The most precious thing Li Xiuman currently possessed was probably...
The Dungeon Core?
Aside from that, there was only his wand.
The wand was a gift from Tedela, an accidental creation by a blacksmith that had turned out to be extraordinarily, ridiculously hard.
But this wand clearly wasn't of any use to Ilu.
Wait a moment—with its ridiculous hardness, Ilu might actually like it.
After all, that girl possessed immense physical strength, and ordinary items could never withstand her rough handling.
Aside from the wand, only that small pile of Red-Faced Square Gold was truly valuable.
Red-Faced Square Gold was an authentic rare metal, a material used for high-tier magic tools and weapons.
Yet compared to the fang Ilu had sent over, its value still fell a bit short.
Unless he synthesized it into the even more precious Red Dragon Alloy, only then might it barely be grand enough to match her gift.
And then he would be rid of the reputation of living off a woman.
Besides, at Ilu's level, she should definitely have a use for Red Dragon Alloy.
To prove he wasn't someone who lived off a woman, Li Xiuman really racked his brains.
After lying in bed for the night, the next day arrived.
First, he made a trip to the Reby Merchant Association to dispose of the various magic stones and materials on him.
Li Xiuman's net worth successfully broke through the one-thousand gold coin mark.
Afterward, he headed straight toward the smithy where he had previously forged his breastplate.
To synthesize Red Dragon Alloy, one naturally had to seek out a blacksmith.
The beastkin blacksmith from before, Terub, was a very fine candidate to work with.
However, Li Xiuman harbored doubts about whether Terub had the capability to synthesize Red Dragon Alloy.
Even if Terub lacked the ability to synthesize it, he should at least have other channels or contacts for it.
He slipped into the smithy.
Slurp, slurp.
Terub was currently licking a longsword.
Their gazes locked, and time seemed to freeze.
“...”
Suddenly, he didn't want that breastplate anymore.
Was it too late to ask for a refund?
“Wait! Don't misunderstand!”
“I'm using my sense of taste to determine the quality of this sword!”
“This is the instinct of canine beastkin! A natural talent!”
As Terub spoke, he seemed to have convinced himself, or perhaps he wanted to prove to Li Xiuman that he was in the right.
He resumed licking it with wet slurping sounds.
Damn it, that was seriously perverted.
“I have business for you.”
“Oh!”
“Lord Skeleton, you're a regular customer! Speak your mind, I'm all ears!”
Terub twitched his ears and looked up at Li Xiuman at a forty-five-degree angle.
Damn it. If this were a dog-eared maid, that movement would have pierced straight into the softest part of his heart.
But this was a burly, dog-eared brute whose chest hair was practically bursting out of his clothes.
Why did those dog ears have to grow on a musclebound hulk like him?!
Li Xiuman suppressed the urge to complain and continued.
“I want you to introduce me to a blacksmith with even more exquisite skill.”
“...Lord Skeleton, are you... doubting my skill?”
“Let me tell you, in all of White Bear City, who doesn't know my craft is the finest?!”
“Just tell me what it is. I guarantee I'll get the job done properly.”
Terub's eyes gleamed as he thumped his chest in guarantee.
He had been eyeing the fine materials on Li Xiuman for a while. The lizardman king's horn from last time had given him immense pleasure to forge, improving his skills by a notch.
Li Xiuman thought about it, then retrieved the wolf god's canine tooth.
Terub froze mid-motion, staring at the tooth Li Xiuman took out with shock and uncertainty.
“Can you work with this?”
“...I'll introduce my master to you right now.”
Terub backed down without the slightest hesitation.
“But could you let me take a look at it?”
Terub rubbed his hands together, speaking excitedly.
“...Fine.”
Since he was the one asking for a favor, Li Xiuman carefully handed the wolf fang over.
Terub caught it with even greater care.
As he examined it, he clicked his tongue in wonder.
“The tooth of a legendary creature!”
“Is it the Snow Wolf God...? How did you get your hands on such a good thing?”
Terub precisely recognized the wolf fang.
Slurp!
Terub stared at it, leaning in as if to lick it.
Li Xiuman instinctively threw a punch, snatching the wolf fang back.
Terub was sent flying by the punch, landing on the floor with a splat.
“Sorry, sorry! Habit, pure habit...”
Terub rubbed his face and apologized sheepishly.
Judging by his reaction, this wasn't the first time he had been hit by a customer.
“This material is indeed beyond my capabilities.”
“But don't worry, my master definitely has the skill to take on this job.”
“I'll write you a letter of recommendation right now. You can take it and go find my master directly!”
Terub pulled out a sheet of paper and began writing in crooked, messy handwriting.
After penning a few lines, Terub folded the paper and handed it to Li Xiuman.
“My master, Kuntu Bal, is a famous blacksmith in Iron River City to the east.”
“If you take this letter of introduction to them, they will definitely be thrilled to take the job.”
“After all, it's the tooth of a legendary creature.”
Li Xiuman tucked the letter into his clothes.
“Your master...”
“They aren't a canine beastkin, are they?”
Li Xiuman didn't want the gift he was giving Ilu to be licked all over by some greasy beastkin.
“No, no.”
“My master is a proper Red-Haired Dwarf of the blacksmith clan.”
“Good. Goodbye then.”
Li Xiuman left the smithy without looking back.
The reason he hadn't brought up the Red Dragon Alloy was that he didn't want too many people knowing he possessed Red-Faced Square Gold.
It was best if only he and the blacksmith knew.
The Snow Wolf God's Fang was precious, but others would hesitate and not dare covet it lightly.
After all, a Snow Wolf God's Fang wasn't something one could just luck into picking up off the ground.
It was obviously pulled straight from the mouth of the Snow Wolf God and gifted to him.
But the Red-Faced Square Gold was something he had picked up through luck; if someone wanted to rob him for it, they wouldn't have to worry about any hidden backer.
“Iron River City.”
“Guess I have to leave White Bear City for a while...”
Li Xiuman decided to make preparations once his body fully recovered.
On his way, he stopped by the library and borrowed three books: 《Lost Ancient Teleportation Magic》, 《Introduction to Low-Tier Magic Conducting》, and 《Origin Magic》.
Afterward, he returned to his little cottage and ducked straight into the basement.
After reading without rest for three days, Li Xiuman finally closed the spellbooks.
“Number Zero, come here.”
“Let me inspect your body.”
With [Golem] leveled up to Lv. 3, Li Xiuman planned to give Number Zero a major upgrade.
Moreover, after Number Zero's extended standby time, some changes might have occurred.
Number Zero's primary components were hardened rock, magic steel, Octagonal Fire Crystals, and steel.
Standing two meters tall, its body was extraordinarily stout.
This had been the smallest build Li Xiuman could craft while ensuring structural strength under his previous technique.
Among all his golems, it was considered compact.
But now, Li Xiuman intended to shrink Number Zero's size even further.
He would replace the materials with hardened rock, magic steel, Nine-Angled Fire Crystals, molten refined iron, and Red-Faced Square Gold.
Piling the various materials on the ground, Li Xiuman extended his wand, aiming it at Number Zero.
“Golem Creation!”
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