Making Accessories

--- Chapter 47 ---

Guwei invited them into the shop and said, "Welcome to the Dwarf's Beard!" 

Entering the Dwarf's Beard, Xia Qingyue blinked a few times due to amazement.

What greeted them was a cozy and well-lit room with red brick walls. 

Several weapons are displayed on the wall and covered by expensive-looking glass covers. Some heavy and light armor is also 'nicely' displayed with wood stands.

Each of them 'amazingly' made profound artifacts.

The lowest is Nascent Grade and the highest is Earth Grade.

Xia Qingyue could feel the harsh heat coming from the back room, which was very hot. And peeking at Guwei's coal-coated garments, she guessed the short middle-aged man was making something before kicking that fellow out there.

"Um, what does Dwarf's Beard mean?" She couldn't help but ask.

Guwei smiled and answered, "It's a depiction of myself. I'm short and have a beard."

"Oh..." Xia Qingyue felt rude now.

The short middle-aged man laughed and added, "Hahaha, you don't offend me, young lady." 

"My height might be short, but my other 'thing' is bigger than your average person!" 

"..." Hong Guan.

"..." Lily.

"..." Yu Long.

This old fellow hasn't changed at all. 

Still unhinged as always!

"Other things? Bigger than your average person?" 

Xia Qingyue tilted her head in confusion because she didn't understand the meaning behind Guwei's words.

Guwei felt the gazes behind his back and coughed, "Welp, you'd know about it in the future." 

"Anyway, I assumed you're visiting me to mean something." 

"Besides your dirty joke, I'm here to borrow your workshop." Yu Long replied casually. "Also, let me introduce you to my adorable sister, Xia Qingyue." 

'Y-Your adorable sister?!' Guwei thought and felt a cold in his spine.

A bitter smile appeared on his somewhat wrinkled face as he responded awkwardly, "You should have told me sooner..." 

"Nice to meet you, Young Lady Xia." 

"My name is Guwei, and you can call me Old Wei." 

"Nice to meet you." Xia Qingyue blushed when Yu Long called her 'adorable' and responded with a nod.

Guwei patted his chest and said, "Follow me to the back. Everything you need is there." 

He locked the front door in array formation and brought them to the back room, which was surprisingly more spacious than Xia Qingyue expected.

The whole room is 'actually' surrounded by crystal lamps. The walls, ceiling, and floor are 'skillfully' made with black-colored rocks that Xia Qingyue couldn't recognize.

Some metal crates were neatly placed on the side, a massive anvil in the center, and some burner or fireplace near it.

"Do you still have that thing?" Yu Long asked while eyeing the metal crates.

Guwei smiled and joked, "I do, but it would cost a pint of beer." 

"Lily." Yu Long rolled his sleeves.

Lily pouted and grabbed a jug of wine from her spatial ring, throwing it to Guwei.

"Haha, thanks for the business." Guwei excitedly opened the jug and sniffed the wine. "Open the 3rd, 11th, and 7th crates in a row. The thing you want will appear on the anvil." 

Yu Long nodded and used Psychic Force to open the crates, causing a small wooden box to land on the anvil. It was the size of an adult's head, maybe slightly smaller.

"What is that?" Xia Qingyue scrunched her nose in wonder.

"One of the greatest alloys I ever made," Guwei answered casually. "The nugget of Star, Meru." 

"Meru is highly conductive to profound energy, making the most suitable materials to craft an artifact. Its weight is changeable depending on the maker's preference. As for durability, many tries but haven't chipped it off." 

"Above all else... Meru can swallow other metals and evolve!" 

"Even if you have the money, you naturally couldn't buy this alloy."

"Your only option is to make it, but that's where the problem lies..." 

"To make Meru, you need over 365 minerals. Each mineral is 'meticulously' refined into essence before merging and condensing them into a small sphere." 

"Only two people in this world can make it." 

"Me... And him!" A proud expression plastered Guwei's intoxicated face as he watched Yu Long open the small wooden box, revealing a fist-sized silver orb.

"Big Brother Yu Long..." Xia Qingyue's eyes lit up in realization.

No wonder he wanted to visit this blacksmith shop in particular.

"Eh, but then why did he need such a thing?" 

"He could make one, no?" 

"I'm just lazy." Yu Long answered straightforwardly. "I don't have time nor patience to refine this thing for a year." 

"Hehe, you heard him." Guwei chuckled, sipping his wine. 

"Unlike me, he has more responsibility and things to do." 

Xia Qingyue was about to open her mouth but only nodded and stared at the silver orb in Yu Long's hand.

She watched Yu Long summon the mutated Phoenix Flame, which burned with silver and golden glow.

The 'Meru' slowly melted under the extreme control of heat Yu Long employed and divided into several pieces. 

As Yu Long started carving the pieces into accessories, Xia Qingyue asked Guwei, "Old Wei, how did you meet big brother?" 

"Hmm, how do I start..." The drunk dwarf responded slowly.

"Around four years ago, I was only a beggar in the small town near the Black Fiend Empire. Every day, I'd try to steal some food on the market, but eventually offended someone I shouldn't." 

"I know what I'm doing is wrong, so I took the beating and was 'quickly' thrown into a river. Those people probably expected me to die..." 

"However, I miraculously survived and awakened on a wet patch of grass." 

"Not far away is a boy standing menacingly with his golden eyes staring at the depth of my soul. He was my savior." 

"He provided me with everything, even giving me a second chance that others couldn't. A boy, who's over fifty younger than me, granted me another life." 

"I never felt so grateful in my life." Guwei has snots on his face. He cried.

Lily sighed, "You should stop drinking, Old Wei. Your alcohol tolerance is so weak.." 

"Hehe, never!" Guwei chugged the wine even more.

"Leave her be, Lily." Hong Guan helplessly shook her head as five to four years ago was a good old day. In the early days of Shadow Realm, there were so many trials and errors. Nonetheless, it was a great moment.

Ding!

Ding!

The sound of a hammer caught their attention.

They moved their gazes back to Yu Long and saw him hammering Meru into the shape of a ring. The ring looks very exquisite as if spirals got interconnected with each other.

As the ring was 'successfully' created, he started making earrings, pendants, bracelets, and even anklets.

He embedded small Master Stones on each piece, gaining a surprising look from Xia Qingyue, Lily, and Hong Guan. They could feel profound aspects slowly merging with the accessories, granting them incredible property.

"I see... So, that's why you want Meru." Guwei understood Yu Long's intention. "Profound artifacts that can grow stronger..." 

"I had the same idea once, but the lack of Master Stones makes me helpless." 

Yu Long smirked, "Correct, but this is just an experiment." 

"I want to see if Meru could affect Master Stone, as the latter is still considered a mineral. Will Meru absorb Master Stone's property and evolve to accommodate more profound aspects?" 

"Or just increase the Master Stone's quality and durability?" 

Guwei rubbed his beard and commented, "The effect won't appear so quickly." 

"Yes, that's why it's an experiment. A prototype, you could say." He replied while storing some accessories in jade boxes.

"Qingyue, Hong Guan, Lily, come here." 

"These accessories are yours." 

The ladies immediately ran toward Yu Long and stood in line, waiting for their jewelry.

"Take the one you want." Yu Long smiled at them,

The three ladies glanced at each other and nodded.

"I want this." Hong Guan said while trailing her finger over an earring. It was 'beautifully' shaped like snowflakes with inlaid greenish-red master stone that absorbed [Greater Blaze Aspect].

"This one looks nice," Lily said, staring at the anklet. The accessory is a silver chain tied onto a yellowish-red stone that absorbs [Sun Morph Aspect].

And lastly, Xia Qingyue was entranced by a beautiful pendant before her eyes. Its chain is entirely silver with a touch of sparkle and tied onto the blue master stone, which holds [Intricate Storm Aspect].

"Young Master/Big Brother." They glared at him.

"Can you help me wear this?" 3x.

"Okay, I'll help you." Yu Long answered with a small smile.

Guwei grinned foolishly at Yu Long and said, "Ah, how nice to be young." 

...

After that, Yu Long and three happy ladies said farewell.

"I'll see around Old Wei." He waved his hand at Guwei.

"We will stay in Silver Lake City for a week."

"Hahaha, anytime. Anytime for you!" Guwei waved back as he stared at the youth's broad back. 

He felt content and whispered, "I hope you enjoy your holiday, Lord Shadow..."