven Church wanted to put in an initial order of over two hundred weapons so that they could properly equip their lowest tier followers that numbered two hundred and were all of the Elementary stage of cultivation.
This could also be seen as a problem, because once the Dark Raven Church was known to give such nice equipment to their most basic members, that recruitment would jump drastically. So the Patriarch made his way over to Pan An's warehouse to ask about Pan Chao.
"As I have said before, it will take at least one more year until Pan Chao would be ready to take on his own portion of our clan's work. Not only that, but it is only considered an estimate since he needs to break through in his Qi refinement cultivation to the Elementary level five if you would need him to complete items all on his own without my help."
Pan An's face was visible to Pan Chao and all he could feel was pity for this so-called master of his. Not on that, but as he continued to listen in on their conversation, Senior Cao continued making sly remarks about how she felt a sense of dread watching someone be talked down to by a weakling.
"I suppose that is a good enough answer for now, but remember that you must continue pushing him when it comes to being a formations expert. That is the lifeline of our Pan clan right now until we find yet another child with the same level of potential!"
The Patriarch felt quite a large mountain's worth of pressure on his shoulders, but there was nothing that he could currently do. Out of every power that existed within Crimson Circle, only the Pan clan has experts who pursued the study of formations.
Therefore, if they were unable to find yet another within their ranks, the Dark Raven Church would most likely not hold an exclusive deal with the Pan clan which was not the end of the line, but it would make the deal much less appealing.
Right now, the ruler of the Commandery made it clear that anyone who practiced dark arts would be sought after and eliminated for a price. Plus, if anyone was found out to be aiding said powers or individuals, they would be added to such a list.
Karmatic luck was increased in a world dependent on how many individuals within practiced dark arts which directly went against the heavens. Many dark arts required pain and suffering as well as sacrifices which was frowned upon.
The main reason that even with these things in mind, organizations such as the Dark Raven Church existed, was because in the short term, dark arts could increase one's cultivation much faster compared to normal methods. So those who lacked potential would seek out such methods to make up for it.
"I will be taking my leave then. Do not worry Pan An, you will be properly rewarded by me once again as long as you could continue keeping a close eye on your disciple. And remember, if anything seems off, no matter how small, you must report it immediately."
After speaking to Pan An, the Patriarch of the Pan clan finally took his leave as Pan Chao chose to remain completely still. It may have been due to complete luck, but the Patriarch did not sense Pan Chao's presence as the door behind him closed.
Pan Chao waited for roughly fifteen minutes before appearing to Pan An. "Hello master, I wonder what today's project will consist of?"
Seeing his disciple made Pan An breathe a breath of fresh air. It was fairly obvious to Pan Chao that the pressure from dealing with the Patriarch earlier was still present and on his mind.
"I have been tasked to make sure your growth in formations reaches a proper level so that you can finally begin assisting our clan with work. For the time being, we will leave this flag formation alone and instead, I will be guiding you in different types of inscription patterns."
"Do not worry my disciple, I understand that you will be unable to bring out any energy associated with your inscriptions, but by learning how to at least make them, it will allow me to make more items completed."
"So on that note, let us begin quickly. For the next three months we will be working tirelessly since the Patriarch told me that many weapons will be delivered to us by the end of the week. However, the hard work we put in now, will bear wonderful rewards!"
Hearing what Pan An has said caused Pan Chao to feel a little strange. From what he heard and communicated to Senior Cao, being part of this operation will without a doubt impact his future endeavors especially if what they would work on was discovered by a third party.
