"Old man, how much do you know about mental power?" Old Craftsman was in his smithing workshop when Ou Yangming asked him the question eagerly.
In the entire military camp or rather the whole world, there was only one person whom Ou Yangming trusted the most, Old Craftsman. Therefore, Ou Yangming went to him whenever he had a problem.
Old Craftsman stopped what he was doing to think, then replied, "Mental power is an extremely mighty power."
Ou Yangming looked at the old man for a long time, but that was the only reply he got, so he quickly asked again, "Old Man, what else?"
Old Craftsman looked at him suspiciously. "Didn't I just tell you? Mental power is very mighty."
"I know, but what else?" Ou Yangming twitched his mouth. In actual fact, being an owner of mental power, he knew better than Old Craftsman how mighty and fearsome the power was.
Since the power allowed him to dodge Yan Haobo's saber-light range discreetly, it could also allow him to catch his enemies off guard by attacking them secretly.
In other words, it was a more peculiar energy and a tougher one to be used as compared to essential Qi. If Ou Yangming could manipulate it, the effects would be significant.
"I told you everything I know," Old Craftsman responded snappily.
"Are you saying that you only know that mental power is very mighty?" Ou Yangming was stunned.
"Yes." Old Craftsman was calm. "Isn't it mighty?"
Ou Yangming stuttered. He was certain that he asked the wrong person.
"B*stard, mental power can't be possessed by normal people, and it's very difficult to practice and manipulate. At least, I don't know how to do it." Upon seeing Ou Yangming's baffled look, Old Craftsman could not help but laugh. He paused for a while, then added, "You're probably gifted with mental power, but don't make blind speculation. Oh, you've gone out a few times lately, are you seeing someone in town?"
Ou Yangming smiled bitterly. It was true that he sneaked out of the military camp every now and then, but he had been hunting at the dense forest's border to replenish his Qi and blood. He always left and returned in haste, and was often covered in a bloody smell, so he did not have time to think about anything else.
"Old Man, you shouldn't make blind speculation too." Ou Yangming was suddenly moved, so he said, "I haven't gone to the town for a long time. I'll go there this time, and I'll bring you some good wine."
"Young fella, at least you have a little conscience. Go ahead." Old Craftsman chuckled. He thought for a moment, then instructed, "The monthly bazaar is probably starting, so take a look at the ore section and bring something back if they're worthy."
Ou Yangming responded to him, then left the smithing workshop, and picked a few pieces of equipment from his courtyard to bring them to the equipment depot.
Xiong Gaoan stood up as soon as he noticed Ou Yangming, and flattered him by asking him earnestly to sit down as he served him tea. However, he kept glancing at Ou Yangming's bag.
Ou Yangming found it funny and interesting. "These are a few pieces of equipment that I refined recently. There are five that are of High Grade, an Attribute Equipment of Good Grade, and the rest are normal ones of Good Grade."
"Okay." Xiong Gaoan smiled so brightly that his eyes were squinted.
In actual fact, while there were many Military Fire Blacksmiths in the military camp, every master smithed a limited amount of equipment each month. Moreover, most of the products were of Good Grade, and it was extremely rare to have High Grade ones, let alone Attribute Equipment. A normal Military Fire Blacksmith received ten precious ores a month, but most of them only submitted one Attribute Equipment.
Ou Yangming had actually finished his task for the month, because he already stored two pieces of Attribute Equipment in the depot. Since he brought an extra one, Xiong Gaoan was elated.
Xiong Gaoan checked the equipment carefully, and recorded it to be stored. "Master Ou, you're really worthy of being Old Craftsman's disciple. It's truly amazing that you refined three pieces of Attribute Equipment in a month."
Ou Yangming shook his head. "The old man is more brilliant than me. He's able to achieve three in ten, whereas I only achieved three in twenty.
He retrieved ten more precious ores when he submitted two pieces of Attribute Equipment previously, which amounted to twenty precious ores for that month.
"Master Ou, as long as you achieve the two-in-ten quota every month, it doesn't matter if you ask for more precious ores after that. As for the other ores, you only have to achieve one in ten," Xiong Gaoan quickly responded, then gulped before he asked eagerly, "Are you here to withdraw more ores? I'll ask someone to send you more!"
"I don't need them in a hurry. I'm here to withdraw some silver this time." Ou Yangming waved his hand.
"Ah, I forgot." Xiong Gaoan slapped his forehead. He smiled as he said, "You're now an official MIlitary Fire Blacksmith in the military, and a master who achieves a two-in-ten quota for Attribute Equipment. As such, your salary is equivalent to a centurion's, which is thirty taels of fine silver a month."
Ou Yangming's heart skipped a beat. Being an orphan, although he had come in contact with over thirty taels of gold and silver in his life thus far, he never received this much at once.
Xiong Gaoan grinned. "Master Ou, I'll prepare the banknotes for you now. Are you going to the town's money shop to store them?"
"The bazaar is being held today, so I'd like to see if any special mineral will catch my eyes." Ou Yangming shook his head subconsciously.
"I see, please wait for a moment." Xiong Gaoan was stunned.
He left and returned after 15 minutes. However, instead of returning alone, he brought Kang Weibo to the depot.
Kang Weibo laughed upon seeing Ou Yangming. "Brother Ou, I heard that you're going to the town's bazaar?"
Ou Yangming quickly stood up to greet him with a bow. After all, Kang Weibo was the Armament Camp's supervisor, so he must not be impolite.
"Brother Ou, we're brothers, so you don't have to do this." Nonetheless, Kang Weibo quickly took a step forward to support him by his arm as a way to stop him. He then took three banknotes from his pocket. "Look, are these enough?"
When Ou Yangming accepted them and took a look at them, he was dumbfounded.
He was not illiterate as he was taught by Old Craftsman, and at the very least, he definitely knew the words 'ten' and 'hundred'.
After flipping the notes to check them again, he expressed, "Sir Kang, I asked for thirty taels…"
Kang Weibo waved his hand. "Brother Ou, they're from the public fund, and I'm giving them to you to purchase ores. If you manage to buy something, report them to Gaoan afterward. As for the ores, you can just use them for smithing because it's troublesome to send them here."
Ou Yangming widened his mouth, and he replied after some time, "What if, what if I fail to smith something?"
Kang Weibo answered without hesitation, "If you fail, so be it! Military Fire Blacksmiths like you smith many pieces of high-level equipment, how can you not fail at all?"
Ou Yangming almost choked on his saliva when he heard the confident reply.
He did not need to show them the ores bought as he only needed to report to them, and would not be blamed for failing to smith equipment with the ores…
Even a fool could tell that Kang Weibo was simply giving him silver as a gift.
After looking at Kang Weibo strangely, Ou Yangming kept the banknotes. "I understand, thank you, Sir Kang."
Kang Weibo laughed out loud. "Brother Ou, picking ores is a difficult thing. I suggest you rest a night in the town and return tomorrow."
Ou Yangming agreed to him, then left the military camp where Kang Weibo and Xiong Gaoan sent him off.
When Ou Yangming touched the three banknotes, he sighed. Sure enough, things had been very different for him in the past.
There was a town 1.5 kilometers outside the military camp, which was initially meant to provide the camp with various supplies, and its scale was not very big. As time passed, more people settled down in the town, hence it became bigger in scale, and its population grew bigger than the military camp's. Furthermore, the annual bazaar was always crowded and lively.
Ou Yangming planned to walk there at first, but Kang Weibo insisted that he traveled by carriage. The cart driver was a diligent man from the town, and he showed Ou Yangming his home after dropping him off. "Sir, let me know when you want to leave, I can send you back any time."
After thanking the cart driver, Ou Yangming entered the town.
He was familiar with the town as he visited it a few times back when he roamed about. This time, he visited with a different attitude.
While looking at the streets that did not change much, he smiled plainly.
All of a sudden, there was a disturbance in the crowd ahead, and the passersby cleared a path as a thin person fled in any path he could. Behind him, a few tall and burly men cursed while pursuing him.
Ou Yangming could tell at once that the big men were much faster than the thin man.
As expected, before long, one of the big men caught up to the thin man and kicked him hard on his butt.
"Argh…"
The thin man shrieked and staggered before falling to the ground. He was in so much pain that he could not get up anymore.
Nevertheless, Ou Yangming noticed earlier that the seemingly fierce kick was actually a merciful one because a kick on the man's lower back would have been more deadly.
The big man pulled the young fellow up. "B*stard, how dare you steal from Military Master? Are you tired of living?"
A young man around Ou Yangming's age was seen grimacing in pain on the ground.
When the other big men surrounded the young man, one of them suddenly called out to Ou Yangming and bowed at him, "Master Ou!"
Ou Yangming could not help but chuckle. The person was Yan Chengcai who visited him yesterday, and he did not expect to meet him here today.