The sudden commencement of a smithing competition at the banquet was something none of the Yao had anticipated. However, everyone loved a good spectacle, and since the Yao clans were generally lacking in skilled artifact crafters, many of them grew quite spirited as they watched, their attention fully captivated.
It was glaringly obvious that Ao Fan was at a disadvantage. The Yao clans friendly with the Dragon Clan felt it inappropriate to look too excited, so they suppressed their expressions and maintained an awkward, stony silence. Those who had lukewarm relations with the dragons, or those who relied on the Phoenix Clan, felt no such restraint; they craned their necks to get a better look, their interest plain on their faces.
The Dragon Emperor was no fool. It didn't take long for him to see exactly how much skill Ao Fan truly possessed. As the competition progressed, the expressions flitting across his face were a sight to behold.
Xuan Yang noted inwardly that a deep grudge had certainly been formed today. Fortunately, anyone with eyes could see that this farce had been orchestrated by the Phoenix Emperor. This meant that even if the Emperor didn't personally step in to help later, at least a portion of the Yao clans close to the Phoenixes wouldn't lift a finger to help the other side deal with Nie Shiyun.
Those who didn't understand the full situation might even mistake Nie Shiyun for having a good relationship with the Phoenix Emperor, perhaps showing him some professional courtesy in the future.
Thinking of it this way, Xuan Yang felt the deal wasn't a total loss.
Like Nie Shiyun, he also looked forward to the day the formation was repaired so he could have a chance to go back and visit. Although Xuan Yang, who had grown up in the Yunqing Sect, never said it aloud, he truly regarded the people there as his family. His ascension had happened so suddenly that he hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye...
By now, Nie Shiyun had steadily finished casting the sword's body and began to carve the inscriptions upon it.
In the Upper Realm, inscriptions and smithing were often treated as separate disciplines. It was popular in many places to find someone to forge the artifact first, and then seek out a high-level inscriptionist to add the appropriate runes. The higher one’s cultivation, the more difficult it became to master both auxiliary skills simultaneously. Formation masters and inscriptionists often chose to specialize in just one path to save time and effort, rather than being a jack-of-all-trades and master of none.
Of course, a true master of artifact crafting was necessarily proficient in both; otherwise, they wouldn't be worthy of the title.
Nie Shiyun’s approach earned him a great deal of respect from the gathered Yao. Many young crafters would choose to abandon one side early on to focus their studies.
However, since his current level wasn't yet that of a grandmaster, the onlookers simply offered a silent word of praise before moving on. They assumed that when he eventually hit a bottleneck in the future, this human would also be forced to choose a single path.
Ao Fan knew he shouldn't let his attention wander to Nie Shiyun’s progress, but his eyes refused to obey. Seeing that his opponent was nearly finished while he was only halfway through—and with nothing particularly brilliant to show for it—his heart sank. If his father hadn't been watching from behind, he might have been tempted to throw a tantrum and quit right then and there.
The final result surprised no one. Whether it was speed, quality, or the sheer grace displayed during the process, Nie Shiyun was the undisputed victor.
Technically, no one had been appointed as a judge, but the result was laid bare for all to see. The Yao didn't dare speak up, merely exchanging glances. To let a human steal the spotlight on Yao territory felt somewhat improper.
Yet, the man had won fair and square. In contrast, Ao Fan was still sweating profusely, toiling away at a semi-finished product that looked utterly mediocre, showing no signs of a miraculous turnaround. Consequently, many Yao quietly shifted their gazes toward the Dragon Clan members, whose faces were as grim as iron.
At this point, saying anything would only result in further humiliation. The Dragon Emperor stood up with a cold expression, leaving behind a sharp remark: "Allowing a human to make a scene at a Yao banquet is truly tedious. This Sovereign is tired; the rest of you may continue." With that, he swept away.
Ao Fan was left behind by his father, hearing only a telepathic transmission: "When you're finished, crawl back home and stay there. Until the entire Yao race has forgotten this incident, don't even think about stepping a single foot out of the house."
Ao Fan wanted to cry, but no tears came.
"The results of this match are clear to everyone present. There's no need for further explanation, is there? I wonder if Fellow Daoist Ao Fan is satisfied now?" Xuan Yang asked loudly.
Now that the Dragon Emperor was gone, it would have seemed petty for the Phoenix Emperor, a Golden Immortal, to mock a junior like Ao Fan. However, it was perfectly fine for Xuan Yang, who was of the same generation, to speak up.
Xuan Yang hadn't actually considered the social nuances; he just remembered how Ao Fan had used his status to hunt Nie Shiyun down in the past and felt he was finally venting some of that old frustration.
Ao Fan glared at him, wanting to snap, *'What business is it of yours?'* But seeing the face that looked like it was carved from the same mold as the Phoenix Emperor sitting nearby, he swallowed his words.
The Phoenix Emperor was someone who could go toe-to-toe with his own father; Ao Fan wouldn't dare talk back even if he were given a hundred times his current courage.
If he knew that Xuan Yang had a deep, long-standing relationship with Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, he would likely have coughed up blood in rage on the spot.
"My condition has been poor lately... This time... I'll consider it my loss." Ao Fan’s voice was low, his words ground out through gritted teeth as if someone were stepping on his tail and forcing him to speak. It was pure humiliation.
Ao Fan practically fled from the competition area, intending to hide back among the Dragon Clan's seats, not wanting to stay at this banquet for a single second longer.
Xuan Yang’s eyes darted around before he suddenly said, "I quite like this artifact. I wonder what your price is?"
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong were stunned. Even the Phoenix Emperor beside Xuan Yang froze for a moment.
Xuan Yang was asking Nie Shiyun for something and actually intended to pay? What kind of joke was this?
"It's nothing impressive. If you like it, just take it," Nie Shiyun said immediately, as expected.
The Phoenix Emperor was just about to smile and say, "Since you've taken a fancy to it, just take it to play with," when he heard Xuan Yang continue: "No, no, that would be taking too much advantage of you. Do we Phoenixes look like such stingy fellows in your eyes?"
After a pause, Xuan Yang added, "Don't worry, my father will pay."
The Phoenix Emperor’s mouth twitched. It took a long while before he let out a long, drawn-out, "Hmph... Name your price."
Nie Shiyun felt a bit helpless. He didn't want to needlessly provoke the Phoenix Emperor over such a trivial matter. However, Xuan Yang was clearly dissatisfied with his father and was seizing every opportunity to fleece him. Nie Shiyun couldn't very well undermine him now, so he followed their lead and quoted a fair market price.
If the Phoenix Emperor truly got angry, he could always find a way to return the favor later.
In such a setting, the Phoenix Emperor naturally couldn't haggle. In fact, to display his generosity and wealth, he even took the initiative to pay a bit extra.
If Xuan Yang had asked him for something directly, he wouldn't have minded. But being forced to hand over money to these two fellows, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, made the Phoenix Emperor feel incredibly disgruntled.
Outsiders, unaware of the underlying reasons, saw the transaction conclude. The Yao clans close to the dragons looked at Ao Fan, who was standing awkwardly in place, and hurriedly stepped forward to ask for his price, saying they wanted to buy his work as well. Even though the Dragon Emperor was gone, the rest of the Dragon Clan was still there! This was a prime opportunity to curry favor.
Ao Fan’s state of mind was worlds apart from what it had been years ago. In the past, his blind self-confidence would have made him perk up immediately, believing his artifact was indeed excellent and appreciated. But now, he had been thoroughly awakened from his arrogant dreams by a slap to the face. Hearing the slightly exaggerated bids from the other Yao, he felt so embarrassed he wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
Nie Shiyun smiled politely as he handed the item to the Phoenix servant sent to collect it. She gave him a heavy pouch of Immortal Crystals. The Phoenix Emperor sitting next to Xuan Yang was also smiling broadly, though Nie Shiyun decided not to look too closely at how much irritation was hidden behind that grin.
"The Emperor has instructed that you wait elsewhere for a moment. Once things have concluded here, he will discuss the previous 'business' with you in detail," the Phoenix girl whispered as she handed over the crystals, placing a deliberate emphasis on the word 'business.'
Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong exchanged a look, nodded, and followed her out.
The farce had finally come to an end. Ao Fan didn't even know which clan ended up buying his forged artifact out of pity; he only wanted to rush back home, beg his father's forgiveness, and go into solitary confinement. It wasn't just that he feared the Dragon Emperor’s wrath—he himself couldn't bear the shame and wanted to hide away for a decade or two.
As the saying goes, a gentleman's revenge is never too late, even after ten years. Ao Fan glared resentfully at the retreating backs of Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong, and at that Phoenix fellow named Xuan Yang, thinking to himself, *'I'll settle the score with all of you later.'*
As for the fact that when Ao Fan finally emerged from seclusion decades later with full confidence, only to find the gap between them had grown even wider—that was a story for another time.
Ao Fan soon found an excuse to flee as well. The remaining Yao, under the invitation of the now-cheerful Phoenix Emperor, continued to admire the flowers and sip wine as if nothing had happened. However, they were undoubtedly bursting with things to say, waiting only for the banquet to end so they could discuss it behind closed doors in their own territories.
Xuan Yang watched longingly as Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong departed. He had been glancing over at them frequently, not just out of concern for the match, but more importantly because he remembered—Shen Yan was still inside Nie Shiyun’s jade pendant! Although he couldn't see the other man, knowing that Shen Yan could see the outside world made Xuan Yang unable to resist putting on airs. He hoped that every gesture he made in his rare, meticulous finery would be etched into Shen Yan’s eyes.
Xuan Yang’s posturing actually pleased the Phoenix Emperor, who thought to himself that this was indeed his son; though he lacked manners on ordinary days, he could certainly hold his own on important occasions.
But once Nie Shiyun left, taking Shen Yan in the pendant with him, Xuan Yang wilted, losing all the spirit he had used for his performance.
"You let Nie Shiyun and the other one go back first? You haven't forgotten what we agreed on, have you?" Xuan Yang glanced at the Phoenix Emperor, who seemed to be in a good mood. Given that this fellow didn't seem particularly trustworthy, he couldn't help but nag.
"Naturally. When he comes to see this Sovereign later, I shall fulfill the agreement," the Phoenix Emperor promised.
Only then did Xuan Yang feel at ease, turning back to focus on his wine.
On the other side, Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong were led by the Phoenix girl to a certain location.
"This is a pavilion built by our Phoenix Clan. The scenery is quite beautiful, and the Emperor is very fond of it," the girl introduced mechanically, inviting the two to sit.
"Thank you for your trouble. You've been busy all day; why don't you rest for a moment as well?" Zhai Bairong said politely.
Although the Phoenix girl already knew these two were a pair of Dao companions, looking at his face and hearing his gentle words still made her feel a bit shy. She pointedly avoided looking at him. "N-no need. The Emperor ordered me to return and report as soon as I delivered you here."
Nie Shiyun found the girl's reaction rather amusing. Suddenly remembering something, he said, "Right. I didn't actually intend to accept those Immortal Crystals at the banquet. Why don't I give them to you now, and you can return them to the Phoenix Clan on my behalf?"
"This is..." The girl blinked at him, not expecting Nie Shiyun to pull out the large sum of crystals that had already entered his pocket. She had never left the Phoenix Clan and had always heard that humans were selfish, stingy, and greedy. But it seemed that wasn't entirely true...
She waved her hands in a bit of a panic. "I can't make a decision on that. But I will pass your message to the Emperor..."
With that, she turned and hurried away.
Nie Shiyun was stunned. He had only mentioned returning the money; why did she look so conflicted?
"Forget it. I only brought it up in passing," Nie Shiyun said helplessly.
Zhai Bairong sat down beside him, letting out a long sigh. He still seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the Phoenix Emperor. "Even though I knew you would win, I hope there will be fewer incidents like this in the future... making you show off your craft to others for no reason."
"Didn't he give me money for it?" Nie Shiyun shook the pouch of Immortal Crystals.
"That is what you deserve for selling the artifact. But publicly demonstrating your smithing process before so many Yao is worth far more than that money," Zhai Bairong said calmly.
Though Zhai Bairong was biased toward Nie Shiyun, his words were true. High-level masters rarely participated in smithing or alchemy competitions. Firstly, grandmasters didn't care for ordinary rewards, and secondly, they didn't want to display their techniques publicly, allowing peers to gain insights or break through bottlenecks for free.
It was said that observing a senior forge an item once was worth more than reading several volumes of ancient texts.
"I haven't reached that level yet. In the future, if I reach greater heights, I'll only show it to you," Nie Shiyun said with a chuckle. Naturally, he was pleased that Zhai Bairong was so protective of him.
Zhai Bairong looked at him and gave a light nod. "Mm."
Although they were alone, they weren't sure if there was surveillance nearby, so Nie Shiyun and Zhai Bairong decided not to let Shen Yan out yet. Shen Yan was also quite observant and did not rashly reveal himself.
It was currently spring within the small world, the temperature was pleasant, and the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. Since they had nothing else to do, they simply settled their hearts and quietly enjoyed the view, chatting about trivial, everyday matters.
"How many hours has it been?" Seeing the sky grow noticeably darker, Nie Shiyun suddenly asked.
Zhai Bairong thought for a moment and estimated, "It's been... about six hours."
Nie Shiyun frowned, feeling that something was off.
"This banquet is lasting far too long. Surely it's not going to go from morning until midnight?"
Zhai Bairong quickly caught his meaning and knit his brows. "Do you think he's playing with us? Should we go take a look?"
Nie Shiyun was conflicted. "Who knows if the Phoenix Emperor is doing this on purpose. If we leave on our own, he might use it as an excuse to say we broke the agreement and refuse to fulfill his promise."
Zhai Bairong considered this; it did indeed sound like something the Phoenix Emperor would do.
"The agreement was made with you. I'll go take a look myself," Zhai Bairong said decisively.
"I have the jade pendant, but I'm worried about you going alone. Let Shen Yan go with you," Nie Shiyun urged.
"Alright. We'll just take a look and come right back. We won't alert anyone."
The two of them discussed everything with a wordless understanding. Shen Yan, who had been diligently observing the situation from within the pendant, revealed himself immediately upon receiving Nie Shiyun’s permission. He and Zhai Bairong concealed their forms and headed back toward the Brocade Painting Pavilion where the banquet was held.
Shen Yan thought to himself that he hoped that idiot Xuan Yang would realize what was happening soon. He didn't want this sightseeing trip to drag on any longer—he was tired of standing around these two.
If possible, he’d much rather just stay inside the jade pendant...
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 锦画庭 | Brocade Painting Pavilion | The location of the banquet. |
| 仙晶 | Immortal Crystals | Currency used in the Upper Realm. |
| 金仙 | Golden Immortal | A high-level cultivation rank. |
| 铭文 | Inscriptions | Runes or characters carved onto artifacts to give them properties. |
| 铭文师 | Inscriptionist | A specialist who carves inscriptions. |
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 200 | The Lingering Banquet | Novela.app | Novela.app
