Young Man Forging Artifacts

Luo Mu did not keep the youth waiting long; after a short while, he provided his answer.

"As for materials, I do indeed have some on hand," Luo Mu said, his face solemn.

"Truly?" The youth was overjoyed.

"However, how am I to believe your words? If I give you the materials and you successfully forge a magical tool that satisfies me, then it is a win-win: you improve your forging skills, and I obtain the tool I desire. But if you fail, the materials I traded my life to obtain will be wasted, and the information you provide will not be worth the cost. Wouldn't I be the one at a loss?"

Luo Mu cared deeply about the materials from the Plum Blossom Snake. After all, they were from a top-tier rank-one demonic beast, making them exceptionally precious to him. He had to be cautious; if they were wasted through carelessness, his heart would surely ache to the point of agony.

"Fellow Daoist, please rest assured. Although I do not know why you want this Ink Crow Grass, I can see you value it highly. The information I possess regarding the Ink Crow Grass will absolutely make you feel it was worth the price!" The youth spoke with absolute certainty, his expression one of someone who had already secured the deal.

"I repeat: why should I trust you?" Luo Mu remained unmoved, his tone still grave.

"It seems you still do not trust me. How about this: you give me the materials you have to forge, and regardless of whether I succeed or fail, I will take you to the location of the Ink Crow Grass. If what I say is false, you may kill me at any time!" To gain Luo Mu's trust, the youth did not hesitate to stake his life. It was clear just how deep his obsession with forging had become.

With the other party having gone this far, it would be unreasonable for Luo Mu to refuse. Still, he weighed the matter carefully and, finding it feasible, nodded under the youth's expectant gaze.

"Very well, I agree. I hope everything you say is true!" Luo Mu said calmly.

Yet, beneath those calm words lay a faint warning. If he discovered the youth was deceiving him, Luo Mu knew he would not show mercy. The youth was a clever person and certainly caught the warning in Luo Mu's tone, but he merely smiled without a care, looking entirely confident.

"Then, when will you hand the materials over to me?" The youth rubbed his hands together, speaking impatiently.

"No rush for that. I still need to purchase some items, and I will come to find you afterward."

"I see, that works too! I shall wait for you here. Don't be a stranger!" The youth was slightly disappointed, but his expression returned to normal in an instant before he spoke to Luo Mu.

"I won't." With that, Luo Mu turned and left. He intended to make good use of the spirit stones he had on hand tonight. Poisonous herbs were a necessity, and of course, he needed to arm himself.

In the time that followed, Luo Mu traded a low-grade rank-one spirit herb and ten spirit stones for a storage bag. The bag was embroidered with a silver character for "Law," clearly originating from the Wanfa Sect. Luo Mu dared not hang his previous, mysterious storage bag openly at his waist, lest it invite unnecessary trouble.

Now that he had a new, truly legitimate storage bag, Luo Mu was delighted and hung it at his waist on the spot.

He wandered around, his eyes dazzled by the variety of items. There were many magical tools and poisonous herbs he wanted to buy, but their prices forced him to stop. A helpless Luo Mu sighed inwardly; without spirit stones, one truly could not take a single step. The frustration of wanting to buy things but not daring to was palpable.

It was not that Luo Mu could not afford them; with over two hundred low-grade spirit stones, he could have bought quite a bit. However, Luo Mu had a trait: he always kept something in reserve. His current stash was not large, and he intended to save it for emergencies.

If he spent all his stones for the sake of a moment's pleasure and then found himself in dire need later, it would be difficult to manage. Luo Mu did not want to see such a thing happen to him.

Throughout the night, the frugal Luo Mu, aside from the ten spirit stones spent on the storage bag, did not spend a single extra stone. He was a miser in the truest sense.

Because the goal of this trip had already been achieved—he had already obtained thirteen stalks of top-tier rank-one Ink Crow Grass—and because the youth had sworn there was more to be found, Luo Mu had no desire to spend his stones recklessly.

Since his goal was met, spending spirit stones for no reason was not Luo Mu's style. Even if the youth were exaggerating and left him disappointed, it would not be too late to buy a batch of poisonous herbs with his remaining stones then.

As for the magical tool, he would soon hand over the materials for the youth to forge. If he succeeded, Luo Mu would be happy, as it would save him a significant amount of spirit stones. If he failed, he could always buy one later.

Holding this thought, Luo Mu returned to the youth's stall with a light heart. The youth had indeed stayed, still calling out that he would forge magical tools for cultivators for free.

However, judging by the youth's expression, Luo Mu guessed the results were likely poor.

Thinking of this, Luo Mu worried that the materials he had nearly died to obtain might truly go to waste. He shook his head; in truth, he did not have much faith in the youth, but having given his word, he would not break it.

He either refused or he followed through. Otherwise, his conscience would be troubled—a major taboo in cultivation known as a "heart demon."

Not wanting to leave a heart demon that would hinder his future cultivation, Luo Mu walked toward the youth with a forced composure, though his reluctance was visible to anyone who looked.

Seeing Luo Mu approach, the youth's gloomy face finally brightened. He greeted Luo Mu with a wide smile, and a stranger might have thought they were old friends.

"Fellow Daoist, you've finally come. You've kept me waiting," the youth joked with a grin as soon as Luo Mu arrived.

"Heh... are you planning to forge the tool right here?" Luo Mu managed a stiff smile and asked curiously. He truly couldn't bring himself to smile genuinely.

"Of course, right here. Do you see that tent behind me? That is my temporary forging workshop." The youth nodded, pointed to a small tent beside the stall, and spoke to Luo Mu.

Following his finger, he saw a small, bulging tent that could just barely accommodate two or three people.

"Very well, let's go inside." Luo Mu did not hesitate; after nodding in agreement, he stepped into the tent first. The youth packed his stall items into his storage bag and followed him in.

After the two entered the tent, they emerged again in mere moments. Luo Mu remained expressionless and calm, while the youth's face was filled with wild, blooming joy.

It turned out that once inside, Luo Mu had brought out the claws and hides of several low-grade rank-one demonic beasts he had hunted on the road and handed them to the youth.

Upon seeing these materials, the youth's face was immediately clouded with deep confusion. He could not believe his eyes—were these the treasures Luo Mu had guarded so closely? He had expected materials from mid-grade or high-grade rank-one beasts, not low-grade ones, which left him visibly disappointed.

However, the disappointment lasted only a moment before being replaced by ecstasy, as Luo Mu retrieved the hide of the top-tier rank-one Plum Blossom Snake from his storage bag and laid it before him.

The hide of the Plum Blossom Snake was exceptionally sturdy, making it an excellent material for leather armor or inner vests. Although the youth's cultivation was not high, his knowledge was decent, and he recognized the hide at a glance. As a forger, how could he not be thrilled to see such a thick stack of it?

The youth boasted that he would forge a top-quality inner vest for Luo Mu using this hide. However, because the night market was too noisy and would affect his focus, he suggested finding a quiet place to work. Luo Mu, naturally, did not object and led the youth to an inn.

Luo Mu did not let the youth choose the location; he chose it himself to prevent any foul play. When traveling, one must always be on guard.

Ever since Xiao Ling'er's betrayal, Luo Mu was unwilling to trust anyone easily. In his view, only he himself was truly reliable.

The departure of Luo Mu and the youth did not dampen the atmosphere of the night market, nor did it attract any attention. Cultivators continued to buy and sell as they had before; the two were merely passersby in the night market.

A night passed, and when the sunlight bathed the earth, Luo Mu and the youth walked out of the inn.

When they had entered the inn, Luo Mu's expression had been calm, revealing neither joy nor sorrow. But upon emerging after the night, while his face remained calm, his eyes betrayed an irrepressible delight.

During the forging last night, Luo Mu had not held high hopes. When the youth ruined the materials from the low-grade rank-one beasts, Luo Mu's inner doubts were confirmed.

When the youth began forging the inner vest with the Plum Blossom Snake hide, he failed several times in a row. This made Luo Mu's eyelids twitch and his heart bleed; he had wanted to lunge forward and throttle the man to death!

Fortunately, the snake hide was large enough. After several failures, the youth finally succeeded on the last piece, presenting an exquisite inner vest to Luo Mu! Moreover, the vest was of mid-grade magical tool quality, which balanced the scales for Luo Mu, who had been on the verge of a rage.

Although a fair amount of material had been wasted, the inner vest was a treasure with high defensive capabilities and significant value, which made Luo Mu look at the youth with newfound respect.

After careful deliberation, Luo Mu decided to gamble on the youth once more and solemnly handed him the two massive, foot-long poison fangs of the Plum Blossom Snake.

The youth, upon receiving the fangs, felt equally anxious, terrified of ruining them. Consequently, he worked with extreme caution, not daring to make a single mistake. To the utter surprise of both Luo Mu and the youth, the forging was a resounding success, without a single mishap.

Two small, slightly curved daggers, each a foot long and emitting a faint white light, were the result. One look was enough to know they were no ordinary items. These two daggers, forged from the poison fangs, were, like the inner vest, mid-grade magical tools!