Master Craftsman Shen

The distant mountains are like dark eyebrows, and the nearby waters hold a veil of mist.

In the main hall of Landscape Manor, sandalwood incense curls in the air.

Chen Yuliang sits before the tea table, his brows slightly furrowed.

Beside him sits a middle-aged man with a dignified countenance.

"Yuliang, who do you think... should be given Flame Heart Island?"

This man is Chen Yuliang's father, Chen Yuanya, a great cultivator of the Foundation Establishment stage who holds the power to distribute the Chen Clan's fire veins, artifact refining resources, and more.

Flame Heart Island is an island situated atop a fire vein, rich in geothermal energy.

Chen Yuliang ponders for a moment before speaking slowly: "Cousin Chen Quan and Cousin Gao Qin both possess the standard of a first-rank low-grade artifact refiner. In terms of skill alone, it would be appropriate to give the island to either one."

He then shifts his tone: "But, giving it to either... is also inappropriate."

"If it is given to one, the other will inevitably harbor resentment, and the uncles and aunts will likely have their own complaints."

The Chen Clan is a great cultivation family; besides the Chen surname, there are also the Gao and Liu families through marriage, with the Gao Clan being one of them.

As luck would have it, Chen Quan and Gao Qin both reached the level of artifact refiner at the same time. According to clan regulations, both are eligible to apply for an artifact refining island.

Among the available islands, Flame Heart Island is the best.

Giving it to either would invite criticism.

"Father, why not have Chen Quan and Gao Qin compete in their artifact refining skills? A fair competition; whoever wins takes the island, and the loser cannot blame anyone else."

Chen Yuanya shakes his head: "Neither winning nor losing is good. The losing side will lose face, their resentment will only deepen, and anything that harms the unity of the Chen Clan must not be done."

Father and son sit opposite each other, troubled and silent.

Just then, Chen Yuanya's brow twitches as his divine sense sweeps over a sound-transmission talisman.

"Refining Lake, island guardian Shen Yue... an artifact refiner?"

"Island guardian Shen Yue?" Chen Yuliang pauses, the name sounding familiar.

"Do you know him?" Chen Yuanya asks.

Chen Yuliang thinks for a moment: "I don't know him, but I heard Cousin Chen Tong mention that this person is learning to refine artifacts. How do you know of him, Father?"

"Qiaoqian sent a message saying this person has become an artifact refiner and wants me to test him."

"Qiaoqian?" Chen Yuliang is somewhat surprised.

Chen Qiaoqian is far away at the Jade Void Sword Sect; how could she know about an island guardian at Refining Lake?

She even sent a message back specifically asking Father to test him?

"A mere island guardian, yet he can refine artifacts." A hint of appreciation appears in Chen Yuanya's eyes: "This person is quite a talent."

"Father," Chen Yuliang's eyes suddenly brighten: "I have a good idea to resolve the distribution of Flame Heart Island."

Chen Yuanya strokes his beard and smiles: "Let's hear it."

Clear-Turbid Island.

Waste energy permeates the air, and gray mist churns.

Shen Yue has just finished delivering the spirit boat to Changqin Wuming and is preparing to leave.

Hum!

A flash of sword light cuts through the mist.

Chen Tong approaches aggressively: "Shen Yue, you aren't collecting waste materials; what are you doing here?"

"Steward Chen, Shen Yue he..." Changqin Wuming steps forward, wanting to explain.

"Is it your turn to speak?" Chen Tong glares, then turns his fury toward Shen Yue: "Disregarding the law! If I don't punish you properly today, there is no point in me being a steward."

A sinister sneer curls Chen Tong's lips as a terrifying spiritual pressure radiates from his body.

He wants these island guardians to know who is the master of Refining Lake!

"Bring Shen Yue to Landscape Manor immediately." A voice suddenly transmits.

The spiritual pressure abruptly freezes. Chen Tong is stunned, thinking to himself that things have gone wrong.

How could Cousin Yuliang know about this?

His eyes dart around, and in a flash, countless thoughts race through his mind, such as crippling Shen Yue on the spot.

But even if he crippled Shen Yue, his own brother would still be a clown who blows up his furnace every day.

Rather than taking the risk, it would be better to keep others from knowing his brother is refining artifacts.

Or, perhaps, sever ties—that brother is better off discarded!

"Today, no one is going to touch Shen Yue!" Changqin Wuming summons his spirit tool, his spiritual energy surging with the resolve of a desperate battle.

"Audacious!" Chen Tong lets out a sharp shout, glaring at Li Sheng and the others: "Let's see who dares to touch Artifact Refiner Shen!"

Li Sheng and the other four: "?"

Changqin Wuming: "?"

"Master Shen, are you alright?" Chen Tong's aggressive demeanor vanished, replaced by a face full of smiles. "A bunch of trash with no Qi, their brains aren't working right. Don't lower yourself to their level."

The speed of his face-turn was truly breathtaking.

"I will certainly punish them properly later."

Li Sheng, Changqin Wuming, and the others were all stunned, their faces blank with confusion.

So, the punishment mentioned just now was meant for them?

"Yes, yes... we were blind and offended Master Shen. We deserve to be punished, we deserve it." Li Sheng hurriedly bowed and scraped.

This Shen Yue had truly made it!

"Let's go, Master Shen. I'll take you to a good place." Chen Tong was satisfied with this.

"Alright." Shen Yue smiled.

Chen Qiaoqian was reliable after all.

"Respectfully sending off Steward Chen and Master Shen."

Behind them, Li Sheng and the others bowed in unison, their voices loud and their eyes filled with awe.

Once Shen Yue and Chen Tong were out of sight, the five immediately surrounded Changqin Wuming.

"How could you, Emperor Ming, personally handle the dirty work of recycling waste Qi?"

Landscape Manor, main hall.

The Spirit Gathering Array operated slowly, drawing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to this place, making anyone who walked in feel refreshed.

However, the atmosphere in the main hall at this moment was not as relaxed as it appeared on the surface.

In the seat of honor, Chen Yuanya sat upright, his gaze steady.

To his right sat a middle-aged man with a faint aura of heat radiating from his body.

This man was Master Xu, Xu Guanhai. Chen Tong had previously begged him to forge artifacts; his forging skills were exquisite, and he had been specially invited by Chen Yuanya.

To the left, Chen Yuliang stood with his hands behind his back, his expression composed.

Below him stood two youths, a man and a woman.

Chen Quan had a handsome face, with a hint of arrogance between his brows.

Gao Qin was beautiful, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

The gazes of the two collided inadvertently, secretly competing.

Before long, two figures appeared at the entrance of the hall.

As soon as Chen Tong walked in, he sensed that the atmosphere was off and hurriedly bowed in salute: "Third Uncle, Cousin, Master Xu."

Chen Yuanya and Chen Yuliang nodded faintly, looking toward Shen Yue beside him.

"Nephew Shen, sit."

Chen Yuanya greeted him with a smile, appearing as if he were very familiar with Shen Yue.

But this "Nephew" made Chen Tong's heart jolt violently!

Who was his Third Uncle?

A Foundation Establishment grand cultivator and the authority behind the Chen Clan's artifact forging lineage.

Usually, he barely managed a smile for his own nephew, yet now he was greeting Shen Yue with a chuckle?

As a quasi-Foundation Establishment member of the Chen Clan and a future Golden Core existence, he had to admit that at this moment, he envied Shen Yue.

At this time, Chen Yuliang took out a jade slip and walked toward Shen Yue with a smile:

"Master Shen, your application for Artifact Island yesterday has been approved. You only need to leave your aura on this to finalize it."

Artifact Island?

Upon hearing this, Chen Tong's eyes turned red.

Artifact Island was a place of fire veins; whether for cultivation or forging, it was an excellent location. Even he, a dignified steward of Refining Lake, only had a common Cuiwei Island.

He was not just envious; he was jealous!

Shen Yue, however, frowned.

He had never applied for this so-called Artifact Island.

Could Chen Qiaoqian have applied for it on his behalf?

That didn't seem right either; he had only mentioned the matter of being an artifact master to Chen Qiaoqian today, so where did "applied yesterday" come from?

"Wait!"

As he pondered, a voice rang out suddenly, like a sword being drawn from its sheath.

Chen Quan bowed to Chen Yuanya, his posture respectful:

"Third Uncle, according to clan regulations, as long as Artifact Island has not been officially settled, other artifact refiners have the right to compete for it."

Chen Yuanya glanced at him and nodded slowly: "That is indeed the rule, Quan'er, you..."

"I want to challenge him!"

Chen Quan's gaze was like a blade, fixed directly on Shen Yue.

"I also wish to discuss the craft of artifact refining with this Master Shen."

Gao Qin also stood up, her tone indifferent, yet the defiance in her eyes was no less than Chen Quan's.

Good... very good...

Chen Tong gloated inwardly.

This was how it should be; how could a mere island guardian be allowed to stand above him?