Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 51: News of Death

“Officers, please, come in.” Li Qing adopted a subservient posture, deliberately suppressing his aura and the formidable presence of his blood and qi. He couldn’t afford to reveal his true cultivation.

The lead constable entered slowly, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his saber. His eyes swept over the simple furnishings of the smithy before he offered a thin smile. “No need to be tense, Blacksmith Li. This is nothing serious, just a few routine questions.”

This was what Li Qing had expected. If he were truly a suspect, they wouldn’t have bothered with a polite house call.

“Ask whatever you need, officers. I’ll tell you everything I know,” Li Qing promised.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time at the tavern next door, haven’t you?”

Hearing the question, Li Qing knew exactly why they were here. He felt a flicker of relief and answered without a change in expression, “I have. When work is slow, I enjoy a few drinks there.”

The constable promptly produced the wanted poster that was now plastered all over the capital.

“Then you must have seen this man.”

Li Qing studied the portrait for a moment before nodding firmly. “I have. I saw him a few times at the tavern. I never imagined he was the Star-Plucking Thief. It’s quite a shock.”

Seeing Li Qing’s cooperative attitude, the constable pressed on. “If you recognized him, why didn’t you report it to the Prince’s Estate? Don’t you want the hundred taels of silver?” He added, “Don’t tell me you haven’t seen the poster.”

Instantly, all the constables narrowed their eyes, scrutinizing Li Qing’s face for any sign of deceit.

“Officers, it’s a complete misunderstanding,” Li Qing said with an air of frustration. “I only saw the poster this morning. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I recognized the man. But by then, it was too late. Someone else—another regular from the tavern—had already stepped forward.”

“He beat me to the Prince’s Estate,” Li Qing continued. “I didn’t know anything more than he did, and I figured even a place as wealthy as the Prince’s Estate wouldn’t pay twice for the same information. That’s the only reason I didn’t go.”

It was a perfectly logical explanation, and it happened to be exactly what Li Qing had thought at the time. He didn’t need the hundred taels, and he certainly didn’t want any unnecessary contact with the city’s nobility.

“Heh, relax. We’re just asking,” the constable said, his tone softening. “Truth be told, you weren’t the only patron who saw him and didn’t report it.”

“Alright, now walk us through it. Tell us what you saw of the Star-Plucking Thief. Describe him in detail.”

Li Qing put on a thoughtful expression, recalling the memory. “The man liked to drink straight from his wine jug…”

After the questioning concluded, Li Qing quickly produced a few pieces of silver. “For your trouble, officers. You’ve worked hard,” he said, discreetly pressing the coins into their hands.

With that, the constables left, looking quite satisfied. They didn’t linger or cause him any further trouble.

Li Qing watched them go, his mind already turning.

*The search is far more intense than I expected. What in the hells did that Star-Plucking Thief do to earn this level of fury from the Prince’s Estate?*

Sighing, he moved to close the shop for the day. It was better to lie low and avoid any more trouble.

But before he could shut the heavy wooden doors, another customer arrived.

The man was a mountain of muscle, tall and broad-shouldered. Even Li Qing, a powerfully built man himself, felt a distinct sense of pressure from his presence, like standing in the shadow of a giant.

“Are you here for forging or to buy a weapon?” Li Qing asked, his eyes sizing up the newcomer.

“You forged this blade?” the man asked. His words were clipped, his face a permanent scowl, as if the world owed him a debt he was ready to collect.

Li Qing’s gaze fell on the long blade in the man’s hand, and recognition dawned. *Isn’t that the blade I made for Zhong Hui? How did this man get it? Come to think of it, Zhong Hui never did come back to pay the balance after that mess at Xiaocui Ridge…*

Pushing the thought aside, Li Qing replied, “I did forge it. Zhong Hui still owes me the final payment for that piece. How did it come into your possession?”

Unsure of the man’s intentions, Li Qing was already on guard.

*Clang!*

The man tossed the blade to the ground. “Brother Zhong is dead,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Before he died, he told me to bring this back to you. He said he couldn’t pay the rest of what he owed. The blade is yours again, to settle the debt.”

Hearing this, Li Qing froze for a second, then let out a soft sigh and picked up the blade.

“I see… What a shame. Brother Zhong was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like this.”

He meant it. Less than a month, and another acquaintance was gone.

*This world… it really does eat people alive.*

“Thank you for bringing it to me. May I have your name?”

“Zhao Yuan,” the burly man answered succinctly.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Li Qing said, setting the blade aside and clasping his fists in a formal gesture.

Zhao Yuan said nothing, simply standing in silence. His stoic demeanor left Li Qing feeling puzzled.

“Brother Zhao… was there something else?”

Only then did Zhao Yuan nod. “You forge good blades. Can you make one for me?”

*So he wants to commission a weapon. He had to be asked first? I’ve never met someone so reserved.*

“Of course,” Li Qing said, his professional demeanor returning. “What kind of weapon do you need? Just give me the requirements.”

“A blade. A greatblade. Over three hundred pounds,” Zhao Yuan stated seriously. “How much silver?”

“For a blade over three hundred pounds… it would be at least fifty taels of silver,” Li Qing said after a moment’s thought, offering a price that was low but not suspiciously so.

To his surprise, Zhao Yuan immediately pulled two large silver ingots from his robes and held them out.

“When can I pick it up?”

“Five days.”

“Deal. Make sure it’s a good one.”

With that, Zhao Yuan turned and left. The exchange was so abrupt that Li Qing briefly wondered if he should be charging more.

But feeling the solid weight of the ingots in his hands, he dismissed the idea. Business was still slow, and forging more weapons meant extending his own lifespan. There was no need to get greedy.

Having accepted Zhao Yuan’s order, Li Qing once again had to postpone his trip to Xiaocui Ridge to hunt tigers.

*Sigh. I wonder how that kid, Qi Kang, is doing. Did he even make it out of Xiaocui Ridge alive?*

After learning how many had died there, Li Qing became even more resolute in his caution. There was no point in risking his life for some treasure or so-called Fated Chance.

A quiet, stable life was the only thing that mattered.