Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 55: A Formal Visit

As the imperial capital descended further into chaos, street brawls and killings became a daily occurrence. It seemed the Imperial Court was no longer willing to tolerate the anarchy.

A few days later, a thunderclap of news rolled through all of Shengtian.

The Wuli Army was returning to the capital!

The announcement had an immediate effect. In a remarkably short time, the martial artists who had been flouting the law were brought to heel. The streets where fighting had once been a daily spectacle fell quiet. By day, at least, no one dared to brawl in public anymore.

Li Qing let out a wry chuckle when he heard the news.

It was only logical, he supposed. The Wuli Army’s dozen or so commanders, each leading a thousand men, were all top-tier Inner Force experts. Although the recent war with the Liang State meant only seven or eight were likely fit for combat, their presence was still a formidable deterrent.

Moreover, the army’s commanding general, Lü Guanghong, was almost certainly a Grandmaster of Transformation Force. In a world where one could count the number of martial Grandmasters on one hand, his power was absolute.

On Chiming Street, things had been quiet ever since the warriors from Liangzhou had ousted the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall. Aside from announcing that the monthly protection fee would be lowered to two taels of silver, the merchants on the street rarely saw their new masters. But a lower fee was a lower fee, and life was otherwise unchanged. The local shopkeepers quickly accepted that their street was now run by a few brutes instead of the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall.

Today, at Boss Zhang’s wonton shop.

Fang Long, his left arm wrapped in bandages, arrived with his seven brothers to patronize the establishment once more. The sight of them initially sent a jolt of terror through Boss Zhang, making his legs tremble and his back break out in a cold sweat. But when he realized they were genuinely just there to eat, he breathed a massive sigh of relief.

“Brave warriors, your wontons are here!”

Boss Zhang served the food in massive, steaming bowls, the aroma alone enough to make one’s mouth water.

“Hahaha, Boss Zhang, relax. My brothers and I genuinely love your wontons,” Fang Long said with a laugh. “And like we said before, from now on, you only need to pay us one tael of silver a month, not two!”

At these words, the wonton shop owner became flustered. “Th-that’s not right! I can’t possibly…”

The other men chuckled. “A man from Liangzhou keeps his word. We said one tael, so it’s one tael. We won’t take a copper more.”

“Then… thank you, brave warriors! Today’s meal is on the house!” Boss Zhang beamed with delight.

Fang Long didn’t refuse the gesture. The rest of his men dug into the fragrant wontons with clear consciences. All eight were martial artists with appetites to match. In no time, the bowls were scraped clean, the soup was gone, and even the table’s chili oil and vinegar bottles were nearly empty.

After he had eaten his fill, Fang Long glanced at the youngest man in their group.

Yang Xing looked up, met his gaze, and gave a subtle nod.

A flicker of gravity crossed Fang Long’s eyes. He stood. “You lot finish up. Brother Yang and I are going to pay a visit to the blacksmith next door.”

The other six men looked momentarily surprised but said nothing.

“It’s nothing to worry about, just a visit. Stay put,” Yang Xing said, also rising to his feet. He followed Fang Long into the blacksmith shop.

Inside, Li Qing was focused intently on his work, polishing an iron nail the size of a man’s finger.

Hearing footsteps at the entrance, he didn’t even look up. “Buying or forging?”

Fang Long glanced at Yang Xing one last time. Receiving a confirmation, he let out a hearty laugh. He raised his bandaged arm and offered a fist-and-palm salute.

“Shengtian is truly a city of hidden masters! Who would have thought we’d find an Outer Force expert hiding in plain sight as a common blacksmith!”

Li Qing’s hands paused for a fraction of a second before he resumed polishing the nail. “Impressive,” he said, his voice calm. “It took Xu Qingshan ages to even suspect anything, yet you saw through me in a matter of days. No wonder you drove him out.”

“Hahaha, you flatter me. It’s not our insight,” Fang Long said, clapping the young man beside him on the shoulder. “It’s my brother here. His internal arts are unique. He can sense the strength of a person’s vital energy—their blood and qi—and get a rough measure of their martial skill.”

At that, Li Qing finally set down the finished nail. He looked at the quiet young man with genuine curiosity.

“To think such a miraculous martial art exists. You’ve certainly broadened my horizons.”

“I came upon it by chance,” Yang Xing replied. “Aside from sensing vital energy, it has no other special qualities.”

Li Qing didn’t press the topic. “So, what brings you two to my shop today?”

“No grand purpose,” Fang Long said boisterously. “We just came to pay our respects! Now that Chiming Street is under our protection, a man of your stature is, of course, exempt from the monthly fee. We’re not blind like that old fool Xu.”

Li Qing smiled faintly. “I’ve never been one to fight for fame or fortune. Martial arts are just a passing hobby. Who knows, I may need to call on you brave men for a favor one day. I can still afford the two taels a month.”

But Fang Long waved his hand dismissively. “If you need our help, Master Li, you need only ask. But don’t you dare mention the fee again. If word got out that I was collecting from another expert, my reputation couldn’t take the hit!”

Extorting a protection fee from a fellow martial artist of the same level was something only an ignorant fool like Xu Qingshan would do.

Since the man from Liangzhou was so insistent, Li Qing didn’t push the matter further. He simply clasped his hands in a return salute, a gesture of mutual respect.

Watching the two of them leave, Li Qing finally allowed himself a quiet sigh, his brow furrowing.

“An internal art that can sense a person’s vital energy… truly formidable. That means Yang Xing is likely an Outer Force expert himself.”

His tone was grave. He looked out at the trees on the street, their branches thick with new leaves, and pursed his lips.

“Spring is well underway. It’s time for Xiaocui Ridge.”

He had been preparing to hunt that tiger for a long time. He had not only forged a new suit of armor, its plates studded with reverse spikes, but had also crafted thirteen bone-piercing nails, each the size of a man’s finger. To complete his arsenal, he had a wide-bladed hunting knife, sharpened to a razor’s edge.

“Perfect timing,” he mused. “I can leave the city and stay clear of the Wuli Army. Best not to be recognized.”

Li Qing touched his cheek. His face had changed a fair bit since his days in the frontier army, and he carried himself with a maturity he hadn’t possessed back then.

Please add to your collection! Come back tomorrow for more updates! Over a hundred thousand words and still no recommendation, it’s too tragic!