Chapter 78: Building Goodwill Everywhere

He was the finest craftsman of this Longxue Airen tribe. Was he really going to end up as fertilizer for a flower today?

He was unwilling, but at that moment, he couldn't think of any way to escape. Had he known this would happen, he shouldn't have ventured so far in search of high-quality iron ore.

There was no cure for regret in this world. It was too late for despair. The proboscis extending from the flower's stamen paused slightly in the air, then aimed for the dwarf's brow.

Malt sighed and closed his eyes in resignation. Just then, a *whoosh* reached his ears—a Wind Blade flew over, slicing the tube clean in two.

Swish, swish, swish—several more sounds followed. This time, the target was the vines binding the dwarf. Xu Feng's control was impeccable, cutting the vines without harming the dwarf in the slightest.

Snatched from the jaws of death, Malt's face filled with elation and astonishment. With a loud roar, he picked up the hammer at his feet and went into a frenzy, swinging it wildly, sending petals and shattered leaves flying in all directions. After all, it was just a plant. The man-eating flower was good at ambushes, but once its target was on guard, facing such a skilled opponent, it was utterly helpless.

In less than a minute, the enormous flower was smashed to pieces.

Malt set down his hammer, finally having vented his fury. He turned and gave a bow to Xu Feng. "Thank you."

"No need to be so polite. When you see injustice on the road, you draw your sword to help."

Xu Feng smiled slightly, uttering a line commonly used in martial arts novels. On Earth, this was a cliché, but for the dwarves of Hailan Star, it was the first time they'd heard anything like it. Malt savored the meaning behind these words and couldn't help but burst into laughter. His expression toward Xu Feng grew even more amiable.

Dwarves were scrupulous in matters of debt and vengeance, and forthright by nature. With Xu Feng being silver-tongued and deliberately courting his friendship, the two quickly became familiar.

"My benefactor..."

"Why so formal, Malt? I told you, just call me by my name."

"Alright, Xu Feng. Not far ahead is our Longxue Airen tribe. If you don't mind, please come as our guest."

"Then I'd be delighted." Xu Feng was a bit hungry and naturally didn't refuse. Moreover, from their earlier conversation, he had learned that the Malt he saved was the finest craftsman among the Longxue Airen. His luck was simply too good.

Divine weapons and peerless armor—Xu Feng could almost see these treasures waving to him.

The two walked forward for about ten li, and rows of stone houses came into view. The Longxue Airen had always been the most mysterious tribe on Hailan Star. They had countless skilled craftsmen, produced Mountain Kings, and were revered by other dwarves.

There was a saying on Hailan Star: if you gained the friendship of the Longxue Airen, you would win the respect of all dwarves. Unfortunately, for thousands of years, no one had ever managed to achieve this.

The reason could be summed up in two words: greed. Even if lucky adventurers found the Longxue Airen's settlement, their first thought was to capture them by force, then exploit the dwarf slaves to make weapons and armor for huge profits.

This idea... how to put it? It was overestimating oneself. Besides being skilled craftsmen, the Longxue Airen, both men and women, were also outstanding warriors. Historically, eight or nine out of ten Mountain Kings came from here.

Mountain Kings, by human standards, were Saint-level experts. Coupled with top-notch armor and weapons, although the Longxue Airen were few in number, no one dared to underestimate their strength. Those delusional adventurers were nothing but fools.

Although Xu Feng also desired divine weapons, as a Transmigrant, he understood the principle that to gain something, one must first give. Trying to demand repayment for a favor would only provoke resentment. The smartest approach was to genuinely win the friendship of the Longxue Airen. Then, without him even mentioning it, they would surely take the initiative to forge divine weapons for him.

This method was correct. Although he was a lifesaver, initially, Malt was somewhat wary of Xu Feng. In the dwarves' impression, humans were all incredibly greedy. But as time passed, this concern gradually faded. Xu Feng never mentioned the fact that he had saved him and appeared straightforward and generous... In short, he was very much to the dwarves' liking.

That was why he was invited to the tribe as a guest. The number of Longxue Airen was even smaller than imagined. Men, women, old, and young totaled only about three hundred. Seeing a human arrive, they were all filled with curiosity, though there wasn't much hostility because he was Malt's honored guest. For dwarves, great craftsmen and powerful warriors were equally respected. As the tribe's finest blacksmith, his prestige was second only to the Mountain King.

Xu Feng was also very interested in the dwarves' legendary powerhouse, but unfortunately, he had no chance this time. The Mountain King had business elsewhere.

After Malt introduced him to his clansmen, the dwarves held a grand welcome party for Xu Feng. Although dwarves had somewhat peculiar tempers, once they considered you a friend, they were very hospitable.

Both host and guest enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Xu Feng never brought up any requests. As the banquet progressed, the dwarves' fondness for him continued to grow. This young man was truly different from other humans—a friend worth making.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xu Feng stood up to bid farewell. Malt personally saw him out. As they parted, the dwarf hesitated for a moment. "Xu Feng, originally I shouldn't doubt a friend, but this matter is of great importance. Please promise me one thing."

"Alright, just say it. Since when do the descendants of the War God hesitate?" Xu Feng punched Malt in the chest. In the eyes of human nobility, this would seem very rude, but for straightforward dwarves, it was a gesture of intimacy.

"It's like this: after you leave, please don't reveal the location of our tribe."

After all, the craftsmanship of the Longxue Airen was world-renowned. The weapons and armor they forged were all top-tier. If their settlement were revealed, who knew how many ambitious people would covet it? Although Malt and the others weren't afraid, constant harassment would be truly annoying.

"Don't worry, I swear by the Goddess of Light that I won't reveal a single word."

Xu Feng readily agreed to the request. Joking aside, as a Transmigrant, Xu Feng understood that information equaled gold coins. He was lucky to have discovered the Longxue Airen; only a fool would share this news with others. Divine weapons were best kept for oneself. Xu Feng had already planned to keep it secret, so his agreement was naturally straightforward and decisive.

Hearing Xu Feng swear in the name of the Goddess of Light, Malt immediately relaxed and patted the young man's shoulder. "Xu Feng, great favors need no thanks. There's not enough time today. Next time you come, I'll forge a set of fine armor and weapons tailored for you."

Exactly as he had imagined, the other party indeed took the initiative. Xu Feng was secretly delighted but kept a straight face, smiling slightly. "Malt, you're being too formal. We're friends. Helping each other is only right. There's no need for thanks."

Xu Feng's words weren't entirely insincere. Although his initial rescue and befriending of Malt were for weapons and armor, during their interactions, Xu Feng found the dwarf sincere and straightforward, and he genuinely began to regard him as a friend. After all, this didn't conflict with obtaining top-tier equipment; on the contrary, it was greatly beneficial.

"That may be so..." Malt scratched his head. "But I can't sleep knowing I owe a life-saving debt. How about this, Xu Feng? We are, of course, friends. If you ever need anything in the future, don't hesitate. I am willing to forge equipment and weapons for a friend anytime. The Longxue Airen tribe will always welcome you."

Do not underestimate such a simple promise. It came from the finest craftsman of the Longxue Airen. Weapons forged by his hands would make even transcendent Saint-level experts envious. On this trip, Xu Feng had made an extraordinary friend.

"Thank you."

Xu Feng nodded, hugged him, then turned and entered the cave, retracing his steps.

Sorry, there was a power outage this morning, so it's late. Apologies. Also, this is the last week to make a push for the Newcomer Rankings. Please give your support—clicks, favorites, recommendations—I need them all. Thank you so much.