"The time is up, and I've brought the money. Everyone from the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, is the magical artifact I ordered finished yet?" Qiu Wenxiu said brazenly, leaning against the doorframe.
Flames nearly shot out of Song Changqian's eyes. She desperately wanted to kill this scumbag right now.
"Patience, young man. We agreed on ten days, and ten days it is. The Treasure Hunting Pavilion always keeps its word," Song Luyuan replied calmly, sipping tea at his leisure from a high stool behind the counter.
'An old fox, through and through. Even facing a complete disaster, he's as steady as a rock.'
'Hmph, just putting on a show.' Qiu Wenxiu didn't believe for a second that the Treasure Hunting Pavilion could finish within ten days. He was here today specifically to publicly humiliate them.
"Heh, the Song Clan has really become a tiger chased onto the plains, bullied by dogs. Back when the Yungui Ancestor was alive, who in all of Ling Province didn't toe the line?
Just a decade or so ago, the Song Clan boasted more than ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators, unparalleled in Ling Province. Who from the Earth Fire Sect or the Qiu Clan would have dared to be so audacious?" an Elder Cultivator in the crowd remarked with a sigh.
A tall cultivator beside him heard this and sneered, "By that logic, the Earth Fire Sect also had a Purple Mansion ancestor once. They just fell into decline.
The Song Clan is just going downhill. Even their most prized Artifact Refining Technique has been surpassed by the Earth Fire Sect. If you ask me, the future of Ling Province belongs to the Earth Fire Sect."
"They haven't even competed yet. How can you be so sure the Treasure Hunting Pavilion has lost? Are you a shill hired by the Earth Fire Sect?" a nearby cultivator immediately challenged.
Both the Song Clan and the Earth Fire Sect specialized in Artifact Refining. They had clashed countless times over the years for market share, but the Song Clan had never once lost.
Therefore, the vast majority of people present still had faith in the Song Clan, which was why the tall cultivator's words were met with doubt and suspicion.
The tall cultivator smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice. "You all weren't there, so it's understandable that you don't know. When Qiu Wenxiu issued the challenge, the faces of those Song Clan members went white as sheets.
Would they have looked like that if they were confident they could do it? What's more, the one who accepted the challenge was a young man who can't be more than twenty. At that age, it's doubtful he's even grasped the fundamentals of the Artifact Refining Technique. If they win, I'll pry up these floor tiles and eat them right here and now."
Seeing him speak with such conviction, the confidence of those who had supported the Song Clan began to waver. If an established Artifact Refining Master had accepted this challenge, they wouldn't have doubted it for a moment.
But the one who took the challenge was just a young man. Artifact Refining isn't child's play. It's rare for someone his age to forge even a normal Tier One High-Grade magical artifact, let alone inscribe it with three different types of Arrays. How could that be possible?
Listening to the whispers in the crowd, Qiu Wenxiu grinned from ear to ear. It was just as he'd predicted: no one believed Song Changsheng could pull it off.
Song Luyuan remained as steady as a mountain, but Song Changqian couldn't stop herself from muttering, "It's all his fault. He's basically throwing the entire clan into the fire!"
"And who was it that caused this situation in the first place?" Song Luyuan shot her a cool glance.
"Of course it was—" Song Changqian started to say Song Changsheng's name, but one look at her father's expression and she swallowed the words.
Just as public opinion tipped completely to one side, Song Changsheng, having worked nonstop, finally completed his masterpiece. As he had claimed, incorporating three different properties was no difficult task for him.
But his goal this time wasn't just to prove the Song Clan was capable; it was to deliver a resounding slap in the face to the Earth Fire Sect and its allies.
Therefore, this time, he wouldn't just win—he would win in spectacular fashion and completely demolish the Earth Fire Sect's prestige.
"Shopkeeper Song, the Treasure Hunting Pavilion's policy is to provide threefold compensation for an unfulfilled order, isn't it? We've already been waiting for two ancient hours. Why don't you just pay me the one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones and be done with it? Save all these fellow Daoists from wasting their time under the scorching sun."
Qiu Wenxiu looked at Song Luyuan with a sincere expression, as if he were doing him a great favor.
"Yeah, can you do it or not?"
"What a waste of time. I say we all just leave."
People in the crowd began to jeer, and the pressure on Song Luyuan mounted immensely.
Just then, Song Changsheng descended from the second floor. "I was in the Artifact Refining Chamber and thought I heard a vicious dog yapping nonstop. Turns out it was just Fellow Daoist Qiu paying a visit. Couldn't wait any longer?"
Qiu Wenxiu's expression instantly darkened. 'Is he calling me a dog?'
He fixed his gaze on Song Changsheng and demanded, "You sharp-tongued brat, where is my magical artifact?"
Song Changsheng, however, acted as if he hadn't heard a thing. He walked right up to Song Luyuan, cupped his hands in a fist, and said, "Greetings, Clan Uncle. You weren't here when I arrived the other day, so I took the liberty of making a decision. I hope you don't mind."
"Hahaha, not at all, not at all! You're the Artifact Refining Master sent by the clan; it's only right that you call the shots." Seeing Song Changsheng step forward, Song Luyuan's frantic heart finally settled, and he chuckled warmly.
Seeing the two exchange pleasantries as if no one else existed, Qiu Wenxiu was about to explode with rage. "Brat, cut the act!" he roared. "If you can't produce the magical artifact, you'll pay me triple compensation!"
Only then did Song Changsheng lazily turn to him. "Getting impatient, are we, Fellow Daoist Qiu? A mere three properties are hardly worth mentioning for our Treasure Hunting Pavilion. I finished it long ago."
"However, before I hand it over, I'd like to ask you a question. How many days did that Artifact Refining Master from the Earth Fire Sect take to forge his artifact?"
Qiu Wenxiu didn't believe for a second that Song Changsheng had succeeded, so he boasted, "About ten days, give or take."
"Hahaha, excellent! Since so many fellow Daoists are present today, I'll ask you all to be my witnesses. Tell me what you think of this Treasure Bead."
Song Changsheng then produced a sapphire-blue Treasure Bead from within his robes. He channeled a sliver of energy into it, and the three Arrays inscribed within the bead instantly became visible.
Qiu Wenxiu's face fell instantly, and a commotion erupted among the crowd.
"[Water Element Array], [Ice Spike Array], [Guiyuan Array]! This magical artifact truly possesses three properties at once: defense, offense, and recovery! That young man from the Song Clan is incredible."
An Array Master in the crowd had recognized the three Arrays and called out their corresponding functions, causing an uproar.
"He really forged it in ten days?"
"The Song Clan's heritage truly runs deep. To think a young man could possess such skill."
After the Treasure Bead was revealed, the tide of public opinion once again became completely one-sided, but this time, it was in the Song Clan's favor.
"Fellow Daoist Qiu, the final payment. Three hundred Spirit Stones," Song Changsheng said coolly, holding the Treasure Bead out in front of Qiu Wenxiu.
"You... There's no way you forged this! In ten days? Impossible!" Qiu Wenxiu roared, staring daggers at Song Changsheng.
"Why is it impossible? Didn't you just say it took the Earth Fire Sect ten days as well, Fellow Daoist Qiu?" Song Changsheng retorted mockingly.
"Then you definitely didn't forge it either! Who knows if this is the work of some Tier Two master from your Song Clan?" Qiu Wenxiu instantly realized his slip of the tongue but stubbornly stuck to his guns.
But Song Changsheng suddenly laughed. He looked out at the crowd and said, "Everyone, this Fellow Daoist Qiu says the strangest things. When he brought his Treasure Bead to us, we never questioned him. Now, he turns around and questions us. Really... Tsk, tsk, tsk."
...