This was the second time Nanzi Dong had watched Li Qiang forge weapons. Afraid that he would be unable to resist asking questions, he took out a piece of soft leather and covered his mouth as soon as he entered the room, looking at Li Qiang expectantly.
Li Qiang gestured for everyone to sit cross-legged. His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed Nanzi Dong's attire. He exclaimed with a puzzled expression, " Old Beetle, what are you doing?"
Hong Qian and the others were also baffled. Kubo teased him, "Hey, Nanzi Dong, you want to rob us? Covering your face won't work, everyone here knows you, it's a waste of time... Take it off quickly." Nanzi Dong shook his head frantically, without saying a word.
Li Qiang remembered that he had once told Nanzi Dong: "You can see, you can hear, but you can't ask." He never expected that Nan Zidong would actually cover his mouth.
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Never mind him. Hong Qian, where's your flying sword? Let me see it." Hong Qian excitedly stretched out his hand, revealing an eight-inch-long, earthen-yellow flying sword.
This was the first time Li Qiang had ever seen a flying sword of this color, and he couldn't help but ask curiously, "This is an earth-type flying sword, right? Who forged it? What's its name?"
Hong Qian's tone was slightly wistful. "It was a gift from my master. He originally said that he would give me a good flying sword when I reached the Nascent Soul Realm, but I never saw him again. This sword is called ' Dusty Firmament '."
This flying sword gave off a strange feeling, as if it were shrouded in dust. Li Qiang closed his eyes and examined it with his True Essence Power. After a long while, he said, "A fine sword!" Then he shook his head repeatedly and said, "What a pity! What a pity... This should be a pair of swords. There should be another one to match it. This sword is mainly for defense, so there should also be an offensive flying sword, and it should be a metal-type flying sword."
Hong Qian was filled with admiration and said repeatedly, "Uncle-Master is right, they are indeed a pair of flying swords. It's a pity that Master only has this one. He once said that if we could find another flying sword, its power would be at least three times greater."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "How about this, I'll try to add a finishing touch, but..."
Hong Qian was overjoyed. "What does Uncle-Master need? This disciple will go and find it for you."
Li Qiang mentally reviewed the materials he needed, including the book. He had almost everything except for a piece of " Heavenly Gold Essence." He asked, " Heavenly Gold Essence... do you have it? That's all I'm missing."
Hong Qian was startled and said with a bitter smile, " Heavenly Gold Essence... the essence stone of gold, alas... this disciple really doesn't have one yet, what should I do?" He was extremely saddened, knowing that this opportunity was fleeting and that there would be no more senior uncles in the future. Even if there were, they might not agree to forge weapons for him. His excited expression dimmed.
Nanzi Dong suddenly started whimpering. He took a small leather bag off his lower back, and because his mouth was tied, he mumbled as he untied the bag, emptied its contents, pointed at them triumphantly, and mumbled something else.
What poured out of the leather bag were three fist-sized pieces of Heavenly Gold Essence, black spheres shimmering with gold stars. Li Qiang knew how precious this thing was. He picked up one, weighed it in his hand, and easily split the Heavenly Gold Essence in two with his Heavenly Fire, taking one and a half pieces. He smiled and said, "This should be enough."
Nanzi Dong's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He had tried various methods to cut the Heavenly Gold Essence, all of which failed. Seeing Li Qiang cut the Heavenly Gold Essence in two with a casual stroke, as if it were soft mud, he could hardly believe his eyes. Luckily, his mouth was gagged, or he would have screamed.
Li Qiang pushed the other half towards Nanzi Dong, gesturing for him to keep it. Nanzi Dong shook his head repeatedly, knowing he didn't have Li Qiang's skills and keeping it would be a waste; he meant to give it to Li Qiang. Li Qiang misunderstood, thought for a moment, picked up all the Heavenly Gold Essence and began refining it with Heavenly Fire. This time, even the Fire Essence flew out to help.
When Nanzi Dong saw the Fire Essence, he rubbed his eyes hard, completely baffled as to where Li Qiang had acquired so many rare and exotic beasts. This Fire Essence's cultivation was already extremely profound, and it would soon be able to transform into human form. Fire Essence of this level of cultivation was absolutely difficult to subdue. He didn't know that when this Fire Essence first came into Li Qiang's hands, it was quite ordinary. It was only after being tempered by the Brilliant Swift Heavenly Fire within Li Qiang's body that its cultivation greatly improved, and now it was only one step away from transforming into human form.
Zhao Hao was deeply moved. He recalled the surprise he felt when he first saw Li Qiang forging weapons in Hanlin City. Now, he also had a fine flying sword, which his master had obtained from Hou Pijing. Watching his master forge weapons this time was completely different from what he had seen in Hanlin City. Back then, Li Qiang used Samadhi True Fire to cultivate, but now he was using Heavenly Fire. He felt that his master had become much more skilled and experienced, and his respect for his master deepened even further.
Soon, the prototypes of two flying swords began to take shape. Because the sword bodies were extracted from Heavenly Fire, they were extremely fast, and all impurities were completely eliminated. Two golden lights rippled back and forth between Li Qiang's hands. Nanzi Dong suddenly realized that Li Qiang had misunderstood his meaning, but he was also overjoyed, knowing that he must have one of the two flying swords.
One by one Immortal Stone flew into the sword. Li Qiang shouted, " Hong Qian, probe your True Essence Power into the flying sword on the left. Old Beetle, the one on the right is yours... Hong Qian, the formation inside is the same as the Dust and Firmament Sword. Old Beetle, put the most basic attack formation, the simplest one. You can refine it slowly later. Your cultivation is not high enough."
The golden light between Li Qiang's hands began to solidify. He was a little nervous. This was the first time he had allowed other people's True Essence Power to invade his weapon-refining process, and it was two people at that. He was quite daring when it came to weapon-refining, daring to try anything, because he had reached a very high level of cultivation from the beginning, and the rules and regulations did not apply to him.
Hong Qian became even more nervous; his only feeling was that the sword was far too small. He worked hard, and fortunately, he had cultivated the Dusty Firmament and was very familiar with its formations. In addition, it was also a mental cultivation method of the Chongxuan Sect, so he gradually became more skilled.
Nanzi Dong was in a difficult situation. Even the simplest formation was beyond his control. The sword was much smaller than he had expected, only five inches long, and its True Essence Power was being consumed so quickly that he was struggling to continue.
Gradually, a faint golden light moved into Hong Qian's hand. He sat upright, his hands emitting Samadhi True Fire as he began his final cultivation, while Nanzi Dong was already covered in sweat.
With a flick of his finger, Zhao Hao removed the soft leather covering Nanzi Dong's mouth. He had no time to express his gratitude; he was simply panting heavily, his hands trembling violently.
Li Qiang shook his head, knowing there was no way to refine it, and with a slight retraction of his hand, the golden light was withdrawn.
Almost simultaneously, Nanzi Dong collapsed to the ground, soaked to the bone as if he had been pulled from the water. Lying on the ground, he looked at the sky with resentment. He knew he had missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He was so sad that he kept pounding the ground with his hands, sighing in his heart, "If it's not meant to be, don't force it. Forcing it will only make things worse."
Kubo was dazzled by the sight, his heart pounding. He felt a pang of sympathy for Nanzi Dong, wondering what his boss was forging for him. If it was a flying sword, he hoped he wouldn't end up like the Old Beetle, defeated due to insufficient skill; that would be disastrous.
Li Qiang quickly formed the sword in his hand, but he didn't activate the unfinished attack array within it. The golden flying sword landed in his hand, and Li Qiang said, " Old Beetle, don't be sad. When your skill advances further, you can cultivate this flying sword. I won't name it yet; let's just call it ' Unnamed ' for now."
Nanzi Dong took the flying sword and fell in love with it at first sight. The sword was golden in color, without a trace of black. It was less than five inches long, extremely thin at the edges and slightly thicker in the middle. It had a strange shape, with a small hook at each end. The color of the sword varied depending on the angle of the light, and a faint halo floated on the entire flying sword. His mood immediately improved, and he hurriedly thanked him, knowing that as long as he practiced diligently, it would become a top-grade flying sword.
Hong Qian had already stood up, and Li Qiang knew he was close to completing the technique. He closed his eyes, his hand radiating light. Li Qiang shouted from the side, " Dust and Firmament Sword, Shattered Gold!" Hong Qian suddenly understood, and Dusty Firmament appeared in response. The two beams of light suddenly merged, swirling and circling, with countless golden stars flashing amidst crackling sounds. Hong Qian suddenly shouted, "Go!"
The room suddenly went dark, and all the light was absorbed into Hong Qian's body.
He opened his eyes, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Martial Uncle. The sword will be named ' Shattered Gold '."
Kubo's mouth was practically watering. "Boss, I don't have a flying sword! I want one too..."
Hong Qian also pleaded, "Uncle-Master, I have never given Kubo a flying sword. Please grant me one."
Li Qiang and Zhao Hao smiled almost simultaneously. They both thought of Hou Pijing. Back then, Li Qiang didn't have a flying sword for Zhao Hao either; he had to exchange good wine for the " Cold Sparrow " flying sword.
Li Qiang decided to cultivate a fire-attribute flying sword for Kubo, as this was his forte. With the treasures of Heavenly Fire and Fire Essence, his cultivation was far superior to that of other cultivators. After the flying sword was completed, Li Qiang felt that his power had advanced another step, as if he had glimpsed the Leaving the Body Realm in the Black Prison, and he was extremely excited.
Kubo looked at the flying sword gleaming with purple light in his hand, his face flushed with excitement, and asked, "Boss, what's its name? It has to be something impressive."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "You can name it yourself... It's just a name, why be so insistent?"
Hong Qian nodded. "Yes... I think ' Purple Rosy Clouds ' would be a good name."
Kubo exclaimed, clearly displeased, "That's a girl's sword name, that's not good..."
Hong Qian kicked him. "You have no manners! How dare you say the name your master gave you is bad... Let's call Purple Rosy Clouds!"
Kubo, with a mournful face, said, "Yes, Master, it will be called Purple Rosy Clouds." He thought to himself: Damn it, I've wasted this good sword. But he dared not disobey his master's orders in the slightest.
Tange quietly entered the room and approached Li Qiang, saying, "Boss, the people from the Banshou Trading House are here."
Li Qiang was startled. "How could it be so fast!"
Tange said, "Boss, you've been here for three days now."
Kong Hou stood in the deserted courtyard with a group of people from the Banshou Trading House. Nashan, Paben, and Ben, several great samurai, each with their own squad of warriors, stood in silent confrontation with them.
The roof of the courtyard still had a large hole, and the rubble on the ground had been cleared away. The howling wind blowing down from the roof made a strange sound, like a ghost crying. The wind whipped everyone's robes and made them flutter loudly. There was a sense of desolation in the courtyard.
Li Qiang led the way out of the room and said, "Good heavens! Why is everything so tense? Where is Chief Ba Zhong?"
Kong Hou took two steps forward, crossed his arms, and gave a slight bow, replying, "The head of the company is busy and cannot come to apologize in person. Bu Jigong has been found. He is indeed not a member of our Banshou Trading House. He was just a merchant temporarily hired by one of our branches. Head of the company, Ba Zhong, asked me to tell you that Bu Jigong being handed over to you, and we hope you can immediately exchange him for the three Great Venerables." After speaking, he gave another apology bow, a common gesture on the Tanbang Continent.
Paben stood silently, his heart filled with agonizing hesitation. Should he kill Bu Jigong or let him go? He didn't know what to do.
Li Qiang clapped his hands. "Great! Nashan and Ben, go and bring them here."
Nashan and Ben turned and ran into the house. Nashan was still a little uneasy, hoping that his boss didn't know that he had beaten the prisoners.
Kong Hou whispered a few words, and the crowd behind him parted slightly. Two men, supporting Bu Jigong, walked forward and said, "Catch him carefully, this is Bu Jigong." After saying that, they let go and turned back. Bu Jigong fell stiffly to the ground with a "thud."
Sparks flew in Li Qiang's eyes as he roared, "What happened? Why did you kill him?"
Paben felt weak all over. In his dreams, he wanted to kill him, to skin him alive, to tear him to pieces. But when he actually saw Bu Jigong's corpse, he felt that it was all empty and meaningless.
Bu Jigong lay on his back, face up, his face deathly pale, his eyes wide open like those of a dead fish, seemingly filled with resentment. His arms were twisted back to his shoulders, clearly broken. His mouth was crooked to one side, and there wasn't a single tooth in his half-open mouth. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to have suffered severe torture before his death.
Kong Hou said helplessly, "The head of the gang said he committed suicide out of fear of punishment, but I don't really know what happened." He knew that Bu Jigong had been tortured to death as soon as he saw him, but the head of the gang was lying through his teeth, and he had no choice but to answer Li Qiang's questions with a straight face.
Li Qiang was about to erupt when Paben cried out, "Master, please stop pursuing this. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out... It's a pity that there are some things we can't ask him anymore." He bowed to Li Qiang, turned around, went back to his room, and sat cross-legged in meditation.
After a while, Nashan and the others came out shouting and yelling as they carried out three large statues.
Li Qiang was feeling depressed. When he turned around and saw the three Great Venerables, he almost cried out. The Great Venerable Bi Xuan was wearing a new set of clothes, but his exposed skin was covered in bruises, his hair stood on end, and he was trembling uncontrollably as if he had malaria. The other two Great Venerables were in the same state.
Nashan roared in a muffled voice, "Hand them over!" He kicked the Bi Xuan away. These past few days, he had sent several of his warriors to harass the three great masters every day while Li Qiang was refining his weapon. He was actually a little reluctant to hand them over today.
As soon as Bi Xuan reached Kong Hou, he couldn't help but burst into tears. He didn't hate Li Qiang, but he hated Nashan to death.
Kong Hou examined the area and was shocked. Bi Xuan's Nascent Soul had actually been sealed. Who did this? He absolutely did not believe that Li Qiang had this ability. To seal Bi Xuan's Nascent Soul, one's cultivation level must be at least two levels higher than Bi Xuan's.
He decisively said, "Alright! We'll meet again." He then immediately led his men away.
Kong Hou was not only surprised, but also terrified. A cultivator two levels higher than Bi Xuan was absolutely invincible on the Tanbang Continent. Even the great god Kanbo'er couldn't seal Bi Xuan's Nascent Soul. With such an expert, they certainly wouldn't care about the Banshou Trading House. No wonder the Divine Envoy Kaben spoke up for them.
Li Qiang beckoned Nashan over. "You fought those three great masters?"
Nashan grinned and said, "Boss, you see... I'm just killing time anyway... so... um, I wanted to try out the new Law Treasure you gave me, hehe..."
Li Qiang raised his leg and kicked out. "I said no abuse, and you dare disobey...!"
Nashan repeatedly said, "Boss, I didn't hear you... I won't do it again... Hey, I won't do it again." He hurriedly ran into the inner room.
Li Qiang shook his head, muttering, "However, these three guys really deserved to be dealt with. The Banshou Trading House actually pulled such a stunt, sending a dead man... that's just too underhanded."
Li Qiang, however, failed to realize that he was even more ruthless than the Banshou Trading House. His propaganda campaign crippled the Banshou Trading House, though he himself could not see the consequences. His move was like a slow-acting poison, gradually releasing its effects.
The grand auction in Fengnan City is famous throughout the entire Tanbang Continent. It is usually held when the Wind of Fear is about to end. After the auction, the big merchants from the Western Continent will arrange to cross the Sea of Wronged Souls back to carry out the next round of acquisitions and trade. Therefore, this is a grand event in the Tanbang Continent. Countless wealthy merchants, high-ranking officials, dignitaries, and hermit masters will come to participate. This is also a traditional festival of Fengnan City.
The grand auction was held in the Glorious Hall of the Grand Alliance of Chambers of Commerce, and was officially hosted with the assistance of various chambers of commerce.
This year's auction was much smaller in scale due to the war, and with the absence of the Tante Kingdom, it was less popular than the previous year. However, this auction also had its unique features, as many wealthy merchants and nobles who had sought refuge came to Fengnan City, and the number of people registering to participate in the grand auction increased compared to the previous year.
Because the event was held in the Glorious Hall of the Grand Alliance, Li Qiang and his entourage, accompanied by Chairman Siting and Chairman Bobo of the Grand Alliance, went directly to the VIP seats. This time, Li Qiang brought Zhao Hao, Kubo, Tange, Nashan, and others, while Kankanqi kept circling around Chairman Bobo, which made Nashan and Tange keep chuckling to themselves.
The Glorious Hall is a massive arched building, exquisitely constructed and truly resplendent. It is one of the finest halls in the Bangqining Kingdom. The central hexagonal platform serves as the auction display stand, protected by a defensive red light. The entire hall is divided into seven sections, each with its own defensive partitions.
When Li Qiang and his group entered, it caused quite a stir. People seated in the VIP section were generally somewhat familiar with each other; even if they hadn't spoken, they knew each other's backgrounds. Now, with the sudden appearance of several strangers, accompanied by Chairman Siting and Elder Kubo of the Grand Alliance, everyone was speculating about their identities.
What surprised these distinguished guests even more was that the Divine Envoy Kaben, who was sitting in the main seat and represented the great god Kanbo'er, actually stood up and went forward to greet them personally, saying something that they found utterly unbelievable.
Divine Envoy Kaben immediately invited Li Qiang to sit in the main seat, and said with a smile, "Boss, is everything resolved? It seems there are quite a few good things this time. Even a great god sent me to take a look. Come, sit with me."
Li Qiang said nonchalantly, "My lord, hehe, I've brought a bunch of brothers with me. Your place is already full, so I guess I won't join in."
Suddenly someone called out from the side, "Boss, come sit here." Li Qiang was surprised that someone here was calling him boss. He turned his head and saw Princess Lanqiu standing not far away, waving at him. Li Qiang was startled and said, " Kaben, I'll sit with you." He waved to Princess Lanqiu repeatedly.
Li Qiang had already heard from Kankanqi that the group of noblewomen all wanted the Dreamy Night. There were at least a dozen richly dressed women sitting where Princess Lanqiu was. He wasn't stupid; he didn't have that many perfumes. If he gave one to one but not another, these noblewomen would immediately embarrass him.
Nashan laughed, "If you were calling me, hehe, I'd be flying over there! Why are you so hesitant, Old Na..."
Li Qiang smiled slightly, grabbed Nashan by the collar, and tossed him over, saying at the same time, " Princess Lanqiu, this kid has a bottle of Dreamy Night. Anyone who wants it can ask him."
Upon hearing this, Nashan was in dire straits, as countless delicate hands reached out to grab her. The VIPs stared in disbelief at this group of frenzied ladies.
Nashan dared not use his full strength. These delicate noblewomen—who could withstand a single blow from him? He had only just begun cultivating, his composure completely gone. He was being rubbed and kneaded by these women until his face was flushed red, and he cried out, "Boss, help me!"
One of the ladies exclaimed, "Where did he hide the Dreamy Night? Sisters, strip him naked!"
Li Qiang was genuinely shocked to hear this from afar. Were the women here so open? They were actually going to strip a grown man naked in public?
Zhao Hao, Kubo, and Tange were laughing so hard they could hardly breathe.
Then Nashan yelled, "I didn't... Boss... they really did strip..."
The whole audience burst into laughter...