Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Observing Puppet Refining and an Exchange

A month later, after finishing his meditative cultivation, Lu Zhao finally received a mission Jade Scroll from the Hundred Arts Pavilion to refine an Ironwood Guard.

After careful consideration, Lu Zhao decided to bring along his nominal student, Zhou Bin. This was both a reward for Zhou Bin’s recent performance and a way to reassure his father, Zhou Hua.

He needed to show Zhou Hua and the faction behind him that he was truly invested in teaching Zhou Bin, even allowing him to observe such an important session of Puppet Refining.

Lu Zhao stepped into Zhou Bin’s abode and immediately saw him engrossed in a thread-bound book.

’This boy may be dull, but he’s obedient. His simple nature is actually a merit,’ Lu Zhao thought to himself.

The book Zhou Bin held was none other than *Spirit Pattern Basics*, which Lu Zhao had given him to study. Lu Zhao himself had started with this book years ago, honing his skills step by step to achieve his current mastery.

Seeing Lu Zhao arrive, Zhou Bin scrambled to his feet and bowed. "Tea...cher." He stammered, seemingly struggling to get the title out. After that, he simply stood with his hands at his sides.

"Come with me." Without another word, Lu Zhao turned and walked away.

Zhou Bin followed close behind, silently trailing Lu Zhao to the Hundred Arts Pavilion. Lu Zhao found a Steward and collected three sets of materials for the Ironwood Guard. Then, the master and disciple entered Refining Chamber B-13.

Once Lu Zhao activated the Hidden Barrier Protection Array in the Refining Chamber, a semi-transparent curtain of light rose, silently sealing the entire chamber.

He pointed to a simple meditation cushion nearby. "Sit down. Focus your mind and calm your qi. I am going to refine an Ironwood Guard today, and I’m allowing you to observe the entire process. Watch attentively and commit it to memory. This practical experience is crucial for building your foundation in puppetry."

"Yes, Teacher." Zhou Bin replied respectfully, giving a deep bow.

Lu Zhao paid him no more mind and turned toward a massive pile of Ironwood. The first step in refining an Ironwood Guard was to process this Main Material. He raised his hand, and a thick log of Ironwood levitated into the air before him.

"Ironwood is tenacious, its grain coarse. If you cut and carve along its natural texture, you not only save Magical Power, but also preserve its innate Spirit Patterns to the greatest possible extent," Lu Zhao’s steady voice explained.

Before the words had even faded, a Carving Knife appeared in his hand. Lu Zhao’s gaze, as precise as a ruler, scanned the Ironwood’s natural grain. An instant later, the knife sprang into action!

SHING! SHING! SHING! The entire process was as smooth as flowing water. In just over ten breaths, Lu Zhao put the knife away. And yet, this was only the preliminary preparation.

Having done all this, Lu Zhao glanced at Zhou Bin, meeting a pair of clear but uncomprehending eyes. As expected, the boy hadn’t understood a thing.

Lu Zhao looked away, focused his mind, and held his breath, dedicating his full attention to the subsequent refining. He had to be extremely cautious with the following steps, as the slightest mistake would render all his previous efforts useless.

Seven days drifted by. Lu Zhao focused his mind and concluded his technique. Standing before him was a finished Ironwood Guard. His luck was quite good this time—he had successfully refined a Puppet from only two sets of materials!

With the refining complete, Lu Zhao finally looked at his student again. "You’ve observed the entire process. Have you had any insights?"

"Stu... Student... is dull-witted..." Zhou Bin lowered his head deeply, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum, full of shame.

This reaction was exactly what Lu Zhao had expected. He knew perfectly well: ’It would be strange if an apprentice who hasn’t even finished the basics could gain any insight from his first time watching an Entry Tier Puppet being refined.’

He put on a stern face, playing the part of a strict teacher, then immediately softened his tone. "Don’t be so hard on yourself. The path of puppetry is incredibly demanding of one’s will and Heart Power. It is perfectly normal to not have any insights the first time you observe an Entry Tier refinement. If you didn’t get anything this time, there’s always the next."

Hearing this, Zhou Bin looked as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He let out a long sigh, his eyes full of gratitude as he looked at Lu Zhao.

"That’s enough for today. Go on and rest." Lu Zhao nodded, then added, "Quietly reflect on what you’ve seen these past few days. Even if you gain nothing, do not become impatient."

After Zhou Bin left and the Refining Chamber fell quiet once more, Lu Zhao’s thoughts turned to another matter—how to move to an abode with a better Spirit Vein.

The Spiritual Qi concentration in his current abode at the Cold Bamboo Garden was barely sufficient for his own cultivation and was beginning to slow his progress.

The Zhou Family Marketplace did have abodes for rent on a Tier One Middle-Grade Spiritual Vein, but the price made even the current Lu Zhao wince—fifteen Spirit Stones a month, which amounted to one hundred and eighty Spirit Stones a year!

It was common for two or three tenants to split the rent and take turns cultivating. But Lu Zhao was unwilling to share, and the price of renting alone was far too steep. His thoughts inevitably turned to Zhou Hua and his faction.

If someone from a Zhou Family faction could pull some strings for him, he might be able to use an abode on a Tier One Middle-Grade Spiritual Vein for a nominal fee of Spirit Stones.

An hour later, Lu Zhao placed an Ironwood Guard Puppet on the inspection counter at the Hundred Arts Pavilion. After a careful examination, the Steward in charge of inspections said:

"The joints connect smoothly, Spiritual Power conduction is unobstructed. It passes." The Steward retrieved a thick ledger from under the counter. "As per the rules, the payment is eighty percent of the market price after deducting the material costs."

Lu Zhao gave a slight nod, watching as the Steward wrote in the ledger, "One Ironwood Guard, valued at eighty Spirit Stones. Minus twenty-five Spirit Stones for materials, times eighty percent, equals a payment of forty-four Spirit Stones." The Hundred Arts Pavilion’s payment structure was identical to the Hundred Arts Camp’s.

The Steward took out forty-four Lower Grade Spirit Stones and gave them to Lu Zhao. He accepted them and placed them in his Storage Bag.

After concluding his business, Lu Zhao left the Hundred Arts Pavilion. The morning mist had not yet fully dispersed. He wandered around the Marketplace a couple of times before turning into a teahouse. He chose a window seat on the second floor, which overlooked most of the Marketplace, ordered a pot of Cyan Mist Tea, and mulled over the recent events.

"The Hundred Arts Pavilion’s buyout price is twenty percent lower than the market’s." He took a sip of tea, calculating in his head. ’But the advantage is the stable orders and guaranteed material supply.’

Soon, Lu Zhao’s thoughts returned to the matter of the Spirit Vein. He planned to raise the issue with Zhou Hua. ’I just need to be tactful. Zhou Hua is no fool; he should understand immediately.’ The matter lingered in his mind.

「Three days later. Nine Abyss Pavilion.」

Zhou Hua was arranging Talismans on a shelf when he heard a noise at the door. He looked up, and his face immediately broke into a wide smile when he saw Lu Zhao. "Mr. Lu, what a rare visitor!"

"Shopkeeper Zhou, it looks like business at the Nine Abyss Pavilion is doing even better than before!" Lu Zhao said with a cupped-fist salute, his eyes sweeping around the shop.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Hua replied, "Thanks to you, Mr. Lu, business has indeed picked up recently." He led Lu Zhao to the Quiet Chamber and personally poured him a cup of Spirit Tea. "Are you here for some materials today, Mr. Lu?"

Lu Zhao accepted the teacup but did not drink from it immediately, instead placing it gently on the table. "Actually, there is something I’d like to ask. The Hundred Arts Pavilion has been buying up Ironwood Guards lately. I was wondering if that has affected business at the Nine Abyss Pavilion?"

Zhou Hua laughed heartily at this. "You worry for nothing, Mr. Lu. The Hundred Arts Pavilion sells all its Puppets to the Outer Counties. We at the Nine Abyss Pavilion do business in Changfeng County. Our markets don’t overlap."

"I see." Lu Zhao let out a long breath, a look of relief spreading across his face. "I was so worried it would affect your business, Shopkeeper Zhou."

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