四库影院永久地址www9

“It turns out to be the Insect Master. My apologies for any offense. Please, do come in.”

Seeing the Bronze Fish Talisman in the idler’s hands, after scrutinizing it carefully and confirming it was genuine, he immediately pulled a one hundred and eighty-degree about-face.

The status of an idler was even lower than a petty official’s.

Even Tang Yan, who was half a step into the official hierarchy, sought to curry favor with Qin Niu, so how could an idler dare to act boldly in front of him?

To truly anger Qin Niu and pull in the Insect Master Association behind him, let’s not even talk about the idler, even the small officials above him would be dealt with. Attract trouble for the higher-ups? Don’t even joke about it.

If he didn’t even have that much sense of survival, he would have been dismissed by his superiors long ago.

Qin Niu, followed by Xiao Qing, swaggered into Black Tiger City.

No need to queue, no need to pay the entrance fee.

It’s really nice to be a person of privilege.

Even Xiao Qing, the servant, had her moment of flaunting authority, with no one daring to ask her for the city entrance fee.

Those Black Armored Soldiers stood ramrod straight, looking neither left nor right.

They wouldn’t possibly get into a squabble with Qin Niu over such a trivial matter.

The entrance fees they collected didn’t end up in their pockets anyway.

That’s pretty much the gist of working for the state.

As long as it doesn’t affect their own interests, turn a blind eye.

“I was almost scared to death just now, those Black Armored Soldiers are so cool!” Xiao Qing said, pounding her chest with fear.

“Ha ha, they are also human, and they have cultivated step by step from ordinary people. It won’t take you two years, and your cultivation will definitely surpass theirs,” Qin Niu said with a laugh.

“Hmm…” She shook her head like a rattle-drum. “Master, you have too high expectations of me! My grandfather never broke through to the Fivefold ordinary realm in his life, and it would be a great achievement for me to reach my grandfather’s level.”

The thought of being more formidable than the Black Armored Soldiers was simply inconceivable to her.

“You are different from your grandfather. Have you heard the saying, ‘When one person attains the Dao, his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven’? Since you’re with me, I’ll naturally help you elevate your cultivation,” Qin Niu said confidently with a smile.

“It’s true that Master treats me very well. However, the Medicine King Sutra I’m cultivating is very difficult to advance in, so it would be better if Master doesn’t waste too many resources on me. Otherwise, I would feel guilty. I’m even more afraid of disappointing you if my cultivation hits a snag and doesn’t progress,” she said seriously, expressing her thoughts.

To this, Qin Niu just smiled and didn’t dwell on the topic any longer.

“Let’s go to the True True Armor Shop at the shoe and garment market first!”

He took Xiao Qing with him to the Armor Shop.

Upon entering, they were greeted by the same shop assistant who liked to look down on people.

He glanced at Qin Niu and Xiao Qing without much of a smile on his face.

“I would like to see your shopkeeper,” said Qin Niu, who now spoke with a very different tone due to his changed status.

At these words, the shop assistant bristled.

This country bumpkin, bringing his sister over today, dared to speak to him with such tone, who did he think he was?

Just as the assistant was about to get angry, the shopkeeper came out from the back.

“Oh, young man, it’s you! Are you in town buying things again today?” the owner greeted with a smile, exuding warmth. “And what a pretty girl!” he added, complimenting Xiao Qing standing behind Qin Niu.

“Boss, could you take a look and see if this pigskin can be made into armor?” Qin Niu took out the pig king’s skin.

Seeing the sizable and seemingly sturdy pigskin, the shopkeeper looked somewhat surprised.

“Hmm, this pigskin is much larger than the one you sold me last time, and it looks even thicker,” the owner commented as he took it, preparing to lay it out on the ground to check it.

As soon as he held it in his hands, his expression turned odd.

Looking closely at the pigskin in his hands, the shopkeeper’s surprise kept increasing.

He hurried to the assistant at the back and said, “Don’t just stand there, move that table over here.”

“Wouldn’t it be just fine to place the pigskin on the ground?”

The assistant somewhat reluctantly moved the table over.

The shopkeeper placed the pigskin on the table and spread it out.

Since the table wasn’t wide enough, the pigskin hung down on both sides.

The length of the table was just barely sufficient, though.

The shopkeeper excitedly stretched out his hand and caressed the pigskin, even closing his eyes to finely feel the sensation at his fingertips and palm.

His hands were trembling nonstop.

“What fine hide! This, this is not only a king’s hide but also imbued with demonic energy throughout. Incredible, truly incredible.”

The shopkeeper muttered to himself.

Even having seen many high-grade beast hides before, he was still extraordinarily excited at this moment.

“Shopkeeper, can you make armor out of this hide for me?”

“Yes, yes! I will personally tailor and craft it for you. This fine King Hide, I only saw it once when I was very young, learning to identify beast hides with my grandfather. Over forty years have blinked by since then, and I never thought I’d see it once more in my lifetime. It truly must be fate! With that beast hide back then, my grandfather crafted a set of armor for a customer, which earned him the honorific title of a true master.

My father never got to see such an opportunity until his dying day.

I thought that I would be just like my father, but to think, young brother, that you’ve bestowed upon me this grand opportunity. I’m truly too excited.”

The shopkeeper was ecstatic.

Qin Niu, not being from this line of work, didn’t understand how tough it was for an armorsmith to advance.

Without good materials, even the most skilled artisan couldn’t craft fine armor.

Magical beasts were already rare, and hunting them was exceedingly difficult.

And it wasn’t the only Armor Shop, there were many.

If someone else hunted a magical beast, either the skin was too small, unsuitable for making armor, or even if the skin was large enough, they might not choose him to do the job.

“Shopkeeper, could the armor made from this pigskin possess half the defense of the Hundred-Tempering Black Armor?”

Qin Niu felt that the defense of the beast hide would surely not match that of metal.

Hence his question.

“Oh boy, asking like that, you’re completely insulting this King Hide! Truly fine armor isn’t forged from metal. This is what my grandfather taught me. He told me that no matter how exceptional an artisan’s skills are, metal-made armors lack spirit and are merely cobbled together. The most ideal armor is made from materials like beast hides, entire beast bones, and special insect silk.

“Wearing it not only provides flexibility and lightness, but also an essence that metal armor doesn’t have.

Many people only know that weapons can choose their owners, yet don’t realize that a fine piece of armor can do the same.

I will pour all my lifelong learning into making this armor for you, young man.

I dare not say it will surely satisfy you, but at least it will be the masterpiece of my career.”

The shopkeeper spoke with a dedicated and confident tone.

“Then how much would the crafting fee be?”

“Free! As long as you’re willing to entrust its making to me, I won’t ask for a single copper coin in payment, and I will be grateful to you for a lifetime. If you come to my shop to buy armor or protective gear in the future, I will sell it to you at cost.”

The shopkeeper was beyond excited.

Not only was he offering to make it for free, but he also promised to sell other armors to Qin Niu at cost price in the future.

The assistant was completely dumbfounded.

“Here’s the thing, this pigskin is quite large; besides wanting to make a suit of armor for myself, I’d like to use the leftover material to also make one for my maidservant.”

Qin Niu made his request to the shopkeeper.

Xiao Qing bit her lip when she heard this on the side without saying a word.

Her master treated her like his own younger sister, and she could feel this kindness.

“Alih… that would be possible. Only thing is, I want to craft the most perfect armor, and that would require using the best parts of the pigskin. The remaining material used to make the maidservant’s armor might be slightly inferior. Also, seeing that she’s still young now, I will try to accommodate future growth, so she can wear it as a vest later.”

The shopkeeper put forth his idea.

And he explained in advance that there might be some differences between the two sets of armor.