Women Only Slow Down My Blacksmithing

"Make way."

Chen Xun shouted with a frown as he sped past. Passersby cried out in surprise. This young man was so fast!

Big Black Ox was tending the fire and brewing medicine in the blacksmith shop's backyard. It did not want Sun Lao to die either. It let out low mooing sounds, its head hanging down.

By the bedside, Sun Kaile was already showing the Five Signs of Decay—lucid at times, forgetful at others. Yet today, his complexion was remarkably rosy.

He called Chen Xun and Big Black Ox into the room, then slowly sat up and leaned against the wall. A black bovine head poked in, watching him with concern.

"Hehe..."

Sun Kaile patted Big Black Ox and smiled kindly. "I'm fine. Everyone will have their day."

"Sun Lao, it's okay. I asked the physicians in the city. If you keep taking medicine every day, you can live at least another ten years!"

Chen Xun smiled indifferently. "I'm strong, and business is good every day. We're not short on silver."

"I still remember your first day at the blacksmith shop."

With his face full of wrinkles, Sun Kaile smiled as he looked at Chen Xun. "You looked like some country boy, all loud and jumpy."

Chen Xun forced a smile and said nothing.

"I have nothing more to teach you. You've learned it all. From now on, I'll leave this shop to you."

Sun Kaile smiled faintly and took Chen Xun's hand. "Save more silver, find yourself a wife, and stop buying medicine."

"Sun Lao, you underestimate me too much. How much can these herbs cost?"

Chen Xun waved a hand. "Sun Lao, didn't you hear what I said? I asked—"

"Don't comfort me. I know my own body."

Sun Kaile coughed and interrupted Chen Xun. "I have something here to give you."

After saying that, he took out a secret manual from behind his pillow and smiled weakly. "My son once read this, and that was why he went searching for immortals."

"Sun Lao, I'm not interested in cultivating immortality."

Chen Xun did not care about this secret manual. "Living well is what matters most."

"If only my son had possessed a temperament like yours."

Sun Kaile's eyes went slightly unfocused as he sighed softly. "I have nothing else to leave you. Just take it."

"Okay." Chen Xun nodded.

"Big Black Ox, hehe, follow Chen Xun well."

Sun Kaile turned toward Big Black Ox, his eyes filled with affection. "I've seen so many beasts, but you are the most intelligent. Heaven cherishes life; it will bless you both."

Moo! Moo! Big Black Ox bobbed its head.

"Sun Lao, don't say such discouraging things. The physician said the better your state of mind, the longer you live."

Chen Xun clasped Sun Kaile's hand tightly. It was so cold. A bone-piercing chill slowly flowed into Chen Xun's heart.

"Chen Xun."

"I'm here, Sun Lao."

"Thank you both."

Sun Kaile smiled warmly and gazed deeply at Chen Xun and Big Black Ox, as though he wanted to imprint their faces in the depths of his mind and never forget them for all eternity.

"Go on. I'll rest for a while."

"Okay. Old Ox, let's brew the medicine."

"Moo!"

Chen Xun and Big Black Ox hurried out and brewed the medicine outside in the courtyard according to the prescription, fumbling about in a rush.

The next day, the cold wind drifted through the air. Countless yellow leaves fell from the plum tree outside the courtyard. Sun Kaile passed away peacefully in his room.

On the street, Big Black Ox pulled a cart carrying a coffin, while Chen Xun walked behind and pushed it, his face expressionless.

The pedestrians on the road all frowned, feeling it was terribly inauspicious, and kept far away.

The man and ox paid no heed to others' gazes as they slowly pulled the cart out of the city. Their movements were careful, afraid even the slightest bump might jostle it.

Chen Xun found a treasure land and buried Sun Lao there. The tombstone bore the inscription: Grave of Benefactor Teacher—Sun Kaile.

The cold wind swept past, and yellow funeral paper filled the sky. A desolate air lingered between Heaven and Earth. Chen Xun lit incense and bowed. Then the man and ox slowly headed back toward the city, their figures gradually vanishing.

They returned to the blacksmith shop and sat in a daze for a long while. That chair stood empty, as though there would never again be a little old man dozing there.

"It's fine, Old Ox. We should be happy."

"Moo?"

"If it weren't for us, what would Sun Lao have done? There wouldn't even have been anyone to handle his funeral."

"Moo?"

"At least we ran the blacksmith shop well these past few years. Sun Lao was happy too, wasn't he?"

"Moo!"

"That's more like it. We did a great deed. Come on, cheer up. Ha, ha, ha."

"Moo! Moo! Moo~~"

The man and ox laughed more ugly than they cried. The shop gradually fell silent again. Chen Xun did not know whether he was comforting Big Black Ox or comforting himself.

"Ah!"

Chen Xun suddenly smacked his forehead. The more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong.

"Moo?" Confusion filled Big Black Ox's eyes. What was wrong?

"Old Ox, we got cheated."

Chen Xun spoke heavily, his eyes certain. "That physician definitely saw how anxious we were and lied to us about the prices of the medicinal herbs."

He was grief-stricken. Why had he not properly learned medical skills among those eighteen martial arts? There had been no physician in Small Mountain Village, only folk remedies. He had learned how to treat external injuries, but he had never expected a day like this.

He had miscalculated.

Big Black Ox was startled and nudged Chen Xun. Why hadn't you learned medical skills?

"Let's forge properly and earn money first. We still owe the Neighbors quite a bit from this past year."

Blazing flames rose in Chen Xun's eyes. The medical profession was outrageously profitable. Besides, when traveling the world, bumps and bruises were unavoidable. Learning some medical skills was essential. A new goal arose in his heart.

Moo!

A sharp gleam flashed in Big Black Ox's eyes. If Chen Xun learned medical skills in the future, could he treat illnesses himself? Then those people would not have to die from sickness.

Seeing Big Black Ox's approving gaze, Chen Xun smiled faintly. The gloom from earlier was swept away. Life was always filled with the unknown and challenges—that was what made it wonderful.

"Old Ox, get to work!"

"Moo!"

The clang and clatter of hammering began to ring from the blacksmith shop once more. Chen Xun's control over his strength had now reached the point where he could strike with a single finger without harming an ant in the slightest, yet take only the head from its neck.

Because of this, the ant nest in the blacksmith shop suffered a great catastrophe and had begun migrating en masse, leaving behind quite a few headless corpses.

By now, Chen Xun's blacksmith shop had become famous throughout several nearby streets. Its prices were fair, its quality excellent, and its reputation with people was good.

Quite a few matchmakers also came to propose marriages. Those eight-pack abs were nearly more than even they could withstand, their eyes brimming with flirtatious glances.

Chen Xun merely gave a cold smile upon hearing this and said to the matchmakers, "After forging iron here for several years, my heart has become as cold as the hammer in my hand. Women only slow down my blacksmithing."

Upon Saying This, who knew how many young ladies in their chambers were left heartbroken? They secretly thought, As expected of the man I admire. Even the way he speaks is so valiant and extraordinary.

A year later, Chen Xun finally paid off all his debts and had some savings left over. He continued adding Longevity Points to speed.

Dawn had only just broken. There were few pedestrians on the streets, with only a handful passing by.

They cleaned up the blacksmith shop, brought along all kinds of things, pots, bowls, ladles, and basins all included, and hung them from both sides of Big Black Ox.

"Old Ox, get ready to go."

"Moo!"

They carefully sealed up the shop. The Land Deed was still theirs, though. As long as they did not sell it, they could return to take a look someday.

"Let's go." Chen Xun gave the surrounding streets one final look and smiled, free and easy.

"Moo! Moo!"

Big Black Ox called out happily. Chen Xun had said he would take it to buy wooden carvings today and release Wishing Lanterns too. A sense of ritual was indispensable in life, or it would be far too dull.

Jingle, jingle. Crisp collisions rang from Big Black Ox's body as the two figures gradually traveled farther away.

The sun rose. Some people passing Chen Xun's blacksmith shop discovered that it had closed, and its owner had vanished without a trace. They all sighed inwardly. Had they known, they would have had a few more iron tools made here to keep at home.

As soon as Chen Xun's blacksmith shop closed, the blacksmith shops on several nearby streets were overjoyed. Universal Celebration—raise prices, they had to raise prices! Let's see who dared not raise them!