My dreams can simulate the future.

Chapter 27 Old Zhang's Stingy Entrustment

Instead of returning directly to his own courtyard, he went to Zhang Laokou's weapon-refining shop.

The weapon-refining shop is even more dilapidated now. The signboard that fell down two years ago has not been put back up; it just leans against the wall.

The plaque was covered in dust, and the cracks were more numerous and deeper than before.

Jiang Chen walked into the store and saw Old Zhang sitting behind the counter, drinking alone without even a snack.

Two years had passed since I last saw him, and the wrinkles on Old Zhang's face had deepened, and his once gray hair had mostly turned white.

There was also a young man inside the store, cleaning the shop.

Seeing Jiang Chen enter, he quickly greeted him, "Little Jiang, what would you like to order?"

At this moment, Old Zhang raised his hazy, drunken eyes, glanced at Jiang Chen, and then sighed softly.

Instead of pouring the wine into a glass, they directly shoveled it into their mouths from the wine jug.

Jiang Chen was puzzled: "I came to buy a high-grade first-rank talisman brush. What's wrong with Grandpa Zhang?"

The young man gave an awkward smile: "Our weapon-refining skills have progressed slowly, which has angered Grandpa."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen didn't say anything more, after all, it was someone else's family matter.

But the young man's words angered Zhang Laokou, who smashed the wine pot on the ground: "Is that slow progress? You're all stupid pigs."

"I've been teaching you all for over twenty years, and not one of you can even forge a mid-grade first-rank magic weapon. Your cultivation talent is also lacking; you're not qualified to join the Golden Cauldron Sect."

"I started from scratch as a rogue cultivator and built up such a large business all by myself. I have walked a path that would have taken two or three generations of the Sun family to complete."

If even one of you idiots had half of my talent, our Zhang family could become a family like the Sun family.

But what about you? Not a single one of you is capable of shouldering any responsibility!

"Look at Jiang Chen, he's not even thirty years old, and his talisman-drawing skills are almost on par with his grandfather Jiang Yun. Damn it, how did I give birth to such a bunch of idiots?"

Old Zhang's sudden outburst left Jiang Chen in a bit of a dilemma.

I came here to buy a talisman pen, but it seems like it's not suitable for me to continue doing business now.

Just as he was about to leave, a glint of light suddenly flashed in Zhang Laokou's cloudy eyes.

He looked at Jiang Chen with a smile on his face: "Young Master Jiang, I once crafted a first-grade high-level talisman brush. It was a masterpiece and one of my proudest works."

I've always been reluctant to put it out for sale, thinking I'd save it for future generations. Now it seems these idiots can't even figure out the artifact's patterns, let alone its runes.

"You have good talent. It's good that this talisman pen has come into your hands."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen was also somewhat excited. Old Zhang's skill in refining weapons was widely recognized.

He was only unable to forge a second-grade magic weapon due to limitations in his cultivation level and resources. His masterpiece was definitely not an ordinary item.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Grandpa Zhang."

Seeing that he agreed, Old Zhang quickly stood up, and there was no trace of drunkenness left.

She quickly took Jiang Chen's hand and walked towards the backyard.

At this moment, several burly cultivators were hammering and banging on the stove in the backyard.

They were all surprised to see Jiang Chen being brought in.

The backyard of the weapon-refining workshop has always been off-limits to outsiders; only the workshop owner's descendants and disciples are allowed to enter.

Although Jiang Chen's grandfather had some connection with Zhang Laokou, he had not become Zhang Laokou's apprentice and was therefore not qualified to enter this place.

Zhang Laokou ignored everything and pulled Jiang Chen directly into the inner room.

Those young people, who were usually beaten and scolded by Old Zhang, dared not voice any objections at this moment.

The two entered the main house in the backyard. Old Zhang rummaged through the chests and cabinets and took out a white jade box that was more than a foot long.

He opened the box, and Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat.

Inside the jade box was a foot-long calligraphy brush, its body purple and its tip black with a dark red sheen.

It doesn't require magical power to activate, yet it radiates spiritual light, and star patterns flicker on the pen. Compared to the talisman pen I usually use, it's worlds apart.

Seeing Jiang Chen's excitement, Old Zhang's face was full of smiles.

"I crafted this talisman pen ten years ago. At that time, my crafting skills had reached their peak, and I wanted to try crafting a second-grade magic weapon."

They tried to collect second-grade materials from various sources, but unfortunately, the materials were hard to find. They only found a piece of star-patterned sandalwood and a tail of a second-grade black-tailed sable.

Therefore, I wanted to forge a second-grade talisman brush.

"Unfortunately, I am old and frail, and my energy is failing. When I was inscribing the second-grade artifact pattern, something went wrong."

Since I couldn't refine it into a second-grade magic weapon, I modified it into a high-grade first-grade magic weapon.

"It can be said that this Star Sandalwood Brush is the regret of my life. After it was successfully made, I kept it a secret, and even my grandchildren did not know of its existence."

"Although this talisman brush is only a high-grade first-rank talisman, its material is excellent, and it can be used to draw low-grade second-rank talismans."

Jiang Chen was extremely satisfied with the talisman brush: "Grandpa Zhang, how many spirit stones would you like to sell this talisman brush for?"

A first-grade high-level talisman brush of ordinary quality usually costs around fifty spirit stones. This one in front of us is a fine piece, made with second-grade materials, and its price is definitely over one hundred.

However, with Jiang Chen's current wealth, taking out one or two hundred spirit stones is not a problem.

Old Zhang shook his head: "I'm not selling this talisman pen."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen was stunned.

He couldn't help but curse inwardly: "Is this old guy playing me? Why did he drag me in if he wasn't going to sell to me?"

Seeing the change in his expression, Old Zhang smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I won't sell this talisman brush, but I can give it to you, I just hope you can promise me one thing."

Jiang Chen was somewhat surprised; he knew Zhang Laokou's personality all too well.

They wouldn't let anyone take advantage of even a single grain of spirit rice, but now they're suddenly offering a discount of one or two hundred spirit stones. What's coming next is definitely not insignificant.

Thinking of this, he immediately closed the jade box.

"Grandpa Zhang, my cultivation is too low to be of any help to you. I'll pass on this talisman brush. I just want to practice drawing high-grade first-rank talismans, so a regular-grade talisman brush will suffice."

Old Zhang grabbed him and said, "Don't worry, you can fulfill my request, and you won't have to pay too high a price."

"If you agree, this talisman pen is just a small gift; I have other valuable items for you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen became even more frightened, and his legs trembled slightly.

This stingy person actually gave me a talisman brush worth over a hundred spirit stones as a gift. How big of a deal is this? Could it be that he wants me to assassinate the garrison commander?

Forget about participating in this kind of thing; even hearing about it and not reporting it would be a crime.

"Grandpa Zhang, you and my grandfather had a good relationship, and our two families are practically family friends. Please don't harm me!"

Old Zhang was speechless: "You kid, let me tell you what it is first. If you don't agree, I definitely won't force you."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen could only suppress his temper and say, "Then please speak."

Old Zhang sighed, "Actually, I wanted to entrust my orphan to someone else."

"Entrust your orphanage to me?" Jiang Chen asked, somewhat puzzled. "You have so many children and grandchildren, several of whom are at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. Do you really need to entrust your orphanage to me?"

Old Zhang sighed, "If even one of those good-for-nothings were of any use, I wouldn't have to worry about them."

Now I'm ninety-eight years old, and the old wounds from my early struggles are starting to flare up again. I don't have many years left to live.