Blacksmith Shop

Cold Mountain City, Piaoxiang Tower.

Miao Daqing was awakened from his sweet dreams by a Lineage steward. After his round body struggled out of its warmth, though he was utterly furious, he still agreed to see the steward.

"Speak. What is it?"

The middle-aged steward's face was bloodless, and terror flickered in his eyes. Almost the instant Miao Daqing finished speaking, he dropped to his knees with a thud and said tremblingly, "Master, our Miao Family... is finished."

Miao Daqing froze, then flew into a rage. He kicked the man and cursed furiously, "Steward Xin, you're not even old yet, and you've already gone muddle-headed? Though my Miao Family may not rank among Cold Mountain City's most elite noble houses, we can still be counted among the second-rate lineages, can't we? Finished? Finished my ass. If you don't speak properly, I'll kill you."

The middle-aged steward scrambled and crawled back before Miao Daqing, falling to his knees again as he wailed, "Master, every word I said is true! For some reason, the Tong Family has gone mad. A large number of experts are attacking our Miao Family's shops and slaughtering our martial artists. All the wealth in the shops has been looted. Only our family's main residence has yet to be attacked by the Tong Family."

The Tong Family?

Miao Daqing's pupils constricted. He suddenly recalled the arrangements he had made earlier and seized the middle-aged steward by the collar, lifting him off the ground as he demanded angrily, "Why is the Tong Family attacking our Miao Family's shops? I sent men to kill that boy surnamed Ye precisely to curry favor with the Tong Family. Did something go wrong?"

The middle-aged steward's limbs instantly turned icy. He said in horror, "Master, the Tong Family has just spread word that Ye Tong of the Precious Medicine Workshop is a friend of the Tong Family and under their protection. Whoever dares touch even a hair on Ye Tong's head will suffer the Tong Family's frenzied retaliation. Y-you... how could you send people to kill Ye Tong? Isn't that declaring war on the Tong Family?"

"What?"

Miao Daqing released him and staggered several steps back, a chill growing within his heart.

He had failed at brownnosing and ended up slapping the horse's hind leg instead?

Miao Daqing nearly wept without tears. He had just turned to grab the clothes he had not yet put on when the door burst open and several figures stormed in from outside. On the bed, two pretty girls from the establishment screamed repeatedly, trembling as they huddled beneath the blanket.

"Patriarch Miao, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself."

Tong Siyuan entered with his hands behind his back, his face carrying chilling killing intent. The moment he stepped through the door, he fixed Miao Daqing with a deadly stare, as though he would begin killing at the slightest disagreement.

Miao Daqing's body trembled, fear appearing on his plump face. He hurried forward a few steps and said ingratiatingly, "Patriarch Tong, you jest. Just now, I heard my family steward mention that you... Forget it. I acted on my own initiative. I had intended to curry favor with you, but I got the information wrong. So Ye Tong is actually a friend of your Tong Family. Every fault, every mistake is mine. I hope you will be magnanimous and forgive my Miao Family this once."

Tong Siyuan gave him a cold glance and walked to a wooden chair inside, where he sat down. Only after Miao Daqing tactfully followed him over, poured him a cup of tea, and carefully presented it did Tong Siyuan say indifferently, "If you make a mistake, you must pay the price. I came here to find you this time, rather than bringing people to seize your Miao Family residence. That is me giving you an opportunity."

"Yes, yes, yes."

The taut string in Miao Daqing's heart loosened. He asked, "Patriarch Tong, name your terms. I, Miao Daqing, will do my utmost to meet them."

Tong Siyuan nodded and said, "Worthy of being the head of the Miao Family. You know when to bend and when to stretch. But for offending Ye Tong, not only you, but your entire Miao Family... even my Tong Family had to compensate several million in property. Consider for yourself how much ransom money you are willing to offer. I merely warn you: do not make me lose face at the Precious Medicine Workshop."

What?

The Tong Family had compensated Ye Tong of the Precious Medicine Workshop several million in property?

Was this a joke?

The Tong Family was one of Cold Mountain City's foremost noble houses. Their lineage was immensely powerful, and experts emerged from them in endless succession. It seemed they had dozens of Innate Realm experts alone. Would the Tong Family fear some tiny Precious Medicine Workshop? Fear a young lad?

Tong Siyuan was sharp-minded. After noticing Miao Daqing's strange expression, he sneered, "Ignorance truly is terrifying. You probably do not know who the Precious Medicine Workshop's former owner was, do you? But you should have heard the name Poison Demon Huo Lanqiu, right? The Precious Medicine Workshop's former owner was Huo Lanqiu."

What?

That Poison Demon?

An icy current swept through Miao Daqing's heart, and his expression changed drastically.

Tong Siyuan said blandly, "The ones who killed those Miao Family experts you sent to the Precious Medicine Workshop were the First Boss, Second Boss, and Third Boss of the War Tiger Adventurer Team, as well as Chu Lao Jiu, who oversees commercial trade. Their relationship with Ye Tong is exceptionally close. Do you think that if the War Tiger Adventurer Team attacked your Miao Family, you could hold them off?"

"This..."

Miao Daqing's body shuddered, and he nearly collapsed onto the floor.

One knew one's own affairs best!

Miao Daqing knew his family's strength as clearly as a mirror. Though they could barely squeeze into the ranks of Cold Mountain City's second-rate lineages, the War Tiger Adventurer Team was no pushover. Every one of those people was ruthless and merciless. They hovered on the edge between life and death year-round, all of them desperadoes. If they attacked the Miao Family together, defending it would likely be extremely difficult.

"Five hundred thousand Blue Silver!"

"My Miao Family is willing to offer five hundred thousand Blue Silver as ransom money. I hope to receive forgiveness from Patriarch Tong and Ye Tong."

"That sum is one-third of my Miao Family's wealth. Now, it will probably account for half of our family's wealth."

Tong Siyuan was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Miao Daqing to possess such resolve. Five hundred thousand Blue Silver was nothing to the Tong Family, but to the Miao Family, it was likely an enormous sum. Though Miao Daqing's words contained much bluff, five hundred thousand Blue Silver should still amount to one-fifth of the Miao Family's wealth.

Tong Kaishan said, "I will wait for you at the Tong Family for two hours. If I do not see the Blue Silver or silver notes within that time, have your Miao Family clansmen carry your head to see me!"

"Certainly, certainly."

Beads of sweat slid down Miao Daqing's cheeks.

The news released by the Tong Family thrust Ye Tong into the eye of the storm. Previously, almost no one in Cold Mountain City had heard Ye Tong's name, and very few knew much about the Precious Medicine Workshop.

An insignificant nobody had actually gained the Tong Family's friendship. This made countless people burn with envy and jealousy. Many tried to find out who exactly Ye Tong was, but the information they exchanged was pitifully scarce. Even those who learned something at the medicinal herb market only obtained scattered fragments.

However, one family was very familiar with that name and even deeply hated its owner: Butcher Zhang's family. Yet the news released by the Tong Family directly shattered Butcher Zhang's family's hatred toward Ye Tong. Someone protected by the Tong Family was not a person they could afford to provoke!

Ye Tong knew nothing of this matter. Even at nightfall, he still left the Precious Medicine Workshop alone and came to a blacksmith shop in a nearby street.

"We're closed."

Clanging hammer strikes came from within the blacksmith shop, but the clerk watching the door looked thoroughly impatient and tried to chase Ye Tong away as though swatting flies.

Ye Tong said nothing. He flicked out one tael of Blue Silver and quietly watched the impatient young clerk.

The young clerk's eyes lit up. He changed faces faster than turning a page, a smile spreading across his face with a hint of flattery as he asked brightly, "Little brother, are you here to commission forged ironware, or to buy directly? Our blacksmith shop has all manner of goods, with a vast variety of types. Their quality is praised by all who have seen it. We guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Ye Tong said, "I need your best master craftsman to forge something. The price is negotiable."

The young clerk froze and examined Ye Tong suspiciously. "The finest master in our blacksmith shop is Master Tielang. The weapons he forges can all be called divine weapons and sharp treasures. However, he rarely forges anything himself anymore unless it is something that interests him, or a weapon offered at an extremely high price."

Ye Tong emphasized, "I said the price is negotiable."

The young clerk fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Come with me. Remember, follow behind me and do not speak. If Master Tielang is willing to accept the job, you can discuss the details between yourselves. If he refuses, do not say another word. Master Tielang hates people with glib tongues."

"Fine."

Ye Tong nodded in reply.

The blacksmith shop's rear courtyard covered a large area. Apart from the forging rooms on either side, weapon racks stood in the broad courtyard, covered with all kinds of weapons and tools. The sounds of hammering came from more than a dozen forging rooms on both sides.

"Sui Er, who is he?"

A rough voice rang out as a brawny man like an iron tower blocked their path with a hammer in hand.

The young clerk hurriedly said, "Big Brother Daqiang, he is an honored guest who came to commission ironware. He insists on inviting Master Tielang to act, so I brought him inside."

Big Brother Daqiang glanced at Ye Tong, then revealed a disdainful look. With a cold snort, he asked, "What ironware do you want forged? My master does not take small jobs."

Ye Tong said calmly, "The price is negotiable."

Big Brother Daqiang raised an eyebrow, then lifted the iron hammer in his hand and said in a muffled voice, "Speak. What do you want forged? I'll forge it for you."

Ye Tong asked, "Are you the best blacksmith in this blacksmith shop?"

"This..."

Big Brother Daqiang was left speechless. With his master around, how could he dare claim that he was the strongest?

Ye Tong looked at his expression and said calmly, "I need the strongest blacksmith. If you are unwilling to take this major job, I can leave now."

"I would like to hear just what kind of major job this is."

A vigorous voice came from within. An energetic bald elder walked out of the inner room. His eyes shone brightly as he examined Ye Tong.

Ye Tong asked, "Are you the strongest blacksmith here?"

"I suppose so."

Master Tielang said with a smile.