Seeing his grandson's miserable state, Tai Tan's anger finally began to fade, replaced by a deep, lingering fear. He stole a cautious glance at Ye Yin, worried that his new Master might hold a grudge over the incident.
However, Ye Yin paid no attention to the two men groaning on the ground. He wasn't angry in the slightest; in fact, he was quite pleased. The two had provided him with a significant amount of resentment points, which was a welcome bonus.
He looked up at Tai Tan and said calmly, "Alright, let's put this matter behind us. How is the production of the Upgraded Zhuge Divine Crossbows coming along?"
Hearing Ye Yin ask about business, Tai Tan's spirits immediately lifted. Forgetting about his son and grandson, he quickly bowed. "Master, I've been working day and night. So far, I've managed to forge ten Upgraded Zhuge Divine Crossbows. The most critical components are still very difficult to make, and right now, I'm the only one who can forge the core parts. That's why progress has been a bit slow."
Ye Yin nodded, understanding. Forging ten crossbows in just a few days was already an impressive feat. The title of 'Divine Craftsman' granted by his system was on a completely different level from a self-proclaimed one. One was officially verified by a powerful system, while the other was just a title people gave themselves.
"Ye Yin! Old Ape! What do you think you're doing?!" A clear, surprised voice suddenly cut through the air.
In the distance, two figures were rapidly approaching. The man in the lead carried himself with an elegant and gentle air, dressed in fine, luxurious clothes. It was the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi. Beside him was an old man with a white beard and hair, his face stern and his body as straight as a sword. He radiated a sharp, powerful aura—it was the Sword Douluo, Chen Xin.
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo had followed Ye Yin's aura here, hoping to discuss a partnership regarding his incredibly powerful hidden weapons. But when they arrived, they were met with a shocking scene.
Tai Tan, the old patriarch of the Strength Clan—a Spirit Douluo known for his fiery temper and immense strength—was bowing to a young man who looked almost frail. His posture was so respectful it bordered on subservient. Not far behind him, Tai Nuo and Tai Long, the clan's young patriarch and his son, were lying on the ground, bruised and swollen. They were groaning in pain, looking as if they had just received a harsh punishment.
The sight was almost too much to believe. Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo's first thought was that Tai Tan, the old brute, was using his power to bully someone weaker. He was bullying Ye Yin.
How dare he bully my future son-in-law! Ning Fengzhi thought. Does he think our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is just for show?
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's eyes grew sharp. His sword intent flared, locking onto Tai Tan and making the very air feel heavy and cold. He stared at Tai Tan, his voice ringing out like clashing steel. "Old Ape! What a show of power! Are you bullying a child now? And you even beat your own clansmen this badly?!"
Startled by Sword Douluo's sudden accusation, Tai Tan took a moment to register what was happening. When he did, his face turned beet red.
"I see it's Sword Douluo and Sect Master Ning. I greet you both," he stammered. "It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! H-How could I possibly bully my Master? I was just disciplining these two useless rascals from my family! They offended my Master, so I was teaching them a lesson on his behalf!"
"Master?!" Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo exclaimed at the same time, thinking they must have heard wrong.
Tai Tan pointed at Ye Yin, his tone filled with an incredible amount of respect and even a touch of pride. "This is my new master, Master Ye Yin!"
"What!"
For the first time, a look of pure astonishment crossed Ning Fengzhi's calm and gentle face. Beside him, even the stoic Sword Douluo couldn't stop his eye from twitching. Tai Tan had acknowledged Ye Yin as his Master. They would have sooner believed that Tai Tan was bullying Ye Yin than this. The idea was simply unbelievable. Tai Tan's stubbornness and explosive temper were famous throughout the Spirit Master world. Would he really be willing to bow his head to someone?
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin glanced at Ye Yin, who gave a slight nod. Only then did they begin to accept the unbelievable truth, though the shock in their hearts was immense. Ning Fengzhi's mind raced, and he immediately thought of the Upgraded Zhuge Divine Crossbow. Could it be because of that? Tai Tan was famous for his passion for forging.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin retracted his sharp sword intent. To think that Ye Yin could make a stubborn old ox like Tai Tan bow his head and call him Master… He had thought his estimation of the boy was already high, but it seemed he needed to raise it even further.
Ning Fengzhi quickly composed himself, a gentle smile returning to his face. "Ye Yin, it seems we've arrived at an inconvenient time and interrupted you. You already know that Rongrong returned home safely. I'm sure you also know why we're here."
Ye Yin nodded. "Father-in-law, Grandpa Sword, we can speak freely. Patriarch Tai is one of us now. In fact, he's the one forging the Upgraded Zhuge Divine Crossbows."
Ning Fengzhi and Tai Tan looked at each other, and understanding dawned on both of them. Tai Tan had been wondering why his new Master needed so many of the powerful crossbows, and now he knew they were for a deal with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi's smile widened as he turned to Tai Tan. "Patriarch Tai Tan, your clan's forging skills are the best on the continent. It's only right that your clan is the one to forge the crossbows designed by Ye Yin!"
Hearing this praise, Tai Tan's heart swelled with pride and joy. This was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the wealthiest sect on the entire continent! The chance to work with Sect Master Ning was all thanks to his new Master. He felt that the opportunity for the Strength Clan to rise again was finally here.
Tai Tan puffed out his chest and declared, "Sect Master Ning, you can rest assured! Anything produced by my Strength Clan will be of the highest quality! But, I don't know… what is Master's relationship with your sect? He's never mentioned it before."
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin shared a look, and a knowing smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face. "Ye Yin is my son-in-law."
Tai Tan's eyes went wide. He never expected such a connection. He thought this was just a business deal, but now he realized he was truly aligning his clan with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Since the Clear Sky Sect went into seclusion, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had become the most powerful sect in the world, second only to Spirit Hall.
"In that case, we are all one big family now," Tai Tan said, laughing heartily.
Soon after, Tai Tan left with his unlucky son and grandson, his spirits higher than ever. Once they were gone, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Ye Yin found a quiet place to talk.
Ning Fengzhi didn't waste any time getting to the point. "Ye Yin, since you and Rongrong are together, I want to formally invite you to join our sect. We will give you the best possible treatment and resources. I don't think you'll refuse this offer, will you?"
He spoke with complete confidence, having already planned out the next steps for when Ye Yin accepted.
"Father-in-law, I know you want to make me the next Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Ye Yin said calmly, "but I absolutely cannot accept. I am not worthy of such a great responsibility."
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion