Shili Changkong

Chapter 15: Shili Changkong

Lin Ruhu's eyes lit up after reading the cultivation method written by Xu Zimo.

He felt that the cultivation method was perfect for him. He hadn't been interested in cultivation before, and even his cultivation method had been chosen by his grandfather.

But now, seeing the cultivation method Xu Zimo gave him, he felt a stir of excitement within him.

The cultivation of Strength Art requires the blood of countless demonic beasts to be integrated into the body, and these demonic beasts must be known for their strength.

At noon, a bald man in black arrived at Xu Zimo's courtyard.

"Subordinate Hei Shisan, ordered by the Vice Sect Master, to accompany Young Master to Tianjian City," the bald man said.

He was dressed in black, with a burly build and a very obvious scar on his face. Combined with his bald head, he gave off a fierce and menacing aura.

"Hei Shisan, he must be from Father Hei Wei's people," Xu Zimo mused.

Then he said to Lin Ruhu, "Ruhu, go to the mission hall and post a mission.

As for the mission's content, write that you will accompany me to Tianjian City.

The reward for the mission is ten Spirit Crystals per person, with a maximum of three people needed. Their cultivation must be at the Condensing Pulse Realm, or above.

We'll depart in three hours."

"Okay," Lin Ruhu nodded and went to the mission hall.

Xu Zimo looked at Hei Shisan with great interest and asked, "What's your cultivation level?"

"Subordinate is at the Empty Meridian Realm," Hei Shisan said sheepishly, touching his bald head.

Xu Zimo stroked his chin. "If nothing unexpected happens, the strongest person in the Chang Family is at most at the True Meridian Realm, having opened only three meridian gates."

In the afternoon, Lin Ruhu returned from the mission hall, bringing three people with him.

Two men and one woman. One man and one woman were at the Condensing Pulse Realm, while the other, a young man in a green robe, was at the True Meridian Realm.

"Junior Brother Zimo," the three greeted upon meeting, and then introduced themselves separately.

The man and woman were named Tang Huaiyuan and Xiao Yu, respectively, and the True Meridian Realm youth was named Feng Buyu.

"I'll have to trouble all of you this time," Xu Zimo said with a smile.

The group quickly waved their hands, saying they wouldn't dare.

Afterward, the group went to the sect's Beast Taming Pavilion and hired several first-tier demonic beasts, Desert Steeds, to gallop towards Tianjian City.

Among the group, only Hei Shisan had reached the Empty Meridian Realm and could fly freely. Everyone else had to travel by demonic beast.

As they left the sect, Xu Zimo felt something and looked up at the sky.

He saw the Sixth Elder, Xiao Yuexuan, flying overhead with a young girl. The girl also seemed to sense something and looked down, meeting Xu Zimo's gaze.

"Oh, the plot is about to begin," Xu Zimo's lips curved into a smile. "Baili Xiao, welcome to the True Martial Sacred Sect!"

After a long journey, by evening, the group arrived at a small village, planning to stay there for the night.

"Baihuang Village," Xu Zimo said with a smile, looking at the name on the stone tablet in front of the village. "Interesting, very interesting."

They were received by the village chief, a middle-aged man wearing a vest made of black animal hide.

"I am the village chief of Baihuang Village. You can call me Wang Tao," the middle-aged man said heartily.

He then led Xu Zimo and his group towards his home. On both sides of the street, many villagers peeked out curiously at the outsiders.

After declining the dinner Wang Tao had prepared for them, everyone returned to their rooms.

"I feel like there's something strange about this village," Feng Buyu said first, frowning.

"What's strange about it?" Lin Ruhu asked curiously.

"I also feel like something's not right, but I can't quite put my finger on it," said Xiao Yu, the only woman in the group.

"Why think so much? Let's all get some sleep," Xu Zimo chuckled and walked towards the outside.

"Brother Zimo, where are you going?" Lin Ruhu asked curiously.

"I'm going out for a walk," Xu Zimo turned to Hei Shisan beside him and said, "Thirteen, you don't need to follow me. I can handle my own safety."

Leaving the room, Xu Zimo walked all the way to the west end of the village.

Walking along the cobblestone path, a gentle breeze brushed by. Faint lights flickered from within the houses on either side.

Xu Zimo made his way to the western edge of the village, where a small shop stood.

A yellow banner was affixed to a wooden board above the door, bearing several black characters.

"Shili Blacksmith Shop."

It was late, and the shop's light bulb cast a dim, yellowish glow.

A man in a black shirt was busy inside.

He wasn't particularly burly; in fact, he looked rather slender.

In his left hand, he held an unfinished longsword, and in his other, a blacksmith's hammer.

Each time the hammer fell with a heavy thud, a "bang" sound echoed.

The man continued to strike, as if tireless. Anyone watching for a while would notice a rhythm to his every blow.

Xu Zimo sat on a stone stool outside the blacksmith shop, watching the man forge with keen interest.

The man's movements were decisive. He placed the finished mold into the furnace to heat.

After a long while, he took out the iron sword, glowing red-hot, with his bare hands.

He blew on it a few times before placing it into the nearby water trough.

A "sizzle" sound was heard, and white steam rose from the water.

The water around the sword began to boil with a "gurgling" sound.

"Want to learn?" the blacksmith suddenly turned and asked Xu Zimo.

"You can't teach me," Xu Zimo replied with a smile, shaking his head.

The man didn't argue. He took the iron sword out of the water and walked back inside.

"Even if you are a Sword Venerable, it won't work," Xu Zimo's voice suddenly rang out.

The man's steps faltered. He slowly turned around, his eyes seeming to explode with countless swords, sword qi crisscrossing, his aura gradually intensifying as he stared intently at Xu Zimo.

"I'm very curious, why did the Sword Venerable Shili Changkong of the past choose to live in seclusion in such a small village and become an ordinary blacksmith?" Xu Zimo spoke as if he hadn't felt the oppressive aura emanating from the other man.

"It has nothing to do with you," Shili Changkong replied, his voice magnetic and calm.

"I think I can help you," Xu Zimo said.

He knew Shili Changkong was lost at the moment, having already opened five meridian gates and reached the realm of Sword Venerable.

The next step was to forge his own path of martial arts, but he was stuck at this point.

He was hesitant about the sword dao he had been obsessed with for half his life, unsure which path to choose, or rather, which path was most suitable for him.