"Forget it, forget it. Since those are your school's rules, I won't ask for your medical skills."
Lou Gao gave up on learning medicine entirely, but his old brain worked swiftly. Before long, he thought of a way to enjoy its benefits without spending time or effort.
"Boy, if you really want a spear made by me, it's simple. Whenever I call you to the Blacksmith Association to relieve my fatigue in the future, you mustn't refuse."
"That's a good proposal, but you should set a time limit, Senior Lou Gao. Trading one spear for my whole life wouldn't be very good."
Hearing this, Lou Gao looked at Long Qianming before him with a hint of displeasure. He hadn't expected this junior to be so shrewd, actually avoiding the pit he had dug in advance!
Lou Gao stroked his beard with both hands, thought for a moment, then declared, "I'm not some petty fellow who takes advantage of others. How about this? Three years. After three years, you can go do whatever you please."
"Agreed. When do you plan to give it to me, Senior Lou Gao? I urgently need a spear."
Lou Gao was somewhat speechless. He was the president of the Blacksmith Association, a level 71 Soul Saint. How could he fail to deliver something he had promised?
Young people these days! As impatient as monkeys.
"Don't rush. I'll give it to you in a few days."
"Then thank you, Senior Lou Gao."
Only after receiving definite word about when the gift would arrive did Long Qianming relax. After all, the divine blacksmith Lou Gao before him was a living, breathing old rascal who liked jumping ship.
Though he kept his word, he always dragged his feet on certain matters. Still, there would certainly be no problems with the quality of the weapons he made.
Besides, the reason he needed the spear urgently was to continue carrying out the Soul Hunting Plan and obtain higher-quality Soul Beast meat. Though a delay of a few days deviated from his advance arrangements, it was no great problem. He would simply treat it as a few days off to rest properly.
Long Qianming entered the kitchen again and brought out the three steamed medicinal dishes. At the sight, Lou Gao's eyes lit up.
"Not bad, boy. You even have freshly cooked medicinal dishes."
"Thank you for the compliment, Senior."
Long Qianming ladled a bowl of soup each for Lou Gao and Si Long. After taking a small sip, Si Long suddenly remembered something.
"Brother Long, Gengxin City will be holding a large auction in a few days. Teacher said he would buy me one item for free as a gift from master to disciple. Why don't you come with us and see whether there's anything you like? I can use my chance for a free gift and have Teacher buy it for you."
"No need. That's Senior Lou Gao's gift to you. I wouldn't snatch a child's things. Your Brother Long has money."
Hearing this, Lou Gao, who was eating, looked resentfully at Long Qianming and this fine disciple of his.
Si Long didn't show concern for his teacher, but cared about an outsider instead. Did he, Lou Gao, really have so little personal charm in Si Long's eyes?
Meanwhile, Long Qianming was quite touched as he looked at Si Long, who valued him so highly. He hadn't expected little Si Long to think of him. Good, very good.
If that item which had previously gone unsold appeared at this auction, perhaps he could buy it and study it carefully. There might be an unexpected gain.
"Little Si Long, thanks for reminding me. I'll go."
"Yay!"
Beside them, Lou Gao's face was utterly dark. He would certainly teach Si Long properly in the future and make him understand who truly treated him well, lest his sincere efforts end up being let down by certain people.
Five days later.
Long Qianming arrived early to wait outside the Gengxin City auction house. The auction house wasn't particularly large: an oval, three-story building whose architecture still followed Gengxin City's mechanical punk style.
As the two rows of pipes beside the four-meter-tall metal doors spewed an endless stream of steam, the doors slowly opened, and the wealthy people who had long been waiting outside filed inside.
Immediately after entering, Long Qianming put on the mask provided by the auction house staff. After explaining that Lou Gao had invited him, a staff member led him to a seat in the super VIP section on the second floor.
It had to be said that the second-floor VIP seats were different from the ordinary VIP seats on the first floor. Not only could one see farther, but one could also learn some information about the next auction item in advance.
After the wealthy guests entered the auction house and took their seats one after another, the doors slowly closed, and all the indoor lights came on.
A graceful beauty in a sumptuous long dress slowly stepped onto the auction stage. Every step displayed the allure of a mature woman, giving the imagination endless room to roam. Especially in a place like Gengxin City, where men outnumbered women, women-particularly beautiful women-were very popular.
As all the lights on the auction stage converged on one spot, the beautiful host beneath the spotlight spoke with gentle elegance and poise.
"Welcome, everyone, to the Gengxin City auction house. I imagine most of you can hardly wait. The auction will begin immediately."
As the host brought the auction hammer down heavily, an item covered with a red cloth was carried onto the stage. Everyone's curious gazes turned toward the mysterious item.
When the red cloth was removed, ten pieces of excellent-quality whale rubber, giving off cold vapor, lay neatly stacked together.
"Distinguished guests, the first warm-up lot of this auction is once again whale rubber. However, this batch differs from those of the past. It is exceedingly rare ten-thousand-year whale glue. Ten-thousand-year Sea Soul Beasts are difficult to kill, and whale-type Soul Beasts are even harder to hunt down.
"Therefore, the starting bid is three thousand Gold Soul Coins per piece, with each increase no lower than one hundred. Bidding begins now."
As the host's auction hammer fell, the guests in the VIP seats did not raise their paddles to bid, instead watching one another.
After all, everyone knew the effects of whale rubber. Whoever bid would be proving himself a lustful, debauched fellow with weak kidneys.
Suddenly, a voice came from a VIP seat on the second floor.
"I'll take two pieces. Six thousand Gold Soul Coins."
"Six thousand Gold Soul Coins, going once. Is there a higher bid?"
At this point, no matter how much the host said, the guests paid no attention. Instead, they looked toward the bidder in the second-floor VIP seats with smiles.
"Two pieces of ten-thousand-year whale glue? Could his kidneys be weak to the extreme?"
"If he really can't perform in that department, he should hurry and see the little divine physician! When it comes to treating hidden ailments in that department, if the little divine physician claimed second place, no one would dare claim first."
These remarks were loud, and Lou Gao and Si Long, seated in the VIP section, both turned toward Long Qianming.
"I never imagined your reputation for treating weak kidneys had spread so widely, boy. Your medical skills truly are superb."
"Brother Long, do you have weak kidneys? Should you bid on a piece or two of ten-thousand-year whale glue to nourish yourself?"
Long Qianming looked at Lou Gao and Si Long, forcibly suppressing his anger. Children's words knew no restraint, and neither did old men's.
Just as everyone caught sight of the bidder in the VIP seats, their earlier mockery instantly vanished. They lowered their heads, not daring to look at him again.
Even though the man wore a mask, his imposing presence and the badge on his chest were particularly conspicuous. He was none other than Mai Ruimi, the purple-robed bishop of Gengxin City's Martial Soul Sub-Hall.
At that moment, Mai Ruimi sat in bliss with his arms around the slender waists of two young girls, continually accepting the food they fed him. Then he said coldly, "These fools don't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is. Send someone to investigate later, and arrest every last person who mocked this bishop. Interrogate them rigorously. They may very well be spies."
"Yes."
The two Spirit Hall soldiers standing guard behind him answered respectfully.