Ten-Day Pact (Begging for Follow-up Reading)

Song Changqian trembled with rage, her face turning pale. She had already understood Chou Wenxiu's intentions—he wanted to use this method to retaliate against the Lineage for punishing them!

If they did not strike back forcefully, the Lineage's reputation in the Market would surely plummet.

She wanted to accept the challenge, but soon discovered helplessly that no one in the Shop could accomplish it unless they invited a Second-Tier Artifact Forger. But if they did that, would they not become an even greater laughingstock?

Just as Song Changqian was at a loss, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear. "Treasure Seeking Pavilion accepts this order."

Everyone immediately turned toward the source of the voice, only to discover in surprise that the speaker was actually a young man.

Ignoring the astonished gazes around him, Song Changsheng walked straight up to Chou Wenxiu and said flatly, "Leave the materials behind. You may go."

"Heh, Brat, who the hell are you? Get lost." Chou Wenxiu had still shown a little restraint when facing Song Changqian, but before Song Changsheng, he could not even be bothered to pretend.

"Fellow Daoist, this matter has nothing to do with you. Do not get dragged into it for nothing," Song Changqian said politely, though her face was full of rejection.

Though refusing the challenge would affect the Lineage's reputation, puffing out one's cheeks to pretend to be fat was even less advisable.

If there had not been so many people present, Song Changqian would have wanted to throw this blind fool straight out.

Song Changsheng removed a waist token from his waist and said calmly, "I am Treasure Seeking Pavilion's newly appointed Artifact Forger. Your request is simple. Leave the materials, go back, and wait for news. The deposit is two hundred Spirit Stones."

Song Changqian's eyes widened at once. Taking the waist token and examining it, she found that his identity was genuine.

She looked him over from head to toe and felt that Song Changsheng was even younger than she was. Could he really be a First-Tier High-Grade Artifact Forger?

One look at Song Changqian's expression told Chou Wenxiu that Song Changsheng's identity was real. Yet Song Changqian clearly did not trust him. He was probably some greenhorn who had come down the mountain for a training journey.

Still, that was good news for Chou Wenxiu.

He immediately seized the opening and climbed up the pole. "So it is Master Song himself. I knew it—how could the Song Clan possibly be inferior to the Earth Fire Sect? Then I shall entrust these materials and the deposit to you, Master."

Song Changqian still found it hard to believe and was about to refuse when Song Changsheng got there first. "Come collect it in ten days."

Hearing this, Chou Wenxiu's heart burst into bloom. He became even more convinced that the other party was a complete fool. After all, the Earth Fire Sect's master had taken twenty days to forge this Magic Artifact.

He had originally planned to give the Song Clan only half a month, yet this idiot had actually boasted that he needed only ten days. If he did not accept, would he not be letting himself down?

"Good! Master Song is a young talent indeed, truly forthright. All fellow Daoists have heard it: ten days. I will come collect the Magic Artifact in ten days. When the time comes, I hope you will all come and show your support."

Having achieved his goal, Chou Wenxiu left beaming with delight, taking his people with him.

"Then we shall come again in ten days as well. We will certainly bring more people to support Master Song." The customers who had originally come to buy goods were all Bystanders who feared no spectacle being too big, and they began calling for reinforcements.

With the Earth Fire Sect and the Song Clan tearing into each other, how could they possibly miss such a scene?

Suppressing her anger, Song Changqian pulled Song Changsheng up to the Second Floor and snapped, "Who allowed you to make that decision on your own? Do you know how great a loss this could bring upon the Lineage?"

Looking at Song Changqian's finger pointed at his nose, Song Changsheng frowned. "If we did not agree, where would the Lineage's dignity remain?

If you cannot come up with a solution, then why not let me try? Three attributes—is that so difficult?"

"You..." Song Changqian was choked speechless at once.

"Ten days is already more than enough. Where is the Artifact Forging Room? Take me there." Song Changsheng did not wish to entangle himself with Song Changqian any further.

At its root, today's matter had been caused by Song Changqian's flawed handling.

The moment Chou Wenxiu brought out the Treasure Pearl, she lost her composure and let him leap and caper about until he finally forced the Lineage into a corner, trapped between advancing and retreating. It was foolish to the extreme.

Song Changsheng believed that if Treasure Seeking Pavilion's shopkeeper had been present today, he would certainly have handled the matter properly and would never have allowed the Lineage to become so passive!

Song Changsheng completed the handover with the original Artifact Forger as quickly as possible, then shut himself inside the Artifact Forging Room.

Forging this Magic Artifact was not particularly difficult for him, and ten days was relatively ample. However, he had developed a new idea regarding forging methods, so he had to hurry and test it...

Song Luyuan returned to Treasure Seeking Pavilion with a gloomy expression. Seeing Song Changqian, he immediately flared up. "What happened? I was only gone for half a day, so how did you end up making some inexplicable Ten-Day Pact?"

Like an elementary school student who had done something wrong, Song Changqian stammered through the matter of the Chou Clan coming to cause trouble. Along the way, she did not forget to embellish things and accuse Song Changsheng.

The furious Song Luyuan suddenly paused and asked uncertainly, "What did you say the new Artifact Forger was called?"

"You mean that arrogant madman? His name is Song Changsheng. He was the one who acted on his own and agreed to forge a First-Tier High-Grade Magic Artifact possessing three attributes within ten days," Song Changqian hurriedly said, trying to clear herself of responsibility.

Unexpectedly, Song Luyuan's previous fury vanished. Stroking his chin, he said, "If it is him, then it may really be possible."

"Him? He is younger than I am, is he not? How could he possibly do it?" Song Changqian protested.

Song Luyuan glanced at her and roared, "You still have the nerve to say that? You must understand that beyond people are people, and beyond heaven is heaven. Just because you cannot do something, does that mean others cannot either?

If you had not mishandled this matter today, would he have needed to step forward and clean up after you?"

Song Changqian was startled, but in the next moment she retorted, "How did I mishandle it? There was simply no one in the Shop who could do it. If I had accepted it and failed to complete the order, would that not have damaged the Lineage's reputation even more?

And you call it cleaning up after me? Accepting that order is what will truly make the Lineage lose all face!"

Seeing that she still had not realized her mistake, Song Luyuan let out a deep sigh. "You, you... you truly have learned nothing in all these years.

Chou Wenxiu said that the Treasure Pearl was forged by Hundred Treasures Pavilion, and you believed him? Is your mouth merely for decoration? Did you not know how to question him? Did you not know how to stall for time?

In the end, he forced you to that point. If we did not accept the order, how could we continue standing in the Market?

I usually tell you to pay more attention to matters within the Lineage, but you shut your ears to all that goes on outside your window. Do you know who Song Changsheng is? He is the Patriarch's own grandson!

He cultivates formations and artifact forging alike, has received the Patriarch's personal teachings, and became a First-Tier High-Grade Artifact Forger before reaching adulthood. He is the Lineage's foremost genius.

If he said he could do it, then this matter was eight or nine parts out of ten certain. Ten days from now, just wait and watch the show."

Song Changqian still refused to accept it in her heart, but seeing Song Luyuan's expression, she ultimately did not dare continue talking back. Even so, she remained unconvinced...

The ten-day deadline arrived in the blink of an eye. Early that morning, Chou Wenxiu came to the entrance of Treasure Seeking Pavilion.

Following him was a large crowd of Bystanders who had come to watch a good show...