Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Plotting Against Each Other

Lou Yun’s shout of "you dead fatso" instantly snapped the stout man back to his senses. Strangely, far from getting angry, his expression grew increasingly excited. He licked his lips and said, "Kid, I really misjudged this badly. Didn’t expect you’d be loaded with treasures all over! Hehe, I’m rich! So rich!"

Before the words fully faded, the stout man suddenly snapped his wrist. His fan sent forth a powerful gust that formed a miniature tornado roughly a meter tall in midair, which fiercely swept towards Lou Yun.

Just by this display of weapon techniques, Lou Yun knew this stout man was definitely not weak. Casually waving a fan to unleash such a formidable attack was beyond ordinary folk.

However, Lou Yun himself wanted to give it a try and gauge just how strong the opponent truly was. Hence, he decided not to dodge with his movement skill, but instead clenched his fist and punched straight into the oncoming tornado.

Sky Thunder Explosion!

His fist plunged directly into the core of the whirlwind. The spiritual energy he had gathered for a while within his fist instantly burst forth, abruptly transforming into a cluster of thunderstorm that violently exploded.

"BOOM!"

Amid the explosion, the tornado was naturally blasted apart. Though a small gust of wind still reached Lou Yun, it posed no threat whatsoever.

Seeing this, the stout man’s pupils contracted sharply. Clearly, he couldn’t believe that his weapon skill, performed with his magical weapon and his own power, had been casually dispersed by Lou Yun with a single fist.

Successful with his strike, Lou Yun’s confidence surged. His feet shifted, propelling him towards the stout man, his fist raised high, ready to land another blow.

However, at that precise moment, the stout man suddenly shouted, "Hold on!" while simultaneously retreating swiftly backwards, widening the gap between them.

Lou Yun’s punch met air. He didn’t pursue further but stopped, looking at the other with a puzzled expression. "What do you want now?"

"Hehe," the stout man chuckled. "Kid, with my status, if word gets out that I fought you, wouldn’t people laugh their teeth out? That earlier bit, I was just giving it a try to see your ability. And it suddenly occurred to me, since you’re a skilled weapon maker and you’ve shown up here, you must be heading for the forging conference, right?"

Lou Yun scoffed inwardly at the first half of the statement, but the second part struck a chord. Hmm, he’s right. Since he’s also a skilled weapon maker and passing through here, he must be going to the forging conference too. His magical weapon realm is beyond my perception—at least human-level magical weapons master. And he could immediately identify the rank of the common weapon I just forged. Surely his own rank as a weapon master isn’t low. Could he possibly know Beichen Ming?

Although Lou Yun felt zero goodwill towards this stout man, if he truly knew Beichen Ming, Lou Yun couldn’t very well just retaliate carelessly. So, he hesitated slightly.

Spotting Lou Yun’s hesitation, the stout man knew his guess was right. He grinned broadly, "Little lad, since you can forge a high-level common weapon, you should be a third-grade skilled weapon maker, right? Going to the forging conference this time must be to advance your rank or get a placement, right? Well, let me tell you, for a nobody like you among skilled weapon makers, advancing won’t be easy. But here’s the thing! Stick with me, and I promise I can get you promoted to fourth-tier skilled weapon maker, land you in the top twenty, and you can keep any rewards afterwards. You know, the organizers of the forging conference are incredibly generous; the rewards they offer are definitely premium goods. What do you say?"

Lou Yun saw right through it. This fat man was trying to tempt him with promises—advancement, a top twenty placement. Though he wasn’t familiar with the exact setup of the forging conference, it was obvious these offers would be hugely tempting to any other obscure magical weapons master. Unfortunately for the stout man, he was dealing with Lou Yun, who held no interest in such lures.

Lou Yun smiled faintly. "Your willingness to help boils down to wanting my cauldron. But honestly, I’m not interested in what you’re offering. Besides, I’ve only been learning forging weapons for about two years. I don’t have any formal rank or grade. This is my first forging conference, really just to gain experience and broaden my horizons."

“You’ve only been forging weapons for two years?” The stout man seized on Lou Yun’s statement, his face a mask of astonishment.

“Yeah, just over two years.”

After a stretch of silence, the stout man finally grasped something significant. “Who’s your master?”

“Mr. Commoner!”

Lou Yun was absolutely telling the truth, and he felt certain this stout man had definitely never heard of his master.

Sure enough, after pondering for a long while, the stout man still shook his head. “Never heard of this ‘Mr. Commoner’. Let me ask you, did your master teach you all your forging skills?”

“Not exactly. I knew how to forge weapons before I met my master!”

“No one taught you?”

“No. Though, a second-tier skilled weapon maker did give me pointers a few times. After that, I could do it.”

The stout man fell silent. His shifty eyes studied Lou Yun, darting rapidly. Honestly, he found Lou Yun’s words hard to swallow. Becoming a skilled weapon maker was notoriously difficult. Even accounting for geniuses, it stretched belief that someone could forge a high-level common weapon after merely two years of learning. He concluded Lou Yun was lying.

The reason the stout man had suddenly shifted tactics from robbing to offering benefits was a stark realization: Lou Yun, young as he was, possessed an exceptional cauldron, an impressive ring, and such formidable strength—he was clearly no ordinary youth. Either he hailed from some prominent family or was a disciple of a master.

If the stout man had been confident he could kill Lou Yun outright, he wouldn’t have hesitated. But witnessing Lou Yun’s power, his confidence vanished. He worried—what if he failed to kill Lou Yun? If Lou Yun escaped and reported back to his sect or clan? Then he, the stout man, would be in deep trouble!

Faced with this, most would abandon their coveting of the Chaos Golden Cauldron. Yet the stout man simply couldn’t let go. Having forged weapons for many years and seen numerous cauldrons, he had never encountered one as exquisite as what Lou Yun held. Thus, despite everything, scheming thoughts persisted in his mind.

The only way to secure the treasure cauldron without inviting relentless pursuit was to eliminate Lou Yun silently, ensuring no witnesses. But with Lou Yun’s formidable power, how to achieve that?

After deep contemplation, another devious plan sprouted. He waved his hand, stowing away his fan. A strained smile crept across his fleshy face. "Young brother, if what you say is true, well, you are a rare forging prodigy! Since this is your first forging conference, you must be unfamiliar with many rules and procedures. How about… we travel together to the event? Relax, I genuinely can’t bear to see a forging talent like you go unrecognized. No ulterior motives whatsoever."

Lou Yun naturally didn’t believe a word. However, he was intensely curious about how this stout man intended to acquire his Chaos Golden Cauldron. Moreover, the stout man had a point—Lou Yun truly knew nothing about the forging conference’s rules or schedule. The venue wasn’t much farther from here. After a brief moment of consideration, Lou Yun also smiled and nodded. "Alright then, let’s travel together. I might need your guidance along the way."

Hearing Lou Yun agree, the stout man beamed with unconcealed glee, nodding repeatedly. "Just as the saying goes, no discord, no concord! Since we’ve met, let’s call each other friends, no need for formalities. Rest easy, young brother, I’m not bluffing—I hold a fair bit of reputation and standing within the forging community. Most skilled weapon makers show me considerable respect. You’re sure to gain invaluable insights following me!"

Lou Yun maintained his facade of a smile. "I actually haven’t learned your illustrious name yet. I genuinely don’t know who you are."

"Haha!" The stout man laughed proudly. "I can tell you’re a novice fresh out for experience! Here, take a look at this build of mine. What does it remind you of?"

As he spoke, he deliberately spun around twice before Lou Yun, showcasing his physique.

What else could it remind me of but being an utter glutton! Lou Yun thought silently. Of course, he wouldn’t voice that. He only shook his head faintly. "I really can’t tell. Better just tell me straight."

The stout man boomed with laughter. “Alright, alright, I won’t keep you hanging. Well then, I bear the surname Ai, Donghua. But people who know me think my name sounds awkward. Instead, they play on the homophone of my name and just call me ‘Short Winter Melon’—quite fitting for my figure actually! You don’t need to be polite either; just call me Short Winter Melon from now on!”

Lou Yun nearly laughed out loud, only managing to suppress it with effort. The world’s vastness holds endless marvels indeed! To think someone could feel smug and genuinely delighted about being called ‘Short Winter Melon’! Still, since the fellow clearly relished the moniker, Lou Yun saw no reason for restraint. "Short Winter Melon it is. So, what grade skilled weapon maker are you?" He had to admit, the name rolled off the tongue exceptionally smoothly.

As expected, Short Winter Melon took absolutely no offense, laughing heartily instead. “Me? Presently fifth-tier skilled weapon maker!” His voice swelled with pride.

A fifth-tier skilled weapon maker on Spirit Weapon Star was indeed considered a highly-placed artisan. After all, even Beichen Ming, among the very highest rank, only stood at seventh-tier.

“Impressive, Short Winter Melon! Truly didn’t expect you to be fifth-tier!”

“Hahaha!” Short Winter Melon clearly basked in the praise, puffing up with satisfaction. “Oh, it’s nothing much really. Only fifth-tier is all.”

“Then, you’re attending this forging conference aiming for a promotion to sixth-tier, right?”

Lou Yun’s follow-up question instantly choked Short Winter Melon’s laughter, catching it in his throat. He coughed hard a few times before finally replying with a note of grievance, “Young brother, seems you truly don’t understand! Going from fifth to sixth-tier? A task far from simple! Currently, the whole Spirit Weapon Star holds barely a dozen sixth-tier skilled weapon makers! Maybe… after a few more years, I might stand a chance. This time? Absolutely impossible!”

Though spoken lightly, Lou Yun’s keen mind registered the words. He truly hadn’t known sixth-tier skilled weapon makers were so scarce. He’d been worrying about how to gain some reputation and achieve a respectable placement, lest he disappoint Beichen Ming. If I can’t directly reach sixth-tier this time, wouldn’t defeating a fifth-tier skilled weapon maker be sufficient?