"Ding~ ding~ ding-a-ling~"
The rhythmic sound of metal striking echoed in the desolate Chishi Village.
Outside the west wall of Chishi Village, a house covering an area of one mu was built within a month.
Yang Hong did not use spells above the third level of Qi Refining to construct this house. Instead, he hired the villagers of Chishi Village to help by paying them with first-grade spiritual rice.
While a month might seem slow for construction, it's important to remember that the crimson stones used to build the house had to be dug up from the Gobi Desert, around 10 zhang underground.
The spiritual rice Yang Hong offered was too enticing. Villagers of Chishi Village, from ten-year-old children to eighty-year-old elders, all pitched in, greatly accelerating the construction of Yang Hong's house.
After the house was built, Yang Hong considered a way to make a living in Chishi Village.
Otherwise, if he only cultivated all day, what would be the difference between that and being imprisoned in a seal?
He was hiding from the Buddhist sect, not imprisoning himself!
Moreover, he wouldn't stay in this small village for long. He was a cultivator and intended to venture into a vaster world.
After consideration, Yang Hong decided to open a blacksmith shop in Chishi Village.
He chose a blacksmith shop because the conditions were just right.
About 60 li west of Chishi Village, there was a coal mine, a semi-open-pit mine. Chishi Village had developed here for a hundred years because of this coal mine, which provided warmth during winter.
At the same time, about 20 li southwest of the coal mine, there was a small iron ore deposit. After being weathered by desert storms for a thousand years, it had become an open-pit iron mine.
With these two mineral resources, the blacksmith shop had a natural foundation.
In addition, the Jun stones that the villagers of Chishi Village panned for in the Gobi Desert were also a type of ore, and a valuable one at that, ranging from first to third grade, which could be used to refine magical artifacts.
Given these natural conditions, it would be a shame for Yang Hong not to open a blacksmith shop.
Furthermore, who could have imagined that an inconspicuous blacksmith would be the renowned Yang Hong throughout the Great Sui Dynasty and even the entire Taiyuan Continent?
"Boss Yang, is my hoe ready?"
Just as Yang Hong was basking in the satisfaction of his "low-key" arrangements, a slightly aged voice sounded before him.
"Elder Liu, your hoe is almost ready. See, I'm forging it now."
As he spoke, the clanging sound of blacksmithing did not cease.
"Boss Yang is such a good person. A cultivator who personally forges metal, it's truly not easy and very rare."
"Elder Liu, you flatter me. Aren't you also a cultivator, with a higher cultivation than this junior? Yet you still personally farm?"
Yang Hong replied with humility while continuing to forge the forming hoe.
"This old man is old and useless now, so I can only scratch out a living from the land myself."
"Elder Liu, you're being too modest.
If it were when I first arrived, I might have believed you. But I know that the Hai Ting Feng grown in Chishi Village is the best among the nearby villages, not only in terms of yield but also in taste."
"Heh heh~ This old man just has this little hobby. I'm content if I can grow enough food for the village children."
"Then I wish you, Elder, even more delicious Hai Ting Feng."
Although Yang Hong was chatting with the old man, his hands did not stop moving, and the "ding-ding-dang-dang" sounds played a pleasant melody.
"High Mountains Flowing Water~~
Young man, your hammering has a great rhythm. Listening to it, it surprisingly carries the charm of 'High Mountains Flowing Water'."
"Does Elder understand music? I'm just hammering randomly."
"To be able to produce such a rhythm by hammering randomly, you are truly a genius. How about I send my grandson to you to learn blacksmithing?"
"I think it's a good idea. I just don't know if Little Fatty can endure the hardship."
Yang Hong paused his hammering for a moment, then resumed. However, he did not refuse.
"If that brat dares not to see me, I'll skin him. Young Yang, you keep hammering. I'll go bring that brat here."
Upon hearing Yang Hong's agreement, Elder Liu stopped watching Yang Hong forge and disappeared with a turn.
He didn't come today for any hoe. His sole purpose was to find a master for his grandson.
He had traveled and experienced life and death. Although his cultivation was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, he possessed basic discernment.
Although Yang Hong's family deliberately maintained a low profile, the inherent grandeur and noble aura they unconsciously exuded were beyond that of ordinary rogue cultivators.
He wouldn't be like Chen Xiao Hu, who thought Yang Hong was just a pretty boy living off women. Anyone with eyes could see Yang Hong's position as the head of the family.
That's why he so abruptly and eagerly proposed that his grandson, Little Fatty, learn blacksmithing from Yang Hong.
Having lived a long life, Elder Liu had become shrewd. He didn't dare to directly ask to be taken as a disciple, but...
"Disciple Liu Fei greets Master~"
Elder Liu soon returned with Little Fatty, whose formal name was Liu Fei.
This little fatty had been instructed by the old man Liu beforehand. As soon as he saw Yang Hong, he shouted to greet his master and was about to kneel.
Unfortunately, Yang Hong gave him no chance. With a surge of true energy, he froze Little Fatty stiffly, even separating and fixing his hands that were clasped in a salute.
"There's no need for discipleship. My cultivation is shallow, and I'm not yet qualified to take disciples.
Little Fatty can be a shop assistant here. You can watch me forge metal during your free time. Whatever you learn is up to you."
Yang Hong looked at Elder Liu with a smile. He spoke humbly, but his refusal was very clear.
"Then~ then I'll trouble you, Boss Yang."
Elder Liu gave a sheepish smile. He didn't object, nor did he dare to.
He understood that his subtle intentions had been seen through, and Yang Hong not directly exposing them was already giving him great face.
"Smack~ Silly boy, haven't you greeted Boss Yang yet?"
Elder Liu seemed a little annoyed and heavily smacked Little Fatty on the head.
Little Fatty bowed and said, "Boss Yang."
"Mm~"
Yang Hong merely nodded faintly. Elder Liu, seeing this, took a piece of silver metal from his waist and offered it to Yang Hong with both hands.
"Boss Yang, this is something I obtained during my travels in my early years. It's second-grade spiritual iron, Mian Mi Yin."
"Second-grade spiritual iron? That's quite rare.
However, fellow Daoist, please take it back. There's no need to be so polite. I said I would teach him, and I won't go back on my word. How much you learn will depend on Little Fatty himself."
Yang Hong took the spiritual iron, glanced at it, and tossed it back to Elder Liu.
While this second-grade spiritual iron was a treasure in Elder Liu's eyes, to Yang Hong, it was just trash.
"This~ this~ this isn't right, is it?"
Elder Liu fumbled to catch the fist-sized piece of spiritual iron, looking very nervous and cherishing it.
"It's decided then. Otherwise, you can take Little Fatty back."
"Yes~ Alright, thank you, fellow Daoist, thank you, Boss Yang."
Elder Liu thanked him profusely. If Yang Hong hadn't stopped him, he would have already knelt.
Yang Hong looked at the somewhat dull Little Fatty, shook his head, and then suddenly said to Elder Liu.
"Elder Liu, please inform the villagers. Anyone who wants to learn blacksmithing techniques is welcome to observe. I will teach them all, but how much they learn depends entirely on the individual."
"Ah~ Thank you~ Thank you, Boss Yang."
Elder Liu didn't know why Yang Hong was being so generous, but it didn't stop him from being excited.
"Alright, Elder, your hoe is ready."
Yang Hong, who had not stopped working, placed a finished hoe with a handle into the cooling liquid, then lifted it gently and handed it to Elder Liu.
"Oh~ Boss Yang has marvelous skill! You've already forged...
Hiss~ A first-grade magical artifact!"
Elder Liu's eyes widened in disbelief.
While chatting and blacksmithing, he had forged a first-grade magical artifact hoe from ordinary iron ore!