Chapter 163: Fishing and Extortion

"Fish bait? How do I help?"

Li Yuan started slightly, thought of Liang Liang Ashui's fish bait—could this old man have discovered it too?

But seeing him smile without a word, staring fixedly at him, he finally realized—this old coot meant to use him as fish bait!

"I…"

Li Yuan instinctively wanted to refuse, but the words circled his mouth once and changed:

"It's not like I can't…"

"Oh?"

Jing Jing Shuhu narrowed his eyes slightly.

On the road he had prepared a pile of arguments, things like 'every master must go through trials and hardships, jade unpolished cannot become a vessel' and the like.

But now it seemed he wouldn't need them?

"You'll have to pay more!"

Li Yuan's mind was quite nimble—Jing Jing Shuhu had tracked him all the way to the bamboo grove, so he must have already discussed it with Lei Lei Jingchuan.

Refusing probably wouldn't work, better to seize the chance to ask for some benefits.

"Cough, cough~"

Jing Jing Shuhu nearly choked on his saliva, shot him an annoyed glare, but didn't refuse:

"What do you want?"

"A divine… cough, inner armor, heavy armor, a bow—mm, at the very least it has to be a superior-grade famous weapon."

Li Yuan made an outrageous demand.

"Get lost!"

Jing Jing Shuhu nearly laughed in spite of his anger, but after thinking it over, he still agreed: "Just one item, no more!"

He's really giving it?

Seeing him agree so readily, Li Yuan felt a twinge of doubt instead: "No, no, you'd better first tell me what fish you're planning to catch!"

"A covert agent sent word—someone from Sanyuanwu has infiltrated Fucheng, suspected to be led by an Elder or a True Disciple."

Jing Jing Shuhu didn't hide it either: "Before the Sanyuanwu army arrives, we have to root out this group!"

Pausing slightly, he added: "Perhaps there are also remnants of the Xieshen Sect and Qianjun Cave."

"Huh?"

Li Yuan was a bit wide-eyed, doubtful: "Are you sure I can draw out that many people?"

"You underestimate yourself far too much."

Jing Jing Shuhu took another swig of wine, looking at him with a half-smile:

"Dragon-shaped root bone, prodigy of weapon-forging, disciple of Han Han Chuijun—put all these titles together, which faction's spy wouldn't want to cut you down?"

"This…"

Li Yuan thought of his bounty on the stele at the Star-Plucking Tower outpost, climbing higher and higher, and couldn't help but hesitate.

He rarely left the mountain, and truly had no idea how big his reputation was out in the world.

But from the sound of it, it seemed quite considerable?

Jing Jing Shuhu tucked away his wine gourd and spoke:

"I can grant you one superior-grade inner armor for protection. Wear it together with the one you forged before, and even a Meridian-Opening master couldn't kill you in one strike."

Before he came, he had already prepared the inner armor.

"This…"

Li Yuan thought for a moment: "This disciple feels one inner armor is enough—how about swapping it for a bow?"

Qiu Qiu Changying's Soul-Chasing Arrows had left a deep impression on him, and over these days he had gathered no small number of bows and arrows.

Unfortunately, most of the Qiu family disciples from the Dust-Cleansing Hall had followed Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong to Dechang Prefecture, so all he had managed to get were two bows—not even enough to make a combined weapon.

"A superior-grade famous weapon longbow—you've got quite the appetite."

Jing Jing Shuhu frowned—even he had to forge a replacement every time he took a weapon from the Divine Armory Pavilion.

A superior-grade famous weapon bow was not easy to forge; it could easily take several years…

"Mm, how about swapping it for a saber or a sword?"

Jing Jing Shuhu still felt a pang of pain, but seeing Li Yuan lower his head again to gnaw on the lamb leg, he could only agree helplessly:

"I'll give it to you, but afterward you'll have to forge two—no, three superior-grade famous weapons for me. Mm, you won't have to supply the materials!"

"This…"

Li Yuan frowned and set a condition: "Then you'll have to spare me two taels of fine gold…"

"You still want fine gold?"

Jing Jing Shuhu's face darkened: "Wait until your weapon-forging skill is perfected before you talk again. Fine gold—do you think this

stuff is easy to come by?"

"Then, one tael?"

Li Yuan took a step back.

Fine gold was a rare material used only in forging divine weapons; it took at least three thousand taels of gold to refine less than one tael. Not only was it precious, but the extraction process was extremely tedious and troublesome.

He had inquired many times—all the fine gold in the Forging Valley was in Jing Jing Shuhu's hands.

"One tael—mm, we'll talk about it when you get back."

Jing Jing Shuhu thought for a moment: "If this trip goes smoothly, I can give you one tael when you return, but you'll have to buy…"

"Deal!"

Li Yuan leaped up and reached out his greasy hand:

"Deal!"

"Scram!"

Jing Jing Shuhu flicked his sleeve and brushed the little mercenary aside, his eyes full of disgust:

"Get ready, we head down the mountain first thing tomorrow morning. I'll be following you in the shadows…"

……

……

【Hundred-Year Brute Ox Bow (Fifth Rank)】

【An ox's lifespan is twenty; a spirit ox's lifespan is two hundred… A Grand Craftsman took the sinew of a hundred-year spirit ox, steeped it in a secret medicinal decoction for ten years, then mixed in various metals and irons to forge it. Spiritual nature has already been born…】

【Wielding Requirements: Strength of a Thousand Jun, Ox Form, any one arrow art to Completion】

【Wielding Effects: Fifth Rank (Pale Yellow): Archery Talent, Spirit Ox Sinew

Fourth Rank (Blue): Eyes Like Torches, Shooting Through Stone and Drinking Feathers】

What a fine bow!

On the black-awning boat, Li Yuan reluctantly pulled his gaze back. The bow was excellent, the old man was utterly cunning.

Jing Jing Shuhu had come early in the morning carrying the bow, but he carried it himself. If he couldn't catch the fish, then the bow had no fate with him.

Truly an old, crafty scoundrel.

"The Divine Weapon Pavilion has plenty of fine things. They can even bring out top-grade famous weapons. What about extreme-grade famous weapons, or divine weapons?"

Li Yuan muttered to himself. To this day he had never entered the Divine Weapon Pavilion, nor that Secret Tower.

"Why does Brother Li suddenly want to go down the mountain?"

The one poling the boat was Liang Liang Ashui. Only after putting some distance from the riverbank did he speak: "Going down the mountain at this time—is it really appropriate?"

Through their time together these past days—buying fish plus the bond of "fishing friends"—the awkwardness between the two had faded.

"Before early spring, all the business deals in the city have to be tallied up. I have to go down the mountain."

Li Yuan had his excuse prepared.

"It's just some business deals, you…"

Liang Liang Ashui shook his head, then caught sight of the two boats following behind and suddenly understood.

He had been thinking from his own perspective and forgotten that a True Disciple's outing came with "bodyguard cultivators"…

"The Sanyuan Wu army is about to arrive, and Fucheng is on strict guard. There shouldn't be any danger."

Li Yuan changed the subject and asked about the Red Dragon Fish.

"Hard to catch."

Liang Liang Ashui couldn't help sighing: "I've never in my life seen a fish this hard to catch. Once the weather warms up, it should get easier, right?"

In half a year, Liang Liang Ashui had also risen to fame on the inner island. Although he had caught few Red Dragon Fish, he had caught over twenty-five other spirit fish of various kinds.

That didn't even count the ones he'd eaten himself.

"When Brother Liang catches one, remember to save it for me."

"Naturally."

Liang Liang Ashui nodded.

Not long ago he had nearly been swindled by a few old inner-disciple senior brothers. Since then, whenever he caught a fish, Li Yuan was the first person he thought of.

The two had barely exchanged a few words before Li Yuan reached the opposite bank, with Jin Siren following far behind.

Liang Liang Ashui gazed into the distance, his heart full of sour bitterness, then turned the boat around. The treatment a True Disciple received was truly beyond imagination.

He had inquired—the old veterans kept within the Valley were at least Body-Shaping martial artists!

"Fishing is also a technical job!"

Once on the carriage, Li Yuan muttered to himself. The timing was off.

With the Sanyuan Wu army pressing at the border and Fucheng under lockdown, a True Disciple prodigy like him, who normally never left home, suddenly showing up—anyone would be suspicious.

"They're hiding well, even the Surveillance Hall can't find them,

but as long as I can get a look at them, everything will be easy to handle."

To dare take this job, Li Yuan naturally had some confidence.

A Fifth Rank Soldier Control Register could sense the light of weapons within twenty meters. Though Fucheng was large, with patience—even if they hid underground—he could dig them out.

After all, the Sanyuan Wu's Blade-Sickle Art was very distinctive.

"But before that, I might as well have a good look around."

Reclining on the carriage, Li Yuan took out a book and slowly flipped through it. He already had a plan in mind.

Previously he hadn't gone down the mountain—first, because he was obsessed with practicing martial arts and smithing; second, because he genuinely feared assassination.

But now, with a Pulse-Opening Grand Completion expert protecting him at close range, what was there to fear?

Whether it was the Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple or the Remnant God Temple, he'd make sure to visit every single one!

……

Over a hundred zhang behind Li Yuan's carriage, Jing Jing Shuhu followed at an unhurried pace. His steps were light, rising and falling in rhythm, keeping pace with the carriage.

A few Surveillance Hall disciples had it tougher, half-jogging to keep up while also reporting intelligence.

"According to intelligence from our dark scouts, the ones who should have infiltrated this time are Sanyuan Wu Elder Xiao Xiao Zongyuan, and his True Disciple Ba Yunhe…"

"Several months ago, before the Valley Master struck, Qianjun Cave's 'Guan Tianhao' had already vanished without a trace. He is suspected to have also come to Zhe Long Prefecture, though it's unknown whether he's in Fucheng."

"The remnants of the Xieshen Sect should have been purged, but since Su Su Wanxiong isn't dead, he may well have snuck back…"

"The Young Valley Master has already passed through Yunjing Prefecture; in at most a little over a month he should be able to return to Zhe Long."

……

The few Surveillance Hall disciples reported various pieces of intelligence in low voices.

Not just the Dragon Dormant Prefecture—the intelligence on the recent movements of several major sects was also extremely detailed.

Jing Jing Shuhu suddenly asked:

"What about Han Han Chuijun?"

"Huh?"

Those few disciples gave a slight start, but the leading disciple still answered respectfully, with admiration:

"It's said, it's said Elder Han is not in Dechang Prefecture, but has led the two great true inheritors of the Hammer Bingtang to Geyun Prefecture to contain Pang Pang Liexue Mountain…"

"That old fellow."

Jing Jing Shuhu's foot paused for a beat, then quickened his pace, leaving only a cold snort behind.

"Does he think the Crimson Flame Spirit Flood Armor is something you can just throw on whenever you want? Not afraid of dying in Geyun Prefecture? Hmph, dying would be better."

The few disciples of the Supervisory Hall exchanged glances, then quickly caught up.

……

……

Whooosh~

Ten thousand miles away, beneath Geyun Mountain, the Pingjiang Grand Canal surged mightily, cutting through wind and snow as it flowed east.

Two small boats drifted downstream.

Ba Ba Wanli squatted on one small boat, his cattail-fan-sized palm waving and slapping the water to speed the vessel along.

Yet even so, he still couldn't keep up with the black-canopied boat ahead.

"Ba Ba Wanli!"

Suddenly, Han Han Chuijun, who was seated cross-legged on the black-canopied boat, spoke. His voice was not loud, yet the wind and snow could not scatter it.

"This disciple is here!"

Ba Ba Wanli leapt up abruptly, nearly stomping his small boat beneath the water.

"Return to the sect!"

Han Han Chuijun glanced at him: "Your build is far too conspicuous. Bringing you along makes it far too easy for people to spot us."

"There's still someone who could recognize me?"

Ba Ba Wanli goggled—he had already disguised himself very well.

"……"

Fang Fang Bao Luo nearly burst out laughing.

"Your junior brother is alone on the mountain. Your master is a little uneasy about it."

Han Han Chuijun pinched a letter between his fingers, his gaze subtle: "After you return, keep an eye on that Shi Hong."

"Huh?"

Ba Ba Wanli was taken aback: "That Shi Hong would dare to make a move against junior brother?"

"He wouldn't have before, but that doesn't mean he won't later."

Han Han Chuijun's eyes flickered.

Judging others by himself, he felt that not only would that Shi Hong make a move against Li Yuan, he might even target the Hammer Bingtang.

If he were not ten thousand miles away, and still had important matters on

hand, he would immediately set out to pounce on and kill that boy, cutting off the future trouble.

"What?"

Fang Fang Bao Luo's heart gave a slight start, and he instinctively looked at the letter: "Master, this letter?"

"The letter is fine, and your junior brother is also fine."

Han Han Chuijun tossed the letter to him: "The talent of a Divine Craftsman—even this old man underestimated him…"

Those who practice the hammer are not necessarily skilled at casting weapons; the latter is far more troublesome than the former. He himself had once delved into weapon-casting arts, but simply couldn't compare to that Jing Jing Shuhu, and had no choice but to give up.

"The talent of a Divine Craftsman?!"

Fang Fang Bao Luo's expression shook, and Ba Ba Wanli on the boat behind also widened his eyes: "What Divine Craftsman? Junior brother?!"

The weight of those two words, Divine Craftsman, to the disciples of the Divine Weapon Valley was simply as heavy as Dashan.

"If junior brother truly has the talent of a Divine Craftsman, then that Shi Hong should be even less likely to make a move against him, right?"

Fang Fang Bao Luo's heart was shaken, and he spoke with a slight stammer: "He, he's still the young, young Valley Master after all…"

"How did this old man teach you?"

Han Han Chuijun swept a cold glance over. Fang Fang Bao Luo immediately lowered his head: "When, when encountering a matter, first wipe out the worst possibility! But, but…"

"Remember this old man's words: at any time, in any matter, strike first! Don't wait until you've been killed before thinking to fight back!"

Han Han Chuijun glanced at Ba Ba Wanli, who was nodding repeatedly:

"After you return, go first to the Weapon-Casting Valley to find Jing Jing Shuhu. He knows what to do!"

"S-slow…"

Fang Fang Bao Luo felt his heart pounding: "Mas, Master, you're not going to, not going to kill Shi Hong, are you? The Valley Master…"

"Just precautions."

Han Han Chuijun tucked the letter into his sleeve and said lightly: "Even if I killed him, what of it? At worst, I'd compensate them with a young Valley Master of even greater talent and comprehension!"

"This…"

"Good!"

Fang Fang Bao Luo felt a headache coming on. Ba Ba Wanli had already loudly cheered, paying no heed at all to the former's frantic winks.

"This disciple believes this matter should be planned at length. That Shi Hong cannot possibly be so unwise. This disciple…"

After glaring fiercely at Ba Ba Wanli, Fang Fang Bao Luo felt utterly exhausted. He always felt that he seemed out of place among Master and his senior brothers.

So what if he has the talent of a Divine Artisan—he hasn't become one yet!

How could that shake Shi Hong's position as Young Valley Master?

He had heard that Shi Hong had already inherited the Five-Colored Five Arms Spirit Void Qi, which made him almost certainly the next Valley Master.

"You still don't understand the weight a Divine Artisan carries—even if it's only possible for him to become one…"

Han Han Chuijun rose slowly, his gaze fixed on the giant warships surfacing one after another downstream, his tone calm:

"Didn't you ask me why we dare to annihilate Thousand Jun Cave, why your master dares to come alone to block Pang Pang Liexue Mountain?"

"This old man will tell you now!"

"Hm?!"

Fang Fang Bao Luo's heart jolted, only to see his own master step out in a single stride, landing on the surface of the surging river.

Then, to his astonishment, actual flames rose from his body?!

"This?!"

It wasn't only Fang Fang Bao Luo—even Ba Ba Wanli, gripping his heavy hammer and facing the enemy as if facing a great threat, couldn't help but look over, his eyes filled with horror.

"Fourteen hundred years ago, when the Ancestral Founder roamed the world and passed by Divine Weapon Mountain, he once saw crimson flames shooting skyward from beneath a cold pool…"

"A dragon fish burst into the night sky, a hundred zhang long, like a flood dragon, like a true dragon, its roar shaking the heavens, flames surging all over its body…"

Crack!

While Han Han Chuijun spoke, both Fang Fang Bao Luo and the other heard the sound of joints grinding.

But on their master's outstretched arms, beneath the flames, palm-sized scales had shockingly appeared!

Those scales, like dragon scales, grew out of his body at a speed visible to the naked eye, covering his entire form!

Whoosh!

The faint flames instantly blazed up, as if real fire had truly ignited on his body.

"Ancestral Founder, slay this fish king—draw its blood for medicine, cut its flesh for pills, take its sinew for a bow, refine its inner core into

a pearl…"

Han Han Chuijun rolled his neck, enduring the agony of fierce flames burning his body, as whiskers and horns seemed to sprout from his head, like a dragon's:

"Strip its skin for armor—and that is exactly what I wear on my body, the Crimson Flame Flood Dragon Armor!"