Chapter 785: An Uneasy Night
Chapter 785: An Uneasy Night
On the edge of the canyon, a young woman with dark hair cascading over her shoulders and vibrant emerald eyes, dressed in a clean and elegant cherry blossom-patterned dress and a short skirt, came to a stop. True Mushroom (Jin Kui) stood there, taking in a deep breath as she gazed beyond the canyon. With a surge of determination, she took a step forward, leaving the canyon that had been her home for nearly six years and returning to the outside world.
"I'm leaving now," she said softly, turning back to look into the depths of the canyon at the wooden houses that remained pristine over the years. A cute smile played on her lips as she hummed a cheerful tune, her small hands clasped behind her back. With nimble and light steps, she bounced out of the forest towards the outside world.
Soon, she found herself at the outskirts of a small town she hadn't seen in six years.
The town looked even more run-down than it had six years ago, but it was still bustling with people, not much different from what she remembered.
Despite the war and poverty that plagued this era, the population hadn't decreased rapidly due to the open sexual culture and the lack of simple contraception methods available at the time.
Many families, unable to afford raising their children, nonetheless gave birth to one after another, ultimately forcing them out of their homes or even selling them to human traffickers.
Looking at the vaguely familiar small town before her, True Mushroom's face took on a nostalgic expression. She reached out with her small hand to touch her empty waist, feeling a sense of longing.
"I need to forge a sword first..." Her first goal was clear—she needed a sword.
Feng Ye had left her to her own devices, providing only food, drink, and clothing. He hadn't given her any additional help or a sword.
Since True Mushroom already possessed a self-reliant mindset, Feng Ye saw no need to disturb this positive attitude and had always taught her survival skills that didn't rely on others.
Of course, during her sword training, food and clothing were provided to ensure her well-being, as it would have been inappropriate for her to go naked, especially since no one else ever entered his canyon.
A moment later, True Mushroom arrived in the small town.
After walking around half of the town, she quickly located a blacksmith's shop.
"Well, miss, what can I do for you?" The blacksmith, bare-chested and displaying a muscular physique, greeted True Mushroom with a smile as he noticed her neat and tidy appearance upon entering his shop.
In this era, those who could afford clean and new clothes were usually not impoverished commoners; they were undoubtedly customers who could pay.
"I need a sword," True Mushroom said, looking up at the blacksmith with a smile.
Despite not having interacted with anyone other than Feng Ye for six years, her personality wasn't shy, and her sword skills gave her ample confidence, making her appear calm and collected.
"Sure thing, miss. Just let me know your requirements, and I can forge it for you. As for materials, I have regular refined iron, hundred-refined fine steel, and the best option—this blue jade iron ore. It's a bit pricey, though." The blacksmith cheerfully introduced the different types of iron ore he had available.
True Mushroom tilted her head and took out a stone the size of a fist that shimmered with golden specks—a gold ore she had accidentally found while practicing her sword skills in the canyon.
"What kind of sword can I get with this?" she asked.
"Hmm...This is quite valuable." The blacksmith's eyes widened in surprise as he examined the gold-bearing ore in True Mushroom's hand. He took it from her, weighed it in his hand, and estimated the amount of gold it contained based on its weight.
"With this weight, we'll have more than enough to forge a sword with the blue jade ore. I'll even give you one hundred and fifty silver coins as change." The amount of money he mentioned would take an ordinary civilian family ten years to spend. If it had been the True Mushroom from before, she would have undoubtedly been unable to remain calm. However, the current her simply smiled adorably and said, "Then I'll trouble you.
The blacksmith heartily agreed. Seeing that True Mushroom remained unmoved by such a large sum of money, he was convinced that she was indeed from a wealthy family. As for how she had come across the gold ore, he knew better than to ask.
"Come back in five days to collect it, and here's your change," the blacksmith said as he put away the gold ore and handed True Mushroom one hundred and fifty silver coins.
True Mushroom took the money and waved goodbye before leaving the blacksmith's shop.
"What a wealthy young lady..." the blacksmith mused. The amount she had just paid was almost his entire year's income, yet she had barely batted an eye.
The more nonchalant she seemed, the less he dared to entertain any other ideas. He set to work diligently, crafting a custom sword according to True Mushroom's description.
Five days later, True Mushroom returned to pick up her first iron-forged sword.
The blue jade ore sword gleamed with a vibrant blue hue, and it felt heavier in her hand than she had anticipated. Nonetheless, she could still wield it with ease.
"It feels so different from a wooden sword. I'll need to get used to this," True Mushroom said to herself as she brandished the sword, deep in thought.
Even with a wooden sword, she had been able to cut through steel. Now, with a high-quality sword in hand, both its destructive power and the might of her swordsmanship would increase exponentially. However, she first needed to adjust to the sword's considerable weight, which was much heavier than the wooden sword she was accustomed to.
True Mushroom left the blacksmith's shop and soon arrived at a small courtyard in the northwest corner of the town. This was where she had been temporarily staying over the past few days. She had considered buying the place but decided to rent it for the time being, as she wanted to conserve some of her funds for future expenses.
"Master said that my swordsmanship is already stronger than almost anyone else in this world... but am I really that strong?" True Mushroom murmured to herself as she stood in the courtyard, her hand caressing the blue jade sword.
She had always believed in her strength, but witnessing Feng Ye casually slicing through the abyss with a broken wooden sword had planted seeds of doubt in her mind.
Yet, those words had come from Feng Ye, and she knew he wouldn't deceive her. If only she had an opponent to measure her strength against...
Never mind.
Shaking her head, True Mushroom pushed those thoughts aside and decided to focus on familiarizing herself with her new sword.
Time flew by, and before she knew it, five days had passed. True Mushroom gradually adjusted to the weight of the blue jade sword and integrated her previous training, crafting her unique swordsmanship.
Once she entered her cultivation state, she devoted herself entirely to her practice, day and night, oblivious to the outside world.
The sky was shrouded in a dark mist, even obscuring the faint moon, yet True Mushroom continued to stand in the courtyard, sword in hand.
At some point, she paused and tilted her head back, furrowing her brows as she gazed up at the sky.
"The atmosphere tonight feels so uneasy," she murmured.
Having reached a certain level in swordsmanship, True Mushroom could sense the breath of all things. In this state, she could faintly 'hear' unusual sounds and perceive the oppressive atmosphere of the night.
This atmosphere, hidden beneath the cover of darkness, was difficult to pinpoint, but it filled her with an uncomfortable feeling she had never experienced before.
Suddenly, it was as if lightning had struck her heart.
"This is... the smell of blood!"
True Mushroom's eyes narrowed, and she spun around, her gaze fixed on a particular direction in town.
(End of Chapter)
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