The colorful smog rose into the sky like a ferocious-looking poisonous serpent with bared fangs.
The workshop had already been razed to the ground. The ashes and smog floating around were indicators to how violent the explosion was.
Ai Hui, with bandages all over his body, was climbing out of the ruins. Although he was blackened by smoke and fire and looked incredibly awkward, he wasn’t wounded. Seeing that Ai Hui was fine, Mingxiu sighed with relief.
At that moment Han Yuqin had also heard the loud noise and rushed out. When she saw that Ai Hui was okay, the concern in her eyes disappeared. But the next second a hint of complacency flashed in her eyes, and she sneered at Ai Hui. “Now even your master can’t save you, little Ai Hui. Do you know how much this workshop is worth? I spent as much as eight million on it, and I’m still keeping the bill. It seems that you will have to work for me for many years, little Ai Hui.”
Mingxiu hesitated for a while, but then she interrupted, “Master.”
“Oh, Mingxiu, you are here too.” Han Yuqin was glad to see Mingxiu. “You see, Ai Hui just destroyed the workshop. Remember to give him the bill. Don’t forget to take into consideration the materials he consumed during his daily training. He cannot leave before he pays off his bill. Ai Hui, you can learn the double-flow embroidery method further from Senior Mingxiu.”
“Er, Master…” Mingxiu braced herself and said, “I think Ai Hui can pay it off.”
Han Yuqin was surprised. “How?”
Mingxiu showed a strand of the Twilight Silk that Ai Hui had recently produced. “Please have a look, Master.”
“So short? Ai Hui seems to have regressed.” Han Yuqin frowned, but the moment she touched the Twilight Silk, her eyes widened. “No, wait. Why is the Twilight Silk like this?”
The hair-thin strand of Twilight Silk was as hard and tough as a steel wire. As an Embroidery Master, Han Yuqin was far more sensitive to materials compared to Mingxiu.
She infused a strand of elemental energy into it, and a flash of silvery light appeared on the silk. She could feel a sharp aura rus.h.i.+ng to her eyebrows.
“Why is it like this?” Han Yuqin murmured to herself. She had seen and used countless strands of Twilight Silk but had never seen anything like this.
By this time, Ai Hui just managed to carry himself out of the ruins. He looked really miserable. Except for the bandages, which were still white, he was either covered with ashes or blackened by smoke.
“What…”
Ai Hui grimaced in pain as he walked towards them. Although he wasn’t injured, he had been hit by a large pot that had dropped on top of him, and he was currently feeling pain all over his body.
Han Yuqin suddenly raised her head. “How did you do it?”
Ai Hui was totally confused.
Mingxiu explained, “Ai Hui, Master is asking you how you had managed to change the nature of the Twilight Silk.”
“I changed the nature of the Twilight Silk?” Ai Hui seemed to be at a loss. “What nature did I change?”
Looking at his expression, Han Yuqin knew he that he hadn’t done it on purpose, so she changed her question and asked Ai Hui how he had circulated his elemental energy. Since she was very experienced, she soon figured it out. Ai Hui"s metal elemental energy was pure and sharp. When it was spirally infused into the Twilight Silk, it caused the silk to be further sharpened. Besides, Ai Hui had increased his speed of infusion, which had made the silk more solid. She was greatly surprised that the Twilight Silk had such a property.
She couldn’t help but glance at Ai Hui. Old w.a.n.g’s disciple was indeed good at giving pleasant surprises.
Throughout the years since its discovery, Twilight Silk had enjoyed a rich history of usage. The existing types of Twilight Silk had all been discovered long ago, and it now seemed that a new member would join them.
Although the Avalon of Five Elements had a short history and the development of elemental energy had yet to encounter a bottleneck with new discoveries being made every day, it was still an extraordinary achievement for a student of the Induction Ground.
Han Yuqin was much more experienced when it came to materials. At first glance, she could discern the value of this new type of Twilight Silk.
The people of the Avalon of Five Elements were infatuated with new materials. A brand-new material or species usually represented an astonis.h.i.+ng fortune, and anyone who could cultivate extraordinary plants like the mirage bean pods would definitely make a great fortune overnight.
That was why so many wood elementalists were keen on cultivating new species.
When she realized her hope had been misplaced, Han Yuqin’s mood turned sour. She glared at Ai Hui angrily and stomped away.
“Why is she…” Ai Hui was at a loss as he turned to Mingxiu.
Mingxiu knew what her master was thinking, but she couldn’t tell Ai Hui. Right at this moment, however, she noticed Manager Li looking towards them, so she called him over. “Would you please come here, Manager Li?”
Manager Li had already approached long ago, but he didn’t dare come closer because of Master Han Yuqin. He had been worried about losing the deal. But when Mingxiu called him, he quickly replied, “Coming!” and immediately ran to them.
Mingxiu introduced Ai Hui to Manager Li. “This is my junior, Ai Hui. Ai Hui, this is Manager Li.”
Ai Hui was confused, but he still greeted Manager Li.
Mingxiu explained, “Manager Li found an excellent use for your Twilight Silk: it can be used to make arrows. From now on, you can provide Twilight Silk to Manager Li with a quality similar to that of the silk you"ve made recently. Manager Li will give thirty percent of his profits to you. What do you think, Ai Hui?”
Manager Li was aware that this youth was the producer of the silk. Although he looked very young, as the junior of Mingxiu, he was most certainly not an ordinary person. Manager Li ardently watched Ai Hui. Even though he had to surrender thirty percent of the profits, he could get a stable supply in return. This would allow him to produce arrows continuously. The arrows were consumables, and that would be a lot of money.
“Twilight Silk?” Ai Hui shook his head. “I probably won’t extract Twilight Silk anymore.”
Manager Li’s face turned pale.
Mingxiu was also surprised. “Why?”
Ai Hui smiled proudly and raised his hands.
Mingxiu looked at one of his hands, and a moment later, she became completely amazed. “You have activated your hand palace?”
“Haha! Yes!” Ai Hui was thrilled.
“Which one? Left or right?” Mingxiu asked. She had calmed down from her initial shock. Compared to the Twilight Silk and the speed at which he had learned the [Twin Weaving Technique], it wasn’t really much of a surprise that he had activated his hand palace. In her eyes, this was easy for a genius like Ai Hui. She herself had activated her hand palaces such a long time ago that she didn’t even remember what happened properly.
Manager Li was anxious.
Why are you so excited about activating the hand palaces? Why not talk about our business first?
Ai Hui chuckled. “It is for both hands! And at the same time!”
“Good, good,” Mingxiu said admiringly, but then she abruptly changed the topic. “Are you really not considering the business? It’s really generous. Very few people can ignore such a large amount of money. It looks like you aren’t an ordinary person indeed.”
On hearing Mingxiu’s words, Ai Hui’s ears p.r.i.c.ked up. “How much?”