Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 77: Purple Lotus

On the borderlands of Qingzhou, a young woman in a purple gauze skirt galloped across the open fields alongside the main road. The wind whipped the skirt about, revealing slender, pale calves that gleamed in the sunlight.

Her features were exquisite, and when she smiled with narrowed eyes, she resembled a delicate, unopened flower.

Behind her, several men in black rode in pursuit. A closer look would reveal a nine-colored lotus embroidered on the breast of each man’s tunic.

“Faster, all of you!” she called out, her voice carrying on the wind. “My grandfather, the Sect Master, promised me! If I can get my hands on the treasure of Qingzhou’s so-called number one swordsman, he’ll let me have the Red Lotus Blade for two whole years!”

The young woman on horseback brandished her whip, her speed astonishing. Her fluttering dress billowed around her like a purple lotus dancing in the wind.

“Dharma Protector, wait for us!” one of the men shouted, revealing the young woman’s startling identity.

Who would have thought such a vibrant, lovely young woman was a Dharma Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect?

The Purple Lotus Dharma Protector’s mount was a magnificent steed of exceptional bloodline, its speed easily leaving her retinue far behind in a cloud of dust.

“Hm?”

The young woman pulled sharply on the reins, her gem-like eyes narrowing as she spotted two carriages approaching in the distance.

Atop the lead carriage, a round-headed tiger cub lounged, surveying its surroundings with an air of pride.

“Ooh! A little tiger!”

Her eyes lit up. With a delighted laugh, she cracked her whip and urged her horse straight toward the carriages. She closed the distance in moments.

The tiger cub on the roof tensed, staring warily at the approaching figure. It tried to bare its fangs in a threatening snarl.

Unfortunately, the young woman showed no fear. Instead, her eyes shone with pure delight. She swung down from her saddle, her toes barely brushing the earth before she launched herself upward. In a blur of motion, she landed gracefully atop the carriage.

*Thud!*

The sound from outside snapped Li Qing out of his cultivation.

“Who’s there?”

There was no answer, only the impatient, growling whimpers of the little tiger.

*Swish!*

Li Qing’s brow furrowed as he swept the curtain aside.

An ethereal beauty in a purple dress was holding the tiger cub, stroking its head with abandon.

“Is this tiger yours?” she asked, glancing at Li Qing.

Li Qing’s gaze flickered past her to the fiery red steed now trotting closer. To clear that distance in a single leap… even he would find that a strain.

*An Outer Force expert, at the very least,* Li Qing assessed, his mind instantly on high alert. *She might even be touching the threshold of Inner Force.* Outwardly, his expression remained placid.

“He is.”

The young woman chuckled. “He’s a fine specimen. Are you willing to sell him to me? Name your price in silver!” She turned her attention back to the cub. “Hmm? Little tiger, how about you come with me from now on?”

The cub, however, was not the least bit tempted, struggling fiercely to escape her grasp.

Li Qing cupped his fist. “You jest, miss. Fantong has been with me since he was a cub. We’ve grown attached. I couldn’t bear to part with him.”

The young woman raised a delicate, willow-leaf brow, a flash of white teeth in her smile. “Fantong? Rice Bucket? What a crude name.” She sighed. “Alright, a gentleman does not take what another cherishes. Since you’re unwilling to sell, I won’t force the issue. He’d just be a burden on this trip anyway.”

With that, she gave Fantong’s head one last, reluctant scratch before letting the little tiger scamper back to Li Qing’s side.

“Thank you for your understanding, miss.”

Soon, the men in black who had been following her finally caught up.

Li Qing’s eyes swept over the newcomers, and his gaze snagged on the nine-colored lotuses embroidered on their chests. His posture didn’t change, but an internal alarm sounded. *The Nine Lotus Sect.*

*Are they also here for the spectacle surrounding Qingzhou’s number one swordsman? This province is becoming a real hornet’s nest.*

“Dharma Protector Purple Lotus, what’s happening?” one of the men asked.

The young woman waved a dismissive hand. “Let’s go,” she said, then turned back to Li Qing. “If you ever change your mind about selling this little tiger, take this token to any Nine Lotus Sect branch in any city. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied with the price.”

She tossed him a token engraved with a purple lotus.

“One more thing. What’s your name?” she asked casually as she swung back onto her horse.

*A Dharma Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect at her age? A dangerous woman indeed.*

Wanting nothing to do with a group like this, Li Qing instantly fabricated a name.

“My name is Wu Chong.”

“Wu Chong? Very well, this Dharma Protector will remember you. I am Shen Lianyi!”

With a final crack of her whip, she galloped off toward Jingyang City.

Li Qing watched Shen Lianyi’s retreating figure and let out a long, slow breath.

“A Dharma Protector of the Nine Lotus Sect,” he murmured. “Trouble. At least she wasn’t the type to take things by force.” He patted the cub’s head, which was now rubbing against him with a dopey, fawning expression. “If she had insisted, I might have had to let you go with her for a while, little one.”

***

More than ten days passed in a flash.

Summer was drawing to a close, but the heat remained oppressive.

Li Qing, along with Gu Yu and his family of three, finally arrived at the imperial capital, Shengtian. The clamor of the bustling streets outside the city walls drifted in through the carriage window.

Master Gu’s grandson, Gu Yi, was a restless and mischievous boy. He poked his head out of the carriage, his eyes wide with wonder at the prosperous cityscape. He had never seen such a wealthy place in his entire life; it was a world away from anything he knew.

“Mother, look! What’s that?”

A traditional lion dance troupe was making its way down the street, drawing a large crowd. Little Gu Yi stared, utterly captivated.

“Are we really going to live here now?” Gu Yi asked excitedly, a hundred more questions bubbling up inside him.

“Yes, yes. From now on, we’ll be living in Shengtian,” his mother replied, patting his head with a loving smile.

To settle in Shengtian was infinitely better than staying in Qingzhou. The wealth of the nation’s imperial capital was truly beyond imagination.

The carriage continued on its way, eventually returning to Chiming Street.

With the news of a mysterious treasure in Qingzhou, a significant number of martial artists had left the capital, making the city feel much quieter than before. The entire martial world’s attention had shifted from Shengtian to Qingzhou.

Li Qing disembarked and headed straight for the old site of the Qingshan Martial Arts Hall. His first priority was to buy a residence for Gu Yu’s family and help them establish a business. For something like that, Boss Fang, the local snakehead, was the best man to see.

The moment he announced his name, however, Boss Fang himself came rushing out, much to Li Qing’s surprise.

“Ah, Master Li! You’ve finally returned!”

Boss Fang’s next words made Li Qing’s jaw drop.

“You have no idea! While you’ve been gone, a certain female commander from the Feng Guard has been waiting for you so anxiously, she’s practically worn a path to my door!”

“Dharma Protector Purple Lotus,” Li Qing muttered to himself, the words feeling awkward on his tongue. “I’ve been trying to say that title for ages, and it still doesn’t roll off smoothly!”