"Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
Lin Zhao was still catching his breath, yet a smile hung on his face—faint silver-white qi patterns flickered across the surface of his leg muscles. They were the escaping inner breath of the Mystic Wolf Seed.
With this power, not only was his speed far beyond that of an ordinary low-tier Martial Master, even his evasive movement technique had improved by another level. Zhao Tieying's full-force Shadowless Sword had not so much as touched a corner of his clothes.
"Good! I'm another step closer to becoming a true all-around martial arts expert." He rolled his shoulders, clearly sensing the two Inner Qi Seeds quietly lying dormant around his heart meridian: the Mystic Dragon Seed, shaped like a black dragon, occupied the center, while the Mystic Wolf Seed, shaped like a silver-white wolf, clung beside it, faintly suppressed by the former—not from a conflict of bloodlines, but more like the natural crushing superiority of an Upper Grade cultivation art over a crude one.
"So different Breathing Techniques can suppress one another like this." Lin Zhao understood at once. "It seems the Inner Qi Seed of an Upper Grade breathing exercise can naturally suppress techniques of lower rank. From now on, I'll have to choose Upper Grade arts whenever I can." This was a martial principle he had only uncovered after cultivating two techniques at once.
"The Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique has already reached its limit. Next, I should prioritize the Bone Softening Technique from the Raven Shadow Scroll, and put the Black Bear Breathing Technique on the agenda as well." He murmured to himself, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "Inner force that can shrink bones and reshape the body is rare indeed in the northern martial world. Whether for infiltration or evading hidden weapons, it will be extremely useful."
With his current martial foundation, it would not take long to cultivate such crude techniques. At most, he would need half a month to get started, and it would definitely not delay the primary cultivation progress of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique.
What was more, the special effects of these techniques could swiftly make up for his weaknesses. Their value for money was exceptionally high.
After returning to the fortress, Lin Zhao went straight to the Blacksmith Workshop behind the mountain.
"Young Master, this is the Pulse Protecting Pattern Mystic Iron Helmet I forged in recent days. Please inspect it!" Zhang Tiezhu hurried forward, holding up a gleaming iron helmet. A simple Resistance Pattern was carved along its rim. Though it could not compare to Lin Zhao's Guaranteed Exquisite quality, it still counted as a passable piece of Martial Arts Equipment.
"Not bad. You're now a proper Martial Arts Blacksmith Apprentice." Lin Zhao nodded, his tone kindly. "I need to cultivate and handle the fortress's affairs every day, so I'll have to trouble you with the Blacksmith Workshop's daily operations from now on.
"If you can exceed this year's target of fifty sets of armor, then at year's end, besides double wages, I'll also investigate your father Zhang Laochui's whereabouts as quickly as possible. I will definitely bring him back."
"Thank you, Young Master!" Zhang Tiechui was overwhelmed by the favor and quickly bowed. The moment he turned around, he threw himself into the forging work with feverish urgency—being driven both by the hope of saving his father and high pay, he was full of vigor.
Lin Zhao found an empty spot and sat down. He lit the fire, worked the bellows, picked up the Mystic Iron Hammer, and began hammering armor plates—he intended to strike while the iron was hot and grind his Martial Arts Blacksmithing up to the fourth level in one go.
About seven days later, after his relentless day-and-night hammering—forging armor by day and studying the Pulse Protecting Pattern by night—the familiar notification finally rang in his mind:
[Martial Arts Blacksmithing: Breakthrough to Level Four (512/20000)! New special effect unlocked: Hundred Refinements (forging efficiency increased by 100%, Mystic Iron utilization rate increased by 30%, able to forge "Internal Breath Conduction Patterns")]
"So this is the special effect of fourth-level forging? Good!" Lin Zhao's eyes lit up. "With efficiency doubled, I can forge at least ten more sets of armor every month. I'm another step closer to saving enough money to train cavalry!"
Yet Martial Arts Blacksmithing had still not reached perfection at the fourth level, making him feel more and more that this craft was unfathomably deep. "That Red Fire Anvil, Zhao Hai, from a hundred years ago—if measured by my proficiency levels, he had probably already broken through the sixth level, hadn't he? What a pity the legend is gone. In the Ming Dynasty today, it is difficult to find another publicly recognized Martial Arts Blacksmithing master."
In the days that followed, apart from two hours of cultivation each day, Lin Zhao spent all his remaining time in the Blacksmith Workshop.
With the Hundred Refinements special effect, his forging speed doubled outright. Zhang Tiechui had previously needed three days to forge one set of Mystic Iron Plate Armor, while Lin Zhao could now forge two sets in a single day. The enormous gap left the apprentices tongue-tied.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye. Not only did the Bone Softening Technique successfully reach the entry stage, but the spring equinox of the 24th Year of Jiajing arrived quietly as well.
Tender green shoots emerged from the frozen soil of Qixia Mountain Valley, and the chill slowly receded. It was the perfect season for travel.
One morning, on a muddy mountain road, Lin Zhao led ten standing estate guards while driving three ox carts pulled by Western Frontier Snow-Treading Colts. The carts were covered with hay, beneath which lay twenty-five sets of Mystic Iron Plate Armor and fifty Hundred Refinements Mystic Iron Sabers.
Over the entire winter, Lin Family Fortress had forged fifty sets of armor. He kept the twenty-five best sets to arm the Standing Guard, who had already changed from part-time estate guards to full-time martial soldiers. The remainder was to be hauled to Northern Garrison City for sale, while he also purchased more Pangolin Dragon Essence.
The present Lin Family Fortress relied on the Blacksmith Workshop, this veritable money tree, to easily bring in more than three thousand five hundred taels a year. If forging efficiency improved further in the second half of the year, annual income exceeding ten thousand taels was not impossible—many Battalion Commander's Territories could not even reach such a level.
Within Northern Garrison City, in an imposing noble residence, the middle-aged Zhou Bo'an was dining with unhurried leisure.
His movements were elegant. With silver chopsticks, he picked up a piece of Mystic Mane Fierce Wolf meat from a plate and chewed it slowly, as though everything around him had nothing to do with him.
At some unknown moment, a black-robed figure in a bamboo hat appeared soundlessly within the candlelight's shadows. This was Black Raven Tower's dedicated broker, responsible solely for delivering missions and payments.
"The Night Raven Guest sent to assassinate Lin Zhao half a year ago remains missing to this day. According to the report from the spy I planted in Qixia Mountain, Lin Zhao not only did not die, but instead broke through to become a low-tier Entering Martial Master. It seems Night Raven Guest either failed and was killed, or ran off with the money." The broker's voice was extremely low, carrying a trace of chill.
"That major client doubts Black Raven Tower's capabilities. Lord Xuanying has decided to have you take over this mission and restore our reputation.
"Considering that it requires a Silver Rank Assassin like yourself, the client has raised the reward to eight thousand taels of silver."
He handed over a stack of one-hundred-tael banknotes. "These four thousand taels are the deposit. Lord Blood Raven, the Tower Master has high hopes for you. You must be cautious this time and ensure a single decisive strike."
Zhou Bo'an accepted the banknotes, lightly flicking them with his fingertips as a smile curved his lips. "Where is Lin Zhao now?"
"He is inside Northern Garrison City. The spy says he often wears a Mystic Iron Rakshasa Mask, making him easy to identify. He is most likely active near Xuanyao Tavern."
"Understood. Wait for my news." Zhou Bo'an waved his hand. The black-robed broker's figure flickered, and he vanished into the darkness.
He carefully placed the four thousand taels in banknotes into a Mystic Iron Box in the room. More than twenty-five thousand taels in banknotes already lay inside; they were his savings from decades as an assassin.
Then, before a bronze mirror, he removed his brocade robe and changed into dark night-traveling clothes. He took the Shadow Leopard Dagger from the wall, snuffed out the candle, and his figure melted into the night.
Zhou Bo'an's father had once been a Martial Battalion Commander in the north. Unfortunately, his father was addicted to gambling and had sold even the hereditary official post of their Battalion Commander's Territory, moving the entire family to Northern Garrison City.
This made Zhou Bo'an hate his father to the bone. From childhood, he had worked furiously at cultivating the inherited Shadow Leopard Breathing Technique. Not only had he become a mid-tier Entering Martial Master, he had personally killed his wastrel father.
When he was young, he had come into contact with Black Raven Tower's faith in the Netherworld Martial Venerate by chance and become a devout believer. Relying on the strength of a mid-tier Martial Master, he climbed step by step to become a Silver Rank Assassin—Black Raven Tower's assassins were divided into three ranks: Bronze Rank Assassins, requiring low-tier Martial Masters and five completed missions; Silver Rank Assassins, requiring mid-tier Martial Masters and fifteen completed missions; and Gold Rank Assassins, requiring high-tier or Peak Martial Masters and thirty completed missions. Above them stood five lofty Diamond Tower Masters, all Grandmaster Warriors of the Heavenly Gang Realm. Their identities were unfathomably mysterious: perhaps immensely wealthy salt merchants, perhaps Garrison Generals, perhaps even guards of Feudal Kings.
"Night Raven Guest was only a Bronze Rank Assassin. It's normal that he failed." Zhou Bo'an moved stealthily across the rooftops, sneering inwardly. "Lin Zhao is merely a sixteen-year-old low-tier Martial Master. No matter how strong he is, can he possibly withstand an assassination by a mid-tier Martial Master like me? Once I finish this job and gather fifty thousand taels, I can redeem my lineage's hereditary Battalion Commander post." He had waited more than twenty years for this day.
Inside Xuanyao Tavern, Lin Zhao ordered a pot of Phantom Wine in commemoration of the Myriad Illusions Martial Saint and sipped it at leisure.
The Proprietress, Su Meiniang, still propped her cheek with one hand as she drank idly behind the counter. Passing Martial Trainees, Martial Masters, and masked sons of meritorious noble families gathered in twos and threes to discuss business. The atmosphere was exceedingly lively.
Before long, a burly man clad in Mystic Iron Armor entered. It was Diao Kui, who had traded with Lin Zhao many times—Zhao Tieying had confirmed that he was the Wild Jackal Gang's second-in-command, and was now a core member of the northern Vagrant Alliance.
"Why has your supply been so small lately?" Diao Kui walked to Lin Zhao's table and asked with a frown. His gaze swept across the Rakshasa Mask, carrying a hint of scrutiny.
"I was busy cultivating recently and delayed the forging." Lin Zhao replied blandly, with no intention of explaining further.
"Why do I feel that your aura is much stronger than last time?" Diao Kui stared at him, his tone probing—the Vagrant Alliance was short on martial arts blacksmiths, and he wanted to recruit Lin Zhao once more.
Lin Zhao did not answer, instead asking directly, "Did you bring the silver?"
Seeing that Lin Zhao was unwilling to talk further, Diao Kui did not press the matter. He took out a stack of banknotes and shook them. "Twenty-five sets of armor. At the previous price, that comes to eight hundred seventy-five taels, not a penny short."
Lin Zhao rose and led him to an abandoned temple outside Northern Garrison City to deliver the goods. Now that they were trading ever more armor, it was inconvenient to do business in the tavern, so the two had long agreed to meet outside the city.
With Lin Zhao's current strength, plus ten armed estate guards, he had no fear whatsoever of Diao Kui trying to swallow the goods and the seller alike.
Diao Kui had his men load the armor onto ox carts, then urged him again. "Your armor-forging skill is truly first-rate. Join the Vagrant Alliance with me!
"The alliance has a Heavenly Gang Realm Grandmaster Warrior holding the fort, and we can find you the best Mystic Iron veins. I guarantee that within three years, you can become a Martial Grandmaster Artisan. That has far more prospects than guarding some little fortress."
"No need." Lin Zhao shook his head in refusal, his tone brooking no argument.
With his attempt at recruitment failing again, Diao Kui left resentfully with his men.
Lin Zhao instructed the estate guards behind him, "Take the supplies back to the fortress first. I'll stay in the city for a few more days, find some Pangolin Dragon Essence, then return."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Lin Zhao returned to Xuanyao Tavern. He did not see the Martial Master who had sold Earth Dragon Yuan last time, so he planned to wait a few more days—if he truly could not find him, he would have no choice but to think of a way to seek out Oirat merchants in the northern desert.
Bored out of his mind, he walked to the bounty board at the tavern entrance, intending to see whether there were any martial missions that could earn him some extra money. Yet his gaze was suddenly drawn to a yellowed bounty notice:
[Recruitment: One low-tier Entering Martial Master required. Must possess superb archery and be able to move stealthily through mountainous terrain, for a single escort mission. Reward: One bottle of Pangolin Dragon Essence (convertible to five hundred taels of silver), to be paid in full on the spot upon completion of the mission. Meeting location: "Old Swordsman" Inn in the western part of the city. Ask for Shopkeeper Liu.]
Delight appeared on Lin Zhao's face—he had worn out his iron shoes searching everywhere, only to find it without any effort at all!
Though his Three Talents Slash focused mainly on the sword, he had trained in archery as well. Combined with the newly initiated Bone Softening Technique and Mystic Wolf Step, stealth was even more his specialty. This mission had practically been tailor-made for him.
He did not notice that in the alley diagonally opposite the tavern, a pair of icy eyes was fixed fiercely upon his retreating back—Zhou Bo'an had followed him for half an hour already, waiting for the right moment to strike.
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