The middle-aged shopkeeper, Liu Neng, nodded slowly at Tang San's statement regarding the base price of the materials. However, his expression soon turned serious, his brows furrowing as he began to explain the complexities of the job.
"You are right about the market price of the raw material," Liu Neng said, his voice heavy with professional authority. "But you should also know that Iron Essence is significantly tougher than ordinary refined iron. Naturally, this makes it much harder to forge and shape."
He tapped his finger on the counter to emphasize his point. "When we use Iron Essence to forge any item, the standard industry rule is that the processing fee is equivalent to the price of the iron itself. In other words, to forge anything using one kilogram of Iron Essence, we charge a processing fee of ten gold coins."
He picked up the blueprint Tang San had placed on the counter, examining the intricate lines again. "Furthermore, the item on your blueprint is incredibly complex. It requires precision detailing that goes beyond standard forging. Because of this difficulty, we will have to charge an additional fifty percent on top of the base processing fee."
Hearing this, Tang San's expression actually brightened, and his attitude instantly became more relaxed. If a normal person were standing here, hearing a blacksmith say that forging a few small metal parts would cost hundreds of gold coins, they would certainly be astonished. To the average commoner, a single gold coin was enough to live on for months.
But Tang San was different. He knew the market, and he knew the value of craftsmanship. In his eyes, the price the Blacksmith Shop Owner was quoting was actually very reasonable for the quality of work required.
"That is acceptable; your pricing structure is fair," Tang San said, nodding in agreement. "However, the quantity I require is quite large. Since this is a bulk order, can there be some discount on the final price?"
Liu Neng pondered for a moment, doing a quick calculation in his head. He looked at the boy, then nodded decisively.
"Certainly. If you truly require these items to be made from genuine Iron Essence, then you are considered a big customer for us," Liu Neng replied. "However, the material cost is fixed; I cannot reduce that or I would lose money on the iron itself. But I can offer a discount on the labor."
He held up a finger. "I can give you a ten percent discount on the labor cost as a standard courtesy. However, if you use more than ten kilograms of Iron Essence for the total order, then I can increase that to a twenty percent discount. That is the lowest I can go—twenty percent off."
Tang San smiled, satisfied with the negotiation. "Then it's settled! Please make five sets according to the blueprint I've provided. I have calculated the volume in detail; each set will require approximately two kilograms of Iron Essence. That brings the total to about ten kilograms."
Liu Neng looked at Tang San in genuine surprise. He hadn't expected such a large volume from a teenager.
"You want to make so many?" Liu Neng asked, his eyes widening slightly. "That is ten kilograms of Iron Essence. Even with the eighty percent rate on labor, the total cost will still be nearly two hundred gold coins."
Seeing the hesitation in Liu Neng's expression, Tang San understood the man's concern. He was worried that a young boy wouldn't be able to afford such a massive sum of money. After all, two hundred gold coins was a fortune.
Tang San decided it was time to shift the dynamic of the conversation. He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"Shopkeeper Liu, you are also a Spirit Master, aren't you?" Tang San asked suddenly.
Liu Neng's heart tensed, and his guard went up immediately. He frowned as he looked at Tang San, wondering how the boy knew. Tang San revealed a somewhat meaningful, confident smile.
"I would like to speak with you privately regarding the payment and specifics, if that is alright?" Tang San suggested.
Liu Neng hesitated for only a second. A business deal worth over two hundred gold coins was significant. Even for this large Blacksmith Shop in the heart of Heaven Dou City, it was definitely a big deal. Their entire annual turnover was only around three thousand gold coins, so this single order represented a large chunk of their monthly profit.
"Very well," Liu Neng nodded, making up his mind. "Then please follow me to the back."
He lifted the counter flap and led Tang San directly toward the rear of the shop. They approached the thick black curtain that separated the storefront from the work area. Passing through the separating curtain, Tang San was immediately met with a surprising sight.
The reception hall at the front of this Blacksmith Shop was already quite large, but the workshop in the back was even bigger, opening up into a massive cavernous space. As far as the eye could see, there was a sea of glowing furnaces, casting dancing shadows against the soot-stained walls. The heat was intense, and the sound of metal striking metal was deafening.
At least fifty blacksmiths were working simultaneously, their hammers rising and falling in a chaotic but productive rhythm.
Tang San secretly activated his technique. His Purple Demon Eye was released, a faint purple light flashing in his pupils, and his gaze briefly swept over the assembled workers. He observed their muscle movements, their breathing, and the precision of their strikes.
He couldn't help but nod inwardly in approval. Although not every blacksmith here was exceptionally strong in terms of raw power, their eyes and hands were extremely steady. They were clearly experienced craftsmen who had spent years at the forge. To support such a large business in the capital, it was essential to have a team of excellent blacksmiths.
Suddenly, Tang San let out a soft exclamation of surprise. He focused his gaze on a specific corner of the workshop and muttered to himself, "If I am not mistaken, those two over there... they also seem to be Spirit Masters, right?"
Liu Neng stopped walking and looked at Tang San in confusion. "Young man, is there a problem?"
Deep down, Liu Neng still didn't trust Tang San completely. After all, the customer looked too young, practically a child. However, the technical blueprint Tang San had presented earlier didn't seem like a joke; it was professional work. Moreover, this was a deal worth over two hundred gold coins. Liu Neng didn't want to miss out on the profit due to his momentary suspicion.
Following Tang San's gaze, he looked towards the center of the workshop and noticed the two young blacksmiths who were currently working at a large anvil.
They looked to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, clearly brothers. Both had heads that somewhat resembled leopards and large, round eyes. Their appearances were very similar, indicating they were likely twins. Their bodies were robust, filled with explosive power, and their dark muscles rippled like small mountains with every swing of their hammers.
The forging hammers in their hands were much larger and heavier than those used by the other blacksmiths, yet their forging process was extremely steady and rhythmic. Their efficiency was terrifying; they shaped the metal with a speed that even surpassed some of the older, more experienced middle-aged blacksmiths around them.
Seeing that Tang San had a keen eye and was paying attention to them, Liu Neng couldn't help but chuckle proudly. His wariness faded slightly, replaced by fatherly pride.
"These two lads are getting stronger and stronger every day," Liu Neng said with a smile. "How about it? My blacksmiths here are pretty good, right?"
"These two are my twin sons," he continued, introducing them from afar. "One is named Liu Long, and the other is Liu Hu. Although they are not old, they have inherited my true skills. They are currently the best blacksmiths in the entire shop."
Upon hearing this praise, Tang San's lips curved into a somewhat dismissive smile. It was a subtle expression, one of hidden arrogance.
While the Blacksmith Shop Owner's two sons were decent, in Tang San's eyes, they still fell quite short when compared to himself. Whether it was Spirit Power level or blacksmithing technique, Tang San had absolute confidence in his superiority.
Ever since leaving the high-pressure environment of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the Shrek team, he found his confidence growing stronger and stronger.
It wasn't that his own talent was poor; on the contrary, he was a prodigy. The problem was that the talent and strength of the other Shrek members—like Dai Mubai and the others—were simply too monstrous. Being around them constantly suppressed his ego. But once he left that group of freaks, even though he was still in the bustling Heaven Dou City, Tang San felt that he could absolutely be called a top-tier genius.
Compared to the outside world, I am outstanding, he thought. Of course, only Teacher and I truly understand this potential.
Hearing Liu Neng's words, Tang San immediately understood the source of the Spirit Power fluctuations he had sensed earlier. Judging from the intensity of the fluctuations, Liu Neng's own strength wasn't very high. In fact, the father was even weaker than his two sons.
Clearly, the Spirits of Liu Long and Liu Hu had undergone some degree of mutation, granting them greater power than their father. At their age, eighteen or nineteen, they already possessed Spirit Power levels in the twenties.
If they were in a standard advanced Spirit Master academy, they would be considered quite good students. They might even be the stars of a smaller city. However, compared to Tang San, who was younger and far more skilled, they were simply not on the same level.
Thinking of this, Tang San couldn't help but smile more broadly.
"They are indeed skilled," Tang San said, keeping his internal thoughts to himself. "If our cooperation is successful, then I would like to request that they be the ones to forge these items for me."
Tang San himself was both a master blacksmith and a Spirit Master. He naturally understood the mechanics of the craft. Forging items with Spirit Power as a backing was far superior to what ordinary blacksmiths could achieve using only physical strength. Just the evenness of the force and the precise control of power during the hammering process were beyond what ordinary people could ever attain.
Liu Neng looked deeply at Tang San, assessing the request. He smiled calmly. "If our cooperation is truly successful and the payment is settled, that is no problem at all."
He gestured for Tang San to continue following him. They walked past the heat of the furnaces, all the way to a quiet room situated behind the workshop.
The room was simple and functional. It contained a wooden table, seven or eight chairs for meetings, and a simple wooden bed in the corner. It was clearly the Blacksmith Shop Owner's private office, which he also used for rest during long shifts. Through a window on the wall, one could directly oversee the situation in the workshop outside, allowing Liu Neng to keep an eye on his workers.
Liu Neng walked directly to his desk and sat down heavily. At the same time, he gestured for Tang San to take one of the chairs opposite him.
From his first impression of the young man before him, Liu Neng thought the boy was alright—polite and knowledgeable. But when it came to actual business cooperation, he still felt the situation was slightly laughable.
If it weren't for the one-in-ten-thousand chance that this boy was actually a representative for a wealthy family, he wouldn't have let Tang San come into his private office. What kind of serious business could a young man who looked no more than fifteen years old possibly bring him? And to talk about using ten kilograms of expensive Iron Essence?
Liu Neng decided to probe the boy's background one more time to be sure.
"Young man," Liu Neng asked tentatively, leaning forward, "earlier you mentioned that you know the price of materials because you are in the trade. You said you were once a blacksmith?"
Hearing the doubt in the man's voice, Tang San's lips immediately curled into a disdainful smile.
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