Translator: AnubisTL
Thus, under the clumsy acting of the Green Mountain Martial Arts School's master and Zhang Lai from the Flying Cloud School, the monthly fees collected from the merchants of Chiming Street increased by one tael of silver.
Everyone was furious but dared not speak out. No matter how much they complained, they knew that against the Flying Cloud School and the Green Mountain Martial Arts School, the merchants could do nothing.
Some merchants who couldn't afford the increased fees, or those unwilling to continue being exploited, chose to leave—either moving out of the street or leaving Shengtian altogether.
Time passed slowly, and as winter neared its end, the temperature reached its coldest point.
During this period, Li Qing persisted in his martial arts training, tempering his body daily. His Outer Strength grew increasingly robust through continuous effort.
The business at the blacksmith shop also gradually improved. Initially, only neighbors came to him for forging kitchen knives and other common iron tools. As the New Year approached, someone finally came to him to forge a longsword.
The visitor was a martial arts disciple from the Green Mountain Martial Arts School named Zhong Hui, whose earthy yellow face often wore a smile.
"Master Li, I've heard you usually forge kitchen knives and pots. Can you forge a longsword for me?" Zhong Hui asked with a smile.
Li Qing didn't answer with words. Instead, he walked to the back wall of the blacksmith shop and pulled aside a curtain covering it.
Whoosh! A row of cold, gleaming weapons hung on the thick wall.
Swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks!
From their texture, it was clear that these weapons were all of high quality, each meticulously forged by Li Qing.
Zhong Hui from the Green Mountain Martial Arts School was momentarily stunned by the weapons on the wall, his eyes wide with amazement.
Li Qing patted the dust off the curtain and said with a smile, "Well, are you reassured now?"
Hearing this, Zhong Hui nodded repeatedly, his head bobbing like a pecking chicken.
"Reassured, reassured, very reassured!"
Since Li Qing's Ancient Mystic Hammer Art had been steadily improving, his blacksmithing skills had also become more refined. With each strike of the Peerless Hammer, he achieved what would take an ordinary blacksmith over ten strikes.
Coupled with the enhancement of his martial Outer Strength, every weapon he forged was extraordinary. With the right materials, they could even rival some of the renowned legendary weapons in the martial world!
"Tell me, how heavy, how long, and what type of longsword do you want?"
Zhong Hui quickly replied, "I want a Zhanmadao-style sword, weighing around fifty catties. Any heavier, and I won't be able to wield it. It should be as sharp as possible, and about this long..."
With the other's gestures, Li Qing roughly understood the requirements for the longsword and had a general idea in mind.
"Eighteen taels of silver. Pay half as a deposit, and the other half after it's forged," Li Qing said without looking up.
The price was actually quite reasonable. Given Li Qing's current skill, a meticulously forged weapon could easily fetch dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver on the market.
However, Li Qing wasn't solely motivated by money. His primary focus was on the lifespan he could gain from forging weapons, which is why he set the price relatively low.
However, Zhong Hui seemed to be quite strapped for cash, even frowning over the need to pay eighteen taels of silver.
"Haha, Master Li, could you perhaps lower the price a bit? We're all neighbors here," Zhong Hui said awkwardly, scratching his head.
Li Qing responded in a neutral tone, "It's precisely because we're neighbors that I'm only charging you eighteen taels. Otherwise, if someone else asked me to forge a weapon, I wouldn't even consider it without at least several dozen taels."
Qi Kang, who had been sitting idly by, watching the snow, couldn't help but snicker, "If you don't have the money, why are you here to forge a weapon? If you had money, you could go to a martial arts school to learn martial arts. If you don't have money, why buy a sword?"
Ever since the incident at the Green Mountain Martial Arts School, Qi Kang's impression of those who rushed to martial arts schools to pay for lessons had plummeted to the lowest level. He couldn't stand the sight of anyone from the Green Mountain Martial Arts School. Even he himself had become more taciturn, losing hope in the world, and was often in a gloomy mood.
"Shut up!" Li Qing frowned and scolded.
Only then did Qi Kang turn his head away, remaining silent.
Zhong Hui wasn't particularly bothered by Qi Kang's mockery. He smiled bitterly and said, "It's alright, Master Li, no need to scold your disciple."
"To be honest with you, I only have twelve taels of silver on me right now. I can keep one tael for myself and give you the remaining eleven as a deposit. Once the sword is forged, within seven days, I'll pay you another ten taels!"
His tone was filled with pleading and urgency, as if he were in a great hurry.
This piqued Li Qing's curiosity, and he casually asked, "Hasn't Sheng Tian been quite stable recently? Why are you in such a hurry to get a sword?"
Zhong Hui's face twisted in hesitation. After a moment of thought, he finally spoke, "Sigh, I might as well tell you, but Master Li, you must promise not to leak this information!"
He glanced around, then lowered his voice, "Outside the city, at Small Jade Ridge, we've discovered a tomb from the previous dynasty, suspected to belong to a once-famous Inner Strength master. The Prince of Yu has hired us martial arts school enforcers to explore this tomb!"
"Not only that, but the Prince of Yu won't take a single coin from the treasures in the tomb. All he wants is the martial arts legacy left by that master!"
At this point, Qi Kang, sitting in front of the blacksmith's shop, pricked up his ears.
"However, it seems that the Nine Lotus Sect has also set their sights on that martial master's tomb, and the news seems to have leaked. There might be others in the martial world who will try to get involved, which is why I came to you to forge a weapon for self-defense."
"Master Li, rest assured, once this is over, and I get some money from the tomb, plus the reward from the Prince of Yu, I'll definitely be able to pay the full price for the weapon!"
After hearing this, Li Qing finally nodded and said, "I see. Brother Zhong, since you've put it this way, it would be unkind of me to refuse."
"Hahaha, not at all, Master Li, you're too polite."
And so, the two parties struck a deal. Zhong Hui left the eleven taels of silver he had on hand, then clasped his fists and departed.
Li Qing watched Zhong Hui's retreating figure for a long time before finally saying in a deep voice, "Qi Kang, fetch the iron!"
After a long while, Qi Kang finally came to his senses, patted his butt, and picked up the iron ingot.
"Master, what about the tomb at Green Jade Ridge?" Qi Kang tentatively asked, his eyes carefully observing Li Qing's expression.
However, Li Qing's response once again disappointed him.
"With the Prince of Yu's Mansion eyeing it and the Nine Lotus Sect lurking nearby, do you really think that tomb is something I can covet?" Li Qing said indifferently.
At these words, Qi Kang's head drooped in frustration.
He knew that once his master made a decision, no one could change it.
During this period, no matter how desperately he pleaded, Li Qing refused to teach him martial arts, which left him feeling utterly hopeless.
Still, he was well aware that Li Qing treated him exceptionally well, never shortchanging him in terms of food and shelter, and genuinely teaching him how to forge iron.
Everything was fine, except that he was just too detached, almost like a monk!
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(End of the Chapter)
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