Chapter 689: Speechless Ye Zhiqiu
Regarding Yang Haoran's praise, Ye Zhiqiu remained perfectly calm, still his old self, drinking and smoking by himself, a melancholic expression on his face.
"Although this mask looks decent, it's not a Demon Weapon, so it took very little time. If you wanted to refine it into a Demon Weapon, it would take much longer."
At this point, Ye Zhiqiu paused slightly, took a deep drag from his cigarette, and then continued to speak.
"Furthermore, you needn't compare me to those ordinary craftsmen out there. Our paths are different. While his craftsmanship might be decent among common folk, compared to us, there's definitely a significant gap. After all, our understanding and perspectives aren't on the same level, and with the difference in materials, the resulting items are bound to be vastly different. So there's no need for you to be surprised."
As Ye Zhiqiu spoke these words, his tone remained steady, unhurried, and exceedingly calm, yet a discernible arrogance permeated his every syllable.
"Heh heh, you know, I've always been one to trust my friends. So when you said you only knew a little about refining Demon Weapons, I genuinely took you at your word, thinking you really just knew a smidgen. Now, it seems I underestimated you."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, uttering words utterly devoid of shame. Ye Zhiqiu cast a glance at him, the contempt in his eyes utterly undisguised.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Wait, just wait a moment. I still have a few things I need to trouble you with."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile. Ye Zhiqiu, hearing this, stopped in his tracks and turned his gaze back to Yang Haoran. He said nothing, quietly waiting for Yang Haoran to continue.
"Sit down first. Let's sit and talk leisurely. With you standing so tall in front of me, I'll feel pressured."
Ye Zhiqiu hesitated slightly, then unceremoniously plunked himself down opposite Yang Haoran, drinking, smoking, and waiting for Yang Haoran to continue.
Yang Haoran didn't speak immediately. Instead, he put down the smiling face mask made by the old master and fixed his gaze entirely on the one Ye Zhiqiu had refined.
From its appearance and features, the smiling face mask Ye Zhiqiu had refined was indistinguishable from those the old master had made previously. The entire mask was an inky black, complete with eyes, nose, and mouth, but its most distinctive feature remained that gentle smile.
After staring at this mask for a prolonged period, the eerie sensation it evoked was even more intense than that produced by the smiling face mask the old master had crafted.
However, the smiling face mask that old master had crafted, having been imbued with Yang Haoran's Yin Spirit Power, allowed one to sense a power within it. The mask Ye Zhiqiu had just refined using a Refining Cauldron, on the other hand, emitted no power fluctuations whatsoever.
Just as Ye Zhiqiu had stated, this mask was not a Demon Weapon. It was merely a semi-finished product he had refined according to Yang Haoran's specifications. If the subsequent steps were completed, it might even transform into a true Demon Weapon.
However, Yang Haoran didn't intend for this smiling face mask to become a Demon Weapon, because once a smiling face mask transforms into a Demon Weapon, it would require a Demon Hunter's Star Spirit Power to activate it. His subordinate ghosts, possessing only Yin Qi, did not have Star Spirit Power, so even if he gave them the smiling face mask, they wouldn't be able to use it.
This current semi-finished product was precisely what Yang Haoran ideally needed and desired most.
However, the smiling face masks he needed were far more than just this one.
Yang Haoran didn't immediately ask Ye Zhiqiu to refine more such smiling face masks. Although he was currently very satisfied with the smiling face mask Ye Zhiqiu had produced, he wouldn't know if it could truly serve his purpose until he tested it.
In front of Ye Zhiqiu, Yang Haoran mobilized the Yin Spirit Power within his body and continuously injected a large amount into the mask. The already inky black smiling face mask, after receiving this infusion of Yin Spirit Power, began to emit a plume of black smoke.
Yang Haoran watched this scene unfold, yet he did not cease. He continued to pour Yin Spirit Power into the mask without interruption.
As more and more Yin Spirit Power flowed into the mask, the smiling face mask suspended before him began to tremble, the vibrations escalating from subtle to intense. Yet, the mask did not shatter, proving capable of withstanding the excessively powerful Yin Spirit Power.
Yang Haoran did not continue to inject Yin Spirit Power into the smiling face mask. He felt that at this level, it was already perfectly sufficient. After he dispersed the Yin Spirit Power, the smiling face mask settled back into stillness, slowly descending to rest before him.
"I still need more of these masks. Can you help me refine another batch?"
Yang Haoran looked at Ye Zhiqiu and said with a smile.
Ye Zhiqiu's eyebrow twitched slightly. He had caught the key point of Yang Haoran's words.
"A batch?"
Yang Haoran nodded, giving Ye Zhiqiu an affirmative reply.
"That's right, a batch."
Ye Zhiqiu frowned slightly, then spoke again.
"Give me an exact figure. Exactly how many does this 'batch' of yours entail?"
Yang Haoran thought for a moment, then, under Ye Zhiqiu's watchful gaze, extended two fingers.
"Twenty?"
Ye Zhiqiu asked, somewhat unsure.
"That's right, twenty. Just refine twenty of them for me for now."
Yang Haoran's face was wreathed in smiles, not a trace of embarrassment evident as he replied.
Ye Zhiqiu didn't reply immediately. Instead, he frowned, deep in thought.
Yang Haoran observed Ye Zhiqiu's reaction. He didn't press the issue, but quietly awaited Ye Zhiqiu's response.
After taking a few more drags, Ye Zhiqiu extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand, then gave Yang Haoran his reply.
"Refining twenty of them for you isn't an issue, but I don't have that much of the same material on hand. I'll have to use different materials for refining, which will lead to certain variations in the masks' toughness and defensive properties. After all, different monster hides inherently possess different qualities in these regards, so the resulting items will naturally differ."
Yang Haoran nodded in understanding. After a brief pause for thought, he pointed to the smiling face mask before him.
"No matter what beast hide you use to refine them, as long as their toughness is no less than this mask's, it's fine. They can be stronger, but absolutely not weaker."
Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment, then nodded to Yang Haoran.
"If those are your only requirements, then there shouldn't be a problem. I can have all twenty masks ready for you by this time tomorrow."
Ye Zhiqiu was remarkably agreeable, and Yang Haoran was overjoyed. However, Yang Haoran's very next words left Ye Zhiqiu utterly speechless.
"Great, if you can have them for me by tomorrow, that would be absolutely perfect. However, I still have one more thing I need to trouble you with."
Yang Haoran looked a little embarrassed. Ye Zhiqiu, a speechless expression on his face, looked at Yang Haoran, but still nodded.
"What is it? Just say it directly. Don't beat around the bush and waste everyone's time."
Yang Haoran wasn't offended. He smiled and tapped the Underworld Iron Tome a few times. Instantly, the tome erupted with a black light, and one by one, characters and patterns formed from Yin Qi projected into the space before them.
"This is?"
Ye Zhiqiu stared at the scene before him, a puzzled expression in his eyes.
"You take a look first."
Yang Haoran offered no explanation, merely smiling as he spoke to Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu had no idea what trick Yang Haoran was up to, but he nevertheless carefully read the projections as instructed. Subsequently, his expression underwent a profound change.
"Don't tell me you want me to help you refine *this* thing?"
Surprise rarely graced Ye Zhiqiu's face, but at this moment, it appeared, and it was quite considerable.
Yang Haoran watched Ye Zhiqiu's reaction, his expression unchanged, a smile still gracing his face. He wasn't surprised by Ye Zhiqiu's astonished look; he seemed to have anticipated this outcome all along.
"Heh heh, not only are you handsome, but your mind is also quite sharp. That's right, I do want you to help me refine this thing."
Upon receiving Yang Haoran's affirmative reply, Ye Zhiqiu instantly became displeased.
"Are you kidding me? This is completely different from a Demon Weapon! Not only have I never refined something like this before, so whether it'll even succeed is unknown, but even if I *could* refine it, where would I find the materials? The monster hides I have left on hand are barely enough to refine twenty masks for you. Where would there be any extra materials to refine *this* thing for you? !"
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