Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Three-in-one [260,000, 265,000+]
After kidnapping the snake witch Manshuang, this Hundred Refinements Tournament travel team was officially established!
In front of Ling Shuanghun and Wu Manshuang, Yan Luoyue released his flying magic weapon from the storage bag and invited the two to board the ship together.
Wu Manshuang has always lived in seclusion and doesn't know much about the world.
As soon as he heard that this flying boat was made by Yan Luoyue, he subconsciously thought it was very good. He even thought that the world's top-notch flying magic weapon should look like the one in front of him.
Ling Shuanghun has seen the world.
He was not in a hurry to board the boat, but first circled around Yan Luoyue's flying instrument and inspected the body of the machine. His expression was as calm as that of an experienced driver who had passed the fourth subject with full marks.
"Xiaoyan, is this your flying boat? It looks very novel and interesting... It looks a bit like two plates buckled together."
Yan Luoyue smiled and replied: "Because, this is a flying saucer."
The mainstream flying instruments in the world of immortal cultivation come and go, and generally come in a few shapes: platforms, large ships, phoenixes, carriages...
A few years ago, a very popular flying device called "inverted suspended boat" was launched. It looks like the bottom of the boat is facing upwards with the sail facing downwards.
When this "inverted hanging boat" style flying magic weapon travels in the sky, it is like the reflection of the sea reflected on the sky.
It has a kind of romance of "the Milky Way is also a river", so it was very popular in the world of cultivation for a while.
In addition to the traditional classic styles and limited-season popular styles mentioned above, some monks will also ask instrument makers to customize some special styles.
For example, the big iron ball owned by Meng Jun, the lord of Chiyu City, is a flying magic weapon he made himself.
Not only is the exterior simple and rustic, but once the roof is smashed it is unstoppable.
For example, Ling Shuanghun once saw a demon cultivator.
He is really not superstitious and does not care about auspicious words. He actually made an iron coffin and used it as a flying magic tool, floating on the white clouds every day.
The next time I heard news about this demon cultivator was at his funeral.
It is said that because the shape of the magic weapon is so unique, enemies can recognize it at a glance even from a distance of 100 to 180 miles away...
In short, this brave warrior who took action to dispel superstitions himself died in such a regrettable way.
With so many predecessors serving as role models, Yan Luoyue's small flying saucer is not out of the ordinary at all.
If there was anything odd, it was probably the name she gave her flying device.
The name is a bit confusing, it's called "UFO".
…………
The small flying saucer rose into the sky, and the travel life of a turtle, a snake and a crane began.
Among the three, the one who received the special attention of the other two was Wu Manshuang, the latest member of the team.
Yan Luoyue was eager to teach him how to read. After hearing about this, Ling Shuanghun also actively and proactively expressed his willingness to do his part.
That's right, although Ling Shuanghun looks decent and elegant, he is actually a kind and enthusiastic crane.
Thinking back to the beginning, when he and Yan Luoyue were still unfamiliar with each other, he was willing to take the initiative to invite her to travel together.
On the first day on the flying saucer, Yan Luoyue taught Wu Manshuang the multiplication table.
Ling Shuanghun taught Wu Manshuang the correct way to hold a pen.
On the second day after boarding the flying saucer, Yan Luoyue borrowed a vest from Wu Manshuang that was worn under the tent and began to study the isolation customization of the little snake.
All along, the reason why Wu Man Shuang could live in peace with the surrounding environment was not because he had layers of cloth wrapped around his body - in fact, the psychological comfort brought by those cloth strips far outweighed their actual effects.
The magic weapon that really worked was the skin of the alien demon.
That alien demon grew up eating all kinds of poisons and has a strong resistance to poison.
This characteristic is directly fed back to its body, making its skin and flesh resistant to and isolating from toxins.
When Wu Manshuang escaped from the Lu family's secret room, she took away half of the alien demon's skin.
He tanned the skin and sewed it into the gloves and close-fitting clothes that Yan Luoyue had seen before. He also used the remaining scraps to sew a pair of thousand-layer soles for himself.
In short, Wu Manshuang did not waste any materials.
It was only at this time that Yan Luoyue realized that Xiao Wu was actually a master of handicrafts.
... Come to think of it, it is not easy to live alone. If you want to do everything without asking for help from others, you have to know a little bit about everything.
Due to various reasons, the space inside the flying saucer is not very large.
Therefore, when Yan Luoyue sat on the left side of the flying saucer, she could hear the conversation between Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun on the right side.
Here, Yan Luoyue was lowering his head, concentrating on studying the skin of the alien demon and thinking about the design of the refining device.
At the same time, Ling Shuanghun was also teaching Wu Manshuang how to read seriously.
The Crane tribe produced many historians, and they have their own experience in how to cultivate literary literacy.
Ling Shuanghun had been influenced by it since childhood, so when he taught, it was very similar to the real thing.
He first said to Wu Manshuang: "Generally, learning Chinese characters starts with picture books. This way, pictures and texts are combined. If you don't understand a new word, you can guess the meaning of the picture to fill in the blank."
This made sense. Yan Luoyue listened to it and nodded in her heart.
Then, Ling Shuanghun took out a picture book... Well, no, it’s not accurate to call it a picture book.
Because what he took out was a cookbook.
Yan Luoyue: “…”
Wu Manshuang: “…”
Ling Shuanghun stroked his robe sleeve lightly, apparently feeling a little helpless.
He explained, "I left all the picture books for young children at home when I packed my luggage. I didn't take them with me. Now this is the only book with pictures in my bag... Xiao Wu, please bear with me for a while."
Wu Manshuang shook her head to indicate that she didn't mind.
Regardless of the medium, the words of recognition are always the same.
He could hardly speak before and learned it all by imitating other people's conversations.
Now that Ling Shuanghun was willing to teach him in person, Wu Manshuang was already very grateful.
Just like that, one of them pointed at the words and the other followed and read them.
Ling Shuanghun pointed at the first recipe with a picture: "Dragon-Tiger Fight."
Wu Manshuang recited: "Dragon and tiger fight."
Ling Shuanghun pointed to the second picture: "Salt and pepper snake steak."
Wu Manshuang's voice was a little hesitant: "...Snake steak with pepper and salt."
Ling Shuanghun's finger moved to the third picture: "Three chicken livers and snake slices."
Wu Manshuang read slower and slower: "Three chicken livers... um, and snake slices."
Yan Luoyue, who was sitting next to them, finally couldn't help herself - why did this teaching content seem more and more wrong the more she listened?
Standing up on the spot, Yan Luoyue walked over quickly to take a look and found that Xiao Wu's sitting posture had become stiff.
She looked at the book again: Wow, what a great book, it really is a cookbook!
The paper was filled with red-roasted, fried, fried, oil-soybean-grilled and salt-grilled food. The pictures were even printed in color, making one's appetite growl at the sight of them.
...But no matter how beautiful the picture is, it is useless.
Because the teaching material that Ling Shuanghun took out to teach Wu Manshuang to learn to read was actually a book called "One Snake, Hundred Ways to Eat - A Complete Snake Cookbook".
Yan Luoyue: “…”
Wu Manshuang: “…”
Yan Luoyue was very shocked. Could a book like this be shown to a little snake?
Ling Shuanghun was also very shocked: "So, Xiao Wu's family is from the snake clan?"
Seeing how Wu Manshuang had entangled him in a tangle of traps, he thought that he and the turtle tribe were distant relatives, like snails or something.
Or there could be some special monsters that are not suitable to be seen in the light, such as the earthworm monster and the rat monster.
"No." Yan Luoyue was very confused. "You don't even bring a literacy textbook, why do you carry a snake cooking recipe book with you?"
Ling Shuanghun stood up, straightened his already neat clothes, and said tactfully: "I am from the Crane Clan."
Snakes were originally among the prey of the cranes.
So it is obvious that this is another oolong case caused by the food chain.
Just like Sang Ji and the Yan siblings - don't forget, crocodiles are also the natural enemies of turtles.
Yes, the daily life of the demon race is so colorful, full of the thrill of discovering natural enemies and being discovered by natural enemies!
However, Ling Shuanghun's teaching method gave Yan Luoyue new inspiration.
That night, Yan Luoyue set the oral assessment item for Xiaoshe as having to recite the entire paragraph of "Listing the Menu" in full.
Ling Shuanghun: “…”
Ling Shuanghun looked at the honest little green snake with disdainful eyes and nodded seriously. He couldn't help feeling sad and resentful when he really took away a crosstalk to recite.
While Wu Manshuang wasn't paying attention, Ling Shuanghun quietly said to Yan Luoyue:
"I've checked. Xiao Wu's tone is a bit stiff, but he has no problem speaking in daily life. Admit it, Xiao Yan, you are bullying Xiao Wu."
Yan Luoyue replied quietly: "Hehe."
…
On the third day on the flying saucer, Ling Shuanghun taught Wu Manshuang some extracurricular knowledge during his free time in teaching her literacy.
"You said the word wu has two forks... Well, this view is very interesting, and it has a bit of the flavor of ancient Chinese characters."
Facing Wu Manshuang's puzzled look, He Yao smiled modestly and drew a pattern on the paper.
"This is the ancient form of the word 'wu'."
"Some people say that this is the appearance of the first batch of immortal cultivators holding staffs and swords in the past to reach the heavenly way. There is also a saying that the word "Wu" means thunder falling from the sky, penetrating the heaven and earth, and the mystery of the great way begins from this point."
When it comes to the unofficial history and miscellaneous studies that he is good at, Ling Shuanghun sits upright with his sleeves raised and talks eloquently.
Wu Manshuang pulled the piece of paper and looked at it for a long time, her eyes thoughtful.
After a while, he suddenly asked, "What does ancient writing look like?"
Ling Shuanghun replied subconsciously: "It is oracle bone script."
Wu Manshuang asked: "What is oracle bone script?"
Ling Shuanghun smiled and said, "From the meaning of the word, we can know that the so-called oracle bone script is of course the text engraved on the belly carapace of the black turtle..."
Before he finished his explanation, Wu Manshuang suddenly interrupted the conversation.
This was a rare occurrence in the past, because Wu Manshuang respected both knowledge and teachers.
But at this moment, Wu Manshuang seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"Xiao Ling... don't say anything for now."
"What?"
After being reminded by Wu Man Shuang, Ling Shuanghun suddenly felt that there was a creature approaching from behind.
He turned his head swiftly and agilely, like a white crane, but his action was still half a beat late.
Soon after, Ling Shuanghun saw Yan Luoyue looming silently behind him like a lingering shadow in the night.
On her finger hung a very familiar little golden leather ring.
Ling Shuanghun: “…”
——————————
The days on the journey were spent in the midst of cranes flying and jumping.
During this period, the first stop of the UFO was Akabane Castle, where the city lord Meng Jun was born.
According to the written rules of the immortal cultivation world, flying is prohibited over cities and certain special areas. Not only flying magic weapons, but also sword cultivators are not allowed to enter with swords.
Yan Luoyue put away the flying saucer, and the three of them walked through the city gate obediently.
In fact, they still have enough supplies, so it doesn't matter even if they bypass Akabane Castle.
But firstly, Yan Luoyue was concerned about the current state of Chiyu City, secondly, Ling Shuanghun wanted to record the follow-up matters of the Thousand Faces Demon's transformation, and thirdly...
Apart from the time when Emperor Cang escaped from the Lu family's secret room, Wu Manshuang had never had a proper stroll around the city market.
If all the Thousand Faced Demons in Chiyu City were eradicated, Yan Luoyue wanted to take the little snake to play in the city.
As he approached the city gate, Yan Luoyue nodded secretly in his heart.
All I saw were two large searching nets hanging squarely over the city gates. Anyone entering the city had to pass under the nets.
If a monk from another place asks about the origin of this silver wire net, the guard will briefly tell him that this net is specially used to identify the Thousand-Faced Devil.
"What? The Thousand-Faced Demon can also be identified?"
The monks standing in front of Yan Luoyue marveled in amazement and kept looking up at the silver net as they entered the city.
Yan Luoyue even heard two weapon refiners talking about it, thinking that the weapon refiner who invented this net would definitely stand out at the Hundred Refinements Conference. If they could meet him at this conference, they would be willing to pay for one.
Yan Luoyue shook her head and smiled: I really didn't expect that the one hundred nets she donated to Chiyu City would indirectly play a role in promoting goods.
At this time, a month had passed since Meng Jun came to ask for help.
Yan Luoyue and the other two walked on the street and felt that Chiyu City was in good order. The shops on the main streets were doing a booming business. The monks from other places poured into the city like drops of water and gathered into rivers on the streets.
This city was once poisoned to the core due to an accidental carelessness.
But thanks to the concerted efforts of the whole city, it has regained its momentum.
The Thousand-Faced Demon did not leave many scars in Akabane City.
Many cultivators who came from outside didn’t even know that Chiyu City had been closed for a month not long ago.
Little did they know that the city would fall apart in just a few moments.
Yan Luoyue looked at the city with a smile.
Beside her, the historian Bai He also had a gratified smile on his lips, and his ink pen flew up and down, recording on the scroll non-stop.
As for Wu Manshuang, it was the first time in his life that he stood on such a busy street.
There was an endless stream of cultivators coming and going. Wu Manshuang stood in the crowd in the middle of the street. She subconsciously wanted to take a step back, but Yan Luoyue grabbed her sleeve.
Little Moon shook his sleeves, smiled at him, and said briskly, "Let's go and try out the new equipment I made for you."
So, completely out of instinct, Wu Manshuang nodded several times.
The turtle tribe must have a magic trick called "obeying orders", otherwise it would be impossible to explain the magic of this incident.
When he thought of the fact that the battle cape on his body was forged by Yan Luoyue, Wu Man Shuang couldn't help but straighten his chest, trying to make his still strong body look even more slender, striving to be a qualified, pleasing to the eye, tall and long-legged clothes rack.
…………
Since it was Yan Luoyue's own identity that was used to enter the city, she did not immediately go to visit City Lord Meng Zhun, but first inquired about Yin Wangyou's residence.
This young alchemist girl is a celebrity in the city.
Relying on the corpses of the Thousand Faces Demon, Yin Wangyou developed the unique skill of dissecting the Thousand Faces Demon.
The Thousand Faces Demon Meridians she dissected can be used to refine the web and find more traces of the Thousand Faces Demon.
This virtuous cycle, similar to "chickens lay eggs and eggs lay chickens", continues until no more Thousand-Faced Demons can be found in the city and Akabane City returns to its former order.
When the monk who was asked for directions heard that Yan Luoyue and the other two wanted to find the medical girl, he immediately praised them highly.
He even bent down, picked up a branch, and drew a simple map for them on the ground.
Half a minute later, Yan Luoyue knocked on Yin Wangyou's door.
Seeing an old friend coming to visit, the girl, who was usually serious, couldn't help but reveal a warm smile in her eyes.
"Luoyue, you are here."
As soon as Yan Luoyue stepped into the yard, she was attracted by the thousands of demon corpses that filled the yard.
Most of these thousand-faced demon corpses had been dissected and dissected.
The appearance of the Thousand-Faced Demon is a light gray slime-like elastic fluid.
Some of them were spread out on the ground, some were hung on the clothesline in the yard, and some were lying on the dissecting table made up of two long tables in the center of the yard.
Yan Luoyue joked, "Forget your worries. If the landlord saw you using his house like this, he would probably faint."
Yin Wangyou raised his lips politely and said, "No, it won't. Because this courtyard was lent to me by City Lord Meng."
While talking to Yan Luoyue, Yin Wangyou secretly looked at Wu Manshuang behind her.
She had sold medicine in a place like the Silver Light Arena, where all kinds of people mixed together, and had seen countless dangerous people who were either fierce or arrogant.
But even though Yin Wangyou had seen a lot of the world, this boy in a cloak looked particularly special.
The young boy was wearing a hooded cape that matched his words, his face hidden in the shadow of the hood.
But when Yan Bixin puts on the cloak, everyone will understand that the black robe is just a tool for the weapon refiner to conceal his identity.
But this young boy is different. He is like a born assassin who blends perfectly with this cloak.
Moreover, whether it was Yin Wangyou's illusion or not, this cloak seemed to be more exquisite than Yan Bixin's. Not only did it outline the boy's slender figure, but even every fold of the hem revealed a simple and sharp style.
Yan Luoyue: Of course, this one worn by Wu Manshuang is a ULSS version specially made by her!
After all, Yan Bixin's black robe was just a work uniform, but Wu Manshuang's black robe was his daily uniform.
Yin Wangyou glanced at the young man in black robe without making any sound.
When he stood silently beside Yan Luoyue, his aura was so quiet that he seemed like an extension of Yan Luoyue's shadow.
And when he stretched out his hand, revealing a pair of dark and dull leather gloves, he looked like a shadow snake with muscles taut and ready to strike.
It seemed as if it could spring up at any time and anywhere, and before the opponent could react, its fangs had already pierced into the enemy's throat.
The young boy under the awning greeted her politely, and his tone sounded very special.
"Hello, Master Yin. My last name is Wu Manshuang."
"Witches are friendly, nice to meet you."
Yin Wangyou thought to himself: ...It's great to be rich. I want to be rich too. I wonder how much it would cost to hire such a powerful monk to protect me personally?
It was not until Yin Wangyou turned around and led the three people into the room to talk that Wu Manshuang, the aura leader who had been "silent and mysterious", immediately turned his eyes to Yan Luoyue.
Yan Luoyue gave him a thumbs up without hesitation.
"Manshuang, you are so cool!"
Ling Shuanghun also echoed: "Very good, Xiao Wu, keep it up."
He and Yan Luoyue agreed that in order to prevent Wu Manshuang from getting into trouble outside due to being too honest, they might as well cover the little Wu with a layer of mysterious paint.
With just a little modification, shyness can turn into aloofness, seriousness can turn into brutality, and even danger...
Ling Shuanghun smoothed out a wrinkle on his clothes with some hesitation and smiled at himself in his mind.
——Other qualities are fine, but when it comes to danger, Xiao Wu is just being himself.
While no one was paying attention, Wu Manshuang asked Yan Luoyue privately: "Thumb...what does it mean?"
Yan Luoyue smiled and said, "It's just praising you for being so outstanding and so good."
Wu Manshuang thought about it, and the next second, he gave Yan Luoyue three thumbs up.
Yan Luoyue was both amused and confused: "Are you giving three likes in a row?"
Shaking her head slightly, Wu Manshuang whispered, "My two thumbs and the one you just gave me are all given to you. It's you... the cloak you made is so outstanding and so good."
His whisper revealed a few words, which were heard by Yin Wangyou who was in the front.
Yin Wangyou turned his head with a bit of horror, and saw Wu Manshuang discussing topics like "thumb" and "gift to you" with Yan Luoyue.
Yin Wangyou: “…”
She is a medical practitioner, so she naturally knows the importance of thumbs to the human body.
If a person loses his thumb, more than two-thirds of the function of that hand will be lost.
In broad daylight, they openly discussed such a dangerous topic, and their attitude was so smooth and natural... This fellow Wu Daoist, he is really a professional!
————————
Yan Luoyue and Yin Wangyou talked in the inner room for a while.
As soon as his responsibilities were mentioned, Yin Wangyou immediately became more energetic.
She excitedly showed off her new discovery and introduced it to Yan Luoyue.
Yin Wangyou took out more than ten sandalwood boxes in succession and placed them on the table one by one.
"Look, these are the meridians I peeled off from different Thousand Faces Demon bodies."
Yan Luoyue looked at them one by one and said uncertainly: "It seems...it's getting thicker and thicker?"
"It's getting stronger and stronger. The meridian you pointed at is almost as strong as the left-handed screw of the demon. I'm surprised."
After correcting Yan Luoyue's statement, Yin Wangyou smiled slightly: "Luoyue, guess which owner of these meridians is the most powerful?"
Without hesitation, Yan Luoyue pointed his finger at the last box, which was also the one containing the thickest meridian.
"this?"
Didn’t Yin Wangyou say before that it was as hard as the left-handed screw of the demon?
Among many monsters, the left-handed helicoid has always been famous for its hard shell.
The Thousand-Faced Demon's meridians are so strong that they must be the strongest.
"No, that's not it."
Yin Wangyou gently pushed the box in the middle: "It's this one."
When this topic was brought up, Yin Wangyou's usually serious expression became even more serious.
She said: "Among the Thousand-Faced Demons in the city, this one is the best hidden and has absorbed the most memories after eating the monk. Even the monk's relatives, neighbors and even teachers are unwilling to believe that he is the Thousand-Faced Demon. If there is no search net..."
If there had been no search and trap, and only the testimony and judgment of relatives and friends had been relied upon, this Thousand-Faced Demon would probably have escaped, leaving behind endless troubles in Akabane Castle.
Yin Wangyou was fiddling with several boxes in his hands.
"I also thought at first that the thicker the meridians of the Thousand Faces Demon were and the more meridians there were, the stronger their abilities would be. But later I found that this was not the case."
"The thicker the meridians of the Thousand Faces Demon, the higher its toughness will be, but its ability to absorb memories will decrease. The same is true for weak meridians. There must be a balance point between thick and weak... The Thousand Faces Demon that reaches that balance point is the strongest."
Yan Luoyue answered casually: "Oh, an inverted U curve."
Yin Wangyou talked to himself, paying close attention and becoming more and more absorbed in the subject.
"Besides that, there is another point that puzzles me. The thickness of the Thousand Faces Demon's meridians is not fixed at birth, but is related to their food."
"But for some Thousand Faces Demons, their meridians become thicker after consuming more spiritual energy, while for some Thousand Faces Demons, their meridians only become more flexible after consuming more spiritual energy... What is the difference between the two, and why does such a difference occur?"
Seeing that Yin Wangyou was becoming more and more confused as he spoke, and was even getting a little too obsessed, Yan Luoyue immediately spoke up to change the subject.
"Forget your worries, do you want to go to the Hundred Refinements Conference with us?"
"I probably won't go to this Hundred Refinements Conference."
When announcing the decision, Yin Wangyou did not show much regret.
As an alchemist, she had no interest in participating in the Hundred Refining Conference.
Her original intention of attending the conference was to take the opportunity to look for clues about the strange fire.
And now...
"City Lord Meng thanked me for my help to Chiyu City and promised to find one to three clues related to the Strange Fire for me. If I really can't find any clues about the Strange Fire, he is willing to give me a flame flower from his 'Blue Heart Flame'."
Yin Wangyou nodded, obviously satisfied with the result.
Now, instead of going to the Hundred Refinements Conference to join in the fun and broaden her horizons, she would rather stay in Akabane Castle and continue to study the structure of these Thousand Faces Demons, and try to solve the mystery of the Thousand Faces Demons that has troubled her for a long time.
However, when Yin Wangyou heard Yan Luoyue mention the Bailian Conference, he remembered something.
"I heard from City Lord Meng that this year's Hundred Refinements Conference will be changed to Thousand Refinements Conference. Do you know about this news?"
"--Um?"
With a swish, Yan Luoyue raised her head unexpectedly.
Whether it is "hundred refinements" or "thousand refinements", they are both descriptions of the level of the conference.
The prerequisite for holding a Hundred Refinements Conference is to invite at least one Grand Master of Refinements and to ensure that at least 20 refiners with different types of fire participate in the conference.
The prerequisite for holding the Thousand Refining Conference is to invite at least five weapon refiners and to ensure that at least one hundred weapon refiners with different types of exotic fire participate in the conference.
Why did the level of this conference suddenly rise? Is there any other reason?
Yin Wangyou shook his head with regret: "For more detailed information, I'm afraid I have to ask City Lord Meng. What I know now is all heard from City Lord Meng."
But she was not an instrument refiner, so Yin Wangyou just heard the news about the Hundred Refining Conference without digging deeper into the issue.
Does City Lord Meng know more about the specific situation?
Yes, he was originally an instrument maker.
Yan Luoyue nodded: "Thank you, forget your worries, I understand."
…………
Since she was going to visit Meng Zhun, Yan Luoyue would inevitably have to change her identity.
That night, she took the aging pill, put on Yanbixin's exclusive black robe, tidied her cloak, and appeared quietly at the gate of the City Lord's Mansion.
Not long after the Thousand-Faced Demon disaster, the guards of the City Lord's Mansion were replaced.
These newly appointed guards were so sensitive to this kind of concealed attire that it became almost a conditioned reflex.
If it weren't for the huge silver net hanging motionless under the plaque on the roof of the mansion, the guards would have drawn their swords in an instant.
"Who is it?!"
The mysterious black-robed weaponsmith laughed hoarsely, and carefully extended two knuckles of his fingers wearing shark-woven gloves from under his robe sleeves.
"My last name is Yan. This is my visiting card. Please pass it to your city lord."
The guard took the note and looked warily at the man in black robe who was hiding his head and showing his tail.
He even stared at the name card carefully, fearing that as soon as it was opened, a puff of black smoke would immediately come out of it.
Yan Luoyue took in the guard's performance and began to collect materials happily: Very good, next time she encounters a similar scene, she will use the guard's performance as reference material.
Not long after the visiting card was delivered, hurried footsteps were heard from inside the mansion.
Upon learning that Yan Bixin was coming to visit, Meng Jun, the lord of Chiyu City, welcomed him with open arms.
Ten steps away, he could not wait and shouted in surprise and joy: "Master Yan! You are here as expected!"
The black-robed weapon refiner smiled and said, "City Lord Meng, how are you after such a long time?"
After hearing this conversation, the guards who had been alert just now suddenly changed their expressions.
The guard looked at the man in black robe with reverence.
At this moment, the guard no longer felt that the black clothes were a sign of hiding one's head and showing one's tail. Instead, he felt that the black robe was good, and the hood was wonderful. No matter how he looked at it, he could see the mysterious master's extraordinary demeanor.
"So you are Master Yan?"
Yan Bixin nodded slightly.
"Did City Lord Meng ever tell me about me?"
"Of course." Meng Zhun laughed.
After the Thousand-Faced Demon's dilemma was resolved, his spirits immediately became much better, and it seemed that he even had one less wrinkle on his forehead.
"The reason why Chiyu City was saved was mostly due to the Master's search and trap. I dare not take credit for it, so I will naturally tell the monks in the city about the Master's kindness."
Hearing this answer, the black-robed weapon refiner smiled again.
Although when the snare was first forged, no reward was expected.
But it does make people feel good to see that the people they helped still care about them.
Meng Zhun repeatedly invited Master Yan to come in and take the seat of honor, and then he ordered the servants to prepare the banquet, and personally served fragrant tea to Yan Bixin.
The two of them exchanged polite words for a while before Meng Zhun asked, "Master, why are you visiting my little Chiyu City?"
The black-robed weaponsmith sat upright, his hands clasped under his loose sleeves. "I was just passing by and came in to take a look."
Seeing that the people of Chiyu City are now living and working in peace and contentment, with everyone working together as one, Yan Luoyue feels at peace in his heart, as if he has accomplished something important.
The two chatted for a while, and the topic naturally shifted to the Qianlian Conference.
Meng Zhun said, "Unfortunately, this time the Hundred Refinements Conference has been changed to the Thousand Refinements Conference. Although the previous invitations can still be used, we cannot bring anyone in."
Originally, the invitation to the Hundred Refinements Conference allowed the refiner to bring one more person in addition to the refiner himself.
Ling Shuanghun herself has the invitation.
Originally, Yan Luoyue was planning to use her own invitation and bring Wu Manshuang into the conference.
Now it seemed that she would have to think of some additional solutions.
He rubbed the edge of the teacup, but did not pick it up to drink.
The weapon refiner asked hoarsely, "I will be heading to the Thousand Refining Conference soon. When will City Lord Meng leave?"
"This……"
Meng Zhun smiled bitterly, with an embarrassed look on his face.
"To be honest, Master Yan, I am afraid that I will not be able to attend this Thousand Refinements Conference."
The man in black robe raised his head slightly: "Why is that?"
The Hundred Refinements Conference is held once every ten years, and the Thousand Refinements Conference is even more rare.
Meng Zhun is not like Yin Wangyou. As a weapon refiner, he cannot participate in this weapon refiner's grand gathering. How can he not feel regretful?
Meng Zhun sighed and said, "Although the matter of the Thousand-Faced Demon has been resolved, the aftermath still lingers in the hearts of people throughout the city."
The scars on the body can be healed with a magic pill, but the scars in the memory require a long time to heal.
"At this juncture, Meng still stands in solidarity with the people of the city. It is better not to leave the city if possible."
There was a precedent of a large clan fleeing Chiyu City with its entire clan. Meng Jun, the city lord who saved the situation, was made to shine in comparison.
For a time, Meng Zhun's prestige in the city was unparalleled, and his role was like a stabilizing force.
It is not necessary for Meng Jun to really do anything, but as long as he stays in the city, it is a silent comfort to everyone.
At this sensitive time, if Meng Jun leaves Chiyu City for a month or two, it will trigger a lot of unnecessary speculation.
Meng Jun smiled, feeling a little disappointed but mostly relieved.
"I am a weapon refiner, but before that, I was the city lord for thirty years."
Although he himself could not attend the Qianlian Conference, he strongly advised Master Yan not to miss such a grand event.
"It is said that the reason why the level of this conference was raised to the Thousand Refinements is because there is a clue related to a treasure that is about to be revealed."
Under the umbrella, Yan Bixin raised his eyebrows.
If the clues to the treasure are so important, then the treasure itself must be even rarer.
For the weapon makers, the reason why they paid so much attention to it must be...
Meng Zhun sat upright and spoke word by word, "Master, your guess is correct. The treasure that the clue points to is the Crow's Cry Fire!"
“…”
Yan Luoyue blinked.
She thought half-jokingly in her heart: "The moon is setting, the crows are crying, and the sky is full of frost." The last time she heard this phrase, the little snake had a name. When she heard this phrase this time, both "setting moon" and "full of frost" happened to be there.
It seems that this treasure has an indissoluble bond with her.
He joked to himself in his heart that on the outside, the black-robed weapon refiner was still very elegant.
"Has Lord Meng heard what the clue is specifically?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Bixin noticed that there seemed to be something indescribable in Meng Jun's eyes when he looked at him.
Meng Zhun replied softly, "It is said that the clue to the treasure is a fragment of a map."
...Map? Map!
Subconsciously, Yan Luoyue thought of the box that Meng Zhun had given her.
By the way, the first map that Zhen Zhuoer gave me was found among Lu Jindu’s belongings after his death.
The young master of the Lu family is also a weapon refiner.
Facing the gaze from the shadow of the cloak, Meng Jun just smiled and said nothing.
The black-robed weapon master immediately sighed and said, "But you gave that gift to me."
This sentence is both an expression of emotion and a temptation.
Meng Zhun shook his head.
This time, there was more relief in his tone than when he gave up going to the Qianlian Conference before.
"Master Yan, I know myself well. Treasures should be owned by people with both virtue and ability, and I know that I am not a good weapon refiner."
Now, Yan Bixin no longer had any doubts about the fragment of the map.
Obviously, Meng Jun knew what he was giving when he first gave it as a gift.
But the city lord did not regret it, and even felt a sense of gratification in his heart as if he was giving the precious horse to a famous general.
The black-robed weapon master said with emotion: "No, you are a good weapon master. But before that, you were also a good city lord."
This is exactly how Meng Zhun defined himself previously.
But when it comes from Yan Bixin's mouth, it adds a touch of charm.
He and Master Yan smiled at each other, and Meng Zhun bowed slightly to him.
"Although I have only met the master a few times, he is a close friend of Meng."
The moon was at its zenith, and the branches of the phoenix tree were swaying gently in the night breeze.
Inside the study, the exchange of experience in refining flying instruments came to an end. Yan Bixin looked at the sky outside the window, stood up, and prepared to leave.
Meng Zhun personally stood up and escorted Master Yan all the way to the gate of the City Lord's Mansion. He then reluctantly invited the Master to come to the mansion for another meeting after the Qianlian Conference.
The black-robed weapon refiner nodded slightly.
Meng Zhun watched the master's figure blend into the night and disappear at the end of the long street.
Just as he turned around with a slightly melancholy look on his face, he saw his personal servant running towards him quickly.
"It's late at night, so be careful not to disturb your neighbors."
After instructing the servant, Meng Zhun asked, "What's the matter?"
The servant said, "I just cleaned up the study room as ordered by you... and then I found that Master Yan left this behind."
He held a square oil-paper package in his hand. Meng Zhun was slightly startled, then quickly took it and opened it.
Then, the Lord of Akabane City saw a silk leather notebook.
This notebook records many experiences in refining instruments, and also summarizes more than a dozen rare but useful refining techniques.
The entire notebook is covered with fresh ink, and it is obvious that it has been recently selected from old notes.
Apparently, Master Yan had already prepared this gift before knowing what the incomplete picture represented.
Touching the cover of the notebook lovingly, Meng Zhun exclaimed: "You are truly worthy of being called Master Yan!"
————————
The flying saucer was driven by the spirit stone and drove on its own according to the route planned by Yan Luoyue.
In the room, three people each took a pen and were busy with their own things.
Yan Luoyue wrote and drew, making a rough draft for refining a weapon; Wu Manshuang reviewed yesterday's homework and marked a few unfamiliar words; as for Ling Shuanghun, he was sorting out the book of unofficial history notes that he regarded as a treasure.
Everyone was sitting in a corner, and from time to time someone would make a small noise, but there was also a different kind of warm silence.
Suddenly, this peace was broken by external shock.
The next moment, the body of the UFO shook heavily, and then it sank involuntarily.