Chapter 35 Socketing Scroll (1)

Zhou Weiqing started, then said: “Huyan Teacher, you’ve gotten fatter! What do you mean I’ve taken up fortune telling?” Looking at the round Huyan Aobo, Zhou Weiqing asked curiously.

After two years apart, Feng Yu did not look any different, but Huyan Aobo clearly seemed older, with more white hair and black circles around his eyes.

Feng Yu said: “What he means is, your arrival was just too coincidental. He had just completed making a Socketing Scroll, and you, this little brat, arrived the next moment. Isn’t that some fortune telling?”

Zhou Weiqing beamed and said: “Is it for me? Huyan Teacher, I’ve already gotten my second set of Jewels, but I followed your instructions and did not Consolidate Equipment.”

Huyan Aobo lifted his hand and pulled Zhou Weiqing into the courtyard, while Feng Yu quickly closed the door. “Come in first, then we’ll talk.”

Zhou Weiqing followed the two into Huyan Aobo’s workshop, only to see it was messy with papers and unknown objects strewn all over the place; they were likely used for creating Consolidating Equipment Scrolls.

Zhou Weiqing saw Huyan Aobo’s mysterious and smug look on his face, and asked curiously: “Teacher, you’re already a Consolidated Equipment Grandmaster, did you need to be so happy about making a Consolidated Equipment Scroll?”

Huyan Aobo gave a humph and said: “What do you know! I, Your Father, did not create any ordinary Consolidated Equipment Scroll! Look!” As he said that, he lifted up his hands, and a small gold shard the size of a fingernail appeared in his hands.

On first glance, the round shaped gold shard did not seem impressive, but as Zhou Weiqing examined it closely, he couldn’t help but draw in a sharp intake of breath.

On top of the tiny gold shard, there were many thin and fine lines and various etchings. They seemed to have some sort of rule about them, and there were even extremely tiny gemstones embedded in the midst of the etchings, with rubies, gold-green cat’s eyes, and even the Darkness Heavenly Jewel Masters’ black opals, as well as some other things Zhou Weiqing wasn’t familiar with.

On just that small gold shard, there were more than a hundred tiny gemstones embedded in a unique formation. Zhou Weiqing could sense that a strange energy wave was circulating in this gold shard. Even if he did not know the cost of the shard, just the exquisite craftsmanship alone was worthy of praise. “Teacher, such fine craftsmanship, what is it for?” Zhou Weiqing looked up at Huyan Aobo.

Huyan Aobo held out his chest proudly and said in a smug tone: “That is called a Socketing Scroll. Do not be misled by its small size, it is worth a huge amount, or rather it can even be called priceless. Such a Socketing Scroll would be worth a minimum of a million gold coins in an auction house. The previous time you came, you saw three Consolidated Equipment Scrolls, and the price of the three of them added together would still be worth less than this Socketing Scroll! The cost of creating this alone took me 200,000 gold coins, and that isn’t even including the amount wasted over the two years, which is probably around 100,000 or more gold coins.”

Zhou Weiqing said curiously: “It looks very different from the previous Consolidated Equipment Scrolls!”

Huyan Aobo gave a humph: “You ignorant brat, of course it’s not the same, that’s because it isn’t a Consolidated Equipment Scroll. A Socketing Scroll, as the name suggests, will allow you to create an additional socket on your current Consolidated Equipment.”

With your Overlord Bow as an example, it originally has one socket, which means you can only socket a single Elemental Jewel. With this Socketing Scroll, you can add another socket, allowing you to socket two Elemental Jewels. With that, when you attack, you will be able to activate two Elemental Skills… That effect of that, you shouldn’t need me to describe more right? This is even more useful for a little brat like you who has so many elemental attributes, and having a second socket on an equipment is worth at least ten times more than the first socket.

Zhou Weiqing asked curiously: “Why don’t you just create the equipment with two sockets then?”

Huyan Aobo looked at him with a complicated expression on his face, saying: “Do you think I haven’t thought of that? It’s just that I am not able to do so. To create a 2 socket Consolidated Equipment Scroll, we need to be at least a Zong Stage Consolidated Equipment Master; that is to say, the minimum requirement is to be a Heavenly Jewel Master. I will never be able to do it, but I hope that you can do so in the future. Zong Stage Consolidated Equipment Master’s every creation is like a demi godly weapon, do you think they are so easily obtained?”

“Here, take this and use it on your Overlord Bow.” As he said that, Huyan Aobo passed the Socketing Scroll to Zhou Weiqing.

Zhou Weiqing was astounded, saying: “Teacher, this is way too valuable, I cannot accept it.” Although he had always felt that a disciple should take advantage of teacher, this Socketing Scroll was just too valuable. Not even counting the price of more than a million gold coins, just the fact that it had taken Huyan Aobo two whole years of labour to craft it, such was the value.

“You fool, don’t you understand? I, Your Father, created this specially for you. Otherwise, what did you think I spent so much time, energy and effort for? It’s not possible for me to become a Zong Stage Master, isn’t it much more relaxing and profitable for me to create the ordinary Consolidating Equipment Scrolls?” Huyan Aobo said exasperatedly.

Zhou Weiqing’s eyes widened: “Teacher, you mean, you created this specially for me?”

Huyan Aobo nodded and said: “Since I asked you not to Consolidate any other Equipment for your Physical Jewels, I still need to ensure that you have sufficient self defence capabilities. As long as you add an additional socket to your Overlord Bow, even though it might not be equal to those demi godly weapons of a Zong Stage Master, but it will at least be close. Alas, I just do not have the vigour remaining to create another one, otherwise you’ll be able to have 3 sockets! Hmph!”

Taking in a deep breath, Zhou Weiqing’s gaze turned resolute, and with a loud *Putong* sound, he knelt in front of Huyan Aobo. Receiving the Socketing Scroll seriously, he said in a solemn tone: “I, Zhou Weiqing, swear by my Heavenly Jewels. In this life, no matter what price I pay, I will definitely become a Zong Stage Consolidated Equipment Master or higher and complete Huyan Teacher’s wish. If I fail to accomplish this, I will be punished by the Heavens!”

Zen's notes:

It's a rather short release this time, the reason as stated below. I normally do not translate the author's notes, but this one really touched me. I can imagine how much effort it takes to write a story day after day like that, just like how Huyan Aobo used his vigor and life energy creating that Socketing Scroll. I'm not sure how many of you watched Bakuman, but man, that really reminded me of the uncle from the show. *teardrop*

Author's note:

Hi, I’m San Shao’s wife, posting this chapter on his behalf. Extremely sorry that this chapter is much shorter than usual. This morning, he started having a fever. As it was his birthday, he refused to eat medicine. Alas, his temperature shot to above 39, so he took the medicine. After sleeping most of the day, he actually reached 43 degrees. Even while in a drowsy state from taking medicine, he still told me to remember to post the chapters at 5pm today. Earlier, I saw many of you friends and readers wishing him a Happy Birthday, and I thank you all on his behalf. Looking at him, my heart really hurts, this is his birthday after all! I apologise, my emotions are rather ragged today, but I really wish that you all can wish him a speedy recovery as well. It has been 7 years, and I’ve seen him writing like this everyday. In the past, he was extremely healthy, but now he is starting to get sick more often. Once again, apologies for the single short chapter today. I really do hope that he does write lesser, I’m sorry, if you must blame someone, do blame me instead...