Chapter 99

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Lu Huang spoke for as long as it took to describe eight dishes.

Tang Zheng was hit repeatedly, already riddled with holes.

Finally, when Lu Huang paused to take a breath and pick up a pair of chopsticks, Tang Zheng thought his resistance had improved. But just then, Lu Huang put down his chopsticks and smiled, "Do I not seem like someone from the Hundred Refinements Workshop?"

"Huh, what do you mean?" Tang Zheng asked.

"Because in the Hundred Refinements Workshop, there are few people as skilled in socializing as I am," Lu Huang smiled.

"..." Tang Zheng was once again knocked to the ground by this blow.

He had no idea what the standard for "skilled in socializing" was in Lu Huang's mind.

Was it based on the average emotional intelligence of the Hundred Refinements Workshop?

Tang Zheng nodded in acknowledgment of Lu Huang's statement.

Compared to the tech geeks in the Hundred Refinements Workshop, Lu Huang was indeed more skilled in socializing, regardless of whether he was good at speaking or not, at least he was good at smiling.

A six-star powerhouse who could smile, Tang Zheng had nothing to criticize.

"I want you to join the Hundred Refinements Workshop not just because of your dual-star destiny, but also because of your unconventional fishbone design and coating technology. However, the most important reason is... the words you said at the Dagger Appraisal Conference. I want to see you bring some changes to the Hundred Refinements Workshop after you join!" Lu Huang said.

The three reasons for inviting Tang Zheng were stated clearly and straightforwardly by Lu Huang, without any exaggeration.

Dual-star destiny.

New technology.

Emotional intelligence.

Of course, what Lu Huang cared about the most was the third point.

Tang Zheng, of course, knew how important a project manager was in a place like the Hundred Refinements Workshop, where tech geeks were everywhere.

But the question was, had Lu Huang made a mistake? Did he think Tang Zheng could raise the average emotional intelligence of the Hundred Refinements Workshop?

Nonsense!

He was still trying to stop being a clown himself!

Seeing that Tang Zheng didn't respond, Lu Huang wasn't in a hurry. He pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and handed it to Tang Zheng, "Last time, you gave us a great gift. This is the Hundred Refinements Workshop's return gift."

Tang Zheng took it and saw that it was the sheathless dagger he had first noticed in the Hundred Refinements Workshop.

He sighed, feeling a mix of emotions.

At the time, he really wanted to buy this dagger. Although he later got a sword-dagger, not being able to buy something he wanted was always a regret.

In his ten years of gaming, he had too many regrets about equipment.

So in this world, regardless of whether he needed it or not, he definitely wanted to get anything he set his eyes on.

He stood up and swung the dagger a couple of times.

The cold light flashed.

When Tang Zheng channeled a bit of star power, he found that the star power resonance of this dagger was indeed high.

It easily extended and quickly spread to the tip of the dagger!

As soon as Tang Zheng stood up, everyone around, whether they understood daggers or not, praised it, "What a fine dagger! What a grand gesture by the master!"

"Is this the sheathless dagger personally crafted by Master Lu Huang? Wow, it's worth hundreds of gold!"

"Congratulations to Master Tang for receiving this gift from the master..." The Tang Family Manor's disciples looked at the dagger with shining eyes.

Tang Zheng smiled.

Just in terms of star power resonance, it was definitely better than the sword-dagger he bought from Banyi Tower by several points.

However, in terms of handling, Tang Zheng still found the sword-dagger more comfortable.

Both daggers had their own merits.

"This dagger is just a casual work. You can use it for now. I promise to personally craft a secondary weapon for you, and I won't go back on my word!" Lu Huang added.

Tang Xiao Tang and the others were already pale. A work by Master Lu Huang was just for temporary use...

Tang Xiao Tang had seen Tang Zheng's design.

No matter how you looked at it, this dagger was far superior to the design Tang Zheng had shown her.

Hearing this, Tang Zheng stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Master Lu!"

Lu Huang smiled again.

Tang Zheng put the dagger in his sleeve and took out the teacup from his sleeve, handing it to Azhi.

After he sat down again, Lu Huang didn't bring up the topic of joining the Hundred Refinements Workshop again. Instead, he talked about the dagger Tang Zheng had bet on with the Hundred Refinements Workshop.

The rare materials weren't the focus; Lu Huang, as a master craftsman, had seen them before. His attention was on the new technology Tang Zheng had developed.

Tang Zheng explained his multi-point support idea for the fishbone structure and the coating concept, which made Lu Huang nod repeatedly. Lu Huang also explained the low-level mistakes in the casting process of the dagger, starting from the basics and going deeper.

A master is indeed a master!

Though Lu Huang wasn't too skilled in topics outside of casting, when it came to casting, he could explain everything from the basics to the advanced, making even a half-baked person like Tang Zheng, who had barely learned casting, understand easily.

The tea party was arranged according to Tang Zheng's list, and there were quite a few guests.

As the tea party progressed, more and more people came to chat with Lu Huang, and he couldn't refuse them.

Because of his gentle and polite demeanor, the guests gradually put aside their awe and came to talk to him more frequently.

"If you have time to visit the Hundred Refinements Workshop in the coming days, we can discuss it in more detail," Lu Huang said with a smile, seeing four people already waiting behind him.

"Alright, I'll bring the design for my secondary weapon as well!" Tang Zheng, holding the new dagger Lu Huang had given him, responded.

Then, Tang Zheng moved his chair and swapped places with Tang Boyuan, letting Tang Boyuan sit next to Lu Huang.

Tang Zheng turned around and his gaze fell on Azhi, who was anxiously waiting on the side. He whispered, "You've already replaced the teacup for the Hundred Flowers Morning Dew, right?"

Azhi huffed, "Do I look like someone who can't handle such a simple task?"

"Good, then you're done," Tang Zheng waved his hand.

"Hey!" Azhi looked at Tang Zheng speechlessly. "You don't think that just by getting a poisoned teacup and having me replace it for Lan Shaoze, you can kill him, right?"

Tang Zheng looked at Azhi with a gaze that made him feel like an idiot.

...

The tea party Lu Huang hosted was all vegetarian, and there wasn't a drop of alcohol.

After all the vegetarian dishes were served, several beautifully dressed women brought up a dozen teapots.

The highlight of a tea party, of course, was the fragrant tea!

And what was the best tea at the Yangxian Tower? Of course, it was the Hundred Flowers Morning Dew!

In terms of rarity, taste, and price, it was far ahead of anything else at the Yangxian Tower.

As the green "Hundred Flowers Morning Dew" tea was poured into beautiful cups, the Yangxian Tower became quieter.

Tang Zheng called out to Azhi, "Can't you stop staring at Lan Shaoze?"

"I... I'm not," Azhi stammered.

"Stop looking. If he sees you, he'll think you did something to him..."

"But..." Azhi's tongue tied. He had personally replaced the teacup Lan Shaoze used for the Hundred Flowers Morning Dew. Wasn't that doing something to him?

Even if Azhi faced a three-star powerhouse head-on, he wouldn't be this nervous!

He was just about to be nervous when Tang Zheng stuffed a piece of vegetarian chicken into his mouth, "Strengthen your mental fortitude!"

Azhi's face darkened, "What's that?"

Tang Zheng hushed him and glanced at Lan Shaoze. Azhi followed his gaze and almost dropped his teacup.

After the beautiful woman poured a cup of fragrant tea for Lan Shaoze, he didn't taste it immediately!

Azhi looked again and saw that Lan Shaoze's personal attendant picked up a clean pair of chopsticks, dipped them into Lan Shaoze's cup, and tasted the tea carefully...

"Finished! We're going to be found out!" Azhi blurted out.

"Aren't you hungry? Come over and eat," Tang Zheng said to Azhi.

"..." Azhi was about to lose it, "He... He has someone taste every dish! Why don't you just let me go over and kill him with one strike?"

"Sure," Tang Zheng smiled, "But first, ask Master Lu Huang if he agrees."

"But poisoning him at Lu Huang's tea party isn't appropriate either, right? But you..." Azhi was about to argue when he saw the attendant nod to Lan Shaoze, who then picked up the cup!

Azhi's eyes widened.

Could it be a slow-acting poison?

No, he knew poisons, and slow-acting poisons weren't colorless and odorless!

So...

"Is the cup not poisoned? Are you crazy?" Azhi glared, "Why did you make me replace a non-poisoned cup for Lan Shaoze?"

Tang Zheng wagged a finger in front of Azhi, "Don't ask. Follow me later, and today... I'll teach you assassination!"

Azhi looked out the window, "Now? It's already dark!"

"Damn! Does assassination mean it has to be dark?" Tang Zheng, failing to act cool, swallowed his frustration and extended a finger, "One thing, remember. Today, you only watch, don't act!"

"Why can't I act?" Azhi wasn't easily convinced, "It would be easier if I could act..."

"If you act, it won't be easier, it will be worse. Because you make too much noise!" Tang Zheng interrupted, "If you insist on acting, I can give you one strike later. Just one, you choose the timing, whenever you want, but you must ensure it's silent and, after the strike, you can't cause any more trouble. You think you're so great, right? A two-star warrior is awesome, right? Can you do it or not, just one word!"

"Hmph, one strike, enough," Azhi said stubbornly.

"I still owe you a head, right? This one strike, whether you kill Lan Shaoze or not, we're even!" Tang Zheng said.

"No problem!" Azhi was also fired up.

"Then follow me later," Tang Zheng continued eating.

Azhi huffed.

He was a two-star warrior, the next Shadow King of Yingshan. How could he lose to Tang Zheng?

But Tang Zheng had already stopped looking at him, lowered his head, and focused on eating.

Azhi gripped his sword.

Although he had agreed with Tang Zheng, he had no idea what Tang Zheng's plan was or when and where he would act.

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