Youth must be seized early, for one cannot remain young forever. Chapter 116: Meeting Meng Li Again

Bai Qingzhou gazed ahead. The girl’s dark hair, tied back with a vibrant red silk ribbon, cascaded down like a waterfall pouring from a mountain ravine in the stillness of a moonlit night. Her graceful, elegant silhouette stirred a sense of genuine joy within him.

He quickened his pace, and when they were about ten feet apart, he called out with a smile, "Junior Sister Meng."

At the sound of his voice, the girl started. She turned around abruptly, her previously expressionless face instantly breaking into a radiant smile upon seeing him. "Senior Brother Bai! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed excitedly.

The girl was none other than Meng Li, whom he had not seen for a long time.

"Haha, I just wanted to come and find you!" Bai Qingzhou walked up to her side, laughing.

"Really?" Meng Li’s eyes sparkled with delight as she gazed intently at him. "Senior Brother, it’s been such a long time since we last met!"

"It has indeed been a while," Bai Qingzhou replied with a smile. He glanced at her and asked, "By the way, what are you doing out at this hour?"

Logically, at this time of day, Meng Li should have been tending to the shop.

"I came out to buy some materials to make clothes," Meng Li said with a soft smile.

"Materials?" Bai Qingzhou asked, puzzled. "What kind of clothes are you making?"

"Clothes that serve as defensive artifacts," she replied.

"Oh?" Bai Qingzhou asked in surprise, "Since when do you know how to craft artifacts?"

Back at the sect, Meng Li had never shown any inclination toward artifact crafting.

"I only learned recently," Meng Li said, lifting her chin with a look of quiet confidence.

"How did you suddenly pick up artifact crafting? I never saw you studying it before," Bai Qingzhou asked curiously.

Artifact crafting and alchemy were two highly sought-after professions in the cultivation world. They required immense natural talent just to get started, and success demanded diligent study and years of practice to maintain a consistent success rate. It was notoriously difficult. Bai Qingzhou had never imagined that Meng Li possessed a gift for it.

Meng Li smiled and explained, "I started learning two months ago. Managing the shop was just too idle, and I had nothing to do every day, so I bought some books to read. I saw the techniques described in them and decided to try it out myself. I didn't expect to succeed on my first attempt."

Bai Qingzhou’s mouth hung open slightly in astonishment. "You mean you succeeded on your very first try?"

"Yes. My family used to be in the clothing business, so I suppose I have a bit of a knack for it," she said with a proud grin. "But, although the forging was successful, the defensive power of that garment wasn't very high. It felt like a defective product."

Bai Qingzhou’s face lit up, and he exclaimed, "That’s already incredible! To succeed on your first try proves you are exceptionally gifted! As far as I know, many artifact crafters have to waste countless materials before they ever manage a single success!"

"Hehe... I think I have some talent, too. That’s why I took the liberty of renovating the sect’s herb shop..."

"Renovated? What did you turn it into?"

"I converted half of the shop into a boutique selling ready-to-wear defensive gear!" Her confident expression shifted to a hint of worry. "But I haven't told Deacon Chen about this yet. I wonder if he’ll reprimand me..."

Hearing this, Bai Qingzhou smiled enigmatically. It seemed Meng Li was not yet aware that the person in charge of the shop had been replaced by him.

"Hehe, Deacon Chen certainly won't reprimand you," Bai Qingzhou said with a chuckle. He paused, then asked, "So, what materials are you going to buy now? I’ll come along with you."

"That would be great! I’m looking for some velvet weave today, so I plan to pick some up at the Artifact Pavilion."

"Let’s go, then."

The two began walking slowly toward their destination, chatting and catching up on recent events. Before long, Bai Qingzhou gained a good understanding of Meng Li's situation.

First was her cultivation: Meng Li had already broken through the first barrier of Qi Refining and reached the fourth level, a remarkably fast pace. Second was the shop's business. Originally, the herb shop’s revenue, like that of the other two markets, had been dismal. However, since she began selling clothing artifacts, business had actually started to pick up. Because her family had been in the clothing trade for generations, she possessed a natural sense of aesthetics and craftsmanship. Her creations were not only beautiful but practical, quickly attracting a group of repeat customers.

As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the Artifact Pavilion.

"Two fellow cultivators, what can I help you with?" a female attendant immediately stepped forward to greet them.

"I'm looking for some velvet weave," Meng Li replied.

"Very well, please follow me." The attendant turned to lead the way.

It was Bai Qingzhou’s first time in a shop frequented by artifact crafters, and he looked around with curiosity. The pavilion was dedicated to the sale of all sorts of crafting supplies. After only a few steps, he saw a vast array of tools and materials: various smelting cauldrons and furnaces, as well as wood, bronze, refined iron, cinnabar, orpiment, beast horns, hides, fur, and bones. It was a real eye-opener.

Once the attendant led Meng Li to the appropriate section, she began browsing the shelves. After a moment, she stopped and looked at the attendant, asking, "Don't you have any black goat velvet weave here?"

Clearly, she hadn't found the material she wanted on the shelves.

"You have a keen eye!" the attendant complimented before adding, "Black goat velvet weave is the finest in our shop. We certainly have it, but our stock is low and kept in the back. May I ask how much you need?"

Meng Li hesitated, looking troubled. "Um, what is the price?"

The attendant glanced at Meng Li’s expression, her enthusiasm cooling slightly as she replied flatly, "Not much. Two taels of velvet weave for one low-grade spirit stone."

"Oh..." Meng Li paused involuntarily. "In that case... let me look at something else..."

Before she could finish, a voice came from behind her.

"Let’s start with ten taels. If that’s not enough, we’ll get more later."

It was Bai Qingzhou.

"Senior Brother," Meng Li turned to him, looking anxious, "that’s a bit too expensive!"

"It’s fine!" Bai Qingzhou smiled slightly. "I’ve made a small fortune recently! This little bit of money is nothing."

He then looked at the attendant and said, "What are you standing there for? Go and get the material!"

"Right away, sir! Please wait a moment!" The attendant’s cold demeanor vanished, and she hurried toward the back, beaming with excitement.