Forging Immortality: The Undying Blacksmith

Chapter 95: A Lesson

The three men found slaughtered in their homes belonged to the Dahe Gang.

They were not a small faction. The Dahe Gang boasted a massive roster of street thugs and, crucially, two Outer Force experts. In terms of raw combat power, they were second only to the City Lord’s Manor and the Red Fish Chamber of Commerce.

It was painfully obvious that during the wolf hunt, the Dahe Gang hadn’t bothered scouring the mushroom forest for tracks. Instead, they had played the role of highwaymen, ambushing the exhausted hunters on their way back to the city. The sheer volume of their stolen kills suggested they had likely offended two or three other major gangs.

“The blood of our brothers will not flow in vain!” the Dahe Gang’s leader had roared in a public declaration. “The moment we find out who did this, the Dahe Gang will tear them apart at any cost!”

His words dripped with malice and an arrogant, wild confidence that bordered on outright disrespect toward the City Lord’s Manor. The implication was clear: by cashing in their stolen kills with the Red Fish Chamber of Commerce, the Dahe Gang had secured enough Blood-Generating Pills to produce even more Outer Force martial artists. They were flush with power and itching for a war.

And they weren’t the only ones. Similar bloody skirmishes and assassinations were erupting across multiple districts.

“Giant Rock City really is a different breed,” Li Qing chuckled wryly as he processed the latest intelligence in his empty forge. “Obsidian City was a playground compared to this mess of fractured syndicates.”

The sharp crunch of boots on gravel interrupted his thoughts.

Li Qing glanced toward the entrance of his blacksmith shop. Swaggering through the door was the same pack of Sand Crocodile Gang thugs who had commissioned the animal traps. Their faces were stormy, and it didn’t take a genius to read their hostile intentions.

“Master Li,” the leader sneered, striding forward. With a heavy clatter, he dumped a sack of ten mud-caked, clearly used animal traps onto the floor next to Li Qing’s chair. “We’re here for a refund. We’re not unreasonable; you don’t have to give it all back. Just refund us a hundred money crystals, and we’ll call it square.”

Li Qing had already heard through Miao Qi’s network that the Sand Crocodile Gang had returned from the mushroom forest completely empty-handed.

What a brilliant business model, Li Qing thought, reclining lazily in his armchair. He actually felt the urge to laugh.

He leaned over, pulled a mud-crusted trap from the sack, and set it on the anvil. “What’s the issue? Did the springs fail? They look fine to me.”

To prove his point, Li Qing easily depressed the heavy iron jaws, locking the mechanism into place. It was in perfect working order, the jagged teeth still sharp enough to snap bone.

“There’s nothing wrong with the traps. We just don’t want them anymore,” the leader stated, crossing his arms arrogantly. “Give us a hundred crystals. You get your iron back, and you still walk away with fifty crystals in profit. We’re giving you plenty of face here, blacksmith. Don’t be ungrateful.”

Some of the thugs lingering behind their leader muttered in agreement, clearly feeling that leaving a lowly blacksmith with fifty crystals was far too generous. Ten would have been more than enough.

Hearing this, a dangerous, razor-thin smile curved Li Qing’s lips.

Hah. Do they think I’m running a modern e-commerce shop with a seven-day, no-questions-asked return policy?

While Li Qing couldn’t care less about the money crystals—outside this city, they were literally worthless rocks—he was deeply annoyed by the sheer audacity. Since when did a group of bottom-feeding street trash think they could step on his neck?

“Sorry,” Li Qing said, his voice mild. “All sales are final. If the traps broke, I’d repair them for a fee. But I don’t do refunds.”

He tossed the primed trap back onto the floor. It landed heavily at the thugs’ feet.

The leader’s face darkened instantly. “Master Li. Don’t throw away the face we’re giving you.”

Li Qing didn’t even bother looking at him. His gaze remained fixed on the ceiling. “Face is something a man earns through his own strength. It’s not a charity you hand out.”

“Hmph! Who knew a hammer-swinger had so much nerve,” the leader snarled. “You’re actually dumb enough to disrespect the Sand Crocodile Gang!”

Behind him, three thugs dropped their hands to the hilts of their rusted blades, fully intending to draw steel and intimidate the stubborn smith into submission.

Li Qing had slaughtered more men with blades than these thugs had ever spoken to. The pathetic display didn’t even register as a threat.

“I strongly advise you to leave those blades in their scabbards,” Li Qing said smoothly, still lounging deep in his chair. His tone was utterly flat, completely devoid of anger or forced intimidation. “Take your traps and walk out that door. If you draw on me, you will not survive the consequences.”

To the ignorant street thugs, the calm warning sounded like the empty bluff of a terrified man.

Swish!

“Die!” the leader roared, yanking his longsword from its sheath and lunging forward to press the edge against Li Qing’s throat.

The blade never made it.

In a fraction of a second, the steel vanished from the leader’s grip. By the time his brain registered his empty hand, Li Qing was no longer reclining. He was sitting perfectly upright, casually turning the stolen sword over in his hands, inspecting the shoddy edge.

A cold, paralyzing terror slammed into the thugs. They weren’t complete idiots; they knew instantly that they had just kicked a solid steel plate.

No wonder the blacksmith was so arrogant. He wasn’t a civilian. He was a monster hiding in plain sight.

“Y-You just wait!” the leader stammered, frantically backpedaling.

“Gulp… yeah, just wait! We’ll have our gang leader come down here and talk to you!”

All thoughts of extortion evaporated. Desperate to escape before the terrifying blacksmith decided to use the sword against them, the thugs spun around to bolt out the door, throwing out empty threats just to salvage a shred of their shattered pride.

“Did I say you could leave?”

The words were spoken softly, but they hit the thugs like a blast of arctic wind, freezing the blood in their veins.

“W-What else do you want?!” the leader shrieked, his voice cracking. “Keep the money! We don’t want the refund!”

“Master Li, think this through!” another thug babbled in panic. “We belong to the Sand Crocodile Gang! Our boss is an Outer Force expert!”

Li Qing slowly stood up from his chair. A cold, mocking sneer finally broke his calm facade. “I told you. Face is something you earn, not something others give you. And I told you not to draw your blade.”

He gripped the flat of the sword with both hands. With a casual flex of his wrists, his Inner Force surged into the steel.

Clang!

The thick iron blade snapped cleanly in half, the sharp crack echoing like a gunshot in the small forge.

The thugs stared at the broken steel in his bare hands. Their legs gave out entirely.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Master Li! Have mercy! Please, spare us!”

They collapsed to their knees in unison, their foreheads pressed against the dirt floor, sobbing and begging for their lives without a singular ounce of backbone.

Li Qing actually laughed at the pathetic display. He tossed the broken sword aside. “There are four of you. Start slapping each other. Whoever hits the hardest, I’ll let them crawl out of here.”

The thugs froze, exchanging panicked glances. “This…”

Li Qing’s eyes narrowed, a flash of primal, predatory malice piercing through his gaze. “Hmm?”

The sheer killing intent hit the leader like a physical blow. Terrified out of his mind, he shrieked and viciously backhanded the thug kneeling next to him.

Within seconds, the forge echoed with a chaotic, rhythmic chorus of sharp slaps.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Li Qing watched them for several minutes. Just as their cheeks began to swell into bruised, bloody lumps and their arms grew heavy, a shadow fell over the doorway.

Miao Qi stepped into the shop. He blinked in profound confusion at the four Sand Crocodile Gang thugs sobbing and frantically beating the hell out of each other on the floor, but he wisely kept his mouth shut and hurried over to Li Qing’s side.

Seeing his operative arrive, Li Qing waved a dismissive hand. “Alright. Get lost.”

The thugs scrambled to their feet and sprinted out of the shop like terrified rabbits, completely abandoning their sacks of traps.

Once they were gone, Miao Qi leaned in close, his voice dropping to a serious whisper. “Brother Li, I have major news. City Lord Qin of the City Lord’s Manor is throwing a massive birthday banquet. He’s formally inviting the heads of every major gang in Giant Rock City to attend.”