Chapter 71: Gathering and Crimson Gold

Inner city, a private room on the sixth floor of the Yizi Restaurant.

Same place, same people, but this time the one being surrounded and fawned over was no longer Miss Lu, but the high-spirited Yue Yue Yunjin.

Li Yuan and the dazed-looking Wu Ming sat on his left and right respectively.

Riding on his coattails, the young masters and ladies of the inner city also came over with one topic of conversation or another; Li Yuan didn't think much of it,

but Wu Ming's eyes reddened slightly, and he accepted every approach without refusal, and before long was actually getting a bit tipsy.

"Long-armed and wasp-waisted, top-grade bone structure—Brother Yue, you really make us jealous!"

"Heaven-born bone structure—Brother Yue, that's the blessing of the heavens!"

"Heroine Fang has a keen eye for talent. Once Brother Yue rises through the ranks, don't forget us fellow townsmen…"

……

A scene of clinking cups and polite flattery.

Yue Yue Yunjin's face was flushed with excitement, slightly tipsy—compared to before, how enormous was the change?

"The treatment that comes with top-grade bone structure."

Li Yuan sighed inwardly, and clinked cups and chimed in along with them.

He was somewhat moved by the shift in everyone's attitude, but didn't think there was anything to it—everyone walks through this mortal world of fame and fortune, who can claim to be more pure than another?

Yue Yue Yunjin was quite delighted, but didn't forget to pull along the two junior brothers on either side of him, introducing them to the crowd:

"My junior brother Li here has outstanding talent. Four months after entering the sect, his hammer technique had already reached minor completion; in just half a year, his forging arts had already reached major completion—I am far inferior to him!"

"My junior brother Wu Ming…"

Yue Yue Yunjin also introduced the inner city's young masters and ladies to the two of them.

The sudden change in treatment made him a bit giddy, but he also knew that when it came to real closeness, the closest were still these two junior brothers from the same courtyard.

"Senior Brother Yue flatters me too much—how could this junior brother possibly compare with you?"

Li Yuan rose to offer a toast.

This Senior Brother Yue, even after his own turnaround, hadn't forgotten to pull him along—Li Yuan was quite touched.

"Senior Brother Yue, this junior brother toasts you!"

Wu Ming also stood up, drinking three cups in a row as an apology, drawing a round of cheers.

"Brother Li, I'm Liu Zheng—don't call me Young Master. If you must flatter me, just call me Brother Liu!"

"Brother Liu!"

During the banquet, Yue Yue Yunjin was naturally the focus, but others also came up one by one to clink cups, and Li Yuan responded to each in turn.

Liu Liu Yunwu, Wen Wen Yida, Wang Wang Peiyao…

Over two months ago, he had already memorized these names, and these young masters and ladies knew his name too, but only now did both sides truly come to know each other.

"This wine really doesn't taste good…"

After making the rounds, Li Yuan also let out a sigh of relief. He turned the wine cup in his hand over and over—he truly didn't care for the taste. It wasn't like baijiu, nor like fruit wine—sour and astringent.

At that moment, a cup of honey water was placed before him.

"Many thanks, Miss Wang."

Wang Wang Peiyao's name sounded soft and delicate, but the person herself was quite dashing and martial, dressed in a white close-fitting outfit, with a tall, slender figure and a healthy complexion—clearly one who practiced martial arts diligently day to day.

"Strangers the first time, acquaintances the second—since this is our second meeting, calling you Miss again wouldn't be proper, don't you think, Brother Li?"

Wang Wang Peiyao pressed her lips together.

"Then… Heroine Wang?"

Li Yuan took the honey water—the taste was passable, at least it was sweet.

"Brother Li is a bit older than me—just call me Wang Peiyao."

Wang Wang Peiyao covered her mouth with a light laugh, exchanged a few words, then turned to mingle with the others.

This daughter of the county magistrate was far more easygoing than Miss Lu beside her; the atmosphere at the table was largely kept lively by her.

As for Miss Lu, although she had come, she was quite absent-minded, barely responding to anyone who toasted her, looking burdened with worries.

"Miss Lu's little aunt, though, was quite a surprise. If the Divine Weapon Valley all had this kind of atmosphere, that would truly be nice."

Li Yuan sipped his honey water and ate some pastries, understanding perfectly well in his heart.

The reason for Yue Yue Yunjin's change in treatment—nobody at the table was hiding it.

That Heroine Fang Fang Yunxiu, who was not present, had met with many people in the three months since returning to the city,

and in the end chose Yue Yue Yunjin.

Not Miss Lu, who had mid-to-upper-grade bone structure, great completion of qi and blood, a noble status, and blood ties…

"My uncle went home last month and spoke of Dechang Prefecture—apparently a young prodigy has emerged from the Fire Dragon Temple, not yet sixteen years old, who has already cultivated the 'Fire Dragon Force,' causing quite a sensation."

"Fire Dragon Temple? That's the Qiannianda Sect of Dechang Prefecture, isn't it? Cultivating internal force at sixteen, and a top-grade Fire Dragon Force at that—truly a heaven-gifted genius."

"Heroine Fang isn't bad either, she…"

……

At the banquet, cups clinked, and there was no lack of loud, grand talkers.

Wu Ming was soon dead drunk; many had already started rambling on about this and that, sharing amusing anecdotes and all sorts of messy family affairs.

That delicate, pretty young lady couldn't stay till the end and left halfway through.

Yue Yue Yunjin went out to vomit twice; when he came back, propping up his chin, he was already drowsy and half-asleep.

Li Yuan, meanwhile, pulled the sons of the county magistrate and the county commandant aside to ask about this and that, and finally asked about crimson gold.

That was the real purpose of his attending the gathering—listening to tales from outside the city was just along the way.

"Crimson gold? Your family's big Shopkeeper has the most of it—just ask him to trade for it. We don't hoard that dust-collector; gold is more than enough to use."

Liu Zheng was somewhat drunk.

Red gold is not in common circulation among the people, and ordinary merchants wouldn't keep something more valuable than yellow gold.

"Mm, your family's Shopkeeper Cao Da collects red gold every year. Among all the households in the inner city that have some stored, I reckon none have as much as him. This is material for forging extreme-grade sharp blades. Brother Li, you wouldn't be—?"

Wen Wen Yida was somewhat astonished.

Superior-grade sharp blades and extreme-grade — they look like a single word's difference, but the gap is actually enormous. Superior-grade sharp blades aren't rare in the inner and outer cities, but extreme-grade sharp blades, over all these years, have rarely appeared.

In less than a year, being able to forge superior-grade sharp weapons is already extraordinary talent; if one could forge extreme-grade sharp blades…

"Brother Li, are you going to try forging an extreme-grade sharp blade?"

Liu Liu Yunwu also crowded over.

"Naturally not. I'm preparing to exchange for some red gold, to familiarize myself with the material in advance, preparing for the future."

Li Yuan brushed it off, but his heart sank slightly.

He hadn't expected this stuff to be so scarce — not even the young ladies and young masters of the inner city had any…

At this moment, Wang Wang Peiyao came over swaying a wine cup, glanced at Yue Yue Yunjin and Wu Ming who were already passed out, and handed the wine cup over:

"Drink a cup, and I'll tell you who has red gold!"

Li Yuan drank that cup of wine decisively. It burned going in, churned in his belly, and he got a little tipsy.

Him being so decisive made Wang Wang Peiyao a bit embarrassed: "Red gold — Sister Bai Ling's family has it!"

Lu Lu Bailing?

Li Yuan let out a wine burp.

……

"Lift the sedan!"

On the gray sedan, Lu Lu Bailing was sullen.

She never imagined that her own aunt really wouldn't choose her!

"That Yue Yue Yunjin still hasn't comprehended Six Harmonies Unity after several years — his talent isn't even as good as mine! Just because his bone structure is good?"

Lu Lu Bailing felt depressed.

Over a year ago, she had begun plotting for the Lesser Gathering, her original intent being that once she entered the inner sect of Divine Weapon Valley, she'd have people she could command.

Who would have thought…

"There's still time — half a year. Maybe Aunt can change her mind? So hard, ahhhhhhh!"

Lu Lu Bailing rubbed her hair, in a terrible mood.

She did know there was another path — bringing her 'Yan Hui As-You-Will Hand to Great Perfection, which could also alter one's bone structure.

Though not as good as a naturally superior bone structure, it would still count as superior bone structure.

But any Wu Gong is easy to enter but hard to master. Her talent was decent — three years of martial training and her Zhang Fa reached Great Accomplishment, but from Great Accomplishment to Perfection, and Great Perfection — who knew how far.

Even with a famous teacher's guidance, she estimated it would take twenty years or more…

"Young Lady?"

Outside the sedan, Steward Zhong, who sported two small mustaches, spoke softly.

"What is it?"

Lu Lu Bailing tidied her messy hair and lifted the sedan curtain.

"Young Lady, just set your mind at ease. Regarding your entering Divine Weapon Valley, Heroine Fang also has arrangements — every Searching-for-Talent Envoy has two people, one slot each!"

Steward Zhong paused mid-sentence, frowning as he looked into the distance.

Lu Lu Bailing followed his gaze. Outside her family's residence stood a slovenly young man, sallow-faced, hugging a blade, looking like strangers should keep their distance.

"Who is this person?"

"Some ignorant wanderer of the jianghu…"

Steward Zhong bowed slightly, said a word, and went to greet him.

Outside the Lu residence, Yu Zhen stood hugging his blade, and also spotted Steward Zhong with his face full of smiles:

"Is my lord Lu not at the residence?"

"Reporting to Hero Yu, the master should still be at the government office. Yesterday someone filed a complaint — a quack doctor misused medicine, causing several women to die with their unborn children. Tragic…"

Yu Zhen wasn't interested and cut him off:

"When will my lord Lu return?"

"That, I truly don't know…"

Steward Zhong shook his head.

"Then Yu will come again tomorrow. Remember to tell my lord Lu!"

Yu Zhen turned and left.

……

Lu residence, rear garden.

"That Yu Zhen, after obtaining the 'Bai Shen Fa, truly couldn't resist the temptation. The seven temples in the outer city — he's visited them all…"

Steward Zhong bowed slightly.

"Such a fool truly disgraces the holy technique! But there's no choice…"

Lu Lu Yunqing tended the flower beds, clearing the tangled branches: "That old fellow Han Han Chuijun's appetite is too big. One Cao Yan alone probably won't satisfy him…"

"This Yu Zhen's Zhen Gong is shallow, practicing chaotically — he'll likely go mad soon. Even if he doesn't, would Han Han Chuijun trust him?"

Steward Zhong was somewhat hesitant.

Crack!

Lu Lu Yunqing snipped off a stray branch, expression cold:

"Even if he doesn't trust him, then we can only see how much fire his Soldier's Path Combat Slaying Hammer has actually been tempered in!"

……

"Bai Shen Fa is vicious and treacherous, not as steady as the Soldier's Path Battle Hammer. But, who exactly killed Nian Jiu?"

Yu Zhen muttered to himself. Even after obtaining Bai Shen Fa, he still couldn't forget the Soldier's Path Battle Hammer.

Over the course of more than three months, he had probed most of the hammer-technique masters in Gao Liu County to one degree or another, including the blacksmiths in the forging shop who had achieved great mastery of hammer techniques.

But he had gained nothing at all.

"Nian Jiu had succeeded in body tempering. Even if he was suffering heavy injuries, without someone who had achieved great mastery of hammer techniques, it would have been absolutely impossible to kill him… There's still a hidden master in the city?

"It couldn't possibly be those few apprentices, could it?"

Walking from one end of the street outside the government office to the other, Yu Zhen heard the melodious tolling of a bell, coming from the Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Temple.

He squinted slightly, feeling some wariness, yet unavoidably a stirring of interest:

"The incense offerings here are far better than those seven places outside the city…"

……

……

Li Yuan sobered up, glanced out the window. Young Lady Lu's palanquin had long since vanished.

He wasn't in any hurry. Lu Lu Bailing had clearly been in an extremely foul mood today at a glance — not a good time to ask questions.

After inquiring about the time of the next gathering, he had someone send Yue Yue Yunjin and Wu Ming, who were drunk beyond recognition, back home.

"That Young Lady Lu probably doesn't care for the sight of us at all. Getting her to exchange for red gold won't be easy either…"

It wasn't late yet. After sobering up, Li Yuan headed back to the forging shop.

The forging shop was very lively. The blacksmiths who had been reassigned earlier had already returned; aside from a few who were injured, they had all come back to work.

Zhang Ben was in a very good mood. Just before knocking off, he even went out of his way to buy wine and meat to reward the blacksmiths and the helpers.

Li Yuan had just returned and was made to drink as well. The blacksmiths, who usually envied him quite a bit, weren't about to let this chance slip by, swearing to drink him under the table.

Eating and drinking, everyone was in high spirits.

Li Yuan couldn't hold out, nearly getting drunk under the table, and could only slip away midway.

……

"Never drinking again!"

Rubbing his temples and splashing cold water on his face, Li Yuan prepared to head home.

Just as he stepped out the door, he saw Yu Zhen, reeking of alcohol, yawning as he returned to the shop.

"The Green Serpent Root Diagram really is on him after all…"

They brushed past each other. Li Yuan didn't look back, yet a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.

On Yu Zhen, there was not only the Green Serpent Root Diagram, nor just that blade…

【Thousand-Eye Bodhisattva Wooden Token (First Tier)】

【A wooden token mixed from incense ash and peach wood, bearing a fragment of the Bai Shen Fa…】

【Control Requirement: Entry-level Bai Shen Fa】

【Control Effect: Divine Art, First Layer】

"Bai Shen Fa?"

Li Yuan sobered up instantly.

"You…"

Yu Zhen turned his head back.

Looking over that youth with an elongated, vigorous build — quite a bit lean and fierce — compared to three months ago, the change was nothing short of enormous. He almost didn't recognize him.

"You're Li Yuan?"