Chapter 137: Widow

Behind the Divine Weapon Workshop, the forging yard.

Still bustling with heat and noise, over a dozen muscular forge masters, bare-chested, hammered away at weapons with clanging strikes.

Cang Luo scanned the area, spotting Master Lu and Wang Zhonghu studying something at a workbench; he ignored them, then quickly spotted Zhang Han, who was still silently engraving a formation.

Zhang Han noticed Cang Luo at once and nodded to him.

Cang Luo nodded back, but inwardly startled—he marveled at how powerful the other’s spiritual sense was; he hadn’t spoken, hadn’t moved, just glanced, yet Zhang Han had already sensed him.

Cang Luo silently shook his head and hurried toward Zhang Han, planning to retrieve his items, ask a few questions, then immediately return to Xuantian Sect.

As for becoming a guest forge master of the Divine Weapon Workshop and earning silver by selling design blueprints, he was now hesitating.

His master was fake, his own cultivation base was weak—he always felt like dancing on the edge of a blade.

If someone developed improper desires for these designs, he wouldn’t even know how he died...

As Cang Luo pondered this, he suddenly halted, slowed his steps, and cast a suspicious glance toward the workbench where Master Lu and Wang Zhonghu stood...

At that moment, Lu Zheng and Wang Zhonghu were forging a longsword—a new design they had drafted overnight and rushed to forge that morning.

The blade was about four feet long, two inches wide, nearly half an inch thick, with a hilt wide enough for two hands—a heavy sword suited for warriors who practiced broad, sweeping martial arts.

At first glance, it was nothing special, just an ordinary heavy sword—but Cang Luo spotted three deep air-grooves carved into the blade’s surface!

“Damn!”

“Despicable!”

“Plagiarist!”

“Shameless! I haven’t even left yet and you’re already pirating my designs!”

Cang Luo cursed inwardly fiercely but didn’t approach to expose or accuse—he dared not.

They were a sixth-rank forge master; even if they spent little time cultivating, they still possessed the cultivation base of a Martial Sovereign. If angered, the man could kill him with a single finger.

Cang Luo seethed in silence, walking swiftly toward Zhang Han. Lu Zheng glanced at him, a flicker of shame crossing his face—but it vanished instantly, replaced by a cold ruthlessness...

“Brother Cang!”

“Brother Zhang!”

Zhang Han set down his engraving tool and bowed to Cang Luo.

Cang Luo returned the bow, then cut straight to the point: “Has the formation engraving on the war chariot’s external attachments been completed?”

Zhang Han pointed to a pile of oil-paper-wrapped items beside him and smiled: “All done. Want to test the formation’s effect?”

Cang Luo shook his head and smiled: “No need—I trust your skill.”

After exchanging a few polite words, Cang Luo asked: “Brother Zhang, do you have any device or formation that can continuously emit a strong light source, about the size of a fist, and is controllable?”

“And is there any coating or method that can solidify leather armor—making it impervious to ordinary blades and swords—without reducing its toughness or elasticity?”

Zhang Han answered without hesitation; Cang Luo’s questions were simple—but just as he opened his mouth, He Jiu appeared, forcing him to fall silent.

With He Jiu present, he had no right to speak.

He Jiu gripped Cang Luo’s hand tightly and grinned warmly: “Younger brother, don’t rush off—stay for a meal, let’s drink three hundred cups! Afterward, I’ll personally escort you back to Xuantian Sect.”

At these words, many forge masters and apprentices turned to stare, all puzzled.

Who was He Jiu talking to?

The man wore the robes of an outer disciple of Xuantian Sect—he’d come yesterday—and now He Jiu was calling him “younger brother”?

And inviting him to dinner? What was going on?

Xuantian Sect was powerful, but compared to the Divine Weapon Workshop, it was a mantis trying to stop a chariot—why treat an outer disciple with such smiling deference?

Wasn’t it different yesterday?

Last night, Wang Zhonghu said this fellow couldn’t even afford the forging fee—how did he become a big shot today?

What kind of world is this? The debtor becomes the master?

In the pavilion nearby, Lu Zheng and Wang Zhonghu also froze. What’s going on with He Jiu? Why is he being so courteous to that kid?

He Jiu ignored the curious stares and pressed on warmly: “Younger brother, Younger Brother Cang...”

Cang Luo, unable to pull his hand free, snapped coldly: “Manager He, show some respect. I’m not into that. Let go—I’m leaving.”

Though He Jiu didn’t understand what “into that” meant, he sensed it wasn’t a compliment. Seeing Cang Luo was angry, he released his grip—but still tried to persuade.

Cang Luo ignored him, bid farewell to the bewildered Zhang Han, grabbed the external attachments, and walked out. He’d ask about the headlights and tires another time.

Seeing him leave, He Jiu panicked but dared not physically block him—he feared offending him completely.

“What do I do? When will the Master arrive? A master who can build mechanical chariots... I can’t miss this again!”

He Jiu thought for a moment, then said: “Younger brother, our mistress is coming—why not wait? Stay for a meal with her?”

Cang Luo paused slightly. Mistress? The female head of the Divine Weapon Workshop?

“No time!”

Cang Luo muttered, walking out without looking back.

He Jiu called after him: “Our mistress is a renowned beauty of Danyang County! Many have begged for a glimpse and failed!”

Cang Luo froze again, then turned back with amusement: “Manager He, what are you implying? Is your mistress a widow? Looking to take on a live-in... husband?”

He was joking—but He Jiu’s face darkened slightly as he nodded: “Our mistress is the master of the Divine Weapon Workshop, Lady Shen.

She has long sought a worthy husband. Younger brother, why not give it a try?

No—let your master try?”

Zhang Han: “...”

Cang Luo: “...”

Was this real? He’d just joked—and hit the truth. Not only was she a widow, she was the owner of the Divine Weapon Workshop.

No wonder—such a massive weapons factory was run by a woman with long hair and short vision, tolerating sixth-rank forge masters plagiarizing designs, disrespecting intellectual property. A company led by such a person wouldn’t just fail—it would never grow.

Cang Luo said coldly: “Not interested. I don’t play the kept man. I rely on myself—I don’t need a rich woman to support me. Nor does my master.”

With that, Cang Luo swept his sleeve and left.

Behind him, including He Jiu, Lu Zheng, Wang Zhonghu, and Zhang Han, all forge masters and apprentices froze, staring blankly at his back.

He Jiu was stunned because Cang Luo showed no interest in the mistress; Lu Zheng and the others were stunned because of He Jiu’s words.

After a moment of silence, Lu Zheng roared: “He Jiu, what nonsense are you spouting? When did the mistress say she wanted to take on a... husband?

And what was that about her wanting to invite him to dinner? Does she actually mean it?”

As he spoke, Lu Zheng was already before He Jiu, unleashing a powerful aura—his robes flared without wind, his right hand pointed into the air, and a surge of martial energy shot out, lifting He Jiu off the ground and pinning him in place.

He Jiu, only at Martial Spirit Stage One, had no strength to resist; his body was crushed and bound by Lu Zheng’s martial energy, writhing in agony!

In this moment, the sixth-rank forge master who always acted the dignified master was gone—only the Martial Sovereign Stage Two powerhouse Lu Zheng remained.

He had stayed with the Shen family, at the Divine Weapon Workshop, solely for Lady Shen—and to seize control of the workshop.

Yet, after all these years, he had never succeeded.

Lady Shen was no weakling—she was already at Martial Sect Stage Nine. Though he was a Martial Sovereign, his combat power was low—he wasn’t certain he could defeat her in a direct fight.

Most crucially, her social maneuvering was masterful; she navigated the power circles of Danyang County with effortless finesse, turning others’ strength against them.

Otherwise, a woman could never have held up the Divine Weapon Workshop, never protected the legacy left by her dead husband—she’d have been devoured down to the bones long ago.

Thinking of this, Lu Zheng roared again: “He Jiu, is what you said true or false? Why have I never heard of it?”

He had seen Lady Shen just last night—when he had dismissed Cang Luo’s “master” as utterly useless, insisting there was no need to hire him as a guest forge master.

Though Lady Shen hadn’t fully listened—she’d agreed to hire him at one upper-grade Qi Stone per month—she hadn’t shown any other intention.

How had it turned into “taking him as a live-in husband” in He Jiu’s mouth? They hadn’t even met!

Trapped by Lu Zheng, He Jiu struggled to speak: “Master Lu, let me down first—I’ll explain slowly...”

Lu Zheng glanced around at the onlookers, realizing he’d acted too impulsively. He snorted and released He Jiu.

He Jiu hurried to explain: “Master Lu, you misunderstood—I was lying to that kid, just to keep him here.”

Lu Zheng frowned: “Lying? Why keep him?”

He Jiu’s face paled—he’d been injured by Lu Zheng’s martial energy, gasping as he spoke: “The mechanical chariot! The kid’s master really can build mechanical chariots!

I kept him to wait for the Master—to let her speak with him directly, to invite his master here, or at least get the manufacturing method!

Master Lu, think—if the Divine Weapon Workshop could produce mechanical chariots...”

Lu Zheng froze, interrupting: “You’re lying to me! That kid’s master knows nothing about formations! You say he can build mechanical chariots? He Jiu, do you think I’m that gullible?”

He Jiu panicked: “Master Lu, I’m not lying! The kid brought the chariot—it’s parked at the workshop’s entrance! If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself!”

He handed Lu Zheng the twenty weapon design blueprints Cang Luo had used as payment, then rushed out of the yard to chase after Cang Luo—he feared he’d leave.

Lu Zheng ignored He Jiu’s departure. He stared at the blueprints in his hand—and was stunned again.

He had to admit: apart from the lack of formation markings, these designs were far superior to his own.

“Could the kid’s master really build mechanical chariots? Is he a Mo Family mechanical master?”

Lu Zheng pondered, then swiftly left the yard—whether true or false, he’d see for himself.

Wang Zhonghu, Zhang Han, and the others exchanged glances, then followed—curious as forge masters and formation experts, they too wanted to see the mechanical chariot.