Wen Qingye smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'm really just here to buy a weapon. I'll leave as soon as I'm done. I definitely won't disturb you."
Hearing Wen Qingye say this, Liu Ling finally let out a sigh of relief. "If you pester our Yuerou like you used to, I won't go easy on you."
"Little Ling, don't be like that. Wen Qingye is your cousin, after all." Gao Yuerou turned to Wen Qingye, her face flushing as she said, "Thank you for taking care of me all these years. Thank you."
Little Ling rolled her eyes and said, "Yuerou, why are you thanking him? He only 'took care of you' because he had ulterior motives."
Gao Yuerou glanced at Wen Qingye and said in a low voice, "Little Ling, you shouldn't be like this either. Your cousin is actually quite pitiful. He was sent to the Zhang Family as a pawn discarded by the Wen Family, and now he's even married the Zhang Family's famously ugly daughter. We should be more considerate of him."
Little Ling waved her hand dismissively. "Alright, alright. Yuerou, you're just too kind. What am I supposed to say to that?"
Wen Qingye's hearing was countless times better than before, and he'd heard every single word of their conversation. He couldn't help but sigh internally. 'This Gao Yuerou really is kind-hearted. No wonder I used to like her so much.'
Wen Qingye's eyes remained fixed on the weapons on the wall, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Seeing that Wen Qingye didn't come over to pester them, Little Ling nodded in satisfaction. She then scanned the surroundings and said to him, "Wen Qingye, did you see Zuo Qiang come in just now?"
Wen Qingye smiled. "I did. He went inside with the Shopkeeper. They should be out in a moment."
Little Ling's eyes darted about as she looked at Wen Qingye, a sly smile on her face. "Wen Qingye, when Zuo Qiang comes out, you have to help Yuerou out."
Wen Qingye asked doubtfully, "Help with what?"
Liu Ling slowly explained, "Help Yuerou talk to Zuo Qiang. All you have to do is act like your old self and pester Yuerou relentlessly. If Zuo Qiang comes over, you act even more intensely. Got it?"
Wen Qingye laughed internally. 'So, they just want me to make a fool of myself in front of Zuo Qiang, prompting him to step in and drive me away. That way, the two of them will have a chance to talk to him properly.'
Gao Yuerou quickly grabbed Liu Ling's hand. "Wen Qingye, don't listen to Little Ling's nonsense. Just be yourself."
Wen Qingye felt a little strange and asked, "Yuerou, do you really want to talk to Zuo Qiang that badly?"
Gao Yuerou's face flushed, and she lowered her head. "My mother is sick. I want to ask Zuo Qiang's father to take a look at her."
Wen Qingye understood then. Gao Yuerou was merely the daughter of a concubine in the Gao Family, so neither she nor her mother held a high position. With her mother sick, the Gao Family naturally wouldn't bother with them.
Liu Ling, standing to the side, frowned and said to Wen Qingye with puffed cheeks, "Why are you asking so many questions? Yuerou said she doesn't need your help, so don't get in the way. Just stand aside later, you hear?"
Wen Qingye nodded, thinking to himself that Gao Yuerou was a filial daughter after all.
A moment later, a rustling sound came from the back room.
Zuo Qiang walked in, carrying three Sword Boxes, while the Shopkeeper followed with another three, looking like he was struggling.
"You must be Young Master Zuo. You must be tired, please rest." Liu Ling hurried over to support Zuo Qiang, shooting a meaningful glance at Wen Qingye as she spoke.
How could Wen Qingye not understand Liu Ling's meaning? He quickly walked over to Zuo Qiang's side. "Young Master Zuo, let me help you with that."
Zuo Qiang was about to refuse, but then he saw Wen Qingye wink at him, so he had no choice but to hand the Sword Boxes over.
Although the Shopkeeper found this a bit strange, he didn't say anything. Once all the Sword Boxes were placed on the ground, he smiled at Wen Qingye and said, "Young Master, what do you think of these six swords? They can all be considered masterpieces from recent years. Please, take your pick. No Primordial Stones needed."
Wen Qingye was stunned. He looked at the Shopkeeper in confusion. The swords in these boxes were likely all Third Grade, worth over a hundred Mid-grade Primordial Stones, yet now they were being offered to him for free. How could he not find this strange?
At this moment, Liu Ling and Gao Yuerou were busy talking to Zuo Qiang and hadn't seen the swords in the boxes, nor had they paid attention to the Shopkeeper's words. Otherwise, would they still look so nonchalant?
The Shopkeeper smiled and said in an ingratiating tone, "It is my honor to gift this to a Pill Master. If you need any help in the future, Master, please do not hesitate to ask."
Wen Qingye nodded. "Alright, I'll remember that. My name is Wen Qingye. If you run into any trouble, you can come find me at the Zhang Mansion anytime."
The Shopkeeper was overjoyed to hear this. He knew that the young man before him was an existence on par with Phoenix City's number one Pill Master—a Third-Grade Alchemist!
"Yes, yes! Master, please, pick whichever sword you'd like," the Shopkeeper said excitedly.
Wen Qingye looked at the Sword Boxes on the floor, his eyes landing on a longsword with a simple, classic design. He nodded and said, "I'll take this one."
The Shopkeeper smiled. "Master has a discerning eye. That is a top-tier Third Grade weapon. Its name is Ancient Moon. Please, take the Sword Box as well, Master."
Wen Qingye smiled. "Shopkeeper, please stop calling me 'Master.' Just call me Young Master Wen. In that case, I won't be polite."
The Shopkeeper said hastily, "Yes, yes. Of course, of course."
Wen Qingye picked up the Sword Box, glanced at the conversing Zuo Qiang, and said to the Shopkeeper, "I'm heading to Jishi Hall first. Please let Zuo Qiang know for me."
With that, Wen Qingye hugged the Sword Box to his chest and left.
Zuo Qiang frowned. "I've never heard of your mother's case before. This is quite difficult."
Gao Yuerou asked anxiously, "Does that mean even Master Zuo has no solution?"
Zuo Qiang said, looking troubled, "I'm not entirely sure about this. I'll have to ask my father."
Gao Yuerou lowered her head. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Young Master Zuo."
Zuo Qiang smiled and quickly waved his hands. "It's no trouble. But I don't think even my father will be confident he can cure this illness. It's best not to get your hopes up, Miss Gao."
Hearing this, Gao Yuerou's face turned a little pale, but she still nodded.
At that moment, Zuo Qiang suddenly realized Wen Qingye was gone. He quickly looked toward the Shopkeeper.
The Shopkeeper smiled. "Zuo Qiang, don't worry. Young Master Wen said he was going to Jishi Hall."
As soon as Zuo Qiang heard this, he immediately said to Gao Yuerou and Liu Ling, "My apologies, something urgent has come up. I must take my leave now. As for this matter, we can talk about it later."
Without waiting for Liu Ling or Gao Yuerou to react, Zuo Qiang hurried off toward Jishi Hall.
Seeing Zuo Qiang run off in such a hurry, Liu Ling quickly said to Gao Yuerou, "Yuerou, don't worry. I'll help you figure something out."
Gao Yuerou forced a smile and said gratefully to Liu Ling, "Thank you so much, Liu Ling."
Liu Ling smiled. "Hey, what's there to thank me for? We're friends."
Only then did Liu Ling recall the Shopkeeper's words. She asked, a little puzzled, "Wen Qingye and Zuo Qiang know each other?"
"Mhm, they do," the Shopkeeper said as he squatted on the floor, wiping dust from a Sword Box.
Liu Ling suddenly exclaimed in delight, "That's great! Yuerou, we can ask Wen Qingye to find Zuo Qiang, and then have Zuo Qiang ask his father! That way, your mother can get treated!"
At this thought, Gao Yuerou also nodded with delight.
The Shopkeeper straightened up, looked at Liu Ling, and said, "You know Young Master Wen?"
Liu Ling pursed her lips. "Of course, I know him."
The Shopkeeper chuckled. "Then why are you asking Master Zuo to help you? Wouldn't it be better to just ask Young Master Wen directly?"
"Have Wen Qingye treat her? HAHAHA, are you kidding me?" Liu Ling couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Gao Yuerou also looked at the Shopkeeper in confusion.
The Shopkeeper looked at her strangely. "Master Zuo himself asks Young Master Wen for guidance on the Alchemy Dao. You actually know Young Master Wen, yet you're asking Master Zuo to treat your mother?"
Liu Ling's eyes flew wide open. "Master Zuo asks Wen Qingye for guidance on the Alchemy Dao? How is that possible? Don't I know exactly what kind of person Wen Qingye is?" she said in disbelief.
The Shopkeeper nodded. "Master Zuo said that Young Master Wen is at least a Third-Grade Alchemist. Would Master Zuo lie about something like that? Young Master Wen is a genuine Alchemy Master. Could there be any doubt?"
"What!?"
Gao Yuerou and Liu Ling both stood with their mouths agape, their faces masks of utter disbelief. Wen Qingye was a Third-Grade Alchemist? The news was simply too shocking for them to process.