Chapter 467

A nearby disciple heard this, strode over, picked up the meteoric iron from the forging table in front of Xu Yang, examined it repeatedly, and his expression soon turned shocked: "This really is high-quality meteoric iron forged by the minor success of the Qian Duan Jue."

"It really is!"

"Impossible, how could Elder Elder Huoyun's judgment be wrong."

People nearby were also drawn over, their faces full of disbelief.

Xu Yang smiled: "Senior brothers, I think you are mistaken. Elder Elder Huoyun only said my talent for forging weapons is poor; he never said I have no talent for forging weapons at all."

Upon hearing this, these people suddenly understood.

"Achieving minor success in the Qian Duan Jue in just over two months indeed shows little talent; in the future, you can at best forge semi-spiritual weapons."

Luo Xin smiled, the shock on his face vanishing.

Xu Yang was too lazy to pay attention to these people, took this piece of meteoric iron, and immediately went to find Elder Elder Huoyun.

"You have not given up learning the art of forging weapons?"

Seeing the meteoric iron Xu Yang brought, Elder Elder Huoyun was not particularly surprised; Xu Yang had some talent for forging weapons, but not much.

Compared to the path of forging weapons, he felt that if Xu Yang devoted himself entirely to cultivation, his martial arts might go further; seeing Xu Yang so neglectful of his duties, he immediately felt somewhat displeased.

"This disciple likes the art of forging weapons and intends to study it in his spare time; I beg Master to pass on the subsequent inheritance to this disciple," Xu Yang said with clasped hands.

Study it in your spare time? With your talent, you achieved minor success in the Qian Duan Jue in two months? You must have spent all your mind on the Qian Duan Jue.

Elder Elder Huoyun felt even more displeased in his heart.

However, what one cultivates is the disciple's freedom; even as Master, he should not interfere.

"The path you choose for yourself, just do not regret it in the future."

He was too lazy to say more, stood up, pulled a few books from the bookshelf behind him, threw them to Xu Yang, and immediately waved his hand to let Xu Yang leave.

Xu Yang returned to the courtyard and could not wait to look at the books Elder Elder Huoyun gave him: Rong Jin Shu, Su Xing Fa, Yang Bing Shu, Duan Bing Zhi Shu... there were seven or eight in total.

From theory to practice, from how to forge ordinary weapons to how to forge semi-spiritual weapons, even spiritual weapons, all these books recorded.

The complete inheritance of forging weapons, he had finally obtained.

Closing the door of the quiet room, Xu Yang read carefully; the path of forging weapons, while not as profound as alchemy, was indeed more complex.

Material selection, forging, shaping, quenching, nurturing weapons... weapons forged from different materials all have their own specific requirements; to fully understand these things is absolutely not something that can be accomplished in a few months.

In the following days, except for eating, Xu Yang did not leave his room.

Of course, his cultivation base was still the first priority; every day he would timely transform his tendons and wash his marrow, cultivating the Yu Xin Dao Jing.

This day, he was flipping through the Duan Bing Zhi Shu in the courtyard when suddenly a sound of crying and wailing entered his ears, some from women and some from children.

At first he did not care, but finding that after a long time the weeping had not stopped, he could only push the door open to check.

The crying came from the courtyard opposite him; there lived an old disciple who had already married, and the child seemed to be seven or eight years old.

That disciple surnamed Zhang had spoken with him several times.

At this moment, the whole family was crying in a heap, and many disciples living nearby had walked out of their courtyards.

"Senior Brother Yang, what has happened?" Xu Yang asked curiously, addressing Yang Song who lived next to him.

Yang Song spoke heavily: "Senior Brother Zhang and others were escorting a batch of medicinal herbs to Fufeng Commandery; halfway they were ambushed and killed by people of the Xuelian Sect, and everyone died."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang's heart sank.

Senior Brother Zhang was over forty years old, and his cultivation base had long since achieved minor success in washing the marrow; yet he still could not escape the Xuelian Sect's poison hand. The Xuelian Sect's ambush and killing targeting Ziyang Sect disciples was not limited to outer sect disciples.

"How will the Zong Sect Society handle his family?" Xu Yang said.

"Give some compensation money, then send them to Qingyang City; having food and clothing without worry for a lifetime is not a problem."

Xu Yang returned to the courtyard with a somewhat heavy mood; he did not have much friendship with Senior Brother Zhang, but the demons of the Xuelian Sect killing people targeted all disciples of the Ziyang Sect, and he had also encountered them several times.

"I hope it is just a random incident."

If one or two disciples are occasionally killed by Xuelian Sect demons, the Ziyang Sect will not make a big fuss, but if too many people die, the Zong Sect will inevitably retaliate.

At that time, his peaceful days would be broken.

However, things did not go as he wished; in the following days, several more inner sect disciples were miserably killed by Xuelian Sect demons.

Many properties and mines of the Ziyang Sect, even Qingyang City, were attacked by Xuelian Sect demons; in a short time, seven or eight inner sect disciples died.

The atmosphere at Sifeng became tense at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Originally, Xu Yang had used up his Ju Yuan Dan and planned to go down the mountain recently to refine some, but seeing this, he did not dare to go down the mountain casually.

Elder Elder Huoyun's Zhanglaodadian!

Gao Lin walked over quickly, clasped his hands, and said: "Master, you summoned this disciple?"

Sitting on the gilded large chair, Elder Elder Huoyun opened his eyes: "Spiritual iron ore has accumulated enough; go arrange personnel to go to the Earth Vein Fire Valley to refine it."

Upon hearing this, Gao Lin's pupils shrank slightly: "Master, arranging personnel to refine spiritual iron at the Earth Vein Fire Valley at this time, are you not afraid of trouble?"

Recently, Ziyang Sect disciples have been ambushed and killed consecutively by Xuelian Sect demons; the Ziyang Sect has lost not only manpower but also a large batch of resources stolen.

"We want them to appear!"

Elder Elder Huoyun's face was full of killing intent: "Recent events have already enraged the Sect Master; the Sect Master has already issued orders to lure these rats out and kill them. Spiritual iron is such important material; if people of the Xuelian Sect are still nearby, they will inevitably be unable to resist striking."

Another talented disciple was about to become bait.

Gao Lin said: "I fear they will not fall for it like before."

"It does not matter; the Zong Sect Society has several arrangements. The Earth Vein Fire Valley is just one trap; there are traps waiting for them in other places as well," Elder Elder Huoyun snorted.

Among the inner sect disciples who died recently, one was his disciple; although only a nominal disciple, he was still a disciple.

As high-level members of the Ziyang Sect, those stolen resources were almost their private property; who was enraged besides the Sect Master?

"Master, which two senior brothers do you think are suitable to be assigned to guard the Fire Valley?" Gao Lin asked.

If there were no situation with the Xuelian Sect, he could casually arrange a few people to go to the Earth Vein Fire Valley, but since this is setting a trap, he did not dare to make the decision on his own.

Elder Elder Huoyun thought for a moment and said: "Let it be Xu Yang and Zhuang Tao; let the two of them be the open guards, then arrange your third junior brother and fourth junior brother to hide in the shadows; you will coordinate and watch from the center. As long as the Xuelian Sect does not bring a Heavenly Yuan expert, there will not be much of a problem."

"As for contribution points, we'll give one hundred per half month. If people from the Xuelian Sect really show up, we'll discuss rewards based on merit."

Gao Lin nodded: "When should we arrange for Junior Brother Xu and the others to head over?"

"You go to the outer sect first and arrange to select some talented disciples, then go notify them. Within three to five days."

Gao Lin cupped his hands and withdrew from the place.

……

"Is Junior Brother Xu here?"

Xu Yangzheng was studying the Duan Bing Zhi Shu in the courtyard when he heard Gao Lin's voice ring out from outside.

He rose and opened the door, and sure enough, Gao Lin's tall, upright figure appeared before his eyes.

He hurriedly paid his respects, then invited Gao Lin inside.

"There's a batch of spirit iron that needs to be delivered to the Earth Vein Fire Valley for purification. Master has arranged for you to go guard it. I came to let you know to prepare—you should be setting out within three to five days."

Xu Yang's heart gave an immediate jolt; he knew the thing he'd been worried about had still come to pass.

"Is it to draw out people from the Yinxuelian Sect?" Xu Yang said.

Gao Lin nodded: "That's part of the purpose, so you need to be mentally prepared, and don't let it leak."

He did not choose to hide it from Xu Yang—Xu Yang had been through this kind of thing once before, and it couldn't be hidden anyway.

Xu Yang drew a deep breath: "I understand."

He did not say anything about not going, because saying it would be useless.

Just because you, Xu Yang, are unwilling to take risks, does that mean other people are willing to take risks?

Unless he defected from the Ziyang Sect, whatever the Zong Sect arranged, he could only obediently comply. Take the benefits without giving anything in return—where in the world is there such a good thing?

"Don't worry too much either. Those beasts from the Xuelian Sect may not necessarily show up. Besides, you and Zhuang Tao are only the ones on the surface—secretly there's still your Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother, and both I and Master will be keeping watch." Gao Lin said.

He did not linger here long, and soon departed.

"Not worried? How could that be." Xu Yang drew a deep breath.

This kind of trap was too obvious. If the Xuelian Sect didn't show up, fine; but once they did, it would surely be with the force of a thunderbolt. Even with every preparation made, he feared Elder Elder Huoyun watching from the shadows would still be in for trouble.

"The tree wants to be still, but the wind will not cease!"

He no longer had any heart to study the Duan Bing Zhi Shu. He put the book away, took out Hanyuan, wrapped it carefully in cloth, and planned to bring it along to the Earth Vein Fire Valley.

If there was real danger, whether to reveal it or not was a small matter—protecting his life was what mattered most.

With a half-spirit weapon in hand, unless a Tianyuan-level powerhouse appeared, he was confident he could escape with his life.

After thinking it over, he also wrapped Su Su Xiuyuan's Xingmang in cloth, and went down from Lihuo Peak.

If by chance he didn't come back, at least Xingmang belonged to Xu Qing.

At the outer sect, many disciples had already learned that Lihuo Peak was going to select a batch of experts to go to a cultivation treasure ground to refine spirit iron.

Those without connections could only look on enviously; those with connections had already started moving, working their connections.