With the academy on a ten-day break, Yan Luoyue finally had time to go shopping for the fire seed she had been eyeing.

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm Only.

It was spring, and the clan affairs were bustling. Not only was Yan Yu tied up with work, but even Yan Gan had been dragged away by the clansfolk to help.

Under such circumstances, Yan Gan had no choice but to reluctantly bundle up Yan Luoyue and hand her over to Sang Ji in person.

“You’re taking her to Ruyi City this time—keep an eye on my little sister. Don’t lose her.”

“*Your* sister? She’s *my* sister too. Relax, I won’t lose *our* little sister.”

Yan Gan stroked Yan Luoyue’s soft hair, gazing at his precious little sister—now so grown up—and still felt reluctant to let her go.

“Really? Swear it. Put it in writing.”

Sang Ji rolled his eyes dramatically. “Yes, yes, I swear—oh, for heaven’s sake. If you’re that worried, just go to my house and take one of my brothers hostage as collateral.”

“Ahem, no need, no need.” Yan Gan waved his hands hurriedly.

As Sang Ji was about to carry Yan Luoyue away, Yan Gan hesitated and called out to stop him.

“Uh… hey, brother… which way does your front door face again? And… how many brothers do you have, exactly?”

Sang Ji took a deep breath, steadying his qi. “...Get lost!”

Finally rid of the nuisance Yan Gan, Sang Ji cheerfully scooped up Yan Luoyue and hung a small pouch around her neck.

Yan Luoyue tugged open the pouch and rummaged inside—it was packed full of dried fruit.

Sang Ji flashed a grin. “Snack on these if you get bored on the way. And if you see anything you want to buy, just tell your big brother Ji. Don’t hold back, got it?”

Yan Luoyue nodded obediently.

Sang Ji’s mood brightened even further. “Alright, let’s get going!”

...

For the first leg of the journey, Sang Ji carried Yan Luoyue for dozens of miles.

Then, at a specialized carriage and mount service, Sang Ji paid a deposit and rented a white crane for two spirit stones.

The crane spread its wings lightly and soared into the sky. As the elegant creature climbed higher, a cool breeze brushed their faces, and the houses and fields below shrank into toy-like specks.

From the crane’s back, the sprawling wetlands and rivers looked like mesmerizing ripples across the earth.

Yan Luoyue stared down without blinking, her big eyes sparkling.

From ancient times to the present, flight had been humanity’s ultimate fantasy of romance.

And wow—she was riding a crane! How cool was that?

Her small hand caressed the crane’s slender, graceful neck with reverence, stroking it over and over. The crane’s feathers were smooth yet firm to the touch. Sensing her touch, the crane let out a clear, melodious cry and flapped its wings, flying even higher.

What a proud, elegant, and beautiful creature.

Yan Luoyue made up her mind: once she saved up a bit more money, she would definitely raise a white crane as her mount.

The journey from Yunning Great Marsh to Ruyi City wasn’t short. Even with the fastest flying spirit beast, it took a full two hours.

But the trip was well worth it. The moment they dismounted, the lively energy of the city hit Yan Luoyue like a wave.

Their landing spot was a bustling market adorned with colorful banners.

To the left, the sound of phoenix flutes and the flash of swordplay accompanied a lively drinking party in a tavern, where silhouettes of dancing girls flickered on the paper windows. To the right, an old storyteller in a teahouse struck his wooden block at the climax of his tale, earning roaring applause from the audience.

Beside Yan Luoyue, a peddler strode past with a bamboo basket slung over his arm, hawking an assortment of vibrant rouge, perfumes, and sewing kits in a pitch-perfect sing-song voice.

Though Sang Ji’s family was well-off, this was his first time in a human city.

For a moment, his eyes widened in awe—but remembering his dignity as an older brother, he coughed twice and adjusted Yan Luoyue in his arms.

“Let’s go get what you need first. After shopping, we’ll explore to our hearts’ content!”

“Mhm! You’re the best, Brother Ji.” Yan Luoyue’s sharp eyes quickly spotted a street sign. “There—let’s go that way.”

Two prominent buildings stood in the center of the street, both teeming with customers. Whether by coincidence or rivalry, their entrances faced each other.

The one on the left, *Zhaoxin Residence*, had a slightly weathered sign but an imposing layout, with enthusiastic clerks beckoning guests at the door.

The shop on the right, *Lou’s Pavilion*, had a brand-new sign. No clerks stood outside to solicit customers, but the bold red seal of “*Lou Bancheng*” stamped on the plaque exuded unbridled arrogance.

Clearly, one was an established business, the other a rising star.

After a moment’s thought, Yan Luoyue pointed to the left and had Sang Ji carry her inside.

Before they even reached the door, a clerk spotted the young man holding a little girl as delicate as a snowball and offered a warm smile.

They weren’t the only ones receiving such treatment—every guest who entered the shop, regardless of age or gender, was greeted with equal enthusiasm as the clerks bustled about, recommending products.

“What can we help you find, honored guests? Come right in—Zhaoxin Residence has everything you could need.”

Sang Ji carried Yan Luoyue in his arms and strode confidently into Zhaoxin Residence, his demeanor steady and composed.

Although this was his first time traveling far from home, the thought of setting a good example for his younger sister made him determined not to show any hesitation in public.

With an air of quiet observation, he took in the layout of the first floor before speaking deliberately, "We’d like to purchase smithing flames."

"Ah, smithing flames, right? Please come this way, honored guests."

As one of the two largest shops in Ruyi City, Zhaoxin Residence had an exceptionally well-stocked inventory.

Behind the counter stood a painted screen depicting a mountain-and-water landscape, while the display case showcased over forty different types of smithing flames. Clusters of fiery orbs—some glowing orange-red, others bright yellow—were sealed within translucent spirit pearls, dazzling Sang Ji’s eyes.

The attendant enthusiastically explained, "Our flames are divided into three grades. The ones on the left are low-grade spirit flames, priced between two hundred to four hundred spirit stones. The middle section holds the mid-grade spirit flames, ranging from five hundred to a thousand spirit stones. And the ones on the far right are high-grade spirit flames, priced from a thousand up to ten thousand spirit stones. Which one catches your eye, honored guest? I’d be happy to provide details."

Hearing the prices, Sang Ji swallowed hard.

"Little sister, which one do you like?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Yan Luoyue began examining the spirit pearls containing the low-grade flames.

Sang Ji nudged her gently. "Little sister, I’ve got enough money for materials later. Don’t they say a smith’s flame is the most important? Shouldn’t we pick a mid-grade one?"

From their previous business with the Canglang Sect, the three of them had earned a six-hundred-spirit-stone deposit, plus the ninety-one stones from their first medicine sale—all of which was now in Yan Luoyue’s possession.

This time, their family had given Sang Ji some pocket money, and he had brought along all his savings, totaling over a hundred spirit stones, just in case they ran short while shopping.

Yan Luoyue didn’t even look up. "No need, Brother Ji. The differences between these flames aren’t significant."

The little girl’s childlike tone made the attendant chuckle. "Honored guest must be joking. How could there be no difference between low-, mid-, and high-grade spirit flames?"

Sang Ji couldn’t help but ask, "Yeah, little sister—two hundred, a thousand, even ten thousand spirit stones. Surely the gap must be huge?"

Even behind the screen, a shadow shifted slightly.

Yan Luoyue merely curved her eyes into a smile, offering no direct reply.

When she had previously asked Instructor Jiang about smithing flames, Jiang Tingbai had told her that flames under five hundred spirit stones made little difference, and she could pick any of them at random.

—That was the standard answer one would expect from a traditionally trained smith.

But it wasn’t Yan Luoyue’s answer.

Extending a chubby, pink fingertip, she tapped lightly on a spirit pearl containing an orange-red flame before looking up. "Please wrap this one up. I’ll take it."

"Right away! One Clear Glow Flame, two hundred spirit stones. Please wait a moment, honored guest."

"Do you also carry smithing furnaces and materials? I’d like to see those as well."

"Of course! The furnaces and materials are on the second floor. Please follow me."

It wasn’t until the attendant had guided the two upstairs that murmurs arose from behind the screen.

One of the speakers, a man with a neatly combed mustache, was the shopkeeper of Zhaoxin Residence.

The other wore a robe with tightly fastened sleeves, his skin slightly tanned, his expression stern and unreadable in age.

Shaking his head with amusement, the shopkeeper remarked in a low voice, "Master Ding, such childish words—yet rather lively and endearing, don’t you think?"

Master Ding replied gravely, "She wasn’t wrong."

"...Huh?"

Facing the shopkeeper’s startled expression, Master Ding nodded slowly. "For an average smith, the three grades—low, mid, and high—are enough to rank flames. But for one truly skilled in the craft, there’s another way to distinguish them."

"For example, beneath the level of Heaven-Earth Strange Flames, these ordinary flames might as well be the same, whether divided into three grades or thirty."

The shopkeeper was stunned into silence.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, Yan Luoyue was busy selecting materials.

Vermilion cinnabar—to refine Yan Yu’s woven algae net—one portion. Mother-of-pearl stone—to forge Yan Gan’s arm-mounted shield—one piece. Profound Yellow iron—to craft Sang Ji’s rhino-tusk dagger—one chunk...

And then, of course, came the bulk purchases for her upcoming business ventures.

Yan Luoyue picked items in a continuous stream, the attendant rattling off names at a rapid pace, while Sang Ji could only watch in wide-eyed bewilderment.

Still a youth at heart, seeing his companion so engrossed in something impressive made him itch to join in.

"Hey, little sister, could I learn smithing too?"

From his tone alone, Yan Luoyue could tell Sang Ji wasn’t deeply interested—he simply wanted to share in the excitement now that his friend was so absorbed.

Even so, she answered him seriously.

"Of course. Smithing isn’t hard to start. If you’re curious, Brother Ji, you can begin with the Twelve Foundational Techniques."

Downstairs, the shopkeeper had been attentively following their exchange.

Hearing Yan Luoyue’s words, he let out a hearty laugh and leisurely lifted his teacup.

“Wrong, wrong. Master Ding, listen—this is just the naive talk of a child and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Everyone knows there are only nine foundational techniques in artifact forging, yet this little girl claims there are twelve?”

Master Ding’s expression turned grave. “She’s not wrong.”

“…Huh?”

Watching the shopkeeper’s face freeze in shock, Master Ding lifted his gaze slightly.

“The foundational techniques of artifact forging originally numbered twelve. But as the tradition declined, the last three—‘Starry Sky,’ ‘Dragonfish Dance,’ and ‘A Thousand Knots’—were reclassified as intermediate techniques due to their difficulty… That was roughly five hundred years ago.”

Master Ding’s eyes grew distant, lost in thought. “It’s said that the venerable masters of artifact forging, those with deep-rooted legacies, still teach their disciples the old ways. Seeing this today, I realize the rumors are true.”

The shopkeeper hesitated, his teacup halfway to his lips. Unsure whether to drink or set it down, he eventually placed it back on the table with quiet resignation.

Yan Luoyue made her purchases in a flurry, gathering a sizable bundle of forging materials.

Sang Ji had been mentally tallying the costs. Once he confirmed the total barely exceeded two hundred spirit stones, his spirits lifted.

He’d brought over a hundred stones himself, and with the seven hundred his little sister had earned from selling medicine, they still had plenty to spare.

So…

“Little sister, are you sure you don’t want a better flame?” Glancing at the nearby attendant, Sang Ji lowered his voice. “That ‘Clear Purity Flame’—despite its name—even I can see impurities in it.”

The attendant smiled politely, as if even a mountain collapsing behind him wouldn’t make him eavesdrop.

Yan Luoyue chuckled softly, turning slightly to pat Sang Ji’s hand.

“Don’t worry, Brother Ji. That flame does have impurities, but if you guide the core of the flame to envelop them—like skimming froth from boiling broth—you can purify it into a very usable, pristine flame.”

The shopkeeper had been listening intently and couldn’t help but interject with a triumphant “Ha!”

“Master Ding, surely *this* time it’s just a child’s wild imagination? Everyone knows the core of a flame has the lowest temperature. How could she possibly use the cooler core to remove impurities that even the outer flame can’t refine?”

Master Ding regarded the shopkeeper silently, his usually stern gaze tinged with faint pity.

“…Ah. Am I wrong *again*?”

Master Ding looked away with a long sigh.

“I’ve heard of an advanced forging technique called ‘Sifting the Sands,’ which extracts purer flames by guiding the inner flame to expel the outer. In principle, it matches what she described. My friend, you…”

The shopkeeper’s mouth opened and closed before settling into a wry smile.

“Ah… Perhaps I should just stop talking.”

…

After finalizing her selections, Yan Luoyue returned to the first floor to settle the bill.

Before the accountant could finish tallying the abacus, another attendant approached, presenting a gilded wooden plaque with both hands and utmost deference.

“This plaque is a gift for our honored guest. Holders enjoy a twenty percent discount on all purchases at Zhaoxin Residence. Additionally, should you have any forged artifacts to sell, we would be delighted to offer premium prices.”

Sang Ji was both surprised and suspicious.

He craned his neck, glancing around cautiously. “Why give this to us and not others?”

The attendant remained courteous. “This humble one is too dull to know the reason. But since the manager instructed me to present it, there must be wisdom in his decision.”

Yan Luoyue tugged at Sang Ji’s sleeve.

“Brother Ji, just take it.”

As the pair—one tall, one small—disappeared into the distance, the shopkeeper finally exhaled in relief.

“To grasp so many principles of forging at such a tender age… I wonder which esteemed master she studies under.”

“I considered sending an escort to see them home, but feared being overly obsequious might offend rather than endear. Best to leave a thread of fate and hope for future connections.”

Master Ding nodded slowly. “Friend, you’ve finally done something right.”

The shopkeeper hid his face behind his sleeve, waving dismissively. “Master, please, spare me your teasing.”

Master Ding mused, “As for her master’s identity…”

“You know, Master?”

Master Ding’s brow furrowed slightly. “That sword tassel tied to her pouch… I’ve seen its like before.”

The shopkeeper strained his memory before recalling the child’s pouch adorned with a playful grass-woven locust.

“Surely… all grass locusts look alike?”

Watching Master Ding’s minute headshake with trepidation, the shopkeeper ventured cautiously, “D-did I miss something again?”

Was it not an ordinary grass locust but some forging artifact beyond his perception?

“It *is* just an ordinary grass locust, nothing extraordinary. But…”

Master Ding trailed off, as if weighing his words.

——But truly, in all his life, he had only ever seen an ugly grass-woven locust like that once before—hanging from the sword of that Jiang Jianjun!