Seeing the familiar, hardworking figure in the blacksmith shop, Huo Feng was almost certain it was Tang San. After all, Tang San had practically grown up in a place just like this. Under the careful instruction of his father, Tang Hao, he had spent nearly every day of his childhood hammering iron. Even after enrolling in Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy, he hadn't given up his craft, finding part-time work in a local smithy. It was perfectly reasonable that a penniless Tang San would find work as a blacksmith in Soto City.
With this thought in mind, Huo Feng turned to the others. "You guys wait for Dai Mubai. Xiao Wu and I are going to check out that shop across the street."
He was careful not to mention that he thought he'd seen Tang San. News that Yu Xiaogang had been showing up at the Soto Soul Fighting Arena every night looking for his precious disciple had already spread throughout Shrek Academy, courtesy of Dai Mubai, who claimed to have overheard a conversation between the "Grandmaster" and Dean Flanders.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun nodded without a second thought. However, a strange expression flickered across the faces of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing. It was common knowledge that wherever Huo Feng went, Xiao Wu was sure to follow. But even though they had graduated from the same junior academy, wasn't their closeness a little unusual? Zhu Zhuqing's quiet nature kept her from voicing her thoughts, but Ning Rongrong was a different story.
Huo Feng and Xiao Wu had only taken two steps when she trotted after them. "Where are you two going? Wait for me, I'm coming too!"
Huo Feng paused, stunned for a moment. Why was Ning Rongrong following them? A glint appeared in Xiao Wu's eyes before quickly vanishing. Without any hesitation, Ning Rongrong came to a stop on the opposite side of Huo Feng, creating a trio.
"So, where are we going?" she asked, looking at Huo Feng with a playful and curious glint in her eyes.
"There," Huo Feng said simply, tilting his chin towards the blacksmith shop diagonally across the street.
Ning Rongrong followed his gaze, a hint of confusion on her face. "A blacksmith shop? What are you going there for? Do you need something forged?"
Huo Feng didn't answer her question directly, offering only a meaningful smile. His response left her feeling even more puzzled, but she didn't press the matter. The street wasn't very wide, and the three of them crossed it in just a few moments. The blacksmith shop was now right in front of them, and she immediately understood where Huo Feng was heading.
As they approached, they all looked up at the sign hanging above the entrance.
"Liu's Blacksmith Shop!"
The five characters on the plaque were unremarkable. A quick glance inside revealed a very ordinary layout, no different from most other blacksmith shops. Two figures were inside the room: one large and one small. The larger man was tall and strong, looking every bit the part of a skilled blacksmith who had been working the forge for many years. The other figure was much thinner, a strange sight in a place that demanded physical strength. He seemed completely out of place.
At that moment, the larger man was pointing at a pile of metal and speaking sternly to the smaller one. Although they were too far away to hear the words, his sharp tone and aggressive hand gestures made it clear this was not a friendly conversation. It looked more like a scolding.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong glanced around curiously, their expressions unchanged. They kept turning their heads to look at Huo Feng, waiting for his lead. When Huo Feng saw the scene inside, however, his eyes lit up. He was quite familiar with Tang San, and seeing him up close confirmed his suspicions. Without any further hesitation, he walked straight into the shop.
Seeing new customers arrive, the burly man immediately stopped his tirade. He turned to face the young man and two young women who had just entered, putting on a smile. "Welcome! What can I get for you three?"
He could tell at a glance that they had an extraordinary air about them. The girl on the right, Ning Rongrong, was dressed in clothes that were clearly not something an ordinary person could afford. Although his shop mostly produced kitchen utensils and farm tools, he was also skilled enough to forge weapons for Spirit Masters.
Huo Feng shook his head and smiled back. "We're not here to buy anything, boss. We're looking for someone." As he spoke, he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the thin figure who was still hammering away at a piece of iron, his meaning obvious.
"Looking for him?" the shop owner asked, stunned. Why would anyone be looking for this guy? He didn't know much about Tang San or who he associated with, but he certainly didn't think he would have any connection to well-dressed youths like these. The only possibility that came to mind was that Tang San owed them money, too. After all, he had lent the kid money out of kindness, only for him to squander it somewhere.
As soon as he realized it wasn't business, the smile vanished from the owner's face. "Does he owe you money, too?" he asked flatly.
Worried about their unknown identities, he didn't order them to leave. Instead, he quickly tried to distance himself from his troublesome worker. "Look, let me make it clear, I have nothing to do with him," he said hurriedly. "The kid owes me money, and he's just working here to pay off his debt. That's all."
With those two sentences, he completely severed any connection between himself and Tang San. At this point, if Huo Feng asked to take Tang San away, he would agree without a second thought. In his eyes, Tang San was a magnet for trouble. He couldn't have people constantly showing up at his door. How was he supposed to run a business like that? He was willing to just write off the ten gold soul coins.
A faint wave of spirit power emanated from the boss. He was a Spirit Master with an Iron Hammer spirit, but his rank was low, not even level 20. The three kids in front of him, despite their young age, radiated spirit power far stronger than his own. The pressure was overwhelming. He couldn't help but suspect they were from some powerful family or clan that he couldn't afford to offend.
Coming to this conclusion, the owner made a quick decision. "The kid's right there. Just take him and go!" he said, pointing at Tang San before finding a chair and slumping into it. What rotten luck!
Throughout the entire exchange, Tang San remained at the forge, hammering away. The intense heat from the furnace made him sweat profusely, and the deafening clang of metal on metal drowned out the conversation between his boss and the visitors. His face was haggard, his eyes were dull, and he looked completely drained of energy. He hadn't even bothered to look back. If he had, he certainly wouldn't have been so calm.
"Take him away?" Huo Feng repeated with a smirk. "I just came to have a look. I never said I was going to take him anywhere."
The owner had just said Tang San owed him money. Taking him away would mean having to pay that debt to free him. Besides, Huo Feng wasn't some kind-hearted Samaritan.
Pay to save him? he thought to himself. Not a chance. I haven't had nearly enough fun watching him suffer yet. The last thing I'm going to do is rescue him.
He had only come to confirm if this pathetic blacksmith was truly Tang San. Now that he knew, his work here was done.
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