Late at night-
"You mean the VIP card Ning Fengzhi gave Xiao Yu was the highest tier? And Xiao Yu agreed to learn the craft there?" Qian Renxue's brows drew together, her phoenix eyes darkening slightly beneath her lowered lashes.
"Yes, Your Highness. The fault is mine. I should not have taken him to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's shop." Su Yao knelt on one knee with her head lowered.
Qian Renxue shook her head. "This is not your fault. Perhaps he is plotting something else. What worries me is that he might have caught wind of the Soul Tools. That would bring one complication after another."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always sought ways to strengthen itself. It is not as though they have never considered Soul Tools, but they have never made any progress. It has almost become an obsession for them. I fear they might set their sights on Xiao Yu."
"Then should we..."
"Do not act rashly yet. If he stops going, it would only confirm their suspicions. Keep the guards around the laboratory in place. We have people within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Let us watch their movements first."
"Yes." Su Yao bowed and left.
The next morning, Ling Yu was taken to the jewelry shop.
"Honored guest, this is our workshop. Although it has been tidied up, it is still somewhat dirty and cluttered. I hope you will not mind." Master Chen Ying led Ling Yu to the door.
"Master Chen Ying, you don't need to be so polite. I'm already very grateful that you're willing to teach me."
"I wouldn't dare be otherwise. I must not offend you."
Ling Yu gave a wry smile, then took out the gift Ailin had given him yesterday from his Storage Soul Tool. After returning yesterday, he had examined it with his spiritual power and discovered a sealed bottle of Jade Spring Wine inside. This was the perfect opportunity to borrow flowers to offer to Buddha.
"This is the Jade Spring Wine the auction house gave me yesterday. I'm still too young to drink, so I'll borrow flowers to offer to Buddha and give it to you, Master Chen. How about considering it an apprentice's gift? Please don't refuse."
"Well... all right. Thank you, then." Hearing that it was the precious Jade Spring Wine, and seeing Ling Yu's sincere, earnest manner, Chen Ying nodded and accepted it.
"If you don't mind, Master Chen Ying, just call me Xiao Yu."
"Well..."
"It's all right."
"All right." Looking into Ling Yu's clear, steadfast eyes, Chen Ying let go of that trace of distance and worry.
When they pushed the door open, they found the room brightly lit by crystals. At its center stood a heavy stone workbench fitted with a circulating water system and laid out with all sorts of tools.
A faint fragrance of incense lingered in the room, and design sketches of Master Chen Ying's most popular works hung on the walls.
A potted green plant stood by the window. The entire workshop seemed like the embodiment of beauty and patience.
"This is the Plain Water Loop, though you can simply call it a water flusher. Its main purpose is to circulate water, making it convenient for me to rinse away debris while carving and maintain the gemstone's temperature."
Chen Ying began pointing out the things in the room and briefly introducing them.
"These are all tools for grinding, filing, engraving, and shaving. Everyone has different design approaches and working habits, so I made all of these myself."
"All I can teach you are a few little carving techniques, how to identify gemstone materials, and how to make tools. The most crucial things, steady hands and a settled mind, will only come gradually through carving materials over a long period."
"Didn't Steward Liu still owe you a gift as compensation yesterday? I'll speak to him later and have him supply the materials for your practice. How does that sound?"
"Of course. I'll leave everything to you." Ling Yu nodded.
"No time to waste. Let's begin with the most basic relief carving. These are practice blocks for apprentices. Start by carving along the patterns on them. Once you're sufficiently proficient, you can choose blank blocks and carve while referring to the patterns." Chen Ying handed him the tools.
"Yes, Master Chen Ying." After taking them, Ling Yu activated his Martial Soul and Soul Skill.
"What are you..." Chen Ying swallowed. In fact, he had received instructions from above last night-to gather more information without putting Ling Yu on his guard.
"Master Chen Ying, my Martial Soul and Soul Skill are rather unusual. They can enhance my perception."
"I see. Go ahead, then."
At Ling Yu's speed, he finished several carved blocks in less than half an hour. Chen Ying took them and examined them, somewhat surprised.
"Have you trained your muscles before? Your hands are very steady!"
"I worked at a blacksmith's shop for two years."
At these words, Chen Ying was astonished. His first reaction was disbelief. How could someone who could enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy and gain Ning Fengzhi's appreciation have worked at a blacksmith's shop? But when he saw Ling Yu's unclouded gaze, he believed him.
"Then let's move straight on to the next step. Refer to these carvings and reproduce them on blank blocks."
"Yes, Master Chen Ying."
Ling Yu then began carving with the reliefs as references. Before long, his entire being grew still.
The sounds of the outside world seemed cut off by an invisible barrier. His eyes held only the object in his hands, and even his breathing became almost inaudibly light. Only his gaze and the tip of his blade remained steadily focused on a single point.
This state drew repeated praise from Chen Ying. He had thought it would take a considerable amount of time for Ling Yu to begin achieving steady hands and a settled mind. Who could have imagined he would accomplish it so quickly?
When Ling Yu completed the final stroke, he let out a breath, and his whole body relaxed.
"Take a break." Chen Ying handed him a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Master Chen Ying."
Resting with his eyes closed, Ling Yu silently pondered, Spiritual power really is useful. I can directly compare the dimensions against the original while carving.
No wonder the Tang Sect could make Hidden Weapons full of precision components in an era without precision measuring instruments. Presumably, it was thanks to the Purple Demon Eye's eye technique.
With an ability like that, why couldn't the Tang Sect reproduce the Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus? Was the sample lost?
Ling Yu shook off his stray thoughts and opened his eyes. Seeing that he had rested enough, Chen Ying's lips moved slightly.
"Over the next few days, I'll first help you get familiar with carving different materials and gain some experience. After that, I'll teach you to make tools."
"Thank you, Master Chen Ying." Ling Yu hurriedly bowed.
Chen Ying nodded, then handed him several carving blocks of different materials to practice on.
Soon, the morning's lessons ended. After having lunch at the shop, Ling Yu returned to the academy by carriage.
"Old Chen, how is he?" Watching the carriage recede into the distance, Steward Liu lowered his voice and asked.
"I would like to take him as my apprentice, but I know that's impossible." Chen Ying sighed softly.
"Did you find out anything?"
"Well..." Chen Ying hesitated, recalling the respect Ling Yu had shown him and that bottle of Jade Spring Wine. But after working with him for so many years, how could Steward Liu fail to see that his old friend knew something but was unwilling to speak?
"Then let's leave it for a few days. The higher-ups aren't in a hurry either."
"All right. Want to come over to my place for a drink tonight? Xiao Yu gave me a bottle of Jade Spring Wine."
"So he's bought you off!"
"Just tell me whether you want some!"
"Yes, of course I do! This is Jade Spring Wine. Watch me drink it all in one go!"
"Then you'd better not come."
"Haha!"
After returning to the academy, Ling Yu went straight to the laboratory and began organizing the models of the discarded Soul Tools. He stopped once his spiritual power and Soul Power were nearly exhausted.
Then he went to the library to consult reference materials. Following behind him, Su Yao sighed softly, feeling both a little sympathy and a little admiration.