Chapter 95: Taking Stock of the Harvest, Wielding the Green Snake

Learned something new again!

Han Han Chuijun drifted into the courtyard with the wind. Li Lin hurriedly stepped forward to bow, unable to help sighing inwardly.

Fishing is truly a technical skill.

The novice fisherman Sha Sha Pingying had unwittingly served as bait himself; it was just that no big fish took the hook. Truly, an old hand at the game.

"Bam!"

Xu Feng took another staff blow, spitting out teeth and blood all over the ground.

"Elder Han's name—is that something you're fit to call?"

Sha Sha Pingying glared, then turned his head and put on an honest, simple face: "Elder Han, how could such a trivial matter be worth your personal intervention?"

"These idiots are truly wasting such a fine thing as the Bai Shen Fa."

Without so much as a glance at Xu Feng, Han Han Chuijun swept his eyes over Li Lin and the other:

"Learning martial arts the wrong way—at best it harms the body, at worst it damages the brain, just like these Xieshen Sect idiots. You two must take this as a warning!"

"Elder Han's teaching—this disciple will engrave it upon my heart, ponder it daily, and never dare forget even a fraction of it!"

Sha Sha Pingying replied in a solemn voice, his face full of reverence.

"…This disciple will keep it firmly in mind."

Li Lin was half a beat slower.

He glanced at the burly, big-eyed, thick-browed, square-faced Sha Sha Pingying and felt his own judgment of people really wasn't that accurate—

Compared with Heroine Fang, this Senior Brother Sha was the true talent.

'You really can't judge a person by their looks!

Li Lin was sighing inwardly when Han Han Chuijun gave a flick of his hand, tossed the few Xieshen Sect cultists over to Sha Sha Pingying for interrogation, and himself flicked his sleeves and went inside.

"E-Ex… Elder."

Li Lin stammered, so nervous that beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. When had he ever been through such an ordeal?

"Mm."

Without needing any invitation, Han Han Chuijun went straight to his seat, took the bowl and chopsticks Li Lin handed him, and glanced at Li Lin again:

"Mid-to-low bone constitution. You've learned a few days of farming-hand stances?"

"R-replying to Elder, I've learned a few Quan Fa moves to toughen up my strength. It doesn't… doesn't really count as Wu Gong."

Li Lin grew even more nervous.

"Parents died young, carried a mountain of debt to raise your younger brother—truly not easy."

Han Han Chuijun ate very slowly, chewing each mouthful thoroughly. Though it was only coarse tea and simple fare, he ate with evident relish.

Li Lin attended him at his side, while he chatted with Li Lin in a desultory, off-and-on manner.

His tone was gentle, his words casual. Within a few sentences, Li Lin relaxed too, returning to his naturally chatty nature, chattering so much that Li Lin's eyelids began to twitch.

"One could say the hardship is over and the sweetness has come."

Han Han Chuijun smiled, clinked cups with him, and asked again:

"The firewood gang has disbanded. What are your plans?"

"The firewood gang's gone, but that doesn't stop me from chopping firewood!"

After two cups, Li Lin's face flushed red: "Third Brother, what's wrong? Your eyes bothering you?"

"Cough, cough~"

Li Lin choked and coughed a little.

"How does a second brother so honest and simple raise a little slippery devil like you?"

Glaring at Li Lin, Han Han Chuijun shook his head: "Gao Liu County has tens of thousands of households. The firewood gang's business is no small matter—your second brother may not be up to being its leader…"

"Ah, the firewood gang?"

Li Lin caught on and waved his hands repeatedly: "I couldn't possibly be the gang leader…"

That fright nearly sobered Li Lin up on the spot.

"Here's what we'll do: let your second brother hang a Shopkeeper's title at the weapons-smithing shop, have him recruit a batch of people, and only handle business for your smithy and a few nearby households.

That way, he won't have to rack his brains and exhaust his strength, and it'll be proper."

Han Han Chuijun set down his bowl and chopsticks and wiped the corner of his mouth:

"There's still over three months until the New Year. These days, you spend more time with those few families in the inner and outer cities, and while you're at it, teach the Mang Niu Gong to your second brother.

Internal force is hard to say, but piling up to Great Accomplishment of Qi and Blood should still be doable!"

"This disciple has taken note!"

Li Lin nodded repeatedly.

These past few days, he had also been mulling over teaching his second brother to practice martial arts, but hadn't decided what to pass on to him. Hearing Han Han Chuijun say this,

he naturally committed it to memory.

Mang Niu Gong is one of the four Wu Gong Han Han Chuijun left him—a Ku Gong that anyone willing to learn can enter the door of. Its main point is plain hard work and endurance.

"Alright, that's all there is to say."

After eating a little of something warm, Han Han Chuijun had no mind to linger. After a few parting instructions, he strode out of the room.

Sha Sha Pingying had also just finished dealing with those Xieshen Sect cultists and returned, carrying his mixed-iron staff.

"Their mouths were unusually tough—didn't pry much out of them. It's also possible these fellows just didn't know much."

Sha Sha Pingying scratched his head as he reported:

"Though I did get some leads on Su Su Wanxiong's whereabouts…"

"We'll talk back home!"

Glancing at Li Lin, and with the latter bowing to see him off, Han Han Chuijun tapped lightly with his foot, and his figure vanished into the night like a hawk.

"Senior Brother Sha, may you have a safe journey."

Li Yuan cupped his fist.

"Why does that sound so strange?"

Sha Sha Pingying, carrying an iron staff, said, "That Cold Iron Blade..."

Li Yuan stepped back imperceptibly, his face full of gratitude: "Junior Brother is eternally grateful!"

"No, I mean, if you don't use this blade, sell it..."

"Hurry up!"

In the night wind, the sound of Han Han Chuijun's urging voice came through.

"Coming right away!"

Sha Sha Pingying helplessly replied, stamped his foot to shatter the green stone on the ground, and flipped out of the courtyard:

"Junior Brother Li, see you again next March. At that time..."

"Senior Brother, have a safe journey!"

Li Yuan's voice was so loud it startled the small mice inside the house into squeaking wildly.

"The Cold Iron Blade is worth over a thousand taels of silver. Even with a fifty-fifty split, that's five hundred taels. A huge sum of silver..."

Touching the Cold Iron Blade at his waist, Li Yuan's mood instantly improved.

He was never someone who ate alone, but now he was truly short of funds.

That night, he had exchanged four taels of red gold with Han Han Chuijun. With four hundred taels of silver gone, he still had several hundred taels left on his person, but he needed to prepare for the promotion of the Commanding Talisman, so he could only delay giving it to Sha Sha Pingying.

"Another creditor..."

Li Yuan felt no psychological burden; with the Weapon Forge in hand, he wasn't afraid of being unable to repay.

However...

"Did they really leave this time?"

Watching the two figures depart, Li Yuan muttered to himself and closed the courtyard gate.

With those few people leaping high and low, the gate seemed somewhat superfluous.

【Slaying-Gold Cold Iron Blade (Tier 3)】

【Soaked in the blood of the spiritual bird 'Jade Eagle' for a hundred years, then forged by fierce fire thousands of times. It has been stained by blood over a hundred times and has also absorbed a trace of alien qi, possessing a slight supernatural quality...】

【Mastery Condition: Ren Yi Dao Fa at Great Perfection】

【Mastery Effects: Cutting Gold and Breaking Jade, Short Weapon Proficiency, Blade Technique Talent, Divine Art, Second Layer】

"Not as good as the Hexagonal Hammer, but it's still top-tier. Plus the Blade Technique Talent and Short Weapon Proficiency, it counts as very good..."

Inside the room, Li Yuan was counting his gains.

These past few days, he had been truly busy. Not to mention the various trivial matters within the Weapon Forge, dealing with the powerful families in the inner and outer cities also consumed a vast amount of energy.

"This haul will keep me occupied for a long time."

Li Yuan didn't even light an oil lamp; he lay on the bed, squinting as he counted.

First, there was the silver: over seven hundred and eighty taels. This mainly came from Shopkeeper Cao Da, with a small portion earned from his hard work forging iron.

With Zhang Ben around, he had earned plenty of silver over the past year and a half, but his expenses were also high. Not to mention pills, he didn't stint on food and drink either.

Without silver, one eats chaff and swallows vegetables; with silver, one still eats chaff and swallows vegetables—then wasn't the silver earned in vain?

"The biggest expense was exchanging red gold with Old Han. Four hundred taels of silver for four taels of red gold was already a bargain. Pity he was traveling and didn't bring much red gold..."

Cao Yan's assets certainly weren't limited to what was on his person, but with a hundred or so people in the Weapon Forge,

various iron materials needed purchasing, which took up the majority of the silver.

Deeds for land and houses and the like, he hadn't found. Even if he had, he would have to hand them over to the City Guard.

The rules of the Divine Weapon Valley, even Han Han Chuijun had to obey; let alone a disciple who hadn't even entered the sect.

"Five taels of red gold secured. Exchanging for gold isn't difficult either. Ten taels of gold, at market price, would surely be covered by one hundred and twenty taels of silver. Only the thousand catties of Hundred-Refined Steel and the thousand taels of white silver remain..."

Li Yuan calculated in his mind.

He had already gathered most of the materials for the Commanding Talisman promotion. The most difficult red gold was actually the first to be gathered; only the large quantities of Hundred-Refined Steel and white silver were missing.

The Weapon Forge held more than a thousand catties of Hundred-Refined Steel. If he wanted to buy it, four hundred taels of silver would be enough to take it all. If he didn't want to buy it, he could just take it directly; no one would dare say anything.

"If I were ruthless, I could draw both the Hundred-Refined Steel and the silver from the forge, and tomorrow I could promote the Commanding Talisman to Tier 4!"

But the forge would likely come to a halt, and Old Zhang would faint from anger...

Weighing it in his heart, but promoting the Commanding Talisman to Tier 4 was no longer a problem for Li Yuan at this moment. After a brief thought, he continued counting.

"Mang Niu Gong, Sparrow Step, Eagle Claw Grasp, Bai Lu Leaping Art."

Han Han Chuijun left behind four Wu Gong. Originally, he only intended to leave one, but Li Yuan had stubbornly worn him down to four, all of which were relatively easier to cultivate.

"Pity, the fundamental diagrams for these Wu Gong are all within the Divine Weapon Valley..."

Li Yuan felt slightly regretful.

Fundamental diagrams were not something ordinary people carried with them.

However, he wasn't anxious. He already had two fundamental diagrams on his person, and moreover, the City Guard, the Yuan family, and the county government office all had no shortage of fundamental diagrams obtained from these raids.

"Hoo!"

After a rough count, a sense of satisfaction rose in Li Yuan's heart.

"The fundamental diagram for the Green Snake Spear Technique, the fundamental diagram for the Tiger Roar Blade. I can now choose to master them."

Two long spears were stuck in the incense burner, from the Wang father and son. One had no threshold, with a mastery bonus of 'Green Snake Spear Technique at Minor Success.'

The other required Green Snake Spear Technique proficiency to master, with a bonus effect of 'Green Snake Spear Technique at Great Success.'

Additionally, there were two large blades, from Qin Xiong and Cao Yan respectively. Under the two bonuses, they could perfectly satisfy the fundamental diagram for the Tiger Roar Blade.

"Hah!"

Glancing at the two long spears planted in the incense burner, Li Yuan hesitated not a moment, choosing to command them.

Buzz!

The Weapon Command Talisman trembled lightly; Wang Gong's unranked long spear had already replaced the Green Jade Bronze Hammer. Suppressing the discomfort, he felt the enhancement of the spear technique.

"Small Mastery level Green Snake Spear Technique enhancement!"

Feeling the spear techniques surge into his mind, Li Yuan swapped out the Wind Tiger Pestle as well.

Hah!

With both major second-tier weapons replaced, Li Yuan felt an extremely intense sense of loss, as if his entire being had become hollow.

Yet his eyes were very bright.

"Great Mastery level spear technique enhancement!"

Inside the room, Li Yuan flipped up from his seat, stretching his muscles and bones, feeling the changes within himself.

Even though he had commanded many weapons, he still felt some shock in his heart; a moment ago, he had not even studied the long spear, yet now he felt as though he had practiced spear techniques for many years.

With this enhancement, he believed his spear technique could quickly reach entry-level and mastery.

"Command, Green Snake Spear Fundamental Diagram!"

Buzz!

The instant the Green Snake Spear Fundamental Diagram was installed, Li Yuan felt the restlessness of his entire body's vital energy rising from his waist and abdomen, spreading to the great tendons throughout his body.

"Snake Waist, Python Tendons!"

Li Yuan exhaled lightly and took out the pills obtained from Cao Yan.

Shopkeeper Gao Liu's pills were non-toxic; with the little rat having tested the medicine, Li Yuan took one without worry. As heat rose in his belly, he took out an unranked wooden spear and began practicing the Green Snake Spear Technique.

The second bone-structure alteration had begun.

"Yi Bai Xing!"

Li Yuan adjusted his breathing, his heart a sea of heat.

More than three months remained before departing for the Divine Weapon Valley; for him, that was already a very long time!

"By then, perhaps I can give Old Han a little surprise..."

"When the time comes, perhaps I can give Old Han a little surprise…"

"I was too careless..."

Early the next morning, Li Yuan, his face full of fatigue, sat up from bed and decided to prepare another iron sand vat.

The second bone-structure alteration was no better than the first; that bone-penetrating soreness and itch made him wish he could pull out his own great tendons.

"Just right; it can accelerate the progress of the Seven Stars Body Cultivation. Perhaps, before the New Year, Body Cultivation can be pushed to Small Mastery?"

After practicing a few sets of Weapon Body Postures, Li Yuan, full of spirit, ate breakfast as usual on the road before arriving at the Weapon Forge.

After running through several sets of the Soldier Body Form, Li Yuan was in high spirits. As usual, he grabbed an early bite on the road before arriving at the Weapon Forging Shop.

Just entering the Weapon Forge, he saw Sun Hao, his face complex, shocked.

"You are now the Shopkeeper of the Weapon Forge?!"

Sun Hao was somewhat stunned; this change was too fast, too drastic; he couldn't digest it all at once.

He hadn't even been up the mountain for a month, yet so many major events had happened in Gao Liu County.

Inside and outside the city walls, every power he was familiar with had been utterly exterminated, yet the only one untouched, the Weapon Forge, now bore the Li surname?

The inner and outer cities—the various powers he knew so well—had all been wiped out, yet the one Weapon Forging Shop untouched actually bore the surname Li?

Li Yuan thought for a moment.

Although he hadn't truly taken over the Weapon Forge, everyone in the shop, including the families inside and outside the city walls, already regarded him as the Great Shopkeeper of the Weapon Forge.

Although he had never truly taken over the Weapon Forging Shop, everyone in the shop, as well as the various families in the inner and outer cities, already regarded him as the great Shopkeeper of the Weapon Forging Shop.

"This, this is too fast, too fast."

Sun Hao murmured, somewhat dazed.

It had only been a year...

A year ago, that little apprentice who had bribed his way into the shop, trying so hard to curry favor with him, had leaped to become the Great Shopkeeper!

A year ago, the little apprentice who had bribed his way in and exhausted every means to curry favor had vaulted up to become the great Shopkeeper!

However, after he slowly digested the shock, immense joy inevitably surged up.

In the entire Weapon Forge, no one had a better relationship with Li Yuan than he did!

In the entire Weapon Forging Shop, no one's relationship with Li Yuan could be closer than his!

Fatty Sun rubbed his hands; knowing his older sister was safe and sound, his state of mind had improved greatly.

"Before the New Year, if you can cultivate Inner Force, you might just be able to become a Shopkeeper..."

Patting Fatty Sun's shoulder, Li Yuan smiled.

Next, it was time for him to repay Fatty Sun; moreover, he needed someone to look after the Weapon Forge, as well as his older brother and sister-in-law, after he left.

Now it was time for him to repay Fatty Sun, and besides, he also needed someone to look after the Weapon Forging Shop—and his brother and sister-in-law—after he left.

"Ah?! Do you mean to..."

Fatty Sun was startled; coming to his senses, his face instantly flushed red, trembling with excitement all over.

"I, I will go practice immediately!"

Fatty Sun, full of fighting spirit, swept away his previous despondency; without a moment's delay, he rushed to the martial arts field, grabbed a hammer, and vigorously began practicing hammer techniques.

After climbing, rolling, and fighting in the mountains for nearly half a year, Sun Hao could no longer be called fat; when wielding the hammer technique, he already possessed quite a bit of a capable air.

"With my guidance, there should be hope to cultivate Inner Force before the New Year."

"With my guidance, there's hope you'll be able to nurture internal strength before the new year."

Li Yuan watched for a while, then nodded to himself.

Fatty Sun's foundation was fairly solid, his blood and qi ample; what he lacked was merely the unification of the six directions. With Li Yuan's guidance, breaking through shouldn't be much of a problem.

After all, he was now even qualified to draw the 'Bai Yuan Fundamental Diagram.'

……

The turmoil in Gao Liu County subsided, and Li Yuan's days returned to peace.

Every morning at dawn, he still went to the forging room to Craft superior grade sharp blades; afterward, he would stand on stake and practice hammer-strikes at the martial training ground, guiding Fatty Sun, as well as the apprentices from the rear courtyard who had later gathered around.

In the evening, he would swallow medicinal pills, enduring the agonizing soreness and itch as he remolded his root bone, and incidentally, rub his body with iron sand to practice the Seven Star Horizontal Training Body.

When night fell, he would begin studying the several Wu Gong left behind by Han Han Chuijun.

Before winter set in, it never rained again.

Before the first snow came, in the Li family ancestral residence, accompanied by crying, Wang Juan, who had been pregnant for over a month, gave birth to a pair of dragon-phoenix twins.

The Li family gained new members.