By the Luoshui River.
After Yang Kai left, Jiang Li also arrived at the east courtyard.
In the dead of night, the commotion in the east courtyard had naturally caught Jiang Li's attention.
After calming Liu Wanwan, he hurried over, carrying a gleaming blade in his left hand.
As he entered Jiang Ning's courtyard, he caught the lingering scent of blood in the air and saw Jiang Ning standing calmly in the middle of the yard.
"Little brother, what happened just now?" Jiang Li asked.
Jiang Ning replied, "Big brother, don't worry. It was just two thieves who sneaked in. I chased them off."
"Are you hurt?"
"No," Jiang Ning shook his head, reassuring him. "Big brother, don't worry. With my current strength, ordinary people can't threaten me."
"Go back and comfort sister-in-law. Don't let her worry."
Jiang Li studied Jiang Ning carefully, then glanced around the courtyard.
With his years of experience as a constable, he could tell that something had happened, but he felt reassured seeing Jiang Ning unharmed.
"If you're fine, little brother, I'll head back now."
Early morning, outskirts of Luoshui County.
Knock, knock, knock
A series of knocks echoed through the night.
"What is it?"
"Master, something big has happened. Manager Yang is waiting for you outside!"
A moment later, the lights in the room flickered on, casting a bright glow through the windows.
Creak
The door opened.
A thin, hunched old man appeared before the servant.
His silver hair gleamed under the moonlight as he tightened his belt.
"What happened? Why is Yang Kai here so late at night?" the old man asked.
"I'm not sure of the details, but I saw Manager Qiu's body," the servant replied truthfully.
"What?!" The old man's hands trembled.
"Take me to him!"
He hastily tied his belt and rushed out.
When he reached the backyard, the old man caught the scent of blood in the air.
He saw Yang Kai standing in the courtyard, with a body at his feet.
"Elder Gong!" Yang Kai bowed respectfully as the old man approached.
"Enough with the formalities!" the old man waved his hand. "Yang Kai, what happened?"
Yang Kai began to recount the events of the night.
On the way here, he had already decided to tell the truth.
As for what the forge should do next, it would be up to Elder Gong to decide.
After all, the forge's decades of success were largely due to Elder Gong's efforts.
After listening to Yang Kai's account, Elder Gong fell into deep thought.
A moment later, he said, "Prepare some gifts. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to apologize."
"Apologize?" Yang Kai was surprised.
"Yes," Elder Gong nodded slowly. "Regardless of right or wrong, we can't afford to offend that person. Mastering blade intent after just a few months of training is unheard of."
"Besides, in a way, we were in the wrong. Qiu Shilong was in the wrong!"
"Once a gift is given, there's no taking it back."
Elder Gong's tone was firm.
Hearing this, Yang Kai nodded repeatedly. "Elder Gong, should I prepare the gifts now?"
"No need," Elder Gong shook his head. "I have a Dragon-Tiger Strength Pill here. It'll make a suitable gift."
Then he turned to Yang Kai and added, "As for the forge, with Qiu Shilong gone, you'll be the new manager. The forge is yours to manage now."
"Me?" Yang Kai hesitated. "Am I capable?"
"You have to be! You're the only eighth-grade martial artist left in the forge. Besides, that kid owes you a favor. Since he can draw that spirit weapon, he must possess some extraordinary quality."
"That kid's future is limitless. You're the best choice for manager."
"If Elder Gong trusts me so much, I'll do my best," Yang Kai said.
"Good," Elder Gong nodded. "Tomorrow, I'll go with you to the forge to make arrangements. In the afternoon, we'll visit Jiang Ning's home."
"Yes, Elder Gong," Yang Kai replied.
The next day.
[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1]
[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1]
[Indestructible Golden Body experience +1]
[...]
Jiang Ning stopped tempering his skin when he felt it had reached its limit.
[Skill]: Indestructible Golden Body (Proficient 853/2000)
"Almost there! I'm not far from mastering skin tempering," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
He then picked up a bottle of herbal essence and drank it.
A cool sensation spread through his body, and he immediately felt better.
He sat in the shade, resting while flipping through a book.
Improving his literacy was just as important to him.
He had grown accustomed to steadily increasing his skills and found joy in watching his progress.
Tap, tap, tap
Footsteps approached.
"Uncle!" a voice called out.
Jiang Ning looked up and smiled.
It was Jiang Yiming, Jiang Li's eldest son and his nephew.
"Yiming, what brings you here? Is something wrong?" Jiang Ning asked.
Jiang Yiming shook his head. "Uncle, someone's here to see you. Father sent me to call you."
"Someone's here to see me?" Jiang Ning was puzzled. "Did they say who they are?"
"Yes," Jiang Yiming nodded. "They said they're from the forge."
"So it's them," Jiang Ning stood up.
He understood now.
The forge's visit was undoubtedly related to last night's events.
He walked over and picked up the spirit weapon, Longyuan.
"Yiming, let's go," he said.
Jiang Ning led the way to the main hall.
The people from the forge had come. Were they here to demand an explanation?
If they were here to cause trouble, he wouldn't hesitate to draw his blade.
He hoped they were smart enough to know better.
Main Hall.
When Jiang Ning appeared, Yang Kai stood up and whispered to the old man beside him, "Elder Gong, this is Jiang Ning."
Hearing this, Elder Gong also stood up, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Ning.
Then his eyes fell on the long blade in Jiang Ning's left hand.
"This must be the spirit weapon Yang Kai told me about."
"From what I know, spirit weapons have a will of their own. If he can draw the blade, it means the spirit within has recognized him."
"In ancient times, this was known as a spirit weapon recognizing its master."
"To anyone else, it would be useless."
Elder Gong thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning stepped over the threshold and his gaze fell on the silver-haired, slightly hunched old man beside Yang Kai.
Seeing the old man, Jiang Ning knew.
This was Gong Mingyuan, the founder of the forge.
Though the old man's physique seemed unremarkable now, he had once been a formidable figure in Luoshui County, renowned for his hammer techniques.
In his prime, he had been an unrivaled eighth-grade martial artist, wielding a thousand-pound hammer.
Even the leaders of the three major gangs dared not provoke him.
But now, Jiang Ning felt no fear.
Elder Gong was old and his vitality had long since declined.
At his age, maintaining even half of his peak strength was impressive.
Moreover, his stamina was no match for his younger self.
Jiang Ning had no reason to fear.
Especially since both men had come unarmed.
Yang Kai and Elder Gong were both known for their hammer techniques.
Without their weapons, they could only display a fraction of their strength.
At this moment, Jiang Li saw Jiang Ning approaching and quickly stood up to introduce him.
"Little brother, these two distinguished guests are from the forge. They've come specifically to visit you."
Yang Kai stepped forward and said, "Young brother Jiang Ning, this is Elder Gong, the former manager of the forge."
Elder Gong smiled warmly. "Seeing you in person, young man, I can tell you have the potential of a hidden dragon. One day, you'll soar to great heights."
Jiang Ning also smiled.
He could tell that Yang Kai and Elder Gong had come with good intentions.
Since they meant no harm, there was no need for him to be hostile.
After all, it was better to have more friends than enemies.
Too many enemies would make it hard to sleep peacefully.
"So you're Elder Gong, the renowned former manager of the forge," Jiang Ning clasped his hands in greeting.
Then he asked, "What brings you two here today?"
Elder Gong smiled kindly. "Today, Yang Kai and I have come to apologize. Last night, Qiu Shilong and Yang Kai intruded into your home. I deeply regret their actions."
As he spoke, Elder Gong bowed slightly.
Jiang Ning remained still. "I thought Elder Gong had come to demand an explanation for Qiu Shilong's death."
Elder Gong shook his head. "Intruding into someone's home in the middle of the night it was only right for you to defend yourself. Qiu Shilong brought this upon himself."
Jiang Li, standing nearby, widened his eyes in shock.
He remembered his conversation with Jiang Ning the previous night.
According to Jiang Ning, two thieves had sneaked into the east courtyard.
At the time, Jiang Li had believed it.
After all, the commotion had ended quickly.
By the time he arrived, the intruders were gone.
The lingering scent of blood and Jiang Ning's unharmed state suggested that his younger brother had handled the situation.
But now, hearing their conversation, Jiang Li realized the truth.
The intruders hadn't been petty thieves.
They were Qiu Shilong, the manager of the forge, and Yang Kai, the deputy manager.
In Luoshui County, these two were considered major figures.
And from what they were saying, Qiu Shilong had died at Jiang Ning's hands last night.
The thought filled Jiang Li with astonishment.
When had his younger brother become so powerful?
Qiu Shilong was an eighth-grade martial artist, and Jiang Ning had dealt with him in such a short time.
He clearly remembered that the commotion had lasted only a few moments.
By the time he had calmed Liu Wanwan and arrived with his blade, everything was over, and Jiang Ning was alone in the courtyard.
Jiang Ning said, "What about this blade? What are your thoughts, Elder Gong?"
As he spoke, he raised the pitch-black scabbard in his hand.
Elder Gong replied, "Spirit weapons have a will of their own. Since it has chosen you, and Yang Kai has already given it to you, the blade is rightfully yours."
"Elder Gong is truly magnanimous," Jiang Ning clasped his hands in respect. "I admire your generosity."
Elder Gong smiled warmly. "Once a gift is given, there's no taking it back."
Then he took out a brocade box and said, "We came in a hurry today and didn't prepare much. I only brought a Dragon-Tiger Strength Pill with me."
As he spoke, Elder Gong handed the box to Jiang Ning.
"Please accept this as a token of our apology."
"Dragon-Tiger Strength Pill?"
Hearing the name, Jiang Ning's eyes lit up with surprise.
He had heard of this pill before. It was quite famous.
It was a pill refined by the Dragon-Tiger Sect, made from extremely rare herbs and imbued with a profound dragon-tiger energy through a secret technique.
Hence the name, Dragon-Tiger Strength Pill.
Consuming this pill and refining its energy could significantly enhance one's strength in a short time.
For any eighth-grade martial artist, it was an incredibly valuable pill, greatly accelerating their progress in tempering their muscles.
The pill was famous for its ability to advance a martial artist's progress within the Divine Strength realm.
Typically, when a martial artist first entered the eighth grade, their strength would increase by five hundred jin.
Thus, most early-stage Divine Strength practitioners had a strength of around 1,500 to 2,000 jin.
At the small achievement level, their strength would exceed 2,000 jin, reaching up to 2,500 jin.
At the great achievement level, their strength would surpass 2,500 jin, with the most exceptional reaching 3,000 jin.
Depending on one's innate physique and the cultivation techniques they practiced, there could be variations in strength.
Those with exceptional innate talent had a higher ceiling.
For example, some were born with immense strength.
From what Jiang Ning knew, Elder Gong in his prime had been one such person.
At his peak, he was said to possess a strength of 4,000 jin, wielding a thousand-pound hammer, making him virtually invincible in his realm.
Jiang Ning took the brocade box from Elder Gong.
He opened it briefly to inspect the contents, then closed it.
"Thank you, Elder Gong. If the forge ever needs my help in the future, just let me know. I still owe you a favor."
Elder Gong's face lit up with a smile.
"Young man, you have a generous heart."
Then he added, "From now on, Yang Kai will be the manager of the forge. If you need anything, just ask him."
"The forge will be under Yang Kai's management from now on."
"Understood," Jiang Ning said.
With their purpose achieved, Elder Gong stood up.
"Then I'll take my leave now. I won't disturb your training any longer."
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