I noticed Larry Martin seemed a bit distracted, so I waved my hand and reminded him, "Mr. Martin, are you still listening?"
Larry Martin snapped out of it and smiled, "Mr. Johnson, if it's purely for collection, you can try your luck at the antique market. Brooksdale's largest antique market is at No. 2 Main Street. However, if you're truly interested in an Alchemy Furnace, it would be best to attend an auction.
The auction items are mostly vetted by the auction house, and as long as you have the money, you'll surely obtain something you love, even things from tens of thousands of years ago.
May I ask, Mr. Johnson, which of the two are you?"
Even though I had the secret technique to identify antiques, the market was flooded with fakes, and searching through it was like finding a needle in a haystack. At the moment, an auction was undoubtedly the best choice.
"Mr. Martin, I'm more interested in the auction," I replied honestly.
Larry Martin nodded and continued, "Since you're interested in the auction, there will be a large one at the Brooksdale Legacy Hotel in five days. My family happened to be invited. Why not join us then, Mr. Johnson?"
"Thank you, Mr. Martin," I said with a bow. Then I seemed to remember something, and added, "Mr. Martin, how come I haven't seen your granddaughter today?"
Larry Martin didn't expect David Johnson to ask about Stephanie Martin; it seemed Mr. Johnson was not entirely unapproachable.
"It's a bit unfortunate; Stephanie went hiking with her master today and will be back later. I originally planned for her to serve you tea to apologize. How about staying for a meal?"
Naturally, I couldn't stay and wait. I stood up, looked around, and found a Brooksdale Evening Newspaper from the previous day.
"Mr. Martin, is this newspaper no longer needed?"
"It's not needed, Mr. Johnson, are you planning to..."
"Mr. Martin, do you have a pen?"
"Yes, yes, Mr. Johnson, just a moment."
Not long after, Larry Martin brought a black pen and handed it to me. He was actually a bit confused, unsure of what David Johnson was intending to do with a newspaper and a pen.
I took the pen and wrote a few lines of flowing script in the blank area of the newspaper, then drew a simple human diagram and some mysterious lines beside it.
After finishing, I folded the newspaper and handed it to Larry Martin.
"Mr. Martin, after your granddaughter returns, give her this newspaper. She will naturally understand once she sees it. Also, don't forget to send over the herbs by three in the afternoon."
After giving instructions, I walked towards the exit. It was about noon now, and I wondered how many dishes Sarah Moore had prepared today.
After David Johnson left, Larry Martin frowned as he opened the newspaper. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't understand what David Johnson had written there.
He had been dealing with herbs all his life and, although he had encountered martial arts masters, he did not know how they cultivated.
"Forget it, let's wait till Stephanie returns and ask her."
...
Ten minutes later, Stephanie Martin walked into Charity Hall wearing a pink tracksuit, accompanied by an elderly man.
The old man wore a gray outfit and black sneakers. He was lean but stood upright, with gentle eyes under light eyebrows that exuded wisdom.
If Larry Martin greeted the elderly man excitedly, "Old Dennis, you've taken Stephanie for training again, haven't you? This girl has too much of a playful nature; she must have given you a hard time again."
Stephanie Martin was displeased, "Grandpa, what do you mean? Do you really see me as someone who causes trouble?"
Larry Martin glared at Stephanie Martin and scolded, "Martinez't you know yourself? You offended David Johnson last time. I told you to stay and apologize yesterday, but you went hiking with your master early this morning. If it weren't for Old Dennis, I would have scolded you thoroughly."
Upon hearing David Johnson's name, Stephanie Martin was immediately troubled.
Ever since the incident, her grandpa kept talking about David Johnson every day, which was driving her crazy.
David Johnson might know a few martial arts tricks, but was that deserving of such high praise?
And what's this about a Martial Arts Grandmaster? Him? Ha!
She only recognized one true Martial Arts Grandmaster, and that was her master!
Today, while training on the mountain, she even witnessed her master split a giant tree with a palm strike from a distance! That was so much more impressive than the so-called David Johnson.
As Larry Martin brought up David Johnson, he remembered what he was told. He immediately fetched the newspaper and handed it to Stephanie Martin:
"Stephanie, David Johnson wanted me to give you this. I can't make sense of what's on it, so see if you can figure it out."
Stephanie Martin glanced at the newspaper, huffed, and said, "Is that guy really so kind as to give me something? I thought it was something meaningful, but it's just yesterday's Brooksdale Evening News! Hmph, what's he trying to say? That I'm ignorant and should read the newspaper more? Insinuating that I'm uneducated? Bastard!"
Angry, Stephanie Martin rolled up the newspaper and threw it into the trash can.
"Pick it up! His writing is on it!" Larry Martin said without hesitation, grabbing a stick nearby to act as if he would hit her; he was evidently furious.
Out of options, Stephanie Martin reluctantly fished the newspaper out of the trash can, opened it, and glanced over it; indeed, there were words and patterns, but she couldn't comprehend their meaning.
"What nonsense did David Johnson write, and why must I look at it? He's crazy!"
Just as she was about to crumple the newspaper and throw it away again, a stern voice shouted in her ear!
"Wait a moment!"
The voice was none other than Elder Dennis!
"Master, what do you mean?"
Before Stephanie Martin could respond, Elder Dennis snatched the newspaper, gazing intently at the words and diagrams left by David Johnson.
His eyebrows furrowed and then relaxed repeatedly! In the end, he looked utterly astonished!
Seeing this, Larry Martin and Stephanie Martin exchanged puzzled glances.
"Master, what's the matter?"
"Old Dennis, have you discovered something?"
Elder Dennis ignored them, sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, seemingly in meditation.
"Master, the floor is dirty... there's no rush to practice now..." Stephanie Martin reminded him.
Yet Elder Dennis remained unresponsive.
After five minutes, Elder Dennis suddenly opened his eyes and struck the floor with his palm, a faint wave of energy emanating from his hand!
"Bang!"
Instantly, the floor cracked!
A one-meter deep crater formed abruptly! The floorboards were instantly pulverized!
This sight utterly shocked everyone! The commotion was enormous.
All of a sudden, Stephanie Martin noticed something and exclaimed, "Master, you've... you've had a breakthrough! Congratulations, Master!"
Old Dennis stood up, exhaling a stream of turbid air.
The next second, he opened his eyes filled with surprise, his wrinkled face flushing with excitement!
He looked at Larry Martin and grabbed his hand, "Old Martin, this newspaper... who wrote on this newspaper? You must let me meet him! He is my benefactor, Dennis Williams!"
His voice trembled uncontrollably, and he was so thrilled that he even squeezed Larry Martin' hand till it turned blue.