I prepared to call…
“Ring, ring, ring—”
Huh?!
Before I could dial, the other party called me first!
[Shi Zun, have you returned to Kangcheng? I’m in trouble, please teach me quickly!]
Master Lu’s voice was frantic.
But my attention wasn’t on his tone.
“I’m not your Shi Zun, and never will be. I have only one disciple— remember that…”
[Alright then, Senior Luo Xian, can you save your junior? Something happened involving my entire fortune!]
“Okay, where are you?”
[Old Goods Market Forging Room! If you can, please come quickly…]
“Got it.”
I couldn’t waste precious teleport chances.
So even though Master Lu was desperately anxious, I took a taxi over.
“Master Lu, you cut off the brothers’ livelihood; naturally, don’t blame them for turning against you.”
“Don’t think that because you’re number one in this small Kangcheng, you have no rivals. The brothers elected you as President of the Forging Association because you made them money. But now… look what you’ve become!”
“You’re just a brat. If she tells you to back down, then back down! What kind of man are you? Your actions put the brothers in jeopardy!”
Before I even entered, I heard shouting from inside the forging room.
From snippets of conversation, I pieced together the gist.
“What’s going on?”
I stepped inside the forging room.
“Shi… sigh, Miss Luo Xian, you finally came.”
Master Lu finally relaxed. “Here’s the situation: didn’t you tell me to return the leftover materials to the clients?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“After I returned them, the clients spread the word. Suddenly, all the forging clients in Kangcheng knew about the unspoken rule of skimping on leftover materials… They pressured their own forgers to return the withheld leftovers.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
“Reasonable to you, but in the industry, you’re smashing their rice bowls and cutting off their income. To those making money, the ‘unspoken rule’ is normal; your actions are abnormal.”
“Oh, so you got attacked for breaking the rules.” I understood.
“If it was just attacks, it wouldn’t be so bad. I pride myself on my skills; even if attacked or squeezed, I wouldn’t lose business. Besides, after returning materials, clients liked me more.”
“But this time… it’s the Mu Family.”
“The Mu Family?”
“Mm.”
Interesting. I didn’t expect that returning to Kangcheng would trigger the Mu Family Event.
Those guys really were everywhere.
“The Mu Family manages forging businesses too, usually skimping on materials for profit. My returning leftovers also cut into their profits, so they decided to make an example out of me…”
“How?”
“Forgers have their own rules. Like swordsmen dueling, forgers have similar contests.”
“What? Challenge people to fights? Loser quits forging?”
“Something like that, but it’s a competition of forging skills.”
Master Lu led me to an inner room and closed the door.
“The Mu Family sent a very strong forger, who threatened to disgrace me, calling me an old, useless Bi Deng.”
“As President of Kangcheng Forging Association, I must accept the challenge to prove my status. But… I definitely can’t beat him.”
“If you lose, so be it— you’ll still be number one in Kangcheng; it won’t affect your business.”
“But this is actually a life-and-death situation. The Forging Association judges by strength. If he beats me, he becomes Kangcheng’s President… Then I’ll be expelled from the association.”
“Expelled means no right to take orders in Kangcheng. Forging without a license is illegal.”
I pondered.
After a moment, I said:
“Then don’t forge for now.”
“Huh???” Master Lu didn’t expect this answer.
“Since you can’t beat him now, better surrender directly. When stronger, challenge back.”
“Getting stronger isn’t easy,” Master Lu smiled bitterly. “I’m an independent forger without backing; I can only rely on my own exploration.
I used to have plenty of materials for experiments and trial and error, keeping me top in Kangcheng… Now without orders, not to mention getting stronger, just not regressing is good.”
“What if I teach you?”
“Even if you teach me… what? You’re willing to teach me?”
Master Lu was stunned, thinking he misheard.
After all, I had rejected him before— thoroughly.
“I can’t accept you as a disciple. I have only one disciple and will always have only one.
But you can serve as our lowly assistant, handling mortal affairs for me. In return, I’ll teach you some basic methods, making your forging skills world-class third.”
“Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!”
Master Lu kowtowed joyfully.
“Alright, alright, you’re not my disciple, no need to kowtow… Though even my disciple never kowtowed to me…” I pouted, suddenly feeling a bit shortchanged.
Stupid Cluru never kowtowed, always just pure and carefree…
“Go surrender. When you do, make it clear this retreat is temporary. You’ll be back soon to reclaim your place.
Also, before challenging again, you need a side job.”
“Side job?”
“Oh right, selling medicine doesn’t need a license, right?”
“Uh… it does.”
“Then get some medicine-selling licenses and say you’re switching careers to selling medicine.”
Master Lu didn’t know what I was plotting.
But he could help me sell.
And his greatest wish was fulfilled; now even if I asked for his entire fortune, he’d gladly give it.
“Go. Lastly, your act of returning materials deserves praise. Don’t worry about being isolated — they’ll come crawling back soon.”
Time always passed quickly.
Early that morning, I yawned sleepily, looking at the numbers on the classroom blackboard.
[19 days until the Entrance Exam.]
With Master Lu’s help, I’d settled a family of four’s household registration and successfully registered for the exam.
At times like this, the whole city became tense.
Various news about the exam heated up and flooded screens.
But my mind wasn’t on the exam.
Because half a month after returning to Kangcheng,
today was the day to close the net.
I glanced toward the newly opened shop not far outside the school.
[Da Li Magic Potion Shop]
The shop was fully renovated, ready to open.
An eagle emblem hung on its signboard.
These were all Mu Family enterprises.
Since the Mu Family successfully seized the Kangcheng Forging Association’s Presidency, they began aggressively expanding business throughout Kangcheng.
I didn’t know if it was related to the small company registered by Cluru and me.
Probably somewhat connected.
They likely wanted to seize Kangcheng’s market share immediately and force us bankrupt through a price war.
Today, they were opening.
Too bad.
I had deliberately told Master Lu to forfeit the duel and let the Mu Family win—how could I not expect this?
I purposely let them in.
“Goods delivered, renovation and opening times fully synced. All ready?” I asked Master Lu via WeChat.
He replied instantly.
[All ready. They open at eight, we open at eight. And they deliberately opened right across from us. This is going to be bloody.]
“Good, my parents are heading there now.”
In the past half month’s prep time, Master Lu had met Cluru and Yun Luo Xian’s parents.
Master Lu finally learned that Xiao Luo Xian was excellent, but her parents were even better.
“Cluru, let’s go. Today’s going to be good.” I poked Cluru’s soft, chubby cheek.
“Don’t want to go…” Cluru lazily lay on the desk beside me.
Clear, still un-wiped drool hung on the corner of her glossy cherry lips, shining enticingly in the morning light.
I was momentarily stunned.
Quickly, I recited the Calm Heart Mantra.
Lin Bing Dou Le Ge Zhe — This is a tentacle monster! A tentacle monster! Don’t be fooled by her appearance!
“Mu Tianzhou came to Kangcheng to cut the ribbon for the new shop. We’re going to pay respects.”
Cluru immediately perked up.
If there was anything that could unite us in shared hatred and instant energy,
it was revenge against the Mu Family.
“Let’s go!”
Cluru shot up like a spring, even more eager than me, launching tentacles and wrapping me up as if kidnapping me, carrying me high above her head, rushing toward the dorm.
“Alright, alright, you don’t want me to show up all wet in public, right?”
As her cultivation improved, Cluru clearly became more dangerous.
Her venom was much stronger now; if she kept wrapping me for a few more minutes, I wouldn’t be able to walk.
Grudgingly, she let me go.
Well then… assuming the role of a quirky couple, we set out!
Across from Da Li Magic Potion Shop was Xianlu Magic Potion Shop.
Master Lu stood at Xianlu’s door, full of anxiety.
“Miss Luo Xian must be crazy, but how come Mr. Yun and Miss Mu Qingyou are just as crazy… Knowing the Mu Family is opening across the street and still not backing down.”
Master Lu paced nervously, like a drop of water triggering the Layton-Frost Effect on a hot pan.
He couldn’t understand why this unknown little shop dared to challenge the renowned Mu Family business.
Both shops opening simultaneously was a clash of titans; one would surely die today.
The Mu Family was powerful and wouldn’t die. So who?
“Yo, isn’t this Master Lu?”
Master Lu wanted to pretend he didn’t hear the greeting.
Because the greeter was someone he deeply hated.
Teng Master, current President of the Forging Association.
He was the forger the Mu Family sent half a month ago to snatch Master Lu’s position.
Now he stood triumphantly before Da Li Magic Potion Shop, facing Master Lu across the street.
Seeing Master Lu ignore him, he became more arrogant.
“You loser dog, hiding for half a month — now you have the nerve to show up? Tsk tsk… kicked out of the association, can’t even afford a meal, yet you still dare to open a shop…”
“Teng Master, don’t be arrogant!” Master Lu snapped back, losing patience. “After today’s opening, I’ll challenge you. What you took from me, you’ll have to give back!”