Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Lou Yun Takes an Apprentice

Although Lei Nu had mentioned becoming Lou Yun’s disciple several times before, Lou Yun had always dismissed it as a joke and never taken him seriously. But now, as Lou Yun requested Lei Nu’s help, Lei Nu brought up the demand once more, leaving Lou Yun utterly dumbfounded.

Lou Yun gave a dry laugh. "Teacher Lei, you’re my mentor, and far older than me. How could I possibly accept you as my disciple? Besides, I’m practically a beginner in forging weapons—hardly qualified to be anyone’s teacher. Please, Teacher Lei, stop joking around. Let’s just help and learn from each other in the days ahead!"

Lei Nu’s expression remained unyielding. "No! To others, I’m their teacher, but before you, I’m the student. Age means nothing—if you surpass me in forging weapons, you’re fit to be my master. This is my only condition. Agree, and I’ll manage your shop as your disciple. Refuse, and find someone else!"

It seemed Lei Nu had long been determined to become Lou Yun’s disciple but lacked the right opening. At this chance, he refused to back down.

Lou Yun tried coaxing, threatening, and bribing, but Lei Nu remained unswayed. His stance was ironclad: Lou Yun must take him as a disciple, or there’d be no negotiation!

With no way out, Lou Yun realized the shop lease was signed—closing it was impossible. Besides, he truly needed the income from selling common weapons. Finding another helper was an even worse prospect. Across the entire Ancient Weapon Academy, he had only a few friends, and among teachers, just Lei Nu, Han Tianxiao, and Fang Yue fit the bill. Of these, Lei Nu was the least burdened, and he understood forging weapons. He truly was the only ideal candidate!

Watching this unfold, Chang Xiang chuckled and spoke up for Lei Nu: "Kid, this man is so obsessed with forging weapons—just take him on. At most, his talent will carry him to a fourth-grade skilled weapon maker. Don’t feel burdened."

After an internal battle, Lou Yun gave Lei Nu a desperate look. "Teacher Lei, one last question: Are you truly set on this? You absolutely insist on being my disciple?"

Lei Nu’s face brightened with hope. He nodded fast. "Absolutely! My mind’s made up!"

"Agh!" Lou Yun sighed in resignation. "Fine, I’ll accept you as my disciple. But no formal bowing rituals, and don’t call me ‘Master’!"

Lei Nu’s expression turned stern. Without another word, he dropped to his knees before Lou Yun. "Master, accept this disciple Lei Nu’s three obeisances!"

Lou Yun tried to haul him up, but Lei Nu was a high-level magical weapons master—Lou Yun’s strength couldn’t budge him!

Finally, Lou Yun had no choice but to endure the full, formal disciple ceremony.

When it ended, Lei Nu rose beaming. "Master, I’ll pack my things now—we leave at once!"

Beyond protest, Lou Yun nodded.

Lei Nu worked fast. Minutes later, his bags were packed. After changing clothes and washing his face, he trailed Lou Yun out en route to Tianrang City.

At the shop, Lou Yun laid out the twenty common weapons he’d forged over two days. Lei Nu’s eyes gleamed like stars at the sight. "Master, when did you forge all these? I didn’t know about any of it! Wow—intermediate common weapon? Oh, this is a high-level common weapon!"

"I did it during breaks the last few days. It’s better than nothing. Let’s hang these for sale."

Lei Nu shook his head. "It’s nearly closing time—hang them later. Let me savor them first! I’ll arrange them properly at dawn."

Knowing Lei Nu’s zeal, Lou Yun agreed. "Fine. Set their prices too—nothing too high. Cover costs with a little profit. If someone lacks coin but needs one badly… offer it to them."

Lei Nu grinned. "Master, leave the details to me. Sit back and just collect the money!"

Lou Yun picked Lei Nu partly due to his kind nature—many academy students had benefitted from him.

Clueless about commerce, Lou Yun was grateful to hand over the reins. Next, he shared Chang Xiang’s suggestion: take custom orders for common weapons limited to below high-level ones.

With business wrapped up, Lou Yun prepared to leave. But lingering at the door, he returned to face Lei Nu. "Teacher Lei—"

"Master, don’t call me that—it muddles the rules!" Lei Nu cut in sharply.

Lou Yun pushed past him. "I’m your master—I can call you whatever I like!"

On hearing this, Lei Nu placed down the common weapon he held and spoke gravely. "Master, my loyalty to you is sincere. If you accepted my oath just to humor me, retract your words. Otherwise, stop addressing me as ‘teacher’!"

Lou Yun finally grasped Lei Nu’s sincerity. Insisting would seem petty. He nodded. "Very well, Lei Nu. Since you’ve bowed to me, I’ll gift a welcoming token. Watch carefully—I’ll teach you a Seal!"

Lou Yun knew two Seals currently: the Azure Cloud Seal and one from Chang Xiang. The Azure Cloud Seal required the Azure Cloud Cauldron to work, so Lou Yun chose to pass Chang Xiang’s Seal to Lei Nu.

Chang Xiang voiced no objection to this decision. Though moved by Lei Nu’s resolve, he still saw little promise in the man.

Thrilled, Lei Nu strode outside due to onlookers’ commotion. He bowed and announced, "Neighbors! I’m Lei Nu, a third-grade skilled weapon maker. My master—Lou Yun, who defeated Xu Baichuan, a fourth-grade skilled weapon maker, in forging weapons—owns this new shop. Today’s for cleaning and setup. Tomorrow, doors open! Welcome all!"

After saying this, Lei Nu closed the shop door by himself without a second thought. He did not notice that the crowd included the angry face of Old Man Feng.

This was Lou Yun’s first time witnessing Lei Nu’s performance as a businessman. Though his words seemed light and casual, they elevated Lou Yun’s identity to the highest level. As the master of a third-grade skilled weapon maker and having defeated a fourth-grade skilled weapon maker, Lou Yun’s own rank as a skilled weapon maker must be at least fifth tier!

What did a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker mean? The most powerful skilled weapon makers on Spirit Weapon Star were only at the seventh tier, and there were just two of them. Throughout the entire Gu Feng Nation, and even the neighboring nations, the highest-ranked skilled weapon makers barely reached fifth tier!

Thus, it was inevitable for the business of the shop opened by Lou Yun not to flourish!

Of course, Lou Yun had no qualification as a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker; at best, he was only third grade.

Lou Yun shook his head with a smile and began teaching Lei Nu the nine sets of seals.

Since there was no need to truly unlock the heavenly and earthly marks, it did not require using spiritual energy. All that was needed was to perform the hand gestures with the correct posture.

Lei Nu indeed had some aptitude for forging weapons. After Lou Yun demonstrated the nine sets of hand seals four times, he had memorized them completely.

After finishing this, Lou Yun confidently handed the shop over to Lei Nu and turned to leave.

Old Man Feng returned furiously to the Ancient Weapon Academy. He went straight to Xia Guanqiu’s room, pushed the door open, sat down without delay, pulled out his wine jug, and gulped down a large mouthful.

Xia Guanqiu watched Old Man Feng’s behavior in confusion, unaware of what had happened. He asked cautiously, "Old Man Feng, what’s wrong? Who angered you so much?"

Old Man Feng glared at Xia Guanqiu and said, "Who else? Your future grandson-in-law!"

"Lou Yun?" Xia Guanqiu grew even more puzzled. "Did he cause any trouble?"

"Hmph, cause trouble? He screwed up monumentally!" After speaking, he poured another large gulp of wine into his mouth.

"Ah!" Xia Guanqiu knew Old Man Feng’s temperament well; he never exaggerated. Since he said that, something serious must have truly happened to Lou Yun. He urgently pressed, "Old Man Feng, stop drinking for now. What exactly did Lou Yun do? Who did he offend?"

Old Man Feng said angrily, "Him, not satisfied with his current fame, actually opened a common weapon shop in Tianrang City. That reckless brat Lei Nu even promoted him everywhere without fearing consequences. If this continues, his name will probably spread all over Spirit Weapon Star in just a few days!"

Xia Guanqiu’s mind raced through several thoughts, quickly realizing why Old Man Feng was angry. But in his view, this couldn’t be considered a monumental screw-up at all; it wasn’t even causing trouble.

Thinking this, Xia Guanqiu naturally stopped worrying so much. He sat down leisurely opposite Old Man Feng, smiled, and said, "Old Man Feng, you’re worried about what the Hundred Herbs Elder said about the Nine Families, aren’t you? I don’t think you need to fret so much; the Hundred Herbs Elder called it ancient history. Besides, among the Nine Families, only the Liu family and Jiang family are currently known. After all these years, the other Seven Families might not even exist anymore!"

Old Man Feng raised his head again and glared fiercely at Xia Guanqiu. "Not exist? I tell you, the Nine Families not only still exist, but each one is immensely powerful, extremely strong. Forget the two of us—even if all the magical weapons masters of the entire Gu Feng Nation, no, perhaps all over Spirit Weapon Star, united, they still wouldn’t be a match for the Nine Families!"

"Ah!"

Xia Guanqiu, who had just sat down, sprang up as if sprung by a device. "Old Man Feng, how do you know this? If the Nine Families are all present, why haven’t we heard anything about them in all these years? Are the Nine Families truly so formidable? Last time, the Hundred Herbs Elder didn’t mention how powerful their families were!"

This time, Old Man Feng didn’t lose his temper. He sighed and said, "Ever since that old hag mentioned the Nine Families, I became intensely curious. So in my spare time, I contacted a few old friends to ask about them. Unexpectedly, one of them actually knew something!"

Old Man Feng paused once more, tilting his head back to pour wine down his throat. Xia Guanqiu was about to urge him to continue speaking, but he suddenly noticed that Old Man Feng’s hand holding the wine jug was trembling slightly!

What did this signify? It meant that Old Man Feng was scared at this very moment!

Others didn’t know Old Man Feng’s origins, but Xia Guanqiu was fully aware. Old Man Feng wasn’t actually surnamed Feng; it was because he acted madly and proclaimed himself Crazy Old Man. Over time, everyone mistakenly believed his surname was Feng and began calling him Old Man Feng.

Old Man Feng had essentially watched Xia Guanqiu grow up. In Xia Guanqiu’s memories, he had never seen Old Man Feng afraid of anything. Old Man Feng’s strength was unparalleled in Xia Guanqiu’s experience—even when he had dueled the emperor-rank four-star skilled weapon maker Ao Wushen, he remained utterly calm, chatting and laughing.

Yet now, Old Man Feng was actually frightened. What could possibly make him feel such fear?

Xia Guanqiu suddenly sensed a chill rising from the depths of his heart, rapidly spreading to every part of his body!