Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 44: The Monthly Levy

Shengtian City, Chiming Street, Qingshan Martial Arts Hall.

Today, the usually deserted martial arts hall was roaring with life. Every merchant and figure of note from the street had come to offer their congratulations to the old hall master, Xu Qingshan.

While Xu Qingshan was momentarily away, a man at Li Qing’s table leaned in to whisper. “Old Master Xu is a real piece of work. I heard he took two concubines in his prime, but for years, not one of them conceived. Who’d have thought that after all this time, this new, young concubine would actually be the one to get pregnant!”

“Heh, I heard that when he was desperate for an heir, Old Master Xu used to beat his wives and concubines black and blue.”

“Is that so…”

Li Qing listened from the side, his expression turning slightly strange. He said nothing, focusing on his food and wine, refusing to be drawn into the gossip. Qi Kang, however, wore a smirk of undisguised contempt. He had never harbored any goodwill for the men who ran these martial halls, preying on the common folk.

After several rounds of drinks, the banquet’s host, Xu Qingshan, returned to the hall. He was accompanied by a tall, lean man whose sharp, imposing presence seemed to suck the air out of the room. The man’s eyes were bright and piercing, and his entire being radiated the menace of a drawn blade.

Old Master Xu walked half a step behind him, his posture deferential, his expression a mask of humble respect.

“Brother Zhang Lai, please, come in and take the seat of honor. The Feiyun Martial Arts Hall must be terribly busy these days.”

A single sentence revealed the man’s identity.

Feiyun Martial Arts Hall.

One of the three great martial halls in the capital, a power that controlled nearly a quarter of the city’s underworld.

As soon as Zhang Lai entered, Xu Qingshan personally escorted him to the head table. A hush fell over the guests, and the air grew thick with tension.

“Hahahaha!” Xu Qingshan’s laugh boomed, a desperate attempt to break the silence. “Everyone, please, eat and drink your fill! This is Brother Zhang Lai, one of the direct disciples of the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall!”

The disciple from Feiyun, however, offered no pleasantries in return. He sighed, a sound heavy with theatrical weariness. “Don’t even mention it. We’ve been running ourselves ragged trying to hunt down that Star-Snatcher Thief. We haven’t had a moment’s peace.”

Xu Qingshan immediately played his part. “Ah, the Star-Snatcher Thief is a plague upon this city! Brother Zhang, your Feiyun Martial Arts Hall has worked so hard to maintain the peace. Truly, you have our deepest gratitude!”

“We have no choice,” Zhang Lai said, shaking his head slowly. “The thief’s lightness skill is said to be unparalleled. Only our Feiyun Martial Arts Hall’s Soaring Cloud Technique has any hope of keeping pace. Naturally, this thankless job falls to us disciples.” He paused, then added with a magnanimous air, “But for the peace and security of the people, a little hardship is nothing.”

Hearing this, Qi Kang’s opinion of the martial halls began to soften ever so slightly.

Li Qing, however, almost laughed aloud. He could taste a very different meaning hidden beneath the heroic words.

“Qi Kang,” he said quietly, his voice a low rumble. “When you are out in the world, you must keep a calm heart. No matter what happens, do not let your temper flare.”

Qi Kang looked at him, bewildered. He couldn’t understand why his master would choose this moment for a lesson. “Master, what do you mean?”

“I mean you need to be steadier,” Li Qing said, his eyes fixed on the head table. “Don’t let your blood boil at every little thing. Learn to be rational. Control your emotions.”

The words left Qi Kang more confused than before. But in the next moment, the conversation between Xu Qingshan and Zhang Lai drifted over, and his master’s warning snapped into sharp focus.

“Brother Zhang, you are a man of true righteousness,” Xu Qingshan said, his tone laced with manufactured concern. “I’ve heard that because of this… situation… the monthly levy for several nearby streets has been increased?”

Zhang Lai took a slow sip of strong liquor before nodding. “There has been some talk of that, yes.”

“Then our Chiming Street cannot be seen as ungrateful!” Xu Qingshan declared, his voice rising. “Let’s do this: starting next month, we will also increase the monthly levy by one tael of silver. Once the Star-Snatcher Thief is brought to justice, we can return to the old arrangement.”

The hall fell dead silent. The clatter of chopsticks ceased. You could have heard a pin drop.

Zhang Lai raised a hand in protest. “Ah, how could we? The monthly levy was agreed upon. We can’t simply raise it. Besides, catching the Star-Snatcher Thief is the duty of our Feiyun Martial Arts Hall.”

But Xu Qingshan countered with a wave of feigned generosity. “Duty or not, the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall is bleeding for the people of this city! If the other streets have raised their contributions, then so shall Chiming Street! We only hope this means the thief will be caught that much sooner!”

“Excellent!” Zhang Lai’s voice was firm, his feigned reluctance vanishing in an instant. “Since Hall Master Xu is so sincere, I will not refuse your goodwill. I give you my word: the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall will see to it that the Star-Snatcher Thief is apprehended without delay!”

Seizing the moment, Xu Qingshan stood and announced the decision to the room. He spouted a torrent of grandiose phrases, painting the Star-Snatcher Thief as a demon who had shattered the city’s peace and plunged its people into fear. He praised the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall for their tireless efforts, concluding that a one-tael increase in the monthly levy was a small price to pay for their protection. Once the thief was caught, he assured them, the fee would return to normal.

After the speech, Zhang Lai stood and offered a few words of his own, thanking everyone for their “support.”

*Crack.*

The sound of Qi Kang’s knuckles turning white echoed at their table. His eyes were bloodshot with fury.

Around the room, the faces of the other merchants were masks of grim resignation. In truth, the Star-Snatcher Thief’s antics had never affected their businesses. He was a ghost, a rumor they traded for amusement. They never imagined his name would be used to pick their own pockets.

“This is…” someone started to say, but the words died in his throat. No one dared be the first to object.

An extra tael of silver a month was 12 taels a year—no small sum. Worse, the Star-Snatcher Thief was a phantom. No one had ever seen his face, let alone come close to catching him. Who knew when—or if—he would ever be brought to justice? This meant that for as long as the thief remained free, they would be forced to pay an extra tael of silver in protection money.

How could anyone accept this?

Qi Kang finally understood his master’s warning. Li Qing had seen this coming from the start. A wave of conflicting emotions washed over the boy—admiration for his master’s foresight, but also a bitter sting of disappointment. Disappointment that a man of such immense power would sit by and do nothing in the face of such blatant injustice.

Qi Kang lowered his head, his silence a heavy weight.

Finally, a voice broke the tension in the hall, but its words sent a chill through every merchant’s heart.

“He’s right! The heroes of the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall work tirelessly so that we can conduct our business in peace! They’ve earned it!”

“Indeed! I agree to the one-tael increase!”

“I agree as well!”

At the head table, a brilliant smile spread across Zhang Lai’s face. He clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks. “Thank you all for your generosity! Rest assured, the Star-Snatcher Thief’s days are numbered. With the Feiyun Martial Arts Hall on the case, you have nothing to fear!”

The men who had spoken out were all merchants with close ties to the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall. The other guests stared at them, their eyes burning with the sting of betrayal. It was obvious now. These men were plants, part of a carefully orchestrated performance by Xu Qingshan and Zhang Lai.

Seated amidst the drama, Li Qing remained utterly unconcerned. He continued to eat and drink, savoring his meal as if he were in a different world, as if the silver they were all fighting over had nothing to do with him.