Li Shan was filled with mixed emotions, his admiration for Ling Fan reaching its peak.
"Your divine skill, Master, Li Shan is humbled."
Ling Fan nodded slightly.
"The path of weapon forging requires both form and spirit. While a craftsman's skill and ability are crucial, one must also guide the material's inherent properties and power to their utmost potential. Only then can one truly be a master forgemaster. Li Shan, do you understand?"
Upon hearing Ling Fan's words, Li Shan trembled all over. It was as if a flash of lightning had struck his mind, piercing through the deep darkness.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master. Li Shan will never forget it."
Li Shan bowed deeply to Ling Fan.
Leaving the weapon workshop, Ling Fan took the finished products and departed from the Lan Estate.
...
The Forgemaster Association.
This was an alliance formed by forgemasters from the lower realm, with branches established in almost every region. They were responsible for the training, assessment, selection, and promotion of forgemasters, as well as the trading and circulation of rare raw materials and weapons.
They held supreme authority among forgemasters.
Jiangnan City also had a branch.
Ling Fan was heading there.
At the association's entrance, many forging craftsmen came and went, creating a lively scene.
A minor steward, who had just finished smilingly seeing off a renowned forgemaster member, saw Ling Fan approaching. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a long, drawn-out expression.
"Tsk, what bad luck today, running into you, the plague god who burns brothels! Speak, what do you want?"
This minor steward, named Hu Mao, had a sharp mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and a large mole next to his nose. Seeing it was Ling Fan, he spoke with utter contempt.
Ling Fan's expression was calm, and he said, "I'm here to sell a weapon."
"Heh, you're out of money for wine again, aren't you? Stole something from the Lan family to sell."
The minor steward deliberately raised his voice, attracting the attention of many. Seeing it was Ling Fan, they let out a scoff of disdain.
"Let me see."
The minor steward snatched the bag without preamble and opened it. Upon seeing the silver artifact patterns shimmering on the weapon set, greediness flashed in his eyes, and he quickly pulled the bag shut.
It was a top-grade Mortal Weapon!
He immediately harbored the thought of keeping it for himself.
If it were another reputable forgemaster, he would never dare to have such a thought.
But towards Ling Fan, the notorious good-for-nothing son-in-law, he had no reservations.
"You have the nerve to bring such shoddy goods to our association to sell? What do you think this place is, a scrap yard? But I see you're having a hard time. How about this, I'll buy it privately. It's not worth much anyway, so here's some compensation for your trouble."
Hu Mao tossed a few copper coins onto the ground, gesturing for Ling Fan to pick them up.
"Here, take these few coins and scram."
Ling Fan looked at him with a detached expression and said, "Are you blind? This is a top-grade Mortal Weapon!"
When everyone heard the words "top-grade Mortal Weapon," all eyes turned towards them.
Someone couldn't help but whisper, "Hu Mao is too greedy. This kid always bullies others with his cousin being Master Wang's disciple. He likes to take advantage of people. He wants to exchange top-grade Mortal Weapons for a few copper coins. He's really asking for the moon."
"You dare to scold me!"
Hu Mao glared, his eyes wide. Had he heard correctly? When did this useless Ling Fan become so assertive, even daring to talk back!
A cunning glint flashed in his eyes. "You, Ling Yun, dare to pass off junk as a top-grade Mortal Weapon to swindle people, and you dare to scold me! Now I'm going to confiscate your stolen goods, and the Lan family will have to compensate me with a hundred thousand taels. Otherwise, I'll immediately tell my cousin. Let me tell you, he's Master Wang's favorite disciple. Your Lan family won't be able to deny it!"
Hu Mao looked at Ling Fan triumphantly, believing his move was brilliant. Not only could he pocket this top-grade Mortal Weapon, but if handled well, he could even extort a piece from the Lan family!
The onlookers shook their heads.
This Ling Fan was truly a useless person who could ruin things but achieve nothing.
On his wedding day, he had burned down a brothel, causing the Lan family to compensate a million taels.
Now, his top-grade Mortal Weapon was being forcibly taken, and he was about to be framed.
Just then.
Ling Fan suddenly turned and slapped Hu Mao's smug face.
*Slap.*
Hu Mao spun in mid-air like a top before falling heavily to the ground. The smugness on his face froze, and everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"You, you dare to hit me!"
Hu Mao was furious.
Ever since his cousin became Master Wang's disciple, even renowned and respected experts and craftsmen treated him with courtesy. He was the one who bullied others; when had he ever suffered such humiliation?
"I'll kill you!"
Hu Mao jumped up. Just then, an elder from the Forgemaster Association emerged from behind and happened to witness the scene. He frowned and shouted, "Stop!"
"What's going on?"
The elder walked over and asked.
Hu Mao, adding fuel to the fire, recounted the events. The elder, knowing Hu Mao's character, naturally didn't believe him easily.
Seeing Ling Fan's calm and composed demeanor, he took a deep look at him.
"I need to take this item to the higher authorities for appraisal. Until I return, Hu Mao, you are not to make any rash moves."
"Understood!" Hu Mao replied casually.
He wasn't afraid of this elder, as he had his cousin backing him. His cousin was Master Wang's disciple, a future Yellow-tier Grand Forgemaster. Who in the Jiangnan City Forgemaster Association dared to disrespect his cousin?
Soon, the elder emerged from inside and said to Ling Fan, "Come in with me."
Ling Fan's expression remained unchanged as he followed the elder inside.
Hu Mao sneered from behind, "Kid, when you come out, you'll see how Master Hu deals with you!"
The elder glanced back at him and said, "Shut up."
Hu Mao finally restrained himself slightly, closing his grumbling mouth.
Passing through layers of corridors, the elder led Ling Fan to a serene and elegant place.
An old man and a young man were examining the weapon set forged by Ling Fan.
"Master, I've brought him," the elder replied with a bow.
"Oh, you may leave!"
"Ling Fan, is it? Come in." The old man, with a look of righteous indignation, pointed to the parts of the set in his hand and said to Ling Fan, "I ask you, who forged this? You must answer truthfully, or this old man will not be lenient with you!"
The old man was Wang Taiping, the president of the Jiangnan branch of the Forgemaster Association and the only low-grade Yellow-tier forgemaster in Jiangnan City.
Normally, given his status, he wouldn't pay such close attention to a top-grade Mortal Weapon. However, he found the forging technique of this Mortal Weapon to be extremely exquisite, its quality excellent, and the offensive and defensive integrated set design very novel, which led him to inquire personally.
He wanted to know when Jiangnan City had gained another top-tier craftsman, one who had not yet entered his sight.
Master Wang was a man who loved and cherished talent, and he liked to mentor the younger generation. Such forging talent must be absorbed into the association.
"Is it Li Shan from your Lan family? Could he have become a top-tier craftsman?" the young man beside Master Wang guessed. He was Master Wang's youngest disciple, Hu Hao, Hu Mao's cousin. Though young, he was already a senior craftsman, capable of skillfully forging high-grade Mortal Weapons.
Besides Li Shan, he couldn't think of anyone else in the Lan family who possessed such ability.
The old man's eyes were fixed on Ling Fan, awaiting his answer.
Under their expectant gazes, Ling Fan calmly replied, "I forged it."