Longevity: Starting with an infant's innate growth potential

Chapter 27 Lu Family Workshop (Please read further and vote with monthly tickets and recommendations)
The next day happened to be a ten-day holiday.

Zhou Ling got up early and began repairing the Fire Pattern Pill Furnace.

After a preliminary analysis, the main problems with the Condensed Fire Inscription were identified.

Long-term use has caused the inscription to wear down, rendering the spirit ink ineffective.

It shouldn't be a big problem to fix.

After redrawing the inscription, Zhou Ling carefully checked it again to make sure there were no other problems.

Only then, with a satisfied expression, did he wrap the alchemy furnace in clean linen and place it in the medicine basket.

After breakfast, I carried my medicine basket and went to Old Zhao's stall in the West Street market.

Old Zhao sat on a low stool, eating fried dough sticks while calling out his wares, occasionally wiping the sweat from his face with a slightly yellowed towel.

Zhou Ling handed the repaired alchemy furnace to him.

Upon seeing the alchemy furnace, Old Zhao stuffed the remaining half of a fried dough stick into his mouth, his cheeks bulging, and exclaimed excitedly, "Young Ling, you really repaired this alchemy furnace?"

Zhou Ling nodded and said, "Yes."

Old Zhao's spirits lifted even more, his eyes gleaming. If the alchemy furnace were truly repaired, besides paying Zhou Ling for the repairs, he could also earn several spirit stones.

You should know that he only earns a dozen or so low-grade spirit stones a month by setting up a stall here.

For him, this alchemy furnace was a big business opportunity.

Then, he took a towel, wiped his hands, and carefully took the alchemy furnace out of the medicine basket with both hands.

He looked at it carefully, his face serious.

Zhou Ling was initially very confident, but looking at Old Zhao's expression, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. "Is there a problem?"

After watching for a moment, Old Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and said with a beaming smile, "No problem, it's really fixed!"

Zhou Ling finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although it had undergone multiple assessments using the [Basic Analysis], this was, after all, his first time repairing a low-grade magic artifact.

He wasn't entirely confident.

Old Zhao carefully placed the alchemy furnace into the sack, and then took out ten low-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and handed them to Zhou Ling.

Zhou Ling happily accepted the spirit stones, carefully placed them into his spirit stone pouch, and then asked with a beaming smile, "Uncle Zhao, do you have any more of these inferior or low-grade magic artifacts?"

Zhou Ling has truly tasted the sweetness of success. The spirit stones he earned from repairing this Fire Pattern Pill Furnace are more than his parents earn in a month.

And it's easy.

Old Zhao rolled his eyes at him and couldn't help but laugh, "You think low-grade magic artifacts are as common as cabbages!"

"I can only find a bargain once every year or two."

Zhou Ling thought about it and agreed.

But as you look around, all that's displayed on the burlap stall are ordinary religious artifacts, with a few substandard ones.

Even if it's repaired, you'll only earn a dozen or so Soul Shards.

Zhou Ling wasn't very interested this time; earning less was one thing.

The key issue is that it's somewhat of a waste of time and doesn't really help improve one's weapon crafting skills or talent.

Old Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "If you want to earn spirit stones, I can introduce you to someone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling perked up and asked, "Uncle Zhao, what connections do you have?"

Old Zhao glanced at Zhou Ling and said, "The inscription master from the Lu family workshop left last month, and they are short-handed."

"If you are capable of crafting inscriptions, you could go and give it a try."

"But let's make it clear first, you have to say that I introduced you."

"From now on, I'll be the first to receive their defective products!"

"Where is the Lu family workshop?" Zhou Ling asked after thinking for a moment.

Workshops are the main source of ritual implements.

If you can take on orders from the workshop, you can not only earn more money, but also greatly improve your weapon crafting skills.

After all, cultivation in the Taoist academy mainly involves theoretical classes, with very little actual weapon crafting.

The Taoist academy's weapon-making courses also include practical courses, such as weapon tempering and inscription drawing.

However, since the Xixia Branch did not have any subterranean fire, Zhou Ling could only take this kind of practical course at the North Campus. But it was twenty or thirty miles away, which was impossible for him to go there.

Nowadays, taking on internships from workshops is also a good opportunity.

“On Xiyun Third Street, you will see the sign for Lu Family Workshop.”

"Remember to say it was recommended by me!"

Old Zhao gave him another word of advice, still worried.

Zhou Ling nodded.

After thanking Old Man Zhao, I left the market.

We headed toward Xiyun Street, as Old Zhao had mentioned.

Zhou Ling walked straight along West Street for a while, then turned at two intersections.

Upon arriving at Xiyun Street, we soon saw the Lu Family Workshop, which Old Zhao had mentioned, at the end of the street.

A simple yet spacious courtyard.

A series of clanging sounds could be heard from inside.

A flag hangs in front of the workshop, embroidered with "Lu Family Workshop". The flag is somewhat dark and covered with soot, and looks quite old.

According to Old Zhao, the Lu family workshop has been open for about ten years.

The workshop's weapon refiner, surnamed Lu, was a tempering master with excellent skills in tempering.

However, the inscription artists they hired were of limited skill.

This resulted in a low yield rate in the workshop.

Therefore, they cannot afford to hire real weapon refiners and can only hire some independent weapon refiners.

When Zhou Ling entered the courtyard, he saw a burly middle-aged man drinking tea in large gulps.

Not far away, near the furnace, several disciples were shirtless, swinging large hammers and hammering away at the iron.

"Give me a push, all of you! You're forging iron, not embroidering!"

Master Lu put down his teacup, wiped the tea dust off his beard, pointed at his disciple, and shouted loudly.

He was shirtless, strong and muscular with dark skin, but had piercing eyes and a loud voice.

After scolding a few disciples, Master Lu bent down, picked up a towel hanging to the side, and wiped his sweat.

Turning around, I saw a sturdy, handsome child with bright eyes walk in.

He frowned, waved his hand impatiently, and said, "Little guy, we're not hiring apprentices anymore! Go back, go back!"

It's not easy for independent cultivators to survive, and their children have to learn how to make a living from a young age.

Once you leave the Taoist temple, you can only find a way to learn a trade.

So almost every day, independent cultivators would bring their children to the workshop to learn weapon crafting.

When Master Lu saw Zhou Ling carrying a medicine basket and dressed simply, he naturally assumed that Zhou Ling was a wandering monk seeking knowledge.

Zhou Ling shook his head and said, "Master Lu, I'm not here to learn weapon crafting. I was introduced by Manager Zhao to draw inscriptions."

"Manager Zhao?" Master Lu looked at Zhou Ling. "You're just a child, how could you draw an inscription?"

"Manager Zhao Yixi."

"I mainly cultivate artifacts at the Dao Academy, and I can now draw first-grade low-level inscriptions."

Zhou Ling said earnestly.

Master Lu was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then his expression softened slightly. "So it was Old Zhao who introduced you!"

He paused, then asked with a hint of doubt, "You really can draw a low-grade first-tier inscription?"

"I know a little!" Zhou Ling nodded modestly.

"Knowing a little bit isn't enough. Our workshop makes a lot of complex artifacts, involving many types of inscriptions."

Master Lu looked at Zhou Ling, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Zhou Ling replied earnestly, "If Master Lu doesn't believe me, you can let me try it with the tools!"

(End of this chapter)