The three traveled back through the night and reached the Wen Ancestral Grounds after daybreak. Their clanspeople were delighted to see them return safely.
Wenlong told his father and the others to gather people and build the Smithy first, assuring them that he had already acquired everything they needed.
Seventh Uncle was excited too. Their lineage finally had a Smithy. From now on, whatever they wanted to make, they could forge themselves.
The three went off to rest, not even bothering to eat. Wenlong was exhausted as well. He fell asleep the moment he hit the bed and did not stir until evening.
After eating, Wenlong went with the clanspeople to the site they had cleared that day. It was spacious enough and made a fine spot for the Smithy. Wenlong kept nodding in satisfaction.
Then Wenlong took a whole assortment of forging equipment out of his storage space: a furnace, bellows, a large hammer, and more.
He also brought out large quantities of raw iron, along with finished farming tools and other ironware. It was practically an entire Smithy being relocated.
The clanspeople were thrilled to see so many things. Wenlong had solved a major problem for the lineage this time.
Wenlong said happily, "There's plenty of grain too. From now on, everyone can eat to their heart's content. Haha!"
The clanspeople all laughed with delight. He truly was someone favored by their ancestors. He possessed astonishing divine skills that none of them could learn. Even if they wanted to envy him, they could not bring themselves to do it.
Everyone believed that Long'er would surely lead them to avenge their forebears and wash away their humiliation.
The next day, Wenlong drew a dart design and handed it to Seventh Uncle, asking him to forge darts to match it. They would then have weapons capable of killing with a single strike, raising everyone's fighting strength another notch.
Now that they had brought back so much grain, food and clothing were no longer a concern. Aside from those building the surrounding wall, everyone, including his two maternal uncles, devoted themselves to learning martial arts at the Martial Arts Training Ground.
All boys and girls aged six and older joined the martial arts lessons, sixteen children in total. They were divided into two groups, led respectively by Shitou and Wenzhu, Wenlong's eldest female cousin.
Seeing how nimble Wenzhu's hands and feet were, Wenlong gave her a longsword and the Sword Manual. He told her to study on her own and ask their uncles whenever she did not understand something.
Wenzhu fell in love with the sword the moment she saw it. Wielding a saber took strength, but a sword was different. Someone dedicated to wielding a sword with agility could inflict even greater damage.
That day, Wenlong rigged the hidden-weapon target with a rope, turning it into a moving target. This would test each person's eyesight and ability to anticipate movement.
In a fight, an enemy would naturally not stand still and let you hit them. Training with a moving target was therefore crucial.
He also brought the foundational manuals for the eighteen martial arts out of the secret chamber and asked Seventh Uncle to forge all eighteen kinds of weapons. Everyone could choose whichever weapon they liked.
Wenlong, however, placed greater value on ranged weapons, such as bows and darts. For close combat, he preferred daggers.
He knew his build was not suited to brute strength, and other weapons would not let him play to his strengths.
Wenlong was already thoroughly accustomed to daggers. When he wielded one in each hand, all his young companions could only gaze at the dust left in his wake.
Wenlong returned to the place where he had first soaked in spirit water. After searching for a long time, he found only a dozen or so drops.
Only now did he realize how precious spirit water was. He carefully collected it in a porcelain bottle.
This time, he intended to test all his young companions and see whether he could find anyone with a talent for martial cultivation. Wenlong first called Shitou, Linzi, Zhuzi, and Yezi over, letting them try it one by one.
After a full round of testing, not a single one had awakened an ability.
Wenlong could not help feeling disappointed. If even one more person could learn martial arts as quickly as he did, he would not have to venture into Wan Family Town alone so often, like a lone rider with a single spear.
Still, despite his slight disappointment, he himself had been cultivating for some time without ever feeling that he could draw spiritual energy into his body. He always felt he was only a tiny bit stronger than an ordinary person.
Setting foot on the path of Dao cultivation was so difficult. Even with his ancestors' books to guide him, he had made no progress at all along that path.
He had no idea whether the problem lay with him or with the guidance in his ancestors' books.
The thought sent waves of frustration through him. It was too difficult. Then again, he had never heard of anyone cultivating into an immortal on the Wasteland Continent, nor had he ever seen any records of it in the ancient books he had read.
Only his ancestors' records mentioned that the Azure Dragon Continent was a world of immortal cultivation. At the thought, Wenlong began to yearn for the Azure Dragon Continent.
Alas, the Azure Dragon Continent is too far away. With this mortal body, it seems I can't reach it anyway. I'd better find a way to secure the lineage's survival first.
That day, Seventh Uncle finally finished forging a batch of darts. However, under Wenlong's rules, anyone who wanted to practice hidden weapons had to develop accuracy with small stones before they could use darts.
This rule was established because darts were deadly, and they feared someone might be hurt by accident. Someone also supervised the practice, correcting any improper use immediately to prevent injuries to others.
With ample grain and no more restrictions on meals, his young companions had all regained healthy complexions.
Everyone also wore newly sewn clothes. They no longer looked like wild people dressed in rags.
Fortunately, his repeated ventures into Wan Family Town had lifted the clanspeople out of poverty. This filled Wenlong with relief.
The happiest event for the clanspeople that year was the birth of five babies, adding new members to the Wen lineage.
Their population had now reached sixty-three. Including his maternal grandmother's family, there were sixty-six people in the village. Everyone celebrated the occasion.
This was their happiest day since moving to the Ancestral Grounds. To add more meat to their meals, I took Shitou, Linzi, and Zhuzi up the mountain to see whether we could bring back some game.
Wenlong had just climbed up the mountain when he looked down and suddenly spotted two people in the distance, riding horses around the foot of the mountain.
This is bad, Wenlong thought. Someone may have discovered traces of us here.
He hurriedly told his young companions behind him to crouch down and stay silent, then quietly crept down the mountain.
His three young companions also noticed something was happening below and followed silently behind Wenlong.
They drew close to the two riders. Hidden among the weeds, Wenlong gauged the distance for launching his hidden weapons, estimating how close he needed to be to knock them down.
Wenlong sent two pebbles flying in quick succession, striking both men precisely at their sleep acupoints. Before they knew what had happened, the two toppled from their horses. Weapons in hand, the others rushed forward and bound them securely.
"Haha! The Kai have sent us another two slaves. I won't bother thanking them!" Wenlong laughed aloud.
Everyone laughed. "Shitou, Linzi, lead the horses and take these two slaves back. Zhuzi and I will wait for you in the fruit grove." After giving his instructions, Wenlong headed into the mountains.
Wenlong already knew the nearby mountain woods as well as a familiar road. The two made their way leisurely toward the fruit grove. Not far from it, they stopped and carefully surveyed it from a distance.
A little later, Wenlong lowered his voice and said, "Big Sis, there seems to be a herd of sika deer over by those fruit trees."
Wenzhu looked closely too. Sure enough, a herd of sika deer was eating the tender leaves of the fruit trees.
"Big Sis, I'll take the left, and you take the right. Attack with darts. Let's move." With that, Wenlong cautiously crept forward, while Wenzhu approached from the other side with light steps.
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