Haremlord: Rise of the Banished

"What nonsense are you spouting, Master?" Ai Xin's face flushed with indignation at her master's teasing laughter. She stormed into the cave, fuming.

"Ow, ow! Easy, you little brat!" A strange yelp echoed from within.

Thud, thud, thud.

Footsteps approached, and the sight that greeted Lan An and Ji Ya left them dumbfounded.

Ai Xin's delicate hand gripped the collar of an elderly dwarf, dragging him out nonchalantly. She plucked his beard, eliciting pained wails.

The dwarf, barely fifty centimeters tall, had coal-black skin and wore a resplendent golden robe with a regal crown. Yet, dangling like a chick in her grasp, he looked comically absurd.

"Ha, the old man's getting bullied by Tâm nhi again!"

"Serves him right for teasing a maiden's heart!"

"Let's keep playing, ignore him!"

Playful giggles rang out. Lan An and Ji Ya turned, realizing the volcano hosted more than the chief's cave. Smaller caves dotted its slopes, housing female dwarves—short, flat-nosed, dressed like imperial consorts. The scene was oddly charming.

"This chief's quite the charmer," Lan An grinned, noting the dwarf women were clearly his consorts.

"Put me down, you brat! You're ruining my dignity!" The dwarf squirmed, legs flailing like a naughty child.

"Hmph, dare to spout nonsense again?" Ai Xin glared, releasing him.

"Ahem!"

The moment he landed, a majestic aura surged outward, its invisible pressure making Lan An's expression turn solemn. The dwarf exuded the grandeur of a clan chief.

"Greetings, Senior," Lan An and Ji Ya bowed respectfully. Despite the comical display, his strength demanded courtesy.

"He's a Late Fusion Realm cultivator," Jin Ni's voice informed Lan An.

"Not bad, lad and lass. I saw your battle with the Lam Clan. Two Strange Flames—even I'm a bit jealous," the Dwarf Clan Chief said, stroking his beard with a faint smile.

Lan An's guard went up. Refiners needed fire attributes, so the chief's interest in his Strange Flames was unsurprising. Ji Ya tensed, her spiritual energy subtly circulating.

"Acting improper again?" Ai Xin snorted, reaching for his ear.

Whoosh! The dwarf vanished, reappearing with hands on hips. "Whose disciple are you, you brat?"

Ai Xin ignored him, smiling at Lan An and Ji Ya. "That's just his personality. Don't mind him. Please, come in."

Lan An nodded, his caution easing. A Late Fusion Realm cultivator was formidable, but not compared to his master.

They entered the cave, finding its narrow entrance belied a vast interior. Crystal shelves displayed an endless array of treasures, their dazzling glows contained by arrays, yet the space trembled with their power. Defensive, offensive, and auxiliary items abounded, none below High Heaven-grade.

Their gazes locked on the cave's center. A blazing forge danced with molten flames, housing a ferocious battle axe crackling with boundless lightning.

"Top True-grade?" Lan An gasped. The Azure Thunder Battle Axe was only a step below the Heaven-Splitting Gauntlets.

"Sharp eyes, lad," the chief said, a glint of approval in his eyes. Even renowned experts struggled to gauge the axe's grade, yet Lan An did so instantly.

"He's impressive," Ai Xin murmured, stunned. She'd needed her master's explanation to identify the axe's rank, yet Lan An recognized it at a glance.

Their expressions remained grave. Beyond the axe, the forge's crimson flames, like molten lava, scorched the surrounding space with domineering heat.

"Not a Strange Flame, but its heat rivals one," Ji Ya assessed seriously.

The chief stroked his beard, chuckling without comment.

"It's a Pseudo Strange Flame," Ai Xin explained, smiling proudly. "Master spent centuries condensing it from the cores of 900 volcanoes. Not a true Strange Flame, but its power is remarkable."

Lan An clasped his hands in admiration. "Senior, you're truly extraordinary."

Ji Ya nodded in agreement.

"Hmph, less flattery," the chief grumbled, though his eyes betrayed a hint of pride.

For Dwarves, refining and fire mastery were their pride. They didn't use flames for combat, only for crafting. None of Viet Dragon Star's 16 Strange Flames suited refining, so the chief crafted his own, perfectly tailored to his needs.

"Does your flame have a name, Senior?" Lan An asked, deeming it worthy of recognition.

The chief puffed up, declaring boldly, "It's called Heaven's First Flame!"

Thud!

Lan An and Ji Ya nearly collapsed, floored by his flamboyant naming. Ai Xin slapped her forehead, her exquisite face flushed with embarrassment. Master, I tried building your image, and you ruin it yourself.

"Speak. What do you want from this chief? For your ties with that woman, I'll consider it, but rules are rules," the chief said, settling onto a tiny, ornate dragon throne, eyeing Lan An.

"That woman?" Lan An asked, puzzled.

"The Elf Queen," the chief replied casually.

Lan An and Ji Ya brightened, eagerly sitting across from him. Ai Xin served tea, the cave's warm ambiance and fragrant green tea creating a cozy atmosphere.

Lan An produced the Thunder Scepter and Heavenly Thunder Stone, saying respectfully, "I wish to repair this scepter and upgrade it to Spirit-grade."

The chief glanced at it, nodding. "Not difficult, but your materials are lacking. And there are my rules." He rubbed his fingers together, looking comically greedy.

Lan An's mouth twitched. Thinking of something, he asked, "Can Senior craft a Top True-grade treasure?"

Ai Xin sensed trouble.

As expected, the chief's beard bristled, his dark face reddening as he snorted steam, roaring, "Are you mocking me, lad? Scram! I've no time for you!"

Lan An was baffled. Ji Ya frowned, equally confused.

Ai Xin transmitted apologetically, "Master's refining has stalled at Late Eighth Rank for over a millennium. It's his greatest sore spot."

Lan An understood. Crafting Top True-grade required Peak Eighth Rank refining, explaining the chief's outburst. The Azure Thunder Battle Axe, his proudest work, was only High True-grade.

"Get out!" The chief waved them off, glaring with a mix of anger and shame, as if his stalled progress was his life's greatest humiliation.

"Don't misunderstand, Senior. I have a legitimate reason one you'll find intriguing," Lan An said quickly, not wanting to miss this chance.

"Hmph." The chief turned away, sulking like a child.

Ai Xin forcibly turned his head back.

Lan An didn't waste words. The Heaven-Splitting Gauntlets appeared before them.

Whoosh!

With a gust, the chief vanished, reappearing clutching the gauntlets, drooling. "Top True-grade? In my lifetime, I've touched Top True-grade! Studying this, I can break through to Peak Eighth Rank!"

Ai Xin's lips parted in shock. Lan An owning such a treasure explained his lavish spending. Who'd care about Heaven or Spirit-grade items with Top True-grade in hand?

Lan An and Ji Ya sipped tea quietly, letting the chief fondle the gauntlets.

"What a waste! How did it crack?" The chief wept, caressing the gauntlets, wishing he could take the damage himself. "Lad, how'd you ruin it? Such a heavenly treasure!"

"It was like that when I found it," Lan An lied. He couldn't admit using it to block a Three-Colored Thunder Tribulation, lest the chief bite him in rage.

"Indeed, few today could damage Top True-grade," the chief nodded, buying the excuse.

"Can Senior upgrade the scepter and repair the gauntlets?" Lan An asked, smiling slyly.

Repairing and crafting were distinct. With the chief's skill, fixing the gauntlets was feasible.

"No problem, but I have a condition," the chief said firmly, still mesmerized by the gauntlets.

"What's that?" Lan An asked curiously.

"I need to study the gauntlets until I break through to Peak Eighth Rank," the chief said, eyes blazing. Trapped at his current level for over a thousand years, this was a rare opportunity.

"How long will that take?" Lan An frowned. He couldn't linger on Dwarf Island indefinitely.

"No exact timeline, but not too long. A thousand years of accumulation gives me confidence," the chief said, thumping his chest. His refining skill was unmatched on Viet Dragon Star, with no one to guide him. The gauntlets offered a breakthrough chance, perhaps even allowing him to upgrade his Azure Thunder Battle Axe if successful.

He harbored no greed for the gauntlets, as they weren't his preferred weapon.

Lan An pondered, catching Ai Xin's hopeful gaze. After weighing his options, he said, "Four months maximum. You can study the gauntlets for four months."

The Elf Queen's birthday was in two months. After obtaining the Million-Year Ginseng, Lan An didn't plan to stay in Hai Zhou long—double that time at most, for Yan Yue Qi and his master.

"Deal. Four months is enough," the chief calculated, nodding firmly.

"You and your wife can stay as guests or roam freely. Return for the items when time's up," Ai Xin said, beaming like a tulip, thrilled at her master's breakthrough chance.

The chief examined the Thunder Scepter, saying, "I can source most materials for the scepter, but you'll need to fetch one yourself. We're out of it here."

"What's that?" Lan An asked intently.

"Diamond Ore, for forging the scepter's body," the chief replied.

Lan An nodded, recalling Jin Ni's mention of it. He'd hoped Dwarf Island had it, but now he'd need to search elsewhere. Still, needing only one material was fortunate.

"If I recall, the Ai Clan's old man has one," the chief said, glancing meaningfully at Ai Xin.

"Indeed, my grandfather has a Diamond Ore. I can fetch it for you," Ai Xin offered Lan An.

"How can we trouble you? I'll go with you to negotiate with your grandfather, to avoid shortchanging him," Ji Ya interjected before Lan An could speak, voicing his thoughts. It was his matter; letting Ai Xin handle it alone lacked propriety.

Ai Xin considered, finding Ji Ya's suggestion fair, and nodded. "We've traveled enough today. Rest here tonight, and we'll depart tomorrow."