Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 20: A Blade for the Weak

After a grueling effort, the three thugs Li Qing had dealt with finally managed to haul the iron ingots—weighing over three hundred pounds—to the front of his courtyard.

They collapsed on the ground, too exhausted to even crawl. Seeing them, Li Qing gained a new appreciation for his own martial prowess.

Against starving wretches like these, he could easily handle five or six at once, even if they were armed.

Against able-bodied men without any formal training, taking on two or three wouldn’t be a problem either.

Li Qing was more than satisfied with his progress.

Once he tempered his body, cultivated Outer Force, and officially became an expert, he would forge himself a proper weapon and a suit of armor.

By then, his combat prowess would multiply.

With that kind of power, he was confident he could even slip past the heavy guard at his old border army camp and raid the granary.

“Names,” Li Qing’s voice was cold. “And why did you target me?”

“Sir, my name is Qi Jinxiong,” said the tall, gaunt man who appeared to be their leader. “We were blind to have crossed you. Please, be merciful and let us go. We swear we’ll never cross your path again!”

After a brief interrogation, Li Qing learned the trio’s story.

The cunning, street-smart one was the second brother, Qi Jinbao. The hot-headed one was the third, Qi Jinniu.

Interestingly, they weren’t blood relatives. They had met, sworn an oath of brotherhood, and even adopted the same surname.

In a world where finding your next meal was a daily battle, concepts like family names held little weight. A man might be named Qi today and Yan tomorrow, all depending on which way the wind blew.

What truly surprised Li Qing, however, was their affiliation: they were all members of an underground faction called the Righteousness Gang.

This was the first time he’d heard of any power in Obsidian City besides the Yan Family.

But after a few more questions, he had to suppress a scoff.

It turned out the organization was nothing more than a pack of petty thieves like the Qi brothers, preying on the weak and bullying the honest.

The most laughable part? This gang of thugs actually had a creed: to rob the rich and aid the poor, their righteousness as boundless as the heavens.

“Rob the rich to aid the poor?” Li Qing sneered, his voice laced with contempt. “The Yan Family is the wealthiest power in Obsidian City. How is it I’ve never heard of you robbing them?”

Qi Jinniu, the third brother, immediately bristled. “What do you mean we haven’t?” he protested, panting for breath. “The Yan Family runs that market! We go there every day and rob the people coming and going. Eventually, no one will dare to shop there. Isn’t that hitting the Yan Family where it hurts?”

At his words, Li Qing’s expression turned to ice.

This Qi Jinniu was clearly a simpleton. He’d swallowed whatever drivel someone had fed him and accepted it as gospel.

The fool didn’t understand. The Yan Family were the biggest landlords in Obsidian City, parasites sucking the lifeblood from everyone within its walls. To live in this city was to be exploited by them.

The Yan Family had probably never even deigned to notice the so-called Righteousness Gang. The disparity in power was laughable; they weren’t even in the same league.

Li Qing spoke with open disgust. “So you’ve been committing these filthy acts for so long. Has business at the Yan Family’s market suffered? Have you harmed them in any meaningful way at all?”

The words struck Qi Jinniu dumb. For the first time, the gears in his seldom-used brain began to grind.

He’s right. The Righteousness Gang has been around for a long time, but the Yan Family is as powerful as ever…

As the realization dawned on him, Li Qing delivered the final blow.

“Cowards who only raise their blades against the weak. Get lost. Don’t dirty my gate.”

With that, he turned, walked into his courtyard, and slammed the gate shut.

Bang!

Inside, Li Qing let out a quiet sigh and shook his head.

He had briefly considered taking the three under his control, using them to gather information around the city.

But the thought of their predatory nature filled him with disgust.

If he hadn’t been practicing martial arts, his fate today would have been grim. A lost limb would have been a mercy. Had they found the grain hidden in his cellar, they would have killed him without a second thought.

“Power,” he murmured to the oppressive sky. “That’s all that matters.”

The blood-red moon cast his shadow long across the yard. In that moment, the absolute necessity of strength became terrifyingly clear. His purpose in training wasn’t for glory or honor—it was to ensure he was never again the prey.

That day, the infamous Qi brothers earned a new round of notoriety on the streets around the market.

News that all three had been defeated by a single, unarmed man sent a small shockwave through the city’s underbelly.

“Hahaha, serves them right! Finally, someone taught those dogs a lesson.”

“They stole the two pounds of Black Wheat Mushrooms I sold my last possessions for! I nearly starved. Why didn’t the hero just kill all three of them while he was at it!”

“They’re scum. Good-for-nothings who only know how to steal and cheat. They got what they deserved!”

“Someone should wipe out that whole Righteousness Gang. They’re a cancer on this city.”

“…”

Many of the complainers were past victims of the gang. Their resentment for the Righteousness Gang ran deep, in some ways even deeper than their hatred for the untouchable Yan Family.

But Li Qing, the cause of it all, remained oblivious.

After hauling the iron ingots inside, he fired up the forge. It was time to craft a new hammer—one suited for both his trade and for combat.

With his surge in strength, his old blacksmith’s hammer was now far too light in his grip.

“The weight should be around two hundred pounds,” he mused. “That should be my limit for now.”

A rough outline of a warhammer formed in his mind. He’d been considering its design for some time.

Even at two hundred pounds, it would be a burden.

Being able to haul a three-hundred-pound ingot on his back was one thing; wielding a weapon of that weight was another entirely. The difference between raw carrying capacity and the explosive strength needed for combat was vast.

With his current arm strength, swinging a two-hundred-pound warhammer would be a strain, leaving him feeling clumsy and slow.

But Li Qing had a gut feeling. He was close to breaking through to the realm of Outer Force.

Once he did, his power would surge again. A two-hundred-pound hammer would feel like an extension of his own arm.

But he still faced another challenge: how was he going to alloy the Black Gold into the hammer?