Chapter 1215 - 598: Anchor Disposal Plan (Part 2)

Celeane introduced Xia Nan while keeping her eyes fixed on the anchor ahead, as if confirming something.

"To be honest, from my own perspective, of course, I hope you choose to use the special metals I had leftover as the main material to repair the [Abyssal Stream] armor."

"After all, that way, I not only save time and effort in testing material compatibility but also earn a substantial amount of money."

"However..."

The Half Elf turned his head, gazing at Xia Nan, with the gills on both sides of his neck slightly moving.

"You mentioned before that this anchor comes from the Divine Country of the Shawa Fishman Main God."

"Having been in the domain of the Divine for so many years, this anchor itself seems to have been imbued with part of its aura, undergoing some sort of transformation that even I can’t comprehend."

"If used as the main material for crafting equipment, its specific effects might be good or bad, and uncontrollable."

Xia Nan fully understood what the other was implying.

Before him were simply two choices.

First, use the special metals leftover from forging the [Abyssal Stream] armor to carry out the repairs, steady with no surprises, neither bringing unexpected joy nor making it worse, a choice with a high floor and low ceiling.

Second, use the [Blood Stone Anchor] as raw material to repair the armor.

Assuming the metal material and forging techniques are not in question, the variable lies in the unknown transformation occurred to the anchor within the Divine Country.

The effect of the finished product forged from it is uncertain even to Celeane, the blacksmith.

It’s a choice with a low floor and high ceiling.

Of course, the former requires more gold coins to purchase raw materials, but having just returned from a mission with abundant rewards, and usually not skimping when it comes to critical equipment, Xia Nan doesn’t need to consider the costs too much.

"Let’s use the anchor for forging then."

After a brief thought, Xia Nan gave his answer.

For other ordinary adventurers, hearing the Half Elf speak like this, and considering that even the blacksmith can’t determine the effects, what if the repaired armor accidentally carries a curse from the Divine, wearing it could be disastrous, they would surely hesitate.

But Xia Nan is different.

With his Golden Finger attribute panel, able to view a piece of equipment’s attributes in full, even if the repaired [Abyssal Stream] armor had negative attributes due to the material, it’s clear to him at a glance.

If there’s a real problem, he simply won’t wear it, at worst losing some gold coins, which is acceptable.

And if the aura from the Divine Country truly triggers a positive transformation in the [Abyssal Stream] armor, that’s a tangible upgrade.

The special ability Xia Nan possesses gives him the confidence to pursue the equipment’s maximum potential.

"Alright, we’ll go with your suggestion."

Celeane didn’t have a negative reaction to Xia Nan’s choice because of earning less money.

Being well-known in the field of high-end equipment customization in Suo Yu Bay, with a high income, three or four digits of gold coins are not enough to make him compromise his professional ethics.

The hesitation was merely due to concern over the possibility of producing a less effective end product.

Now that the client, Xia Nan, has said so, he naturally would no longer worry.

Gently touching the cold metallic surface of the anchor, feeling its details, he suddenly seemed to remember something, and lightly patted the anchor, inquiring Xia Nan:

"Will you still be active in the Southern Islands for the next two years?"

Not knowing why he suddenly asked, but having nothing to hide, Xia Nan replied:

"Probably not."

"I plan to head back inland once I’ve dealt with all these spoils."

Upon hearing this, Celeane nodded, indicating he understood.

The reason for his inquiry was actually very simple.

Besides several basic effects for increasing durability and resistance, the [Abyssal Stream] armor itself has unique abilities beneficial for underwater combat, such as [Marine Creature] and [Bloodthirsty Instinct].

Facing major repairs now, it’s natural to confirm the future activity area of its user to adjust its effects flexibly.

Otherwise, if these underwater activities traits are applied inland, they would be useless, too wasteful.

"Moreover, aside from repairing the [Abyssal Stream] armor, you should also need to customize new leg guards, correct?"

Glancing at the [Bone Binding Iron Leg] on the nearby counter which is now twisted, deformed, and completely scrapped, the Half Elf asked Xia Nan.

"Of course." Xia Nan confirmed with a nod when hearing this.

Currently, considering his overall attributes and battle skills, he belongs to a high attack, high speed, and low defense type.

Without utilizing trump cards, his equipment generally supports error margins in daily combat.

If not for concerns over affecting agility, he would even want to cover himself with iron plates.

And as a key part of maintaining mobility and flexibility, leg defense is of utmost importance to him.

"If that’s the case, we can also use this anchor for forging after all, as repairing the armor doesn’t require that much, and there would still be plenty left for a pair of leg guards."

"However..."

Hearing Xia Nan’s intention to leave Suo Yu Bay soon, the Half Elf paused slightly, as if organizing his thoughts, then slowly spoke:

"I have a packed order schedule, and limited capacity, so if you want to add a pair of leg guards on top of the armor, you might have to wait a fairly long time."

"And compared to armor that combines inner lining and outer armor, leg guards purely forged from metal aren’t my expertise."

"So if you want to minimize your stay and hope to get the best possible final product, I suggest finding another blacksmith who specializes in this field."

The shop named "Pearl Spinning," Celeane’s main profession is a tailor, perhaps excelling in the relevant field, able to incorporate materials with metal.

But to have him forge leg guards, blades, or shields, would be a bit of a stretch.

He wouldn’t earn this potentially reputation-damaging money; the Half Elf was extremely honest.

Luckily, Xia Nan happened to have a few connections.

Just recently, the young official Orixi who brought him back from Stodd Island offered to introduce him to skilled blacksmiths.

It happens to be just right now.

"Orixi?"

"Oh, that kid from the Quent family. I used to hold him when his father brought him into my shop as a child."

Having operated in Suo Yu Bay for many years, and delved into the high-end customization field, Celeane had very good relations with several big families in town, knowing many big shots.

"The kid has received good family education, and handles matters reliably, much like his father."

"Since he promised you, he likely won’t be negligent."

"If you’re really worried, once their craftsmen provide a manufacturing plan, you can bring it to me to take a look."

Although not skillful in forging, purely from an evaluation perspective, Celeane surely wouldn’t be lacking, ranking among the top in Suo Yu Bay’s craftsmen.

As an investment in potential talent, he didn’t mind helping Xia Nan with this small favor.

Nodded in gratitude, they exchanged a few last words about the armor repair matters, determining the next meeting time for testing.

Leaving the anchor, Shark Beast corpse materials, and two pieces of equipment in the shop, Xia Nan turned and exited "Pearl Spinning."

Thus, the affairs regarding equipment forging were considered complete.

Next, he just needed to follow the process step by step.

However, the wrap-up plan made earlier at the dock hadn’t reached its conclusion yet.

After all, the horn of the Windkind Octopus, the Bone White Staff of the Fishman Priest Commander, and the longsword from "Algae Scale" Dodd haven’t found buyers.

Standing on the street outside the tailoring shop, Xia Nan looked up at the sky, then oriented himself, calling to the governor mansion guards waiting outside, and headed towards the adventurer association, dragging a cart filled with spoils.