Chen Xianwei gave a cold, dry smile. "You're rejoicing far too early. Who's to say I won't accept an apprentice down the line who awakens his heart fire within ten days?"
He had no hopes for Qi Yuan; placing hope in a lunatic was worse than placing it in a slightly clever guiling.
"Forget down the line. You'd better teach your current student properly first. If you can't even teach your first student well, how could you ever teach a second?" Wu Zhen chuckled, turned, and strolled away.
Chen Xianwei glared at Wu Zhen's back, his expression sour. He looked up at the sky and furrowed his brow.
"Why is there only one sun? It's so unpleasant to look at. If there were one more, it'd look much nicer."
After grumbling a complaint, Chen Xianwei made his way toward Qi Yuan's courtyard.
The sprawling Shen residence was less an urban compound and more a massive estate. Due to the presence of supernatural power, the labor force in this world was vastly stronger, and the buildings were correspondingly taller and grander.
Passing through elegant courtyards and pavilions, Chen Xianwei reached Qi Yuan's courtyard.
"Young Master, today I will teach you how to craft implements."
Perhaps stung by Wu Zhen's mocking remarks, Chen Xianwei had decided to stop telling stories and start teaching Qi Yuan how to craft implements.
"Master Chen, you should just stick to telling stories. I'm far more interested in the stories you tell," Qi Yuan stated plainly.
"Sigh." Chen Xianwei let out a heavy sigh.
Sure enough, what lunatic would want to craft implements? He only wanted to hear stories.
He had to be humored like a child.
At this thought, Chen Xianwei felt the future was bleak, wondering just how long he would have to keep teaching Qi Yuan. Recalling Wu Zhen's sarcastic barbs from earlier, as well as the grandiose promises the patriarch had painted for him, he couldn't help asking, "I heard you went to the Implement Crafting Hall and took some materials?"
"Mm. Speaking of that, Master Chen, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"Oh? Speak freely."
"I wanted to ask whether there's any place in Fengshan Commandery where one can sell magical implements—the kind where you set up a street stall." Qi Yuan stated what he needed.
He had crafted some magical implements, but they were rather eccentric and completely out of place in the State of Ning. The shops that bought magical implements mostly accepted standard, conventional items.
Chen Xianwei paused, mildly surprised. "In the western part of the city, there is a ghost market that opens every night during the Hour of the Dog. The ghost market is a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes, drawing people from all walks of life. All sorts of magical implements are sold there, even black-market goods. If you want to buy magical implements, you can go there. But the ghost market is hardly safe. If you wish to go, try to find a weapon wielder to accompany you and ensure your safety."
"Thank you, Master Chen. Please continue your lesson," Qi Yuan said.
Chen Xianwei nodded and continued lecturing listlessly.
Qi Yuan sat below, listening with great relish.
About an hour passed before Chen Xianwei finished his lesson.
"If you have any questions, you may ask. Also, when awakening your heart fire, the most crucial elements are essence, qi, and spirit. If I am not present, do not attempt to awaken it rashly, or you might easily burn yourself," Chen Xianwei cautioned.
"Don't worry, Master Chen. I'm not that foolish. Besides, my talent for implement crafting is actually pretty decent," Qi Yuan said, patting his chest with supreme confidence.
He had almost blurted out that classic catchphrase: *Nobody understands implement crafting better than me.*
"I awakened my heart fire long ago," Qi Yuan added nonchalantly. "I've even crafted a few magical implements and plan to sell them at the ghost market."
"You awakened your heart fire?" Chen Xianwei's eyes went wide. "Wait, you crafted magical implements?"
He was utterly stunned, unable to process it for a moment.
Awakened his heart fire?
Crafted magical implements?
Each claim was more shocking than the last.
"Master Chen, look at this." Qi Yuan held out his palm.
With a soft whoosh, a wisp of pale white flame arose, burning steadily.
"This... this is heart fire!" A realization struck Chen Xianwei, and he instinctively asked, "When did you awaken it?"
"On the first day you taught me, you gave me a copy of *Basic Implement Crafting Methods*. I practiced according to it and awakened my heart fire that very night," Qi Yuan answered truthfully.
"That very night?" Chen Xianwei swallowed hard.
A madman wouldn't lie.
Which meant Qi Yuan had awakened his heart fire in a single day?
All from relying on *Basic Implement Crafting Methods*.
This was as shocking as an elementary schooler on Blue Star mastering the multiplication table and then scoring a perfect mark on the college entrance math exam.
Moreover, the heart fire he had awakened was of a special pale white color.
Ordinary heart fire was typically orange-yellow or fiery red. Only implement masters with special talents possessed different colors.
Qi Yuan's heart fire was white, exuding a chilling frost amidst its blazing heat—clearly extraordinary at a glance.
"You... you were born to craft implements!" Chen Xianwei couldn't help exclaiming.
To awaken heart fire so quickly—such talent made him a natural seed for implement crafting. With proper guidance, he was bound to become an Earth-rank implement master, or perhaps even catch a glimpse of the Heaven rank.
"Show me the implements you crafted." Chen Xianwei cleared his throat, forcing his expression to settle into composure. He was determined to properly polish this unhewn jade and offer some pointers on his craft.
"Please take a look, Master Chen." Qi Yuan held out a strangely shaped implement.
Chen Xianwei scrutinized the implement closely, growing increasingly baffled the longer he looked. "What... is this?"
The shape was far too bizarre, resembling a weapon yet also looking like a wooden rod. What's more, he couldn't detect any rank on it.
Then again, considering this was Qi Yuan's first time crafting an implement, it would have been weirder if it actually had a rank.
"This is a selfie stick," Qi Yuan replied honestly.
He had crafted quite a few implements on the first day. Among them was the drone, which he planned to use to roleplay Divine Descent, so naturally he couldn't show it to Chen Xianwei. If Chen Xianwei saw the drone, how could he act as a god later? After all, if word leaked that the god was merely a live-in son-in-law, where would the divine dignity go? As the saying went: *When punishments remain unpredictable, authority becomes immeasurable.* The same applied to the drone; since the people of this world didn't understand the underlying principles, they would naturally take Qi Yuan for a deity.
This selfie stick had been fashioned from leftover scraps. Canary loved taking selfies all the time, so Qi Yuan had thought of making one to give to her.
"What is the use of this implement?" Chen Xianwei asked awkwardly.
He was a Mystic-rank implement master. By all rights, with his discernment, he should have seen through the fundamental nature of an unranked implement at a single glance. The materials, the forging techniques, the spirit-infusion methods—he ought to have recognized them all. Yet he could not make head or tail of the methods used to craft this item.
"It's for taking selfies. I plan to give it to my wife."
Give it to the Eldest Miss?
Chen Xianwei tactfully refrained from prying further. "Have you mastered other forging methods?" he couldn't resist asking.
"Yes, quite a few."
Back in the Tiankun Curious Land, Qi Yuan had mastered many forging methods of the Tian Clan, as well as their spirit-infusion and engraving techniques. These crafts could forge magical implements and subsequently enhance their capabilities.
"I see." Chen Xianwei asked no more questions, recalling what the patriarch had mentioned: Qi Yuan's father was a mysterious implement master. It seemed Qi Yuan's inheritance came from his father.
Remembering something, he cautioned, "Young Master, try not to let word get out about your ability to craft magical implements, especially the techniques you use..."
Chen Xianwei couldn't tell what rank the techniques behind that selfie stick were, but the forging methods supporting it were undoubtedly precious. For implement masters, forging methods were the bedrock of their livelihoods, precious beyond measure. Thus, he warned Qi Yuan not to leak them.
"Alright." Qi Yuan thought about it and nodded.
***
Four hours later.
Chen Xianwei kept his head bowed, tension written across his face.
Shen Wanshan sat in the seat of honor. Upon hearing Chen Xianwei's report, his expression shifted slightly.
"It seems he truly possesses immense talent for implement crafting. Sigh."
Shen Wanshan sighed, making it impossible to tell whether he was delighted or lamenting.
"His talent as an implement master is exceptional. In less than twenty years, he will definitely become an Earth-rank implement master!" Chen Xianwei declared with absolute certainty, a fervent gleam in his eyes.
In his own lifetime, he had little hope of reaching the Earth rank. If he could groom an Earth-rank implement master, that fellow Wu Zhen would have to walk the long way around just to avoid him.
"He possesses forging formulas that even you cannot recognize?" Shen Wanshan asked hesitantly.
"Yes."
"This matter... must be kept strictly confidential. Do not let word spread," Shen Wanshan instructed solemnly. "Teach him some new forging formulas, and tell others that whatever formulas he knows were taught by you."
"Understood!" Chen Xianwei nodded repeatedly.
Seeing Shen Wanshan begin to brew tea, he tactfully took his leave.
"Sigh... ever since Big Brother Qi left, so many eyes have been watching Qi Yuan. What are they after... the forging methods, or something else?" Shen Wanshan murmured with concern.
Though the Shen family was prominent enough to rank among the distinguished clans in the State of Ning, Shen Wanshan had investigated the shadowy factions watching Qi Yuan for a long time without turning up any solid leads, sensing only that the waters ran exceedingly deep.
Now that Qi Yuan had displayed such formidable talent in implement crafting, he didn't know whether to rejoice or worry.
***
Seven in the evening. Darkness fell, and a black fog shrouded Fengshan Commandery.
Apart from the sons of wealthy families, most commoners had already returned home early. Because this era lacked entertainment, baby-making had become one of the few pastimes available to the poor.
In contrast to the vast darkness over Fengshan Commandery, the ghost market in the western part of the city was brightly lit, teeming with bustling crowds.
At this moment, an old man and a young man were tending a small stall.
The old man looked somewhat scruffy, a steamed bun dangling from his mouth.
The young man was strikingly handsome, clad in black, exuding an extraordinary bearing.
This pair was none other than Qi Yuan and Chen Kangbao.
Having altered their appearances using Myriad Transformations, Qi Yuan had entered the ghost market to set up a stall, hoping to sell his magical implements for some silver.
"Clearance mega-sale! Magical implements sold cheap! Last two days! Walk on by, don't just pass by!"
In front of the stall, a speaker blasted a prerecorded message on an endless loop.
The speaker looked entirely out of place amidst the ancient atmosphere of the ghost market, and it naturally drew quite a few curious looks.
"Little brother, this implement of yours is quite interesting. What rank is it? It can actually repeat speech." The neighboring stallholder, an old man, gazed at Qi Yuan's speaker with envious eyes.
If he had an implement like that, wouldn't it save him the trouble of shouting his wares?
"It's unranked. Interested in buying? Only ninety-nine taels of silver," Qi Yuan said.
"Cough, cough..." The neighboring stallholder laughed awkwardly.
Ninety-nine taels of silver for an unranked item? Was he highway robbing people?
In the State of Ning, one tael of silver could buy about a dan of rice, roughly over five hundred jin. Ninety-nine taels was enough to purchase a ranked magical implement; who would buy a gadget that could only make noise?
"Little brother, these implements of yours... they aren't certified, nor are they standard makes, and your prices are on the high side. I'm afraid it'll be hard to sell them," the stallholder remarked from the side.
Although Qi Yuan's speaker had caught the attention of many in the ghost market and quite a few had asked about the prices, most were scared off by the cost. In particular, Qi Yuan's implements lacked official certification, weren't standard models, and looked thoroughly bizarre.
What if he was a swindler?
Buying a magical implement was no trivial matter; spending that much silver naturally demanded caution.
"No need to worry. I have modern marketing strategies. Didn't you hear my speaker calling it a clearance blowout sale? Someone's bound to buy!"
This kind of marketing strategy was commonplace on Blue Star. Shops would often hang signs announcing clearance promotions for the *last two days only*, yet if you returned a month later, the exact same sign would still be hanging there.
The neighboring stallholder chuckled and didn't argue further.
Elsewhere in the ghost market.
Third Young Master Tu wore a mask. Beside him walked a young master with a long sword hanging from his waist, looking undeniably noble and wealthy.
"Brother Tu, so this is Fengshan Commandery's ghost market. It looks decent enough, but the magical implements for sale... are rather ordinary," the noble youth remarked. "I'm afraid you won't find the implement you need this time."
Generally speaking, a weapon wielder possessed a primary weapon or a natal magical implement. In addition, they would master various other implements to boost their strength.
This noble youth had invited Third Young Master Tu to hunt guiling together—what was colloquially referred to as running a dungeon. In preparation for the run, Third Young Master Tu had come to the ghost market to purchase some implements.
"I'm merely trying my luck. Perhaps fortune will smile on me and I'll stumble upon a great bargain," Third Young Master Tu said with a smile.
"On the Earth Ranking of the Implement Master Ranking, not a single implement master from Jining Prefecture seems to be among the top twenty. What a pity," the noble youth lamented.
Third Young Master Tu smiled without replying, seemingly amused that the noble youth's concerns were set so high in the clouds.
Just then, a voice drifted into Third Young Master Tu's ears.
The noble youth also glanced toward the source of the sound, his expression calm. "I visited that stall a quarter of an hour ago. Quite amusing, though overpriced. As for the quality of the implements... who can say?"
"Oh?" Third Young Master Tu's interest was piqued. "Then I must take a look."
"Their implements aren't certified or standardized, and the prices are double or triple the usual rate. Be careful not to get swindled," the noble youth warned.
"Mm." Third Young Master Tu walked toward the stall from which the voice came.
By now, a fair crowd had gathered outside Qi Yuan's stall, a clamor of murmurs and chatter filling the air.
"You're asking a hundred taels for an unranked implement? Do you take me for a fool?!"
"Probably a swindler. I've never seen such implements in my life!"
"These implements of yours... why do they seem so utterly useless?"
Most of the onlookers were either skeptical or just there to watch the spectacle.
Third Young Master Tu squeezed through the crowd, his gaze landing on the stall. Suddenly, his eyelid twitched violently, and his heart began pounding at a frantic pace.
For at that exact moment, the implement Thorn Blood had given him reacted.
And the person it pointed to was none other than the stallholder—that handsome young man.
His heart dropped like a stone, only to see the stallholder's eyes settle directly on him.
"Hey handsome, care to buy some magical implements?"
Such an unconventional form of address made Third Young Master Tu's nerves taut as a bowstring.
The implement had reacted, and the blood-red mist was condensing thickly, which meant this stallholder had slain at least several dozen guiling from Thorn Blood.
Could it be... this person was from Red Cloud Stockade?
The moment that possibility crossed his mind, his tension escalated even further.
This man... was an absolute powerhouse!
If he truly served Thorn Blood, he would probably be sending a message to the higher-ups of Thorn Blood right now. But he wasn't—he was an undercover agent.
Now that this man before him was so terrifyingly capable, slaying eighty-seven troublesome guiling single-handedly as though a deity had descended, didn't that mean the magical implements he was selling might also be extraordinary?
His interest stirred. Suppressing the dread in his heart, his tone involuntarily turned respectful.
"I wish to purchase an offensive magical implement. I wonder... does the stallholder have one available?"
"An offensive type?" Qi Yuan pondered.
He truly didn't have many offensive ones.
"How about this one?"
As he spoke, he handed a flashlight-shaped implement to Third Young Master Tu.
"This is a lightsaber. The idea came from... well, I can't remember which TV show, but its greatest strength is that it looks very handsome, very cool," Qi Yuan introduced.
"Something so ugly dares call itself handsome?" The noble youth couldn't help frowning.
He dressed flashily, clearly someone who loved showing off. Naturally, he looked down on an implement that resembled a flashlight.
Chapter 498