Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 68: That Blade

The sky was a bruised gray, choked with heavy, piled-up clouds. A low rumble of thunder broke the oppressive humidity, and the sweltering summer finally shattered under a torrential downpour.

*Splash!*

On Chiming Street in Shengtian City, a carriage cut a hurried path through the deluge, its wheels churning through the pooling water as it left the city without obstruction.

A closer look revealed the coachman, sheltered by a straw hat and rain cloak, had a strained, unnatural expression. He was nervous. The reason was simple: his cargo consisted of one man and one tiger.

Though the tiger was but a cub, it already carried a palpable aura of menace that set the man’s teeth on edge. Even a cub without its stripes possessed the spirit to fell an ox.

“Driver, there’s no need to be nervous,” a calm voice drifted from within the carriage, soothing the man’s frayed nerves. “My tiger doesn’t harm people.”

The man in the carriage was, of course, Li Qing. He was on his way to Qingzhou to return the Gu Xuan Hammer Technique to Master Gu’s family. Whether he could find them or not was another matter. A promise was a promise, and this journey had to be made.

And so, the carriage passed through the northern gate, continuing its journey north into the storm.

At that very moment, back in Shengtian City.

The rain hammered down on the rooftops of the newly established Feng Guard headquarters. Under the eaves, a crowd of new recruits circled a large training platform, their excitement a stark contrast to the storm. The downpour splashed across the stage, but it couldn’t extinguish the fire in their hearts. Every gaze was fixed on the platform, filled with anticipation.

“Heard the top three in this assessment get more than just silver. They get personal pointers from the commanders.”

“Count me out. My skills are shit. I’d just make a fool of myself up there.”

“Yeah, you’re right. That stage is for the Outer Force guys, not for us grunts.”

“Dammit! I’ve been training for years! Why the hell can’t I break through to Outer Force?”

To determine the combat strength of the new Feng Guard, a small competition was underway. The rewards had many of the men eager to prove themselves. However, those with mediocre talent, who had yet to reach the realm of Outer Force, were filled with resentment. The men who could take the top three spots were already strong; guidance from several Inner Force masters would only make the strong stronger. At this rate, they’d never catch up.

Of course, some saw the situation more clearly.

“Hmph. This is the Feng Guard, not some children’s game.”

“The strong get stronger. That’s how it works. You expect the Inner Force commanders to waste their time on talentless brutes?”

“Well said. The moment you joined, you put your life on the line. Get used to it.”

The Feng Guard was composed of a large contingent of Jianghu mercenaries and a smaller, more disciplined group transferred from the Wuli Army. Both groups were men accustomed to living on the edge of a blade, but the latter clearly had a firmer grasp on reality.

Soon, a hunched figure under a black oil-paper umbrella emerged. With a few light leaps, he landed in the center of the rain-slicked platform.

Had Li Qing been present, he would have instantly recognized the man: Guo Zhentong, the commander he had met once in the frontier army. Back at Master Gu’s grave, while Li Qing had been practicing his stances, the old man had appeared with a jug of wine to pay his respects, leaving a deep impression.

The moment Guo Zhentong appeared, the crowd fell silent.

Holding his umbrella, he spoke in a hoarse, aged voice. “The rules for this demonstration are simple. Most of you are proficient with weapons, so to allow you to display your full strength, weapons are not forbidden!”

“Those who practice fist and foot techniques may request a suit of armor before taking the stage.”

“But mark my words. From this day forward, you are all comrades. A blade may have no eyes, but its wielder has a heart. Fatal blows are forbidden in this competition. Do your best to avoid crippling your brothers-in-arms!”

As Guo Zhentong finished, whispers once again rippled through the crowd.

“Weapons are allowed? It seems the Feng Guard is serious.”

“What if someone gets badly hurt? Tempers flare in a fight…”

“Relax. As long as you don’t lose a limb, they can patch you up from just about anything.”

“Now this is interesting. Without my blade, my strength is cut in half.”

After announcing the rules, Guo Zhentong leaped from the platform and made his way to a nearby pavilion. Inside, a man and a woman were already seated.

The man had the refined air of a scholar, with a fair, handsome face. The woman wore a striking red uniform, her posture sharp and spirited. Her eyebrows were not the delicate arches of a court lady but were bold and full of martial spirit. A long ponytail was tied neatly behind her, and a tight sash accentuated her slender, powerful figure.

“We’re indebted to you, Elder Guo. It’s clear you command great respect among these men,” the scholarly man in white said.

Guo Zhentong waved a dismissive hand, taking a swig from a wine gourd at his hip. “It’s just a name, nothing more. When it comes to fame these days, Commander Qian’s title—the ‘Azure Rainbow Heroine’—rings far louder!”

Indeed, the woman in red was Qian Hong. Family pressure had forced her to leave the Wuli Army, and she had returned to the capital to serve in the Feng Guard.

Qian Hong shot the mischievous old man a sidelong glance. “Then let’s get on with it,” she said, her tone flat. “In my opinion, this competition is a waste of time. There’s nothing here worth guiding.”

Guo Zhentong laughed heartily. “Now, you can’t say that. Anyone who made it into the Feng Guard is a promising seedling.”

“They may still be Outer Force martial artists,” he continued, “but not everyone can compare to your genius, reaching the Inner Force realm in your twenties. It truly makes this old man blush with shame.”

“I was merely fortunate, Elder Guo,” Qian Hong replied, a faint smile touching her lips. “When it comes to pure martial prowess, I fear two of me would still be no match for you.”

“Too humble, too humble,” Elder Guo said with a sigh of admiration. “At your age, Commander Qian, the realm of Grandmaster is well within your reach.”

The scholarly man simply listened to their exchange with a quiet smile.

As they spoke, the competition began. The men of the Feng Guard were indeed skilled, their techniques far from mere flashy displays. Unfortunately, for the three Inner Force masters watching from the pavilion, the bouts were dreadfully dull.

“Mm, not bad. That boy Zhong Ming is as thin as a reed, yet he’s skilled with a meteor hammer.”

“That one’s got some moves. I remember that Wang Fugui is just over sixteen. Tsk, tsk, an Outer Force expert at his age is truly something.”

From the pavilion, Elder Guo offered commentary between sips of wine, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Qian Hong, however, remained noncommittal, watching the proceedings with a detached calm.

Soon, the competition was halfway through. A man with a burly, almost exaggeratedly powerful build stepped onto the platform. He was tall and broad, built like a bull, and his mere presence radiated an oppressive force.

As he took his place, the crowd quieted for a long moment.

His opponent stepped onto the stage next. He was also a powerfully built man, but standing before this giant, the difference was stark.

“Heh heh, Zhao Yuan? I know you. What happened? Tired of being the boss of Gufeng Street? Decided to come serve the Feng Guard?”

Zhao Yuan was a man of few words. After a brief silence, he spoke. “None of your damn business.”

The taunt fell flat. His opponent’s face flushed the color of pig liver.

“Fine, fine! Let’s see if that greatblade on your back is just for show!” the man snarled.

The next moment, wielding two crescent scimitars, he charged. The downpour was relentless, its roar swallowing the sound of his charging footsteps.

Zhao Yuan’s eyes remained fixed on his approaching opponent. His hand moved, slowly at first, toward the hilt of the greatblade strapped to his back.

The instant his foe entered striking range, the Outer Force within Zhao Yuan’s body erupted like a flash flood.

*Hum!*

A low hum cut through the storm. For a single, blinding moment, a sliver of light sliced through the gray curtain of rain, and then it was gone.

*Swish!*

The greatblade seemed to part the very raindrops as it swung. His opponent, another Outer Force martial artist, was sent flying—not from the impact, but from a clean, brutal cut. He crashed to the platform in a spray of crimson, his own scimitars shattering mid-air, their broken shards tumbling to the wet wood alongside him.

A dead silence fell over the crowd, broken only by the drumming of the rain.

In the pavilion, even the three commanders were momentarily stunned.

*Bang!*

Commander Qian Hong was the first to move. She shot to her feet, her palm slamming down on the table.

“That blade…”

Thank you for the reward, thank you very, very much!