Chapter 7: An Extraordinary Misunderstanding
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After standing up and testing his powers, Yang Ling noticed that his strength and wizard powers had improved considerably. He now had a shocking explosive power. With the sudden increase in speed, he could now move like an unevolved Horned Bee Beasts. The elves were amazed.
Yang Ling could not help but exclaim that the elves' Water of the Spring of Life was indeed a powerful treasure after looking at his evolved, fist-sized Horned Bee Beasts as well as witnessing the change to the wizard powers in his body. It had a better effect than consuming several blood orbs from Magical Beasts.
"How could we get this Ancient Summoner to stay and help us?" Now that the slave-capturing squad of the humans was becoming more and more brazen, the prettier members of his tribe would become their primary target. The elf elder was very worried.
Just as the elf elder was thinking up a plan, an elf carrying a basket of arrows made of purple sandalwood charged into the room. "Elder, the dwarves have visited us with a large number of weapons!"
"Good, this is great, invite them in!"
The elder had not finished his sentence when a commotion broke out outside the room. "Elder, we are thirsty, get us a few barrels of rum!"
A dark-faced dwarf, his height reaching about Yang Ling's chest, swaggered into the room and sat down on a light green bamboo chair after tossing the bag he was carrying onto the ground.
Even though he was not tall, the dark-faced dwarf was incredibly well-built. His arm was thicker than the long-haired beauty Sofia's thigh. The dwarf could not keep still despite sitting down. He constantly shifted his watermelon-like butt, causing the bamboo chair to creak incessantly. Yang Ling was worried that the chair would shatter under the weight.
"Sofia, me and the poor members of my tribe have walked in the mountains for the entire day, can't you give us a few glasses of rum to quench our thirst?" The dwarf feigned a pathetic look and stared at Sofia. "If not, one glass is alright too. I have not tasted alcohol for a full month now. Oh god, I am too pitiful!"
"Alright, Rumi, you drunkard. You're going to drink yourself into a stupor again!" As she was saying this, Sofia poured a glass of delicious rum for the dwarf, then filled Yang Ling's glass.
After finishing his rum in a gulp and looking at Yang Ling's full cup, the dwarf felt the injustice deeply. "Sofia, this is not fair! You poured your lover a full glass of rum, but only gave me such a little amount. It's not enough to quench my thirst, I want another cup!"
Lover?
Sofia felt ashamed and angry after she heard the dwarf Rumi's words. She fiercely twisted Rumi's filthy ear and left. As she was leaving, she silently turned to look at Yang Ling, her face red.
"Come, Brother Rumi, I'll treat you to a cup!"
Seeing the dwarf pick up the flask of rum and drink every last drop, Yang Ling laughed and pushed his glass of rum over.
The dwarf did not hesitate to down the large glass of rum in a gulp. After releasing a burp, he gave a thumbs up to Yang Ling. "Brother, that was nice of you. I'll treat you to a drink next time, we'll drink by the barrels!"
"Look at this lad, still the same as always. Rumi, what did your father get you to bring over this time? Let me see quickly!" The elder elf gave a charitable smile as he saw the dwarf beginning to fall into a drunken stupor.
After patting his head, the dwarf finally recalled that he was here for a reason and ordered the members of his clan to unravel the package for the elder.
Yang Ling took a cursory glance. Other than a small number of swords, the bulk of the weapons were steel armor, bows, and arrows.
Yang Ling tried flailing a sword, but he felt that it was a little too heavy. He struck hard and managed to slice off a thick branch cleanly. The sword was rather sharp. Yang Ling tapped on the blade of the longsword and heard a crisp feedback. He understood that the longsword was sufficiently hard and flexible, at least better than the cleaver he used to slice his meat and vegetables.
Yang Ling studied electronics, but he had been sent to a metal factory by the school for his internship. Who knew what the old man in his school had been thinking. But after staying there for a month, he could at least evaluate the materials, hardness, and flexibility of an item. To think that he would be able to come across steel of this quality even on this ancient continent. He was quite interested in the dwarf's mines and smithing techniques.
"Brother, you can take any weapon you fancy, just treat me to a few cups of beer in the future!" The dwarf Rumi generously patted Yang Ling on the shoulder, his sooty hands leaving a fresh mark on Yang Ling's white jacket. But if he were to know that Yang Ling was comparing the weapon he created with much effort to a cleaver that was sold by the roadside, he might become livid.
After evading Rumi's harassment, Yang Ling flicked the blade of the sword. "How much ore of this quality do you have left? How about you sell a portion of it to me?"
Yang Ling understood from the Horned Bee Beasts' memories that steel ores could be used to feed them. The teeth of the Horned Bee Beasts were very sharp and could shatter even steel, much less rocks. Their armor would become harder after they consumed various metals.
Even though he did not understand why he would be transported to this forest, Yang Ling knew that if he were to survive in this primordial forest, other than cultivating the mysterious wizard mantra, taming the Horned Bee Beasts would offer him the best chance of survival. Increasing their abilities was the next step to going home.
"What, you only want the ores?" the dwarf exclaimed in shock. Many people were fighting to purchase the weapons forged by his tribe, but this was the first time he heard that someone wanted only the ore. "Brother, are you thinking of smashing walls like a giant throwing rocks by bringing only the steel ores into battle?"
After staring at Yang Ling for a while and noticing that he was not joking, Rumi creased his brows. It was not that he was unwilling to sell Yang Ling the ores, but he did not know what price he could give. He would be embarrassed to give a high price since Yang Ling seemed to be rather close with Sofia, but he would be unable to account to the members of the clan if he gave a low price.
Yang Ling understood why Rumi was in a tight spot. After smiling mysteriously, he took out twenty Magical Beast essences he had obtained over the days from his robes and said, "You can take these as a deposit. Of course, if you are willing, I can exchange them with good alcohol in the future!"
There were rich resources in this forest: clear, sweet spring water, sufficient sunlight, fully organic ingredients… The resources here were one of a kind. Perhaps it would be a good idea to open up a brewery here. Just the clear spring water here was better than any brand name mineral water back on earth.
After exchanging formalities and under the support of the elf elder, Yang Ling managed to obtain two thousand pieces of quality steel ore using twenty-five essence crystals and ten barrels of rum. It was enough to feed his Horned Bee Beast army for a good half a month even without needing to hunt.
People thought that Yang Ling must have been born into a wealthy family. An average person would be satisfied even obtaining just one of the weapons forged by the dwarves, but Yang Ling only wanted a large amount of ore. He was either a lunatic or a rich nobleman who had everything. If he was the latter, he would not pay any attention to ordinary weapons.
Also, the essence crystal of a low level Magical Beast was worth at least ten Purple Crystal Coins and could feed five families for several years, yet Yang Ling offered twenty-five of them at a go. Other than a few human nobles from the capital, who else could do something like that?
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone