A Small Test

"A blacksmith to restore the flying sword?" The man with the mole looked troubled.

"Senior brother, senior sister, if you want to buy a new one, I have several artifact merchants to recommend, as for blacksmiths... Ever since the war between the two domains broke out, the blacksmiths in the eastern domain are severely lacking. Besides, Lingtai Town doesn't even have a proper operating blacksmith, let alone one that could restore flying swords."

Han Ling'er looked a little gloomy after hearing what the man said, she looked at the flying sword in her hand in silence.

Dugu Ce consoled her, "Junior sister, you heard him. All the blacksmiths are out of business. It's just a low-tier flying sword, I'll bring you to an artifact merchant to choose a new one!"

Han Ling'er shook her head. "No thanks, senior brother. Even though Feihong Sword is just a low-tier artifact, I got it from my mother when I started cultivation. Even if there are better flying swords out there, none of them are as important as this one!"

Dugu Ce felt sorry for Han Ling'er. He angrily grabbed the man with the mole and bellowed, "Are there really no operating blacksmiths in Lingtai Town?"

The man with the mole was shocked. The bellow suddenly reminded him of Zhang Zhi. "Please calm down, senior brother! There was a blacksmith actually, it's around the corner and it's just opening its doors, but I am not sure whether he can restore a flying sword…"

On the other hand, Zhang Zhi had successfully set up shop but what arrived with the customers were problems. 

All kinds of annoying customers came to him, some of them wanted him to make an iron net to stop thieves, some of them wanted him to sharpen their scissors and knives, etc.

"This has to stop! As the future God of Forging, I cannot accept all this petty work!"

The reason behind the thought was because he did not know how to make them. After some thought, Zhang Zhi put up a sign in front of the blacksmith: Restore flying swords (low-tier artifact only). Each restoration, 100 low-tier spirit stones. The owner is having a bad mood, so other restoration work will not be accepted.

With the signage out there, the shop quietened down. However, since Lingtai Town was short of blacksmiths, the customers did not leave peacefully.

They started to criticize Zhang Zhi outside the blacksmith, "You are just a blacksmith, why are you so arrogant?"

"Only an idiot would spend such money in restoring a flying sword, it's more than enough to buy a new one!"

"If you don't want to accept my iron net request, I'll sit right here and wait for you to close shop!"

…

Of course, there were a few cultivators who dropped by with their flying swords, asking for restoration.

"Owner, can you have a look at my flying sword, can you fix it? And can the price be cheaper?"

"My dear owner, I'm such a cute girl, can you just charge me for 20 low-tier spirit stones for the restoration?"

Given Zhang Zhi's poverty state, he would practically accept every job that pays even a dime but the system in his head fixed the price, which forced him to reject the job.

"Yes yes, you are cute, we can have tea sometime or after I finish work, I just can't give you a discount."

Courteous cultivators would bellow, "Just you wait, you!"

Less courteous cultivators, however, tended to speak with their actions rather than their mouth, their flying swords were drawn and seized Zhang Zhi at his neck.

"As the future God of Forging, how can you coward out? Just fight him if he doesn't agree with the price!" the system said in his head.

Zhang Zhi was over the moon. "You'll protect me?"

After all, he was just a mortal and a mortal was no match for a cultivator.

"My host, you should learn to live by yourself, you can't rely on me, the system, for everything." The system shifted the responsibility swiftly and succinctly.

"You are pushing me into the coffin by saying that…"

Fortunately, Zhang Zhi was quick-witted enough to answer the cultivator who seized him by the neck, "We are in Lingtai Town, this place is under Lingtai Sect's jurisdiction. If you kill me, Lingtai Sect will come after you. I am just a mortal and the life of a mortal is incomparable to the life of a cultivator, it's a losing business!"

Lingtai Town was actually governed by a certain Golden Core powerhouse from Lingtai Sect, the existence of such a powerhouse was to maintain the law and order of the town.

The cultivator was scared when Zhang Zhi mentioned Lingtai Sect, he bellowed, "Don't you set foot out of Lingtai Town then!"

He then left angrily.

Zhang Zhi sighed a breath of relief. This path that he took might work out but it might also force him to be brave. He got fed up with the endless negotiations, so he went up to the signage and added an extra sentence, "Price is non-negotiable."

The customers who he rejected earlier were infuriated when they saw Zhang Zhi added the phrase. They criticized him, scolded him ceaselessly, the saliva from their mouths spewed as they scolded, wetting the entrance of the blacksmith.

A while later, Zhang Zhi brought out a folding stool from the blacksmith. The angry customers thought their criticism worked and he wanted to fight back, but what happened next rendered everyone speechless.

Zhang Zhi opened up the stool and sat down in front of the door. Before the little crowd could wrap their heads around the situation, he took a bag of guazi out of this pocket and started munching on it. He nodded at times as if he was not involved in the situation, he literally took a stool out for a show!

"I've lived for a few hundred years, yet I have never met someone as shameless as you!"

Several elderly cultivators were deeply agitated by Zhang Zhi's action, they looked like they were having a tough time breathing as they put their hands in front of their chests, heaving violently.

There were even some who bore gnashing teeth at Zhang Zhi, they said, "Hey blacksmith, I'll be waiting for you outside Lingtai Town!"

"You evil merchant! My 18-meter-long saber is thirsty for some blood!"

Zhang Zhi did not plan on leaving Lingtai Town in the foreseeable future, so he did not take the threats seriously.

It was then a man's voice sounded, "What are you people gathering here for? Make way!"

A man split the crowd in half and made way for a beautiful girl to walk through. They were the inner disciples of Lingtai Sect, Dugu Ce and Han Ling'er.

The crowd noticed their blue attire, which represented the inner disciples of Lingtai Sect, and knew they were cultivators of Foundation Building Stage, so everyone stepped aside in reverence.

"Senior brother, there's a restoration service here!" Han Ling'er noticed the signage in front of the blacksmith and squealed in excitement.

Dugu Ce also noticed the signage but when he finished reading the content, he looked rather gloomy.

"My fair deity, don't you fall for the blacksmith's trick! You might as well buy a new flying sword with that price that he is charging!"

"Lingtai Sect should really do something about the merchants nowadays!"

The crowd was talking ceaselessly, they wished that the inner disciples of Lingtai Sect would cut the blacksmith in half for his foul business etiquette.

Zhang Zhi was not bothered by other customers but he too noticed the blue attire and knew they were the inner disciples of the sect, the power and authority they possessed were no joke. Therefore, after some thought, Zhang Zhi stood up. "I listed down my price clearly, what makes me a cunning merchant?"

"You charge people a hundred low-tier spirit stones for restoring a lousy flying sword, if this is not foul business etiquette of a cunning merchant, what is?" 

The crowd continued their criticism.

"You can find someone else to restore your sword, I am not forcing you to pay me!" Zhang Zhi argued and it made the crowd even angrier. 

He was speaking the truth though, he was not forcing them to restore their flying swords at his place.

"Even if I break my flying sword, I would rather buy a new one than restoring it at your place!" scolded the crowd.

Zhang Zhi was the only operating blacksmith in Lingtai Town, therefore people assumed that he was taking advantage of the situation.

"Yeah, who would be so stupid to spend a hundred spirit stones to restore a sword? Dumbsh*t!" said someone.

"Uhmm... Owner, can you have a look at my flying sword? Can it be restored? A hundred low-tier spirit stones is not a problem." Han Ling'er stepped forward and showed Zhang Zhi the flying sword in her hand.

The angry crowd was shocked by Han Ling'ers action.

Someone 'stupid' was willing to spend a hundred spirit stones to restore a flying sword! More importantly, this 'stupid' girl was an inner disciple of Lingtai Sect!

The crowd who criticized Zhang Zhi before were horrified because they indirectly offended a disciple of Lingtai Sect!

The inner disciples of Lingtai Sect represented the face of the sect, they were not someone who could be criticized and defiled by individual cultivators. Those who voiced their bold words earlier immediately got on their knees and slapped themselves, asking for forgiveness.

"Oh my respectful immortals, spare me! I didn't mean to call you stupid, I'm just calling those who spend money at this blacksmith stupid… No, I mean I'm calling the blacksmith stupid... Wait! It's me, I am the stupid one! Me!!"

A lot of them regret criticizing Zhang Zhi earlier, they knelt down and pleaded for forgiveness ceaselessly.

Dugu Ce knew the comments were unintentional because mere individual cultivators were not bold enough to call his junior sister names. Nevertheless, he reacted with a fierce look and bellowed, "Get out of my face and don't ever appear before me!"

"Thank you, great powerful immortals!"

The group of individual cultivators crawled and ran off the street nervously, and the hatred they had for the blacksmith grew deeper.

Zhang Zhi sized up the girl. She looked like a deity yet kind enough, plus she was willing to spend a hundred low-tier spirit stones for restoration, which made her a customer. He nodded and wanted to take the flying sword from her for a quick check-up.

However, he missed it. The sword was taken away by Dugu Ce.

Dugu Ce glared at Zhang Zhi and said to Han Ling'er, "Junior sister, this blacksmith is a mortal, I seriously doubt his ability to restore an artifact, he might break it in the process!"

Zhang Zhi was not offended by Dugu Ce's comments. After all, he was handsome, youthful, energetic, a gentleman, humorous… none of his thousand virtues resembled a blacksmith. The system also forbade him from actively seeking out business, plus he did not like Dugu Ce's character and arrogance.

The worst that could happen was Zhang Zhi losing this first business of the day, which was not a big problem for him at the moment, so he said, "I'm busy. Come back when you make up your mind."

Zhang Zhi turned into a blacksmith.

Dugu Ce was infuriated by Zhang Zhi's attitude, it was impossible that he was busy because there was no business at all!

Han Ling'er clenched her teeth and grabbed the sword back from Dugu Ce, she grumbled, "Senior brother, if you keep causing trouble, I'll never talk to you again!"

Han Ling'er then went after Zhang Zhi. 

Anger flashed over Dugu Ce's eyes, but he managed to suppress the emotion. He too walked into the blacksmith.

"Owner, please don't mind my senior brother. He might have a vicious tongue but he has a good heart. Can you have a look at my flying sword? Can it be restored?" Han Ling'er put on an apologetic smile and lifted the sword to Zhang Zhi.

Zhang Zhi looked asquint at Dugu Ce, after he made sure the guy would not seize the sword again, he nodded and drew the sword from its sheath.

Dugu Ce noticed Zhang Zhi was sizing up the flying sword carefully, he ridiculed in disdain. "You are just a mortal, do you even understand this sword?"

"Yeap, it's a good sod (sword)..." Zhang Zhi lifted his head and looked at Dugu Ce when he said that.

"YOU!" Dugu Ce picked up the sarcasm right away. His hand reached out to his sword and wanted to take Zhang Zhi's life but he quickly sensed his junior sister's stern gaze. 

The gaze stopped him from being impulsive. He said with a heavy tone, "If it's a good sword, then tell me what's so good about it. As a smither who can restore low-tier artifacts, if you don't have the insight for it, you are only as good as a swindler. Don't beg me to show you mercy then!"

Han Ling'er might not be happy with her senior brother's tone but she was quite curious as well. The Feihong Sword looked fine on the outside, so she was wondering if the blacksmith could find out what went wrong.

A little chime from the system rang in Zhang Zhi's head. He put on a faint smile and said carefully, "The length of the sword is 3 feet 3 inches long, its weight is 3.3 catty, two fingers wide. A lady's sword, so the refined iron used is 2 catty, black iron 4 taels, earth essence 3 maces, and so on."

The moment Zhang Zhi uttered all the materials used to forge the flying sword, both Dugu Ce and Han Ling'er were astonished. If Zhang Zhi only uttered the visible specs of the sword, the two would not be this surprised but after a single glance, Zhang Zhi was able to utter the materials used and how much were used precisely!

Even those renowned forging masters were unable to utter the materials to such precision at a single glance!

Before Han Ling'er could recover from her astonishment, Dugu Ce said with an upset tone, "Even if you know the basic materials and structure of the sword, can you find out what broke inside it?"

Artifact, as its name suggested, possessed mystical powers. Even though the flying sword looked fine on the outside, something went wrong with the formation carvings inside the sword. Only when a cultivator infused his own spiritual power into the sword could he find out the problem.

Therefore, Dugu Ce was certain that as a mortal, Zhang Zhi could never find out what was wrong with the sword.