Translator: AnubisTL
The plans of these Inner Strength commanders from the Maple Guard were destined to fail, for the Great Master Li they intended to visit had already set out on a journey by carriage, taking the little tiger with him to attend to some business.
After witnessing the martial arts competition within the Maple Guard, Qian Hong eagerly urged Zhao Yuan to lead the way, preparing to visit Great Master Li.
Zhao Yuan did not refuse. The three commanders had shown great courtesy, not directly barging into the blacksmith's shop but first asking him to inform Great Master Li of their visit.
If Great Master Li did not wish to meet the three commanders, Zhao Yuan could promptly convey Li Qing's intentions, avoiding any negative impressions.
Thus, the four of them disguised themselves and hurriedly made their way to Chiming Street.
However, Zhao Yuan's burly figure stood out no matter how they tried to conceal it.
This scene caught Yang Xing's attention. His internal martial arts clearly sensed that the three people beside Zhao Yuan were undoubtedly the three great commanders.
"They're heading towards Chiming Street... It seems the blade Zhao Yuan carries is even more valuable than imagined. Could they be going to visit the blacksmith who forged this blade?" Yang Xing stroked his chin, pondering this thought.
There was only one blacksmith's shop on Chiming Street—the one where Li Qing, the Outer Strength expert who lived in seclusion among the common folk, had forged his own sword.
Could it be that this blacksmith, who had mastered Outer Strength, also had the ability to forge magical weapons? Thump, thump! At this thought, Yang Xing's heart began to race.
Of course, he couldn't be certain that Zhao Yuan and his companions were indeed heading to Chiming Street to find Li Qing, but the possibility was significant.
"If that's the case, I must inform my elder brothers immediately. We must not antagonize this Great Master Li!"
Yang Xing muttered to himself, then made up his mind and changed direction, speeding towards Chiming Street.
Boom! The thunderstorm continued unabated, and the rain showed no signs of letting up. The entire capital seemed enveloped in a curtain of water.
On Chiming Street, Zhao Yuan and the three commanders arrived only to find the place empty.
Qian Hong stared at the closed doors of the blacksmith's shop, her hand gripping the oil-paper umbrella so tightly that it turned white.
He wasn't here!
Beside her, the old drunkard Guo Zhentong commented, "Hmm, it seems this truly is a master who has chosen to live in seclusion here, unswayed by worldly fame and fortune. This humble blacksmith's shop speaks volumes."
The white-robed man Zheng Shu also wore an elegant smile. Holding an umbrella in one hand and placing the other behind his back, he praised, "Such demeanor is truly befitting of a peerless master. Were it not for the emergence of the Silent Blade, no one would have imagined that such an exceptional blacksmith could be hidden in this unassuming shop."
Qian Hong had no interest in such admiration. All she wanted at that moment was a magical weapon of her own.
So, she walked over to the wonton shop next to the blacksmith's shop and asked, "Shopkeeper, do you know where the blacksmith next door has gone?"
Old Zhang, who was kneading wonton wrappers, looked up at Qian Hong and replied thoughtfully, "Oh, you mean Master Li? He mentioned he had to go on a trip for some business. I'm not sure when he'll be back."
After obtaining the answer, Qian Hong remained silent, quickly suppressing the disappointment in her heart.
At least the blacksmith shop was still there, and Master Li would surely return.
No matter what, the hope of reforging the Qing Hong Sword into a peerless magical weapon had increased significantly. All she had to do was wait for Master Li to return.
It didn't matter; she would wait. She had already waited for so long—what was a little more time? With this thought, Qian Hong turned and left Chiming Street.
Meanwhile, Zheng Shu and Guo Zhentong exchanged a glance, both shaking their heads helplessly before they too departed.
After the leaders of the Maple Guard left, the other end of Chiming Street, which had once been the territory of the Green Mountain Martial Arts School, had now become the stronghold of the Liangzhou Heroes.
"What? Are you saying that Li Qing actually has such capabilities?" Boss Fang widened his eyes in astonishment.
The ability to forge a peerless magical weapon was no trivial matter! A well-suited magical weapon could greatly enhance a martial artist's strength. With such a weapon, one would be nearly invincible among peers of the same level.
Take the Nine Lotus Sect, for example. Why has this sect remained prosperous for generations? It's because they've consistently produced Grandmaster-level experts and passed down magical weapons through the ages. Imagine a peerless Grandmaster wielding a magical weapon—if not invincible, at least nearly impossible to defeat! "It's very likely the case, so we must guard this secret tightly and ensure we maintain good relations with Master Li," Yang Xing said solemnly.
Boss Fang's expression also turned serious. He nodded and said, "Don't worry, Young Yang. Before Master Li left, he entrusted me with looking after his blacksmith shop. Our relationship has always been quite good."
As he spoke, Boss Fang couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.
What if one day Master Li, in a moment of inspiration, forged a peerless magical weapon for him? How wonderful would that be! After all, who didn't grow up listening to the legends of the martial world? Tales of the Demon Blade Red Lotus and the Black Tortoise Spear were enough to stir anyone's heart.
With this thought, Fang Long resolved to do everything in his power to curry favor with Master Li.
Meanwhile, Li Qing, who was traveling north by carriage, had no idea that he had already caught the attention of many people just after leaving Shengtian.
His destination was Qingzhou, a remote and harsh land compared to the other states of Maple Country.
As the saying goes, "Barren mountains and treacherous waters breed cunning folk." Although Qingzhou was harsh, it was also a place where martial arts flourished, and many legends of heroes and bandits originated from there.
Qingzhou was located to the north of Shengtian, and the journey was not short, requiring passage through several cities along the way.
Before setting out, Li Qing had gathered some information about Qingzhou.
"To dare call himself the number one swordsman of Qingzhou—this swordsman named Sun Qi is quite bold!"
Sitting inside the carriage, Li Qing held in his hands some intelligence about the martial world of Qingzhou.
For example, which experts were there, and which powerful forces were worth noting.
However, when he saw the note at the end of the intelligence, Li Qing's mouth twitched involuntarily.
It read: "The martial world of Qingzhou is teeming with talent, and the rankings of martial experts are constantly changing. Please refer to the latest intelligence for accuracy!"
Li Qing keenly discerned the underlying meaning in these words.
Qingzhou was a chaotic place, teeming with martial artists. It was entirely possible that today you might defeat the number one swordsman in Qingzhou, only to have your position usurped by someone else tomorrow before you could even settle into it.
Of course, generally speaking, those who managed to claim the title of number one in any field certainly had some skill. It was unlikely they would be so unfortunate as to be dethroned the very next day after ascending to the position.
As for why Qingzhou was like this, it could be attributed to the region being both extremely chaotic and impoverished.
Making a legitimate living and rising above the rest was exceedingly difficult. As soon as one managed to accumulate a bit of wealth, they could easily become a target for the local bandits and strongmen.
Thus, in Qingzhou, the fastest way to make money was to venture into the martial world. This was why everyone was eager to compete for titles like the number one swordsman or the number one blade master in Qingzhou.
These were not mere empty titles; they were directly tied to tangible benefits.
Fame and fortune—fame came before fortune.
Once you made a name for yourself in Qingzhou, you wouldn't have to worry about finding ways to make money.
"The martial world of Qingzhou is even more intriguing than I imagined," Li Qing thought to himself, feeling a sense of anticipation. The martial world of Qingzhou aligned quite well with his imagination of what the martial world should be.
There was no place for social niceties—it was all about fighting and killing!
(End of the Chapter)
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