News of Spirit Forging spread throughout Heaven Dou in just a few days. Even Star Luo, a thousand miles away, had caught wind of it.
The second floor of Yang's Treasure Appraisal Pavilion, Heaven Dou City.
Yang Fan stood before a sand table, lightly tapping his fingertips against the tabletop.
Though Spirit Forging had made a name for itself, turning that momentum into real influence in short order was an impossible dream if he relied on his own strength alone.
Only the well-established Upper Three Sects, or the Imperial Family, which controlled the empire's resources, could systematically train appraisal and business experts—and even blacksmiths.
Yang Fan and Lan Yin had spent several days making plans. First, for several days in a row, he visited Tang Yuehua at Moonlight Pavilion under the pretext of recuperating his meridians. While strengthening their ties, he used her connections to get things moving.
After that, Yang Fan dangled Spirit Forging as bait and extended an olive branch to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Since Yang Fan had a good relationship with both Heaven Dou Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and since he generously gave up a sizable share of the profits, everything went fairly smoothly.
Give up a small gain to achieve something great.
Gold Soul Coins were just numbers to Yang Fan. What he truly valued were the resources and connections that came with expanding his influence.
The Douluo Continent was vast, and there were many hidden treasures never mentioned in the original story, like the Golden Dragon King's reverse scale. One Treasure Appraisal Pavilion clearly wasn't enough.
In just a few months, the Heaven Dou Empire had undergone a world-shaking transformation.
Treasure Moon Pavilions sprang up in every major city, while Silver Moon Pavilions dotted the smaller towns.
The Treasure Moon Pavilions were run by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Imperial Family. They handled appraisals, Spirit Forging, and the training of related talent. The Silver Moon Pavilions, personally overseen by Yang Fan and Tang Yuehua, were responsible for collecting rare metals, transporting resources, and developing the lower-end market.
On a moonless, windy night, it was the perfect time for murder and arson.
Yang Fan had encountered neither murder nor arson, but he had been kidnapped.
He had finished sorting the day's reports as usual and was about to head back to the secret chamber to cultivate when a figure cloaked from head to toe in a wide black robe abducted him.
"Brother, if you're after money, I'll hand it over. But if you're after my body, no way. I'm just an utterly ordinary little merchant."
Yang Fan recognized that the black-robed figure seemed to be heading toward the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City, so he remained fairly relaxed. If Spirit Hall had wanted to make a move, it would have done so half a year ago. There would have been no need to plant A Wu and Ye Rou by his side.
Yang Fan found Spirit Hall hard to judge. At least in the original story, although it leaned toward the villainous side, it was never specifically depicted doing many heinous things.
Of course.
That was only before that madwoman Bibi Dong lost her mind~
"Keep quiet."
A low voice came from beneath the black robe, carrying a hint of condescending indifference.
What did the young mistress see in this guy? Aside from his knack for forging, he seemed utterly ordinary. In the eyes of him, Ci Xue, a man of peerless wisdom, the fellow had done nothing but stumble upon good luck and somehow get his hands on a bit of forging knowledge.
Forging took strength. Whale Rubber could improve physical fitness, and there were Blood Sacrifice and Spirit Forging methods. It all fit perfectly!
The black-robed man moved quickly. Yang Fan had a vague sense that they had arrived.
"When the young mistress asks you something, you answer. Understand?"
As he spoke, the black-robed man flicked his sleeve.
Bang!
An invisible surge of Soul Power burst outward, shattering a boulder in the courtyard.
Lu Yan's eyes narrowed. "Who are you people, and what do you want?"
Acting? Who couldn't do that?
"Pavilion Master Yang, would you be willing to join Spirit Hall?"
Backlit by the moon, Yang Fan turned toward the voice and made out a peerlessly beautiful figure approaching slowly.
She wore her golden hair loose over her shoulders, and her long gold dress outlined a perfect figure. Moonlight fell upon her, seeming to bathe her in a sacred glow, like an angel descended to the mortal world.
Qian Renxue?
Given the time, place, and appearance, Yang Fan quickly deduced who she was.
"I'd be willing!"
Whether he was willing or not, he could only say yes in that moment.
Qian Renxue had personally arranged his kidnapping, and the black-robed man beside her was probably a Titled Douluo. Did he really have any chance of refusing?
Still, he thought Qian Renxue was kind enough, and she had befriended him under the identity of Xue Qinghe. Even if he refused, she might not do anything to him.
"But I absolutely will not betray my best friend, Xue Qinghe, or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind his teacher. I'd rather die!"
In this world, everything depended on acting.
Just as Yang Fan had predicted, Qian Renxue wasn't angry at all when she heard him. On the contrary, she seemed quite pleased.
"I, Qian Renxue, have always admired those who are loyal and righteous. I accept your conditions."
Yang Fan looked at Qian Renxue putting on an act and almost laughed, but he was professionally trained. No matter how funny something was, he wouldn't laugh.
"Thank you, Lady Qian Renxue. May I ask what you wanted from me?"
Hearing him call her "young mistress," Qian Renxue thought he had some nerve. She hadn't even started, and he was already acknowledging her as his master? She still had plenty of tricks she'd learned from the stories he'd given Aunt Yue to try.
Had he fallen for her beauty trap?
A hint of suspicion flashed involuntarily through Qian Renxue's slender, phoenix-shaped eyes.
She suddenly realized that this fellow seemed to be a womanizer.
He had been in Heaven Dou City for only a year, yet he had already charmed Tang Yuehua, mistress of Moonlight Pavilion, and Ning Rongrong, the Little Demoness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He seemed to have even set his sights on Xue Ke, his host body's younger sister.
Right, ever since his coming-of-age ceremony, the fellow had also kept seeking out Dugu Yan for a chat. Was it because he wanted to win over Poison Douluo's fighting strength, or because he was after her looks? They said Dugu Yan's close friend Ye Lingling was a beauty in the making, too.
The further her thoughts wandered, the stranger Qian Renxue's gaze became. Her eyes held a little more of the disdain one might reserve for a pervert.
"Copy out the Spirit Forging and Blood Sacrifice methods for me."
Qian Renxue said coldly. Then she clapped her hands, and the black-robed man tossed Yang Fan paper and brush.
"There's a table and chairs in the pavilion. Hurry up and write."
The black-robed man's voice was icy, as though warning him not to set his sights on their young mistress.
"Sure, sure, sure."
Yang Fan felt that women were truly unreasonable.
Her mood had changed out of nowhere.
Hadn't she already gotten the secret methods through her identity as Xue Qinghe? Why stage this whole scene today?
After speaking, he obediently headed to the pavilion in the courtyard and began copying them down. Yang Fan didn't try any tricks. For one thing, they could compare his copy with the version he had given Xue Qinghe. For another, Spirit Forging was only an appetizer in the world of forging.
He still hadn't revealed the higher-level Soul Forging and Heaven Forging.
Aside from the Child of Destiny, an era usually gave birth to just one Divine Craftsman capable of Heaven Forging. In this era, who could claim that title but me?
If Heaven had not given birth to Yang Fan, the ancient path of craftsmanship would have remained in darkness!
After he finished transcribing, the black-robed man escorted Yang Fan back.
"What a mess..."
So much time had passed, and Yang Fan had thought Qian Renxue wouldn't act personally. He hadn't expected her to lose patience after all.
Was his charm really that great?
At the Spirit Hall outpost on the other side.
Watching his good friend Ci Xue see Yang Fan off, She Long asked in confusion, "Young mistress, why didn't you give him poison to control him? The fellow looks like a glib, scheming young brat!"
Qian Renxue shook her head and gazed at the moon overhead.
If she resorted to such despicable means, what difference would there be between her and that madwoman?
Her grandfather had once told her that the Angel Clan must have its own pride.
For the sake of the greater good, one might have to sacrifice a few, even oneself. But under ordinary circumstances, one had to hold fast to one's principles. Otherwise, one would be trapped forever just shy of the limit, with no chance of reaching the supreme heights.
What Qian Renxue wanted, she would take openly and honorably. Besides, it wasn't as though she were taking it for nothing. Without her help, Yang Fan's life would never have been so peaceful.
When faced with a secret art like Spirit Forging, would the Upper Three Sects really hold back? Give them a break.
Her occupation of another's identity was mostly an escape from bloodshed, too. With Spirit Hall's true power, if it really wanted a nation, why go through so much trouble?
Qian Renxue simply didn't know how to face a mother she loved deeply and a patricide she hated to the core, so she had found an excuse to get away and clear her head.
Facing Bibi Dong every day, her grandfather feared it might leave her with psychological problems, so he let her do as she wished. Otherwise, a genius granted twenty levels by the gods should naturally have been on the right path to godhood, no matter how one looked at it.