"Village chief, things in Rude Village have settled down now, and the mining area is safe again. We won't stay any longer, then. It's time for us to say goodbye."
Standing at the entrance to Rude Village, Chuan Wenwu cupped his hands in farewell to the old village chief.
"Ah, leaving already, young Chuan? Well, you have great things to accomplish, after all. You couldn't possibly stay in our little village for too long..." The old chief sighed, leaning on his cane, then shook his head and gave a nearby villager a meaningful look. "You've helped us so much during your time in Rude Village. Every villager owes you a debt of gratitude. Though you ask for nothing in return, we can't let your kindness go unrepaid. Still, Rude Village doesn't have much of value, aside from some ore..."
The villager who had left returned with three Filolials pulling wagons.
"The villagers discussed it together and decided that each household would contribute some rare ore they'd mined as payment, to thank you for helping us reclaim the mine and find a new vein. Please don't refuse, young Chuan. This is just a small token of everyone's gratitude."
The wagons were filled with all kinds of ore, glittering in different colors under the sunlight. One glance was enough to tell that they were of exceptional quality.
However, they were all varieties Chuan Wenwu had already fed to the Shield of the Hero for absorption during his stay. If he wanted to put them to further use, he would probably have to deliver them to a blacksmith and commission equipment forged from these materials.
Three wagonloads of ore weighed well over ten tons. Even though his shield could store items, his stamina and strength still weren't enough to let him pull off