Her tsundere act—who did she even learn this from? The once-elegant Holy Maiden had somehow turned into this.
Zhang Luan could only sigh helplessly. He really had no idea which dashing, handsome guy had changed her like this. Poor thing.
When the Blacksmith returned from the backyard, he eyed Nan Fenghua’s pouting face and Zhang Luan’s amused smirk with confusion. Had he missed something crucial in those few minutes?
Seeing the Blacksmith back, Zhang Luan wiped the playful grin off his face and eyed the massive quiver—about the size of a beer keg—in his arms.
“That’s all?”
“Hmm. Custom arrows take time. Three hundred total. Quality’s guaranteed—exactly to your specs: heat-resistant, explosion-proof, corrosion-resistant, energy slots, and spiral-shaped tips.”
He pulled out one arrow and handed it to Zhang Luan. Its stats appeared before him:
**[Arrow] (Unnamed)**
Tier: Advanced
Effects:
**[Energy Storage]**: Stores energy, detonates on impact.
**[Spiral Acceleration]**: Increases arrow damage by 15%.
Description: Heat-resistant, explosion-proof, corrosion-resistant. Crafted by the Mountain Sealing Smith.
—
Zhang Luan was satisfied. True to his title, the Mountain Sealing Smith had delivered custom arrows in record time. Three hundred was a bit low, but enough for a serious fight.
“Well?” The Blacksmith fidgeted, nervous about his first craft since recovery.
“Perfect. I love them. Thanks.”
Relief washed over the Blacksmith’s face, replaced by a simple, honest smile.
“As long as the Holy Son is pleased… uh…”
“What is it? Spit it out.”
The Blacksmith rubbed his bald head, chuckling awkwardly.
“Well… I’m out of materials for more arrows. Could the Holy Son… help with that?”
Custom arrows did devour resources—especially disposable ones. No surprise he’d run dry.
“Materials are easy. Fenghua.”
Nan Fenghua, who’d been sulking over her studies nearby, instantly beamed. She darted over to hug him from behind, arms looping around his neck. “Luan-ge called me ‘Fenghua’ for the first time ever~ So happy (/≧▽≦)/”
Ignoring her nonsense, Zhang Luan pried her hands off his face.
“After we return to the Sacred Temple, arrange a meeting between the Guardians and the Blacksmith. The Temple will supply materials. Understood?”
“Ow, that hurts~ Fine, but I need to tell the Holy Mother first, or she’ll be mad.”
“Whatever. Hand over the arrows. We’re leaving.”
The Blacksmith passed him the quiver. Zhang Luan stashed it in his system inventory and turned to go with Nan Fenghua.
“Holy Son! Almost forgot—” The Blacksmith chased after them at the door. Zhang Luan turned.
“These arrows still need a name.”
“Name them whatever. I don’t care.”
The Blacksmith shook his head firmly. “A Mountain Sealing Smith never names his own creations. Only you can do that.”
Zhang Luan scratched his head. Naming things wasn’t his strength. He could handle cringey skill names, but arrows?
*Kinda pointless…*
He was clearly uninterested. But Nan Fenghua’s eyes sparkled.
“Luan-ge! Call them ‘Maple Blossom Arrows’! Pretty and fun, hehe!”
“Fine. Whatever you say.” Zhang Luan waved dismissively.
“Great! They’re the Maple Blossom Arrows then. I’ll visit the Sacred Temple to pray soon, Holy Son and Holy Maiden.”
Zhang Luan stroked his chin, then pulled a scripture from his inventory—a random one he’d “borrowed” from a priestess at the Temple.
“Big guy, take this. Payment for the arrows.”
The Blacksmith’s eyes flickered with complex emotions as he accepted the book, clutching it to his chest.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do.”
—
On the way back to the Sacred Temple, Nan Fenghua was giddy. No annoying Guardians, no Holy Mother’s nagging—just Zhang Luan, treating her to snacks and fun. By the time they reached the Temple gates, her arms were full of sweet bags forbidden by Ye Ying.
Back in his room, Zhang Luan collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. Nan Fenghua noticed. She didn’t pester him. Instead, she quietly cast a blessing spell to ease his fatigue, then slipped out without a sound.
He slept deeply. When he woke, it was already the next night. Losing so much vitality took a toll on anyone not yet ascended. But after this rest, he felt much better.
He pulled out the Choice Coin. Since Aruola had entered it, the other side now bore her likeness. She must be sleeping within.
Scanning his system panel, Zhang Luan realized he’d forgotten to submit an A-rank quest triggered at the Mage Tower: **[Secrets of the Ancient Mage]**.
He tapped to submit it, expecting little—just some rare magic trinket.
**[Quest Completed: Secrets of the Ancient Mage]**
**Reward: Bond Card ×1**
“???”
Zhang Luan stared blankly at the thin card in his hand. He’d never seen anything like it.
**[Bond Card]**
Tier: Rare
Effect: Use on a single target. Grants both parties a Bond Talent based on your relationship. No effect if no bond exists.
Description: This thin card holds the bonds between you and me—friendship, love, kinship. These ties shape who you are. They are the irreplaceable threads of your world.
—
A wry smile tugged at Zhang Luan’s lips. He hadn’t expected this. A free Talent slot? Weak or strong, any Talent beat having none. And if the bond was powerful enough… the Talent would be too.
*What’s my strongest bond right now?*
Nan Fenghua’s silly, grinning face flashed in his mind.
Holy Son and Holy Maiden?
*Not bad.*
