Chapter 219: Trying to Please the Public with Claptrap
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Su Yu was in a daze. Could it be that his comments had unintentionally offended the shopkeeper?
“Do you know who refined this sword?” the elderly man said. He was probably in his sixties and wore a bitter expression.
“I don’t know,” Su Yu said, shaking his head calmly.
The old man hummed through his nose. “Ignorant and disrespectful! There is only one top-grade crafting master in the Heaven Treasure Building, and he is Master Lin!”
After pondering for some time, Su Yu questioned calmly, “Am I supposed to know him?”
“What an ignorant kid!” the 60-year-old man berated him furiously. He clearly felt as if he had been humiliated. His voice was extremely loud, and it attracted the attention of several onlookers. When they noticed the old man, a number of strong martial artists revealed expressions of veneration.
Even some strong martial artists of Dragon Realm Level Five could not keep quiet. One of them said, “Today is the day that Master Lin’s first disciple, Lin Huainan, is in charge of selling Master Lin’s crafted equipment in the crafted equipment district, right? What a pity! If I had known this would happen, I would have come here earlier and get Lin Huainan to remember my face. I do not seek to form ties with him, but I wish that he could mention me to Master Lin.”
Another Dragon Realm Level Five laughed. “Who is that silver-haired kid?” he said. “His clothes are ragged, and his abilities are not too bad. However, he dared to find fault with Master Lin’s crafted equipment and stirred up trouble intentionally!”
“At Alliance City, it is a crime to not know about Master Lin! No wonder Lin Huainan is angry!”
Su Yu was astonished at what he heard and saw. Having overheard the martial artists’ conversation, he raised his eyebrows slightly. It seemed he had offended a famous crafting master.
Nevertheless, Su Yu replied dully to Lin Huainan’s rebuke.
“I only used my eyesight to determine the defects in his equipment,” he said. “I did not criticize him based on false facts. Hence, how am I at fault? The road to crafting equipment is to constantly improve. If he refuses to face his faults, then it will be difficult for his equipment to become a great treasure in the future.”
Lin Huainan flew into a rage, laughing derisively at Su Yu and mocking him on the spot. “Junior!” he said. “Do you think you are worthy of advising my master? The level of my master’s craftsmanship has transcended worldliness and attained holiness. Within the Alliance City, no one can surpass him. Who do you think you are? What makes you worthy of pointing out the faults of my master? If you wish to become famous, it is a pity, but I must tell you, you do not need to waste your time!”
Many people with outstanding abilities from the Hundred Territories gathered in the Alliance City and fought to prove their superiority. People who wanted to become famous were everywhere. However, becoming famous at this kind of place was more difficult than ascending to Heaven. As a result, many underhanded means had surfaced to allow one to become famous. Belittling prominent people and pleasing the public with claptrap, just to gain attention, were shortcuts to allow one to become famous.
Lin Huainan shook his head with digust. “I have seen many ignorant young men like you who tried in vain to become famous! However, if you wish to get my home master to train you, I can only say that you are extremely stupid! With the position and identity of my home master, do you think he will argue with a nameless junior like you?”
Su Yu shook his head slightly. His eyes were filled with disappointment. “Then all of you can continue to be ignorant of your faults. If I were to give my crafting materials to a crafting master like your master, I could not be at ease.”
After his speech, Su Yu turned and headed outside.
“Since you cannot achieve your objective, you defile us by saying that we refuse to face our faults? What a joke!” Lin Huainan called after him. He detested this kind of underhanded means, and he shook his head coldly. “Do not return again. The Heaven Treasure Building does not welcome you!”
Su Yu ignored him. As many people criticized him, he acted as if no one was present. Without another word, he left.
“Huainan, what happened?” Lin Huainan heard someone ask.
Lin Huainan’s old body trembled, and his eyes were filled with excitement as he looked toward the second level of the Heaven Treasure Building.
The second level was not open to outsiders. Or, more accurately, it was only open to a select few. The only people who were able to enter the second level were experts and influential officials.
His master had shut himself out from the outside world on the second level to craft equipment, but the commotion on the first level had caused him to awaken abruptly. Now, he questioned Lin Huainan.
“Master, that person who caused trouble found faults with the equipment you have crafted, and I have chased him away,” Lin Huainan replied with respect.
Master Lin said indifferently, “He found faults with my equipment? I still have a long way for me to go before my craftsmanship achieves the level of a real master. It is unavoidable that there are defects. Hence, do not hurry to disagree with people in the future.”
“Yes, master!” Lin Huainan said. He felt his master’s open-mindedness deeply. “However, master, the little kid this time around was only being difficult to gain attention. Hence, master, you need not take it seriously!”
Master Lin shook his head lightly. His disciple did not understand the meaning of his words completely. He could not help but sigh as he asked, “How did he make things difficult?”
“This little kid thought he knew everything,” Lin Huainan explained. “He talked wildly and claimed that there were cracks in the sword that Master crafted! That is simply ridiculous. The standard of Master’s craftsmanship is perfect and exemplary. How can there be cracks—?”
“Wait!” Master Lin interrupted him. “Did he say how many cracks are there?”
Lin Huainan’s expression turned serious at the interruption. He did not understand, but he repeated Su Yu’s words. “He said there are three fine cracks!”
“Did he really say that there are three?” Master Lin spoke a bit faster, and his tone was filled with surprise.
Lin Huainan’s heart pounded in his chest. “Yes, he said three… Master, could it be that within the sword that you crafted…?”
“Huainan,” Master Lin sighed. After a long pause, he continued. His words were filled with reproach. “I am afraid that the person you met is not someone who is here to cause trouble. Instead, he is… a man of noble character! This sword is for the purpose of exhibition. Hence, I did not craft it to the best of my abilities, and a flaw existed. When the sword was finished, I realized that there were three fine cracks. It was too late to remedy those three cracks, but I did not expect even a noble person to be able to see the inside of the sword from the surface and accurately discover its flaw! That’s amazing!”
Lin Huainan felt like he had been struck by lightning. He stood looking up at Master Lin, stupefied! In his eyes, that young man had simply been trying to please the public with claptrap… Instead, what he said was actually all true!
“Huainan, where is that person?” Master Lin said eagerly. “Please invite him here for a chat. I want to see him face to face.”
Lin Huainan was dumbstruck. His face instantly turned unpleasant—as though the heavens had collapsed. His voice was faint as he muttered, “Yes, master!”
Everyone had a shocked expression, as though they had seen a ghost, but Lin Huainan wore a look of shame. He hurried out of the Heaven Treasure Building.
After a few minutes of searching, Lin Huainan caught up with Su Yu.
“Mister!” called Lin Huainan. “Mister, please wait a moment!”
Su Yu clasped his hands behind his back and looked back. He then frowned slightly. “I have said what I wanted to say. What other advice do you need?”
Lin Huainan’s old face was beet red. His heart felt as if it had been pierced by needles, and he found it embarrassing to speak.
“Mister, my eyes were bad,” he said. “I did not recognize Mister’s noble identity. Please go up to the second level of the Heaven Treasure Building for a chat. My home master sends his invitation.”
Whistle—
A gust of wind blew across the ground. All the onlookers became stiff on the spot. This badly dressed young man was… actually invited for an audience with Master Lin? This little kid who, in their eyes, had arrogantly tried to please the public with claptrap… was actually a noble person of the world?
Master Lin? thought Su Yu.
He shook his head slightly. “I’m sorry. I have something that I have to attend to. I appreciate Master Lin’s kindness, but I will have to decline his offer.”
After all, thought Su Yu, if the disciple is like this, how good can his master be?
Lin Huainan groaned inwardly. He knew in his heart that he had implicated his master!
At that moment, the sound of footsteps rubbing against something could be heard from the stairs of the second level. An old man with white hair, a ruddy complexion, an extremely straight figure, and a hale and hearty vitality came down the staircase in a hurry.
When he appeared, the whole of the first level became quiet. Whispers filled with excitement were exchanged in all quarters: “It’s Master Lin! Master Lin who had not shown himself for half a year has finally appeared!”
Master Lin took great steps and hurried to stand in front of Su Yu. His old face wore an apologetic smile.
“I am Lin Yunhe,” he said. “On behalf of my disciple, I apologize to you. If we have offended you, please forgive us. Because I have shut myself off from the outside world throughout the year, I have not taught my disciple properly.”
Everyone’s eyes were filled with respect. Although Lin Yunhe’s identity was well known, he was a very open-minded and optimistic person—able to fully experience love and esteem. There was no doubt that his craftsmanship had transcended worldliness and attained holiness. However, the main reason that people respected him was due to his demeanor and strong moral character.
Su Yu was a bit surprised. Lin Yunhe was not as bad as he had thought. Since things had come to this, Su Yu naturally cast his prejudice away. He smiled in return.
“It is just a small misunderstanding,” he said, “and it doesn’t really matter.”
Lin Yunhe chuckled good-naturedly. “There are many people here,” he said. “Little friend, why not come to the second level and have a chat with me?”
Su Yu accepted his offer with pleasure. Everyone within sight was envious of Su Yu as they watched him enter the second level, where only influential officials and the privileged were given the right to enter!
After a few minutes, the surprised crowd dispersed. It was only moments later that Ouyang Yuxin and Tan Lin entered the Heaven Treasure Building. They approached the counter diplomatically.
Ouyang Yuxin saw that it was Lin Huainan who was in charge of selling Master Lin’s crafted equipment in the crafted equipment district. All three were filled with deep veneration, and they made a bow, saying, “Greetings to Elder Lin!”
Lin Huainan’s attitude toward Ouyang Yuxin was kind. “You have made an appointment to meet my home master, correct?”
“Yes,” said Ouyang Yuxin. “Please accommodate us and inform your master that we are here.” Her face was filled with anticipation. The last thing she expected was for Lin Huainan to respond with an unpleasant expression.
“Miss Ouyang,” he said apologetically, “please wait a moment. Master is in a meeting with a distinguished guest.”
Distinguished guest? thought Ouyang Yuxin. She was taken aback. Anyone Lin Huainan addressed as a distinguished guest must have been an extraordinary person, indeed. Moreover, for that person to have entered the second level, he must have been a high-ranking person whose status was not lower than the Ouyang family.
“I will wait for some time,” Ouyang Yuxin said. Whoever this person was, she dared not to interrupt his meeting with Master Lin.
Meanwhile, on the second level, Su Yu entered a simple and unadorned room built of stacked stones. Lin Yunhe was modest; he poured tea for Su Yu.
“Little friend,” he said, “it is remarkable that at such a young age, you are already a noble person with a similar level of craftsmanship to mine. It makes me feel as if I am unworthy of your presence.”
Lin Yunhe’s temperament was magnanimous and self-deprecating, but Su Yu suddenly became aware he had misunderstood the situation. Su Yu did not try to cover this up. Instead, after chuckling a bit, he explained, “Master Lin, you have misunderstood me. I have some special ways to roughly examine the inside of the equipment. I do not know anything regarding craftsmanship.”
Lin Yunhe was stunned. For a long time, he said nothing. But finally, he could not help but laugh.
“In order words,” he said. “You have some unique skills? Master Lin is mistaken!”
Su Yu felt embarrassed.
Lin Yunhe laughed again. “You do not need to be modest. Being able to see through an item and discern the inside of a piece of equipment is something that even I have not achieved yet—and I have been crafting equipment for my entire life. Your unique skills are earth-shaking!” Lin Yunhe gasped in admiration.
