The others looked curiously from Li Qingxian to the broken vat, unable to understand what was happening.
The Fate Arts Masters exchanged glances, their expressions grave.
"Your Highness, a broken vat..."
Li Qingxian swept a glance at He Bao, and He Bao abruptly shut his mouth.
Li Qingxian turned to the villagers and looked at a downcast middle-aged man. "This is your home?"
"Yes, Exalted Master."
"What is your name?"
"This humble one is called Blacksmith Shi. That is my proper name."
Everyone smiled kindly.
Shen Zhizhai said, "The people of Gold and Silver Island are accustomed to naming themselves in all sorts of ways. Their customs differ from those of our Great Qi and East Ding."
"Did any great benefactor emerge from your ancestral line?"
Blacksmith Shi's eyes reddened. He sighed and said, "Great benefactor would be overstating it. My great-grandfather gave away all his family wealth to save people, and in the end, he was murdered. That was how we fell into our present state. The old people in this village all know my family's story."
Li Qingxian swept his gaze over the villagers. Many of them nodded lightly.
"You bought this house later?"
"Yes. The cellar had been abandoned for many years, and we never touched it. Every time we wanted to tidy it up, something would happen to delay us, so we simply stopped trying."
Li Qingxian looked around the dilapidated house. "A family that accumulates goodness is sure to have blessings left over. Back then, it appeared that your family was harmed, but in truth, your great-grandfather was a man of merit and goodness. By cutting off his own arm to save the whole body, he preserved your branch of the family. Then your ancestors chose this house. In the unseen world, there was a