Chapter 134: Smithing Method

After returning to the Lou Clan, Lou Mu Yan went to the Smithing Room first to see Huo Xiao.

There was a secret courtyard in the Lou Clan which was basically unknown to outsiders. After Huo Xiao arrived with Lou Mu Yan’s letter, Lou Mo Yu arranged for him to live in it.

Lou Mu Yan still concealed her appearance. After entering the secret courtyard, she went to the specially built Smithing Room. As soon as she walked to the door, she felt a rush of heat.

A layer of Restrictions was placed at the door of the Smithing Room by someone. She raised her lips, swept the Restriction with her Mental Energy, and found a loophole in a flower stand by the door.

With a casual wave of her hand, a burst of Elemental Energy shot out and the Restriction instantly revealed a gap that could just accommodate a person, and she immediately slipped in.

With the Restriction touched, Huo Xiao, who was currently smithing inside, yelled: “Who!”

Lou Mu Yan didn’t push open the door directly, but instead stood at the door and said one word: “Me.”

The door opened immediately and Huo Xiao, who had tangled, messy hair and wrinkled clothes, practically flew out from inside.

“Little Master, you’re finally back!” Huo Xiao felt that tears were about to wet his eyes. His Master finally appeared.

Lou Mu Yan glanced at Huo Xiao with disgust and went straight into the room, scanned the messy Smithing Room, and her brows furrowed unconsciously. She found what appeared to be a clean spot, sat down, and said: “Huo Xiao, can you stop being so sloppy?”

Where was this like a Smithing Room, it was basically a pigsty. No, it was even worse than a pigsty.

Huo Xiao knew that his Little Master liked cleanliness, and found that the room was indeed messy, so he scratched his head in embarrassment and said: “Little Master, I’ve been focused on studying a Magic Treasure and forgot to clean. I’ll clean it up later.”

“How it is? Are you used to living here?” Lou Mu Yan also knew his natural disposition and no longer remained tangled up with the issue of hygiene. Either way, only Huo Xiao, himself, lived here.

Huo Xiao nodded: “I’m used to it, but I just miss Little Master.”

The corner of Lou Mu Yan’s lips twitched slightly. What did she have that was worth for him to miss, “Enough, I’m here to ask you about your future plans.”

“Naturally I want to follow Little Master.” Huo Xiao winked at Lou Mu Yan and made a look as if he had suffered bitterly and nursed deep hatred, saying pitifully: “Little Master, you won’t not want me anymore, right?”

“Since I accepted you as a Disciple, I naturally won’t not want you.” Lou Mu Yan pushed Huo Xiao, who had neared her, away. Just how long hadn’t this person taken a bath, “In fact, I need to trouble you for something.”

“You’re my Master, please tell me if you have anything to order, saying you need to ‘trouble me’ makes it feel as if I’m an outsider.” Huo Xiao said with a smile.

Lou Mu Yan felt that she indeed didn’t choose incorrectly when she accepted this Disciple. She took out a jade slip from her interspatial ring and threw it to Huo Xiao, “This is a method for smithing which is perfectly suitable for you to use right now. You can come to me and ask if you have any questions.”

Huo Xiao’s eyes beneath his messy hair were astonishingly bright. He carefully took the jade slip and probed it with his Mental Energy to study. As he read and read, he unconsciously became engrossed by it.

Half a day later, when he snapped out from reading the smithing method in the jade slip, he discovered that his Little Master was already no longer in the room.

After hurriedly running out of the room and looking around, he found Lou Mu Yan drinking tea in the shade under some vines in the courtyard, enjoying the cool.

“Little Master.”

For Huo Xiao, if at first it was because he was attracted by Lou Mu Yan’s rich knowledge of smithing, then now, after reading the smithing method in the jade slip, he was completely loyal.

This kind of smithing technique could cause a sensation in Tian’ling Continent if it were revealed. Not to mention Grade 3 or 4 Smiths, probably even Grade 5 Smiths or even higher-level Smiths would desire it.

“Is there anything you don’t understand after reading the jade slip? I’ll stay in the Imperial Capital for three days. In the three days, you can come to me to resolve any confusions.” The smithing method that Lou Mu Yan gave Huo Xiao was something that she had thoroughly studied countless times in her past life, so it was easy to answer any questions.

Huo Xiao said with excitement in his eyes: “I do. There’s a part in this smithing method that said…”

Huo Xiao told her all the parts he didn’t understand before, and after Lou Mu Yan heard it, she gave out incisive answers with two or three sentences, which made him suddenly become enlightened. He didn’t dare to underestimate this Little Master even more. There was even a feeling of worship for her that rose within him.

One questioned and one answered like this for most of the day. Within the three days, Huo Xiao was constantly studying this smithing method and whenever he encountered any incomprehensible parts, he would go to the courtyard and ask Lou Mu Yan. Lou Mu Yan also didn’t conceal anything and clarified for him one by one.

On the third night, Lou Mu Yan discussed with him again before leaving.

“Huo Xiao, I have to leave the Imperial Capital for some time for some things. You can just stay in this courtyard researching the smithing method and stabilise your understandings as a Grade 3 Smith first.”

“Alright. I’ll listen to everything Little Master says.” Huo Xiao was currently completely convinced by Lou Mu Yan, and there was only one thought in his heart. He’d follow her all his life with thickened skin and be hard to shake off.

Lou Mu Yan smiled with satisfaction and said: “I’m going to build a private army of one hundred people for the Lou Clan. Their Magic Treasures will be handed over to you to forge, and I’ll let my dad send you the materials.”

What were Disciples used for? After teaching, naturally they were used for hard work.

“Alright, I must build a private army with the strongest forces for Master.” With Little Master’s smithing methods, his smithing skills would be even better. Making high-quality Magic Treasures for one hundred people would merely take some time and effort, but it was his honour to do things for his Master.

Lou Mu Yan nodded with a small smile and stretched out her hand to pat the cleaned Huo Xiao, “Smithing is a must, but you must also take care of your body too!”

“Little Master, I’ll combine work and rest like you said, so you can go to the Ye Clan with an ease of heart. Leave the Magic Treasures the Lou Clan needs to me.” Huo Xiao was deeply moved in his heart. After living for so long, no one had ever cared about his body. But he didn’t display his feelings, and instead remembered it in his heart.

“Then thanks for your hard work!” Lou Mu Yan didn’t hesitate to exploit this Disciple, but she was also exceptionally generous. When she directly gave a piece of Heavenly Frost Golden Crystal to Huo Xiao earlier, it almost frightened him stupid.

“It’s not hard work. It’s worth all the hard work as long as it’s for Little Master.” Huo Xiao buttered up to her inwardly, feeling exceptionally pleased. Recognising her as Master was truly too correct.

Bing Ji who stood on Lou Mu Yan’s shoulders just didn’t like that look of fawning and pursed his lips in distain: “Sycophant.”

“Bald bird, you try and say that again.” Huo Xiao rolled up his sleeves and wanted to step forward to ‘take care of’ that colourful parrot that mocked him all day long. Don’t think that just because you’re Little Master’s Spirit Pet that your tail can turn upwards towards the sky1.

Bing Ji’s eyes were full of ridicule, “Just you, a sloven, and you dare threaten This Uncle2? Tsk, go cultivate another hundred years.”

“Do you believe that lao’zi3 will puck all your feathers out.” Huo Xiao stretched out his hands to try to catch the colourful parrot.

Lou Mu Yan couldn’t help rolling her eyes. This human and that bird argued as soon as they saw each other. Her head hurt just from listening.

“Enough. Huo Xiao, you go back and rest. I’ll be leaving.” Lou Mu Yan stopped Huo Xiao’s outstretched hand, otherwise he’d definitely chase the bird all over the yard chaotically.

“Master.” Huo Xiao looked at Lou Mu Yan aggrievedly, “Why don’t you stay one more night and leave tomorrow morning?”

He actually felt really reluctant for Little Master to leave. She was beautiful and kind-hearted, talented and had high comprehension—he really didn’t know which stinky boy would be blessed with her in the future.

“Sloven, you…” Just as Bing Ji wanted to continue taunting, he was stopped by Lou Mu Yan’s gaze that appeared to be throwing a cold knife at him, and he reluctantly shut his mouth.

Translated product by May Our 梦 Come True

1like stick your nose up to the sky, meaning to be arrogant.

2arrogant term of self-address.

3just a reminder that: lao’zi’ technically translates to ‘your father’ but in this case, considering it’s usage in another novel of this author’s I’m translating, translating it to ‘your father’ is just weird. It’s an arrogant way of saying ‘I’, used often by men. I’m going to keep it as it is. Geez, these numerous self-addresses that they have to the point I can’t even find anymore translations for it LOL

Note: So I realised that I used ‘Master’ to translate two different words ‘师傅’ and ‘主子’. Technically speaking, they’re both translated as ‘Master’ everywhere else you look, Google, other novels etc, probably. But 主子 also has the meaning of ‘owner’, which is what Lou Mu Yan is to Bing Ji, while 师傅 (you’d often hear it as ‘shi’fu’ in English-speaking movies and shows or whatever) is a Master that might teach you things, like a teacher, but more intimate because being a 师傅 of someone usually means they teach you practically everything they know and you inherit most, if not all, their knowledge (usually) and you, as a Disciple, get other benefits like obtaining special Magic Tools or weapons or stuff much easier, usually as gifts. Anyways, point is, if you see the words ‘Little Owner’ or ‘Owner’ come out of Bing Ji’s beak in future chapters (to translate 主子), that’s me, once again, deciding to change the translation lol. Which means I’ll also once again go back to change the translation in previous chapters (when I’m bothered XD)