Chapter 27: Guiding Public Opinion

“The time is up, and I’ve brought the payment. Masters of Treasure Seeker Pavilion, is the artifact I ordered ready?” Qiu Wenxiu leaned against the door, speaking with a brash air.

Song Changqian’s eyes nearly blazed with fury; at this moment, she truly wanted to cut down this detestable man.

“Young man, hold your impatience. We agreed on ten days, and ten days it shall be. At Treasure Seeker Pavilion, we keep our word,” Song Luyuan replied leisurely, sitting atop his stool behind the counter and sipping his tea with practiced calm.

A seasoned old fox indeed—unflustered even in the face of adversity, his composure was unshakable.

“Hmph, such a façade.” Qiu Wenxiu didn’t believe for a moment that Treasure Seeker Pavilion could complete the task in ten days. He had come today merely to humiliate them.

“Heh, the Song family has truly fallen from grace—bullied now that the tiger is down. Back when Ancestor Song Yungui was alive, all of Lingzhou bent the knee. Why, just a decade ago, the Song clan boasted over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, unrivaled in Lingzhou. The Firegate Sect and the Qiu family—none dared act out,” reminisced an elderly cultivator among the onlookers.

A tall cultivator beside him sneered, “By your logic, the Firegate Sect once had a Purple Palace ancestor as well, but decline comes for all. The Song family is growing weaker; even their famed artifact forging has been surpassed by the Firegate Sect. Mark my words—the future of Lingzhou belongs to Firegate.”

“But the contest isn’t over yet. How can you be so certain Treasure Seeker Pavilion has lost? Are you a shill for Firegate?” someone nearby challenged.

Both the Song family and Firegate specialized in artifact forging and had fiercely competed for market share over the years, but the Song family had never yet lost. Most present still placed their faith in the Songs, so the tall cultivator’s words sparked doubt and suspicion.

The tall cultivator smiled conspiratorially and lowered his voice, “You weren’t there that day, so you don’t know. When Qiu Wenxiu issued the challenge, the faces of those from the Song family turned ashen. Would they look like that if they were confident? And the one who accepted the challenge was just a youth, barely twenty if that. At that age, it’s doubtful he’s even scratched the surface of artifact forging. If they win, I’ll eat this paving stone.”

His confident tone began to sway even those who believed in the Songs. If a master had accepted the challenge, none would have doubted. But it was a mere youth—artifact forging is no child’s game. Few at that age could forge even a first-tier, upper-grade artifact, let alone one inscribed with three different array formations. How could it be possible?

Hearing the murmurs spreading through the crowd, Qiu Wenxiu’s grin nearly split his face. As he had anticipated, no one believed Song Changsheng could succeed.

Unmoved as ever, Song Luyuan remained calm, but Song Changqian could not help but mutter in a low voice, “It’s all that fellow’s fault—he’s put the family on a spit.”

“Who do you think is truly responsible?” Song Luyuan cast her a glance, his tone flat.

“Of course it’s—” Song Changqian was about to blame Song Changsheng, but at a look from her father, she swallowed her words.

Just as public opinion was turning entirely against them, Song Changsheng, working late into the night, finally completed his masterpiece. As he had declared, three attributes were hardly a challenge for him.

But this time, his aim was not just to prove the Song family’s worth—it was to slap Firegate and its allies in the face.

He would not simply win; he would win in style and utterly shatter Firegate’s prestige.

“Manager Song, your own rules are triple compensation for unfulfilled orders. We’ve been waiting two hours. Just pay me fifteen hundred spirit stones and spare all these friends the trouble of standing in this sweltering sun,” Qiu Wenxiu said earnestly to Song Luyuan, pretending concern.

“Yes, are you able to deliver or not?”

“This is such a waste of time. We should all just disperse,” others jeered, piling the pressure on Song Luyuan.

At that moment, Song Changsheng descended from the second floor and said, “I wondered why, from the forging chamber, I kept hearing a mangy hound barking ceaselessly. So it was Friend Qiu at the door—eager as ever, I see.”

Qiu Wenxiu’s expression darkened instantly—wasn’t this calling him a dog?

He glared at Song Changsheng and demanded, “Sharp-tongued brat, where is the artifact I ordered?”

But Song Changsheng ignored him, approaching Song Luyuan instead and bowing respectfully. “Uncle, I greet you. The other day you were absent, so I took the liberty of handling matters myself. I beg your pardon.”

“Hahaha, think nothing of it. You’re the master artisan sent by the family; you are in charge here,” Song Luyuan replied, visibly relieved at Song Changsheng’s appearance.

Seeing them chatting as if no one else were present, Qiu Wenxiu nearly burst with rage. He shouted, “Enough with the charade! If you can’t present the artifact, you owe me triple compensation!”

Only then did Song Changsheng turn to him with deliberate slowness. “Friend Qiu, why so impatient? Three attributes are nothing to Treasure Seeker Pavilion. I completed the artifact long ago.”

“But before we proceed, I have a question—how many days did Firegate’s master artisan require to forge your artifact?”

Qiu Wenxiu didn’t believe for a moment that Song Changsheng had succeeded and boasted, “Roughly ten days as well.”

“Hahaha, excellent. With so many esteemed colleagues present, allow me to display my treasure for your appraisal.”

With that, Song Changsheng produced a deep blue orb from his robes. As he infused it with a trace of spiritual power, three inscriptions glowed within the orb.

Immediately, Qiu Wenxiu’s face changed dramatically, and a stir rippled through the crowd.

“Water Source Array, Ice Spike Array, and Return Essence Array—this artifact truly possesses defensive, offensive, and restorative properties all at once. This young man of the Song family is remarkable indeed,” an array master among the onlookers exclaimed, naming the three formations and their powers. The revelation sent a shockwave through the assembly.

“He really forged it within ten days?”

“The Song family’s foundation is deeper than we thought—a youth with such skill!”

With the orb unveiled, the tide of opinion swung sharply in the Songs’ favor.

“Friend Qiu, the remaining payment, if you please—three hundred spirit stones,” Song Changsheng said placidly, placing the orb before Qiu Wenxiu.

“You—there’s no way you forged this in ten days! Impossible!” Qiu Wenxiu shouted, fixing Song Changsheng with a furious glare.

“And why not? Did you not say Firegate’s master took ten days as well?” Song Changsheng replied with a mocking smile.

“That wasn’t you who forged it—who knows if it was done by one of your second-tier masters?” Qiu Wenxiu, realizing his slip, tried to stand his ground.

But Song Changsheng only laughed, turning to the crowd. “Everyone, isn’t it odd? When he brought his artifact, we never questioned its origin. Now he challenges ours. Truly… tsk, tsk.”

…