Forging a Blade

Zou Rong saw Li Sheng speak, and the anger on his face instantly vanished.

"Young Master Sheng, this bastard caused the deaths of many of our brothers. Those men's identities..."

"Enough. It wasn't Chen Xian's fault either. Demons were merciless and numerous. Forget our Head Chef Army—even the battle-hardened Demon Slayer Soldiers of the vanguard suffered terrible casualties."

Li Sheng cast Zou Rong a faint glance and spoke up for Chen Xian.

Chen Xian was somewhat surprised. He looked at Li Sheng but remained silent.

At that moment, Liu Dingchun snorted coldly. "Young Master Sheng has pleaded for you and spared your life today. Why aren't you kneeling to thank Young Master Sheng?"

Chen Xian's eyes flickered slightly. He finally understood.

From the very beginning, Liu Dingchun had done it deliberately. Insulting him when they met last night, frightening him this morning, and now trying to cow him—all of it had been waiting for Li Sheng to speak up for him, so that he would feel grateful.

In truth, they were putting on an act for him.

"Many thanks to Commander Li for speaking on my behalf!"

Kneeling was out of the question. Chen Xian turned his head and clasped his hands, speaking neither obsequiously nor arrogantly.

At this, Li Sheng's brows lowered slightly, and a trace of displeasure flashed through his eyes.

Mu Feng suddenly spoke. "Chen Xian, have we given you too much face?"

Chen Xian looked at Mu Feng.

Wang Pei and the others also looked toward Mu Feng.

Li Sheng, seated before Mu Feng, had a slight flicker in his eyes as he stared at Chen Xian.

Mu Feng continued, "In the Head Chef Army camp, General Liu holds the highest rank. As for status, Young Master Li Sheng comes first. He was born into the Duke's Mansion. You're nothing but a lowly cook—why aren't you kneeling in thanks?"

Chen Xian expressionlessly shifted his gaze and looked at Li Sheng. "Other than when the New Emperor ascends the throne, Great Ning has no kneeling rites. Forgive this subordinate for being unable to comply."

"Good. You've got backbone!" Li Sheng nodded, a smile curling his lips. He did not force Chen Xian.

Seeing this, Mu Feng said nothing further.

Wang Pei had wanted to speak, but in the end he held himself back. He found Chen Xian thoroughly unpleasant to look at.

At this moment, Liu Dingchun said, "I ask you: did you beat and insult Commander Chen Quanwu of the vanguard some time ago?"

"I beat him, yes. I did not insult him," Chen Xian said calmly.

"So it did happen?" Liu Dingchun snorted coldly.

"Yes," Chen Xian said.

Everyone except Mu Feng sneered. Zou Rong even muttered, "He really knows how to court death!"

Liu Dingchun snorted again. "You brat have some nerve. Commander Chen Quanwu outranks you, yet you dared to beat your superior?"

Chen Xian said evenly, "He deserved it."

Liu Dingchun sneered. "Still talking tough, are you? Even if he deserved a beating, was it your place to beat him? He reported you to General Sun. If Young Master Li Sheng hadn't put in a good word for you, not only would you have been stripped of your post, three hundred military strokes would have been the least of it."

Chen Xian looked at Li Sheng and clasped his hands. "Thank you, Commander Li!"

Liu Dingchun frowned. This brat truly could not be swayed by oil or salt.

"You may all leave," he said, waving at Zou Rong and the others.

"Yes, General!"

Zou Rong and another commander led their men out of the tent.

Mu Feng and Wang Pei exchanged a glance before leaving the tent as well.

For a time, only Liu Dingchun, Li Sheng, and Chen Xian remained in the tent.

Liu Dingchun rose with a smile and walked over to Li Sheng, pouring him tea.

Li Sheng sat there with one leg crossed over the other, staring at Chen Xian.

Chen Xian watched his nose, his nose watched his heart; his heart remained unmoved, his face expressionless.

After a moment, Li Sheng spoke coolly. "Are you close with Ding Chen?"

Chen Xian said, "So-so."

A glimmer appeared in Li Sheng's eyes. "How would you like to follow this young master?"

Chen Xian said, "I don't quite understand what Commander Li means."

The corners of Li Sheng's mouth rose. "Kill Ding Chen, and the position of Young General in the Head Chef Army will be yours. Once we win this battle and return to the Capital City in triumph, you will serve under this young master there. Positions in the Demon Suppression Division, City Guard, or Six Ministries—you may choose whichever you wish."

Chen Xian showed a faint look of surprise. "Kill Ding Chen? Why?"

Li Sheng said coldly, "You need not know why. Do as this young master says, and you will enjoy inexhaustible glory and riches."

Chen Xian's eyes flickered. Li Sheng was the son of the Duke's Mansion, yet he was going to such lengths to kill Ding Chen?

Only if their statuses were not too far apart would Li Sheng care so much whether Ding Chen lived or died, right?

Otherwise, why would a minor figure make Li Sheng dwell on him so obsessively?

With Li Sheng's status and his network of ties among the nine camps, would it not be easy for him to make Ding Chen die?

"Commander Li, this is a military camp," Chen Xian said with a frown.

"No hurry. The Demon Army will attack Blood River Forest again. When that time comes, kill Ding Chen amid the chaos. He carries a Jade Gourd on him. Bring it back to this young master, and you will naturally be promoted to Young General of the Head Chef Army."

Li Sheng spoke in a deep, cold voice.

Chen Xian pondered for a moment. "Forgive this subordinate for being unable to comply!"

"You!"

Li Sheng's gaze turned icy. Had everything this young master said been for nothing?

Chen Xian clasped his hands slightly. "Though Ding Chen and I are only on ordinary terms, we have still faced life and death together. Demons are our enemies. I cannot stab him in the back while he is killing demons."

"Commander Li should find someone else."

At this moment, Liu Dingchun spoke coldly. "Chen Xian, you truly refuse?"

"I refuse!"

Chen Xian shook his head firmly.

Liu Dingchun sneered. "You truly are a fool. In times like these, do you think it is easy to earn merit in the army?"

"Establishing a cook's military camp and giving you the chance to go to the battlefield—those were all Young Master Sheng's ideas. Your military merits are all being recorded."

"And Ding Chen is merely a minor figure. Kill him, and from then on, you will be Young Master Sheng's man."

"Your future will be boundless."

"If you refuse, the consequences..."

He did not continue, but would a clever person fail to understand?

They had let him learn the secret. Would they still let him live?

A chill flashed through Li Sheng's eyes. "This young master will give you time to consider!"

With those words, he rose, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out of the tent.

Liu Dingchun hurried after him to see him off.

Watching the two men depart, a trace of coldness flashed through Chen Xian's eyes, which had been as still as an ancient well.

After returning to the Head Chef Army camp,

Chen Xian did not immediately seek out Ding Chen. He stayed in his own tent, slowly working through the Demon-Slaying Blade Technique.

It was not until evening, after leaving his tent to eat some meat and instructing Ding Chen and the others to continue training, that he went alone to find Pei Menglong.

The Pei Battalion's main tent.

When Chen Xian arrived, Pei Menglong was cultivating.

Pei Gang had him wait outside.

Half an hour later, he finally met Pei Menglong.

"Greetings, General Pei!"

Chen Xian saluted, then took out the Vajra Dragon Elephant Art manual and placed it on the table.

Pei Menglong raised a brow. "You've memorized it all?"

Chen Xian nodded.

"Not a bad memory!" Pei Menglong smiled. "Anything else?"

Chen Xian took out the demon core of the Black Tiger Lesser Demon King, then removed the Golden Ring Great Saber from his waist and placed it on the table.

"Reporting to General, I wish to exchange the demon core for some pills, then use this Golden Ring Great Saber to forge a straight blade for me," he said calmly.

Pei Menglong grabbed the Golden Ring Great Saber. As his vital energy surged, the golden rings rang out with a series of clinks.

"The Black Tiger King's Golden Silk Great Ring Saber has ultimately fallen into your hands. What a disgrace for the Black Tiger King!" Pei Menglong burst into laughter.

"The golden rings on it can disturb one's mind, but it does not conform to Great Ning's standard blades..." As he spoke, he raised his head and glanced at Chen Xian. "Would a straight blade weighing five ding be too heavy for you?"

"There's a blade that heavy?" Chen Xian looked astonished.

This Golden Ring Great Saber already weighed one ding. He had thought that was exceptionally heavy, yet there was even a straight blade weighing five ding.

Pei Menglong smiled. "As long as you do not find it too heavy, I can have one forged for you."

A glimmer flashed in Chen Xian's eyes, and he quickly smiled. "Brother Pei, I don't have money to add better materials!"