Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 17: Venturing Out

The Extreme Night World.

For two solid months, Li Qing had done nothing but train, hammering his body into a weapon day and night. He was now practicing four martial arts simultaneously. His progress in the Gu Xuan Hammer Technique was the most advanced, followed closely by the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram. As for the Turtle Breath Technique and the Qingluo Leg Technique, he was still hovering at the Novice level. The former was a discipline of patience, demanding far more time than he had yet given it, while the latter was a new addition he struggled to find time for.

Yet, Li Qing felt no anxiety about biting off more than he could chew. With a seemingly endless lifespan at his disposal, he could afford to take his time.

*Boom!*

In the seclusion of his courtyard, a shirtless Li Qing threw a punch. The air cracked. The blood in his veins began to roar, surging with explosive power.

*Tiger Pouncing on Prey!*

In the next instant, his body launched forward, agile yet brimming with savage momentum, like a great tiger descending from the mountains.

“By my count, it’s been about twenty days on the other side,” Li Qing muttered, his movements slowing. “I wonder how things are at the border.”

He had not once stepped beyond his courtyard gate in all this time. To avoid arousing suspicion, he had accepted every blacksmithing job that came his way, taking payment in Black Wheat Mushrooms. After all, a blacksmith who never left his home yet never starved would raise questions. Anyone might start wondering where his food was coming from.

Though his physique was leagues beyond what it was two months ago, he had yet to truly cultivate Outer Force. The last thing he needed was unwanted attention.

Slowly relaxing from the Tiger Descending the Mountain stance, Li Qing’s focus sharpened. His eyes, now accustomed to the deep study of martial arts, were piercing and bright. The muscles across his back and shoulders were etched with definition, radiating a palpable sense of power.

He looked nothing like the other inhabitants of this world.

Any random person pulled from the streets was a portrait of malnutrition—sallow-skinned, hollow-eyed, and emaciated. Li Qing, by contrast, had a healthy, ruddy complexion and a vibrant spirit. He looked like anything but a man surviving on Black Wheat Mushrooms.

Of course, his vitality was fueled by the stores of grain and dried meat he’d liberated from the military granary. Every day was a cycle of eating his fill, training until his muscles screamed, and then getting a full night’s sleep.

“It’s time I saw this Obsidian City for myself. I can’t stay cooped up in here forever.” Li Qing exhaled, and a plume of steam erupted from his lips, a white serpent coiling in the frigid air.

His breath was steady and long, his spirit full and sharp. He knew he hadn’t officially reached the realm of Outer Force experts, but he could feel it, just beyond his grasp. He was close enough to finally break through that barrier. That feeling gave him the confidence to explore this lawless city without fear of falling prey to street thugs. This was the gift of his training.

“If some blind fool comes looking for trouble,” he mused with a cold smile, “I won’t mind letting them have a taste of my Fierce Tiger Fist.”

As he spoke, Li Qing pulled on a large, thick cotton-padded jacket, concealing the formidable physique beneath.

*A gentleman conceals his weapon, awaiting the perfect moment to strike.*

He could now shatter a man’s teeth with a single punch, but he had no desire to flaunt his power. In a hostile, unfamiliar world, the ability to hide one’s strength was a vital survival skill.

Over the past two months, he had forged and repaired countless tools for his neighbors. While his lifespan hadn’t seen much of an increase, he had amassed a respectable pile of Black Wheat Mushrooms. In Obsidian City, the mushrooms were hard currency. With enough of them, you could trade for anything.

Yes, *anything*.

Not long ago, a blight had ruined the mushroom harvest outside the city. The already starving populace grew desperate, their eyes turning green with hunger. A handful of grain like Black Wheat Mushrooms could buy you a human life.

Naturally, Li Qing, with his own private granary, had no intention of eating the mushrooms, nor was he interested in trading for people to populate his courtyard.

He packed all the mushrooms he had saved into a cloth basket. It weighed over twenty pounds.

“Hmph. A quick calculation tells me today is an auspicious day for business.”

The weight was nothing to him. He slung the basket over his back, where it felt practically weightless.

Perhaps it was the recent harvest, but the city streets were more crowded than he’d ever seen them, and many people actually wore smiles. As he walked toward the marketplace, he saw dozens of makeshift stalls, people hawking all sorts of goods.

What caught his eye, however, was a collection of exquisite jade carvings. Back in his original world, pieces like these would be worth a fortune. To think they could be bought here for a handful of mushrooms was unbelievable.

A pragmatic thought struck him. When he eventually returned, he would likely face a period of poverty.

*Why not buy some? I can sell them for a fortune when I get back. I won’t have to worry about money at all.*

Cultivating martial arts was an expensive endeavor, especially when it came to food. Insufficient nutrition didn’t just slow progress; it actively damaged the body, leading to chronic injuries and a shortened life. But with a diet of rich meats and grains, one’s training efficiency could be doubled. He had even heard that established martial arts schools brewed secret medicinal wines that could bolster a practitioner’s blood and qi, allowing for progress that was a thousand miles in a single day.

Decision made. Li Qing walked directly to the jade vendor’s stall. “Elder,” he asked in a low voice, “how much for these pieces?”

In an age where a full meal was a luxury, jade was worthless.

The vendor was an old man, and his stall was utterly deserted. Seeing his first potential customer, the gaunt man, whose eyes and cheeks were sunken deep into his skull, immediately launched into his sales pitch. “These are heirlooms, passed down through my family for generations! Especially this jade lion—look at the luster, the craftsmanship!”

He spun a long, flowery tale, all to drive up the price and get a few more mushrooms.

Li Qing, of course, saw right through the charade. He simply listened with a faint, patient smile, letting the old man exhaust his pitch.

Seeing his words had no effect, the old man seemed to deflate. He waved a weary hand. “Ten pounds of Black Wheat Mushrooms. Take them all.”

*Ten pounds?*

Even Li Qing, a newcomer to the city’s economy, knew that was an outrageous demand.

*I’ve been slaving over the anvil for two months to save up twenty pounds, and this old fossil has the gall to ask for half of it?*

Without a word, Li Qing turned to leave.

But the old man’s hand shot out, grabbing his sleeve. “Young man, at least make a counteroffer! Show some sincerity!” he pleaded weakly. “A good sale is a matter of fate, especially with jade. Don’t be so hasty! It’s not a good look!”

A dry laugh escaped Li Qing. “Three pounds of Black Wheat Mushrooms.”

“Deal!”

The old man’s agreement was so swift it was almost comical. He immediately began wrapping the jade pieces, making no attempt to haggle further.

*Damn,* Li Qing thought with a flicker of annoyance. *I should have offered less.*