Chapter Ninety-Nine: Brother Zhengfeng

As soon as Luo Tian stepped into the Armament Pavilion, a massive refining cauldron came into view before him.

The entire vessel was pitch-black, its four short legs planted firmly upon the ground. On its sides were engraved all manner of weapons—blades, spears, swords, halberds—and here and there appeared a few notches of unknown purpose. The other two sides could not be seen because of the angle.

At that moment, the cauldron was giving off a faint, low hum, as though something within was being tempered.

Beside it, three young men had half-surrounded an old man, and none of them spoke. The elder, however, seemed utterly unconcerned, striking an unknown material with a blacksmith’s hammer as if no one else were present.

Luo Tian had barely entered when he saw this strange scene, and curiosity stirred in him at once. The three young men did not look friendly at all; there was a clear air of tension, as though they might draw weapons at any moment.

"Old man, my young master came here out of respect for you. Don’t be ungrateful! You’ve had all afternoon to think it over. If you still dare say no, don’t blame us for making you lose face in front of others!"

Just as Luo Tian was still taking this in, one of the young men suddenly barked out in a rough, scratchy voice.

"Hm? Insolent! How can you speak to Master Qi like that?"

The one in the middle, dressed in golden robes, seemed to be the leader of the three, though there was little real reprimand in his tone. "Master Qi, please do not heed the nonsense of my servant. What sort of man am I, Jiang Zhengfeng? I am famous for my reasonableness. I never force others."

Luo Tian could not help rolling his eyes. This good cop, bad cop routine was rather overdone. Who were they trying to fool?

That said, Jiang Zhengfeng was indeed strikingly handsome. Even seen in profile, he was extraordinarily well-looking. Luo Tian even felt that, by a small margin, the man might have been close to his own level.

"I told you that you suit a mountain-splitting axe, so a mountain-splitting axe it is. I will not forge you any other weapon."

The old man called Master Qi said flatly, as though he did not care at all about the meaning behind their words.

"Master Qi!"

Jiang Zhengfeng’s temper finally showed. "A graceful and refined young gentleman like me naturally uses a longsword. At the very least, a fan would do. What is this about an axe? As a master artificer, you ought to consider my feelings, should you not?"

"Master Qi, do you not intend to keep this shop open? My young master is the third son of the city lord. He has already shown you plenty of respect by coming here in person. If you remain so ungrateful, then I—"

Another servant chimed in without yielding an inch, already rolling up his sleeves as he spoke. He looked ready to fight at the slightest provocation, with a swagger that seemed to say death meant little and refusal meant action.

"All of you, shut up!"

Jiang Zhengfeng snapped sharply. A flush passed over his face, then quickly faded. "Very well, I won’t disturb Master Qi any further. Allow me some time to think."

With that, he wasted not another moment and strode out immediately.

Having moved a few steps inward to make way at the doorway, Luo Tian could see that beneath Jiang Zhengfeng’s eyes there was a faint trace of coldness. He did not seem nearly as courteous as he had appeared.

"Master Qi."

After the three of them had left, Luo Tian gave the elderly craftsman a slight bow.

Master Qi seemed entirely unaffected by the earlier disturbance. He only lifted his head to glance at Luo Tian once before saying calmly, "Close-range combat. You would be best suited to a pair of gauntlets."

Gauntlets?

Luo Tian raised an eyebrow. Master Qi apparently recommended weapon types based on each person’s circumstances and would not work otherwise, yet Luo Tian had never expected such an answer.

Truth be told, Master Qi had hair already streaked with white, and his features were exceedingly ordinary. He looked like nothing more than a typical old man in his twilight years, his face lined with the furrows of age. Only his eyes shone with exceptional brilliance, as if they could make one feel something altogether different.

"Your body-tempering technique is built on a solid foundation, and your aura is formidable. Clearly, you have had some opportunity in regard to vital energy. A body refined to this degree would be wasted if it were not used for close combat."

Master Qi seemed to see Luo Tian’s confusion, and while his hands continued their work, he offered a brief explanation.

Luo Tian’s fist tightened all at once.

Could the secret of the True Flame of Transforming Vital Energy have been seen through?

That was a fire-origin true spirit. If anyone discovered it, the consequences could be troublesome.

"There is no need to be afraid. At my age, I am not likely to covet a young man’s belongings."

Master Qi’s tone remained placid, as though nothing in the world was worth taking seriously. "Bring your own main material. The forging fee is one origin stone."

One origin stone?

Luo Tian truly felt that today had broadened his horizons. Only origin tools used by Origin Core cultivators were usually priced in origin stones. For a treasure-level weapon of this kind, even tens of thousands of gold coins would ordinarily suffice. Why would origin stones be necessary?

"Master Qi, I have a short sword made from Origin-Devouring Jade. I hope you can modify it and incorporate it into a new weapon."

Luo Tian decided to first mention what he had brought.

He did not care about the origin stones. After all, they had been given to him by Shen Qingkong. Compared with mere wealth, Luo Tian cared more that the weapon be worth its price.

"Origin-Devouring Jade?"

Master Qi glanced at Luo Tian again. This time, his hands finally stopped. His eyes flashed. "I see. Then I will forge you a pair of gloves. Prepare Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm Silk and bring it together with the jade. As for the other materials, you need not worry. The fee will be three origin stones."

Luo Tian was instantly left speechless. So the price had risen again?

"Your body-tempering art has essentially taken care of your entire body. As for weapons, gloves are the most suitable choice."

Master Qi gave a rare explanation. There was even a hint of excitement in his eyes, as if a spark of desire had been lit and he could not wait to forge this treasure for himself.

"Master Qi, how many days will it take to complete?"

Seeing how serious Master Qi was, Luo Tian felt somewhat tempted as well. But then he remembered that he could only stay in Windward City for half a month, and could not help asking the question.

"Five days."

Master Qi answered with certainty.

"Good."

Luo Tian did not waste words. Even if there was still plenty of time, it would be better to get the weapon sooner and adapt to it. With a brief response, he turned and left.

Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm Silk?

It seemed he would have to pay a visit to the Windward Auction House.

Luo Tian recalled the introduction Yang Hui had given him and headed toward the auction house. Though he might be able to find what he wanted elsewhere, the auction house would still be the most reliable place.

"Young master, what are you looking for? We have all sorts of rare materials here!"

Just after stepping through the entrance and before he had time to properly look at the crowd jostling ahead, a shop assistant came up from the side.

The main hall and the auction entrance were separate, so the attendant asked quite directly.

The auction itself naturally drew attention with rare treasures and powerful artifacts, but materials that were not especially uncommon were sold in the main hall.

"Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm Silk."

The moment Luo Tian heard the name, he knew it was definitely no ordinary commodity. As he said it, he deliberately put on an air of calm, as though he cared little for the item.

"Please follow me, young master!"

The assistant’s eyes lit up as if Luo Tian were a walking fortune giver, and his tone became even more attentive. Even while leading the way, his back bent slightly with deference.

"Hm."

Luo Tian gave a faint nasal hum, regretting that he had not prepared a decent set of clothes. Dressed in such ordinary garments, his attempt to play the dandy always felt a little off.

At first, the assistant had harbored some doubt about Luo Tian’s identity, but seeing his manner, he became convinced. Such an air of superiority could only belong to some domineering young master, and it was not impossible that he simply liked to wear plain clothes now and then for a change of pace.

After reaching the second floor, a rather plump steward came forward to greet them.

Before the steward could speak, the assistant hurried up first. "Steward Li, this young master wishes to buy Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm Silk!"

"May I ask how this young master should be addressed?"

Steward Li smiled so broadly that the flesh on his face seemed about to squeeze into flower-like folds. The sight made Luo Tian feel slightly nauseated.

"Luó."

Luo Tian gave a cool reply. After a brief glance at the decorations on the second floor, he no longer spared them a second look.

"So it is Young Master Luo, a pleasure to have you. How much of the silkworm silk do you intend to purchase?"

Steward Li showed not the slightest displeasure. In his view, a wealthy and powerful patron who was as temperamental as any ordinary person would be the real oddity.

"One portion will do."

Luo Tian did not intend to buy more. If he needed more later, he could either come again or obtain it himself.

The auction house naturally catered to wealthy patrons, but those who came to the main hall were not necessarily short on money either. It all depended on need. Thus, when Luo Tian requested only one portion, Steward Li did not ask further and merely smiled. "Young Master Luo is a man of understanding. The Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm is a fourth-tier demonic beast and is not easy to deal with, so the price for one portion of its silk is two origin stones."

"Are you trying to cheat me?"

Luo Tian’s heart gave a jolt. The price was far too dark. They were clearly butchering customers. His eyes narrowed at once. "How can Devouring-Origin Golden Silkworm Silk be this expensive? I, Young Master Luo, may not lack money, but I will not let myself be taken for a fool!"

Steward Li kept wondering who exactly this Young Master Luo was, but he could not come to a conclusion. Among the major powers of Windward City, where was there anyone with the surname Luo?

And yet, the man’s bearing did not seem fake at all.

"Young Master Luo misunderstands me. This price is already very fair. Our Windward Auction House conducts business honorably. How could we possibly take you for a fool?"

Steward Li still wore a smile. "However, this should be your first time here. In that case, after the transaction is complete, I will authorize a red card for you. In the future, Young Master Luo will enjoy a ten percent discount."

Although he had no impression of this Young Master Luo, who carried himself with great presence despite ordinary attire, Steward Li did not dare be negligent. He could not be fully certain of Luo Tian’s strength, but the man was probably at least at the later stage of the Qi Condensation realm. To casually request silk from a fourth-tier demonic beast, he must surely have some backing.

"Brother Zhengfeng said that if I came here to buy something, I would definitely get it at the best possible price. Seems that was nothing but empty talk!"

Luo Tian shook his head in deliberate disappointment and turned as if to leave.