Chapter 27: Public Opinion Guidance

“The time has come, and I’ve brought the money. To the members of Mi Bao Pavilion, is the magic tool I requested ready?” Qiu Wenxiu said ostentatiously, leaning against the doorframe.

Song Changqian’s eyes were practically spitting fire; she truly wanted to slaughter this black-hearted bastard right now.

“Young man, please calm yourself. A deal for ten days is ten days. My Mi Bao Pavilion naturally keeps its word,” Song Luyuan responded calmly, sitting on a high stool at the counter, leisurely sipping tea.

An old fox was indeed different; even when facing an absolute disadvantage, he remained as steady as an old dog.

“Hmph, mere posturing.” In his heart, Qiu Wenxiu did not believe for a second that Mi Bao Pavilion could finish within ten days. He had come today specifically to slap them in the face.

“Heh, the Song clan really is a tiger fallen to the plains, bullied by dogs. Back when the ancestor Song Yun-gui was around, who in Lingzhou didn't submit to them? Just look at ten or so years ago—the Song clan had over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, unrivaled in Lingzhou. Which sect, like the Earth Fire Sect or the Qiu clan, would have dared to act so brazenly?” an elderly cultivator in the crowd remarked with emotion.

A tall cultivator beside him sneered upon hearing this. “Well, if you put it that way, the Earth Fire Sect also had a Purple Mansion ancestor back then, but they eventually declined. The Song clan is getting weaker and weaker; even their most prized blacksmithing skills have been surpassed by the Earth Fire Sect. In my view, the Earth Fire Sect will rule Lingzhou in the future.”

“It hasn't even been compared yet; how do you know Mi Bao Pavilion has lost? Are you a plant hired by the Earth Fire Sect?” a nearby cultivator immediately questioned.

Both the Song clan and the Earth Fire Sect specialized in artifact refining. Over the years, they had clashed many times to seize market share, but the Song clan had never lost. Therefore, the vast majority of those present still held confidence in the Song clan, making the tall man's words feel suspicious and questionable.

The tall cultivator gave a mysterious smile and lowered his voice. “You weren't there that day, so it's normal that you don't know. When Qiu Wenxiu proposed this challenge, the faces of those Song clan members turned pale with fear. If they could actually do it, would they have looked like that? Besides, the one who accepted the challenge is a youngster, probably not even twenty years old. It's uncertain if someone that young has even touched the threshold of blacksmithing. If they can win, I'll pluck the floor tiles out and eat them.”

Seeing him speak with such certainty, the crowd, which had originally been confident in the Song clan, gradually began to waver. If an artifact master had accepted the challenge, they wouldn't have had any doubts. But it happened to be a young man. Blacksmithing wasn't child's play; it was rare for someone of that age to refine even a high-grade Tier 1 magic tool, let alone one inscribed with three different types of formations. How was that possible?

Listening to the whispers in the crowd, the corners of Qiu Wenxiu's mouth nearly reached his ears. Just as he had predicted, no one believed Song Changsheng could do it.

Song Luyuan remained as steady as Mount Tai, but Song Changqian couldn't help but complain in a low voice, “It's all that guy's fault. Isn't he putting the family through the fire?”

“Who caused all of this?” Song Luyuan glanced at her and said indifferently.

“Of course, it's...” Song Changqian was about to say Song Changsheng, but seeing her father's expression, she immediately swallowed her words.

Just as public opinion was tilting heavily against them, Song Changsheng finally finished his masterpiece through overtime work. As he had said, the three characteristics were not difficult for him. However, his goal this time was not just to prove that the Song clan could do it, but to slap the Earth Fire Sect and its allies in the face. Therefore, this time, he wouldn't just win; he would win beautifully and strip the Earth Fire Sect of its prestige.

“Manager Song, the rule of your Mi Bao Pavilion is to pay triple compensation if an order cannot be completed. It has been two hours of waiting. I think you should just compensate me with fifteen hundred spirit stones directly, so these fellow Daoists don't waste their time under this scorching sun.”

Qiu Wenxiu looked at Song Luyuan with a face full of sincerity, as if he were considering his best interests.

“Yeah, can you guys do it or not?”

“What a waste of time. I think everyone should just disperse.”

People in the crowd began to jeer, and the pressure on Song Luyuan increased instantly.

At that moment, Song Changsheng walked down from the second floor and said, “I was wondering why I could faintly hear a vicious dog barking in the refining room; it turns out Fellow Daoist Qiu has come calling. Can't you wait any longer?”

Qiu Wenxiu's face instantly darkened. Wasn't he being called a dog?

He glared at Song Changsheng and demanded, “You sharp-tongued brat, where is the magic tool I requested?”

Song Changsheng acted as if he hadn't heard. He walked up to Song Luyuan and cupped his hands. “Nephew greets Clan Uncle. Since Clan Uncle was not here when I arrived, I took the liberty of making decisions myself. Please do not blame me, Uncle.”

“Hahaha, no matter, no matter. You are the artifact master sent by the clan; you may make the decisions,” Song Luyuan said with a smile, his heart, which had been racing, finally settling down upon seeing Song Changsheng appear.

Seeing the two of them chatting as if no one else were there, Qiu Wenxiu was about to explode with rage. He roared, “Kid, stop acting! If you can't produce the magic tool, you must pay me triple compensation!”

Only then did Song Changsheng slowly look at him and say, “Fellow Daoist Qiu is getting anxious, isn't he? A mere three characteristics are nothing to our Mi Bao Pavilion; I finished refining it long ago. However, before the handover, I would like to ask you a question: how many days did the artifact master from the Earth Fire Sect take to refine that magic tool?”

Qiu Wenxiu didn't believe for a second that Song Changsheng had succeeded, so he boasted, “About ten days or so.”

“Hahaha, good. Since so many fellow Daoists are present today, please, everyone, cast your eyes upon this and see how my precious pearl fares.”

Song Changsheng immediately took a navy blue pearl from his robe. With a slight activation of his power, the three formations inscribed inside the pearl instantly manifested.

Qiu Wenxiu's expression changed drastically, and waves of commotion broke out in the crowd.

“【Water Element Formation】, 【Ice Spike Formation】, and 【Returning Origin Formation】! This magic tool truly possesses the three characteristics of defense, offense, and recovery simultaneously. This young man from the Song clan is extraordinary!”

An array master in the crowd recognized the three formations and called out their corresponding abilities, instantly causing a massive uproar.

“He actually refined it in ten days?”

“The Song clan's foundation is indeed profound; a young man actually possesses such ability.”

After the pearl's debut, the tide of public opinion once again became one-sided, but this time, it swung in favor of the Song clan.

“Fellow Daoist Qiu, pay the balance. Three hundred spirit stones,” Song Changsheng said indifferently, holding the pearl before Qiu Wenxiu's eyes.

“You... this definitely wasn't refined by you! Ten days? That's impossible!” Qiu Wenxiu roared, staring fixedly at Song Changsheng.

“Why is it impossible? Didn't Fellow Daoist Qiu say the Earth Fire Sect also took ten days?” Song Changsheng said teasingly.

“Then it definitely wasn't refined by you either! Who knows if it was the work of some Tier 2 master from your Song clan?” Qiu Wenxiu realized he had misspoke, but he still spoke with his chin held high.

Song Changsheng suddenly burst into laughter. Looking at the crowd outside the door, he said, “Everyone, this Fellow Daoist Qiu speaks quite strangely. When he brought the pearl, none of us questioned him, yet now he turns around to question us. Truly... tsk, tsk, tsk.”

...

(End of Chapter)