So, Andrew arrived before Zhong Shenxiu’s small "courtyard" and hesitated before finally knocking on the door.
The few people in the courtyard, including Xia Luo, felt quite surprised because the gate wasn't latched. If it were Zhong Shenxiu and Robin returning, they would have pushed the door open and entered, not gone through the unnecessary step of knocking. So, who could this visitor be?
Xia Luo’s first thought was that one of her subordinates had come looking for her, so she rushed to the door first.
But when she opened it, what greeted her eyes was an unfamiliar dwarf, which astonished her to the point of being momentarily flustered!
Andrew’s surprise was no less than hers. He thought to himself, aren't there only two children living here? How did a woman suddenly appear? Could he have gone to the wrong place?
To confirm, Andrew scrutinized the house number again and proved to himself that he was at the right location; he hadn't made a mistake!
“Excuse me, are you—” Xia Luo was the first to speak.
Andrew’s expression remained rigid. It didn’t improve even though Xia Luo was a beautiful woman (perhaps in his eyes, Xia Luo wasn't beautiful at all). With his characteristically booming voice, he asked, “Are there two children here, one named Zhong Shenxiu and one named Robin?”
Xia Luo started, realizing that anyone who dared to refer to Zhong Shenxiu and Robin like that was clearly not here with good intentions. However, she wasn't worried about Zhong Shenxiu and Robin at all; instead, she found herself curious about Andrew, so she nodded and asked again, “May I ask what you need?”
“I’ve come to confirm a few things!” Andrew replied succinctly.
“You’ve come at an inconvenient time. They aren't here right now!” Xia Luo answered truthfully.
“I can wait,” Andrew replied, not entirely trusting Xia Luo’s words.
This put Xia Luo in a difficult position. Allowing Andrew to wait outside seemed rude, but letting him in was beyond her authority.
(At that moment, she finally understood why Angeliya had looked so troubled when facing her that day!)
Xia Luo apologized briefly and quickly called Angeliya over, explaining Andrew's purpose to her as well.
Angeliya also couldn't make the decision, nor did she dare let Andrew in without authorization.
Andrew stared at the two of them with a dark expression, thinking, why are women so indecisive?
Just as they were at an impasse, Li Si walked over. After understanding the situation, he immediately said, “You must be Master Andrew; I recognize you. I bought something from your shop!” With that, he ushered Andrew inside!
Xia Luo and Angeliya exchanged glances. Although neither of them stopped Li Si, they felt deep concern over his action.
Upon entering the small courtyard, Andrew encountered the same situation Xia Luo had: he failed to notice the "Gravity Array" and stumbled, nearly falling.
Xia Luo stifled a laugh and quickly warned Andrew to be careful. But Andrew, being a seasoned blacksmith, didn't ask many questions after learning it was a Gravity Array, though he found it strange.
However, when he spotted the makeshift shed Zhong Shenxiu had erected, he could no longer contain his curiosity. As an expert, he recognized it instantly as a furnace used for artifact forging.
But just as he moved closer for a better look, Angeliya blocked his path.
“Please do not touch things here casually!” Angeliya’s usual icy demeanor returned!
This couldn't be blamed on Angeliya being unfriendly; it was simply because everything there belonged to Zhong Shenxiu. If Andrew accidentally broke something or caused an error, and Zhong Shenxiu was displeased, she wouldn't be able to bear the consequences!
Although Andrew was angry, he said nothing, merely pursing his lips and thinking: It's just a broken furnace, what’s the big deal? Compared to the forging techniques of our Dwarf Clan, it’s far inferior!
Afterward, Andrew stood to the side, waiting for Zhong Shenxiu and Robin to return. Although Angeliya and Xia Luo busied themselves with their own tasks, their eyes kept flickering toward Andrew, their expressions suggesting they were ready to act instantly should he make any sudden move!
Time ticked by, but there was still no sign of Zhong Shenxiu or Robin. Given Zhong Shenxiu’s nature, he wouldn’t return until the library closed for the day!
Andrew was inherently impatient, and waiting around doing nothing was unbearable for him, so he finally decided to leave!
Li Si was very hospitable and personally escorted Andrew to the door, repeatedly assuring him that he would inform Zhong Shenxiu and Robin about Andrew's visit!
Without further ado, darkness had fallen by the time Zhong Shenxiu and Robin finally returned!
Today, Zhong Shenxiu had read extensively from books on fire magic. While he still couldn't solve the problem of the "Samādhi True Fire," the reading had brought him significant enlightenment!
On the way back, Zhong Shenxiu was contemplating how to apply these insights to artifact forging. Though he had a nascent idea, it wasn't entirely clear yet!
As soon as Zhong Shenxiu and Robin entered, Li Si rushed forward and told them about Andrew’s visit, adding the detail that this Andrew was the owner of the "One Furnace Fire Weapon Shop"!
Angeliya and Xia Luo listened intently, ears perked up as if afraid to miss a single word.
After hearing Li Si's account, Zhong Shenxiu found it strange. He believed he had no prior dealings with this Andrew, so why would he seek him out?
However, upon learning that he was the proprietor of the "One Furnace Fire Weapon Shop," Zhong Shenxiu chuckled inexplicably. It seemed a "visit" was in order!
Having made a decision, acting upon it was Zhong Shenxiu's consistent principle! He immediately took Robin and headed straight for the "One Furnace Fire Weapon Shop"!
When Angeliya and Xia Luo saw Zhong Shenxiu and Robin leave the courtyard, though they didn't ask, they could guess where the two were going just by thinking about it!
They exchanged a look, and the two women achieved a unity of purpose unprecedented before: they would secretly follow to see what was happening—surely something interesting was unfolding!
Since they knew the location anyway, and Zhong Shenxiu hadn't restricted their freedom, they were free to go wherever they pleased!
However, leaving the small courtyard unattended was out of the question; what if a thief came? (Though, if a thief did come, they’d be terribly unlucky!) Ultimately, the responsibility of guarding the house fell to Li Si.
Li Si was extremely agreeable and immediately nodded his consent!
.
Meanwhile, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin arrived before the "One Furnace Fire Weapon Shop" and pushed the door open directly, shouting upon entry, “Who is Andrew?”
Yilunuo stomped over angrily, wanting to see who dared to address his master by name so casually.
But upon seeing them, he froze—they were just two children.
Zhong Shenxiu had some memory of Yilunuo; he had seen this dwarf the last time he visited the shop.
“Hey, go get Andrew; tell him the person he was looking for is here,” Zhong Shenxiu said to Yilunuo.
Yilunuo was incensed by Zhong Shenxiu's tone, but upon hearing it was his master he was being asked to summon, he held back his temper and turned to leave, presumably to find his master!
A short while later, Yilunuo indeed returned accompanying Andrew.
Andrew blinked in surprise when he saw Zhong Shenxiu and Robin. Although he knew they were children beforehand, he hadn't expected them to be this small!
“Are you Andrew?” Zhong Shenxiu stared directly at Andrew, as if trying to see straight through him!
Andrew suddenly felt an inexplicable pressure, but he maintained his composure and stated, “I am!”
“Hey, old dwarf, why did you come looking for me at my place today?” Zhong Shenxiu flashed an evil grin, a sign known to those familiar with him that some scheme was brewing in his mind.
Yilunuo nearby didn't expect this child to push his luck further, daring to address his revered master so disrespectfully. He was immediately about to flare up and kick Zhong Shenxiu out, but Andrew stopped him!
Although Andrew was also angry, he needed to endure until he understood the truth he sought! He then composed himself and explained his intentions.
Zhong Shenxiu found the situation amusing. He hadn't expected Andrew to seek him out over Robin "snapping Sheryl's longsword" that morning! And he certainly hadn't expected that sword to be forged by this old dwarf!
“Hey, old dwarf, you want Robin to perform for you again today, is that it?” Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes began to sparkle with cunning.
Andrew swallowed his anger and nodded. He didn't believe that the frail little girl Robin could break the sword he meticulously crafted; more importantly, he needed to regain his own dignity!
“Old dwarf, how about we make a deal?” Zhong Shenxiu’s smile deepened!
“What deal?” Andrew asked instinctively, not yet realizing the precariousness of his situation.
“No offense, but the swords here aren't great! I know you won't agree with my assessment, but facts are facts!” Before discussing the deal, Zhong Shenxiu used a provocation technique, then moved to the main point: “How about this: to prove the truth of my words, I'll let Robin break your sword. But I won't work for free. For every sword she breaks, you give me a piece of ore that I choose, how about that?”
No one would have guessed that after learning Andrew's intent, Zhong Shenxiu had used his "Spiritual Wave" to scan the surroundings. To his surprise, within Andrew's forging room, he discovered a mineral—an extremely precious ore called "Spirit Locking Stone"!
Andrew remained silent, not out of fear, but because Zhong Shenxiu’s words had rendered him speechless with anger.
“If you don’t dare, forget it. Don't worry, I’ll keep it a secret for you,” Zhong Shenxiu added fuel to the fire.
“Who says I don’t dare!” Andrew finally managed to utter after a long pause.
“So, you agree to my deal?” Zhong Shenxiu pressed.
“The forging art of our Dwarf Clan has a long history, and the weapons we forge are absolutely guaranteed for quality. Never mind breaking one, even—”
Zhong Shenxiu had no patience to listen to his endless rambling; instead, he gave Robin a meaningful look, as if signaling:
Robin, you can start working!