Chapter 191: Invitation

Master Chen lightly tapped the table. "Thank the person before you eat."

The forging disciples chorused: "Thank you, Brother Mo!"

Mo Hua smiled and waved his hand. "No need, no need!"

Master Chen nodded. "Line up, no pushing."

Mo Hua brought plenty of beef—enough that everyone got some. It wouldn't fill their bellies, but it would take the edge off their hunger.

The forging disciples lined up, took their meat, and devoured it greedily.

Master Chen tasted the meat, sipped some wine, and immediately brightened, his face glowing with delight.

The strong liquor burned down his throat, sharp and invigorating; he sighed with satisfaction and said:

"Alright, out with it—what do you want?"

"Just to invite you to eat meat and drink wine."

Master Chen said, "Then don't say anything. We'll just eat and drink for free."

Mo Hua chuckled. "There is a little matter."

Master Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You went out of your way to bribe us with meat and wine—this must be something big. Tell me."

Mo Hua said directly: "Elder Yu has built a new forging workshop—very large. Have you considered joining him?"

Master Chen frowned. "Are you close to Elder Yu? Are you acting as his messenger?"

"Very close," Mo Hua nodded.

Master Chen's eyelid twitched. This boy was so young, yet his connections were wild—Elder Yu, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was already familiar to him.

He usually focused solely on forging and ignored outside matters, hearing only fragments from others' gossip. He had no idea how this boy had become acquainted with Elder Yu…

Master Chen, still puzzled, asked: "Does this forging workshop have anything to do with you?"

"All the arrays inside were drawn by me!"

Mo Hua patted his chest, speaking with pride.

Master Chen gasped.

He knew Mo Hua was skilled at drawing arrays—but never imagined he was this good. The entire workshop's arrays, all drawn by this boy?

That was truly remarkable.

Master Chen thought for a moment, then said plainly: "Fine, I accept."

Mo Hua blinked. "Huh? Why did you agree so fast?"

He had prepared a whole speech—none of it even spoken—and Master Chen had already agreed…

Master Chen smiled. "I'm not close to Elder Yu. If he asked me to join, I'd refuse. My workshop took years to build. It's old and quiet, but it feeds me and supports my disciples—I've taught them their craft."

"But since you asked, it's different. You drew many arrays for us without taking a single Spirit Stone—that's a huge favor. I have no ties to Elder Yu, but I trust you completely."

Master Chen's words made Mo Hua feel slightly embarrassed.

Seeing how reasonable Master Chen was, Mo Hua pressed on: "Do you know any other forging masters? Could you get them to join too?"

Master Chen blinked in surprise, then laughed. "You really aren't shy at all…"

Mo Hua chuckled. "We're this close—why be formal?"

Master Chen smiled. "I going is no problem, but getting other forging masters to join? That's different."

"What's different?"

"I need a reason to convince them. Otherwise, they won't abandon their own businesses to forge for Elder Yu."

"There are plenty of reasons!"

Mo Hua's eyes lit up—he'd been waiting for someone to listen to his speech, and now the moment had come.

"This forging workshop is officially Elder Yu's, but in truth, it belongs to all the Beast Hunters—and possibly even all the free cultivators in Xiancheng."

"Anyone who works there will receive Spirit Stones as profit, distributed according to their contribution."

Master Chen was stunned. "Is that really true?"

Though Master Chen was a free cultivator in Xiancheng and made his living from forging, he had never hunted beasts in Great Heishan. He dealt with Beast Hunters only through buying and selling Spirit Tools, and knew little of their internal affairs.

This was the first time he'd heard of such a profit-sharing arrangement.

He had assumed that after seizing the Spirit Mine, Elder Yu—despite not being greedy—would still take the lion's share, and the forging workshop would follow the same pattern.

Now it seemed Elder Yu, who appeared stingy, had far greater vision than he'd imagined.

Master Chen nodded involuntarily.

Mo Hua added: "Once you join the workshop, at least you'll get three full meals a day. Not gourmet, but enough to fill your belly—so Dazhu and the others won't go hungry anymore."

Master Chen was moved.

Though strict, he cared deeply for his disciples. Seeing them hungry pained him as their master.

If this could ensure these children ate their fill, then all of it would be worth it.

Master Chen agreed: "Fine, I'll speak to them. But I can't guarantee they'll agree."

"Mm," Mo Hua nodded. "I'm not done yet. There's one more thing."

Master Chen paused. "Not done? What else?"

Mo Hua didn't answer right away. He stole a glance at Master Chen's forging furnace and asked quietly:

"Master Chen, don't you think the fire in this furnace is a bit weak?"

Those words felt familiar.

Master Chen frowned, thought for a moment, then grew wary. "Are you planning to take my furnace again?"

"No no no!" Mo Hua quickly denied it.

Master Chen didn't believe him. "The fire is weak, but it's enough. Don't even think about dismantling it!"

"No way, no way!"

Master Chen was still full of suspicion.

Mo Hua said, "I really won't dismantle it this time, but don't you want to switch to a different artifact-furnace?"

"Switch to a different one?"

"Yes, a bigger one, with stronger firepower, and of higher quality!"

Bigger, stronger firepower, higher quality?

Master Chen frowned, then suddenly looked a little shocked. "You mean… a first-grade artifact-furnace?"

Mo Hua nodded. "Not just a first-grade artifact-furnace—I'll also inscribe a first-grade array inside it. That way the firepower of the whole furnace will be on a whole other level…"

A first-grade artifact-furnace plus a first-grade array.

Just thinking about it made Master Chen's heart soar with longing.

He had no other wish in his life except to own a first-grade artifact-furnace—even if he couldn't keep it, just using this furnace to refine a few spiritual artifacts would satisfy him completely.

But a first-grade artifact-furnace was extremely expensive; the materials and construction costs would require a huge sum of spirit stones, far beyond what he could afford.

If Elder Yu really could get a first-grade artifact-furnace, then he simply couldn't refuse. And on top of a first-grade artifact-furnace, there would also be a first-grade array inscribed by Mo Hua…

Master Chen thought it through carefully, then suddenly came to his senses, startled once more, and blurted out:

"A first-grade array? You can already inscribe a first-grade array?!"