A moment later, Master Huo Lian grasped a Spirit Stone and began to infuse the Soft Armor with the spirit by invoking a Secret Technique.

Soon, the Enriching was complete, and the runes on the Snake Scale Soft Armor lit up with light, a layer of cyan glow faintly protruding from the Soft Armor, which swiftly gathered and disappeared.

"Not bad, not bad," Master Huo Lian said with satisfaction after carefully inspecting the Soft Armor and nodding contentedly.

By his side, the bald man immediately brought over a ceramic teacup filled with bright, translucent red tea.

Master Huo Lian set down the Soft Armor, picked up the teacup, took a light sip, and slowly stood up, stretching his limbs.

"Turn around, turn around," Yuan Ming silently urged in his heart.

Unfortunately, his wishful thinking was unable to influence Master Huo Lian who merely stretched his waist and was about to sit down again.

Yuan Ming estimated that the time for possession was running out and couldn't help but sigh inwardly with unresolved doubts.

Just then, the "clang clang" sound from behind him suddenly stopped, and the bald man's voice followed:

"Master, it's done."

While Yuan Ming was still somewhat astonished, Master Huo Lian finally stood up and turned around.

As he shifted his gaze, Yuan Ming looked over as well.

However, besides the bald man, there was no second person behind Master Huo Lian.

Yet, by the bald man's side, there stood a six-foot-tall figure vaguely resembling a human shape, but it was clear that it was not a person, but an "Iron Man."

The Iron Man was encased in dark green armor. It had a human contour but no human facial features, and its body structure also seemed somewhat crude; only the two arms were finely made.

One of the arms did not have the structure of a human hand but was directly connected to a large casting hammer.

Both the casting hammer and the other parts of the Iron Man's body were covered with dark red, sunken circular marks, which were interlinked with delicate lines, looking like one or several magnified and severely distorted runes.

"Could it be this thing that was refining the embryo?" Yuan Ming became even more astonished.

Just as this question arose in his heart, the bald man provided an answer: "Although this Mechanical Puppet is useful, its limitations are still too great..."

His words carried a hint of complaint.

"You get what you put in, what's there to complain about? Being skilled in making Low Grade Magical Artifacts is enough for Black Rock City," Master Huo Lian glared at him and said.

"But the Iron ingots it refines can actually reach the Mid-grade Level, and your Engraving and Spirit Implanting skills are impeccable, why don't we take on the business of Mid-grade Magical Artifacts? The earnings would increase by at least fivefold," the bald man said.

"How many times have I told you, this Puppet is not high level, even if it can refine Mid-grade Level Iron ingots, it's not of the best quality, wouldn't the resulting Magic Artifacts be subpar?" Master Huo Lian frowned and scolded.

"You just strive for perfection too much," knowing he had angered his master, the bald man dared only grumble softly.

"Alas, had I not been sabotaged and injured in my earlier years, leaving me unable to swing the hammer to refine myself, why would I need to purchase a refining Puppet from Hundred Machine Sect?" Master Huo Lian sighed deeply.

Yuan Ming listened with great interest, so there were Puppets specifically capable of refining the embryo.

What exactly is the Hundred Machine Sect? A Sect specializing in Puppets? I haven't heard of it in the Southern Border; perhaps it's a Sect from the Central Plains?

While Yuan Ming was musing, his vision began to blur and once again plunged into darkness.

...

The next day, Yuan Ming retrieved the Snake Scale Soft Armor and the Eight Diagrams Mirror from Master Huo Lian.

Although the Snake Scale Soft Armor was a Low Grade Magical Artifact, its quality and condition were without issues, and the Eight Diagrams Mirror was also very well repaired. Yuan Ming was quite satisfied with both. After paying, he left.

Once outside of Black Rock City, Yuan Ming tapped his Spiritual Beast Bag at his waist, and a streak of cyan light flew out.

Where the light landed, a clear crane's cry sounded; the Green Cloud Crane spread its wings wide, hopping and dancing on the spot. It clearly preferred being outside rather than sleeping inside the Spiritual Beast Bag.

Yuan Ming stepped forward and extended his hand. The Green Cloud Crane immediately lowered its head obediently and gently rubbed against his palm, showing utmost compliance.

"Let's go."

Yuan Ming leapt onto the back of the Green Cloud Crane, crossed his legs to sit, and commanded with a light shout.

The Green Cloud Crane cried out lengthily, spread its wings broadly, and powerfully flapped them to stir up the air currents, lifting itself into the sky and speeding toward the east.

In just two days' time,

The Green Cloud Crane descended through the clouds toward a town below.

After landing outside the town, Yuan Ming stored the Green Cloud Crane, and walked to the town gate.

"Iron Tiger Town, I never thought I would come back here!" he said with a soft chuckle upon seeing the familiar signboard.

Having said that, he strode into the town gate.

After entering, Yuan Ming subconsciously looked at the notice board beside him. The papers posted on it were faded, and the newest was a recruitment poster for a painter.

Yuan Ming didn't pay much attention; his primary purpose for coming to Iron Tiger Town this time was to meet the person his father had sent to rendezvous with him.

Although Yuan Ming didn't know if they were still around, he decided to make the trip anyway.

It was nearing noon, the busiest time in town, and as Yuan Ming passed by the inn run by Old Smoke Bag, he discovered that it had closed its doors and suspended business.

He didn't mind and intended to go straight through the streets to inquire about news at the Lord Mansion.

However, as he walked through the alleys, the fragrant aroma of food and drink wafted from both sides, and it wasn't long before Yuan Ming felt his appetite grow, with his cravings calling out from his stomach.

He chose a restaurant that had not too many, but not too few customers, and walked in.

Right in front of him, he saw a furrow-browed, dark-skinned young man hurriedly coming to greet him.

"Dear guest, there are private rooms upstairs, please…" The man with thick eyebrows didn't finish his sentence when his eyebrows knitted tighter; he felt that the guest in front of him looked increasingly familiar, but for the moment, he couldn't remember who it was.

"Hu Tu, long time no see," Yuan Ming was the first to respond, chuckling "hehe."

Upon hearing Yuan Ming's voice and taking a closer look at his eyes and brows, Hu Tu immediately realized: "Are you Yuan Ming?"

First, his face showed surprise and joy, then turned to guilt, and soon after, his gaze began to shift away evasively.

"Yo, have you become the boss?" Yuan Ming teased.

He noticed right away that Hu Tu, despite wearing simple clothes, was dressed in a fabric that an ordinary waiter couldn't afford.

"I... this, it's just a small tavern, Yuan... Brother Yuan, please follow me upstairs, we'll talk there," Hu Tu stammered for a while, finally regaining his composure and leading Yuan Ming up to the second floor.

Once in the private room, Hu Tu ordered the waitstaff to bring up a table of the finest food and drinks according to the highest standards, then closed the door.

After turning around, Hu Tu immediately bowed deeply to Yuan Ming, filled with guilt and gratitude: "Brother Yuan, I've been looking for you for a long time, but sadly, after we parted back then, there was no news of you at all."

"Why were you looking for me?" Yuan Ming feigned ignorance.

"To apologize and to express gratitude. I had malicious intentions toward you back then, but not only did you not blame me, you even left ten silver coins for me. Without that, I would never have been able to get to where I am today. If it had been anyone else, they would have sold me off to the mines in a heartbeat," Hu Tu said with a grave expression.

In his heart, Yuan Ming thought, Actually, I did sell you, but then I robbed you back.

"Enough. If you hadn't taken me out of the graveyard, who knows if I'd be dead by now? Everything is just a matter of cause and effect," Yuan Ming mused, as this was the reason why he hadn't truly sold Hu Tu off in the end.

"This time, let me find a way to properly thank you no matter what," Hu Tu said, beaming upon realizing that Yuan Ming bore no grudge against him.

Shortly after, the waitstaff brought a full table of fine food and drinks, and Hu Tu, not worrying about business, sat down with Yuan Ming to eat and drink.

He recounted his experiences after parting with Yuan Ming, including how he had taken those ten silver coins and worked his way up to wealth and ultimately established a foothold in Iron Tiger Town, opening the "Ming En Building."

In fact, when Yuan Ming last visited Iron Tiger Town, this restaurant had already been opened, and Yuan Ming had even passed by the door, but the two missed the chance to meet and did not reunite.

After the conversation, the past grudges were brushed away with a laugh.

Just as Hu Tu was asking Yuan Ming about his experiences, before Yuan Ming had the chance to respond, noise suddenly erupted from downstairs.

Yuan Ming listened closely and heard the sound of armor clashing, with about a dozen people involved.

Before he could discern more, the noise below escalated to the sound of tables being flipped, angry shouting, and the panicked cries of the customers.

"It's okay, I'll go take a look."

Hu Tu's eyebrows furrowed as he reassured Yuan Ming and rushed downstairs.

Once downstairs, he recognized the soldiers in armor — they were from the personal soldiers of the Iron Tiger Town Lord Mansion, and his face immediately soured.

"Sir, what is this about? I am the owner of this tavern, and I am friends with the steward Wulin from the Lord Mansion. Please show some consideration; whatever the issue may be, let's sit down and talk about it calmly," Hu Tu paused momentarily, then quickly assumed a smile and went to greet them.

"It's you, you damn rat, to hell with you!"

The leader, a burly man with a full beard, was furious as he slapped Hu Tu across the face, knocking him off balance and causing him to stumble away.

"That damn Wulin introduced a swindler from the Central Plains, claiming to be the direct court painter disciple of Wu Daozi, and cheated our lord out of a large sum of money before fleeing. He's been beaten half to death, confessed that it was you who recommended that swindler to him, isn't that right?" the burly man yelled angrily.

"Ah... not me..." Hu Tu was greatly shocked and hurriedly defended himself.

"I don't care whether it was you or not, that 'Wu Liao' swindler, was he staying here?" the burly man pressed.

"He moved to the Lord Mansion the day before yesterday and hasn't come back since then..." Hu Tu replied immediately.

Wu Liao had moved in half a month ago, spending lavishly for several days and running a tab.

When Hu Tu went to press him for payment, the man claimed he was a direct disciple of the Wu Country painter Wu Daozi and a court-appointed imperial artist, stating that a single painting of his would be worth the entire tavern.

Of course, Hu Tu didn't believe him and intended to report the man to authorities; however, Wu Liao suggested that since the job notice at the city gate showed that the Lord Mansion was looking for a painter, taking that job would mean he could easily pay his debts.

As a result, Hu Tu was duped by another Central Plains person, falling for Wu Liao's trick.

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