At night, in the independent room of the sect store, after activating the shielding Formation, Qian Duoduo said to Liu Boli in the Golden Toad, “Master, what if there’s an Artifact Refiner in Kongfang City who’s better than you and purifies better than me? What should we do?”
Although he had passed Liu Boli’s test in refining Ore at Phoenix Feather Mountain, he had never competed with anyone, so he didn't know others' skill levels.
“Heh heh, you aren’t even an Artifact Refiner. How could an Artifact Refiner have the nerve to make a move?” Liu Boli’s implication was that Artifact Refiners all had integrity.
Qian Duoduo was, at most, a Qi Apprentice now. If an Artifact Refiner came out to compete with him, it would be bullying the young.
“But, Artifact Refiners might not have the nerve. However, Ba Ling Sect and Shengling Sect would. To defeat Refining Spirit Sect, they might invite someone—”
“…” Liu Boli seemed to have fallen asleep.
“What if that happens,” Qian Duoduo felt it was better to be direct, “Master, you…” He didn't say the rest, “...have to help me.”
“…” Liu Boli was silent for a long while before finally speaking, “In Kongfang City, there are no fewer powerful figures than in Refining Spirit Sect. For the competition, just do your best. If you lose, you’ll still learn something, and it’ll be worth one hundred thousand gold coins.”
After listening to him, Qian Duoduo went to the warehouse, retrieved a cauldron, and began to review his Ore refining skills.
Regarding the commercial battle, Qian Duoduo saw Liu Boli’s bottom line. He would not intervene unless there was a life-threatening danger.
Earning money was entirely up to him. The pressure was immense…
The next day, as dawn broke, the main gate of the Refining Spirit Sect’s store swung wide open.
Qian Duoduo instructed the shop assistants to place a pile of gold coins, totaling one hundred thousand, on the left side in front of the door, and a pile of neatly cut Ming Iron Ore, numbering one hundred, on the right.
Chu Tianqi and Zhu Junliang each carried an identical cauldron and placed them behind the gold coins and Ming Iron Ore.
Above their heads, a banner was stretched, which read: “One Month Anniversary, Purify Ming Iron Ore, Win Ten Thousand.”
There were also one hundred other slips of paper with the same content scattered throughout Kongfang City.
Qian Duoduo had experience in generating popularity.
The store was brightly lit, all items were spotless, and Shang Jiajin and others wore half-hearted smiles.
“Store Manager, will anyone really come?” Chu Tianqi hesitated for a long time but couldn’t resist asking Qian Duoduo.
“Yes, and it will definitely be packed.”
“Who will compete with them in purifying Ming Iron Ore?” Chu Tianqi asked again.
“I will.”
“Store Manager, are you an Artifact Refiner?” Chu Tianqi’s expression changed.
“Why must only an Artifact Refiner be able to refine and purify Ore? Can’t a Qi Apprentice or Qi Apprentice do it?” Qian Duoduo retorted.
Chu Tianqi’s lips trembled a few times, and he shook his head, saying nothing more.
Zhu Junliang, who was beside him, couldn’t help but say, “Store Manager, you’re being rash. Kongfang City has a Refining Association, and the number of Artifact Refiners is considerable, while Qi Apprentices and Qi Apprentices are even more numerous, ten times more than in Refining Spirit Sect.”
The Refining Association was in the southeast of the city, a tower-like building. When Qian Duoduo strolled past it, he didn’t find anything special about it; at most, it was a bit larger than the Artificer Hall in the sect.
Qian Duoduo patted him on the shoulder, “Just you watch.”
“If an Artifact Refiner from the Association comes out, can you stop him?” Zhu Junliang was still worried. His bluntness, speaking his true thoughts, made Qian Duoduo regard him highly.
“When more people arrive, sell the goods well.” Qian Duoduo had also considered the worst outcome: if an Artifact Refiner really came to challenge them, the sect store’s reputation would be established, which would also count as a success.
At this moment, “Dong,” a bell rang, signifying that the market in Kongfang City had opened at Mao Shi.
Before long, more than ten Cultivators gathered in front of the store to watch the spectacle.
“Refining Spirit Sect is like an old turtle turning over after a thousand years, finally letting out a loud fart.” The person who spoke hadn’t brushed his teeth that morning.
Someone next to him waved his hand, “No, that’s not right. This is them trying to give away money. The new Store Manager is a boy who scatters wealth.”
“One hundred thousand gold coins, it’s worth Old Zhao making a move, haha. When I win later, let’s all go drink flower wine, remember it’s Refining Spirit Sect paying.”
The undisguised sarcasm and ridicule slowly turned the smiles on the faces of Chu Tianqi and the other shop assistants into stone.
Qian Duoduo didn’t care about any of this; all who came were guests, and they couldn’t be neglected.
Cupping his hands to them, Qian Duoduo loudly said:
“Honored guests, please come inside. Those who want to watch the show can sit and drink tea, those who want to buy things can look around freely, and those who want to compete can start now.”
“Who do you think you are?” The person who hadn’t brushed his teeth that morning squinted his eyes, his foul mouth exhaling a puff of Qi.
“This is our Store Manager.” Chu Tianqi quickly replied.
The mockery from these onlookers was already unbearable for him. The person who asked the question had a cultivation of Condensing Qi Stage Level Seven. A Level Seven showing off in front of him, a Level Eight, made him even more intolerable.
“Store Manager? What does he have to manage the store? His Qi Condensation Level Five cultivation, or his ability to brag?” The foul-mouthed person clicked his tongue a few times, “I’m at least a Qi Apprentice. Now I’ll teach you how to refine Ore.”
Qian Duoduo was immediately overjoyed: “Just put down the fishing rod, and a fish is already on the hook?”
“Go quickly and shout around the market, tell them Refining Spirit Sect’s competition is about to begin!” Qian Duoduo instructed Zhu Junliang. His fiery temper and loud voice made him perfect for the job.
“Alright…” Zhu Junliang dared not resist, rushed out of the store, stretched his neck, and bellowed, “Come quickly and see, Refining Spirit Sect is on!”
“You go too.” Qian Duoduo saw Shang Jiajin shrinking back into the store, “Call more people.”
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a hundred to eighty people gathered in front of the store, and those who arrived first constantly urged them to start quickly.
“Fellow Daoist, please choose a cauldron.” Seeing the atmosphere was set, Qian Duoduo bowed to the foul-mouthed person.
He was just a stepping stone; Qian Duoduo didn't bother to ask his name.
The foul-mouthed person sat down nearby, “I’ll use whichever one, I’ll still crush you.”
Qian Duoduo also sat down, “How do we determine victory and defeat?”
“According to the rules of Artifact Refiners, we each refine our own first, then exchange. Whoever can further purify the other’s refined material wins.” Although the foul-mouthed person had a foul mouth, he knew the rules.
Lighting the fire and starting the furnace, Qian Duoduo and he each picked up a piece of Ming Iron Ore and threw it into the furnace. These Ores came from the same mine, with the same density and size, so the weight of the refined Ming Iron would definitely be the same.
With Spiritual Qi entering the furnace, Qian Duoduo slowly increased the furnace temperature, and the Ming Iron Ore began to melt.
Qian Duoduo looked at the foul-mouthed person’s side; his speed was also not slow, the furnace fire was red hot, and the Ming Iron Ore was shrinking little by little.
Using the furnace fire to cut the Ore into three pieces, Qian Duoduo circulated the Everlasting Wealth and Nobility technique, changing the Spiritual Qi from white to light green. As the Spiritual Qi entered the furnace, the furnace fire also turned light blue.
“Fire control!” The Cultivators watching from behind exclaimed in surprise.
The furnace temperature determines the speed and quality of Artifact Refining, and the level of fire control determines the furnace temperature.
The foul-mouthed person secretly glanced at Qian Duoduo, snorted coldly, changed his hand seal, and pressed it onto the cauldron. The red-hot furnace fire emitted a wisp of crimson light.
The crimson light lasted for three to five breaths, and the foul-mouthed person’s forehead began to sweat. After a while longer, the crimson light disappeared. The foul-mouthed person opened the cauldron, wiped his sweat, “It’s refined.”
Qian Duoduo chuckled inwardly, thinking, “With this skill, you want to compete with me?”
With a puff of Spiritual Qi, Qian Duoduo refined the Ming Iron once, then opened the furnace door, “I’ve also finished refining.”
Before pouring out the Ming Iron, Qian Duoduo casually drew a ‘Qian’ character on it.
The foul-mouthed person’s Ming Iron was also poured out of the furnace and placed next to Qian Duoduo’s.
The two iron discs were one large and one small; the one with the 'Qian' character was noticeably smaller.
The foul-mouthed person was not convinced and compared the thickness of the iron discs again.
After comparing, he threw the iron disc on the ground and squeezed into the crowd.
“Don’t leave! Come quickly and crush me!” Qian Duoduo shouted at him.
However, this person not only had a foul mouth, but his ears seemed to be deaf as well.
“Such a great one hundred thousand gold coins, why is no one taking it? It’s truly worrying!” Qian Duoduo spread his hands towards the more than one hundred people in front of him.