Chapter 182: Refining the Sword Blank, a Most Unusual Misunderstanding

On a small hillside, deep within the forest.

Lu Qing stood over the corpse of "An Ying," watching as the life slowly faded from the man’s body. A heavy silence settled around him.

In his mind, the final words of the dying assassin echoed again and again:

"Master Lu Qing, I’ve told you everything I know. But I warn you—do not rush to seek revenge. In Qi Sha Lou, there are many killers stronger than I. And at our most vital strongholds, Xian Tian Jing elders stand guard. You possess extraordinary martial talent, with a future as bright as the stars. One day, you’ll rise to become a true titan of the martial world. Then, bringing down Qi Sha Lou will be effortless. Alas… I won’t live to see that day."

Lu Qing could feel the bitter resentment in An Ying’s final breath—deep, unrelenting hatred toward Qi Sha Lou. That was why he had spilled every secret he knew.

He wondered what horrors the sect had inflicted upon this man, that even as a disciple, he felt no loyalty—only a desperate desire for its utter destruction.

It reminded him of the previous assassin, "Tian Gu," who had also, on the brink of death, offered him solemn advice.

Now, it seemed that Qi Sha Lou’s killers weren’t just cold-blooded instruments. They carried a strange kind of wisdom. Perhaps, after so many lives taken, they had long since accepted their own mortality. Even in death, they remained calm—almost serene.

Still, despite this slight shift in perception, Lu Qing did not soften. Enemies were enemies.

He would not forgive An Ying.

Though he could have healed the man’s wounds with ease—his power was more than capable—compassion toward an enemy was cruelty to oneself.

From the moment An Ying had chosen to assassinate him, one of them had been fated to die.

Lu Qing wasn’t some saint. He wasn’t going to pardon a man who had come to kill him.

After confirming through his abilities that An Ying was truly dead, Lu Qing searched the body. He collected a few useful items and stored them in his Qiankun Yiqi Dai. Then, he dug a shallow grave, burying the corpse with care—granting it a proper rest, not left to rot in the open.

Once the task was done, he led Xiao Li—still hidden in the shadows—back toward home.

He had kept Xiao Li concealed earlier, just in case. A last-resort backup, should the enemy prove too strong.

But clearly, he had overthought it.

At home, Lu Qing laid out the items he’d taken from An Ying. After a quick inventory, he found little of real value.

Some silver, gold coins, a few Silver Vouchers—useful, but not worth much.

The only truly valuable things were:

- Two medicine bottles—one containing poison, the other a Nei Fu Jing cultivation pill.

- A set of Soft Armor.

- And the short sword, coated in a deadly toxin, of Qian Lian Level.

The Nei Fu Jing pill was useful—something he might even gift later as a token of goodwill.

But the rest? Mostly disposable.

Lu Qing sighed.

Neither Tian Gu nor An Ying had carried any secret manuals.

He had to admit, he was curious about Qi Sha Lou’s Yi Jin Bian Gu Shu—its body-shifting technique.

Though his current Jingjie allowed him to alter his appearance with ease, he still couldn’t achieve the flawless disguise that Tian Gu had managed—perfect coordination, no flaws, like a second skin.

But it seemed Qi Sha Lou had strict rules. No disciples were allowed to carry secret scrolls. Probably to prevent the leakage of their core techniques.

No useful secrets found.

He tucked everything away and, with Xiao Li on his shoulder, headed toward the Half Mountain Small Courtyard.

“Brother! Xiao Li! You’re back!”

Xiao Yan, who had been reciting passages in the courtyard, immediately dropped her book and ran over, bouncing with excitement.

“Mm-hmm. Did you memorize today’s lesson?” Lu Qing asked with a smile.

Xiao Li leapt into Xiao Yan’s arms, purring happily as she stroked its fur.

“Yep! How’d the fishing go? Did you catch any Strange Fish?” Xiao Yan asked, eyes bright. She knew full well that Lu Qing had gone fishing that morning—only because Xiao Li had been begging for Strange Fish, rolling on the ground like a puppy.

“I caught a few. More than a few, actually.”

As the siblings chatted, Chen Laodaifu stepped out from the house. His expression was serious.

“A Qing, what was that just now?”

The old doctor had sensed the faint tremors from the earlier battle. After all, Half Mountain Small Courtyard wasn’t far from the hill.

“Just a petty thug from Qi Sha Lou. I’ve dealt with him.” Lu Qing replied casually.

Chen Laodaifu nodded, not pressing further. He didn’t like killing, but he didn’t expect his disciple to be the same.

Besides, he despised Qi Sha Lou—those who killed on a whim, without reason.

“Though it’s fine this time, be careful in the future,” he warned.

“I understand,” Lu Qing said, bowing slightly.

Then, with a grin, he added, “Master, I caught several Red Moon Carp this morning. Last time, we sold the one we had, never got to taste it. How about we enjoy one of the Ten Delicacies of the World tonight?”

“Several Red Moon Carp?” Chen Laodaifu blinked in surprise. “Are they really that easy to catch now?”

“Not sure,” Lu Qing said, shrugging. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t fished in a while. The Strange Fish must’ve gathered.”

He didn’t say it aloud, but he had a hunch. Still, until he confirmed it, he’d keep quiet.

The mention of Red Moon Carp stirred excitement in the old doctor. By evening, he abandoned his medical texts and left the study early.

Lu Qing prepared two carp—one steamed, one stewed.

When they ate, the flesh was tender, fragrant, and impossibly fresh. The broth was soul-warming, rich beyond words.

They all ate with joy, exclaiming in delight.

That night, after Xiao Yan and Xiao Li had fallen asleep, Lu Qing sat on the bed, deep in thought.

During the day, he’d learned much about Qi Sha Lou—key locations, hidden bases.

But he wasn’t planning to strike anytime soon.

He knew his limits.

At his current strength, even if he managed to destroy one or two outposts, Qi Sha Lou—a colossal organization—would barely feel it. It would only alert them, scatter their forces, and gain nothing but wasted effort.

To kill a serpent, you must strike at its core. Either don’t act… or act with full force—crush it, break it, destroy it utterly.

So Lu Qing waited.

His priority now was growth.

Time to train, to refine, to build strength.

Only when he was powerful enough would he have the right to challenge a giant like Qi Sha Lou.

And he had a feeling—something deep in his bones—that the time was drawing near.

The Wan Nian Bian Ju—the Great Transformation—wasn’t far off.

After refining a sliver of Shen Hun Fu Wen Kuang Jia, he trusted his instincts.

In the coming upheaval, strength was the only true safeguard.

Momentary victories, petty grudges—none of it mattered.

Only power mattered.

With that thought, he closed his eyes.

A blade appeared in his hand—the Divine Weapon Blade Blank, forged from Celestial Meteor Iron.

He placed it across his knees and centered his mind.

From his Brow Qi Cavity, a thread of Spirit Soul Power extended—gentle, precise—flowing into the blade.

He began the ritual of refining the blade, using a Secret Technique passed down from Li Hua Zong.

The process: imprinting hidden patterns into the blade, embedding his soul’s mark.

Once complete, the blade would transform into a Dao Art Weapon—ranked above a mere Divine Weapon.

But Spirit Soul Power was still weak.

Each day, he could only sustain the ritual for a short time.

It would be a long, arduous journey—months, perhaps years—before the blade was complete.

After a quarter of an hour, his mind grew weary. He stopped, withdrew the blade, and returned it to the Qiankun Yiqi Dai.

Then, he immediately began practicing the 【Henglu Guan Xiang Fa】—a method he’d pieced together from fragments of his inherited knowledge.

He pushed his spirit to its limits, then followed a special breathing technique—entering a deep, meditative sleep, like a turtle in hibernation.

By morning, he awoke refreshed, his Spirit Soul Power noticeably stronger.

This was his new routine:

- First, refine the blade at night.

- Then, push his spirit to the brink with 【Henglu Guan Xiang Fa】.

- Finally, enter the deep sleep, allowing his power to recover and even grow.

The result?

He woke up fully rested—and stronger than before.

A true fusion of cultivation and forging.

He felt satisfied.

At this rate, refining a complete Shen Hun Fu Lu before entering Xian Tian Jing was no longer a dream.

He glanced outside. The sun had risen.

As usual, he practiced a few rounds of Nourish Body Fist in the courtyard, then prepared breakfast.

Just as he finished, he was about to wake Xiao Yan and Xiao Li—when a loud, cheerful voice rang out.

“Lu Qing, brother! I’m coming to steal a meal!”

Lu Qing stepped outside, surprised.

It was Ma Gu—dressed in his familiar green robe, sword at his side, back to his usual self.

“Finished with your clan duties?” Lu Qing asked.

“Done. Thanks to Zi’an, the clan is practically running itself now. The elders keep telling me, ‘Just keep the connection with Zi’an and the others—everything else is fine.’ I was going mad hearing it. So I made an excuse and came back to the Big Market.”

Ma Gu’s tone was laced with frustration. It was clear he resented how his family was treating him—like a pawn, a tool to maintain alliances.

But Lu Qing didn’t dwell on it.

Instead, he asked, “And Zi’an? You’re not supervising his training?”

He knew the real reason Ma Gu had taken Wei Zian as his disciple.

Ma Gu smiled mysteriously. “Let’s just say… I’ll tell you in two days.”

Lu Qing: …

Before he could reply, Ma Gu pulled his sword from his waist.

“Oh! Lu Qing, I just realized—this sword… was it really you who gave it to me?”

Lu Qing looked. The scabbard looked familiar—crafted by Lin Lao Jiangshi at Zhu Xin Fang, on his request.

“Yes,” he said, nodding. “It was a gift. A token from the initiation ceremony.”

“Seriously? You made this?” Ma Gu’s eyes widened. “Lu Qing, do you know this is a Qian Lian Level weapon? It’s priceless—worth more than gold!”

“Of course I know,” Lu Qing replied calmly. “I made it.”

What else? He’d forged it with his own hands. He knew its worth.

But now, Ma Gu’s reaction confused him.

The sword had been in his possession for months. Why only now was he asking?

“This is a priceless gift,” Ma Gu insisted. “I can’t accept it. You’ve saved my life twice already. How can I take such a heavy gift?”

He was stunned. Even the Ma Family’s treasure vault didn’t hold a single Qian Lian Level weapon.

When he first saw it, even the family head had been shocked.

But by then, Lu Qing and Chen Laodaifu had already left for Jiu Li Village.

Lu Qing sighed. “Ma Ye… didn’t Wei Da Zong Guan tell you? This sword was my own creation. I didn’t spend a single coin.”

“…You made this?” Ma Gu stared, eyes wide as a cow’s. “You’re serious?”

Lu Qing fell silent.

Ma Gu didn’t seem to be lying. He truly didn’t know.

But how could Wei Da Zong Guan have made such a mistake?

The truth was, Wei Da Zong Guan was meticulous. He wouldn’t have erred so badly—unless something had disrupted the chain.

On the day of the initiation ceremony, chaos had erupted. Wei Zian had been attacked, nearly killed. Though Lu Qing had saved him with spirit medicine, the boy had still suffered massive internal damage.

The ceremony ended hastily.

Then, the Wei Family was consumed by the hunt for the assassin.

In the chaos, the gifts were handled carelessly. Only Ma Gu’s portion was sent to the Ma Family. The rest—mixed in with dozens of others—were never properly labeled.

It wasn’t until the Ma Family sorted through the gifts that they realized Lu Qing had sent the sword.

They’d been stunned.

And by then, Lu Qing was already gone.

Now, hearing the full story, Lu Qing understood.

He smiled. “Then, Ma Ye, just take it. It was just a practice piece. Nothing special. And it cost me nothing.”

Ma Gu froze.

A Qian Lian Level practice piece?

His mind spun.

Lu Qing’s forging skill had reached that level?

When had he even learned to forge?

It was only a few days since he’d returned…

His thoughts scrambled.

But in the end, knowing it was truly Lu Qing’s work, Ma Gu accepted it.

“Ma Ye, you hungry? I just finished breakfast. Want to join me?”

Ma Gu’s eyes lit up. “Of course! I came here on an empty stomach—just to taste your cooking again. I’ve missed it!”

Lu Qing just laughed. “Alright. Come in. I’ll go wake Xiao Yan and Xiao Li.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end