Chapter 47: Departure

The sheepskin spread out, as large as a human face, with a painting of a white ape wildly dancing with a hammer in a raging wind, roaring at the sky.

The painter's skill seemed rather ordinary, but when Li Yuan focused his gaze, he felt a fierce aura rushing toward him, sending an involuntary chill through his heart.

"A painting can be this lifelike? No, it's this sheepskin—White Sandalwood Spirit Sheep…"

Li Yuan tried to memorize it, gradually immersing himself. Beside him, Wu Ming tilted his head, eyes gleaming, hungry and thirsty for it.

Yue Yun Jin held the Green Snake Spear Fundamental Method alone. Something he had yearned for years had suddenly fallen into his hands, yet he felt an emptiness inside.

It was only when Tang Tong spoke that they began to memorize.

The room was silent. Tang Tong held back his coughs, but blood still seeped from the corner of his mouth from time to time—his injuries were far too severe.

"The Dragon-Slaying Saber…"

Tang Tong pressed lightly against his chest; even through his clothes he could feel that terrifying saber wound.

He could still seem to feel the chill running through his body—that single flash of saber-light had nearly cut him down on the spot.

"Hurry up!"

After sitting for a while, Tang Tong rose, glared at the few who were distracted, walked slowly out of the courtyard, closed the door, and did not let the hastily returning Sun Fatty follow.

He walked alone toward the back courtyard.

Though the inner courtyard had his quarters, he spent most of his time in the back courtyard. Wang Ding and Cao Yan were there as well.

In the back courtyard there was a small flower garden, at this moment a stretch of fresh green, with fruit trees also in bloom.

Cao Yan and Wang Ding sat facing each other. Seeing Tang Tong arrive, they both rose, faces full of worry.

"Old Tang, that wound of yours?"

"It won't kill me, but Wu Gong will be mostly crippled. The Dragon-Slaying Saber was too fierce—even with top-grade spirit pills, it can't be saved."

Tang Tong glanced calmly at the two of them and spoke:

"Before Han Han Chuijun arrives, I will leave Gao Liu, but you must agree to one thing for me. Among next year's Divine Weapon Valley assessment quotas, the three spots for Yue Yun Jin, Li Yuan, and Wu Ming remain unchanged!"

"Divine Weapon Valley entry quotas—my Weapon Forging Shop only has?"

Wang Ding furrowed his brow slightly, then sighed helplessly:

"Fine then, I'll take a step back and give you two."

Tang Tong did not answer, only stared coldly at Wang Ding. The latter lowered his eyes, yet yielded not an inch.

"If not for Tang Lao this time, Cao Mou would hardly have escaped unscathed. Three quotas, as you say—but…"

Cao Yan sighed softly, apologetically:

"When exactly that Han Han Chuijun will arrive, no one truly knows. To avoid complications overnight, Tang Lao should leave tonight. I'll send someone to escort you to Dechang Prefecture…"

"Cough, cough~"

Pressing lightly on his chest, Tang Tong coughed violently a few times. He wiped the black blood from the corner of his mouth and agreed:

"Tonight, then!"

Cao Yan, his face full of guilt, took a white porcelain bottle from his bosom: "This is a top-grade Origin-Supplementing Pill from Sijicaotang. Tang Lao, take it—on the road it should ease things somewhat."

Tang Tong reached out to take it, turned and left. As he reached the doorway, he paused briefly, his voice complex:

"In the Weapon Forging Shop's two hundred-plus years, who knows how much of our forebears' lifelong effort has been poured into it. I hope you won't destroy this inheritance left by our ancestors!"

Cao Yan was briefly silent, then lowered his head and murmured: "…How could I destroy the Weapon Forging Shop? This is our ancestors' foundation!"

"That Qiu Long is pressing us aggressively. If we don't fight back, sooner or later he'll devour us whole."

Wang Ding, however, gave a cold snort and looked at Cao Yan:

"Han Han Chuijun, known as the Ghost-Faced Prajna, is a top-tier formidable figure. If he discovers the Dragon-Slaying Saber wound on Old Tang's body…"

"Mm?"

Cao Yan looked up, his eyes full of sharpness: "Tang Lao took that blade for my sake…"

"Our two families have received the Cao family's kindness for generations. Old Tang was merely repaying a debt. Even if he hadn't blocked that blade, this old man would have stepped in to intercept it!"

Wang Ding's expression was cold.

"Divine Weapon Valley can't trace Dechang Prefecture—that's East Mountain Sect's territory…"

Cao Yan frowned deeply.

"It's not that one-in-ten-thousand…"

"Enough!"

Cao Yan raised his hand to cut him off: "My mind is made up. This matter needs no further discussion!"

Seeing him so resolute, Wang Ding could only shake his head and change the subject:

"That Yu Zhen, after all, has an unclear background. Are you truly going to let him serve as the inner courtyard steward?"

"Don't use a man you suspect; if you use him, don't suspect him. I knew Yu Zhen years ago—his conduct is rigorous, there will be no slip-ups!"

Cao Yan glanced lightly at Wang Ding:

"If all goes well, next year you'll be the Great Shopkeeper. Why the rush?"

"Great Shopkeeper misunderstands. This old man…"

Wang Ding still wanted to say something, but Cao Yan, already quite impatient, flicked his sleeve and left:

"The front courtyard—Qin Xiong is at your disposal!"

……

……

"The Fundamental Chart actually contains, including the practice methods and stance work, the masterwork of the White Ape Cloak Hammer—the hammer technique at Great Completion!"

"If I master the Six Harmonies and receive the blessing of a Completion-level hammer technique, does that count as achieving Great Completion in hammer technique?"

"What a fine thing. But this sheepskin's value is probably extremely high…"

……

Inside the inner courtyard room, Li Yuan immersed himself in it, gesturing from time to time, and his own blood qi seemed to grow several times more agile.

After nightfall, Tang Tong returned, put away the two volumes of the fundamental chart, and without giving the others a chance to ask questions, raised his hand and sent them all packing.

"Brother-in-law, are you really, really leaving?"

After closing the door, Fatty Sun was both worried and dejected, and a little dazed and uneasy.

He had spent most of his life in the weapons-forging shop; if he really had to leave, he only felt panic and reluctance in his heart.

That kid still owes him over fifty taels of silver!

"If not, you stay?"

After taking a Replenishing Origin Pill, Tang Tong's complexion improved considerably. He glared at his own brother-in-law and told him to pack up quickly.

"Dechang Prefecture, I've never been there either."

Fatty Sun was a little aggrieved, and a little unwilling:

"Brother-in-law, are we really the only ones going? How about bringing a few more apprentices to boss around on the road? I think that Li Yuan is pretty good, sharp and capable!"

"Shut up!"

Tang Tong was so annoyed his qi and blood surged up, and he nearly coughed up blood.

Fatty Sun got a terrible fright and dared not say another word, but in his heart he was bleeding silently — this was a huge loss.

Fifty taels!

My silver…

"That pile of junk of yours doesn't need packing, let's go."

After a hasty packing, Tang Tong rose.

Fatty Sun was hardly willing — his entire fortune was in the central courtyard. Tang Tong couldn't be bothered to wrangle with him:

"Go quick, come back quick!"

……

Li Yuan had just returned to the courtyard, and before he had time to wash up, he saw Fatty Sun hurrying back.

"What's this about?"

Li Yuan was somewhat surprised.

"Pack your things, we're going on a long trip!"

Fatty Sun rushed into the inner room and immediately began a frantic rummaging through chests and cupboards. He hung big and small bundles all over himself, then dashed to the kitchen and grabbed two large cleavers.

"A long trip? You and the Second Shopkeeper?"

Li Yuan reacted quickly.

"Sigh, I don't want to go either, no choice, my brother-in-law insists on taking me away."

Fatty Sun sighed and moaned, his heart aching terribly.

Li Yuan, seeing him in this state, knew exactly what he was thinking. He pretended to head back to his room, but actually took out the Six Harmonies Boots from the gray stone platform,

thought for a moment, and took out that hundred-tael silver note.

Tongda Money House had branches everywhere; an unregistered silver note could be cashed anywhere.

"Wh-where did you get so much silver?"

Fatty Sun got a fright, instinctively took it in his hand, then handed it back: "You just owe me fifty-six, seven taels will do, that one tael counts as your interest!"

"One thing at a time — nine out, thirteen back — fifty-six taels means you owe seventy-three taels."

Li Yuan had no intention of welching on the debt.

Those fifty-six taels of silver had also been saved up by Fatty Sun bit by bit.

"This…"

After a slight hesitation, Fatty Sun accepted the silver note, pulled out two big handfuls of broken silver from his bundle and stuffed them into Li Yuan's hands. Without waiting for a response, he hurried off.

"That fatty…"

Weighing the broken silver — at least four catties heavy — Li Yuan watched Sun Hao leave. Only after a moment did he return to his room.

While standing in a hammer-gripping stance, he recalled the fundamental chart of the Bai Yuan Hammer Technique he had memorized.

(End of this chapter)