Spirit Imbuement, an Expert Tailor

"Remember, behave yourselves when you get there. Don't embarrass me."

At the entrance to the Shocking Heron Martial Arts Hall, Hong Tianbao stood with his hands behind his back, his expression almost excessively stern.

"Especially you, Qin Zhong. You've spent so long mixing with every stripe of the Three Teachings and Nine Classes at the carriage firm that your mouth has no gatekeeper."

"When you get to your master's wife's shop, put away that street-thug swagger."

"Sweeten your tongue, keep your hands and feet busy, and don't stand there like a wooden post. Do you hear me?"

Qin Zhong took the scolding without a trace of temper and grinned. "I understand. I understand all of it."

Hong Tianbao gave a quiet snort, then turned to Li Xiang.

This lad was thoughtful, knew the rules, and understood when to advance or retreat, unlike that reckless oaf Qin Zhong.

Still, Hong Tianbao could not resist adding, "You're a steady one, so I won't burden you with more instructions."

"Understood. I won't disappoint your generous regard, Hall Master." Li Xiang cupped his hands in salute.

"Off you go. Don't be late." Hong Tianbao turned and headed toward the rear courtyard, hands behind his back, humming some nameless Jiangnan ditty.

"Come on, come on, Brother Li! We've landed a heaven-sent bargain this time!"

The moment they stepped outside the Martial Arts Hall, Qin Zhong could no longer contain his excitement. Wind seemed to spring beneath his feet; he wished he could fly straight there.

"Senior Brother Qin, slow down, slow down." Li Xiang stumbled as Qin Zhong dragged him along. "What exactly is an Enchanted Garment, anyway? Why are you so excited?

"As martial artists, don't we hold that our sinews, bones, flesh, and skin are our strongest defenses? How powerful can a piece of clothing be, even if it's made of diamond?"

This truly was a gap in Li Xiang's knowledge.

He had the [Book of a Hundred Trades] and had unlocked several professions, but he still knew far too little about this world's profession system, which was as vast as a sea of smoke.

Qin Zhong slowed his steps.

"Brother Li, that's where you're missing something."

"Do you think our master's wife keeps the Wanqing Tailor Shop running in a place like Linjiang County, where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, just by making pretty qipaos for wealthy ladies?"

"An ordinary tailor is merely a craftsperson, at best. But once a tailor crosses the threshold of the profession, what they make is no longer ordinary."

Qin Zhong continued, "Among the three hundred and sixty trades, every profession that crosses that threshold has its own secret ace in the hole.

"When Martial Cultivators cross it, we can develop martial force. When courtesan cultivators cross it, they can cultivate fate artifacts."

"And tailoring, as one of the hundred schools, is naturally no exception."

Qin Zhong raised a finger and traced a line in the air.

"Once tailors cross the threshold, they awaken a technique called 'Spirit Imbuement.'"

"Spirit Imbuement?" Li Xiang turned the words over in his mouth.

The term alone had a mysterious ring to it.

"Exactly. Giving clothing a spiritual nature." Qin Zhong began explaining the workings of the craft.

"Ordinary clothes are dead things. They only cover your body and keep out the cold. But when a tailor who has awakened a profession mark imbues clothing with spirit while sewing it, those clothes come alive."

"Clothing with this spiritual nature and miraculous abilities is called an Enchanted Garment among professionals. It's a kind of Magical Treasure."

"Magical Treasure?" Something stirred in Li Xiang's mind.

"That's right. Enchanted Garments and Magical Artifacts are both types of Magical Treasure." Spittle flew as Qin Zhong spoke. "Those bulletproof vests imported from the West are rubbish compared to a real Enchanted Garment."

"And just like people, Enchanted Garments come in all different ranks. Those made by beginner tailors are, at most, warm in winter and cool in summer, repel dust and stains, feel more comfortable, and don't tear easily."

"The higher-grade ones are far more miraculous."

"When you reach expert level, like our master's wife, the Enchanted Garments you make are something else entirely."

"I once saw an Enchanted Garment she made called the Flowing Cloud Green Robe. It was as light and thin as gauze, almost weightless in your hands."

"But once you put it on, if an outside force struck you, the cloud patterns would flow as though they'd come alive. They could shed seventy or eighty percent of a thousand-jin blow. Even bullets would slide off."

Li Xiang listened, dumbfounded.

Shed seventy or eighty percent of the force?

And deflect bullets?

For Martial Cultivators who had to stake their lives on a fight, its value was immeasurable.

"And that's only the defensive sort." Qin Zhong grew more excited as he spoke.

"Some Enchanted Garments are embroidered with the spirit of 'iron armor.' Wear one, and blades and spears can't pierce you. They're more effective than a thick suit of iron armor."

"Some incorporate the spirit of 'divine speed.' Put one on, and you're as light as a swallow, with wind beneath your feet when you run. You can travel a thousand li a day without tiring."

"Then there are high-grade Enchanted Garments that make you invisible, ward off fire, repel evil, or nourish your qi and blood. The emperor's dragon robe, for example, is a Sacred Garment made by a Divine Practitioner. Wearing it not only makes him immune to damage from anyone below the Grandmaster level, but also extends his lifespan."

At this point, Qin Zhong looked at Li Xiang. "Brother Li, do you know how much an Enchanted Garment personally imbued and made by an expert tailor like our master's wife sells for?"

Li Xiang shook his head.

Qin Zhong raised one finger and waved it in front of Li Xiang.

"One hundred silver dollars?" Li Xiang ventured.

"One hundred silver dollars? That wouldn't even cover the materials!" Qin Zhong scoffed. "At least a thousand silver dollars, and even then, you can't just buy one. You have to book a place in line!"

"A thousand silver dollars?" Though Li Xiang had gained a new understanding of money, the figure still jolted him.

Like the prices charged by courtesan cultivators, this was practically robbery.

"And that's only the starting price." Qin Zhong chuckled. "If we went to buy one ourselves, we wouldn't even qualify to see our master's wife. Never mind a private commission tailored to our martial techniques and physical characteristics."

"We're basking in the Shocking Heron Martial Arts Hall's reflected glory. Without our connection to Master, we couldn't wear so much as a loose thread she'd sewn herself, even if we sold everything we owned."

Li Xiang nodded.

Wearing a set of Enchanted Garments was the equivalent of wearing a courtyard house in the Jade Capital.

Hong Tianbao was truly willing to sink a fortune into buying his life three years from now.

Leaving aside the genuine martial arts he taught, even a tiny portion skimmed off the Dragon-Tiger Bone-Tempering Soup and Enchanted Garments would amount to an ordinary person's lifetime earnings.

"And Brother Li, whatever you do, don't underestimate a tailor's fighting strength." A measure of awe entered Qin Zhong's expression.

"There's a saying in the martial world: 'Better to provoke the King of Hell than a tailor.' They may carry needles, thread, and scissors every day and look harmless to man and beast."

"But when they really start fighting..."

Qin Zhong made a snipping gesture. "The scissors, needles, and thread in their hands become lethal weapons."

"Legend has it that when a tailor becomes a Divine Practitioner, they use heaven as their cloth and earth as their needle. With a single snip, they can cut an opening through heaven and earth itself."

"'Heaven-Splitting Cut' isn't merely a figure of speech in the tailoring trade. It's a genuine killing technique."

As they spoke, the two arrived on Dragon Gate Road, the most prosperous street in Linjiang County.

The Dragon Gate Escort Agency stood at the end of Dragon Gate Road.

Looking around, Li Xiang felt as though he had traveled back to his own world.

This place was utterly different from the southern district, steeped in the stink of sweat and the atmosphere of the Lower Nine Classes.

Neat blue flagstones paved the road, tall trees lined both sides, and small Western-style buildings stood row upon row.

Most passersby were smartly dressed, either compradors in suits and polished shoes or society ladies and wealthy matrons in qipaos.

The air carried not the smell of cheap tobacco, but the scent of coffee and perfume.

The gleaming motorcars, too, all proclaimed the wealth and prosperity of this place.

At the most prized spot on the street, a three-story Western-style building was particularly eye-catching.

It blended Chinese and Western architecture, combining large, floor-to-ceiling Western windows with carved Chinese eaves that swept upward, looking both grand and elegant.

A black plaque with gold lettering hung above the entrance, bearing the name "Wanqing Tailor Shop."

The graceful calligraphy possessed a sweeping grandeur, unmistakably the work of a master.

This was Ye Wanqing's tailor shop.

The storefront alone radiated an air of "I'm expensive. No poor people allowed."

"We're here. This is the place."

Standing at the entrance, Qin Zhong straightened his collar and brushed nonexistent dust from his clothes, looking somewhat ill at ease.

Li Xiang unconsciously straightened his back as well.

They pushed the door open and entered.

Jingle—

The brass bell above the door rang clearly.

A faint fragrance of incense greeted them, elegant rather than overpowering, soothing the mind with every breath.

The shop's furnishings were lavish in the extreme.

Long-pile carpets imported from the West covered the floor, exquisite Suzhou embroideries hung on the walls, and red sandalwood racks displayed all manner of qipaos, long gowns, and Western dresses. Each garment shimmered with its own distinctive luster beneath the lights, like a living work of art.

Unlike an ordinary clothing shop, the store was not crammed with fabric. Nor were there many customers, only a few wealthy ladies sitting in small groups on velvet sofas, sipping coffee and conversing quietly, their every gesture exuding grace and luxury.

Beside them, several clerks in matching uniforms softly introduced the fabrics.

The entire shop had an exceptionally refined atmosphere.

The moment the two entered, a young saleswoman with immaculate makeup and waved hair approached them.

"Gentlemen, do you have an appointment?" Her manner was polite, though her eyes held a hint of scrutiny.

Clearly, this was not Qin Zhong's first visit. He straightened his back, reined in his rough martial-world air, and displayed the honest, guileless smile he usually reserved for Hong Tianbao.

"Miss, I'm Qin Zhong from the Shocking Heron Martial Arts Hall. Master sent me to see his wife... oh, no, I mean Proprietress Ye."

At the name Qin Zhong, the scrutiny vanished from the saleswoman's eyes, replaced by professional warmth.

"So you're Mr. Qin Zhong."

She dipped slightly in greeting, then looked Li Xiang over, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes.

What a handsome young man.

Unlike Qin Zhong's iron-tower ruggedness, Li Xiang was tall and elegant, his bearing restrained. Though he wore an ordinary long gown, the distinctive blend of scholarly refinement and sharpness in his bones made him especially striking amid all the powder and rouge.

"Then this must be Mr. Li Xiang," the saleswoman said with a smile.

Qin Zhong was curious. "How do you know his name? This is his first visit."

"The proprietress specifically told us this morning that two young heroes from the Shocking Heron Martial Arts Hall would be coming for measurements today. One was as sturdy as an ox, and the other..."

The saleswoman covered her mouth with a soft laugh and glanced at Li Xiang. "The other was a handsome young gentleman. That must be Mr. Li."

Li Xiang nodded slightly in acknowledgment. "You flatter me."

Qin Zhong: "..."

"Please follow me, gentlemen. The proprietress is waiting for you upstairs."

The saleswoman stepped aside and gestured invitingly, then led them through the dazzling ground-floor displays of ready-made clothing and fabrics to the spiral wooden staircase leading upstairs.

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