Chapter 26: The Ten-Day Agreement
Song Changqian trembled all over with anger, her face turning pale. She had already understood Qiu Wenxiu’s intention, he wanted to use this method to take revenge for the family’s sanctions against them!!
If they didn’t strike back with strength, the family’s reputation in the market would surely plummet.
She wanted to accept the challenge, but quickly and helplessly realized that no one in the shop could meet the demand. Unless they could invite a second-rank artifact refiner but if they did that, wouldn’t it be even more humiliating?
Just as Song Changqian was lost in confusion, a gentle voice sounded in her ear: “We at Seeking Treasure Pavilion will take this order.”
Everyone’s gaze immediately turned toward the voice, only to be shocked to discover that the speaker was a young man.
Ignoring the surprised looks from the crowd, Song Changsheng walked straight up to Qiu Wenxiu and said calmly, “Put the materials down. You may leave.”
“Heh, you little punk, who the hell are you? Get lost,” Qiu Wenxiu had been somewhat restrained in front of Song Changqian, but when facing Song Changsheng, he didn’t even bother pretending.
“Fellow Daoist, this matter has nothing to do with you. Don’t get involved needlessly,” Song Changqian spoke politely, but her face was full of resistance.
Though refusing the challenge would affect the family’s reputation, putting on a show and failing would be even worse.
If not for the many people present, Song Changqian would have thrown this clueless brat out already.
Song Changsheng took out a token from his waist and said lightly, “I’m the new artifact refiner at Seeking Treasure Pavilion. Your request is simple, just leave the materials and wait for news. The deposit is 200 spirit stones.”
Song Changqian’s eyes immediately widened. She took the token and looked, it was authentic.
She looked him up and down. Song Changsheng appeared even younger than she was. Could he really be a first-rank superior-grade artifact refiner?
From the look on Song Changqian’s face, Qiu Wenxiu could tell the identity was genuine, but she clearly didn’t trust him. Probably just some greenhorn who came down the mountain for training.
Still, that was good news for him.
He immediately played along and said, “So it’s Master Song in person. I was just thinking, how could the Song family be inferior to the Earthfire Sect? I’ll hand over the materials and deposit to Master Song then.”
Song Changqian still couldn’t believe it and was about to speak when Song Changsheng beat her to it and said, “Come take it in ten days.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Wenxiu was overjoyed inside and became even more convinced this guy was a fool. After all, the Earthfire Sect’s artifact refiner had taken twenty days to make the same artifact.
He had originally planned to give the Song family only fifteen days, but this idiot actually bragged he only needed ten. How could he not accept?
“Great! Master Song is indeed a talented young man, refreshing and forthright. Fellow Daoists, you all heard it: ten days. I’ll return in ten days to collect the artifact. I hope you’ll all come and support the event!”
Qiu Wenxiu had achieved his goal and left with his people, grinning from ear to ear.
“We’ll come back in ten days too, and bring more people to cheer for Master Song,” the customers who’d originally come to shop were delighted by the drama and began spreading the word.
A falling-out between the Earthfire Sect and the Song family? Who would want to miss that?
Song Changqian, barely holding back her anger, dragged Song Changsheng up to the second floor and snapped, “Who gave you the right to make that decision on your own? Do you know how much this could cost the family?”
Seeing her finger pointed right at his nose, Song Changsheng frowned and said, “If we didn’t accept, where would the family’s dignity go?
If you have no solution, then why not let me try? Three traits, how hard is that?”
“You…” Song Changqian was rendered speechless.
“Ten days is plenty. Where’s the forging chamber? Take me there.” Song Changsheng didn’t want to argue further.
Ultimately, this whole mess stemmed from Song Changqian mishandling the situation.
As soon as Qiu Wenxiu brought out the treasure pearl, she lost her composure and let him run circles around her, eventually forcing the family into a corner with no way forward or back, utterly foolish.
He believed that if the Pavilion Master of Seeking Treasure Pavilion had been here today, this would’ve been handled properly and the family would never have been placed in such a passive position.
Song Changsheng quickly completed the handover with the original artifact refiner, then shut himself inside the forging chamber.
Refining this artifact wasn’t difficult for him, ten days was more than enough. But he had some new ideas about weapon forging, so he needed to seize the time to test them out...
...
Song Luyuan returned to the Seeking Treasure Pavilion with a dark expression. Seeing Song Changqian, he exploded in anger: “What happened? I was only gone for half a day, and now there’s this bizarre ten-day agreement?”
Song Changqian looked like a scolded schoolchild, stammering as she recounted how the Qiu family came to provoke them, adding embellishments and complaints about Song Changsheng.
Song Luyuan, who had been furious, suddenly froze and asked uncertainly, “What did you say the new artifact refiner’s name was?”
“You mean that arrogant maniac? His name’s Song Changsheng. He’s the one who took it upon himself to accept the order and claimed he could forge a first-rank superior-grade artifact with three properties in ten days.” Song Changqian quickly shifted the blame.
To her surprise, Song Luyuan’s attitude changed entirely. Stroking his chin, he muttered, “If it’s him, then it might actually be possible.”
“Him? He’s younger than me! How could he possibly pull it off?” Song Changqian said defiantly.
Song Luyuan shot her a glance and shouted, “You still have the nerve to talk? Don’t you know there’s always someone better out there? Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean others can’t!
If you hadn’t handled things so poorly today, would he have needed to stick his neck out to clean up your mess?”
Startled, Song Changqian tried to argue, “How did I handle it poorly? No one in the store could do it! If I’d accepted and failed, wouldn’t that have hurt the family’s reputation even more?
And he didn’t ‘clean up my mess’, him taking the order is what really puts our family’s face on the line!”
Seeing she still didn’t realize her mistake, Song Luyuan let out a deep sigh. “You, you... You haven’t learned a thing.
That treasure pearl Qiu Wenxiu showed, just because he said it was forged by Hundred Treasures Pavilion, you believed him? Don’t you have a mouth? Couldn’t you ask questions? Stall for time?
In the end, you let him force us into a corner. If we hadn’t taken the order, how would we survive in the market?
We always told you to pay more attention to family affairs, but you never cared. Do you even know who Song Changsheng is? He’s the patriarch’s direct grandson!
He studies both formations and forging, personally trained by the patriarch. Before reaching adulthood, he had already become a superior first-rank artifact refiner, he’s one of the family’s top geniuses.
If he says he can do it, then it’s nearly certain. Just wait and see what happens in ten days.”
Song Changqian still felt resentful inside, but seeing Song Luyuan’s expression, she didn’t dare talk back again, though she was still unconvinced…
...
The ten-day deadline arrived in the blink of an eye. Qiu Wenxiu showed up early at the Seeking Treasure Pavilion’s entrance.
Following him was a huge crowd of onlookers who came just to watch the drama unfold...
(Chapter End)