Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 78: A Great Kindness

What? A female commander? Desperate to see me?

The words stunned Li Qing. He stood frozen, certain he had misheard.

“Boss Fang, why would a female commander from the Feng Guard be waiting for me with such… anticipation?” Li Qing eyed the man, his face a mask of suspicion. “You need to explain yourself clearly. Words have consequences.”

He didn’t even need to search his memories. In his short life, not yet twenty years long, he had never gotten involved with any woman, let alone set foot in a brothel. A woman capable of becoming a Feng Guard commander was an even more remote possibility; no such person existed in his recollection.

Boss Fang grinned. “Commander Qian Hong of the Feng Guard. She’s been waiting for you, and not patiently.”

*Boom.*

The name struck him like a physical blow, sending shockwaves through his carefully constructed calm. This was the only way to describe the turmoil that erupted within him upon hearing the name ‘Qian Hong.’

Fortunately, years of discipline had taught him to conceal his emotions. Though his mind reeled, his expression remained perfectly neutral.

*Qian Hong?!*

Wasn’t she a Thousand-Man Commander in the Wuli Army? How had she become a commander in the Feng Guard?

*Ah, right.* When the Feng Guard was first formed, they had drawn personnel from the Wuli Army. Qian Hong must have been among them.

But why was she waiting for him? Had his past as a blacksmith’s apprentice with the Wuli Army been exposed?

Impossible. It made no sense. He had never spoken of it to anyone.

And so what if it was exposed? During the horse bandits’ onslaught at the border, countless people had vanished. How could a mere blacksmith’s apprentice possibly catch the eye of a master of Inner Force like her?

With that thought, a measure of calm returned to Li Qing. He looked at Boss Fang evenly and asked, “Why is this Commander Qian Hong waiting for me? Is it something urgent?”

“Hahahaha! Master Li, oh, Master Li, I don’t know if you’re playing dumb or just being coy, but either way, it’s not very interesting!” Boss Fang roared with laughter. “She wants you to forge a divine weapon, of course! The commander even has the materials ready. It’s just a shame that after searching all of Feng Country, every blacksmith capable of forging a peerless weapon seems to have vanished into thin air.”

He leaned in conspiratorially. “But then, on the very day you left the capital, the Feng Guard held a tournament. The Jingji Blade you made for a martial artist named Zhao Yuan made its name in a single battle!”

“And just like that, Commander Qian Hong learned of your existence. Now she’s desperate for you to forge a peerless sword for her.”

Hearing Boss Fang’s brief account, Li Qing finally understood the sequence of events.

So, it wasn’t about his history with the Wuli Army. It was that fool Zhao Yuan who had let the cat out of the bag.

Still, it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t expect everyone to be as discreet as he was—to possess a divine weapon and still lie low as a common blacksmith on a city street.

*So that’s how it is… I understand.* Li Qing let out a silent sigh of relief before speaking again. “Boss Fang, I actually came to see you today because there’s something I need your help with.”

At the prospect of putting Li Qing further in his debt, the corners of Boss Fang’s mouth curled into a wide smile. “Master Li, don’t talk about ‘trouble.’ We’re neighbors. Whatever you need, just say the word!”

“It’s about my Senior Brother. His family plans to settle in Shengtian, and I was hoping you could help find them a suitable residence and a shop. If you could keep an eye out…”

Before he had even finished, Boss Fang slapped his chest with finality.

“A trivial matter. Leave it to me.”

It had to be said, when it came to buying property, the local boss’s efficiency was staggering.

In less than a day, the deeds and all the necessary paperwork were laid out before Li Qing.

For a total of just over two thousand taels of silver, a residence and a storefront were now his.

When Li Qing produced gold of equivalent value to cover the cost, even Boss Fang couldn’t suppress a flicker of awe. Then again, he reasoned, this was a man who could forge divine weapons; such wealth was to be expected. No wonder he’d asked him to watch the smithy. He must have had this fortune stashed away.

Of course, the thought was fleeting. Boss Fang knew one thing for certain: he was resolved to stay on good terms with this Master Li.

***

When Gu Yu walked into the newly purchased residence, his face was still a mask of disbelief.

He stared at the building of blue tile and stone brick, feeling as if he were walking through a dream. The long, arduous journey from Qingzhou to Shengtian, the hope for a new life—it was a fantasy he had entertained in his darkest moments, and now, it was real.

Overwhelmed, Gu Yu moved to kneel before Li Qing to express his gratitude for this immense kindness.

But Li Qing’s reflexes were faster. He caught his nominal Senior Brother by the arm, holding him steady.

“Senior Brother Gu, what are you doing? This is too much. Get up, please!” Li Qing’s grip was firm, preventing him from kneeling.

“Junior Brother Li—I’ll be shameless and call you that,” Gu Yu said, his voice thick with emotion. “You rescued my family from the hell that was Qingzhou. That alone was a great kindness. Now you’ve bought us this precious home and shop… I know my own worth. This is a debt I can never repay in this lifetime.”

Li Qing shook his head resolutely. “Master Gu showed me a great kindness. It’s a tragedy that he passed so soon, and I was unable to repay him in his lifetime. This is just a small token of my respect. Kneeling is out of the question. Please, Senior Brother Gu, rise.”

And so, Gu Yu and his family of three moved into the residence in the heart of Chiming Street, their joy beyond description. From this day forward, they had finally established themselves in Shengtian.

Before leaving, Li Qing made sure to leave them enough silver to live comfortably for a long time. With that, he considered the duty entrusted to him by the late Master Gu perfectly fulfilled.

***

Returning to his own smithy, Li Qing sank into his old bamboo chair for the first time in what felt like an age. He laced his hands behind his head, the picture of contentment.

The young tiger cub snored softly beside him. A gentle breeze drifted through the shop. How could a single word like ‘beautiful’ ever capture such a moment?

“Not much silver left, maybe seven or eight hundred taels, plus a few gold bars. No need to worry about money for now,” Li Qing mused to himself, already planning the days to come.

“The news that I can forge divine weapons is out. It’s inevitable that people will come seeking my services. I need to handle this carefully.”

He would certainly continue to forge them, but not indiscriminately. He had to control the frequency and quantity.

He had already devised the perfect public excuse: forging a divine weapon required a perfect alignment of timing, favorable conditions, and personal harmony. He would claim he had to be in an excellent state of body and mind to even attempt it.

After all, scarcity creates value. If some major power discovered he could churn out a peerless weapon every few days, the consequences would be disastrous.

“I’ll need to add more restrictions,” he thought, “like insisting that clients provide their own rare and precious materials…”

*Sigh.*

In the end, it all came down to his own weakness. If he could just break through into the realm of Inner Force, he wouldn’t have to worry about such trivialities.

In an age without Grandmasters, an Inner Force expert was effectively at the top of the food chain.

Soon. The moment his medicinal wine was ready to be unsealed, his martial cultivation would skyrocket.

He had checked just moments ago. The two jars of wine were brewing, untouched and perfectly sealed. Even the hairs he’d carefully placed in the doorjamb were undisturbed. No one had entered.

It seemed Boss Fang could be trusted.