Chapter 26: A Ten-Day Promise

Song Changqian was trembling with anger, her face pale. She now fully understood Qiu Wenxiu's intentions he was using this situation as revenge against her clan for the trade sanctions they had imposed! 

If they didn't strike back forcefully, the clan's reputation in the market would surely suffer a devastating blow. 

She wanted to take up the challenge but quickly came to the helpless realization that no one in the shop was capable of forging such an artifact. Unless they brought in a Tier-2 artifact crafter which would only make them look even more ridiculous. 

Just as Song Changqian was falling into despair, a gentle voice sounded beside her: 

"The Treasure-Seeking Pavilion will take this order." 

Everyone immediately turned to look in the direction of the voice, only to be surprised to see that the speaker was a young man. 

Ignoring the stunned gazes around him, Song Changsheng walked straight up to Qiu Wenxiu and said calmly, 

"Leave the materials. You can go now." 

"Hey, punk, who the hell are you? Get lost!" 

Qiu Wenxiu had at least kept up appearances with Song Changqian, but facing Song Changsheng, he didn't even bother pretending. 

"This matter has nothing to do with you. Don't get yourself dragged into trouble for no reason." 

Song Changqian tried to sound polite, but her face was full of disapproval. 

While declining the challenge might damage the clan's reputation, bluffing and failing would be even worse. 

If there weren't so many people present, she might have already thrown this clueless brat out herself. 

Song Changsheng calmly took out a token from his waist and said, 

"I'm the newly appointed artifact crafter at the Treasure-Seeking Pavilion. Your request is simple. Leave the materials and wait for news. The deposit is 200 low-grade spirit stones." 

Song Changqian's eyes widened as she took the token and verified it. It was genuine. 

She looked him up and down. He seemed even younger than her. Could he be a high-grade Tier-1 artifact crafter? 

Qiu Wenxiu, seeing her shocked expression, immediately realized that the identity was legit but clearly, Song Changqian didn't trust him. He figured this was just some greenhorn out on his first real experience. 

Still, that worked in his favor. 

Qiu Wenxiu immediately latched onto the opportunity. 

"So it's Master Song himself! I knew the Song Clan couldn't possibly be inferior to the Earthfire Sect. In that case, I'll leave the materials and deposit them in your capable hands." 

Just as Song Changqian was about to object, Song Changsheng cut her off, 

"Come back in ten days." 

Hearing this, Qiu Wenxiu was overjoyed. He was now certain the guy was an idiot. After all, the artifact made by the Earthfire Sect's master had taken twenty days to complete. 

He had originally planned to give the Song Clan only fifteen days. But now this fool was boasting that he could finish it in ten? How could he not agree to that? 

"Wonderful! Master Song, such youthful talent and boldness! Everyone heard it ten days ago! I'll be back to pick up the artifact then. Fellow Daoists, I hope you'll all come witness the results!" 

Having achieved his goal, Qiu Wenxiu left beaming with satisfaction, taking his men with him. 

"Then we'll return in ten days as well," said one of the customers who had come to browse. 

"We'll bring more people to support Master Song." 

The onlookers, all delighted by the drama, began spreading the word. 

A spat between the Earthfire Sect and the Song Clan? How could anyone miss that show? 

Suppressing her fury, Song Changqian dragged Song Changsheng up to the second floor and exploded in anger: 

"Who gave you the right to make that decision on your own? Do you have any idea what kind of damage this could cause the clan?" 

As she pointed her finger at his nose, Song Changsheng frowned slightly and replied: 

"If we didn't accept, what reputation would the clan have left? 

And if you don't have a better solution, then let me give it a try. 

Three functions offense, defense, and healing. Is that so hard?" 

"You…" 

Song Changqian was left speechless, choked by his blunt reply. 

"Ten days is more than enough. Where's the forge room? Take me there." 

Song Changsheng had no intention of arguing further. 

The root of today's mess ultimately lay in Song Changqian's mishandling of the situation. 

The moment Qiu Wenxiu presented the spirit pearl, she completely lost her composure, letting him run wild and push the family into a corner with no room to maneuver utterly foolish behavior. 

Song Changsheng firmly believed that if the shopkeeper of the Treasure-Seeking Pavilion had been present, the matter would've been handled properly. There was no way the family would've ended up so passive and humiliated! 

He quickly completed the handover with the original artifact crafter and then shut himself away in the forging chamber. 

Forging this particular artifact wasn't difficult for him. Ten days was more than enough. 

However, he had come up with some new ideas regarding artifact crafting, so he had to make the most of his time to test them... 

.... 

Meanwhile, Song Luyuan returned to the Treasure-Seeking Pavilion with a dark expression. The moment he saw Song Changqian, he snapped in fury: 

"What happened? I was only gone for half a day how did we end up locked into some ridiculous ten-day agreement?" 

Song Changqian looked like a student caught doing something wrong. She hesitantly explained how the Qiu Clan had come to stir up trouble, making sure to embellish the story a bit to pin more blame on Song Changsheng. 

Just as Song Luyuan was fuming with rage, he suddenly paused and asked uncertainly, 

"What did you say the new forger's name was?" 

"You mean that arrogant guy? His name's Song Changsheng. He's the one who made the impulsive decision to forge a top-grade Tier-1 artifact with three special attributes in just ten days!" 

Song Changqian was quick to distance herself from the situation. 

But to her surprise, Song Luyuan's attitude immediately shifted. He stroked his chin and murmured, 

"If it's him, then it just might be possible." 

"Him?" Song Changqian couldn't believe it. 

"He's younger than me! How could he possibly pull this off?" 

Song Luyuan shot her a glare and scolded, 

"You've got a lot of nerve to talk back! Don't you understand? There's always someone better out there. Just because you can't do it doesn't mean no one else can. 

If you hadn't bungled the situation today, would he have had to step in and clean up your mess?" 

Startled, Song Changqian tried to defend herself, 

"How did I mishandle it? No one in the shop was capable of taking that order! If I had accepted it and failed to deliver, wouldn't that have damaged the family's reputation even more? 

And you call him cleaning up the mess? Taking the order is what will ruin the clan's name!" 

Seeing that she still hadn't realized her mistake, Song Luyuan sighed deeply and said, 

"You... you've learned nothing. 

Qiu Wenxiu claimed the spirit pearl was forged by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, and you just believed him? You've got a mouth don't you know how to question or stall for time? 

In the end, you let him back us into a corner. If we hadn't taken the order, how could we possibly maintain our footing in the marketplace? 

I've told you time and again to pay more attention to the clan's affairs, but you don't listen. 

Do you even know who Song Changsheng is? He's the clan leader's grandson! 

He's a dual cultivator of formations and artifact forging, personally trained by the clan leader himself. Before even coming of age, he became a top-grade Tier-1 artifact crafter. He's one of the clan's top talents. 

If he says he can do it then chances are, he really can. 

Just wait ten days. You'll see the show for yourself." 

Though Song Changqian was still not fully convinced, she didn't dare talk back seeing Song Luyuan's expression. But deep down, she remained skeptical… 

... 

In the blink of an eye, the ten-day deadline arrived. 

Qiu Wenxiu showed up at the front of the Treasure-Seeking Pavilion early in the morning. 

Trailing behind him was a large crowd of onlookers, eager to watch the drama unfold. 

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