frightfiction Chapter 716 Go to the Weaponsmith Conference
Chapter 716 Go to the Weaponsmith Conference
Chu Kuangfeng, carrying his giant axe, laughed gruffly, "Youyou, doing this hard work with us is no better than staying at home!"
Qin Youyou smiled and said, "That's exactly what I want, slow and easy."
As the creator goddess, she could reach any corner of the continent in an instant, yet she chose this inefficient method.
She could, of course, freely control all the rules of this space, and could reach her destination with a mere thought.
But then the journey itself would lose its meaning.
What she wanted was this feeling of being "on the road".
Feel the bumps of the wheels rolling over different roads, breathe in the wind carrying the scent of grass in the wilderness, observe the lively atmosphere of the city streets and alleys, and listen to the chance encounters and casual conversations along the way.
Living life at a leisurely pace is itself a form of spiritual practice and enjoyment.
She also needs to see these things to truly understand what it means to be "alive".
Similarly, Wei Ji, Chu Kuangfeng, and their Hurricane Mercenary Group were not without the ability to seek more efficient transportation methods, such as establishing teleportation arrays around the world, or manipulating the transportation of all items with Youyou's thoughts.
They don't want to fully liberate productive forces. If they do, they won't have any work to do, and life will be so empty and meaningless.
Therefore, this long delivery journey became an unspoken practice of "slow living" for both parties.
The long convoy drove away from Wujiu City in the morning light.
Wei Ji and Chu Kuangfeng led the way on their tall horses, while the mercenary men shouted and drove the wagons loaded with goods and the docile camels.
Qin Youyou sat on a cart piled with some goods, swinging her legs and watching the scenery along the way with great interest.
She whistled, and a pack of direwolves came running joyfully from afar to greet their long-lost owner.
Qin Youyou took out several large bags of dog food newly developed by the Mud Leg Sect from her mustard seed bag and scattered it along the way. The Icefield Wolves happily raised their heads and howled, chewing the dog food in big mouthfuls, their tails wagging like propellers.
The convoy traversed vast plains, climbed steep mountains, and crossed turbulent rivers.
They would stop at roadside tea stalls to rest and listen to passing merchants and travelers talk about strange and unusual stories.
We'll stay at an inn in the town and enjoy the local specialties.
They might encounter some minor troubles, such as insignificant bandits or landslides on mountain roads, but the mercenary group would easily handle them.
Qin Youyou would occasionally lend a hand, carrying some light goods. She enjoyed the simple joy of being an ordinary person integrated into the community.
But in life, you'll always encounter a few clueless people.
That evening, the Hurricane Mercenary Group chose a flat grassy area near a stream to set up camp.
A campfire was lit, a large pot was set up, and the aroma of meat broth began to fill the air.
The group sat around, chatting and laughing, sharing their provisions and enjoying the relaxation after a long day.
Just then, a cacophony of hoofbeats and shouts approached from afar.
A group of about seven or eight people, riding rather sturdy steeds, surrounded several ornately decorated carriages, and stopped in an open space not far away.
These people were dressed smartly, mostly wearing short jackets embroidered with flame and anvil patterns, clearly the attire of foundry workers.
They were arrogant, and as soon as they dismounted, they began to gesticulate wildly, ordering their followers to quickly set up more luxurious tents and light more blazing campfires, a stark contrast to the simple camp of the mercenary group.
The leader was a young man in his early twenties with an arrogant expression and a short hammer inlaid with high-quality crystal ore hanging from his waist.
He glanced at the Hurricane Mercenary Group's camp, frowned, and showed a look of disgust.
He shouted, "Hey! You bunch of uncouth mercenaries, stay away from us! The ash is blowing over here and ruining our precious materials. Can you afford to pay for it?"
Chu Kuangfeng frowned and was about to get up when Wei Ji stopped him.
They are now friends and relatives of the gods, and there's no need for them to concern themselves with ordinary mortals.
Wei Ji stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, “Friend, this place is open, so it’s first come, first served. Besides, the wind isn’t blowing in your direction, so how can you say it’s a nuisance? Please do me a favor when you’re traveling.”
The young man scoffed, "Convenient? What convenience is there to talk about with you errand boys? Do you know who we are? We are from the Founders Guild of Yanyang City, invited to the Founders Conference at Holy Light Peak! If you know what's good for you, you'd better move over!"
Several of his companions behind him echoed his sentiments with disdain:
"Are you afraid?"
"Get away from here!"
The mercenary men, all hot-blooded and vigorous, showed anger upon hearing this and gripped their weapons tightly.
Wei Ji's expression also darkened, but he remained composed: "The Flame Sun City Weapon Forgers Guild? How impressive. This land is not anyone's private property, and we will not move it. If you find it inconvenient, please do as you please."
The young man felt he had lost face when Wei Ji refused to listen, and became angry and embarrassed.
Pointing at the soup pot the mercenaries had placed on the fire, he said, "Hmph, a bunch of poor wretches, they only deserve to drink this kind of cheap meat soup! It's disgusting to look at!"
As he spoke, he gestured for one of his attendants to step forward, seemingly looking for an excuse to overturn the soup pot.
Just then, a weak voice came from beside their carriage: "Young...Young Master...Let it go, we're just too late..."
Looking over, everyone saw a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old standing beside the carriage, dressed in a faded coarse cloth dress, standing out from the other well-dressed metalworkers around her.
She lowered her head, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands, her face pale and her eyes timid, but she still mustered up the courage to speak.
The young man, addressed as "Young Master," turned and glared at her, cursing, "Qingci! Who gives you the right to speak here? You unlucky thing! If it weren't for your clumsy strength in polishing materials, who would take you to Holy Light Peak to embarrass yourself! Get back to the carriage!"
The girl named Qingci trembled with fright, her eyes instantly reddening, but she dared not utter another sound. She silently took a few steps back and glanced worriedly at the mercenary group.
Qin Youyou sat quietly by the campfire, watching the spoiled brat bark like it was a show.
She was initially too lazy to pay attention to such pointless provocation, but when she saw the girl's helpless yet kind eyes, she clicked her tongue softly.
Just as the arrogant follower reached out to touch the soup pot, Chu Kuangfeng finally lost his temper, stood up abruptly, and his tall figure exuded a murderous aura: "Try moving it!"
The attendant was so frightened that he trembled and froze on the spot.
Seeing this, the young man became even more enraged, pointing at Chu Kuangfeng: "What? You want to fight? A bunch of brutes! Do you know the consequences of offending the Yanyang City Guild?"
Conflict seemed imminent.
Qin Youyou sighed, lightly jumped off the cart, dusted herself off, and walked between the two sides. She still looked like an ordinary rogue cultivator, her tone calm and even: "Everyone, we are all going to Holy Light Peak to attend the grand event, why ruin our harmony over such a trivial matter?"
As soon as she spoke, the mercenaries immediately fell silent and made way for her.
The young master sized Qin Youyou up and down, and seeing that she was dressed plainly and had an ordinary demeanor, he became even more disdainful: "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here?"
Qin Youyou wasn't angry. She smiled slightly and glanced at the valuable tools in their group before finally settling on the young master's luxurious short hammer.
He said slowly, "The Flame Sun City Guild...I've heard it's famous for producing Flame Sun Crystals. However, looking at your hammer, although the Flame Sun Crystal inlaid on the hammerhead is bright in color, there are three fine cold flame lines inside, which is obviously caused by an imbalance in temperature control during quenching. With such forging ability, I'm afraid you'd have a hard time even passing the preliminary rounds, right?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
The young master's expression changed drastically, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "You... what nonsense are you talking about!"
He instinctively covered the hammer handle with his hand, his eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.
This is indeed his work, and one he is quite proud of, which he brought out to show off.
Unexpectedly, he was seen through at a glance by a seemingly ordinary woman!
The other craftsmen behind him exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and scrutiny as they looked at Qin Youyou.
Being able to spot a professional flaw like cold flame pattern at a glance is no ordinary feat!
Qin Youyou stopped looking at him and turned to the girl named Qingci, her tone softening: "Little girl, are you hungry? Would you like to come and have a bowl of hot soup?"