A single thought surfaced in everyone's minds: 'Judging a gentleman by one's own petty standards!'
"You can't be sore losers, can you?"
"Exactly. The Song Clan's reputation is trustworthy. To say something like that is going too far."
Comments unfavorable to Qiu Wenxiu began to ripple through the crowd, yet he couldn't refute them. After all, they were speaking the truth.
"Qiu Wenxiu, are you questioning the reputation my Song Clan has built over hundreds of years?" Song Luyuan could no longer remain seated. He stood up and glared daggers at Qiu Wenxiu.
As the voices of condemnation swelled, Qiu Wenxiu's face grew darker. He knew the Song Clan now held all the cards. Staying any longer would just be asking for more humiliation.
He shot Song Changsheng a venomous glare, finally leaving behind three hundred Spirit Stones. He then grabbed the Treasure Bead and slunk away.
The crowd immediately erupted in a chorus of jeers.
But Song Changsheng wasn't about to let him off that easily. He called out loudly in Qiu Wenxiu's direction, "Fellow Daoist, please inform the Artifact Refining Master at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion that this humble junior, Song Changsheng, will pay a visit tomorrow to request the master's guidance on the Path of Artifact Refining!"
Qiu Wenxiu stumbled, turning to cast one last hateful look at Song Changsheng. In the end, he said nothing more and fled in utter disgrace.
The crowd of onlookers burst into roaring, merciless laughter. Those who had earlier championed the Song Clan's inevitable defeat now tried to make themselves invisible, terrified of becoming the next joke.
The tall cultivator from before was about to sneak away while no one was watching, but the moment he turned, a group of people surrounded him.
An Elder Cultivator produced a bluestone floor tile and held it in front of him, saying with a grim expression, "Young friend, would you like to eat this in pieces, or should we grind it into a powder for you?"
The tall cultivator was trapped. He wanted to cry but had no tears. After desperately begging everyone for mercy, he was finally let go, but only after he licked the entire floor tile clean.
He practically fled the scene, hiding his face with his sleeve.
Just then, someone in the crowd asked Song Changsheng, "Master Song, are you really going to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion tomorrow to challenge them?"
Hearing this, the crowd instantly fell silent, and all eyes turned expectantly to Song Changsheng.
Song Changsheng shook his head, a "serious" look on his face. "Fellow Daoists, tomorrow I am going to ask for the master at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's guidance. It is not a challenge. Please don't misunderstand my intentions."
The crowd of onlookers immediately broke into knowing smiles. 'Challenge, guidance... is there really a difference? Looks like there's another good show to watch!'
The benefits of Song Changsheng's victory were immediately apparent. Many of the cultivators who had been watching surged into the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, keeping Song Changqian and the others so busy they were practically running in circles.
Song Luyuan was beaming. He pulled Song Changsheng aside and said with genuine sincerity, "My dear nephew, I truly have you to thank for cleaning up my daughter's mess this time."
"Though she is a few years your senior, she is leagues behind you when it comes to handling such matters. If she were half as capable as you, she would never have put the clan in such a predicament."
"Thankfully you were here. Otherwise, I truly wouldn't have known how to face the clan. This is a small token of gratitude from my daughter. Please, nephew, don't refuse it."
As he spoke, he pushed a delicate little box toward Song Changsheng.
Song Changsheng could tell with a single glance that the item inside was quite valuable, but he pushed the box right back. "Clan Uncle, there's no need for this," he said directly. "The matter is resolved, so let's put it behind us."
"You've been stationed here for over a decade, and your contributions have been immense. Just be more careful in the future. The clan won't punish you over something so minor, so please rest easy."
'He knows what Song Luyuan is worried about,' Song Changsheng thought. 'He's afraid I'll report this to the clan and get Song Changqian punished.'
'After all, she handled the situation terribly. Even if she had a mind like Qiu Wenxiu's and just cast a few doubts on the Magical Artifact, things wouldn't have escalated to that point.'
'But I'm here to improve my Artifact Refining Technique, not to police the clan's businesses,' Song Changsheng mused. 'There's no need to harp on about it. The problem is solved, and that's all that matters.'
A look of shame crossed Song Luyuan's face. He sighed. "You are magnanimous, nephew, but this incident was ultimately my daughter's fault. I must do something."
"If you must, just prepare some extra Artifact Refining Materials for me, Clan Uncle. Please, take this back." Song Changsheng shook his head. He had his principles. 'What's the difference between accepting this and taking a bribe?'
"Then I will do as you say. The shop's Artifact Refining Materials will be prioritized for your use." Song Luyuan understood the unspoken message in Song Changsheng's words. He stopped insisting, picked up the box, and left.
He never once asked about the challenge, likely because he had been completely won over by the confidence and skill Song Changsheng had demonstrated.
「The next day.」
Song Luyuan personally escorted Song Changsheng to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
News of Song Changsheng's visit to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion had already spread like wildfire throughout Liuyun Marketplace, courtesy of the gossiping crowd. Many cultivators, eager for a spectacle, had gathered early, waiting for the show to begin.
Inside the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Shopkeeper Bai Ruofeng peered down through a gap in a second-floor window. He saw a veritable sea of people below. The street was packed solid, and a steady stream of newcomers continued to swell the crowd.
Bai Ruofeng's face was so grim it looked like it might drip water. He turned to Qiu Wenxiu, who was standing nearby, and snarled, "Look at this fine mess you've made."
Qiu Wenxiu, however, wasn't about to take his attitude. He retorted, "Shopkeeper Bai, you've got some nerve saying that. This whole affair was your Earth Fire Sect's idea. I was only following my clan's orders to cooperate with you."
"Yesterday, in front of everyone, I endured countless scornful glares and insults for your sake, and now you have the gall to blame me? Is there any justice in this world?"
With that, Qiu Wenxiu stormed out, not giving Bai Ruofeng an ounce of face.
Bai Ruofeng was so furious he could have ascended to the heavens on the spot, but there was nothing he could do about Qiu Wenxiu. After all, the man was from the Qiu Clan.
In the end, he could only turn to the young man seated beside him. "Nephew Cheng," he said anxiously, "what are we going to do about this?"
The young man replied calmly, "Martial Uncle, what's the rush? Do you really think I'm going to lose to him?"
Bai Ruofeng wanted to say 'yes,' but considering the young man's status, he chose his words carefully. "Nephew Cheng, that Song Changsheng refined his Magical Artifact in only ten days, while you..."
"Martial Uncle, Artifact Refining isn't just a race. I'll admit that Song Changsheng has some talent, but a competition isn't won on speed alone. Ultimately, quality is what matters."
"I've inspected his Magical Artifact. His refining technique is crude, and its quality is inferior. It's not even in the same league as the one I created. I am confident I can defeat him," Cheng Xiao said, chest puffed out with certainty.
Bai Ruofeng's eyes lit up. "Truly?" he pressed.
"Of course. Today, I'll give him a proper 'guidance' session," Cheng Xiao said, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
"Hahaha, excellent! It seems I was worrying for nothing. In that case, let's make this a huge event." Bai Ruofeng's anxiety vanished in an instant.
He immediately summoned an attendant. "Go outside and announce that due to the size of the crowd, we don't have enough room here. Instruct everyone to move to the square in the center of the Marketplace. We will hold the Artifact Refining Technique competition there."
Watching the boisterous crowd move toward the square, Bai Ruofeng sneered. 'This time, I'll make the Song Clan suffer a devastating defeat under the watchful eyes of the entire Marketplace!'
...