Master Liang? Young Master!

Seeing that Second Senior Brother was the first to step forward, Liang Qu thought that the one absent these past two days must have been Senior Brother.

Yu Dun, who looked like an old farmer, took out a beast-hide cloak. The cloak was entirely black, covered in a faintly lustrous layer of fur.

"Ninth Junior Brother, this is a Canine Bear Fur Cloak. Blades cannot cut it, water cannot ruin it, and it is excellent against the cold. Winter is upon us, and I hope you like it."

"Thank you, Second Senior Brother!" Liang Qu bowed deeply and accepted the cloak with delight.

The cloak felt extraordinarily soft and supple, very comfortable to the touch. It was hard to imagine that it could withstand cold weapons.

The weather was growing colder by the day. The two sets of linen clothes he had bought before truly were no longer enough, and this came just in time to put out the fire at his brows.

Third Senior Brother Lu Gang stepped forward. "Ninth Junior Brother, take a look at mine."

Lu Gang was the most burly of all the senior brothers and junior brothers. His upper body was immensely thick and powerful. Even in winter, he wore only a short shirt, while in his hands was a black metal block as long as an arm and as thick as a wrist.

"Third Senior Brother, this is?" Liang Qu was baffled. Was he giving him a piece of steel?

Yang Dongxiong laughed. "Lu Gang comes from a family of blacksmiths. His grandfather was originally a blacksmith in the army and followed the Great Ancestor Emperor in conquering the realm. The weapons he forges are exceptionally good. This piece of tungsten gold is best suited for making weapons. He means to forge you one with it and wants to ask what you prefer to use."

Lu Gang nodded. "Sabers, spears, swords, halberds—I can forge them all. I wonder what Ninth Junior Brother likes to use."

A weapon?

Liang Qu's thoughts stirred. He had long wanted a weapon, but ironware was not cheap. Even now, he used a sharpened stone knife to gut fish.

His home ground was underwater. Underwater, weapons that required chopping, slashing, and swinging were not ideal. Thrusting weapons suited him best.

The weapon fishermen used most often was the fish spear, and to improve the odds of landing a strike, it was often made into a trident.

Liang Qu did not need three prongs. The enemies he faced were monsters like the Crab Monster. What he wanted was to pierce through them in a single blow, not improve his hit rate. A long spear was the most suitable.

After pondering for a moment, Liang Qu respectfully said, "I like long spears. I wonder if Senior Brother Lu Gang could forge me a great spear?"

Yang Dongxiong was surprised. "A great spear? Great spears are easy to learn but difficult to master. Of course, I can teach you as well."

"This disciple has the determination."

Seeing this, Yang Dongxiong did not try to persuade him further. Any weapon was difficult to bring to great mastery; he had merely mentioned it in passing. Besides, the long spear truly was easy to pick up.

"No trouble. Later, I'll draw several spear designs for you. Take a look at the styles, and once you decide, I'll begin forging it. I already have materials for the shaft, so there's no need to season it in the shade. If we use tuna lacquer, it will take only around two months."

"Around two months?" Liang Qu was startled and asked worriedly, "Would that be too troublesome for Senior Brother?"

"No. Forging it will take only ten or so days. It is mainly the raw lacquer that takes time. Tuna lacquer is considered quick; ordinary glue lacquer takes at least three months."

"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Brother Lu."

"I won't disappoint my junior brother."

Next was Fourth Senior Brother Xu Zishuai, the tall young man who had joked last night that his title as the most handsome was in danger. He looked spirited and handsome, fair and clean, with an upright posture and an air of easy grace.

Senior Brother Xu gave him a pair of Tungsten Steel Arm Guards. They could wrap around the entire forearm, hard in texture yet extremely light, with leather buckles to adjust the tightness.

Fifth Senior Sister Zhuo Shaoqin was tall and valiant. She gave him a pair of Cloud Stepping Boots, made from Ghost Shadow Tiger Skin—light, breathable, and suited for swift movement.

Sixth Senior Brother Cao Rang had square, upright features and a righteous air at first glance. He gave Liang Qu a Clear Jade Pendant, which could invigorate qi, focus the mind, and dispel fatigue. Sleeping with it beneath one's pillow at night had miraculous effects; three and a half shichen of sleep would be enough in place of four.

Seventh Senior Brother Hu Qi was tall and broad. He gave him a belt a full palm and a half wide, made from Mountain Ox Hide and patterned with dark-red lines. Fire could not burn it apart, blades could not cut it through, and its defensive properties were excellent.

Eighth Senior Brother Xiang ChangSong gave him a set of exceptionally fine Narrow-Sleeved Robe, inlaid with gold thread trim and woven with Heavenly Silk. It was soft yet tough, not easily damaged, and exceedingly handsome.

Liang Qu thanked them one by one, deeply moved in his heart.

After transmigrating for so long, this was the first time he had felt the ease of having someone to rely on.

Having many senior brothers was wonderful. There were seven items in all, and none was ordinary.

A belt, arm guards, a robe, a cloak, a weapon, an accessory, and shoes—together, they made a complete set!

Liang Qu felt as though he had gone to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, receiving Sun Wukong's golden crown, golden armor, and cloud shoes one after another.

Fourth Senior Brother Xu Zishuai's next words confirmed his guess.

"I'm most afraid of giving gifts. It racks my brains. Later, after discussing it with the senior brothers and sisters, we decided to simply get you a full set of attire. Each person would handle one item, and nothing would overlap.

"How about it, Xiao Jiu? Want to put them on and try them? Your handsomeness is no less than mine. You'll definitely look good."

"Yes, you will certainly look good." Xiang ChangSong, who had given him the robe, very much wanted to see how his gift would look. "Considering that you are at the age of growing taller, I did not tailor the clothes to size, but it should not matter."

Xu Shi also spoke. "Go try them on."

For a moment, all the senior brothers wanted to see what Liang Qu would look like wearing their gifts.

"This..." Liang Qu turned his gaze toward his master, Yang Dongxiong.

Yang Dongxiong stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Since your senior brothers and sisters want to see, Nan Di, take my ninth disciple to the guest room to change."

"Yes." Nan Di stepped forward, extending her slender, fair right hand toward the corridor to one side. "Ninth Young Master, follow me."

Ninth Young Master? Liang Qu was dazed. In a fog, he followed Nan Di to the guest room.

Nan Di had servants bring over a Large Bronze Mirror. Its surface had been polished as smooth as water, no less clear than silver or aluminum mirrors from later generations.

Looking at his own spirited reflection in the mirror, Liang Qu was filled with countless thoughts.

When he had first arrived, he had been sallow and emaciated, his cheeks sunken, his life like a guttering candle in the wind. But now?

Two months. Sixty days.

He was full of vigor, his complexion glowing. Someone had even called him Ninth Young Master! Ninth Young Master! He could hardly believe they were calling him that! "Haha."

Liang Qu suddenly laughed aloud before the bronze mirror. Only when his gaze flicked toward Nan Di beside him did he realize there was someone else here. Embarrassed, he coughed twice, trying to suppress his smile, but the muscles in his cheeks quickly refused to cooperate.

"Hahaha..."

It was over. She was going to think he was an idiot.

Liang Qu took several deep breaths, using them to force down his laughter. He composed his facial muscles and put on the appearance of a proper man again.

"My apologies. You must be laughing at me."

Nan Di gave a slight bow, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks. "Ninth Young Master being able to take Master Yang as his master is naturally something worth celebrating. Among all the nearby markets, towns, and villages, how many people wish to become his disciple yet have no path to do so? It proves that Ninth Young Master is a talent chosen one in ten thousand, surpassing ordinary people by who knows how many times."

Look at that. As expected of a maid from a great household—pretty to look at, and even her words were pleasant to hear. How decadent.

Liang Qu raised a hollow fist to his mouth and coughed. "Well, you should go out first. Come back in after I've changed."

"Yes."

Once the guest room was empty, Liang Qu took off his outer clothes and prepared to dress.

The clean clothes he wore were still the ones Hu Qi had given him last night. They were relatively presentable. If he had come today wearing that brown linen outfit of his, not only would it have looked improper, he would not even have had a decent undershirt. Even wearing fine goods over it would have looked awkward.

It was Liang Qu's first time putting on a proper robe. He studied it for a while before figuring out how to wear it.

Poor households did not stand on so much ceremony. Their linen clothes had open fronts, and once they were thrown over the body, they were on. Whatever was convenient was how they did it.

The Gold-Trimmed Robe, White Cloud Boots, Mountain Ox Wide Belt, Clear Jade Pendant at his waist, Ebony Waist Token, Tungsten Gold Arm Guard, and black Canine Bear Fur Cloak—Liang Qu picked them up one by one and put them on.

In the mirror, a brand-new Liang Qu made his grand entrance!