NOVPUBA few days into chatting, they heard a shout from outside.
"Dad, is the Hundred Steel Sword I ordered ready yet?"
Xu Zimei turned his head and saw a short-haired girl walking in, wearing a somewhat worn white shirt. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
The girl sported a bob cut, willow brows sharp as knives, and bright, piercing eyes.
She wasn’t a peerless beauty, but still above average in looks.
Though she wore no makeup, there was an innate beauty about her, leaving an impression of being carefree and relaxed.
As the girl entered the shop, she immediately spotted Xu Zimei and his companion.
After looking them over, she smiled and said, "New here?"
"Just arrived in Cangyan Town today," Tian Shi replied with a smile.
"This is my daughter Lin Qing," the man beside them introduced, "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself earlier.
I’m Lin Bao, the leader of Cangyan Town."
Xu Zimei and his companion hastily introduced themselves as well.
"Dad, since they don’t have any work yet," Lin Qing quickly suggested, "why don’t you let them help out at your blacksmith shop?
You’ve been working alone, providing tools for half the people in the town. It’s pretty tough for you."
"No need, there’s a shortage of hands everywhere in town, and I can hold on for a little longer," Lin Bao shook his head.
"Agricultural tools are still alright, but we’re seriously running low on combat weapons," Lin Qing replied, "Those monsters can bite through our equipment in one go.
The townspeople are worried you’re too busy and have seldom brought it up.
Having them help you could ease your burden.
Making more weapons is also being responsible for the town’s people."
After hearing Lin Qing’s words, Lin Bao pondered for a moment and finally turned his gaze to Xu Zimei and his friend.
"We both can," Tian Shi said with a smile, "as long as the town leader is willing to teach us, we’re willing to learn."
"Good," Lin Bao smiled and said, "Let’s not be so formal, you can call me Uncle Lin from now on."
"Uncle Lin," Tian Shi and his friend quickly nodded.
Lin Bao looked at Lin Qing and said, "First, take these two to find a room.
Let them rest today, and tomorrow they can start learning blacksmithing with me."
"Follow me," Lin Qing nodded and said to Xu Zimei and his companion.
...
The three walked down the fairly lively street, the architecture appeared very monotonous.
People’s living spaces were just one room next to another, lined up in rows.
Each residence was only a small house with no so-called courtyards, gardens, or ponds.
"From now on, you two will hang with me," Lin Qing said to Xu Zimei and his companion, "you could consider yourselves as my father’s apprentices, which, in a sense, should make you call me Senior Sister."
"Don’t be ridiculous, Junior Sister," Xu Zimei waved it off and replied, "you’re still not as old as either of us."
"It’s not about age, it’s about seniority," Lin Qing quickly retorted.
"Brother Tian, doesn’t the sun seem especially bright today?" Xu Zimei looked up at the sky and said casually.
"Indeed, Brother Xu, the wind also seems rather boisterous today."
The two kept chatting amongst themselves, while Lin Qing yelled from the side, "I’m talking to you two, are you listening?"
Throughout the journey, Xu Zimei and Tian Shi bobbed their heads back and forth, ignoring Lin Qing, which led her to leave in a huff after delivering them to their destination.
...
Watching Lin Qing stomp away, Tian Shi said, "I, a Great Emperor, can’t possibly become the junior brother of a milk-nosed kid."
"What if people find out that my imperial might is still around?"
"Still wet behind the ears?" Xu Zimei laughed, "If we go by the timeline, she seems to be several eras older than us."
"That’s still no good," Tian Shi hurriedly shook his head and asked, "On our way here, did you notice anything?"
"What’s there to notice," Xu Zimei shook his head, "The people here seem generally weak.
The strongest one is just the town chief, merely at the True Vein Realm.
The rest are at the Condensing Vein, Spirit Vein, and most are even just at the Mortal Vein Realm."
"You mustn’t underestimate this Mythical Era; there are monsters here that can even rival a Great Emperor," Tian Shi said, "We better stay put here until the timeline stabilizes, and then we will naturally return.
In the meantime, let’s not create any unnecessary complications."
Xu Zimei nodded.
In the afternoon, the two took a walk around the area.
There were no other towns within a hundred miles of Cangyan Town.
According to the townspeople, there is a large tribe in a distant place.
However, the road is long and fraught with many monsters, so no one can really make it there.
...
As evening approached, Lin Qing brought the cooked meals to the two’s room.
Xu Zimei looked at the meal which consisted of some simple coarse grains, realizing that the living conditions here were even tougher than he had imagined.
"I’ll have you know," Lin Qing looked at the two of them, puffing up with pride, "These two servings of food, are what I made for my junior brothers.
If you eat them, that means you’re acknowledging yourselves as my junior brothers."
Xu Zimei and the other exchanged a smile, sensing that the other person really had the nature of a child.
But they could understand; the person was quite young, and it’s no surprise she was excited to finally have a couple of junior brothers.
"Then we won’t eat," Xu Zimei and his companion shook their heads and turned to lie down on their beds.
Seeing this, Lin Qing became somewhat anxious and quickly said, "Hey, what are you doing?
It was just a joke, come on, eat up.
Don’t starve yourselves."
Hearing Lin Qing’s words, Tian Shi smiled and from his Storage Ring, he took out a small blue Array Plate and handed it to Lin Qing.
He said, "Don’t be upset, consider this a gift for our first meeting."
"What’s this?" Lin Qing took the Array Plate, asking curiously.
"An Array Plate," Tian Shi explained with a smile, "If you ever find yourself in danger, just inject Spiritual Energy into it, and it can protect you for some time."
"There’s such a thing?" Lin Qing curiously flipped over the Array Plate.
The existence of Array Plates was something that mankind had developed during the Wild Desolation. In ancient times, people would set up Formations by condensing Array Seals.
It was incredibly complex, and Array Masters’ self-defensive capabilities were very weak.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Tian Shi," Lin Qing smiled, touched by the gesture, "At this moment..."
At this point, she suddenly turned to look at Xu Zimei, "Brother Zimo, don’t you feel embarrassed?"
"Your change of face is really fast," Xu Zimei was taken aback.
"Don’t make it hard for your brother Zimo. He’s poor, it’s understandable," Tian Shi interjected, making a snide remark.
"I must admit your provocative strategy is pretty low-level, but I just somehow fall for it," Xu Zimei said, gathering Spiritual Energy around him.
With a grand gesture of his hand, the Nightmare Beast appeared before him.
"What a cute little beast," Lin Qing cried out in surprise the moment she saw the Nightmare Beast, immediately embracing it in her arms.
Then she smiled and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Zimo."
