Clang!
As Li Qing brought down the final hammer blow, the sickle on the furnace had already begun to take shape, its blade glowing crimson with the color of extreme heat.
He carefully submerged the last finished sickle in water. In an instant, the surface boiled, bubbling with gurgling blisters.
After the quenching was complete, the notification that his lifespan had increased quickly appeared.
Successfully forged farm tool: Black Iron Sickle. Reward: one day of lifespan!
Yes, only one day!
Perhaps because he had forged a farm tool, the lifespan reward was meager indeed—just one pitiful day.
Fortunately, there was strength in numbers. This time, Li Qing had forged twenty-three sickles in one go, successfully gaining twenty-three days of lifespan.
What would once have taken at least three days of work had all been completed in a single day, and every sickle was of excellent quality.
They may be farm tools for cutting Black Rye Mushrooms, but these sickles of mine are sharper than plenty of weapons. Just one day as a reward? That's far too stingy!
Li Qing grumbled inwardly, then carefully put away the sickles as they gradually cooled.
Night would soon fall. He did not intend to leave these sickles in his camp tent for long; once the night was still and silent, he would move them into the Eternal Night World to hand them over.
After tidying everything up, Li Qing let out a soft breath, then closed his eyes and felt the abundant blood and vitality within his body.
Having worked iron for years, he had already possessed a solid physical foundation. Coupled with Wu Chong from the Kitchen Hall often giving him extra meals, the muscles all over his body had become quite firm.
Now that his Stance Training had only just begun, the flow of blood and vitality through his entire body was much smoother than before.
If he had worked iron with such intensity for an entire day in the past, he would have been so exhausted that he could not even lift his arms. Yet now, he remained bright and spirited, his stamina having increased considerably.
Setting down his hammer, Li Qing took two meal bowls and headed toward the Kitchen Hall as usual.
Another cook was on duty in the Kitchen Hall tonight. He had a great round belly, an oily sheen on his face, and looked thoroughly prosperous.
Li Qing had originally wanted to seek out Fatty Wu and inquire about the current news in the army, but he immediately abandoned the idea.
His current persona was that of a dutiful, well-behaved blacksmith's apprentice. Taking too much interest in matters beyond smithing could very well draw other people's attention.
As usual, he filled both meal bowls with food and left the Kitchen Hall without saying a word.
But soon, several footsteps sounded not far away, accompanied by quiet conversation.
"Those damned bandits actually slaughtered the Grain Transport Team. Looks like we have no choice but to fight a battle."
"Centurion Yuan of Mingzi Camp has already begun calling up the troops. Our Wu Li Army definitely won't swallow this insult."
"Keep your voice down. Our Centurion said not to spread this around recklessly, afraid it'll unsettle people's hearts."
Li Qing, whose ears and eyes had always been keen, heard every word.
Yet his expression revealed nothing unusual. He continued toward his own camp tent as though nothing had happened.
After delivering food to his master once more, Li Qing discovered that Master Gu's aura had begun to weaken, his breathing becoming as faint as a thread.
Every time Master Gu coughed, Li Qing felt that he was about to fail to hold on. It was a sign that his life had reached its end.
"I can't eat anymore. You've started practicing martial arts now, so you should eat more. From now on, my portion will be yours too. Cough, cough, cough!" Master Gu said weakly from his bed.
Li Qing was slightly moved when he heard this. "Master, how can I accept that?"
But Master Gu did not even look at him, merely continuing on his own. "It'll be wasted if you don't eat it. The Wu Li Army will soon go to war with the bandits. Daliang will probably get involved as well. This Border Fortress won't be easy to defend."
"Master..." Li Qing did not know what to say for a moment, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Seeing Master Gu in such a state at death's door, Li Qing made up his mind to live longer in the future. He had once thought that living to a hundred would be good enough, but now that he considered it, that aspiration was far too small.
For those who practiced martial arts, reaching the twilight years of life was truly a sorrowful thing.
He did not want to go through such a thing. He wanted to live longer, and remain forever young and strong!
Just as Li Qing was grieving inwardly for Master Gu, the latter's eyes suddenly snapped open. He said in a deep voice, "Who goes there?!"
Someone?!
Li Qing, who had sensed nothing at all, felt his heart give a violent leap.
Soon, a magnetic female voice sounded from outside the camp tent.
"As expected of Master Gu. Even seriously ill and bedridden, you still keep such a thorough grasp on every major and minor matter within the army."
The tent flap was lifted, and a tall figure clad in light armor stepped inside.
She was very tall. By Li Qing's rough estimate alone, she had to be around one meter eighty—the tallest woman he had ever seen.
Her long hair was tied up, and her features brimmed with heroic spirit. Her thighs were firm, and every movement carried a valiant, dashing air.
"Cough, cough, cough. This old man greets Madam Qian!" Master Gu struggled to rise and pay his respects after seeing who had come.
Madam Qian? And a woman at that?
Then she could only be the female Centurion in the army! She was a true heroine among women. It was said that she galloped across battlefields with a ferocity no less than any man's.
Li Qing had expected a woman with arms thicker than tree trunks and a waist broader than a water barrel. He had not expected her to be rather beautiful, with long, narrow eyes that radiated a unique charm.
Li Qing immediately prepared to salute as well, but Qian Hong spoke up to stop him. "Enough. There are no outsiders here, so there's no need for such formalities."
Saying this, Qian Hong walked to Master Gu's bedside, her clear bright eyes sweeping over Master Gu and Li Qing in turn.
"I don't know—"
Before Master Gu could finish asking, Qian Hong said solemnly, "I came this time to ask Master Gu to help me reforge the Green Rainbow Sword."
Upon Hearing these words, even Master Gu froze for a moment. Then he asked in a trembling voice, "They dug up that special kind of ore in the mine again?"
Qian Hong nodded with a grave expression. "Yes, but there isn't much. There's only enough to forge one weapon. I nearly tore my face apart with the other two Centurions before I managed to obtain it."
Master Gu gave a bitter laugh upon hearing this. "Madam Qian, look at the state of this old man. Do I seem like I can even lift a hammer?"
"There are other blacksmiths in the army. I think it would be better if—"
"Hmph! Those blacksmiths possess nothing but brute strength. How could their forging techniques compare to yours? I don't trust them to forge this kind of special ore," Qian Hong said with a cold snort.
Li Qing, who had been doing his utmost to reduce his presence to the minimum, felt his whole body tremble as the blood and vitality within him quivered slightly.
This female Centurion had affected his blood and vitality with nothing more than a cold snort, leaving Li Qing rather astonished.
She was definitely a powerful martial arts practitioner. Otherwise, there was no way she could have risen to the rank of Centurion as a woman—and from the look of it, she even seemed to hold the other two Centurions down by a head.
Standing beside her, Li Qing felt like a little rabbit next to a lion, able only to shiver in fear.
"Cough, cough, cough... Then let this old man's disciple give it a try. He has learned seventy or eighty percent of my craft. Perhaps he can manage it," Master Gu said through his coughing.
Li Qing's heart leaped into his throat. He hurriedly waved his hands. "No, Master! With my meager skills, how is it possible for me to forge it?"
His first instinct was to refuse. This concerned a Centurion's personal sword, something she clearly valued greatly, and it would require some unknown special ore.
Whether or not he had the ability to forge it, he had no intention of accepting this job.
Although successfully forging it might earn him a great deal of lifespan, he did not want to enter the sight of these powerful Centurions. It was better to keep a low profile.
Fortunately, Qian Hong had no intention of having Li Qing forge it either. Her brows rose slightly as she looked Li Qing over from head to toe.
At last, she withdrew her gaze and shook her head. "Forget it. I'll go to another province and find someone to forge it. This kid looks even more frail than you."
With that, Qian Hong sighed and walked out of the camp tent.
Hearing this, Li Qing's face flushed slightly.
After working iron for years, he had at least built up a body full of solid muscle. Yet he had actually been described as frail and weak, even less sturdy than an elderly man on the verge of death.
But Master Gu laughed. "Hehe, kid, don't feel resentful. Madam Qian is a Hundred Battles Realm expert who has cultivated Internal Energy. She could crush you to death with one hand. There's nothing wrong with calling you frail."
Upon hearing the terms Hundred Battles Realm and Internal Energy, Li Qing's ears perked up. He hurriedly asked, "Master, what is Internal Energy? What is the Hundred Battles Realm?"
Master Gu seemed to be in rather good spirits tonight. "The path of martial arts has three levels. First is Outer Strength, second is Internal Energy, and third is Transforming Energy."
"In the martial world, Outer Strength experts are called the Body Tempering Realm. Internal Energy experts are called the Hundred Battles Realm. Those who can cultivate Transforming Energy are Martial Arts Grandmasters!"
"Gulp!" Li Qing swallowed, his eyes filled with eager longing. He casually asked, "Master, then what level am I at now? Do I count as an Outer Strength expert?"
Master Gu could not help rolling his eyes and struck him down. "You count as an Outer Strength expert? You've only practiced Stance Training for a few days!"
No wonder his body had shuddered when Centurion Qian merely glanced at him. Their gap was that enormous.
"Ah, it was a pity you failed to build a connection with Madam Qian today. If you had volunteered to forge the Green Rainbow Sword for her, perhaps she might have valued you in the future," Master Gu said leisurely.
Yet Li Qing did not find it a pity in the slightest. Scratching his head, he said with honest simplicity, "Master, I'm doing quite well now. I can eat my fill every day, and I can forge iron too. That's enough."
"You blockhead, cough, cough, cough!" After saying this, Master Gu began coughing again. At last, he waved his hand and dismissed Li Qing from the camp tent.