"The time's up, and I've brought the payment too. So tell me, Treasure-Seeking Pavilion have you finished the artifact I asked for?" Qiu Wenxiu leaned casually against the doorframe, speaking in a loud, arrogant voice.
Song Changqian's eyes nearly shot out flames. At this moment, she genuinely wanted to kill this damn bastard.
"Young man, no need to be so impatient. We agreed on ten days, and ten days it shall be. Our Treasure-Seeking Pavilion always keeps its word," Song Luyuan replied calmly as he sat leisurely on the high stool behind the counter, sipping tea without a care.
That's the difference with a seasoned old fox even when facing overwhelming pressure, he remained composed like a rock.
"Hmph, all for the show," Qiu Wenxiu sneered inwardly. He never believed Treasure-Seeking Pavilion could complete the task in ten days. He had come today purely to embarrass them in public.
"Tch, how far the mighty have fallen. The Song Clan's getting bullied like a stray dog now. Back when Patriarch Song Yungui was still around, who in Lingzhou didn't show them respect?
Just ten or so years ago, the Song Clan had over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators unrivaled across Lingzhou. Back then, even the Earthfire Sect and the Qiu Clan wouldn't dare act this cocky," an elderly cultivator in the crowd sighed emotionally.
A tall cultivator next to him sneered, "By that logic, Earthfire Sect had a Core Formation ancestor once too, but that didn't stop them from declining.
Now it's the Song Clan's turn to go downhill. Even their prized artifact-forging techniques have been outclassed by Earthfire Sect.
Mark my words Lingzhou belongs to Earthfire Sect from now on."
"They haven't even compared yet, and you're already saying Treasure-Seeking Pavilion lost? What, are you a paid shill from Earthfire Sect?" a cultivator nearby immediately challenged.
Both the Song Clan and Earthfire Sect were known for artifact crafting, and in recent years, their battle for market share had been fierce.
But truth be told, the Song Clan had never lost before.
That's why most onlookers still held faith in the Song Clan. The tall cultivator's words naturally aroused suspicion.
The tall man simply smiled mysteriously and lowered his voice:
"You weren't there that day, so, normally, you don't know. When Qiu Wenxiu issued the challenge, the Song Clan folks turned pale.
If they were confident, would they have reacted like that?
And get this the one who accepted the challenge was a young guy, maybe not even twenty.
At that age, he might not have even grasped the basics of artifact forging!
If he pulls it off, I'll dig up the floor tiles and eat them."
His tone was so firm that even those who had initially trusted the Song Clan began to waver.
If it were an artifact master accepting the challenge, no one would've doubted it.
But a youth? Artifact forging wasn't child's play. Even producing a top-grade Tier-1 artifact at that age was rare, let alone one inscribed with three different attributes.
How could that even be possible?
As the whispers grew louder, Qiu Wenxiu's smirk widened, practically reaching his ears. Just as he expected no one believed Song Changsheng could do it.
Song Luyuan remained composed as ever.
But Song Changqian couldn't help but mutter under her breath,
"It's all that guy's fault. He's put the whole clan on the chopping block."
"And who caused this in the first place?" Song Luyuan glanced at her and replied flatly.
"Of course, it was" Song Changqian was about to say "Song Changsheng," but when she caught sight of her father's expression, she swallowed the words.
Just when public opinion had completely turned against them, Song Changsheng finally completed his masterpiece after days of working around the clock.
As he had promised, inscribing three attributes onto the artifact was no problem for him.
But this time, his goal wasn't just to prove the Song Clan's capability he wanted to publicly slap Earthfire Sect and its allies across the face.
He wasn't just aiming to win he wanted to win gloriously, and utterly shatter Earthfire Sect's prestige.
...
"Manager Song," Qiu Wenxiu suddenly said loudly, "according to your shop's rules, failure to complete an order means triple compensation. We've already waited two extra hours.
I say just pay me 1,500 spirit stones, and let's not keep all these fellow cultivators suffering under this scorching sun."
Qiu Wenxiu looked at Song Luyuan with a face full of sincerity, as if he was thinking on his behalf.
"Yeah, are you guys even capable or not?"
"What a waste of time. I say we all just leave."
Some people in the crowd started jeering, and Song Luyuan immediately felt a surge of pressure.
Just then, Song Changsheng descended from the second floor and said,
"I was wondering why I kept hearing some rabid dog barking outside my forging chamber… turns out Fellow Daoist Qiu visited us. You really couldn't wait, could you?"
Qiu Wenxiu's face instantly darkened there was no mistaking the insult.
Glaring at Song Changsheng, he snapped, "You sharp-tongued brat, where's the artifact I ordered?"
But Song Changsheng ignored him completely. He walked straight up to Song Luyuan, gave a respectful bow, and said,
"Nephew greets Uncle. The day I arrived, you weren't present, so I took the liberty of accepting the order myself. I hope you won't hold it against me."
"Hahaha, no need to worry at all. You're the artifact master sent by the family you're in charge here," Song Luyuan replied with a wide smile, finally at ease now that Song Changsheng had stepped forward.
Seeing the two chatting so nonchalantly, as if Qiu Wenxiu didn't exist, the latter nearly exploded with rage.
He bellowed, "Enough with the act! If you don't have the artifact, you owe me triple compensation!"
Only then did Song Changsheng lazily turn to him and say,
"Fellow Daoist Qiu, no need to be in such a hurry. Three attributes? That's hardly anything for us here at Treasure-Seeking Pavilion I finished your order long ago.
But before I hand it over, I'd like to ask you a question. That artifact Earthfire Sect's master made how long did it take?"
Qiu Wenxiu didn't believe for a second that Song Changsheng had finished the artifact, so he boasted,
"Roughly ten days, give or take."
"Hahaha, excellent," Song Changsheng laughed.
"Since so many fellow cultivators are here today, please help me judge this item and see for yourselves."
As he spoke, he pulled a deep navy blue orb from his robes. With a slight nudge of spiritual energy, three formations engraved within the orb suddenly flared into view.
Qiu Wenxiu's expression changed drastically on the spot, and murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd.
"[Water Source Array], [Ice Spike Array], [Rejuvenation Array] this artifact truly does contain the attributes of defense, offense, and recovery. This young man from the Song Clan is incredible!"
A formation master in the crowd recognized the arrays and explained their effects, immediately triggering a wave of astonishment.
"He forged this in just ten days?"
"The Song Clan's foundation runs deep indeed. For someone this young to achieve such a feat..."
Now that the orb was revealed, the tide of public opinion swiftly shifted again this time in favor of the Song Clan.
"Fellow Daoist Qiu, please pay the remaining balance of three hundred spirit stones," Song Changsheng said coolly, placing the orb in front of him.
"You… There's no way you made this! Ten days? Impossible!" Qiu Wenxiu shouted, his eyes locked on Song Changsheng with fury.
"Why is it impossible?" Song Changsheng replied playfully. "Didn't you just say Earthfire Sect also needed ten days?"
"Well, then it wasn't you who forged it. Who knows if this was made by one of your second-tier masters from the Song Clan?" Qiu Wenxiu suddenly realized he'd slipped up but stubbornly stuck to his claim.
Song Changsheng suddenly chuckled, then turned to the crowd outside the shop and said,
"Everyone, isn't it odd how Fellow Daoist Qiu never questioned the orb when he brought it to us, yet now he's casting doubt on ours?
Tsk tsk… how curious."
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