Seeking a Way Out

Seeing their respectful attitude and the way the group behind them kept their heads bowed, Yao Xiaoxiao’s suspicion diminished significantly. However, it was replaced by a surge of hostility. She stood with her small hands on her hips and said arrogantly, "Hmph... is my Little Grand-Uncle someone for shady riffraff like you to just see?"

Previously, the seven forging workshops had ruthlessly attacked Xu Xian’s forging workshop without a word of explanation. It had caused her a great deal of trouble and cost her many pills. She had not forgotten that debt.

The girl was naturally one to hold a grudge. Now that they had been defeated and had come to their doorstep in such a pathetic state, she intended to vent her frustrations by making things difficult for them. As her Little Grand-Uncle always said, sometimes indulging in a bit of lip could be quite satisfying.

Although the master forgers behind Li Xun were at the end of their ropes and had lost their pride, they were still genuine craftsmen. Being older men, their expressions soured at being treated so poorly by a young slip of a girl. Shame and anger flickered in their eyes.

Zhou Yashan, in particular, was known for his short fuse. He pointed at Yao Xiaoxiao and barked, "You little girl, where are your manners? What kind of attitude is that?"

Yao Xiaoxiao looked at him out of the corner of her eye, completely unfazed. "This is my attitude," she challenged. "If you don't like it, why don't you try hitting me?"

"You—!"

"Don't dare to?"

"What a sharp tongue."

"Coward. If you haven't got the guts, then keep your mouth shut."

Zhou Yashan’s face turned various shades of blue and white, and he nearly fainted from rage. However, he was well aware of the girl’s background. As a descendant of Elder Yao, he didn't dare do anything to her. He could only swallow his pride and suck it up.

The others were equally indignant and glared at her, but the leader, Li Xun, remained as calm as ever. "Miss, please go and inform him," he said neutrally.

Yao Xiaoxiao sized him up for a few moments, her eyes flickering with uncertainty, but her stance remained firm. "I won't. Get lost. My Little Grand-Uncle has nothing to say to people like you."

Li Xun’s expression darkened slightly. Ignoring the girl, he projected his voice loudly. "Li Xun of Shanhai Academy, a seventh-rank spirit forger, accompanied by the masters of the six forging workshops, requests an audience with Master Xu!"

"Can't you understand human speech?" Yao Xiaoxiao snapped, annoyed.

However, before Li Xun could respond, the sound of hammering inside the workshop suddenly ceased. A lazy voice drifted out.

"Xiaoxiao, let them in."

Hearing this, Yao Xiaoxiao scrunched up her nose and gave a reluctant "Oh" before stepping aside to make a path.

"Go on in, then."

As they passed, Xiaoxiao waved a small fist in warning. "Behave yourselves, or I'll have my uncle bury you all in the dirt."

The group: "..."

'A tiger fallen on the plains is bullied by curs.' There was perhaps no better way to describe their current plight.

The group entered the hall one after another. Xu Xian was already seated at the head of the room, looking as though he had been waiting for some time.

The masters huddled together, their gazes shifting toward the young man in the center. With his long hair tied back and dressed in practical sword robes, the youth appeared somewhat pale and tired, as if he were just recovering from a serious illness.

He looked nothing like the rugged men who usually forged swords. Even Li Xun, a scholar who had turned to forging halfway through his career, looked sturdier than him.

To be honest, had they not seen it with their own eyes, it would have been difficult to believe this youth was a sixth-rank spirit forge master. However, a certain domineering aura could be seen in the lines of his brow. The light in his eyes hinted at a hidden cunning; it was no wonder he had managed to use so many schemes to force them into their current predicament.

"Greetings, Master Xu!" Li Xun took the initiative to speak.

Xu Xian acted as if he hadn't heard him. He took a slow sip of tea, unhurried, making no move to greet them or invite them to sit.

The group remained silent, waiting quietly. Although this lack of hospitality was technically a breach of etiquette, they weren't exactly guests. They were here to beg for a favor.

After a while, Xu Xian set down his tea cup. He glanced at them out of the corner of his eye and got straight to the point. "I'm quite busy, so I won't bother with the pleasantries. Just say what you need to say while standing. Why have you come to see me?"

It was a blatant show of dominance. Or perhaps it wasn't even that. It felt more as if he had never considered them worthy of his attention in the first place. In his mind, they weren't even opponents in this game. Such a powerful presence caused everyone's expressions to turn grave. Their gazes kept shifting back to Li Xun.

Li Xun bowed slightly in a traditional Confucian gesture and forced himself to speak. "We have come today for two things."

"First, to apologize. We wish to offer our sincerest apologies to Master Xu. We were far too impulsive in recent days and offended you. We hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us."

After he finished, Xu Xian gave a polite but detached response. "Business is business. Transactions are made by mutual consent. Different strategies and different goals lead to inevitable competition. It was all normal market behavior. There is no need to apologize, and I won't take it to heart."

The group felt a collective sense of unease as they looked at each other. They couldn't read him. This youth was truly inscrutable, his thoughts running incredibly deep. His words were beautiful and made him seem magnanimous, but if they weren't still standing there being ignored, they might have actually believed his nonsense.

Xu Xian tapped the table lightly and added, "Continue..."

Li Xun gritted his teeth. A flicker of gloom passed through his eyes, but out of necessity, he continued. "Master Xu, to have such a broad mind at such a young age... I truly admire you—"

"Cut the nonsense," Xu Xian interrupted bluntly.

Li Xun’s face grew even more unsightly. He lowered his eyes and said, "The second matter... we are here to plead with you. We hope Master Xu can stay his hand and leave us a way out."

Having heard what he wanted to hear, Xu Xian pointed at the group behind Li Xun. His gaze was sharp as he asked, "Does his word carry weight?"

It was a sudden, unexpected question. Li Xun was confused, and the people behind him were equally bewildered. In their state of uncertainty, they nodded dumbly to confirm.

"It does!"

"Yes, he speaks for us!"

Xu Xian nodded slightly, looking thoughtful. After a moment, he spoke. "I don't like beating around the bush. I sent word to you before. You had two paths: deliver the goods or pay the penalties. Since you've come to me, it seems you don't want to choose either."

Li Xun looked troubled and spoke honestly. "I won't hide it from Master Xu. We truly have no way left. We can't sell the beast carcasses we have, our capital chain has broken, and with over three hundred orders per workshop, we simply cannot finish them in a month. Even if we could, the price of immortal gold in the Central Plains is skyrocketing. We truly cannot afford it..."

Xu Xian sneered. "That is your problem. It has nothing to do with me."

"But..."

Xu Xian raised his hand again, cutting Li Xun off. "Enough. I'm not here to listen to your excuses. Difficulties, difficulties... who doesn't have them? I'll say it again: what does that have to do with me? If I had been the one in trouble before, I doubt any of you would have let me off the hook."

Li Xun was speechless. The others lowered their heads in silence.

"So, don't complain to me. It's useless." Xu Xian paused, his tone suddenly shifting as he relented. "However, since you've come all this way to find me, I can point out another path for you."

The eyes of the group visibly brightened. Li Xun grabbed onto this final lifeline and said urgently, "Please, Master Xu, enlighten us."