Chapter 253: Caught the Flower Plucker—on Old Jiang! (1)

Seeing Yin Qingqing suddenly turn and walk toward him, Lu Tianhao’s handsome face lit up with delight, grinning: “Yin Shimei!”

“Lu Shixiong.”

Yin Qingqing smiled sweetly at Lu Tianhao, two dimples appearing as she softly asked, “I heard you had a fierce match with Jiang Shijie on the training ground recently—were you hurt?”

Lu Tianhao puffed out his chest solemnly: “Thank you for your concern, Yin Shimei. I merely lost by a hair’s breadth to Jiang Shijie—how could I have been injured?”

Yet beneath his words, a flicker of guilt darted through his eyes.

Jiang Chuxue’s Golden Spirit Body was no joke—her Golden Qi was razor-sharp, and both of them had fought without restraint on the training platform for the position of True Disciple.

He had spent over half a month recovering.

But before Yin Qingqing, he had to preserve his dignity at all costs.

Yin Qingqing seemed to see through his bluff but said nothing, only covering her mouth with a soft laugh: “Good thing you’re unharmed, Lu Shixiong—otherwise, Qingqing would be heartbroken.”

That soft, sweet remark sent Lu Tianhao into raptures, his ears turning red.

He gazed at Yin Qingqing with undisguised admiration: “Yin Shimei, your aura is nearly at the Mid-Phase of Qi Condensation. Since returning from your training in Miaozhou, your cultivation speed has left your senior brother utterly humbled.”

Yin Qingqing smiled faintly: “Lu Shixiong, you flatter me—I’ve merely benefited from the advantages of Danling Peak. My Master even says I’ve taken too many elixirs and my foundation is unstable. I can’t compare to you True Disciples who build your base steadily.”

Lu Tianhao shook his head: “I’ve taken plenty of elixirs too, but not as much as you...”

She clearly had no interest in elaborating further, smoothly shifting the topic and chatting casually with Lu Tianhao for a few moments.

Then Yin Qingqing’s gaze fell upon the gray-robed elder standing silently beside Lu Tianhao, her clear, stream-like eyes blinking as she softly asked:

“This elder seems unfamiliar.”

Lu Tianhao hurried to introduce:

“Yin Shimei, this is Jiang Zhishi from Tianqing Sect, who recently arrived at Tianyun Peak!”

“Don’t underestimate this old man—he once snatched six strands of Primordial Qi from three Immortal Martial Artists! Even my Grandfather Lu speaks highly of him.”

Hearing this, Yin Qingqing’s eyes instantly curved into crescent moons as she let out a soft, sweet exclamation:

“So you’re Jiang Zhishi of Tianyun Peak—what an honor! Your reputation has reached even Danling Peak!”

“Is that so?” Jiang Ye smiled faintly, giving a slight nod in response.

Just then, the junior servant arrived quickly with a wooden tray.

On it rested the ten vials of Qiangang Pills Jiang Ye had exchanged for, plus a small chunk of pure black tungsten metal.

Jiang Ye counted and confirmed everything was correct, then stored the items, bid Lu Tianhao farewell, and turned away with clean, decisive steps toward the hall’s exit.

Watching the gray-robed figure vanish beyond the hall’s door, Yin Qingqing’s clear eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle, nearly imperceptible glint flashing in their depths—she seemed lost in thought.

After leaving Tianshu Hall, Jiang Ye returned to Tianyun Peak to retrieve his tungsten staff, then headed straight down the mountain.

Now that he had the tungsten, he wasted no time—directly heading to the Forging Hall to find Huang Gang and refine the staff further.

His Qi Concealment was too refined; the inner-disciple sent by Zhang Kun to spy on him never noticed Jiang Ye had left the mountain.

About half an hour later.

In the eastern district of Linzhou’s great city.

As Jiang Ye stepped into the Forging Hall, he sensed the atmosphere was heavier than before.

Every sturdy man inside wore an expression of wariness.

Under the guidance of a foreman, Jiang Ye quickly found Huang Gang in the back, sweating profusely as he hammered weapons.

“Huang Master, busy as always.”

Jiang Ye smiled faintly and greeted him.

Huang Gang turned his head, his face flushed red from the furnace, and broke into a broad grin: “Old man, you’ve come—is there new work?”

Jiang Ye pulled out the small chunk of pure black tungsten from his sleeve and smiled: “Could you help me fuse this tungsten into the staff and refine it further?”

Huang Gang’s pupils shrank slightly as he whistled in admiration: “Impressive, Old Man—you got this tungsten so quickly.”

This stuff was hard to come by.

Clearly, this old man held some status within the main sect.

Jiang Ye asked: “Huang Master, how much heavier will the staff become after fusing in this tungsten?”

Huang Gang took the tungsten, weighed it in his hand, and after a moment’s thought replied:

“Old Man, this chunk is a bit over one tael. After melting it in and adding some cold iron for purification, the staff’s total weight should exceed six thousand jin.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up: “Six thousand jin?!”

Most martial artists’ weapons weighed no more than two hundred jin.

His tungsten staff at six thousand jin would utterly crush ordinary weapons.

Jiang Ye immediately handed over the tungsten staff as well: “Huang Master, I leave it in your hands.”

Huang Gang took the heavy staff in both hands, his eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement as he laughed heartily:

“Old Man, rest assured—come back in seven days to collect it.”

He had never forged a weapon this heavy in his career.

This tungsten staff would be a milestone.

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, recalling the tense atmosphere in the hall, and asked casually: “Huang Master, has something happened lately? I noticed the men here look uneasy.”

Huang Gang immediately understood, sighing heavily, his face filled with outrage and helplessness: “It’s that Flower Plucker again. Everyone here is terrified now—no one dares return to their quarters alone at night.”

Jiang Ye paused, startled: “The Flower Plucker has targeted the Forging Hall too?!”

Though he’d heard at Tianshu Hall that the Flower Plucker preyed on both men and women—having violated Wang’s Young Lady and even abducted Wang’s Young Master...

But the Forging Hall was full of rough, sweaty blacksmiths—not delicate young lords.

Could he even target them?

Huang Gang’s voice rose in fury:

“That Flower Plucker is a beast among beasts!”

“Our Master Fang...”

“He had the strongest blood qi here—he could work for days without sleep.”

“But recently, he vanished without a trace.”

“The city guards confirmed it—the Flower Plucker took him!”

As he spoke, goosebumps rose on his skin.

Because, besides Master Fang, he himself had the strongest blood qi in the hall.

He couldn’t bear to imagine what it would look like if a pure man like him were violated by the Flower Plucker...

For days now, he hadn’t dared leave the Forging Hall—he ate, drank, and relieved himself all inside.

Jiang Ye nodded thoughtfully: “I see.”

Then he chatted a few more moments with Huang Gang, paid the thirty thousand taels of silver for the work, and took his leave.