"Then have Lian come up at once!" Second Elder urgently motioned for a nearby disciple to go and bring Lian over.
A moment later, Lian was brought over. She looked completely bewildered, having no idea why she had been called.
"Palace Master, is something wrong?" Lian asked as she walked over.
"This Master Kong has taken a liking to you. He wants you to become his Dao companion. I wonder, are you willing?"
Second Elder asked with a beaming smile. Lian's talent wasn't high, so marrying her off in exchange for three Spiritual Artifacts was undoubtedly a very good deal.
"N-No, I'm not willing..." Lian glanced at Master Kong and immediately shook her head, refusing.
At her refusal, Master Kong's expression darkened. 'He was *the* Master Kong, a Blacksmith with a boundless future whose achievements would be limitless! To think she'd reject him right after he arrived.'
"I am a Third-Grade Blacksmith! If you are with me, you will enjoy far better resources. I'll even advance to a Fourth-Grade, or even Fifth-Grade Blacksmith in the future! And you're still not willing to be with me?"
Master Kong's eyes filled with indignation, and he practically roared the words out.
"Thank you for your kind intentions, Master Kong, but I am not looking for a Dao companion right now. I hope you can understand. There are other sisters in Merak Palace you could choose from..."
But Lian still refused Master Kong, completely unconcerned about what grade he might reach in the future.
"Damn it! You're just a servant girl, how dare you refuse me!"
Feeling a wave of humiliation, Master Kong glared at Lian and said coldly, "If you don't agree to become my Dao companion, then you can find someone else for this task of forging Spiritual Artifacts!"
"Lian, what are you thinking!?"
Second Elder said hurriedly, "This is Master Kong! If you marry him, it will be like a sparrow becoming a phoenix! Isn't your family facing hardship? If you marry him, you can have anything you desire!"
Second Elder and the others didn't want to see this opportunity fly away. Three Spiritual Artifacts forged for free—how could they not be moved?
Master Kong put on a haughty expression, looking down at Lian coldly. His previous smile had vanished, replaced by an ice-cold mask.
"Get out!"
Just then, Shi Xueyun interjected coldly, "I call you Master Kong out of respect! I never imagined you would try to force someone against their will. If this is the extent of your character, then we're better off without you! As for forging the Spiritual Artifacts, I will find someone else. It has nothing to do with you!"
The Palace Master was a Palace Master, after all. Her domineering presence flared instantly. 'Her own Attendant, who did he think he was, trying to get his hands on her?' If Lian had agreed, she wouldn't have said a word. But since he was trying to use force, she was not about to let it slide.
"'A sparrow becoming a phoenix,' what a joke. Lian has always been a phoenix! Where do you see a sparrow?"
Yi Tianyun could no longer stand by and watch. A cold smile replaced his anger as he said, "Master Kong, it seems you're quite practiced at this. It's just forging a Spiritual Artifact, right? I can do that too!"
He stepped forward, fixing Master Kong with a cold stare.
His words left everyone stunned. Even Shi Xueyun stared at him, dumbfounded.
Becoming a Blacksmith wasn't something that happened overnight; it required long-term dedication and practice.
For Yi Tianyun to now boast that he could forge a Spiritual Artifact was just too far-fetched, wasn't it?
She could only assume that Yi Tianyun had said it in a fit of pique to shut Master Kong up.
"Someone like *you* can forge a Spiritual Artifact?"
Master Kong sneered. "I heard you're just a waste with no Blood Qi. You apparently defeated someone from the Celestial Spirit Sect? I don't know if they're all cripples over there, for even the likes of you to win!"
The moment Shi Xueyun heard this, her gaze turned cold, radiating killing intent. Clearly, his words had crossed her line.
Yi Tianyun reached out and gave her hand a light squeeze, then stepped forward and sneered, "What if I can forge a Spiritual Artifact? What do you say to that?"
"If you can forge a Spiritual Artifact, I'll give this one to you. What's more, I'll walk on my hands from now on!"
Master Kong took out a Longsword. A cold light flashed from its blade. It was indeed a fine Spiritual Artifact, but one could tell it was only of the Low-Grade.
Even a Low-Grade Spiritual Artifact was worth a fortune—as much as fifty thousand taels. At his level, he could only forge Low-Grade Spiritual Artifacts, not higher-grade ones.
His eyes filled with disdain. He felt he had been challenged. 'To be rejected by a servant girl, and now humiliated by a cripple!'
"And if you can't forge one? What will you say then! You'll give her to me in marriage, how about that!"
Master Kong sneered. At this point, even if Lian were to marry him, he would certainly not treat her as a wife. He would definitely use her as a servant girl.
He had always been held in high regard. After suffering such humiliation, it was impossible for him to ever look favorably upon Lian again.
"Lian is not a piece of cargo, nor is she a wager!"
Yi Tianyun said coldly, "If I fail to forge a Spiritual Artifact, I will cripple one of my own arms! How about that!"
"Cripple one of your own arms?"
Master Kong laughed, his anger twisting into a smile. "Good! Very good! You have guts. Cripple one of your arms, and you'll be less than a waste. Fine, I accept your terms! Forge it for me right now. If you can't produce one, you'll cripple your arm! And if you can't make good on your word, your Merak Palace will have to give me an accounting. Don't blame me for being discourteous!"
Master Kong's cultivation level wasn't high, but his connections were decent. He knew at least a few major families, so exerting some pressure on Merak Palace was not a problem for him.
"No problem. I can forge it right now. Just give me the materials!"
Yi Tianyun turned to Shi Xueyun and said, "Palace Master, please give me the materials to forge a Spiritual Artifact. I will forge one right now!"
_Ding! Player 'Yi Tianyun' has accepted the side quest 'Forge a Spiritual Artifact.' The reward for completion is five thousand experience points and the Immortal Fire!_
_Immortal Fire. Effect: Never extinguishes. Can be used to forge higher-grade Treasures or for Alchemy. It can also be used for attacking. Grade: Mortal._
'A side quest popped up in his mind, and the reward was the Immortal Fire, of all things! That thing is a top-tier item! Even though it's only Mortal Grade, it can be upgraded. This is a piece of cake!'
They were all dumbfounded by this scene, especially the three elders. They suspected Yi Tianyun might be a fool. To dare to make such a wager... 'Does he really know how to forge a Spiritual Artifact? To be able to forge one at such a young age would make him a Forging genius.'
Clearly, that didn't seem realistic. Master Kong was already in his thirties and had only just reached this level.
"Are you crazy? How dare you say such a thing! Apologize to Master Kong at once!" Second Elder said sharply.
"Apologize? Why should I apologize? It's just a Spiritual Artifact. I can forge one as well!"
Yi Tianyun sneered, "Lian is not someone just anyone can marry, and she is certainly not a tool for you to exchange for Spiritual Artifacts!"
"Young Master..."
Lian covered her mouth, the rims of her eyes turning red. Her resolve had been wavering; she was starting to think she had done the wrong thing and was about to agree. She never expected that both Yi Tianyun and Shi Xueyun would stand by her side.
"Well said. I will take you to the Forging Room right now. Forge a Spiritual Artifact and show them!"
Shi Xueyun had actually agreed to it, instead of stopping him!
"Aunt, you believe me?" Yi Tianyun was taken aback. He thought he would be shut down. He had even stopped calling her Palace Master, calling her "Aunt" instead.
"If I can't even believe my own family, who can I believe?" Shi Xueyun's face bloomed into a radiant smile, so beautiful that it left Yi Tianyun completely stunned...