Master Chen lightly knocked on the table, "Thank the person before eating."
The refining disciples all said in unison, "Thank you, Brother Mo!"
Mo Hua smiled and waved his hand, "No need to thank me!"
Master Chen nodded, "Line up, no pushing."
Mo Hua had brought quite a bit of beef, so everyone got a share. Though it wasn't enough to fill them up, it was enough to satisfy their cravings.
The refining disciples lined up to take their meat and then devoured it hungrily.
Master Chen also tasted the meat and took a sip of wine, instantly looking pleased and animated.
The strong liquor burned his throat, invigorating him. Feeling satisfied, Master Chen said:
"Alright, tell me what you need."
Master Chen said, "If you don't say, we'll just eat and drink for free."
Mo Hua chuckled, "I do have a small favor to ask."
Master Chen raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Bringing wine and meat to bribe me, it must be something big. Let's hear it."
Mo Hua got straight to the point, "Elder Yu has built a new refining shop, a big one. Would you consider going over?"
Master Chen was puzzled, "Are you familiar with Elder Yu? Acting as his lobbyist?"
"Very familiar." Mo Hua nodded.
Master Chen's eyelids twitched. Despite Mo Hua's young age, his connections were impressive. Even an elder at the Foundation Building stage was familiar with him.
He usually focused on refining and paid little attention to the outside world, only hearing bits and pieces from others. He had no idea how Mo Hua had gotten to know Elder Yu...
Master Chen was curious and asked, "Does that refining shop have anything to do with you?"
"All the arrays inside were drawn by me!"
Mo Hua patted his chest proudly.
Master Chen was astonished.
He knew Mo Hua was good at drawing arrays, but he didn't expect him to be this good. To think that he had drawn all the arrays for such a large refining shop.
This was truly remarkable.
Master Chen thought for a moment and straightforwardly said, "Alright, I agree."
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Huh? You agreed so quickly?"
He had prepared a whole speech, but Master Chen agreed without hearing any of it...
Master Chen laughed, "I'm not familiar with Elder Yu. If he asked me to go, I wouldn't want to. I’ve worked hard to maintain this refining shop, though it’s a bit old and business is slow, it’s enough to make a living and support my disciples while teaching them the craft."
"But since you asked, it's different. You’ve drawn many arrays for us without charging much spirit stones, and that's a huge favor. I may not have a relationship with Elder Yu, but I trust you."
Master Chen's words made Mo Hua a bit embarrassed.
Seeing Master Chen so agreeable, Mo Hua added, "Do you have any familiar refining masters? Can they come along?"
Master Chen was slightly surprised, then laughed, "You’re really not holding back..."
Mo Hua chuckled, "We’re so close, why be polite?"
Master Chen also laughed, "I don't mind going, but convincing other refining masters is a different story."
"How so?"
"I need a reason to persuade them. They won't abandon their own businesses just to work for Elder Yu."
"There are plenty of reasons!"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. He had been worried about not having a chance to use his prepared speech, and now it was the perfect opportunity.
"On the surface, this refining shop belongs to Elder Yu, but it's actually for all demon hunters, and possibly for all wandering cultivators in Tongxian City."
"As long as everyone helps out, the shop will share spirit stone profits based on individual contributions once it’s profitable."
Master Chen was taken aback, "Is this true?"
Though he was a wandering cultivator in Tongxian City, he made a living through refining and had never hunted demons in Dahei Mountain. He interacted with demon hunters mainly for trading spirit tools and knew little about their internal affairs.
This was the first time he heard of such a profit-sharing model.
Master Chen had initially thought that the demon hunters, having seized the spirit mine, would have Elder Yu, a Foundation Building cultivator, take the lion's share, and the refining shop would be the same.
But now it seemed, Elder Yu, who appeared stingy, actually had a much larger vision than he imagined.
Master Chen couldn't help but nod.
Mo Hua continued, "Moreover, joining the refining shop guarantees three meals a day. Though the food might not be luxurious, it will be sufficient, so Brother Da Zhu and the others won't have to go hungry anymore."
Master Chen was moved.
He was strict but cared deeply for his disciples. Watching them go hungry made him feel bad as a master.
If he could ensure they were well-fed, everything would be worth it.
Master Chen agreed, "Alright, I'll talk to them, but I can't guarantee they'll agree."
"Okay." Mo Hua nodded, "I haven't finished yet, there's one more thing."
Master Chen was surprised, "Still not finished? What else do you want to say?"
Mo Hua didn't rush to answer. Instead, he glanced at Master Chen's refining furnace and asked quietly:
"Master Chen, don't you think the fire of this refining furnace is a bit weak?"
These words sounded familiar.
Master Chen frowned, recalling something, and suddenly grew wary, "Are you eyeing my refining furnace again?"
"No, no." Mo Hua quickly denied.
Master Chen didn't believe him, his attitude firm, "This furnace's fire may be weak, but it's enough. Don't think about dismantling it!"
"I won't, I won't."
Master Chen still looked skeptical.
Mo Hua said, "This time I really won’t dismantle it, but don’t you want to replace it?"
"Replace it?"
"Yes, with a bigger, stronger, and higher quality refining furnace!"
Bigger, stronger, higher quality?
Master Chen frowned, then was shocked, "Are you talking about a First Grade refining furnace?"
Mo Hua nodded, "Not just a First Grade refining furnace, but with First Grade array patterns drawn on it, the firepower will be even stronger..."
A First Grade refining furnace with First Grade arrays.
Just thinking about it made Master Chen’s heart race.
He had no other desires in life, just to own a First Grade refining furnace—even if he couldn’t own it, just using it to refine a few spirit tools would make him happy.
But a First Grade refining furnace was extremely expensive, the materials and cost required a large amount of spirit stones, far beyond what he could afford.
If Elder Yu could actually get a First Grade refining furnace, he couldn’t refuse. Not to mention, it would have Mo Hua's First Grade arrays on it...
Master Chen thought it through, then suddenly realized and was shocked, exclaiming:
"First Grade arrays? You can draw First Grade arrays?!"