Buying an Artificing Furnace (First Update)

Wang Changsheng strolled around the plaza. The goods on the stalls were dazzling in their variety, with quite a few strange and unusual items.

Crows that could talk, Gas Stones that bubbled, Sound Bamboo that recorded voices and played them back.

Wang Changsheng had a total of one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones on him, all painstakingly saved up. He was reluctant to spend them lightly.

His main purpose in attending the Tianhe Gathering was to broaden his horizons and gain experience.

"Eh, what is this?"

Wang Changsheng let out a soft cry and crouched beside a stall.

There were not many items on the stall: several black ores, a few Spirit Herbs, some Demon Beast Materials, and two wooden dolls.

One was a little monkey doll, and the other was a little horse doll.

"What are these?"

Wang Changsheng asked curiously. Anything placed on a stall for sale was naturally no ordinary object.

"They're Puppet Beasts. These two First Grade Lower Rank Puppet Beasts were crafted from thirty-year-old Iron Fir Wood. The Ape Puppet is a combat puppet with the strength of the Third Layer of the Qi Refining Stage. The little horse puppet is an auxiliary puppet that can be used for travel, though it requires Spirit Stones to operate."

A soft, gentle female voice rang out, pleasing to the ear.

Wang Changsheng looked up and found that the stall owner was a young woman in her twenties.

The young woman wore a white ruqun dress. Her skin was fair as snow, her face like spring snow, and her eyes resembled a pool of clear water.

"Puppet Beasts?"

Wang Changsheng picked up the little monkey doll with great interest. Puppet Beasts were special objects, born from Artifact Refining yet distinct from it.

This was Wang Changsheng's first time seeing Puppet Beasts. He had heard that Immortal Cultivation Sects and great cultivation clans used Puppet Beasts to test the abilities of their disciples and younger generations.

"Using the little horse puppet for travel would be too wasteful, but the little monkey puppet is a fine choice. It's like having another fearless guard at your side. Even a Mid-grade Spirit Tool would find it difficult to destroy the little monkey puppet. It only costs fifty Spirit Stones. If you like it, I'll give you the little horse puppet as a gift. What do you think?"

The White-dress Girl spoke enthusiastically, her clear eyes full of expectation.

"No, I don't have that many Spirit Stones."

Wang Changsheng declined tactfully. He did not fight others with spells, so why would he buy a combat puppet? He did not have that many Spirit Stones to waste.

"Then take a look at these two pieces of Mystic Iron Mine ore. They're materials for refining Spirit Tools. There are also several ten-year-old Seven Star Flowers, essential materials for crafting Tier 1 talisman paper; two Spider legs from a Quicksand Spider, which can be used to refine saber and sword Spirit Tools; and a bundle of Twin-Tail Cat whiskers, which can be made into talisman brushes. Which one catches your eye, fellow cultivator? Prices are negotiable."

The White-dress Girl enthusiastically introduced the goods on her stall to Wang Changsheng. However, she did not exaggerate their value, speaking truthfully and realistically. Unlike certain stall owners, who wished they could boast their wares up to the heavens, as if failing to buy them would bring lifelong regret.

Wang Changsheng kept shaking his head and said tactfully, "No, no. I'm not interested in these things."

The White-dress Girl was not discouraged. She said warmly, "What are you interested in, fellow cultivator? I have quite a few friends. Perhaps they have what you need. Prices are negotiable."

Wang Changsheng was somewhat unaccustomed to the White-dress Girl's enthusiasm. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I want to buy an Artificing Furnace, but I don't have many Spirit Stones."

His Artifact Refining skill had barely reached the standard of a Tier 1 Artifact Refiner. As long as he practiced diligently, he would surely improve. However, learning Artifact Refining consumed a great deal of Spirit Stones. The Wang Family could not cultivate three Artifact Refiners at once, so Wang Changsheng planned to spend his own Spirit Stones to study Artifact Refining.

Even with the Profound Gold Mine, the Wang Family had more than a hundred cultivators, and their monthly expenses were considerable. His aptitude was not particularly good, so the family would not allocate him too many resources. Nor could he possibly discover another mine.

Ever since a Profound Gold Mine had been discovered in Green Stone Town, the family had sent more than ten cultivators and spent a year surveying every inch of land across the three counties, hoping to find another mine. In the end, they found nothing.

It was not only the Wang Family. The Chen Family and Huang Family had also sent people to thoroughly search the territories under their control, without any discoveries.

Under such circumstances, if Wang Changsheng wanted to reach Foundation Establishment, he could only rely on himself. The Wang Family had always encouraged its members to stand on their own feet and strengthen themselves. Wang Mingyuan and Liu Qing'er also supported Wang Changsheng in using his own money to study Artifact Refining.

To refine artifacts, one needed an Artificing Furnace. A good Artificing Furnace was of utmost importance to an Artifact Refiner.

A lower-grade Artificing Furnace cost fifty Spirit Stones, while a mid-grade one cost over a hundred. Wang Changsheng wanted a mid-grade Artificing Furnace, but he did not have that many Spirit Stones. Buying a used mid-grade Artificing Furnace was the best choice.

"An Artificing Furnace? My brother happens to have a mid-grade Artificing Furnace, though it has been used by someone else. It's still seventy percent new. If you're interested, I'll contact my brother right away and have him bring it over so you can take a good look."

Wang Changsheng thought it over and agreed. There was no harm in taking a look.

A hint of delight appeared on the White-dress Girl's face. She pulled a Green Parrot from her sleeve and instructed it, "Little Green, hurry and find my brother."

"Got it, got it."

The Green Parrot flapped its wings and flew off in a certain direction.

Worried that Wang Changsheng might leave, the White-dress Girl began chatting with him.

Before long, a burly Blue-robed Youth came running over, panting heavily, with a fine layer of sweat on his face.

"Brother, you're far too slow! You made this fellow cultivator wait so long."

The White-dress Girl complained.

"My apologies, fellow cultivator. I kept you waiting."

The Blue-robed Youth's face was full of apology.

The siblings' words gave Wang Changsheng a favorable impression. In order to keep him as a customer, neither of them dared cause him the slightest dissatisfaction.

"Brother, didn't you have a mid-grade Artificing Furnace? Have you sold it? If not, take it out and let this fellow cultivator have a look."

The Blue-robed Youth agreed and took a Red Cauldron from his storage pouch. A flame pattern was carved onto the cauldron's surface.

"This Crimson Flame Cauldron was left behind by our father. It has only been used a few times. Unfortunately, my sister and I don't understand Artifact Refining. If it suits your eye, fellow cultivator, seventy Spirit Stones."

The Blue-robed Youth looked at the Red Cauldron with reluctance and spoke sincerely.

Wang Changsheng lifted the lid and carefully inspected the inside of the cauldron.

To be honest, he truly liked this Crimson Flame Cauldron, but seventy Spirit Stones was a price he could not accept.

After thinking for a moment, he revealed an apologetic expression and said, "I don't have that many Spirit Stones on me. I'll go back and borrow some. Please wait a moment."

"No problem. Fellow cultivator, go and return quickly. We'll wait for you here."

The White-dress Girl immediately agreed.

Wang Changsheng walked back along the way he had come and found Wang Changxing, explaining the situation to him in detail.

Wang Changsheng had not bought things many times and was not very good at bargaining. More importantly, his experience was limited. He was afraid of misjudging the item and being cheated out of his Spirit Stones, so he specifically asked Wang Changxing for help.

"An Artificing Furnace? Ninth Brother, are you going to learn Artifact Refining?"

When Wang Changxing heard that Wang Changsheng wanted to buy an Artificing Furnace, he asked curiously.

The Profound Gold Mine was a secret of the Wang Family, known only to a few. Even fewer knew about the plan to train Artifact Refiners.

"I want to learn Artifact Refining. Third Brother, you know that my mother had me memorize Artifact Refining knowledge since I was young. Relying only on the resources the family distributes each month, I won't be able to cultivate to a very high level. I want to learn a craft, and Artifact Refining happens to be the Wang Family's old trade. With that foundation, I want to learn Artifact Refining."

Wang Changsheng fabricated a reasonable excuse.

Wang Changxing came to a realization, then frowned. "But there's no need for you to buy a mid-grade Artificing Furnace! A lower-grade one would do. If you buy a mid-grade Artificing Furnace, how many Spirit Stones will you have left to buy Refining Materials?"

"My mother said that to learn Artifact Refining, I should buy a good Artificing Furnace. That way, the success rate will be higher."

"Fine, then. Take me to have a look. Remember, you must not show that you like it, and don't say a word. I'll bargain for you. This is what I'm good at."

Wang Changxing gave the reminder solemnly.