Sun Huowang's Recruitment

"Shopkeeper, Yiming, am I interrupting you?"

Shen Long asked politely.

The man in the yellow shirt was Sun Yiming, the son of Sun Huowang, who was responsible for managing the business of the Craftsman Hall.

"Not at all. Shen Long, you two chat; I still have some business to attend to."

Sun Yiming said with a smile, heading downstairs.

Sun Huowang let out a soft sigh, saying nothing.

"Shopkeeper, your birthday is in a few days. This pot of Jade Apricot Brew is a small token of my appreciation."

Shen Long took out the wine pot and handed it to Sun Huowang.

Sun Huowang accepted the Jade Apricot Brew, a look of gratification appearing in his eyes.

Back then, he had taken pity on Shen Long. Since he wasn't short of a few dozen spirit stones and happened to need a helper, he had hired Shen Long. After Shen Long left the job, he would still bring a pot of spirit wine every year for Sun Huowang's birthday.

"Shen Long, have a few drinks with me."

Sun Huowang insisted, taking out two wine cups and pouring two glasses of spirit wine.

"Shopkeeper, I toast you."

Shen Long raised his cup and clinked it against Sun Huowang's.

Sun Huowang downed the spirit wine in one gulp and said, "Shen Long, do you have any plans for the future? You don't intend to rely on hunting demonic beasts for a living your whole life, do you? Over these years, the customers in my shop have changed one after another, and many have died in the jaws of demonic beasts."

"Shopkeeper, please speak your mind."

Shen Long said seriously.

"What do you think of Yiyue?"

Sun Huowang asked, his gaze fixed on Shen Long.

"She is excellent. She has inherited your mantle and will surely be an outstanding artifact refiner in the future."

Shen Long replied.

"That's not what I'm asking. Do you want to become my son-in-law? Half of the Craftsman Hall would be yours. I can teach you artifact refining; with a skill, you wouldn't have to go into the mountains to hunt demonic beasts every few days."

Sun Huowang said earnestly.

Shen Long was stunned; he had never considered this question before.

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up? And why me?"

Shen Long asked in confusion. Even if a pie fell from the sky, it shouldn't land right on him!

"Yiming intends to marry a female cultivator from the Li Clan and become a live-in son-in-law. That unfilial son has been bewitched by a woman and thinks she values him for who he is. Over the years, the shop has had many helpers, but only you bring me a pot of spirit wine on my birthday. You are a person who knows how to be grateful, and I trust you with Yiyue."

Sun Huowang explained the whole story.

Sun Yiming could not hold onto this family business and would sooner or later be devoured by the Li Clan. Sun Yiyue had inherited Sun Huowang's mantle and was proficient in artifact refining, capable of crafting mid-grade magical artifacts. The Li Clan would certainly not sit by and watch Sun Yiyue control the Craftsman Hall alone. Having someone to support her would prevent her from being completely taken advantage of.

"I'm sorry, Shopkeeper, I cannot accept this."

Shen Long refused decisively.

He did not want to get caught in a whirlpool; the Li Clan was not someone he could deal with.

Sun Huowang did not want Sun Yiming to become a live-in son-in-law, and Shen Long did not want to be one either.

"I don't need an immediate answer. Go back and think it over carefully before you reply to me. With a trade, you and Yiyue will have no worries about food or clothing for the rest of your lives. Whether you can reach the Foundation Establishment stage depends on yourselves."

Sun Huowang said.

"Shopkeeper, there's no need. I have thought about it very clearly. Thank you for your high regard, but please choose another husband for Yiyue! When the time comes, I will definitely come to have a few drinks."

Shen Long refused directly.

He had no desire to wade into these muddy waters. There was no need to keep Sun Huowang hanging; if he didn't want to, he didn't want to. Being clear was best for everyone.

Sun Huowang heaved a long sigh, his face full of disappointment.

"Everyone has their own ambitions; I won't force you. But you should still consider your future. You can't rely on hunting demonic beasts for a living forever; it's better to have a specialized skill."

Sun Huowang advised.

Shen Long nodded and said, "Thank you for your guidance. I have a plan for my future."

"That's good."

Sun Huowang nodded. He finished the wine in his cup and said, "Be wary of Xu Lei. He is not a good person. If you threaten his position, he might try to eliminate you. There are many examples of hunting squads turning on each other for wealth."

"Thank you for the warning, Shopkeeper. I will be careful."

Shen Long thanked him and toasted Sun Huowang once more.

"Go on with your business. If you change your mind, you can come find me at the Craftsman Hall."

Sun Huowang waved his hand, letting Shen Long leave.

Shen Long set down his wine cup and turned to leave.

Sun Huowang watched Shen Long's departing back and let out a soft sigh.

Returning to his residence, Shen Long activated the Soundproofing Array and entered the Spirit Control Tower.

The Iron Tail Scorpion had already devoured the corpse of the other Iron Tail Scorpion. As soon as Shen Long entered the Spirit Control Tower, the Iron Tail Scorpion sensed his presence, crawled out of the Spirit Control Pool, and came to his side, its tail stinger swaying left and right.

Shen Long took out a Spirit Feeding Pill. Upon smelling the unique fragrance emitted by the pill, the Iron Tail Scorpion let out an excited hiss.

It was the first time he had seen the Iron Tail Scorpion so excited, so he said, "Open your mouth."

The Iron Tail Scorpion could not understand Shen Long's words, but it could receive his commands and obediently opened its mouth.

Shen Long tossed the Spirit Feeding Pill into its mouth, and it swallowed it down.

The Iron Tail Scorpion let out a joyful hiss, looking very happy.

Shen Long exited the Spirit Control Tower and began to practice his cultivation.

Seven days passed by in a flash.

On this day, Shen Long was strolling around the square, looking around.

"Oh, Fairy Ye, you've come out to set up a stall."

Shen Long saw Ye Yutang and greeted her with a smile.

Ye Yutang was setting up her stall, which displayed some first-rank talismans.

"I heard from Fairy Huang that you were looking for us?"

Ye Yutang asked casually.

They had been working together for more than two years, and Shen Long would occasionally ask Ye Yutang for advice on the arts of insect control and beast taming, as he was very interested in them.

Shen Long swept his gaze over the talismans on the stall and said, "I just wanted to buy a Flight Talisman from you, but I came at a bad time; you've already sold out."

Ye Yutang nodded and said, "Flight Talismans are relatively difficult to refine. My younger sister only refined two, and they have both been sold. If she refines more, I will save one for you."

"Then many thanks, Fairy Ye."

Shen Long expressed his gratitude.

"It's nothing, a small matter. We..."

Before Ye Yutang could finish her sentence, she took out a palm-sized golden magic disk that was flickering with spiritual light; it was a Communication Disk.

She cast a spell into it, and the voice of Xu Lei rang out: "Fairy Ye, is it convenient for you to come to Green Bamboo Courtyard? We are preparing to head into the mountains. If you see Fellow Daoist Shen and the others, bring them along!"

"Alright, we will head over immediately."

Ye Yutang agreed.

Her bottleneck had not yet been resolved; otherwise, she would not need to continue heading into the mountains to hunt demonic beasts, as selling talismans earned spirit stones faster.

She used the Communication Disk to contact Ye Yuqing, telling her to go to Green Bamboo Courtyard, then looked at Shen Long and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, work has arrived."

She packed up the items on her stall, left Bluestone Square with Shen Long, and arrived at Green Bamboo Courtyard.

Xu Lei and Sun Yang were sitting in a stone pavilion, discussing something.

Xu Lei had already broken through his bottleneck and entered the eighth level of Qi Refining, while Sun Yang was still at the sixth level of Qi Refining.

Not long after, Xu Wen, Xu Wu, Qin Qing, and Ye Yuqing arrived one after another.

Xu Wen had already advanced to the sixth level of Qi Refining, Xu Wu was still at the fifth level of Qi Refining, Qin Qing was still at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and Ye Yuqing was already at the seventh level of Qi Refining.