After seeing off the elder, Chen Xing Shan's smile grew noticeably more relaxed. He beckoned them over. "Nephew, Uncle Fu, come with me. I'll show you the residence and shop first."
The east wing of the rear courtyard had already been cleaned up. It was not large, but it was peaceful. Though naturally more cramped than Green Bamboo Lodge on the mountain, it still possessed a rare cleanliness for the market.
Opening the rear window revealed a strip of shimmering water from the Li River, as well as a corner of the bustling main street not far away.
Uncle Fu was clearly very satisfied with the arrangement and immediately began setting things in order.
Afterward, Chen Xing Shan brought Chen Heng back to the front hall of Jade Spring Artifact Pavilion.
The moment he stepped into the spacious, brightly lit front hall, filled with a dazzling array of artifacts, a lively vitality and the faint atmosphere of trade—entirely unlike the rear courtyard—washed over him.
There were not many people in the hall at the moment. Two or three shop assistants were polishing the crystal display cases for the artifacts, while a lean youth in the corner was carefully sorting a newly arrived batch of refined ore.
The shopkeeper led Chen Heng inside and clapped his hands. "Put down what you're doing and come over."
The two assistants and the youth immediately came forward respectfully.
"Let me introduce everyone." Chen Xing Shan smiled and pointed at Chen Heng. "This is the new artifact refiner from the Lineage, our nephew Chen Ming Heng. Don't let his youth fool you—he is already a mid-grade first-rank artifact refiner! From now on, he'll be appraising artifacts here in our pavilion. Make sure to lend him a hand."
"Greetings, Brother Ming Heng!" A round-faced assistant who appeared somewhat steadier than the others was the first to bow. Smiling warmly, he said, "My name is Chen Ming Hui. I'm the shopkeeper's nephew and also from the Ming generation. I handle reception at the counter."
The other, a slightly taller young man who seemed somewhat reserved, bowed as well. "My name is Li Tong. I'm not a member of the Lineage. I was hired locally from the market and have worked in the shop for five years, mainly handling miscellaneous tasks and transport."
Last was the lean youth, around fifteen or sixteen years old. He looked at Chen Heng with a trace of curiosity and barely perceptible nervousness.
"Ch-Chen, Martial Uncle! My name is Chen Shi Shi. I'm an artifact refining apprentice at the pavilion, learning the craft from Shopkeeper Xing Shan."
An artifact refining apprentice!?
Chen Heng immediately understood the youth's identity and the reason for his form of address.
An apprentice's status was lower than that of an official artifact refiner. Calling him Martial Uncle reflected both seniority and standing.
The youth looked to be about the same age Chen Heng had been when he first learned artifact refining, and like him, he was merely born of a concubine.
Chen Heng cupped his hands to each of the three in turn and said gently, "You are all too courteous. Just call me Ming Heng. I've only just arrived, so I'll need much of your guidance in the future."
"Junior Brother Shi Shi is young and promising. Since you are an apprentice, we walk the same path of artifact refinement. There is no need to stand on ceremony and call me Martial Uncle. Calling me Senior Brother Ming Heng would be more comfortable."
His words did not diminish his status, yet they came across as exceptionally friendly. His attitude toward Chen Shi Shi in particular made the youth's eyes visibly brighten, and more than half his nervousness faded. He repeatedly said, "Th-Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Chen Xing Shan smiled at the side and stroked his short beard, deeply approving of Chen Heng's natural and appropriate manner in dealing with others.
It seemed this kid was not merely skilled at fighting and burying his head in artifact refining. He also knew how to grasp the proper measure in human affairs.
"Alright, get back to work." Chen Xing Shan waved his hand. "Ming Heng, take a look around and familiarize yourself with the place. Have a look at the artifacts on display as well. If you have any questions, ask me or Ming Hui anytime."
"Oh, right. There are also two artifact refiners in the Lineage who serve as Attendants. They generally only come to the pavilion when there are artifact refinement orders. I'll introduce you when the time comes."
Chen Heng nodded slightly, and everyone soon dispersed.
He then began strolling through Jade Spring Artifact Pavilion, observing it closely.
The shop was quite large, and its goods were sorted into distinct categories.
Artifact area: This occupied the most prominent space, displaying all manner of artifacts from low-grade first-rank to high-grade first-rank. Most were the Chen Lineage's signature water-element artifacts—sabers, swords, spears, and halberds among them—though there were also many artifacts with specialized uses.
With a single sweep of his gaze, Chen Heng could tell that some of the artifacts had been refined with considerable skill and were likely the work of several high-grade first-rank artifact refiners. Most, however, were merely ordinary and neatly made.
His Ruyi Water-Fire Cudgel truly surpassed quite a few of them in technique.
Materials area: A wide variety of goods was arranged by category, including common Five Elements mineral materials, demon beast bones and hides, spiritual plants and herbs. Wooden plaques beside them noted their places of origin and briefly described their characteristics.
Several precious auxiliary materials were separately locked within specially made crystal cabinets.
This was the area Chen Heng paid particular attention to. Having just refined the Water-Fire Treasure Gourd, his perception of all manner of materials had become even sharper.
Ancient texts and illustrated manuals area: It contained introductory books such as Illustrated Manual of Common Artifact Forms and Basic Principles of Artifact Refining, along with several beginner illustrated manuals like A Brief Analysis of Five Elements Precious Materials.
They naturally could not compare to the collection in the Lineage's Scripture Pavilion, but they covered the necessary basics.
Reception area: Several sets of tables and chairs had been arranged here, making it elegant and quiet. This was likely where distinguished guests were received or custom orders negotiated.
Chen Heng examined everything with care. At times, he stopped before an artifact with especially unusual refining techniques to appraise it briefly; at other times, he picked up a piece of mineral material to weigh and sense it.
Whenever he encountered something unclear, he casually asked Chen Ming Hui beside him.
His questions were often like needles piercing straight to the heart, directly targeting the core of artifact refinement—for instance, why a certain artifact was slightly unbalanced, or how thoroughly a batch of mineral materials had been refined and purified.
Even Chen Ming Hui and Li Tong, two ordinary shop assistants, found themselves unable to cope, often requiring Chen Xing Shan to answer personally.
This quickly gave him an intuitive understanding of the Lineage's artifact refining standards and business offerings within the market.
Before he realized it, Chen Heng had wandered to the depths of the materials area, beside the specially made crystal cabinets.
Several particularly precious or difficult-to-handle materials were locked inside.
One of them, a dark-red stone roughly the size of two fists and resembling cooled lava, drew his attention.
"Shopkeeper, this Earth Flame Profound Crystal..." Chen Heng pointed at the crystal cabinet and asked.
"Oh, we acquired that a few days ago." Chen Xing Shan walked over and explained, "Its quality is quite good, and the Fire spiritual energy contained within is exceptionally pure and violent.
"But unfortunately, there appear to be several fine cold Baleful Intent cracks running through its interior, as though it had been eroded by some powerful cold-element spell or frigid energy.
"It is extremely troublesome to handle. Either one must expend tremendous effort to remove the cold Baleful Intent, but if the impurity rate is too high, the loss outweighs the gain; or one needs extraordinarily exquisite techniques to remelt and fuse its internal structure without triggering an explosion.
"Ordinary artifact refiners would find it difficult to handle properly, so it has been sitting here. For now, no one has been able to offer a suitable price."
Chen Shi Shi had somehow also come over. Looking at the dark-red stone, he added softly, "Yes, Senior Brother. The shopkeeper says this stone is a hot potato now. It can't fetch a good price, yet it takes up space."
Chen Heng's gaze did not leave the Earth Flame Profound Crystal. The [Water-Fire Harmony] talisman seal within his sea of consciousness seemed to tremble faintly.
What others saw as a fatal flaw—water and fire clashing—seemed to reveal a new possibility in his eyes.
He said nothing further and merely committed this peculiar material to memory.
Dusk approached, and the clamor of the market's main street faintly filtered through the shop doors.
Chen Heng had gained an initial familiarity with the environment and acquired a general understanding of Jade Spring Artifact Pavilion's layout, artifacts, and personnel.
However, after sitting in the main hall for an entire afternoon, only two Rogue Cultivators at the third layer of Qi Refining had purchased several first-rank talismans.
The total price was not even ten spirit stones.
Looking at the deserted shop, Chen Heng asked curiously, "Shi Shi, is the shop usually this quiet?"
When he had arrived, he had seen many cultivators coming and going through the market. Why was there so little business?
Hearing this, Chen Shi Shi, who was studying Basic Principles of Artifact Refining nearby, immediately answered, "Southern Foothills Market mainly serves the Lineage cultivators and Rogue Cultivators around the southern foothills. Altogether, there are only around one or two thousand of them."
"Normally, there aren't many cultivators passing through, so Jade Spring Artifact Pavilion is relatively quiet and has little business."
"Only during the monthly South Foothill Gathering do most of the Rogue Cultivators from the southern foothills of the Moon Gazing Mountain Range, along with cultivators from some smaller households, come to the market."
"The gathering lasts several days, and only then does the market become lively."
Hearing this, Chen Heng returned to the east wing of the rear courtyard and devoted himself to cultivation.
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